union link for installers not tryin to start trouble

[sateck01]

phatnuts,

i do feel bad for you guys, and as a fellow tech, i hope it gets a lot better for you.

BTW a field trainer would be a bosses (non-union) position, so the union couldnt have helped you there.

good luck

 

[rajincajun]

we've been saying all along

way to go phatnuts, as we have been saying all along, respect will go along way. our office staff while allowing the phone to ring for what seems forever are normally involved in conversation with one another while letting it ring, if they answer you normally go on hold until you hang up and call back to try again to get what is needed done.this is one of many things we have been asking forever to have corrected, only to be told that is not a concern of the company, "they're busy, they'll get to you when they can" is a standard answer, nevermind we are on jobs trying to satisfy customers, that isn;t important.by the way they have the ringers off since we are being babysat by corporate until our election, this was mentioned to the brass ass and the reply as usual was, we'll check into it and let you know. one person banging a drum is a nuisance, many banging on drums gets your attention

THE MORE YOU TAKE THE LESS YOU BECOME

 

[Chado]

Yesterday I called the office and let the phone ring for a total of 6 minutes with no answer so I figured I was not routed for the 5th, so I took my family out to watch the fireworks and got home around 1:30 am.......... So I have to go out on minimal sleep to deal with all these customers. My office has put techs in these type of positions ,lead tech, field trainer, and so on not by seniority or qualifications but because the techs were the boss's ass kissers.

I am confused. Is a union going to tell you when to go to bed???

 

[barnburner]

I did a ton of installs for Bellsouth employees last year and they were all surprised that we were not a union company. I didn't think anything of it at the time, but then again you never think of such things until you really need them.

The motivation behind all the changes B&A is making started last year when D* stopped sending out signal to the P3 cards. At that time the bottom fell out and we got flooded with more work than we were staffed to handle. Our office only had about 17-20 full time techs. After the rush started they brought the tech staff up to 60. We now are back down to 45-50. But B&A saw how much the techs were making during that busy time and decided they wanted a bigger chunk of what was coming in, hence the planned changes from per install pay to hourly pay. B&A may tell a different story, (different is right) problem with their story is that it is different every time they tell it. In one sentence they say D* is mandating these changes, then in another they say they have looked at other HSP's who have tried hourly rates and they (B&A) have decided to try this for themselves. They have also said that D* is demanding a phone be installed with every IRD, strange how D*'s own CSR's will tell the customers that phonelines are only absolutely necessary for Tivo installations. Could the reason B&A is saying the phoneline MUST be installed with every IRD is because they (B&A) are getting paid extra by D* for them? Possible. Also is B&A adding fleet vehicles so the company will have some REAL assets to show? A bunch of phones and old computers in their call center are not real assets, but a sh*tload of equipped worktrucks are. And is B&A cutting pay to boost profits so they can show a potential buyer how much the company is worth if a possible sale is in the works? Could be, a very profitable company whose payroll is basically the same every week is much easier to market and sell than one whose payroll fluctuate a great deal (anyone who knows anything about the installation business and getting paid by the install knows your pay can fluctuate a great deal from week to week). Bottom line is this, if the company cares so much for the workers and are looking out for them as they claim in the anti-union garbage they are distributing to the employees, then why are they so afraid the employees might find out how much the company wheels make, or how much the company gets for our work. I know we would be fighting amongst ourselves for work if their was no company to organize the work, but the people in the head office wouldn't have a nice air conditioned office, big cushy chair or a polished mahogany desk to rest their feet upon if it were for us grunts down in the trenches sweating our collective asses off everyday including today, the 4th of f*cking JULY, a holiday I should have been spending with my family, gathered around the barbeque instead of crawling around under some nasty ass trailer out in B.F.E. (Bum F*ck Egypt)!
Sorry, had to rant a little.

