Incomplete list of announced closings & layoffs.
Outback Steakhouse began shutting down 22 Aussie style restaurants across the U.S.A. The restaurants to be shuttered are in Arizona, Iowa, South Carolina, New York, Tennessee and Kansas. Bloomin’ Brands is also closing restaurants under the names of Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Bonefish Grill, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar, and Roy’s. Bloomin’ Brands officials say the shutdowns are just for the first quarter of 2014, more could follow.
California: Who said there ain’t no inflation? In Brawley, Kansas based National Beef shutting down a major meat packing plant in April. 1300 jobs lost! Company officials blame the crashing supply of cows for driving up their costs (supply vs demand). Cattle ranchers blame the decline in cow numbers on the long term drought. Tax sucker PAE Applied Technologies killed 12 military jobs at China Lake and Point Mugu.
Idaho: In Boise, Obama Care call center operator Maximus announced it will kill 1600 jobs by the end of April! Retail businesses located around the call center say they will be directly impacted. Employees are suing because they have not been paid for overtime that they’ve worked, and they were told the jobs were permanent full time positions. Company officials now say the positions were officially temporary! Company officials directly blame Obama Care: “The reduction in staffing is based on the nature of the contract and the reduced volume of calls, both of which are directly related to the enrollment period under the Affordable Care Act.”
Indiana:In Muncie, after 60 years Camp Isanogel shutting down. The operators say maintenance costs keep going up, while revenues keep going down. They admitted they’ve lost money for years.
Michigan: In Green Oak Township, Liquid Manufacturing shutdown. The property was auctioned off for $3.25-million. More than 200 jobs lost! The Township is still owed more than $620-thousand in unpaid taxes and utilities.
New Jersey: Gillian’s Funland of Sea Isle City shutdown. The owner blames Hurricane Sandy, from which he never recovered. He spent $2.5-million building the amusement park, and Mother Nature took it away.
New York: Poughkeepsie city officials warned of at least 25 job cuts. The city is struggling with 300 abandoned properties, crashing tax revenues, crashing property sales, all putting the city in $3.6-million USD of debt. On top of that, major local employer IBM has been killing jobs, and rumors say IBM is about to bring the hammer down. In Rochester, after only three years God refused to stop the shutdown of The Generosity Store. Profits from the store went to support the School of the Holy Childhood. In Pittsford, the Life is Good store shutdown. Apparently Life bitch slapped the owners to let them know that Life is not always good. In Potsdam the supporter of unwanted animals, the Best Friends thrift store, shutting down after only three years of operations. Apparently unwanted pets have no best friends in Potsdam? The owners claim the store is able to support the local Humane Society, but the owners say they have better things to do. They’ve come up with a plan to have the store run by unpaid volunteers, but admit “The bottom line is money, and we need it.” In Watertown, after 12 years the Brew Ha Ha coffee house shutdown. The owner is also a city council member, and she says she needs to spend more time taking care of the city. At the Westchester County airport, baggage contractor Ground Handling shutting down by May. 128 jobs lost! They lost their contract.
North Carolina: Legal drugs pusher Purdue Pharmaceuticals laid off six employees at its Wilson Park operations. Company officials said the layoffs are part of their restructuring to become more efficient.
Oregon: Lebanon city officials eliminating ten positions. The city is suffering from crashing tax revenues, and is trying to save $1-million. Also, an independent audit revealed the city was using the general fund to pay some employees, which resulted in at least $200-thousand being taken from the general fund inappropriately. City officials now realize their yearly budgeting has not been in line with the realities of declining tax revenues and actual costs of maintaining a city.
Pennsylvania: In Lower Saucon Township, the Starters Pub shutdown. Local news reports say it was without warning or explanation.
Virginia: Capital Bagel Bakery store shutdown. The operators blame the property owners: “We were given one month notice to vacate the space due to the landlord’s consideration of Fresh Mart, since they’re carrying bagels as well.”
Washington: In Sodo, Sears announced it will shutdown their Starbucks Center store and Auto Center operations by summer, 79 jobs lost.
21 February 2014: More greedy property owners!
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