fghhunter

They said because of the economic downturn in business and loosing a 20 million dollar account last year was the reason, I'm skeptical.
Funny how everyone was over the age of 57 and some of them had worked 30+ years for this company and none were upper or middle management, go figure! Man I'm glad I hadn't worked for them for 30 years or I would have been really pi$$ed!
The company is at least consistant because they did they same thing to the older workforce back in 01.
And it sure is odd that the company just hired two new middle management indivduals who just started within the last week.
Guess I'll just have to start retirement a couple years sooner than I expected. Hey, the plus side is I'll have more time to ride whenever it warms up here in MN. Thinking now that the week long tour I was going to take this summer might become a month long tour now, now that might be rough, haha.
Whoooo Hooooo!!

Yen

Always look on the bright side of life, tra la la la la la la la!

I believe when one door closes, a better one often opens. Best wishes for a long and happy retirement!

europa

Ah ha, the old 'new manager, new work force' routine. Been there myself and it stinks. It's also a great way of draining the corporate knowledge out of a business. Their loss mate.

What you want to do is to get a business card printed, a really nice one that makes you sound really, really important and a great loss to their company ... then wander in one day, hand them the card with the comment that if they need to contact you for anything ...

Richard

BengeBoy 

Sucks about the way it happened; good you have more time to ride! Enjoy the tour.

stapfam

My wife was made redundant in October- along with the manager. It was a small company but the owner got rid of the only two experienced members of staff to cut the wage bill. Both got a redundancy package and both are back at work in jobs that pay just aswell and give them an easier time.

The owner is now finding his mistake and has offered them both their jobs back.

No way.

Look on the good side- Do you want to work for a company that does not regard experience in the job an asset?

rodrigaj

After 15 years of working long hours as an electrical engineer, I took an early retirement package that was offered. I went back to school, got certified in physics and chemistry, high school, middle school and never looked back.

I am now in my eleventh year of teaching. I love my job, and the kids. I am in a protected job, therefore, no change in administration could ever cost me my job. I can work as long as I want.

Our friends from my previous career have all seen their jobs go, thanks to buyouts, mergers and whatnot. Healthcare costs are skyrocketing, and as we get older, companies are eliminating the exprerienced worker to help defray cost.

maddmaxx 

But wait.......was the companies stock price better at the end of the quarter......?

12bar

My wife walked out yesterday after 22 years as the accounts manager for a group of doctors. It's a little scary at the moment but I honestly believe it was the best thing she could have done. I played with the numbers and if we tighten our belts a little we are good for about 5 years, she should be able to find something that she wants to do by then that will be a lot less stressful.

Garfield Cat

Assess your skills, make changes if needed, and get back in the work force. Don't stop thinking and doing, no matter what. Volunteer at the Rescue Mission, just to remind yourself.

bjjoondo 

I for one admire your reslove in your situation, it's great that your able to possible just retire early and get into a more enjoyable side of life! I know that age is a factor, I've been searching for a partime job, with weekends off (wife has weekends off), that isn't in Fast Food or Telemarketing and for over a year it's fruitless and I do beleive that being 53 and having gray hair has been a factor with the few interviews I've managed to get. I hope everything works out for you and a year from now you can just SMILE as you peddle away for another great tour!

cyclezealot

hunter. Hate hearing that. You are not totally unhappy, I hope?.. There are supposedly age discrimination laws.. Right... What about your benefits... Hope you are ok, there.

NOS88

Sorry to hear of your situation. Being forced from you job is not the way most folks would like to leave. While one might seek to find respite in riding more, it can't totally remove any negative feelings you may have about the situation. Hopefully, as Yen has suggested, a new and better door will open.

oldride

fgh sorry to hear that too! Same thing happened to me 3 years ago. Company was bought out and surprise only older employees were let go. They gave me a reasonable package but in order to get it I had to agree not to sue. I downsized my lifestyle paid off all debts and now at age 55 I'm retired. Good luck to you.

Pat

I am sorry to hear that. Getting rid of experienced employees often costs more than it saves. But many companies in today's world don't know enough about their business to understand it. The place my gf works at laid off a bunch of people. They discovered that they needed the skills of some of them and had to hire the people back for more money and fewer hours. For making decisions like this they are paying these yahoos big bucks.

oilman_15106

20 years ago I was working for one of the world's largest petroleum companies and some would say on my way up in the company. Decided to quit and join my wife's family business. Best move I ever made and maybe have worn a tie 3 times since leaving the Seven Sisters.

Most of my workmates were put out when our division was sold to another company. Some took early retirement.

rideon7

Sorry to hear about your job loss, fgh, and the reasons given to you for it. Insult to injury.

I, too, am a teacher. No 401(k) through the district I work for but stability and benefits. Some people simply could not do this job, just as I could not ever see myself in a corporate cubicle.

