"The price of justice is eternal publicity." Arnold Bennett
| Sample Comments and Feedbacks - Archives |
Due to enormity of comments and feedbacks reported to FACE Intel since March of 1996, we only publish a small sample of comments and feedback by current and former employees of Intel for your information.
Note: The material published here are original. For protection purposes the name of authors is kept confidential.
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40 From Sally Scovel Prentice:
Boy did the news article I read regarding this site, and the site itself touch a sore spot!!!
Jerry and I both worked at the Santa Clara from appx. 1976 to 1980. I quit because of stress, but Jerry stayed, and we were transferred to the new Phoenix plant in July of 1980. His job was so stressful that in 1983, Jerry had a heart attack (mild one). And after a series of diagnostic procedures he had a triple by-pass surgery.
Jerry was supervising three warehouses and he worked very hard. Due to an unbearably stressful work environment he developed heart problems again and was several times hospitalized. Jerry was totally devoted and dedicated to his job. Intel rewarded his loyalty and dedication and due to his ailment replaced him in 1988 and "laid him off".
At the time of the "lay-off", Jerry was 48 years old, which as you know, is ancient by Intel's standards. In November of 1988 we moved back to the Bay Area. Intel's merciless response took a major toll on his health and in January 29, 1990, he suffered a massive heart attack and passed away.
As I'm sure you're aware that in the Bay Area, a 50 year old ailing man has a snowball's chance in Hell of getting a job. And, of course, since Intel laid him off, there was neither medical or life insurance coverage at his time of death, (boy! They sure timed that one right!). I did contact a lawyer after he died (as I had so often urged him to do) to see if we had an age discrimination lawsuit. We did - but that chance had died when Jerry passed away.
Jerry was extremely well liked at Intel, and got very good reviews, and he was devastated when he was discharged. I don't think he ever got over the blow to his ego, he had hung in with Intel through the many "crappy" things that happened in relation to his many transfers, and was under the delusion that he had SOME value to the company. He did have a lot of value, but apparently NOT to Intel.
We were aware of at least two suicides, and a couple more potential suicides by Intel employees (both current and former.) One, I remember, was a woman, who took her life in 1988. She worked at the Deer Valley plant. She just went home one day after a typical day at Intel, and blew her brains out!
I have always hoped someone would look into Intel's brutal practices, it is truly the EMPLOYER FROM HELL.
I would certainly advise all the people employed at Intel to RUN for ANY other job. Working at Intel is not worth losing your health, sanity, family, etc. Intel will certainly do the same things to them that was done to many others. WHY hasn't anyone realized the enormity and number of the violations of employment laws at Intel, going back 20 years at least.
Although our (Handicapped) daughter and I have survived Jerry's death, (barely!) and moved on with our lives, after nine long years, it shouldn't have happened this way. I remarried after seven years to a great man, but I will never forget Jerry, we had twenty great years of marriage, and 50 is too damn young to die from job related stress.
If I can be of any assistance to your organization, please let me know - INTEL NEEDS TO BE STOPPED FROM CAUSING ANYONE ELSE'S DEATH OR DISABILITY!!! Please sign me up!
Sincerely, Sally L. Scovel Prentice
Comments Archives
39 - From a former Intel employee:
Intel has changed. It used to be a great place to work. I have noticed the change within the last two years. I worked for intel for 13 years within one day, I was surprised by a notice I was gone. I was sliced off within 15 minutes of surreal time and space. I could not believe it. My review was satisfactory and I had in fact actually won an achievement award and I was working well with the other teams.
Corporate Intel call Intel a meritrocacy, which means one is promoted according to merit Employees are judged yearly and evaluated and then rank ordered against their peers. This is very interesting math. Every review people are measured according to their productivity and then how they "rank" next to their peers. Here’s the catch. My productivity was fine and my work was deemed satisfactory; but I "ranked" barely below the 33 percentile compared with my peers. Normal statistics distribution says that 95.44 of the sample usually falls between first and second standard deviation (above and below the mean). I was well within this margin. The intent of "ranking" was to be an indication for employees to see where they can beef up their skills. The rules changed. I was dismissed because of "peer comparison alone". Key for new workers: Play the politics and watch the math, Intel is not based on teamwork and your neighbor is also your competition when it comes to ranking. Philosophy now functions on competition which means BEAT your peers, BEAT your team members but put on the good citizen face appear otherwise.
I remember time and time again, when I possessed information and knowledge which was helpful to my peers. I reminded my self that we are all on the same team and I gave everything I knew or had away because of a team spirit. After all, this is the right thing to do. I was wrong, at least within this environment at this point in time. As Andy said, "Only the paranoid survive." Key for new workers: Be paranoid, but if the paranoia becomes part of your internal being escape and reclaim your moral self.
Intel used to be fun and there was a sense of teamwork and work that clustered around projects. The company even had a corp list of values and "having fun" was included. This corporate value was excluded in 1998. Fun was never defined as frolic to the expense of real work. It was fun in being with a good intelligent team and doing good work. Key for new workers: Intel is not fun.
Intel sings to new employees that family is important - It is lipservice. If intel can hire two people to work a 60 hour week, then it will save the cost of an additional person or head. Key for new workers: Have a long hard discussion with your spouse.
Intel has a culture which listens to the employees and has an open communication Lipservice again. For example. Intel has a "communciation time" set aside for manager/worker It is called a one on one. The concept was great and had good intentions and worked in the past. The form has crumbled. I once told my manger that I would really like to get back to working a 10 hour day (Instead of the 12+). He yelled at me. My co-worker mentioned to her manager that she didn’t want to work for another manager. The message went straight up to the next in line manger. The intel culture has (had) set the 1:1 time as a time for OPEN DISCUSSION of ideas, problems, and was a time where there could be candor without judgment. Wrong. Intel has changed. Key for new workers Play the game and don’t share thoughts or feelings.
Intel needs to examine the guilding principles and values of the company.
name withheld
38 - From a concerned citizen:
This in reference of Intel's blocking the Emails of its employees. If Jefferson was alive he would be very upset with all large corporations and especially Intel.
Intel is an arrogant corporation, and I know that from personal experience as a customer. Can someone tell me what the difference is between the former Soviet Union and Intel? The Soviets and every totalitarian state spied and mistrusted their own people. Intel does the same. They are doing it because they do not want their people to know the truth. Apparently there is some truth in what Hamidi has to say to Intel's employees. The truth is like acid that burns and apparently it burns Intel in this case. As far as judges, and the decision made by a judge, has nothing to do with truth.
Most judges are like prostitutes. They try to please those who pay the most. Intel is a dictatorship and they want to control the minds of their employees. They wage their internal propaganda Hitler, and Stalin style, what their employees can see, read, communicate, think etc. Intel wants to be the only source for conducting propaganda and brainwash its employees, and no one else.
"By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated,it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell -- and hell heaven. The greater the lie, the more readily it will be believed". Adolf Hitler in Mein Kampf as someone who lived under a dictator, and learned first hand all about propaganda, and values liberty more life itself, I say "INTEL GO TO HELL. MY NEXT PC WILL BE NON INTEL FOR ME, MY BUSINESS ,AND ALL MY FRIENDS. Hamidi has an ally. I am also an engineer and EMPLOYEE, I make decisions, and any corporation that behaves like Intel, is off my vendor list forever.
In saluting our founding fathers who risked their lives for our liberty, I say down with Intel, "LONG LIVE LIBERTY AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND COMMUNICATION"
VA
37 - From a former Intel employee:
I worked at Intel (in Folsom) as a contractor for approximately 9 months. I started in their Technical Assistance Center and was constantly lauded with praise and awards. I was given special projects and told that I was an extremely valuable member of our team. I was offered a job as an full-time employee (doing the same thing that I was doing) and, eventhough it was a pay cut, I took it. During my first Rating and Ranking (Ranting and Raving) I was rated and ranked #1.
