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RA'd employees needed to talk to media. Anonymous if you wish.
Send email, name
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ibmunionalliance@gmail.com Alliance@IBM
09/03/09:
Alliance needs contact with ex-IBM employees who
were RA'd while h1b visa worker remained.
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-Alliance-
Take
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Comment 9/01/10:
No job cuts here, but there have been 4 people leave for other jobs recently.
Jobs are starting to boom in Canada and people are getting sick of IBM's changing
policies every year. IBM has actually started to ask the people who leave, what
would it take to keep you here. Economy is starting to rumble/roar slowly and
IBM is going to be on the wrong side of employee loyalty when jobs are plentiful.
-IBMer-Canada-
Comment 9/01/10:
Anyone able fo confirm Hrly workers time cards are being scrutinized by states
because the hourly workers are working more than what they are reporting on
the time cards and management seems to be encouraging this? ---
Short Changed ---
Comment 9/01/10:
Thanks to -Sad- and -exIbm-er 2010- for posting links about the report on CEO
pay!
Yes, Sammy's in the top 10. See http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/01/ceo-pay-layoffs_n_701908.html
| Rank |
Company |
CEO |
PAID |
LAID OFF |
| 1 |
Schering-Plough |
Fred Hassan |
$49.7M |
16,000 |
| 2 |
Johnson & Johnson |
William Weldon |
$25.6M |
8,900 |
| 3 |
Hewlett Packard |
Mark Hurd |
$24.2M |
6,400 |
| 4 |
Walt Disney |
Robert Iger |
$21.5M |
3,400 |
| 5 |
IBM |
Samuel Palmisano |
$21.1M |
7,800 |
| 6 |
AT |
Randall Stephenson |
$20.2M |
12,300 |
| 7 |
Walmart |
Michael Duke |
$19.2M |
13,350 |
| 8 |
Ford |
Alan Mullally |
$17.9M |
4,700 |
| 9 |
United Technologies |
Louis Chenevert |
$17.9M |
13,290 |
| 10 |
Verizon |
Ivan Seidenberg |
$17.5M |
21,308 |
If you search for "The 10 Highest-Paid CEOs Who Laid
Off the Most Workers" you will find this all over the web, but I have
not been able to download the original report from the Institute for Policy
Studies report. If anyone can find it, please post the link here. -Gorya-
Alliance Reply: Are they listing just the layoffs
that occurred in 2010 or do they include end of 2009 also?
Comment 9/01/10:
Has anyone heard any layoff rumors? I'm getting requests from management that
are just like what I got before the last layoffs. -Lost-
Comment 9/01/10:
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a1s6HPd_tiKY&refer=home
Workers are the winners in this competition.
Zhang, who has been at IBM for a year, said his first job at a software developer
paid 2,000 yuan ($251) a month. Within six months Citibank hired him away for
twice as much. Now he earns 10,000 yuan a month.
"For young people today, job security is really not a problem,'' Zhang
said. Not a problem there, where the education is "State sponsored"
and the corporations provide free housing on site for the workforce -Ich
Bin Muede-
Comment 9/01/10:
"Rounding out the top ten was [...] IBM's Samuel Palmisano, who brought
home $21.16 million [...]"
--- from "CEOs that lay off workers earn more"
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ceos-that-lay-off-workers-earn-more-study-2010-09-01-Anonymous-
Comment 9/01/10:
I *heart* Joe Punchclock -Alliance member-
Comment 9/01/10:
This pretty much says it all - I'm sure Sammy is right up there with the rest
of them:
http://wallstreet.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2010/09/01/ceos-cash-in-on-layoff-wave/
-Sad-
Comment 9/01/10:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/09/01/layoff.ceo.pay/index.html?hpt=T2
I like to note the part that 72% of
firms performing layoffs while posting profits....Just like what happens at
IBM.
Been gone almost 4 months and no regrets. -exIbm'er 2010-
Comment 8/30/10:
IBM needs to pull the remaining trigger and incorporate in Bangladore,
India. IBM is no longer a US company and it's executives should leave the USA
and go live and rule in their new glorious Indian kingdom. They deserve no US
tax breaks or incentives. They are not good citizens and hide the truth behind
non-disclosure of their unseemly and employee-hostile actions. They deserve
not to be your friend, neighbor, or countrymen. These greedy traitors lust only
for short-term personal profit and should leave the country now, as soon as
possible to prevent any further destruction of the US economy. Good luck training
your replacements. IBM is abandoning the USA. -Joe Punchclock-
Comment 8/30/10:
To Confused - If you decide to take the job, remember to join the Alliance,
and spread the word once you get to Iowa. Many of those people are new and may
not have heard about it. -Anon-
Comment 8/30/10:
To Confused. If the terms are good, and it sounds like you like them,
go for it. At some point you may face a severance, but that is probably a good
ways down the road if they are offering you that position. If you end up hating
it, you can look elsewhere while still having a job to pay the bills. Maybe
in the new location, rent a small place until you decide how permanent it seems.
-anonymous-
Comment 8/30/10:
A pal of mine was just offered a position at the GDC in Iowa, with a
decent salary, not quite up to par with the market though. He is a hell of an
Exchange technician and used to work for IBM, on an account they recently lost.
Anyways, they want him to go in and save the other accounts they are losing.
Of course that would entail him re-training the people there. He checked the
position out with a few internal IBM folks and turned it down. -Anonymous-
Comment 8/30/10:
Confused, if a job with IBM is your best opportunity then take it, but
don't quit looking for another job. Our technical team likes to tell us we are
unqualified and too unskilled to get a job anyplace else. They do have a few
young people who they training for minor code changes. I see no new development.
That means that there is no need to support new development. Its a very short
term future. Its unlikely you will learn anything on the job that you can use
on a resume. A few young people are being given jobs covering areas that employed
200+ people at one time. They are not expected to understand the technology,
and they need to sound sure of themselves. Its a nice paycheck for low skill
work, but don't expect job security or benefits. I think its possible that working
closely with large account might have some security if you are good at it. You
didn't say how old you were or what type of work you would be doing.
-DungeonDweller-
Comment 8/30/10:
Re:veteran programmer! -VMbmer-
What is needed, and a conserted effort should be made by everyone
across the US, is to have a federal law passed that states "if a company
is incorporated in the US then the number of direct US employees (NO H1B1 or
any other visa based non US worker) has to be defined and published in a clear
and open manner." Otherwise the company should incorporate someplace else
and be done with all the US federal and state tax incentives... -Ich
Bin Muede-
Comment 8/29/10:
"This seems like a good opportunity to me, with good pay, stability
and comprehensive benefits... -Confused-"
"Stability...."?. Where? Show Me.
-UnStable-
Comment 8/28/10:
IBM isn't admitting this but the USA headcount is definitely less than
100,000 now according to COLIS data, unless some data is missing. The number
of IBM employees in USA is 93,458 as of last week, unless some data is not present
or my REXX skill with COLIS is faulty. I know I could get in trouble for doing
this but then IBM will probably lose a good old, veteran programmer!
-VMbmer-
Comment 8/28/10:
IBM is going to break soon. Too many bad stories out there. Finding
someone with any real authority is like looking for the ghost of Elvis. SVP's
need to approve the most mundane requests known to man; all the while I remember
Sammy-boy saying he wanted to lower the center of gravity and get more authority
to the 1st line managers. What a farce. It will take 2 more years of this sharade
before people see what is going on. -Anonymous-
Comment 8/27/10:
I have just been offered a full-time IT/developer position at a Global
Delivery Center in the midwest U.S. Pay will be about $85K. Should I be concerned
with all this talk about cuts and layoffs, when my recruiter even said they
are looking to HIRE over 100 people at my location? This seems like a good opportunity
to me, with good pay, stability and comprehensive benefits... -Confused-
Comment 8/26/10:
At least five in Lexington Operations center. Most of the jobs had been
relocated to RTP so those who didn't move knew it was coming. -Nero-
Comment 8/26/10:
I heard from a mgr and a lead that more jobs are being cut.
-xIBMer-
Alliance reply: Comments like this do not help us
find out what is going on. We need details. Where are the jobs being cut? What
business units? What job titles? When? Is the work being offshored?
Comment 8/26/10:
It's been too long since IBM has made an announcement that will adversely
affect its USA employees: the USA economy is still a train wreck, companies
are not hiring, and domestic earnings in all sectors of the economy are weak.
IBM customer satisfaction has got to be low now as well. IBM is going to do
something to offset this. The question is when. -IFeelit-
Comment 8/26/10:
BPD making cuts across the board with end date of 9/22 -anonymous-
Comment 8/25/10:
I read the article about the union settlement in Australia but don't
see what was the outcome. maybe this site can explain what the results were
and how did the employee's make out. -wasa1stlinenowra'd-
Comment 8/24/10:
Good source for the rumors that major benefit changes are coming in
Sept. Get your wallets ready as costs for medical coverage are going to skyrocket.
Other companies are already socking it to their employees and bigBlew won't
hesitate for a second to shove every extra cost right down their compliant employees
throats come new plan time so that the executive slime bonus earnings plans
get covered. Of course layoffs might also be needed for executives to meet bonus
targets so expect some of those also as the economy grinds down even further
this fall. The sheep will get sheared so the master can afford his usual bonus.
Any wish they had a contract yet? Keep ducking, you'll figure it out eventually
if you even survive the next go round. -anonymous-
Comment 8/24/10:
http://www.zdnet.com.au/ibm-concludes-union-negotiations-339305468.htm
IBM concludes union negotiations
By Luke Hopewell, ZDNet.com.au on August 24th, 2010 (7 hours ago)
IBM and the Australian Services Union (ASU) have concluded critical discussions,
resulting in a number of formerly displeased IBM employees accepting common
law contracts offered by the company. IBM confirmed that it had concluded
negotiations and that the "interests of employees remained central
throughout the negotiation process".
ZDNet Australia contacted the ASU and received a "no
comment" from branch secretary Sally McManus. The controversy centred
around IBM's Baulkham Hills facility, after unionised staff demanded better
working conditions and protested at the plans to offshore staff. Staff also
expressed a desire to be represented by a union in employment negotiations.
At one stage, the ASU proposed an indefinite strike if the demands of staff
were not met. According to the Australian Financial Review today, around 80
employees signed common law contracts last week. This had been enabled by
a Fair Work Australia ruling in May that the union could negotiate on behalf
of the IBM employees in question. McManus told the publication that it was
good to be on a positive footing once more with IBM. -Anon-
Comment 8/24/10:
I'm on a job email list for government contractors and they have sent
out this:
"IBM is Hiring! Do you think the world can work smarter? Join
us.
Let's build a smarter planet. Interview with IBM at our upcoming open house
on Wednesday, August 25th at the Minneapolis Marriott City Center. For event
details, job listings and advance registration visit: www.IBMexpo.com/M
-Barb-
Comment 8/22/10:
"India reportedly now has IBM's largest workforce"
Gee, why am I not surprised with this too. Sammy Boy clearly wants
to make the IBM company Indian Business Machines. The low wages he pays the
folks in India means more money in Sammy Boy's pocket. The greedy bastard. Now
Sammy Boy is overworking his cheap labor in India? How can you respect a CEO
like that? Expect more layoffs in the US as Sammy Boy = continues to ramp up
the cheap labor in India. -IBMer-
Comment 8/21/10:
IBM accused of overworking staff? Gee, why I am not surprised? Overwork
them and then RA them. Folks join the Alliance now or the abuse will be getting
worse. -anonymous-
Comment 8/19/10:
-confused-, -engelfisch- Look up the term "constructive
discharge" -Think-
Comment 8/19/10:
http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2268434/ibm-kicks-apprentice-sheme-uk
IBM kicks off apprentice scheme in UK
Big Blue looking to take on 20 students and turn them into IT specialists
Written by Dawinderpal Sahota
Computing, 19 Aug 2010
IBM has developed its first ever apprenticeship programme in England. The company
is looking to recruit 20 "IT Specialist" apprentices and is offering
roles across the UK for the two-year development programme. The news comes soon
after BT revealed it is extending its own apprenticeship programme due to overwhelming
demand, as the number of students studying IT at schools and colleges in the
UK continues to fall. IT Specialists develop proof of concepts, design, develop,
build, test and implement systems to solve our clients' business and IT problems,
said IBM in its job specification for the programme. As an IT Specialist you
will be a hands-on professional and you will develop an in-depth understanding
of our products, offerings and services. -Anon-
Comment 8/18/10:
@-sept-slam-on-deck- this comment:
Comment 8/15/10: A VERY good source has relayed that major benefit
changes are on deck for the fall. No details could be provided but it is likely
that a big 'incentive' will be to force old plan employees into retirement,
(where a very reduced number can be hired back as contractors at a very low
price with no benefits or vacation to pay for). The US already has 27% of employees
as contractors, with another 15% as partners or vendors and 10% management so
less than half the beamers left in the US are actually 'workers' directly on
the payroll. So the 80% contractor model the Sr. VP beamer from England let
slip out is well under way. You can either stand up and fight or wait to be
sheared like sheep. -sept-slam-on-deck-
If the person was Jonathan Ferrar he was responsible for
the mass exodus in the UK. Good luck. -Screwed
in the UK-
Comment 8/18/10:
How does IBM stay off the headlines of such articles !!!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/08/18/the-layoff-kings-the-25-c_n_685926.html#postComment
-xIBMConsultingIGS-
Alliance reply: Over the past few years IBM has cut about 14,500 jobs and
that figure is probably low.
The only way it did make news is because of the media work by the Alliance.
If you google IBM job cuts you will see.
The problem with getting even wider exposure is because IBM is not admitting
they are cutting jobs.
They are stonewalling you, the employees, the media and political leaders.
Comment 8/18/10:
I've heard rumors buzzing that IBM will revamp the retirement program
at the end of this year. It is designed to encourage employees on the old
pension plan to retire. Anyone hear this? -I'm on the old plan-
Alliance reply: Lots of rumors on this including
an unconfirmed announce date of Sept 1st. For discussion of this go to: http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/ibmpension/
Comment 8/18/10:
This message is in reference to the question on if there is a RA/Severance
package if your job moves to Dubuque. I am in Shared Services/ITD and we were
told last week that our jobs are moving to Argentina by Y/E. At this time
there is no RA/severance pkg offered. We are supposed to find another job
within IBM. So for those of you that are being told your job will be moving
to GDF/Dubuque, still within the U.S. Good Luck! -Lady Di-
Comment 8/18/10:
I'm sure this will come as a big shock to everyone. Indian
times link
The story acts like they're spilling a big secret that is being
kept from the US workforce. submitted by -Barb-,
-Anonymous-, -Ramki-
....... Surprise! Surprise! - IBM is now the 2nd largest employer
in India !! I am an Indian and I am sick of this company's tactics to layoff
American workers and moving jobs offshore. -LeftAtMyOwnWill-
Comment 8/17/10:
For those who have to buy health insurance, What have you done for
insurance when Cobra stops? Choose an FHA plan (double the cost) or something
else? -anonymous-
Comment 8/16/10:
To confused...I'm in NC was given a similar "opportunity"
last year and sought the advice of an attorney. The result was that I could
not be required to move several thousand miles away from my home. The attorney
told me that if I did not move I did not resign but was fired and would be
allowed to file for unemployment. The company is not required to pay severance,
no company is but some do. -engelfisch-
Comment 8/16/10:
News today that all mainframe and AS/400 support for the Manulife
account in Canada (including command and control positions) will be offshored
to Argentina by the end of this year. Manulife was ousourced to IBM in 2001
but offshoring started about one year ago for some mainframe support. - OEM
products. -Going Offshore-
Comment 8/16/10:
"A VERY good source has relayed that major benefit changes
are on deck for the fall. No details could be provided but it is likely that
a big 'incentive' will be to force old plan employees into retirement, (where
a very reduced number can be hired back as contractors at a very low price
with no benefits or vacation to pay for)."
When I read that I had to stop and think about what was left
for them TO take. About the only thing they have left to take from me after
27 years is to convert whats left of my "pension" to a cash balance
like they tried in 1999. The estimates for my current retirement according
to the Netbenefits are about 40% of what they could/would have been before
Lou got to it. I won't let them do it this time. I joined Alliance too late,
March 2009 after close friends got kicked to the curb. The company is far
from the company I joined back in the day. I can't do anything about that
but I DID join Alliance for a couple of Starbucks a month. All you talkers
who make excuses for not joining Alliance make me sick. I feel sorry for my
friends who remain because most of them have lots of years remaining in their
career. I could retire now and would if I could afford to. A few years and
I will be out, one way or another. Planning a big retirement bonfire for everything
with an IBM logo. Can't wait. - sign me -Counting the Days-
Comment 8/16/10:
To -curious- No one can predict what IBM is going to do with
this next wave of GDF deployment. They can choose to offer severance packages
for a resource action announcement or not offer any package or severance.
One thing is sure: any future severance package offered will not be better
than the last one handed out by an RA. Since you are an AT WILL employee IBM
can definitely say your job will move from location Y to location Z. If you
don't move with your job IBM can say you voluntarily resigned since you are
not willing to report to your work once transferred. I reckon as an SDM your
are a Service Delivery Manager. If you are management with direct reports
under you (you can hire and fire employees) then you are totally at IBM's
will. IBM management can be terminated without cause. IBM can terminate you
for refusing to transfer. If you are an employee then you can better your
chances of keeping you job or being able to negotiate the terms and conditions
of not being able to move to a work assignment by getting a contract through
a labor union. -IBMUnionYES-
Comment 8/16/10:
"Like ___, been at IBM _ years and I would love to get RAed,
get my severance and move on."
Why not say:
"Like ___ I have been at IBM _ years and decided to join the Alliance
and work toward making IBM a better place to work for me and __."
-sby_willie-
Comment 8/16/10:
@B-Rad from Mali-Boo-"no idea who inserted this in the bill but
I will vote for them forever." I believe that was one Charles Rangel...
which may explain the sudden need to examine the ethics behind his activities
of the past decade or so. -4merBeamer-
Comment 8/15/10:
Like Zak, been at IBM 10 years and I would love to get RAed, get my
severance and move on. This IBM company really sucks! -Anonymous-
Comment 8/15/10:
question to all...i hear rumours of SDM's maybe moving to Dubuque, if
that does happen and I turn the offer down would I get a RA ??...and would I
be eligible for unemplyment for turning the job down???...im in NC so was curious
if anyone else has experienced something simliar to this.. -confused-
Comment 8/15/10:
A VERY good source has relayed that major benefit changes are on deck
for the fall. No details could be provided but it is likely that a big 'incentive'
will be to force old plan employees into retirement, (where a very reduced number
can be hired back as contractors at a very low price with no benefits or vacation
to pay for). The US already has 27% of employees as contractors, with another
15% as partners or vendors and 10% management so less than half the beamers
left in the US are actually 'workers' directly on the payroll. So the 80% contractor
model the Sr. VP beamer from England let slip out is well under way. You can
either stand up and fight or wait to be sheared like sheep. -sept-slam-on-deck-
Comment 8/14/10:
Heard from current Lotus sales folk that Lotus brand had the worst sales
in history in 2009 and 2010 is looking worse. All the experienced technical
people were laid off in 2008/2009 and so now they are scrambling looking to
hire. One of my fiends who was let go in Seattle was called and asked if they
wanted to come back and he said :hell no...IBM can rot in hell". I will
enjoy watching them continue to lose market share to Microsoft and Oracle. -Ex-Lotus
Software Group ITS-
Comment 8/1410:
I was RAed last year from IBM and found a great job working for Unica
in MA. Life after IBM has been so much better for me. To my surprise, and now
increasing chagrin, I found IBM has acquired Unica. This stinks. It sounds like
I'm back in with IBM and wonder if I will be laid off again now. I have a friend
who used to work for Lotus and IBM totally screwed with Lotus after the acquisition.
Some folks in Lotus were soon deemed redundant and let go and I hope history
doesn't repeat now for Unica employees. Please, Please, folks join the Alliance
so you don't fall into the life raft I am in now. -unicabeemr-
Comment 8/14/10:
Hey guys, what's the best way to get RA'd? I've been with this pathetic
company for about 10 years and each year it just gets worse and worse with their
ridiculous cost saving measures veiled in some idiotic marketing campaign such
as 'Smarter Planet'. I thought about volunteering to be RA'd. I've also thought
about turning down all travel related jobs in hopes that would place me in the
'Stadium' for a long time and eventually get RA'd. Slacking on my job isn't
an option because I work on customer sites so I could never compromise my professional
loyalty to the customer just to get back at this discombobulated company.
-Zak-
Comment 8/14/10:
SSO-ITD in Western Canada told today that ALL consultants (with few
exceptions) must take 10 days "vacation" before Sept 15. One problem
98% of workforce here are consultants. Guess our clients will suffer needlessly
until Sept 15...Twits -FewRemainingEmployees-
Comment 8/13/10:
Can anyone comment on whether or not a typical RA package is offered
to people who's jobs are moved to a US based GDF location and the person can't/won't
move? I'm curious because I'm one of the SDM's who will be affected the end
of the year and wonder if I'll be forced to resign or get a pkg. Thanks.
-curious-
Alliance reply: Please define what an SDM is and what the job responsibilities
are.
Comment 8/13/10:
to -long time beemer-, yes I think I know that contract, a
very close relative was involved on the State of North Carolina's side. IBM
behaved like the skunks they are, tap-danced away with all our money, blamed
us, and not even a "sorry". Better believe NC will not make THAT mistake
again.. -Gone in 96-
Comment 8/12/10:
RE: 08/11/10 Anonymous translation - DPE - Delivery Project Executive,
SDM - Servi ce Delivery Manager, PM - Project Manager. SVC Management is service
management, AG is Americas Group. Specifically, it appears that all the DPEs,
SDMs and PMs for the Americas will be co-located to a GDF (Global Delivery Facility)
to implement LEAN within the next 6 months. The waves are stages of the LEANing.
