O/T After 20 years...plant closing

If all else fails I think you would be able to survive building custom patio covers and back yard make overs, and you would be your own boss. Good luck!

 

We in Michigan feel your pain. The Auto Ind here is giving folks the boot by the hundreds. Many can't find work, can't sell their home, & are just screwed. Makes ya want to set fire to every Toyota on the road! With the idiot owner inside!

Like So-Kal, the Gov't here is doing little to help & we all know that the assholes in DC don't care @ all.

Good Luck! It sounds like you have a few good leads.

 

Here's a tip

The majority of the people in your plant are going to flood the job market (proximity wise) when it closes. If you seriously want to leverage the skills used in that plant in a similar job nearby, you gotta beat the surge of applicants from your plant. Start NOW.

good luck

 

Shifty that is a good point.

 

Man that sux! This is depressing. Ive been out of work since Feb. Still havent found anything! Unemployment does not offer any extensions anymore, and to make it worse I only got it for three months!!! Ive even took a few steps back looking for entry level work and STILL no luck! It seems the new trend for companies these days is to hire two people to work part time shifts vs. one person to work full time the same amount of hours to save on giving benefits!! AARRGHHH! I also hate the fact they expect you to speak spanish most places you apply in So. Cal. Oh well what can I do besides vent on a message board?? Anyway best of luck!

 

Something tells me you are going to overwhelmed with hotrod work, Mark.
And on the slow days you and Kenny and I can all ride around together and visit our friends with jobs...........!

 

Thanks I would love it!!!

 

Welcome to the club, my last day was 2 wks. ago. After 24yr. at a production welding/machine shop our main contract went overseas. The owner wanted to sell out and retire, but couldn't find a buyer so he closed it down and called the auctioneer.

 

Royal, You will be just fine. Life is timing, timing is everything. Just be glad you are not a union person working for Budweiser......(Their being bought out)

Good fortunes to you.

 

Good luck, Mark. Somebody said that prosperity is just around the corner.

 

Sorry to hear that,Royalshifter.I am/was self employed until
a month ago when the company I was distributing product
for bypassed the independent distributors and is sending
product direct to stores instead of through us.Made no
difference that we had a contract,they just blew us off.
Lawsuits are involved but the only ones that make out on
those are the lawyers.So I too am job hunting.Does not help
that I will turn 60 this week and I have been working since
age 13.Never had a job with retirement,stupid on my part.
No unemployment because of being self employed.This
is really gonna suck.Don't want to sell any toys but the asswipe
bean counters that are screwing us working stiffs may force me to.
Got the best wife in the world with a good job and benefits so I
am trying to be positive.

 

You will have to get in line behind me.

 

I have eight years of being in school, I can be ignorant and not worry about 7 dollar gas.
sorry to hear about that, Royal, things'll work out. Hey, now you can do what you've always wanted.. Right?!

 

Welcome to the new Depresstion era Boys!! Thw Global economy is in the toilet and the only people who are going to get the best of it are living in Indian and China. So get used to crap Chinese tools because the US is getting out of the Manufacturing business for good. It's gonna be service jobs and part time work from now on for everyone. The Middle class is destined to be a footnote of the 20th century.

 

I know what you are going through, I got the boot on thanksgiving last year (knew I shoulda stayed on 1st shift)and their ain't nothing out their for heavy equipment mech.!! I am glad they approved the extension for unemployment! good for another 6mo. I hated to start doing work at home again but gotta pay the bills! If the assholes in office have their way it will only be rich or poor in the future! better learn spanish ASAP!!

 

Growing up in Anderson, South Carolina,where cotton was king and we had at least 14 BIG mills in Anderson County,,,today we have 3 small mills.

This was a cotton town,,probably half the population was employed by the mills'

From the 1800's into the mid late 1980's the cotton mills was the major manufactoring in this area for most of my life and seeing hard working folks loss their jobs to the cheap labor force overseas put more than half my family in the unemployment line and hurt our local economy.

This was a time when you were a loyal employee and the company took care of you,,,,this doesn't exist in todays global climate.

For having been delivered a swift kick in the balls and I hate it for you,,but for being the smart guy I believe you are and from reading the past threads,,,you have a good woman that stands beside you through thick and thin,,,you have faith,,,which will pull you through.

I will keep you in my prayers,,,that you will turn this bump in lifes road into something positive and more fulfilling. Danny

 

look at your politicians, see how they vote in your area. then vote them out if not doing what the people need. Tomorrow I get to vote and some incumbents will be surprised.

