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| September 2005 Oregon Statewide Unemployment Rate | ||
| 10/17/2005 | ||
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CONTACT: David Cooke, Economist (503) 947-1272 Oregon’s Employment Situation: September 2005 Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined to 6.1 percent in September from the revised August rate of 6.6 percent. September’s rate matched March’s lowest rate of the year. Oregon’s unemployment rate has not been below 6.1 percent in more than four years, since reaching 5.9 percent in April 2001. The national unemployment rate rose to 5.1 percent in September, reflecting the shock to the labor force in parts of the southeastern United States as a result of hurricane damage. In September, nonfarm payroll employment showed the typical trend for the time of year, adding 11,900 jobs when a gain of 11,600 is the typical seasonal trend. Industry Payroll Employment (Establishment Survey Data) In September, seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment grew by 300. This gain followed increases of 3,900 in June, 8,500 in July, and 3,200 in August. Even though September’s gain was well below the average of the prior three months, it kept Oregon’s economy expanding. September employment totals were brought down by 900 due to a one-month strike in the aerospace industry. Over the past 12 months, payroll employment added 48,500, or 3.0 percent. This indicates Oregon’s economy has been expanding at an annual rate of close to 3 percent for much of the past two years. In September, above-normal job gains were evident in three major industry sectors: trade, transportation and utilities; leisure and hospitality; and construction. Below-normal employment changes in educational and health services, government, and natural resources and mining canceled the gains. • Trade, transportation, and utilities showed the largest seasonally adjusted gain of the major industries, by adding 1,800 such jobs for the month. Retail was flat in September. One of its component industries - motor vehicle and parts dealers - showed an unusually large drop of 900 jobs, which was possibly due to the winding down of manufacturer employee-pricing incentives. Wholesale trade added 900 jobs in September and 2,700, or 3.5 percent, since September 2004. Transportation, warehousing, and utilities added 1,500 jobs in September. Truck transportation alone added 400 jobs. • Leisure and hospitality shed 2,900 jobs, splitting losses between its two major components. Arts, entertainment, and recreation lost 1,300 jobs and accommodation and foods services lost 1,600. Despite the September declines, leisure and hospitality bettered its September 2004 level by 4,700 jobs. • Construction employment rose 300 in September, when a loss of 400 is normal for the time of year. The gain followed a seasonally adjusted jump of 1,500 jobs in August and was a continuation of the rapid advances in the industry over the past two years. Two components of specialty trade contractors contributed most of the September job gains. Building foundation and exterior contractors added 700 jobs, while building finishing contractors added 400. Over the year, construction gained 8,900 jobs or 10.1 percent. • Educational and health services’ private-sector education added 3,900 jobs in September, but cut 800 since one year ago. In health care, nursing and residential care facilities shed 700 jobs. The other major health care industries reported moderate September employment gains. Overall, health care and social assistance was up 7,800 jobs from September 2004. • Government added 10,200 jobs thanks to an 11,500-job increase in local government education. State government shed 600 jobs. • Natural resources and mining cut 700 jobs in September as its largest component, logging, cut 500. This industry now employs 8,000, about the same level as 12 months ago. Unemployment (Household Survey Data) Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate declined from 6.6 percent in August to 6.1 percent in September. Oregon’s unemployment rate is down from 7.3 percent in September 2004 and 8.2 percent in September 2003. In September, 102,993 Oregonians were unemployed, compared with 122,061 in September 2004. The Oregon Employment Department will release statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for October 2005 at 11 a.m. on Monday, November 14, 2005. — end —
For the complete version of the news release, including this text, tables and graphs, visit: www.QualityInfo.org/pressrelease. For help finding jobs and training resources, visit one of the state's WorkSource Oregon Centers or go to: www.WorkSourceOregon.org. Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Multi-Media Content for September Employment Numbers Photos of 10-17-2005 press conference in Portland Audio of press conference in mp3 format |
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