Alliance@IBM Job Cuts Reports

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Job Cut Reports
This comments section is for the posting
of specific information of
Job cuts, Resource Actions and Firings.

01/13/12: Please click on the "Home Front" menu item, above to view sample CWA contracts, and contract summaries. -Alliance-

Comment 02/04/12: On the other hand I found it puzzling that IBM has many job openings in Miami, NYC, Detroit, Minnsapolis-St Paul, see:
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/top-hiring-employers-americas-biggest-142103857.html
-More Jobs at IBM-

Comment 02/04/12: I am wondering if IBM has a "plan b". Suppose India or one of the other offshore countries suffers a natural disaster, or war for example... -TurtleDove-
Alliance Reply: Why wonder or care about what plan IBM has for any of their offshore locations?
Why not worry about what plan YOU have. Think about you and your co-workers plan to organize IBM US and work for a contract that is in YOUR and your CO-WORKERS interests. Join Alliance@IBM and form "plan A": a union contract. Now THAT'S a plan.

Comment 02/04/12: Folks, if you are not already convinced that a uninon contract is needed, read this paper from IBM Watson Research:
https://researcher.ibm.com/researcher/files/us-msridhar/foser061-bacon.pdf
and this newspaper report from 2009:
topcoder-names-nicholas-m-donofrio-to-companys-board-of-directors
These are clear indications that IBM started the transformation to GenerationOpen a long time ago. Unless you have an MWL (Master of Workforce Liquidation) there is no place for you in this new IBM. Even low level line management (1st & 2nd) is not required when you use the liquid workforce pardigme. You just need a couple of product managers. Be smart in a smarter world. Protect yourself. Organise! -anonymous-

Comment 02/03/12: I like the enthusiasm and angst that some of you have made clear in your assertion to Join the Union. I wholeheartedly agree. But make no mistake; once you join, you need to take action and let IBM know you mean business. Concerted effort to grow the membership while publicly demonstrating or handing out leaflets or rallying in some way, or writing letters to your local newspaper's editor, or having meetings with other members to pinpoint strategy and next moves. This is called activism for a reason. Just joining and paying dues is not enough, if you want the union to grow and be able to push back against IBM and its image in the public eye. Reveal the practices of executive management. Expose their lies to people inside and outside IBM. Throw their policies back in their face...but do it all within the law and within the rules of union organizing. Don't know all those rules? Ask an Alliance staff member. They know the rules, and they know what IBM doesn't like but can't do anything about... Once you begin to act and speak as a collective voice, the power of that action begins to take effect. I'm a union member and I know this is true. 45,000 CWA Verizon workers did just that, last year and Verizon caved in and came back to the bargaining table.... Yes, it's true that CWA Verizon union members already had a contract, but the point is that they acted together and demonstrated to Verizon that their strength and skill together was greater than executive management's stubbornness. Get busy fighting for your job, or get busy losing it. -Tyler Durden-

Comment 02/03/12: Big cuts end-of-March in Applications Services areaS (AMS). Code Name is "Phoenix". Approximately 10% of IBM US regular employees will get their walking papers. Example AMS Communications sector accounts Disney, Sprint, Williams Energy, Xcel Energy will get hit. Meanwhile IBM India continues to grow. JOIN THE UNION. -LK-

Comment 02/03/12: In a Perfect World.
In a perfect world large corporations would compete against each other for business share and profits while powerful Unions would provide skilled and unskilled labor to these corporations that are well trained and flexible within the confines of the well written contracts they are employed under. The employees would derive benefits like vacation and medical from the unions as part of the labor agreements and the companies would not have the burden of administering these things across a wide range of employees worldwide. The employees would know their incomes and expenses and be able to manage household budgets properly to avoid foreclosures and other nasty things and the businesses could do the same as the cast of labor would be a constant and known entity defined by a contract acceptable to both sides. The relationship between the companies and labor should become one of mutual success because neither side wants the other to do badly. No company equals no jobs. No labor equals no company. What I do not understand is why the people who strive to bring us a smarter planet don't understand this simple concept. If you do understand it lets push forward and get this union rolling! -Exodus2007-

Comment 02/03/12: Now that a slew of IBMers got the "PBC cut" e-mail from the Alliance in their company Lotus Notes e-mail when are these folks gonna act on it? Or are the vast majority of IBMers the "don't rock the boat" suck ups? These types of employee IBM craves and wants. These types IBM does one thing to: RA. Believe me, I don't have specifics, but as surely the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, RAs are coming soon. You can bet your job on it. -anonymous-

Comment 02/03/12: irRational: You are 1000% correct in your observations. I am also a dues paying member and no longer an IBM employee. It still amazes me why IBM employees don't join the Alliance at least as a subsciber. -sby_willie-

Comment 02/03/12: Left IBM voluntarily, and never regretted it. Still a dues-paying Alliance member though. It saddens me to see the same discussions here, repeating like clockwork: "RAs are coming!" "Where?" "When?" "How can this be fair?" I must assume that my ex-IBMers are just plain stupid, or sheep, or both.
You remaining folks have only two choices, IMO:

1. Form a union, and try to fight this constant erosion of your benefits, salary, and job security.

2. Leave, and deny IBM your training and expertise, all of which are eventually going to be put to work training your cheap offshore replacements.

How can any of you stay at this company and not join the union? By your inaction, you support their strategy of shedding American jobs, and weakening the American jobs that remain with them. By your complacency, you tacitly approve of what they do. By your silence, you aid and abet the destruction of your, and your fellows' jobs. -irRational-

Comment 02/03/12: IBM Boulder employees received same IBM Alliance email about PBC's also. Thanks! -anonymous-

Comment 02/03/12: Bad news ....
http://wraltechwire.com/business/tech_wire/opinion/blogpost/10679420/ -hangingon-

Comment 02/03/12: Not sure how far out of the "Organization" - I wasn't given explicit instructions on how far away to look - but I was told to go to the Global Opportunities intranet page, so still within IBM.. for now.. -IBMerSince99-

Comment 02/03/12: Collective Bargaining has been villainized in the US as has fighting against constitutional breaches. As an American working for the IBM Machine abroad (germany), I am happy and proud to say that labor unions have not been demolished here and that at least to some degree corporate beasts are still tamed by a government with a social concience. -neo-

Comment 02/03/12: Comments 02/02/12:"Seems they are making pre-RA calls today in Lotus. Employees are being spoken to and encouraged, ASAP, to find jobs outside the organization."
-IBMerSince99-
Outside which organization? Outside Lotus or outside IBM?
"Gee this RA selection process sounds like a Gestapo operation or a Lottery gone terribly wrong"
-anonymous-
One manager told me that that process made him want to vomit.-Gorya-

Comment 02/03/12: Repeat after me: 2015!..2015$..2015$$$ Without a union how many of you will still be working for IBM? -grimreaper-

Comment 02/02/12: Only purpose of the Liquid Portal (see also topcoder.com) is to attract freelancers (designers/developers/testers) from BRIC countries with no strings attached, 1K is a lot of money for them, it is shocking dedicated onshore(20%)/offshore(80%) resources are being replaced with offshore freelancers. PBCs are a measure of how needed/convenient you are as an employee, absolutely nothing to do with your accomplishments, 1st lines have very little say, very sad but true. -anonymous-

Comment 02/02/12: Last Friday everyone at IBM East Fishkill NY including employees,vendors,& management. Received a outside email from the Alliance: PBC lowered? You are not alone. Wondering if employees from other IBM sites received this same note as well? Perfect timing for those who just received their PBC "3" appraisal rating. This note lefted management red faced and in a tail spin. Great on getting the word out! -YOU ARE NOT ALONE-

Comment 02/02/12: "...staff that work for IBM on projects but are not full time are called "liquid players," according to an internal..."
This is the "Liquid Portal" model that IBM has been using for a year or two now. The intention is to eliminate employees and use individuals to complete software projects for minimal pay. The typical compensation that I've seen being offered is under $1000.00. Once you take out the self-employment taxes, federal income taxes and state income taxes you are left with chicken feed. Your only real way to combat this is to unionize in the USA and internationally. -anonymous-

Comment 02/02/12: Where can I find compensation numbers for union officers. want to join but also want to see where my contributions go. -curiousfuturemember-
Alliance Reply: At this point Alliance officers are unpaid volunteers and have been since our founding in 1999. Once a union is certified through an election and recognized by the company then they "could" be paid. We have 4 officers. We also have 1 full time staff person, our national coordinator, and 1 part time IT Administrator. They are paid mainly with funds from our parent organization CWA.
Our budget is very low. We need dues for office expenses, organizing and outreach.
Looking forward to you joining!

Comment 02/02/12: Seems they are making pre-RA calls today in Lotus. Employees are being spoken to and encouraged, ASAP, to find jobs outside the organization. I would imagine the ones who don't find jobs are the ones who get axed? Guess I'll find out... -IBMerSince99-

Comment 02/02/12: RA selection process is IBM employee clearinghouse sweepstakes -PBC?-

Comment 02/02/12: -Gorya- Gee this RA selection process sounds like a Gestapo operation or a Lottery gone terribly wrong -anonymous-

Comment 02/02/12: If IBM wants to cut approx. 40% of German IBM employees then the 2015 number of only having about 60,000 USA IBM employees is believable. So 40,000 USA employees or so could very well be gone in just three short years. And tens of thousands of IBMers still employed will not do anything about it. They can try to do something about it: THINK UNION -HatchetAComing-

Comment 02/01/12: The liquid worker is being implemented... Internally the restructuring has been dubbed "Generation Open" and staff that work for IBM on projects but are not full time are called"liquid players," according to an internal document seen by Reuters. IBM-planning-major-job-cuts
Better get your act together ... those that are left.. -Ich Bin Muede-

Comment 02/01/12: After visitng this site on and off for a number of years, today I joined the Alliance. I was sametiming this morning with an associate who told me they were RA'd and in the process of training their replacement in South America. Appalling. My PBC rating did not change despite my going above and beyond the call of duty and donating my entire summer to a project that made the customer extremely happy. I met all of my goals and exceeded in some areas. I know of at least a few people who are extremely unhappy with thier PBC ratings this year. I don't think I could ever match the amount of time and dedication I put into that project so now I am left with a sense of disappointment and bitterness with the entire process. I'm not playing 'poor me' but simply have taken off the rose colored glasses and realized that the cards are indeed stacked against the US worker and it is but a matter of time before that Friday afternoon when your manager pings you and asks if you can "talk". Everyone I work with is in survival mode. We are all just putting our heads down and doing our work. It is not supposed to be like this. The customer is unhappy. They want back what they had. When they had a person/team behind thier account who they could call and reach out to. Not opening a ticket that gets dumped into a queue that some boob halfway accross the globe will take 3 days to figure out and complete. I suggest everyone that is on here reading about the cuts and the injustice being served to us...join and see if we can make a difference. To me it is worth $10 a month. Good luck everyone. -DisappointedIBMer-

