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C O M M IT T E E ON PU B L IC W O R K S
■GERALD R. FO R D , JR.
F I F T H D I S T R I C T , M IC H IG A N
W A S H IN G T O N , D . C „ A D D R E S S :
H O U S E O F R E PR E SE N T A T IV E S
5 1 8 M IC H IG A N T R U S T B U IL D IN G
Congress of tfje Untteb States
R A L P H B. P R A T T
J^oti at of &epregentattoesi
G R A N D R A P ID S , M IC H IG A N , A D D R E S S :
S EC R ETA R Y
Slag&mgton, B* C.
*
August
{4
j'
23, 1949
Honorable John R. Steelman
A s s is t a n t t o th e P r e sid e n t
The W hite House
W ashington, D. C.
Dear Mr. Steelm an:
On August 1 7 t h I w rote you u rg in g t h a t
th e c i t y o f Grand Haven, M ichigan be d e sig n a te d a
c r i t i c a l or d i s t r e s s a r e a .
T h is morning I r e c e iv e d
th e e n clo se d la b o r market a n a ly s is f o r th e month o f
J u ly fo r th e S t a t e o f M ich igan .
On page th r e e you
w i l l n o te t h a t Muskegon has an unemployment o f over
2 3*3$ .
Grand Haven comes w ith in th e shaded area on
th e map, which in c lu d e s Muskegon prop er.
I o n ly forward t h i s a d d itio n a l m a te r ia l
b ecau se i t g r a p h i c a l l y i l l u s t r a t e s th e c lo s e i n t e r
r e la t i o n s h i p between Muskegon and Grand Haven,
I s i n c e r e ly hope t h a t your o f f i c e can
th o ro u g h ly i n v e s t i g a t e th e s i t u a t i o n i n Grand Haven
i n order t h a t proper a c tio n can be taken t o in c lu d e
t h a t community i n th e d i s t r e s s c a te g o r y .
G erald R. Ford, J r ,
GRFJr:bb
E n clo su re
UNiMflOVMKNT
LABOR
MARKET
m mz
JULY 1 9 4 9
MICHIGAN
UNEMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION
COMMISSION
7 310
Woodward
Avenue
Detroit
2,
Michigan
VOL.
IV,
NO.
7
STATE SUMMARY
.
.
.
MICHIGAN'S
NESS
AND
t r e n d s
.
I
PRODUCTION
With
De
L AB OR
production
,
p o s i t i o n
F
l i n t
.
I
unemployment
In
co n tr ast
PL U MBI N- G
AND
n
Ra
.
.
.
Ac c o
IN
FACTURING
p i d s
AND
SENSITIVITY
r eflec t
the
TO
wide
NATION-WIDE
divergence
BUSI
in
sales
the
HALF
IN
,
below
the
e x h ib it e d
INDUSTRIES
EQUIPMENT,
MO S T
,
Mi
c h ig a n
Saginaw
and
employment
str eng th
ARE
Pe
is
a t
Sta
te
b y
—
a
the
in
auto
very
favorable
r e l a t iv e l y
high
level
in d u s t r y
,
OFFICE
MACHINES,
THE
and
.
PRODUCTS,
PORT
—
c i t i e s
a
a u t o
BY
JACKSON,
k e y
FOUNDRY
REFRIGERATORS,
HIT
's
are
a v e r a g e
PRODUCING
SEVERELY
MUSKEGON,
n i n s u l a
,
employment
INDUSTRIES
THAN
THREE
WORKE RS
OF
TO
THE
W ILL
—
SLACK-OFF
HURON,
ADD
furnished
AT
LEAST
WILL
SC A T T E R E D
BOOSTED
LEVEL
EMPLOYED
WORKE RS
BE
THE
s o ft
spots
STOVES,
AND
IN
BENTON
c h ig a n
PROBABLE
12,000
pa r tic u la r ly
UNEMPLOYMENT
PREVAILING
Mi
by
IS
BE
—
reductions
HAVE
TIMES
inform ation
OF
EXPECT
ADDITIONS
,
h ig h s
a c
HEAVY
DEMAND
FOR
HARBOR,
AND
.
t o
FIRMS
P o n t -i
a r e a s
HEATING
MORE
NUMBER
ABOUT
THEIR
a ccur ately
record
,
s u b s t a n t ia l l y
MINING
rding
THE
areas
near
MACHINERY.
