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Monday, December 10, 2007

The WaMu Job Cuts

posted by on December 10 at 15:47 PM

We just got a Slog tip that read, in its entirety:

Talk about the WaMu job cuts on slog.

Here’s Bill Virgin in the PI, two hours ago:

Washington Mutual Inc. said Monday that it is slashing its dividend and cutting more than 3,000 jobs in an effort to cope with the continuing deterioration of the national housing and mortgage market.

The Seattle Times has a slightly bigger story, including more details (the exact number is 3,150) and some employee reaction:

“We’ve heard some of the people in higher positions are losing their jobs, managers who that never would have happened to in the past,” he said. “That has us scared.”

Anyone else?

RSS icon Comments

1

All they have to do is fire 1/4 of their VP's who don't do anything.

Posted by Mr. Poe | December 10, 2007 3:49 PM
2

Maybe they could get rid of the people who helped kill the Monorail - that would save a lot.

Posted by Will in Seattle | December 10, 2007 3:52 PM
3

This is what happens when you try and play with the big boys, you have to act like them and can no longer pretend to be on the side of goodness and light

glad i still have my tiny socialist credit union

Posted by vooodooo84 | December 10, 2007 3:52 PM
4

Or their entire mortgage department who just loses money for them.

The 2.5 Billion in convertible shares and the cutting of the dividend are also interesting. It says "We need cash badly"

for those that don't know what convertible shares are, here you go:

Preferred stock that includes an option for the holder to convert the preferred shares into a fixed number of common shares, usually anytime after a predetermined date.

Also known as "convertible preferred shares".

Most convertible preferred stock is exchanged at the request of the shareholder, but sometimes there is a provision that allows the company (or issuer) to force conversion. The value of convertible common stock is ultimately based on the performance (or lack thereof) of the common stock.

http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/convertiblepreferredstock.asp

so now one of the pillars of our local economy is slashing jobs...our real estate market is "strong".

wait for it folks, soon complaining about median housing prices and affordability will not be an oft heard complaint. wait for it.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | December 10, 2007 3:56 PM
5

also in teh news; BofA freezes an institutional money market account valued at 12 Billion. No in or out.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | December 10, 2007 4:00 PM
6

It's only the begining...

Posted by Hal | December 10, 2007 4:06 PM
7

Maybe the fired employees can feed their families with Wamula.

Posted by Wocka | December 10, 2007 4:08 PM
8

all of those people were fired because of their race. you just can't see it because capitalism has made you mad.

Posted by not mudede | December 10, 2007 4:09 PM
9

lmao@ 7 and 8.

I wonder what I can do to really put WaMu over the barrel. perhaps threaten to change banks if they don't offer me a non min 5.05% APY chequing account?

Posted by Bellevue Ave | December 10, 2007 4:10 PM
10

Does this mean the smiley face fireworks will wear a frown next July 4?

Posted by kinaidos | December 10, 2007 4:11 PM
11

Duh. Washington Mutual was one of the largest mortgage lenders in the area. Practically every other large mortgage lender in the country is going though massive layoffs. I'm only surprised it took this long.

Yeah, it would suck to be one of those 3000 people, but this is not news.

Posted by SDA in SEA | December 10, 2007 4:26 PM
12

Here's how to fix things: draw and quarter the executive who told everybody that subprime "investments" were the Next Big Thing. Seriously. Cut off his hands, pull out his entrails, and fucking burn them.

Posted by Greg | December 10, 2007 4:31 PM
13

@4 - actually, I frequently buy convertible bonds, which are basically bonds with a fixed rate of interest, but that convert either on a fixed date or a prior date if exercised by the firm, into shares of the firm.

It's a good instrument to hold when the firm may totally melt down, as bonds are paid off from assets BEFORE stocks (which are paid off Preferred Stock then Stock).

Usually the stockholders get nothing, but bondholders get some money.

Posted by Will in Seattle | December 10, 2007 4:37 PM
14

SDA, saying that this "isnt news" when

1. There is far worse crap on Slog
2. This is a hometown company
3. When it flies in the face of the "Seattle is Special" mantra

either shows how much you know about the situation, or how much you actually want to know in general.

@13
too bad they arent convertible bonds though...

