What automotive industry recovery? Israel/California based electric car battery maker Better Place now bankrupt. The problem was that the Israeli owners wanted electric car owners to exchange batteries when they needed to be charged, instead of just plugging them into a power source.
Also in California, massive closures and layoffs! Ralph’s Grocery closed two stores, 104 people unemployed! Omnicare in Burbank closed down, 62 people unemployed. NBTY Acquisition closed in Carson, 256 people laid off! Green Mountain Coffee in Castroville laid off 74 employees. LA’s Wally’s Wine & Spirits laid off 63 people. Affymax in Palo Alto laid off 227 people! Cascade Logistics closed in Tracy, 36 unemployed.
Trucking company YRC Freight, laid off thousands of people across the country, starting back in March, even after Union members spent the last few years accepting massive pay cuts! Union workers said they were told the cuts in pay would prevent layoffs, obviously they were lied to! YRC is shutting down dozens of distribution centers (break bulk) and end of line terminals across the U.S. In Ohio 541 people losing their jobs! In Missouri 491 people losing their jobs! 183 people laid off in New Jersey! In Tennessee, the Memphis terminal will be downsized, 175 people could lose their jobs! In California, 288 people lost their jobs! Those are just the layoffs that got local news media attention. A March 2013 report out of Missouri pointed out that the YRC website stated they were laying off only 230 people across the country, another lie! Another report from 2010, revealed that YRC laid off 21000 people worldwide by March 2010! YRC Freight is restructuring its network of hubs and terminals.
In New York, network broadcaster NBC laid off an undisclosed number of people as their Rock Center show ended. Also, Alias restaurant closed in New York City. The owners decided it was time to quit. After 30 years Pastime Antiques shut down in Southold. The owners said the need to retire.
The Christian God can’t stop the closing of the 94 years old Saint Stanislaus Christian school, in Nebraska. Assumption-Guadalupe and Holy Ghost Christian schools were also shut down in the Cornhusker State.
In Michigan, Calvin College laid off 22 employees. The college is $115 million in debt! And the Christian God can’t stop 700 layoffs! Catholic Ascension Health is laying off 350 people at Saint John Providence hospital, and 350 people at four other operating units and seven hospitals throughout Michigan! Officials with the largest Catholic health care system in the United States blamed it on declining customers and “lower reimbursement from Medicaid and Medicare” caused by the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!
Rhode Island’s Lifespan healthcare system laid off 107 employees! They blame a $150 million shortfall on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act!
The Roseland Hospital in Illinois laid off 68 employees. Another 47 people will have their workweek reduced by one day. The hospital is in millions of dollars of debt, and the majority of its customers are low income without insurance, and of course the cuts to Medicaid/Medicare caused by the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act could be the final straw. Also, Cynthia’s Sweets chocolate shop closed, the owner needed a break. And the Clipper Ship Gallery closed down, the 70 years old owner blames it on the bad economy.
In Maryland, 50 jobs lost as the Maryland General Hospital shut down its obstetrics and gynecology services. They blame it on declining customers and increasing operating costs.
Despite the oil boom, Trinity Health closed its clinic in Parshall, North Dakota. It’s blamed on the Obama/Romney Affordable Health Care Act, but it could also have something to do with the fact that Trinity Health is being sold to the Mayo Clinic Care Network.
In Virginia, more than 161 employees have been laid off at Southside Virginia Training Center! More than 200 employees retired early or quit! The institution for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities got into trouble with the U.S. Department of Justice. A court deal ordered them to pay up $2.4 billion, and they are also being forced to shut down by 2014. This mean hundreds more employees will be let go, as of May there were 914 people still working at the training center! But wait, there’s more! There are three other Virginia Training Centers that will be closed as well! Not only are thousands of employees affected so are thousands of families who’ve been relying on the centers to help their disabled loved ones.
Too Big to Jail AIG Advisor Group laid off 40 employees. They’re consolidating their commissions processing functions.
As many as 200 employees were laid off at the Libbey Glass factory in Shreveport, Louisiana! Production moved to Mexico.
In Delaware, casino owner Dover Downs says they will have to layoff employees if casino taxes aren’t lowered. Company officials say they will be forced to layoff “hundreds” of employees.
In Utah, No Place Like Home kitchen and home accessory store closed down. The store owner says the property owner found a new tenant willing to pay more rent!
Gregg Shoes in North Carolina shut down after 30 years in business. The owner wanted to retire. And 103 people out-o-work in Gaston County, as Arrow Home Fashions shut down their factory!
The 54 years old Holiday House restaurant closed down in Florida, because of the bad economy: “We didn’t want to do this, but we had no choice…..Right now, we just can’t make it, with such few customers.”-Willa Cook, co-founder & co-owner
In Norwalk, Connecticut, the 29 years old Sassafras boutique out-o-business. The owner says the main reason is the bad economy: “There has been a general economic malaise overall. I’ve been instituting cost cutting, but it hasn’t been enough.”-John Deorio, owner
Deorio also warned that other local businesses were on the verge of closing: “I told them [other local business owners] that I was closing due to the difficulty in continuing the business, but I was preaching to the choir.”