Not just Schenectady, Houston and Greenville. Atlanta affected too.
Thee days of Employee Assistance setup until next Monday in ATL.
These are good seasoned employees.
No forewarning to them, they just received a meeting invite for a "Confidential Discussion" with HR telling them their roles have been eliminated.
GE Power has been mismanaged from bottom up, and top down since 1999 when they started replacing turbine experts with six sigma fakers with little or no product knowledge, customer or service knowledge, or understanding of the business. This has led to bloated bureaucracy of empire builders, and bad decision after bad decision that has killed the cash cow by blamed expenses resulting in lousy cash flow. Instead of turning raw material into finished products and capturing the value added cash, they are giving away cash flow to vendors with huge transportation and handling costs instead of making parts in low cost old buildings, without shipping costs of all parts hundreds and thousands of miles. Their costs are killing the business. The move to Atlanta is a disaster, high cost center bloated with management with little technical knowledge. Customers all know it and service is really lousy. Chances when a GE person works on your turbine, he isn't expert and unit won't run right because many things done wrong because lack of knowledge.
Top line
Power had $7,41 Billion in sales but only made $611 earnings
We used to make around $650 earnings when sales were $2 to 3 Billion
Parasitic costs are too high from Atlanta and all the power scattered, low synergy bloated locations and giving away all the value added cash to vendors
The cash just ain't there because of bad decisions by very mediocre GE managers with little knowledge of the business vs the managers and synergy we used to have
GE Power has been mismanaged from bottom up, and top down since 1999 when they started replacing turbine experts with six sigma fakers with little or no product knowledge, customer or service knowledge, or understanding of the business. This has led to bloated bureaucracy of empire builders, and bad decision after bad decision that has killed the cash cow by blamed expenses resulting in lousy cash flow. Instead of turning raw material into finished products and capturing the value added cash, they are giving away cash flow to vendors with huge transportation and handling costs instead of making parts in low cost old buildings, without shipping costs of all parts hundreds and thousands of miles. Their costs are killing the business. The move to Atlanta is a disaster, high cost center bloated with management with little technical knowledge. Customers all know it and service is really lousy. Chances when a GE person works on your turbine, he isn't expert and unit won't run right because many things done wrong because lack of knowledge.
Top line
Power had $7,41 Billion in sales but only made $611 earnings
We used to make around $650 earnings when sales were $2 to 3 Billion
Parasitic costs are too high from Atlanta and all the power scattered, low synergy bloated locations and giving away all the value added cash to vendors
The cash just ain't there because of bad decisions by very mediocre GE managers with little knowledge of the business vs the managers and synergy we used to have
They closed the Power Conversion site in Pittsburgh and laid off 280 workers -- the letter said that we were being laid off because of a plant closing 'as defined by the WARN act.' They never filed a WARN in PA. PA Dept of Labor said it appeared they were trying to wriggle around the WARN act but the state has no power of enforcement. Workers got re-education benefits paid for by the taxpayers -- not GE.
I was laid off a month ago - I worked at Windsor CT
Add Windsor CT to the list of GE layoff locations today.
GE Latin America is just starting with the transition process. As always, our brilliant leaders are not sharing any information of how good or bad the compensations will be. Every Q&A session leaves more doubts and angrier employees. Field Engineers for GE worked 40 hrs/week and FieldCore now demands 48hr/week without any additional salary raise. I will see many good engineers leave and maybe I will too. The meatball has rotten...
Immelt ruined a once great company. Since 2001, GE Leadership has exponentially become more and more disconnected with the ground level as well as their customer base. Hence, they undervalue these who employees who are the core of the biz. Pardon the idiom, but GE has suffered from "too many chiefs and not enough Indians" for far too long. Now, I see they promoted another Healthcare guy as the CEO, perhaps trying to recapture the magic of Neutron Jack. Won't they ever learn? I'm glad that I got out a few years ago. I wish all my former colleagues the best of luck. Invest in your CV, resume and even hire a CV writer if you need to. Many of you who have been with GE for 15+ years perhaps might need some help. Believe me, someone will hire you.
This week GE laid off ALL CSL, CFM and Outage manager positions through out the world. GE creating a new company Field Core, rumour has it that approx 40% of those handed pink slips will be hired back. BUT they lose their seniority, different benefits and pensions. FieldCore will be in charge of everything in the field. Workers hired back must be interchangeable meaning they can't just know about the contracts, but also be able to diagnose the problem with machines and Identify parts etc.
