Labor & Economic News Blog


Friday, January 30, 2009

Public Sector Joins Businesses In Feeling Layoff Pain

Public Sector Joins Businesses In Feeling Layoff Pain
NPR audio:
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned Friday he may have to cut 23,000 city positions, becoming the latest official to warn that government jobs will be slashed.

 

Wichita union urges rejection of Boeing offer

Wichita union urges rejection of Boeing offer
The union representing engineers at The Boeing Co.'s military aircraft plant here urged its members Friday to reject what Boeing says is its final contract offer.

 

Layoffs Herald a Heyday for Employee Lawsuits

Layoffs Herald a Heyday for Employee Lawsuits
With new jobs hard to find, laid-off workers are increasingly filing suits against previous employers.

 

With a Swipe at Bush, Obama Acts to Bolster Labor

With a Swipe at Bush, Obama Acts to Bolster Labor
President Obama announced steps that he said would strengthen organized labor and thereby improve the lot of middle-class Americans.

 

Thursday, January 29, 2009

Nationwide French strike shuts trains, subways

Nationwide French strike shuts trains, subways
AP - Hundreds of thousands of angry and fearful French workers mounted nationwide strikes and protests Thursday to demand President Nicolas Sarkozy do far more to fight the economic crisis.

 

Times seeks to freeze pension accruals

Times seeks to freeze pension accruals
The struggling Seattle Times Co. confirmed Wednesday that it will ask some of its unionized workers to allow freezing future accruals to their pension funds.

 

Economy's effect at Port of Seattle could lead to wage freezes, layoffs

Economy's effect at Port of Seattle could lead to wage freezes, layoffs
The Port of Seattle seaport is losing its containerized trade more rapidly than its West Coast counterparts, ending 2008 with staggering declines.

 

Boeing to lay off 10,000 this year

Boeing to lay off 10,000 this year
The Boeing Co. is facing "one of the most difficult commercial and financial environments that most of us have ever seen," Chairman and CEO Jim McNerney said as Boeing reported a huge fourth-quarter loss.

 

230,000 State Jobs Face Furloughs in California

230,000 State Jobs Face Furloughs
Judge rules Schwarzenegger has legal authority to order employees to take time off without pay.

 

Ford Worker Copes With Uncertainty

Ford Worker Copes With Uncertainty
NPR audio:
Troy and Brandy Foote got married in September and now care for 12 children, including four each from previous marriages. Troy Foote has worked at a Ford plant outside Kansas City, Mo., for 15 years, but hours have been cut back as has overtime.

 

A Vision for the U.S. Pension System at 100

A Vision for the U.S. Pension System at 100
More than seventy years have passed since Congress laid the foundation of the modern U.S. pension system by enacting the Social Security Act

 

Decent Work Decent Life Campaign Acts On Financial Crisis In World Social Forum

Decent Work Decent Life Campaign Acts On Financial Crisis In World Social Forum
The Decent Work Decent Life Campaign, led by the International Trade Union Confederation, Solidar, the Global Progressive Forum, World Solidarity and the European Trade Union Confederation, is organizing – two years after the launch of a worldwide campaign in Nairobi, Kenya – three major activities in the 2009 World Social Forum in Belém.

 

Cessna increases job cuts to 4,000 in Wichita, 4,600 overall; will conduct furloughs in March

Cessna increases job cuts to 4,000 in Wichita, 4,600 overall; will conduct furloughs in March
Cessna Aircraft has significantly increased the number of jobs it will cut. It now expects to reduce its work force by 30 percent _ a total of 4,600 people systemwide. That's up from the previously announced 2,660 job cuts as customers cancel and defer orders.

 

Americans receiving jobless benefits hits record

Americans receiving jobless benefits hits record
The number of people receiving unemployment benefits has reached the highest level on records that go back more than 40 years, ...

 

Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation

Obama Signs Equal-Pay Legislation
President Obama signed his first bill into law on Thursday, approving equal-pay legislation that he said would “send a ...

 

Final ruling: Schwarzenegger can order two furlough days a month

Final ruling: Schwarzenegger can order two furlough days a month
A Sacramento Superior Court Judge today ordered state Controller John Chiang to implement a Schwarzenegger administration plan to ...

 

Canadian Auto Workers to Reopen Talks

Canadian Auto Workers to Reopen Talks
The union, which has long resisted offering concessions, said Thursday that it would begin special contract talks with the automakers based in Detroit.

