Mike: I hope you all have a fine Tuesday. Today brings us the weekly retails sales numbers, ICSC-Goldman Store Sales  and Redbook,  which show increases from last year. Shoppers are opening thier wallets and spending some money this year, which is a good sign that people are more comfortable with spending.

Mike: My following thoughts are not meant to depress anyone, but to inform readers about employment’s difficult state.  For a little perspective on the below article and the feds 750,000 job creation/job save by August, let’s look at April’s unemployment numbers. Last Friday the BLS reported that 539,000 jobs were lost in April. That improved number included 66,000 jobs created by the Census, which are temporary – usually 12-week – positions.  The US needs to create at least 120,000 jobs a month to supply enough jobs for the ever increasing job population. That includes immigration, high school and college grads, etc. So let’s take those three points together and see what we have. Lost jobs in April 539,000; jobs needed to keep pace with population 120,000 and removing the 66,000 Census temporary jobs gives us 725,000 jobs that would need to be created just to eliminate April’s shortfall. 

It’s wise for the feds to use some of your tax money on creating jobs for you, instead of just throwing it down the bank and insurance company bailout hole, but without corporate and entrepreneurial cooperation, enough jobs will not be created by the fed alone to stop the relentless loss of jobs. Good paying manufacturing jobs are being replaced by minimum wage call center jobs, but that’s another matter for another time……..

Top administration official says an estimated 750,000 jobs will be saved or created by the end of the president’s next 100 days.

via 750,000 stimulus jobs by August – White House – May. 11, 2009 .

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John Sherffius - May 12

John Sherffius - May 12

* Larger layoff announcements and important economic reports:
US/Canada
International:

 

Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News

 

msft9– Software giant Microsoft, which has announced cutting 5,000 jobs including 55 in India, on Tuesday said it may look at more layoffs if the economic downturn dramatically worsens again.

“Presuming the economy hopefully stays as bad as it is and doesn’t get dramatically worse, we will finish our plan, but if it gets dramatically worse again, we will look at things again,” Microsoft Corporation CEO Steve Ballmer told reporters here.

via Microsoft may lay off more if warranted: Ballmer – Corporate News – livemint.com .

 

msft10– Microsoft Corp Chief Executive Steve Ballmer on Tuesday dispelled rumors that the software giant could be planning to buy German firm SAP.

“I have nothing to say about rumors of acquisitions … positively or negatively,” Ballmer told reporters in Mumbai.

“It strikes me as a random rumor.”

via Microsoft CEO Says SAP Buyout Is A ‘Random Rumor’ – Technology News – redOrbit.

 

General Economic News

 

Mike: And the Republicans wonder why they are considered a lesser party to, of all things, the Democrats. Too bad wackos like Sessions get the press, but the few normal, hard working people in Congress get so little attention.

– Dallas Rep. Pete Sessions, a member of the GOP House leadership, has made a startling allegation: President Barack Obama wants to push unemployment up and the stock market down, as part of a premeditated assault on capitalism.

Sessions asserted “that the administration intended to ‘diminish employment and diminish stock prices’ as part of a ‘divide and conquer’ strategy to consolidate power.

Mr. Sessions, in his seventh term, said Mr. Obama’s agenda was “intended to inflict damage and hardship on the free enterprise system, if not to kill it.”

via TRAIL BLAZERS Blog | The Dallas Morning News .

 

– NEW YORK (Dow Jones)–The International Council of Shopping Centers and Goldman Sachs Retail Chain Store Sales Index rose 0.3% in the week ended Saturday, May 9, from its level a week before on a seasonally adjusted, comparable-store basis.

On a year-on-year basis, retailers saw sales rise 0.5% in the latest week.

via ICSC/Goldman Sachs Chain Store Sales Up 0.3% In May 9 Week.

 

gm8– General Motors Corp. CEO Fritz Henderson said Monday that GM will begin late this week notifying dealers who will be closed as the company cuts its U.S. network by 50 percent.