Upper
the
15,800,
RISE
these
PRODUCTS
Gran d
DEMONSTRATING
higan
n s in g
DEVELOP
CONSTRUCTION
I
La
t o
TO
ber
n
,
is
CONTINUE
THESE
Mic
n d iv id u a l
ARE
PATTERNS.
a u t o
t r o i t
MARKET S
's
IN
in
the
1948.
m an u fa ctu r er s
THE
lum
APPROXIMATELY
OCTOBER
major
DURING
TO
NEXT
FOUR
,
a
moderate
MONTHS.
MA N U
WORKERS.
HIRED
BY
THROUGHOUT
AUTO
TH E
PLANTS
WHILE
THE
STATE'S
OTHER
MANUFACTURING
REMAINING
I ND U S T R I E S .
.
.
ME N T
.
A
at
GLANCE
AT
1 , 988,900
Mo s t
o f
THE
in
the
increase
IN
AND
110,000
significant
THE
A UTO
BROUGHT
http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/
!Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
FORCE
a ttr ib u ta b l e
in
BE L OW
-----
a
major
THE
UP
FACTORS
SLIGHT
INCREASES
RAISED
IN
t o
auto
LEVEL
78,000,
MANUFACTURING
SEASONAL
ANALYSIS
86, 300 a b o v e
employme nt c h a n g e s
INDUSTRY
MISCELLANEOUS
TURING
is
involved
APPROXIMATELY
L A B OR
1949 —
mid-June
75,000 w o r k e r s
Most
DETAILED
AT
the
the
THE
between
METAL
THE
may
IN
SERVICE
to
work
Employment
OF
NON-FARM
EMPLOY
of
on
more
June
than
15 w a s
1948.
15 and
FABRICATING
EMPLOYMENT
STATE'S
15 f i g u r e .
return
CLOSE
—
AND
Ma y
strike.
INDUSTRIES
TRADE
SHOWS
15
June
PLANTS
UP 2 , 0 0 0 .
CONSTRUCTION
------
IN
BY
occurred
UP
1,600
NON-MANUFAC
3,500
AND
ESTABLISHMENTS.
( Cont i nued on
P*g« 2)
PAGE
MICHIGAN'S
2
LABOR
MARKET
JULY
1949
STATE’ S EMPLOYMENT TREND REVIEWED AT LOCAL, STATE AND NATIONAL LEVELS
A
AREAS
GRAPHIC
IS
CONSIDERED
AREAS
SUBSTANTIAL
CONSIDERED
Me a s u r e d
Upper
THE
Pe
BE
ENOUGH
the
,
OF
J
TO
L AB OR
MARKET
ME N T
CIVIC
GROUPS
REVIEW
THE
At
Mic
higan
IN
ORDER
WORKI NG
August
The
Sta
THAT
HE
is
State
U.
S.
August
i
throughout
the
The
Harbor,
,
BE
Governor
the
Wil
to
OF
COMMITTEES
time
top
expects
executives
MUCC,
is
Secretary.
Commence
the
of
Sawyer
met
On
2,
and
State
is
the
the
the
Grand
n
labor
MO N T H S
TO
OF
A RE
WHICH
Ra
f o r c e
,
Mic
MUSKEGON,
pid s
Ka
and
THE
EXTENT
LABOR
WITH
HAVE
HELD
BEEN
COMMITTEES
organized
IN
HAVE
to
THE
review
the
BE
TO
ARE
THAT
h i
THE
la m azo o
THEY
with
A CAREFUL
AND
REPORTS
LABOR,
MANAGE
BEEN
a
of
of
IN
for
key
the
Detroit
of
com m ittee
F O RME D
TO
meeting
th-is
Business
met
Jackson,
special
the
Huron
C.
Robert
leaders
generally,
Michigan
as
problems
Port
ON
problem.
labor
committees
market
IS
THEM
Dr.
and
with
te
Harry
and
and
the
Sta
COMMITTEE
WITH
specifically,
labor
received
THIS
as
the
LANSING
Committee,
community
and
in
departments.
