Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
“…Biopharmas are already in consolidation mode, and they will cut jobs and curtail operations more and more as they struggle to recoup the costs of associated with a wave of mergers and acquisitions.
Between January and July of this year, pharmaceutical employers announced the elimination of 6,334 jobs—up 1% from the same period in 2014….”–JobWatch: More Layoffs Loom as M&A Zooms
Alabama: US Steel announced it will shutdown their Fairfield blast furnace, 1-thousand 1-hundred jobs lost! Administrators say the U.S. economy is so bad that “everything is on the table”!
Arkansas: In Redfield, Entergy Arkansas said it’s not worth it to upgrade their White Bluff coal fired power plant because it cannot afford to meet new EPA emission standards. The upgrade is estimated to cost $1.1-billion USD, the shutdown will affect at least 110 employees!
California: Los Gatos based Netflix announced it will shutdown its last brick-n-mortar data center. Netflix will now put customers’ data on the publicly accessed ‘cloud’. As is typical with tech news, no mention of the location of the data center or how many humans (jobs) will be affected. In La Quinta, psychedelic Rock ’N’ Roll MiniGolf shutting down by the end of the month, the owner said sales are not enough to pay the rent.
Florida: After 51 years the Paradise Palms Inn shutdown, and is being torn down. News reports say a new hotel will take its place by 2017.
Illinois: After more than 20 years the Royal Appointments gift shop shutting down due to the property owner selling-off the building. Eastern Illinois University began eliminating an undisclosed number of jobs. It’s partly blamed on the Failed State ‘lawmakers’ who’ve failed to come up with a budget for the new fiscal year. In Forest Park, after 12 years the Flavour (note incorrect British empire way of spelling Flavor) Cooking School shutting down by the end of the month. The owner admits “…the business has been struggling for some time now.”
Maryland: What home construction industry recovery? After 27 years American Home Interiors shutdown: “Not very many new homes are being built and there’s more competition than there was in 1988 when Harry Hammond and I opened American Home Interiors.”-Harry Brown, owner
Minnesota: After more than 40 years the Golden Valley VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) shutdown. The management admitted that due to crashing membership they sold-out to a property developer.
Mississippi: The Pisgah Headstart Center shutdown. Parents are being told to send their kids to other Headstart education centers even though other Headstart ops are shutting down as well. Many single parents relied on Headstart to watch their kids while they went to work, now they say they’ll have to quit their jobs because their jobs don’t pay them enough to afford child daycare. In Jackson, a Piggly Wiggly grocery store on McDowell Road is shutting down. Local news says it’s the second grocery store in the area to shutdown this year.
Missouri: It’s been discovered that Springfield based Bass Pro Shops actually eliminated 5-hundred jobs across the U.S., in July! And if you remember my Job Loss report for 24 July, Bass Pro administrators told local news media it was less than 60!
Nebraska: In Hastings, after 31 years Moore Music shutting down by the end of the month.
Nevada: 86 years old casino Las Vegas Club was shutdown, the property was sold to a competitor.
North Carolina: After 25 years Tony’s Furniture Outlet now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and being liquidated. A Piggly Wiggly grocery store in Wilson is shutting down, 30 jobs lost. Officially it’s blamed on low sales.
Ohio: After 98 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Tom’s Cigar Shop shutdown. The owner blames increased competition and the city of Cincinnati for trying to force him to put a new $60-thousand USD roof on his shop: “It takes a lot of money to pay the bills.”-Joe Wright
South Dakota: In Sioux Falls, after 20 years the Prairie Star Gallery shutdown.
Texas: In Austin, music venue Red 7 shutting down a month earlier than originally planned because the multiple owners “…unfortunately, none of them really get along…”
14 – 16 August 2015: “You’re creating parameters under which I can’t possibly succeed.”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) no longer issues mass layoff reports: “On March 1, 2013, President Obama ordered into effect the across-the- board spending cuts (commonly referred to as sequestration) required by the Balanced Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act, as amended. Under the order, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) must cut its current budget by more than $30 million, 5 percent of the current 2013 appropriation, by September 30, 2013. In order to help achieve these savings and protect core programs, the BLS will eliminate two programs, including Mass Layoff Statistics, and all ‘measuring green jobs’ products. This news release is the final publication of monthly mass layoff survey data.”