Mike: I hope you are all able to read my posts without using a scroll bar. I noticed that when using IE and IE based browsers that a scroll bar shows on the site and I’m trying to find out how to get rid of it. When using Google Chrome, which is my choice, and Firefox that the scroll bar doesn’t appear. If you get a scroll bar using IE, try using Chrome or Firefox until I get this resolved. If any of you are aware of how to do this, please pass the solution to me at mike@layofflist.org. I’m also looking into a better chat/comments forum that may help me get some of you to post some of your thoughts and suggestions. Thanks………

Good day to all and I hope you all enjoyed your weekend. The GM bankruptcy announcement is the big  US/Canadian job loss news of the day, while Opel’s job losses shake Europe.  This is not starting out like the usual quiet Monday. Here’s the news………….

gm– GM will move forward with four core brands _ Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick and GMC. The company plans to cut 21,000 employees, about 34 percent of its work force, and reduce the number of dealers by 2,600. GM was announcing plans to close 11 facilities, idle three others and name the buyer of its Hummer division. GM’s stock dropped to its lowest price in company history Friday, closing at just 75 cents. The shares will be virtually worthless in a Chapter 11 reorganization.

via GM to reorganize in government-led bankruptcy – washingtonpost.com.

 

gm1chrysler– Including jobs lost at suppliers and those lost at other companies indirectly because of reduced income, total jobs lost from the GM and Chrysler bankruptcies would total about 250,000 over the next 19 months, according to a study written by McAlinden.

That’s a lot of jobs, but it pales in comparison with the 5.7 million jobs lost nationwide since the recession began. It doesn’t even match the 281,000 jobs that the auto industry alone has lost since December 2007.

Counting the jobs at suppliers and at companies that have lost business because laid-off workers aren’t spending so much, an estimated 1 million jobs across all sectors have already been lost due to the troubles in the industry, McAlinden said.

via Quarter million jobs could be lost in bankruptcy – MarketWatch.

 

gm4– DETROIT – General Motors said Monday that it would close 14 plants, including seven in Michigan, as part of its restructuring in bankruptcy.

The closings will leave G.M. with 33 plants in the United States by 2012, down from 47 last year. G.M. is cutting about 21,800 hourly jobs by 2011, though it did not say how many people currently work at the plants being closed.

 

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gm3– DETROIT, Mich. — General Motors Corp. (NYSE: GM) today announced details of its accelerated manufacturing plan to improve capacity utilization and flexibility for the New GM. GM also reaffirmed it will build a small car at one of its U.S. assembly plants on standby capacity status.

The manufacturing plan reduces GM’s total number of assembly, powertrain and stamping facilities in the U.S. from 47 in 2008 to 34 by the end of 2010 and 33 by 2012. These totals reflect GM’s recently announced plans to build a future small car in the U.S. Under this plan, the New GM will achieve full capacity utilization of its assembly operations in 2011, two years ahead of what was scheduled in its Feb. 17 viability plan submission. This will result in lower fixed costs per vehicle sold, and lower and more efficient capital investment.

via GM Media Online.

 

gm5– General Motors Corp. (GM 0.90, +0.15, +20.00%)  said Monday it would cut 7,900 jobs this year as part of its move to emerge from bankrtupcy.

Mike Luckovich

Mike Luckovich

* Larger layoff announcements and important economic reports:
US/Canada:
International:
Navigation links to today’s stories:

Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News

 

 

msft– Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT)’s Bing search engine went live in the U.S. over the weekend, formally launching the company’s latest attempt to wrest a larger slice of the lucrative online search market from incumbent Google (NSDQ: GOOG).

As of Monday, Bing.com featured a home page festooned with colorful hot air balloons rising against a desert backdrop. The page also included links to specific search categories, such as news, videos, shopping, maps, and travel.

via Microsoft Bing Goes Live — InformationWeek.

 

 

General Economic News

 

– Consumer spending dipped 0.1 percent in April. That was slightly less than the 0.2 percent reduction economists were expecting, although it marked the second straight month that consumers cut back. The pullback came after a burst of buying at the start of the year as shoppers took advantage of deeply discounted merchandise and other promotion.

