Not pleasant.
The company I work for had its own version of
Black Friday yesterday. There was a lay-off.
Thirteen of my welder colleagues and nine of the
office staff lost their jobs. The chance to be re-called,
slim at best.
Business projection for the first half of 2008 is dismal.
We're busy now, as we always are at the end of the year,
trying to finish orders before we close for the holiday.
Those of us still employed are being told to work as much
overtime as possible to get the work done since we are now
short-handed. Dickheads.
What was the point of letting people go now? I'll tell you...
We shut down every year from Christmas Eve through
New Year's Day. We get paid for those days. This year it
is seven paid days. The twenty-two people who lost their
jobs will not get paid for that time.
For those who participate in the 401k plan, they must be
employed on December 31 in order to receive the company
once a year match contribution. More money saved for the
big guys.
The remaining employees are being encouraged to cancel any
vacation time they have scheduled for this month so they can
be here to work overtime. The company will allow those vacation
days to roll over to next year, as long as they are used in the first
quarter. When we will not have much work available.
One lady who got the ax was the only source of income and health
insurance in her household. Her husband is dying of cancer.
One of the men... his wife is expecting their first child.
Before Christmas.
Several others are attending college, using the company's tuition
reimbursement program.
Several of the laid-off office staff have fifteen to twenty-five years
of seniority. All of the laid-off office staff got a severance package.
The welders got their accrued vacation time. Not quite two weeks.
The maximum unemployment payment in Florida is $275 per week.
Before taxes.
Our annual raise is paid in the beginning of February.
Another lay-off before then would not be a surprise.
I have a little more than twelve years seniority with this company.
There are only eleven people bellow me.
But, I survived for over three years being third from the bottom.
Still, I think I'll wait a while before I start looking for a new(er) car.
I have no car payment now.
Tears were shed as we said good-bye to our colleagues Friday.
Sad for them. More than a little fear for ourselves.
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14 comments:
We had a Black Thursday at my job a few months ago, as well, and it was heart-breaking for us to see our friends and co-workers herded out like diseased cattle, with a security escort, should one of them decide to “go postal.”
It was insulting to them, and scary to those of us who sat at our desks while this pendulum swung, and sent friend after friend of ours outta there, carrying the gratuitous cardboard box of personal effects.
While we both know peeps who are now enduring similar hardships as a result, my company had the decency to not do this during the holiday season. I can’t think of a more Scroogelike F.U. gesture to send to loyal, hard-working individuals.
I hope they all find better work, soon.
We had a Black Wednesday.
Jean, I'm so sorry for your friends and hopefully they'll find new jobs quickly.
*sigh*
'Tis the season, huh?
I've spent a lot of internal and external time lamenting and screaming and making gestures about How People Are now. We've had no layoffs, there's only three of us in the office but VW put in her notice after having been driven to paranoia and ulcers by the new boss. I can't understand how management can expect people to be loyal, to trust and to do their best work when they know in their heart of hearts that the chances of them keeping the same job until retirement is slim to nil?
I'm sorry, Jean. I'm glad it wasn't you. *s*
Jobs suck!
People are enslaved by chains of credit which force them to sacrifice the best twenty years of their lives to a job (or jobs) that have no loyalty to them...
What a rotten thing to do at this time of year. Heartless bastards.
Worse than heartless....They're Bean Counters
This may get me smacked in the head, but here goes.
Having been on the other side of that equation, I can tell you that very often it is not intentional cruelty, but a matter of survival so that the company can continue to employ those who weren't laid off. Granted, the timing sucks, but I can tell you also that I've had employees who have left me at critical junctures because it's what was best for them and their family, as it should be. It sucks for everyone, but employees have to look out for their best interests, and employers have to look out for the best interests of their company and shareholders.
It may very well be that bosses are schmucks, but it may also be that you don't know all the reasons for why they have to do what they are doing. I'm not saying that there aren't stupid, selfish and cruel bosses out there; I'm just saying that even the nicest boss has to make hard decisions sometimes that employees don't understand.
As an employer, I can tell you it royally sucks when you have to lay people off, especially knowing their personal circumstances. But the survival of the company must take precedent, otherwise no one gets to keep their job.
In the meantime, I'll keep your ex-co-workers in my prayers.
I came back from vacation, two days before Thanksgiving to have my boss tell me he sold his company and the new owners don't want a flight department. The airplanes had been already leased to another company and we were without a job. I'd flown, maintained and washed my bird for 6 years. . it was like having a child move away without saying goodbye.
Even with a small severance check, enough to feed and house me through the holiday it was the worse day of my life. I can't imagine what it's like for a breadwinner of a household. . . all I had to worry about was me and Sitka the Samoyed husky.
Like Sparrow. . and others. I'll offfer up my prayers. . wish I could do more.
Ugh,
I hate that kind of thing, capitalism at its weary best, bastards.
-Corby
I'm realy not ignoring your comments, folks. I appreciate them all, as always.
Fighting a crappy cold that seems to have settled in my brain.
Forget the Kleenex...I'm going to bed with a roll of paper towels!
Nasal flooding is trying to drown me.
Thank you all.
People call me cynical. This is why.
... one thing is true - and I know that you may not believe it right now, but it is true - and that is that what goes around comes around.....
.... those jackals who did this WILL get what is coming to them one day... sooner or later, it all works out.... that karma shit is pretty much spot-on.....
Eric
Ooh, I HATE that kind of endless snottage cold, Jean. Feel better soon!
Fucking spammers.
Bummer Jean. That sorta shit sucks. Glad they left you alone though.
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