[voodoo1]

After a big hooray for us celebration for a record setting year, we just moved in a new company in a record amount of time with providing them with financial significant gains in their business since we started handling it,and a visit from our President of the entire Company and all of his support group, telling us we are the gem of the company and people are benchmarking themselves against us, Miles of fiber optic cable being ran for the new system that we are gonna just love soon, we were told today after all that four months ago, we a losing our jobs in 2009. They are not quite sure where they are moving to and won't know exactly until Oct of this year(by the way is 60 day notice away for our Union guidelines) blah blah...but are considering the local area and also Tennessee(Memphis). fifteen dumb questions from everybody I work asking the same thing, are we gonna to get to go or when are you moving and where? (all with the same reply "something we would like to offer is tranfers or maybe buyouts") I finally asked, " How is it you can tell us we are losing our jobs in 2009, and you will know buy Oct where you are moving too and expect people to buy that? He replied....that is a very good questions and a very inteligent observation...next question please.".......... Wow talk about he writing on the wall. There are ding bats I heard saying, "well they said we will get to go I quess I could move to Memphis.".(they make 1/2 our wages,no bennies to speak of and you gonna yank up roots for that? If they keep it here they would be silly to take us this time because all we would do is get there and take a vote for a Union shop.
Like it is here. So I got no job sometime soon..meantime, do what I gotta do and maybe take up stripping in the nursing homes again. Thursday night specials...can't compete against that Friday night bingo game. Two decades down the drain. Now what.
later,
Voo1

[ironhorse]

dang voodoo1 soory to here that been with a couple of outfits that have done similar( consolidated freightways ring familiar)and piss poor timeing economy wise, if ya want to change fields and stay union I can give you the ins on some. just pm me I hate to see a man out of work

[Sleepy]

sorry to hear that. I don't think they're going to stay local, the local or the parent union should be able to argue succesor rights in the new location. In a right to work state such as Tennessee this isn't likely. I'm not sure how your CA covers plant closure but that should give you an idea of what you're going to get. Your union should be looking at non penalized pensions for plant closure, severences and getting some educational allowances for re skilling the displaced members.

[Hot01]

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope your union works hard for you.

I'm so done with corporate America. I'm sure it's great for something, but I want out soooo bad. I'll be damned if I'm going to keep giving it my best and getting so little in return. The benefits just aren't worth it anymore. Job security is a joke.

Good luck.

[SPORSTERBOY]

sucks, but I know where your coming from, just went through it with a company, they went all out with the lean manufacturing, the toyota way, so we leaned ourselves out of a job, lucky for me I didn't have 20 years in the place like most. so they sold us all to another company gave us big raises and a transision bonus to work for someone else and make there stuff. worked good for me because no more good ol'boy club, only had 2 years in the place and within 6 months at the new shop became shop supervisor, became kinda ovious to the new company that I did the work twice as fast and twice as much as the 20 year vets, so sometimes it's not bad to move on, kinda my motto, go where the money is, and there is always something better, bout to give it all up agian moving back to tx, but there is more opptions and more money to make, the more jobs I do the more experience I gain for the resume. I really live the gypsy and nomad life, but tx is where I call home.

[voodoochild]

Isn't that nice, you're reward for doing a great job.... Well, I hope you find something else, being unemployed is not a good feeling. Hopefully something will come your way. My Grandmother always said when one door closes another opens, so hopefully another will open for you. Sorry to hear that. Good luck

[WildWindwalker]

Sorry to hear about the loss of your job. I lost my job about 14 years ago, they only gave us 6 weeks notice. I did odd jobs for about a year, then another company came and started a new flooring mill and I was the first employee hired. I worked there 3 years and realized I wasn't going any farther with the company and I didn't want what happened last time to happen again ( job security ) so I started my own company and have been at it for 10 years now. My biggest problem are my workers. But I refuse to hire immigrant help like other places in the area, because I created my business for me and my community not another countries. So keep your chin up, I'll be praying for you.

[SK]

Sorry to hear this voodoo, been there myself. Hewlett-Packard laid me and a thousand others off at one time in Roseville, CA 6 years ago. Laid tile for a couple of years and decided to go back to school here in Las Vegas..took a while. Hopefully you'll get some kind of severance package to tie you over. Good luck on finding something new. I find..sometimes things work out for the better in the long run..keep your chin up.

