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Wisconsin News Release: Unemployment rate drops to 2.9 percent

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Friday, July 23, 1999
Governor
Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary
Linda Stewart

News Media Contact
DWD News Office
608/264-6811
e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us
fax: 608/266-1784

For more information contact:
August Cibarich, 608/266-0522

Unemployment rate drops to 2.9 percent

Madison, Wis. –Wisconsin’s unemployment rate dropped to 2.9 percent in mid-June, which ties the lowest rate in the state’s history, according to preliminary data released today by the State Department of Workforce Development.

"This is a continued record of economic strength and stability," said Orlando Canto, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development.

The 2.9 percent unemployment rate ties the lowest recorded rate for any month since seasonally adjusted record keeping began in 1960.

The 2.9 percent unemployment rate was recorded only three other months--in April 1998, January 1969, and October 1966.

Wisconsin’s seasonally–adjusted unemployment rate dropped five-tenths of a percentage point from May’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 3.4 percent.

Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.3 percent, and the state’s unemployment rate has been below the national average every month since January 1988.

Each year as the summer vacation period begins, extensive labor changes occur, but this year changes were smaller than normal. Unemployment increased by only 1,100 while the number of people employed increased by 53,500, which was also a smaller than normal amount for the month of June.

In June, seasonally-adjusted figures show that 2,954,200 were in the state’s labor force and 2,869,000 were employed in the state.

The total number of nonfarm wage and salary jobs or payroll jobs increased by 24,800 over the month to 2,780,900.

The manufacturing industry has experienced a loss of 8,300 over the year. This loss represented 1.3 percent of the industry loss in Wisconsin. The nation experienced a loss at 2.3 percent.

Construction employment declined by 2,400 over the month after seasonal adjustment. However, construction employment is up 4,400 over the year according to unadjusted figures.

All other major industry groups experienced job gains over the year. The state had job gains of 21,400 over the year or a gain of .8 percent. The national gain was 2.2 percent.

The service industry reported strong job growth over the month after seasonal adjustment, gaining 2,500 jobs. Since last June, employment growth in the service industry has increased by 12,700 before adjustment.

The transportation and public utilities also reported growth of 100 over the month after adjustment to 129,200.

Seasonally-adjusted unemployment rates were down all 11 of the Wisconsin’s largest urban areas over the month, and ranged from 1.3 percent in Madison to 4.3 percent in Racine. Nine of the eleven metropolitan areas had rates that were lower than the rates from the previous year.

The rate for a 12^th area, Duluth-Superior, rose over the month from 3.4 percent to 4.2 percent. It was down from the year-ago May rate of 4.6 per cent. Only unadjusted data is available for that area from the Minnesota Department of Economic Security and is not comparable to seasonally-adjusted rates in Wisconsin.

The complete text of the Department’s announcement and supporting data, as well as other labor market information, is available to the public on the agency’s Web site at <http://www.dwd.state.wi.us>. Select "news releases." Historical and other related labor market data is available by selecting "labor market information."

(end)

Employment and Labor Force
Household Survey

Unadjusted estimates	June 1999	May 1999	June 1998
Total labor force	3,023,200	2,968,500	3,015,500
Employed	2,929,900	2,876,400	2,909,000
Unemployed	93,300	92,200	106,400
Wis. Unemployment Rate	3.1	3.1	3.5
U.S. Unemployment Rate	4.5	4.0	4.7

Seasonally adjusted	June 1999	May 1999	June 1998
Total labor force	2,954,200	2,973,800	2,945,900
Employed	2,869,700	2,873,500	2,848,100
Unemployed	84,500	100,300	97,800
Wis. Unemployment	2.9	3.4	3.3
U.S. Unemployment	4.3	4.2	4.5