Through all of this I was going through some extremely difficult family problems, my father suddenly passed away (he was only 56), and my husband and I were splitting up after 7 years of marriage.
I was then recruited for a position in New Mexico, and after some serious thought, considered it a great idea for me to start my life over. I went to NM to check out the site and while down there I reminded them that I was a single mother of a 2 1/2 year old little girl who was my number 1 priority. I told them that I could only work 8-5, but after I got my daughter to bed at night I would be willing to log in and work from home. They said no problem at all. They paid for my relocation and everything was set.
After one month of working 8-5 (by the way this position was in the CM Finance Dept. which is headed directly by the Comptroller--I worked two cubicles down from her), while heading home one day I was called on my cell phone and asked where I was. I told this person that I had just picked up my daughter and I was heading home. I was told that I was destroying my career.
Another month went by and I was interviewed (in the same dept) for a big promotion. I went through the normal 5 panel skills and psych interview. I was told by our Sr. Manager that I "Slam Dunked" the interview and they were really excited to get me started in the new position. In the meantime a peer of mine was put on a CAP. He was constantly harassed by the middle management and obviously targeted--he made a lot of money. He told me that I was being set up for failure by going into this position. He was a family man and knew that I would never put my job before my daughter. While I was considering this job promotion, I was still just working 8-5, while the two other people I worked with came in about 600am and never left before 800 - 900pm (neither were married or had families). I then decided that I didn't want to be put in a position where I would ever sacrifice the already limited time I had with my daughter, so I turned down the promotion and stayed where I was.
I went on another 4 months doing my job. I was no longer invited to meetings. They forgot to tell me when they went to department lunches, and no one would talk to me. I then had an accident and had to have reconstructive surgery on my ankle. I was out for a few weeks on disability. When I returned I was rated and ranked as dead last. What that taught me is that if you want to work at Intel 1). Don't have a family that you love, 2). Expect to dedicate ALL of your time to the Shareholders, 3). Don't ever get hurt, 4). Don't ever turn down a promotion.
When I left the company (I resigned before I was fired) I wrote a letter and copied it to Andy Grove, Craig Barrett, and all of the other mucky-mucks reminding them of Craig Barrett's "Back to Basics" and how he said that no one should work any hours other than 8-5. He plainly said that if a person has to work more than 8-5 then more headcount had to be added. I also reminded them of their "Family Oriented Company" policy. I found out that the chief of security had said that I wrote a dangerous message to Craig Barrett and I was permanently "Black Balled". I'm not sure what that means, because I have found no repercussions from it, and have gotten a wonderful job since then.
I worked for Intel for two years...one great the other hell. No, I am no longer in Folsom. One thing great that did happen at Intel is I met my soulmate and we got married almost two years ago. We both now work for Sprint in Kansas City, MO. We have found Sprint to be an excellent place to work. I guess it's just the little things that really make a difference, but things like we have no set sick leave amount. They just go off the assumption that we are adults and if we are sick we are sick and we need to stay home (yes, paid). We aren't limited to being sick for only 40 hours a year or whatever. We also get paid sick leave for our family members. If my daughter (who is now almost 6) or my newborn son is sick I get to stay home with them and know that I will not only get paid for it, but I won't be berated for it when I am back. My boss knows that that I can't drop my daughter off at kindergarten before 800am so I get in everyday about 820 and never once has an eyebrow been raised.
Finally, (you're not going to believe this) my husband (who is an internet engineer) has been offered the opportunity to telecommute (work from home) so not only can we save a lot of money on daycare, but my husband gets to spend valuable time with our little boy watching him grow and raising him the way we want. They set up our house with an ISDN line and multiple computers, pay for our telephone lines, installed a fax machine and made it wonderful for him. We love working for Sprint.
I cringe now when I hear the Intel ding ding ding ding. I think about what could have happened and how they tried to get me to give up the greatest thing that ever happened in my life...my little girl.
I would rather stay anonymous and thanks.
36 - From a former Intel employee:
In 1996 and early 1997 I was working in a Finance Organization on the SOLAR project associated with the Intel Inside program. I was the data modeler for the project. Up to the time I separated from Intel, I had always received satisfactory performance reviews and at times trended faster than my peers in ranking and rating. I had received an outstanding achievement award for facilitating a project team in Arizona in re-engineering their business processes - I might add that during this effort I commuted from Santa Clara to Chandler for three - four day stretches at a time for three months to accomplish this task. I am married with a young child. I was with Intel from November of 1989 (from May 1990 as a full time Employee) to April 1997. I was hired at Grade level 8. I was granted stock options at every review, performance increases in salary and participated in the executive bonus plan.
In the summer of 1996, my manager, informed me that while my performance had been satisfactory, Intel was "raising the bar" and that I would have to perform at an increasingly higher level in order to justify my Grade level. Since I was having some medical problems at the time, I was concerned that I might not be able to achieve to his expectations. I volunteered to be reduced a grade level if he thought that would help the situation. He said that it would.
Shortly after that I went on MLOA for two months. Upon my return, I was told that I was to take on a new responsibility - Quality Assurance for the Solar project. I explained that I had never done QA before, but cheerfully accepted the job for the good of the project team. The person responsible for the QA, a contractor with 20 years QA experience, was to transition her responsibilities over a three month time period to me. We developed a plan for how this was to take place and the plan was approved by Jose. I pitched in and started to execute against the plan.
About a month into the transition, another project team member informed me with great reluctance that I was soon to be put on CAP (this is supposedly a violation of confidentiality) - several days later, I was summoned to a meeting called by Jose and his boss where they informed me that I was being put on CAP since my progress on my new assignment had not lived up to expectations - I was informed that they had demoted me a grade level once already (not true) and I just wasn't making it. I asked if I could transfer to another group and was told that they did not wish to burden another manger with such a poor performer. The terms of the CAP were for me to meet with my manager every Monday where he would ask me questions concerning various aspects of the project and the myriad complexities of the Intel Inside program and I would have to answer these to his satisfaction -
I would also have to drastically increase my performance in the eyes of the contractor - since these terms seemed so subjective and since their attitude was so mean spirited, I chose the buyout.
(Due to fear from Intel I would rather to stay anonymous)
35 - From a former Intel employee:
Greetings.
I am a former employee of Intel. I like to summarize my career at Intel as: "The best thing I ever did for my career was to leave Intel. The second best thing I ever did for my career was to work for Intel."
I have worked for several employers throughout my 20 years in the electronics industry, and it is fair and truthful to say that the work environment at Intel is abusive. Every company I have worked for has been an indisputable industry leader TRW, Tektronix, LSI Logic, AST Computer, and yes, Intel. Each of these companies maintains high standards for their products and their employees, but what I experienced at Intel was far different than I had seen anywhere else.
I have taken every job in my career seriously; I have always done more than what was expected of me. I got recognition and respect from all of my managers and co-workers. Every review I got was very positive, and along with that came decent annual raises; one employer gave me a 25% raise. If I had gotten all of this from the same employer and/or manager, I'd admit it was probably sugar-coated treats and goodies. But the fact is, I have been reviewed by a lot of managers, and I consistently get good reviews.
Enter Intel. My first review was a disappointment, along with the raise, but I figured Intel set higher expectations because it's sales were soaring. I worked harder, I worked smarter, I worker better with others; I was performing better than I did at any other job. I got 2 SRA's (Spontaneous Recognition Awards), and several plaques. I also got chewed-out once by my boss, and I restrained myself when he doused me with profanities and degradation. I did get an apology when he acknowleged I did the right thing to tape-out a chip, but that I should have gotten his prior approval. This took-up a good chunk of my next review, so, again, I got another poor raise (4.5%; the average I was told). Next time, I vowed, I was kick ass. I did. I psychoanalyzed my manager; I knew every button he had. I kept-up on every issue. I knew every possible scenario where something on the project could go wrong, and I had a recovery plan.
