What is everyone talking about?? Lab Safety / Grainger ALWAYS does this. They get rid of between 20 and 50 people all of the time, and then 6 months later, they hire NEW people off of the streets. They have been doing that for at least 6 years... C'mon. Even when they let the 40-some people go in February 2009 (myself included) they were hiring for positions in a matter of months! Watch the paper.. Actually, it wasn't that long ago that they just hired more people - must be time to thin 'em out again!

Fear, you say less haters in your state, you are the biggest hater in this state. The attacks that you make on here are endless. Are you employed, because you sure do have enough time on your hands to have all kinds of rhetoric opinions. Maybe you should get out of your beanbag chair and get a life.
D kush, you are right on with your 6:31 post.

Corporate greed people.

Oh, and I forgot to mention good health.

Oh, and another thing. What opinionsforfree said is right. Sometimes the truth hurts. But from what I can see by your post, it seems you have your priorities all wrong. "Packers, Badgers, Brewers, Bucks Ice fishing, open water fishing , Camping, outdoors year round!!" are not necessities. Having a roof over your head, being able to feed your family, being able to pay your bills are necessities.

fearandrhetoricsfordummies: All I can say is WOW! Did you ever stop to think that maybe some of us would like to be in a warmer climate in our aging years? I'm glad for you if you love it here. Sorry to burst your bubble, but Janesville has been going downhill, but that is not the main reason I want to leave. Maybe you should reread my post before you bash me or others. No reason for you to get so touchy.

Please leave one and all, less haters here in my beloved state! I was born here and I will die here, there is no better place on Earth!:) Packers, Badgers, Brewers, Bucks Ice fishing, open water fishing , Camping, outdoors year round!!
To the haters , dot let the door hit you in the arse on the way out, good riddance dush21 and opinionsforfree!

opinionsforfree: I wish it were that easy to walk away from my house. If it wasn't for my adult children and grandchild, I would gladly get out of Janesville and move to a warmer climate.

20 leave now, 51 more by end of year, so far.. that didnt make the paper did it??? 200 more leave with specailty brands. (specialty brands will NOT mean 200 new jobs). how may left in the lab safety building ? LONG WAYS FROM 800 !!

This is just another reason why within months my family will be out of WI. I know poeople that are walking away from houses. selling everything and leaving the horrible state. I have lived here my whole life but cant wait to get the hell out of here. I know I am not the only one, but when the ship is sinking either jump ship or go down with it. I am not going down with this ship while others are promoting growth and not putting in sidewalks to no where and raising taxes and spending for needless projects

"France said laid-off employees have three options: They can apply for a job with Grainger after the Lab Safety integration is complete, apply for a job with the new owner of the specialty brands or take a severance package".
Not exactly what some people were told. An envelope with a kick in the butt after a 3 minute, "here ya go". Plus I'd be surprised if there is a new owner.

Sigma40 said, "This happens all over all the time and always has been. Nothing new, nothing caused by anyone in particular."

Thanks for your advice to Walker. I hope he takes it to heart and quits holding a press conference every time someone creates a job in the state. It's rough on his fundraising schedule...

You people need to go to the library and do some research on layoffs and closings through out time. Maybe take a side class on economics and history or something... This happens all over all the time and always has been. Nothing new, nothing caused by anyone in particular.

I knew about this a year ago.

Wisconsin is open for business! Unfortunately, too many businesses aren't staying open in Wisconsin.

France said laid-off employees have three options: They can apply for a job with Grainger after the Lab Safety integration is complete, apply for a job with the new owner of the specialty brands or take a severance package.

So IF the new owner of the specialty brands stays with in traveling distance, laid off Lab Safety employees can apply there ( any hint of a guarantee they would be considered over anyone walking in off the street) or re apply for their jobs under Grainger ( same question)
Take the package and run!

....long before any school tax or other cuts were made.

TedMLewis~one more thing to consider; Grainger's corporate office is in Illinios, not Janesville (Wisconsin). And your statement about "relocating" doesn't apply either since Grainger/LSS have been located in Janesville for 20+ years....and again, this cut is relatively small compared to the previous 3-4 years.

" Employers are reluctant to relocate to an area that suffers cuts to its education system."

I disagree...employers don't want to become social service agencies with continued entitlement taxing policies from the state....companies cannot continue to provide high wage and benefit jobs when they are also being bombarded with taxation to support moral superiority in solving social issues....

Why do people always post about redriecting money into businesses, as if that is the solution. It should be survival of the fittest. Why prolong the inevitable with companies that will evetually relocate or go belly up. Thats like sinking money into a money pit, only it's the taxpayers that pay. Why, because it makes people feel good that they've saved a few local jobs. Why don't companies do this themselves. I understand tax breaks for companies, but liberals don't want any of that. There are 2 ways to increase profitablity, either make more money (sell more product or services) and reduce spending. We should applaud companies like Granger that have made a decision to reduce their spending, all while securing their location in the Janesville area. Look at GM, they got bailed out and continue to relocate/close plants....all becuase over 50% of their profits go to individuals that no longer work for them.

Leave the political complaining for another blog-this Grainger layoff has NOTHING to do with Walker either way. Would the bigger layoff that Grainger had when it "consolidated" jobs three years ago and let more than 70 Lab Safety Supply people go also be Walker's fault? It is definitely big company BS, but it was going on at Grainger long before Walker's day.

What is funny is I hear many on here that are Walker haters saying so much for Wisconsin is open for business. I deal with a couple of major developers in the WI area and they have plenty of companies that are very interested in moving to Wisconsin but they are holding out to find out what happens with the recall election. So if you want to blame anyone for businesses not jumping on the band waggon to move to Wisconsin, look in the mirror first because if you signed the petition and hate Walker, you also have to accept some of the reason why companies are not moving here just yet! A big problem in life now a days is no one wants to accept the responsibility for anything as its always the other guys fault!

BrewCrew13- yes your right there will be about 200 jobs opening up and I am sure the MADISON area will be thankful. Doesn't do us much good. The travel expenses for Janesville residents difficult. Further more "things" you would be giving up by taking the job with SB. No thank you.

Oh yeah....Wisconsin is open for buisness, and thats exactly what we've been getting from the Govenor...the buisness.

There is not a lot a Governor can do to "create" jobs --that is largely the result of federal policy. However, there is much a state government can do to deter economic growth, and this is why Wisconsin sheds jobs (for six stright months) while our surrounding states and the rest of the country adds jobs. Employers are reluctant to relocate to an area that suffers cuts to its education system. And takikng hundreds of millions of dollars out of the pockets of middle class families statewide, who would have spent it on Wisconsin businesses, further depresses the economy.

If a company such as Granger chooses to implement a process improvement strantegy such as Lean Manufacturing or 6 Sigma that results in a clean up of procedures and staff, how can you blame Walker for this? It's called smart business practice. If you can run more efficently with less man power, it's a no brainer. This is the differnece between some companies that choose to remain competetive, and survie botht he god and bad vs. companies that are forced to close up, or relocate.

how can everyone blame walker for everything?
who was governor when all this mess started-i suppose its walkers fault gm closed in jvl, the wi deficit,etc.

What the article fails to mention is that with the sale of the specialty brands, approximately 200 new jobs will be created in WI. The buyer intends to keep the companies running right here in WI. So, when the article comes out about the new Co. starting, remember...lose 20+, gain 200.

When reading this I somehow knew that some Walker haters were going to blame him. Just how is this his fault? At some point you people need to wake up and understand that this economy is horrible and it has nothing to do with who is Governor. Just because a company decides it's going in a different direction, has nothing to do with politics. It's called "the bottom line".

WISCONSIN RESIDENT-you are so 100% right on!!!!

In my opinion, Lab Safety Supply was a thriving company when it operated as an independent subsidiary of Grainger. And Grainger was doing perfectly fine, too. Did someone take one too many Sigma Six classes and realize that integration would cut some costs and put more money in the pocket of shareholders? I get the efficiency argument. I just don't get the ethical justification considering the current economic climate, especially for Janesville employees. No fair, Grainger.

Ok im keeping score one company comes into Wisconsin and Two leave and this is What Walker and his people call job creation. So let's do the math thats 100 jobs loss with the closing of Sub-Zero in Fitchburg WI and the 20 jobs being lost in Janesville WI that's 120 jobs total lost in 2 days in WI my math is not wrong welcome to reality anyone getting the idea yet is it sinking how much more of this **** do we have to put up with. I mean even if we elect a new GoV what's going to stop jobs from leaving WI. I don't know about anyone else but i am sick tired and frustrated and have had enough and i say let's end this dam recall thing right now and decide who the GOV is going to be once and for all we can't keep taking hits on jobs like this

LovinIt- Agreed....20 is quite low!

Ok, Im not bitter, business is business. But lets be honest here Grainger.......you know 20 is undershooting it!

I wonder if Grainger discovered that ridiculously new trick all corporations are now doing to loot Wisconsin taxpayers now that Walker is governor.

starbuck, So what your saying is that any company that goes under or lays off is Walkers fault. so please explain how a companies decision is his fault. He cannot control a private enterprise in there decision. Would you say the same thing if there was a democrate governor or not.

I don't think Grainger's spokesman lied. I think she just didn't tell the truth. Way more than 20 people involved.

So much for diversity and volumes of catalogs. How many employees will be lost when they actually sell the other brands?

By agreement the loan money the city gave them to expand was contingent on them keeping employees hired, they were suppose to have 801 employees otherwise they would be in default of the agreement. Now they are laying off 20 people. What a waste of tax payer dollars that just go to line the pockets of corporate bigwigs. And so much for Gov Walkers job creations. This state is headed for disaster.

I call BS.