Sunday, August 24, 2008

Gannett to cut staff by 3%; layoff notices begin


Gannett Co. Inc. will eliminate about 1,000 jobs at its newspapers, 600 with layoffs, according to a company memo provided to Gannett Blog, published by Jim Hopkins, a former reporter and editor for USA Today and the company's papers in Arkansas, Idaho and Kentucky.

"The reader provided a copy of a memo that Daily Times Publisher Rick Jensen e-mailed about 4 p.m." Wednesday at the paper in Salisbury, Md. "Across Gannett’s Community Publishing division, about 1,000 positions will be eliminated -- about 3 percent of the workforce,'' the memo says. "Of the 1,000 positions, about 600 employees will be laid off."

Jensen and Gannett executives declined to comment to Hopkins on his report, but The Courier-Journal of Louisville reported on its Web site late this morning that the newspaper "will lay off about 15 employees and leave other positions vacant as part of a broader cost-cutting move" by Gannett. The news came from Arnold Garson, who recently became publisher of the paper.

The C-J cuts would be about 3 percent of workforce, but the memo does not say whether each of the company's 89 dailies and 116 community weeklies "will reduce employment by 3 percent -- or whether the rates might instead vary by business within what's now called the U.S. Community Publishing division," Hopkins notes. "Several GCI papers have already made recent job cuts, but at a higher rate: 5 percent."

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Martin plant to layoff 160, close in October


By JOHN SEMIEN
jsemien@jacksonsun.com

The Fechheimer Brothers plant in Martin has announced that it will close, a move that will mean the loss of 160 jobs, according to a plant spokesman.

Chief Financial Officer Dan Dudley said Fechheimer makes uniforms for the military, police and fire departments. He said the Martin plant manufactured shirts.
'

'We make police and fire uniforms and over the last couple of years, cities and counties and states have removed the made in the USA requirements,'' Dudley said. ''We no longer have the volume to keep it (plant) open.''


Dudley said employees at the plant were notified of the closing earlier this week and that layoffs will probably begin in mid October. He said the plant will be closed by the end of November.


Fechheimer Brothers also operates a plant that manufactures shirts in Grantsville, MD and one that manufactures pants and jackets in Hodgenville, KY.


The company also utilizes a broad range of contractors, both domestic and overseas, for manufacturing of certain types of product, according to a press release.


''While the company's overall business plan for fiscal year 2008 and 2009 is excellent, our best projection for our workload does not provide for a sufficient quantity of work to keep our Martin, Tennessee plant at a capacity that reasonably spreads its overhead and provides business sense for its continuing operation,'' the release said.

The release said that the Hodgeville and Grantsville plants will remain at full, and ''possibly enhanced'' production.

Dudley said the Martin plant had not experienced any recent layoffs. He said there have been two or three times in the last five years when the plant operated with reduced work hours for employees.

Dudley said the plant employees 140 union employees and 20 who are not in a union.

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Crescenzi: Job Market Deteriorating


Jobless claims fell 10,000 to 450,000 in the week ended Aug. 9, after reaching their highest level since March 2002 the previous week. Recent increases in jobless claims almost certainly reflect deterioration in the labor market, and it is likely that upcoming employment news will worsen.

The jobless claims figures will help investors come to terms with this dark period for the economy, but the question of the day is whether the claims figures and other indications of forthcoming weakness are enough, or whether it will take a couple of whoppers on the downside in employment before investors can feel comfortable with the idea that the worst economic news is already priced in.

In past recessions, investors eventually ignored bad employment data, having been numbed to the data by previous news and plentiful evidence of impending doom. In the current situation, particularly between now and the rest of the year, investors will have to grapple with whether the gloom could deepen as a result of the credit crisis and hence require more patience than usual in proclaiming that the worst news is already priced in.

Technical factors are also at play in boosting the jobless claims figures. For starters, the summer retooling of automobile factories tends to cause volatility in the claims figures. For example, the relatively low level of 348,000 claims in the week ended July 4 was likely the result of problems adjusting for the seasonal ups and downs of the automobile sector.

A second factor is the counting of filers for extended unemployment benefits. It is possible, according to the Department of Labor, that many people only recently realized that they are eligible for both extended unemployment benefits, which were recently authorized by the Congress, and regular jobless benefits (because these workers regained eligibility after returning to work). These filers are now showing up in the initial claims figures. There may also be bad accounting for the extended unemployment benefits, with some states reporting the extended filers incorrectly.

Through it all, jobless claims are trending upward and have moved decisively above the dividing line between recession and contraction in the U.S. economy, widely believed to be around 370,000. From March until the end of June, claims averaged precisely 370,000, suggesting the economy was treading water, and it has when the impact of the recent tax rebates are excluded from the equation.

The recent spike hence suggests that the U.S. economy has entered a dark period, which is likely to be marked by increased joblessness. Many are expecting the U.S. economy to contract in the fourth quarter, possibly by a large amount, and the claims figures increase the odds of such.

As I said, the claims figure will help investors come to terms with the idea that bad news is on the way, and after one or two plunges in the monthly payroll statistic, investors could become numb to the notion of much weaker economic activity. This means that the bottoming process is closer than it was before, because in the weeks and months to come, we will be able to more confidently say that much worse economic conditions are already factored into the financial markets.


Tony Crescenzi is the chief bond market strategist at Miller Tabak + Co., LLC, and advises many of the nation's top institutional investors on issues related to the bond market, the economy and other macro-related issues. At the request of the Federal Reserve, Crescenzi is a regular participant in the board's Livingston Survey of economic forecasters. He is also the author of the revised investment classic, The Money Market, first published in 1978 by Marcia Stigum, and The Strategic Bond Investor. At the time of publication, Crescenzi or Miller Tabak had no positions in the securities mentioned in this column, although holdings can change at any time. Under no circumstances does the information in this column represent a recommendation to buy or sell stocks. Crescenzi also is the founder of Bondtalk.com, a popular Web site covering the bond market and the economy. Crescenzi appreciates your feedback; click here to send him an email.

TheStreet.com has a revenue-sharing relationship with Trader's Library under which it receives a portion of the revenue from purchases by customers directed there from TheStreet.com.

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Jobless rate in Washington goes up in July


By Drew DeSilver

Seattle Times business reporter

There's not much to be said for spinning your wheels, except that at least you're not going backward.

That, in short, is where the Washington economy finds itself these days, a condition underscored by Tuesday's jobs report from the state Employment Security Department.

There were almost 2.97 million payroll jobs in July, just as there have been every month since January. Gains and declines have been minimal the past six months.

The problem is that while job seekers continue surging into the work force, the state economy isn't generating nearly enough jobs for them. The result: Statewide unemployment last month jumped to a seasonally adjusted 5.7 percent, its highest level in 3 ½ years.

Still, given that U.S. payroll employment has actually shrunk every month this year, Washington's economy looks good by comparison, acting chief labor economist David Wallace said.

"Our labor market isn't as ideal as it was a year ago," he said. "Things aren't great here, but I think they're still somewhat better than the nation as a whole."

July's jobless rate of 5.7 percent was up from a revised 5.4 percent in June; it was originally reported at 5.5 percent.

Washington now has the same jobless rate as the United States as a whole, after 13 straight months of outperforming the nation. What growth there is is concentrated in the four-county Puget Sound region — King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap counties — which provides nearly two-thirds of all payroll jobs in the state. The region gained 8,800 jobs in July, more than offsetting the 5,500 lost in the rest of Washington.

After adjusting for seasonal variations in the labor force, the unemployment rate in King and Snohomish counties did rise to 4.3 percent last month from 3.9 percent in June. Though 1,800 more people reported they were working, a total 8,500 people entered the local labor force in July.

