Amen to the last post. Healthcare acquired over 30 companies in 5 years, nothing less than a disaster. No integration, no planning, duplicate operations, only power points stating all is well. Power point engineering as it was called. Vapor ware. It has been two years since I left the Titantic, it is a sad sport looking at the train wreck. GE will linger on like Westinghouse did, unless the morons in charge are launched. Signed, 17 years at GE and happy I left. Wall street wake up.

Not only does Immelt not deserve a bonus he does not deserve to be CEO. He has driven GE into the bowels of poverty and put them in last place in many aspects of business. His leadership that he has hand picked is the worse in the world. One does not deserve a reward for that.

General Electric Co (GE.N) Chairman and Chief Executive Jeffrey Immelt declined a bonus for a second consecutive year....

Why can't other managers of GE do the same and decline their bonus. Don't they respect their CEO. Does Immelt have control over other GE managers? Do the managers of GE respect him and his decision? This year all GE managers should follow the nice example set by their CEO. Dint these managers get a bonus last year? Do they deserve a bonus this year? This will be well received by the non-managerial employees as well as the shareholders.

Pity. Cancerous lung- and oesophagous-tissue is always needed for research.

you are correct. no smoking anywhere!

I've heard all sites or campuses as the Americans like to call them will be non smoking sites by Mar next year.

please, at GE executives and management use the "c" word at women call them doucebags and boobs and these same managers still have their jobs.

This is an interesting article...
According to a report by The Ladders
swearing is the most unacceptable office faux pas. It reveals that one in ten UK bosses has fired an employee for swearing at work; whilst 17% have reprimanded staff for bad manners such as lunchtime drinking, personal calls and gossiping.

The poll of the UK’s senior executives jobs by the management careers site shows that 47% of bosses would fire for bad language whilst 96% of senior managers said that they would find a foul mouthed colleague unacceptable to work alongside in the office.

Derek Pilcher of The Ladders says: “Gordon Ramsay and other celebrities have made swearing fashionable – particularly in the workplace. Some may say that swearing eases stress at work and is a way of bonding with fellow colleagues. But employees beware, in every office there exists an invisible line between professional and unprofessional behaviour and the overuse of the F word crosses the line.”

So any updates on these big changes - did PE finally get kicked out for being useless

Amen, I left after 17 years.

Ge managers are the worst in the world. The sales reps are lost as well. The numbers prove it. They want to sit home and get paid. Managers allow it. They are sitting home too. Its a mess. Get out. I did after 20 years and never been happier. What a bunch of toxic people at GE

Here is real bonehead...

take a top performer (as per this years ems), replace them as project lead, and forget to tell them for three weeks.

Fortunately my managers boss grabbed me for another project with more visibility so I've got a job but what a bunch of idiots.

Big changes in the LS sales org this week!

So, what was the announcement in the Midwest?

I've heard it's going to be the service guys this time, is that correct?

Possibly more layoffs to come after the big announcement later today in the midwest

GE hates customers. They do not respect or value relationships with them.

None of these comments surprises me. I worked for Amersham before being acquired by GE and then 2 years with GE. I loved the work and especially the customers, but GE systematically destroyed any enjoyment. I was very successful at my job. As far as HR is concerned, I encountered gross incompetence, malicious behavior, gross negligence, and according to my attorney, violations of US federal criminal statutes. It still amazes me that such behavior could be associated with an icon, but then I had always worked for innovative biotech companies and never a big corporation.

The merger also brought out the worst of the former Amersham managers. Nearly all of the good people were driven out or left (except those who had far too much to lose) and the business was taken over by politically motivated sociopaths. We had enjoyed enormous success in our group and had built up a very successful business with Amersham (and before that Pharmacia), and although we were far from perfect, we had respect from customers and dedication among the team. Not all GE managers were bad and I respected a few and still am in contact. But what I saw for the most part appalled me.

In my case I was facing what amounted to attempted extortion and blackmail by a couple of GEHC managers (one former Amersham) who were threatened by my knowledge, experience and competence. I threatened major legal action but in the end I settled because of personal reasons. I often wish I had pursued actions, including filing charges with federal authorities. In many ways I was lucky as leaving opened new doors and it is far more interesting and enjoyable now. For those threatened with layoffs, remember what Roosevelt said about fear.

What ever happened to the idea of building value with customers by solving their real problems? It seems that GE, and many big companies in the US, have become completely consumed by quarterly profits and have forgotten effective behaviors as well as good manners.

Oscar Wilde once said that "ambition is the last refuge of failure" and now I understand what that means. Another notable artist, the cinematographer John Alton once said that "life is short, but long enough to get what is coming to you".

Any word on Performance Solutions Canada? How big is that team? Also, PS-USA, are they hiring now?

This is typical of how GE operate. It is a bullying organisation and anyone who questions it is threatened with a poor rating. I know of someone who received a poor rating simply because they had a "quiet personality".

