Welcome to IBM Employee News and Links

News and Opinion Concerning Health Savings Accounts, Medical Costs and Health Care Reform

• New York Times: Emergency Room Delays. Excerpts: The nation’s failure to provide health insurance for all Americans seems to be harming even many of those who do have good health coverage. That is one very plausible interpretation of a disturbing increase in waiting times at emergency rooms that are often clogged with uninsured patients seeking routine charity care.

  For the sickest heart attack patients, according to results published in the journal Health Affairs, wait times more than doubled. In 1997, half of them got to see a doctor within eight minutes; in 2004 it took 20 minutes. For a quarter of the heart attack patients, the wait reached 50 minutes or more — a particularly disturbing lag when every minute of delay increases the likelihood of death.

  The researchers attribute the longer waits primarily to an increase in the number of emergency room visits coupled with the closure of many emergency rooms. Both factors are driven by the lack of universal health coverage. Uninsured patients — and those who have no primary care doctor — flock to emergency rooms for routine coverage, clogging the system. Meanwhile, hospitals lose so much money dispensing charity care through emergency rooms that many collapse into bankruptcy or give up emergency care.

• The Century Foundation: The Snapshot: Americans Agree, Time for Action on Health Care. By Ruy Teixeira. Excerpts: President Bush’s forthcoming State of the Union address will most likely offer no practical solutions to address America’s burgeoning health care woes. That’s too bad because the public is definitely ready for action on this front. Consider these recent data from Gallup. A mid-November Gallup poll found that the public is more dissatisfied than ever with out-of-control health care costs. An overwhelming 81 percent said they are dissatisfied with the cost of health care in this country, the highest figure recorded on this question since Gallup first started asking it in 2001.

  Yet as dissatisfied as Americans are with health care costs, the public now sees access to health care as an even bigger problem than health care costs. In an open-ended question on America’s biggest health care problem, access was named by 30 percent of respondents, compared with 26 percent who said costs. This reverses the relationship that Gallup found in a November 2006 poll.

• BlueCross BlueShield Association: Medicare as a healthcare model. By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar. Excerpt: Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards have been sniping at each other for months over healthcare, but there's one thing the top Democratic presidential candidates agree on: Americans of all ages should have the choice of buying a government-run plan modeled on Medicare. The idea, which would set up a competition between a new government plan and private insurance programs, has been overshadowed by the political horse race. But it's one of the most far-reaching and controversial proposals for making health insurance more affordable and more widely available.

New on the Alliance@IBM Site:

• Alert: Be aware that IBM is blocking e-mail from the endicottalliance address to IBM internal e-mail and filtering from employee to employee with the term Alliance@IBM
• Spotlight: IBM to cut pay and reband job family 24A! Are you next? Join the fight back! Send us your name, home e-mail and location to: endicottalliance@stny.rr.com. Be sure to Join The Alliance! Say NO to pay cuts and job cuts!
• Sign the Petition to IBM Management NO PAY CUTs!
• From the Job Cuts Status & Comments page
  • Comment 1/19/08: Sam promised wall street a good 2008, that will come at the expense of more US workers. Wake up folks. Network sold to AT&T, rebanding of 24A, desktop support changes and a brand new global center in Vietnam. It wont be long now.... Get your resumes updated. For the IBM employees going to AT&T, IBM wont even pay them their vacation or PC holidays when they leave 1/31, they wont be paid until sometime later in February. IBM HR SUCKS! -IBM h8tr-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Essex Junction plant beating up employees again. Management ranking employees and teeing up the bottom performers to get whacked with a layoff. The IBM company really sucks. -Beat Up IBMer-
  • Comment 1/22/08: My mgr talked to me about the re-banding of the 24a job family. According to legal, The managers are NOT supposed to hold dept meetings to announce this change. It is to be done on an individual basis. He also said this is a DIRECT result of the overtime lawsuit. It is the law and IBM must follow it. Then it sounded like he read from a paper that mentioned how ibm upholds the law and does what the law requires. It looks like folks band 8 and up will not be affected by this change. Bands 7 and below will be hit. The cut of 15% is the extra money that ibm supposedly gives employees when they ask them to work the 'unwritten' 46 - 48 hour work week. The folks being re-banded will work 40 hour weeks. Their overtime will be watched carefully so that they do not work too many hours. You can bet that IBM will ensure that the overtime is kept to a bare minimum. -Re-banded Fool-
  • Comment 1/22/08: It's not just 24A...06A (IT Architect/IT Specialist) will also be affected. If you are curious about your job family/code, you can find out on the W3 site. Select the "Career and Life" tab, and under the"Your life and health" heading on the left navigation pane, choose"About you - personal". If you select the compensation link from the page, it will give all the relevant info. Good luck guys and gals. -IveBeenIBMed-
  • Comment 1/22/08: BadNews is right. This is also affecting 06A I/T Specialist and have been told it's going to affect even more soon. I will have a 15% "salary adjustment" effective Feb 1 and any overtime will have to be approved affecting band 7 & 8 -WakeUpCall-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Ok, here's some info I confirmed.. Any positions that are Technical Services or IT specialists position code 499A or 594J. It can include more but so far, this is what I've seen get the 15% salary cut, hourly wage, and requires preapproved OT from your manager -Confirmed-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Just had a group meeting today and I will have a 1-on-1 with my manager tomorrow. In one swoop everything I've worked for the last 7 years is gone. All the extra time and hours worked and great PBC reviews have done nothing but give me a 15% pay cut putting me below my original salary. Way to go Big Blue life wrecking machine. How can IBM say this is to keep employees competitive salary wise when the OT that will be needed to keep you afloat is at manager approval only. -jump back 7 years-
  • Comment 1/22/08: What are the rules for posting pro-union messages/banners at at site entrances? Messages such as "Stop Offshoring. Join the Union" or "Stop pay cuts. Join the Union." I'm particularly interested in Lexington Kentucky. -Anonymous- Alliance reply: First of all any activities must be on your own time and in non-work areas. You can hand out flyers or hold a sign as an employee in front of the building or plant gate. You can hand out flyers in the cafeteria or break room on your own time. We strongly encourage anyone who wants to do this to have signed up with the Alliance first. You will be challenged by security and asked for your badge. You tell them politely that you are a union member and employee and have a right to be there. If you have any problems contact us at 607 658 9285
  • Comment 1/22/08: I suppose that the 15% pay cut is also a windfall for IBM when they eventually LEAN you out. The amount of your severance package will be 15% less. I bet some executive got a nice bonus for coming up with this cost saving plan! Way to go IBM!!! -married_to_ibm-
  • Comment 1/23/08: The link to the article (a CNN article written by Lou Dobbs) that was referenced by ANONTOO should be read by all U.S. citizens. With the small rate of people signed up for the Alliance, I'm beginning to think that most are not totally aware of the problems that our government--and IBM and other 'global' companies, have caused for this country. We'll be paying it back for years to come and so will our children and grandchildren--if the country doesn't collapse into 3rd world status before then. Unless the people take back this country--and unions are one way to do so, the outlook for our futures is pretty dreary. -Anon-
  • Comment 1/24/08: If anyone thinks there will be OT available to make up for the lost 15%, think again. Here's what going to happen: Your second or third line manager will get an OT budget for the year. They\'ll also be told if they can manage that budget so that no more than half of it is used, they will get a bonus! So naturally, YOU wont be approved to work OT as the second line will need to show his boss that he/she met the target and collect THEIR bonus. And make no mistake about this too: IBM was NOT worried about the negative impact of the pay cut in terms of causing more people to join the Alliance. If they were, they wouldn't have approved it. No way Sam would allow it if he thought it would be the straw that broke the camel\'s back! They are just waiting for the flap to blow over. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/24/08: division 07, 15% cut in pay, I imagine it will eventually affect tens of thousands of US IBM workforce, if it hasn't already. -nonymouse-
• General Visitor's Comment page:
  • Comment 1/18/08: The rebanding will happen. 15% reduction is if you are lucky. The real targets are up to 30% This is to get compliant as was as the important factor of demoralization of the ranks. I ask each and anyone who has multiple years on the blue pig, has the team moral ever been this low? Years ago, management would strive .. yes STRIVE to get the rumors crushed and teams informed. They would also do things like a decent market adjustment. The past 4 years has been just the opposite. The blue pig is forcing folks out by creating a hostile work environment.

    FACT Its much cheaper to get you to quit than to pay you severance. IBM is pushing the wages so low as they try to flatten it across the globe. Anyone in the right mind, who doesn't live in the ivory armonk tower knows that's not realistic This is a push to drive wages down low (wages = cost and profits) to get the best deal for the board when the sale of IGS goes thru. Others have eluded to ITS only.. wrong its the whole ball of wax. When this deal does go thru its not going to be pretty.