Ok, sorry but I need to jump in here. There are alot of assumptions in this post. Let's take these one at a time.
Do you really think that out of all the offices Bruister has, they saw how much the technicians out of one office were making and immediately decided to change the entire way it does business? Surely you don't think that was the entire reason behind the change. And for the story changing, I don't think anyone has ever said D* mandated that change. D* is requiring a certain percentage of technicians in a fleeted vehicle, but not the hourly rate (which I might add, is only for the fleet vehicles).
The phone line is a big topic I can't understand. D* has ALWAYS required the phone line as part of the install, no matter what a CSR may tell you.
And this whole conspiracy thing about assets and boosted profits for potential buyers is just crazy. If a business was looking to sell, do you really think they would run out and buy hundreds of vehicles just to look better on paper? That would only show more expense.

 

[sateck01]

just so i know, what states is B&A in??

are any of them RIGHT TO WORK states???

 

[phatnuts]

I am confused. Is a union going to tell you when to go to bed???

no they cant tell me when to go to bed but when a company has policy's and procedures in place but refuses to follow them it makes it hard to do anything with your family and I mean anything. B&A is in the southeast, Tn,ga,miss,and a few others I cant think of. and to chado are you a tech or just another one of those customers that thinks we should work for free--or better yet pay to work?ass

 

[phatnuts]

satech tn is a right to work state.

 

[phatnuts]

Ok, sorry but I need to jump in here. There are alot of assumptions in this post. Let's take these one at a time.
Do you really think that out of all the offices Bruister has, they saw how much the technicians out of one office were making and immediately decided to change the entire way it does business? Surely you don't think that was the entire reason behind the change. And for the story changing, I don't think anyone has ever said D* mandated that change. D* is requiring a certain percentage of technicians in a fleeted vehicle, but not the hourly rate (which I might add, is only for the fleet vehicles).
The phone line is a big topic I can't understand. D* has ALWAYS required the phone line as part of the install, no matter what a CSR may tell you.
And this whole conspiracy thing about assets and boosted profits for potential buyers is just crazy. If a business was looking to sell, do you really think they would run out and buy hundreds of vehicles just to look better on paper? That would only show more expense.

well in my office the site manager has said "D" has mandated the hourly rates more than once but now they say that they have never heard of that before.An as for phonelines-Do what B&A says"just dont tell them just put it in". I dont know about you but that sounds like a set-up to me.Who do you think will be paying for the damage claims? try this you just bought your first brand new house-you get "D" you have prewires an installer walks in and smiles-walks back out puts up the dish and grounds in -the comes inside your house and bores a whole-after he takes pliers and yanks your carpet up off the tack strip without asking- puts the phoneline in your b room living room and kids room.your left with a brand new house with screwed up carpet and 3 or so new holes in your floor.while you or your woman is screeming the installer just smiles and says sign here good bye. that is word for word what they tell us to do would you want this to happen to you?
I ask every customer if they want phonelines to every receiver I dont try to talk them out of them if they want them fine if not fine sign here==>cust. refused phonelines.
now how do I justify screwing up someones carpet and floors like that?without even asking?If you got an answer please let me know.

 

[phatnuts]

and aniother thing its kinda funny how they are gonna cut my pay by $25,000.00 a year and the vans after tooled up cost $25,000.00 coincidence? I think not this was planned by people that have no ethics or heart.just more corporate scumbags gettin my money

 

[phatnuts]

Damn I feel beter now!!

 

[kc8txw]

A "company" union??? What have you been smoking? If the CWA is a "company" union as you claim then why is our "company" hiring union busting lawyers and spreading all sorts of propaganda (even here) to try and persuade the employees to vote "no" on the union issue? The CWA isn't going to push a contract on us, "we" the employees (a elected group of workers from our office) will be the ones negotiating the contract. The CWA is not going to tell us what we do or do not have to accept. They will advise us, but they will not tell us what we have to do. The union isn't making a bunch of empty promises (unlike the company which has & is), they are only promising that with a union inplace that we will have th chance to negotiate for our wages & benefits. That's it, and frankly that is all we want, the chance to negotiatem not just accept whatever meger pitance the company wants to pay us. Trust me if you were facing a nearly 50% pay cut like I am, you'd be voting in favor of a union as well.
The company and their legal lackies are tell us that they know what is best for us workers, and that if we vote the union in the CWA is going to lead us around by the nose. The only ones trying to lead us around by anything is the company itself. The union didn't come looking for us, we went looking for the union.