No specific GM sites were identified, but Henderson said the company is in negotiations with the United Auto Workers union about the planned closing of 13 plants and slashing of its hourly workforce by about 21,000 to 40,000. He would not disclose details.

via GM compiling dealership closure list – Denver Business Journal: 

 

 

Drew Sheneman - May 12

Drew Sheneman - May 12

 

– WASHINGTON (AP) — Home prices fell in nearly nine out of every 10 U.S. cities in the first quarter of this year as first-time buyers looking for bargains dominated the market.

The National Association of Realtors said Tuesday that median sales prices of existing homes declined in 134 out of 152 metropolitan areas compared with the same period a year ago. Prices rose in the other 18 cities.

Nationwide, sales of foreclosures and other distressed properties made up about half of the market.

Home sales fell in all but six states — Nevada, California, Arizona, Florida, Virginia and Minnesota — where buyers have been able to snap up foreclosures at a deep discount.

via Median home prices fell in US in 1Q – Yahoo! Finance.

 

– President Obama’s chief economics forecaster said on Sunday that the country was not likely to see positive employment growth until 2010, even if the economy began to grow later this year.

via White House Forecasts No Job Growth Until 2010 – NYTimes.com.

 

– 8,450 game industry workers have been laid off since July 2008, according to M2 market analyst Wanda Meloni.

 

 

Government Layoff News

 

 

– Meeting on the Seaton Campus of Elba-Seaton Elementary School the board voted 6-1, with board member Michael Nolan dissenting to issue pink slips to 13 teachers and eliminate an administrative position at the district’s central office.

via The County Press.

 

– Two of the Midlands’ top-rated school districts are cutting more than 120 jobs through layoffs and attrition.

via 120 Midlands school jobs cut – Local / Metro – The State.

 

– The Muscogee County School District is considering eliminating 21 paraprofessional positions from its budget for the next fiscal year.

via Muscogee County Schools: District considering cutting 21 paraprofessional jobs – Breaking News – Ledger-Enquirer.com.

 

– A dozen Taft City School District teachers will be formally laid off Wednesday night when the Board of Trustees holds its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. in the Education Center.

via Twelve TCSD teachers to lose their jobs – Taft, CA – Taft Midway Driller.

 

– CITY HALL — The Burbank Unified School District Board of Education voted unanimously Thursday to lay off 34 teachers, ending a tense cost-cutting effort that began when 128 teachers were sent pink slips in mid-March.

via Burbank Leader > Education.

 

– The Hoover school board on Monday night voted to lay off 16 of its 153 bus drivers, part of a plan to save money by consolidating bus routes and changing start and end times at most schools.

via Hoover school board votes to lay off 16 bus drivers, votes 3-2 not to pay board members – al.com.

 

– PORT ST. LUCIE — Seven city employees from the Engineering Department were laid off on Friday because of a lack of work, according to city officials on Monday.

via Seven laid off from Port St. Lucie Engineering Department : St. Lucie County : TCPalm .

 

– Coachella Valley Unified School District will lay off 114 teachers the board voted 4 to 1 on Monday evening.

via 114 Coachella Valley Unified teachers to be laid off | MyDesert.com | The Desert Sun.

 

– They are among 35 teachers in the Kent School District to get reduction in force (RIF) notices.

via 35 Kent School District Teachers Get Layoff Notices – Seattle News Story – KIRO Seattle.

 

– POWAY — More than two-thirds of Poway Unified School District’s certificated employees, such as teachers, who received tentative layoff notices in March will keep their jobs next school year.

via Poway district voids 190 layoff notices to teachers.

 

– MARSHALL — Five teachers will be laid off effective June 30 if the Marshall Public Schools Board of Education approves its proposed 2009-10 budget without changes at its June 8 meeting.

 

 

US and some Canada Layoff News

 

 

newspaper5–The San Francisco Chronicle, under orders by owner Hearst Corp. to trim payroll costs significantly or face possible closure, laid off 39 editorial and business staffers late last week, according to a tally by the Media Workers Guild.

 

– – Lamar Advertising revealed it has laid off about 400 employees as its revenues tumbled and losses widened in Q1 2009.

via Lamar Q1: 400 Laid Off; “We’re Going to Bump Along the Bottom for a While” | BNET Advertising Blog | BNET.

