Thursday, September 23, 2010
Which Side Are You On? 363 Members Meet Here, Talk Here
After having met with our members to formulate our plan, bargaining has already begun for the new contract. We know that we have a tough negotiation ahead of us this year. IBEW Local 363 wants our members to be able to voice their opinions about what they want, what they fear and what they feel.
IBEW 363 wanted to provide our members and members from other locals with a way to compare notes and exchange things they may have heard or just to express themselves. It is important that we all stay as tight as we have been leading up to this. This is a different negotiations for us too. We are strongly together this year!
Let's talk about what we hope to see happen in these meetings. Open discussion is encouraged and we want our people to show that we ARE together in this. We are one. Everything about our contract and SOLIDARITY is what we want to open dialog on.
Comments that are not suitable for the general public will not be processed. Personal attacks on any member will not be processed. Profane language will not be processed.
Which Side Are YOU On?
TO POST A COMMENT CLICK ON COMMENTS BELOW:
Keep it clean and let it rip.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
On Wednesday September 22 our bargaining committee met with Frontier and exchanged proposals. We jointly again on Thursday September 30 and Friday October 1.
ReplyDeleteThe bargaining committee strongly requests that all IBEW and CWA Frontier members visit and comment on this blog site.
United We Stand, Divided We Fall !!!!
THINK BLUE
United We Stand Divided We Fall
ReplyDeleteHow did yesterday go? Any updates...
ReplyDeleteI like beer! and the spam begins....j/k
ReplyDeleteSome details about proposals would be nice.
Lets all support our bargining team they are fighting for us all. Lets stand united and we will get a better deal. Frontier will cry poor and lie to keep us under thier thumb. If Maggie gets a huge bonus and a pay increase I dont think they are as poor as they say. She gets rich off our hard work and labor. Lets help our team get some of this cream for us as well
ReplyDeleteThanks for making this site. This is going to give us all a chance to see and talk about what goes on here in our negotiations this time. Now we will know what is happening and the company will hear the people loud and clear. This is great and thanks again for this! We really are united this year and this will bring us all EVEN CLOSER!
ReplyDeleteIBEW and CWA members at Frontier wore blue at many locations across the country to support members at Local 363. I hope it sent a message to Frontier management: "An Injury to One is An Injury to All!"
ReplyDeleteI'm working to get pictures and reports.
All We want is a fair game. We produce and We have delivered!
ReplyDeletewas glad to see all the blue Wed...I think every day of negotiations we should do something..GO IBEW 363..United we stand
ReplyDeleteThis time I don't want the company telling us something that's not true and then making big announcements screwing us the next day.
ReplyDeleteThey call that lying.
The other thing I do not want to see is hardassing us at negotiations for no reason. If that happens we will be telling the public they are screwing us this time.
Let's see how those leads work out for ya.
We produce and we deliver, we re-engineer all the jobs we receive from our engineers and make them work.... all this with an antiquated outside plant, driving vehicles one step away from the scrap yard and no formal training......... Yeah we deserve some respect and definitely a decent raise..........
ReplyDeleteThe WAH reps want to go forward in pay this time not backwards....I want my top pay back as many of the Ny WAH reps will agree.....we fight and work hard everyday for this company...I'm ready to be paid fairly now...16.85 an hr just doesnt cut it for me anymore...I'm ready to fight...United we stand divided we fall....come on upstate NY lets not be a bunch of cowards this time around...lets get whats coming to us.....fight to the end......and we will win
ReplyDelete"LET US NEVER NEGOTIATE OUT OF FEAR. BUT LET US NEVER FEAR TO NEGOTIATE."
ReplyDeleteWe will never get the respect we want so we just need to go for the money. Seeing on paper the amount of money that is being paid to those former Verizon employees makes me ill when I look at my paycheck. We do more functions and get paid less.Its time for the company to show us the money too!
ReplyDeleteTo those in management that may also be reading this let us be clear WE ARE STANDING WITH OUR UNION.
ReplyDeleteEverybody wants to be paid fairly...not just certain departments...everyone needs to stand together and if one dept doesn't get what they want when we vote it down. Company likes to scare and that is what forced us to take the last contract!!! NO MORE!!!!! United we stand
ReplyDeleteGood Morning Brothers and Sisters,
ReplyDeleteThe time is now for all of us to come together and Unite!!!!
Some Facts about this Great Company
1. Furlough - then acquire a company with our $
2. Anti Union - Fought with lies in the south
3. In their eyes there are only 300 loyal
employees. They are in WV and got $5000.00
4. They acy as if this is Pepsi, Not a Phone
company
5. Got rid of Customer service,its all about
the mighty dollar now
Bring back the old phone company,the company that we were all proud of. The company that we all loved to come to work for. The company that truly, i mean truly cared about the customer !!!!!!!!
It is so unfair how the company can play games and hold back calls so we stay at $16.85 per hour. We use to get all types of calls and had the possibility of making $19.10. But not any more, because Deland(Maggies pride and Joy) is failiing and is a big flop. They are getting the premier calls along with West Virginia.
ReplyDeleteIf I would of known what I know today I would said NO WAY in 2006.
We need to get rid of this PFP, its abused by the company.
WAH needs to stick together, all of us.
I totally agree with all of these comments....lets have a backbone this time around and stand together on all topics...I remember my very first contract ....very scary and stuck it out with everyone and said no to 1st contract but then when all the older employees got their pension...and what they wanted they didnt fight for us.. ..so I say to everyone lets stand together this time and not get scared......I am one that has never said YES to any of the contracts...just to settle..lets not settle now....WAh needs to get at least the 19.85 back ...working 3jobs now instead of 1 and getting less pay...lets fight........to the end
ReplyDeleteThe company wants to say we are abusing the sick time. They are abusing PFP. We all spend so much of our time stressed out and worried trying to make up for and fix what other areas do wrong and make a mess of. We don't have the same opportunities and advantages other areas get. Our training is always well after theirs. If we weren't so stressed trying to deal with all of this maybe we wouldn't be sick all the time!
ReplyDeleteCom Techs Beware!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe company wants three things from us.
1. Sales added to our title so they can get rid of us senior techs. Then hire retired techs who have medical coverage so they can vote the companys way on higher medical
2. Want us all in uniforms so we can look like the UPS employees and have us clean our own uniforms
3. they want us to work split shifts and work with two days off not in a row.
All I can ask all of us together is to stay strong work safe and lets join forces with collections and work at home. Lets make sure they get there per centage increases and not lump sums and they can help us with no sales to our name.
Just ask your brothers to the North(Rochester) what are they doing to their techs since they have sales
Thats right all they do is take,take,take. I want I want I want. The company never wants to give a little. Thay come and say can you work with us on this and we say we will try to so we can all have a better job and keep working. The union always uses good faith. Then when we need a little help or the company to bend its always sorry cant do that. What a crock of crap on thier part
ReplyDeleteWe all need to stand together as bvrothers and sisters. We all deserve a percentage increase. No one needs sales and service on their title if we give it to them its just a matter of time before they want it on all titles.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all the comments. We all need to stand together and not pay attention to the companies scare tactics. We are over worked and under paid. United We Stand!
ReplyDeleteI show us anonymous because my URL was shortcircuited. My name is Jim Iaquinto from MIDDLETOWN.
ReplyDeleteI am blogging for LEADERSHIP on both sides of the table not any hard edged vituperative based on past thoughts, comments or even mistakes.
This should be a joint business modeling experience. Our antagonists are our COMPETITORS not each other.