    We have groups / divisions competing against each other. We have more layers of management (its getting flatter though) then the government. Polish up your skills and resume whilst you can. Take knowledge ahead of time that your days are numbered and USE IT TO YOUR ADVANTAGE. This way you can wait until they force you out with a package. Oh by the way.. the severance packages will be reduced. You will now get what the folks get for getting forced out on a pbc3.

    Did you also notice a rise in pbc3 comments from team members? Its all part of the plan.. moral - work environment costs. They want you out. Now for the better news.. companies are hiring. IT is still paying as good as IBM for the most part. Get out while you can, if you are tired of the cr$p or stall it and milk them for severance while you get the most out of ibm before you leave. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THERE IS NO MORE IBM'ER.. NO MORE DEDICATION Good luck team -Sam screwed us yet again-

  • Comment 1/19/08: I understand that IBM will soon be issuing cell phones and will discontinue reimbursement for our existing service. At that time, the IBM cell phone will be business use only, no personal calls allowed. Imagine how fast my home phone goes to personal use only, no business use allowed..... -gadfly-
  • Comment 1/20/08: Don't forget, everyone, that a pay cut is MORE than just the pay cut. It lowers the percentage that IBM will contribute to your 401K; it lowers the amount of your annual bonus, which is based on your salary; and it lowers the amount of any disability payments, should you ever need that. This is not one screw job but multiple screw jobs. -Mrs. Adm-
  • Comment 1/21/08: Can someone discuss the legalities associated with rebanding and wage cuts? Can any employer just randomly cut someone's job classification and pay, in any state? I'd imagine this is less likely, perhaps even illegal, in European countries.... -Curious- Alliance reply: Yes IBM can cut wages and reband at will. There is no union contract. IBM does not have to negotiate or consult with employees at all in the US. There is no legal requirement. We have been saying this for years ever since the Pension theft. In Europe IBM must negotiate with the IBM unions and consult with Works Councils.
  • Comment 1/21/08: 1) 401K is based off of base salary and OT - so if they approve OT at 5 hours a week - same 401K; 2) life insurance will be lower - that goes to base salary; 3) when u go to look for another job - you will be based on your base salary which is much lower now. Very upset Lead in IGS. Time to look elsewhere and most of my team will be. -bandcut-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Re: pay cuts and re-banding. My friend, a Verizon line-man in NY, laughs at us IBMer’s. He says that until IBMer’s get the nerve to get organized, we will continue to have our benefits eroded. Sad statement, but he is right. My friend and I both graduated from college around the same time, he joined Verizon as a line-man and I joined IBM as a programmer. Today he makes more than me and he has not lost a large chunk of his pension like I did with IBM. IBM says this is not a pay cut, because if you work 6% or so in overtime you will make the same pay. But beware; IBM will let this new plan take hold for a year or so. And then during a financial down turn, IBM will put a temporary hold on all overtime! Or what if there is not enough work to warrant over time, such as during CHANGE freezes which occur 4 times a year. -feedup-

    Alliance Reply: Your friend is absolutely correct! He is probably also a member of the same union that we are: Communications Workers of America (CWA). So if you joined Alliance@IBM CWA Local 1701, you would be joining a group of other union members in other companies and even other countries that stand together. CWA in the USA has almost 700,000 members. Listen to your friend. He knows what he's talking about.

  • Comment 1/22/08: Just when you think IBM wouldn't sink any lower, the bottom falls out. I'm stuck here for another 16 months while I work off my tuition payments. I can't wait to get the hell out of here. -Po'd in Pok-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Any work I would normally do during business hours will now be done during change windows. The clueless management doesn't know what needs to be done during change windows. I will be stacking up overtime before they freeze it, and doing absolutely nothing except organizing my fellow ibmers during business hours...of course under the guise of work. -Lots of free time now-
  • Comment 1/23/08: An additional way to look at the 15% pay cuts is it equivocally compares to that of a Resource Action terminating 1140 IBMers (formula 7600 x .15). I fear the larger damaging result will be a large number of IBM's best technical delivery resources start leaving the company. Sam P, Mark L, Randy M, Moffat, and the rank and file junior executives in IGS, ITD, GTS take note: There is a growing level of anger brewing internally, not just with the 7600 that ya' ll are bending over the table. -another IBM serial#-
  • Comment 1/23/08: If IBM really felt deep down that the Rosenburg vs. IBM class action suit had "no merit" as they initially said (actually ANY litigation case brought against them they always feel and state HAS NO MERIT!) then why did they agree to settle? They knew they could lose the case. Now they are being their usual corporate bully and seeking"vindication" and inflicting punishment by lowering base pay of those folks in 24A and 06A being moved to hourly non-exempt.

    The FLSA does not say any employee moved from exempt to non-exempt must have their base pay cut. IBM says they are moving 24A and 06A to exempt to "better comply with ambiguous FLSA guideline tests on job roles". So if this is the case then they should have only made these affected job families non-exempt without a base pay cut. Of course IBM couldn't just do this since then they might have to pay out more to the OT eligible employees and God forbid IBM have to scrape up some money lost by not doing the base pay cut for more billions of $$$ for stock buybacks, executive bonuses, etc.

    BTW, ask some IBMers who have taken job transfers from band 6 or 7 to band 4. Some or most of these folks were given base pay cuts as a provision for taking the new assignment. Nothing in the FLSA says IBM had to do this either. But without a union and a labor contract IBM will continue to do these things. Folks in other job families: BEWARE. You are probably next. How about if IBM doesn't move you to non-exempt but gives you a "pay readjustment:" downward\ so IBM can "remain competitive"? Don't think it can't happen to you? THINK TWICE now. -Anonymous-

  • Comment 1/25/08: Keep in mind that there is a push to get MORE than 25% Management has been targeted to get pay reduced across all of the currently named job families. The next push will be COTS in the 08A and 09A families. sam promised better profits in 08.. how does ibm do that now and the past few years? RA's - Pay Cuts - Forced Attrition. Look for that private meeting invite with management soon...be sure to get the free sample of astrolube BEFORE the meeting. -inside-
  • Comment 1/25/08: Next time you get a call from your manager that you aren't making your 'utilization' targets (a.k.a., you are not working enough overtime), ask them to send you the request in writing!! I think its obvious now what they were all about. Obviously it doesn't matter what you get on your PBC anymore. I'm not worrying about my utilization targets anymore!! Let management miss their utilization targets and their bonuses for meeting them !! This applies to everyone whether you are getting affected by pay cut or not. Eventually we will all be targeted. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/25/08: Message = I was recently re-classified to non-exempt, but when I take the test shown in this gov doc titled; “Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Overtime Regulations - CHECKLIST # 4 – SALARY AND DUTIES TESTS FOR COMPUTER PROFESSIONAL EXEMPTION FROM OVERTIME” found at: http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/ocpsp/flsaot/checklists/computerprof.pdf the result is that I should be in fact classified as exempt. Granted IBM may have had some employees incorrectly coded as exempt, but now it seems like IBM is going to be incorrectly coding exempt employees as non-exempt! Is IBM making good business decisions? What are the IBM executives and upper management thinking of anymore? IBM has created a company that no longer pulls together as a team, a company that now has an “Us against Them” (i.e.: employees vs. management) mentality.

    It used to be that employees would do whatever they could to help IBM’s bottom line and its customers. Now IBM has become an: “IBM has screwed me over and over, so I give a rats ass about IBM” work force. How long can a company continue where upper management and employees are not pulling for the same team goal? IBM upper management better get their heads out the sand, pull this company out of its employee-morale death spiral, and recreate the IBM team mentality that made IBM what it once was. -wake_up-

  • Comment 1/25/08: x-ibmer... "Even with a 15% reduction of your salary, wouldn’t working that 80-160 hrs of OT each month more than make up for the loss?" The problem, of course, is the capricious nature of the overtime. Sure, if I could count on the overtime each week, I wouldn't have such a problem with it. But past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, so we all know where this is headed... we might get the overtime for a while, but then the screws will tighten, and those 5 or 10 or 15 hours of overtime will be no more.

    The maddening part is what it does to my peace of mind. Now, fully 15% of my salary is at management\'s whim ....will the o/t be approved this week? If not, how will I manage? What about next week? Where can I cut? Should I work a part-time job? Should I look for a new job? (YES to that one). It\'s the anxiety that infuriates me...a week ago I didn\'t have these worries. I\'m taking a hit of $700/month. Not exactly chump change on my budget....15% isn\'t chump change for anyone. It\'s infuriating and humiliating. I feel like a kid working at Dunkin' Donuts. OT needs prior management approval...my manager doesn\'t even know who approves it. It\'s not him as far as he knows. So, who does? Some bean-counter who knows nothing about the work? Sorry, but that doesn\'t exactly instill confidence in me. -Disgruntled-

  • Comment 1/25/08: What has destroyed IBM? One word ... A-R-R-O-G-A-N-C-E. Sam Palmisano is an arrogant jerk. Join the Alliance and get rid of this arrogant jerk and take our company back. Sam is an ass. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/26/08: Another thought comes to mind about the recent 15% pay cut. There has been rumours about WIPRO taking over some of the divisions, is it not possible for the IBM execs to go to WIPRO guys and say, hey guys we have already saved you 15% by our pay cut, as most of the support staff has been affected by this cut.. just thinking....-Anon-
  • Comment 1/26/08: You know what? Maybe I could stomach this pay cut if they gave me more than two weeks to prepare financially for it.

