The Breaking Point

On March 1st , over 2500 IBM employees got a rude awakening.
Once again the company they toiled for turned its back on them and showed them the door and the unemployment line.
We have seen this scenario before.

In 2009 after glowing financial results IBM executives immediately started firing employees.
By the time 2009 was over at least 10,400 workers had lost their jobs.
IBMers are an understanding group.
Many have said that if times were tough and the company was not doing well they can understand job cuts.
But that is not and hasn’t been the case with IBM’s job cuts.
IBM executives are abandoning the US workforce and moving work offshore, and to make matters even worse, bringing in foreign workers to replace US workers on contracts and accounts here.
Make no mistake, the job cuts are far from over.
So what do we do today, this week and this month?

First, we organize like never before. It is the only way to protect IBM jobs and to bring back respect for employees. We need to bring IBM to the negotiating table. No more unilateral decisions with no input or voice from employees. To do that we need a stronger Alliance@IBM and that means everyone join at whatever level you feel comfortable at. The old saying is true…In numbers there is strength!

Second, information is power. We need examples of US workers being fired as work is off shored. We need examples of US workers being replaced by offshore workers brought into the US to work on US accounts and jobs. We need information on IBM using foreign workers on Federal, State and City government contracts.

Third, we need to engage in political and social action. For too long our political leaders have turned a blind eye to the loss of our jobs to off shoring. This must change. Call your political reps and tell them you are fed up with inaction. Tell them that we cannot have an economic recovery as jobs are shifted offshore and foreign workers brought in to replace US jobs.
Social action means rallies, picket lines and other forms of public attention and resistance to the corporate drive to deprive employees of their livelihood. Use all social networking tools to spread the word that we have had enough. IBM executives have increased the pain on workers; it is now time to increase the pain on them. Job slowdowns and sickouts need to be considered.

We realize for many of you these might be drastic and uncomfortable measures. But at what point is the breaking point? After you have lost your job? We say be proactive and act now!
Tell the world: We are IBM, NOT the executives, and we will be heard!

The Alliance@IBM Team