AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT MASONITE (10/02/2022)

Am I Next? Restructuring at Masonite Corporation

OCTOBER 2, 2022 — 84 LAYOFFS IN WALKERTON, INDIANA

The company has announced a mass workforce layoff at its Walkerton, Indiana interior door facility.

The layoff will target up to 84 employees.

According to a company spokesperson, "We expect the employment loss at the Walkerton facility to be permanent. The reduction in force is the result of changing business needs in the region."

MARCH 22, 2019 — Original post…

Tampa, Florida-based Masonite Corporation, the iconic manufacturer of doors and components, has announced its intention to shut down its Tampa, Florida plant. The shutdown will result in approximately 60 employees. According to a company spokesperson, “The closure is the result of the need to consolidate our Florida manufacturing operations into a single site to more efficiently serve our Florida customers in an increasingly competitive market.”

In a previous announcement, the company announced the closure of its facility in Largo, Florida, resulting in approximately 35 layoffs. A spokesperson similarly noted, “The closure is the result of the need to simplify our network of door plants to serve our customers more efficiently in an increasingly competitive market."

The company is also relocating its headquarters to a 56,000-square-foot building in the Ybor City neighborhood in Tampa, Florida.

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?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE AT GOLDMAN SACHS (8/31/24)

Am I Next? Goldman Sachs — annual review layouts

AUGUST 31, 2024 —UP TO 1,800 LOW PERFORMERS TARGETED

According to a company spokesperson, layoffs are customary following annual performance reviews.

Between 1,300 and 1,800 employees will be laid off in the coming months, amounting to 3% and 4% of the company's workforce.

“They are part of an annual review process known at Goldman as a “strategic resource assessment,” or SRA. Our annual talent reviews are normal, standard, and customary but otherwise unremarkable.”

JUNE 25, 2023 — 125 MANAGING DIRECTORS

Approximately 125 managing directors, including some in investment banking, are targeted in a cost-cutting initiative designed to align headcount with existing business trends.

JANUARY 8, 2023 — 3,200 NEXT WEEK?

Per Bloomberg…

The firm is expected to start the process mid-week, and the total number of people affected will not exceed 3,200, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

More than a third of those will likely be from within its core trading and banking units, indicating the broad nature of the cuts. The firm is also poised to unveil financials tied to a new unit that houses its credit card and installment-lending business, which will record more than $2 billion in pretax losses, the people said, asking not to be identified as discussing private information.  

DECEMBER 12, 2022 — 4000 EMPLOYEES TARGETED FOR LAYOFF

Goldman Sachs Group may eliminate as many as 4,000 employees or roughly 8% of the workforce as they execute their cost-cutting initiative.

CEO David Solomon noted, “We continue to see headwinds on our expense lines, particularly in the near term. We’ve set in motion certain expense-mitigation plans, but it will take some time to realize the benefits. Ultimately, we will remain nimble, and we will size the firm to reflect the opportunity set.”

Chief Executive Officer David Solomon needs those cuts to offset their declining revenue and profits.

DECEMBER 12, 2022 — 400 EMPLOYEES TARGETED FOR LAYOFF

The financial media is reporting that the bank is “drafting plans that could eliminate at least 400 positions from its loss-making retail banking operations.”

OCTOBER 18, 2022 — REORGANIZATION

Goldman Sachs is planning another major corporate reorganization that will see its four main divisions (investment banking, global markets, asset management, and consumer and wealth management) collapse into three divisions, with the consumer finance operations being split between two new divisions. Layoffs ahead!

SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 — LAYOFFS BEGIN

As dealmaking slows down in a cautious stagnant economy, the company is starting to reduce the headcount in its technology, media, and telecommunications division — with the consumer retail, health care, and industrials divisions also on the chopping block.

This is not unusual behavior at the investment bank as they customarily release one to five percent of their underperformers each year to make way for new recruits with promise.

According to a spokesperson, “Every year globally we conduct a strategic assessment of our resources and calibrate headcount to the current operating environment. We continue to remain flexible while executing against our strategic growth priorities.”

SEPTEMBER 12, 2022 — PREPARING FOR LAYOFFS

The company has announced that it will be responding to the downward economic trend with a series of cost-cutting measures and a reduction in force in accordance with its annual performance review process.

In July 2022, Goldman’s CEO David Solomon noted, “No question that the market has gotten more challenging. We have made the decision to slow hiring velocity and reduce certain professional fees going forward. We are keeping in mind, however, that while we’re being disciplined about our expenses, we are not doing so to the detriment of our client franchise or our growth strategy.”

