start a global war, get rich

While accepting the possibility of coincidence, Megra believes that there's a connection between unemployment and war. Most wars, she feels, seem to follow periods of mass unemployment.

"It's as if war is used a solution for employing the unemployed and jump-starting the economy," says Megra, "and that, as far as I'm concerned, is a crime."

"Think about it," says Megra, "Germany was an economic basket-case after WWI and Hitler came to power with promises of jobs and prosperity and that's exactly what he delivered. That the German economy was being geared towards expansionary wars fed by grand visions was overlooked by the rest of the western world -- experiencing a boom during the 1920s -- but after the Wall Street cash of 1929 the other powers followed Germany's lead in getting back on track."

"The 'grapes of wrath' in the early 1930s -- unemployment on a scale never before experienced in grand economies -- was followed by a upsurge in the armanents industry and military enlistment. The only places you could get work was in an arms factory or in the military."

"The 'war industry' sucked up millions of unemployed men and women in the 1930s," says Megra, "and that WWII broke out in 1939 seems like a logical conclusion, doesn't it?"

"I was one of hundreds of thousands of people who lost their job during the Dotcom bust in 2000," explains Megra, "and even though I picked up a casual job shortly afterwards I remained so concerned about the level of mass unemployment -- not just in the US but everywhere else in the world -- that for a period between 1 April 2001 to 18 July 2001 I kept track of the number of companies that were continuing to axe jobs and as a result of this exercise I became so shocked and awed that I battened down the hatches and prepared for the worst."

"True to form, with such a level of mass unemployment, the only places where young people were assured a secure job was in the military or armanents manufacturing," says Megra, "and although I didn't go down that route myself, and didn't blame those who did, I didn't like what was happening and believed that the end result would be war."

"I was thinking in terms of years for a war," sighs Megra, "but the spark for it came about with 9/11 -- just two months after I'd finished the job axing list . Because we live in a world trade economy, the Dotcom bust caused far worse unemployment in the rest of the world -- news of which did not always reach the headlines -- and no prizes for guessing what military organization young Middle Eastern men turned to for jobs and what their target was going to be.

"Following is the job axing list showing a bleak period in early 2001 that foreshadowed the catastrophic events later in the year."

1-5 April 2001: DuPont tops the firers, axing 5,300 people

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world in this five-day period is the international chemical and textile company DuPont. A total of 25 companies axed approximately 17,000 people from their jobs between 1-5 April 2001.

Alcatel French communications corporation laying off 5% of its US workforce, approximately 1,100 jobs axed. 1100
DuPont International chemical and textile company cutting 4,000 jobs (approximately 4 percent of its world-wide workforce) and also laying off 1,300 contract workers. 5,300
Redback Networks Inc Laying off 150 workers (12 percent of its workforce). 150
PSINet Selling off business units and laying off workers. ?
Morgan Stanley Brokerage company is laying off 1,000 brokers (approximately 7 percent of its brokerage staff). 1000
Sonicnet Online radio web site laying off employees. ?
euro909.com Danish Internet company will maintain approximately 35 employees, while laying off 26 others. 35
Ameritrade Holding Corp Another U.S. online brokerage company laying off about 7 percent of its staff and its president has resigned. ?
marchFirst Web consultancy company selling two-thirds of its business and laying off 1,700 workers (30% of its workforce). 1700
Primedia Laying off 160 workers. 160
Arm & Hammer Cutting costs and may lay off up to 10% of its staff. ?
Work.com Closing down and laying off its113 employees. 113
WinStar Communications Inc Laying off 2,000 employees (approximately 32 percent of its workforce). 2000
Borden Chemicals Filed for bankruptcy and laying off an undisclosed number of workers. . ?
WatchGuard Technologies Inc Network security company laying off 50 people (16 percent of its workforce). 50
Citgroup Laying off hundreds of employees. 100s
TheStreet.com Financial news site has laid off 20 percent of its workforce. ?
Quebecor World Closing its plants in Salem Illinois mid year, laying off 880 workers. 880
Akamai Technologies Laying off 14% of its staff, approximately 200 people. 200
Robertson Stephens Laying off 80 of its 1,500 employees.
1500
Merrill Lynch & Co Top brokerage company laying off 29 bankers. 29
Ericsson (Sweden) Laying off workers and slashing production. ?
Credit Suisse First Boston Laying off about 350 support staff. 350
Submarino.com (Brazil) Laying off 90 employees (approximately 20 percent of its workforce). 90
Dow Jones & Co. Inc Laid off 200 workers (about 2 percent of its work force). 200

6-10 April 2001: Motorola tops the firers, 4,000 additional jobs axed

Excluding the numerous small business that have been forced to lay off staff because of the energy crisis in the USA, the top firer hitting the headlines around the world for this five-day period is Motorola, the mobile phone company. Approximately 55,000 people from 23 companies lost their jobs between 6-10 April 2001.

Goodyear Closing its Mexico operations, laying off 1,559 workers. 1559
WinStar Laying off 43% of employees. ?
ITXC Laying off an undisclosed number of staff. ?
Acxiom Laying off an undisclosed number of staff. ?
Razorfish Net consultancy laying off employees. ?
Sycamore Networks Laying off 140 employees (about 13 percent of its workforce). 140
Danone Closing down biscuit manufacturing plants in northern France and laying off 570 employees. 570
KMPG Laying off staff and selling assets. ?
TiVo Digital video recording service cutting 80 jobs (laying off nearly 25 percent of its workforce). 80
Motorola Laying off 4,000 people additional to the 22,000 already announced. 4000
Dennis Interactive Laid off 20 employees in its New York office and closed its U.K. office. 20
Esterline Technologies Aerospace and defense industry manufacturer laid off 100 workers. 100
Dejour Mines Limited Laid off all its employees and closed offices in Dallas. ?
Critical Path Laying off 450 employees. 450
Ariba Laying off 700 employees (one-third of the company's workforce). 700
NBCi Laying off 20% of staff ?
Justin Craib-Cox Charles Schwab Laying off about 20% of its European unit's workforce. ?
Dell Laid off 350 employers in Central Texas, the last of 1,700 workers let go back in February. In Europe Dell is experiencing a 5 percent market growth but not filling positions when they become vacant. 350
iAsiaWorks Internet hosting services provider laying off 100 staff. 100
Egghead Laid off 77 employees (about 12 percent of its staff). 77
PCD Inc Electronic connectors manufacturer laying off an undisclosed number of staff. ?
Small businesses in the USA The US energy crisis has cause small businesses to lay off workers, up to 43,000 in Washington State alone. 43000
Viador 87 employees laid offf (about 36 percent of its work force). 87
NEC 700 jobs have been cut from the US chip plant at Roseville. 700

11-15 April 2001: Kozmo tops the firers, 1,100 jobs axed
The now defunct US online home delivery store, Kozmo, is the top firer hitting the headlines around the world in this five-day period. An estimated 4,000 people from 13 companies lost their jobs between 11-15 April 2001.

Wine.com Laying off approximately 160 people. 160
Kozmo Online home delivery store, liquidating assets and laying off 1,100 workers. 1100
Cyberian Outpost Inc Online retailer of technology goods has laid off 110 employees (approximately a third of it workers). 110
Yahoo Web portal laying off 12 percent of its 3,500 workforce 420
Bell Helicopter Textron Up to 60 workers at the Dallas plant are being laid off. 60
Sniff-Company Scents developer is closing HQ and laying off all employees. ?
The Gray Lady Laying off an undisclosed number of employees. ?
Paradyne Networks Inc Computer network equipment specialist laying off 10-15 percent of workers. ?
24/7 Media Laying off 100 of its 950 employees and closing offices. 100
Streetwise Laid off 700 people and called off merger with Agile Software. 700
DoubleClick Laying off 10 percent of employees. ?
Rivals.com Laying off approximately 80 employees from its Seattle HQ. 80
Scient California based consultancy laying off 675 employees, more than half its workforce. Plans on axing 175 additional positions if business conditions do not improve. 675

16-20 April 2001: PetroChina tops the firers, 35,000 jobs going
PetroChina, a subsidiary of state-owned China National Petroleum Corp, involved in crude oil, natural gas and chemical production, is the top firer hitting the headlines around the world in this five-day period. Approximately 98,000 people from 32 companies lost their jobs between 16-20 April 2001.

SGI Graphics workstation manufacturer laying off 1,000 employees. 1000
Iowa State Government 600 State workers laid off.
600
BSCH (Brazil) Banespa says will start laying off staff if not enough of the 18,000 redundancy offers are accepted ?
Stock-Pickers Boston Fund shop laying off 256 people. 256
Janus Capital Another Boston Fund shop laying off staff. ?
ATG Laying off 150 employees (approximately 12 percent of its total workforce). 150
General Motors Corp. Idling two plants in Michigan and Canada, laying off 4,400 workers. 4400
Sega Laying off 300 employees. 300
Edgix Corp
Web technology company laying off most of its 100 employees.
100
CDNow
Popular online music retailer cutting staff by about 40 employees (10 percent of its workforce).
40
Siebel Systems
Business software maker laying off 10 percent of employees.
?
TIBCO
California software company cutting 15 percent of its workforce. Laying off 200 workers, including 50 contract staff, and cutting executive salaries (the latter news is nice to hear).
200
Fusion Networks Holdings Inc. Software company laying off most of its remaining employees. ?
Texas Instruments Laying off about 2,500 employees (6 percent of its workforce worldwide). 2500
Ericsson Laying off up to 12,000 of its 107,000 employees worldwide. 12000
St. Francis Health Systems
Laying off 150 employees.
150
PetroChina A subsidiary of state-owned China National Petroleum Corp, involved in crude oil, natural gas and chemical production, is laying off 35,000 workers over the next three years. 35000
Zinc Corporation This Beaver County, US, company is laying off 125 workers. 125
US furniture manufacturers Laying off an undisclosed number of workers and shortening work weeks.
Gateway Laying off about 3,000 of its 24,000 workers. 3000
Outpost.com
Laying off 30 percent of its workforce.
Snowball Online Network operator Cutting workforce by 55 employees (33 percent of total workforce). 55
Kodak Cutting 3,500 jobs. 3500
Extreme Networks Laying off an undisclosed number of staff. ?
Cisco Systems Laying off up to 8,500 workers. 8500
Putnam Investments Laying off 4 percent of its staff. ?
SportsLine Laying off 92 people. 92
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Laying off employees in the bottom 5 percent of performance reviews (so those reviews do matter!). ?
Hewlett Packard In addition to 1,700 marketing positions axed earlier in the year, 3,000 management positions are now being axed. 3000
Schwab Laying off up to 13 percent of its workface, approximately 3,000 people.
Philips Electronics Dutch electronics corporation laying off up to 7,000 employees, 1,500 immediately at a picture tube plant in Ohio, and moving facilities to cheaper sites in less developed countries.
Nortel Networks Corp Canadian operation plans on laying off 15,000 staff by mid-2001.

