“…it’s an uphill battle…our days..are coming to an end.” Looky-loos kill mom-n-pop furniture shops! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 19 – 20 November 2015

Arizona: In Phoenix, a whistleblower told ABC15 that taxsucker Honeywell is eliminating at least 1-thousand jobs, right after forced unpaid holiday furloughs!  The whistleblower said employees close to retirement will also be laid off, as well as pay cuts for those who will still be employed.  One reason for the secret layoffs is Honeywell is planning to move call center operations to Mexico.

California: In San Francisco, wearable electronics maker Jawbone laid off 60 employees “As part of our strategy to create a more ….successful company…”.  In West Hollywood, iconic Dominick’s restaurant shutting down after Xmas.  News reports said the elites of Hollywood entered through the back, anybody who came in through the front door was kicked out.

Connecticut: Japan based Canon Solutions America announced it is shutting down its Trumbull office, by the end of February 2016.

Failed State Illinois: In Obama’s homie town three charter schools being shutdown; Lighthouse Academy, Amandla High school and Betty Shabazz-Barbara A. Sizemore Academy.  Apparently they’ve failed to meet performance standards.  Food packager Tyson shutting down their Chicago hospitality food packaging plant saying the plant is too old and sales too slow to justify spending the money to update it. 480 jobs lost between now and October 2016!

Iowa: In West Des Moines, Kingdom Kids Academy shutdown. News reports say administrators refuse to say why, but employees say new management suddenly backed out and quit.  In Cresco, after 29 years Spectrum Thrift Store shutting down by Thanksgiving.  The temporary management said it was due to a “financial business decision”.

Kentucky:  Blackhawk Mining revealed it laid off 2-hundred people, blaming the crashing coal industry!  After investing $2.8-million USD back in 2010, heavy vehicle maker Caterpillar say sales are so bad they’re shutting down their Danville factory and consolidating ops back to Illinois, at least 75 jobs lost by the end of 2016.

Maryland: What housing industry recovery?  Clark Turner Homes now chapter 7 bankrupt busted.  News reports say the property developer hasn’t paid its debts for several months.   Company administrators blame the Too Big to Jail banking industry which cut-off their debt financing.

Failed State Massachusetts: Sears Holdings announced they will shutdown the Braintree Kmart on Grossman Drive.  Also, the Braintree South Shore Plaza Sears store is renting out an entire floor to Ireland based Primark.   Even with the lease to Primark there is still 4-thousand square feet of vacant space in the Sears store.  In Worcester, after 35 years iconic Classic Toy Shop shutting down when the inventory is gone.  The owner, Betsy Madson, said “I am the engine, and after 35 years, I am 65 years old and ready for quiet mornings…..This is supposed to be a happy thing. I am retiring.”   The sad thing is she tried to sell the business but there were no interested buyers.

Failed State Michigan: In Allegan, Ireland based drugs maker Perrigo laying off 1-hundred U.S. employees as part of their global elimination of 8-hundred jobs!   In Grand Rapids, a TGI Fridays restaurant was suddenly shutdown.

New Hampshire: After 23 years furniture store Blanchet Canadian Rocker shutting down in January 2016.  The pissed-off owner blames looky-loos who turnaround and buy on the internet: “When five people take pictures and one mommy comes back to buy it, you know they are finding it online.”-Charlie Wienberg, current owner

Failed State New Jersey: In West Orange, Barnabas Health issued a WARN saying 7-hundred health industry workers will become unemployed right after Xmas!   In Wayne, Haier America Trading issued a WARN saying 137 people will become jobless right after Xmas!  In Piscataway, IDT Corporation issued a WARN saying 84 employees rendered unemployed in January 2016.

Failed State New York: In North Dunkirk, NRG Energy issued a shutdown WARN for their power plant, at least 64 people will lose their jobs between February and September 2016.   In Maryknoll, Sodexo issued a shutdown WARN saying it lost the contract for the Dining Services at Catholic Foreign Mission ops, 38 people unemployed by January 2016.  NYC based Condé Nast ending publication of 33 years old Details magazine, jobs will be lost.

Oklahoma: Tulsa based BizJet International eliminating 150 Sale & Support jobs, 60% of its workforce!  Administrators blame it on crashing sales to the elitist VIP markets, mainly in China and Russia as those countries have been signing new contracts with Iranian companies.

Oregon:  Maker of metal parts for mining and construction equipment, Esco Corporation, shutting down its main Portland operation, 247 jobs gone by the end of 2016!  CEO Cal Collins said “It’s a reflection of the markets that we’re in and the weakness of where we’re at…”

Pennsylvania: In King of Prussia, Pointroll issued a WARN saying 93 people jobless in January 2016.  In Milton, ACF Industries issued a WARN saying 181 workers will be on the street in January 2016!  In Philadelphia, award winning Locust Moon comics shop shutting down by the end of 2015.  The owners said it’s the only way they could focus on publishing their own comics, and that doing retail business in “philly” sucks: “…it’s an uphill battle, trying to maintain an art-minded independent comic shop in west philly. we did the best we could….   …our days as comic shop proprietors are coming to an end.” 

Rhode Island:  Blue Cross Blue Shield announced it will eliminate 80 jobs over the next 18 months.  The health insurance company is joining the trend of contracting out its IT operations, ironically blaming ObamaCare (ironic because the health insurance industry created ObamaCare).

Vermont: Non-profit mental health service Health Care and Rehabilitation Services of Southeastern Vermont laid off 12 employees.  Administrators said even with those layoffs they’ll be lucky to “break even” in 2016.

Virginia: British empire based U.S. taxsucker BAE laid off 185 people in a first round of job cuts!  The second round of job cuts, 4-hundred +,  will take place in December!  British empire administrators blame it on reduced spending by the cash strapped U.S. Navy.

Washington: Aluminium giant Alcoa hitting two cities hard, 880 people losing their jobs in January 2016! Layoffs will affect the Alco ops in Malaga, and the Alcoa Intalco ops in Ferndale.  The official WARN claims the job losses are temporary.  If you been following the debacle in the aluminum industry you’ll know that what they mean by ‘temporary layoffs’ is ‘as soon as aluminum prices go back up’ they’ll hire more employees.  Alcoa stated a while ago that it was shutting down operations around the world in an effort to reduce supplies of aluminum, thus forcing prices back up.  In Gig Harbor, Sariah Spices & Teas shutting down after Xmas.  The owner blames the A-hole city council which forced her to move her store’s signage, resulting in an immediate 10% reduction in business! She says she now doesn’t make enough money to justify renewing the lease.

Wisconsin:  In Fon Du Loc, after only nine months Three Guys and a Grill shutting down.  The owners said at first businesses was good then it suddenly stopped, no matter how many promotions they tried.  News reports say the location (a former church) has established a bad reputation due to a string of failed restaurant attempts.  Food packager Tyson shutting down their Jefferson pepperoni and salami packaging plant, saying the plant is too old and sales too slow to justify spending the money to update it.  At least 4-hundred jobs lost between now and October 2016!

17-18 November 2015: “Why are you charging fees when they’re unconstitutional?” Postal shutdowns actually increase costs of operations! 

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.”