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August 2011 Layoffs

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Hopefully for SP folks, it will be before Dec 31, that way better severance, plus stock options that can be cashed on date of Seperation. And the lovely 2011 bonus. We'll see if it come down soon. No PMP- cancelled, XR- delayed, and quiet Good bye... Hello plan B, C, and D.
 




Anonymous said:
I've been with Merck for 10 years and it's time for this hostage crisis to end. I was a hand raiser last round of layoffs and I still couldn't get let go. The longer I stay in this mindless job the less brain function I have and the more complacent I become. I know I don't sound grateful but I'd rather get my severance and start another life outside of Pharma instead of wasting my days sitting in waiting rooms reading magazines or playing solitaire on my laptop.
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Newsflash: You aren't getting laid off this go round, either. They have other plans for you. You'll start getting pressured from your manager some time shortly after the new year begins. If you get assigned a new manager, I guarantee you're toast---they follow the same pattern everywhere. You'll be routinely criticized. Your manager will make it clear to the other reps that he has a problem with you, which will then ostracize you from your co-workers, which will further weight on your mind. He'll start to ride with you more often. You'll get written up for petty nothings. You'll get placed on a PIP for poor performance, which will kill your bonus payout. Finally, you'll get formally investigated, which is intended to further antagonize you and get you to quit.

The above scene has played out time and time again all over the country. It's the layoff plan for the reps that are too young and too caucasian to sue, but have generally had successful tenures at Merck. That's why they usually throw a new manager at you; they sometimes can't get your existing manager to change his opinion of you or maybe he's just too decent a human being than to play ball with the f--kwads that manage the company now.

It's a lot cheaper to get you to quit than it is to give you a severance now, isn't it? There will be a handful of Merckoid idiots who think this is all just paranoia. They are blind and stupid. It's been happening to many over the last three years or so. It's pathetic that this is what has become of Merck.
 








Anonymous said:
Hopefully for SP folks, it will be before Dec 31, that way better severance, plus stock options that can be cashed on date of Seperation. And the lovely 2011 bonus. We'll see if it come down soon. No PMP- cancelled, XR- delayed, and quiet Good bye... Hello plan B, C, and D.
Click to expand...

How dumb would they be to give the store away?
 




Anonymous said:
Newsflash: You aren't getting laid off this go round, either. They have other plans for you. You'll start getting pressured from your manager some time shortly after the new year begins. If you get assigned a new manager, I guarantee you're toast---they follow the same pattern everywhere. You'll be routinely criticized. Your manager will make it clear to the other reps that he has a problem with you, which will then ostracize you from your co-workers, which will further weight on your mind. He'll start to ride with you more often. You'll get written up for petty nothings. You'll get placed on a PIP for poor performance, which will kill your bonus payout. Finally, you'll get formally investigated, which is intended to further antagonize you and get you to quit.

The above scene has played out time and time again all over the country. It's the layoff plan for the reps that are too young and too caucasian to sue,
Click to expand...


Actually, this sounds like what happens when you are BAD at your job. Your manager rides with you more and you get bad reviews. Sometimes it's not some conspiracy and you're just not as good as you think you are. You sound like you also didn't get into the college you wanted and you spend your whole life WHINING about someone better who didn't deserve it as much as you did because of your entitlement disconnect in your head.
 








Anonymous said:
Actually, this sounds like what happens when you are BAD at your job. Your manager rides with you more and you get bad reviews. Sometimes it's not some conspiracy and you're just not as good as you think you are. You sound like you also didn't get into the college you wanted and you spend your whole life WHINING about someone better who didn't deserve it as much as you did because of your entitlement disconnect in your head.
Click to expand...

The last rep this happened to was a Merck Hall-of-Famer and the best rep I've ever seen. I wish he were still here and the manager was gone. The manager is the worst thing that I've encountered in my career.
 








