IT, Finance and Commercial are expected to layoff ~300 people in 2 waves starting with IT in early Q3 2025. A majority of operational support for IT will be moved to outsourced providers. Major IT restructuring will be done using the “spans and layers” concept suggested by BCG to reduce management layers.
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I don’t understand how so many people are surprised by their methods. Threatening by caring isn’t new! It’s exactly how they have always operated. HR has some major skeletons in the closet. Imagine if someone did look at the ageism they practiced, imagine if someone looked into how the compliance lead be th always used a 3rd party to follow up on investigations they wanted leaned a certain way. I wonder how many of the third party lawyers would lie if pulled on the stand? They would either tell a story of how they were hired to prove the point miss compliance made or they would have to say they didn’t send her the findings she reported. If everyone will file complaints with the eeoc, or send this thread to lawyers. They are likely to see some huge issues.
To the employee sick over losing such a great job and friends. You should clearly see it for what it is. Cp chem is so toxic and such a terrible place to be your friends keep their heads down, and one day you’ll go to a new company and you’ll likely say. I forgot it was supposed to be like this.
These guys ran this company into the ground with poor decisions. They are trying to cover their mistakes. They are tossing as many bodies overboard as they can to stop the sinking ship.
I smell lawsuits incoming!
No one is more dangerous to liars than the people willing to tell the truth.
@afk I received my severance today
@ade No, I think it was a simple mistake about who the CEO is, and many posts get things wrong. However, the content of what was said in that post was correct, and you know it. Typing things in these posts come with a lot of risk for both severed and unsevered. It doesn't surprise me that many people don't know who the CEO is vs VP of manufacturing. It's not like they are part of our every day existence, or even care to know who we are either. My 2c.
@afk My info is severance goes out with payroll the next pay cycle, which I read to be mid-month September.
was it communicated when will severance payments be made?
That comment felt like a lot more than EIP, for which we can already see metrics. I bet there is no raise, like Lyondell has already said to their people for 2026.
@acc Are we talking about the townhall? Because unless you attended a different one from what I did virtually, Can Field didn't speak at all. Makes me curious if you even know what you are talking about. Or perhaps, you're a disgruntled former employee from days' past, and are just making cr-p up. Throwing darts to see if any stick...
@OP they have finally succeeded in their goal to zero!
@OP It's been almost a month from the day I was laid off. Losing a job is right up there was death of a spouse in terms of stress. Looks like several of us have been cycling through the stages of grief: denial, bargaining, anger, depression and acceptance. I was proud of my job at CPChem and my bosses told me I was doing a great job. After I got laid off, I even imagined phone conversations where my boss told me it was all a mistake -- they can't do without me. I know — so stupid. But I was engaged in CPChem with a capital E. I've moved past the first stages and cycled back and forth through anger and depression. Now I'm getting close to acceptance. Acceptance of the fact I will have to start over somewhere else. Acceptance of my shocking new financial status. Acceptance that I my identity is not my profession, but that I am capable of skills I hadn't bothered to develop. Acceptance that the work friends I loved working with have moved on from me. I'm metaphorically dead to them now. Acceptance that I am now an outsider. My opinion about anything to do with CPChem is profoundly irrelevant. CPChem would treat me as a very unwelcome guest if I tried to get past security to go to MY desk to work with MY team. The reward of acceptance is detachments. I'm not quite there yet, but I'm working on it. There is life after layoffs, and there is life after CPChem. Maybe our next chapter will be our best chapter. Hope so!
@a9n You say that like you think maybe that isn't going to happen. With a sarcastic tone, like people are just complaining to complain. Im guessing you didn't see the town hall I just watched. Everyone I know is dusting off the resume. People who, 2 years ago, would not have considered going anywhere else are applying everywhere else. CPChem is going to lose a ton of talent, of that I am sure, and it has nothing to do with "hating" this company. To deliver the message they just delivered, "consider yourself told," as if people have not already been working to reduce cost, worried, and stressed. What kind of a leader says that in this moment? I'd almost think the goal was to drive talent away. Maybe it was? Either way, people will leave, because we have zero transparency on the path ahead, and waiting for the other shoe to drop would just be foolish.
@OP In case you didnt notice in the meeting yesterday Can Field spoke for about 10 mins tops. CIO did all the heavy lifting for 45 mins. That tells you whose ring you need to kiss. If you are still employed your new job is to always agree. Never question. Be supportive or you will be eliminated. Welcome to the new company motto "Threatening you is caring about you". As for the BS about being creative and innovative dont fall for it. Those who did exactly that this year and saved the company millions are unemployed now. I wonder how the presidents tax penalties for outsourcing American jobs will impact their big savings? Honestly glad I am gone and moving on to the next chapter.
@a98 The last thing you should be thinking about is EIP. Just try to keep your job!
