union link for installers not tryin to start trouble

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phatnuts said:
yeah they may catch it but we hafta go out and deal with it. I have been told by my wife that they have called my house in the middle of the day and gave her hell because she didnt know where I was and all the time I was iether in the attic or under a house in the middle of my route. makes no sense all the dispatchers hafta do is look in the comp and see where I am on sight at and they can even tell where I'm headed to all they hafta do is look. But I am serious about the uniform thing these shirts are very hot and do not breath

I didn't say every CSR was a rocket scientist, I just said they catch it. On the shirts, I'll see what can be done. I know you hear that all the time but I will find out. (Boy, I can see the eyes rolling now.)
 
phatnuts said:
Hey barnburner could you answer one question for me? Who has the final say in who gets all these tech sup., field trainer positions and how do they choose?

I know where you are headed. I believe those are recommended by the site manager. Each position ultimately reports to someone other than the site manager. So I am not sure I they had the final say or the site manager.
 
barnburner said:
Ok Uboatcmdr, now were talkin'. You state the vehicles are being paid for by cuts from the techs. You tell me; exactly how would you pay for them? Do you have any idea what a fleet that size costs? You also state that you would rather stay in your vehicle and that is your choice.
Also your lead tech is sadly mistaken. The jobs will be posted just like any other job. You may apply for the company owned vehicle position if you like, but it sounds like you are staying in your own truck. No one has ever said you must take the company owned vehicle at the hourly rate. If they said it, they were very much misinformed.
You talk about profits on these vehicles. Do you know how much it will now cost to insure these. How many body shop visits? The liability a company now takes on for having that many company owned vehicles, the gas, the upkeep and now someone to manage all of that. Hmmm there go all those profits. And what is it with this theory about the company being marketable. I'll tell you a secret. It ain't for sale.

How should the vehicles be paid for? Well it would be nice if the corporate wheels took a nice big pay cut right along with the techs. Maybe they could give up the big fat bonuses they get for OUR work, that would help too. Or they could possibly give up those gas hog fancy company provided SUV's they drive around in. I hear Kia make a nice little very fuel efficient vehicle maybe they could have a few of those to share (key word being share, like they would know what sharing was).
Don't give us your sob story about how much those fleet vehicles are going to cost. They are going to cost a lot more than the company ever imagined. They are going to cost people their jobs and families their future. Our office manager said and I quote, "someone HAS to take these vehicles, if it is not some of you then they will be filled from outside the company and layoffs will take place as new hires are brought in". Does that sound like much of a choice to you? Well it doesn't to me. It sounds more like a threat, which as of late seems to be the normal form of communications from corporate headquarters. If the office manager was wrong in saying this then they need to be told so and either reprimanded or replaced. There are techs who will have no choice but to take those vehicles (it will be either that or the unemployment line). And sadly many of those who do take them will be forced to also file for bankruptcy because they won't be able to meet the note on their house or car. Like I said, I don't want to hear your little tale of whoa about what it will cost the company, what about the cost to the techs and their families? How do you really feel about that? How can you justify cutting a persons' pay in half while you sit fat and happy up on knob hill or driving your company SUV around? So, you get cake while all we get is another big bite of a sh*t sandwich is that right? Boy howdy I can just feel the love pouring out of Meridian tonight.
This union thing isn't going to stop with one or two offices, it's a snowball rolling down hill and gaining speed, you can either jump on and enjoy the ride, step out of the way and let it go it's own way or stand your ground and get squashed like bug, there's a set of choices for you.
Bottomline is this, you want Bruister to do well and so do the techs. If Bruister does well and is profitable, then the techs do well and make money also. The techs just want a fair shake, and $400-$550 a week ain't fair to a man who has been used to making $600-$1000+ per week. I know it and you know it too. And remember this, the techs never even thought about a union until the news of these changes leaked out (that's right I said "leaked out", as I understand it, someone spilled the beans about a month earlier than corporate had planned), so if you want to blame someone for the company going union then look in any Bruister corporate office or a mirror, you find the culprits right there.
 
First, you assume several things: that I am fat, happy, live on a hill & drive a company SUV. All of which are incorrect, except for the happy part. Also there was some mention of love coming out of Meridian. Love would be a strong word to use, but I am concerned at the amount of misinformation being spread. You know the company is not portraying the fleet vehicles as a sob story. Look, I’m not here to agitate anyone, but whether you want to acknowledge it or not there are several undeniable truths at play here.

1. Bruister & Associates is an HSP.
2. To be an HSP you have to have a contract with Dtv
3. This contract, which is rather lengthy, states how Dtv expects the HSP to operate. And finally
4. This contract now states we have to fleet a certain percent of our workforce.

