FALL RIVER – Fall River has experienced two of the three largest layoffs of any community in Massachusetts in the past four years, The Herald News reported on Monday, citing state date.
The closures of the A.J. Wright distribution center, affecting about 815 positions, and Quaker Fabric, more than 900 job losses, hit Fall River hard. From 2007 to today, only the State Street Bank layoff, affecting 1,700 jobs at its Boston headquarters in 2008, was larger.
The newspaper noted that although the 2010 A.J. Wright and 2007 Quaker layoffs were the worst, they were not the only large-scale layoffs in the past four years.
In 2008, Slades Ferry Bank in Somerset laid off 56 workers when it merged with Rockland Trust; CHF Industries in Fall River laid off 104 people and Travelers eliminated about one-fourth of its Fall River office work force. In 2009, Silver Line cut 287 jobs and Herringbone Shirt Manufacturing, 99 workers.
Combined, Fall River has lost more than 2,400 jobs, mostly in manufacturing or production, over the past four years from these employers, said The Herald News, noting that the city’s unemployment rate stood at 13 percent in November.
The newspaper said Fall River has fared worse than other former manufacturing hubs in Massachusetts such as Lawrence, Lowell and New Bedford.
New Bedford’s largest layoff was made by Eagle Industries (350 workers) in 2009 and Multilayer (164 workers) in 2007.
Taunton has also been hit by mass layoffs. Versacold eliminated 297 jobs in 2009 and Haskon Aerospace 100 positions.
