Do you think you will lose your job because of the economy?

[patrickmead]

Big job losses have already occurred. If the fiscal cliff happens, look out.

[ukmoney]

Yes, i think that due to economy you can loose your job...With unemployment forecast to hit 15 per cent over the next year, you now have a one in seven chance of losing your job....

[pamkev]

Working in the hvac/r field as a service technician I find that I'm more in demand than ever. We service commercial/industrial/institutional clients. They don't have the money for new equipment. My job is to keep the old stuff running and/or maintain the new equipment. The job can't be automated or outsourced overseas, they need hands-on experienced techs. So far so good for me. Boss pays me Journeyman wage (merit shop) and gives me a minimum 40 hours per week. This last week was 57 hours in 100° heat. Tough job but, I do love the work.

This is one job that can't outsource good news for you Pam

[ottoagain]

Working in the hvac/r field as a service technician I find that I'm more in demand than ever. We service commercial/industrial/institutional clients. They don't have the money for new equipment. My job is to keep the old stuff running and/or maintain the new equipment. The job can't be automated or outsourced overseas, they need hands-on experienced techs. So far so good for me. Boss pays me Journeyman wage (merit shop) and gives me a minimum 40 hours per week. This last week was 57 hours in 100° heat. Tough job but, I do love the work.

[pamkev]

Thanks for sharing your experience Andy158. I work in a non union job where there are abuses and the company views some fines as simply the cost of doing business. Our top rate has not been improved for 6 years running now and there is actually one state where the entire group voted in the union in one shot. The company is a bit nervous, but as they say karma has a way of working its way back. Now They look for a new carrot to put out in front of us and then say stuff like we may contract out some of the work, therefore less people will be needed.
I know many companies are between a rock and a hard place to stay competitive, but we were able to maintain a decent living in the past. What changed?

What I think changed is government got bigger companies got greedier and the rich wanted to get richer Example I saw on the news this week two companies merged and in the deal the one CEO worked one day and then got "fired" his severance package for that one day was 44 million dollars that is what changed and why workers can not manage to make a decent living. I think until the working people say enough is enough we want our fair share also, it will stay the same right where they want us. This is MHO

[pamkev]

Unions have fell prey to the global economy. Our country can no longer compete with the non-union world powers. Unions give up more and more each time a contract is negotiated until the whole concept of unionization is insignificant. The corporations will crap on the middle class as long as they can just as before any union was in existance until we are on the same playing field as Asia and India. There will always be desperate people waiting in line to take low pay/no benefit jobs willing to work for peanuts for the sake of providing for their families.

I am a union member and pay dues to the tune of $500+/yr. The company I work for bends over backwards to fight any progress the union tries to make in the name of the middle class workers. It is definately an US/THEM environment. They constantly farm out work to non-union comapnies so they don't have to contend with OSHA, workers comp, grievances, safety issues, etc. The very things unions set out to establish for a better work place.

Our contracts in the past ten years have not kept up with cost of living increases or health insurnace increases. We make about the same wage scale as a person did in the 1990's. I know I am on a rant, but I am very glad to have the union job I do have. It could be a lot worse and I am concerned for the next generation.

Bottom line is if you take away a persons livelyhood/freedom a little bit at a time, they don't really notice it until it is gone. Our government works in the same mysterious way.

I so agree with your last line I remember my grandfather saying two things the next civil war in the US will be the rich against us working class and the second which is really coming true IMO is that another country will take over the US without firing a shot. I think it really could happen and it scares me. Pam

[spidge]

Unions have fell prey to the global economy. Our country can no longer compete with the non-union world powers. Unions give up more and more each time a contract is negotiated until the whole concept of unionization is insignificant. The corporations will crap on the middle class as long as they can just as before any union was in existance until we are on the same playing field as Asia and India. There will always be desperate people waiting in line to take low pay/no benefit jobs willing to work for peanuts for the sake of providing for their families.

