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Leading the state ... again Thriving oil and gas industry fuels record-setting labor market

by Mella McEwen
Midland Reporter-Telegram
Published: Saturday, May 17, 2008 3:14 AM CDT
- Midland's unemployment rate falls to 2.4 percent while the labor force reached record high for April.

By Mella McEwen

Oil Editor

Midland and Odessa continue to generate new jobs in a surging economy fueled by thriving oil and gas businesses.

In fact, both towns reported record low unemployment rates in April, according to figures released Friday by the Texas Workforce Commission. The commission's Midland metropolitan statistical area had an unemployment rate of 2.4 percent, down from 2.6 percent in March and 2.7 percent last April. As it has since January 2005, Midland reported the lowest unemployment in the state.


That 2.4 percent is "definitely the lowest April rate since comparable statistics since 2000 and the lowest in the entire data series dating back to January 2000," said Robert Crawley, labor market analyst with the commission in Austin.

Odessa was second, tied with Amarillo in reporting a 2.8 percent unemployment rate, down from 3 percent in March and 3.1 percent a year ago. Odessa's rate was also the lowest going back to 2000, Crawley said.

Also at a record high is Midland's labor force, which was estimated at 72,297 in April, up from 72,065 in March and 70,780 last April. Crawley noted that last summer, the Tall City's labor force was slightly higher at 72,446.

"The labor force is definitely at the highest levels it's ever been," he said. "In April 2000, the labor force was 58,174. Just in that time period, the labor force has grown tremendously. That's a 14,000-person or 24 percent increase in eight years."

The labor market, Crawley said, was stable from March to April, with 300 new jobs added. Jobs were added in the trade, transportation and utilities, the education and health services and the leisure and hospitality sectors, which each saw 100 new jobs.

From April 2007 to April 2008, Midland added 1,600 new jobs for a 2.4 percent job growth rate. Crawley pointed out that jobs were added in virtually all industrial sectors, with trade, transportation and utilities adding the most -- 500 jobs, followed by mining (oil and gas in West Texas) and construction with 400 jobs.

"All in all, it was a very positive report," he said. "That is a very healthy economy and a very positive employment report for the area."

Such strong job growth is creating more opportunities, which can create headaches for local companies.

"From an administrative standpoint, it's tough," said Alan Krenek, senior vice president and chief financial officer with Basic Energy Services. "Just before the merger (with Grey Wolf) was announced, we experienced turnover because there were so many opportunities out there."

Basic, he said, has experienced shortages of workers in accounting and information technology. Luckily, he said, the company has managed to find enough employers to maintain its equipment and build its rigs. If drilling picks up more than it is now, that will have an impact on the future," he said. "We've identified that as an area to focus on."


Worker recruitment requires effort and focus, he said. The company participates in recruiting missions to areas like Fort Hood, advertises in areas outside Midland and concentrates on retaining its employees.

"We continue to try to retain our employees through training and we have to stay competitive with wages. We're always evaluating our benefits. We keep a good eye on everything: Training, working conditions, pay," Krenek said. "We rely on our local management. They identify problem areas and we address them area by area."

He added that low unemployment is also being experienced outside Midland. "We operate in 100 points across the nation's midsection and most of those points have low unemployment," he said.

Krenek added, "It's amazing. In the late 1970s, we had this migration of people from places like Michigan. We don't have that now."

Statewide, the report was also positive, with the commission reporting the state unemployment rate fell to 3.9 percent in April, the lowest April rate since 1979. The rate was 4.2 percent in March while the national rate was 4.8 percent.

The highest unemployment was in McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, 5.7 percent.

Mella McEwen can be reached at casell@mrt.com.



Following are the preliminary April jobless rates for local areas in Texas, with revised March numbers in parentheses. The figures are not seasonally adjusted. The statewide unadjusted jobless rate was 3.9 percent in April, down from 4.2 percent in March.