I am quite capable, experienced and knowledgeable to debate either side of the quest. Let's be cunning enough to give the cable and cellphone antagonists.
Whatever is proffered has got to make good business sense. The eras of the Robber Barons and Hoffa are more than dead. Let's get together
I dont think we should be posting $$ statistics on this forum. It is available for the public to view and in this economy, the public will not support us! just my thought--After that I agree with everything on here!
ReplyDeleteSpeaking as a WAH rep we WILL stand up for the techs to make sure they don't get sales added to their title. We got burned by that one years ago and believe me we don't want to see it happen to you. We do need techs to stand with us on our wages. We all need to stand together. UNITED WE STAND DIVIDED WE FALL!
ReplyDeleteWAH’s: We’re the front line employees! We are the first, the middle and last interaction any customer has with Frontier from the day they start service until the day service stops. For management to totally kill all morale we have isn’t a good idea. A happy employee is a productive employee. So, us front lines need to get what we deserve; fair pay-maintained/lowered medical-and respect.
ReplyDeleteTechs: I don’t think the company has thought uniforms through. We service rural American customers, customers who prefer to watch a Nascar Race then eat out at a five star restaurant. They don’t care, nor judge the way we look as long as we have a badge & the job gets done correct the first time. Putting techs in uniforms will take the “LOCAL” out of Frontier & move it to “CORPORATE”. Sales belongs no where in the tech title, that will just result in more time spent at one site, more calls into assignment & dispatch for demands = MORE MISSED APPT’s.
ALL- We get what we want or we vote down! It’s time for the company to work with us for a change. That’s the way it should be ! Stay United !
We all need to remember that Frontier management is not going to negotiate anything that won’t end up being “for the good of the company”. Anything we give in on is going to end up being used against us. I’m not WAH, however our NY reps ended up with a major screw job in the last contract. Cut in pay topped by no incentive pay. NEVER should have happened. That is the most undesireable job in the company now they’re busting their butts for peanuts. My department was called into a convenient meeting on Wednesday and advised by our supervisor that “it is very possible that our jobs will be sent to WV” and to “expect it” and “of course you’ll be able to bump into a few places” so “you have that going for you and the company may even offer early retirement” and “since negotiations start today you need to be sure to let your Union know that you want these jobs to stay here”. The only person that guarantee is going to benefit is the supervisor that made the comments. He’ll get to keep his job because HE’s got a guarantee that the department will stay there but the next time bumping begins it will wipe out half the department and a clause in the contract won’t do most of the department one bit of good. So the games and manipulation have already begun. Scary and disgusting.
ReplyDeleteThe fact is that we are going for a contract as one body. We are not asking for anything that hurts business so lets get that out in the open right now. The issue here is that we want the company to come to the table and WORK WITH US.
ReplyDeleteLast time that didn't really happen and we want to be clear that that aint cuttin it this time.
I too agree with the comments thus far. I have been with this company for almost 20 yrs and more and more I'm watching our 363 brothers & sisters get the short end of the stick. All we do in this area is fix the crap that Deland and Burnsville leave behind and frankly I'm sick of it. I work for this company to do MY job, not fix everyone elses mistakes (just a thought, maybe if our reps werent so stressed about having to make a sale and could provide real customer service they wouldnt be rushing and making mistakes). I'm done sacraficing my wants, my needs and my family's needs for a company who lies to it's employees! I'm done robbing Peter to pay Paul, because this company threatend us with layoffs if we didnt agree to furloughs, me and my children are pretty much ready to lose our home. The cost of living keeps rising and its time they give us a healthy raise and not one thats eaten up by our medical premiums. Geesh and another thing, I've never been so appauled after reading the letter to the WV folks who recieved the $5,000.00 bonus. We sent how many of our legecy employees down there to help assist them and what did they get, not even a freaking pat on the back or a thank you letter. Way to value your legecy employees who have been so loyal to a company who keeps giving them the shaft! Well we're done this time, we're not backing down because WE ARE STANDING UNITED!
ReplyDeleteYou guys are right! It is time to stick together. These little meetings they have and talking about moving the jobs just shows what schmucks they are - threatening peoples jobs. Nice little game they are playing huh? Playing with our families ability to survive? Well heres a message to you corporation - don't put me in the defensive mode fighting for my family just because its contract time or you are gonna lose.
ReplyDeleteAll we are asking for is to be treated fairly. You want to fight about that? You bring it on.
I'm sick of the games. It is immature and unneccesary.
I agree with you Jim, we do need leadership on both sides(union and management). At our last negotiations it seemed both sides did come to a resolution that was a fair deal for both sides.
ReplyDeleteLets take a look at some recent events:
1. 2006 contract we get a chance for our inside co-wokers to go outside as a com tech trainee. The union and company agreed there would be 2 openings in each unit. After the contract was signed the company wanted all six in one area. The union said we agreed to 2 in each area but i want you can put 2 in two units and as many as you need in the unit you need them. The company said NO, so it takes a threat of a labor charge to get the jobs 4 years later.
2. Instead of taking 12 days off or losing 60 co workers so the company can save 1.2 million dollars, both sides agreed to a furlough where each employee works 1 hour less each week for 32 weeks. As soon as this was signed off on an agreement, the next day the company announces the acquisation of Verizon. Then last week they give West Virginia LOYAL employees $5,000.00 each that comes to 1.5 million. So did our 1.2 million go to them or the sale????
3. The company states they have a opened door policy. So a co workers wife emails the company about the furlough. The company doesnt like the email so they suspend the husband for 15 days. The union had to arbitrate this and the arbitrator gave the husband his 15 days back plus any OT he missed.
The list can go on and on. I think it is quite evident that we are lucky to be union and that our local officers and union officers do what they do for us. It is very clear the company feels like they can do what they want with scare tactics, intimadation and buttering up some union members. They are those terrible barrons that you described and it i very clear that.
WE HAVE HAD ENOUGH, WE CANT TRUST THEIR WORD WE WILL STAND UP AND WE DO HAVE THE SUPPORT OF OVER 6000 BROTHERS AND SISTERS NATION WIDE>
GO BIG BLUE and UP THE REBEL BABY
Quote For The Week
" THIS IS NOT PEPSI"
We had a visitor come to our department several months ago (Cecilia). She told us we are getting another body added to our department. A couple of weeks later, well i dont think it was that long cecilia said sorry it went to another area.
ReplyDeleteWe complained but her answer was it is what it is.
Thanks very professional.
We are nervous that she will send the rest of the department out because we questioned her. Is this a way to work.
No. But at least our supervisor is professional and a pleasure to work for, The telco knowledge that he has forgot is more than any of the knowledge of the upper management can ever think of having in the telco world.
We Will be United,
This is in response to Directory rep. Many of us in Johnstown are familiar with your supervisor, you'd be talking about the one who collected payphones for 30 years, kissed ass & was called the weasle by his outside co-workers then became a supervisor I beleive it was in the business group and then was made manager over the business group within a years time. Oh yes, and lets not forget that he was the Union President for a while. Outside co-workers never trusted him and you shouldn't either. This guy has always been out for himself and doesn't give a rats ass about anyone else. He'll schmooz you like he used to do with the Harrison St management years ago but only to get what he wants from you. I don't recall who coined the term The Weasle but it was right on.
ReplyDeleteThought For the Day !!!!
