Tag Archive for 'unemployment'

America’s Manufacturing Industry Responds To Today’s Job Loss Numbers

Published on August 6, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Statement from Dennis Slater, President of Association of Equipment Manufacturers

The unemployment numbers released by the Labor Department today are discouraging news for the millions of Americans seeking work. Our economy is stuck at 9.5 percent unemployment, and Congress should be pulling out the stops to put America’s middle class back to work in the manufacturing industry. Last week the House passed a bill that establishes the equivalent of a Blue Ribbon commission to study manufacturing jobs. We’re encouraged to see this focus on manufacturing, but a study commission is not enough. Our nation’s unemployed need concrete action on jobs – and they need it now. There are two simple, yet fundamental, things Congress can do not only to improve the outlook for equipment manufacturing jobs but for our nation’s long-term, sustainable economic growth and global competitiveness:

  • Generate economic activity by rebuilding and modernizing America’s infrastructure – roads, bridges, sewer, clean water and flood control systems – starting immediately with the long overdue reauthorization of the federal surface transportation programs.
  • Help our farmers and manufacturers create more jobs in the U.S. by exporting their products to new markets around the world. One very direct way to do this is by passing the pending free trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia.

This is what the AEM stands for – it’s also what America wants.

From Access News:Economic recovery in a “pause”, Greenspan says

Published on August 2, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

By Alan Fein

Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan says the economic recovery is in a “pause” that feels like the economy could be reversing previous gains but with unemployment running high, people should take note that banks and larger corporations are improving.

“We’re in a pause in a recovery, a modest recovery, but a pause in the modest recovery feels like a quasi-recession,” Greenspan said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

When asked about the animosity between Wall Street and the White House, Greenspan said “I’ve never seen anything like this before, I can’t answer that question.”  Yet Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who also appeared on today’s Show, put it more bluntly as a growing number of Americans are dissatisfied with the way things are going.

“The public is upset. If they haven’t lost their job, they know somebody who has, if they haven’t lost their home, they know somebody who has,” said Bloomberg.  “What do you do, when something’s wrong – you blame someone else.”

“Its government’s job to fix it,” he explained.  “Politicians want to stay in office, they look for somebody else to blame.  It’s much too simplistic to say the banks did everything wrong.”

“Our problem is that we have a very distorted economy,” Bernanke stated.  “High income individuals have added $800 billion to their 401k’s, large corporations and banks are in excellent shape.  The rest of the economy - small business, small banks and a very significant amount of the labor force aren’t doing so well.   That is pulling the economy apart.”

The former Fed Chief felt the confusion was in the way we examine the economy, not whether jobs, government or large or small businesses were doing better.  “The ‘average’ of those two are what we are looking at, but they fundamentally different,” he explained.

On Housing

When asked if the housing crisis could grow worse and generate a ‘double-dip recession’ Greenspan said, “it is possible, IF home prices go down.”

Greenspan felt that housing prices had flattened out, though he cautioned that there were a large number of mortgages that could fall into foreclosure and if they did, home prices would once again fall.  “It would create a problem,” said Greenspan.  “Its touch and go.”

On Unemployment

Mayor Bloomberg and Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Ed Randell, who also appeared on ”Meet The Press” Sunday, both agreed that stimulus funding by the government didn’t do enough and should have more been focused on creating jobs through infrastructure spending.

“We should be investing in things that stimulate the economy, we have to do both and we can do both,” said Gov. Randell.

Both Gov. Randell and Bloomberg agreed that infrastructure spending would do more to put Americans back to work.

Bloomberg noted that $500 tax rebates went to buy flat panel TVs from China and much of the first round funding to states went to their own budget shortfalls than it did to generate jobs.

“We should be investing more money in our infrastructure spending now, we need it,” said Randell.  “And its the best job creater.”

Bloomberg noted that in the 1930s, the money went to infrastructure.  “Bridges, roads and buildings, those where all built with money spent on infrastructure,” he stated.   “This stimulus bill didn’t exactly help our economy,  No body’s been directing this money to creating jobs, they used it pay pet projects,” said Bloomberg.

“There is nothing out there that I can see that’s being done to alter this level of unemployment,” stated Greenspan.

On Financial Reform

“Meet The Press” moderator David Gregory asked the panel of things were different today than before and if financial reform would actually make things different.

Bloomberg noted that “the devil’s in the details” in referring to a 200-page bill that very few people have ever read that is based on how the legislation turns over the responsibility to the Fed and the SEC to write regulation without thinking about it before Congress passed the bill.

“This is a dream piece of legislation for lobbyists and lawyers – and no body knows the answer to your question,” the Mayor of New York said.

When asked about the animosity between government and business, Greenspan noted that “I’ve never seen anything like this” in referring to the recession.  “Its got to do with the ‘schism in society,’ which is becoming ever-more destructive,” said Greenspan.  “We’ve gotta change it.”

“We’ve got to stop looking for villains,” said Bloomberg.  “Government needs to promote American commerce and finance around the world. Always pointing fingers and finding fault with everybody, we need to find solutions.”

Randell stated that, “better regulation is good for the business community and that’s something we need to get together on.”

