Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
What housing market recovery? The U.S. Commerce Department reports a 9.3% drop in new U.S. home construction in the month of June. When broken down by region, the southern states led the country with a 29.6% drop! This is significant because the southern region makes up 40% of U.S. home construction!
Midwest: 28.1% drop
Northeast: 14.1% drop
West: 2.6% drop
California: In San Francisco, after almost 60 years Villa Romana restaurant shutdown. The owners want to retire, and their two adult children say the economy doesn’t make it worthwhile for them to give up their current careers to continue the family business. In Sacramento, Lowe’s owned OSH (Orchard Supply Hardware) on Arden Way shutdown. OSH was once owned by Sears Holdings, but was sold to Lowe’s last year.
Florida: What housing market recovery? In Fort Lauderdale, It’s been revealed that a 14 year veteran of the ‘American’ football team known as Miami Dolphins, is losing his home to a Too Big to Jail bank foreclosure. That bank is known as the Bank of New York. Bank officials say the football veteran stopped paying his mortgage last year. Records show he had trouble paying his mortgage back in 2009 as well.
Idaho: What housing market recovery? In Naples, it was revealed that Washington based Alta Forest Products (whose main product is fencing for homes) laid off at least 25 employees the week prior. Hours for other mill employees were reduced. Salesman Jeff Cook kinda blamed the housing market saying “We’ve lost a lot of sawmills and building products companies since 2007.” However, it’s probably due to the May 2014 merger of TMI Forest Products and Welco Lumber, which created Alta Forest Products. What’s (not) funny is company officials promised that job security was the goal of the merger: “This agreement will help secure employment to the local communities and strengthen the regional economy built on the growing lumber industry.”-company statement
Illinois: In Murphysboro, after 37 years God refuses to stop the shutdown of Murphysboro Christian Academy. Officials with the privately funded school say Christian students are disappearing (raptured?). What automotive industry recovery? In Freeport, Titan Tire laid off 36 people at its factory. These layoffs have been going on for awhile; 26 in April 2014, 66 in August 2013. Company officials blame crashing sales to mining companies and food growers: “The market has continued its downward spiral. Our ticket orders for tires in the ag and industrial market are down. They’re just not in demand.”-Dale Sandell, president
Louisiana: Netherlands based Chicago Bridge & Iron announced it is shutting down its Addis pipe factory in September, saying “For economic reasons we have decided to close the entire CB&I Addis Shop.” 126 jobs lost!
Maryland: In Frederick, Texas based Dickey’s Barbecue Pit shutdown without notice, and without paying its employees! Company officials simply said “It was not meeting our standards”, but local circuit court officials revealed that the restaurant failed to get a required business license. Most former employees claim they are still owed about $600 USD. In Hagerstown, after more than 40 years custom bicycle shop Hub City Cycles shutdown. The owner said he was forced to close, but he will do his best to spend the next 40 years making the World a better place.
Michigan: In East Lansing the largest teachers union in the state, Michigan Education Association, revealed that half of its members actually made less money in 2013. Incompetent union officials admit they don’t know why. Yet while half of their members made less money, somehow the amount of assets held by the Michigan Education Association actually went up! In Hudsonville, God refuses to stop the shutdown of Freedom Christian Schools (aka Freedom Baptist Schools). The shutdown was a surprise as school officials even extended the contracts of teachers before the announcement. The school’s website has been removed. School officials blame raptured students (apparently because this problem of disappearing students is affecting both taxpayer and privately funded schools all over the U.S., as I keep pointing out) saying this school year’s enrollment is worse than last year’s. At one point the privately funded school had 375 students, but since 2010 they’ve lost at least 65 students. (privately funded schools are more affected by student loss than are taxpayer funded schools)
Mississippi: Obama Care forcing Singing River Health System to shutdown two of their Medworks clinics in August, one in Gautier and one in D’Iberville. Back in March, hospital officials revealed that even with the new Obama Care that $88-million in medical services will not be paid for! Officials say Obama Care is not solving the problem of people who can’t pay for medical care: “The amount of uncompensated care that we generate every year is growing every year, and it is the largest it has ever been! This is a very difficult time in the industry.”-Kevin Holland, CEO
New Jersey: What housing industry recovery? In Bayonne, an undisclosed number of Muralo Paint employees losing their jobs. Company officials sold off most of their assets to another company called California Products. Officials with California Products say only “several individual” Muralo employees will be kept on.
Ohio: The Lorain County Community Action Agency warned it will eliminate 25 Head Start assistant teachers. It’s a little confusing as officials claim the layoffs will actually increase teacher to student interaction. In Toledo, Mexico owned Bimbo Bakeries announced they’re shutting down their Jason Street store just in time for Xmas, 34 jobs lost.
Pennsylvania: In Harrisburg, Zia’s at Red Door shutdown. The owner blames jacked up rent and the fact that the idiot A-hole city officials jacked up the cost of parking at the restaurant: “Parking definitely has a lot to do with it. We lost a lot of customers. A lot of customers won’t come down because of it.”-Rocco Rama
Washington: What housing market recovery? In Shelton, it was revealed that Alta Forest Products laid off employees and reduced working hours (see Idaho for reason).
West Virginia: After 30 years North Central Big Brothers/Sisters shutdown, it’s blamed on the bad economy: “Due to several cuts in our organization’s funding, the Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Central West Virginia offices will be closing. Several streams of funding received in past years were not received this year, making our continued operations unfeasible. It is with deep sadness that we close our doors.”
17 July 2014: “…that train is headed for the cliff!”
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 shutdown. It doesn’t count people who get a severance for being laid off.
“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