It worked. I got an excellent written review. I got a lot of stock options. My Executive Bonus was increased. But I was still ranked 'Successful' and got a raise that was less than the cost of living.
Yeah, 1994, year of the Pentium and phenomenal Intel profits. Other companies were giving standard raises that were 2-3 times mine. I confronted my manager and said this was unacceptable, especially when Intel's written compensation policy was to be "competitive within the industry", yet I clearly ranked below average according to the annual EE Times Salary & Opinion Survey.
My manager's response was "Competitive does not mean equal". From there, things rapidly went downhill. I was the only member on the design team who had any kids and family obligations, let alone a wife who worked nights/weekends. I was perceived as not being a "team player" because I couldn't work till 9-10PM every night, plus weekends. My first vacation for almost a year was to take a few days off during Labor Day Weekend. Just after announcing that "everyone is required to be here all day Saturday, Sunday, and we'll see if you can have Monday off", I was put on CAP (Corrective Action Plan).
I cut my vacation short, and successfully completed my midpoint review while on CAP. Then I quit. I had enough of the phone calls from my boss at 12 midnite when I'm trying to get a 6 month old baby to sleep; I had enough of having my nerves so rattled that I was actually shaking when I sat down at my desk; I had enough of feeling guilty if I went to lunch more than twice a month.
When I was asked at my exit interview if I would ever consider a position at Intel in the future, I frankly told the HR manager that "I would consider another position within Intel, but under no circumstances would I ever consider a position with PCD" [PCD is short for PCI Components Division, where I worked]. As I walked out the door for the last time, I felt GREAT!! As I drove away from the parking lot, I rolled-down my window and yelled "F-CK INTEL" at the top of my lungs.
Due my own choice I'm about to leave my first post-Intel job, and it's going to be very painful. I'm leaving behind a lot great memories, great people I've worked with, excellent reviews and raises [in 4 years I've gotten 50% in total raises, 2 promotions, several special awards, and they have treated me better than some of my own family].
Greg
Intel class of 1991-1994
[Please refer to me only as 'Greg']
34 - From a former Intel employee:
I had no idea you existed until the article in the paper today. I applaud you and what you are doing. I watched Intel destroy people. I saw people become alcoholics. My doctor put me out on disability due to the incredible stress I was under. My supervisor would constantly make up lies and make very vocal slanderous comments about me which were blatant lies. Prior to my stress leave, a friend told me I uttered over and over one evening, "how can she be allowed to be so cruel and get away with it." He said I just said the same thing over and over like I was i shock. I cried for days on end and felt beaten down because I couldn't believe they would let mangers get away with the things they did. I watched one department become staffed by all black people who were unqualified, because the manager, who was black, said that black people work better with other black people. But here is the best part we were told by HR to document everything that was said and done to us and we did just that. When we met with HR and went over everything, all they did was nod as we went through each item. They never did anything to stop any of it.In my department alone, there were at least 4 people on stress leave. Ranking and rating? That is the biggest joke going. It only serves to make employees stab each other in the back so they might move one notch up from a co-worker. You only come out as good in R&R as your boss has backbone to defend you. And if they don't want you, they will just put you in a job that is above your skill level (telling you this is a step towards a promotion), but it is really just setting you up to fail so you can be in that bottom 10% and out the door.
I am so glad to be away from that place. I have my health and I have a job I love for which I am more than happy to give 150% of myself every day of the year.
Please keep my name anonymous. I don't want any repercussions or any further involvement with "In-Hell" ever again.
33 - From a former Intel employee:
Hello,
First, I would like to thank you for your website. I have visited your site many times in the past few months. It has helped me to know that I am not alone in being victimized by this organization. However, I am also saddened to realize the extent of the abuse of Intel employees and their families that your website documents. I have contemplated writing this letter for five months now. I am doing so to be one more person to verify that this abuse is taking place at Intel.
I don't want to get into the details of what happened to me. I will just say that the targeting, the refusal to give me information required to do my job, the shunning by team members, the total stupidity of it all was alive and well in the departments that I worked for. I finally realized I will not work for any organization that treats its employees the way that Intel does.
The only type of personality that I can see surviving at Intel today is a total bottom dweller. Someone who can turn a blind eye to the abuse o their fellow employees and think, "As long as it's not me!" Wake up! Next time it will be you! I have recently noticed the same type of traits in some pretty high Intel managers that I would expect to see in a prison inmate. Kind of a shifty, hardened, just can't trust them kind of quality. perhaps it is caused by the damage done by the large amount of alcohol consumption, which is used by so many of them to block out the conditions of their job. Don't know and don't want to!!!
The only thing that I can say to anyone out there in a bad situation at Intel is: It is NOT worth it. Don't let anyone talk you into staying at a bad situation for any reason! Don't let a spouse or any other family member pressure you to stay for financial reason. It is a destructive, unhealthy environment and don't let anyone tell you different!
To Intel management- Remember the old adage "A house divided against itself CANNOT stand" What's more, a house that is divided against itself BY DESIGN will fall even faster! Take that one to the band, boys!
Thank you FACE Intel.
32 - From a former IBM employee:
So-called free capitalist societies have built-in paradoxes, which can produce ill affects on societies unless the will of the people demands action and governments provide for proper controls. Programmers and other high-tech workers in America are discovering the ill affects of capitalism when the workers do not assert themselves and thus the government does not provide these controls. High compensation and elitism sometimes preclude our recognition and acceptance of the basic fact that in the end, all of us work for powerful entitiesentities that will control our lives unless we assert ourselves and take appropriate action.The sweatshops we now witness in foreign countries are no different than those of early America prior to the establishment of unions and government controls. Young children worked long hours in slaughterhouses and factories in very unhealthy environments with no benefits and no recourse against uncaring management. If someone got hurt or became ill and could not perform, they were summarily fired. In America we idealize and pride ourselves in our basic desires for individual freedom, less government, and lower taxes. Yet without adequate government intervention and controls at all levels of our lives, the world would soon be taken over by those individuals of low ethical and moral standards, who harbor ill will toward their fellow man.
The cause of our problems is not only due to lack of morals and ethics. It is problematic in the basic mechanics of capitalism and democracy. Many people voice concerns and are perplexed that President Jefferson owned slaves. Yet, do they think it would have been possible to own and run a prosperous plantation that could compete in prices with neighboring plantations without utilizing slaves? Should Jefferson have decided he would not utilize slaves, but employ paid laborers with benefits packages, how long do we think he would have been in business? This is the basic paradox of capitalism. In order to stay in business, we must often follow our competition regardless if it fairs ill with our basic philosophy of life.
At a much different level, we suffer the same situation in America today, though we are not considered "slaves." If one company improves their financial position by sending work to countries with poor work conditions, low pay, and no benefits, then other companies must follow suit or go out of business. If one company improves their profit picture by working their programmers twelve or sixteen hours per day and reducing benefits, other companies must follow suit or become non-competitive. A very important factor in all this is the availability of workers. When workers are in high demand, which is usually the case with new technologies, workers are treated as royalty. When there’s an overabundance of workers with these skills, they become common men.
Though the management of a business might not like these situations any more than the workers do, there is not much they can do about it, for this is the built-in paradox of capitalism. This is also why workers all over the world, when they feel they are being treated unfairly, finally get fed up and join together and assert themselves in an effort to establish the rules by which they are willing to live. Of course, this brings us to the terrible word, "unions." People in high-paid, elite positions traditionally think that unions are for low-level workers, but evidence proves otherwise. Doctors have long established their guidelines through the AMA, perhaps the largest "union" in the world. Airline pilots maintain control of their lives through their unions. Teachers were finally given the right to unionize many years ago. Once the rules are established, the playing field is set for the employers of these workers. Worker pay, health and safety requirements, healthcare benefits, and working hours, are not fair game for reducing costs and improving one’s competitive position. Competition must now be based solely upon factors such as inventiveness, technical and business prowess, efficiency, marketing skills, etc.not worker sacrifices.
