First, my heartfelt sympathies go out to my fellow workers in TPA. This is never a pleasant thing to go through, I am going through it now in CLT.
The timing of this sucks. Sucks big time. That being said, they could have waited until Friday, but everyone is getting paid at least. The worst is yet to come. Thanks to IAM contract language, you now have a whopping three days to make a life altering decision. Take the layoff or uproot your family and go to PIT or CLT. On top of that, commuting is not really an option. You have a reduced flight scheduled, the holiday travel season, plus bad weather to contend with. Those factors led me to take the layoff from CLT and not go to PIT. Add in the Florida snowbirds, and you are all in much more of a bind than I was making this decision.
____lstwhknight writes--->
We went thru this 4 years ago,when they closed LAX.I took LOAP.I was recalled 2 weeks later as senior mechanics went to newark and houston and cleveland to save thier jobs.
Some of the things they encountered where...the all the employees at the new station against them,because that stations lower senority employees got layed off for the new senior ones replacing them.It wasn't thier fault,but they got treated like dirt.That went on for about 2 years.
getting your tires on your car cut weekly,your windows broken out,things stolen.You name it,anything to get you to leave.
The new stations employees gave the transferred employees all the chit jobs,and anything that was outside in 4 feet of snow etc.
It was a really nasty time for everyone,now 5 years later.Everyone is friends etc.
They are recalling the last of all the layed off employees,and people are moving back to thier old stations.
things to look out for are...moving expenses,our airline payed to move you,but if you didnt stay 1 year you payed for it.
Some guys commuted for 5 years,really hard on family life.
Some guys sold thier homes and bought new ones at the new station,only to be layed off a month later.
What I am saying I guess is weight your options before you jump,and by the way they layed us off 2 weeks before christmas also.
Good luck,Gods speed in your recovery.I know it isn't easy,My best wishes for everyone at U.S.Air and everyone layed off.