PLEASE AT-T, lay me off...

[Jaxfishgyd]

On Monday AT-T will announce "retirement packages" to rid themselves of having "too many employees", which is B.S.

We have been forced to work 60-80hrs a week since July.....

IF the rumors are true.... And according to people in S.C. who were offered the packages on Friday it is...

I will be asked to "leave" by having to accept 18 months of pay... And as I retired (the first time) in 2000, I will leave with full benifits at zero cost to me.. Least till Obama gets into office....

I fully realize a lot of you are "anti union" but heres a surprise, so am I. But a huge company has to have a union...

I have been "had" by both the company and union...... both are needed evils.

With my luck, it will not come to be....... But at the age of 57, with 38 yrs senority.... I sure hope it does.

 

[Trojan]

Don't trust any company for your retirement. Once you leave you become only a number. I put in 7 days a week and too many 24 hour shifts and 30+ years service, to keep the plant running. They paid well when I worked. But once retired you are nothing to the company. All the times they messed with my vacations or the calls to the house on days off asking can you come in were down and need your help. Doesn't mean jack. I retired with full coverage insurance. After 11 years, I no longer have life insurance now and because of age I can't get it. Health insurance is bad I pay $365. a month for hospitalization. Which goes up every year and the coverage goes down. Plus I had to pay many a thousand last February for 11 days in the hospital. In 1.2 years my hospital insurance will not be covered by the company. I will need a new pacemaker soon and the wife will need a new one also. Because of pry-er conditions I won't be able to get health insurance. It's called the Golden years because that's the time they take all your gold. Retirement is great, but trying to keep up with the bills is a bitch. I belonged to the union and management. Nothing is forever. So be careful and try to have a plan.

BILL

 

[Passages]

I completely agree Bill.

As companies continue to get squeezed by a poor economy and off-shore competiton, retiree benefits will come under increased scrutiny.

It will be interesting (read scarey) to see what the big 3 automakers need to forgo to stay in the game. Retiree benefits have become a lightning rod of criticism. When GM says "Sorry, no more money", watch a flood of other companies follow suit.

I believe National Healthcare will become a reality this time around. Yup, higher taxes (much higher), medocre care, rationing of costly proceedures, and enormous bureaucracy will be the norm. (Unless you are actively employed and have gold standard insurance, then you can go to private doctors & clinics)

Any members from Canada or the UK? Please tell me it ain't so.

 

[krush]

We're screwed. Easily summed up in two words.

Edit: well I must add that, those crazy people that are survivalists and multi-talented (much like people on these forums) will be much better off in the depression. I firmly believe we are going to have a depression. Every reaction that DC does just makes it worse too.

 

[Trojan]

We're screwed. Easily summed up in two words.

Edit: well I must add that, those crazy people that are survivalists and multi-talented (much like people on these forums) will be much better off in the depression. I firmly believe we are going to have a depression. Every reaction that DC does just makes it worse too.

Being a survivalist and multi talented won't help much if you require any medication. You young people will survive and learn, but us older generation will struggle. The our governments choices and our choices have really dune the country in. We will over come, I hope, we have done so in the past. You will learn who your true friends are and who you can trust. Our biggest trouble will be, should there be an attempt to over through our government when we are down. I don't believe our new leader has the knowledge to run this country in time of war or peril. It was said that if you want to defeat the USA. You do it from within. I think that is just what is happening. In joy things today. Tomorrow may be a SOAB. Dam it's cold up here. I want My boat. Will someone pass the damn ammo.

BILL

 

[Nonchalant1]

Gee, so much negativism is bringing me down. We still have the best country in the world. If I can just make it to 65, Medicare will be nice, but until them I'll pay my $1,133 per month for healthcare coverage and count my other blessings.

Jaxfish - I hope you do get the "package", It would be justice after all of those years. I was in your position 4 years ago but was lucky enough to be one of the designers of the new organization. I turned in 5 org charts for my area without me in it before the last one was accepted. It's like getting to retire early and getting paid EXTRA for doing it! If there is also a "lump sum" offer, consider it carefully. I took that and got my future years pensions all rolled up into one big ball, and now I don't care if my old company goes belly up because I have zero financial benefits as a retiree, so zero is tied to the company staying in existence for another 20 or 30 years (if we're lucky).

HERE'S HOPING YOU GET CANNED!! MORE TIME ON YOUR HATT IS GOOD FOR YOU.

Doug Shuman

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

When I first retired in 2000 from BellSouth, all my benifits were paid for 100%. I went back in 2003 (THEY called me) and am still there...

The only thing I would have to pay for is our death insurance... I have $500,000 on both of us, and my monthly payment would be $79.72 a month.

I too took a lump sum payment when I first retired and have actually made money on it. My brother in law has his own company which takes care of the doctors money in Gainesville, Fl and he has taken care of me..

Plus he has my 401K that I paided into for 31 yrs. and as I will be 58 next month, only 18 months till I can get into that...

 

[Trojan]

I wish you all good luck.

BILL

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

Oh the wisdom of corporate America....

Instead of offering the OLD, burned out farts a decent package, ATT, in its infinite wisdom has decided to let go the junior members....

Why keep someone who has a new family, is eager to work and makes less than top pay or benefits when you can keep the ones like me who you have to pay top money, gets 7 weeks vacation and get basically non ending sick days.....

 

[Boatsb]

Charlie they figured they would show you some respect and not toss the more experienced guys. I have seen too many companies let the top tier go and end up in deep poop.

 

[krush]

Holy cow, 7 weeks of vacation? Wow, that's like never actually working!

 

[SKYCHENEY]

The truth is that the most experienced guys are of the most value. You guys never use all of the sick days or vacation. You love to work and you know how to get things done. You also get them done right the first time. I think it was a great decision. I have one guy that works for me that is 73 and he's worked for the company for 43 years. I'll bet he knows more and accomplishes more than any other guy I've got.

 

[Passages]

Krush,

If you are half as smart as you think you are, please read the real message here.

THERE IS NO LONG TERM SECURITY IN CORPORATE AMERICA.

You are being a good boy in starting your career with a big company who will pay for your training. Excellent! After 3-4 years, you've gotten what you need from them and need TO WORK FOR YOURSELF! The only exception to this is if a senior mgt type takes you under his wing and grooms you for a plant manager position before you hit 29.

(Sigh, I wish I had advise like this when I was 24)

 

[krush]

My company isn't really that "big". If you include all the subsidiaries (which isn't really part of our business unit) we got ~2000 warm bodies.

But anyway, we had this discussion in person and you are exactly right. I'm here to learn, but I also get paid nicely. My goal is to get into contract work, hopefully during the outage season (spring/fall) and drive piles in the summer.

But anyway, yeah--it's a total different world right now. But I like it better this way. The motivated people advance much faster. Everybody becomes more responsible for their success.

Meanwhile, I'm learning a lot and taken advantage of all that is given to me. But, I also do a good job and make the company money too. We all can be happy LOL try telling that to the unions.

 

[Trojan]

They want you now until you make top wages. Then they let you go and hire a young person who will work like mad, any hours and work for peanuts. Then when the project is done. Your gone and another youngster starts over. It happens every day now. You don't need a manager or engineer that knows the work. You just need to know who to call to get the work done. Sad but true. Are you listing Krush. Make hay while the sun shines. It's illegal to age discriminate, but its done every day. There are too many young engineers out there now. It's a cut throat job market. If they keep us old workers, 55 on up. It's because there engineering group is too small and they can't afford to loose the only people that know the job despite the high pay. To think unions are not good or worth anything.

BILL