Down Sizing....Again

So, my lab is down sizing once again. Back before I started Bio Girl my lab had about forty employees working in all areas of environmental testing. There was an office staff, and then the Biology department, Organics, Inorganics, metals....you get it....a lab. Well, I got the job through my brother-in-law who worked in the wet chem lab (thank God because I so needed a job in my field) and was working along happy as a clam for about six months when they came in and said we were bought out. My BIL was all like, this sucks, we are all totally fired. But I (always the optimist) was totally like, " No, no! Tarp says this could be a really good thing! I think we will all keep our jobs and get HUGE raises and really make a difference!" and all that jazz. Well, as it turns out, Chris was way more right than I was. Everyone got fire and all the work got moved to the Buy-out labs location about an hour and a half from us...everyone, that is, except for the Bio lab.

As fate would have it, the lab that bought us had everything except a Biology department. There were three of us working at the old bio lab, and one was let go. Thank god that was not me, but I held on as one of the last employees hired at the old lab and one of three analysts to keep working (they also kept on one wet chem analyst...coincidentally Ryan, Nick's best friend) . Along with the three of us, there were three field guys and three front office people. In January of this year they moved Ryan to the main lab. That left two analysts (Tarp and I, who you know well). About three months later, after several breakdowns, we got to add Justin to the mix. This was HUGE for Tarp and I. We finally felt like we had the right employees to get everything done.

Well, we found out this week that we are now losing two more people. Not any of the Analyst (THANK GOD) but two of the three front office people. Did you hear me? TWO OF THE THREE. That's right. Things they are a changing around the lab once more. We have been down one office person for about six months because she was on maternity leave, but it was always just temporary. Well, I guess after six months they realized we might just not need that position any longer. We are also losing the secretary, which was really surprising. The new plan is for Tarp and I to take over some of the Biology client management responsibilities, and learn the ins and outs of sample receiving and all that jazz.

In all honestly, things could be worse. They could have, you know, shut down bio. This would mean no job for me. They also could have cut one front office person and one Bio person. This would mean many more breakdowns for me. The way it went, it is looking like they are wanting to keep the Bio lab up and running for the long run. So, that is great. They are sending a lot of the secretary work to be done by their main lab, and Tarp and I are going to be made much more valuable to the company with our new found responsibilities. It is just so had to start this again. Working closely with the people and now they are leaving in a month. They are coming to work each day knowing that we are staying and they are going. With a lab as small as ours, we are all really close. It just sucks. Cut backs suck, people leaving sucks. I just wish there was something I could say, but there is nothing. We will just wait for the end of October and see how things really change.

**By the way, it is my big sister Boo's birthday! Happy Birthday Boo! I love you!!**