GE continues to screw their workers.
Power employees at the Salem site were also hit. The number I heard was 30. Ours is a relatively small site. I'm not aware of one manager being let go. I know they played a shell game with about a dozen heads shuffling over to Renewables. But I counted 10 that I know that were let go. From my perspective they just let 100s of years of excellent technical skills, abilities, and knowledge walk out the door. GE needs an intervention. "Ok. GE leadership. Let's get one thing straight. Just because you are a manager/VP/CEO does not automatically make you smart. Those of us in technical disciplines are most definitely not stupid. We have plenty of evidence of your track record to make the conclusion. You are not very smart. But you sure talk good."
Stop already with the us vs them, U.S. vs Europe, GE vs Alstom. The fact is we are all suffering under the same systematic abuse of all the working stiffs by the Owners and Top Managers, who profit hugely on that suffering. We dedicate our lives to making good products, they use and abuse us like cattle. I was Alstom in Switzerland, and I can tell you that GE looks to us like a frigging clown show. As Sheen says to the Brando character in "Apocalypse Now," ..."I don't see any method at all." It's a mess, a very high pressure, exhausting mess, and one that clearly doesn't care anything at all about employees.
Guys, in Switzerland they targeted 1300 people, which was a big hit for us of over 20%. We did NOT staff up in any area I am aware of, since because of Alstom's sales weakness, we were not getting raises and not allowed to hire for about 2 yrs before the merger. In fact, we were losing people.
Yes, GE will use Switzerland as a tax haven. They will pull any tricksy deals everywhere in the world to get something for nothing. That's what they all do instead of focusing on making good products to sell to customers at a profit.
As for those "evil Europeans" who protect their industries, esp France, did anyone ever stop and think that maybe the European protection of their working people is what American SHOULD be doing, but we do not. France didn't WANT to pump government money into Alstom Power division to save it, but they also knew that GE would gut the workers in France as quickly as it could, so France made the best deal it could get to temporarily protect people. Wouldn't you expect your government to try to protect its people? It was making the best of a bad situation, though I think it would have been smarter to just buy it and make it French govt, with all the warts that implies. France runs on Alstom nuclear turbines.
So it's a long and complex story, and let's remember who the enemy is for ALL of us. Follow the money WHERE IT WENT, and it's not into the pockets of the European workers. We are all in this stinking mess together, including me. I got laid off too, from a very good job where I busted my a--.
We lost 4 of 83 engineers, all had "counterparts" in Switzerland who have assumed their jobs. More to come in the Fall. This Alstom deal is a disaster.
If GE wants to save money, they can stop running those lame commercials about how great it is to work at GE.
How has no one cut contacted the media? You should know that Fox News would love to air a story how Obama's right hand man Immelt has really screwed the shareholders over on this crap Alstom deal!! If you have been cut, you have nothing to loose, if you have not been cut and know whats going on, whistle blower protection can help you. Speak up now to help your fellow USA workers!!!
Well I have watched the company over the past 11 years since leaving with 11 years of experience in Power working for these jokers. The company has taken away benefits, cut pensions, removed year end bonus based cost out and replaced them with gift cards. The leaderships thinks it sustainable to keep taking and not sharing the wealth with individual contributors. Then they wonder why the company is not growing and productivity is down. Now GE capital is sold off because they do not want the regulators telling them what to do as SIFI designated entity. The new game is us to buy and sell companies to cover up short falls. There is no large GE capital knob to turn anymore at year end. It was obvious that GE capital was nothing more than a huge tax heaven to keep taxes in check and help GE's bottom line. I see 150 resources were cut in accounting in a remote Albany Corp woods property. Then did nothing but cook the books legally to buy and sell assets in GE capital to deliver so called earnings or reduce GE's taxable income. What is sh--ty for the very experienced workers of GE is the company locked down all divisions from transfers this cut. I also, think they targeted older workers in this cut. To all existing employees wake up and get the hell out! Tough words I know but do it before the next cut in Nov this year!