    Maybe I could take it if I wasn’t already assigned the work of 5 people. You remember last year, when they laid off around 1400 people in May? My team lost 6 contractors (who weren’t counted in that 1400 number) and 3 regulars. You think that work just went away when the people did? I nearly killed myself last summer, trying to keep up with my workload. My team went through Lean at the same time, and we are still struggling with the implementation. We don’t have enough people assigned to the cluster to shift the work around.

    So, now everyone on my team is non-exempt. Great, if we can get management approval to get the overtime, we can suffer no loss in pay. So what happens when they don’t allow overtime, as we all suspect will happen? I can’t do my job now, working 50-60 hour weeks. I am assigned to 5 client accounts. How are we going to support them? You think IBM is going to hire extra people, Band 6 people, in when we can’t provide the support our clients expect? Do you think I am motivated now to help my company through a tough spot in our business? Do you think I am motivated to do the extra assignments on my plate?

    I have worked for IBM over 9 years. I feel betrayed by my company after having worked so hard over that time. I take pride in my work. I want to help my clients be successful. I feel as if we are being set up to fail. I look back over my career and see that the employee/employer relationship has been deteriorating. This is simply the last straw. “Trust and Personal Responsibility in All Relationships” is just lip service.

    I wish I were in the same city as my manager. I’d love to see the dance he’s going to have to do to meet the “needs of the business” once the pay cut is effective. I always understood that overtime was part of the job, and while I wasn’t always happy about the amount, I always performed my duty. I’d also love to see management’s reaction if we don’t ask for overtime, but just work our 40 hours and sign off. That means no after hours phone calls, no page outs for those not on call, and few deadlines met. And by the way, if I’ve hit my 40 hours on Wednesday, I won’t be returning until the following Monday, just the way the contractors used to do. Becoming non-exempt might be the only way I’d ever get the work/life balance management has always talked about. Just sell us to Wipro, already. Their management can’t be any worse than this. -Fed Up and On My Way Out-

