Who's unemployed or facing unemployment...

[jumpy]

...as a result of this credit thing?

Since being made redundant from full-time permanent work about a year ago, I've had a succession of temp jobs (doing cad stuff) but my last position was only for 3 weeks (that finished almost a month back now). I've decided to sign on again seeing as I've not found anything else just yet. The agency I work through hasn't had much of late. The jobs section of my local rag has diminished to a couple of pages, the jobcentre has FA in the way of my kind of work... even van driver jobs are virtually nill.

Things seem to be going from bad to worse; she has been off work through stress and depression (now taking meds and seeing a head shrinker), I keep running out of stable work (with depressing regularity), meanwhile everyone seems to be going into meltdown.
I know this is mainly a financial industry issue, but who among us are no longer just 'feeling the pinch', but rather now feeling the crushing weight of a lack of employment and the spectre of impending ruin looming ever closer?

So, who's got their back to the wall right now?

I'll kick off with Outlook worsening. Up till now it's been Treading water, but those days were numbered.

[kurtz]

I voted improving, but the reason for that is the bad forecasts have pushed us into a lot of overdue belt tightening. No midweek drinking (maybe not tonight:doh: ) xmas pretty much cancelled, well we've got truces with most friends and relatives, a lot more staying in and more bike than car rides.
In a lot of ways we've rediscovered old things which used to be fun. On the other hand a bit of money might take the sting out of being poor!

[wetwarev7]

I haven't noticed a recession. I hear about it all the time, but I've yet to actually see it in action.

I think I'll just count myself as lucky and move on....:up:

[bookworm_020]

I'm just about to switich jobs, and have been lucky that most jobs I've been in have been stable and not affected by any economic movement (they didn't go up in wages during the boom, but they're not going down during the bust!)

I do feel sorry for people who do have job that are shakey due to the economic conditions. The fact that many who were responsable for this are insulated against it gets my goat!:stare:

[Letum]

Rumors of processing at my office moving to Leeds in the future.
Not a hell of a lot of work to do anyway.
big changes in the business.

My work is not secure, but ironically, the recession makes it more secure as my
employer is strongly linked to the government, who don't want to be seen to be
culling jobs at this time.

[Sailor Steve]

Been unemployed and working temp jobs since long before the current crisis. Still struggling.

[XabbaRus]

Sorry to hear it guys. I guess I am fortunate to be near Aberdeen and working in the oi services industry. Even with oil taking a tumble there is a lot of interest in our products especially from Australia.

Hope you guys who are in the sh!t get sorted soon. Saying that we are still cutting back while we can.

[Monica Lewinsky]

Run my own business - fixing PC's hardware/software things.

HUGE drop in requests for service since 9/1/2008.

Made more money [3-times as much] during 11/1/2008 - 11/15/2008 than the ENTIRE month of October, 2008 - The month of October, 2008 worst EVER since 1989 for bottom line revenue billed out. :(

[nikimcbee]

Just started a new job 1 month ago. I'm making twice as much as last job.:up: My last job was pretty good, but prior to that, work was a train wreck:x

[Hylander_1314]

Had to close the mobile auto a/c business down back in May. The cost of gasoline rising 2 and a half times what it was six years ago, and a 30lb bottle of R-134a went from a wholesale price of 48 bucks to 300 bucks, and the fact that 95% of my business was autobody and repair shops, which entailed dealing with insurance companies, who don't want to pay for anything............... To have those kinds of increases, and all I was allowed to increase my price per ticket was 20 bucks, because the insurance companies tell you what you will charge or they won't let the shops use your service, so it pretty well sealed it for me. And my average ticket price per car was 120 bucks. But I wasn't allowed to charge a service call, or diagnostic inspection, nor was I allowed to charge for pre-repair recommendations, and post-repair inspections. But if the system failed, I was supposed to figure out why and fix it at no extra charge. And this included new model year vehicles where I had no shop manuals, or schematics. I had to figure it out as I went along. And the newer the car, the more complex it got.

Funny thing is , I got a call, and went to meeting with about 20 of my old shop owner customers who complained about having to pay to have cars towed to the repair shop at 100 bucks each way, and then got hit with a 220 dollar a/c recovery, and recharge bill. So they went from 120 to 420 a car overnight. All I said was, welcome to 2008 boys! I said I would get back into the business again, but it would cost 350 bucks per car. That saves them 70 dollars a ticket, and I can pay all the taxes and wage requirements and insurance for the business, and then actually have a real paycheck. Nothing extravagent, but at least I could make my bills and put food on the table, but i didn't have any takers.

So now I'm still looking for work, but it's hard to come by.

[August]

Technical schools like the one i teach at normally do well when the economy tanks because there are a lot of displaced workers needing to be retrained and many others just looking for an edge over the competition in a diminishing job market.

ATM I have a full class so I have guaranteed employment for another 6 months at least.

[fatty]

In the middle of the interview process for a government position which I can start at right after school, keeping my fingers crossed.

[sonar732]

Had orientation at the Post Office yesterday and am feeling confident as I'm not a 'seasonal casual'.

[XabbaRus]

Technical schools like the one i teach at normally do well when the economy tanks because there are a lot of displaced workers needing to be retrained and many others just looking for an edge over the competition in a diminishing job market.

ATM I have a full class so I have guaranteed employment for another 6 months at least.

What do you teach out of curiosity?

[jumpy]

A little update for you guys.

Following starting a fresh claim for jobseekers allowance and chatting with the guy who sorted out my claim, I was told that there's really no jobs to speak of out there. The market for jobs in construction (CAD for architectural stuff and space planning and such like) has gone bang. There's one or two positions in london (I live in Leicester) for candidates with engineering hnc's but that's about it. Even jobs driving a van are down to only half a dozen or so for my area.... can you believe it?! About the only thing that is available is leaflitting delivery on foot for NMW.

I might decide to do this, not so much for the cash, but the excercise will do me good as I should really start training for a little trip from coast to coast following hadrians wall, some time in late spring next year. Myself and a few friends have been planing this for a month or so now, despite one of them having a suspected hear attack recently. Roll on getting sponsorship for charity. We have a choice of various mental health charities, cancer research (macmillan probably) or the british heart foundation.
If the trip goes ahead then there's talk of having a go at the pennine way, which is a little more of an undertaking. And the three peaks challenge... but I think that'd probably do me in :lol:
I'm going to have to invest in some new kit- bergen, some decent waterproofs, stove, and other bits.
Closer to the time I'll start a thread on this detailing kit and the route, plus any charity information that's worth while. It ought to take us 10 to 14 days depending on how much kit we have to carry and what sort of pace we can set over the terrain. Keep yer eyes peeled for that one ;)

[August]

Technical schools like the one i teach at normally do well when the economy tanks because there are a lot of displaced workers needing to be retrained and many others just looking for an edge over the competition in a diminishing job market.

ATM I have a full class so I have guaranteed employment for another 6 months at least.
What do you teach out of curiosity?

I teach a telecommunications technician course.

[UnderseaLcpl]

Laid off. Sadly, I had to go to Oklahoma for work.

Good news, though, my bro got laid off as well and went to North Dakota, so that state is populated again:D

[DeepIron]

Being a OTR truck driver, and working for a local company with it's own product and its own truck fleet, is keeping me busy. We just had a drivers meeting the other day and our boss informed us that while some of our sales have gone soft, we're signing contracts with new clients for our products and our production is the best it's been in years.

Things aren't looking too shabby and for whatever howls this comment may draw, I thank God everyday... ;)

[Monica Lewinsky]

state is populated again:D
Iowa has people? Thought it was only populated with corn ears.

[baggygreen]

Im stuck in a nasty spot - keep my job and have progressively worse arguments with my fiancee about how much time it takes, how little my salary is, and how much of a mental and health cost is involved on me; or quit and not buy a house / go on a honeymoon / have a wedding.

unfortunately there is nothing new out there for me either.. it is literally looking better financially for me to take welfare payments than work. but then, no bank will give a loan to a welfare-dependant person (at least not here anyways)

[FIREWALL]

Im stuck in a nasty spot - keep my job and have progressively worse arguments with my fiancee about how much time it takes, how little my salary is, and how much of a mental and health cost is involved on me; or quit and not buy a house / go on a honeymoon / have a wedding.

unfortunately there is nothing new out there for me either.. it is literally looking better financially for me to take welfare payments than work. but then, no bank will give a loan to a welfare-dependant person (at least not here anyways)

Your post is the one I want to respond to but, I want to say the right thing.

So I'm going to ponder for awhile before posting.

Till then Good Luck Matey. :up:

[Schöneboom]

Even though I'm doing fine at the moment, I know plenty of people who aren't. We have a former Air Force tanker pilot temping in our File Room. It's not right that someone so qualified (lots of missions over/near Iraq & Afghanistan) can't get a civilian pilot job. And now he sorts our mail, it's ludicrous -- but better, I suppose, than being dependent on his wife.

[jumpy]

Apologies for reviving an older thread, but I have an update on employment:

As of monday next week I will be working as a warehouse operative for Pepsico - Walkers Crisps to the folk in the UK - packing boxes of crisps on to pallets for loading on to lorries. :down:

The half dozen or so people who were taken on at the same time as me are also in the same position: there are no jobs in what they really do, or are qualified in, to earn a living.

It feels like I've just turned the clock back 9 years (the last time I did this kind of work). Pay is £6.00 per hour for 44 hours a week on a rotating shift.
Some numbers for you:

£6.00ph x 44 = £264.00 - tax (around 21% ?) = £208.56 weekly income
£208.56 x 4 weeks = £834.24 x 12 = annual income of £10,010.88 or thereabouts.