Posted by Bellevue Ave | December 10, 2007 4:42 PM
15

Surely, my overdraft fees alone must have allowed them to keep a few more employees.

Posted by Touring | December 10, 2007 4:53 PM
16

the paper says Real Networks laid off a hundred people today too.

I heard from a friend that Infospace in Bellevue is going to do a big layoff soon too

Posted by tekgirrl | December 10, 2007 4:54 PM
17

So, let's see, recent large layoffs are:

Group Health
Real Networks
Washington Mutual

Sure hope no non-MSM reporters find out how many senior execs cashed out options at the last two recently and chart it against their usual exercises and sell offs, or look at the total compensation packages in the SEC filings for the top 5 execs at those firms in the recent quarterlies ...

That might be interesting ...

Posted by Will in Seattle | December 10, 2007 5:10 PM
18

I lost my job at Wamu a year ago when they decided my entire department (the department that sends out letters, bank statements and all other correspondance), with offices in Seattle and in California, could be outsourced. These latest layoffs are part of the bank's blood loss that has been happening for some time. 10 months ago Wamu stock was around $45 a share. Today, around $19.

Posted by former Wamu | December 10, 2007 5:38 PM
19


Is anyone else having flashbacks to 2000?

Sounds like we may be reading stories again about employees finding out they're fired when the company cell phone is shut off or when they return to a locked office. Sad.

Posted by Original Andrew | December 10, 2007 5:39 PM
20

it's even lower than that 18.

Posted by Bellevue Ave | December 10, 2007 6:02 PM
21

I agree very much with #1 - or they could fire many of the VPs who DO do something, but all too often make really bad decisions without any thought of the future beyond the next business quarter. For #11, the really big difference between WaMu and other lenders is that they never do anything to the big boys higher up:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119681396357513715.html

(you can only read the first couple paragraphs, but that's all you need to read)

I'd be VERY surprised if they laid off anyone above a certain level - and even then, I'd expect they would only lay off a couple of them, to be sacrificial lambs.

I'm glad I don't own stock in this company.

Posted by Another former WaMu | December 10, 2007 6:36 PM
22

They could probably save a few bucks by not sending me so much goddamn junk mail.

Posted by Dougsf | December 10, 2007 6:40 PM
23

The cuts: Mostly people who handled the horrid subprime loans campaign. Some accounting personnel, but many of them were being phased out anyway, with many necessary ops getting outsourced. WaMu has a lot of complacent personnel fat to trim, and now's as good a time as any to cut it.

Also, their stock price, at $38.50 a share as of late August, tumbled all the way to $18 before a mild rebound. Even for a bank, that is a HUGE drop, as the other banks only saw a $5-6 drop. Clearly, working with that appraisal firm that inflated appraisals, and trying to make bank on subprimes were just bad, bad ideas that have now come back to bite them.

Posted by anon WaMu mole | December 10, 2007 7:39 PM
24

For #11, the really big difference between WaMu and other lenders is that they never do anything to the big boys higher up:

Uh... every big corporation does that. They cut from the bottom and keep everyone at the top. They would rather slice 100 jobs and put 100 drones on the street than slice an executive's salary. Corporate American is hardly a welfare situation.

Posted by Gomez | December 10, 2007 7:41 PM
25

Also, this is why I'm a temp. Put my entire professional fate in the hands of a giant corporation? Yeah, right.

At least when I'm dropped on the street as a temp, that's part of the plan, and I just get back up and go work somewhere else.

Posted by Gomez | December 10, 2007 7:44 PM
26
They could probably save a few bucks by not sending me so much goddamn junk mail.

No kidding.

A few months ago, I got fed up with all the credit card applications I was receiving (1-2 per week). So, finally, I tore up an application, stuck it in the return envelope, and sent it back to the credit card company. I swear to god, I haven't received a credit card application since. I highly recommend it.

Posted by keshmeshi | December 10, 2007 8:28 PM
27

Hey Stranger--Why don't you do a story about Safeco. 3150--pfffff. You've been missing a huge story for the past seven years.

Posted by Roger E | December 10, 2007 9:11 PM
28

I'm one of yesterdays victims. It sucks.

Posted by monkey | December 11, 2007 9:54 AM

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