Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: MFS (Massachusetts Financial services) issued several WARNs saying they are eliminating jobs across the Golden State, at least 200 jobs lost by February 2015! Uniform and food service contractor Aramark issued several WARNs saying they are shutting down ops across the Golden State, at least 570 jobs lost! Pleasanton Safeway headquarters will layoff at least 26 people by 13 February 2015, due to the takeover by Cerberus owned Albertsons.
Florida: Just one day after warning of layoffs in California, Orlando based iconic SeaWorld revealed it has already eliminated 311 jobs at all 11 of its sealife amusement parks!
Idaho: In Post Falls, office furniture maker Kimbal International issued a WARN saying they will shutdown beginning in February 2015, at least 251 jobs lost!
Illinois: In Chicago, anti-2nd Amendment Pepsi laid off an undisclosed number of North America Nutrition (Gatorade, Quaker, Tropicana) employees. Pepsi also extended its cost cutting plan (originally to end in 2014) to 2019, saying the economy is so bad it now needs to cut $8-billion USD in expenses! In Springfield, after 114 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) LaBonte’s Luggage & Gifts shutdown: “Luggage is highly competitive, and the trend with younger people is buying online, especially with many luggage manufacturers having their own websites selling directly to the customer.”-Art Silver, owner
Indiana: What automotive industry recovery? Truck maker Navistar International announced they’re shutting down their Indianapolis foundry by the summer of 2015, at least 180 jobs lost! Company administrators say the suck-ass economy is forcing them to get their parts from a cheap-o-contractor instead of making them in their own foundry! Greedy stockholders love the idea!
Maine: In Bangor, after 142 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Bacon Printing Company shutdown. Company administrators said the final straws were increasing utility costs and building maintenance costs.
Massachusetts: Non-profit Masonic Health System warned of layoffs at its Overlook Life Care Community, and as a result of its sale of its failed Overlook Health Care operation.
Michigan: In Monroe, after 17 years the Dollar & Up store shutdown, the owner blaming the lack of ‘recovery’: “There’s been a decline in spending. People used to buy on impulse, and when the economy went down, people started to be more careful on what they bought.”-Amir Ameen
New York: For profit Utica School of Commerce stopping almost all classes at its Oneonta campus in Spring 2015! At least nine jobs lost due to DSS. Clinton Community College warned of layoffs due to DSS (what I call Disappearing Student Syndrome). NYC based bratty & bankrupt teenage girl’s clothing chain store dELiA*s announced they will shutdown all 92 stores!
Tennessee: The Toys R Us located near Knoxville Center Mall announced it will shutdown in January 2015, at least 28 jobs lost.
11-12-december-2014: “Everybody wants to know, ‘Is there anything we can do?’ and there is nothing.”
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.