Black Unemployment Spikes to 16%
National jobless rate holds steady, but expected to continue rising
Article written by Renita Burns.
- Posted in Business News on Friday, January 8, 2010, 15:32
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With discouraged job seekers exiting the labor force, the U.S. unemployment rate remained at 10% in December, according to the Department of Labor, Friday. African Americans were especially hard hit as the jobless rate rose, reaching 16.2% up from 12.1% the same time last year.
As the beleaguered economy hobbles along, employers shed 85,000 jobs last month holding the unemployment rate steady compared to November, but shooting up from 7.4% year-over-year.
“It’s still the case that things are going to get worse before they get better,” said Algernon Austin, director at the Economic Policy Institute.
Austin does not expect the increase in black unemployment to let up any time soon, as he projects the rate to peak at 17.2% in the third quarter. Overall, the Economic Policy Institute expects national unemployment to peak in the third quarter as well. “The economy is recovering form 2009 but it’s still weak,” Austin added.
Despite crippling job losses, the national unemployment rate was buoyed by the 661,000 fewer applicants in the job market. “We had overall job losses it’s just that the number of people who dropped out of the labor force were so large that the job losses didn’t register an increase in unemployment,” Austin said.
While employers were reluctant to boost the number of permanent positions in December, there was a spike in temporary hiring, with 46,500 workers hired.
Job losses continued across most industries, with manufacturing losing 27,000 jobs and construction shedding 53,000, while the leisure and hospitality industries and government also cut workers.
"Today's numbers underscore that we still have work to do before we can be sure that all Americans have access to good jobs,” said Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis. “We are working aggressively to reverse these conditions for American workers and their families.”
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Can't believe my bro.s & sis.'s have nothing to say when on ALL OTHER SUBJECTS we have various comments. UNBELIEVABLE...For all the so-called "African-American Intellectual's", why is OUR UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS THE SAME AS OUR POPULATION ? (16%). For those who have that " I got mine..." mentality, this effects us all. RIGHT ON 2 THA REAL ! LATER 4 THA FAKERS !!
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lynn Reply:
January 12th, 2010 at 5:44 pm
I share your frustration. Sometimes I feel like things have been so bad for so long that most of us have become anesthetized. Someone has even been drinking the majority's Koolaid....cautioning those of us who are in contact with reality to be cautious and evaluate before getting angry. Well listen here: If 16% of white males were out of work this country would be an inferno. And maybe someone just got "restructered" or "downsized" because someone wanted to "lighten up" the corporate landscape - which is what I believe is going on in this country. In my job search I am having to deal with employment agencies a lot and have been stunned by the shadiness that's going on in this city of Pittsburgh which is a very racist town. (It is very unfortunate that the President seems to want to make friend with this city, bringing the G20 summit to this hateful place). What exacerbates the situation here is that there is no solidarity among African-Americans in the workplace. It's all about the self. There are a lot of us willing to co-operate with racist managers and act as human shields to defend against discriminatory practices and too many willing to actually...believe it or not...participate in the discrimination.
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not a dumbass Reply:
January 16th, 2010 at 3:16 am
Hey numbnutz. 10% unemployment 305 mil ppl in USA that makes 30 million unemployed. 16% of 30 million is just under 5million. You suck at math and logic.
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Who can believe in the "Talented 10th" now? More like the "Talented .05." Burns and such. This is bananas.
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The selfishness displayed by many African Americans towards other African Americans and Africans in general is glaring in 2010. The best thing that could happen for Africans in America would be for the current recession to continue and become more severe. Maybe an ecomomic environment that highlighted "white" nepotism, "white" privillege, and discrimination based on the Blackness of ones skin; would help Africans in America to distinguish between their friends and enemies.