 

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

SEIU takes over local health care workers union

SEIU takes over local health care workers union
Oakland-based United Healthcare Workers-West, the fastest-growing health care union in the nation...

 

Sex, beer meet employee resistance at Spirit

Sex, beer meet employee resistance at Spirit
Flight attendants and pilots for Spirit Airlines Inc. want the company to pull a series of sexually suggestive advertisements, along with a new requirement they wear a patch advertising Bud Light on service aprons.

 

COBRA expansion won’t benefit most low-income workers

COBRA expansion won’t benefit most low-income workers
A variety of minor changes to COBRA—a federal program that allows recently laid-off workers to continue enrollment with their workplace health insurance for 18 months—have been proposed as part of the economic stimulus package currently under debate.

 

Union membership grows despite tough economy

Union membership grows despite tough economy
Union membership rose from 12.1 percent to 12.4 percent last year, continuing a second year of growth. The number of all workers covered by collective bargaining agreements, including those who choose not to be union members, also grew in 2008, from 13.3% to 13.7%, bringing an additional 518,000 workers under union contracts in 2008. Economists generally consider the number of ‘covered’ workers to be more significant.

 

Restaurant Staff Works 1 Day Without Pay

Restaurant Staff Works 1 Day Without Pay
NPR audio:
Like many restaurants, Mr. B's Pancake House in Muskegon, Mich., is struggling with fewer customers. Some of the workers suggested everyone work a day for free. So on Jan. 18, the day shift worked without pay. They saved the restaurant $700 in wages. The deed did not go unrewarded: Patrons found out what was going on and left $800 in tips.

 

World Social Forum: Trade Unions Call for a New Growth Model

World Social Forum: Trade Unions Call for a New Growth Model
On the occasion of the World Social Forum in Belem, the ITUC has released a statement on the global economic and financial crisis.

 

Holly, Tesoro refinery workers want new pact

Holly, Tesoro refinery workers want new pact
The Salt Lake Tribune
Woods Cross » Several dozen refinery workers, many of them members of the United Steelworkers of America, picked up picket signs on Tuesday and paraded outside the Holly Oil refinery here.

 

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Davos: Trade Unions Bring Tough Message and Practical Solutions to Business at World Economic Forum

Davos: Trade Unions Bring Tough Message and Practical Solutions to Business at World Economic Forum
A team of global and national trade union leaders will deliver a tough message to business at this year's Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum in Davos, pointing to the potential social time bomb caused by rising unemployment, home repossessions and lost savings and pensions

 

Tax Credit Provisions In House and Senate Recovery Packages Would Lessen Growth in Poverty: Plans Would Keep Hundreds of Thousands of Children Out of

Tax Credit Provisions In House and Senate Recovery Packages Would Lessen Growth in Poverty: Plans Would Keep Hundreds of Thousands of Children Out of Poverty
While reviving the economy is the overriding goal of the economic recovery package, particular elements of the package are likely to have other important benefits as well. One is to counter what otherwise will be a major spike in child poverty.

 

False Expectations of Trade Agreements: Lessons for Change (Remarks by Robert B. Cassidy)

False Expectations of Trade Agreements: Lessons for Change (Remarks by Robert B. Cassidy)
I’ve negotiated numerous trade agreements during my 30 plus years of government service, and in that time have witnessed a continuing decline in support for the pacts. We all remember when opposition reached its height during the 1999 WTO Ministerial in Seattle,

 

Slow economy hitting Bay Area dockworkers

Slow economy hitting Bay Area dockworkers
In good times, 300 longshore workers found work every day at the Ports of Oakland, San Francisco, Crockett...

 

Rising unemployment spares no state in December

Rising unemployment spares no state in December
Rising unemployment spared no state last month, and 2009 is shaping up as another miserable year for workers from coast to coast.

 

ILO study: "Panorama Laboral 2008" 2.4 Million layoffs due in Latin America

ILO study: "Panorama Laboral 2008" 2.4 Million layoffs due in Latin America
As many as 2.4 million Latin Americans could lose their jobs this year because of the global economic crisis, the International Labor Organization warned on Tuesday. http://oit.org.pe/WDMS/bib/publ/panorama/panorama08.pdf (Published in Spanish only)

 

ILO Annual report examines impact of global economic crisis on employment and working poor

ILO Annual report examines impact of global economic crisis on employment and working poor
The International Labour Office (ILO) is to issue its annual Global Employment Trends report (GET) assessing the impact of the global financial crisis on employment, unemployment, working poverty and labour market vulnerability in 2009.

