Raise & Salary Comments

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Comment 11/30/08: Anyone get a MBA (Market Based Adjustment) this year? Or a TCR (Top Contributor raise/reward)? They gave them out in 2007. Guess it was a one shot deal. I'm sure we will continue to feel the pinch due to the global economic downturn giving Big Blew another way to mieser the GDP (growth driver pay) and 2009 raises. -anonymous-

Comment 11/23/08:
Salary = Rs. 8,00,000
Band Level = 6D
Job Title = Consultant
Years Service = 2.5
Hours/Week = 45
Div Name = SAP
Location = India
Message = Any good ??? -curious-

Comment 11/19/08: -traktor-: If you are getting annual 20% raises then you are still way, way, way, way underpaid by IBM. How does it feel to be a paid slave to them??? -anonymous-

Comment 11/19/08:
Salary = 23000
Band Level = 6
Job Title = it specialist
Years Service = 4
Hours/Week = 50
Location = Czech republic
Message = 2,2,2+,1 in past years... started at band 3 with 10k USD salary and get steady 20% salary raise each year. -traktor-

Comment 11/12/08: Bonus? Band 9? Gee, I don't see no bonus..and I can't get to band 9 since my management are cheap bastards. -Anonymous-

Comment 11/12/08:
Salary = 1030000 ($21,203.20 US Dollars) currency calc
Band Level = 7A
Job Title = Advisory technical services professional
Years Service = 5
Hours/Week = 40
Div Name = IBM india
Location = Bangalore
Message = I want details on of this Band 7A -Anonymous-

Comment 11/11/08:
Salary = $56k after 15% cut
Band Level = 7
Job Title = IT Specialist
Hours/Week = 40 after "remix", 50+ while exempt
Message = Consistent 1 and 2+ performer, but IBM never had the budget (yeah, right) to even pay me at their below-average "midpoint". I stayed solely due to the work from home deal, but when the lean and GR initiatives starting proving that IBM now values low cost over quality and client satisfaction I just couldn't take it anymore. -LongGone-

Comment 11/09/08:
Salary = 170000
Band Level = 9
Job Title = Consultant
Years Service = 10+
Hours/Week = 40
Div Name = 5
Location = NY
Message = Not including bonus -Anonymous-

Comment 11/06/08:
Salary = 105000
Band Level = 9
Message = doesn't include bonus -Jimbo-

Comment 11/02/08:
Salary = 80K
Band Level = 08Q
Job Title = Sr I/T Specialist (exempt)
Years Service = 25
Hours/Week = 40
Div Name = global service
Location = NE
Message = -401KWentBad- At least you are around your band midpoint. The range for 595K family is from 68K to 138K for my geography. I reckon I will never see the midpoint. They don't even give those MBA's anymore. That was a one shot deal and another promise IBM broke to folks like me. -Anonymous-

Comment 10/31/08: You cannot "sign up" for the new class action lawsuit against IBM. There is no facility on the "secondwagecaseagainstibm" website with which to do that. In the future, if you were re-classified to non-exempt, you may possibly be asked if you'd like to become a member of the class, but no one can "sign up" for anything on the website. -Anonymous-

Comment 10/31/08:
Salary = 111k
Band Level = 8
Job Title = SW Eng
Years Service = 27
Hours/Week = 50
Message = Band 8 salary range is "'The monthly market range within the industry and local labor market for your job family and band is $5,982 - $12,146" -401KWentBad-

Comment 10/30/08:
Job Title = LTS
Message = Do Long Term Supplemental's ever get pay increases through time? Anyone out there know? -Anonymous-

Comment 10/30/08: New Class Action Lawsuit against IBM, go to website and sign up if you were re-classified to non-exempt http://secondwagecaseagainstibm.com -Anonymous-

Comment 10/28/08: Rumor has it, no promotions or raises (at least in Div 48) for the remainder of 2008. Things 'may' change 1Q 2009. I was promised a promotion and raise in 2008 and it looks like they really meant something else. Like if Sam didn't cash in $74 million in stock this year. Glad he could make money for a job not well done -Anonymous-

Comment 10/24/08:
Salary = 100000
Band Level = 7
Job Title = consultant
Years Service = 6
Message = hi -harshal-

Comment 10/22/08: Just heard a new survey will be going out regarding the remix from last Feb. Also that you may be offered an exempt position. Sounds like another lawsuit -anonymous-

Comment 10/20/08: To the person looking for salary info at IBM India: If you go to http://www.glassdoor.com and register (it's free), you'll see that info. From what I can tell, a software engineer there makes between 522K and 559K rupees/year, which would be equivalent to about $11K, at today's exchange rate. So there is indeed a big difference between Indian and US salaries. -Anonymous-

Comment 10/17/08: Gotta love to know we are in tough times financially with IBM, but Mr Sam is able to receive $74 million in sold stock this year. Yes. $74,000,000. http://biz.yahoo.com/t/40/4114.html -About to go insane @ IBM-

Comment 10/17/08: Does anyone have information on the salary levels of the IBM India employees? Also, what are the salary increase sizes of the India people as well. I hear all types of rumors such as the equivalent of $2/hr etc...I'd like to know what they're really getting. -anonymous-

Comment 10/16/08: Just remember the salary at IBM greatly and excessively varies at the same Band! I've seen 25K difference for ten people in the same Band, same job, same department. -Egads-

Comment 10/13/08: Anon - Unless your "B7" means something other than "Band 7" you're way off base. The most recent market range I have for my band and job family is 2007 when the range was established at $43,164 - $87,060. If you were adjusted up to $120,000 to be commensurate with your contemporaries, then please tell me if we are talking about American dollars and what job family you are in. -AnotherBand7-

Comment 10/09/08: To "$122,000 Band Level = 7" Are you in ER (executive resources)? Who do ya kiss? You're a top band and ya gotta be a PBC 1 and walk on water and turn water in to wine. For band 7 this is quite high. Are you a rocket scientist or something? Maybe you are a union buster or are related to an IBM executive or something. Band 9's don't make your pay in this blue sucking pig!!! If you are honest, sincerely believe me. But gosh most of us couldn't get to your pay if we lived multiple lifetimes! -anonymous-

Comment 10/09/08:
Salary = 58K after pay remix
Band Level = 7
Job Title = 24A
Years Service = 25
Hours/Week = 45 max according to CLAIM
Div Name = IGS
Location = Boulder
Message = to Alliance reply to -Anon-: I'll say that guy's not in the trenches with the rest of us!!! I'm a B7 and I make less than HALF of
what that joker makes. I'm now the only US resource left on my team (Global Services) and I'm just waiting for the phone call from my
manager saying I'm the next victim. I just celebrated my 25th anniversary and apparently my age is affecting my memory because I can't remember my last raise (just the cuts due to the pay remix in Feb.) All that stock I've been buying all these years has lost over 20% of its value in the past couple of weeks...... -trench rat-

Comment 10/08/08:
Salary = $122,000
Band Level = 7
Hours/Week = 40 to 80 (rare)
Div Name = 05
Message = In the overall scheme of things I was the outlier at $110,000 for B7 in previous comments. I have since received an "adjustment" up $12,000. I know my coworkers are making the same as all B7's in my practice received this. I personally know a B7 making close to $130k
with 2 years of experience. The self reported numbers on this site seem to trend lower than actual averages. -Anon-
Alliance Reply: If you interpret the information you read in this comment section as trending 'lower', then you must believe that people are lying about how much they make or, you are semi-isolated by your level of salary. Either way, it's possible that you are out of touch with those working in the "trenches".

Comment 10/01/08:
Salary = 65k (salary plus ovvertime)
Band Level = 4
Job Title = SSR
Years Service = 10
Hours/Week = 45
Div Name = 48
Location = Texas
Message = SDM's already heavily engaged in cost cutting of expenses. -Texas Two Step-

Comment 10/01/08:
Salary = 4,00,000
Band Level = 5
Job Title = Lead
Years Service = 2.5 year
Hours/Week = 40
Div Name = F& A
Location = Bangalore
Message = Please let me know if the offering is justified -Anonymous-
Alliance Reply: Please tell us what your currency is and what '4,00,000' is as a number. A guess would be that you misplaced a comma.
As webmaster, I will adjust our form so that it includes a currency field; so that we all can understand each other better.
If you wish; please tell us what kind of 'Lead' you mean in the "Job title" field? That will help everyone analyze your situation better, also.

