IBM played a big part in my childhood

When I was growing up, my mother was at IBM designing software for the space shuttle, and the street next to my house was named IBM. I was named after one of their senior engineers.

So the company played a big part in my childhood and was ever present in the community, and we still have lots of IBM space swag stored away in the attic, including the silver snoopy given to my mom during her time there. The stock grants paid for our education, and my mom still lives off the pension they had. The early 90s was such an optimistic time.

At some point IBM sold off the unit, vacated the office block, and the street was renamed to that of the new company that moved in. Eventually, all the shuttle workers would be laid off after the demise of the program, so it's sad to see how it all ended.

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be glad they did not name you Thinkpad

Pension - mine is 650 a month ... i worked as temporary for 6 months before being hired. When they were doing away with pension for 401k after 17 years, the 6 months would have allowed me a pension as i missed it by less than 2 weeks when IBM suddenly said it did not count the temporary position because there was a few months between that and my regular hire. So, almost 31 years later, I walked. My small, 'pension' of 530 pays for healthcare . I happily work at doing something rewarding to cover my 'frills' and use 401K for my living. Life is so much better out of there. Never been happier.

I'm retired from IBM after 20 years. I used to work for a competitor before hiring on with IBM. When I was young pup in the 70's, the rule was you could work for IBM for less pay, but have a job for life. I opted for the higher pay. So I do not have a pension, but instead I have a very healthy IRA. I knew a lot of IBM'ers before the first bloodbath and then IBM had a death rattle. It was an amazing transformation to see. The haughtiness and 'we know everything' was gone. It's a shame, but it's all IBM's fault, just like the mess they are currently in....

Microcosm of the USA 😢

Once GREAT company now nothing but 🥜

Lives on her pension ???
IBM screwed with and stole most of my pension.
40 years of service and my pension is less than 24K. 60/40 split for spouse option.
Try living on that.

Optimistic 90's. BS. Blood bath of 93 started the forced RAs that continue . Over 5000 at my site.
Lets talk of the great cash balance plan of the 90's.
Retirement medical also stolen in the early 90's.
Respect for the individual died in the 90's.

My kids were all born in the 80's and they knew by high school that they DID NOT want to for IBM after college.

You just confused the gender neutral kids with the word "pension"

Thanks for sharing your story.

Very cool story. It’s shameful that leadership doesn’t care about the company’s roots and openly spits on Watson’s grave.

It is different today.

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IBM played a big part in my childhood

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