Nearly 40 DirectTV Techs Fired After Local 6 Report
May 6, 2006
ORLANDO, Fla. — Nearly 40 DirectTV installers were fired this week after giving on-camera interviews to Local 6 News about a company policy they say forced them to lie to Florida customers.
The DirectTV technicians gave interviews to Local 6 News reporter Nancy Alvarez and discussed the policy that they believe costs them and their customers money.
They said their supervisors have been putting pressure on them by deducting $5 from their paychecks for every DirectTV receiver who is not connected to a phone line, the report said.
Local 6 News reported that phone lines are not necessary for a DirectTV system but having them enhances the service — allowing customers to order movies through a remote control instead of through the phone or over the Internet.
But the report found that every phone line connected to a receiver means more money for DirectTV and Mastec — the contractor for whom the men work, Alvarez said.
“Speaking out to Local 6 has apparently cost these DirectTV installers their jobs,” Alvarez said.
The mass firings came two days after the report uncovered the apparent practice that has cost the workers and possibly their customers hundreds of dollars, according to the report.
“I believe it’s retaliation for going to Channel 6 with a legitimate news story about how we’re being treated here and how the public is being deceived,” technician Mark Hemenn said.
Thursday, the technicians protested the mass firings outside of Mastec’s Orlando office.
“For giving a company 20 months, pretty good track record with them and for them to do this because we exposed their policy?” technician Joseph Guest said. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“If we don’t lie to customers, we get back-charged for it and we don’t make money,” an installer said.
The bosses at Mastec’s Orlando office had no comment when Local 6 News first investigated the allegations, the report said.
They also had no comment Thursday.
The technicians plan to move forward with plans for legal action against their former employer.
“At the end of the day, are you sorry you spoke out about what was happening to you?” Alvarez asked.
“Not a bit,” Jim Hehmann said. “I’d do it again right now.”
“The next step for these employees will likely be to file a whistleblower claim with the National Labor Relations Board in Tampa,” Alvarez said. “And the attorney general’s office is already investigating their claims that they were ordered to lie to customers.”
Mastec sent Local 6 News a letter after the initial investigation aired, saying the report misrepresented some of the facts.
DirectTV never returned any Local 6 calls.
Yeah the phone line is NOT needed in most circumstances.
These companies must be run by a bunch of window lickers if they think this wouldn’t get out.
No Illegals No Burritos
May 5, 2006
Ok, you convinced me.
scuba diving cat
May 4, 2006
Illegal immigration
May 4, 2006
Below is a letter written by David Stoddard retired US border patrol agent to Senator Frist. While a couple of the statements I don’t know to be true overall I agree with his stance.
Dear Senator Frist:
There is a huge amount of propaganda and myths circulating about illegal aliens, particularly illegal Mexican, Salvadorian, Guatemalan and Honduran aliens.
1. Illegal aliens generally do NOT want U.S. citizenship. Americans are very vain thinking that everybody in the world wants to be a U.S. citizen. Mexicans, and other nationalities want to remain citizens of their home countries while obtaining the benefits offered by the United States such as employment, medical care, in-state tuition, government subsidized housing and free education for their offspring. Their main attraction is employment and their loyalty usually remains at home. They want benefits earned and subsidized by middle class Americans. What illegal aliens want are benefits of American residence without paying the price.
2. There are no jobs that Americans won’t do. Illegal aliens are doing jobs that Americans can’t take and still support their families. Illegal aliens take low wage jobs, live dozens in a single residence home, share expenses and send money to their home country. There are no jobs that Americans won’t do for a decent wage.
3. Every person who illegally entered this nation left a home. They are NOT homeless and they are NOT Americans. Some left jobs in their home countries. They come to send money to their real home as evidenced by the more than 20 billion dollars sent out of the country each year by illegal aliens. These illegal aliens knowingly and willfully entered this nation in violation of the law and therefore assumed the risk of detection and deportation. Those who brought their alien children assumed the responsibility and risk on behalf of their children.
4. Illegal aliens are NOT critical to the economy. Illegal aliens constitute less than 5% of the workforce. However, they reduce wages and benefits for lawful U.S. residents.
