Gateway gone from Ireland ????

gandalf · 08-08-2001 5:21pm #1

Looks like Gateway are going this article from the Irish Times

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2001/0808/breaking56.htm

Gandalf.

Victor · 08-08-2001 5:35pm

Oh, oh.

Anyone want a computer assembly plant and a call centre?

Kill, kill, kill the laser mice.

yankinlk · 08-08-2001 5:40pm

fair play to this site and those that post to it. heard it here what, a week ago?

Lucutus · 08-08-2001 5:50pm

Wow. Shame to see Gateway go, I'll remember my time there for so many reasons.

Official statement today Gandalf, yea?

Anything else was just rumour..(accurate rumour, but rumour, nonetheless!).

Lucutus

Supercell · 08-08-2001 6:42pm

Yes its official..i work there...

Heres basically what we were told today..
1) As from 10th september Gateway will no longer sell pcs to the UK and Ireland..though who will be trying to buy then is open to question

2) Redundancies will be tiered..marketing sales and production are going first

3) Tech support etc will remain for a short time after while Gateway finds an outsourcer to take care of contractual obligations to existing customers. I expect present customers shouldn't really notice much difference..Gateway will attempt to find work for their "skilled" tech workforce with said outsourcer

4) Redundancy payments are said to be "in line" with previous layoffs, ie 5 weeks pay per year worked.

Shortly after this was announced..the power went off briefly..the fire alarm was set off, the phones went down and ALL network applications stopped working..as400,outlook,internet,vantive etc...was a strange afternoon

Tonight..i'm getting hammered.

Edited for spelling.

[This message has been edited by Longfield (edited 08-08-2001).]

gandalf · 08-08-2001 6:59pm

Yeah they're gone. I spent 2 and a half great years working there with a great bunch of people a while back (quite a while back). 2 of the people interviewed on RTE news I used to work with. Its a shame but the writing was on the wall for Gateway for a while now.

Gandalf.

Trojan · 08-08-2001 7:04pm

Ye gods, that's bad.

As an ex-Dell muppet I was never a mad fan of theirs, but it's a terrible shame...

Al.

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 08-08-2001 7:17pm

Originally posted by yankinlk:
fair play to this site and those that post to it. heard it here what, a week ago?

I think this is what your talking about

http://www.boards.ie/bulletin/Forum3/HTML/002701.html

Fair Play to Bard
& his comment ie-....
"After all we've done for them"

I have views myself @ the above thread as well, which would make me think again about buying from Gateway!!

80p.
SAVE CHIP !!

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 08-08-2001 7:23pm

Just as a general followup....

My sympathy goes out to the employees of Gateway and anyone directly affected by this.
Any anger I would have is re:
the all too regular occurance for big corporations to pack up & leave.

80p.
SAVE CHIP !!

Supercell · 08-08-2001 7:42pm

Thanks for that 80p, its a real pity to see the company leave, I have to say its been the best employer i'ver ever worked for, I never dreaded going into work any day, mostly it was good fun with a good bunch of people.
I really wish that they didn't have to leave, but they are a company not a charity..they lost money here, its as simple as that.

Firefox · 08-08-2001 8:15pm

I am really sorry to hear the news. As I work for Dell I'm getting increasingly worried about losing my job.

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 08-08-2001 8:16pm

Originally posted by Longfield:

I really wish that they didn't have to leave, but they are a company not a charity..they lost money here, its as simple as that.

There is still though some degree of social responsibilty needing to be shown by some of these Multi-Nationals. The Workforce there has shown a great commitment to the company and in essence they're now getting a kcik in the teeth. Sometimes in this situation Companies have to absorb losses and the effects of cyclical downturns.

It will also be tragic for those who are indirectly affected in Economic terms and the retraction of the "mulitplier effect" because of this pull-out.

Overall it just makes me mad that these comapnies are given the red carpet when they arrive and then they sneak out the back door or on a rope ladder from their personal helicopters, bought from their share options etc.
BTW
The way its looking @ Intel as well ("voluntary unpaid holidays" !!!), It looks like they're going to go down the same route!!

