POSTED: 10:47 pm EDT May 4, 2006
UPDATED: 11:42 pm EDT May 4, 2006
ORLANDO, Fla. -- Nearly 40 DirectTV installers were fired this week after giving on-camera interviews to Local 6 News about a company policy they say forced them to lie to Florida customers.
The DirectTV technicians gave interviews to Local 6 News reporter Nancy Alvarez and discussed the policy that they believe costs them and their customers money.
They said their supervisors have been putting pressure on them by deducting $5 from their paychecks for every DirectTV receiver who is not connected to a phone line, the report said.
Local 6 News reported that phone lines are not necessary for a DirectTV system but having them enhances the service -- allowing customers to order movies through a remote control instead of through the phone or over the Internet.
But the report found that every phone line connected to a receiver means more money for DirectTV and Mastec -- the contractor for whom the men work, Alvarez said.
"Speaking out to Local 6 has apparently cost these DirectTV installers their jobs," Alvarez said.
The mass firings came two days after the report uncovered the apparent practice that has cost the workers and possibly their customers hundreds of dollars, according to the report.
"I believe it's retaliation for going to Channel 6 with a legitimate news story about how we're being treated here and how the public is being deceived," technician Mark Hemenn said.
Thursday, the technicians protested the mass firings outside of Mastec's Orlando office.
"For giving a company 20 months, pretty good track record with them and for them to do this because we exposed their policy?" technician Joseph Guest said. "It doesn't make any sense."
"If we don't lie to customers, we get back-charged for it and we don't make money," an installer said.
The bosses at Mastec's Orlando office had no comment when Local 6 News first investigated the allegations, the report said.
They also had no comment Thursday.
The technicians plan to move forward with plans for legal action against their former employer.
"At the end of the day, are you sorry you spoke out about what was happening to you?" Alvarez asked.
"Not a bit," Jim Hehmann said. "I'd do it again right now."
"The next step for these employees will likely be to file a whistleblower claim with the National Labor Relations Board in Tampa," Alvarez said. "And the attorney general's office is already investigating their claims that they were ordered to lie to customers."
Mastec sent Local 6 News a letter after the initial investigation aired, saying the report misrepresented some of the facts.
DirectTV never returned any Local 6 calls.
Watch Local 6 News for
The Monkeys Got Fired
Member #: 19872
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
47
Name:
Kent Corey
Name:
Kent Corey
Company:
Quality Cablevision
Occupation:
Lead Field Services Technician
Location:
Indiana
Personal:
Experience:
~40 years
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