Twin-Cities unemployment down, jobs up over the year

Posted on January 30, 2020
Bloomington-Normal added 400 jobs compared to December 2018, according to IDES. (Photo Pixabay)

 

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington-Normal’s jobless rate fell over the year and more jobs were added.

The unemployment rate dropped to 3.4% compared to 4.7% in December of 2018, according to the Illinois Department of Employment Security. All 14 metro areas saw the jobless rate drop, with the largest decrease in Carbondale.

The Twin-Cities also saw job growth with 400 new positions. Over the year, 10 metro areas saw job gains with the largest in Champaign, Carbondale and Decatur. Peoria lost 2,000 jobs.

Industries with the largest job growth included education and health services, government and transportation, along with warehousing and utilities.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…