No additional benefits. Just 2 weeks/year and you get paid for un-used vacation. The 2 weeks/per year is not bad, because it's "at will" employment and the company is not required to leave you with any severance.
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What’s the severance pay they gave out? Any additional benefits?
Most of the favoritism that I see at Corning is among those in the upper levels (director and above). A a peon down in the trenches it's much more egalitarian. Some of us are working our butts off....and our manager likes that. Some are slacking-off. At times, there have been people that I would like to see get laid-off because I am fed-up of doing their share of the work. I do agree with you that Corning is a political company with a lot of favoritism in the upper leadership ranks, but at the low-, mid-manager level (ie. less than ~12 reports), most managers just want to get things done so they don't get yelled at by their director.
On the technical side, there might be favoritism for principle PhD scientists and fellows, but if your a lowly lab rat like me then I find that working hard is your best form of job protection.
"layoffs are always targeted"
While I completely agree, the notion that this translates to only lower performers is laughable at an incredibly political and favoritism driven company like Corning.
"No manager will lay-off their top performers if they have a poor/mediocre performer that they can sacrifice"
In reality, there are many cases where a leader will protect their political allies and let better performers they see as a threat get axed.
Even within groups/departments, layoffs are always targeted. That is what I have seen in my 25+ years at various corporations. No manager will lay-off their top performers if they have a poor/mediocre performer that they can sacrifice. In a few months from now, Corning will be able to hire new and enthusiastic people with diverse experiences.
From a manager's perspective, these layoffs are a good opportunity to get rid of some "dead wood". People who are not performing at a sufficient level. It's a lot more palatable than firing someone for poor performance. Plus, they get severance.
...Sorry I just lied on here Digital Transformation isn't being canceled, although it probably should be because it touches to many systems and is too complex, however everything involving project 210 is.. Is that a CDT/Apple thingly?? :)
Looks like Digital Transformation is being axed in favor of something new from IBM. Details should be coming soon from MTE.
Were anyone from Bin Zhang's S&T group let go?
"Leadership didn't take any questions as well during the special comms meeting."
Agreed - in the second one he said "answers to questions you might have" and what he talked about sounded like stuff from directors, not people impacted by losing valued colleagues and having to take on more work. It was nonsense.
"Any news about CET, AO, Automotive glass, CDT?"
I know CET was hit hard in the January edition, not sure about AGS or CDT. AO had a non-zero amount at each facility from what I've heard but pretty small since those businesses are doing well. But I know they chopped contractors and filled with internals from other divisions (mostly MTE)
I am fairly early in my career. I don't know if this is the norm, but I was shocked to see the lack of transparency about the layoffs. As in, no info from the leadership about what % got hit, why those decisions were made, etc. Leadership didn't take any questions as well during the special comms meeting.
To the person below who asked about Sam Zoubi's directorate, I knew 3 people from this group who were let go, so yeah we were impacted.
I agree with you 100%: The directors/VPs do not take the hit...the workers do. I have seen a number of poor business decisions, but those that made those poor decisions don't get cut.
Nonetheless, I am just glad that this round of lay-offs wasn't the 10% across all groups/divisions that I had feared. That might be next if things don't improve.
"It's nothing personal....just business."
While I agree - how many of the managers/directors/VPs who set the direction, budgets, and so on do you think were let go while they axed 25-40% of the people who do the work? Let's put the estimate at ZERO.
In every layoff I have seen at Corning the end result is the organization gets more top-heavy as the leaders work hard to protect themselves and their friends.
Do you think Life Science directors are cutting back on their worldwide boondoggles while those under them are put out of work? Of course not.
Any info about layoffs in Sam Zoubi's directorate?
I think these layoffs were well thought through and targeted the weaker areas of the business. If Life Sciences doesn't bring in money for the company, then it is hard to justify the number of employees in that area and some must be let go. It's nothing personal....just business.
1 out of 66 was laid off in Inna Kouzmina's directorate: That's 1.5%.
3 out of 40 from Chuck Brandenburgs directorate: 7.5%
However, 2 of those 3 were "voluntary-early retirement" so it was only 1 non-voluntary layoff.
From what I saw, I wouldn't consider this a mass layoff at Sullivan Park.
Digital transformation? Deep learning team or FEA team?
So just over 2% in MTE? Doesn't sound too bad.. but that also leaves the door open for further cuts in the future.
MTE - it looks like just 18 people out of around 800 under Tom Capek were let go.
Severance - 2 weeks pay per year of effective service.
Yes, Life Sciences took a bashing, but if you look at the business performance of Corning Life Sciences it all makes sense to me.
1Q2022-to-1Q2023 sales down 17%...net income down a whopping 79%!
4Q2022-to-1Q2023 sales down 13%...net income down 71%.
These numbers are atrocious. That's not a stable business....it's a freefall.
Even a peon like me can clearly see the mess.
Somebody needs to be held accountable.
If your not making money on vials....stop making them.
Holy sh-t 30-40% of the people getting laid off over a week is insane 😳.
Does anyone know what kind of severance was given?
In addition to the 5% at SP (better than the 10% I was hearing rumors about), CPT in Durham lost ~33-40% just over a week ago and the entire Durham campus lost ~25% (so Life Sciences lost a lower %), which was really awful because unlike at SP there was no warning/gossip according to those working there.
Haven't heard anything about MTE yet but impossible to imagine no impact there as well. Not sure how much the early retirement packages have helped defray layoffs.
There were definitely people fired in MTE. Personally know a couple of them. Can't say anything else about the division. But no idea about overall numbers as they have been very quiet.
Any info on MTE?
Thanks for clearing what OT meant.. Does anyone know what are the numbers in terms of % laid off? The VP was very vague in the special communications meeting.
OT= Organic Technologies.
I am one who hates acronyms....so I shouldn't be using them.
My bad....no beer for me tonight.
Optical fiber at SP lost 1 draw technician and that was it.
There is a "special communication meeting" tonight and at 8 AM tomorrow. They usually have these after the cuts.
So, there was no major bloodbath. Just a few cuts. Probably less than 5%.
What is OT?
Any news on other divisions or plants/offices?
OT has taken a hit. So far, it looks like a 5% headcount reduction here at SP.
Layoffs are happening at SP right now. I will update with more info after today is done and us mere mortals have an idea of the scope
We need to tell more people about this site if we want it to produce any kind of info. I've been trying to, at least. I've looked, and other companies have flourishing boards because more people are there.
This site is useless. No reports anything.