Kodak Will Cut Up To 6,000 Jobs

[hatrack]

By Ben Dobbin
AP Business Writer

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) - "Eastman Kodak Co. is cutting between 4,500 and 6,000 jobs, or up to 9 percent of it payroll, as it struggles with a slump in film sales blamed largely on a sluggish economy and the rapid growth of filmless digital picture-taking. Its shares rose 7 percent.

EDIT

The company eliminated 7,000 jobs last year, shrinking its work force to 70,000 people. In January, it said it was cutting another 1,800 to 2,200 jobs this year as it trims back photofinishing operations in the United States and Western Europe.

The latest cuts, which are to begin later this year, will be made in administration, manufacturing and research with a special emphasis on parin overhead in the consumer film and professional film divisions, the company said."

EDIT

St. Louis Post-Dispatch

[Atlant]

1. They're a buggy-whip manufacturer.

They're a buggy-whip manufacturer and it's the automobile age.

In still photography, film is moribound; digital photography
has supplanted it in nearly every field now (with 5 Megapixel
cameras having essentially all the raw resolution of 35mm film
under most circumstances and far better usability).

In motion-picture photography, direct-to-digital cameras are
catching up fast, with some major releases no having been done
using no film at all. 24 FPS "prosumer" video cameras are now
becoming very affordable and high-end units are increasing in
capability.

Soon, there will be nothing left of Kodak except Eastman
Specialty Chemicals.

Like so many other old-time American businesses, Kodak is toast.

Atlant

[wakfs]

2. True, but...

...what about all those buggy-whip workers, what happens to them?

What do we about workers whose industries/skills/specialties are no longer in demand? Do we leave it up to these individuals to train themselves for a different occupation or does the corporation that lays the workers off or a democratic society as a whole have some responsibility for their retraining?

Or do we let them simply wither on the vine?

[LeftHander]

4. Kill them in a needless war

Of course

[Atlant]

5. The buggy-whip workers' government has been...

The buggy-whip workers' government has been busily investing
in the non-productive military-industrial complex rather than
stuff that would actually sell on the world-wide market.

This is the long-term blowback of doing that sort of thing.

Atlant

[lastliberalintexas]

3. But, but, but

the news reported that Treasury Sec Snowe said we are in a recovery! The US economy good, Europe and Japan bad. Who are YOU going to believe?

You know, I really wish the Bushies would share whatever it is they're smoking. It must be some darn good stuff.

[saigon68]

6. THERE'S A CHICKEN IN EVERY POT NOW

And they are throwing kisses and rose petals at our troops in IRAQ-NAM
</sarcasm>

[GRClarkesq]

7. Not the government's job

to ensure the viability of Kodak's business model or finance the development of new products.

[NYC]

8. Profits were higher than expected according to the radio report I heard

which also said they would be cutting jobs.

[FireHeart]

9. I heard yesterday

That Boeing is going to cut 5-6000 jobs in the upcoming fiscal year. Don't know if it's documented, but it sounds about right.


"The economy is recovering--we are in good shape"


Bleh