Mike: Good day to all. The job related economic reports were scarce today, but there were plenty of other unemployment news stories to keep this blogger occupied. Although there are more important stories to consider, the story below is one that shoots up my blood pressure number. We as taxpayers have given the corrupt, broken, bonus baby banks billions of dollars of bailout funds, yet they continue to scam the poor guy on the street. They may be scamming just nickles and dimes to make a buck ot two, but every nickle counts to the unemployed, so it’s a slap in the face to those who need it most:
* First, Arthur Santa-Maria called Bank of America to ask how to check the balance of his new unemployment benefits debit card. The bank charged him 50 cents.
He chose not to complain. That would have cost another 50 cents.
So he took out some of the money and then decided to pull out the rest. But that made two withdrawals on the same day, and that was $1.50.
–For hundreds of thousands of workers losing their jobs during the recession, there’s a new twist to their financial pain: Even when they’re collecting unemployment benefits, they’re paying the bank just to get the money — or even to call customer service to complain about it.
via AP IMPACT: Jobless hit with bank fees on benefits – Yahoo! News.
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Mike: The international job loss news is extensive this morning. While these are international announcements, they will certainly have an impact on the North American job market as well:
Larger layoff announcements:
US:
- Minntac To Layoff 590 Workers
- 1100 Boeing Workers Getting Layoff Notices
- Hershey closing Peppermint Patties plant in Pa. losing 300
- Catalyst Paper closures will mean 525 layoffs
- Layoffs take effect tomorrow for 236 (SF) city employees
- Jabil to close plant, cut 300 workers
- Rheem shifts plans, will shut down Milledgeville plant
International:
- Anglo American cuts 19,000
- Embraer cuts 4,000 jobs
- 2,500 jobs to be cut at Barratts and PriceLess Shoes
General Economic News
Municipal News
US and some Canada Layoff News
International News
Hiring News
Robert Ariail - Feb 20
– Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News –
*F eb. 20 (Bloomberg) — Microsoft Corp.’s plan to eliminate U.S. workers after lobbying for more foreigner visas is stirring resentment among lawmakers and employees.
As many as 5,000 employees are being shown the door at Microsoft, which uses more H1-B guest-worker visas than any other U.S. company. S
via Bloomberg.com: U.S..
Mike: At least there is some movement to find out just what the thieving bank titans knew about very timely paid bonuses. Cuomo is likely to dig up more dirt than many of us expect:
* CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Bank of America Chief Executive Ken Lewis has received a subpoena from the New York state attorney general’s office in connection with Merrill Lynch’s payment of employee bonuses before the companies combined Jan. 1.
Former Merrill CEO John Thain, who was subpoenaed last month, also was questioned by investigators on Thursday about the bonuses that were paid in late December, just days before Bank of America completed its purchase of New York-based Merrill, according to a person familiar with the investigation. The person requested anonymity because of the ongoing nature of the matter.
via BofA’s CEO Lewis subpoenaed by Cuomo – Yahoo! Finance.
Mike: This is one of the reasons why unemployment figures reported by the government are so skewed to the low end of the range:
* Start with this basic fact about the unemployment system: The money to pay jobless benefits is collected by taxing employers.
Thus, all the state and federal rules for collecting unemployment depend on a worker’s status as a former employee.
– Right off the top, that means that self-employed individuals, freelancers, and independent contract workers whose own income streams fail aren’t likely to be eligible for benefits.
And take a look at just this partial list of other workers who generally aren’t eligible to collect a dime:
Those who left a job voluntarily; those who were fired “for cause”; those who are getting workers’ compensation benefits; those who didn’t work enough hours or earn enough before they lost their jobs; those who worked part-time; those who attend classes during the day; those who aren’t able to work for a physical or mental reason; those who are collecting pensions or are considered retired; those who fail to report in to the unemployment office as required.
via Diane Stafford: Unemployment safety net has big holes | Dollars & Sense.
