RANT! DH lost job!

[mcwhmm]

I could scream!! He worked/works at John Deere and has been there for 4+ years. For those that don't know, it's a HUGE factory (3 here in my town actually) in the Midwest that make tractors. Back in August they announced 400+ layoffs for October and DH was safe but got switched to a new job. He now has been on his new job since October doing engineering and they kept switching him machines so that they didn't have to certify him on his machine! Now today they just announced another 900+ layoffs!! His last day is April 2nd (baby due April 15th).. 550+ of the layoffs are just in our town.. Meaning that that many people will be looking for a job at the same time!! It just seems so wrong... The thing is, they had a good year last year for sales, better than in the past, they just pay their big shots wayyyyyyy too much and don't care about anyone underneath them even though they claim to be such a "family oriented company"

I don't even know what to say to DH..

 

[Laurans]

So sorry to hear your unfortunate news!
Will he get any kind of redundancy pay which might allow him to take some time off with you and the new baby! ( hope there is some kind of silver lining somewhere!) must be worrying for you! Hope he finds another job really soon!

 

[mcwhmm]

They get to keep their insurance for 6 months but that's it..

 

[ladders]

Really sorry to hear your news I can't even begin to imagine how stressed it's making you feel. Don't have anything constructive to say I'm afraid but wanted to let you know I'm thinking of you

 

[calm81]

I'm so sorry for your situation, a situation many of us can soon find ourselves. My husbands job has been doing layoffs for the last couple of years and every time layoffs are being mentioned, he makes the "we'll keep him longer," cut, not knowing when or if his turn will arise.

We are so stressed because I can't get a job right now, as the field I would work in involves a lot of intense training before I could be hired (Law Enforcement). I feel so vulnerable not being able to take my hubby's worries away. I really feel for your situation, pregnant and feeling unable to help hubby.

What should be your most joyful time coincides with his last day of work, it just isn't right. Corporations need to STOP paying the "higher ups" extremely high wages (not warranted for the little work they do) meanwhile, the REAL workers get the shaft whenever corners need to be cut. Bad, very bad business ethics!!!!!

I wish I could give you sound advice, but unfortunately, I'm worried about being in the same boat without a paddle. I really can't wait until this pregnancy is finished so that I can resume my career and feel more stability financially speaking, as we just bought a new house back in February.

I can at least offer big hugs!

 

[mcwhmm]

Thanks ladies!

The thing is too, I can understand layoffs and what not.. But they had a "record breaking year" last year and opened a damn tractor museum!!! Really?? You had money for that?? And they just lay off people by their hire date so this time everybody hired after January 2010 is gone. I feel like they should keep people who put in the work and deserve to keep their job, not just screw everybody over! Plus there are TONs of people that are retirement age there that refuse to leave but when they finally do, they will be looking for people! Especially since he new contract comes out this year and they are always doing incentives to get people to retire.

At least we got mostly stocked up on everything we need for the most part and both of our bank accounts have a good amount of savings.

I'm also thankful that we decided to make our rental work for another year before we bought the house we were looking at this summer because then we would be realllllly screwed!

 

[weewdy]

Sorry to hear your news. Would it be an option for you to go back to work earlier if your DH has trouble finding a job?

 

[butterflywolf]

Sadly jobs like that will not be around. Majority of the people who are the CEO's of the company or other high up positions like that, don't care about anyone but themselves and the million of dollars they can make a year. My dad works in a paper mill for the lovely Koch brothers and it's horrible conditions. My dad may have to get knee surgery and while he was on some trail drugs for his knee they still made him climb in all these weird spots to fix machines. They don't care.

Then with Fleet Farm ever since the younger children took over they are running Fleet Farm right into the ground! They only care about themselves. Thankfully I was able to get out before it got bad. I honestly will not be shocked if Fleet Farm closes a lot of stores in the next 5 years.

Right now my husband's job which is an office job, he should be safe, but his company is getting merged with another. Merges suck. They will be merging in July 2015. They said that if they have to do lay offs they will go for the ones who are able to retire and offer an incentive package for them which most usually do take. (they had to lay off back in 2011 I believe it was and they were able to not have to lay off anyone since the retiree's all took the package).

We wanted to move this year into a larger home and into a better school district, but we will wait until 2016 since we don't know with his job. What is nice is due to the large down payment we were able to make on this home our payments are only 453 (which we make it 500) a month. And then the other typical bills of electricity and water etc. We can get by with a smaller income worse case. Plus we have about 10k saved up in case something does happen to help us stay afloat until he can get another job. It sucks and the best thing is try to be as prepared as you can be for shit like this.

It sucks but I'd have him start looking for a different job now. Figure out what the lowest income he can pull it that would keep you guys afloat so to speak and look for that. Sadly he may have to take just a crappy retail job until he can get something better. One thing that I have learned is companies don't give a flying fudge bucket about you or your family no matter how much they say they do and you have to make sure you are prepared for whatever a shit storm could come your way.

I hope for the best outcome for you guys *hugs*

 

[LilFooshFoosh]

Sounds like he works for a union and could get recalled, especially if there are a number of people that decide to retire when the new contract goes through. A layoff isn't the same as getting fired or let go, but it feels that way.

Sorry you are having to deal with this right now. I hope things work out and he either finds something by April 5th or gets recalled.

 

[Rhio92]

xxx

 

[mummytobe_93]

Really sorry to hear about this!
Would it be better for him to start looking for a job now then leaving sooner rather than later if possible?

 

[mummytobe_93]

Sorry didn't finish my last post.. Would it not be better for him to look for a job now instead of six months time when every one else is looking? Xx

 

[mcwhmm]

Yeah he's going to do that. Plus they can collect unemployment so it's not like we will have to rely on one income, but still! With the last set that they laid off, they said that they would pay for schooling too. He already has a degree but is thinking about taking soem online classes or something since they will pay! (If they still will)

Also to pp, yes, John Deere is in the union and they could possibly be called back, I think the call back time is like 4-5 years or something, but there's over 1,000 just in my town in the last 6 months laid off so I don't know where they would even start on call backs. And honestly, John Deere is a great company as far as pay and their medical is completely free and covers literally anything, but if he gets a call back and he's already found a job he enjoys, he probably won't go back to deeres.. It'd just be another risk. Although times change and we will see

Thanks for all your support

 

[Anh1982]

How stressful, that's awful to have to deal with while pregnant! Glad they keep them on insurance for awhile, I think I'd lose it if I found out I was going to be uninsured for delivery/new baby appointments.

 

[eventerjj]

I am really sorry you are having to go through this right now.

Luckily they call back based on seniority in the same way they cut, so the last ones cut are the first ones called back. If he leaves before the actual layoff say though, does he forfeit his ability to be called back? Has he checked to see if there are any openings in construction in Dubuque? I know it is a bit of a drive, but they always give preference to employees from other areas,

Dubuque went through some really tough layoffs back in 2008 and it really does suck. I really wish the Ag business hadn't turned so badly that the layoffs are needed but I know the company is trying to keep something like what happened in the 80s from happening again. I also wish the union would put out retirement to keep the younger guys, but that can be the downside of the unions
Btw, I do work for John Deere too, but this is all personal views and knowledge from working with the line guys during the 2008 layoffs.