5. This is NOT an immigrant nation. There are 280 million native born Americans. While it is true that this nation was settled and founded by immigrants (legal immigrants), it is also true that there is not a nation on this planet that was not settled by immigrants at one time or another.
6. The United States is welcoming to legal immigrants. Illegal aliens are not immigrants by definition. The U.S. accepts more lawful immigrants every year than the rest of the world combined.
7. There is no such thing as the “Hispanic vote”. Hispanics are white, brown, black and every shade in between. Hispanics are Repu blicans, Democrats, Anarchists, Communists, Marxists and Independents. The so-called “Hispanic vote” is a myth. Pandering to illegal aliens to get the Hispanic vote is a dead end.
8. Mexico is NOT a friend of the United States. Since 1848 Mexicans have resented the United States. During World War I Mexico allowed German Spies to operate freely in Mexico to spy on the U.S. During World War II Mexico allowed the Axis powers to spy on the U.S. from Mexico. During the Cold War Mexico allowed spies hostile to the U.S. to operate freely. The attack on the Twin Towers in 2001 was cheered and applauded all across Mexico. Today Mexican school children are taught that the U.S. stole California, Arizona, new Mexico and Texas. If you don’t believe it, check out some Mexican textbooks written for their schoolchildren.
9. Although some illegal aliens enter this country for a better life, there are 6 billion people on this planet. At least 1 billion of those live on less than one dollar a day. If wanting a better life is a valid excuse to break the law and sneak into America, then let’s allow those one billion to come to America and we’ll turn the USA into a Third World nation overnight. Besides, there are 280 million native born Americans who want a better life. I’ll bet Bill Gates and Donald Trump want a better life. When will the USA lifeboat be full? Since when is wanting a better life a good reason to trash another nation?
10. There is a labor shortage in this country. This is a lie. There are hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of American housewives, senior citizens, students, unemployed and underemployed who would gladly take jobs at a decent wage.
11. It is racist to want secure borders. What is racist about wanting secure borders and a secure America? What is racist about not wanting people to sneak into America and steal benefits we have set aside for legal aliens, senior citizens, children and other legal residents? What is it about race that entitles people to violate our laws, steal identities, and take the American Dream without paying the price?
For about four decades American politicians have refused to secure our borders and look after the welfare of middle class Americans. These politicians have been of both parties. A huge debt to American society has resulted. This debt will be satisfied and the interest will be high. There has already been riots in the streets by illegal aliens and their supporters. There will be more. You, as a politician, have a choice to offend the illegal aliens who have stolen into this country and demanded the rights afforded to U.S. citizens or to offend those of us who are stakeholders in this country. The interest will be steep either way. There will be civil unrest. There will be a reckoning. Do you have the courage to do what is right for America? Or, will you bow to the wants and needs of those who don’t even have the right to remain here?
There will be a reckoning. It will come in November of this year, again in 2008 and yet again in 2010.
We will not allow America to be stolen by third world agitators and thieves.
David J. Stoddard
U.S. Border Patrol (RET)
Hereford, Arizona
Nipples or no nipples, mermaid not wanted
May 4, 2006
AP WELLINGTON, Fla. - The big-busted, bronze mermaid statute “The Siren” is not welcome here anymore.
The life-size sea temptress, the marquee exhibit at the Wellington Community Center’s inaugural Art in Public Places program, drew media attention last summer because of her top-heavy bust line. The sculpture appeared on CNN and had a mention in Playboy.
“Unfortunately, they didn’t want her back,” artist Norman J. Gitzen told the Palm Beach Post. “They were tired of the bad publicity.”
Gitzen added nipples to the statue last month while it was on loan to the Palm Beach International Sculpture Biennale at Wellington Green. The city warned Gitzen to remove them before returning the mermaid.
But then he received a call from Paul Schofield, Wellington’s community services director, telling him “The Siren” was no longer needed.
“It didn’t matter what decision I made. There was going to be some controversy one way or another,” said Schofield, whose department oversees Art in Public Places. “Did publicity play into it? No.”
That was the actual news headline.
So boobs are ok, as long as they don’t have nipples.
She is a big girl isn’t she.
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