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Posted by Barton Lorimor
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced today that the unemployment rate decreased by -0.1 percentage point to 4.3 percent in May and nonfarm payrolls increased by +8,600 jobs over-the-month, based on preliminary data provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and released by IDES. The April job gain was revised down slightly from its initial report to show a smaller gain. (+2,500 jobs versus +4,700 jobs).
Job growth stabilized in the March to May period posting average monthly gains of +4,600 jobs over this three-month period, about the same as the 6-month average monthly gain of +4,500 jobs between December 2017 to May 2018.
…
In May, the three industry sectors with the largest gains in employment were Education and Health Services (+3,500); Government (+2,600); and Financial Activities (+2,100). The industry sectors with the largest payroll declines were: Information services (-900) and Leisure and Hospitality (-800).Over-the-year, nonfarm payroll employment increased by +60,200 jobs with the largest gains in these industry sectors in May: Government (+13,800); Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+11,100); and Financial Activities (+10,400). The industry sectors with the largest over-the-year declines were: Information Services (-3,900) and Mining (-300). Illinois nonfarm payrolls were up +1.0 percent over-the-year in sharp contrast to the nation’s +1.6 percent over-the-year gain in May, but it was the largest over-the-year gain in nearly a year.
…Adding…It is nice to see the numbers moving in the right direction, but…
Illinois’ African-American unemployment rate is higher than that of any other state in the nation.
And Illinois has been among the states with the highest black unemployment rate nearly every quarter since 2016.
“Nobody’s been left behind more than African-American workers. And Illinois has done about the worst when it comes to creating economic opportunities and employment opportunities for African Americans,” said Robert Bruno, a University of Illinois professor who directs the Labor Education program there.
Experts say an unequal education system bears a lot of the blame for why Illinois fares so poorly in comparison, but largely it is plain old-fashioned discrimination at work.
A bit of the issue’s history…
Bruno said that African Americans were beginning in the 1970s and early 1980s to get a share of manufacturing jobs until, he said, availability of those jobs dimished. “Everybody gets hurt when that plant moves out of town, but the people that are hurt the most would be people who had had the shortest tenure in those industries, and they couldn’t retire and they didn’t really build up a nest egg, and so that devastated African-American neighborhoods and communities.
“They have a hard time getting into these industries. When they get into the industries, they’re not paid as well and unemployment that occurs in these industries is always greater for African Americans.'’
* Related…
* Economists: B-N economy trending up
* Normal’s Fritzen: ‘State Farm Effect’ forces community to embrace change
* U.S. Steel to restart second Illinois blast furnace
* Walgreens finalizing massive lease at Old Main Post Office
posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 7:26 am
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Previous Post: Mary Morrissey appointed Chief Operating Officer at DPI
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Don’t worry. I’m sure Illinois Policy Institute will find a way to see the glass as half empty.
Comment by Anonymous Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 7:58 am
“glass as half empty”
Means somebody stopped pouring too soon or the bottle is empty.
Comment by Huh? Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 8:56 am
US Steel to reopen second blast furnace. Gotta love me some Trump. I can hear the union hall chants now,” 4 More years. 4 more years.”
Comment by BlueDogDem Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 9:13 am
=Gotta love me some Trump.=
You clearly don’t understand how this works.
www.illinoispress.org/Downloads/TariffSurveySummaryResults.pdf
Comment by Pundent Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 9:24 am
I’m sure the union members will be thrilled to go work there for minimum wage and all the safety regulations repealed.
Comment by Cheryl44 Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 9:38 am
“Gotta love me some Trump” Yet, taxes went up too. The simplest explanation is that neither had a significant role in these statistics.
Comment by Skeptic Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 9:51 am
Instead of chants of ‘4 more years’ perhaps we’ll start to hear “lock him up, lock him up”.
Comment by don the legend Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 9:56 am
BDD. Glad the tariffs help you. They cost the rest of us.
The job market is noticeably better than two years ago. The anectodal evidence I see supports the jobs data.
Comment by Last Bull Moose Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 10:49 am
LBM. Thanks. The one thing I have learned about in life, it’s only about what effects me that matters.
Comment by BlueDogDem Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 11:25 am
===The one thing I have learned about in life, it’s only about what effects me that matters.===
I don’t think, yet again, you understand how much this explains about you.., and the caricature you think you’re portraying.
Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 11:29 am
Illinois politicians are clueless and useless, but fortunately we have a President Trump who is doing his job and then some.
Comment by Chris P. Bacon Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 2:24 pm
===who is doing his job and then some===
Yes, he’s doing his job in addition to also doing Putin’s job and Xi’s job.
Heck of a job.
Comment by 47th Ward Friday, Jun 15, 18 @ 2:34 pm