Massive Layoffs At Another Obama Stimulus Company - HUMAN EVENTS

Massive layoffs at another Obama stimulus company

The President's investment hot streak continues.

01/30/2012

Hard on the heels of $118 million “stimulus” recipient Ener1 declaring bankruptcy comes news that another highly-touted “green energy success story” just laid off two-thirds of its workforce. From the Las Vegas Sun:

Just seven months after California-based solar power company Amonix Inc. opened its largest manufacturing plant, in North Las Vegas, the company’s contractor has laid off nearly two-thirds of its workforce.

Flextronics Industrial, the Singapore solar panel manufacturer that partnered with Amonix to staff the new $18 million, 214,000-square-foot plant, laid off about 200 of its 300-plus employees Tuesday.

This one’s pretty small on the usual scale of Obama “investment” failure, as taxpayers were only forced to give $5.9 million to Amonix by the Obama stimulus plan. Still, it’s a real blow to Obama’s attempt to create American jobs by giving money to foreign “green energy “concerns. Obama bragged about his brilliance in compelling us to support Amonix during a summer 2010 visit to Las Vegas (hat tip: Gateway Pundit.)

The company says these job cuts are “temporary” and they’ll soon be hiring again, to meet demand for their new solar power system. The Las Vegas Sun report doesn’t make it sound like temporary belt-tightening:

The company scaled down at all levels of employment at the plant — which was hiring as recently as three months ago — from entry level assemblers, process engineers, production supervisors and quality-control techs, according to one employee who was laid off.

[…] Theodore Lewis, another employee, was working at the plant for six months before he and dozens of other employees were called into a mandatory meeting Tuesday.

“There was no excuse,” said Lewis, 34, who was never told his job was temporary. “They just said our job was done.”

Lewis said employees were confused and disappointed when they heard the news and were directed by human resources to look for other local jobs in retail.

Amazingly, Obama’s re-election strategy involves boasting of his job-creation prowess, and hoping desperately that voters don’t ask how long those wonderful stimulus jobs lasted, how many jobs were lost during the Obama presidency, how much the workforce contracted, and what the private sector might accomplish when liberated from ideologically-driven central planners.

John Hayward is a staff writer for HUMAN EVENTS, and author of the recently publishedDoctor Zero: Year One. Follow him on Twitter: Doc_0. Contact him by email atjhayward@eaglepub.com.

Showing 44 comments

1 new comment was just posted. Show

Lance Morrison, Conservative in CA
** Every day in America:

* Daring families put it all on the line and open up a taqueria, or a sandwich shop.
* Car salesmen go to work knowing it may be busy or slow, and their paychecks will tell the tale.
* Entrepeneurs identify a need and form a plan to meet.

** The kiss of death is not their ideas. It is not their risks. Their risk is that fateful day that Joe Biden might show up and tell America their business is proof that the Federal government is the engine of the economy. God, if you ever work for a company that takes government money, or plans a visit with Barack Obama in a hard hat...run!!!
- Like
- Reply
D
RONALD REAGAN HAD IT RIGHT, THE SCARIEST THING ANYONE CAN HEAR IS, "I'M FROM THE GOVERNMENT AND I'M HERE TO HELP!" BWAHAHAHAHA!
- Like
- Reply
Alexander Milne
Ah yes.... the Blessed Ronald Reagan, the millionaire movie-star and non-businessman who ratcheted up US government spending.

Of course, Reagan was a pragmatic centrist compared to some of the current GOP candidates.

As for the supposed shortcomings of Obama, what disingenuous nonsense to completely ignore the titanic mess he inherited, and the fact that the stimulus package prevented a much, much worse economic crisis than we've already undergone.

