This is an open letter to all those that have offered encouragement and sympathy and positive reinforcement the last few days due to the closing of Penny Curtiss Baking Company on the north side of Syracuse.
Thanks very much. Your kind words and thoughts are appreciated, as are those from all those here that I've come to know over the many years I've been a resident of Yada (and these forums in general- the North and business people have also been very kind to me)
Everyone keeps telling me that "You're the lucky one, you've still got your job with the Local". I'm not so sure that's good luck or bad luck. I'm the one that will be behind the scenes, cleaning up the mess negotiating the severance, insurance continuation, and other end-of-employment issues. So it's actually like being brain-dead and having nobody there to pull the plug (figuratively speaking, of course).
I'm sure the next few weeks are going to be very trying and emotional at times. This past 5 days has kind of been a fog, but the reality is starting to set in, like yesterday. I've spent close to 20 years pulling into that parking lot and have never been treated like I don't belong there (even during the strike back in 93), but that was exactly the case on Saturday. Some guy that doesn't know a proof box from an oven told me that I couldn't be there and it was like getting slapped in the face!
I'm hopeful that many of you are correct (even our resident sourpuss Critic02!) in that everyone will eventually say that the closing of PCB was the best thing that ever happened to them. I'm not to worried about the young kids, or the old men. They'll either use the NYUI option of going back to school for re-training or start collecting their pensions a few years earlier than originally planned. It's those 'tweens' that I'm concerned about- too young to retire and too old to start over. Those are the people I'll have in my mind when I sit down with the company for our first day of effects bargaining next week.
4 comments:
Oh, but their luckiest day of all is the day you came behind them. Just think how very lost they would be now if there were no union. *shudders* I'd hate to even ponder that one.
Any chance Stroehmann will buy it up and relocate and expand there- thus creating new jobs? :)
db this is just such a shame, I'm glad you will be negotiating on behalf of those workers, nobody is more passionate than you are ... I know what you mean about the in-between age, even if there is "retraining" offered ... retraining for what?
you & your family and the families of those workers are all in my thoughts, I wish that was enough =(
newt
Sorry to all of you at PCB. I too work for Penn Traffic (20+ years) and work in a store rumored to be closing. Been through all the rumors before but I somehow feel that this time it is for real. To the clowns sinking this ship, thanks for supporting and caring for your employees!
Wheres Waldo when you need him???
Post a Comment