Finance and Economic

As the nation celebrates Labor Day today, the U.S. Census Bureau counts 154 million people 16 years of age and older in the U.S. work force. Arizona reports a civilian labor force of 3.18 million, however, 10 percent of those people are currently unemployed as the recession’s effects linger.

Arizona’s service industries, including retail, utilities, health care, hospitality and professional services, account for the bulk of the state’s employment, 2.07 million jobs. Goods-producing industries, such as construction and manufacturing account for 275,300 jobs. Government and schools provide 372,900 jobs.

Labor Day was first observed as a parade of 10,000 workers on Sept. 5, 1882, in New York, organized by Peter McGuire, a Carpenters and Joiners Union secretary, the Bureau says. Congress established the first Monday in September as the federal holiday in 1894.

Here are a few other Labor Day stats provided by the Census Bureau:

• 78% of workers in private industry receive a paid vacation.
• 7.6 million U.S. workers who hold down more than one job.
• 10.1 million people in the U.S. are self-employed.
• 10.3 million work as independent contractors.
• 27% of workers 16 and older who work more than 40 hours a week.
• About 7 percent work 60 or more hours a week.
• 4.1 is the median number of years workers have been with their current employer. About 10 percent have been with their current employer for 20 or more years.
• There are 16.1 million labor union members nationwide.

Click here for the latest labor report from the Arizona Department of Commerce.

Click here for more stories on local labor and other economic statistics.

Click here for stories about job prospects in the Phoenix area.

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