Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: What housing market recovery? Too Big to Jail San Francisco based Wells Fargo eliminating 182 mortgage jobs across the country, due to crashing demand. New York based Time Warner Cable eliminating 30 jobs relating to its southern California sports channels. Texas based oilfield service company Halliburton announced a third round of layoffs. 54 people in Bakersfield being laid off due to “current business conditions”. In Redding, rabbit food server Sky’s Pure Food restaurant shutting down, unless vegan fans can donate enough money for the owner to pay her debts. In Rancho Cordova, medical device maker Cesca Therapeutics reports that Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) might have caused them to lose $2.4-million USD in their 4th quarter! They’ve already laid off 15 people and more layoffs could happen. In Lemore, yummy tri-tip Gunny’s Sandwich Shop shutting down due to increasing costs including increased minimum wage and taxes: “Water cost more, everything that you purchase costs more…farm workers…with less crop production means less people to come eat my sandwiches…what I was going to pay in taxes…I’m paying the state of California so I can work for free!”-Max Vernon, one pissed-off former Marine
Florida: In Miami Beach, The Shelborne Wyndham Grand Hotel issued a shutdown WARN for their food service ops, 89 people will be laid off right before Thanksgiving.
Georgia: In Augusta, Henry Brothers Antique Auctions shutting down by November. They’re leasing out their building to a new tenant, with an option to buy.
Idaho: More taxpayer rapeing was revealed in The Gem State. This time an internal investigation revealed that all taxpayer funded “therapeutic community” programs in Idaho prisons had no effect on reducing the chances that an ex-con would re-offend: “We know it’s going to make some judges mad and we know it’s going to make some people mad. But why would we keep putting our money into something that isn’t working?”-Kevin Kempf, state prison boss
Idaho Farm Bureau reports that overall crop production is up, but revenues for farmers are crashing by 30% because commodity prices are going through the floor! The crashing revenues will affect Idaho’s Ag industry which employees 100-thousand people in a state that has about 1.5-million residents.
Illinois: State taxpayer funding cuts forcing non-profit Fox Valley Older Adult Services to shutdown their DeKalb and Aurora ops.
Kansas: The child prison known as Clarence Kelley Youth Center shutting down, the good news it that it sounds like it’s due to a lack of prisoners (currently only 15).
Kentucky: In Louisville, a KingFish restaurant shutting down its Blankenbaker Parkway location. The owners of the 70 years old restaurant chain are spending $1-million renovating two other restaurants.
Massachusetts: In Boston Weak: “After 14 years of never once having to lay off an employee, we had to as the result of the Subway loss. It was very difficult and we had to let people go that we loved and have worked with together for years.”-Fred Bertino, ad agency McCarthy Mambro Bertino (MMB)
Minnesota: In Minneapolis, the long lived Masa restaurant shutdown, apparently the corporate owners didn’t like the new lease terms.
Missouri: Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) forcing Truman Medical Center to shutdown their behavioral health emergency room services on East 24th Street. Administrators said as a result of regulations from state and federal agencies, and declining payments, “It just made more sense to shut this down.”
Montana: 140 jobs lost when the Barrick Golden Sunlight Mine shuts down in November: “You know, it’s not making for a very pleasant day. It’s not good news to anybody.”-Dan Banghart, mine manager
New York: Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase issued a shutdown WARN for its Chase’s Consumer & Community Banking Operations in Garden City, 195 jobs lost right before Xmas! In White Plains, AT&T issued a layoff WARN saying 42 people will be laid off right before Thanksgiving.
Ohio: In Cincinnati, after 12 years Café deVine shutdown, the property owner is tearing down the building. In Chardon, after 15 years Rosepointe Cottage Tea Room shutdown: “We have not been successful yet, but, I am hopeful that maybe one of you will know someone who would love to own the Tea Room! …..My plan is to close in late September if a buyer is not found.”-Mariann Goodwin
Pennsylvania: US Steel warned of mass layoffs of salaried workers at its Pittsburgh HQ. No details given. In Greensburg, after 31 years Art-Tech Supplies shutting down, the pissed-off owner blames the city itself: “Downtown Greensburg does not lend itself to retailing!…..It’s not going to get better, it’s going to get worse!”-Cecilia Morreo.
Tennessee: Nine Palm Beach Tan salons shutdown in Knoxville area, without warning, 50 jobs lost. The franchise owner walked away without explanation, and without paying the employees their final paycheck: “They put a sign on the door the other day that said we would be opening at 10 today. That was a lie, they knew we weren’t opening at all today!”-Katie House
“I have this apartment so I have to pay rent and everything next month, and I’m a little worried about buying groceries, which I was already struggling with before.”-Annah Dorsett
Utah: In Provo, after 53 years El Azteca restaurant shutting down by the end of the month: “It’s killing me, but I have to be realistic……..we just don’t have enough business, and literally every month we barely make it.”-Carlos Rubio, owner
Washington: Bellingham based, and now bankrupt Haggen Foods announced the shutdown of 27 more grocery stores in Arizona and California (here’s the list). It also claims that Alberstons-Safeway is supposed to hire back their own employees. Haggen Foods was tricked into taking over 146 Albertsons stores, the deal turned out to be a pig in a poke, now Haggen is on the verge of total failure! Haggen administrators are now suing Albertsons-Safeway on the grounds that the deal was an act of sabotage!
Wisconsin: What automotive industry recovery? Auto parts maker Johnson Controls announced a new round of layoffs, this time 3-thousand people will get the axe over the next two years! How’s that for confidence that the economy is recovering? God can’t stop Right to Work (you over) Republicans from shutting down the Daughters of the Father Christian Academy. Democrats are demanding an explanation. However, it seems the private ‘christian’ school was being funded with public secular tax dollars, which should be a violation of the 1st Amendment.
17 September 2015: “I’m going to cry….the business isn’t there anymore.” Corporate America declares War on Talent against workers over 34 years of age!
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed
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.”