Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
Russian steel company Severstal will sell off its factories in Deerborn, Michigan, and in Columbus, Mississippi. At least 25-hundred jobs affected! The company was supplying steel for Ford tough trucks, but the new Ford F-150 will be made of aluminum (cans?).
California: In Orange, Obama Care killed 28 jobs at Children’s Hospital of Orange County. In Ontario, Landmark Medical Management killing 418 jobs in July! In Fort Irwin, taxsucker Northrop Grumman laid off another 813 people! In Palo Alto, Hewlett-Packard (HP) laid off 32 employees. In Menlo Park, Intuit added an additional 21 employees to their layoffs in July. In Anaheim, MV Transportation killing 232 jobs in July! In San Francisco, Golden Gate Capital could be the new owner of Red Lobster restaurants. The agreed to buy it for $2.1-billion USD! However, the sale won’t be finalized until the first half of 2015. No word on what Golden Gate Capital has in plan for the restaurant. The executives of the original owner, Darden Restaurants, blames the sale on pressure from stockholders.
Illinois: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC, a government mandated privately run company) shutdown AztecAmerica Bank. $58-million of the assets were sold to Republic Bank of Chicago, the FDIC gets stuck with the rest.
Iowa: Mercy Medical Center laid off 29 employees. Hospital President Bob Ritz blames U.S. President Obama: “As the federal government and state payment systems continue to ratchet down on what they pay us and our costs go up, we have to look for opportunities to create cost efficiencies.”
Kansas: In Derby, after 40 years electronics maker Q Corporation dissolving. Unnamed inside sources reported the company has been quietly laying off employees, and is selling off it’s buildings. Last October the company reported a 200% increase in profits, but now it’s being taken over by vulture capitalists. The inside informant blames the sudden downturn partly on the company’s inability to sell off its failing robotics line. In Kinston, Spirit AeroSystems laid off an undisclosed number of employees. The company does work for the European Union’s Airbus, and blames the layoffs on “progression” with the A350 production. In Delano, after only three years art supply store Bluebird Arthouse shutdown, the owner blamed the challenging economy.
Michigan: In Ann Arbor, a 35 years old Le Dog hot dog stand shutdown. The owners are focusing on just one restaurant. After only four years Mercy’s Restaurant shutdown. The owners blamed the bad economy for creating inconsistent business. In Lansing, the Frandor Rite Aid pharmacy shutdown “indefinitely”, apparently due to a shooting that left two people dead. What economic recovery? The Lansing Public School District privatizing their school bus system, trying to cut more than $700-thousand from their budget. School bus drivers make about $12 per hour, part time, so just imagine what kind of contracted drivers they’re going to get for minimum wage. School bus driver Keisha Boose is pissed: “I feel like I have been a loyal employee and the Lansing School District does not have my back!” The Charlotte Public Schools could shutdown the Charlotte Performing Arts Center. School district officials revealed the taxpayer funded Center has been losing tens of thousands of dollars since 2010. Wayne County approved drastic plans to try and get rid of $175-million in debt. It includes laying off employees as well as reducing prison population by 200 homeless and mentally ill detainees, and cutting $1-million from the Detroit Prosecutor’s Office. County officials admit their tax revenues are crashing because residents are up and leaving in droves.
Minnesota: What automotive industry recovery? In Minneapolis, Borton Volvo shutdown. They were the last new car dealer in the city. The owner blames city officials for changing zoning laws, now he’s building a mega dealership outside city limits (less tax revenue for the dumb city officials).
New York: In Bethpage, taxsucker Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation Electronic Attack Center announced they will layoff 352 employees between now and the end of the year! Company officials say they are consolidating operations. In Bronx, financially troubled long term health care provider HHH Choices Health Plan/HHCS shutting down in August, 152 jobs lost! ABCO Carpentry Service & Steel Door shutting down in August, 52 jobs lost. It’s blamed on the bad economy. What automotive industry recovery? In several cities across New York Long Island Automotive Group-Land Rover shutting down in July, 243 jobs lost! In Brooklyn, Moneygram announced they’re shutting down their HQ, 376 jobs affected! The money transfer company is moving its HQ to Texas. Company officials told state officials that the jobs will be eliminated or transfered by December.
North Dakota: In Harvey, after several years of operations (and several shutdowns) the Branded Beef & Pack is being auctioned off on 04 June. The owner, Minnesota based Maas Companies, says the operation cost them more money then they were making: “Due to challenging economic conditions during the start up phase, the plant was forced to cease operations.”
Ohio: Maker of Oneida and Anchor Hocking eating/cooking utensils, EveryWare Global, announced it is shutting down two factories, one in Ohio and one in Pennsylvania. This is part of its ongoing consolidation plans, which involve moving most production across the U.S. to Ohio. A New York private equity fund, Monomoy Capital Partners, took over Oneida and Anchor Hocking in 2011, and combined them into one company called EveryWare Global in March 2012.
Oregon: What was that about internet businesses killing brick-n-mortar stores? In Portland, Webtrends laid off 26 employees as it refocuses its internet sales operations.
10 – 13 May 2014: Maryland hopes Japan will save their jobs!
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
