how has the economy hit you?

[Ashley Armstrong]

Nothing directly for me (not working) but the secondary effects are squeezing in on me. BF's company had a salary freeze, which means that despite his recent (September) promotion, he's making the same salary as the people who work for him, and he's doing more work, which if nothing else sours the morale around here.

I'm sitting on a cash from my house sale last year, which I'd like to put into a condo in downtown Boston which a. would be cheaper on a monthly basis than renting, b. would function well as a rental property in a few years even if we chose not to live there anymore, and c. would put me in a metro area in which I could potentially get a job at some point. Basically the only thing stopping me on that front is vague fear of tying up so much of my safety net when, as I think Jay said, my parents might be suffering in the near future (Dad subsists on grant money, may be forced into retirement in the next couple of years).

Life hasn't really changed much overall for me so far, but the mood really sucks.

[Jeff Shyu]

talk about no pressure:

department director tells me that our Walmart team is bringing in approximately 50% of the revenue for the company right now (even though we're a small portion of the company).

I'm in charge of ~66% of the active Walmart projects.

no pressure.

[Mako Koiwai]

Work filming commercials is off but steady. You'd think they need to advertise their new special low prices ... but some of the companies are just reusing old footage and putting in new graphics. Car commercials are way down. Jobs that use to be three, four days are now just a couple of days long. Very little out-of-town and overseas jobs. Less foreign production companies coming over here to film. Good thing is that a lot of the work that we lost to Canada has come back to town. Problem is that a lot of states are offering rebates to film makers, so places like New Mexico and Louisiana are getting a lot of our jobs and the production companies don't want to travel us specialized technicians out of state. The Govenator refuses to give the Hollywood film industry tax breaks, which only hurt the average local worker, while the producers take their work out of state.

I was suppose to do a week long Molson beer commercial. Immigration wouldn't allow the canadian director and cameraman into the country, so they took the job to Mexico. While supposedly protecting the relatively few US directors and directors of photography, an entire production crew loses a job! The director and cameraperson are Artist bringing their own and their countries sensibilities to the job, so they should be allowed to work THEIR job where ever the see fit. Molson didn't want to hire a U.S. director and Dp for their markets job, and why should they?!

Hawaii has a special allowance from Immigration to allow japanese directors/camera people, etc. to film there since their motion picture industry depends on the Japanese.

I use to work 200+ 12 hour days a year (equal to 300 8 hour days!) ... now it's barely 100 days a year, but my ex-still gets the same alimony.

100's of Warner Bros and Paramount employees getting laid off. Some of our members that work for Disney are worried. Jobs are getting pushed back.

Motion Picture Health & Welfare just announced it's shutting down parts of our retirement home establishment, which for less fortunate retired film workers was an ultimate safety net.

We get paid over (union) scale on commercials, but on most jobs haven't received a raise in years, and in fact often have to work for our old rate, but spread out over 12 hours instead of 10. With every contract negotiation we give up some hard fought benefits. No more 15% Night Premium after 10 PM. When you work a one night job, you can't accept another job for the next day ... so in effect you use up two days to work one night. No vacation/holiday pay in commercials, 1/2 day travel days, no pay for down days on distant location, 1.5X pay on your 6th day in a row (2.0X on 7th days) instead of overtime on Sat and Sunday ... which means we often have to work on weekends without any additional cost to the producers.

We're having to give larger and larger discounts on equipment that we rent to production. We often have to wait months to get paid.

How can you tell when a Producer is lying? When their lips are moving ...

[Mike Shin]

3 co-workers of mine got laid off in the motorsports department, along with 20 others throughout the company. Sigh... Plus hiring and salary freezes across the board. I'm just happy to still have a job

[Kathy Teulie]

I am being laid off next week. My company was acquired and they are consolidating finance to their Israeli headquarters. I plan to stop racing until I can find a job. It may take awhile to get a job in this economy. I will miss racing though.

[John Prosser]

I am being laid off next week. My company was acquired and they are consolidating finance to their Israeli headquarters. I plan to stop racing until I can find a job. It may take awhile to get a job in this economy. I will miss racing though.

That sucks
JP

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

I am being laid off next week. My company was acquired and they are consolidating finance to their Israeli headquarters. I plan to stop racing until I can find a job. It may take awhile to get a job in this economy. I will miss racing though.