Due to the various types of work being performed, it seems very difficult for programmers, engineers, and other technical workers to form common interest groups. However, if they are to take the control of their lives out of the hands of powerful business owners, who are tied to the unforgiving demands of a capitalistic system, they must find a way. Picketing, throwing pies, WebPages, letters to government officials, all help to a degree, but as with Jefferson's situation, the problem will not automatically go away until controls are established.
The problem of allowing work to be taken outside of America to foreign countries is very complex and for most of us, beyond comprehension. Beside the benefits to business entities and the need to stay competitive, it is also done for political reasonsin part to stem the tide of immigrants to our country. We can either send work to other countries or people will come here seeking work. Our problem with Mexico is most simple We can either try to provide the Mexican people with work in their own country or, in desperation they will continue to enter our country illegally in their efforts to find work. They too have families that are hungry and need medical help.
Much of our government's efforts are to maintain peaceful relationships with other countries by helping them with their problems. With larger, more powerful countries, we can choose to help them or they might just decide to help themselves. Due to its current economic chaos and poor living conditions, Russian leaders have already expressed to the world their need to build up their military base as a means of providing work for their people. The message should be clear to world leaders. In desperation, Russia is also looking at their neighbors as sources of food and supplies, as is common for all countries in their predicament. This is why the world needs to pay attention and be anxious to help the Russians, regardless that it was corruption and a bunch of crooks that brought the society down.
In the end a successful and peaceful society is one that adequately deals with the various demands placed upon it from internal and external sources. It must also provide the ground rules and controls by which we all live. It is obvious that a very large portion of highly skilled workers in our country is working under very unhealthy conditions. Excessive hours, workweeks with no weekends, uncertainty about futures, excessively high stress levels, ill affects on family life, has become the norm. Maybe the time has come for these workers to come together and take the necessary steps to gain control of their lives. We know from history that it will not be the government or powerful business entities that can or will improve the situation.
31 - From a former Intel employee:
As I was reading through your "comments" section of your web page, I remembered something that happened at Intel from around April of 1998 to July 1998. Now, this might be old news to most people. I just found it kind of interesting.
As I have e mailed you before, I was a MT in NM and in AZ. Basically, the grunt of all grunts. But when I became pregnant, I went to shift 1 to help out Automation. This was a temporary assignment that lasted about 3 months. Since it didn’t take up all my time on shift 1, they put me in a team called "The Integration Team". What this team was made to do was, have luncheons with all the new employees to see what they thought of NEO, and their integration to Intel, whether it be a transfer to Fab 12, or a new hire all together. They never had this before, and this was after all the people from Fab 9 came over (since I was one of them). I attended these luncheons, almost all of them, to help out. It was an open forum to discuss anything the employees wanted. A lot of them, actually about 99% of them, were worried about getting laid off. We all have heard the rumors about it. The facilitators were people who did the hiring, HR and sometimes shift coordinators or managers, (People who had all the inside information).
Now since most of these people came from out of state, they were buying houses, or planning to, or in the process of. They uprooted their families, took them away from other parts of their families, to move out to AZ to start this "promising" job at Intel. The HR and shift coordinators and mangers all said their jobs were NOT in jeopardy. Despite the rumors, there was going to be no layoff. Shift 4 had a "shift lite" which was taking out 1/3 of the employees to see how the fab can run with minimal people. When the employees asked if this works, would they lay off these people, they said no. They just wanted to see if the factory could run at maximum capacity with the same number of employees there are now. (Kind of like a ratio thing, instead of ramping the wafers early to see, they lowered the head count). One week after the shift lite ended; they offered the separation package.
Some of these people had to pull out of buying houses, loosing their deposits because Intel lied. Those were the lucky ones. The ones who had just bought houses were stuck there unless they wanted to loose a significant amount of money and sell it without equity. A lot of people went back to where they came from, very bitter. Some didn’t take the package because they couldn’t afford to lose their job since they were supporting families, and recently bought houses.
This ramp of hiring engineers and shift 1 people didn’t end at Fab 12 until well into the second quarter. So why did they have this massive "lay off" in July? Why didn’t they just promote people who had the skills? My husband is being one of them. I’m not being bias either. He worked as a system analyst for 3 years before he went to Intel. Intel hired him on as a grade 53 Litho MT, making less than me, who’s only real job ever was working in a fabrication environment. He accepted the job because he thought it was a great company to work for, and he thought he would get his foot in the door and work his way up. My supervisor interviewed him, (He used to work in the automation dept as a sup), and when he told the hiring people to hire him, that was the job he was supposed to get, but they placed him in manufacturing instead.
I guess Intel isn’t really into utilizing their employees skills. I thought this was an interesting point…I wonder how many other Fabs did this? Why didn’t the HR people tell the truth? I thought this forum was to help the employees. I guess it was just to help Intel. Screw the employees and their families, right? I can’t count how many people got divorces due to Intel’s "pressure without rewards" system. One person I worked with got hired on, on shift 4. His wife, they put on shift 6. Intel must not have any interest in their employee’s families. I guess this shouldn’t shock me.
30 - From a former Intel employee:
'FACE Intel' is simply a great site, exemplifying one of the higher callings of the interconnected information age--people from all over the world freely exchanging information to fight injustice. If Intel upper management fears unions, they ought to be loading their pants over smart people with first-hand knowledge telling the world what a two-holed outhouse their company is to actually work for!
As a top-performing engineer with many years of experience, half in consulting and half at a well-respected corporation, I hired on at Intel in 1997 with high hopes. Here was a world-class market-leader, founded by and managed by engineers, with seemingly limitless opportunity for productive contribution and career growth. To make a long story short, when the voluntary severance packages came out this summer it felt like getting out of prison early. The first morning open for sign-up I spent three hours calling to get through the busy-signal. When I finally broke into the queue at number 170, it took just 15 minutes to speak to an EASE On-Call representative.
Let's see, if lines opened at 6 a.m. PDT and they were processing 170 VSP requests every 15 minutes, that makes 680 (say 700) requests per hour, or 2100 requests just in the period of time before I broke into the queue that Monday morning. And VSP signup was open all week, until close-of-business Friday! How well does this align with your 'Great Place to Work' vector, Uncle Andy?
I'll certainly be in touch, 'cause my ax sure needs some grinding!
Anonymous, please...
29 - From a former Intel employee:
I can only say this.... "It sounds like Intel continues to go down the toilet when it relates to its employees and business practices'. Being female, an x-Grade 6 (should have been at least an 8 w/my responsibilities), over-looked and underpaid quota making manager I was foolish to take such great pride in my position for so long.I become increasing unpopular as my goals and objectives got realigned in my personal life - due to the divorce of my long term marriage w/children involved. I no longer saw Intel as the main objective in my life --- my children were!! I almost lost my children and every thing I had built due to Intel's crass and "unspoken" pressure for me to perform the unconsiounable duties of a "successful" Intel manager.
I did not sacrifice my people at any time nor did I lie to them.....every one of them told me I was the best manager they had ever had and actually 'trusted' me and knew I would stand up to protect them. I lost my ground with the other managers and soon my "vote" was merely an inclusion formality -- not to be worried about -- "she always swims upstream"!
I am very glad to say that I NO LONGER work for Intel and I have 2 successful personal businesses of my own (which Intel employees have already tried to negatively effect 1 on them).
I read your postings from other people and I can comment to you on EVERYONE of them from the contractors, the Malaysian employee treatment (I was involved with the Eng. & Mask Designers over there), Ranking and Rating procedures, R&R upper managers rearranging the orders/raises AFTER the official R&R session.........you name it --- I've seen it happen.