• Pension Comments page
• Raise and Salary Comments
  • Comment 1/21/08: Not only 24A but I also hear job family 06A (I/T Specialists) too are going to non-exempt and hourly with the 15% pay cut as well. So much for learning skills about computer hardware, software, middleware, etc. which supposedly is IBM's core business. It's clear in IBM the core business is not that anymore. It's better to learn BS and CYA skills than anything else! -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/21/08: Salary = 72,000; Band Level = 5; Job Title = Sys Mgmt Adv; Years Service = came from AT&T in 99 - 25 yrs; Hours/Week = 60+; Div Name = 07; Message = This entire company is full of crap. They have no values at all, just the BUCK. Every year they concoct another way of not giving raises. A couple of years ago they changed the scale to include 2.5, last year it was the market based analyst. COL goes up every year, we get nothing!!! I joined the Class Action suit and got 8700.00 after taxes! but for 9 years, I've worked minimum 50+ hrs per week.. And you listen to the applause at these town meetings and state of the business meetings; It makes me sick to my stomach, hearing folks kiss up like that. They should be ashamed of themselves.. It's always the same message about how well we're doing, but they can't reward you for making it so.. We did the work for them to acquire those industry accolades, they did CRAP!!!! I'm getting more ticked off...Bye -Ramjet...Mad-
  • Comment 1/21/08: My husband works in Southbury, CT. He was told today, Jan 21, 2008, that he is getting a 15% pay cut. IBM told him it was IBM had to do to recoup their losses from some of the IBM employees suing IBM for overtime pay. I know there are many other IBM'ers having their pay cut today. I found out the phone # for the IBM head of compensation. Please call Lisa Mihalik at 914-765-4310 if you'd like to ask her why this is happening. -Anonymous- Alliance reply: Does your husband know the name of the person that told him this? If this person is an IBM manager, then IBM may have violated the terms of the settlement. Find out.
  • Comment 1/21/08: So employees sue IBM because the company ripped them off for being misclassified and not paying OT. Employees in suit get some money back. Then IBM "recognizes" the fact that people were misclassified and then reclassify them but there is a hitch. You get to become non-exempt with a PAYCUT! are you kidding me Sam! If we don't join this union, expect the beatings to continue. No pay cuts! -screwed again-
  • Comment 1/21/08: Salary = 90000; Band Level = 8; Job Title = Senior IT Specialist; Years Service = 29 years 9 months; Hours/Week = 40+ 10-25hrs.week OT; Div Name = IGS; Location = Poughkeepsie; Message = I was told today that as of 2/1/2008 ny pay was being cut by 15%. Change from exempt to nonexempt status. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/21/08: We got the news today. Something that's bugging me about this is the 2nd line iterated more than once that the news was not to be relayed to anyone on the conference call nor to anyone outside our division. If this is public knowledge, and fact (which it is), why would relaying this information be kept "hush-hush"? Something smells fishy... -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/21/08: Salary = 71,000; Band Level = 7; Job Title = IT specialist; Years Service = 18; Hours/Week = 60; Div Name = 23; Location = Piswataway, NJ; Message = I was told by my manager today that starting Feb I will be getting 15% pay cut. -Anonymous1-
  • Comment 1/21/08: Base= 64000; Band=7; location=Midwest; Title=Technical Services Prof - ADV; Years=6; hours/wk=48-50 -foolmeonce-
  • Comment 1/22/08: I am one of the 24A's that just had my pay cut 15%. I joined the Alliance this morning. I will be calling ALL of my co-workers today to talk to them about joining as well. IBM may be able to "discourage" us from sending company emails about joining the Alliance, but they can not stop the phone calls. Don't you think its about time we stood up for ourselves? Our "loving and caring" managers knew about this re-classification and pay cut possibly as far back as JUNE 07, but only gave us 10 days to prepare for a 15% reduction. I call BS! -Screwed Hard!-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 85,000; Band Level = Band 7; Job Title = IT Specialist; Years Service = 5; Hours/Week = 60; Div Name = ur23; Location = sterling forest Message = SEPT 2007: Yes, I'll accept a new position with a promotion to BAND 8. DEC 15 : "WELCOME" to the new group and you have been promoted to Band 8 with salary increase. DEC 31 pay check : no sign of it JAN 15 pay check: no sign of it JAN21: oops, we're sorry but we have to let you go (Division wide lay off). I went from being rated a "1" in a good position to trying to up my career and trying to get a Band Level increase to now not having a job -FakeName-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 80,000; Band Level = 7; Job Title = System Int Prof; Years Service = 8; Hours/Week = 45; Message = -twist-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = reduced by 15%; Message = I would like to know how this "re-classification" of job families with the15% reduction in base pay does completely violate the intent of the original lawsuit? How can the upper level executives be so obtuse and greedy as to not see the tremendous harm this will do to IBM in the longer term? I want to join, but do you (Alliance) have a plan of action to deal with this? -Bend_over_n_take_one_for_IBM-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = $46K; Band Level = 6; Job Title = Oracle DBA; Years Service = 8; Hours/Week = 45+; Div Name = 07; Location = Lexington, KY; Message = As you can see, I'm already below market value. So a pay cut would really kill me... -just_keeps_coming-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 49k Band Level = 6 Job Title = meaningless Years Service = 2 Hours/Week = 40 only Div Name = IMBPD Location = Tulsa Message = Ramjet....mad - you said that you've been working 50 - 60 hours a week for 9 years, why? You're salaried right? Why give IBM free hours if they're so screwed up? My first year here I was working 50-70 hours a week but after they screwed me over I said "No" to any more overtime. I have held my ILC to strictly 40 hours every single week. If there is too much on my desk to be accomplished in a 40 hour week, I just tell my manager that he needs to find additional people to take the extra load until it gets back to 40 hours of work. The first time I did that, I was subtly threatened with adverse action but he was only bluffing. No problem at all. Same PBC rating as the prior year when I was doing all the extra hours. - Tulsa-member -
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 57K (before my cut); Band Level = 6; Job Title = same as always; Years Service = 8; Hours/Week = 44; Div Name = 07; Location = boulder; Message = So now I make 3K more than I did when I started!?!?!....guess who's gonna be a work hoarder now. I guess that unspoken rule of 10-15% OT that my mgrs forced me to claim has bitten my butt in the end. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 85000; Band Level = 08Q; Job Title = TECHNICAL SERVICES PROF - SR; Years Service = 5; Hours/Week = 47 ; Message = Regarding the lawsuit, the employee won the battle. But, we all lose the war. IBM is not what it is cracked up to be. If they would get rid of the overhead of work that is not value added, i.e. LEAN and too many chiefs-to-indians ratio, we would not be going through this. IBM is worse than the fed when it comes to red tape and layers of organization. My full report chain is 9-levels. I did not have that many when I was in the military. Senior management does not seem to care about the folks that make them billions which gives them their millions in bonus, and then we have to settle for a few bucks. Time to find another company or go 1099 consulting. With 1099 work, at least you know where you stand. -Disappointed in IBM-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Disappointed in IBM: How detached and nonsupporting of yourself and your co-workers can you get??? How about using that military training to be unified, and fight back as a group? How about joining this union and actually DOING something instead of sounding like you were commenting on a newspaper article about IBM in the news ("oh gosh, this company is so disappointing, I just don't know... hmmm I wonder how the Giants did yesterday?") and then turn the page... -supportattached-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 93k; Band Level = 8; Job Title = Sr Systems Architect; Years Service = 12; Hours/Week = 50; Div Name = IGS; Location = Boulder; Message = I got laid off last year and I have to say that there are much better places to work. I hate seeing things like this because I was once proud to work there. -Tossed out like garbage-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 69000 (before cut); Band Level = 7; Job Title = Systems Analyst; Years Service = 1; Hours/Week = 43; Div Name = SPWG; Location = DC metro area; Message = I passed up on a Lockheed offer for 64K for a non-exempt overtime paying position so if my exemption is reclassified, I will most definitely be reclassifying my own job status here with IBM. -RR-
  • Comment 1/22/08: This 15% cut is affecting bands 6, 7, and 8. Both 24a and 06a. I think the article in the pok paper is off by a few thousand..... -NOT JUST 24a!-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 75,000 (before 15% pay cut); Band Level = 8; Job Title = IT Spec/Tech Support Specialist; Years Service = 11; Hours/Week = 50; Div Name = 07 ITD SSO; Location = Lower Hudson Valley, NY; Message = I finally joined the Alliance today after YEARS of monitoring this site and reading the various comments. Should have joined years ago. Whether you are in IGS, STG, IMD, S&D, Research, or SWG, you should strongly consider joining. ALL of our jobs are in jeopardy and we need to stand up and be counted. Global Free Trade has FAILED the US citizens. Our government is bought and paid for by corporate entities. Regardless of your political leanings I implore you to stop acting like SHEEP. -Shafted-
  • Comment 1/22/08: Salary = 59k (50 after the cut); Band Level = 6; Job Title = IT Slave; Years Service = 0; Hours/Week = 44; Div Name = 16; Location = DC; Message = I was already leaving but I was unsure if I was making the right choice, then this thing comes down and I was like, wow, great timing. Particularly in div 16 public sector this is going to lose them a lot of people since we often work on projects where overtime is severely limited and mgmt will probably refuse to give us codes for overhead/travel/PBC time as that is where most of our overtime will be. I could not have picked a better time to leave. The SAM's are trying to convince people to stay but this area is recession proof and if we wanted a job with mediocre pay, there are plenty of less stressful ones out there as well as plenty of other consulting companies who are hiring. -good timing-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Message = I think it's time we workers unite to say enough. One of IBM's basic beliefs instituted by our founder, Thomas J. Watson , was "Respect for the Individual". Whether you are affected by the recent changes within IBM or not, I believe we need to stand up and let our voice be heard. Let's start an e-protest!! I propose we change our Lotus Notes signature line. Go to your Lotus Notes, click on Tools-Preferences-Signature and add **R-RFTI** to the bottom of your signature line. When someone asks you what does that acronym mean say "Resurrect Respect For The Individual". Let our voices be heard clear up to our IBM management and executive teams. Apprehensive about participating in this protest? THINK about this quote which came from Thomas J. Watson ... "If you stand up and be counted, from time to time you may get yourself knocked down. But remember this: A man flattened by an opponent can get up again. A man flattened by conformity stays down for good." -Much Respect-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 114,000/yr; Band Level = 8; Job Title = Sr. I/T Specialist; Years Service = 7+ retirement & 18+ vacation/vesting (rehired Loral); Hours/Week = 42; Div Name = 16 Location = DC Metro Message = If ever there was a time for increasing your membership, this is it. A lot of us are very displeased with the latest action taken buy IBM to cut pay and reduce our bands. Feel free to send me info at above email. I will pass along to others. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 80000; Band Level = 08; Job Title = Architect; Years Service = 27; Hours/Week = 50-60; Div Name = Global Services; Message = I have gone several consecutive years without pay increases via artificially manipulated performance ratings. When a pay increase is given, bonuses are adjusted downward to "balance" the earnings. Gross salary has remained virtually static over the past 9 years... which is, in essence, a pay decrease due to inflation. -SAMIAMNOT-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 95000; Band Level = 08; Job Title = IT Architect; Years Service = 9; Hours/Week = 55; Div Name = 07 - doomed; Location = Boulder; Message = I already got laid off for being a repeating 1 or 2+ employee, so I'm sure if I'd not been let go under last years cost takeout action, I'd have been hit by this. IBM is looking to piss off its US workforce enough that they can sit back and watch the attrition rates take care of all those pesky overpaid employees that they want to offshore and thusly avoid dealing with costly separation packages. People like Joanne Collins-Smee who have zero regard for the business or quality of service the org offers, instead obsessed only with trimming all expenses at -any- cost will be the end of IBM. oh btw, when the next RA action comes and they tell you you've got 30 days to find another position within the company, don't waste your time, people like Collins-Smee will reject your transfer even if other groups desperately need your skills. -ex-ibmer-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = low enough to leave; Job Title = Staff Eng; Years Service = 18; Hours/Week = 50-60; Div Name = PC's then Servers; Location = Boca Raton , RTP; Message = I left long ago for all the same sort of stuff. I've worked for several companies since then and they all have a surprising large number of X-ibmers. It's like a re-union without the hassle. Get a job while you have a job and get what you want. Get a job without a job and get what they hand you. Remember, your retirement is portable, and earns more elsewhere. -longgone-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = $41k; Band Level = 06; Job Title = IT Specialist; Years Service = 8; Hours/Week = 50+; Div Name = SWG; Message = I was told on Tuesday. My management found out the week prior, apparently. At the end of the talking points I was asked if I was upset. Fighting back a few tears I said "A little bit". I should've said more. So many things are affected now. I very much feel like I was demoted. Loyalty has gone out the window for me. -
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = lower Band Level = 6; Job Title = tech services spec; Years Service = 6; Hours/Week = 40; Div Name = uctb; Location = denver; Message = Now we are being told that all overtime hrs have to be preapproved by second and third line managment...they don't even know our names let alone what we do to make them look good -this blew-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Band Level = 06; Job Title = analyst; Years Service = 3; Hours/Week = 50; Div Name = 07; Location = Chicago; Message = As part of initial transition, employees were herded into a room like cattle to divulge how great IBM is to its employees and the opportunities that await us. Now 3 years later attempts to move within IBM are blocked, get education funding is denied, overtime is not to be "claimed", no raises for the past 3 years, and to top it off we will all be let go once the acct. is over. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: To Anonymous who stated: "overtime is not to be "claimed" This is 100% AGAINST IBM Business Conduct Guidelines. You MUST CLAIM all hours worked! If you are being told NOT to CLAIM your O/T, get in touch with IBM Legal! -IBM_POK_GAL-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Message = Effectively work 15% less people! Sit on your arse for 15% of the work week. If they withhold overtime work another 15% less effectively. Sit on your arse for the OT they are denying you to "catch up" to what you had previously in salary/pay. IBM can do anything to you anyway without a union, so start fighting back NOW! -sit_on_it_big blew-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = Pre-cut 54K; Band Level = 6; Job Title = Tech Specialist; Years Service = 7; Hours/Week = 45 if I can help it; Div Name = 07; Location = CT; Message = I was told by my manager Jan 21, 2008 that I would be getting a pay cut and after doing the math I realized that I will be making LESS than I did when I joined IBM. We've also been told to be on our "A game" for our customer due to some issues. I laughed very hard when I heard that (with mute on of course). I have absolutely NO motivation to give any extra effort to this company what so ever. I used to speak to my managers to see what opportunities I could get in to, possibly get a PBC rating of 1 again. No more. I know some feel we should stay and fight but I for one and leaving as soon as I can. I have no more loyalty left, which is sad because I used to tell people I worked for IBM with a little pride. Now that's been replaced with derision. I've been trying to get to band 7 for five years now and I have been over looked each time, even though I received a 1's in my PBC. This company cares nothing for me or any one. They would let me go in a heart beat, just like they let go a few friends of mine that had been with IBM over 25 years!. Yes, I'm bitter. But I don't think I'm alone and I feel IBM has wronged us gravely. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Message = There goes the house payment, will soon be looking for a double wide -Insert Sigh Here-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = from 76285 to 64848; Band Level = 7; Job Title = Advisory IT Specialist; Years Service = 5; Hours/Week = 36 and 48; Div Name = AIS; Location = Springfield, VA Message = IBM has not been upright or honest. The way in which we were told is deplorable. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 64,500; Band Level = 7; Job Title = SMIP; Years Service = 60; Hours/Week = 40+; Location = SLC; Message = I'm part of the 15% compensation "remix" (didn't know I worked for a music producer). After not opting into the o/t lawsuit last year because I felt I managed my work time effectively and was not owed anything for previous o/t worked I'm now being punished with a DEMOTION!? That's what this effectively is, a demotion. There are further reaching affects than just the paycheck, as bad as that one is already! I've put in 20 years in this business and am receiving a 1 rating for last year and the reward is about a $10000 cut in annual pay. (guess I can't say salary anymore) How does IBM expect this to NOT result in another lawsuit? -Reginald-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 120000; Band Level = 8; Job Title = tech; Years Service = 6; Hours/Week = 45; Div Name = igs; Location = usa; Message = msg -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = $80,000; Message = Once again IBM is breaking it on the backs of the employees. At IBM our most valuable asset is our employees, so lets sell them or at least don't bother to pay them what they are worth. This time however the management got caught. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: We are all mad. I got mad enough to join the Alliance. If you want to make a difference, join the Alliance so that we can fight IBM together. As individuals our management can ignore our voices. As an organized group in the Alliance we can make our voices be heard. As a group we can put these unethical practices into the spot light. IBM hates bad press. Speak up for your rights, JOIN THE ALLIANCE. Don't just wait around to see what happens. If everyone did that nothing will happen. Together we can make it happen! Please JOIN THE ALLIANCE today! -Sick and Tired-
  • Comment 1/23/08: So here I am, 4 yrs from retirement and they base your retirement on your last 5 yrs. 4 of those last 5 will now be at 15% pay cut. We were told for the last 10 yrs that you need 10-12% OT - but now that IBM has to pay OT, it has dried up. My mgr basically said find a way to do it in the 40 hr week. What a wonderful company. Armonk monkeys on down need to take 15% cut...all for one, one for all. -close.to.retirement-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 70,000; Band Level = 7; Job Title = IT specialist; Years Service = 25+; Hours/Week = 56; Message = We were told after a year of working for IBM by our manager to claim a minimum of 14% overtime per week, it's part of the job, though no one would send it out in the form of a written communication. In the past employees were "adjusted" to lower bands without any pay cuts. Wouldn't that be a precedence. It would appear that IBM has lost their focus of doing the right thing. Bottom line today is, it's all about the bottom dollar, with little concern or rewards of who participated in making it. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Location = Boulder; Message = While this site is nice for venting, I'd like some assistance in how to seek legal action against IBM for this pay cut. They claim I can make-up the 15% with an extra 5 hours a week, but what if your contract does allow that. What if your limited to 40 hours a week as some of us are. What if you're exempt by definition, but you're reclassified none-the-less. Instead of just telling us to join and collecting our dues, how about some action (like a lawyer's office to call) so we can file a class action? -Anonymous-

    Alliance reply: Anyway you slice it, we need to organize and work to bring IBM to the bargaining table.... Lawsuit or no lawsuit, won or lost (remember the pension lawsuit?). There have been other lawsuits in the past that we have lost...Meanwhile, the non-union IBM employees have continued to wait for the "big win". The only Big Win that matters is, if we win an election to vote the union in. File all the Class Actions suits that you want... it only delays winning an election and getting a contract with IBM so that these things are spelled out, in ink. We need to organize so that we have that contract stipulating ALL the things we've been fighting for since 1999!

  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 65,000; Band Level = 8; Job Title = Finance; Years Service = 5; Hours/Week = 45; Div Name = Federal; Location = DC; Message = With all the recent news about the OT lawsuit/settlement in 2006 makes me wonder how this affects current employees. Will all non-managers get back pay for OT hours? Will we start getting paid OT for future work? -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 76L; Band Level = 7; Job Title = Adv Tech Prof; Years Service = 7; Hours/Week = 45-50; Div Name = IGS; Location = Fla; Message = Yep, this was the last straw for me; I joined today :) and I am going to work to get others I know to join as well; just because some dodged the bullet this time; it doesn't mean they won't every time and IBM has made it clear this will be the new status quo. I used to be proud that I work for this CO, but now a days I cannot stomach the mention of the name. Maybe we should all walk :) -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Read this about PBC ratings that is posted on W3 -- if you believe this I have bridge to sell you: "The cornerstone of how IBM manages performance is the IBM value of trust and personal responsibility. Although distribution guidance exists, at IBM, there is no forced distribution of ratings. Under the PBC program, employees can trust that the ratings they receive are an accurate reflection of their contributions for the year, compared to their peer group."-working_single_mom-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Message = Let's have a sick out on Feb. 1st. Let's all get the "Big Blew Flu" for a day. For those affected by the cuts and for all the others in solidarity who are not affected (you will probably be affected eventually and the next job family to get a pay cut might be yours and you might not be eligible for any OT and still be salaried :o( ..this is merely an educated guess on my part with this Big Blew) Let's show IBM, they can't cut employee base pay. For those scared about participating in a sick out, then take a personal choice holiday, take a vacation day, or even a 1/2 day PM vacation day on Feb. 1st. With loss of productivity and response time on Feb. 1st maybe IBM will wake up and treat us all fairly and reverse their hideous decision to cut base pay 15% to those in jobs families 06A and 24A." -big_blew_flu-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = ?; Band Level = ?; Job Title = Technical Services Prof; Years Service = 1.5; Hours/Week = 40+; Div Name = GTS; Location = ?; Message = We got the news this afternoon from our manager in a conference call about the across the board 15% pay cuts & needless to say, you could have heard a pin drop after that announcement. We are part of an outsourcing from another troubled company that had already cut our pay& benefits over 30% in the past two years we worked there, so I can barely keep my head above water. I'm preaching to the choir here, but it slays me that they somehow think that their workers are just going to roll over & take it, with no recourse. Any suggestions? I have a few..... -Kathy-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 54K; pre cut Band Level = 6; Job Title = Systems Int. Specialist; Years Service = 7; Hours/Week = 45; Div Name = 7; Location = CT; Message = I don't blame the plaintiffs, I blame IBM. They weren't paying overtime to begin with. I was "encouraged" when I started with IBM that I should work a minimum of 12% OT. That was the unspoken rule. So now that I did what they asked, it's being held against me. I want to give my two weeks very badly. I joined the alliance today as well.. --Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: It appears that the folks who instituted the law suit have made out and caused this change of policy. I am surprised that all that is needed is 5 hours a week to keep the salary level the same. For most exempt folks 12 hrs is consider a normal day. So an hour a day is not a big deal. I suspect people waste more time during lunch . I guess if the law suit was never filed there would have never been a need to change the pay scale. Seems funny to me that these folks went along with being in the exempt classification but now consider themselves to be less skilled. Confusing and now they will be demoted. Darned if you do and darned if you don't.. -John-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Location = Phoenix Message = Losing 15% of base pay is only the icing, I have been told by my manager 2007 bonus' will now be based on the lower base pay, also any week that I take a holiday, vacation or sickness day means o/t will be excluded. As that will only go towards the missing hours. I was also advised other benefits will be impacted. I can see folk coming to work forfeiting odd day vacation or coming to work sick infecting us all in order not to lose money for the week. How can this be right !.. -anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 100k; Band Level = 8; Job Title = I/T Specialist; Years Service = 17+; Hours/Week = 45; Message = I've been 100% loyal to the company since the day I started. This week is the first time I feel cheated. Even when management asked me to forfeit my parental leave to complete a critical project years ago, I agreed. Now IBM repays loyalty by cutting my salary. Thank You. -very upset-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 74k before cut Band Level = 6 was 7 then 4 then back to 6 they keep changing Job Title = System Integration Years Service = 28 Hours/Week = 45-50 Div Name = ITD (igs) Location = Westchester Message = This is the last straw. I'm joining and encouraging all my co-workers to do the same. Several years ago I was hurt by this thing the first time and was slashed from a band 7 to band 4. At that time they paid us for one year of back OT at the rate of 1/2 time. At least for the time we could prove. How many of you EXEMPTS track your hours? DO IT. Since then, since my salary has not moved until this week when they removed 15% of it. IBM and IGS bought this suit on themselves.

    I've seen it said here that we were never told in writing that we HAD to work OT. This is not true, it has been in every PBC "template" that I've ever had since making the mistake of going to IGS. The number for me was such that if i took all my vacation, and holidays.... I HAD to work OT the rest of the time to compensate. I want to say that I remember the number being 2340... (45 * 52) but I'm not certain of that. At any rate it was a number that on couldn't reach AND take vacation W/O OT.