* LONDON (AP) — The euro zone economic downturn gathered pace in the early weeks of February, a closely watched survey revealed Friday, adding pressure on the European Central Bank to cut interest rates again in March.
The survey showed that the services and manufacturing sectors in the 16 nations that share the single currency saw business activity fall at a record rate during the month.
via Euro zone economic downturn gathers pace – Yahoo! Finance.
Mike Luckovich - Feb 20
* Val Verde Unified School District trustees have approved eliminating 126 teaching positions and nine nonteaching positions in an attempt to balance its budget.
via Val Verde Unified plans to cut 126 teaching jobs | Inland News | PE.com | .
* Even teachers and educators can’t escape the current economic recession.
In anticipation of property tax shortfalls and flat enrollment next year, Millburn School District 24 announced earlier this month that it will cut 30 staff members, part-timers and teacher’s aides in June, including 11 non-tenured teachers, said District 24 Superintendent James Menzer.
via Millburn district plans to cut 30 jobs :: News Sun :: News.
Bill Schorr - Feb 20
* Peachtree City will be eliminating 23 landscaping and mowing positions as of March 6.
via PTC vote to cut 23 jobs unanimous | The Citizen Online.
* Franklin also told a subcommittee Thursday that about half of the 837 vacant jobs in the department are correctional officers, a fact that will require careful consideration when deciding on the 400 vacant posts that will be eliminated. The Division of Corrections is the largest agency in the department.
Sue Esty, assistant director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, told lawmakers the state is down about 97 correctional officers in the first six months of the current fiscal year, compared to the year before. Esty said extending the current 8-hour shifts to 12 would put a huge demand on correctional officers, who have to be alert at all times.
via Md. public safety dept. to lose 400 vacant jobs – Examiner.com.
* WASHINGTON TWP. Enrollment at Gloucester County’s largest school has been shrinking over the past few years, but the number of employees hasn’t. That’s why, school officials said Thursday, they plan to eliminate 25 positions from the proposed 2009-2010 budget.
via District plans to chop 25 jobs – NJ.com.
* WARREN (Feb 20): The state has proposed cutting the inmate population at the Bolduc Correctional Facility in Warren in half and cutting about 20 jobs, according to Unit Manager Ray Felt.
via Warren – Prison farm faces budget cuts, loss of 20 jobs – Government – VillageSoup.
* CALDWELL – As the result of a dramatic decline in construction and development-related growth, Canyon County Commissioners announced the layoffs of seven employees in the county’s Development Services Department.
via Idaho Press-Tribune Commissioners announce 7 layoffs .
* February 20 is a date that many city workers have probably looked toward with anxiety ever since Mayor Gavin Newsom first announced the 2008-09 midyear budget cuts. Tomorrow, 236 layoffs of city employees will take effect, signifying the first (but not the worst) of several waves of job cuts that will be dealt in an effort to remedy budget shortfalls for the current fiscal year and the 2009-10 fiscal year.
via Layoffs take effect tomorrow for 236 city employees – SFBG Politics Blog.
* Ketchum lays off four, freezes salaries
via Times-News: Magicvalley.com, Twin Falls, ID.
* TULSA, Okla. (AP) — A Tulsa-based aerospace manufacturing and repair company has laid off 60 more employees, raising its four-month layoff total to 271.
* U-S Steel announced that it will lay off approximately 590 workers and idle two more of its five lines at its Minntac Plant in Mountain Iron.
That will leave only two active lines.
* SEATTLE — Boeing is handing out layoff notices to another 1,100 workers, with about 700 of those coming from the Puget Sound area.
The Friday notices tell workers their jobs will end April 24.
via 700 Boeing Workers Getting Layoff Notices – Money News Story – KIRO Seattle.
*About 700 Boeing workers in the Puget Sound area are set to receive 60-day layoff notices Friday morning, the start of Boeing’s plan to reduce its commercial work force in the region by about 4,500 jobs this year.
