From: killeen@spcvxb.spc.edu (Jeff Killeen)
Newsgroups: comp.org.decus
Subject: Re: Staff layoffs - Huh?
Date: 21 Dec 92 04:12:01 GMT
Distribution: world,local
Organization: SPC Community Access System

In article <20DEC199213375260@bpavms.bpa.arizona.edu>, kaplan@bpavms.bpa.arizona.edu (Steve... friends don't let friends do DOS.) writes:
> As many of you know, DECUS is going through the same economic trauma that
> DEC (and the rest of us? - yes) are.  So, it came of no surprise to me to
> hear that 6 of the DECUS staff were to loose their jobs when they returned
> to Shrewsbury on the Monday after the recent fall 1992 Las Vegas Symposium.

          <<< TOPAZ::$255$DUA108:[NOTES$LIBRARY]BOARD_PUBLIC.NOTE;1 >>>
                  -< Welcome to the Board_Public conference >-
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Note 56.1     DECUS BoD Response & Discussion on Staff Separations        1 of 3
EISNER::KILLEEN "Jeff Killeen NLC Chair"             48 lines  18-DEC-1992 19:15
                           -< Thoughts from Marg... >-
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From:   ("CCMKNOX@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu"@PMDF@EISNER)                     
Date:   18-DEC-1992 16:47:49.37
To:     killeen@decus.org
Subj:   RE: Notefile BOARD_PUBLIC Note 56.0

Jeff

Would you post up that message I sent you...

From:   ("CCMKNOX@utxvms.cc.utexas.edu"@PMDF@EISNER)                     
Date:   17-DEC-1992 22:31:15.69
To:     KILLEEN@EISNER.DECUS.ORG
Subj:   Re: Notefile BOARD_PUBLIC Note 56.0

Digital is clearly undergoing a restructuring that includes both
re-engineering and downsizing. As we saw at symposium, some of the engineers
and industry support people from Digital were putting their home phone numbers
on their business cards when asked a customer question because they too are
affected by the layoffs. 

In a general way I suspect we all understand the need for what Digital is
doing -- after all it is trying to make itself competitive and productive for
the future. Or as Palmer has been quoted as saying, he is trying to save
85,000 jobs and that is the focus( versus a focus of downsizing). But on an
individual plane, be it people or product, it is painful, very very painful to
watch. And when individuals whom we have worked with or relied upon are
affected, it is even more painful. 

A month ago, Ted Grenham (DECUS exec director) let myself and then the Board
and Management Council know that our staff would be affected in this round.
All of the staff managers met and after what must have been a wrenching couple
days, unanimously agreed on the course of re-engineering the staff and which
positions would have to go to meet the head count. As I am sure most of us are
aware, no corporation is at liberty to discuss personnel actions about any
individual -- it is just not legal. So the how and why particular people were
selected or not selected remains in the personnel department files and are not
ours to discuss or gossip about. 

We have been assured by Ted that ALL DECUS businesses will continue to be
fully supported. Re-engineering and consolidation for more effectiveness is
what they are doing. 

So, I can only repeat that I personally hate to see the personal pain, but
frankly, I do not know what else Digital can do -- it MUST get competitive,
fighting trim, and productive as well as learn how to deliver messages to its
potential customer base (i.e. marketing), all in addition to having product. 

Marg (Knox)
-- 
Jeff Killeen - DECUS U.S. Chapter NLC Chair | Email:killeen@eisner.decus.org

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