
Spotlight
and News
Archive:
Front
page items recently Archived: 06/17/2009
Note:
Some links below, may have expired at their origin.
Cobra
65% subsidy appeal process and IBM
loophole.
IBM Attorney's found
a loop hole denying some recently laid off workers from the 65%
COBRA Subsidy by classifying them as 'retired' and eligible to particiapte
in the IBM retiree group health Plan.
In many cases the IBM Group Health Plan
is a much higher cost than COBRA, especially if one does not have
a Future Health Account. The
65% COBRA Subsidy is managed by the Federal DOL.
The Federal DOL is aware of this loop hole and will be posting an
appeals form on their website: www.dol.gov/cobra.
They can also be reached at 866-444-3274.
Please file an appeal with the Federal DOL if you have been denied
the 65% COBRA Subsidy.
If a large group of former IBMers file an appeal,
the Federal DOL will process this as a group case against
IBM.
Please also contact your government representatives.
Let's raise our voices in Washington.
Contact:
Lee Conrad, National Coordinator,
Alliance@IBM
CWA Local 1701
Phone 607-729-4571
ibmunionalliance@gmail.com
Alliance@IBM Vice President Earl Mongeon to question IBM on Executive Compensation at IBM’s annual shareholder meeting in Miami, FL on April 28
Johnson
City, NY. - Earl Mongeon,
IBM Burlington employee and Alliance Vice President will attend the
IBM stockholder meeting
and speak to his stockholder proposal
on executive compensation and pension income.
“IBM employees are receiving pay cuts and job cuts while executives continue to enrich themselves. Executive greed and bloated compensation needs to be challenged,” said Earl Mongeon. Mongeon submitted a proposal on executive compensation that asks the board of directors to determine that pension income from any defined benefit plan will not be used as a factor in setting executive compensation.
Lee Conrad, National Coordinator of Alliance@IBM CWA, is calling on IBM shareholders to put pressure on IBM to stop shifting U.S. jobs to low cost countries. “At a time when the US economy is in recession and unemployment is rising, it is unconscionable for profitable companies like IBM to continue to move work offshore. The Alliance is urging elected officials, community leaders and citizens to call on IBM to halt this destruction of U.S. jobs. We also call on congress to refuse stimulus money to IBM if they continue to cut jobs here and shift work offshore.”
Tom Midgley, President of the Alliance@IBM CWA stated, “So far this year we have seen 10,000 of our co-workers terminated from IBM. IBM has been silent in reporting the full scope of these job cuts to employees, their communities and the Government. We strongly encourage IBM to be fully transparent in the number of jobs being cut in the US and the number of jobs sent off shore. "We challenge IBM to halt stock buybacks and dividend increases and instead use the money to retain jobs here in the U.S."
###
Alliance@IBM
CWA Local 1701
IBM Employee Advocate since 1999

"Starting next week several Hartford delivery teams will be working directly with fellow IBM team members from India to begin the second phase of our Global delivery solution planned for the Hartford account. The teams will be engaged in a multi-week effort to facilitate knowledge transfer to prepare for migration of specific work activities to global delivery counterparts later in 2009. Your continued support and leadership is critical to ensure our overall success and to ensure we continue to deliver high quality cost effective solutions that IBM committed to the Hartford. Please ensure you and your teams actively support this effort."
Job
Cut Alert!
Job cuts happening in IBM
US & Canada
GBS=462
GTS=181, CIO=411,
Services Delivery=985,
Application
Services=1674
Global BCRS, SWG,
STG,
General Business Services,
GBS Consulting Services,
Strategy and Business Development,
Internet Security Systems,
Infrastructure Services,
Maintenance and Technical Support,
& GTS Sales
Stay
Tuned....
send
information to:
Cheaper
and Cheaper
IBM eliminates payment of employee expenses
for home Internet access services worldwide.
This includes employee expense reimbursement and direct
pay
corporate managed and contracted
Internet access services.
Note: 40% of employees
work from home.
IBM
Home Internet
Service Policy Change
IBM
Internal Link here
Policy
overview
IBM is updating its home expense policy and is eliminating
payment of employee expenses for home Internet access services worldwide.
This includes elimination of employee expense reimbursement and direct-pay
corporate managed and contracted Internet access services.
For Tuesday March 31st
* Wear black and blue to signify the pain caused by job cuts.
* Take a 15 minute “silent” break at 1 pm EDT (Noon Central,
11 am Mountain and 10 am Pacific). No work, no sametime, no emails,
no meetings.
* Spouses of terminated employees e-mail or write to IBM CEO Sam Palmisano
detailing the effect that the job loss will have on their family.
IBM
CEO Sam Palmisano sam@us.ibm.com
New Orchard Road
Armonk, New York 10504

News from the Communications
Workers of America
The Union for the Information Age
For Immediate Release
January 19, 2009
For More Information
Lee Conrad, National Coordinator, 607-729-4571
Allianceibmunion@gmail.com
or
Candice Johnson, CWA Communications
202-434-1347
Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701 Presses IBM to
Save Jobs
and Stop the Off-shoring of US Jobs
IBM Corp. employees nationwide are anxiously waiting
for the company to publicly announce the number of job cuts likely
to take place in the United States.
“The Alliance is strongly urging IBM not to go forward with
a new round of job cuts and to stop the off-shoring of U.S. workers’
jobs,” said Lee Conrad, national coordinator of the Alliance
.
Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701 outlined several steps IBM should take
to maintain quality jobs and service and address the company’s
financial picture:
* IBM must make every effort to save jobs.
* If cost cutting is needed, IBM should suspend its stock buyback
program – the company has spent $26 billion since 2007 -- instead
of terminating workers.
* If job cuts occur, IBM must divulge the number of job cuts, where
they are taking place and whether any of these affected jobs are being
shifted offshore.
* Executive positions should be eliminated in divisions where job
cuts occur.
* Pay, bonuses and perquisites for executives should be slashed.
* Work cannot be shifted from IBM workers in the United States to
offshore locations.
* Full disclosure of why individual jobs are being eliminated is essential.
* Before any new hires are added to the payroll, IBM must recall and
rehire employees terminated in past resource actions.
“There is a growing concern among employees that IBM will accelerate
the off-shoring of our jobs. To offshore U.S. jobs in the middle of
an economic crisis and rising unemployment is simply unacceptable,”
said Tom Midgley, Alliance president. “We will work with our
elected representatives to push for legislation that protects U.S.
jobs and calls for the full disclosure of IBM’s offshoring and
outsourcing of American jobs.”
To help break the secrecy of the IBM job cuts, the Alliance has a
section on its web page called Job Cut Comments.
Join
The Discussion for news, information and
stories from IBM employees swept up in job cuts.
IBM Australia strike called off Story here...
Job
Cuts are happening at the
IBM Essex Junction plant
in Burlington, VT
Update: 180 jobs cut in Essex Junction
-Membership Update-
New members for June: 14
Help fund the organizing campaign!
Is
IBM offshoring the IBM PAYROLL Help Desk
to
Manila, Philippines?
If
you have documentation please send to: Allianceibmunion@gmail.com
******
Job Cut Alert!!
Job cuts taking place in Software Group,
June 17
300
Employees Affected.
******
For
Immediate Release Contact: Lee Conrad, National Coordinator, Alliance@IBM CWA
Local 1701, 607-729-4652 or Alliance@IBM
Members, Charlotte, N.C. – IBM Corp. employees, members of Communications Workers of America Local 1701, Alliance@IBM, will rally and set up an informational picket line outside the IBM annual meeting set for April 29. The group will focus on critical issues for employees and retirees, including executive compensation, the continued off shoring of jobs, employee pay cuts, and shrinking retiree pensions with no cost of living increases, among other issues. “While IBM employees face a decline in their standard of living and retirees see pension checks evaporate due to the lack of cost-of-living adjustments coupled with increases in medical retirement co-pay, our executives live the life of luxury. Executive greed and bloated compensation needs to be challenged,” said IBM employee and Alliance Vice President Earl Mongeon. Mongeon submitted Proposal No. 4 on Executive Compensation that asks the board of directors to determine that pension income from any defined benefit plan will not be used as a factor in setting executive compensation. Lee Conrad, National Coordinator of Alliance@IBM CWA, is calling on IBM to stop shifting U.S. jobs to low cost countries. “At a time when the US economy is in recession and unemployment is rising, it is unconscionable for companies like IBM to continue to move work offshore. The Alliance is urging elected officials, community leaders and citizens to call on IBM to halt this destruction of U.S. jobs.” “The Alliance@IBM CWA strongly encourages IBM to be fully transparent in the number of jobs being sent off shore and to detail how many U.S. jobs are lost because of IBM’s shifting this work to low cost countries,” said Linda Guyer, president of the Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701. ### Alliance@IBM
CWA Local 1701 |
| |
Please
consider joining the Alliance@IBM
as a member for only $10 a month--the cost of a few Starbuck's coffees.
