Live data from Hacker News

Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

wsj.com

261–270 of 498 posts

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#261

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prime Air is not shut down, we're working on it and expanding. Can't post too many details, but we are actively delivering to customers in test markets today. A publically released video from a few months ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bDyeUiWL3M&ab_channel=amazo... Source: I'm an SDE at Prime Air.

[flagged]

Yes, I totally agree. The whisper quiet vans driving safely and unhurriedly up and down the street where my kids play are a much better solution. I hope that your plans to legislate the status quo into permanence are successful.

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#262

Here’s a thought that has been percolating in my mind for a bit since these “market adjustments” began a month or two back. Somehow at some point, in what perhaps could be blamed on the ever-hated mass produced MBAs - companies got really comfortable with the “it’s not personal, it’s just good business” of letting go of their employees for a slightest reason, or sometimes for no reason at all - just to make it look t…

I hate to break this to you, but the decline of company-employee loyalty started 40 years ago, and even before that it only existed as a result of unprecedented post-war prosperity and lack of global competition. This doesn't mean that it's all downside for employees though. Amazon grew a huge business and paid their corporate employees top of market with huge upside over the last 20 years due to their phenomenal gro…

> they still have a P&L like any other company

Amazon's quarterly reports have all been good so far (Q3 2022 is the latest). Sales are up 15% YoY, and they are profitable.

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#263

Here’s a thought that has been percolating in my mind for a bit since these “market adjustments” began a month or two back. Somehow at some point, in what perhaps could be blamed on the ever-hated mass produced MBAs - companies got really comfortable with the “it’s not personal, it’s just good business” of letting go of their employees for a slightest reason, or sometimes for no reason at all - just to make it look t…

Software unions are starting to seem inevitable.

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#264
post #239

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> They were compensated toward the top of market (considering all tech companies) while they were employed. Yea but no. This isn’t about Amazon, it’s about business culture writ large. Also not everyone at Amazon is a software engineer, and therefore it paid crazy amounts. > When some “quiet quits” it’s usually their peers who pay the price because the absentee coworker isn’t get their part of the team project done Q…

> If a factory had people quit and expected everyone else work extra hours Extra hours to cover is fairly common in factory work. What differentiated it in my experience is there was a union to ensure people were adequately compensated for overtime.

And that means that companies are incentivised to hire adequately. Whereas companies see no immediate (and attributable, this is important) problems when exempt employees are pushed to work overtime.

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#265
post #208

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When the fed commits to hiking rates to slow the economy, it almost always leads to recession. You'd have to be a hyper optimist to not plan for a recession, as an individual, or a business. https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/29/federal-reserve-rec...

They have very little credibility currently because of past miscues beginning in 2018. The fed has to talk tough because if they were to say “we probably aren’t going to hike much more” markets would likely rebound, easing liquidity and making their job of reducing inflation harder if not impossible. The problem is that it seems the bond market sees through this and isn’t buying the tough talk. I think most people be…

Going from zero to 4% is a lot harder that going from 8% to 4%

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#266

Here’s a thought that has been percolating in my mind for a bit since these “market adjustments” began a month or two back. Somehow at some point, in what perhaps could be blamed on the ever-hated mass produced MBAs - companies got really comfortable with the “it’s not personal, it’s just good business” of letting go of their employees for a slightest reason, or sometimes for no reason at all - just to make it look t…

I have no opinion on the MBA bit, but I think you're spot on about people starting to treat companies the way the companies are treating them. ~10 years ago, when I got my first job, I was in the minority, pretty much the only person cynical about big companies' claims how "people are our most important resource", how important is the company "culture" and all of that corporate kumbaya. And, at that point, the vast m…

[dead]

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#267

Here’s a thought that has been percolating in my mind for a bit since these “market adjustments” began a month or two back. Somehow at some point, in what perhaps could be blamed on the ever-hated mass produced MBAs - companies got really comfortable with the “it’s not personal, it’s just good business” of letting go of their employees for a slightest reason, or sometimes for no reason at all - just to make it look t…

I have no opinion on the MBA bit, but I think you're spot on about people starting to treat companies the way the companies are treating them. ~10 years ago, when I got my first job, I was in the minority, pretty much the only person cynical about big companies' claims how "people are our most important resource", how important is the company "culture" and all of that corporate kumbaya. And, at that point, the vast m…

eh what? even 15 years ago it was common knowledge to just jump around every few years to advance your career. maybe it wasn't all out "f* these guys" but we definitely had no illusions about employer "loyalty" lol.

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#268
post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most workers at large companies are seen as fungible cogs. Even the engineers. What you describe feels, unfortunately, like an antiquated idea from the 1900s. I think we need more unions, more automation, and more social security. We are racing towards a future where there simply won’t be enough “jobs” for everyone and the companies sure as heck aren’t going to look out. Companies have no soul and the humans that run…

I disagree. What you describe is Western Europe with depressed wages and less innovation and dynamic economy. You can’t regulate/unionize into prosperity.

What's "prosperity"? I feel much better off with a decent work-life balance and the assurance that I won't arbitrarily lose my job than I would with a larger number in my bank account but none of that protection.

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#269

Here’s a thought that has been percolating in my mind for a bit since these “market adjustments” began a month or two back. Somehow at some point, in what perhaps could be blamed on the ever-hated mass produced MBAs - companies got really comfortable with the “it’s not personal, it’s just good business” of letting go of their employees for a slightest reason, or sometimes for no reason at all - just to make it look t…

I have no opinion on the MBA bit, but I think you're spot on about people starting to treat companies the way the companies are treating them. ~10 years ago, when I got my first job, I was in the minority, pretty much the only person cynical about big companies' claims how "people are our most important resource", how important is the company "culture" and all of that corporate kumbaya. And, at that point, the vast m…

> People are tired of job hopping to get market pay

If nobody moved from job to job, there would be no market.

Re: Amazon to Lay Off over 17,000 Workers, More Than First Planned

#270

Here’s a thought that has been percolating in my mind for a bit since these “market adjustments” began a month or two back. Somehow at some point, in what perhaps could be blamed on the ever-hated mass produced MBAs - companies got really comfortable with the “it’s not personal, it’s just good business” of letting go of their employees for a slightest reason, or sometimes for no reason at all - just to make it look t…

Both parties should see the relationship as bi-directional and symbiotic. Sometimes you have to find a different symbiotic relationship after the one you have has run its course.

It does not need to be interpreted as adversarial where you want to get as much out of them as you can for as little effort as possible and neither should they see it as an opportunity to suck the employee dry. It only works while your goals align with the company's goals.

There should be a mutual understanding --a meeting of the minds. I give you this for that. But, yes, ultimately, the company is not your friend. HR is definitely not your fiend. You should have friends outside the company. At work you have colleagues and co-workers. It's not to say you cannot cultivate friendships at work that last beyond your time there, but don't presume it to be your source of friends.

Post reply on HN