Recently I read about the impending closure of the Chrysler Plant in Newark, Delaware. At present they will be shutting down shifts only, but the entire operation will  be closing down by 2008. Of course its always a tragedy when someone loses a job, but what struck me most about this closure is the impact that it will have on a town and a region. And as small as Delaware is, I'm sure the state as a whole will be impacted.

  My research has taught me that entire neighborhoods exist in the greater Newark area simply because of the Chrysler Corporation's entrance into the business community.  It reminds me of the stories I heard growing up about the Armstrong Cork Company in Lancaster, PA. Houses in the area saw the growth of generations of "Armstrong folks" and certain neighborhoods were in existence because of "The Plant".

People used to seek jobs where they could remain for life. In many cases, it was only a secondary thought that they would climb a ladder, let alone the white-collar ladder. There was a loyalty felt by the employees and they would remain with the job for 40 years or more, earning the proverbial gold watch and a nice dinner to thank them for their service. Then they could fish, hunt and gather at the local diner for coffee at 6 am instead of punching the clock. And they could collect their much earned pensions and continue with their health insurance. They went to work, remained loyal to the job. And the job took care of them.

Now, we can hear daily of company closures, mismanagement of pension funds, buyouts and layoffs.

Many employees are handed their pink slips in an impersonal email. No more pension, no more health care. And they aren't 21 anymore. I think it's a snapshot of our society as a whole. Loyalty and honor are dying in the workplace. It used to be an honest day's pay for an honest day's work. There was honor in hard work.

I don't get the feeling that the older generations belly-ached as much as we do on a daily basis about their jobs. They just DID it. They went to work and planned to stay until retirement. Today, you need to be very careful about complaining about your position. You may lose it by the end of the day.

Perfect attendance, perfect safety records, an honest effort and hard work were all you needed to sleep at night knowing that at the very least, you were safe in providing for your family.

Now those very attributes may earn you one more reward. A "pink-mail" or a hurried news conference announcing a plant closure that will take away your security.

It is a precarious world we live in. What can you count on in the long run? On a final note, I also believe that today's young people are being taught that an employer doesn't deserve the extra mile. They see Mom and Dad with the unexpected pink slips....Where is going to end?