wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace
join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
 ·Verizon FIOS
 ·Sprint Mobile Broa..
 ·RoadRunner Cable
 ·BroadVoice
| Getting rid of the unions would be a good thing!
If anyone seriously wants better service, lower prices, and an overall better experience the first thing they should do is give the union contracts the boot. Unions generally screw everything up, raise prices, and force everyone to submit to their "schedules and policies". Fairpoint should set a precedent by simply contracting with whoever offers the best price for a given job. This way the corrupt union can bid on projects just like everyone else. If they do well on a project good for them, if they bog an install down in weeks of red tape then they simply wont get the business the next time. Let them earn their money like the rest of us!
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я люблю Денди! |
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comp
Premium
join:2001-08-16
Concord, NC
clubs: | I agree with you on unions but fairpoint would suck up here |
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bunklung
join:2002-07-13
Northampton, MA | And...
We should also get rid of the CEOs that don't improve stock prices. |
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TScheisskopf
World News Trust
join:2005-02-13
Belvidere, NJ
·Sprint Broadband D..
| reply to wifi4milez
Re: Getting rid of the unions would be a good thing!
Never worked in a union, have you? Didn't think so. I have. Friend of mine just finished a union job, taking down a big chunk of a refinery in Philly. Worked all winter. 12 hours a day. Outside. 7 days a week. In all kinds of weather.
While you were inside, warm and comfy, listening to whatever squawking head you listen to, he was working. Hard. Harder than you probably have ever worked in your life.
Jeebus, some of you guys don't know nuthin' about nuthin'... |
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satellite68
join:2007-04-11
Louisville, KY | not to mention those cozy 40 hour workweeks. oh, and not having seven year olds dig coal. yeah, it's a bitch. |
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primeomega
join:2004-03-11
De Pere, WI
| reply to TScheisskopf
said by TScheisskopf  :Never worked in a union, have you? Didn't think so. I have. Friend of mine just finished a union job, taking down a big chunk of a refinery in Philly. Worked all winter. 12 hours a day. Outside. 7 days a week. In all kinds of weather. While you were inside, warm and comfy, listening to whatever squawking head you listen to, he was working. Hard. Harder than you probably have ever worked in your life. Jeebus, some of you guys don't know nuthin' about nuthin'... What does that have to do with a union? Unions where created to give power to the “little guy” so that “big business” would not walk all over them. In the past, unions where a great thing. But, with all the laws out now, they truly server no purpose. My father worked under one for years and each month paid his union dues. As he told me, the money he spent to be in one, never equaled what he got back. |
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AnnaS8
join:2005-05-26
Annapolis, MD
| reply to comp
I don't know...I wouldn't say I am for unions but generally union workers do better work. I have seen the difference between union and non union workers. My cousin had a union electrician come out and take a look at his breaker box and the guy yelled at him for having a rats nest. When the guy was done everything was tied off and looked 100 times better. He didn't charge him anything it was one of those friend of a friend type deals. You know one of those..."I will take a look at it for a case of beer" type deals. |
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JackBauer
join:2006-08-24
Schenectady, NY | Not to union bash here...
But aren't you getting at what is special about "licensed contractors" versus someone who happens to be in a union? |
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Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA | Note: Verizon wants taxpayers to pay for this
Note that Verizon saves $600 million in federal taxes if this deal goes through even before Fairpoint asks for more tax dollars. |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
2 edits | reply to TScheisskopf
Re: Getting rid of the unions would be a good thing!
Or brother. My violin plays for him. I have a friend in the elevator union and he brags about his triple OT, 6 hour days getting paid for 8-12, huge on call bonuses plus benefits.
My guess is your buddy was very WELL PAID to wear a coat this Winter.
Hard working union worker is a contradiction in terms. And it's not bashing...more power to 'em. Everyone should have it so easy but then we would be like France...an irrelevant economic mess.
As for doing better work...my local DMV office and public school system seem to prove unions don't equal better work. All it means is overpaid workers with little to no accountability for any crappy work they do.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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swintec
Premium
join:2003-12-19
Alfred, ME | reply to AnnaS8
Do better work huh? At what price does it come at? What kind of quality? Have you SEEN or read about the Big Dig in Boston? I'm sure GM doesnt share your same thoughts about Unions either. |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA | reply to Sammer
Re: Note: Verizon wants taxpayers to pay for this
Saves isn't the same as GETS.
That's like saying taxpayers pay for your house because you take a mortgage interest deduction.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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TKJunkMail
Enjoy the sun
Premium
join:2002-03-03
Avalon, NJ
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·Comcast
1 edit |  Steve Early - an axe to grind ??
Here is the bio of the writer who "uncovers" Verizon's supposed nefarious motivations:
»www.thenation.com/directory/bios/steve_early
Steve Early is a Boston-based freelance journalist who spent twenty-seven years working for the Communications Workers of America. As a CWA staffer, he was involved in many union disputes with Verizon, including the ongoing Stop-the-Sale campaign in northern New England. While I am sure that Verizon wants to dump a money losing albatross and invest their capital where it will make the best return, the motivations of Steve Early are obvious - a life long hatred of Verizon and a desire to perpetuate the high wages that CWA members pull down and could disappear under Fairpoint.
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Internet News
My BLOG
My Web Page |
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Sammer
join:2005-12-22
Canonsburg, PA
| reply to ColorBASIC
Re: Note: Verizon wants taxpayers to pay for this
As a matter of fact the mortgage deduction does help pay for a home. That's the point to encourage home ownership. However if you try to sell your house the government will expect you to pay taxes on the profit. Don't forget that Bell Atlantic (now Verizon) was never required to buy NYNEX in the first place and made promises to get approval to do so. |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
| Actually you would only pay capital gains if you don't buy another house. If you do buy another house, you get to take advantage of this "loophole" in tax avoidance.
In either case, taxpayers aren't paying anything. It's YOUR money to keep, just like it's Verizon's money to keep.
If you want an example of Verizon fleecing taxpayers, look at the billions for fiber deal where Verizon stole billions from PA taxpayers and didn't deploy crap.
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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NOCMan
Verizon Fios User
Premium
join:2004-09-30
Flower Mound, TX
| reply to TScheisskopf
Re: Getting rid of the unions would be a good thing!
Get a clue. Unions are powerless nowdays. You have allowed yourselves to fracture to the point that you can not even run a effective strike.
Look at the airlines. They get their concessions from the Unions and then a month later declare bankruptcy anyways and lay you guys off.
If the Airline unions had any balls they'd strike at all airlines and facilities. Then maybe someone would listen to you guys.
My dad was Union until an extended strike forced our family into bankruptcy and we had to move away from that job to make ends meet. I think I was probably 4 at the time and I still remember at least moving. Never found out why until my 20's.
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Mac Chatter
»www.macchatter.net |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
| If airline unions were stupid, they'd strike at all airlines and facilities.
A good parasite should know not to kill it's host.
When union greed kills their host (like the steel and auto industry) they're left with nothing. Unions are finally wising up and are starting to understand that if they let their greed get the better of themselves they croak along with their host.
The only unions that can get away with endless greed anymore is gov't unions because gov't has an unlimited supply of money (although they're having to borrow to get it).
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Macintosh Users Group Serving the Inland Empire |
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tmc8080
join:2004-04-24
Floral Park, NY
| clec becoming an ilec?
most clec's wouldn't have the financial capital to take over a legacy copper network and transform it into a world-class fiber optic network.. Verizon has NO interest in doing so, although they could.. but they will want some mighty large incentive to do so, not the least of which is state/region-wide franchise with no special conditions. TO DATE, many of the areas which do not have 10+megabits broadband DO NOT HAVE SUCH service for a darn good reason.. this is primarily because it is not financially profitable to deploy such a network there, yet...
Let's not forget that generally, we're talking about internet which costs less than $50 per subscriber.. Verzion will not back away from the 18-24 month window for becoming profitable on deploying a ADSL_2+, or FTTP line to subscribers in New England, no matter what else happens; Union jobs, No Union jobs, hell or high gas prices.. so unless those New England States help them figure out this equation.. they are stuck in Dialup Land or at the mercy of cable/satellite. |
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patcat88
join:2002-04-05
Jamaica, NY
| reply to NOCMan
Re: Getting rid of the unions would be a good thing!
said by NOCMan :Get a clue. Unions are powerless nowdays. You have allowed yourselves to fracture to the point that you can not even run a effective strike. Look at the airlines. They get their concessions from the Unions and then a month later declare bankruptcy anyways and lay you guys off. If the Airline unions had any balls they'd strike at all airlines and facilities. Then maybe someone would listen to you guys. The National Guard will force them to work, or be jail/shot, because of "national security". |
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ColorBASIC
8-bit Fun
Premium
join:2006-12-29
Corona, CA
3 edits | No they wouldn't. Air traffic controllers weren't. They were simply fired. The aerospace unions having learned their lesson from the steel and auto industry understand that there is simply no money to be had. The US airlines are just now posting profits again since 2001 and any union action now would mean the death of their host. In that event, everyone loses.
The unions should start buying up failing airlines and run them like credit unions. Take the profits made and divide it up between the workers. 2 things would happen...it works and everyone is happy. It doesn't and they realize running an airline ain't easy. |
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