21-25 April 2001: JDS Uniphase tops the firers laying off 5,000 employees

JDS Uniphase tops the firers hitting the world news in this five-day period. An estimated 8,500 people from 15 companies lost their jobs between 21-25 April 2001.

IMSA (Mexico) 400 of its 15,000 employees laid off. 400
Sun Microsystems Requiring its 38,000 US employees to take off the first week in July as a forced vacation, and is moving towards a four-day workweek as a way to cut expenses without axing staff. Winston-Salem State University Laying off an undisclosed number of employees. ?
SPSS Inc. Computer software company laid off 7 percent of its workforce. ?
Hynex Ltd (Israel) Bought by Cisco Systems Inc last year, laying off 50 of its 130 workers. 50
US Public Defenders Office Laying of 50 attorneys. 50
Mercury News 20 non-editorial workers laid off, so far no newsrooms employees. 20
Artificial Life Laying off an undisclosed number of employees. ?
3Com An undisclosed number of employees are being laid off. ?
Stilwell Laid off 468 workers in February 2001, more layoffs expected. ?
JDS Uniphase Laying off 5,000 employees (20% of its workforce). 5000
ECI Israeli electronics company laying off 1,000 employees (20 percent of its global workforce), and cutting salaries of management by 10 percent. 1000
AvantGo Axing 15 percent of its workforce. ?
Bell Canada Axing 1,900 jobs. 1900
Grupo Dina Laying off workers at Dina Camiones Plant. ?


26 April 2001: Moulinex-Brandt today's top firer, axing 4000 people

The Disney lay-offs continue, but the European home appliance manufacturer Moulinex-Brandt tops today's firing companies in the world news, axing 4,000 jobs worldwide. Approximately 21,000 people from 22 companies lost their jobs today.

Marimba Inc 60 people (20 percent of its workforce) laid off by this Internet infrastructure software company. 60
Pilot Network Services Inc Internet security firm, providing subscription based e-biz services, has suspended operations and laid off all its staff. ?
Webvan (Atlanta) 885 people laid off when its Atlanta grocery delivery system shut down. 885
Sara Lee Corp Up to1,400 employees at Sara Lee Corp's underwear manufacturing plants in Central and South America are being cut. And you thought Sara Lee made strawberry cheesecake? 1400
Sensormatic Electronics Corp Laying off 450 workers. 450
Jupiter Media Metrix Based in New York City, this net research company is laying off 156 employees. 156
eToys Winding down operations and laying off its remaining staff. ?
AtComm No lay-offs, buy requiring staff to take time off. Good move. N/A
Muze Inc 27 people were laid off by this editorial content company. 27
Amkor Technology Inc Cutting 10% of its workforce. ?
Timken Co (UK) Phasing out closure of Northampton, UK, plant laying off 950 950
Teledyne Technologies Inc Laying off 300 staff (5 percent of its workforce). 300
Sensormatic Electronics corporation laying off 450 employees. 450
Ask Jeeves Popular search engine laying off 75 employees (15 percent of its workforce). 75
TD Waterhouse Reducing staff by up to18 percent. ?
Televisa (Mexico) Eliminating 750 jobs. 750
Banco Espirito (Brazil) Cutting approximately 790 jobs. 790
Disney Shedding up to 4,000 jobs and more hard times are expected due to the Hollywood strike.
Moulinex-Brandt This home appliance manufacturer is closing 18 plants around the world and shedding 4,000 jobs, including 1,500 in France. The immediate close down of the GMX electrical appliance factory in Tipperary, Ireland, will put 230 people out of work. 4000
Cellular 3 (Ireland) Closing operations, laying of 240 employees, due to Eircell's decision to end its airtime agreement. 240
Siemens (Europe) Cutting 3,500 jobs. 3500
Motorola (Scotland) 3,000 people will be laid off at the Motorola plant at West Lothian. 3000


27 April 2001: Unilever today's top firer, 8,000 jobs axed

Excluding the British tourist industry news that 300,000 jobs are at risk due to the foot and mouth crisis in the UK, today's top firer in the world news is Unilever the Anglo-Dutch consumer products corporation. An estimated 27,000 people from 18 companies lost their jobs today.

Comair Regional carrier owned by Delta Air Lines Inc cutting 2,000 jobs and laying off 4,000 workers due to pilots' strike. 4000
VerticalNet Inc 270 workers ( 25 percent of its work force) being laid off. 270
Caldera Systems Linux software company laying off 32 of its 188 employees. 32
KPMG Consulting Cutting up to 550 jobs. 550
Pricewaterhouse Coopers Cutting up to 1,000 workers. 1000
Polaroid Laying off 950 employees (more than one-tenth of its workforce). 950
Corus This.Anglo-Dutch steelmaker is laying off 6,000 UK workers. 6000
Marks & Spencer's After axing 4,400 jobs it was nice to read in the news today that this giant department store's CEO, Luc Vandevelde, was induced to waive a six-figure bonus. 4400
Unilever Giant multi-national Anglo-Dutch consumer products corporation axing 8,000 jobs and closing 30 factories mainly in North America and Europe. 8000
UK tourist industry The foot and mouth crisis in the UK farming industry is expected to cost British tourism 300,000 jobs. N/A
Corning Fiber optics manufacturer is axing 1,000 jobs (10.75% of its total workforce). 1000
Los Angeles local business The Hollywood strike has been estimated to be putting nearly 100,000 jobs at risk. ?
Sainsbury's UK corporation famous for the manufacture of pork sausages is planning to axe hundreds of jobs. 100s
Business 2.0 The new economy magazine, part of the Future Network operation, is closing down its European business, laying off 80 people, mainly in Germany. 80
Coats Viyella UK textile group shutting down its Campeltown factory on the west coast of Scotland putting 160 people out of work. The factory makes men's suits for Jaeger, the fashion label. 160
Excite Hundreds of staff are expected to be laid off at the end of April. 100s
Ventro Laying off 30% of staff, putting approximately 85 people out of work. 85
Knight Ridder Inc Newspaper publisher laying off an undisclosed number of staff.

28-30 April 2001: Compaq tops the firers, 2,000 more layoffs

The top firing company in the world news for this three-day period is Compaq, laying off 2,000 workers in addition to drastic cuts earlier this year. An estimated 4,300 people from 13 companies lost their jobs between 28-30 April 2001.

Compaq Laying off an additional 2,000 workers, raising its total job cuts to over 7,000. 2000
Comverse Cutting 400 jobs 400
Vicinity Online The CEO of this advertising company has resigned and it is laying off 40 employees (about 25 percent of its workforce). 40
Excite@Home Web portal and major high-speed Internet access company laying off 380 employees (13 percent of its workforce). 380
BroadVision Software manufacturer laying off an undisclosed number of workers. ?
eHobbies E-commerce company geared toward hobby enthusiasts winding down operations and laying off 35 employees. 35
The New York Daily News Laying off 20 employees. 20
Cisco Confirmed 375 lay-offs. 375
Donnelley Closing Iowa plant, laying off an undisclosed number of workers. ?
Dell More layoffs are expected.... ?
Revere Schools Laying off 14 (approximately 7% of the state-certified academic staff). 14
Mutual Fund Industry (general) Laying off an undisclosed number of service and research personnel. ?
ANC Rental Corp US Rental car company axed 750 jobs (3.9 percent of its work force). 750

1-2 May 2001: Dow Chemical tops the firers, 5,800 lose jobs

The Dow Chemical Company is the top firer in the world news for this two-day period. Approximately 13,000 people from 23 companies lost their jobs between 1-2 May 2001.

Digital Island Internet infrastructure software and content delivery company has already cut 12 percent of its workforce, plans to lay off another 10 percent. ?
Dow Chemical Co. Giant U.S. chemical company cutting 4,500 jobs and laying off 1,300 contract workers. 5,800
Loudcloud E-commerce hosting and Net infrastructure company laying off 122 workers (19 percent of its workforce). 122
VerticalNet (Pa) Business to business developers laying off a quarter of the company's 1,078 employees. 269
Rohm & Haas Specialty chemical company axing 1260 jobs (about 4 percent of total workforce) and laying-off 1300 contract workers. 2560
Adobe Systems Inc. Requiring its U.S. workers to take the first week in July off. Wise move. N/A
Razorfish Having already laid off about 200 workers, another 400 are being laid off. 400
Vitesse Semiconductor Laying off 153 people (12 percent of its workforce), and upper management taking pay cuts up to 25%. 153
Palm Palm, the hand-held computer manufacturer, laying off about 250 workers. 250
Liquid Audio Laying off 78 employees (about 40 percent of its workforce). 78
ABN Amro Dutch bank cutting 500 jobs from its investment-banking unit. 500
JB Oxford Holdings Inc. Online broker cutting 15 percent of its salaried workforce. ?
Lightning Rod Software Inc. Cutting 12 of its 30 employees, including its chief financial officer. 12
At Home High-speed Internet access provider laying off 380 workers (13 percent of its workforce).
Vignette Corp. Software services provider cutting 10 percent of its work force (about 200 people), just three months after laying off 350 workers. 200
Visteon Corp. Auto parts supplier laying off 350 workers in addition to 1,300 previously laid off.
PCTEL Internet access technology cutting 20 percent of its work force. ?
Intel In March announced cutting 5,000 jobs (6 percent of its total workforce), and now instituted a voluntary severance system to help things along. N/A
Nextel Communications Inc. Cutting 850 jobs (5 percent of its work force). 850
Kansas City Star Cutting 125 jobs. 125
Niku Corp. Electronic business applications manufacturer cutting its workforce by about 25%
WorldCom British and European internet service provider laying off about 832 employees. 832
Localbusiness.com Florida company closing down and laying off about 75 employees. 75

3-5 May 2001: Newell Rubbermaid tops the firers, 3,000 laid off

Newell Rubbermaid, global manufacturer of branded consumer products, is the top firer in the world news for this three-day period, laying off 3,000 workers. Approximately 6,000 people from 12 companies lost their jobs between 3-5 May 2001.

