Thread regarding Occidental Petroleum Corp. layoffs

I agree with @omvz. I want no part of Oxy as well. I chose to join Anadarko because I was excited about the work, the ability to innovate, the people I was working with, and the tools and technologies I was using. Oxy has taken away our tools, techniques, and approaches, has broken up our teams, and has told us that we have to follow workflows which were taught in school 15 years ago and were outdated then, and we have no say in the matter.

Put another way, Anadarko was a new, custom designed Tesla, which I was excited to drive every day. Oxy came and took that Tesla away, and replaced it with a 2000 Ford Taurus, and I don't even get to choose the color. And given all the debt issues over the next few years, I'll be lucky to fill it up with gas, let alone purchase luxuries like air fresheners and a seat cover. There may be some Oxy employees that are happy with their Tauruses. It gets them from point A to point B, the benefits and insurance may be decent, but it's depressing for me to even think about that being my future. Plus, we're just one disaster away from that Taurus being stripped down for parts. I want to be excited about what I drive every day, and this Taurus is not it. I also want something of value for my Tesla, in the awesome trade-in of the COC. If I don't get anything in value now, then later on when I try to trade it in, nobody is going to value that old Taurus and I'll be stuck. Oxy had every right to come in and purchase and take away my Tesla, but I also have every right to do what's best for me and my family, and that's exactly what I will do.

@nycc: I’m glad that you liked Oxy for 30 years. Good for you. But when’s the last time that you were forced into doing a job that you didn’t want any part of? I was originally open to staying with Oxy, but the last two months of interactions changed that. I want a career, not just a job. It’s called job satisfaction. It has been made clear that the career I had at APC will not be at Oxy, but I can go after it elsewhere. For me, that is why I want out, in addition to not respecting my new management at Oxy. Life’s too short to do otherwise. Oxy purchased APC for our west Texas acreage, and not for the people, as has been clearly demonstrated to most of us at APC. So those are some of the reasons we all want to jump ship.

Get so tired of id–ts coming on here and defending the disgrace that Oxy is. With the track record of abominations starting with Piper Alpha all the way up through disaster after disaster including Petrolias, North Dakota billion dollar losses and Tatweer Petroleum humiliation to name a drop in he bucket - they still come on here and defend one of the worst companies in Oil and Gas based on facts, turnover and reputation. I can only imagine the week in and week out track record of work place bullying and persecution is what these people describe as a 'great company' because they are so ashamed of what they are and who they have degenerated to work for.

I don’t get how people can come on here and basically say they will not work if offered a job. I understand it might be a tough transition, but if you keep a job, insurance, salary, and many other benefits why is that so bad. Jobs like most of us do in the oil business are a blessing to have, and I am sure there are not many other industries that have the pay and benefits our jobs do. To just say you will not work because you did not get what you wanted makes you look childish and is an insult to those of us that work at Oxy. Oxy has been a great place to work and the benefits are great as well. There will always be people that are not happy with their situation, but after being in the business for 30 plus years I can tell you Oxy is a great company to work at. I do hope it works out for all that want to leave, but if you stay I would hope pride would guide your work ethic.

@lrks: Good for you with the pending VSP, whenever it is. The wait may be frustrating, but at least there’s a nice light at the end of the tunnel for you. I admit, I’m jealous of everyone who qualifies for the VSP. I want out of here so bad. I’ve told Oxy management that several times, but they don’t care. Some people are being given positions in Greenway, which gives them an easy out with the COC. Even though I’m not in GOM and I’m not critical, I’ve been told by Oxy that since they want me, I will be given a position in The Woodlands which doesn’t qualify for good reason. I guess they want a slave that doesn’t want to be here, but has no out with COC. So I will be doing the bare minimum to avoid getting fired until I leave without the COC. They made a financial transaction buying the company, and I will try for the best financial transaction for myself. That may be leaving after bonus time, after stock vests, after August 2020 when they’ll probably make me move to Greenway, or at some other point down the road once I find a good position somewhere else. In the end Oxy may end up paying me just as much or more than the COC. All to keep a disgruntled employee who won’t provide them any real value. Why?

The comedy of errors continues. We qualify for VSP, raised our hands weeks ago, but no separation dates yet. It sounds like it may be end of the year, or even 2020 sometime. I know oxy doesn’t want me, they know they don’t want me, nobody is pretending otherwise....and still I am being paid. They have cut all our work to the point that I have nothing to do now or in any foreseeable future....and still I am being paid. Next week I will start on novel number 8 since they bought us....and still I am being paid. I am not alone in this situation, as we head out to enjoy 2+ hour lunches every day....and still we are being paid. I will happily take the paycheck as long as it keeps coming, but it boggles my mind how much money they are wasting every day, week, and month in which they keep so many people who will not be here in 1-2 years time. And so it continues....and still we are being paid.

https://www3.forbes.com/leadership/ten-signs-your-company-couldnt-care-less-about-you/11/

The pitch is to give Oxy the option to pick and chose who stays. CoC will be confiscated. Your salary is been funded with the CoC for the next two years. Anadarko employees have been handed a salary cut.

The market is good so take the money and move on. Most other non oil and gas organizations do not offer any kind of severance. Do the math peeps.

Part of the hard pitch is probably for show. Based upon the CAO town hall, the leadership favors are being handed out just like access to the old APC Astros suite, ie the inner circle. Please release us from this pain called accounting.

They want to pick and choose which APC employees remain, and which they show the door. It’s classic m&a, the best employees want to leave because they have plenty of good options and will take the money as gravy. The worst employees have less options so they will try to stay. Oxy wants it the other way around, but that will not happen. Oxy had a chance to entice the best APC employees to want to stay, but like everything else, they’ve just plain blown it.

I don't even know what to say to that question without having my post deleted. Use your imagination.