    I say HURT by this because for a while, they let us work the OT, then clamped down on it, what was OK when it was free to IBM suddenly became un-acceptable when they were paying for it instead of my family. I'm simply appalled that in a time of economic uncertainty where the government is trying to GROW confidence in the economy and stimulate growth, IBM could take such an action. Clearly Tom's company is dead and being run by men that only care about THEIR own finances and to hell with the rest of the country, including those of us who's dedication and skill have allowed them to be where they are.

    Join the Alliance.... write to the CANDIDATES... let's get this debate in the forefront. Let's have potential IBM clients ask themselves if this company has the moral integrity to deserve their business. I find it amusing that the company that has largely enabled the web and the interconnectivity that we have today has NO clue of the power of this medium when we ALL get together! No wonder these geniuses can't grow the bottom line by any other way than cutting salaries and slashing jobs... they simply don't understand what WE'VE made!. -wageslave-

  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 78500 down to 66700; Band Level = 8; Job Title = 06A IT Specialist; Years Service = 9; Hours/Week = 45; Div Name = IGS; Location = Remote; Message = I didn't join the lawsuit because I didn't think it was right. I was told I was exempt when I started and never expected to be paid overtime. I didn't allow IBM to work me more hours than reasonable, so had no reason to expect more than my base salary. I'm very disappointed by the 15% pay cut. Overtime freezes happen every year, this is NOT cost neutral. I no longer feel any need to be loyal to IBM, as they have unilaterally reclassified my role and broken the agreement that was made when I joined the company (when hired as an exempt professional). This action has instantly changed this once satisfied employee into a disgruntled employee actively looking for outside opportunities. Let the exodus begin.. -no-longer-loyal-
  • Comment 1/23/08: My wife's job is a union shop, and they never have to worry about layoffs, pay cuts, and fair pay. Can we say the same at IBM? How many people do you know at IBM that has taken a promotion without pay? How many people do you know that were RAd, and were/are hard workers? Finally, how many of you feel your loyalty and hard work matters?. -willing to help-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Maybe they should consider cutting the salaries of the management staff and their big bonuses.. -Heather-
  • Comment 1/23/08: I was affected by the pay cut and I'm not amused (aka Royally Pissed Off). for those of you who have never been non-exempt, I suggest you get to know someone who was. They can help you MAXIMIZE the overtime pay which you will now be paid. Sundays pay double time (always travel to your customer engagements on Sunday :o). Working on a Holiday used to pay double time and 1/2 :o)). If you work 6 days in a row (remember you just fly to a customer account on the weekend) you will be entitled to a rotational premium:o). If you work second shift You'll be paid a shift premium:o) work third shift, an even larger shift premium:o).. Any hours more than 40 in a work week you'll get time and a half.... I say load up on Sunday and holiday work especially if it's sitting on an airplane:o). -anonymous-
  • Comment 1/23/08: Salary = 114000; Band Level = 8; Job Title = Sr. IT Specialist; Years Service = 8yrs; Hours/Week = 45; Div Name = AOD - Applications on Demand; Location = North San Jose; Message = If they would have left my salary as is, and had told me that I can't work overtime (past 40 hrs), but converted me to hourly I wouldn't have minded. Now I HAVE to work 45 hrs a week... just to make what I WAS making. If there comes a law/rule down the pipe that I can't work overtime except on 'special' occasions or with management approval - then I'm totally SCREWED! Not to mention what this does to my 401k and ESPP.. -DCMacGeek-
  • Comment 1/24/08: This makes me very sad. Do you realize the time value of money and what actually has happened here. Do the math people, ( like if you go from 100k to 85k) It's a 15% decrease but you need a 17.65% increase to get back to where you started from, not just 15%. Plug in the cost of living and you would have to get a 6% or better raise over the next three years to get back to ground zero. If you thought that maybe you would just work harder and try to get a promotion..well good luck with that. However, it's more than just money isn't it. What amazes me is that watching this all go down is like watching one of those terrorist hijacked airplanes go down in NY. back on 9/11 It's like the hijack has been announced and everyone sits there and looks at each other saying somebody should do something. It's like the only questions left to be answered watching this is, are there any Todd Beamers on board ...are we gonna hear "Okay, let's roll" I'm not speaking about doing anything violent or illegal of course. Just speaking metaphorically that's all. John Cougar Mellencamp once sung " you got to stand for something, or you're gonna fall for anything " Good luck to all the bm'ers.... -oz-
  • Comment 1/24/08: In reply to: the STG Advisor Software Engineer You are more than delusional if you think you are safe just because you are an advisory software engineer making 108K yearly...IBM isn't finished, rather I suspect this is just the beginning. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/24/08: "Message = A lower base also means a lower layoff package.... -chicken_little-" A lower base salary also means your vacation days are worth less, your imputed GLI (IBM Group Life Insurance) will give a lower payout. So this is not a COMPENSATION CUT IBM?????? -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Regarding the "unspoken" rule expecting a certain level of overtime. I was told by a manager that you were expected to work as much overtime as you had vacation time. So it turned out, you really didn't receive a vacation from IBM, you just received some comp time. NOW you'll be seeing them giving vacation time and probably requiring it and then severely limiting the opportunities for any overtime. I was taken out by IBM during one of the last resource actions and I can honestly say that life is better since then. Good Riddance to them. -HappyToBeFormerIBMer-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 80K; Band Level = 07; Years Service = 7; Hours/Week = 45+; Div Name = 24A; Location = NJ; Message = We need to focus our energy on lowering the IBM stock price and playing the same game that IBM has been playing.They have not forthcoming to us why should we be any different. Because were better than that? In the end what do we get nada.... the public and the shareholders will pay attention more to the issues at hand if the IBM stock price tanks... it worked at Home depot. -~janed IBMer-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 98,000; Band Level = 8; Job Title = Tech Services Prof; Years Service = 12; Hours/Week = 55 - 60; Location = SLC; Message = Thank you to IBM for helping me to awaken to the greediness of the corporate world. McNeese says we will not see a reduction in out wallet, this is more lies to the workers. Having been here many years, we will see the OT freeze at the final quarter of the year. At first I did not want to believe that the company I work hard for was driving me out, but it becomes more obvious as time goes on. This is complete retaliation taken out on the employees. Cross your fingers for Customer Satisfaction. Or do the execs driving the business not care about Customer Satisfaction either? -Naive-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 68000; Band Level = 7; Job Title = IT Specialist; Years Service = 6; Hours/Week = 46; Div Name = 07; Location = boulder; Message = When IBM re-banded several employees 4 years ago from exempt to hourly, they did not cut their base pay. This appears to open IBM up on several fronts: 1) possible discrimination, 2) they established historical and legal precedence, and violated such precedence, 3) malicious retribution aimed specifically at the recipients of the $65 mil lawsuit settlement. All of our benefits are based upon base salary. One of the biggest hits we now face is insurance. With our plan, you can buy protection for up to 5 years of base pay in the event of the employees death. If you make $80k now, you will be cut to $68k. This means if the employee should die, their spouse and kids will receive $60k less in benefits. If you have one of the higher insurance plans (PPO), you are still having your insurance premium deducted at your base salary rate of $80k. Adding more insult to injury, IBM has stated that this change is not significant enough to allow employees to go in and change their insurance benefit coverage options. We just came off of a banner year, in which the company made record revenue and profits, in spite of the $65 million settlement that IBM lost. In that settlement, I know a lot of people who didn't sign on out of loyalty to the company. Never give your loyalty to a company, a company will screw the employee every chance it gets. IBM is no exception. -MajorHavoc-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 15% Less; Band Level = 7; Job Title = ITSEC; Years Service = 7; Hours/Week = 50; Div Name = IGS; Location = CO; Message = I agree with the last post. I was rebanded years ago to be nonexempt - but they left our salaries alone and told us not to work OT. This is completely different. This affects things. Now when I go to apply for a loan (which I *was* actually planning to do later this year for a house) my income is 15% lower. It doesn't matter if I work the OT to make up the difference. It also affects other things like life insurance, future raises, etc. This is a pay cut plain and simple. Even without the other repercussions we all know what management is going to tell us about OT in the near future - NO! This is absolutely unacceptable. I didn't join the class-action, I've worked years (with the exception of those few when I was nonexempt) of OT and didn't make a peep. I work very hard and my management knows it. This is how I'm repaid? Can anyone speculate on the repercussions of signing these petitions and attempting a union? I read that when people tried to create a butcher's union at Wal-Mart, Wal-Mart immediately removed all butcher shops from their stores effectively laying off every one of the butchers. I'm all for banding together to get our point across, but I do have my doubts. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 62217 down from 73196; Band Level = 7; Job Title = IT Specialist; Years Service = 10; Hours/Week = 40-46; Div Name = IGS; Location = Phoenix; Message = This is clearly a gigantic finger from IBM to its technical employees. It is a message that they don't want us. They can replace us with cheaper alternatives overseas and are glad to continue driving their reputation and quality into the ground doing it. This is my repayment for not joining the lawsuit. This is my repayment for staying, supporting, and rebuilding from the first time I got rebanded from 7 to 4 (and took a paycut). Screw you, IBM. This is the last slap in the face and I'm on the first train out. -Couldn'tCareLess-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Location = Raleigh Message = Why should I have to work 5 more hours to make my normal salary? If they want overtime hours fine, classify anything over 45 hours as overtime, leave exempt employees alone up to 45 hours in a week. I was told this is not a paycut, but if I only work the required 40 hours a week it is a 15% reduction. Where I am from that is a cut. When I take vacation it is at a lower rate and heaven forbid if I am out sick. Last I checked 40 hours was a full time job, not 45 hours. Hearing my manager repeatedly say "It is not a paycut" felt like I was being spit on. After 3 years of hearing I was at the upper portion of my band and couldn't get a pay increase despite awesome reviews, no way to move up in band without being hired in a new department (they are full). No increases only a decrease, good-bye IBM. -Pushed Too Far-
  • Comment 1/24/08: I've been with IBM for just two months and they've already cut my pay, so I'll probably be leaving. I just finished a pretty intensive job search, so I still have some contacts and probably won't have too much trouble finding another job. If you are a developer, tech support, whatever, shoot me an email at vcubikes@yahoo.com and I may be able to help you get placed. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 75K; Band Level = 07Q; Job Title = IT Spec; Years Service = 12; Hours/Week = 45+; Div Name = 7G / ps code 594J; Location = at home; Message = This is truly unbelievable. I also opt out of the action for overtime from my 96 - 99 service for I believed in IBM. It was my dream in highschool to work for this prestigious organization and with a blessing from above I was able to acquire a job out of college. As we are faced with one of the worst economies US as seen in years, this symbolic American company has cut our base pay by 15% without question. This accounts for my last six years of increases and hard work. Last I checked, gas and even milk is nowhere near what it was 6 years ago. Even the option to simply offer to opt out of recording our overtime and keeping our base pay scheme was never an option.... why? A company I have truly dedicated my heart and soul to has changed face into what I feared most. As I sit here in my home which I was force to work out of last year and now may lose, the statement of opportunities in others misfortune rings clear. This is in many forms cost saving for IBM and you can bet this will cascade across ALL IT companies to follow....Ready to stand. -Keystone_IBMer-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 56000 before; Band Level = 6; Job Title = IT Specialist; Years Service = 2; Hours/Week = 42; Div Name = ?; Location = Arizona; Message = First I get hit with IBM taking away my yearly bonus, I take it and stay, I can deal with the loss of 2k (that i just counted as extra towards retirement anyway) Now I'm hit with this crap, I dont work enough hours a week to make up for the loss (because I'm told I cant I didn't care anyway i knew i was EXEMPT when hired). Loyalty is out the window Im gone and im willing to bet so are all the people i work with, sorry company i Actually work for everyone who knows anything about your environment is gone, have fun training people with no one to train them. -Anonymous-
  • Comment 1/24/08: fyi - To all of those who did not take the money from the settlement - now you have a 15% and no settlement money. the fact of the matter is the $65M money was already set aside by IBM before you had the opportunity to sign the notice to participate. so the money was divided up to those who signed on before the deadline. IBM wanted you to sign that letter! I was expecting to get pizza money. IBM was going to retaliate all along. The recent pay reclassifaction action should not be a surprise to anyone who works for this sleazy outfit. -Sam_should_be_slammed-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = about before cut 85k; Band Level = 8; Job Title = I/T speicalist; Years Service = 12; Hours/Week = 45-47; Message = When tickle down economics first was preached I thought it sounded good - now I see the real effect - screw those on the bottom. It is time that corporate big wigs (high salaries) - start to give back - they think they can just take take take - but maybe not - Maybe we should have laws (taxes) that encourage top management to share the wealth - not HOG it. Do Top managers really Need 6+ million or in other terms 100 TIMES what the lowest make? sounds like robbery to me - I am thinking - where do I sign up for a Union to protect me.... 20 years ago I never would have thought I would support unions - now - I see why they are required in the good old USA...... - former conservative-

