The strike sent union workers to picket lines and forced layoffs by suppliers. That was combined with more people joining the labor force in hopes of finding a job.
Labor Market Information Director Wayne Rourke says jobs numbers should quickly improve once the UAW contracts are finalized. Also, as employers across all sectors fill vacant positions.
“So the labor force is still going strong and people are coming back into the labor force. Sometimes that causes the unemployment rate to go up a little bit, but that’s not a bad thing with the demand for workers that we’ve seen.”
Michigan’s October unemployment rate is slightly lower than it was at this time last year. It’s also slightly higher than the national unemployment rate.
