These are two letters I submitted to corporate. Read and you'll see what happened to me. And before you read this let me add that I was also disqualified for unemployment benefits because they said that I was in violation of Code of Alabama 1975 Sec 25-4-78 (3) stating that I can be discharged for misconduct connected with the work. What they failed to include was that the only way they can disqualify me is with previous warning, which I never received. I smell a lawsuit. Enjoy
My name is David. I was hired to work in the Huntsville, Alabama call center on May 15 as an agent for Cingular Wireless, under the training of Ms. Jennifer Leslie. Three weeks into my new hire training, I applied for, and was hired for, the position of Training Assistant (herein referred to as TA). My exact date that this occurred was June 6. I was to start this job and all of its official duties on June 12.
After my new hire training was completed, I immediately moved into my new position by assisting all trainers in whatever capacity they needed me, including everything from smaller jobs (making copies, faxing documents, etc.) to bigger jobs (facilitating courses, attending calibrations, conference calls, etc.) Under the supervision of former Training Manager Jason Burson, myself and Jasmine Greene (another TA that was hired at the same time as myself), fulfilled all tasks that were set in front of us, in the most timely and professional manner as possible.
Whenever we werent involved with classes, we reported to the production floor, as we were instructed, to see if there was anything that was needed from operations. This mostly included answering hands on the floor, and processing calls to help with call volume.in the beginning of our Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) were informed that due to corporate restructuring, the SME position would be eliminated and all SMEs were to report back to the phones to be officially classified as agents. They were provided with letters in which they signed, accepting this demotion.
In the beginning of April after a meeting with John Thomas, our site director, our new Training Manager, William Williams, sent out a department-wide e-mail stating that all Training Assistants were expected to report back to the phones for a full 8 hours a day until further notice. Naturally, this raised some concerns and questions as to the reasons for this sudden decision. Unfortunately, through no fault of his own, Mr. Williams was hired externally and was not familiar with the policies and procedure are far as the reporting structures of West. Being in such a high position, he has been forced to adapt as best as he can with everything.
At the same time, all paperwork I signed stated that my department and division was Training, therefore, TAs were to report to the Training Manager. However, when this decision was made, we were told to report to the Operations Manager, Delia Olkiewicz from that point forward. This raised some alarm, seeing as how everything, from our job descriptions, so our acceptance letter for the department stated that we did, in fact, report to training.
Now there are 4 TAs total in the training department in Huntsville, myself (David Daniels), Jasmine Greene, Arthur McCartney (Pacificare) and Frances Walsh (Pacificare). However, all of the changes that were supposed to be taking place seemed to only be taking effect for myself and Jasmine. I understand that we do work for different line groups, but we were told that these changes were taking place were for the entire position, not our specific line.
At the same time, TAs were needed more than ever to assist with supplemental trainings and new hire classes, because of various obligations that our Operations Trainers had. Mind you, none of this information came from our Training Manager, only from our Operations Manager, who, after during a conversation with our Operations Manager, informed me that if TAs were ever needed for anything from the training department, an email with specific dates, times, and tasks performed was to be sent to the Operations Manager and, if approved by herself, TAs would then be released from the phones for the time period specified and, after that duty was fulfilled, we were to report back to the phones. Emails were sent to this effect to all Trainers working for Cingular.
Again to this point, Jasmine and myself were not informed of anything outside of the fact that we were supposed to be the phones 8 hours a day. Even in the midst of all that has been occurring, perhaps the shocking surprise came on May 22, when I saw a newly printed team list with my name on it as an agent. I walked out to the production to merely ask a question to our daytime supervisor, Alecia Flint. Ms. Flint was about to conduct a huddle with Marlon Leonards (one of our Daytime Production Team Leaders) team and asked me if I wanted to sit down, seeing as how this was my team now. I sat with her, very confused with her statement and she proceeded to apologize for my impending demotion and my being placed back to agent status. I informed her that I was not aware of any of this and asked if I could see a copy of the list of persons on the team.
Sure enough, my name was the last one listed. Mr. Leonard and Ms. Flint informed me that Ms. Olkiewicz had placed me on the team the day before, and sent it out to them. I immediately wondered why I hadnt received any notification at all from Delia or anyone else to this effect. Shortly after this occurred, word had reached John Thomas and he called a meeting for TAs to discuss the history of the TA position and explain what was happening and why it was happening.
Strangely, this meeting only included Jasmine and myself. Why would we have a TA meeting and be without two of our TAs? Mr. Thomas informed us that, first of all, TAs always reported to production from this inception of the position. Furthermore, TAs were never designed to actually teach classes, but to only be a behind-the-scenes support system for the training staff. We were also informed that there was an effort for the TA position to be cut because of a lack of first quarter earnings on the corporate level and our being placed on the phones was an attempt to keep the TA position open by being able to say that we are raising revenue by being on the phones.
Revenue that pay the salary of the higher level management on our site. Still a bit unconvinced by this meeting, I decided to do a little research of my own. I pulled up the West intranet job opening site, and found some very interesting information. First of all, there is an opening for a TA position, both in Rocky Mount and our College Station call centers. Is this cut being made as a company decision or as a site decision? Also, if revenue was a problem, why wasnt our pay scale compromised instead of our job responsibilities?
Furthermore, upon looking at the description for the responsibilities of a TA on the College Station opening, it clearly states Training Assistants are responsible for. Grading tests and quizzes and developing training material. Training assistant may be asked to conduct a portion of the class The point of the Training Assistant position, as I was told upon being hired, was a means of getting your feet wet as a trainer in all aspects, including teaching a class.
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