Anonymous said:
Newsflash: You aren't getting laid off this go round, either. They have other plans for you. You'll start getting pressured from your manager some time shortly after the new year begins. If you get assigned a new manager, I guarantee you're toast---they follow the same pattern everywhere. You'll be routinely criticized. Your manager will make it clear to the other reps that he has a problem with you, which will then ostracize you from your co-workers, which will further weight on your mind. He'll start to ride with you more often. You'll get written up for petty nothings. You'll get placed on a PIP for poor performance, which will kill your bonus payout. Finally, you'll get formally investigated, which is intended to further antagonize you and get you to quit.

The above scene has played out time and time again all over the country. It's the layoff plan for the reps that are too young and too caucasian to sue, but have generally had successful tenures at Merck. That's why they usually throw a new manager at you; they sometimes can't get your existing manager to change his opinion of you or maybe he's just too decent a human being than to play ball with the f--kwads that manage the company now.

It's a lot cheaper to get you to quit than it is to give you a severance now, isn't it? There will be a handful of Merckoid idiots who think this is all just paranoia. They are blind and stupid. It's been happening to many over the last three years or so. It's pathetic that this is what has become of Merck.
Click to expand...

anyone who disagrees with the above can't handle the truth...this is the Merck Gestapo-approved way of doing things...seen in so many times over the years, and those who get to keep their jobs, don't seem to grasp this...you stay at Merck, only to give them a chance to push you out at a later date...and they always win.
 




Anonymous said:
Given the fact that we just had a positive earnings announcement, I would hope that doing the honorable thing would be preferable to doing the expedient thing, but then I remember that I work for Merck.
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Positive earnings............no, no, no. RECORD breaking earnings.
The only way to beat that in the following qtr or two is with a cut in expenses.

Proceed with the blathering.
 








Anonymous said:
Not use getting CVs ready, as no one is hiring.Unless you want your CV translated into Chinese, or Hindi or wherever Merck is growing
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Well, after reading Ken Frazier's email and talking to colleagues in WS & RY, apparently the cuts, as stated, will be disproportionate by division and group but are focused on non-revenue generating positions (IT was hit in July, another hit is coming for them as more jobs are sent overseas).

Have you tried to get support for an application these days? None of the support team members have less that 3 names and 40 letters. The over-seas outsourcing is already being done on a huge scale. A shame really, those surviving the cuts will be left with support they can't understand (that's already happening though). HR is going through manager/director recommendations. Anything that can be contracted out and sent over-seas, will be. Anything easily contracted out here will be (the tax benefits to the companies for contract workers vs employees is huge).

It seems to be a common thought in the conversations I've had that sales won't be getting the hit I'm reading about here and although you can hardly believe ANYTHING management says these days, this makes sense. Legacy Merck sales force generates income - so they are a keeper. HQ based employees do not so they are prime for cuts right now. Legacy Merck over Legacy S-P for sure because our packages are less, LS-P will get hit huge next year when the package is reduced. It's all about the money.

Our favorite and only helpful support person was laid-off - now I'm dealing with the Mexican help desk and contractors in either PA or NJ (you never know who you will get now) that could care less if myself and others that are HQ but work throughout the country, are up and running - it is really quite frustrating to now be getting the crappiest support for our applications. The India people had the nerve to send me an email saying I can only get assistance 11PM-5AM EST, that's 8PM-2AM my time. Really? I already start my day at 4:30AM and they don't know what the heck they are doing so I'm suppose to try to get a hold of them at 8PM (they never respond to email or Instant Messages for days sometimes, even though their status is on-line) and then when they do, I have to stay on-line while they connect remotely and 'try' to fix the problem for 2-3 hours. This is experience talking here, it happened recently for another application issue. My old support person supported everything, I could even call her at home and she worked around my schedule. She was either in NJ or PA and has called me as late as 1 PM her time because I wasn't due in from my last trip until 10PM but really needed my issue resolved. I'm amazed at how little the contractors I spoke to know, it's like a broken record 'You have to send your computer in'. If I send my computer in I can't work at all - my job revolves around these applications! So frustrating!