Comment 09/29/08: I just wanted to drop a little reminder. It may seem a bit off topic to some of you but it's about your take home pay and standards of living. So hopefully the moderator here will let this post ride:
The banks are tightening up on credit my friends. People that have stellar credit ratings are receiving notices that their interest rates are going up and their credit limits are being cut. Combine this action with your recent pay cuts and well you know what I'm saying. The more
of your available credit that you are currently using, now more than ever, the more you are going to pay a higher interest rate. If your credit card companies overlooked your pay cut, don't be surprise if you receive notice of the above changes soon. Good luck people. Keep your head down and may you escape the next round of cut backs. -Spiderman-

Comment 09/29/08: I spotted this site, http://www.glassdoor.com, in a NY Times article on careers. Check out the comments about IBM on that site. -Anonymous-

Comment 09/28/08:
Hours/Week = 60
Div Name = 07
Message = IBM is on the move to reclassify those that were previously reclassified as non exempt. They are reversing the remix. I was told
if I don't accept a move back to exempt that my job may move to India. I am taking my chances and staying non exempt. -Beat Up-

Comment 09/28/08: Folks: I hope you all are looking for other jobs. Even if you are the "cream of the crop"; IBM's plan is to work you harder and longer while keeping your real (inflation-adjusted) income on the decline. Until that other job comes thru just chill out... come in a bit late, leave a bit early, and don't work too hard while you are there ... Even if your manager notices (and most will NOT notice) he has no "carrots" with which to "incentivize" you wtih, and likewise his/here only real threat is to let you go ... hey you knew (or should have know that would happen someday anyway...) So don't worry be happy ... work 80 hours per week get perhaps a WHOPPING 4% nominal raise (or perhaps not...) or work 30 hours and get a few percentage points less.... If you need the extra 4% the way to guarantee you get it is to start a business on the side; it doesn't matter what you do... go mow the neighbor's grass... What ever you do will have more guranteed impact on your personal "bottom line" than "investing" the extra hours in IBM's goals. There is no guaranteed "ROI" you'll get these days from IBM for extra effort invested in their goals. Further, it has a really excellent chance of making you nothing but a bitter burned-out shell that sits around wondering why your career and personal relationships have turned to crap. -Anon-

Comment 09/27/08:
Salary = $43K
Band Level = 7
Job Title = Oracle DBA
Hours/Week = 40 - 45
Message = Almost_Gone, hopefully I'm right behind you. IBM is grossly under paying me for an Oracle DBA. After the pay cut, and no market based adjustment, I've decided this was my last year with IBM. I can't afford to stick around for another pay cut. My manager is great, but as you mentioned "powerless". I have another job lined, but the manager has to wait for HR to make it official. My new pay will be about a 50% increase, and better job security (federal employment). -TimeAboutUp-

Comment 09/21/08: the difference between a band six and a band nine in a similar assignment is very small. welcome band 6 new hires. to the band 6 employee - my comments as *comment*
* First, in 2006-2007, the pay range (band) for my job role changed within a year, so that I went from 75-80% of target range, to 98% of target PAY (not a range - a mid point), and thus wasn't eligible for a raise.
* Second, please know that IBM will set initial earnings 'high' (though not competitive - so please don't think you were hired because you have a lot to contribute- you were likely hired because you didn't have any other options? true? * * ENJOY your tenure at IBM - KILL ME*
Last year, I was 2% above median... this year I am 25% above median. How is that even possible to be more overpaid after 1 full year of inflation? I have no idea where they get their statistics. A simple search on Salary.com definitely doesn't come up with the numbers they are putting in front of me. So I finally accepted a job offer and I'm about to tell my manager in the next few days about leaving. Although I have made long lasting personal friendships in my job at IBM, I know it's time for me to move on as I don't see myself growing my career while sustaining any future financial needs. TRUE -no one again-

Comment 09/21/08:
Salary = 50000
Band Level = 7
Job Title = Inside Sales Representative
Years Service = 0
Hours/Week = 40
Location = Texas
Message = When I got hired on, I started at 50k. -Mottssauce-

Comment 09/18//08:
Salary = 67000
Band Level = 6
Job Title = Software Engineer
Years Service = 2
Hours/Week = 45
Location = EFK
Message = I've pretty much had it with IBM... so I tried to "test the waters" in my area to see what jobs might be out there. If anything, I was shocked at how much lower IBM was paying me than the average of the 3 different job offers I got. All three were in the neighborhood of a 40% raise! Every year, I run into different excuses for no raise, no funding for training, no resources to help on projects. I mean, how are we supposed to perform if we aren't given the support that we need to do the job? I actually like my current manager, but I think he's really powerless with the entire structure he is trying to function in. I feel sorry for my manager, he's actually the best one I've had so far. Last year, I was 2% above median... this year I am 25% above median. How is that even possible to be more overpaid after 1 full year of inflation? I have no idea where they get their statistics. A simple search on Salary.com definitely doesn't come up with the numbers they are putting in front of me. So I finally accepted a job offer and I'm about to tell my manager in the next few days about leaving. Although I have made long lasting personal friendships in my job at IBM, I know it's time for me to move on as I don't see myself growing my career while sustaining any future financial needs. Also, the new job has MUCH BETTER health care benefits, something which I was surprised given that it's a much smaller company. -Almost_Gone-

Comment 09/16//08: Have you verified that you really did start high? Independently I mean. IBM will tell you that you started high while starting someone else in your same job at 5k a year more then you because a managers friend deserves more. An old saying in IBM is how can you tell when a manager is lieing? Their lips move. Another is the difference between wingtips and cowboy boots. With cowboy boots the bullshit is on the outside. -Exodus2007-

Comment 09/13//08: YES! That's the way ibm works. Don't expect anything special in the way of raises. In fact, it would be best to not expect a raise at all. IBM does everything in their power to ensure employees do not get any raises. They will come up with all sorts of excuses, from "we didnt' hit our numbers", "you are being paid more than the average" or"there is no extra money in the budget". For 2009, I have heard they will be telling folks: "The bar has been raised, if you were a 2+ worker last year, expect to be a 2 this year". Every few years their strategy changes, but the net results are the same...you will not get any raise, or if you do, it will be 1%. If you want to grow your salary, you're at the wrong company. Don't stay here if you are thinking you'll get any sort of better treatment in the future. This company has operated the same for the past 2 decades now. The only folks who see any sizeable raise are the executives, and they fatten their salaries by cutting back on salaries for the little guys. -miss understanding-

Comment 09/11/08:
Salary = 69000
Band Level = 6
Job Title = Software Developer
Years Service = 3
Hours/Week = 40
Location = Toronto
Message = I worked for 3 years and a few months so far. The only raise I had was the one after the 9 months probation. I think that my salary was started high but then it stayed the same. I was expecting some raise after 3 years but didn't get any as my salary is supposed to be 1% higher than average. I find it weird the way it works. I think it would be more motivating to get regular raises (even if started at a lower salary - and having less money in the end). Is it a normal practice at IBM to start high then no changes? Anyone else started high and then stayed at the same salary for several years? -z-

Comment 09/10/08: To Anonymous at ONLY 45K for a band 7 promo: Not sure I can say CONGRATS to you or not. Gosh did they screw you over!!! Well, at least for this PBC cycle you are a "2" (they wouldn't promote you if you were a "3" (or can they?)). But IBM will save even more money on you now since your GDP will be crap. Your promo raise + your GDP might be less than if you still were band 6 with a PBC "2+" or "1" since the GDP could be much more! Next PBC cycle better watch ya back. Since they "raised the bar " on you you could very well be a PBC "3" in 2009. Then ya got a big bullseye on ya back. Movin' up and possibly movin' out. Yeah, forget HR in IBM. They only spout the company line and protect the company. That's why Mr. MacDonald is such a rich bastard now with stock options he is exercising like mad. With a union we would stop this obscene lowballing of pay. That's why trade unions have pay scales in writing and in a written contract. -plain_truth-

Comment 09/9/08:
Salary = 45,000
Band Level = 7
Job Title = Software Engineer
Years Service = 13
Hours/Week = 40+
Div Name = STG
Message = Let me just say to everyone.... band numbers no longer matter at IBM. My salary has been lowball from day one with IBM since I worked my way up from Band 1 to my present Band 7. This month I was promoted to Band 7, with a paltry increase in pay. I asked to see the band range, since I couldn't believe my pay could still be in the low-mid forties and be a Band 7. I was told that even with my new increase, I was still going to be payed $400 / month below the STARTING point for Band 7. When I challenged this, I was told that the band ranges were nothing more than "targets" and it was perfectly OK for them to pay me well below my new band range. I asked to challenge this with HR, only to be told that there are people lower payed than me at this band and there is no budget for "out-of-cycle" pay increases to "pull people up." So needless to say this promotion didn't set well with me. IBM promotions are useless.... IBM bands are useless. They aren't even trying to keep employees anymore. -Anonymous-

Comment 09/9/08:
Salary = 90K
Band Level = 8
Job Title = Software Developer
Years Service = 7
Hours/Week = 40-50 + weekend duty
Div Name = STG
Location = Tucson
Message = I got promoted this year. I love my 1st and 2nd line and very happy where I am. -Shark-

