Thousands of Chicago jobs may have recently been saved.

Workers from HartMax recently won a court battle that will keep the suit maker in operation and save more than 3,000 union jobs. A federal bankruptcy judge approved a bid for Emerisque, a private equity firm based in Britain, to buy the company.

Wells Fargo Bank, which serves as the chief creditor of HartMax, wanted the court to approve a different company that would eventually liquidate HartMax, according to an article by People's Weekly World.

“We are quite pleased with the progress and are optimistic," Joe Costigan, treasurer for Workers United Midwest, said in the article.

Workers United represents employees at HartMax's production facilities in Des Plaines and Rock Island, Ill. and Rochester, N.Y. Workers have taken various measures to help save jobs as of late, including voting to sit-in at the production facilities to prevent its closing.

However, while the union has won the fight for now, the judge involved set a deadline of June 22 for additional bidders to come forward, followed by an auction on June 24 and a sale on June 25. That means it's still possible that a new bidder could emerge with an offer better than that of Emerisque.

“We like where we stand," Costigan added. “We are going to remain vigilant. We are not out of the woods by any circumstances.”

Labels: Chicago Jobs

MillerCoors LLC, the beer making giant, has signed a 15-year-lease in a downtown Chicago office building, as it plans to relocate its headquarters from Milwaukee and Colorado to the Windy City. The move, a joint venture of Molson Coors Brewing Co. and SABMiller PLC, is expected in June 2009. The new offices will eventually house nearly 400 Chicago jobs.

Following a transaction to combine the U.S. and Puerto Rico operations of Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Co. and Coors Brewing Company of Golden, Colo., the newly formed MillerCoors selected Chicago as the home city for its corporate headquarters.

The company announced over the summer that it would consolidate its headquarters and has been in negotiations with AEW Capital Management L.P., a Boston investment firm, to ink the deal for approximately 130,000 square feet of office space.

The new location provides a unique opportunity to establish MillerCoors identity as a beer company in downtown Chicago, MillerCoors chief executive officer Leo Kiely said.

“We are a beer company and you’ll know that as soon as you walk through the doors of our Chicago headquarters,” said Kiely. “The offices will showcase our brands and create a work environment that inspires our employees’ passion for beer.”

The headquarters will house a majority of MillerCoors senior executives, as well as marketing, human resources, legal, finance, information technology and communications divisions.

Chicago-based architecture and interior design firm VOA has been selected for the interior design and construction of the headquarters. As part of the project, VOA will develop sustainable and environmentally responsible designs.

The new headquarters will be ready for occupancy in June 2009 and will join Milwaukee and Golden as major business locations for the joint venture.

MillerCoors will continue to maintain significant operations in Milwaukee and Golden and plans to make major investments in both breweries, as well as in civic, cultural and sports sponsorships throughout Wisconsin and Colorado, according to MillerCoors management.

“Milwaukee will always be the home of Miller beer, and Golden will always be the home of Coors beer,” Kiely said.

Labels: Chicago Jobs

Soaring gas prices aren’t just causing problems for motorist; the airline industry is also suffering. As a result, many companies have tried to pass on the extra costs to consumers by raising prices. Because of this, fewer individuals are traveling, which has caused even more problems. The most recent news is that the closing of one airline is going to cause the loss of several hundred Chicago jobs.

ATA Airlines recently announced that it was closing down and claiming Chapter 11 bankruptcy. According to a document that was filed with the state, 309 workers at Midway International Airport were laid off this week.

Although the document said that ATA notified the state on March 12 about the closure, many of the employees said that they were not made aware until they showed up for work on the 11th, which is when all of ATA service was canceled all service.

The company, which is the nation’s 10th largest airline, officially entered bankruptcy for the second time in around three years on the 10th of this month. Prior to closing, ATA had approximately 2,200 employees.