 

Temporarily Increasing Unemployment Benefits is Better Targeted and More Stimulative Than Suspending Taxation of Unemployment Benefits

Temporarily Increasing Unemployment Benefits is Better Targeted and More Stimulative Than Suspending Taxation of Unemployment Benefits
Both the House and Senate recovery packages include a $25 per week temporary increase in unemployment insurance benefits. Economists, including Mark Zandi of Moody’s Economy.com, routinely rate increased unemployment benefits as among the most stimulative provisions under consideration. Zandi estimates that every dollar spent on increased unemployment benefits increases economic activity by $1.63.

 

'Green jobs' aren't just for engineers

'Green jobs' aren't just for engineers ...
There's a lot of talk about green jobs, but do you understand what it means?

 

Monday, January 26, 2009

GAO-09-34, VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment: Better Incentives, Workforce Planning, and Performance Reporting Could Improve Program, Januar

GAO-09-34, VA Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment: Better Incentives, Workforce Planning, and Performance Reporting Could Improve Program, January 26, 2009
In 2004, the Veterans Affairs' Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (VR&E) program was reviewed by a VR&E Task Force. It recommended numerous changes, in particular focusing on employment through a new Five-Track service delivery model and increasing program capacity. Since then, VR&E has worked to implement these recommendations. To help Congress understand whether VR&E is now better prepared to meet the needs of veterans with disabilities, ...

 

The Observer: China fears riots will spread as boom goes sour

The Observer: China fears riots will spread as boom goes sour
They surged into the grimy streets around the factory: first scores, then hundreds, then more than a thousand, as word spread and tension loaded the stale, grey air. The boldest overturned a police van and smashed up motorcycles, then tore through the building destroying computers and equipment. The mood was exhilarated, angry and frightened.

 

House Economic Recovery Package: State-by-State Estimates of Key Provisions Affecting Low- and Moderate-Income Individuals

House Economic Recovery Package: State-by-State Estimates of Key Provisions Affecting Low- and Moderate-Income Individuals
The House and Senate economic recovery packages unveiled last week are designed to boost employment and the economy. They contain a number of spending and tax measures crafted to inject more aggregate demand into the sagging economy. This paper provides state-by-state estimates for most of the major spending and provisions that will affect low- and moderate-income Americans (some provisions cannot be allocated on a state-by-state basis).

 

45,000 jobs swallowed in latest layoffs

45,000 jobs swallowed in latest layoffs
Caterpillar, Home Depot, Sprint and others rattle an already battered jobs market with new cuts.

 

Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to Benefit Families and Places

Expanding the Earned Income Tax Credit to Benefit Families and Places
Economic recovery proposals before Congress include tax relief for lower-income working families, including targeted expansions in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). New Metropolitan Policy Program analysis shows how proposed expansions to the EITC would benefit taxpayers in individual states, metropolitan areas and selected cities around the nation.

 

Finance crisis claims 70,000 more jobs

Finance crisis claims 70,000 more jobs
AFP - Companies forecast almost 70,000 job cuts in a single day as the rampant crisis born in the banking sector struck workers in factories and offices across the globe and brought down a government on Monday.

 

Many see opportunity in health care jobs

Many see opportunity in health care jobs
While the federal government reported that nearly 2 million jobs were lost during the last four months of 2008, health care continued to hire more workers than any other sector. The industry added more than 30,000 jobs in December, for a total of 372,000 in 2008.

 

What jobs might the stimulus create?

What jobs might the stimulus create?
If it works as planned, the stimulus proposal would create thousands of construction jobs building and repairing roads, bridges and other infrastructure. But it also aims to boost employment in the manufacturing, information technology and energy sectors, among others.

 

The Suburban Challenge

The Suburban Challenge
American suburbs today more resemble cities than a treasured retreat from life’s tumult. Bruce Katz and Jennifer Bradley argue that unless we grabble with the problems and opportunities of the new suburbs, America can’t ensure its leading place in the global economy.