Comment 09/9/08:
Salary = Less than year 2000, more than 2009
Band Level = less than 0
Job Title = Project Custodial Engineer
Years Service = not enough to retire yet
Hours/Week = 70-80, then 60, now 40 (by choice)
Div Name = IGS ( Its' Goatherding Service )
Location = Virtually roam, no real home
Message = My new favorite old movie is Office Space. -another IBM serial#-

Comment 09/8/08:
Salary = less and less
Band Level = it don't matter -make it band 0
Job Title = resource (not an employee)
Years Service = doesn't matter
Hours/Week = too many
Div Name = it keeps changing
Location = anywhere USA
Message = Gee all you folks in Essex Jct. VT and Hudson Valley NY that lost your AWS: you are just as "so bad so sad" as those I/T Specialists that accepted a 15% pay cut! The IBM brass in Armonk are laughing their collective arses off at all of you since you all are worse than sheep (sheep at least know how to flock to protect try to protect themselves from the predators). What have you done to reverse these actions by IBM? Largely nothing. So IBM thinks that you are okay with it after all. So wait till the next IBM decree. It will get worse. It used to be that nothing would stop a "Watson IBMer" from whatever challenge was in front of them. I can't believe this is not the case now. Or is it? You know collective action can work. But you have to take action collectively. Just see what collective action and association has done for the Flighdeck workers in Australia: IBM is finally starting to listen to them. We have much the same labor laws in the USA but you don't give a damn about them. If you continue to worry about losing your pay and eventually losing your job then guess what? It will happen. Please do something. Collective action can work. But it takes you..and you.. and all of us to do it. Without you we all fail. Make me believe IBMers are still something special than just run-of-the-mill "in it for themselves for all it lasts" pawns of the corporate world. -tough_luv-

Comment 09/2/08:
Salary = $45,000
Band Level = 3
Job Title = SSR
Years Service = 8
Hours/Week = 50+
Div Name = IGS
Location = Northern, NY
Message = After getting the axe at one of the manufacturing plants I took this job as an SSR. They made me take a band cut but I didn't loose any pay. I thought life in a IBM manufacturing plant was hell but life as an SSR is worse. Needless to say I am working on my exit strategy now. IBM is a terrible place to work. -Anonymous-

Comment 09/1/08: IBM salary trend for band 7 -justcheck-

Comment 08/27/08:
Salary = 74880+6240 bonus (new company)
Band Level = Was band 8 at $69800+2100 bonus
Job Title = Former 1st Line, now Business Analyst
Years Service = 8 at IBM; 2 at new company
Hours/Week = 60-70 at IBM; 45 at new company
Message = I left IBM 2 years ago as a very disgusted first line manager, and took a job as a Business Analyst with a software firm. I very rarely work more than 44-45 hours a week, and have been called off hours twice in two years. At IBM, I was on call 2 weeks out of every month and worked 60-70 hours a week. Raises at the new company are small (3-4% range, but I draw 4 quarterly bonuses like clock work, and have drawn an annual bonus both years I've been here. I love my job and I love the people I work with (most of them). -Just a Reference Point-

Comment 08/27/08: reply to "-EFK'ED- " overtime question I thought vermont law was the same that we get paid ot for after 40hrs a WEEK mabey its time to check!!!!!$$$$ -vtibmer-

Comment 08/25/08: How can IBM take 4 hours from the AWS scheduled 48 hour week and put it into the 36 hour week to make 40 hours? I thought NY State law was overtime after 40 hours a week! Instead of 8 hours a month overtime shouldn't we be getting paid 36 hours straight time on one week and 8 hours overtime on the 48 hour week. Totaling 16 overtime hours overtime a month instead of the 8 we will be paid and have been paid? -EFK'ED-

Comment 08/25/08: to -IBMer Action- Good points all. Except why would anyone believe that Sam would do anything about anything. He is the CEO. Its all his doing. Its his plan. He approves it all. If he didn't no one would do anything against his wishes. No one in IBM decides to offshore any job without tactic approval from SAM. People seem to cling to the belief that if only an executive knew they would stop it. If HR knew they would stop it. And so on and so forth. Folks. Your standard of living and work conditions are yours to fix. From Sam right on down to your meeley mouthed immediate supervisor they are all looking out for themselves. Not you. There is no T.J. Watson to stand up for the employees. Its just rape and pillage to keep their own jobs and pockets well lined. An HR department that does more then warn its company that a particular persons case will lose in court is a soon to be outsourced HR department. Why would an HR employee stand up for your job and lose theirs? Wake up people and realize if you do not stand up for your own job why would someone else do it for you. Either lead, follow or get the heck out of the way. -Exodus2007-

Comment 08/22/08:
Salary = 45000
Band Level = 2
Job Title = ssr
Years Service = 12
Hours/Week = 40 to 55 +10 day work weeks befor a ns day
Div Name = igs
Location = hell
Message = I take it SSR's don"t read this site or are they too embarrassed of their pay? Only 5 responded at band 2 and 3 at band 3??? btw I was one of the 5 -SSR-

Comment 08/22/08: To -sid-: Would you happen to have a link to the newspaper article you mentioned that you can post? -Mistressofthei5-

Comment 08/21/08: Hey anonymous: Stop wondering about sending emails to Sam Palmisano. You're wasting your time, mental energy and intelligence. Tons of SPAM will never reach his eyes. Instead, join Alliance@IBM, then start sending emails to your co-workers about the effectiveness of taking actions as a group. Work toward getting a committee of co-workers together at a meeting, outside of IBM. Contact Alliance@IBM for some ideas how to get IBM's and Sam's attention. Here's an idea: start handing out or sending out information about fighting back, and organizing. Alliance has plenty of informative fliers and posters, etc. that they will gladly share with you. This web site even has forms to download and sign-up your co-workers. All you do is pass them out at lunch or on your break or after work. These actions are a helleva lot more effective than sending SPAM to Sam's email or hoping (guilt) that he sleeps well at night... BTW.. He has an email address that no one else knows, outside of his inner circle. The email address that is listed in the Employee directory (if it's even still there) is totally monitored by one of his corporate lackeys. Get wise... organize. -IBMer Action-

Comment 08/21/08: I wonder if anyone affected by the AWS pay cut did or will send an email to Palmiselloff asking if the chief of BTV/EFK/POK had his pay cut as well? We all know he is so busy with new cost cut schemes and actions and has no time to even open his own Notes emails; but maybe if he gets tons of spam he might just finally open his long deaf ears. -anonymous-

Comment 08/19/08: Well boys and girls was just reading a report from the Gartner Group check it out: http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=741012
Basically says that the India I/T firms Wipro, TCS and Infosys will be at the top of the heap by 2011. That's in less than three years my friends..less than three years! The piece reports revenue per employee and many, I suppose will find the 3:1 ratio compared to IBM as proof that US IBM workers are more talented because they can generate more revenue per employer. I see it differently however. I see that 3:1 ratio as how much US IBM is raping it's customers by and it is also most likely how much of a wage DECREASE you will see in the near future as IBM tries to hang onto it's market share by matching prices. Only time will tell if I am right. The clock is ticking people, don't wait too long. Things are going to get a lot worse in my opinion. Set up a two year plan of what you would do if you get laid off. Now is the time that you can still use to network, so do it.. What's the worse that can happen versus not doing it or anything else? Delay your major purchases, clear off those balances on the credit cards and stick them in the drawer once they are paid off.Take a look at your portfolios, IRA's 401K's and re-balance them if necessary You do not want to have all you eggs in one basket IMO.. I really hope I'm wrong but I'm not seeing it. ttyl -spiderman-

Comment 08/17/08: -sid- I heard of someone in EFK that spoke his mind about losing the AWS differential to the affect that "IBM will go down in flames". IBM management didn't take too kindly to his remark and grilled him on it. No wonder. It's not far from the truth. You know why? IBM powers that be are scared. Since they know they are screwing the workers and playing with fire. They think they can get away with it all without collective action to try to challenge it. Is IBM really going down in flames? Literally no, figuratively yes. IBM is like Rome burning. The big wigs and those that think they are big wigs will try and resort to anything to pad their pockets before Nero plays his last tune on the fiddle. It's time to organize folks. NOW. Not tomorrow. NOW. -Anonymous-

Comment 08/16/08:
Location = east fishkill
Message = one of my friends just got let go from IBM for speaking his opinions in a local newspaper artlcle about the 20% big pay cut, how can you accept a cut, yet again? and while the newspaper says IBM is hitting record profits? I'm glad he got out, one way or another life goes on and IBM is not the only place to work, Don't get locked in without a union to support you. Sign the petition -sid-

Comment 08/16/08: To -MyPlan4IBM- That sooths your anger untill you either forget to slow down or you get fired. Even better is to join the union, get your friends to join the union, and get a contract getting your money back and preventing anymore take aways. -Exodus 2007-

