ATT lays off hundreds before Christmas

[_Kevin Graham]

Why don't you address the information subgenius presented? Or is that too bothersome for you to do?

- Doc

You mean the information I already provided in the link he quoted? It does nothing to negate the point. The point being that obviously giving AT&T millions in tax cuts didn't encourage them to use any of that money to retain current employees. Sub's snip just says that some employees were given an opportunity to transfer to San Antonio Texas because the company wants to make more profit by consolidating. Ya, remember the locations that are affected.

On Dec. 16, the company announced a surplus affecting an estimated 600 employees in Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri, Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.

They may as well say, "We're not firing you, we're just giving you the opportunity to work in Madagascar... if you want."

[_Markk]

Hundreds of metro AT&T employees laid off just before Christmas

Because tax cuts work.

That $1000 was just a severance check for these folks.

The tax cuts will hurt some, but help many if it goes as expected...like in any change of policy. What I don't get is how you can say, after my reading the article, that the layoff is because of the tax cuts.

It seems more likely that after a year AT&T will have more capital to expand and hire else where.

That aside, how did the tax cuts effect the decision to lay off these workers?

[_Kevin Graham]

The tax cuts will hurt some, but help many if it goes as expected...like in any change of policy. What I don't get is how you can say, after my reading the article, that the layoff is because of the tax cuts.

I don't think the tax cuts will hurt anyone. That was never the issue for me. Republicans love to spin this narrative about how Democrats like to give away free services to the poor so they will keep them in office, and here are the same Republicans giving away money to secure their votes in the upcoming elections. Because hey, who doesn't like money, right?

It seems more likely that after a year AT&T will have more capital to expand and hire else where.

Nonsense. AT&T, or any other corporation for that matter, doesn't have a problem obtaining more capital. With rates as low as they are money is everywhere to be had for corporations, more so now than probably any other time in history.

That aside, how did the tax cuts effect the decision to lay off these workers?

It didn't. But neither did those cuts influence a decision to retain those employees.

[_Some Schmo]

And I knew your hateful bigotry would be your go-to M.O. on this forum.

...says the moron who thinks most women are liars. Any more hypocrisy for me?

You're kind of unstable, and I would suggest you get help for that, but that would require introspection, of which, you seem completely incapable of doing.

Ahh, there's the additional hypocrisy I was expecting.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Hundreds of metro AT&T employees laid off just before Christmas

Because tax cuts work.

That $1000 was just a severance check for these folks.

Here's AT&T's statement in case anyone cares enough to figure out what's going on with KG's post:

We’re adding people in many areas where we’re seeing increased customer demand for products and services. At the same time, technology improvements are driving higher efficiencies and there are some areas where demand for our legacy services continues to decline, and we’re adjusting our workforce in some of those areas as we continue to align our workforce with the changing needs of the business. Many of the affected employees have a job offer guarantee that ensures they’ll be offered another job with the company, and we’ll work to find other jobs for as many of them as possible.

As a result of decreasing work volume and to increase efficiency, we are consolidating some call center work currently done at one of our locations in Kansas City (2121 E. 63rd St.) into another company location in San Antonio. Affected employees will be offered the opportunity to work in our center in San Antonio, and a relocation allowance. Work volume at the center has been decreasing due in part to improvements in technology and customers’ increasing preference to communicate with us online.

So, a private company gives its employees money it didn't have to give, is consolidating some of its practices, and is offering jobs or whatever in some other locations and KG's point is what? AT&T contacted Fox 4 with a statement and said they hired more than 800 employees in Missouri in 2016, about 650 in 2017 and are currently hiring nearly 70 more across the state.

I mean, I don't agree with the tax cut in the first place, but how is this article doing anything whatsoever to make an indirect connection with the GOP's bad management practices?

- Doc

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

And I knew your hateful bigotry would be your go-to M.O. on this forum.

...says the moron who thinks most women are liars. Any more hypocrisy for me?

You're kind of unstable, and I would suggest you get help for that, but that would require introspection, of which, you seem completely incapable of doing.

Ahh, there's the additional hypocrisy I was expecting.

