Complaint Review: Dell Computers - Austin Texas

BEFORE I GO ANY FURTHER, I NEED TO SHOW YOU THIS ARTICLE THAT GOT ALMOST NO PRESS LOCALLY ( AUSTIN/ ROUND ROCK,TX). It goes like this... 11/18/2007 Massive layoff at the Dell Call Center shocks employees What if this will happen to the Philippines? Massive layoff at the Dell Call Center shocks employees Dell Computer dropped a bomb Thursday morning, laying off all the employees at the Call Center in Roseburg . During a meeting, employees were told their jobs were eliminated. They were told to take their personal items and leave. The managers, some of whom also lost their jobs today, explained there would be a severance package for each employee, a Job Fair on Monday by FirstCall Resolution Call Center, resume' classes and counseling. They also said there are some comparable jobs within the company at other locations if re-location was a possibility. There were some tears and sobs as well as angry outbursts as those on duty left, citing they were told their jobs were safe as little as a month ago. One employee heard about his lay-off on his honeymoon today and thought he was being 'punked' . Others came in for later shifts only to find out their job was gone. According to Dell liason Scott Stevens, 220 workers lost their jobs this morning. Roseburg's Dell Call Center was considered one of the city's top five employers. The company says this is part of a global reduction of 10 percent of their work force and wants to minimize the pain as much as possible. Dell is donating 50 computers to Douglas County, 50 to the City of Roseburg and 100 to the Douglas County ESD. Source: http://www.kpic.com/news/8877332.html What will happen to our thousands of under-employed workforce? This is not only for Call Centers who outsourced DELL Product but all to other call centers. AND HERE IS MORE: Dell Denies Discrimination In Layoffs The plaintiffs claim that Dell engineered layoffs of more than 8,000 employees, singling out women and employees over 40. InformationWeek November 3, 2008 05:21 PM Dell, which has been undergoing a nearly two-year reorganization, denied Monday allegations that massive layoffs at the computer maker have unfairly targeted women and employees over 40. The allegations stem from a class-action lawsuit filed Oct 29 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco by four women, all former senior employees in Dell's human resources department. In addition to discrimination in layoffs, the plaintiffs claim Dell systemically discriminates in blocking women across the company from entering the top ranks. The suit seeks to change Dell's "discriminatory policies regarding pay, job placement, promotion, and termination," according to a statement released by the women's lawyers. In addition, the plaintiffs are seeking $500 million in damages for "a class of thousands of current and former Dell female managers and executives and older employees disproportionately affected by the company's mass layoffs in 2007 and 2008." Dell on Monday denied the allegations. "We believe the claims in the suit are without merit," a Dell spokesman told InformationWeek. "Dell does not tolerate discrimination in any aspect of employment and will vigorously defend any claim that we are not acting in accordance with the law or our policies." The plaintiffs claim that Dell engineered layoffs of more than 8,000 employees, singling out women and older employees. As a result, Dell's upper-management ranks have swelled to about 80% male. One of the plaintiffs, Bethany Riches, a former senior HR manager, claims here supervisor, VP Michael Summers, described the top ranks as "one of the toughest old-boy networks in Dell" and later told Riches she had no prospects of advancement in the company. "Ms. Riches and the other women routinely held the same positions and handled the same responsibilities as higher-ranking and better-compensated male executives, yet were repeatedly denied promotions promised to them by Dell," the lawyers said. Another plaintiff, former senior HR manager Mildred "Jan" Chapman, claimed that