AM I NEXT? NO LOVE -- LAYOFFS AT NISSAN NORTH AMERICA

Franklin, Tennessee-based Nissan USA, the iconic Japanese automaker, has announced that it plans to lay off approximately 700 contract workers at its Canton, Mississippi assembly plant.

The decision was conditioned by the reduced sale of vans and Titan pickup trucks. A company spokesman noted that the Van production line shifts will be reduced from two to one and the production line shifts on the Frontier and Titan pickups will be reduced from three to two. Even though the company will attempt to reassign employees to other shifts or functions within the company, approximately 700 employees will remain unassigned.

Of course, the layoff is accompanied by the usual corporate-speak with the spokesperson noting, “Nissan is adjusting production capacity at its Canton manufacturing facility to match market demand and maintain healthy inventory levels.”

The company was quick to point out that the layoffs had nothing to do with the arrest of former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn for fraud.

This should come as no surprise to contract workers as Nissan had previously announced that it was trimming its workforce by approximately 20 percent in May, 2018 to increase profitability. Contract workers will be targeted first to allow Nissan to keep honoring its no-layoff policy for direct employees. Perhaps one of the reasons that the majority of direct employees rejected representation by the United Auto Workers in 2017.

Look for an additional headcount reduction in the engine production line in Decherd, Tennessee. Nissan has not revealed any notice of cuts to its Smyrna, Tennessee facility.

There are no guarantees in life, or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE -- MASS LAYOFFS AT TESLA (04/23/24)

MAY 8, 2024 — TESLA’S COLD GOODBYE EMAIL DOES NOT THANK EMPLOYEES FOR THEIR SERVICE

I am reaching out to let you know that after a careful review of your permanent work restrictions and your role, it was determined that there was no reasonable accommodation that would enable you to perform the essential functions of your position in your role.

The next step in the interactive process is the Alternative Job Search (AJS process), which consists of reviewing Tesla’s internal and external job board to identify potential positions. This is to inform you that we have not identified any openings for which you appear qualified.

Given recent changes in the business, we also do not currently anticipate any such openings in the near term.

As such, we are advising that we intend to conclude the AJS process at this time.

As we have not identified an alternative available position, we will begin processing your separation from employment with Tesla, effective May 3rd, 2024.

APRIL 23, 2024 — 6,020 LAYOFFS IN CALIFORNIA AND TEXAS

The company has announced it will lay off 6,020 employees including 3,332 jobs in California and 2,688 positions in Texas, starting June 14, 2024.

APRIL 16, 2024 — 10% GONE: 14,000+ TARGETED

A company-wide email from Elon Musk…

Over the years, we have grown rapidly with multiple factories scaling around the globe. With this rapid growth there has been duplication of roles and job functions in certain areas. As we prepare the company for our next phase of growth, it is extremely important to look at every aspect of the company for cost reductions and increasing productivity.

As part of this effort, we have done a thorough review of the organization and made the difficult decision to reduce our headcount by more than 10% globally. There is nothing I hate more, but it must be done. This will enable us to be lean, innovative and hungry for the next growth phase cycle.

I would like to thank everyone who is departing Tesla for their hard work over the years. I’m deeply grateful for your many contributions to our mission and we wish you well in your future opportunities. It is very difficult to say goodbye.

For those remaining, I would like to thank you in advance for the difficult job that remains ahead. We are developing some of the most revolutionary technologies in auto, energy, and artificial intelligence. As we prepare the company for the next phase of growth, your resolve will make a huge difference in getting us there.

Thanks,

Elon

MAY 19, 2019 — IS TESLA GOING TO RUN OUT OF MONEY IN 10 MONTHS? ARE MORE LAYOFFS IN SIGHT?

In spite of raising additional cash, it appears that Tesla may be headed for trouble. Here is an email sent to all employees…

“From: Elon Musk

To: Everybody

Date: May 16, 2019

As mentioned at the company talk, it is extremely important that we examine every expenditure at Tesla no matter how small, and be sure that it is critical.

When making hundreds of thousands of cars, battery packs and solar systems, even a ten cent savings could be worth over $50,000 a year. There are over 10,000 unique parts and processes at Tesla, so making small improvements across the board has a giant cumulative impact.

At the same time, we must also continue to make our products subtly better in thousands of small ways.

It is important to bear in mind that we lost $700 million in the first quarter this year, which is over $200 million per month. Investors nonetheless were supportive of our efforts and agreed to give us $2.4 billion (our net proceeds) to show that we can be financially sustainable.

That is a lot of money, but actually only gives us approximately ten months at the first-quarter burn rate to achieve breakeven. It’s vital that we respect the faith investors have shown in Tesla, but it will require great effort to do so.

That is why, going forward, all expenses of any kind anywhere in the world, including parts, salary, travel expenses, rent, literally every payment that leaves our bank account must be reviewed, confirmed as critical and the top of every page of outgoing payments signed by our CFO.

I will personally review and sign every 10th page.

Please examine closely every expense where responsibility is, or probably should be, assigned to your group. If in doubt, assume it is on your plate, so that we don’t have anything slip through the cracks.

