Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: In San Jose, mom & pop Paolo’s Italian restaurant shutdown by the landlord. The property owner is getting more money by turning the location into a cafeteria.
Florida: After 42 years the Wine & Cheese Gallery shutdown, their letter implied there was too much competition compared to when they first opened in 1973. In Miami, Out of the Closet thrift store shutdown. News reports say it’s the second area thrift store to close this year, due to crashing sales. It’s been revealed that Broward Clerk of Courts began “…furloughs, reduced hours…employee layoffs…” due to budget cuts.
Idaho: It’s been revealed that the Madison County Sheriff used $42-thousand USD from fees collected for concealed gun permits to put new flooring in his office. He claimed the tile and carpeting were a “wise use” of money. $17-thousand was spent buying a new vehicle for a ‘civil’ deputy. Only a fraction of the fees were spent on things like police gun range maintenance and new guns for cops. In Boise, Gem State ‘lawmakers‘ have finally realized their contracting system is at the very least a failure (and very likely totally corrupt) so they created a committee to come up with a new system. Some of the biggest scandals involve the evil for-profit prison operator Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) and the state prison which became known as The Gladiator School under CCA’s watch, and the $61-million failure known as Schoolnet. Auditors say taxpayers were forced to payout $1.5-billion to contractors in 2014!
Illinois: McDonald’s will eliminate 135 jobs from its Oak Brook HQ despite mega-profits! 90 McDonald’s corporate jobs will also be eliminated overseas. These layoffs are on top of the 128 corporate job cuts made since December 2014! Administrators blame ongoing sales crash, however, it should be noted that in their last quarter they reported a $1.2-billion profit! The layoffs can only mean that McDonald’s administrators do not see any economic recovery in the future, they actually see things getting worse. More proof the internet is not immune from recession; the rip-off DeVry Education Group announced they will eliminate 95 DeVry Online Services jobs by September. In Cook County, Community Development Institute Head Start will eliminate 215 jobs due to slashed federal taxpayer funding! In Carol Stream, after less than a year the Butera Market grocery store is shutting down (it was formerly a Piggly Wiggly which didn’t even last a few months). News reports indicate the property has a history of revolving door grocery store ops, analysts blame intense competition because the area has a lot of grocery stores compared to the population density. In Wauconda, The Rustic Touch shutdown, but only because the owner said he was being swamped with custom T-Shirt and custom furniture orders. He says he will now focus on custom order ops only. The East Central Illinois Community Action Agency laid off four Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) employees, blaming ‘lawmakers’ for failing to come up with a new budget. Gov’na Bruce Rauner wants to shutdown the Illinois State Museum, 54 employees have been put on layoff notice. The gov’na also wants to layoff 40 employees with the Commerce Commission, Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and the Emergency Management Agency.
Minnesota: God refuses to stop ‘his’ Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Church from shutting down. It’s blamed on “…the age of the building, the maintenance of the building, the facilities……We have less priests, and we have changes to where people live, work and pray…..We have less people in the pews…”
North Carolina: God refuses to stop ‘his’ First Presbyterian from shutting down their respected First School daycare program, in October. It’s blamed on The Rapture, I mean their enrollment has crashed to 70 students (reports indicated they normally have 150).
Ohio: In Hamilton, after 98 years (surviving the Great deflationary Depression and numerous recessions) Tom’s Cigar Shop shutdown and being auctioned off. The owner said “There’s not enough revenue coming in to pay the bills.”
Oregon: In Bend, after 37 years The Electronics Shop shutdown.
Pennsylvania: More proof robots are taking your jobs; Amoroso’s Baking just told 2-hundred Philadelphia employees that many would be laid off as the company is moving to a new automated location in New Jersey. It’s the result of their merger with Ginsburg Bakery.
Texas: In Jacksonville, Goodwill Industries shutdown their thrift store due to lack of “long term financial performance”.
Washington: 35 years old maker and seller of backpacks and cases for tech gadgets, Brenthaven, is shutting down their Bellingham store. It’s blamed on competition. In West Seattle, after six years The Feedback lounge shutdown. In Seattle, Vespolina italian restaurant shutdown, the owners blamed insufficient sales. And Hommage restaurant shutting down next weekend.
Wisconsin: In Waukesha, Roundy’s owned Pick ‘n Save discount store shutting down in October, 80 jobs lost.
Wyoming: ‘Lawmakers’ claim the bankruptcy of mining company Alpha Natural Resources will stick state taxpayers with $411-million in mine waste cleanup costs!
05 August 2015: Kmart kills Thriftway!
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
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.”