The jobless rate is determined by a survey asking people whether they're employed or actively looking for work — not, as sometimes thought, by counting how many people receive unemployment benefits.

The nonfarm payroll numbers stem from a separate employer survey, which is why the two sets of data sometimes seem to go in different directions. Another sign of a state economy stuck in low gear: Initial claims for unemployment benefits have been more or less stable for the past several weeks, though they're running nearly 30 percent above this time last year.

Statewide, local schools were the single biggest job gainers, adding 900 jobs. Aerospace accounted for 600 of the new jobs. Retailers, somewhat surprisingly, added 800 jobs; the biggest gains coming at general merchandisers, clothing stores and groceries.

The information sector gained 800 jobs last month, despite a 100-job drop among software publishers.

Residential construction, which has lost 6,100 jobs over the past year, held steady in July. Nonresidential construction gained 300 jobs last month, but heavy construction and civil engineering (the folks who work on roads, bridges and the like) lost 400. Fruit and vegetable processing fell by 800 jobs. Wood products lost 500 jobs, and financial services fell by 300 jobs, 200 of them in the real-estate and rental-leasing segment.

Wallace, who noted that the July data didn't reflect several recent layoff announcements, including 1,000 at Weyerhaeuser's Federal Way headquarters, said the worst employment news likely lies ahead.

"My instinct is that it probably will get worse before it gets better," he said, "but I don't know if it will get a lot worse."

Drew DeSilver: 206-464-3145 or ddesilver@seattletimes.com

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Uponor Plans Hundreds of Layoffs


Finnish plumbing and heating supplier Uponor announced Tuesday it plans to cut over 200 jobs around the world by the end of next year.
The cuts are part of a cost reduction programme to deal with continued weak performance and low demand. The company hopes to save some 30 million euros beginning next year.

Also on Tuesday, Uponor announced net sales for the second quarter fell by 7.4 percent, to 267 million euros, compared to the corresponding period last year.

Uponor employs some 4,200 people.

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New Zealand 'employment rates up'


Employment rates in New Zealand shot up by 1.2 per cent during the second financial quarter, it has been reported.

Despite forecasts to the contrary, the country's economy also saw gains in the finance and education industries.

The boost in employment meant the addition of 26,000 jobs and showed an optimistic bounce back from a 1.3 per cent drop from January to March.

Nick Tuffley, chief economist at ASB Bank said: "The figures are robust enough to have us concluding that on economic data grounds there is little to prompt the RBNZ to cut the official cash rate by 50 basis points in September."

The news comes as The New Zealand Guardian Trust announced a suspension of withdrawals and new investments in its mortgage fund last month.

Though employment rates are looking hopeful, unemployment also increased to 3.9 per cent from April to June, reaching its highest in two years.

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THE FACE OF UNEMPLOYMENT


Jobless rate climbs as employers on Maui cut back

story by staff writer ILIMA LOOMIS

ILWU Maui Division Director William Kennison is trying to remember all the hotels that have given him notice that they are reducing their work force, either through layoffs or by cutting hours.

Losing track, he untacks a list of ILWU employers from his wall, returns to his desk and runs down the page with his finger, counting.

"One . . . two . . . three . . . four . . . five . . . six . . . seven . . . eight . . . nine . . . 10 . . . 11, 12, 13 . . . 14," he says, looking up. "Fourteen properties."

Coming on the heels of layoffs at Maui Land & Pineapple last month, and the closure of Molokai Ranch in April, Kennison estimates the hotel cutbacks will bring the total number of ILWU members who are out of work to more than 400.

As scary as the situation seems now, he believes worse is likely to come. The hotels are treating the reductions as a "precautionary" measure to stave off deeper cuts, and other unionized industries like sugar and grocery stores haven't yet begun to cut back.

"It is starting to hit, but they're trying to weather the storm," he said. "If fuel prices continue, we're looking at real serious problems."

While large-scale job losses at big companies like ML&P, Molokai Ranch, and the grounded Aloha Airlines and ATA have made headlines, smaller businesses have also been cutting workers.

In June, there were about 800 fewer jobs on Maui compared to the same month a year before, most of them in the hospitality and construction industries, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reported.

The unemployment rate for the county was 4.6 percent, up from 2.8 percent in June 2007. That's slightly higher than the statewide average of 4.5 percent. A total of 3,800 people were unemployed over the year, an increase of 1,500, or 67.4 percent.

The county's smaller islands were also seeing a tightening job market, with 5.7 percent unemployment on Lanai (up from 2.3 percent a year ago), and 12.3 percent unemployment on Molokai (up from 9.6 percent).

Applications for state unemployment insurance were up in July, with 1,580 people filing initial claims for weekly unemployment payments as of July 12, compared with 959 people at the same time in 2007.

Of the 14 ILWU-represented hotels facing staff cutbacks, Kennison said about half are implementing outright layoffs, cutting 15 to 30 positions each; two of those have told him the cuts will be permanent.

The remaining properties are reducing worker hours, he said, while a few are asking employees to use up any accumulated vacation time.

While they aren't reflected in unemployment statistics, reduced worker hours are a hidden impact of cutbacks that can be almost as serious as layoffs for families, Kennison said.

Employers may cut hours to reduce expenses without losing valuable workers. Kennison said he's seen this at golf courses, with Kapalua cutting worker hours, and Wailea adjusting shifts so employees work fewer hours over the week.

Losing hours can be nearly as hard on workers as layoffs, when they've built their lives around an expected level of income.

"That income drops, but when you go to the store, or buy gasoline, it only goes up," he said. "It's a pinch."

Along with hospitality, construction has been seeing one of the most significant slowdowns in employment.

Bill Kamai, senior field representative for the Hawaii Carpenters Union, said a third of his active members, or 200 workers, are on the bench. That compares to fewer than 25 unemployed normally.

Some of the larger union developments have been completed in the last few months, while others that had been pending are not moving forward due to financing and permitting issues, he says.

Kamai said he started noticing the slowdown in March, when the housing market began to cool off.

"There weren't any new projects," he said. "And those that were supposed to start were put on hold."

With out-of-work carpenters looking for "anything to get by," Kamai said he's suggesting to members that they directly contact builders who have been employing union workers on their projects to see if they have additional job openings.

That is a deviation from the union's standard procedure of assigning members to jobs as they become available.

Carpenter Justin Stevens was among those left on the bench when the project he was working on, Hoolei, a luxury residential development in Wailea, finished work in May. With no new work on the horizon, Stevens decided to move his Maui-born family to his home state of Massachusetts, where he hoped to find a union job.

"We were living in Harbor Lights, we had three kids in one bedroom," he said. "I just said, 'forget it.' ''

The high cost of housing and uncertain employment just made Maui untenable, he said.

"Construction goes up and down," he said. "But on Maui, when it goes down, it goes down bad."

Robin Rohrer, CEO of Akamai Employment Service, said she's noticed a significant increase in calls from laid-off workers asking for her help in finding a new job.

"My phone has not stopped ringing - and I don't advertise," she said.

She said she's hearing from workers in all industries, but that older workers - the "over-40s and over-50s" - seemed to be especially concerned. Older workers often have higher expectations for income than younger workers, making it harder to find the kind of job they want, she noted.

She's concerned that state unemployment benefits no longer pay for retraining, something she believes jump-started her career when she was out of work over a decade ago.

"We need those resources - both the employer and the unemployed," she said.

Rohrer says she hasn't noticed a reduction in job openings among the employers she works with - many of whom are in "niche" industries such as technology and health care - with one exception.

"I have definitely seen a drop-off in construction," she said.

