Loveisgood...
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...so you think that just by being "happy" and liking your job, you'll always KEEP your job? Because they(employers) only want happy people around? Not only is it a happy world you live in, it seems to be somewhat detached from from reality, too.
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I don't know what kind of job you have, you don't know what I do...the fact is that sometimes, no matter how good you may be at what you do, or how nice and happy you are to be around, a button counter might decide that it's time for you to go and at that point, you're gone.
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Can you at least acknowledge that? Or do you want to keep believing that attitude is not only everything, but the only thing?

My world is what I make it . VERY HAPPY !

Hope you find some of what I have . Maybe you already have ? Keep working hard and be proud of the job and the company you work for . I know I am . Maybe that is why they keep me around .

It sure seems to be a happy world you live in, loveisgood, but you don't seem have a firm grasp of reality in the workplace. Maybe it's just my chosen profession, but that's not how it always works in the professions that I've worked with.
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You are correct in that you should do your job the best you can, stay out of the politics/gossip, etc., you MAY have a slightly better chance of being kept on, but the fact is that if the button counters decide that you are the one that is too expensive, they don't always see the other side of that, which is that sometimes you are more expensive because you DO more...sometimes executives don't/won't see that just that you make a lot of money, you're gone.
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It's not fair, but that's is how it works sometimes.
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Rule number one...life isn't fair.
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Rule number two...whining about rule #1 won't change it.
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Rule number three...EVERYONE has a boss and sometimes that boss will throw you under the wheels of the bus to save his/her own job.

LOVEISGOOD... Times have changed over the decade in the workforce. In today's world, most employers do not have to have a reason to keep you on their payroll for any reason at any time. There are no contracts these days. I've been in the printing industry profession in the last 25 years and in the last 15-20 years, I've seen people come and go based on how the company is doing. No sales, no profit = cut employment. Simple as that. I hold a college degree, had high seniority in one company and we let go back in 2000 along with about 15 other people in a company of about 100 employees. Found another place of employment working 8 years now and even today I have been seeing cutbacks in this one as well. It's a scary world today, especially now where jobs are getting more scarce with today's economy. Those laws of a company giving notice are long gone.
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Indeed, it is a very sad time to hear about layoffs especially now. Even I get scared each passing day and thank the lord that I still have my job. My prayers goes out to all those getting laid off. I wish you all well in your future endeavors.

LOVEISGOOD: That's a nice theory you have about staying employed, but it doesn't hold water in today's world. I have seen outstanding employees with good attitudes and attendance records laid off simply because they had the lowest seniority, or because a company had to cut expenses and their job was considered the least essential or had the easiest duties to redistribute or outsource cheaper. It happens to good people. It would be nice if it didn't, but it does.

janesvillean: Normally there are ties to employment growth with TIF's. I questioned the Gazette on this when they let people go a few months ago and they did state that there were stipulations and they did meet them. The main point is that private businesses have been using the crutch of TIF's for too long. The concept was right but the way they're being used is wrong. I'm not 100% certain on the agreement with the city and Freedom but I remember there were talks.

I'm not trying to jab at anyone . I only believe what I believe . Get to work on time . Be reliable . Don't include yourself with the gossip of the company and you're a good worker who has nothing to worry about . I am almost 60 years old and it has worked for me every single poor day of my life so .. Read more into it if you like but .. The facts are the facts .. I do not believe for a minute or secound that an employer will lay you off for doing your job .. Call me old school if you want .. I don't care.. Ben there done that ..

History proves itself .. Do your job .. shut your mouth and guess what .. wake up with a pay check every two weeks !.. if not .. cry about it !

The TIF agreement involves creating an improved tax basis for the property (which in the initial period is reinvested solely in the district). It has nothing to do with numbers of jobs, except indirectly. You are thinking of economic development subsidy loans such as Wisconsin gave to GM a couple of years ago. They're not the same thing.
http://www.gazetteextra.com/jobsubsidies...

taxed2much: I believe the city subsidized part of the new facility off of hwy 59. That was my point. Too many businesses that accept TIF funds have been laying off instead of keeping their "promise" of more jobs for the community. That's all. And no need for a WTF.

Yes, loveisgood...twice in something along the lines of 35 years in the workforce...in a fairly volatile trade...I actually think that that's pretty good.
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Or would you like to make some more personal jabs at me...considering that you don't even know who I am? Feel free, if it'll make you feel better.
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Now...do you have anything to say about the REST of what I said? Or did you just want to rip me?

I mean loveisgood... sorry about the typo

lifeisgood: companies have to do what companies have to do to stay afloat during the slow seasons or even hard times... poor attendance factors for some places, seniority for others... sometimes they mix it up to where x many attendance infractions and/or x many years or less will be affected by a layoff... during bad times, employees can speculate a worst case scenerio only to be "comforted" by the site manager... there are people that have been hit with a lay off 2-3+ times that chose to go back to the employer that laid them off to begin with... they aren't trying to punish any employee if a few get hit more than once... why would anyone in that situation decide that he/she would want to go back to an employer that would do that to a person?? "shame on the employer that does that to any of its staff"... how many job openings are out there?? ever think that a person that has been laid off multiple times would return to work for the same employer for job security?? there are people out there that do do that... moreso now than before, given the job market and economy...

