ATT lays off hundreds before Christmas

[_Markk]

But I think the point Kevin Graham 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.
.

600 people are being laid off, in a area where there is not enough work from them.

200,000 people are receiving bonuses, and they are hiring hundreds in areas where they are needed.

I am just amazed that this is being forced into a red and blue issue. Do you really believe that now that there are tax cuts no one will get laid off?

[_Bret Ripley]

But I think the point Kevin Graham 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.
.

600 people are being laid off, in a area where there is not enough work from them.

200,000 people are receiving bonuses, and they are hiring hundreds in areas where they are needed.

I am just amazed that this is being forced into a red and blue issue. Do you really believe that now that there are tax cuts no one will get laid off?

I don't think it's a red and blue issue (it's hard to find anyone who thinks it's a good tax package), and I don't expect the tax cuts to have much effect on layoffs. I was just trying to help explain Kevin's point because you seemed to think he was saying that tax cuts caused the layoffs.

I expect some percentage of corporate cuts to benefit workers, but any gains will probably be rather modest and the significant economic growth necessary to pay for the cuts doesn't seem to be in the cards. Consider this: we're already at full employment, so where will we find the additional labor that's typically necessary to significantly grow GDP? Immigration? Robots?

Tax cuts per se are not a bad thing, and there was certainly room to improve the tax code. But this tax package is at best a botched opportunity, and at worst it's ...

[_canpakes]

We’re adding people in many areas where we’re seeing increased customer demand for products and services....

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 into another company location in San Antonio.

Interesting. I didn’t figure that call center work was so geographically limited.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Interesting. I didn’t figure that call center work was so geographically limited.

I don't think that's the point. The only real value you have to offer a corporation is your time. Without it, they can't function. At all. Your time is literally yours and their money.

Never, ever trust them. Never. Always have at least a few jobs on your radar. Always keep your resume up to date. Always know your top 5-10 targets if you have to leave in a hurry. And if you're really on point you'll interview periodically just to keep things fresh.

Too many employees either view employment as an equitable trade for their time in exchange for some money, or have a misplaced sense of loyalty. An employer is a cash machine to be milked for every penny you can. If you can make more elsewhere, leave and don't spend a second thought on how much it hurts them. They wouldn't bat an eye at crushing you and your family for profit and you shouldn't blink before damned them over for cash. If that's bothersome to you, remember that corporations started this. They invented and perfected the game of screwing people over. Wage gaps, pay grade information asymmetry, holiday firing, pregnancy firing, you name it, they'll do it.

by the way, I don't pass a value judgement on any of it. All of it is what it is. It's how things are and the burden of protecting you is 100% on you.

Anyway, people who work for corporations are free to keep trusting them. Me? Unless they are offering a compensation that works for me or a stake in the company (and I mean a real one, not some BS non-voting, 10-years-'til-fully-vested stock that isn't traded), it's your duty to yourself to try to swing that balance in your favor at every possible opportunity. Unless they show actual loyalty toward you, it is perfectly reasonable to walk the “F” out at the drop of a hat, for any reason at all that benefits you. Executives would almost certainly do the same to you in a heartbeat.

Life is a tough go. And the tough get goin'.

- Doc

[_canpakes]

Interesting. I didn’t figure that call center work was so geographically limited.

I don't think that's the point.

Correct. Although I didn’t include it, a wink emoticon should end that sentence.

The only real value you have to offer a corporation is your time. Without it, they can't function. At all. Your time is literally yours and their money.

Never, ever trust them. Never. Always have at least a few jobs on your radar. Always keep your resume up to date. Always know your top 5-10 targets if you have to leave in a hurry. And if you're really on point you'll interview periodically just to keep things fresh.

Too many employees either view employment as an equitable trade for their time in exchange for some money, or have a misplaced sense of loyalty. An employer is a cash machine to be milked for every penny you can. If you can make more elsewhere, leave and don't spend a second thought on how much it hurts them. They wouldn't bat an eye at crushing you and your family for profit and you shouldn't blink before damned them over for cash. If that's bothersome to you, remember that corporations started this. They invented and perfected the game of screwing people over. Wage gaps, pay grade information asymmetry, holiday firing, pregnancy firing, you name it, they'll do it.

by the way, I don't pass a value judgement on any of it. All of it is what it is. It's how things are and the burden of protecting you is 100% on you.