Commerce
local
known
unemployment
plans
Detroit
T a b le 1 .
well
of
and
as
the
Benton
consideration.
STATEWIDE LABOR FORCE TRENDS*
(|n Thousands)
STATE SUMMARY
( c o m i nued
from
Pg.
l )
Net Change From
June
Pr
e lim in a r y
AT
employment
C O MP A R E D
WITH
191,000
ON
MENT
ABOUT
THE
IS
AND
COLLEGE
PLOYMENT
GREATER
FINAL
20,000
SUMMER
15,000
S' UMMER
on
THAN
THE
July
THE
un
show
FIGURE
OF
UNEMPLOY
HIGHER.
HOWE V E R,
ESTIMATE
I N
STUDENT
HIGH
JOB
SCHOOL
AND
EXCLUDING
JOBSEEKERS,
15
JUNE
PERMANENT
was
15
only
THE
UNEM
3,000
FIGURE,
L ABOR
I N C R E A S E D BY A P P R O X I M A T E L Y
1tem
FORCE
15,000.
AL
HAD
1949
Est imates
MID-JULY-
CURRENT
GRADUATES.
TEMPORARY
THOUGH
THE
IN
UNEMPLOYMENT
1^,000
SEEKERS
211,000
JuNE'15,
JULY
CLUDES
e s tim a te s
,
MAY
SPECIAL
WITH
HAVE
SITUATION.
State's
Peninsula,
severe,
and
A MEETING
economic
Upper
most
has
Secretary
consider
Muskegon,
unemployment
I
employment
in
representatives
to
SIX
PREPARED
is C h a i r m a n
conditions
Committee,
MAY
MODERAT E
SURPLUSES
M UCC HAS
LOCAL
of
economic
August
.
SURPLUS
CHANGES
WILL
Controller,
State.
liam s
THE
AND
the
of
HAVE
SURPLUS.
MEETINGS
review
Governor
of
LABOR
INDUSTRIAL
THREE
BASIS.
ommittee
I N F O RME D
r b o r
THE
PROBLEM.
SEVEN
non- farm
the
LAST
CONTINUOUS
PROBLEM,
THERE.
THE
in
L AB OR
MA J O R
AREAS,
US.
THE
Ha
BUT
MA J O R
DEMAND,
OF
SUBSTANTIAL
of
areas
where
HAVING
Director
throughout
State.
C
Be n t o n
MICHIGAN'S
14
SUBSTANTIAL
ALL
OVER
SUBSTANTIAL
DISCUSS
l e v e l
discuss
Employment
Others
TO
Secretary
to
VERY
A ND
workers
GRADUAL
UNEMPLOYMENT
composed
Executive
and
BEEN
DEVELOPMENTS
LOCAL
10 , at which
Steadman,
Fu ll
te
TO
IN
STATE'S
VERY
unemployed
ON A C O N T I N U I N G
MAY
THE
Committee
HAS
OF
Employment
ull
WITH
Markle,
on
PROBLEM
the
F
Po rt
THE
COVERING
CONCERN
Huron
AREAS
OF
HA V E
,
a c k s o n
THE
SUPPLY
UNEMPLOYMENT
COMMUNITIES
ANALYSIS
AND
of
LABOR
F OUR
OF
UNEMPLOYMENT
OF
SEVERE
EMPLOYMENT
PROVIDE
DETAILED
BE
number
MO S T
CONSIDERED
AND
TO
AND
PAGE.
BALANCED
SURPLUSES,
THE
n i n s u l a
EMPLOYMENT
OPPOSITE
FAIRLY
by
WITH
DECLINE
SOON
OF
LABOR
OF
ON T H E
SERIOUS
AREAS
gan
PICTURE
PRESENTED
May
D ec.
