Isle jobless rate dips

By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Statewide unemployment dipped to 5.9 percent in May, below the year-earlier level of 6.3 percent. However, Hawaii's jobless rate was still running more than a point above the national average of 4.7 percent.

Despite the improvement, the number of jobs was still running nearly 2,000 below last year's, with the May total of nonagricultural wage and salary jobs at 530,900 last month compared to 532,800 in the previous May.

The May jobless level was one-tenth of a percent below April's 6 percent, the state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations said. There were 34,600 people listed as unemployed last month.

From April to May, public education and social services gained 1,300 jobs. Private education gained 600 jobs as employees went back to work after a late spring break, the department said. There were also demands for temporary workers in business services, which had 500 more workers in May than in April.

However, hotels cut 600 jobs, mostly on Oahu and Maui, and retailing was down by 400 jobs from the previous month. The department said activity declined in eating and drinking establishments and in apparel and accessory stores. Slower construction work left that industry 300 jobs shorter than in April.

Other month to month declines were in the finance, insurance and real estate segment, down by 200 jobs; social services, down by 200; and transportation except air transportation, down by 100 jobs.