    Alliance reply: As was mentioned earlier, we have members that are staunch conservatives. They don't believe that corporations should be taking taxpayer dollars as incentive to continue doing business in this country.... and then leave anyway and not pay it back. Our conservative members are STRONG union supporters. They'll be glad to know another conservative IBM'er is signing up. Thank you for joining: We have 3 categories: Subscriber(Free); Associate Member($5/month); Voting member ($10/month).

  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 54K pre-cut; Band Level = 6; Job Title = Systems Integration Specialist; Years Service = 7; Hours/Week = 45; Div Name = 7; Location = CT; Message = I found this in an article from InformationWeek by Paul McDougall (Jan 23, 2008): "Indeed, IBM's internal documents show that one third of the employees who will see their pay cut aren't currently working overtime. "Managers will be asked to distribute overtime equitably across their teams to the extent possible and practical," the documents state." "

    Nice, great company. I don't understand that people that post about how it is the plainttiff's fault, especially seeing all these people who didn't join the suit but are getting screwed any way. IBM screwed up and now they don't like it. I've been wanting to leave IBM for months now because, partly due to LEAN, partly due to the fact that I've had 3 managers in the space of a year and every time I get a new one my plan to reach band 7 gets derailed because this new manager needs to see how well I work. I've been in the process for 5 years now! I honestly hope that those who can will leave IBM and those who can't that this thing gets reversed for them, because I don't find it fair. I think those people that blame the case are either managers or aren't affected by this decision. Run away people, this company owes you nothing! -Anonymous-

  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 87000; Band Level = 8; Job Title = IT Specialist; Years Service = 5; Hours/Week = 40; Div Name = 16; Location = US; Message = Irony is IBM paid only 65 million on find..but its taking away 20 times that money from employees. Its not faid. The Government should look into this matter and hold IBM responsible for employees welfare. They are hiring cheap labours from oversease and filling US positions. Its rude and affecting the competitive advantages of USA. -Uddin-
  • Comment 1/24/08: Salary = 57000 - Post salary cut; Band Level = 07; Job Title = IT specialist; Years Service = 4; Hours/Week = 45-55; Div Name = IGS; Location = Indianapolis; Message = I am affected by the salary cut as well. I do not expect too much OT pay although I have historically worked 5-15 hours extra every week. I work on an account that has been offshored, I'm sure any OT work needed to support that account will go directly to the team in Argentina. As for my work on other accounts, it is compliancy work. I wonder if all the OT I spend in audits is going to be considered "in support of the business". The only way this could not be called a salary cut would be to cut salaries across the board. Hell yes it's a salary cut. It's all part of their effort to get all US tech support to leave the company voluntarily so they won't have to pay us severance after the next RA. -ATEDAT-
• PBC Comments
  • Comment 1/12/08: Prior Yr PBC = 2+; This Yr PBC = 3; This Yr Bonus = 0; Prior Yr Bonus = 0; Message = 2% salary increase last yr. Dead Man walking in 2008.. -Dead Man walking-
  • Comment 1/13/08: Dead Man walking: What a despicable appraisal you got from your manager! If I was you I would make sure I have all my documentation in order and fire an Open Door against your manager and second line regarding your recent PBC. What do you have to lose now? You were a 2+ in 2006 and dropped to a 3? Did your manager give you any warning or a midterm grade and hints on what improvement is necessary? At the very least your manager failed miserably in people management here and should be taken to task because of it. Your manager should be the "3" or "4". I guess it just goes to prove to all you PBC "2+" performers this year out there you are not safe either! I wouldn't doubt PBC "1" are that much safe either. -opendoorthis-
  • Comment 1/14/08: Prior Yr PBC = N/A; This Yr PBC = 2; Message = What is the average PBC ranking a new hire can expect to receive? I've been with the company for less than a year, was told that I should be happy that I got a 2 instead of a 3. -Anon- Alliance reply: What you were told is probably accurate. Read all of the comments on this page and the archives. You will soon understand that you have no bargaining power and should not expect a fair PBC or evaluation. The thing to do is to organize and fight for a union contract; that could be constructed with a better performance evaluation system. One that is agreed to by all the union members.
  • Comment 1/18/08: This is how I am going to comment on my PBC when I get it for my review and "signature" if I receive at least a PBC "2" appraisal and when I find out I am affected by the exempt to non-exempt reclassify action: "I do not agree that IBM through it's PBC or appraisal process differentiates pay correctly or fairly as they state in IBM Human Resources documentation based on job classification. If IBM differentiate fairly then why I am moving closer to my band's minpoint (lowest pay for band) due to a -15% yearly pay adjustment by acknowledging this appraisal". I advise all IBMers regardless or whether they are in the Alliance to strongly consider adding this reply to their upcoming appraisal before 1/31/2007. -anonymous-
• International Comments

Vault Message Board Posts:

Vault's IBM Business Consulting Services message board is a popular hangout for IBM BCS employees, including many employees acquired from PwC.