My husband recently left Intel as well and is working with me in my business now. I would encourage people to GET OUT while they are younger.....Intel WILL dispose of them just like they have done to so many of us in the past. Contact me if you need to -- my code name is "Siscero" but I must stay anomimus to any posting on your site as Intel can still effect my personal business....I have a family to support and I don't want Intel ANYWHERE near our lives again. Thanks so much for your site - you are helping so many people see the truth before they wind up with 14 or more years of their life thrown away professionally like mine was.
28 - From a current Intel employee:
You know they have blocked FACE Intel's site at Intel. I guess Intel wants to block the FACE Intel site because they don't want employees to hear the whole truth.
Kind of like the media, they will tell you what they want you to know, and no more. Anyway your message brought up some very interesting points. I have often pondered some of the very same questions myself.
Let me throw out a few questions for you to consider:
- If Intel is redeploying (pronounced, laying off) thousands of workers "worldwide" then why are there so many job postings in places like Costa Rica, Shanghai, Caveat (Manila), etc...?
- Is worldwide pronounced "continental United States"?
- Also if it is illegal for a U.S. company to discriminate against a citizen on the basis of race, creed, and national origin, then how can Intel post job listings that state in the qualifications and skills section "must be Costa Rican"?
- Is Intel stating we are an equal opportunity employer, unless we are trying to reduce costs by exporting good paying manufacturing jobs, to cheap labor countries, then we are an equal oppression employer?
- What is the stated purpose of moving manufacturing overseas?
- To reduce costs, and be able to compete in a global market?
- If this is the case, why aren't these savings being passed on to the consumer in the form of lower cost products in order to "compete"? I would guess the reason is because they are already "competitive" but they want to be more "profitable", at the expense of American workers. I suppose 20+ billion wasn't enough last year, after all that was only 5X what they did about 8 years ago.
- Also why are the majority of the available U.S. jobs in the most expensive areas of the country, like Santa Clara and Oregon?
- I wonder if there is a correlation between the tax breaks offered to the corporation and the jobs offered to their people?
- Why can a corporation that makes billions of dollars every year get massive tax breaks, but the average worker has to pay and pay? I would think a corporation making billions could afford to pay more than an individual or a family. Finally if Intel is really a great place to work, and it's employees are their greatest asset, then why are their hiring managers and their HR reps making statements to employees in effect saying ... you shouldn't expect to find a position at your current level... ...people just don't like to hire in at that level. .... why should I hire you at your grade level when I have someone else at a lower grade level who is willing and able to do the same job for less pay...
- How about because the employees worked very hard to get where they are, and that is what "meritocracy" is supposed to be about! It's not about hiring cheaper labor after someone helps you attain you position in the market place. If they didn't need senior level people why did they advertise senior positions as a "growth path" when I interviewed?
- Why didn't they say there is no opportunity or growth path here. You remain what you hire in at, otherwise we will have to replace you if you work too hard and advance to far, unless you are willing to work your way down the corporate ladder via grade reduction, pay cut, and relocation to a higher cost of living area.... That would have been more truthful, but then again I probably would have went to work for one of their competitors if they had told me that during the interview. At the very least I wouldn't have bothered to work so hard or such long hours.
- Also how does Intel explain to it's share holders that they are shutting down profitable businesses?
- Are you familiar with the military operation in Chandler AZ? It has supposedly made millions for years but was recently shut down, why would Intel want to put these people out of work when they were contributing millions to the bottom line?
The "official" definition of redeployment is something along the lines of moving resources from areas of low return to areas of high return. Where are these people going to be moved to, that they can contribute between 55 and 100 million per year with roughly 100 people? You might want to check the numbers but I think that's pretty close.
One final point. Corporations don't make policy or guidelines, people do. One day the people who are making these policies will be on the receiving end of the same policy they helped to create. I personally believe this is the beginning of the end for Intel. It's really too bad because up until very recently I thought this was a great place to work.
I think Intel is taking advantage of their work force because they can, in the current job market. I also think Intel will reap the fruits of what they are now sowing, when the job market turns. I would expect to see most of Intel's highly motivated, professional work force sitting in the cubicles of Intel's rival companies diligently working with a new purpose, and a brighter fire in their eyes.
In case you are wondering I am by Intel's own definition a top performer, and I have the reviews to prove it. I have consistently been ranked and rated in the top, trending faster or equal, successful or outstanding, with a wall full of plaques. So why am I feeling this way?
27 - From FACE Intel:
We Americans lost to corporations and lost big time.
A few weeks ago President Clinton was out in Silicon Valley, California raising money so that he can stay in office so that he can raise money so that he can stay in office. . .Yes. At a Democratic fund-raiser in San Jose, Clinton promised computer executives he would authorize an expansion of the H-1B visa program, which brings in thousands of cut-rate foreign computer programmers and engineers.
Supposedly these are the world's best and brightest computer professionals. Funny how so many of them just happen to come from the world's lowest-wage countries: India, the Philippines, Russia. Even so, if they are in fact the world's best and brightest, we bid them welcome - and wonder why the computer industry is so woefully underpaying them at average salaries of $40,000 to $50,000 a year.
Clinton was the fellow who told us to get an education, to keep polishing our skills, to be prepared to change jobs, even careers, eight or nine times in our working lives. Computer professionals do that, yet those older than 40 currently have an unemployment rate approaching 20%. It's cheaper for employers to hire foreign-born college graduates than to spend a couple of weeks retraining middle-aged programmers, whether native-born Americans or immigrants.
From one side of his mouth Clinton had said that he would veto the H-1B visa bill if it does not have adequate protective measures for American workers. But seems that this was just a scare tactic to get more money form the computer industry and had nothing to do with protection of American workers. Because when he attended fund-raiser event in John Doerr's home in San Jose, he got a hug from Mr. Doerr and a bunch of dough. In exchange he sold out American workers at a heart bit. When the industry lobbyists paid President's price tag, from other side of his mouth, Clinton said an expanded visa program is in America's interest. This is debatable; it is not debatable that he has gone with the money.
Computer and IT industry's money had more power, Industry's lobbyists made promises to our elected representatives and they voted to pass the H-1B visa bill. After accepting the "campaign money" from the industry without any objection to the fact that the bill lacked protection for the American worker, President Clinton signed the bill. House representatives, senators and president sold out Americans at a price and stabbed them in the back. Industry proved that they could buy majority of our congressman/congresswoman, senators, and even the President. This translates to the fact that people do not mean anything, our democracy is bunch of B.S., and corporate America is ruler of the land.
Prominent figures and professional organizations like Professor Matloff --- UC Davis Computer Science --- , IEEE, AEA, ASA, BAIRC, and etc. for months conducted a huge concerted campaign against the H-1B visa bill. Thousands of American professionals --- members of the above organizations --- collectively sent hundreds of thousands of letters, e-mails, and faxes. They made tremendous number of telephone calls to the members of congress, senators and White House. It was factually communicated to our elected officials that industry's claim of "severe skilled labor shortage" is bogus and nothing but a myth. Hundreds of articles were published in papers across the country in opposition to the H-1B visa bill. Many interviews of authority figures were broadcasted via TV and radio stations especially in high-tech populated areas, but all to no avail.
Clinton is a weakened President. Weak Presidents do not defy billionaires or the high-tech industry executives and lobbyists. After high-tech industry was done with their shopping at Capitol Hill, bunch of our elected officials were turned into their puppets. We American lost to corporations and we lost big time. We lost because corporations are manipulative and corruptive. Hence no matter who we elect either they are already a puppet of corporations or soon they'll become one.
26 - From a former Intel employee:
What you are reading and hearing about Intel folks is absolutely true.
