Tuesday, August 31, 2010 - In reply to the Aug 9 post:

The young 'uns, aka kids at HON, don't realize the extent of being taken advantage of. I was one of them, so I speak from experience. Upon joining the company, I was told that the grass isn't greener on the other side. My dad was a salesman for a long time, and he taught me well about the stench of BS.

I took advantage of HON for 3 years and learnt all I could and then left for another place with a massive raise. The fact that I had HON on my resume didn't matter; it was my niche.

The young are stupid, and buy the HON brand name just like they love their brand name clothing. It ain't worth it... it just ain't. Now, when I give talks at my engineering society campus chapters, I tell them to sniff out the BS company HR/management tells you during interview, and tell them to ask the hard questions upfront.

HON will never die, monsters evolve into new identities. Don't any of you watch movies or read books?

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

S&C continues to tarnish its reputation as promise-dates are missed without updates being provided to the team members who are responsible for updating their customers. It's beyond frustrating to learn of a missed date at the same time when the customer calls to check on the ordered item(s). It's very difficult to not look incompetent in the face of such nonsense. I've run out of explanations to give.

Monday, August 9, 2010

This is interesting. I guess no one wants to stand up for their identity. I do understand this position because HW will probably retaliate.

I dropped out of the company almost 2 years ago because my satanic boss did everything he could to make my life insufferable. Unfortunatly he did not realize my tolerance. Finally after realizing I had no hesitation to confront my "so called" accusers (failure to satisfy internal customers) his evidence gradually dissolved. He then told me that the job was not in the office, but on site. This meant five year stints in God foresaken sumpholes with a weekend visit home once a month! I had a specialty that could only be done by a few people. I saw projects conforming to this being given to less talented new guys when I was out of work. He forced me into charging down time to ruin my record.

Maybe it is true that the new kids are taken care of better because of age/cost discrimination. Finally I realized it was hopeless. When they want to get you out the door, usually if you are approaching 60 or more, they can find a way. So I take a week off to think and decide to drag up. Not the best thought-out plan, but I put in 30 years (most of them good) worked for and with some great people, was part of a team that took us on a growth spiral out of a strip center office into an 8 story high-rise, and them was rewarded as described.

I miss the people (most) and I think I could have done more. But I also think loyalty and tenure should be rewarded. A caring manager could have structured a position for me where I could have used my talents and knowledge to enhance the division. Unfortunately, corporate objectives have reduced people to a necessary evil. They must be eliminated or reduced wherever possible in order to increase margin, corporate financial standing and most importantly, salaries and bonuses for the officers and CEO. This is no joke. Every company I worked for in my life said that the customer was first priority. No customer = no sale = no revenue = no profit = turn off the lights and go home.

All project problems can be worked out and compensated in time, but if no one wants to buy from you anymore, YOU ARE DEAD! The priorities at Allied Signal, now the new Honeywell, place the customer at FIFTH PRIORITY! This was an objective I found insufferable. This is why I no longer choose to work at corrupted Honeywell. Misquoting Tex Avery, "It used to be so much fun, but it isn't fun anymore and I'm not going to do this anymore."

I don't think this is unique to the big H. I will bet there are a lot of good companies out there that can offer you a real future and want you to use your skills to help them grow. I also think that the average company is cookie cuttered like the big H. Find a company that asks "what can you do to help us grow". Run from the ones that say "this is how we do things around here"

Just a note: When I started with the big H I did it from 1200 miles away. My interview was brief. They called back next day with an offer but could not meet my current salary. They said that if I helped them, within the year they would exceed my salary. I took the job, worked my butt off, got a ton of training and strangely enough when I got reviewed, I got the best raise of my life. Good old boy Texans stand by what they say! Unfortunately, that was then and this is now. The first decade, or so, was great. Then the evil of big corporate America began to seep in. Now you have just another big, nameless financial operation where $$$$ is not one of the objectives, it is the only objective.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

I agree. Look up the definition of the word "traitor" and "treason" and then tell me how that's any different than the actions of Diamond Dave? How can anyone argue that the parent nation has not been injured (through loss of jobs, wages, taxable income, unemployment compensation, loss of technical expertise to other countries, etc.) by his actions? Seriously. Where is the line drawn when pursuit of profit becomes detrimental to the parent nation?

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Squeeze, squeeze, squeeze seems to be the unofficial Honeywell moto. Squeeze everything that you can out of your top performers to make up for the process flaws and the lack of resources, whether they be people or equipment. When someone goes on holidays there are virtually NO backups available. When equipment breaks down the process to actually get someone to repair it or to get parts takes more time than to fix. Instead of removing barriers they are replaced by bigger ones. And on top of all this they have the balls to say if our efficiencies don't go up they will ship evertything to China, India or where ever. One thing that can be said about Diamond Dave: he has probably produced the most negative motivators in modern times. DD you are nothing but a traitor to your country with your philosophy to outsource jobs and technologies to 3rd world countries to squeeze that extra 1% in profit. That will be your legacy whether you like it or not.

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

A few years back when I told people in other Engineering companies that that I worked for Honeywell in the Mississauga aerospace division, they would say I hear it's a great place to work and the pay is good.

The other day I mentioned it to a person and they said "How are you guys doing? I hear it's getting really bad there. Are they still slashing your pay and benefits?" I said maybe that part is done for now, but now they just want to take it ones step farther -> just get rid of us all together. I guess the fact that everybody knows really makes it a lost cause when looking for another job. They know you are desperate and will accept a sub par offer.

And what the others have posted here is true. Twenty years of exceptional service/performance can be destroyed by one bad review from some manager who doesn't even know you or even met you and you are on your way out the door. And the quotas of bad reviews has to be met with the fact that their are no bad people left, they have all been let go already. The worst part is that all the good people are also leaving (by choice). I just hope the packages are generous when the axe finally falls.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

As a manager at Honeywell, I can tell you that these bad reviews are truly fabricated and constructed to meet a quota. Good performers have been axed only because they have been at the wrong place at the wrong time. The MRR 1 to 9 score is highly manulipulated.

Friday, July 23, 2010

I couldn't be more happy to be gone from that depressing place. New job pays more, people are happy, great benefits and respect. Leaving Honey-Ah-Lied was the best decision I ever made. In Canada I saw people getting walked out for "poor performance" after 20 years of excellent performance. If you got a bad review at your last sit down then watch out, you are on the outsource chopping block.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Organization Announcement - Kansas City Distribution Center

TO: Aerospace Distribution Center Supervisors

Honeywell has decided to close the Kansas City Wheels & Brakes Distribution Center, and move distribution activities to South Bend, Indiana and Phoenix, Arizona locations. Through the company’s ongoing analysis of operations, Honeywell has determined that the business can maximize efficiency, improve cycle time and reduce operational costs of wheels & brakes distribution activities by integrating work currently done at the Kansas City Distribution Center into our South Bend, Indiana Wheels & Brakes facility (“make” products) and our Phoenix Distribution Center (“buy” products). This move will result in cycle-time reduction in the product flow process, as well as a related reduction in inventory. It will also allow Honeywell to maximize existing distribution capabilities in Phoenix.

Transition activities will begin at some time in late summer 2010, and should be completed by the first week in November. The transition will result in eliminating all jobs at the Kansas City Distribution Center. Affected employees were notified of this decision earlier today. Over the next few weeks, Aerospace Human Resources will meet with affected employees individually to discuss work transitions and departure schedules.

In the next few days, we will be communicating this action to Honeywell Aerospace customers and suppliers affected by this transition, including Honeywell manufacturing and R&O facilities currently working with the Kansas City Distribution Center. We anticipate no significant change to business relationships with customers or suppliers due to this transition.

Please understand this is difficult news for Kansas City Distribution Center employees. In the coming weeks, we ask you to be sensitive and supportive of your colleagues, and remain focused on conducting your work in a safe and productive way, and in meeting our commitments to our customers.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

An interesting read on our leader (Demolition Dave) from "Answers.com". He actually has a degree (BS). We know what that stands for. And note his first of four areas where business people should focus...."recognizing the importance of people". Is he talking about himself?

President, chief executive officer, and chairman, Honeywell International
Nationality: American. Born: 1952.
Education: University of New Hampshire, BS, 1976.
Family: Married twice; children: two from first marriage, one from second marriage.
Career: General Electric, 1974–1976, factory laborer; 1976–1996, manager; 1996–1999, senior vice president, president and CEO of Appliances; TRW, 1999–2001, president and COO; 2001, president and CEO; 2001–2002, president, CEO, and chairman; Honeywell International, 2002, president and CEO; 2002–, president, CEO, and chairman.
Awards: Honorary Juris Doctor, Graziadio School of Business at Pepperdine University, 2001.


On February 19, 2002, Cote was named president, CEO, and a member of the board of directors for Honeywell. On July 1, 2002, Cote was elected chairman of the board after Bossidy retired. Cote had his hands full: although Honeywell grossed $24 million in 2001, the company faced mounting debts, settlements for lawsuits stemming from employees' exposure to asbestos, a stock that would fall 31 percent in 2002, and demoralized management. Cote knew that running the huge company, with 115,000 employees in 95 countries, would prove challenging. He quickly applied his goal-oriented management philosophy to Honeywell, making cash, growth, people, productivity, digitization, and Six Sigma the focuses of his administration.

Honeywell lost $220 million in 2002, partly because of asbestos-suit payouts, the purchase of the sensors business Invensys for $416 million, and slow sales. However, by selling other Honeywell units and cutting costs—partly by sending some American jobs abroad to Romania and Singapore, where labor costs were lower, and partly by reducing defects in production—by the end of 2003 Honeywell had amassed about $2 billion in cash reserves. Cote was heavily criticized in the press for the $32 million in compensation he received in 2002, although he explained that the amount was intended to cover options that he had lost at TRW as a result of moving to Honeywell.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Undergraduate from the best school, business school top of my class, well liked and successful right? No, I work for a company that keeps reducing the workforce, telling you that you should be happy to have a job and never saying thanks. Box 1 Box 2 it doesn't matter. Life just squeezed out of you. No fun just toil. What a life I've made at Honeywell. Can't wait to leave! This just sucks!

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Today is my last full day and I process out tomorrow. 30 years here in Phoenix and I started when it was Airesearch. RID'd because my position has been shipped to the Czech Republic. Still a few years shy of a full retirement, but it somehow doesn't bother me. I see a light at the end of the tunnel and the pain will soon be ending.

I have watched building after building being emptied of machines and personnel. It's sad to see some of the best and the brightest talent being cast to the side. It's even sadder to see the garbage that is being produced in Mora and Chihuahua. Parts are not being inspected when they come back into the country. Instead they are being shipped directly to the asembly line. If the engine assembles, then the part must be O.K., if it doesn't then it's a bad part and will then be evaluated. Unfortunately the latter seems to be the common happening.

I fear for those that are left behind as Cote and crew seem hell bent to destroy what was once a world class engine manufacturer. When I hired in 30 years ago, an old manager told me that "this place makes money in spite of itself". That was then, this is now.

Friday, July 2, 2010

It seems that our political leaders are even more blind, deaf, dumb and stupid than our business leaders. Even though Obama and Cote are in bed together, Obama does not get it, that the U.S. jobs situation is not improving much due to the lack of private sector participation in the economic recovery that is the direct result of the private sector not hiring in N.A. anymore, because they are hell bent on outsourcing and off-shoring all of their work. In fact, there is participation by some in the private sector, such as Honeywell, in adding to the unemployment numbers with their pending layoffs, and suicidal hiring overseas.

Private sector jobs aren’t coming back, as in, gone for good. Such is the new and improved “Corporate greed”. Give them credit for seizing the opportunities of the economic crisis.

Perhaps our corporate leader forgot to enlighten our political leader to these new realities. Either that, or there is a lack of communication between those two geniuses, or one of them is not forthcoming, or the other is not paying attention. Is it possible that our leaders are not forthcoming or paying attention? Or, could it just be that our leaders in either role don’t really care that much for the little guy? Now, there’s a news flash!

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Are you talking about the Olathe plant? Parts shortages, and they are laying off three buyers. Makes sense? Products that have never been reliable since they were dumped on the production floor. Large section of upper floor devoted to storage. Empty cubes abound. Our biggest moneymaking customers were rudely treated because they are commercial aviation and the plant was originally general aviation. Who spends more: a private pilot or Boeing?

This plant could not have been managed any worse if they tried. As it stands, we still give them the benefit of a doubt that they are merely stupid. For a year and a half we have seen this ship sinking and no SOS is going out. End our agony and let the captain go down.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

On the one hand, I agree that Honeywell does not think that people are it's most important asset, except that as assets are evaluated as their biggest cost. On the other hand, to ask employees that "work" 50 % of their workday to collect data is non-value added is BS. The problem is the elimination of the people that would evaluate and implement fixes from the data. Honeywell takes the "lean" mentality to the ultimate - reduce the workforce by 20% and expect at least 10% growth - the math does not work - and these are the smartest people running the company. Wall Street doesn't care - fudge the numbers get the profit - move overseas - the American way.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Please anyone that has any info on a layoff. Hopefully it will include a voluntary RIF. I work for Areospace and am hoping that all of Areospace will be outsourced. I am the most unhappy worker you will ever meet. I pray for a layoff.

Monday, June 28, 2010

I got smart and left Honeyhell. I have to say that in the two years that I have worked there, it was the worst job/career I have ever had. While I loved working with my peers and suppliers, upper management had no clue on where they are going nor how to get there and thay still don't. I feel for the ones that are left because I know that their jobs just got more unbearable.

Sorry guys, I had to go. I started my new job today and you would not believe how happy everyone seems. Processes are in place and wants you to be a part of the solutions to make things better not dicatated at how to do them and then blame you for when it fails time and time again. Get out when you can, there are jobs/careers that will value you as part of a team and organization.

Monday, June 28, 2010

It's not "Honey-Ah-Lied". It's "Honey-I-lied".

Saturday, June 26, 2010

When Allied took over Honeywell and took the Honeywell name - because Allied had ruined its name with customers - some of us said the new company should have been named Honey-Ah-Lied. The company death march of forcing out its long term employees will continue as long as Honeywell gets to write off all its lay-offs as loss of "business goodwill" and uses that to reduce its taxes every year. If the tax rules changed and companies like Honeywell had to pay additional taxes for ruining American and European economies - and got zero tax credit - the layoffs would magically stop. Because (as many of you have already pointed out), all the great cost saving from sending jobs to poorly-trained, developing nations' sites disappears when the real costs of setting up infrastructure and repairing trashy products is added in. Cotes and all his greedy minions should all be on trial for economic treason!

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

So in the UK, still no pay rise. Our side is making mega bucks, but still need to hire contractors rather than replace people who have left. So lack of skills, lack of experienced people but still get hit over the head if there is a failure!

Friday, June 18, 2010

I'm hearing that the RIF is planned for late July. Mostly North American operations. They will axe a token few overseas to make it seam like it's corporate wide, but N.A. will take the brunt of it.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

It seems that rumors of pending layoffs in the very near future, perhaps starting as early as next month, are in the air again. What else is new? But this time, it also seems that the layoffs will be for real, and not just a rumor. And, will most likely be in N.A. or developed areas, of course.

What form it will take is not quite clear, but indications are that it will be targeted, and that it will be performance-based (the PIP at work?). They have been quietly implementing that approach over the past two years, and also playing the conveniently invented “redundancy” card, and may be about to take them all to a whole new level. Both, the “targeted” and “performance”, criteria would seem to make a lot of sense, for several obvious reasons, at least from the company’s perspective. And that is quite a surprising development on the leadership’s part, given their penchant for irresponsible decision making, especially in the past two years. Nevertheless, I dare them to offer up the standard “voluntary RIF” proposition.

While layoffs have become a necessary evil in our culture, the common method employed by companies in the past, much to their own detriment, have been very questionable and irresponsible, i.e., “voluntary RIF”. Why? Because this method allows for some of the companies’ most experienced and productive employees to leave, and all of their worst ones to stay, thus fool heartedly missing their “targets” every time. Who has a better chance of finding another job, or a better one anyway?

Of course, leaderships’ have been too smart to realize this in the past, until now. Believe it or not, they just might be applying the lessons learned mentality here, which is indeed a rarity. Wow! Of course, it only took them a few decades to learn this lesson! Yet, give credit where credit is due? Perhaps in a few decades they would have learnt something else that the rest of us have already known.

From the company’s perspective, and after the misguided mistreatment of their employees, mostly the top performers, in the past two years, this new approach makes sense. Because, if the layoffs are not targeted, but offered up as a voluntary RIF this time around, as was the case almost every time before, there will be such a stampede of volunteers, that the company would have to beat them off with a stick and will have to solicit police escorts to manage the exodus and restore order.

And who will be the first in line to leave this time around, more than ever before, and after the mistreatment at the hands of the leadership, if the company were to provide voluntary RIF opportunities? Why, some of their top performers! Why would a bottom performer want to leave a good thing, especially when not much more is expected of them?

Unfortunately, in this new approach also lies the injustice that is painfully obvious and most punitive to the top performers, and most rewarding to the worst performers, now, more than ever. A top performer may never again be offered the opportunity to receive the deserved reward of a layoff package, and the worst performer is basically guaranteed one. Furthermore, the top performers are now expected to deliver more, especially after the “winners” are gone. Also, top performers have never been compensated much more than a bottom performer, relative to the difference in their performance/productivity levels, due to the unfairness of pay-equity, biases, prejudice, favoritism, discrimination, sexism, etc. Yes, these practices are running rampant. They have always been, and will always be. Such is human nature. And pay-per-performance has always been a myth, as it conflicts with pay-equity and, is rendered ineffective when impacted by the other variables. And let’s not forget that the 10% salary cut, and the furlough, served to punish the top performers more than the bottom performers in a monetary sense. Welcome to the new (Corporate) world order, where the losers are the winner, and vice versa.

And why would anyone want to be a top performer in this new order? Perhaps it should only be to enhance ones resume’ and marketability, and then to high tail it the hell out of here on the next back-stabbing rampage by the leadership. They will keep coming at you. It seems like it can only get worse for you, the better you are!

Nevertheless, this latest strategy by the company may be a little late in coming, and may have the opposite effect, as it has served to motivate or fast-forward some of the experienced employees’ in their decision to leave now, rather than later, as there isn’t much to look forward to, or to wait for, such as a package

There may be one last vestige of an “opportunity” left for the top performers though, which may be, unfortunately, a double edged sword, if you are not indeed inclined towards leaving. And that is, the closing of your site. Sorry to be so blunt and direct.

Monday, June 7, 2010

Let's just cut to the chase and outsource Honeywell's senior management. What we'd get couldn't be any worse, and might even be better, than what we've got now.

