Redundancy?

[kid2]

Not really sure how or what to say for this post but ill ask anyway....
Im in my current job 10 years and when i took it up i was probably one of the oldest apprentice panel beaters in ireland at the age of 27....It was something that i always had an interest in (cars) and when the opportunity arose of course i grabbed it with both arms open....

On friday last we were called into a meeting and basically told that one of us will have to take voluntary redundancy ( only 5 of us in the garage) or else the boss will have no option but to let someone go....

We had the weekend to think about this and i know that im probably jumping the gun a little but i need to keep my options open just in case....

There is myself and 1 other lad there the longest at 10 years and the rest then are 4,5,and 6 years with us....But i would be on considerably higher wages than the other 3 and on a par with the lad that started with me....

I know what value i am to the company but i feel a little nervous as to the financial position that they find themselves in and cant help thinking that i would be costing them more than the lads that arent with the company as long as I.

Its only statutory redundancy so im not going to be retiring and sunning myself somewhere nice anytime soon but with the current climate in this country as regards the car industry i cant help thinking that even if i do escape this time round its only pushing the inevitable day a little further down the road.....

Im not volunteering for anything as i also have 2 young kids and a better half to think about as well even if one day i will be out of a job.....

At 37 im still young enough to retrain at something else but...
I would imagine that the clever thing to do would be to pick a profession that very few people are qualified to do within my skill and education level...

I love working with my hands..Iv always been more practical than a book worm and of course me dream job would be a greens keeper....
But in our climate thats also a position thats under serious threat as golf courses are struggling too....


Has anyone changed lifestyle for the better?

 

[Doon frae Troon]

Kid 2

There are some wonderful opportunities in Greenkeeping.
You have to work and study hard and be prepared to move a few times if you are looking for a top job.

The down side is that you have to have a strong personality and feel tough enough to stand up to some pretty 'powerful' people.
Greens Commitees are usually made up of successful men who are used to getting their own way.
One of the reasons most golf courses are not as good as they should be.

 

[MegaSteve]

One of my lads is in a similiar situation... Was made redundant, last September, as a workshop controller at a car body repairers... Took another job almost straightaway [back in the workshop] but started looking for another avenue of employment... He feels the motor trade [body repairs anyway] is only going one way... Down the pan...

He starts training as a service engineer shortly... Hoping that his mechanical skills might transfer to some extent... After a bit of research there seems to be more employment opportunities for those with a background of on-site servicing/maintenance...

 

[Imurg]

Tough times Kid...
I worked in the Car Paint industry for 10 years from '87..
Bodyshops sent in samples of paint they couldn't match, manufacturers sent in samples of new colours and I ran them through the Photospectrometer to get a formulation for the paint we sold.
Got to the point where, in '95/96 I could look at a car colour, tell you it's name, code and the colours that went into the recipe....
Place went bust in '97 and I did a couple of Stock Control jobs before training to be a Driving Instructor in '04.
Never looked back and I don't think I could work in an office again.
The pay isn't wonderful but Mrs Imurg earns the big money and I'm around to run The Boy here and there and play plenty of golf...

Sometimes you have to just take the chance but stay put until you have to.
Good Luck Mate..

 

[kid2]

Tough times Kid...
I worked in the Car Paint industry for 10 years from '87..
Bodyshops sent in samples of paint they couldn't match, manufacturers sent in samples of new colours and I ran them through the Photospectrometer to get a formulation for the paint we sold.
Got to the point where, in '95/96 I could look at a car colour, tell you it's name, code and the colours that went into the recipe....
Place went bust in '97 and I did a couple of Stock Control jobs before training to be a Driving Instructor in '04.
Never looked back and I don't think I could work in an office again.
The pay isn't wonderful but Mrs Imurg earns the big money and I'm around to run The Boy here and there and play plenty of golf...

Sometimes you have to just take the chance but stay put until you have to.
Good Luck Mate..

Cheers for thew replies fella's.....
One thing that my may said to me a few years back which always rings through in thos situation is that no matter what happens you have your health and you will never starve.....Never a truer word....


Im staying positive anyway......

Have to agree with Megasteve too.....Since i started the job iv seen it go from having 10 of us working there with at least 3 weeks work ahead of us all the time which went to 2,1 and now we are literally taking whats coming in the door to us....

And i know where your going with the painting too Murg...We've went through Glasuerit, PPG and now we paint with Sikkens...

But try and tell the average joe that comes into us that its going to cost x amount to paint and repair your car and the nearly have a canary.....
We aint cheap but our work is top drawer......

Thanks for the advice Murg.:thup:

 

[DappaDonDave]

you say you are worried that you are paid more than the others, and therefore you cost more.

BUT on the other side of the coin. It's cheaper to get rid of someone with 4 years service on 20k than 10 years on 30k...

Plus they'll lose you who has been devoted to the company for years with your skills and experience etc.

If your management team is looking long term, I guess, they'd be smarter to keep you on and lose a younger team member.

That said, if you have become complacent...

 

[chrisd]

Making someone redundant isn't so simple. The employer has to go through a process which includes negotiation and asking if anyone wants to volunteer. If no one comes forward then you have to view every employee and be able to make a case for choosing them, a matrix is usually the way. You cant do last in first out, or choose the oldest or youngest it has to be a careful consideration based on the needs of the business and the employee chosen has the right to be told exactly why they were thechosen one and they can clain unfair dismissal if they feel that they were unfairly chosen.

I doubt this helps much, but, you cant be chosen just because you are the best paid

I wish you the best of luck whatever happens

 

[kid2]

Making someone redundant isn't so simple. The employer has to go through a process which includes negotiation and asking if anyone wants to volunteer. If no one comes forward then you have to view every employee and be able to make a case for choosing them, a matrix is usually the way. You cant do last in first out, or choose the oldest or youngest it has to be a careful consideration based on the needs of the business and the employee chosen has the right to be told exactly why they were thechosen one and they can clain unfair dismissal if they feel that they were unfairly chosen.

I doubt this helps much, but, you cant be chosen just because you are the best paid

I wish you the best of luck whatever happens

Cheers for that Chris....Well i suppose one way or the other we'll know tomorrow....So here's hoping.

 

[bladeplayer]

In the car business aswell mate ,VW parts & waranty , there are feck all jobs stiring in any industry ,
the best option if you were to go would be to get on a FAS course & upskill on computers or something .. im 25 years here , not sure what i would do if i had to go , been honest im probably too chicken to even try.. again with herself (working thank god) & 3 kids i need steady income as long as possible

My Advice , if your happy in the place & the job, sit tight , dont jump ..

P.S good luck :thup: