">Forum Views ()
">Forum Replies ()
 
 Read more with google mobile :
Microsoft leaves many sleepless in Seattle
 
 Navigation
Primary Navigation
 
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
Secondary Navigation
 
 
Search
 
 
Search:
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Microsoft leaves many sleepless in Seattle
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Reuters - 2 hours 17 minutes ago
By Elaine Porterfield and Edwin Chan
SEATTLE/LOS ANGELES - For affluent Seattle, Microsoft is just the tip of the iceberg.
Microsoft's announcement it will lay off 5,000 in its biggest-ever job-cut rippled through the Seattle area on Thursday, further unnerving residents of an already-bruised city of just over 3 million.
The city plays host to a spate of well-known corporations, some of which have recently announced layoffs, including Starbucks Corp , and Boeing Co.
Starbucks said on Thursday that it will freeze salaries for its top executives.
Employees at Microsoft's sprawling, tree-lined campus in Redmond -- just 13 miles from Seattle -- filed in to work in somber moods, though many had been bracing for weeks for just such an announcement. Executives say managers called hurried meetings to talk through the changes.
For some, the news came almost as a relief after weeks of tense speculation and in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. For others, Microsoft's warning that cuts will be spread over a year and a half means a lengthy period of anxiety.
"There's definitely a lot of black humor now" in the hallways, a Microsoft executive said. "People are joking around like: 'we better get back and see if we still have jobs'.
"The one thing that might have raised eyebrows is: 'why're they putting this cloud over our heads for the next 18 months?'"
Seattle, the city in Washington state well-known for drizzle, cafes and the TV series "Frasier" is feeling its fair share of corporate pain.
Washington state's jobless rate rose in December to 7.1 percent -- just a tad shy of the nation's 7.2 percent, from 6.4 percent in November.
Washington Mutual Inc -- once the largest U.S. savings and loan but since collapsed and taken over by JPMorgan -- will shed 9,200 jobs.
About 3,400 of those jobs will come out of Seattle, the Seattle Times reported last month.
Boeing Co unveiled plans this month to cut 4,500 workers -- most of them in Washington.
And Starbucks -- the brand virtually synonymous with Seattle's boom -- is in the midst of layoffs of potentially thousands, though executives would not specify a final number.
"This is the worst economy I've seen in my life. The way Seattle is shedding jobs reflects what's happening elsewhere," said retiree Conrad Shock, 58, as he sipped at a coffee in Starbucks's first store, opened in 1971 in downtown Seattle's historic Pike Place market.
"I don't think we've seen the worst of it," he said, adding that his retirement accounts had been cut in half in just the past year.
His wife Kim said: "Unfortunately it's everywhere."
Microsoft's layoffs -- of about 5 percent of its total workforce -- came after weeks of Web and media speculation.
"It is disheartening that one of Washington's premier businesses is reducing its work force. Unfortunately, it is another indication that the national economic recession is deepening," Washington Governor Chris Gregoire said in a statement. "Our highest priority is to help those workers find other good jobs as quickly as possible."
Back at the Microsoft campus, employees veered between relief and trepidation.
"We were waiting for the shoe to drop. It's not even a large percentage of the workforce. But I haven't had time to digest it yet", said a middle manager from Microsoft in his 30s.
"I've been through layoffs before at Hewlett Packard. It's led to good things. I love my job here but whatever happens, happens," said another Microsoft employee in his 40s.
 
