What Job Rebound? Immigrants Displace Americans at Record Clip
By Edwin S. Rubenstein
The unemployment rate held at 9.7 percent in February, according to the Labor Department’s estimate on Friday, as payrolls shrank by a less than expected 36,000 jobs. The figures suggest a stable job market with little or no new hiring.
Indeed, economists believe that the month’s horrible weather may have increased job losses by as much as 100,000. Implication: absent the snow, the economy likely would have seen a net job gain in February, for only the second time since the recession began two years ago.
A snow job? Perhaps. But the Household Survey, which does a better job of canvassing small businesses, home based entrepreneurs, and—more importantly (from our perspective)—illegal aliens, reported a gain of 308,000 new positions.
While considerably below January’s 541,000 job pop, this is still far above the level needed to reduce unemployment.
That’s the good news. The bad news: the job figures also show a resumption of American worker displacement. Despite being overrepresented in occupations impacted by weather— construction, agriculture, and landscaping, etc.—in February, Hispanics gained jobs at nearly four times the rate of Non-Hispanics:
-
Total employment: +308,000 (+0.22 percent)
-
Hispanic employment: +118,000 (+0.60 percent)
-
Non-Hispanic employment:: +190,000 (+0.16 percent)
The VDARE.com American Worker Displacement Index (VDAWDI) rose by 0.44 percent January—to a record 126.1:
VDAWDI for February 2010 is calculated like this:
-
For every 100.0 Hispanics employed in January 2001 there were 123.1 in February 2010
-
For every 100.0 non-Hispanics employed in January 2001 there were 97.6 in February 2010
-
VDAWDI equals 126.1 (=100 X 123.1/97.6)
Hispanic employment is still the best proxy we have for month-to-month trends in foreign born labor.
Source:
What Job Rebound? Immigrants Displace Americans at Record Clip
vdare.org