I worked for Intel for 5 years and had excellent reviews in all those years except after I went out on a medical leave. I am over 40 and had to have surgery to correct an old injury. The very week I returned to Intel I was given an SRA (spontaneous recognition award worth $100) and a plaque for doing a good job. Later that same week I was given the worst work review I had ever received. When I asked for documentation I was given none. When I pushed the issue up one level and then the next level, I was not allowed to have anyone speak on my behalf or question anything raised in my review.
About a month later my job was taken away and I was given a bottom-of-the-line job. I had no outside contact, was not invited to any meetings and completely isolated. This is the tried and true Intel targeting system. The department I worked in currently has a 50% drop-out rate. All these employees couldn't be leaving or being forced out because they are all bad workers--Intel should look at the type of Managers they pay to do their job. Some of the Managers at Intel are as incompetent as they come.
Because I have outstanding job skills and experience I quickly got another job outside Intel. Sometime, somewhere the bubble is going to be burst on Intel's tactics and how they degrade, humiliate and illegally force good worker from their jobs. I smile now knowing that web sites like yours will bring people out who know the truth about Intel and are able to tell it--thank you.
Glad to be gone from Intel!!!
25 - From a current Intel employee in New Mexico:
Like most others that have written, please use my comments anonymously.
Your WEB site is so on the mark. I'm currently in a strange situation that after reading your site, makes it seems as if I'm being pushed out. I'm not over 40 yet but close and have seen more than one sabbatical, so I've been around awhile. It certainly makes me wish I had taken the VSP (Voluntary Separation Package) when I had the chance and it has reaffirmed that as soon as I have my own "exit plan" together, I'll be out.
Anyway, some interesting observations:
Regarding the number of employees that have been cut this year, like you, I think it will be at least 10,000. Here in New Mexico, the local papers, Intel fans that they are, just published a state of the semiconductor story and said that 210 positions at Intel have been moved out of state. I feel that many more than 210 are gone. When FAB7/9 cut back, there were close to 400 that I recall, although Intel was vague about the actual numbers. It may have been much higher. Also, the recent VSP eliminated in the area of 350 positions alone. All one has to do is to look at the parking lots which used to be impossible to find a spot it. It's amazing how empty parts of it are. And all these cutbacks while Intel has a record third quarter. I know of several requisitions that were "sat on", then cancelled due to "cost cutting". A quick perusal of the jobs on-line will confirm that there are many RCG positions available, in fact mostly RCG positions. I know of several that I've worked with in the past that have now been hired recently. I was surprised to see them in the hallway and thought they were back for another intern/co-op rotation but were permanent hires instead. A couple of other disturbing trends:
Many Grade 3 (entry-level) Exempt positions are now being listed as Experienced and with a mighty long list of requirements for that level (what used to be Grade-5 and 6 requirements, in my experience). Thus, you can see that if you're going to transfer, you will have to take a lower paying job. It's clear that the hiring managers would like some one with experienced qualifications but aren't willing to pay for them. Many RCG positions are now being listed as Grade 5 and 6. I've never seen so many like this (sometimes the R&D factories might do this to attract MS level candidates but it seems company wide now). So, a very interesting "switch" has occurred, further slanting opportunities away from the true "experienced" employees and towards RCGs or anyone willing to take a huge cut in pay and grade to survive.
Again, please post my comments anonymously.
24 - From a former Intel employee:
Your Web Site is a breath of fresh air and I wish you well.
I am an ex-Intel employee who went through the agonizing "Ranking and Rating", "CAP", "Redeployment" charade and finally got out of Intel after almost 7 years. I was over age 40, and had two medical conditions (the second was psychiatric and developed while at Intel).
What struck me most at the time was the very nearly total acquiescence of the work force to such an arbitrary, highhanded and hypocritical state of affairs. That, and the stress displayed by most employees who wanted to be good worker-bees and found deep denial the only way to do it.
Your site demonstrates to me that, given enough punishment over time, things can change, or at least we as human beings can. And the comments from RCGs are very accurate and a delightful development. All in all, it appears from your site that there is a growing awareness on the part of employees that they are being badly used.
I often wish there were a way to communicate to the public at large what being a part of such a destructive way of life and spirit this can be. "Intel is a great place to leave." Keep up the good work.
[keep me anonymous if you post this, and let me know how I can help or how you can help me]
23 - Messag from former Intel employee:
I have been working in high tech industry for 20 years. I have never worked for a company as two-faced as Intel.
Fortunately, my previous company really wanted me back. So, after 10 months at Intel, I went back.
I am still continually amazed at the immaturity that was allowed to go on and even fostered. The people I worked with at Intel would not succeed at any other company I've worked for.
Thanks for your web site. After being continually told that even though I had been highly successful at other very well-known high-tech companies, Intel was the only company intelligent enough to see my professional problems, it's nice to have further re-enforcement that it was not me, rather it was Intel's ill employment practices and mismanagement. I have never seen such a messed up site.
I was and still am known as one of the best in my profession at my other employers, but "couldn't perform at Intel". In a six month period they managed to get rid of EVERY team member who was over 40 and 3 out of 4 of us were women.
We suspected that it was age discrimination also we thought it was our particular site. Now we know this is a company wide practice. Everything your site said about the targeting, redeployment, petty focal reviews and CAPs was exactly on target.
As for me, I buy only computers that have AMD chips and encourage all my friends to do the same.
But, I have Intel to thank. I had worked for a company that paid well, gave marvelous bonuses and took care of me in every way. I did have to work long hours, but that's pretty standard at times in this industry. After working for Intel and coming back, I truly realize how well the company does take care of me.
I and another ex-Intel employee who came back have both told our bosses that if we don't see another raise or another bonus for a couple of years, we'll still be happy. It's such a relief to work with professional adults!
22 - Message from a current Intel employee:
The Sorry state of Intel is most clearly evident at Chandler Assembly/Test.
The soon to be defunct (read moved to the land of $.75 an hour and a 50 Kilo bag of rice per month wages) assembly facility has degenerated to the most sorrowful point imaginable.
When the "mission realignment" was first announced, the affected personnel were put into one of three groups. The middle performers were sent to the as yet unnamed "New Organization". The lower half of our people were placed in transition and given the chance to find new positions within Intel. The top third of our people were placed in Core group with the implicit communication that we would be able to get jobs at end of product life sometime in mid 1999.
As a result of the management decisions, the top 1/3 of my people are now facing either a voluntary separation or redeployment. As it is often said, "No good deed goes unpunished". I guess my "faster - outstanding" review will make a nice starter for my BBQ grill. The "New Organization" people have already completed training the Cavite (A2, Philippines) people and are about to start training personnel from Costa Rica. How cruel to make people train those who will eventually take their jobs.
This trend of moving our jobs to third world countries must be reversed. I wonder how many people working for Intel in Cavite, Philippines and Penang, Malaysia go home and use their Pentium II machines? Henry Ford, when first starting the assembly line process paid his workers well above what was then the industry standard. When his fellow captains approached him, angry that he was driving up the cost of labor, they asked why the high pay? Mr. Ford replied, "If I do not pay them enough, who will buy my cars?"
I am more than ready to return my blue badge and am being lured into staying until WW39 by the Voluntary Separation money. Then I will take my bonus and buy a nice AMD based computer.
You have my blessings to publish my story and please keep my identity anonymous.
21 - Message from an Intel employee:
Just thought I might drop a line to mention how Intel has decided to end the employee purchase plan effective October 1st, 1998.
This appears to be just another example of how Intel has chosen not to support the employees. It is bad enough that they rank us with preset failure rates, but now they are removing the small incentives away as well.
Let me count the incentives that were eleminated in just one year:
1. Overtime for compressed shift.
2. Double-time for 7th day worked.
3. Employee Purchase Plan.
Cheaper, Faster, Better.....really means:
Pay them less, make them work harder, convince them they are better off at Intel than anywhere else.
Please do not post the origin of this email.
