I Know All The Government Folks And Media Types Say Life Is Ducky
But does anyone believe them? Sure, there are a few looming issues out there, let alone deficit/healthcare chickens waiting to come home to roost, but do any of you think that we’re on the way up? I know the urge is to gloom-a-cize, and I certainly fall sway to that Siren call, but anecdotal evidence tells me that things still…stink. I know a few people who have been unemployed for a while, and none of them have much hope at this point of getting anything. It’s ugly, at least from what I can see.
And uglier still is that no one really has much confidence to spend anything; it’s still circle-the-wagons time. Am I wrong?
Life, People, Politics | Mr. Bingley | 
September 21, 2009 8:09 am
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Also strictly anecdotal, but I’m seeing much the same. The companies some of my friends work for are going out of their way not to lay people off (so far, anyway), but they are working fewer hours.
On college campuses, too. My dean (in a meeting with the department last week) said something that gave me pause. I don’t think I’ll lose my job, being tenured, but I’d be scared if I were not yet tenured or an “instructor.”
And we pretty much have to forget about filling a vacancy we’ve had.
“Stinks” about covers it.
Business still sucks and still on reduced time here. Last week I caught up with some old contacts and their companies are doing okay, but both are holding off on any hiring until they know just what the Obama agenda is going to do to the bottom line.
Our company has a small backlog of maybe 3 months of work. It isn’t great, but in our sector (Civil Engineering) it’s the new norm. In the boom times we would have 12 to 18 months of backlog.
Our company has given us our yearly raises and is profitable. We haven’t had to let anyone go yet, but that could come if things don’t start turning around by January.
It’s a tough spot. But we are doing our part by spending money. We are actually ahead for the first time in our married life and are finally doing things to the house and buying things we’ve been holding off on for a long time. You’re welcome Uncle Obama.
One of my jobs is tracking hiring, expansions and relocations. I’ve never seen it this bad and I see precious little evidence of improvement outside of government or healthcare growth. Consumer fears of rising taxes are taking a tremendous toll. Add to that the fears of whopping taxes coming for small- to medium-sized business and economic expansion will become economic contraction.
You may kiss your hated boss now.
So far my company is holding on okay without any cuts in the labor force. No more overtime allowed for a while (not that it’s necessary though).
I’m hoping against hope that it at least stays that way.
IMO, Arizona’s economy is bad and getting worse. I’m discovering more and more small retail businesses being boarded up. The local newspaper has almost as many pages of foreclosure notices as actual news. Finally, a friend and I cut across a GM car lot on Friday in order to save some walking distance. Not a single salesman emerged – not even after we paused for a minute or two to look at a particularly colorful subcompact. I have a particularly bad feeling when car salesmen aren’t bothering to sell. So sorry, I can’t give you anything but validation of your view that things are going from bad to worse.
Hi Robin!
Yeah, that’s another thing, isn’t it? Look at any strip mall, and here in Joisey we’ve got lots to look at, and there is lots of empty space.
More evidence of the great Obama recovery.
One of the last bastions of available jobs here was on Craig’s List. Each heading had a healthy number of openings listed, which must have had our local fishwrap gnashing its teeth at the lost revenue.
Now when you click through a category, there might be one or two local and they’re filling in with the piddling listings from Mobile and/or Panama City.
Oh, things are looking ROSY!