Chems shed jobs in June alongside US economy, plastics gain
02 July 2010 15:35 [Source: ICIS news]
HOUSTON (ICIS news)--The US chemicals sector shed 1,700 jobs in June from May alongside a drop in overall US employment, while the plastics and rubber products industry added 2,700 positions, the US Department of Labor (DOL) said on Friday.
In its monthly report, the department noted that chemicals jobs fell by 0.2% to a seasonally-adjusted 779,900 jobs, down from 781,600 employed in May.
June employment in the chemicals sector was off 2.7% from the workforce total of 801,500 in June 2009.
In plastics, however, jobs pushed ahead by 0.4% to 636,500, up from 633,800 employed in May.
June employment in the plastics and rubber products sector was higher by 2.5% from the 620,700 with jobs in the year-earlier month.
Overall, total US employment fell by 125,000, due largely to the loss of 225,000 temporary jobs for the US Census count, the department said.
The unemployment rate dropped to 9.5% from 9.7%, beating survey expectations that it would climb to 9.8%.
However, the improvement in the unemployment rate was partly due to an increase in the amount of discouraged workers, defined as persons not looking for work because they believed no jobs were available, according to the department.
Job gains were led by the leisure and hospitality sector, where employment rose month-over-month by 28,000 based on strength in amusements, gambling and recreation amid the US summer driving season.
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