The Layoff List &#187; redundancies

via The Media Equation – Only the Nosy Are Fixated on Steve Jobs’s Health – NYTimes.com.

- Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News -

- But last week, Mr. Jobs returned to work on a part-time basis, precisely when he said he would. Experts with only a general knowledge of his treatment suggest his prognosis is good.

- General Economic News -

- WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — The service sectors of the U.S. economy contracted at a slower pace in June, the Institute for Supply Management reported Monday. The ISM nonmanufacturing index rose to 47.0% from 44.0% in May. The decline was better than expected. Economists were looking the index to rise to 46.0%.

via U.S. June ISM services stays on upward trend – MarketWatch.

- JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — With its IOUs and plans to close state offices three days a month, California gets all the attention as lawmakers fight to write a budget set off balance by a $26.3 billion deficit.

But the dozens of states that made spending cuts, tapped into reserves or relied on federal stimulus funds to patch together budgets that took effect this past week are hardly free from worry. Many of those spending plans are based on tax revenue projections that have been wrong throughout the recession — and may be unreliable again.

via The Associated Press: Missed revenue forecasts pose more woes for states.

Matt Davies

- Government Layoff News -

- With states facing a $121 billion shortfall in the next fiscal year, a growing number of them have turned to squeezing their workforce for savings, and effects are being felt, both great and small.

In Hawaii, some criminal trials will likely have to be rescheduled because public defenders are being furloughed — or forced to take unpaid days off — three Fridays a month. In New Jersey, about 5,000 parolees went unmonitored for a day in May and June as their parole officers were forced to stay home.

via Maine among 21 states to use furloughs.

- SACRAMENTO—Sacramento firefighters have agreed to freeze their salaries for two and a half years, averting layoffs for at least a year.

via Sacramento firefighters agree to salary freeze – San Jose Mercury News .

- The Troy-Miami County Public Library announced Monday it will lay off six workers, reduce employee hours and modify operations as it faces a budgetary drop of more than $770,000.

via Troy/Miami library to eliminate six jobs – Dayton Business Journal: .21:19:13

- CITY HALL — As a part of the shift in the city’s Park Ranger program, six part-time rangers who are at-will employees of the city, will be terminated as of July 15, city officials said Monday.

via Glendale News Press > Politics.21:21:23

- TROY — Hoping to keep up with funding cuts, the Troy-Miami County Public Library will lay off six staff members, reduce hours for most others, park its bookmobile, increase fines and close one day per week.

via Troy library cuts staff, parks bookmobile.21:26:32

- US and some Canada Layoff News -

-The company, which said it would cut 350 jobs, added that JPMorgan Chase Bank has informed the company that its $10 million line of credit was not available to be drawn down upon until the regulatory matter was resolved.

via UPDATE 1-Caraco slashes 52 pct jobs, cites production stoppage | Industries | Healthcare | Reuters .

- That means about 230 union jobs at the Chronicle’s Union City printing plant are now gone.

via New Chron Presses Running; 230 Jobs Lost – mediabistro.com: BayNewser.

- SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (AP) — Meridian Automotive Systems is idling a central Indiana factory, putting 295 people out of work.

The company told city officials on Thursday that it was closing the Shelbyville plant for an indefinite period. The announcement came less than month after Meridian announced a planned layoff of 198 people at the plant in stages over the summer.

via The Associated Press: Auto parts maker shutting down Indiana plant.

- GRAND BLANC TOWNSHIP, Michigan — Genesys Regional Medical Center is moving forward with plans to lay off than half of the licensed practicing nurses on staff — and replace them with nursing assistants — unless their union can win a last minute reprieve, reports WNEM (Channel 5). According to the report, 54 nurses will receive pink slips next week.

via Genesys moving forward with layoff plans for nurses – Flint News – The Latest News, Blogs, Photos & Videos – MLive.com .

- The company wants 25 workers to voluntarily take up to three months off because business has yet to pick up.

via Pa.’s Channellock looking to voluntary layoffs | AP | 07/03/2009.

- Credit-card giant Discover Financial Services LLC has told state officials it plans to begin cutting 55 jobs at its New Albany call center on Tuesday.

via Discover Financial cutting 55 jobs – Business First of Columbus: .

- The owner of most of the Bay Area’s newspapers said Friday it would lay off another 18 journalists in the East Bay this summer.

via More Bay Area journalists to lose jobs – San Francisco Business Times:

- Sanofi-Aventis’ restructuring plans may not include forced layoffs in Europe, but about 60 workers in the U.S. were told they’d be out of work by year’s end, BNet Pharma reports, and these weren’t “voluntary separations.” Report

via Sanofi tells 60 U.S. workers they’re out of jobs; Hong Kong finds Tamiflu-resistant case; – FiercePharma.

- Western Corporate Federal Credit Union eliminated 30 San Dimas, Calif.-based employees last week, adding to the 60 branch processing staff the NCUA had previously announced would be let go over the next 12 months. WesCorp’s staff will drop by roughly 22% from January 2008 to mid-2010.

via WesCorp Eliminates Jobs .14:50:08

- Sunoco announced Monday they will permanently shut down the ethylene unit at their Marcus Hook Refinery that was damaged in an explosion and fire in May, and lay off 40-50 workers in the process.

via Sunoco to shut down ethylene unit, ax 40-50 jobs – The Delaware County Daily Times : Serving Delaware County, PA(DelcoTimes.com).14:52:23

- Sun Microsystems recently dismissed 61 employees in Dallas as part of a broader restructuring, according to a company filing with the Texas Workforce Commission.

via Sun Microsystems lays off 61 in Dallas – Dallas Business Journal: .14:53:08

-In what’s being described as an “administrative reorganization” unrelated to the recession, Osler Hoskin & Harcourt LLP has slashed 23 members of its support staff.

via Law Times – Monday, July 6, 2009.14:58:03

- Wyle Laboratories is cutting 67 Austin high-tech jobs at the end of the week, but most will move over to another company that won a government contract Wyle previously held.

via Wyle cuts Austin jobs, but workers get new employer | Statesman Business Blog.14:59:38

- MYRTLE BEACH — Steel mill union officials last week rejected pay cuts and other concessions that mill owners had said could help stave off the indefinite shutdown planned for July 12.

via Steel mill set to shut down indefinitely July 12 – The Post and Courier.15:03:29

- Medtronic Inc., VML Co. LLC and Shelby County government all filed letters notifying the department that they will lay off a sum of 105 workers.

via 105 Shelby County workers to lose jobs – Memphis Business Journal: .16:08:25

- East Syracuse (WSYR-TV) – Twenty-five people were notified last week that they’re going to be laid off from The Bristol-Myers Squibb facility in East Syracuse.

via 25 employees laid off at Bristol-Myers Squibb – NewsChannel 9 WSYR .16:09:32

- ProHealth Care, which operates Waukesha Memorial Hospital and Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital, announced Monday it would eliminate 50 positions.

via ProHealth Care to cut 50 jobs – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: .21:17:34

- In a restructuring announced Monday, Naperville-based communications equipment manufacturer Tellabs Inc. disclosed it will lay off about 150 more employees.

via Tellabs-layoffs-tlab- — chicagotribune.com.21:18:18

-Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center has laid off 33 employees and reassigned 44 others as part of a broad budget-cutting effort at the hospital.

via Providence lays off 33 at Sacred Heart | Spokesman.com | Jul 6, 2009.21:22:32

-Last month, about 40 employees were given temporary layoff notices, reducing the workforce to about 20 at present, according to Tanja MacIsaac, office manager for Modus Modular Structures in Swift Current.

via Modus modular in Swift Current lays off staff .21:23:50

- World Vision has laid off about 50 employees, between 4 and 5 percent of its U.S. workforce, saying a decrease in cash donations in the first half of 2009 has forced it to make some painful cost cuts.

via The Business of Giving | World Vision lays off more than 4 percent of U.S. staff | Seattle Times Newspaper.21:24:29

- TORONTO — The Toronto Star says it’s cutting six full-time and 21 part-time positions at its classified department as sales for the section decline.

via The Canadian Press: Toronto Star cuts 6 full-time and 21 part-time jobs in classified department.21:25:14

- International Layoff News -

- FRANKFURT, July 6 (Reuters) – BASF (BASF.DE) plans to cut 3,700 jobs as part of the integration of Swiss rival Ciba and may sell or close as many as 23 of Ciba’s 55 sites, it said on Monday.

via UPDATE 1-BASF to cut 3,700 jobs as part of Ciba takover | Industries | Energy | Reuters .

- Oracle plans to lay off up to 1,000 workers in Europe, despite strong revenue growth compared with other enterprise software suppliers.

via Oracle to cut 1,000 jobs in Europe | 6 Jul 2009 | ComputerWeekly.com.

- This morning Bookseller reported that Penguin UK will lay-off around 100 people in the publisher’s London offices. As the publisher restructures, Penguin UK managing director Helen Fraser will retire, and be replaced by Tom Weldon as deputy chief executive.

via Around 100 Layoffs at Penguin UK – mediabistro.com: GalleyCat.

- The National Union of Journalists has condemned Trinity Mirror’s plan to make a further “savage” round of 66 job cuts in the north-east of England.

via Trinity Mirror plans 66 more job cuts in north-east England | Media | guardian.co.uk .

- The company said it will cut 26 jobs, mainly in drug discovery, from its current workforce of 82.

via Swiss Santhera cuts jobs to slow cash burn | Industries | Healthcare | Reuters .21:20:08

- Hiring News and News You Can Use-

- - STEP 1. Categorize your spending: You can’t budget if you don’t know how you’re spending your money. Pull together bank and credit card statements from the last three months, said Barbara McMahon, a financial adviser in Kansas City, Mo. Lump the line items into broad categories, such as food, housing, debt repayment, savings and entertainment.

via Budgeting in 6 easy steps — chicagotribune.com.

- TORONTO — Video game developer Ubisoft is coming to Toronto as part of a deal with the Ontario government that will create 800 jobs over 10 years.

via The Canadian Press: Video game maker Ubisoft to set up in Toronto, creating 800 jobs over 10 years.

- Wal-Mart is seeking 200 people to work at a new store opening in the fall in Tempe, the company said Monday.

via Wal-Mart hiring in Gilbert for Tempe store | Tempe News | eastvalleytribune.com.

- The U.S. Census Bureau in October will open an office in Gardiner that will employ 1,000 part-timers, according to the Kennebec Journal.

via Census bureau to hire 1,000 in Gardiner | Mainebiz.

Mike: Till Tuesday……………

David Horsey

July 3 – Has the Recovery Act helped you? – 11,000 Dutch postal carriers dumped

layofflist — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:01:47 +0000

Good day to all. The US is closed for the holiday, but there are still enough news stories to keep this post going for the day.

Yesterday the monthly jobless report showed a larger loss of jobs in June than expected. There is one point that should be emphasized and that is US needs to create about 120,000 jobs a month to just break even due to population increases and new workers, like college grads, entering the workforce. So when to see yesterday’s monthly job loss of 467,000, remember to add to that the 120,000 jobs that weren’t created.

Here’s a take from the monthly jobless report that finally paints a picture of reality. As quoted below: “There’s nothing in here to show that the economy and the market are pulling out of the grip of recession.”

The American economy lost 467,000 more jobs in June, and the unemployment rate edged up to 9.5 percent in a sobering indication that the longest recession since the 1930s had yet to release its hold.

“The numbers are indicative of a continued, very severe recession,” said Stuart G. Hoffman, chief economist at PNC Financial Services in Pittsburgh. “There’s nothing in here to show that the economy and the market are pulling out of the grip of recession.”

via Jobless Rate Climbs to 9.5%, Deflating Recovery Hopes – NYTimes.com.

That sentiment has been lacking in the “US: recession yes/no debate for the past six months, especially in the main stream media, which has pumped the “green shoots” mantra since the stimulus debacle. Why is that statement accurate? Here are a few reasons why the stimulus wasn’t stimulating to most of us, but was very stimulating to the banks and the other crooks that created this financial mess:

The stimulus was pushed as a job creation machine for the masses, yet it has showed that this is so far not the case. Why hasn’t the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 been a job creator? I think it’s because the majority of those funds went to tax breaks and businesses that have no intention of hiring more people. As an example, why would a road construction firm hire more people to build roads when states and municipalities are cutting back on their funding for road work? The feds may have prevented further layoffs at these firms, but it isn’t likey to create tens of thousands of more jobs.

Even trimmed to $789 billion, the recovery measure, signed by President Obama on Feb. 17, will be the most expansive unleashing of the government’s fiscal firepower in the face of a recession since World War II. And yet it seemed almost trifling compared with the $2.5 trillion rescue plan for the financial system – a combination of loans to banks and incentives to bring private capital into the banking system – announced on Tuesday by Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner.

via Economic Stimulus – The New York Times.

Take a close look at the above paragraph and I’ll go over the numbers. My simple take is that the total funds pumped into the system by the fed are about $3.3 trillion dollars. I think that’s a conservative estimate, since some have determined that the total amount of money the feds have pumped into bank bailouts and stimulus is approaching $14 trillion. But I’ll take the conservative approach and use the $3.3 trillion figure mentioned above. So instead of the $789 billion in stimulus funds and the $2.5 trillion sent to bank crooks, your elected leaders in congress could have decided to send each of America’s 110,000,000 households a check for $30,000. I’m not sure about you, but wouldn’t a check for $30,000 be more stimulating than a promise of some sort of economic recovery would occur based on giving banking thieves and large companies trillions of dollars? You and I could have decided to stimulate the economy by spending some of that $30,000 on what we thought was important. The feds could have sent each household $30,000 in gift cards and demanded we spend the money over a two year period. But no, they decided to give the cash to the like of Goldman Sachs and other banking giants that caused our dire financial condition. Oh, and because of the taxpayers largess to these bank frauds, Goldman Sachs is distributing record bonuses this year:

Staff at Goldman Sachs staff can look forward to the biggest bonus payouts in the firm’s 140-year history after a spectacular first half of the year, sparking concern that the big investment banks which survived the credit crunch will derail financial regulation reforms.

A lack of competition and a surge in revenues from trading foreign currency, bonds and fixed-income products has sent profits at Goldman Sachs soaring, according to insiders at the firm.

via Goldman Sachs to make record bonus payout | Business | The Observer .

In closing this rant, I want to give a few examples on how the rich got richer during this taxpayer givaway, while the person that needed the most help was discarded or given a tiny slice of pie to make them think that their concerns were being met:

Unemployment benefits 1: The government estimates that there are 14.7 million unemployed people, but that is probably a conservative estimate. While the benefits period was extended in most states, there are states like Texas that refused the government extension funds. The recession officially started in December 2007, so anyone laid off from that date forward who has not found a job has likely exhausted the maximum 72 week unemployment benefit period. More people will be coming off the benefit rolls, not as a result of getting a job, but as a result of exhausting benefits. The negative fallout from that could start to have an affect on increased crime and even lower consumer demand, let alone mortgage and utilities payments.
Unemployment benefits 2: The feds raised the maximum benefit by $25 in most cases, if the funds were approved by the states. There are still a number of states, like dysfunctional NY, that haven’t approved a new budget to allow for those extra funds to be distributed. As usual, our elected leaders are more concerned about showmanship and grandstanding than performing their duties effectively.
Unemployment benefits 3: These benefits are taxed as income. Why didn’t the feds just eliminate the income tax portion of unemployment benefits instead of raising the payment $25? The $25 payment increase had to be approved by the states, but the elimination of the income tax from unemployment benefits would have happened immediately without state intervention. And that extra $25 a week given to the unemployed is taxable, so the true amount received in most cases will be less than $25. Banks, insurance companies and other corrupt businesses are now allowed to give their employees record bonuses, but the unemployed are still being asked to pay taxes on some meager benefits.
State budgets: States were given stimulus funds for a number of purposes, but they still need to balance their budgets and most of that balancing has to be done shortly. States and other entities will have to cut jobs to meet lowered property and sales tax receipts. Those job cuts include the ranks of social services, which are more needed during a recession, but are hacked at an alarming rate during troubled times. Child care, transportation, welfare, utility payment and other subsidies (Domestic Violence Shelter Lay Offs) are cut further when needed most. So the poor suffer while the boys and girls at Goldman and other investment houses live lavishly from bonuses orchestrated by taxpayer bailouts.

Those are only a few examples of the twisted logic of the bailouts and how they helped the rich stay rich at the expense of the needy, poor and middle class. I’ll add to this list as time allows, but I hope this makes a point of how the system has been so corrputed by bad money and bad politicians that it no longer can effectively meet the needs of those who need help most.

Please send along your thoughts.

Onto today’s news.

- Larger layoff announcements and important economic reports:

US/Canada:

Tom Toles

International:

Largest lay-off operation in Dutch history at TNT (11,000)
Siemens to axe 900 jobs in Czech Republic

Navigation links to today’s stories:

via Dice Reports Murky Waters For Tech Jobs – washingtonpost.com.

- Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News -

- General Economic News -

- Tom Silver, senior vice president of Dice.com, told us this morning that Dice.com is reporting a 44% year-over-year drop in job listings for the month of June. May’s year-over-year decline hovered around 45%.

- Government Layoff News -

- SPRINGFIELD – The state budget mess is starting to be felt here at home.

The Sojourn Domestic Violence Shelter in Springfield was forced to lay off eight workers Wednesday and is now

via Domestic Violence Shelter Lay Offs.

Chris Britt

- US and some Canada Layoff News -

- MICHIGAN CITY – Sullair Corp., 3700 E. Michigan Blvd., laid off 50 workers on Tuesday as the economic downtown has continued to shrink market demand for air compressors.

via 50 more laid off at Sullair.

- The Faculty of Arts and Sciences has eliminated 77 staff positions and reduced work hours for another 15 employees as part of the recent University-wide downsizing, Dean Michael D. Smith announced Wednesday.

via The Harvard Crimson :: News :: FAS Lays Off 77 Staffers .

