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Jobless rate in state highest since 2005

Unemployment stood at 5.1% in June, up from 4.9% in May

By David Milstead, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published July 18, 2008 at 9:44 a.m.
Updated July 19, 2008 at 12:23 a.m.

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Colorado's unemployment rate ticked up to 5.1 percent in June from 4.9 percent in May. It's the highest rate since September 2005.

The number is also significantly worse than one year ago, when Colorado unemployment was 3.7 percent.

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment notes that June is generally a month of rising unemployment throughout Colorado as student workers enter the job market. The department said that pattern held true as 49 of Colorado's 64 counties recorded higher unemployment rates.

Government job-trackers at the state and federal level release unemployment rates, which are based on surveys of workers as well as a separate survey of employers that yields the official job-creation numbers.

Colorado had 2,389,400 jobs in June, 1.34 percent above June 2007 numbers, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The year-over-year rate of growth has slowed in eight of the past nine months, dating back to October. In September 2007, the number of Colorado jobs was 2.49 percent higher than September 2006, and job growth remained above 2 percent until March.

"Although employment growth has been positive, it has been too modest to absorb the state's expanding labor force," Donald J. Mares, executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, said in a statement.

The state labor department said the largest contributor to job growth has been the government sector, which showed a gain of 10,200 jobs and accounted for roughly one-third of net job gains since last June.

Education and health services gained 9,700 positions, while professional and business services, trade, transportation and utilities, and leisure and hospitality each added more than 6,000 new workers since last June. Natural resources and mining employment rose 3,200, and other services trended up 1,800.

Two industries susceptible to the turmoil in the housing and credit markets - construction and financial services - fell 5,000 and 1,700, respectively, over the past year. Manufacturing, down 4,800, and information services, off 1,700, also shed jobs in the past 12 months.

Colorado's best and worst

Counties with lowest June unemployment rates: * Yuma 2.8 percent

* Cheyenne 2.8 percent

Counties with highest June unemployment rates: * Costilla 9.2 percent

* Conejos 8.3 percent

Read the fine print

* For links to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment's official statement and the latest Regional and State Employment and Unemployment news release from the federal government, go to RockyMountainNews.com.

Comments

  • July 18, 2008

    10:13 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    But as Union membership ticks up, so do the Union political bank accounts with forced union dues and forced union fees.

    YES on Amendment 47.

  • July 18, 2008

    1:20 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Diff writes:

    No one is ever FORCED to join a union - you can choose to not take the job and seek employment elsewhere.
    I'd bet Likely less money for the same work, less bennifits too.

    Those adds for 47 and CR*P for the most part - checkout what 9-news has on their web site under the seeking the truth banner - about political adds -

  • July 18, 2008

    1:31 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Squatch writes:

    The meat packing plants are hiring so Americans get your A$$es up to Greeley and get a job. There are always jobs out there you just sometimes need to swallow your pride.

  • July 18, 2008

    1:51 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    WarrenJimmyBuffett writes:

    That unemployment number (unless manipulated) will continue to go up for quite some time. Severe recessions/depressions are no fun.

  • July 18, 2008

    2:21 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    junglegymco writes:

    Vote NO on the Anti-American Amendment 47. I can't believe people buy into the lies being spread about it. It effectively attempts to void a DEMOCRACTICALLY HELD ELECTION (i.e - voting on a Union at a workplace) by stripping the Union of the VOTED UPON RIGHT TO COLLECT DUES. It would be like demanding not to pay taxes for schools because you don't believe in public education. I don't like a lot of taxes, but as a society we agree to accept the voted upon actions of the group. This amendment is truly Anti-American in scope and is a slap in the face to anyone who believes in democracy.

    No on 46 as well - another lie based amendment. It is yet another step backwards for anyone from a marginalized group. It should be called, "Let's keep the good ole white boy's in power" amendment. The truly amazing part is how deceptive the ads (and people attempting to get signatures) are.

  • July 18, 2008

    3:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    reddog writes:

    All the mexicans got the jobs and since they are undocumented no one counts them. Besides who wants to work full time for 6 bucks an hour?

  • July 18, 2008

    3:08 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    Colorado, Michigan, NY, OH, IL, MA, PA, are anti-worker choice states. Fat unemployment lines are common in these states.

    8 of top 10 states in CNBC Best Business States Survey are pro worker choice states (Right to Work states).

    YES on Amendment 47 to join CNBC's top 10 business states: TX, VA, UT, ID, NC, SD, GA, and IA.

