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- OHSU's executives keep pointing the finger at external reasons ... - dbo88or
- Dave: I note my email to you with details on ... - tpohara
- The site evidently wasn't working perfectly when I posted ... - wandapease
Well, it's time for yet another scheduling change.
We're setting aside our Geithner confirmation show to jump on some pressing regional news: layoffs at Intel and Microsoft, and the closure of the Bank of Clark County. Oh, and an Oregon unemployment rate that, at 9 percent, has set a dubious 23-year record.
And then there was today's news: OHSU announced plans to cut between 500 and 1,000 jobs due to the economic downturn and slower than expected growth.
If you work at Intel, OHSU, Microsoft or any other company that is in the midst of layoffs, how will these cuts affect you? Are you worried about the security of your job? What's the reaction around the office? If you work at a surrounding company -- a coffee shop, or restaurant, or supplier, say -- what comes to mind when you consider these layoffs, and the worry of more? How will your business be affected? And what's next as the economic slowdown really starts to hit home?
GUESTS:
- Patrick Emerson: Associate professor of economics at Oregon State University
- Matthew Kish: Managing editor of the Portland Business Journal
Tagged as: recession
Photo credit: le Haricot/ Flickr / Creative Commons
COMMENTS: (27 total)
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I'm 66 and will make $60 per hour this year mowing lawns. It cost me $8000 for my truck and equipment. There is only a slow down for those who want it. We live in the land where anyone can make a great income. If you chose to be out of work you can be. YOU DON'T NEED COLLEGE. Start your own business. Tell me I can't mow lawns and I will teach you how to be fit and thin. Just think you can make money!
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This is a great comment as long as you are focused on doing a fair days work for the pay.
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The site evidently wasn't working perfectly when I posted.
My parents were young adults during the Great Depression. They both said that a Handyman (now woman) never went hungry or without at least some money.
I have a job that won't go away. I need things like housepainting, lawn-care, and some finish carpentry. I can pay for it. These jobs aren't poorly paid and always in demand.
What is essential is that the person who chooses this does so with the determination to do it as a job. Not flake off, give value for value. Word of mouth is still a great advertisement for individuals. -
I work for Intel in Oregon and I would like to point out that 5,000 jobs are going to be "affected" by the recent announcement, not laid off as the news has been reporting.
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Can you share some of your experiences from your work there?
David Miller — Fri Jan. 23rd 9:16a.m.
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Just becuase you have a contract the receipient doesn't have to take the bonus. This just shows me that senior management doesn't get it at the worker level.
Steve -
If OHSU can layoff this many people (5 in their "media" group alone) there has clearly been too much "fat" in their operations.
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For some reason I can't submit more than a few words.
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These are the bugs we'll have to start fixing asap! Sorry for the annoyance... David Miller — Fri Jan. 23rd 9:23a.m.
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Your site is broken.... We can only submit a few words.
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What I would like to see with all these companies laying off people, is to watch the CEOs suffer equally and refuse their exorbitant overblown pay bonuses for what is obviously failed job performance.Unfortunately, the greed at the top suffers little in times like these.
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The demand side for OHSU has not dropped off that much, the bloated staff and salaries came directly from our health insurance policies.
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I want to challenge Mr. McKenzie's comment that most affected employees will find new positons in the company.
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Like many Oregonians, I've been on the job hunt for months. I've sent out at least 70 resumes and applications this year, and have had only two interviews. I'm currently working as a temp, not in my field of study or expertise, but it's better than nothing.
I had heard that health care is an industry that was still doing ok. I applied for an OHSU job in November, and after two months of waiting, was finally informed that the job had been canceled due to the "global economic crisis."
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So why not send 80 a week and get 2 interviews a week?
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Your OHSU guest obfuscates the point, there is no demand drop at OHSU, unlike Microsoft and Intel
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comment removed - please do not paste comments directly in from Microsoft Word.
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i was wondering how Nike is doing... any layoffs?
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I was managed out of a company in November 2008 and I am denied Unemployment Insurance payments. I have had zero income to live on since November 8th 2008. I may be homeless by March 2009. I can not even get into the food stamp program it seems either...It is grim right now..there
PS...this site needs to post the 888 number for the show somewhere...I can not find the darn thing.
Regards
UKSVEN -
Yes, I've been looking for the phone number and I'm looking for where to input my blog.
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Will do. In the meantime: 888 866-5TOL David Miller — Fri Jan. 23rd 9:35a.m.
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Hello, I would like to read/hear from anyone who has lost a job with medical benefits AND been able to contiue paying the COBRA premiums. LOL. I was informed with my COBRA statement to continue with my employers benefits
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What is the character limit per post on the site?
Cheers. -
It may be "right" to honor the contracts and pay the OHSU exec bonuses (although I suspect they wound't be so persnickety about contracts if the contract was worker pensions), but what this exposes is the perverse focus on short term performance in the current incarnation of capitalism.
This focus on the short term (and the reward structure that's tied to it) exacerbated, or in some cases, were the major cause of the bubbles that have hit us in the last few years. Simply put, for the executives, there was great upside, and little to no down side for taking the huge risks that the financial industry took. This is also true, in other industries.
This should be a wakeup call for ending these perverse compensation schemes. -
I work for a non-profit in Portland that contracts with the state to connect needy families to resorces in the community. While our jobs seem to be safe (for now) we are really feeling the crunch on behalf of our clients. While unemployment sky rockets so do the number of clients we have asking for resorces. However, with non-profit after non-profit facing cut backs we are running our of resorces to offer. Its a frustrating situation and I wish we had some sort of comfor to offer our clients.
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Dave: I note my email to you with details on posting problems bounced. No contact info now?
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OHSU's executives keep pointing the finger at external reasons (the Tort Cap and the economy) as to why there will be layoffs. In an email from the company president he specifically said that it is NOT due to mismanagement. Well, if that's truly the case why are no other Portland area hospitals laying anyone off?
Also, OHSU has had budget cuts at least 2 years in a row now. If the hospital had to cut it's budget last year when there was no "external" economic crisis why did the execs getting bonuses? Ask Newman to answer the question without blaming State subsidies to OHSU. Why is a company that large not more self sufficient? -