Your dues and involvement help the Alliance with the following: Organizing
employees and challenging IBM on policies and practices detrimental
to employees and retirees. Exposing job cuts. Helping employees to
deal with redeployment and replacement training.
World wide media source for IBM employee issues.
Legal references and current labor law information.
Political action on employee issues.
Stockholder proposals and actions.
Working with International IBM employee Unions to develop worldwide
responses to IBM employee issues.
Working with Federal, State, and Local officials to make sure IBM
employees, IBM retirees and communities find information and remedies
for toxic exposures from IBM sites.
Union privledges and benefits through Alliance@IBM's
membership that are offered
through the Union Plus /Privilege
program.
We also have the expense of keeping an office up and running: Rent,
Office supplies, fax, phones internet access and mailings of organizing
materials; such as newsletters, flyers and brochures.
We believe Alliance@IBM has, by its very exisitence; given IBM Corporate
Mgmt pause, during their anti-employee actions.
The bottom
line is that if we are NOT here, then IBM Corporate Management has
the field. There will be some who say that employees do not want representation
through an employee organization or a union.
Now is the time: Prove them wrong or prove them right.
Plan
Now! Make your voice heard Join us! IBM Stockholder Meeting Action April 29th Charlotte Convention Center Picket line at 8:30 am Rally at 12:30pm Send a message to IBM No pay cuts! No offshoring of IBM US Jobs! COLA for retirees now! if you plan on attending please contact us at: allianceibmunion@gmail.com |
| 24A & 06A! Sign the Petition to IBM Management: NO PAY CUTs! Link To Pay-Cut Petition Are you next? Join the fightback! Send us your name, home e-mail and location to: AllianceIBMUnion Be sure to Join The Alliance! Say NO to pay cuts and job cuts! To the IBM "7600" Now is the time! Sign the petition! Join the Alliance! Roll back the pay cuts! The power is in your hands. Your Membership Counts. Let's keep building! |
![]() |
| ISC
Customer Fulfillment RA Job Cuts are happening now in the IGS, ITD, and STG groups |
Is this Damage control? Keep the Pressure on! Take a stand! SAY NO to Pay Cuts! |
Plan
Now! Make your voice heard at the IBM Stockholder meeting April 29th in Charlotte, North Carolina Details to follow... |
| To
our co-workers,
The recent announcement of pay cuts and re-classification from exempt to non-exempt has sparked outrage and anger among a large section of the IBM employee population. IBM over the years misclassified employees and did not pay them properly, was sued, lost, paid employees compensation and now is making pay cuts. IBM
is able to do this unilaterally because they can. There is no
union Now the question is what do we do about it? First:
If you are not yet a member of the Alliance we strongly encourage
you to do so. Membership gives you more protection legally as
we go forward and it helps build an organization that can take
on IBM management. We have 3 categories: Second:: Our message should be loud and clear to IBM executives--NO PAY CUT! Third: Getting our message out and organizing around it. We
need IBM employees to step up to the plate and be vocal and
public. We
would also like to hear your suggestions on how we wage this
fight. Sincerely, Alliance@IBM |
| TO - Network Services DIV Employees impacted by the transfer to AT&T: Please contact us at: Endicott_Alliance YEAR
END Job Cuts are taking place!
|
The
Membership drive ends November 28! To
those that have joined, We Thank You!
Unfortunately our membership drive has not produced the results
we need. To those who visit this web site please consider joining
the Alliance as a full member for only $10 a month or as an
associate member for $5 a month. If
the advocacy work that
Alliance@IBM
is doing, is important to you -
Please support us by becoming a member
- Membership is open to Retirees,
Vendors, Contractors, Temps, and Active Employees and
former IBM employees. Thank
you for your support.
|
|
|
Membership
Drive Fall 2007 IBM
employees and retirees continue to face pressure on their
livelihood. From the pension freeze and lack of adequate pay
raises to rising co-pay on health care, employees are finding
their standard of living decrease. Job insecurity increases
as off-shoring and LEAN take a toll on employee jobs. The
new corporate mantra of a global worklife integration instead
of worklife balance will have an adverse affect on employees
and their families and simply enslaves them to the job 24/7.
IBM, Corporate America and their allies are
well funded—we are not. |
The
IBM France workers describe themselves as "pawns of in a game
in a dehuminized world". According to one union member "We
do not even know about the timing of these transfers, or all of the
staff concerned."
After the annoncement of forced transfers, the trade unions have stated
that they will oppose by all means these transfers. Unions involved
CFDT, CFE CGC, CGT, FO, SNA, UNSA.
| From:
UNIglobalunion
One month after a virtual protest staged in Second Life with almost 2000 avatars demonstrating on IBM islands, a new contract with IBM Italy has been signed. The new agreement, which still needs to be approved by the IBM Italy workforce, reinstates the performance bonus that was cut unilaterally by IBM Italy management. Read more.. |
|
Update
on Virtual strike in support of 10/24/2007 Following the historical protest against IBM Italy in Second Life, on 27th September, some important developments have taken place:
* Mr Andrea Pontremoli, IBM Italy’s CEO (who personally
received all of your petitions by email) has resigned.
|
| IBM Second Life Protest a success 1850 people from 30 Countries participate.
From
UNI: More than 1850 -real- people protested behind their
computers in over 30 countries to show solidarity with IBM Italy
workers. It was reported that Second Life was having some technical difficulties, which is why we believe we could have reached an even higher number of participants. IBM
did not officially react to our protest so far. The
media coverage for this event was impressive. More information about this historical protest will come in the next days. ---------------
SIGN PETITION --------------
-------------------
BLOG ----------------------- |
| IBM
Italy Union calls for |
| Legal
Complaint Filed For IBM Sales Reps On Lack Of Overtime Pay On February 6, 2007, the Law Offices of Erik H. Langeland, P.C. filed a nationwide complaint in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Massachusetts seeking to recover unpaid overtime on behalf of all IBM Sales Representatives who worked more than 40 hours per week, but were not paid overtime. Plaintiffs allege that they are owed money damages for IBM’s failure to properly pay them for their extensive overtime hours as required by federal law. The basis of Plaintiffs’ claims is that IBM required its Sales Representatives to work extensive overtime to meet their sales requirements, failed to keep accurate time records and failed to properly compensate Sales Representatives who worked more than 40 hours per week. Plaintiffs are continuing to investigate the case and are preparing to file a motion with the Court requesting that notice be sent to all “similarly situated” IBM Sales Representatives throughout the United States . Plaintiffs believe that the case may involve hundreds or even thousands of its current and former Sales Representatives. Plaintiffs’ objectives are to: 1) recover unpaid overtime and other damages for all IBM Sales Representatives who worked more than 40 hours per week, but were not paid overtime; 2) require that IBM change its time keeping system to accurately record all hours worked by its Sales Representatives; and, 3) require that IBM revise its compensation policies so that Sales Representatives are paid for all overtime hours worked. Contact: Erik H. Langeland 500 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1610 New York, NY 10110 (212) 354-6270 (212) 898-9086 (Fax) elangeland@langelandlaw.com |
| Globalization and its Discontents: A new opening for Labor? A Financial Times/Harris poll released last week registers broad popular discontent with globalization and the direction of the economies in the rich countries of the world. Among the findings of the survey taken in six countries—the US, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK are:
a.. Less than 20% of people in
the UK, France, Spain, and the US think |
IBM
Workers
International Solidarity Conference June 25 to 28, 2007 Paris, France
Lee
Conrad |
| July
30th 2007 This
is an email from Mike Cadigan Michael
J. Cadigan General Manager, Team, I’m writing to inform you that today IBM has announced a resource action that affects approximately 450 positions in the U.S, with a majority coming from within the semiconductor solutions organization, particularly at our Burlington and East Fishkill sites. If you reside at those locations, it is possible that you will hear about this in the local media, which is why I chose to contact you immediately and directly. Making job reductions is a difficult but necessary step to improve our operations. We are taking today's action to further streamline our business and improve our position in a highly-competitive industry. We have been benchmarking all of our semiconductors operations and know that today's action is required to improve our competitiveness. I realize that any resource action, large or small in number, can cause concern and uncertainty about the future but the long-term prospects for our organization remain very positive. This action will help ensure that we can maintain this position. We will continue to innovate, while meeting our clients’ needs, and achieve our development and manufacturing targets. Thank you for your understanding, dedication and continued focus. Send your comments to: |
Read the
THINK Twice!