The industry as whole is changing guys. Dtv is moving toward a certain look and feel for those that represent them. The HSP represents them as their “managed” group. This simply means, they have a large say in how we operate and expect certain things from us as a company representing them.
As for the union, that is your choice to make. I personally don’t see how a union, in or out, changes any of this. These are business decisions that are made for us to continue our status as an HSP.
Lastly, nothing was “leaked” accidentally. Things are done for a reason. We aren’t half as dumb as you guys think we are. We also aren’t as closed minded as you think. I just haven’t heard an overload of constructive ideas coming from you guys.
 
here is one

how about when you guys deal with d*, you tell them ,,hey our workers need to eat and feed their families, you(d*) did'nt get where you are by accident, these installers did one house at a time to build your business.

now what is the misinformation? everything that we say comes from the actions of mgmnt, who by the way was not concerned about us until we mentioned the "U" word, now we all are "connected"
we have tried since day one to do our parts to make things operate smooth and successful for all involved, only to have B&A,D*, or and whoever else reaching into our pockets and family times wanting more from us.

the only mis-information being delivered comes from the law firm, their credentials as an anti-labor, shove it in, fight for the rights of mgmnt to TAKE all they can is easy to find.
the list of their (B&A attorneys) clients is a who's who of deny workers rights companies.

AMERICAN AIRLINES
NORTHWEST AIRLINES
RJR NABISCO
MONSANTO
BOEING
LOCKHEED MARTIN
NATIONAL CABLE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSN
BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE
LORILLAND TOBACCO
US TOBACCO
and many others, they also have their hands in the rebuilding of iraq and afghanistan(wonder how they did that? their marquee namesake is a lifelong republican and power broker in washington.)

if B&A were so concerned with us and how we feel why did they spend who knows how much to keep us quiet?
by the way their lead atty IS a former employee of the NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, gee wonder how that happened?

B&A took over when dycom industries said enough is enough,
when will our company stand up to d* and say our people deserve better than this cow-pie?

all info provided is available on the web,
www.bakerdonelson.com



THE MORE YOU TAKE THE LESS YOU BECOME
 
barnburner said:
First, you assume several things: that I am fat, happy, live on a hill & drive a company SUV. All of which are incorrect, except for the happy part. Also there was some mention of love coming out of Meridian. Love would be a strong word to use, but I am concerned at the amount of misinformation being spread. You know the company is not portraying the fleet vehicles as a sob story. Look, I’m not here to agitate anyone, but whether you want to acknowledge it or not there are several undeniable truths at play here.

1. Bruister & Associates is an HSP.
2. To be an HSP you have to have a contract with Dtv
3. This contract, which is rather lengthy, states how Dtv expects the HSP to operate. And finally
4. This contract now states we have to fleet a certain percent of our workforce.

The industry as whole is changing guys. Dtv is moving toward a certain look and feel for those that represent them. The HSP represents them as their “managed” group. This simply means, they have a large say in how we operate and expect certain things from us as a company representing them.
As for the union, that is your choice to make. I personally don’t see how a union, in or out, changes any of this. These are business decisions that are made for us to continue our status as an HSP.
Lastly, nothing was “leaked” accidentally. Things are done for a reason. We aren’t half as dumb as you guys think we are. We also aren’t as closed minded as you think. I just haven’t heard an overload of constructive ideas coming from you guys.

I have no argument with any of your four points. In fact I don't think anyone has really disagreed with those points at all. But I do take issue with your earlier statements regarding how the fleet vehicles should paid for. To pay for them by only cutting the tech's pay is not fair. You totally ignored my questions as to why only the techs should take a pay cut. You also never said what you and the rest of management were willing to give up for those fleet vehicles.

I do not think you are dumb (I don't think you are geniuses you believe yourselves to be, but I don't think your dumb). Judging from the things B&A management is expecting the techs to believe about the upcoming changes and the union, it appears that they think the techs are the dumb ones.

As for the union, they are a thing you are going to HAVE to deal with, like it or not. Once the union is voted in things will change, maybe not as you or I planned or would like, but they will change. How they change depends on how willing we are (or are not) to work together for common goals.

You say Directv has a large say in how things are run, does that mean they tell you to treat the techs like trained monkeys and to feed us bs every chance you get?

Constructive ideas? You say you haven't heard an overload of them from us, well I haven't heard ANY form you. How "constructive" is it to cut a person's pay in nearly half? How "constructive' is it to tell a worker if he doesn't volunteer for one of the COV's he risks being laid off when new hires are brought in? How "constructive" is it to mail out booklets full of lies to employees to try and persuade them to vote "no" for a union? How "constructive" is it to spend money that could have gone towards those new fleet vehicles to hire a high priced law firm to fight the unionizing efforts? All those things sound more DEstructive and CONstructive.
Well here are a few real constructive ideas for you:

1. Don't cut the tech's pay by as much as planned. Instead of paying the planned $10-$15, why not a little more, say $14-$22. At those rates you will have techs stumbling over each other to get one of the COV's.

2. Get a better insurance program for the employees (all of them, not just the techs). I don't think the techs would mind paying some amount for their personal insurance (no one asked that you give that for free, and how free after all is insurance with a $2500 per person deductable?) if it would get them better rates & coverage for the family insurance.

