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Technology Stocks : OVON/Optical Imaging Systems -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Susan Saline who wrote (79)	10/1/1998 2:57:00 PM
From: Jim Armstrong	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 83

Re: "It's our understanding that when the employees were furloughed, a stipulation was they remain available for two weeks in order to receive their severance pay,"Majak said. "That expires on Friday." This is just my opinion, but furloughed seems sorta different from layoff. Furlough sort of suggests to me something like "time off". At the same time, they talked about "severance pay", normally pretty permanent. If they really said that the 220 folks only get the severance pay if they are willing to remain "available" for two weeks, that's a pretty short leash and an awfully strong incentive to stay "available" (the meaning of which is undoubtedly spelled out in the severance package). Without knowing the specifics, this suggests to me that, despite all the strong finality-sounding talk, there was still a very real possibility in the termination package offeror's mind that the place might reopen in some form, and within a two-week window. As an employee, you'd have to be kinda crazy not to remain "available" for the two weeks. But if the work force were to be "reassembled", the subsequent stability of that work force would depend on a bunch of factors, some of which would be under control of the "New Business", but many of which lie solely in the hearts and souls of the employees. In my experience, once you have mentally turned the corner on a decision such as the decision to look for another job, it is not easy to return to retrace your steps and resume your former direction. My heart really goes out to the work force. It is a pretty unsettling state of affairs regardless of the outcome. Rumors are flying. I'm sticking by my radio! JimA

To: Susan Saline who wrote (79)	10/2/1998 2:53:00 PM
From: Jim Armstrong	Respond to of 83

Someone on the Yahoo thread offered a clarification - OIS provided NO stipulation that employees NOT find jobs for 2 weeks. OIS indicated that an employee's severance package would be void IF that employee was called back to work by TODAY, Friday 2Oct98. JimA

To: Susan Saline who wrote (79)	10/4/1998 2:44:00 PM
From: Chartgod	Respond to of 83

Hi Susan, has anyone ran across this? jim Oct. 02, 1998 (Electronic Engineering Times - CMP via COMTEX) -- It has become painfully clear that the plan to support the military-display supply base on top of a commercially viable business is not feasible (see Sept. 21, page 1). It is too bad, because OIS Optical Imaging Systems has always had some of the best display engineers and scientists as well as some of the most advanced display technology in the world. The solution is to face the reality that the true cost of advanced cockpit-display technology must be paid by the customer (the government). It is not fair to ask a business to assume the risk and subsidize the development of such a unique technology. When the aircraft makers needed special materials for radar-absorbing coating and lightweight composite wings, they paid for the development and the full price of the materials. For some reason, the U.S. government does not want to pay the real price for the most important electronic system in the airplane-the cockpit display. The only way to make sure that there is a steady supply of low-volume, high-cost displays is to build them in government-operated laboratory facilities, as inefficient and expensive as those may be. This approach is still used for specialized electronics that are not available on the open market and it will work for displays. It will not be inexpensive, but is the only viable solution. David E. Mentley Vice President Stanford Resources -0- Copyright 1998 CMP Media Inc.