These DPEs, SDMs and PMs have been the last holdouts in dealing with the fallout
and resulting poor quality/productivity caused by gutting the US experienced
resources and offshoring to cheap, unskilled and inexperienced global resources
in low cost countries such as China, India, Brazil and Argentina. Now they too
will be LEANed - which means much of the experienced staff will be axed and
replaced with low skill, cheap, inexperienced global resources from China, Brazil,
Argentina and India. BTW, my DPE just quit and took a job outside of IBM. -Anon-
Comment 8/12/10:
An article on IBM "IBM Channels Exiting Workers To Public Sector".
Newer effort for a former program I believe, along with helping channel all
of us RA'd to be teachers and far less pay. http://www.workforce.com/archive/feature/25/33/77/index.php
-anonymous-
Comment 8/12/10:
RE:B-Rad from Mali-Boo- Jobs Bill? Does anyone have a link for this,
especially what companies lobbied
against it? Has Obama finally made good on his promise to make off shoring unattractive
to corporations? If so, this could be huge but I see nothing on the news about
it. Links? TIA -wormser-
Comment 8/12/10:
To B-Rad from Mali-Boo, could you provide a link to the news article
for the jobs bill you mentioned? Thanks. -News-
Comment 8/12/10:
Job cuts and RA's seemed to have slowed down. I am not naive enough
to think they are over, but I do believe that the Alliance media work on exposing
IBM's offshoring and job cuts had an affect. -member-
Alliance Reply: Whether or not you believe that there
is a slowdown in RA's and/or Alliance@IBM's media work had an effect; we hope
that you also believe that RA's will continue and that Alliance@IBM must continue
to expose what IBM has done, is doing and will do to eliminate jobs in the USA
and send them off shore. We need to keep what ever pressure we can, on IBM,
to stop offshoring. The best way to do that is for those of you that believe
in these actions and our resistance; to organize organize organize. It is, after
all pundits have spoken, the best strategy that will work, if we all choose
to take action. For those who are not yet members: Join Alliance@IBM
:
Join page for voting members and associate members:
https://afl.salsalabs.com/o/4004/donate_page/alliance-join
Join page for subscribers: http://action.cwa-union.org/content_item/allliance-signup
Comment 8/12/10:
It may be nothing but I was chatting with a manager (not mine) the other
day and after a rundown on how hard it has been for him to get enough staff
to support his product he lamented "and now they've asked me to make more
cuts". Just a heads up. -Anon-
Comment 8/12/10: Re:
the 8/11/2010 post from Anonymous - can anyone translate this to English????
-RAed in 2009-
Comment 8/11/10: I
confirmed 11 people recently hired to MD in Fishkill. 9 of which are supplementals.
The new paradigm. Come on people JOIN. -ben_here_2long-
Comment 8/11/10: GDF
of DPE's, SDM' and PM's. 19-week GDF Wave, 3 phases. All-in, all-now, all jobs
within SVC management in AG. Implementation is 4Q ('10) and 1Q ('11). The services
arm that kept the other GR and GDF towers in check are now in the queue. 2nd
lines are reviewing presentations with their staffs. -anonymous-
Comment 8/11/10: Did
anyone notice the closing of the tax loophole in the jobs bill? This should
make offshoring far less profitable. Some major companies which lobbied against
the bill included IBM, HP and MSFT.....no idea who inserted this in the bill
but I will vote for them forever. -B-Rad from Mali-Boo-
Comment 8/10/10: In
my state, severance does not make you ineligible for (or delay) unemployment.
One thing to keep in mind: Your severance package is actually a SETTLEMENT agreement.
In exchange for payment from IBM, you agree to give up certain rights. In some
states, I think, this is not even considered payment for work (or "wages").
-AnotherGoneEr-
Comment 8/10/10: -soontobegone-
I was RA'd in 2009 and received 6 months severance.For NC, as long as you are
taking a class - any class either on-line or in a class room, you can get unemployment
as long as you apply to to jobs during the week and show that you registered
and paid for the class. Even on-line classes class count. I got 20 weeks of
unemployment and then landed another job. Check with the NCESCto make sure that
nothing has changed. But as long as you are attending classes and actively looking
(2 job applications a week) you get unemployment. -Dave in NC-
Comment 8/10/10: To
"soontobegone": In NC, severance pay does not affect unemployment
benefits, as of Oct 2009. I was RAed in 3/2009 and had to wait 3 months (the
length of my severance pay) before I could get unemployment benefits. The law
changed in Oct 2009, and now you no longer have to wait. In other words, you
can apply and receive benefits right after being laid off, even if you got severance
pay. -RAed in 2009-
Comment 8/10/10: I
remember back a few years ago, the state of NC also canceled a contract with
IBM. IBM's response was very similar to what they are saying in TX. Basically,
blame the customer. -long time beemer-
Comment 8/10/10: Re:
Sam's personal travel on company aircraft... Why is it that when I was on business
travel with IBM, and I modified the itinerary to take a personal side trip,
but the ticket was based on IBM travel, and had to be paid for on the IBM Amex
card, there was a specific spot on the expense account form for "personal
travel" that got deducted from my reimbursement, yet when Sam does it,
he donates 20% of the monetary value of his personal travel to a fund that is
TAX DEDUCTIBLE!!!!???? And I'm sure it gets doubly "un-taxed" because
he gives it to an IBM fund that donates to another fund, so I'll be he deducts
it off his personal taxes, AND IBM takes it off corporate taxes with its other
charitable contributions? Anyone see anything legally questionable about this?
Different treatment for different employees? After all, Sam is just an employee.
Does his contract (oops, contract? what's that? none of us have contracts -
JOIN THE ALLIANCE) say that he gets personal use and gets to deduct his"charitable
contribution" for using it??? Sorry for the rant, but gee, $320k... Can
pay for 2 fully expensed (including benefits, office space etc) programmers!
How much more of this goes on??? -RAed Jan 09-
Comment 8/10/10: -TVwatcher-
You assume wrongfully, that the bosses in IBM care about you in
the least or would care if they knew of your suffering. They would not and do
not. Sam and/or his henchmen would just RA anyone who "Complained"
to them when they were undercover. Why put off till tomorrow what you plan to
do anyway? A union is the only hope for IBMers because Management will never
"see the error of their ways" as they do not consider making your
lives miserable and stealing from you and your family an error. Its a cold and
calculated plan to reduce you to third world wages and benefits and every RA
or benefit reduction they achieve makes them richer and stronger and you poorer
and weaker. A union and a contract will force a more level playing field for
you. A contract will certainly not cause Management to admit any errors or apologize
for their greed. They will resent every contract obligation they have to honor.
Its money out of their fat pockets. Contracts are the only way to force corporate
America to play fair. Thats why all the Executives have one and you should have
one also. Even the executives no longer trust companies to treat them fairly.
But they do trust the courts to enforce the contracts. Even the President and
Congress could not stop bonuses being payed to people who had them defined in
their contracts. A contract may not instantly reverse ALL the wrongs done to
IBMers but it will certainly fix some and stop any further erosion of benefits
and pay we all so desparately need. I personally would love to see a reversal
and have a rank and file employee with hidden cameras etc sitting in some executive
meetings and hearing what the fat cats have to say. THAT would be an eye opener
I am sure. The next best thing will be to listen to the negotiations when enough
IBMers wake up and join the Alliance so we can vote in a union. Hearing Managements
offers and whining when they have to give up stolen benefits and pensions and
so on will be music to my ears. Please join us if you have not. You and me.
Working together ARE the union. United for the good of all IBMers.
-Doyathink?-
Comment 8/10/10: can
someone update me how severance packages affect unemployment claims in NC?...
-soontobegone-
Comment 8/09/10: To
-Barb-: Severance is not a reward for former employment. You need to write
your state reps. and ask them how it is so that a severance delays your unemployment
eligibility. If you get no response or a response that does not sound contrite
then you know what you have to do, come November... -anonymous-
Comment 8/09/10: "The
job fair in New Pultz (sic Paltz) is mainly for contract and IBM supplemental
candidates Do not waste your time if you have been RA ed"
How about those RAed in the mid-Hudson region show up at this job fair and meet
with the IBM recruiters and ask them specifically why they are not to be considered
for these job opportunities? Surely the number of those RAed would be at least
a hundred or so. -hire-r-knot-
Alliance reply: Excellent idea! Start contacting people you know, go to the
job fair and demand that RA'd IBMers be recalled.
Comment 8/09/10: Referencing
the posts about severance counting as income, thus delaying unemployment, perhaps
what actually happened is that my"package" was not defined as "severance".
Regardless, the $ received from IBM (two weeks for each yr of service) did not
delay my unemployment. -GoneInMarch2010-
Comment 8/09/10: Thanks
to everyone for their input and suggestons. To "curious", I was a
Workforce Reduction but believe (in my own mind but have no proof) that the
job will eventually show up at a GDF. So I wasn't part of a move or else scenario.
Sorry for misleading comments. -Going Going Gone-
Comment 8/09/10: Wish
I had a perk to take the fam with me when I fly "coach" for these
losers....
Company: IBM
Cash compensation: $7.6 million
Stock and options: $13.5 million
Palmisano's 2009 take includes $1.1 million in "other compensation,"
including $320,065 of personal travel on company aircraft. Because family members
sometimes join him aboard IBM planes, the company adds,"Mr. Palmisano has
contributed $63,000 to the IBM International Foundation to fund contributions
to Columbia University." -sam_the_scumbag-
Comment 8/09/10: http://whenfridayswerefridays.blogspot.com/2010/07/case-of-disappearing-pension.html
The Case of the Disappearing Pension. In 1975 Jack started
working for a large US Corporation. -Anon-
Comment 8/09/10: Am
I the only one that watching this undercover show? More execs should watch and
do it and we will have less resource actions. Am I the only one that sees that
show adding more value than anything else? -TVwatcher-
Comment 8/08/10: Question
to -going going gone-: were you RA'd because they
offered you a GDF position and you couldn't/wouldn't relocate? I'm wondering
because I expect to be in that situation in the next few months...me and a whole
group of SDMs. Thanks. -curious-
Comment 8/08/10: Re:
Sunoco and IBM. Let's watch IBM do for Sunoco what it has done for the state
of Texas! Time to switch to Shell. -wormser-
Comment 8/08/10: In
my state, severance most definitely counts against unemployment (it delays it)
and so does cashing out a pension fund. If they catch you, you pay back 1.5X.
Check your local laws. -Barb-
Comment 8/08/10:
I heard about Hurd. I guess CEOs do get resource actioned. Will this
mean that those cut from IBM will go to HP? What about the Apple resource action
as well. Ex-IBMers get resourced no matter where they go. Maybe it is sign of
the times, and not just IBM. -NowWhatforHP-
Comment 8/08/10: Got
RA'd in March from ITD, new position with competitor at 35% increase in salary
and a car... Folks,, IBM is not the end of the road... get out while while you
have a life. IBM is for losers -Anonymous-
Comment 8/07/10:
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/texassouthwest/stories/DN-ibm_07tex.ART.State.Edition1.35bb98e.html
IBM responds to state's claims about troubled contract
10:11 AM CDT on Saturday, August 7, 2010
AUSTIN's IBM has told Texas it wants to salvage a troubled data center contract,
but the company does not accept responsibility for a litany of problems outlined
by the state.
In a letter released Friday, IBM executive Cynthia McLean defended the company's
performance and said it will continue to meet with the agency to resolve issues
in the 7 ½ -year, $863 million contract with the Texas Department
of Information Resources.
Last month, the department blasted IBM for poor service and
gave it 30 days to cure 15 alleged contract breaches that ranged from inadequate
staffing to poor service to rising numbers of server outages. The notice could
be a preliminary step in terminating the contract. -anonymous-
Comment 8/07/10: The
job fair in New Pultz is mainly for contract and IBM supplemental candidates
Do not waste your time if you have been RA ed- Ana-
Comment 8/07/10: To
Going Going Gone. RAed Jan 09 is correct. When you are RA'd, the severance from
the package you receive does not prevent you from receiving unemployment immediately.
I've been RA'd from IBM twice now, received severance twice, and unemployment
both times immediately. It may have taken my state a day or two longer to research
my information, but that's all. -GoneInMarch2010-
Comment 8/07/10: To
Going Going Gone: severance may or may not affect your unemployment compensation,
depending on your state law. Some discussions:
http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?t=250204
http://humanresources.about.com/od/glossarys/a/severance_pay.htm
Google [your state] severance pay and unemployment benefits to find out more.
If any questions remain, consult a lawyer and show the lawyer the paper that
you have to sign (preferably BEFORE you sign it).
In many states, it helps that your severance was paid in a lump sum and that
you had to sign an agreement to get it. E.g., Massachusetts granted me unemployment
compensation from the first week. A counselor in the Massachusetts Division
of Unemployment Assistance told me that I did NOT have to report my severance,
I could get unemployment compensation, and if anyone at that office asked
if I got severance, I should reply, "I signed for it." (Please note
that IBM is being charged for this.
IBM must pay into a fund for unemployment compensation and their insurance
rate goes up when they do RAs. I believe this is true in all states.)
But don't lie if asked. If your state DOES defer unemployment
compensation until your severance runs out, then you had better report the
severance because not reporting it would be illegal. P.S. Even though I'm
RA'd, I'm still a full member of Alliance. -Gorya-
Comment 8/07/10: Sunoco
outsourcing IT to IBM.
http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/unix_linux/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=226600151
-Barb-
Comment 8/07/10: WSJ
points out that FED money doesn't result in new jobs (or job security for that
matter). This week, IBM set a sort of milestone in the
bond marketâ??s recovery from crisis: The iconic computer company borrowed
$1.5 billion at the bargain-basement interest rate of only 1%. .... U.S. corporations
have taken full advantage of low interest rates, going on a bond-issuing binge
that has left them with tons of cash, which they appear to be holding largely
as insurance against a new bout of financial turmoil, rather than spending on
new hires. ...IBM had $12.3 billion in cash and short-term investments, which
accounted for about 12% of all its assets. ... it's useful to remember that
low interest rates aren't cost-free, great as they may be for the folks at IBM.
http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2010/08/07/number-of-the-week-cheap-money-isnt-free/
-DungeonDweller-
Comment 8/07/10: IBM
might not have had a big RA in awhile but where is IBM's honest attempt to actually
hire in the USA now? IBM accepts tax breaks and incentives based on state and
USA employment figures and it is clear the USA workforce is not growing but
is consistently shrinking. I heard IBM will participate in a job fair in New
Paltz,NY (Mid-hudson valley, near Poughkeepsie) next week. So does IBM have
real job openings or are they just doing this as a half hearted attempt to try
to show they are trying to keep employment opportunities in the area mentioned
and in the USA? There are hundreds of RAed ex-IBMers in this area and about
all never get recalled by IBM for employment. Do you think this job fair IBM
is participating in a sincere attempt by IBM or are they just doing it to create
work for their recruiters when no real internal job openings exist? What can
the Alliance do to try to expose IBM if IBM is abusing the tax breaks and employment
grants and not really hiring? If IBM is not exposed then just wait for the next
big RA to take out more USA IBMers. That's the only employment changes in the
USA one can truly expect now. -hire-r-knot-
Comment 8/06/10: The
Campbells account is setting IBM adrift. They have signed with CSC for new development
work. Next on the chopping block are those with the S/A groups, Middleware and
DBA groups. Customers are becoming fed up with IBM. -dun-4-
Comment 8/06/10:
IBM is spending a lot of money in China for relocating its Great China
Headquarter in Beijing. Use google translate for the link below:
http://www.cnetnews.com.cn/2010/0806/1839000.shtml
A daily rent rate for 160,000rmb, monthly cost of 4.8 million rmb. 1 US dollar
= 6.77 rmb -band6-
Comment 8/06/10: Here's
a link to a WSJ article about Sen. Schumer increasing visa fees on skilled labor.
Hopefully we can all ban together and lend our support to ideas like this. Please
contact your congressperson and let them know how you feel about legislation
like this. -ExBlue-
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703988304575413011107101860.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_MIDDLENexttoWhatsNewsThird
Comment 8/06/10: To
Going Going Gone - Severance is NOT salary. I don't know what your unemployment
forms look like, but if it asks if you got severance, you should not lie. If
it asks if you're getting paid, or"have you earned any wages" this
week etc, the answer is no, because indeed you have not. There really is no
"length" of your severance. It is a lump sum payment calculated based
on some formula; could be a random number, could have been based on your shoe
size. In IBM's case, formula of"weeks of salary based on length of service."
But this is NOT salary, there is no "length of severance". Your length
of severance is only the day you got it. Starting Monday (or Sunday dependent
on your state) of the following week, you are earning exactly zero from IBM.
Disclaimer: I'm not a lawyer, but I went thru this and was advised by one. But
this was my experience, and I received unemployment benefits starting the week
after I was out of IBM. -RAed Jan 09-
Comment 8/06/10: To:
Going, going gone: Each state is different in the application for unemployment.
In my state, a lump sum severance does not hurt and you do not report it. Check
out your state's unemployment website for applications and how to file.
-anonymous-
Comment 8/06/10: Displaced
IT workers apply for federal help Notices on Connecticut Department of Labor
site document effort
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9177481/Displaced_IT_workers_apply_for_federal_help
-Anonymous-
Comment 8/05/10: IBM's
Bank Outage: Anatomy Of A Disaster IBM personnel inadvertently triggered a 7-hour
outage at Singapore's largest banking network last month by using unapproved
procedures. Here's a detailed look at what went wrong. http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=226600021
-Anon-
Comment 8/05/10:
I just received anonymous mail via Monster for my job (times three), but in
Dubuque. It was worded a bit desperately and came from an Indian recruiter.
I have no plan to reply. -CDI_Drone-
Comment 8/04/10:
Was RA'd from ITD. A casualty of GDF relocation. Going through the unemployment
forms, etc. For those who have been through this, what are the pros and cons
of reporting/not reporting your severance? Are you denied unemployment benefits
for the length of your severance? If so, why bother submitting a claim if there's
no benefit. Thank you. -Going Going Gone-
Comment 8/04/10:
The BBC is reporting today that IBM UK is being taken to a UK Employment
Tribunal for unfair dismissal and age discrimination: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-10864403
250 of the 800+ employees who were forced into early retirement without
compensation by IBM UK late last year and early this year have joined together
to take this action against the company. I wish them every success. -Retired2009-
Comment 8/04/10:
I am also aware of several large customers of IBM who are fed up with the quality
of support they are receiving from India. Keep RAing people in the USA who have
the experience, with support from India and Asia.There will be a large amount
of companies who will seek better service and quality. -Ana-
Comment 8/04/10: IBM
sues HP for not not giving it enough work to do
http://www.computerweekly.com/Articles/2010/08/04/242232/ibm-sues-hp-for-not-not-giving-it-enough-work-to-do.htm
-Anonymous-
Comment 8/04/10:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hampshire-10864403
IBM in pension change legal fight from ex-employees
IBM is facing legal action from 250 ex-employees who claim they were"forced"
to take early retirement before changes to the pension scheme. The action is
being taken by former workers across the UK, including many at the head office
in Portsmouth. They used to be able to retire early, losing 3% of their annual
pension for each year before 60, but the new scheme now sees 6% lost each year
before 63 -Anon-
Comment 8/04/10:
I can tell you that some customers are getting fed up with IBM's antics
regarding offshoring and Global Delivery Centers that are staffed by people
that do not know what is going on. There were major issues on the Dow Chemical
Exchange account afer it transferred to GDC and Dow Chemical asked for the old
team back. IBM told them that getting the old team back is not possible and
Dow Chemical took their Exchange business and gave it to Microsoft to host in
the cloud. There goes a big contract worth millions of dollars a year.
-I Dunno -
Comment 8/03/10:
U.S. To Train 3,000 Offshore IT Workers $22 million, federally-backed program
aims to help outsourcers in South Asia become more fluent in areas like Java
programming--and the English language.
By Paul McDougall, InformationWeek
Aug. 3, 2010
URL:
http://www.informationweek.com/story/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=226500202
-Anonymous-
Comment 8/03/10:
Here's an interesting article on why offshoring is supported by both political
parties.
http://keepamericaatwork.com/?p=9134
-4merBeemer-
Comment 8/03/10:
-Resigned- I wish you the best of luck
and hope you have a job lined up. The job picture for IT professionals is still
not very good in the USA. Those that do get job opportunities usually find the
pay is much less now. You do possess a real feel of what IBM is now that others
still working in IBM just don't realize or want to realize! Were you or are
you at least an Alliance member, even just as an associate member? You will
want to preserve whatever IBM vested benefits like your pension and maybe, if
you are 55 years old your FHA, the Alliance is the only hope for keeping IBM
honest with it. This is one reason I am still a member as an ex-IBMer myself.
-sby_willie -
Comment 8/02/10:
Has there been any RA in Canada with people being asked to relocate to
the US? At what point do large customers backlash at IBM? I have not heard any
CNET/Google News/Information Week or external new sources that talk about this
substandard support... Internally I am seeing/experiencing it daily.
-TeamCanada-
Comment 7/31/10:
I resigned from IBM, effective yesterday. I kept asking to be RA'd but
it just didn't happen. I was a project manager for more than 10 years and with
IBM for 15 years. Every day became more and more unbearable until I decided
it was time to leave. I was tired of feeling like the enemy. Customer's were
always unhappy with us because we couldn't deliver what they had been sold;
generally because of lack of dedicated resources. Technical teams were always
pushing back because they were so understaffed that they were spread too thin.