Comment 08/13/08:
Salary = 68 k
Band Level = 7
Job Title = pick one
Years Service = 30 ++
Hours/Week = 55
Location = Oak Brook, llinois
Message = Standby pay cancelled. Chicago. Effective 8/16/2008 15% paycut GUY. -Anonymous-

Comment 08/13/08: IBM has new plans and so do I. IBM cuts my pay 10%, I cut the amount of work done in a day by 10%! Plus I'll reduce output by another 10% as a penality to IBM for having betrayed me and my co-workers... That's my plan IBM. Just business, don't be upset. -MyPlan4IBM-

Comment 08/10/08: -spiderman- Some good advice! There are plenty of folks that don't realize what you mentioned about credit. Here is something that I am doing to protect my credit: I have credit protection with my CWA Union Plus Credit card that I signed up for. I was eligible for this since I am a member of the Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701, and have been since 1999. For instance, if I am RA'ed by IBM my credit card protection is that Union Plus will freeze my credit card balance. I will not have to make monthly credit card payments during the time I am out of work. The cost of this service is nominal in my opinion and worth it since IBM is a "RA and pay cut engine". IBM will continue to be an "RA and pay cut engine" unless more of us join Local 1701 and do something about it. -sby_willie-

Comment 08/08/08: Here is an update to the salary survey:
Band 2: 5 respondents, avg: $33K, standard deviation: $10K, range: (min/max reported): $20K to $42K
Band 3: 3 respondents, avg: $34K, std dev: $8K, range: $25K to $41K
Band 4: 15 respondents, avg: $47K, std dev: $11K, range: $32K to $68K
Band 5: 6 respondents, avg: $59K, std dev: $15K, range: $40K to $77K
Band 6: 70 respondents, avg: $56K, std dev: $9K, range: $37K to $78K
Band 7: 135 respondents, avg: $71K, std dev: $12K, range: $48K to $110K
Band 8: 121 respondents, avg: $96K, std dev: $16K, range: $55K to $140K
Band 9: 39 respondents, avg: $118K, std dev: $17K, range: $89K to $152K
Band 10: 11 respondents, avg: $148K, std dev: $25K, range: $107K to $190K -Anonymous-

Comment 08/08/08: @ cattail and 120K. He is in AP (asia pacific) -- so the currency unit is probably not $. I agree that band 6 in US is not going to get 120K -- that is a typical band 9 amount. -Brubaker-

Comment 08/07/08: Note to our 3,500 IBM brothers and sisters in East Fishkill, Poughkeepsie and Vermont IC operations, that are taking the 10% pay cut. Watch your credit card balances people and pay them down if you can. All the financials are struggling in the stock market in case you haven't noticed. Once the credit card companies get wind of your lower salary, your credit limits and interest rates may change as you are now seen as a higher risk because of your debt/income ratio. It may not be everyone but keep an eye on it and pay them down if you can. Oh and remember these banks are running those universal default rules in many cases too . You miss a payment on one card you could end up with that triggering interest rate increases on ALL you cards under the universal default clauses in many of your contracts. A five percent rate of inflation and a ten percent wage cut is a 15 % cut in your standard of living. The last thing that you need right now is the credit card companies jacking up your interest rates because of your debt/income ratio so be careful that's all... things are going to get rougher imo. Good luck to you all! -spiderman-

Comment 08/07/08: IBM to cut pay for some workers at Hudson Valley Plant http://www.wnbc.com/news/17109488/detail.html -marbles-

Comment 08/06/08:
Band Level = 2
Job Title = operator
Years Service = 12
Hours/Week = aws
Location = burlington
Message = how much more can a worker under 40k take in cuts I was just cut my aws shift premium of 20% then had my base raised so the cut was 5.5% starting 1/1/09 ..what a bunch of BS my 3rd level said he didn't get a increase this year whoo hoo SHANE R. way to go to help the co. why don't u take a cut IBM in VT will soon be a thing in the past some of my friends with 25+ years service lost 10% -vtibmer-

Comment 08/06/08: -cattail- 120K band 6? Is this USA $? If this is USA $: R U serious??? Some band 9's don't even make this now. Even a union buster wouldn't even think of posting something this ridiculous. The salary you state for being in IBM for 5 years one would think you would be a band 7 or maybe a band 8 by now. -anonymous-
Alliance Reply: We don't know who -cattail- is; however, don't put anything past a union buster. They wil do anything they need to do. Maybe cattail is just an exception to the salary range....or not.

Comment 08/05/08:
Salary = 53
Band Level = ?
Job Title = assistant director
Years Service = 2
Hours/Week = 35
Message = no pay raise -o-

Comment 08/03/08: Well I was given the word about OT on Friday also, but since I was a Band 8 and now a Band 7, the offer was about as unethical as anything I have heard at IBM. I am to agree in writing that I am not spending more than 45% of my time on anything that could be construed as System Admin work. I will be given some "management duties" like previewing PBC's, previewing IDP's etc. for 55% of my time. I cannot spend over a set number of hours on call. I can assist SA's below me on research and develop processes to eliminate the reason they had to engage me. Basically changing my job description to meet the NLRB Exempt Employee qualifications. For this I get my 15% pay cut back and get to retain my Lead title. I asked management if this wasn't just a veiled disguise to make me fit the NLRB guidelines, that they wouldn't allow me to fit in February and all I got back was a "What do you think" I asked what do I get if I don't agree to this, "you get reduced to a System Administrator, you will never be refered to as a Lead, your OT will be reduced to zero, you will never be allowed to post into a Lead position. I told a friend about it and his comment was "thats not ethical", I told him we are not at ethical, we are at IBM. -SoonToBeGone-

Comment 08/02/08:
Salary = 120000
Band Level = 6
Job Title = software engineer
Years Service = 5
Hours/Week = 40
Div Name = sd
Location = ap
Message = No comments -cattail-

Comment 08/02/08: The Next Wave is Here - that is sheer lunacy, it cannot be done without first shift week day maintenance windows which no SSO customer will EVER allow. The worst executives can do is force exempt resources to do the offshift maintenance, but the maintenance still has to be done offshift. We are led by morons. -Frank-

Comment 07/31/08: Just got wind that SSO has begun an aggressive overtime curtailment effort. All changes requiring a sysadmin have to be done between the hours of 8:00AM and 5:00PM eastern time. Evidently senior management has not figured out that we have customers across all time zones. Time to watch the business erode as IBM falters in it's service commitments. -The Next Wave is Here-

Comment 07/31/08: Recent layoffs and low salary increases in IBM’s Systems and Technology group were attributed to sagging revenues in that group. If you look at page 8 of this IBM mid-year financial report you will see that is confirmed: IBM Link pdf file
First half 2007 revenues = $9.6B
First half 2008 revenues = $9.4B
So it's reported that revenues for STG are down 2% for first half 2008 compared to 2007.
But what I also see is on page 8 is that for STG, the gross profit margin for the first half 2008 was 37.9% and for first half 2007 it was 37.1%. So if I understand correctly:
STG 1st half 2007 gross profit was $9.622B x 37.1% = $3.473B
STG 1st half 2008 gross profit was $9.431B x 37.9% = $3.574B
So while the revenues for STG 1st half 07 vs. 08 were down 2%, gross profits were up 101 million or 2.9% STG is claiming they are having a bad half for 08 since revenues are down 2%, but in reality, gross profits are up almost 3%. Is my math and logic correct? -confused-

Comment 07/31/08: What's your plan boys and girls? Have you seen this story in the NY Times today, here's a quote:
"The number of Americans who have seen their full-time jobs chopped to part-time because of weak business, has swelled to more than 3.7 million — the largest figure since the government began tracking such data more than half a century ago." and the link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/business/economy/31jobs.html?em&ex=1217649600&en=fece3782495a3660&ei=5087%0A

I figure that will be the next shoe to drop at IBM. All the people that moved to hourly will have their hours cut back to below 40 hours a week so that you are now condiered part time qorkers and are not qualified for benefits, no health care, no vacation..etc..etc.. So what's the plan if and when it happens. Just wondering? -Big Al-

Comment 07/28/08: The whole purpose of this site is to help organize IBM into a union shop and make working and living conditions better for the rank and file workers. Leaving IBM in and of itself will not really solve your problems long term, as all companies are cheaping out on employee benefits and raises. Maybe not to the point of IBM yet, but they too will get there. The absolute best would be to stay employed at IBM long enough to organize and see how much better things get. Stop being a victim. For many changing jobs is not an option anyway due to their geography or whatever reason. I would expect these folks to become super union organizers for their own benefit if nothing else. America has become so apathetic that people will stand and watch someone get beat to death and do nothing to stop the beater. That is what is happening here as far as organizing. Untill someone is the one getting beat down they do not care about it. Little by little America is losing its middle class. When this happens there will be no where for the lower financial classes to aspire to. The full force of the greedy rich will pound down on them and they will be little more than slaves; either to corporate America or to the American government whichever one provides them food. Or to a foriegn power who may not bother to feed them at all. Save the Middle Class. Live better. Work Union. -EXODUS 2007-

