We got hit hard yesterday

[lynne b]

I have worked at the same place for going on 21 yrs it's a metal stamping factory. It's never been this bad before, we have had just a couple small lay offs, shut down for the weeks of holidays, 4 day work weeks but it has never been this bad before. They laid off around 35 people at Christmas time, yesterday they laid off more not sure how many, they cut out 3rd shift, cut some wages, are forcing some retierments, and even let some salary people go, we are shut down all next week and can expect more shut downs over the next few months. They said it's possible the 1st group of people may not all get called back. We only have around 300 or less people employed there its been hard to tell because they have let some go for various reasons over the past few months. We do have a facitlity in Jaurez Mexico and a heat treat facility and metal facitlity here in our town and they have been cut back to bare minimum. I have to go back to my old job driving the fork truck which means a pay raise, thing is it's in our main building and i am not sure i can do the job, i am almost 50 yrs old, i weigh less than 100 lbs, that metal gets very heavy to move or dump scrap, i have never done this job in this building only in the assembly side for many years and that was not as hard or heavy, i am afraid that if i can't do the job this time they will let me go , now the people i will be working for are great people mostly men and i have no dought they will help me but they have thier own jobs to worry about and i don't want to jepordize their job's. I am getting to old for this type of work, i just wanted to have a nice assembly job for the rest of my time there, it's been a couple of years since i have done this job and i have gotten lazy and out of shape. I am not complaining i am thankful i still have a job and a pay raise on top of it, i am just worried i can't do it anymore. Pluse i am taking care of my mom at the NH which some of you know really stress's me out. Maybe some day i will have some good news to post about on here seems all i ever have is bad news

[Marilyn]

Oh, Lynne, so sorry to hear that you are going through this. I know several people who have been laid off now. It's getting so bad. I've never seen it like this before either. People tell me that it was this bad in the mid-50's around the time I was born, so of course, I don't remember it.

We all need to pray for each other that we can all maintain our perspective and make it through this with as little negative effect as possible.

So hope the forklift job is possible for you to handle. You are in my prayers.

[Forgivenmom5]

I am so sorry you are going through this. Things have been really stressful at my job but i am trying to stick it out. At my age and with my health I don't think I could find anything else now.Lots of business here are closing. The lady at the convenience store near me told me they will be out of gas tomorrow and their shelves are almost empty. They probably will close within a week.

I hope this works out for you.

[Gina]

So many sad stories and I believe it will get worse before it gets better. It seems like there is no solution to your job. I will keep you and others in my prayers. We all need prayers in this economy.

[gja1000]

Oh Lynne, I know you don't need this right now. I"m so sorry! Just do the best you can, that's all any of us can do right now. I have such sadness for everyone going through such stressful times. Keep us posted.

[lynne b]

Thank you for the thoughts & prayers. I am one of the lucky ones as i do still have a job and can draw unemployment on the weeks they shut down it is just a shock that it has gotten this bad, we are a family oriented company and it has not been this bad since i have been there they usually have been able to work through it with little effect to us employees. I am praying for everyone else who has been effected by the economy. Thanks again.