The numbers of private sector jobs in Wisconsin went down in September for the third straight month. In a report released Thursday, State workforce development officials said that Wisconsin had a net loss of 900 private sector jobs during the month.
Health care jobs grew by about 3,000 and there were 1,500 more construction jobs than in August on a seasonally-adjusted basis. But Wisconsin’s largest sector, manufacturing, had 3,000 fewer jobs. State and local governments also continued to take a huge hit, as their workforces dropped by almost 12,000 people.
Officials highlighted a slight decline in the state’s unemployment rate, from 7.9-percent to 7.8-percent. Workforce Development Secretary Scott Baumbach said the state’s rate went down while the national jobless rate was stagnant. He notes the Badger State has lower unemployment than other manufacturing states, such as Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
Still, Baumbach says unemployment remains too high in Wisconsin and it underscores the urgency of Governor Walker’s special session on jobs.