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The rain, the economy, and other things

cooby Jan 08 2009 07:44 PM

Took a 8% pay cut today. I am one of the lucky ones though, at least I still have a job. More of one actually.

Kong76 Jan 08 2009 08:04 PM

Buck up lil' camper, change is coming. A trillion bucks worth!

themetfairy Jan 08 2009 08:12 PM

The pay cut suxx, but at least you made the cut.

metirish Jan 09 2009 04:30 AM

Sorry to hear that Cooby. At our job the union is to meet with the CEO Monday to hear the bad news on job cuts.The hospital expects a $70 million deficit this year and the State money that we should get isn't there anymore. Tough times and I hope I keep my job.

themetfairy Jan 09 2009 05:14 AM

Good luck Irish!

Kong76 Jan 09 2009 06:55 AM

Yes, goo luck 'irish -- the waiting for a possible ax to fall has to be difficult. I don't know what cooby does for work, but certainly there are probably other ways to cut expenses by 8% instead of doing it to the workers. Its demoralizing and most everyone is already feeling the pinch in the pockets. Speaking of the economy, why the hell isn't there more clamor for an investigation into why the hell oil prices spiked to ridiculous levels (one thing that really fueled, sorry, a lot of economic woes) and now it's down to ridiculously low level? There has to be something crooked under some rocks somewhere.

sharpie Jan 09 2009 07:02 AM

Looks like I'm going to have to give the word to two people in the next week or so that they no longer have jobs. Also will likely have to demote one person and give another a pay cut. I've let people go before but either they (a) deserved or it (b) I didn't like them personally. That isn't the case here. I've been having trouble sleeping. I am happy, however, that it looks like I get to keep my job as I could see a scenario where the powers that be would think that mine would be the best head to roll.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Jan 09 2009 07:21 AM

Going to work these days is like living near the faultline. You know something's going to happen eventually, you just don't know precisely when.

Farmer Ted Jan 09 2009 07:28 AM

No salary increases for 2009 here. Some pay cuts and position shuffling are in order. I wouldn't mind being shuffled.

metirish Jan 09 2009 07:29 AM

Yeah it really is terrible. I should be OK as the lab I work in is profitable but we are considered civil service employees so bumping could and probably will occur. We have been through an reorganization five years ago and a lot of people got bumped from their jobs , I know our secretary is worried as she feels an employee with more service time in her job title will bump her. We did get our raise this year in line with what our contract stated. I was slated for a two pay upgrade last year and sat an exam that the hospital required for me to get it. I passed that last August but have never got the raise and was told by the union recently that they could fight it but right now it's not a fight I will win. I agreed with that.

Frayed Knot Jan 09 2009 07:36 AM

Cooby dredging up 'Cowsills' references.

cooby Jan 10 2009 06:29 AM

Not only did I dredge them up, but I went and watched that video on Utube which is actually quite charming after all these years. Anyway, metirish, Jonny, Ted, and sharpie, all the luck to you, and all of you (and us) who are facing tougher times. We'll get through it. The timing of this for my family is kinda rough with my son getting a new place for us to pay for and all, but as it is, now that I am working full time (because of previous job cuts) I am still making more per week than I used to. So I guess I really am lucky. KC, I've been wondering the same thing about the oil industry, the reason for the $4 gas that I heard (on NPR no less) was that tons of Chinese and Arabs had bought cars and so the worldwide demand for gasoline had increased. At that time I thought "they all went out at the same time and bought one?". So now I guess they all sold them or something.... Who knows? Enjoy it while it lasts, I guess. Sorry to ramble, do you know what? Last night I fell asleep on the couch looking at the Christmas tree around 8 pm and just woke up a little while ago. I guess I needed some rest.

metirish Jan 12 2009 09:42 AM

Just posted in the local rag. Med Center closing nursing home BY CANDICE FERRETTE THE JOURNAL NEWS • JANUARY 12, 2009 VALHALLA — The Taylor Care Center nursing home will be shut down April 1 to help close a $70 million budget gap at Westchester Medical Center, the hospital board decided this morning. The board also voted to eliminate 400 positions, 190 of them at Taylor Care Center. Buyouts will be offered in hopes of getting some employees to leave voluntarily. There will be no reduction in the number of bedside nurses, hospital officials said. No details were released immediately on which non-nursing home positions would be eliminated, except that they will include some executive and management positions. The 100-bed nursing home includes a 20-bed ventilator unit. Residents, families and staffers are to be briefed on the closing during later today. Closing the nursing home is part of a plan to cut spending by approximately $40 million. The state cut hospital aid by $70 million, leaving administrators scrambling for savings. The interim budget adopted this morning will run through April. Administrators hope to have a better handle then on what else will need to be done to close the gap. Check back at LoHud.com for updates and read more about this story tomorrow in The Journal News and on LoHud.com. getting worried here.

themetfairy Jan 12 2009 10:09 AM

OMG - that's terrible Irish :(

cooby Jan 12 2009 07:23 PM

I'll be thinking of you Irish.

