Coca Cola Frozen for the Rest of 2008

Hiring Freezes in Consumer Goods, Large Reductions in the Airline Industry continue.
According to an astrological site I saw the other day, several large planets are in retrograde phase, or something like that. According to my astrologer, This is part of what is making it feel like the world is collectively holding its breath, and waiting for the other shoe to drop!

There are plenty of other reasons to worry. The housing meltdown fallout continues at IndyMac, Freddie Mac, and Fannie Mae. Pretty soon, the only business that won't have received a government bailout will be Mickey Mouse!

Let's hope for some better news soon!

Coca Cola Frozen for the Rest of 2008

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that Coca-Cola has imposed a hiring freeze for many of its North American businesses through the rest of the year. The story notes that Glaceau, Fuze, Odwalla and Coke North America's Canadian unit are not part of the hiring freeze.



Midwest Airlines to Eliminate 40 Percent
Of Total Workforce, Equal to 1,200 Positions


Midwest Airlines July 14 announced plans to eliminate the jobs of approximately 1,200 employees, amounting to 40 percent of its total workforce.
The Milwaukee-based carrier in the announcement said most of the cuts were related to the company's decision to remove its 12 MD-80 aircraft from its fleet this fall, as well as additional scheduling considerations. The job cuts will affect employees in all parts of the company, including those working in flight operations, in-flight, maintenance, operations, and general administrative functions, Midwest said.

"In order to successfully restructure, there is no way to avoid deep and painful reductions to our current workforce," Midwest Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Timothy E. Hoeksema said in a statement.

The carrier said it would begin notifying affected employees immediately, and that "the reductions will take the form of furloughs or position eliminations, depending on job function." No details were available on severance packages being offered to the affected workers, but the airline said it hoped to finish the reductions by mid-September.

Midwest said it is "continuing talks" with the two unions representing employees, the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA and the Air Line Pilots Association, "to reach agreements on concessions necessary to reduce the airline's cost structure."

Jay Schnedorf, chair of the Midwest Airlines unit of ALPA, told BNA July 14 that members of the union had been expecting the cuts, and that the number of Midwest pilots would be cut in half, from about 400 at the beginning of the year to approximately 200.

"Our heart goes out to pilots and nonpilots alike" affected by the job cuts, Schnedorf said. "It's a tragedy."

An AFA representative could not be reached for comment