Newsletter
(in adobe pdf format)
| New
Collective Agreement ratified at Canadian IBM Global Services
firm.
Regina,
Saskatchewan, Canada The 240 members of Local 911, the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union of Canada voted 85% in favor of accepting an eleventh - hour contract offer from ISM Information Systems Management Canada on June 21, 2007. Seven days earlier this group of ISM Canada (IBM Global Services) employees had voted 75% in favor of striking after having rejected the employer's initial offer. The workers accepted a new two - year contract with wage increases of 4% retroactive to December 29, 2006. An additional 4% increase will occur at the end of 2007 and improvements to benefits will become effective immediately. "This was an unusual round of bargaining," said Gary Schoenfeldt, CEP Local 911 President. "Timing was definitely a factor. Western Canada's already booming oil and gas industry has really taken off in the past three or four months, creating a red hot economy in the [Canadian] Province of Saskatchewan." He added, "The resulting increases in housing and other costs has put upward pressure on wage demands across all industries at the same time as the available pool of skilled workers began to dry up. Our members felt that it was time to reap the benefits of this economic upturn and I think that they made wise choices in that respect." CEP Local 911 is an established bargaining unit that has represented Saskatchewan IT workers since 1973. It is one of two bargaining units at ISM Canada, a wholly - owned subsidiary of IBM Canada. The other group is represented in the Province of British Columbia by the BC Government and General Employees Union. |
|
News
from the
Communication Workers of America The
Union for the Information Age Jean-Claude
Vilespy, or Candice
Johnson, Alliance@IBM
CWA Local 1701 Endicott, N.Y. -- In response to job cuts, job shifting to low cost countries and declining working conditions at IBM Corp., (NYSE:IBM), employee representatives, IBM union officials, IBM Works Council representatives and members of the International Labor Federations will hold an emergency meeting in Paris. This
historic meeting will be attended by IBM employee representatives
from 12 countries. Lee Conrad, National Coordinator of the Alliance@IBM, a local of the Communications Workers of America, AFL-CIO, said, “IBM workers in many countries are facing a serious decline in working conditions, job security and salary. IBM Corporate management is aggressively reshaping the company to the detriment of employees and customers. There is also a serious concern for employees with collective bargaining agreements that IBM will use job shifting to low cost countries as a hammer to demand concessions. If that happens all employees suffer.” IWIS Coordinator Jean-Claude Vilespy said, “This meeting is a unique opportunity for IBM unionists to get together to discuss how we can best meet this crisis and develop action plans to protect the interests of our members and employees at IBM.” Other issues of concern that will be discussed are: *
Human impact of work overload |
| Take Action
************************************ Message
from Alliance@IBM... |
| May
30th 2007 Please send RA pkgs in .lwp format to: ibmunionyes@yahoo.com Is
LEAN headed your way?
|
| IBM
fires 1315 Employees
and an unknown number of contractors, across the country, May 1st, in IBM Global Services ITD. More Job Cuts expected! Segments are: Server Systems Operations Technology Integration & Management Global Infrastructure & Resource Management Americas Delivery Engagement Support Security, Asset and Risk Management Americas Industrial Sector Delivery Financial Services Sector Delivery Distribution Sector Delivery Communications Sector Delivery IBM Global Account Delivery Global Network Services Delivery Resource Action Alert! Job Cuts are Happening. ITD / IGS various IBM sites IBM Employees and Contractors IBM Canada IGS Job Cuts in ITD 3/06/07 and 3/26/07 with 213 employees fired Please send information to: ibmunionyes@yahoo.com |
| Take
Action Now! With
the news of last weeks job cuts and information that future cuts
are right around the corner, |
| If IBM headquarters Will Not: - Fight to keep jobs from being offshored - Protect employee benefits - Respond to the needs of employees - Bring respect and dignity back into IBM - Protect worker health and safety Then maybe something else should. Alliance@IBM The
Alliance@IBM
CWA Local 1701 is the national IBM employee organization and
advocate. Our mission is to build a strong employee organization
that informs and offers assistance to IBM employees and retirees
while also challenging company policies and practices that adversely
affect IBMers careers and lives. It
is clear, as the recent Supreme Court decision that let stand
IBM’s appeal on our pension class action lawsuit shows, that
we cannot solely rely on the courts or Government to protect
our benefits or rights. Only an employee organization and contract
can do that. YOU Please
join the Alliance@IBM
today As
a member you become eligible for the Union Plus!
program of discounts, benefits and resources. As a member you also help fund the critical financial needs of your organization and strengthen its financial base. As a member you have a voice in the Alliance and consultation on company issues. The more members the stronger we ALL become!Names are confidential. Non-management exempt employees, contractors and retirees are also eligible for membership IBM
HR is management’s advocate. |
| Stockholder
Resolutions 2007 |
| News
from the For
Immediate Release For
More Information Jeff
Miller or Candice Johnson, Alliance@IBM
members/shareholders Knoxville, Tenn. – Members of Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701 are urging shareholders at the company’s annual meeting today to support three critical proposals that will improve corporate governance and end unfair practices at IBM Corp. The proposals call for the exclusion of pension income in the calculation of executive compensation; the creation of an independent committee to explore the potential harm to IBM’s brand due to increasing offshoring, and an end to discrimination in policies regarding employees’ pension and retirement medical benefits. Mike Saville, an IBM retiree, shareholder since 1968 and sponsor of Proposal No.10 on offshoring, said, “Offshoring IBM jobs continues to be a serious issue. Employees face not only job loss but the indignity of training their off shore replacements. The IBM company faces negative press on offshoring that damages the brand name and company reputation and the knowledge base of the United States shrinks.” He cited those concerns as important reasons for the board of directors to establish an independent IBM committee to study the effects of IBM’s offshoring on the company’s brand and reputation. IBM employee Bill McGreevy, a sponsor of Proposal No. 9, stressed that pay for performance should be the main criteria for executive pay, and that income generated from pension funds must be excluded “Executive greed and bloated compensation needs to be challenged and executives must be accountable for their performance,” he said. “Executives should not be allowed to use other criteria – including pension income -- to compensate themselves particularly when IBM employees are facing a decline in their standard of living and retirees are experiencing increases in medical retirement costs while their pensions evaporate.” James Leas, sponsor of Proposal No. 8 on pension and retirement medical benefits, pointed out that “IBM instituted age discrimination in 1999 by seeking to divide employees into three groups based on age, with the intent of slashing pensions and revoking medical retirement promises. Then IBM expanded this pattern of age discrimination by terminating older employees at a much higher rate than younger employees.” Leas noted that “IBM employees resisted in 1999 with mass meetings that forced the company to partially back down” and said that employees would continue to raise this issue through stockholder resolutions, lawsuits and union organizing. “By instituting and expanding age discrimination, IBM executives have put their own personal interests ahead of our company’s interest and have demolished employee morale,” Leas said. ### Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701, Employee Advocate since 1999. www.allianceibm.org |
| Membership
Drive 2007 March 1st to March 31st |
Spotlight:
Job Cuts happening in IGS March 7 and SSO. Need numbers
and copies of Resource Action Packages.
Resource
Action in IT Delivery. 200 Jobs cut effective March 6, 2007. Also Redeployment
action in Accounts Payable.
Send further information to:
endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
This
just in:
Possible job cuts in Southbury and Poughkeepsie.
Please send any information to:
Spotlight:
Letter
From the President
Alliance@IBM
It
was truly unfortunate news that the Supreme Court has declined further
review of Cooper vs. IBM. The results truly hurt every employee that
was forced into the Cash Balance pension plan.
I
can only say that our court system cannot be the only path to fairness
for IBM employees. The courts interpret the laws; to have fair laws
we must work with our elected officials.
But mostly we need more power as employees, power to demand the fairness
and justice that we deserve.
We should not be summarily forced to give up benefits, as happened with
the Cash Balance switch. We should not be forced to work overtime week
after week; we should not be forced to retire just because we are older;
we should not have to hide in our offices just hoping to hold on to
our jobs.
The power of a union is the only true power that can fight back on these
fronts. We must insist on a voice, our voice, the people who do all
the work that creates the profits at IBM.
Remember: if we had a Union contract the pension changes would have
to have been negotiated and approved by IBM employees.
Without you, and all of your colleagues, we cannot be strong enough
to limit the power and greed (remember Palmisano's 29% raise), and help
ourselves and our families.
I'm reminded of the quote from Dr. Martin Luther King jr.: "In
the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence
of our friends".
Please don't be silent, please join the Alliance, and ask your coworkers
to join us in our continued fight. The lawsuit may be over, but we sure
aren't over.
Linda
Guyer
President, Alliance@IBM/CWA Local 1701
Spotlight:
Employee
comment on
IBM Offshoring
Comments 1/8/07: I am now an ex-IBMer. I was brought on when IBM took over in house tech at a very large account 5 years ago. This is when the job cuts began. First IBM demanded half the staff be let go before IBM took the contract. Then there were resource actions every 6 months. Not too big. Then came Brazil and Argentina. All of a sudden less and less FTEs and the rest contractors and off shore. 2006 though was a doozie. Everything going off shore. Then came the brilliant idea to model services after World War 2 assembly line practices. When you work on servers there is no such thing as a easy ticket. But each ticket held the same wieght - no matter if it was one server or many. Last October I was told I am part of "redeployment". I was not being laid off but I had to find another job in IBM in 90 days. To further help this 4 years ago I was rebanded from band 6 to 4. So I could not jump to band 6 positions outside of the account I was working. Then the internals jobs on the account dried up. All the managers did not help and were too busy for the Brazil migration. I was not willing to try for jobs outside of the training I had done for 10 years. So I found a better job in house with another company. When I asked if I could take a package I was told there is not one. Even though I was told my job is going to Brazil and I had to get another job - no severance or package. I gave notice and resigned. Now almost no one will be on-site. I am eligible for rehire but I doubt I would go back to IBM or the original company. The new company actually wants me to work there. It is a welcome change and they will have my loyalty. No future for anyone but managers at IBM. -Anonymous-
Jeffrey Neil Young
Patrick N. McTeague
McTeague, Higbee, Case, Cohen, Whitney & Toker
Four Union Park
P.O. Box 5000
Topsham, ME 04086
Toll free: (877) 725-5581
Fax: (207) 725-1090
outofblue@me-law.com
www.out-of-blue.com
IBM employees are telling the Alliance that Holiday parties and Spirit events are being cancelled at the last minute at many IBM locations, except corporate headquarters.
According to employees, Fishkill site management bought 7000 lunches and ended up having the vendor donate the food to local charities.
Events have also been cancelled in Poughkeepsie Charlotte and Boulder. Burlington decided to reschedule the holiday party but now employees have to pay for it. In IGS other last minute cost cutting is taking place in Education and Thanks awards.
A note from an IBMer puts it this way, “If the times are tough
I don’t think anyone would have a problem with cutting these expenses
if it helps save jobs. But what takes this beyond belief is that Corporate
HR made the decision to keep holiday parties at 3 headquarters buildings
in Armonk and Somers at an expense of over $100k.
Does this mean that the largely executive population deserves this little
perk but the peons at other sites do not?"
Feel free to voice your opinion on this in our "Your Comments"
general comment section.
Read the text: http://www.laborradio.org/node/2373
| Outraged at the new IBM Pension Freeze?
|
Dear
Alliance Members and Supporters,
I'm writing to you now because your attention to the upcoming fall
elections is critical. We, the American middle class, are under attack
from corporations and from political officials who are complicit in
encouraging mushrooming corporate profits and fat cat CEO raises and
benefits. Meanwhile the average professional and blue-collar workers
are taking home less and are seeing long promised pensions and medical
benefits disappear.
The Alliance@IBM / CWA Local 1701 does not endorse or give money to
candidates but we do urge each of you to be politically active and find
out how your elected officials have voted in the past few years on the
issues that affect your personal economic survival.
Issues, such as the list below, are extremely important to the Alliance
and our members.
- Pension legislation
- Loss of jobs to off-shoring
- Broken promises to retirees
- Health Care affordability
- Labor Law reform
Not only must you know your elected officials' history of supporting
or not supporting issues important to IBM employees and retirees, it
is also critical to understand that the court system in our country
does not always work for fairness. Indeed, the laws can often be unfair.
The Cooper vs. IBM lawsuit over cash balance pension conversion was
won by employees in the first round; however, on appeal, the judge decided
the conversion was (in my words) equally ripping off everyone, thus
there was no age discrimination.
Recently a decision by the National Labor Relations Board will impact
future union membership for millions of workers (see
article on our web site).
What can we all do to fight such injustices? First of all you must join
and encourage your colleagues and friends to join the Alliance@IBM,
and support the activism that's absolutely needed to fight and pressure
IBM to do the right things for its employees. Are you willing to let
Sam Palmisano have a 29% raise, while you have received little or no
raise, no COLA in retirement or lose your job for the sake of outrageous
CEO pay? Americans are already seeing a growing divide in wealth between
"Haves" and the "Have-nots". This trend will continue
unless we all say, "enough is enough".
Here's the web site where you can find out past votes by your elected
officials:
http://www.aflcio.org/issues/legislativealert/votes/vr_memb.cfm
Find out the facts and vote for yourself, your family, and the economic
success of all IBM employees and retirees. Go to the polls this fall
armed with the evidence and let's change the direction of this country,
from exploiting the middle class worker to helping us thrive. After
all, isn't that what America is about?
In solidarity,
Linda Guyer
President, Alliance@IBM / CWA Local 1701
IBM
earnings rise 47%, lifted by acquisitions and software sales read
more...
For Retirees: No COLA, rising medical co-pays.
For Employees: Little or no raises, jobs
offshored, pensions slashed and abolished, benefits diminished.
Is
your Job being offshored?
Are you training your replacement?
Send details: Your Location, Business unit,
Where your job is going To: endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
(from your home computer)
To
receive our email action alerts & news, you must join the
Alliance@IBM
list, as a voting member or subscriber.
Please use your home email address.
IBM is blocking e-mail to and from the Alliance@IBM e-mail address endicottalliance@stny.rr.com from inside the company. Please send your job cut information and other correspondence from your home e-mail.
Alliance@IBM has received a significant amount of comments since our recent email broadcast. We intend to send all the comments to Sam Palmisano and the media. We encourage employees who have not sent comments to do so, and to encourage their co-workers to send comments as well. Names will be kept anonymous. Creative nicknames are encouraged.
to restore workers' freedom
to form unions in America.
PBC
2 Managed Out Update in pdf format
Or Power
Point format
***
Thursday
3/09/2006: 400 SSR's outsourced to Qualxserve.
IBM says "Take it or leave it"
IBM's Announcement to employees:
"QualxServ will assume field service delivery responsibility for primarily next day, high volume service products in the continental U.S., now performed by IBM Technical Support, such as IBM/Lenovo Mobile, Workstations, MPM Desktop, exchange printers, IBM Workgroup Printers and selected end user services (Service Code 44). Approximately 300 regular and 100 supplemental IBM employees who service these products will become employees of QualxServ under an arranged employment agreement. The selected employees have already been advised of the changes."
IBM employees
rights -
Section 7 of the Wagner Act:
"Employees shall have the right to self organize, to form,
join or assist unions...and to engage in concerted activities for
the purpose of collective bargaining or OTHER MUTUAL AID AND PROTECTION"
Send comments and information to endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
PBC's
and 2 "3"'s equal stealth job cuts.
IBM
employees are once again being forced out the door.
If you are being forced out please contact the Alliance: endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
from your home computer.
Let us know your location, name, age and time of service. Information
will be held in strict confidence. We will put you in contact with
someone that can give you advice on challenging your force out.
To
IBM Executive Management:
Thou
Shalt Not Steal!
Hands Off Our Pension!
Have
IBM Executives Lost their Heart?
Click
Here
is a flyer to print and mail to:
Sam Palmisano and J. Randall MacDonald
IBM Corporation
New Orchard Road
Armonk , NY 10504
|
Run the PayWatch Database to see what IBM Execs make per year |
Work is being transferred from Poughkeepsie, NY to Bromont Canada. Sources say 200 jobs are affected.
Received 12/01/2005:
Comments : Widespread staff layoffs were announced in the US yesterday.
Hardest hit was the marketing organization, which was cut 15%. This
explains the sudden resignation of Abby Kohnstamm, senior VP of Marketing,
that was announced by Sam Palmisano on 11/14. Legal, finance, and operations
also suffered layoffs. Many of the affected were in the White Plains
& Somers areas, but others worked from home throughout the country.
Ironically, the cuts were across the board, affecting even people supporting
business units that were "making their numbers". Quite demoralizing
seeing that hard work and good results don't translate into job security.
But Sam will make his numbers.
Send any information
as well as age, title, and number of employees selected from the resource
action package to:
endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
Make sure to use your HOME computer.

New York State Written
Response Form - August 23, 2005
A copy of this form is available in Adobe Portable Document
Format (pdf)
Click here to download Adobe reader, if you need it.
