By JAMILA RIZVI
I’ve worked with or in media my whole career. I love it. I love the adrenalin, I love the excitement. I love the pressure of the 24-hour news cycle and the fact that your whole day can change in an instant.
And on Monday this week whole lives changed in an instant for my friends who work at Fairfax. Today the same thing is set to happen for employees at News Limited.
It’s likely you’ve heard that thousands of jobs are being axed at Australia’s most dominant media companies. Being media mad, I have spent every spare second since these announcements talking, speculating and thinking about the story.
I have bemoaned the demise of quality journalism to my mates back home. I have analysed the growing influence of online media with my Mamamia colleagues. I even engaged in more than a little bit of intellectual wanker-ism with a friend in Melbourne – delving into those big concepts like freedom of the press and editorial independence. (Hello Gina.)
And now I’m kind of ashamed of myself.
The essay below was written by an anonymous employee of a major technology company in the immediate aftermath of mass redundancies being announced there. It was originally published at Old South High.
It reminded me that while the media circus around this issue builds and we quite rightly ask questions about freedom of the press – at the center of this story are the people.
Thousands of people who are out of a job.
Thousands of people and thousands of families who rely on their incomes to survive.
You may want to take a moment to read this moving insight into what it’s like when your employer lays off your friends and colleagues:
It’s weird. It’s always weird. Those who aren’t laid off feel like survivors of a train wreck, wandering from department to department looking to see whose desk is cleaned off…
In this most recent round of layoffs most everyone was dismissed because of department-wide headcount restrictions. This massive “laying off” has happened several times during my employment. It’s always the same. You never get used to it. Everything goes gray….
It starts with one person pulled into the small meeting room with the manager. When the employee comes out everyone can read in his or her face that their “employment opportunity” here is over… it’s a hot rush of blood through your whole body – you feel your hands and neck heating up and your mind is bewildered and twirling and tumbling as you wonder what could I have done differently and when will the money run out?
Part of your mind is running through your list of connections and possible job opportunities while your manager is still using words like “sad” and “had to” and “difficult for everyone” and HR wants you to sign this that and the other and you’re wondering what your face looks like to everyone else while you grab your personal things and you try to tell your co-workers what you were working on…
Rumours start to float around about possible under performance on this project or political motivation from that manager. This doesn’t have much time to air out because the second person then comes out of the small room. Once two people are laid off in quick succession everyone knows what’s happening and group fear tingles through the team like electricity or an infectious disease.
At this point, all the smokers go outside for a smoke break. People who I have never seen smoke also go outside and bum cigarettes off of the smokers. Non-smokers can also be seen wandering around outside “airing out their head.”…
The most memorable part of the day was what happened to everyone’s eyes. People looked at each other in the eyes. We were really looking into each others’ eyes. We were examining each others’ eyes like lovers looking for the love they feel reflected in the other person’s eyes.You work together for years without truly looking deep into your co-workers eyes, but on days like this people are trying to look so deep into each others’ eyes that nothing else needs to be said…
Have you ever been laid off? What are you thoughts about the job losses at Fairfax and News Limited?
Comments
63 Comments so far
My mum is going to be laid off. The company is closing down. My parents have a mortgage And I am very sacred for her. She hasn’t got a lot of qualifications, she is currently doing a computer course. She will be ok, putting on a brave face. But I’m scared for her. When workers are being laid off, it’s not them who feels the effects, but those close to these workers as well. She has a second job at night. And my parents are really lucky that I’m about to graduate uni and will be able to support myself and my sister is about to graduate high school. So we’re really lucky, but it’s still very very scary.
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I’ve been laid off. Well, actually, fired for breaking a rule I didn’t know existed. The worst part was walking out of the boss’ office, trying and failing to keep it together, and wondering what everyone else was thinking.
It’s awful.
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Could I suggest please that MM do some kind of tangential post on supporting a spouse who is out of work?
This is something I think many of us are struggling with and there is so little information out there. Almost everything I read suggests counselling but it would be nice to have an expert give some ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ on here.