Comment 07/27/08: -irRational- Sure there are many IBMers that want to leave now and IBM knows it. IBM uses this to make it worse for you. They also know that the job market will not allow everyone who wants or can leave big blew will have the opportunity to do just that. Until you find a better job why not try to make the one you are working at in IBM a bit better for yourself? It also might make it better for others you work with too. Maybe then instread of the prevailing sentiment is "What R U waiting 4?" will turn into "I'm staying since we the employees in our union made IBM the place to stay at". You can do it by building a union and getting a contract! You have the right, your other workers have the right, why not use it? -I/Tbody-

Comment 07/27/08: "I'm waiting to find the next, better job, that's what. It's not as easy for some of us as we'd like. -irRational-"
Well maybe the jobs that people are doing at IBM are taking away any future chance of your employment outside of IBM... I think that you should think about that...As you guys offshore and outsource everything, it's a self defeating career plan isn't it? The longer you stay, the more that you help the company offshore work, the more your successful for them, the less opportunities there are going to be here in the US for YOU outside of IBM.... As you continue to "just hang on" don't expect to be isolated from the problems either that you are helping to create for yourself... You have no where to go and you keep helping IBM offshore the work, it's career suicide. Creating more unemployment in the USA..less opportunity for you...You are the ones doing it to yourselves, don't you see it? Soon IBM can release the next wage survey once again showing that you are being overpaid.. I mean, look at all the people you help put out of work now depressing the wages in your area of expertise... Those people are willing and able to compete for your job ,,...you are creating it, now you can live with it..You all are on the road to nowhere my friends. It's only a matter of time before you yourselves are on the bread line at the local food pantry... Working harder, or longer is so old school thinking, it's not going to save your positions. Thousands of people have already been that route at IBM, look around you and open your eyes. Being a conscience worker and keeping your skills fresh and even enabling the company to increase it's profits is not a guarantee of your future employment. More education isn't going to help either. For any degree of certification that you can obtain there are at least twenty people or more just like you with the same skill set in India and/or China willing to do the job for less.... It's the new age of the career martyrs at IBM...so you keep working harder, destroy your own future faster, you'll be on the next layoff list soon...you are not creating career paths a future at IBM you are destroying careers for many Americans including yourself. It's my opinion that's why you need a union not only to give you a voice at the company, but more importantly you need a voice to be heard above the pro corporate off shoring lobbyist in Washington. To make an analogy, You can either sit back and watch your career airplane crash into the world trade centers of the world so to speak, waiting for someone else to just do something, or you can at least be like a Scott Beamer on that plane that went down on 9/11 in Shanksville Penn...Scott's last works were "okay ya ready ...let's roll"....it's your decision people -spiderman-

Comment 07/24/08: "IBM just sucks. Period. Wake up people! What R U waiting 4? -I/Tbody-"
I'm waiting to find the next, better job, that's what. It's not as easy for some of us as we'd like. -irRational-

Comment 07/24/08: No raises for I/T Specialists. I got an MBA year. More record profits for IBM. What the hell is going on??? Wasn't it enough retribution to get a 15% pay cut IBM? Hey, Palmisano, McDonald, Daniels, Kelly, etc.: you'll make up all the Rosenburg settlement up by end of the year in stock options so why not be civil and play fair for maybe the first time in your wretched lives? Go Alliance! No sense in working in IBM without the Alliance. IBM just sucks. Period. Wake up people! What R U waiting 4? -I/Tbody-

Comment 07/22/08:
Salary = 2660€ PER MONTH
Band Level = PRG 6
Job Title = PROJECT MANAGER
Years Service = 22
Hours/Week = 35
Div Name = GTS
Location = FRANCE
Message = We never work 35 H/W, the réality is 40.. But 35 is a law. -lomelet-
Alliance Reply: Do you belong to a works council or union, where you work?

Comment 07/22/08: To -Anonymous- at around $43K Yes, you are grossly underpaid even if you live in a reall rural backwater area where there is no competition for IBM. Your salary sheet your manager should have given you this June spells the low and high end pay ranges for your geographic area for band and job family so if you are far on the low end of the scale from midpoint then you are getting screwed from a pay perspective for sure IBM doesn't even give out MBA's (market based adjustments) now like they did last year. I haven't heard of anyone getting one. IBM apparently didn't fund it just like they did fund the recent pay raises to speak of. Not that an MBA would even help you to substantially catch up..it would not. Being so low paid might have given you the 4% raise. That's one of the highest raises I have heard of this year. PBC 1's largely didn't even get a percent that high. But 4% for you is no real consolation since you are so low paid, I can empathize with you. You probably started like I did, as a low paid hourly worked, like a band 2 or 3 perhaps? I know I started in IBM in 1984 making $8.08 and hour as a computer operator. Suffice it to say I am now band 08 for the last 11 years and still am 25% below my midpoint and I have been a good PBC performer. the whole time..I have been pursuing the reason why my pay is so laggard and I never get a straight believable answer from IBM. They deflect it all the time. But I came to this conclusion: In short, if you started at real lowball pay in IBM you will have that "ball and chain on your feet" in an IBM career as being low paid in despite what IBM wants you to believe. Like the other poster mentioned to you: do market yourself. Java programmers are still in demand and in development shops they do make decent $$$, but not necessarily in this pale blue IBM. Good luck to you. You definitely deserve much better. -sby_willie-

Comment 07/22/08:
Salary = ~43,000
Band Level = 6
Job Title = Software Engineer
Years Service = 14
Hours/Week = 40+
Div Name = STG
Location = WFH
Message = Thanks -alreadygone- No, I don't live in a super-rural area, but I used to when I started at IBM at a lower band level. Even with raises and promotions there doesn't seem to be any way for those in my situation to ever match that of my peers who enter IBM under different circumstances at the same band. I have had three managers in the last year due to reorg's and they have expressed sympathy that this is wrong, but there just isn't a method for them to give an employee a 20k pay bump, even if that is what it would take to put me in line with my peers. So I know that my future cannot be with IBM unless I have some sort of masochistic desire for low pay going forward. However I do like and always have liked what IBM can offer to those that want to learn. This is the biggest benefit to working for this company and as your advice suggests that is what I plan to focus on even if it leads me out of here in the future. I guess you can't put a price on education, but there is a fine line here between opportunity and exploitation that I find myself walking. thanks and regards, -Anonymous-

Comment 07/21/08:
Band Level = 9
Job Title = Senior SW Engineer - retired
Div Name = SWG
Message = To the $43K J2EE developer: You don't say where you are geographically, but, unless you're in a super rural area, you should be able to do better than $43K as a Java programmer, even as a contractor. Assuming you like development, use your time at IBM to get better at Java--online classes or leadership on your floundering project. If you're the App Architect, suggest, and start writing, some prototypes or tools. Don't worry that they might not get used; they'll go on your resume regardless. Go to the chief programmer, STSM, whoever, associated with your project to get some ideas. Tell him/her you don't want to waste time during the plan swirl. If you want to stay at IBM, it sounds like you've been given an opportunity. If it doesn't work out with IBM, you have the chance to add to your experience and resume. Most of all, don't go to bed at night without a plan for the next day--even if it's just some code associated with an online course. Otherwise, you'll get to the point where you just want to pull the covers over your head, and life's too short for that! -alreadyGone-

Comment 07/20/08:
Salary = ~43,000
Band Level = 6
Job Title = Software Engineer
Years Service = 14
Hours/Week = 40+
Div Name = STG
Location = WFH
Message = I work from home, so I guess there is that when we all wonder how to make ends meet with paltry raises and high cost of living. I received a 4% raise this year, giving me an additional net $100 each month. I asked my manager if he ever thought I would reach midpoint (band 6 midpoint is MANY thousands higher than 43K) and he said once IBM gets back on track it "could happen." I know that will never happen. The math doesn't work on any level. The worst part is that a month prior to the STG layoff I was re-org'ed into another dept. and since that point my job has stagnated in a big way due to lack of focus and planning by the people who hired me with claims that "this is the next big thing." I feel now that my move was merely a way to shuffle staffing numbers and nothing more. Further I think that this "lost" time is one way or another going to result in my employment being ended with IBM. I feel this way because each passing day I seem like less and less of an employee of this company due to a process of dis-engagement that started when I took this new job. i.e. Old doors get closed, new doors get opened and go nowhere.....time passes...... nothing.....we ask questions, get no answers and all of sudden we are accountable for deadlines....Deadlines for WHAT !!! you haven't even told us what you want us to do ??? and then the cycle repeats.... Each morning I awake trying to think of a way to make this meaningful somehow, but so far, nobody seems to have a clue what to do with me or my peers in this new project. Since I have been most vocal in asking the questions, I have been renamed as "Application Architect." So now it's my job to assign work to my peers even though I still don't know what it is we are supposed to accomplish. Utterly pitiful... I have been with IBM for 14 years and never seen this much garbage. I think I am working in a project that has realized they cannot complete the goals they were funded for and are now looking for a scapegoat. I'm feeling very much like my days are numbered here. The only thing I console myself with is that I should be able to find a job making around 40k/year with a BS degree, even if that means leaving behind my skills as a J2EE developer. Who knows, if the economy hasn't completely tanked yet I may find something on DICE, etc. that will allow me to continue the work that I enjoy. thanks for the vent -Anonymous-

