Lots of IT people cut in Columbus
2636 replies (most recent on top)
Part of a citizens group that has successfully worked to get a number of ballot initiatives approved and passed in Ohio. Many people in the group work for companies impacted by RTO, including state employees. Next week we are meeting to discuss a workers rights bill to fight back against the state and companies like AEP, Chase and others who have damaged workers by implementing archaic work policies that are anti-worker, anti-environment and anti-family.
We all decided we’re just not going to take this anymore. The people of Ohio will thankfully have their say on these policies within 12 months, and hopefully other states across the country with ballot initiatives are able to take up similar measures.
Billionaires and their groveling minions refuse to spend their own money to oppress and exploit employees and customers. Give generously to the AEP PAC so they can take more of your freedom and wages while they laugh their as--s off at you, gullible resources. Ignorance is bliss till they clamp the shackles of servitude firmly about your wrists and ankles and tell you, if they wanted you to have a life they would not have denied the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights exist. Welcome to corporate wage slavery, you will get used to arrogance, smugness and belligerence as weight of the chains wears you down. Defy or submit their is no compromise.
Stop emailing me for money. If Daddy Icahn had enough money to buy this board and install you, then you can ask him to pay for the political bsht.
@26qx and I'm sure Columbus and Gahanna have similar deals with companies to reduce property taxes in exchange for employees to bear the burden via income tax. I live outside the city limits so Columbus will now get 2.5% of my income but I will not see a 3% pay increase to cover it. I never go back downtown after work or on the weekends, just not into any of the sport teams or bars. So I will lose over two grand to have the privilege of working downtown. F Columbus and AEP for doing this to us.
The conspiracy of crony corporate capitalism never fails to disgust.
@26qf This is public information and a true fact for the AEP locations in New Albany.
“In New Albany, Ohio, a 15-year, 100% tax abatement is available for new building construction, expansion of existing buildings, or substantial remodeling. The City may also offer growing companies annual, performance-based cash incentives based on payroll withholdings. Ohio Power Company (OPC) at Smith's Mill Road was found to not have met payroll benchmarks in a recent review. The city recommended continuing the agreement with OPC but with conditions including a notice of non-compliance and quarterly meetings”
https://www.franklincountyauditor.com/AUDR-website/media/Documents/Real%20Estate/TIRC%20TOOL/2023/New-Albany-TIRC-Packet-24TY23.pdf
(Refer to page 4)
If AEP doesn’t meet payroll benchmarks, the 100% tax abatement will decrease significantly and/or the city can discontinue the agreement; in which AEP will have to pay the cost of property taxes for all 4 properties.
@26mn part of it has to be the pressure these companies are getting from local governments to get people back into the office to collect income tax. At least in Ohio, CCC cannot collect income tax unless you either work or live in the city. We may not hear about it but I'll bet the Mayors are trying everything they can to get that money. In Columbus, that's $2500 for every $100k of salary, that adds up when 45% of people who work in Columbus don't live in Columbus.
Are you owned by AEP or merely employed by AEP. We are American citizens with rights and freedoms and if you detest the way you are being treated think long and hard about the candidates you vote for in the mid term elections. Next year is the 250th Anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and we the people are empowered to be the masters of our own destiny. Only what we condone and enable shall remain. If immense wealth is used as a we-pon of mass oppression and exploitation, we the people have the power to strip tyrants of their immense wealth through aggressive and punitive taxation. It is time for the only majority in America to impose their will on their minority tormenters. Abuse the blessings our grace has afforded you, petulant children and we the adults shall take them away,
@26mg That’s true and going through the exact same thing as AEP. Coincidence Ichan was an investor there prior to coming over to AEP?
@26m5 I read on a FirstEnergy TheLayoff.com page that RTO was announced for that company starting July 7.
Low productivity and pointless convos here we come!
Last day working from home, it's been a good run. Now I can go in and be less productive than before. I need to do a bunch of training. I bet I can code at least 4 hours a week. If I have to show anyone anything, I'm coding it as training.
I know my productivity will go into the tank, and I don't care, I really don't.
If they have a pizza party or ice cream, I'll be on the phone talking to a dial tone. I just don't care anymore, I really don't.
Anyone hear of a Firstenergy merger/buyout?
You all are getting pizza????
Hahahahahaha
Anyone thinking we'll probably never receive ICP ever again?
They will keep it on paper as part of our "compensation package" and use it to justify not giving us a raise but never actually pay it out.
Ge-z...layoff, stealth layoffs, RTO tax incentives(?), rate increases, AI layoffs...just how much cash do they need to keep this monstrosity running? Are we bankrupt or something???
@26jp I'd prefer they not infantilize us with an ice cream social, pizza, or whatever. Honestly, I've seen the "throw a pizza party to appease people before they unionize" tactic too many times in my career. I just don't have the mental energy to pretend to be happy about it anymore.
@26jb You misspelled “last day of the work arrangement that you negotiated in good faith when you joined the company as part of your compensation package, and upon which you’ve based major life decisions.” Nice try though champ. Troll elsewhere.
Also, @26ae, a friendly reminder: if we’re even 1 cent below target on EPS, we get nothing anyway.
@26jp
Didn't surprise me at all. They want people to quit.