[voodoo1]

I was one of the Executive Board members that negotiated the six contracts,retirement,benefit and wages, arbitration case BWC hearings, etc for almost the entire time(was a shop steward for two years first). I decided not to run for any office last year for the first time. Kinda glad I do not have to do severences but at the same time acouple of the clowns we got in there now got no experience and no clue, they were less senior employees that never even went to a Meeting and the co-harts a largershift on Second(you all know those shift pain wars) put them in office. Within the first two months of their office-ship we had more terminations than my entire tenure.
Within the year their entire shift is ready to oust them for many reasions and some bad behavior as well as buddying up to managment instead of representing their membership.They all started asking me what was up with that and all but two that were fired, were buddies off of their shift. I told them it was the end of a real Union experienced shop and the best of luck. Time fir them to quit acting like a prom king and start doing your jobs. To no avail though. But hey something will come along gotta land on my feet ..gonna be hard for the teeny-bop son of mine to have less though.
later
Voo1

[chucktx]

sorry to hear that........
maybe think about striking out on your own. very rewarding!!! i did nearly 30 years ago...think about what you are good at, or a hobby, and turn it into a service for the public......good luck in what ever you decide!!!!

[VYBR8ER]

Had the same thing 6 years ago and lost a pretty good engineering job but was offered a chance to go to China where all of the semiconductor manufacturing jobs went from California. Was pretty depressed for 6 months when my wife said turn your hobby into a job. So now I wrench Harleys for a living at 1/3 the pay I used to get. Love my job and enjoy going to work every day because I love to see satisfied customers. Ty drawback has been when riding season comes around it is the busy season for me and I don't get 4 weeks of paid vacation any more so the trips I used to take in the summer just don't happen anymore. Come fall I get to scoot for a week before the winter specials fill my bay with engine work. But I did learn that every downturn opens up other opertunities as long as you are willing to persue something else. Sorry you are going to have to disappoint the teenager while you search for the future. There's always room for a good wrench at most of the stealers.

[skull2007]

being happy is important at your job. thats where we spend most of our life. guys like you tend to wear off on others, god knows these steelerships need some honesty infused into them. keep up the good attitude, it'll pay off

[skull2007]

Originally Posted by Hot01

I'm sorry to hear that. I hope your union works hard for you.

I'm so done with corporate America. I'm sure it's great for something, but I want out soooo bad. I'll be damned if I'm going to keep giving it my best and getting so little in return. The benefits just aren't worth it anymore. Job security is a joke.

Good luck.

amen

[voodoo1]

yeah I am either going on the Road CDL-ing for my wife's uncle or take some jobs at the shop and maybe look into opening it full time again. That is an awesome thing to something "you" fixed, accomplished, alot of knuckle busting and all. When you are done boring,broaching, etc and it runs like hell for somebody or we go to the races,drags or roundy-rounds, and see the decals from the shop on guys's cars it is cool. like ya said those weeks of vacation are gone and the summers are always the busiest. Though about the bike tinkering shop,I ride with alot of guys with cool shirts and no clue. It is kinda making me go outside my complacent ways. My wife reminded had I taken the job in Florida working for the space program after I got out of the service and utilzed my degree I would be still working. LOL..then she said but i'd be even more miserable wearing that tie all those years and having to cut my hair..LOL... if it were'nt for my teeny-bopper son, I'd sell all my stuff and ride till I ran out of gas and money, flip burgers for a paycheck and roll onto the next stop. He keeps me responsible for now. I did have enough sense to set up a trust fund so that when he graduates high school he will have enough money for college or trade school. Wow I am rambling...
Later
Voo1

[chucktx]

good luck in what ever you decide to do. it sounds llike no matter what you decide, you will rise to the top, just like cream!!!!!!!!!

[ruffrider11]

The plant I worked for sold out in California 3 years ago and I got a chance
to transfer to Texas I took it and I havent looked back Now I dont know your whole situation but dont close any doors too early. I do know how you feel I had a mortgage car payments a wife and 2 teenage boys and the stress was unbearable at times I know you will come out of this and land on your feet
what ever decision you make. I do believe in a higher power and all things happen for areason I will be praying for you Take care Keep your chin up and keep pushing forward