Two years ago, some of the wingnuts on Human Events threads were predicting that the USA would have collapsed into anarchy by now. In two years' time, those same wingnuts will be arguing about why the GOP's manifestly p***poor candidates lost the 2012 election.
- Like
- Reply
Ol_Irish_Barrister
"Protecting" Obama's cranium with a hard hat is like protecting a bowling ball with styrofoam peanuts!
- Like
- Reply
sigp238
"The company says these job cuts are “temporary” and they’ll soon be hiring again,"

Yeah right, they will be hiring again just as soon as more "stimulus" money is made available.
- Like
- Reply
Escapee1
Yet ANOTHER giant suck-cess (aka FAILURE) for the Pretender-In-Chief! America can't stand too much more of this "green energy" job creation
- Like
- Reply
Steve Bunten
There's only one job the big "O" cares about and that's his.
- Like
- Reply
deeme
So they had a party and passed taxpayer dollars out to all their friends...Hmmm where is this in our Constitution>>??
- Like
- Reply
ShainS
I think all this falls under Article Two, Section Four: Impeachment.

As John Adams warned (predicted?): "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other."
- Like
- Reply
deeme
Thanks for breaking it down for me , I agree 100 %.. oh yeah one more thing, I guess we shouldn't hold our breath...
- Like
- Reply
BigUgly666
You are probably NOT a "taxpayer" ..... why are you "giving" your money to the government.
Read the tax code - chances are, it does not apply to you, they are NOT "your" taxes, and you are not liable to the "federal" tax.

It's called the "Internal" revenue service for a reason.
It's called "federal income" tax for a reason.
- Like
- Reply
jagscl
Probably because I don't look good in striped clothing and don't do well in confined living space.
- Like
- Reply
BigUgly666
..... and that is exactly why the "government" gets away with all of their unlawful activities.
- Like
- Reply
globalcrap
The stimulus money that the O Bogus regime has stolen, is going into his O Bogus war chest for O Bogus relections.
- Like
- Reply
Wumingren
All of Obama's "green investments" are nothing but moneylaundering schemes to transfer taxpayer money into Democratic campaign coffers.
- Like
- Reply
Master Aries
what kind of company can go through 118 million dollars that fast while only having 300 employees...probably would have been a better stimulus just splitting the money across them.
- Like
- Reply
A_Proud_Infidel
Just how much money did they donate to B. Hussein 0bama & co. before they took their cut and ran?
- Like
- Reply
Niniane
$5.9 million is nothing. That comes close to what Obama spends of our money going on vacation.
- Like
- Reply
spinfactor418
$5.9 million
may not be not be anything but let's talk to the employees that were laid off
due to this company’s lack of organization which resulted in mis-managing this
$5.9 million and in the end lay-offs. These employees were caught off guard at
a meeting which was announced as a new schedule meeting. Instead of receiving a
new schedule employees were told that they were laid off at that moment. Now
550 laid-off employees are faced with wondering where their next paycheck will
come from and how to pay bills and feed their families. I'm sure a percentage
may result in homelessness also. Amonix and Flextronics continue to lie to the
tax-paying public whom are footing the $5.9 million by stating that only 200
employees were laid-off when in fact it was 550 out of nearly 700 employees.
Amonix and Flextronics should be held accountable for the mis-management of
these funds in addition to the concessions and incentives given by the City of
North Las Vegas and the State of Nevada. Your employees are the heart and soul
of your company and should be treated as such! Although you may not give a damn
but SHAME on you Amonix, Flextronics and AreoTek!

From a Laid-Off Flextronics/Amonix Employee!
- Like
- Reply
Niniane
It was meant as a snark. After Obama's gifts to Solyndra and Ener1, it became obvious that their business models were not viable as there was no market demand and both filed for bankruptcy protection. Of course, Solyndra now wants another few million to give their honchos bonuses. And both auctions of Solyndra assets have not turned up any bidders.

The Chinese produce and ship their solar panels much cheaper than Solyndra production costs in this country. And take a look at Evergreen Solar, which even shifted some production to China (more American job loss), but despite taxpayer support from the state of Massachusetts, went belly-up.

Ener1 had a subsidiary which produced the ion-lithium batteries for electric cars and you see how that market is flourishing.

I certainly hope you will find another job soon. And I feel certain your skills will be in demand in other industries. Please post again about how your search is going. My best to you and yours.
- Like
- Reply
21Palms
You're overlooking some substantial upside for these employees. Having worked for a few months they have regained their eligibility for unemployment benefits and food stamps.