Sorry to hear that. Haven't raced in 3+ yrs but even though I was/am working, financially it wasn't feasible. After the 1st year, the side benefit is....you'll ENJOY sleeping in on the weekends. But hopefully I'll get back into later on this year.

[Mako Koiwai]

Really sorry to hear that Kathy!

Sounds like most of you are being financially responsible, ie. you're not REALLY addicted!

(Just got back from having the front CAT replace, bought a high pressure nitrogen regulator + pieces and bits, ordered more parts for the Miata ... but I still have Checks left ... so I'm not worried!)

[Steve Towers]

Got laid off in late November. The current job market is near non-existant for what I do. The company that I got whacked from is tied into new construction. Because of the lack of available financing, many new construction projects are being "pushed back" or put on hold. Not necessarily cancelled, just sort of a wait and see thing. Wait, Wait, Wait, see, Wait, Wait......................................

[Doug Teulie]

[Tin Bui]

My industry has been hit hard (automotive), but my company (Toyota) will survive.

I've been very fortunate so far in this economy. Only reduced bonus and no overtime currently. Yearly overtime for me is about 20% of my earnings.

Saving more now, but not directly do to the economy. Want a go kart!

[Thomas Barrett]

I feel pretty lucky actually. I am in the golf business and although the industry as a whole is down and not doing well. The company I work for had a great year and added 11 new courses in the 4th quarter alone.

I am actually getting a bonus this year. 7 of my nine courses made their budgets and have improved their performance over previous years.

Hard work and aggressive marketing and increasing value to the customer is our key, we may have lowered rates in some places but we picked up more golfers and that made the difference.

Also spending is really tight and we manage to the bottom line when possible.

Hang in there everyone and be creative, we will all survive this tough time.

My favorite quote from Nietsche I believe is "anything that does not kill me makes me stronger".

Don't let this kill you.

[Kurt Rahn]

Let's put it this way: I have two major clients...one of them hasn't paid me since June.

[Reijo Silvennoinen]

Up here in Canada (Alberta), we are lagging behind the US in the economic downturn but it has begun to rapidly gather steam since the fall and it's looking downright ugly right now. Thousands of people have been laid off in the oil patch. For instance Bantrel (O & G Engineering/Procurement co.) had 1200 employees last summer....will have 200 shortly. They are into their 3rd round/wave of layoffs. My daily and weekly calls from headhunters have stopped.

The house prices have gone down somewhat but I think people are not dropping their prices ... yet. They will be. I've noticed that the layoffs have gone beyond the O & G here now ... makes sense when you take thousands of people making good money out of the economy, they aren't going to be spending money anywhere.

For myself, I consider myself fortunate in that I have worked in other areas of civil and structural engineering outside of the oil patch such that I can hopefully tap into the Infrastructure programs the government is throwing money at up here (much like the US).

In the meanwhile, I've been working on the design of a new race track facility (water, sewer, storm, roads, and eventually buildings) which is in for re-zoning right now and hence dormant for me for about 6 months.

Now I've picked up work for the design of a kart racing track for the local kart racing club (80 acres site - might include an autocross pad) and then some other odds and ends such as a storm water pond control structure to design and have even delivered some flowers for a friend's flower shop (picture this: two engineers with degrees delivering flowers! ) and even some basement framing/development for another friend.

So, the recession ... no, let's call a spade, a spade ... the depression is continuing and going to get a bit deeper IMHO. I figure, once you name it, then you can deal with it instead of fearing it. Hopefully it won't get too much worse than it is now and that everyone can find something to do in the meantime. We might have to be a bit creative and maybe do something outside our field of expertise (maybe you have to gain another one?) in order to get by.

So, be creative everyone and good luck!

Reijo

[Randy Chase]

Nicely put Reijo.

I have been busy, did you move back to Canada?

[Reijo Silvennoinen]

Nicely put Reijo.

I have been busy, did you move back to Canada?

Thanks Randy!

Yes, I have moved back to Calgary/Alberta/Canada.....and we're in the deep freeze....going to be close to -30 deg. tonight! :unimpressed: However I have to admit it was about 60 deg. F last week.....Chinook winds (kinda like the Santa Ana's down there).

Once my NAFTA visa was over there wasn't too much of a choice in the move. Mind you, I think it is working out for the best for me since I have a lot of contacts up here: All those jobs I mentioned have come around by word of mouth through people I know - no searching around for myself. Getting jobs on contract or for my own firm really depend more on who you know rather than what you know.....contacts.

