Tech & Biz

Panasonic Lays off 15,000 Staff

by Jordan Yerman | February 4, 2009 at 08:27 am

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Osaka-based electronics giant will lay off 15,000 staff and close 27 factories.

Half of the layoffs and closures will take place in Japan.

There's really no good news in the earnings report, which states, "The company's comprehensive cost reduction activities, including material costs and fixed cost, were not sufficient to offset" the prevailing financial winds. Still, there's belt-tightening ahead for the electronics giant. The company says it will eliminate 15,000 jobs worldwide, about half of them in Japan, and close 27 plants, again about half of them in Japan.

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erichews

at 09:04 on February 4th, 2009

Hey, Jordan. More great coverage of the downward spiral. Are you keeping a running tally of each company and how many people they've canned/facilities they've closed? I'd be curious to see the top-10, both here and abroad.

You know, so I can deepen my depression. ;)

Jordan Yerman

at 11:03 on February 4th, 2009

Thanks! It's gotten so bad that I don't even have time to post individual layoff stories in most cases... they're just coming too fast. Indeed, we do have an ongoing layoffs list, but it's really hard to keep it up-to-date, which is in itself super-depressing.

For each number, that's someone going home and thinking, "What the hell am I gonna do now?!" It's awful.

Blue Crush

at 12:40 on February 4th, 2009

CP24's just announced Hudson's Bay Company are laying off 1,000 people; doesn't sound like a lot compared to Panasonic, but it's 5% of their workforce.