Lockdown

I guess some people picture management in this building to be currently surrounded by gold doubloons and waxing their oily mustaches over pink champagne.

But the truth, of course, is much different. I’m not going to candycoat it. No one wants to be here.

Everyone is telling anecdotes about having to pass their friends and coworkers on the picket lines. These are people we respect and who taught us how to do our jobs. Some of us have family on the line.

Not once have I heard a single derogatory thing about people on the picket line. Not once. Not even a mutter.

Some of us came up from the bottom – we were casuals and tea makers for years before becoming managers. We are the ones keeping things together on air and on line.

Others never did this time, or their job never had anything to do with production. Their marketable skill is telling other people what to do. These people are now expected to do some highlyskilled job they had less than a day to learn. It’s the inmates running the asylum. They learn fast.

No doubtt, it can be comical at times.

But remember that the average manager was never given any choice in this. He or she was not asked to vote for a new VP. He or she was not asked to vote on a lockout. We have no choice but to come to work. If we don’t work, we will be fired. Simple as that.

I am sleeping in here. And I am eating all my meals in here too. I have given up on makeup. I have not been outside in the sun for what seems like a long time. My family and friends can’t come in here to say hello.

You guys may be locked out, but I’m locked in.

37 Comments

  • tommy douglas says:

    my god people. You act like martyr’s. The reason you all work for CBC and not for private media is you guys are paid better than those in private media with better benefits.

    Deal with it.

    My tax dollars are paying your salaries at the expense of private entrepreneurs.

    Every time I see 4 CBC microphones at a news scrum I am offended.

    Any business should have the flexibility to hire contractors. This is what happens in the real world.

    Get used to it. It’s what the rest of us face.

    Stop your whining. It’s insufferable.

  • TonyGuitar says:

    Being at the top seems to breed an ivory tower blind stupidity.

    The same wisdom we see being exercised by two mature nations with diplomatc staff who are squabbling over a speck of bald rock between Greenland and Ellsmere. Absolute brilliance!

    The total lack of diplomacy being practised between Canada and the USA over 5 billion in softwood skim funds.
    More absolute brilliance!

    The Jihadists must think they have it made. Who could lose against the Western idiots who have everything and yet quibble like tots in a playpen?

    When are we going to grow up and get some *cool*? 73s TonyGuitar [BendGovt.blog.ca]

  • Anonymous says:

    Hello all from Neutron (gotta stay anonymous). First after reading the comments concerning that maybe managers should walk out: IMO all managers should stay inside at this point and do what they are suppose to do as ordered. There is at the present time not much protection for their jobs after the return back to work once this is over. The best thing to do is stay neutral and let the people locked outside to clean up shop. Yes you heard me well – its the outside people who can and will make the CBC a better place to work in when we are all back. According to history of past strikes and present strategies being put in motion as we speak (yes both sides can get information from each other)major changes have taken shape on internal conflicts and policies. The existing issue is a high one: getting the PMO to allow Bobby Carte Blanche to further extend the CBC’s ability to become less financially sufficient of govt funds. The present tangent is to try and reduce the CBC’s contribution to pension plan without losing the 51% voting rights and ciontrol and to reduce production costs when no productions are in the works. This is done by eliminating permancy. Saving @$1.2M a day to hopefully be used for upcoming start-up capital for new ventures.The PMO also gave Bobby the control of the board. Action taken to make this happen had to piss off the existing Chairperson so in the same week earlier this summer Carole T. resigned and so did the Ombudsman . Next Bobby appointed the CEO of Morgard to the board (our landlord owner of Ottawa’s new at the highest in the industry. Sombody forgot the integrity of the CBC, its people and the need of Canadian taxpayers.
    Yes I believe from what I heard the people on the outside will shake the tree – after all we have been telling Canadians for years that our journalists and researchers are the best in the world, so let us allow them the time to exercise their skills on the cleansing of upper management policy so that we may all get back to work in a better environment. So just remember that when all are back & we see changes to please show respect to those who fought and coordinated this from the outside while enemployed. In the meantime while you come out the front door daily – say Hi to them. I know we are all frustrated with what mangaers are forced to do often away from home and long hours. Just do not take it out on the outside people when they come back just because we can”t take it out on the bosses who coordinated the lock out.

  • Anonymous says:

    Hi Anonymous,

    Not trying to twist your words, just giving my opinion. And although I am, I guess, literally outnumbered, I’m not feeling too defensive about it.

