The Sidney herald., 1959-07-22
Mont. Employment
Condition Healthy

! ly every major industry grou,
, highlighted the June labor marke
) picture in Montana according t
Chadwick II. Smith, Chairman o
the Unemployment Compensation
Commission. The number of non
farm wage earners on June pay
rolls totaled 167,500 according t.
preliminary estimates of the Com.
mission in cooperation with tht
u. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
The present figure represents /;
gain of 1900 workers over tht
final May total, 5000 above {
year ago, and is 1890 higher thar
the l63, 100 June average for tn,
nine years from 1850 through
1858, Smith said.
The gradual Improvement in tn,
states economy is also seen il
the declining trend of initia
claims filed for unemployment
insurance which measures The
newly unemployed. Only 24s
initial claims were filed las
month compared to COS in June
1858.
Contract construction set the
June hiring pace for other major
industry groups, adding 1900
workers to its payrolls. The
many statewide building projects,
including commercial, residential,
educational, and recreational struc-
lures, occupied 14,80O workers
during the month. AT the Glasgow
Air Base employment reached
1890, nearly doubling from the
previous month. Multi-million
dollar shopping centers are under
way in Billings and Great Falls.
Highway contracts totaled 4412
million dollars, involving 119 pro-
jects including 844 miles of road
construction and 1890 feet of
bridges and overpaSses. Approx
mately 1900 workers were en-
ployed o these highway projects,
300 more than last year.
In the states timbered areas,
numbering and logging were i'm
portant factors in reducing the
available labor supply during
June. Increased activity in lum-
Der and wood products was solely
responsible for an employment
rise if 800 in the manufacturing
The industry is highly
to seasonal forces and
any large scale resumption of
work is frequently deferred until
June when improved weather and
road conditions allow full scale
operations. Some mills were clos
ed for short periods during the
month for necessary repairs and
of new machinery and
equipment.
The trade and service industries
responded to markedly improved
labor market conditions
an added boost from the
tourist trade by increasing pay
rolls during June 700 and 500
respectively. Government added
300 to its payrolls, transportation
and utilities, 800, and finance,
insurance, and real estate, 100.
Metal mining, down 100 from
asst month was the only major
industry group which failed to
-ecord an employment increase.
Much of the loss came not from
Butte, the states principal mining
but from force reductions
and closures of small mines in the
ohihpsburg and Hamilton areas.
Metal mining totals at Butte re-
NAMED static with a strike threat
n the industry temporarily OBJ
curing the future outlook there.
Projected expansion of zinc min
ng with reopening Of three Butte
mines is expected to provide an
employment potential OF 1870 early
year when full production is
anticipated.
Approximately so coal miners
we're idled at Roundup with COM
Of a federal contract
which provided coal for an atomic
at Hanford, Washington.
,arly resumption Of employment
n this area depends upon sue
essful bidding for next fiscal
ears fuel requirements at that
liant. II
Barring a strike in the metal
inning industry and other unfor-
cen factors, Montana should
ontinue to flex its economic
luscles for the next 2 to 3 months,
NTH predicted. Further employ
lent advances will show especial
z in the fields of construction,
griculture, numbering, trade and
industries during the COM
lg months. Hiring for the grain
and processing OF fruit
nd vegetable crops will exert a
eavy demand for workers with
lortages expected in some areas.
ne available supply of skilled
Dor in most areas, has already
arrowed to the point where
lortages are not only apparent,
ut acute. A hard core of unem-
loyed continues to exist in the
1skilled and unframed workers
and accounts for the bulk
current Job seekers.
With economic recovery already
ivancing on a wide front, most
the non-farm employment lost
iring the l957-l958 downturn has
regaiDed, Smith said. He
,plained, however, that although
e signs are very good, employ
ent has not expanded sufficient
yet TO absorb Montana's fast
labor force, Much of the
m9tpino a~pn1ourppp+ nrohlara III