U.S. Firms Add 308K New Jobs in March

[DaveSZ]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A44269-2004Apr2.html


U.S. Firms Add 308K New Jobs in March

By Leigh Strope
AP Labor Writer
Friday, April 2, 2004; 8:51 AM


The nation's unemployment rate bumped up to 5.7 percent in March while companies added 308,000 new jobs -- the most in four years, providing long-awaited evidence that the weak jobs market may be gaining steam.

[DaveSZ]

1. .

Does this undercut the entire basis of Kerry's campaign?

I guess there's still over 8 million people unemployed.

[sniffa]

2. yup, same as the Last few months

i say around midnight or sometime this weekend, they'LL round it down a few hundred thousand. what's the difference?

[tandot]

3. Yahoo headline is "companies add jobs, but unemployment up"

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040402/ap_on_bi_go_ec_fi/economy&cid=668&ncid=716

That sounds less positive than the WP headline. Isn't it amazing how the same thing can look totally different depending on the headline chosen by each news source.

[bobbieinok]

4. jobs added in medical field, retail, and construction

according to Morning Edition report

construction - seasonal???

medical - orderlies, LPNs, etc??????

retail - Walmart???????

[asjr]

5. That is US firms

in China, India and Malaysia.

[Avalux]

6. Long awaited evidence?

Bullshit. :eyes:

[flpoljunkie]

7. Factory payrolls flat. Jobless recovery hits record 28 months.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/business/business-economy-jobs.html?hp

While a long-hoped for rise in manufacturing employment did not materialize, the department said factory payrolls were unchanged last month, finally breaking a string of 43 consecutive monthly declines.

<> While the economy climbed out of recession in November 2001, employment has yet to regain its pre-recession peak.

In the only other jobless recovery since World War Two, which was the crawl back from the 1990-91 recession, it took 14 months for the number of employed to get back to where it stood when the recession ended.

This time it is 28 months, and counting.

[DaveSZ]

8. So I suppose this doesn't undercut Kerry's core strength?

(The economy)?


You're right in that most of the new jobs are Wal Mart or McDonalds "manufacturing" jobs.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

9. Alternate headline: Unemployment up, despite gains in low-wage jobs.

[shivaji]

10. This can't be good news for Kerry....

I am sure the numbers will reverse soon, and then
we will have a field day exploiting Bush's achilles
heel.

There is just no way Bush's taxcuts for the rich can
create jobs.

[realdeal22k]

11. What if 20 million Dems quit their jobs to depress these numbers?

Would that affect the numbers and be worth it if it did?

[w4rma]

13. You're living in fantasy land if you think that is going to happen. (nt)

[bluedog]

12. don't forget the reserve .the National Guard ....who left their jobs.

these men whom were employed...pulled out of their jobs.these jobs were more than likely filled.......how many working men and women were called for their reserve units? anybody know?