Stories on How You Were Last Laid Off...

[Dejan Smaic + 15]

Having worked part time for a Canadian pipeline services company, I was driving back from a project in Michigan enroute to the airport to catch a flight.  2 hrs from the airport, I received a cell phone call informing me I am being let go. Work really slowed down, and I had a supervisor who just went through his 3rd divorce and hated my guts.  Needless to say, I checked in to the Holiday Inn Express, packed and shipped all my gear and laptop to corporate, extended by SUV rental one day, and reschedule my flight back to Denver for the next day.  I'm now happier for it that I no longer have to work for a company always on the bubble.

[Douglas Buckland + 6,308]

I was working as a driling consultant for an outfit in PNG. The VP of Drilling flew to Port Moresby to assure the troops that their jobs were secure until the end of the planned drilling campaign regardless of ongoing rumors about selling the company to an IOC.

Two days later we were told that we could finish the hitch and that was it!

Such is the drilling business. I had a great time in PNG while it lasted!

[Tommie77 + 29]

Post to follow this discussion

[specinho + 470]

Assistant HR:"You are dismissed because I'm eyeing the manager post you are going to be promoted to and your pay is slightly higher than what I'm getting........... No other reason deemed necessary - says the contract........."

[Old-Ruffneck + 1,246]

Last layoff I was working for Cherokee drilling just north of Andrews, Tx in 86. Seems the powers that be decided to go from contract drilling to by the foot. Reagan's windfall profits tax was taking affect and if memory serves me we were told we had 6 holes to go and stacking out the rig. It was a devastating blow as most knew it was coming as a lot of rigs were getting laid down and hauled to West Odessa. I was just freshly divorced and hung around till I had enough cabbage to head to south Florida and got with an old foreman I worked with before I was on rigs. Hot tar flat roofing and haven't been out of work since. I am very grateful for the years I ruff-necked and the learning lessons I was taught as a young man. 

[wrs + 893]

15 hours ago, Old-Ruffneck said:

Last layoff I was working for Cherokee drilling just north of Andrews, Tx in 86. Seems the powers that be decided to go from contract drilling to by the foot. Reagan's windfall profits tax was taking affect and if memory serves me we were told we had 6 holes to go and stacking out the rig. It was a devastating blow as most knew it was coming as a lot of rigs were getting laid down and hauled to West Odessa. I was just freshly divorced and hung around till I had enough cabbage to head to south Florida and got with an old foreman I worked with before I was on rigs. Hot tar flat roofing and haven't been out of work since. I am very grateful for the years I ruff-necked and the learning lessons I was taught as a young man. 

Woah, hot tar flat roofing is hot and hard work but pays a lot less than roughnecking.  I know, I did it for two summers in the hot Texas sun but I also shingled as well.  I also worked two summers in the refineries.  Those jobs made me appreciate the fact that I was able to go to college and earn a degree that could make me a good living.  I was in high tech for 30 years and always managed to read the writing on the wall inside companies so I left before the axe fell on me, if it was going to.  I also started my own business and ran it for 15 years on a positive cash flow basis every year but one.  I sometimes didn't take a paycheck so I could pay employees and bills.  That's not a layoff, you still have to work but for free.