Karma, you’re a beeyatch.

Yep, I said it.

Remember yesterday how I said this?

I think in general the whole economic situation and recession is starting to effect moods.  Some aren’t able to get jobs after being laid off, people are losing their houses, families are stuck living with other family members, etc.  I know not everyone is hurting, and I am so very thankful to not have to be concerned right now… but, it’s getting to a point where enough is enough.  I think we’ve hit rock bottom, and hopefully we’re on our way back up again – or at least sometime in 2009.

Yep.

Pretty much sums thaaaaaaaaaaat up.

This part riiiiiiiiiiight, here:  “I know not everyone is hurting, and I am so very thankful to not have to be concerned right now… ”

Ring ring ring, my dad was calling my work phone – nothing out of the ordinary, he usually calls every few days while at work just to say hi. 

“Hi Daddio!”
“Hi Baby! How’s my girl?”
“Ohh good, you know.  How’s work?”
“Oh, it’s okay.  Slow.”
“Yeah, not surprising – that’s kind of nice though for a break.”
“Yeah.  Well, *T pulled me aside today, his head was hanging low.”
“Oh yeah?”
“He told me they have to lay 6 off.”
“Oh really?  Well… I guess.”
“Yeah, 6… 4 apprentices and 2 from the shop.”
**Insert heart sinking here**
“Oh geez.”
“And Chris is one of them, and *M the guy who was hired right before him.”
“Well, you know… we’ve been kind of preparing for it.  It’s not a huge surprise I guess.”
“*T walked over to me with his head hung low and said, Mark, you’re not going to like what I have to tell you right now but I have to lay 6 off.  I don’t want to lay Chris off, I’ve got guys in here that can’t count and then one of the best machinists here, and I have to lay the best guy off.  Dad responded just saying that he obviously understands and he thanked him for coming up and telling my dad before the “list” came out.”

So, that is that.  *T feels absolutely horrible that they have to lay Chris off, he is one of the best they have and they are so proud of his work… but, since the shop is in a union, they have to go by seniority and keep the doofus that doesn’t know shit, and let the guy that has the best efficiency record on 2nd shift, go.  *T even went up to HIS boss *R and said “do we really have to?”… and *R doesn’t even want to let Chris go, but if they don’t – the guy that DOES get laid off will file a greivance and then the union gets involved and yeah… it would never happen that way.

…my conversation with my dad continued:

“But it might only be for a few months and they’ll likely call him back.  Might be 1 month, might be 3, might be 6……”
“…and he might never get called back.”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that.  They like Chris and I think they will do what they can to call him back.”

So now it is out of our hands!  We can sit here and mope and sulk in the fact that he got laid off, or we can see how this has maybe opened up a new door full of new opportunities.  Who knows?  If he doesn’t get called back, maybe he’ll find a job somewhere between here and his parents house… and then maybe we’ll be able to move further up north, and I’ll still be able to commute here.  We paid off a personal loan and some things a few months ago just incase he were to get laid off.  To be honest though, we thought we were past the point of concern… but, apparently not…and that’s okay.  We can’t change it, so we will embrace what has been given to us and use it to our advantage.

Chris is just fine, I had to call him and break the news to him and he said he wasn’t surprised… and we’ll deal!  Now he’s happy as a clam… we’ll take whatever is thrown at us!  Thank goodness he has a college education and good experiences at companies… and then hopefully he will just get called back though so we don’t have to worry about job hunting again!  …but, until then…carry on!

So, in other words… life as a wife to an unemployed spouse starting next Thursday means always having a clean house, mowed yard, finished laundry, dishes done and supper waiting on the table everynight when I get home …riiiiiiiiiiiight?

HA!!

******My dad is leadman on day shift and he has been there for 23 years – they listen to him when he has ideas, he knows 95% of the machines in the shop – and he’s a hard worker.  They respect him.  My dad’s boss is N and N’s boss is *T, and T’s boss is *R (got it up there).  R is second down from the CEO of the company – and R does NOT want to let Chris go, but since it’s a Union shop, they have no choice. 

If we knew how our life was going to turn out every step we go, it wouldn’t be any fun… just roll with the punches!

Tagged as: Economy, job, laid off, lay off, tough times, unemployment