Newell Rubbermaid Global manufacturer of consumer products laying off 3,000 people.
Cymer Inc Semiconductor company laying off approximately 80 workers (9 percent of its work force). 80
Mattson Technology Inc. Semiconductor process equipment manufacturer cutting its US workforce by 15 percent. ?
MicroStrategy Inc Wireless content delivery unit cutting about two-thirds of remaining staff. ?
Adaptive Broadband Corp. Data networking company cutting workforce by 60 percent, 90 employees to go. 90
Credit Suisse First Boston 200 investment bankers laid off.
General Motors Corp. Idling two North American plants and briefly laying off 3,500 workers. N/A
Wind River Systems Network equipment manufacturer cutting executive salaries, taking mandatory vacation and laying off 300 of its 2,000 employees. 300
Genuity Inc. Internet infrastructure provider laying off 800 employees. 800
Cymer Inc. 9 percent of workforce laid off. ?
Sappi Ltd. Global pulp and paper company closing Alabama mill, laying off 500 workers. 500
Pao de Acucar Brazil's biggest retailer, Pao de Acucar, laying off 700 workers (a third of its head office staff). 700

6-9 May 2001: ICA (Mexico) tops the firers, 5,000 people laid off

ICA, a leading Mexican construction company, is the top firer in the world news for this four-day period, announcing 5,000 jobs to go. Approximately 15,000 people from 20 companies lost their jobs between 6-9 May 2001.

Terra Networks Spanish Internet giant which bought out the web portal Lycos laying off 15% of its workforce. ?
Dell Laying off up to 4,000 employees in addition to the 1,700 workers previously laid off. 4000
GSI Lumonics Inc. (Canada) Global laser-system manufacturer has frozen executive salaries, scheduled plant shutdowns and mandated unpaid vacation to save jobs. Wise move. N/A
National Semiconductor Corp Microchip maker laying off 10 percent of its workforce. ?
WebMD Internet health information and services provider laying off 350 employees in addition to 1,450 employers already laid off. 350
Empresas ICA Sociedad Controladora Mexican construction company laying off 5,000 workers (20 percent of total workforce). 5000
Exodus Independent networking company laying off 15 percent of its workforce. ?
3Com Corp. Computer network equipment manufacturer laying off 3,000 employees (30 percent of total workforce). 3000
Inspire Insurance Solutions Inc. Property and casualty insurance services provider laying off 130 workers (12 percent of its workforce), 130
National Semiconductor Corp. Microchip maker laying off 10 percent of workers. ?
Agere Systems An additional 189 workers being laid off (22 percent of workforce now cut). 189
TV Azteca Mexican broadcaster laying off 100 additional employees (10 percent of workforce now cut). 100
Agilera Inc. Company that helps small businesses to rent software on the Net, laying off 80 people (a third of its workforce). 80
Etensity Web design and consulting company axed an additional 58 employees. 58
Friede Goldman Halter Inc. Drilling rigs operator laying off 1,000 workers in the US. 1000
Hulera Euzkadi Mexican tire maker laying off 250 workers. 250
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc Cutting 20 percent of its investment management unit. ?
HomePlace of America Inc. Closing and auctioning its 84 U.S. stores putting 3,000 jobs at risk if sale results in liquidation. N/A
Nabisco Of Shredded Wheat fame, the Triscuit NY plant is closing, laying off 200 workers. 200
Comdisco Inc. Technology and leasing company laying off an additional 250 employees. 250

10-14 May 2001: Sinopec (China) tops the firers, 27,000 jobs going

Chinese oil giant Sinopec is the top firer in the world news for this five-day period making 100,000 workers redundant - 27,000 to start off with - ostensibly to join the World Trade Organization. Approximately 34,000 people from 20 companies lost their jobs between 10-14 May 2001.

Cleveland-Cliffs Inc. Iron ore products supplier laying off about 20 percent of its workforce, 790 jobs to go. 790
Teligent Inc. Virginia USA Telecommunications company laying off 900 workers (about 40 percent of its workforce). 900
StarMedia Network New York portal targeting Spanish & Portuguese-speaking audiences laying off about 200 people (25 percent of its workforce). 200
AOL Time Warner Inc. (Eur) Cable News Network laying off an undisclosed number of its employees at its European Internet operations. ?
ISOLA Laminate Systems manufacturer laying off 22 more workers in addition to laying off 100 people in March. 22
Agere Systems Inc. Microelectronics spinoff of Lucent Technologies, previously reported to be laying off an additional 189 workers, now laying off a total of 1,025 workers. 1,025
Sinopec Chinese oil giant Sinopec making 100,000 workers redundant, 27,000 this year, enabling China to join the World Trade Organisation. Oh really? 27,000
Corvis Corp. Optical services networks manufacturer cutting 250 jobs ( about 15 percent of its work force). 250
Sun Media Cutting 302 jobs (5 percent of total workforce). 302
Network Access Solutions Corp. Broadband telecommunications services provider laying off "nearly 150" employees ( more than a third of its workforce). 150
Philadelphia Newspapers Inc. Cutting 200 jobs (6.4 percent of the newspapers' work force). 200
LaCrosse Footwear Inc. Closing a manufacturing plant and eliminating 139 jobs. 139
Softlock.com Laying off its chief executive, cutting staff, ceasing some operations and looking for buyers for some assets. ?
Ascendant Solutions Inc. Business-to-business supply-chain provider cutting workforce and considering selling out. ?
LifeMinders Inc. Internet company scaling back, cutting staff, seeking to sell or liquidate ?
Siemens (Europe) Planning to cut another 2,000 jobs from its Information and Communications Network (ICN) division taking to.8,000 the number of jobs cut over the last three months. 2,000
Saint Paul Pioneer Press Cutting about 10 percent of the newspaper's 840 full-time jobs. 84
Rhythms NetConnections 400 employees laid off, 300 in Colorado, in addition to 450 job cuts in January. 400
NUR Macroprinters Ltd. 70 job cuts worldwide (14 percent of its workforce). 70
Silicon Valley Group Semiconductor equipment maker cutting workforce by about 400 people (10 percent of total workforce). 400

15-17 May 2001: Land Rover (UK) Tops the Firers, 1,300 Voluntary Redundancies

The top firing company in the world news for this three-day period is the Ford Motor owned Land Rover (UK) for persuading 1,300 workers to take voluntary redundancy. Approximately 11,000 people from 33 companies lost their jobs between 15-17 May 2001.

Envisionnet Customer service and tech support company cutting up to 700 jobs (38 percent of its workforce). 700
Land Rover (UK) Purchased from BMW by Ford last July, the Land Rover factory in Solihull UK has "persuaded" 1,300 workers to take voluntary redundancy.
1,300
Red Herring San Francisco-based new economy magazine laying off 54 employees (20 percent of its staff). 54
British Energy (UK) Nuclear energy generator cutting 400 jobs in addition to 250 job cuts since November. 400
Comerica Inc. Detroit-based U.S. bank, No. 18 in rank cutting 350 jobs, mainly senior management. 350
Alamac Knits Inc. Fleece, jersey and stretch knit fabrics manufacturer closing two plants in North Carolina axing1,000 jobs. 1,000
Cone Mills World's largest producer of denim fabrics closing North Carolina plant axing 575 jobs.
ZoZa.com Internet-based athletics fashion source closing down axing 40 employees. 40
Pillowtex Corp. Household textiles maker closing two plants eliminating 780 jobs. 780
WorldCom Second-biggest U.S. long-distance telephone company axing an additional undisclosed number of jobs after laying off 6,000 employees in February. ?
Eagle Global Logistics, Inc. Freight transport company cutting 400 jobs (15 percent of workforce). Tefron Ltd. Apparel manufacturer cutting an undisclosed number of workers. ?
EGL Global transportation company cutting 400 jobs axed earlier in the year. 400
Miami Herald Newspaper axing 180 jobs (10 percent of its workforce). 180
eMerge Interactive Inc. Software provider for the U.S. beef production industry cutting 60 jobs (15 percent of its work force). 60
Milacron U.S. Plastic parts producer laying off 150 people. 150
NEC Semiconductor producer laying off 600 employees in addition to100 workers laid off last month. 600
Motorola (Mex) Wireless technology giant now firing in Mexico where mobile phone plant is laying off 600 workers and eliminating weekend shifts. 600
Comair The continuing strike by pilots causing lay off of 400 more of Comair's 2,000 non striking employees and sell-off of an additional 20 jets to meet expenses.
Celanese (Eu) German chemicals company cutting 500 jobs from its 13,100 workforce. 500
Cirrus Logic Inc. Semiconductors producer for consumer-electronics products laying off 120 workers ( 9 percent of its total workforce). 120
Clarent Net telephone company laying off 90 full-time workers and 20 contract workers from its 1,000 person workforce. 110
Renault (Argentina) Furloughing hundreds of employees at its Cordoba plant and idling production for three weeks in both July and August due to falling auto sales N/A
CRMNet.com Inc. Canadian customer relationship management company laying off all staff (undisclosed number) of its subsidiary Relationship Marketing Resources Inc. ?
IMediation (Eu) Highly funded French start-up laying off 25 percent of its staff. ?
Farmland Industries Inc. Nitrogen fertilizer manufacturer laying off 43 percent of its workforce in Kansas. ?
Hyperion Solutions Inc. Software maker cutting 400 jobs (15 percent of its staff). 400
Gemstar-TV Guide Provider of TV channel guides and interactive technology platforms laying off 450 employees. 450
Agency.com Online consulting company laying off 350 employees. 350
National Semiconductor Semiconductor chipmaker laying off about 10 percent of its Singapore staff (total workforce 1,500) and Malaysian staff (total workforce 2,500) as part of the company's plans to eliminate 10 percent of its global workforce. 400
Digital Island Internet content delivery and networking provider acquired by British telecommunications company Cable & Wireless and planning to shed a further 10 percent of staff by end June. ?
Wind River Systems Software provider for Internet-enabled and telecommunications devices laying off 15 percent of its workforce. ?
Consors (Eu) German Discount-Broker AGl laying off 100 people. 100

18-24 May 2001: Ericsson Tops the Firers, 4,000 Swedes axed

The top firing company in the world news for this seven-day period is the world's No. 3 mobile phone manufacturer Ericsson laying off 4,000 Swedish workers as well as reducing the number of its consultants and announcing a global workforce cut from 107,000 to below 90,000 by the end of this year. Approximately 14,000 people from 23 companies lost their jobs between 18-24 May 2001.

