The plant workers had to turn in their uniforms today. Cost-saving or preparation for closure? Oh, probably both.

All the layoffs last month and before? Cost-saving schemes: If they’re fired, they have to be given severance. But if they lay people off and go out of business, they can’t be expected to pay them anything.

Mr #2 has been working on some R&D grant application. Back in July, when they realized how much money the company had lost this year (around $1M), it was suggested that they could probably get this grant and it would cover about 60% of their losses, tax free (so $600K). Back then, the owner made some comment that betrayed that he was seriously thinking of just declaring bankruptcy but could then take that money from the grant and pocket it. Because of that, Mr. #2 put off finishing the application, but the owner’s pushing him to do it before he leaves on Friday.

It would be perfect if the owner took that money and used it to pay a few month’s severance to those of us left working here, but he won’t. Every time he mentions it, his advisers convince him not to.