Very sad - my collegues all being made redundant

[sushistar]

I just needed to 'vent' a bit.

I work as a sessional teacher at my local adult ed college. I love my work, and because I'm just hourly paid staff I can do the odd evfening and fit it around my kids. I'm having another baby in Jan, so have decided not to work from Sept - but will go back for 1 or 2 evenings a week once the new baby is 6 months or so.

The college is having massive redundancies, and many of my fellow teachers have just found they're loosing their jobs. There are loads of very emotional emails floating around, people in tears in the staff room - it's not just the fact of the job losses, but the way it has been done by the senior managers is so harsh and unkind. Some people had their notice of redundancy couriered to their address at 10pm at night on the final day - so they thought their job was safe until the last minute!

It doesn not affect my job, but I feel really upset just seeing it all happen. My poor collegues are devistated and I'm in tears every time I open my work email. We've broken up for the summer now, and I'm not going back to work until at lease easter 2010, so it's not my problem I know - but I can't get it all out of my mind.

I'm not sure there is a nice way to do it TBH. Redundancies are nearly always awful for all involved...

many commiserations though to your colleagues. Personally I would give people notice so they can find other work....

The teachers have been given the notice in their contracts - but finding secure work will be hard for them. People are not in adult ed for the money, that's for sure - they are such a committed group of people, and they really care about our students. It's mainly basic skills and esol teachers who are axed, and their students are very vulnerable people - it will be devistating for them as well as the teacvhers themselves.

Sushistar - About a third of the staff around me was made redundant where I worked (before I was). It was awful seeing it happen. Lots of stiff upper lips, but a year later some are making peanuts and others have found nothing. All I can say is that it is happening everywhere and is just appalling. I am so sorry.