April 26, 2005

“Offshoring” Proposal by Michael L Saville

Good Morning

I worked at IBM for 32 years in various capacities including management. I consider myself a long term shareholder as I purchased my first IBM stock in 1968 and I still have that stock.

Offshoring jobs will hurt the $51 Billion IBM Brand name and Reputation in countries and communities where IBM does business.

Tom Lynch, IBM’s former Director of Global Employee Relations told an internal meeting that “offshoring” is going to destroy morale as IBMers are forced to train someone from China, Brazil, India or Russia to do their job.

The Employee and all those working with the employee will be outraged because of the indignity, unjustness, and unfairness knowing that their job will not be theirs at the end of a fixed period of time.

IBM Human Resource Partner Christoph Grandpierre described how European IBMers have greater protection because of their Unions and Work Councils.

As American IBMers lose their jobs to Offshoring and European IBMers fight back through their Unions as demonstrated this week in France and Germany, American IBMers will learn the value of Unions as Mr Grandpierre suggested.

Mr Palmisano, Offshoring is short term, short sighted, immoral and counter-productive.

There is nothing wrong with IBM hiring people from all over the world. IBM has long done that and it is good business to do so.

The Problem is eliminating jobs here in the United States and Europe and transferring those same jobs to low wage countries.

The real loser will be IBM.

Instead IBM should Re-train and retain its loyal American and European employees while the workforce in other countries expands. IBMers should be treated as Assets and not Commodities.

I urge you to vote for this proposal - Thank You