Michigan Layoffs — November 2008
Employers in Michigan filed 13 WARN Act notices in November 2008, impacting roughly 4,248 workers — representing a pullback from October and up 136% versus November 2007. The average filing covered 327 workers, with 7 closures among the notices.
Industry Breakdown
| Industry | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 10 | 3,857 |
| Mining & Energy | 2 | 329 |
| Transportation | 1 | 62 |
The Manufacturing sector led the way in workforce reductions with 3,857 workers across 10 notices. In a parallel development, Mining & Energy reported 329 workers.
Geographic Hotspots
| County | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Wayne | 4 | 2,207 |
| Oakland | 3 | 1,391 |
| Marquette | 2 | 329 |
| Cass | 1 | 175 |
| Monroe | 1 | 52 |
Wayne was the epicenter of layoff activity, accounting for 52% of all affected workers with 2,207 workers across 4 notices.
| City | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| River Rouge | 1 | 2,038 |
| Lake Orion | 1 | 1,227 |
| Ishpeming | 1 | 179 |
| Dowagiac | 1 | 175 |
| Negaunee | 1 | 150 |
Layoff Type Analysis
| Type | Notices | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Closure | 7 | 2,580 |
| Layoff | 6 | 1,668 |
The high proportion of closures (61% of affected workers) suggests structural shifts rather than temporary cutbacks in Michigan's labor market.
Largest Layoffs
| Company | City | Workers | Type | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| U. S. Steel (Great Lakes Works) | River Rouge | 2,038 | Closure | |
| GM Lake Orion Ass'y Plant | Lake Orion | 1,227 | Layoff | |
| Cliffs Natural Resources (Tilden Mine) | Ishpeming | 179 | Layoff | |
| National Copper Products | Dowagiac | 175 | Closure | |
| Cliffs Natural Resources (Empire) | Negaunee | 150 | Layoff | |
| GM (Service Parts Operation) | Waterford | 109 | Closure | |
| International Paper | Brownstown | 89 | Closure | |
| ABX Logistics | Belleville | 62 | Closure | |
| SKD Automotive Group | Troy | 55 | Closure | |
| International Paper | Newport | 52 | Closure | |
| Universal Forest Products | White Pigeon | 49 | Layoff | |
| Speedrack | Quincy | 45 | Layoff | |
| Diversified Machine | Detroit | 18 | Layoff |
The single largest action involved U. S. Steel (Great Lakes Works) at its River Rouge facility, reporting 2,038 affected workers. GM Lake Orion Ass'y Plant followed with 1,227 workers.
Trend & Outlook
The data underscores a mixed picture for Michigan's labor market, with activity diverging between monthly and annual comparisons. The Manufacturing sector warrants close attention heading into the next period.
This analysis is based on official WARN Act filings reported by Michigan. The Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act requires employers with 100+ employees to provide 60-day advance notice of mass layoffs and plant closings. Data is updated daily by WARN Firehose. View all Michigan WARN notices, browse layoffs by state, or download the full dataset.