Show Uintah Uinta eosin Basin growth growt analysed by y Utah Uta Employment Security By Wm J. J Kremin Jr Vernal Employment Security Manager The year Is rapidly coming to toa toa toa a close and it is time again to ask what kind of year have we had It has been a y year ar plagued with the Watergate political upheaval numerous shortages inflation international crisis and on and on Even so business activity inthis Inthis in inthis this great Uintah Basin has been healthy energetic and growing Nearly every indicator used has shown a very good year In 1973 As for the future the energy crisis seems to assure the Uintah Basin of even greater growth in the coming years ONE GOOD indication of the strong economic growth is the even increasing number of our population In trying to determine our population growth one can find numerous unofficial estimates Most Mast of these se seem m to estimate the current population for the three throe county area somewhere between and That means an increase between and aDd since April 1970 when a total population of was officially officially officially of of- tallied in Daggett Duchesne and Uintah Counties This is a healthy increase of 21 to 26 percent I WHAT THEN about the labor force For several months now it has been readily apparent to any and nd all employers that skilled and unskilled labor has been In short supply Generally physically physically able able men have found jobs readily available Since 1965 the number of wage and salaried workers in nonagricultural nonagricultural non non- agricultural industries has more than doubled Graph number I I shows the monthly aver average ge of wor workers in non-agricultural non wage and salaried jobs in in the Uintah Basin It illustrates illustrates' the rapid acceleration in employment for this area since 1969 The number of employed workers workers' grew at ari an average annual rate of ei approximately pp 7 percent from 1965 to 1971 In 1972 and 1973 the growth rate bounced to 11 percent per year The The number of workers increased in creased from almost in 1965 to over in 1973 A STUDY of the second graph reveals a sharp decline in the rate of unemployed workers in Uintah Basin It to 49 percent in 1972 and an estimated 38 percent I in 1973 This is far below state and national levels It can only be attributed to to oil related The drop in the theU U unemployment rate has been also reflected in the drop of cia claimants Imants filing unemployment insurance claims During calendar 1972 the number of filing flUng claims against the unemployment Insurance fund totaled 1047 in the three county area It is estimated that during calendar 1973 the number will willbe willbe be under This is a significant decline of 29 percent per per- cent EVEN THOUGH the number of initial claimants dropped 29 percent the number of weeks weeks' claimed dropped only 19 percent per per- cent What does this mean It means fewer p people ople received checks each week but then drew them for a greater number of weeks than one year ago These people in many cases are thelast the thelast thelast last to be hired and the first to tobe tobe tobe be fired Along with this interesting paradox is the increase in benefits In 1971 the total payroll l in unemployment Cayro insurance benefits came to In 1972 it dropped to Then Then during during 1973 the total estimated payroll in unemployment insurance benefits came back up to One ask if the number of claimants dropped by 29 percent in 1973 then why did the number of rl dollars paid out go up p by almost 14 percent One must remember the number of claimants who did file filed flied for a greater number of weeks than one year ago In addition the weekly maximum benefit in 1973 was was' greater by than in the me previous year TO SUMMARIZE 1973 has been a very good economic year in the Uintah Basin Basia Even though the business world has experienced shortages shortages' of of men and materials the chance tomake to tomake tomake make an honest profit has been good As for 1974 the chances seem quite good for another profitable year with continued growth The energy crisis will probably hurt tourist related trade and service industries es s Oti On On the other h hand r It t pr promises to stimulate te production manufacturing transportation and mining industries The good goodLord Lord willing and the creek dont don't rise 1974 holds holds' the promise of a good year 1 I m V H L l' l I |