-NEW BRIGHTON — New Brighton-based Tegrant Corp., formerly Tuscarora Inc., has laid off a dozen management employees as part of a company consolidation.

via Beaver County Times & Allegheny Times Online – Top Stories.

- Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based Ruden McClosky has laid off eight more attorneys as part of a cost-reduction effort that included 18 percent pay cuts for most of its lawyers, according to firm and other legal industry sources.

via Law.com – Ruden McClosky Slashes Pay, Lays Off 8 Lawyers .

- IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Public Radio has bought out, laid off or reassigned five employees and will leave four other positions unfilled in an effort to cut costs.

via Iowa Public Radio announces job cuts, cites revenue dropoff from state and universities – WQAD.

- In a memo distributed to employees Thursday, Cincinnati Enquirer Publisher Margaret Buchanan wrote that the newspaper will lay off up to 100 people in the next few days. The Gannett Co., The Enquirer’s parent firm, is bracing for about 1,400 layoffs in its newspaper division before July 9. Buchanan’s memo is the first indication about how the cutbacks will affect Cincinnati’s only remaining daily newspaper.

via 100 Facing Layoffs at Enquirer.

- International Layoff News -

- 11,000 mail deliverers and sorters will be made redundant at TNT Post, the Netherlands’ former national postal service announced in its staff magazine on Thursday. The company, which is struggling with new competition and high wages, says a reorganisation is unavoidable after the unions turned down a deal to cut pay instead of jobs.

via nrc.nl – International – Largest lay-off operation in Dutch history at TNT.

- Engineering group Siemens (SIEGn.DE) will cut the 900 jobs at its Prague rail car factory in August, a spokesman said on Thursday, the latest jobs loss as central European industry struggles to gain orders.

via Siemens to axe 900 jobs in Czech Republic | Industries | Industrials, Materials & Utilities | Reuters .

- Anglesey Aluminium is offering 140 staff voluntary redundancy because a new power deal that gives them cheap electricity has not been reached.

via BBC NEWS | UK | Wales | North West Wales | 140 redundancies at metal plant.

- UP to 1,000 staff on short-time temporary contracts of less than a year are to be let go by the HSE. The move will allow the creation of the same number of permanent posts to improve a range of services including child psychiatry and care of the elderly.

via 1,000 HSE temporary staff laid off as new jobs filled – National News, Frontpage – Independent.ie.

- Hiring News and News You Can Use-

- COLUMBUS, Ind. (AP) — Cummins Inc. is recalling 400 laid-off workers as it resumes production of the Dodge Ram engine at a central Indiana factory.

via 9&10 News: Cummins recalling 400 workers at Indiana plant.

Mike Luckovich

http://alphainventions.com/ for a look at websites from around the globe.

July 1 – Mortgage applications fall to 7-month low – ADP and Challenger employment reports show some improvement – Diageo (Guinness) cuts 900 jobs – Gannett to cut 1000 more? – Briggs & Stratton to chop at least 430

layofflist — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:20:31 +0000

Mike: There are too many economic reports for this lone blogger to highlight, so you may want to visit Bloomberg.com: Economic Calendar to view your favorite reports.

Mike: I would be remiss if I didn’t send a Canada Day greeting to my Canadian readers and friends. Being from Rochester, NY, I often get to visit Canada and I have had some great times in Niagara Falls, Toronto, and Ottawa. Enjoy your day Canada! For those who would like to learn a bit about Canada Day, take a look here:

Canada Day (French: Fête du Canada), formerly Dominion Day (French: Le Jour de la Confédération), is Canada’s national day, a federal statutory holiday celebrating the anniversary of the 1 July 1867 enactment of the British North America Act, which united Canada as a single country, which was in turn composed of four provinces. Canada Day observances take place throughout Canada as well as internationally.

via Canada Day – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Wednesday brings more important housing data and so far it isn’t looking like a green shoot:

NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. mortgage applications plunged to a seven-month low last week as demand for home refinancing loans tumbled 30 percent, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.

The drop does not bode well for the hard-hit U.S. housing market, which has been showing some signs of stabilization, with sales rising and home price declines moderating in many regions of the country.

The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage applications, which includes both purchase and refinance loans, for the week ended June 26 decreased 18.9 percent to 444.8, the lowest reading since the week ended November 21, 2008.

via U.S. mortgage applications fall to 7-month low - Yahoo! Finance.

Sure, there’s other important news besides the following, but in a previous post I mentioned how banks will abuse the time they have before complying with the new credit card regulations take affect and below is one of likely many examples of how this will occur. Congress gave the credit cards cos too much time to comply with regulations, since most new rules won’t apply until 2010. It’s like the fed telling accounting firms that they don’t have to follow new accounting rules for six months that prohibit them from hiding a clients income offshore to avoid taxes. What do you think would happen?

(Reuters) – Citigroup Inc has increased interest rates on up to 15 million U.S. credit card accounts just months before curbs on such rises come into effect, the Financial Times reported citing people close to the situation.

Citigroup had upped rates on 13 million to 15 million credit cards it co-brands with retailers such as Sears, the paper said.

via Citi raises rates on millions of credit cards: report – Yahoo! News.

Here’s a summary of the legislation:

Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009

via S. 414 – Summary: Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (GovTrack.us).

Drew Sheneman

- Larger layoff announcements and important economic reports:

US/Canada:

International:

GAZ Group cuts 6500 - moscowtimes.ru/
Diageo cuts 900 jobs, closes distillery
Siemens axes 300 UK at tech services arm •
ING to merge insurance, cut 800 jobs
Gala cut 300 jobs! : Gaming Alerts
600 jobs to go at Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic

Navigation links to today’s stories:

via Another Big Round of Layoffs is Imminent at Gannett – Media Decoder Blog – NYTimes.com.

- Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News -

- The Gannett Company, owner of the nation’s largest newspaper chain, will go through another round of layoffs soon, with an announcement possible in the next few days, executives said Tuesday.

- Gannett Co. Inc., the publisher of The Courier-Journal, plans to eliminate more than 1,000 jobs, according to a report Tuesday on The Wall Street Journal’s Web site.

via Report: Gannett to cut 1,000 jobs - Business First of Louisville: .

- General Economic News -

Monster Employment Index

June 2009 Index Highlights:

Index fell by one point reflecting seasonal lull in U.S. online recruitment activity

Year-over-year growth rate showed slight improvement from previous two months

Real estate, rental and leasing registered strongest monthly rise in online job availability among industries amid signs of stabilization in the housing market

Among occupations, legal and protective services led all categories in June while demand eased further for technically skilled professionals

via Monster Employment Index Edges Down Slightly in June.

Challenger Job-Cut Report
7:30 AM ET

It was the first time since last September that the monthly total was less than 100,000 and it was the lowest job-cut count since 53,579 job cuts were announced in March 2008.

It was also nine percent lower than the same month a year ago, making it the first year-over-year decline since February 2008, Challenger added.

via U.S. planned layoffs fall to 15-month low in June | Markets | Hot Stocks | Reuters .

ADP Employment Report
8:15 AM ET

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Companies in the U.S. private sector shed 473,000 jobs in June, according to the ADP employment report released Wednesday………..

The decline in employment was close to the consensus forecast of Wall Street economists surveyed by MarketWatch for a decline of 498,000.

via Private sector shed 473,000 jobs in June: ADP – MarketWatch.

Lisa Benson

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that construction spending dropped 0.9 percent in May, nearly double the 0.5 percent decline that economists expected. Adding to the signs of weakness, activity in the past two months was revised lower.

Construction rose 0.6 percent in April, down from the 0.8 percent increase originally reported. A March increase of 0.4 percent was replaced with a decline of the same amount. That left the April gain as the only increase in the past eight months.

via Construction spending falls more than expected – Yahoo! Finance.

Mike: Some areas are already seeing Depression type unemployment:

- Martinsville’s unemployment rate rose in May to 21.9 percent, once again the highest rate in Virginia, statistics show.

via BREAKING NEWS: City unemployment rate hits 21.9 percent – Martinsville Bulletin.

- Ford Motor Co. (F) reported a smaller-than-expected 11% drop in U.S. sales for June, while rival Chrysler Group LLC posted a steeper-than-expected decline of 42%.

But Chrysler’s results were caused in part by a 95% tumble in fleet sales, with the auto maker’s retail market share up 1 percentage point to 9%.

Meanwhile, Toyota Motor Corp. (TM) continued to struggle, reporting a 32% drop as the company sold fewer vehicles domestically than Ford for the third-straight month.

via UPDATE: Ford US Sales Top Expectations, Chrysler Down 42%.

- Government Layoff News -

- SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Legislators in more than a half-dozen states, their revenues evaporating in the recession, frantically worked to stave off government shutdowns and devastating service cuts. California failed to meet a midnight deadline and now may need to issue IOUs instead of paying bills.

Across the country, lawmakers were feeling the heat as their legislatures began the new fiscal year without a budget in place.

via California, other states face tough budget choices - Yahoo! News.

- The budget cuts the state workforce by 5 percent, with 200 layoffs and another 400 vacant positions being eliminated.

