Engineers get furloughed too. Low oil and gas prices has hurt many engineers in the industry the last year or so, same in the 80s and I think same in the late 60s early 70s. I have a friend laid off, has took another job for less money after three months (lost all seniority and benefits from his old company, had to start over); another who has been working 20 hours per month and having to pay for insurance for some time now. They go through cycles as well.