Altruism is a tried and true publicity gimmic. Point: IBM is closing a
plant in Colorado Springs, CO that presently employs about 550 people. They
announce the plant closing well in advance. Furthermore they indicate that
all laid-off employees will get two years pay, plus $25,000 re-location
expenses, plus some money for re-training. The press laps it up like a
paper-trained puppy.
Facts: IBM will offer the majority of those workers to relocate to another
division elsewhere in the country/world. After all to a company like IBM
absorbing 550 employees elsewhere is no problem. However, if the offer is
turned down and the employee chooses not to move IBM will simply hand them
two weeks severence pay and say, "Adios amigo."
In the papers, the "people" read about how good IBM is to their
shortly-to-be-displaced workers. Such an altruistic company. In real life
I'll be suprised if any one higher than a janitor gets such a wonderful
severence package.