A current employee of the Intel (pressure cooker)
Ps:
The following FAQ regarding Employee Purchase Plan was posted at Intel's Intranet
====================
Intel Employee Purchase Program
Frequently Asked Questions
Question Why did you End of Life this program?
Answer Due to the current Intel environment and the lack of resources to successfully support this program, we have decided to End of Life this program.
Question Are there any plans to bring this program back?
Answer Not at this time, however the Intel® is investigating Web Enabled Fulfillment and e-commerce initiatives which may be appropriate future solutions for this type of program.
Question How long will it take for me to receive my product once I place an order?
Answer That can vary, depending on product availability from manufacturing. If the item you order is in stock and ready to ship, you can receive your order within a week. The average wait is about two weeks, however. Specifically, due to constraint from manufacturing, the Seattle Motherboards are not due to arrive until WW45. The 300 MHz Pentium II Processors are not available until after WW40. The 400 MHz Pentium II Processors are not available until after WW44. We will not be accepting any additional orders for these products.
Question How can I cancel my order?
Answer You may cancel your order by printing another order form and filling in the part you want to cancel and putting "CANCEL ORDER" on the top of the form. We can not cancel your order over the phone.
Question When will the new Celeron® processors be available on this offer?
Answer Due to the End of Life of this program, no new products will be added to the Employee Purchase Program.
Question Are there any plans to add networking products to this offer?
Answer Due to the End of Life of this program, no new products will be added to the Employee Purchase Program.
Question I ordered product through the employee purchase program, but have since noticed that the prices have dropped. Is there price protection on this offer, and can I get a credit for the difference in the price?
Answer The employee purchase program maintains a thirty day price protection policy. If you notice a price drop within thirty days of receiving your product, call our order desk at 1-800-356-3071 and they can arrange for you to receive a price refund.
Question What is the return policy on products ordered through the employee purchase program?
Answer All product can be returned within thirty days of purchase, no questions asked. Simply package the product in the original shipping box, or an equivalent, along with a photocopy of your packing slip sent with the product. You may also want to include a note stating that the product is being returned for credit. This often helps get your return through our system quicker and can speed up your refund. Return the product to the following address, using a traceable means of shipping like Fed Ex or UPS;
Intel Corporation
Employee Purchase Program
539 SE Division Place
Portland, OR 97202
20 - Message from a former Intel contractor:
Dear FACE Intel
I was pleasantly surprised to find out about this anti-Intel web site!
I took a contract position with the Enterprise Server Group in Beaverton, Oregon in January 1998. Subsequently, I found out that it was the biggest mistake I've ever made professionally. Upon arrival from over 2000 miles away, I was recruited for a 6 month contract on a project that never seemed to materialize. They found other projects for me, but I was bounced around as if each week would be my last, never knowing if I would have work from one day to the next.
As a veteran contractor, the unstable environment didn't bother me as much as the stress and degradation that I was forced to endure. Being a contractor at Intel was the most humiliating experience of my life, as if participating in some sort of colossal "dysfunctional family" situation!
I have received nothing but praise and admiration for my work from well renowned companies such as Ericsson, Boeing, and HP. But almighty Intel, made it perfectly clear from the minute I arrived that I was not competent to earn their respect. I was never given a chance, and even the management continuously apologized to me for the treatment that I received from the project leads!
Finally, I decided to leave before my health collapsed, and the utter shame that I faced was later realized as some sort of temporary "delusion" inflicted by this company, but only after a two month sabbatical! I'm very happy to have left them and have now managed to regain my self-respect.
I now understand why other contractors refer to this place as "In Hell"!!
I would rather stay anonymous.
19 - Message from a PC builder:
Hello,
I build PC's as a hobby/business of mine and I did not like what I read on how Intel treats their employees.
So, any PC, which I build for myself and or my clients I usually use one of the AMD or Cyrix microprocessors instead of Intel's.
The speed is the same or faster than the Intel chips, and way cheaper.
Saving me and my clients money.
I encourage anyone out there to buy a PC with any other microprocessor other than Intel. Really you will not missing anything.
And for people who work for Intel, quit and find a job elsewhere. You can do much better in other companies.
Please do not use my name, because my employer supports Intel (publishing wise).
Take care,
18 - Message from a current Intel employee:
Hi-
I just wanted to drop you a note to let you know how much I appreciate your website. As a new Intel employee I was miserable until I came across your website and realized that Intel has the problem and not me!
I think it's really important for Intel employees and prospective employees to see your website. I wouldn't have taken this job had I known.
Good luck to you! I'm curious to see if you've had better luck with your current employers?
ps. I'm using my friend's account and would prefer to remain anonymous.
17 - Message from a layed off engineer:
While applying for food stamps today, I told the lady behind the desk my occupation of 'engineer.' She said "We've been getting SO many engineers and computer people recently. I've talked with three engineers already today." She told me those three were American. This is due to the thousands of layoffs in Silicon Valley recently.
The moral of the story is...don't wait for weeks to apply for food stamps! I should have done this on July 2. It would have saved me a lot of money on food. Aside from that, industry lobbyists say engineers aren't getting laid off. Having been to the Westech career fair and the food stamp office, I can say that is quite false.
16 - Reporting from the field:
Intel is overworking the FAE's (Field Application Engineers) and TSE's (Technical Sales Engineer) to death.What used to be the job of five engineers out in a particular geographic area is now loaded on one FAE and TSE. This is not unique to a particular sales region. Intel is being an equal opportunity slave driver in all regions. FACEI is aware of one particular region (Not reveal here for anonymity purposes) which covers 6 states and is covered by only two FAE's.
This is quite unfair since they are asked to support an area that requires at least 10 full time FAE's to do the job. As a result, Intel customers are expressing concern since their Intel support engineers do not have enough bandwidth to accommodate simple requests for support and at times seem completely unaware of technical details surrounding a particular product or project.
In addition, to do their jobs, they are expected to travel from Monday through Friday and to master a broad range of technical issues in support of customers from small accounts to big OEMs, i.e., usually more than one project for each OEM. These guys are OVERWORKED beyond the limits.
To make matters even worst for these dedicated workers, recently they have come up with this bright idea of getting the already overworked FAE's and TSE's to work on the weekends to go the retail store for the purpose of sales support at places like BestBuy, CompuUSA, Circuit City, etc. The FAE's and TSE's are forced to do all of this with no additional compensation. Isn't this absolute slavery?
Intel is persistently claiming that "Intel is a great place to work", those who believe them are "greatest fools at worst place to work!"
You can go ahead and publish this only as is, but I request anonymity.
15 - Message from former Intel employee:
I am writing in reference to your section on the Intel layoffs. I think that when you said to Intel employees "if your customers are jumping ship...why aren't you?" was about as imposing a question as could be asked. It really made me think, and consequently, I volunteered to accept the Voluntary Separation Package that was offered just a couple of weeks ago.
Being a former employee of Fab12/Chandler now, I must say that I have found absolutely nothing in your pages that contradicts the way that Intel handles not only their employees but their general business practices as well. I am glad to have separated from their organization and I agree with what you say
about the layoffs that are in effect not only at Fab 12 but at other sites as well. A layoff by any other name is still a layoff...at least companies like Motorola will admit when they are laying off employees.
Intel's practice of mass hiring Recent College Graduates, working them to death and then targeting and discarding them when they are used up must stop. Everyone who is graduating from college and thinking of going to work for Intel in the future simply must read your pages and be warned! I know, because everything I have said has happened to me. At least I was smart and got out with the severance before I was fired.
I have to find another job now but it is a small price to pay as I feel like I have finally been released from prison and regained my freedom for the first time in 2 years now. I thank you for opening my eyes to their ways and am doing my part to help enlighten others who may not know about Intel what I know now.
I do wish to maintain my anonymity and am glad that you endorse preserving that. Also, if a demonstration is ever organized at any of the Chandler sites, please let me know as I will most likely want to participate in that event.