*Metro National rank May 1999	Unemployment % seasonally adjusted	June 1999	May 1999	June 1998
9^th ^June	Wisconsin	2.9%	3.4%	3.3%
52^nd	Appleton-Oshkosh	2.4	2.5	2.9
144^th	Eau Claire	3.0	3.8	3.2
59^th	Green Bay	2.2	2.6	2.7
167^th	Janesville-Beloit	3.1	3.6	3.6
144^th	Kenosha	3.1	3.5	3.5
67^th	La Crosse	2.9	3.0	2.8
3^rd	Madison	1.3	1.5	1.5
144^th	Milwaukee-Waukesha	2.9	3.3	3.2
253^rd	Racine	4.3	4.9	3.9
30^th	Sheboygan	1.9	2.3	2.2
78^th	Wausau	2.9	3.2	3.6
This is the latest available data for the U.S.’s 329 largest metro areas. Urban rankings are NOT seasonally adjusted. Lower is better. Ties are shown only if existing with other Wisconsin urban areas; ties with urban areas in other states are not shown, but are available upon request. Rankings are by the U.S. Labor Department and are based on unadjusted data for the previous month, while the rates shown above for Wisconsin cities are seasonally-adjusted. *State ranking is seasonally adjusted for the current month Metropolitan ranking is not seasonally adjusted and is for the prior month

Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Non-Farm Wage & Salary
Employer Survey
In Thousands

	June 1999	May 1999	Year Ago	+/- month	+/– year
NONFARM WAGE & SALARY	2780.9	2756.1	2759.5	24.8	21.4

MANUFACTURING	618.0	609.7	626.3	8.3	-8.3
DURABLE GOODS .	378.7	374.5	384.3	4.2	-5.6
Lumber and Wood Products	33.1	32.1	32.5	1.0	0.6
Furniture and Fixtures	17.6	17.4	18.1	0.2	-0.5
Stone, Clay & Glass Products	11.5	11.1	11.5	0.4	0.0
Primary Metal Industries	25.4	25.2	25.9	0.2	-0.5
Fabricated Metal Products	68.6	67.9	70.0	0.7	-1.4
Nonelectrical Machinery	114.4	113.4	116.5	1.0	-2.1
Electrical Machinery	44.8	44.6	46.8	0.2	-2.0
Transportation Equipment .	34.4	34.0	33.4	0.4	1.0
Prof., Scient. & Control Instr	18.3	18.1	18.1	0.2	0.2
Miscellaneous Manufacturing	10.6	10.6	11.5	0.0	-0.9

NONDURABLE GOODS	239.3	235.2	242.0	4.1	-2.7
Food and Kindred Products	64.6	62.7	65.5	1.9	-0.9
Textile Mill Products	2.6	2.6	2.9	0.0	-0.3
Apparel & Other Finished Products	6.4	6.3	6.4	0.1	0.0
Paper and Allied Products.	53.0	52.2	54.0	0.8	-1.0
Printing, Publishing & Allied	55.6	54.9	55.7	0.7	-0.1
Chemicals and Allied Products	15.2	15.1	15.0	0.1	0.2
Rubber & Misc. Plastic Products	37.5	37.1	37.8	0.4	-0.3
Leather & Leather Products	3.9	3.9	4.4	0.0	-0.5
All Other Nondurable Goods	0.5	0.4	0.4	0.1	0.1

MINING	2.8	2.7	3.1	0.1	-0.3
CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION	125.8	121.3	121.4	4.5	4.4
TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS	129.2	129.1	129.0	0.1	0.2
TRADE	623.9	616.0	620.0	7.9	3.9
WHOLESALE TRADE	140.9	139.2	138.7	1.7	2.2
RETAIL TRADE	483.0	476.9	481.3	6.1	1.7
FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE	149.1	147.5	144.9	1.6	4.2
SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS	734.7	722.1	720.5	12.6	14.2

GOVERNMENT	397.5	407.6	394.4	-10.1	3.1
FEDERAL	29.6	29.5	29.7	0.1	-0.1
STATE	95.2	101.9	92.6	-6.7	2.6
LOCAL	272.7	276.2	272.1	-3.5	0.6

PERSONS INVOLVED IN L-M DISPUTES	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0

Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development

Maps of June 1999 Unemployment Rates by County

Unemployment by County
June 1999
Not seasonally adjusted


RANK	COUNTY	RATE	LAST RATE	LAST RANK	YR AGO RATE	RANK	COUNTY	RATE	LAST RATE	LAST RANK	YR AGO RATE

52	ADAMS	2.8%	3.1%	44	3.9%	48	MARATHON	2.9%	2.8%	51	3.7%
2	ASHLAND	7.4%	8.6%	2	9.5%	14	MARINETTE	4.5%	4.8%	11	6.6%
38	BARRON	3.3%	3.6%	30	4.0%	19	MARQUETTE	4.2%	4.7%	12	4.9%
8	BAYFIELD	5.1%	5.4%	7	6.5%	1	MENOMINEE	12.8%	11.6%	1	10.7%
62	BROWN	2.5%	2.5%	60	3.1%	22	MILWAUKEE	4.1%	4.1%	23	4.3%
55	BUFFALO	2.7%	2.7%	52	3.4%	24	MONROE	3.7%	3.5%	35	3.7%