Lynch said contract talks continue with the State Employees Association. He said he prefers worker furloughs to layoffs as a way to make $25 million in personnel savings the budget requires. But he said a voluntary furloughs system won’t be enough. Up to 950 layoffs will be needed if a deal can’t be reached on specific, predictable cutbacks.

via UnionLeader.com – New Hampshire news, business and sports – Budget signed: 950 state workers could lose jobs – Wednesday, Jul. 1, 2009.

- The president of the commission, Bettye Fine Collins, said officials will immediately start laying off several hundred of the county’s 3,600 employees. That number could reach 1,000 in the county’s budget year that starts Oct. 1.

via Ala. County Begins Mass Layoffs After Budget Cuts – Court Alabama Tax Birmingham – WKRG.com.

- The first round of Chicago Public Schools layoffs is set to begin Wednesday when more than 550 administrative employees will be fired as part of a cost-cutting plan, district sources said.

via Chicago schools cutting 550 workers – Chicago Breaking News.

- Five Bridgewater police officers have been laid off to balance the town budget.

via Bridgewater lays off five cops – Brockton, MA – The Enterprise.

- The transportation agency says it has laid off 14 employees, including a marketing director. Without a marketing director, officials say they chose to suspend all marketing and advertising campaigns for an undisclosed length of time.

via Coast RTA announces layoffs, campaign suspension – WMBF News | Myrtle Beach/Florence,SC | News, Weather and Sports-.

- The total layoffs could range from 16 to 24 employees, depending on whether employee unions will agree to reductions in health care benefits and holiday pay.

via The Wenatchee World Online – Chelan County will cut 16-24 employees.

- State agencies have eliminated seven employee positions, the state personnel director said Tuesday.

via JournalStar.com – Lincoln, Nebraska – News – Local.

- These reductions include 17 full-time equivalents (FTE) in teacher staff reductions, including district staff, and reductions of seven FTE for education assistants, 2.5 FTE for school clerical staff and 0.6 FTE for principals and vice-principals.

via Comox Valley Record – School District 71 forced to cut equivalent to 27 people.

- US and some Canada Layoff News -

-Briggs & Stratton Corp. on Wednesday announced a plan to close its Jefferson and Watertown factories in fiscal 2010, leading to the loss of at least 430 jobs.

The plants, which are run by Wauwatosa-based Briggs & Stratton’s power products division, currently manufacture all portable generator, home standby generator and pressure washer products marketed and sold by the company.

via Briggs & Stratton to close Jefferson, Watertown plants; 430 jobs lost – The Business Journal of Milwaukee: .

- A 3M manufacturing plant in Southbridge that makes safety goggles and ear plugs will be shuttered next year, putting 200 factory employees out of work

via 200 to lose jobs as 3M closes plant – BostonHerald.com.

- The approximately 100 people who work at the plants will be offered jobs elsewhere, Dow said.

via Dow Chemical to close 3 La. plants, cuts ethylene production to cut costs after Rohm buyout – Los Angeles Times.

- RACINE, Wis. — Johnson Outdoors Inc., which makes kayaks, dive equipment and tents, said Tuesday it is closing a plant in Ferndale, Wash., eliminating 90 jobs.

via Johnson Outdoors closing Washington state plant – Forbes.com.

- The maker of high-density stainless and iron alloy powder metal parts for the auto industry currently employs about 70 workers.

via Hazen Auto Parts Maker Closing Plant, Putting 70 Out of Work – ArkansasBusiness.com .

- Cosma International, owner of the Benco Manufacturing in Belle Plaine, on Thursday informed its employees of plans to close the plant by December. Benco, which manufactures parts for a variety of domestic and foreign automakers, employed as many as 160 before orders declined in recent months.

via Belle Plaine auto parts plant closing by December | GazetteOnline.com – Cedar Rapids, Iowa City.

- The slump in the automobile industry has prompted job cuts at a Wells Fargo servicing center for auto financing, with about 50 people losing their jobs.

Separately, the San Francisco-based banking giant has trimmed a handful of jobs in Oakland in a move related to Wells Fargo’s purchase of Wachovia Corp. But the number of job cuts in Oakland is fewer than 10, the bank said.

via Wells Fargo makes more job cuts – Inside Bay Area .

- To earn the $300,000 of incentives promised by the county, Sparton Corp. agreed to add 100 more jobs during the next two years.

Now it must add 114.

The company confirmed Tuesday afternoon it had eliminated 14 assembly and manufacturing support jobs at the Brooksville facility.

via Sparton lays off 14 employees in Brooksville.

- Squamish – At least two dozen workers were informed they’d lost their job today as the downtown Skye development site stopped construction.

via Dozens lose jobs as Skye construction stops | Local News | Squamish Chief.

- Citing the uncertain economy, Loveland Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brian Willms announced Tuesday his office is laying off two full-time employees and one part-time employee.

via 3 laid off at Loveland Chamber | coloradoan.com | The Coloradoan,.

- In an effort to balance its budget for fiscal year 2009-2010, the financially strapped Overture Center laid off two full-time staffers this week, including a management position, the arts organization said Tuesday.

via 77 Square: Arts: Theater: Overture Center lays off 2 more staffers.

- Vibe Media Group Chief Financial Officer Angela Zucconi confirmed the closing and said most of the company’s 50 or so employees will be laid off.

via Vibe Magazine To Cease Publication – Entertainment News Story – KMBC Kansas City.

- As of Aug. 1, Sutter Solano will eliminate 34 full- or part-time positions, plus another six empty nursing positions will not be filled, said hospital spokesman Russell Neilson.

via Layoffs at Sutter Solano Medical Center – Vallejo Times Herald .

- Maryland’s Blue Omega Entertainment, the studio behind the Codemasters-published Xbox 360, PS3, and PC game Damnation, has laid off its entire staff following the game’s completion, according to reports.

via Gamasutra – News – Report: Damnation Developer Lays Off Entire Staff.

- The Harvard Kennedy School has laid off 18 employees to help it close a $2 million budget gap that persisted after less drastic spending cuts, Dean David T. Ellwood ’75 announced in a letter to the School’s faculty and staff last Tuesday.

via The Harvard Crimson :: News :: HKS Cuts 18 Staffers To Close Budget Gap .

- Today, we are reducing our production workforce by 31 people across some departments. These cuts represent a mix of job eliminations, layoffs and reorganizations in creative, casting and physical production, as well as the Paramount Vantage label.

via Despite Transformers 2, Paramount makes deep cuts, shuts down Paramount Vantage.

- University officials are continuing to cut Harvard’s subcontracted janitorial staff despite a string of protests in Cambridge and at the Medical School campus this past spring, according to union organizers.

via The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Cutbacks to Subcontracted Janitorial Staff Continue .

- A casino closure near Onawa, Iowa, means 185 workers — many members of the Omaha Tribe — will lose their jobs.

via 185 Workers Lose Jobs In Casino Closure – Omaha News Story – KETV Omaha.

- The employees said they weren’t sure how many were laid off. One employee said the layoffs could have been up to 100 people in Westport, with fewer in Hoquiam.

via The Daily World.

- The positions, three considered back room jobs, should have minimal impact on the retail end of business, he added.

via Oculina Bank lays off some staff : Treasure Coast : TCPalm .

- Last week, the Monadnock Humane Society laid off three employees as part of a restructuring move, according to Carol L. Armer, chief executive officer. The changes won’t affect the organization’s services in 44 Monadnock Region communities, Armer said.

via SentinelSource.com |Monadnock Humane Society lays off staffers.

- CUNA is eliminating the jobs of 18 people in its Madison, Wis. office as part of previously announced cost-cutting program, the association announced today

via CUNA Lays Off 18 More Staffers .

- OLIVE TOWNSHIP–Auto parts manufacturer BBi Enterprises Group has all but shut the lights off and locked the doors of its manufacturing plant at 13370 Barry St.

via Holland area auto supplier, BBi Enterprises Group, closing down this month workers say – West Michigan Business News – MLive.com.

- International Layoff News -

- GAZ Group is laying off about 6,500 people from its main production site in Nizhny Novgorod, a GAZ spokeswoman said Tuesday.

via http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1009/42/379193.htm.

- LONDON – Diageo PLC, the world’s biggest spirits maker, said Wednesday it is cutting 900 jobs as it shutters a 199 year-old distillery and packaging plant as part of a cost-cutting restructure of operations in Scotland.

Diageo, which makes brands including Guinness stout, Smirnoff vodka and Johnnie Walker whisky, said that the restructuring will trim costs by some 40 million pounds ($66 million) in 2012.

via Diageo cuts 900 jobs, closes distillery – News Wires – CNBC.com.

- The wine group Foster’s will ask 50 workers at the Karadoc Lindemans winery, near Mildura in north-west Victoria, to take voluntary redundancy packages.

via ABC Western Victoria – Winery workers face voluntary redundancy.

- American hotelier Hilton Hotels Corporation has announced that it has made around 100 full-time staff redundant at its international headquarters in Watford. An undisclosed number of contract staff will also lose their jobs.

via Hilton makes 100 redundancies at its Watford office – BigHospitality.

