Made In America: Manufacturing Job Growth Rises In 2014
by January 11, 2015 8:44 am 79 views
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MANUFACTURING EMPLOYMENT STRONGER IN 2014
Manufacturing.net reports on the statistics from the latest U.S. Labor Department numbers, which show large year-over-year increases in manufacturing employment in 2014.
Manufacturing job growth increased dramatically in 2014 compared to the previous year, according to numbers from the federal Labor Department released Friday.
The report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed the manufacturing sector added an average of 16,000 jobs per month last year, compared to gains of 7,000 jobs per month for 2013.
The country saw an increase of 17,000 manufacturing jobs for December alone, according to the BLS monthly report.
In Arkansas, December numbers are yet to be released. However, in November 2014 manufacturing jobs in Arkansas stood at 157,300 – a rise of 5,400 workers from the previous November. That’s still significantly lower than when manufacturing peaked in Arkansas in 1995 at more than 250,000 jobs.
BRUCE CROSS: NEW NLRB DECISION GIVES EMPLOYEES FREE REIGN OVER EMPLOYER EMAIL
In this guest commentary for Talk Business & Politics, attorney Bruce Cross with Cross, Gunter, Witherspoon & Galchus, P.C., raises questions from a recently approved National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision regarding company email policy.
Company policies dealing with social media, non-disparagement, workplace courtesy and confidentiality have been found to be unlawful by restricting employees’ rights to engage in protected concerted activity (Section 7) under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
Until recently, scrutiny from the NLRB only concerned the particular employment policy at issue. However, the consequences of the NLRB’s latest decision in Purple Communications, Inc. are far reaching and will impact nearly every employer.
Cross raises several questions that are left unanswered by the NLRB decision, regarding storage control, computer systems monitoring, and litigation issues. Read his full take at this link.
KEYSTONE PIPELINE PROJECT PASSES HOUSE, HEADS TO SENATE
The U.S. House of Representatives, including all four members of the state’s House delegation, voted Friday to approve a pipeline project that supporters say will create jobs while opponents have argued environmental concerns.
Reps. Rick Crawford, R-Jonesboro, French Hill, R-Little Rock, Steve Womack, R-Rogers, and Bruce Westerman, R-Hot Springs, each voted yes in the 266-153 vote about midday Friday (Jan. 9).
All four congressmen said the project, which will bring oil from Canada and the upper Midwest to shipping in the Gulf of Mexico, has more positives than negatives. Read their full comments on the subject at this link.
TENARIS LAYS OFF 300 EMPLOYEES AT BLYTHEVILLE MILL
Officials with a steel pipe company in Mississippi County announced layoffs of nearly 30% of its workforce on Friday (Jan. 9). Houston-based Tenaris announced it was reducing production at three of its facilities in the United States including the one in Blytheville.
The company is laying off nearly 500 employees overall, with nearly 300 of those in working in Blytheville, company spokesman Carolina Mendoza said, noting the Blytheville mill has about 1,000 employees. The low cost of oil and trade policy are partially to blame. Read more here.