ReplyDeleteFormer Verizon Members:
Pay 0% for Medical
Have a 401k Match
Have Retirement Medical
Frontier Members:
Pay on the average 22% for Medical
Do NOT have 401k match
Do NOT have retirement Medical
Oh wait we did at one point, but this great trustful company took way retiree medical for a majority of members but gave us up to $6000 in our 401k match because the statement was your 401k can help. But as usual Frontier style, they then stop all 401k matches.
My point here is why should we have to get increases in medical when there is such a gap.
I will ask our new Frontier members to fight and stnd with us on the medical and we will fight alonside you when the company will try and get you to got 20% in 3 years from now.
Here are the cold hard facts: Did anyone notice that the majority of the posts are made by Anonymous? Why? Because we know that if we used our real names there would be retaliation from the company. Makes me think of the Pilgrims who worshiped in secret and then left Europe and came to a new land so they could worship the way the wanted but they stood up for what they believed in. Makes me also think of the Patriots of this country who came before us, many of them our ancestors, who weren't afraid to stand up and fight for what they believed in. Thank God for them. Where would we be now? Think about it.
ReplyDeleteDo Something good this weekend
ReplyDeletepass this site along to 2 members and have them pass it along.
This is our time to stand up and say
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH !!!!
Corporate Greed Must Stop !!!
What job or jobs will the company be looking to outsource next??
How many contractors, temps or telemarketers do they have?
The 300 Loyal Frontier workers in West Virginia received $5000.00 each.
The Go To, professional, experience NY members want a fair % for a raise, no increase in medical and a hourly rate of pay that stays put for the WAH reps. That will be our thank you. Probally even cost less than the 1.5 million you gave them.
9:13AM - You are right - pass this site to every person you know. Let's start mobilizing ourselves RIGHT NOW. We all have emails and phone numbers of each other - let's DO THIS!
ReplyDeletewww.363united.blogspot.com
Pass it on and let's get in the game this time. Let's say what's on our minds! Let's show them that we are ALL 363 and we are ALL UNITED!
Just like our site name says. UNITED!
LETS ROCK EVERYBODY!
This site is just what we need to UNITE US.
Let's BE HEARD and show our real COLORS....
STAY SOLID, STAY STRONG, SPREAD THIS SITE OUT VIRAL
GO 363 BLUE!
HET EVERYBODY CLICK ON AND LISTEN TO THE VIDEO ABOUT "WHICH SIDE ARE YOU ON?" MAN IF THAT DOESN'T TELL OUR STORY....ESPECIALLY THE PART ABOUT
ReplyDelete"DON'T SCAB FOR THE BOSSES, DON'T LISTEN TO THEIR LIES"
WHICH SIDE ARE "YOU" ON?
ME? I'M STICKIN WITH THE UNION!
You are 100% correct. Lets Not Scab for the supervisors. They will use you and throw you away.
ReplyDeleteHey they promised all sorts of overtime in WV. we went down had one week of OT then nothing. Another broken promise. we made the supervisor look good.
But wait we got rewarded. OH NO that was west virginia reps $5000.00. we had one rep though get a better job that she is not as qulified as others. she got it to keep her mouth shut during contract time.
DONT SCAB FOR BOSSES AND DONT SELL OUT YOUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS
Contrary to what MANY believe your supervisor is NOT your friend.
ReplyDeleteI'm with that. Cecilia has a suprise comin this time.
ReplyDeleteThe companys answer is just sell more and put in more leads.
ReplyDeletethey showed us all what they think of our hard work when they gave legacy WV. 5000.00 each and we helped do all the work.
ReplyDeleteEveryone needs to wake up. If you hangout with your supervisor out side of work thats all fine and good. But you better believe when you walk in that door at frontier the freindship is off till you leave they afre there to futher thier own needs and climb the ladder so if you go under the bus so be it
ReplyDeleteStay strong New York !!! we have your back. Indiana and the former Verizon reps are counting on NY to show us we joined with real men and women and not cowards and kiss asses !!!!
ReplyDeleteGO BIG BLUE ! Show us the way !!
UNION YES
Good Afternoon to all my brothers and sisters!!
ReplyDeleteWriting to you from Nevada
Our local is currently in bargaining. First time with this amateur phone company.
The rumors we are hearing that the company is proposing are the following:
1. No Carry over vacation from yr to yr
2. Sales added to all job titles
3. Medical we currently pay zero
Year 1 - 10%
Year 2 - 15%
Year 3 - 20%
4. Part Time employees and Temps 40%
they want our medical to go up 10% but thank you Frontier you will probally give us what every verizon local got 2.75%
We all need to communicate and get united.
Thank you for this blog to talk on to all my new brothers and sisters
Deb you got busted. Your trying to pit the techs from Monroe and the techs from Middletown against each other.
ReplyDeleteSORRY
We talk we know the truth.
STOP YOUR LIES
I say Union yes--but I would like my brothers and sisters to say "united we stand" and mean it. Do not backstab someone because they got a better job. Do not point fingers on scabbing with Manangement because someone told you. If we are to stand " United" then backstabbing and fingerpointing belongs elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteIt is great that other Locals are starting to show their support.
ReplyDeleteHear we go BABY, Lets Rock
UNITED WE STAND !!! UNION YES !!!!
WE KNOW ARE COMMITTEE WILL SHOW US THE WAY
Union Negotiating Team~
ReplyDeleteWe need to get these WAH reps back what they lost in the last contract. I'm not one of them but do work with them on a daily basis. Our NY reps are the best Frontier has. They have the telphony knowledge and were trained properly. Pitted against Burnsville and DeLand (OMG! Both call centers could really use some major training)they'd win hands down. Most of them have tons of seniority and really know their stuff. These people deserve better than what they ended up getting.
We need to focus on getting every dept what they r asking for. I know every employee in NY have been screwed out of stuff they wanted! So yes wah reps need our help in getting what they need but they also need to back collections and com techs too!
ReplyDeleteWe the people need to be United. We need to get behind our union and our reps from each area and support them. Heavy support! This is the place to do that. We need to step up and orgainize ourselves. This site is helping us do it. The company trying to take ANYTHING away from us during negotiations is absolute bullshit. They don't HAVE to do that. They want it just because they think they can do it and get away with it.
ReplyDeleteWe don't mind legitimate concerns. We have our own to talk about. But if they think they can screw us they are going to get it right back tenfold let PUBLIC OPINION be the judge.
The famous five thousand dollar story ALONE would blow that for them. More on that later.
A little birdie advised me that a Local that just negotiated a contract this past spring for a three year contract got the following:
ReplyDelete1. Medical was 20%
Year 1 - 21% Year 2 - 21% Year 3 23%
2. $275/year for work boots and carhart pants
the color of the company
3. Tobacco Premium equal to 10% of monthly
medical premium
4. 2% raise each yr for 3 yrs
Their raise was swallowed by the increase in medical.
They get to wear carhart pants.. Remember when we asked.
They said NO.
If they offer anything unacceptable
WE ALL NEED TO SAY NO
ANYTHING UNDER 2.75% Kiss my $^@
Anything above 19% medical NO WAY
Every classification gets a percentage raise
Com Techs NO SALES TO TITLE
We all better wake up and smell the damn coffee. If we dont start listening to our senior co workers and follow their lead we will be in big trouble. They tried telling us they would never lay off 60 if we didnt take the furlough. Look we all only took an hour off a week and they scrambled for contractors and temps.
ReplyDeleteUnite Now, and lets start talking to each other. If we have to start collecting firewood lets do it. if we have to rally out in the public lets do it.