Comment 02/01/12: Anonymous 01/29/12 asked why the RA name list has to go to IBM legal:
"If IBM is doing everything legally since workers are 'at will employees' what is IBM afraid or scared of?"
Because even at will employees are protected by antidiscrimination laws. IBM tries to avoid lawsuits (especially the age discrimination suits they've had in the past).
Therefore, months before each RA, a preliminary list, larger than the target number, is sent to legal to check the distribution; if necessary, the distribution is adjusted by moving names around in the list. Finally, some edge cases are taken off the list to reduce it to the target number. On RA day, each victim gets a list of "Selected" and "Not Selected" numbers by position and age, which is supposed to show enough age balance to discourage suits. (All victions should send that list to Alliance: it's the only way we know layoff numbers.) -Gorya-

Comment 02/01/12: I have figured out what PBC stands for... Performance Bell Curve. I was ranked "1" in 2009, "2" in 2010 and now "3" in 2011. Moving through the bell curve with velocity... -2015 Roadmap Roadkill -
Alliance Reply: Actually it stands for "Personal Business Commitment"; but whatever you believe about how it works, you should also know that it is a stacked deck and a tool for IBM to do RA's as often as they please, because you have no binding employment contract that protects you from IBM's abuse and injustice toward their employees. Join the union and organize. Fight back collectively, not as an individual. Make a commitment to yourself to make a change.

Comment 02/01/12: And the complaining continues, as do the firings, benefit cuts, and pay cuts. WTF is going on here? Read this:
http://www.cwalocal1111.com/assets/pdfs/verizon/contracts/D1summary.pdf
and tell me what is so bleeping hard to understand about the value of having a union contract? -Dave-

Comment 02/01/12: IBM Germany announced this morning job cuts of up to 8000 of the current workforce of 20000. -Mr. Worried-
Alliance reply: We are also getting that information from the IBM Germany union.
The job cuts in Germany must, by law, be negotiated with the union.
It is very different than what happens here.

Comment 02/01/12: "...if HR is really impartial as they claim to be..."
HR is not impartial. They exist to protect the company. Period. The only way you will ever get some partiality is to join a union who will go to bat for you with some clout against HR. It is called a grievance. There are plenty of articles and books on the subject of companies and corporations Human Resources Depts. which discuss and reveal it all -HRed-

Comment 01/31/12: And what Bullet would that be in RSD? Fired, Sold, More paycuts? -tired-

Comment 01/31/12: ST dev has been shipped off shore, so if you were in the US ST dev team, you are now looking for another job. -GettinHosed-

Comment 01/31/12: I was a second line manager in IBM. PBC rating For all of you IBMUS employees. Just cut and and paste your last year PBC evaluation. You are already rated by 2nd line managers at the beginning of the year. PBC ratings have already been established by 2nd line managers and corporate. Each division is given a percentage of employees that are to be RA at the start of each year. Corporate uses the PBCs tool to downsize and RA employees. This entire system is corrupt. Stop complaining and join the union. -ANA-

Comment 01/31/12: From the UK. Hear more PBC 3 than ever before, yet met business goals...
i will be appealing against this unfair system and i exceeded all my objectives and performed higher in terms of cost savings against my peers...perhaps its because im over 40 and have over 12 years service under my belt and they want young grads to take my job....was such a nice place in the mid the late 90's.... wow this company is so different -A UK Number-

Comment 01/31/12: -No Name.. Just a Number!!!- I'm experiencing the same hostility from my 2nd line manager for contesting my rating, he is totally disrespectful with me for challenging their decision, I have a meeting with HR in a couple weeks, will let you know if HR is really impartial as they claim to be... -Anon-

Comment 01/31/12: Gee, sametime was real slow this AM to login|connect. Coincidence? -ST'ed-

Comment 01/31/12: 2015 Roadmap. If no ones is paying attention to it you should. Tens of thousands of USA jobs in IBM will be gone. As well as your stock bonus that Sam and now Ginny still dangles like candy in front of you. If you get it your a lucky survivor. PLEASE, PLEASE do something for yourself and your fellow IBMers. ORGANIZE and do it now! Try to reverse or at least slow the 2015 Roadmap job reductions which will soon come. -2015-

Comment 01/31/12: Project "Malle” in force as of today in the Canadian GDF. Mostly changes at the first level manager level. They’ve split their job in 3 : HR management (PBC, etc.), delivery, and “portfolio” manager (this one is placed between the DPE and the delivery teams, similar to a SDM).
The technical teams may also be split in two between the doers on one side and architects and SME on the other. Still a lot of details to be decided for the final structure. This exists it seems because DPEs have lost contact with all the delivery teams spread across the world. I do not see how a more convoluted management structure will help to save costs…
And we all know were the cuts are going to come from, somebody has to pay for these new positions. -CANonymous-

Comment 01/31/12: -No Name.. Just a Number!!!- Good for you! Let us know how it turns out.
Thanks for standing up for what is right. You have already helped the cause for employees by setting up a meeting with HR and doing what is right. -No Name in the US-

Comment 01/31/12: Has anyone ever received a significant pay cut at IBM? Our group of 250 in Jan. 2009 got our base salaries cut by 17% and we never saw it again...I am tired of this company. -AcquiredbyIBM-

Comment 01/31/12: has anyone heard on cuts in sametime dev? i heard about it -Anonymous-

Comment 01/30/12: The voice from the UK here... Just complained to my secondline manager, not about my PBC rating as I know that that is just a load of bull... But about the process behind the scores given. My PBC should have been bassed mainly on our performance against set Business goals, but I was given my PBC result 2 weeks before the Business Results were released. So I demanded that management provide me with the documentation which outlines the rules around awarding PBC's. Second line managers responce was to tell me 'not to rock the boat'. When I advised him that I will be taking this matter to HR, unless someone did something to put right this faulty process.... He nearly exploded, with some of the most colourful language I've heard for a long time.... I have a appointment with HR at the end of this week... I'll let you know who I get on. - No Name.. Just a Number!!!-

Comment 01/29/12: The word at the watercooler is that Retail (RSD) SSRs will take a bullet come March. Retail is no longer part of the big picture. -Anonymous-

Comment 01/29/12: "...The (RA name) list has to go to IBM legal first..."
Why? If IBM is doing everything legally since workers are "at will employees" what is IBM afraid or scared of? Seems like another unnecessary expense by IBM HR. -anonymous-

Comment 01/28/12: When the employees write up their PBC's it is a waste of time. Their rating is determined WAY before the manager ever reads the individuals PBC. I know - I am a manager. So the PBC process is a joke. On RA's - the list of impacted folks are created 2 months before they are told. The list has to go to IBM legal first. Once on a list it is nearly impossible to get off the list. IBM will reduce US workforce 50% by 2015 Guaranteed - I have seen the documents. - RA & PBC-
Alliance reply: If you have the documents, please send to ibmunionalliance@gmail.com

Comment 01/28/12: There will be a BIG RA in GBS in 1Q12. This is a fact. folks will be told end of Feb and end date will be end of March. Folks in all areas will be affected. The only way to keep showing profit increase is to kill off expenses since revenue is not growing. US resources are major targets. -RA coming-

Comment 01/28/12: Can anyone reading this, not in the Alliance, afford just $0.33 a day? If so, why not join us? -IBMUnionYES-
Alliance reply: Thank you for pointing this out. The funding is essential to organzing; but by itself, cannot bring a union contract to IBMers. The IBMers that join and pay dues must also be actively pursuing new members to join and take action in their workplace; whether it's a virtual workplace or a brick and mortar site. Combine the funding with activities that contribute to the growth of the numbers of US IBMers that want a contract and a voice in their workplace, where ever it is.

Comment 01/27/12: "You can get the "MBA" (Market Based Adjustment), but you have to be well below the midpoint for your band/job family/region."
The question is CAN and WILL? I can attest that I was a PBC 2+ and well below the midpoint and got no MBA. But I did get an RA instead. It also all depends which band/job family/region IBM wishes to include in an MBA. Since USA "market based pay" has been depressed most IT skill sets get no MBA. It all depends on IBM's whims. I would rather have a contract than depending on the whims of IBM whether I can get an MBA or not. -sby_willie-

Comment 01/27/12: Wonder why more PBC 3's? I have a theory: since IBM sees that not enough speak up about management abuses or join this union movement then IBM believes giving many more a PBC 3 is just peachy. Since IBM management can get away with it with no resistance. If more folks would join the union here maybe it wouldn't be so peachy for IBM management getting their way always with the employees. If you don't take up the fight then the fight by IBM management comes to you and: hello...it has. IBM employee pacifism is appalling IMHO. -anonymous-

Comment 01/27/12: Stand by... The 3's are being handed out and recorded by close of business today. I just got mine. Would have completed my 25th year this December. I could feel the target getting bigger on my back. Time to move on... -2015 Roadmap Roadkill-

Comment 01/27/12: So, let's say you have a department and people with different roles - PM, architect, developer. Let's say everyone does equally excellent work in their role. Is it fair that the highest appraisals always go to the PMs and architect since they are now required to give a "2" or worse to 60% of the department? I believe this was deliberate, and they are encouraging etrition to avoid RA payouts in preparation for offshoring of the 60%. So, this what they learn in the prestigious American MBA programs these days, huh? How to screw your fellow American for an easy offshoring buck? Deplorable and pathetic. -Anonymous-

Comment 01/26/12: Rumors of layoffs in TPF, a mainframe operating system. 20 out of 70 being R/A'd. More mainframe development departments training their IBM China replacements. So many seem resigned to their fate. They don't have to be. A union of technical folks can be a formidable force. If only Jane and John Beemer could focus their formidable brainpower for a few minutes a day to their own survival and join Alliance@IBM. -Anonymous-

Comment 01/26/12: I know this board is about job cuts but just one more clarification.
You *can* get a raise with a PBC 2 - just not the merit based component. You can get the "MBA" (Market Based Adjustment), but you have to be well below the midpoint for your band/job family/region. -Anonymouse-
Alliance reply: Here's another clarification: You can get a contract with much more than raises and benefits included, if you organize and stand together; instead of picking the nearly clean bones of the promises and needs of the business 'awards' that IBM throws at IBMers today, as their 'reward' for their excessive hours, delayed promotions, absolute disrespect, and daily fear of job loss and mistreatment through their "career".