Please. xx
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I’m 39 and have lost my job (mostly temp contracts – live in regional NSW and it’s so hard to obtain f/t permanent employment) 6 times over the past 22 years … first time working for a national retail chain and a Board Memberembezzled money, so adios to thousands of employeeS (where was the media then?) … second time I worked in the media industry in my mid-20s 150 staff down to 10 re change of ownership … third time temp contract with a government department – it was the last week of October and I was supposed to have a contract until June the following year, only got to see the week out … fourth time – same thing with another government department … fifth time for a Job Network, loss of contract … sixth time working for a call centre that got closed down – a redundancy would’ve been a blessing. Good luck to the News Ltd and Fairfax staff, particularly if you’re unfortunate not to secure another position and have to try and pay your rent or mortgage, electricity, phone, groceries, car payments, insurances, doctors/dentist visits, medication, haircuts, petrol, fares etc on $250 per week that you get on Newstart from Centrelink – I sincerely wish you well in trying to do so – start applying for anything remotely possible and relocate if you have to and consider re-training if you need to because being unemployed is impossible financially and totally demoralising. Put your energy into getting a new job – good luck!
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I was fired by a major Australian television network. Major shock to the system. Had only ever work in the media. Am now happy in the world of PR and look back at my time with TV as one of the darkest most depressing times of my career. It can be scary and makes you question your abilities and all the hard years of work you put into cracking the media world, but things could be so much work. I’m healthy and have a fabulous family and to be honest, I was so mentally drained having working flat out since graduating from my journalism degree I was due to burn out sooner or later.
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This is a familiar theme in my life and that of my boyfriend. I don’t know how common it was in the past for people to be retrenched at least once by the time they are 30 (we are both under 30), but it seems to be the norm now.
There’s a gut-clench and a sinking that happens when it first hits you, but as they say, courage is not needed for the fall, but the agonising climb afterward. It’s getting back on your feet that really hurts, and how long it can take.
I’ve observed that other people move on pretty quickly from the reality of your retrenchment (or that of your beloved), but you are left to deal with it day in and day out, often for months on end, and it becomes a grind that wears you down. I suppose it is like many things in that sense – death, serious illness, etc. When you end up on the outside of society it can be hard to get back in. I understand that now. It has brought me much more empathy for the homeless and others who have fallen on hard times and are struggling to get back up.
Resilience is a skill that we all need to learn asap if this is going to be such a common theme for so many of us in the workforce.
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I was laid off from a job in 2009. At the farewell ‘drinkies’ I was given a beautiful bunch of native flowers which would have been great… until my supervisor said that she’s chosen them because they keep forever, so I can remember the workplace for longer. Yes, because that’s what I want to do, remember the people who’ve made me unemployed… Ta much….
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And do you know what the really sad story is? There will be much more of this sort of misery to come in the next year or so …
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I work in an industry where massive cuts have been announced. In my workplace, a large amount of money has been paid to a consultancy firm to tell the CE and Board what the organisation should look like and where the cuts should come. An inadequate and poorly written five page powerpoint presentation was emailed around at 6.30 one night just before the long weekend, “consulting” on future directions and priorities. There was no context, or discussions of problems they were trying to fix. We have just over a week to comment (just before the end of financial year when many projects are frantically busy). The document is so inadequate that if I, or anyone I work with, submitted it as part of anything we work on it would be rejected and we would – rightly – get a bollocking. It is obvious from this framework that my Division will be disbanded, the resources cherry-picked by those areas in favour (also obvious which ones they are), a couple of staff members retained and the rest of us will be let go. We really have to comment on the crap, even though we’re already working all the hours god gave just to keep on top of things, and even though we know it won’t make the slightest difference to the outcome, just to stop the senior managers saying “but no-one said anything at the time”.
I’ve been in this sector for 20 years. I have been through and been buffeted by innumerable cuts, restructures, smash-togethers and retrenchments, and I thought I’d just about seen it all. This one is noticeable for a complete lack of respect for the staff, their work, and the things that they believe in. I work with a number of young people, most of them on temporary contracts (many of which, of course, end on 30 June). Unlike those of us who have been around for longer, they believed the Executive members who assured them that their contract extensions had been processed, that of COURSE no final decisions had been made, of COURSE their comments on the document would be taken into consideration, of course they should continue to work with dedication, commitment and enthusiasm because ther work would not be dropped unregarded, of course their contribution will be valued. Their eyes were finally opened late last week when the (unheralded, unexplained) email went around saying that permanent staff should sign up for the voluntary redundancy register if they wanted to leave earlier rather than later – temporary staff could of course not apply, they get nothing at the end of their current contract.