The loss of these Chicago jobs are not the only problems caused by ATA’s closing. Although the company says that those who purchased tickets with credit cards can get a refund, those who bought them cash or check will not be receiving immediate refunds. These individuals may be able get the full or at least partial cost of their tickets if they submit a claim in ATA’s Chapter 11 proceedings. More information on this can be found on the airlines website for those who bough them with credit. Those who need to file a claim can find out more at: www.bmcgroup.com/ataairlines.

Labels: Chicago Jobs

High gas prices have taken their toll on the automobile industry. As the pain at the pump intensifies, fewer individuals feel the need or have the ability to expend the amount of money required to purchase a new car. Because of this, automobile manufactures are experiencing decreasing profit margins. When a business or company begins to lose money, one of the first things they do is decrease the number of individuals who work there. This is why Ford Motors Inc. will be doing away with 600 Chicago jobs at its local assembly plant.

The plant, which makes the Ford Taurus, the Ford Taurus X crossover and the Mercury Sable, will be dropping one of its two shifts by November 3rd. This will result in the loss of jobs for approximately 600 temporary part-time workers.

According to Ford Spokesperson, Anne Marie Gattari, the company is still trying to determine how this will impact the remaining employees at the plant. At this time around 2,200 people are employed at Ford’s Chicago plant.

The company has been considering doing away with at least one of the plant’s shifts for over the past year. As of March, Ford announced that, in an effort to cut costs, it would eliminate one shift at the Chicago plant and several others at various facilities.

Then in June, Ford announced that it had changed its mind about doing away with the shift because the United Auto Workers Local 551 had approved a contract that included altering the production schedule. The UAW agreed to four 10 hours shifts instead of the having employees work 5 days a week for 8 hours at a time.

But recently the company announced that the sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars had fallen around 9 percent since August of 2007. Overall, the company’s U.S. sales had dropped 26.5 percent during the same time period. This drastic loss of profit has made the cost cutting measures necessary. At this time, officials from the United Auto Workers Local 551 have not commented on the impending layoffs. Employees who will be effected have already been notified.

Labels: Chicago Jobs

While employment in the construction industry is currently slumping due to the state of the economy and the housing market, many Chicago jobs are expected to be created in the industry in years to come.

The Chicago area employed 176,200 people in its construction industry in July 2008, according to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, a 4.6 percent decrease from last year.

Many of Chicago's industries are booming, including the finance jobs. Employment in architecture and construction is expected to grow faster than the statewide average for all industries through 2014, according to an article by the Illinois Department of Employment Security.

"Employment in nonresidential construction is expected to grow because the replacement and renovation of many industrial plants and buildings has been delayed for years and a large number of structures will have to be replaced or remodeled, particularly in urban areas where space for new buildings is becoming limited," the article notes.

"Home improvement and repair construction is expected to continue to grow faster than new home construction," the article adds. "Remodeling should be the fastest growing sector of the housing industry and also tends to be more labor intensive. Job opportunities are expected to be excellent for general maintenance and repair workers, electricians and carpenters, especially for workers with training and experience in construction occupations."

Possible careers in the architecture and construction industry throughout Illinois include:

• carpenters with 1,394 annual openings and a median salary of $51,950
• electricians with 944 annual openings and a median salary of $57,227
• plumbers with 823 annual openings and a median salary of $64,832
• brickmasons and blockmasons with 264 annual openings and a median salary of $59,293
• structural iron and steel workers with 137 annual openings and a median salary of $65,930
• drywall and ceiling tile installers with 114 annual openings and a median salary of $47,104
• surveyors with 63 annual openings and a median salary of $47,649
• general maintenance and repair workers with 1,427 annual openings and a median salary of $36,858
• heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers with 268 annual openings and a median salary of $40,790
• architects with 173 annual openings and a median salary of $66,614
• architectural and civil drafters with 100 annual openings and a median salary of $39,710

Labels: Chicago Jobs

Not surprisingly, talk of an economic recession makes American consumers nervous. As a result, many cities across the nation are seeing a decrease in retail sales. Fewer commercial properties are being purchased in hopes of creating new stores and jobs can be scarce in this industry, but those looking for Chicago sales jobs don’t have to worry.

