Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: In Santa Clarita Valley, only four months after its grand opening Haggen Foods announced it is shutting down within the next 60 days. It’s part of Washington based Haggen’s plan to dump dozens of former Albertsons and Safeway stores they were tricked into buying.
Idaho: Since 1978 renewable energy contracts with the Public Utilities Commission lasted 20 years, but not anymore. Contracts will now be as short as two years. An investigation by state regulators discovered that 20 years contracts actually increased renewable energy prices for customers. Solar and wind power companies argued against shortening the contracts.
Kentucky: In Owensboro, God refuses to stop the shutdown of ‘his’ Precious Blood Catholic Church daycare center. Church administrators say the daycare center is $60-thousand USD in debt.
Maine: After 17 years the Aqua City Actors Theater shutting down blaming the landlord for jacking up the rent.
Massachusetts: Tufts University laid off four people, reports say more layoffs are in the planning. More proof tech is not recession resistant, Boston based fitness app maker RunKeeper laid off 16 of its employees. The CEO said they have to start selling more stuff. In Westfield, Soup’s On has been put up for sale, will shutdown at the end of the month. The owner is recovering from an injury.
Minnesota: In International Falls, after more than seven years the Ben Franklin Crafts store shutting down by September. The owner tried to sell the store, but nobody wanted it.
New York: Too Big to Jail First American International Bank issued a shutdown WARN for their Forest Hills office. Restaurant Associates lost their contract with Too Big to Jail Capital One, 37 jobs lost by October.
North Carolina: Charlotte based 127 years old upscale department store Belk has been sold-off for $3-billion. Administrators swear no stores will be shutdown or employees laid off. Famous last words as I’ve yet to see the sale of a company not result in at least employee layoffs.
North Dakota: In Fargo, farm vehicle maker CNH Industrial launched a fourth round of layoffs since last year, this time 34 people will become jobless in September, bringing the total layoffs to almost 2-hundred since November 2014! Also in Fargo, after 27 years One World Boutique shutting down in September, due to the owner’s health problems.
Pennsylvania: The Education Plus Cyber Charter School in Abington shutdown without warning, 1-thousand families affected! The state Department of Education did not like the charter school’s “education model”, even though parents reported great success with their ‘special needs’ children. In York County, the Department of Labor & Industry published a shutdown WARN for Coyne Textile Services, however they did not reveal how many people will become unemployed. In Philadelphia County, the Department of Labor & Industry published a mass shutdown WARN for A&P (The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company) grocery stores, without revealing how many people will be laid off.
Washington: Tax sucker Boeing warned its employees of mass layoffs in connection to military spending cuts for satellites, and recent failures of commercial launches of Boeing satellites. “Several hundreds” could be laid off by Xmas! Haggen Foods announced they will shutdown their Spanaway grocery store in October, 62 jobs lost. What construction industry recovery? In Tacoma, lumber provider Interfor suddenly shutdown, 127 jobs lost! And China (Taiwan) based tech company HTC killing more jobs in the U.S., this time 85 people were laid off in Bellevue. 15 days ago HTC laid off 47 people throughout Washington.
23-24 August 2015: “Go Donald Trump! You’re nothing compared to me!”
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.”