June
1949
1948
1948
Labor F o r c e - T o t a l
2181.4
+
1 .0
Employment
M an u factu rin g
N on-M an ufacturing
1988.9
978.3
1010.6
+
4+
86.3
81.4
4 .9
- 1 0 9.8
82.4
2 7 .4
- 62.1
- 64.3
+ 2.2
-
16.4
+
6 .3
Unemployment
On S t r i ke
191.4
1-1
-
1 8 .7
6 6 .6
+
-
95.0
1 .6
4 77.7
9.3
Labor Force-women
613.6
+
2 .0
-
13 .6
+ 11.2
Employment
M anu factu rin g
N on-M an ufacturing
553.8
150.9
4 0 2 .9
+
+
+
6 .0
5.4
0 .6
-
3 6 .0
14.3
2 1 .7
9.6
- 15 .7
+ 6.1
59.3
0 .5
-
2 .5
1 .5
+
-
22 .6
0 .2
+ 2 0 .5
+ 0.3
Unemployment
On St r i ke
L ABOR
MARKET
i€ $ i l N S
JULY 1 9 4 9
MICHIGAN
UNEMPLOYMENT
COMPENSATION
COMMISSION
7 310
Woodward
Avenue
Detroit
2,
Michigan
VOL.
IV,
NO.
7
STATE SUMMARY
.
.
.
MICHIGAN'S
NESS
AND
t r e n d s
.
PRODUCTION
With
De
L A B OR
I
production
,
p o s i t i o n
F
l i n t
.
I
unemployment
I
n
co n tr ast
PLUMBING
AND
n
Ra
.
.
.
Ac c o
IN
AND
areas
THEIR
accur a tely
SENSITIVITY
r eflec t
the
TO
wide
NATION-WIDE
divergence
in
BUSI
sales
the
HALF
,
tN
h ig h s
ntm ac
,
below
is
e x h ib it e d
EQUIPMENT,
MOST
Mi
St
the
INDUSTRIES
,
c h ig a n
Saginaw
and
employment
strength
ARE
Pe
—
a t
a
a te
b y
the
in
auto
very
favorable
r e l a t iv e l y
high
level
in d u s t r y
,
OFFICE
MACHINES,
THE
and
.
PRODUCTS,
PORT
—
c i t i e s
a
a u t o
BY
JACKSON,
k e y
FOUNDRY
REFRIGERATORS,
HIT
's
are
a v e r a g e
PRODUCING
SEVERELY
MUSKEGON,
n i n s u l a
,
employment
THREE
TIMES
inform ation
OF
OF
-----
INDUSTRIES
THAN
WO RKE RS
EXPECT
ADDITIONS
Po
SLACK-OFF
HURON,
s o ft
spots
STOVES,
AND
IN
BENTON
HEAVY
DE MAND
FOR
HARBOR,
AND
.
t o
FIRMS
record
,
a r e a s
HEATING
MORE
NUMBER
ABOUT
DEMONSTRATING
s u b s t a n t ia l l y
MINING
rding
THE
FACTURING
p i d s
near
MACHINERY.
Upper
the
15,800,
RISE
these
PRODUCTS
Gr an d
ARE
higan
n s in g
DEVELOP
CONSTRUCTION
I
La
t o
TO
ber
n
,
is
CONTINUE
THESE
Mic
PATTERNS.
a u t o
t r o i t
MARKET S
n d iv id u a l
TO
THE
WILL
ADD
furnished
AT
LEAST
WILL
SC A T T E R E D
BOOSTED
LEVEL
EMPLOYED
WORKE RS
BE
THE
c h ig a n
PROBABLE
12,000
p a r tic u la r ly
UNEMPLOYMENT
PREVAILING
Mi
by
IS
BE
—
reductions
HAVE
's
IN
in
1948.
m an u fa ctu r er s
THE
lum
the
APPROXIMATELY
OCTOBER
major
DURING
TO
NEXT
FOUR
,
a
MONTHS.
moderate
MA N U
WORKERS.
HIRED
BY
THROUGHOUT
AUTO
TH E
PLANTS
WHILE
THE
STATE'S
OTHER
MANUFACTURING
REMAINING
I ND U S T R I E S .
.
.
MENT
.
