There were mass layoffs at a friend's office today

[XemaSab]

No warning, no notice.

A dude walked through the cubicles, tapping people on the shoulder.

Anyone who was tapped had to go into an office where they closed the door. After a few minutes, the laid-off people would come out, go back to their desks, and pack their things.

My friend said when he came through the hallway it was like feeling the icy hand of death.

About 50 people in all got the axe. Not a lot in terms of the grand scheme of things, but it's another 50 people looking for jobs in an already flooded market. :(

[Coexist]

1. that sucks so much.

wow.

[ikojo]

2. What kind of work does your

friend do?

[XemaSab]

7. Corporate travel agent

n/t

[taught_me_patience]

3. What industry is this? n/t

[XemaSab]

8. My friend's a corporate travel agent

:(

[Skittles]

4. cold layoffs are the absolute worst

very dehumanizing

[LSK]

5. something like that happened to me a few weeks ago

[kywildcat]

9. I'm sorry to hear that.

:cry:

[Gidney N Cloyd]

6. On first read this sounded like a horrible, heartless method. I flashed on>>>

>>>I flashed on "The Lottery" for some reason. But at least a human was dispatched to let people know.
I know it still sucks donkey d**k to get fired. I think it just sucks worse to get an email or a pink slip in your pay envelope.

[kywildcat]

10. my stomach is flipping for your friend=this is just

sickening.

[Warpy]

11. I went to Circuit City because my mouse died again

and there was only a skeleton crew in the store and the desperation was palpable. A few of the people said at least they've got unemployment insurance and the younger ones were talking about moving back in with their parents. None of these people was rolling in it to begin with, and they're all going to be able to spend money only on food for the foreseeable future, making things even worse.

I think that by March, we're going to see retail 1/3 gone in this country.

[XemaSab]

12. I suspect retail is already gone by 1/3 in the town I live in

:(

[Warpy]

13. NM hasn't been hit that hard yet

probably because it started off poor.

However, big anchor type stores are closing. One new strip mall near me had all 3 biggies: Circuit City, Linens & Things, and Comp USA. It's a brand new mall and still pretty and now it's deserted on one end.