  • July 18, 2008

    4:04 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HolierThanThou writes:

    Amendment 47 will certainly make it easier for bosses to pay working people less, deprive them of benefits, and put them out on the street.

    Funny, how the wealthy bosses like to tell working people what's good for them. These are the same men who have declared war on middle-class working Americans by busting unions, kicking millions of Americans out of work, refusing to pay for overtime or even all hours worked, and then sending our jobs overseas or filling them with illegals and H1-B visa slaves.

    Amendment 47 will empower those bosses to screw you even harder. That means if you work for a living, you loose.

    Take a look at what union-busting bosses have done to paychecks and job security in the past 10 or 20 years. How that's foreclosure rate doing?

    Is your job secure? Are you treated with respect? Are you making so much money that you can't stand any more?

    If you answered no to any of the above questions then you need a union or some kind of organization to represent your interests. If you have more than half a brain you'll realize you cannot allow Amendment 47 to pass.

    Amendment 47 was crafted by that hero of the working class, Jonathan Coors. How can you blame Coors for demonizing working people and their unions? Like a lot of boys born with a silver spoon, he's never worked an honest day in his life. His daddy always gave him everything. Coors grew up hearing unkind things about the uppity workers his daddy exploited, abused, and fired for trying to unionize the brewery.

    Just remember that conservative Republicans are always going to piss on your back and tell you it's raining. Give it right back to them at the polls.

  • July 18, 2008

    4:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    trinidad writes:

    i thought things are supposed to be better when democrats are in control. unions aren't about the workers they're about $$$$$$$$$$$ and political power for the few on the very top of the union ladder.

  • July 18, 2008

    5 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    fencergal writes:

    Could this possibly have something to do with the mandatory increase in minimum wage?

  • July 19, 2008

    9:59 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    Nobama writes:

    This report is a good example of the slanted and negative perspective provided by the news media on a daily basis. Let’s break it down. First, they start with and emphasize the “bad news”. Unemployment in the state is “up to 5.1 percent in June from 4.9 percent in May. It’s the highest rate since September 2005”. That must be “bad”, right? Reading on “that number is also significantly worse than one year ago, when Colorado unemployment was 3.7 percent”. Wow, that’s GOT to be “bad”, and that is more than implied. But, what about providing some historical perspective? Was the state’s economy “bad” in September 2005? Does the unemployment rate always correlate with the overall economy? What was the 10 year historical average? Are we above or below that average? Was the 3.7 percent rate extremely low in the range, meaning even though it’s “worse” now it’s still pretty good? The reporter doesn’t provide any of these facts so that we can get a balanced perspective. I guess we are just supposed to accept the inference that this is “bad” economic news.

    Then, finally the “good” news comes in the 5th paragraph. Oh, by the way, the total number of jobs is still GROWING! Not so fast, though. The rate of increase is not as “good” as it was. OK maybe that’s NOT “good” news. Apparently the increase in jobs “has been too modest to absorb the state’s expanding labor force”. What the heck? Who are these people that showed up out of nowhere at a greater rate increase than the new jobs? Why are they still here if they can’t get a job? I guess I’m becoming too cynical, but it’s hard to cope with this kind of negative reporting. I guarantee you I could take the same facts and present them in a more positive vein. Good thing this reporter doesn’t have to give any half time motivational speeches to a sports team that is losing the game.

  • July 19, 2008

    3:09 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    HolierThanThou writes:

    Truth has a liberal bias.

    Just be glad that they didn't correlate unemployment (and underemployment) with the bank and record breaking foreclosure rate.

    Government unemployment data is actually a low estimate of the percentage of people who were pushed out of their jobs. It only counts those collecting benefits, which tend to run out after a few months.

    Unemployment numbers also ignore offshoring of American jobs. And let's no get started on the effects of under-performing executives paying themselves millions in unearned bonus money while their companies bleed out thousands of jobs. That's a form of robbery that makes bank robbery look like an exercise in higher morality, but we won't talk about that.

  • July 19, 2008

    3:38 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    Nobama writes:

    HolierThanThou,

    You did not directly address any of the questions on perspective that I raised.

  • July 19, 2008

    7:35 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    jacka writes:

    Mark Udall supports employee free choice.

    Vote YES on Amendment 47 - real employee free choice for all Coloradans!

    YES on 47 - equal workplace choice for all Coloradans.

    Shouldn't you have the right to choose?

    YES on 47 will show Mark Udall that you support real employee free choice.