Monday, June 7, 2010

So they are outsourcing warehouse, inventory and receiving now. I remember when they tried to outsource shipping. Everything went well for the first week and then the calls from customers started coming in asking where their stuff was or why they were sent the wrong parts. The outsourced company was not keeping track of shipments and so Honeywell had to send out a huge quantity of new parts at no charge. They canceled the contract and quietly went back in-house. The guy who came up with the idea of outsourcing got his bonus and his commendation even though it was a complete disaster.

Here is what is going to happen: The guy that thought this up will prove that the new system is saving money by showing the figures for the first month or two. He will get his bonus and commendation and move on. After a couple of months the vendors who manage the inventory are going to keep as little as possible on their shelves. They are going to miss one or two important shipments and shut Honeywell down for a few days. Inbound parts will start to go missing. More defective parts will make it through receiving and on to the manufacturing lines reducing overall quality. Minneapolis or Morristown will send a team in to the plant to figure out what is wrong. The team will show how bringing the whole thing back in-house will save money. The team will get their bonuses and commendations and move on. Honeywell will bring the whole thing back in house, rehiring a bunch of workers who are now not so hot on Honeywell along with a bunch of new people who have to be trained. Their best workers will have found other jobs elsewhere and will not be available for rehire.

I am so glad I left Honeywell. I now have a more stable job in a better environment with better benefits and a bigger salary. I pulled out and rolled over all of the money I had with Honeywell including their shares. I will never buy a Honeywell product or recommend Honeywell products or employment to anybody.

Sunday, June 6, 2010 - Dear Colleagues:

After an extensive evaluation, a decision has been made to augment the Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) initiative with a Third-Party Logistics solution (3PL) at Aerospace-Phoenix (34th Street). VMI and 3PL are significant initiatives in the Aerospace project to reduce cycle time and inventory. Using both of these initiatives will allow us to reduce working capital and improve cash flow because Aerospace will own much less inventory until we need to use it. In addition, our suppliers will receive real-time data on the demand for their inventory, which will allow them to plan more efficiently, improve delivery and reduce costs.

VMI agreements have been reached with a number of our suppliers. Through VMI, these suppliers will assume the role of planning their inventory for our site and will keep the inventory on their books until we pull it to use in our factories. To achieve more significant benefits of VMI, Phoenix Engines has also signed an agreement with a 3PL provider to outsource some of our non-core inbound functions including: receiving, incoming inspections, delivering parts to our factory, tracking day-to-day inventory, and managing the warehouse that contains supplier and Honeywell inventory. Beginning July 12, 2010, the service provider will provide these services and serve as a link between our suppliers and our factories. To ensure a smooth transition, we are working closely with them to develop systems and processes to support VMI and 3PL for the Phoenix Engines site. As of today, all impacted employees at our site have been notified. We will continue to keep you informed as we move forward. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please see your supervisor or Human Resources representative. Thank you in advance for your support and ongoing commitment.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The May 30 blogger is no doubt correct in his assertion that the 'old' Honeywell was a good place to work and that the 'new' Honeywell will not change. But I, for one, have no intention of slipping quietly into the night. Those who have experienced firsthand the way 'new' Honeywell craps on its employees have a nearly sacred obligation to ensure that the true nature of the beast is fully revealed. Existing employees need to be fully aware how widespread this is, so that they may adjust their expectations and career plans accordingly. And more power to those who choose a path with a company that actually values its employees instead of viewing them as liabilities to be abused at every opportunity. Potential future employees likewise need a means to evaluate what they're getting in to before it's too late.

Nothing would be more appropriate than if this ultimately causes Honeywell to lose good employees to its competitors, or if potential future employees choose a competitor instead of Honeywell. Call it poetic justice. Perhaps one day the cumulative effect of these losses will become visible to the government, to customers, to competitors, and to Wall Street. Then the pitiful stuffed shirts masquerading as executive management will finally be forced to recognize that valuing employees requires more than lip-service if the company is to remain viable.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

The truth about outsourcing as I see it. It's a simple formula.

1. Buy a lot of stock.
2. Tell share holders you are going to outsource everyone, put hiring freeze on North America and take away all benefits, pension matching, pay raises etc.
3. Watch share prices go up ... not due to inherit value growth in the company, but because the costs went down due to outsourcing.
4. Wait for a few years, watch stocks continue to rise.
5. Evaluate if the outsourcing of everything has "worked".
6. If NO, sell your stocks while price is high and exit
7. If YES, see step 1.

Sunday, May 30, 2010 - From: Don Anthony Husted [dahusted@aol.com]:

To the posting on May 19 that said “Morristown is unaware of the level of favoritism shown in promotions and advancements” in Aerospace and Phoenix. Wrong. Morristown is well aware of it and it is how Allied operates. And to the May 20 posting that said “Remember when they said that their people were their most valuable asset.” You are thinking of the old Honeywell, not the new Allied that calls itself Honeywell.

When Signal Companies merged with Allied many years ago, people who knew Allied told people at UOP that we would be sorry. Allied treated their people like dirt and only the biggest SOB’s got promoted. For a time UOP was protected from Allied because Signal Companies (fka Signal Oil and Gas) knew UOP and the UOP business model, and later by Union Carbide and later Dow Chemical. But over time UOP has gotten use to the boot of Allied on its neck, that is why you do not see too many postings from the Allied side of “Honeywell”. The ones who would post are long gone to competitors, or retired.

It appears to me most of the postings on this site are from old Honeywell. I never worked for Honeywell but from what I have read it was a good company to work for. However all, you now work for Allied. Get use to it. It is their style of business. If you want to move up in Allied (aka “Honeywell”) you need to play the game. Be the biggest SOB in your department. Or find a position with a competitor who treats its people like human beings. Allied will not change, so accept being dirt, or move on to another company or retire. It will do you no good to complain to your boss or to post to this site.

Monday, May 24, 2010

All of the comments on this site can either be construed as constructive criticism to be used as lessons learned for changes and/or improvements, or as unwarranted attacks to be ignored. Unfortunately, given the arrogance and mindset of the almighty, infallible and beyond reproach leadership, only the latter view will be observed, because admitting that they may have made mistakes, or that they may need to change course, or rethink any of their strategies, is akin to alcoholics or drug-addicts admitting that they have a problem

The past two years especially, has shown how determined and uncompromising their decision making has become, regardless of any negative impact to the business or their workforce. But they can take comfort in the knowledge that they are immune to the consequences of their ways, a luxury that will never be afforded the rest of us. Like governments who can increase taxes and add service charges on the masses to compensate for fiscal mistakes and incompetence, corporate leaderships can similarly punish and bleed their workforce for their own miscues, without bringing any of the negative repercussions to bear upon themselves. Sadly, the luxury of this attitude does not allow any room for correction, change-of-course etc. because this will be construed as an admittance of mistakes being made. But don’t give up Honeywellers. People have been known to recover from lapses in judgment, and to even wake up from the dead. LOL.

Of course, it has become very clear in the past two years that the leadership does not believe in the practice of “lessons learned” to change or improve anything. They have totally destroyed any and all such opportunities from decades of learning, only to start all over again with a whole new set of "unlearned lessons". Tch!

They have arbitrarily adopted OS (Operating Systems) from other companies, with no regard for similarity, or lack thereof, of the business models, compared to that of our own. Some years ago they adopted TQ from Motorala. Lots in common there, to our industry! And that has now become totally irrelevant anyway.

HOS has been adopted from Toyota Production System (TPS). And who are some of the other companies that have adopted this system? GM, Ford, Chrysler. And what do these companies have in common, besides recently producing products with record number of defects in their most critical component systems; breaking, accelerator, steering, tires etc.? They produce similar products. Again, lots in common with Honeywell!

Ironically, one of the precepts of the TPS/HOS is that "MANAGERS DON’T TELL WORKERS AND SUPERVISORS HOW TO DO THEIR WORK". We, however, seem to have every level of management telling us how to do ours, and even what tools to use. A perfect system will never work when it is being twisted and distorted by warped minds. In fact, if you look at the TPS/HOS statement, you will notice that this company seems to be virtually violating or misinterpreting/manipulating almost every one of its precepts.

They also, always have a tendency to force the vendors of our design tools to customize their tools in the worst ways to the point that the tools are no longer user-friendly and thus, deviate from their intended purpose, thereby frustrating the users and the tool providers. They seem to think that they know better than everyone else, about everything. Yet, they are incapable of originating any ideas of their own, but to blatantly plagiarize and then, indiscriminately butcher others’ ideas beyond recognition or use. They are hell bent in taking a round peg, then making it square, and then trying to force it into a round hole.

They seem to be increasingly lacking in the capacity to appreciate the reality, that the operating system of a mechanic or a plumber may not necessarily be adoptable to the workings of a doctor. Except that, everybody has to flush... Maybe!

Monday, May 24, 2010 - from the blogger on May 18th. "To all that are frustrated":

Well, I did it. I found a job outside Honeywell. I'M FREE. To all those that keep saying, "You're lucky to have a job" - get over yourself, the market is opening up and good people will find jobs. Honeywell will lose some great people (although they won't care). It will hurt them in the long run. Good luck to all of you!

Friday, May 21, 2010 - from current Honeyweller:

Honeywell International not only treats their managers badly, the union workers are being treated badly as well - 10% pay cut, no retiree health care, raise in insurance, no 401k match, no pension for new hires, no time-and-half after 8 hours, no provisions for 6th and 7th, No seniority considerations, no scheduling, company put you where they want you. Honeywell can contract out any job, and those honeywell workers that lose to the contractors gets a 4500 severance package, No union security, no grievances, reduction in vacation, reduced holiday pay. It is no wonder the managers and the hourly cannot get along.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

There seems to be a contradiction with Honeywell and how they treat their employees any more. Remember when they said that their people where their most valuable asset? Those days seem to be past. While Honeywell is buying companies for $140 million+ and sending out rave reviews of all their success, we are still waiting for some type of pay raise this year.

I guess Mr. Cote and his cronies will get a bonus for screwing the workers again. Last year it was a 4% pay cut before taxes on our 401k match, and then the 3 weeks unpaid furlough to quickly destroy the chance of getting ahead in 2009 with the miserable pay raises dished out then. So do you think the pay raise this year (if given) will be retro (fat chance)?

What makes me upset the most, is the attitude my mid level management that uses the economy to promote fear for our jobs. "At least we have a job".... and "what about the other companies"? Comparing us with other companies as an excuse to screw us, is like saying we should pay more taxes because Canadians do.

Yes we can find other jobs, but I'd love to see a CEO that not only pays lip service to "caring about empolyees", but stands behind it. I dont' think I'll be attending anymore town meetings until Honeywell does the right thing for the people that really make the company what it is today.

Regards,
Just another employee feeling a bit screwed....

Thursday, May 20, 2010

We have that same problem. Everybody who is in and gets promoted into management is from the hockey team. And guess who plays hockey?

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

I'm really surprised when I look at our management team in Phoenix and see a only 35+ white males in seats of "power". Honeywell is a biased company. Aerospace is lead by white males who give the best jobs to their buddies. Morristown is unaware of the level of favoritism shown in promotions and advancements.

Most of the diversity at Aero comes in the form of lower level Band 3 or Hourly workers. With VP making over $250K plus bonus, where is the real economic strength? It ain't in shop. It is the band 5's and above. What a waste of so much talent. Just because a person isn't white and male, they don't have a chance at a higher level position.

I'm leaving and can't wait to start working with real technology company that believes in the strength of all of its people. One that promotes all kinds of people, not just club members.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - from Olathe, Ks:

One of their HOS (Honeywell Over Seas) guys should suggest that they take data on all the time they spend taking data. Maybe someone, like the stockholders would finally relize how much time and labor is wasted on data that is rarly ever used. The only useful results that I ever saw were that our productivity was down, mostly from taking data and not doing the real work.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010 - Re: "Sunday, March 28, 2010 - If Honeywell is so awful, quit playing the victim and get on with your life."

That's real helpful. I notice that you were unable to refute any of the comments made here.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

That's the Honeywell way.... Spend more and more time reporting on the less and less you are doing, until you achieve equilibrium by spending all your time reporting on the nothing you are doing.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

To all that are frustrated with spreadsheets and check lists, I feel your pain. My division is so immersed in these; I can't get any "real" work done. The management spends their day looking for ways to babysit our progress, and then report out on it to their leadership (I use that term loosely) . I have never felt so underappreciated. Management treats us like we are 6 years old and have no clue what we need to do to accomplish our goals. I had the opportunity to leave Honeywell and work for a competitor. I made a HUGE mistake. If you get the chance to get out do it. I'm fed up and not going to miss the next chance to get out!

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

It seems like you are a victim of the HOS. All the forms, checklists, spreadsheets, whiteboards etc. created are for visitors and Corporate VIPs to look at. They are good "tools" but HON leadership and site leaders misuse them for controls only and totally ignorant of the HUMAN side of things. Do they care? Of course not, as long as Wall Street buys their stories.

Sunday, May 16, 2010

To the British chap who is wondering about, and drowning in all of those magical forms, checklists, spreadsheets etc. that will solve all of the company’s problems.

Employees generally feel frustrated and stressed when they are given tasks that are seemingly irrelevant to the real work, and that can’t be of much real value, if any, to anyone, other than to add check marks to a bunch of other forms, checklists, spreadsheets etc., as was suggested, and to create work for the creators of the forms. These forms were never necessary before, and they now seem to serve only as a distraction from the real work, as they obviously have not served to decrease but rather, to increase the number of defects since their imposition, all to the detriment of the company. Understandably, the leadership is trying to reduce costs and cycle time. But how, in their warped thinking, do they hope to achieve this? By adding more and more non-value-added and time consuming tasks! Brilliant! I suppose that more work equals less time?

Otherwise, the sole purpose of these exercises must be for management to exert their power over us. Management seems intent on subjugating and insulting us into kindergarten level of obedience. That is perhaps why, more than anything else, we are having issues with this. They seem to think that this is the best way to apply or utilize our technical skills. We are not trusted to do anything right anymore, but management in their wisdom, seem to trust that if we have completed these forms (which are much more important than the real work!), then the underlying project will be magically correct….What? In fact, it seems as though, if we did not complete our project, but completed the forms, we may be up for a promotion! The real work does not seem to count for much anymore!

So, we must fill in all of these forms (er...toilet paper!) with due diligence, and be sure to use the right color pencils, as they have to look nice or, neither us nor our managers will get the half of a balloon, or the half of a lollipop that they do not want to give to us anyway! And, they may even tell our parents if we don’t do it. We don’t want that now, do we? Arrgh!

We are being weighed and measured based on the completion of these “magical money-making” forms, rather than on how much work we do, and on how well we do our work. Our obedience with regards to this, more than anything else, will determine whether or not we will receive the 0% salary increase that’s coming to us….What? So, we must be good little children now, if we know what’s good for us. Bye, bye!

Friday, May 14, 2010 - Re: May 11 - former manager to Olathe Kansas site:

Thank you for documenting my case as a casualty in RIF due to manager’s personal reasons. This practice is also widespread in Honeywell Process Solutions. Only “yes” men can survive in HON.

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

As a former Honeywell manager, I feel as though I can finally tell the truth about all the nonsense going down in aerospace/avionics.

After moving from another site to the Olathe Kansas site, I was shocked to see the horrid conditions that had been standard practice in Olathe for years. Supervisors forced into misleading comments to associates, loss of respect for anyone not management, and a backstabbing culture thru out management. Every answer to problems are dealt with through discipline, even the most trivial of mistakes. This attitude has created a morale slide that has been going on since 2003 and has gotten noticeably worse in the past year. It looks as if Dave has finally given them permission to be the SOB’s they always wanted to be, and it is the only thing they seem to be really good at. Morale has gotten so bad because of the management team that people are asking there managers to downgrade their yearly reviews so that they can volunteer for RIF’s and be accepted. During past RIF’s employees were selected based on managers personal reasons and once they were selected for sacrifice the yearly review was adjusted to fit the situation. We were told to make sure there was an overwhelming good reason to let this person go. Many time the real reason was because the person had a disagreement with some witless manager, sometimes over quality or customer issues. Most reviews were highly falsified to avoid anyone questioning the decision to let the person go.

It is amazing to look at the number of managers that have retired or moved on to other jobs due to the attitude of the Olathe management crew. Many of these folks have stated that they can’t change anything for the good and their conscience will only stand so much!

I sincerely hope that all U.S companies are not managed like this.

(P.S. I sold all my Honeywell stock as soon as I could).

Sunday, May 9, 2010

Quote from The Wall Street Journal:

“Early in the past decade, when its sales fell 11% in two years, Honeywell International Inc. laid off 31,000 employees, one-fourth of its work force, canceled plans for new products and scaled back its global-expansion goals. Those actions "decimated our industrial base," Honeywell Chief Executive David Cote recently told the company's shareholders. During the recent recession, Honeywell took a different tack. The company's sales fell 15% last year, and its profits shrank 23%, but the diversified manufacturer used furloughs and benefit-cuts to limit layoffs to 6,000 employees, about 5% of its work force.”

And you have neglected to mention to the shareholders, the salary cuts and deferred raises and all of the other back-stabbing measures you have “executed” to demoralize the employees for a long time to come, just to realize short term gains, irrespective of long term pains! And that you extended salary cuts and imposed the furlough when everything had already improved. And that perhaps the most skilled 25% of your work force would really like a layoff package this time, but that you are too cheap to offer packages, as they will cut into those bogus short term gains being bled from the employees (your lifeline). And that the 5% number is very deceiving, when all of the layoffs of skilled employees are in NA, and are being offset by all of the hiring of trainees offshore. We know that neither you nor the shareholders care to know any of those inconvenient truths. Nice! If you’re happy, and the shareholders are happy, what else can anyone else ask for? What…are…you…doing---Dave?

Thursday, May 6, 2010

I have been free of Honeywell for 6 months, but when I was a hiring manager, you had to get approval of the CEO to hire even a temp. In addition to this not being a best practice in delegation of decision rights, I think that unless the new hire had a Phoenix address, chances are he would come under great scrutiny and the request would be denied. I know this because we got email after email announcing promotions and reorganizations among that same clubhouse full of clowns out in Phoenix moving from one job to the next, doing nothing for the company.

Good luck to all you guys still there. It is so much better on the other side. When you work for a company that thinks employees are a liability and looks for every chance it gets to steal back benefits and compensation, it is enough to make you sick every day. But the good part is people on the outside still recognize the Honeywell name on the resume.

