The U.S. economy gained 266,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 3.5%, according to figures released Friday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In response to the November job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs tweeted:
A large part of the job growth (15.4%) came from the returning @UAW workers from their strike against GM. So, motor vehicle employment was up 41,000, but remains 2,000 lower than the month before the strike. @AFLCIO #JobsDay #NumbersDay
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 6, 2019
Once again, big gains (moving to the right) in lower wage industries (moving down). Leisure & Hospitality gained 45,000 last month (219,000 in the last four months). The 25,300 in food services puts that industry at 12.33 million compared to manufacturing's 12.87 @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/YIyFDCnadQ
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 6, 2019
Why is full employment important? Again the unemployment rate for Latino men (over age 20) at 3.0% in November equaled white men's unemployment rate. Economists insisted the unemployment gaps reflected skill gaps; @federalreserve must realize its impact on inequality @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 6, 2019
Another reason for concern about Retail: average weekly hours and average weekly payrolls fell in November. Amidst negligible job gains, this isn't a good sign for the month that includes Black Friday. @UFCW @AFLCIO #JobsDay #NumbersDay pic.twitter.com/iAn7v2GdYA
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 6, 2019
Thanks to all the states marching to a $15 an hour minimum wage, wages in leisure and hospitality were up 4.3% over the year. @BobbyScott led the House in passing a federal minimum wage hike, but from silent Mitch and Republican Senate crickets. @AFLCIO #FightFor15
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 6, 2019
In addition to tepid Retail numbers, gains in transportation for package delivery related work was good, but not great, up 8,000 for warehousing (logistics centers), 5,100 for couriers and messengers, 1,800 for support activities. @AFLCIO #JobsReport pic.twitter.com/J3yXuvDHso
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 6, 2019
With tepid wage growth, this puzzle of lingering long term unemployment with low overall unemployment lingers. And, NO the long term unemployed are not a homogenous group of low skilled workers. @AFLCIO #JobsReport pic.twitter.com/GrF7Rqm1KH
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) December 6, 2019
Last month's biggest job gains were in manufacturing (54,000), health care (45,000), leisure and hospitality (45,000), professional and technical services (31,000), transportation and warehousing (16,000) and financial activities (13,000). Mining lost jobs (-7,000). Employment in other major industries—including retail trade, construction, wholesale trade, information and government—showed little change over the month.
Among the major worker groups, the unemployment rates for teenagers (12.0%), blacks (5.5%), Hispanics (4.2%), adult men (3.2%), whites (3.2%), adult women (3.2%) and Asians (2.6%) showed little or no change in November.
The number of long-term unemployed (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) declined in November and accounted for 20.8% of the unemployed.