Eastern Railroad Discussion > Workers: adapt, or else!

The NY Times reports that AT&T has told its 280,000 employees to boost their skills, or get left behind. The company says it is in a struggle against Google, Amazon, Apple, etc and its people need better skills.

Like many rail firms, "the phone company" has been a lifetime employer. Do your job, and you'll do fine. And we'll give you a nice pension in 40 years.

That was then. Now we'll help you, but a lot of your training will be on your own time, and on your own dime, mostly.

It's a sobering reminder that technology may eliminate much of what is taken for granted.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/14/technology/gearing-up-for-the-cloud-att-tells-its-workers-adapt-or-else.html?hpw&rref=business&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=well-region&region=bottom-well&WT.nav=bottom-well&_r=0

Posted from Android

Remember this is AT&T version 2. A lot of career employees were purged 15-20 years ago with the breakup/downturn in AT&T and the subsequent rebirth.

However, keeping oneself up to date with their skill set is sound advice.

Jay

Posted from Android

Of course once your skills are updated, you ditch the company which wouldn't support your goals and watch them sink deeper into the darkness.

MP

Lifetime employment for nonagreement employees on Class Is ended 10 to 30 years ago.  It's gone with the Buffalo and the Super Chief.

Bob Wilcox
Charlottesville, VA
My Flickr Shots

In other words, the company wants more without paying for it.  No news there.

bobwilcox Wrote:
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> Lifetime employment for nonagreement employees on
> Class Is ended 10 to 30 years ago.  It's gone
> with the Buffalo and the Super Chief.

You are correct. Spending your entire career at the same company ended 30 yeras ago.

The article suggests that agreement employees like the line man mentioned are in the gun sights now.

Not advocating it, just mentioning it is in place. In the NY NJ area, the line between Verizon agreement work and employee or contractor work is a perpetual battle. It won't be any different for the rails in five years.

Posted from Android

Shooter -
Not always true. I have worked for the same company for 41 years and I know a lot of others that plan to do the same. Job hopping is not s good thing to do. For one thing it works against you for retirement. Bad attitudes don't get you anywhere either. 



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/16 09:43 by EL-SD45-3632.

Blue collar types like myself have been under scrutiny for decades now. Slash and burn is the theme. Where I work(ed), I was
able to get to the top of my game, line inspector, after years of assembly and fabrication. Now, that's all gone to naught. Even
those who took college classes or trade schools to advance themselves are out the door. 

Skill upgrade? Doesn't always work in the New World Order...(excuse me, Economy).....

My employer? Carrier Indianapolis, soon to be Carrier de Mexico....watch the YouTube video about the uproar, which
was more dramatic than that, since I was there....

EL-SD45-3632 Wrote:
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> Shooter -
> Not always true. I have worked for the same company for 41
> years and I know a lot of others that plan to do the same.

It is a good plan. Hopefully it can be a reality. It is too easy today to commit to an employer with little or no commitment to their employees.

There are fields where being 40 or 50 years old doesn't slow down the work output and employers are not looking for fresh meat who can physically handle the job better than older perople. But even with jobs that are physically possible for an older employee, employers look for healthier younger employees and cheaper employees (less experience = lower pay).

If you can find an employer who you can be productive for and will keep you and keep you happy for 40 years congratulations. I would not consider it the norm.