Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
By JAN TUCKER
Employment in Gogebic County in the past five months improved significantly, while other statistics on which the health of the labor force is based do not show such a big rebound.
In April, there were 500 people unemployed in Gogebic County, according to the Michigan Bureau of Labor market. In September, that number fell to 325, with unemployment of 5 percent. The rate in April was 7.5 percent and in August 5.5 percent.
While the numbers of unemployed dropped by 75, the number of employed since April has risen by just 25, however, as the labor force shrinks.
The total civilian labor market dropped from 6,525 to 6,400.
In Ontonagon County, the September unemployment rate was 6.1 percent. In April, the jobless rate was 9.5 percent.
Total employment in Ontonagon County has risen by 50 since April. It was 2,025 in April and 2,075 in September. The total labor market dropped by 25, from 2,225 in April to 2,200 in September, however.
Other western U.P. counties saw small improvements in unemployment over August rates. Baraga County’s jobless rate dropped from 6.8 percent to 5.8 percent. It was 6.4 percent one year ago.
Houghton County’s September rate was 4.4 percent, down from 5.2 percent in August and the same as a year ago.
Keweenaw County, with just 925 people in its labor force, saw a month’s drop from 6.4 percent in August to 4.9 percent in September.
Western U.P. jobless rates are the lowest in 2016, according to the labor bureau, with jobless rates falling in all counties of the U.P.
