So that Memorial Day I went back to work in the mill. Hell, it was a holiday too, double time and a half. I made more in that one day than I would have for a week at the lumber yard!
But it was to be short lived. I would work a couple of weeks, then get laid off for a couple of weeks, and this went on for the next year. It was a wonderful time for me. We had our baby girl in March of '84 and because of the layoff situation I got to spend plenty of time with my 21 month old son and my brand new baby girl. I love being a Dad and the lay off time afforded me the perfect opportunity to bond with my children.
In hindsite I couldn't have asked for things to be any better. Money coming in whether I was working or not, and lots of time off to spend with my family. Not only that, but I had started working in the mill on April 1st, 1974, yeah, that's right, April Fool's Day, and I had passed my 10 year anniversary date. Because of that I was now eligible for a vested pension once I turned 62 years old. Based on years of service and wages earned, they "owed" me $214.00 a month for the rest of my life!! Life was good!
Then in the Summer of 1984 the LTV Steel and Unemployment Compensation gravy train came to an end. The Welded Tube Department laid me off for good and the state unemployment compensation was about to run out. It was time to move back into the real world!
Oh, and by the way, I still get updates from the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation. They took over the LTV pension plan when the mill went bankrupt. They tell me I can start collecting a reduced retirement pay when I turn 60 or wait, and still get the full amount, but now not til I turn 65.
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