When I told one collegue that I'd resigned, he said I was the third this week
to tell him they'd resigned. Several others said they'd leave if they could
afford to do so. There is no doubt that if IBM Management doesn't figure out
that sending US jobs to India and other countries or focusing on this
-Resigned-
Comment 7/31/10:
Be prepared for more RAs. IBM's 2nd quarter revenues fell short:
IBM Tops Estimates But Revenues Fall Short
"Looking forward, IBM did raise its full year earnings forecast to 'at
least $11.25', up from a previous estimate of $11.20.
IBM shares are currently trading down 4% in after hours trading."
http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2010/07/19/ibm-tops-estimates-but-revenues-fall-short
I expect management to make up for declining revenues as usual,
jacking up earnings by laying off more employees.
(It won't work for long. Investors seem to be noticing that IBM is eating
its seed corn.)
Management is also continuing to use our former salaries to
buy hapless companies:
IBM to Buy Storwize for Undisclosed Sum
http://www.wral.com/business/story/8055457
and the European union is probing antitrust violations:
IBM Under Investigation Again
http://lawshucks.com/2010/07/ibm-under-investigation-again-but-what-about-cravath/#idc-container
EU Launches Competition Probes of IBM
http://blogs.wsj.com/law/2010/07/27/eu-launches-competition-probes-of-ibm-no-stranger-to-antitrust-law
EU Adds IBM to Target List
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703700904575390860695065540.html?mod=wsjcrmain#articleTabs%3Darticle
Europe to Investigate Antitrust Complaints Over I.B.M. Mainframes
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/27/business/27blue.html?_r=2&sq=ibm&st=cse&adxnnl=1&scp=2&adxnnlx=1280581698-js1d9WV0i+5nhhsKVyaM7w
See the politics here:
Corporate Takeover of Americaâ??s Politics, by Mitch
Gurney
"US Tax policy is another reason for outsourcing, and that can easily
be addressed, at least in theory.
US corporate tax policy allows deferment of profits overseas, but profits
in the US have a tax rate of 35%. This policy literally begs corporations
to move profits and jobs,
overseas ... while we may want our politicians to be more forthright the reality
is there is no financial incentive for them to do so at least where the public
welfare is concerned. If any of them actually challenged the firmly established
corporate political infrastructure how much heat and pressure do you suppose
they would encounter and just how long do you suppose their political careers
would last?" http://keepamericaatwork.com
-Gorya-
Comment 7/30/10:
Just like it semployee, IBM no longer cares about it sbig customers (Texas).
As long as there is no union, CEOS will continue to receive 25 million dollars
per year in salary bonus and stock options and workers and large IBM customers
will continue to get the shaft. -ana-
Comment 7/29/10:
In Response to -Former SOT'er- SOT and all others account are experience
the same situation. IBM new method is moving all job to "GDF" location
for Global Delivery Framework without the knowledge or will not tell the customer/client
they are moving. GDF site has been identify such as Boulder, Fishkill, and Dubuque
Iowa where people are willing to work for less and have no experience what so
ever in the field. They can hired anyone off the street and work on the customer/client
account. SOT probably find out about the job moving and cannot stop IBM and
only time until all IBM customer/client find out all the support are moving
to GDF site offer less technical support on their product or environment. I
have been RA and my job are being move to Dubuque Iowa and the so called replacement
are new to the field and support the customer/client without the customer knowlege
of where the support coming from. -Ben-
Comment 7/29/10:
Regarding State of Texas, I know of at least 4 project managers who worked
on the contract for years 1, 2 who were removed from contract without notice
to Texas and then RA'd. I heard IBM has been pulling off resources like crazy
last six months leaving no account experienced managers to provide communications,
oversight or direction. They do not even acknowledge STOT's complaints on all
of the above. They sky has fallen! Similar to JP Morgan Chase debaucle (and
that leader is being primed to be new CEO-hah!). IBM screws its biggest customers!
WOW! -ohcrap-
Comment 7/28/10:
soter Same thing happened to me on the Texas contract. I did not move to Boulder
and I to was RAed -ana-
Comment 7/28/10:
With regards to the IBM/State of Texas (SOT) contract -- I worked that
contract for 1 year. I worked an average of 58 hours per week and that was not
enough. I was told unless I was working at least 60 hours per week, I could
not complain. The equipment the State has is ancient (11 year old tape libraries,
9 year old backup servers, etc), the equipment often is not under maintenance
contract (SOT says IBM is responsible, IBM says SOT). Shortly before I left,
the work was being transferred to Boulder without the state's knowledge. The
state caught on and demanded IBM stop - IBM didn't. They started RA'ing the
Texas people and replacing with Boulder ppl. The FTE sizing for the team I worked
with was over 120 people, there were less than 40 when I joined the team. That
account was living hell and I was told that was the "new IBM." I was
offered another position by my 2nd line manager, with the understanding that
I could not move to Boulder. I was told the new position was not transferring.
I was RA'ed in 6 months after leaving SOT because my new job was -- you guessed
it -- being transferred to Boulder and I couldn't/wouldn't move.
-Former SOT'er-
Comment 7/28/10:
Can you make all RAd people free members of the union, should they wish
to join? That will help your numbers. Otherwise for them, isnt it too late?
-questionman-
Alliance reply: As we have said repeatedly, the subscriber catagory in our membership
IS free.
Also we can not "make" people members of the union. People must join
on their own.
Having just RA'd people join, does nothing for us inside IBM to get to the required
majority for a union vote or to put pressure on IBM.
The bottom line in dues and membership is, that dues are what keep us afloat.
We have an organization, office, phones, supplies, tec that must be paid for.
This organization is a legal labor entity. There are rules that must followed.
Yes, for RA'd people it is too late inside IBM, but not too late to help us
with the employees that remain.
By the way, we have a number of RA'd people who have seen the need for the work
we do; have stepped up to the plate and have joined and pay dues.
Comment 7/27/10:
To dun4 - Actually, that was bad quoting on my part, or on the web site's
part. *I'm* not laughing at the thought of people leaving IBM; the person I
was responding to said that. I also believe that others will leave. I know people
who have reached their breaking points, and are seriously looking. Most of them
wouldn't leave if they thought that they had any future at IBM, even if it continued
to be a lousy place to work. Most of them don't believe they have a future there,
so will leave as soon as they can. -irRational-
Alliance Reply: 2 reasons for the confusion: 1)The
way you sent the original post, did not include the quote marks around the statement
about laughing. I assumed it was yours. 2) You don't need to put HTML code in
your comments, ie, <i>, </i>, when you post to the web site. I have
corrected your previous post, below.
Comment 7/27/10:
People are walking away, as I did last month after 10 years of BS. With
all due respect to the Alliance, many of us have given up on changing Big Blue,
because they have clearly given up on us. There's a time to cut your losses
and leave, and for a lot of us that time is now. -So Long-
Comment 7/27/10:
1.2% PERCENT RAISE, 1 PERFORMER, 20+ YEARS WITH COMPANY, BAND 3 MAUNUFACTURING,
ENOUGH SAID, TERRIBLE TO SAY THE LEAST-A TOUGH YEAR FOR THE COMPANY, I WAS TOLD,
ONLY HOW BILLIONS IN PROFIT- WHAT A JOKE -JOE-
Comment 7/26/10:
Reading the Indian press to find out what's happening here:
link
to article -barb-
Comment 7/25/10:
To -irRational- - I have 25+ years in the company. In the past I would
have agreed with your statement regarding workings NOT leaving IBM. In the past
2 years, I have seen MULTIPLE employees (with 10+ years of service) in my group
leave the company for other opportunities in the I/T field. They were smart.
Mgmt told them eventually their jobs were moving to Dubuque or Boulder. They
didn't stick around to wait for the axe to fall. They just gave ibm the finger
and left on their own terms. I keep hearing talk that others are looking, but
haven't found anything yet, so I do believe that once the job market loosens,
and jobs are more plentiful, you'll see more workers leave this sinking ship.
-dun-4-
Comment 7/24/10:"When
the economy starts to head in the right direction, the employees are going to
vote with their feet," said Mike Hagan I'm still laughing reading that.
With all due respect, after 30 years in IBM I don't ever see this happening".
I left IBM this year, thanks to an improved job market. Would've left a couple
of years ago, but couldn't due to a much weaker market. Other ex-co-workers
of mine are also leaving this year, thanks to an improved job market. IBM will
suffer attrition, thanks to an improved job market. What some don't seem to
understand is that IBM wants attrition. It's cheaper than paying people
severance. A sane and functional company wouldn't think this way, of course,
because typically your most mobile employees have the most or most relevant
skills. But this is neither a sane nor functional company. Everything is being
driven by the desire to offshore the bulk of engineering, with apparently little
insight into the reality of the consequences to customers and (eventually) the
business. To be clear, I was and still am a dues-paying Alliance member, but
I see little chance of people banding together to form a union and forcing IBM
to behave differently. I've seen too many years of resource actions, and still
people didn't join the Alliance. However, I do see signs of people walking away.
I just don't think it'll change IBM policies either. -irRational-
Comment 7/23/10: -questionman-
Good for you..well, for now. Now IBM will raise the bar again on you. You'll
have to bring in more big bucks for IBM that you'll never see but Sammy boy
will. It's better for you to get a contract to protect yourself now don't ya
think? -Anony-
Comment 7/23/10: To
-questionman- : Do you think you are really saved?
Do you think you are safe now? You are simply moved to the next RA. Have you
joined Alliance? Are you trying to help push the Union through? If not, we are
just going to read your story at the next round of firings. Remember, you are
still an "at will" employee with NO contract! -Gone_in_07-
Comment 7/23/10: American
Eagle Blames IBM as Website Down For Third Day
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703467304575383513117245030.html?ru=yahoo#mod=yahoo_hs
-Anonymous-
Comment 7/22/10: We
had an 'all hands' meeting today. One of the speakers mentioned"We have
to take ADVANTAGE of all the available accounting rules" Oh, I bet they
will!!!!!! -dun-4-
Comment 7/22/10: http://www.computerworlduk.com/management/it-business/services-sourcing/news/index.cfm?newsid=21262
Among the claims the state is making against IBM is
a shortage of qualified personnel. In the notice to IBM, the state said the
company has failed "to reduce the rate of turnover of assigned personnel
below the contractual threshold of 15%." The annualized 12-month turnover
rate has been 20% to 45% since the contract commencement, the state alleges.
-Anon-
Comment 7/22/10: Rather
then question what IBM has done for, or to, the U.S. unemployment, ask yourself
what can YOU do to show IBM the error of their ways. Your single lone voice
is meaningless to the executives ears. Have you amplified your voice by joining
with others who think IBM can certainly do better by its U.S employees? Have
you joined the Alliance to show solidarity in this cause? For less then you
spend a month on coffee you can make yourselves heard for a change in IBM, if
enough of you join. As the economy improves as it one day will don't you want
your piece of the improvement? Haven't you lost enough sleep worrying about
the next RA and what you can do to save yourself? Doesn't your family deserve
a more secure standard of living only a union contract can provide? IBM once
was and can easily be again a GREAT place to work once you have forced the executives
to the bargaining table and made them see the error of their ways. Or at the
very least created a level playing field for you to enjoy your fair share of
the fruits of YOUR labors. U.S. Corporations no longer play fair without contracts.
Thats why Executives at all U.S. corporations have one. So they get treated
fair. Shouldn't you and I be treated fair also?? I think so. -Doyathink?-
Comment 7/22/10: It
was confirmed to me that not only did I lose almost 1/2 of my retirement-eligible
pension when I was RA'd, but my entire online Future Health Account was wiped
out - 10's of thousands of dollars that was to be used for retirement medical
insurance - gone, with less than 1/2-year to go to lock it in, along with full
retirement benefits. This is after close to 3 decades of service with this company.
It's also after the company raked in about $100 Billion in annual revenue. They
called it 'forfeiture' in the system; I call it theft. What level of greed,
incompetence, and ethical bankruptcy can explain this? It's a crooked system
that will shaft any older worker after a full career, approaching what they've
worked some of the best years of their lives for. It's now so rigged that they
block virtually any chance of an extension once you're on the 'list.' It's almost
beyond belief that a company that was once the epitome of ethical behavior could
line its coffers on the backs of its long-time workers like this. There needs
to be a full investigation into this type of practice. This is what companies
like IBM once took the lead in, but with this serious vacuum in ethics, ad infinitum,
what the government is now trying to do to ensure people are covered from a
health insurance standpoint. You can't depend on or trust a company like IBM,
anymore. The Alliance is the only hope to restore any kind of fairness, ethical
integrity, equality, and job security here through a bonafide, undisputed employment
contract, but each employee must act to take the initiative and join to make
this happen. PLEASE JOIN. -Former True Blue-
Comment 7/21/10: "When
the economy starts to head in the right direction, the employees are going to
vote with their feet," said Mike Hagan" I'm still laughing reading
that. With all due respect, after 30 years in IBM I don't ever see this happening.Pre-war
Nazi Germany and the Jews, ie:the persecuted, always thought it would get better.
Those who had a choice, stayed. We all know what happened to them. The smart
ones who had a means got out. Billy Joel makes a reference to this, only wrt
to FSU in his Allentown song introduction during his FSU live tour. IOW "they
always hoped it would get better", a reference to FSU juxtaposed with the
Steel Industry in PA. In both cases it didn't and people stayed anyway hoping.
Well I hate to break it to ya'll but hope is gone. Collective organization is
the only "hope" left. One example is the SSR's.
They have no idea the power they have. Imagine all the SSR's getting "sick"
for a week. The CIA, FBI, Wall
Street, Nasa, Fed Reserve, Walmart, etc....would not have service.That is pretty
dammed powerful.Yet they keep believing it will get better...
Wake up!!!! This is your future. And even more so it is the future of the USA
at large.Sammy the slime ball has his future secured, why shouldn't you? And
before anyone asks, yes I am a member, but I am up against an army of brainwashed
sheep all headed for the slaughter. It's a daunting task. -wormser-
Comment 7/21/10: I
was RAd but saved. I just learned how to beat the system. Its all about brining
in the dollars. But it was hell trying to find that next job. The system I agree
is broke. -questionman-
Comment 7/21/10: IBM
served with notice to cure by Texas.
http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9179518/Texas_IBM_spar_over_IT_contract
-Barb-
Comment 7/21/10:
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/07/21/ap/business/main6699303.shtml
Jul. 21, 2010
Indiana: IBM Welfare Intake Work Flawed From Start
APNewsBreak: Ind. Found Problems With IBM Performance Early In
Welfare Outsourcing Project.
(AP) INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana's human services agency says it found problems
with IBM Corp.'s takeover of welfare intake services early in the project
and suggested delays, but yielded to the company's wishes to expand the project.
-Anon-
Comment 7/21/10: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9179445/After_pay_cuts_IT_workers_may_seek_payback_in_new_job
The Harris survey results were released just a few months
after The Corporate Executive Board, a Washington-based advisory firm that surveys
150,000 worker each quarter including 10,000 in IT, found that the willingness
of critical employees, those who typically put in extra effort and to engage
themselves in a company, had fallen to its lowest level ever. -Anonymous-
Comment 7/21/10: RE:
"IBM Failed Us Big Time, Says Texas" This is just the beginning of
much more of this to come. Most good people are gone from this company and too
much is left up to India, and we know how their service is. It's just going
to keep on catching up with IBM. One thing for sure, if big blow ever realizes
they need to restaff US workers to make it a good company again, a Union must
be in place so the years of abuse are not repeated with hard working US employees.
-Gone_in_07-
Comment 7/20/10:
What has IBM done to help USA unemployment? How many RAed have gotten
jobs? How many are still desperately looking? Last year they take tax cuts and
RA over 10,000 people. Yes, living, breathing humans, not resources as IBM wants
you to believe.. This year in the USA, they still take tax cuts and RA hundreds
more human beings in smaller selected stealth firings. Now we got both Republicans
and Democrats in federal and state governments who are clearly in IBM's pocket
not challenging IBM to participate in preserving USA IBM employment, let alone
trying to create decent and needed job employment opportunities in the USA.
Face it: the USA government is voted in by people but controlled by the sole
interests of corporations and wealthy, elitist people. Sadly, this will never
change. Folks in the USA will continue to lose their IBM employment. Most folks
don't believe it will happen to them. They don't do anything to change the situation.
Their naive non-actions will work against them and will work more and more in
IBM's favor. They will not even try to educate themselves on what is going on;
which is what the Alliance has been desperately still trying to do for them.
The USA government still affords ordinary working folks a chance to be small
enough to success by the right to collective bargain. But if folks don't exercise
this right then it leads to and is just nothing. So let woe come upon them all
eventually. Let them all become victims so IBM can rake in obscene profits for
their upper management greed monsters. -anonymous-
Comment 7/20/10: To
questionman....if you think that RAs are a thing of the past, then you better
re-think that. They do exist. hence my comment. Maybe when the tiime comes for
you to be RAd, you will understand. -Better Off-
Comment 7/20/10:
In regards to the IBM/Texas news, can anyone tell us if job cuts played
a big part in this contract falling apart? -anon-
Comment 7/20/10: http://ip-telephony.tmcnet.com/news/2010/07/20/4908715.htm
Official: IBM failing to give Texas agencies basic help under
contract
AUSTIN, Jul 20, 2010 Agencies that help Texans renew their automobile registrations,
draw unemployment benefits and apply for food stamps and Medicaid face crushing
demands -- and IBM, the technology contractor for those agencies, isn't even
providing mundane services, a top state technology official testified today.
"We've experienced significant service delivery problems" that force
state employees to wait many days for routine help with computer matters, said
Ed Swedberg, a deputy executive director at the Department of Information Resources
-Anon-
Comment 7/19/10: Tech-assisted
"inventory" approach to HR ..........
http://www.thehindu.com/business/article521911.ece
On-demand workforce
An example discussed elaborately is that of IBM Global
Services, in the context of workforce inventory and the on-demand workforce.
The problem statement is simple: ~STo win contracts, IBM must guarantee that
it can assemble a team having the necessary skills on time and on budget. It
must balance people who may work on several projects with those working on one,
and people who are needed long term versus those needed short term. IBM doesn~Rt
know until the contract is signed precisely what the needed workforce will do.~T
The solution is in the form of a system that can deliver talent on demand as
contract needs arise, informs the author. He explains how, to enable this agile
supply of talent, IBM leaders draw from workforce inventories that include not
only employees but also contractors. ......... -Anon-
Comment 7/19/10:
IBM Failed Us Big Time, Says Texas
http://mobile.informationweek.com/10244/show/ebd2375e76d0dba0dc9809711b6c5469&t=70274b134b7ecf8df6c19a07d902cd77
-Anon-
Comment 7/19/10: IBM
Contract failure
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100719/LOCAL/7190324/In-hard-times-fewer-are-getting-welfare-in-Indiana
-Anon-
Comment 7/18/10:
I understand there is a lot of RA's and I think a Union is a great idea. Why
has this Alliance not formed one yet? This alliance has been around for years!
Other unions are forming overseas with far less people. So what's the issue?
There must be thousands of people signed up by now. -whatever-
Alliance reply: It IS formed. What other unions, specifically? What exactly
is your question? Are you a member? If not, then why not? Have you seen the
rest of our web site? Contact us if you want more
information.
As far as unions overseas: What you need to understand
is that the labor laws of each country are very different from ours.
It has become increasingly difficult for unions in the US to hold a recognition
vote. The corporations and anti-union politicians have tainted the Labor board,
and ruling upon ruling has hindered the labor movement. That is why there has
been such a big push for the Employee Free Choice Act. We also have many more
people to organize for a vote than the recent union elections in other countries.
And we need a strong majority, of the 100,000 employees, signed up. And just
picking 1 location has its own set of problems; because rulings by the labor
board would most assuredly say the appropriate bargaining unit would be the
whole division. Even then those countries that recently formed unions faced
roadblocks and hostility from IBM. Most have had to go to their labor Courts
for resolution. It is not as simple as you think it is.
Comment 7/18/10:
IDT SDMs are being evaluated for possible move to GDF. It's a 19 week process
which conveniently ends the first of December, just in time to RA those who
don't move before year end. Timing is everything! -anon-
Comment 7/18/10:
To -not_a_butt_kisser- I was a first
line who had to do a RA and I can tell you I didn't choose would go. For me
and others we were all called into a meeting where we we're told we have employees
who would be RA'd and that we'd receive an email later in the day saying who
it was. I don't believe the 2nd lines knew either as in the information packages
only we to the 1st's and 3rd's. To even show you how stupid this whole thing
was. We as 1st lines had to claim it was all our choice and IBM had nothing
to do with it. As well HR crafted up reasons why each employee was being RA'd
(i.e. poor performance, skills mismatch, etc). In my case I had to tell my employee
it was due to a skills mismatch, however they were the only one with that skill
on a new technology that the whole product was moving to.
-Bob-
Comment 7/17/10:
So what kind of protection does joining the union give to you? Does IBM even
recognize the existence of the union? -Ed-
Alliance reply: There is strength in numbers. IBM will be forced
to recognize the union if and when you sign up and and get your co-workers to
sign up. This is a group effort. The larger the group; the better the chance
to win a contract that will protect you. If you are a public member of the Alliance
and you get harassed for doing approved Alliance work, we can file an unfair
labor charge against IBM.
Comment 7/17/10:
People believe that they won't get RAed. In 2008, some of my poor performing
ex-coworkers were being RAed. All I had to do was to remain above 50%. Then
I got RAed in 2009. As it turned out, the RA in my group was about 60%. So I
deserved what was handed to me. I looked at the people that were not laid off
(by inspecting the people applying on the GBS' contracts board. The RAed ones
were not allowed to apply as most contracts would not accept DOUs, on loan workers.)
The ones that stayed, were way better than me. So, I admitted defeat. I bet
there are a lot of those that stayed behind would believe they are better than
others and won't be RAed. And it's all relative. -Drgunzet-
Alliance reply: So what's your point? It's all relative
to who IBM decides meets 'their' requirements? IBM never makes mistakes by firing
their US employees for someone in another country that's just simply cheaper,
skills or no skills? So fighting for an employment contract is not worth the
trouble because it's all relative? Please
explain further.
