https://www1.pressdemocrat.com/artic...1307/OPINION05

Laid off: Hit with bad news at a Petaluma machine shop

By BRIAN ROE
April 06, 2008


In early March, we knew it wasn't looking good.

The Petaluma machine manufacturing company that I worked for had three previous layoffs in the last five months. Plenty of space in the employee parking lot was a solemn reminder each morning.

Those of us still employed thought that things had to get better . . . right? Management was cautiously optimistic as were the employees. We had heard that our clients were considering ordering more machines although no contracts had yet been signed. In the midst of our cutting, drilling, welding, machining and assembling, we kept hope alive.

But the economic news was bad and getting worse. Guys who usually were more interested in dirt bikes and fishing reports started to pay attention to the business section in The Press Democrat. It didn't help when we'd occasionally see managers walk through the shop with anxiety deeply etched in their faces. We tried to stay positive but there was an underlying skepticism lurking in our upbeat attitude.

The last layoff had been four weeks ago, and as payday approached we grew concerned that it could be our last. But we made it through. Maybe things were looking up. Maybe that last layoff was it.

But after the weekend, as we glanced at our new worksheets nothing had changed. No new orders, no contracts signed. The machines that were on the shop floor, the ones we'd been working on, some of which were almost completed, were it.

They called me in at noon on Tuesday. I sat down at the big table in the big office with two of the owners and the HR director. I was the first one.

"Brian, sorry to tell you, but you're on the layoff list this week," said one of the owners, not wanting to sugarcoat it. I thought my heart stopped as I sank back in my chair. "Wow," was all I could muster. Then, knowing I wasn't going to be the only one, I looked in the faces of all three and recognized that now familiar anxiety.

"How many this time?" I asked. For a moment the owners seemed hesitant to answer. This was not easy for them, either.

"Twenty," said the HR director. I sank back in my chair again as she read me the names. These were good guys. Some were young, some were old, some had families, and some were single, but they were all good guys. My thoughts turned back to myself. I wasn't even married when I started at the company 10 years ago, and I have two kids now.

As I walked back on the shop floor some of the guys could tell something was up. "What's wrong?" I just looked at them and shook my head. I didn't know what to say. "Black Friday this week, huh?" They knew. "Yup," I said.

They didn't say much more. We tried to find a reason for it. Certainly the mortgage meltdown was the main culprit. We can't sell our machines if there's not much residential and commercial construction. Who's to blame? The lenders? The buyers? Congress? Bush? It didn't matter. There was no work.

I had to let my wife know, but I couldn't make a phone call so I punched out a text message with the bad news. This was already a tough week since her mother was having cancer surgery on Thursday. I finally had time to call and tried to assure her through her tears, "It'll be OK. I'll call you later. I love you."

When there are layoffs, many companies will release employees immediately. It is the company's right -- and a necessary evil since in some workplaces there have been instances of sabotage and vandalism, theft, or a fraudulent injury when disgruntled employees are given notice. They didn't do that here. The company knew these were good guys -- which made it all the more surreal Wednesday and Thursday. The few guys left who still had their jobs were understandably quiet those two days.

I'm still not sure if it was therapeutic or torture to keep working knowing that there wasn't much time left, but we were thankful to get whatever hours we could. We spent those two days trying to cheer one another up, but the uncertainty of the future ensured an unsettled feeling. "You know what sucks, Brian? Now I've got to go and be the new guy again, and hope I fit in," a co-worker told me. "That is if I can find a job," he added. He then added that he'll have to put off his engagement since he'd been trying to save up for a ring.

For me, joining the 5 percent of Sonoma County residents who are out of work leaves no consolation. This is the first time in 10 years I've had to look for a job, and the first time I've been unemployed during a recession. It would be nice to find another manufacturing job, but most of those are in China now.

After I got my last check I stood alone next to my tool box trying to put a positive, philosophical spin on everything. Maybe the layoff won't last too long. Maybe this is for the better, and God's got better plans for me and my family. Then I thought, I won't miss coming home with the occasional cut or scrape or wondering who's got my ½-inch wrench in their tool box. And I sure won't miss someone's noisy air ratchet going off right next to me or having to dodge cars crossing the boulevard trying to get to and from the parking lot. But then again, I will miss those things.