Jobless Total Reflects Slowdown May Unemployment In Spokane Slightly Higher Than A Year Ago

A hint that Spokane’s economic growth may have hit a peak showed up in May’s unemployment statistics.

Although unemployment dropped slightly from April to May, for the first time in many months local unemployment increased slightly from the previous year.

“It’s not a big deal either way,” said Fred Walsh, regional labor economist for the Washington State Employment Security Department. “But it does indicate a slowdown. It won’t mean anything, though, until we see what happens in upcoming months.”

Spokane’s May unemployment rate was 4.9 percent compared with a revised April rate of 5.1 percent. That translates to 9,700 jobless in a potential work force of 198,300.

But the May 1994 unemployment rate was 4.7 percent.

A single month alone is not indicative of big economic turnaround, Walsh cautioned.

“But it may be the plateauing, or even the minor dip, that people are expecting,” he said. “You figure housing has peaked, so construction has peaked, and so forth.”

Statewide, strong wholesale and retail trade helped push the unemployment rate down from 6.0 to 5.8 percent of the labor force from April to May. However, the seasonally adjusted rate was unchanged at 6.1 percent. The comparable national rate was 5.7 percent.”

Hiring by wholesale and retail trade businesses, which added 7,100 workers in May, helped hold the state rate steady.

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Graphic: County-by-county monthly unemployment rates