Very good questions. Ive been in the telecom world for 10.5 years. 6 years as a union represented employee, 2years as an unrepresented employee (GFC), and the past 2.5 years as a "so called" sub doing sat installs.
If someone wold have told me that any group of people accepted the treatment sat/cable techs take, I wouldve never believed it. Its a smart choice for a person to get in a line of work that has new exciting and emerging technologies. Whats not smart is accepting sub par wages, and sub par treatment. Whats stupid is to take pride in it because you are too scared to say no and stand up for yourselves.
I dont really feel I bitch. I just tell it like it is. Some people here for some reason hate to hear the truth. To the general public we look just like power and phone guys. We all drive the same type vehicles, use similar tools, and wear the same type of clothing. So most people think we are on the same level as power and phone guys. I think some guys are happy as long as the general public THINKS we are on the same level.
I also feel guys need to bitch to even things out. There is a constant effort by suits to find ways to make more profits for their companies. The easiest way in this bizz is to cut the pay of installers. ITs not like this speculation. This has been going on long before I got here. YOu guys know they cut pay. Hell, we expect it. But, this is mine and our industry just as much as it is the suits. We need people like myself to counter the efforts of those who wish to cut our pay. For petes sake this is how I put food on the table. If you dont fight for that, what the hell will you fight for.
You are not to be worshiped because I work for you. I provide you a service, you pay me for my services. Only in cable/sat are you expected worship the people with the work. My feelings is they need us just as much as we need them. But if you dont think your skills are worth anything, and are willing to pay people to work for them, this is the place to be.
Im sorry if my post keep bringing up the fact that we are the lowest, and still dropping , in the telecom industry. I now know many of you like it that way, thats why Im on my way out. I never would of thought this was something so many people would take pride in. Apparently, IM on the wrong side of the business. I think pay should go up along with the cost of living, not go down with an increased scope of work.
Re: I have to ask
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