 

– Facing a recession that has hit its advertising clients hard, Austin-based GSD&M Idea City has cut 10 jobs and imposed temporary, across-the-board salary cuts.

via GSD&M cuts paychecks, 10 jobs.

 

– Avago Technologies with manufacturing operations in Fort Collins and Loveland notified 12 employees Friday that their jobs will be eliminated, said Alain Danger-field, press relations manager for Avago in San Jose, Calif.

via DAILY BRIEFING | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan,.

 

– Berryville — Berryville Graphics has announced layoffs for 47 more employees at its book-printing plant on Jack Enders Boulevard.

via Winchester Star.

 

– BENNINGTON — A local manufacturer will move a production line to a sister plant later this year, resulting in the loss of about 50 jobs.

via More local jobs disappearing at NSK – Bennington Banner.

 

jack-in-the-box– Fast-food chain Jack in the Box Inc. has announced 64 layoffs in a letter to the Texas Workforce Commission.

via Jack in the Box to lay off 64 at distribution site – Dallas Business Journal: .

 

– The company’s chief executive officer, Rod Bryden, said Monday that 57 people who work at Ottawa’s waste-to-energy facility on Trim Road will be out of work for 13 weeks.

via Plasco to temporarily cut 57 Ottawa jobs.

 

usg– USG Corp., North America’s largest maker of gypsum wallboard, plans further cuts to its salaried workforce as the company reduces costs to adjust for falling demand amid the global recession.

via Daily Herald | Chicago’s USG to cut more jobs.

 

american-general-finance1– Now-former employees are reacting to the devestating news that their jobs at one of Evansville’s biggest companies were now gone.

The announcement came this afternoon that about 140 workers at American General Finance would be losing their jobs by the end of the week.

via American General Finance to Layoff Approx. 140.

 

– Company spokeswoman Linda Norberg confirmed Monday that operators of the manufacturing plant at 3800 River Drive, Moline, sent out Worker Adjustment & Retraining Notification, or WARN, letters Friday to notify employees of the July 12 closing. The action will affect about 100 employees, including members of Local 1174, United Electrical.

via Q-C Die Casting to close in July.

 

– Midwest Stamping Corp., one of Sumter’s largest employers in former years, has begun laying off its employees. The plant will close its doors no later than Aug. 31.

via The Item – South Carolina.

 

– Efforts to interview plant management about the closure have been unsuccessful since late last week.

New Generations employed about 150 people, according to news reports.

via McKenzie furniture plant closes | jacksonsun.com | .

 

– New York-based Progenics announced that it has reduced its headcount by 10 percent to 224 as part of an effort to streamline operations, become more efficient and reduce expenditures.

via BREAKING NEWS: Progenics cuts 10% of staff – FierceBiotech.

 

– They will begin immediately transferring inventory and service equipment to Hicks’ other dealership, City Select Motors in Galesburg, which will remain open. About four or five of the 15 current City Ford employees will be transfered to City Select.

via City Ford closing – Monmouth, IL – Daily Review Atlas.

 

– CHENEY, WA — Eastern Washington University must cut $13.3 million from its budget and announced Tuesday that it will eliminate more than 100 positions to meet that goal.

via EWU to shed $13.3 million, 110 jobs – KXLY.com: News, Weather and Sports for Spokane, WA and Coeur d’Alene, ID | .

 

dupont3– DuPont will cut about 130 jobs at its plant in Circleville, the company said this morning.

via The Columbus Dispatch : DuPont to eliminate 130 jobs in Circleville.

 

– SUMTER, S.C. – A metal stamping plant in South Carolina is closing this summer, putting 32 people out of work.

via SC metal plant to close in Sumter, 32 losing jobs – News Wires – CNBC.com.

 

hospital7– (Crain’s) — Loyola University Health System announced Tuesday it is cutting 440 jobs, just months after trimming more than 200 jobs in an attempt to offset mounting financial losses.

via Loyola hospitals cutting 440 jobs | Crain’s Chicago Business.

 

– Goss officials confirmed Friday the company had instituted another round of layoffs and the company said in a press release Monday that 170 employees nationwide were impacted by the reduction.

via Goss Intl. confirms layoff of 170 – Fosters.

