I work for a company that has been in business for 30 yrs. For the last 26 I have been a "member". Coincidentally, it is when my ch started (no connection, really).

Anyway, we are about to be purchased by a national conglomerate. Their reputation is: raiders, aggressive, arrogant (I've met 'em, it's TRUE), and more money than they know what to do with. They are also known for moving in and "clearing house". Meaning they have their own well stocked management team and we will ALL be gone. It's their style. No matter that we have just experienced our BEST 5 years in the company's history.

My questions: Any advice from those of you who have experienced the same or similar? Severance? Nope, we will all be fired, they owe us nadda cuz we are NOT employees of theirs. Pension, surely you jest, current owners don't know that word. Health benes, c'mon, you don't work for US. Vacation/sick leave comp? Har-har, try to get that from your previous owners. 2 week notice? (well, if I left, it is expected as a professional courtesy, word is, they don't believe that applies to them).

Sigh...whine... it's a new world.  What I'm asking for is any words of wisdom from y'all?

Regards,

Jon

Wow Jon...what a blow.  This is what makes people go postal, commit the uinthinkable, or at the very least make them totally have no faith in anyone.

I have no knowledge of the dog-eat-dog world out there, but I empathize none-the-less with your feelings as to how this must make your life a hell right now.

Words of more wisdom than mine will be forthcoming I am certain.


I do think you have a RIGHT to whine for a while and we will listen.

Linda

I'm afraid I have no advice, or experience... but I'm sending hugs and positive thoughts and prayers, Jon.
[smiley=hug.gif]

I sold auto parts and equipment for over 20 years the company bought out another and moved all help to our store that had more time in than I did and I was layed off due to a staff reduction (yeah right) oh well I collected unempoyment til on got on SSD so it did work out in the end I guess Terry

Sorry to hear this Jon.  I have not been through this but might I suggest you get your ducks in a row and be prepared for the worst.  Keep the resume' updated, start job searches without burning bridges at the persent company.  If the hammer falls you will have a plan already under way.

Good luck and wishing you the best!

-P.

Hello trouble! It's lovely when you post but not like this  :-/

Bearing in mind that I don't know the first thing about how companies work over there I'm not sure that I have anything real to contribute however, I would suggest you seek some advice, maybe from a union or a workers rights type place if you have something like that or a legal advice line with any insurances you have?

Anyway, my thought is if your company is selling an intact corporation to another company known for axing all it's staff then they are being negligent of their staff welfare and I wonder if they can be made to make some sort of a package? There should be something in the contract that ensures job security for all of you otherwise they are contributing to your dismissal without compensation. Whether this is legal or not or could be fought remains to be seen but it would be worth a try at finding out at least.

Strike a blow for employees everywhere!

lots of love and wishing you nothing but the best 'cos you're my friend and I care

Helen xxx

Take a fall and go out on comp, then sue them....give them the gift before they can give it to you!  ;)

I feel for you Jon.  The stress of this type of situation is awful.  I've been through some rough corporate situations and was laid off once before.  I left my most recent job (for a much better one) just ahead of the buy out.

Whatever you do, don't let the decisions they make when they come in make you think less of yourself.  It's hard to do but essential.  Loosing one's job is one of the most gut wrenching and gut checking experiences I've ever been through.  It can make you doubt yourself.  Don't fall into that trap.

You know who you are and what makes you a valuable asset to a company.  Don't let them make you forget it.

In the mean time keep doing your job.  You don't want to give them an excuse to fire you.  Unfortunately the only thing you really have control of in this situation is how you do your job and your own job search.  If you find something good, you don't have to wait to be fired.  Especially if there is little expectation of a severence package.

Even corporate raiders don't fire everyone overnight.  They typically send in an investigation unit to separate the wheat from the chaf as it were.  That gives you time to search around for somwhere else to land.  

Work your contacts.  Go find everyone that you used to work with and find out where they are now.  My own search took most of a year.  That's how long it took for the buyout to be completed.  In the end it was a friend from my past who worked for a company that could use my skills.  He found out I was looking and gave me a call.

So my advice is to consider that your two week notice was just given and go find out what else is out there.  It gives you a positive direction to spend your energy and, once you have some options, it'll give you some confidence in dealing with your current situation.

If it works out that they don't fire you. Good.  If not you'll at least know what other options there are for you in the area.  Who knows, this might turn into an opportunity. It did for me.

Good luck Jon...

-Dennis-

Dennis and Paul have the right idea, I think--don't do anything suddenly.  It'll take them a while to get their ducks in a row to do much of anything at all, so you have time to brush up your resume, and start looking around.  

That being said, it's definitely time to bail.  There's a bad moon on the rise.

One of our local corporations was taken over by raiders a few years ago.  The raiders cleaned house on the administrative staff one day...people who'd worked there for twenty years and more were given ten minutes to clean out their desks, and were escorted out by security guards.

Who needs that?

Best wishes,

George  

Oh my...ALL good and I THANK YOU! Have employed the deep breathing I preach, and am a little calmer now. Resume updating my project for the weekend.

When and if they can me, it's NOT gonna be because I gave them ANY reason. At least in my mind, that will make me better than them.  Papers to be signed next Tuesday. I will fight, not because I want to work for them but because these colleagues are my friends and family (like this one here) and I'll be damned if I make it easy for them. You all know about not making it easy for the "beast".

