30 yrs Gone

[papamike]

I started my job as a carpenter Nov. 19 1982 when i was 17 years old. I was the head man in charge till last Friday when the owner of the company told me we were closing shop. we havent had any work for the last couple of weeks and the bosses son embezzled a whole lot of money and i guess the company is bankrupt. Funny thing is the son has no knowledge in construction and roofing but lives in a 400,000 dollar home i built on 70 acres of land and he has never worked a day in his life and that really irks my soul. I have never been on unemployment in my life but i will now because there just isnt any construction going on around here. Just wanted to rant a little Thanks, Mike

 

[26Troadster]

nobody has a lot of work right now, we are from check to check and hoping it gets better.

 

[Dirtyrat]

I'm sorry to hear that other's greed has put you out of work, I have heard that about a lot of sons/daughters of family owned businesses, some of the guys who came on board with our company were in the same situation where the family ran the business into the ground that the father had created.

You are in our thoughts, and hopefully very soon a better opportunity will come along for you.

 

[papamike]

Well i guess i have some shop time now i have gathering parts for my sedan for a while so it wont cost much to work on it, " for a little while any way"

 

[papamike]

I'm sorry to hear that other's greed has put you out of work, I have heard that about a lot of sons/daughters of family owned businesses, some of the guys who came on board with our company were in the same situation where the family ran the business into the ground that the father had created.

You are in our thoughts, and hopefully very soon a better opportunity will come along for you.

Whats bad is the son walks around like he's done nothing wrong and his daddy still pays his bills. actually his dad is selling his house to keep the 40 yr old boy out of jail. I think he needs a good whoopin but then i would be the one in jail.

 

[26Troadster]

i didn't say nothing about the boy because it pi$$es me off when things like that happen, i had to leave for a little bit. i hope you find work soon.

 

[Old Iron]

There's a trucking company, with several hundred trucks, here that the same thing happened to.
The screwed up part is, the company is owned by our illustrious mayor and now only has 80 trucks they can't keep on the road.
You know nothing is gonna happen to them just their employees.
There's a lot of us in this boat with you only thing is, I'm 62 and having to create work to stay alive. Hope you can find something.

 

[donsrods]

I've worked for a few family owned businesses and the problem is, you aren't family and they are. In most non family owned businesses your salary and abilty to keep your job depends on how good you are at your job, but in a family run business the members of the family get the lion's share of the money simply because they are related. I much prefer working for a corporation where no one is related to one another.

You earned your unemployment, so take it. It is there to provide a buffer until you get another job. I think the benefits last something like 2 years now and in some cases it takes that long to find work these days.

With your experience and time on the job you will find a new job and may actually enjoy working in a new place more. New home starts are picking up and that is a pretty good sign, especially with you being a carpenter and all. Good luck.

Don

 

[maverickmk]

Sorry for your crappy situation. It sounds like the dad is ultimately responsible. He has been spoiling this punk his entire life. Why should he have to get his hands dirty when his old man keeps backing him up? I have somewhat of the same situation with my father in law. He keeps enabling him. Every time he makes a mistake his father is right there to pick up the pieces. He never has to take responsibility for any of his screw ups. What a way to go through life. I don't envy him. I actually feel somewhat sorry for him because when the old man passes away he's going to be in a world of hurt. My biggest problem is the kid is compromising my father in laws retirement. He worked hard, had his own software business and sold it for a good chunk of change that would set any of us up for the rest of our lives. My wife and I are in the process of looking for a bigger house in case they need to move in with us if/when junior bleeds them dry.
Sorry for the rant in your thread, but I kind of know what you're going through.

 

[papamike]

Thanks guys it makes me feel better having support of the situation im in. I do feel sorry for the dad in this ordeal he was like a father to me for so many years he was there for the birth of my kids and the death of my parents. i always said once he is gone his son will be in prison and his daughter will be hugging a stripper pole because she is a user too. 21 years old with 3 D.U.I. s Once again thanks i guess im not the only one this has happened to i just dont understand it.

 

[21willys]

A similar situation (kind of) is why I became self employeed. This way I know exactly what's going on with my job and what the next day holds for me. It's not always easy but at least I have a little more control of my future.

Perhaps you can start your own gig. Good luck.

 

[Bamamav]

I've always heard when one door closes, another opens. Might be time to start your own company. If you've been doing the same thing this long in the same area, I'm sure people know you and your work. Start out small and grow. Best wishes for ya.

 

[cycledog]

Nepotism and stupidity make bad bedfellows.

