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.

[Janet]

I think just about everyone I know has been affected in one way or another. I guess we should all be remembering what's inportant.

[gja1000]

I know you said it is a metal stamp business - what kind of product does the company produce?

[lynne b]

Originally Posted by gja1000

I know you said it is a metal stamp business - what kind of product does the company produce?

we do produce some automotive products (GM,Ford,Delphi) and with the shape they are in we do still have orders going out. We also produce Square D products which are electrical componets, and some for appliances, we also have some that are for overseas but i can't remember what all we do. We do some Black & Decker. Fortunatley we are not totally dependent on the automotive industry

[DianaB]

Lynne, I'm so sorry to hear about problems at your work. I hate to hear that any of our 4WT family is affected by all the stuff with the ecomony. I'll be praying for you and your situation.

[judy]

Oh Lynne,

Good luck with that forklift. I am so sorry that you are in this position.

[lynne b]

there's a friend of mine that live's just down the road, he works where i work, well he called me just alittle while ago and said he got a call saying he was laid off instead of returning to work as planned on Mon. he said they checked the orders for the rest of Feb & March and things didn't look any better. Not sure how many got laid off today but am worried what i will be walking into on Mon. I am suppose to drive the forktruck but there is also another forktruck driver in the same area (he hired in as a driver) so if they have laid off more i really don't see them needing 2 drivers. I would just as soon stay in the department i was in last week or go to the assembly building, just as long as i have a job i will do whatever i'm told. My friend said that work told him they didn't think any of the one's that were laid off at X-mas would get called back and probably not all that got laid off last Friday. I am getting worried here.

[DianaB]

I'm so sorry about things at work. I wish that things were better. I'll keep praying.

[gja1000]

These sure are stressful times!!! I'm so sorry

[Janet]

Lynne, you know you're always in my prayers and close to my heart. I hope you'll be able to keep your job and that these layoffs won't affect you. It's getting tough for everyone. I guess it's time for all of us to start cutting out the things we don't need and be happy with what we've got. It's getting so scary.