Jobs Lose But Productivity, Orders, and Truck Tonnage Gain

Sept. 10, 2003
The one sour note sounded by recent economic reports was unemployment. Though the unemployment rate dropped to 6.1% in August, the Labor Department reported

The one sour note sounded by recent economic reports was unemployment. Though the unemployment rate dropped to 6.1% in August, the Labor Department reported the manufacturing sector lost 44,000 jobs. The drop in unemployment (down from 6.2 % in July and 6.4% in June) was ascribed to more discouraged workers leaving the work force.

Factory orders rose for the third straight month, up 1.6% in July vs. an expected rise of 0.8%. This translates into more demand for transportation services. That fact was reflected in the American Trucking Associations' truck tonnage figures which show truck tonnage up 3.7% in the first seven months of 2003 vs. the prior year.

Trucks hauled 8.9 billion tons of freight in 2002, according to the ATA, 67.9% of all tonnage carried by all domestic freight transportation modes.

Latest from Labor Management

#171785560 © Mark Gomez | Dreamstime
DOL Announces New Actions  to ProtectH-2B Workers
DOL Announces New Actions  to ProtectH-2B Workers
DOL Announces New Actions  to ProtectH-2B Workers
DOL Announces New Actions  to ProtectH-2B Workers
DOL Announces New Actions  to ProtectH-2B Workers
# 170547495 © VectorMine| Dreamstime
Labor Skills Needed for the Future
Labor Skills Needed for the Future
Labor Skills Needed for the Future
Labor Skills Needed for the Future
Labor Skills Needed for the Future
248887764 © Timon Schneider | Dreamstime.com
Nlrb Screen Shot
Nlrb Screen Shot
Nlrb Screen Shot
Nlrb Screen Shot
Nlrb Screen Shot