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Antiwork

How it used to be, even as recently as 1986…

My dad held exactly two jobs as an adult. He served 22 years in the military and then another 40+ years at IBM. In the mid-70s, my dad hurt his back while on vacation and pinched a nerve, which required surgery. He was off work for a year and a half. IBM kept him on at full salary the entire time. When he came back, he couldn't do his old job because he lost dexterity in one of his hands because of the surgery. IBM out him at a lesser job, but kept him at his usual higher pay. In 1986, my oldest brother died from cancer. He was 28 and since my dad was an atomic vet, he felt responsible. He started drinking heavily and started missing work. IBM knew what was going on and cut him major slack. Instead of firing my dad, which is what would happen…


My dad held exactly two jobs as an adult. He served 22 years in the military and then another 40+ years at IBM.
In the mid-70s, my dad hurt his back while on vacation and pinched a nerve, which required surgery. He was off work for a year and a half. IBM kept him on at full salary the entire time.
When he came back, he couldn't do his old job because he lost dexterity in one of his hands because of the surgery. IBM out him at a lesser job, but kept him at his usual higher pay.
In 1986, my oldest brother died from cancer. He was 28 and since my dad was an atomic vet, he felt responsible. He started drinking heavily and started missing work.
IBM knew what was going on and cut him major slack. Instead of firing my dad, which is what would happen today, they offered him an early, but full, retirement complete with benefits. My dad accepted it and within a year got his shit together again.
Oh, and when my brother died, IBM sent the biggest funeral flower arrangement I'd ever seen in my life. This thing was easily five feet tall.
When Daddy died in 2001, IBM corporate sent nothing, but so many of his former coworkers showed up for his viewing, it was standing room only.
Also, when I was a kid, IBM held a huge Christmas party every single year for the kids if the employees and every single kid got a gift from Santa Claus. Then, they'd host an adults only Christmas party that was apparently memorable every year.

Could you imagine anything like this happening nowadays?

Not me…

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