Ah. I see the unstable, hateful, mentally ill muppet is still hitting the keyboard with his felt hands. Neat! Good for you, buddy.

- Doc

[_Bret Ripley]

(Kevin clarified his point while I was writing this, but I'm getting ready to cook breakfast so I'll pass on editing this.)

Hundreds of metro AT&T employees laid off just before Christmas

Because tax cuts work.

That $1000 was just a severance check for these folks.

The tax cuts will hurt some, but help many if it goes as expected...

Expected by whom?

What I don't get is how you can say ... that the layoff is because of the tax cuts.

He didn't say that.

Aside from significantly adding to national debt, one of the main criticisms against the tax package is that it offers little help to those who need it most, and offers a lot of help to those who don't need it at all.

A counter-argument has been that corporations will pass some of the extra capital to workers (i.e. corporations will arguably operate less efficiently by treating workers better). And some of that is probably true -- there will be some benefit to workers. But I think the point KG is trying to make is that the tax cut is not preventing the affected workers from being laid off, which somewhat mitigates the hoopla over the bonus checks.

It seems more likely that after a year AT&T will have more capital to expand and hire else where.

It will be a brave new world.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

For example, I would suggest this article does a better job at underscoring, perhaps (if I'm reading KG right), his stance on the GOP's tax cut:

https://www.yahoo.com/finance/news/trum ... 59690.html

Nearly all taxpayers will receive an initial tax cut. But an analysis by the Tax Policy Center shows that the gains favor the wealthy. For households earning between $48,600 and $86,100, the average tax cut in 2018 will be $930. But the top 1 percent of earners — with incomes above $732,800— will enjoy an average tax cut next year exceeding $50,000.

And companies will benefit from having their top marginal tax rate slashed to 21 percent from 35 percent — a permanent reduction unlike the tax cuts for individuals and families that expire after 2025.

At this point you'd have to argue how adding an additional ~1.5 trillion to the federal deficit is a net sum benefit to the American citizen. This is especially wasteful considering we're spending, according to this quick Google search, ~266 billion on the interest alone:

https://www.thebalance.com/interest-on- ... bt-4119024

That's 266 billion that isn't being used to build bridges, pave roads, creating mega projects, or sending a vibrant transgendered super sexual to Mars.

That's unconscionable to me.

- Doc

[_Themis]

The tax cuts will hurt some, but help many if it goes as expected...like in any change of policy.

It hurts everyone except maybe the rich and those who will own the debt. Maybe those who die in the next few years or so, but for everyone else it means owing more money then they got in tax cuts. Especially the middle class who don't get as good of tax cuts, or permanent tax cuts like the rich. You don't give out tax cuts in good economic conditions with huge debt and huge deficits. This is not sustainable and major tax increases and major cuts that benefit the middle class on down will have to happen eventually to avoid bankrupting the government.

[_Markk]

I don't think the tax cuts will hurt anyone. That was never the issue for me. Republicans love to spin this narrative about how Democrats like to give away free services to the poor so they will keep them in office, and here are the same Republicans giving away money to secure their votes in the upcoming elections. Because hey, who doesn't like money, right?

It seems more likely that after a year AT&T will have more capital to expand and hire else where.

Nonsense. AT&T, or any other corporation for that matter, doesn't have a problem obtaining more capital. With rates as low as they are money is everywhere to be had for corporations, more so now than probably any other time in history.

That aside, how did the tax cuts effect the decision to lay off these workers?

It didn't. But neither did those cuts influence a decision to retain those employees.

I think they will hurt some business's...I am in historic restoration, and the 20% tax credits that entice large restoration projects are being done away with, at least according to a historic tax consultant I had lunch with the other day. I am sure it will hurt other tax credit dependent businesses.


That said, we will have to wait and see how the unknowns unravel.

Could it be that AT&T is just being smart in regards to business? Why would they want to borrow money, or spend good money, to keep a part of their business going that is losing money? I believe the article stated that they will offer jobs at other locations, including relocation monies to some of these folks?

What is your idea of a corporation...do you think that just because a company is incorporated they can just borrow money at will?