 

Friday, January 23, 2009

Robert Reich, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor; Author, The Work of Nations and Supercapitalism; Economic Advisor to President Barack Obama; Professor,

Robert Reich, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor; Author, The Work of Nations and Supercapitalism; Economic Advisor to President Barack Obama; Professor, Goldman School of Public Policy, U.C. Berkeley
Annual Bank of America-Walter E. Hoadley Economic Forecast
Robert Reich, Former U.S. Secretary of Labor; Author, The Work of Nations and Supercapitalism; Economic Advisor to President-Elect Barack Obama; Professor, Goldman School of Public Policy, U.C. Berkeley
As the economy nose-dives into a crisis of unknown depths, hear renowned economist and former Secretary of Labor Reich lay out his thoughts on what lurks around the financial corner in 2009. Drawing on his years of experience both in and out of the political sphere, and sifting through the mountain of financial data, fiscal indicators, and government spin, Reich – who has been rumored as a contender for a position in the Obama administration – will cut through the hysteria and hyperbole to reveal where we’re headed in ’09.

 

Lifting Our Economy

Lifting Our Economy
Jason Bordoff argues that U.S. economic performance should be measured by how well economic growth raises the living standards of all Americans. He says that with the right policies and long-term investments we can achieve more broadly-shared prosperity.

 

California unemployment rate jumps to 9.3% Unemployment in California rose sharply in December to 9.3%, its highest level in

California unemployment rate jumps to 9.3%
Unemployment in California rose sharply in December to 9.3%, its highest level in15 years, as the state's jobless rolls swelled to 1.7 million. ...

 

Few laid-off workers keep health insurance, report says

Few laid-off workers keep health insurance, report says
Only about one in 10 workers who lose their job opt to keep their employer-sponsored health insurance through the safety-net program ...

 

Slow economy hitting Bay Area dockworkers

Slow economy hitting Bay Area dockworkers
In good times, 300 longshore workers found work every day at the Ports of Oakland, San Francisco, Crockett...

 

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Layoff industry becoming big business

Layoff industry becoming big business
As companies across the country eliminate hundreds of thousands of jobs, one field is hiring: the layoff industry. Businesses that specialize in "career transition" can barely keep up with the demand as corporate America cuts staff.

 

Auto union chief presses for trade reform

Auto union chief presses for trade reform
AFP - Trade reform must be a part of President Barack Obama's economic plan if the US manufacturing base is to recover from the current recession, a top union chief said Thursday.

 

Jobless claims increased sharply last week

Jobless claims increased sharply last week
Reuters - The number of workers filing new claims for jobless benefits rose by a more-than-expected 62,000 last week, government data on Thursday showed, as a year-long recession continued to chill the labor market.

 

Job losses hitting men harder than women

Job losses hitting men harder than women
Reuters - The economic crisis is hitting men much harder than women in the workplace, largely because male-dominated industries like construction and transportation are bearing the brunt of job losses, figures show.

 

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Unemployed Workers Need Assistance Paying for Health Insurance; Only About One of Ten Obtain COBRA Coverage

Unemployed Workers Need Assistance Paying for Health Insurance; Only About One of Ten Obtain COBRA Coverage
As unemployment rates reach the highest levels in 16 years, a new analysis from The Commonwealth Fund finds that few laid-off workers—only 9 percent—took up coverage under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) in 2006.

 

Brazil unemployment rate at 7-year low

Brazil unemployment rate at 7-year low
AP - Brazil's unemployment rate dropped to its lowest point in seven years, officials said Thursday - but analysts warned joblessness is expected to rise as businesses struggling to obtain credit in a global financial crisis begin laying off employees.

 

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Zoellick and Strauss-Kahn React to Unions' Demands on Growing Global Employment Crisis

Zoellick and Strauss-Kahn React to Unions' Demands on Growing Global Employment Crisis
Commitments to strengthen social programmes for workers hit by the economic crisis and to increase action on core labour standards were made by World Bank President Robert Zoellick and IMF Managing Director Dominique Strauss-Kahn

 

The challenges and opportunities for China’s workers in the Year of the Ox

The challenges and opportunities for China’s workers in the Year of the Ox
In Chinese astrology, the ox is often seen as hard working, stubborn and determined. And it is imperative in the coming year that China’s workers remain equally stubborn and determined to defend their rights and interests. The global economic crisis threatens to derail much of the progress made by China’s workers over the last few years in securing new labour legislation and, in some regions at least, the backing of the official trade union.

 

Older Americans postpone retirement as economy sags

Older Americans postpone retirement as economy sags
Reuters - Miriam Gorman wanted to retire more than a year ago, but steep financial losses in her retirement savings mean the 71-year-old bookkeeper now plans to work on indefinitely.

