Penetration without lubrication...

Not pleasant.

The company I work for had its own version of
Black Friday yesterday. There was a lay-off.

Thirteen of my welder colleagues and nine of the
office staff lost their jobs. The chance to be re-called,
slim at best.

Business projection for the first half of 2008 is dismal.
We're busy now, as we always are at the end of the year,
trying to finish orders before we close for the holiday.
Those of us still employed are being told to work as much
overtime as possible to get the work done since we are now
short-handed. Dickheads.

What was the point of letting people go now? I'll tell you...
We shut down every year from Christmas Eve through
New Year's Day. We get paid for those days. This year it
is seven paid days. The twenty-two people who lost their
jobs will not get paid for that time.
For those who participate in the 401k plan, they must be
employed on December 31 in order to receive the company
once a year match contribution. More money saved for the
big guys.

The remaining employees are being encouraged to cancel any
vacation time they have scheduled for this month so they can
be here to work overtime. The company will allow those vacation
days to roll over to next year, as long as they are used in the first
quarter. When we will not have much work available.

One lady who got the ax was the only source of income and health
insurance in her household. Her husband is dying of cancer.
One of the men... his wife is expecting their first child.
Before Christmas.
Several others are attending college, using the company's tuition
reimbursement program.
Several of the laid-off office staff have fifteen to twenty-five years
of seniority. All of the laid-off office staff got a severance package.
The welders got their accrued vacation time. Not quite two weeks.

The maximum unemployment payment in Florida is $275 per week.
Before taxes.

Our annual raise is paid in the beginning of February.
Another lay-off before then would not be a surprise.
I have a little more than twelve years seniority with this company.
There are only eleven people bellow me.

But, I survived for over three years being third from the bottom.

Still, I think I'll wait a while before I start looking for a new(er) car.
I have no car payment now.

Tears were shed as we said good-bye to our colleagues Friday.
Sad for them. More than a little fear for ourselves.