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Labor & Economic News Blog

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Union membership in the U.S. continues its long decline

Union membership in the U.S. continues its long decline
 Union membership is continuing to shrink throughout the country, even as companies add jobs in one-time union strongholds such as Michigan.

 

Austerity bites for unions

Austerity bites for unions
Government employee unions are driving declines in union membership, in one chart

 

Federal employees face crucial questions in Obama's second term

Federal employees face crucial questions in Obama's second term
Obama begins his second term with fed workplace accomplishments, but crucial questions remain. Obama’s civilian staff of more than 2 million certainly faces “an uncertain future” in the very near future as discussions during the next two months on raising the nation’s borrowing limit, deficit reduction and the budget could have a direct effect on their pocketbooks and workplaces. Unpaid furloughs are a real possibility, and the potential for layoffs has workers worried.

 

Middle-class jobs cut in recession feared gone for good

Middle-class jobs cut in recession feared gone for good
Five years after the start of the Great Recession, the toll is terrifyingly clear: Millions of middle-class jobs have been lost in developed countries the world over. And the situation is even worse than it appears. Millions more are likely to vanish as well thanks to technology, experts say.

 

Pentagon ends ban on women in military combat

Pentagon ends ban on women in military combat
The decision by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta potentially opens up more than 200,000 positions on the front lines and jobs with elite commando units

 

Wednesday, January 09, 2013

The Labor Market Post-Budget Deal

The Labor Market Post-Budget Deal
The recently enacted budget compromise, which increased taxes and extended unemployment benefits, is unlikely to help the labor market this year.

 

Are There Really No Good Job Applicants Out There?

Are There Really No Good Job Applicants Out There?
A third of small businesses say there are few or no qualified applicants for open jobs, even though more than 12 million people are looking for work. What gives?

 

A Bipartisan Nation of Beneficiaries

A Bipartisan Nation of Beneficiaries

A majority of Americans (55%) have received government benefits at some point in their lives from at least one of the six best-known federal entitlement programs. A new Pew Research Center survey also finds few large differences by partisanship but some variances by gender, race and other demographic characteristics among those who have received such benefits.

 

The Psychological Toll and Economic Fallout of High Unemployment

The Psychological Toll and Economic Fallout of High Unemployment
Two features of the recovery have inflicted harsh burdens on the nation’s unemployed. First, an exceptionally high proportion of unemployment has been long-term, that is, has lasted six months or longer. Second, since reaching a peak of 10% in October 2009, unemployment has fallen at a glacially slow pace.

 

Competitive Advantage Could Force French Labor Changes

Competitive Advantage Could Force French Labor Changes
France has to overhaul its labor market, and some workers' rights and privileges could be lost.

 

European Union Reports Highest Unemployment Rates Ever For Eurozone

European Union Reports Highest Unemployment Rates Ever For Eurozone
In the European Union, unemployment rates are at their highest ever, as a returned recession, falling income levels and persistent debt concerns trouble the region's economy, as its latest statistics show.

 

U.N. Agency Watches Out For Domestic Workers

U.N. Agency Watches Out For Domestic Workers
The International Labor Organization, the U.N. agency that deals with labor issues, has released a report on the growing number of domestic workers around the globe, and their lack of legal and worker protections. There are almost 53 million domestic workers and 83 percent are women. They have often been ignored by policy makers.

 

Friday, January 04, 2013

U.S. Continues to Add Jobs at Slow Pace, Report Shows

U.S. Continues to Add Jobs at Slow Pace, Report Shows
Employers added 155,000 jobs in December, about apace with job growth over the last year, the Labor Department reported on Friday. The unemployment rate was 7.8 percent.

 

Four Years Later, 28,000 More Jobs

Four Years Later, 28,000 More Jobs
It appears that the past four years had a net gain of just 28,000 jobs. Private-sector jobs were up, but government employment was down.

 

Today’s Jobs Report in Pictures

Today’s Jobs Report in Pictures
Off the Charts Blog: Long term unemployment is at record levels. Find out more about today's jobs numbers

 

States should raise minimum wage

States should raise minimum wage
Expect more states to take matters into their own hands and raise the minimum wage.

 

Leave Social Security Alone; It's Irrelevant to the Deficit

Leave Social Security Alone; It's Irrelevant to the Deficit
Millions of people are rightly outraged to hear that Social Security is in the gun-sights of both Speaker Boehner and President Obama in their budget negotiations. There is no reason that our political leaders should be discussing cuts to the country’s most successful social program. 

 

Cal Facts: 2013

Cal Facts: 2013
California Legislative Analyst's Office
With a state as big, as populous, and as complex as California, it would be impossible to quickly summarize how its economy or state budget works. The purpose of Cal Facts is more modest. By providing various "snapshot" pieces of information, we hope to provide the reader with a broad overview of public finance and program trends in the state. Cal Facts consists of a series of charts and tables which address questions frequently asked of our office.

 

Status quo is not good enough

Status quo is not good enough
The December 2012 employment situation report marks five years since the official start of the Great Recession and three and a half years since the official start of the recovery. The numbers for December sustained the status quo; the labor market added 155,000 jobs and the unemployment rate, at 7.8 percent, was unchanged from November.

 

Slow but Steady: Job Market Improves in December

Slow but Steady: Job Market Improves in December
 Employers added 155,000 workers to their payrolls in December, close to the average monthly gain we have seen over the past two years.

 

Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Bigger Tax Bite for Most Under Fiscal Pact

Bigger Tax Bite for Most Under Fiscal Pact
Although a higher income tax rate will apply only to the wealthy, the elimination of a payroll tax break will take more money out of most paychecks.

 

Signs of Changes Taking Hold in Electronics Factories in China

Signs of Changes Taking Hold in Electronics Factories in China
After the hardships of workers in China’s electronics factories were exposed to a global audience, working conditions have started to changed.

 

Fiscal cliff deal won't help labor market, economists say

Fiscal cliff deal won't help labor market, economists say
Lawmakers may have avoided another recession by coming to a last-minute deal on the so-called fiscal cliff, but they did little to boost the lackluster labor market, indicating job seekers may have a tough time finding work in the first half of 2013, economists say.