even though her job carried responsibilities equal to or exceeding those of younger male HR directors, she was repeatedly denied a promotion to director or any pay increase. Chapman, 59, was laid off in April. The suit claims each of the plaintiffs lost more than $1 million in projected salary increases, promotion grants, and short- and long-term incentive awards. The suit alleges that chief executive Michael Dell, along with others on the 14-member executive leadership team and other senior male executives, carried out or assisted in the discriminatory acts described in the complaint. The plaintiffs are being represented by the law firm Sanford Wittels & Heisler, which has offices in San Francisco; Washington, D.C.; and New York. Dell's ongoing reorganization began early last year with the return of founder Dell to the chief executive post. During his three-year absence, the company suffered a decline that led to its losing its status as the world's largest PC maker to Hewlett-Packard. The massive changes in the company have included a reduction in its workforce by 8,900 employees. Founder Dell has promised Wall Street that he will cut at least $3 billion in spending by the end of the fiscal year 2011. ARE YOU SO SURE YOU WANTED TO BE FULL-TIME? THIS STORY GOT BIG HEADLINES IN THE UK BUT WE DIDN'T HEAR VERY MUCH ABOUT IT AT ALL HERE. SOUNDS MORE LIKE SOMETHING A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY WOULD DO. Dell pressures workers into leave without pay Bon voyage!...or else By Austin Modine Get more from this author Posted in Financial News, 5th November 2008 01:08 GMT Nearly all employees at Dell are being asked to take a week of unpaid leave. If they don't obey, another round of layoffs will begin. Workers at the Round Rock-based PC vendor recently got an email memo from founder and CEO Michael Dell outlining the company's latest efforts to cut costs this quarter. Part of Dell's scheme asks workers to take up to five days off without pay sometime within the next three months. The company also instituted a global hiring freeze, is offering voluntary severance packages, cutting travel budgets, and sacking temporary and contract employees. "We're taking action in this fourth quarter to reduce costs and improve Dell's long term competitiveness in a time of economic uncertainty," said Dell spokesman David Frink. The unpaid leave will be strictly voluntary, Dell's memo stated, but it also warned the company may resort to layoffs if this round of cutbacks doesn't reduce operating expenses as hoped. The company didn't say how many employees would need to take leave time to consider the program a success. The three months time frame ends in January, not coincidently the same time as the close of Dell's fourth quarter 2009. Like a Jenny Craig reject, Dell has been desperately trying to make reductions, only to feel the bitter poison of defeat each time it steps on the scale. Dell's motto now is to save $3bn in annual costs by 2010 by means of layoffs, shifting to lower cost producers, layoffs, miscellaneous cost-cutting measures, and layoffs. Also, if there's time afterward: layoffs. Dell has already axed at least 8,800 jobs since last year. Of course, just like PC market share, Dell plays second fiddle to Hewlett-Packard in mass sacking. HP announced in September it would lay off 24,600 jobs worldwide as it merges the massive IT services organization EDS with its own existing massive IT service organization. BAD AS THAT WAS, NOTHING QUITE MATCHED THE MASS LAY-OFFS AT DELL CORPORATE BACK IN 2002 OR 2003, BACK WHEN THE HUGE TECHNOLOGY SPECULATION BUBBLE BURST AND IT WAS LIKE "THE NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES' PURGE AT DELL. Dell's Bad News Means Job Cuts And Weak Earnings News We don't plan for any across-the-board layoffs into next year," Dell Vice Chairman James Vanderslice said on a Thursday afternoon conference call with the press. The layoffs were expected, as Dell already had reduced its temporary staff. [February 16, 2001, 8:01] LOOKS LIKE THEY HAVE BEEN GOING OUT OF BUSINESS SINCE 