 

– Neurogen Corp. has laid off half of its already shriveled workforce and is taking steps to sell itself, the Branford drug development company said Tuesday.

via Branford Drug Company Lays Off Half Its Staff — Courant.com.

 

– The bulk of the workforce at the American Axle & Manufacturing plant in Three Rivers will be idled through temporary layoffs beginning later this month.

According to the Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth (DELEG), its Rapid Response section received notice Monday (May 11th) that the local AAM facility “will lay off 399 employees, starting on or around May 18, 2009.”

via American Axle layoffs are coming : WLKM Radio 95.9 FM.

 

– REDMOND, Wash. — Genie Industries, in its third round of layoffs since October, on Monday laid off 184 employees in Redmond and 58 more in Moses Lake.

via Genie announces more layoffs | KOMO News – Seattle, Washington | Local & Regional .

 

– Automotive supplier Icon Metal Forming LLC will lay off 140 workers at its Corydon, Ind., plant, according to a filing with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development.

via Icon Metal Forming to lay off 140 in Corydon: bizjournals.com Business News – MSN Money.

 

discover-financial– A round of 500 job cuts for credit-card giant Discover Financial Services LLC has cost about 50 jobs at the company’s New Albany call center.

via Discover Financial cuts New Albany jobs – Business First of Columbus:

 

– NEWPORT NEWS – Continental AG’s Newport News manufacturing plant laid off nearly a third of its hourly workers last week, the latest and largest cutback in a string of layoffs for the battered auto-parts manufacturer.

via Continental cuts 87 more local jobs — dailypress.com.

 

– Park Nicollet Health Services announced it will cut 240 positions, close a clinic and consolidate some services.

 

 

International Layoff News

 

 

japan-airlines– May 12 (Bloomberg) — Japan Airlines Corp. plans to cut 1,200 jobs from its workforce of 47,500 by March 2010, the Nikkei newspaper reported, without saying where it got the information.

via Japan Airlines to Cut 1,200 Jobs This Year, Nikkei Reports – Bloomberg.com.

 

cat– Caterpillar France plans to lay off 733 workers in two factories, putting into effect a plan employees have fought since February, at one point taking four managers hostage, the company announced Monday.

 

– The Ministry of Social Development is shedding around 200 jobs.

Prime Minister John Key says National campaigned on restructuring the public service, getting more people out of the back offices and on to the front line.

via About 200 jobs to go at Ministry of Social Development | NATIONAL.

 

– Legal & General has cut 560 jobs, just months after it announced it was axing up to 450 positions as part of a review into support services.

via L&G to cut 560 more jobs | New Model Adviser ® | Citywire .

 

bhp-billiton– BHP Billiton has shed up to 240 staff from its nickel mine in Leinster, 360km north of Kalgoorlie, the multinational mining firm revealed today.

via Sackings at BHP-Billiton Rocky’s Reward mine, Leinster .

 

– OVER 60 jobs could be lost in Barnoldswick after one of the town’s main employers announced plans to move part of its operation.

via More than 60 jobs to go at Barnoldswick firm (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen).

 

– National home improvement chain Mitre 10 is laying off 30 to 35 people at its Glenfield support centre.

via Mitre 10 axes up to 35 jobs – National – NZ Herald News.

 

– National Foods is closing its dairy factory in Shepparton, in Victoria’s north, throwing 25 people out work.

via National Foods to close Shepparton factory – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

 

– THA Group cuts 28 more jobs in its second sweep of redundancies

via Meetpie.com .

 

– DUBLIN, May 12 (Reuters) – The Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) will seek 400 redundancies from its workforce of 3,600, a spokeswoman for Ireland’s state-owned airport manager said on Tuesday.

via Irish airport manager to cut 400 jobs | Industries | Industrials, Materials & Utilities | Reuters .

 

– The company says eight workers are losing their jobs another five will be redeployed.

via Le Cornu workers laid off – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).

 

– Eircom says it has agreed a restructuring deal with unions which will result in 1,200 jobs being cut over the next two years.

via RTÉ News: 1,200 jobs to go at Eircom over two years.