3. Do things to make B&A a more family oriented company. Hold a few company picnics or holiday parties, do something personal to show the employees you actually value their hard work & efforts. I personally will go the extra mile and work my butt off if I know someone will really appreciate my efforts. But more often than not the only ones who usually express their gratitude for my hard work is the customer. While that to a certain degree is satisfying, I'd really like to hear some genuine thanks from the company.

4. The company and the techs need to work together to keep B&A successful. If they are both looking in opposite directions then someone else will walk in and snatch the business away. I feel the union will put things on a more even playing field. The company won't have the only say in things and neither will the techs. It will force them, once and for all, to work together and come to a common agreement that is best for all involved.

I have made an effort to be "constructive". Now lets hear your "constructive" ideas barnburner.
 
Uboatcmdr, I am gonna have to tell you. I visit alot of websites and chatrooms. That is the first constructive post I have seen. You make valid points. Most would have flammed anyone who asked for constructive ideas.
 
barnburner said:
Uboatcmdr, I am gonna have to tell you. I visit alot of websites and chatrooms. That is the first constructive post I have seen. You make valid points. Most would have flammed anyone who asked for constructive ideas.

You have to admit it's hard to be constructive when a lot of what we techs get from B&A is "here's the plan, like it or not", "this is the way it IS going to be, end of discussion", "if you don't like it there is the door" and "if someone doesn't take these vehicles we will have to go outside the company to fill them and layoffs will take place as new hires are brought in". These were all things that were said by a site manager and/or area manager during the Q&A portions of tech meetings. That is not showing us anything constructive, only something negative. And if you come to people with a negative attitude then all you will get back is negativity. A lot of the pro-union posts here may seem negative but they really are positive. Many are expressing disappointment with the way the company has treated them but at the same time they are full of hope for a better future (not just for the techs but also the company as well). It has been said many times and many ways, "the techs want the company to be successful" we are not out to hurt B&A, we are just asking for a fair shake and some voice in what happens to us.
Once the union is voted in and we actually sit down at the bargaining table you will see we are not that far apart on things. The techs had to make the move to unionize otherwise the company would never have taken our suggestions or constructive ideas seriously. You know for a fact that if all the techs presented ideas or suggestions on an individual basis a large majority of them would have been laughed at and round filed. But by organizing they will have a unified voice that will present & discuss realistic figures and stick to the truely important issues.
I hope all this works out to everyone satifaction and benefit. Only time will tell.
 
rajincajun said:
how about when you guys deal with d*, you tell them ,,hey our workers need to eat and feed their families, you(d*) did'nt get where you are by accident, these installers did one house at a time to build your business.

now what is the misinformation? everything that we say comes from the actions of mgmnt, who by the way was not concerned about us until we mentioned the "U" word, now we all are "connected"
we have tried since day one to do our parts to make things operate smooth and successful for all involved, only to have B&A,D*, or and whoever else reaching into our pockets and family times wanting more from us.

the only mis-information being delivered comes from the law firm, their credentials as an anti-labor, shove it in, fight for the rights of mgmnt to TAKE all they can is easy to find.
the list of their (B&A attorneys) clients is a who's who of deny workers rights companies.

AMERICAN AIRLINES
NORTHWEST AIRLINES
RJR NABISCO
MONSANTO
BOEING
LOCKHEED MARTIN
NATIONAL CABLE AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS ASSN
BRIDGESTONE FIRESTONE
LORILLAND TOBACCO
US TOBACCO
and many others, they also have their hands in the rebuilding of iraq and afghanistan(wonder how they did that? their marquee namesake is a lifelong republican and power broker in washington.)

if B&A were so concerned with us and how we feel why did they spend who knows how much to keep us quiet?
by the way their lead atty IS a former employee of the NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD, gee wonder how that happened?

B&A took over when dycom industries said enough is enough,
when will our company stand up to d* and say our people deserve better than this cow-pie?

all info provided is available on the web,
www.bakerdonelson.com



THE MORE YOU TAKE THE LESS YOU BECOME


typical flaming liberal
 
worked 11 hours and didnt make nothin thats what are company does and you call one of my workmates a flamin liberal??
maybe one day youll find out. You have no clue what we are going through so as far as I'm concerned your posts are no longer valid on my thread so go start your own............................................................................................................................................................................................
 
phatnuts said:
no barnburner tonight?


Sorry guys, I was taking a corporate scumbag training class at the local community college last night.
Ok, I have another question. Uboatcmdr stated that "You know for a fact that if all the techs presented ideas or suggestions on an individual basis a large majority of them would have been laughed at and round filed."
Did anyone actually try this? Do you guys really feel that no one would have listened? I believe there is even an email address posted in each office to send suggestions to. Did anyone try that?
 
phatnuts said:
should have known something like that could only come out of donora p.a

and i should have known about the deep south.
didnt the union win?

not the union you talk about!
 
That is your choice. But that doesn't answer my question. I want to know if anyone has really tried to use their "voice".
 
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