Pity the poor souls who didn't get the chance to re-qualify and be thankful for a few temporary green jobs.
- Like
- Reply
spinfactor418
It should have not resorted to the measures of food stamps as an upside. Planning, communiation and poor management was at fault and the employees were the victims. I have applied for unemployment but it doesn't even come close to what my standard salary is. I accepted this job based on the statement that the facility would be down 1 to 2 weeks between contracts, not 4 to 6 months. I just feel the company received a lot of money and glory for the upstart of this facility and should be held accountable for their actions. Inform employees that this was only a 6 month project and I would not be postingthis because they would been upfront and honest. Thanks for the good luck shout. I have an interview Tuesday afternoon so hopefully all goes well.

________________________________
From: Disqus <>
To: spen418@yahoo.com
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2012 1:27 PM
Subject: [heo] Re: Massive Layoffs At Another Obama Stimulus Company

Disqus generic email template

21Palms wrote, in response to spinfactor418:
You're overlooking some substantial upside for these employees. Having worked for a few months they have regained their eligibility for unemployment benefits and food stamps.
Pity the poor souls who didn't get the chance to re-qualify and be thankful for a few temporary green jobs. Link to comment
- Like
- Reply
planeboy
Gee...who could of seen this one coming....
- Like
- Reply
Lance Morrison, Conservative in CA
When you really think about it, what the heck do liberals want solar panels for anyway?

They apparently don't believe the sun is what heats the earth's atmosphere. They think lawnmowers do. If solar panels were worth their weight in energy, wouldn't we want to buy them? Think about it; we buy gas and electric furnaces for our homes. We install air conditioning. Many of us can do it all by ourselves. When it comes to solar, it is such a political/social activity that you have to comb through government programs to qualify for tax breaks, find a company, get permits, and arrange for your house to look like a Lego farm.

In a world where every day Americans arrange their lives, make sound choices, and arrange for their energy needs, liberal and Socialist America is trying force an old, inefficient idea down our throats. They think humans impact the temperature of our atmosphere, that the sun is tangential to our existence. They 'harness' the sun as their slave, and as 'Masters of the Universe,' they pollute our ecology with battery development and their ultimate disposal. They pollute our earth with the plastics, titanium and copper for panels that become very difficult to recycle.

Damn that sun.
- Like
- Reply
DaneChile
Solar enrgy is a good idea; it´s just not yet ready for mass consumption. In other words, it is not yet a viable product in the market. If it were, it would not need subsidies. Nope, this was crony capitalism at its ugliest.
- Like
- Reply
Rick_Kalifornication
Don't you know we're not supposed to judge them (liberals and by extension, the government) by their results, but by their good intentions?
- Like
- Reply
planeboy
Its green jobs funding, nearly 80 percent of which went to foreign firms, effectively outsourced thousands of American jobs to foreign countries, at taxpayer expense. Economists Timothy Conley and Bill Dupor say that the stimulus wiped out 550,000 jobs.
- Like
- Reply
TeaPartyNation
Add one more to the massive "green" sinkhole of FAILED companies run into bankruptcy by OBOZO crony capitalists: Solyndra, Evergreen Energy, Beacon Power, Ener1, Amonix,.....

American taxpayers get shafted while OBOZO's bundlers and cronies walk away with BILLIONS of our tax dollars (minus the share of the loot they kick-back to the OBOZO campaign.)
- Like
- Reply
Alexander Milne
And yet the US armed forces - government-controlled - are rather efficient, are they not?!
- Like
- Reply
eyeugize
More Hopeless and Changeless direction from his majesty.
Can't help now finding myself agreeing with Obama's most severe critics.
He really is out to destroy this country.
- Like
- Reply
21Palms
Hold that thought... "He really is out to destroy this country."