Comment 7/16/10:
IBM gets Final Warning in Texas
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/politics/entries/2010/07/16/ibm_gets_final_warning_on_trou.html
Most of my friends who are State employees that transitioned
to IBM have been replaced with contract workers who are recent graduates from
foreign universities. No experience or language skills are required to service
this contract (which does call for the employees to reside in Texas). Thus,
a canceled contract would mostly impact imported contract workers. This contract
was put into place by a mandate from the Texas legislature and our current governor.
After more than three years of complaints from the State Agencies, they might
be starting to hear us? -Former IBM'er-
Comment 7/16/10:
This is definitely related to job cuts but I MUST remain anonymous due to the
confidentiality notice I was forced to sign in order to receive a settlement.
Litigation lasted eight years. We finally "won" in an aspect of discrimination.
After all that time many of us went on Social Security. IBM paid us all right.
But then they reported our settlements as regular wages for 2009. Social Security
flagged us and is threatening to confiscate our checks for the next year because
we did not report the "wages" (not even an employee since 2001!) and
we must pay back the Social Security, which means we must also pay our own Medicare
basic of $110 per month if we want benefits. Another tax writeoff as "wages"
for IBM? Another taxpayer bailout? These payments were the result of a legal
settlement, not wages or cost of doing business. There oughta be a law!
-NAS Waltz-
Comment 7/16/10:
I lost my job in ITD at the Boulder campus last month. Despite a lot of sensible
resistance by employees against the GDF mess, the company simply doesn't care
about employee mistreatment. They're hell bent on destroying services entirely,
losing their few remaining customers, and turning the company into little more
than a 3rd world body shop.
I can't tell you how many idiots in Brazil, India and Argentina I had to 'hand-hold',
and deal with over the years. The big difference between the American worker
and them is that American's generally get up to speed and are able to do their
job. Employees in places like Brazil, India and Argentina never get to that
point...they just continue to perform terribly, and try to get the few Americans
that are left to do their work for them. I don't know about the other GDF locations,
but IBM Boulder continues to get rid of fulltime technical people on a quarterly
basis. The company then plugs IBM Bangalore resources into these same positions...right
here, on our US own soil. The company is beyond a disgrace at this point, and
I'm happy to be out of there. It's still a shame that the Obama administration
handed over $30 billion to Palmisano under the guise of 'creating jobs'. If
that isn't high-crime and fraud, I don\'t know what is. I agree fully with the
comments that have been made on here on how people that kiss ass get to keep
their jobs indefinitely. Those 'types' also tend to be the least skilled US
employees. I suppose kissing ass is the logical course of action for those that
are completely talentless. The sociopathic first lines do the same thing with
their management, and don't really understand the business, nor how to manage
people properly. -ibm_spiral-
Comment 7/16/10:
It does no good for R/A IBMers to b**** abouut Sammy or Louie. This will continue
with the next CEO until IBMers have a union with a strong contract. These guys
only care about themselves and dont give a d*** about IBMers. -anan-
Comment 7/15/10:
"Starting to get pissed off? I think most unemployed; especially the
ones who lost their jobs to Brazil, Russia, India, China, Vietnam, and the Philippines
have been pissed on and then VERY pissed off for more than a decade. Yet, they
do very little about it. That's what pisses me off even more. "
Alliance member - Well said. I find it very interesting that Sammy
HAS a contract that guarantees him MILLIONS per year in stock options salary
and bonuses, yet he HATES what the Alliance is doing trying to support a Union
contract for every IBM employee. Obviously SAMMY feels privilaged like some
sort of KING and does not want us all to have what he has. SAMMY has taken more
money out of the IBM coffers to probably support the whole lot of layed off
IBMers unable to get a job now because of Sammys GREED. I find this outrageous
and disgusting and it makes me want to vomit. -IBMer-
Comment 7/15/10:
check this out: http://www.blacklistednews.com/news-9702-0-13-13--.html
"The U.S. Economy Is A Dead Horse And The American People
Are Starting To Get Really Pissed Off And Frustrated"
Starting to get pissed off? I think most unemployed; especially
the ones who lost their jobs to Brazil, Russia, India, China, Vietnam, and the
Philippines have been pissed on and then VERY pissed off for more than a decade.
Yet, they do very little about it. That's what pisses me off even more.
-Alliance member-
Comment 7/15/10:
http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/07/15/1563033/600-ibm-jobs-come-with-an-if.html
600 IBM jobs come with an 'if'
Firm reneged on Charlotte jobs; latest plan puts them in Research Triangle Park.
By David Ranii
david.ranii@newsobserver.com
Posted: Thursday, Jul. 15, 2010
Last week's announcement that IBM plans to hire 600 workers for its new mortgage
processing center in Research Triangle Park had a familiar ring to it. -Anonymous-
Comment 7/15/10:
I need to cut the most percentage from my budget possible, lets see, if I lay
off a worker making $60,000 or one making $100,000, hmmm, wonder which one will
return more savings. DUH. -Its-The-Money-Stupid-
Alliance reply: You are right of course; but it's worse
than that. IBM is firing the $60,000 workers as well. They are clearing out
the IBM US worker population; hundreds at a time. And yet, many of the IBMers
left, don't seem to see that organizing and fighting back as a group will make
any difference. It is pathetic.
Comment 7/14/10:
Anyone who was RA'd should check out the benefits provided by the government
Trade Act. Several petitions already open and all you need to do is apply with
your state. Here is the one for email and collaboration. http://www.doleta.gov/tradeact/taa/taadecisions/taadecision.cfm?taw=73218
Good luck, there are better companies
out there. -IBgone-
Comment 7/14/10:
"My manager actually said at a department meeting that he has a team
of Olympic Gold Medal winners and it's up to us to convince him how we stand
out against our peers. Oh brotha!"
My manager said something similar about a team of
Olympic-caliber workers. Well, just for the record, IBM has 399,409 workers,
while about 13,000 athletes compete at the Summer and Winter Olympics in 33
different sports and nearly 400 events. So, these math-challenged managers who
make these statements are off by a factor of 31 when they compare IBM workers
to "Olympic-caliber" workers and a factor of 999 when they compare
IBM workers to Olympic gold medal winners. -Anonymous-
Comment 7/13/10:
Gone - congratulations. YOU are one of the very very very few at this time.
Most of us are experiencing what Bewildered mentions. I had the same experience....networked,
applied to hundreds of jobs up and down the east coast. I have an impressive
resume (non-technical but impressive) and am from a top tier college. My point
is.....you don't want to be out on the street right now and for all you complainers,
there are few companies hiring right now that don't expect tons of OT, have
limited to no salary increases, and bare-bones benefits. If you are still with
IBM...keep on looking for a new job (that's time consuming as well) and/OR work
for the "sure thing".... leverage that the union can bring. You can
do it anonymously, just DO IT. -Silly Willy-
Comment 7/13/10:
First, I'm a dues paying Alliance member. For those interested,, managers are
currently going through mid-year reviews and having to designate the top 10%
AND bottom10% of their employees. This is in GBS. I don't know what other divisions
are doing. The HR directive is still on the track of a "High Performance
Culture" which means EVERY year a new set of "bottom/low" performers
are targeted. Once an RA is in the works, the low performers are dead ducks
(although I have seen 2+ performers get on an RA list). But generally, it's
the low performers targeted. But here's the rub, GBS employees are leaving in
droves! They can't staff projects and hardly anyone responds to external job
postings. So, that begs the question, why continue with this high performance
crap which continues to demoralize employee with unfair performance rating.
My manager actually said at a department meeting that he has a team of Olympic
Gold Medal winners and it's up to us to convince him how we stand out against
our peers. Oh brotha! All employees see through this sh** and managers look
like fool spewing this crap. The Bench Management Process has been discontinued
but not before it caused horrible damage to morale amongst the rank and file.
We, the average employee, will NEVER change how things are. The best we can
do is join the union and have a collective voice. -darwin's radio-
Comment 7/13/10:
Surely the government has created a precedent we can leverage on. BP, through
their management decisions, impacted the earnings ability of many in the Gulf
and therefore must pay compensation for lost earnings for the foreseeable future(as
long as their decision impacts revenue). IBM, who gets significant revenue from
the government, decided to offshore jobs and RA'd many US employees to enrich
their profits. No difference in impact, surely they should be required to compensate
for lost earnings going forward?? Want to raise this with your elected officials???
-Logical-
Comment 7/13/10:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/07/13/ibm_cops_to_massive_bank_failure/
IBM employee sparks massive bank outage
-Anonymous-
Comment 7/13/10:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20100713/tc_pcworld/ibmtakesblameformassivebanksystemfailure
IBM Takes Blame for Massive Bank System Failure -Anon-
Comment 7/13/10:
To: -4merBeamer- I know for a fact that firs line managers decide WHO
go. They are told from above "how many". I was targeted because I
was not an a** kisser. I refused to be the managers puppet after others left
and I was asked to pick up the slack of many. I know a first line personally
that had several favorites. Those people have been there for over 10 years now
and remain there today. Some of them have changed jobs many many times in IBM
and are thriving today because this first line protects them. You have 2 choices
in IBM.... you can suck up to the first line, or orgainze and get a Union in
that place. Those are your only options to be safe and treated fairly.
-not_a_butt_kisser-
Comment 7/13/10:
Fighting to keep a job that has some benefits and pays the bills is NEVER a
fools game. Fighting to improve ones lot in life through payraises or better
jobs is a good thing also. Improving your lot in life with an employment contract
is a very good thing. IBM's CEO thinks so. Having your raises and performance
bonus and vacation and retirement and seniority and layoffs defined by a contract
will certainly help morale. Sam Palmissanos morale has never been higher then
when he got his contract. When IBMers have employment contracts like their CEO
has then they will be able to concentrate on competing against their competitors
instead of each other. They will be able to do their jobs without worrying about
who is screwing them to get ahead for their 1 percent raise. They can go back
to being friends and true team members with their coworkers which will make
their work environment nicer. If bad things come their way they will know by
their contract how things will be handled. How severence, retraining, job search
assistance can all be defined in a contract. Going it alone is not a good thing
anymore. If you think things are pretty bad at IBM right now then you understand
what life without a contract is like. Try life with a contract. Ask yourself
if it could really be worse. Remember that contracts are very good for you and
the company you work for. It allows both you and the company to be able to budget
resources defined by the contract. That\'s why company executives in ALL the
companies have contracts. Thats why you need one also. -Doyathink?-
Comment 7/13/10:
sound familiar?
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Ten-Signs-of-a-FearBased-bizwk-1029763761.html?x=0&.v=1
-anonymous-
Comment 7/13/10:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38206989/ns/business-bloomberg_businessweek/
Ten signs you work in a fear-based workplace Tyrannical, brown-nosers
rising again â?? and it could hurt your company -Anonymous-
Comment 7/13/10:
Silly Willy - I can't agree with you - there is a grain of truth in
what you say, but fighting to stay at IBM is a fool's game. Fighting for better
conditions for those who do stay is another. I just left this week for another
job with better pay, an actual pension and weaker medical insurance. Overall
a net gain I think. More importantly however, how can you put a price on morale?
-Gone-
Alliance Reply: You CAN put a price on morale... it's called
a union contract. If you want it bad enough.
Comment 7/13/10:
I think RAs are a thing of the past because I heard of no new real reports of
quantity for some time. I suspect RAs are now called you are on bench and not
billable so fired. I also see that the bench is all time low. And that we have
jobs open forever with no one to fill. I am sad that those that were RAd cannot
do the jobs they are needed for again. -questionman-
Comment 7/13/10:
I've seen a lot of discussion on here about who makes the decision to lay someone
off, 1st line managers or higher. From experience it's usually someone higher
up that decides the cuts will be made and then they force the first lines to
decide who. Frankly it would be more courageous if the 2nd/3rd line managers
would decide who but most are too cowardly or disconnected to make those kinds
of decisions. However, this isn't unique to IBM. It's the same in most large
corporations. What's unique to IBM is the fact it keeps occurring every 3 to
6 months like clockwork and yet the employees don't feel a need to unionize.
-4merBeamer-
Comment 7/12/10:
Technicians at IBM East Fishkill NY that are a Band 5 or less are now having
there mid term review and being told what they have to do to improve their rating
by the end of the Year! Then are being told that there is no salary plan this
year for technicians and will be getting nothing for their yearly efforts. Meanwhile
Band 6 and above will be getting an adjusted annual increase from 1 to 5 %.
With IBM making in excess of 200 billion profits and the CEO giving himself
another 20 million pension increase. I don't know about you but my mother always
told me that what you do for one you do for another. As we well know IBM no
longer has any common etiquette when the Watson philosophy was that you take
care of your employees and they will take care of you! Now the rich get richer
and the poor gets poorer with the main interest the shareholder!
-Expendable Technician-
Comment 7/12/10:
Was RAed 17 months ago, had 23 yrs. at ibm, many certifications, a MBA and have
applied to over 1k job applications, as well as numerous resumes being sent
out. Not a single job offer, contracting, consulting, p/t or f/t. Interviews
are impossible to get. IBM's name means NOTHING out in the market place. It
holds no weight and getting employment is pathetic. -bewildered-
Comment 7/12/10:
To trexibmer. The point was, those of us still here are not shaking in our boots
as so many people write on this board. We still work hard and do the best we
can. Some of us just dont give a damn about IBM any more but that does not mean
I dont do the best job I can all the time. I am just not shaking in my boots,
-BeatUp-
Comment 7/12/10:
To -trexibmer- - you say that Meat Up should just
figure out how to give a damn. Problem is, and this is from many of my friends
still in IBM, is that they see what's going on, wondering why THEY did not get
RAed, asking themselves how these good people DID get RAed, knowing that in
many cases, THEY should have gotten it if it were project, or total contribution
based, wondering why many other no-ops are still there while the good ones got
RAed, and it is only human nature to get despondent, and just wonder why care,
look what it gets you. You're right, they *should* try to give a damn, but reality
says it gets you nowhere, so why bother, because damned if you do, damned if
you don't, and THAT is leading to IBM's continued decline in quality, innovativeness,
customer service, etc... It's more of (if I may paraphrase those friends), not
so much of a "don't give a damn" but more of a why bother, caring
(the way we used to) gets you no further, so why invest emotionally knowing
it will change nothing? -RAed Jan 09-
Comment 7/11/10:
Sorry -beemedout- but I don't believe you were a 1st line. If so then
you would have done the ranking and identified the top , middle and bottom contributors.
Then you would either MIS or RA the bottom . How many people did you have to
fire in your career? If you couldn't make those tough decisions then maybe an
up line did your job for you.Budgets were different they were given to us and
we had to manage them.Salary was also computed for us and all we had was some
internal movement , take from 1 to give to another. Another tough decision.
I stopped playing the game and now am RA'ed. Times are tougher on the outside
but I'll survive. -wasa1stlinenow ra'd-
Comment 7/11/10:
-beemedout-, you're right, the 2nd-line and director control the budget, and
their budgets are controlled by their execs. Depending on the type of RA, the
1st line doesn't have as much say as you might think.
I've been told by 1st lines that In recent RA's, prior
to the RA exercise, they've been told to rank employees in their department's
key skill areas. Bottom of the list in the wrong skill, and you're out. HR determines
which skills are not needed, so if you\'re in a department and one of only 2
people that know a skill, even if you're both 2+'s, if the manager ranked you
lower, you could be on the list handed down by HR. 1st lines have gotten smarter
about this and now list their low performers on all of these skill lists, so
HR is probably going to come out with new ways to figure out who to cut. This
type of RA is probably work elimination. We had another RA recently where the
lists were made by the 2nd-lines, the 1st lines were in the dark and most of
the cuts ended up being based on geography around the country vs. types of skills.
Many 2 & 3 performers were kept while good 2+ (my perception) workers were
cut, because they worked and lived in the wrong part of the country. In your
old-school RA, it was more the first-line's call, which 3 or low 2-performer
should they cut. Now, its more likely something coming down from the top that
the 1st line just has to execute. -new2rchland-
Comment 7/10/10:
-Silly Willy-, great article about Bob Moffat. What a slime ball. People
just don't change. This was the guys nature all along. Interesting that he was
Sam's right hand man next in line for CEO. Tells you something about Sammy.
On another note, I was abused for years at IBM by this sick type of IBM "leadership".
When I finally stood up to these crooks I got RA'ed. I'm glad I'm out of that
hell hole. -IBMer-
Comment 7/09/10:
-wasa1stlinenow ra'd- I still beg to differ. 1st lines have no power
when it comes to operating budgets. So why would a first line have any power
to pull a trigger based on a budget they don't control? It is all from the 2nd
line and director who makes the RA decisions and then makes the 1st line execute
them. The 2nd line and director have more to gain. The 1st line manager in IBM
is basically the messenger; not the decision maker. I know: I was a 1st line
manager but got RAed. -beemedout-
Comment 7/09/10:
-Beat Up- So you just don't give a damn period? If so, this is truly
a bad attitude. Well you better have a plan once you get RA'ed. Then you find
out how tough the 10,000+ USA RA'ed are finding it. If your not going to work
toward being part of the solution then you are part of the big problem. Life
in IBM is not good (and you are not doing anything good about it).-trexibmer-
Comment 7/09/10:
Two things..
1 - if you're still with IBM, you should do everything you can to STAY, including
joining this union and spreading the news about the union. I was one of the
10,000 in 2009 and not only is it TOUGH out there to find a job, the benefits
at IBM really are good. Grass isn't greener, not now at least.
2- Juicy scoop on the Moffat scandal. I KNEW it. http://money.cnn.com/2010/07/06/news/companies/ibm_insider_trading.fortune/
-Silly Willy-
Comment 7/09/10:
Jobs cut in Application Hosting Services. I'm in Endicott and was not hit but
we lost 5 people who were geographically disbursed throughout the US last week
-Anonymous-
Comment 7/08/10:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128362511
Annual Job Review Is 'Total Baloney,' Expert
Says -Anonymous-
Comment 7/08/10:
Nothing new here, but now a study proves it:
"...rising CEO pay results in power asymmetries in the workplace such
that top executives come to view lower level workers as dispensable objects
not worthy of human dignity.." http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1612486
-Canonymous-
Comment 7/08/10:
MEMORANDUM
To: All CDI ITD Resources
From: Andy Morgan, Director
Subject: Extension of 2010 Q2 Work Reduction and Zero OT Restriction Programs
IBM recently notified CDI that the 2nd quarter work reduction and zero OT
restriction programs have been extended through October 2nd, 2010. All CDI
ITD/DSS resources are required to reduce normal work schedules by 15% and
are not allowed to work any OT (AWS excluded) without prior written approval
by IBM Management (IBM OT approval should be forwarded to your Account Executive
named below) through October 2nd. This action is not a reflection of any dissatisfaction
over the services provided by you or CDI but rather an IBM business decision.
Your IBM Manager will work directly with your CDI Account Executive to coordinate
a reduced work schedule that minimizes any impact to IBM or its clients. You
should receive the communication regarding your reduction schedule from your
CDI Account Executive. When you begin working the reduced schedule and notifying
CDI of these reduced work hours, please enter 0 hours into the CDI Web Based
Time reporting tool and note the words â??work reductionâ?
in the comment section. CDI Resources exempted from these programs in Q2 by
IBM Management may by exempt in Q3 as well - confirmation should be made with
your IBM Manager. This decision and action is not to be discussed with any
IBM clients. It is expected that normal work schedules will resume after this
request is completed. You should understand that this action is being taken
by IBM to retain as many CDI resources as possible for future work. Please
address any questions to your CDI Account Executive.
CDI Account Executives
Lisa Clawson: lisa.clawson@cdicorp.com
/ (303)924-1262 - (NV/UT/AZ/CO/ID/WY/NE/MT)
Mike Busick: mike.busick@cdicorp.com
/ (919)379-0245 - (MD/DC/VA/NYC/NJ/PA/DE/NC)
John Page: jonathan.page@cdicorp.com
/ (614)438-4178 - (IL/IN/MO/WI/MN/MI/ND/SD/IA/KS/KY/WV/OH)
Andy Morgan: andy.morgan@cdicorp.com
/ (919)379-0254 - (ME/VT/NH/MA/CT/RI/NY)
Mary Lockner: mary.lockner@cdicorp.com
/ (970)690-8682 - (CA/WA/HI/OR/AK/TX/LA/AR/OK/NM)
Doug Parker: douglas.parker@cdicorp.com
/ (770)325-3367 - (FL/GA/AL/TN/SC/MS)
Cori Schuller: cori.schuller@cdicorp.com
/ (563)845-4119 - (Dubuque) -anonymous-
Comment 7/07/10:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/07/06/the-more-ceos-make-the-wo_n_636606.html
The More CEOs Make, The Worse They Treat Workers, Says A New Study.
-Anon-
Comment 7/07/10:
To those that say those of us still at IBM are scared, afraid of losing our
job or shaking in our boots, to you I say you are wrong. Us still here just
dont give a damn anymore. -Beat Up-
Comment 7/07/10:
To Anon, That is an interesting YouTube video. Funny thing IBM is doing the
exact same thing. The greedy bastards are integrating the work for free opportunities
for the suckers out there. They offer a measly reward for the solution, however,
there is no audit to show that they do not steal the solutions offered by everyone.
Relative to their idea's program several years ago; I was denied this small
reward, however, they used the idea anyway. Like I said, the "bastards".
-Anon-Too-
Comment 7/06/10:
To beemedout : The pressure is on the 1st line mgr to pick the ranking list.