Loveisgood - being layed off twice doesn't mean you are a bad person. Come on. I hope it happens to you! You obviously don't have an empathy.

Paper will not go away, unless you get rid of everyones mail box, with all the computer viruses and hackers out there, its the safest.

You guys need to remember that Freedom is a printing plant. No matter how much they try to maintain sales, the advent of this "paperless society" has probably been affecting them for quite some time. Now, on top of that, the economy stinks. I know a lot of people there and they have my sympathy. What a lousy time of year for this to happen.

HAPPENED TO YOU TWICE ..??????

DUH !! .. MAYBE SOMEONE IS TRYING TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ! ......................

From what I hear, all the cuts that were made, were based on seniority. If you count all the temps they let go over the past month, the totals alot closer to 150. Tough times are upon us now and companies have to do what they have to do to stay a float.

Yes, loveisgood...it happens all the time. I've seen it happen to others first hand and it's happened to me on 2 occasions.
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Sometimes, bad things happen to good people...realizing that is NOT the same thing as having a "negative attitude",(that is how you phrased it, isn't it?)it's more a thing of knowing that crap happens and excrement occurs.
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As far as not having any notice, there is a difference between knowing that work may be slowing down a little to having your bosses tell you that "we may need to let some people go in the near future".
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litiger...since insurance is usually paid in advance, I suspect that the people being laid off will still have coverage until the end of January...after that, they will be able to keep coverage under COBRA by paying the whole premium on their own. Not cheap, but it's better than not having insurance.

Very unfair . I don't think anyone of us is safe from lay off . My eyes are wide open .

No he did not have poor attendance, in fact he barely ever missed work. He used to work a ton of overtime for them too and that was just last year. They laid off because they have had "a 15 to 30 percent drop in orders since the economic downturn".

I guess what i'm getting at is .. Did they people have poor attendence ? where they late to work a lot ? This just doesn't happen to good employees or does it ?

I agree 10 years is a long time . Why did they get laid off ?

Long time employees were laid off from Freedom Graphics. 10 years is definately a long time to work for a company, its just wrong for them to lay people off with no warning like that after they have worked so hard for so long. And from what I hear, they only have their insurance until the end of the month...so they had a 3 day notice on that as well.

My point exactly . You can't answer the question because you don't know . Sorry to pop your bubble . Go learn how to be nice ! Remember ... A new year , a new you !

Lets hope !

Do you think GM saw it coming, maybe you do live in a bubble

The long time employees didn't see this coming ? How can that be ?

My friend works there, and all the long time employees are still there. Worried, but still there

Ealing , So were they long time employees then or just the higher paid ones that were laid off ? I never dealt with Lamar . I have had some dealings with Babcock but never Lamar .

douright13- You are right , I assumed higher paid employees had been there a long time . My mistake , do you have anything positive to add or are you just looking to pick ?

Loveisgood who said anything about getting rid of long time employees, nobody

I do know the facts. They are as stated. They are true.

I do believe they are good people who get laid off ? Where did that come from ? The way you said things i assumed you worked there . You seemed to know the ins of what is going on . This is why i don't choose to believe the first thing people say . That is how rumors get started . Please don't act as if you know something when infact you don't ! I'm sure everyone of those laid off people are good and worthy of their jobs ! Get the facts please !

LOVEISGOOD - If it's a non union shop it's survival of the fittest within the context of the law.

Have a job. Its not me. Not negative. Maybe you should believe there are good people who get layed off.

I don't live in a bubble , i just choose not to believe the first thing people say ! There is always more to a story . Your negative attitude does nothing for you . Rise above the negative stuff and you will find a new job !

LOVEISGOOD - you live in a bubble. Who are you kidding. I have worked in private industry a long time and you do not have to underperform to be the first cut. Read the Wall Street Journal. Younger and cheaper workers stay a couple years and leave. You never have to increase the salary or give family health care. Single heath care is cheaper!

I can't imagine they would get rid of a long time employee who is doing their job ! Doesn't make sense . Seems there must be more to the story !

I think localmatter is referring to the money the taxpayers put into the new indistrial park where Freedom is now located.

localmatters. WTF? I dont get your post. If a company has less orders/sales it will make less $$ and wont be able to employ as many people. I dont understand how the company is shafting the taxpayers. Please explain

How can you work for a company and not know they are having hard times and there maybe lay offs ? I don't understand the no warning part or notice . Everyone should be on notice or warning at this point . The world as everyone knew it has changed . Times are hard , people are broke ! What more of a warning do you need or notice ?

7 out of 20 employees were layed off at Lamar Outdoor Advertising right before Christmas no warning nothing.

How many at Lamar ?>

Add Lamar Outdoor Advertising to the list of layoffs. They aren't reporting their layoffs either.

they updated it after I posted... that accounts for just freedom graphics... that's not counting people laid off from freedom plastics, morgan corp, or any other corporation that isn't reported in public media... who knows what's next...

Nice new facility in the industrial park with the help of the city...and here's the thanks. Yeah, I know, nothing is certain but it's the taxpayers that always get the shaft...aside from the employees.

My guess would be 30 more.

so, what would the unemployment number be up to now for Rock Co.??