MARCH 18, 2021 — GOLDMAN “QUIETLY” MOVING STAFF — PREPARE FOR RELOCATION LAYOFFS?

The company has announced plans to relocate a portion of its asset-management unit to West Palm Beach, Florida. It appears that the bank is quietly seeking volunteers among investment professionals and key support staff for the move to lessen the number of people who will be laid off during the formal move.

The move is part of a cost-cutting initiative and the company’s move to cheaper quarters outside of the tax-and-spend jurisdictions of New York. There are similar relocations to Dallas, Texas.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 — LAYOFFS RESUME AFTER COVID-19 MORATORIUM, 400 POSITIONS TARGETED

Goldman Sachs announced that it has resumed the layoffs targeted by their annual review and approximtely 400 positions will be eliminated. This represents approximately one-percent of their current workforce.

Consider also, that high-performance financial institutions routinely cut between five- and ten-percent of their lowest performers to make way for new and promising hires who will often act as analysts (slave labor) for more established and profitable traders.

APRIL 17, 2019 — UP TO 96 JOBS.

According to a WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification ) filed with the State of New York, 98 employees will be phased out for “economic reasons” between May 29, 2019 and September 28, 2019. according to a

Original Post…

New York, New York-based Goldman Sachs Group Inc. announced their annual restructuring and rebalancing effort which will probably result in a reduction in force of approximately 65 jobs from its New York operations. This should come as no surprise as the firm routinely cuts approximately five-percent of the staff annually to create space for new employees. Since Goldman CEO David Solomon who replaced legendary Lloyd Blankfein last year, the entire operation has been under review. If there is any lesson to be learned, it is that employees, even top employees, working in an under-performing area are at risk, those working for a company known to prune staff periodically are doubly at risk.

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?

AM I NEXT? NO LOVE A RITE AID (08/15/24)

Am I Next? Mass layoffs at Rite Aid amid corporate shake-up.

AUGUST 15, 2024 — THOUSANDS TARGETED AS ALL MICHIGAN STORES CLOSE

All of Michigan's 186 Rite Aid stores are closing, a spokesperson for the company confirmed after Rite Aid closed 12 Michigan locations.

JUNE 25, 2024 — MORE MICHIGAN STATE LAYOFFS

The company has announced the closure of its 407,000-square-foot Pontiac Rite Aid Distribution Center, located in Pontiac, Michigan on August 16, 2024. The closure will impact 191 employees, including 99 warehouse employees, 29 forklift operators, and support staff.

The closure of the Michigan State distribution center comes as the company plans to close all or nearly all of its pharmacy locations in Michigan and Ohio.

Rite Aid filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in October 2023 amid increased competition, low reimbursement, and ongoing legal battles over its role in the national opioid epidemic.

MARCH 14, 2019 — Original post…

Camp Hill, Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid has announced a major restructuring that “will reduce managerial layers and consolidate roles across the organization, resulting in the elimination of approximately 400 full-time positions, or more than 20% of the corporate positions located at the Company's headquarters and across the field organization.” According to the company, “As a result of the restructuring, Rite Aid expects to achieve annual cost savings of approximately $55 million, of which approximately $42 million will be realized within fiscal year 2020. These cost savings will serve to offset an expected reduction in income associated with its diminishing obligations under the Transition Services Agreement with Walgreen Co., which is related to the prior sale of stores.” Of course, this references the effects of a number of failed merger initiatives, which saw a large number of stores to the Walgreens Boots Alliance.

According to Rite Aid Board Member Bruce Bodaken, “It is imperative we take action to reduce the cost of current operations and become a more efficient and profitable company. “The board believes that now is the right time to undertake a leadership transition.” A company spokesperson added, claiming that the changes were for the purposes of “more closely aligning the structure and leadership of the company with the scale of its operations and pointed out that the executive departures  “are not at all a result of any wrongdoing.”

There is little or no doubt that this once prosperous large company is in serious trouble, both operationally and in Wall Street. Once the company was “ranked No. 94 in the 2018 Fortune 500 list of the largest United States corporations by total revenue. The stock is now selling at a fractional value under $1 that demands a reverse split, stock exchange de-listing, or a white-knight acquisition. A very uncertain future.

Employees should not take their continued employment for granted given the present circumstances and the need to drastically reduce operational costs.

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?