I know I will be one of the last people out – I have responsibility for budgeting and making sure all of the personnel forms are filled in, Is dotted and Ts crossed, and no-one takes the stationery with them. Then I’ll get to turn the lights out. I’m guessing this will take another 6 to 8 weeks.
I’ve seen the writing on the wall for the last 18 months, and I have been saving like mad – the whole industry I’ve spent over 20 years in is downsizing, so I don’t expect to get an equivalent job or one that uses all my skills or either degree. The house needs painting, the garden’s out of control and I have already contacted some local charities that need a few regular hours’ work a week and will give them a call when I get my marching orders. I may not be financial, but I will be productively busy (I will also, of course, have the ring the charities I financially support and cancel those regular donations).
However, in my spare time at work, I and many of those hated and despised “middle managers” that people are always so keen to get rid of, who know that they too will be out on their ears without thanks, are working with the shocked young people in the business to try to smooth a path for them out into the world. The line managers who are still trying to get their own work done and everything tidied so – if nothing else – the auditors can come through and assess the projects and policies that they have spent years of their lives and skills developing and perfecting, aren’t ringing around other organisations to find themselves jobs. They are counselling their staff, they are pointing out opportunities, they’re acting as referees, they’re proof-reading applications and they are making damn sure that if there are any financial benefits available through the organisation, those young people are not going to miss out. It is an unpaid, organisationally unthanked, and soul-destroying thing to witness, but by crikey I hope that in 20 years time, when these current young people are managers and are in the same position that their middle managers are now in, that they remember and repeat the ‘unofficial’ help that they received rather than repeat he appalling lack of respect and decency shown by the organisation and industry they started in.
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Sorry to hear. Excellent read.
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Crying for you. I’ve been in this position about ten years ago – although I walked before I was pushed, I do remember how demoralised we all were, and pushing up the profits of the local wine bar.
I was one of those ‘young’ workers that you’re referring to, and I can tell you that I still remember how hard our managers fought for us in a completely untenable position. So it is good work you’re doing, even if it feel hopeless.
I wish you all the best in whatever you decide to do. xox
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Never been laid off, but our firm made about 200 people redundant during the GFC. We found out it was happening about a month before it happene – senior management told us, but only because someone had leaked to the AFR and they knew it was going to be in the paper the next day. It was awful spending that month wondering if you might be one of them.
We were hiring new people again within the year, and it really made me question why we did it in the first place. To some extent it seemed like they used it as an excuse to cut people they didn’t want to fire outright for performance issues. Or else they did it because their usual ways of getting rid of people they don’t like (freezing them out of work until they get bored and quit) didn’t work during the GFC.
It really shattered the trust that the employees had in the firm, and I don’t know if we have ever fully recovered.
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My husband was notified of his future redunancy 2 weeks ago, he is lucky he has a job until late march next year. It has been extremely stressful for him. He loves his job and company he works for. He also too go too Sydney in November too train his replacement staff and his team members too. Leaving me at home with a 6 week old baby and 3 other kids. At least we were given the option too move sydney but we can not. I feel for anyone who is made redundant.
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Sorry to hear about your husband’s job, but it sounds like the best deal – if it had to end…
I can’t get past your constant incorrect use of the word “too” though. Every time it should have been “to”.
Here’s a tip;
“the only meanings of “too” are “also” (“I want some ice cream too.”) and “in excess” (“Your walkman is playing too loudly.”) Note that extra O. It should remind you that this word has to do with adding more on to something. “To” is the proper spelling for all the other uses.”
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Do you really feel like this was necessary?
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Grow up anonymous! Not everyone is as perfect a speller as you think you are! The woman is struggling and you bring that up!!
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Great point Jamila – in the midst of the media debate about ownership and journalistic integrity are real people with families and bills to pay. All we can do is hope for the best for the people who have lost their jobs and for a nation that needs more independently owned media.
