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Wednesday, November 26, 1997

Governor
Tommy G. Thompson

Secretary
Linda Stewart

Contact
David Blaska
608/267-4400
e-mail: blaskd@mail.state.wi.us
fax: 608/266-1784

October jobless rate improves

Wisconsin's unemployment in October improved to 3.4 percent from September's 3.7 percent. October's unemployment ties the low for the year reached in both April and May. Nationally, unemployment was 4.7 percent, seasonally adjusted.

A total of 9,600 workers left unemployment compared to the previous month. Unemployment is below 4.0 percent in 57 of the state's 72 counties (not seasonally adjusted).

Employers added 10,100 jobs in the month. Manufacturing gained 1,000 jobs, when adjusted for the season; the finance group added 900, construction gained 200. Declining were jobs in retail trade, by 900, when adjusted for the season. Difficulty finding workers is believed to be the reason. In the last 12 months, employers have added a net 47,200 jobs.

Looking ahead, Connie Hagen, executive assistant at the Department of Workforce Development, said: "Based on what our local labor market analysts tell us, Wisconsin should experience a strong holiday shopping season. Merchants have high expectations."

In September, the Madison metro area had the second-lowest unemployment rate in the nation. The state's unemployment was tied for eighth lowest.

Job gainers/losers in last 12 months
Largest job gainers by percentage	Jobs	%
Computer, office equipment manufacture	+ 900	+27.3%
Auto repair, services, parking	+2,400	+12.1%
Business services	+11,000	+8.9%
Miscellaneous retail	+5,300	+7.3%
Lumber & building supply sales	+1,200	+7.2%
Largest job losers by percentage
Preserved fruits, vegetables manufacture	-4,100	-25.6%
Beverage manufacturing	- 800	-13.6%
Private colleges, universities	-1,700	-9.2%
Leather and leather products	- 400	-7.5%
Refrigeration & service machine machine	- 500	-6.0%

Employment and Labor Force

Household Survey

Unadjusted estimates	October 1997	previous month	in last 12 months
Total labor force	2,938,800	-5,500	+9,200
Employed	2,856,700	+4,100	+8,200
Unemployed	82,100	-9,600	+1,100
Wis. Unemployment	2.8%	3.1%	2.8%
U.S. Unemployment	4.4%	4.7%	4.9%

Seasonally adjusted	October 1997	previous month	in last 12 months
Total labor force	2,939,000	-3,000	+4,700
Employed	2,839,700	+6,900	+3,000
Unemployed	99,300	-9,900	+ 800
Wis. Unemployment	3.4%	3.7%	3.4%
U.S. Unemployment	4.7%	4.9%	5.2%

Sept. U.S. rank*	Unemployment % seasonally adjusted	October 1997	Last month	Year ago
8	Wisconsin	3.4	3.7	3.4
33	Appleton-Oshkosh	2.8	3.0	2.4
48	Eau Claire	2.9	3.5	3.0
52	Green Bay	3.0	3.3	2.9
119	Janesville-Beloit	3.6	3.8	3.6
77	Kenosha	3.2	3.6	3.4
24	La Crosse	2.7	2.8	2.8
2	Madison	1.5	1.7	1.5
97	Milwaukee-Waukesha	3.2	3.6	3.3
131	Racine	3.8	4.4	3.8
20	Sheboygan	2.2	2.4	2.5
42	Wausau	3.3	3.4	2.9
* of 276 metro areas or 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico. September national rankings NOT seasonally adjusted. Lower is better.

Non-Farm Wage & Salary

Employer Survey

in thousands	October	Sept.	Year Ago	+/- month	+/- year
NONFARM WAGE & SALARY	2694.4	2684.3	2647.2	+10.1	+47.2

MANUFACTURING	607.2	610.7	603.9	-3.5	+3.3
DURABLE GOODS .	371.9	370.7	366.1	+1.2	+5.8
Lumber and Wood Products	31.1	31.2	30.6	-0.1	+0.5
Furniture and Fixtures	16.7	16.6	16.7	+0.1	0.0
Stone, Clay & Glass Products	10.9	10.9	10.8	0.0	+0.1
Primary Metal Industries	25.5	25.3	24.0	+0.2	+1.5
Fabricated Metal Products	65.4	65.4	63.7	0.0	+1.7
Nonelectrical Machinery	113.6	113.3	111.6	+0.3	+2.0
Electrical Machinery	46.1	46.1	46.0	0.0	+0.1
Transportation Equipment .	32.6	32.5	32.3	+0.1	+0.3
Prof., Scient. & Control Instr	18.0	17.9	18.0	+0.1	0.0
Miscellaneous Manufacturing	12.0	11.4	12.3	+0.6	-0.3

NONDURABLE GOODS	235.3	240.0	237.8	-4.7	-2.5
Food and Kindred Products	64.6	69.4	69.0	-4.8	-4.4
Textile Mill Products	3.2	3.2	3.0	0.0	+0.2
Apparel & Other Finished Prods.	6.3	6.3	6.4	0.0	-0.1
Paper and Allied Products .	51.9	52.2	51.7	-0.3	+0.2
Printing, Publishing & Allied . ..	54.3	54.1	52.9	+0.2	+1.4
Chemicals and Allied Products .	14.1	14.0	13.9	+0.1	+0.2
Rubber & Misc. Plastic Prods..	35.6	35.6	35.1	0.0	+0.5
Leather & Leather Products	4.9	4.9	5.3	0.0	-0.4
All Other Nondurable Goods ..	0.4	0.4	0.4	0.0	0.0