One thing the company was right on was their anticipated loss of 1.2 million. Thats why they needed the furlough. Our 1.2 million went to pay for the loyal employees in West Virginia they got 1.5 million.
Talk it up, show your soladarity show your true colors.
Look when west virginia stuck together, they said no scabs were allowed to come in their building to help them. way to go WV.
when we stick together we are a force not to be reckon with.
UNION YES and UNION PRIDE
I would like to thank some of our brothers and sisters from other locals for their postings.
ReplyDeletePlease we need to hear from more locals. whats your thoughts and what do we all do to stop these bottom line wall street ding bats from destroying our company and our loyal customers.
Don't sit on your ass waiting for your fellow brothers and sisters to do the dirty work for you. Get up and get out and fight for what we all deserve. You can't afford not to!
ReplyDeleteJust remember not to let the company scare tactics divide us. If u think they are gonna play fair. Guess again. Been down this road way before. Let the games begin.
ReplyDeleteunited pennsylvania fight hard and stay together do not fold the cards to early show unity!
ReplyDeleteMiddletown, dont fall for the trap. Tell your supervisor this is not personal. Just Business
ReplyDeleteUNITED We Stand
tell it like it is baby
ReplyDeleteLets see who wrote the last statement????
ReplyDeleteI think we know who it is????
Maybe "BABY" gave it away
So what she would tell? Tell what? be more specific
I would just like to go back to making the same amt of money that I made 7 years ago. This is about the only company that I know that you go backwards in pay the longer that you have been here!! Just sick!!! We need to stick to our guns and go for more money, more respect, and less stress!! Its pretty sad if you ask how many reps here are on meds for stress..the answer will be about 80% sad isnt it??
ReplyDeleteYou are correct. This is the only company you lose money each year. When we first working at home the calls were there and people were making gold and silver. Now we are lucky if we get a half a dozen at silver. The company is manipulating the calls so we are all at $16.85 per hour. Deland and west virginia are getting nothing but sales calls.
ReplyDeleteIf the company wants us at only 16.85, so be it then make our pay 16.85 and we just do customer service calls or our old offline work. the company and we know that their is no other area better than ny to handle customers. so take the stress away and just make us offline.
so stop manipulating and do the right thing!!!!!!
I agree with you all and the sad thing about all of this is i'm new to this company and it has been one of the toughest and stressful jobs i have ever had in New York ever. We all come to work and work our tails off to produce revenue for the company and all we have gotten is complaints, pc issues, and stress. We all deserve the right pay for the work we do. And we all deserve to be able to come to work and be happy to do our job so that we can make money and the company make money as well. Go 363 get us what we need so that we may survive and live a healthy lives. United we stand Go 363 Go.
ReplyDeleteI must say, that as a Union Officer for Unit# 43, It warms My Heart to see fellow Brothers & Sisters vocalizing Their thoughts & complaints. I'm seeing a unity & Solidarity in the Sherburne Building that I thought I'd never see. This Mickey Mouse Of an Outfit "Frontier MIScommunications Corporation" had better heed this warning. We're not settling this time and "what comes around goes around".
ReplyDeleteAll locals must stand together to stop Frontier from further erosion of the benefits that our members fought for in the past.We can not allow Frontier to move our pay to performance based , where only a few would make a living wage. I can only hope that all union members see this for what it is, a way for Frontier to make more and the people who do the work get less.
ReplyDeleteGuys/Gals... we need to really stick together this time... It is time that we all stand up as one and put our foot down and unite. This is our future, our livihood. We need to stand together strong, time to show the company that we wont back down....We will not take a lesser contract this time, we will unite as one, and all get what is fairly ours......Lets do this!!!!!!!!!! Oh and go Yankees...also giants...lol
ReplyDeleteit's quite amusing that the company is telling our bargaining committee that sick time is being abused. sherburne "mismanagement" makes their own problems. what other employer denies the employee's offer to use VACATION OR FH TIME when they're not feeling well enough to give 100% effort on the job for a day?? the employee may not feel bad enough to see a dr (and get the likely required dr note). the sherburne "mismanager" denies the request for a day off. so, the employee then decides to use a sick day. then, the company requires a dr note to pay sick time. then, the employee wastes a $25 copay and his/her doctor's time to satisfy this evil company's weird "rules"- all of which contributes to a never-ending increase in medical benefits. the employee then, from that point on, just calls in sick to avoid the hassle. The VP of Operations in the Cental/East takes great pleasure in "reminding" sherburne employees how "great"we have it and to "take a look out there, it's not so great". well, Mr VP of Operations should talk with the Medical Professionals of Chenango County- they HATE Frontier!! Having to write endless prescriptions for anti-depressants and Hypertension drugs and having their office staff taking calls from frontier's east region HR "mismanager" arguing the doctor's diagnosis on disability forms!! unbelievable...
ReplyDeleteIf they can afford to give wv 5000.00 they can afford to give us all a 2.60 raise. That is exactly what it works out to be!!!!! 160 hrs a month x 12 equals 1920 so take 5000. And divide by 1920...HELLO PPL
ReplyDeleteseems most everyone has a problem with wages and respect. real people with real thoughts. seems these real thoughts are not the same as the companies employee survey results. This company is the master of making numbers reflect the way they want them. so be it sales,leads,calls the ebita or what ever they call it now a days. So many happy people here seems very hard to buy into the results. stop the games and start following your own rules people 1st..... we are all people. enough is enough
ReplyDeleteit makes me sick to think of all the money management brings in when we struggle everyday to pay our bills and we are on the front line. Times are tough and i am prepared to strike if necessary. No one wants to go without a pay check but if going without is going to get us what we need then so be it. 2.60 an hour is about right! In fact for all the stuff our company puts us thru we should be getting 4.60 an hr raise! We haven't seen a wage increase in almost 8 years!!! Just keep going backwards and backwards between the cost of living and the gas and housing its crazy!!! ny always has to fix everyone elses messes cause we have been her the longest and know how to get things done yet the company treats us like an ugly stepchild. Really? Give us what we want or your in for a rude wake up call! Stand together 363!!! Let our voices be heard!!!
ReplyDeleteThere is no south, central, or north.....THERE IS ONLY IBEW 363!!! Techs where are you??? Do you want Sales in your name?? Let's hear from you!!
ReplyDeleteReps, do you want a basic rate??? Let's hear from you!!!
Directory, Do you want more jobs??
What about uniforms??
Take the Lead?? (which sucks!!) The reps have all of the latest information....why would you want your techs saying to a customer...."Mr. Customer, do you want this service that we sell? ...Well, Mr. Tech, how much is it?....Well, Mr. Customer, I have no idea, but I can have someone else call you...now that I have made a good rapport with you, I can shove you on to someone else....and meanwhile, our techs look like total asses because they have NO IDEA what the latest promotions are, what prices are what, etc.....The company is making our techs look STUPID...and therefore the company!!!!
Just pay us our wages, let the reps sell, let the techs repair and install and maintain.....let the directory direct, let the NOC watch over our switches, let the drafters draw, let the construction construct, let the assignors assign, ETC!!!!
Maggie got a 25% raise...PLUS PERKS!!! I admit she is our CEO.....but come on let's play fair....If there was no us..there would be no MAGGIE!!! She builds this company on our BACKS!!!! Now, PAY us for bending over and taking it when Maggie decides to step up on us....AGAIN!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletewe all need to stick together. We may work for different departmentd and have our own personal stories However we have many things in common. We work hard and deserve the respect and pay we are entitled to. One hand washes the other. NO SALES AND SERVICE to any classification! United we stand..Divided we fall! Get fired up IBEW! Prepare to strike if neccessary!!!
