Layoff notices reported at Qwest (600 jobs)

[UpInArms]

http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36~26430~2161419,00.html

Denver- based Qwest Communications reportedly has notified hundreds of workers they will be laid off, including some in the information technology department where it has sought proposals for outsourcing work, a union official and industry analyst said today.

John Thompson, vice president of the Communications Workers of America District 7, said he heard about 450 people were laid off in the IT department. Although the union represents many Qwest workers, it does not represent those in IT.

Telecommunications consultant Thomas Friedberg of Janco Partners Inc. said he has been told Qwest is laying off at least 600 workers, including 200 in the billing division.

"I think it has been rumored for quite a while that the company was going to make some cutbacks," he said. "Even though I don't think we're going to see a major one-time ax fall, I do think that we're going to see constant attrition and erosion of the employee base as the company's access lines dwindle."

...more..

[Gman]

1. Rumor has it SBC will have massive layoffs after

the contract is settled. I'm hearing 10,000+.

[brokensymmetry]

2. The economic recovery continues.

Isn't that just lovely, he said sarcastically...

[Tight_rope]

9. It's a fucking shame!

No other country is damn enough to sit back and watch while major companies outsource work to other countries. Only in the US. I support the SBC workers boycott. I wish I told join them. My only regret is that I just signed up with them for telephone and DSL service. They've always been thieves. I don't know why I came back to them. Rest assure, I'm gone after my one year contract.

[mhr]

3. Bush's Economy And Frodo's Economy Just Keeps Getting Better

Timken,
Qwest,
SBC,
etc.

[UpInArms]

5. LOL! ........................ eom

[Peter1x9]

4. This is pathetic

"Last month, Qwest said it was looking into the possibility of outsourcing work from its 4,000-employee IT department. It declined to identify the companies or which functions were being studied."

Woohoo, 4,000 new jobs in India.

[peacetalksforall]

6. I spoke with one of the laid off employees.

This person said they just finished a huge project that required intense concentration, long hours, eating at work - they are getting laid off in waves and their jobs are going to India.

[mhr]

7. We Must Alert Frodo Immediately That The Economy Is Getting Better!

He has the charts to prove it!

He says that there are plenty of low-income jobs around to replace the high-skill, high-wage jobs that we are losing.

The charts prove it!

Just ask Frodo!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x568402

[brokensymmetry]

11. Hard work and dedication,

rewarded in the usual way. :(

[Thor_MN]

8. That does it, time to check out a cable modem...

My account was just migrated from MSN to Qwest, I put a question in via email and it took them almost a week to answer it (with No, your MSN supplied modem is not supported and we won't help you.) Since I lost a 6 year long job that I really liked to a non-citizen on a visa named Pu (Yes, I was replaced by Pu...) - outsourcing your IT will not get me to buy your services.

[mhr]

10. Kick For Frodo's Economy

eom

[Yavin4]

12. In Frodo's World, Part-Time Temp Work = Full Time, Full Benefit Work

Workers accepting less pay, less benefits, less hours worked is a sign of a growing economy on par with the Clinton admin.

[mountainvue]

13. My Qwest bills

were never right for the last year I had their service. Their billing department was evil. One of my clients worked for them for years and they laid her off. Guess who's she's working for now? A temp comapny that has placed her at...Qwest, minus her benefits and at about 1/4 less the pay.