Sorry to hear about your situation. With your skills and experiences I am sure you will land on your feet running, the best is yet to come.

 

[papamike]

A similar situation (kind of) is why I became self employeed. This way I know exactly what's going on with my job and what the next day holds for me. It's not always easy but at least I have a little more control of my future.

Perhaps you can start your own gig. Good luck.

I intend to do just that i will wait till after the hollidays and maybe enjoy a little of that unemployment till i get a little home repair service going. I have alot of repeat customers that would only deal with me from the previous company and i thought about sending them bussiness cards with an explanation of the situation. I have a few bucks put back because it was not hard to see this coming. I thought i was ready for it but i guess not as it did hit me hard. but what dont kill us only makes us stronger and it helps to have a great bunch of guys to talk to, this is the first forum ive ever been on and probably the only one.

 

[mikec4193]

Hey PapaMike

I have done the whole family business thing but I was just a worker and I wasn't family so when things went a little tight...I was the first guy gone...well myself and a couple other none family members...all in the name of "saving money"...in 5 years I'll be working (semi-retirement) part-time pushing carts at a local grocery store and growing my own veggies...so lets hope the govt (where I work now) doesn't go belly up before that....good luck Mike in your future endeavors...as my mom used to say "when one door closes another one opens"....pretty truthful saying for sure...

MikeC

 

[Tripper]

Construction is KIKKIN' here in H-town!!! All the years i was in biz I never allowed *anyone* but me & the wife to have access to the ck book & I watched her like a big hawk! We didn't really have inventory so I never had worries on that score! Sorry to hear about the job man... sucks right at Christmas time!

BoB

 

[Snake Farm]

Sounds like you and I have a lot in common Mike. I too began a career in carpentry when I was seventeen and it's all I've ever done except for a two and a half year stint of health problems about twelve years ago and I spent that batching concrete so I've never really been away from construction. Also I've never grown tired of it or lost my passion for it. I've been lucky to always have work.....been without work less than a month total in 37 years! However........

.... Might be time to start your own company........ Start out small and grow.

I intend to do just that .......... I have alot of repeat customers that would only deal with me from the previous company

.......that has always been my plan too if things go sour with my job. Like you I have developed good relationships with hundreds of customers over the years and get calls all the time for little stuff that no one else wants to mess with. I've always done work on the side for the ones that really appreciate it and I have to turn down that type of work all the time, so I feel confident that I could transition into self employment if need be, actually I was in business for about 4 years in the early eighties and have kept my contractor's license current all these years just in case. I don't know how tuff it is to get licensed and all where you are but I would start the process and go for it if I were you. Like Bama said, start small and grow.........or stay small, that's what I'd want (or have) to do at my age.

Just stay positive and look at it as an opportunity.

.....and it helps to have a great bunch of guys to talk to, this is the first forum ive ever been on and probably the only one.

You don't know how lucky you are man, I've been on a ton of them and RRR is as good as they come!! I would still hang out here with these guys even if it had nothing to do with cars. Even if they changed it to "ZCR"

Good luck in whatever you choose.

 

[papamike]

Thanks again for the support guys. I dont think i could handle Houston Tripper I got lost 3 times in Dallas when i went to pick up the 64 wagon. Killeen is starting to pick up again but you have to be bonded and carry alot of insurance to work in that town. And you no longer need a contractors license in Texas for remodeling, new homes and such. but you do need them for electrical, plumbing, HVAC and numerous others. The last couple of years is the only time weve ever been out of work in the last 30 years.

 

[donsrods]

I've had the employment rug pulled out from under me quite a few times in my life, and it always sucks. No matter if you even hated the job, it still hurts and upsets your life for a while.

But you have to remember that you are the same guy you were prior to being left go with the same skills and strengths. That is hard to believe sometimes, especially when your family and creditors are looking at you for their portion of the income you had. But if you sit down and take a sharp pencil to all your bills you will find there is a lot of fat that can be cut. You may not eat steak every night, but you will eat.

The best advice I read one time when I was looking for a job was "Now that you lost your job your new job is finding a new job. Get up at the same time you always did, shower, shave, and then start the job search." You might need to take a day or two to lick your wounds, but don't get into the pit of thinking you will not find a new job. You will.

If you have done the same job for 30 years that says a lot about your skills and your work ethic. How many people today do you know who have had a job that long ! No me, that's for sure.

A little while from now you will look back and realize this is probably the best thing that happened to you.

Don

 

[papamike]

Thanks Don, I was told a couple of years ago when my boss was having his prostate removed that the company would be mine. that didnt happen good thing to i dont think i could carry all the baggage.