Fewer workers on this Labor Day

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.laborradio.org/node/11896

There are fewer workers available to celebrate Labor Day this year. The latest unemployment numbers show the national unemployment rate rising to 9.7 percent marking the highest number of out of work Americans since June of 1983. If the numbers include part-timers who would like full time jobs and those who have given up looking the number is estimated to be as high as 16.8 percent. Still, even as those numbers climb the numbers of jobs being slashed each month continues to slow. The Economic Policy Institute also drummed up some stormy weather for this holiday intended to celebrate workers. According to the non-partisan organization wage growth is stuttering with private sector wages growing only 1.3 percent over the last six months. Hours worked on average by workers each week are also down suggesting massive wage slashing through furloughs. On average over the last few months U.S. workers put in 33 hours of work per week. That is the shortest work week on record since the government began tracking in 1964.