Wake up call

[mustang84]

Today, six were laid off from our firm of about 65 people. Nobody saw it coming and we were all in shock for most of the day. Our work load has been pretty full lately but six months down the road we will start slowing down very quickly since no new projects are coming in...schools, universities, and businesses are putting everything on hold. If things continue to worsen, we may have a second round of lay offs and that's what makes me nervous, because I'm young and still don't have much experience yet. The partners talked to us today in a conference and said that the lay offs are a precaution to ensure we will be profitable in 2009, even though our work load is pretty heavy right now. We'll also be cutting back on company expenses, bonuses, and may have to resort to mandatory pay cuts six months from now.

What a day.

Edited December 6, 2008 by mustang84

[Camino LS6]

Tip of the Iceberg, I'm afraid.

I very much doubt that there will be a "next season" for me in the Landscape biz.

I am somewhat at loose ends.

[A Horse With No Name]

Camino, I am very sorry to hear about what is going on with your buisiness.

Mustang 84, Hang on, it ain't gonna be pretty.

Chris

[FAPTurbo]

I've had one of my shifts cuts already, and I'm fighting to keep the others; I could be out of work come January. Unfortunately, it's a double whammy of the downturn, and a new union contract which is giving more money to those with seniority. In order to pay for the increased labour costs associated with the contract, students like me are being laid off, or losing work.

[Camino LS6]

Camino, I am very sorry to hear about what is going on with your buisiness.

Mustang 84, Hang on, it ain't gonna be pretty.

Chris

Don't worry, I tend to be resourceful.

[Sixty8panther]

Attention: As of tomorrow you do not have a job here anymore,

P.S. Merry Christmas.

Tip of the Iceberg is RIGHT!

[ocnblu]

I wish you the best, mustang. I work at a small, stand-alone Lincoln-Mercury dealership that's been around since 1948. We've already taken a 10% pay cut. I hope we can weather this and come through, because finding another job in my industry is going to be very difficult. We do have a lot of repeat customers from a sales standpoint, and our bodyshop enjoys a very good reputation, but are those facts going to be enough?

[longtooth]

Tip of the Iceberg, I'm afraid.

I very much doubt that there will be a "next season" for me in the Landscape biz.

I am somewhat at loose ends.

Do you work outdoors?

I likely had not been attuned to you having stated it on C 'n G. Have you noticed encroachment on your territory by companies using so-called day-laborers.

Back East we/I have seen an influx of 'undocumented' laborers here. In fact, one of these darlings' squashed someone last w/e using a truck from the employer he was working for.

Homicide charges after crash

By BY DANNY ADLER AND MATT COUGHLIN

Bucks County Courier Times

BENSALEM - After being refused drinks and escorted out of a Bensalem bar Saturday night, a 35-year-old illegal immigrant slammed a pickup truck into one of the bar's employees, pinning the employee against the building and killing him.

Jose Esteban Maldonado-Luzuriaga, an Ecuador native who authorities say has lived in the United States for five or six years, now faces homicide and related charges...

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113...08-1630237.html

Bensalem. PA is hard-by my old stomping grounds and is located between Philly and Trenton, NJ. About equidistant.

Having so many of these undocumented workers abroad in our Country undermines the prevailing wages in many communities. Especially in the Southern states. That's why, in addition to touting 'advantages' of being 'Right To Work' (i.e.: anti-union states), the South lured those transplant foreign-branded auto manufacturers.

[Camino LS6]

Do you work outdoors?

I likely had not been attuned to you having stated it on C 'n G. Have you noticed encroachment on your territory by companies using so-called day-laborers.

Back East we/I have seen an influx of 'undocumented' laborers here. In fact, one of these darlings' squashed someone last w/e using a truck from the employer he was working for.

Homicide charges after crash

By BY DANNY ADLER AND MATT COUGHLIN

Bucks County Courier Times

BENSALEM - After being refused drinks and escorted out of a Bensalem bar Saturday night, a 35-year-old illegal immigrant slammed a pickup truck into one of the bar's employees, pinning the employee against the building and killing him.

Jose Esteban Maldonado-Luzuriaga, an Ecuador native who authorities say has lived in the United States for five or six years, now faces homicide and related charges...

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/113...08-1630237.html

Bensalem. PA is hard-by my old stomping grounds and is located between Philly and Trenton, NJ. About equidistant.

Having so many of these undocumented workers abroad in our Country undermines the prevailing wages in many communities. Especially in the Southern states. That's why, in addition to touting 'advantages' of being 'Right To Work' (i.e.: anti-union states), the South lured those transplant foreign-branded auto manufacturers.

I do.

And, while I haven't asked anyone for a green card, most crews are now composed of Hispanics. Documented or not, they have supplanted Americans almost entirely. I'll never hire someone I can't communicate details to, since most of my work is design/install. The nuances of procedure and quality can't be communicated by pointing.

Bensalem isn't very far from me.

[longtooth]

I do.

And, while I haven't asked anyone for a green card, most crews are now composed of Hispanics. Documented or not, they have supplanted Americans almost entirely. I'll never hire someone I can't communicate details to, since most of my work is design/install. The nuances of procedure and quality can't be communicated by pointing.

Bensalem isn't very far from me.