-The academy is cutting seven teaching posts from its staff to deal with a ‘significant budget deficit’ it inherited when it took over the former Sherwood Hall School last September.

via Some Samorth Academy staff to be made redundant – Mansfield Chad .

- The college said the announcement would affect 12 posts.

via BBC NEWS | UK | Scotland | Tayside and Central | Anger over college staff job cuts.

- Fifty positions are being eliminated from the Moss plant in Belfast. The company said on Tuesday that it is consolidating its operations and closing part of its facility there.

via Job Cuts at Belfast Plant – WABI TV5.

- Clothing manufacturer Pacific Brands will close its Palmerston North factory next month with the loss of 50 jobs after efforts to sell the factory failed.

via 50 jobs lost as factory sale fails – National – NZ Herald News.

- CORUS’ Engineering Steels last week announced that 379 Stocksbridge employees are to be made redundant in a fresh wave of job cuts.

via Welcome to Look Local.

- Finnish government-owned distiller Altia said Tuesday it had wrapped up a round of statutory cooperation procedure talks, adding 14 people would have to go.

via NewsRoom Finland.

- Smurfit Kappa is to cut 140 jobs from its 173-strong workforce at its paper converting factory in Co Cork.

Staff were briefed by management on the job losses this morning.

via Smurfit Kappa to cut 140 Cork jobs – The Irish Times – Wed, Jul 01, 2009.

- Telecoms giant Nortel has laid off another 150 staff across the UK without redundancy pay.

via BBC NEWS | UK | England | Berkshire | More jobs cut at telecoms giant.

- Siemens is slashing 300 jobs at its IT services operation in the UK.

The company told staff in an internal memo, seen by The Register, that it planned to cut loose 100 ops division roles, 160 project management and consultancy jobs, and 40 finance and head office staff.

via Siemens axes 300 UK at tech services arm • Channel Register.

- Financial services group ING is to merge all its insurance operations under the Nationale Nederlanden flag, meaning long-established names such as RVS will disappear.

The reorganisation will cost 800 jobs over the next three years but ING said it hopes to largely avoid compulsory redundancies.

via DutchNews.nl – ING to merge insurance, cut 800 jobs.

- The owner of Gala Coral who owns Coral bookmakers and Gala bingo and casino is cutting 300 jobs as a result of shutting another 5 bingo clubs! The company has reorganised itself and increased its efficiency meaning over 180 administrative jobs have been cut which includes both finance and marketing positions.

via Gala cut 300 jobs! : Gaming Alerts.

- Up to 600 jobs at Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic airline are under threat as the airline cuts back on its services this winter – just as arch-rival BA seeks to axe 4,000 jobs.

via 600 jobs to go at Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin Atlantic as BA seeks to axe 4,000 | Mail Online.

- Trinity Mirror (LSE: TNI) has revealed plans to shut 12 newspapers in the Midlands, axe “approximately” 94 jobs and shut two offices as part of the company’s plans to save £25 million this year.

via Return Of The Cuts: Trinity Mirror Closing 12 Newspapers, Axing 94 Jobs | paidContent:UK .

- Hiring News and News You Can Use-

- The Oshkosh Corp., will get up to $12 billion to make thousands of armored vehicles which the Pentagon urgently needs in Afghanistan.

Oshkosh out-bid three competitors to build the Army and Marine Corps’ MRAP all-terrain vehicles.

via Oshkosh Corp. wins multi-billion-dollar contract to build military vehicles needed in Afghanistan | New Richmond News | New Richmond, Wisconsin .

- CHICAGO (Reuters.com) — In the past five years, roughly half the new hires at manufacturer Handi-Ramp have been recruited from the online city networking site Craigslist. For those battling to contain costs, it’s becoming an increasingly popular way to recruit staff.

via Help wanted: Recruiting on Craigslist – 5WPR.

- USIS, a provider of security investigations to the federal government, is hoping to hire 200 field investigators in the next three months.

via USIS hiring 200 investigators – Washington Business Journal: .

- Atlanta – H&R Block, the company known for its tax preparation services, announced Wednesday that it is hiring for several positions in the Atlanta area.

via H&R Block Hiring, Hosting Career Fairs – 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA.

Mike: That’s it for today and it was a much busier day that I expected with the July 4 holiday weekend almost upon us. Tomorrow brings us the weekly Jobless Claims report and the monthly Employment Situation report. Till then………………….

Tom Toles

via Calculated Risk: Case-Shiller: House Prices Fall in April.

June 30 – Detroit Public Schools job cuts raised to nearly 2500 staff – 3M job cuts continue with more to come – Lloyds to cut 2100 jobs – Canon to cut 700 – Housing prices continue to fall, but show monthly improvement – Consumer confidence falls unexpectedly: Is the stimulus party over already?

layofflist — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:33:36 +0000

Mike: Good day to all and thanks for visiting The Layoff List. The S&P Case-Shiller HPI is the big economic news story of the day and many seem elated that the rate price collapse eased in April. To get some great expert opinion on this months S&P Case-Shiller HPI, I urge you to read the updates posted at: Calculated Risk: Case-Shiller: House Prices Fall in April.

- S&P Case-Shiller HPI

9:00 AM ET

- This is near the worst year-over-year price declines for the Composite indices since the housing bubble burst started.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — Home prices continued to tumble in April, falling 18.1% from a year earlier — but the month-over-month change in a closely watched real estate gauge narrowed sharply, indicating that housing markets may be starting to turn.

via Home price decline flattens out in April – Jun. 30, 2009 .

Mike: I agree with the following sentiment. I recommend that you visit The Big Picture at http://www.ritholtz.com/blog/ and that you read his excellent commentary and analysis:

And once the various government stimuli gets withdrawn — very low rates, $8,000 first-time home buyer tax credit — we can expect even these weak reports to turn south.

via Case Shiller Index Falls 18% | The Big Picture.12:08:34

Mike: More poor news on the housing front and it shows how prime loans are going belly-up. I was getting tired of hearing certain types blame this whole financial mess on poor people buying homes they couldn’t afford because Fannie and Freddie demanded that banks lend to the poor. It was a lousy excuse and these numbers show that the poor were merely the canary in the coal mine:

Prime mortgages 60 days or more past due climbed to 2.9 percent of such loans through March 31 from 1.1 percent at the same point in 2008, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and the Office of Thrift Supervision said today in a report. First-time foreclosure filings on the loans rose 22 percent from the fourth quarter, the report said.

via Mish’s Global Economic Trend Analysis: Home Loan Delinquencies Double on Prime Loans; Foreclosure Filings Top 300,000 3rd Straight Month.

Mike: For a comprehensive review of June housing and economic graphs, take a look at:

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

via Calculated Risk: June Economic Summary in Graphs.

Tom Toles

- Larger layoff announcements and important economic reports:

US/Canada:

International:

Lloyds to Cut 2,100 Jobs at Group Operations, Wholesale Units – Bloomberg.com
SKF to cut 900 jobs
VTB may layoff 1000 - www.moscowtimes.ru
Canon to cut 700 jobs at chip gear operations
200 jobs to go as Air Products factory closes

Navigation links to today’s stories:

via Gannett may make more staff cuts at newspapers, salary cuts at television stations – Portland Business Journal: .

- Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News -

- A report by the Gannett Blog on Friday references a memo from Gannett CFO Gracia Martore that projects 4,500 newspaper layoffs throughout the Gannett chain in July as well as a 10 percent pay cut for its broadcast employees. The Gannett Blog report also says Gannett workers will not face any more furloughs this year.

- Yahoo has laid off much of its video staff, seen many video executives leave, and shut video properties such as Yahoo Live and Jumpcut. While its actions might indicate otherwise, spokeswoman Terrell Karlsten said via email “[V]ideo initiatives remain a priority for Yahoo!, both for its consumer and advertising experiences.”

via Yahoo Cuts Off Maven Customers .

- General Economic News -

Chicago PMI
9:45 AM ET

Manufacturing activity improved in the Chicago region in June after a disappointing drop in the prior month. The Chicago purchasing managers index rose to 39.9% in June from 34.9% in May, according to a survey of corporate purchasing managers released Tuesday. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had expected the index to rise to 39.0%. Readings below 50% indicate overall business contraction.

via Chicago factory activity index improves in June – MarketWatch.

Consumer Confidence
10:00 AM ET

Mike: Must be the hangover is taking effect after the stimulus party failed to keep spirits artificially high.

A private research group is reporting Tuesday that consumers’ confidence in the economy has fallen unexpectedly in June as shoppers fret about job security.

The New York-based Conference Board says its Consumer Confidence Index stands at 49.3, down from its revised May level of 54.8. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters were projecting a reading of 55.

via Consumer confidence falls in June.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Mike: There is some justice after all:

- NEW YORK _ One hundred and fifty years.

Bernard Madoff showed no emotion when U.S. District Court Judge Denny Chin on Monday sentenced the convicted Wall Street swindler to the maximum for pulling off the largest Ponzi scheme in history.

“Symbolism is important to deter future crimes and as retribution,” Chin said. “Mr. Madoff’s crimes were extraordinarily evil.”

via American Chronicle | Madoff Sentenced to 150 Years in Prison .