ReplyDeleteAmen to Possum Pete !!
ReplyDeleteHow many times a day are we cleaning up for that messed up Deland, that even our supervisors are telling us we know but we cant do anything because that is Maggies pet project.
Who gets hurt ???? THE CUSTOMER is feeling the true impact, they are being told misinformation from these unqualified employees and then they get their bill and they are upset. But this happens a couple of times before it gets straightened out. Our supervisors tell us dont worry just do it or we cant interject because there is a process. But God forbid if a supervisor needs a lead to be put in, everything gets dropped and we need to do it.
Frontier needs to wake up and see they have a productive group here and can and have always produced. If they dont, then dont worry cable will kick our asses.
Who do we believe??????
Do we listen to our supervisors who tell us its about the sale and we need to improve our numbers
OR
Do we listen to MAGGIE who states, its about the customer, she doesnt care how long it takes as long as the customer is satisfied.
WE ALL AGREE WITH MAGGIE !!! BECAUSE WITHOUT THE CUSTOMERS THERE ARE NO SALES
NEW YORK will shine!! We always have and always will !!!
I urge all my fellow coworkers, brothers and sisters to stand up and lets claim what is ours and demand that the company listens to our concerns and for them to finally wake up before its too late.
Wake up Maggie I think I got somethin to say to you
ReplyDeleteGood luck to everyone for negotiations tomorrow and friday!!!!!! Please share the proposals with us!!!!
ReplyDeleteSaving 1.2 Million Dollars by taking from their employees......ingenious!!!
ReplyDeleteTHEN.......giving 1.5 Million Dollars to the 300 WV Legacy employees......
PRICELESS!!!!
I get that you can't let the cat out of the bag during negotiations. That is something we all have to understand......the committee asks for many things....some attainable....some not. They can't tell us those kinds of things, because they are not all gong to come true. Think about it....you ask for the moon.....and settle for something you can work with. I say go for the gold during negotiations.......and if you have to bring home the silver, then so be it. Some of the proposals are just dreams....trying to get satisfaction....even though you know the company would never go for it.
ReplyDelete'
Support the team!!!! Know they are doing the best they can.
I say NO BACK DOOR DEALS!!!! DEAL AT THE TABLE!!!!!
GO TEAM!!
Possum pete is absolutely correct about the 363 bargaining committee not being able to reveal Our proposals- since many of them are either pipe dreams, or may be used as "bargaining chips". And, You all know how People tend to overreact to "rumors". Let's allow Our Bargaining Team to do the Tough Job We've entrusted Them with and support them by Blogging to Our hearts content- use this as an opportunity to vent & let Everyone Here know how You feel.
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the "real world" my brothers and sisters!! We have all known for a very long time that we have been getting it SHOVED for a more years than I care to count. Now is when we need to stay focused on the situation at hand. We have to support our team at the table! Good luck to them because God knows they are going to need it. They are up against "Team Maggie" and she does not like to backed into a corner. It will be a tough fight but I have all the confidence in the world in our brothers and sisters at the table!
ReplyDeleteUNITED WE STAND!!
I'm curious what kind of concessions the verizon reps use to get. Now that we r a bigger company shouldn't they maybe reevaluate that and maybe increase it?
ReplyDeleteBrothers and Sisters,
ReplyDeleteI have worked 41 years for this company. I have been through many negotiations and no one has seen the change more than I. Many people say things behind anonymous, but the true test is when the time comes to stand united for the good of everyone. Do I believe Johnstown Reps (Res.&Bus.)are amoung the finest and sales should not be attached to any other department,absolutely!!! Should we all try our best to solicit new customers? Yes we should and I believe we all try to do that. Remember the other things that are so important " BENEFITS ". We need to fight for our MVP insurance and our PENSION. All the money in the world can not insure your health as we have seen with the passing of some of our own. Please be strong and stay united when it truely matters.
" The single most powerful tool for winning a negotiation is the ability to get up and walk away from the table without a deal."
I agree Cynthia. We who have many years and have had many companies come and go need to stand strong! We have not had a wage increase in years that has come close to what we have given up and we can no longer afford to give with out something in return. Insurance and pension should be a HUGE issue at the table. Let's hope it is.
ReplyDeleteUnited We Stand!
How Many VP'S does one Company need if we didn't have A EXCESS we could have got good raises and not lost our 401K match and wouldn't needed furlough. No more VP's I thought Maggie was going to get ride of the overhead instead we keep adding to the top and we are TOP HEAVEY
ReplyDeleteWe all need to stick together and not let the Company step all over us. We are the elite in New York let stand strong Brothers and Sisters let fight for out lively hood
ReplyDeleteDONT LET THE COMPANY USE SCARE TATICS LIKE LAST TIME LOSS OF JOBS, MOVING JOBS, ETC
ReplyDeleteBy the way, let`s not forget the company get to write off a lot of the medical. And don`t forget as you struggle to make ends meet Maggie is sipping vino from her vineyard laughing at every union member all the way to the bank...
ReplyDeleteMark W
I would have been more surprised if the company approved the WAH and Collection Reps day of pay to attend the negotiations.
ReplyDeleteI think it is great to see everyone expressing the things they want out of this contract. I too need a wage increase as I am making 25,000 less than I did 2 years ago...talk about hurting financially.
ReplyDeleteBUT
I have been through several union negotialtions & have voted no to having our 401k match taking away & having sales added to our titles...and going to a PPP pay scale. I find that my brothers & sisters tend to talk big but then buckle when threatened. At this point I would rather loose my job then keep it as the way it stands now. Hopefully you all mean what you say.
Do we have any offers yet?? Thought they'd be posted here for all to see...
ReplyDeleteIf the company wants to shove layoffs and dept. closings down our throat, let them. It is a bluff. REMEMBER THE FURLOUGH.... When certain union brothers/sisters talk tough to us and then break out their straw as soon as management asks them for something, shame on them. When we see that, call them on it, because talk is cheap, and right now our backbone is how we need to talk. SHOW ME YOUR SPINE, DON'T TELL ME ABOUT. Remember without friction, the company will slide right on through us.
ReplyDeleteWe need to stick together, united, hand by hand and show our employer we mean business. We have loyal and dedicated to this company. We have overcome obstacles to make this company succeed. In order this company to succeed it needs the great employees that we are, so lets unite and stand STRONG.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to be in agreement to vote yes or no in order for us to succeed in this negotiation. Yes we are all concern about finances, bills, etc. But United we can overcome this fear, please my brothers and sisters we need to do this together. We need to fight for our right!
ReplyDeleteEvery department for Frontier has a responsibility. We Collections work hard as well as our Brothers and Sisters in other departments to protect and save company revenue. We have been doing this for many years and it is time to be recognize of our great performance as Frontier employees.
ReplyDeleteblue shirts on wed.....
ReplyDeleteI hope to see 100% turn out tomorrow night at the rally! I am a WAH rep & I know my dept. will not carry the vote- I'm glad to hear from all the other classifications & districts are supporting us! However - WAH team - We need to come together & stay in agreement that we are not going another 3yrs with the current PFP program & pay scales. It is unfair that the company thinks that we have FULL control over our performance, that their calls=que's=customers, etc. do not play a major impact on us. There are too many variables that make PFP unreasonable for our job title. WAH - we need you to start blogging, start speaking - out and not just amonst eachother ! Cause' if noone knows your speaking- then what's the use of talking!
