First Day...

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Cajosolu

At the Start
Joined
Nov 6, 2004
Messages
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I had worked with the same company for the last fifteen years, working my way up to production manager. Two years ago the company was the subject of a buy out and after an initial period of uncertainty I was told I would keep my position in the new company.

The people who took over then proceded to totally change the way we had worked at the place, big new ideas that were never going to be of any benefit along with price increases across the board and an attitude towards our suppliers and customers alike that was only going to rock the boat even more. Contracts started to drop off soon after the takeover and redundancies started to kick in six months after the buy out. The good relationships that I, along with a couple of others, had built up with our customers and suppliers were no longer deemed as important as they once were, if I had a pound for every time I was told that good business isn't built on friendship alone...

My protests as to how we were expected to work and numerous warnings as to where the company was heading earned me a demotion four months ago. I still can't believe how the new owners allowed the business to fall apart in the way it did. I still think there could be some alterior motive somewhere, its almost as the place was run into the ground on purpose!

Yesterday morning, I, along with a work force less than half the size it was two years ago, were told the company had gone into administration and that we were to leave the premises...

There have been a couple of threads on here lately put up by people who had lost jobs etc. and I just wanted to say I now fully understand what you must have gone through.

So it's a day of appointments with the bank, the administrators, job centre and a job interview at 11am for me. Just hope I can fit the 2.40 Exeter into the schedule :(
 
Best of luck Caj, hopefully you'll find something quickly and be able to look back and realise you're better off out of it.
 
Sorry to hear that Cajosolu. lot of hard work down the drain, but you'd never know, it may just be a blessing in disguise - its the way that I am viewing my situation here. I hope all goes smoothly for you today, and that you are securely on your feet in no time.
 
I'll use another cliche, but these things happen for a reason. There's bound to be something better in the near future :)
 
Cheers folks :) One of the hardest parts of yesterday was the hand shakes and goodbyes from the lads on the shop floor. They all acknowledged how hard I had tried to keep the place going. There are quite a few who will find it really difficult to get work elsewhere. There are a few 50+ who assumed they would retire there. I was up most of the night typing out references to try and help them.

Its ironic that my interview is with the compnay who for years was our biggest competitor. Their MD phoned me about 20 minutes after I had left work yesterday.
 
Sorry to hear this, Caj but what a great compliment that the competition were so quick off the mark to hopefully snap you up! Best of luck today.
 
I echo the supportive sentiments expressed already and I wouldn't be at all surprised if your own suspicions about the motives of the new owners were well-founded.

It's also a great tribute to you that your competitors have not been slow to contact you.

Best of luck, Caj.
 
Wishing you the best of luck in finding something else, Caj. As has been said before, it speaks volumes that the "rival" company were so quick to want to speak to you. Goold luck & keep the faith!
 
Carl,

It sounds like you have made alot of friends at the old place and it will sad to lose contact with them especially as you have worked there for so long. Remember, you have your health, your family and friends, and maybe a new job offer just around the corner. The money situation of course is a major issue at the moment, but take stock of the positive - your experience and what you have to offer to any future employer and maybe think if now is the time to have a career rethink or change of direction. I told you you would be great working in the racing industry! B)

Keep smiling and fingers crossed something turns up for you soon . :)
 
I have 2 good friends who suffered exactly the same experience that you have just gone through Caj. One now heads a former competitor, the other bought a part of the business from the adminstrator and employed several of his old colleagues. The latter now has a small profitable business and he and his workforce seem pretty happy.
Keep your head up.know your own worth and treat this unpleasant episode as a surprise opportunity to kick on again.

Good Luck!!
 
Carl, my previous company employed a new MD about 3 years ago and I was convinced he was there purely to sell off the assets and run the company into the ground. After 6 years, it is still going.... just, but they made 14 redundancies last week - and there are evidently more to come. I still have my pension with them, and no doubt that is in jeopardy too. I was with them for many, many years and it is so sad to see the place fall apart! :blink: I was so glad I left when I did. It was a blessingindisguise (to quote a racehorse name) so, hopefully, it could be for you too.
 
Fingers crossed you get the job with the opposition Caj. Make sure you still go after anything you can from the arsewipes though.
 
Cajosolu, best of luck mate. Being out of work is zero fun. You do know the form inside out though!!
 
Thanks again for the kind words and encouragement folks, im really touched :shy:

The meeting at my old sparring partners today seemed to go really well. For a time I almost felt as I was interviewing them! They even asked me if I would like to put a crew together from some of the people made redundant from my old place to cope with the extra work! I really think I can do a job for them but one stumbling block would be travel. Its about fifty minutes drive away (the old place was ten minutes walk) but they even told me that putting on some sort of mini bus to get us all up there was a possibility.

They are going to get back to me later in the week with a proposal regarding wages and hours etc. then will wait to hear what I think.

I went in to check on my two little girls last night before I turned in myself and really felt as if I had let them down in some way. Today though, apart from a pretty hard meeting at the job centre, I feel a bit more optimistic.
 
What shines through what you've put up here, Caj, is your sense of loyalty - to your family and your company. It's too bad that corporate loyalty isn't always seen as a two-way exchange, and your company's new managers are the ones who've let people down. You sure as hell haven't, and I reckon it's your strong sense of duty to your job, your workmates, and to getting the best possible result even when treated shabbily that have seen the opposition think "Let's have this employee on our side!"

Very, very best of best wishes to you in this. The offering company sounds like it is willing to see a way to help new employees on board, which is commendable, and certainly they sound as if they'd be a lot more open and appreciative to work with in future than the rats which boarded your ship in order to sink it.

Let us hear your news soon. I'm sure it'll be very positive, and you and your family will have something to celebrate! :)
 
Maybe you should be thinking about a complete change or maybe you should get straight in there with the firm who already know you.

All the best, whatever you decide.
 
Just had a call from one of the owners of the company I was invited to on Tuesday and it looks like a goer! He wants me back up there on Monday morning to discuss my salary. Not only that, it looks like I have secured jobs for nine lads from the old place too :D

He told me he has had a few meetings this week with customers of the old place and he was really encouraged with what he heard about us. He is boarding a plane in about two hours for meeting in Cork and depending on how that goes, he wants to have us all start working for him a week on Monday!!! The only problem I now have is which nine people to pick from around thirty possibles :(

That will wait until tomorrow though. After another morning sat in the job centre, citizens advice and with the arsehole receivers at my old place, I could do with a beer. Think I might just nip for a couple after watching Circumspect win the 1.10 Haydock. Was well fancied last time but pulled a muscle in the early stages of the race.

Thanks again for the words of encouragement on Tuesday folks, you really helped pick me up when I was feeling pretty low :)
 
Make sure you negotiate a good severance package from the old mob (call in lawyers if necessary) and then you can really thumb your nose at them once you start the new one ;)
 
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