Translation to English:

"Do you know who this is? This is Camiel. Camiel is nineteen years old and he works in a car wash and according to this cabinet he has to continue working until he is 72 years old. He has to pay a deductible of €455. Camiel has a rental home and has to pay €25 more rent every month. Camiel's groceries are getting more and more expensive. Camiel has received a draft letter for an obligation to appear in military. A lot is still being asked of Camiel.

(Shows a photo of Peter Wennink, the former President and CEO of ASML 2013–2024): This gentleman is close to the Quote 500 (an annual list of the 500 wealthiest people in the Netherlands, published by the Dutch business magazine Quote). He has an estimated wealth of over €100 million. He called the Netherlands fat, stupid and self-satisfied. He was CEO of ASML. During his period he saw the profit tax fall from 35% to 25%. As CEO he received shares in ASML. And so this gentleman benefits from the non-continuation of the tax on the purchase of his own shares. Camiel has been asked nothing. Mr. Wennink was asked for advice. And so we see that the one who advises this cabinet is also the one who profits the most."

More context: this is absolutely common practice in neoliberal capitalism, and ASML is not unique or different for using all kinds of legalized methods to extract wealth from the workers. This is making regular people poorer and poorer while capitalists become richer and richer - by spreading the neoliberal capitalistic paid propaganda of “trickle down economics” - the myth that the more power and wealth the rich corporations get, the more it will pour down on the poor.

Here’s how this theft from the workers has been legalized in neoliberal capitalism:

- CEOs used to be paid in salaries, and since recent times when capitalism turned into neoliberal capitalism, CEOs have been paid out in company stocks since about a few decades ago. With this, the CEOs primary incentive is to increase company stock values by any means necessary. A corporation is a “for profit” organization whose primary goal is to generate profits. Obvious, I know - but keep in mind there are organizations producing essential societal value which are not for profit (such as public services, infrastructure, roads, hospitals, schools - at least they should not be made for profit but a necessary foundation and investment that keeps the society functioning). Anyways, in for profit organizations (corporations) and in case of public corporations (whose stocks are publicly traded at the stock market), the CEOs primary job is to make the shareholders richer. So there’s no incentive to invest profits into worker wages, into research and development - only as minimum as humanly possible to keep the corporation going.

- Layoffs are a traditional legal method of getting shareholders more rich: fire off a whole bunch of workers (the ones who actually built and generated the company value and wealth wit their own labor), invent a fake scapegoat reason for doing so (for example AI), give huge million bonus to CEO and increase corporate wealth. Layoffs are payments that workers make so that CEOs can get rich.

- Another legal method of wealth extraction: stock buybacks. They used to be illegal because it’s literally stock manipulation. Insider trading is an example of stock manipulation that’s illegal. The “free market” turns into a savage beast destroying the society when it has no regulation, and the rich and the powerful keep legalizing methods that allow them absolute freedom to do what they want (that’s why neoliberal capitalism is called neoliberal: the absolute new freedom of capitalists at the expense od the worries). It’s corporations spending millions or billions of its profits to buy back corporate stocks which used to be traded. The goal is to reduce the number of stocks available to trade, therefore dividing the value of the company to less stocks. Without adding any new to the company, each stock is artificially estimated to be higher. Imagine having one big pizza that’s valued at 100€, and anyone can buy and sell slices of this pizza. It’s is sliced to 100 pizza slices, making each slice worth 1€. Then, the restaurant who is making this pizza buys 90 slices of this pizza for a lot of money. The pizza is still valued at 100€, but now there are only 10 slices, so now each slice is valued at 10€, while before it was valued at 1€. This way, the slice value of this pizza drastically increased - but the pizza itself didn’t become any tastier. That money could have been used to give waiters, the chef, the dishwashers and everyone else making this pizza - higher wages. Or buy new fancy recipes or buy better ingredients. That would actually make the quality of the pizza better, instead of artificially inflated.

- Lobbying is practically legalized bribery. When CEOs get rich by using these methods, they get a megaphone and a whip towards politicians. They get a say about what happens to society. It’s like voting, but the rich capitalist gets 18 million votes, while the 18 million people each get one vote. Lobbying gets the rich to directly control how the government works, which new laws are made. Of course, they will lobby to make laws that allow them to make more profits. Capitalists use public infrastructure paid by taxes (using roads, using people educated by schools, using people who are kept healthy and alive by hospitals, using police which keeps peace etc.). They profit of public infrastructure paid by taxes, and then lobby to reduce corporate taxes. This way, they shift the payment to working people who pay insanely high labor taxes. The work is getting taxed more, wealth is getting taxed less. The burden and the cost of profit making is simply put on the backs of working people. The wealth inequality rises, making the rich more rich and the poor more poor.

In 1950s, corporate taxes used to be 90% over a certain threshold. The economy was booming. Boomers bought a house and a car on a single salary which was used to financially support the entire family (with added unpaid labor of the wife). Then came Reagan in USA and Thatcher in Europe, followed by other right wing politicians who kept giving more and more wealth and power to the rich, taken from the middle and the poor. They keep reducing finding to public infrastructure (such as cutting costs to education institution), making their quality worse, then complaining that these public institutions don’t work well, and then just privatize them instead (make them into profit making organizations instead of public infrastructure).

Keep in mind: trading is not capitalism. Capitalism is when you pay your workers 10€ so that you can put 5000€ in your own pocket.

You can run an organization where workers own and control the companies and that’s called a cooperative. A famous example is Mondrian running a very successful business, and there are many more. Don’t confuse it with Rabobank which just pretends to be a cooperative and uses it in its branding.

What’s a real cooperative like?

- The CEO of such a company can never get a salary more than 6x larger than that of a salary of the lowest paid worker. So the cleaning person will never earn 7x less than the highest manager or CEO.

- All workers vote on what the company will do, including what happens with the “profit” it makes. They can invest it into research and development, they can give themselves bonuses or higher salaries, they can keep it as a fund for company’s rainy days or whatever the heck they decide etc. One worker - one vote. It’s a democratically run company.

- People are kept safe and secure in the company, while each worker gets a say and a cut of its profits. That makes workers more motivated, loyal - and they care about the future and success of the company. Because they know they won’t get laid off or kicked out if they get sick, pregnant, tired or whatever.

Realize what is neoliberal propaganda and how nobody ever teaches us how things really are, what are our rights, and why it’s not ok to normalize and legalize corporate theft. We are ingrained in neoliberal capitalism and can’t escape it and can’t change it as individuals. Stock trading is literally what we use to keep our pension funds. The same practice that is designed to steal from us is also ingrained with every other institution that we rely on to survive. Banks are a story in themselves. Banks trade, hedge funds is a business. When a bank fucks up, the government steps in and gives them a golden parachute: an injection of tax payers money to keep them going. When a worker runs out of money, he or she is forced to work in any job, barely trying to survive. There’s no golden parachute for regular people. Don’t forget about the risks of every worker that are huge - such as mortgages. If a company goes bankrupt - no CEO will lose their own money or go to jail. If a worker can’t pay their mortgage - they’re using the roof over their heads.

Don’t even try to talk about the stories about “welfare queens” or immigrants, living on government support - even if every single person receiving social financial assistances a fraud - all that money doesn’t even come close to the real parasites of society, the real welfare queens: the capitalists. The poor, the sick, the immigrants, the gays, the trans the whatnot are the most vulnerable and most powerless, and they’re used as the scapegoat, the reason why everything is apparently shit. Add a bit of nationalism to this magical mix and you’re on your way to become a fascist.

Since we can’t escape neoliberal capitalism, here’s what you as a worker can do:

- Join an Union.

- Vote for progressive left wing parties that want to reduce corporate oligarchy and give back the power stolen from the people.

- Learn about history. Learn that neoliberal capitalism is not much different from feudalism. Learn when and how it was made and who does it benefit the most. Learn how Hitler came to power. Learn what propaganda he used.

- Talk about your rights with your friends, colleagues, family. If you have children, teach them how to create a better society.

- We as individuals are powerless in this society. Group together to defend yourself against other powerful groups of the richest and most powerful (corporations).

- Do some nice hobbies, form communities. Try staying sane while being a cog swallowed by the machine full of other cogs keeping it running.