ReplyDeletei havent been here long,but i now see what all of the other assigners here have been saying for months. it's clear that the higher ups are more concerned about their own pocketbooks than rewarding the people who actually work hard to keep our customers happy and bring in new ones. there is so much bitterness among alot of the more experienced sherburne workers and, suprisingly, some of the 10 year assigners who are less senior. a small group of sherburne employees belong to the "eac'-- employee activity committee, which works extremely hard in raising the morale in sherburne. but, management- both local and corporate, thwart the eac's efforts by driving the morale into the ground. we, as union employees, deserve much better. and, at this time, the company has a golden opportunity to show us how much were appreciated. we deserve and expect better.
ReplyDeleteGuys, Gals, listen to Stacy, she is correct...We all know how we feel, and we all know what we want, but we cant keep this to ourselvs.. We have to let our voice be heard, and rally together..We know we are United as one, and we are more United now then ever before, Its time to now show it, and show the company that we mean business this time.. We will not settle for anything less then we all deserve this time.......and its time to take a stand and show them this
ReplyDeleteIf the contract does not benefit EVERYONE, EVERYONE must vote it down. 363 MUST stay united regardless of what department you work in.
ReplyDeleteI agree if it does not benefit us all vote it down...
ReplyDeleteYes to everything above. We need to remember that, as strong as an individual may be, larger groups are much stronger, and much more convincing. There is not a single Union Employee that doesn't deserve more respect, proper wages for the quantity and quality of work that Organized Labor is known for, good & safe working conditions, and a solid benefits package. Oh, and JOB SECURITY. For those Union Members Who have a less than favorable view of the Union and Who have the misguided & wacky view that a Union is not necessary at Frontier, What was it like working for Your last Employer WITH NO UNIION, How much Brown nosing and/or "soul selling" did You have to do in order to get a salary increase?? How many of Your fellow co-workers were "thrown under the Bus" on Your way "up"?? Take it from Me. It's been several Years since I've worked in a Company WITHOUT a Union. I don't miss it at all. Maybe that's because I prefer to progress along a career path on My own merits, not by running Others down to make Myself look better, or by brown-nosing.
ReplyDeleteTo Frontier... we are done taking a backseat, we are done going back in pay, We want what is fair, and what we lost 4 years ago. We all have familys to raise, We will not go backwards this time. We all stand united, We will not settle this time.. We are coming after you and a fair contract this time. We are the best that Frontier has to offer, we have proven it time and time again, and its time that we get recognized... All departments are together as one, and all united. We will get whats fair for us all.....Remember that WE ARE ALL DONE DRINKING THE KOOL AID!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteWe need to have a Manager (aka Catherine) fighting for jobs here as Jim Curry did and does in Sherburne, look at the jobs he got for that center, Want to come to Gloversville Jim?? we could use your help!!
ReplyDeleteSTAY UNITED DONT DRINK THE KOOL AID..........WAHNY
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see that everyone that is posting a mess.on this blog are sick and tired of the scraps they've been throwing us.I don't believe dear ole Maggie gets it!!Let's show her that we aren't going to take her crap anymore!! It amazing that in negoiations both sides agree as to what the articles in our contract mean until there is a problem,then the company says oh that's not what means!! you got to love it Right,WRONG!! I surely hope that all I'm reading on here unites us all and I hope that everyone that works here mean what they write and say.
ReplyDeleteIts time for Catherine to step down. SHE has TEAMWORK issues and no sense of what the word ETHICAL means. I'd like to see her performance plan.
ReplyDeleteNO MORE PFP....NO MORE PFP.......NO MORE PFP......LETS HEAR IT WAH REPS...........
ReplyDeleteEVERYBODY SHOULD MAIL MAGGIE A PACKET OF KOOL AID*****TELL HER TO SHOVE IT UP HER BUTT AND SHOW US THE MONEY!!!!
ReplyDeleteWow, what a great blog, nice comments. We here in Sherburne love Our jobs & have a great Group that, for the most part, get along great. We appreciate Jim Currie's efforts to bring more jobs to Sherburne However, We're not blind. We see Corporate America (includes Frontier) getting fatter and fatter, Greedy, Arrogant, Evil. We, like all Americans across this Great Country, are totally fed up and intend to make Sweeping changes in Nov. How does this relate to Frontier You ask?? Well, let Me tell You. We, as Union Brothers and sisters, intend on standing up to Frontier Management. Here's an urgent message to all of Frontier Management- both Corporate and local (Yes, Sherburne Management, You're certainly not blameless- like My 4th Grade Reading Teacher said- "if You're not part of the solution, You're part of the PROBLEM). We'll stop at NOTHING to get a fair contract with Everything that We deserve. I do Know that, in the Small Community that I live in, the public will support the Worker over "Corporate America". And, If The Frontier Negotiation "team" doesn't improve Their offer, I, like MANY of Us have a NO VOTE WAITING. And, I'll be talking to the folks in My community- especially Town and Village Politicians, about how this Company treats It's workers, while crying poverty and getting insane Salary/Bonus/Perk increases, on the backs of the weary middle-class workers. The Country's mood Today is Anti-Goverment and Anti-Big Business. And Finally, to the Sherburne Workers that are anti-union and Pro-Company- remember, there are a L O N G trail of disposed Souls that Frontier Management has discarded like Yesterday's news. If You continue on Your Trail, I'd say You may one Day join that pile of Frontier refuse. Remember, Nobody's perfect. However, Your Union Brothers and Sisters are, at least, loyal and caring. You may feel like You've been let down by Your Union. However, how many General Membership Meetings have You attended to ask questions and demand answers?? If Anyone thinks that the Union can and should do better, then get off Your rear-ends and get involved!!! Action breeds change and it's way past time for Change at Frontier, in How They mistreat Their loyal, caring, stressed, overworked & underappreciated Employees!!
ReplyDeleteAmen to Sherburne Centrex !!!!! The management are a big part of the problem!! Most of them are puppets on a string who do not have any consistancy what so ever. They never address the issue but instead make it difficult for the the ones that don't deserve it. In past years there use to be a mutual respect between craft and management but that isn't the case any more. Get involved and stand up for what you deserve stop getting shit on.
ReplyDeletemanagement should worry too. correct me if i am wrong but without Wah, directory etc won't they be without a position as well---at leat locally
ReplyDeleteLocal management fear more for their jobs than any Union member, and few will take the risk of doing the right thing for the Union members as their job may be on the line if they do. Our team needs our support to get what we deserve, local management is powerless to affect change, it comes from way above them and is represented by the folks across the table from our team.
ReplyDeleteSolidarity Team 363
My fellow brothers and sisters lets continue to remain united and fight for what we deserve, Management fails to realize that we are the ones doing the work, selling, collecting money, protecting revenues while they sit back and relax and say to themselves "Go me, My team is kicking ass, can wait to get my bonus" well guess what management enough is enough!
ReplyDeleteI would love to see what they will do if one day we just decided to walk out for 1hr and do nothing. How would management handle that?????? Trust me not well
Unite my brother and sisters, We need to be strong together! Let our voices be heard, we are tired of the B.S. and we will not take anymore more of it.
Please Keep supporting this website "Enough is Enough"
I work in the directory dept. I believe that we are all in this together & need to be united. We have too much work & not enough people. And we need to help each other out.
ReplyDeleteBut the few that are shouting praises about our Supervisor need to stop. He is not for us, he is not professional & it is all about Jim. If you are not one of his "preferred ones" you can forget it. If he's angry, he stays in his office. He pits his employees against each other. Yet you always hear him say that he wants his people to be happy. He stated in a meeting that if you don't like your job than quit. Who in Frontier likes their job?? If people listened to that, no one would work there.
