Labor Rates
Manufacturing
As the nation continues to hemorrhage manufacturing jobs, Cenla’s manufacturing sector remained relatively stable during the last six 
years. Job growth since 2002 was a modest 4%, with a slight job decline between 2007 and 2008. Petroleum and coal manufacturing, as well as chemical manufacturing, continue to be strong, viable economic engines in the sector, with high amounts of value added per employee. Chemical manufacturing also had the largest absolute over the year change, in value added per employee. With a drop in employment, the chemical manufacturing industry also saw a $150,000 decline in value added per employee, from 2005 to 2006, the most recent year of the survey. (Source: US Census, Annual Survey of Manufactures)
years. Job growth since 2002 was a modest 4%, with a slight job decline between 2007 and 2008. Petroleum and coal manufacturing, as well as chemical manufacturing, continue to be strong, viable economic engines in the sector, with high amounts of value added per employee. Chemical manufacturing also had the largest absolute over the year change, in value added per employee. With a drop in employment, the chemical manufacturing industry also saw a $150,000 decline in value added per employee, from 2005 to 2006, the most recent year of the survey. (Source: US Census, Annual Survey of Manufactures)Unemployment
Central Louisiana (Cenla) typically has higher unemployment as a percentage of the region’s labor force than the State of Louisiana. The exception was 2005, when other factors (such as Hurricane Katrina) affected the natural course of the labor market. Within the Cenla region, Catahoula had the highest unemployment rate, while Rapides has historically had the lowest. In 2004, the unemployment rate for La Salle Parish began to dip and become the portion of Cenla with the highest percentage of employed persons in the labor force.
Unemployment rates vary among various industries within the Cenla region. As frequently expected, accommodation and food services is the sector with the highest rate of unemployment. With the unemployment rate of 7.65% for the region, Cenla’s accommodation and food services sector is almost 0.85% above the unemployment rate for the State of Louisiana. Cenla typically has a higher rate of unemployment in most of the sectors of the economy than the State of Louisiana, except in educational services, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting. Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting has the lowest unemployment in the Cenla region, with less than 1% unemployment in November 2008.
Occupations with the highest unemployment appear to be more seasonal in nature, and include construction and extraction occupations, food preparation and serving related occupations. All three categories had unemployment in November 2008 above 7%. Lower unemployment rates tend to be in the more highly skilled occupational groups. The occupations with the lowest unemployment include life, physical and social science occupations, healthcare practitioners and technical occupations.
*Cenla unemployment rate is based on unemployed persons/labor force (Source: US Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics)
Labor Analysis: