RPI President Shirley Ann Jackson was on CNBC Tuesday, Dec. 1, to talk about innovation and job creation in the United States. Jackson is on President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology and the board of directors at IBM among other accomplishments.
I watched the interview on Tuesday, and I would like to know why Caruso-Cabrera did not ask this question: IBM has laid off 10,000 employees so far this year, while hiring 50,000 overseas. What can you do to get IBM to participate in job growth, and not job destruction, in the United States ?
The more I think about this, the more disturbed and angry I become. The topic of the day on Power Lunch was job creation. So they have on a woman who is on the board of directors at IBM. IBM has done as much as any company in the United States to destroy U.S. jobs in 2009. Not only are they offshoring jobs (10,000 U.S. jobs shed, 50,000 foreign workers hired, net gain 40,000), but they help other companies outsource (read: offshore) jobs too. Heck, they even applied for a patent for software to help companies offshore jobs !!! I'd be willing to bet that IBM is directly or indirectly involved in 50,000 to 100,000 (or more) U.S. employees becoming unemployed this year. As I've said before, IBM and other companies are using this recession as a smoke screen to shed older, expensive U.S. workers and replace them with young, foreign, cheap labor.
They bring on this credentialed, super-intelligent academic woman who probably has VERY LITTLE notion about the U.S. job losses at IBM. She waxes eloquently about "investing in human capital" and "innovation" and so forth, but she puts forth no concrete (read: executable) plans or ideas.
I can picture Shirley arriving back home in Rhode Island, and receiving the phone call from Sam P:
Sam: "Hi Shirley, saw you on CNBC. Well done. You didn't once mention jobs at IBM. I have to thank you for that."
Shirley: "Yes, I floated the usual eloquent baffle and as usual the host tossed me softball questions."
Sam: "You hit a home run. Keep up the good work."
Shirley: "Thanks. Hey, the stock is doing great. My 4,000 IBM shares are now worth half a million !!! Combined with my $250,000 annual IBM compensation, plus fees, I'm really raking it in !! And all for just a few hours of work per year."
Sam: "Glad to make sure you are well compensated - as long as you return the favor ! Nudge nudge wink wink."
We are creating a lot of jobs... however the jobs are created in (for) other countries. I hope Obama can do something about it
ReplyDeleteSound like you need help in overcoming your loss. Don't let the bitterness take over your life.
ReplyDeleteRick replies: I am far from bitter and am quite happy with my new life after IBM. I just want the truth to be told.
ReplyDeleteWhy would Jackson return home to Rhode Island? She lives in NY!
ReplyDeleteFWIW, Shirley Jackson is the highest paid university executive in the U.S.
Her bio: http://www.rpi.edu/president/profile.html
While she has impressive credentials, I would not expect her to in any way compromise her position on IBM's board.
THINK about it
The top crust of the management rape the american workforce and exploit sub-par dirt cheap foreign labor! I am hoping every single day that someone will speak up to the korporations that decimate the american workforce. The real sad thing about it too - is that indian/oversea workers get all the benefit of hands on training / work experience while our countrymen lose it all and stagnate in a jobless usa! Its good for the 2 to 5% of rich in the USA - and devastating to the rest of America - I hope this gets turned around asap!
ReplyDeleteRick,
ReplyDeleteI admire your courage for putting this in the public eye. It seems most IBMers would rather take what is given them and complain annonymously later on a website.
I resigned from IBM five years ago because I could see what IBM was becoming.
America is beginning to see the true IBM. A company with no loyalty to the US nor social responsibilty.
Best of luck.
Hi Rick! I sent many notes to you rather than Rick in Boulder. Good to find your blog. Have a laugh over our plight--I wish I had thought of this before I was laid off in April: http://tinyurl.com/ddza52
ReplyDeleteThat TV interview you watched is unfortunately just the tip of an iceberg. You might want to also review the following.
ReplyDeleteThe RPI Board of Trustees is actually going to build her a brand new mansion so that she can better ENTERTAIN big $$ donors.
How can this be justified in the current economy and when the upstate NY business climate is so weak???
RPI president to get new campus home residence
Existing residence found too small for top guests, college says
http://www.timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=875141
http://blog.timesunion.com/schools/
http://www.rpinsider.com/
http://blog.timesunion.com/business/rpi-begins-staff-cuts/6107/
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?v=wall&gid=50663093254