IBM Canada continues to target employees with actions ranging from new co-location demands to management 'encouraging' workers to leave on their own volition. At the heart of their problem are Canadian labor laws that require IBM to pay roughly one month severance for every year of service. In the past, IBM just payed the severance and moved on. In recent years, they have found a better method: offer a fraction of legal severance pay and force the terminated employee to go to court. With potential payments averaging 18-24 months salary for senior employees, IBM now offers from 6 to 10 months severance pay and then says, "take it or leave it". Many people don't have the resources to fight or don't what they are entitled to. They take the "low-ball" offer. For those who do fight, here's how it goes down: IBM delays proceedings and stretches out legal wrangling for up to 20 months. Then, just before a trial date, they offer a new settlement. It will be just below the legal severance scale. The tired and exasperated ex-employee, after paying tens of thousands of dollars in legal bills, often accepts the deal, rather than continue with the uncertainty of a trial.
I know even this sounds good to US employees who receive virtually no severance in comparison. Make no mistake about it. The game is the same. IBM wants to discourage ex-employeees from fighting. They are sinking to new lows in desperate attempts to curtail losses after 5 years of revenue declines. Donald Tump would be proud - and probably is.