You heard it here first

[Anonymous]

2nd

That's my guess too!

 

[Anonymous]

Not really shutting down the cafeterias, but rather eliminating the cafeteria staff and going to fancy meal vending machines.

Fancy? Have you seen one yet? They look like 7-11's.

 

[Anonymous]

Heard it here first? Really? In my 10 years at Merck I don't recall ever ONCE hearing anything first on this board. Today's JUVISYNC news, for example. Announced this morning and not once mentioned or predicted here.

 

[Anonymous]

Heard it here first? Really? In my 10 years at Merck I don't recall ever ONCE hearing anything first on this board. Today's JUVISYNC news, for example. Announced this morning and not once mentioned or predicted here.

Certainly made me look.....

http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/merck-gives-unsuccessful-januvia-combo-drug/2013-09-26

FYI for everybody else.

"As the Philadelphia Inquirer reports, Merck plans to stop selling Juvisync, which combines Januvia and Zocor (simvastatin), the once-blockbuster cholesterol fighter. Distribution in the U.S. and Puerto Rico will cease. Approved in October 2011, the drug just never got off the ground."

 

[Anonymous]

As another poster claiming to be from finance urged, I read the 10-Q filed in Aug, 2013. It says that merger restructuring is going to be complete in 2013 and it also shows $672M in reserves for employee separations.

That is A LOT of money waiting to be spent in essentially 4 months. Those saying 20-30% worldwide layoffs are looking more correct with each balance sheet entry.

 

[Anonymous]

Expect a big announcement early next week. Significant downsizing in the 20-25% range globally. Additional information will come on therapeutic priorities from MRL, GHH, etc. other shake ups occur including senior leadership changes that are well overdue. Good luck to all of my friends and colleagues.

Signed,
A friend in HQ

Next week will come and go and it will be business as usual. I am calling BS on this post. There will be no significant changes for at least15 months. Time will tell who was correct. In the meantime, stop with the fear mongering.

 

[Anonymous]

Cuts are already taking place!!! Just ask anyone in HCV, neuro, or ophthalmology...

 

[Anonymous]

Next week will come and go and it will be business as usual. I am calling BS on this post. There will be no significant changes for at least15 months. Time will tell who was correct. In the meantime, stop with the fear mongering.

I wish it was BS- believe me there is a tsunami coming and the quoted numbers are completely accurate. You will hear the big picture on Tuesday. It's not good....

 

[Anonymous]

The union at West Point was given a heads count reduction number then the company doubled it. Hearing October 7th for West Point.

 

[Anonymous]

The union at West Point was given a heads count reduction number then the company doubled it. Hearing October 7th for West Point.

Heard the number for West Point is going to be 1000 people axed. Don't know if this just MMD or if it includes MRL and USHH.

Betting this number is too low.

 

[Anonymous]

As another poster claiming to be from finance urged, I read the 10-Q filed in Aug, 2013. It says that merger restructuring is going to be complete in 2013 and it also shows $672M in reserves for employee separations.

That is A LOT of money waiting to be spent in essentially 4 months. Those saying 20-30% worldwide layoffs are looking more correct with each balance sheet entry.

Over a half BILLION to spend on severance in 4 months. Yes, all back and white, on paper plans are pointing to this being a monumental downsizing event.

Good luck everyone!

 

[Anonymous]

Test

 

[Anonymous]

Over a half BILLION to spend on severance in 4 months. Yes, all back and white, on paper plans are pointing to this being a monumental downsizing event.

Good luck everyone!

Small correction there. If the Aug 10-Q has those numbers (it does, I also looked) that is through the end of 2nd quarter. They technically have 6 months to spend the $672M not 4.

 

[Anonymous]

West Point usw head count reduction is ~200

 

[Anonymous]

To poster #27, I am not sure what you mean by significant cuts. Earlier in the year we were all told there would be no cuts in Primary Care. My Region which will go unnamed is going to have a 25% cut on October 7. We need to be waiting by the phone for our manager call. This is reality today as well as several other divisions within Merck. If you call that "fear mongering" then so be it. I call it that you have your head in the sand.

 

[Anonymous]

To poster #27, I am not sure what you mean by significant cuts. Earlier in the year we were all told there would be no cuts in Primary Care. My Region which will go unnamed is going to have a 25% cut on October 7. We need to be waiting by the phone for our manager call. This is reality today as well as several other divisions within Merck. If you call that "fear mongering" then so be it. I call it that you have your head in the sand.

Ohhhhh nooooooo no no no....There will be no cuts in Primary Care. I heard it, too. I believe we'll say that we're not being cut. We're being optimized.

FU FU FU Merck

 

[Anonymous]

OP here. Just to prove that I am spot on mark your calendars for a town hall on Tuesday, October 1. Read the article on Sync today regarding Ford to get a sense for what will be coming. Prioritization will be the big theme as there has been numerous meetings over the past few days making the final decisions. The helicopters have been coming and going like bees in and out of their hives. No division will be spared and its going to be big. Again this will be prioritization from MRL to what happens in the field. I hate to say it but primary care is dead. There will be products that we will no longer sell, products that we will never launch, markets and countries that we no longer sell it. Again, good luck to all my friends and colleagues.

Signed,
A friend in HQ

 

[Anonymous]

OP here. Just to prove that I am spot on mark your calendars for a town hall on Tuesday, October 1. Read the article on Sync today regarding Ford to get a sense for what will be coming. Prioritization will be the big theme as there has been numerous meetings over the past few days making the final decisions. The helicopters have been coming and going like bees in and out of their hives. No division will be spared and its going to be big. Again this will be prioritization from MRL to what happens in the field. I hate to say it but primary care is dead. There will be products that we will no longer sell, products that we will never launch, markets and countries that we no longer sell it. Again, good luck to all my friends and colleagues.

Signed,
A friend in HQ

Thanks so much for the heads up. There is a note posted on Kenilworth K-15 cafeteria saying that on Tuesday it will not be opening for lunch until 11:30 a.m. and will have limited seating.

 

[Anonymous]

To the Original Poster--thank you for all the info you've provided. Even if there's nothing we can do about it, at least we won't be completely blindsided on Tuesday. Thanks again for the heads up.

 

[Anonymous]

OP: Do you know if the cuts will involve higher positions such as DCOs and managers too? What about Hospital?