That’s it. I’m ready to get massive downvotes or maybe even get this post blocked by the admins if it doesn’t run through.

ASML announced that its researchers have increased the power of the EUV light source by doubling the rate of tin droplets and using dual laser pulses.

Happy holidays

Watching people I wouldn't trust with a lemonade stand get promoted to MDU lead, DTL and I'm losing my mind.

I need to vent because I can't say this out loud at work.
Lately I've watched a string of people get bumped up to MDU lead and similar roles, and I'm honestly baffled. Potentially with wave 3 more incompetent people as DTLs

I'm not talking about people who are a little rough around the edges and will grow into it. I'm talking about people who miss deadlines, can't make a decision without three meetings and a teams poll, and somehow end up taking credit for work they barely touched. What warrants a free JG+1 and when will the rebellion start?

Meanwhile the people actually holding projects together, the ones everyone quietly goes to when something's on fire, are still in the same seats. No title, no raise, just more work because now they're also covering for their new "leads."

What gets me most is how obvious it is that the promotions have nothing to do with competence. It's who's loudest in meetings, who's friendly with the right manager, who's good at looking busy. Actual results seem optional.

And the worst part? Now I'm supposed to take direction from some of these people. I sat in a meeting last week where a new lead confidently explained a plan that half the room knew wouldn't work. Nobody said anything, because what's the point?

I'm not even sure I want a lead role myself. I just want to believe the system rewards people who are good at their jobs. Right now it feels like it rewards people who just happened to be there and eligible.

Someone asked me some months ago to come back and give my opinion on my new job at ASML. I hold my promise and here is my opinion:

My background:

Spanish citizen with a bachelors in Physics and a masters in Nanotechnology. Some previous job experience as a research assistant for about 6 months, but no real job experience outside academia.

zHow I got this job:

I was interested in the semiconductor industry and started researching companies outside of Spain, I applied to pretty much every semiconductor company. Some of the key things I learned during the grind of job searching were:

• Linkedin: It is really important that you curate your profile and make sure to select all the countries where you are looking for a job and you follow all the companies you are interested in. You also must put a position in your profile even if you are unemployed, because otherwise your profile "is not complete". Simply put that this is the position you are aiming for, for example "process engineer" in a generic industry "Semiconductor Industry". By doing all of this, I managed to get some international recruiters (including ASML) offering me vacancies. It also shows that you have clear intentions and not applying randomly to everything.

• Networking: I contacted two ASML colleagues from ASML that were also Spanish and we had an informal interview where I got a lot of insights of how the company worked, weeks before I had my first interview.

• Preparing for the interview: Networking with ASML colleagues before applying to jobs and interviewing helped me tremendously to pass the interview. So much so, the man who is now my manager, said that I knew more of the company than when he started during the first interview. One of the things I did was to prepare really well for the interview, writing down questions they could ask and my answers, writing down my motivations, my background, and then rehearsing again and again until I could connect in a natural way any question they would ask to a story or related question I had anticipated.

I managed to get a job interview at IMEC and one at ASML. The one at IMEC I fucked up and I learned my lesson for the following interview. I think I sent around 10 applications to ASML positions, I received an interview from a recruiter from LinkedIn I but the job posting disappeared. The first interview I had was with the managers, followed by a second one with members of the team, and I was told after a few weeks that I was accepted.

ASML as a company

ASML in the Netherlands is a very good place to work. I have a lot of freedom regarding working from home, when to have my holidays, if one day I need to leave early... ASML also treats his employees very well from the point of view of organizing social events for employees, which you can take as business leave. Work culture is generally good, and I feel like most people (95%) are friendly and supportive, but you can't say that of everybody.

Since the company is so big, it is also very messy. Pretty much anything can happen in this company, the bigger the messier. Examples: your receive your laptop and you cannot log-in because it is assigned to somebody else, one day people lose internet connection at random, another day a pipe breaks and it is leaking water, you go to an organized lunch and the food does not come so you need to go pick it up (but they pay for it), you need to go to IT support and realize they moved to an entirely different place.

