There were cheers and some tears at a Broomfield party of about 30 workers laid off from Sun Microsystems on Thursday afternoon.
They were among the 122 Colorado workers displaced from their jobs at Sun’s Broomfield and Louisville campuses, according to the Colorado Department of Labor. Sun now employs about 4,500 in the state.
Those at the restaurant – from the marketing, legal and finance departments – sipped martinis, Bloody Marys and beer on the outdoor patio at Bloom at the Village at FlatIron Crossing.
“We’re scared; we’re shocked,” said a woman who declined to give her name but said she worked at Sun’s Louisville campus – formerly StorageTek. “But it’s a strong group of people, and the job market is so much stronger than it was when I came to StorageTek.”
Sun made 50 cuts at the Broomfield campus and 72 at the Louisville, or Storage Tek, campus, according to notices it was required to file with the state, said labor department spokesman Bill Thoennes.
Sun officials declined to say how many in Colorado or across Sun’s global workforce of 37,500 were part of the layoff.
Company spokeswoman Stephanie Hess said Thursday the cuts marked the first in a series of deadlines, or “action dates,” for managers to inform employees of staff reductions. At the end of May, the company announced job cuts of up to 5,000 over the next six months, or up to 13 percent of its workforce.
As more colleagues arrived at Bloom throughout the early afternoon, there were hugs and hoots to welcome them.
“Today, it’s pretty lousy. It’s sad, because these are people I worked with for the last few years,” said Pamela Rose, adding that she still has her marketing job at Sun’s Louisville campus.
Sun acquired the data-storage maker last June for $4.1 billion.
“For those of us who are still there, it’s an opportunity to move the organization forward,” Rose said.
Thursday’s cuts fell far below expectations of 500 to 800 jobs reported Wednesday. But sources at Sun said other “action dates” may occur in July and August.
“This is just the first round,” said a colleague. “Engineering (workers) will be after the July break. We don’t know the total impact yet.”
Those who were told they would receive severance packages declined to give their names, worried that the company might rescind its offer.
The displaced workers remain on the payroll for the next 60 days of pay. When that period expires, they will receive four weeks of severance pay, in addition to two weeks of pay for each year worked, up to 12 weeks.
Workers from StorageTek will have their years at the company applied to years at Sun, they said.
“Sun is being very kind on the exit package. It takes care of its employees on the way out,” said a former employee in a pinstripe suit, declining to be named. “This is bittersweet.”
Whenever a company lays off workers, it’s tough on everyone, said Don Dunshee, executive director of the Broomfield Economic Development Corp.
“It’s hard to be up on the radar screen. If you’re the airplane moving around, you hope the missile doesn’t get you,” Dunshee said. “(You might tell yourself) I’d better not go out to dinner, I’d better not think about going away for the Fourth of July weekend.”
Staff writer Kimberly S. Johnson can be reached at 303-820-1088 or kjohnson@denverpost.com.
Staff writer Beth Potter can be reached at 303-820-1503 or bpotter@denverpost.com.
