The Economy: Some Gains, Some Losses

We talked earlier about improvement in unemployment figures in Georgia in February. In March, the global leader in beverage manufacturing, Coca Cola, announced a round of cut-backs that will affect over 750 people in the United States and Canada.

With brands including Coke, Sprite, Dasani water, Minute Maid and Powerade, Atlanta-based Coca Cola announced the cuts to reduce redundancies in its operation since acquiring bottler Coca Cola Enterprises in 2010.

The purchase of the bottling company added approximately 70,000 workers to the Coca Cola payroll. This job cut is intended to lean out approximately one percent of the Coca Cola workforce in North America and affect about 180 Atlanta employees.

The current job cutbacks do not rival the restructuring cuts made by Coca Cola in 2000 that resulted in job loss for over five thousand people. Like many companies in the present evolving economic climate, Coca Cola is trimming workforce and realigning its business to achieve efficiencies, even as business is improving. Coca Cola reported a five percent increase in net income in 2012.

Awareness of the contribution of carbonated beverages to childhood and adult obesity in the United States has also left Coca Cola with no growth in sales of its Coke and Diet Coke products.

For workers losing jobs, Coca Cola hopes to absorb some employees into other positions in the company while offering severance packages to others.

One lost job affects an entire family. The jobs lost in the past five years due to recession have stifled the lives, education and options of workers across America. If current economic figures are to be believed, that harsh environment may be easing. Even with some losses there may be more gains to come.

Every job is important. If you feel you were laid off or fired inappropriately, an Atlanta employment lawyer at The Reddy Law Firm, PC will protect your rights.