Very little involvement by up lines or HR (they set the #'s) unless the up lines
want to save someone. Look your 1st line in the face and you will see he/she
pulled the trigger on your job -wasa1stlinenow ra'd-
Comment 7/06/10:
Of all the insulting things to do to justify lower pay and recognition. Research
Division management presented this in order to inspire us. The higher the reward,
the lower the performance is the message. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6XAPnuFjJc
-Anon-
Comment 7/06/10: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100706/ap_on_hi_te/us_tec_technology_consolidation
This is related to job cuts since tech mergers lead to layoffs --anonymous--
Comment 7/06/10:
"And people who got RAd have been given opportunity to be contractors"
Really? By whom? IBM? -anonymous-
Comment 7/06/10:
Tech customers question industry's takeover spree http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100706/D9GPAL004.html
-anon-
Comment 7/06/10:
I've posted a number of (I think) helpful info answers here over the past year,
and now I'm going to post an observation of self-realization in the hopes that
it helps some of you who are still with IBM...
I was one of those old-school (although I am still young - mid
40's) IBMers who really believed the original Basic Beliefs. I lived them, and
for most of my career in IBM it served me well. Well, I got RAed. Solid (well
above average) performer and all that. Now for the self-realization - I was
bitter when I got RAed. I did not cry, I took it like a grown up and moved on.
Through some trials and tribulations, I am now well-employed by a company that
is doing well financially, I am making more than I was at IBM (and my IBM salary,
while not tops, was pretty respectable) and I have good growth prospects here
etc etc etc. But here's the thing - there is a part of me that wishes I was
still with IBM. I see all of the continued lousy raises, overlooked recognition,
rotten working environment, uncertain stability and future and so on, but there
is something still nagging me that I would like to still be part of that insanity.
Perhaps it was the familiar environment, the (whatever are left) perks that
come with working for IBM, but I suspect, and here is the relevance to this
post and the forum, that it is this unexplained emotion that causes many to
hesitate to join the Alliance (it did for me - to my detriment) out of fear,
biting the hand that is for now still feeding you, wanting ot to just "be
all right" etc. Even now, after getting shafted, there is still this unexplainable
nagging want to still be part of it. Please learn from others, and perhaps this
post of self-realization, and JOIN the Alliance and GET a CONTRACT.
-RAed Jan 09-
Comment 7/06/10:
"As I see it the reason IBM is such a lousy company to work for is
because most folks don't join this union. A beemer opening their mouth for the
right cause is as rare now as a dodo bird sighting. IBM management likes you
wishy washy, do nothin', wait and see, no actung, don't stand up and spit types
and it gives them all the more ammunition to do job cuts. The fireworks will
continue now. If the quarterly numbers finally disappoint you can bet IBM management
will have the ax sharper and ready."
Well said. It seems like with the waves of layoffs over the last
several years have most IBM employees "shaking in their boots" fearful
of losing their job. Therefore they keep their mouth shut. Sam Palmisano has
created a horrible company culture. I hope someday Sam gets what he deserves.
A big kick in the ass for all the pain and grief he has caused to so many people.
-IBMer-
Comment 7/06/10:
I heard that there are less people getting cut in the united states and more
jobs. And people who got RAd have been given opportunity to be contractors.
Not too bad because it is work in bad market. If you get RAd see if you can
be contractor. It gives better flexibility and you only loose benefits. I read
that other companies only hire people with jobs. That is a shame for people
going back in the workforce after watching children at home or on sick leave
as others talked about. People complain about job cuts, but if it goes away,
so will this only remaining section of the alliance webpage. So please support
the alliance. I wonder if more people would join if first year was free. Then
alliance would have numbers. -RAswindingdown-
Alliance reply: We are more than just this web site
and the job cuts comment section. By the way, we have 3 levels of membership.
The 3rd one is subscriber and it has always been free. No one is rushing to
that one either. But the bottom line is that we need dues in order for the organization
to survive.
Comment 7/05/10:
As I see it the reason IBM is such a lousy company to work for is because most
folks don't join this union. A beemer opening their mouth for the right cause
is as rare now as a dodo bird sighting. IBM management likes you wishy washy,
do nothin', wait and see, no actung, don't stand up and spit types and it gives
them all the more ammunition to do job cuts. The fireworks will continue now.
If the quarterly numbers finally disappoint you can bet IBM management will
have the ax sharper and ready. -ibmumers-
Comment 7/03/10:
-Gone_in_07- I don't think first lines pull the RA trigger generally.
They might give input but the decision is organizational based at higher management
levels. I had a strong feeling I was to be RAed when on medical leave, when
rated as a PBC 2+, I got a 0% raise. When I asked IBM HR why I didn't get a
raise when I heard PBC 2+'s generally got one I asked whether being on medical
leave had anything to do with it. No answer. When I returned to work I learned
of my RA. I am sure my IBM director made the RA decision about me. He never
helped me whenever I asked for a salary review. He never supported me on anything
actually. -beemedout-
Comment 7/03/10:
-Time-For-A-New-Job- Have you joined the Alliance
yet? Why not fight for better work conditions while you are still in IBM. At
least then when you leave IBM for another job you can say you at least tried
to make a difference. -anonymous-
Comment 7/02/10:
To Both Anonymouses on 07/02/2010. I know it's hard to find a job right now,
I have friends that have been out of work for over a year. You don't have to
preach to me. For every person we lose on our team, we hire 2 or 3 in India,
so I know my job is on the way out. Read a little closer too, I AM a union member.
Your desire to bark negative comments at me clearly clouded your reading capability
there. And if you think my salary is overinflated, you have no idea what I'm
making, so stop assuming. I'll complain as much as I want. I put in more than
my honest 8 hours every day, have done so for almost 20 years and deserve better
than this. We all do. So let's work together and stop attacking each other,
otherwise they've already won -anonymous-
Comment 7/02/10:
"A contract is a written promise. Having no contract means you have
no promise(s) and is taking IBM at their word only. IBM can't be trusted from
their word."
Has anything IBM has said in the past few years you can count on and has
helped you as an employee or retiree? -soapboxer-
Comment 7/02/10:
Hundreds of RAed IBMers not only have no job, no raise, now they have no unemployment
insurance. So stop the whining about what your raise was
or wasn't and how hard you worked. YOU STILL HAVE A JOB, well, at least for
the time being. If you want to keep working in IBM, JOIN the Alliance UNION
ASAP or be prepared to join the hundreds of RAed employees who have nothing
now. -anonymous-
Comment 7/02/10:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-01/how-to-make-an-american-job-before-it-s-too-late-andy-grove.html
How to Make an American Job Before It's Too Late: Andy Grove - Bloomberg
News -Anon-
Comment 7/02/10:
To the IBM'er who got the raise, yes, be thankful you got a raise and still
have a job. You haven't been RA'd yet and don't know that it is not easy to
find a job -- and a job anywhere near your current inflated salary. Be thankful
and stop complaining -Anonymous-
Comment 7/02/10:
With all of the firings over the past 6 months has there been an increase of
voting members of the Alliance? Things have calmed down up here.
-BTV'er-
Alliance reply: A few have joined recently but we
need much more. To all reading this that are not members: Want to change conditions
for the better? Want to have a contract that guarantees raises? Want a guaranteed
voice inside IBM? Want job cuts negotiated? Help us build up the Alliance. Join
today
Comment 7/02/10:
No raise at all this year, it is time to start looking for another job. This
company is hopeless and IBM Management knows that the workers are afraid to
stand up for themselves, I will demonstrate how this is done by leaving since
no one is willing to work for a better environment. Say what you want defenders
of the sinking ship, but I fought a good fight along the way. It is up to the
people to join together and there seems to be 3 classes. The older ones are
stuck on their pensions and afraid to rock the boat. The middle career class
are in debt up to their eye-balls and think their jobs are secure. The younger
career class just doesn't believe in organizing because they think this bullshit
is acceptable so they just don't give a shit. I predict some jerk will give
me grief on here, but that is part of the problem, people are not allowed to
voice their opinion and the protectionists chew up anyone with their own opinion
and spit them out. I am sure there will be some jerk jumping on me, I really
don't care anymore, chew on this dust as my feet leave the building.
-Time-For-A-New-Job-
Comment 7/02/10:
To -long_time_beemer- : I know for a fact I was RA'd by my first line manager.
When my team was reorged we got a new manager and SHE kept her team lead from
another team in place as our team lead. He knew nothing about our operation
and just had a big mouth. She wanted me to lead the team but he would have the
title. I refused to be her puppet. As a result, the next RA had my name on it.
The other team members told me later, they were told I was let go because I
was "too disgruntled". So how do we fight discrimination like this?
The only way is with a Union in place. To those of you left, organize and unionize.
It's the only way. Otherwise you are an "at will" employee and this
company and management are going to treat you any way they want. Happy 4th of
July to all. -Gone_in_07-
Comment 7/02/10:
Thanks to everyone who replied re:CB plan. I will run the numbers.
-kingpawn-
Comment 7/01/10:
Ich, there is a huge bump at 30 years in the CB plan
annuity. As much as 30% depending on how much before age 65 you retire and draw.
-wrong-
Alliance Reply: Let's not debate this topic any further.
This is the Job Cuts reports section. If you wish to discuss topics other than
that, at length, why not join Alliance@IBM
as a member and then get registered for our "members only forum"?
There are several discussions on our "members only forum"; which include
pensions, salary, and PBC.
Comment 7/01/10:
Manager gave us our salary increases on Monday (if you can call it that). I
took my 0.57% increase (yep, you read that right) and joined the union. Thanks
IBM!! Come on guys. We work our tail off day in and day out. I read yesterday
Palmisano had his pension increased from $20M to $40M. Let's do something to
stop this nonsense when we're receiving salary increases of less than $50/month
(don't tell me I should be happy I got an increase, or that I have a job. My
workload doubled AGAIN last year, and this is how they thanked me). Let's make
things right at this company when we were proud for what it stood for and what
it meant to be an IBM employee! -anonymous-
Comment 7/01/10:
"Sorry, but union or no union, IBM will continue to RA folks. With
a union you just may get a better package. A union doesn't mean job security
-anonymous- "
A union means a contract. You know;Like Sammy the CEO has. I
am sure HIS contract does provide some level of security and defined benefits
and retirement and severence. Just like ours will when enough folks realize
if a contract is good enough for Sammy its good enough for us, also. Contracts
must be good for IBM or Sammy would not have one! Its the least we can do to
emulate our leadership and demand a contract also. If Sams contract is good
for IBM ours will be even better for IBM because there are so many of us currently
without one. I wanna be like Sammy! So should you. -Doyathink?-
Comment 7/01/10:
Well, looks like the U.S. Senate failed on an action to vote to fund the unemployment
"emergency" benefits. Won't try again until after recess, soonest
7/12. Note, depending on your state, you may roll into the Extended Benefits
that is separate from the Emergency Tiers that wait funding by Congress.
-anonymous-
Comment 6/30/10:
"I got screwed into the CB plan and was wondering if there is anything
that kicks in at 30 years that I would miss if I left at 28 or 29 years."
Sorry, the cash balance plan is not a retirement plan but a cash
fund that is used till it's gone. There is no "Kick" after 30 years
or any other time as in the defind retirement plan that you were screwed out
of. With the CB plane, once the money is gone, it's gone.
"I have noticed a pattern in the RA's. Everyone who has been RA'd
has not had a union contract."
Because no one in the US IBM has a union contract, what's the
point? Sign up with 80,000 of your friends, then maybe you can stop the insanity
-Ich Bin Muede-
Comment 6/30/10:
-He Who Carries the Pickle- That is why I, as a Republican and now
a Tea Partier, back the Alliance. This might seems strange, but let me explain
myself. Sure, unions might not be perfect but IBM is a crooked, corrupt, immoral
mess that needs a union to try to keep it, should I say, honest in it's dealing
with their employees as they deal with their customers.. -anonymous-
Alliance reply: Thank you for your support. AllIance@IBM does not publicly support
any party or political platform. Our sole issue is Labor and the mission to
organize IBM employees toward a union contract. We have members that are Republicans,
Democrats, Independents, etc. and all members agree that a union contract with
IBM will level the playing field for non-management employees. We hope you will
sign-up as a member
and help us continue the work we started; toward a union contract for IBM employees.
Comment 6/30/10:
"I was always friendly with the VP of my organization but even he clammed
up and could not help me"
If your not part of the solution is helping employees
then you are part of the big problem with IBM. Life in IBM is not good.
-trexibmer-
Comment 6/30/10:
-kingpawn- I would run the NetBenefits calculator to find out what
it says based on 28,29, 30 years for the cash balance plan (CB):: http://www.netbenefits.com
You supposedly get a "bump" in the
PPA at 30 years. But with the pension (both cash balance (CB) and real defined
benefit pension being frozen the CB bump is probably not as much as it had as
intended when IBM tried to do their "sell job" (or more correctly
"screw job") on saying that the CB plan was "cost neutral"
meaning the employee does not lose money based on the "time value of money".
An idiot appeals court judge agreed IBM was non-discriminatory. But Janet Kreuger
and Kathi Cooper and then the Alliance enlightened us and found out that CBers
were cheated, and cheated badly. Some could lose about 50% of their once promised
IBM pension benefit. -king'sgambit-
Comment 6/30/10:
Sorry, but union or no union, IBM will continue to RA folks. With a union you
just may get a better package. A union doesn't mean job security -anonymous-
Alliance reply: Actually it is much more than that. A union AND a contract,
as a legal document, requires certain things from managment and the company.
Justifying job cuts is one. Making sure that people are not singled out based
on age, illness, etc. The company and the union are required to have a dialogue
and negotiations on job cuts, including finding alternatives. It is not just
IBM's way or the highway.
Comment 6/30/10:
Anyone who wants to console themselves and think HR chooses who gets RA'ed is
kidding themselves. These decisions are made by your line management, usually
at a second line level or above. HR does provide the amount or percentage of
people to get the axe in an organization. -long_time_beemer-
Comment 6/30/10:
The new unemployment stand alone bill should pass in the US House today and
Senate by week's end. Keep your fingers crossed. 2010 Unemployment Extension
- Standalone House Bill H.R. 5618 Still Alive -anonymous-
Comment 6/30/10:
Not sure about the correlation between medical leave and RA's. I was out in
2009 for 3 months (originally scheduled for 6 weeks but had complications),
and I'm still here. However, a friend had shoulder surgery and was out for extended
time in 2009 and was RA'd in 2010. Maybe they keep just enough of us to 'prove'
they don't RA people with medical issues, or perhaps my name is on a list, but
I haven't been notified yet. Sad part is, my friend needed and wanted to stay
in the job, and I want out of IBM.
On another note, like others have said, the one thing that IS the same for ALL
ra'd workers they were without union contract. I joined the union, What have
YOU done lately to ensure you're not next? -Something to THINK about-
Comment 6/30/10:
Where the concept of outsourcing and offshoring came from, and who teaches IBM
and others to do it http://www.nytimes.com/2010/06/29/technology/29dell.html?src=busln
-Nonymous-
Comment 6/30/10:
I have noticed a pattern in the RA's. Everyone who has been RA'd has not had
a union contract. -Doyathink?-
Comment 6/29/10:
With the cash balance plan, is there any difference retiring after
28 years rather than making 30 years? I got screwed into the CB plan and was
wondering if there is anything that kicks in at 30 years that I would miss if
I left at 28 or 29 years. Thanks. - kingpawn-
Comment 6/29/10:
To Medical Problems: There is no trend towards those out for an
extended period of time with medical problems. There is a trend towards American
workers, period. It doesn't matter who you are or what job you work in. If you
are in the US, you are targeted for RA, skills rebalancing, or whatever colorful
name they want to call it this year. The way IBM treats workers is why Unions
got started in the first place. Unfair labor practices. Unless workers band
together and get a union in place, IBM will never be a good company to work
for. -Gone_in_07-
Comment 6/28/10:
"Has anyone else noticed a pattern of RA'ing those who were out
for an extended period of time due to medical problems?"
A pattern? Could very well be. But of course IBM will say it is all without
merit. Without a union and being an AT WILLl employee IBM can do whatever
it wants in regards to employees who have medical issues and missed billable
hours because of medical reasons.
A case in fact: I was out on short term disability last year for months and
then was shortly RA'ed when I returned too.
When I started my 30 day blacklisted from applying for another IBM job period
I was told I couldn't report to work site. Like I had a communicable disease
or something.
Now I get an IBM health representative from IBM sponsored health insurance
calling me how my health is and how I am feeling .and I don't even work for
them anymore even though have to pay the exorbitant COBRA premiums. When I
was on disability no calls were made. When I was working for them I had to
make sure I couldn't take two consecutive sick days without a doctor's note.
Talk about IBM caring about employee health. Like why would IBM really care
about an ex-employees health now?
Maybe IBM knows something about the health issues that have
befallen those they soon RA? A pattern? Quite right. -sickend-
Comment 6/28/10:
There are a lot of people who have negative feelings about unions,
some of them very vocal. I was one of them. There were places I worked in which
I saw unions that were corrupt, full of lazy workers who felt a sense of entitlement
that I could not relate to at all. But in the past ten years I have seen things
from a different perspective. When corporations put share price above all else,
disregarding the quality of their product or service, that is a problem. When
they make immense sums of money without sharing it among those whose time, efforts,
sacrifice, and knowledge brought in the profits, it is unfair. When hard working
people are dropped after dedicating years to their job since there is a cheaper
alternative overseas or in a town with lower cost of living, something is amiss.
I am a realist and do not think that a union will be without its drawbacks or
potential for problems, but things are certainly not in your favor as they are.
Those who are truly happy with things as they have been are in the minority
-- I fear that the majority are just too beaten down and timid to speak up.
IBM would not have such enormous profits if it were not for those in the trenches
working so many hours in fear of losing their jobs for salaries that are below
the market average. We work overtime without documenting it. We don't take vacation
days we are eligible for because we fear being out of the office will put us
on the next list. We've lost a viable pension plan, variable pay, and no longer
even hold out hope for a pay increase each year. We watch as thousands of fellow
workers are unceremoniously forced out of the company during a great recession
while IBM posts record earnings. We no longer get training in what we need to
do our jobs, let alone that which would enable us to advance our careers. I
just don't see why the membership has not expanded dramatically since January
2009. -He Who Carries the Pickle-
Comment 6/28/10:
I agree with the poster who said that there is a pattern of RA'ing
those who become sick and disabled. I became disabled in 2008 and was out for
5 months - Since I worked from home I was able to go back to work but 8 mths
later after a fantastic appraisal and the largest bonus payment I ever got -
I was selected for the RA. I was 2 months short of my 29th year - but I was
able to get back on Short Term Disability with my doctor's help for 3 months
and when I came back got the retirement bridge. I was always friendly with the
VP of my organization but even he clammed up and could not help me - I am sure
it was HR who picked me because of my illness. -Anonymous-
Comment 6/28/10:
Has anyone else noticed a pattern of RA'ing those who were out
for an extended period of time due to medical problems? Last year I had some
pretty bad medical issues and was out and in march of this year I was RA'ed.
Asking around I noticed a pattern several others who have been RA'ed were in
a similar boat. I heard though a source in IBM that even though my case for
retention went way up the chain (VP's etc) HR was the one who ultimately denied
me staying in. Anyone else notice that pattern as well? -Anonymous-
Comment 6/26/10:
Job cuts at Greenock IBM SPango valley , Managed out told to find
a job within 4 Weeks found a job only to be told that they don't want IBMer
employed as they want a Agency, Cant win any way -Joe-
Comment 6/26/10:
I was in RAed in April 2009. I have since been unable to find
a job in IT. Now with the Senate killing the federal emergency unemployment
benefits what is next -unemped-
Comment 6/25/10:
If your hiring manager is really willing to hire you, make sure
that the HR people work on your paperwork as they are supposed to. For some
reason, they tend to procrastinate on time sensitive issues like this.
- Responding to Anonymous-
Comment 6/24/10:
Guys I was RA ed about a year ago. It is tough economy. Finding
a job is hard, keeping yourself focused is still harder. But by grace of Almighty,
I did find a job, now onto yet another one that is better than the last two
jobs, all these jobs pay much much more than IBM and I can again dream to be
someone big. So hang in there. There is actually a better life after IBM. You
are being kicked out of IBM, only because you are destined for something big.
So dont get desperate. Good luck!! -RAed in 2009-
Comment 6/24/10:
Great translation -Fool.me.twice-. -IB-What?-
Comment 6/23/10:
I have been identified for RA from June 30th, but my case is before
a review board for another internal ibm job. Has anybody crossed the review
board stage.And if succesful, am I still in the RA list for future references
or safely out of the list? -Anonymous-
Comment 6/22/10:
---email received:
"IBM recently notified CDI that it intends to get all CDI purchase
order resources loaded into its Professional Market Place (PMP) tool. This will
give IBM Managers within ITDA visibility to skills that may be available from
CDI placed resources when assignments end, giving you a better chance of being
redeployed into another opportunity at IBM when your current assignment ends."
----translate as, 'We need to know what jobs to advertise
for at the 75 centers of excellence we're setting up in India. So, please
tell us what you really do, so we can advertise for that position. --- so
we can hasten the end of your current assignment' ...http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6077766.cms
-Fool.me.twice-
Comment 6/22/10:
Law firm working on age discrimination in job cuts:
McTeague, Higbee, Case, Cohen, Whitney & Toker, P.A.
Address: PO Box 5000
4 Union Park
Topsham, ME 04086-5000
Map & Directions
Phone: (207) 725-5581
Fax: (207) 725-1090
E-mail: Contact
Us Web site: http://www.me-law.com
-screwed-
Comment 6/22/10:
to Screwed... do you have a contact for McTigue Higbee? I was
RA'd in March 2010 -screwed2-
Comment 6/22/10:
ISSW is unable to fulfill about one third of their contracts since they don't
have enough people (too many RAed). Bench is pretty much zero and most consultants
have already reached their target utilization for the year! ISSW has also had
a very hard time finding good contractors (remember ISSW folks are supposed
to be la creme de la creme so contractors should upheld this very high standard!).