I am not smoking anything. I have been in the communication field for the last 9 years with the IBEW. we have been competing with the CWA for years because they under pay there employees and don't pay the benefits. we just chased of a CWA company there package is 15.00 less then the rest of the communication companys in the area. when I worked for SBC which is a CWA contractor we were informed that at all cost we had to make are company profitable. so yes I do know what I am talking about I have been there.

 

[Chado]

no they cant tell me when to go to bed but when a company has policy's and procedures in place but refuses to follow them it makes it hard to do anything with your family and I mean anything. B&A is in the southeast, Tn,ga,miss,and a few others I cant think of. and to chado are you a tech or just another one of those customers that thinks we should work for free--or better yet pay to work?ass

Just a customer who thinks accountability is sorely lacking in this country. If you read my previous posts in this thread and others, you will come to realize that I have nothing but praise and respect for the techs. I just think the good 'ole days have past you and you don't realize it yet. Nothing can stop that, including a union.

 

[sateck01]

well in my office the site manager has said "D" has mandated the hourly rates more than once but now they say that they have never heard of that before.An as for phonelines-Do what B&A says"just dont tell them just put it in". I dont know about you but that sounds like a set-up to me.Who do you think will be paying for the damage claims? try this you just bought your first brand new house-you get "D" you have prewires an installer walks in and smiles-walks back out puts up the dish and grounds in -the comes inside your house and bores a whole-after he takes pliers and yanks your carpet up off the tack strip without asking- puts the phoneline in your b room living room and kids room.your left with a brand new house with screwed up carpet and 3 or so new holes in your floor.while you or your woman is screeming the installer just smiles and says sign here good bye. that is word for word what they tell us to do would you want this to happen to you?
I ask every customer if they want phonelines to every receiver I dont try to talk them out of them if they want them fine if not fine sign here==>cust. refused phonelines.
now how do I justify screwing up someones carpet and floors like that?without even asking?If you got an answer please let me know.

dude,

directv pays the same rates they did 3 years ago, as long as the install is done correctly, and activated. directv doesnt care if the hsp pays hourly, piece work/bonus or in canned hams and turnip greens. directv is mandating a certain number of dedicated, branded vans, that is it!

 

[sateck01]

and aniother thing its kinda funny how they are gonna cut my pay by $25,000.00 a year and the vans after tooled up cost $25,000.00 coincidence? I think not this was planned by people that have no ethics or heart.just more corporate scumbags gettin my money

first off if it wasnt for corporate scum bags , you wouldnt have a job. lets leave that alone. you want a real honest to god leg breaking , baseball bat carrying , powerful union?
TEAMSTERS COMMUNICATIONS DIVISION.

the teamsters would see the boss sign on the line or toss his ass into a pizza oven, face first!

and im first generation italian, you want a union? dont half step, go for the gusto dude!!

 

[phatnuts]

That would definatley be worth lookin into the teemsters that is.as far as the scumbags just had to vent but they are still scumbags. gotta call em like I see em

 

[phatnuts]

If you dont mind what does "D" pay for a single, dual, triple? just basic installs?

 

[phatnuts]

Chado I wasnt attackin you I just had to rant for a few and believe me as far as I'm concerned the customer has the last say-its thier house not mine. And your right about the accountability issue.but we have to do what the boss says to an extent. If you feel I was attacking you personally I'm man enough to say "I appologize" in front of the whole internet scene.

 

[barnburner]

and aniother thing its kinda funny how they are gonna cut my pay by $25,000.00 a year and the vans after tooled up cost $25,000.00 coincidence? I think not this was planned by people that have no ethics or heart.just more corporate scumbags gettin my money

Corporate scumbags. Ouch. That hurts. Let me ask you this......at what point did the company come in and force you to take a cut in pay? I believe there are two positions; one with the company vehicle and one without. I believe that is called a choice. Choice number one pays one thing and gets a company owned vehicle. Choice number two gets you the same pay you get now. Am I missing something?

 

[phatnuts]

sateck01 We now know that its just the van thing --but we were told at the begining that the hourly rate was also mandated by "D" It was just the usual office management thing Im not saying all offices are like that anything I say about corporate I am only directing at my corporate officials.

 

[phatnuts]

barnburner did I see you in there today?