Novell Inc. Utah-based company, links office computers to shared printers, laying off 260 employees worldwide (5 percent of its total 5,200 workforce). 260
Abitibi-Consolidated (Can) Ontario newsprint operater cutting 147 jobs and laying off 333. 480
Canarc Resource Corp (Can) International gold exploration and mining company laying off the balance of its geological staff. ?
Zaplet Peer-to-peer collaborative platform provider laying off 50 employees (30 percent of its staff). 50
Redback Networks Inc. Infrastructure provider laid off 150 workers (12 percent of its work force) early April, now the CEO has resigned. N/A
Lechters New Jersey U.S. Housewares retailer closing 166 stores and laying off about 725 workers (reducing workforce by 30 percent). 725
Northwestern Steel and Wire Co. Illinois U.S. manufacturer of structural steel components for commercial, industrial and residential construction, shutting down and laying off 1,400 steelworkers. 1,400
Mpower Communications High-speed Internet company laying off 275 workers (13 percent of total workforce). 275
Ericsson (Sweden) World's No. 3 mobile phone manufacturer laying off 4,000 Swedish workers, also reducing the number of consultants, and reducing its workforce from 107,000 globally to below 90,000 by end of this year. 4,000
FleetBoston Financial 7th largest U.S. bank has laid of 750 workers in its capital markets businesses.
Commerce One Business-to-business software company laying off 350 workers (about 10 percent of its workforce). 350
Polar Air Cargo Laying off up to 60 staff members, including 24 pilots. 60
Dell Corp. (Ireland) U.S. personal computer manufacturer cutting 200 jobs at its Limerick plant where it employs 4,500 people. 200
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. Cutting about 150 investment banking jobs worldwide (12 percent of its investment banking staff).
CB Richard Ellis Inc. Real estate services company cutting an undisclosed number of jobs. ?
Glenayre Technologies Inc. North Carolina USA paging company firing 700 workers (55 percent of its workforce). 700
Caliber Learning Network Inc. U.S. Baltimore-based Internet trainer in debt, replaced its chief executive and laid off 65 staff members. 65
UBS Warburg (UK) Swiss owned investment bank employing 6,000 workers in London, axed 300 bankers and 4 percent of its workforce face redundancy. 300
Deutsche Post AG German mail group cutting 8,000 jobs at its transport operation (64 percent of that work force by the end of 2004). To be implemented gradually, without lay-offs. N/A
Neiman Marcus Group Inc. Specialty retailer axing 190 jobs (1.5 percent of its workforce). 190
MyCFO California-based online wealth-management service laid off 35 employees (10 percent of its workforce). 35
Marks & Spencers (Europe) M&S retailer angered its European workforce and was ruled illegal by the French Courts when 3,000 workers in Europe were told by email and fax that they were no longer employed. 3,000
Safeco Corp. Seattle, USA, insurance company, employing 12,000, axing 450 jobs around the country. 450

25-28 May 2001: Isuzu (Japan) Tops the Firers, 9,700 jobs to go

The top firing company in the world news for this four day period is Japanese vehicle manufacturer Isuzu. Part-owned by General Motors, Isuzu is axing 9,700 jobs over the next four years (25% of its total workforce), closing its truck plant at Kawasaki and selling its HQ building in Tokyo. Approximately 32,000 people from 18 companies lost their jobs between 25-28 May 2001.

Procter & Gamble Co. Consumer products giant, maker of Tide laundry detergent and Crest toothpaste, cutting 16% of its global workforce of 110,000, approximately 17,600 workers. Offering voluntary redundancy packages first. 17,600
Isuzu (Japan) Japanese vehicle maker part-owned by General Motors, axing 9,700 jobs over the next four years (25% of its total workforce), closing truck plant at Kawasaki, selling its HQ building in Tokyo. 9,700
Thomson Consumer Electronics Closing U.S. plant and moving manufacturing jobs to Mexico, axing 1,070 U.S. jobs. 1,070
Opel AG (Germany) European arm of General Motors Corp. idling its Frankfurt factory from July 2 to August 3, temporarily laying off an undisclosed number of workers. ?
Teradyne Inc. Leading manufacturer of semiconductor test equipment, axing a further 400 jobs (4% of its total workforce) after axing 650 workers in March. 400
Avenue A Online advertising services company axing 75 jobs (20% of its total staff). 75
Cybersafe Online security firm axing 84 positions (50% of total staff). 84
AT&T Broadband High-speed Internet access and cable-TV services provider cutting 150 positions. 150
Allina Health System Laying off 1,000 employees to prepare for a strike on June 1st by 7,700 registered nurses wanting higher wages and more benefits in Minnesota USA. (If you live in that neck of the world, don't get sick whatever you do!). 1,000
Terabeam Wireless broadband provider has laid off 54 workers (10 percent of its total work force). Intel Chip giant Intel is requiring workers at its New Mexico plant to take two weeks unpaid time off this summer. Sounds like a good deal! Better than being fired. N/A
Boeing Corp. Laying off 600 workers in Long Beach California to cut costs. 600
Utah Copper Laying off 235 employees. 235
FedEx Corp. Laying off 130 workers in Texas.
Cable News Network After axing 400 jobs in January, CNN is laying off a further 20 employees. 20
BlueLight.com Online retailer, offspring of Kmart, laying off an undisclosed number of workers. ?
ABC News (USA) Cutting 125 jobs (about 10 percent of its work force) as required by its parent company, Walt Disney Co.
Nextel Communications, Inc. Laying off 800 of its 16,000 total domestic workforce. 800

29-31 May 2001: Roche Pharmaceuticals Tops the Firers, 3,000 jobs to go

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world for this three day period is Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche which is axing 3,000 jobs worldwide, 900 in the USA. Approximately 9,000 people from 10 companies lost their jobs between 29-31 May 2001.

One.tel (Aus) Australia's trendy telco, heavily funded by the sons of media moguls Packer and Murdoch, has collapsed leaving 1,400 workers Australia- wide soon to be out of work. 1,400
Roche Swiss pharmaceuticals giant is cutting 3,000 jobs worldwide, estimated 900 in the USA, 700 in Switzerland and 700 in the UK. 3,000
Submarino.com (Brazil) E-commerce company closing operations in the Argentine and Portuguese markets, laying off an undisclosed number of staff. ?
Fiera.com Miami-based e-commerce company selling CDs, computer products and books is closing its Brazilian market, laying off 50 people. 50
EMC Data storage leader laying off 1,100 workers (4 percent of its total workforce). 1,100
Cognos Inc (Can) Canadian software company cutting 300 jobs (10 percent of its total workforce).
McLeodUSA Inc. American telco axing 600 jobs (5 percent of its total workforce). 600
Phelps Dodge Corporation The world's second largest producer of copper is laying off 80 in New Mexico, USA. 80
Supervalu Closing 30 Cub Foods and Laneco Group stores in three states within the next month and laying off up to 2,250 workers. 2,250
MarketWatch.com Inc. Online business news site laying off about 15% of its workforce. ?

1-4 June 2001: Invensys Plc (UK) tops the Firers, 3,500 jobs axed

The top firing company hitting the world headlines for this four day period is UK engineering and electronics giant Invensys Plc. which makes products and systems to help run manufacturing plants. Axing a further 3,500 jobs from a total global workforce of 85,000, Invensys Plc. blames shrinking US markets for the cuts. An estimated 8,500 people from 19 companies lost their jobs between 1-4 June 2001.

Columbus McKinnon Corp. Manufacturer of hoists, cranes and other materials-handling equipment, close a facility in Forrest City, Arkansas, putting 200 workers out of work. 200
DuPont After massive axings in April, more job cuts anticipated. N/A
Certicom Corp. Security provider for mobile e-business cutting 30 percent of its workforce. ?
Cummins Inc. Indiana, USA, diesel engine manufacturer axing 500 jobs. 500
Guinness (Ireland) Irish beer maker's Dundalk plant closing giving its 140 workers a severance package that includes free beer for up to 10 years. Hic! 140
Invensys Plc UK engineering and electronics firm which makes products and systems to help run manufacturing plants axing a further 3,500 jobs from a total global workforce of 85,000. Blames shrinking US markets. 3,500
Mitsui Mutual Life Insurance Co. (Japan) Axing 1,000 fixed-salaried administrative employees and employing 3,000 sales staff. (Why not re-train the admin workers?) 1,000
Bethlehem Steel Corp. Second-largest U.S. steel manufacturer making an undisclosed number of additional cuts in its salaried work force. ?
AtomShockwave Web site offering short films laying off 120 of its 170 staff. 120
Alcatel French telecom equipment giant, failing merger talks with Lucent Technologies, to cut 5.6% of its US staff, 900 out of 15,900 workers. 900
Pinnacle Systems Inc. Desktop computer video editing equipment manufacturer laying off 35 workers (5% of total workforce). 35
AtomShockwave Company providing online and offline games and films to consumers and businesses cutting 150 of 180 jobs. 150
Airborne Inc. Holding company for shipping service provider Airborne Express, laying off 640 employees (2.5% of its workforce). 640
Pillsbury Co. The Atlanta USA frozen dough plant closing, laying off 146 people. 146
Palm In addition to laying off 300 people, 16% of its workforce in April, Palm warns that more job cuts are coming. ?
SFBdirect Online discount broker, a unit of CS First Boston, laying off 14% of its US workforce. ?
Barrick Gold Corp. Canadian company shutting down its Chilean gold mine, El Indio, for three months starting in mid-June. Laying off 180 workers. 180
Entrust Inc. Internet-security company closing some offices and cutting 400 jobs (30 percent of its workforce). 400
CompUSA Inc. Computer retailer cutting 700 jobs (4 percent of its workforce). 700

5-7 June 2001: Lucent Technologies tops the firers, 10,000+ jobs axed

The top firing company in the world news for this three day period is Lucent Technologies, laying off 10,000 workers worldwide and offering early retirement to 15,000 of its U.S. workers. Approximately 27,000 people from 29 companies lost their jobs in the period 5-7 June 2001.