 
 
Email Story
IM Story
Printable View
Blog This
 
 
   
Recommend this article
Average (0 votes)
Sign in to recommend this article »
Most Recommended Stories »
  
Related Articles: Technology
US-TECH SummaryReuters - 2 hours 16 minutes ago
Microsoft leaves many sleepless in SeattleReuters - 2 hours 17 minutes ago
German chipmaker Qimonda files for insolvency: courtAFP - Saturday, January 24
Mobile phone market to shrink in 2009Reuters - Saturday, January 24
Samsung posts loss as diving demand hits tech firmsReuters - Friday, January 23
 
 
 
 
 
 Enlarge Photo
 
A Scandanavian Airline System (SAS) A-340 commercial jetliner flies in the background past the landmark Space Needle in Seattle, Washington in this file photo from September 1, 2003.REUTERS/Anthony P. Bolante
 
 
 
Most Popular – Technology
 
 
 
 
 
 Viewed
 
 
 
 
World crisis deepens as downturn bites in Asia
 
 
Obama retakes oath of office
 
 
'Dogs don't wear condoms,' says Baywatch star Anderson
 
 
US unemployment spikes, housing crisis deepens
 
 
Obama steps up anti-recession offensive
 
 
View Complete List »
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Search:
Home
Singapore
Asia Pacific
World
Business
Entertainment
Sports
Technology
Top Stories
Most Popular
 