Midland 2.4 (2.6)



Odessa 2.8 (3.0)

Amarillo 2.8 (3.1)

College Station-Bryan 3.1 (3.3)

Abilene 3.2 (3.5)

Victoria 3.1 (3.4)

San Angelo 3.2 (3.5)

Austin-Round Rock 3.3 (3.7)

Longview 3.3 (3.7)

Waco 3.5 (3.9)

Wichita Falls 3.5 (3.9)

San Antonio 3.6 (3.9)

Corpus Christi 3.8 (4.2)

Fort Worth-Arlington 3.8 (4.1)

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown 3.8 (4.1)

Texarkana 3.9 (4.3)

Dallas-Plano-Irving 4.0 (4.3)

Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood 4.0 (4.4)

Tyler 4.0 (4.4)

Lubbock 4.2 (3.3)

Sherman-Denison 4.4 (4.6)

Laredo 4.6 (4.9)

Beaumont-Port Arthur 5.0 (5.4)

El Paso 5.0 (5.5)

Brownsville-Harlingen 5.4 (5.8)

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission 5.7 (6.4)






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The following are comments from the readers. In no way do they represent the view of mywesttexas.com.

the-eurasianeartlink.net wrote on Jun 21, 2008 11:13 AM:

" experimental & pursuant to the 5th amendment which prohibits government from using private property without just compensation - such as eurasian's numerous inventive solutions to government problems which have eluded the experts who have been trying to solve the problems.

You will notice that city officials keep talking about high paying jobs. In eurasian's opinion, these officials are the ones causing misery on the 10 million american workers and their dependents on the very bottom of the 200 million US workforce totempole who they discriminate and label us "THE UNEMPLOYABLES".

For example, WHAT MONEY IS THERE LEFT TO EMPLOY THE 10 MILLION UNEMPLOYED UNEMPLOYABLES IF THE MONEY ALL WENT TO PAYING THE TOP 95% HIGHER SALARIES, HIGHER BONUSES, RETIREMENT, HEALTH BENEFITS ETCETERA?

THE US SHOULD USE THIS MONEY TO PUT MORE AND MORE OF THESE 10 MILLION not only unemployed BUT UNEMPLOYABLES TO WORK PRODUCING GNP AND GDP SO THE COUNTRY'S GDP WILL RISE HIGHER AND HIGHER WHIOLE GIVING JOBS AND DIGNITY TO THESE 10 MILLION UNEMPLOYABLES AND THEIR DEPENDENT WIVES AND CHILDREN.

It is wrong to channel this money to increasing the pay of the employed 190 million workers only to produce the same amount of work to result in inflation - which further crucifies these 10 million unemployables. IT IS TIME TO EDUCATE THESE HIGH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT, CONGRESS AND THE FEDERAL RESERVES THAT THEY ARE THE ONES CRUCIFYING THESE 10 MILLION ABLE BODIED UNEMPLOYABLES WHILE TRYING TO APPEAR LIKE HEROES- TO THE DETRIMENT OF THE COUNTRY!!!! TO ME, THIS IS ONE OF THE GREATEST OR THE GREATEST OF EVILS BEING DONE TODAY AND IN THIS PAST 20th CENTURY!!!!

If these government officials, whether they be the city mayor and city councilmen or whether they be the President of the United States, the governors of the Federal Reserves, the Senate or Congress will blog here and dialog with eurasian, EURASIAN WILL EDUCATE THEM AND SHOW THEM THE GREAT EVIL THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DOING AND ARE DOING TO THESE 10 MILLION AMERICANS AND THE WIVES AND CHILDREN OF THESE 10 MILLION AMERICAN WORKERS -- ALL BECAUSE OF AN ABUSE OF THE NORMAL CURVE THAT WAS INVENTED BY GAUSS. "

TaxPayer wrote on Jul 19, 2008 9:33 AM:

" Why do all these freeloaders- bums that one sees in the grocery stores using the lonestar card with a cell phone up to their ear and kids not have to go to work and be responsible like the middleclass. Why do the responsible people have to take care of the lazy worthless bumbs.
If one wants handouts like the lonestar card then there needs to be a spay and a neuter done to get the hand outs for these useless worthless bums.
PUT THE FREELOADERS TO WORK. "

the-eurasianearthlink.net wrote on Aug 16, 2008 10:39 AM:

" RESPONSE TO TAXPAYER

experimental & pursuant to the 5th amendment prohibiting government from using private property without just compensation - such as eurasian's solutions to government problems:

Eurasian is the one who solved the traffic problem of daily collisions at Loop 250 in Mayor Burn's time. Those stripes on the pavement between OFF ramp and Service Road are also eurasian's work and not TxDot's nor MPD's nor OPD's nor DPS' etcetera.