They are among 1,100 employees who will get the notices Friday, the company said.
via Boeing issuing first 2009 layoff notices.
* Catalyst Paper is shutting down its mills in Campbell River and Powell River, laying off more than 525 people at the two operations.
The company announced the Powell River restructuring in a news release Thursday, saying 127 jobs were being eliminated for an annual saving of $12 million a year.
* More layoffs at U.S. Works-Granite City Steel will bring production to an almost complete standstill.
On Wednesday the company told workers and union officials it would temporarily stop production of coke at the facility in about three weeks, and lay off about 390 people. That includes about 320 members of United Steelworkers of America Local 50.
via Suburban Journals | Special Feature | NEW: Granite City Works to lay off more people .
* LA JOLLA, Calif — Most of La Jolla Pharmaceutical’s 90 employees will be laid off in the wake of the failure of the company’s lead drug candidate for the treatment of lupus, it was announced Thursday.
via La Jolla Pharmaceutical To Lay Off 90 Workers – San Diego News Story – KGTV San Diego.
* More than 200 skilled tradespeople with General Motors in Oshawa have been given temporary layoff notices — the last affected by the previously announced elimination of a shift, a company spokesperson says.
* MINERAL WELLS, W.Va. (AP) – PCI Industries is closing its plant in Wood County and moving production to its facility in Fort Worth, Texas.
The Mineral Wells plant will be shut down by Feb. 27 and about 30 workers will be laid off.
via The Columbus Dispatch : PCI to close W. Va plant, move production to Texas.
* WEBSTER CITY – More Electrolux workers will lose their jobs, at least temporarily, beginning Monday.
In a press release, company spokesman Tony Evans said 43 employees will be laid off. He said the layoffs are ”due to weakened industry demand in light of current economic conditions.”
* ZEELAND — Herman Miller is shedding another layer of employees as it responds to changes in the market, the company announced today.
The move will impact 110 employees, the majority of which work in West Michigan. About half the job cuts will be permanent and the others will be layoffs. Most are from manufacturing.
* ALBANY — Newkirk Products Inc., a company that makes educational materials for 401(k) and medical plans, has cut 30 jobs — 10 percent of its local work force — in response to the ebb in demand for its services.
via Newkirk drops 30 jobs in Albany — Page 1 — Times Union – Albany NY.
* Belden Americas Group in Richmond announced Thursday it is laying off 60 production employees, or about 13 percent of the work force at Belden’s manufacturing plant at 350 N.W. N St.
via Belden lays off 60 more | pal-item.com | Palladium-Item.
* Update: ATLANTA (Reuters) – Best Buy Co Inc said on Thursday it plans to lay off 250 workers at its corporate headquarters in Minneapolis as it cuts costs in the recession.
via Best Buy to lay off 250 headquarters workers – News Wires – CNBC.com.
* CINCINNATI — More layoffs could be ahead for AK Steel Corp. employees.
In a one-on-one interview with The Journal following a speech at Xavier University, Jim Wainscott, AK chairman, president and CEO, said about 1,000 of the company’s 6,500 employees are currently on layoff and that number "will probably double before things get better."
via Wainscott: More layoffs at AK Steel.
* Nokia plans to cut half of its mobile advertising sales division, affecting up to 30 jobs, about a year after the handset maker launched its mobile ad network division at last year’s Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
via Nokia to cut mobile ad sales jobs – FierceWireless.
* Reacting to the downturn in the automotive industry, Corning Inc. plans to cut 61 hourly employees at its manufacturing plant in Christiansburg by March 31, a company official said Thursday.
via Corning cuts dozens of Christiansburg jobs – Roanoke.com.
* Silicon producer West Virginia Alloys in Alloy has apparently laid off 25 workers, according to company officials.
via The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia – West Virginia Alloys lays off 25 employees.
* Lake Mary-based Faro Technologies Inc. plans to cut dozens of jobs locally and elsewhere as a result of the impact of the economic recession, officials said today.
via Faro Technologies to cut 7% of its work force — OrlandoSentinel.com.
