Austin unemployment rate tops 7.1% - Austin Business Journal (good)

[BentBow]

I am an independent contractor. I have had only 3 projects this year that lasted longer than a week, Last year I had at least 15 good projects. It has been little minimum charge stuff, and those have been few and far between. The illegal aliens don't help things in my trade, either.
I have been unemployed for 3 months now. Guys constantly calling asking if I have any spare work I can subcontract to them. It is becoming a job Americans can't afford to do.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by atxcio

The estimate is certainly off, but it is applied uniformly to all the US metros they mention. The question is, does the methodology work "less" in certain areas because the employment picture is weighted differently.. ie, cities which have a lot of independent contractors, small businesses, etc (like Austin) vs. cities which have more people employed by large employers in factories, etc (like say, Michigan). I think an argument could be made that in someplace like Michigan, unemployment figures are more accurate than in a place like Austin.

It makes it extremely difficult to judge the DOL's numbers in terms of "how likely I will be to get employment in X city". In a bigger metro like Houston or Dallas, there will be so many more available positions... just through turnover. Yes, there could be tons more applicants because of population -- but at least the opportunity is there for people to compete for those positions. In Austin, there are just so much fewer positions, especially for highly trained/specialized workers. That's what isn't shown by the employment figures, and hence is overlooked by some relocatees IMO.

Great point per turnover....and Austin has a large % of gov't/public sector jobs, which are notorious for workers staying forever....I've done the public sector thing, and it is not uncommon for gov't workers to stay for decades, and to work long into retirement, out of boredom if nothing else.
We had several people in their 80's at the gov't job I had. Easy work, full benefits, union, essentially impossible to get fired, and sometimes pretty good pay, not to mention a decent pension plan.

And that means little to no turnover in the gov't sector in Austin, even more so now with the tight economy. And Austin has a very large % of gov't sector jobs, which, by the way, are always touted as the reason Austin never suffers like other cities in tough times....

That's great for the people that already landed the jobs, but really tough for the people trying to get them, AND there are lots of hiring freezes out there....

Per entrepreneurs and such, yes, they can slip through cracks in stats, but there are not as many as you would think in Austin. Some make it sound as if every third person has his/her own little business operating from their den/rented office. Austin may have more than most cities, but still a very small percentage of the total workforce....and many who telecommute are working for someone else.....

Lastly, stats lie always.....they are always fudged to make the fudger look good...the reality is almost always slightly worse at the very least, sometimes MUCH worse.....the saying is believe nothing you hear, and only half of what you see.....if you see lots of folks struggling in Austin, then chances are it is far worse here job-wise than the stats say..

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by BentBow

I am an independent contractor. I have had only 3 projects this year that lasted longer than a week, Last year I had at least 15 good projects. It has been little minimum charge stuff, and those have been few and far between. The illegal aliens don't help things in my trade, either.
I have been unemployed for 3 months now. Guys constantly calling asking if I have any spare work I can subcontract to them. It is becoming a job Americans can't afford to do.

I was one as well till recently(IC)....the prob with being one is that you have to drum up your own business, and not everyone is equally adept at it, especially in a lethargic market such as we are in now. You have to toot your own horn like a SOB now to make things happen. Its easy to just give up, but you have to keep on plugging.......

[nomore07]

Originally Posted by inthecut

Between the illegals IN the country that singlehandedly destroyed much of the construction trade, amongst others, AND the offshoring/outsourcing of services and manufacturing to the third world, is it any wonder why we have folks standing in line looking for work?

Question is, what word is LEFT in this country? Looks like they are trying to outsource the entire tech sector now as well........

Perhaps we should just go back to the farm culture, and grow our own food....laugh, but it might come back to that sooner than later..



And would that be such a bad thing?

I'd do it in a heartbeat. The problem is that takes a job/income in order to buy land, buy some basic equipment, pay property taxes, and so on.

[inthecut]

Originally Posted by nomore07

I'd do it in a heartbeat. The problem is that takes a job/income in order to buy land, buy some basic equipment, pay property taxes, and so on.

True....but not if you live in a cooperative farm.....perhaps we may have to go back to public commons, ala pre 18th century Europe.....the prob isn't as much buying land, but reclaiming it from the big agricultural interests who wrested it all from the small farmers in the last 30-40 years.......

Anyone for a agricultural squatters revolution? You have nothing to lose but your chains(remember that old one from mother russia?)

Speaking of old commie days, check out how capitalism is progessing in the old communist countries(Hint: They hate it, and actually yearn for the old days.....doesn't say much for the scraps they are getting from the Globalization crowd who eat Caviar yearly in Davos, does it?)

Link..........SPECIAL REPORT: In eastern Europe, people pine for socialism | U.S. | Reuters

[Trad Carpenter]

I'm still quite new to City Data and this forum but, I've found more valuable info here than anywhere else either in print or on the net. So, having said that what you all have written is more than a little disturbing. What I mean by that is that you are The People, not just one investigative reporter or even a publication with an agenda. And so far the news regarding local economy, employment and immigration issues is pretty bad. As Texas residents/ Austinites, do you believe that your State/City is prepared to deal with these issues? Also, do you feel that there will be (if not all ready) a "backlash" of resentement towards other Americans relocating to Texas, Austin, etc?

[10scoachrick]

Originally Posted by Trad Carpenter

I'm still quite new to City Data and this forum but, I've found more valuable info here than anywhere else either in print or on the net. So, having said that what you all have written is more than a little disturbing. What I mean by that is that you are The People, not just one investigative reporter or even a publication with an agenda. And so far the news regarding local economy, employment and immigration issues is pretty bad. As Texas residents/ Austinites, do you believe that your State/City is prepared to deal with these issues? Also, do you feel that there will be (if not all ready) a "backlash" of resentement towards other Americans relocating to Texas, Austin, etc?

Well, you ask some 'timeless' questions...but, this thread is over a year and a half old. With the exception of the stance of some of the posters, a lot has changed in that time.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by atxcio

Some perspective. Dallas and Houston unemployment rates are now over 8%:

Houston -- 8%
Houston-area unemployment jumps to 8 percent - Houston Business Journal:

DFW -- 8.2%
D-FW unemployment rises in June - Dallas Business Journal:

But San Antonio remains lower... I think this may show some of the flaws in the US unemployment calculations. Does anyone really think jobs are easier to find in Austin and San Antonio vs. Dallas and Houston?

San Antonio -- 6.9%
San Antonio’s June unemployment rises to 6.9 percent - San Antonio Business Journal:

I also question this article. It states that the statewide UE rate is 7.5%. I remember all news outlets reported an 8% rate recently:

Texas Jobless Rate Falls Again To 8 Percent « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

the article also mentions that most of the increase in jobs were tourism related. Those jobs are normally not very high-paying ones.

[JayBrown80]

Originally Posted by wehotex

I also question this article. It states that the statewide UE rate is 7.5%. I remember all news outlets reported an 8% rate recently:

Texas Jobless Rate Falls Again To 8 Percent « CBS Dallas / Fort Worth

the article also mentions that most of the increase in jobs were tourism related. Those jobs are normally not very high-paying ones.

He posted his information 2 years ago. So it is probably outdated, which is why news outlets reported something different "recently"

[atxcio]

Yes, I've been zombie quoted! Although I think I made some decent points, and I agree with myself from 2 years ago. I guess that's a bit narcissistic. Good thing I can't rep two-year-ago me.