@a7r if you hate being in this company so much.. why don’t you just quit?? I’m sure you will find a much better company and culture elsewhere. Jeez….
At least the C I O confirmed what we already knew - EIP is gonna SU-K in March!!! Insult to injury.
Town hall was a joke. No meaningful information whatsoever. CIO is pathetic. More systems are needed. And who was the plant in the audience who asked about AI? Give me a break. Panel refused to answer any of the tough questions on the chat board. But have no fear the 15 octogans of whatever the CIO put up will solve our woes. Next year and 2027 will be worse though. So we have that going for us.
@a7r they don’t have a plan man. They just are winging it.
You lost a lot of good people from their way of thinking. Cannot field didn’t even have the ba--s to show up to the meeting. I can’t believe they wouldn’t even force him to show.
Those new units gone, orange gone, junk like Bor gone.
Wow, that town hall was some dark and depressing sh_t! I think everyone already knows how serious the situation is. We've all seen the jobs eliminated and we all know there is more to come. All they did today was make things worse and add more anxiety where plenty already exists. For what? A bunch of words, but nothing was really said. Nothing of value anyway. The company is in bad shape, we knew that already, how about some transparency on the plan? I'm assuming you have one? Even if it is the same lazy way you've been generating money, with layoffs. To sit there and act like they aren't sure what is coming is infuriating. They don't know who will be affected? Give me a break. When they have a townhall like that, all doom and gloom with little to no real information, they've managed to make a bad situation worse. His first concern was to the people that lost thier job? I don't belive that, because if that were true you'd be transparent and give the people still there some truth about what is coming. Instead, you will spring more layoffs on people, which tells me you have zero regard for your employees.
@a7m To care or not to care is by choice. Now you understand how they view you. You are a number. A means to achieve their goals until they see otherwise. Expendable.
IS the culture comment commendable or scripted?
@a73 just a perpetual rumor
@a72 what was the CIO's comment about CPChem losing its culture?
Is Cp Chem sale to Chevron coming true soon?
The C I O’s comment on the company losing it’s culture was appalling. Guess the LT isn’t concerned with culture anymore. Money over people… That’s business for you. So much for caring by choice.
@a70 if not they should be but why have our CIO? Of all people, no one will believe a word she says- in fact none of them are to be believed
@a3t Yes, there should be more layoffs in September and October. The one in October will happen if they have finalized the deal with the offshoring company they will use. I wonder if anyone will have the ba--s to ask LT during the town hall to explain themselves and be more transparent about the upcoming layoffs. "Caring by Choice" smdh
You’re all really a bunch of mo--ns that can’t even fu--ing read that the person got laid off too. My god. It’s no wonder you all were canned. And to the person who asked for everyone to stop arguing: who TF are you? You’re all bi--hing about sh-t. This is ridiculous.
@a0k Employment is at will and so is integrity. The cpchem tagline “caring by choice” is ringing a lot differently for so many these days. Employment is a choice. Integrity is a choice. And they said it all along, caring is a choice. They are now showing the true lack of care and integrity in choosing to end the employment of so many long term employees. Only to hold on to sh-t boxes like you. There are so many choices in life, but the comfort can be found in you reap what you sow.
@a3y Will definitely be bushwhacking. Not expecting straight talk. That would be too easy.
@a3v I wonder if they talk in clear terms and don’t beat around the bush.
Also to the people arguing in this channel. Go to FB and argue, this is to pass information on layoffs not bicker back and forth
Tomorrow’s town hall will be interesting.
@OP Does anyone know of there are layoffs happening in September? I keep hearing there are two more rounds, and I'm worried about some of my coworkers. They're worried, too.
@a3k Well said and strongly agree. If you start your own company, I hope you'll hire me.
I left CPChem in April. I just finally stopped having anxiety attacks a couple weeks ago - the artifacts of the stress that I endured working there. So many tears shed in silent car rides to and from the building. I was relieved, and also horrified, to sometimes stumble across other contractors crying in the freight elevator rooms. I was glad I wasn't alone, but disappointed that there were others going through this while working there. The culture was awful. I can't speak to how it was in these golden days everyone is remembering so fondly. When I worked there, I used to tell people that I worked in the "Karen" capital of the world. The entitlement. The lack of humility. The lack of self-awareness. I still see it in these comments and it's hilarious LOL. If your experience at CP Chem in 24/25 doesn't sound like this, you were most likely one of the contributors to the toxicity or turned a blind eye to it. It was too far gone to be fixed. Gut it and start over.
@a0e We're never going to convince Zero to rethink their stance on this. Every rebuttal is a regurgitation of their favorite logical fallacies. Zero's screeds pander to the LT. "Please spare me! I'm one of you! I think just like you do! See how eloquently I can defend our REAL shared values? But if you do terminate me, you won't break me like you have the others. I'm effing prepared."
