Where Have All the Workers Gone?

July 7, 2012 | brown deer

[Brown Deer]

Where have all the workers gone?

Since Barack 0bama has taken office, the population of the United States has grown by over nine million people, yet according to the United States Department of Labor, the labor force has only grown by only 1.5 million over the same period.

The fact is, the DOL's Bureau of Labor Statistics does not do accurate counting of unemployed people. It's numbers do not come from the State's unemployment offices. All of it's numbers are calculated from a sample survey conducted each month that includes less than 0.02% of our country's population. How valid are those numbers? Who is more likely to respond to the survey, a happy worker or someone who is depressed about being unemployed?

Some may argue that many of these people have retired and left the work force. No, not the case according to the Social Security Administration. The number of retired workers collecting benefits has grown by only about 3.6 million since 0bama took office, while at the same time we have had an additional 2.2 million immigrants enter our country.

The following table is compiled with data from the U.S. Census, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Social Security Administration. If you notice in the middle of the year 2009, the number of people "not in the labor force" began to rapidly increase. This number is calculated and not reported by the government. If you compare the difference between that number and the number of "retired workers", you will find that there are at least well over six million workers not being counted as unemployed over the past six years!

The fact is, we reached ten percent unemployment in mid 2009, and have been in the range of 11-13 percent ever since!