Lucent Technologies Laying off 10,000 workers worldwide and offering early retirement to 15,000 of its U.S. workers. 10,000+
Meadowcraft Inc. Wrought iron lawn furniture maker closing manufacturing plants in Yuma County and Mexico, axing 500 workers. 500
Ingram Micro Global distributor of computer products laying off 1,000 workers (6% of its total workforce). 1,000
Terra Nitrogen Co. Fertilizer manufacturer halting production at an Arkansas plant, laying off 71 workers (75% of the facility's total work force). 71
ON Semiconductor Corp. Computer chip company laying off 1,000 workers worldwide and cutting salaries of remaining staff by 10 percent. 1,000
Voxeo Web telephony company laid off nearly 20 percent of its 135 member workforce. 27
Raytheon Aircraft Co. Laying off 470 employees in Kansas (4.8% of its work force in that state). Bank of Hawaii Cutting 40 local jobs in the coming year. 40
First Virtual Communications Web video communication specialist cutting 29 positions to pay for purchase of CUseeMe Networks Inc. 29
CUseeMe Networks Software developer allowing Internet users to send video messages, cutting 35 positions (28% of total workforce) in order to merge with First Virtual. 35
Texas Instruments Inc. In addition to laying of 2,500 workers in April, idling two Dallas USA manufacturing plants in July, affecting 1800 workers. 1,800
Reuters Group PLC Leading supplier of financial news and data cutting 500 jobs and dismissing 50 top managers. 550
Jeep (DaimlerChrysler AG) DaimlerChrysler's new highly automated Jeep assembly plant in Toledo, Ohio, putting 1,700 people out of jobs. 1,700
General Motors Corp. Idling two vehicle assembly plants in Michigan next week, affecting more than 3,400 workers. 3,400
Accenture Ltd. Formerly known as Andersen Consulting, the world's largest management and technology consulting firm is axing 1,400 employees (2% of its global workforce). 1,400
Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. Furniture maker and retailer cutting 350 jobs after consolidating three plants. 350
Flow International World's top maker of water jets used for cleaning and cutting axing 100 jobs (9.4 percent of its global workforce). 100
Lear Corp. World's 5th largest auto supplier axing 150 jobs by shifting some operations to Canada. 150
Saks Holdings Inc. Luxury apparel and accessories retailer cutting about 50 jobs 50
Gillette Co. Manufacturer of razors, Duracell batteries, and oral-care products axing 600 global jobs in addition to those already axed. 600
Iomart (Scotland) Scottish broadband Internet specialist axing 50 staff positions. 50
Volvo Swedish auto maker axing 950 jobs (11% of its global workforce). 600 jobs going in Europe,140 from North America, 190 in Asia and 20 in South America. 950
Russell Corp. Textile company axing 800 jobs from four Alabama factories (5.3% of its global work force of about 15,000). 800
General Time Corp. Georgia, US, former top maker of alarm and wall clocks (Westclox, Seth Thomas and Spartus) closing down business putting 141 people out of work. 141
MEMC Electronic Materials Inc. Silicon wafer maker closing a small-diameter wafer manufacturing line, axing 300 jobs. 300
Russell Corp. Atlanta-based athletic wear maker cutting about 800 jobs and closing several plants. Elantec Semiconductor Inc. Semiconductor manufacturer cutting its work force of 375 by 15 percent. 56
Swissair Group (Switzerland) Cutting an unspecified number of workers.

8-9 June 2001: Walt Disney Co. Tops the Firers, 4,000 Jobs Axed

The top firing company for this two day period is global employer Walt Disney Co. Having earlier this year announced its plan to axe 4,000 jobs, the first of the axings have begun. 1,000 employees are now being laid off from its global workforce and 3,000 employees are taking voluntary redundancy packages. An estimated 9,000 people from 11 companies lost their jobs in the period 8-9 June 2001.

Molex Inc. Global electronics component manufacturer closing 52 plants in 19 countries and axing 900 full-time jobs and 600 temporary jobs. 1,500
Walt Disney Co. Having earlier this year announced its plan to axe 4,000 jobs, the first of the axings have begun. 1,000 employees are now being laid off from its global workforce and 3,000 employees are taking voluntary redundancy packages. 4,000
Caliber Learning Network Inc. Following 65 lay-offs last month, this Baltimore-based company has axed an additional 88 positions (75% of its workforce) and is moving away from Web-based operations. 88
Motley Fool Online finance publishing company laid off an additional 45 employees (25% of its staff), after cutting 115 jobs in February. 45
Nokia (Germany) The world's biggest cell phone manufacturer cutting 300 jobs, 10% of the workers at its phone production plant in Bochum, Germany. 300
Juniper Networks U.S. router manufacturer cutting 9 percent of its staff. ?
Women.com 70 employees losing their jobs June 18 when Women's-interest portal iVillage acquires the company. 70
Rockwell International Corp. Factory-automation company closing an unspecified number of plants and axing 500 jobs (1.2% of its workforce) in addition to 500 job cuts in April. Rockwell employs about 40,000 people. 500
Comtex News Network Inc. Repackager of news and other information, axing 11 employees and making other cost-saving cuts. 11
Korea Telecom State-run fixed-line telephone company, aiming for privatisation, has gained agreement of its unionised workers to accept spinning-off unprofitable businesses and cutting 1,600 permanent jobs (3.5% of its total employees). 1,600
Gameplay (UK) UK online games retailer selling operations and laying off most of its remaining staff. ?

10-12 June 2001: National Textiles Tops the Firers, 480 Jobs Axed

The top firing company hitting the headlines for this three day period is U.S. clothing fabric maker National Textiles which is closing its plant outside of Gaffney, Cherokee Country, putting 480 employees out of work. Approximately 2,000 people from 11 companies lost their jobs in the period 10-12 June 2001.

Greenbrier Inc. U.S. railroad car manufacturer laying off 160 workers in the Portland area and closing another factory in North America. 160
National Textiles U.S. clothing fabric maker closing its plant outside of Gaffney, Cherokee County, putting 480 employees out of work. 480
Weirton Steel Corp. Steelmaker now idling one of its two blast furnaces for 10 to 12 weeks beginning laying off 215 workers. 215
Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Canada's largest publicly traded agribusiness, more layoffs expected. ?
R.R. Donnelley Sons & Co. The world's 3rd largest commercial printer has slashed 250 more jobs and is closing four U.S. plants. Total job cuts this year are 1,700 (5% of its workforce). 250
AutoZone Inc. Shutting down 30 to 60 stores across America, laying off an undisclosed number of staff. ?
Modem Media Axed 76 employees (10% of its global workforce), from Paris, Toronto, London, Hong Kong and Norwalk, Conn. in addition to earlier this year laying off 85 workers and closing down its Tokyo office. 76
Automatic (Suck and Feed) Formed July 2000 by the merger of online content sites Suck and Feed and the purchase of altculture.com, Automatic is axing 21 jobs and considering selling all four sites and spinning off into software consulting. 21
Remedy Technologies Ebusiness infrastructure software company Peregrine Systems has bought out Remedy and some of Remedy's 1350 employees are expected to be axed as the two companies integrate. ?
Aiwa Co.(Singapore) Japanese audio equipment manufacturer laying off 250 employees at its Singapore R & D unit. 250
Dell Computing The 4,000 jobs announced in May to be axed are now taking effect. 275 in Ireland and Britain. 275

13 June 2001: Nortel Networks Tops the Firers, 10,000 Additional Jobs Axed

The top firing company hitting the world headlines today is telecom equipment manufacturing giant Nortel Networks which is laying off an additional 10,000 workers after reporting a $19.2 billion 2nd-quarter loss. Approximately 20,000 people from 16 companies lost their jobs today 13 June 2001.

Avaya CRM software provider axing 3,000 jobs (11% of its workforce). 3,000
Integrated Device Technology Inc. Integrated circuit design and manufacturing company cutting 900 jobs (18% of its global workforce). 900
Iomega Corp. Zip storage drive manufacturer closing its Roy, USA, laying off 110 production workers and moving all production to its plant in Penang, Malaysia. 110
Regis Hair-care company closing a distribution center in Eden Prairie and offering its 90 employees who work there transfers to the company's other distribution facilities or its Edina headquarters, or they will receive severance, extended health care benefits and help finding new jobs. Nice work Regis! N/A
Mail-Well Printing company to close 9 U.S. plants and cut 1,200 jobs. 1,200
Delta Apparel Clothing manufacturer closing its last domestic sewing plant in Georgia and laying off 106 workers. 106
Exelon Corp. One of the largest U.S. electric utilities laying off 300 clerical and maintenance workers. 300
Nortel Networks Telecom equipment manufacturing giant to lay off an additional 10,000 workers after reporting a $19.2 billion 2nd-quarter loss.
Chicago Tribune America's 2nd largest newspaper publisher has laid off 1,400 employees. 1,400
LTV Steelworks The bankrupt USA steelworks finally shut down its west-side plant and with its creditors and the United Steelworkers of America Union is trying to sort out the pensions and health benefits due to the 1,100 steelworkers laid off--some of whom had worked there for 30 years. 1,000
Georgia-Pacific Wallboard manufacturer cutting 500 jobs across America and Canada and closing some gypsum plants. 500
Air Afrique (Ivory Coast) Thousands of workers due to be laid off after the World Bank's recommendation to liquidate this 40 year old 11-nation owned airline which is bankrupt in its base country, Ivory Coast. ?
Polaroid Photo company laying off 2,000 workers (25% of its workforce) worldwide in addition to 950 job cuts in February 2001 when the company restructured to develop its instant imaging business. 2,000
Daewoo (S.Korea) South Korea's third largest auto company, which collapsed during the 97-98 Asian $ crisis, cut 5,500 of its 16,000 domestic workers for a GM take-over but more cuts may be coming if GM goes ahead. Interestingly, Daewoo's workers support the GM take-over. ?
Zing.com Online photography website backed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers is closing shop and shifting strategy, laying off 15 employees, approximately 20% of its staff. 15
metalspectrum.com After laying off most of its sales staff Nov 2000, the Atlanta-based website designed to be an online marketplace for trading specialty metals has closed shop. ?

