To whom it may concern
IM writing this letter not to regain my position back at Mastec, but to bring attention to issues that are not only wrong, but downright illegal.
I have been a DirecTV tech for almost 13 years. I started out with Via source and moved over to Mastec I believe in 2001.in the many years I have been there I have seen a revolving door of techs come and go. Some just walked out, some got forced into a corner where they had to quit and some left crying and I wont forget those who died. But I will only speak on my experiences
I am 45 years old and have never broken a bone or been in the hospital for anything more than asthma until I worked for Mastec. My first surgery was a torn tendon in my right elbow from reaching to set an odu on a roof because my 28ft ladder couldnt reach the dish. Some will ask why not get a longer ladder? Its hard to when the sups say work it out or I will be there in 4 hours. My second surgery was a torn labrum in my left shoulder from carrying ladders.
The doctor stated that I had a perfect v shape groove cut in my shoulder joint from carrying heavy loads on my shoulder. The only weight I ever lifted on my shoulders is ladders, which seems to me employee safety doesnt come first Mastecs way does. These accidents were not reported at the time for fear of being terminated but as the pain became worse, I had no choice but to take leave.
In Oct I took medical leave to have surgery and I used my Fmla. It took 9 months recovery time during which I was in constant contact with my supervisor who assured me that I was able to be rehired at the same pay rate I left. Finally time to return to work and I feel a great joy knowing I can resume providing for my family as I always have but on Aug 20th after spending a day in training class I was told that I couldnt return because I sued mastec and took a settlement. I was shocked, hurt, and surprised all at once.
I had no idea what was going on then I remembered about 4-5 years ago there was a class action suit. I did receive a settlement check for approximately 2-3 thousand dollars. Maybe I should have returned it I figured it was just. 1% of what Mastec owes me because almost every workday for months supervisors would have me fix jobs and tell me not to close them first it was 1 a day the it got up to 3 or 4 at $27 each over time it adds up.
If I dont close a job I dont get paid. If I dont get paid my family doesnt eat. I was told to do 2nd opinions for free and was sent a hundred of miles to correct jobs that were messed up in advance, I was promised I would be paid but I never was. On top of getting back charged for jobs that failed from acts of God or just faulty equipment. Please tell me is mastec greater than God? Please correct me if I wrong but the protection plan doesnt cover acts of God. If a rid wont power up after 30 days why do I get back charged.
I had a time where I did a install and the husband was home I got a back charge because the wife was trying to use a dish network remote to control the directv box she wasnt the one home during the install. Why do I get back charged because the customers child unplugs the directv box to hook up his xbox? Or a pitbull is tied to the pole holding the dish and bent it. How is it legal be back charged for any job that was destroyed in a hurricane?
If a tree falls on the dish, if the shingles are blown off a roof and the roofer removes the dish and cant put it back in place I was back charged? Also Back charged if the customer cuts the wire in the ground planting flowers. Or if a customers child hangs off the odu and snaps the arm. I even had a case where a customer beat his box with a hammer because he was mad with his wife. I got back charged.
I had to endure mental abuse of a score card matrix which is almost impossible for 90% of the techs to meet. If my numbers are not where mastec wants them my pay would be cut but I was expected to keep my moral up and do the same quality of work. The main issue with the score card matrix is that when it first time it came out a lot of techs pay was cut and they were dropped from blue to green or from green to orange in the meeting it was mentioned that big mistakes was made on the score card and it was revised. I asked so what happens to the techs who got demoted? They said nothing Shouldnt they have been put back to their prior level or pay returned or both? The sups response was IF YOU DONT LIKE IT QUIT
Once when I researched a back charged job I found out that a customer spilled water in the ird I asked would my money be returned I was told no mastec doesnt return money to me that stealing isnt?
Wildblues:
I was told that when I do wildblue it doesnt count as a part of directv work which means it effects getting a bonus as a dst. As a production tech its funny I didnt do enough work to receive a bonus but a new tech with no dtv experence did maybe it was because she was dating a sup? If the wild blues dont count as dtv work why is the pay diferent according to the scorecard. I was a blue tech from the start and my numbers had never even came close to being demoted but there was never a bonus for me.in 2011 the last day of the quarter I called in to see where I stood so I could get a bonus
I was told if I close out 2 more service calls I would get a bonus so to be sure I picked up 4 more jobs. When I heard the bonus check came out I called everyday and there was no check for me after about a week 2 techs called me and told me that a sup was walking around telling everyone that they screwed me out of a bonus with with wildblues. Now thats bonus #2 almost $3000. If my numbers are researched I have a day where I closed out more jobs by points in one day in all of mastecs history. I dont have a big issue being lied to about the bonus program I have a issue with being lied to over and over again.
How can a billion dollar company claim to care about their employees but treat them so badly? The question will be asked why did I stay? Its simple I loved the line of work. Why is it the techs fault because the customers dog ate parts of the the remote then while the on the phone with directv tech support they screw up the entire system but I am back charged.
May I please add I have been offered supervisor position aver 20 times in many years but I saw how mastec just fire them at will and blame it on poor performance. I have trained over 20-3 techs some were god some were bad a few even became my boss so that must account for something. It funny I received a portion of money from a lawsuit that someone else started and I lost my 13 year career and the way I feed my family only because mastec treats there employees like dirt.
I have never asked for anything extra from mastec just money I worked for. I even worked thanksgiving and was on call Christmas for this company. Many times after I finished my route I would drive 100 miles after I got home to help a tech stuck in the field so he could be with his family. How long will techs have to sleep in the parking lot of the shop because they worked from 5:30am until 11:00 pm I refuse to walk away quietly I will live to work another day.
Its funny mastec is stressing the little check I got out of a civil suit but is not seeing the big picture The big picture mastec could care less about me and any tech that works for this company.
My father passed away in my wife had a stroke, and I had 2 surgeries that set me back a total of at least 16 months I never even got so much as a card saying take care. Oh yea I did get 2 gift cards which for years of service 1 for $50 and 1 for $100 add it up $10 per year of service. Pull up my reports on jobs closed how many millions I have made mastec over these years. Asks my sup how many payout sheets I didnt receive and jobs I didnt get paid for.
I never took the supervisor position from fear of being on a chopping block like all the others. I didnt file workers comp when I got hurt so I could keep my job. I didnt take my complaints to the higher up from fear of losing my job I didnt hire a lawyer from fear of not being able to care for my sick wife. But hmmmmm what do I have to loose now?
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