Jim Morin

- NEW YORK (AP) — General Motors Corp. said Monday it is ending its joint venture with Toyota Motor Corp. at a Fremont, Calif., manufacturing plant, bringing to a close the first partnership of its kind between a U.S. and foreign automaker as GM continues to downsize under bankruptcy…….

GM announced it was phasing out the Pontiac brand earlier this year. The facility will cease production of GM vehicles in August, the company said. A Toyota spokesman said the Japanese automaker is weighing its next move for the plant, which employs about 4,600 workers.

via The Associated Press: GM ends joint venture with Toyota at Calif. plant.

- WASHINGTON (AP) — Unemployment rates rose in all the largest U.S. metropolitan areas for the fifth straight month in May.

The Labor Department says jobless rates in May rose from a year earlier in all 372 metropolitan area it tracks.

via Jobless rates rise in all US metro areas in May – Yahoo! Finance.

Finally………………

- Nearly eight months after voters went to the polls, the Minnesota Senate race has finally yielded a winner: Democrat Al Franken.

Republican Norm Coleman conceded his loss in a press conference Tuesday afternoon, saying he has called to congratulate the former comedian on his victory. His statement came after the Minnesota Supreme Court unanimously rejected his appeal of a lower court ruling in Franken’s favor.

via Coleman Concedes; Franken Wins Senate Seat – Political Hotsheet – CBS News.

- Government Layoff News -

-Detroit Public Schools, struggling with a multiyear deficit, will cut 700 more employees and is even considering bankruptcy, emergency financial manager Robert Bobb said Monday.

But even the cuts, including a work force reduction of 2,451 — almost 18 percent — won’t eliminate a “legacy deficit” of $259.5 million, said Bobb. He said the district overspent its budget for seven years and that eliminating the deficit in one year would be too harmful to students.

via DPS cuts to total nearly 2,500 staff | detnews.com | The Detroit News.

- O’Shea was to begin meeting with more than 70 staff members at AID Monday afternoon to let them know they’ve been laid off. Six contract psychiatrists and about 200 respite staff members hired by AID families also will be cut.

via AID will slash its services by half :: The Courier News :: Local News.

- Elk Island Public Schools is predicting a surplus in its 2009/10 budget, but is cutting approximately 13 staff.

via Public school board cuts 13 staff – Sherwood Park News – Alberta, CA .

- The six firefighter layoffs take effect July 13, yet Wagner and others looked ahead to future public events that may require a fire department response.

via Bay City lays off six firefighters : News : WPBN TV 7&4 .

- PORTLAND, Maine — Nine Portland fire employees will lose their jobs Wednesday after the union didn’t agree to a collective bargaining agreement with the city.

via 9 Portland Fire Employees To Lose Jobs Wednesday – Portland News Story – WMTW Portland.

- Instead of working 5 8-hour days, city employees will work 4 9-hour shifts starting this week. City Manager Richard Wilson explained that the City of Santa Cruz is facing a $9 million deficit. “We’ve had multiple millions in outright cuts and layoffs and we realized there was just no way for us to get through that kind of a total unless we had compensation and reductions across the board.

via KCBS – Santa Cruz Employees Agree to Shortened Work Week.

- HOUGHTON LAKE — Facing declining student enrollment and a general fund shortfall for the 2009-10 school year, the Houghton Lake Community Schools Board of Education approved several staff reductions at a June 29 special meeting.

via HLCS eliminates eight staff positions at June 29 special meeting – Roscommon County Herald News.

- The resolution will also reduce the amount of hours worked per day from eight to seven for 12 employees; reduce the amount of days worked annually from 251 to 249 days for 11 employees; and reduce the amount of days worked annually from 255 days to 251 days for 13 employees. The resolution will also reduce the combined total hours worked weekly from 15 hours to 10 hours for two employees.

via Trace makes more cuts.

- On Friday, Driscoll-Shaw, Mary Hardy, Tia Podraza and Lee Stump were delivered termination letters, which stated that the decision was based on the township not having enough of a workload to support their positions.

via Northwest Herald | Grafton Township supervisor fires 4 part-time employees.

- RENO, Nev. (AP) – Washoe County is cutting 300 more jobs because of the economic downturn.

The county already has more than 200 unfilled positions that have accumulated over the past three years for a total of 500 jobs and $100 million cut from county spending.

via Washoe County cutting 300 more jobs – KSBY 6 Action News San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara.15:38:31

- US and some Canada Layoff News -

- 3M Co. management told employees Monday that it eliminated 1,000 jobs worldwide during the second quarter that ends today.

Most of the job losses were in western Europe and Asia, but the size and scope of those job cuts were not disclosed until Monday. That 1,000 figure doesn’t include 700 U.S. employees who accepted early retirement packages this spring.

via 3M eliminates another 1,000 jobs, with more to come.

- 3M Co. on Monday confirmed plans to eliminate 100 jobs in its information technology division over the next 12 months, the latest in a series of cuts at the Maplewood-based company.

Most of the jobs being eliminated are in the Twin Cities, said company spokeswoman Jacqueline Berry. Information technology employees first heard of the cuts Friday.

via 3M confirms plans to cut 100 information technology jobs – TwinCities.com .

-GE Capital Corp. has laid off 127 employees at a Bedford operation in the past three months, and the company said staff reductions may continue through mid-September.

via GE Capital lays off 127 in Bedford; more cuts planned | Business | Star-Telegram.com.

- Informatix Inc., a California-based company, is laying off 48 workers today, General Manager Adolph Domenic Mazzei said.

via 4 companies in Middle Tennessee cut 384 jobs | tennessean.com | The Tennessean.

- The 430,000-square-foot Lea/American Drew facility on Armory Road, North Wilkesboro, officially closed as a furniture manufacturing plant on Friday, leaving about 190 people without jobs.

via Wilkes Journal Patriot – Welcome .

- Winston-Salem State University is laying off 16 people and eliminating 30 vacant positions as part of a restructuring plan that will cut $7 million to $9 million from its current budget, school officials said today.

via WSSU lays off 16 people, eliminates 30 vacant positions.

- Tampa Fox affiliate WTVT-Ch. 13 is the latest TV station to feel an economic pinch, laying off six workers on Thursday including four staffers from its newsroom.

via Six people laid off at WTVT-Ch. 13 Thursday as station debuts high definition broadcasts .

OKEMOS – Delta Dental of Michigan has cut 30 workers and plans to trim 30 more by August after General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC eliminated retiree dental coverage.

via Delta Dental paring 10% of workers | lansingstatejournal.com | Lansing State Journal.

- Aurora Health Care plans to eliminate about 90 jobs, becoming the most recent health care system to reduce its workforce amid the economic downturn.

via Aurora to eliminate 90 jobs – JSOnline.

- The cost-cutting move will eliminate 25 full-time and 18 part-time positions, publisher Belinda Gaudet said.

via Waco newspaper printing operations moving; 43 positions eliminated.

- The broadcaster is planning to lay off two employees on Wednesday, which is the start of the fiscal year. An additional five vacant positions, which have opened during the past six months to a year, will remain unfilled. Two other positions have been changed from full-time to half-time jobs this year.

via newsminer.com • Alaska public broadcaster KUAC slashes staff numbers.

- Publisher THQ, much like the entire games industry, has been forced into making some tough decisions over the past year or so. Top of the list must be their job cutbacks, reaching a total of 550 people from across the many facets of the company.

via THQ axed 550 jobs “so that others might live” | Gamer Limit.

-The merged company said it has decided to keep National City Mortgage in Miami Township, but the mortgage loan servicing operation might experience some job losses.

The company said it is looking to eliminate more than 5,000 positions throughout the country, but has not said how many local workers will be cut.

via National City, PNC Merge; Job Cuts Likely – Consumer News Story – WHIO Dayton.

- MOLINE, Ill. — Deere & Co. said Tuesday about 800 salaried workers have decided to leave the world’s largest farm machinery maker under a voluntary separation program.

The number of workers taking the offer was about four times as many as the company expected when it announced the program in April and represents about 3 percent of Deere’s overall salaried work force.

via Deere says 800 workers leave in voluntary program | Business news | Chron.com – Houston Chronicle.11:51:47

- Navistar International Corp (NAV.N) is set to significantly reduce its presence in Canada as it shifts much of its heavy-duty truck production to more cost-competitive locations in the southwestern United States and Mexico.

via Navistar set to slash staff, production in Canada | Industries | Consumer Goods & Retail | Reuters .11:56:02

- The SMCDSB’s 2009-2010 budget, passed last Wednesday night, calls for the reduction of 15 fulltime equivalent education assistant (EA) positions. This can be achieved with no layoffs of permanent EAs if positions are reallocated and current temporary positions and leaves or vacancies aren’t replaced.

via Alliston Herald .11:59:19

- DURHAM — American Airlines will lay off five baggage handlers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport by July 18, according to a local union official.

via heraldsun.com: American Airlines to lay off five at RDU .15:34:40

- ST. PAUL, Minn. — The St. Paul Pioneer Press laid off nine newsroom employees Tuesday, the paper’s editor told the staff.

via St. Paul Pioneer Press lays off 9 news employees.

