Wisconsin drops to 38th in job growth, trailing all neighboring states

MADISON – New figures released today by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics show Wisconsin has fallen into a tie for 38^th in private-sector job growth over the past year, trailing Midwest states including Minnesota, Illinois, Michigan, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio. These numbers come from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW).

By the same measure, Wisconsin falls to 40^th when removing the rounding. Wisconsin’s private-sector job growth rate of 1.16 percent was just half the national rate of 2.3 percent.

In response, Assembly Democratic Leader Peter Barca (D-Kenosha) released the following statement:

“Even with Wisconsin continually lagging behind in job and wage growth on their watch, Republicans continue to focus their legislative efforts on divisive social issues and partisan power grabs instead of addressing the economic crisis they’ve created. And Governor Walker’s budget will only make things worse for middle-class families and working people across our state.

“Assembly Democrats have put forward an Economic Opportunity Agenda for the people of Wisconsin. Our first ‘15 Bills for 2015’ would ensure better opportunities for Wisconsin families and workers and make us more competitive in a global economy by helping to create good-paying jobs, increasing wages across the state and connecting workers with available jobs by closing the skills gap.

“Our citizens are clamoring for a bold, vibrant economic agenda that will put Wisconsin back on the right track. It’s time for Republicans to finally work with us on making that happen – no more wasting time on partisan power grabs and divisive social issues and no more forcing a harmful, anti-middle-class agenda on the people of Wisconsin.”

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.