Comment 07/19/08:
Job Title = Test Engineer
Years Service = 28.5
Div Name = microelectronics
Location = Endicott
Message = Unbuntu2u2 means: Ubuntu to you too. An intended friendly wish or greeting.
Ubuntu is also a Linux operating system that is open source and offered free, from its multiple authors.
A great alternative to Windows.
Ubuntu, pronounced [ùbúntú], is an ethic or humanist philosophy focusing on people's allegiances and relations with each other. The word has its origin in the Bantu languages of Southern Africa. Ubuntu is seen as a traditional African concept.
Nelson Mandela explained Ubuntu as follows:
"A traveler through a country would stop at a village and he didn't have to ask for food or for water. Once he stops, the people give him food, entertain him. That is one aspect of Ubuntu but it will have various aspects. Ubuntu does not mean that people should not address themselves. The question therefore is: Are you going to do so in order to enable the community around you to be able to improve?"

No I am not discouraging anyone from finding good employment. I am encouraging my peers to join Alliance@IBM and build their membership to a level that will then have the power to bargain collectively for a contract with IBM, and upon the agreement of that contract between IBM and the union employees; become a better employment for them and a better company. What's wrong with that? -ubuntu2u2-
Alliance Reply: Thank you for that definition and vote of confidence. It should be noted that the quote you used, is also found on Wikipedia's definition of Ubuntu. That link is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubuntu_(philosophy)

Comment 07/19/08: not sure what ubuntu2u2 means. Even so, are you discouraging peers from finding good employment? -Bill W.-

Comment 07/18/08: IBM CHQ Armonk executives are literally laughing all the the way to the bank now: and also at you. An increase in 2nd QTR of 22%. Did they make this happen? No. You did! They got much richer with their equity. Did you get much richer in June? And what was your raise? Like if you got one... With the great 2nd QTR 2008 and a nice 1st QTR 2008 don't you deserve more? With a union contract you have more than a fair chance of getting a decent pay raise. And you'll get it in writing: a contract, a promise that IBM cannot got back on, like they have time and time again with our benefits. Wth a union contract you have a decent chance of keeping your job. Without a union contract as it is now you will not be getting a raise and/or not have a job. IBM delayed the pay raises 2 weeks due to the "global economic environment". They knew the USA economy would be in the dumper and the longer they waited the worse it got. All to make you feel lucky you have a job even without a well deserved pay raise. They secured their fabulous 2nd QTR profits at your expense! And they did it. And you let them get away with it. Join the Alliance. Or else kiss a raise and quite possibly your job, goodbye. -sby_willie-

Comment 07/18/08: "the excuse that IBM was worried about the balance of the year".. in regards to the pay raises. If you believe this crap from your manager who was coached by HR and IBM compensation, then just quit IBM now! If you don't believe it; join the Alliance and dispell the lie. -anonymous-

Comment 07/18/08:
Salary = 106K
Band Level = 9
Job Title = Marketing Manager
Years Service = 23
Hours/Week = 60
Div Name = ITS GTS Marketing
Location = US
Message = Zero salary increase for me again this year, five years in a row with no increase! -Im Justan IBMachine-

Comment 07/18/08: To -ubuntu2u2- Very well put and well said. Until IBMers realize that their salaries can be raided at will by management; and unless they have a contract there is nothing they can do. Sam could give a shit whether you or your families eat, much less enjoy life as long as you come to work and make record profits for him to get paid bonus money for. Over and over the sheep just bleat as the wolves carry off the lambs. Reading the comments after the article on the main page about how was your raise when the one person wondered when HR was going to do something about this was about the best and hardest laugh I have had in a long time. At least some folks posted about this website God Bless them. -Exodus 2007-

Comment 07/18/08: -Disgusted- Maybe the company raised their earnings projection not because they are expecting to sell more product and services, but because they got away with the wage cuts and the resulting push back from the employees wasn't as bad as expected. They got away with pushing the employees around with little or no collateral damage and it was easy. So lets try it again next year,why not, it's working. Just keep doing it until it fails. Hey think about it too. If you get a 20% increase in company profits and cannot even get a decent cost of living raise how much does it take then? How much do you have to increase company profits by before the benefits trickle down to you. Is it 40%,,60%...80% what is it, how much? You're already working 50~55 hours a week, guess you just need to buckle down and work 75 to 80 hours a week. You guys probably were not doing much of anything on the weekends anyway so go into work tomorrow and lets see what happens next time performance reviews come around. Labor stats show that the avg. hourly wage now is $18.00 an hour. That's $37,440 based on a 2,080 hour year. Add in your 15 hours of time and a half overtime, about 700 hours after discounting two weeks vacation and that's another $18,900. Altogether the average worker in the US working the number of hours that you do is at $56,340. From a management perspective almost everyone is above average . Hell we need to get you down to the industry standard level of $56K a year.. -anon-

Comment 07/18/08:
Salary = 100k
Band Level = 8
Years Service = 5
Hours/Week = 55
Message = Yeah, I understand the World Is Flat theory. But the fact is that IBM can not build computers for the US Government with Indian, or Turkish, or Chinese Engineers. They need U.S. Engineers. Get used to that. -Engineer-
Racism? http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/859150.cms

Comment 07/17/08: Well, more amazing earnings, beat street expectations, company doing extremely well, etc. No where in the analyst reports did I view the fact that IBM is completely stiffing employees on pay raises, with the sorry excuse that IBM was "worried about the balance of the year", business wise. IBM even went so far as to "raise" guidance for the year! Of course, lack of raise time has passed! Wonder of wonders, now the company is no longer "worrried about the balance of the year"! BOHICA to all employees is what IBM real earnings report is all about! -Disgusted-

Comment 07/17/08:
Job Title = Test Engineer
Years Service = 28.5
Div Name = microelectronics
Location = Endicott
Message = You are so right..anon. IBM continues to outdo themselves when it comes to screwing their employees.
And what do many of the comment writers say on this board? "I hope Sam can sleep at night.." or "IBM will be sorry, when we all quit, someday" or "I left IBM and am I glad I did.." or "why doesn't the union do something about this?", etc etc. etc.
Run away, run and hide; don't fight back because it could cost you your job, screw your co-workers before they screw you, and make sure you keep your head down and mouth shut. Yeah.. that's the ticket! That'll fix'em!.... yep.
The least you can do is thank the members and staff of Alliance@IBM for the opportunity to show the world what you are really made of... Thank you Alliance@IBM. Please don't give up. There ARE IBMer's that DO want a contract and do want to fight for it. Stay the course. -ubuntu2u2-

Comment 07/17/08: Hey IBM profits jumped 22% last quarter...How do you like that. The company is rubbing it in your face today with their earnings report. Look what we did hoo-ray for us and screw you. Hey, we'll cut everyone's pay by 20% next Q so that we can report a 30% earnings increase and there's not a damn thing anyone is going to do about it! -Anon-

Comment 07/17/08: To Short_Sell_IBM_Stock- Damn good plan for those that make 98k and have stock options. What do the majority of IBMers who make half that with no stock options who will never have stock options do? Not knocking your enviable position, just pointing out you are not the norm here. If you are feeling the pinch you can only imagine what others are feeling. A union contract is the only way anyone will feel real relief. -Exodus 2007-

Comment 07/17/08: The retroactive pay was included in the 07/01 paycheck. Some employees who were reclassified hourly, received raises. -Rob-

Comment 07/16/08: Yes, it's not just a IBM USA thing about these terrible pay raises. This "global economy" rhetoric as spewed by big business is a way to use the end all word "competition" to dumb down ALL the workers. And the workers are allowing it to happen by believing these increasingly rich "new world order" big business executives who actually are for all practical purposes "stateless". They don't have any allegiance to any country: only to their own greedy and controlling aims. So if one countries economy tanks they just pull up and out and go someplace else and then pillage some more. If workers want better than a paltry 1-2% raise in IBM then you gotta get a union contract to get better raises. IBM pay for performance is now a joke. What don't they understand? Next year I bet most will get 0% since most of the folks in IBM are an increasingly apathetic bunch, except for those folks who have joined the Alliance in the USA and lobor unions and councils abroad in the world. It is so sad that most IBMers don't realise that by unionizing they can secure better working conditions for themselves. Why can't they understand this? -macheavelie-