- Smithfield Foods, as part of its cutting back operations, is to lay off 140 workers from Dalhart, Texas, a Murphy-Brown facility.

via Pig Progress – News: Smithfield lays off 140 hog workers in Texas.15:38:20

- Avera Queen of Peace Health Services announced Monday in a news release that it will eliminate “approximately 12” positions as part of a budget reduction plan.

via Avera cuts 12 positions | The Daily Republic | Mitchell, South Dakota .15:44:16

- International Layoff News -

- The company will cut about 1,400 jobs in Group Operations and 700 positions in wholesale banking, all of which are in the U.K., the London-based bank said today in a statement. About 700 jobs will also go through “natural attrition” and 350 new positions will be created at the wholesale unit.

via Lloyds to Cut 2,100 Jobs at Group Operations, Wholesale Units – Bloomberg.com.

- Japan’s Canon Inc (7751.T) said it would cut about 700 jobs at its chip equipment operations, underscoring a bleak outlook for the sector as the global economic crisis hits demand and forces chip makers to curb capital spending.

via Canon to cut 700 jobs at chip gear operations | Industries | Consumer Goods & Retail | Reuters .

-SKF, a Swedish bearing company founded in 1907, is taking further actions to both adapt manufacturing to the lower demand, the company said in a statement on Tuesday.

As a result, 900 people globally will lose their jobs.

via SKF to cut 900 jobs.

- The company, which has 170 employees at its Israel development center, and in sales and support for the country, will notify half of the staff that they are being fired in the next few days.

via PLM software co Dassault cutting half its Israel staff.

- VTB Group may lay off as many as 1,000 employees at its retail banking operations as overdue loans threaten to reach 8 percent of its portfolio, executives said Monday at the annual shareholders meeting.

via http://www.moscowtimes.ru/article/1009/42/379151.htm.

- Nottingham-based Gala Coral today said it planned to close five clubs and shed backroom staff, putting around 300 jobs at risk.

via Gala Coral job cuts plan.

- The facility, located in Gosford, New South Wales, employs 61 people. The closure will be completed by June 2010, and the facility’s production will be shifted to St. Stephen, S.C., according to the company.

via Albany International closing plant — Page 1 — Times Union – Albany NY:340:.

- Clothing manufacturer Pacific Brands Ltd will close its Palmerston North factory in New Zealand next month with the loss of 50 jobs, after efforts to sell the factory failed.

via Pacific Brands to close NZ factory.

- Germany’s second largest bookselling chain DBH is to make some 600 booksellers redundant across its three main businesses, Hugendubel, Buch Habel and Weltbild.

via Massive job cuts at Germany’s second biggest bookseller | theBookseller.com.

- Staff at the Air Products factory near Wrexham have been told the site is to close, with the loss of 200 jobs.

via BBC NEWS | UK | Wales | 200 jobs to go as factory closes.15:27:37

- There are fears this evening of further job losses at Bausch and Lomb in Waterford city.

The multinational company, which makes eye care products, is expected to announce around 120 redundancies tomorrow.

via RTÉ Business: More Bausch & Lomb job cuts, Mayo firm cuts 80.15:40:27

- Hiring News and News You Can Use-

-COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Affiliated Computer Services is expanding its operations in Colorado by adding 600 jobs at a new facility in Colorado Springs.

via Affiliated Computer Services to expand, hire 600 in Colorado Springs – KDVR.

- Trovix.com is trying to make searching as easy as possible.

Enter the city you live in and thousands of job listings instantly appear, or you can narrow the search with the type of job you would like.

via FREE website claims to find the best job for you – Phoenix Arizona news, breaking news, local news, weather radar, traffic from ABC15 News | ABC15.com .

Mike: There wasn’t a lot of good news form the economic or the layoff fronts this day. State and municipal budgets are due in many locations and that’s leading to quite a few layoffs as budgets get tighter due to lower property and sales tax receipts. Till Wednesday…………….

Bruce Beattie

To see a variety of websites, pay a visit to: http://alphainventions.com/

via Should a layoff victim stay on to help train their replacement? | democratandchronicle.com | Democrat and Chronicle.

June 29 – 1100 layoffs in San Joaquin County – Delaware ends 500 jobs through attrition – Laid off: Should you train your replacement?

layofflist — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:43:24 +0000

Mike: Good day to all and I hope you had a fine weekend.

Today proved to be a rather light day for layoff announcements, as is usually the case for Monday. With plenty of people on vacation this week, and that includes those that do the laying off, it may be a quieter week for layoff announcements.

Before you go on to the news of this day, I’d like to point out a few sites that I added to the various links categories to your right. I think it’s important to point out worthwhile sites that add value to our lives:

http://legistalker.org/: Find out what your congressperson is doing via Twitter, Facebook and other social networking options. Get plugged into their daily activities and follow their voting on important legislation. An excellent way to get connected with the legislators of your choice. They need to know they are being followed, so that they pass legislation that’s effective for all and not just the chosen few.

http://www.data.gov/: Want to know where to go for the latest in government data? Well you found it at http://www.data.gov/. The site gives the following description of its goals: “The purpose of Data.gov is to increase public access to high value, machine readable datasets generated by the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.” Do some seeking and see what you find.

http://www.nojobsurvivor.com/njs/: a great individual effort to bring the jobless together to share their layoff survival skills. Take the time to visit and join in the conversation. How are you or someone you know surviving unemployment? As stated on the site: ”Be a No Job Survivor! On this site: share your survivor skills, build a community, record your journey and enjoy the resources. “

http://cardsofchange.com/: Cards of Change: “Our mission is to collect as many business cards and stories of positive change of people who have recently been laid off and connect them with new opportunities from potential employers, business partners and people who make the effort to look on the bright side of life.” So go and post your business card and see how others have taken the layoff train and found enlightenment.

Mike: I had to laugh at the following article, which discusses what to do if you asked to train your replacement once you are laid off. I can see helping to train a replacement if you decide to leave a position, but to train someone for your job after being laid off is not something I would volunteer to do. If the company thinks your work is good enough that you can train your replacement, then they should have kept you on the job. In short, my answer would be no thanks, aloha………….

- If you’re not consumed by anger and if you can shape a temporary arrangement that is tolerable, then staying on for the short term could work to your advantage over the long term. In making your decision, consider the history of your relationships at the company and the likelihood that you would be treated fairly and with dignity during the handoff phase. Also take into account your ability to manage emotions and opt for a pragmatic approach. If you do decide to stay on for a time-limited period, use a two-pronged approach to handle this transition.

Mike: I decided to post the following news, since it’s a first step in improving the student loan situation where millions are forced into contracts that are onerous and inflexible:

Starting this week, anyone with a federal student loan can apply for a program, run by the Department of Education, that caps monthly payments based on income, and forgives remaining balances after 25 years. Those choosing to work in public service could have their loans forgiven after just 10 years.

Eligibility for income-based repayment (IBR) is determined by a person’s income and loan size. A calculator at http://www.ibrinfo.org can help borrowers determine their eligibility for the plan, which becomes available Wednesday.

“It’s a way to borrow for college without going to the poor house,” said Lauren Asher, president of the Institute for College Access & Success, a California-based nonprofit that runs the Project on Student Debt.

via For modest earners, relief repaying student loans – Yahoo! Finance.

Dilbert - Scott Adams

- Larger layoff announcements and important economic reports:

US/Canada:

International:

Navigation links to today’s stories:

via Microsoft to sell Razorfish – FT | Business News | Reuters .

- Microsoft/Google/IBM and other Rumors & News -

- Microsoft has hired Morgan Stanley to sell Razorfish, its digital agency, and French marketing company Publicis Groupe SA is thought to be a possible bidder, the Financial Times said on its Website late Sunday.

- General Economic News -

Mike: Here we have an example of why unemployment figures are so difficult to interpret. The administrator for economic analysis and tax research at the Arkansas state Department of Finance and Administration appears to be confused by the reported unemployment numbers. And another issue is that each state has different reporting systems and requirements, so getting an accurate national picture of unemployment is problamatic.

-“The insured unemployment rate is those who … can draw benefits, but the total unemployment rate includes everyone as well,” she said. “You may have quit your job and may not be eligible for benefits, but you could be counted in the total unemployment rate. It’s got a bigger umbrella, I guess you could say.”

Asked if she could think of reason why Arkansas’ total unemployment would be well below the national rate while its insured unemployment would be higher than the national rate, Friedman said the question would require some study, but one possible factor might be differences in state laws regarding unemployment insurance.

via The Morning News: News : State’s Top Economist Questions Unemployment Figures.

- WASHINGTON — General Motors Corp. has moved its Willow Run transmission plant off the list of plants that will be shuttered and sold, and will accept responsibility for future lawsuits stemming from alleged defects in its vehicles on the road today.

via Willow Run plant to be taken over by new GM | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press.

- HR professionals say their organizations will conduct more layoffs by the end of the year, according to Workforce Management’s HR Anxiety Survey.

via HR Professionals Believe the Layoffs Aren’t Over | workforce.com.