Rockin' Doc Jan 12 2009 10:34 PM

Best of luck, Irish. Not to wish a layoff on any of your coworkers, but I sincerely hope that you avoid getting caught up in the budgetary cuts.

metirish Jan 21 2009 07:12 PM

="sharpie":1jenf2rt]Looks like I'm going to have to give the word to two people in the next week or so that they no longer have jobs. Also will likely have to demote one person and give another a pay cut. I've let people go before but either they (a) deserved or it (b) I didn't like them personally. That isn't the case here. I've been having trouble sleeping. I am happy, however, that it looks like I get to keep my job as I could see a scenario where the powers that be would think that mine would be the best head to roll.[/quote:1jenf2rt] Did you end up having to do this? metirish Jan 22 2009 11:25 AM Just got back from a union meeting regarding seniority in your job title , it was chaos but the good news(I think) is that in my job title my seniority goes back to 1999 and right now in the hospital there are 30 people hired since then with the same job title , so with 36 people sharing my job title I am the fifth or sixth most senior. As we are civil service employees the lay offs will be based on seniority as will the bumping rights. themetfairy Jan 22 2009 11:35 AM Good news Irish! A Boy Named Seo Jan 22 2009 11:52 AM Man, just saw this. Best of luck, irish, and everyone else bracing for the worst. seawolf17 Jan 22 2009 12:01 PM A couple of guys I used to work with in my old Rochester radio days were axed as part of the big Clear Channel layoffs this week. One of them had been there since the beginning of time -- I was very surprised to see him let go. Best wishes, Irish. sharpie Jan 22 2009 12:05 PM Thanks for asking, Irish. Yesterday I laid off two perfectly good and capable people -- one a 23 year old woman, one a 40-ish man with two kids. They both took it like pros. The man with the kids has a gainfully employed wife and some family money plus he was very happy with his severance so it wasn't as bad as it could be. At least I didn't have to let go a guy who has a 2-year old with Autism. He was the person I had to demote but he was happy to have a job (I didn't have to cut his salary nor did I have to cut the salary of another person who I feared I would have to). The whole thing has really sucked but it was in part a defensive measure so that those above me won't impose more draconian cuts. Rockin' Doc Jan 22 2009 08:34 PM Irish, I'm glad to hear that your position appears safe. Sharpie, I feel for you. It's never a pleasant task to let an employee go, even when their job performance warrants their dismissal. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to lay off someone that hasn't done anything wrong. metirish Feb 12 2009 10:11 AM The hospital offered resignations packages that 102 employees have taken , basically between 15 and 22 weeks of pay with health benefits. Over the next month people will get notices that they are laid off . The kicker with the resignation package was that they offered only a select amount in each job title but they wouldn't divulge how many , so it would be a calculated risk for you to take it ...if you take it maybe they weren't going to fire you but if you didn't maybe they were....very messy I though got a promotion in my job of two pay levels...I sat an exam last August at the hospitals urging and the promotion was on hold because of all this this but today I was informed that the County and the hospital signed of on it and well I am surprised to say the least....happy though. cooby Feb 12 2009 10:35 AM irish, that is a terrific turn of events! :) It must be a huge relief to you themetfairy Feb 12 2009 10:36 AM Congrats Irish - that's wonderful news :) Kong76 Feb 12 2009 02:53 PM Good news, irish ... way to buck the trend of all the bad news reports. I live near that hospital and got a letter from my insurance about a week ago that my coverage is no longer welcome there. If I ever show up in the emergency room unconscious can you please send me over to Phelps? Thanks in advance. metirish Feb 20 2009 07:34 AM I guess you have Oxford , apparently the hospital and Oxford could not come to an agreement on a contract . Right now they are in negotiations and at the moment are in a "cooling period"....that comes form a hospital email. My guess and others I know is that they will come to an agreement as that would be in the best interest of the hospital at least. I can tell you that a lot of the patients I work with have Oxford...makes little sense not to accept it. metirish Mar 06 2009 07:15 AM Saw a report last night on the Evening News about 7,000 people showing up at Dodgers Stadium for a two day job fair last weekend to fill 500 part time jobs during the baseball season at Dodgers stadium , everything from selling beer to working security. It's on again this weekend and they expect 10,000. A job fair in NYC yesterday attracted nearly 5,000 people , one guy they chatted with is a veteran of the IT industry and he mentioned that he applied for a cleaning job at Citi Field. MFS62 Mar 06 2009 07:46 AM Great news, Irish. Good for you. Later metirish Apr 18 2009 02:14 PM Seen quite a few shows recently that feature a segment with recently unemployed people gathered around telling the host about their particular skills , host then brings the expert in to tell them how they can enhance their resume's. It's like the new reality show , there is something really horrible seeing grown men and women on these shows crying because they see very little hope in getting work again and it's like they are being exploited by the networks. cooby Apr 18 2009 02:40 PM We heard an interview with a lady on NPR a month or so ago; she was laid off very suddenly from her office job and had tried to get jobs at all sorts of lesser places (McD's, Walmart, etc) but just couldn't. NPR treated it very respectfully though. My hubby and I were both practically in tears. BTW we have had many more cuts where I work, none of them easy DocTee Apr 18 2009 02:44 PM Irish-- couldn't agree with you more....there's one of those programs on RIGHT NOW...very depressing. metirish Apr 18 2009 02:50 PM It's on CNN right? DocTee Apr 18 2009 03:35 PM yup. and the host makes these people feel even worse by forgetting their names.