• "Borrowing staff from SO (Strategic Outsourcing)", by "phooey69". Full excerpt: As I've mentioned before at various times, I work in the SO branch of IGS (Longseth organization). In general, people in SO work on outsourcing and e-business hosting deals...planning, implementation, etc. However, we're now seeing requests from ITS for basic assistance...short-term AIX system administration engagements at customer sites, for example. Now, staff sharing between SO and other groups is nothing new...the management has always wanted to share skills and experience, and rightly so. But seeing these sorts of requests is something new. It not only implies that SO is short on work (so it has staff to spare), but it also implies that ITS is short on really basic skills.
• "You're partly right - but it depends on the engagement" by "ExpBlueLead". Full excerpt: In the past year, I've borrowed from both SO and STG. The engagements were commitments critical to IBM's continued compliance with US law. The project end date was set in stone, because of the date the law will go into effect.

  On these engagements, all experienced resources within reach were already committed to the project. Global resources would have taken time to board and train. I couldn't afford to bring on a band 6 or 7, and have them poke through the manuals to figure out the work, and then distract the rest of the team. I needed someone I could ask to board a plane, and would be on-site and productive within 24 hours.

  For my area, these engagements are atypical; I normally get resources normal channels, and take the time to train them and integrate them into the teams. Perhaps you're seeing a macro effect?

• "So let me understand this" by "Frank Cary". Full excerpt: you're saying that because the end date was fixed and the consequences of not being up and running were horrid, you were allowed to hire only bona fide talent on these shores? Did you have to pad the payroll with enough phony GR people to meet your Sr Management's GR quota anyway?

  And could I generalize to assume an ordinary customer whose needs are not so critical (to us) is likely to see postponed dates and higher quality costs due to our inability to hire the right (on-shore) resources but instead green-bean GR folks who have to be trained on the job before they can be productive and do quality work? This is so in order to fit our business model which is do the work on the cheap (even if over and over and delays galore) in order to maximize the A-D Managers' salaries and boni? Instead of doing the perform with all the experienced and qualified resources our Sales people told the Customer we would use?

• "Disconcerting News" by "ancientblueconsultant". Full excerpt: I have heard similar stories. The problem is compounded by the bad rep of treating older technical professional hires not in management positions poorly with no movement upward in the collapsing US organization. This means only inexperienced hires which dumbs down the skills mix base.

  I also heard there were around 300 requests from people in other parts of IBM to move into the networking services units to try to get into AT&T. AT&T gave a bonus (especially for skilled hires), better raise plan, bonuses even for commissioned personnel and a better sales plan. Medical was 15% cheaper. Is that why they've tried to improve the sales plan in GTS but missed the mark because the finance crew wouldn't let them?

• "IGS Job Code 06A and 24A Pay Cuts" by "ancientblueconsultant". Full excerpt: I've been reading on other sites that there is a program underway to convert Band 6-8 (and soon B9) IT Specialists and IT Architects throughout IGS to non-exempt hourly status as a results of IBM losing an overtime lawsuit. This "re-banding" effort will allegedly effectively reduce total pay by at least 15% and ripples into medical, retirement savings, vacation and other benefits. It is possible that the problems of skills availability described here may be related to this management directed HR program.

  I was advised that a recent ITS/GTS sales plan announcement openly stated that sales commission and total pay had been marginally increased because IGS/GTS needed to be "more aligned to market forces", which verbage that really means it is not competitive. It is more than likely that as they made the sales plans similar across other divisions and position codes that IGS (GBS-GTS-SO) found its compensation inferior not only to the market, but to other parts of IBM. This would explain the flight of many good skilled human assets from GBS and GTS into STG, S&D and SWG in the last few years.

  Looks like SWG and STG is the place to be in IBM, not GBS or GTS. Follow the money and profit if you want to make something out of your meager career in the blue pig!

• "It's true" by "phooey69". Full excerpt: This little program has definitely affected SO...bands 6-8, job families 06A (IT Specialist) and 24A (Technical Services). I haven't heard of IT Architects being affected (job family 06D)...knock on wood. It's pretty nasty...formerly exempt employees became non-exempt (hourly), and their base pay was reduced 15%. The party line is that employees can "make up the loss in overtime"...but I've never known IBM to pay overtime to hourly employees.

  I suspect that in the end, work will be shifted around...the hourly employees will be limited to 40 hours a week, and any work that they cannot handle will be assigned to other hourly employees, or perhaps to exempt employees.

• "Some More Data" by "ancientblueconsultant". Full excerpt: After I read your reply and found an article on this topic in several newspapers today. I approached some of my old colleagues about this situation and found out some more about it.

  It seems that the "Human Resource Global Supply Chain" crowd have been advocating the move from fixed cost resources (exempt) to "on demand" (hourly) costs in the human resource supply chain. Ideally, what they'd like to do is have a resource without pay on standby then pay them a cost rate (a la guppie) they throw the brand "surcharge" and the absurd admin costs then push that out as a rate for the client. This is the first step, prodded by the lawsuit, to get this project rolling. Since they want to move to selling only asset based services, they surmise clients will focus on the asset, not who delivers the asset since they are just low level mechanics. Individualism and differentiation be damned.

  This is only the first step. Next come the IT architects. The real interesting one is when they pay hourly to the sales and principal types, based on the statistically analyzed sales call and closure hours from Siebel. They'll still pay commissions, but this is going to be a production line company for services in the future. The custom work is being given to business partners. That says if you're into unique and creative work, a Business Partner is where to be in the future.

  Interesting that many with college degrees, wanting to be white collar exempt professional workers may just wind up being hourly blue collar types even with an MBA degree.

• "The conceit of HR Global Supply Chain" by "phooey69". Full excerpt: I've seen such charts shown before. The basic idea is that they want to get away from customer dependence on "heroes" (their word for first-rate individual employees), and focus instead on "IBM" as the service provider. Among other things, this is one reason why there is a focus on intellectual property, reuse, etc...in this company, they REALLY DO think of people as just "cogs in the machine".

  Personally, I think it is a conceit of the highest order, and doomed to failure. If I were to name IBM's biggest mistake over the past few years (maybe even decades), it would be the emphasis of the organization and internal efficiency, rather than the individual and collective talents of its employees. The fact is that the IT business is driven by PEOPLE...individual, freethinking human beings. IBM executive management in most ranks have either ignored this fact, or failed to recognize it in the first place.

  Rest assured, however, that customer haven't forgotten it. IBM can treat employees like factory workers, serial numbers, and machine parts if it likes, but creative workers and customers will simply go elsewhere.

• "IBM hasn't been creative for years" by "bluedngone". Full excerpt: IBM doesn't want the creative employee. I came to IBM from a creative company and I was suprised that it existed the way it did. IBM trashes the creative thinker and stuffs them as a proverbial square peg into a round hole. My experience was in software developement and what I saw were good people getting worked to death. They didn't want those who thought outside the box. Projects were stopped because people didn't want to take risks or invest in tools.

  They purchased Lotus and Rational because they couldn't afford to compete. When they burned the people out, they were left with products that have maybe a 5 year return and then they buy someone else. Where the hell is Lotus 123? At one time 123 was 80% of the market.

  Whoever thought this was going to be a great idea has done IBM a terrible service. IBM built human robots who serviced the financial and insurance robots. Unfortunately, now with a pay cut, the quality of service will be so bad, these companies will finally break from big blew and start to look at what the rest of the industry has to offer. Their products are just too dated.

• "HR is probably losing a bit of sleep" by "kindaoldibmer". Full excerpt: At least one can hope :-) Imagine the size of overtime salary liability tail they are looking at. I personally know some band 9s that have been putting in 20+% overtime on a consistent basis for more than the last 5 years. In an amazing coincidence, I noticed that my Job Family classification changed on 01/01/2008.
• "We have some customers in OZ who HATE that model" by "civilliberty". Full excerpt: They are now hiring their own technical resources due to the incomptence of the off-shore ones. One client insisted that NO ERP work be done on their system by off-shore resources - wonder if IBM listened to that?.
• "Increasing Staff - Ha Ha" by "bluedngone". Full excerpt: IBM is laying permanent personel off and bringing them back as contractors. Since I've been independent of IBM, I am getting deludged with calls to work for IBM as a contract employee. I still talk to people in my old job. What has happened is all the people RA'd were either brought back as contractors or replaced by contractors. There are now more contractors on the team than permanent.
• "Is this typical?" by "kellerdog". Full excerpt: Does IBM put a lot of their IBM India resources in the US? Just curious...I got an offer from GBS but when I interviewed with IBM few weeks back, all of the 3 people who interviewed me are all Indians - and I think the other two that didn't interview me are also Indians. Is that the typical resources mix nowadays in IBM? Is it because IBM put a lot of their IBM India resources in the US? I interviewed with the other major IT consulting companies, but that was a unique experience for me, and no, I didn't interview for a job in India but in the US.