AT&T workforce stricken with over 2000 layoffs U.S-wide days after $1000 tax reform bonus ...
In the days before Christmas, AT&T and DirecTV gave layoff notices to a large number of landline, legacy service, and home installers spanning the country -- and more are coming.
On Dec. 16, about 600 employees were notified of the pending layoffs. Most of those were across mid-west states, with some of those including higher-skilled workers.
Other layoffs by the company include "more than 700" DirectTV home installers across the country. Additionally, in December, AT&T fired 215 technicians in "nine Southern states" according to the New York Post, with another 700 reportedly coming in Texas and Missouri in February.
"Merry Christmas, here's your pink slip," a worker said to the New York Post. "It's affecting all states from Florida to California."
It is not clear if the firings relate to the pending AT&T and Time Warner acquisition, or how it specifically relates to the announcement that the company was giving $1000 bonuses to 200,000 employees in commemoration of the tax overhaul signed just before Christmas.
AppleInsider has confirmed layoffs in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
Employees have three weeks to find and apply for another job that they are suited for within the company, or the termination is permanent. AT&T employees that are expecting to be laid off have told AppleInsider that the options that the company is presenting are slim, and a fraction of the salary that they were earning before.
"Technology improvements are driving higher efficiencies, and there are some areas where demand for our legacy services continues to decline." AppleInsider was told in a statement. "We're adjusting our workforce in some of those areas as we continue to align our workforce with the changing needs of the business."
Union representatives have noted to Newsweek that a number of the $1000 "capital-freeing event" bonus recipients as a result of the new tax legislation are on the chopping block.
"How can you lay people off and then give them $1,000 and say that there's going to be more jobs available?" asked Local 6360 Communication Workers of America Union President Joseph Blanco. "I wish someone could tell me how that's possible because I have to explain that to my members, and right now at this time of year, this is a difficult pill to swallow."
On Dec. 16, about 600 employees were notified of the pending layoffs. Most of those were across mid-west states, with some of those including higher-skilled workers.
Other layoffs by the company include "more than 700" DirectTV home installers across the country. Additionally, in December, AT&T fired 215 technicians in "nine Southern states" according to the New York Post, with another 700 reportedly coming in Texas and Missouri in February.
"Merry Christmas, here's your pink slip," a worker said to the New York Post. "It's affecting all states from Florida to California."
It is not clear if the firings relate to the pending AT&T and Time Warner acquisition, or how it specifically relates to the announcement that the company was giving $1000 bonuses to 200,000 employees in commemoration of the tax overhaul signed just before Christmas.
AppleInsider has confirmed layoffs in California, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.
Employees have three weeks to find and apply for another job that they are suited for within the company, or the termination is permanent. AT&T employees that are expecting to be laid off have told AppleInsider that the options that the company is presenting are slim, and a fraction of the salary that they were earning before.
"Technology improvements are driving higher efficiencies, and there are some areas where demand for our legacy services continues to decline." AppleInsider was told in a statement. "We're adjusting our workforce in some of those areas as we continue to align our workforce with the changing needs of the business."
Union representatives have noted to Newsweek that a number of the $1000 "capital-freeing event" bonus recipients as a result of the new tax legislation are on the chopping block.
"How can you lay people off and then give them $1,000 and say that there's going to be more jobs available?" asked Local 6360 Communication Workers of America Union President Joseph Blanco. "I wish someone could tell me how that's possible because I have to explain that to my members, and right now at this time of year, this is a difficult pill to swallow."
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Comments
What evidence do you have that Apple does not pay all the tax it owes? I agree there are pending legal disputes, but do you expect Apple to refuse to pay once a legal determination is made? And I'm curious: are you a "tax avoider" by paying only what you legally owe? Or do you put a few extra dollars in to try to help out?
It's worth noting that the bonus was decided before the GOP's rushed tax code overhaul during negotiations with various unions. Meanwhile, this layoff appears to have been decided after the tax code overhaul.
Yep, lay them off and put them on the dole. Great.
In Germany, for example, BMW is not allowed to layoff and send them to the unemployment line for the government to pay. First, they have to go on 3/4 time, then half time, then 1/4 time and into a retraining program. Now that's how a responsible company should operate.
Case in point, Germany was the last country to go into the Great Recession of 2008 and the first to come out!
Oh well.
As for the biotching about Trump and Republicans (not from you 80), I hardly see how they're responsible for slack demand for "legacy services" like copper landlines and horrible satellite tv. AT&T might find uses for these people with advanced obsolete skills, but there's just not the demand for saddle makers or buggy whip fabricators anymore. (And it can happen to you (and me) too.)
AT&T’s CEO worked his way up from the bottom and has implemented a very generous educational program for employees to train up and get the skills necessary to get the jobs that are growing as the legacy ones die off. Many of the CWA members have been fighting this transition for years and oppose the system- not wanting to take non-union positions elsewhere in the company. The copper wire company is dying and the CWA is acting like it is 1979.
AT&T has been selling off small town phone systems and keeping the ones in more densely populated areas. AT&T Fiber is building out in the old copper wire company’s rights of way. If we could see a show of hands you will find out few people have a land line phone from AT&T, so not many people are required to maintain it. On the DIRECTV side, most new installations are done by contractors and many customers will eventually move over to DIRECTVNOW which is online self service and web based. With no end user equipment.
The CWA members fighting this are like buggy whip makers at the dawn of the car age- their trade is falling out of favor and they need to adapt. AT&T is not the bad guy here, these people go through annual reviews where options are discussed, long term job prospects reviewed and choices are made. AT&T has made a great effort to allow employees to adapt to the changing business, and many want to stay in their CWA Union positions rather than change with the company.
Despite the angle being promoted here, this has nothing to do with Trump or the GOP Tax Bill. This about a big legacy company integrating acquisitions and adapting to changes in the business. They have no place for those not willing to change with the company.
" layoff notices to a large number of landline, legacy service, and home installers spanning the country "
Anybody in these kinds of positions has had a very long time to prepare and should have seen the writing on the wall. No one to blame but themselves if they're not prepared to step into another role by now.
1. Great Resession?
2. AT&T sucks
3. I am apparently a “tax avoider” as I only pay what I owe. I use an reputable accountant to be certain.
Layoff = "not for cause" i.e., the company eliminated the POSITION
Firing = "for cause" i.e., the company terminated the INDIVIDUAL due to behavior or performance in the role
Yeah I realize that either stinks, especially right before Christmas.
I just ask that journalists not use "fired" as a shorthand for "laid off". They are not the same.