Americans’ incomes — the fuel for future spending — jumped by 0.5 percent, following two straight months of declines. The improvement in April was due to tax cuts and benefit payments flowing from President Barack Obama’s stimulus package, the government noted. Wages and salaries, however, were flat in April.

via Consumer spending dips, savings rate surges – Yahoo! Finance.

ISM Mfg Index
[Report][Star]
10:00 AM ET
– NEW YORK (AP) — The decline in U.S. manufacturing slowed in May, a trade group reported Monday, and the sector is faring better than analysts had expected alongside similar reports from Asia and Europe.

The Tempe, Ariz.-based Institute for Supply Management said its index on manufacturing came in at 42.8 — its highest level since September — compared with 40.1 in March. A reading below 50 still indicates contraction, but the measure has been shrinking more slowly every month since December.

via The Associated Press: Mfg index up to 42.8 in May, beats expectations.

-WASHINGTON (AP) — Construction spending in the U.S. rose 0.8 percent in April, defying economists’ forecasts for a decline.

The unexpected gain — the most since August — marked the second straight month that builders boosted spending on construction projects around the country, the Commerce Department reported Monday. Economists were bracing for a 1.2 percent drop in construction spending for April.

via US construction spending posts surprising gain – Yahoo! Finance.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mike: Well worth the time to read:

-Here is a collection of real estate and economic graphs for data released in May …

via Calculated Risk: May Economic Summary in Graphs.

 

gm2-May 31 (Bloomberg) — General Motors Corp., poised to file for bankruptcy tomorrow, is close to an agreement to sell its Hummer brand in a deal that would preserve 3,000 U.S. jobs, a person familiar with the matter said.

 

Government Layoff News

 

– SAN JUAN – The Puerto Rican government announced Friday the dismissal of 7,816 public employees, the first batch of up to 30,000 layoffs that Gov. Luis Fortuño says are essential to trimming an annual budget deficit of $3.2 billion.

via Latin American Herald Tribune – Puerto Rican Government Launches Controversial Round of Layoffs.

 

-Some 235,000 state workers will have to take a 5 percent pay cut. Of the state’s 279 state parks, 200 will be closed. Schwarzenegger’s plan to dismantle the Cal Grant program — considered one of the nation’s best programs to help poorer students cover full fees or tuition at public colleges — would make California the first US state to eliminate student financial aid while raising tuition.

The list goes on and on:

via California now faces budget cuts “beyond draconian” | csmonitor.com.

 

– County Commissioner Judy Boggs confirmed on Saturday morning at her town hall meeting that 11 employees from the departments of Development Review and Permitting, Environmental Programs and Comprehensive Planning were let go. 

via WGMD 92.7 The Talk of Delmarva | Layoffs in Worcester County | County, Comment, Showhide, Employees, Confirmed.

 

– Nine firefighters and two other employees of the Lehigh Acres fire district learned today that the budget squeeze brought on by declining property values will cost them their jobs.

via Nine Lehigh firefighters cut in first round of layoffs | news-press.com | The News-Press.

 

– CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) – The city of Cheyenne has laid off two city code inspectors.

via Cheyenne lays off 2 code inspectors – Q2 KTVQ – Billings, Montana – News, Weather, Sports –.

 

– The Kansas Health Policy Authority said Monday that it’s eliminating 14 jobs, including an executive position, to reduce costs.

 

 

US and some Canada Layoff News

 

 

 

gm6– BOSTON—A union official says General Motors Corp.’s plan to close its service and parts warehousing and distribution center in Norton, Mass., will leave about 80 people jobless.

via Union: GM parts center closing hits 80 Mass. jobs – Boston.com.

 

 

gm7General Motors’ Buffalo-area engine plant will be spared closing in the company’s restructuring, but will lose 25 to 30 percent of its work force — about 220 to 260 jobs — as it ends production of two engines.

via GM’s Tonawanda plant losing more than 220 jobs | plant, engines, jobs – Regional News – WRGB CBS 6 Albany.

 

gm8– State Sen. Bill Ketron, a Republican from Murfreesboro whose district includes Spring Hill, said GM officials told him the plant will phase down to 604 employees when assembly production ends.

via GM idling Tenn. plant; it could get new small car – Forbes.com.