20	BURNETT	4.2%	4.5%	17	3.3%	21	OCONTO	4.1%	4.5%	16	5.6%
63	CALUMET	2.4%	2.3%	67	3.2%	29	ONEIDA	3.5%	4.0%	25	4.1%
30	CHIPPEWA	3.5%	3.8%	26	3.3%	57	OUTAGAMIE	2.6%	2.5%	61	2.8%
13	CLARK	4.5%	4.8%	10	5.3%	71	OZAUKEE	2.0%	1.9%	71	3.0%
26	COLUMBIA	3.6%	3.8%	27	4.2%	41	PEPIN	3.3%	3.0%	47	3.8%
42	CRAWFORD	3.2%	3.3%	38	4.0%	61	PIERCE	2.5%	2.5%	59	2.5%

72	DANE	1.4%	1.4%	72	1.6%	37	POLK	3.3%	3.7%	29	3.7%
60	DODGE	2.5%	2.6%	56	3.1%	32	PORTAGE	3.5%	3.5%	33	4.6%
36	DOOR	3.3%	4.0%	24	4.0%	3	PRICE	6.7%	7.9%	3	5.6%
17	DOUGLAS	4.3%	4.8%	9	5.3%	16	RACINE	4.5%	4.6%	15	4.1%
46	DUNN	2.9%	3.1%	45	3.4%	50	RICHLAND	2.9%	2.6%	57	3.5%
47	EAU CLAIRE	2.9%	3.0%	46	3.4%	27	ROCK	3.6%	3.5%	34	4.3%

6	FLORENCE	5.9%	6.9%	5	7.1%	9	RUSK	5.1%	4.2%	21	5.0%
51	FOND DU LAC	2.9%	2.4%	64	3.2%	64	SAUK	2.3%	2.5%	58	3.0%
7	FOREST	5.2%	4.7%	14	7.8%	12	SAWYER	4.6%	4.9%	8	5.4%
35	GRANT	3.4%	3.2%	43	5.0%	39	SHAWANO	3.3%	3.3%	39	4.2%
31	GREEN	3.5%	3.5%	32	3.8%	70	SHEBOYGAN	2.2%	2.2%	69	2.5%
44	GREEN LAKE	3.0%	3.4%	36	4.5%	66	ST. CROIX	2.3%	2.3%	65	2.6%

59	IOWA	2.5%	2.6%	55	3.0%	40	TAYLOR	3.3%	3.2%	42	3.5%
5	IRON	6.6%	6.7%	6	8.0%	53	TREMPEALEAU	2.8%	2.9%	48	3.6%
54	JACKSON	2.8%	2.7%	53	3.8%	25	VERNON	3.7%	3.3%	41	4.3%
65	JEFFERSON	2.3%	2.4%	62	2.8%	43	VILAS	3.0%	3.7%	28	3.0%
4	JUNEAU	6.7%	7.2%	4	6.3%	67	WALWORTH	2.3%	2.3%	66	2.7%
34	KENOSHA	3.4%	3.3%	40	3.8%	18	WASHBURN	4.3%	4.5%	18	4.8%

56	KEWAUNEE	2.6%	2.8%	50	3.4%	68	WASHINGTON	2.3%	2.2%	70	3.0%
49	LA CROSSE	2.9%	2.7%	54	3.0%	69	WAUKESHA	2.2%	2.2%	68	2.6%
33	LAFAYETTE	3.5%	3.4%	37	3.8%	45	WAUPACA	3.0%	2.9%	49	3.4%
11	LANGLADE	4.7%	4.3%	19	6.5%	10	WAUSHARA	4.8%	4.2%	20	5.4%
15	LINCOLN	4.5%	4.7%	13	4.7%	58	WINNEBAGO	2.6%	2.4%	63	3.2%
28	MANITOWOC	3.5%	4.1%	22	3.1%	23	WOOD	3.8%	3.6%	31	5.0%

Source: Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development