The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the July jobs report today. Private sector employment increased by 154,000 jobs, but that gain was partially offset by continuing loss of public sector jobs. Unemployment declined marginally to 9.1%. Dow drops 500, worst day since 2008 financial crisis.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has issued its May jobs/unemployment report. Little has changed from April. Unemployment 9.1%, 54,000 jobs created.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported the nations unemployment rate remained steady at 9.7%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) monthly employment report notes joblessness declined to 8.9% in February, with a net job creation of 192,000 jobs despite heavy cuts in state and local government employment due to state budget shortfalls. The WaPo story is here.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its data on major work stoppages in 2009. During 2009, fewer strikes and lockouts involving over 1000 workers (5) occurred than in any year since records have been kept (1947). This continues a trend that began in the late 1970’s and parallels the rapid decline in union membership during the same period. The New York Times has a graphic of the decline.

Unemployment dropped from 10 % to 9.7% according to figures released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The bad news, almost all of the decline is attributable to the removal of 378,000 persons for the category "unemployed due to job loss" into the category "Permanent job losers."

An unexpectedly large drop in unemployment (9.4% to 9%) occurred in January, but only 36,000 jobs were created. Full report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is here.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) provides a yearly statistical summary on union membership. Last week's release of the 2010 report confirmed conventional wisdom by showing union membership declining from 12.3% of the wage and salary workers to 11.9%. Union density also fell in the private sector to 6.9% (as compared to 36.2% in the public sector. The estimated number of workers belonging to unions declined 612,000 to 14.3 million. Union membership rates declined over the year in 33 states and the District of Columbia and rose in 17 states. Union membership declined in Louisiana and Mississippi, but increased in Texas.

Today the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual Union Members Summary. It is a treasure trove of data. After two years of increasing union membership among wage and salary workers, union membership declined from 12.4% to 12.3%. In raw numbers the number of wage and salary workers belonging to unions declined by 771,000 to 15.3 million. Killer fact, there are more public sector union members (7.9 million) than private sector union members (7.4 million) despite 5 times more wage and salary jobs in the private sector. Public sector union membership rate is 37.4% private sector rate is 7.2%.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released December unemployment figures this morning. The economy shed 85,000 non-farm jobs. The total number of unemployed persons was 5.3 million, nearly twice the 7.7 million unemployed in December of 2007. An eye-popping 6.1 million Americans have been unemployed more than 27 months.

The August unemployment situation (9.6%) is little changed from the previous month (9.5%), but the expectations game was for the figures to be worse. The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its August unemployment report today. It shows a net loss of 54,000 jobs, the loss resulting from the discontinuation of 114,000 temporary census jobs which offset stronger than expected private sector increases (67,000).