They are deploying AI models to reduce it further later. I knew he was lying when he said he wanted everything back 'in-house'. He didn't mean that in a human sense, because the cost to do that would raise rates so high every state we serve would make new legislation to stop him. Why do you think they don't care how many leave, nor bother to ask what anyone actually does? You act like that when you already know where you're going with something.
Anybody else perturbed by the lack of company wide fanfare for RTO? They are not even pretending that it is a big deal - positive or negative - its just business as usual???!!! Except, its not. The company leadership could not be bothered to offer even the most trivial concession - maybe staggered starts, early releases, free coffee or tea or ice cream social, something fun? I imagine many offices will not get any serious work done on June 2nd. And who is exempted from RTO? Its all hush hush. We office cogs could really use a union president, some kind of leader, to at least communicate about the elephant in the room - THIS IS WEIRD.
@266j From what I have seen.. Bill does nothing but lie.. Acting like we would evaluate IT coming back in based on performance. What performance? The company did great Q1 and then we hear we are coming back in this year..
Praying I do not lose my job as I financed my tickets to the upcoming Creed Cruise!! https://www.summerof99cruise.com/
Chinese Communist Sweat Shop owners refer to their comrade workers as resources. The leadership whether Communist, Capitalist or Socialist always elevate themselves above the citizens they oppress, exploit and subjugate to makes themselves feel better about their abhorrent self-serving tyranny. Destroying the society and abandoning the values that empowered you to be leaders is the most abominable betrayal of blessings. Your lack of self-discipline and self-control over your selfish impulses shall be your downfall.
Ask the British Monarchy's Colonial Governors, how far arrogance, smugness and belligerence got them.
@26e0 check the employee handbook but I believe it's now 90 days. Used to be a year but that was changed some 10 years ago during their "look how well we pay you push". I believe you can sign up and start putting money away but the company match has that delay built into it. I have to look myself but I've been here 20+ years so when that stuff gets sent out, I usually just delete it.
It's so over for AEPcels
Stop calling people “resources.” We’re human beings—not machines to be allocated, optimized, or burned out. Every time leadership talks about “resources” instead of people, it chips away at the humanity of the workplace.
Is the company match to the 401k vested immediately or is there a length of time you have to wait?
@267d that may be true but Socialism never worked either.The younger generation "seems" to want "someone" to take care of them. They feel a degree in some feel good degree is worth as much as an Engineering degree. Sorry to tell them it's not. You get paid what you're worth.
As for companies taking advantage of workers, I'll give you that. Started in the 80's with the Junk bonds and the Corporate raiders. Raid the pensions and leave the workers holding the bag of sh-t. Happened to a few friends at Tappens, they came out with the first microwave and got drowned out by cheap imports.
At the end of the day, you still need to take care of yourself and not expect any help from anyone else.
@269c there goes ICP for 2025. What they should do is take 1% from EVERYONE and give it to the family. That would mean more than a letter with "We're sorry for your loss".
Most depressing place I’ve worked. RTO has nothing to do with it.
Better yet, set a scheduled power off of you PC at the end of the day. No excuses then to just get up and leave.
@263g Set an 7 hour 55 minutes alarm the moment you sit down at work with you phone. When it goes off, wrap up, lock your PC and leave. Don't give the company a minute more than they are paying you for. It would be funny as heck to hear all the alarms going off at the end of the day with people leaving soon after.
Contractor fatality in Tulsa yesterday morning.
Some Americans are losing faith in capitalism, with lower percentages expressing positive views of it than in previous years. This decline in faith is linked to concerns about the distribution of wealth, wage stagnation, and feeling exploited. Younger generations and supporters of the Democratic party show more enthusiasm for socialism than capitalism.
Reasons for declining faith:
Wealth Inequality:
A significant portion of the population feels that capitalism benefits a small elite while leaving the majority behind.
Wage Stagnation:
Many workers are struggling to keep up with rising living costs, leading to a sense that capitalism is not delivering on its promise of upward mobility.
Lack of Control and Engagement:
A large portion of American workers feel disengaged from their jobs and lack control over their schedules.
Feeling Exploited:
Some workers feel they are being exploited by their employers, who are prioritizing profits over their well-being.
RTO = layoff
Recent former employee too, left because of the lack of appreciation/promotion opportunities at AEP, let alone the changing culture, and lack of employee retention. Bill was asked that same question earlier this year, and he dodged it.. clearly tells you what was his plan all along! The RTO was just the final straw… its a sinking ship! I hope there are enough lifeboats for everyone!
I agree. Just focused on RTO since it’s next Monday.
Without employees, CEOs are un-necessary. If we want to get rid of Bill, we all just have to stay home until the corporate board is forced to fire him. Sometimes you have to fail to succeed.
Recent former employee here — RTO was not the reason I left. It was because of those other reasons mentioned (not feeling valued, talent hemorrhaging, culture nosedive, etc.). Not having to go back to the office five days a week is just an added bonus! No regrets.
Bill said we have a lot of work coming so that's why we need to RTO.
But really it's the exact opposite, if we have a lot of work coming that means you should do whatever it takes to retain employees. Not push them out the door. Bill's excuse is flimsy and falls apart under the slightest scrutiny. It is obvious that he lied. If he lied about this he is capable of lying about anything else. We have a CEO we cannot trust and who does not have our best interests at heart.
I dont think RTO is the only reason. How about no growth, neopotism, respectful work environment, layoffs, restructuring, high turnove & etc.