NO LOVE AT THE RED RIVER ARMY DEPOT (09/03/21)

SEPTEMBER 4, 2021 — 180 LAYOFFS

Texarkana, Texas-based Red River Army Depot, a U.S. Army maintenance facility to repair, rebuild, overhaul, customize, and converts the Army's vehicular systems, has announced a reduction in force that will impact 92 contract personnel and 88 government term employees scheduled for layoff in October 2021.

The decision was driven by the Army's declining workload and the projected reduction in other vehicular systems.

According to Red River Army Depot Commander Colonel John Kred, “The ebb and flow of our contractor and term workforce enables Red River Army Depot to surge to mission requirements when necessary. The labor contract allows Red River to meet its modernization and sustainment goals while maintaining fiscal responsibility to our taxpayers. Red River is posturing itself for the future and work toward modernization in support of the Army’s future needs.”

JULY 27, 2018 — Original post…

The Red River Army Depot, responsible for military vehicle inspection and maintenance, has announced that they are planning to implement Phase Two of their restructuring plan to cope with reduced maintenance workloads and budgetary constraints. Approximately 300 temporary, term, and contract workers will be laid off from the Texarkana, Texas facility. In a March 2018 press release announcing the restructuring, it was estimated that a total of 600 employees would lose their jobs. 

NO LOVE AT STATE FARM BANK (11/24/20)

NOVEMBER 24, 2020 — 111 LAYOFFS IN EARTH CITY, MISSOURI

The company has announced the closure of its Eart City office and 111 permanent layoffs commencing January 31, 2021.

Layoffs include banking positions, such as customer service representatives, bank operations representatives, consumer loan credit analysts and other support personnel.

The decision was driven by the company’s desire to exit banking operations after implementing an alliance with U.S. Bank earlier this year.

MARCH 10, 2020 — PLANNED EXIT FROM BANKING OPERATIONS

The company has executed its plan to withdraw from banking activities by forming a strategic alliance with U.S. Bank which will assume State Farm Bank’s existing deposit and credit card accounts. State Farm agents will now market U.S. Bank deposit products and co-branded credit cards to State Farm customers.

JULY 23, 2018 — BANKING TAKES A HIT AT PROCESSING CENTER WITH 136 LAYOFFS

Bloomington, Illinois-based State Farm, the insurance and finance conglomerate, has announced that it will lay off 136 bank-related employees at its Earth City, Missouri processing center.  

According to a State Farm spokesperson, "Last fall, State Farm began the process of reviewing the State Farm Bank structure. This effort was part of our continual process of looking for ways to evolve toward the future and better serve our customers. We recently communicated the result of that review: State Farm Bank employees will continue to be located in Bloomington, Illinois; Phoenix, Arizona; and St. Louis, Missouri; with the majority of operations remaining in Bloomington. We currently have approximately 400 Bank employees at the facility in Earth City.

There is little doubt that this is part of an enforced cost reduction program as the bank lost $1 million in 2017 with the parent, State Farm, losing $1.7 billion. 

It is believed that the State Farm, the largest auto insurer in the United States, thinks that bank represents part of a broader initiative in response to a future when much of the risk of automobile accidents may shift from the driver and car owner to the self-driving car’s manufacturer or software vendor. 

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 AMERICAN GREETINGS (UPDATED)

FEBRUARY 20, 2020 — 268 EMPLOYEES TO BE LAID OFF IN OSCEOLA, ARKANSAS

According to the company, approximately 268 employees at the Osceola American Greetings plant will be laid off in stages between late April and late June. The layoffs affect distribution, production and general factory workers.

Original post…

There is little or no doubt that the rising use of email and the exorbitant cost of greetings cards and postage played a major role in Westlake, Ohio-based American Greetings’ decision to shutdown their Bardstown, Kentucky facility and layoff approximately 450 workers.

In the tradition of corporate-speak, the company noted that it was "an evaluation of the company's future production needs" that drove the decision. And that “available space and capacity within the American Greetings network will be utilized” to minimize the impact of the closure scheduled by the end of February, 2019. It should be noted that the privately-owned company sold a 60% majority stake to Clayton Dubilier & Rice, one of the oldest (1978) private equity investment firms in the world. 

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?