GE used to be the best company to work for I had 42 great years. Immelt ruined this. Most GE employees have not received raises for the last 3 years even though they received great appraisals. Now you know why GE got rid of appraisals. They are in the process of laying off USA employees because Immelt promised France he would not only keep all employees from the Alstrom buy but hire additional 1500 I think more people. They are laying off people here yet they are adding a entire organization in Europe and hire outside people. Where is the loyalty from GE. Immelt has done nothing for the stock since he has been CEO. Any other empl Yes would have been fired under Jack Welch. We need Immelt to leave
As an impacted employee it's amazing to see the spin characterized to the street on this being caused by the market. The bottom line is a $200M miss on base cost and yet no Senior Leaders held accountable other than a bonus impact (big deal) when over 1000 employee families are impacted due to Leadership incompetence. At the end of the day two individuals Steve Bolze and Mr. Ego himself (Jeff Immelt) decided that acquiring Alstom a company going bankrupt offered an opportunity in the Steam market. Hello has anyone not noticed that Steam is on it's way out. They are a drag and will continue to be a drag on the bottom line even thought they tout synergies and firing on all cylinders...(how about backfiring on all cylinders.) Who is getting impacted-US Employees-those same people that made Power a powerhouse without the acquisition. Additionally continuing to add more jobs in Europe-why not-(can't lay people off there-US is easy) And let's not forget the tax safe haven of Switzerland where we so conveniently moved the Services HQ-(no coincidence there). The entire BOD and Mr. Immelt need to leave; and the next CEO can not be Chairman of the BOD-you see there is no accountability at that level yet they preach it at all other levels. One investor woke up only to be strung back into the smoke and mirrors of what this company has become. I have to believe that even Jack Welch is questioning his decision to put Mr. Ego in place as it was a "Great Company" when he was here now it's just another company. Continued take aways and sacrifices by the people that get the work done and all to keep Mr. Ego at the helm while he commits a $2/EPS----like he's moved the dial in the last 15 years. A sad commentary for the employees and even more so for the BOD that have let him get away with it.
To those that were laid off....did management tell you if you would be getting your bonus? The bonus talk has been extremely quiet with all of the layoff talk but those bonuses were earned by all for last years performance. If I thought it would help, I would give up my bonus...but it wouldn't because the top execs aren't about to give up their bonuses. I think it makes sense in this company to get all that you can, when you can and then just move on given the opportunity.
Does anyone know how many jobs were cut in Power all together? What about Power Engineering? Also sounded like another round of layoffs could be coming....somewhere....if the sales don't convert...and they probably wont. Anyone with knowledge on this?
Contractor that was cut 2 weeks ago, all the contractors in my group were cut, heard they were reviewing all the way down to facilities contracts. They also cut heads in support staff in India. Probably more coming.
As a former Alstom employee cut in Dec 2016, my heart goes out to each of you. This was brutal, ugly performance from GE--no integrity, no soul. GE is heartless. Management only cares about the "brand" and it is all smoke & mirrors to protect the brand. Believe me, once you are out of the "GE-cult-induced" haze, you will be so much better off. Take advantage of all the education and career counseling...it is good and provides great resources. Imagine life without ge.
I also think age plays a different. My group hired about 10 new hires last December including bunch doesn't even have citizenship that was fresh out school. And those got layoff are most between 55-60 with 1 late 20's probably a token. Pretty angry with this whole thing. Alstom was a bad move, now we learned the fake their numbers. While on surface look cheap, it really not.their technology is behind. And they got paid twice salary as US but GE can't get rid of. So we normal engineers suffer. And Steve probably gonna get promoted. I hope one day karma will get him for screwing people like this
I was let go from Schenectady. There is no doubt in my mind that this was an age play. Move us out before we become a protected class. Years of dedicated service mean nothing. Schenectady is slowly becoming another Pittsfield. The power sits in Europe now. Wonder what Trump will say about this?
As a former Alston employee now GE employee I blame Steve and Jeff for all the layoffs. The people that ran Alston were stupid and we thought He would bring new light. We were wrong. They were played by the European's and now the US suffers. Trump needs to get involved and Steve and Jeff need to be fired.RVA has been hit just as hard as others. We are non union which hurts our pay and insurance. We are barely surviving.
Smooth move Bolze, your lack of forecasting is the cause. But keep the jobs outside of the US. Scumbag!
Steve Bolze is the best thing that has ever happened to Siemens and Mitsubishi. Both have contacted me for employment after the layoff. Can't wait to share my expertise with GE's competitors. No loyalty cuts both ways. Hopefully Siemens can beat GE to China's planned turbine build facility. GE's overpriced low quaility power products will continue to lose.
4 salary positions lost at GE Power Bangor, not to mention the 10 people they haven't backfilled in the last year due to job movement and attrition. Very poor outlook for technical positions with an additional round of layoffs coming up. Lots of people looking at moving on before their position is eliminated.