 

Friday, January 16, 2009

In U.S. recession, poverty strikes middle class

In U.S. recession, poverty strikes middle class
Reuters - Chaun Frost ran up her credit cards in when the U.S. economy was booming, and now the single mother is paying a heavy price.

 

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Downtime: Workers forced to settle for fewer hours

Downtime: Workers forced to settle for fewer hours
The number of involuntary part-time workers has nearly doubled just in the past year, mostly driven by full-time workers accepting cutbacks in hours.

 

Recovery plan creates millions of jobs by any estimate

Recovery plan creates millions of jobs by any estimate
Recent analysis by EPI suggests a similar impact of theprogram. Our preliminary analysis suggests that a $775 billion program would likely create approximately 5 million jobs.[

 

Senior Unemployment Rate Hits 31-Year High

Senior Unemployment Rate Hits 31-Year High
Unlike most previous recessions, the current economic slowdown has substantially increased the unemployment rate for older Americans. In December 2008, 5.1 percent of workers age 65 and older were unemployed, a higher share than at any time since March 1977. This factsheet provides the latest information on the employment situation of older Americans.

 

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

'State of the States' Report Predicts Key Trends for 2009

'State of the States' Report Predicts Key Trends for 2009
Pew Center on the States’ Stateline.org released a new report, “State of the States,” which summarizes key state political and policy developments from the past year, and examines likely state policy directions for 2009.

 

Hutchinson Tech sheds 1,380 workers

Hutchinson Tech sheds 1,380 workers
For Hutchinson Technology and the town that is its namesake, the deepening global recession has gone from bad to worse. The disk drive parts maker said Monday it is shedding 1,380 workers, or 30 percent of its workforce. Just a month ago, Hutchinson said it expected cuts of 20 to 25 percent, or 1,100.

 

Ohio seeks help as jobless fund goes dry

Ohio seeks help as jobless fund goes dry
With Ohio’s unemployment trust fund technically empty, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services has asked for the first piece of a federal loan to ...

 

Memo to the President: Invest in Infrastructure for Long-Term Prosperity

Memo to the President: Invest in Infrastructure for Long-Term Prosperity
President-elect Obama is preparing plans for an immediate economic stimulus package. At the same time, his new administration must consider how to make investments that will stabilize and strengthen our economy over the long term. After opening remarks by Pennsylvania Gov. Edward G. Rendell, Bruce Katz and Robert Puentes presented their recommendations on bolstering infrastructure and investing in other economic drivers that can enhance long-term prosperity.

 

Monday, January 12, 2009

Go East, young man? Californians look for the exit

Go East, young man? Californians look for the exit
"You see wages go down and the cost of living go up," Reilly says. His property taxes will be $1300 in Colorado, down from $4300 on his three-bedroom house ...

 

GAO-09-255R, U.S. Postal Service: Age and Disability in the Executive Service, January 12, 2009

GAO-09-255R, U.S. Postal Service: Age and Disability in the Executive Service, January 12, 2009
Equal opportunity in the federal workplace is intended to result in a diverse and highly qualified workforce. Such a workplace uses the talents of all employees-- without regard to factors such as employees' race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status. Diversity within an agency's senior executive ranks, including the U.S. Postal Service's (Service) Postal Career Executive Service (PCES), is particularly important because it allows agencies ...

 

Laid-off Treasure Valley workers begin retraining for their Plan B

Laid-off Treasure Valley workers begin retraining for their Plan B
With economists predicting high unemployment well into 2010, some people are making new career plans in case they get caught in the economic downdraft.

 

Boeing to slash 4,500 jobs

Boeing to slash 4,500 jobs
The global economic meltdown hit hard in the Puget Sound area Friday, as The Boeing Co. joined the growing list of American companies cutting thousands of jobs.

 

Union bill gets renewed push

Union bill gets renewed push
The legislation would make it easier for unions to organize, but business opposition, including Target and Best Buy, is already well organized.

 

Smallest state leads US into deep recession

Smallest state leads US into deep recession
AP - Larry Miller believed he would retire from the auto parts manufacturer where he first got a job as a newly married 26-year-old.

 

Experts: College grads fare better in bad economic times

Experts: College grads fare better in bad economic times
For one group of workers, the recession hasn't hit quite so hard. Their unemployment rate was nearly half the overall work force in December and they typically have enough savings to survive between jobs. Yes, it still pays to get a college degree.