It should be good until the communist Chinese begin to use some of the tech that Honeywell is moving out of the US to Asia for their first weapons R&D programs, if that has not started already.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Honeywell is actually hiring in the US? Wow, I did not think it did that anymore! In Aerospace the mantra is: If you work in a developed market - you are lucky you have a job. And if you do not like it, then leave! If you work in an emerging market - How fast can we send your site money? And all of you get a promotion! What I do not get is: how the company is so gung-ho and sends all the knowledge out of the US, but then warns you that we have to protect the intellectual property. I see some logic flaws there. Time to get the heck out of Honeywell.

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Honeywell's management doesn't care about all the inefficiencies or whatever shortcomings are highlighted in the blog: "Honeywell’s Leadership perspectives". Honeywellers can rant, whine, or even quit for all they care. Honeywell is "TOO BIG TO FAIL".

Wednesday, May 5, 2010 - Call for Referrals to Honeywell Process Solutions:

SHARE YOUR HAPPINESS WITH YOUR FRIENDS; GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO WORK WITH HONEYWELL (extract)

Refer someone successfully, and earn $$$$!

Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) is a $2.5 billion strategic business unit that improves the productivity and profitability of industrial facilities on every continent around the world. HPS offers a full range of automation and control solutions to key vertical markets, including Energy, Pulp & Paper, and Chemicals/Pharmaceuticals, and develops/markets industrial automation systems and advanced software applications. We are constantly looking for dynamic, highly energized people to join and grow with HPS.

We would like to thank you for supporting the referral program! We’re continuing our focus on employee referrals this year to support our high growth targets. We continue to request your support with these efforts and will offer referral bonuses to each employee that recommends an external candidate whom is hired.

If you know potential candidates, please refer them through the formal online process as well as to the hiring manager/applicable HR person. Also, please ensure that the candidate indicates your referral when he/she applies for the position. If a position doesn’t have a req number listed, then please contact the hiring manager directly to refer your friend.

Turn your connections into Extra Cash! We have positions in the US, Canada, and LAR! Referral bonus amounts can differ by position, region, etc. Please contact the regional HR leader to learn more about the bonus for a particular position. Check out the Corporate Referral Process website for more detail.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010 - To the blogger who wrote "Honeywell’s Leadership perspectives":

You are brilliant!

Now, how do we organize that 'Sick-Out', at the end of the Qtr, so we can start slapping these management idiots in the mouth with the reality that they need us more than we need the multiple layers of them!? Please, if things won’t change for the obvious, let’s give it a nudge in the right direction! Might help....might not... but it will feel good to make them squirm, even if it's just a little bit.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Well, here we go again. The rumor has it that we will once again be having a forced shut down this summer. I just wish they would hurry up and tell us. In any case, I'm going to book some vacation during their proposed "Shut Down". At least this will make it seem like a "paid vacation" See, if you do a little bit of planning, Honeywell doesn't seem like such a bad place after all.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Diamond Dave hates western employees. First, he imposes endless wasteful procedures. As a result, efficiency and morale plummet. Next, more employees must be sacrificed in order to make the numbers. A self-fulfilling prophecy is created, further justifying his belief that western employees are a problem and that jobs should be offshored as quickly as possible. We have been cynically and ruthlessly forced to become non-competitive; to surrender the excellence that formerly was our trademark. All due to one guy in a position of power, and his warped perception of how things should be. He and executive management make out, while most western employees suffer. What a system!

Saturday, May 1, 2010 - Re: April 29, 2010 Honeywell’s Leadership perspectives:

Thank you, thank you! You said it all, for all of us. You should look after yourself first(career), then your health and your family, ignore all the BS from diamond Dave & the management team.

Thursday, April 29, 2010 - RE:"Honeywell’s Leadership perspectives":

Brilliant! Could not have said it better myself!

It is time to hit this management where it hurts the most. If everyone called in sick on the last fiscal day of every month the bottom line wouldn't look so good. Time to disrupt the corporation as a whole, and show them (pigs at the trough) where they would be without us (soldiers on the front line). Let's get organized and put this thing to bed!

Signed: Tired, demoralized and fed up.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Honeywell’s Leadership perspectives

In the middle of the worse economic crisis, we chose to overhaul our business by introducing multiple and complex new tools (that were not market-ready and that can sometimes behave like a virus), and multiple new processes and guidelines (that are incomplete, inaccurate, in draft stages and changing every day), while at the same time, introducing work-sharing, off-shoring, outsourcing etc., in order to save money and time. Furthermore, we chose to do all of this at a time when we are busiest, and budget and schedule constraints are extremely challenging, and the competition is getting stiffer, and the customers are getting meaner While these endeavors may have been very wise and noble causes in almost any other economic time, we chose to do it at this, the worst time.

We know that to have introduced any one of these numerous, inhumane changes and morale-killers, would have been very challenging to all involved, but we wanted to maximize the effect to a devastating and unbearable level by doing them all at once. We know that these changes should have been phased in slowly, perhaps one at a time (and some not at all), to be effective, but by doing them all at once we have managed to shoot ourselves in the head over and over again. That is not an easy feat! And all of this should eventually have the opposite effect. But who is looking? We are leaders because we do not know anything else.

We have taken away all of the tools that you have spent the last 10 years mastering and are familiar with, and gave you new tools that should take another 10 years to master; but we want you to master them in 10 weeks. We have replaced your familiar design tool with 4 new ones, because the first of the 4 is so error-prone and defective, that you will need the other 3 to mask the defects and weaknesses in the first. We are way too smart to have seen that one coming. The providers of the tools could not have lied to us. Could they? No!

We believe that the tool sellers are always right and our employees are always wrong. If the sales people say that their crap can take us to Mars, we can afford to believe them because it is the users that will have to suffer with the crap. And who cares if they drown in it. And who cares about getting back from Mars. The new tools and processes are so amazing that they will fix even the users that are, were, and always will be the cause of human errors (defects).

We have taken your one simple process, standards and guidelines that you have spent decades refining, simplifying and perfecting, and shoved it up your rear end, and then shoved 101 new and defective processes, standards and guidelines (that are in draft stages, incomplete, inaccurate and ever-changing) that you won’t even recognize, down your throat (there is no escape!). This should take 10 years to become familiar with, but we want you to do it in 10 weeks. Never mind that they are not ready. We have created numerous "checklists", and checklists to check checklists, and have our checkers checking, checking - you get the idea. We have created this absurd environment that now requires all of these absurdities. We have added so much more to make your work much, more complex, and to multiply your old cycle time and expect you to reduce that cycle time. Are you with us? Why use one simple proven process when you can use 10 new complex ones to do the same thing? We have successfully turned our most experienced, productive and knowledgeable people into bumbling idiots.

We intend to fix all of our processes that were and weren’t broken, by breaking them all, or totally destroying them, and add many, many more broken processes in the name of gross stupidity. We don’t believe in making small fixes to broken things, but believe in destroying everything, together with those that were working perfectly, and creating a whole new set of broken untested processes, to be consistent.

We want you to produce perfect data/products in record time, using these multiple new imperfect, incomplete and defective new tools, processes and guidelines. We have taken your simplest of tasks and make them more complex, so that all of your years of experience will count for nothing. When we are done with you, you won’t be good at anything, except perhaps suicide.

We, the leadership, know better than you, as to how you should do your job and what tools, processes, guidelines are best for you. Forget that we ever asked: "What do you need to do your job more efficiently, cost effectively, and simply?" We didn’t know what we were talking about. Forget that we always said that you have been doing a very good job over the past decades. We didn’t mean that either. Sorry!

In other words, we are going to make your work so much more difficult and stressful, and we want you to do it in one quarter of the time and more accurately, while we remove as much incentives and motivation as we can and shatter your morale for good. Our objective is to maximize your stress levels and minimize your morale. You can’t have both now, can you?

We have taken the very best and most productive of you, who are very, very good at what you do, and assign you to non-value-added tasks that will leave you perplexed and frustrated to death, not so much from the tasks but from the stupidity, thus reducing/eliminating your enthusiasm and productivity.

We strongly believe that the Corporation is making money from the new cumbersome, complex and ridiculous tools, processes, guidelines, checklists, etc. we are creating every day, and not from our electronic hardware designs and other products. That is why we take our best people away from the real and critical work to work on these non-value-added absurdities.

If the best of you were already giving the company 150% of your effort, we now expect you to give 250%, and we don’t care that you are now thinking of only giving 50%. Then we can use the “performance” card to “terminate” you. You see? We can’t “lose”. And you can’t win! If you have been a loyal, dedicated and hard working top employee who, over the decades, have given your body, mind and soul to the company, we have now ripped your heart out too! Why won’t you die?

We want you to forget everything we ever taught you over the decades (TQ, DFSS Green Belt, Black Belt, Lean Engineering, IPDS 5S etc.) about reducing/eliminating steps in your processes, and reducing/eliminating defects, to be most efficient and cost effective, as we have now multiplied the number of steps in your processes 10-fold, and multiplied the number of opportunities for defects 20-fold, to make sure that we erase from your psyche any such thoughts of efficiency and accuracy, and thus, we can guarantee lower quality, and increased cycle time. Forget that we told you that quality must take precedence over schedule. And we now have lots of inexperienced people around the world, working 24/7, to help us to lower our standards. Look out Toyota, we aim to be number one! We hope that you have not noticed that we want you to transfer your 30 years of experience to our off shore partners in 30 minutes or less, while we are also transferring your benefits and compensations etc. to them as well in that time.

We want you to forget what we have always said about taking ownership and pride in your work. With work-sharing, off-shoring and outsourcing etc., you don’t have to give a damn anymore. Isn’t that nice? Just when you thought that the company does not care about you, we take all of the pressures off of you. Now you can screw up and blame others. You can now stab your co-workers in the back or in the face, and they can do the same to you. This, we believe - no, we know - is conducive to a happy and productive work environment.

We have to tell you that the company’s products are very competitive, but that we need to be careful so as not to become complacent, lest we become like Toyota, even though everything that we are doing is leading us down that glorious path. That realization will be felt later. But who cares about later. Not us! We are basically, politicians. We know that we won’t be around when the fall-out from all of this hits the fan. We would have been finished raping the company of its reputation and it’s experienced employees, and the remaining employees of everything else, and will have moved on by then. We don’t have to think long term, you see.

We have chosen a variety of new vendors and out-sourcing entities, all of whom wants different things, to guarantee that you will never be able to satisfy any one of them. And our increase in defects should improve, i.e., increase the cost and delivery time of everything that we do. Vendors love excuses to delay and increase the cost to us. We are now providing them with plenty, with our new defects-increasing measures. We are standardizing, but yet providing different instructions from each site, to confuse the crap out of our vendors! And work-sharing between sites should confuse everyone else.

We are too smart to appreciate that outsourcing technical and complex electronics’ designs is not the same as outsourcing car bumpers and tires. We believe that the outsourcing and off-shore entities are much more capable than the locals. We know this because they have failed so many times before that they will get it right this time. Right?

We have excelled in “Negative Productivity” by keeping the people with nothing to do so very busy creating new processes, guidelines, standards, etc., to add much more unnecessary work to the people with lots to do (and who know how to do it) just to make their work much more difficult and stressful. That will suck the life out of them. And we are so damn proud of ourselves.

We will keep you happy and motivated by keep reminding you that you still have a job. We know that you are busier than ever, and that we have gone out of our way to make your work and home life as miserable as we can, but that is beside the point. We like to remind you that other companies are laying people off, and hope that you will not notice that those companies are slow-to-dead, while we are busier than ever.

We do not want you to notice that we have been quietly and subtly getting rid of people through several ingenious methods, to avoid visibility, and are brain storming new methods every day (we have “ways” and we know your “number”). After all, we are one of the “best” companies in the world. We told ourselves that, and we told Fortune Magazine the same. So how can you dispute that? And that must make our employees feel good too.

We had to hide our disappointment when we did not see as many people leaving the company as we had anticipated after we have stabbed you in the back, and the face, thus you have forced us to rethink our strategy and to find alternate methods to screw you more and more, to force you out. Stubborn buggers! At the same time, we had hoped to keep some of our experienced people a little while longer to coordinate and fix and correct the “perfect” work from off shore and outsourcing, but they seem to be leaving. Wonder why that is?

We are aiming towards globalization and standardization, even if it means getting there through sub-standardization. At least we will be standardized by being consistently substandard. We believe that we can standardize by adding multiple methods, cultures, levels of experiences, tools, processes etc. - just about everything that should have the opposite effect. We could have simply adopted the decades of best and proven practices from sites and methods within our business, and use them as our baseline for standardization. But that would have been too sensible, too easy and too cheap! We chose to discard the best with the worst and settle for mediocre.

We have taken full advantage of the opportunities of the economic crisis and use them to shaft you really well, even though our situation isn’t anywhere nearly as bad as that of others.

In case you don’t know, our new goal is to satisfy: Ourselves first, Shareholders second, Customers third (maybe), “Tools Providers fourth (or before customers), and so on and so on, and then employees last, or not anymore!

We are sleeping well at nights (and also sleeping for you) as we know that you can’t be sleeping. We are utilizing to the fullest our lack of conscience and morals (never really had any) to reduce your morale. Sounds nice? Forget the saying: It sometimes gets worse before it gets better! And think: It can only get worse, for you that is, and you’ll be fine! We are diligently working to find what other crap we can we pile up on you. And if you do not like it, you can always quit. That is the point. Do you get it? We can’t be “undercover bosses” as we are smart enough to know that the truth will kill us.

While we have gone out of our way to make your work-life much more difficult, complex and stressful, we have not neglected to do the same to your personal life, so as to further lower your morale and totally destroy any lingering thoughts of loyalty and dedication you may be harboring:

• Cut your salary.
• Punish you with furlough any time we choose to do so.
• Reduce your health/dental benefits.
• Increase your costs for those reduced benefits.
• Reduce your Health Care Plan HCSA by 50%.
• Defer any salary increases (in other words; you ain’t getting any!).
• Took away the Stock Plan benefit/incentive.
• Reduce, and perhaps eventually eliminate, your savings plan benefits.
• Took away your 5, 15, 25 years of service recognition and other compensations and “outsourced” them. Next we’ll take your 10, 20 and 30 too - if you are stupid enough to stay that long.
• Eliminate any overtime, and thus their fringe benefits, even though the company benefit most from your overtime.
• Eliminate post retirement benefits completely if you started after 2000.
• Freeze the company contribution to your pension at 5% if you started after 2000.
• Eliminate RIFs to avoid rewarding you with a loyalty/dedication package. The rewards are reserved for the big boys, after they have finished raping the company and its employees, and leave them for dead.
• Reduced/eliminate subsidies to your meals in the cafeterias.
• Considering capping your vacations.
• Reduce any layoff or /termination packages offered.
• Hope that you resign or die before we finish you off.
• We will not replace anyone, so as to further punish the suckers left behind, with more work.
• We will reward the slackers and deadbeats with packages, to leave, and punish the hard workers with more work. The more, the merrier. The pain, that is, that we relish inflicting on you.
• Took away your Xmas voucher, and hope to do the same to your Xmas lunch.
• Took away your $2 summer (appreciation) gifts.
• Stole one of your Floating holidays in lieu of Family Day and hope that you didn’t notice.
• Took away the option to use your Floating Days at Christmas time just to be nasty.
• Put some of you on PIPs just to give us an additional option to get rid of you.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Anybody playing "BS Bingo" while reading Fradin's memo? There oughta be a lot of winners after that "classic" Honeywell announcement.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

So, since Honeywell are doing so well, we all get a pay-rise by the end of Q2 right?

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Wow! Roger Fradin's message is inspiring. I am ready for another furlough or pay reduction, just say the word Rodg!

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 - To the blog-poster from Australia:

Your HPS division CEO, Norm Gilsdorf, was promoted from UOP (division of Specialty Materials) in 2009. Our loss is your gain - he is a terrific manager. I imagine you will find, like we did at UOP, that there are definite advantages to a big company in terms of resources and financial backing. Unfortunately, what we've also experienced is conversion to a culture where only those at the top are promoted and given pay raises. HON is "churn and burn" all the way.

Having an opinion and voicing it gets you ranked a "C" player and fired or forced out. You may have some advantages, in that there are some protections against "constructive dismissal" in Australia, as there are in the UK. But here in the US, it's called "get rid of older and more experienced workers and replace them with younger, preferably offshore, employees".

Read any independent assessment written on the pros and cons of Forced Ranking. HON is a textbook case on how to wreck an organization with this outdated and dehumanizing system. The number of articles in the HR journals on Forced Ranking kind of peaked around 2003 because there isn't much more to say about it -- most well-run corporations have figured out that it is no way to treat anyone you even pretend to care about. Either HON never got the message, or they simply like to have a fearful workforce with an average age trending toward the early 30's.

Take a look at a presentation from one of the senior HR management at a 2009 conference: http://hrtomorrow.csom.umn.edu/past/2009/present09/Woodward.pdf Page 21: "Top 10 lessons learned" number 7: "People have to leave... Turnover is not only ok but necessary". This is fine coming from a 30-something HR person charged with swinging the ax, but anyone can pretty much see where it leads. It would be far more honest to simply fire everyone and only hire people under short term contracts.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Message from Roger Fradin, April 27, 2010

Automation and Control Solutions (ACS) delivered great results in the first quarter. We exceeded all revenue, income, and cash commitments, and saw encouraging sales growth trends in our short cycle businesses as some end markets started to recover.

Sales were $3.1 billion, up 4 percent from the first quarter of 2009. The majority of our Products businesses are starting to grow again for the first time in a year while our Solutions businesses showed significant strength in orders and backlog. However, our regional ACS performance was mixed. Asia Pacific delivered double-digit sales growth, the Americas was flat and Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) experienced sales decline. We are positioned to see sales improve as the economy recovers, but must still challenge ourselves to find ways to generate more revenue.

Operating Income was up 24 percent from the first quarter of 2009. This solid performance continues to be driven by controlling our costs and ensuring our pricing strategy reflects the overall value we provide our customers. In addition, our restructuring actions had a positive impact on our first quarter margin rate and operating income results. We expect further market recovery and now must prepare for increased customer demand by optimizing our supply chain.

Cash Flow was up 82 percent year over year due primarily to good working capital performance and capital expenditure management. These are outstanding results and builds on our strong cash performance in recent years.

ACS generated $24 million in Indirect Spend savings in the first quarter. Unfortunately, we did not have any indirect spend savings in March, which is a trend that we need to quickly address. We must be vigilant in managing our costs even if our outlook appears to be on the rebound. The largest area for reduction continues to be travel, so please continue to evaluate if travel is needed, particularly when it comes to internal meetings.

View our financial results and key highlights from across the ACS portfolio.