I was notified on 3/23 that I was being laid. And yes, I do believe that this is age discrimination. I also found in my mail today (3/25) the ballot for GE shareholders.
Being one of the affected, I know that I will vote against anything that Jeff Immelt want to have approved.
165 persons in Power Services Engineering cut 23March in the United States, starting with 90% of the remote employees (a few remote employees remain employed, for now). The main Atlanta office did experience some cuts for workers who didn't telecommute. "The Bobs" from Office Space were hired to coordinate the cuts, create detailed legal summaries to try and proactively head-off Age Discrimination lawsuits (showing 775 employees, by job title and age, who were not being laid off, as justification). Plain clothes security personnel were dispatched throughout the Atlanta and Greenville campuses near each executives' office, "just in case", but even some executives were not immune from the mass layoff, as the 165 number included 2 executives, many lead, senior, and principal engineers, and several managers. Trian Fund Management's SEC filing on 21March dictating that Jeff I's bonus would be reduced or eliminated if he didn't take immediate action to reduce fixed costs was what pulled the trigger on this precision mass execution. The undercover security guards deployed on the 23rd, the extensive legal attachments all laid off employees were sent, and the last-minute clandestine nature of the brutal layoff, were done with unemotional robotic precision. Steve Bolze's February All Hands meeting message was clear: "Do you job!" - now those remaining employees who are not actively seeking employment outside of GE will find it much harder to meet Bolze's, and Wall Street Analysts' unrealistic expectations. Personally, I see this as an opportunity to find greener pastures outside of an heartless, wayward, flailing corporate giant who used to be respected globally, but who is now quickly becoming an anachronism, as the priority of $27 million dollar CEO compensation package is borne on the backs of unvalued employees and the severed heads of their fallen workers.
I am one of the let-goes without a reason. I just joined the team 4 months ago!!! Felt so bad for myself.
Massive layoffs in Greenville Gas Turbines as well. I would estimate 25%-35% of engineering. I think there are two main factors.
Trump. Coal companies are betting that Trump will remove the environmental regulations that are quickly making them unprofitable. If they don't need to shut these down, then they don't need to buy Gas Turbines to replace them. They are canceling orders, dodging payments for existing orders, and not placing future orders.
Alstom. Everyone knows what a bad deal that was for America. Enough said.
How is the freaking decision process to decide which ones to let go? It all looks like some scecret and the freaking sentence is: it is not about your performance, it is a business decision. But you got to justify the decision.
The March 2017 GE Power layoff (US based only, ~20%, around 1500 workers across several sites, no small percentage) is due to one simple thing: Alstom. GE bought a bloated, oversized, overpromised, and underperforming and inefficient government supported company, and now American workers are paying the price of bad business decisions. This is a clear cut case of GE can’t cut staff in Europe in 2017 because of union works council protections, so GE is cutting the USA and these jobs/work are going to Europe. The Europeans know this game, they have been playing it for hundreds of years, and GE walked right into the firing line. The Europeans have shined up a terd and GE bought it, only to find out now the hard way what GE actually bought.
GE Power is now locked in a multi-year battle with the European works councils because GE can’t shed jobs fast enough in Europe to make up for the increased base cost of buying Alstom. The Alstom purchase was a bad deal (Why do you think Alstom was bankrupt and up for sale?), and GE should correct the problem ASAP, before bankruptcy. Immelt and Bolze need to be held accountable for this mess, and need to wake up and fix the problem before it’s too late and the GE shareholders are handed a huge loss. Break up the former Alstom business, sell off the bloated, non-money making pieces and get GE back on track to sustained profitability.
Jobs are not sent to Europe, their cuts are coming. The survivors will teach Chinese how to design and build gas turbine through JV with Harbin Electric to save development and manufacturing cost and Immelt's job and bonus.
Someone said 15% head count cut in pgs. Actually is it 25%? So brutal
Lots of hits in GE schectady. Lot's of good people hitting the road. 25% head count reduction. Alstom was smart they staffed up prior GE taking them over. Now they are reducing heads. Puts them back to head count of a few years ago after this headcount cut.
Several Engineering positions cut at Schenectady campus...design, advanced manufacturing, systems..... Not good
brutal!!!
Nothing in the main stream media yet. The better part of a thousand (700+) U.S. jobs sent to Europe.
203 is not final number 23-28% engineers
GPS had 203 heads cut yesterday