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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Mike Benbow, Business Editor benbow@heraldnet.com   Published: Wednesday, November 19, 2008 County jobless rate climbs Even omitting Boeing strike, numbers are bad By Michelle Dunlop Herald Writer EVERETT -- Omitting the impact of the Boeing Machinists' strike, unemployment in Snohomish County in October still surged roughly 1 percentage point higher than in September, outpacing the state's rate over the same time. "The last three months, we've just been losing jobs," said Donna Thompson, regional economist for state Employment Security Department on Tuesday. "And it's taking its toll." The county saw its unemployment rate rise to 6.1 percent in October, compared with 5.1 percent in September. The state's unemployment rate increased in October to 6.3 percent from 5.8 percent in September, according to the state Employment Security Department. The state's rate accounts for adjustments in seasonal labor while the county's does not. The state's unadjusted unemployment rate for October was 5.8 percent, 0.3 percentage points lower than Snohomish County's unemployment in the same month. Some 203,820 people were unemployed and seeking work in Washington last month. Without the strike, though, jobs in Washington increased by about 800; Snohomish County still lost 400 jobs. The county saw job losses in retail, food and business services, and construction, among other areas, Thompson said. While retailers tend to hire in October for the holiday season, the sector scaled back in Snohomish County last month compared both with September and October 2007. "We're down 600 retail jobs from a year ago," Thompson said. "The retail sector is really getting hit." The food and beverage industry, including restaurants, cut about 100 jobs in the county in October. And temporary employment agencies, a fundamentally volatile sector, shed 400 positions, Thompson said. Construction work continued to trend downward in October in Snohomish County. Employment in the construction field was down 15.4 percent compared with a year ago. "Builders are just not applying for permits," Thompson said. The county got a boost in jobs in the education field, which is typical for October. And, despite the Machinists strike, the county also added 200 aerospace jobs in October. The Machinists strike did not affect the state or county unemployment rate because those figures are based on a different survey that does not count striking workers as unemployed. Thompson isn't optimistic about the county's prospects in the coming months. "Unfortunately, we know that we have more layoffs coming in the county," she said. Meridian Yachts, of Arlington, announced in October that it will close. The company, which had employed roughly 830 workers earlier this year, is expected to lay off all but a few customer service workers. And county officials also announced layoffs in late October. Reporter Michelle Dunlop: 425-339-3454 or mdunlop@heraldnet.com.

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