14-15 June 2001: GlaxoSmithKline (UK) Tops the Firers, 2,290 Jobs Going

The top firing company hitting the world headlines in this two-day period is the drugs giant GlaxoSmithKline (UK) Drugs announcing up to 2,290 jobs to go. Approximately 6,000 people from 10 companies lost their jobs between 14-15 June 2001.

Disney As part of its 4,000-employee reduction undertaken in March, 478 animation jobs have now been axed. 478
Data Critical Corp. Manufacturer of wireless systems and software for the health industry, is consolidating its hospital operations laying off 60 employees (22% of its workforce). 60
Phillips Semiconductors Laying off 250 employees at its Albuquerque plant (approximately 20% of the plant's workforce) and forcing remaining workers to take paid and unpaid leave. 250
Trendway Corp. Office furniture maker axing 450 jobs (more than 12% of its workforce). 450
Xerox Corp. Office equipment manufacturer axing 700 jobs in Rochester NY, and 500 workers in Ireland are at risk. Xerox employed 92,500 employees worldwide at the end of 2000. 700
Humongous Entertainment Children's computer game company laid off 82 people (over 40% of its workforce). 82
Integrated Device Technology Communications chipmaker axing 900 jobs (18% of its global workforce). 700 jobs from the Philippines and Malaysia, 200 from the USA. 900
GlaxoSmithKline (UK) Drugs giant axing 1,000 jobs with further cuts of 720 expected in Montrose, 400 in Durham and 170 in Plymouth. 2,290
CNF Inc. (Emery Worldwide) CNF's Emery Worldwide airfreight unit to use fewer planes and has axed 900 jobs (11% of its work force). 900
Kimball International Inc. Furniture and electronic assembly manufacturer cutting an additional 200 jobs (2% of its workforce). 200

16-19 June 2001: Solectron Tops the Firers, 12,600 Additional Jobs Axed

The top firing company hitting the world headlines in this four-day period is global electronics manufacturing contractor Solectron which is cutting nearly 12,600 more jobs than the 8,200 disclosed earlier this year. Approximately 18,000 people from 11 companies lost their jobs between 16-19 June 2001.

American Greetings Corp. The March restructure and announcement to lay off about 1,500 employees (13% of its workforce) by the end of the fiscal year is taking effect. 1,500
Mullen/LHC Advertising agency cutting 30 people in its Winston-Salem, N.C. office (20% of its local staff). 30
Rohm and Haas Philadelphia based specialty chemical company is axing 210 jobs, in addition to 140 jobs axed earlier this year. 210
Knight Ridder Newspaper publishing group axing 1,700 jobs in addition to the 400 it axed earlier this year. 1,700
Atlas Air, Inc. Cutting 200 ground-staff in addition to 105 flight crew staff axed in May. 200
Solectron Global electronics manufacturing contractor is cutting nearly 12,600 more jobs than the 8,200 disclosed earlier this year, reducing its workforce by 26%. 12,600
PurchasePro.com Inc. Software company announced the resignation of its president and an additional axing of 200 workers (50% of its staff). 200
Applied Innovation Inc. Manufacturer of equipment for monitoring the expansion and upgrade of telecom networks, axed 40 jobs (15% of its workforce). 40
Digital Convergence Dallas-based digital scanning company has axed 110 employees, reducing its staff by 44 percent. 110
Level 3 Communications Communications network operator cutting 1,400 jobs (23.7% of its work force). 1,400

20-25 June 2001: International Paper Tops the Firers, 3,000 Jobs Axed

The top firing company hitting the world headlines in this two-day period is the paper and packaging giant International Paper cutting 10% of its U.S. workforce. An estimated 10,000 people from 17 companies lost their jobs between 20-25 June 2001.

International Paper Paper and packaging giant cutting 3,000 jobs (10% of its U.S. workforce). 3,000
Covad Communications Group Inc High-speed Internet service provider closing its subsidiary BlueStar Communications Group axing 400 BlueStar employees.
400
Acxiom Data integration software company laying off 412 employees (7% of its workforce) and cutting the salaries of its executives. 400
GroceryWorks.com Laying off about 100 workers. 100
Midway Gaming Arcade game manufacturer dropping out of the coi-op business and laying off about 60 employees.
Camden School Board Philadelphia USA school board laying off 136 employees. 136
Kemet Electronics U.S. electronics company axing 1,805 manufacturing and support jobs at its U.S. and Mexican plants. 1,805
Maxtor Corp. The world's biggest disk drive manufacturer laying off 700 in Singapore and 800 in the U.S. 1,500
iVillage Days after its merger with women.com iVillage is cutting 150 jobs from its combined staff of 350 in addition to two previous rounds of job cuts. 150
Thomasville Furniture Industries, Inc. In addition to an earlier restructuring this year, a manufacturing plant is being closed and hundreds of jobs across North Carolina to be axed. 100s
Alcoa Inc. The world's largest producer of aluminium is closing its Washington magnesium smelter and laying off about 300 of 325 workers at the plant. 300
Universal Studios Axing 10% of its marketing department. 20
Gap Inc. Fashion's hottest retailer axing up to 700 administrative workers (7% of total workforce). Heidrick & Struggles International Inc. Chicago-based headhunting firm laying off 300 employees (13% of its workforce). 300
LSI Logic Microchip manufacturer laying off 225 workers worldwide (3% of its global workforce of 7,700). 225
U.S. Enrichment Corp. The Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant, one of two 50s government built facilities to produce enriched uranium for nuclear weapons and submarines cased production last month and layoffs of nearly a quarter of the plant's 1,700 workers has commenced. 400
Nokia (Sweden) Finnish telecom equipment manufacturer cutting 50 R & D jobs in Stockholm, relocating the laid off to new jobs within Nokia. That's nice! N/A

26 June 2001: Deutsche Bahn (Germany) Tops the Firers, 6,000 Jobs Going

The top firing company hitting the world headlines today is Germany's National Railway Deutsche Bahn cutting about 6,000 of its 23,000 maintenance jobs. 14 companies fired over 14,000 people today.

Cap Gemini Ernst Young (Fr) Europe's No. 1 computer services company formed Feb 2000 when France's Cap Gemini bought out U.S. Ernst Young Consulting is axing 2,700 jobs. 2,700
Olin Corp. Copper producer cutting its total employment by about 14 percent. ?
Carpenter Technology Corp. Stainless steel manufacturer cutting 100 jobs. 100
Royal Philips Electronics NV Dutch electronics company Philips creating a venture with China Electronics Corp. to make its mobile phone handsets and as a result of the restructure 1,235 jobs in France, or 43% of its French workers axed. 1,235
CNS, Inc. Consumer health care products company axed 20 employees (25% workforce reduction). 20
Weiner's Stores Inc. Retail clothing chain stores based in Houston, Texas, closing all stores and putting 2,700 out of work. 2,700
Metricom Inc. Wireless telecommunications systems designer cutting staff by 23% in addition to cutting 179 jobs earlier this year. Will have 451 employees worldwide following the cuts. 135
Deutsche Bahn (Germany) National railway Deutsche closing 8 repair stations cutting about 6,000 of its 23,000 maintenance jobs. 6,000
Aether Systems Inc. U.S. wireless data products and services provider cutting an undisclosed number of jobs. ?
Northwest Airlines Corp. USA's 4th largest airline warning employees that more job cuts are coming as the airline industry generally copes with its worst decline in 20 years. ?
DSET Corp. U.S. telecommunications software supplier cutting more than 40% of its 170 staff. 70
Fedders Corp. Air treatment products manufacturer cutting 800 U.S. jobs and moving some production to Asia. 800
TrizecHahn Corp. (Canada) Real estate company with HQ in Toronto cutting 200 jobs. 200
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. In addition to other cuts this year, USA's largest commercial printer is closing its Old Saybrook, Conn. plant and laying off its 500 workers 500

27 June 2001: Arla Foods (Denmark) Tops the Firers, 1,050 Jobs Axed

The top firing company around the world today is Denmark based Arla Foods, Europe's largest milk producer, closing 19 dairies and axing 1,050 jobs. 8 companies fired approximately 3,000 people today.

VA Linux Laying off 35% of its staff--about 153 of 436 employee--as it moves from Linux hardware to Linux software. 153
360networks Telecom services carrier laying off about 800 employees (44% of total workforce).
JDS Uniphase Inc. The world's largest supplier of fiber-optic components is likely to lay off far more than the 5,000 already announced--but no details yet. ?
Altera Corp. Specialty electronic chip maker laying off 152 employees (7% of its workforce). 152
Lucent Technologies Inc. Global telecommunications equipment manufacturer likely to lay off far more than the 10,000 already announced--no details yet although. its 25,000 overseas employees appear to be most at risk. ?
Nasdaq Stock Market Inc. 137 jobs out of 1,343 positions are being cut, half of them IT jobs. This is the first major layoff at the Stock Market since the mid-1970s. Things are not looking good. 137
Williams Communications Group U.S. Tulsa-based telco cutting approximately 450 jobs (10% of its workforce). 450
Arla Foods (Denmark) Europe's largest milk producer closing 19 dairies and axing 1,050 jobs (5.8% of its workforce) in Denmark and Sweden. 1,050

28 June 2001: Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. Tops the Firers, 1,500 Jobs to Go

The top firing company around the world today is tire manufacturer Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. closing its Decatur plant, laying off 1,500 workers. 13 companies put approximately 7,000 people out of work today.