A
at
GLANCE
AT
1 , 988,900
Mo s t
o f
75,000
THE
in
the
increase
WORKE RS
IN
AND
AUT O
BROUGHT
FORCE
-----
FACTORS
SLIGHT
INCREASES
above
a ttr ib u ta b l e
IN
A
MA J OR
UP
RAISED
IN
t o
AUTO
LEVEL
78,000,
MANUFACTURING
SEASONAL
ANALYSIS
86,300
—
e mp l o y m e n t ch a ng e s
INDUSTRY
MISCELLANEOUS
TURING
is
INVOLVED
significant
THE
LABOR
1949
1 1 0 , 0 0 0 BE L OW T H E
APPROXIMATELY
Most
DETAILED
mid-June
AT
the
THE
may
EMPLOYMENT
IN
SERVICE
STATE'S
to
EMPLOY
work
of
ON
more
JUNE
than
15 WAS
1948.
OF
15
NON-FARM
figure.
EMPLOYMENT
and
FABRICATING
—
AND
15
return
CLOSE
between
METAL
THE
Ma y
STRIKE.
INDUSTRIES
TRADE
SHOWS
the
15
June
PLANTS
UP 2 , 0 0 0 .
CONSTRUCTION
-----
IN
BY
occurred
UP
1,600
NON-MANUFAC
3,500
AND
ESTABLISHMENTS.
( C o n t i n u e d on P a g e 2 )
For Q u a l i f i e d W o r k e r s Call on the M I C H I G A N S T A T E E M P L O Y M E N T S E R V I C E - A f f i l i a t e d wit h the U n i t e d States E m p l o y m e n t S e r v i c e
PAGE 4
Ml C H I G A N 1S
LABOR
JULY • 1.9^9
MARKET
WHAT*S HAPPENED?
A MONTHLY ROUNDUP OF COMMISSION ACTIVITIES
JOB PLACEMENT
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
S easonal in c r e a s e s i n a g r i c u l t u r a l
and fo o d p ro c e s s in g a c t i v i t i e s
to g e th e r
w ith a s tro n g p r o d u c tio n program i n th e
auto in d u s t r y reduced th e r o s t e r o f jo b
seekers by n e a r ly 10# and v i r t u a l l y dou
b le d th e C om m ission’ s jo b p lac e m e n ts .
The weekly volume o f c la im s f o r jo b le s s
in s u ra n c e s lip p e d in t o a seven-week downward
s p i r a l w hich p a re d n e a r ly
70,000 p e rs o n s
from th e th re e - y e a r re co rd c l aim load( 175, 000 )
reached i n mid-May. B efo re th e ex tended down
tr e n d had run i t s course in e a r ly J u l y th e
weekly c la im
lo a d
h i t th e lo w e s t le v e l
(1 0 8 .0 0 0 )
s in c e th e f i r s t week o f Ja n u a ry
(1 0 7 .0 0 0 ).
C a llb a c k s in D e t r o it
m anufac
t u r in g p l a n t s were la r g e l y r e s p o n s ib le
fo r
the sharp d e c lin e .
The count o f jo b a p p lic a n t s
seek
in g work th ro u g h th e C om m ission’ s branch
o f f i c e s dropped to 147, 300 i n Ju n e , 10,300
le s s th a n th e May t o t a l , b u t 5,500
more
th a n th e average f o r th e f i r s t 5 months
o f th e y ear.
The sharp r is e i n jo b p lacem en ts
— from 12,500 i n May to 23,300 i n Ju ne
— r e s u lt e d from in c r e a s e s i n demand fo r
farm la b o r .
The Commission p la c e d 14,200
w orkers i n farm jo b s d u r in g Ju ne — a g a in s t
2,200 i n May*
Non-farm p lacem en ts
were
9,100 i n June compared to 10,300 i n May.
Table
2.
LABOR TURNOVER RAT ES
PER 1 0 0 EMPLOYEES
MI CHI GAN MANUFACT URI NG BY AREA
Kby a n d
April,
E x h a u s tio n s o f unemployment
b e n e f it s
are p la y in g an in c r e a s in g ly im p o r ta n t p a r t
i n th e c la im lo a d .
A pprox im ate ly
10,800
c la im s were exhausted d u rin g Ju ne, b r in g in g
th e t o t a l f o r th e f i r s t s ix months o f th e
y ear to 4 4 ,0 0 0 .
T his compares w ith 44,300
fo r th e e n t ir e y e ar o f 19 48.
1 949
Labor
S e p a r a t i ons
S e p a r a t i ons
Mar ke t
All
Excl.