Month	U.S. Population	Employed	% Employed	Not Working	Labor Force	Unemployed	Unemployment Rate	Not in Labor Force	Retired Workers	Difference	Net Change	Actual Unemployed	Actual Rate
Jan 2009	304,476,912	140,436,000	46.12%	164,040,912	153,445,000	13,009,000	8.5%	151,031,912	32,484,808	118,547,104
Feb 2009	304,725,568	140,105,000	45.98%	164,620,568	153,804,000	13,699,000	8.9%	150,921,568	32,616,240	118,305,328
Mar 2009	304,974,223	139,833,000	45.85%	165,141,223	153,728,000	13,895,000	9.0%	151,246,223	32,723,029	118,523,194
Apr 2009	305,222,879	140,586,000	46.06%	164,636,879	153,834,000	13,248,000	8.6%	151,388,879	32,831,108	118,557,771
May 2009	305,471,534	140,363,000	45.95%	165,108,534	154,336,000	13,973,000	9.1%	151,135,534	32,921,895	118,213,639
Jun 2009	305,720,190	140,826,000	46.06%	164,894,190	155,921,000	15,095,000	9.7%	149,799,190	33,026,550	116,772,640
Jul 2009	305,968,845	141,055,000	46.10%	164,913,845	156,255,000	15,200,000	9.7%	149,713,845	33,135,218	116,578,627
Aug 2009	306,217,501	140,074,000	45.74%	166,143,501	154,897,000	14,823,000	9.6%	151,320,501	33,239,757	118,080,744	1,502,117	16,325,117	10.4%
Sep 2009	306,466,156	139,079,000	45.38%	167,387,156	153,617,000	14,538,000	9.5%	152,849,156	33,320,315	119,528,841	2,950,214	17,488,214	11.2%
Oct 2009	306,714,812	139,088,000	45.35%	167,626,812	153,635,000	14,547,000	9.5%	153,079,812	33,366,881	119,712,931	3,134,304	17,681,304	11.3%
Nov 2009	306,963,467	139,132,000	45.33%	167,831,467	153,539,000	14,407,000	9.4%	153,424,467	33,452,328	119,972,139	3,393,512	17,800,512	11.3%
Dec 2009	307,212,123	137,953,000	44.90%	169,259,123	152,693,000	14,740,000	9.7%	154,519,123	33,512,913	121,006,210	4,427,583	19,167,583	12.2%
Jan 2010	307,463,851	136,809,000	44.50%	170,654,851	152,957,000	16,148,000	10.6%	154,506,851	33,687,642	120,819,209	4,240,582	20,388,582	13.0%
Feb 2010	307,155,579	137,203,000	44.67%	169,952,579	153,194,000	15,991,000	10.4%	153,961,579	33,796,180	120,165,399	3,586,772	19,577,772	12.5%
Mar 2010	307,967,308	137,983,000	44.80%	169,984,308	153,660,000	15,677,000	10.2%	154,307,308	33,882,467	120,424,841	3,846,214	19,523,214	12.4%
Apr 2010	308,219,036	139,302,000	45.20%	168,917,036	153,911,000	14,609,000	9.5%	154,308,036	33,965,577	120,342,459	3,763,832	18,372,832	11.7%
May 2010	308,470,764	139,497,000	45.22%	168,973,764	153,866,000	14,369,000	9.3%	154,604,764	34,048,324	120,556,440	3,977,813	18,346,813	11.6%
Jun 2010	308,722,493	139,882,000	45.31%	168,840,493	154,767,000	14,885,000	9.6%	153,955,493	34,137,606	119,817,887	3,239,260	18,124,260	11.5%
Jul 2010	308,974,221	140,134,000	45.35%	168,840,221	155,270,000	15,136,000	9.7%	153,704,221	34,232,983	119,471,238	2,892,611	18,028,611	11.4%
Aug 2010	309,225,949	139,919,000	45.25%	169,306,949	154,678,000	14,759,000	9.5%	154,547,949	34,326,357	120,221,592	3,642,965	18,401,965	11.6%
Sep 2010	309,477,678	139,715,000	45.15%	169,762,678	153,854,000	14,139,000	9.2%	155,623,678	34,389,661	121,234,017	4,655,390	18,794,390	11.9%
Oct 2010	309,729,406	139,749,000	45.12%	169,980,406	153,652,000	13,903,000	9.0%	156,077,406	34,463,650	121,613,756	5,035,129	18,938,129	11.9%
Nov 2010	309,981,134	139,415,000	44.98%	170,566,134	153,698,000	14,283,000	9.3%	156,283,134	34,530,905	121,752,229	5,173,602	19,456,602	12.2%
Dec 2010	310,232,863	139,159,000	44.86%	171,073,863	153,156,000	13,997,000	9.1%	157,076,863	34,592,322	122,484,541	5,905,914	19,902,914	12.5%
Jan 2011	310,482,794	137,599,000	44.32%	172,883,794	152,536,000	14,937,000	9.8%	157,946,794	34,745,150	123,201,644	6,623,017	21,560,017	13.5%
Feb 2011	310,737,726	138,093,000	44.44%	172,644,726	152,635,000	14,542,000	9.5%	158,102,726	34,849,814	123,252,912	6,674,285	21,216,285	13.3%
Mar 2011	310,982,658	138,962,000	44.68%	172,020,658	153,022,000	14,060,000	9.2%	157,960,658	34,929,971	123,030,687	6,452,060	20,512,060	12.9%
Apr 2011	311,232,590	139,661,000	44.87%	171,571,590	152,898,000	13,237,000	8.7%	158,334,590	35,012,443	123,322,147	6,743,520	19,980,520	12.5%
May 2011	311,482,521	140,028,000	44.96%	171,454,521	153,449,000	13,421,000	8.7%	158,033,521	35,080,355	122,953,166	6,374,539	19,795,539	12.4%
Jun 2011	311,732,453	140,129,000	44.95%	171,603,453	154,538,000	14,409,000	9.3%	157,194,453	35,158,464	122,035,989	5,457,362	19,866,362	12.4%
Jul 2011	311,982,385	140,384,000	45.00%	171,598,385	154,812,000	14,428,000	9.3%	157,170,385	35,256,063	121,914,322	5,335,695	19,763,695	12.3%
Aug 2011	312,232,317	140,335,000	44.95%	171,897,317	154,344,000	14,009,000	9.1%	157,888,317	35,317,017	122,571,300	5,992,673	20,001,673	12.5%
Sep 2011	312,482,248	140,502,000	44.96%	171,980,248	154,022,000	13,520,000	8.8%	158,460,248	35,411,120	123,049,128	6,470,501	19,990,501	12.5%
Oct 2011	312,732,180	140,987,000	45.08%	171,745,180	154,088,000	13,101,000	8.5%	158,644,180	35,472,121	123,172,059	6,593,432	19,694,432	12.3%
Nov 2011	312,982,112	141,070,000	45.07%	171,912,112	153,683,000	12,613,000	8.2%	159,299,112	35,545,608	123,753,504	7,174,877	19,787,877	12.3%
Dec 2011	313,232,044	140,681,000	44.91%	172,551,044	153,373,000	12,692,000	8.3%	159,859,044	35,599,046	124,259,998	7,681,371	20,373,371	12.6%
Jan 2012	313,335,413	139,944,000	44.66%	173,391,413	153,485,000	13,541,000	8.8%	159,850,413	35,572,299	124,278,114	7,699,487	21,240,487	13.2%
Feb 2012	313,438,783	140,684,000	44.88%	172,754,783	154,114,000	13,430,000	8.7%	159,324,783	35,876,089	123,448,694	6,870,067	20,300,067	12.6%
Mar 2012	313,542,153	141,412,000	45.10%	172,130,153	154,316,000	12,904,000	8.4%	159,226,153	35,951,992	123,274,161	6,695,534	19,599,534	12.2%
Apr 2012	313,645,522	141,995,000	45.27%	171,650,522	153,905,000	11,910,000	7.7%	159,740,522	36,037,299	123,703,223	7,124,596	19,034,596	11.8%
May 2012	313,748,892	142,727,000	45.49%	171,021,892	154,998,000	12,271,000	7.9%	158,750,892	36,120,981	122,629,911	6,051,284	18,322,284	11.4%
	[a]	[b]			[b]	[b]	[b]		[c]

[a] Population source: http://www.census.gov/population/www/projections/
[b] Employment source: http://www.bls.gov/schedule/archives/empsit_nr.htm
[c] SSDI source: http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/ProgData/icp.html

% Employed = Employed / Population
Not working = Population – Employed
Unemployed = Labor Force – Employed
% Unemployment = Unemployed / Labor Force
Not in Labor Force = Population – Labor Force
Difference = Not in Labor Force – Retired Workers
Net Change = amount of Difference since Jul 2009
Actual Unemployed = Unemployed + Net Change
Actual Rate = Actual Unemployed / (Labor Force + Net Change)

Important definitions from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

• Unemployed
• Labor Force

[reefdiver]

How about a very well known rental company who is hiring, and its a good paying job (80K) with a truck , gas, advancement's benefits on and on.
No one shows up who is qualified.. for a basic interview. Can you imagine bringing your girl friend into the room? Can't spell, Shorts and a T shirt? How about how long did you work on your last job and you get 8 to 5 ? This is real.
It is happening right this minute.