And Jonny, you crack me up bro' (thanks for the laugh, I needed it). I must admit to being sorely tempted to go comp. But actually, I am in charge of safety here and that would cost me precious pride points.

I am reminded that in 2002, in a hurry and trying to be "the best I could be" I jumped/fell off of a 5 foot loading dock. Broke my hip, ambulance ride and everything (if you're conscious, those ambulances are fascinating). It hurt like a bitch and I remember the emergency room doc asking me to rate the pain. First thing I said was, well, I'm a clusterhead so this rating will be skewed (he had NO idea what I was talking about). Can't remember what I said but apparently it did not impress them. Brought in an orthopedic surgeon who said "no work for 6 weeks".

They gave me 3 (3!!!) pain pills of I cannot remember what and sent me home. I took 1 a day for the next 2 days and the only thing I remember is being pissed that I couldn't go out and buy some smokes. Never took the third and still have it for when something REALLY hurts. By the third day I was so antsy I called work and told them I was coming in. Learned you CAN drive a manual shift car by clutching with just your toes (hey, size 12 1/2 feet).

For the next 8 weeks I used a wheelchair and/or crutches and did my job just fine. Never told the doc what I was doing. After those 8 weeks, just before he released me for full time duty, I admitted I had been working all along. He was pissed but nothing he could do by then.

Geez, I do realize I have rambled about nothing to do with my current situation...SORRY! It just helps to concentrate on a "story" vs the storm coming...sigh!

Regards,

Jon

Good Grief, Jon.rambling IS allowed here! You're in an unenviable position right now, so anything you want to say.well, let it out!
Personally, I abhor Corporate America these days. What happened to Corporate Loyalty? What happened to employee loyalty?
Gil was given a 'golden handshake" from Pacific Bell over 20 yrs ago. He gets paid AS MUCH to stay away from there 40 hrs per week, as he does to SHOW UP as management for a framing and Art Supply company...........and, in between, when Sears merged with K-Mart, the hatchet was swung in a huge path, and because of his age, they gave him some kinda token pension........kinda worth dinner out each week...........
In each case, Gil has been replaced by a kid fresh out of college, starry-eyed and cheaper per hour-and THAT is the crux of the thing......quality is not valued, but quantitiy is. He'll be ableto collect Social Security next summer........which is wonderful, coz........fullcircle here....CORPORATE AMERICA SUX~ PTOOIE~~
Sadly, Jon, you are at their mercy..BUT.....and there's always a silver lining.........while you are in between jobs, come on down to Portland, we'll have a meet n greet in your honor!
Now, that's an offer ya can't refuse!
Hang tough, Jon.............
Cathi

Jon, you are on the right track. Work on your resume and develop a plan. Dennis is right about working your connections. Are you a member of any professional organizations for your industry? Or have you developed relationships with people higher up the corporate ladder than you? Maybe find out where they are going or what they are going to do.  Don't forget to request letters of reference.
Write down your options, even if they seem crazy. Once you see the possibilities down on paper, I think you'll feel better about the future.

Good luck,
~Kris

jon019 wrote on Jun 21^st, 2008 at 12:23am:

And Jonny, you crack me up bro' (thanks for the laugh, I needed it). I must admit to being sorely tempted to go comp. But actually, I am in charge of safety here and that would cost me precious pride points.

Thats the beauty of my plan, bro.....They never would suspect you were fucking them....LMMFAO  ;D

Glad you got a laugh, man.......Hang in there!!!

It ain't like the old days and those movies out of the 30s where everyone watches your back after you leave the dust bowl or other disaster and head to greener pastures and start up you new farm or business. Nosireee. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE

Today we are blessed with a bunch of corporate bottom-liners that have no interest in anything but thinning out boomers. These are people that love what America can do but essentially hate Americans.

Hold on and good luck. Sounds like good advice to me.

Charlie

Charlie wrote on Jun 21^st, 2008 at 4:54pm:

It ain't like the old days and those movies out of the 30s where everyone watches your back after you leave the dust bowl or other disaster and head to greener pastures and start up you new farm or business. Nosireee. START PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGESTART PRINTPAGEMultimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or END PRINTPAGE Today we are blessed with a bunch of corporate bottom-liners that have no interest in anything but thinning out boomers. These are people that love what America can do but essentially hate Americans. Hold on and good luck. Sounds like good advice to me. Charlie

Remember the "Old" Kodak and IBM Charlie?  No need for unions because they did provide for their employees.  Dental, medical retirement and job security  You really had to screw up to be fired and the word layoff was non existant.  You could buy a house and raise a family on one salary back then.

-P.

Things aren't the same out there.    

I think that folks like Jonny and EJ have the right idea--if you do something extremely well and there's a demand for what you produce, then set up your own shop and go it alone.  

Sure--there are headaches, and you have a nut to crack every month, but you're not looking over your shoulder all the time, wondering what the desk-weasels are cooking up.  

Any chance you can look at what you have to offer, Jon, and do a little thinking about what it would take to make it work for you?  

I know plenty of people who are self-employed, and--although they'll all tell you that it means you're unemployed until you start work every morning--most of them wouldn't trade it for anything.  Some fall on their face, some (like EJ) make a decent living, and some do pretty darn well for themselves.

Give it a little thought, eh?  Maybe now's the time.

All the best,

George