Downsizing; the hidden crime.

One unintended benefit to the Trump Administration's unprecedented and dangerous gutting of the federal government work force is that it has put on display the cold uncaring nature of corporate America that uses workforce reductions as a tool to maximize shareholders profits.

Already in January of 2025 the private sector has already sheed nearly 50,000 jobs. A slow January as compared to previous years; but February seems to be heating up.

2025 layoffs: List of companies cutting jobs this year

Though we’re less than two months into 2025, many companies have already announced layoffs this year.

Nearly 49,800 jobs received the ax from U.S. companies in January, according to a Feb. 6 report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

"January was relatively quiet in terms of job cut announcements. However, we’ve already seen major announcements in the early days of February, so it seems this quiet is unlikely to last," Challenger, Gray and Christmas Senior Vice President Andrew Challenger said in the report.

https://www.livenowfox.com/news/2025-layoffs-list-companies-cutting-jobs-year

Here are some companies that have announced layoffs so far this year:

Blue Origin Chevron Estée Lauder JPMorgan Chase Kohl’s Meta platforms Southwest Airlines Workday CNN

Here is a link to an older but more comprehensive set of data for layoffs in 2024 and earlier.

Layoffs are a constant in the US labor market — from 2001 to 2019, there were more than 20 million a year. Increases in layoffs often reflect recessions or other economic disruption. For example, March and April 2020 saw record-setting layoffs and discharges because of COVID-19. So far in 2024 (January through October), layoffs and discharges total 16.4 million, which is 0.2% lower than the same period in 2023.

https://usafacts.org/answers/how-many-people-are-laid-off-each-month/country/united-states/

According to the data; about 20M people are downsized every year (nearly doubled that in bad economic years).

Now that the country is becoming galvanized behind the pain and dangers of Federal Government layoffs; should we be taking the opportunity to expand the movement to include the private sector as well?

Should we boycott those companies that carry out these layoffs?

For example should I withdraw my money and close my accounts at Chass bank or stop watching CNN or stop shopping at Kohl’s? Will this make a difference?

Maybe if pressure can be brought to these companies we could see a significant increase in worker protection.