Anyway, people who work for corporations are free to keep trusting them. Me? Unless they are offering a compensation that works for me or a stake in the company (and I mean a real one, not some BS non-voting, 10-years-'til-fully-vested stock that isn't traded), it's your duty to yourself to try to swing that balance in your favor at every possible opportunity. Unless they show actual loyalty toward you, it is perfectly reasonable to walk the “F” out at the drop of a hat, for any reason at all that benefits you. Executives would almost certainly do the same to you in a heartbeat.

Life is a tough go. And the tough get goin'.

- Doc

in my opinion, this is both appropriately cynical and practical commentary for the current times, and I completely agree.

[_Themis]

Tax cuts per se are not a bad thing, and there was certainly room to improve the tax code. But this tax package is at best a botched opportunity, and at worst it's ...

Tax cuts are a very bad idea in good economic times when you have massive debt and a massive deficit. There seems to be no real fiscal responsibility and everyone will have to pay for it down the road.

[_Bret Ripley]

Tax cuts per se are not a bad thing, and there was certainly room to improve the tax code. But this tax package is at best a botched opportunity, and at worst it's ...

Tax cuts are a very bad idea in good economic times when you have massive debt and a massive deficit. There seems to be no real fiscal responsibility and everyone will have to pay for it down the road.

Oh, I agree. Perhaps I should have bolded 'per se.'

[_Maxine Waters]

Interesting. I didn’t figure that call center work was so geographically limited.

I don't think that's the point. The only real value you have to offer a corporation is your time. Without it, they can't function. At all. Your time is literally yours and their money.

Never, ever trust them. Never. Always have at least a few jobs on your radar. Always keep your resume up to date. Always know your top 5-10 targets if you have to leave in a hurry. And if you're really on point you'll interview periodically just to keep things fresh.

Too many employees either view employment as an equitable trade for their time in exchange for some money, or have a misplaced sense of loyalty. An employer is a cash machine to be milked for every penny you can. If you can make more elsewhere, leave and don't spend a second thought on how much it hurts them. They wouldn't bat an eye at crushing you and your family for profit and you shouldn't blink before ____ them over for cash. If that's bothersome to you, remember that corporations started this. They invented and perfected the game of screwing people over. Wage gaps, pay grade information asymmetry, holiday firing, pregnancy firing, you name it, they'll do it.

by the way, I don't pass a value judgement on any of it. All of it is what it is. It's how things are and the burden of protecting you is 100% on you.

Anyway, people who work for corporations are free to keep trusting them. Me? Unless they are offering a compensation that works for me or a stake in the company (and I mean a real one, not some ____ non-voting, 10-years-'til-fully-vested stock that isn't traded), it's your duty to yourself to try to swing that balance in your favor at every possible opportunity. Unless they show actual loyalty toward you, it is perfectly reasonable to walk the ____ out at the drop of a hat, for any reason at all that benefits you. Executives would almost certainly do the same to you in a heartbeat.

Life is a tough go. And the tough get goin'.

- Doc

I love this post. Every now and then I really enjoy reading DocCam. I wish he were my uncle and I had him for an advisor when I was a younger man.

[_Markk]

Tax cuts are a very bad idea in good economic times when you have massive debt and a massive deficit. There seems to be no real fiscal responsibility and everyone will have to pay for it down the road.

No fiscal responsibility? I have to laugh....Washington has no responsibility what so ever, with high taxes or low taxes.

We got in debt with higher taxes, so what is really the difference? I did not see the last few administrations paying off our debt. If we give them more money, they will just spend it anyways.

I am really curious to see how this works out, no one knows at this point.

As far as paying for it down the road...are you kidding me....we are paying for it now for the last 4 or 5 presidents. I live in CA, and am taxed every which way, and we are in worse shape than most states.

[_Kevin Graham]

We got in debt with higher taxes

No, we didn't. It was low taxes during Reagan and obsessive military spending that gave us debt and an annual interest to be paid. We had a surplus during Clinton, and Bush blew it.

I did not see the last few administrations paying off our debt. If we give them more money, they will just spend it anyways.

That's stupid rationalization that just shows how little you know.

As far as paying for it down the road...are you kidding me....we are paying for it now for the last 4 or 5 presidents. I live in CA, and am taxed every which way, and we are in worse shape than most states.

And California is subsidizing Red States as a result.