    I’™m not sure if you’™re understanding my post, or if I’™m understanding yours. But if you’™re saying people want ’“for example- three continuous years of work ’“ that’™s what the CBC proposal allows for.

    I know people need to rally the troops (on both sides), but I have to say I’™m finding it sad that this is getting turned into such an apocalyptic, ideological battle-to-the-death. The CMG’™s dealbreaker issue, in my opinion, is hardly that.

    I’™ll say this again (and then I will shut up). CBC had, prior to 1996, the ability to hire people on contract.

    Read this http://www.publicairwaves.ca/index.php?page=812 from Playback magazine, which includes a quote from Arnold Amber: “The idea of a permanent career at the CBC is not necessarily a strange idea,” Amber says. He adds that, with the 1996 union contract specifying that “all ongoing work at the CBC would be done by permanent employees, why would we take a step backwards now?”

    Because it was a bad idea, and it didn’™t work, that’™s why. A collective agreement that’™s too restrictive just ties everyone in knots and forces inane and damaging workarounds. That’™s where we are now.

    Being on contract is no major hardship. Some of my best friends are on contract :-)

    You’re hostages in a fake fight, in my opinion.

  • Anonymous says:

    actually, I said three continuous years of work, not a three year contract. It’s a very different thing to those people who are being used and abused with imposed breaks in service to avoid benefits/pension. And there is such a thing as contract. I was on contract (varying between 13 weeks and a year) for a long time, but had the balls to say “no break in service or I leave”. No executive producer ever had a problem with the collective agreement language. In fact, one said to me, “you are the only person who has ever stood up to this, I am happy to deliver THIS news to HR.” I had back to back service that served me well when I was eventually made staff.

    If there is three years of work, that is commonly known as a JOB.

    And if there really isn’t a job, there is absolutely no “requirement” that you demean, demoralize and defeat your dedicated employee into an imposed break in service.

    I know you must feel outnumbered right now, but please don’t twist my words to fit your faulty argument.

  • Anonymous says:

    A little upthread, Anonymous said this: “I’m sure there are many casuals at the CBC who would cry tears of joy at the prospect of three continuous years of work.”

    In case people don’t know this, let me tell you, the current collective agreement, the one the CMG is fighting to keep, is the reason you can’t have a three year contract.

    The collective agreement allows for only two kinds of hiring – “casuals,” who CBC can’t legally keep past 12 months, and permanent.

    This inability to hire on contract leads directly to the elaborate workarounds that make young CBC employees’ lives so difficult. If somebody works for 11 months, they then are required to have a break in service if CBC wants to keep them around without offering a permanent job – which we often can’t do. (Ask your executive producer or senior producer about this; they struggle with it every day.) This is why people spend years being renewed at the last minute, shuffled from show to show, sent “on holiday” for a few weeks every now and then, not knowing if they can pay their rent or buy a car.

    The new much-loathed CBC proposal would allow managers, rather than having to choose between hiring at the two extremes of “casual” versus permanency, to offer current casuals some amount of job security, with a multi-year contract – just like Anonymous says people want.

    The irony is that up until about ten years ago, we had this flexibility. Some people were permanent, other people were on 1, 2, 3 or 5-year contracts. Some people preferred contracts because they wanted 12 1/2 percent extra salary in lieu of benefits or for other personal reasons; some people preferred staff jobs. Some people who wanted a staff job lived on contracts for a few years before getting a permanent job. I did this and so did lots of other people: it worked fine.

    I’ve been around long enough to remember the fear and angst when the collective agreement was negotiated that “forced” people to go on staff. How interesting that we’re now experiencing fear and angst about the new proposal, which is essentially a return to what we had before.

  • Girl on the Grange says:

    I feel for middle management. I realize that they don’t have a choice but to come to work. However, they, like every other Canadian, have the right and the duty to speak their mind about how the CBC is running things. Every Canadian citizen is a tax payer and part of their tax money goes to the CBC. Speak up!!

  • Anonymous says:

    What amazes me is that it doesn’t seem to have occured to ‘middle management’that if CBC wins this, they may very well be next. Think of this as ‘Round One’, people.

  • Anonymous says:

    A little reminder. Rabinovitch is so committed to flexible employment conditions, that he REFUSED anything less than a 3 year reappointment. I’m sure there are many casuals at the CBC who would cry tears of joy at the prospect of three continuous years of work. I guess flexibility only applies to others. What a stunning lack of leadership. Do as I say, not as I do. And I seriously doubt Bob has any concerns about paying for rent or groceries.