I thought you guys were pulling my leg about some of the HR things that you bring up on this board. I learned otherwise this week. I was told that if I didnt adjust my ratings for my employees that it would reflect my own weakness in one of the values that they use to evaluate their employees. In other words, knock them down a notch or two or you will personally have a lower evaluation.

GE is not admired. Their stock tanked to 5 bucks this year. They live under a consent decree. Nothing admirable about that.

which plant is this with Issues.. OEC again with issues with FDA? DId they not learn their lesson.

This is exactly what happened to me! It's a dirty job being a manager for one of the world's "most admired company".

GEHC- All employees got (laidoff) plant closure due to excessive cost it would be to maintain the logistics between Lawrence, MA and SLC, Utah. 20 positions where postedm in Utah but most didn't match what are currently in Lawrence. It comes down to the bottom dollar and nothing else. Worse yet they told Lawrence back in December when was actually known since July, but it was kept under wraps so the drones could finish up the mess created by management due to non-compliance issues with the FDA! Lawrence hasn't been doing anything for 3 years other then pushing paper and trying to make GE look good again (big task)

no he is in healthcare

effective people are erased. Ineffective managers will always prevail in GE's environment. This is all that is left of management. Liars, cheats and theives.

Any updates on the Lifesciences side of the business, especially as it's EMS time - I mean how many people will be rated Less effective by their manager this year and then forced to leave!

You cannot let us hang with this comment,,,"did you hear about the manager who got arrested for lying about FDA issues"

what business?

did you hear about the manager who got arrested for lying about FDA issues

With the sell-off to Quotient and O-CD's move to Pencoed, does GEHC have any use for The John Maynard Centre, fforest Farm, Cardiff?
If not will the company sell the site and pay back HM Government the £12m Amersham was given to build the lab?

Do you know what areas of HC got affected? Service, mfg, support, engineering???

Layoffs over the holiday at GEHC. More to come in Q1 due to poor performance.in Q4. The new service org is a train wreck. Custormer are feeling the pain of prior cutbacks.

this is happening in GE !!!

http://www.gesupplydiscrimination.com/index.htm

http://www.employeerightspost.com/tags/hamilton-vgeneral-electric/

Last Chance Agreement Can't Waive Future Claims
Posted on February 28, 2009 by Ellen Simon

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, in Hamilton v. General Electric, issued a very interesting employee rights decision this month that can be helpful to both employees (and their lawyers) and instructive to their employers.

Jarret Hamilton worked for General Electric for over 30 years. He had a relatively clean record of employment until 2004 when things began to deteriorate. Because one of the managers was out to get him, according to Hamilton, he was written up several times which resulted in his termination.

After the termination, the union intervened and Hamilton, GE and the union signed a Last Chance Agreement. A Last Chance Agreement ("LCA") is often used in union settings in situations involving alcohol or drug abuse, misconduct consisting of harassment, absenteeism, or repeated violations of workplace rules.

Last Chance Agreements work like this:

1. the employee engages in some misconduct;
2. the union negotiates the LCA with the employer on behalf of the employee;
3. an agreement is entered into which gives the the employee his job back and
4. contains language specifying that if the employee violates any part of the agreement, the employee will be immediately fired (and this time it's for good)

In Hamilton's agreement, Hamilton got his job back on the condition that he would comply with all of GE's rules. If any of the rules were violated, Hamilton would be subject to immediate termination.

Hamilton's agreement also contained a provision which said that if GE did terminate him, Hamilton agreed that no legal action regarding the discharge would be filed. Hamilton signed the agreement and he went back to work.

Everything was fine for about a year and then other incidents occurred which led to Hamilton's suspension. Hamilton believed he was being discriminated against because of his age and filed a complaint of age discrimination with the EEOC as a result. When he returned to work after the suspension, and after the filing of the EEOC complaint, the harassment got much worse according to Hamilton's testimony, all of which culminated in his termination.

Hamilton filed a lawsuit in federal court in Kentucky. Not surprisingly, GE argued that Hamilton had "waived his right to proceed to court by signing the Last Chance Agreement."

While Last Chance Agreements are generally held to be binding on the parties, both the district court and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the provision in Hamilton's LCA which barred him from bringing a lawsuit to challenge the discharge was not enforceable. Finding in favor of Hamilton the court held:

We have held that '[i]t is the general rule in this circuit that an employee may not prospectively waive his or her rights under Title VII...Both of the cases GE cites hold that when an individual is faced with a known violation, he or she may be able to waive his or her ability to pursue further legal actions relating to that past violation. Neither case, however, stands for the proposition that .. an employee can prospectively waive statutory claims relating to potential future violations.

Hamilton signed the LCA nearly a year before he was terminated, and the LCA does not represent his choice to forego future remedies based on GE's future statutory violations. Accordingly, because Kentucky law does not dictate the contrary result, we conclude that Hamilton's LCA does not bar him from pursuing this legal actions.

In reversing the district court, the Sixth Circuit also allowed Hamilton to proceed on his retaliation claim.