Nokia Networks Telecom and networking company cutting up to 1,000 job in its infrastructure division additional to cuts already made this year. 1,000
Prudential Securities Inc. Cutting 550 workers (3% of its staff). 550
Credit Suisse First Boston Trade-processing division of this Swiss owned bank axing 120 employees (3% of its 3,900 workforce). 120
Alidian Networks Optical networking equipment developer axing 55 employees (25% of its total workforce). 55
New Horizons Worldwide Inc. Career-training provider cutting 7% of its workforce. 100
Kyocera Wireless Corp. Mobile-phone maker cutting 70 full-time employees 120 contract manufacturing workers. 190
LINMOR Technologies Internet infrastructure performance management developer laying off 23 employees. 23
RadiSys Telecommunications components maker cutting 45 jobs, reducing salaries and closing one of its design plants. 45
Bridgestone/Firestone Inc. Owned by Japanese tire manufacturer Bridgestone Corp., closing Decatur plant, putting 1,500 out of work. 1,500
Ontrack Data International Inc. Data recovery company axing 52 employees (12% of its workforce). Adaptec Inc. Data storage company cutting 325 jobs (15% of its workforce). 325
Deere & Co. Agricultural machinery manufacturer, famous for John Deere tractors, axing 1,250 jobs. 1,250
Freightliner Truck manufacturer axing 1,120 jobs (7% of its global workforce). 1,120
Abbott Laboratories Closing its North Carolina manufacturing plant, putting 900 people out of work. 900

29 June - 1 July 2001: Agere Systems Tops the Firers, 4,000 More Workers Axed

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world in this three-day period is optical components manufacturer Agere Systems axing 4,000 additional jobs. 7 companies put approximately 7,300 people out of work between 29 June - 1 July 2001.

Agere Systems Optical components manufacturer laying off 4,000 employees (25% of its workforce) additional to those laid off earlier this year. 4,000
Michigan Bulb Co. USA's best-known mail-order gardening company has closed down putting 225 employees out of work. 225
HotJobs.com Ailing job search website has been acquired by its rival Monster.com (owned by TMP Worldwide) and some of HotJobs' 565 employees are likely to lose their jobs. ?
FastComm Communications Corp. U.S. telecommunications equipment manufacturer has closed three offices and axed 40 employees. 40
Equant (Holland) High-speed network service provider cutting 3,000 jobs (20% of its workforce) following its merger with France Telecom's Global One. 3,000
Bankgesellschaft (Germany) Management asking supervisory board to lay off up to 1,000 workers in addition to the 1,600 cuts already planned. Nothing yet decided. ?
Hewlett-Packard Co. PC and printer giant has asked its 45,000 U.S. workers to take cuts or use up additional vacation days. Sound better than being axed! N/A

2-3 July 2001: IBM Tops the Firers, 1,000 Jobs to Go
The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world in this two-day period is global giant IBM laying off 1,000 employees from its Global Services. More than 2,500 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made by 12 companies between 2-3 July 2001.

Advanced Switching Communications Telecom equipment maker laying off 30 employees (20% of its workforce). 30
Mitac International Corp. (Taiwan) PC maker has laid off 150 employees (10% of the company's workforce). 150
IBM Laying off approximately 1,000 employees from its Global Services Division. Unknown which countries would be affected most. 1000
Vindigo Mobile entertainment guide provider cut 5 of its 35 staff (14% of its workforce). 5
Sapient Global Internet consulting company laying off 390 employees (14% of its workforce) and moving some operations to India. 390
Art Technology Group (ATG) CRM and e-commerce software and services provider cutting an additional 20% of its workforce. ?
Hewlett-Packard Co. PC and printer giant asking 14,000 employees in Asia to either take a pay cut or vacation in line with yesterday's cost-cutting moves for U.S. employees. HP has a global workforce of 90,000, half situated in California. N/A
Ebookers London-based online travel company has moved some operations to a call-center company in Bangalore, India which will handle peak-time and overnight customer calls and e-mails. VocalTec Communications Ltd. Software company based in Israel cutting an additional 58 employees (19% of its remaining work force). 58
DMC Stratex Networks, Inc. Wireless telecommunications company closing its manufacturing plant in Seattle, putting an additional 230 people out of work. Another DMC manufacturing plant in NZ had axed 340 workers in April. 230
Kmart Corp. 135 U.S. information technology jobs axed (10% of the IT workforce). 135
Tosco Corp. Oil refiner and marketer cutting about 200 jobs from its marketing division. 200
Millennium Chemicals Cutting its global workforce by 10%. 430 jobs axed and temporarily closing a Maryland plant that produces titanium dioxide for the paper industry. 430

4 July 2001: Globo Cabo and L.G. Philips Top the Firers, Both Axing 1,200 Workers

The two top firing companies hitting the headlines around the world today are Brazil's cable television company Globo Cabo and Taiwan's color picture tube maker, L. G. Philips Displays, both laying off 1,200 workers. More than 3,300 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made by 10 companies today.

Roadway Express Inc. Ohio, US, Freight hauler may need to make more job cuts. ?
Honeywell Some assets being sold and jobs cuts are likely. The company has already axed nearly 6,500 jobs since spring. ?
BMG (Europe) Music group--whose artists include Whitney Houston--planning to lay off 100s. The company has 5,000 employees worldwide, 700 in Germany. 100s
BroadVision E-commerce applications provider, which has already axed 695 jobs since March, may need to make more job cuts. ?
Pacific Century CyberWorks (HK) Internet and telecoms provider axing 340 employees from its consumer Internet operations. 340
Globo Cabo (Brazil) Cable television company laying off 1,200 employees (20% of its workforce).
Interphase Corp. Maker of adapters for computer and telecommunication networks cutting 24-26% of its workforce.

L.G. Philips Displays (Taiwan) Color picture tube maker, a joint venture between Philips Electronics NV and LG Electronics, shutting two plants in Taiwan laying off 1,200 workers. 1,200
Ticketmaster Laying off 90 employees from its CitySearch unit (17% of its staff). 90
Delano Technology Corp. Software developer axing 180 jobs (60% of its workforce). 180

5 July 2001: Marconi (UK) Top the Firers, Long-Waves 4,000

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is UK's global telecoms equipment manufacturer Marconi, laying off 4,000 workers. More than 8,400 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 8 companies.

Marconi (UK) Global telecoms equipment manufacturer cutting a further 4,000 jobs, 1,000 of which are management positions. 4,000
Beijing Yanhua Petrochemical (China) China's largest resin and plastics make, a subsidiary of Sinopec (China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation) is cutting 2,000 jobs as part of Sinopec's plan to slash 100,000 jobs between 2001 and 2005. 2,000
Baltimore Technologies (Ireland) Security software company structuring its operations and axing more staff. In May, it laid off 250. Baltimore currently employs about 1,150 people. ?
Electronic Data Systems Corp. Technology-services company with about 127,000 employees, cutting 400 consulting jobs at its A.T. Kearney unit 400
Luminent Inc. Fiber optic components cutting more jobs. ?
Siemens (Germany) Cutting 2,000 positions from its computer business services division. The company employs 460,000 and has reduced its staff by more than 10,000 this year. 2,000
Support.com California based support automation software provider, cutting an undisclosed number of staff. ?
RADCOM Ltd. (Israel) Designer and manufacturer of network test and management solutions for global service providers, laying off approximately 20% of its workforce. ?

6 July 2001: AOL Time Warner Inc. Tops the Firers, 3,800 Lose Jobs

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is AOL Time Warner Inc., closing its Warner Bros. Studio stores and axing another 3,800 workers. More than 4,300 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 8 companies.

WebMethods Inc. Web-based business operations software maker laying off 160 employees (15% of its workforce). 160
Ericsson (Sweden) Telecoms equipment maker likely to cut several hundred more jobs. 100s
Xchange Inc. Tech company reducing its staff by 40 percent. Actual numbers not disclosed. ?
BackWeb Technologies Tech company axing 60 employees (25% of its workforce). 60
AOL Time Warner Inc. Closing its Warner Bros. Studio Stores - which sell merchandise relating to its famous characters such as Bugs Bunny and Harry Potter - and axing another 3,800 jobs. 3,800
Walt Disney Co. Closing its Chicago DisneyQuest virtual theme park, putting 270 employees out of work but efforts being made to transfer them to other jobs in the Disney network. 270
ASML (Holland) Chip equipment manufacturer likely to cut jobs. ?
Oce (Holland) Copier and printer company likely to cut jobs. ?

7-9 July 2001: Alcatel Tops the Firers, 2,500 Axed
The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world in this three-day period is French maker of networks for voice and data transmission, Alcatel, axing a further 2,500 jobs in the USA. More than 7,000 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 12 companies.

Conexant Systems Inc. Communications microchip manufacturer laying of 400 workers. 400
British Airways (UK) Laying off around 100 IT contractors. 100
Corning Inc. World's largest fiber-optic cable maker closing 3 plants and cutting 1,000 jobs. 1000
Ticketmaster (CitySearch) Cutting about 90 employees (17% of its staff). 90
Wall Street Journal 16 editorial employees axed in its latest round of job cuts. 16
Conexant Systems Chip-equipment maker laying off an additional 450 employees, bringing its total reduction to 25% of its workforce. 450
SightSound Technologies Internet movie distributor laying off 18 people from its staff of 30. 18
Webvan Online grocer closing shop, filing for bankruptcy, putting 2000 employees out of work.
Alcatel French company, maker of networks for voice and data transmission, axing a further 2,500 jobs in the USA, taking the total of US job cuts this year to 4,700. 2,500
Donnelly Corp. Automotive supplier axing 225 jobs (3.8% of its global workforce). 225
NEC Corp. (Scotland) Japan's second-largest chipmaker cutting jobs and output at its chip plant in Scotland, where 1,570 people are employed. ?
Newport Corp. Manufacturer of products for testing and assembling fiber-optics and semiconductors, cutting 200 jobs (10% of its workforce). 200

10 July 2001: Compaq Tops the Firers AGAIN, 4,000 Axed

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is Compaq Computer Corp. axing 4,000 more workers, bringing its total lay-offs to 8,500. About 6,240 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 6 companies.