2001,DOESN'T IT? SAME OLD SPIEL AND THE SAME HEARTLESS TACTICS! MY FORMER BROTHER IN LAW USED TO WORK FOR THE PRIVATE SECURITY GUARD CONTRACTORS THAT USED TO WORK FOR MICHAEL DELL. IT WAS AND MAYBE STILL IS THE WACKENHUT CORPORATION.L BEFORE WACKENHUT, I BELIEVE IT WAS PINKERTON, THE STORY GOES THAT MICHAEL DELL HIMSELF WANTED MAINLY AFRICAN AMERICAN SECURITY OFFICERS AROUND HIM ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY.HE WANTED UNARMED WACKENHUT PEOPLE ON THE PARKING LOTS AND HE WANTED THEM TO BE YOUNG AND LOOK LIKE FILM STARS IN ADDITION TO HAVING TO STAND IN THAT HOT SUN LIKE STATUES, THERE WERE AFRICAN AMERICANS OLDER ONES ON THE NIGHT SHIFT AND IF THERE WAS EVER A DISPUTE WITH AFRICAN AMERICANS AND OFFICERS OF OTHER ETHNICITIES. I HEARD THIS FROM AN AFRICAN AMERICAN LADY WHO RELIEVED ME ON A POST ONE NIGHT AND HER HUSBAND WORKED THERE AT NIGHT. APPARENTLY OLDER OFFICERS COULD WORK THERE AT NIGHT. UNLIKE SECURITY OFFICERS ELSEWHERE, THE ONES AT DELL GOT HEALTH, DENTAL, PRESCRIPTION AND COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE BENEFITS PAID FOR BY DELL. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE STAYED ON TO GET THOSE. THE GUARDS HAD TO STAND IN THE FULL WEATHER AT ATTENTION,ALWAYS SMILING AND I AM NOT SURE IF THEY EVEN GOT MEAL OR RESTROOM BREAKS ON A SHIFT. I GUESS YOU WERE FIRED IF YOU MENTIONED OSHA. BECAUSE DELL WAS GOD. I HEAR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN OFFICERS WHO MANNED THE SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS INSIDE HQ WERE HAND PICKED BY HIM AND HE WAS EXTREMELY GENEROUS TO THEM. I DID HEAR ONE OF THE YOUNG WHITE OFFICERS WHO WORKED THERE TALK ABOUT A OUTSIDE WHITE SECURITY GUARD WHO WAS FIRED FROM THERE FOR NOT SMILING ENOUGH EVEN THOUGH HER FATHER HAD DIED BUT SHE COULD NOT GET TIME OFF TO ATTEND THE FUNERAL. WHEN THE BIG DAY CAME WHEN DELL WAS GOING TO LAY OFF THE PEOPLE AT CORPORATE HQ. MOST NEVER KNEW IT WAS COMING. MY EX-BROTHER IN LAW GOT A CALL LATE AT NIGHT AND I CAN'T REMEMBER IF THEY LOADED THEM UP IN BIG BUSES OR NOT TO TAKE THEM TO ROUND ROCK. i HAD ALREADY DECIDED I WAS GOING TO BE SICK BECAUSE WHEN I HAD WORKED FOR ALLIED SECURITY, WHEN THE GERMAN-OWNED SIEMENS CORPORATION DECIDED TO SHUT DOWN AN ENTIRE OFFICE BUILDING, THEY WANTED AN ENTIRE BUNCH OF UNARMED OFFICERS SENT OUT TO SUPPRESS THE RIOT AND LABOR UNREST AND A LOT OF THOSE EMPLOYEES HAD HANDGUNS IN THEIR TRUCKS. I HIT IN THE JANITOR'S CLOSET BECAUSE FOR MINIMUM WAGE, I WAS NOT TAKING A BULLET FOR THOSE PEOPLE. THEY WERE MAD BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T EXACTLY TOLD EITHER.I THINK THE CUSTOM PROTECTIVE OFFICERS OF WACKENHUT WERE INSTRUCTED TO WEAR THEIR PISTOLS AND I THINK THERE WERE REAL COPS TURNED OUT AS WELL. I THINK THE EMPLOYEES WERE ALLOWED TO REPORT TO WORK LIKE NOTHING HAPPENED AND THEN THEY WERE ESCORTED TO THE ROOM, GIVEN NEWS OF THEIR DISMISSAL AND THE SECURITY PEOPLE WOULD GIVE THEM A B OX, WATCH THEM PACK UP THEIR POSSESSIONS AND ESCORT THEM OUT OF THE BUILDING WHILE THE NEWS CAMERAS WERE ROLLING, MAKING SURE EVERY DETAIL WAS TAPED. IT WAS LIKE THE FOOTAGE YOU SEE WHEN GUILTY PEOPLE ARE LED FROM THE COURTROOM AND SINCE THIS WAS MICHAEL DELL'S DOWN, YOU KNOW WHOSE SIDE THE NEWS MEDIA WAS GOING TO BE ON...PEOPLE WHO HELPED HIM START THE COMPANY AND PEOPLE WHO HAD BEEN WITH HIM SINCE DELL CORPORATION WAS JUST A DREAM WERE ALL CANNED --NO NOTICE, NO WARNING. LIKE THEY WERE DISPOSABLE,INTERCHANGEABLE NOTHINGS WHO NEVER MEANT ANYTHING AND HAD CONTRIBUTED NOTHING. I THINK SOME RETIRED BEFORE THE AX FELL. I SAW SOME OF IT BUT IT MADE ME SICK! I WAS ASSIGNED TO GUARD DELL'S JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER. HE WANTED ALL OF THE JEWISH CONGREGATIONS TO HAVE THEI9R PLACES OF WORSHIP FOR FREE ON THIS CAMPUS HE MADE FOR THEM IN THE NORTHWEST HILLS SECTION OF AUSTIN,TEXAS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO MANY. TOO CLOSE TOGETHER AND FOR SECURITY REASONS, SOME TURNED HIM DOWN. OTHERS DID NOT LIKE THE WAY HE DID BUSINESS AND I COULD UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER SEEING THE MEDIA DESCEND ON HIS FIRED FORMER BUSINESS PARTNERS AND FRIENDS LEAVING THE HQ IN SHAME AND HUMILIATION AS THE CAMERAS ROLLED.IT WAS A MEDIA CIRCUS AND FEEDING FRENZY. THERE WAS NO COMPASSION AND DIGNITY IN THE TREACHERY AND PUBLIC SPECTACLES OF THOSE FIRINGS AND MOST LOCAL JEWS DENOUNCED THEM. WEEPING AND BETRAYAL, JUST ANOTHER WAY OF DOING BUSINESS AT DELL THE SECURITY GUARDS -- WELL, WE WERE JUST DISPOSABLE TEMPS TOO. SOME DAY, G*D WILL BE THE JUDGE...

