NO LOVE AT PROCTER & GAMBLE

Am I Next? Proctor & Gamble Layoffs, Plant-Closing and Move

MAY 3, 2023 — 122 EMPLOYEES IN HAMILTON, OHIO

iMFLUX, a wholly owned subsidiary of P&G that developed low, constant pressure injection molding technology, notified the State of Ohio that it is closing its Hamilton, Ohio, facility on June 30, 2023, and will lay off all of its 122 employees.

FEBRUARY 13, 2018 — MASS LAYOFFS IN IOWA AND KANSAS

The company will move 500 jobs from its Iowa City, Iowa Beauty Care Plant’s (hair care and personal cleansing body wash) production line to its newly-built facility in Tabler Station, West Virginia, gradually with the move completed by 2020. Some of the well-known brands included in the move will be Pantene, Head & Shoulders, Herbal Essences, Olay, Old Spice, Gillette body wash, and Scope and Crest Oral Rinses. The oral care products, including power toothbrushes, will remain in Iowa City for now. 

Additionally, the 100-year-old plant in Kansas City, Kansas facility will be closed, and production transferred to the new West Virginia facility. Approximately 280 employees will be laid off. Some of the brands associated with the Kansas City plant include Dawn, Gain, Ivory, and Joy hand dishwashing detergents. 

Of course, there was the corporate speak, “Decisions like this are never easy, but we are communicating this decision more than two years in advance to help our employees plan for the future. We are committed to supporting Procter & Gamble people through the transition in a manner consistent with our values and principles."

Consumer goods companies are demand- and price-sensitive to changes in the marketplace; often adjusting capacity, workflow, and personnel to meet present conditions and future projections.

P&G cites an enterprise-wide review started in 2013 as the impetus for the layoffs. Nothing to see here, move along.  

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. We see good people being laid off through no fault of their own. 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?

NO LOVE AT SANOFI (04/14/24)

Am I Next? French Drug Manufacturer Sanofi to layoff 400 people.

APRIL 14, 2024 — 100 SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO EMPLOYEES TARGETED

Sanofi is planning to shut down its former acquisition, Amunix Pharmaceuticals, located in South San Francisco, California, and lay off its 100 employees between early June through mid-September 2024.

According to a company spokesperson, "This new step involves making strong decisions for the future of our company.”

JULY 24, 2022 — 400 LAYOFFS IN SALES TEAMS

The company has announced that it will be laying off 400 employees from its diabetes and cardiovascular sales team.

According to a company spokesperson, “The reorganization will enable us to continue to adapt to the ever-changing market, and allow us to focus on our recent launches while setting us up for success in the future."

SEPTEMBER 15, 2021 — 38 SAN FRANCISCO LAYOFFS

Sanofi has announced the wind-down of Principia Biopharma’s San Francisco, California laboratories and lay off 38 employees on October 8, 2021.  The facility will be the site will be permanently vacated by April 2022.

According to a company spokesperson, “This was a difficult decision, and we plan to undertake this process responsibly and assist our employees with this transition.”

JULY 18, 2019 — STEALTH LAYOFFS?

It appears that the company is reducing its U.S. headcount — with hundreds of jobs at risk.

Preparatory to layoffs, the company is executing its VEEP strategy.

According to a company spokesperson, “Sanofi US offered a Voluntary Early Exit Program (VEEP) for eligible employees across our organization. We are not disclosing the number of employees who accepted VEEP. As we’ve discussed on our earnings calls, Sanofi has returned to growth and with that, we are continuing to focus on strategically aligning our operations and expenses to be able to invest in key R&D programs that will deliver important new medicines for patients.”

FEBRUARY 9, 2018 — Original Post…

Sanofi, based in France and one of the world's largest multinational pharmaceutical companies in the world, has announced a new round of layoffs in its continuing restructuring program to meet competitive pressures.

Published reports indicate that the new round of workforce adjustments will result in at least 400 layoffs in their United States sales force, mostly involved with Sanofi’s diabetes and cardiovascular products.

It is no secret that drug-makers are being subject to expiring protections on lucrative proprietary drugs, bio-similar compounds, and competitive purchasing pressures from distributors who are kicking back incentives to large institutions. In addition, most drug manufacturers are reducing their direct-to-physician contracts in favor of advertising using both mainstream media and internet channels aimed at a targeted audience.

Of course, the company was quick to employ corporate-speak, using spokesperson  Ashleigh Koss to explain that the reduction in force will "enable us to continue to adapt to the ever-changing market, and allow us to focus on our recent launches while setting us up for success in the future.” She could have easily added, “move along, nothing new to see here folks.”

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?

NO LOVE AT BROADCOM / VMWARE (12/01/23)

Am I Next? Layoffs at VMware.