    Source : Toronto Star

    November 5, 2004

    Robert Rabinovitch, president and chief executive officer of CBC since
    November 1999, has accepted a “proposed” re-appointment for three years by Prime Minister Paul Martin, the government announced yesterday.

    “Mr. Rabinovitch is well-known for his outstanding career achievements in
    both the public and private sectors, and for his long-standing commitment to
    Canada’s cultural industry,” Martin said in a news release. “He is admired and respected by his peers, and I am very pleased that he has agreed to continue his work at the CBC.”

    The release also stated that the “proposed reappointment will be referred to
    the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage for review. The new process for
    Parliamentary review of appointments is not yet finalized.”

    “I gotta go through a parliamentary hearing yet,” cracked Rabinovitch over
    the phone from Ottawa last night, adding that the review will be a first.

    The announcement ends speculation about what would happen to the biggest –
    but not the best-paying – broadcasting job in the country. At one point, rumour had it that former cabinet minister and Martin adviser Francis Fox would have the job. Others said tradition dictated a francophone Quebecker must succeed Rabinovitch, a native Montrealer.

    Word was that Rabinovitch and his government-appointed board of directors
    lobbied to keep him in the job but the Prime Minister’s Office delayed the
    decision, as it has on many other pressing matters since last June’s election.

    Then, when an offer was made, sources say it was only for a two-year term –
    unacceptable to Rabinovitch.

    According to insiders, the government was displeased with the recent appointment of former culturecrat and cable lobbyist Richard Stursberg to the
    post of executive vice president of CBC-TV. He replaces Harold Redekopp, who
    retires after some 15 years in top executive jobs at the public broadcaster.

    When I saw Rabinovitch Wednesday evening at a farewell reception for
    Redekopp, he was circumspect about whether he had received any offer at all.

    “Oh they talked about a number of different things,” he admitted yesterday.
    “Eventually we came to a compromise … which works for me, quite frankly,
    because eight years in this job is more than enough.”

    Now, if only Ottawa would get around to filling the eight out of 12 positions
    on CBC’s board that will soon be empty. The board needs members who are not
    friends of the party in power but people who can chair an audit committee and
    who care about public broadcasting.

    “We submitted a comprehensive list of people,” said Rabinovitch. “They are
    evaluating them and have indicated they have other names to put forward. We wait with bated breath.”

    Is procrastination on these appointments any way for the government to be
    managing a billion bucks of the taxpayers’ money, not a significant chunk of the public interest?

    […]

    © The Toronto Star

    Privacy & Policies
    © copyright 1996-2005

    Home | About Us | Resource Centre | Take Action | News Room | Donate Now | Media Monitor
    Friends of Canadian Broadcasting

  • Joff says:

    Hmmm… let me check. Nope, don’t think my heart is bleeding for you just yet.

    You’re absolutely delusional if you believe anyone on the outside thinks you folks are having a party inside. We no you’re not having fun, we know you didn’t ask for this, we know it’s a terrible position to be in.

    On the other hand, it’s no bed of roses on the line either.

    But now, the lockout situation is upon us, and all we do have control over is how we respond to it.

    For starters… it’s outrageous that CBC managers are being paid fat bonuses for doing the jobs of workers who didn’t ask to be locked out. It’s an insult to the people on the line, and frankly, if you accept those bonuses, you’re profiteers – getting rich off the suffering of others.

    “But I work 18 hours a day and haven’t done my makeup!” you say? Too bad. I’ve worked plenty of days upwards of 12 hours for the Corp. I never asked for, nor received, any bonus payment or sympathy. You’re not getting those bonuses because you deserve them – you’re getting them because the Corp is trying to buy you.

    If you’re a manager and you really feel badly about this… I believe every CMG unit has a “lockout hardship fund” to provide emergency assistance for those who really need it. You know – the folks whose jobs you’re doing, who are trying to feed kids, pay mortgages, etc. on paltry strike pay. Maybe managers could take some of their newfound wealth and share it with people who really need it. See your local CMG president to find out how you can make a donation to the fund.

    Otherwise… well, see comments on “profiteers” above.

    And as others have already pointed out… you do have a choice here. You can say “no.” Of course it’s hard. If I were in your position, I’m sure I’d be torn – and not just a little terrified. But if 150 people can get 5,500 back to work by standing up for what’s right, should there really be that much of a question regarding what to do?