I will do my job and I will support my union. I just don't want to hear how great my supervisor is because he is everything but.
I am so very proud of this BLOG! The support and unity expressed is what we need at this time. I am greatful to all of my brothers and sisters. Like so many others a few years ago, I lost my job due to the Call Center closing in Gloversville. It was a struggle,some days more than others but the support I received from my fellow co-workers within and outside my team was tremendous-Thank You!!!! With that said, I am very sad to read that a supervisor who was once a member of our union and served as our President treats his department with such disrespect. What happened to your humanity?
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to wish our Team the best of luck today! Please know that we are there with you, we have your backs and we are a strong unit this time. In reading the BLOG each day I am shocked at what we have all had to go through over the years. PLEASE-keep up the fight, stay strong and continue to support our team and this site!!!
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to show my support and remind you that as time goes by do not forget the past or you will be doomed to relive it!
ReplyDeleteMy truck was so bad that after I drove it I had to go far tetanus shots.
ReplyDeleteThe one thing that counts the most is the "UNION is not a BUILDING in HARRIMAN "THE UNION IS THE PEOPLE" hard working union brothers and sisters that work every day not only for the company but for their Families. STAY STRONG UNION STRONG IBEW 363.
THANK YOU OTHER LOCALS FOR YOUR LOYAL SUPPORT
Amen to sniper, he is 100% correct YOU ARE THE UNION !!! I've been through 13 contracts and if we don't stand strong this time it will be the end there won't be any getting back. Trust what I say don't be intimidated, you hold the power!!!
ReplyDeleteRemember our Commonwealth brothers and sisters they stood strong, all eyes are on us to lead. Remember " UNIONS BUILD AMERICA "
Let's pick the right battles! Be strong like our CWA co-workers. I would love to see Bobby C go to WV and tell those reps they are overpaid glorified reps....LOL I would pay to see that. Maybe Maggies new friend Obama can help us out. He is a strong union supporter I wonder how he would feel if his administration KNEW how much FRONTIER...Maggie,Cecilia, Bobby C and all the rest of the OVERPAID jerks felt about UNIONS!!!!!! The word needs to get out on that or atleast threaten to get that word out. It is very easy to call the newspapers, tv shows, etc. That is what our WV people did!!! We are actually being laughed at because WE do not do that. BURN A TRUCK A DAY TIL WE GET OUR WAY!!!!
ReplyDeleteTo the Directory Rep above who states some need to stop shouting praise about our supervisior, I agree that we have alot of work however if people stayed in their seats and are not chatting majority of the day or staring off into space the work will get done. Believe it or not, I like my job and take a lot of pride doing it! He has stated in our meetings before that we need to stick together and fight for our department this contract time. I dont think I'd call that pitting employees against eachother. As for you thinking he has "preferred ones" I dont think so, I just think he respects a hard working employee vs. a slacker.
ReplyDeleteWe all need to stand together and be Strong, Middletown Collections, Bilingual Group and Tech we need to be united Monday. Be prepare to show Frontier that we are the solid rock for them to succeed. With out NYS Frontier employees, Frontier would not be where they are now!!!!!! We need to show them We are the Boss NOW
ReplyDeleteTo The Directory Person: Your right there are some hard workers and some slackers, but remember management is not your friend, you may think so, but lets think about the big picture! They are laughing behind your back!!!So just keeping thinking JIM is your friend!!!HA HA!! I've been down that road!!!
ReplyDeleteTonights Rally in New Windsor was fantastic
ReplyDeleteAs an employee with over 30 years of service, having seen many contracts come and go & been through bargaining myself, I shall only say one thing today. WE ALL NEED TO STAND UNITED AND STRONG AND MAKE SMART AND INFORMED DECISIONS THAT WILL BE THE BEST FOR ALL OF US AS A WHOLE. LOOK AT THE FUTURE, NOT JUST THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS AND NOT JUST THE PAY CHECK THAT YOU WILL BE GETTING. WE ALL NEED TO CONSIDER THE ENTIRE PICTURE WHEN WE CAST THOSE UPCOMING VOTES. UNITED WE STAND OR TOGETHER WE WILL FALL.
ReplyDeleteI think the company should ask themselves the question >Do we want quality of service or do we just want it done any way to put #s on a chart.The old saying " You get what you pay for" When you have happy employees you have better products and better customer service.So here is a little suggestion. Give us better PAY> We can't make it on the salary we get paid. May be you could do a ride on in my shoes and try and make ends meet. We all need to stand up and let our voices be heard as one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteStand United 363! We do stand together, We work hard and deserve to be copensated. We won't back down!!!!
ReplyDeleteI like what I do and take pride in my work..... I like our customers and want to have working products....Put in with UNION PRIDE...
ReplyDeleteNIX the 'Freak'n' Contractors
.... For OUR CUSTOMERS ... at least !!!
.... DO IT RIGHT, THE FIRST TIME !!! .....
Drink That !!!!
Do not loose sight of the goal brothers and sisters. Our fight is not with each other we have to stay UNITED, believe we will see this through and get the pay, respect and all that we deserve. Frontier shovels it down from the top and WE are the ones it rains down on. We are the ones who speak to these customers every day! We will be heard this time. Stand strong
ReplyDeleteI like what I do and take pride in my work..... I like our customers and want to have working products....Put in with UNION PRIDE...
ReplyDeleteNIX the 'Freak'n' Contractors
.... For OUR CUSTOMERS ... at least !!!
.... DO IT RIGHT, THE FIRST TIME !!! .....
Drink That !!!!
To all brothers and sisters ...we need to teach the younger union members who will eventually replace us...the company does not CARE about them as people, with children and spouses ..How they make ends meet...what their challenges are on a daily bases..the company wants their services at the lowest wage they can get away with..what WE as a united work force allow them to dictate to us...WE NEED TO BE PROUD OF OURSELVES !!! let's have Maggie open up her checkbook ..we are American workers here..show us some respect please..
ReplyDeleteBe careful of changing the contract language too much. We have done that in the past and it has bitten us in the end. I would hope that the team would hopefully PUSH the issue of training for tech, NOC jobs from within. There are many LOYAL UNION employees that most definetly CAN do TECH & NOC jobs with on the job training. Proven employees. Don't we have a seperate pay scale for that??? I feel we have not pushed this issue enough, have not fought that BATTLE good enough. Now is the time.
ReplyDeleteI SAID STRIKE, STRIKE, STRIKE, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, lets all go to CT w/our signs and show Frontier Headquaters we mean business and than let's do lunch by Maggie's lawn and leave the mess there, so she can see how NYS feels with the mess deland left US.
ReplyDeleteEnough is Enough
I always tell my co-workers that I got to meet the CEO for Nortel back in the 80's. He got all the area employees a room at the Desmond in Albany. The next day he had a meeting and told us that he was tired of chasing AT&T and he wanted to try somthing new. He was going to try a bold move and do what most other companies never dreamed of - support his employees. He expected a drop in the stock but was confident that by developing a highly trained work force that was properly equipped - Nortel would become a leader in the industry. Within weeks I saw and felt great things about my employer and our customers. The stock did take a hit but we finally knew, as company workers, there was hope for our futures. At this time I purchased as much stock as I could. Over the course of the next few years the stock rebound back to its original values and soon pulled stongly away from AT&T. At one point the stock increased 200+ percent. Needless to say this CEO moved on but I will always remember how great I felt working for a man who showed he cared about those who worked for him. His name was Gene Monty.
