The U.S. economy gained 4.8 million jobs in June, and the unemployment rate declined to 11.1%, according to figures released Thursday morning by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The improvements reflect the continued resumption of economic activity that previously was curtailed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In response to the June job numbers, AFL-CIO Chief Economist William Spriggs said:
The growing number of workers who are facing more than five weeks looking for work signals a "typical" recession driven by weak demand. The spike in the short-time unemployed, those unemployed less than five weeks, was related to our health crisis. So, even after we get the health crisis in check, we face a recession the size of the Great Recession in terms of unemployed workers.
He also tweeted:
The Black unemployment rate fell in June reports @BLS_gov on the strength of adult Black women's rate going from 16.5 to 14.0%, but it rose for adult Black men from 15.5 to 16.3%. That increase foreshadows the difficulty of the cyclical component of the crisis. @AFLCIO
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
There are two unemployment crises. The #JobsReport shows big spikes in unemployment since last June for Leisure & Hospitality (mostly restaurant & bar workers), but the jump for durable goods manufacturing and mining are from the collapse in demand and will clear slowly. @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/jvYC8wtIXF
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
But, now the #JobsReport shows the labor market returning it racial "equilibrium," as since April the white male unemployment rate continues to fall, while the Black male unemployment rate continues to climb. At 16.3 to 9.0, the ratio is at 1.8:1 @AFLCIO @rolandsmartin
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
The #JobsReport shows the difficulty of the "hustle." Women, more than men, compensate low earnings by holding two jobs. In this crisis, that's much harder than last year. The big problem is you can't unemployment insurance to make up for that second job. @AFLCIO @IWPResearch pic.twitter.com/5OYehKsYPH
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
In April, the big jobs shock was to leisure & hospitality and retail, but they are slowly leading a bounce back. So, let's put to rest the stupid comments that unemployment benefits are hurting low wage workers return to work. The numbers show that is simply not true. @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/X2aXUm7uXn
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
The tale of the two jobs crises: The loss of jobs because of our health crisis spiked the unemployment rate in April, and the number who experienced short spells of unemployment; but, the collapse of demand is fueling the typical recession problem of longer term spells. @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/EHBASvhfq2
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
Trying to make sense of the continued big numbers claiming unemployment? The net flows are toward employment, but there are still a large number of workers who are losing jobs. Women, who lost the most in April, are having bigger net flows into work. @AFLCIO @IWPResearch pic.twitter.com/FSFpZjMACI
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
Greater detail for understanding the "misclassification" of temporary layoff in the @BLS_gov report:
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
Who are the Potentially Misclassified in the Employment Report? | The Hamilton Project https://t.co/gRILLcaQ7A
#JobsReport , reporters, please stop being business shills asking if the $600 Pandemic Unemployment Compensation is discouraging workers. More unemployed workers in May went into employment in June than dropped out of the market; discouraged. People want work. @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/JoqAhEn7IY
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
The broadest measure of unemployment, including those who are discouraged and those who are part-time looking for full-time jobs, also fell in June. But, at 18% gives the sense of stress in American households over this job market. @AFLCIO pic.twitter.com/O7m4SyeRS0
— William E. Spriggs (@WSpriggs) July 2, 2020
Last month's biggest job gains were in leisure and hospitality (+2.1 million), retail trade (740,000), education and health services (568,000), other services (357,000), manufacturing (356,000), professional and business services (306,000), construction (158,000), transportation and warehousing (99,000), wholesale trade (68,000), financial activities (32,000) and government employment (33,000). Mining lost 10,000 jobs in June.
In June, the unemployment rates declined for teenagers (23.2%), Blacks (15.4%), Hispanics (14.5%), Asians (13.8%), adult women (11.2%), adult men (10.2%) and Whites (10.1%).
The number of long-term unemployed workers (those jobless for 27 weeks or more) increased in June.