80p.
SAVE CHIP !!

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 08-08-2001 9:14pm

Dont know if any1 just heard on the 9pm News-Supposedley Gateway are pulling out of PC manufacturing in Europe to "conecntrate on Broadband Technolgies" in the US whatevere that means-
Obviously I know what it means primae facia but I thought they were PC manufacturers not wholly based on Internet Technolgies- Is this therefore a widescale diversification by Gateway ??

Someone more connected may be able to confirm this??

80p.
SAVE CHIP !!

Supercell · 08-08-2001 9:32pm

Sounds like journalists rehashing old stories.
Gateway did try to set up a "connected" home, whereby youre fridge ordered milk when it runs low etc..which basically needed always on..ie broadband...but it was a flop in the US..never was attempted here.
I wouldn't read squat into it.

Hobbes · 08-08-2001 9:34pm

should of seen it coming.

http://forum.****edcompany.com/fc/phparchives/search.php?search=gateway

(**** = the F word)

stu_69 · 09-08-2001 8:12am

It's a real shame to see them go even if it p!ssed me off working there for 10 months, but the knock on effect in dublin as 900 hundred people come on to the job market. This is the second time something similar to this has happened -> I worked on an outsource contract for Dell with a company called Client Logic. There were about 200 people on this contract and one week Dell just pulled the plug on the project. Computers is a very fickle industry to be involved in. This side of the world is no better (australia) companies cutting the workforce all over the shop. Makes me think if I made the right career choice.......

kayos · 09-08-2001 9:22am

First off I'm sorry to see gateway go and I feel for anyone who has been let go as a result.

Originally posted by 80project.com:

The way its looking @ Intel as well ("voluntary unpaid holidays" !!!), It looks like they're going to go down the same route!!

I think you'll find a hell of a lot more companies than Intel do that and it isn't just in Ireland. To list some biggies I know about Sun,Analog Devices/Oracale... What happens here is if the company closes for say two weeks the savings are massive and if they do this it is normally shortly before they prepare their end of year reports. FFS Sun "The peolpe who put the dot in dotCom" told their employees to stop using the internet in work a few months back as it would save them a huge amount of money. Its all about cost cutting.

IMHO Ireland puts to much faith in big Corpos like Digital (remember the fuss with them in Galway years back),Gateway,Nortel (These guys are really fupped from what I've heard) and these companies will pulll as soon as the going get tough. We have enough talent in Ireland and the IDA should be backing more and more "Home Grown Companies" who will not pull out of Ireland just to save money as its where their from. Any way I'm sorry to see gateway go and I hope the ppl can get jobs soon.

kayos

When you get to hell tell them I sent you,
you'll get a group discount...

tribes.gameshop.ie

Xterminator · 09-08-2001 9:24am

From most experts view, companies still expect to increase their IT depts over the next few years.

(I'm not talking IT companies specifically, but your average business)

As the internet market grows, the lost costs and maturing market will mean demand for certain types of IT skills will remain high.

If youre let go, my advice is, try to have the skills that will be needed in 2 years time.

I left a major multinational this year for a blue chip irish company, and I feel as secure as I ever have. (And they really want to hang on to their IT people).

Good luck to anyone looking for jobs!

"Man, you go through life, you try to be nice to people, you struggle against the urge to punch ‘em in the face, and for what?! For some pimply little puke to treat you like dirt unless you're on a team. Well I'm better than dirt ... well most kinds of dirt. I mean, not that fancy, store-bought dirt. That stuff’s loaded with nutrients. I …I can't compete with that stuff."
-Moe Szyslak

mayhem# · 09-08-2001 11:19am

Originally posted by 80project.com:
There is still though some degree of social responsibilty needing to be shown by some of these Multi-Nationals. The Workforce there has shown a great commitment to the company and in essence they're now getting a kcik in the teeth. Sometimes in this situation Companies have to absorb losses and the effects of cyclical downturns.

It will also be tragic for those who are indirectly affected in Economic terms and the retraction of the "mulitplier effect" because of this pull-out.