* A Hebron quartz manufacturing plant told state officials this week it has cut 74 workers in recent months after plans to place some employees on temporary leave were scotched by a worsening economy.
via Licking County quartz maker cuts 74 jobs – Triangle Business Journal: .
* Analog Devices Inc will consolidate its two Massachusetts manufacturing facilities earlier than expected, trimming its US headcount by about 175 employees in the process.
via ADI consolidates fabs, expects to cut 175 jobs – 2/20/2009 – Electronic News.
* A flag is flying at half-staff outside The Hershey Co. plant in Reading where production of York Peppermint Patties is ending.
After 23 years in Reading, the chocolate maker is closing the plant Friday and moving production to a new factory it has built in Monterey, Mexico. It will mean the loss of 300 jobs in the southeastern Pennsylvania city.
via Hershey closing Peppermint Patties plant in Pa. – BusinessWeek.
* Auto parts maker Tenneco Inc. has cut 82 jobs from its Hartwell, Ga., plant as U.S. automakers continue to struggle.
via Tenneco eliminates 82 Georgia jobs – Atlanta Business Chronicle: .
* A Sioux City based company has announced widespread layoffs. Wilson Trailer blames conditions due to the economic recession for the decision to let go dozens of workers in three states.
Effective immediately… 55 positions in Sioux City, 18 jobs in Yankton, South Dakota, and 15 positions in Moberly Missouri have been eliminated. Wilson Trailer specializes in the design, production, and distribution of livestock, grain, flatbed, and gooseneck trailers.
* Two of Connecticut’s largest firms confirmed staff cutbacks in the face of a tightening economy, with the brunt falling on secretaries and other office staff workers.
At the Hartford offices of Day Pitney, co-managing partner James Sicilian confirmed that 66 staff members have been laid off Thursday firmwide, 31 of whom are in Connecticut. Day Pitney’s two main offices are in Hartford and Florham Park in northern New Jersey, with additional offices from Boston to Washington D.C.
via Layoffs Hit Conn. Law Firms .
* 5NEWS has received numerous phone calls and emails about layoffs today at the Wal-Mart ISD Department.
A Wal-Mart spokesperson tells us there are “changes” being made in that department, but those changes are part of the cuts announced last week. Wal-Mart said last week they will cut 700 to 800 jobs at their home office in Bentonville. The spokesperson says these cuts are not in addition to those cuts.
via Wal-Mart to make more cuts – KFSM.
* UNIPRES USA, Incorporated says it has never had to lay people off in the 20 years the company has been in Middle Tennessee. The parts supplier has announced plans to reduce their workforce by more than 30 percent.
via NewsChannel 5.com – Nashville, Tennessee – Portland Auto Parts Supplier Announces Layoffs.
* Someone is always listening. Especially on the train.
That’s the lesson for Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman, which said Thursday it will conduct layoffs after the legal blog Above the Law reported an anonymous tipster’s detailed description of a loud cell phone conversation in a public place between two senior managers regarding the reductions.
“We apologize for the unfortunate manner in which our deliberations about reductions have become public,” Pillsbury said in a statement issued Thursday morning. “It is an unfortunate fact in today’s economy that no business or law firm can rule out adjustments to their overall workforce levels. This includes Pillsbury, and among other cost-cutting measures, we will be implementing reductions to assure that our resources are aligned with our business needs.”
via Pillsbury Confirms Layoff Leak .
* FOREST — Like many businesses, Lackey Memorial Hospital is feeling the pain of a recession as officials said some employees were notified of layoffs Monday.
Donna Riser, hospital administrator, confirmed that meetings were held Monday morning and some employees’ positions were vacated.
via Scott County Times – Forest, Mississippi.
* Florida-based electronics manufacturer Jabil is planning to close its Billerica plant and lay off about 300 workers there.
Jabil (NYSE: JBL) will begin the closure in May and finish up in October, according to reports.
via Jabil to close plant, cut 300 workers – Boston Business Journal: .
