Genesee County has modest job gains while rest of region struggles

Posted by Howard Owens on March 27, 2009 - 7:30am
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Amidst a negative employment report, Genesee County is a bright spot, according to a story in the Buffalo News.

While the region saw unemployment reach a 25-year high, Genesee County actually added .09 percent in new jobs, the biggest increase of any rural or metro county in the state.

The rest of WNY continues to struggle.

“Across the board, we have a lot of weakness,” said John Slenker, the labor department’s regional economist in Buffalo.

The job losses were widespread throughout all portions of the local economy, with particularly steep declines at local factories, where more than 5 percent of the region’s manufacturing jobs have disappeared over the last year. But service-providing jobs also took a hit, with the loss of 8,400 of those jobs, from banking to retail and hospitality.

UPDATE: The Daily News, like WBTA, is reporting different numbers than the Buffalo News. The Daily reports that unemployment in Genesee County rose from 9 per cent to 9.5 percent.

Posted by Gary Spencer on March 27, 2009 - 11:12am
Howard,
shouldn't this article have said "the region saw unemployment reach a 25 year high" If the unemployment was at a 25 year low it would be good news, conversly if the "employment was at a 25 year low it would be bad news. Am I right or just over tired?
Gary
Posted by Howard Owens on March 27, 2009 - 11:29am
You're right. I corrected it.

I should also note, WBTA is reporting that GC unemployment went from 9 percent to 9.5 percent, which is pretty much opposite what the News is reporting. I don't have the actual report, so we're left with conflicting information.