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In my career my role has been made redundant twice! The first time after 4 years, in a junior role and then was re employed on a contract basis 3 months later in a senior role – seriously crazy! I was paid almost double and expected to do 1/2 as much work. The 2nd time with another company was whilst I was 6 months into my 12 months of maternity leave, that was scary I was a single mum, lost all my confidence and then had to start looking for a new job.
Lucky for me, I had a great friend who stepped forward and offered me a role working for him.
I think the scariest thing about being made redundant is that your not prepared mentally to start looking for a new job, and it’s a real confidence knock that the company feels they can live without you!
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The most sour moment is having to pack your things whilst everyone watches, and then have management rifle through all your stuff to make sure it’s not “their intellectual property”…
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I had a job I worked hard at to make something of in England. Finally my perseverence was paying off and I was very happy at work. I had a lovely boyfriend and was loving my experience living overseas. Then my 3 year contract was cut short at just under 2 years. They didn’t give a very solid reason for it. I was so shell-shocked and crushed. The rug was pulled out from under my feet and I was bereft. I only had a visa that allowed me to work for that one company who sponsored me, and I had to return to Australia.
It wasn’t until a couple of years later that I found out why I was given such a flimsy reason for being laid off. Turns out the CEO and CFO were embezelling and the company was almost out of money. They were quietly getting rid of all of the non-essential staff. It limped along for another couple of years, then declared bankruptcy. What an eye opener!
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Today marks the end of 11 years of service with my employer, it has been an emotional roller coaster on a personal front and career front. I am sick with worry about covering my mortgage (single mum, 3 kids) and supporting my kids. I am however trying to tell myself that it’s just the end of the chapter and there are many more to be written…….
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I am a single Mum with three kids and my heart feels heavy for you. I hope you find something really soon. Take care xx
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Thinking of you today. How incredibly tough. Xxxx
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This was 8 years ago, but i remember when my dad got made redundant at Westpac. He was head of a department and they just shut it down. He wasn’t too happy in that job, but it was still a blow. Since then he started his own business and had his last day in his office today! (retiring)
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“I think even the fearing for the security of one’s job is humiliating. The feeling of being watched or judged. Certainly, losing a job leads to concrete suffering or hardship, but also to a sense of loss of status and self-esteem, a sense of how you appear in others’ eyes. All the markers of identity and dignity are trashed, in a way, when you lose a job”
This is a quote – apologies to the author whose name I have misplaced. Losing my job may have been the most difficult thing I have been through. It still hurts to think of, a year later.
To the people experiencing redundancy or sacking – I’ve been there, and am a much happier person now than I was then. It hurts, but you’ll be okay in the end. Family and friends are more authentic markers of identity in my view.
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sorry I thought it didn’t post the first time. bloody hell!
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Very well said Sarah. X
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“I think even fearing for the security of one’s job is humiliating. The feeling of being watched or judged. Certainly, losing a job leads to concrete suffering and hardship, but also to a sense of loss of status and self-esteem, a sense of how you appear in others’ eyes. All the markers of identity and dignity are trashed, in a way, when you lose a job.”
I can’t remember where I found this quote, but it articulates how I felt when “… They had to let me go”. I am happier now than when in the role, but losing my job just devastated me.
Things are so much better for me now – so much love to anyone who’s lost a position recently.
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Slightly off topic but is it possible to buy the full newspaper print version of smh or Newcastle herald online ?? I prefer reading online but it’s annoying that all the articles shown in the paper version is not available online. I would more than happily pay for this.
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I saw the writing on the wall from at least October last year and after 11.5 years it all came to and end a month ago…. I did have a sense when I kept going to the MD and other director saying to them both they needed to give me more to do that I was on some sort of kama kazi mission but hey – I was getting bored and hadn’t managed to land a job elsewhere in the meantime.
So am trying to set up my own business…. finish a house renovation… and my girlfriend get lamb roast cooked tonight and on the menu last night was a chicken stoganoff with spatzle!