    So how about it? Let’s say Monday, August 29, 9:00 a.m. EST. Every manager who’s working says “no.” Get up. Leave your desk. Hit the line. Don’t go back inside until we’re all back at work together.

    They can’t fire you all – and they can’t keep what little programming there is on the air without you. It’s the only way this is going to come to any speedy conclusion.

    Think about it… and I guess we’ll see what our management is really made of.

  • linetrance says:

    The whole thing is depressing. I have many friends and colleagues who have to cross the line every day, and I don’t blame them for what is happening. Oh no; it goes higher than that.
    However, I’m thinking about what it will be like when we go back. THAT will be freaky. Will the whole place be decimated beyond hope? For all their efforts, management isn’t cutting mustard. Programming is unutterably bad, and will probably continue to stay that way.
    It’s like a siege where the people inside are slowly running out of resources, and the people on the outside are relelentless in their determination. The PR battle has already been won by those of us on the outside.
    Surrender, Richard!

  • cbc mama says:

    I think political pressure is the only hope to put a somewhat rapid end to this disaster. Please, please contact your MP, the PM and Heritage Minister Liza Frulla. Urge them to encourage both sides to get back to the bargaining table at once. I am disgusted and appalled by upper management’s proposed solution to the “new realities” of the broadcasting market. I don’t think cutting from the bottom up is the best way to solve budget problems. How about taking a slice off the management pie? Maybe a forensic audit of CBC’s cashflow would be in order. Bet it would reveal a whole lot of fat to trim without placing the future of Canadian public broadcasting at risk.

  • Anonymous says:

    yeah well for the record teathingie … some other sympathetic management types have passed on that there ARE some ppl inside saying some not-so-nice things about the folks outside…
    that bugged me at first, till tonite (tues) it was like a complete change or something… did u guys get a missive saying crack a smile once in awhile- have a chat if u like?
    cuz all nite long the insiders kept stopping for a yak on the way in and out.
    looked like they didn’t even care they were on camera too!
    then again, almost every insider wanted to know what went down when Mr. S. showed up at the rally today.

  • Anonymous says:

    While I do have some sympathy for the folks on the inside, if they have any sympathy for us, they might try taking their concerns about the current proposal to the other managers…you know the ones who actually say they believe it’s good for the CBC and its workers. Maybe if the people left inside start expressing doubts, or better yet, voicing their opinions strongly that this is not a contract they want either, we’d get somewhere. Somewhere, sometime, someone has to take some responsibility for THEIR employees and the programs we all make. All I ever seem to see is a preoccupation with self-preservation from managers – when what I’d like to see is some integrity and real sense that they give a damn about the people and the programs. If there ever was a time to stand up for your co-workers and the CBC, it’s now. But does anybody in there actually have the balls to do it?????

  • Anonymous says:

    True, this is not about the locked out against management.

    This is the CBC against Stursberg. This is his baby, his idea, his masterplan.

    Until we stand united against him, no one will win anything. Until we stand united against him, those on the inside will soon join us on the outside.

    So take a stand. We are taking a stand on the outside. Now it is your turn, all of you on the inside.

    Find some way to make your opinions known; don’t do anything you can’t live with.

    And maybe start by walking in the front door instead of sneaking in through the basement. Do your two minute wait and show your support for those who are, in the end, fighting as much for your jobs as they are their own.

  • Anonymous says:

    You are absolutely right. This is a plan that was in place a year and a half ago. There was an agenda. Don’t fool yourself that there wasn’t.

    And still is.

  • The Naked Gord Program says:

    sigh…

    Watching newsworld. It appears they’ve cobbled together a 10 minute newscast for the 9 pm slot b4 going to BBC. Don’t want to mention any names since I got it wrong but I could have sworn atleast one of the reporters who filed something had a name I know from watching the CBC.

    Not sure what’s up with that.

    Oh – and if links are allowed here’s my blog on a CBC News fan waiting for the “Mother Corp” to come back.
    http://cbcfan.blogspot.com/

  • Parkdale Princess says:

    I understand what you are saying. I guess you didn’t have any say on this matter. That must really suck. By the way, I think I know who you are. Check out my blog picketingsucks.blogspot.com and you’ll realize who I am.

  • Anonymous says:

    I have talked to one of those “inside” and I do feel for them, despite the lucrative benefits they are getting for performing struck work. They have to come back and somehow “rally the troops” who, understandably, will be VERY bitter about how they have been treated by a Corporation they have shed blood, sweat and tears for.

