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Well 2009 is a basket case I think already.

I don't know about any of you and job security but we've laid off 2 staff and another is likely to go this month, 50% in other words :(


We are now looking at leaving the country, after all we don't really need to work and I don't want to give Gordon the chance of making us pay for his stupid blunders with our money.

Anyone else thinking the same?

Im actually quite glad im still serving now.. quite pleased at the extended time ive been offered as well. Ive now got 5 years before I have to consider insecurity and the like, which is pretty damn good as far as im concerned. Bullets and bombs dont worry me at all, but being a civvi scares the shit out of me... Fek that for a game of soldiers...

I suddenly have more work than I can cope with.
Dunno how long that state of affairs will last tho.

well not you Gio - seems your ex-employees are taking on your suffering

nod nod K - you stay in those boots boy, you really don't wanna be out here in the cold (besides it'll cost all me pension to train another bugger to do your job )

I refuse to suffer - we're on just over half of what we were earning this time last year, but the mortgage has more than halved too so there's always a reason to be cheerful (1,2,3...)

Well the automotive industry is very shaky at present. I hope we'll ride it out. The company has a typical Japanese cautiousness and we were always understaffed - so less hire&fire than other places. Hopefully that gives a bit more security - but if Jaguar/LandRover were to go then I'm not sure whether we would be closed down or just severely pruned.
My expectation is that this year there will be no pay rises or bonuses of any amount - so on paper we'll be worse off. We had some money in ISAs - they've lost a lot. That would have been useful money for helping get the kids started - but in many ways it's monopoly money as we don't use it day to day (though I think we've put in more than things are worth now).
Is the roof above our heads safe and can I still put food on the table? Well, yes.
Am I suffering - I'd say not - not compared to many in this world. Even in a downturn, the lot in life for the most of us still sits in the "very privileged" category of the world's population.

I am in one of the very few professions that is fairly safe

but, yes, we are suffering - simple things like when we go out with friends, i ensure I pick up the tab etc

chidcare sosts are rising as well - my child minders other job has gone tits up

also - the local area is starting to hurt - pubs closing, woolies closing - that was 100 jobs in a small town - all has a knock on effect

worst thing - it is going to get worse - a lot worse i fear

snapdragon wrote:well not you Gio - seems your ex-employees are taking on your suffering

Yeah but if people arent buying expensive (figure of speech, not necessarily true) sandwiches and are buying ham and bread from Tescos to make their own packup, I would say it's not really a passing on of the suffering so much as reality of the situation. The bakery in our village used to be packed at dinner and shelves bare, it's the other way round now. It doesnt take 4 staff to serve 3 people and a small Llama named Fred.

Kwackerz wrote:Im actually quite glad im still serving now.. quite pleased at the extended time ive been offered as well. Ive now got 5 years before I have to consider insecurity and the like, which is pretty damn good as far as im concerned. Bullets and bombs dont worry me at all, but being a civvi scares the shit out of me... Fek that for a game of soldiers...

you're just a youngster... even in 5 years, always wondered why no-one stays on til retirement age in the forces? Can't you get a desk or training job if you're too old and decrepit for owt else?

I'm in the construction industry and things are looking very hard for the next couple of years - loads of jobs gone already and a lot worse to come as jobs finish and theres nothing new for people to move on to. I'm OK for now (probably), but theres no way of telling what the next few months will bring.

On the other hand theres not much I can do about it, so if shit happens it happens - I got through the last recession and no doubt will get through this one, one way or another.

on the repair side of i've not noticed any difference other than folks are spending more on there old cars to keep them on the road,where as before they were scraping them.

We have also been hit with heavy layoffs. I head up the European-wing of a Global firm's Finance department so I see the company and industry figures which make for scary reading. My team has remained unscathed except for 1 open position which was not back-filled, but other teams have had senior and junior members slashed to make the numbers add up for the shareholders. Im on tender hooks as I could be next.

We supply ingredients to the confectionery industry and over the past 12-18 months have seen raw material and transport costs go through the roof.

We have managed to adsorb most of this but it has hurt.

Then Gordons decision to destroy the UK economy has seen the value of the pound fall by 25% in four months and as our materials have to come from europe and america we have been shafted.

No choice have had to increase our prices by 25% and I suspect that will get passed on to the consumer fairly soon.

A week pound is great for exports but unfortunately we make very little in this country so everyone is going to be hit with the high costs of imports.

Is it going to get worse?

Yes!!!

Hyper-inflation here we come

As Paulh says, the constuction industry has been getting worse for a while, I have two relatives who have lost the jobs. Both have had no joy at all finding alternative employment.

ligloo wrote:

Kwackerz wrote:Im actually quite glad im still serving now.. quite pleased at the extended time ive been offered as well. Ive now got 5 years before I have to consider insecurity and the like, which is pretty damn good as far as im concerned. Bullets and bombs dont worry me at all, but being a civvi scares the shit out of me... Fek that for a game of soldiers...

you're just a youngster... even in 5 years, always wondered why no-one stays on til retirement age in the forces? Can't you get a desk or training job if you're too old and decrepit for owt else?

22, well now 24, years colour service IS retirement age in the forces.. But there is sometimes the offer of continuance as a 'plastic' squaddie.. like a civvi in green kit.. usually stores people and non deploying stuff

FalcoPhil wrote:We supply ingredients to the confectionery industry and over the past 12-18 months have seen raw material and transport costs go through the roof.

We have managed to adsorb most of this but it has hurt.

Then Gordons decision to destroy the UK economy has seen the value of the pound fall by 25% in four months and as our materials have to come from europe and america we have been shafted.

No choice have had to increase our prices by 25% and I suspect that will get passed on to the consumer fairly soon.

A week pound is great for exports but unfortunately we make very little in this country so everyone is going to be hit with the high costs of imports.

Is it going to get worse?

Yes!!!

Hyper-inflation here we come

Thats what has forced us to lay off staff, rising costs in the food industry, wheat products are the biggest gain in price as 95% is imported and per ton its nearly doubled in price in a year. We only adjust our prices once a year as I feel customers pay enough, but this year we had to push our selling prices across the board by 5%, now that might not sound a great deal but its all I want to raise prices by as we are (so far) looking at sales that have dropped £150-200 in a day.

I don't like laying off staff, but what can you do?