Overall it just makes me mad that these comapnies are given the red carpet when they arrive and then they sneak out the back door or on a rope ladder from their personal helicopters, bought from their share options etc.
BTW

Nonsense, these kind of multi-nationals were lured over here by the IDA and its cohorts using low (or non-existent) tax rates, huge grants and low cost labour as sweeteners. Anybody with half a brain could have predicted that as soon as labour costs went up they would move house to some cheaper country. The fact that this was sped up by the IT slump is just sheer bad luck. Social responsibilty does not enter the equation this is just pure business the worker works and gets paid for that. The company does not owe him or her anything else, period.
If anyne is to blame it's the government for not investing more of the tax surplus in indiginous (?) industries who are less likely to move when times get a bit difficult...

Gladiator · 09-08-2001 11:27am

sorry to hear you lost your job longfield,
its a kick in the head, i saw it comeing about 3 months back, to be honus i was still stunded when it actually happened,

didnt they get a new internet connection out there recently allso, why was that

Gladiator · 09-08-2001 11:34am

intel will never leave ireland,
my brother worked out there, and one week then let go 500 people and take them back the next, he was one of about 750 let go there about a year ago, not a word was on the news, because they all get taken back,

the goverment would be extremely stupid to let them leave the country, because panic would set it, they are the leading it company here,

Bard · 09-08-2001 1:56pm

Originally posted by Gladiator:
intel will never leave ireland,

Is that your expert opinion? I wouldn't bet on it, to be honest... with the way things are happening at the moment, it would be no big surprise to see Intel up and leave our shores.

the goverment would be extremely stupid to let them leave the country, because panic would set it, they are the leading it company here,

The government can hardly say "stop right there! you're not allowed leave!" if Intel decide to shut up shop. As for them being the "leading IT company here", that's debatable to say the least...

Bard

G'wan... giz a click

[This message has been edited by Bard (edited 09-08-2001).]

b20uvkft6m5xwg · 09-08-2001 7:45pm

Originally posted by mayhem#:
Social responsibilty does not enter the equation this is just pure business the worker works and gets paid for that. The company does not owe him or her anything else, period.
If anyne is to blame it's the government for not investing more of the tax surplus in indiginous (?) industries who are less likely to move when times get a bit difficult...

No in fairness I agree w/ you. Perhaps the original post was just the idealist in me coming to the fore. Gateway is a business and not a charity- I apprecitae that fully. The workers I'm sure understand this too and perhaps were made aware of this from the get-go.

Originally posted by mayhem#:
Nonsense, these kind of multi-nationals were lured over here by the IDA and its cohorts using low (or non-existent) tax rates, huge grants and low cost labour as sweeteners.

AFAIK, during some of the heavy horse trading in the 80's early 90's when attempting to bring MNC's here w/ big grants etc.- There were provisions included that if these companies were to leave they would have to repay some of these grants &/or tax liability they had incurred. Whether or not this expires after a certain period I'm not sure- but the govt. may have some recourse w/ Gateway?? If they did they could plough the money into re-training etc. for some of the employees or as you pointed out re-investment in indigineous firms!

Overall all we can say is...
Its a big bad world and Business is Business !!

80p.
SAVE CHIP !!

mayhem# · 09-08-2001 7:55pm

Originally posted by 80project.com:
Overall all we can say is...
Its a big bad world and Business is Business !!

Yup!

Supercell · 09-08-2001 8:39pm

Indeed, apparently the IDA are playing hard ball with Gateway (which is how it should be imo); they are demanding huge amounts of grant money back (allegedly) unless Gateway proactively assist in finding alternate employment for their Irish workforce.

WhiteWashMan · 10-08-2001 11:15am

long field, who are you and what part of gateway you work on?

Gladiator · 10-08-2001 4:15pm

bard ive seen it happen loads of times with intel, they make a big fuss about leaving, the goverment comes in, offers them better taxs breaks and more grants and they stay,
its a little games they play every few months

its money well spent imo

Gateway gone from Ireland ????

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