just read from several other forums, that there was announcement of pending big layoff about more than 200 it and finance workers from conway portland. and also a sale of campus buildings there.

can anyone confirm about these news ?

It's getting outsourced to save money. I can't confirm any numbers but there was a memo posted about this. It's a newer trend to sell the office buildings then lease them back. I believe they are trying to do this with other corporate buildings also. For whatever reason though, they prefer to own the terminals. When they closed the 40 Freight terminals in November, 39 were leased.

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Job count is around 300. 200+ in IT Infrastructure (almost everyone in that area) with the rest in Financial and administrative areas. If the decision is made to move forward with outsourcing, the time frame for job loss is early 2010. Advertised reason for outsourcing is cost savings however only vague and highly subjective measurements have been provided to date. The perception is that the cost savings is a smoke screen for some other corporate objective.

You were right to call it a smoke screen. Comes as a big big surprise to everyone here. Frt is up and things looked like it was turning around. We have plenty of cash so don't know what really is going on. Just not fair to all of the employees here, company quit contributing to pension and 401k while ago and cut our wages, now this. Not a lot of jobs around here.

Well looks like 1st of March and maybe sooner for a lot of people. But know now it will start Jan 1st and end March 1st. Around 400 people will be gone. 3 vendors are proposed. Ibm, Hp (formly Eds) and WhiPro in India... Don't know who they will go with yet.. but most of us got our letters today. Least they are giving us lots of notice and not just clean out your desk and go...I think the company is wrong to outsource, think it will cost way more then they think, but am glad that they are trying to do the right thing by the employees. But it could be more. Cobra will be almost impossible to pay for on unemployment... and no dental. So guess the old choppers better hold up or else.

From what I'm hearing from folks in IT, there is growing suspicion that the outsourcing effort is most likely part of a bigger scheme. The announcement that outsourcing was being seriously considered is in itself an indicator that the decision has already been made. This is because existing people will now be taking the first opportunity to leave the company on their own terms. In other words, Con-way has decided that their Infrastructure people are a liability that the company can do without - one way or the other. I'm told that the stay pay package is okay but not enough to offset the security of finding another job for most people. If the company moves forward with outsourcing, I'm told that the effort will require a huge change in how business units receive IT services because the result of the outsourcing effort will be replacement of the entire IT Infrastructure organization with an external provider. At some level Con-way has decided that the business risk associated with outsourcing their existing IT people is justified by cost savings. Okay, but usually when a company embarks on a high risk exercise there is an extreme amount of attention to detail to promote a successful outcome. Surprisingly, it sounds like this isn't happening at Con-way. There is instead a push to move forward as quickly as possible. I'm just an outsider looking in, but to me the unexpected announcement coupled with the push for speed implies that the outsourcing effort is likely a short term strategic move being done to support a longer term objective. In other words, the long term success of the outsourcing effort isn't important because there is an expectation that it is a short term strategy. It is not difficult to speculate on what long term objective would warrant sudden and deliberate dismantling of a long standing IT organization and introduction of the associated long term business risks.

The sell of the building have been canceled. Due to the primary reason no one was interrested in paying top dollar in this economy. The rush to outsourcing is now on us and you are correct, not much attention to the details. I suspect that there will be not the little bumps but huge roadblocks on the way. However, I believe that the powers that be have already decided to outsource, come what may. I do not believe that this company will be in the trucking business for very long, probably just the menlo worldwide logistics will be around. There is still the little problem of paying the 250 mil for the purchase of CFI and that is due sometime next year. But not to worry, I am sure that all of the upper people have cashed in on the stock options when our stock was in the 40's. For you of those out in the field, good luck on your customer service and help with pulling your frt bills.