“Morale is really low” Covert socialism pays corporations to make ‘busy work’! : U.S. Job Losses & Closings 03 June 2016

Incomplete list of U.S. job loss announcements and shutdowns.

Colorado: Bankrupt Arch Coal eliminating 80 jobs at its West Elk Mine.

Georgia: What housing market recovery? Atlanta based Too Big to Jail mortgage servicer Ocwen Financial Corporation revealed it laid off 120 people!

Florida: Miami news media report the following restaurants shutdown; Cena by Michy, The News Lounge and BLT Steak.  

Indiana: The Henryville prison shutting down due to state ‘lawmakers’ trying to save money by cramming prisoners into fewer prisons.

Iowa: Independence Mental Health Institute shutting down their Psychiatric Medical Institution for Children Unit, claiming a 50% decrease in utilization.

Kentucky: Kindred Healthcare refuse to renew the lease on their   Nursing and Rehabilitation-Bashford operations, 153 jobs lost by August!

Maryland: After 55 years the Conococheague Elementary School shutdown due to age, low student enrollment and upcoming ‘re-districting’ in August.   In an example of what I call Ripple Effect Economics, Baltimore based sports clothing maker Under Armour (they claim to be an American company yet spell ‘armor’ the British empire way) admitted the massive bankruptcy and shutdown of  hundreds of Sports Authority stores will cause Under Armour to lose $23-million in its 2nd quarter of 2016!   Georgia based payment processor Global Payments shutting down their Owings Mills ops, 334 jobs lost between July 2016 and March 2017!  Local news media say administrators refused to say why.  Global Payments recently reported big profits, and in 2007 said they would expand their Ownings Mills operations.  It might have to do with the $3.8-billion USD spent on taking over rivals! 

Massachusetts: In Boston Weak, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority pushing hundreds of employees to take buyouts, and eliminating vacant positions, in an effort to save $25-million USD in payroll.  UMass Boston warning 4-hundred non-tenured professors that they could lose their jobs by the end of August: “Morale is really low. People are very upset and worried financially.”-Marlene Kim, UMass Boston Faculty Staff Union

Michigan:  What automotive industry recovery? Local news media confused as France based vehicle interior maker Faurecia North America has been caught firing employees just as fast as it hires new ones!  105 employees in Sterling Heights will be laid off by July, yet 90 new employees will be hired at the same time at the same location.  The new hires are partially paid for by a $350-thousand USD taxpayer funded state grant!   So much for the ‘free market’, welcome to covert socialism.

Minnesota: The Post Bulletin laid off 11 people due to declining advertising revenue.

Mississippi: In Hattiesburg, after 18 years Trees n Trends Unique Home Decor shutting down due to “downward” trending customer traffic, which began when a big call center was built next door.

Missouri: In Saint Louis, local news media reporting the following restaurants shutdown; The Stratford Bar & Grill, Hilltop, Cafe Eau,
Chaser’s, Fort Taco, Lilly’s Music & Social House,
Noodles & Company and Soulard Supper Club.

New York: Office sharing startup WeWork froze hiring and will layoff about 70 people.  Amazingly administrators say it’s part of their plan for “growth and expansion”, claiming they will hire “hundreds… by the end of the year.”  

Ohio: What automotive industry recovery?  Bendix laid off eight people at its commercial vehicle brakes factory in Elyra, and another 16 employees elsewhere, blaming the trucking industry: “Since the start of 2016, build levels at truck and trailer manufacturers have declined rapidly. This decline has now trickled to the industry’s primary suppliers, including Bendix. The layoffs were the result of the down market conditions….”  

Oklahoma: In Tulsa, after more than 50 years Cooper’s Fruit Stand shutting down due to a death in the family.

Pennsylvania: Chestnut Hill College reduced pay, canceled raises and reduced work hours for employees in an attempt to deal with a $2-million USD shortfall.   If it doesn’t work then mass layoffs are next.

Virginia: Radford University shutting down its 20 years old non-profit Small Business Development Center by the end of the month. Basically the university was losing money on the non-profit operation.  In Virginia Beach, after surviving The Great Depression and numerous recessions Crawford House Furniture shutting down when the inventory is gone, no explanation. 

Washington DC:  According to local news reports the following restaurants have or will shutdown; Atlas Room, Bakehouse, Bistro Francais, Cashion’s Eat Place, Food & Wine Company, Melt Shop, Olivia’s Diner and Poste.

WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification.

I found a 2010 AFL-CIO analysis (titled The Public Availability of WARN Notices: Lack of Accessibility and Disclosure…) which proves what I’ve been suspecting in my search of state WARN notices; most states are not complying with federal WARN regulations and are not publicizing or tracking mass layoffs.

Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed!

Employees of religious non-profits might not qualify for unemployment assistance: “If the non-profit organization is a church, you may or may not be entitled to unemployment. It all depends upon state regulations for church employers. In many cases, churches are allowed to set their own rules regarding unemployment benefits, meaning the church can choose whether to offer benefits to former employees.”

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.”