 

gm9– The decision by GM, which filed for bankruptcy protection this morning, affects nearly 550 active employees at the 62-year-old factory, along with another 515 laid-off hourly workers who had hoped to be called back to work.

via GM to close Del.’s Boxwood Road plant | Delawareonline.com | The News Journal.

 

gm10– When the Livonia Engine plant closes next June as part of the General Motors bankruptcy, it will affect about 300 plant workers and leave a $500,000 hole in Livonia’s budget, according to Mayor Jack Kirksey.

via Livonia mayor laments plant closing | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press.

 

gm11– The service and parts operation on Commerce Way in Norton will close December 31. 69 jobs will be lost – 54 hourly and 15 salaried.

via General Motors Closing Norton Warehouse – wbztv.com .

 

gm12– In a move to trim production and labor costs under bankruptcy protection, General Motors is closing plants, including one in the Mansfield area and part of another in Parma.

A service and parts warehouse in Columbus also will be closed. U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) issued a statement regarding this morning’s bankruptcy filing.

via WKSU News: GM to close three Ohio operations.

 

 

rexnordRexnord LLC reported a net loss for the fiscal fourth quarter of $7.8 million on declining sales, adding that it has cut 1,300 jobs since Oct. 1, 2008, in response to the slowdown.

via Rexnord posts 4Q loss, cuts 1,300 jobs – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: .

 

-Alliant, known as ATK, said Friday it will consolidate operations of Eagle and close the New Bedford plant July 31, resulting in the loss of 350 jobs. Military backpacks that would have been sewed in New Bedford will now be produced at Eagle’s Puerto Rico plant.

 

– VALDOSTA, Ga. (AP) – More than 100 employees of Hood Packaging Corp. in Valdosta will be idled by a surprise announcement of the plant’s closing.

via Valdosta plant closing idles 100 – WTVM.com and WTVM News Leader 9, Columbus, GA | .

 

– NEW CASTLE — The city’s Metaldyne Corp. plant will close in the coming weeks, costing nearly 400 workers their jobs.

The closing, announced Friday afternoon, ends operations at the plant, which was the community’s largest employer when it was owned by Chrysler. The automaker remains the largest customer for auto parts made at the New Castle plant.

via Metaldyne to close in New Castle, ending nearly 400 jobs | thestarpress.com | The Star Press.

 

– Plymouth Tube Co., 2056 Young St., East Troy, plans to lay off 14 of 31 factory employees in its Trent facility because it has seen a dramatic decrease in orders since last year, said Susan Olsen, administrative manager.

via East Troy company announces third layoff — GazetteXtra.

 

– Chart Industries officials confirmed Friday about 100 employees will be laid off at its La Crosse manufacturing plant.

The 99 hourly employees affected in La Crosse are part of a 5 percent work force reduction worldwide, said Michael Biehl, Chart chief financial officer.

via Chart to lay off another 99; total of 122 workers affected by cuts : La Crosse Tribune.

 

– Saying it has reached the end of its financial “elasticity”, Miami Dade College announced  that it will lay off or eliminate 197 positions, killing as many as eight programs and offering no new classes next fall, likely delaying graduation for many students.

via Layoff Tracker: Miami Dade College cuts 197 jobs.

 

deere– THIBODAUX, La. (AP) – Farm and construction equipment maker Deere & Co. has laid off 16 workers at its plant in Thibodaux.

via Deere lays off 16 workers in Thibodaux – WXVT-TV Delta News – More Local News and Weather WXVT.com | .

 

– According to the company, 198 employees will be affected in the sawmill, planer mill and woodlands operations.

via Clearwater Times – Canfor to close indefinitely.

 

– The death of the Courier follows a familiar darkening of downtown Berryville, the county seat. As the paper reports in its final edition, “Within the past year, the Gold Leaf gift shop closed, The Daily Grind and Berryville News Stand closed, Berryville Graphics laid off 70 workers, and American Woodmark Corp. announced that it was closing its Berryville plant. Downtown now has more than 11,000 square feet of empty space.”

via Virginia Loses 1st Newspaper (More TK) – Raw Fisher.

