[SunRescue] Rant on industry employment practices, was RE: 16 MB memory module for Voyager

[Mike Turner]

	I suspect that we are just seeing the start of this crash in the
tech sector. The problem is not the employees or the projects or the ideas
but the guys running the companies. Their seems to have been two different
types starting business in the computer field lately. These are the computer
guys with an idea and the guys out to make a quick buck on the latest thing.
Neither one of these are known for the ability to build long term stable
company growth. 
	While things were expanding these kinds of companies can stay
afloat, heck a brick can stay afloat on a sufficently sgtrong jet of water.
Unfortunatly we water has been turned down and we are seeing these companies
fall like dominios. The most telling part of this are the ads running on
television about the "new new economy where profits matter".
	 Add to this the plethora of ECPI and MCSE screw heads that are in
the market sucking up resources for employment because they heard that "it's
were the money is at these days" and you get a recipe for a massive
employment backlash. So grab a safe spot to hide for the next year.
Entrench, get your certs and schooling done, cause the next year is going to
be a bumpy one. Or at least that is my prediction. I spent a lot of time
thinking about all this when I got layed off from the ISP I was working for
in the summer ( they decided to follow the latest trend and become an ASP.
Now I hear the ASP market is collapsing...)

	Michael A. Turner

P.S. As a side to help Mike Nicewonger out. I have purchased items from him
in the past and he is fairly priced, easy to work with , and packages his
items well. Give him some of your business.
	

-----Original Message-----
From: Peter L. Wargo [mailto:pwargo at basenji.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 07, 2001 4:11 PM
To: rescue at sunhelp.org
Subject: Re: [SunRescue] Rant on industry employment practices, was RE:
16 MB memory module for Voyager


on 1/7/01 3:37, ed at the7thbeer.com at ed at the7thbeer.com wrote:

> Hate to say it, but (at least in this state, in Silicon valley), there
> fabled "employee-employer relationship" doesn't exist.  It's something
> more of a "ho-pimp relationship".  Each side tries to take what they need
> or what they want at the best possible selling price.  Scruples?  What are
> those...

Agreed.  Of the 5 places I've worked since college, only 2 of them have been
loyal to their employees.  The one I work for now, and one back about 5
years ago.  That particular one not only sent me a bonus *after* I left to
work for a customer, they also offered to hire me back and let me stay in
New Mexico (the whole reason we left was to move there) after the SOBs I
worked for laid me and my staff and a bunch of other people off after I'd
been there 3 months.

When I worked for Enable Software (a long time ago!), I watched all sorts of
layoffs, including the "let's not fire the managers, lets get rid of the
most senior employee in each department" trick.  Amazingly stupid people.

I left my most recent job after we moved into our new site.  I was so
disgusted that while I was being forced to cut costs on the computer room
(which was the mainstay of the business), they went out and spent a fuckload
of $$ on a new board room, including $19,000 for a table.  Now I hear they
are cutting service contracts again on the E10000.  How about a new CEO?
(We had 6 in 4 years.)

Thankfully, current employer has a reputation for not being too stupid, and
the work environment is great.  So what if I have to live in San Diego?
(Like it's really hard to be able to ride my motorcycle to work every
day...)

-Pete

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