OK. You do you, Zero, and best of luck. I hope the life lessons coming your way help shape a wiser version of you.
@a0p The point is you can create an obligation by representation. No different than the old adage “I’m a man of my word”. Making a statement such as that creates a personal obligation of integrity. If you betray that self-imposed obligation, then you are a fraud plain and simple. No different standard for the company, they represented themselves as having integrity and compassion and then completely betrayed that. Same standard for the company and people have a right to be mad without your useless lecture.
Some of you are just venting, and that is fine, but let’s be honest. Personal insults and name calling do not change the point I made. Employment is transactional. It always has been.
Preparation is not bragging. It is survival. If you treat a layoff like a house fire, of course it will feel like one. That is why I lived below my means, stayed debt free, and built my own cushion. Not because I am better than anyone, but because I understood no company would ever protect me forever.
And to the culture point: I was there when we called CPChem “NewCo” before the coin flip. I heard the family slogans, the speeches, and the crafted messaging. That was branding. It was never a contract. If you confuse a slogan with an obligation, you are setting yourself up for disappointment.
I am not here to sneer. I am not here to cheerlead. I am pointing out reality, because I lived it. If you do not like the reality, then prepare so you are not crushed by it next time.
@a0k Normally I would agree with several of your points, however; the company spouting their family bs, pushing their EAP benefits, and touting their culture essentially created their own obligation. They spent millions and years indoctrinating and crafting their propaganda to retain talent. NOW none of it matters and never did? Sorry, you don’t get to release yourself from the obligation you created with nothing more than a shoulder shrug and a “you should have known we were lying”.
@a0k You are really a Zero and maybe Safety but a complete HR Dog you are not wise you are a clown in an HR costume. Every word you write drips with smugness and fake superiority. You are not laid off. You are not one of us. You are a company pet barking on command.
Everyone knows what at will employment is. Nobody needs your kindergarten lecture. The issue is not the law. The issue is leadership. And your little sermon only proves you are desperate to protect the same people who wrecked this company.
You brag about being “prepared.” Spare us. You sound like a man proud he brought an umbrella to a house fire. People lost jobs and futures because of gross incompetence and you stand there congratulating yourself. That is not strength. That is pathetic.
A real leader protects their people. A real company values its best talent. Instead this company burned loyalty, wasted money, and threw away opportunity. And you cheer for them like a fanboy in the cheap seats.
You are not inspiring anyone. You are not empowering anyone. You are sneering at people who were crushed by decisions you are too weak to call out.
Your entire post is hollow. You are not a survivor. You are a mascot for failure.
Wave your self righteous look at me flag elsewhere.
You can call me every name you want, but that does not change reality. Employment is at-will. There are no signed contracts locking either side in. The company owes wages for work performed, and nothing more. Severance is extra. Benefits are extra. Anything else is choice, not obligation.
Saying that does not mean employees have no value. It means the relationship is not loyalty or family. It is a transaction. Employees quit all the time when they find a better deal. Companies make cuts when conditions require it. Both sides act in their own interest. That is not arrogance. That is the structure of employment.
You can blame leadership, and maybe you should. But that does not change the principle. A company is not a parent, a church, or a charity. If you believe it owes you more than wages for your labor, then you are confusing reality with wishful thinking.
I was laid off. I am living it. I prepared for it. That is why I am moving forward instead of collapsing into outrage. You can call that smug. I call it survival.
My words are not to defend companies. They are to empower people to navigate their own success instead of sinking into self-pity.
0 Safety D O G you keep pretending you were laid off. Everyone knows you are still inside that building cashing their checks. Drop the act.
Your idea that a company owes its employees nothing is pathetic. Without employees there is no company. They owe the people who built the success just as much as they owe shareholders. To deny that shows either ignorance or dishonesty. In your case it sounds like both.
Do not insult anyone’s intelligence by claiming they only cut the weakest. Some of the best people were thrown out. People with brains, skill, and backbone. Meanwhile the real dead weight still hides behind titles and office doors. That is not strategy. That is cowardice and incompetence.
People are furious because CP Chem has burned cash, bled talent, and missed every opportunity to succeed. That is not the fault of the employees. That is the fault of a leadership team that could not manage their way out of a paper bag. OSHA even guarantees the right to a healthy workplace. There is nothing healthy about psychological damage caused by gutless decisions from the top.
And you. You sound like HR’s lapdog. Spouting lines about “living below your means” and pretending you were ready for this. You are not prepared. You are parroting the same corporate trash script that management hides behind. It is smug. It is fake. It is worthless.
Your whole post is nothing but arrogance and self worship. You sound exactly like the leadership that drove this company into the ground. Blaming the workers for being upset is like blaming passengers for drowning when the Titanic went under. The passengers did not steer into the iceberg. The captain did. And CP Chem’s leadership owns that disaster.
You are not clever. You are not honest. You are just another mouthpiece for failure.