Philadelphia's Unemployment Rate Drops to 6.6%

[zhaep]

also:

While any decrease in the unemployment rate is good news for the city and its economy, those involved in the daily task of job creation and protecting the most vulnerable and at-risk workers offered a more muted celebration.

Councilman W. Wilson Goode Jr. — as chair of two influential city council committees, including the Committee on Commerce and Economic Development — said attention should be paid to the glut of poverty–wage jobs being created.
“The drop in the unemployment rate in Philadelphia mirrors the national trend,” Goode said. “Unfortunately, many of the new jobs across the nation are lower–wage jobs compared to the jobs lost during the national economic recession. Locally, we are concerned with job quality so we have enhanced our job creation tax credit to support living wages jobs in 2015.”
Officials with the Philadelphia Unemployment Project — which since 1975 has organized the poor and unemployed to fight for economic justice — concede the overall employment is getting better, as the declining rate shows, but like Goode, believe more attention needs to be paid to the number of minimum–, low– and part–time jobs created and subsequently filled.

“Things are better but many of the jobs available are low wage and many are part time,” said Philadelphia Unemployment project director John Dodds. “We have seen a particular problem with older workers, particularly older women workers.

“The recovery has been based on lower paying jobs nationally, with over 40 percent of new jobs being found in retail, fast food and home health aids,” Dodds continued. “It is very important that a substantial increase in the minimum wage be enacted as soon as possible to make these low wage jobs more family-sustaining.”

- Philadelphia hails lowest unemployment rate in six years - The Philadelphia Tribune: News

EDIT: link wasnt linking

[FBJ]

Originally Posted by zhaep

also:



- Philadelphia hails lowest unemployment rate in six years - The Philadelphia Tribune: News

EDIT: link wasnt linking

all about the numbers

[newbee77]

What about manufacturing jobs? Does Philly have a strong manufacturing industry?