14 - Message from an Intel employee in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Well I found you today......God Bless All of You for providing this information, I do not feel so alone anymore.My last review was a satisfactory, Slower Than. I was given an option of a CAP (Corrective Action Plan) with unreachable goals or a grade level downgrade. Well, I took the CAP with a negotiated start date after I met some aggressive deadlines.
After thinking about it hard, since my workload was already intense, I decided to take the downgrade. The 60+ hour week has been the norm for me for the last 4 years that I have been working for Intel. I have been working late hours, weekends, and holidays.
My performance have always been solid and I have received awards and recognitions for it. I am confused and do not think being a dedicated and conscientious employee means anything at Intel, because I do not know why and for what reason I have received a focal review full of pettiness and unfair statements. There are not supposed to be any surprises in reviews.
My health has been going downhill and I was going to have to check myself into a hospital or a mental health center if I would have tried to do the impossible CAP. Later in a meeting with my immediate supervisor, his supervisor, and the HR person, I was told that I was not 'trending' with my grade level peers. Talk about upset!
I took a week off to center myself. Since then, I have been very careful to ensure that my 1:1s cover how I am doing against my Individual Development Plan. And I am trending now!
As I read through the Ranking and Rating on your web site, I kept thinking that it exactly explains what is happening to me! I am over 40, a minority, female, and mildly handicapped. This is a trend these days at Intel. They target people and threaten them with CAP to intimidate them, then they offer a small separation package and about 95% employees in this situation who are confused an frightened fall into the trap. It is funny that Intel shamelessly calls this "attrition", give me a break.
Especially interesting is that I was told that I could not speak to anyone about the focal, the CAP, the downgrade, the entire situation. This is against Intel policy, what happened to open and honest? Result, alone and depressed. Exactly as you guys (FACE Intel) talk about it, they force people in isolation so they can control the employee who is already confused and intimidated.
Attached is my resume. I am seriously looking for another job. I did not take the Voluntary Separation Program, I had hopes of finding another job at Intel in another department. Since I have been in isolation, I believed that these petty and political nonsense is only going on in my department. But after reading the material on your web site, I know all of Intel is rotten. I want to get out of this hellhole.
This makes me sad and angry, Intel could be a great company if the hidden agenda was not saving money at the expense of people.
One final note, for all the hoopla about teams, the focal process is set up to pit one peer against another, not working together.
You have my permission to post this mail anonymously.
Former Intel WannaBe & Former Intel Culturally Brainwashed, Current Intel Exempt Employee
13 - Message from Intel employees.
The TMG group at Intel, which includes all engineers and technicians associated with Fabs recently announced a "voluntary separation" program. Essentially, anyone who is on CAP is allowed to quit with 4 months pay and 4 months of COBRA payments, plus about 2 weeks of pay for every year employed.
This program is also open to a very limited amount of "targeted positions"which seem to be mostly mid-senior engineering positions. These individuals need not be on CAP to qualify for voluntary separation.
Reliable sources have unofficially said that managers are supposed to encourage CAPed employees to leave, by insinuating that they will not pass at the end of their CAP period. Therefore, they are better off taking the package now and leaving.
It is obvious that Intel is selectively targeting individuals that they want to get rid of by placing them on CAP and then intimidating them to accept the separation package. As you FACE Intel guys say, this is a pure case of forced resignation and it is funny that they call it attrition.
I could write for hours about all the stress this has caused at work, but to sum up, Intel has the attitude that they are "a great place to work", and anyone who leaves obviously can't handle Intel, and is a poor worker.
Read Intel's announcement about TMG's separation program.
Uniquely Intel separation package at DEC/FAB 17
Dear Face Intel:
Intel let us (FAB 17/former DEC Hudson plant) participate in the latest layoff. Everyone at Intel had one 800 number to call. When you got through you received a time stamp.
The time stamp is used to select the "winner" of the transition package. For example our group was allowed 1 person (so far) out of the 10. Some groups were not allowed to apply (like design) and some groups were told that anyone applied would be accepted (like packaging).
Not only did everyone in the group call, they openly discussed the time stamps. Obviously, no one cared that Intel managers would know they wanted out. It sounds like the 800 number was pounded by FAB17. They received more calls than they expected.
They may allow more people to take the package. To Intel's credit, the package is a very good one - 26wks +1wk per year of service up to a total of 36wks. All DEC service counts. My guess is DEC already paid for this one.
12 - Message from a Merced engineer.
Hello FACE Intel:
Merced is facing extinction! Deliberate mismanagement and abuse of employees, which is byproduct of Intel's exploitive and unjust human resources polices has been a major issue at Intel in recent years. But today, it is so prevalent that it is seriously taking a toll on Intel's leading projects like Merced.
Intel does not value and appreciate the experience and knowledge of its veteran engineers. This is because Intel has enjoyed enormous success by modifying existing products without major changes. The documents, tools, flows, etc. are readily available and standardized for x86 processors. Hence, even new college graduates (NCGs) can handle most of the design and validation tasks.
The current Intel mentality has forced many talented engineers to leave Intel. This is the reason why when the Merced project was initiated; there were not enough experienced engineers available within Intel.
As the Merced project was kicked off, engineers who could tolerate and support Intel's abusive HR practices, with no management experience got promoted to key management positions. Consequently, these incompetent managers hired many inexperienced and unqualified engineers just to satisfy the high head count needed for the Merced project. Therefore, the project ended up with inexperienced managers leading inexperienced engineers!
Due to continuous management problems, Merced's completion date is getting repeatedly delayed. Even though there is a tape-out date for the project, many engineers question whether Merced will be a competitive product at all, even if it isn't delayed again.
Other products have been enhanced a lot, while Merced is still working hard to hit a fixed performance target, predefined by the architecture. Obviously, Intel does not have the time to go back and improve the architecture. Merced's delay provides invaluable opportunities for companies like Sun to secure and expand their server and workstation business.
Intel is improving P6, especially the Pentium II Xeon performance to compete against Sun's microprocessors, before Merced is available. With the present conditions, Merced would have difficulty beating P6 in performance, if the project completion keeps on getting delayed. As the P6 project keeps on improving, this gap will get only wider and the death of Merced would be imminent.
These delays are getting so ridiculous that the follow-up design of Merced, which is McKinley, could be available almost at the same time as Merced itself. McKinley is an enhancement based on Merced. McKinley has been developed by HP, where engineers have much more experience on microprocessor designs. But the major factor is that HP treats its employees much better than Intel. Due to long term employment policies at HP, engineers stay with the company for a longer time.
At the Merced project, the average engineer's experience is "2" years. That's the fundamental problem, which will never be solved for Merced. Another major problem is that many engineers are losing their hope on Merced. As a result of this lack of faith and a lot management induced pressures, engineers tend to transfer out of Merced. Since they are not allowed to transfer out of the Merced, they quit Intel.
While other projects at Intel are getting rid of people, Merced IS hiring engineers from other projects, or even from outside! Merced is losing its business to Pentium II Xeon and to McKinley. At the same time, Intel is also losing its engineers. Rumors have it that Intel could cancel the whole project all together because they are surer about McKinley's schedule. They could introduce McKinley as Merced. McKinley is very similar to Merced from a customer's standpoint. The major difference is that McKinley would be better! The reason is that McKinley is designed by HP, and not Intel.
The anti-human resources policies and practices of Intel brought up a generation of dictatorial managers who wronged a lot of good, dedicated, loyal, and talented employees. They forgot that they have to be nice to people on their way up, because they would be facing the same people on their way down.
Now, finally almighty Intel would have no choice but to use another company's design! What will this mean for Intel and for the computer industry?
Would finally Intel's fascist executives learn that all that success was not because of them, but rather the contribution of each and every talented, dedicated, and loyal employee made at Intel?
I don't know. I guess we'll find out soon.