Layof f e
Ar ea
May
Apri 1
May
Apri 1
May
Apri 1
1 949
1 949
1 949
1949
1 9 49
1949
Maj or Plants
Mi c hi g an
B a t t l e Creek
Ba y c i t y - M i d l a n d
Bent on H a r b o r S t . J oseph
Detroit
Flint
By m id - Ju ly , however, new l a y o f f s
in
D e t r o it , Grand R ap id s and Muskegon a g a in re
versed th e tr e n d , l i f t i n g th e
c la im
lo a d
above th e 120.000 mark.
C l a im s From
A c c e s s i ons
causes
6.2
7.9
2.7
2.4
6.9
9. 3
4.1
5.1
2.7
3-8
3-1
9.9
1.7
1.0
1.4
1.7
1.2
2.1
4.0
1.6
10.6
3.2
2.5
3.4
6.3
3-6
9. 1
3-0
3 .4
2.7
2.7
2.5
8.5
4.4
12.1
6.4
Grand Rapi ds
J ackson
Kal araaz oo
L a n s i ng
Mus keg on
6.3
14.5
4.8
4.0
10.8
11.0
6.6
' 4.1
2.9
16.4
1.6
0.8
1.7
1.7
1.5
2 .4
0.9
2.0
1.6
1.6
5.0
4.4
2.8
4.2
10.5
5. 2
3.8
4.0
5. 2
7. 1
Pont i ac
P o r t Hu r o n
Sag i naw
Upper Peninsula
Rena i n d e r
8.1
12.4
4.4
8.5
6.1
6.6
7.5
3-5
5.3
5 2
2.9
0.8
2.2
0.7
1.4
2.5
0.6
2.5
0.7
1.5
4.1
8.4
3.2
4.7
4.5
8.1
2.9
2.7
3.1
4-3
L
A
B
I A H
O
R
I C E T
D esign ed to s e r v e e m p l o y e r s , l a b o r g r o u p s , c oi m u n i t y o r g a n i z a t i o n s , a n d g o v e r n i e n t a g e n ci es .
C o m m e n t s r e g a r d i n g i t s u s e f u l n e s s ere w e l c o m e d .
T o ta l
Endina
June
Jul y
1949
139,171
145,834
126,497
122,940
116,492
15,116
14,538
15,410
14,442
15,458
124,055
131,296
111,087
108,498
101,034
7, 1949
14 ... ...
21
28
108,120
122,649
120,842
118,192
16,259
16,302
16,532
17,313
91,861
106,347
104,310
100,879
2,
9
16
23
30
The d o l l a r volume o f b e n e f it payments
to unemployed persons
i n June dropped
by
n e a r ly 10 % to $9,107,000 i n Ju ne .
In c lu d
ed i n th e June t o t a l were checks am ounting
to $2,454,000 f o r S erv ice m e n 's R ead ju stm e nt
A llow ances.
UIMPLOYIOTT COMPENSATION CLAIMS*
ITEM
JUNE
1949
t A R R \ C. M A R K L E
Executive Director
Michigan Dneiployient Compensation
Co»»lssion
Additional
c o p i e s or f u r t h e r i n f o r m a t i o n are
a v a i l a b l e u p o n r e q u e s t to t h e P l a n n i n g , R e s e a r c h
and S t a t i s t i c s D i v i s i o n .
All g r a p h i c a l m a t e r i a l
p r e s e n t e d h e r e i n nay be reproduced without prior
p e r m i s s i o n . M e n t i o n of the sou r c e will b e ap p r e http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/
ci t iBank
led.
Federal Reserve
of St. Louis
Cont inuous
UnemDloyment
New
UnemDloyment
NET CHANGE
FROM
MAY 1949
CUMULATIVE
JAN.-JUNE
1949
N umber of benefit claims filed**
N umber of benefit cheeks issued
Value of benefit payments
Individual true contested cases received
589,082
442,013
$9,106,471
17,899
-122,536
-45,314
-$901,060
-1,347
3,604,679
2,564,978
$52,740,266
108,596
Number of appeals reed, by Referee Sec.
N umber of Appeal Board cases received
Balance in the Unemployment Compensation
Trust Fund at end of month
1,049
190
-407
/15
7,189
918
$295,330,914
-$6 ,400,422
XXX
#Gross number of claims filed — all types — including claims pending determina
tion or subject to disqualification.