I want everyone to know the truth about Dell Computer Corporation based in Austin, TX. In about 2000 they opened up offices here in Nashville, TN doing the same thing they do in Austin, TX - Most of Dell's employees are NOT Dell employees at all. They work through a temp agency, one mostly used called Spherion in which they hire temps for 90 days, keep them, and let them go. This way they dont have to pay benefits and etc... Here in Nashville there are two Spherion Temp offices which are 100% dedicated to DELL only, they are NOT used for anything else or any other company, JUST DELL. Dell is sooooo very crooked and evil its not even funny. The things they tried to teach me and tell me to do were just so morally wrong. If you dont have enough service plans sold which are extended warranties, or add on items such as a printer, camera, or etc.. then you will be terminated via your temp agency Sherion. One day while working, through Spherion of course on my team, nothing but Spherion reps, or course it was time for my whole team to go on a 15 min. break and I was on the phone with a customer trying to sell a computer in hopes of one day getting to be hired on by Dell fulltime, which is near impossible. So my whole team went on break and I was still on the phone with a customer telling them about all the different lines, models, types, and time went by, 15 minutes passed, and my team comes back from their break, and I am still on the phone with this customer. After I get off the phone with the customer, I ask the Coach on the team who assists the manager of the team who works for Dell if I could go on break because I was unable to go because I was on the phone with a customer. He tells me that I need to priortize my calls and manage my time better, and tells me to go on break, but the next time that I won't get one. I swear to GOD and my life that this is true and fact, and will so wear on a stack of Bibles on this one. All Dell does is provide false hopes about a secure job. It is one of the most stressful jobs I have ever had in my entire life. Everytime one of those Spherion Reps comes over to your section and you see them coming you have a quick panic attack and think are you next to be fired? Kinda like the same feeling are you going to be the lucky feeder mouse to get fed to the snake. After my 3 month trial basically with Dell, One Friday morning I get pulled into a room, they shut the door and precede to tell me that my numbers are low and Dell wants my assignment to end with the temp agency. I had never ever been fired before from a job, I sat there for the longest crying my eyes out unable to figure what I did wrong. The only thing you could do is to ask God to help you get the strength to pull through it. This was 4 years ago this happened to be back in 2001, and believe it or not but I am starting to cry now as I write this because I have and still have friends that I cant warn in time not to go there and have this to happen to them. I dont know how the Execs and CEO of Dell and Spherion can sleep with themselves at night doing this to people. Dell rates you on whats called metrics and close rates. Your close rate is how many computers you sold divided by the number of incoming calls you received. You cannot control your incoming calls because some calls could be an acutal customer wanting to buy a computer, you could get wrong numbers, transfer extensions, someone needing tech support, someone needing to talk about their financing bill, or calls dropped and all that counts against you. It is near impossible for EVERYONE working for DELL to deliver what they want. Later,