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Omaha Steve

(99,632 posts) Fri Mar 20, 2015, 01:04 AM Mar 2015

It’s illegal to prevent workers from talking about wages. T-Mobile did it anyway.

Source: W Post

A judge has thrown out large sections of T-Mobile's employee handbook for having a chilling effect on union organizing.

By Lydia DePillis

Carolina Figueroa works at a T-Mobile call center in Albuquerque, N.M., in the bilingual retention section, trying to talk Spanish-speaking customers out of canceling their accounts. She likes her job, and the pay is decent — $18.50 an hour after eight years working there, plus health coverage, which covers the bills for her and her young daughter.

There’s only one problem: the employee handbook, which covers some 40,000 employees across the country. As long as she’s worked there, workers at the call center have been discouraged from discussing wages and working conditions, through provisions that bar things like disclosure of employee information, making disparaging statements about the company and pursuing wage complaints through anyone other than human resources. Employees can be disciplined or fired for violating any of the rules.

“Right now we’re silent — not understanding that we could if we were altogether, we could make things different,” said Figueroa, 28, back in December. “What if someone worked longer and is paid less than me? We’re not allowed to talk about that.”

FULL story at link.

A bunch of this wasn't quite right with the law. (Photo provided by CWA)

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2015/03/19/its-illegal-to-prevent-workers-from-talking-about-wages-t-mobile-did-it-anyway/

5 replies

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Highlight:

It’s illegal to prevent workers from talking about wages. T-Mobile did it anyway. (Original Post) Omaha Steve Mar 2015 OP

I worked for an airline for over ten years. We weren't unionized in our job category, SheilaT Mar 2015 #1

Excellent! Sherman A1 Mar 2015 #2

I never worked anywhere where talk of money was not discouraged. merrily Mar 2015 #3

Kicked ibewlu606 Mar 2015 #4

Tweets based on this story Omaha Steve Mar 2015 #5

SheilaT

(23,156 posts)

1. I worked for an airline for over ten years. We weren't unionized in our job category,

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 20, 2015, 03:57 AM

Mar 2015

but we had the benefits of unionization in the airline industry. At my level -- I worked a ticket counter at an airport -- the pay scales were published. We all knew what each other's base pay was. There was shift differential in you worked an afternoon or evening shift, and of course overtime. Lots of overtime. Basically, we all knew what each other made.

It was good that the pay scales were so open to all of us. There was no suspicion that someone else made more, or that certain categories (like women or minorities) made less, because we were all on the pay scale.

I've also found over the years, that if I freely tell others what I make, even if they don't share their pay back, it can be a lot more comfortable talking about wages.

Sherman A1

(38,958 posts)

2. Excellent!

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 20, 2015, 04:14 AM

Mar 2015

I believe this is true in many companies. Talk of pay is discouraged, but it's a silly (and illegal) thing to do. I am glad this ruling came about.

merrily

(45,251 posts)

3. I never worked anywhere where talk of money was not discouraged.

Reply to Sherman A1 (Reply #2)

Fri Mar 20, 2015, 04:20 AM

Mar 2015

Once, I got around it (somewhat) by asking someone if she knew of any reason she was making so much less than the woman who sat next to her.

(They were both good workers and both had started with the company at the same time, but her louder mouthed neighbor was making almost double what she was.)

Guess who asked for a raise within a week.

ibewlu606

(160 posts)

4. Kicked

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 20, 2015, 10:20 AM

Mar 2015

Florida is a right to work state and as a union representative, I see this all the time. Non-union workers are treated as little better than slaves.

Omaha Steve

(99,632 posts)

5. Tweets based on this story

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Fri Mar 20, 2015, 11:08 AM

Mar 2015

BREAKING: Judge Finds @TMobile Guilty of Maintaining Illegal Corporate Policies Against Workers Across the US http://nyti.ms/1ALWbyn

GUIL-T! The #uncarrier is #unlawful. @TMobile silences employees. http://nyti.ms/1ALWbyn

Think @TMobile is a great place to work? Don't believe the hype. http://wpo.st/QJU90

Hey@JohnLegere! Trying to silence workers is #uncool. http://nyti.ms/1ALWbyn

Workers spoke up and a judge agrees: @TMobile tried to silence workers on the job nationwide http://wpo.st/QJU90

It's illegal to prevent workers from talking about wages. @TMobile did it anyway. http://wpo.st/QJU90

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