Cablemn86,
I think you misunderstood my post. There were many things in your reply post that I was confused about.
First of all, depending on what side-of-the-fence you are on (in-house management, in-house worker, contractor prime, contractor sub, contractor sub of sub, sub of sub of sub...) or what type work you do (cable tv, telephone, satellite) or your position (installer, technician, construction, maintenance, engineer...) the post(s) will either be agreeable or disagreeable. Possibly the readers won't even relate. The biggest problem on the BAR is that SO many people from the above mentioned titles read a post as it pertains ONLY to them. Not everyone is in the union or wants to be. Not everyone is a contractor or understands the issues of being one. Not everyone has a in-house job and has a specific duty.
That out of the way, I never said that the union FORCES companies to KEEP HACKS. My meaning was (in a in-house position, NOT CONTRACTOR), the union makes it almost impossible for hacks to be fired. I am not going on a soapbox but I know that you have seen it over the years. I knew many UAW employees in Flint, MI that worked at GM from back as far as the 1970's and, well, I am not going to get into it...enough said on that subject.
Talking contractor now: Not all primes are Greedy. The following is about the dishonest ones. Yes, I agree with you that the primes need to take responsibility for their subs. But the problem is as we both have stated, GREED on the part of the dishonest. When a cable company pays the prime, (for example) .27/ft and he pays out .05/ft to his subs, what kind of subs do you think he will get? What type of work ethics or results in the field? The cable company is paying GOOD money and expects that the prime will do his part fairly and get good experienced subs to do the work. The reality unfortunately in many instances is that SOME primes will not care. He will find almost anyone to work for that .05/ft and the hack (I am NOT saying that anyone who works for low wages is a hack) is expendable because there are many who will work for such as low price because of the state of the economy. Using the bad economy to take advantage of the poor in need is criminal in my opinion, just like the dirtbags that gouged the Gulf Coast by doubing or tripling prices for items after Hurricane Katrina. I do not have to tell you this because if you have been in the industry you have seen it. When a sub hires a sub the prices go even lower! A satellite installer (from what I have been reading) seems to be getting screwed worse with respects of not getting paid by HIS prime that could be a sub of a prime.
This post is not trying to start an argument. The initial post was read and possibly not understood and the replies since are amazing. It went from a positive comment for the industry to backstabbing primes/hacks and a suggested union picket for an industry expo. That is why I try not to post here anymore as the critics try to slam even a newcomers simple question and make him feel like a fool just for asking.
Re: SCTE Cable Tech Expo in Denver; Cablemn86
Member #: 7190
Registered: 1996-2001
Posted:
483
Name:
Greg Tobin
Name:
Greg Tobin
Company:
Interactive Broadband Technical Services
Occupation:
HFC Engineer/Consultant
Location:
www.interactive-broadband.com
Personal:
Experience:
~45 years
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