Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: Taxsucker CISCO Systems announced massive layoffs planned for October, 1-thousand and five people to become unemployed! Taxsucker Boeing warned of 318 layoffs in November! After only five months Freedom Communications ceased publication of the Los Angeles Register, at least 20 jobs lost. Apparently the economy is so bad in the LA area that Freedom Communications is shifting focus to Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. In Paso Robels, after only one year the Elan Vital Furniture & Design store shutdown. The pissed off owners blamed the bad economy saying “Unfortunately, praise and encouragement do not keep stores open. Consumers in the greater California, have been holding on tight to their money in regards to purchasing design and furnishings.” In Menlo Park, Office Max announced they will shutdown in November, 74 jobs lost. Egg supplier Moark announced they are ending operations in several cities by November, 187 jobs lost and the price of eggs will continue going up! In Edwards, Nevada based taxsucker “Mission Critical Solutions” Arcata Associates announced they will kill off 101 jobs in October! In Riverbank, Silgan Containers killing off more jobs, this time they announced that 178 people will become unemployed in November!
Florida: In Tampa, after 27 years Features Costumes shutdown. In Lake Worth, after 30 years the owner of Video Shop Super Store announced his store will shutdown in October. News reports say the owner tried everything to compete with internet video services, but couldn’t do what they could; “…the option to get a video with the press of a button.”
Illinois: In Geneva, after 35 years the owners of the ‘health’ food store Soup to Nuts announced they will shutdown in October. Aurora based OSI Group killed 340 jobs in China! OSI Group owns the Chinese fast food chicken meat supplier who sold to McDonald’s, KFC and other U.S. fast food ops in China. The U.S. owned Chinese company was revealed to be selling chicken meat that was dropped on floors, and even meat past its expiration date. At least six people have been arrested, so far.
Indiana: In Fort Wayne, the owner of all three Papa Murphy’s take-n-bake pizza joints announced they will shutdown in November! Local news reports say employees blamed the lack of sales. Also in Fort Wayne, after more than 50 years iconic Atz’s Ice Cream Shoppes shutdown without notice! Local news reports say the family business took an economic nosedive three years ago, when they were forced to shutdown their Kendallville ice cream factory. County tax assessors say the family now owes several thousands of dollars in property taxes.
Kentucky: In the Nulu district of Louisville, Taco Punk shutdown. The owners blame road construction which “decisively cut off easy access for downtown workers to NuLu during the crucial lunch hours. … It is clear that the situation in NuLu is only going to get worse…”
Louisiana: In West Monroe, operators of the Trenton Street Golf Course announced it will shutdown in December. They were unable to renew the lease.
Minnesota: After 80 years (surviving the Great Depression and numerous recessions) Hardware Hank shutdown. The owners would only say that the property had been sold off.
Nebraska: In North Platte, after five years Margie’s Bar and Grill shutdown.
Nevada: In Reno, after 27 years Scolari’s Food & Drug Company announced it will shutdown in October, 48 jobs lost. Company administrators said the bad economy was forcing them to “streamline” ops.
New York: The Newspaper Guild is accusing magazine publisher Time of planning to off-shore 160 jobs! Administrators with Time admitted to the plan in a statement to the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying “…to drive operational efficiencies, including through global sourcing of staff.”
North Carolina: California based CISCO Systems announced it is killing off jobs at its Research Triangle Park, but refused to say how many people will become unemployed.
Ohio: What automotive industry recovery? Maker of rubberized automotive parts YUSA Corporation announced they are ‘off-shoring’ at least 130 U.S. jobs to Mexico (yes, I know Mexico is not ‘off shore’ but the phrase means moving jobs out of the U.S.). The loss of the U.S. jobs will take place in 2015.
Oregon: In Eugene, the owner of Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life announced it will shutdown in October. The owner blamed a variety of reasons, especially crime, for not renewing the lease.
Tennessee: In Chattanooga, Ferrara Candy announced they are selling off their factory, 95 jobs affected. They already killed 100 jobs prior to the announcement! At one point the factory employed 450 people, back when it was owned by Farley’s & Sathers. The Commercial Appeal newspaper, and other newspapers, are being sold off. At least 17 Commercial Appeal employees now unemployed.
Washington: King County announced their plans to kill 500 taxpayer funded healthcare positions! Obama Care is being partially blamed for the county healthcare system losing at least $8.9-million USD by the end of 2014! Administrators estimate that pro-insurance industry Obama Care will put them in a $29-million hole by the end of 2016!
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.