 

Thanks Mr. Moriarity but I would rather live in your museum and be your personal fabricator and floor sweeper. Franco would be OK but he sleeps in to late. ha ha ha

 

You are a talented guy, Mark. You will land on your feet

 

Sorry to hear this RS. As stated before, get a resume together and start looking now. Also, 'network' as you have already began doing on here. Tell folks you know your situation. Having contact with someone who is hiring or at least knowing someone in the organization who can give you a recommendation is way better than sending resumes out randomly. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

Georgia has it as well.
When I was laid off in '06,I applied to these programs.
Said I " did not fit the profile"........

I wonder what that meant?

 

Royalshifter, I'm 70 years old and have had the rug pulled out from under my feet many times. Finally retired about 5&1/2 years ago and life now is good. Going back to school to learn the machinist trade back in '66 changed things for me to at least give me a marketable skill that was in demand at lots of different type industries. What did you do @ Cargill? Is it a job giving you a skill useful in other industries? Don't have any idea as to your age, maybe you could find something along the lines of what has been mentioned in the way of financial assistance while in school, as I did.
As for Memphis, would be a big change I know, but some of it for the better, as the politicians there ain't likely to make any damn fool decisions that adversely affect any jobs.
I was with Northwest airlines in Atlanta, and they also have a big base in Memphis. Lot's of the guys live across the river in Arkansas, something to do with cost of living and taxes, I think.
If it is possible to retract your "NO" on Memphis, you might oughta look into it before giving such an arbitrary "NO".
Dave

 

I can relate,After 20 years at a new car dealership(i went through 3 owners)I was the longest employee,the shop steward and general go to guy.I knew things were getting shakey so i put some dough aside and waited.Shure enough one day i came in and was told you have one hour to clear out.So life changes fast sometimes.At 40 i decided not to leave my fate in the hands of others.I always dreamed of my own place to do the things i like to do,my wife does(she is a tattoo artist)and she sold her shop to a employee a year prior.Thats right two people and no employment.So i took the loot i saved (not alot i may add)and opened a small shop for myself and put the wife in the office to do her craft.Its a semi industrial area so rents are low and here is where a good rep pays off.THEY WILL FIND YOU.Im busy enough for a one man show and im shure you will be too The wife is booked weeks in advance and works 4 days a week.A year ago if i was asked do i like it my reply would be thought out and slow.Ask me now and ill tell you it was the best thing to happen to me.Take this opertunity to persue your dream,this is a chance opening not a door closing.Run with it...................Gary

 

Sorry to hear about that Royal Shifter. It's a constant fear of mine too. I work in a newspaper, and we all know how those are going.
But I wonder just how bad things will get before we decide to "do something", whatever that may be.
Maine used to be one of the leaders in the industry for lumber and mills ... now there are a lot of ghost towns and increase in unemployment and homelessness, etc. Our state governement seems to think the answer is casinos. WTF? We need industry and real jobs, not just service jobs. I think for the most part it is a nationwide epidemic. And really, what sense does it make to keep shooting "We the people" in the foot? Cutting the water rights to a population largely dependant on agriculture? What the hell is this, a Johnny Cash song? My blood pressure is rising.
I wish you the best of luck.

 

Man I hate news like this. Just when your cruzzin along someone yanks the rug out from under you. They say there is a reason for everything and all you can do is hope that the reason for this will be for the BETTER. I hope future carries good things for you>>>>.

 

I've been in school for a while just so I could get a better job. I'm one of those guys who seems to change jobs about every two years because I'm always looking for something better. I've never willingly left a job with out one waiting for me and I've always managed to find a better one when I lost one; call it dumb luck if you want.

Hopefully, after getting some certs and a degree that task will be easier and I'll find something that runs that fine line between keeping the wife happy and feeding the hot rod beast within.

Royal, you'll pull thru, you always do. Go back to school and take a part-time gig if you can. The reaso I suggest a part-time gig is so that you can take more classes and get out quicker. I'm doing that now and should be done very soon.

Chin up brother...

Vance

 

I've been in papermaking in the NorthEast for 25 years. 25% of the mills up here have closed since 2000. I don't know how long I'm going to last.

Check out the Discovery Channel series "The Peoples Republic of Commerce" with Ted Koppel. It has been a very interesting look at the "global" economy. It's kind of like learning about your enemy. The more you know, the less afraid of them you are.

Rick

 

As an Airline mechanic I understand the feelings when you are watching your job fade away. It sucks a lot. But we only have so much water in California. I'm not suspossed to wash my car or water my lawn. And I can see all that water going south in the canal. Cotton uses a lot of water. Maybe it's time is just over and it's nobodys fault. Unless you want to blame all the people that moved to California in the last 40 years.

 

So they were willing to keep you on the books, but you would have to move? I assume at the level it sounds like you were at you probably made good money. But you told them no because you don't want to relocate.

In the current employment climate, I would have moved.