Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Alabama: In Tuscaloosa, the manager of a Bruno’s grocery store went public and warned that the store will be shutdown. No comment from the owners. In Atmore, the YMCA shutting down in August: “Our country’s and, even closer to home, our state’s economic struggles have made it difficult to obtain financial contributions for the Atmore YMCA.”-Paul Chason, CEO
California: In Los Angeles, Obama Care forcing Temple Community Hospital to issue a WARN that it will shutdown in September, 288 healthcare jobs lost! Delaware North Companies Travel Hospitality Services laid off 49 employees. In Pico Rivera, G2 Secure Staff Waste Management shutdown, 55 jobs lost.
Florida: In Orlando, upscale Nordstrom shutting down a store in August, 190 jobs lost! The store was opened in 2002. In Ocala, after only one year Crossroads Child Care Center was forced to shutdown after a father found his toddler son wondering around outside the facility, near a retention pond.
Georgia: In McDonough, the World’s largest maker of small engines Briggs & Stratton shutting down a factory, 270 jobs lost: “We have not been able to get the McDonough plant running at full capacity for several years. That, and market conditions, have made it even more difficult.”-Laura Timm, public affairs
Indiana: In La Porte, after 80 years ATI Casting Service shutdown, 120 jobs lost! At one point the factory had 550 employees!
Massachusetts: In North Adams, AP Home Decor shutdown for “personal reasons”.
Michigan: In Detroit, Sears Holdings shutting down two Kmart stores in October, 270 jobs lost! In Rochester Hills, the non-profit Crittenton Hospital Medical Center revealed it is now up for sale. Hospital officials say since Obama Care went into effect their financial losses have increased by tens of millions of dollars! In Battlecreek, the Calhoun County Arts Council disbanded, blaming crashing funding on the bad economy. This comes as W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research reports about 40% of unemployed people in Calhoun County stopped looking for jobs, and that’s based on data ending in 2012! In Saint Claire Shores, after 67 years Harper Sport Shop shutdown. What housing market recovery? Washtenaw County reports that so far this year they’ve held 259 tax foreclosure sales.
Minnesota: In Winona, the Kmart shutting down in October, 67 jobs lost.
New Jersey: In Montclair, Health, Love & Soul, Juice Bar & Grill shutdown. In Collingswood, after only two years American Table kitchenware store shutdown. The store specialized in Made in the U.S.A. products. In Atlantic City a fourth casino shutting down, this time it’s the Trump Plaza, a WARN report indicated at least 900 jobs lost (local news reports say at least 1-thousand)! Local news reports say the casino closures are now causing smaller mom & pop stores to go out of business.
New York: In NYC, Obama Care forcing two years old SinglePoint Care Network to layoff 59 employees between October and December. In Greenwich Village the Pink Elephant bar now chapter 7 bankrupt busted. It’s blamed on the greedy property owner.
Ohio: In Cleveland, a massive Kmart shutting down in October, 200 jobs lost!
Oregon: In Portland, after four years Mextiza restaurant shutdown.
South Dakota: In Bonesteel, after 113 years (and surviving numerous recessions and the Great Depression) Bonesteel Enterprises ending the publication of their newspaper. Company officials said they tried to find a buyer for the newspaper, with no luck.
Texas: In San Antonio, the KGB USA-Conduit Global call center warned it will eliminate 225 jobs in August! Company officials blame a major client, who canceled their contract without notice.
Vermont: In Bennington, 66 years old Greenburg lumberyard shutdown, 23 jobs lost. In the same city, after 21 years O’Malley’s Pet Supplies shutdown: “Since 2008, sales slowly declined, utilities increased, and I made the decision that it wasn’t financially feasible to stay open.”-Michael O’Malley
Virginia: In Danville, after 56 years John’s Antiques shutdown.
Washington: Who said tech jobs are recession proof? Redmond based Microsoft announced a new employee performance policy that some analysts say will result in layoffs. The new CEO has a history of eliminating middle managers. In Oak Harbor, Waste Management announced they will shutdown their call center in September, 126 jobs lost! The company is consolidating their call centers to Arizona. In Everett, a more than 40 years old Kmart shutting down in September.
Washington DC: The U.S. Department of Defense announced even more layoffs. It’s the latest round of layoffs as part of a plan to reduce personnel by at least 70-thousand! The majority of those layoffs will affect the U.S. Army. The Corcoran Gallery of Art and College of Art & Design laying off about 150 employees in August! Apparently the schools will eventually shutdown threatening another 300 jobs! It’s blamed on their merger with National Gallery of Art and the George Washington University.
Wisconsin: What housing market recovery? The Fox Valley reports a 14% drop in new home starts during the first six months of this year, compared to last year.
09 – 10 July 2014: “…this retail funk is real.”
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.
“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security…That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013