Tag: Illinois
Manufacturing Employment Increased Under Trump but Lags Prerecession Levels
by Alan Barber , 01/23/2019
Employment in construction, manufacturing and mining and logging increased by 0.4 percent or 74,000 in December of 2018. Forty-one states and the District of Columbia gained jobs in these “blue collar sectors.” Texas saw the largest gains for the month, adding 10,900 jobs, an increase of 0.6 percent. Next was Florida at +7,600 jobs (+0.8 […]
Upward Revision Results in 14 Consecutive Months of Manufacturing Growth at the National Level
by Alan Barber , 10/23/2018
Support for mining activities continues to support mining and logging growth.
Several States See Declines in Manufacturing Jobs
by Alan Barber , 09/26/2018
Nationally, employment in the blue collar sectors grew by 26,000 in August, an increase of 0.1 percent compared with July. The total number of jobs in these sectors has increased by 789,200 (3.9 percent) since August of 2017. Despite this growth, this is still 5.0 percent lower than the total number of blue collar jobs […]
Labor Day is a Reminder that ‘More Jobs’ Should Mean ‘Better Jobs’
by Matt Sedlar , 08/30/2018
On June 10, 1872, an estimated 150,000 workers marched through New York City to celebrate the end of a three-month, statewide strike. The purpose of the strike? The eight-hour workday. Across the country, similar victories soon followed. In the battle for an eight-hour workday, workers faced opposition at every step. Employers reduced wages to accommodate […]
Job Gains in Manufacturing Leads Increase in Blue Collar Employment
by Alan Barber , 08/21/2018
Blue collar employment grew by 0.3 percent in July as the nation added 52,000 jobs in construction, manufacturing, and mining and logging. The number of jobs in these industries was 13.9 percent of total nonfarm jobs in the United States last month. This is a slight increase from July of 2017 when these jobs were […]
Formerly Industrial Belt States Lag Nation in Blue Collar Job Growth
by Alan Barber , 07/24/2018
Five states saw a significant increase in total non-farm employment in June. Massachusetts led the way, with an increase of 0.6 percent from May to June or an additional 21,400 jobs. Tennessee saw an increase of 0.4 percent or 13,000 jobs. Georgia, Illinois and North Carolina all saw an increase of 0.3 percent or 14,200, […]
Despite Recent Gains, Blue Collar Employment Remains Well Below Prerecession Levels
by Alan Barber , 05/21/2018
Employment in blue collar jobs rose by 49,000 in April, an increase of 0.2 percent. Since last April, employment in mining and logging (combined), manufacturing, and construction has increased by 561,000 or 2.8 percent. Together, these jobs accounted for 13.8 percent of jobs in April. In the Midwestern industrial belt, blue collar employment fell by […]
Blue Collar Jobs Continue to Expand Across Midwest in March
by Dean Baker , 04/25/2018
The moderate pace of expansion of blue collar jobs continued in March, as most of the Rust Belt states added jobs in both manufacturing and construction. This follows the general pattern nationwide.
Blue Collar Jobs Continue to Increase Across Rust Belt
by Dean Baker , 03/30/2018
Consistent with national data showing modest increases in blue collar employment across the country, employment in construction and manufacturing increased in most states in the Midwest in February. Employment in both categories is up in almost every state in the region over the last year.
Tepid Blue Collar Job Growth Continues in the Rust Belt
by Alan Barber , 03/13/2018
Blue collar jobs as a percent of all jobs in the rust belt are virtually unchanged since the end of the recession.