Last Chance Agreements can help employees keep their jobs and have a useful purpose. This is particularly true in cases of alcoholism and substance abuse when employees are given a chance to get treatment and come back to work. LCA's were never intended to give employers a license discriminate. This case says that language in LCA's which give employees their jobs back on the condition that they won't ever be able to sue for a wrongful discriminatory discharge will not be enforced.

is this manager currently in GE Global Research - New York

The Spirit of the Letter nonsense they dictate is just that nonsense. The management does not have to abide by it. I am watching good people being pushed out and the lethal toxic people being promoted. There is one manager in NY that has had several lawsuits brought against GE due to his horrific management and he is getting promoted to a new higher level manager in the new sales structure in the future. How does that continue to happen? Sickening. He has done a splendid job degrading women and is promoted and rewarded for it

"You would simply not believe the level of acrimony, distrust and story telling that goes on inside this machine." What is Jeff Immelt doing about this? Looks like the story tellers are getting promoted and the honest employees pushed to the corners.Is this the reason why the shares of this company is going down.

they should be laying off the completely useless managers not the people out there working their tails off every day for the ungrateful general.

Just keep us posted, I just talked to a few guys in service, some are busy, some are not that busy. I remember I was busy doing installs and still at the beginning of the year(09) all went to the dump, I can't remember how many times they insisted that getting laid off was not due to performance, that was the song every manager was singing to all the hundreds of laid off people, I would like to know what theme will they bring up now.
Thanks

For those who have been there for 10+ years, I believe most are in absolute disbelief as to what has happened to this company. You would simply not believe the level of acrimony, distrust and story telling that goes on inside this machine.

They are not worth working for. The management has stripped the workerbees of their dignity and self worth with their lying lack of leadership ways. I am leaving after 20 years. In the past two years things have gotten so bad and toxic the company does not deserve to have talent. They deserve to swelter in their own toxins

Is this company worth working for? The senior managers are living a life of luxury. Do we need to work hard?

I think you should post the email message here. Sounds like "under duress" that if you accept a paycheck you've already earned to have to waive your rights. Let's see the actual wording.

Great idea about taking GE to court, however, remember the email message from June? If you received a paycheck from GE in July you waived your right to take them to court. You must use binding arbitration with GE specifying the arbitrator and place of the negotiation. Take that free market employment!

Some managers write lies and humiliating reviews. GE employees need to protest to this behavior and take this in court. Let the world know the games played by the incompetent managers of GE, why employee morale is low and why their stocks are down. GE workers of the world UNITE against the injustice.

In response to the person who wrote the info below. Wow, when I read things like this it can only be written by someone who worked their. I started there out of college and worked there 17 years. Probably at least 5 years too long. I quit and work at another company that actually wants to do the right thing. I now spend my days actually thinking of ways to save money for the company and increase customer sat. Versus GEHC (especially GEHC-IT) where the employees and leaders, spend their time trying not to get stabbed in the back by some of the worst individuals I have ever run accross in my live. It is really sad what is going on over their. They will muddle along for a few more years then the board will finally tire of the BS and fire the Corp leaders who promote the non-sense going on. Chapter 11 is the best solution, fire upper management, break up the company and start over.

GEHC SERVICE & PERFORMANCE SOLUTIONS should reduce force - TOP, MIDDLE and BOTTOM. There are many people who do nothing all day, make a lot of money and are drones in their silos. At the other spectrum, there are also very many smart individiuals who were a part of GEHC -- I have worked and/or known at least 30 people who have left the company in the last 2 years. They left for many reasons -- and some were pushed out with huge severance deals. I overperformed and worked my ass off for that company only to be harassed by a female mananger and bullied by insecure women. There was nothing I could do to protect myself. HR is a complete joke -- and businesses should not model this structure if they knew how things really worked behind the scenes at that company. It is all egos and politics. Integrity is at bottom on the list. Employees will complain about increased cost to their healthcare...all I want to say is get a grip and look outside your small world. I hope there is a huge shake up -- the leadership teams are a JOKE! How many GMs will there be before they realize the top is a little too heavy? There is no real leadership, no direction, and they think they are gods! A nice reality check is what is needed. Leaders are moved around every two years...and they never are held obligated to all the messes they create and leave behind. A senior leader once told me, "Don't you know...you have to fuck up to move up!"

The previous poster talks about management that have no skills, which pretty much sums up Research Sciences in Europe!

I had a review in which none of the accomplishments were mine. In addition, it down-graded what I really did. When I told my manager this and requested that it be revised, she advised me that "no one looks at your accomplishments and I won't go back and change it now." Individuals are in management that have no right to be a mangaer -- they lack core skills. I would not doubt there are layoffs and I hope there are. Poor management is driving the service business down. That is the business that is supposively outperforming this year and pulling equipment through...it will all catch up to the business in time. Box selling, lack of management, attrituion, lack of succession planning, politics and egos will all make surface.

Have also heard service \ labcrew will be hit next... again that's another under performing busines, they've even had to resort to the sales team trying to flog maintenance contracts!

Again I feel sorry for the poor customers