 

– Goody’s LLC laid off another 565 workers in Knox County as it continues to shut down department stores. Sea-Ray Boats’ Knoxville plant also laid off 51 people. The Memphis school district cut 320 jobs.

And Dyer County’s Excel Polymers plant pink-slipped 150 workers last week, joined by McCall Refrigeration, which laid off 60 in Decatur County.

via Tenn. firms cut 1,400 jobs in late May – Nashville Business Journal: .

 

 

– Company executives say 112 hourly employees and 14 salaried positions will be eliminated in Fort Atkinson as the result of a realignment of its appetizer plants. Work will be shifted to other plants beginning this month.

via McCain Foods cutting 126 employees — chicagotribune.com.

 

– The Terrell Independent School District has voted not to renew a contract with school busing company Durham School Services, prompting Durham to close its Terrell facility and cut 53 jobs.

via Durham School Services announces layoffs – Dallas Business Journal: .

 

– PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Bath Iron Works’ top executive on Monday warned workers to prepare for layoffs over the summer and fall because of a long-anticipated gap in work as the shipyard transitions to the Navy’s stealthy next-generation destroyer.

via SunJournal.com – BIW warns employees to expect layoffs during workload gap.

 

– Northland College, in Wisconsin, announced that 13 faculty and staff members were losing their positions.

via Quick Takes: Job Cuts at 2 More Private Colleges – Inside Higher Ed .

 

– GE Energy in Minden announced this week a workforce reduction of 45 positions in the U.S., including 21 positions at the Minden plant, which employs about 800 people.

via GE laying off 21 in Minden | NevadaAppeal.com.

 

ford– Thirty-nine hourly workers at Ford Motor Co.’s Woodlawn plant will go on indefinite layoff between June 1 and June 8.

via Ford announces Woodlawn layoffs – Business First of Buffalo: .

 

wausau– According to paperwork filed Monday with the state Department of Workforce Development 86 employees are laid off as a result of the closure.

 

 

International Layoff News

 

 

opel– Canadian auto-parts maker Magna International was chosen by German Chancellor Angela Merkel to buy Opel in a rescue backed by state-run Russian lender OAO Sberbank.

via Opel sale could mean 11,000 jobs losses in Europe with UK Vauxhall plant at risk – European, Business – Independent.ie.

 

opel1– BERLIN — The ink is hardly dry on the deal to salvage the German automaker Opel, but already the political recriminations are echoing across Europe.

 

ing-June 1 (Bloomberg) — ING Groep NV, the biggest Dutch financial-services company, plans to cut about 300 jobs at its Japan life insurance unit as it stops selling variable annuities in the nation, said two people with knowledge of the matter.

via ING Said to Plan 300 Job Cuts at Japan Insurance Unit (Update1) – Bloomberg.com.

 

– THE world’s biggest alcohol company has cut 60 jobs and imposed an extended shutdown at an outer-western Sydney plant because of falling sales as a result of the tax hike on alcopops.

via Alcopops maker cuts 60 jobs | The Australian.

 

– And the club has cut jobs in an attempt to recoup some of the deficit.

Wrexham’s situation is revealed in a financial statement for the year ended June 30, 2008.

via Wrexham FC cut jobs after £1 million loss – Evening Leader .

 

– RTE bosses last night urged workers to accept pay cuts to avoid 200 job losses.

The national broadcaster — attempting to bridge a €68m deficit — said it will not have to impose the job cuts if workers this week vote to accept pay reductions of up to 12.5pc.

via Take a pay cut or 200 jobs could go, RTE warns staff – National News, Frontpage – Independent.ie.

 

– Assmang may cut about 200 jobs at its Black Rock manganese mine because of falling demand and prices for the metal.

via Business Report – Assmang – Two hundred jobs in the firing line.

 

– HEALTHCARE and sports products group Mobilis is closing the bulk of its Oldham operations, with the loss of up to 80 jobs.

via 80 jobs go as Mobilis cuts back – Business – News – Manchester Evening News.