How about that!

I see the crews down here in Northeast, MD and notice the predominance of 'latinos'/hispanics.

I wouldn't presume to tell you what course to pursue, but in the construction/masonry side of my family, in watching the activities of the trade unions out of the Philly/Trenton area I see that these guys are tracking, documenting and turning in the 'interlopers' in to ICE. The union's current motto in fighting what they're perceiving as a cancer on all labor is: Charity Begins At Home.

Should things become even more dire I think there'll be retribution on the part of legal citizen-wage earners seeking to remove the resource-draining agents from the equation.

November Job Losses just now being reported as the worst since '74. Over 533K jobs gone. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 1.3 million on the year. Bad and growing worse.

[Camino LS6]

Mine is just a tiny little business, and I like it that way.

It's personal.

[longtooth]

Mine is just a tiny little business, and I like it that way.

It's personal.

Each to his own 'LS6. Even in the belly of the beast, working for a large entity, it is one man or woman against the elements, forces of nature (especially for a Landscape-Artist) and the economy. I hope collectively, that we as one Nation, proceed on a course which reinforces the integrity and humble nature of honest labor. In the economy-at-large there is an ongoing and painful recalibration of everything we thought we knew about ourselves. I pray that we have the character to preserve the best of our Nation and not sell our souls for a quick-fix.

Best to you.

[Camino LS6]

Well said, thanks, and agreed.

These are the times...

[A Horse With No Name]

Mine is just a tiny little business, and I like it that way.

It's personal.

Having worked 5 years for a landscaping contractor like that while I was going through college, I would agree.

Mike, my old boss, was very big into quality and design...he was very talented and artistic, and a pleasure to work for, most of the time.

I actually really miss doing landscaping....right up until the time my wife wants something done in the yard.

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

Each to his own 'LS6. Even in the belly of the beast, working for a large entity, it is one man or woman against the elements, forces of nature (especially for a Landscape-Artist) and the economy. I hope collectively, that we as one Nation, proceed on a course which reinforces the integrity and humble nature of honest labor. In the economy-at-large there is an ongoing and painful recalibration of everything we thought we knew about ourselves. I pray that we have the character to preserve the best of our Nation and not sell our souls for a quick-fix.

Best to you.

Very well said/written.

Anybody else here seem to notice that Cheers and Gears seems to be getting better and better? The quality of the posts seems to be way up from everyone.

Chris

[Croc]

Today, six were laid off from our firm of about 65 people. Nobody saw it coming and we were all in shock for most of the day. Our work load has been pretty full lately but six months down the road we will start slowing down very quickly since no new projects are coming in...schools, universities, and businesses are putting everything on hold. If things continue to worsen, we may have a second round of lay offs and that's what makes me nervous, because I'm young and still don't have much experience yet. The partners talked to us today in a conference and said that the lay offs are a precaution to ensure we will be profitable in 2009, even though our work load is pretty heavy right now. We'll also be cutting back on company expenses, bonuses, and may have to resort to mandatory pay cuts six months from now.

It's amazing how fast things have gone downhill. The first quarter of this year was our most profitable quarter in our 29 year history. I feel really bad for one of my co-workers that was let go, because she started only three months ago, moved here from Oregon, and is locked into a year long lease.

What a day.

Your work load is heavy, but layoffs occurred preemptively (or so you were told)? You were told pay cuts may be next, and you know your workload will drop precipitously?

If I were you, I'd start shopping my resume around to more financially-stable firms. Good luck.

[daves87rs]

Your work load is heavy, but layoffs occurred preemptively (or so you were told)? You were told pay cuts may be next, and you know your workload will drop precipitously?

If I were you, I'd start shopping my resume around to more financially-stable firms. Good luck.

Not many of those around at the moment....everyone is hurting..

[trinacriabob]

Today, six were laid off from our firm of about 65 people. Nobody saw it coming and we were all in shock for most of the day. Our work load has been pretty full lately but six months down the road we will start slowing down very quickly since no new projects are coming in...schools, universities, and businesses are putting everything on hold. If things continue to worsen, we may have a second round of lay offs and that's what makes me nervous, because I'm young and still don't have much experience yet. The partners talked to us today in a conference and said that the lay offs are a precaution to ensure we will be profitable in 2009, even though our work load is pretty heavy right now. We'll also be cutting back on company expenses, bonuses, and may have to resort to mandatory pay cuts six months from now.

What a day.

Sorry to hear that. I don't know you, but my read is that you're conscientious and a good employee. There are so many weird people in the field and both you and reg know how much I can't stand those types, that you probably are valued more highly than them. Also, keep in mind that, in the earlier years, as you know, they don't pay interns high dollars so, if you crank out the work, you are still valuable. However, you know the "lay of the land" well and know if they were getting rid of more expensive people and/or people whose productivity was questionable. Also, you probably have a feel for how the general geographic area is doing and what's going on with other firms. Weigh all this stuff.

My sense is that the economy will turn by the end of the third quarter. There's going to be a lot fo pent-up demand for everything IMO. That's not that far away and it might get a little worse before it gets better. I hope I'm right.

[Croc]

Not many of those around at the moment....everyone is hurting..

Oh I know...but it doesn't hurt to start now in case something turns up between now and summer.