Figure its a new start… I have always been on the mindset that anybody is pretty much replaceable – not in a nasty way but hey if in the space of 24 hours after an election the country can have a new PM, Treasurer, Health, Education, Foreign and Defence Minister and still keep going ok then you are kidding yourself if you reckon you are irreplaceable in your middle management office
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I work in the public sector and it always upsets me to see people cheering when governments announce they are going to cut back the public service. Most people in these jobs are working hard, enjoy their work, and most of all, are real people who will be affected in some way if they lose their jobs.
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i think this is so true. its sad ppl are losing their jobs. but i have to say i dont really understand the bigger issues jamila talks about with relation to fairfax. can someone explain to me what is going on with it all? gina rinedhart is buying the company and is she the one sacking people?
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Hi Taylor. This post will give you a bit of an overview of the situation: http://www.mamamia.com.au/news/fairfax-announces-job-cuts-and-gina-rinehart-buys-big/
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I was made redundant two years ago next month. The three month payout (and instant unemployment) gave me the confidence I needed to have a crack at becoming my own boss….(never ever ever would I have had the confidence to do it otherwise). Next year I celebrate two successful years in business, where I have earned literally double my former income each year. So redundancy was fantastic for me!
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Well done!!
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My husband was made redundant with about 12 other solicitors (all workers comp) when I was 12 weeks pregnant with our first child.
He was distraught and upset, with feelings of not being able to provide for his family, feeling like a failure etc, his mother was absolutely beside herself, convinced we were going to end up in some sort of dickensian workhouse, but I was fairly ambivalent about the whole thing.
We finally worked out that because I had grown up with a father who was a fisherman, work was never stable, and neither was money. Sometimes there was lots, sometimes there was none, and you never knew when or long the times were going to be. In an industry that is affected daily by weather, currents, water temp, bait…there is little or no predictability or definite paychecks. I guess I was just figuring we were luck as we had family behind us, we could get other jobs like hospitality or retail if need be, and that we wouldn’t starve.
PS Which in no way minimises the distress caused in this situation and isnt intended to be a comment on how people should or shouldn’t cope. Its merely a comment that is reflective of my own past experience.
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Love this Jamila – really powerful.
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Thanks Bec. X
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I’m truly sorry for all the people being retrenched, and hope they find something even better.
But r.e. those two particular newspapers – I don’t think we should be encouraging people to buy the apps, or online subscriptions, to help save some kind of jobs and ‘support journalism’. I think we should be encouraging people to pay for apps or online subscriptions if they really enjoy that writing and really think it adds value.
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I have been made redundant 4 times. I now have it always in the back of my head and whatever you do, if you get a call from a HR number or meeting room and it is your boss ‘just wanting to have a chat’ run for the hills.
Mine can be categorised as the following:
1) Skills
Was doing a marketing job in London for a european company. They resturctured the Belgian office and my colleague had nowhere to go. He had been at the company for 5 years longer than me and spoke 6 languages. Looking back it had to happen. Smarted at the time. Got a package and got a new job in a week.
2) All or nothing
Worked for a large american company who went bust. We were all kicked and asked to leave the building. There was booing and backchat from some of the people. We all got nothing and I don’t think there was much stationary or IT equipment left in the office. Made me think about the size and ethics of the company I worked for.
3) Job just not for me
Started at a small niche agency after said big american company. Job title great, but actual job not so great. Team had been through 3 managers in 6 months, the manager’s job not so good. Did it for 9 months then told the owners that either things had to change or I would have to leave. They asked me to leave. No hard feelings and made me change my path to my current role.
4) Pawn in a game
Finally got the job I though I wanted in the industry I thought I wanted. Was hired by Manager A. When I started Manager A had left and Manager B hated all the decisions A had made. Including hiring me. Was brought into HR on bogus allegations made by someone internal who had also gone for the job and didn’t get it (who I had to manage… yay) and then on the last day of my notice period brought into Manager B’s office and asked to leave with no explanation and no reason.
So now I have learnt alot about who I work for and what I do. Hindsight is a wonderful thing and am happy with who and where I am now.
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I was retrenched after the GFC. At the time my world fell apart.
Although it still hurts to think about it, now I look back, it was the best thing that could have happened to me.
I was forced to get creative to find another role.
Being retrenched allowed me to be bold and brave to try something new as I had nothing to lose. I never would have had the courage otherwise.
Good luck to all those who are going through this.