Tom Toles

- Government Layoff News -

- More than 1,100 layoffs have been made in San Joaquin County secondary education school districts as they continue to cope with an ongoing California budget crisis.

Most county school districts have adopted final budgets for the 2009-10 school, slashing a combined $120 million from local classrooms. The aftermath of the cuts will affect school programs and set school staffing ratios back five years, most educators agree.

via S.J. education layoffs at 1,100 and counting | Recordnet.com.

- The state work force will be trimmed by more than 500 workers in the upcoming fiscal year as the result of a deal between the Markell administration and House Republicans.

via Delaware to reduce 500-plus jobs through attrition – Georgetown, DE – Sussex Countian.

- BYFIELD — Facing difficult budget choices, Triton Regional School Superintendent Sandra Halloran recently confirmed several job eliminations and job switches throughout the district.

via Triton cuts staff to balance budget – NewburyportNews.com, Newburyport, MA.

- A source within the Cincinnati Police Department confirmed for News 5 that as many as 200 officers could be laid off by January because of budget cuts.

via Report: Cincinnati Police to Cut 200 Jobs: Top News Stories at Officer.com.

- US and some Canada Layoff News -

- Quality Industries Inc. has laid off 111 people from its La Vergne facility, according to information released Monday by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

via Peterbilt supplier lays off 111 in La Vergne – Nashville Business Journal: .

- A spokeswoman for the stations confirmed that 95 staffers on Friday were given 60-day layoff notices.

The notices may or may not be followed by layoffs, depending on whether the economic climate will improve in the next couple of months.

via Fox L.A. stations consider layoffs.

- Integra Bancorp is eliminating about 65 positions and temporarily lowering the pay of executives in order to improve its profits.

via Integra cutting jobs, execs’ pay by Evansville Courier & Press .

- VALPARAISO – Valparaiso University has cut about 50 jobs through early retirement packages and layoffs as it deals with the national recession.

via Valparaiso University cuts more than 50 jobs | jconline.com | Journal and Courier.

- PERRYVILLE, Mo. – Citing a decrease in customer volume, officials at TG Missouri announced this morning the reduction of nearly 30 hourly and salary employees from support groups and management.

via seMissourian.com: Story: TG Missouri to lay off 30 employees.18:06:56

- Under the restructuring, the Child Development Center and Laboratory School at the university will close on Aug. 21, eliminating eight jobs.

via WSSU Lays Off 16 In Restructuring Plan – Winston-Salem News Story – WXII The Triad.18:08:46

- Scio Township archiving company National Archive Publishing Co. notified its workforce that about 120 of its employees would be laid off this month, according to paperwork it filed with the state.

via National Archive Publishing Co. in Scio Township notifies employees of layoffs – Ann Arbor Business – MLive.com.18:13:35

- The ESPN Zone, part of a nationwide chain of what used to be nine of the sports-themed bar and interactive game centers across the country, laid off roughly 100 employees, giving each a 60-day administrative leave package, according to a company statement.

via ESPN Zone closes doors in Denver – Los Angeles Business from bizjournals: .18:14:16

- The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber has laid off seven employees, a chamber spokesman confirmed Monday.

via Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber cuts 7 jobs – Business Courier of Cincinnati: .18:14:48

- Gibson Guitars Inc. laid off 50 people from its Nashville office on June 1, according to documents filed with the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Thursday.

via Gibson layoffs in Nashville at 50 – Nashville Business Journal: .18:17:39

- CHARLOTTE AMALIE, U.S. Virgin Islands—The Hovensa oil refinery has dismissed 270 contract workers in response to the global economic downturn, a company spokesman said Monday.

via Hovensa refinery in USVI dismisses 270 workers – Boston.com.18:18:30

- PTC Alliance has extended 115 layoffs at its Alliance, Ohio, plant and may lengthen cuts at two plants in Pennsylvania.

via (AMM) PTC Alliance extends layoffs – Metal Bulletin .18:19:18

-Transcontinental Media eliminated more than 20 jobs this morning in its newly merged Business and Consumer Solutions Group.

via Masthead Online – Headline News, Careers and Reference for the Canadian Magazine Industry.18:19:49

- The line will be shut down by the end of the fourth quarter, resulting in four positions being eliminated at the plant.

via Ohio.com – Schulman to shut down one line .18:22:51

- International Layoff News -

- MANILA, Philippines – More than 1,600 Filipino workers of Triumph International will lose their jobs after the company announced Saturday it was closing down next month “due to the global recession and general downturn in consumer demand.”

via 1,600 workers to lose jobs as Triumph shuts down | The Philippine Star >> News >> Headlines .

- Bulawayo – Bulawayo based, Treger group would next month lay off 400 contract workers due to low capacity utilisation. In an interview the managing director, Mr James Buckle, said the situation had been compounded by cheap imports flooding the local market.

via 400 workers to be laid off | News.

- The company, which manufactures tracked and wheeled movement systems for mining, construction and agricultural vehicles, also said it had cut 35 percent of jobs since the beginning of the year to the end of May.

via UPDATE 1-Titan Europe warns of H1 loss, cuts 35 pct jobs | Industries | Consumer Products & Retail | Reuters .

- SLOVENSKÉ Lodenice Komárno shipyard has announced mass layoffs. Of 685 employees, 198 will lose their jobs by the end of this year, the SITA newswire reported.

via Layoffs hit hundreds at Komárno shipyard – The Slovak Spectator.

- In what ranks as one of the biggest news media layoffs in recent times, NewsX, the english news channel that was acquired by Indi Media Pvt. Ltd in January, has laid off 78 staffers, according to a company source.

via NewsX Sacks 78 Staffers In The Largest News Media Layoff | Reuters .

- While management at the plant, or its Australian-based head office, were not able to be contacted yesterday, The Timaru Herald has learnt the Washdyke factory will shut for two weeks, from July 11.

In that time, new technology packing robots will be installed to do the jobs of up to 16 staff in the packing area.

via McCain job cuts loom – news – timaru-herald | Stuff.co.nz.

- Newcastle-based plumbing and electrical contractor Simpson & Gregg has gone into administration, with the loss of 92 jobs.

via Newcastle M&E contractor in administration, 92 job losses – 29/06/2009 – Contract Journal.

- At least eight Mitre 10 Mega staff at its Palmerston North store lost their jobs on Friday with no warning and little explanation.

via Eight jobs go with no warning | Stuff.co.nz.

- Private bank EFG International (EFGN.S) forecast weak first-half results despite encouraging business momentum at the end of the period and said it would cut jobs as it looked to reduce costs.

via UPDATE 3-EFG warns H1 results to be weak, cuts jobs | Industries | Financial Services & Real Estate | Reuters .

- Approximately 100 Allens Arthur Robinson staff have opted for the voluntary redundancy program announced earlier in April.

via 100 Allens staff volunteer for redundancy .

- University bosses said today they did not yet know how many posts in the directorate of facilities management will go, but strongly denied suggestions made in a call to The Press that the figure could be as high as 350.

via Jobs to be shed at University of York (From York Press).

- The Audit Commission has begun talks unions over a proposal to shrink its field force numbers by 100

via Audit Commission proposes 100 job cuts | News | Local Government Chronicle.

- Education in Cumbria has been dealt a devastating double blow with a £30 million college transformation plan shelved and more than 70 university jobs set to go.

via News & Star | News | 70 education jobs to go and £30 million project shelved .

Body Fashion (Thailand) Ltd, a manufacturer and distributor of women’s lingerie and swimwear under the Triumph trademark, announced on Monday that it would lay off 1,930 staff at a factory in Samut Prakan province in August because of the global economic downturn and lower demand for its products.

via Bangkok Post : Body Fashion to lay off 1,930 workers.18:07:50

- Hiring News and News You Can Use-

- Mike: Here’s a excellent resource from the Wall Street Journal that shows the variety of unemployment benefits nationally. The graphic shows you what to expect once you arrive at the site:

The Boundaries of Unemployment

- The Unemployment Survival Guide is a quick read at only 95 pages, but it’s overflowing with information and resources to nurture you and your family mentally, physically and emotionally. The book takes you on a realistic journey through the most relevant resources needed in order to survive the stress of unemployment. This book will quickly become your resource guide to getting through to your next job.

via The Unemployment Survival Guide – a book review.

- How can I get recruiters to call me with great jobs?

Coach: Mark Polanksy, Senior Client Partner & Managing Director I.T. Officers Practice, KORN/FERRY INTERNATIONAL

Always try to target a single recruiter within a particular firm rather than throw out a wide net to many recruiters at a firm. Building a personal relationship with a recruiter is not your goal. Your goal is to be recognized by a recruiter as a standout and highly qualified candidate.

via Three Tips for Hearing about Jobs from Recruiters ( – IT Management ).

- Sony is adding 1,500 positions to its work force in Tijuana, hailing it as a hopeful sign of the sector’s recovery. Sony’s decision to expand in Tijuana follows the company’s announcement last month that it is shutting down an LCD television manufacturing plant in Mexicali, one of five Sony factories being shuttered worldwide.

via Sony Adding 1,500 Jobs To Tijuana | Sony Insider.

Mike: Till Tuesday……………..

Matt Davies