Comment 01/26/12: How many of you PBC complainers have joined the union? It's amazing to me that people will come here and complain, and that other people will advise them to use IBM's own processes to handle things, when we all know it's a stacked deck and our ONLY chance of fair treatment is to form a union. There is absolutely no downside to becoming a member, and the potential for getting us all some help is tremendous. So discouraging to see such talented people acting so weak. This includes you, GDF employees; you're treated horribly. Do something about it before it's too late. -anon-
Alliance reply: Thanks for your comment. To answer your question, we only gained 3 new members this month. This site gets at least 1600 visits a day, far more than the number of members we have.
As mentioned before, membership in the Alliance is confidential. IBM will not get your name.
Dues go to a variety of expenses in organizing and our existence, not just this web site.
If we are to take on IBM we need a war chest.

Comment 01/26/12: @Zackncody, it is amazing how little awareness people have. Make a point of talking to "One" person a day even if it means getting that person to talk to just one person a day and before you know it, the awareness level has increased. This "word around the campfire" has been the same original plan in place since 2001 and has been made fruition SINCE the 2003 ALL HANDS CALLS. Pay attention to the details and this would not be such a secret. Pay attention to the code words they announce and watch the results as the year wears on. Stop living in survival mode and talk to at least one person a day. -Where-Are-You-now?-

Comment 01/26/12: Some of us have posted about seeing a PowerPoint presentation a few years back. It showed the global workforce targets with the number of US workers as 20%. Of this 20%, 10-15% is to be landed resources (here on visas) and Americans /legal residents are to be 5-10%. Think of all the visa holders you now see on your account. That is where they are going. At best 10% of the IBM global workforce will be American. The global work force is now about 450,000, so that would then mean about 45,000 Americans is the target. The American number is currently estimated to be about 98,000, so half that will be RA'd or positions left open by attrition.
______________

"Word around the campfire is that by 2015, half of the US workforce will be gone. Let's hope otherwise. -Zackncody- " -anonymous-

Comment 01/25/12: Right you are alliance. The exec's are measured by profit for their group. Targets are set at the beginning of the year and when they hit them they get their bonus money. If they don't they get booted to a staff holding tank. No PBC for them just profit or loss. -benthere-

Comment 01/25/12: So did Virginia Romeatie raised the bar on Old McDonald, evil HR director? Of course not. He got no worse than a PBC 2+. Probably his usual PBC 1. -anonymoose-
Alliance Reply: Who cares? Really? Do you think that what the CEO or the HR director does, really matters anymore to IBM US employees? Isn't it just more of the same? Don't you think it's time to organize after all these years, instead of wondering about what Exceutive management is doing? They are giving you (IBMers US) the shaft; and they have been for a long time. Start organizing! Join the Alliance, and get focused on bringing a union contract to the bargaining table. Never mind the PBC's for the CEO and the HR director. Incidentally, those execs don't even USE the PBC system on themselves, FYI...

Comment 01/25/12: -BlockedDefense- Absolutely your manager can hold you back. It happened to me not once but at least twice. Happens all the time. Ever hear of "Needs of the Business"? Wouldn't it be nice to be able to take a qualifying test for the job opening, pass it with great marks, and then your present manager has to release you since you are in the top 10 or so qualified for the union job and the provisions of the contract say that your management can not hold back a qualified employee from getting another job in the company? -RAed2009-

Comment 01/25/12: I heard from collegues, IBM Canada SW group is handing out 3 ratings to the majority of it's employees, their commisions have been capped by much as 40% of what was expected.. HR had to get involved because employees cried fowl, I understand managers were read the riot act by HR for not following the proper procedure for rating employees 3s; something to do with not indicating to the employees during the previous year that their performance was dropping via a mid year PBC reviews.. -Canadian-

Comment 01/25/12: Word around the campfire is that by 2015, half of the US workforce will be gone. Let's hope otherwise. -Zackncody-
Alliance reply: Let's ORGANIZE "otherwise" instead of just hope, ok?

Comment 01/25/12: Enough discussion about PBCs... This board is SUPPOSED to be about Job Cuts. Do any of the new comment makers here NOT read the comments that came before theirs? Did you read the Alliance replies to comments regarding PBCs?? Here for your benefit, again:
"Alliance reply: We don't advocate 'kicking back and relaxing'. Do all of you want to keep doing this year after year? Organize for a contract and let's get rid of PBC and negotiate a sane evaluation process." and here's another:
"Alliance reply: Absolutely! IBM gets away with its mistreatment of employees based on fear and intimidation. Let's end this now. Fight for a union, organize and let's get a contract that does away with IBM's PBC."
Why is it necessary to continue ranting about something that WILL NOT CHANGE unless YOU stand up for yourselves and change it? WTF is wrong with you people, anyway? Are you still living in the 1980's when life was good and IBM treated you sooooo good?
To Alliance: Please stop posting discussions about PBC's to this board. This is about Job Cuts, and you are doing the right thing by telling IBMers to organize and get a contract that rids IBM employees of the insane PBC system in the first place. Thank you for all that you have done and are doing since 1999. I'm a union member and proud of it. -Read Much?-

Comment 01/25/12: Without a union, human resource and H/R director Randy MacDonald control the PBC ratings. Randy and all executives have a contract, but IBMUS employess are not respresented and have no contract, the days of respect for the individual are long gone at IBMUS. We need a union to protect from these corrupt corporate practices. Join the union. -ANA-

Comment 01/25/12: "Durham/RTP NC - More PBC 3 ratings this year than ever before. If your manager told you this is just a one off and you can fix this next year, it's a load of bull. You're in the RA list. Rest Assured. -support_guy_rtp-"
Absolutely right. In fact, if you are dropped at any level (i.e. 1 to 2) you will probably be on the RA list. Don't believe what your manager says. Here is another fact. You're 2nd line is probably calling all the shots about you and your 1st line probably doesn't even know it. IBM has had a lot of time to figure out their RA strategy. They have been doing it for almost 20 years now. It all started in the early 90s when 3 finger Lou got on board. IBM is getting very good at it. -Gone from Big Blow-

Comment 01/25/12: This is the kind of workforce American comapnies want. Beware.
"Apple executives say that going overseas, at this point, is their only option. One former executive described how the company relied upon a Chinese factory to revamp iPhone manufacturing just weeks before the device was due on shelves. Apple had redesigned the iPhone's screen at the last minute, forcing an assembly line overhaul. New screens began arriving at the plant near midnight. A foreman immediately roused 8,000 workers inside the company's dormitories, according to the executive. Each employee was given a biscuit and a cup of tea, guided to a workstation and within half an hour started a 12-hour shift fitting glass screens into beveled frames. Within 96 hours, the plant was producing over 10,000 iPhones a day. "The speed and flexibility is breathtaking", the executive said. "There's no American plant that can match that. From the NY Times --

Comment 01/25/12: -Anonymous- "this is a pay cut - zero variable pay"
Of course it's a freaking pay cut! That's exactly the intent. Does anyone really think that the majority of ibmers are going to be rated as 1 or 2+? That's just not going to happen. Most will be rated as 2 with no variable pay, or 3 with no variable pay and no profit sharing. And while we're on the subject of pay cuts, does anyone remember the term 'total compensation' as used by management when trying to justify little or no raises? ANY reduction in your total compensation is a pay cut, whether it's a reduced pension (4 of them since '91), or having to pay more for medical coverage every year, or having your appraisal artificially lowered. The real question here is "what are you going to do about it?" -Dave G-

Comment 01/24/12: First 2 in over 20 years? Certainly a statement to raise eyebrows. Statement such as this creates hope among the unsuspecting employees.PBC is a flawed process. If a senior (who can influence decisions) with whom one does not have good relationships is promoted to a manager, how can one be sure this will not affect the ratings? Is there a way to ensure "fairness"? -toFirst2-

Comment 01/24/12: Hi, can an IBM manager give you a low rating and also block you from moving to another job in IBM (if you find one)? About 1.5 years ago, I found another job in IBM but my manager blocked it saying he needed me for another six months. He gave me an average rating last year and I foolishly stayed on. This year, he has given me an even lower rating and I can't wait to leave. Could he block again if I find a job (harder though it may be this time because of my own foolishness)? -BlockedDefense-
Alliance reply: Of course your manager can. Without a union contract you are at the mercy of management decisions.

Comment 01/24/12: 2011 was my first year to IBM, have worked really hard, overtime, weekends more than the average employees. I had not only learn IBM systems quickly but have made many projects successful........ Got the rating of "2" today is it worthy of my days and night I have spend...? -anonymous-

Comment 01/24/12: PBC 2 is eligible for the profit sharing / variable pay -Anon-

Comment 01/24/12: "First "2" ever - in 20 years of being an IBMer, and I am pissed off."
Instead of being pissed off start ORGANIZING your fellow workers who got the same PBC treatment!
Otherwise next you could get a PBC 3. -IBMUnionYes-

Comment 01/24/12: To the person who received a "2" for the first time in 20 years, you are eligible for variable pay. However, you are not eligible for a raise/salary increase around June timeframe. For first time in many years I was also rated a "2", with horse pucky excuses. My manager did state that I am not eligible for salary increase, but will get variable pay. This is something IBMers are missing. If a 1 of 2+, you get variable pay and raise. If a 2, just variable pay. If a 3, hang it up as you are a goner during the next resource action. -Hanging In There-

Comment 01/24/12: Kudos to -Amazed- and -Read Much?- for telling it like it is! And no, you're not being too harsh. More like not harsh enough. Folks need to stop whining, stop fighting the system by themselves, get off their butts and get on with the organizing. No one wins anything sitting on the couch. -Dave-

Comment 01/24/12: First "2" ever - in 20 years of being an IBMer, and I am pissed off. This is effectively a pay cut - zero variable pay. -Anonymous-

Comment 01/24/12: Durham/RTP NC - More PBC 3 ratings this year than ever before. If your manager told you this is just a one off and you can fix this next year, it's a load of bull. You're in the RA list. Rest Assured. -support_guy_rtp-

Comment 01/23/12: Dont you think it is laughable that on the bottom of the PBC form it says if you do have comments add them here wether you agree or disagree with the PBC assessment you been given. I tried one time before to appeal against a PBC grading and had a paper trail as long as my arm - never got any futher with the claim and as for the so called workers council they were as much use as an ashtray on a motorbike. The sad situation is that you could have accomplished flying to the moon and back in some respects but because the PBC process is completely open to biased opinions you may as well kick back and relax and take the hit. -Tryas Youmay-
Alliance reply: We don't advocate "kicking back and relaxing". Do all of you want to keep doing this year after year? Organize for a contract and let's get rid of PBC and negotiate a sane evaluation process.