Even more frustrating - no one at the company cares about what we all go through!

I for one am cleaning up my resume and looking to move on - this company is giving me hypertension.

Here's Ken's email for those who may not have read it...

Dear Colleagues,

Just a few minutes ago we issued a news release<http://www.merck.com/newsroom/news-release-archive/financial/2011_0729.html> announcing our sales and earnings results for the second quarter of this year. Overall they were good results.

We also announced that we intend to reduce our worldwide workforce by an additional 13% by 2015 as part of the ongoing transformation of Merck/MSD into a leading global healthcare company. This is the next phase of our Merger Restructuring program that began in February of 2010.

[http://pubaff.merck.com/sync/e-mail/2Q_2011_Callout.jpg]I understand that you may question why we are planning to make additional reductions in our workforce given our recent performance.

The nature of our industry – with its long lead times, inherent risks and costs, and a rapidly changing external operating environment – requires that we exert greater control now over internal expenditures and take actions that will allow us to operate with speed, flexibility and customer service. To invest for sustainable and profitable growth in the future, we must free up resources by reducing our cost base now. In other words, we are preserving tomorrow by taking action today.

The need to further reduce our workforce presents difficult but necessary decisions to secure Merck's future. These reductions will likely come disproportionately from the elimination of non-revenue generating positions such as those in administrative and headquarters organizations, the consolidation of office facilities, and the ongoing sale or closure of manufacturing sites. We are committed to treating affected employees with respect and providing them with appropriate support and resources. All final decisions will be made in accordance with local laws and agreements.

I want you to know that I don't take these actions lightly, yet I am convinced that the steps we announced today will lead to a stronger and more competitive Merck going forward. One thing that will not change is our mission – to discover, develop and provide innovative products and services that save and improve lives around the world. Ultimately, our transformation will help us better serve patients and customers around the world.
Click to expand...
 




Anonymous said:
I've been with Merck for 10 years and it's time for this hostage crisis to end. I was a hand raiser last round of layoffs and I still couldn't get let go. The longer I stay in this mindless job the less brain function I have and the more complacent I become. I know I don't sound grateful but I'd rather get my severance and start another life outside of Pharma instead of wasting my days sitting in waiting rooms reading magazines or playing solitaire on my laptop.
Click to expand...

Former SP rep.here. I got package thank goodness. My only suggestion for you especiallly if younhave a family is get your finances etc. In line RIGHT now.
Have resume updated and start sending ASAP. The severance goes very fast....
There IS life after pharma. Time to challenge your brain again...
 








Anonymous said:
word is a large percentage of sales/managers will be let go soon. probably will not hit reps as bad since there are so many open positions, but managers better have a resume.
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Seems logical that one manager portfolio manager could handle port 1 AND port 2 reps, especially with the crossover between products now.
 








Anonymous said:
Actually, this sounds like what happens when you are BAD at your job. Your manager rides with you more and you get bad reviews. Sometimes it's not some conspiracy and you're just not as good as you think you are. You sound like you also didn't get into the college you wanted and you spend your whole life WHINING about someone better who didn't deserve it as much as you did because of your entitlement disconnect in your head.
Click to expand...

My manager rides with EVERYONE on our team at least twice a month since he only has 7 reps. What else are they going to do?
 




Hi Boys and Girls:

Yes it's time again for another Merck Bloodbath. And just in time for my upcoming birthday!

It will be great fun hearing you cry, plead, beg, and then panic when that shitty severance package finally runs out!

The unemployment situation is so bad that positions have been posted for up to 2 years!

Well, I can always use another tuchus wiper down here in my nice smelly toilet!

Enjoy that piss on the curb!

HMMMMMMMMMM, Whom will I see first, your starving wives and children or you after you finally get the balls to pull the trigger on Dad's old 45 and blow your brain pan to the wall!

HA! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
HA! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
HA! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
HA! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
HA! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
HA! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
HA! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!

Satan
 








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