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OPA News Release:
Statement of Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao Regarding The Unemployment
Numbers Released Today
WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Labor Elaine L. Chao released
the following statement about the December unemployment situation today:
“Last month the unemployment rate rose to 5.8 percent, however,
there are some helpful signs that we could be bottoming out. I hope that this
New Year will bid farewell to old man recession and say hello to baby recovery.
But we must be prepared to help unemployed and dislocated workers until the
recovery hits home.
“The manufacturing sector, which has had difficulties since July,
2000, has lost 1.5 million jobs in that period. Since Sept. 11, the services
sector has been suffering as well, particularly the travel and tourism
industry. We are now seeing some signs of improvement in services, which
increased by 72,000 jobs in December. Industries with job increases include
education, amusement and recreation, health care, security services, and
government.
“After two months of averaging 400,000 lost jobs, December’s
decline was smaller – 124,000 – although still far too many.
“In order to get through this recession it is critical that we
support the president’s economic security plan to get us on the path to
recovery. Unfortunately, partisan politics in the Senate has not been helping
the situation
“While the House of Representatives has responsibly passed
important measures to promote our economic security – benefits for trade
affected workers, trade promotion authority, new energy jobs, and the
President’s economic security package – the Senate went home for
Christmas without taking up any of these crucial items.
“With these new numbers, it’s more urgent than ever for
Congress to pass the president’s economic security package to get the
economy moving again and put more Americans back to work.”
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