Some other friends up here are either out of work or working at reduced hours so there are a number of us discussing working together on construction and engineering projects so I'm thinking that things could work out quite well despite the economy! Like I said, be creative and come up with something - there could be great opportunities out there if you look for them. They say that businesses started in "down" times ultimately have a much higher success rate than otherwise. Go figure!

As a sidenote, I have a couple of friends from here intending on coming down your way and running in the El Toro Pro and San Diego NT (ASP)....and I'd like to come down also if I can but am delaying the decision until I know what is happening work-wise......but hopefully I'll be seeing you-all soon!

Reijo

[Jeff Shyu]

god, apparently the firings have not made people work any harder.

i left a bunch of work for my people while i was gone friday and monday. between 4 people, they should have been able to complete it no problem by today. the package is only about 30% done right now.

[Katy Nicholls]

Self Fulfilling Prophecy or Crazy Timing!?

I had just been reading this thread at lunch last Thursday and by 4:45 pm, I also received notice that my contract was cut and my last day to be the following Friday!

I consider myself to be a fortunate person regardless of these difficult times, but this sure sucks!!!

So today, I ponder….what next!?

This is what I have come up with so far:
-Screw it all and run away. Become a Peruvian Sheepherder. Do you have to be Peruvian to be a Peruvian Sheepherder?
-Garbage person for Willow Springs Raceway. Maybe I can strike a deal. X number of trash cans emptied = X number of free track time!

Hmmm. From this perspective, opportunities are endless…things are looking up!

Ridiculous for sure! BUT better than the stressful alternative of being serious. I think I will continue to be an Ostrich and keep my head in the ground for just a few more days.

Sorry to hear about everyone else's difficult times and misfortunes. If I make it big at Willow Springs, I will put in a good word… ;)

[Jeff Shyu]

well, my office canned a senior partner here today, along with a few senior designers, and a few of the people in our OC office.

our OC office (new office across the street from south coast) has been reduced from 55, down to 19 people. they're in a lease they can't get out of, in a studio type space that they can't rent out (because the only people looking to rent are lawyers, who want offices). with 19 people (10 of which are associate level managers) and -zero- billable projects, i'm wondering how long the "boss" is going to keep that office open.

it sure is a crappy state to be in right now, and there's ZERO signs of anything getting better..

[Marshall Grice]

so with all the layoffs Jeff, how long until you own the place?

[George Schilling]

Self Fulfilling Prophecy or Crazy Timing!?

I had just been reading this thread at lunch last Thursday and by 4:45 pm, I also received notice that my contract was cut and my last day to be the following Friday!

I consider myself to be a fortunate person regardless of these difficult times, but this sure sucks!!!

So today, I ponder….what next!?

This is what I have come up with so far:
-Screw it all and run away. Become a Peruvian Sheepherder. Do you have to be Peruvian to be a Peruvian Sheepherder?
-Garbage person for Willow Springs Raceway. Maybe I can strike a deal. X number of trash cans emptied = X number of free track time!

Hmmm. From this perspective, opportunities are endless…things are looking up!

Ridiculous for sure! BUT better than the stressful alternative of being serious. I think I will continue to be an Ostrich and keep my head in the ground for just a few more days.

Sorry to hear about everyone else's difficult times and misfortunes. If I make it big at Willow Springs, I will put in a good word… ;)

Sorry to hear about your lay-off Katy. Hopefully something better will come along soon.

[Jeff Shyu]

so with all the layoffs Jeff, how long until you own the place?

well, there's a few more associates and partners to go.. :ibrightdea:

but seriously, i'm one of few that's actually bringing in billable hours right now. i've got more work than i can handle, and a handful of people w/ dubious talents working for me.. 3pm kinda marks my daily slowdown, since all the east coast people go home and leave me alone.

they've been somewhat hampered by the storm today. i expect some *sh&%-storm* to hit as soon as the roads clear and they're back at work..

[Mako Koiwai]

Smart Katy ... making friends with our Peruvian Labor Contact! Dang ... she's first in line to get that shepherding contract. I hear the Peruvians aren't happy with out sourcing to the U.S.

[Giovanni Jaramillo]

Kaiser is hurting also. I have insider info.

You weren't kidding! It's all over CNN.com's main page, and look where he worked!!

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/01/27/fam ... index.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I just started here, and this news is all over the company

[Kathy Teulie]

There are so many of us now unemployed that we should have an unemployed autocrossers party.