Laurel outlook., 1950-04-19
March Sets Stage For Heavy Retiring
In All Labor Markets OF Treasure State

While substantial inroads were
made into Montana's winter accu-
mutation of seasonally unemployed
workers during March, reports in
dictate that the movement was
slowed down by adverse weather
conditions which fitfully covered
the state in characteristic March
fashion. The stage seems to be set
for a heavy re-hiring program IN
which construction operations and
farming will play the leading roles
during April, with logging and
numbering, forest maintenance and
improvement, retail and wholesale
trade and tourist accommodation
enterprises following in May and
June, says the Unemployment
Compensation Commission report.
Supply Reduced 2,400 in March
The 1880 active work appli-
cants registered in the offices of
the employment service at the be-
ginning of March had dwindled to
16,400 by the end of the month, a
decrease of 2,400 in the available
labor supply. A year ago the de-
crease in March was 600, and two
years ago it was $40. A %conserva-
tive conclusion to be drawn from
these figures is that re-employ-
ment and new employment is pro-
ceeding at a much more rapid pace
this year and that the labor de-
mand bids fair to consume this
seasons record quantity of labor
supply.
All Employment Figures Expanded
The whole labor market picture
for March shows substantial ex-
pansion from a year ago. New ap-
plications for work we're made by
400 more ~jobseekers than in March,
1919; job openings were more num-
erous by 300 than last March; the
total number of jobseekers listed
was nearly 5000 greater at the be-
ginning of the month and still
1000 more at the end of the period.
There were 1000 nor applications
for unemployment insurance than
in March of 1949.
Seasonal return to employment
is largely effected through call
backs to those employees who were
laid off at the beginning of winter.
The volume of such recalls may
be glimpsed from the state Stats
teal totals. There yer 1890 job
seekers at the start of the month,
and 2,400 were added by registra-
ton during the month, which
would have brought to total to
21,200, yet the count at the end of
March showed 16,400 still actively
registered for work. This reflected
the absorption of 1890 into en-
ployment. Of that number the en-
ployment service placed LOO in
the form of new hires, leaving
some 3,100 who returned to their
former jobs or were hired direct.
Prospects Bright, Supply Ample
Reports from the commissions
local offices of employment serv-
ice indicate bright prospects for
April and May employment in
creases. In most instances there
appears to be an ample local sup
ply, only a few offices predicting
that shortages will exist prior to
midsummer. 1t is a fixed attribute
of labor market transactions that
the file of active jobseekers never
completely disappears. Even in
periods of excessive demand for
workers there will be a remainder
Of unemployed applicants. This re-
of course, from the differ
ence between the specifications Of
the jobs and the qualifications of
The ~jobseekers, and includes also
he "hard-to-place" applicants and
he "hard-to-please" job orders.
Prospects during the months i'm
nediately ahead are that the de-