Employees affected by the action confirmed they were told by
managers that their employment with Endicott Interconnect was
terminated, but refused to talk on the record about the action or
how the firing was initiated.
James J. McNamara Jr., Endicott Interconnect chief executive,
said he was unable to respond to reports that a wave of firings had
hit the plant as early as a week ago and would continue through next
week.
Lee Conrad, spokesman for Alliance@IBM in Endicott, said he is
aware of several firings at the plant over the past several days.
The employees, he said, were being told they were fired for cause.
According to his estimates, about 60 people were let go this week,
with more expected next week.
"People are outraged," Conrad said, adding that the move by
Endicott Interconnect managers was aimed at both veteran and new
employees.
The firings occurred within the engineering ranks and other
technical disciplines, he said.
Conrad has been a longtime union organizer and was distributing
union material outside the plant Thursday in an attempt to sign up
more Endicott Interconnect employees.
In an unrelated move, Endicott Interconnect on Thursday announced
Michael F. Arp has joined the company as chief financial officer. He
replaces Tom Davis, who will remain in the company as vice president
of strategic initiatives.
Arp was most recently vice president of finance for NFI
Interactive, a privately owned transportation and logistics company,
according to a memo distributed Thursday to Endicott Interconnect
employees.
Endicott Interconnect is the successor to IBM Microelectronics.
Local investors bought the business and the 4-million-square-foot
plant in 2002 for about $65 million. They continued the company's
core business of electronic assembly, but are in the midst of
carrying out a plan to diversify its business base. The company
employs about 1,800 people in Endicott.