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Things are about to get really crappy for these journos. Fairfax has announced that the redundancies would take place over 3 years. Can you imagine looking over your shoulder for 3 years waiting for the knife?
A bad flow on effect is that Newscorp and Fairfax management will have very tight control over their editorial staff’s voices. Which journalist is going to be critical about the concentration of media ownership or editorial ‘supervision’ when they know that they’ll never work in this town again?
It’s time for the government to step in and put some more teeth in the media ownership laws. I’m guessing that few other countries in the world have all their major newspapers and their monopolistic Pay TV company all in the hands of one family.
A family that has shown that they don’t consider themselves or their companies accountable to the law.
Might be time for my first angry letter to a few MPs.
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How many will stick around and wait to be made redundant? I was in a similar situation during the GFC, the company I worked for announced it would be making employees redundant over the next 6 months. I was one of those to go and turning up for work everyday waiting for your fate to be sealed is hell. You can’t help but wonder if companies make these announcements in the hope employees will leave of their own free will saving them the cost of a redundancy package?
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I think they do this purposefully.
I know the senior management at my company wander round telling the staff we are running out of money…
Its scare tactics to make employees feel insecure, saving them a packet on payouts.
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I was retrenched from a teaching job after 15years. In reality I wanted to leave about 4 years before as I really hated the school but I was too scared to resign.This forced me to look elsewhere. Retrenchment can ultimately be fortuitous but usually it is traumatic.It was at first then after reality sunk in over several days I felt like I had been emancipated from slavery.Free at last.
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I was made redundant recently. I had been with the company for just over 3 years (so I received a 10 week payout, thank goodness).
Ultimately I was very unhappy there, but my loyalty combined with comfortable laziness made me persevere.
I was confident that they knew they needed me, that I had job security, that I could start a university course online and be able to continue at this job until I was ready to use that degree…
When I was told it was a cold shock. I asked them if they were serious and nearly laughed at them when they said they had found someone externally who could do all that I did in the office.
Leaving was the worst part – being watched as you pack your belongings – and being too choked up to even say goodbye to the people you spent the last 3 years of your life with…
But it was the kick I needed. I am SO much happier now!! I found a job in the same industry, but a different role (more a combination of roles I had done in previous positions), with more money, less stress, better people, impressive growing company.
It’s the best thing to have happened to me for years – but it felt like the worst at the time.
Good luck to everyone going through this – but be confident and I’m sure you’ll be “onwards and upwards”
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I was retrenched from a teaching job after 15years. In reality I wanted to leave about 4 years before as I really hated the school but I was too scared to resign.This forced me to look elsewhere. Retrenchment can ultimately be fortuitous but usually it is traumatic.It was at first for me at first then after reality sunk in over several days I felt like I had been emancipated from slavery.Free at last.
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I really feel you and all the people now facing redundancy as a result of the Fairfax and News announcements. I was made redundant from my position 11 months and 14 days ago.
It still hurts. I was great at my job, enjoyed a very good reputation and like you loved the adrenalin, the challenges and the people I worked with.
One way of trying to accept what happened to me was to blog about it.
http://art-of-being-unemployed.blogspot.com/
I was given an outplacement package as part of my redundancy which I really took advantage of, it helped by being active and maintaining a routine. I’m still looking for work in my chosen field of expertise and now at final interview stages. I remain positive and optimistic.
Thoughts are with the 2000+ people looking down the barrel of redundancy.
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I agree with every one of these comments – retrenchment does hurt, no matter how you try to square it away in your mind that you were good at what you did and it ‘was them, not you’.
Like Lisa F, I was given an outplacement package – don’t you just luuurve those Weasel Words? The recruitment industry is full of them! – and made good use of it. It revolutionised my thinking about how a cv is viewed across a busy person’s desk.
I also kept a routine in place – off to the gym every morning at the same time as my husband caught the train into work.
I also devoted time to building up a bit of freelance work – not particularly well-paid, but slightly more $$$ than the dole. Now that I’m facing the end of my current contract, I know I can do this again, and will survive.
But it can be very lonely and hard. I wish all the journos and other staff out there the very best.