ACS is a major contributor to Honeywell’s success and will continue to outperform our competitors if we focus on the global trends across our industries and our key initiatives:

Favorable Trends:

• Energy Efficiency and Lower Emissions
• Smart Grid
• Safety and Compliance
• Productivity and Customer Outsourcing
• Wireless

Key Initiatives:

• Research & Development; New Product Introductions
• Globalization
• Acquisition Excellence
• Process Improvements – Honeywell Operating System and SAP/Common Process/Systems
• Commercial Excellence

Focus in these areas will allow us to continue to expand our market positions in the industries we serve and outperform our competitors. Our strong customer focus, cost management and investment in innovation and process improvements continue to fuel our growth.

I’m confident in the future of ACS and Honeywell and look forward to seeing even stronger results as economic conditions stabilize and eventually improve. Thank you for your dedication, contributions, and focus on delivering for our customers, the corporation and shareowners.

Roger Fradin
President and CEO
Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Obama and Cote - now there's a team. As if Obama needs any more help bringing this country to it's knees.

Here in our plant, we have all kinds of issues going on in H.R. Women do not get paid what men do, and now that Wall Mart employees have won their law suit, isn't it time Honeywell pays up too? After all... we were told our time-cards were getting changed a while back because Wall Mart employees had a law suit going and Honeywell didn't want that to happen to them! It seems there were problems with equal pay for equal work and if you work it right and "tell Daddy everything" you can be brought right up to the top of the food chain while everyone else has to earn their way up over many years. And how dare you bring this nasty little issue out in the open. We have people quitting daily because this place stinks so bad. It's down the road for me real soon. This place needs a few good lawyers!

Friday, April 23, 2010

The recent posts are evidence of a few things that we already know:

1. Politicians don't know/understand a thing. Obama wants Cote on his advisory boards based on Wall Street numbers; Obama doesn't know that Cote is directly responsible for sending US jobs overseas.
2. Stupidity is infectious. The Indian supplier is blindingly greedy and wants a huge chuck on Honeywell's business; yet does not realize that it will end up being financially crippled by Cote's gang. And brown stuff hits the fan. Drum roll...

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Honeywell Operating System Launched in JKM Auto

The famed Honeywell Operating System (HOS), which draws from various world famous operating systems including the Toyota Production System, was launched at JKM Automotive on 27th March 2009. The HOS will introduce world-class best practices into the Dynamatic® Group. JKM Auto™ is the only Honeywell Supplier in India, and, the third worldwide, to launch the HOS.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

According to the website article posted on BusinessWeek:

Feb. 21 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. President Barack Obama is considering Honeywell International Inc. chief executive officer David Cote for the new federal deficit commission, an administration official said on the condition of anonymity because no decision has been made.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

I have over seven spreadsheets to fill in everyday, alongside doing my work! Just so my manager gets a green tick. Oh, by the way, people won't even bother the H&S people for a plaster because it shows up Red on the Health and Saftey chart.... Something is very very wrong with this company.

Regards
Very Worried Employee UK

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Yeovil UK is still waiting for payrises. HPD's they stated Wage Reviews in Q2... Okay, guess they mean the end of Q2!

Thursday, April 22, 2010 - To the poster on March 28,2010 who wrote: "Quit grinding your axes and take control of your career.":

I guess you're either a manager or some sub-level management idiot who call themselves things like 'Operations Execellance', THAT or you're some spotty young prig who's only just joined. In any case, you need to WAKE UP and learn that some people actually want the company to survive. Unfortunately its people like you who are bringing this company to its knees. Trust me mate, Cote won't save you when the shit hits the fan in your department, neither will your boss.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

So because of the 'downturn' our company can no longer afford to replace anyone they lose. Instead, in some cases, pulling people from other departments to fill the gap. It can't afford to allow people to travel outside the 50 mile radius to talk to Vendors or Customers.

Were not able to get anymore Temporary workers because there is no money in the pot. Most people gave up unpaid holiday last year in able to help them out so I ask myself the question: If a company can't fund or support the workers they have how can they advertise jobs in emerging market regions to do the jobs we do? And WHY? What's the hidden agenda? Has anyone else seen this happen in the UK within their department?

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 - To the April 20 poster who asked, "Does HOS exist?"

No. What exists within Honeywell is CYA. It's what happens in a culture of fear is combined with unrealistic expectations; responsibility but no authority. Brought to you courtesy of Diamond Dave Cote.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

I stumbled across this blog while googling and have to admit to being shocked at the strength of feeling in evidence. I joined Honeywell Process Solutions in Australia from a competitor organization a while ago and it has been like a breath of fresh air. I attended a kick-off meeting earler this year and the quailty of people and their energy was infectious. There are issues around no salary increases though and people are hoping local management can get that sorted out. I hope whatever has gone wrong in Aero doesnt happen here.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Can you work for a company if you don't trust it or believe in it? How do you meet your HPD quarterly tasks if you have little or no faith in your manager? What does Honeywell stand for except spreadsheets and VOTTR targets?

I've worked for Honeywell for a few years now and I have never experienced such a terribly unorganised, yet self-praising bunch of middle management prigs. Here is Honeywell's manifesto summed up in two sentances: "More for less" and "If you can't really meet the targets, fudge the figures".

Now don't get me wrong; there is nothing illegal about what they do. You see, in the UK the Americans are deemed to be the big brother of the aerospace world. If the Americans say jump, we jump. So every week, the USA monitors our arrears and delivery targets through SAP and gets us to report back. If its green you're okay; but of its red, your manager is told to pull their finger out. So what do we do? Our manager doesn't like what he sees, an excel sheet is printed and we Honeywell mineons move the dates to get us back into the green area = Americans Happy.

So after all of this fudging.... oops, should i say 'arrears management', work on a weekly basis I ask myself one simple question? Does HOS exist?

Monday, April 19, 2010

My advice to you is if you like doing nothing, apply for a job at Aerospace headquarters in Phoenix. Ask to do a job related to HOS or Operations Excellence. They are still hiring, but it might be hard if you have not already failed in your current job role, that seems to be a pre-requisite for the higher paying jobs out there at least.

Monday, April 19, 2010

According to Vault.com, a corp. survey website that has "tagged" our beloved HI perfectly, lay-offs are generally performed every fall. This is looked at as a standard cost cutting measure at the end of every year. In this article everything that Vault had described about this companies directive, which was written by an director level manager in 2003, has been very accurate. Not much has changed and don't think it will until it's too late and the Executive(Rats) jump from the sinking ship!

Monday, April 19, 2010

Has anyone any info to share on when we can expect the next layoff in Areospace? We have orders, but cannot get parts from the suppliers. Lots of people walking around with nothing to do. Why not lay off some people? I would be one of those that want out. This is the worst coompany anyone can work for. The people that are running things do not have a clue. We are all on a sinking ship.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

For your info, Honeywell's CFO has been named as one of the Best CFO by Institutional Investors magazine. Check out
http://www.iimagazine.com/research/Articles/2389420/The-Best-of-Corporate-America.html.
Therefore, he is the darling of Wall Street. The employees may worry on the long term, but the CFO may be laughing his way to the bank to cash in on the "short-term gains.". We are at the bottom of the food chain. They've got their golden parachutes.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 - from Honeywell, Aerospace, Canada:

I'm out, I'm out, I'm out! What a relief, to be free of that place. All of the stories in this blog are true. Take note investors who come by this web page - invest in the competition. Honeywell is about to tank after their "short term gains" are exhausted.

To all those hanging on until retirement, I wish you the very best of luck. To the rest of you - now is the time, read the writing on the wall. Good luck.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

No, HR does not treat their own HR managers any better. I am in HR and I recently left Honeywell Aerospace. If you want some insight on how we are treated, look at the turnover rate among HR managers and directors and I think it tells the whole story.

An HR manager can contribute nothing in a company that does not value people or long term relationships with employees. It made me absolutely sick and it is wonderful to be free.

Sunday, April 11, 2010 - To the March 29 poster on "Lay-off List" -

If you are in the "Outer L" of the 9 block ratings, you can be sure you will be let go if a layoff is announced. I am an Aero manager, so I have some insight on this.

HR is doing everything in their power this year to make us fire people in the outer L 2 years in a row. If you have had a "Personal Improvement Plan" letter recently from you manager, then I would say your time is up.

I hate my job as a manager because of BS like this. HR MAKES US put 10% of the people in the outer L, and now they tell us we have to fire them. I'll bet my paycheck HR doesn't treat their staff this way.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

I have worked for Honeywell in the UK for 30 years. Morale is the worst I have ever known it. No pay increase this year and engineers are leaving to find employment elsewhere. I have joined Unite the Union as I don't trust anyone in management or HR. I just hope I can hang on to Retirement!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Honeywell has changed it's offer to the salaried employees at Dynamic to match those of the union employees. Happier faces today!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Yes you are right about the Honeywell access line. I was a manager at an Aerospace site and was told by HR who the "suspected" caller was on both occasions where it happened to one of my front line supervisors. HR cannot be trusted to do anything but lie to your face. Be careful.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

The union employees at Dynamic are to get two weeks severance for each year worked without cap. Pensions are recognized, six months of benefits after termination. Truly precedent setting. Staff employees are to get one week severance if employment exceeds five years capped at 26 years. Pensions recognized, six months of benefits to follow. Many sad faces around here...

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

I suppose the below blog from the Honeywell Middle East employee is a HBS employee. The characteristics of the Human Remains Manager (I liked the terminology) sound like HBS HR Dept.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Under no circumstances ever call the Honeywell phone line on Ethics Violations or Harassment. My experience has been horrendous trying to get a manager to treat me like a human being. Has anyone ever seen a TV commercial where a lawyer warns people not to talk to an insurance adjuster explaining that they are looking out for the company’s best interest and not yours? That is exactly what you get if you make a complaint - a “claims adjuster” distorting anything said and never following up to verify if you were harassed. Making a claim will only get you a bad PR because you are not a “team player”, “does not support management”, and not good at “communication”. Do not try to change this organization from within because it is corrupt. Spend your energy finding a job with a company that values it’s employees.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

In regard to Cote's 57% pay cut: Sure his 2008 total comp was listed at 30MM and his 2009 comp at 13MM, BUT if you look closely, he received a 14MM bonus in 2008 that will actually be paid in equal installments in 2009 and 2010. That means the true value for 2008 was 16MM for 2008 and 20MM for 2009 (with 7MM held back for 2010). That looks like a 25% increase from where I'm sitting.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Can some one check the Honeywell Affiliate in Middle East. Every day, it is going horrible. Please, every one is crying.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Check the stock blogs. People are selling their Honeywell stock in droves because of Cote's emphasis on China over the US. Maybe the tide is turning.

Monday, April 5, 2010 - To the March 29th poster:

How do you know you are "on the layoff list"? And furthermore, how can I get on that list? It would be such a relief to be free of this place, it would be worth the stress of having to find a new job.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Diamond Dave is really on a roll, and is a financial wizard. By closing down U.S. and European factories and moving them to China, India and Malaysia, cutting highly-paid U.S. employees and instead hired cheap Asian workers, and even set-up an R&D in India, Honeywell stock price hit a 52-week high as of March 31.

Dave Cote doesn't care if the products are sloppy. He got all his numbers right at the bottom line.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

This is the first time I've seen this blog and I find it very interesting - considering how similar everyone's experiences are to my own. I was with S&C and was laid-off about a year ago; one of the happiest days of my life. The HR person didn't know what to do, based on the way I was responding and how visibly relieved I appeared.

Like some, I was also a member of management, but that really was not much more than a paper title. Our hands were tied to the extent that nothing positive could ever be done because of the behaviors instilled by a completely incompetent "leadership" team out of Golden Valley. I use the word leadership very lightly in relation to this group.

One thing I find a little surprising is - I always thought S&C was simply the worst group possible, and somewhat an exception. I still think it is the worst, probably because of my experience. But to hear the same concerns from so many other groups helps me understand how deeply seeded the problems are. It's not even complaining' it's simple descriptions of bad behaviors and actions that crippled S&C and it appears will cripple Honeywell in total.

To all of those that remain, best of luck, as I know personally the hell you live in every day. For those like me, celebrate the separation and learn to recognize the signs wherever you land (or are) to minimize exposure to this type of thing again. That is without question the only real thing I ever learned during 8-years at HON.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010

I am glad that I will be leaving Honeywell next week for better prospects elsewhere. In the Middle East Honeywell is delaying payments even to employee expenses.

HR Department: We are blessed with a Human Remains Manager who does not even reply his calls/mails, leave alone address employee concerns.HR had conducted a survey and conveyed that the results will be broadcast. Never heard anything after the survey closed since maximum concerns were with HR.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Another casualty report. Honeywell's oldest factory outside of the United States is slated to shut it's doors. Honeywell Canada has been told it's Dynamic factory will have the doors shut by the end of 2011 at the latest. The workforce was pared down from approx. 900 people 10 years ago to less than 200 now. All engineering and design support was removed from the facility last year and shopped to Minneapolis. The "Men in Black" have stated they have no compassion for the 30 and 40 year employee's and that they were lucky to have their jobs for that long. Severance is an unknown entity at this point in time.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Does anyone know when we can expect another layoff in Areospace? I am hoping it will be soon....and I am lucky enough to be on the layoff list. I do not want to work for this company anymore and am trying to find another job. Such a sad place to work.

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Quit grinding your axes and take control of your career. If Honeywell is so awful, quit playing the victim and get on with your life. This is enertaining reading.....I must admit.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Honeywell Aerospace is in a death spiral, and apparently leadership has no desire to stop it. They have given a large percentage of our business to the competition, have very little new avionics product introduction, and have trashed the service side of the business. Funding for quality improvement is now limited to flight safety issues only for the most part. It really looks to me like they are getting ready to spin off the avionics part of the business, but I am afraid that by the time Diamond Dave is done moving everything overseas - which is ruining our quality, reputation, and ability to develop new product- there will be nothing left to sell.

Over the last 20 years, I have watched companies such as Garmin, Thales, Collins, L3, Universal, and many others take more and more of our customers away from us. Honeywell's limited efforts to compete are often too late, and too weak, because the company is being ran by finance rather than those who know the business and how to stay on top.

Friday, March 26, 2010 - Re: Stock price at a 52 week high.

What Dave Cote is doing is trading the long term health and vitality of the company for short term gains on Wall Street. It will not be sustainable. He is exchanging the talent, resources, and knowledge built up over decades for cheap Chinese labor. The momentum of the company will allow this temporarily, but eventually it will grind to a halt. The know-how will be gone, and no one will be left to help keep China afloat.

Quality will suffer (it already is), customers will go elsewhere (they already are), remaining employees will leave (as they have begun to do already), suppliers will adapt to Honeywell T&C's by requiring COD (they have started.)

Dave's house of cards is teetering, and eventually the financial whiz-kids will run out of spin. Best to not be holding shares of Hon when that happens. I listened to Dave's lies 8 or 9 years ago w/respect to stock price and paid the price. Now I'm ditching Hon as quickly as possible before it crashes.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Honeywell's stock price is at 52-weeks high. Diamond Dave must be doing something right by transferring factories and job off-shore. Or is this just an illusion? Another Enron in the making?

Wednesday, March 24, 2010 - Response to a previous blog:

Honeywell is run by the people in Finance. They dictate everything. There is not one person in upper management that has an engineering background. The site leaders and senior management who have engineering degrees have forgotten the Code of Ethics (see Order of the Engineer, IEEE's Code of Conduct, or Engineer's Code of Ethics/Conduct from any engineering society).

In fact, when you are finally approved for a capital purchase, you will be charged 5% interest by corporate for the purchase. Then corporate can say they made a 5% profit or use it to play their "financial engineering" games. Talk about robbing one's self. The reports of HON profit to Wall Street are based on one HON division selling to another and making a "profit". All these paper profits and financial reporting games will catch up with them.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Is Honeywell run by accountants/analysts or by engineers these days? Don't get me wrong as I'm not debasing them. I'm a Honeyweller and everyday I have to attend to customers' complaints on products, software that doesn't work. I have to explain to the customers that they have to pay extra or buy new ones to replace factory-defect equipment/devices. Defective products have been coming out everyday. Bad software that can shutdown a whole factory has no solution. Isn't this crazy? No wonder customers have been labelling Honeywell with a big "M" as in "Moneywell".

Monday, March 22, 2010

When you think you have heard everything, something just pops up and smacks you in the head where you say you got to be kidding me. No, really! Here is the story: Mary has worked for Honeywell for 30 plus years and something happens where she is terminated. Here’s the catch: she was given a severance package, was told that they would not fight unemployment and that she had to sign a document disclosing why she was fired from Honeywell to her next employer. Really! Oh yea, the reason is so ridiculous and fabricated I can't even explain it. WOW! I am sure we will be reading about this in the months to come?

Sunday, March 21, 2010

I have been a Weller for over 20 years. I used to be proud of what we produced. Sorry to say that ever since the merger, its been like watching a train-wreck in slow motion. Extraordinary rendition for Diamond Dave would be poetic justice for the substandard crap we are supplying our Troops.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

I agree about the nepotism at Aerospace. For one example, in approx 2003, we decided to do quite a bit of dipping into one Director's background because the business decisions were really out of whack and excessively supporting the VP. After some investigative work, it turned out that the VP and Director were quite the set of buddies - including doing each other renovations on weekends. Just one small example. Both are now gone.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Hey, lets see the Aerospace leadership team lead by example. Let THEM make non essential cuts in their staff or forego any of their bonuses and perks. Do you think that would ever happen? Everyone knows there is no performance management out there - either you are entitled to the benefits of the "Phoenix jobs bank" or you are not- and entitlement is gained with seniority or simply having worked out there and failed in some sourcing or operations job and moved to a staff position.

What a waste of money! I would not even pay someone a dollar a day to call other people and ask for "updates" all day long and host conference calls. But you can do that at Aerospace HQ and earn six figures if you made the right friends along the way. Intermarriage really does thin the gene pool; our Aerospace leadership team is living proof, and the continued decline of the quality of the decisions they make shows that they do nothing but seek each other's approval and reaffirm each other's words. To hell with the people in the field working for the customers. What a sad joke that is.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Most of the comments here were 0% pay, furloughs, etc. Honeywellers, eat your hearts out. You are on top of the food chain if you work for the Head Office just like two guys from Global Security, who are travelling in style around Asia in the name of "investigation". They travel from one country to another and staying just only for one day in each country. How on earth can you do an investigation by staying for a few hours in each Honeywell office? The main reason: One of them mentioned that he is collecting air mileage so that his family can travel for free! Sorry, Honeywellers, we are at the bottom of the food chain!