Comment 01/22/12: Here is a suggestion to all those facing getting lower pbc's and fighting it. Become a public member of the Alliance and fight back. make management sweat! Make a lot of noise! -member-
Alliance reply: Absolutely! IBM gets away with its mistreatment of employees based on fear and intimidation. Let's end this now. Fight for a union, organize and let's get a contract that does away with IBM's PBC.

Comment 01/22/12: -NoName- it appears that you won the battle but I think you lost the law. My bet is your manager is being counseled by his manager for not following the book on lowering a PBC. You may find yourself in a small reorg. and moved to another manager. Please watch your back. I think you will now be treated differently. Also unfortunatly someone else in your group was moved down to a 3. Good luck -benthere-

Comment 01/21/12: As some others have posted here, getting a PBC overturned can likely put you at the top of the next RA list. First lines (and 2nd lines too) do NOT like being challenged and thoroughly dislike being proven wrong on PBCs. Plese let us know how you make out. As to Loughridge, he has those buzz words down to a science. I am actually surprised someone challenged him. Or maybe it was just a plant so he could doublespeak!!! -formeribmslave-

Comment 01/21/12: If more folks got lower PBCs this time then you can bet variable this year is gonna sucka$$ -anonymous-

Comment 01/21/12: -NoName-, Now you are really at the top of their list for the next RA. You're not home free. If they didn't want you gone, they would not have given you a PBC that fit their goal for the next RA. I worked for IBM for 11 years. When your numbers up, you may be able to stall a bit, but in the end your name was on their list for a reason (not that it's justified). Just a reality check. Don't get over confident, Start looking outside the company before you have to. -Tony-

Comment 01/20/12: Got Good news fought PBC and won :) you will win if u document right keep and audit trail keep police yourself keep a journal and note everything. It works did for me this year as my manager tried to doc me but my senior manager negated it because I had the appropriate documentation and valid arguments. -NoName-

Comment 01/20/12: There is talk of employee cuts at the Burlington VT plant. Not sure how many or what areas. The reason is cost cutting. There are a lot of closed door manager meetings going on right now. Stay tuned. -WhistleBlower-

Comment 01/20/12: Loughridge on analyst call: During the analyst conference call, Loughridge was asked a question about his comments on productivity gains being a part of IBM's growth in profitability. Toni Sacconaghi of Sanford Bernstein asked if that were "a code word for labor migration offshore" or job reductions that were done in the beginning of the year. Loughridge answered by characterizing the productivity moves more as "large structural takeout" that is 'a big assist' to the overall profit margins in services. He added that more is on the way. "We're going to rebalance our workforce" he said, in order to keep skills aligned with opportunities and investments. This "should be roughly consistent with what we've seen over the last for years, more specifically, like what we saw in 2010." -unionyes-

Comment 01/19/12: If you fight the PBC and win the higher evaluation, then you might get variable pay. Depending on what you bring forth in your PBC defense, you may save yourself from the next round of RAs. With a higher PBC rating, you stand a better chance of changing jobs. I agree, most are let go regardless of winning the increased rating. I say fight it! -AlreadyDone-

Comment 01/19/12: Have heard of new layoffs in US GBS - dont have numbers but I know it is happening folks will be told in Feb and exit March -newlayoffs-

Comment 01/17/12: By the time that you receive a PBC 3, you are already marked and on a list for cutting, be it through the next RA or otherwise. This is a check box that just about finalizes it. Trust me, because that is what happened to me in 2009. You have no power working through the current system in place at IBM. You can only work to change the system. -Oatmeal-

Comment 01/17/12: What does it take to get through to you people? What does the Alliance need to say or have to tell you that will turn the light on for you? The comments that have been coming in here lately, demonstrate a lack of ability to read the replies that Alliance has given to the same comments over and over and over. To prove my point, just "search" this comments page with the words 'alliance reply:' and read the comment it comes to and then read alliance's reply... keep doing that and when you've finished this page, go to the "Your Comments" menu and click on any of the "archives" of comments. Then do the same search on 'alliance reply:'... I'd be willing to bet you'll begin to see what the definition of "repeat" or "review" really is. Can you NOT learn anything from these replies? Can you NOT deduce what to do after reading these replies? Can you NOT read at all? Sorry to be so harsh; but it is apparent that the Alliance has been telling you the the ways in which you can bring a union into IBM. They've spelled it out many times, and they've provided links to other sections of their web site to give you MORE information and help so that you can make an informed decision. WTF else do you need? Join the alliance and get busy growing the numbers of US IBMers that join and start standing up to US IBM management. Get busy organizing or get busy losing your job and your livelihood. -Read Much?-

Comment 01/17/12: I have been gone for more than 4 years and I am just amazed that people waste their time on here talking about fighting PBC's. After all these years? Seriously? PBC's??? If you are still at IBM at this point, each and every single one of you should be talking to all of your coworkers and organizing to get a union. If you aren't, then lay down and die now. It's not worth working at such a company in this day and age without a UNION! All of us who are gone, and chime in here now and then, all the notes from Exodus, don't get through to those of you who are left? Don't complain about stupid PBC's and what IBM is doing to you this time. I'm saddened that after all these years people are still bitching. Join forces all of you that are left and DO something about it! Get your office and every other office together and vote in a Union and stop complaining about how bad you are being treated. If you don't, you might as well dig a hole and just jump in and lay down. -Gone_in_07_&_amazed-

Comment 01/17/12: -gadfly- it doesn't mean anything that you refuse to sign your pbc. The manager just signs it and states you refused to sign but the pbc was done. you are now considered a rouge employee. you will now move down on the ranking list -dontmatter-

Comment 01/16/12: If you have received a '3' then you have nothing to lose by fighting it. When you talk to your 2nd line manager remember he/she is basically just a rubber stamp for your first line's appraisal, So your objective at this meeting should not be to get a reversal of the rating but rather on getting specifics as to why you are being rated a â??3. There is a good likelihood that you'll be able to use the 2nd line's response in your appeal (Most 2nd lines managers don't have a good idea of the work that you have or have not done during the past year). Before filing the appeal you need to read all the info IBM has on appraisals and ratings on their web sites. Then try to use IBM own words, systems (email, labor claiming, change and problem management, etc) and documentation to refute the 3 appraisal. Request a five member panel review. You will get three employees and two managers on your panel chosen at random. Most employees in IBM are aware of how management treats its employees and that the PBC process has been compromised and is now used as a way to suppress wages and reduce/outsource employees. So if you can make a sound case you may have a better chance than you think. -Jake-

Comment 01/16/12: "Fighting PBCs!! In 2009 my good friend got a 3. He fought it and had it reversed to a 2. In April he was selected for a Resource Action. Coincidence? Yeah, right. You will NEVER have a chance without someone fighting for you. A union is your ONLY ONLY hope. But the majority of IBMers just don't get it. So, let's wait for the next bomb to drop!! "
I completely agree. I have seen many examples of what you described. Fighting the PBC rating is a waste of time. You will only anger your manager. You need someone with some real legal clout on your side. There are laws to prevent workplace abuse and protect your job. A Union can help you enforce these laws. Don't be stupid and lose your job. Support the Alliance. -DontBeStupid-

Comment 01/15/12: I told my mgr that I wouldn't sign my pbc unless he gave me a worse rating. I wanted my rating to reflect the butchered performance bonus. We continue to perform at the same level, but the money is gone. I for one, am not going to continue doing it. -gadfly-

Comment 01/15/12: Fighting PBCs!! In 2009 my good friend got a 3. He fought it and had it reversed to a 2. In April he was selected for a Resource Action. Coincidence? Yeah, right. You will NEVER have a chance without someone fighting for you. A union is your ONLY ONLY hope. But the majority of IBMers just don't get it. So, let's wait for the next bomb to drop!! -Anonymous-

Comment 01/15/12: @ANA has it correct. IBM managers are nothing more than puppets to execute the 2015 road map. IBM designated categories and allotted money for each area:
1 - Promotion - raise
2+ - Raise
2 - no raise or very small one that is eaten up by inflation.
3 - Lay Off Target on your back, (you should have taken this seriously by now).
Managers have VERY LITTLE input other than that they have to trim the budget with RA's and other mix of savings. Back in the capitalism days there was such a thing as making revenue. -Tunnel-Light-is-Off-

Comment 01/15/12: If all you PBC 3 folks now would rise up, unite, and fight IBM on this injustice then you all have at least a chance to reverse it. If you don't flock together now you will be picked off one-by-one. This is not a threat; it is truth. It is IBM unwritten, unmentioned history. The pension change in 1999 showed what strength IBMs could exert (it could have been more powerful but...) Strength in numbers! Unite. This is the Alliance message. -anonymous-

Comment 01/15/12: The longer everyone who is an employee in IBM and who is not joining the cause of the Alliance WAITS the WORSE the abuse by IBM management will get. If you are disappointed in your PBC 3 rating then continue to sit around, do nothing, and see what is going to be next. If it isn't an RA coming it will be something like taking your growth driven pay or your 401K match away...or something else. -waiting4?-

Comment 01/14/12: Thanks folks for the advice re fighting my 3 rating, will let my manager know I want to contest it... BTW - an exIBMer I worked with a few years back called me up out of the blue and said there is an opening at his company for a Pre Sales rep which I will also pursue...
IBM has become too stressful of a company to work for without representation, management only treats their so-called friends with respect and dist the rest, it really does not matter how much you do anymore for this company… Hope I land the presale job and get the hell out of this Stressful Pit.. -Anon-
Alliance Reply: Your comment "...without representation" is exactly what Alliance@IBM has been trying to achieve since 1999. When do the dots connect for US IBMers, and reveal that organizing a union of IBMers is an alternative to quitting a company that abuses its employees to the 'enth' degree? I hope things work out for you; however, IBMers will still be "without representation" after you are gone...unless they decide that enough is enough, and they are willing to fight back together, to make IBM the place they would rather work for, than somewhere else.