Thank a teacher, or a union or who knows who. But they ain't getting the job.
Training a person to know the basics is what you paid your taxes for, These are ignorant people, a product of public education.

[Delta 21]

Maybe they are just in another category.

[Red Badger]

Who is John Galt?........

[StolarStorm]

Two comments. 1) Why are we allowing any kind of immigration when unemployment numbers are so high?

2) Offshoring is why e don't make shit. Removing barriers, lowering taxes and so forth won't fix that and isn't likely to happen anyway.

Perhaps some thought needs to go into the idea "free" trade. I think many of us have been bamboozled about "free" trade. Trade with "partners" that have high tariffs on us and with horrifying working conditions isn't really balanced free trade.

[ExGeeEye]

What company is that?

[null and void]

knarf ~ America was hiring because America was building stuff.

thecodont ~ I remember when Oakland, CA was full of FACTORIES where actual, physical things were being made.

What happened?

Taxes, foreign aid, law suits, and regulations made it more economical to build stuff elsewhere...

[null and void]

Unions, I forgot unions.

[Post Toasties]

Interesting figures, but why the difference between the last two months unemployment numbers and those reported in the media?

[Post Toasties]

Interesting figures, but why the difference between the last two months unemployment numbers and those reported in the media?

[Post Toasties]

Interesting figures, but why the difference between the last two months unemployment numbers and those reported in the media?

[roadcat]

I remember when Oakland, CA was full of FACTORIES where actual, physical things were being made.

Same for me, growing up in San Francisco in the 1950s. Passed by a broom factory two blocks from my house on the way to school each morning, big doors wide open and lots of machines and people. Don't know if brooms are made in the USA any more. Lots of factories making stuff, bottling plants, machine shops, slaughter houses, etc., and railway tracks where train cars would deliver stuff and cart stuff off. All gone now, and all the railway tracks ripped out or buried under asphalt. People sell stuff but they aren't manufacturing it.

[thecodont]

...and railway tracks where train cars would deliver stuff and cart stuff off. All gone now, and all the railway tracks ripped out or buried under asphalt. People sell stuff but they aren't manufacturing it.

Those railway tracks now go right to the Port where the container ships full of foreign-manufactured goods await. :/

[FreedomPoster]

I agree with all of that. And with mechanization / robotics, what we do still manufacture here tends to require much less labor.

[KeyLargo]

780,000 More Women Unemployed Today Than When Obama Took Office

By Michael W. Chapman
July 6, 2012

President Barack Obama. (AP Photo)

(CNSNews.com) – The number of women unemployed in June was 5,785,000, an increase of 780,000 from when Barack Obama was inaugurated in January 2009 – at that time, the number of unemployed women in the United States was 5,005,000.

The number of unemployed is for women ages 16 and older in the civilian work force and is seasonally adjusted, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The BLS data also show that the unemployment rate for women in June was 8.0 percent, up from 7.9 percent in May. That’s also up from 7.0 percent in January 2009 when Obama became president.

http://cnsnews.com/news/article/780000-more-women-unemployed-today-when-obama-took-office

[RikaStrom]

There is a need for truck drivers in Texas. The problem is that people have to have a clean record, but driving and criminal. I will go see if I can find the article I read about it last week.

[RikaStrom]

Here is a company that is hiring and will train.

Prime, Inc.

Here is one article. Truckers wanted for Eagle Ford Shale jobs

I actually spoke to a recruiter that works for a firm that recruiters drivers and she said it was getting difficult to find qualified people that wanted to do the job.

[ctdonath2]

There is work. The type and location has changed.

Smartphone programming: nowhere enough software engineers.
Oil work: SD and surrounding states are booming. Word is even fast-food workers are getting signing bonuses.
Employment rate correlates with length of training, as does population density. Someone with minimal training in urban areas means high unemployment. Solution: get educated and move.

[Eye of Unk]

Maybe a sizable amount of patriotic Americans have stashed enough ahead of time and are opting out of the workers paradise.

Instead they are plotting seditious acts against an usurper who is out of control destroying America.

Millions are training, gathering supplies and awaiting to act.

Keeping busy, keeping out of sight, organizing, plotting writing bad things on dirty cars against you Obama.

Oh and the also are full of birthers, and lately are designing a Tea Party uniform.

TEA PARTAY uniforms! Ohh the DUmp just had a collective socialist shudder and an urgent need to hit the hit, quickly.

[Brown Deer]

Interesting figures, but why the difference...

The links to the data I posted are there. So maybe you can do some research and report back?

[Post Toasties]

I’ll do the research if you can tell me where to start looking. Otherwise, I’d say it’s your concern.