“The commonwealth lost 2,900 jobs, indicating legislative action is needed to stabilize the economy,” said Governor Edward G. Rendell after the state’s Employment Report was released this week.

Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs count fell to 5,800,000 in March, down 2,900 from February. Job losses were spread across several industries and were relatively mild — with the exception of construction, which lost 1,000 jobs.

“This is the second consecutive month we've lost thousands of jobs,” Rendell cited. “While our unemployment rate is better than the national average, losing 2,900 jobs shows that the national economic downturn threatens the prosperity Pennsylvania businesses, workers and communities have enjoyed.”

Pike

In Pike County, the labor force increased by 300 from February 2007 to February 2008, but unemployment rose by 2.1 percent or 600 in the same time period.

Currently, the state’s unemployment rate is at 4.9, Pike’s rate is 6.5.

Wayne

In neighboring Wayne County the news is not as bad.

With a slight gain in the labor force, 200 in the last year, Wayne County’s unemployment rate sits at only 4.5 percent, slightly up from 2007.

One hundred confirming jobs were loss between February 2007 and 2008, and other 100 in private and 100 in goods producing jobs were also lost. Construction, natural resources and mining jobs remained level with 1,300 employed.

Service providing labor remained mostly the same with 3,600 in transportation and utilities positions; 2,900 in trade jobs; a gain of 100 in the professional and business services and a lost of 100 in the educational and health services.

Government

In both counties, Wayne and Pike, the most steady of all employment numbers are in the government positions.

In Pike, 3,200 are employed in state government and 1,700 in local government, with no change in the last 12 months.

Wayne, 2,700 are employed in state government and 2,300 in local government. Again, numbers unchanged from a year ago.

State-wide

State-wide, Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted civilian labor force, the number of people working or looking for work, fell to 6,324,000 in March, down 22,000 from February. Both resident employment and unemployment were down from February by 16,000 and 6,000, respectively. The labor force was up 44,000 from March 2007, with both employment and unemployment up over the year.

Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell by 0.1 of a percentage point to 4.9 percent in March. The state rate was two-tenths of a point below the national rate, which rose to 5.1 percent in March. Pennsylvania's rate was up 0.6 of a percentage point from March 2007, while the national rate was up 0.7 of a percentage point from a year ago.

Pennsylvania's seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs count fell to 5,800,000 in March, down 2,900 from February. Job losses were spread across several industries and were relatively mild, with the exception of construction, which lost 1,000 jobs. Despite the overall job decline, education and health services remained strong, adding 400 jobs to set a new record high level of 1,086,100.