With all the economic turmoil swirling around, like rodrigaj, I feel to some extent that I am in "a protected job." A friend of mine (a fellow cyclist) who has spent his career in high-tech has always made better money than I have and lives in a more fashionable neighborhood in a newer home than mine, but he also has had to change jobs four times in two years. He was laid off by his company then rehired by that same company under a different title six months later. That is true dislocation that I could not thrive on.

oldride

How true. Too many business decisions are made by the bean counters who only understand numbers not business.

Robert Foster

Something very much like that happened ot me in 07. I was planning on working till 2010 or 12. But I was middle management and when the cutting started most of my long term employees were at the most risk. My boss came in and told me I should get rid of 6 employees. I told them I couldn't do the job with 6 fewer people. They compromised and agreed if I could cut three people they would be happy. I asked what services they would like me to cut back on and they said we had to provide the same service and cut three people. They would like it even better if I could find a way to get three of "my older", less productive workers. I had a week to give them my answer. At the end of the week I went back and I had two employees that were willing to transfer to other departments that had openings. When they asked about the third person I informed them I was giving them my notice and would retire by the end of the year. It cost me a bit to leave two years early but my wife supported my decission and they saved money by not replacing me for a year and when they did replace me they simply promoted my assistant. However I can sleep at night and have learned to live on less.

On the bright side I have more time to ride my bike.

Jet Travis

Great story, Robert Foster. As a manager myself, I spend a lot of time thinking about how to meet the needs of the organization, my bosses and my employees. You stand tall.

djnzlab1

HI,
Many companies think they can save money by dumping the SR employe, and at first it seems all well and good, then absence of work ethics kick in and things start to fall apart , many of the new younger staff, are not as dedicated as many of the older experienced workers, I ve see an incease in sick time and personal days that never occured in the past.
So it may look good on paper but is it really a cost savings in productivity.
Doug

lubers

Same thing happen to me on Friday and being 55 its hard to find any work anywhere. I'll be babysitting for a couple of months for my daughter and then start to ride when the weather turns warmer. I have two trips planned this summer with some money put away for them, plant manager called me in his office and stated he wanted me back as soon as things pick up but I'm not going to hold my breath. Looking forward to some time off from the rat race. Wife has a good job with so so health care benefits so things aren't as bad for us as many other people are experiencing.

Robert Foster

I was fortunate to have a wife that understood how important ethics are. Also I had enough time in that I could retire early. I had a year of sick leave and a month of vacation. But the key is how we see our responsibility to those we hire. Yes they have a responsibility to us and most often the employees you have the longest have met that responsibility better than the others. They come to work every day and they are on time. Bean counters only know how to count beans, they aren't managers and they don't deal well with people. When you forget that you employ people and start cutting without regard to how it effects those people your business is on the way down. (in my opinion)

I was lucky and got out before the fertilizer hit the air conditioner.

Mojo Slim

As a boss in a small county probation department for over 30 years, I had a number of "opportunities" to downsize. In all those years, I had to lay off only one person, and it was a positive layoff, at least for the department. My problem was always that the Board of Supervisors and CAO of the county were always willing to reduce services, but the judges always expected us to get the job done no matter what. "It's not my problem" was the usual statement. I'm glad to be out of it. I retired a bit earlier than I had planned (at age 57), but it was the best move I ever made, even if I can't afford a new bike. I have every confidence it will work out best for you, too. Good luck.

billydonn

Ah, the inherent efficiencies of American free-markets! I am 61 and wife is turning 60. We would be okay if both forced out of our jobs tomorrow, though not as "comfortable" as if we can hang in there just 4 or 5 more years. Seems as if most folks in the forum have weathered working life and prepared fairly well for the future, both financially and attitudinally. I have a protected job in education and I don't see how people are going cope with the uncertainties we are in for. A lot of them don't deserve this and it really worries me. Hopefully the notion that employers should feel some loyalty to their workers will again somehow take hold in America at some point. Otherwise, we are in for a very rough ride.

Red Baron

Sorry to hear the news FGH. And Robert Foster- you have my admiration.As a mid level manager here in the philippines for an american R & D company - I see all too often charts that say we need to 'leverage low cost companies' for CM (contract manufacturers - i.e assembly folks). Company at one time tried to partner with asian R&D but quickly learned we were giving away our technology advantage. I figured if we need to do this (and have made peace that we do) I would help move it to a country that is friendly to US. Also being a vietnam vet, D*mn if I will support moving jobs to communist countries such as China.

I do get some angry comments when I return to the states, especially from my brother who retired from Crysler. His nephew still works there but "has a bad back" and has not been at work since july 2006 with full pay. And YES- I drive a Toyota when I am in the US. Ford is popular here but that's about it.

I still question though - have i gone to the 'dark side of Management'

Good Luck. Looks like us survivors will have to keep on going.