Several days ago, diarist TechBob posted a diary about how Hewlett Packard was implementing a scaled model for pay reductions more favorable to lower salaried employees as a method for trying to avoid laying off 20,000 workers. I was impressed in this one shining beam of gratitude for the common worker at the expense of the bosses. But of more importance, I was comforted because my mom works for Agilent Technologies, a former HP division spun off in 1999, several years after my mom started working at HP.
Well the bad news came yesterday, and I heard about it a few hours ago. Nice way to be greeted when you arrive home from Rutgers University for a weekend, the first time at home since winter break finished. Times are tough for everyone, but after this glimmer of hope I read on Thursday, I thought it would be fine. But as things get worse and worse, more and more will be affected.
Now before anyone even goes "there" by suggesting that since my mom worked at Agilent Technologies and technically not HP, and thus the cost-reduction structure doesn't translate, know that I realize that. But when she started, she was an employee of HP. Also understand that the amount my mom's salary was reduced was exactly as much as the corporate memo stated - 5%. That is, before she heard the bad news on Friday.
But it gets worse. You can't even blame the evil boss, because he's also being laid off; they're downsizing to only one group of the tasks that my mom's boss and she worked on. He's been there for 30 years, however, so he should be fine with a retirement package. Our family? Not so much.
I take comfort in knowing that it could be A LOT worse. My mom has her position until June 30th, which gives some time to start looking for something else. We have some savings from my grandfather's (my mom's dad) inheritance that can last a while, but my mom had planned on using that for retirement because without it she would never be able to retire. So we are still fortunate and I was raised up to realize that there is always someone who is worse off than you, so be thankful for what you have. But it still sucks. How many diaries like this have we seen in the past few weeks? Far too many. And there will be even more in the near and far future.
If anyone has the link to the Daily Kos job postings site, it would be immensely appreciated. I know I've seen it around but I forget the link.
I'll leave you with this positing from TechBob:
Is it time for progressives to show HP some love? I know I'll buy from Costco over Sam's when I shop because I know how they treat their employees and vendors. Is this a significant development or just window dressing PR?
We should look into that last sentence and find the true answer.