Stunned

It's Tuesday November 13th and we had an announcement in work this morning to advise that our building is closing.  I've been in the job for 6 weeks, and it's closing?  I should be able to do them under the trades description act don't you think?  They advertised for a job at a specific location, that clearly did not exist.

There is hope that there will be jobs in Manchester but I've just left a reasonably safe job in Liverpool to save on travelling and time and now I'm potentially having to work in Manchester... which is further away, that's if I get a job, there are no numbers yet on how many jobs are going for us to fight over and I'm up against people who have worked there for 20-30 years... good luck with that.

I'm mad and stunned.  Walked out of the announcement talk after 5 minutes.  The bones of the decision had been delivered; site closing, 1000 jobs to go, what else was there to know?

Wednesday, midnight and I woke up... livid.  I feel that the department has been negligent and dishonest towards the new starters, takes me over an hour to get back to sleep.  The department should have made it crystal clear that this was a possibility, before I accepted the position, they didn't.

Wednesday morning, and I attend a Q&A session, I explain that I have been with the department for 6 weeks, have just left a reasonably safe job to come here, that although I don't believe anyone in the building knew of the pending situation, I do believe that higher grades knew something was afoot and that they have been unfair and negligent to those of us who have only just arrived... from safe places.  Also, calmly mentioned that I was livid.  The first thing the department head told me was how professional I was being but the truth is, you get listened to much less and make far less of an impact if you rant like a banshee, I have learned that over the years.

More details are coming out, rumour has it that it could be 6-12 months before the office closes.  As for jobs in Manchester, there is no confirmation of the numbers yet, there may not even be a job for me there.  I text J to tell her to put the lotto on.

Thursday and I receive eleven emails from old Liverpool work buddies before 8am, it cheers me up no end, they are the best.  My extreme ex-boss is looking into seeing if I can go back.  I don't want to go back, but I need a job, so I may have to.