DECEMBER 1, 2023 — 2,000+ LAYOFFS IS THE NEW NUMBER

Broadcom will lay off about 2,000+ VMware employees, with 1,267 employees in California following its acquisition of the cloud-computing firm. Approximately 600 additional positions within the company are expected to be eliminated in Washington, Colorado, and Georgia

“This will not result in the closure of the entire facility, but will only impact certain employees selected for layoff. This planned action is expected to be permanent.

NOVEMBER 29, 2023 — VMWARE LAYOFFS BEGIN AFTER MERGER WITH BROADCOM

VMWARE has announced the layoffs of 184 employees in Broomfield, Colorado, after its $69 billion merger with San Jose, California-based Broadcom. Layoffs are scheduled to commence on January 26, 2024.

Additionally, 217 employees will be laid off in Atlanta, Georgia.

The email sent to employees stated, “As part of integration planning, and following an organizational needs assessment, we identified go-forward roles that will be required within the combined company. We regret to inform you that your position is being eliminated and your employment will be terminated.”

MAY 23, 2022 — RED FLAG WARNING: COMPANY FINANCIALS LEAVE VMWARE OPEN FOR ACQUISITION, DOWNSIZING

It appears that one of the companies interested in acquiring VMWARE is San Jose, California-based communications chipmaker Broadcom.

It would allow Michael Dell (40%) and Menlo Park, California-based Silver Lake, the private-equity firm, to cash out pre-recession and give Broadcom a hedge against global chip issues.

FEBRUARY 26, 2021 — 107 PALO ALTO EMPLOYEES TO BE LAID OFF

Continuing with its restructuring and workforce balancing, the company announced 107 layoffs, including 14 remote workers, at its Palo Alto headquarters commencing March 30, 2021. This is part of the layoffs announced in January.

JANUARY 31, 2021 — UP TO 310 EMPLOYEES TARGETED FOR LAYOFF

This appears to be part of the company’s annual workforce balancing program. Dell Technologies is set to spin off its 81 percent stake in VMware later this year to Dell and VMware shareholders.

According to a company spokesperson, “We can confirm that there have been a limited number of changes to our workforce this month (January 2021), impacting less than one percent of the total employee population. This is a part of regular workforce rebalancing that ensures resources across VMware’s global businesses and geographies are aligned with strategic objectives and customer needs.”

SEPTEMBER 15, 2020 — PERMANENT REMOTE WORKERS SCREWED, LOSE SALARY BUMP IF THEY MOVE OUT OF SILICON VALLEY

The company has announced that employees who become permanent remote workers will get a pay cut, up to 18%, if they move out of Silicon Valley to a less-expensive city. This is based on the “competitive costs” of local labor vs. the greater cost of living in Silicon Valley. It is unknown if the company will bump the salary of remote workers if they voluntarily move to a more expensive city.

FEBRUARY 15, 2020 — 211 EMPLOYEES TO BE LAID OFF IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA

The company has announced that as a part of “regular workplace balancing,” they will be laying off 211 employees located at its Palo Alto headquarters, including 56 remote workers, 10 executives, and 155 others spread across the headquarters staff.

MARCH 28, 2019 — VMWARE TO LAYOFF SENIOR EMPLOYEES

VMware has announced that, as part of its “routine review” of employees, it would be laying off 116 employees, including 116 jobs at its Palo Alto headquarters and another 10 remote workers. According to a WARN notice filed with the State of California, the positions include senior directors, managers, and a vice president of :go to market experience.”

According to a company spokesperson, ““We can confirm that there have been a limited number of changes to our workforce this month. This is a part of regular workforce rebalancing that ensures resources across VMware’s global businesses and geographies are aligned with strategic objectives and customer needs."

FEBRUARY 2, 2018 — Original Post…

VMware, is laying off 159 employees at its Palo Alto, California headquarters and elsewhere according to a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) mass layoff statement filed with the State of California. According to Michael Thacker, a spokesperson for VMware, the layoffs are a routine part of its normal operations. Thacker said, “Work force re-balancing is a continual activity across VMware’s businesses and geographies to ensure that resources are aligned with business objectives and customer needs. We continue to recruit in areas of strategic importance for the company.” The 20-year-old company laid off approximately 800 workers in 2016.

Rumors continue to surface that has privately-owned, Texas-based Dell Technologies, owning approximately 80% of VMware from its acquisition of EMC in 2016, will either purchase the remaining portion of VMware or itself be merged into VMware in a reverse merger. 

VMware is an iconic name in the virtualization industry and was instrumental in saving hundreds of millions of dollars in direct costs and indirect costs involving the efficient utilization and protection of IT systems.  Virtualization remains one of the most important techniques for preventing the spread of viruses and malware, allowing the efficient backup and restoration of systems, and to provide heightened security of a computer used by multiple users. This in addition to allowing any computer to host various operating systems at the same time. 

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 ... are you now wondering, Am I Next?