California Apparel, Textile Employment Down in October
Apparel and textile manufacturing in California lost a combined total of 1,200 jobs in October, a drop that represents a 3.7 percent decrease in the number of employees working in these sectors from the comparable figure for October 2000, leaving some economists to speculate how the overall impact on the national economy from the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will affect Southern California’s apparel industry by year’s end.
According to a California Labor Department survey, apparel and textile manufacturing employment currently stands at 138,400, a 0.9 percent decrease from last month’s total and a drop of 5,300 jobs from October 2000. The survey covered the pay period ending on Oct. 13 and measured employment in the areas of men’s and boys’ suits and coats, women’s and misses outerwear, women’s and children’s undergarments and other apparel and textile products.
The survey also indicated that Los Angeles County apparel manufacturing employment decreased by 900 in October and stood at 95,000, a figure that represents a drop of 4,400 jobs from the October 2000 total.
“Obviously, there has been a more direct impact on the hotel and air transportation industry,” said Bill Freed, a Los Angeles region labor market consultant. “It’s not a clear-cut climate right now, but we have been seeing steady declines in the apparel industry, so it’s very difficult to gauge how much is attributed to September’s attacks.”The number of textile jobs in Los Angeles County for October did not change from September’s figure but decreased by 700 from October 2000.
As of August, the average weekly earnings for California apparel and textile manufacturing workers were estimated at $603.76, an $8.11 increase over the comparable figure from August 2000. The current average hourly earning was $14.69 per hour, a $0.44 increase from the rate for August 2000. The 41.1-hour average workweek during August represented an increase from 40.9 hours in July but a decrease from 41.8 hours in August 2000.
For September and October, apparel and textile manufacturing employment in San Francisco remained flat at 10,000 jobs. —Claudia Figueroa