■^Includes claims filed and benefit payments under.the State Unemployment Insurance
and Servicemen’
s Readjustment ALLowance program (Federal Funds).
Pear Congressman Fords
Thank you f o r your l e t t e r o f August 17 g iv i n g f a c t s about
unemployment i n Grand Haven and u rg in g t h a t i t be d e s ig n a te d a s a
d i s t r e s s a re a or t h a t t h e Muskegon a rea be r e d e fin e d t o in c lu d e
Grand Haven*
As you can r e a d i l y understand, i t i s e s s e n t i a l t o have some
o b je c t i v e b a s is f o r naming areas*
For t h i s reaso n , we a r e r e ly in g on
th e r e p o r ts on la b o r ;aarkets prepared by th e l o c a l employment o f f i c e s
a t th e d i r e c t i o n o f t h e S t a t e employment s e c u r i t y a g e n c y.
These a r e
th e n forwarded t o th e Bureau o f Employment S e c u r it y i n t h e Department
o f Labor, which makes su re t h a t t h e r e has been u n if o n a it y o f t r e a t
ment.
I n s tr u c t io n s se n t t o th e S t a t e s by t h e Bureau o f &aployment
S e c u r it y were t o r e p o r t a l l a re a s o f h eavy unemployment i n th e l i s t o f
300 la b o r market a r e a s on which r e p o r ts were made du rin g t h e war and
a l s o any o th e r a r e a s which th e S t a t e th ou gh t should b e rep o rte d *
M ich igan did not see f i t t o r e p o r t Grand Haven*
t h e a re a s a r e d e fin e d by th e S t a t e s , w ith t h e g u id in g p r in
c i p l e b e in g t o in c lu d e th e surrounding m e tr o p o lita n t e r r i t o r y from
which a c e n tr a l p o in t norm ally draws i t s la b o r fo r c e *
These a re a s
have n o t been r e c e n t l y d e fin ed f o r f e d e r a l a s s is t a n c e purposes bu t
have been d e fin e d f o r y e a r s f o r r e g u la r o p e ra tin g and r e p o r tin g a c t i v i
t i e s o f th e U nited S t a t e s Seployment S e r v i c e .
F o llo w in g th e p r i n c i p l e
named abo ve, t h e Maskegoa a re a ■
n elu d es a l l o f Muskegon County, th e
P rovid en ce a r e a in c lu d e s t h e e n t i r e m e tr o p o lita n d i s t r i c t (or about
t w o -th ir d s o f th e S t a t e ) , e t c .
These a r e not p reced en ts f o r expansion
o f an a c u te a r e a , but sim ply what employment s e r v ic e e x p e r ie n c e over
many y e a r s has shewn t o be a n a tu r a l la b o r market*
{Jader th e s e circu m sta n c e s, n e ith e r th e Bureau o f Employment
S e c u r it y nor I co u ld order th e S t a t e t o change i t s d e f i n i t i o n .
How
e v e r , we a r e a s k in g them t o reexam ine th e la b o r m arket c o n d itio n s in
Grand Haven.
Ton p o in t out t h a t Grand Haven is s a e d ia te ly and d i r # c t l y
feels t h e im pact o f changes in employment c o n d itio n s in Muskegon*
That b e in g the cap?©, Grand Haven r e s id e n ts w i l l a u to m a tic a lly b e n e f i t
from any F e d e r a l c o n tr a c ts v h ic h can be channeled toward Muskegon.
T h is w i l l happen even i f Grand Haven I s n o t d e sig n a te d or the a r e a
is
not redefined.
While conditions in Grand Haven a r e being reexamined, I
s u g g e s t that the Grand Raven people g e t in touch with the Michigan
S t a t e Cowilit## on F u l l Ssployissnt t o see what l o c a l a c tio n i s p o s s ib le
t o improve economic c o n d itio n s .
S in c e r e ly ,
isigRBti)
Honorable G erald R. F ord, J r .
H case o f R e p r e s e n ta tiv e s
Washington, D. 0.
M ag u ire: bds 8/22/49
am *
s. s'p***1*
@FedFRASER