Comment 07/16/08: Dr. Norman Matloff is a professor of computer science at the University of California, Davis. According to a recent study posted here under his name, H-1B visa holders are not being paid however like they are the best and the brightest. Now why is that? THEY ALL have higher math and science scores then Americans don't you know, so they should be paid more than anyone else if that logic was true..right ? Check it out http://www.cis.org/articles/2008/back508.html -spiderman-

Comment 07/16/08:
Salary = 98000
Band Level = 9
Job Title = Sr Project Manager
Years Service = 22
Hours/Week = 18
Div Name = Can't Tell ;)
Location = Can't Tell ;)
Message = Instead of begging for paltry raises, has anybody started shorting IBM stock ? I have exercised all my options @ 125 and sold my ESPP this week. Loaded up on IBM put options for strike 110 for Jan10. I am sure I will get paid, by Jan2010. Can't leave my $$ raise to mercy of my manager, when we have 5% inflation. -Short_Sell_IBM_Stock-

Comment 7/16/08: A clip from the AP news wire " ... Wholesale inflation, driven by skyrocketing gas and food costs, rose by 9.2 percent for the 12 months ending in June — the fastest pace since the summer of 1981, during another energy crunch." -anonymous-
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jsanM66tszKz1zFq0LOG4XvWS7zAD91UU5J00

Comment 7/16/08:
Location = UK
Message = Hi All. From the UK. B8 Payrise this year 1% despite a PBC1 for the last few years running. I'm still way below Market Rate after 10 years in IBM and 10 years of the same "high performance culture" chat from different 1LMs. I'm outta here - word is they WANT people to quit! Well, they've got their dream with me! Anyone in UK recommend a good agency or two??? Thanks. -JustFedUpWithItAll-

Comment 07/15/08: NYS can afford $140,000,000 for IBM so: http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=703541
Gov. Paterson: can you give me a grant as a NY state taxpayer so I can stay and work in NY? I'm not asking nearly as much as IBM: just something resembling a raise or cost of living increase that I didn't get from IBM this year. -anonymous-

Comment 07/15/08: "I know, not much, but PROMISED"
Promised? PROMISED by this BIg Blew???.. you crack me up... ..sorry I have to laugh...LOL...LOL.. (Belly)LOL...i have to stop...i'm starting to lose my breath and maybe something else... IBM breaks every promise these days, especially to the resources (used to be called an IBM employee with RESPECT FOR THE INDIVIDUAL). You will not get any retroactive pay increases with a 0% raise. -anonymous-

Comment 07/15/08:
This company is sh1t.
Record profits, yet no money for pay rises. They want intelligence in the workplace, yet for us to be stupid as employees. A disgrace..... Where are work unions when we need them? -Screwed off-
Alliance Reply: "Where are work unions?" You have to organize your co-workers, first. The union doesn't walk into the company and take over. The employees that sign cards and vote in an election, are the union. This process is required by US law. Organize and build the union, and make a contract, a reality.

Comment 07/15/08:
Salary = 67375
Job Title = product service
Years Service = 14
Hours/Week = 40
Location = milwaukee,WI
Message = What is a average product service manager salary? -Anonymous-

Comment 07/15/08: Anyone who was reclassified as non-exempt I/T Specialist or I/T admin from the lawsuit get a raise this year? Sounds like more retribution against these folks who were targeted. Next up will be curbing OT potential for them to have the exempt folks to pick it up. -nelifeout there?-

Comment 07/14/08:
Band Level = 7
Message = I never did get the "retroactive" pay outlined on W3 for pay increases this year. Anyone else? I know, not much, but regardless, they did not give it as promised. If they had never posted the article to W3, I wouldn't even be looking for it. -Anonymous-

Comment 07/14/08: Tax breaks for jobs in Albany, reminds me of a sophisticated money laundering scheme. We can't lower the employees pay anymore, so we'll take away your cities tax revenues for schools and city services.... So let me ask you.... this story is touting the creation of jobs for the state. However as the company keeps telling you all, we just can't find qualified American workers. So when they get the tax breaks that must be to create jobs for the H-1B foreign visa holders..right ?? http://albany.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/2008/07/14/daily3.html?ana=yfcpc -Anon-

Comment 07/14/08:
Salary = 85,000
Band Level = 7
Message = You'll get a 5% increase (more if you're lucky but don't count on it) from 6 - 7. -Anonymous-

Comment 07/14/08: -miss understanding- You are absolutely correct! No wonder folks whose pay is well below midpoint are still, for now, employed by IBM. IBM makes more money off the ones paid like crap but even those folks that come cheap are not spared the ax either. -Anonymous-

Comment 07/14/08: -IBMBlue12345- All depends. Alot of factors considered, too. If I had to guesstimate, I'd say 3-5% maybe for a promotional increase. But I wouldn't be surprised if it is less than this range. The most recent salary increases were anywhere from 0-3% for PBC "2+" folks typically. BTW, your present salary as a band 6 does fall in the IBM"competitive range" for band 7 so it is plausible they might not give you any real increase as a "reclassification" since based on what bonus money and past increase as far as IBM is concerned "you are doing rather well for yourself for a one year resource! Being promoted from band 6 to band 7 in one year is, should I say, quite exception in this IBM now! If you are promoted to band 7 expect to stay there a long time, maybe your entire IBM career. Promotions in IBM to band 8 for non-management positions and higher are really rare now. So much for building a career in this Big Blew. -pay$ucks-

Comment 07/13/08:
Salary = 58,000
Band Level = 6
Years Service = 1
Hours/Week = 50
Message = I've worked in IBM finance for slightly less than 1 year, started at 56k (current salary is 58k) and received a $3k performance bonus in early 2008 (above the annual bonus). I am being promoted from Band 6 to Band 7 which will result in a salary bump. Although I've been told I will receive a salary increase, the amount was not specified. My question is what is the typical salary bump for someone moving from band 6 to band 7? -IBMBlue12345-

Comment 07/11/08:
Band Level = 8
Message = To the folks that think working harder than the rest will somehow save them from the ax. IT AIN"T TRUE. You are a number, and if you cost IBM too much outside their cost structure you are gone. There is no such thing as a valuable employee. IBM doesn't value experience, or talent, Oh sure your 1st line mgr might value that, but he doesn't mean a hill of beans when it comes to layoffs. Layoffs come from way up the food chain, and they only see individuals as a cost. If you cost too much, you're a goner! -miss understanding-

Comment 07/11/08:
"Thinking that the leave and come back method will be the only way to jump ahead."
Yep. I have felt the same way but that is not how this big blow works. I am paid so below the midpoint and have been a PBC 2+ for as long as I can remember and even being in band for over 10 years makes no difference it is hard to believe IBM just doesn't recognize pay for performance even though they say they do. I managed to get a piddly raise but no MBA that I got last year maybe due to the fact I am paid so low. Like it really means I'm finally getting ahead... yeah, right.The raise buckets are so microscopically small now IBM doesn't give a rat's a** whether you are being paid competitively now. Anything to save your management money so they can squeeze as much out for a profit. It starts at the top this pay philosophy does. Sam is an A**hole, so are most if not all the IBM executives. Junior wannabee executives at best. No. Leaving and coming back is not an option. IBM doesn't ever admit their mistakes. You think they would hire anyone back at a higher salary now when they can kiss commie red butt in China for pennies on the dollar? ANYONE in IBM USA that doesn't join the Alliance now needs their coconut examined. Unless you kiss the right butt your job is gonna be history before too long. Forget earning more $$$ if you are in IBM now. -Anonymous-

Comment 07/11/08:
Salary = 75,000
Band Level = 7
Message = Ben, I hope you realize you have been grossly underpaid for your band if this is the current salary after a really big pay increase. You've been screwed for the 3 years you have been here. Stop boasting. You've been had. Also, I have seen those who had promotions (I know someone who went from 6 to 7) and that caused them to be very very low in their new band, so a pay increase would make sense. -Anonymous-