Despite cautious consumers, the Windy City is still attracting investors looking to open new retail space and this means more jobs for the area. As up June this year, Chicago has made approximately $1.4 billion of the sale of retail property, based solely on single deals that brought in $5 million or more.

Although this figure is down significantly by 30 percent when compared to the first half of 2007, sales figures are drastically better in Chicago than anywhere else in the nation. According to a survey conducting by research firm Real Capital Analytics, Chicago has managed the highest retail deal volume during this period than any other major metropolitan market in the nation.

One of the deals that earned the city the most this year was sealed in January when California-based Macerich and Alaska Permanent Fund Corp. paid $515 million for the Shops at North Bridge. This multi-level mall, which contains high-end retailer Nordstrom, is located on Michigan Avenue where a large portion of the city’s retail related commercial real estate deals take place.

According to Ed Coppola, who is the chief investment officer for Macerich, his company was attracted to the city due in part to the center’s sales per square foot of over $800 annually for its smaller tenants. This figure is more than double the average for a typical mall in the region. This causes many retailers to be attracted to the area, despite an unstable economy, which means that Chicago has more retail jobs open than many other cities.

Labels: Chicago Jobs

Troubles on Wall Street have caused many financial institutions to do away with New York jobs in hopes of cutting expenses, making it more difficult to get a job in this sector. Chicago employers are now benefiting from the amount of talent available and have taken to recruiting displaced Wall Street workers

Between the credit crisis, the housing market slump and general economic instability, right now many not seem like the best time to be in finance. Instead of sitting around waiting for stock prices to rise and stabilize, smart job seekers are looking else where. Many have found that Chicago’s thriving securities and commodity industries make the city the perfect place for displaced Wall Street workers to relocate to.

Many companies in the city have begun to recruit the best talent from those that who have lost their New York jobs. Still, the number of people in this industry in Chicago remains relatively modest in comparison to the Big Apple. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, before troubles abounded in this sector, New York employers had approximately 180,000. Estimates of the number of jobs lost since then vary but are around 7,600. Despite the decrease, New York still employees four times the number of finance professionals as Chicago does.

The nature of Wall Street makes the number of jobs it provides unsteady, meaning one day a company may be firing and the next day hiring in mass. Chicago’s finance industry, however, has experienced a modest but more steady increase in employment. Over the last decade job growth in this sector has gone up 13 percent, with approximately 46,400 workers. Interestingly, this increase in employment is directly related to the fact that trading is now done mostly over computers.

Although there may be fewer jobs in Chicago for a finance professional, the positions available offer a greater level of security.

"In New York, financial firms have been hit very hard by the credit crisis, and they're trying to do all kinds of things to reduce their costs," said Ilya Talman, who is president of Roy Talman &Associates, which is an executive search firm. "In Chicago, we're not seeing it. If anything we're going to benefit from it because there is going to be more of a push into exchange activities. In other words, what ails New York may help Chicago."

This means that area employers are now of the look out for the most talented and experienced applicants effected by New York layoffs. As more professionals become aware of the opportunities in the Windy City, competition may become increasingly intense. This is why its best to act now and begin a Chicago job search today.

Labels: Chicago Jobs, New York jobs

Anyone looking for a Chicago job in the construction industry may be out of luck for now.

While the construction industry in the State of Illinois as a whole is expected to grow during the near future, jobs are dropping off in the Chicago area.

According to the United States Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Chicago-Naperville-Joliet area's construction industry employed 177,800 people in June 2008, a decrease of 3.9 percent from last year.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security notes employment in the state's construction and architecture industry is expected to grow faster than the national average through 2014.

"Employment in nonresidential construction is expected to grow because the replacement and renovation of many industrial plants and buildings has been delayed for years and a large number of structures will have to be replaced or remodeled, particularly in urban areas where space for new buildings is becoming limited," the site states. "Home improvement and repair construction is expected to continue to grow faster than new home construction.

