My first day back to Work

My first day back to work after a 2 year, 4 month layoff was rather emotional.

First I went to a four hour Orientation meeting at 7:30AM. I received my new badge and a packet of information and forms as I went into the auditorium. There where 300 people with identical packets there. The speakers asked to see how many people were being recalled and who were new hires, almost two-thirds were recalled to work. They told us all about Boeing and all of its different business groups. Boeing has 160,000 employees through out the World in 60 countries. We all listen to the speakers talk about the various financial plans, health plans, life insurance plans, and pension plans. Then we had an ethic lesson on how to handle a situation where we would have access to preparatory information of another company’s proposal. Then we signed forms stating that we had been given the ethics training and a couple other forms.

After all that, we had to listen to a half-hour speech from our representative unions that represent the Engineering and Machinist employees at Boeing. Then we had lunch.

I didn’t get to my assigned work place until 1:30PM. As I walked through the security gate, I felt a little choked up, returning to my old work place. Had to wait a few seconds as the badge reader scanned the database to verify my badge?

Everyone was glad to see me back at work, and came around and shook my hand. They had ordered me a computer for my desk, but the site support people hadn't delivered it yet.

The building still has the nauseating pale Mustard yellow walls, and the old blast doors it had during the 60’s. They where installed by Civil Defense to protect us during nuclear attack from radiation, as we all where supposed to live in the inner hallways for a week or two with supplies. The supplies where throwin away a long time ago.

On the way home, I had the front left tire blow out on me, so I had to put the spare on and drive to the Tire Dealer. Fortunately the tire was under warranty, so I got a new one for the price of balancing the wheel $7.50. :D

Well, I'm glad I'm back to work, layoff was a very trying time for me.