Click the Alliance@IBM sponsored Online Health Focus Survey, if you are an IBM employee, former employee (EI), IBM Retiree, or contractor..We urge all IBMers to fill out our Health Focus Survey to help document health problems IBMers might associate with working with toxic materials at IBM.
On Monday, November 21, the City Council in Burlington, Vermont
passed an outsourcing ordinance with a unanimous vote of the 11 City
Councilors in attendance. The stated policy of the ordinance reads "It
is the policy of the City of Burlington to let service contracts to
contractors, subcontractors and vendors who perform work in the United
States". The City has taken a significant move to support working
people by acknowledging that public funds should not be used to pay
for public services that will be performed by workers outside the country
unless no alternative is available.
The ordinance is the end result of a concerted effort on the part of
Vermont Alliance@IBM
activists, the Champlain Valley Central Labor Council, the Vermont State
AFL-CIO and City Councilor Philip Fiermonte, who works as a key aid
to Congressman Bernie Sanders.
Wear Black & Blue every Wednesday to protest job cuts.
Job
Cut Alert!
Job cuts are happening. Information
needed:
Please email endicottalliance@stny.rr.com with details.
IBM, Amid Layoffs, Scours Globe For IT Talent
Editorial on the Software Business and its profit margin
Data: More heart defects in Endicott spill zone. Neighborhood's babies have double normal rate.
Hewlett Packard
Employees
Day Of Action
September 8th 2005
HP France Union
Flyer
HP
US Union Flyer
HP Italy Union
Flyer
HP
Workers Silicon Valley Thumbs up for CWA
![]()
In
Silicon Valley today we had a lively demonstration at the main entrance
to the HP Cupertino main location. The group from CWA
Local 9423 was received by many HP workers with thumbs up hand
signs when they read our signs which read "No
to job cuts! No to Pension Cuts! Yes to Black Box Raise!"
HP Security forces also were closely monitoring our activities and
we held our ground for 90 minutes as we leafleted the main entrance.
News
from HP France Union
We
want to communicate our last counting which shows that about 1850
have stopped work in HP France today at 11:00 am.
The action is relayed to the media. Contacts with political leaders have been taken as well.
The employees of HP Italy, our colleagues from the CWA union, and the employees of IBM Germany, who stand in solidarity with HP workers in Europe and around the world in our protest and fight against the restructuring plan of the HP Corporation, have been strongly applauded.
| Job Cuts at Sprint Account, IBM Kansas City Excerpt
from comments on the: Name : Anonymous From-Kansas-City Comments : I just got notice of my layoff from IBM on the Sprint account. I'm supposed to be working, now, a "month-to-month" contract with IBM on their AT&T account. The lady writing my spec's, after nine years as an AT&T person-rebadged-to-IBM, told me she was just two days away from buying & closing on a new house when she got word that she was to train her replacement from India. However, he was to learn her nine-year job in six weeks. He ended up too overwhelmed after just a few weeks; such that he took a job with another company in Cleveland! I have had two people, from IBM's division of India, waiting for my cubicle in my last position at Sprint! |
Gutting of pensions a sad sight
Cheers at IBM HQ-Tears at Homes of 14500 IBMers
|
International
Unions Release Joint Statement
on IBM Restructuring, Job Cuts.
Actions Worldwide Actions Pictures
IBM
Day Of Action Press Release
Thank you Alliance@IBM members and supporters for your participation in the "Day Of Action!"
The Alliance@IBM / CWA Local 1701 is calling on all our members and co-workers in IBM to participate in an International Day of Action over IBM's plan to cut 13,000 jobs worldwide. Download the Day Of Action Flyer for distribution at your site. The format is MS Word.
Now is the time to take a stand!
A joint statement by IBM Unions and Works Councils from around
the world will be posted on the Alliance web site and sent out in a
press release on May 23rd.
Here is a list of things we are asking employees and retirees to do
on May 23rd in the U.S.:
More pictures of the German workers protest
IBM France Employees strike over job cuts

An employee of IT company IBM is seen in front of the closed main gate of the German IBM headquarters wearing a shirt that says 'IBM - 9 billion $ profit are not enough to preserve my job' during a protest demonstration in Stuttgart-Vaihingen, southern Germany, Tuesday, April 26, 2005. The US company announced some closures of German IBM branches with a possible cut of around 600 jobs. (AP Photo/Daniel Maurer)
From Offshoring to Organizing: One Tech Worker's Tale
IBM
plans service job cuts across Western Europe
Jobs could be shifted outside Europe
IBM to reportedly lay off 500 in Sweden
CeBIT Attendees Dodge Picket Signs. Workers protest IBM's plan to lay off 600 employees in Germany.
IBM Plans Nearly 600 Job Cuts in Germany
Panel endorses U.S.-only jobs bill
Here is the list of Employee Free Choice Act co-sponsors in both the House and Senate. If people are calling their congressional delegation, they should know whether to thank them or ask them to sign on. Click for list
'Jobloss' Recovery Cited at U.S. Hearings on Trade with China, WashTech Testifies
IBM PC Division Employees Lenovo Sale
Lenovo offers to hit IBM employees mid-March
Resource Action Alert!! - Alliance@IBM is hearing of job cuts in IGS: Distribution Sector, Tech Support, Deskside Support Services, Operations and Network Services. If you have any information, please e-mail us at: endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
Job
Cut Update: Alliance@IBM
has received further
information from employees on recent job cuts and resource actions.
We don't believe it is complete yet; and we will not list locations
at this time, so that we can protect workers identities. The cuts occurred
in IBM Global Services units. The total number so far, is about 250.
We are also getting reports of employees being given separation packages
not related to resource actions; but in response to PBC evaluations.
Many of those cut in resource actions and separations are being reported
as "over 40 years old". Stay tuned for information as we receive
it. See our visitor comments section
for update on RTP.
Union Members Aid Tsunami Victims
UWUA SUPPORTS SOLDIERS, FAMILIES
Position Papers: IBM garners dubious distinction — and Douglas award
IBM Essex Junction, VT Plant “Honored” With 2004 Dirty Dozen Award
Nov. 28
- Dec. 17 national tour to visit 9 cities.
Indian labor leaders to address "outsourcing" issue".
Seeking dialogue with U.S. workers about mutual interests in the fight
to defend good jobs and ensure fair labor standards.
Black Eye for Big Blue. Settlement in a groundbreaking case against IBM affects workers facing pension changes.
Non-Union workers LOSE their Weingarten Rights - NLRB Holds That Employees in a Nonunionized Workplace Are Not Entitled to Representation at a Disciplinary Interview. Read NLRB decision Excerpts.
Read NLRB decision in its entirety (pdf file format)
The Value Of A Union Contract: CWA Settlement with SBC Provides for Employment and Health Security "Value Of A Union Contract Flyer" Click here for the flyer. Print the flyer (with your home printer) and make copies to distribute to your co-workers. Visit our "Do's and Don'ts of Handing Out Flyers" page to help you with the rules, before you distribute the flyers.
Endangered species: US programmers
Pizza Drivers Seek National Union
Study finds dramatic loss of tech jobs
Labor's Friends in the GOP. Moderate Republicans Buck Party Leaders to Stand Up For Workers.
Alliance@IBM
has heard of job cuts in the past few weeks.
This affects regular employees and contractors. Contractors have faced
numerous pay cuts over the past few years. For many contractors, pay
has been cut 20% in the last two years. Please send any
information to: endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
Probe Finds IBM Altered Document
Treasury Inspector General Investigating Paper on Pensions.
IBM Labor group sees growth, challenges Organizers say interest increasing
Click
Alert: Tell the Presidential Candidates to Preserve
Collective Bargaining
Wow! You Sent 177,000 Postcards to Bush and Kerry about the Employee Free Choice Act. Two Republican Senators join the fight!!
Economic Policy Institute update on Overtime Rule Changes. (this pdf file requires adobe acrobat reader)
House Votes to Block New Overtime Rules! The 223-193 vote in favor of blocking the new overtime rules defied the White House.
Lloyds Bank Union challenges outsourcing. With a little help from friends.
Hitachi, IBM to lay off 400 at hard disk drive venture
Schwarzenegger terminates anti-offshoring bill. But the measure could come up again next year
IBM supercomputer sets world speed record. Former IBM plant, now called Endicott Interconnect, instrumental in building boards.
IBM in partial pension settlement. Big Blue settles part of pension transfer, age discrimination suit; estimates for claims neared $6B.
James Leas speech to the IBM stockholders' meeting.
IBM link to political fund alleged. Teamsters file for disclosure.