    This isn’t about middle management.

    This is about senior managers at the top who want to show their political masters in Ottawa they are “tough” and “fiscally responsible”. What will their reward be? A pat on the head for keeping costs down at the CBC and then they will be told, “Great! Keep cutting!”. My biggest fear after all this is over is that our audiences will be so diminished there will be little reason to keep doing what we do. Who will be watching? Who will be there to listen? The privates are already celebrating their increased ratings and the fall season isn’t even here.

    Can we please have some leadership at the top who will use some energy and brains to convince Ottawa that generous and stable funding is the ONLY option for the future of the CBC? We are a PUBLIC broadcaster, for God’s sake! The same goes for the Board of Directors. If they, or senior management are not willing to fight for the CBC then they should have the decency to resign.

    This is a federal policy issue, pure and simple. If the government is not going fund the CBC properly then shut it down and let’s stop the charade. We were already providing less and less for our audiences. This lockout is only driving home that fact. Our audiences are too smart to be fooled. It surprises me we have the support we do. In the meantime some very talented people, the best in the business, are beginning to look elsewhere for work.

    What a tragedy.

    Almost two decades ago I saw the CBC as a dream job, a place where smart journalists did important work for the people of this country. Now, I am not so sure. If I choose to remain part of the CBC, and walk a picket line for weeks, perhaps months, I may have to sell my home.

    All because our leaders at the top are playing a very reckless game. Throwing the dice–with our audiences–and our lives–on the line.

    Shame.

  • Anonymous says:

    check this out, from the guild website. I was actually feeling a bit sorry for management having to do struck work. I am a sucker.

    *************************************

    CBC funding scab labour

    A confidential memorandum obtained by the CMG details CBC plans to fund scab labour and compensate managers for ursurping guild positions.

    The document describes lump sum payments and extra allowances for working during the lockout, which it calls “struck work.”

    The memo clearly identifies three levels of struck work: standard, standby and training. For example, it defines standard struck work as “performing functions that normally fall under the duties of an employee currently on strike”. The document was circulated well ahead of the CBC’s formal decision to lock out CMG members across the country.

    The compensation package includes:

    * An additional 15% of an individual’s hourly rate for each hour of “struck work”
    * $52 per hour for each hour worked beyond eight hours on a regular working day and for all hours on a scheduled day off or statutory holiday
    * Meal allowances
    * The Corporation will also pay lump sum amounts ranging from $100 to $700 weekly beyond a 40-hour work week. It says the amount will depend on the number of additional hours of “strike-related duties” an individual performs.

    Strike-related duties for managers include performing duties for a “significant amount of time” outside of their normal job and traveling outside of regular hours to perform “struck work” or related activities.

    v

  • Anonymous says:

    Correct me if I am wrong…..
    Rabinovitch’s track record…
    4 labour disruptions since his Presidency of CBC. shame!!
    Stursburg… 1st labour disruption only months after taking the VP position. shame!!
    Looks like these men have a plan… to destroy CBC, to destroy the unions..the moral of the employees who dedicate their careers to CBC… and most of all not forget..they want to destroy whats left of an audience on radio and TV.
    They should be the ones, and their cronies who follow them, who should be accountable for their disgusting attempt at trying to run a corporation, they have NO clue whatsoever about.
    But maybe thats what the Liberals want.. a couple of scapegoats…to give government a reason to pull the plug on CBC funding, based on the failings of these 2 men.
    Maybe they and CBC management should look at contracting out future managers…

  • Anonymous says:

    And if they won’t leave their post, an open letter to the media, Heritage Minister Liza Frulla, Prime Minister Paul Martin etc. etc. would be equally effective. This blog is creating a buzz. Imagine what an open letter would do. Every newspaper would publish it. The public would understand that locked out workers are not a bunch of whiners looking for a big raise. The Board would sit up and listen and politicians would understand that this is NOT a labour dispute. This is a few people in upper-upper management who are intent on union busting. How about you Ouimet? You’ve shown courage in writing a blog. Can you muster a little more to get an open letter circulating among those “locked in”?

  • Anonymous says:

    Managers should join together and walk off the job enmasse!

  • Anonymous says:

    People on the inside do sympathize with those who are locked out.

    It is very difficult being put in a position where you have to do the work of someone who is locked out or your job’s in jeopardy.

    The stress alone is not always worth the pay cheque.

    It’s very weird being here.

