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Unemployment rate jumps over course of a year
Published Saturday, June 20, 2009
Alabama’s unemployment rate saw a spike from 9.0 percent in April to 9.8 May, according to a Friday news release from the Alabama Department of Public relations.
With an unemployment rate of 17.7 percent, a 9.6 percent increase over the May 2008 figure (8.1 percent), Dallas County has the third-highest unemployment rate in the state, trailing only Wilcox (23.9 percent) and Lowndes (18.0 percent) counties.
The good news is that Dallas County’s numbers over the last three months have seen limited fluctuation. The rate was 18.1 percent in March and dropped to 16.9 in April before its most recent upswing.
“It appears we’ve kind of bottomed out,” said Wayne Vardaman, executive director of the Selma and Dallas County Economic Development Authority. “The thing about those numbers that’s interesting, if you look at the numbers, not the percentages, from a year ago, the civilian labor force has gone up by about 500 people.”
While the May 2009 Dallas County civilian labor force (15,595) does have a 489-worker advantage on the May 2008 labor force (15,106), other statistics show the expected effects of an economy gripped by recession. The number of employed Dallas County residents dropped by 1,057 in a year, and the number of unemployed workers increased by 1,546.
Vardaman said those numbers will likely go up during the summer, but insists now is not the time to worry.
“This is the time of year, if everything stays the same, it’s going to continue to go up because you’re going to have all your schoolteachers and cafeteria workers, they’re laid off over the summer,” said Vardaman. “Meadowcraft also does their seasonal layoff.”
Another factor causing the percentage jump may be attributed to the means used to collect the information and factors under consideration. As a result, Vardaman says, it is an area that automatically gets whatever the state does. At the same time, data in several Black Belt counties is conducted through the census method.
“It depends on who’s doing your census data. It isn’t an exact science,” said Vardaman. “Prattville’s doing great, hiring a lot of folks and doing well, and they’re all leaving Autauga County to come to Dallas County to get jobs. It doesn’t make sense.”
Percentage points and facts and figures aside, Vardaman says the biggest key during a crippling recession is to hang on to the businesses that are here.
“When you lose a company, you’re never going to get that back. The ones we can maintain that have had to reduce their work force just to keep the inventory in line, those will come back as the economy comes back.”
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Comments
Posted by popdukes12 (anonymous) on June 20, 2009 at 2:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Why are school teachers placed in the unemployment count during the summer if the expectation of their career is to only work nine months a year? Their annual salary is always expressed in annual terms (i.e. $32,500 per year). They are on an annual contract and must abid by school rules during the summer, don't they? Their seniority and tenure contines on during the summer. They are still covered by the school insurance during the summer, aren't they? Does the state pay them unemployment during the summer?If this is true, I won't feel too bad the next time I hear a teacher complain about their low salary.
This must be some of Vardamen's voo-doo economic numbers that he is trying to blow by the public. popdukes12
Posted by leo71 (anonymous) on June 20, 2009 at 4:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
What is it --exactly--that Mr.Vardaman is being paid to do?Seems to me he-- and his Selma Dallas County Economic Authority-- doesn't do much to boost employment numbers when times are good let alone bad.
Posted by MintJulep (anonymous) on June 20, 2009 at 5:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Believe it or not, as bad as unemployment is, I cannot find a handyman for $10.00 an hour. I realize no one would get rich on that amount but if they have no job, every little bit should help.
MJ
Posted by popdukes12 (anonymous) on June 21, 2009 at 2:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
OneTinSoldier: Sounds like you know him too. popdukes12
Posted by eyeonyou (anonymous) on June 22, 2009 at 9:04 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I wonder when the last time someone from the Economic Development or City Hall took an "Industry Trip" to recruit and scout businesses to locate to Selma? Sitting behind closed doors and talking on phones will not get them here. Good ol' boy politics won't work either. If I've said it once, I've said it 50 times....Selma needs a legit promo team to get this ball rolling. I'm not talking about the ones sitting on the payroll for the last 15 years either. I still can't figure out their role.
When Selma wants to get real about industry, then this is what they'll do.
Posted by say_what (anonymous) on June 29, 2009 at 3:36 p.m. (Suggest removal)
FYI to all of the naysayers: Trips are made...enticements are offered...it's all going on. Too bad you just don't know what you are talking about.
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