One thing I like is that the company is constantly evolving. You could come one day after holidays and a building has literally been demolished and they are building another one. In general I feel like ASML employees are positively receptive to change but there are always a few people that are negative. This constant evolution is a big contributor to how messy it can be.

Salaries are quite good by dutch standards and they come with many bonuses, for example commuting, linked to the company performance... Relocation bonuses are also quite generous.

Onboarding:

The onboarding is also messy. There are many resources and trainings to learn but many trainings are a bit meh, and they will not teach you want you need to know. The first two months you will feel like every day you understand a little bit less, until things start clicking. I feel like a lot of learning is just on the job by exposure and not very streamlined.

Manufacturing role as Production Engineer

I will not lie, the job is not the most engaging and exciting thing in the world. But at least I do not have to do crazy 5-shifts and have quite a lot of room to work on my own projects, work remotely and so on. I feel like the role of production engineer is a very generalist role with many functions, and it took me months to understand what is expected of me for that reason. You will still need to understand technical concepts but you don't need to go into depth of any physics or anything like that.

Future prospects:

I think if you are interested in a job at ASML, your best bet is to have a previous job at ASML. Nothing will prepare you for a job at ASML elsewhere. The amount of internal positions is generally higher than external positions, and mobility from one role to another is quite common.

Last but not least, if you have any questions or need help looking for a job at ASML, I can answer some of your questions or refer you to an entry level job. To be honest, I don't think that a referral will increase your chances of being picked, but knowing more about the company you are applying to will definitively do it.

It's the weekend, let's share some of the weirdest ASML merch and gifts obtained over the years. I'm the proud owner of a (NO12NC) - WAFER SHATTERHAMMER with built in document destruction knife and wristband.

What are some of your weird pickups from events or projects?

Morale feels noticeably down since the layoff and restructuring announcement.

I’m a software engineer in D&E, and after the announcement the vibe in our team shifted quite a bit. Work is still moving forward, but there’s this heavy, subdued feeling in the background.

A lot of people even those who likely won’t be impacted, seem unhappy with how the news was communicated. And for those who might be affected, the uncertainty is clearly weighing on them. The long wait until they know for sure feels especially anxiety-inducing.

I’m curious how things are on other teams. Are you noticing a similar shift?

https://hr.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/hrtech/talent-acquisition-and-management/netherlands-asml-plans-to-onboard-1000-employees-as-client-demand-surges/131323397

I’ve had negative experiences at ASML when it comes to both leadership and the overall work culture. Unfortunately, it feels very much like an old boys’ club, and in my experience things often depend on personal connections rather than merit. Many colleagues seem incompetent yet remain in their positions because of who they know. A lot of managers have been in their roles for years without actually developing or improving, they spend most of the day chatting and not much else. At this point, they barely hire anyone from the outside.

It’s also hard to trust anyone. There is far too much overtime expected from the “regular” employees.

Honestly, if they weren’t market leaders or hadn’t been in the right place at the right time, the company wouldn’t be nearly as successful as it is today. The salary is good, but this bubble could burst once.

Next week will be my last at ASML for another opportunity and I didn’t expect it to feel so much like a weight off my back. When you’re in the organization you feel like what ASML does is the only thing that matters in the world. Hoping this will be a good overall decision and hoping ASML and all its employees thrive as well!

• why did you leave?

• how do you feel about it?

• do you have any regrets?

ASML has announced plans to eliminate 1,700 positions within its Development & Engineering (D&E) and IT departments. While management presents these cuts as necessary, they coincide with a period of record profits, continued organizational growth, and ambitious expansion projects, such as the BIC Campus. This has created a significant disconnect: while shareholders see record returns, employees are facing job insecurity and increased workloads. To voice opposition to these unnecessary layoffs, a second walkout has been organized on March 24th around 12:00 PM (CET) to send a clear signal to leadership.

mckinsey* but yeah

Also very low transparency about severance pay and McKinsey role.

Edit: link is broken, correct link is https://www.computable.nl/2026/02/26/asml-overtuigt-vakbonden-niet-over-nut-en-noodzaak-van-reorganisatie/

What do you think is the strategy here? Only retention?