Comment 01/14/12: This is you:
apple-factory-inspections-turn-up-scores-of-labor-violations unless you organize. -Neal Watkins-

Comment 01/14/12: To - Lowly SDM- There is no such thing as protesting a PBC rating. First and second line managers are given amount a employess each year to cut head count. The only thing that will stop this abuse of IBM employees is a union. All the discussions in the world will not change your PBC rating. If you are over 50 years of age you a have target on your back to be RAed. Join the union. -ANA-

Comment 01/14/12: Resource action announced Jan 13 2012. Impacts north America sales and distribution. Execs and non execs impacted -Anonymous-

Comment 01/14/12: -dun 4- and -exguard- Fully agree with you. Last year first level and other managers informed people that prior to the year end review HR had informed the departments the numbers allowed for 1, 2+. There is a bell curve for 2's. HR sits in at the final Department roll up when the decision is made. It is obscene that one has to boil down a years work to fit a power point slide with a predefined template. Making font smaller to fit more is not allowed. Top it off with requiring a photo id so they know who they are talking about. We were told that the upper level process allows only 60 seconds per employee for the final culling - sorry decision. This years ranking gives rise to reflect. I will continue to do my job. I no longer will as be efficient or quick as to identify that which will damage image and impact revenue. Wake up to reading it in the news now. -Anon-

Comment 01/14/12: Nice job posting the contract examples. Should help cover the "what's in it for me" excuse for being a fence sitter. A contract summary link was also posted by -union yes- that is brief and to the point - maybe that one also could be added to the "Home Front" tab? A contract like this one with free retiree medical and pension increases would be priceless for ibm retirees. And from recent posts, it looks like the pbc rating games continue. They've been doing this for a while now, haven't they? This is just another great reason to get out there and organize a union to protect yourself with a contract! Seems like there's no shortage of reasons, doesn't it? -Dave G.-
Alliance Reply: Thanks Dave. The Contract Summary IS part of the "Home Front" tab, and I also posted the same list of contracts on the Front page of our web site, titled "Sample Contracts" at the top. I will add more sample contracts as I get them or find them in our archives. Yes, we agree. These contracts may be many pages; but they cover everything in strict detail and leave no open loopholes for management to circumvent the contract's intention. Incidentally, CEO's and top company executives get contracts drawn up just as air tight if not tighter, so that they are protected from the BoD, should anything 'go wrong' during their tenure. Why shouldn't the employees have a similar advantage and protection? There are no reasons I can think of.

Comment 01/13/12: If your PBC rating was dropped to a 3 you have nothing to lose by fighting to get it raised back up since if you do nothing but stay disappointed with the PBC 3 you will soon lose your job. -fight_it-

Comment 01/13/12: -AlreadyDone- If your PBC went from a 2 to 3 and you had a union contract you could file a grievance and have your union help fight for you to get your performance better reviewed. -union_guy-

Comment 01/13/12: For those of you receiving a PBC 3 rating this year - if you didn't have a mid year review and your manager hadn't had a conversation with you, you should protest it. As a former manager, I can tell you that a PBC 3 should NEVER be a surprise to an employee. They should have an idea it is coming and the groundwork for that rating should have shown up in a midyear review or other meeting with your manager. I can't promise you will win, but at least your first and second line will sweat bullets when they have to answer why there were no mid year reviews or other performance discussions held prior to the rating notification. -LowlySDM-

Comment 01/13/12: I am an exmanager that left IBM last year just sick of the I am just following orders BS. Fight a "3" always. Relative contribution is a lie because it can't be quantified. This is on purpose within IBM to support the skew. It is no accident in a metric based company like IBM there is no clear metric to individual performance and a commitment to pay bonuses or raises. All the americans will get picked off one at a time through the performance process. Your only chance to keep your job in the next few year is to join the union so you can demand fair, measurable performance ratings and raises. -exguard-

Comment 01/13/12: a summary of a CWA contract
http://www.cwalocal1111.com/assets/pdfs/verizon/contracts/D1summary.pdf -unionyes-

Comment 01/13/12: "First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me, and there was no one left to speak out for me." -Pastor Martin Niemöller-
I am an Alliance member because I believe we need to start standing up for ourselves - together. I pay the dues because I can - I have a job (and it's not that much money). If the time comes when I have no income and that has to change, I'll worry about that then, but we need to help get the word out and make sure people know how these companies treat their employees, and we need to get together and act as one - they keep whittling us down little by little and individually, we don't stand a chance. Joining the union will help (note that I am not an officer, administrator, or receive any compensation from the Alliance). We can read between the lines. We all know this isn't about making good business decisions in a free market...it's about greed and a handful of people exploiting the rest of us. Treating us like ****, constantly taking away from us, and firing us to give themselves more money (and then making those who are left "do more with less" - more work, less pay and benefits. More fear of losing your job (and thus intimidating you into not speaking up), less hope for the future). Don't just shrug your shoulders and let it go....DO SOMETHING!!! -juggernaut-

Comment 01/13/12: There is an initiative to lower everyone's PBC. This came out in November 2011. The 'bar' has changed. Last year 50% of the employee population could be 2+ or higher. This year it has been lowered. 40% or less can be 2+ or higher. Most will be 2s or 3s this year. Another way for ibm to save by not giving you a raise this year, and lowering your March bonus. Don't be surprised when you receive your rating this month to see it lowered. It's standard across the board. -dun-4-

Comment 01/13/12: What is with the pbc's being dropped from 1's to 3's? That seems drastic and unreasonable. -workerbee-
Alliance Reply: Some our sources are saying this is the way to get around resource actions. You are dropped in PBC level and then forced out for "performance issues".
As a firing or force out it is not a resource action. IBM saves money and severance pay is lower.
It is also a way to hide the continued decline of the IBM US employee population.
Make no mistake, many of you now are a target for an unreasonable and unjust job loss. It does not matter how good a job you are doing. Being dropped from a 1 to a 3 proves that.
And yes offshoring is still playing a role here. Organize and fight back!

Comment 01/13/12: "Just went from a 1 rating to a 3... very disappointed with this rating.. "
There is no protection for US IBM employees in reference to PBC ratings. Without a union to represent you, You have no say. PBC ratings are only used to get rid of people and are based on head count and second line managers head count reductions. IBM does not care about you or your years wih the company. Without a union, you are on an island by yourself. Management will win everytime. If you want to stop this abuse,join the union. -ANA-

Comment 01/13/12: FightBack, for the most part the "evil" is not from 1st lines, they're just struggling to keep their jobs like you. The "evil" are the rules that descend from IBMHR. These set the overall tone, impossible goals(3's), the miserable environment and low morale index that exist today. Management has no incentive to change any of this as long as there are more potential employees then jobs. -HRtheEvilOnes-

Comment 01/13/12: AlreadyDone, in regards to fighting a PBC3 and the following RA, why not cherish a PBC3 and get the hell out of the pig? -splitThePig-

Comment 01/13/12: If anyone's PBC went from 2 to 3, you should go before the PBC review Panel. That 3 is a RA waiting. Write up your reasons for review, you can search the process in PBC area of employee info. You need to fight that 3 rating. -AlreadyDone-

Comment 01/12/12: "Just went from a 1 rating to a 3... very disappointed with this rating.. "
Don't be disappointed, do something about it. My manager slowly and methodically lowered my apprasial over the course of 2 years. I then got RAed. The thing I regret most is not fighting back. There are some evil and corrupt managers at IBM. Don't let them ruin your life and your career. -Fight Back-

Comment 01/12/12: "Just went from a 1 to a 3." I have heard rumors that severance packages will now be based on your performance. So I'm sure everyone will be 3 in 2012. -gonein11-

Comment 01/11/12: New Years resolution: No more comp time for evening or weekend work. It's called OT morons, you either pay it or do not schedule us to work the extra hours. Stick the comp time up your a$$ losers. -Johan-

Comment 01/11/12: PBC is around the corner and if it is not a 1+ or a 1 after all my hard work this year than I am convinced that all 1st line managers are useless to the world. -Moron for staying so long-

Comment 01/11/12: Not the way to do it! Microsoft probes mass suicide threat at China plant!
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http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/11/world/asia/china-microsoft-factory/index.html?hpt=hp_t3
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Organize. Get a contract or maybe this will be us sometime... -Neal Watkins-

Comment 01/11/12: "Just went from a 1 rating to a 3." Really? No warning. Your manager never told you, you would drop so much? How could IBM HR allow this, huh? This is why you need a union contract. -Anonymoose-

Comment 01/11/12: -Exodus2007- The feeling in IBM is still "...it ain't true. It will not happen to me." IBMers have to look at the person in the mirror before that person disappears figuratively and/or literally. Yes, Union now! -IBMUnionYES!-

Comment 01/11/12: I presume all of you complaining here are alliance members? If you do not join, expect even more draconian measures. Hey IBM, how about charging for employees using the parking lot? Or the bathrooms? Lee has been killing himself for years in an attempt to help those who are not willing to help themselves. And Anon 1 to a 3, you are just DISAPPOINTED???? I presume you either peruse this board or talk to other IBMers. What did you expect???? -Jim-

Comment 01/11/12: Being told by senior management on the GBS side that they are "moving the bell curve" and people are being severely reprimanded for little things not related to the BS 110% utilization goal. There will be quite a few #3 PBCer's this year! I'll bet the next layoff is end of February like clock work! -Getting Old-
Alliance Reply: And I'm sure our message to organize and grow the numbers of IBMers that belong to Alliance@IBM, is getting old, too; but it's still true and still is the best way to fight back for your right to collectively bargain for a contract that protects IBM workers from the abuses that IBM is delivering and has been delivering to IBMers for several years.

