Made In America: New Report Examines Manufacturing Pay
by January 25, 2015 8:56 am 113 views
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MANUFACTURING JOBS PAY HIGHER FOR NON-COLLEGE DEGREE WORKERS
A new report from the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) concludes that Arkansas manufacturing jobs for non-college degree workers pays more than $3,100 higher over jobs in other economic sectors.
Manufacturing jobs make up roughly 13% of total state employment in Arkansas, which ranks sixth in the nation by share of manufacturing jobs. In raw numbers, Arkansas ranks 28th in manufacturing jobs with 152,400.
In Arkansas, the report shows, the average manufacturing worker makes $16.20 per hour compared to $14.67 per hour for other workers, an annual wage difference of $3,182.40 for the usual 2,080 hours of full-time work per year.
“This report makes clear just how crucial the manufacturing sector is to the nation’s economy,” said Scott Paul, president of the Alliance for American Manufacturing. “Manufacturing’s wage premium is a clear path to the middle class. But to bring those jobs back we must tackle the enormous U.S. goods trade deficit, and make a serious, long-term investment in transportation infrastructure.”
The EPI study, “The Manufacturing Footprint and the Importance of U.S. Manufacturing Jobs,” found that the sector employed 12 million workers in 2013, or about 8.8% of total U.S. employment, including a higher overall share of workers without a college degree. On average, these workers made 10.9%, or $1.78, per hour more than similar workers elsewhere in the economy.
PAUL MICHAEL CO. RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS INDUSTRY AWARD
The Paul Michael Company, a furniture retailer and manufacturer headquartered in Lake Village, Arkansas, has been awarded the prestigious ARTS Award in the Home Accent Store category for the Midwest/Southwest region.
ART and Dallas Market Center, co-founder and producer of the ARTS Awards, announced the winners at the 26th annual Arts Awards gala held Friday, Jan. 16, at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. The ARTS Awards is the premier international awards program for the home industry honoring designers, manufacturers, retailers, and sales representatives.
The Paul Michael Co. was founded in 1993 and is known for its use of locally harvested and reclaimed woods in its furniture making. It has four retail locations in Lake Village, Arkansas; Monroe, Louisiana; Lafayette, Louisiana; and Canton, Texas.
BOOZMAN TO CO-LEAD AVIATION-AEROSPACE CAUCUS
U.S. Senators John Boozman, R-Ark. and Joe Manchin, D-West Virginia, will co-lead the Senate General Aviation Caucus in the 114th Congress.
As co-chairs, Boozman and Manchin will work to recruit members to the caucus and help with legislation aimed to support the nation’s aviation and aerospace industries.
“In Arkansas, general aviation airports support more than $500 million annually in economic activity, and nearly 10,000 Arkansans work in aviation and aerospace manufacturing – many of them in the general aviation sector. If you crunch the numbers, most of our colleagues would have a similar story to tell. For that reason, I am excited to work with Senator Manchin to promote general aviation and share its importance with our colleagues,” said Boozman.
With revenue of more than $150 billion annually, more than 1.3 million jobs and over 5,000 available airports from which to operate, general aviation is significant to the U.S. economy. General aviation is defined as all non-military flying except scheduled passenger airlines.
HANESBRANDS EXPANDS CLARKSVILLE FACILITY, ADDS 120 WORKERS
HanesBrands will expand its Clarksville manufacturing facility, adding 120 jobs and investing a new $1.4 million. The plant makes sheer hosiery and seamless bras, including products for Wal-Mart. The expansion will bring a hosiery line from Honduras to Clarksville. HanesBrands will employ 570 in Clarksville after the expansion. Read more here.
SAINT-GOBAIN TO ‘TEMPORARILY’ CLOSE FORT SMITH PLANT, IDLE 120 JOBS
The drop in energy prices and the subsequent drop in demand for energy-industry products has resulted in Saint-Gobain closing its Fort Smith proppants plant and cutting around 120 jobs. The cuts were effective Wednesday (Jan. 21).
The company said it would “temporarily suspend production” at the Fort Smith plant and it is not closing a newer proppants plant in central Arkansas that was opened in 2012. Prior to Wednesday, the company employed 500 in Arkansas.
Proppants are used in the extraction of oil and natural gas. The proppants are injected into geologic structures to prop them open so oil or gas is able to flow up and out of the well.