IBM shareholders voice concerns
Seeing Red (and Green) with Big Blue
Controversy looms at IBM annual meeting
IBM Earnings & Vapor profit for 7 years as of 04-01-04.
Show Us the Jobs' tour protests loss of work to overseas and comments from Alliance@IBM Vice-President Garrett Lanzy.
Letter to Sam Palmisano - The CGT IBM France
Labor Dept. Revises Plans to Cut Overtime Eligibility.
IBM retiree mounts campaign aimed to lower costs.
IBM’s Plan to Lower Professional Salaries...Read
this
SSR's to lose double time on Sundays.
Accounting Board Wants Options to Be Reported as an Expense
How retiree benefits cuts fatten companies' bottom lines
IBM's Palmisano given $5.4 million bonus for 2003. CEO rewarded for steering Big Blue through 'several challenges' and increasing server share.
IBM staff halt Westpac strike negotiations restarted.
IBM lays off some Tulsa employees - Workers say Offshoring is to blame.
PRESS RELEASE ... Alliance@ IBM/CWA Local 1701 questions IBM claim to add 10,000 jobs in 2004.
Waiting for Offshore Outsourcing - By David Morgenstern, eWeek.
Family and Friends of Deceased IBM Employees hold reflection and memorial service before IBM trial.
Think Twice newsletter for Sept/Oct 2003
IBM US Furlough Program - A new program allows time off and no pay for selected employees
Sept. jobless rate sees 21-month high - Burlington Free Press
State of VT, ex-IBMers ponder life after layoffs: Brain drain, company's departure among fears - Burlington Free Press
Oct. 2, IBM cuts more than 700 - IBM Global Services this week cut 720 employees as part of a regular review process, a company representative said.
Oct. 2 IBM swings the job axe again Pink slips handed out to 380...Sept. 29th
Oct. 1, Congress Allows H-1B Limit to Drop - Efforts to Curb Abuses of H-1B and L-1 Visa Programs Stalled.
Sept. 24, SJ Mercury News: Review Finds IBM Tracked Deaths
Sept. 24, Silicon Valley Biz Ink: "Organizing the Valley" Local Tech Workers picket for open union
Sept. 18: U.S. House Approves Sanders Amendment to Protect Workers Against Age Discriminatory Cash Balance Pension Conversions.
Sept. 2: Union IG Metall wins pay talks right at IBM Germany -Germany's powerful IG Metall trade union said on Tuesday it had won a legal battle with U.S. computer giant International Business Machines Corp. to negotiate on behalf of IBM's 26,000 employees in Germany.
Sept. 1: Labor Day Message from the Alliance President
Sept. 1: Unions to Push to Make Organizing Easier - the A.F.L.-C.I.O. plans to announce a nationwide campaign that aims to change federal laws to make it easier for workers to join unions.
Congratulations to Erica Leifels, winner of $3000 CWA Joe Beirne Foundation Scholarship. Erica is the daughter of Alliance member, Mike Leifels.
InformationWeek: IBM pays $4B for PWC; Lays off 15,000
Aug 18: 500 lose their jobs at IBM’s Vermont plant. Another 3,000 workers must take a week of unpaid leave next month. Full Story
Aug. 14: Judge rules in favor of fired EIT Union Rep - A Federal Judge has ruled that a former EIT employee and union organizer for Alliance@IBM/CWA must be reinstated to his job.
Aug. 10: Take Action to Stop Offshoring! Things you can do immediately.
Aug. 10: FACT SHEET about Offshoring
Aug. 10: Transcript of the IBM HR presentation on Offshoring
Aug. 10: Sample Letters for you to send your elected officials about Off Shoring
Aug. 7, Wall Street Journal: Memos Sent to IBM Show Awareness of Pension Moves - kind of a "smoking gun" here
Aug. 7: IBM HR Offshoring audio is now available on the web - Listen Here
Aug. 7, AFL-CIO: Reform H-1B and L-1 Visas Now
Aug. 7: GAO Greenlights Offshoring Study - thanks for sending all the cards and letters to your congressional reps
Aug. 3: New Page with information and links about the pension lawsuit
July 31: EMPLOYEES WIN THE PENSION LAWSUIT ON ALL COUNTS!
July 31, WSJ: IBM Pension Plan Changes are Ruled Discriminatory
Aug. 7, Wall Street Journal: Memos Sent to IBM Show Awareness of Pension Moves
Aug. 3: New Page with information and links about the pension lawsuit
EMPLOYEES WIN THE PENSION LAWSUIT ON ALL COUNTS!
July 31, WSJ: IBM Pension Plan Changes are Ruled Discriminatory
July 31, AP: IBM Loses Closely Watched Pension Lawsuit
July 31, CBS Marketwatch: Judge Rules against IBM in Pension Case
July 28, Severance Packages Down in 2000-2003: Read Full Story
July 25, Burlington, VT: IBM Cuts Workers' Hours and Paychecks
July 25: NPR Newscast: As tech companies shift more and more white-collar jobs overseas, will these higher-paid workers finally look into organized labor?
July 22, NY Times Front Page: IBM Explores Shift of White-Collar Jobs Overseas
July 22, Washtech Press Release: IBM to Export Thousands of American Software Jobs... Company Presentation Discusses Strategies to Counter Negative Reaction From Government and Unions
Endicott Interconnect Technologies wins major contract with IBM. Read full story.
2300 Verizon workers return to work from a lay-off! This is what a contract can do for you! Read full story.
Mold lawsuits target IBM , Workers say place made them ill- Karin Rives NewsObserver.com ... Click and SAVE the printable survey at the bottom of the page. Print out the survey, fill it in, and mail to the address listed on the survey.
Erin Brockovich Law Firm to Sue IBM over Endicott NY Chemical Spill
America's Jobs - "First They Destroy Our Blue Collar Manufacturing Jobs, Now They're Going After White Collar Service-Sector Jobs - from Rep. Bernie Sanders
IGS creating thousands of new jobs in India - IBM Global Services will increase the number of software professionals from the current 2,200 to 6,500 by 2004 at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 43 per cent.
Endicott NY Residents in a 'RAGE' over IBM chemical spill
DEC suspects second pollution source in Endicott
Concerned Residents of East Fishkill NY
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition
Full Coverage on the IBM Endicott NY Chemical Spill
June 29: Bush Administration assures India it is OK to steal your job The Indian government and businesses have won a major assurance from the Bush Administration on the issue of outsourcing.
|
IBM ruling may shape age bias laws. In the next several weeks, a federal judge will rule on whether two pension plan changes IBM made in the 1990s discriminated against Kathi Cooper and 140,000 other U.S. employees
For Kathi Cooper, the numbers just didn't add up
Judge expects his pension decision to be appealed
Documents reveal IBM's reason for pension-plan change: saving money Quote: "a reduction in employee benefits does not violate federal law unless it violates a union contract or the change runs afoul of another federal regulation. "
Online discussions here:
PressConnects
IBM Pension Group
June 1: Letter from the President: "The Danger of Offshoring"
May 20: IBM Global Services Application Management Services cuts 494 jobs. This number comes from the information package that IBM provided to the affected employees; it is IBM's number.
June 2: IBM Reports SEC Investigation - IBM's shares were halted on the New York Stock Exchange today
May
18: IBM will be moving IT, Software Developer and Research Jobs to India
CEO Sam Palmisano personally visits India but he wants no media attention - sounds like stealth offshoring to us. Palmisano is the first IBM CEO to visit India.
IBM to expand Software Development, Services and R&D in India
IBM India jobs to go up substantially in the near future
Steve Mills and Nick Donofrio visit India - Paul Horn, head of Research, will also visit. "IBM is moving strategic operations in the software business area"
April 29:Speeches to the Stockholders and IBM Earnings Statement with Pixie Dust! - Jimmy Leas & Don Parry
May 6: 10% of IGS/ITS division let go today
May 1: Wall Street Journal report on the May 1 Layoffs
May 1: IGS cuts 300 employees - We have heard of job cuts in IGS San Jose, and in the Business Consulting part of IGS. No numbers have come in yet - if you have a layoff package please mail a copy of it to us: Alliance@IBM, 36 Washington Ave., Endicott, New York 13760 - this will help us compile the numbers.
Layoffs
are expected in May! Please read these helpful pages before
it's too late!
Job
Loss Questions and Answers
Job
Cut Survival Kit
May 1: Report from the IBM Stockholders' Meeting in Kansas City
April 11: Letter from the President: Report from the US Treasury Hearing on Cash Balance Pensions
White House proposal would radically alter US overtime laws
Pension Rights Center joins employees, and members of Congress in asking the Treasury to halt Pension Regulations....Media Advisory
A look at the StockHolder Proxy card -View the stockholder proxy card. Notice the proposals made in favor of the employees and retirees. The BOD recmmends voting against them. You decide.