He's deadly serious about destroying this country. Just wait until after he loses the election. You're going to see three months of lame duck presidency that will make your hair stand on end. Once he knows he's out the mask will come off.
- Like
- Reply
globalcrap
The O Bogus green jobs putting Americans out of work. The O Bogus green jobs wasting tax dollars.Who is this guy???
- Like
- Reply
eewell
Obama can forget about a job at Bain Capital when his presidency is done.
- Like
- Reply
Michael Harrington
We can only hope that OBama also will find a new job soon as a community organizer or wherever else he may have an inkling of experience at doing.
- Like
- Reply
21Palms
I'm thinking he'll be after the UN General Secretariat which will provide him a platform to continue to destroy the US. After that - Anti-Christ.
- Like
- Reply
AgTrotter
"Lewis said employees were confused and disappointed when they heard the news and were directed by human resources to look for other local jobs in retail."

Wow, what a shocker. One more green jobs scam about to bite the dust. But, on the bright side, Obamanomics has proven to be a healthy stimulus for bankruptcy attorneys and Wal-Mart.
- Like
- Reply
Andrew Carney
so can anybody tell if any company they pumped money into is actually hiring and making a profit all on their own????
- Like
- Reply
GomeznSA
Nope - I mean I can't but perhaps someone else can. OTOH - IF there were truly any successful companies as a result of 'stimulus' a reasonable person would presume that barry and his cronies would be shouting it from the roof tops of the whitehouse and the capital steps. Of course they count gummintmotors as a success - let's see - it has cost some $250000 per volt in subsidies. Makes successful take on a whole new meaning.....
- Like
- Reply
spinfactor418
employees that were laid off
due to this company’s lack of organization which resulted in mis-managing this
$5.9 million and in the end lay-offs. These employees were caught off guard at
a meeting which was announced as a new schedule meeting. Instead of receiving a
new schedule employees were told that they were laid off at that moment. Now
550 laid-off employees are faced with wondering where their next paycheck will
come from and how to pay bills and feed their families. I'm sure a percentage
may result in homelessness also. Amonix and Flextronics continue to lie to the
tax-paying public whom are footing the $5.9 million by stating that only 200
employees were laid-off when in fact it was 550 out of nearly 700 employees.
Amonix and Flextronics should be held accountable for the mis-management of
these funds in addition to the concessions and incentives given by the City of
North Las Vegas and the State of Nevada. Your employees are the heart and soul
of your company and should be treated as such! Although you may not give a damn
but SHAME on you Amonix, Flextronics and AreoTek!

From a Laid-Off Flextronics/Amonix Employee!
- Like
- Reply
Wayne Peterkin
The basic problem is that the so-called "green energy" is not economically feasible. Solar panels and wind turbines both have major problems with cost and reliability. As such, neither can be relied upon to replace a major percentage of our traditional power generation any more than electric cars have the range and practicality to replace a major portion of our oil usage. Our government has failed the American people by not embracing sensible energy alternatives for the past 35 years or more, alternatives like clean, safe , and cheap nuclear power and CNG as a domestically-produced transportation fuel that really could make a major dent in our oil usage. We have practical energy alternatives available today that could dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign oil and provide abundant, economical energy for economic growth. But our government refuses to embrace those alternatives as they rather cater to special interests. Obama's energy policies are the worst yet, but this issue has been a huge government failure for many years.
- Like
- Reply
Dustoff
Wind & solar work. IF you pay for them and of live in the middle of NO-where.
- Like
- Reply
InterestedCanuck
Funny, as a Canadian, I seem to understand your political system better than most Americans (and definitely those posting here). Do you guys not get it? The US president is a figure head. If you want to blame and scapegoat, try looking at the House and Senate for answers. Here is where you'll find a system so bogged down in special interest groups and the status quo, that you all should be happy to have what you've got considering what you're working with. Stop wasting your time demonizing OB and get on looking for the real culprits.
- Like
- Reply
Dustoff
Anyone notice. No lib's have jumped into the comments to defend O-dumber?
- Like
- Reply
- 18 minutes ago
deeme
OK satan has arrived and the truth is not his forte...Mr. Gibbs is that you??
- Like
- Reply
- 1 hour ago