Source:

Access News August 1, 2010

AEM Poll: Voters Say National Policies for Manufacturing Jobs “Not Working”

Published on July 19, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

Majorities say increasing exports should be a top priority in 2011

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) released details today of a non-partisan nationwide poll about voter attitudes on the economy, manufacturing and transportation infrastructure. When asked how much of the $800 billion economic stimulus package was used to create jobs by rebuilding and improving highways, roads, and bridges, 2-out-of-5 voters incorrectly guessed 25%.

53% of voters think worse of the stimulus package when they learn that only 3% of its funding was dedicated to rebuilding highways, roads and bridges.

“The findings in our national survey demonstrate strong majorities of voters believe putting money into infrastructure would make America a more desirable place to live and work, and would create a significant number of new jobs,” said AEM President Dennis Slater.

89% agree that “America needs to dramatically increase manufacturing jobs so our economy can keep pace with other countries.”

83% of voters say it is “very” or “critically” important that equipment manufacturers are “able to prosper and grow right here in the United States.”

66% of voters believe, “Given current economic conditions, it’s a good time to build and repair America’s roads and bridges.”

The survey also shows voters strongly believe that national policies are failing to keep manufacturing jobs in this country. American voters think that national policies are failing when it comes to expanding trade with other countries and keeping white-collar jobs in the U.S.

68% believe national policies to keep manufacturing jobs in this country are “not working well.”

66% support making the implementation of the National Export Initiative a top national priority during the next year.  In the survey, it was explained to voters that the Initiative “is designed to create more jobs in the United States by encouraging the sale of American-made products to other countries.  The goal of the Initiative is to double our exports over the next 5 years by working to remove trade barriers abroad and by helping U.S. businesses enter new export markets.”

“Questions about national policies to keep manufacturing jobs in America and expand exports to other countries capture an important strain of economic discontent that is now running through the electorate,” said Ron Faucheux, President of Clarus Research, which conducted the AEM poll.

AEM’s poll results come on the heels of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s announcement that the Democratic Caucus is developing a plan titled “Making It In America” to increase manufacturing jobs.

“Eighty-nine percent of voters agree America needs to dramatically increase manufacturing jobs so our economy can keep pace with other countries,” said Mr. Slater.  “AEM welcomes efforts by Speaker Pelosi to increase manufacturing jobs, but we question how Congress can develop an effective plan without working with AEM and its member companies,” said Mr. Slater.

These results are based on a survey conducted by Clarus Research Group, a nonpartisan survey research firm based in Washington, D.C. (for more information, go to ClarusRG.com). The survey was conducted for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers by live telephone interviewers June 27-July 2, 2010. Sample size: 1,000 registered voters nationwide. The poll’s margin of error was +/- 3.1 percent.

Construction Job Growth Encouraging, But Hole Remains Deep

Published on May 9, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , .

“We can’t afford to let the men and women who build America’s backbone – its roads, bridges, energy and water systems, and its schools – be left behind as the economic recovery continues”

On Friday the U.S. Labor Department reported that the jobs situation in the construction industry – a key driver of the U.S. economy – improved slightly for the second consecutive month, while still lagging behind other sectors. The number of construction jobs increased by 14,000, but construction unemployment still remained near Depression-era levels at 21.8 percent. Currently, more than 1.9 million construction workers are still looking for work.

Terry O’Sullivan, General President of the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) made the following statement today regarding the jobs report:

Two straight months of job growth is undoubtedly a good thing for the millions of construction workers struggling to get by. Still, the numbers show that unemployment in this vital area of the economy is far, far higher than almost any other part of the labor force.

We can’t afford to let the men and women who build America’s basics – its roads, bridges, energy and water systems, and its schools – be left behind as the economic recovery continues. If we do so, it won’t just be construction workers who pay the price – it will also be paid by everyone as our basic needs go neglected.

It’s time for Congress to take this problem seriously and invest in building America. Let’s pass a comprehensive highway bill. Let’s modernize our aging water resources facilities, our schools and our energy systems. And let’s put men and women back to work while leaving a legacy that will last for generations and allow our country to compete in the 21st century.

Statement By AEM President Dennis Slater On “Jobs Report”

Published on February 8, 2010 in Daily Dirt. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , .

As announced recently, the unemployment rate may have officially dipped just below 10 percent, but for many industries that is little consolation.

Unemployment in the construction equipment industry is more than double the national average, but we can recapture these jobs with the right legislation. What’s the solution?

Washington needs to focus on legislation for a multi-year, fully-funded transportation infrastructure program that would boost employment in the construction industry, including equipment manufacturers and dealers who sell the machinery and construction contractors who buy and use the machinery.

The industry is not asking for the bailouts given to the auto industry or the financial services sector, but it is asking Congress to make the “highway bill” reauthorization a priority.

Unfortunately, Congress has “kicked the issue down the road” by passing two short-term extensions since the last bill expired in September 2009.  The latest two-month extension expires on February 28, 2010, and it appears that the most likely Congressional action will be another extension, a move that does not create the market certainty to promote job growth or meaningful infrastructure improvement.

An information campaign called Start Us Up USA! has been underway since last fall and is being coordinated by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM) and the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED),the nation’s two leading construction equipment industry trade groups.  The campaign is based on facts provided by IHS Global Insight.  Since 2006 the U.S. equipment industry has lost 37 percent of its workforce and 40 percent of its economic output.

The need for jobs is serious. Although last year’s stimulus money was helpful, it hasn’t been enough.  If Washington wants to put people to work – now, the answer is to pass transportation infrastructure legislation – now.