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I spent over 13 years in IT. During those 13 years, I experienced 3 retrenchments. I was pretty lucky in that I was only ever out of work for a short period, however the feeling of shame and rejection really is a tough pill to swallow. My favourite story was from my first retrenchment. Particularly nice touch was the Xmas hamper I received and the kind note telling me my presence wasn’t required at the company Xmas party…
By the 3rd time I was philosophical. I left the industry
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Sounds like the membership in the ‘Jello of the Month Club’ that Clark Griswold received as his bonus in Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
What schmucks, Haven Maven!
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I worked for a company that went into liquidation, everyone in the entire company lost their jobs immediately (except for a select few left to work for a few months more with the Administrators) most didn’t see it coming.
There’s really no words to describe it…. you’re sad and worried for yourself, sad and worried for your co-workers and friends, facing the prospect of interviews, uncertainty, financial difficulties and lifestyle changes…. it’s an extremely difficult time for everybody, everyone at Fairfax and News Ltd have my utmost sympathies.
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If you haven’t already accessed it, the government has a fund dedicated to paying out the entitlements of employees of companys that are placed into liquidation. It is called GEERS.
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Thanks anon. It was a couple of years ago now so the GEERS claim has been processed.
Of note though is that the company was in Administration for quite some time before entering liquidation so there was quite a wait before any of our unpaid wages, annual leave etc could be accessed.
It really sucks, my advice to anyone is to try and have some savings set aside for a rainy day, you may need them without any notice.
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I left my job as a journalist with NewsLtd four months ago and I am constantly thinking of my former colleagues and whether they’ll still have a job.
I’ve seen a lot of schaudenfreude about job losses at NewsLtd and Fairfax and it makes me so angry.
These are real people who are losing their jobs. Real people who work incredibly hard, under enormous pressure for crappy pay and no prospect of pay rises. I know, because I did it for five years.
If you care about the future of journalism in this country, buy an iPad app. Buy a newspaper. Buy a digital subscription. Journalism is not free, especially the kind that changes people’s lives.
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My husband was laid off nearly two weeks ago from his management role (everyone was laid off, the owner of the business went belly up)
Today, he’s at a friend’s place away painting his house for him. It’s not quite the work he was doing before but we have a saying in our house – “It beats digging holes.” Because he used to do that for a living and pretty much everything else seems a step up now.
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Both my parents worked for Ansett. It was so strange when they were both suddenly unemployed, as well as almost all our family friends. I wrote a blog about it for the 10th anniversary last year: http://claretodhunter.wordpress.com/2011/09/14/the-other-10th-anniversary/
I’m going into the journalism industry when I finish my degree at the end of this year. This scares me.
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My entire department was laid off at a major media company around about this time last year.
I felt all these things and fortunately because I’m in my early 20s, I was able to pack up my meagre posessions to travel for 2 months temporary work in another city 4 hours away. I lived out of my car.
That was fine (well, sort of) for me, but it’s not fine for people with families and mortgages. Redundancies are the pits.
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There is also a big difference to losing your job because redundancies etc vs getting fired because you stuffed up.
I always feel so badly for people who dont have control over their job stability. Nothing worse than working hard and then being told you no longer have a job.
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well … I lost a job because I stuffed up and it was still devastating! I was working very hard but, in hindsight, I kept trying to make myself ‘fit’ with the job and company but it wasn’t right.
I would say to anyone out there, based on my experience, don’t be embarrassed to let people know you’ve lost your job. It is amazing how many people will offer support and try to help you with contacts, job leads etc. I ended up with enough referrals from friends to start my own business.
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I did an interview this morning with a very knowledgable man called Ross Dawson who is a media futurist. He had some very interesting things to say about the direction of journalism and the direction of media companies. While it is a scary time to be a journo student it’s also a very intersting time.
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While i do believe in studying to further yourself etc, at the end of the day you’ll also need a job. I think you’d have to be mad to study journalist (alone, not in a combined degree) at the moment.
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Most Jounalism degrees are part of communications degrees (at least thats what I do at CSU) so you learn about PR, advertising and Theatre Media to an extent aswell. There are still lots of jobs for journalists, just not as journalists in a traditional sense- look at places like Mamamia and Ivillage, they will be recruiting like mad over the next few years!
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