Carnage: RIF 2011

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In Amgen a long...long..time ago, you worked more than you job description, worked hard & played hard...fast foward to today to change and suddenly after years of positive recognition and awards presented to me I was presented today with another award. MY WALKING PAPERS. I know...its not personal its a scarifice for Upper Managment to make the numbers. Is it patient 1st or Stock holders?
 






If Kevin was a stand-up guy, who cared about staff (See Amgen Values #3), maybe he could have forgone some of his salary ($21 million) this year to keep his people employed in this totally crappy job market. But no, he is too selfish. I hope he gets his someday.
 






Oh the irony!

Irony would be if Kevin gets cancer and instead of getting a cure, he gets to be the leader of a company with a pile of cash so big you can see it from space. Patients first, profits second no? I wonder how much research we could get afford to get done if we cut back the corporate finance department to the level it was in 2005 (and got the financial hurdles out of the way too)? What happened to "take appropiate risks"? I am sorry, but the board and the circle of chiefs lack the vision and courage to manage Amgen to greatness. They are happy with sending piles of cash to shareholders and themselves, while driving this once great company into sub-mediocracy. Kevin gets almost $500,000 PER WEEK! In the last year he earned enough to live comfortably for the rest of his life. How much is enough I wonder? They don't care about science or patients or building something great from nothing. These creeps will never leave either. If you want to work somewhere great, it is time to start looking beyond the terraced quads.

No, I didn't get RIF'd and I'm not in R&D, but I see what is happening here. I recognize the tragectory they have put us on. It makes me so mad I could quit and I d@mn well may.
 












To all the great scientists that lost their jobs today I am so sorry. To all the asses that post rumors on this site and bash Amgen one can only hope that someday you too will get "Riffed"
 






Re: Oh the irony!

Anonymous said:
They are happy with sending piles of cash to shareholders and themselves, while driving this once great company into sub-mediocracy.
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I excerpted this line from a previous post. The only problem with this statement is that, except for the recently initiated dividend, in the 10 years Kevin has been CEO, the stock price has not moved substantially. Not like the old days, at least. So Kevin does not send cast to the shareholders. He only sends it to himself and his cronies.
 












I feel terrible about the layoffs. I agree with the previous poster, I have been embarrassed by the number of people I know who have commented on the ridiculous CEO pay. Now those same people are reading that we just laid off more workers. I am ashamed of the behavior of our leadership. They have brought the scorn of the general public upon all of their employees. Sadly they obviously feel that it was worth it.
 






























I heard that the "severance" was 60 days paid administrative leave. That allows amgen to avoid the fines and scrutiny for not sending a WARN letter. They aren't paying out anything beyond that, they don't have the budget for it. Not as nice the last RIFs and they still get to screw you out of unemployment benefits if you accept the offer. Happy new year, now go get a job. This is a new low for Amgen. I can't even imagine what I would do if I was given those terms. Many of the scientists who are being treated so badly have for years devoted themselves to finding cures. Witnessing this layoff really isn't helping my moral. I think my loyalty to Amgen is still higher than their loyalty to me, but it could be a race to the bottom.
 






Anonymous said:
I heard that the "severance" was 60 days paid administrative leave. That allows amgen to avoid the fines and scrutiny for not sending a WARN letter. They aren't paying out anything beyond that, they don't have the budget for it. Not as nice the last RIFs and they still get to screw you out of unemployment benefits if you accept the offer. Happy new year, now go get a job. This is a new low for Amgen. I can't even imagine what I would do if I was given those terms. Many of the scientists who are being treated so badly have for years devoted themselves to finding cures. Witnessing this layoff really isn't helping my moral. I think my loyalty to Amgen is still higher than their loyalty to me, but it could be a race to the bottom.
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That is the severance I got essentially. "Inactive" employee till the end of year and 5.4 weeks for the 5.4 years I worked here.
 






Anonymous said:
Also interesting who got laid off. Many experienced, top-notch scientists who have worked their tails off for this company. "It's not what you know, it's who you blow."
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So many top experienced Scientists (scientists who actually discovered new molecules during the real biotech heyday) with decades of knowledge were shown the door today.....a huge brain drain that does not bode well for the "future" pipeline....whatever that vision may be.
 






Anonymous said:
That is the severance I got essentially. "Inactive" employee till the end of year and 5.4 weeks for the 5.4 years I worked here.
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that sucks. what gets me is it is not like the company is losing money, they just aren't making enough. it's outrageous. I feel for all the people that put their faith in Amgen, moved out to TO where there aren't a lot of other options, and are now being betrayed.
 






Anonymous said:
that sucks. what gets me is it is not like the company is losing money, they just aren't making enough. it's outrageous. I feel for all the people that put their faith in Amgen, moved out to TO where there aren't a lot of other options, and are now being betrayed.
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Very sad day, but package much better than stated. Still a lot of excellent people were let go and I hope they land in a better place that truly values science and innovation. It is clear now that Amgen is not such a place.
 






Not sure such a place exists. I left Amgen before the first big bloodbath a few years ago and moved to a big pharma that is doing exactly the same thing -- getting rid of the best and brightest in the name of saving money. I am very afraid for this industry. Sending strength to my Amgen friends who are looking for jobs, and to those who are left behind to pick up the pieces.
 


















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