Subject Re: ORDER OF TABLE From Mervyn Bick <invalid@invalid.invald> Date Sat, 23 Mar 2019 11:56:54 +0200 Newsgroups dbase.getting-started On 2019-03-23 10:50 AM, Bruce Beacham wrote: > A fine reply! > > Something old, something new, something borrowed... > > Nothing from IBM, though! :-) Maybe nothing in there from Big Blue this time but I got my share some years ago when I was "sold" to them. The entire IT department of the Johannesburg City Council was outsourced to IBM some years ago.  It was the biggest IBM outsource contract in the world at that time. As part of the deal IBM had to take all staff right down to the tea lady and guarantee employment for three years under our existing conditions of service.  By doing this our labour laws ensured that staff had absolutely no say in the deal.  This suited me as my pension date was 28th October and the three years ended on 1st October.  Some of my younger colleagues were, however, most unhappy as the political situation made it VERY difficult for white males to find work. After about a year IBM made me an offer that was just that little bit too sweet to say no to and I took early retirement. Mervyn.