I am a union member and pay dues to the tune of $500+/yr. The company I work for bends over backwards to fight any progress the union tries to make in the name of the middle class workers. It is definately an US/THEM environment. They constantly farm out work to non-union comapnies so they don't have to contend with OSHA, workers comp, grievances, safety issues, etc. The very things unions set out to establish for a better work place.

Our contracts in the past ten years have not kept up with cost of living increases or health insurnace increases. We make about the same wage scale as a person did in the 1990's. I know I am on a rant, but I am very glad to have the union job I do have. It could be a lot worse and I am concerned for the next generation.

Bottom line is if you take away a persons livelyhood/freedom a little bit at a time, they don't really notice it until it is gone. Our government works in the same mysterious way.

Thanks for sharing your experience Andy158. I work in a non union job where there are abuses and the company views some fines as simply the cost of doing business. Our top rate has not been improved for 6 years running now and there is actually one state where the entire group voted in the union in one shot. The company is a bit nervous, but as they say karma has a way of working its way back. Now They look for a new carrot to put out in front of us and then say stuff like we may contract out some of the work, therefore less people will be needed.
I know many companies are between a rock and a hard place to stay competitive, but we were able to maintain a decent living in the past. What changed?

[andy158]

Unions have fell prey to the global economy. Our country can no longer compete with the non-union world powers. Unions give up more and more each time a contract is negotiated until the whole concept of unionization is insignificant. The corporations will crap on the middle class as long as they can just as before any union was in existance until we are on the same playing field as Asia and India. There will always be desperate people waiting in line to take low pay/no benefit jobs willing to work for peanuts for the sake of providing for their families.

I am a union member and pay dues to the tune of $500+/yr. The company I work for bends over backwards to fight any progress the union tries to make in the name of the middle class workers. It is definately an US/THEM environment. They constantly farm out work to non-union comapnies so they don't have to contend with OSHA, workers comp, grievances, safety issues, etc. The very things unions set out to establish for a better work place.

Our contracts in the past ten years have not kept up with cost of living increases or health insurnace increases. We make about the same wage scale as a person did in the 1990's. I know I am on a rant, but I am very glad to have the union job I do have. It could be a lot worse and I am concerned for the next generation.

Bottom line is if you take away a persons livelyhood/freedom a little bit at a time, they don't really notice it until it is gone. Our government works in the same mysterious way.

[spidge]

With the productivity demands in the private sector some of us are waiting, no hoping for it.

Jumps on soap box.

Companies that had paid a hefty price for various labor violations and now paying for the violations as they occur strike up the penalties of abuse as a cost of doing business. So now some companies try to get every ounce of productivity out of a person and blame the employee for any overruns into double time on the little guy who has no control.

Unions will come back in a big way soon.

suicides ratio is increasing every day mostly in the middle east and south east countries only and only due to unemployment

People are getting unemployed day by day and the population is also increasing day by day so both the factors are effecting economy

[BKOnce]

Sadly, our world now has over 7 billions people.... all fighting 4 jobs or else... and still luckily, we will live longer and spend more scared resources... while our dollars is dwindling, inflation gets higher, more lay-off...etc

[df04527]

Wow Me2Broke - 22 years - that's a long time and I'm sure a shock to your system. I did 25 at one major company and when I left (took a early retirement package they had offered) I too was in shock. But the good news is there is life after a long career with one company. Take this time right now to collect yourself and know that you will get another job, at some point, and this will pass. Very cliche but true.

[Me2Broke]

I am so sorry to read of this. Good wishes for you!

Thank you. We really are having a difficult time adjusting to all of this. It has only been a few weeks now and my job prospects are not good. I think the shock of working for a company for 22 years without as much as a blink of an eye I was let go. I was not alone, there were others as well. Time will tell what happens or where we are going to land.

[AngelinaCat]

After over 22 years with the same company I was just laid off the first of the year. This has been the hardest blow for me and my family.

I am so sorry to read of this. Good wishes for you!