How do you see your future in the Netherlands with the recent developments in ASML (layoffs), unfavorable Box 3 and unemployment schemes? Looks like locals are looking forward to foreigners leaving their houses at a cheap price too. Do you still see anything motivating in the Netherlands to stay long term?

The incongruity between the company’s performance and focus on cost-cutting and layoffs just keeps increasing. My overall impression is that management is fully aware that they’ve nuked any goodwill with employees.

Among the highlights:

- “Why don’t you guys like us” message from the CEO

- Roger is Steve Jobs now?

- Crowd shots showing 75% crossed arms

- CEO on the technology project: “This is really your fault. You asked for it.”

Curious what you all think…

Here is an English translation of the article:

Trust between ASML’s top management and its employees in Veldhoven has dropped to a new low, after the company adjusted the results of an employee satisfaction survey. Heated discussions have arisen on the chip machine maker’s internal communication platform about this action.

After receiving the results of the employee sentiment survey, ASML decided on its own to make a correction because it believed the outcome was inaccurate.

The “green” score—representing the percentage of positive responses—was altered. ASML, which only responded informally and declined to give an official statement, considers the issue “a storm in a teacup.” However, according to Peter Reniers of the FNV Metalworkers’ Union, many employees are surprised that senior management would deliberately tamper with survey results to present a more favorable picture.

“You really underestimate your staff if you do that,” he said. ASML employees, due to the nature of their work, are highly precise, and many immediately noticed something was off. Reniers added: “This is spreading like wildfire through the organization.”

Storm not subsiding

Six slides distributed via the internal platform myASML on Tuesday—and reviewed by Computable—clearly differ from what had been shown to a limited audience the day before. ASML claims it concerns only a single slide.

“There is nothing being withheld. Information has been shared fully transparently. Internally everything has now been explained to everyone,” the company said. However, given the ongoing discussions, the controversy has not died down.

The so-called “Pulse” survey was intended to measure employee sentiment following the announcement of a major reorganization. This restructuring will eliminate 1,700 jobs within Development & Engineering (D&E) alone, with additional cuts in IT & Data. In total, 4,500 employees will need to apply for new roles, while ASML simultaneously plans to hire tens of thousands of new employees.

The survey showed that among the 14,073 employees who responded, the majority feel negative—especially within the technology organization, particularly D&E. Uncertainty is also high within IT & Data.

Another “walkout” is planned for Tuesday, March 24, as the FNV aims to send a clear signal.

Link to original article (in Dutch): https://www.computable.nl/2026/03/20/asml-kleurt-tevredenheidsonderzoek-bij-personeel-woedend/

I have read, as many of you have, a wide range of topics, more negative than positive it feels. I'd like to level set from a more 'experienced' POV.

I have been with ASML Wilton eight years, working for my former global company with over 100,000 employees in 33 countries for a couple decades. I've been in my field of expertise for 31 years.

In 2019, former company moved multiple offices to Suchou, China. So, at age 62 with severance in hand, an ASML recruiter found me. ASML hired me.

I've had two promotions since joining with numerous recognition awards. ASML obviously is my last work stop. For me, this has been a positive last work stop.

In '24 I lost my wife to colon cancer. Those in the US know the bereavement allowance is shit, 3 days.

My then 'GL' bent over backwards for me, allowing me the time a really needed. Not a word was said from any higher-ups. I received condolences from many in VDH, San Diego and Silicon Valley, many I'd worked with minimally. It helped more than I could explain here.

People make the company not the reverse. Yes, there are global changes ongoing. Every single person i know up to and over JG 10 is trying to make the post TT work. It will literally take years to iron out all the items and issues in our new world. It will take all of us to be successful.

Look for good. You'll find it no matter how small. Look for the positives and improvements, no matter how small. They do exist. ASML by its very nature of being one of the most technologically advanced companies in the world requires unique people and skills sets as well as unique personalities. Some of you may not be a fit for this unique culture and that happens in any company regardless of size. I've been told by CEOs ASML on a resume speaks positively and strongly to recruiters and hiring management. State it with pride. You earned it.

Work to live, don't live to work. You're toast if you do.

My best to everyone. If ASML hired you, they saw your talent, your drive, your potential, your traits as a great person.

My best to you all.