This will take at least a few weeks to get right. Please don’t worry if it isn’t correct at first.

This is hardcore, but it is the only way for Tesla to become financially sustainable and succeed in our goal of helping make the world environmentally sustainable.

Thanks again for your excellent work,

Elon”

Conserving cash flow is admirable, but one must wonder if Tesla may shortchange its vendors, seek off-the-books financing from vendors, or do what is traditionally necessary — lay off additional employees and outsource company functions other than those relating to the company’s core competency.

Given that Musk is proposing additional ventures, possibly to distract investors, the media, and the public from the company’s woes, one wonders if Musk is ever going to concentrate on a single venture at this stage of the game?

MAY 2, 2019 — TESLA POSTS HORRIBLE QUARTERLY RESULTS

Tesla reported one of its worst quarterly losses in history, and its cash fell by more than 40% to $2.2 billion from three months earlier. It appears that Tesla is attempting to raise an additional $2.3 BILLION through stock and bond sales. This does not appear to bode well for employees who may find themselves summarily laid off to meet the demands of new investors or to “pretty up the books” prior to raising funds.

MARCH 7, 2019 — TESLA MAY BE ATTEMPTING TO FLY UNDER THE “LAYOFF” RADAR

It is being reported that Tesla has turned to sending hourly employees home early and asking them to take time off to reduce operational costs.

For others it is asking employees to work remotely, preferably from home, and to keep travel costs to a minimum.

And, it appears that Tesla is slowly reducing the quantities of small spare parts on hand.

Of course, Tesla management is not commenting further on restructuring and cost cutting efforts.

MARCH 1, 2019 — TESLA BREAKS “NEVER AGAIN” PROMISE — MORE LAYOFFS

Tesla has announced that it will be closing most of their retail locations and laying off an unspecified number of employees as it transitions to an online sales program.

It appears that this latest layoff was aimed at cutting costs so that Tesla could finally offer a vehicle at a $35,000 price points. The company will also be reducing the prices on Models “S” and “x.”

Elon Musk explains it in an email…

“Customers can now buy a Tesla in North America via their phone in about 1 minute, and that capability will soon be extended worldwide. We are also making it much easier to try out and return a Tesla without a test drive. You can now return a car within 7 days or 1,000 miles for a full refund. Consumers are becoming increasingly comfortable making purchases online, and that is especially true for Tesla – which is a testament to the products we make.”

“As a result, over the next few months, we will be winding down many of our stores and significantly reducing our spend on sales and marketing, which will help make the price changes we’ve announced today possible. Shifting all sales online, combined with other ongoing cost efficiencies, will enable us to lower by about 6% on average, allowing us to achieve the $35,000 Model 3 price point.”

“Unfortunately, this means that some jobs will be impacted or transitioned to other areas of the business. This is a hard decision, but is necessary to make our cars more affordable. Our sales team has fought on the front lines of advancing our mission and has been our connection to hundreds of thousands of customers along the way. I want to express my sincere gratitude for all that you’ve done."

"In the coming weeks, we will be evaluating all areas of our sales and marketing organization to understand where there are operational efficiencies, and how best to support the transition to online sales, while also continuing to deliver a truly awesome and educational Tesla buying experience.”

Original Post…

Palo Alto, California-based electric car maker Tesla, Inc., headed by the tech-wunderkind Elon Musk, has announced that the company has “no choice” but to reduce its headcount by approximately 7% or about 3,000 employees. Somewhat reminiscent of the time in June, 2018 when Elon Musk announced a “difficult but necessary” reorganization that saw approximately 9% of its salaried workforce or about 4,000 employees laid off.

What game is Elon Musk playing?

There is no doubt that Elon Musk, one of America’s greatest entrepreneurs and financial engineers who parlayed a propitious investment and a knack for self-promotion into a mélange of “big concept” companies that rely on constant infusions of venture capital, shareholder investment, and government subsidies. But when one looks behind the curtain, one sees a morass of poor executive decisions, crazy cross-capitalization of assets, and a micro-manager who gets involved in crises of his own making.

The truth is that Tesla has been profitable for only 3 quarters of its 15-year history and that was primarily due to selling pollution tax credits and reducing headcounts. As numerous well-credentialed and experienced automotive executives has noted, Tesla headcount, relative to its production levels and sales numbers in more than excessive. Gross inefficiency that can be explained and forgiven for a start-up, but not for a maturing company that could hire some of the best production people in the industry. Of course, part of the problem is that Musk regards Tesla as a technology company rather than an automaker, which focuses attention on products, people, and procedures not affiliated with the production line.

What Musk has not said in his email is that there is a $900 million bond payment coming due in March 2019 which would trigger serious ramifications if the company defaulted on the payment. There is little or no doubt that one of the oldest tricks in the CEO playbook is to shore up your share price and stockholder sentiment with an austerity plan, mass layoffs, and a promise to do better in the future.

Musk’s email to employees …

Company Update

18 January 2019

This morning, the following email was sent to all Tesla employees:

As we all experienced first-hand, last year was the most challenging in Tesla’s history. However, thanks to your efforts, 2018 was also the most successful year in Tesla’s history: we delivered almost as many cars as we did in all of 2017 in the last quarter alone and nearly as many cars last year as we did in all the prior years of Tesla’s existence combined! Model 3 also became the best-selling premium vehicle of 2018 in the US. This is truly remarkable and something that few thought possible just a short time ago.

