Friday, June 21, 2002 | 11:29 a.m.
CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in May in Nevada held steady at 5.5 percent compared to the prior month -- but it was still higher than the 4.4 percent of a year ago.
The state Department of Employment Training and Rehabilitation said Thursday there were 53,600 workers out of work statewide, a reduction of 4,000 from April. But there were 9,000 more workers unemployed this May than a year ago.
Nevada's rate was below the national rate of 5.8 percent and California's rate of 6.3 percent, the department said.
Gov. Kenny Guinn said, "Nevada's economy continued to recover in May with the fourth consecutive monthly decline in the number of unemployed."
He said the economy added 7,000 jobs during the month and the number of jobs has increased by more than 30,000 since January, a figure only slightly below the 10-year average for the same months.
Unemployment in the Las Vegas metropolitan statistical area, which includes Clark and Nye counties in Nevada and Mojave County in Arizona, fell from 5.6 percent in April to 5.3 percent in May.
There were an estimated 43,500 workers out of a job during the month, or about 2,500 fewer than in April. But there were more than 8,000 people unemployed in May than in the same month of 2001.
Department Director Myla Florence said the gaming industry statewide gained more than 1,000 jobs in May, but casino employment still remains below its pre-Sept. 11 mark.
She said successful negotiations of new hotel-casino labor contracts in Southern Nevada should enable recovery of the state's tourism industry to proceed.
"Las Vegas was named the top tourist destination this summer in a recent survey, so business should continue to improve in the coming months," she said.
Total employment statewide reached 1,071,700, up 1.1 percent from a year ago.
The hotel and gaming industry reported 238,800 employed statewide, down 2.8 percent from May 2001. Construction employment rose 3.7 percent to 92,800 compared to May 2001; manufacturing was off 1.1 percent to 46,000 employed; trade gained 2.8 percent to 226,100 and the number of government workers rose 3 percent to 132,600.
The Las Vegas area reported 794,200 jobs, an increase of 1.2 percent from a year ago. Construction jobs rose 3.2 percent to 73,800; manufacturing gained .8 percent to 25.700; trade was up 2.8 percent to 171,200; hotels and gaming fell .1 percent to 352,400 from a year ago and government employment increased 3.7 percent to 87,200 workers.
The department said unemployment in Washoe County declined from 4.7 percent in April to 4.3 percent in May with 8,100 people out of a job. Employment rose to 199,100, up .7 percent from a year ago.
The Carson City area -- which includes Carson City, Douglas, Lyon and Storey counties -- reported an unemployment rate of 5.4 percent, down from the 6.1 percent in April. There were 3,150 people out of work. Total employment reached 55,210, up 2.4 percent from a year ago.
Elko and Eureka counties posted a 4.7 percent unemployment rate, down from 5.3 percent in April. There were an estimated 950 people out of work. Total employment rose 2.2 percent to 19,260 compared to a year ago.
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