Great job IBM and ISSW management in particular. Keep up the good work!
-Anonymous or soon to be RAed?-
Comment 6/22/10:
IBM Triangle execs named in $100M racketeering suit: http://www.wral.com/business/story/7827461/
-Duchess of Web-
Comment 6/22/10:
I have mentioned in the past if you feel you have been a victim of age discrimination
in 2010 that you should contact the ottinger firm but I have now received notice
from the Mcteague Higbee firm that they are strongly considering an age discrimination
lawsuit against IBM. In my opinion they are the best prepared firm to fight
IBM since they have won various judgement against IBM in the past and actually
gotten IBM waivers thrown out of court. -Screwed-
Comment 6/22/10:
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/6077766.cms
-Barb-
Comment 6/22/10:
The group I am in is hiring a bunch of folks. Some college grads, some contractors
and former IBM'ers either RA'd or left on their own. -Anonymous-
Comment 6/22/10:
Please keep this Job Cuts forum on base. It's not about whether the pension
plan is to be converted to a 401k. THOUSANDS have been RAed and more are sure
soon to be unless something is done by standing together and fight IBM in their
employment practices. You are sadly missing the point here if you are being
consumed with the pension rumors. If you want to discuss the pension plan, join
the Alliance and then the Alliance could be able to open up the pension discussion
forum again. -sby_willie-
Alliance reply: This is my fault for not screening the comments that
well, lately. I agree that this forum is about Job Cuts and firings. I also
agree that if IBMers want to discuss pensions, salaries, or just general topics;
they should join Alliance@IBM. Thanks for pointing this out, and thanks for
being an Alliance@IBM supporter all these years. You DO make a difference!
Comment 6/22/10:
Anyone out there receive notice about their raise or no raise for next month
yet? The delay may indicate another round of RA is quietly coming our way by
end of month. -TATA-
Alliance reply: This is the Job Cuts section-not Raise & Salary
comments. If you want to discuss Raises & Salary, join Alliance@IBM and
as a member, you can become part of the discussions on the Alliance Members
Only Forum. That said;
You should never assume that a raise is coming, at all. You should never assume
that an RA is NOT coming. I think Alliance@IBM has shown, on this web site,
that the odds are against the employees as a whole; and that the only real assumption
you should make is that you will be fired eventually, if you do not organize
and fight back.
Comment 6/21/10:
I find this amusing.. I was RA'ed.. then brought back as a contractor.. now
the division I worked for (ISSW) doesn't have enough people to fufill their
contracts. I found out that GBS is even worse than ISSW.. talk about cutting
your nose off to spite your face and short sightedness... a chuckling EX-ISSW
person who is shaking his head... -Anonymous-
Comment 6/21/10:
Offshoring really began back in the 80's when many foreign countries started
sending their engineers to get Ph.D. at US universities. They received their
degrees and then got high paying jobs with companies like IBM. Many of these
foreign engineers returned to their home country after getting their on the
job experience at companies like IBM. Now these engineers are in key positions
in their country taking away our jobs. Folks, we trainied them in our universities
and in our companies. We have no one to blame but ourselves. Don't cry about
it. It's too late to reverse it. -IBMer-
Comment 6/21/10:
All this talk about the prior pension plan. There are a few prior plans. Are
you talking the Personal Retirement Plan? The one before the 401k?
-noidea-
Comment 6/21/10:
Check this out. Whether you're 'left' or 'right'; as long as you are working
for a corporation, this should matter to you. This was on Twitter: PLEDGE: Want
corporations out of our democracy? Get involved w/ our new pledge! http://j.mp/Stand4Democ
-room2move-
Comment 6/20/10:
A lot of us have information concerning the way IBM has cheating customers out
of big bucks. We should start holding IBM accountable for the millions of dollars
that they have cheated out of customers. I personally have information as to
how IBM cheated a customer in Louisville out of millions of dollars. In fact,
I cannot believe how many projects IBM has been involved with that have failed
-- and IBM thinks it can build a smarter planet :) BTW is anyone beside me disgusted
with IBM's commercials in such American sporting events such as the US Open?
I hope IBM contributes just as much to the Chinese Open. -Anonymous-
Comment 6/20/10:
I was laid off on Jan 28th 09' from the EFK site in the mfg division. I did
not get upset the day I left, nor did I shed one tear at the thought of never
going back to work there again. Sure, I was nervous about finding another job
especially in this economy, but I started out as a temp for a medical company
and six months later was converted to perm status. I sleep better at night.
I love my job. The people I work with are awesome. The morale is wonderful.
Sure, just like any company there are pluses and minuses but I am better off
now than I was with IBM. The point I am making is as follow: Hold your head
high, don't give up. There IS life after IBM and I have not looked back since.
Good luck to all and God bless. -Glad2BGone-
Comment 6/19/10:
To save money, BP opted to cut costs hence cut corner in its infamous drilling
rig. Several millions saving now is consuming the entire company, costing the
company ten of billions if it can survive at all. Does this sound familiar?
Relentless cost cutting at IBM someday might cripple this company, just like
BP. Current IBM strategy is - BUY, MILK and DISCARD.
1) buy smaller companies with better products;
2) milk it as much as possible and feed it as less as possible;
3) Then transfer the maintenance to oversea and fire all US employees. No more
in house development in US. For those that still hold dev jobs today, you have
no tomorrow with IBM. -ibm2bp-
Comment 6/18/10:
-NotThereYet- Well why aren't these retirement eligible
folks who are "willing" to be "selected" for an RA going
to join the Alliance? If these folks agree to be RA'ed to retire then why would
IBM not think these same folks would "agree" to lose all their FHA
and get zilch (zero, 0, goose egg) for retirement medical? After all as IBM
would reason the RA package is more than the FHA balance. You mean these folks
actually trustt IBM on their word that they would still get the FHA? I for one
can't trust IBM one bit. IBM has screwed me over not once but at least twice
now after being RAed. I want something in writing from IBM/.. I want a contract
-anonymous-
Comment 6/17/10:
The only way to address this age discrimination is contact the Ottinger firm
at 866-571-5010 if you have feel you been discriminated based on age in the
most recent IBM reductions (2010) as I have indicated in the past.
-screwed-
Comment 6/17/10:
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10785007/1/10-best-companies-for-employees-and-shareholders.html
.....Finally, someone has "seen the light" that happy
workers are productive workers.... -Ich Bin Muede-
Comment 6/17/10:
"C'mon -Maywanttogo- your asking too much! Folks like you just crack
me up. No wonder the poor Alliance can't get enough of retire-eligible employees
to join. It's just sad."
Unfortunately Maywanttogo is on to something. I am hearing more
and more reports of retirement eligible ( or within a year eligible) folks going
to their manager and essentially "winking" and saying if they are
tapped for the next RA they will not be upset. There were also some who were
willing to go to save someone not retirement eligible but were not allowed.
Many folks in the upper bands (8 and higher) who are retirement eligible are
in a good financial situation and they see the separation pay as a "bonus",
and to be honest if I were in that situation I might look at it the same way.
getting $50K-$100K, even before taxes, can finance a lot of things in retirement.
One guy told me he would use it to pay for health insurance above and beyond
the FHA for more than a few year. These are the folks IBM really uses to gauge
the attitude of the employees. The current RA pay is much more generous than
a lot of companies give, and if that is what it takes to keep a groundswell
of union support from coming from these folks, IBM will keep doing it.
-NotThereYet-
Comment 6/17/10:
To Darwin's Radio - I disagree.
1) I had 2+'s and 2s most recently, with a long string of 1's
and high contributor awards, all recently.
2) My manager was one of the few that actively worked to help get me placed,
but other managers had their hands tied (he could not tell me outright, but
we had great/candid communications.
3) Managers most certainly DID get the axe. In fact, I know several managers,
2 VPs, numerous STSMs and even one Fellow who have been RAed since Jan '09,
so no one other than the really, really top eschelon of executives (those *creating*
the RA lists) are immune... -RAed Jan 09-
Comment 6/17/10:
IBM NZ have made approx 34 people redundant in NZ in April 2010 in a number
of roles, They are now saying they are employing PM's & Technical Archts
from India to cover work in NZ from 20th June. Also thay are now advertising
for contract Technical Archts to work in NZ on projects for 6 month contracts.They
are sticking two fingers up to Labour laws and believe that can get away with
what they are doing.The manager behind this is a Dave Kent in Wellington whose
name is associated to all the above. -Anonymous-
Comment 6/16/10:
An interesting story, a friend of a friend who was an IBM exec had a contract,
the person left the company, IBM did not pay contracted bonus, had to get a
lawyer, ended up getting pennies on the dollar after costs. So if you wondering,
yes, they eat their young :-)
-QTR_CENTURY-
Comment 6/16/10:
I was RA'd in the March 2010 timeframe, but was given 7 months notice because
I was working on an active, multi-year commercial project at the client location.
Stupid, huh? About a month before I was supposed to leave in October, I SUCCESSFULLY
got removed from the RA list through the efforts of some big guns on the commercial
IBM team. It went to the Senior Global Vice-president for approval, after all
the dumbass managers along the way deferred. It was a no-brainer, as I was bringing
in a third of a million dollars a year for Sam. Luckily, my management on the
account released me from our pre-nup with the commercial client so they could
talk to me about working there. It came down to 2 days before I was scheduled
to leave, and my manager had my severance checks in hand. Immediately after
I was informed that I had been "saved", my idiot manager told me that
I would have to make up 200 hours of time by the end of the year (this in November)
in order to be competitive with my peers for PBC purposes. This was a 40 hour
capped account by contract, so I didn't have much chance of doing that. It pissed
me off, and I went to the client and indicated that I would still like to go
to work for them. As I had been released, and hiring me would save them $200k
per year, they jumped at the chance to hire me. A month later, I told my manager
that I was leaving. Never felt so good in my life. I have now sprung another
person that was on my team from IBM after another dumb manager offered to help
us in any way after we ended the contract for another IBM person. He starts
with his ex-client next week. Thanks IBM for being so stupid. I\'m having a
great time with my "new" company -Moronssaywhat-
Comment 6/16/10:
to: Just curious: but has IBM put out an unofficial gag order of sorts
to IBM managers so they are not allowed to speak to or associate with RAed employees?
-anonymously- -- Stop and think about your question, who in their right mind
would want to talk to a depressed person about their layoff? Misery love's company,
find a fellow RA'd employee or Join this Union who will share your pain. Okay,
I am being sarcastic, we are not all miserable, just frustrated with the lack
of participation for a Union. -IT-Doesn't-Matter-Anymore-
Comment 6/16/10:
If IBM RA's both an older person and a younger person (simply to cook the numbers
and have 1 older person and 1 younger person being RA'd) - is that age discrimination?
Is the younger person legally considered to be a victim also? That is, if there
main goal was to eliminate the older one, and the younger one was gotten rid
of for the numbers. Not that anyone could ever prove that, just curious.
-another-
Alliance Reply: No,
it's not 'age discrimination' using your hypothetical example. Is IBM doing
this? Who knows. Probably. Any way you slice it; disecting what IBM does will
not matter to anyone as long as you don't pursue organizing IBMers to get a
union contract. You're wasting your time with the hypothetical analysis.
Comment 6/16/10:
"Any idea if retirement eligible employees would be given the standard
seperation package as an incentive to retire before the cutover?"
C'mon -Maywanttogo- your asking too much! Folks like you just
crack me up. No wonder the poor Alliance can't get enough of retire-eligible
employees to join. It's just sad. IF IBM wants to save pension liabilities to
save money how can you think they will spend more cash on the retiree eligible
employee? IBM might have $15,000,000,000 to spend but to them they still feel
they don't have enough of $$$. Also, how was your raise this year??? You want
an incentive package in addition to retirement? Get a union contract!!!!!!!
-anonymous-
Comment 6/15/10:
"Just curious: but has IBM put out an unofficial gag order of sorts
to IBM managers so they are not allowed to speak to or associate with RAed employees?
-anonymously- "
No, there isn't anonymously. In most cases, first line managers don't even
participate in 'picking' the employees for a RA. Decisions are made from PBC
ratings (usually 3s are a kiss of death), internal vs. external accounts, skill
set or job category (IT Specialists vs. Consultant, etc.), and upper managements
personal opinion of the employee. When fist lines need to deliver the message,
they have a script to read from, then for the next 30 days they do the best
they can to ignore the RA employee. The RA employee is a pariah. My experience
is in GBS. BTW, RARELY have I've seen managers get the axe. -Darwin's
Radio-
Comment 6/15/10:
Re: Just curious. A gag order? I don't know about that but it does seem so to
me too. -Neal Watkins-
Comment 6/15/10:
To Maywanttogo: I only heard the rumor of the conversion, which supposedly
came from a real, honest-to-goodness HR person. Don't know any details beyond
that but for me in my situation, the incentive is the loss of the pension. I'd
rather have a guaranteed amount then trust IBM's estimate of what my pension
is worth to this crazy market. Don't get me wrong, I would love a separation
package if they offer ..but I doubt it. -LeavingIfTrue-
Comment 6/15/10:
You will not get the separation package just because of any changes to the pension
plan. For one, IBM doesn't have to, and secondly, targeting older employees
for RA will guarantee that IBM is sued. -QTR_CENTURY-
Comment 6/15/10:
"Just curious: but has IBM put out an unofficial gag order of sorts
to IBM managers so they are not allowed to speak to or associate with RAed employees?
-anonymously-"
No - there is no gag order. Your manager
is prohibited from talking about the RA or those affected in your group. There
is no scarlet letter for being rehired either. However, there is almost always
a hiring freeze put in place for the period between the RA notification and
the effective date of the RA. If managers are not speaking to you its because
they don't want to.-Anonymous-
Comment 6/15/10:
It makes sense if IBM sells it's chip plants in EFK and BTV that they get rid
of the dead weight, meaning employees still left on the old pension plan. At
least flood your congress people with emails asking if it is legal for IBM to
do this.. I don't think much of my NY reps, but at least I'll send emails. I
bet the higher ups won't get pushed out the door... "needs of the business".
I for one need a few more years adding to my 401k and do NOT want to be pushed
out the door because of my age and years of service. -manufacturing101-
Alliance Reply: It makes NO sense to flood Congress
with emails asking if IBM can sell their plants to get rid of employees. Why?
Because it's perfectly legal. The only hitch could be if IBM has to honor gov't
contracts that stipulate job retention for the life of the contract; or some
time period. The employees are still "At Will Employees", and they
have a right to form a union and fight for a contract of their own. Congress
doesn't play a role in this case.
You should still flood your NY State reps with emails, asking them when they
will stop giving taxpayer funds to IBM; while IBM continues to offshore jobs.
Comment 6/15/10:
Just curious: but has IBM put out an unofficial gag order of sorts to IBM managers
so they are not allowed to speak to or associate with RAed employees?
-anonymously-
Comment 6/15/10:
-RAed Jan 09- is giving a good opinion on this. The CB plan is only
making 1.4% for this year. You can probably get a better rate of return cashing
out the CB and rolling over it all in your own long term IRA. IBM did the great
pension heist once before in 1999 and I'm sure if IBM can add more free cash
to add to the current $15,000,000,000 IBM has and grease the lobbyists, lawmakers,
and judges concerning ERISA you can be sure as the sun rises in the east each
morning that IBM will pursue it. If IBM can no longer report the pension "vapor
profit" to it's reported profits they probably would terminate all the
pension plans. The vapor profits IBM gets might be the only reason IBM still
has pensioners. Life (in IBM) is not good. -trexibmer-
Comment 6/14/10:
Commenting on the rumor of the termination of the pension plan to cash balance.
Any idea if retirement eligible employees would be given the standard seperation
package as an incentive to retire before the cutover? -Maywanttogo-
Comment 6/14/10:
to Jetson - I was ra'd March 2010, I had PPO plus, Dental and Vision while employed
(for myself + spouse) for $ 251 per month. With IBM COBRA subsidy and the Obama
subsidy, I now pay $126 per month for myself + spouse. This is the rate for
12 months. It goes up substantially in months 13-18, then is cut off for good.
Not sure how this relates to High Deductable plan, but the result for me was
that I actually pay less for the same plan, at least for 12 months. Hope this
helps -screwed2-
Comment 6/14/10:
To jetson - depends on your number of dependents. An example tho, non subsidized,
non TMP (Transitional Medical Prorgam - IBM subsidized for the first x months
depending on length of service) for me (me, wife and one child) was $965/mo,
with the TMP it was $325/mo. Since I'm now employed, don't know what the Obama
ARRA subsidies are any more. Hope this helps... -RAed
Jan 09-
Comment 6/14/10:
For planning purposes...does anybody know what the COBRA amount for the high
deductible plan is? Thanks. -jetson-
Comment 6/14/10:
Talking about CB pensions, 401K etc... To reiterate a post I made months ago,
to those of you now gone from IBM, you CAN take your CB pension and put it somewhere
like an IRA with no tax burden. IMHO, best to get it out of IBM's hands where
they can try to find some strange loophole to take it back, and put it to work
where YOU want, and not be subject to IBM's rate of return and mgt fees on it.
Of course consult your tax advisor for your own situation, but I took mine as
soon as possible after leaving.... -RAed Jan 09-
Comment 6/14/10:
Montreal was hit pretty hard since March 2010. As a contractor I have watched
ibm colleagues given the boot & forced to train their contractor replacements.
In May several managers & team leads were let go, which was a surprise to
many of us. Insourcing has also caused alot of layoffs. Resource actioning is
happening on certain accounts (remember that customer has to sign off any offshoring).
Basically evey time they move a team over there are all sorts of escalations
and it is NEVER transparent to the customer. These indian workers are trained
by their reluctant Canadian employees, who come the end of the month, if there
are any unresolved issued, dont care as its not their problem anymore. On my
last contract with the company IBM converted 9 contractors to permanent ibmers,
only 2 remain due to ties at the executive level, the rest were fired with the
"3" rating. Other ibmers who still remain have expressed dissatisfaction
with their salary, many stating no raise for last 6 years. Others who have been
given titles of team leads are not receiving the promised bonus, literally having
the carrot dangling in their face for months on end. Working at home is also
coming to an end, they are hoping this action will force some ibmers to quit/find
other jobs. From talking to them they stayed with the company only because of
the work from home option so they can manage their family & work better.
I have little sympathy for then, as an underpayed contractor who commutes to
work every day, but i digress. I dont see a future for myself in this company
& would not recommend anyone buy their stocks, just use them until you can
find a better job. If you listen to the shareholder meeting broadcasted on w3,
it is clear IBM are launching their resources into growth markets at alarming
rates. Its just a matter of time before INDIA's economy becomes too expensive
and the cycle continues elsewhere. When will this stupidity end?
-lonely_cntr-
Comment 6/14/10:
I read the below posted on 6/6/10 - has anyone considered a class action lawsuit
regarding all the people over 50 IBM RA's on 3/31/10? Is that what this phone
number below is for? I agree with 4merBeamer since if employees continue to
go quietly....the company will continue to cut them quietly which is why anyone
older than 40 should contact the Ottinger firm at 866-571-5010 if you have feel
you been discriminated based on age in the most recent IBM reductions (2010).
(RA'ed 3/31/10) -Mary Jo-
Comment 6/13/10:
I actually remember one time that there was a 7 year bridge. It was in the early
90s. I can't remember the exact dates or details. But, I remember a lot of folks
leaving. Anyone remember FAP from Boca? -Darwin's
Radio-
Comment 6/12/10:
Someone needs to get the word out..Get out of QUALXSERV/ WORLD WIDE SERVICES
NOW ! This company only exsists to screw its workers. This is all thanks to
IBM who uses them for their service. Those of you who have a service contract
with IBM should dump it , you won't know who is coming to your door -Fidel-
Comment 6/12/10:
Bridging people with a frozen pension is cheaper than how the old bridges used
to work. The bump at eligibility could be just a few extra K a year for me.
The savings are years of salary, benefits, the SS 6% tax that IBM pays for the
employed. Freezing our pensions meant that the lifetime cost of our pensions
is considerably less than those who were at or near eligibility at the time
of the freeze. The idea is that if you feel lucky, go ahead, stay on. See if
you survive the next round of RAs. It's a tiny incentive but if it gets you
to leave 15 months early, IBM saves a fortune especially if you already have
a tiny pension due to the freeze of Dec 2007. Working 3 or 4 more years to reach
eligibility could cost IBM more than a bridge. And getting us to commit by EOY
means we leave with no severance needed... another savings that helps Sam look
better as he retires. And he ditches higher paid old employees of their own
accord, and can replace us with more low-banded people in Dubuque. Sure they
could go through the trouble to cash balance us as our numbers are small. Only
a few thousand of us. Divide and conquer. Please tell me when it's over, I've
been poor before, I'm not afraid to dumpster dive! -Anonymous-
Comment 6/12/10:
Has IBM ever given anyone anything like 5 years of credit in recent memory to
boost a pension? Sure doubt it will now. They just keep reducing benefits anyway
they can regardless of the impact on the laid off workers. -anonymous-
Alliance Reply: The only times, I recall ,
that 'credit' for 5 years service was ever given; was if you qualified for a
"bridge to retirement" if IBM offered a "VTP" or Voluntary
Transition Program pkg. back in the 1980's and 1990's. For example: You had
25 years service, and IBM offered a "VTP" package of 5 years to bridge-meaning
if you took the package, you left IBM and were then eligible for FULL pensioned
retirement 5 years after you left. IBM stopped offering those kinds of pkgs
15 or more years ago. You'll never see THAT again.
