I find it hard to believe this wasn’t factored in already. I guess common C suite arrogance knows no geographic boudaries?
Plus the cultural differences…they likely were shocked an employee had the audacity to walk away.
This seems like the critical parts:
One big problem is that TSMC has been trying to do things the Taiwanese way, even in the U.S. In Taiwan, TSMC is known for extremely rigorous working conditions, including 12-hour work days that extend into the weekends and calling employees into work in the middle of the night for emergencies. TSMC managers in Taiwan are also known to use harsh treatment and threaten workers with being fired for relatively minor failures.
…and …
If TSMC is going to succeed with its Arizona chip-making venture, it needs to come to terms with the fact that it’s not the only game in town there. While TSMC is considered by many in Taiwan as the pinnacle of engineering jobs, other companies in Arizona are competing for that labor pool. Intel, in particular, is expanding its Arizona chip factory.
So TSMC wants to abuse workers …and there’s another local alternative employer in the exact same specialty field that won’t do that.
TSMC has been sending U.S. employees to Taiwan to observe the Taiwanese way
Why? They aren’t working in Taiwan, regardless of where the company is from. Sounds a lot more like stereotypical arrogance from upper management, and they’re getting a wakeup call that Americans won’t put up with it.
Hell, I’ve walked out of jobs because a manager thought it was OK to yell at me… Yea, fuck you, good luck finding a replacement. Also, grow the fuck up.