OCR Text |
Show Job Service report shows increases in Basin Labor market conditions for the Uintah Basin District (Duchesne, Daggett and Uintah counties) showed improvement during the first quarter of 1981. According to the first quarter Job Service Employment Newsletter, the number of people employed in the district dis-trict was 338 greater during March 1981 than it was during March 1980 (an increase in-crease of 2.6 percent). For the same period, the district's unemployment dropped 10.4 percent, resulting in a decrease in the seasonally adjusted rate from 4.0 percent (for March 1908) to 3.5 percent (for March 1981). Duchesne and Uintah Counties experienced ex-perienced lower unemployment rates in March 1981 than in March 1980. Daggett County showed an increase from 3.5 percent to 4.5 percent. The total number of nonfarm jobs in the district increased by 263 (or 2.5 percent from March 1980 and March 1981). The change in the nonagricultural job pattern shows which industries lost and which industries in-dustries gained jobs: contract construction con-struction employment declined by 7.1 percent and retail trade by 0.7 percent. The mining industry experienced the highest growth rate (7.8 percent) while the government sector generated the greatest number of new jobs (increasing (in-creasing from 2,336 to 2,394, an increase of 58 jobs). Job market activities throughout the district for first quarter 1981 also show improvement in the labor market over last year. The number of new applicants ap-plicants who registered with local Job Service offices was 21.5 percent higher during first quarter 1981 compared to the same period of 1980. At the same time, the number of new job openings reported by the district's employers increased 21.4 percent and the number of people placed by Job Service rose 15.4 percent. This improvement in the labor market is further indicated by decreases in virtually all measures of unemployment insurance activities throughout the district. Economic indicators, in the Uintah Basin District, expressed in terms of dollars, are significantly improved over last year. Gross taxable sales increased 17.7 percent from fourth quarter 1979 to fourth quarter 1980. However, inflation, as measured by the national consumer price index for the same period, ran 12.6 percent. Adjusted for inflation, gross taxable sales actually ac-tually increased 5.1 percent. Tourist room sales for the same comparative periods also showed significant increases in-creases (of 29.2 percent and 16.6 percent, per-cent, respectively). New construction valuation for the district improved for the first time in many quarters. The overall valuation of new construction was 71.1 percent higher in first quarter 1981 than in first quarter 1980. Furthermore, with the exception of non-residential additions, alterations and repairs, all of the district's construction valuation indicators in-dicators improved significantly. |