 

– The vessel fleet will be temporarily reduced from three to two vessels, and the company will be scaled accordingly. The actions will result in 29 temporary layoffs, 28 redundancies and four consultancy contracts being terminated.

via Offshore Oil & Gas News: EMGS restructures company, makes layoffs.

 

– Company officials would not provide specific numbers, but did say that less than 12 people will be affected at the Jane Lew facility.

via Viking Pools Announces Layoffs at Jane Lew Facility – WBOY-TV – WBOY.com.

 

– CHENNAI: Consulting and outsourcing firm Capgemini has laid off nearly 100 employees at its Chennai centre. The pink slips were issued for employees mostly in the middle management positions. This comes on the back of reports that said Capgemini sacked 600 employees in Hyderabad and Pune.

 

 

Hiring News and News You Can Use

 

 

– Immelt was at the GE Global Research Center, where the technology is being developed, to make the announcement.

The plant will employ 350 people in skilled trades positions when it’s operational sometime in 2011.

 

PNC Financial Services Group Inc., will receive $6.2 million in incentives to base a major residential mortgage banking center in Downers Grove, a move that will create 400 jobs and retain 72 of the company’s existing jobs in Du Page County.

via PNC Financial to add 400 jobs at mortgage center in Downers Grove — chicagotribune.com.

 

– Yahoo is apparently in talks to build a data center in western New York, creating what will initially be a 60,000-square-foot facility that will provide between 50 and 100 jobs. Despite the possibility of constructing new data centers, Yahoo continues to wrestle with the global recession and strong competition from rivals Google and Microsoft.

via Yahoo May Build New York Data Center, Create Jobs.

 

– The Boeing Co.’s repair facility at Cecil Commerce Center in Jacksonville will add 60 jobs this year with an average salary of $60,000, the company announced Monday.

via Boeing adding 60 jobs to Cecil repair center this year | Jacksonville.com.

 

– How would you like to earn a little extra money every week…and maybe get a free pair of blue jeans, and a free dinner and a movie tossed in as well? You can if you become a Mystery Shopper, or Secret Shopper.

The hardest part: avoiding all the scams to find the real shopping jobs.

Yes, She gets Paid to Shop

via Legitimate Mystery Shopping Jobs | WFTS-TV .

 

– MICHIGAN CITY – Big R Stores, a regional retail chain, is hiring employees for the store it is opening here this summer.

via 60 new jobs in Michigan City.

 

– Nearly 80 new jobs are coming to Chillicothe as part of a million dollar expansion of Mediacom.

via Mediacom Brings New Jobs to Chillicothe.

 

staples– Staples is offering 20 free single-sided resume copies and 40 free instant business cards to jobseekers who need a little boost with their job search.

via Staples offers free job-hunting help – WALB.com News, Weather and Sports for Albany, Valdosta and Thomasville. Leading the way for South Georgia. | .

 

– CHATTANOOGA (WRCB) – More jobs are heading this way. Arch Plastics Packaging will create 60 new jobs over the next two years in Chattanooga. The company is a month away from a multi-million dollar expansion that will more than double the size of the pharmaceutical and personal care bottle-making plant.

via More Jobs Coming to Chattanooga – WRCB Channel 3 Chattanooga News, Weather | .

 

– Dave & Buster’s, the nation’s leader in upscale dining and entertainment, announced today it will open its 54th location in Indianapolis this summer. The company plans to hire 200 employees for the new restaurant-gaming complex.

via dBusinessNews :: Daily Business News Delivered to Your Desktop.

 

medtronic1– Medical device maker Medtronic Inc. said late Monday it will add 1,400 jobs over the next five years in San Antonio, Texas to staff a new diabetes therapy and education center

 

Mike: Today brought us a large number of smaller job cuts, but not the mass layoffs that we have almost come to expect on a daily basis. I guess that’s good news, so let’s hope that tomorrow brings some additional improvement. Till Wednesday………………..

 

 

Tom Toles - May 12

Tom Toles - May 12

 

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Mike: For an entertaining review of blogs from across the owrld, take a look at http://alphainventions.com/.

 

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