The reduced trade-in discount essentially offsets the lower prices offered to these customers. On top of that, these customers aren’t eligible for some recently announced plans and promotions, including a BOGO offer that hooks subscribers up with a free line and an affordable plan for smart devices.
A group of T-Mobile employees want the company to restore discounts for trade-ins. | Image Credit – pissed-vet on Reddit
T-Mobile employees, specifically veterans and first responders, have decided to protest this change. According to a post on Reddit, a group of employees have asked the company to reverse the decision and “restore full promotional eligibility for veterans and first responders.”
If the demands are not met, employees will stage a walk-out at 11 AM on Black Friday, which falls on November 29 this year. It is one of the biggest shopping days of the year in the US which is why retailers require all hands on deck.
An employee walkout on a day T-Mobile offers aggressive discounts to boost sales could severely disrupt operations.
Employees participating in the protest believe that after the changes, veterans and first responders – who sacrificed their lives to serve the nation – are paying more every month than customers on regular plans.
They argue that these discounts were more than a promotional tool and were offered as a recognition of service provided by veterans and first responders. They believe that taking the discount back is demoralizing and insulting and sends the wrong message about T-Mobile‘s values.
Since this is just a post on Reddit, it’s hard to ascertain how many employees will actually walk off from their jobs on November 29.
While employees are understandably hurt about T-Mobile slashing discounts offered to respected members of society, that might not be the only reason behind the protest. After all, employees, particularly sales staff, are the ones who have to deal with frustrated customers whenever a controversial change is announced. Other than that, resentment has been building for quite some time due to undue pressure on employees to boost sales. It’s all coming to a head now.Whether T-Mobile will take back its decision or reprimand employees for revolting against it remains to be seen.
