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IBM shifts AIX development to India

by on17 January 2023


So much for keeping tech within US boundaries 

While some companies are questioning if it is a good idea to have all their production and development in foreign parts, IBM is shipping its AIX jobs to its Indian office. 

AIX development was split more or less evenly between the US and India, but at the beginning of the year the jobs were shipped to India. Roughly 80 US-based AIX developers were affected, and told to find a new position internally.

The majority of those redeployed found jobs elsewhere at IBM. A lesser number of staff are evidently stuck in "redeployment limbo," with no IBM job identified and no evident prospects at the company.

"It appears that these people in 'redeployment' limbo within IBM are all older, retirement eligible employees. The general sense among my peers is that redeployment is being used to nudge older employees out of the company and to do so in a manner that avoids the type of scrutiny that comes with layoffs," one staffer complained to the Register.

Layoffs come with a severance payment and may have reporting requirements. Redeployments -- directing workers to find another internal position, which may require relocating -- can avoid cost and bureaucracy.

They also have the potential to encourage workers to depart on their own. We're told that IBM does not disclose redeployment numbers to its employees and does not report how internal jobs were obtained -- through internal search, with the assistance of management -- or were not obtained -- employees left in limbo or who choose to leave rather than wait.

 

Last modified on 17 January 2023
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