Friday, March 19, 2010 - HW Aerospace, Canada:

Same story here. Our pay raise was left "to be determined" but officialy 0%. I feal sorry for the local management team. They have no power anymore, and thus no ability to retain staff. Too bad because some of the best talent that has been developed over many many years are leaving in droves. Furthermore, they are not allowed to hire external talent (hiring freeze North America wide) and must depend on their globalized staff to fill in the blanks. Yet the engineers KNOW that the quality of work coming out of the offshore locations is below minimum acceptable standard (usually they just ship us a bag of parts that does not work). It will take YEARS to develope the skill set to equal the least of the staff that recently quit (to find higher paying jobs). What will the management staff do in the mean time? I do not know. Tough times for us here at Honeywell I think. Staff are so over worked due to very very lean operations. Something has to be done soon, or the breaking point will be upon us. Or maybe it is already here...

Friday, March 19, 2010 - Addendum to what I wrote in March 18:

Tianjin ACS factory did not experience any furloughs or lay-offs in 2009 while other Honeywell sites are suffering. In fact, Tianjin factory is quiet 5 days per month and two weeks per month for Q2 and Q3 2009. But still employees report to the factory while picking their nose in their workplace. Management told us that China is an emerging market and China will save the day for Honeywell. (Say what??) Management told us that once the company offended the Chinese authorities by instituting lay-offs, Honeywell may be booted out of the country.

While the rest of Honeywell is suffering especially North America and Europe, happy days are still here in China.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Hey, people. Diamond Dave don't give a hoot about your comments. Just look at the recent stock price jumps. It's increased his and his cronies value substantually. Unless you have the capacity to influence the stock price, you have no value to Diamond Dave eat - you're just anoying - not even. Watch the insider trading and see who sells off Honeywell stock.

Let's face it. North America is DEAD for job growth from Honeywell. Everyone should take lessons in Mandarin and Hindi. Force your kids, at threat of death, to learn these languages if you have any brains and sense of survival. Forget engineering or other manufacturing based skills. They are useless. If you have full command of these two languages and English - your kids will rule the world!

Let's face it. With the huge USA debt load, there will be no future in the USA for the next generation.

Friday, March 19, 2010

The blunt truth is, during his tenure Diamond Dave Cote has brought nothing original - absolutely nothing - to Honeywell culture. Everything he does is copied and ripped off from other corporations. He has no creativeness, no originality, no imagination, no people skills, no technical knowledge. Due only to his position he has instilled an atmosphere of fear which has enabled him to initiate and perpetuate his rape of Honeywell's vitality, up to and including its most valuable assets, its employees. This fear extends all the way from Dave's immediate worshippers to sniveling, weak-minded self-important first-line managers who enjoy strutting like peacocks while mouthing the company line, but who, when faced with common-sense questions from workers, wet their pants and turn mean.

Diamond Dave has repeatedly stolen from the employees and bled the enthusiasm, the energy, the vitality, the experience, the skills, the knowledge, the loyalty, the can-do spirit; in sum, the "quality", from a once-proud company. All this for paying a few pieces of silver to Wall Street and pocketing his bonus check.

In exchange he has left disorganization, confusion, frustration, distrust, scorn, fear, low morale, dissatisfied customers, damaged careers, damaged communities, a damaged country, and a damaged corporate reputation. Again, all to pay a few pieces of silver to Wall Street and line his pockets.

Well, Dave, aren't you quite the guy? It took a really exceptional "leader" to pull this off. Now please leave Honeywell TF alone. Please.

Whether Honeywell can ever return to being the company it once was remains to be seen. Considering that the talent that has been laid off or quit, rebuilding the skill-sets, knowledge, and talent will take many years. Rebuilding the enthusiasm and trust will take much longer.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Layoffs are bad for business

At Honeywell, pay-freezes are the rule, and employees are slaves to spread-sheets while jobs are steadily outsourced to India and China. Meanwhile, CEO Dave Cote was on the list of top-paid CEOs in 2008. In 2009, Cote's incentive plan was suspended, and bonuses for top executives were canceled. But still, poor "Diamond Dave" (as Honeywellers call him) pulled in only $13.2M, compared with $30.8M in 2008.

(Click) Read the article on JimPinto.com eNews 19 March 2010.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

There are no lay-offs at Tianjin-China ACS factory. No furloughs since 2009, even though those guys are not doing anything and the factory is quiet.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I work at a site that services 2 major airlines. We have furloughs and shut downs to support internal goals that just have nothing to do with making a profit or serving customers. Then we all earn OT the next week. This is crazy and makes no sense. The least informed employee among us can sit down and see the foolishness of spending $3 to save $1. But I guess since we have CSR's now that do not speak English, the customers have nobody to complain to.

The pay cuts for our managers were a joke. Cut their pay 10% and watch their work performance decrease 50%, and who can blame them? I guess it will never matter to someone who does not work at a plant; but for us to see it, it is very sad.

The emails and slide presentations and townhalls are all a bunch of BS. Nobody believes anyone in Phoenix is anything but a liar working to keep his or her own staff job safe. Nobody makes a decision, nobody tells us the truth, nobody makes any sense anymore.

It is a shame. All we needed was a strong leader, one who could communicate a vision to us and motivate us to work hard for a purpose (and no the value of our executive team's stock options does not count). All we have are liars and thieves who communicate with spreadsheets. They wont even let us make survey comments about the decision makers, I guess it is better to talk to other Phoenix people at HQ than the guys out here with the dirty fingernails doing the work.

You people in Phoenix at Aerospace HQ should be ashamed of yourselves. Cowards, all of you!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I work in the UK and we all feel your pain. We've heard (even though we shouldn't have) that we are to have a pay freeze for the next three years. We were a small, dynamic company in the lighting control industry. We were in the right market at the right time and business was (still is) booming. We were acquired by Honeywell about 2 years ago and now, morale is at an all time low. We can no longer react quickly to new customer requirements, we now have what is laughingly called Velocity Product Development. It is a collection of spreadsheets, PowerPoints, systems, processes and meetings specifically designed to hamper any attempts to launch a new product quickly. Still, unless we all move to India, we probably won't have to worry about it for much longer. Our parting gift will be a new acronym for their collection, ESAD. Eat Sh1t And Die.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I'm gone from Honeywell. Recently I went to a Town Hall meeting at my new organization. Wow! What a world of difference when compared to Honeywell's in the presentation, tone, attitude, forecasts, investment philosophy and approach. I couldn't believe it!

Funny how it goes. What goes around, comes around. Honeywell closed my career along with many many others. But I ended up in a position where I definitely influence whether Honeywell gets our contract. Guess who will never never get the contract? This is the ultimate in justice and stiffing the Leadership Team (whether they are still there or not) that un-necessarily putting all those good people out of work - we're not talking unprofitability, but just squeezing out a few more gross margin points by outsourcing to Asia. I know because I have all the financial statements.

Another item. When I joined my new org, others came to me and told me of their impressions, as they hear it on the street, about what is happening at Honeywell. Let me tell you that at the street level, the impressions were so bad, that even I, an axed and piss-off Honeywell employee, ended up giving some defense - but not much. But they had their facts right on - especially with their wives, brothers, sisters and cousins, fathers, mothers, etc... working at Honeywell. Honeywell is a destroyer of communities in North America - and communities will remember for a long long time. This is irrespective of the public hype.

Those of you that are still at Honeywell can dismiss this as a single disgruntled voice. No doubt, one voice will not make a difference in your life or in Honeywell's profit. You will still get up at 5:00 AM, kiss your wife goodbye, get in your car with ultimate enthusiasm and cry at the top of your voive: "What can I do for Honeywell today?" Good for you. But be aware that Honeywell has stabbed so many people in the back - that they are all working against you. So remember your 10% pay cuts, hating to drive into work and Diamond Dave pep talks - you're lucky to have a job!

I wish you luck and I commend your loyalty.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Why does it seem that the majority are surprised by "any" of these actions by Corporate management? This is Allied Signal, and this is what they do: Take a strong company, and bleed it until it's so inefficient that it's good-name is ruined across all markets. But, the stockholders and executives continue to reap the bounty of modern-day corporate piracy. So, if you're vested like many of us, you deal with the BS and watch it all go down!

Thursday, March 18, 2010

I left Honeywell Aerospace in May 2009 after three bittersweet years and went to another major defense company. I can say that the grass is greener outside HON, contrary to upper management's thinking. I do miss my amazing and talented ex-colleagues, but I have not had to attend any meeting at the new company. No management muddling at my new employer, I can get parts, no one in corporate in Phoenix makes decisions on capital purchases (decision is made locally), health benefits are better (same plan and provider as at HON), need I go on?

The straw that broke my back at HON was my manager telling me that my 1.4% promotion raise was justified as gas prices had come down to $2 a gallon. WTF? I was treated as another plug-and-play engineer, another EID, another metric, another statistic in the HON mantra of Sick-Stigma. I am one of the rare younger engineers in my niche field. But I was just another EID. Not anymore!

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

I heard that the engineers in the Czech Republic got "nice raises". But of course, there's nothing available for North America.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Torrance Aerospace site - no raises, but boy are we lucky to be here. Honeywell is a (third) world class employer, we are all grateful and will accept the next furlough order that comes from King Dave, knowing that he courageously shares in our sacrifice, just like our former illustrious leader Rob Gillette did. It just brings tears to my eyes. Or is that the nausea coming up from my stomach?

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

No payraises at Specialty Materials.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Phoenix facilities - no raises. Possible furlough(s) to be announced tomorrow (3/17/10).

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

No pay raises at Allentown (Aerospace). No surprises, either.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

No pay raises in Aero, but we did add a few new directors, VP's, and Ops Excellence power point jockeys at Phoenix HQ. I hear there may be a furlough if they need new carpet or office furniture in the executive suite, also.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

No Pay increase at AERO Toronto, ON. Possible two more furloughs.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

No Pay increase at AERO Albuquerque, NM.

Monday, March 15, 2010

ACS is waiting until the end of the second quarter.

Monday, March 15, 2010

UOP will not give a raise. It will be "looked at" again in June.

Monday, March 15, 2010

No pay increase at Aero Plymouth, MN. Furlough first week of 2010, possible furlough in July.

Monday, March 15, 2010 - Attn: All Honeywell's followers:

We are curious to know how many employees, or divisions, got a raise this year. We at Sensing and Controls got 0.00 $, plus the 10% cut last year. Has anyone heard if the cut may apply this year again? Remember, you must act like you like your job...

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Let's see, a salary of over $13 million for a man who only knows 3 words: "Offshore", "India", and "China." He's still overpaid.

Friday, March 12, 2010

I wonder when they decided to drop their bonus? If they decided late in the year then that would explain why they never publicised it.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Apparently Dave Cote did the right thing last year, as mind-boggling as that is. I can't understand why they wouldn't have publicized this more.

"Honeywell International Inc. Chief Executive Officer David Cote’s 2009 compensation fell 57 percent as an incentive plan was suspended and bonuses for top executives were canceled amid the economic slowdown. Cote, 57, had total compensation of $13.2 million last year compared with $30.8 million in 2008, according to a proxy filed today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission."

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

When Diamond Dave Cote goes to India he receives the red carpet treatment. Literally. He and his limosine entourage get a traffic-stopping police escort from the airport through town, just like a visiting head-of-state. Once they reach the "campus" he is greeted by specially installed red carpet. India figures nothing they do will be too excessive for DD. And why not? Over the years he has stubbornly held to his belief that India (or China) will be The Solution that will make him a genuine Honeywell Hero, despite mountains of evidence that indicate otherwise. So despite lackluster mediocre performance, he continues to reward India by handing over thousands of US jobs.

Face it, in his version of Honeywell the only job that matters is his, and he has surrounded himself with sycophants who refuse to tell him otherwise.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 - A new UOP poster here.

While in the process of shipping as many engineering positions as possible from Illinois to New Delhi, we were given an unexpected accounting reprieve from the outsourcing executioner. At the start of 2009, the internal cost of a Delhi engineer was changed from a ridiculous 30$/hour in 2008 to a more realistic 70$/hour for 2009. The folks here were very optimistic that we could compete at this "price", since we were only about 40$ more an hour. This says a lot about the efficiency of our well trained (millions of dollars spent) eastern counterparts. If it would have stayed that way, we could have shut them down.

When the final accounting was done for 2009, it seems the current cost structure didn't exactly make the New Delhi office seem like such a good idea. Diamond Dave said it was a good idea, so it has to be, right? God forbid someone grow a pair and tell him otherwise. So the internal cost of the Delhi engineers, who for the most part can't tell their backside orifice from a spiral wound gasket, has been cut in half for 2010. And the poor schmuck that priced them at their real cost for 2009 is probably unemployed right now.

You want to know what the sad part is? At over 100$ an hour internally billed, we could still compete with these guys priced at 35$ an hour. We really can. But we will not be allowed to in the interest of DD mandated globalization - we will be redcued in number until we are ineffective as a whole. Our efficiency has increased dramatically because of reduced headcount with the same or more work to be done. We stupidly sacrifice to get it done because that is the way UOP taught us to work. It is part of our culture that Diamond Dave seems hell bent on destroying.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

I am a smart, driven, unique, and useful software engineer
and they are lucky to have me!
I am a smart, driven, unique, and useful software engineer,
and they are lucky to have me!

"You are a number, just an EID. You are expendable. You are a resource, a headcount, a live body. You can be swapped out or replaced or outsourced with any plug-and-play body anywhere in the world. You have no say in what you do or how you do it, and you should not complain because you are lucky to be employed."

Monday, March 8, 2010

Sad but true. In my position, I attend/participate in a quite a number of Aero leadership meetings. I've heard it over and over... we must do what we can to move the jobs overseas - that is the first desirable option. But then the next topic is usually around "we have a lot of thin spots in our skill sets. How can we recover these people?"

Without strong ethical leadership at the top, this rudderless ship is doomed to circle the toilet bowl...

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Source: Seth Godin's Blog:

Carnegie apparently said, "Take away my people, but leave my factories and soon grass will grow on the factory floors......Take away my factories, but leave my people and soon we will have a new and better factory."

Sunday, March 7, 2010

I am sure that someone in Honyewell senior management (or one of their minions) reads this blog and probably thinks it is simply some kind of peanut gallery throwing garbage at our illustrious, award-winning leader. In my opinion, some of the most articulate and HONEST people around are contributing and I say: "thank you".

Folks, Mr. Cote is the anti-Midas. As far as we're concerned at UOP, he has taken a nearly 100 year old company, installed his apparatus and pretty much turned it into an ATM machine, which is rapidly running out. This is just a continuation of what has been happening under Allied Signal since the 1980's but now the machine is starting to be unreliable and it's time to get out the blowtorch.

I have never seen such a "political entrepeneur" in action before, it is truly a sight to behold. I have met the kinds of investment "analysts" who run around attending roundtables, roadshows, conference calls and the rest of the crap that Wall Street likes to parrot back to investors in Morningstar, Forbes and so forth. Forbes used to be a somewhat believable magazine but is pretty much a tool for the "we love us" crowd. They must be either stupid or short sellers. Whoever runs any company in such an unethical way has no business advising the President of the US. That being said, the president himself likely is doing this for show anyway. I hope Mr. Cote enjoys a good discussion with his other advisory board member, Andy Stern (Service Employees International Union President) Mr. Stern can work out a deal to get those American scientists and engineers good janitorial jobs.

Friday, March 5, 2010

It's not just Aerospace, either. Every aspect of Honeywell that Diamond Dave touches has been turned to crap, although he is revered in India and China. Guessing that love affair will end as soon as they begin to realize how merciless he is.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

I always think that Honeywell Process Solutions (HPS) is the worst, and Aerospace is always 90% better than us. Makes me feel a little bit better now, because I got laid off last year.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Like many others on this blog, I too just recently left Honeywell Aerospace for other opportunities. In the last all-hands meeting from the President of Aerospace, Tim said that upper leadership will not be taking bonuses this year. Why do I get the feeling that upper management's ideas of no-bonus will not match the no-bonuses at lower levels? Time will tell and soon.

Last year the rank and file took a 10% pay cut for half the year, and when they gave that back, they furlowed the entire Aerospace company for the first full week of 2010. Cuts at Corporate, nope! The primary goal is to offshore as much as possible at all costs.

The idea that Dave Cote would be on any advisory board for the US Government is very SCARY, unless he is going to offshore the Senate and Congress? It would be a good idea for someone to question the number of jobs he has created in the US in the last 5 years, verses the number that he has sent to other countries. After that question is answered honestly, the entire truth would be on the table. Of course at that level of management and politics, the truth is different than the working class version of truth.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

I don't do a lot of blogging, but reading through this collection of comments, this may be the most negative employee forum that exists on the Internet. The thing is, I think almost everything I have read is true and I agree 100%. I left Honeywell last year and actually began working somewhere that I could contribute and have a career (with things like pay raises and promotions, which by the way are still regarded as important employee incentives at good companies). I think everyone should get out there and look. The good employees don't have to put up with the kind of garbage doled out in Aerospace and served up as leadership and strategy.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

I think that it is totally fair that we are able to slam Gillette, Speranzo and Vidano on this website. These guys have had a negative impact on tens of thousands of people (including families). In the pre-Internet days, these guys would operate in secrecy and no one would really know what went on. Today and here, their actions and behaviors can be evaluated and judged by all. It's a 360° review that we were forced to do at the site level, but were directed not to evaluate senior leadership. Funny how rules are only for certain people!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - To the post complaining on Mar. 1 about Aero HR:

It's not HR. They are simply doing what they are told. HR doesn't dictate policy. I wouldn't blame the Aero HR VP, but the Aero SBG President. I'm so glad I am out of a place where employees are considered the biggest liability that must be disposed of at all costs! The rest of you should leave the first chance you get. It will be the best move of your life.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010 - To the Tuesday, March 2, 2010 posting on Unions:

I agree with you in that Unions are a force that HR really listens to. I can tell you that the unofficial policy at our site is not to do anything to upset the Union. Give them everything they want. The problem is that Honeywell, at the executive level (Phoenix Aerospace), has a serious anti-union stance and is not willing to work with them or any other organized group. Because I am Management, I have seen Aerospace Corporate powerpoint presentations that sites having unions are to be "contained" or "eliminated". I can probably give you the server where to find this presentation. Eliminated means "transitioned" or closed. Aerospace has seen some of this activity through Gillette, Speranzo and Vidano (the real CHAMPION of Site Closures).

I've been on a number of Collective Agreements. Let me tell you that the number and depth of derogatory comments that I heard at the Corporate level at midnight to 3:00 AM negotiations from "intelligent" people would make your ears curl. I have never heard such derogatory language from "intellegent" people. So I came to th econclusion that you don't have to be "intelligent" to be Honeywell Leadership. All you have to be is a bully - with an education less that high school. All you have to do is threaten everyone on a daily basis with their jobs - and you will be successful. Cote's bible! Or, is it Honeywell's culture?