While the factors causing the economic downturn - the national credit crisis and the international price of oil - may be beyond local control, the county is taking steps to respond, said Mayor Charmaine Tavares.

A job fair for displaced workers, organized together with the state Department of Labor and Maui Land & Pineapple, is scheduled for Monday at the Lahaina Civic Center. A Rapid Response Team meeting for laid-off ML&P workers will run from 9 to 10:30 a.m., with the job fair until 1 p.m.

Tavares said the county is also looking for ways to subsidize transportation for Molokai workers willing to take jobs on Maui and has a special fund that can cover emergency costs for people in immediate danger of losing their housing as a result of being laid off. The fund is administered by the Department of Housing and Human Concerns.

She said she would also consider asking the Maui County Council to defer some county projects to make more funding available to nonprofits providing assistance to struggling families.

"I don't think we've hit the bottom on this economic downturn," she said. "We haven't gotten to the worst point, so we'll probably see more layoffs and reduced hours. "

While all those layoffs may be just numbers on paper, to hundreds of workers they mean a life turned upside down.

Mesrawaty Nursyamsu says she was in shock after showing up for work at a West Maui jewelry store last week and being told by a manager she would be out of a job immediately. The company only offered to pay her through 10 a.m. of that day, she said.

"He just said, 'I've got to let you go. It's slow right now,' '' she said. "Boom - that's it."

With no advance notice, Nursyamsu said she had no chance to prepare for the loss, and wondered why she was chosen to be fired when other workers had been at the store less time than she had.

"My manager was crying," she said. "She said, 'You did a good job. It's not your fault.' ''

Now she's "stressing" to find a way to pay her bills and get health insurance for herself and her teenage daughter, who is almost eight months pregnant. Nursyamsu lives with her boyfriend, but said she doesn't want to shift her financial burdens onto him.

"It's hard for me," she said. "I don't know. I don't know what to do."

Ilima Loomis can be reached at iloomis@mauinews.com.

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Jerritt Canyon to suspend underground mining and layoff 240 employees


Yukon Nevada Gold Corporations corporate and mine management announced Friday that they will suspend its underground operations, leaving 240 employees without jobs.

This announcement comes after a review of mine operations at the Jerritt Canyon Mine north of Elko. Yukon says it will now focus solely on operating the more than 4,000 tons per day mill.

Spokeswoman Nicole Sanches says Yukon is working with Barrick and Newmont Mining companies to get their employees new job placement.

Yukon also announced that they have contracted with SMD Small Mine Developers to take over mining at Jerritt Canyon.

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Honeywell layoffs latest in string of manufacturing cuts


Honeywell announces a 50% layoff in its imaging and mobility manufacturing facility in Skaneateles Falls, NY, following cuts to manufacturing workforces at IBM, Atmel, ON Semiconductor, and Mattson in recent weeks.
By Suzanne Deffree, Managing Editor, News -- Electronic News, 8/8/2008

Honeywell International Inc today announced a 50% layoff in its imaging and mobility manufacturing facility in Skaneateles Falls, NY.

Plans call for the reductions to take place over the next 12 months and affect approximately 290 of the site's 580 employees. Morris Township, NJ-based Honeywell said a number of the business' key capabilities will remain in the greater Skaneateles Falls/Syracuse area including engineering, R&D, marketing, sales, and customer support, as well as other business functions.

To be true, Honeywell is far from alone in cutting back its manufacturing workforce. Atmel earlier this month announced it may soon cut 210 manufacturing and design employees in France. IBM in June confirmed it would cut 180 jobs from its Burlington, Vt, fab, and followed up this week with pay cuts for some of its manufacturing employees there, as well for some employees in its East Fishkill, NY, fab. Mattson in June announced it would lay off 5% of its workforce on a slow down in the wafer fabrication equipment industry. And ON Semiconductor in March confirmed plans to cut about 200 global employees and close a 5-in fab before March 2010 as it merges in AMI Semiconductor.

"This is a very difficult decision, but one that better positions us to grow and compete in the global marketplace," said Kevin Jost, VP of global strategy for Honeywell Security, in a statement. "This is an extremely hard time for our employees, our business and the greater community. We are going to do everything we can to make this transition as smooth as possible for those affected.”

Honeywell International is a $38 billion diversified technology and manufacturing company, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes and industry; automotive products; turbochargers; and specialty materials.

Today’s announcement comes after the company in July reported a rather positive Q2 with sales of $9.7 billion up 13% year on year last year and earnings per share up 23% year on year to $0.96. At that time, company Chairman Dave Cote said he expected double-digit earnings for the second half.

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Chevron continues layoffs in refining operation


Chevron Corp. has shed 600 positions as of June 30 in its downstream, or refining and marketing, operations under a restructuring it implemented last year.

About 1,000 employees were eligible for severance payments under the program, Chevron said in a quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of the positions the company eliminated were outside the United States.

At the end of 2007, the San Ramon company had about 65,000 employees, including about 6,000 service station employees; about 48 percent are U.S. employees.

The restructuring has cost the company $36 million to date.

Chevron's refining operations posted a second-quarter net loss of $734 million, compared with net income of $1.3 billion last year. That loss was offset by outsized profits in Chevron's upstream, or exploration and production, operations. On Aug. 1, Chevron reported net income of $6 billion, or $2.90 a share, on revenue of $81 billion.

That compared with earnings of $5.4 billion, or $2.52 a share, in the year-ago period, on revenue of $54 billion.

Separately, Chevron said in its quarterly report with the SEC that it does believe it can estimate what would be a "reasonably possible loss (or a range of loss)" in a high-profile civil case pending in Ecuador alleging severe environmental damage.

In April, a court-appointed engineer issued a report to the court recommending the court assess up to $16.3 billion in damages on Chevron.

Chevron has fiercely defended itself in the case, which stems from the years its Texaco subsidiary operated in the Ecaudorian rainforest in a joint venture with Ecaudor's state-owned oil company.

Chevron asserts that the Ecuadorian government released it of all liability after Chevron paid $40 million to clean up certain oil-drilling sites.

Chevron said in its SEC filing it intends to move to strike the report and continue to vigorously defend "any attempted imposition of liability." It said it believes the report is defective, and as a result is not useful in calculating any possible loss stemming from the case.

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Chevron continues layoffs in refining operation


Chevron Corp. has shed 600 positions as of June 30 in its downstream, or refining and marketing, operations under a restructuring it implemented last year.

About 1,000 employees were eligible for severance payments under the program, Chevron said in a quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most of the positions the company eliminated were outside the United States.

At the end of 2007, the San Ramon company had about 65,000 employees, including about 6,000 service station employees; about 48 percent are U.S. employees.

The restructuring has cost the company $36 million to date.

Chevron's refining operations posted a second-quarter net loss of $734 million, compared with net income of $1.3 billion last year. That loss was offset by outsized profits in Chevron's upstream, or exploration and production, operations. On Aug. 1, Chevron reported net income of $6 billion, or $2.90 a share, on revenue of $81 billion.

That compared with earnings of $5.4 billion, or $2.52 a share, in the year-ago period, on revenue of $54 billion.

Separately, Chevron said in its quarterly report with the SEC that it does believe it can estimate what would be a "reasonably possible loss (or a range of loss)" in a high-profile civil case pending in Ecuador alleging severe environmental damage.

In April, a court-appointed engineer issued a report to the court recommending the court assess up to $16.3 billion in damages on Chevron.

Chevron has fiercely defended itself in the case, which stems from the years its Texaco subsidiary operated in the Ecaudorian rainforest in a joint venture with Ecaudor's state-owned oil company.

Chevron asserts that the Ecuadorian government released it of all liability after Chevron paid $40 million to clean up certain oil-drilling sites.

