Thursday, November 16, 2000
Governor
Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary
Jennifer Reinert |
News Media Contact
Christopher Marschman
608/261-6705
e-mail: news@dwd.state.wi.us
fax: 608/266-1784 | OCTOBER UNEMPLOYMENT RATES RELEASED MADISON – The Department of Workforce Development (DWD) today announced the state’s seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for the month of October was 3.0 percent, down six tenths of a percentage point from the month of September. "Labor market figures for October indicate that Wisconsin’s economy continues to look healthy with job gains over the month and year and near record-low unemployment for the month," said DWD Secretary Jennifer Reinert. Unemployment, both before and after seasonal adjustment, declined sharply between September and October. The all-time record low on the adjusted basis, after several revisions, stands at the 2.8 percent recorded in the first two months of this year. October’s rate of 3.0 percent was only two tenths of a percentage point above the record low and one tenth above the year earlier 2.9 percent rate. Total employment increased slightly more than normal for the September to October period while unemployment declined significantly at a time that a slight October rise would be normal. The major reason for the unemployment drop is a decline in the labor force with an assist from the growth in employment. Over the year growth in the employment and labor force levels stand out. Unemployment is a bit higher, but still close to the all time low. The non-farm wage and salary job count continues to grow with gains over the month and year. All major industry groups except government, and transportation and public utilities experienced increases. Declines in those two industries were very slight, limited to 100 jobs in each. The national unemployment rate for the month of October was unchanged at 3.9 percent, marking the 153rd consecutive month that Wisconsin’s unemployment rate has been lower than the national rate.
NOTE TO NEWS MEDIA County employment and unemployment figures for October should be available by November 22. This release and other labor market information is available on the department Internet site at: http://www.dwd.state.wi.us/dwelmi (end) WISCONSIN LABOR FORCE SUMMARY
IN THOUSANDS | | | | | | Net Change From | | ITEM | Prelim.
Oct. 2000 | Final
Sep. 2000 | Year Ago
Oct. 1999 | Month
Ago | Year
Ago | | | | | | | | | PLACE OF RESIDENCE DATA | | | | | | | | | CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE | 3015.7 | 3025.3 | 2925.3 | -9.6 | 90.4 | | UNEMPLOYMENT | 77.0 | 93.8 | 71.8 | -16.8 | 5.2 | | UNEMPLOYMENT RATE | 2.6 | 3.1 | 2.5 | -0.5 | 0.1 | | EMPLOYMENT (1) | 2938.7 | 2931.5 | 2853.5 | 7.2 | 85.2 | | | | | | | | | PLACE OF WORK DATA | | | | | | | NONFARM WAGE & SALARY | 2862.9 | 2848.7 | 2815.5 | 14.2 | 47.4 | | MANUFACTURING | 612.6 | 614.8 | 613.3 | -2.2 | -0.7 | | DURABLE GOODS | 375.8 | 375.3 | 376.2 | 0.5 | -0.4 | | Lumber and Wood Products | 32.9 | 33.0 | 32.6 | -0.1 | 0.3 | | Furniture and Fixtures | 19.0 | 18.9 | 17.8 | 0.1 | 1.2 | | Stone, Clay & Glass Products | 12.5 | 12.6 | 12.0 | -0.1 | 0.5 | | Primary Metal Industries | 25.9 | 26.0 | 25.7 | -0.1 | 0.2 | | Fabricated Metal Products | 68.8 | 69.0 | 68.0 | -0.2 | 0.8 | | Nonelectrical Machinery | 108.6 | 108.4 | 110.6 | 0.2 | -2.0 | | Electrical Machinery | 45.1 | 45.2 | 46.0 | -0.1 | -0.9 | | Transportation Equipment | 34.0 | 33.9 | 34.2 | 0.1 | -0.2 | Prof., Scient. & Control
Instruments | 17.6 | 17.6 | 17.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 11.4 | 10.7 | 11.7 | 0.7 | -0.3 | | | | | | | | | NONDURABLE GOODS | 236.7 | 239.5 | 237.1 | -2.8 | -0.4 | | Food and Kindred Products | 65.5 | 68.2 | 65.2 | -2.7 | 0.3 | | Textile Mill Products | 2.4 | 2.4 | 2.5 | 0.0 | -0.1 | Apparel & Other Finished
Products | 5.8 | 5.8 | 5.9 | 0.0 | -0.1 | | Paper and Allied Products | 50.6 | 50.9 | 51.9 | -0.3 | -1.3 | | Printing, Publishing & Allied | 54.8 | 54.6 | 54.3 | 0.2 | 0.5 | | Chemicals and Allied Products | 13.8 | 13.8 | 14.2 | 0.0 | -0.4 | Rubber & Misc. Plastic
Products | 39.5 | 39.4 | 38.9 | 0.1 | 0.6 | | Leather & Leather Products | 3.8 | 3.9 | 3.9 | -0.1 | -0.1 | | All Other Nondurable Goods | 0.5 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.1 | | | | | | | | | MINING | 2.8 | 2.8 | 3.0 | 0.0 | -0.2 | | CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION | 133.8 | 133.1 | 129.0 | 0.7 | 4.8 | TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS &
SAN. SERV. | 136.1 | 135.1 | 134.1 | 1.0 | 2.0 | | TRADE | 651.0 | 646.0 | 636.8 | 5.0 | 14.2 | | WHOLESALE TRADE | 141.0 | 140.7 | 137.9 | 0.3 | 3.1 | | RETAIL TRADE | 510.0 | 505.3 | 498.9 | 4.7 | 11.1 | FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL
ESTATE | 151.1 | 151.3 | 146.9 | -0.2 | 4.2 | | SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS | 754.6 | 757.7 | 747.5 | -3.1 | 7.1 | | GOVERNMENT | 420.9 | 407.9 | 404.9 | 13.0 | 16.0 | | FEDERAL | 29.6 | 29.7 | 29.9 | -0.1 | -0.3 | | STATE | 102.0 | 96.9 | 102.0 | 5.1 | 0.0 | | LOCAL | 289.2 | 281.4 | 273.0 | 7.8 | 16.2 | | | | | | | | PERSONS INVOLVED IN L-M
DISPUTES | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.0 | -0.1 | 0.0 | | (1) Includes L-M Disputes | | SEASONALLY ADJUSTED LABOR FORCE ESTIMATES | | CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE | 3014.4 | 3030.3 | 2923.7 | -15.9 | 90.7 | | UNEMPLOYMENT | 90.3 | 110.4 | 86.1 | -20.1 | 4.2 | | UNEMPLOYMENT RATE | 3.0 | 3.6 | 2.9 | -0.6 | 0.1 | | EMPLOYMENT | 2924.1 | 2919.8 | 2837.5 | 4.3 | 86.6 | | NONFARM WAGE & SALARY | 2835.2 | 2830.4 | 2787.7 | 4.8 | 47.5 | News Release Index Page
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