State Stix

Beginning with the January 1980 unemployment figures, the Illinois Department of Labor changed its method of figuring unemployment rates in order to conform with the method used by the U.S. Department of Labor. Some observers believe the new method understates unemployment and that the statewide preliminary unemployment rate for June of 8.6 percent is really closer to 12 percent. Final statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rates for the first five months of the year were: January, 7.1 percent; February, 7.0 percent; March, 6.9 percent; April, 7.4 percent; May, 7.9 percent. June's unemployment rate was the highest since the Great Depression and reflected declines in automobile, farm equipment and steel production, as well as slackness in the construction industry and high unemployment among young people.

The following are the final unemployment rates (not seasonally adjusted) for the state's major cities over the last five months. Bloomington-Normal: 6.3 percent (Jan); 6.2 percent (Feb); 5.8 percent (Mar); 5.2 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 5.4 percent. Champaign-Urbana: 6.0 percent (Jan); 5.7 percent (Feb); 5.4 percent (Mar); 4.9 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 5.4 percent. Chicago: 7.1 percent (Jan); 6.8 percent (Feb); 6.6 percent (Mar); 6.5  percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 6.8 percent. Davenport/Rock Island/ Moline-Illinois sector: 6.5 percent (Jan); 6.1 percent (Feb); 6.7 percent (Mar); 6.6  percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 7.7 percent. Decatur: 11.0 percent (Jan); 10.4 percent (Feb); 10.4 percent (Mar); 9.9 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 10.4 percent. Kankakee: 11.4 percent (Jan); 10.5 percent (Feb); 10.1 percent (Mar); 9.2 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 10.2 percent. Peoria: 8.2 percent (Jan); 7.6 percent (Feb); 7.3 percent (Mar); 6.8 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 7.4 percent. Rockford: 8,4 percent (Jan); 8.1 percent (Feb); 7.8 percent (Mar); 7.1 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 8.4 percent. Springfield: 8.4 percent (Jan); 8.0 percent (Feb); 7.5 percent (Mar); 6.8 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 6.7 percent. St. Louis-Illinois sector: 9.8 percent (Jan); 9.3 percent (Feb); 9.0 percent (Mar); 9.4 percent (April); the preliminary rate for May was 8.7 percent.

34/August 1980/Illinois Issues