[Marxism] From the BLS

[S. Artesian]

Employers initiated 3,489 mass layoff events in the first quarter
of 2009 that resulted in the separation of 558,909 workers from their
jobs, the highest first quarter levels on record for the series.
Separations due to slack work/insufficient demand more than tripled 
over the year. Thirty-two states recorded first quarter program highs in
the numbers of separations.