Having solved a lot of the major traffic problems that were unsolvable by government officials and TXDOT & goverment consultants, HOW COME MIDLAND CITY GOVERNMENT & TXDOT DO NOT EMPLOY EURASIAN EXPERIMENTAL TO SOLVE UNSOLVABLE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS BUT INSTEAD EMPLOY AND RAISE THE SALARIES OF PEOPLE WHO CAN'T AND COULDN'T SOLVE THESE TRAFFIC PROBLEMS?

On the national scene, Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan was using eurasian experimental to disobey that 95% maximum employment rule and raise employment whenever inflation is not a problem -- even when the employment is approaching, is equal, or is greater that 95% simply by stimulating the economy --- which was a no no no no no before eurasian aired this experiental suggestion to Congressman Jackson on CSPAN. Because of this, US employment rate reached 96.1% which is 1.1% above the cut-off. Assuming a 200,000,000 US WORKFORCE, tha 1.1 % above 95% is 2,200,000 UNEMPLOYABLES PUT TO EMPLOYMENT BY EURASIAN EXPERIMENTAL. AMAZING!!!! NO JUST COMPENSATION WHATSOEVER WAS AWARDED TO EURASIAN!!!! JUST LIKE HERE IN MIDLAND!!!! NO JUST COMPENSATIONS WAS RECEIVED BY EURASIAN!!!!

TAXPAYER, YOU NEED TO DO SOMETHING SO THESE GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WILL NOT BE LIKE CHUPACABRAS AND ENEMIES OF THE US CONSTITUTION WHO HIDE AND CANNOT BE QUESTIONED NOR CONFRONTED BECAUSE THEY DON'T DIALOGUE WITH THE PEOPLE HERE IN THE INTERNET. AT MRT'S OPEN FORUMS. REMEMBER, ONE OF THOSE SERVING YOU IS A SLAVE. SLAVERY IS ALIVE IN 21ST CENTURY AMERICA!! SNDF THAT MAKES ALL OF YOU SERFS AS IN USA - United Serfs of America "

Yes wrote on Dec 20, 2008 9:30 AM:

" Just wait! "

uliveulearn wrote on Jan 26, 2009 3:25 PM:

" TaxPayer: Not everyone with a Lone Star card is a lazy bum. There are actually some parents out there that can't feed their children, pay for a vehicle, insurance, rent/mortgage, etc. Minimum wage is only $6.55, and that doesn't go far anymore. I agree that some people take advantage of the system, but you can't judge everyone by that standard. Also, not all Lone Star cards are foodstamps. Some are WIC cards that only help pay for milk, formula, and cereal. The WIC department is picky about the applicants, too.

I hear you people say that parents need to work instead of get on welfare, and then I hear you say that they need to take better care of their children when they DO work. I can't imagine how hard it would be to be a single mother with no options. Judge not less you be judged... "

dont judge wrote on Mar 27, 2009 3:12 AM:

" Not everyone is lazy. Some people have gotten laid off work due to the economy. It was nothing on there part just not a good time. It doesnt matter how long you were with the company, layoffs are happening.

Take a single parent working on one income that only gets child support every now and then, that is doing their part. Apartments are outragous. Try 700-850 for a small 2 bedroom. Add on 150-200 for electric. Add on the their car payment 300-500. Now add insurance that you should legally have. Add that cell phone so You can get calls from employment prospects....They cant call you if you turn off your phone! Also the school/daycare/kids needs a number to contact you in an event of an emergency.

Now take $7.00 an hour and do the math.....Take even $12.00 and do the math. "

josan wrote on Mar 27, 2009 8:56 AM:

" i worked one job, 2 kids in school, car , insurance, apartment rent, bills, and never on welfare, and i made 5.25 an hour. today, i own my house, 3 cars , stil have bills, a cell phone and 2 grandkids, anybody can do it if they want to. its called budget. "

oh ya. wrote on Mar 27, 2009 9:48 AM:

" you have grandkids, so this must have been back in the day when rent wasnt 700-850. and you were probably getting child support, and you werent having to pay for child care. "

Cody Jankowski wrote on Mar 27, 2009 11:09 AM:

" Odd that Amarillo is so high, since it is one of the top ten cities in the country for new jobs.

As for the quip about folks using the lonestar card, get a grip, anyone can get down on thier luck and need a helping hand. I just love how 'conservatives' knock anyone who needs help and yet claim to be God fearing Christains and are nothing but hypocrites. "

Bruce wrote on Mar 27, 2009 1:38 PM:

" You bet, Cody, spread the wealth around, huh? Don't worry about people like josan who comes from little to make it relatively big on his own and then gets taxed into oblivion to support those that "can't do it".