Comment 01/11/12: More business expenses pushed onto underpaid employees. More RA's. More attrition due to bogus appraisals. Pay cuts. Benefits more expensive. Job Security non-existent. How damn many reasons do people need to say enough is enough and organize? -Exodus2007-

Comment 01/11/12: In GTS Delivery Services we are now being told that IBM will no longer pay for "personal" cell phones as of 1/1/12. The primary reason a lot of us even have cell phones is that we are frequently on call and attempting to fufill service level agreements (SLAs) that IBM is contractually obligated to meet. We are being allowed to order pagers so we can still be contacted while on call, but I wonder what am I supposed to do when I'm out and about and not near a phone? There are no pay phones out there anymore and if IBM is not footing the bill for my cell phone then I'm sure as hell not going to use it for business purposes. In fairness, we've been told they will pay for any charges over and above the normal cell phone expenses, but mine are typically just the monthly service charge and taxes and they will not pay for that. I believe this could result in IBM violating more service level agreements and incurring monetary penalties that could exceed any cell phone expenses. I have a pretty good idea who's going to get blamed for that when it happens. This move is incredibly short sighted, impractical, and in no way a benefit to IBM customers. This is right in line with the decision a while back to no longer pay for Internet access for work at home employees. It's very frustrating and sad to watch IBM nickel and dime it's own employees like this and to have to be a part of it. And yes, I am an Alliance Member. -Gray_Hair-
Alliance Reply: As an Alliance member, what ideas do you think would help IBMers fight back over this issue? What could a large number Alliance-member IBMers in GTS Delivery Services do together that could force IBM to re-consider that policy or any other action? How many of your co-workers that you know, know about Alliance@IBM? If you would like to discuss this with us, please contact us through this email:ibmunionalliance@gmail.com or send a message via our contact page link here:Contact Us

Comment 01/11/12: Just went from a 1 rating to a 3... very disappointed with this rating.. -Anon-
Alliance Reply: Disappointed enough to do.....what.....anything? If you live in Canada and work for IBM there, you could contact this organization: http://fpcep911.sasktelwebhosting.com/index.php

Comment 01/09/12: top executive management has directed the 3 performers this year to be in the higher bands for the skew. Targeting older persons band 8 9 10 in the US and Europe. Avoids age discrimination and laborlaws and no expensive payout if poor performers are terminated not resource action. -noprotection-

Comment 01/09/12: Per Randy MacDonald, IBM has recently RAed 143 H/R positions. I worked in Armonk corporate H/R. Randy MacDonald has no degree in H/R and does not have a SPHR. He was given this position by Lou Because he was a political hack for Lou. The executives in H/R will never be RAed.Join the union. -ANA-

Comment 01/08/12: There has been no money available for training in IGS IGA for years now. Is Palmisano that out of touch with reality, or is he just lying? -Anonymous-

Comment 01/08/12: Resource Actions are more than just outsourcing or offshoring labor. IBM RAs employees to also reduce headcount when the employee being eliminated is never replaced. An RA is for IBM to reduce costs in any and all ways. Curious that IBM only started to outsource employees when Gerstner took over. IBM could have always outsourced employees since they are INTERNATIONAL business machines but IBM and it's former executive leadership must have been more ethical before Gerstner and didn't pit globalism over nationalism for profits. It's sad that absolute gluttony over creating and sustaining excessive IBM profits at the cost of employees' welfare has consumed IBM. -Thunkaboutit-

Comment 01/08/12: -Jake- IBM management (HR, Randy MacDonald, et. al.) has mentioned that IBM employees are IBM's most important asset. But the question is which EMPLOYEES are IBM precisely talking about. Since IBM executives are employees I think that is what IBM is attesting to. Why I believe this is when was the last time an IBM executive was RAed?!? -anonymous-

Comment 01/08/12: Software group and Hardware Group got hit With reorganizations on Friday. I Know of at least 16 people that have 90 days to find new jobs... there are more but they are keeping it fairly quiet -FEDIBMER-

Comment 01/08/12: Is there a labor union in IBM India? If not, will Alliance@IBM reach out to organize them? Seems like a logical step given India has most employees and fully integrated with US. -James-
Alliance Reply: Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701, cannot organize IBM workers in a different country than the USA. India's labor laws, and country laws are just as much sovereign to Indians, as the US laws are to Americans. However, we can help India's IBM workers organize through the IBM Global Union Alliance; which consists of unions and works councils within other IBM Site countries. Alliance@IBM is a member of the IBM Global Union Alliance, and we are always interested in organizing IBMers anywhere and everywhere. Here's a link to the list of unions and works councils that are members of the IBM Global Union Alliance: IBM GUA Members List India is listed between Ireland and Italy.

Comment 01/08/12: Yes, my point was to show what those who DO have NLRB certified unions have managed to accomplish, as an incentive to organize for folks here. -Dave G.-

Comment 01/08/12: I think any employee knows the truth - next to nothing is being spent on training. Simple version - 600 million would be $1500 to $2000 per employee. No one I know has been able to do any training for the last number of years. The joke "mandatory" ethics/conduct/business process courses are the closest it comes - and any 6 year old should be able to answer these correctly. I couldn't care less about ibm training - at least take the imaginary $600 million for training and give it out in bonuses that we should all be getting as per the HR policies. -canuck-

Comment 01/07/12: Peter Drucker, considered the Father of Modern Management, staunchly defended the need for businesses to be profitable but he preached that“employees were a resource, not a cost”.
IBM management clearly has inverted this and this is now part of the IBM culture that our new CEO brags about. Within IBM it is predominantly about cost.
I have not been able to attend a class in over 8 years since we never have money in our budget for education. Education is totally the responsibility of the employee now. There may be some exceptions but for Sam to talk about IBM retraining or re-educating employees is laughable. Up until a few years ago, our time claiming system classified education as non-productive time. While it is true, as Sam stated, the more skills you have the better off you are it does not necessarily hold true within IBM. I know many highly skilled employees, and some Distinguished Engineers, that have been let go simply because IBM could outsource their job at a lower cost. So I think it is disingenuous of Sam to suggest maintaining or increasing your skills is the answer. If IBM can outsource your job at a lower cost than it does not matter what your skills are. At IBM “employees are a cost not a resource”. -Jake-
Alliance Reply: Well stated. Thank you for saying what Alliance@IBM has been saying for many years. IBM perpetuates a lie. Just like that saying goes, "You tell a lie often enough and sooner or later, people believe it's the truth". Offshoring has ALWAYS been about cost and NOT about skills. IBM, Microsoft, and HP are just a few of the IT companies that have preached this lie over and over, in the media, enough to convince politicians and the public that IT workers are "lacking the skills to compete globally". It's a bald faced lie that has been overemphasized since the late 1990's. The truth is simply "cheap labor".

Comment 01/07/12: With the current comments about the unavailability of job training at ibm, it might be worthwhile if the Alliance can post links to job training provided by CWA to its members or any links to contract items that require the employer to provide job training to members. -Dave G-
Alliance Reply: I wish we COULD post CWA job training links, but we can't. We don't have a contract with IBM, that would stipulate job training within the agreement. Each collectively bargained contract that CWA or any union has with a company, has specifics about the job training policy. I will ask our National Coordinator if we have some recent CWA contract samples that list job training, and if so I will post them here, ok? In the meantime, all IBMers in the USA should be organizing to achieve a contract agreement with IBM.

Comment 01/05/12: I am working in IBM France, and I am member or CFTC worker union. We also worry about this shift to "India Business Machines". I like your approach : "Write to your congressman, grow a spine, stop the tax benefits to IBM and others who offshore and eliminate American Jobs." -Christian Le Coz-

Comment 01/05/12: When I started with Blue in 1995, we had a book budget per month that we could use for any books we wanted. When Sammy came on board that soon went away, and as for continuing education it was a catch 22. To pick up new technology we needed to have training. But IBM had to pay be able to bill it to the project, but you couldn't get on the project without the training. -radin2010-

Comment 01/04/12: "It (IBM) also spends about $600 million a year on worker education , training and retraining."
I asked my manager if I can go to a training class for the latest Websphere servers. Manager said limited money in the training budget. It's always constrainded. So what is going on? So who gets the training money? Is it for IBM managers (new manager education?) and executives (how to feed your own ego and screw employees for your own gain class) to take education? I think this $ figure is exaggerated and a plain lie from IBM. -anonymous-

Comment 01/04/12: Layoffs under the CIO today, unsure of how many. Know of at least 4 people affected in one department on the business team our development team works with. -anonymous-
Alliance reply: Thanks for the information. If anyone has the RA pack please email to ibmunionalliance@gmail.com That is the only way we can verify the numbers.

Comment 01/04/12: @RAedFromBlue, This is so familiar as I have had exact experiences with so called Managers and Executives who are computer illiterate. Wonder what will happen if you take away their ability to demean IT people with RA's, such as Organizing Employees. -True-Gritt-

Comment 01/03/12: gathering-storm-over-right-to-work-in-indiana -UpHillBattle-

Comment 01/03/12: -RAedFromBlue- I like the word stewardship selected rather than leadership. Sam was no leader. The reason IBM employees cannot get up the skill ladder is because IBM is failing at that. The blame should ultimately go to the person in charge. It is clear RAs are IBM's sad answer instead of building a skills ladder all employees can safely and easily climb. -anon-

Comment 01/02/12: A Look Back at IBM’s Palmisano Era and the China Strategy Palmisano+Era+and+the+China+Strategy

Saturday was Sam Palmisano’s last day on the job as CEO of IBM, and Sunday was Ginny Rometty’s first.

The New York Times published something of an exit interview with Palmisano over the weekend. It read a bit like a victory lap, and that’s not undeserved. The record books will show that IBM shares during the Palmisano era (2003-2011) rose by 125 percent; sales grew from $81 billion in 2002 to an expected $107 billion; and annual profits on a per-share basis went from $3.07 to a consensus forecast of $13.38.
But it got me to thinking about one of the highlights of the Palmisano era; one that generated a great deal of attention at the time: IBM’s decision to sell its personal computer division to Lenovo, the Chinese PC maker. It was a relatively small deal, worth less than $2 billion at the time, but it was a controversial move. Despite the fact that IBM wasn’t making much money on the business, IBM PCs, especially its ThinkPad line of notebooks, were generally considered to be pretty good. -Anonymous-

Comment 01/02/12: "We do a lot of retraining every year,” Mr. Palmisano continued, “and we still find ourselves in the situation where people can’t move up the skill ladder. That’s a lot of what’s going on. They can’t get up the skill ladder. So we have to replace them with current skills.”

Here is Palmisano blaming the employee instead of his stewardship.

Palmisano, define A LOT OF RETRAINING? Was there an IBM action plan to improve retraining under his leadership? Examples? Training programs?, specific IBM skills education? etc. Let us have it Sam! Does the cat have your tongue?

Ask ANYONE who was RAed whether retraining was ever a possibility?

Palmisano is clearly naive and should just admit he is just plain lucky to have found a way to move up his so-called skill ladder without possessing IBM technical IT and engineering skills. He just has political and manipulative skills. A lot of IBM management has only these skills today. And that is pathetic and sad. IBM management at all levels used to be stellar.

A true story and a case in point: I had to help my IBM Director load his new printer print driver since he had no clue how to do it despite printed instructions for plugnplay so he could print out an RA notice.

And guess who soon got the RA notice once it was printed?

I hope my former IBM 3rd line grew a skill and found out how to upgrade his print driver. But somehow I doubt it. Unless he found another employee like myself to help him with the skill.