 

Many taking second jobs to make ends meet

Many taking second jobs to make ends meet
With a grim economic outlook for 2009, more Americans are not just cutting costs but are finding ways to make more money by taking part-time or odd jobs, employers and economists said.

 

Taxi Drivers Strike and Want To Set Up Their Own Associations

Taxi Drivers Strike and Want To Set Up Their Own Associations
In this issue of China Labor News Translations, we bring to you an extended article which originally appeared in China Newsweek on 19 November. This “Focus on Taxi Drivers” includes two pieces on taxi driver strikes, one Hainan province’s Sanya and another one in Chongqing in Sichuan province. Of particular interest has been the organizing methods employed by the drivers, and their demands for the establishment of taxi driver trade unions, or taxi drivers’ associations, to be corporatized into taxi drivers’ shareholding companies.

 

Cessna to lay off 2,000 workers

Cessna to lay off 2,000 workers
Cessna Aircraft Co. told workers Monday that it will lay off an additional 2,000 employees across its facilities, saying the job cuts are necessary to ensure its long-term stability and success. The announcement was made in an...

 

The Economics of Happiness in Latin America

The Economics of Happiness in Latin America
Event Information:
January 21, 2009, 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM
In spite of the challenges posed by poverty and high levels of inequality in Latin America, studies show its people are generally happy and continue to support market reforms and democracy. Yet, in the midst of the global financial crisis, will this trend shift in Latin America? On January 21, the Latin America Initiative at Brookings will host a discussion on the current trends in the region in terms of economic growth, inflation, unemployment and the financial crisis, based on the most recent evaluations from a new approach in economics: the economics of happiness.

 

Friday, January 09, 2009

Job losses ballooned in final quarter of 2008

Job losses ballooned in final quarter of 2008
This morning the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the nation shed 524,000 jobs last month, capping 12 months of declining payroll employment. The BLS also revised its employment estimates for previous months downward by 154,000 jobs, showing that the U.S. economy lost nearly 2.6 million jobs since December 2007.

 

Coping With Economic Worst-Case Scenario

Coping With Economic Worst-Case Scenario
NPR audio:
With grim economic news coming out almost daily, Morning Edition wondered if Americans are making contingency plans. Some people in Los Angeles explain how they would cope if they lost their job or if there were another Great Depression.

 

A Man Who Defied Autoworker Odds

A Man Who Defied Autoworker Odds
NPR audio:
Student Alex Marinica comes from a long line of auto workers in Michigan. But he decided to break the tradition by going to college rather than the factory.

 

Michigan Furniture Business Still Booming

Michigan Furniture Business Still Booming
NPR audio:
Michigan has some of the highest unemployment and foreclosure rates in the country. But one area that seems to be going strong is the furniture business in Grand Rapids.

 

N.C. Computers Can't Handle Deluge Of Unemployed

N.C. Computers Can't Handle Deluge Of Unemployed
NPR audio:
North Carolina's unemployment rate is at its highest level in 25 years, and a deluge of out-of-work people has strained the state's jobless systems to the breaking point. State computers have crashed twice in the past month as people apply or renew their employment benefits.

 

Unemployment Numbers Hit Yet Another High

Unemployment Numbers Hit Yet Another High
NPR audio:
December marked the twelfth straight month of declining employment. We explore what the numbers mean for the ailing economy.

 

A Green Stimulus for the People

A Green Stimulus for the People
By proposing a $100 billion "green stimulus" package to create jobs and cut carbon emissions, President-elect Obama has wisely decided not to let the economic crisis get in the way of addressing climate change. He may even see the crisis as a way of tackling climate change faster. In September his campaign's energy adviser, Jason Grumet, told a Harvard crowd that the conversation about climate change would be transformed when legislation addressing it is seen as "the next big American…

 

US unemployment surges as 524,000 jobs lost

US unemployment surges as 524,000 jobs lost
AFP - US employers shed a massive 524,000 jobs in December, capping a yearly loss of 2.8 million, as a deepening recession pushed unemployment to a 16-year high of 7.2 percent, official data showed Friday.

 

Obama Labor pick vows to boost job training

Obama Labor pick vows to boost job training
Reuters - President-elect Barack Obama's pick to become the top U.S. labor official said on Friday her priorities would be to boost job training and search assistance to fight a deepening U.S. recession.