Comment 6/12/10:
Was laid off end of March after 13 years. Didnt take IBM long to replace me
with contractor. -Former IBMER-
Comment 6/11/10:
Per phone call to Alliance office: All IBMers that were sold to
Qualxserve have been fired as of June 11.-Alliance Staff-
Comment 6/11/10:
Today 6/11/10 all IBMers that joined Qualxserv (now World Wide Services) IN
NYC where LAID OFF. They were given there paychecks this AM and where offered
ther old jobs back at a per call basis of $22.00 per call no medical insurance
and taxes taken out. THIS IS THE WORST COMPANY IN THE USA. THE SAD PART IS THE
IBMers that went over all KNEW IT! -Bedbug-
Comment 6/11/10:
Back when CB was terminated, IBM was asked if CB can be moved over to 401K,
they said no: because CB is a defined benefit plan and 401K isn't. If pensions
are being converted, they will be converted to a CB. -QTR_CENTURY-
Comment 6/11/10:
Re. Pension rumors - can people citing pension rumors pls give their sources,
even if it's just "an HR manager" or another message board? That helps
to determine how valid they might be. Also, one variation of the rumor says
all old plan employees get credited with 5yrs. of service so that they can all
retire. Can anyone with a mgmt contact for this check into it further?
-Anon-
Comment 6/10/10:
Heard tonight from a friend of a friend in HR that the pension change mentioned
here in May will be announced in July. Basically us 'prior pension plan' people
out by 12/31/10 or our pensions get converted to a lump sum. Whether that goes
into a cash balance plan or a 401K remains to be seen. -annonymous-
Comment 6/10/10:
Can anyone tell me how much Sammy will have plundered from IBM when he is shown
the door at age 60? I do hope the door kickes him is the ass. If I recall correctly,
Lou Gerstner walked away with a cool half billion dollars in 2002. I agree with
the Alliance. Sam is much worse than Lou. I hear that Ginny Rommety is in line
to replace Sam. Wasn't she on the AIG compensation committee giving the million
dollar bonuses to all the Wall street fat cats? God help us all.
-IBMer-
Alliance Reply: Gerstner's total walk-away was more
like $700,000,000. Three quarters of a billion.... and Gerstner had a CONTRACT.
So does Sam. Why not the rest of the working IBMers? Organize!
Comment 6/10/10:
I heard a rumor today that anyone over 30 yrs of service takes the old retirement
plan or must switch to new plan. This may force a lot of retirement. Any Truth
to this? -LastOne-
Comment 6/10/10:
I have watched this board since it was formed. I see no action by anyone that
it still within the IBM ranks, nothing but chatter. I left IBM in 2007 on my
own after almost 24 yrs of service and have never regretted this decision in
anyway ! I am more rlexed, enjoying my family more, making more at the company
I am at now. If you continue to just bitch about what is happening, that's all
you are going to get period! If you want to stay with IBM, then darn it, stand
up for yourselves and quit the whining, crap there is a ton of cheese here already
needed to go with the whine! -Left2007-
Comment 6/09/10:
Hey BACKDOOR, let's not get all over Sammy for his recent stock transactions.
After all, he did have to shell out $12 million of his hard earned bucks for
the shares. And thought he didn't sell all of them, he only cleared about $250
K on the deal. Just pocket change for him, but he probably had some buds coming
over for a Memorial Day party and needed to pick up some beer and brats. Where's
your holiday spirit? -patriot-
Comment 6/09/10:
Been hearing rumors that severance is now capped a 2 months instead of 6. Can
somebody confirm? -Anon-
Comment 6/08/10:
To POed: I know of a PM who recently got the RA. I told him for years to get
out of there but he said he was going to hang in there because he didn't think
it could ever happen to him. The piddly projects this guy worked on were nothing,
and he was not PM certified. Now he is going to have a very tough summer trying
to find a job in the real world with no skills. It will catch up with most of
these people eventually. They can't hide from the dreaded RA forever.
-Long_Gone-
Comment 6/07/10:
-RAed- That's right from your 5/27 posting, and this
sounds like a double bind where the Alliance is trying to clarify the number
of jobs cut, and not only will IBM not be forthcoming about this, but they now
won't publish their current US or country-related populations. This is a fine
modus operandi. A double bind is what many employees have experienced as they've
been handed their RA walking papers and shoved out the door, a number as they've
approached full retirement, only to miss it. You're out the door with no choice,
regardless. You can apply for other internal jobs but the odds are so high against
you getting one, you question the effort. The Alliance is the only organization
calling for the equity, fair treatment, and security of an employment contract,
and it would serve each employee well to join now before their job is affected.
- Former True Blue-
Comment 6/07/10:
To Hula Girl - IBM knows how to spin. They may be hiring, but these are low
paying jobs, and as one who looked for a long time, and now periodically out
of morbid curiosity at teh IBM Jobs site, I can tell you that there are indeed
many jobs out there. But a quick scan will show you that
a) the vast majority are outside the US
b) Look at software development (SWG) - almost nothing
c) Most jobs are NOT"professional" level - they are more entry level
d) Most jobs are consultant-type roles, NOT development
e) Many of the listings, upon closer inspection state they are NOT for any specific
openings, but for positions that match this general description (so who knows
if there are really any openings to fill - certianly not from *these* listings.)
And my list of questionable "here's how many job openings we have posted"
practices goes on. IBM knows how to spin and manage PR. Is it lying? Arguable.
Is it deceptive? Absolutely. It is a reprehensible practice? Sure seems so to
me.... -RAed Jan 09-
Comment 6/06/10:
"Hopefully, this time around they will let go some of this worthless
management and PM's"
Don't count on it. Until the last technical person who still knows how
to remove a file on a PC or format a floppy is still around they will cut these
techies; before the "yes people" who blindly, without backbone, carry
out the RA plans like the management and PM's ever have to worry about getting
RAed. All technical folks who call themselves professionals need to unite fast
and organize. It's the only way and only thing left to do -POed-
Comment 6/06/10:
"Anything else is Ostrich behavior." Give the biggest non-flying
bird more credit. Even an ostrich knows how to defend itself from a preying
threatening species (like an IBM CEO): It'll peck like mad at the attacker and
then run. For the life of me I can't understand why most IBMers continue to
do absolutely NOTHING to stop IBM management from doing what they please
to make the USA employee a rapidly disappearing species, and possibly an extinct
one at that! -birdbrained-
Comment 6/06/10:
IBM adding jobs? Ha! At least they were also in this story, though buried quite
deep.
http://www.thestreet.com/story/10671422/41/layoffs-continue-to-mount.html
-Hula Girl-
Comment 6/06/10:
I agree with 4merBeamer since if employees continue to go quietly....the company
will continue to cut them quietly which is why anyone older than 40
should contact the Ottinger firm at 866-571-5010 if you have feel you been discriminated
based on age in the most recent IBM reductions (2010). -screwed-
Comment 6/06/10:
Glad to see acknowledgment that Sammy P is worse than Gerstner was for employees.
Also have to agree with Alliance assessment that next CEO is likely to be worse
the Sammy the Barbarian. If you want to change IBM, become an active member
of the Union OR leave. Anything else is Ostrich behavior. -4merBeamer-
Comment 6/06/10:
Look at this crap. Someone really needs to get the news right. IBM adding jobs?
to me it's just cutting them under the radar. http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/109718/big-companies-adding-jobs
-anonymous-
Comment 6/05/10:
I haven't heard about any layoffs in June thus far. Someone mentioned
layoffs at the GDFs. Which site? What groups? -miss understanding-
Comment 6/04/10:
Who the hell cares how much stock has been sold by Sam, or any
other executive. You all need to stop worrying about things well beyond your
control and focus on things you CAN change. -anonymous-
Comment 6/04/10:
Rumors are now out that IBM is planning on another RA, notifications
can be going out as early as this June. Hopefully, this time around they will
let go some of this worthless management and PM's! We are already down to minimal
technical personnel, what gives? -Current IBMr-
Comment 6/04/10:
get support for COBRA plan -j-
Comment 6/04/10:
With more RA's still to make Sam more fatter figuratively, literally,
and financially why should he quit next year? He continues to get fatter on
all on us, the IBM employees, retirees, and RA ex-employees. All of you who
look at this web site and are doing NOTHING only help him become fatter. He
would quit and quit sooner if we had a union vote and had our contract by now.
-anonymous-
Comment 6/04/10:
I f'ing hate this company. They're laying off people in droves
in the so-called 'GDF' sites, after they con'd the Whitehouse into free money,
and the US taxpayer into supporting offshoring. This complete and total f'ing
insanity has to stop. Keep pushing IBM execs...you dumb ass***es. -Company-of-Swine-
Comment 6/04/10:
nextround: IBM shot itself in the foot with the untimely layoffs
last year, pulling people out of projects before they were complete. It was
a mess. They might be giving middle management more flexibility of the timing
of the RAs. -QTR_CENTURY-
Comment 6/04/10:
Upon his departure from IBM, Gerstner received a 10-year consultancy
contract worth up to $2 million annually, plus expenses and full use of IBM
facilities and services, such as office, cars, aircraft and financial planning.
He is only required to work one month out of the year. -Anan-
Comment 6/03/10:
I am happy to leave IBM I worked on a Lotus Notes organization
with all the non education people and bad management made me sick to see them.
what I have learn is political from many years -IBMer-
Comment 6/03/10:
Message for Sam @ 60 : Don't let the door hit you on the way out
- A metaphor for: "I think you should leave. Do not pause or delay while
you are leaving." Some say the front runner is Mills - gawd help us.
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-05-28/ibm-ceo-may-step-down-in-2011-in-historic-succession-update1-.html
http://blogs.barrons.com/techtraderdaily/2010/05/28/ibm-will-palmisano-retire-in-2011-and-who-will-replace-him/
Considering the transactions he did last week, Sammy's gettin'
ready: http://finance.yahoo.com/q/it?s=IBM
28-May-10 PALMISANO SAMUEL J Officer 100,000 Direct Option
Exercise at $120.12 per share. $12,012,000
28-May-10 PALMISANO SAMUEL J Officer 41,100 Direct Sale at $125.62 - $125.8
per share. $5,167,000
28-May-10 PALMISANO SAMUEL J Officer 19,400 Direct Sale at $125.41 - $125.61
per share. $2,435,000
28-May-10 PALMISANO SAMUEL J Officer 32,550 Direct Sale at $125.21 - $125.4
per share. $4,079,000
28-May-10 PALMISANO SAMUEL J Officer 4,700 Direct Sale at $125.01 - $125.2
per share. $588,000
28-May-10 PALMISANO SAMUEL J Officer 800 Direct Disposition (Non Open Market)
at $0 per share. N/A -backdoor-
Comment 6/02/10:
Did upper management decide to stagger the layoffs in US ITD in
order to fly under the radar and reduce the amount of bad press? It was very
quiet on 5/28 and 6/1, which is surprising since I would think they'd want as
many perms off the books by the end of the quarter as possible. Now I'm wondering
if they'll just do it monthly in smaller numbers instead. Any info on this?
Thanks. -next round-
Comment 6/02/10:
"IBM CEO May Step Down in 2011 in Historic Succession"
This is the best news I've heard in a long time. It's about time
this jerk steps down. No one likes Sam. He is a greedy self-serving pig and
has been bad news for the US IBM employees since day one. I can't wait to see
Sam leave! -IBMer-
Alliance Reply: You'll be happy to know that there's a good chance that the
NEXT IBM CEO will be worse than Sam. After all, he was worse than Lou Gerstner..Far
worse. Be careful what you wish for.
Comment 6/01/10:
To -Anonymous- 5/30/10: I've seen many an RA and observed this
pattern:
Employees get "selected" for an RA, with notifications scheduled on
a particular day. Selected employees who are present at work that day (either
working in an office or from home) are notified of the RA and given a certain
amount of notice (usually 30 days). Selected employee who are absent that day
for any reason (vacation, medical leave, disability, etc.) are notified on the
day they return to work, and given their notice starting on that day.
For example, if the notification date is May 30; the notice period is 30 days;
two employees have scheduled leaves; Employee A's leave already began on May
29 and is to end August 31; and Employee B's leave was about to begin on May
31, also to end on August 31: Employee A will be told nothing until September,
then be welcomed back on Sept. 1 with the RA notice (A's 30-day notice period
would be Sept. 1-30). Employee B would be notified on May 30 (B's 30-day notice
period would be May 31-June 30, regardless of the leave). These just my observations.
I advise you to consult a lawyer ASAP, and certainly before you sign anything.
My condolences on your situation. I hope that being out of IBM speeds your recovery!
-Gorya-
Comment 6/01/10:
To all who are affected by IBM RAs and those who are witnessing
them, please keep updating everyone with information. Everyone (IBMers, customers,
reporters, etc.) need to stay informed and aware of what is happening, and we
cannot allow IBM to continue carrying out actions in the dark that have such
consequences for workers, the economy, and our country while they control their
PR with stories about how they are creating jobs and making the planet better.
-Joe-
Comment 6/01/10:
"I am identified to be RA ed on June 30th. I have a medical problem
and if I go on medical leave now, Can they still RA me on June 30th or they
have to wait until I come back from my medical leave?"
What happened to me is I was on a medical leave when IBM "selected"
me for RA. When I returned to work after the medical leave I was then given
the 30 days to find another job, unsuccessfully of course which is what 99%
of those RAed given 30-60 days have found out. My job was basically eliminated
as an IT Server Support Specialist but the servers were not eliminated that
I supported. Believe me: you can't escape an RA in this IBM whether you are
healthy or not. IBM now probably considers those out on
a medical leave as a drain on their profits since you are not billable for them
during the medical leave. Employees not sufficiently billable for whatever reason
are known to be "selected" for RA. -sby_willie-
Comment 5/31/10:
The word on the street is more notices going out on 6/1 for folks
in US ITD. Gotta start staffing for the two new GDF locations. IBM is 'creating'
jobs, you know.. -Anonymous-
Comment 5/30/10:
I am identified to be RA ed on June 30th. I have a medical problem
and if I go on medical leave now, Can they still RA me on June 30th or they
have to wait until I come back from my medical leave? -Anonymous-
Alliance Reply: IBM can do anything it wants, to
you. Don't expect any mercy or good will from them. They have selected you for
RA, and they will do what they will. Sorry to be so blunt; but that's what "At
Will Employee" means.
Comment 5/30/10:
to wundering, it doesn't matter if you are an employee for IBM
or not, Artech and the other recruiters do not know whether you have worked
for IBM unless you have informed them of this. I get contacted by Artech on
going because of my posted resume on job sites. I am currently an IBM'er, for
whatever value that has. -Doesn't-Matter-
Comment 5/30/10:
Ok, so here's the latest cr*p from, IBM. The middleware group
I work with was severely cut during the last RA. There is one group that has
3 people left in it. Mgmt just told us that contractors are not to work overtime
for the month of June. This leaves the one remaining reg standing. He will now
be doing the on-call, filling in the gaps when the contractors have to stop
working, and pretty much handling any of the sh*t that will be hitting the fan
on the project work. When you think it can't get any worse....hold onto the
steering wheel, 'cause IBM will veer off course again and put another stupid
cost-cutting measure into place. -dun-4-
Comment 5/29/10:
IBM has been on a steady decline under the so called "leadership"
of Sam Palmisano. I work for the jerk and have no respect for him. If you want
a CEO to run a company in the ground hire Sam. The employee population in the
US will continue to decline until it is just Sam and his cronies.
-IBMer-
Comment 5/29/10:
Has anyone who has been RAed been solicited for contract employment
when they haven't contacted Artech beforehand? If so, then maybe IBM supplies
Artech with those they RA? -wundering-
Comment 5/28/10:
I would have posted this in the general comments section, but
that is no longer available. Thinking of Memorial Day in the US this weekend
and as a veteran and happily EX IBM employee, I have been appalled at the actions
of IBM and just about ALL other US corporations ... I take a step back and say
ALL CORPORATIONS, in any country where MANY have died to secure the freedom
of their and other citizens, only to have any dreams crushed by corporate greed.
Corporate morals no longer exist in the free world ... so the sacrifices of
those who have served, and continue to serve and die are being thrown out the
window ... it's a sad time... -ArmySarge-
Comment 5/28/10:
Things about Dubuque Iowa not too many people know or the public
is not aware.
If your name is on the RA list and your job shows up in Iowa, you can apply
and will get it since no specializes asIT workers in the area. You are guaranteed
a job with the same payscale/band for 1 year if you choose to move to Iowa.
Once the one year is up, your band and payscale will be decreased and you are
not guaranteed a job. What is happening right now with masses of RA's not wanting
to move to Iowa, IBM is getting all the contracting jobs and hiring anyone off
the street. IBM is not telling their customers that and wait until the customer
finds out the support is being channeled to Iowa and the contract will be canceled.
How come no one is talking about the next wave of RA due to happen on June 1st?
-Ben-
Comment 5/28/10:
The annoying spam from Artech recruiters for GDFs has started
to increase once again. Could this be a sign of a huge push to increase low-skill/low-wage
staff there to correlate with an RA? -Porkchop-
Comment 5/28/10:
Yep - I was made redundant in March/April. And yes there are more
happening this week. It was the best that ever happened to me, IBM was getting
so hard to put up with in their attitude to those that make them their money
- I'm also selling off my stock asap. Good luck to those that are being hit
this week. -ex-ibm-aussie-
Comment 5/27/10:
CDI sent along notice of overtime elimination through 5 July 2010.
-CDI_Drone-
Comment 5/27/10:
Shouldn't we all be writing Congress about the jobs bill that
IBM is vigorously opposing? -Think-
Comment 5/27/10:
Doubts on IBM jobs in Dubuque <article
link> -Anon-
Comment 5/27/10:
To quote: "IBM spokesman Doug Shelton
said this morning the company does not comment on “speculation, rumor
and/or opinions. … We’ve made no announcements about total number
of cuts anywhere. NUMBERS THAT ARE OUT THERE ARE NOT THE CORRECT NUMBERS”
So Mr. Shelton: the RA packages of the number of
jobs that are eliminated by age and position/job title given to those "selected"
for RA are not the REAL NUMBERS of those RAed?
So Mr. Shelton and IBM where are the REAL NUMBERS then? So thousands of RAed
USA IBMers just DISAPPEAR somewhere? If correct numbers are not disclosed by
IBM then IBM is in clear violation of Dept. of Labor laws. If these numbers
are not the real numbers then IBM should be investigated and held fully accountable
until the real RA numbers are disclosed. Mr. Shelton and IBM HR channels are
masters of obfuscation, deception, and sheer misinformation. And the really
sad thing is without the Alliance to be the watch group for IBM's business practices
they get away with it. -RAed-
Comment 5/26/10:
In CA: SWG contractors told of week long furlough and that they
should not work overtime until told otherwise -NotInIndia-
Comment 5/26/10:
Another round of RAs in Australia this week. -Aus-
Comment 5/26/10:
2 days of cuts - Baulkham Hills Australia - operators, SDM's,
project managers, RAMP, Automation, PCM - approx 40 in 2 days. When asked when
this will stop, reply from L2 management "Get used to it GR is here to
stay - and more cuts to follow". Just a matter of time. -Anonymous-
Comment 5/25/10:
12 jobs lost at the CSC in Ballarat this week. -Anonymous-
Comment 5/25/10:
To Miss Understanding - you're not correct. You do NOT get removed
from the RA list to then try to get placed. Once you're on it, you are on it,
and nothing you can do will get you off it. Other things may transpire to extend
you or otherwise, but you're on it and have to overcome it. Now, as to the weekly
meeting, you are correct. What you need to find though, is a manager willing
to do what it takes to build the case to keep you in IBM, THEN convince that
review board that YOU are a critical resource and they should keep you rather
than make this manager hire another candidate, since for all intents and purposes,
you're gone already. There's no removal as a precursor, and the trick is finding
some manager who is willing and has the ability to get you to that magic review
board, AND convince them that you're too good to lose. THAT is the trick. And
since Jan 2009, the managers with the willingness to try and ability to succeed
in pulling that off are vanishing faster than the speed of light, I'm sorry
to say. I tell you this detail from deep personal experience in this process.
-RAed Jan 09-
Comment 5/25/10:
"IBM hands out virus laden USB sticks at Australias Largest IT
Security Conference "
That is hillarious! IBM has gone steadly downhill in the last
decade. This is just one example of the stupidity of IBM management. -IBMer-
Comment 5/25/10:
401k's are not a pension plan. If that was the case then all IBM
executives would have no TOP HAT pension plans and would have 401k's in there
place instead. It''s all about the money folks. IBM's money ; not your money.
If IBM does some change to your benefits you can be sure it is not for your
benefit anymore. -sby_willie-
Comment 5/25/10:
Hey Columbia, MS talk to Tulsa, OK and find out the REAL story
about job "creation" with IBM. IBM and its executives are no better
than snake oil salesman. Total charlatans and fakes. They just take the money
in tax breaks and incentives, cry for more and run. -okie_dokied-
Comment 5/24/10:
What cities like Dubuque and Columbia do not realize is that once
the tax and other job-creation incentives are over in ten years, there are zero
incentives to keep the work or jobs there. These are temporary locations - just
ask the Republic of Ireland and former Dublin campus employees how they feel
about getting the shaft from IBM. -Frank-
Comment 5/24/10:
Yes, there are current pension change rumors that have been heating
up. The talk is that our existing frozen pensions (cash balance accounts) would
be converted to 401k deposits at year end. Today those accts are indeed still
separate. Would be a big hit to those of us still eligible for enhanced annuity
- currently that isn't honored if you take lump sum. So yes, if this comes to
be, expect plenty of us to flock out the door in Dec. Might save blew from having
a 4Q RA. -losing another 40%?-
Comment 5/24/10:
IBM hands out virus laden USB sticks at Australias Largest IT Security Conference
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/security/ibm-distributes-virusladen-usb-keys-at-security-conference-20100521-w1gv.html
-Anonymous-
Comment 5/24/10:
>>To the person RA'd asking if they may be hired internally>>
It is difficult, but not impossible to get hired into another
position after being placed on the RA list. First, you have to find a manager
willing to work with you and go through the incredibly bureaucratic paperwork
necessary to hire you. The paperwork has to go WWAAYY up the food chain. There
are special meetings held with the likes of Joanne Collins Smee (or the equivalent
in your division). She has to give the final approval to remove you from the
RA list. Most managers don't want to deal with the added hassle of hiring someone
off the RA list, when there are so many other internal candidates looking for
work. If you know a manager personally who wants to pull for you, that can work
in your favor. But even after all the paperwork is done and the multiple layers
of management have signed off on the paperwork, Joanne can squash the deal at
the last moment. One more thing. The meetings to remove people from the RA list
occur once a week, so if your paperwork misses this meeting, and it is your
last week, you're out of luck. Sometimes time just runs out. -miss
understanding-
Comment 5/24/10:
http://online.barrons.com/article/SB127439660229594645.html?mod=BOL_hpp_highlight
| FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2010
IBM Insiders Sell Over $40 Million in Stock -Anon-
Comment 5/24/10:
"The rumors to force all old pension plan members into a 401k
only in Dec. just got feet.... So you will not have a monthly payment for life,
and your surviving spouse will be on their own once you're gone. Hope they are
market wizards so that the money don't run out. Looks like there will be a lot
of people retiring in the 4th Q."