Sam is really not much different than this IBM Director when you come to think of it. -RAedFromBlue-

Comment 01/02/12: -what respect- Interesting. Same situation for me. I know we could not have the same manager as closest people in area had more more than 12 years to reach QCC. Box in my office always my in view when I speak to manager. -anonymous-

Comment 01/02/12: IBM's US payroll numbers a challenge
IBM's success in recent years is clear from the numbers - an upward ascent in profits, profit margins, stock-market value and even research and development spending. But there is one number IBM stopped disclosing a few years ago: the company's employment in the United States. The last time IBM broke out its American payroll numbers was in 2008, for the previous five years. From 2003 through 2007, the company's worldwide employment grew by 21% to 386,558, while the headcount in the United States declined 11% to 120,589. Data submitted as part of Congressional testimony indicated the downward trend in American employment continued, at least through 2009. IBM still reports its global payroll, which increased to 426,750 in 2010.
IBM, undoubtedly, stopped disclosing its American employment because the trend was an invitation to criticism . But the decision, while understandable, was a shame, I think. IBM, in a way, is a microcosm of the American economy - certainly the high-tech economy. And IBM's decisions on what kind of jobs stay in the United States and what jobs go abroad is a case study of a company at the forefront of globalization. Its experience may well hold lessons for the American economy, companies and workers.
Take one example. IBM has massively increased its employment in India in the last several years. Some estimates place IBM's Indian work force at more than 100,000. That would probably place it on a par with IBM's employment in the United States. IBM notes that India is a fast-growing market for the company, and that it is a rich source of skilled engineers. But lower labor costs in India , of course, have been a major motivation.
IBM's big business services faced the same kind of challenge from Indian outsourcing companies like Tata Consulting , Infosys and Wipro that low-cost computers, based on microprocessor technology, meant for IBM's mainframe business two decades ago. Then, IBM was slow to respond, and nearly collapsed . The company's worldwide payroll dropped by nearly half, to a low point of 217,000 in the mid-1990 s. Samuel J. Palmisano, who became chief executive in 2002, was determined that the services business would not repeat the mistake of the mainframe business.
A big part of IBM's India strategy was to change the economics of the company's services business on its own terms, before rivals did. IBM is still probably the largest private employer of technology workers in the United States. But the mix of jobs is very different than it was a decade or so ago. And the company is continually adding some jobs and eliminating others, in the USand other countries. It spends $400-500 million a year on "workforce rebalancing," payments to workers let go. It also spends about $600 million a year on worker education , training and retraining. ibms-us-payroll-numbers-a-challenge -anon-

Comment 01/02/12: From the NYT article on Sam:
[....]
In 2004, I.B.M. sold its PC business to Lenovo of China. Mr. Palmisano says he deflected overtures from Dell and private equity firms, preferring the sale to a company in China for strategic reasons: the Chinese government wants its corporations to expand globally, and by aiding that national goal, I.B.M. enhanced its stature in the lucrative Chinese market, where the government still steers business.
[....] -Anon-

Comment 01/01/12: What bunch of BS. I spent my last years at IBM trying to get trained in new technologies and there was never any money available. -anonymous-

Comment 01/01/12: The NY Times did a fairly positive article today on Sam, while also including a blog-style commentary on the workforce rebalancing that has led to the decline of the US work force. If you are looking for an opportunity to describe how US employees have viewed Sam's leadership, this is a good opportunity: unboxed-extra-ibm-and-americas-job-challenge -HappyFormerIBMer-

Comment 01/01/12: NY Times article. Quotes from Palmisano in the last two paragraphs:
unboxed-extra-ibm-and-americas-job-challenge
Summary: It's all the fault of the worker. -HappyElsewhere-

Comment 12/30/11: To -I'veBeenMisrespected, I never knew IBM had managers that paid so little attention to the QCC. I have attended several affairs and a big deal was always made of the milestone. Your manager should be flogged. I tossed out my letter from the CEO, but I cherish my book. Please accept my apology. -Biker1mike-

Comment 12/30/11: Respect? You expect R-E-S-P-E-C-T???! It's clear IBM doesn't value employee SERVICE. QCC is a joke. IBM is too wrapped up in itself to just end the program and use whatever they save by killing it to keep filling the Armonk coffee urns or water coolers. The only thing IBM management values is their own hide and growing wealth through bloated salaries, bonuses, and stock options and that means continued mistreatment and resource actions to IBM employees. P.S. The only way to hope for a better New Year 2012 is to get unionized now IBM! -NOrespect-

Comment 12/30/11: What Respect? I retired and had no dinner,had no book, had no gift after 30 years of service with IBM. Mgr only brought in donuts for my retirement. Incompetent first and second line manager. Respect? -ANA-

Comment 12/30/11: What a wonderful idea!!!! It will make it so much easier to train your replacements if you speak their language!!!! And the morale team won't have to buy those expensive rosetta stone courses either!!!!!!!! schools-turn-to-chinese-language-classes-with-help-of-chinese-government -Dave-

Comment 12/29/11: To -WhatResepct?- I remember attending several 10yr service celebrations in the late 1990's. Nothing huge, but management thought enough to get a group of 20-30 people together to celebrate one's accomplishments to the company for 10 years. I hit my 10yr anniversary about 4-5 years ago, thinking I would get something comparable. Instead I got absolutely nothing from my 2nd line on up (not even a 'thanks'), and my 1st line did basically nothing either - unless you consider an eCard as something special. Just one of many reasons I saw the writing on the wall and left the company earlier this year. -OverThere-

Comment 12/27/11: To -I'veBeenMisrespected- The day I hit QCC not a word from first or second level. A week later first drops off opened QCC carton saying this is yours. It still sits years later untouched in my office as he left it. -WhatResepct?-

Comment 12/26/11: For -I'veBeenMisrespected- If your Manager never asks anyone to provide a letter then you will not get any. I have seen managers ask repeatedly for letters and not get any back. I think its pretty telling that the manager did not even provide one. I suspect no one was asked. Managers usually ask via the Notes distribution list for your group and they just delete you from the list and send the request. Your Manager may be so incompetant that they believed someone else would send the request. The second line has nothing to do with it. Just the request for a QCC book and triggers the auto letter from the CEO. Hope this takes some of the sting out of it. Blame it on the usual management incompetence so relevant today. -Exodus2007-

Comment 12/24/11: Wow midwest SSR. The Alliance is fighting for you and other SSR's and you bash it? Unbelievable. -IBMer-

Comment 12/24/11: I left IBM earlier this year on my own free will. No workforce reduction or resource action - just had enough and left. I joined over a decade earlier and had high hopes for a solid career at IBM, but things changed early on and just got worse. It just wasn't worth wondering if I was going to be one of the unfortunates to get a pink slip this year (or next year). I wanted a little more stability than that. I was a member of the IBM union for most of the time I was at IBM, and had wished others would have done the same. I really wish the Alliance all the best in their continued persistence in trying to get the masses at IBM to join. Its an uphill battle, which I hope one day they can overcome.

While a solid performer at IBM, I watched as others who were also solid performers get the dreaded pink slip just for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. I just didn't want to roll the dice any longer with a family to support. Not to mention management really couldn't care less about my career other than me squeezing 25 hrs of work in a 24 hr day. And come assessment time, it was always the same "We don't have much of a pool this year to give you any bonus, raise, or promotion - sorry." Talk about a broken record.

So I found a position at another IT company not really knowing if "the grass was greener on the other side of the fence." Having worked at this new company, though, I not only know now I made the right decision, but wish I hadn't have waited so long. In less than a year here, I can already feel a large weight has been lifted from my shoulders. My pay is 15% more and I just found out I will get a 12% bonus in my next paycheck for the contributions I've made. But most of all, I really feel a since of worth - a sense of TRUE RESPECT from my management team. Totally a 180-degree turn from IBM management.

Best of luck everyone. Keep up the fight. But realize there ARE companies out there that truly value your hard work and committment, and at the same time treat you like a human being. -OverThere-

Comment 12/24/11: #midwest- to me, it's beyond belief that after this many years of continual ripoffs of benefits and pay that anyone can remain on the fence. Joining the Alliance and helping to organize your co-workers is as close to a nobrainer as I can imagine. There are times that it seems to me that Sam pisses down the collective leg of ibm employees, tells them it's raining, and the next thing you know they\'re all lined up to buy umbrellas from him. -Dave G.-

Comment 12/23/11: "Those letters come from the bonds you built with your co-workers."
My brother works for IBM and I see him every day and he was surprised and appalled that he never got a notice to send a letter to my QCC book. So ya think was this action to not get any letters in my book my manager, 2nd line, director, etc. or IBM HR's doing? We need a union now to return some respect to IBM. There is no other way to go other than union to stop petty things like what happened to me here from happening. -I'veBeenMisrespected-

Comment 12/23/11: Action alert on call centers from CWA on main page.
http://action.cwa-union.org/c/11/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=3052 -Alliance-

Comment 12/23/11: For those of us on the fence about unionizing, how about some examples of what has been accomplished by this union? What jobs have you saved? Ive read this board for some time and I read the notes from people having left IBM bashing those who are still around trying to earn a living but yet keeping an eye open for the axe. I have yet to see where joining this union has saved anyones neck. Please prove me wrong if possible. -Midwest SSR-
Alliance reply: First of all, the Alliance does not have negotiation rights with IBM to bargain over job cuts. That is what we have been fighting for. Union contracts such as the ones CWA has with companies do save jobs and even bring them back from overseas.
Our message right along has been that IBMers need to join the Alliance so we can petition the labor board for a vote and start negotiations with IBM.
But sitting on the fence does nothing to move this forward. The equation is simple, we get a majority signing up, we petition for a vote,we hold the election, we win and then start negotiations.
You say you have been watching this board for years. While you were watching the working conditions and the pay for SSR's has gotten worse. Don't you think the time period for watching is over?
For a list of what the Alliance works on, go here: http://www.endicottalliance.org/work_in_progress_final.pdf

By the way we are the only ones that called out IBM on the pay and band cuts that SSR's are facing.
We got hundreds to send letters of protest to your managers about the pay cut you face.
We even got the international IBM unions involved. All our activities are being done without bargaining rights, official recognition by IBM or a contract. Think how much we can do with all 3. Sitting on the fence after all this time is no option and has, in fact, hurt employees.

