:cry: More Layoffs

[longtimer Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close longtimer]

In my rather large community there have been numberous layoffs from companies big and small. In the last week, several hundred employees were laid off from a handful of companies. Even the teachers no longer have secure jobs, as many school districts are cutting staff and eliminating art, music, and other courses deemed of "little" value. The small company I work for (25 employees) just laid off 5 staff members and more cuts are to come. Despite this news, the local media continues to report that the economy is doing better! Maybe for politicians or well-paid executives, but not for the regular worker. On top of that, the cost of gas is skyrocketing. So those of us who are lucky enough to still have jobs are finding it harder to make ends meet.
How is the economy elsewhere across the country? And how are my TS friends coping with increasing costs?

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Sorry about your colleagues - 20% is a hard hit.
I work in a large school district on Long Island with approx 1,000 employees. 145 got pink slips for next school year, including cutting full day kindergarten down to half day, and including one member of my nursing staff. The state just reinstated $1.7 million in aid, so I hope to see some restoration of programs and/or positions.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Down here in Miami where I work we were supposed to get 35 Million in Federal Aid but the governor won't release the money so they're telling us that 25% of us will get pink slips probably by June or July. I work for a public hospital.

No one is hiring anywhere that I can see on the internet in my field and I'm in healthcare which was supposedly a recession proof career. I guess if people get laid off and have no insurance then it's not so recession proof afterall.

So NO I don't see it getting any better.

Oh and there are still a ton of foreclosures looming.

[billymach4 Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close billymach4]

The pundits said the recession is over!

[PigsDad Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PigsDad]

Around here, the private sector is starting to hire again. Not in huge numbers, but definitely an improvement.

It is kind of interesting: About three years ago (before the big banking bust), I noticed several companies implementing hiring freezes, salary freezes, etc. And then when the bust happened, we saw lots of layoffs and salary decreases. I personally was hit with an across-the-board salary cut at my company. I know of one local company that forced employees to take 1 week out of every 4 off -- effectively a 25% pay cut!

At the same time, there was a big deal here that the teacher's union was demanding pay raises (above COLA) in their negotiations w/ the school board. It was kind of hard to have sympathy for them when so many in the area were either being laid off or having their salaries cut. The teachers eventually did get a pay raise.

Now I am seeing private sector improving, and teachers being cut. To this day, the salaries in my field have not recovered to the pre-bust days. When have you ever heard of public union workers getting across-the-board pay cuts? Not too hard to connect the dots...

Kurt

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

I am also in healthcare - we r still business as usual. Yes, there is still constant budget tweaking and Medicare continues to slash the reimbursement but we chug along.
I see the hospital looking at more lucrative programs that will produce/increase revenue streams.....I work in Hospice which is NOT a money maker but is definitely a PR positive - to say the hospital offers this service - so I feel "safe" - but you just 'never know'.

As opposed to Chris, we are "private, not-for-profit" so there is a difference from "public".

Jacki - your job is safe?

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

I am also in healthcare - we r still business as usual. Yes, there is still constant budget tweaking and Medicare continues to slash the reimbursement but we chug along.
I see the hospital looking at more lucrative programs that will produce/increase revenue streams.....I work in Hospice which is NOT a money maker but is definitely a PR positive - to say the hospital offers this service - so I feel "safe" - but you just 'never know'.

As opposed to Chris, we are "private, not-for-profit" so there is a difference from "public".

Jacki - your job is safe?

Yes, so far my job is safe. I asked the asst. superintendent for HR the other day if my position (nursing supervisor) is on the chopping block and she said no. If they did eliminate the position, I am lucky I would still have a job at a school, but it would mean bumping a nurse with less seniority.

[Pat H Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pat H]

I saw that the bank from which I was laid off just announced it was laying off 1600 employees in the mortgage area.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

Around here, it depends on your industry. Some are anemic.

Certainly jobs are being cut but hiring has picked up. Construction seems to be starting again, also, which I view as a very good sign.

Healthcare and insurance both are doing a lot of hiring here.

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

For about a year, we all had a 5% pay cut. That was finally restored and we got the back pay in small chunks. On the last paycheck, I got my first pay increase since 2006. It was unexpected but very welcome as the house value decreases and the property taxes keep increasing.

The company is making plans to move across the street to a larger building. The boss must figure that he is either keeping more product in house rather than going to China, will be getting more new business or he will put less assembly build at our second site in Fort Collins CO (which is also moving to another location).

Since we are on the bottom rung of the electronic production ladder, making electrical components that will go into circuit boards or other electronic devices, we gear up before products gets to the store or gets implanted into peoples chest. We see it first in the electronic world.

And no, I am not telling my wife about the increase in my paycheck.

[M. Henley Class President Find all posts View Profile Close M. Henley]

Yesterday

Yesterday I received a call from my oldest son who is/was working for Raytheon in Huntsville, AL. Laid off that day. Of 100 in his lab group only 15 will be left by June.

[gandalf252002 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close gandalf252002]

As a Public Service employee we are not immune to the effects of the economy either. Several contracts were not renewed at the end of March which meant several less people beginning of April.

It is hard watching people who have actually been with the employer longer than you leaving, only because they were not successful in obtaining a position with an indeterminate status.

[BoardGirl Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close BoardGirl]

It is hard watching people who have actually been with the employer longer than you leaving, only because they were not successful in obtaining a position with an indeterminate status.

I have to say that this phrase really struck a cord with me. I've had the survivor's guilt before and know what you mean about watching them go, usually thru no fault of their own.

Years ago, we were 150 and had to go to 40. Every Friday, a few more. We hated Fridays, but they were decent about it, people got to come around and say good-bye. Good people kicked to the curb. It's sad.

But the very last part of what you said really resonates:

"only because they were not successful in obtaining a position with an indeterminate status"

It really comes down to that, doesn't it??? Hope you don't mind if I use that phrase.

[camachinist Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close camachinist]

Locally, city government is de-manning the code enforcement department.

In my industry, my business colleagues have been telling me it's hard to find mechanics (for industrial lift trucks) and that they have had employees quit for better deals. These are 60-80K per year jobs, pretty much the higher end of the blue collar hourly world.

Myself, business has picked up significantly in the past couple months. Still a struggle, but the work is out there. People are fixing things since money is still too tight to buy new. A lot of the stuff I fix sends products to the world's agricultural markets, so, if people are eating, there's stuff to do.

I was caregiving during easy money, so didn't get caught up in the upside down debt cycle. Divorce cost me, but I can't get laid off since I've been unemployed for about 25 years, so I just struggle on.

When I think I'm having a tough day, I remind myself what the people of Christchurch and the cities of northern Japan are going through. I've got it pretty easy.