Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns.
Alabama: The John Essex School shutting down before next school year. Student population has dropped to less than 100. School officials say families are getting the hell out of the country: “The enrollment just kept dwindling. This is the trend….Families are moving away and the families aren’t as big as they used to be.”-Luke Hallmark
California: In Truckee, The Ritz-Carolton/Marriott hotel killed off 298 jobs! The Auburn City Fire Department laying off five firefighters, due to loss of a government grant. In Vernon, battery maker Exide Technologies laying off 124 people! The company was shutdown by the Golden State’s South Coast Air Quality Management District. SCAQMD says increased levels of lead have been found in residential areas. In Bell Gardens, McDonald’s shutdown, 69 jobs lost. In Cudahy, McDonald’s shutdown, 49 jobs lost. In Los Alamitos, McDonald’s shutdown, 90 jobs lost. In Rancho Cucamonga, Texas based shipping supply company IFCO Systems eliminated 159 jobs! In Wilmington, Norway/Sweden based Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics killed 158 jobs! In Chatsworth, Too Big to Jail JP Morgan Chase killed 179 jobs! In Del Mar, after 46 years Pannikin Coffee & Tea shutdown, the owner blames the landlord: “We’ve been here a long time and we just couldn’t come to an agreement with the mall management on a fair rent so we didn’t renew our lease.”-Shawn Holder
(It must be noted that while researching the job losses I discovered that many of the companies killing jobs in California were, at the same time, advertising that they were hiring!)
Connecticut: The city of Hartford warned of the elimination of 99 jobs. On top of that city officials must jack up property taxes, and that’s after $18.1-million USD in spending cuts. That’s because Obama Care (Affordable Care Act) is causing an $18.6-million increase in retirement and health insurance costs for city employees!
Illinois: In Dixon, CenturyLink shutting down its office in May. It’s blamed on competition. In LaPorte, ATI Casting to begin shutting down in June, 120 jobs lost! Company officials blame the suck ass economy. ATI has also shutdown operations in Indiana.
Massachusetts: HealthAlliance Hospital eliminating seven full time jobs. It’s blamed on Obama Care, nurses say Obama Care is going to kill people: “This is a dangerous plan……Our patients have the most to lose if this plan is allowed to be implemented.”-Kerry Beaulac, oncology nurse Burbank Urgent Care Unit
Minnesota: Upscale Fresh Seasons Market grocery store shutdown two stores, one in Victoria and one in Minnetonka. The arrogant owner admitted there isn’t enough rich people to make their format work: “The idea was that it was supposed to be an upscale market, to be able to offer fresh goods and unique ingredients to people and this great shopping experience. We didn’t get a big draw.”-Tom Wartman
Missouri: In Saint Louis, taxsucker Boeing Defense, Space & Security announced they will bribe an undisclosed number of employees to voluntarily quit. In Ozora, God refuses to stop 115 years old Sacred Heart Catholic School from shutting down. Only 15 students enrolled for the 2014-15 school year!
New York: Rochester City School District warned of massive layoffs due to the loss of 900 students for the upcoming school year! In Manhattan, after 81 years, and surviving the Great Depression, art supply store Pearl Paint shutdown without notice. The building is for sale. In Albany, after ten years Floor Trader Albany shutdown. In NYC, Juicy Couture revealed the sale of their company will kill off 119 more jobs! Summerdale Productions shutting down in June, 91 jobs lost. What automotive industry recovery? General Motors (GM) shutting down their Treasury Operations in September, 46 jobs lost. What housing market recovery? In Bohemia, construction materials maker Jasco Industries shutdown, 70 jobs lost. In Lake Katrine, nursing care provider Nistel shutting down by August, 80 healthcare jobs will be lost. In Syracuse, Rosewood Heights Health Center laying off 131 healthcare workers in July! Across New York, The Hortense and Louis Rubin Dialysis Centers shutting down in July, 122 healthcare jobs lost!
North Carolina: NewBridge Bank laid off 22 employees. Bank officials claim it’s due to lack of customers, but could it be because of their recent merger with CapStone Bank, and their takeover of Security Savings Bank last year?
Ohio: In Riverside, Ponderosa Steakhouse restaurant shutdown without notice. Company officials blamed the property owner for jacking up the rent. They also shutdown a restaurant in Urbana in December. In 2008 Ohio based Ponderosa and Texas based Bonanza restaurants merged (controlled by Homestyle Dining).
Oregon: Washington County based sportswear maker Nike laid off at least 55 people in Hong Kong and United States.
Pennsylvania: In Edwardsville, Just Cabinets Furniture & More shutdown.
Virginia: In Lightfoot, after 40 years The Candy Store shutdown.
16 – 18 April 2014: “We have a perfect storm….”
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) doesn’t count the hundreds of layoffs involving less than 50 people each, in its mass layoff reports. It also doesn’t count all the little ‘mom & pop’ businesses that shut down.
“Our ideals and principles, as well as our national security……..That’s what makes America different. That’s what makes us exceptional.”-Barack Obama, 10 September 2013