Getty Images Photo and video archive company laying off 300 workers (8% of its workforce). 300
BAE Systems Plc (Scotland & UK) Defence firm laying off 1,000 Glasgow ship-workers and 150 more at its Barrow shipyard in northwest England. 1150
American Power Conversion Corp. Manufacturer of surge protectors, computer cables and computer power-supply backups, cutting an additional 700 jobs ( 9.5% of its global work force). Savvis Communications Corp. Data-networking services provider laying off 60 employees (15% of its staff). 60
Compaq Computer Corp. Another 4,000 more workers are being laid off, bringing this year's total lay-offs to 8,500. 4000
AOL Time Warner Inc. Laid off 30 people in its online marketing division in addition to closing its of Warner Bros. Studio Stores last week which put 3,800 employees out of work. 30

11 July 2001: IBM Axes 1,000 More Workers

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is IBM, axing 1,000 workers in addition to last week's 1,500. More than 2,500 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 10 companies.

IBM In addition to last week's layoff of 1,500 workers, 1,000 employees have been axed across the board from sales, services and manufacturing. 1000
HomeLife Furniture Corp. Eighth-largest U.S. furniture retailer closed its 130 stores, "temporarily" laying off store personnel and cutting staff in its corporate offices. An undisclosed number of its 2,000 employees are affected. ?
Gemplus The world's biggest maker of smart cards cutting 450 jobs, mostly in the USA. Gemplus has a global workforce of 7,800. 450
Carlson Cos. Giant privately owned travel and hospitality company, cutting 360 jobs, mostly in the USA. Carlson has a global workforce of 72,000. 360
Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. (Japan) Transferring 100,000 employees to less-paid jobs to cut labor costs by 15-30 percent. Nice to hear they were not axed. N/A
Dow Jones & Co. Publisher of The Wall Street Journal, axing an additional 150 jobs. 150
Cambridge Technology Partners Recently purchased by Novell, with 3,400 employees, mostly technology consultants, likely to axe overlapping administrative jobs. ?
Psion (UK) Europe's biggest handheld computer manufacturer axing 250 jobs in addition to 100 axed in March. 250
Cammell Laird (UK) Shipbuilders in receivership to PricewaterhouseCoopers cutting a further 187 jobs, including 95 at Tyneside and 47 at Birkenhead. 187
Sanwa Bank Ltd. (Japan) Closing most of its global futures operation axing 70 global jobs. 70

12 July 2001: Motorola Rolls 4,000 More Jobs

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is telecommunications giant Motorola, axing 4,000 workers in addition to massive cuts already made. About 8,000 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 14 companies.

Ansell Manufacturer of latex surgical gloves closing its Stark County, US, plant and laying off 100 jobs which are going to Malaysia. 100
ING Groep NV (Holland) Dutch financial services group cutting 200 employees handling non-electronic payment orders. 200
Ford Motors (UK) 1,300 workers at the Dagenham plant losing their jobs when Fiesta model production ends. Ford has already axed 1,300 jobs. 1,300
Rhodia (Fr) French chemicals group closings its phosphates site in Whitehaven UK, putting 120 out of work. 120
Future Network (UK) Magazine publisher cutting 140 jobs, 100 in Bath, 40 in London. 140
Sanyo Electronic Manufacturing UK Axing 284 workers at its County Durham microwave plant. 284 Thomson Multimedia Laying off 150 employees. 150
British Telecommunications Facing strike action if it does not call off trial to outsource data entry work to an Indian joint-venture partner. 25 British employees affected and will be retrained. 25
Great Lakes Chemical Corp. Cutting 390 jobs (8% of its workforce). 390
HomeRuns.com Online grocer shuts shop. An undisclosed number of employees have now lost their jobs. ?
Lucent Technologies Following in the lead of Compaq and IBM, an undisclosed additional number of jobs are to go. ?
Sears, Roebuck and Co. Closing its Provo, Utah, call center cutting 365 jobs. 365
International Paper Inc. Cutting back production and axing 655 jobs in addition to 3,000 already axed. 655
Motorola Telecommunications giant axing 4,000 jobs in addition to the massive cuts already made. 4,000

13 July 2001: UK Post Office Stamps Out 2,100 Jobs
The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is UK's Post Office, recently renamed Consignia, axing 2,100 jobs. Nearly 3,000 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 7 companies.

Microlog Corp. Call center software manager company laying off 12 of its remaining 60 employees, 12
Fidelity Investments No. 1 U.S. mutual fund firm axing 160 jobs (9% of its broker services unit staff). 160
Consignia (UK Post Office) Recently renamed, the Post Office is axing 2,100 administrative and managerial jobs. The Post Office employs about 200,000 people. 2,100
Safeco Corp. Insurance company employing 12,000 people cutting an undisclosed number of jobs. ?
Medscape Digital health record company axing 100 jobs (22% of its workforce). 100
CNF Inc. Trucking and shipping company cutting 400 jobs as a result of the HomeLife Furniture chain closure. 400
Forrester Research Internet and IT research company axing 111 positions (15% of its total workforce). 111

14 July 2001: Japan's Postal Services Stamps Out 4,000 Jobs

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is Japan's Postal Services Agency, axing 4,000 jobs. More than 5,300 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 6 companies.

Vitro (Mexico) Glassmaker estimated to be cutting 1,200 workers (20% of its 6,000 workforce).
Cone Mills Corp. Fabrics maker and printer cutting 14% of its workforce. ?
Fab Industries Inc. Swimwear maker cutting its workforce by 15%. ?
Lesco Inc. Lawn service company "temporarily" laying off about 12% of its work force. ?
CoreComm Ltd. Telecommunications services provider axing 110 more jobs. 110
Postal Services Agency (Japan) Cutting 4,000 jobs in post offices run by individuals in remote areas of Japan. 4000

15-16 July 2001: BP's Oil Deal Will End 1,500 German Jobs

Hitting the headlines around the world is BP's asset swap with German utility EON, likely to put 1,500 Germans out of work. About 3,175 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of mergers and cost-cutting measures made in this two-day period by 6 companies.

Blackboard Inc. Internet company providing software to colleges, universities and schools axing 40 employees from a staff of 490. 40
United Microelectronics Corp. (Taiwan) The world's second largest microchip foundry has laid off 266 employees (2.86% of its workforce). 266
Korea H&CB Merging with Kookmin Bank and cutting cutting 11% of its workforce. Offering "early retirement" to 1,000 employees. 1,000
Comdisco Inc. Selling its technology services business to Hewlett-Packard Co. and cutting 200 more jobs. 200
Schweitzer-Mauduit International Inc. Specialty paper maker cutting 175 jobs in its Brazilian workforce of 800. 175
BP (UK) and EON (Germany) British oil giant buying German utility EON's oil unit Veba Oel and Aral, Germany's largest chain of gas stations, in an asset swap deal which will cut 1,500 German jobs. 1,500

17 July 2001: Philips Axes 4,000 More Jobs

The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is Dutch electronics company Philips axing 4,000 jobs in addition to 10,000 already axed this year. Over 8,400 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 11 companies.

WS Atkins Plc (UK) Services company WS Atkins Plc axing 450 jobs. 450
Alcatel Telecom equipment cutting its UK workforce by 300 people after cutting 4,700 jobs in the US. 300
Societe Generale France's second biggest listed bank axing 200 jobs, 100 in London. 200
Harrah's New Orleans Casino Laying off 148 employees (5% of its workforce). 148
Coca-Cola Enterprises Atlanta-based bottler of Coca-Cola soft drinks axing 2,000 jobs in North America. 2000
Amtrak American rail company reducing its management ranks by 15 percent, cutting train services and making further cuts in its workforce. ?
The Longaberger Co. American basket maker cutting 800 jobs (10% of its workforce). 800
Philips Dutch electronics company axing another 4000 jobs in addition to 10,000 cuts after announcing huge losses this morning. The jobs cuts will be mainly in the semiconductor division and will affect UK workers. 4000
APW Ltd (UK) Electronics manufacturing services provider closing Dundee plant in Scotland putting 200 out of work.
Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc. More cuts coming from No. 1 U.S. full-service brokerage which has already cut about 5 percent of its workforce. ?
Marks & Spencer (UK) Retailer closing its four stores in Belgium, axing 315 jobs. 315

18 July 2001: American Express Discards 4,000
The top firing company hitting the headlines around the world today is American Express, axing a further 4,000 jobs in addition to 1,600 already axed this year. Over 6,000 people have lost their jobs or are about to as a result of cost-cutting measures made today by 8 companies.

Global Exchange Services (GXE) Transaction company helping Internet businesses laid off 300 workers (12% of its workforce). 300
American Express Co. Financial and travel services company axing a further 4,000 jobs in addition to 1,600 jobs already made this year. 4000
Albertson's Inc. Supermarket giant closing 165 stores and axing 20% of management and administrative jobs. ?
BreezeCOM Ltd. and Floware Wireless Systems Ltd. (Israel) Teleco companies merging and cutting 15 percent of the work force in both companies. ?
Jockey Australia Clothing manufacturer via parent company Pacific Dunlop has axed 80 workers and another 900 employees at Bonds, Grosby, Holeproof, Candy and other allied companies await their fate. 80
Safeco Insurance company cutting 1,200 jobs (10 % of its staff). 1200
Hecla Mining Corp. Silver and gold mining company laying off 147 workers and cutting production.
Eprise Content-management software company laid off 45 people (20% of its workforce). 45