Area jobless rates remain unchanged in July
Area unemployment remained nearly unchanged in July thanks to a stabilizing labor force. Michele Hiester, industry and business analyst for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor, reported the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the six-county Pittsburgh Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA) was unchanged in July at 5.1 percent.
The counties in the PMSA are Fayette, Westmoreland, Washington, Butler, Allegheny and Beaver.
Fayette County’s jobless rates were 7.4 percent in July, June and May. Fayette’s unemployment rate in July 2001 was 6.2 percent.
Greene County’s jobless rates were 6.8 percent in July, 6.6 percent in June and 6.5 percent in July 2001.
Washington County’s jobless rates were 5.6 percent in July, 5.5 percent in June and 4.7 percent in July 2001.
Westmoreland County’s rates were 5.4 percent in July, June and May and 4.9 percent in July 2001.
In the PMSA, however, Hiester said, “The rate appears to be stabilizing around 5.1 percent for the year 2002. Four out of the first seven months of 2002 have posted an unemployment rate of 5.1 percent. The spring months experienced the most volatility with March at 5.2 percent, April at 4.9 percent, and May posting the highest 2002 rate of 5.4 percent.
“Both the state and the nation also experienced no change in their unemployment rates from June to July at 5.4 percent and 5.9 percent respectively,’ she said.
The PMSA’s July unemployment rate was .9 of a percentage point higher than last year’s 4.2 percent.
“Over-the-year reductions in resident employment and increases in the number of unemployed residents pushed the regions unemployment rate up. July unemployment rates in Pennsylvania’s major labor market areas ranged from 3.4 percent in the State College MSA to 6.9 percent in the Johnstown MSA and Erie MSA,’ Hiester added.
Meanwhile, Hiester said resident employment and unemployment rose in the Greene County Labor Market but due to rounding remained steady while the labor force expanded by 100.
“The county’s unemployment rate was up .3 of a percentage point from a July 2001 rate of 6.5 percent. Fewer employed residents over the year pushed the unemployment rate upward. Greene County’s unemployment rate was ranked 15th highest among the state’s 67 counties in July,’ she said.
In specific areas, Hiester reported the following:
Pittsburgh MSA’s nonfarm jobs dropped in a typical June to July fashion dominated by changes driven by education. The area realized a 1.2 percent drop in jobs while the state saw a reduction of 0.9 percent.
Construction was up another 900 jobs in July. Expected seasonal gains pushed employment up to 60,800.
Factories added 400 joins to payrolls with increases mainly in durable goods manufacturing. Down 1,900 jobs over the year, manufacturing industries realized a 1.4 percent reduction in jobs compared to the state’s 4.4 percent decrease.
Transportation and utilities was down 1,700 jobs in July.
The decline in jobs was the result of summer reductions in local and interurban transportation (school buses).
Retail trade dropped 900 jobs from June to July. “Over half of these declines were typical decreases in eating and drinking places, which includes privately owned school cafeterias,’ Hiester said.
Services employment decreased by 2,400 over the month to 417,100. This reflected expected declines in educational services (private schools), which dominated these losses, she added. “Reductions in amusements, personal services, membership organizations, engineering & management services, and health services also contributed to this over-the-month decline.’
Government reduced 9,700 jobs from June to July. Local government education was solely responsible for this loss due to the summer break and related layoffs at public schools.
Other local government realized additions as summer youth workers took on temporary government jobs.
Factory workers average weekly earnings decreased by $6.78 from June to a July paycheck of $660.34. Despite the 10 cent increase in the average hourly earnings, the average weekly paycheck was down due to workers working, on average, 42 minutes less per week in July.
In Greene County, the civilian labor force expanded by 100 from June to a July level of 16,700. There were additions to both employment and unemployment.
The count of employed residents edged upward in July but due to rounding remained at the 15,500 level.
“Greene County employers reduced payrolls by 200 from June to a July level of 11,800. Declines occurred in trade and government receded by 100 jobs. The reduction in government jobs is typical at this time of year due to public schools on summer recess,’ Hiester said.