Woooh that's almost a 7k pay cut :o
I had trouble keeping a lid on things before that... and I'm not a spendthrift.

Hours to be worked:
WEEK 1 ---- monday - thursday 0600-1400. friday 0600-1800 (saturday off) sunday 0600-1800.
WEEK 2 --- monday - thursday 1400-2200. friday saturday sunday off.
repeat schedule all over again.


To say I'm not at all happy about this is an understatement. But right now I have no choice in the matter. None.

She is back at work, but most likely she'll only have work until the end of march 09 - after which there's no more contracted work for her.

Who is responsible for this financial mess everyone is in?
It's not my fault; I've done all I can to earn a decent living but despite all that I have not been able to earn any money in what I'm qualified in since the end of Nov 08. Social services and the jobcentre have been no help, having decided that I was not entitled to anything after being made redundant end of Oct 07 and living off my redundancy for 6 months then signing on for 3 months whilst continuing to look for CAD work through out 08 and finding several temp contracts until the end of Nov 08. Also, as she works more than 24 hours per week, I'm not entitled to any help with rent - so she had been expected to pay for all of it. Now she is almost broke as well and still has the mental health issues I mentioned before - it's better than it was but she's still very fragile and all of these financial and employment worries are not helping.

Just at the time when the most people need state help because of state incompetency and financial mismanagement, the state changes the rules to make it harder for people to get assistance when they most need it ie. when there is rising unemployment (2million unemployed is a conservative estimate because these are figures for those who are actually entitled to jobseekers allowance, not people like me who were told to take a long walk off a short pier) and falling jobs (how many firms have gone bust in the UK recently that we have heard about and how many have had to reduce staff or staff hours just to avoid going bankrupt?).

Now we have to start all over again. All the work and effort to build a life for ourselves and to put aside a small amount of savings for the future is wasted, gone, swallowed up by a debt problem that was not ours to begin with.

I'm glad I don't have any kids, otherwise we'd be ******. Totally and utterly ******! How can you explain to a child that you cannot afford to feed and clothe it properly because of something over which you have no influence? Thank god for small mercies that we don't have to have that burden too.

Thanks for listening guys. I know things could be much worse by say african standards; granted. But it's my prediction that things are only going to get worse here in the UK, much, much worse. We are only seeing the beginning of the real effects of the 'economic downturn' (that's such an innocuous statement, which belies the real cost to normal people).

The government here has bailed out many of the high-street banks using taxpayers money but refuses to help those same taxpayers with financial assistance when they really need it.

WHAT GIVES, ARSEHOLES?!

I'll tell you what gives... all they care about is the money and profit; people are just batteries to generate money for big business and finance to fritter away in the pursuit of ever larger profit margins.

jumpy - stressing out with no end in sight.

[Jimbuna]

I hope everything pans out for you and your partner jumpy :up:

[Wolfehunter]

Because my friend jumpy is that all the governments in the world are helping their friends make money. Those are the ones who supported and helped them get to office one way or another.

Officials don't help much the average hard working people. Until there is a revolution and their heads are on the block about to be chopped off.

Who caused our situation?

That is an easy question to answer. But if I tell you the answer you all won't like it.

[jumpy]

Cheers jimbuna ;)

I know it could all be a lot worse, in many ways. But as the old adage goes: it's going to get worse before it gets better. I just cannot see what is being done to limit the impact only to those who are responsible. Everyone who works to live, on low to middle incomes, will suffer for a massive debt which was not theirs to incur in the first place.

If society is three meals away from anarchy, then events like these we are experiencing, certainly show where our governments loyalties lie. Sadly people like you and I will be last on the list of individuals to be considered in any solution to end the recession. It is only now that officials are declaring a recession, having hoped the public wouldn't notice the inevitable. Do they think we are fools? I guess so.

@ Wolfehunter

lol I think I know what you mean :lol: Short of standing all of them against a wall and starting afresh... should we have done this sooner? :rotfl:

[Rockstar]

Wife and I are currently living on a 44 foot yacht, no debt, no bills, I retired at 46 she still works as an artist. When I get bored I have no trouble finding jobs when we stay inport for any length of time.

Getting ready for a trip to the Maritime Provinces this summer then off to the Florida Keys, Bahamas and points south.

[bigboywooly]

Am lucky in respect I work for Royal Mail and wife works for NHS ( National Health Service ) so neither is affected by current crises
So far

Though brother - plasterer - Bro in laws - Courier and AA ( Automobile Association ) have all been laid off

And only yesterday they ( the economists ) finally realise we are in a recession
Duh

Really feel for all those affected by this global crises

[Kapitan]

I should be ok i am a bus and coach driver so theres always a need for public transport more so now people cant afford to run a car so im lucky in a way that my job is always a need.

