Spokane7
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March 16, 2010 in Business
Unemployment worsens in Spokane, statewide
Spokane employment fell by 2,280 in February and, despite a surprising decline in the number of those seeking work, the unemployment rate remained at levels the county has not experienced since the mid-1980s.
Employment, at 212,490, was about 10,000 less from February 2009, according to figures released Tuesday by the Washington Employment Security Department. Between January and February, Spokane County’s retail sector alone lost 700 positions.
The unemployment rate rose to 11.2 percent from 10.7 percent in January.
The statewide unemployment rate was 10.4 percent, or 9.5 percent if adjusted for the season. The national rate, also adjusted, was 9.7 percent.
The county labor force fell by more than 1,000 and statewide by almost 6,000 as discouraged workers either stopped looking or moved on.
The February job losses reversed a gain of 4,600 in January that officials had hoped was a signal Washington’s employment picture had brightened.
“We took a couple steps forward in January and one step back in February,” said Employment Security Commissioner Karen Lee. “The path into the recession was steep but, as we’re seeing, the climb back out will be more gradual.”
Statewide, the hard-hit construction sector had added 2,700 jobs in January, only to subtract 3,200 in February. Losses were reported for every segment except retail, financial services, and mining and logging, where a total 1,100 jobs were created.
Doug Tweedy, the department’s regional labor economist for Spokane County, said job losses in January and February were seasonal, but deeper than in the past. Administration positions such as bookkeeping were cut along with seasonal workers, he said, but those jobs should come back as the economy gets a boost with the change in weather.
New unemployment claims are decreasing, Tweedy said, and the local WorkForce office has more than 1,500 jobs posted. There were 17,000 openings posted statewide, up from 16,000 in January, but state Labor Economist Dave Wallace said employment gains often lag behind gains in new job openings.
The three northeast counties reported the highest unemployment rates in the state, with Ferry at 17.5 percent, Stevens at 15.6 percent, and Pend Oreille at 16.2 percent.
Arum Kone, labor economist for that area, said prospects in Ferry County were improving with the opening of the Buckhorn Mine in nearby Wauconda, but Stevens is suffering from the depressed lumber market, and Pend Oreille from the closure of a zinc mine last year.
Northwest wheat 
zelda on March 16 at 10:59 a.m.
Is this the highest it’s been since the Great Depression? If I remember correctly, it was 11.xx percent in 1981 or 1982.
SugarShane on March 16 at 11:29 a.m.
It would be nice if we could get an actual percentage of people that are not working, rather than these bloated figures of whos collecting unemployment. I think a much darker picture would emerge.
andrewz on March 16 at 11:42 a.m.
Thanks for the question, Zelda. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the historical high unemployment rate for Washington state was 12.2 percent in November 1982 (seasonally adjusted).
http://www.bls.gov/web/lauhsthl.htm
I didn’t find comparable statistics for Spokane County.
bdr on March 16 at 12:27 p.m.
Is it time to disconnect from free trade with China?
This failed Republican experiment of free trade has wrecked every town in America! Thanks Richard Nixon!
Now that China is the worlds leader and we’ve suffered mortal wounds its time to cut ties……..! (it serves no purpose to continue to prop up China from its 3rd world status) they have surpassed us.
Mexican trade will come back due to increasing violence.
Ill bet the company’s that moved there wish they hadn’t already!
zelda on March 16 at 1:38 p.m.
Thanks, Andrew. Didn’t realize it got that high in 1982. There were other difficulties that made that period esp. bleak — soaring inflation and extremely high interest rates. If memory serves, mortgages were around 15-16 percent.
Not sure when labor economists began writing about the “real” unemployment rate; it’s an extrapolation based on several factors. I think it started in the 91/92 recession. I do believe it’s a better indicator of where we stand.
BTW, it was the 91/92 recession that launched the increasing use of temps by large businesses. This marked a fundamental change in the relationship between employees and employer. It’s gone downhill ever since. There is no incentive for a company to have employees when they can run the business with temps and contractors and pay zero benefits. They have shifted almost all the risk to the workforce. Funny how this trend exploded when Bush and Congress cut the capital gains tax. In many minds, the perfect U.S. company has only two employees: the CEO and the CFO. Everyone else is a temp.
cowboy on March 16 at 3:05 p.m.
Normally you can double the figures given by the unemployment administration in figuring the true percentage rate for unemployed workers.. That puts us pretty close to 22%
There are many people that can not get unemployment because their past employers no longer exist. And there are many that have ran out of benefits and just do odd jobs to survive. And then there are some who have simply given up.
There is no harder job then looking for a job.
CharlesBillford on March 16 at 4:52 p.m.
Concur w/cowboy. All these fake statistics is based upon questionable data.
Garbage in. Garbage out.