White House proposal would radically alter US overtime laws
Golf Shirts! with the Alliance Logo. Nice enough for the "business casual" dress code. Get yours here.
IBM Workers International Solidarity web site Employees from IBM unions around the world are working together to share information and strategies
March 10: IBM hikes Palmisano's salary and bonus 44 percent in 2002
March 8:
IBM Employees being downgraded
2 to 3 job levels
by being re-banded (or down- banded?) Read
what we've heard
March 8: Letter from the Alliance President At-Will Employment
March 16: IBM Workers International Solidarity web site Employees from IBM unions around the world are working together to share information and strategies
Come with us to the Treasury hearings in Washington, DC on April 9! CWA, Alliance@IBM, IBM employees, Bernie Sanders, and others will be testifying about the proposed cash balance regulations.
Mar 16:
Fascinating reading - How IBM managed the 1995 change to a pension equity
plan (PEP) plan in 1994:
http://www.soa.org/library/record/1990-99/RSA95V21N3B10.pdf
- Every employee should read this link. They should know what
type of people they are dealing with in the upper echelons of IBM
March 10: IBM hikes Palmisano's salary and bonus 44 percent in 2002
March 8:
IBM Employees being downgraded
2 to 3 job levels
by being re-banded (or down- banded?) Read
what we've heard
March 8: Letter from the Alliance President At-Will Employment
March 8: Clueless at the top: IBM's CEO doesn't know that overtime is mandatory for IGS employees Check out the 8th question in this Business Week Q&A with Sam Palmisano. Will someone please tell him about how you can't take your vacation because of mandatory overtime?
Feb. 27: CE's and IGS employees around the country are fired - IBM says they no longer have the right skills
Feb. 10: Protests at Lou's Book Signing in RTP
| What do Pension Rules Mean to You? - Big firms dumping traditional plans for cash-balance plans - Alliance member Andy Maher appears on NBC Nightly News | ![]() |
Employee health concerns at IBM Research Triangle Park, NC
Photos from the Cash Balance Plan Press Conference
Statements on Cash Balance Plans
Employer cash balance statements: Fact and Fiction
Statement by Rep. George Miller
Cash Balance Conversion Stories
Union demands Executive action over future of 700 IBM jobs - News from IBM Scotland
Big Blue settles in age discrimination suit
Ask your reps to sigh the letter to the Treasury
IBM Canada Retirees start class action against IBM
Bernie Sanders: Bush's War Against Older Workers
Updated Retiree Page - Read about and support the National Retiree Legislative Network
Bush Administration Proposes Rules That Can Alter Pension Plans, hurting older workers
US Dept. of Treasury: Full text of Proposed Regulation
Discussion about the Treasury Proposal on the IBM Pension Group - read more and ask questions here
2003 IBM Executive Deferred Compensation Plan (EDCP)
Age Discrimination Page - get help here
Dec. 04: IBM to fund pension shortfall - Our question is, where did it all go? Was the entire pension fund invested in Enron and Worldcom???
Nov. 19: Update for EIT Employees
Comments about the "Layoff experience" from a former Canadian employee
Nov. 8: Announcing Skip Bogard, Alliance Committee Chair for Persons with Disabilities and Medical Issues. Skip is an employee in RTP and an Alliance Governing Council member. Contact Skip here.
Age Discrimination Page - get help here
Nov. 7: IBM cited in additional age-bias complaints
Oct. 28: JMIU (IBM Japan Union) asks FTC to investigate Hitachi deal
Oct. 22: IBM will close plants in Mainz, Germany and Hungary
Layoffs? at IBM? Not really, read here.
10/22: IBM issues "permanent layoffs" in IGS Business Innovation Services
Good news about pension reform
"On a Wing and a Prayer" Analyst Bob Djurdjevic's view of IBM's 3rd Quarter Earnings Report
What difference would a union make when there are job cuts and sales to other companies?
Fact Sheet: Revenue, Profit, and Vapor Profit at IBM
Nov. 1: An historic moment - IBM completes sale of its birthplace, Endicott NY 90 years of IBM history will be a memory.
Ex-Tyco VP becomes CEO of EIT, formerly IBM Microelectronics in Endicott NY
Coming up in November: Elections for Alliance officers and Governing Council. See current officeholders here. Only voting members can run or nominate someone. Contact us if you wish to nominate someone.
Heard on the Grapevine: Thousands of IGS jobs to move to India, Mexico and Belarus
EEOC Complaint Form for IBM employees laid off in Vermont
IBM warns employees of higher health care charges for 2003
October 3: 80 Endicott employees are sold to Cadence
Take
Action: Age Discrimination: The Alliance is gathering
information on age discrimination at IBM. Please send any information
that you may have to: endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
A package of what we collect will go to the EEOC.
Take
Action: To IBMers that have been let go and feel they
were targeted because they have a disability or other health issues,
please send your e-mail address, name and phone number to endicottalliance@stny.rr.com
Pete Plavchan,
fired organizer, meets with Elliot Spitzer, NY State Attorney General
Former IBM Workers may receive Federal help
Employee Layoff stories - updated with new stories 09/07/02
IBM Job Cut News Page - full coverage
CWA Calls for Repeal of H1-B Program
What difference would a union make when there are job cuts and sales to other companies?
Fact Sheet: Revenue, Profit, and Vapor Profit at IBM
Aug. 5: Burlington IBMer's protest harsh job cuts, citing age discrimination:
Take Action: Congressional Action Plan for Restoration of Retiree Benefits
Letter to Sam Palmisano from a Sold Employee in Endicott
Why the layoffs? by James Marc Leas
IBM Sells its History:
| Facts: Price of IBM Endicott: $63 million Gerstner's stock option income since 1996: $345 million* Endicott's price as a percentage of Gerstner's stock income: 18% (or 63 million pieces of silver...) |
*Source: Annex Research
June 27: 173 more jobs cut in IGS BIS
June 21: The latest rumor is that IBM HR will be outsourced to Fidelity. Read Heard on the Grapevine - news about possible job cuts, potential sales of parts of the business, and other juicy stuff.
June 19: 160 Jobs cut in Yorktown Heights today ... Analyst Bob Djurdevic reports that IBM is reducing R&D staff by 10%: "Creeping Layoffs"
June 11, 2001: Why the layoffs? by James Marc Leas
Answers for your questions - for those currently employed and those recently let go - updated June 8
What difference would a union make when there are job cuts and sales to other companies?
RNN Television interviews two Poughkeepsie Alliance activists about the job cuts with Pete Plavchan and Bill Costine
June 4: IBM cuts 1,500 jobs from MicroElectronics Division - 975 in Burlington VT; 100 in Endicott NY; others in Fishkill NY, Poughkeepsie NY, and San Jose CA. They actually admitted this one.
June 3: Hitachi deal goes through IBM will transfer 18,000 jobs world-wide to Hitachi
Job Cuts News - Latest News, updated June 4 - includes actual numbers from the packages
Employee Layoff stories - Stories from the last two weeks - updated May 30
Heard on the Grapevine - News about possible job cuts, potential sales of parts of the business, and other juicy stuff. Updated June 2, 11am.
Fact
Sheet: Revenue, Profit, and Vapor Profit at IBM
April 30: Results of the Annual Shareholders Meeting in Louisville KY
April 30:
IBM
Announces $3.5 Billion stock buyback - Over 23,000 jobs could
be saved with this money!
April 30: Speeches from the Stockholders' Meeting:
May 14: Alliance Press Release: Massive Job Cuts Loom at IBM

April
30: Results of the Annual Shareholders Meeting in Louisville KY
April 30: IBM Announces $3.5 Billion stock buyback - Over 23,000 jobs could be saved with this money!
Spontaneous Strike at IBM Germany - Apr. 25: Thousands of blue and white collar employees staged a strike this week in Mainz, over the IBM-Hitachi joint venture. The strike was organized by IG Metall to protect employee jobs.
April 23:
Picket Line in Endicott NY for Recall Rights
April 10: More job cuts at IGS AT&T ADM Account in New Jersey - rumors say hundreds of people are affected
April 8: Enron-like scare for IBM employees
Leading Harvard Economist praises Alliance@IBM as a 'striking example' of open source unionism. Read more here.
Join us in Louisville, Kentucky for the Annual Shareholder Meeting on April 30. Contact us for information on activities and lodging. Picket lines, protest rallies, and media events are planned.