Looking ahead at our mission of accelerating the advent of sustainable transport and energy, which is important for all life on Earth, we face an extremely difficult challenge: making our cars, batteries, and solar products cost-competitive with fossil fuels. While we have made great progress, our products are still too expensive for most people. Tesla has only been producing cars for about a decade and we’re up against massive, entrenched competitors. The net effect is that Tesla must work much harder than other manufacturers to survive while building affordable, sustainable products.

In Q3 last year, we were able to make a 4% profit. While small by most standards, I would still consider this our first meaningful profit in the 15 years since we created Tesla. However, that was in part the result of preferentially selling higher-priced Model 3 variants in North America. In Q4, preliminary, unaudited results indicate that we again made a GAAP profit, but less than Q3. This quarter, as with Q3, shipment of higher-priced Model 3 variants (this time to Europe and Asia) will hopefully allow us, with great difficulty, effort, and some luck, to target a tiny profit.

However, starting around May, we will need to deliver at least the mid-range Model 3 variant in all markets, as we need to reach more customers who can afford our vehicles. Moreover, we need to continue making progress towards lower-priced variants of Model 3. Right now, our most affordable offering is the mid-range (264 miles) Model 3 with premium sound and interior at $44k. The need for a lower-priced variant of Model 3 becomes even greater on July 1, when the US tax credit again drops in half, making our car $1,875 more expensive, and again at the end of the year when it goes away entirely.

Sorry for all these numbers, but I want to make sure that you know all the facts and figures and understand that the road ahead is very difficult. This is not new for us – we have always faced significant challenges – but it is the reality we face. There are many companies that can offer a better work-life balance because they are larger and more mature or in industries that are not so voraciously competitive. Attempting to build affordable clean energy products at scale necessarily requires extreme effort and relentless creativity, but succeeding in our mission is essential to ensure that the future is good, so we must do everything we can to advance the cause.

As a result of the above, we, unfortunately, have no choice but to reduce full-time employee headcount by approximately 7% (we grew by 30% last year, which is more than we can support) and retain only the most critical temps and contractors. Tesla will need to make these cuts while increasing the Model 3 production rate and making many manufacturing engineering improvements in the coming months. Higher volume and manufacturing design improvements are crucial for Tesla to achieve the economies of scale required to manufacture the standard range (220 miles), standard interior Model 3 at $35k and still be a viable company. There isn't any other way.

To those departing, thank you for everything you have done to advance our mission. I am deeply grateful for your contributions to Tesla. We would not be where we are today without you.

For those remaining, although there are many challenges ahead, I believe we have the most exciting product roadmap of any consumer product company in the world. Full self-driving, Model Y, Semi, Truck, and Roadster on the vehicle side and Powerwall/pack and Solar Roof on the energy side are only the start.

I am honored to work alongside you.

Thanks for everything,

Elon

Change is coming. There will always be a tomorrow, no matter how much you may try to ignore it. There are no guarantees in life or promises for a bright future. Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere. No one is guaranteed to wake up tomorrow and still have a job by evening. Are you now wondering, Am I Next?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE -- LAYOFFS AT SPACEX (UPDATED)

FEBRUARY 1, 2019 — MUSK ADMITS TWO “INSANE” PROJECTS AT SPACEX COULD BANKRUPT THE COMPANY.

In an investor call on the fortunes of Musk’s primary company, Tesla, Must said that he attributed the 10% reduction in force to two “insane projects” which he identified as “Starship” and “Starlink” projects which had the power to bankrupt the company.

Starship is the Mars rocket to transport 100 humans to the Moon and Mars.

Starlink is the rockets and network of satellites to provide global broadband high-speed internet services.

Musk used the two projects to differentiate the types of layoffs at both SpaceX and Tesla, the latter being a ruthless effort at cost cutting to make electric vehicles more affordable.

Original post…

Hawthorne, California-based Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX), the iconic disposable rocket company headed by Tesla's mercurial Elon Musk, has announced a major reduction in force that will see 10% or approximately 700 employees laid off as an austerity measure and because the company claims that they have "completed their mission."

The layoffs includes production managers, avionics technicians, machinists, inventory specialists and propulsion technicians, and support personnel; 577 located at the company's Hawthorne headquarters.

In the finest example of corporate speak, a company spokesperson announced, “To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based Internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company. Either of these developments, even when attempted separately, have bankrupted other organizations. This means we must part ways with some talented and hardworking members of our team. We are grateful for everything they have accomplished and their commitment to SpaceX’s mission. This action is taken only due to the extraordinarily difficult challenges ahead and would not otherwise be necessary.”

The company has claimed that it is facing conditions greater than those previously acknowledged publicly. It is also not known the extent to which SpaceX's assets have been deployed to other Musk ventures such as The Boring Company.

Just because something bad hasn't happened yet, doesn't mean it won't. It can happen to anyone, anytime, anywhere ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?