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Honestly, it is difficult to get upset with the statistics, because the percentages in and of themselves say very little. The U.S. unemployment rate is +/- 10%. Of that 10%, 16% are African-American. What are the other 84%? Why is this number (16%) staggering? Is the percentage disproportionate when you compare the number of African Americans citizens to the % of unemployed African American citizens? Please understand, as a fellow African American who was recently laid off due to corporate restructuring, I am not saying that we should not be concerned - however, what I am saying is I need more information to decide exactly how upset I should be.
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Crakkakilla Reply:
January 15th, 2010 at 1:45 am
HMMM...National=10% Black=16.2% That means White=3.8% I would say that pisses me off a little bit.
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Black unemployment rates consistently soar above white unemployment rates. Those who are afraid to give proper attention to “all” the root causes for high black unemployment rates solely focus on either the lack of education or the poor economy. The Coalition For Change, Inc. (C4C) recognizes that racism also plays a key role in Black America’s higher unemployment rate. For example, within the federal sector many qualified college educated black employees have been dispelled from their jobs as non-minorities in senior positions make room for their family and friends. Despite the fact that “African-Americans were hardest hit as the jobless rate rose” -- the current administration upholds the doctrine that black people are ‘fully represented” in the federal workforce. Hence, the federal government, the Nations’ largest employer across the country fails to actively or fairly recruit, promote or retain qualified African-Americans. In September 2009, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a press release. EEOC stated that the overall federal employment participation of women, Hispanics or Latinos and Asians all increased. Notably, EEOC’s narrative ignored any reference to black employment. Despite the notable ascension of President Barack Obama, an African-American, to the highest rank of the Executive Branch, rampant discrimination persists in the federal sector. Black employees have filed class actions in almost every cabinet agency. Visit C4C website at http://coalition4change.org/pubinterest.htm.
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Black unemployment rates consistently soar above white unemployment rates. Those who are afraid to give proper attention to “all” the root causes for high black unemployment rates” solely focus on the lack of education or the poor economy. The Coalition For Change, Inc. (C4C) recognizes that racism also plays a key role in Black America’s higher unemployment rate. For example, within the federal sector many qualified college educated black employees have been dispelled from their jobs as non-minorities in senior positions make room for their family and friends. Despite the fact that “African-Americans were hardest hit as the jobless rate rose” -- the current administration upholds the doctrine that black people are ‘fully represented” in the federal workforce. Hence, the federal government, the Nations’ largest employer across the country fails to actively or fairly recruit, promote or retain qualified African-Americans. In September 2009, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued a press release. EEOC stated that the overall federal employment participation of women, Hispanics or Latinos and Asians all increased. Notably, EEOC’s narrative ignored any reference to black employment. Despite the notable ascension of President Barack Obama, an African-American, to the highest rank of the Executive Branch, rampant discrimination persists in the federal sector. Black employees have filed class actions in almost every cabinet agency. Visit C4C website at http://coalition4change.org/pubinterest.htm.
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The condition of Africans (American) were deplorable before this crisis. Racism is the root cause of our condition. The other part is our fault. The residual of slavery is embedded in the American African. Africans in Africa and from Africa to the U.S. and I suspect the Diaspora do not want to identify with our slavery experience-- ain't that a rip? That would be the ones who sold us.
We have a condition called self-hate. Instead of flocking to 'their" businesses after the Civil Rights Revolution--because their ice was colder than our ice-- we let our businesses go out of business. The President is correct, small business will put Americans back to work. That being said, where is our business? You do know, who they are going to put back to work in these small businesses, don't you? Maybe the next time you walk into their stores when you have one selling the same thing (maybe) you will buy and support your own. We are not talking about not shopping at (their) stores we are talking about self-survival here. Black people have lessons from their history to continue to be so oblivious generation after generation to what is going on in the world and not know what condition their condition is in. They need to study their history and become more astute in their own survival. Yet, All we want to do is buy, buy and work for Mr. Charlie. We are pitiful! Only a few see the light and that just a few. The others are busy laughing at our most foul commedians and other celebreties. We are lost and I despair.
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