Comment 07/10/08: Ya know, you guys that are working an average of 55 hours a week, have you no respect for what you fathers and grandfathers fought so hard for. They fought hard to make you have a better life, a 40 hour work week so that you could enjoy some time off with family and friends and you are throwing it away as though it is nothing. You let a hand full of corporate executives take it right away from you as you buy into their debasing and ridicule of unions taking away your standard of living. Glorification of the hard work ethic gone overboard to the point that now it's expected. Well 55 hours is expected now, you want a bigger raise maybe you should work 60 hours, 70, 80 hours In fact it's not an option it's expected you have to do it to compete. You are buying into the return of seven day a week , 16 hour a day slave labor camps, Seriously, look at yourselves, there has been this mindset created that if you work only 40 hours a week that you are lazy and to be ridiculed. Man how did they slip that in there? The answer is that they chipped away at it one little piece at a time just like they are now doing with your wages and benefits....Hey did you see this story on Toyota. "Senior Toyota engineer died of overwork" Yeah, check it out, the guy was only 45 years old and was working 80 hours of O/T per month. That's 20 hours of O/T per week. If you guys and gals are putting in 55 hours a week like many of you claim, you are right behind him working 60 hours of O/T per week and for what...are you more respected, so you think that it will guarantee you will not get laid off.. you are never going to be able to replace that time away from you friends and family once you give it up it's gone man. It's not like money where you can always make it up later. Once your time is spent it's gone people why do you want to give it away like you're doing. This working until you drop dead is starting to become so common that the Japanese have given it a name now. They call it "karoshi" 147 cases last year and 142 cases this year in Japan the story claims. some of the victims in their 20's. So see, the company will tell you that you have to compete in the global economy and work 100 hours a week soon as that what is expected if you don't get on another path and get some self respect for your worth. Here's the link on Toyota check it out, it's not exaggeration, it's reality people. Your great grandparents and parents before them would hang their heads in disgust if they knew what you have given up. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jul/10/japan.japan?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront -Spiderman-

Comment 07/10/08:
Salary = not quite 80K
Band Level = 08
Job Title = I/T Specialist (not one of the 7600)
Years Service = too many for this big blew
Hours/Week = 40 and no more now
Div Name = 1K
Location = CT
Message = No MBA this year. Got one last year. With record IBM profits and earnings in 2007 what the %$#@ now? and I'm under the midpoint by about $20K. PBC 2+ since I can remember. Over a decade in band . Raise was less than 2%. I hope my 3rd line mgr. enjoys his bonus for relying on cheap offshore labor to try to make the targets. -some1nGERS-

Comment 07/10/08: Got a 0% raise this year? Getting mad will not do anything now but consider this: IBM advertised in their retirement modelling planner tool for the 401k plus an average annual raise of 2.75%. So... Work 66 minutes less a week for a 40 hour work week. Take that time to do other things that IBM takes your time away from. That is a way to get even. Also better enable yourself to get a raise. Get a contract. Join the Alliance! -lower_the_bar-

Comment 07/10/08:
Salary = 66000
Band Level = 8
Years Service = 9
Hours/Week = 40-50
Message = Thinking that the leave and come back method will be the only way to jump ahead. Except - doubt I'll come back. -phishedin-

Comment 07/09/08: IBM layoffs hit RTP - 30 career beheading's in RTP and 150 overall. http://triangle.bizjournals.com/triangle/stories/2008/07/07/daily26.html?ana=yfcpc

I have to tell you, the only thing missing is the Al-Jazeera camera crew doing a video showing the IBM workers on their knees with black sacks over their heads.. "Give us more state and federal grants and more American taxpayer money else the career beheading's will continue....." the ransom note would read. It's a pitiful site to watch....like watching planes crash into the world trade center. No one will get out of their seat, they are all waiting for someone else to do something. Waiting for someone else to stop the impending disaster....but there is no one else it's up to YOU... Sad to see some of these people once they get the layoff news too. They bury themselves into some kind of busy work right up until they are pushed out the door. I think that they believe if they look real real busy management will have like a V-8 moment, slap themselves in the forehead and say, what am I doing I can't let this guy/gal go, and then they'll change their mind...any of you guys see that, pretty pitiful sight isn't it? Anyways... hey, if any of you people on the latest hit list are in that 15% wage reduction group you may want to look at how your unemployment benefits are calculated. In my state the earning from the last quarter that you were paid goes into a calculation to determine your unemployment benefits ...What I am saying is this, suppose you get a 12 week severance package ( one quarter) from IBM, however that package is based on a 40 hour work week, not the 55 hours that you were working to make up for your pay cuts.Well when you go to collect your unemployment that quarter pay period may be used to determine your unemployment benefits and they may be lower as a result. I'm not an expert in this area so check it out..because if it will affect you what you might want to negotiate as part as your severance package is a lump sum payment of that severance money so that you can maximize every dollar that you can get back in benefits..know what I'm saying? Just a thought..best of luck to you all -spiderman-

Comment 07/09/08:
Salary = 107500 when I left
Band Level = 8
Job Title = Advisory PM
Years Service = 17
Hours/Week = 55+
Div Name = IGS - Gloabal Application Dev
Location = Atlanta - WFH
Message = I feel really bad for IBMers now. I've been out of IBM for not even two years now and I've making 42K more than I was when I left. I don't know why I didn't leave sooner. I truly believe that IBM execs have a master plan to push people out without actually letting firing them. Small layoffs go under the radar, bigger ones do not. By taking away benefits, forcing more billable time, and not giving raises even with record earnings, people will eventually either quit, retire or get laid off. i think this is a long term scheme to remove all the long time IBMers (more than 5 years) and replace them by offshoring or eliminating the work. Hey, if they don't fire you and you don't like it, it's YOUR problem, right? It's your decision to stay then, not theirs. There is life after IBM. A good life in fact. Step outside the Blue box from hell! This ain't your Daddy's IBM anymore! Just another greedy bunch of execs. -ms-

Comment 07/08/08: New York May Pay IBM To Not Fire Workers http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/07/new_york_may_pa.html
Ha, It's like a stealth pay cut isn't it? It's like extortion isn't it? You have a company making billions of dollars a year in profits and then they hold the workers like hostages demanding state grants and tax breaks from the state else they'll lay off these people or move their jobs off shore..."Give us tax breaks NYC or else we will fire all these people and cut off your payroll taxes from them." That's how it comes off to me, like a modern day slave trade... It's like corporate terrorism.... -anon-

Comment 07/08/08:
Salary = 85000
Band Level = 8
Job Title = IT Specialist
Years Service = 15
Hours/Week = 48.5
Div Name = GBS - Application Services
Location = RTP, NC
Message = I work in Division 6C (SEA&T). I have no confidence in my management in this practice group. I have notice a steady amount people retiring and leaving the practice. I am a Test Manager. We had an extremely slow start this year with numerous people on the bench. It seems everyone in the group is suffering because of this face. Business deals could not get close in time along with the IGA Account being reduce along with projects being cancelled. Systems Engineering is also draining this practice along with the organization (nice pie in the sky theory but it doesn't translate with project teams). -Anonymous-

Comment 07/08/08: Why do folks post here as if Sam Palmisano is actually going to read it; when his doing so, would be a violation of national labor laws. Yeah yeah I know, IBM violates laws all the time; but if you really want to tell IBM management something, join the Alliance. Its the only message they will hear; because they will be forced to hear it.. Its great to vent and feel better; but, its better to join and feel like you have really done something. Old IBM saying, Don't just bring me a problem, bring me a solution. Management, or lack of management is the problem. The Alliance is the solution. -Exodus 2007-

Comment 07/08/08: Dear Ben. Please let us know what country you are in. Thanks. -marbles-

Comment 07/08/08: Just thought I'd pass these links along that I stumbled upon today - IBM's US Department of Labor Electronic Filing of Labor Condition Application for H-1b Non Immigrant Visa Program. This one is apparently for a Managing Consultant in Dallas with a begin date of 7/3/2008, Salary range $74,318 to $150,000
http://www-03.ibm.com/employment/us/lcafiles/080717_ManagingConsultant_Dallas_TX_4374829.pdf
....and there's this site, not sure how accurate it is but it shows a breakdown of IBM H-1b visa stats by state, wage..etc.. http://www.myvisajobs.com/company/summary.aspx?id=54&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 -spiderman-

Comment 07/08/08:
Salary = 35% less then my new HW development job outside IBM...
Band Level = 7
Job Title = Staff Engineer
Years Service = 8
Hours/Week = 60 - 70 (42 at the new job...)
Div Name = STG
Location = Poughkeepsie, NY
Message = "IBM is not the place it used to be..." That is what I was told when I started with the company 8 years ago, in 2000. That statement is even more true now then is was in 2000. I survived several rounds of layoffs, re-orgs and the occasional %0 raise. Earlier this year, faced with the notion that raises were effectively slim - to - non-existent. I woke up one morning and came to greatest conclusion of my life...."IBM’s just not worth it anymore....". That day, I found a good technical recruiter... and a month later.... I was happily working at a better (smaller) company, making 35% more.... (that is compared to the %1 or %0 raise I might have gotten...). Bottom line… we ARE all worth more and there are other companies out there aside from IBM that WILL acknowledge your worth (having IBM on your resume is plus too...). Don't wait until your energy and enthusiasm is gone, and then they move you. If you’re facing