 

Policy Points: Sobering Jobless Data Highlight Need for Recovery Package to Focus On Hard-Hit Families and States

Policy Points: Sobering Jobless Data Highlight Need for Recovery Package to Focus On Hard-Hit Families and States
Since a decline in overall demand is the main cause of rising unemployment and the weak economy, the economic recovery package should focus on putting money in the hands of people who will spend it quickly.

 

Assistance for Hard-Pressed Families is One of the Best Ways to Preserve and Create Jobs: Measures Supported By Some Policymakers Would Be Far Less Ef

Assistance for Hard-Pressed Families is One of the Best Ways to Preserve and Create Jobs: Measures Supported By Some Policymakers Would Be Far Less Effective
In negotiations over the forthcoming economic recovery package, some policymakers have argued that various measures aimed at low- and moderate-income families would serve a “safety net” function but that the package should focus more heavily on creating jobs. This

 

At Atlanta hotels, more general managers are women

At Atlanta hotels, more general managers are women
The number of women becoming general managers of Atlanta hotels is growing rapidly, those among its ranks say, and the metro area may be a leader in gender diversity in the industry. More than 25 of the metro area's top lodges are run by women — from Tracy Johnson at the Holiday Inn Gwinnett to Erica Qualls at the Marriott Marquis, Atlanta's largest hotel at more than 1,600 rooms. And more are coming. Danni Williams, who started her career with Marriott Corp. in 1981, was named general manager earlier this week at the Renaissance Hotel downtown. Valerie Ferguson, a former general manager of the Ritz-Carlton Atlanta, is coming back to the city to become head of the Loews Hotel in Midtown, which is slated to open in spring 2010.

 

AirTran recalls 60 furloughed pilots, hires flight attendants

AirTran recalls 60 furloughed pilots, hires flight attendants
AirTran Airways is calling another 60 pilots back to work from furlough and hiring more flight attendants, even though the airline is not growing. Orlando-based AirTran, which has its main hub in Atlanta, announced last summer amid record oil prices it would cut flight attendants, pilots and other employees from its work force. The cuts through voluntary exits, leaves and furloughs were aimed at trimming about $16 million from annual costs. AirTran said in August it was furloughing about 170 of its pilots as it shrank its flight schedule in the last four months of the year.

 

Thursday, January 08, 2009

'WaMu Wake' Lets Workers Mark End Of Era

'WaMu Wake' Lets Workers Mark End Of Era
NPR audio:
Washington Mutual employees in Seattle threw a "WaMu Wake" at a bar to celebrate the end of their careers and employment with the now-defunct savings and loan. More than 9,200 employees will be laid off as JPMorgan Chase takes control of the bank and its assets.

 

The Stimulus Package Should Help Workers Get Retrained

The Stimulus Package Should Help Workers Get Retrained
Although many ideas have been floated for the incoming administration’s stimulus package, Gary Burtless urges that funds to be used for the nation’s worker training system, which can help equip unemployed and underemployed workers find good jobs when the economy begins to recover and can reduce the number of jobless workers who are looking for work.

 

Monster U.S. online jobs index stumbles in December

Monster U.S. online jobs index stumbles in December
Reuters - A monthly gauge of online labor demand in the United States slid in December, suggesting job conditions worsened with the economy stuck in a recession, a private employment group said on Thursday.

 

Finding a new job becomes harder as layoffs mount

Finding a new job becomes harder as layoffs mount
AP - The number of laid-off workers who are continuing to draw unemployment checks jumped more than expected to 4.6 million at the end of December and is likely to keep climbing this year - fresh evidence that people are finding it increasingly difficult to get a new job amid a deepening recession.

 

Great Depression jobs parallel may not be far flung

Great Depression jobs parallel may not be far flung
Reuters - When economists tell us the current U.S. slump could never turn into another Great Depression, they all point to one thing: one of four Americans was out of work in the 1930s.

 

Wednesday, January 07, 2009

How Did Economists Miss The Crash?

How Did Economists Miss The Crash?
NPR audio:
There are literally hundreds of economists in the U.S. These are people who pour over economic data and prognostications for a living. So what went wrong? We explore what they can do to improve their tarnished reputations.

 

Fisheries Rebounding, But Ports Pay A Price

Fisheries Rebounding, But Ports Pay A Price
NPR audio:
Jim Caito's family has been working the shores of northern California since the 1880s. But the once-bustling scene outside Caito Fisheries is long gone, a casualty of attempts to keep fisheries alive through a quota system.

