State sees job loss increase in December

LYNN – December brought more job losses to Massachusetts, but the state’s 9.4 percent unemployment rate remains slightly below the national average of 10 percent.The latest figures were released last week by the state Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development (EOLWD). The numbers indicated that the state’s labor force declined by 22,000 in December, with 43,100 fewer Massachusetts residents employed and 21,100 more residents unemployed.To put it another way, in December 3,108,600 residents were employed and 323,200 residents were unemployed.The state’s overall labor force of 3,431,800, which includes both working and unemployed residents, was down by 800 workers from December 2008. There were 104,300 fewer residents employed and 103,500 more residents unemployed.The latest EOLWD report noted that Massachusetts in December added jobs related to education and health services, government, manufacturing and financial activities. Inversely, jobs in trade, transportation, utilities, leisure and hospitality, construction, scientific and businesses services all recorded losses.The 1,000 jobs added in education and health services marked the third consecutive monthly gain for those sectors, for a total gain of 4,100 jobs since September. Healthcare, social assistance and educational services each added 500 jobs.Although the layoff of state government employees has been widely publicized, the EOLWD found that during December state and local government agencies in Massachusetts actually added 900 jobs, while the federal government lost jobs. Some of those job gains the state and local level were attributed to seasonal hiring.A glance at the overall employment statistics for 2009 showed that government jobs in Massachusetts are down 11,100. Of those jobs, 5,600 were in local government and 4,100 in state government.Separate state employment figures, based on actual state payroll, have shown a consistent decline over the last year, said EOLWD spokeswoman Alison Harris.Trade, transportation and utilities were among the most hard hit sectors, with a total December job loss of 5,000. It was the fourth consecutive monthly job loss for those sectors. Retail trade was also slammed, losing 3,300 jobs. Leisure and hospitality lost 3,400 jobs during the same timespan.Construction lost 1,800 jobs after gaining in the previous two months. At 107,000, construction employment is down 15,600 over the year.Local area unemployment statistics for December 2009 will be released by the EOLWD on Jan. 26, while the January 2010 unemployment rate and labor force data for Massachusetts will be released on March 4.Despite the soured economy, southern Essex County has dozens of employers who maintain up to 10,000 workers on their respective payrolls. The top two, according to EOLWD, are North Shore Children’s Hospital and Salem Hospital, both in Salem. Those employers with up to 5,000 employees are GE Aviation in Lynn, Idearc Media in Middleton, the Department of Mental Retardation in Danvers, Northeast Health Systems in Beverly, the North Shore Medical Center Outpatient Mental Health Center in Salem, Seacoast Lock & Safe Co. in Saugus, and Union Hospital in Lynn.Other area employers with between 500 and 999 employees Eastern Bank, Garelick Farms, Greater Lynn Senior Services, Osram Sylvania, Salem State College and Varian Semi-Conductor.Although some employers continue to hire, job markets across the country show one similarity ? an increasing number of candidates for each advertised position in major cities. For example, 3.72 candidates are available for every newly advertised job in Boston.In Hartford, Conn., the rate was 3.47. Both New England cities scored better than places like Miami, where the rate was 14.06 candidates per job, St. Louis, MO, at 18.63 per job, and the nation’s worst, Detroit, where 20.01 workers compete for each posted job.The North Shore has felt the impact of unemployment, but steps are being taken to create jobs and stabilize