ReplyDeleteI can only hope that mabey once again I will have this pride back again. So, to you Maggie. Stop treating this company like a car were you don't change the oil. We all know what happens. It struggles, becomes weak, breaks down, over heats, smells bad and eventually you have to pay the bigger bucks for a new motor.
Stay strong 363. Rally around your bargaining committee. Senior management will get their bonuses no matter how well the company is doing. The last 5 years show us that. The company lays off people every year, pays out a ridiculous dividend and the workers get what. Higher health care premiums, furloughs, 2% wage increases. Whens the last time a worker retired because they could afford to? Workers stay strong, united, and think about the future. Frontier workers across the country support you.
ReplyDeleteTo my Brothers & Sisters in New York,
ReplyDeleteWe not only open our hearts to you, but we will open our homes if you decide to come visit us in Ohio.
In Solidarity,
Fred M. Sabol
Vice-Chair
System Council T - 7
Don`t let the negotiations stress you out, stay strong stay mad and stay together! Work safely!
ReplyDeleteTo the Oct 20th, 7:28pm Post above, talking about Nortel back in the 80's. WELL SAID!! We'd all be better off without the "Senior Leadership Team", CEO and Management structure that We are now stuck with. Before Citizens Communications made the grand-daddy of all mistakes- buying Frontier (what were They thinking???), We had a pretty decent CEO- Rudy Graf, a REAL UTILITY GUY. My, how the mighty have fallen. To the "Anti-Union Folks in Our Membership, What are YOU Thinking?? Do You think that drinking the Company's "Kool-Aid" is helping Us to get a FAIR CONTRACT FOR ALL?? It's Not. And, by not supporting Your fellow Brothers and Sisters by being UNITED, You're actually INCREASING the chances of a Union Strike. Stop thinking only of Yourselves (definition of SELFISHNESS) and think of the Big Picture.
ReplyDeleteAnyone see th-record????? would have been nice if we knew before it hit the papers
ReplyDeleteI am truly amazed and surprised regarding some of the unethical and un-necessary comments regarding Sherburne and "bi-polar...." and blah blah blah. Is that really necessary? Personal barbs get us nowhere. I have seen lots of union brothers and sisters go through depression, anxiety, addiction, family upheavals & deaths. Do we get anywhere when we start mud slinging? I have worked for this Company for 17 years and I respect my Union and what it does for me. I have never had a problem with anyone (Union or Company) and I do my job, try to reach the goals expected of me and am supportive of change, even if I don't always agree with the end result. Yes, Deland was a disaster and everyone knows that. We can't change any of that now---we can only move forward. There are Managers AS WELL AS Union Brothers and Sisters that have NO BUSINESS working for this Company with their "what's in it for me attitudes". Some of these people want to do nothing but yet get a paycheck and the same benefits as those that are actually doing their jobs. Quit looking at the small picture, quit mud slinging and start actually putting your efforts and support towards keeping what we have or adding to it. No one is asking for the moon.....we just want a fair contract. I am sure our Bargaining Committee Members have worked very hard and are exhausted. We need to show our support to them when they present the offer in the near future. The personal barbs against certain Management members are totally uncalled for and unethical. I can only imagine what some of the Management members think when they look at this blog and see some of the immature and down right nasty barbs against them. It's uncalled for. They must think there are some total morons in this Union. Get back to the basics--be glad you have a job and get a paycheck. Support your bargaining committee and the hard work they have put in trying to keep what we have or add some extras. Furthermore, some of you that have the whole "I am irreplaceable" attitude...think again. It's been done before and you will have a rude awakening. NO ONE is irreplaceable in this world today. While it would be a tough and disasterous task, this Company could still survive bagging us all and starting from scratch. Think about that. Don't ask for the world....ask for what's fair an just. Think about the area you live in and the wage you make compared to other people. It's time Brothers and Sisters show thanks for what they have from the work our Union has put in to negotiating through the years and looking towards a fair and reasonable contract.
ReplyDeleteTo the Anonymous Post of Oct 22nd at 6:12pm under "what side are You on Boys". First of all, You made some very good Points, regarding appreciation for what Our Bargaining Committee is doing- Chin Chin!! And, regarding the Personal "Barbs" directed at Certain Management folks- Yes, not very good Taste expressed there. Sounds like Someone, Who knows those specific Management Folks and has worked Here a long time. However, does Anyone think that MAYBE, it COULD BE possible that those comments were posted by ONE OF THEIR OWN?? I personally cannot think of ANYONE in Sherburne Craft that would make a Post like that. Well, no need to beat a dead nail any further. Oh, by the Way, I have been a Union Steward in this Unit for over Twenty Years and have been involved in COUNTLESS Meetings where it was necessary to view "Supervisor files" On various Employees Who were being accused of Something. Believe Me, I'm not condoning throwing Personal Barbs at Anyone. However, If anyone out there saw the "Personal Comments" that Our Supervisors have in Their "files" on Craft Employees, It would cause You to vomit. The BLOG Comments that Many were shocked at would "pale in comparison" to Supervisor comments about Craft Employees. Believe Me, I've seen many and- just think, one of those files could have been Yours. And, any job bids/promotions You desire, those comments will be used "against You". Worse, if You attempt to view Your own "Supervisor File",They will deny Your request. Why?? They say "It's My (Supervisor's) file. The REAL REASON: They know They'd be in serious trouble if Craft Members knew what was in the File. Next Point: You're right about NOBODY in Today's times being Irreplaceable. I'm not sure that Anyone really believes that. The Point I'd want You to remember is: This Company's "Senior Leadership Team" is going to do whatever They Want to do- regardless of What We say or think. We accepted a Contract, losing the 401k match!! It was done during the Furlough, remember?? We all know how that worked out. But, It's the world We live in Today. There is no such thing as total security. The only Security that We have is in Ourselves AND OUR CREATOR. The last Point I'd like to address is: The Wages We earn, given the Area We're in. I'm not sure what Area You are in. However, let's assume that You're Somewhere in Central NY- Maybe in Chenango County. And, Let's assume that You work in the Sherburne Building, in Assignment. What Jobs in Your area compare with Your Job, as far as required Training and Qualifications?? NBT?? ....no. Agro-Farma?? ...no. NYCM?? ...no Preferred Mutual? ...no. Do You get My Point?? Do any of those places require Temp Tour Changes?? Or, How about driving on closed roads in the winter, risking a Traffic Ticket if caught?? (don't believe the Company that if You "just show Your badge, They'll let You through". I have been ticketed TWICE in My time Here. Once by a County Sheriff and Once by a State Trooper- VERY EXPENSIVE Tickets. And, No- the Company would NOT reimburse for costs borne, I tried and failed. Why?? The Company said "You made the choice to come in", ignoring Their "expectations" of coming to work "no matter what the conditions". My Point Here: Yes, the Wages are good for the Area. HOWEVER, when You compare Our wages with LIKE JOBS in the region, They're not as rosy. And, if You knew what other Union Locals In areas WITH SIMILAR ECONOMIES AND RURAL CHARACTERISTICS have for Wages and Benefits, You'd be shocked. Thanks for Your Post and Your support of the 363 Bargaining Committee. And, remember- don't drink the Company's "Kool-Aid. That means, don't believe a word You hear from ANY MANAGEMENT EMPLOYEE. Especially at this time.
ReplyDelete