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Cote is doing to Honeywell what he did to TRW and they were glad to see him go away. He was on that 10% reduction with them and almost crippled several internal departments with the reduction demanded each year. God help us if Obama picks him for a political appointment.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

I totally agree with the comment below on unions coming in. I have been to training classes that are supposed to help me identify union activity. I am supposed to tell why unions are not wanted. You know what? I am to a point where I would encourage people to get a union. HR doesn't want one so they can keep screwing us with no pushback. Evil will triumph when good men do nothing. I don't see another alternative to pushing back on HR, unless we have the numbers of a union. If we push back by ourselves, we are labeled as troublemakers.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010 - "Stealing from the employees."

That is the clearest and most concise description of today's Honeywell that I've seen. Thank you. And just when you think you've seen it all, when you think they've taken all there is, they find something else to pilfer. Again, and again, and again.

Monday, March 1, 2010

I really can't understand the Phoenix area Aero HR policies. For HR being sooo afraid to have unions come in, they seem to be doing everything in their power to encourage one to come in.

As a manager, I would expect HR to give me the tools I need to manage my group. Instead, HR says 10% of my group are poor performers that I must begin documenting in order to begin the termination process (yes, we have forced distributions that HR wont admit to). This year, Steve Kelley HR VP says 5 of the 9 blocks in the 9 block are "outer L" and they must be put on a PIP (personal improvement plan). The PIP states you must improve or be terminated. So even if its your first year in the outer L, you are now on a PIP. You get a PIP 2 years in a row, and you are gone.

I really believe HR is tasked with reducing headcount without having an official layoff. No one could be so insane as to come up with these ridiculous policies unless they were intent on reducing headcount. And giving generous raises to the non-U.S. sites this year, while we get nothing is the ultimate insult. We are training those people.

The sad thing is, I enjoy my job and the people I work with. I respect the Engineering management. HR is just ruining this company and making me look elsewhere. What value does HR add to the products we sell? NOTHING!

Monday, March 1, 2010 - To add to the comments:

I've since left Honeywell after a very long career there. As a consequence, I knew no other life. Life was very good prior to about 2001, but then it really went down the tubes very fast - but I didn't know it. When I was going home it was like replaying a nightmare.

I only realized later what Diamond Dave, Gillette, Speranzo and Vidano did to the organization - for their own self benefit. Where I am now, there is no crap. Yes, there are issues as in any organization; but this place loves my contribution. At Honeywell, I was not loved - even at the senior level. Most of the problems came from the really tight centralized and autocratic control exzerted by Phoenix. There is even a case where a hamburger flipper became a Director. Can't say more - but the "hamburger flipper" words were by the fellows own admission on a multisite telecom.

Honeywell WAS a good placeto work at - until Diaond Dave arrived at the scene. We know, that as a Republician, Diamond Dave really does not like the the heath benefits paid. So you have seen an annual paring back.

Monday, March 1, 2010

As a manager at Honeywell, I can tell you the layoffs have multiple effects:

• The refusal to allow us to replace poor performers mean these guys are kept on the payroll and the good employees do their work for free anyway, simply because if we manage them out of the system we get no replacement. Replacements are only at headquarters level, not at the plants.
• The lack of pay raises and the continual "you are lucky to even be here" attitude driven down towards our top performers (who contribute most of the results) means many of them have left, and the ones who have not are looking to leave.
• Nobody is safe unless they work at Aerospace HQ, where failure in prior leadership roles is a guarantee that your job will be safe.

I am not based in Phoenix, so as far as management goes at Honeywell I am a nobody and my opinion is not important, but outside the castle walls things sure look different. What are you guys doing out there?

Sunday, February 28, 2010

After seeing how Honeywell treats its employees, I feel an obligation to advise graduates and anyone else looking for work to skip Honeywell and look for a place where employees are valued and careers are possible. Honeywell has become a stagnant cesspool of despair where noxious gasses bubble to the surface in the form of periodic new directives from Diamond Dave or one of his lemmings. Some of us are stuck here, but we at least can do others a favor and help them avoid getting trapped in the slime.

Sunday, February 28, 2010

Word on the street has it that the major airplane manufaturers no longer wish to have Honeyell on their platforms. What does that say for the future of the Honeywell Aerospace division? One by one our customers are leaving.

If corporate relies on mergers and acquisitions for growth, they will surely fail. If any of these new aquisitions have Boeing or Airbus as a customer then they (Boeing/Airbus) will undoubtably leave.

Diamond Dave's strategy is not only affecting employees, but customers as well. With an unmotivated workforce and a less than satisfied and dwindling customer base, it's no wonder that the stock is not performing to its potential. Has Wall Street caught on to Honeywell's propaganda machine? We can only hope so.

Only Dave Cote's exit will give Honeywell any chance of turning things around for employees, customers and eventually the shareholders. After all, without a dedicated, highly motivated workforce and a satisfied and stable customer base, why would anyone want to invest in Honeywell?

Sunday, February 28, 2010

I heard that Honeywell Aerospace will be doing lay-offs soon, combined with more furloughs. I am thinking the lay-offs will affect individuals who have 6 or greater on their performance. Any truth?

Saturday, February 27, 2010

No raises this year! 25% MIP payout! I think everyone should be updating their resume and looking unless they want to continue to make involuntary contributions to the Dave Cote foundation and the Aero HQ Phoenix jobs bank for washed up managers. Though I guess the continued on the job training on power point BS and conference call buzzword bingo may count as "vocational training for the learning impaired". Maybe a tax deduction for that?

Outside of ideological extremists or the US Government (who are both looking more and more alike these days, by the way), I cannot think of any causes less worthy to send money that I rightfully earned.

I know life is not fair and to accept this, but I cannot believe that Honeywell leadership is not even interested in the APPEARANCE of fair treatment to the employees who worked so hard to keep our company profitable, wait are we still making a profit. Oh yes, I forgot, we are making BILLIONS of dollars and nobody gets a raise but senior executives.

Friday, February 26, 2010

According to Bloomberg News, in 2008, the second-largest contributor to PAC's and political candidates was Honeywell International Inc. Honeywell gave $3.1 million for 2008, up from $1.6 million for 2006.

Or this, from The China Post - Honeywell International Inc. Chief Executive Officer David Cote, whose corporate political action committee gave US$3.1 million to federal candidates and parties for 2008 campaigns, was invited to meet with President Barack Obama about proposals for an US$816 billion stimulus package.

The whole purpose of CEOs and the corporate PACs making donations is to get on that guest list for whoever is running government. The whole purpose is to befriend whoever in the end is going to win so they can have access.

It goes beyond this. If you check the federal candidates for office who received contributions from Honeywell, you'll find many of them from districts and states where Honeywell layoffs have hit the hardest. You can't even complain to your congressman or senator with any hope of consideration because they're already in Honeywell's pocket.

Getting on this commission is no coincidence. It's about payback. It's about power. We've already seen how Diamond Dave manipulated the company for the benefit of upper management and to the detriment of the US workforce. What's next?

Thursday, February 25, 2010 - On the topic of Cote on the deficit commission.

Cote is the only Republician in this group. Remember that Republicians lost the ellection! They are in the DOG HOUSE. Congress is so divided that this Cote panel will have no teeth. So I would not worry that Cote will actually make a policy impact.

But what I am concerned about that Cote will use this potential appointment to raise his personal profile with the wimpy Honeywell Board of Directors - a form of nepotism to enhance his personal benefit. What I would closely watch are the political contributions that are made subsequent to Cote's tenure. Pay more attention, not to what Cote contributes, but what his VPs and Directors are told to contribute.

In the past I Googled on what Speranzo and Vidano contributed - among others. They were amanzingly similar and followed the pack. These are of public record. I'm wondering if there was any collusion or unspoken dirrective?

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Cote for the new federal deficit commission? First thing he'll do is offshore all the little people's jobs, then give all the upper managers a bonus. Then he'll give Honeywell a bunch of no-bid contracts, (of course he'll still have shares in the company). So much for "Change we can believe in".

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Well, Well! No raise, and I hope that Diamond Cote has large pockets to cart our money away. $ billion dollar company, and we cannot have a 1% raise. What’s up with that...? How can one Aero space site be completely controlled by the personnel in the H.R group (one individual). Doesn’t Cote know that, if it weren’t for the little people, his pockets would not be running over? Why doesn’t Cote invest his bonus money into his employees (the little people)?

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Dave Cote will suggest that we outsource the entire Federal Government to China and Mexico.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Good! Maybe if Cote goes after our top heavy government, he'll learn a thing or two.......and leave us alone for awhile.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

According to Business Week: U.S. President Barack Obama is considering Honeywell International Inc. chief executive officer David Cote for the new federal deficit commission. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-02-22/obama-said-to-be-considering-honeywell-chief-for-deficit-panel.html

Why would Cote be considered on the list? We need to stop this from happening.

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Call it the GE/Allied Signal culture, but the personification of that culture is Cote and the board. It is them upon whom the responsibility for the demise of legacy Honeywell rests. When the day comes (and it will) that talent and abilities become the differentiators between successful companies and those who merely wish they were, Honeywell will finally realize that they squandered the most important resource they ever had -- their employees. At that time one can only hope that there will be an accounting, and that these fools will be forced to leave after receiving the full measure of scorn they so richly deserve.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

What built the legacy (red) Honeywell, and what has been destroyed by the Allied Signal/GE culture, is not a specific person or policy, but something simpler, and much deeper. It is the fact that management across the business no longer realizes that character is more important than personality, that education isn't the same thing as wisdom, and that business ambition that is untempered by common sense and experience is dangerous and unsustainable.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Yes I also wondered how Vidano and Speranzo in Aerospace Aftermarket lived with themselves, carrying out Cote and Gillette's orders to hurt other people and do the wrong things for a company that was so many thousands of peoples' livelihood. It makes you wonder why people compromise and do what they do for money, and where their souls are. But then, Honeywell never paid me the kinds of bucks those guys earn, so I guess I will never know. Insignificant people like me actually have to look people in the eye when I tell them something and stand behind it with my actions. That used to be called leadership, before Honeywell became what it is today.

I wonder if they live in such self deceit that they actually have no regrets. "Just business", they probably tell themselves. They will all be judged, and their arrogance or connections or money wont do anything to save them. I hope they find their way, even if it means finding a new beginning outside of Honeywell, before it is too late for them.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

This is so typical of the new Honeywell culture. Sleep with a potential customer, kiss his @$$ and promise him the moon. Then deliver an inferior product and lie, lie, lie to cover things up. The amount being spent to fix problems that were caused by either a bad design or something that we knew we couldn't deliver, staggers me. But like the best of politicians, management puts a great spin on things and makes it sound like we had to do it for the good of the company. Meanwhile profit margins go down and our formerly "top" customers say, "I've had enough" and give good money to our competition. But as long as Diamond Dave gets the thumbs up from the shareholders, then all must be good at the OK Corral.

Monday, February 15, 2010

I have worked for Honeywell/AlliedSignal for 24 years. I have been in the manufacturing business for 33 years. Never, never have I been so demoralized as I am today. Our leadership (Dave Cote, et al) are traitors to the people that made this a premier company, and to the Unites States of America. My only prayer is that I can hold on long enough to make it to retirement in 2 years! I used to think this was a GREAT company - but no more! The middle level leadership is unable to speak the truth for fear of being terminated (many good leaders have already left) The only thing that matters is Cote and his bonus. God have mercy on his soul!

Monday, February 15, 2010

Here is what there are going to say at the investor conference...

"The economy has been bad during the past year, and we have seen that reflected in our sales figures. However, we have done better during this recession than we did during the last one, so the company is in good hands. We see very little growth for the first half of this year, but it will pick up in the second half of the year. To show you what a good and solid company this is, you will see that our free cash flow is still high. We have positioned ourselves solidly in the (insert buzzword here) market..."

They will talk about high free cash flow and being poised for the future. They will not give anything definite and will dangle the carrot of growth at least 2 quarters out from where we are currently. They will talk in nebulous terms about investment and potential growth without giving any real numbers. They cannot give real numbers because the numbers show that investment in R&D has plummeted and their skilled workforce are leaving in droves.

It is just going to be a whitewash of unverifiable statements such as "we are invested in our future" and some numbers obtained by some questionable accounting, or by giving incomplete information about how the numbers were obtained.

Investors will go away feeling happy; Dave Cote will have pulled the wool over their eyes once again and the stock will stay about where it is now. However, as the recovery starts to pick up the pace and Honeywells numbers do not show as much growth as the rest of the economy, the investors are going to start asking questions. At that point, Dave Cote will say that he has navigated the company through hard times and that he is going to retire and spend more time with his family. The resultant bust that Honeywell goes through due to Dave's complete mismanagement of the whole deal, will be blamed on the new CEO.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

I have been with Honeywell quite some time, and am sad to see what has been taking place recently.

It is OK for a company to care about profit; that is why they exist. But there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. I have been reading these blogs with some interest for the past year or two, and am amazed at how negative everything is. There is ample opportunity at Honeywell that is not realized without taking it from the working people, especially while increasing rewards to the senior leadership team. We furlough only to ramp up to the next week. We cut pay on lower level people and leave the executives alone. We do not buy new equipment and instead enter into expensive operating leases or "maintenance agreements" that cost the company 3 times as much. We have hiring freezes but email after email comes out of Phoenix HQ announcing reorganizations, new directors, new VP's, new program managers. What's the difference after all, when they are the same people milking the system year after year?

There are some good points about working at Honeywell, though I have yet to find anything good about the type of leadership that comes from our Phoenix HQ. There is a complete lack of diversity there, since they spend their whole lives out there in the desert and have no perspective on what happens outside of Phoenix, which now is most of the work in Aerospace. The plants in Phoenix are not leaders in efficiency, HSE, cost, quality, human relations, or delivery. It is a shame that this happens right under our so called leaders' noses. Anyone that remembers engines knows what I mean. Do as I say, not as I do in my own house.

This type of hypocracy must end. Are we here to turn a profit or not? If so, empower the people closest to the action to make decisions like hiring, firing, captial spend, etc. and hold them accountable. Funny how that actually works at other companies. If you want mindless lackeys running the plants in the field, pay them all $40,000 and keep on with your spreadsheets, conference calls, and micromanagement, because the managers that are WORTH more than that have had it and are all probably out looking.

I say - start with the bloated Phoenix gravy train and start setting a higher standard for the rest of us. The jobs bank out there has to come to an end, and the tenured managers/directors/ OE specialists/HOS specialists/ etc.. out there doing nothing but making slides and hosting conference-calls need to be held accountable or eliminated. Have you ever heard of a VP cutting his staff to set an example? Or is that just what is expected of a plant manager or program manager? This has to come to a stop sooner or later. I hope you guys wake up out there...

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Check out this little jewel of information -
Energy-savings project leaves Army in the cold:
http://articles.latimes.com/2009/oct/30/nation/na-energy-fraud30

Saturday, February 13, 2010

All of these sound bits accurately reflect the angst and demoralized state of the most valuable part of Honeywell - its employees, AKA intellectual capital. Honeywell only cares about profit, which is clearly evidenced by the amount of time devoted to monitoring and managing its finances. There are no real long term business plans for growth and IR&D. Instead it’s the same old thing day after day of what’s our revenue and gross margin numbers and what are you doing about increasing it? And my favorite management attempt at motivation…. “Well if you don’t fix it we’ll find someone who will, and you're out!”

Friday, February 12, 2010

So, Honeywell is having its Annual Investor Conference on Monday, February 22. It's the dog-and-pony show, where major investors are lubricated not to sell their shares. But going into this meeting, Honeywell shares have declined significanly and can't seem to sustain an upward trend. Normally you would fire the CEO for this performance. Focus of the meeting are presentions for China & India. If you look at the metrics of growth for these areas versus North America, North America has actually out performed since 1975. This ia also the concensus by economists.

The expectation is that they will out perform in the coming years. But if the US comsumer is not buying, these economies won't go anywhere.

Friday, February 12, 2010

You can't go wrong with Trane. When I have to get service because of down-time on my chillers, I am able to call the technician directly on his cell phone - even on long weekends. No hastles. As you can guess, long weekends is when the equipment usually has issues. Go figure.

When I call Honeywell for a tech, I always got an answering service or they bogged me down with quotations and purchase order requests. How do you get that administrative support on a long weekend? What I missed telling you is that I am a Honeywell employee - on the same dammed team! You wouldn't know it, though. The experience is like dealing long-distance with China.

Johnson Controls is even superior to Honeywell when it comes to customer service. Johnson Controls also has direct access to techs when there are issues. The paperwork is always taken care of later and it is always fair. When you call them, they have a live person on the phone who really knows her stuff.

The issue here is company orientation. Others, with their structure, are truly oriented to the customer. Honeywell is oriented to the Accountant first, and maybe the customer later - if he pays a premium and if they have time. Note that Speranzo (a hot topic in previous blogs below) forced all of us to switch all of out services to Honeywell - a method of forcing internal Honeywell sales inspite of quality of service. We knew that Honeywell would only turn around and re-source the contract to Trane and Johnson Controls after taking a healthy profit.

So this is the problem with Honeywell. With all the high level rhetoric, the place has lost contact with the people on the floor that know best. ALL decision are centralized in Morristown or Phoenix

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I came across an article today concerning Honeywell http://www.patriotledger.com/news/x210267296/Marshfield-energy-audit-under-way-after-officials-decide-against-hiring-Honeywell. Does anyone know about the "shoddy workmanship and overcharging" mentioned in the article?

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

I think we have far too many directors and VP's and people who say they are managing the business in Phoenix and not enough people servicing customers or doing the work. Aerospace is so top heavy it is ready to collapse. How many people do we need doing "operations excellence" or telling everyone "we are just resources, you own these processes and the progress"? These people are part of a bloated cost structure that makes Diamond Dave think the answer is laying people off. Aero headquarters is a jobs bank for mediocre managers, the only thing you need to be eligible for the welfare program is an Arizona zip code.

Monday, February 8, 2010

Diamond Dave couldn't do "Undercover CEO" because he is so stuck on himself that there are pictures and video of him everywhere. I would know that weasel if he showed up one day for me to train. I might have to even give him a forearm shiver or two as well. He wouldn't want to be exposed for being such a scumbag. Hopefully that show will help these CEO's realize that the people you treat so bad are the ones keeping you in your position.

