business closures/job struggles formerly 'its the waiting that is hell'

[tyroneboi]

Can you sign on with the position your in with your employer? Don't know how people can stay on the dole for years. Im getting £50 a week. Not just the crap money but it can be very boring sitting round all day!

[longball]

Naw I cant go on the dole but we getting 100pound a week but dunno how much longer that will last. Dunno how anyone could survive on 50 a week im stuggling as it is. going to another recruitment agency 2moro.

[The Iceman]

Recruitment agencies are only a short term solution as they charge the company a finders fee for doing the leg work or take a % of your pay - so you are not earning what you are worth.
I know people in the past who have walked into companies and simply handed their CV to HR or some of the management team  -you never know it could be worth a try and shows a bit of initiative.
Accountancy, book keeping and taxes are definitely areas worth looking at.  Maybe consider taking on a part time course if possible.

Just throwing some ideas out there lads

[Midman]

Well I got into work this morning and got told by our head buck cat in the states I was taking a salary cut effective from March. Little does he know their are employment laws in Europe that prevent him from sending a company wide email out declaring this without consulting me and everyone else 

Not Agilent is it?  A few  mates work for them and had a similar mail, kicked off a huge Ruckus!!

[Lar Naparka]

Janey, this is the saddest thread I have come across. It's shocking that so many posters I had been taking for granted turn out to be laid off or in danger of this happening.
It seems from the looks of it that things are even worse up north than in the republic.
I'm not directly involved myself as I am retired on a disability pension. My major personal concern is that Biffo and the shower of fools with him might decide to give medicine prices a lash.
Still, as I read through the posts here, I'd be inclined to take my chances as I am, rather than trying to cope with unemployment or the fear of it.
I'm genuinely moved at the plight of all who have come on here and the countless thousands of others who have been laid off.

[thebigfella]

Well I got into work this morning and got told by our head buck cat in the states I was taking a salary cut effective from March. Little does he know their are employment laws in Europe that prevent him from sending a company wide email out declaring this without consulting me and everyone else 

Not Agilent is it?  A few  mates work for them and had a similar mail, kicked off a huge Ruckus!!

Nah, they must had the same idea as our place - seen HP & EDS trying it and though we would all roll over like the Yank's and Indian's and take it.

Problem the is the c**** on the board didn't understand the different employment laws for Europe that were in effect. First of all they tell us the bonus fund is safe and double the dividend to shareholders. A month later get told bonus's have been cut and there are no promotions to prevent pay offs. 2 days later lay off a load of people and start f**king people over on expenses. 2 weeks later get informed without consultation we are taking a pay cut from immediate effect and will continue till they see fit to return it.

A ruckus is not even close to what they started in our place      Personally I would consider it for a period of time to stop more redundancies but as the board has lost the trust of the company, no one is going for it.

[thebandit]

Longball,

Tough times but hope its doesn't last.

Have you thought of setting up as bookkeeper? I work in practice and the lack of book-keepers with any kind of knowledge is shocking. Many small business can do with them on a part-time basis and alot of accountancy firms have turned their noses up this work (in the past anyway) as it was messy work and to be done right you need to be at the persons place of business on regular time.

Can easily be set up for your basic VAT, Payroll etc. Word of mouth and local advertising is golden in this area. You'd be surprised who needs one.

The man has a good point..... I can back that up from personal experience.

[Bensars]

I had a fella knock on the door this yesterday offering to tidy up the garden. This time of year ,as anyone knows is a pain in the arse for getting the garden started. Two weeks of graft and maintaining it is simple enough. Thought it was a great idea and fair play for the inititive shown. Anyone who wanted a wee bit of money could do well at this , especially this time of year.

Hope everyone gets sorted out.

Thankfully my job is fairly secure ( touch wood) and our management made tough decisions last may in lue of what they predicted happening. Result is 100 emplyees safe and company actually grown despite the current crisis.

[Our Nail Loney]

Euromillions is higher than the lotto longball and its on friday so less time waiting...

[SidelineKick]

Aye, Euromillions is £85 million tonight, Jaysus that would be tasty

Got updated this morning, one of the head honchos is coming over on Monday & Tuesday, so there may be a move on things pretty soon. I doubt if he will deliver the news as the top boys normally leave it to other people to delievr the sh1te.

They have taken a lot of our duties off us in the last week, leaving us very fecking little to do.
Just makes it easier for them to deliver the news
Hoping they keep half of us leaving me with a 50/50 chance 

Have you been there longer than most or will that not even come into the equation?  Hope you get on the right side of that 50/50.

[nifan]

If you are in sales fb, surely it will be a fairly straightforward "who sold how much"

what do you sell out of a matter of interest (you can be vague if you dont want to give away the company!)

[Bogball XV]

Well I got into work this morning and got told by our head buck cat in the states I was taking a salary cut effective from March. Little does he know their are employment laws in Europe that prevent him from sending a company wide email out declaring this without consulting me and everyone else 

Not Agilent is it?  A few  mates work for them and had a similar mail, kicked off a huge Ruckus!!

Nah, they must had the same idea as our place - seen HP & EDS trying it and though we would all roll over like the Yank's and Indian's and take it.

Problem the is the c**** on the board didn't understand the different employment laws for Europe that were in effect. First of all they tell us the bonus fund is safe and double the dividend to shareholders. A month later get told bonus's have been cut and there are no promotions to prevent pay offs. 2 days later lay off a load of people and start f**king people over on expenses. 2 weeks later get informed without consultation we are taking a pay cut from immediate effect and will continue till they see fit to return it.

A ruckus is not even close to what they started in our place      Personally I would consider it for a period of time to stop more redundancies but as the board has lost the trust of the company, no one is going for it.

I'd say there are very few of us who haven't taken drastic cuts, at times like this employment laws go out the window and the choice has to be either pay cuts or lay offs, of course pay cuts mightn't be enough and the lay offs will probably still happen, but....

[Hound]

We've all been asked to take a 10% paycut. No consultation, just called into a room and its announced. Literature to follow outlining our revised terms. Dunno what'll happen if people refuse to accept it, but I doubt there'll be any. Everyone happy to be in a job. Hoping that the 10% will be enough to avoid redundancies.

[scud]

If you are in sales fb, surely it will be a fairly straightforward "who sold how much"

Unfortunately it wont work like that in here
Old pals act & all that
If half go, I have worked out that I am in the middle at the minute
The certainties to stay are the ones that are friends with the manager, been here for years etc
The certainties to go are the w4nkers & the ones who have attendance,sickness, performance issues etc
I am in between I reckon, so it will depend on how many they let go

Good luck with it FB. If they do lay you off, might be worth your while stickin in a claim, they'll usually offer you a grand or two just to buy it off, regardless of its merit!

[BennyHarp]

A mate of mine lost his job about 6 months ago and is in the process of training to be a driving instructor! Still think theres a shortage of those around - he seems pretty confident he'll get a job quickly enough or go out on his own! Just a thought!