* Twenty-two more layoffs this week mean 79 employees have been laid off from Aberdeen’s Hub City Inc. this year.
via AberdeenNews.com.
* Rheem Manufacturing Corp. announced today that it will close its Milledgeville plant by the end of this year and consolidate operations in Arkansas and Mexico.
The announcement comes just four days after the more than 650 workers who were laid off last fall reported back to work.
The Milledgeville factory will operate at “limited capacity as dictated by market demand,” and its approximately 800 permanent employees and 400 seasonal workers will be reduced “over the course of the year,” according to a company news release
via Rheem shifts plans, will shut down Milledgeville plant – Breaking News – Macon.
* Duro Bag manufacturing in Jackson will lay off 17 people by the end of the month. Employees at the plant were told today of the layoffs, according to a news release.
* LONDON (AP) — Mining company Anglo American PLC said Friday it will cut 19,000 jobs this year and suspend dividend payments after reporting a 29 percent drop in 2008 profits.
The company said it hoped to cut the jobs — 10 percent of its managed work force — through layoffs, natural attrition and scaling back contractor arrangements.
via Anglo American cuts 19,000 jobs as profits fall – Yahoo! Finance.
* Mining giant Anglo American sent a shiver across the financial world this morning by announcing 19,000 job cuts and freezing its dividend.
The company has been badly hit by the plunge in the value of commodities, precious metals and diamonds as the global economy has slowed.
via Anglo American to cut 19,000 jobs and axe dividend | Business | guardian.co.uk .
* SAO PAULO, Brazil (AFP) — Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer said Thursday it is to slash more than 4,000 jobs, or 20 percent of its workforce, because of the “unprecedented crisis hitting the world economy.”
via AFP: Brazil’s Embraer cuts more than 4,000 jobs.
* Embraer today announced laying off nearly 4,300 workers as it slashed its 2009 delivery forecast by 28 aircraft, lowering revenue guidance for next year to $5.5 billion.
via Embraer cuts 4,000 jobs and delivery forecast.
* Administrators of Stylo, which owns Barratts and PriceLess Shoes, have announced the closure of 220 stores with the loss of 2,500 jobs across the UK.
The remaining 160 Stylo stores and 165 concession outlets have been sold to the existing management team and will be led by company’s chairman Michael Ziff. The move will safeguard 3,000 jobs.
via 2,500 jobs to be cut at Barratts and PriceLess Shoes | Finance | ICM Commercial & Business News.
* Allen & Overy, Britain’s fourth-largest law firm, has announced plans to cut 450 jobs at a cost of £44 million.
via Allen & Overy to cut 450 jobs in £44m shake-up – Times Online .
* MORE THAN 120 workers are to lose their jobs at cider-maker Bulmers as part of a major reorganisation programme by the company.
via Bulmers to cut 120 jobs by the end of March – The Irish Times – Fri, Feb 20, 2009.
* Vinci to cut over 100 jobs after consolidation
via Vinci to cut over 100 jobs after consolidation – Building.
* WEARDALE’S biggest employer, Astrum (UK) Ltd, is proposing to make a fifth of its staff redundant.
The tank track maker, which employs 280 people in Stanhope, will start consultations next week on 55 possible redundancies.
via Dale’s largest employer to make redundancies (From The Northern Echo).
* A SCOTS council has axed 81 school jobs – including 28 teaching posts – as part of a £2.4million cost-cutting drive.
via 81 School Jobs Axed To Save 2 4m (from Evening Times).
* Beijing-based PC maker Founder Technology (600601.SH) cut 11% of its staff, or more than 100 employees, after Spring Festival, reports Sina quoting Founder President Lan Ye.
Rob Rogers - Feb 20
Mike: A busy day for layoff announcements but few larger layoffs in North America, which was a nice change of pace. Afterdoing this for a few months, it seems that Tuesday-Thursday are the busiest days for layoff announcements.
