By Paul Gattis
Despite Alabama’s record low unemployment rate, Gov. Kay Ivey said Thursday the fact that about 50,000 eligible workers are not even looking for jobs is a problem.
The solution?
“We’ve got to work on getting 50,000 folks who aren’t looking for jobs, get them off their fannies, get them looking for jobs because there are jobs to be had,” Ivey said following her address to the Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce.
Ivey’s blunt assessment underscores an issue that she’s elevated in recent weeks to spotlight the state’s dwindling workforce while “help wanted” signs are seemingly everywhere. The governor also raised the issue during her 15-minute luncheon speech to about 200 community and business leaders in Athens.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Alabama has a labor participation rate of 72.1 percent. Only three states rank lower even as the state’s workforce of about 2.3 million represents a new high mark.
Still, ranking near the bottom nationally in labor participation somewhat offsets the fact that Alabama is 7th nationally with a 2.2 percent unemployment rate. The unemployment rate, of course, only includes those looking for jobs.
“Today, over 2.1 million people are employed in Alabama,” Ivey told the chamber audience. “That’s the most in state history, y’all. We recently announced the unemployment rate in Alabama remains at a record low of 2.2 percent, the lowest in the southeast. Let me say that again. We have hit Alabama’s lowest-ever unemployment rate, record-low unemployment and record job growth. I’ve actually had reporters ask me how we’re going to fill all these new jobs. All this good news about low unemployment rate is something we should be proud of.
“Well, while Alabama has one of the lowest unemployment rates in the country. We rank at the other end of the scale in labor force participation. Approximately 50,000 Alabamians are not looking for a job. This ranks us near the bottom nationally in labor force participation.”
Ivey said that while she has been committed to improving the quality of education in the state, she said Thursday that she is “equally as committed to removing the barriers that keep Alabamians from seeking jobs. We need more Alabamians working to grow our economy while also raising their standard of living and quality of life.”
Ivey lauded the workforce training at Calhoun Community College, based just 12 miles south of where she was addressing the chamber audience Thursday in downtown Athens. Another workforce development campus is across U.S. 31 from the college at the Alabama Robotics Technology Park.
The governor promoted a goal of adding 500,000 to the state’s workforce by 2025 during a speech in May in Mobile, including a website to raise awareness to paths to return to the workforce.
