Minnesota lost 2,000 jobs last month

http://www.startribune.com/stories/535/5136855.html

Minnesota lost 2,000 jobs last month
H.J. Cummins, Star Tribune
December 15, 2004 JOBS1215

Minnesota lost 2,000 jobs in November, mostly seasonal or temporary losses but still a disappointing follow-up to the 8,300 gained in October, state officials reported Tuesday.

"November extends this seesaw pattern we've seen over the past few months," said Steve Hine, labor market research director at Minnesota's Department of Employment and Economic Development, which released the data. The state is up 25,000 jobs over the year, Hine said, "but the gains have come in fits and starts."

The state's unemployment rate moved in the opposite direction last month, improving from 4.3 percent to 4.2 percent, a statistically insignificant conflict between the two employment measures, according to Hine. All the figures are seasonally adjusted.

Nationally the November unemployment rate slipped to 5.4 percent, from 5.5 percent in October.

Minnesota lost 4,000 manufacturing jobs last month through furloughs at the Ford truck plant in St. Paul and a late harvest that delayed food processing, Hine said. Increases through the rest of the industry made up almost half those losses, though, "which suggests the rest of manufacturing remains strong," he said.

Seasonal retail hires remained depressed last month. An industry that typically adds 8,000 to 9,000 jobs in October and November added only 5,900 last year and 5,300 this year, Hine said.

"I think everybody would like to see more of a continuous growth," said John Budd, industrial relations professor at the University of Minnesota. "But so far this year that hasn't happened, and that seems to be consistent with the turbulence in the economy.

"There are lots of worries about outsourcing, worries about job loss through corporate restructurings and mergers," Budd said. "People want to say things are turning around, and yet no one's really quite sure."

"What we're concerned about is jobs, and the jobs number is not encouraging," Minnesota state economist Tom Stinson said. "We suspected Minnesota wasn't going to show much growth, given that the U.S. number for November was disappointing. But this is even worse than we thought it would be."

In contrast, Matt Kramer, commissioner of the state's Department of Employment and Economic Development, called the November report good news.

"Despite the loss due to temporary events this month," Kramer said, "the state's employment conditions remain solid, and the further decline in the unemployment rate is encouraging."


I have a feeling that this is really under reported and that it will get worse.

So many resorts are closing here in North Central MN, and so many jobs will be lost. This doesn't include all the other businesses that are closing in this area.

Sudie in MN

I'm from NE Minnesota myself. There aren't many options for people when they lose their jobs.

Interesting that in this article Stinson is "concerned" and Kramer (Pawlenty appointee) is "encouraged."