Monday, February 8, 2010

After working 29 years at Honeywell I have nothing but regrets. I sometimes feel ill just thinking about coming to work... so much stress. The employees are treated less than human. I treat my dog better. I pray everyday that they shut down this plant and outsource everything. I tried to take the RIF but was not lucky enough to get it. I would just quit even knowing that there are no jobs out there if I could only get unemployment until I can find another job. Getting a job here was the worst mistake I ever made and I would not advise anyone to work for Honeywell... ALL I want is out and a way to support my family... will keep praying for another layoff. So many people I work with feel the same way. Pray with me.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

I bet Diamond Dave Cote would never have the ball to do CBS' "Undercover Boss".

Sunday, February 7, 2010 - To the poster of Feb. 3:

Consider that what has happened to you since UOP was bought by Honeywell is a microcosm of what has been happening to the rest of us since old Honeywell was acquired by Allied Signal (and other companies that have been purchased since then.)

We feel your pain, because we've been experiencing the same thing, only longer. To Diamond Dave, employees aren't resources; they are a drain on the company's profitability. Something to be screwed, used, and abused to benefit stockholders, until they are eventually disposed of with the trash.

As painful as it is, you guys would be well advised to forget any and everything you may have felt about company loyalty, and depart asap. It will only continue to get worse, with the attendant negative affect on attitudes and mental health.

Diamond Dave wouldn't have gotten the message even if you stood up and left the room en masse.

Here's how Wikipedia defines 'psychopath': "A personality disorder whose hallmark is a lack of empathy. Researcher Robert Hare, whose Hare Psychopathy Checklist is widely used, describes psychopaths as "intraspecies predators who use charisma, manipulation, intimidation, ..... to control others and to satisfy their own needs. Lacking in conscience and empathy, they take what they want and do as they please, violating social norms and expectations without guilt or remorse. What is missing, in other words, are the very qualities that allow a human being to live in social harmony."

Psychopaths are glib and superficially charming, and many psychopaths are excellent mimics of normal human emotion; some psychopaths can blend in, undetected, in a variety of surroundings, including corporate environments." Sound like anybody we know?

Sunday, February 7, 2010

I just found this blog this morning and find it quite interesting. Most things are pretty accurate. Gillette ruled by fear and now he's gone, but don't think that environment is gone because it didn't start at his level and Cote is still here. For those of you much earlier in the blog who say "Honeywell" messed things up when they took over, you are sorely mistaken. Even though the press called it a merger, make no mistake Allied Signal "bought" Honeywell. They only kept the Honeywell name because it had better brand recognition. As a 25+ year heritage Honeywell employee, I can guarantee you the management style that took over in 1999 was nothing like heritage Honeywell, so please don't try to say this company represents what Honeywell was all about. John C. Honeywell has been rolling in his grave ever since that dreadful day. Also keep in mind there are no heritage Honeywell people in exec. management - they were all driven out by Allied Signal and GE - the clones.

With that said, I agree that morale is at an all time low - and we've had rough patches before, but nothing like this. I try to keep a positive attitude thinking the worst is over, and every day I go to work I am unpleasantly surprised that it isn't. Our product quality continues to fall beause of standardization and the fear factor discussed elsewhere in this blog (everyone in middle management being afraid to say no - that won't work in our business). I'm sorry but I will say it - one size DOES NOT fit all (and that's why my management keeps me away from exec mgmt because they know I won't keep my mouth shut).

Building things for Space, Missiles and Munitions is a far cry different than building things for commercial or even military aircraft (much less Home and Building controls). The government should be really worried. Especially about outsourcing. I get involved quite frequently in "what-ifs" and am appalled and amazed at the things our exec management even wants us to consider, especially in the business unit I work in. If Honeywell executives had their way, the entire company, except the executives in Phoenix and Morristown, would be outsourced. The government needs to realize that Honeywell is no longer a company who really cares all that much about the Defense and Space business. They don't care about your requirements or your needs. They'll take your money, but other than that they don't care, make no mistakes. And the ones that take all the punishment for late deliveries, overruns, failures, etc. are the dedicated workers, who are told by upper managment to "fix it" but aren't provided the tools or the envirnoment to do so. Even though there are still a lot of empoyees left who care about doing a good job, the stress level is driving a lot of good ones away, because they can't compromise their personal values to satisfy management goals. Even though the economy is bad and it's not a good time to change jobs (something HI mgmt definitely takes advantage of), even though it will have negative effects on retirement, I can tell you I am out looking. And yes, I have already commented on the White House contact-us website.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

I will say it again. We all se what is going on with Honeywell and all the major corporations in America. Amreica is being sold out by them. If Obama is focusing on jobs now. He has to hear us. Go to www.whitehouse.gov and email the President with a link to this weblog. There is strength in numbers. We, the people, ARE America! And we have a president and Congress and Senate that works for us. Make some noise, people.

Friday, February 5,

I agree with the comments on Aero leadership. They just keep recycling the same people in Phoenix, we will never go anywhere. Rob Gillette got what he deserved and the First Solar board is now asking themselves why they spent so much money on a guy who is such a dud. Maybe he got over there and figured out it was more difficult than shutting down factories and moving them to China and Mexico.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Diamond Dave was on a little press and politics junket to Des Plaines on 2/2. Touting the new "Honeywell" biodiesel that UOP developed, he had some allegedly non-corrupt US House Rep take a spin in a big Chevy truck powered by the stuff. While The Man himself was here and wasn’t too busy overtly pressuring senior management to join the HIPAC (Honeywell International Political Action Committee), he took an hour out of his time to have a little talk with about 400 UOP employees. I say 400 because the “conversation” was limited to one live room with a limit of 300 and two satellite rooms in Des Plaines that had limited capacity as well. It was not broadcast or available via telecon anywhere else.

The meeting started with the usual stuff that I gather is common from The Man. He talked about the stock, the dividend, and the Wall Street analysts that he would love to be able to coerce by any means into driving the stock price higher. Then he talked about how important the stock was. Then he talked about the importance of the stock some more. He did also mention that he also has to consider customers and employees at some point, but I believe that was because his handlers told him to do so in that little ear bud we could not see. Surprisingly, I can’t say it was boring. It was more shocking than anything that he was facing a room full of people and couldn’t even pretend that we mattered. I guess he may be sociopath enough to tell the truth as he sees it and think everyone else feels the same way. He also talked a lot about “bad companies” versus “bad times” and attempted to convince us that this was all due to bad times. Seriously, why waste a crisis?

Most of the rest of his delightful time with us was devoted to Q&A, which started off slow. Who wants to complain to glittery Diamond Dave Cote when he’s standing right in front of you and has the power to make you a distant memory before you even leave the room? But the questions eventually heated up. I didn’t take notes and do not have a great memory for the spoken word, so I’ll summarize his answers to the top few questions as best I can recall:

• What did Honeywell do with the savings from cutting our salaries, either by furlough or reduced hours? His answer was pretty smart on the surface. He compared our salary in 2009 as a percent of sales (which tanked 15% in 2009) to that of 2008 as a percent of sales and showed us that we actually made more money as a percent of sales, even though we made 11% less due to his furlough actions. What he didn’t say is that the shareholders got an even bigger slice of the pie at our expense because their real earnings didn’t go down at all. He held the dividend because he had to or risk his own income being cut. So shareholders, rejoice. You hold shares in a company run by a CEO that is literally robbing its employees to pay you the same dividend you got in 2008 even though we are in the worst recession in 80 years. And he does it for his own gain.
• What percentage of the increases in healthcare costs are being passed on to employees? Again, I have to wonder about his state of mind. He told us we are now paying a full third of our health care costs. And He himself did it on purpose to “get our attention” about how much we are costing him. His passion for this subject is well rehearsed, and could have happily eaten up our time together and more, but he didn’t let that happen. He basically told us that it was our fault and our responsibility that we are paying so much out of pocket. What he didn’t say is that this cost savings to Honeywell allowed him to pass a large chunk of money on to the shareholders in the form of a dividend that wasn’t reduced even in the face of the worst recession in 80 years. Again, shareholders rejoice!!!
• You talked a lot about being able to tell the difference between a “bad company” and “bad times.” What about good times? When times get better, what can we look forward to from Honeywell? (Please note that the room erupted in applause at this question because even in our record year, Honeywell was very stingy with the rewards. Dave was not pleased.) Diamond Dave completely blew this. He should have said “We have your back” even if he was lying. Instead he gave us more weasel words, basically cementing our feeling that he does not care about the Des Plaines employees or the culture that produced an almost century old World Class Company.
• When will Honeywell reinstate our matching on the 401K, which has been cut by 50%? This answer was much less impressive. He weaseled and waffled and said he couldn’t give a time. Understandable, right? Who can predict the “when” of when things will get better?

• What conditions in the company (cash flow, stock price, etc) have to exist before the 401K matching is reinstated? This he should have been prepared for, but he wasn’t. He’s the guy that makes the decisions for everyone, but he is not aware of the metric that will allow us to receive the previously agreed to match on our retirement savings? If he is not aware of it, then how is he going to know when to reinstate it? My gut tells me the short answer is that his intention is to never reinstate it, but he will hold it in his back pocket as a carrot to throw when he takes something else away.

I guess it boils down to a basic philosophy difference: real customers and real employees versus faceless shareholders represented by analysts that have no moral position in what transpires between the employees and customers. UOP culture focuses on the customers first, then the employees, and the shareholders have historically benefitted from the success of the former pair. Honeywell culture focuses on the shareholder with no consideration for the customer beyond what money they have and zero consideration for the employee.

I fear greatly for UOP, its customers, its employees, and their families. Diamond Dave does not.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

The damage that Gillette, Speranzo (VP Integrated Supply Chain) and Vidano (VP Aftermarket Service)have caused, is trancending. The damaging trio! Gillette went to First Solar. Look at the stock FLSR. It's in the dumpster as when Gillette abandoned Honeywell for First Solar. Speranzo wanted Gilletts's job, but didn't get it - so he went in limbo looking for a new career. Tim M. had no place fo Neal. Vidano also abdoated to Defense & Space - with the depature of Gillette. I wonder if he will live up to the title of Champion of Out-Sourcing in Defence and Space - with th egouverment looking iover his back? It's amazing how damaging, fickle and irresponsible these executies are. While they were in place, they reigned through fear! This is their legacy.

Monday, February 1, 2010

It's amazing what a place like Honeywell can do to you. Last Christmas I was doing a bit of Christmas shopping, like many people around. Normally I go about my bsiness, spread a bit of holiday cheer and even hold doors open for people.

But, in this one case, I saw a lady that purchased a Honeywell humidifier. And for some reason, the characteristic red and white box markings just set me off - an event that has never happened before. Instead of just passing by and rushing to my next destination, I stopped, took the lady aside and explained to her why she should NOT buy a Honeywell product - like the humidifier.

Clearly the origins of this spontaneous eratic behavior were in the antics that Aerospace execs would play - who are all gone from Aerospace today - Gilette, Speranzo and Vidano. The latter of these came to be known as the Site Closure Champion. Word always went out prior to his visite for everyone to be on their best behavior - because his reputation preceeded him. Great environment! <> The point is that every persons job outsourced you have one less salesperson for Honeywell product. You will tell 2 people the good news, but tell 10 people the bad news.

Monday, February 1, 2010

The funny thing about the Secretary of Treasury visiting here was - right behind him, literally, there were 3 Honeywell employees from Mexico videotaping a line they are sending South of the border.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

I just emailed the President and copied the address of this blog with a plea for help. Again, go to www.whitehouse.gov and go to the "contact us" web-page. If enough of us do this, he will at least hear us.

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Working as a CSR in S&C, it is very difficult at times to hear so many customers express frustration as to the inability to supply products on-time and on a consistent basis. Once a week it is expressed that the brand of Honeywell will never be purchased again because of the high prices and inability to produce the parts in a timely manner. Jobs that are scheduled to take 4 weeks often take 6-8 to complete, and customers refuse to accept the time that engineer's may take to do their part before production gets the job on the floor. We've seen orders be in the engineer/design phase for 30-45+ days and then have the 4-10 week lead time on top of that. Try explaining that to the engineer at a major university or NASA, Parker Hannifan, Baxter, etc., etc. every day. At times all you can do is tell the csutomer they have every right to be upset and hope they don't yell at you too much before hanging up on you.

Honeywell seemed like a mess when I started, and, after reading this blog, I see the the inadequacies are all over the company and not just limited to my location. Now with rumors of more lay-offs and furloughs hovering over the whole company, what I thought would be a great career move by joining Hoenwyell turns out to be more of a dead end with no future. After seeing people with 10, 15, 20 or more years be let go, there is no reason to think my job is safe.

Friday, January 29, 2010

I see that EMAI held their kickoff meeting in Monte Carlo this week. This makes the effort of enforcing the furlough total BS.

Friday, January 29, 2010

I think someone should contact Michael Moore and have him do a documentary on how Aerospace is shipping high tech (or at least as high tech as you can go when a company won't by new equipment and wants to use duck tape and coathangers for maintenance) manufacturing jobs to Asia, which will lead to the Chinese developing an aerospace industry that will one day allow their Air Force to challenge ours. Well, at least we will have highly paid people at AERO HQ in Phoenix who can make power-point slides to describe their progress to the general public. Good thing we are expanding the number of people in our company who work THERE.

What business does Dave Cote have at the white house, begging for money, when he does not even try to pretend that he cares about new hires, expansion, or capital purchases in the US?

Friday, January 29, 2010

The president claimed to keep jobs from being outsourced in most of his election speeches, but yet we are still hearing about more positions disappearing. Employees are being forced to travel to Mexico and train individuals to take more American jobs and nothing is being done about it. Sometimes I wonder if we should be afraid more of Bin Laden, or Dave Cote and his actions. I also wonder if the president even cares. All of them since H.W. Bush haven't done anything about NAFTA and the destruction of what made our country great: Manufacturing.

Friday, January 29, 2010 - Comments to "whitehouse.gov":

Got it. Done. Who's next? What next?

Thursday, January 28, 2010

If you really want the government to know what is happening at Honeywell e-mail the president on www.whitehouse.gov. Tell the president about outsourcing at Honeywell. If enough employees do this maybe someone will listen. Today one of the presidents advisors is at the Golden Valley plant in MN.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

One can only hope that when it finally comes to the government's attention what Cote and the board have done to their US employees that there will be sufficient punishment involved to make it hurt...and hurt bad. Traitors.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Officially / Unofficially. The new policy is there are no progressions(being promoted in your current job). Of course they do not have the guts to tell all the worker bees. The only way you can get a promotion is to apply for a higher level job. And, of course, there are not many new job posting. In all the surveys, the US employees say there is no career growth opportunities. This new policy sure helps. NOT. Plus, no merit increases this year too. It just keeps getting better. Honeywell Management figures that in the US it is hard to get another job. "You are lucky you got a job and you should leave if you do not like it". Honeywell's new mantra.

Wednesday, January 27, 2010

At 9:29 PM Jan 27, 2010, Obama said in his live speech that it is time to slash the tax incentives for those companies that ship jobs to China. This applies big time to Honeywell in a big way! Honeywell is one of the largest exporters of jobs overseas - they do it very secretively.

It's time to hang Cote ("Et tu, Brute") & his Board of Directors and piers and their outsourcing policies. We need to recognize that these people are evil and do not have the interests of the USA employee at heart.

USA is becoming second place to Germany and France - who are seriously re-investing in their economies. Just listen to the convesation about replacing the US dollar with the Euro as a currency standard. It may be crazy to think this would happen, but with the increasing US debt and 10+% unemployment, a lot of countries are really nervous about holding US dollars.

Cote is so passé - so 20th century, so OLD - like the dinosaure of GE Capital of Jack Welch age. We know today, after the GE crisis, that Jack used GE Capital to mask (cook the books) many of GE's problems. No one talks about Jack anymore. Neutron Jack has been neutronized!

It's 9:55 PM. I don't see Cote rubbing sholders with Obama as he did when Obama started his term. Has there been afalling out? See this evidence in previous blogs on this website.

So that was the State of the Union address. People are out of work in America! How long will you stand for it? Why does Cote use Americans to work against Americans? Cote uses American Transition Teams to ship your jobs to China. I had spoken to one transition team member. He had told me that he was on 26 transitions teams. That means product move was being planned at 23 sites. Perhaps you are one of them?

Monday, January 25, 2010 - HOS- Honeywell overseas:

Good luck USA.! Dave Cote and most of his "crew" will be long gone before we see the full impact of the hemorrhaging of jobs. They are heroes to the stockholders today but will be seen as the sleazebags they really are in the future. I hope they can be happy in some of those third world countries that will own our jobs. I guess with Dave's bonuses he could always buy his own county. It seems like a very long time since I worked for a company that I could be proud of.

Retired Manager
Olathe, Kansas

Monday, January 25, 2010

Is there a nation wide freeze on raises? Or is it just the Olathe, Kansas location? Most of the employees at that site have long since stopped believing anything the managers say. (Oh and don't forget to do your yearly code-of-conduct training.)

Sunday, January 24, 2010

I currently work for Honeywell in New York. Honeywell acquired the Pittway Corporation (Ademco) back in 1999 and I have slowly watched the jobs move to Mexico and China. Instead of leading the market with new products we now follow. I have seen many competitors’ products being analyzed so we can design an equivalent product. The smart ones in my department left a few years ago. Engineering is slowly being moved (hardware/software/QA) to China and India. I have heard our raises this year will be 2% but they will not be given in April (April fool’s day!!), they will be pushed back a few months. Furloughs may also take place after the first quarter. I also heard the building will be empty in about 1.5 years when the lease is up. Morale is low but most of us really don't care anymore. If you work hard or do the minimum you are treated the same. Sit back, do the minimum and job search. I will not help transfer my job out of the country.

Sincerely,
Over worked and under paid in NY.

Saturday, January 23, 2010

VOTE! VOTE Your conscience - VOTE for your brothers and sisters around the world! VOTE!

Saturday, January 23, 2010

This isn't directed so much at Dave Cote, as it is towards the Board of Directors.

I work in one of your facilities. I have worked there for a long time and I plan on trying to do many more years until I retire. I have pretty much given the best years of my life to this company. I have given up time with family on holidays so I could cover for a guy who just happened to have the opportunity to spend Christmas with his. I have been with guys who trudge through the muck of a creek at 1:00 AM on a very very cold night out of concern for their neighbors and their health and security during an environmental excursion. I have seen guys come to the aid of a fallen coworker and go above and beyond in their efforts to revive that friend and coworker. I have lived and bled with the guys for a long time. Ok? See where I coming from with this?

So let's cut to the chase. You have taken away my retiree insurance plan. You have taken away half of the 401 matching percentage you contibute. For those lucky enough to even be able to participate, that is. Some poor bastards don't even get that. You have, after have giving us 2% raises last year and week long furloughs, announced that this years raises are going to be reassessed at the end of the 2nd quarter as to whether the company can aford it or not. And, all the while sending out SM updates about the millions and millions of dollars to be made over the next 3 to 5 years. All this as the economy crumbled and the cost of living shot up through the roof.

