IBM fired up to 100,000 older employees to attract millennial workers, says lawsuit

BigThink ^ | Aug 2 2019 | Stephen Johnson

[rintintin]

IBM has been accused of firing thousands of older employees over the past few years as part of a rebranding strategy to appeal to millennial workers.

Some former employees have filed lawsuits against IBM. In one civil case, former VP of Human Resources Alan Wild said IBM had "laid off 50,000 to 100,000 employees in just the last several years" in order to make itself seem like "[a] cool, trendy organization," like Google or Amazon, and not like "an old fuddy duddy organization." These statements were obtained court document filed Tuesday in Texas

[Manuel OKelley]

Im older and recently changed jobs and honestly i have to say the foreign/H1B type workers mostly work a hell of a lot harder and are far friendlier, concerned with the quality of thier work, and honest than the native born Americans I most recently worked with

[gcparent]

Verizon did it.

[444Flyer]

I know!:) All I can do is laugh anymore!

[SaveFerris]

I’ve worked with both. I can tell you the H1-B’s take care of each other more than Americans do. Much more.

I’ve worked with goods ones, on both sides.

[printhead]

I spent thirty years there. Fortunately most of them were while Bill and Dave were still around. My favorite Carly line...”Some of us won’t be here to continue the journey...” F’n b**ch.

[SaveFerris]

[My favorite Carly line...”Some of us won’t be here to continue the journey...”]

Did she blow a kiss, too? That’s all I’m going to type lest I type __________________________________________ and ______________________.

[EEGator]

I’m a White Male in electrical engineering work.
I’m considering opening a business as a contractor, but I’ll have the owner be my minority SIL.
I recently was pulled into an upper level business meeting at my work. Were weren’t winning contracts because we weren’t subbing enough work out to minority owned businesses.

[ml/nj]

I doubt my 20 something protege would happier if I weren't around. (I'm 72.)

ML/NJ

[Myrddin]

We tried hiring like that for my current project. Most of those hired have been let go. Poor work ethic and product. My 63 year old hide still puts in 55 to 70 hours a week for a 40 hour paycheck and my productivity is 10x over the cheap hires.

I'm not real surprised to hear this news about IBM. It's not a place I would want to work.

[Myrddin]

I just turned 63 on Monday. I'm in the middle of another death march to rescue a project. That has been my "MO" for nearly 40 years. Software SWAT team. In two years, the enormously expensive company healthcare insurance ($13k annual premiums, $6.9k deductibles) will be withdrawn. I'll be forced onto Medicare. My wife just turned into a Type 1 diabetic this year and added a DKA with a severe seizure at 2:40 AM Monday morning. The diabetic support/supplies is very expensive. Expenses we didn't have prior to December 2018. When I lose my insurance to Medicare, it probably takes away coverage for her too.

[bobcat62]

They’re called Indian Business Machines for a reason. ;-)

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the mention BobL.

[Cobra64]

I was a JDEdwards software consultant working on an IBM PC DRM project in Research Triangle Park, NC... big campus. Aside from the IBMers working with us on the project, the rest were middle aged empty suits. Hundreds of offices filled with personnel doing nothing but drinking coffee and reading newspapers.

[Chickensoup]

IBM fired tons of experienced employees during all the periodic bloodlettings that I recall.

Our family had a consulting business and were VARs for a time. VAR reltionship was pushed as a way to offload employees.

The IBMers had a hard time taking direction from the non IBMers IIRC

In the eighties we had a hard time getting house and other property loans because of consultant status. Banks wanted that big name company as employer.

In the early 90s there was another purge as the economy tanked and all the banks were thrilled to get consultants to loan money to for as one explained, you folks have many income streams, and we did.

[Chickensoup]

I remember when the first IBM Portable came out.

A PC on wheels with a lil screen and it rolled like a suitcase

[DazedVet]

Trump administration has made an executive decision to allow professional organizations to give health insurance to members. These will be new group plans. I don’t know all the details but it is a great new opportunity.

[tbw2]

Raytheon did that under Obama. Said that if you want a raise beyond rate of inflation, become a diversity champion and agree to diversity goals on your performance review. Attend diversity lectures where you’re told, literally, all men are sexist, all whites are racist and so forth.
They saw much higher attrition among older white guys than the normal rate of retirement would cause.
HR celebrated it. They said it opened up opportunities for diverse promotions and hiring, and it would change the culture of the organization for the better.
Liberal bigots.

[Lisbon1940]

A job at IBM used to be for life.

[minnesota_bound]

#8 Yes. More older people would stay employed.

[minnesota_bound]

#42 I heard my manager on a call to his boss saying my name and that I had lot of vacation.... Forward a year or so and the manager boss leaves or is pushed out by the newer bigger boss. Manager worried they may be next. I get paid less then either so may last longer.