Walter's Perspective: Motorola Should Keep Their Promise
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Shh. Don't breathe a word. Be quiet about unemployment in Illinois, about 750 workers being fired by Motorola Mobility.
Gov. Pat Quinn wants us not to talk about it, especially about the $100 million tax break he gave to Motorola in exchange for a promise not to fire employees. They lose those tax incentives now that they've broken their promise.
Never mind the promise -- business is bad, says Motorola. We have to fire employees. They'll just have to grin and bear it.
There's no grinning and bearing it for the Motorola CEO who's been fired, Sanjay Jha. No bearing it that is, just grinning.
Jha was paid $13 million in 2010, $47 million last year, and has left the company with a $64 million golden parachute.
Get that money back, Motorola, and you won't have to fire 750 employees.
For a year, at least, you can keep your promise not to fire your employees, in which case you won't need us to be quiet.