Chevron said in its SEC filing it intends to move to strike the report and continue to vigorously defend "any attempted imposition of liability." It said it believes the report is defective, and as a result is not useful in calculating any possible loss stemming from the case.

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Friday, August 15, 2008

HIRING FREEZE AT BATTERED MERRILL


Bloomberg

Posted: 4:02 am
August 15, 2008

Merrill Lynch & Co., the US securities firm struggling to halt a four-quarter streak of $19 billion in net losses, imposed a freeze on new hires through the end of this year.

The freeze extends to previously budgeted posts as well as replacement hires, according to an internal memo distributed Wednesday and confirmed yesterday by spokeswoman Jessica Oppenheim.

The freeze doesn't apply to retail brokers, who comprised about 16,690 of the firm's 60,000 workers in June, the memo said.

Exceptions to the new policy "can only be made by a member of the management committee," said the memo, which was signed by President and Chief Operating Officer Greg Fleming and Chief Administrative Officer Thomas Sanzone.

"As we focus on returning the firm to profitability, it is extremely important that we all manage expenses prudently."

Chief Executive Officer John Thain is paring expenses after losses on subprime mortgages and related securities eroded revenue.

Merrill slashed its compensation pool, accrued throughout the year to cover year-end bonuses, by 20 percent this year to $7.7 billion.

The world's biggest banks and securities firms have cut about 100,000 jobs since the start of the credit crisis last year.

At Merrill, reducing headcount by attrition may be cheaper than mass layoffs.

The firm eliminated more than 4,200 jobs in the first half, resulting in more than $445 million in severance and other restructuring costs.

Merrill says the cuts will save about $730 million this year and $925 million each year thereafter.

Thain is responsible for some of the firm's biggest hires.

Tom Montag, a former Goldman Sachs colleague who joined last week as Merrill's new trading chief, was guaranteed a $39 million bonus for this year, to be paid in January.

According to the memo, the majority of hiring occurs during the first half of the year.

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GANNETT TO CUT 1,000


Bloomberg

Posted: 4:02 am
August 15, 2008

Gannett Co., the largest US newspaper publisher, plans to eliminate about 1,000 jobs as advertising sales for the industry continue to decline.

The cuts amount to 3 percent of the McLean, Virginia-based publisher's community newspaper workforce, spokeswoman Tara Connell said.

Gannett last month reported a 16 percent drop in June ad sales at its publications, including a 27 percent drop at USA Today.

The shares rose $2.05 to $21.31 in New York Stock Exchange trading, the most since April. The shares are down 45 percent this year.

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Thursday, August 14, 2008

Rayloc announces layoff


Rayloc, which has a plant in Morganfield, has announced a major companywide layoff that will affect as many as 480 workers at its Union County facility.

Company officials told employees Thursday that the layoff would take effect within the next three months. Kevin Sheilley, executive director of Northwest Kentucky Forward, said to his understanding, the plant will transform in mid- to late-October from primarily a manufacturing facility to a distribution center, retaining about 60 of its current workers.

Despite the recent closure of Rayloc facilities in Texas and Maryland, Sheilley said the announcement of the western Kentucky closure came as a shock.

"We felt positive about the plant's ability to remain competitive," director of the Henderson-based regional economic development agency said.

"This facility has been an outstanding operation for the company as demonstrated by their recent implementation of their highly efficient cell production system," Sheilley added in a statement on the closure made available on Northwest Kentucky Forward's Web site.

The Morganfield plant, in fact, had taken over many of the lines from the plants shut down in Texas and Maryland, according to Sheilley. Rayloc, a unity of Genuine Parts Co., Inc., remanufactures auto parts for NAPA Auto Parts, its sister company under the GPC umbrella.

Sheilley, en route to Morganfield Thursday afternoon, added that Rayloc appears to be moving more from manufacturing to distribution of auto parts.

Some employees, as many as 75 to 100 from Crittenden County, say there were offered severance packages. Sheilley said a silver lining in Rayloc cloud is that in the next 12 to 18 months, several hundred jobs will be coming online in Union County. About 600 jobs alone are anticipated by 2010 at Alliance Resources Partners' planned River View coal mine.

"Rayloc employees have an excellent reputation," Sheilley said of opportunities for the company's unemployed workers.

According to Herald-Mail.com, an online newspaper for Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, the 260 workers at the recently-closed plant in Hancock, Md., qualified for federal assistance after the facility was certified as a Trade Act-related closure. Those benefits are intended for workers who lose their jobs due to increased imports.

It is too early, Sheilley said, to attribute the Morganfield closure to jobs headed overseas or increased imports.
Posted by The Crittenden Press Online at 1:20 PM
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E-One begins workforce reduction with layoffs


By Rick Cundiff

Published: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 6:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 2:35 p.m.
OCALA - Firetruck manufacturer E-One began a wave of layoffs Tuesday morning as the company moved to private ownership.

Doug Engle/Star-Banner
Michael Puzino, left and Lanny Hill, right, give each other hugs outside the Emergency One Chassis Plant after being laid off Tuesday. "There is no ill feelings towards them," Hill said who had 26 years with the company as a welder. "The strong will survive."
Related Links:

* E-One timeline
* Text of E-One news release about completed sale

Several laid-off employees said Tuesday they had been told last week by company management that E-One would lay off between 200 and 300 people. When the company sought state and local funds last year for a new plant, the reported number of employees was close to 1,300.

E-One spokeswoman Amanda Davis said Tuesday that the layoff estimates given by the employees were not accurate.

"You're not within the range," she said. "That's way too high."

Day-shift workers leaving the E-One chassis plant confirmed they had been told at 7 a.m. that they were being laid off because the company has too many workers.

"The company's got to be profitable," said Shawn Conner, a nine-year employee. "As it is, they've got too many employees."

The layoffs came on the same day that E-One and its longtime corporate parent Federal Signal Corp., announced the completion of the sale of E-One to a combination of E-One management staff and American Industrial Partners, a private equity firm.

E-One, founded in Ocala in 1974, has been owned by Federal Signal since 1979. E-One lost nearly $25 million last year, and Federal Signal investors have been pressuring the Oak Brook, Ill.-based corporation to sell the firetruck maker.

E-One also announced Tuesday that the privately-held company's board of directors will include Gene Goodson, a former chairman and CEO of E-One competitor Oshkosh Corp., and Donn Viola, the former chief operating officer of Mack Trucks. The company statement did not name any other board members.

Several laid-off employees confirmed E-One offered a severance package, but said they didn't know the details yet.

The layoffs weren't a complete surprise, employees said.

"We heard rumors last week, and the week before, but they were just rumors, so we didn't worry," said Michael Puzino, who worked in the fabrication department for two years.

"We all saw the handwriting on the wall," said George Goodridge, a 20-year employee.

Puzino said the number of workers laid off would probably be substantial.

"They said last week they were going to lay off at least 200 people," he said.

Another employee, Lanny Hill, put the figure even higher.

"I think they said right at 300," he said.

Company spokeswoman Davis disputed the number but declined to provide an accurate figure, saying the company would issue a statement today.

Hill, a small-parts welder, worked for E-One for 25 years. Like other laid-off workers, he offered only positive comments about his former employer.

"It was good. They provided you well," he said. "It's good. I wish them well ... They're all good people."

For Goodridge, 65, Tuesday was the second time he'd lost a long-term job.

"I've already lost a job at AT&T. I was there 25 years," he said. "That hurt, no matter what. I was hoping to stay another year or two [at E-One] if my health was good."

Conner, who was a rigger on the chassis line, remained optimistic as he left the plant.

