Motorola (Rock Bottom?) Claims RIM Illegally Poached Employees, Wants $50K

**hayden** · #1 09-09-2008 -

Motorola Employee Trade secret #1: "How NOT to manufacture smartphones."

Motorola Inc. the world's third- largest maker of mobile phones, claimed in a lawsuit that BlackBerry maker Research In Motion Ltd. is illegally stealing its workers in violation of an agreement between the two rivals. Since February, Research In Motion has targeted at least 40 Motorola employees who can't work at the new company without revealing trade secrets, Motorola said in a lawsuit filed Sept. 4 in state court in Cook County, Illinois.

Motorola, based in Schaumburg, Illinois, asked a judge to bar Research In Motion from using Motorola's confidential information or soliciting or hiring any Motorola employees. Motorola also seeks more than $50,000 in damages.

[Read More]

kennedy_84 · #2 09-09-2008 -

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Way to go RIM. Although not exactly ethical, it's one way to stay ahead.

morphwvutuba · #3 09-09-2008 -

By trying to steal IP from a company that's getting out of the cellular handset business???

Seriously, how many times do we have to see these pathetic has-been companies decide their best strategy is to sue? Maybe these @#$#@^% c-level executive types should quit trying to cut costs to stuff their own pockets & try doing something crazy like, I dunno, invest in improving their products. Perhaps then they wouldn't have as many problems with (self-inflicted) brain-drain and declining market share.

I'd love to see RIM just pay the GIGANTIC sum of 50K & tell them to go stuff it.

am23 · #4 09-09-2008 -

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennedy_84

HAHAHAHAHAHA. Way to go RIM. Although not exactly ethical, it's one way to stay ahead.

Assuming this is all true, stealing employees in violation of an agreement BETWEEN THE TWO COMPANIES is certainly not acceptable.

I don't think "Way to go RIM" is sending the right idea at all.

**Berryadict** · #5 09-09-2008 -

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~
What sort of info would the world's leading smart phone manufacturer want from executives having been employed by a company who's phones have been so unsuccessful?
They must've been hired for their general familiarity with the business.
I simply don't see what technical information RIM could possibly want or need from Motorola.

macallik · #6 09-09-2008 -

any little bit helps...

Jazzyl · #7 09-09-2008 -

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~well everyone is always looking for greener pastures and for those former motorola employees if going to RIM is a greener pasture to them, then let it be.

RSCStacker · #8 09-09-2008 -

But thats very little, LOL

**raton** · #9 09-09-2008 -

Give those poor people their money. C'mon RIM you're gonna make more off those kickstarts or souped up rzors you got coming out

**vince1** · #10 09-09-2008 -

Mmmm only 50k is a pity full amount if they bring any information at all to RIM. At least they can tell them what not to do.

**Jbee** · #11 09-09-2008 -

Why RIM would want Motorola secrets:

RIM Interviewer# 1: "Tell us your previous employer's deepest secret."
Moto Employee#1: "Motorola is not doing so well and needs extra money to keep from going under."
RIM: "That's no secret. Next!"

RIM Interview # 2: "Tell us a deep secret of you previous employer."
Moto Employee #2: "My company developed a crappy phone called the Razor, and now customers are going elsewhere."
RIM: "That is definately no secret. Next! Man, doesn't anyone have something we can use?!

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

lldru32 · #12 09-09-2008 -

Umm... Yeah, you got to be kidding me. RIM wants the secrets behind the RaZr and those crappy Nextel phones!? They just need money to pay off debts for the lack of sales and mass production of the RaZr.

~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~

planneau · #13 09-09-2008 -

Quote:

Originally Posted by morphwvutuba

By trying to steal IP from a company that's getting out of the cellular handset business???

Seriously, how many times do we have to see these pathetic has-been companies decide their best strategy is to sue? Maybe these @#$#@^% c-level executive types should quit trying to cut costs to stuff their own pockets & try doing something crazy like, I dunno, invest in improving their products. Perhaps then they wouldn't have as many problems with (self-inflicted) brain-drain and declining market share.

I'd love to see RIM just pay the GIGANTIC sum of 50K & tell them to go stuff it.

I Agree 100%

If you don't other companies hiring your employees, pay them the salary they deserve. Motorola is just pissed that RIM is giving those employees a better offer to leave Motorola and come to them. It's business; I would leave too if I got a better offer.

GeneKam · #14 09-09-2008 -

hah very true! moto is almost dead and their lame *** tries to bring themselves back is not going to do much what so ever! As far as i see it, unless moto comes out with like MPhone, they are OUTA HERE!!!!!!!

gixxerjoe · #15 09-09-2008 -

I feel for the former motorola employees. Having to be caught in the middle of this. They are probley people whom need to work and this type of industry is all they probley know. I fell into this type of trap before, I worked at a security company and was offered more money by one of our competitors. So I took them up on it. The downside was I signed a no-compete agreement and was eventually forced out of that industry in that area. Both company's still survived, but I am the one that ended up loosing the most. I just hope this will not happen to them. ~via BB (wap.pinstack.com)~