Incomplete list of publicly announced layoffs & shutdowns:
California: More proof being ‘green’ puts you in the ‘red’! In San Francisco, city bus service contractor Leap now chapter 7 bankrupt busted and auctioning-off its natural gas powered busses. Palo Alto based Hewlett Packard (HP) announced that 30-thousand people will become jobless in November! That’s when the new HP Enterprise company will be spunoff: “Hewlett Packard Enterprise will be smaller and more focused than HP is today. As a separate company, we are better positioned than ever to meet the evolving needs of our customers around the world.”-Meg Whitman (HP has already eliminated 50-thousand+ jobs!)
Colorado: State tax collectors revealed they underestimated tax revenues off marijuana sales. As a result they’ll be one tax free day on marijuana sales. The state collected $70-million USD in marijuana taxes, more than the $42-million in alcohol taxes (and that was an increase from the previous year). In Broomfield, Best Buy shutting down by the end of October. City administrators admitted that taxpayer dollars will be spent “to redevelop the site”.
Florida: Wellington based B/E Aerospace eliminating 450 jobs as it joins the rest of unAmerican corporate America and consolidates its aircraft interior manufacturing!
Georgia: In Athens, Mama Bird’s Granola and Shared Kitchen shutting down by the end of the month. They were going to shutdown in July, due to lack of sales, but an ‘investor’ promised to pay their rent for a year, however that ‘investor’ has flown the coup.
Hawaii: In Honolulu, after 35 years retail store Hilo Hattie shutting down their Nimitz Highway location in October. As with other unAmerican corporate American business, Hilo Hattie is consolidating operations.
Idaho: The Idaho Land Board is using the excuse of wildfires to speed up the clear cutting of forests. Areas up to 40.5 hectares (1-hundred acres) of ‘burned’ trees will now be cut down for the logging industry: “We’re talking 70 to 80 million board feet, so you could have a fairly large number of administrative packages that would have to come to the Land Board and be scheduled.”-Tom Schultz, Idaho Department of Lands
This year has not been as big a fire season for Idaho (compared to recent years), most of the smoke comes from Washington and California, yet Right to Work (you over) govn’a Otter says firefighting will cost taxpayers close to $70-million USD!
Illinois: Morton Salt shutting down its Chicago packaging ops in October, at least 23 jobs lost. When asked what they will do with the property, administrators said “We have not made any decisions with respect to our buildings and the property there.” What automotive industry recovery? Titan Wheel warned of a second round of layoffs. In May they laid off 60 people. It’s blamed on crashing orders from the farm, mining and military industries.
Indiana: In Elkhart, after less than four years ModMex restaurant shutting down by the end of the month, due to “opportunities”. Madison Township shutting down Fire Station 31. In Fort Wayne, after 34 years Delmar Video shutdown: “We can compete against another video store, but it’s hard to compete against a sofa and a remote control. The trend it is going so digital that we’d like to get out while we’re still on top.”-Caroline Davis, owner
Kentucky: Pipe maker Dura-Line shutting down their Middlesboro factory, more than 1-hundred people out of work before Xmas! The factory will be sold-off. As with the rest of unAmerican corporate America Dura-Line is consolidating operations.
Louisiana: Lafayette based IberiaBank shutting down eight offices in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida before Thanksgiving.
Massachusetts: Boston Globe owned boston.com laid off 12 people.
“A recent unpublished decision by the Massachusetts Appeals Court found that an employee could not establish a case for age discrimination under Massachusetts law when his entire job class was eliminated as part of a reduction in force. See Richard A. Porio v. Department of Revenue, 13-P-1621, (memorandum and order pursuant to Rule 1:28, August 27, 2015). Plaintiff is an employee who was laid off when his job class was eliminated, while other, younger members of his same job classification were “provisionally promoted” to a higher job class prior to the cuts.”
Maryland: Home Depot killing 315 jobs at its Hagerstown distribution center! The layoffs should take place in time for Thanksgiving. Like many other unAmerican corporations Home Depot is consolidating the work, to Ohio. The USPS used the excuse of mold to shutdown the Princess Anne Post Office. This is the second time I’ve read about the excuse of mold being used to shutdown a post office (Nemacolin Post Office in Pennsylvania).
Michigan: The Michigan Economic Development Corporation eliminated 65 jobs. It’s blamed on economic sanctions launched by native Americans!
New Hampshire: It was revealed that tax-sucker Timken laid off 16 people from its Keene military parts factory, last week. It’s blamed on expected decline in production.
New York: In Norwich, Esterline Norwich Aero Products shutting down their aircraft parts factory by March 2016, at least 78 jobs lost starting right after Xmas. For the first time in eight years Tuxedo Ridge Ski Center will not open this Winter, but don’t blame ‘global warming’. Two different news reports give two different reasons for the shutdown. News12 blames it on a lack of revenue to maintain the facilities, however, Times Herald Record blames it on a lawsuit. In Herkimer Brian’s Roast Beef Deli shutdown, the owner is battling cancer.
Ohio: In Cleveland, Americano Bistro shutting down by the end of the month due to an “inability to secure a lease”. In Lancaster, after 70 years Colonial Heights Furniture shutdown.
South Carolina: In Old Town Bluffton, The Sippin Cow and the Vinyard 55 restaurants shutdown. The owners of the restaurants say they’re forced to find new locations.
Tennessee: Three Bojangles restaurants shutdown by the state tax agency who seized the franchise owner’s assets. Employees will not be paid (been there experienced that in 2012 here in Idaho, but nobody believes me): “We need our money and we need it now, ’cause ain’t nobody got time for that! Bills are still rolling!”-unnamed pissed-off employee who just found out the state can shutdown your job and take your final paycheck
Virginia: The women’s only (isn’t that sexist, I wonder why it’s women’s only? you mean men and women are different?) Amethyst Health Center shutting down after 27 years due to a change in the zoning of the property.
Washington: In Seattle, Anderson’s Books shutting down in October, all books now only $1! The owner is moving to Colorado.
Wisconsin: In Madison, after 30 years Steep & Brew shutting down by the end of the month. The owner said he had an ‘opportunity’ to sell-out, so he did.
15 September 2015: “…we are in a yellow for a caution…”
WARN=Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification
Former employees who receive severance are not counted as unemployed
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.”