"It's all right," he said. "There's more jobs out there, and we'll all get through it."

Hill, 60, wasn't sure what he'd do next.

"I guess, go home and sit down and relax for a while, and look through the package they gave us, and get on the Internet," he said.

Like Conner, he remained hopeful as he left the chassis plant for the last time.

"There is life after E-One," he said. "We will survive."

Rick Cundiff may be reached at rick.cundiff@starbanner.com, or 867-4130.

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Pfizer Taketh and Perrigo Giveth Jobs (sort of) in Michigan


Yesterday Pfizer announced that it would layoff 275 employees at its manufacturing facility in Kalamazoo County in Michigan. Not to be out done by big pharma, generics manufacturer Perrigo Co. said today that it is going to create 400 new jobs in the western Michigan town of Allegan. According to published reports, Perrigo plans to invest $10.5 million in its Allegan, MI headquarters and manufacturing facility in an expansion that is projected to generate 99 new jobs within a year and 400 others over five years. A Michigan Economic Development Corp’s analysis suggests that the Perrigo expansion could generate up to 1,039 jobs in Michigan by 2020

A Perrigo spokesperson said that as it has done with past jobs cuts in Kalamazoo, the company will recruit the Pfizer personnel losing their jobs. This is good news for the folks who were laid off by Pfizer yesterday. However, when you do the math (275-99), the will be a net loss of 176 pharmaceutical jobs in Western Michigan by year’s end. Although Perrigo said that another 300 jobs will be created over the next five years, I wouldn’t count on many jobs being added until the US economy finds its way out of its current recession.

Hat tip to Pharmalot for the heads up!

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Toyota (TM) forced to lay off workers in response to U.S. market


Over the past year, automakers have struggled to deal with the tough economic conditions in North America, especially the United States. One of the companies that has been able to handle the slowdown better than its peers has been Toyota (NYSE: TM). But the effects are being felt even by the Japanese automaker, as made clear today in the news that the company is laying off 800 workers in one of its Japanese plants.

The 800 workers that are being laid off represent about 10% of the workforce at the company's plant in southwestern Japan. So far, the company has been able to sidestep the steep losses that its American rivals have been forced to deal with, but this year is proving to be a bit tougher, as the company is now predicting a first annual drop in profit, which would be the first time in the past seven years that the company has seen profit fall.

Toyota has been more fortunate than many automakers, mostly due the fact that the company has a long history of building smaller, more fuel efficient cars. This fact alone has helped it weather the slowdown that record high gasoline prices in the U.S. have helped create. Last Friday, however, the company stated that sales dropped 18.7% in July from the same period last year.

But even as strong as Toyota has been, this year is going to be hard on the Japanese automaker, and the predicted drop in profit has led the company to reduce the number of vehicles that it plans to produce, thus leading to these 800 layoffs. Of the 800 layoffs, 350 were cut in June, and another 450 got the news last month.

Toyota did state that it plans to increase the number of jobs again towards the end of this year, as the company tries to figure out a new production level to fit the current market. The plant where these current layoffs took place produced around 430,000 vehicles, including models such as the Lexus RX and Highlander sport utility vehicles.

When the company raises employees levels later this year, expect the added resources to be used more in factories that produce the company's most fuel efficient cars. This is an area where Toyota excels but has been having a hard time keeping up with the fierce demand for these cars.

Michael Fowlkes has worked as a stock trader for seven years and spent the last four years working as an analyst for the online investment advisory service Investor's Observer.

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Local Johnson Controls plant to lay off 130 workers


By Thomas Gnau

Staff Writer

Monday, August 04, 2008

WEST CARROLLTON — Johnson Controls Inc. has informed Ohio government it intends to permanently lay off about 130 employees from its local plant by the end of September — at the same time the local General Motors plant ends its second production shift.

The Johnson Controls plant at 217 S. Alex Road will lay off workers around Sept. 29, according to a letter to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services from the company.

The plant, which has about 200 workers, makes seats for GM's sports utility vehicle assembly plant in Moraine. Last week, GM said it will end the second production shift at its Moraine plant by the end of September. In June, GM said the plant will close altogether by 2010 or earlier.

Local Johnson Controls workers have said the Moraine GM plant is their plant's sole customer.

The Johnson Controls layoffs will affect 102 assemblers, 11 material handlers and other workers in a variety of positions, Johnson Controls' letter says.

A Johnson Controls spokeswoman could not be immediately reached.

Martin Williamson — chair of the Johnson Controls unit for United Auto Workers Local 696, which represents workers at the plant — said Monday, Aug. 4, that the company is laying off its second shift because GM is ending the second shift at its Moraine plant.

"Everything they do directly affects us," Williamson said of GM.

He said Johnson Controls officials have said nothing about finding new work for the local plant.

Johnson Controls bought the local plant from Findlay Industries in September 2003. Making batteries and products for automotive interiors and buildings, the company says it has 140,000 employees total in 1,300 locations.

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Job shortage for young people


American employers eliminated 51,000 jobs in July, the seventh consecutive contraction in the labour market, as the unemployment rate reached a four-year high, signs that the pressure on business owners and consumers was likely to continue.

Still, last Friday’s report from the U.S. Labor Department showed that the declines have softened since spring. The number of layoffs was less than the 75,000 that economists had expected, and the government said that businesses cut fewer jobs in June and May than first thought.

"The good news is there’s been no acceleration in the official data," Robert Barbera, the chief economist of ITG, an economic research company.

"The bad news is there’s nothing about the data that suggests improvement anytime soon."

The rough job market worsened in July, with the unemployment rate rising to 5.7 percent from 5.5 percent in June, its highest level since March 2004.

"It’s not that unemployment is rising because a lot of people are coming into the labour force," Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com, said. "It’s rising because employment is falling."

Part of the problem is a paucity of jobs for young people, one out of five of whom are unemployed. The teenage unemployment rate rose to 19 percent, its highest level in 16 years.

Last month’s job losses came in a broad range of industries, with manufacturing, construction and administrative services suffering the steepest declines. About 30,000 support staff workers were laid off, along with 35,000 manufacturing employees.

Workers in the transportation industry were hit hard by high oil prices, which have weighed heavily on bottom lines. About 5,000 truck drivers were laid off, and airlines also trimmed their work forces.

Stocks on Wall Street were trading lower, with the Dow Jones industrials down about 50 points, as investors digested the jobs report and a $15.5-billion quarterly loss at General Motors.

Businesses have been cutting workers since the start of the year as they try to make ends meet amid a slowdown. While export sales have risen, many American customers have ratcheted back their spending to cope with expensive fuel and food and the ailing housing market.

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Layoffs for 212 loom in E. Rapids


EATON RAPIDS - A motor manufacturer that had pledged to add 159 jobs over the next seven years instead is warning it could lay off all of its 212 local workers.

Von Weise Inc. already has cut 142 jobs at its three Eaton Rapids plants, state Rep. Mike Simpson said Wednesday. The company said it has fallen on hard times.

Simpson, D-Blackman Township, helped shepherd the company through the process of getting a state tax credit worth more than $1.1 million over seven years earlier this year.

In exchange, Von Weise was to consolidate two out-of-state operations into its Eaton Rapids operations. It also was to get $800,000 in state aid to help buy equipment and machinery for the expansion.

"It just frustrates me to death," said Simpson, who was meeting with local officials in an effort to save the local jobs or find workers new ones. "I've got 212 families who are in a quandary."

Von Weise said in a statement it's been hurt by the weakness of the U.S. auto industry and the loss of some key, unnamed customers.

"Despite efforts to affect a turnaround in the prospects for the business, we have reached the difficult but necessary decision to restructure Von Weise's operations," the company said.