 

Can 'Green Jobs' Stimulate The Economy?

Can 'Green Jobs' Stimulate The Economy?
NPR audio:
Congress has begun work on an economic stimulus package that could cost as much as $1 trillion and will likely include tax incentives to encourage investment in green technologies. Many people think "green jobs" are a key part of rebuilding the economy, but not everyone is convinced.

 

The Digital Road to Recovery: A Stimulus Plan to Create Jobs, Boost Productivity and Revitalize America

The Digital Road to Recovery: A Stimulus Plan to Create Jobs, Boost Productivity and Revitalize America
This report provides a detailed analysis and estimate of the short-term jobs impacts of using the stimulus package to spur investment in three critical digital networks: broadband, the smart grid and health IT.

 

How long would a job-market recovery take?

How long would a job-market recovery take?
One year into the recession and the U.S. economy has already lost nearly 2 million jobs. And the future looks bleak: full job-market recovery may take much longer than previous recoveries. This week's Economic Snapshot looks at evidence from the last two recessions, which suggests that employment levels would not fully recover until mid-2010 or beyond.

 

German jobless rate up to 7.4 percent

German jobless rate up to 7.4 percent
AP - The deepening economic crisis made its first impact on Germany's labor market last month, helping push up the unemployment rate in Europe's biggest economy to 7.4 percent, official figures showed Wednesday.

 

U.S. 2008 planned layoffs most in 5 years

U.S. 2008 planned layoffs most in 5 years
Reuters - Planned layoffs at U.S. firms eased in December from the previous month's seven-year high but they were up an astounding 275 percent annually as the year-old recession cut a huge swathe of destruction through job market.

 

Survey shows deeper job losses as recession bites

Survey shows deeper job losses as recession bites
AFP - The US private sector lost 693,000 jobs in December, a survey showed Wednesday amid deepening recession in the world's biggest economy.

 

U.S. to spend 27 percent more on food stamps in '09: CBO

U.S. to spend 27 percent more on food stamps in '09: CBO
Reuters - The recession will drive the cost of the U.S. food stamp program, which helps poor people buy food, to $50 billion this year, up 27 percent from 2008, congressional forecasters said on Wednesday.

 

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

The Best And Worst Cities For Getting A Job

The Best And Worst Cities For Getting A Job
NPR audio:
Unemployment data out Tuesday paints a grim picture for metropolitan areas across the country. We explore which cities have been hit hardest and which cities are managing to escape the economic downturn.

 

New York State’s Unemployment System Buckles Under Surging Demand

New York State’s Unemployment System Buckles Under Surging Demand
A surge of post-holiday claims caused New York State’s computerized unemployment insurance system to shut down twice over two days.

 

China seen facing wave of unrest in 2009

China seen facing wave of unrest in 2009
Reuters - China faces surging protests and riots in 2009 as rising unemployment stokes discontent, a state-run magazine said in a blunt warning of the hazards to Communist Party control from a sharp economic downturn.

 

US service sector improves slightly in Dec.

US service sector improves slightly in Dec.
AP - A measure of the U.S. services sector improved slightly in December, beating analysts' estimates, but pending home sales and factory orders both fell more than expected and the overall economic outlook remains grim.

 

Monday, January 05, 2009

Jobless Ask: Take First Offer Or Wait For Better?

Jobless Ask: Take First Offer Or Wait For Better?
NPR audio:
Unemployed workers face a tough decision: Should they settle for a lower salary, and get work now, or hold out for a job commensurate with their skills? Employment counselors say some folks are still too proud to take a pay cut, but as weeks drag into months, they may have to settle for less.

 

Tips For Enjoying 2009 Without A Job

Tips For Enjoying 2009 Without A Job
NPR audio:
When you're out of work, you have more time. And that can be a good thing says our resident humorist. So consider taking all your activities in the New Year slowly ... very slowly.

 

Obama Considers Major Expansion in Aid to Jobless

Obama Considers Major Expansion in Aid to Jobless
The Democratic economic package may include much more government-assisted health insurance and unemployment help.

 

Unboxed: Innovation Should Mean More Jobs, Not Less

Unboxed: Innovation Should Mean More Jobs, Not Less
The general wisdom is that innovation leads to automation, which leads to fewer workers. Not so.

 

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