It's always scary when people lose their jobs and can't afford to live and I would say that's one of the scariest things that happens. But, I am wondering what you all think of what could be some of the worst kinds of cutbacks in certain professions/companies.

I work as an RN healthcare and some co-workers and I were just talking about the economy and how companies are going or are starting to make cuts and people losing their jobs and what not. Since we were all nursing staff, we were wondering what would happen if the hospitals started to cut an already short Nursing staff. Where I work, we are generally staffed pretty well and some days depending on how sick people are, we just can't keep up. Imagine the quality of care people are going to receive when the shortage of Nursing staff (also Physician staff and other allied health staff) get shorter and shorter. There are many areas of work that can be short and suck it up. You get behind on your job, well you can maybe make up for the next day. In healthcare, there is no "making it up". We are dealing with people's lives each and everyday and people expect us to look after them. What if we can't?? What happens then?? Things will happen and not for the good. Trouble is, the excuse for being "too busy" doesn't hold up and we have to deal with it.

 

Treasury tells Congress they are going to have large pay cuts, or face lay offs, which will mean a loss of benefits including health insurance.

 

I think its gonna get much worse before it gets better. I think we are all worried about our jobs. Personally, I made a long distance move and changed jobs 17 months ago. My employer hired many new employees and spent over $1 billion on a new project. Now we are all worried about this new project and our jobs. Company stock dropped almost in half. I try not to worry too much, but its always on my mind. I just hope we can all pull thru somehow with minimal damage.

 

I heard on cnbc that the economy will turn around starting spring 2009 and even then it will be a slow process. I currently work 2 jobs and will probably will for a while.

 

Health professions need not worry. People get sick, you get them better, they pay. Very easy equation. Luckily I just attended my companies yearly forecast and it looks good for next year right now. Of course a project can be cancelled just as quickley and that would be real bad.

 

I already made my move- went from a shop lead at a high-end stainless fabrication shop to shop manager at a trucking company that hauls potatoes. Not much more stable than foodstuffs.

 

Well I was just downsized last week, found out Wed morning. Not sure what I am going to do just yet. I know that I am waiting till at least January before I get another job.

 

Due to the metal markets taking a nose dive, we have laid off 3 truck drivers and 3 yard men. and I have taken a pay cut. Hope it gets better soon.

 

Yep. People still gotta eat. The trucking company I work for hauls produce up and down the coast. If it came down to it, I could go to work for a former foreman at a tanker company, they haul jet fuel.

 

Yep, look at the increase of SPAM making and sales. The Hormel factory has increased its production and its workshifts were told to expect working 24/7 for a very long time.

By the way, SPAM was first marketed in the 1930s depression as a less expensive meat alternative. Still one of the best products for the money.

 

Trucking should be safe as hell....Particularly with fuel prices going down......

I was thinking about that when I was BSing with one of our convenience store managers this morning....Watching the beer delivery guy bringing cases of beer into the store. They say that people are cutting back and losing their 'luxuries'.....but I think beer is not included as a 'luxury', even though it's alcoholic. To most people, it's pretty much a needed foodstuff!

 

I must be nuts.

I LOVE SPAM!

It's a staple during camping trips and such. What's better than a mess of hash browns, a couple of fried eggs, and a couple of thick slices of fried SPAM! Mmm Mmm, GOOD!!!

 

SURELY those 3 got hired on pretty quickly somewhere else?!!!?.....

Hope so. I think truck drivers are still an undervalued and underrepresented commodity, aren't they?

My brother's going through his own work upheavel. His store where he worked for 26 years closed a couple of weeks ago. Thank GOD he got hired on, albeit at a location over an hour away.....and there's prospects for the future.....BUT...

He's in just about the toughest business around right now. Building supplies!!!

 

This may be biased as I'm a Firefighter/Paramedic, but some of the scariest cutbacks IMO are in basic public services. Your Police, Fire/EMS, and Public Works.

We keep the bad guys at bay, put out the fire next door and prevent your place from burning down, take you to the hospital and provide emergency room care at 70MPH, maintain and plow your streets as well as keep water/power/gas going into your home and waste out.

My wife was let go yesterday, but we'll be fine as we were ready and I make the majority of the $$ and have the benefits as well as having a very secure job.

Mike

 

I worry about my job some of coarse since I am a truck driver on a dedicated run servicing and hauling parts for a company that builds parts for OEM auto manufacturers, biggest contract for the plant I haul to is the GM plant in KC. BUT they also do exhaust for almost every other auto manufacturer, as well as class 6-8 trucks, Cat offroad, and Harley davidson, plus unless GM goes clear under that plant in KC makes the Malibu and that is one of the smaller cars that are being used by a lot of Police forces now.
BUT if they close that plant I deliver too I would have to move to Indiana to stay with the company I currently drive for most likely or end up going back OTR which really stinks but I bet I could stay employed unless the economy totally stops.

But with that said I can honestly say that when you see massive layoffs in the trucking industry you need to be REALLY scared. Yes I understand Mikes point about public services and that would not be good although I think that in some areas you could see some definite streamlining and not lose much (example, small town I live in, 4000 people, under 20sq miles total area and in the winter they have 9 plow trucks, but the county only has 4 something is wrong with that balance)
But when things slow down enough that they start massive layoffs in the trucking industry to where drivers can't find work that means NOTHING is moving, no food, no gas to power those ambulances to take you to the hospital, or the police or fire vehicles to protect you, no parts to maintain them and a REAL serious need for that protection due to how many other people are layed off and trying to survive by whatever means needed. When you see 1 million drivers layed off that means that some 100,000,000 other people are already out of jobs and you can't even find food to eat.