Comment 12/23/11: "So much for IBM's RESPECT for the INDIVIDUAL"....
Really? That's been gone for almost 20 years. It appears that many 'individuals' disrespected themselves and didn't join Alliance when they had the chance, for twelve years. Why not? IBM can't take away your respect for yourself and your co-workers. You do that when you don't stand up for yourself, and expect someone else to do it for you. I'm very sorry that you lost your job. I'm sorry that you didn't see that forming a union in IBM and standing up for yourself and your worker-bee friends would have shown IBM how much you deserve respect...because you DO deserve respect as an IBMer. Standing up to IBM with a union earns IBM's respect when collective IBMers demonstrate to IBM that they will not take it, lying down. I feel bad that you waited until you lost your job to realize that you lost IBM's respect, when in reality, you never had it, to begin with. Best to you -I'veBeenMisrespected- -Respect?-

Comment 12/23/11: -I'veBeenMisrespected-, do not blame IBM for the lack of letters in your QCC book. Those letters come from the bonds you built with your co-workers. -Biker1mike-

Comment 12/23/11:
Country = USA
Union Affiliate = Rochester
Job Title = IBM engineer
IBM Division = STG
Message = Last week Sam was in town on his farewell tour. In his speech he was lamenting that he could have made money working somewhere else and that Warren Buffet made more than he did; but not to worry we don't need to pass the hat. The speech was video taped but has not been released. The people in attendance were speechless. -anonymous-

Comment 12/22/11: -Gone_in_07- Your observation is all true. I hate to see what will happen when IBM has a real soft or bad QTR report. How are they gonna fool Wall St. and the 1%ers then? -Gone_in_09-

Comment 12/22/11: Laid off as of 12/1/11. Given 30 days to find another job in IBM, Just made the Quarter Century Club. Got my Quarter Century book and have no letters from anyone. Not one. But did get a canned letter from Palmisano saying "congratulations" for all it is worth. Hey, Sam do you have a few seconds to sign in real pen ink your signature for my Quarter Century induction? Ok, you're busy. Those seconds to possibly sign might take away from selling your millions in stock options. Ok, then how about Randall MacD? I forgot, he is IBM's Dogbert. That explains it all. No thanks for 25 years of dedicated service to IBM. So much for IBM's RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL. Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday and a great New Year. For me: I'm just still living, breathing, walking and trying to forget about my life in IBM. -I'veBeenMisrespected-
Alliance reply: Sorry to hear of your job loss, especially at this time of year.
Please let us know more details: which business unit and how many were cut. Good luck.

Comment 12/22/11: There is only so much cutting IBM can do to continue to make their tremendous numbers every quarter. They are running out of people to cut after cutting and cutting for all these years. They are getting to the point that they can't outdue themselves. What goes around comes around and they will get theirs. Happy Holidays to all of you and best of luck in the new year. -Gone_in_07-

Comment 12/21/11: Only if the contracting company releases their employee. -Anonymous-

Comment 12/21/11: So where is the job creation IBM? Unemployment-rates-dutchess-ulster-recession -Pokey Fishkilled-

Comment 12/21/11: RE the no overtime for IT workers article. Yet another compelling reason to organize and have overtime defined by your contract. It is strikingly obvious to me that Polititions care only about themselves. They only pretend to care about you or your causes when you have a checkbook in your hand or a voting booth in front of you.Todays best definition of an Honest Politition is one who once bought stays bought. Better look out for yourselves and organize because no one else is looking out for you. Thats a cold hard fact. -Exodus2007-

Comment 12/19/11: -Anon2- That sounds like an unemployment to me! A furlough is no work: a work shutdown. A temporary or transitory job cut. Shame on IBM! -furlough_this-

Comment 12/15/11: "Some contractors have been on 30-day furlough, and just had another 30 days added to that."
Can't these contractors apply for unemployment benefits? -Anon2-

Comment 12/14/11: @NowCuram, now is a good time to organize your fellow workers and join the Alliance. After IBM absorbs this company, it will fleece all financial benefits and eventually strip the labor to the bone as it has done in the past and will continue to do in the future. -Sound-Advice-

Comment 12/14/11: IBM must be on the ragged edge trying to make their 4Q numbers. First they told contractors to take off 5 days (40 hours) without pay before Thanksgiving. (That's the same amount of furlough required in 3Q) Then they realized that was not enough, so they then said contractors needed to take two more days (16 hours) without pay before Christmas. Yesterday the word went out to take yet another day (8 hours) before next Friday. Off course, those are not the same numbers across the board. Some contractors have been on 30-day furlough, and just had another 30 days added to that. -Anon-

Comment 12/12/11: I used to work for IBM for 11 years then got the early retirement package so often described here. After a rough restart, I now work for Curam, until recently, when I learned that IBM bought them. Does anyone have any advice on what to do next? -NowCuram-

Comment 12/12/11: While job hunting, I came across several IT openings for the State of Connecticut. (I'm not an IT person.) http://www.ct.gov/dph/cwp/view.asp?a=3111&q=444696 -FormerIBMer-

Comment 12/12/11: Here's an employee number we'll never get, no matter how hard we try -
How many US employees are being let go with a cheaper US replacement hired for them? IBM had a huge work-from-home program for a couple years, and then got rid of many of those people (as well as people working at smaller sites) and hired new people for those jobs at lowered bands, pay, and benefits rates in the new delivery centers. Let's not forget to take that into account when we're counting up the number of US jobs dumped, even though there is no way to get actual numbers on it. This is part of a systematic lowering of pay for US employees. -Anon-

Comment 12/10/11: What happened in 1993 can not be compared to what is happening now.
IBM layoffs in the past few years have happened despite record profits. Employees are no longer retrained - they are just discarded. Respect for the individual exists only in small pockets. However this problem is broader than IBM. A good part of the industry is afflicted with the same short term thinking. -HappyFormerIBMer-

Comment 12/10/11: To -wrong number-: I was there in 1993. BAD executive decisions on RENT vs SELL, with bad executive decisions on how to utilize the SOLD machinery income and a big lack of knowledge on how to work the press cause the "paper" loses. Today IBM has a much worse cash to debt ratio and is technically insolvent, "BUT" IBM manipulates the press and the presentation (or lack of presentation) of facts and numbers to have the company riding high in the eyes of investors. -no_ky-

Comment 12/10/11: to -jaggua- if you were there in 93 you would have understood why this happened. It was do or die so look at the big comeback of the company. Just a little missleading. -wrong number-

Comment 12/10/11: On your home page list of USA employee count by year, it would be interesting to show that there were 405,000 workers in 1985 (per the below link to "the-biggest-corporate-layoffs-all-time"). I would assume most of the nearly half million employees were in the USA, Canada, and Europe pre-globalization, and the massive layoffs through the years would have affected these countries. It is especially haunting that the USA count has dropped from some part of the nearly half a million workers, even if perhaps half that was in the USA, to about 95,000. -anonymous-
Alliance Reply: It is possible that IBM reported the US population of IBMers, during the 1980's, in some news article that has been archived or referenced. Other than that, Alliance@IBM may have referenced those numbers in our "History of Organizing IBM" section of our web site, when we were part the IBM Workers United organization from 1976-1999. The flyers are not listed chronologically.

Comment 12/09/11: -Thefielder-: Thank you for the offer. It is nice when we look out for each other isn't it? My point was and is that IBM should have provided it to the retirees who helped make those 100 years work; but they couldn't care less. All they want is for us to die fast so they can raid the pension funds they couldn't quite steal. Thank you again for your kind offer but I will pass. I am sure one of the recent retirees probably has one I could look through if I asked them. -Exodus2007-

Comment 12/09/11: Biggest Corporate Layoffs of all Times, according to 24/7 Wall St. IBM appears on the top of the list as #1.
the-biggest-corporate-layoffs-all-time -Jaggua-

Comment 12/07/11: ""By the way, can you imagine if retiree's occupied the area around
corporate headquarters in Armonk until they got a raise in pensions?"
'I can imagine a bunch of dead retirees frozen and starved to death waiting till hell freezes over for a raise from the cheap bastards at IBM. The only way retirees will see any kind of a decent raise or affordable benefits again is if the union gets voted in and negotiates it on their behalf. IBM management didn't even send retirees a copy of the 100 year anniversary book that they were a huge part of. Thats how IBM shows its appreciation to us. -"
If you want my copy of the book you can have it. It is a piece of crap,revisionist history written by the corporate PR people in Armonk. Pretty cheap looking at that. -Thefielder-

Comment 12/07/11: To: Tooth Fairy Sam is sleeping well... his pillow is nicely fluffed.
Here's a good summary:
http://www.footnoted.com/my-big-fat-deal/the-palmisano-equation-at-ibm/ -I'm gone-

Comment 12/07/11: Letter writing, demonstrations and email campaigns are all used as tactics to build a movement.
Alliance, if the letter writing, etc has not had an impact by now, I do not believe it ever will. What it will take is IBMers getting their heads out of their butts and joining your group. You need funds and you need members. I come here and then feel like banging my head on a wall at the foolishness of current employees. In all "wars" there are tipping points and I firmly believe that fornimg a umion has reached that do or die point. I applaud you for your determination and grit!!! -Anonymous-
Alliance reply: Actually, it requires ALL of the efforts we mentioned and you mentioned. Like it or not, the "Occupy" movement has the right idea. You never stop using any tool available to get the job done. You use them all and you continue to use them until a change can be made. As an example, Alliance@IBM used letter writing, demonstrations, email campaigns, phone calls and our web site to put immense pressure on former IBM HR executive Tom Bouchard, in the 1990's, to get IBM to offer 35,000 US IBMers an option to their retirement. Before then, any IBMer with 10 years service and age 40, was hopelessly stuck in the Cash Balance Pension swindle's grip. The Senate Finance committee, at the time, had Bouchard appear to explain the disparity of the first Cash Balance eligibility scam and Bouchard announced to that committee that IBM would be offering a change to 35,000 IBMers that didn't have that option in the first place. The Alliance@IBM campaign to get that change was successful because we used ALL the tools in the shed.

Comment 12/05/11: "By the way, can you imagine if retiree's occupied the area around
corporate headquarters in Armonk until they got a raise in pensions?"
I can imagine a bunch of dead retirees frozen and starved to death waiting till hell freezes over for a raise from the cheap bastards at IBM. The only way retirees will see any kind of a decent raise or affordable benefits again is if the union gets voted in and negotiates it on their behalf. IBM management didn't even send retirees a copy of the 100 year anniversary book that they were a huge part of. Thats how IBM shows its appreciation to us. -Exodus2007-

Comment 12/04/11: I see a variety of comments regarding Sam and IBM. You are kidding yourselves. A UNION is your only hope for change. Letter writing, demonstrations and emails are an exercise in futility. I have been retired for a long time but often talk with current employees and they have not a clue. They believe they made it this far so thery are golden. I wish I had a magic wand so I might give them an insight into their futures. And even those who were resource but still don't join the union. In this holiday season I wish them the intelligence to see the union is their only hope. Merry Christmas. -Anonymous-
Alliance reply: Letter writing, demonstrations and email campaigns are all used as tactics to build a movement. Certainly we agree that having a union and a contract are the ultimate goal.
But to get there you need to do many things to bring people into the movement for change.
By the way, can you imagine if retiree's occupied the area around corporate headquarters in Armonk until they got a raise in pensions?


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