Government Jobs

Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the economy added 290,000 jobs in April, exceeding initial economic forecasts.  This marks the fourth consecutive month the country experienced economic growth and added workers.  Industries across the board saw increases in jobs, including construction, business services, education, health, and leisure and hospitality. Manufacturing employment rose by 44,000 jobs, the largest expansion since 1998.  As Christina Romer, chair of the Council of Economic Advisers (CEA) states, the "employment report shows the strongest signs yet of healing in the labor market."

Refuting right-wing attacks on state workers, a new report by the National Institute for Retirement Security (NIRS) and the Council on State and Local Government Excellence (CSGE), Out of Balance? Comparing Public and Private Sector Compensation Over 20 Years, demonstrates that state and local employees earn an average of 11 and 12 percent less, respectively, than comparable private sector workers.