November was a better month for FIOS activity. Most areas are reporting that work has picked up, and in locations we were asking for volunteers on lay days. I'd like to remind everyone that due to the recent surplus in Tampa, and the one that occurred earlier this year in Southern, we are NOT to be working in those areas. Eastern and Coastal techs shouldn't be assigned work in either location. Please make sure that when you go out on any work activity that you have a company ticket for your customer. Some techs are calling JEOP desk asking for assistance on a order/trouble and don't have a source document...this needs to stop immediately.
EVRC has starting taking calls for the New Jersey area this month. They are also adding another hour in the evening to this department. Any work that we can get right now is a good thing. Hopefully once the department adjusts to the new work, the company will still consider adding more tours, possible making Tampa a 24 hour center.
Temple Terrace will have some employees relocating to TeleCom Parkway on December 7, 2009. I'm also hearing some of the other departments at that location could be relocating to the 301 complex in the near future. We should hear more about this in the middle of December.
Cable Splicers are still working in West Virginia, and right now they are scheduled to return to Florida on December 22, 2009. I'm hearing rumors that we could have some opportunities in the first quarter for some more work out of area. Right now, its just a rumor though.
The Union staff and the company are currently working on ways to correct the equalization of overtime for all departments. This has been a problem the entire time I've worked at GTE/Verizon, and hopefully we can up with a way to fix this once and for all. We have a meeting in the later part of December, and I hope that the company will have found a way to make equalizing the overtime a priority.
I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving, now its already time to prepare for Christmas! Enjoy the holidays Brothers and Sisters.
In Solidarity,
John Glye Jr.