"Remodeling should be the fastest growing sector of the housing industry and also tends to be more labor intensive," the site adds "Job opportunities are expected to be excellent for general maintenance and repair workers, electricians and carpenters, especially for workers with training and experience in construction occupations."

Possible jobs in the architecture and construction industry include:

• carpenters with 1,394 openings and a median salary of $51,950
• electricians with 944 annual openings and a median salary of $57,227
• plumbers with 823 annual openings and a median salary of $64,832
• brickmasons and blockmasons with 264 annual openings and a median salary of $59,293
• structural iron and steel workers with 137 annual openings and a median salary of $65,930
• drywall and ceiling tile installers with 114 annual openings and a median salary of $47,104
• surveyors with 63 annual openings and a median salary of $47,649
• general maintenance and repair workers with 1,427 annual openings and a median salary of $36,858
• heating, air conditioning and refrigeration mechanics and installers with 268 annual openings and a median salary of $40,790
• architects with 173 annual openings and a median salary of $66,614
• architectural and civil drafters with 100 annual openings and a median salary of $39,710

Those looking for Chicago jobs in construction, however, may have to wait.

Labels: Chicago Jobs

Illinois jobless rate dropped slightly in April to 5.4 percent from the previous month’s 5.5 percent, according to state officials. This is still slightly higher than the national average of 5 percent and up significantly from April of 2007’s 4.8 percent.

Like elsewhere in the nation, the manufacturing and construction sectors continue to do away with Illinois jobs. Both of these industries have been greatly effected by the housing market and rising price of fuel. The state’s Department of Employment Security says that manufacturers cut approximately 1,900 Illinois jobs last month alone, partially due to the auto industry’s struggles. According to the department, there was a loss of 1,200 construction jobs. This means that there are now 671,600 manufacturing and 264,600 construction jobs in the sate.

Despite these decreases in employment, professional and business services added 3,400 Illinois jobs. Educational and health services also added 1,800 new positions. These two industries helped to balance the problems that manufacturing and construction sectors could have created. Overall, the department says that 9,300 Illinois jobs have been created so far this year.

State officials have been discussing the movement of certain government jobs. Originally it was planned that 148 jobs with the Illinois Department of Transportation would be moved from Springfield to southern Illinois, although the exact location remains unknown. IDOT is now saying that the number of positions to be moved will be closer to 110. Brian Williamsen, a spokesperson for the agency said that this is still an estimate and not the final word on the transfers.

Governor Rod Blagojevich believes that transferring these jobs in Illinois will help the struggling economy in the southern part of the state. Williamsen agrees that the transfers could have a big impact. Positions that maybe staying in Springfield include that of the director of the Division of Traffic Safety and associated top staff members.

Last week, Governor Blagojevich said that he had “pretty much” decided the exact city he would like to transfer the jobs to, but has yet to announced the location. Perhaps Chicago's in need of some jobs?

Labels: Chicago Jobs, Illinois Jobs

Illinois’ unemployment rate dropped slightly in February from 5.6 percent to 5.5 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Despite the small decline, the state’s jobless rate remained above the national average of 4.8 percent. According to the state’s Department of Employment Security, Illinois has led the Midwest in job growth since January of 2004. Approximately 34,000 jobs have been created in the past year, many of which were added in the Chicago area.

Despite the decrease in unemployment and steady job growth in the area, the housing market crisis is still effecting area employment. National City Mortgage began layoffs on March 15th with plans of doing away with 51 jobs in Chicago. According to the Chicago Tribune, this is at least the ninth mortgage lender in Illinois to announce layoffs since April of 2007. Over 1,420 jobs in Chicago have been lost through reductions in staff at various mortgage lenders in the last eleven months.

National City Mortgage is doing away with these jobs in Chicago as part of their exit from the wholesale mortgage lending, which means that the loans originate through a mortgage broker network. National City plans to shift their focus to retail mortgages, eliminating the middle man and lending directly to consumers at its mortgage office and bank branches. The Chicago jobs that will soon be done away with were located at the lender’s 2300 N. Barrington Rd. office in Hoffman Estates.

Labels: Chicago Jobs