Makes me wonder what these guys are doing on the picket line here in Pennsylvania. Penelec, the Ohio company that provides electric for our homes. You would think they would be glad to have a job.
Oh right, they belong to a union. Guess that means they are still eating and paying their bills.
Here is the map showing the hard hit area's in Pennsylvania.
The top left hand cornor is where I live with my son, a project manager for defense contracts for our military.
Today he starts his vacation. When he returns to his company on July 13th, along with his team, he will be returning to clean out his office and pick up his pink slip. You can't be a project manager when there are no projects for your team. This is the second wave of lay offs for his company. This company will most likely not make it. It employed most of the area's population. Just about the only company that still makes things.
Most of the people who live here were born here. Leaving for them would be unheard of. I've mentioned before that this area never got over the crash of th 70's. Homes here are over 100 years old, no new construction, falling apart around their ears, but to them this is home.
I'm glad we never put down roots so strong that making a change would be impossible. I was already packing, waiting for a new change. This only helps us along a little faster.
We won't hang our heads or drown in our tears. We'll do the American thing, pack up our wagon and move on.
5 comments:
It does seem a bit incongruous -- unemployment so close to double digits and people are standing in picket lines.
Something is wrong with that picture!
Right attitude Holee. I'm thinking maybe you know quite a bit about picking yourself up and dusting yourself off, and moving on. It's hard for me to see the union people wanting more and more when there are those who just want to work.
Oh Holee, I am so sorry about your son getting laid off, but glad you did not make roots there. I am really looking forward to seeing you next week. I hope you are well.
Sorry to hear about the layoff for your son.
Where I am, the unemployment rate is over 9%. Teens can't even get summer jobs, let alone the adults. We know lots of families where the dads leave the state for work but the kids and wife stay here because of the roots here and because the houses won't sell.
Very sad.
You get to see Tisme next week!??! I am jealous you two get to see each other. I would love to join you.
You are lucky you can move on to pastures new. Over here in the UK there is nowhere to move to. The situation is terrible all over the country.
In the 80's the government decided that they wanted nothing more to do with the 'dirty industries' and proceeded to shut down the coal mines and the steel industry which was the heart and soul of Wales. It has taken us 20 years to regain our pride and dignity and now this global mess has hit us once again. It's always the same. The fat cats get greedy for profit and to hell with the consequences. It's the working class that always have to pay the price.
The unions over here aren't as strong as they once were but they are fighting as hard as they can for people's jobs. There has just been a big strike in varios parts of the country over job losses. the reason being that the company were sacking ( sorry making redundant) men in one half of the factory but hiring others on less than half the wage ( yes immigrants) to do the same jobs.
Don't blame the unions, they are just looking out for their men.
I'm sorry about your son. We still don't know if Mal has a job or not when we come back from holiday. It's putting a huge dampner on the whole thing.
Love and hugs Gina xxx
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