[fatty]

Wife and I are currently living on a 44 foot yacht, no debt, no bills, I retired at 46 she still works as an artist. When I get bored I have no trouble finding jobs when we stay inport for any length of time.

Getting ready for a trip to the Maritime Provinces this summer then off to the Florida Keys, Bahamas and points south.

Throw me a PM if/when you hit Nova Scotia, beer is on me.

[stew278]

For now I am in grad school, so as long as my boss can keep research funding coming in I'm alright. But, I'm in my 5th year so I have to finish within a year or so. That is very scary since there are no jobs out there right now. All of my colleagues that finished their PhDs and got jobs last year are now unemployed. Even postdoc positions are going to be scarce since there are a lot of scientists competing for them and cutbacks in funding.

[Happy Times]

For now I am in grad school, so as long as my boss can keep research funding coming in I'm alright. But, I'm in my 5th year so I have to finish within a year or so. That is very scary since there are no jobs out there right now. All of my colleagues that finished their PhDs and got jobs last year are now unemployed. Even postdoc positions are going to be scarce since there are a lot of scientists competing for them and cutbacks in funding.

What do you study?

[Jimbuna]

Am lucky in respect I work for Royal Mail and wife works for NHS ( National Health Service ) so neither is affected by current crises
So far

Though brother - plasterer - Bro in laws - Courier and AA ( Automobile Association ) have all been laid off

And only yesterday they ( the economists ) finally realise we are in a recession
Duh

Really feel for all those affected by this global crises

I wasn't aware anybody 'worked' whilst employed by Royal Mail or the NHS :hmm:

:rotfl:

[Happy Times]

Am lucky in respect I work for Royal Mail and wife works for NHS ( National Health Service ) so neither is affected by current crises
So far

Though brother - plasterer - Bro in laws - Courier and AA ( Automobile Association ) have all been laid off

And only yesterday they ( the economists ) finally realise we are in a recession
Duh

Really feel for all those affected by this global crises

I wasn't aware anybody 'worked' whilst employed by Royal Mail or the NHS :hmm:

:rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[stew278]

For now I am in grad school, so as long as my boss can keep research funding coming in I'm alright. But, I'm in my 5th year so I have to finish within a year or so. That is very scary since there are no jobs out there right now. All of my colleagues that finished their PhDs and got jobs last year are now unemployed. Even postdoc positions are going to be scarce since there are a lot of scientists competing for them and cutbacks in funding.
What do you study?

Polymer chemistry

[Foxtrot]

Working as SAP developer. No problems for me. However, this job sucks all blood and soul out of me.

[Frame57]

It seems that every where i go I see help wanted signs here in N. Cal.

[airwolf48453]

Currently layed off been since 3rd week of December 2008. Suppose to get to go back on Feb 13th but was just informed last night they laying off 40 more people. So i might be off longer. Working for the auto industry is not all fun anymore.

[OneToughHerring]

I have some on & off work that is beginning to feel like more of a problem than a good thing. It seems like here the government is very happy about providing free work for companies by forcing people to take work for basically no or very little pay. Thinking about pursuing my phd or maybe a second degree.

[Sailor Steve]

However, this job sucks all blood and soul out of me.
Taking phone calls for Verizon Wireless through an outsource, ACS. I have exactly the same feeling. I'm doing everything I can to find something else. I'm getting too old for warehouse work. I've applied at the local bookstores, as that seems to be something I might like.

[surf_ten]

Best Wishes to all those without employment. I work in the IT field for a small software company and so far things appear stable. Essentially the business would have to go bankrupt for me to lose my job, but in today's economy that could happen. I don't see a light at the end of this tunnel for a very long time.

[Jimbuna]

I hope your vision stays true...good luck :up:

[FIREWALL]

This is to all that are employed. This might be a good time to look how that computer and your skills with it can make you some money on the side. Examples

Ebay

Amazon


Something before your on somebodys pole.

To both working and not working, Good Luck and my thoughts and best wishs.

[Jimbuna]

This is to all that are employed. This might be a good time to look how that computer and your skills with it can make you some money on the side. Examples

Ebay

Amazon


Something before your on somebodys pole.

To both working and not working, Good Luck and my thoughts and best wishs.




Right....now get some shut eye because your on shore duty tonight bonny lad :DL ;)

[cgjimeneza]

Im back in the office after a week off taking care of my wife after a procedure.

Im doing about half of what I should be working as an engineer (but my boss is cheap), but is design work so I like the challenge, bad year for a job change

the wife works for.... CITI Bank... so go figure.

tough times, people being laid off even here as our exporting companies have no big orders to cover and the stupid politicos took almost 2 extra years to aprove a free trade agreement with the US... so many companies build factories in other central american countries.

button up and ride it my friends.