Log in

View Full Version : Michael Mandel: A lost decade for jobs



Winehole23
06-26-2009, 11:36 AM
Via Economist's View (http://economistsview.typepad.com/)


A Lost Decade for Jobs

Posted by: Michael Mandel on June 23


Private sector job growth was almost non-existent over the past ten years. Take a look at this horrifying chart:


http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/economicsunbound/archives/longjobs1.gif
Between May 1999 and May 2009, employment in the private sector sector only rose by 1.1%, by far the lowest 10-year increase in the post-depression period.



It’s impossible to overstate how bad this is. Basically speaking, the private sector job machine has almost completely stalled over the past ten years.



Take a look at this chart:


http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/economicsunbound/archives/longjobs2.gif


Over the past 10 years, the private sector has generated roughly 1.1 million additional jobs, or about 100K per year. The public sector created about 2.4 million jobs.


But even that gives the private sector too much credit. Remember that the private sector includes health care, social assistance, and education, all areas which receive a lot of government support. I’ve been talking about the HealthEdGov sector. Take a look at this table:

10-year Job Growth: HealthEdGov Sector Dominates



Industry Change, May 1999-2009
(thousands of jobs)*

Private healthcare 2898 Food and drinking places 1567 Gov educ 1390 Professional and business services 885 Gov except health and ed 843 Social assistance 796 Private education 772 Arts, entertainment, and recreation 188 Gov health 148 Mining 133 Financial activities 130 Utilities -40 Transportation and warehousing -43 Retail -91 Accomodations -119 Wholesale -166 Construction -238 Information -525 Manufacturing -5372

*Gov health and gov educ based on April 2009 estimates Data: BLS



Most of the industries which had positive job growth over the past ten years were in the HealthEdGov sector. In fact, financial job growth was nearly nonexistent once we take out the health insurers.
Let me finish with a final chart.



http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/economicsunbound/archives/longjobs4.gif


Without a decade of growing government support from rising health and education spending and soaring budget deficits, the labor market would have been flat on its back.

101A
06-26-2009, 11:44 AM
The giant sucking sound Perot warned of?

more likely it is globalism, along with increased productivity afforded by technology.

I know my own company has the same number of jobs, provides more service AND handles 50% more clients.

I get called monthly with offers to either 1) Sell to a larger concern who will in turn lay off most, if not all, of my staff - and absorb my cash flow and workload into their own enormous operation or 2) Farm out certain aspects of our service and clerical work to India.

The solution, IMO, should be more small business start ups with innovative/unique service/product offerings. Enough of that is not happening.

101A
06-26-2009, 11:45 AM
Healthcare is the non-govt. sector experiencing growth - lets give it to the government!

sam1617
06-26-2009, 11:49 AM
The giant sucking sound Perot warned of?

more likely it is globalism, along with increased productivity afforded by technology.

I know my own company has the same number of jobs, provides more service AND handles 50% more clients.

I get called monthly with offers to either 1) Sell to a larger concern who will in turn lay off most, if not all, of my staff - and absorb my cash flow and workload into their own enormous operation or 2) Farm out certain aspects of our service and clerical work to India.

The solution, IMO, should be more small business start ups with innovative/unique service/product offerings. Enough of that is not happening.

Absolutely, corporations are, while necessary in many cases, a dangerous thing to our economy. They are designed to maximize revenue with minimizing cost, which makes for less jobs.

Small businesses with new ideas, even if its just a new way of doing the same old thing, are great.

coyotes_geek
06-26-2009, 12:28 PM
The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureacracy. More government cures all.

DarkReign
06-26-2009, 12:32 PM
The bureaucracy is expanding to meet the needs of the expanding bureacracy. More government cures all.

Civ4...love that game.

coyotes_geek
06-26-2009, 12:33 PM
Civ4...love that game.

:lol

I was wondering if anyone would get that reference.