CABL Forum - Re:What has this industry come to?

This has been going on for awhile now. In the last couple of years, some cable MSO have been putting out bid packages that name the price they will pay. which if you think about it, its really not a bid. I have always hated the fact a company would try to tell me what I would bid and thinks they know my overhead. The only way this will change is, if the industry gets so busy that there are not enough contractors to go around or we stop taking their bullshit. This will not happen since you got to EAT! The industry controls us not matter what you do. They slow down when they want prices to drop almost seems like a conspircy or price fixing to me. Everyone is always out of work during Dec. because of what they say is budget meetings and new budget year. Well I always wondered why the hell these idiots dont do budgets in Oct or Nov. so we could keep working through DEC. Guess thats beyond their imagination. In the last couple of years I have noticed a trend with the larger contractors being bought up by larger corporations that I have never heard of. I wonder who really owns these companies? You think maybe its the Cable MSO's? Can you think of a better way to pay to have work done on systems and not really paying for it? Also can you think of a better way to set pricing in the Industry? And when the systems are rebuilt to spec. they just lay everyone off and shut the doors, no big deal to them. Its like a cable MSO having their own inhouse Construction dept. when Construction is done they shut down the operation and hand out the pink slips.

>My fellow cable brothers we are all about to become bankrupt, start living WELL below what we are accustomed to, or be forced to find another trade. Personally I don’t know anything else but cable & am too old to want to learn another trade. Cable has been good to me in the past, but I see the industry changing for the worse. Gerald I don’t know you from Adam, but I think you’re on the right track. As long as the scalpers don’t put you out of business, or “someone” starts hiring 18 year old hamburger flippers who were making $5.75/hr and “train” them and pay them & 6.5/hr. I’m not saying that a union is what we need either, but we do need to find a happy medium.
>Just take a minute and listen to what I have got to say, take off the blinders, and don’t lie to yourself for the next couple of minutes. AT&T is the largest MSO in the country now. They cut their rates by at least 40% & still want more work done for that 40% cut than before. If they get that work done for that price, then don’t fool yourselves by thinking the other MSO’s won’t cut there rates then. THAT IS ECONOMICS. Look inside your Nike tennis shoes and see where they were made. How many times do you pick something up and it says made in Mexico, but it is an American owed company. These large companies found a way to cut payout rates and make it work. I don’t have the answer, but I can see the problem. Several heads put together is better than one. Also remember that management in MSO’s have as much right to read the posts on this web sites as we do.
>For those of you who have a “good contract” with “good rates” just remember it is probably only good for a year and has to be renewed soon. They can come back with 40% cuts and shity composite pricing to. All with the philosophy that AT&T did it, and made it work so can we. WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING, besides cowering down.
>

INSTALLATION

CONSTRUCTION / TECH

OFFICE / OTHER

Re:What has this industry come to?