Surprise Blue collar jobs are coming back

[Roland99]

Source: CNN

Factory jobs post surprising strength

As the labor market continues to struggle, one surprising bright spot stands out amid the list of battered industries -- factory jobs.

Manufacturing employment began its decline long before the recession, losing jobs every year since 1998. But since the start of this year, there's been a 1.6% gain in manufacturing jobs -- about twice the pace of growth in other private sector jobs.

Even if manufacturing hiring stays flat the rest of this year, the industry is poised to post its biggest percentage gain in jobs since 1994.

"In 2008 and 2009, manufacturers would not hire," said Norbert Ore, head of the Institute for Supply Management's survey of manufacturers. "Today they're willing to fill openings, willing to hire. Here and there, they're adding a shift."

Read more: http://money.cnn.com/2010/09/27/news/economy/manufacturing_job_rebound/index.htm?hpt=T1

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The weaker dollar certainly allows for more exports of US-produced items but that's obviously nothing we want on a long-term basis. Hopefully, this trend will continue along with a stronger dollar and we can finally get out of this "trickle-down" failure of a mess.

Puts of a bit of hole in the GOP argument that companies aren't hiring or making product because they're afraid of or suffering under more taxes/regulations.

If a business sees an opportunity to make money by making and selling more product, some regulations or taxes (or lack of tax breaks) won't stop them.

[Brickbat]

1. I'd like to see a breakdown on what those manufacturing jobs are, as well as pay scales.

Two-tiered wage scales and union busting have taken a lot of the middle-class luster from some of these jobs.

[Roland99]

3. They're probably lacking in healthcare benefits, at the least.

[Art_from_Ark]

11. Are they counting fast food jobs as "manufacturing"?

If so, that might help to account for the "increase"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/20/politics/main601336.shtml

[liberal N proud]

2. Noooooooo

Not before the election. The jobs have to stay away until the republicans can sweep those damn dirty liberal Democrats from the halls of congress and save the republic from socialization.


:sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm::sarcasm:

[Cirque du So-What]

4. I predicted this earlier in the year, when I got hired

The industry in which I work produces tools for the steel industry, along with other sectors. When I landed a job with this company, I knew that demand was driving a rebound in my trade. What was looking like a 'soft' 4th quarter is turning out to be very busy.

[madrchsod]

7. i worked for a family owned company that...

tracked the recessions and expansions for over 115 years years. recessions and expansions were always at least a year or more before and after it is official.

the problem we face is making sure the jobs are kept in the usa.


steel working was my stock and trade for over 30yrs. good to hear the trade is rebounding.

[Roland99]

8. Jobs numbers have typically been a lagging indicator.

Still...we're a long way from the needed ~160,000 jobs per month to maintain equilibrium.

[onehandle]

5. The GOP House will take credit for this next year.

If only it was six months ago...

[SoapBox]

6. Delta, JetBlue and Virgin America are hiring Flight Attendants...

...friends tell me that Delta is recalling several hundreds of Flight Attendants
that have been on a leave for 5 years AND that the company needs to hire many
hundreds more off the street...they are apparently short of staff in that department and
have decided that they can put off hiring no longer.

JetBlue and Virgin America also have Flight Attendants listed in their job postings.

p.s....DU, I love you for having Spell Check!!!

[L.Torsalo]

9. Good to hear.

American manufacturing was one reason our world became so reliable and well-designed. Hope it comes around again.

[pampango]

12. If German manufacturing can do it, so can ours. We just need to provide the progressive support

for people that Germany does.

[OnlinePoker]

10. Long way to go to get back to pre-recession numbers.

Seasonally adjusted has only added 123k since the beginning of the year (not seasonally adjusted is 320k). Total loss since Jun 07 SA is 2.25 million and NSA is 2.21 million. The level of just over 11.5 million employed in manufacturing is over 5 million below what it was when Clinton left office.

http://data.bls.gov/PDQ/servlet/SurveyOutputServlet