MINING	2.8	2.9	2.8	-0.1	0.0
CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION	119.0	119.6	116.5	-0.6	+2.5
TRANS, COMM, ELEC, GAS	123.5	123.5	122.8	0.0	+0.7
TRADE	610.7	609.3	602.3	+1.4	+8.4
WHOLESALE TRADE	131.3	131.0	129.4	+0.3	+1.9
RETAIL TRADE	479.4	478.3	472.9	+1.1	+6.5
FINANCE, INSURANCE & REAL ESTATE	143.1	142.7	138.5	+0.4	+4.6
SERVICES AND MISCELLANEOUS	694.3	694.2	670.3	+0.1	+24.0

GOVERNMENT	393.9	381.4	390.1	+12.5	+3.8
FEDERAL	29.3	29.3	29.8	0.0	-0.5
STATE	98.6	94.2	97.7	+4.4	+0.9
LOCAL	266.0	257.9	262.6	+8.1	+3.4

PERSONS INVOLVED IN L-M DISPUTES	0.0	0.0	0.6	0.0	-0.6

Unemployment by County
not seasonally adjusted

Rank County      this    last           Rank County      this    last
                 month  month/rank                       month  month/rank
 
  15 Adams        4.0%   3.7%   27        50 Marathon     2.6%   2.7%   54
  10 Ashland      4.3%   5.0%    7        11 Marinette    4.2%   4.5%   12
  33 Barron       3.1%   3.4%   32        13 Marquette    4.1%   4.1%   18
   5 Bayfield     5.2%   4.3%   16         1 Menominee    9.0%  10.8%    1
  46 Brown        2.6%   2.9%   47        19 Milwaukee    3.7%   4.3%   14
  44 Buffalo      2.8%   3.0%   42         3 Monroe       6.4%   7.8%    2
 
  37 Burnett      2.9%   3.3%   33        12 Oconto       4.2%   4.5%   13
  36 Calumet      3.0%   2.6%   60        25 Oneida       3.5%   3.3%   35
  61 Chippewa     2.3%   2.6%   57        59 Outagamie    2.4%   2.7%   52
  20 Clark        3.7%   4.0%   19        71 Ozaukee      1.9%   2.1%   71
  22 Columbia     3.6%   3.6%   29        40 Pepin        2.9%   3.2%   39
  35 Crawford     3.1%   3.0%   44        66 Pierce       2.0%   2.4%   63
 
  72 Dane         1.3%   1.5%   72        53 Polk         2.5%   3.0%   41
  51 Dodge        2.6%   2.7%   55        47 Portage      2.6%   2.9%   48
  29 Door         3.3%   4.2%   17        38 Price        2.9%   3.3%   34
  30 Douglas      3.3%   3.9%   20        26 Racine       3.4%   3.8%   23
  70 Dunn         1.9%   2.2%   69        42 Richland     2.8%   3.2%   37
  60 Eau Claire   2.3%   2.9%   45        31 Rock         3.3%   3.7%   24
 
   7 Florence     4.9%   5.3%    6         4 Rusk         5.4%   6.2%    4
  52 Fond Du Lac  2.6%   2.6%   59        55 Sauk         2.5%   2.7%   53
  24 Forest       3.5%   3.5%   30        16 Sawyer       3.9%   4.5%   11
  18 Grant        3.7%   4.6%    8        28 Shawano      3.4%   3.6%   28
  69 Green        1.9%   2.5%   61        65 Sheboygan    2.1%   2.3%   66
  27 Green Lake   3.4%   3.7%   25        68 St. Croix    2.0%   2.2%   70
 
  62 Iowa         2.3%   2.3%    7        48 Taylor       2.6%   2.9%    9
   6 Iron         5.0%   5.4%    5        23 Trempealeau  3.5%   3.9%   21
  32 Jackson      3.1%   3.8%   22        21 Vernon       3.6%   3.7%   26
  58 Jefferson    2.4%   2.8%   51        34 Vilas        3.1%   3.0%   43
   2 Juneau       6.6%   7.2%    3        63 Walworth     2.2%   2.5%   62
  39 Kenosha      2.9%   3.2%   38         8 Washburn     4.8%   4.6%   10
 
  41 Kewaunee     2.8%   3.2%   36        57 Washington   2.5%   2.3%   68
  64 La Crosse    2.2%   2.4%   65        67 Waukesha     2.0%   2.4%   64
  54 Lafayette    2.5%   2.9%   46        43 Waupaca      2.8%   3.1%   40
   9 Langlade     4.7%   4.3%   15        14 Waushara     4.0%   4.6%    9
  17 Lincoln      3.8%   3.5%   31        56 Winnebago    2.5%   2.6%   58
  45 Manitowoc    2.7%   2.7%   56        49 Wood         2.6%   2.9%   50