Now don't get me wrong, I really thought the million dollar aid package and the humanitarin flights to Haiti was I a very kind response to peoples suffering. You should be applayded for the effort. So with that said, let me conclude with a question...... Shouldn't one of you guys at the top really let Dave Cote and your other cohorts know that there has been a building collapsing for a few years now, and it is landing on me and my family. Both, my family at home and my family at work. How about a little charity around here?

Friday, January 22, 2010 - To the individual who asked about the 2009 Honeywell Proxy statement:

No, the board's comp package is on page 15, they took a little over $2MM together, around $250K each. Not bad for attending 5-6 meetings per year.

Page 25 outlines the merit increases in base pay our officers qualified for and received, a year when no hourly or mid level managers were eligible.

Page 28-29 outline the ridiculous bonuses officers, including Cote and Gilette, received.

Page 36 outlines the nearly $80,000,000 in salary, stock, and bonus our CEO and four other top Honeywell officers combined earned in 2008.

Page 51 shows their golden parachutes, or how many millions they would get by getting "dismissed without cause" or for other reasons, like a buyout. I guess that is what a RIF is called when you are a big-time executive. The employees I laid off last year got squat.

I am not saying all executives do not earn their pay, not at all. I am sure many of them worked very hard to achieve their goals and try their best. But in a year when my family's already meager income was reduced 10% and we had to put groceries on our credit card, the fact that these guys not just took home millions, but accepted RAISES for hitting cost targets that were partially possible because of wage cuts simply disgusts me.

The fact that they are all hell bent on moving our manufacturing base to China to continue meeting these targets (vs. improving what we have here in the US and EMEA) infuriates me.

Leaders should share sacrafice and lead by example. Or at least be smart enough to pretend that they do when so many people are watching. To hell with them all.

Friday, January 22, 2010

You bet! I'm glad the blogger noticed, I did the calc. and total of senior management compensation plus board of directors (each is paid about 2X the average US board salary) comes to roughly $75 million if I throw in some of the perks, etc. If you divide that number by the 2008 income from operations, I come up with about 2.5 percent. If a mutual fund charged this kind of management fee, I think it would be very questionable. This is beyond belief

Thursday, January 21, 2010

I'm not a financial wiz, but after looking at last year's proxy statement, did the board of directors rape the company for over 70 mil?

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Customers screaming for their parts. But some customers like United Technologies and Pratt & Whitney have cauht on long ago with their policy to get off of Honeywell programs and parts. Their attitude is: "Anybody but Honeywell". And they have just cause.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

After this week through overtime, mostly everybody on the shop floor will have managed to make back any lost wages due to the furlough. And at time-and-a-half we only have to work just over 26.5 hours. Not a bad deal! Sure, our on time delivery is down to 50% and our profit margin is non existent. But our middle management is the best in the business at cooking the books and making excuses. Customers screaming for their parts. Who cares. It's not like they can go to Walmart for a part. They are getting screwed and there is not much that they can do about it. You've got a sweet deal Dave Cote! As for us, we're just lucky to be working under you.

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I recently had to do an RPS (Rapid Problem Solving) - over-used & huge waste of time. It was about why deliveries were being missed for a certain part number. What it came down to (already known) was that a cell was hogging the test equipment, basically 24/7, and we had no time allocated to it. But during the proposed fix I was told to not mention this. I was "advised" to instead propose that we dedicate more techs to testing these parts. No one ever questions how we could test these parts if we still didn't have access to the test equipment. So, your bonuses are safe. No need to purchase more test equipment. The problem has been swept under the rug! P.S.Military programs should be very worried.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Interesting, reading all these posts. As an ex-Honeywell employee I can only say I'm glad I left this dysfunctional outfit. Believe me there is life after Honeywell. No more corporate ra-ra-ra and all these BS Townhall meetings. I will never work for a publicly-traded company again. The guys on top of the ladder get the big Bonuses, the guys at the bottom the shaft. Look no further than Wallstreet. These "Spindoctors" walked away with Millions in compensation. Good luck to all of you. Finding another Job is hard work, but if you really want a change you have to be determined and believe in yourself. There are better companys out there; just don't give up.

Monday, January 18, 2010

Yes. At my site it got to a point that we could not even buy a 2"x4" piece of lumber without being on COD. Reason was that Honeywell (Phoenix) actually exceeded the 90-day pay period. So the supliers clamped down one after the other to COD. It would have been easier to get petty cash and go get it yourself - but even petty cash was eliminated.

Your only option was to pay for it out of your own pocket and really risk it not being paid on a expense report. No one had enough faith in Honeywell to assume that this expense report would be paid.

I'd rather buy a 2x4 and wack the Aerospace Leadership in the head - really disconnected from the needs of the floor and day to day needs that they themselves requested.

It must make a business leader look stupid to report on a leadership or sales call that he can't ship product because shipping lumber is not available for the shipping crates. But, no leader will be caught dead reporting this on a telecom. So, we end up taking expensive labor ripping apart wasted crates and rebuilding new ones - a process that costs a lot more than having the right materials in the first place.

Way to go, Aerospace Leadership! Aerospace Leadership needs to start supporting the floor - not in conflict with the floor.

Monday, January 18, 2010

When and where? And what do we do when we get there?

Monday, January 18, 2010

Yes, we can do this and join as a 401k employee share band. Lets get together at the Annual Shareholders Meeting and ask tough questions! Done?

Monday, January 18, 2010 - Regarding the 75 or 90 day terms:

This is Honeywell’s way of maximizing profit by, essentially, getting a short term loan from their suppliers. Remember from Economics 101 Time Value of Money? In essence Honeywell needs to maximize profit from finance gimmicks not sales of quality products that are profitably priced in an open market. Pity the small Mom and Pop companies that can’t tell Honeywell to “go pound sand”. This strategy is a slow death to them while turning down Honeywell’s orders is a fast death.

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Has any employee thought about leveraging the votes associated with our collective 401k shares to make our voices heard to the board of directors, specifically on executive pay? Coming off our furlough, seems like the time for this is about right.

I think we could have all exercised our right to have a say at the shareholder's meeting or get something on the ballot that would at least force the company officers to share in any type of pay cut or furlough they pushed down to lower level employees. Or better yet, show them what a wage cut feels like by forcing the board of directors to allow shareholders to vote on this.

Go to the company website, investor relations section and view the 2009 Honeywell proxy statement. This is a public document and is official communication from Honeywell to the investing public.

Pages 20-53 of this document outline our CEO's and his cronies disgusting pay package. Pages 20-30 outline how Dave and his boys NEED a competitive pay package related to business results, not like we do, we are just lucky to have a job, right? It even mentions the same Honeywell behaviors that we supposedly all work to, but it manages to justify raises for the guys at the top and NOTHING for the people whose backs they stand on. Funny how they tell us these lies and then steal our merit raises and base salary and then cash their options in the next day. Grotesque that our board permits it.

Page 37 of the 2009 proxy statement outlines the "perks" that the company pays for. Over $900,000 for things like the use of the company jet and company bought life insurance and Dave Cote's home alarm system. How many engineers took a 10% pay cut in 2009 to pay for this?

Page 51 shows Diamond Dave's $14.85 million golden parachute, which he would receive if he was ever terminated by the board for any reason. How many weeks of severance did we give the machinists, CSR's, and forklift drivers affected by the last RIF? Not even close to this.... What about the over 50's that were forced to retire because Honeywell did not want to help them with medical insurance they promised them years before?

This information is public and on our website. We should print and post it in breakrooms all across the company. It is grotesque that our leaders in Phoenix and Morristown can be so arrogant, greedy, and selfish while honest people suffer.

Somebody needs to do something. These guys are stealing not just from us, but from America. And its all right here under our noses, down to the last cent.

Can we band together as shareholders and use our 401K shares to push the board to vote on reducing executive perks and compensation? Anyone know if we can do this?

Sunday, January 17, 2010

The net-90 terms is going to kill us. There are suppliers who are now holding us hostage if we do not pay in 30. Their terms are "want your parts pay me in 30 or else". The supply base is onto our game. Most of the Honeywell companies were small to begin with and use suppliers local to their area who had the expertise to make the product required.

We recently had to attend a webinar that all new orders had to be net 75 and if not took PHX approval. DO these guys have nothing to do down there??? I am all for doing what is necessary for the company but we are now negotiating from the end of a gun on all of our contracts.

I equate PHX with the wizard of OZ. They are running a company based upon theories that are not practical in day-to-day business. When you expose them they run for cover. I have exposed a few and they know I document VERY WELL so they leave me alone most of the time. Out here in the real world (away from PHX) we get the job done.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Ditto the earlier comments about permanent commitment being around CAPITAL and NEW HIRES. I cannot even get a plumber or a welder to come out to our site because of our payment terms. It is pitiful that a major corporation has been reduced to gimmicks like "paying net 90" to make cash flow look good.

How about making a quality product by people who are treated well? That may lead to cash flow from our customers? Withholding cash flow from small US-owned businesses will do the trick for only so long. It is a disgrace.

Saturday, January 16, 2010

Apparently Servicon employees at Honeywell were notified today that they need not report to work the week after Easter. Happy Furlough!

Friday, January 15, 2010 - Re: Jan. 11 Here in Toronto...

I got laid off in Vancouver recently and totally agreed with you on the low morale, HOS/VSMs/metrics hiding inefficiencies. It makes me feel better that most of us can see the company is going down fast with all the “yes” management from top to bottom.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Red Headed stepchild? Everyone is a stepchild next to the phoenix golden boys. I work in Aerospace Aftermarket and I can't understand why our leaders come from Phoenix engines, a complex that was evidently so well managed that it is shutting down and moving to Mexico. And it was not even a union plant, not that you would have guessed it was union free by visiting. Yet everyone outside of Phoenix is always judged by higher standards.

What a great training academy for manufacturing managers who feel more comfortable with acronyms and power points than making their employer a profit! Now they are all directors and VP's, leading Aerospace into the twenty first century.

Do as we say in Phoenix, not as we do in Phoenix... Put THAT in a spreadsheet matrix!

Thursday, January 14, 2010

When the earthquake hit China, Dave Cote was quick to encourage employees to give to recovery and aid efforts. Of course it was was to show good faith to his growing interest (of siphoning America to the Chinese). Now that Haiti is in trouble, do you think he'll do the same? I would actually be surprised to see an all-employee email asking for Haiti relief.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

In the Town Hall meeting, Cote said the company's actions are actually benefitting America. Yea, just like in the 30's when they said cigarette smoking benefitted your health by encouraging deep breathing exercises.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Here at Honeywell Aerospace, Tucson, we have always been considred a "red headed step child" to Phoenix. We have no resources or people left here. We are less then half the employees we had 15 years go. Most of the Engineering work is "overseeing" engineers overseas who are doing the work we use to do. Hardware, software, Test Equipment- everything.Manufacturing moves something to Mexico or overseas each month.

There is no morale. Tucson has ben told by Aerospace VP's, "You're lucky you still have a job. And if you do not like it - then leave." A wonderful place to work! I do not see Honeywell getting any better. I have been at Honeywell 20+ years. Time to leave.

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

I think the only way to draw attention to this is to find some organization (not affiliated with a labor union) that communicates with Congress to promote investment in America's manufacturing infrastructure and seeks to stop this type of activity.

Honeywell should be LEADING something like this, and with the amount of Government contracts and business we have, we are eating at the trough of military sales and service, and selling out our employees that work on the commercial side where we can to move skill sets and capabilities out of our country, perhaps forever.

Someone needs to mobilize an effort beyond the plight of just one factory because a pattern that spans multiple congressional districts has been emerging for several years now and we cannot make it stop by talking to Phoenix or Morristown or complaining on this blog..

Any ideas?

Monday, January 11, 2010

It's interesting to hear the same stories from our cousins down south. Here in Toronto the morale couldn't be lower. One minute we are told to use airlines to travel and help our own business, and the next minute we are given a 1 week furlough. Sorry Dave. I can't travel if I lose 10% of my wages. But then again, you don't really care, do you?

So our plant isn't the only one that needs new equipment or repairs. You can only lean out a process so far with antiquated technology. But it's amazing how the middle managers can hide the inadequacies under the carpet to make any HOS driven changes look good. The sad truth is that efficiencies aren't going up, but the VSM's will do anything to fudge the metrics. But then again Dave, you don't really care, do you?

I thought we were the only ones complaining about the management Gods of Phoenix, but after reviewing the previous blogs I guess it's true. We are all fed (mis)directions by the same blind, dumb, tentacled octopus that is the Aerospace leadership. How they know our needs from thousands of miles away I'll never know. Oh but they must be smart with all their MBA's. Surely Diamond Dave would never leave a division is such incompetent hands. But then again Dave, you don't really care, do you?

I'm sure that this coming year you will get your well deserved bonus, more stock options and a standing ovation from the stockholders.

I almost forgot...I'm sure that many families in China and India will also thank you. Ain't capitalism great!

BTW. I'll make sure to post some MIS on our bulletin boards up here in the great white north.

Remember. There is strength in numbers. Wall Street...are you listening?

Monday, January 11, 2010

One of the other issues is even if you find someone with the power to make change happen in Honeywell they are paralyzed with fear because they know that if they make a mistake (or it looks like they made a mistake even if it was not their fault) then they will be fired. They don't even have to make a mistake, they just have to do something that upsets someone higher up.

Monday, January 11, 2010 -Re: Jan 11 "management make changes":

That's great in concept, but in Honeywell centralized management system, I don't know who these people "with power to make changes" are. They certainly aren't in the HPS level, or even ACS. Do you really think Fradin can make any changes? He can't spend a penny beyond AOP. Only Cote has that Authority.

Monday, January 11, 2010

Simply don't understand why managment, and those with power to make changes, can not see what is happening before their eyes? HPS is losing business and clients rapidly due to competition providing better service and more relevant technology. Yet we are told our systems and technology is world leading - but someone's forgot to tell our customers who simply don't believe it. Please Please Please take some action.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

There obviously are some very intelligent and experienced bloggers on here. What can we do other than "bail"? This obviously is not the climate to be hunting for a new job. Nor does that address the real concern of allowing these guys to sellout our country. What constructively can we do?

Friday, January 8, 2010

Diamond Dave, his parasites, *and* the dim-bulb political enablers who either are on the take, or else too obtuse to grasp the rape that Dave and other CEO's are perpetrating right under the pol's noses.

Capitalism is a great concept right up until it's exploited and abused. No one ever imagined that the Internet and global communication would make this level of corruption possible.

Friday, January 8, 2010

Smaller companies are where the growth will be, both in AMERICAN jobs and in returning to the local economy. I worked for Honeywell until 2009 and went to work for a medium sized company and am amazed at the no BS approach to results and the sense of commitment to employees and being a permanent fixture in our community (hiring, training, capital investment, vendor relations, etc...)

When I worked at Honeywell, I felt micromanaged from all levels, could not understand the ridiculous focus on census and internal metrics (vs. profitability and customer metrics), and felt that management was letting the walls and foundation of not just our plant but our company's manufacturing infrastructure, rot and crumble. We were all tenants in a public housing project waiting for eviction and told how lucky we were just to have a roof. I did not appreciate that.

I strongly feel like the smaller, more nimble companies are going to eat Honeywell's lunch, because a company that treats people like disposable short-term assets (with things like pay cuts, furloughs, no pay differentiation based on performance) will not do well anywhere. It is a shame that Honeywell is fixated only on the number of Americans working at its plants (and hell bent on driving that number to zero). But I think they will find that Indians and Chinese who are treated like crap dont appreciate it either and will walk as well when they see an opening.

The only sad thing is that these bright people will take Honeywell processes and technology to other companies overseas who will then use it to put even more pressure on American manufacturing by eroding whatever advantages we do have. It is happening already in China and India by Honeywell's own admission.

All of Honeywell's and especially Aerospace's leadership should be ashamed for their arrogance and and blindness and what they are doing to our country. Honeywell could be a leader in investment in training and technology and in building back up the US manufacturing base, instead, they choose to lie to innocent people about the future and sell them out.

Anyone can say they are investing in our future here, but if you want proof, don't listen to the talk coming from Phoenix and Morristown; look for the capital expenditures and new hiring. Been a long time since most Honeywell employees have seen activity in either of those areas.

Good luck to all you guys still on the ship. Just make sure you jump before it sinks and sucks you down into unemployment.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Elmer Ambrose Sperry (400 patents), Henry Ford (over 160 patents), Steve Wozniak (Apple IIE Patent). I’m sure it’s safe to assume that neither one these people ever said they wanted to be businessmen when they grew up. They had talent knowledge and great ideas that eventually contributed to the economy and the quality of life for millions. These people became wealthy CEOs, but they earned it. Conversely, the only thing Diamond Dave ever invented was a new way to screw people who actually work for a living. Dave and the twenty Business majors underneath him are locusts-parasites that seek shelter in large well-established tech organizations that other people built where they can set up shop and begin the slow drain.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

I agree. This is happening in large corporations like Honeywell, nationwide. Our country is being raped and pillaged by these greedy CEOs. Make that be our one bonding cry. "BUY AMERICAN!" and support your country, your family, your neighbors, your friends. ENOUGH! We have power in numbers.

Thursday, January 7, 2010

I second that on BUYING American, and I have been trying as much as possible. You can find American made jeans, shoes etc. if you search the web.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

We NEED to buy ONLY American across the board.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Just to add to the person who wrote they were handing in their notice first day back in January. Well done! I too left over a year ago and have looked back with no regrets as my life has changed dramatically for the good. I guess this is a message to all the put down, bullied and undervalued employees, that there is life outside this badly-run company. Instead of writing how pissed off you all are, take some action, put yourself out there and move out. The only way of bringing the CEO and the over-paid management to their knees is to ship out and leave them to drown in the shit pool they have created. Maybe there is a form of justice after all. To quote another infamous kill-or-be-killed company, 'Don't think, just do it'

Read this article - tell us how many signs relate to Honeywell:

15 Signs Your Workplace is Dysfunctional

Saturday, January 2, 2010 Re: "Aren't some of these CEO's guilty of treason or at the very least a treasonous act?":

It certainly seems that way. I would love it if just once someone would bring charges against one of these traitors so the damage they've done to the country where they claim "citizenship" would get some publicity. At minimum it might put in place some standards of conduct and shove a wrench into this "anything-goes" behavior that's deemed permissible under the banner of globalization.

If India or China are good enough places to send US jobs, then they should also be good enough places for Cote to go live.