Coping with Job Loss

I was told back in August I would eventually be layed off.   It started out getting a letter the begining of August we would have to bid for our hours.  I was confused by that.  Well the letter says hours and operation in the cafeteriia at all the campuses would be changing. That maybe they were evalutating student and staffs food needs.  Which is why the changes.   So I figured for me it meant a bit of a shift change.   Nothing was exactly said cutting positions in the first letter.  Says second letter to come shortly. 

Get the second letter.  It says there is a meeting on August 18th at 9am.  That was when bidding would take place for part timers.  17th was for all full timers.  We are all sitting in the back end of the main campus cafeteria waiting to see what happens.   Finally the meeting starts.  The union president is there also.    They tell us one by one we'd be called in to pick a shift and postion based on seniority.   I figured I'm low woman on the totem pole. I would get what was left.   So there were still 8 of us sitting there.  Some woman comes out.  Says We're all done.   You all can go home now.  Some woman spoke up loudly.  What you saying You'r all done.  We can go home.  What about jobs for the rest of us.  They then tell us we're not out of a job.  We're put on a pool list.  To be called as needed.  That didn't sit right with us.  Same woman speaks up some more very loudly and angrily.   All this was due to budget cuts.

Finally the union president takes us over to human resources.  Hoping to find us work in other depts.  That is when we all got 5 weeks in the book store.  As it was a new semester.  Lots of students needing books.  Ok I got lots of hours there.  I was happy for the moment.  The work there was good.  Get call from human resources the second week I was in the book store.  That after the book store work is over.  We could go to building services and be cleaners.  That would last till like November.  But we'd only get 19 hours a week.  I'd be on a shift that ended at 11pm.  Something I did not like. As I'd have to get home via a city bus from downtown.  The bus to my house does not run that late.  

Then it was like my 4th week in the book store.  I got an official letter of lay off.  It says on September 14th us displaced workers will go back to the cafeteria to work.  That the week of September 8th we'd get a call to tell us of our new duties. That this work will end on October 16th.  Which is tomorrow.   Get the call.  I would be a dish washer starting on September 14th.  But at the main campus building.  Then was told after I started there.  Our time could be extended to past October 16th.  I guess 3 people were out on sick leave.  a 4th person quit, or retired some months before.  Their position was not replaced.   1 of the 3 on sick leave came back last week.  2 are still out.   Knowing I was to be on lay off as of Friday.  I began looking for work.  Lined up a interview for a job for next week. 

That prospective job might of called for a referrence check.  The immediiate boss Annie comes to me.  Says I'm extending your time.  You get 2 more weeks. That I could be working till Thanks Giving. But she can only go pay period to pay period approving me to stay working.   Then says if you get another job.  Remember you have your regular morning hours here.  I said well we got the official lay off notice.  So yes I'm looking for work.   Then told positions were opening up in other depts.  That we should apply for those positions if we meet the qualifications.  So building services needed some permanent workers.  I apply.  But do not get selected.  Well if all those displaced workers from the food service secure work in other depts.  Then maybe I might not totally be out of a job.  They might just keep me around.  I just wish they'd stop playing games with me.   I'd like a heads up what is happening.   If I get a job offer.  I don't know if I should take it or not. I like my current job.  The pay is good.  I don't care what work they give me to do.  I like the not working weekends or holidays.