 

– Virginia Tech’s Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Centre is shedding six positions as part of restructuring moves to meet what it calls challenging times.

via Respected equine medical centre to shed six jobs | Horsetalk – International horse news.

 

– Riverina beef exporter, feedlot and abattoir Rockdale Beef last week announced it would cut 150 jobs and slash its beef throughput by 40 per cent due to weakened demand from major international buyers of grain-fed products.

via Cattle Lotfeeder jobs in cattle fall – Weekly Times Now.

 

-Almost 100 jobs are being shed in Dudley by on-line credit company Egg, which has confirmed it is closing its Brierley Hill call centre.

via Final 99 jobs go in Egg closure : Express & Star.

 

– With the latest round of layoffs the company would have altogether fired 3 percent-4 percent of its workforce. At the end of 2008 Gilat had 966 employees of whom 400 were in Israel.

via GILT BRIEF: New round of layoffs at Gilat Satellite: At the end of 2008 Gilat had 966 employees of whom 400 were in Israel..

 

-Bahrain-based Gulf International Bank has laid off 17 percent of its Bahraini workforce in a bid to restructure its operations after the recent sale of $4.8 billion worth of international assets to its shareholders, a bank executive said.

via Banks : Bahrain’s GIB sacks 17 pct of local workforce .

 

gavel– Barlow Lyde & Gilbert has embarked on a redundancy consultation with 49 jobs under threat at the firm.

 

 

Hiring News and News You Can Use

 

 

– The manufacturing plant would employ 600 people and make lithium ion cells for the growing battery-powered car market. Boston-Power has applied for a one hundred million dollar grant from money set aside for this industry in the federal stimulus package.

via wbur.org: Battery Manufacturing Jobs To Come To Massachusetts.

 

– A call-center firm is calling on Rockford for its latest expansion, and could bring as many as 350 jobs in the next two years.

via Call center could bring 350 jobs – Rockford, IL – Rockford Register Star.

 

– Coughlin Printing and North Country Fellowship Church have teamed up to address this concern by creating www.upstate-works.com, a totally free job hunting website.

via News 10 Now | 24 Hour Local News | ALL NEWS | New site offers free job search .

 

– A national food distribution company says it will open its new Northeast shipping center in Upper Macungie in August, bringing with it as many as 140 jobs.

Tree of Life, a Florida firm that earlier this year had planned to move into a Lower Macungie warehouse, now expects to be up and running at 860 Nestle Way, a property owned by Liberty Property Trust.

via Tree of Life distribution center will create 140 jobs — themorningcall.com.

 

– Tutco, one of the world’s largest makers of electric heating elements, will be ceasing its manufacturing operations at its Fast Heat Inc. operation in Elmhurst, Ill., and according to the Cookeville-Putnam County Chamber of Commerce, will be moving an estimated 90 new jobs and 35 temporary jobs to the Putnam County facility.

via Tutco adding 125 new jobs.

 

– The company, which has operations ranging from building jet engines to commercial lending, said on Monday it plans to add about 400 jobs in Louisville to produce the so-called “hybrid” water heaters.

via GE plans $69 mln investment in Kentucky factory | Industries | Consumer Goods & Retail | Reuters .

 

– Speedway Investment Group has scheduled a 3 p.m. media briefing to disclose development details for a 40-acre parcel that includes Metrolina Speedway on the Metrolina Expo grounds.

via 150 jobs coming to Derita community | CharlotteObserver.com.

 

– Construction on the 750,000 square foot facility along White Wagon Road in the town of Chemung will start this summer.  The distribution center is expected to be up and running by 2011.

via 600 Jobs Headed to Chemung County – WETM 18 Online .

 

– And that means some of the 5 million green-collar jobs that President Barack Obama promises to create over the next 10 years. The wind energy industry estimates it will provide 500,000 of those jobs – a number inflated by projections of spin-off industries. Still, it will take 30,000 manufacturing workers to create the turbines, towers and blades that turn wind into watts. An additional 55,000 will pour the concrete, operate the cranes and turn the bolts needed to plant the sequoia-like towers.

 

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Mike: Have a great evening and I’ll see you tomorrow……………

 

Ted Rall

Ted Rall

 

 
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