Vernuccio’s View: Government Jobs Grow, Manufacturing Jobs Decrease

The latest release from the Department of Labor Statistics (BLS)  provides no encouraging news for a jobs environment mired in stagnation.  It does reveal some disturbing structural information about the type of jobs created and the overall economy.

According to the BLS, “The number of job openings was little changed at 5.5 million on the last business day of September… Hires edged down to 5.1 million and total separations was little changed at 4.9 million. Within separations, the quits rate was unchanged at 2.1 percent and the layoffs and discharges rate decreased to 1.0 percent…On the last business day of September, there were 5.5 million job openings, little changed from August. The job openings rate was 3.7 percent in September. The number of job openings was little changed for total private and for government. Job openings was also little changed in all industries and regions. The number of hires edged down to 5.1 million in September (-187,000). The hires rate was 3.5 percent. The number of hires was little changed for total private and for government. Hires decreased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-63,000) and was little changed in all other industries. The number of hires decreased in the Northeast region (-108,000) and was little changed in all other regions. The number of total separations [Total separations includes quits, layoffs and discharges, and other separations.] was essentially unchanged for total private and for government. Total separations increased in transportation, warehousing, and utilities (+50,000) and decreased in arts, entertainment, and recreation (-55,000). The number of total separations was little changed in all four regions.

“In October, both the labor force participation rate, at 62.8 percent, and the employment-population ratio, at 59.7 percent, changed little. These measures have shown little movement in recent months, although both are up over the year.

“The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (also referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was unchanged in October at 5.9 million. These individuals, who would have preferred full-time employment, were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.”

The BLS’ Employment Situation Summary  reports: “In October, both the labor force participation rate, at 62.8 percent, and the employment-population ratio, at 59.7 percent, changed little. These measures have shown little movement in recent months, although both are up over the year. The number of persons employed part time for economic reasons (also referred to as involuntary part-time workers) was unchanged in October at 5.9 million. These individuals, who would have preferred full-time employment, were working part time because their hours had been cut back or because they were unable to find a full-time job.”

A closer examination reveals further disturbing facts. Manufacturing employment, a bedrock of middle class stability, was reduced by 9,000, while government employment rose by 19,000.

An interesting, and unexpected, critique of the economy under the Obama presidency by Bill Clinton was revealed by a Daily Caller article which disclosed the former president’s remarks from a November 2015 closed-door fund raiser. According to Mr. Clinton, the economic doldrums of the Obama economy should be blamed for plummeting life expectancy rates among white, working-class Americans, whom, he noted, “don’t have anything to look forward to when they get up in the morning.” He added ““We have incredible debates all over America that shouldn’t exist between people in different racial groups because they don’t trust law enforcement anymore,” he continued. “And in the middle of all this we learned, breathtakingly, that middle-aged, non-college-educated white Americans’ life expectancy is going down and is now lower than Hispanics, even though they make less money.”

Another group ill served over the past several years has been youth. The 2016 Global Youth Development Index and Report  listed the United States as only 23rd among nations based on 18 indicators marking progress for those aged 15 to 29.

Frank Vernuccio serves as editor-in-chief of the New York Analysis of Policy & Government

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