The Official Layoff Thread!!!

[Miroslav]

Ok, I think we need one of these around here. Affected by layoffs? Want to bitch? Want sympathy? Know any good layoff jokes?

I haven't been laid off yet, but there is a non-trivial possibility that I will be soon. I'm in a Finance rotation program with my company and my three compatriots in my "class" who were at Corporate just got canned yesterday. Just me and two others at the business units remain. The only reason I am gainfully employed right now is because I was lucky enough to be placed at a business unit for my first rotation...wheee I expected this two months ago and have been saving like crazy - was going to buy Traktor Scratch Pro and all this stuff for my DJing...no more.

Anyways.
November job losses: 533,000
December job losses so far: 199,450
Total: 732,450

http://money.cnn.com/news/specials/storysupplement/joblosses/2008/

wOOt!

I'm thinking this will be a pertinent topic for many throughout 2009...

[lilsensa]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

^^Scary stuff. Just make sure no one else knows how to do your job. Do you job well, and keep how you do it to yourself. Make it so people have to come to you for help with things.

[superdave]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

I just dodged getting laid off myself. I had a few co-workers get the axe last month. I hear there are even more lay offs coming at my job if the market and economy doesn't rebound soon.

[feather]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

^^Scary stuff. Just make sure no one else knows how to do your job. Do you job well, and keep how you do it to yourself. Make it so people have to come to you for help with things.

Make yourself indispensable!

[thesightless]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

yup, i see my chopping block..... only a matter of time.

[Miroslav]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

^^Scary stuff. Just make sure no one else knows how to do your job. Do you job well, and keep how you do it to yourself. Make it so people have to come to you for help with things.

Make yourself indispensable!

Unfortunately, in this environment it just doesn't work that way. I produce quality work, bu my performance has very little impact on my fate relative to the other broader business variables out there that I can't control. As a Finance guy, I sit in the meetings with the CFO, VPs, etc. and I see the revenues, the cash, the inventory positions...and that's what drives my fate. And it's not looking good. And I know that more changes are already in the works at higher levels - I've already seen one round of layoffs at my business unit. Fact is, most people in a corporation are expendable when it comes down to it.

Like Sean, I see it coming and there isn't really much I can do - except save up as quickly as possible, update my resume, start figuring out what doors I'll try to knock on next...and just hang in there and take it one day at a time.

[feather]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

If Dhar did it, you can too

[srbbnd]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

Ya I got canned two months ago. I like to blame it on the economoy...

[tiddles]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

not laid off, but haven't seen any work in about 3 weeks. thought the company was going under, but i guess now someone is going to buy it and keep the content development people, which includes me.

[Homegrove]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

I'm off from work for the whole of December, two weeks without pay.

Thank Satan for tax returns...

Well at least I have now all the time I want to fool around with the cdjs.

[Dhar_2]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

yeah. its not looking good. 3 of my best mates are all facing redundancy!

its time to put up with that moany boss if you've got an ounze of job security!

[nsite]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

survived 6 in my dept so far over the last 2 years. wouldn't be too shocked if it happened in 09.

been laid off twice in the last 8 years.

im in graphic design.

[benda]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

I haven't been laid off but I've been encouraged to take a long (unpaid) holiday over Christmas/New Years in the hope that some new projects will start in the new year.

[Kinetic]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

I work for the Portuguese car fleet management branch of a big American multinational (think lightbulbs), I´ve survived 2 waves of massive lay-offs this year...

My boss has considered me indispensible for the company, at least to an extent that if my position is made redundant (people have thought about it...), I can perform well othin other functions here. The problem is that my boss himself is not that secure he will stay much longer...

[chunky]

Re: The Official Layoff Thread!!!

Its very worrying times for us. The company wants to lay us off for over 2 months so far 48 working days. This could yet get extended further in the future. We have a no redundancy policy at the company but I cant see that lasting. The company wants to pay us for the 2 months then we pay it back in unpaid overtime in the future. The union wants us to be paid in full with no conditions and nothing owed back to the company. But the company wont agree. So all talks have failed and The National Negotiator has been called in.

Most of my work mates have been forced to take a 17% drop in wages. We also have to take the 50 days off work which will be unpaid. Which totals up over £6000. They are also paying employees who have worked for the company less than 1 year £6000 to leave the company before Christmas.


The situation at Honda UK is worsening. The company is using the current situation to try and push through Annualized Hours. We have been laid off for 50 days without pay (They Told The Media We Would Be Paid). If we agree to the annualised hours the company will pay us while we are off work. However we will have to pay them back in overtime. But we have to agree to up to 5 months of annualised hours. The company is also not agreeing to write any hours off after a set period of time. If we agree we will have toted up 50 days by the end of March. The company will be then able to force us to work every Saturday for one year just to pay off what is owed already. Anyone who leaves the company will have to pay back what is owed in full. The company cant afford the bad publicity of not paying us. The problem for me is many of my colleagues are so scared of not getting paid for 2 months they will agree to anything. I've told many of them they would be better of getting a loan for 2 months and claiming statutory benefits. They will be taking away our liberty but my colleagues just cant see it. If they side with the company we will all be fucked big time. The ramifications of this scare the shit out of me. Even talking about this could get me the sack. The company wants to be able to accrue 5 months worth of hours and have us pay them back very aggressively. If I leave the company my pension that I have paid into for 17 years will be frozen. But I may have little choice.