"The sharp drop in our revenues demands that we reduce our cost structure as quickly as possible, so we have initiated an ongoing downsizing of our three facilities and a reduction in force.

"We regret that this action is necessary."
Not called yet

Work force development agency Capital Area Michigan Works expects to be involved with efforts to find other jobs or training programs for any displaced workers, spokeswoman Kate Tykocki said.

"We will be involved in whatever capacity the company wants us to, but we haven't been called in yet," she said.

For other area plant closings, the agency's work has ranged from job fairs to help filing for unemployment benefits to connecting workers with education programs.

"There are a lot of different things we can do in this situation," Tykocki said.

Michigan Economic Development Corp. spokeswoman Bridget Beckman said Von Weise hadn't yet received any benefit from state incentives.
$529 weekly wage

Von Weise had pledged to add 159 jobs over seven years. Those jobs were to pay an average weekly wage of $529, or about $13.25 an hour, according to the MEDC.

A company spokesman declined to comment about the incentive package.

The company makes small motors for a range of uses, from car seats to garage-door openers to lawn equipment.

The Eaton Rapids operation, which traces its local history to 1940, was bought by Boca Raton, Fla.-based Sun Capital Partners Inc. in December 2007.

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Tuesday, August 05, 2008

PINK SLIPS ARE ON RISE


Job cuts announced by US employers soared last month, led by reductions at airlines and financial firms, according to a report by a private placement firm.

Firing announcements increased to 103,312, up 141 percent from 42,897 in July 2007, Chicago-based Challenger, Gray & Christmas said in a statement yesterday.

That's the biggest year-over-year percentage increase since November 2001, at the end of the last official recession. Companies have announced a total of 579,260 cuts so far this year, up 33 percent from the first seven months of 2007, according to the report.

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Monday, August 04, 2008

Schwarzenegger orders pay cuts, layoffs for state workers


By Mike Zapler
Mercury News Sacramento Bureau
Article Launched: 08/01/2008 01:30:33 AM PDT

Pay cuts, layoffs orderedCalifornia DMV employee Cassandra Sausedo holds a sign Thursday in San Jose calling for lawmakers to pass a state budget. Earlier in the day, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered pay for up to 200,000 state workers cut to minimum wage and laid off more than 10,000 others, blaming a looming cash crunch.

With hours cut, worker faces pinch. Although the governor portrayed the unprecedented move as a money-saving maneuver, it was seen in the Capitol primarily as a way to intensify pressure to pass a budget. The state enters the second month of the fiscal year today without a spending plan, and faces the prospect of taking out high-cost loans from Wall Street if one isn't in place soon.

"Our state faces a looming cash crisis. This situation leaves me with no easy choices," Schwarzenegger said at a news conference. "This is not an action that I take lightly. I understand that this will affect people at a time when they are already struggling and so I want to apologize to all the state employees for having to do that."

The pay cuts would not take effect until September at the earliest, and a pitched political and legal battle may ensue to block them.

As for the layoffs, the administration has not yet specified which employees will be exempt, so it's unclear exactly how state services will be affected. Generally, the order calls for exceptions for those in public safety and emergency medical care jobs; department heads have until today to decide which workers are spared.

But one place where the public may notice a difference is at the Department of Motor Vehicles, which employs many part-time and temporary staffers who were expected to be laid off. That could mean longer waits for people registering their vehicles or seeking new driver's licenses.

Kellie Allyn arrived at the Los Gatos DMV branch at 3:10 p.m. Thursday to renew the registration on her Nissan Pathfinder and was turned away, even though the office typically closes at 5 p.m. A manager cited the governor's executive order, Allyn said.

"The whole place was packed with people trying to figure out how to get served," Allyn said. When she threatened to call the media to complain, an employee responded, "Go ahead. We're all getting laid off or minimum wage."

Still, there appeared to be behind-the-scenes jockeying Thursday afternoon to avoid some layoffs. One DMV worker in San Jose who assumed she would be let go was later told by her boss that her hours were being cut instead.

"Our workers have received mixed messages from their supervisors about which employees will be exempt and which employees will not be exempt," said Jim Zamora, spokesman for SEIU Local 1000, which represents 95,000 state workers. "Right now, confusion reigns in many state agencies."

Administration officials estimate the governor's directive could save as much as $1 billion a month once it is fully implemented. But State Controller John Chiang, who has the job of issuing paychecks, vowed to ignore the pay-cut order, so it's uncertain whether the bulk of those savings will materialize.

The layoffs and a freeze on hiring and overtime, which took effect immediately, will save about $80 million - pocket change in the scheme of California's $100 billion-plus general fund.

Moreover, many Capitol observers expect the budget to be resolved before the pay cut would take effect. Schwarzenegger himself said he's optimistic of a budget deal "in the next few days"; Democratic and Republican leaders say a few weeks is more likely.

That led many legislators to conclude the move was more political than practical.

"He can't force us to do anything different than we're already doing," said Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles. "He is under pressure and we're all under pressure. That's why I don't understand why this distraction was needed."

The immediate brunt of the governor's order will be felt by the estimated 10,300 part-time and temporary employees who received pink slips beginning Thursday afternoon. Although most workers will likely be offered their jobs back once a budget is signed, "there will be no guarantees," said David Gilb, director of the Department of Personnel Administration.

Because Chiang is elected independently and does not report to Schwarzenegger, it could take legal action by the governor to enforce the pay cut. Several legal experts told the Mercury News last week that the law favors Schwarzenegger's stance, though it's unlikely that a lawsuit would be decided before the budget stalemate ends.

Asked if he would pursue legal action if the controller ignores the executive order, Schwarzenegger said, "Whatever it takes, I will do."

If the governor succeeds, the state would cut the pay of up to 200,000 workers to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour starting in September, assuming the budget is still unresolved. The affected workers, who are paid monthly, would receive their lost wages once a budget is signed.

Democrats and Republicans are at loggerheads over whether to close the $15.2 billion deficit primarily with tax increases or spending cuts. Negotiations have focused recently on a demand by Schwarzenegger and Republicans to limit future spending and establish a larger "rainy day" reserve. A compromise on that issue, those familiar with negotiations said, could open the door to an agreement on tax increases or ending tax breaks for companies or individuals.

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Layoffs set for 22,000 California state workers


DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer
July 30, 2008 6:54 PM
SACRAMENTO (AP) - The California Department of Motor Vehicles, infamous for long lines, has cut its wait time in half to get a driver's license.
A big part of the reason is its hiring of part-time employees. Of 9,017 DMV employees statewide, 1,345 - or 15 percent - could be gone by Friday after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signs an executive order to deal with the state's fiscal crisis.
The department also has 751 contractors who could be terminated. And that won't be good news for customers, said Amber Carlson, who would lose her $14.75-an-hour part-time job answering phones and processing paperwork at the DMV's Sacramento headquarters.
''People aren't going to get their licenses back as quick. There's going to be more people on hold trying to get their questions answered,'' said Carlson, 25. ''He (Schwarzenegger) is trying to push people, and he's pushing the wrong people.''
Schwarzenegger is expected to sign the executive order Thursday, the first day of the August pay period.
About 22,000 temporary, part-time and contract state workers face layoffs. That could mean fewer food safety inspections and cutbacks in the programs that stock fish in the state's rivers and lakes, among many consequences.
The governor also is expected to order that many of the 200,000 regular state employees under his control be paid the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour until a state budget is passed. Lawmakers have failed to agree on a spending plan for the fiscal year that began July 1, arguing over whether they should enact tax increases or steep cuts to close a $15.2 billion deficit.
The workers receiving the federal minimum wage will be reimbursed for their full salaries once a budget deal is reached. The others will simply be out of work.
Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said law enforcement, emergency, disaster and other critical workers would be exempt from the executive order.
The federal court-appointed receiver who runs the state prison health care system on Wednesday exempted all his state employees from the cutbacks.
Schwarzenegger's executive order is designed in part as a way to pressure lawmakers to strike a budget deal quickly, but it also is expected to prompt immediate challenges.
Controller John Chiang, a Democrat, said he will defy Schwarzenegger and keep sending permanent employees their full checks, rather than paying them minimum wage. State employee unions promise to seek injunctions blocking the entire executive order.
Both concede the governor likely has the power to lay off the seasonal and part-time workers.
Schwarzenegger said he has little choice because the state could run out of cash without a budget. The administration projects that firing the employees, ending contracts and suspending overtime would save the state about $100 million a month.
''Being governor, I have to make sure that we pay our bills and that we have the money,'' Schwarzenegger said at a news conference on Tuesday.
While many state workers can get low-interest loans until they receive back wages, Kim Croff, 44, of Carmichael, is one of those set to lose her DMV job with little savings as a cushion.
''I'm very worried. Unemployment is up, jobs are very scarce. There's no one really hiring. The economy is really bad,'' Croff said as she and Carlson protested the pending cuts during their lunch hour Wednesday. ''It takes a toll on you, just worrying about it.''
Croff schedules driving test and vehicle registration appointments for $14.25 an hour. While she works 40 hours a week, she's not considered a permanent, full-time employee and will lose her job.
Her Sacramento call center, one of five statewide, is staffed by about 85 people, about 30 of whom are part-time employees.
Jim Zamora, spokesman for Service Employees International Union, said seasonal fruit and vegetable inspectors also might be laid off - ''the people who protect you from salmonella.''
''By getting rid of them at this time of year, you're potentially creating problems for the state,'' said Zamora, who represents the largest state employees' union.
The governor's office said it's not clear whether food inspectors would be subject to the executive order.
Agencies are informing the administration how many of their employees are considered crucial to public safety.
State Sen. Dean Florez asked the Legislature's legal office for an opinion about whether the governor can fire the 22,000 workers. Last week, the nonpartisan Legislative Counsel's Office advised that Schwarzenegger cannot force the state controller to pay only minimum wage. The administration disagrees, citing a previous court order.
Caught in the middle are workers such as 23-year-old Brian Rodman of Sacramento and Andrew Walker, 19, of Elverta.
They were up to their chest waders in swirling young fish Wednesday as they helped with cleaning and feeding at the Nimbus Salmon and Steelhead Hatchery along the American River east of Sacramento. Both work part time while taking college classes in hopes of joining the state Department of Fish and Game full time.
''If we leave, everything slows down. It's not as productive,'' said Walker.
During busy times, the hatchery employs six seasonal workers to help its eight full-timers, manager Paula Hoover said. Statewide, 57 seasonal workers help 120 permanent hatchery employees.
Brad Willis, who works at the Mojave River State Fish Hatchery in Victorville, said he and other full-time employees probably would be able to keep the fish alive but not deliver them to the state's lakes and streams.
''A lot of recreational fishermen depend on that, as do the local businesses and communities that depend on the fishermen,'' Willis said. ''The governor is trying to pressure the Legislature. Of course we need a budget, but we don't need the additional pressure of telling people they're not going to get their money.''

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Starbucks cuts 1,000 management positions, 180 layoffs in Seattle


SEATTLE -- Starbucks is cutting 1,000 management positions as part of its plan to cut costs and transform the coffee company.
CEO Howard Schultz announced the cuts today to employees.
A Starbucks spokeswoman in Seattle, Bridget Baker, says 550 of the positions are layoffs and the other jobs being cut are unfilled positions. She says 180 of the layoffs are the headquarters and regional offices in Seattle. The rest are at other Starbucks offices around the world.
This is in addition to jobs that are being lost at the 600 coffee shops Starbucks is closing in the United States.
Earlier today Starbucks also announced it's closing 61 stores in Australia.

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Friday, August 01, 2008

The Job Market August, 2008


It was a year ago Sunday that the sub-prime mortgage crisis became part of our vocabulary as sub-prime residential mortgage defaults began to implode upon lenders. It was on that day, that I watched CNBC as the events were unfolding and learned that our financial institutions had no way of valuing their mortgage derivative products when all hell started to break loose.

Since January 1, 2008, approximately 500,000 jobs were lost in the United States (Many of the layoff notices of 100 or more are chronicled at www.thejobmarketblog.com) . Many thousands more occurred in the 4th quarter of last year as financial houses like Merrill Lynch, Citigroup, UBS, CS First Boston and Lehman Brothers started to melt down. If you or friends of yours work or have worked there , you have heard the tales of woe from them.

Although official numbers suggest we are not in recession, unemployment in the US is now at 5% but the more telling statistic is that more than 9% of workers are now either unemployed or working part time, rather than full time as they wish. It is, as I suggested, the beginning of a complicated time in the US as the economy is choked by lack of credit.

It is also the beginning of complicated times for the world economy--China's China National Petroleum Corporation, will layoff 80,000 workers in the next 3 years. Siemens announced cuts of almost 17,000. Ericsson announced 4,000. Alcatel-Lucent is chopping 4,000 of its own.

For older, more expensive workers, in particular, the goal is to find a job and live to another day. In a little while, I will have a product available for you called, "How to Survive a Layoff Like A Pro" to help you avoid layoffs, if possible, and manage yourself and your expectations until you find your next job.

In the mean time, I encourage you not to have unreasonable expectations of salary offers because, frankly, companies have choices again these days and they don't have to pay you big increases or sign on bonuses.

Someone else will accept the job offer for less.

You might also order a copy of my ebooks, Get Yourself Hired NOW! The Big Game Hunter's Guide to Head Hunting Your Next Job and Every Job After That!" and "Get Your Job Search Organized NOW!" Both are available by clicking here

You need every tool you can get your hands on because in this market talented people are going to find themselves out of work for long periods of time.

Don't wait until your family finances are in shambles. Learn what you need to and get help wherever you can so you can get to work as fast as possible.

Jeff Altman
The Big Game Hunter
Concepts in Staffing
thebiggamehunter@cisny.com

© 2008 all rights reserved.

Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, is Managing Director with Concepts in Staffing, a New York search firm, He has successfully assisted many corporations identify management leaders and staff in many disciplines since 1971. He is a retired certified leader of the ManKind Project, a not for profit organization that assists men with life issues, and a practicing psychotherapist.
He is the author of “Get Yourself Hired NOW! The Big Game Hunter’s Guide to Head Hunting Your Next Job and Every Job After That” (in ebook and audio formats) and “Get Your Job Search Organized NOW!” (ebook) Both are available at www.getyourselfhiredNOW.com

To receive a daily digest of positions emailed to you, search for openings that The Big Game Hunter is working on, to use Jeff’s free job lead search engine, Job Search Universe, to subscribe to Jeff’s free job hunting ezine, “Head Hunt Your Next Job, or his staffing ezine, “Natural Selection”, or to learn about his VIP program, go to www.jeffaltman.com.
Explore some of The Big Game Hunter's products in "The Universe" series
Plus

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CNPC Layoffs will be more than 80,000 people


Recently, the General Manager of China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) said in the next three years cut 5 percent of the total staff. According to the official website of oil statistics, in 2007 the total number of employees in the oil for 1.673 million people, as the base, the total number of layoffs will be more than 80,000 people.