Gerstner
cashed in more stock options than all Enron execs put together:
"Sir
Lou outlayed Lay" by analyst Bob Djurdjevic of Annex Research
April 2, 2002: Over 600 CE's/SSR's fired on Tuesday from Integrated Technology Services (IITS)
| "I am a 49-yr-old SSR in the Northeast, have been with IBM for 23 years, and have usually been a 2-rating. But, let's face it: IBM is no longer worth one drop of the dedication that all of us had unreservedly invested in our company. My wife is totally disabled, and I am going to lose all of the retirement health account, because I didn't make it to age 55 or 30 years." |
Read employee layoff stories here
Appeal denied: IBM guilty of violating the National Labor Relations Act
Read the Open Letter to Sam Palmisano from Linda Guyer, President, Alliance@IBM/CWA Local 1701
IBM execs have their pensions locked in and protected - and you don't - NY Times interviews Lynda French, Alliance member (free registration reqd.).
IBM Insider Trading - Our poor executives won't get any raises in 2002. Read here how they were compensated in stock options in 2001. Lou Gerstner's compensation from stock options was well above $100 Million for the year.
Congressional Testimony on Retirement Insecurity from Karen Ferguson, Pension Rights Center, about 401k's and pensions in the light of the recent Enron debacle
02/04/02: "Corporate Greed", Press Release from Rep. Bernie Sanders
02/06/02: Stealth Job Cuts continue in 2002 -this time 100 employees in Server Group
Variable Pay significantly lower this year for MD employees
02/03/02: From cbsmarketwatch.com, New IBM CEO to face tough questions: Gerstner exit comes at opportune time - Remember the rumors that Gerstner might stay? Looks like after Enron he changed his mind.
Great News! Both Stockholder Resolutions have been approved by the SEC to be included in this year's Annual Report and be voted on by the shareholders. Read the resolutions here.
Kinder layoff strategies at other companies
More Employee Stories - we've just updated our sampling of letters we've received - thank you to all who have sent your story
Take Action! Help Save Jobs at IBM! Send a Letter! When business picks back up, should experienced employees be recalled? Or should IBM hire temps? Ask your legislators and community leaders -- are all of us to become temporary workers???
Two scholarship programs now available to Alliance Voting Members and their families - apply asap
IBM executive insider trading - see what our executives made in stock trades in the last quarter - Gerstner made over $100 million in 2001
2002 Stockholder Proposals on Executive Compensation and Pension and Retirement Medical
11/30/01 Not a Layoff Must Read...
11/30/01 Press Release Nov. 30
11/30/01 IBM Fires over 1500 - 400 in Endicott, 500 in Burlington, 200 in Fishkill, 180 in Rochester MN, 75 in RTP, 150 in San Jose - Most are from the MD division - Professionals and Manufacturing workers are all affected - while IBM spends $7.8 billion in stock buybacks - - are these the priorities of a decent company?
IBM loses appeal on Cooper v IBM - The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals denied IBM's appeal of the class certification of Cooper v IBM. This means the next step is the trial. Details are at http://www.cashpensions.org
11/23/01 Alliance Leaders Meet with IBM Germany IG Metall Union Leaders -- with Photos from the conference
11/18/01 Governing Council members and Local Officers have been elected
10/15: Get the latest Think Twice Newsletter (you will need Adobe Acrobat reader)
10/14: 965 employees in IGS BIS just laid off - read one person's story
Questions and Answers about the class action lawsuit
09/19/01: THE RESULTS ARE IN! An overwhelming majority of Alliance members have voted to form an official CWA Local.
09/18 The pension lawsuit has just been classified as a class action!
09/15 CWA members at the WTC and the Pentagon - a message from President Morty Bahr
09/12 CWA receives many condolence letters from around the world These are amazing.
Albany Meeting postponed due to this week's tragic events.
Our thoughts and prayers are with all victims and their families.
08/24:
Work increases at MD Endicott - Workers told 20% AWS shift premium
will return
08/07:IBM Burlington Workers Rally Forces Over Cut in Hours
08/04: Good News: Business picks up at MD Endicott
07/27: IBM admits it is hiring college graduates while laying off experienced workers from the Poughkeepsie Journal: ''Between now and September, IBM is going to bring in about 3,000 university hires''
Employee Stories - hear from IBMer's who've lost their jobs New stories added 08/12
Gerstner sells 750,000 shares, worth $85 Million
07/27 Layoffs at Tivoli and Lotus
07/27: IBM admits it is hiring college graduates while laying off experienced workers from the Poughkeepsie Journal: ''Between now and September, IBM is going to bring in about 3,000 university hires''
File an EEOC complaint - Are you over 40 years old and laid off? If you suspect age discrimination please file a complaint
07/26 WebSphere developers given the boot
EEOC rules on waivers and severance pay, and employee rights.
What to do if you are laid off
Technology
Group changes Variable Pay mid-year
07/13 Action by Burlington IBM Workers Stops Pay Cuts
Gerstner gets richer while employees lose their jobs:
07/27 Employee Stories - hear from those who've lost their jobs
Gerstner sells 750,000 shares, worth $85 Million
07/11 Dow Jones: Big Blue sends out another quiet round of pink slips
Older Workers Benefit Protection Act - must reading if you are laid off
07/09: Alliance@IBM issues press release about our letter to IBM executives concerning the layoffs
07/02: Endicott AWS workers lose 20% of pay
Article about employee activists in the Poughkeepsie Journal
06/17: Save Retiree Health Benefits
06/17: IBM cuts jobs for 850 workers in Fishkill NY and Burlington VT
05/02: Settlement in GSA Australia: Collective Action Works!
04/27:
Annual Stockholders' Meeting:
Read the excellent
report in the Savannah Morning News
Report on the Annual Meeting in Savannah
02/24: New Page for IBM Retirees
01/31: NY State Comptroller sends letter to Gerstner on behalf of laid-off IBM employees
02/17 IBM Atlanta Employees and retirees form local Alliance group
Why
does she do it? Janet Krueger left IBM in 1999 over the pension
heist. She is still fighting for equitable benefits at IBM. Read why
she is still part of our crusade.
01/20: "Bait and Switch" - IBM Employees are forced to transfer to Manpower, Inc.
01/03: IBM Loses Bid to Stop Lawsuit - IBM lost a last-ditch maneuver to block a lawsuit by two former workers at its East Fishkill microchip plant, who allege their son was born with severe defects after they were exposed to toxic chemicals there (POK Journal, Jan. 3)
01/07:
IBM again fails to make Fortune's list of "100 Best Companies to
work for", while most of its competitors do
12/26: HR1102 is defeated - We fought this
one hard, to save our pensions - and it was defeated - for now.
12/22:
IBM gives pensioners an increase -- first time in 10 years
12/17 Update on the employee lawsuit
IBM South Africa forms Pension Fund Action Group, submits Stockholder Resolution
IBM UK Faces Pension Challenge
Interview with Robert Reich: "Trust is one of the most fragile commodities in any organization"
Unions have a role in today's New Economy, Computerworld article by Morton Bahr, CWA President
Back
to the 19th century - Commentary on mandatory overtime and 12-hour
days
IBM
to face inquiry in UK over pension fund in another scheme to shift
risk to the employees
National Labor Relations Board reverses nearly 30 years of rulings that had the effect of keeping temporary workers out of labor unions. The move could spur labor organizing in high-tech industries...
IBM meets estimates - Computer maker's earnings meet target, but revenue falls short Report from cnnfn.com. IBM also admits difficulty in attracting and retaining employees.
The death of the 8-hour workday at IBM
GOP Seeks to increase exemptions from overtime compensation
CWA President Bahr sends urgent letter to Senator Roth and Finance Committee
NLRB rules in favor of Temps joining unions
The Verizon strike and what was won in the settlement
Wall Street Journal Article Exposes IBM's "Pension Cuts 101"
Alliance@IBM/CWA web site wins recognition from Labourstart, leading international web site
IBM's vapor profits attracting more attention
CBS Marketwatch blasts Lou Gerstner
Mass Firings: IBM Lays Off 1,000 CE's and IGS employees (May 25, 2000)
IBM violates U.S. Labor Law, Judge Determines (May 19, 2000)
Layoffs at IBM Rochester (May 3, 2000)
Cleveland
News (April 25-26, 2000)
Read all about the Stockholders' Meeting, the Press Conference and the
Rally.
GE Employees also press for Stockholder Resolution - 4/99
IBM Japan Union Member visits Endicott
Merry Layoffs and Happy Terminations - 12/99
IBM Germany supports Alliance@IBM - Oct. 6, 1999
Layoffs at Personal Systems Group - 10/99
Poughkeepsie Journal's Archive of Articles about IBM: www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/projects/ibm
Continuing Issues: