Why is there a union at Cingular and not at Verizon?
Unions exist in companies that the employees feel they can not trust management to be fair and upfront. We feel as Cingular employees we can not trust Cingular that is why their is a union. When I talk to a my friend at Verizon he feels that they are pretty fair when it comes to pay benefits and career path. Cingular employees in customer service do not feel the same way at all. We all feel overworked and underpaid and not very appreciated that is a generalization but I think it is the truth. Any former blue reps have any opinions about joining the union. Are u for joining a union or against it?
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marcus...no offense but im not sure you will get too many replies on this post supporting that idea.
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Its a tough post maybe it is not the best move to discuss this in a public forum. But I would love to her your thoughts one day on the topic.
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Yup. And ill practice that outside of work when my emails don't go to my email account at WORK.
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I was just checking seeing if anyone had to nerve to answer. I just am looking for opinions.
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I'd do it. I think that everyone who works for Cingular needs to be treated better, this goes for both direct employees and third party workers, I have been working here for over a year I have gotten two raises for a total of 1 dollar, that being said I have been promoted at least once, twice if you want to call a lateral promotion, I have gotten extra training for both of these so called promotions but no pay raises. I think this would be better with a union.
Just my 2 cents
Just my 2 cents
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đ You all know my opinion of CINGULAR. Why the hell out of 2 MONTHS there are only effectively 8 days that this callcenter can use with pay and without getting an ocurrence (that a bad thing). Of course we'll get ye olde "Needs of the business" line but I think a business need is CSR's not going freakin bonkers in the third level of hell while summer yea life passes them by. I wonder if the MARINES are still hiring, at least they get thirty days paid vacation. And they don't even have a union đ
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I've been here over 2 years and aside from the initial 90-day raise, my raises have only totalled a little over 50 cents. Need Union? Definatley.
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that's not true.. The Verizon land line company is unionized. đ But yeah we are unionized in my area and I HATE IT! đŋ
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Marcus...I think that list will cover 2 pages of the forum, and its not just with the companies policies either. đ
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Internally? I think that we should all be paid a bit more.. I look at the Verizon reps doing the same numbers as me and they are pulling six figures and I am struggling to hit $50,000... I know that seems like a good amount of money but I work friggin hard for it. I also think that the turn over in CS would drop alot and people would care more if they were paid more... More expensive plans are basically getting more money in the executive positions rather than the positions that deserve it. That is the first thing... But you don't want to get me started. đŋ
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What do u think the impact on you as a dealer with the turnover in CS being at record high?
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Not a dealer... COR... And I see the lack of service and lack of knowledge... I luckily have one rep that I almost always deal with, and he keeps me from going insane, but there are times when he is not there and I get "screwed" because someone on the other end of the phone has no clue what they are doing. âšī¸
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the turnover rate at cingular in Schaumburg Illinois is so bad the place is almost empty. So many good reps have been stolen by other companies in the area.
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I can imagine... I find it kinda tempting sometimes, but for some reason stay faithful... I think mainly because I am comfortable here... But sometimes it is so incredibly tempting to go. âšī¸
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I don't think our turnover rate is that bad. We actually have an issue with not being able to seat everyone. Schaumburg is really that bad off huh?
Honestly I dont think id want to leave my center for one that has always been Orange, only because I know we have a bit more leniency in some areas because they (im guessing) dont want to change EVERYTHING all at once for us.
Honestly I dont think id want to leave my center for one that has always been Orange, only because I know we have a bit more leniency in some areas because they (im guessing) dont want to change EVERYTHING all at once for us.
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The cost of living in Chicago area is high. The starting pay for a CSR at Cingular is around 23,000 and Verizon wireless is around 20 mintues away they are starting reps off at 28,000 with bonuses. Then you have US Cellular a regional carrier that is starting reps off between 29,000-32,000 depending on experience they are around 35-50 depending on traffic from Cingular. Then there is Ameriquest mortgage they are 5 mintues away they are starting reps in their collections department at 32,000 and up depending on experience. Cingular has a lot of copetition to retain reps and they are losing in Schaumburg people are quiting in groups.
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đ It's funny how big Stan and now LeAnn Priebe with her annoyingly insincere vote of thanks to us reps and sales people say how we are responcible for the 50,000,000 plus customers we have but seem unwilling to act or pay like it. And welcome to the wonderful world of working for CINGULAR.
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Oh yea, morning marcus (if revan is there tell him the same) Im bored. âšī¸
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One big controversy at Cingular is the career path for the CSR1 position. There are two types of CSR's CSR1 and the CSR2 position. The CSR2 position has been closed for about 4 years. Having the CSR2 title opens the possibility of going to tech support or going to office of the president. The average CSR1 at Cingular makes around 23-28,000 per year. the average CSR2 is making round 31,000 and up to around 34,000 depensing on time in title.Just a little bit of information.
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verizon doesnt have a union cause they pay excellent and treat their employees well. i know several employees there. they have sales reps that make over 100,000 a year. sales reps nothing special. bad sales reps can easily make 50,000.
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Gah... all of these payrates really makes me think I'm being screwed over.
working for the Blue side in an outsourced center, making $10 CAD an hour. Kinda sucks how even the Orange reps in the states make so much more...
Of course, cost of living is probably higher in the states...
hmm... Actually, makes sense that they would outsource then. Look at how much less I'm being paid compared to the american reps.
working for the Blue side in an outsourced center, making $10 CAD an hour. Kinda sucks how even the Orange reps in the states make so much more...
Of course, cost of living is probably higher in the states...
hmm... Actually, makes sense that they would outsource then. Look at how much less I'm being paid compared to the american reps.
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IM AN ORANGE REP....LIVING IN THE STATES.....I MAKE 9.85 AN HOUR......SOOOOOOO......HMMMM......
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$9.85 US = $12.30 per hour or more Canadian, dependant upon exchange rates.
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But you forget that they pay the 3rd party company alot more then the $2.30/hr differance!
I've heard rumors that Convergys make $$$ per rep per minute on the phone.
I've heard that $$ is like $1/rep/min Which is $60/hr. Which makes sense since Convergys has other bills and crap they have to pay for
I've heard rumors that Convergys make $$$ per rep per minute on the phone.
I've heard that $$ is like $1/rep/min Which is $60/hr. Which makes sense since Convergys has other bills and crap they have to pay for
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i have talked to reps here that worked before the union and its unanimous that every single one of them has lost money since the union took over. every cell company pays better and they dont have unions. we pay the union to make us the worst paid cell company!!!
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how much are you getting paid? Why is it you think that you lose so much money?
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I almost whish a union would come into my call center, better yet a class action lawsuit. Since the acquisition in November I have yet to be paid properly on my commission. A lot of sales are showing up as deactivations when they customer is active and I havent even gotten paid for the activation yet, but low and behold they are taking money back. Some features are being paid out at half of what they are supposed to be paid at. For may I sold over $2000 in accesories and got paid for 1! Yes O.N.E. They'll give you a $300 or $400 adjustment for stuff you didn't get paid for and your commision check is still short. When you bring it to your managers attention, who ofcourse cant do a damn thing for you and do nothing but spill the company line ...
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i am a union sales rep and it doesnt matter either way the company now pays me half on features all the same things that happen to u are happening to me except i have to pay $400\yr for a union that does nothing to change how i get paid ( for the better that is)does nothing to help control quota's, the company still controls everything its a complete joke that the union is here. i have always been a mostly pro-union guy with past employment. this one just collects dues and blows smoke up our @$$.
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That's what I was thinking... I warned everyone in Philadelphia, because when I was working in NJ I saw it do nothing and when I saw all my friends in Philly getting "all hype" about it, I warned them, they chose not to listen and now they are sitting in the same boat that I was... Paying more in union dues and getting their butts handed to them every month when it come commission time because there is nothing that the union is doing to make sure that the quotas aren't raised and our money is not cut. đĸ
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That's why I think a law suit would be more beneficial. Hell, pay me for the work I have allready done and I will be happy, but demanding more from me and not paying me properly is definatly not going to motivate me, it has done exactly the opposit.
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I think we are in a tough situation in sales and customer service. Cingular has a lot of reps to many reps. They used the AT&T merger for leverage against the union. Cingular is not giving any ground because they do not believe they have to.
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but not paying people according to the agreed upon compensation plan is grounds for a law suite, just like the class action lawsuite against attwireless for not paying overtime pay when they forced people to work overtime.
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In the union contract cingular fights for wording that allows them to ultimately do whatever they want. In customer service I am CSR1 but at times I do large billing cases or large credits and adjustments both of those jobs are CSR2 jobs. they tell me that since I do them on a temporary rotational basis that does not violate the union contract. I also used to do retentions which is CSR2 job but I did them temporarily on a rotational basis. According to the union contract Cingular can assign job duties of a CSR2 on a CSR1 on a temporary basis based on needs of business.CSR2's make a lot More money than CSR1's on average 4.50 more per hour than CSR1's. If u read the union contract the wording is not very strong . That is what causes Cingula...
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That's a good thought! I know I use to be union w/ a grocery store because they ummm... would use you as a slave if they could. The union protected our benefits and forced the company to be fair. I think it's probaly right that Cingular has a union b/c they don't trust that the company will treat them right. I did hear that former Verizon reps thought that the company treated them good and didn't have a reason to start a union.
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In Puerto Rico we cannot even trust our union. It's actually non-existant. No President, No delegates... If not by the bi-weekly union fees deduction, we would not even notice them. Plus our Labor Agreement looks like it was redacted by Cingular instead of by a labor union.
I think the union thing backfired. Now our management is in a constant headhunting and no one feels "safe".
We have absolutely no Cingular sponsored activities, like parties, family days etc that were in place before the union. It's like since we are bargained, we got what we got and that's it.
Sucks. đ
I think the union thing backfired. Now our management is in a constant headhunting and no one feels "safe".
We have absolutely no Cingular sponsored activities, like parties, family days etc that were in place before the union. It's like since we are bargained, we got what we got and that's it.
Sucks. đ
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thats the what im sayin up here....things were fine before the union. now its like the company hates that we have one so they do whatever they can to F us over.... i dont blame them....its a thorn in there side and now ares as well and the union doesnt do anything about the company still has full control of everything
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I do not agree that things were fine before the union. The union has improved some things in the call center. The union has given us better hours than most customer care workers in Cellular. The place they have failed both customer care and the sales team is the pay scale. I think if our pay was higher we could put up with all the other B.S.
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if my pay was up to the industry standards i would gladley work an extra couple hours a week....i do realize though that the hours of operation are different between retail and CS so i can see how they might take advantage of u guys more...
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the union contract runs out 3/06 . at that time there will be NEW NEGOTIATIONS . this contract was a foot in the door contract . i've seen these tactics before. if we have STRONG union representation at the next negotiations then we will have a better platform to speak from . if we get to 75 - 90% union membership then we can get that csr2 spot we deserve . just join and give the union a chance . the secret to a union is our belief in it .
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I heard the same stuff before from CWA that the next contract will be better. I look at the contract that was signed and the pay progression is even lower. The overall increases are less than what we got out of the last contract. I voted down this contract because they completly low balled us and we should have kept fighting.
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if they decide to drop the "friendly" attitude they tout , we have a chance
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I just think we needed to fight Cingular harder. I voted down this contract because it is a step backward for us.
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