 Other News on Friday, 23 January 2009
 US envoy in Iraq warns against hasty withdrawal
 Irish woman jailed for incest, abuse of children
| International
|
 Gates says Iraq meeting was start of process
 Croatia hails EU initiative to resolve border row with Slovenia
 Army: Negligence caused soldier's electrocution
 Microsoft still interested in : Ballmer
 "Columbo" Star Peter Falk's Wife Blocks His Adopted Daughter's Bid For Conservatorship
 Nazi forced labourers recount ordeal online
 Turkish police detain 30 more in coup probe
| International
|
 AP: Iraq forced to cut spending as oil price falls
 Nazi forced labourers recount ordeal online
 Ty Pennington Offering $10K Reward For Information On Hit-And-Run Accident
 Global banking losses to hit 3.6 trillion dlrs: Roubini
 Iraq ready for US troop cutback
 Diane Keaton, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock And Mandy Moore Team Up To Sue Online Electronics Peddlers For Unauthorized Use Of Their Images
 Israeli PM says war could speed soldier's freedom
 RIM execs face record fines for options backdating: media
 Iranian AIDS doctors get several years in jail
 Al Pacino Film "Righteous Kill" Sues Watchmaker For Non-Payment Of Product Placement Fee
 Nokia profits slump, cuts industry outlook
 At least 100 killed in Sri Lanka shelling: official
| International
|
 Palestinian girls tell grim stories of survival
 Microsoft to cut up to 5,000 jobs as earnings fall
 Blogger indicted for spreading falsehoods on S Korean financial crisis
 UN welcomes green initiative in stimulus packages
 China brushes aside questions over censorship of Obama speech
 Microsoft to cut up to 5,000 jobs
 Nokia profits slump, cuts industry outlook
 Microsoft stuns with profit miss, job cuts
| Technology
|
 US refuses Chinese demand for Guantanamo prisoner return: official
 Obama keeps BlackBerry, after all
| Technology
|
 Afghanistan and India unveil strategic road
 House panel clears $3 billion for Internet, wireless
| Technology
|
 China sentences two to death over tainted milk
 Obama signs death warrant for Guantanamo
 Sri Lanka seize rebel command centre amid heavy fighting
 Panel clears Geithner for full U.S. Senate vote
 Indonesia to repatriate 193 boat migrants
 Chinese official visits NKorea, prospect of Kim appearance
 New game genre taps into players' creativity
| Technology
|
 Obama orders closure of Guantanamo Bay prison camp
 Pakistan questions terror suspects
 NATO: Aid needed for Afghan war
 Pakistan arrests man linked to 2005 London bombs
 Lack Of Customs Agents Keeps Passengers Aboard Diverted Flight For Four Hours
 UN welcomes green initiative in stimulus packages
 Former Merrill Lynch CEO Resigns From Bank Of America
 TJX Cos. Thanks Customers With Nationwide One-Day Sale, 15% Discount
 President Obama Orders Guantanamo Closed
 Jan 22 Roundup Of Highlights Of Low Points In The U.S. Economy
 Poll: Americans Split Over Obama's Plan To Shut Down Guantanamo
 Hillary Gets Warm Welcome At State Department On First Day As Secretary
 Liberia signs 2.6 billion dollar mining deal with China Union
 Just a Minute With: Chris Rock on his Good Hair
| Entertainment
|
 Geithner assails China as Treasury confirmation moves closer
 India's Reliance Industries Q3 profit down nearly 10 pct
 Oscar voters fail to make Clint Eastwood's day
| Entertainment
|
 NY exhibit On the Money finds humor in boom, bust
| Entertainment
|
 Future still unwritten for Punk legends
| Entertainment
|
 Dita von Teese back at Paris revue
| Entertainment
|
 Exactly 1 year after death, Ledger's legacy grows
 "Spore" computer game evolving
 'Waltz with Bashir' won't be screened in Lebanon
 Disney-ABC reorganization expands McPherson role
 NY exhibit "On the Money" finds humor in boom, bust
 "Benjamin Button," "Slumdog" lead Oscar nominees
 Washington Post launches "who's who" in government website
 Luanda breathes new life into once-rusty Iron Palace
 Dita von Teese back at Paris revue
 Future still unwritten for Punk legends
 Rock's provocative look at blacks and their hair heats up Sundance
 Israel to open Gaza Strip crossing to journalists
 US-TECH Summary
 U.S. to set concrete, near-term Afghan goals: Gates
| International
|
 They Wuz Robbed!
 Crisis-hit Iceland heads for early election
| International
|
 US unemployment spikes, housing crisis deepens
 House panel backs $3 billion Internet stimulus
 U.S. ambassador sees no sudden pullout from Iraq
| International
|
 IBM tool helps companies cut costs and emissions
 New game genre taps into players' creativity
 Obama keeps BlackBerry e-mail device, after all