What does this mean to the US employees? I'm on the old plan. Must I retire
at the end of this year or see my pension converted to a 401K plan?
-IBMer-
Comment 5/23/10:
In reply to -UpToDate- Yes the info
was from last year, but how many people have seen the article?
If you're so up to date, then maybe you should post all you know.. which from
your tone, is significant. To say the British are coming, should be replaced
with more reductions are coming, signed -Felix Unger-
Comment 5/22/10:
RE: The rumors to force all old pension plan members into
a 401k only in Dec. just got feet.... by -IchBinMuede-
Nothing like posting 'current' info. This article was dated July '09 with
actions having been completed in April '10. Would have been more appropriate
to comment on current status of proposals stated in content of article. But
then, if you listen closely, you can hear some recently awakened IBMers shouting
'The British are coming...the British are coming! -UpToDate??-
Comment 5/20/10:
There is a much better life after an RA from IBM. Always been
a top performer and I am much happier after my RA and not having to work for
an idiot manager who was PMP certified but had NO CLUE about anything and had
no respect from anyone on my team. I have zero stress anyone and it is only
a matter of time before I get a new job as companies are contacting me. I am
back in school and enjoying every minute of it all. -happytobeanexibmer-
Comment 5/20/10:
The rumors to force all old pension plan members into a 401k
only in Dec. just got feet....
So you will not have a monthly payment for life, and your surviving spouse will
be on their own once you're gone. Hope they are market wizards so that the money
don't run out. Looks like there will be a lot of people retiring in the 4th
Q.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2009/jul/08/ibm-shuts-final-salary-scheme
-IchBinMuede-
Comment 5/19/10:
To RAed: Hopefully most people got the message by now that if
you are RA'd, you are marked and nobody will hire you. People have posted this
for years, I have posted it with my own experience. Managers will NOT help you.
I did the same thing. I knew managers, asked for help, got nothing. My own manager
would not even answer my emails that last 30 days. There are ways to get them
though. I am now in charge of the IT budget where I work, a million dollars
a year. Most of that was going to IBM, servers, desktops, laptops, AS400 and
support, maintenance contracts. No more. I switched all our hardware and support
and IBM no longer gets that 1 mil a year from us. They cut my measly less than
70k per year pay, and I cut almost a million going to them. Who got the worst
end of that deal? IBM workers need a UNION or there is no hope. Oh yeah, I make
more now too. -Gone_in_07-
Comment 5/19/10:
>>To the person RA'd asking if they may be hired internally>>
Use IBMs phones and high speed links to make contact with as many
other potential employers, while still working for IBM (ie. those last 30 days).
Many employers will hire you in a heartbeat, "while you are working for
IBM", will not touch you when you get RA'd. -no_ky-
Comment 5/19/10:
I was given an end date from IBM a number of years ago when
the account I was working on was terminated. I had more than 30 days, and I
was able to find another position. Even so, it was extremely difficult to get
approval to move into another department/tower/division at that time. I had
to fight to get it to go through. This time, with the RAs of 2009-2010, there
is no hope of moving to another position within IBM. They dangle the possibility
in front of you, but you have been selected. Sure, there are stories of some
folks getting saved, and there will be a few exceptions. Mainly I believe that
they just like to state for PR purposes that affected employees have the option
to find something else in the company. It sounds good in press releases.
-PurplePeopleEater-
Comment 5/19/10:
Not to be redundant, but I have to sadly reinforce the sentiments
expressed here about getting another position in IBM after being put on an RA
list. I figured it was futile, but I also decided that despite that, I would
kick myself if I did not keep trying to find another IBm spot till "death".
I knew deep down that it was indeed a fool's errand, but felt that I had invested
so much over the years, I could not go without a fight. I had a couple of senior
VPs as well as some other very well placed people try for me and then tell me
they could not help me, but no one said to give up (wish they had). I did have
a few interviews, and a very supportive 1st line who really did try to crash
down doors trying to keep me in IBM, and the hiring mgrs even said they wanted
me, but as soon as they tried, I got back from them a polite "there is
another candidate that..." but I could tell by their words that it was
because I had the scarlet letter(s) on me. (not to mention they told me I was
by far their top candidate) In two cases, the job req I was applying for mysteriously
disappeared as soon as they tried to bring me on board. In hindsight, it was
a waste of time and emotional turmoil, but if it happened to me today, I don't
know if I'd do anything different, as that is the kind of person I am - go down
fighting. But the reality is (and I've seen a number of colleagues "get
it" after me - all with the same results) that out of every 1000 people
in a RA, I'd estimate 3 get other jobs in IBM. Cruddy odds. To those of you
still in IBM, I have only one piece of advice. Organize or get your resumes
and LinkedIn profiles squared away. And if you do get that wonderful RA, just
accept it and move on that day if you can. -RAed Jan 09-
Comment 5/19/10:
How Other Workers Compare to Your CEO.
How many workers could be supported by S. J. Palmisano's pay package? S. J.
Palmisano made $24,313,795, which is equal to:
14 Nobel prize winners
60 average university presidents
60 U.S. presidents
89 AFL-CIO presidents
129 Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
758 average workers
1,612 minimum-wage earners
How long would it take to equal S. J. Palmisano's total compensation
for 2009?
A Nobel prize winner would have to work until 2024 A.D.
An average university president would have to work until 2070 A.D.
The President of the United States would have to work until 2070 A.D.
AFL-CIO President John Sweeney would have to work until 2099
A.D.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff would have to work until 2139 A.D.
An average worker would have to work until 2768 A.D.
A minimum-wage earner would have to work until 3622 A.D.
Now you know your worth... -IchBinMuede-
Comment 5/19/10:
I can't imagine after how this company has treated me, wanting
to find another job with IBM. I am done at the end of the month, and right up
to the end they expect me to be training my offshore replacements. IBM Canada
is a sinking ship, and while I'm not happy to be out of a job, I couldn't stay
in good conscience. The way they are "rewarding" their most talented
and loyal employees is appalling -Ra'ed in Markham-
Comment 5/17/10:
When I was RAed I was told by my manager that I had 30 days
to find another job within IBM. I found around 10 good job fits but could not
even get a reply from the hiring manager much less an interview. One particular
job was in an area where I knew an adjacent 1st line quite well who reported
to the same 2nr level. I had worked for this 1st line for several years and
got excellent reviews. I called him at home in the evening and asked him if
he would put in a good word for me. He was very sad and told me there was nothing
he could do. He basically said I was wasting my time looking for a job in IBM.
No one could hire me. In hindsight I wish I would have never wasted my time
looking for another job in IBM. It falsely kept my hopes up.
-RAed-
Comment 5/16/10:
To the person RA'd asking if they may be hired internally. The
chances are not good within the 30-day window. I have been RA'd twice, and rehired
once (outside of the window - after separating). This is not meant to discourage
you, just being realistic -Anonymous-
Comment 5/16/10:
I wanted to take a moment to validate everyone who is advising the person asking
about being hired internally. What they are saying is the truth. To the person
who is asking about getting hired internally - please don't make the same mistake
I did and waste your time hoping to get a new appointment. I was originally
scheduled for termination in October of 2009. Because I thought I might have
a chance, I searched the Lotus Notes database of temporary positions and found
one that stretched me out for one month. I did this to give myself more time
searching for internal permanent positions. In the end - I screwed myself. If
I had accepted that original termination date, I would have been eligible for
46 weeks of unemployment. Working that extra month made me miss the cut off
for emergency benefits. 23 weeks later, I have yet to find another job, and
my unemployment benefits run out in 3 weeks. I know it's so hard to accept,
but please believe what they are saying. Once you are selected as an RA, you
will not get a new position within IBM. I'm sorry. -Anonymous-
Comment 5/15/10:
I've been RAed twice and rehired twice so I don't see the need
to discourage people from trying to find jobs inside IBM once on the list.
-anonymous-
Alliance Reply: You apparently, are an exception to the overwhelming evidence
that jobs are essentially frozen to the majority of RA'd people on 'the list'
. We've had plenty of posts; even from former managers
proving that to be true. Is it possible to get hired from within, after making
the RA list?...Yes. Is it probable, based on the information we have received
thusfar? Not likely. That's not just discouraging, it's just the facts. IBMers
need to organize and make this kind of conversation irrelevant, by forming a
strong union, inside IBM and pushing back at IBM for a fair employment contract
that says in writing how "layoff's" will be handled. Individual negotiation
carries no advantage for the majority of individuals.
Comment 5/15/10:
Reverse outsourcing, according to Newsweek. http://www.newsweek.com/id/237953
-Mule Skinner-
Comment 5/13/10:
Answer to question posted on 5-13-10 ....I have been identified
for RA from June 30th. How does HR treat my candidacy?
Many years ago I worked on a database which contained the names of possible
RA employess. It also contained salary and number of years with the company
along with other info. This was so management could instantly predict how much
money the comapny could save by RAing 10%, 20% to 100% and to make sure they
maintained a certain % of older and newer employees so not to get accused of
age descrimination. If an employee was on the list as RA then he/she was not
to be considered for any job inside IBM unless there was a strong business need.
This business need had to be approved by a VP level. So basically you have 2
chances .... slim and none. -Anonymous-
Comment 5/13/10:
To the person asking about getting hired internal... once you
are marked RA the chances are slim to none... I personally had a Sr. VP of a
division go to bat for me and he was told no... also most managers were and
have been told that internal hiring and external hiring have been frozen...
-Chris-
Comment 5/13/10:
State of Indiana sues IBM for $1.3 billion Read more: Triangle
Business Journal:
http://www.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2010/05/10/daily55.html
IBM IS TURNING BAD COMPANY !!! They Send all American Jobs
to India China and Brazil. Their Support is very Bad Now. -p.ramki-
Comment 5/13/10:
Anonymous - don't get your hopes up to find a new job within
IBM. It really does not happen, so begin the process to find your next step
outside IBM. The many, many thousands before you have learned to move on. The
soon you do the better off you will be. It is a great time to take the severance
and unemployment compensation and take some time to be nice to yourself and
think what you really want to do. You'll get $2500 for retraining and it may
be a time to follow a dream. Maybe the money is less, but you may find more
family and "me" time and be happier. -anonymous-
Comment 5/13/10:
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/174631,indian-outsourcing-firm-looks-to-prison-for-data-entry-work.aspx
Indian outsourcing firm looks to prison for data entry work
By Iain Thomson
May 13, 2010 12:56 PM
Inmates signed up for Business Process Outsourcing.
An Indian outsourcing firm is to run one of its data handling centres in
a local prison as part of a new public/private partnership.
Radiant Info Systems has come to a deal with the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh
to hire 200 inmates of a state jail to work on data entry, and the processing
and transmitting of information.
"The idea is to ensure a good future for the educated convicts after
they come out of jail," CN Gopinath Reddy, director general of prisons
in Andhra Pradesh, told the BBC.
"With their experience of working in the BPO [business process outsourcing]
in jail, any company will absorb them in future."
The outsourcing centre will handle banking information 24 hours a day using
a shift system. Inmates will be paid US$2.20 a day, compared to US$0.33 cents
a day for other work.
The prison was chosen because it has almost 40 percent of inmates classified
as educated. The area also has good IT infrastructure.
"We have identified the area in the jail where the unit will come up.
It will have computers as well as connectivity," Radiant Info Systems
director C Narayana Charyulu said.
If successful the scheme will be extended to other prisons in the area.
-Anon-
Comment 5/13/10:
Check this out:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/05/12/ibm_2015_profits_double/
Another reason for more offshoring,
job cuts, etc... to try and match this ridiculous prediction. If you are a shareholder,
you'll do good, if you are an employee, forget it. -Anonymous_UK-
Comment 5/13/10:
I have been identified for RA from June 30th.If I apply for any job within IBM,
and otherwise qualify, will I still be selected or rejected because of my being
identified for RA.How does HR treat my candidacy? -Anonymous-
Comment 5/12/10:
So, Sam P. just announced that IBM will double its earnings per
share by 2015. The only way that they can guarantee that is for the weird and
aggressive rumors of cost cutting at the expense of anyone and anything to be
true (or just the tip of the iceberg for what is really being considered). Things
are only going to get worse. Can people learn from what has happened to IBM
employees already, or will they keep taking what IBM dishes out?
-SickOfItAll-
Comment 5/12/10:
IBM in court in Australia -
http://www.zdnet.com.au/ibm-grills-flightdeck-workers-in-court-339303053.htm?omnRef=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.zdnet.com.au%2F
-CourtAction-
Comment 5/11/10:
Just to set the record straight, Sam was a Marketing Rep in Baltimore
when he started. I do not believe Marketing Reps attended any programming classes.
They had Systems Engineers, AKA SE's for that. CE's for hardware. Giving the
devil his due, Sam was a peddler and a damn good one. Sadly he is just another
example of the Peter Principle. People will get promoted until they reach their
level of incompetance then they will stay at that level. I believe Sam had the
nickname " The Closer" because of his uncanny ability to close sales.
Bash him for being a poor CEO but give programmers their due. No one would expect
a peddler to be a programmer also. Peddlers may have attended classes where
they learned terminology to use when selling software but the actual nuts and
bolts were left to programming professionals. Now if only the Watson Family
had stayed in charge of IBM maybe we would still have the full employment policy,
But thats just wishfull thinking. -Exodus2007-
Comment 5/11/10:
More RA's coming. 18 year employee in Calgary, AB RA'd effective
May 31, 2010 -Avenger- What dept are you in and how many are affected? This
round of RA's appear to be very quiet -craziness-
Comment 5/11/10:
This is a move in the right direction with a bill being sponsored
by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) to further hold corporate executives accountable
for company management and fraud. Thanks to the Alliance for their ever vigilant
efforts in this area. -Former True Blue-
Comment 5/10/10:
More RA's coming. 18 year employee in Calgary, AB RA'd effective
May 31, 2010 -Avenger-
Comment 5/10/10:
-Who-Da-Thunk- Supposedly Palmisano only barely got
thru BPE (IBM Basicx Programmer Education) class when he was early in his IBM
career. So a sub par or lousy programmer becomes a CEO one day. So why should
we all be surprised now? IBM will RA just about all experienced USA programmers
unless we do something now.-anonymous-
Comment 5/08/10:
-Who-Da-Thunk- That would be IBM employees without
a contract panhandleing. The Executives would be the ones riding past in stretch
limos laughing at them. -Exodus2007-
Comment 5/07/10:
" I saw this headline (didn't read it): 'How IBM Aims
to Tackle Childhood Obesity' and thought to myself "They lay people off
so they have no money to feed their kids" -anonymous- "
Now that is funny. I didn't see IBM listed here either:http://www.bcorporation.net/community
-Anon-
Comment 5/07/10:
The IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers)is
a very prestigious organization and carries a lot of clout. Their blog sugests
Congressional hearings on IT industry crowdsourcing & offshoring. Interested
in running an email campaign to the chair of the appropriate Congressional Committee?
http://spectrum.ieee.org/riskfactor/computing/it/ibm-denies-that-it-will-cut-75-of-workforce-by-2017
-annonymous-
Comment 5/06/10:
To -Getting sick of this-; IBM has innovation, it is
called "Work for FREE". IBM has stooped so low that they tried to
monatize the open source software market and they collaborate college students
and computer hobbiests to submit program code solutions free of charge. They
could keep most of the code and use it anyway for free if their disclaimer is
written good enough. How pitiful and low can a once great company stoop. Don't
be surprised if you see them panhandling next to the homeless someday to compete
for their last dollar. -Who-Da-Thunk-
Comment 5/06/10:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36826679/ns/business-careers/
As companies hire again, more jobs go freelance As recession fades, experts
see dearth of full-time positions with benefits
By Eve Tahmincioglu
updated 10:00 a.m. ET, Thurs., May 6, 2010
Stephen Luebkert was laid off in March 2009 from a Boston-based semiconductor
company. He lived for four months on his severance while he looked for another
full-time job and eventually ended up working again for the same firm. The difference
is that now he is a contract employee. He no longer gets any of the perks of
being a permanent worker, including paid vacations or sick days, health insurance
or tuition assistance. And he estimates that he makes about 20 percent less
— for the same job he was doing before. The thing he misses most? “A
feeling of security.” As employers begin to cautiously hire again after
the deepest economic downturn in a generation, Luebkert is in the vanguard of
an emerging new contingent work force. For some businesses, these contingent
workers could become a permanent solution, eliminating a huge swath of full-time
jobs with benefits, say labor and business experts. “It’s cheaper
to hire contingent workers, but also more flexible for employers,” said
Bill Kahnweiler, associate professor and human resource expert at Georgia State
University’s Department of Public Management and Policy. Contingent workers
allow companies to stay lean and avoid hiring more permanent workers. “If
someone decides, ‘We need to be this size,’ it’s far easier
to do that with contract workers and temps," Kahnweiler said.
-Anon-
Comment 5/06/10:
I saw this headline (didn't read it): 'How
IBM Aims to Tackle Childhood Obesity' and thought to myself "They
lay people off so they have no money to feed their kids"
-anonymous-
Comment 5/06/10:
A story showing the power of a union versus IBM in Australia
-
http://www.zdnet.com.au/ibm-to-appeal-union-win-339302923.htm
-Anonymous-
Comment 5/05/10:
Cuts in Montreal, leftovers from last wave.
Batch operations : 7
mainframe ops : 4,
iSeries : 1, BCRS : 1.
The sad thing is that IBM won a huge new deal the very same day and we need
people for it. Then again I have seen that before, huge cuts on an account days
before we need the people for new projects. -Canonymous-
Comment 5/05/10:
Big job cuts hurt shareholders in the long run:
http://finance.yahoo.com/tech-ticker/big-job-cuts-mean-short-term-gain-long-term-pain-for-shareholders-study-finds-478944.html
-CDI_Drone-
Comment 5/05/10:
Facebook is hiring software engineers in Seattle. http://www.facebook.com/careers/department.php?dept=seattle&req=109973792358419
-Thought of RAed IBMers when I saw this -
Comment 5/04/10:
Where do I get my information from? From people who "retired"
but did not want to retire. -Not Retired-
Alliance Reply: Ok. How many people told you they did not want to retire; but
did 'retire' because IBM forced them to? As I said in my reply below, there
is no way for Alliance@IBM to track retirees that leave IBM and go to other
jobs. We realize that what you say is probably true; however, we have no way
of tracking or "accounting" for the loss of those IBMers jobs.This
is one very big reason why IBMers should
organize and fight back. If you're not retired but still working there; you
should be joining the union and organizing your co-workers. If you disagree
with that, then there isn't any other way we can help you change this situation.
Comment 5/04/10:
-SleeplessInMarkham- Which dept in Canada was affected?
-ohhhboy-
Comment 5/04/10:
Thanx Anonymous- but I was looking more at someone who brought
a charge against IBM of age discrimination and was able to get the EEOC to pursue
damages against the company -screwed-
Comment 5/04/10:
Another RA hitting today. Tulsa call center. Nobody is safe! get
out while you can! -herewegoagain-
Alliance Reply: Do you have any specifics? How many? Do you know any of the
IBMers that got RA'd?
Comment 5/04/10:
Georgia Department of Labor denies unemployment until separation/severance
money is used up. They calculate the end date based on monthly wages prior to
being RA'ed. Then you are allowed to collect. -Anonymous-
Comment 5/04/10:
Anyone file an age discrimination charge against IBM with the
EEOC; since I would like to hear of your experiences? -screwed-
Comment 5/04/10:
How do you account for all the retirees that suddenly leave one
day and go to other jobs? Do you track those RAs? -Not Retired-
Alliance Reply: If they retired of their own choice, it is not considered an
RA. There is no way for Alliance@IBM to track retirees that leave IBM and go
to other jobs. Where do you get your information about "all the retirees
from"?
Comment 5/03/10:
Cuts in Canada today - gone by end of May. No numbers yet, but
just got a call from a old friend he got the call from his manager this morning.
-SleeplessInMarkham-
Comment 5/01/10:
Regarding crowd sourcing - GBS is already "participating".
They call it "Liquid GenO". They post requirements for some coding
and it can be posted to either internal IBM or external people. People provide
code and then it gets reviewed. If their code is selected, they get to bill
their time if they are internal and I'm assuming they get paid (don't know how
much) if they are external. Everyone one else who submitted code, but didn't
get selected get nothing, they can't even bill their time. Doesn't this sound
like yet another way to have less IT people? Why anyone would want to engage
in this so-called "competition" is beyond me. -Getting
sick of this-
