Lost in the Cloud — When Telecom Forgets What Matters Most
4-21-25

Telecommunications is built on fundamentals: strong infrastructure, skilled labor, and reliable service. But somewhere along the way, corporate leadership has taken its eye off the signal.

These days, executives talk more about ESG, Environmental, Social, and Governance scores, than they do about service calls, safety standards, or broken equipment. Public-facing reports are packed with sustainability goals, recycled buzzwords, and corporate pledges that have little to do with the core mission: delivering dependable communication services to the public.

Let’s be clear: sustainability and ethical governance matter. But in an industry where reliability is everything, ESG has become a convenient distraction. A corporate checklist that allows telecom giants to focus on image over outcomes. While leadership is polishing quarterly reports, workers are out in the field with outdated tools, shrinking crews, and growing pressure.

Instead of investing in training or long-term workforce development, companies are leaning hard into contractor models. Offloading responsibilities to third parties to reduce liability, not to improve service. The result? Lower accountability, weaker continuity, and greater risk for everyone. From field techs to customers to the communities we serve.

Network lines are left exposed. Response times grow longer. Safety corners are cut. And the people doing the work are often the last to be heard.

What gets lost in all this noise is the foundation of the industry itself: skilled labor. Craftsmanship. Institutional knowledge. The ability to problem-solve under pressure, not with a spreadsheet, but with a tool in one hand and years of experience in the other.

We don’t oppose forward thinking. We oppose *empty gestures* and short-term savings that come at the cost of long-term reliability. The telecommunications industry doesn’t need more consultants or clever rebranding. It needs investment in training. It needs full-time jobs with career paths. It needs leadership that understands you can’t subcontract quality and you can’t automate accountability.

At IBEW 723, we believe progress should be measured by how well the job gets done, not by how slick a company looks on paper. And until corporations stop chasing vanity metrics and start prioritizing safe, effective service, we’ll be here to remind them who actually keeps the signal strong.

In solidarity,
Zachary Taylor
IBEW 723 Business Manager/Financial Secretary

The Value of a Grievance
3-17-25

Too often, the word “grievance” gets a bad reputation. Misunderstood as a sign of trouble or seen as something only worth filing when someone’s been severely wronged. But the truth is this: a grievance is one of the most powerful tools working people have to hold the line.

Grievances aren’t about being difficult. They’re about accountability. When we enforce our contract, through dialogue, documentation, and yes, sometimes arbitration, we’re not just protecting one worker. We’re protecting the integrity of everything we bargained for at the table. Every time we let a violation slide, we risk setting a new precedent that chips away at what we’ve won together.

It’s also important to remember that a grievance doesn’t have to be combative. Many issues are resolved through conversation and clarity, especially when there’s a pattern of consistency behind our enforcement. The more employers know we take violations seriously, the less likely they are to test boundaries.

If you ever feel unsure about whether something is grievable, that’s what we’re here for. Talk to your Steward or a union officer. There’s no harm in asking, and the only way to protect your rights is to understand and use them.

Solidarity isn’t passive. It takes vigilance, action, and a willingness to speak up. Not just for ourselves, but for those who come after us. That’s the value of a grievance.

In solidarity,
Zachary Taylor
IBEW 723 Business Manager/Financial Secretary