 50 sperm whales beached off Australian island
 US diplomat walks out on Bolivia's Morales
 Sri Lanka troops allegedly kill 30 in 'safe zone'
 Gates says Iraq meeting was start of process
 Strong quake hits Indonesia
 Obama lays out vision for Middle East peace
 Google profit beats on strong ad sales
| Technology
|
 Obama names top envoys to Mideast, Afghanistan, Pakistan
 IBM tool helps companies cut costs and emissions
| Technology
|
 Diving consumer demand hits technology firms
| Technology
|
 Wall Street Closes Lower On Jobs Data, Microsoft News
 Obama Staffers Try To Adjust To Less Tech-Savvy White House
 S.Korean T-bond futures down ahead of holiday
 Toyota may cut more than 1,000 jobs in NAmerica, Britain: report
 Nippon Steel to cut output by 15 percent: report
 Seoul shares open down; Samsung Elec, KT fall
 War, immigration, politics mark foreign Oscar picks
| Entertainment
|
 Milk screenwriter straddles two clashing worlds
| Entertainment
|
 Hayden Panettiere's dad gets probation for assault
| Entertainment
|
 Obama Staffers Struggle To Adjust To Lack Of Technology In White House
 US-ENTERTAINMENT Summary
 Hayden Panettiere's dad gets probation for assault
 Winning posthumous acting Oscar not easy
 Hayden Panettiere's dad pleads to battery
 Studios with multiple Oscar nominations
 Oscars odds, ends, facts and figures
 A tangled triangle unravels in 'The American Plan'
 A father and son talk fitfully in `Sixty Miles'
 "Milk" screenwriter straddles two clashing worlds
 Carter Center auction in Fla. to raise funds
 Israel rules out opening Gaza border if Hamas gains
| International
|
 Happy with wartime leaders _ and Netanyahu, too
 Obama says Pakistan, Afghanistan require wider strategy
 Spain arrests suspected leaders of ETA political wing: report
 China parents press demands in wake of milk sentences
| International
|
 Samsung posts loss as diving demand hits tech firms
 Japan launches satellite to track greenhouse gases
 Congo rebel Nkunda arrested: Rwanda-Congo military
| International
|
 Obama wins first battle -- to keep BlackBerry
 Obama steps up anti-recession offensive
 Pakistani newlyweds live in fear of honor killing
| International
|
 freezes employee salaries
 Castro writes of death, illness in latest column
| International
|
 North Korea's Kim well enough to meet foreign visitor
| International
|
 Taiwan wins landmark access to WHO amid China thaw
| International
|
 Samsung posts loss as diving demand hits tech firms
 Japan launches satellite to track greenhouse gases
 Castro says he won't outlive Obama's term in office
 Polynesians originated in Taiwan 5,200 years ago: study
 Microsoft stuns with profit miss, job cuts
| Technology
|
 Thai PM heads to Laos for first official overseas visit
 Jailed Myanmar monk goes on hunger strike
 Google profit beats on strong ad sales
| Technology
|
 NKorea's Kim meets Chinese envoy: state media
 Afghan president welcomes order to shut Guantanamo
 3 Filipino militants get life for 2000 bombings
 Sri Lankan editor attacked
 House Republicans File Bill Banning Release, Transfer Of Gitmo Detainees Into U.S.
 SKorea blaze clouds nomination of new police chief
 Thousands Attend 'March For Life' Rally In D.C. To Mark 36th Anniversary Of Rule Legalizing Abortion
 Gunmen abduct 3 Filipino teachers
 Pakistani Mulls Lawsuit Against U.S. Government For 6-Year Gitmo Detention
 NKorea's Kim Jong Il meets with Chinese official
 Philippines property group says buying two local AIG units
 HK firm agrees to buy back Lehman investments
 Sony stock tumbles after forecasting annual loss
 Nippon Steel cuts production on auto demand fall
 Asia-Pacific air travel fell 1.8 percent in 2008
 Seoul shares fall on techs; Samsung, LG Elec slide
 Toyota may cut 1,000 jobs in N.America, Britain: report
 GDP growth declines in China's Guangdong province
 Obama sets stage for likely trade war with China
 Samsung posts first-ever quarterly loss
 Benjamin Button, Slumdog lead Oscar nominees
| Entertainment
|
 Mixed feelings for Ledger's family
| Entertainment
|
 Oscar nominations come in tough week for Hollywood
 US Senate passes wage discrimination bill
 Actors union loses support for strike vote
 Hint of hard times at Paris men's fashion week
 Child matador bullfight suspended in Mexico
 Soothsayers see no bull run in Year of Ox
 Handwritten Lincoln speech to be auctioned at top price
 CNN online traffic tops on Inauguration Day
 Dudamel brings fresh approach to L.A. Philharmonic
 Bus driver sued in crash that killed Dottie Rambo
 Doctors Cut Hands, Feet Of Model With Septicemia
 War, immigration, politics mark foreign Oscar picks
