Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Proof we are in a Greater Depression: A new academic study says wealth inequality is double what it was during the Great Depression! Wealth Levels, Wealth Inequality, and the Great Recession
Qatar based Al Jazeera America warned of more layoffs for its U.S. employees. Possibly 20 people, despite increased ratings.
Alabama: Furniture maker izzy+ announced they are shutting down their Florence factory by summer 2015, about 200 jobs lost!
Arkansas: What automotive industry recovery? In Rogers the largest maker of aluminum wheels for cars, Superior Industries International, is packing up and moving to Mexico, 500 jobs lost!
California: San Francisco based GameSpot laid off at least six employees, as the video game company shifts more towards live game play. Moss & Stone issued a WARN saying they’re shutting down in September, 104 jobs lost! Millennium Partners Sports Club issued a WARN saying they are shutting down in October, 189 jobs lost! In Fresno the local ABC affiliate, KFSN, laid off 15 employees. It’s the result of the cancelation of the TV station’s involvement with Disney’s Live Well Network. In San Diego, Trius Therapeutics laying off six people in September. In Fort Irwin (U.S. Army), taxsucker Northrop Grumman issued a WARN saying they will kill 423 jobs by October! Northrop Grumman has been killing hundreds of jobs at the U.S. Army training center since 2013, and even more layoffs are planned. In Twentynine Palms (USMC), Alaska based taxsucking government “support contractor” Tatitlek Corporation issued a WARN saying they will kill 2562 jobs by the end of September! The company provided actors/roleplayers, food service workers, laborers etc for the U.S. Marines’ Iraq/Afghanistan combat training “villages”.
Georgia: What housing market recovery? The city of Sandy Springs has placed a 60 day ban on the construction of new apartments. Apparently they think all this apartment building is getting out-a-hand. In Atlanta, New York based advertising company BBDO laid off as many as 30 employees. Apparently they are being replaced with new hires who’ll work for cheap. Reports say finance tech company NCR killing 200 jobs in 2015, but company officials refused to confirm. After more than 42 years cereal maker Kelloggs announced they’re shutting down their Columbus factory in 2015, at least 325 jobs lost! Employees were pissed: “The way they went about it is pretty bad. They did the people wrong! A lot of these people been here 30, 40 years.”-Eugene Gilmore
“…I was planning on retiring this year anyway, but I feel bad about the other people. It’s hard enough finding a job, and people here in Columbus know they don’t have too many good jobs around here.”-Mildred Baskin
Illinois: In Oak Park, after 19 years Marion Street Grille shutdown. The owner blamed the bad economy saying “We’re just not getting enough coming through the door.”
Michigan: In Pittsfield Township, they put up the sign then changed their mind. Texas based Carrabba’s Italian Grill has backed out of their plans to open a restaurant, citing the suck ass economy. Florida based LongHorn Steakhouse also backed out.
Mississippi: Obama Care causing Singing River Health Systems to shutdown two more clinics, in August. Reports say they’ve already shutdown a third clinic. Earlier this year auditors said Singing River was suffering from a shortfall of $88-million USD!
Nevada: What automotive industry recovery? Reports say construction on one of two secret Tesla Motors Gigafactories in Reno was stopped. No reason given, Tesla officials refused coment. The Gigafactories supposedly will make lithium-ion batteries for electric cars.
New Jersey: In West Milford, after at least six decades Big John’s Pub shutting down in August. Tracey Bennett, the owner, said “It is time for me to have a normal life without stress.”
New York: Obama Care killing 231 jobs as the Rivington House Healthcare Facility shuts down by the end of November! What housing market recovery? In Albany, Capital Region Multiple Listing Service showed home sales dropped 5% from June 2013 to June 2014. Median home prices fell 6%. Also in Albany, accounting company Pricewaterhouse announced it is shutting down in October, 40 jobs lost. In Westbury, metal parts maker John Hassall revealed they are up for sale, 83 jobs affected.
North Carolina: Obama Care killing jobs at Dosher Memorial Hospital. An undisclosed number of part time and contracted workers will be laid off. One nurse said she was told it was just the “first round” of layoffs. Randolph County Schools laid off 30 employees. In Greensboro, after 18 years Mahi’s Seafood Restaurant shutdown. The owner said he wanted to move to a cheaper location, but the economy is so bad he couldn’t pay for the move.
Ohio: In Berlin, after 100 years (surviving the Great Depression & numerous recessions) Shrader’s Store shutdown. It’s being auctioned off in August.
Oklahoma: After 50 years the JC Potter Sausage factory in Durant shutting down in September. The JC Potter Sausage brand was sold to Williams Sausage Company, but for some reason it did not include the actual factory. In Tulsa, the Gateway Market shutdown, way earlier than it was supposed to. Local news reports said it was the only grocery store for miles: “Everybody’s frustrated, the whole neighborhood. You know, I mean, they ain’t got no cars, no way of getting their groceries. What they going to do now?”-David Campbell, customer
Pennsylvania: State education officials warned of massive layoffs at five Universities: Clarion, Edinboro, Cheyney, East Stroudsburg and Mansfield. According to state officials their university system has been experiencing what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome (DSS), and get this, they expect to lose another 1-thousand students by the end of this school year! At least 44 university employees were laid off last year.
Tennessee: After four decades Vic and Bill’s Deli shutdown: “….it’s a part of home actually and it kinda feels that way closing it. But all good things have their time have their season and I guess our season is kind of ending.”-Angelia Captain Townsend, manager
Texas: What housing market recovery? In Austin, the Villa de Soliel mansion being auctioned off in August, reportedly with no set minimum starting bid!
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