    I don’t enjoy doing struck work. But I don’t have a choice. Like many who are locked out, I have a family and bills and a mortgage.

    Never judge a book by its cover.

  • Anonymous says:

    sorry forgot the link

    http://cbclockout.blogspot.com/

  • Anonymous says:

    While you are whispering in the hallway, you can also mention this (if there is anyone else who wants to get a message out without being identified.)

  • Anonymous says:

    I really don’t think anyone expects that anyone locked out or locked in is enjoying this situation. But keep in mind the job of management is to lead. You do have to show up for work or you will get fired, yes. But stop speaking in hushed tones in the hallways and speak up. If all the managers who supposedly hate walking past their locked out colleagues all speak up and say this is wrong — this lockout will end. But you all have to be united. You won’t get fired if you all stand together. This is what the idea of a union is all about. I hate when people say unions are outdated because it’s not an outdated idea for workers to stand together to defend the idea of making a decent living with some sense of job security. You may be locked in but you are still holding the key.

  • Anonymous says:

    Private radio is currently focusing on CBC listeners. Most vacations end by the start of September, so look for a huge push by the privates to grab on to CBC’s radio audience.

    I know of at least one private with several stations that plan to run a welcome message for lost CBC listeners.

  • Anonymous says:

    Ouimet, what is your sense of how far upper management is willing to take this? Listeners/viewers are reacting poorly in general. Do you think they truly realize that our loyal audiences are being eroded by the hour? The privates are stepping up their game to try to change listening and viewing habits forever. This is not just a lockout, this is the future of public broadcasting. Rabinovitch and Stursberg (and perhaps a few under them) need to walk the plank. They should resign over this debacle, but since that’s not likely, I truly hope the Board has the guts to organize a coup. They sit on the board because of their supposed dedication to public broadcasting. It’s time for them to get out of the board room and do the right thing.

  • Anonymous says:

    Unfortunately, when lines get drawn in the sand, everyone has to pick a side to be on. Locked out wasn’t a choice either. It’s not about anger, it’s about reality. They are in, they are paid…and we are neither.

    Who is worse off? Does it matter? A very few are making life difficult for a great many. I’d like to hear from them too.

  • Justin Beach says:

    No anger at middle management here, you all are getting it from both ends. But, I’ve found very little anger at middle management on the line (one or two people, who I think were just generally angry and not specifically AT anyone in particular)

    Peace,

  • Anonymous says:

    sometimes i wonder why everyone is so loyal to a corporation that treats everyone like shit. Everyone that I know in the corp wants to make things better, tries to make things better, is proud to be a member of the cbc, and is ultimately rewarded by being kicked in the teeth. The people upstairs seem to not give a shit. I want to hear from them. I want to hear from the people making the big decisions. “dusty old crones” indeed.

  • Laurence says:

    I’m with the Tea Maker on this one. It sucks all round.
    The pay’ll never be enough to go through this kind of nonsense involuntarily.
    At least outside, we know that we can get a temporary job to pay the bills. (I played a wedding on Saturday. Made more in an hour than I do in day at the Corp!)and then we’ll be back eventually.
    If the middle management slaves don’t want to do this, they’re gone FOREVER. Most of them got their present jobs because they thought they could do MORE for Public Broadcasting. They too have been SUCKERED!
    Let’s look VERY carefully at who is REALLY doing this to us ALL.

  • Anonymous says:

    Most managers are entering the building through the underground food court at the Workers’ Comp building. Picketers have been told they can use the facilities there, but may not, under any circumstances, bring their picket signs in. So people who choose to enter this way never have to face the people they are doing this to.

    Pretty sweet deal, huh?

  • Anonymous says:

    “locked in with pay”… that’s hardly fair. this is hell for everyone, with our without payment. The MIDDLE managers and the workers SHOULD NOT POINT ANY FINGERS AT EACH OTHER. point your fingers at the people who are to blame. The people at the TOP. When I think of a “lifer” I DON’T think of some technician who’s been there for twenty years, i think of the people in Upper Management who are so out of touch with reality they wouldn’t recognize one of the workers if they were related to them. Those dusty old crones don’t even have to cross the picket line and face the workers because they park their cars under the building.

  • Anonymous says:

    Do they pay you overtime for your lock-in?

  • streetwalker says:

    It’s good to know that people on the inside hate this as much as those of us who are now wearing out our shoes (and knees, and ankles, and hips). But at least you’re locked in with pay. Please don’t forget that.

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