APPLE VALLEY, Calif.-Individual employee layoffs, even at credit unions, hardly merited news coverage as 2009 progressed and the job picture grew bleaker. Yet in early 2009, one group of plucky women became a story when they banded together after being let go as part of a cost-cutting move by High Desert FCU.
They dubbed themselves the "Sisterhood of Support." Unfortunately, most are still in need of such support and continue looking for work.
Debbie Geiger said only one member of the "Sisterhood" has been able to find a new job since they were let go Dec. 12, 2008.
"I can't begin to tell you how many applications we have all submitted, and it would be very interesting to know that count," she said. "We are coming up on one year since we were laid off and at times we have been very discouraged. But we just pick ourselves up and brush ourselves off and have tried again."
In addition to Geiger, the Sisterhood includes Jeannie Williams, Clara Gaston, Maxine Calloway, Cindy Bailey, Lynda Pascoe, Pam Carver, Sylvia Close, Linda Sirk and Jackie Morgan.
According to Geiger, two members of the group have gone back to school and a couple members "are fighting with the fact that they may be forced into retirement."
"San Bernardino County has a very high unemployment rate and we are up against thousands of applicants for one job," she explained. "Several members of the group quickly applied for positions with the credit union that acquired High Desert [Alaska USA FCU] and are quite surprised, with all our experience, no one has been contacted for an interview."
In this past year, Geiger continued, the Sisterhood has put together a website at www.unemployedsos.com in hopes of helping others with information on unemployment, resumes, and "information that we have learned along the way." She said it has been many years since most members of the support group have had to look for employment, and they found many things have changed.
"We also started a networking group for the unemployed with guest speakers each month. We brought in a mortgage expert to help those with information on their mortgages, an employment staffing company, a motivational speaker, and even a counselor to help deal with issues from being laid off. We have met many wonderful people in this past year that have touched our lives in many ways, which is one of the positive things through this bad situation."