The five percent reduction in staff will not affect oil companies in-house staff to the stability. Because, including the reduction of several aspects, one is the retirement of the natural way to reduce the second is the new import control; Third, it is part of contract workers could be fired after the expiration of the fourth through the merger of a number of positions to reduce personnel.

In addition to reducing staff salaries and standardized distribution system to better control personnel costs, the oil will be compressed in the day-to-day non-productive expenditure. Have asked the companies not allowed to purchase new, lease or purchase of luxury cars in disguise, no new Loutangguansuo to reduce various kinds of large-scale celebrations and ceremonies, conferences, competitions and group tours abroad, effective Yajian Hospitality , Travel and maintenance in office, the provisions of these costs on the basis of last year to reduce the more than 10 percent. Economic analysts believe that enterprises operating profit decline in oil has affected the normal cash flow, and the compression of the cash expenditure must be the cost, can ease tensions in the oil cash flow pressure.

PetroChina expects 2008 capital expenditure to 207.9 billion yuan, of which exploration and development capital expenditure of 132.3 billion yuan. Will be more funds for investment in oil and gas business, in the existing oil has 49 investment projects in the planning and make stops, Huanjian or transferred, by dealing with investment, investment funds reduced 20.72 billion yuan. At the same time, in oil also plans to issue 60 billion yuan of corporate bonds in order to meet production needs, reduce financing costs, additional liquidity.

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3M announces layoffs; some jobs to be cut in Decatur


Jul 26, 2008 (The Decatur Daily - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- MMM | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- 3M Co. announced it will eliminate 300 jobs, including an unspecified number at its Decatur plant, because of a drop in sales in its optical films.

The company will make the layoffs at its Decatur plant and a plant in Menomonee, Wis.

The Decatur plant employs 830 workers at an average pay of about $50,000 a year. It paid $120 million for its optical plant, which has struggled with profit margins since it began.

3M's optical film products are used in flat-screen televisions, computer monitors mobile phones and handheld computers.

The Decatur plant's production of films for large-screen televisions has been problematic. A single blemish on the film sends it to the trash can, according to 3M Chief Executive George Buckley in an earnings conference last year. Avoiding such blemishes on wide sheets of film is proving difficult.

The majority of the layoffs will be in the United States, comprising about 20 percent of its optical films staff.

The company reported Thursday that its second-quarter earnings received a boost from a 10 percent increase in net sales. Most of that increase came from international sales.

3M's optical business, however, was dismal in the second quarter. Profits fell 54 percent, and sales were down 36 percent. In an earnings conference, officials blamed the drop on the popularity of Vizio LCD televisions, which use a low-end optical film not offered by 3M. The competition forced 3M to cut prices on its optical films twice.

The company said that in addition to the layoffs, it will consolidate some manufacturing facilities. Spokeswoman Jacqueline Berry said Friday that plans are not final, but her understanding is that the consolidation will not affect the Decatur plant.

The measures should save the company $30 million annually, Berry said.

Local 3M officials declined comment.

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At UF, staff and faculty pay raises follow layoffs


University of Florida faculty and staff are getting raises just a few months after the school announced more than 100 layoffs to help slash $47 million from its budget.

UF President Bernie Machen announced today that staff would receive 2 percent increases effective Sept. 19. A 3 percent merit pool will be created for faculty, with raises to be determined based on critera set by college deans, he added.

Health care premiums will not increase, Machen said in a statement.

Money for the raises will come from fees and higher tuition approved recently by trustees, Machen said.

"Any time we are asked to do more with less total resources, it is difficult and potentially damaging to the institution," Machen said. "Because of your collective efforts, we have come together and are positioned to maintain our commitment to educational excellence. In recognition of this overall effort, we are going to provide a small, but hopefully significant, compensation increase to eligible faculty and staff."

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U.S. jobless rate jumps to four-year-high 5.7%


Nonfarm payrolls fall by 51,000 in July, marking seventh straight drop
By Rex Nutting, MarketWatch
Last update: 10:38 a.m. EDT Aug. 1, 2008

WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Nonfarm payrolls fell for the seventh straight month in July while the nation's unemployment jumped to 5.7%, a four-year high, the Labor Department reported Friday.

Nonfarm payrolls fell by 51,000 last month, led by losses in manufacturing, construction, retail and temporary help. Read the full report.
Since December, 463,000 jobs have been lost, the strongest signal yet that the economy is in a recession.

"This is a truly recessionary employment report," wrote Harm Bandholz, an economist for UniCredit Markets. "The details are rather ugly."

Total hours worked in the economy fell by 0.4 of a percentage point in July and are down 0.7% in the past year. The average workweek fell to 33.6 hours, matching the all-time low.

Economists surveyed by MarketWatch had been looking for payrolls to shrink by 70,000 and for the unemployment rate to rise to 5.6% from 5.5% in June. See Economic Calendar.

Payrolls in May and June were revised higher by 26,000.

Average hourly earnings rose as expected, adding 6 cents, or 0.3%, to $18.06. Average pay is up 3.4% in the past year, far less than the 5% rise in consumer prices.

"The pickup in unemployment reduces employee bargaining power, suggesting slower wage growth in the near term," wrote Michelle Meyer, an economist for Lehman Bros. "This should relieve some of the inflation pressure but also hinder consumers."

The number of part-time workers who sought full-time employment surged by 5.5% in July to 5.6 million.

The dismal news from the labor front likely won't have much impact on policymakers at the Federal Reserve, which seems determined to stand pat on interest rates at next week's meeting.

The Federal Open Market Committee meets on Tuesday. Analysts are unanimous in their view that the FOMC will not change its 2% target for overnight funds.

The Fed's trying to balance the risks of continued economic weakness against the risk that inflation could accelerate too far. Most analysts expect the Fed to keep rates unchanged through the end of the year.

A small but vocal minority on the FOMC wants to raise interest rates soon to counter inflationary pressures. A key member of that group, Philadelphia Fed President Charles Plosser said recently that the FOMC should begin to tighten down on rates even if the unemployment rate is still rising.

The weak jobs report sparked more talk about a second stimulus package from Congress.
"More must be done to prime the economy's pump and put America back to work," said Christine Owens, director of the National Employment Law Project.

"Our economy continues to work its way through current challenges," said Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. "The resiliency of the economy given all the shocks we have sustained is noteworthy."

The loss of 666,000 private-sector jobs since November "removes any reasonable objection to a second economic stimulus package," said Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.

On Thursday, White House economic advisers said such talk of more help from Washington was "political."

In its July survey of business establishments, the government found that private-sector employment fell by 76,000. Goods-producing industries cut 46,000 jobs, while services cut 30,000. Manufacturing firms lost 35,000 workers, and construction firms shed 22,000 jobs.

In services, retailers cut 16,500 jobs, the eighth straight decline. Professional and business services firms cut 24,000, including 20,000 in temp help.

Health-care added 33,000 jobs. Payrolls in financial firms were flat.

Government added 25,000 jobs.

Among 274 industries surveyed, 41.2% said they were hiring in July -- the lowest in five years. Among 84 manufacturing industries, 27.4% were hiring in July.
Household survey

According to the Labor Department's survey of households, employment fell by 72,000 and unemployment rose by 285,000. The labor-force participation rate remained at 66.1%.

Unemployment among teenagers jumped by 2.2 percentage points last month, reaching 20.3%.

"The summertime influx of youth into the labor market was about the same as last year," said Keith Hall, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics. "However, fewer young people were able to find jobs."

An alternative measure of unemployment that includes people too discouraged to look for work rose to 10.3% from 9.9%, nearly matching the peak of 10.4% in the last downturn.

Rex Nutting is Washington bureau chief of MarketWatch.

The unemployment rate has risen 0.7% in the past three months, the fastest increase since the last two recessions.

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