Also, oh ya, why have kids if you can't support them? That crazy Octomom is not the first to have rediculous amounts of kids and count of govt. support for them. "

To Tax payer wrote on Mar 27, 2009 2:46 PM:

" So now people can't have a cell phone just because they have a lonestar card? Get real you stupid idiot! Your 1.25 of taxes supports the whole world now? Jerk. "

To uliveulearn wrote on Mar 27, 2009 3:58 PM:

" during high school (3 years), i worked at the largest grocery store in Midland as a checker....just an observation: most, if not all, who used the LoneStar card for purchases appeared able-bodied and who invariably bought the more expensive cuts of beef/chicken/pork and processed-type foods and desserts. re LoneStar card recipients: don't know what the actual State of TX statistics are, but those grocery store, check-out memories will always remain w/ me. so i'm with TaxPayer on this one. "

g wrote on Mar 27, 2009 5:07 PM:

" Not everyone misuses that Lonestar card. Don't condem everyone who uses it. I'm sick and tired of hearing how who ever uses it is lazy and a bum and are no good. I know quite a few people who use it because price of everything is going up, except wages.
As for the cellphones, now days you cannot go without a phone. Specially when you have kids. And biggest part of the time, that is the only phone they have.
Please, give some people a break. I will agree some are freeloaders, specially the ones that keep having kids. But some are hard working people that need some help. Nowdays, some people need it. Specially when they are getting laid off left and right. "

sad statement wrote on Apr 18, 2009 2:15 PM:

" When our daughter was born, she was premature and my husband was in school. We used WIC for 1 year. We paid for our own health insurance and everything, but the WIC helped us. I had the lady at the WIC office suggest that we drop our health insurance and go without. I had just had a baby whose hospital bill totaled $180,000 and she was encouraging me to become an even bigger burden on society! No thanks.

All welfare/food stamp/lone star card programs should run like WIC. Each voucher was good for only certain types of foods. Milk, peanut butter, carrots, real juice, dried beans...very healthy, nutrient packed and economical foods. You should not be able to buy any sort of junk food or drinks with your Lone Star card, period.

I taught in public schools for 7 years. The same kids who griped about the food they received for their two free meals 5 days a week, wore the most expensive clothes, had cell phones, hair braids, fancy nail jobs, etc. It made me mad that my taxes were buying their food while their parents spent money on stupid stuff! And then they had the gall to gripe about the stuff they got for free.

A gov't should not do for a people what they can do for themselves. "

sa statement wrote on Apr 18, 2009 3:22 PM:

" "your story sounds so bogus. go lie to some one else,you are probably the character in your own story,which sounds like alot of bull. you used WIC for 1 year,but you were able to afford a hospital bill for $180,000. RIGHT! "

Just curious wrote on Apr 18, 2009 5:51 PM:

" How exactly does the lone star card work? Is is for a set amount and when is it replenished? Also, does it go on for ever and ever and ever or is it for a set period of time like say 6 mos. then it's cut off? Was recently behind a woman who was trying to buy a comforter set with a LS card but had to put it back. To sad statement, I believe your story. You said that you had insurance, you did not say that the entire burden of 180,000 was all on you. I too teach in public school and am really thankful for the oportunity for kids to receive free lunch if they need it. I do not hear them complain, they just don't eat it. "

sad statement wrote on Apr 19, 2009 12:25 AM:

" please read carefully...we had insurance! the portion that the insurance paid was $180,000....the point in not dropping my insurance as the WIC girl suggested was to avoid relying on the gov't even more than we already were. "

Just Curious wrote on Apr 19, 2009 3:09 PM:

" You sound like a good person who does understand how the system is supposed to work-temporarily. I hope that I was able to convey that I was trying to support you in my post. Still wondering from somone, how the LS card works though. Not trying to be critical, just curious. I do want to see children and children only receive whatever they need to be happy, successful, and well fed and of course to have the fortitude and direction to provide better for themselves when they are responsible for their own wellbeing. "

to just curious wrote on Apr 20, 2009 12:06 AM:

" Yes, I completely understood your post. I was responding to the person above who said they didn't believe my story. I am not sure what part they didn't believe...

NICU bill at $180,000 that insurance covered
Person on WIC refusing more services
Person not staying on gov't assistance forever "

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