OT: Anyone else worried about being laid off?

[OutlandoGirl]

I work for a California school district in a job that does great work but isn't actually essential to the mission of a school district - teaching kids. Education in CA is shouldering 52% of the overall cuts the state is handing down. CA (the 8th largest economy in the world) has slipped to 50th in per pupil spending in the nation! THOUSANDS of teachers are being laid off around the state. 60 in my own district. The cuts to non-teaching positions (cutodians, cafeteria workers, secretaries, ME, etc.) won't be known in the state until closer to April 15, which is a soft deadline. And more state funding cuts are probably on the horizon.

Am I worried? You bet. My boss basically told me today "it would be silly for you NOT to be looking since we don't know what's going to happen in the future." I've been at my position 13 years.

I do have something in the works. Not sure if it's a career move I want to make, but it might be a move I have to make. If that doesn't pan out, it's gonna be tough.

Luckily, my husband's job is very secure and we don't have kids in college or anything. Just a big housepayment because we refinanced from 30 years to 15.

[Susan]

Smudge, to answer your question about length of service and job security/lack of security--it really depends on a lot of factors. In some jobs, length of service definitely enhances one's security but these days it almost seems like anything goes--places that were thought to be secure (like banking/teaching/police/fire/paramedics) are laying people off. I've seen situations where a more experienced person may be let go because it's thought that someone younger, and therefore less expensive, can do the job.

We do have laws that theoretically prohibit a company from letting someone go due to race/religion/nationality, etc., but even if that were the case it is hard to prove.

What is also scary as a side effect of all this is that in large cities like NY we've made fantastic gains in improving the quality of life on so many levels. I hope we don't see a return to the old crime levels of the 70s and 80s.

[vespapod]

they are clearing out our local Sunoco refinery right now as we speak....sad state of affairs for America and yet we lick AIG's asshole

[63falcon]

[quote="bella"]We had a spur of the moment meeting in our office Friday morning and our Practice Manager, who actually started this practice about 5+ years ago with her husband (doctor), told us she's been canned by the hospital system we became "affiliated" with a few years ago. )

Bella, am sorry for this stressful time/situation. I grew up in VA during 70's/mid 80's, and the recessions hit in waves. My neck of the woods less so than others, but still dire. Here in Cinci, what is called an economic downturn would be welcomed elsewhere-so if one is willing to do whatever (construction, retail, grocery, courier, wash dishes, etc...) its out there-but I still hear the folks who were too young to've seen recessions, or were here and didn't get one, belly aching because they just don't have the job they WANT. A frustration, to hear. I DO remember how things get back East, and other areas, and its a bugger. I will be praying that if an alternate is needed for y'all, it makes itself known, and promptly.
All the best for ya'll.

[BongoBoy]

Cheers n Yo Nutty types !

Thanks for all the support as per usual.


I may have mentioned this before but this is what I do...I thought of this as a kid and still do it.

When things get crazy, you need some perspective because of worry or panic, whatever.

(this will sound a bit nutty)

Imagine yourself as a satelitte on the ground being launched...almost like meditation, visualize yourself lifting off the ground looking down...slowly, slowly, higher and higher. Until you are seeing the earth...I think I dreamed this as a child. It's awesome when you are just falling asleep....sigh OK fine you CAN be drunk, Geeze.

You start to realize how huge and epic the world is...you are a tiny little sack of water working a little task for drum money.

Jobs don't mean so much.

I know the reality, I know you can lose things...it's horrible.

but if you have friends (ya got em here) some good music (same) and family, the chips will fall into place.

I freak out sometimes but then I just put on my J.A straw hat from MSG and think good stuff.

All good people here, we will get through this.

Hang in.

The Bongonator.

[DirtyMartini]

^ Love. ^

[TheEqualizer]

[quote="DirtyMartini"]^ Love. ^[/quote]

Waaayy.

[conroy]

After reading this article http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/1 ... 75454.html , a part of me wonders if the whole AIG explosion is really a smokescreen so the mainstream media can overlook stories like this which I think is only the tip of the iceberg about what is really going on out there.

[TOWOS]

...They DO sponsor Man Utd., though. That's A LOT of money-

[policerule]

Dear Bongonator,

You rock.

(filled my drug reference quota for today)

[Grace]

Conroy - thanks for the links. Good info.

BB - luv ya man.

[Madgrad]

[quote="policerule"]Dear Bongonator,

You rock.

(filled my drug reference quota for today)[/quote]


He does indeed, he does indeed.

[conroy]

Here's an interesting article written by disgraced former NY governor Elliot Spitzer that offers more info about what I'm becoming increasingly convinced is a parallel shadow economy that the wealthy are using to launder their money: http://www.slate.com/id/2213942

[English-lion]

(((hugs bella and all who s going through this)))

The trouble with my profession is that people get burned out! we have a shortest of workers. I've seen KFC advertize there salaries at 12 bucks an hours (because they can't keep there employee) In my job starting wage is 15 bucks an hour plus you have to have 9 months of schooling behind you (B.C. Canada anyway) .....Sooo who's going to do that just for 3 bucks more? I can upgrade myself .... be out of the workforce for 1 year and my reward? bottom of the seniority list evening shifts night shifts on call and all for a buck more an hour! not worth my time soo people get get burned out and stay longer then they should.
They have given us double the work load but not the staff to cover it ..........Residents do suffer from this

[Divemistress of the Dark]

Thanks for the links, conroy. Seriously - you should read the new Paul Krugman book - it does provide a little perspective into the massive government spending and actually printing up new money, both of which are pretty classic government responses to recession. Also, many foreign countries sometimes peg their currency to the U.S. dollar, so when it tanks, well...

My husband was wondering last night when there'd be a populist revolt. AIG hands out money and veterans are asked to cover their own battle-related injuries.

If it weren't that our mainstream media were so invested in the status quo, I guess I'd be more hopeful.