| Entertainment
|
 Milk screenwriter straddles two clashing worlds
| Entertainment
|
 Oscar nominations come in tough week for Hollywood
| Entertainment
|
 Oscar voters fail to make Clint Eastwood's day
| Entertainment
|
 Dudamel brings fresh approach to L.A. Philharmonic
| Entertainment
|
 Gunmen kill family, including six women, in Iraq
 Suspects arrested over German embassy Kabul bomb
 Britain in recession, data confirms
 German chipmaker Qimonda files for insolvency: court
 China says 19 nationals freed from Myanmar kidnap
| International
|
 Israel names justice minister to fight war crime charges
 Warning strikes against Germany's Lufthansa: airline
 Mobile phone market to shrink in 2009
 World stocks slide
 Russia and Georgia must probe war crimes, watchdog says
| International
|
 Gunmen kill family in Iraq
| International
|
 Five dead in Pakistan's Swat
| International
|
 Key Ukraine meeting on Russia gas deal postponed
| International
|
 Japan launches rocket with greenhouse-gas probe
 Obama names peacemakers to hotspots
 US soldier dies when vehicle rolls over in Iraq
 Mobile phone market to shrink in 2009
| Technology
|
 Japanese learn English using Obama speeches
 Rights group: Thais abandoned migrants at sea
 Rights group: Tiananmen prisoner held in hospital
 NKorea's Kim Jong Il meets with Chinese official
 TV Network Speculates Kirsten Gillibrand Is Paterson's Choice To Replace Clinton In Senate
 Djokovic, Roddick roll on at Aussie Open tennis
 More Bank Mergers Foreseen As Small Banks Report Q4 Losses
 Suicide bomber kills 2 in northwest Pakistan
 Fears for 126 Rohingya rise as Thais deny holding them
 India PM to undergo bypass surgery
 Taiwan's ASE plans buyback worth up to T$4.85 bln
 HK firm agrees to buy back Lehman investments
 Taiwan dlr falls to 4-year low on data, c.bank
 Japan's KDDI says 9-month profit rises 18.2 pct
 Bridgestone says to shed 800 workers in US
 Hanwha threatens legal battle to recover deposit from KDB
 Japan stocks fall on dire Microsoft, Sony results
 Indonesia Islamic body to mull ban on smoking and yoga
 Iraq repeats pledge to close Iran opposition camp
 Russia says ready to work with U.S. on Afghanistan
| International
|
 Amnesty probes Israel's use of white phosphorus in Gaza
 War boosted extremists in Gaza, says U.N. official
| International
|
 Three die in Belgian child care center attack
| International
|
 Microsoft leaves many sleepless in Seattle
 Iraqi PM urges strong election turnout despite violence
 Obama warns crisis must be dealt with rapidly
 Sudan violated international law in Darfur raid: U.N.
| International
|
 Larry Birkhead And Howard K. Stern Team Up To Discredit Anna Nicole Smith Tell-All Book Informants
 Ring of fire: Indian Ocean to see solar eclipse
 Congo's Nkunda arrested in Rwanda awaiting extradition
 Learjet Responds To Travis Barker's Plane Crash Negligence Suit
 US to carry out first human stem cell trials
 SAG Wants To Avoid Strike Vote
 Nine dead in suspected U.S. strikes in Pakistan
| International
|
 Hayden Panettiere's Dad Receives Two Years Probation Following No Contest Plea To Hitting Wife
 Cuba's Fidel Castro in first photo since November
| International
|
 British 'hacker' wins right to fight extradition to US
 Indonesian police say 2 killed in train collision
 Thailand meets regional ambassadors over refugee issue
 Australian rescuers try to save 7 beached whales
 Oil pares losses on evidence of OPEC supply cuts
 Microsoft leaves many sleepless in Seattle
| Technology
|
 Ishikawa's dream closer to reality with surprise Masters invite
 Indian PM in hospital for heart surgery
 Nine dead in suspected U.S. strikes in Pakistan
 Obama keeps BlackBerry, after all
| Technology
|
 Reports: NKorea's Kim meets Chinese official
 China welcomes Britain's call for closer ties
 Ivanovic crashes out, Jankovic battles on at Aussie Open
 Confirmation Of Attorney General-Designee Eric Holder Still Unclear After Meeting With Republican Leader
 Geithner signals tougher stance on China
 Norm Coleman Assures Supporters But Gets New Job While MN Senate Race Drags On
 Thai economy set to grow by zero to 2.0 percent in 2009: central bank
 California To Get $4.5 Billion Under House Stimulus Plan
 Upstart challenges Chinese state TV New Year show
 Civil Liberties Group Lauds Closure Of Guantanamo As Republicans Issue Warnings
 AB InBev sells 20 pct Tsingtao stake to Asahi
 New York Unemployment Rates Up Triggering Extension Of Benefits
 Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich Will Not Sue To Stop Impeachment Trial
 Intel tells Filipino workers about factory closure