JOBS ARE PLENTIFUL IN REGION

"Job poaching" has become a popular practice in a seven-state area.

Poaching -- one company luring workers away from another -- has been used by numerous companies throughout the district, according to the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank District's Beige Book Report. The district covers a seven-state area.

Employers are searching for workers. That is evident in Cape Girardeau.

A number of "Help Wanted" and "Applications Accepted Here" signs can be seen around the city..

"New Flex Schedule, six-hour or 12-hour shifts available," reads one advertisement in the Southeast Missourian classifieds. "Workers needed: Learn While You Earn" reads another.

All types of positions are available in a number of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois businesses, ranging from nurses, training coordinators, counselors, bookkeepers, graphic artists and salesmen to construction workers, truck drivers, restaurant servicers and others.

"There are jobs for people in almost every category," said Jack Cecil of the Missouri Job Service Cape Girardeau office, which keeps tabs on employment throughout three counties.

Statistics speak for themselves.

Fewer than 2,300 workers are unemployed in Cape Girardeau, Bollinger and Perry counties. That may seem like a large number, but consider that the combined work force of the three-counties is over the 50,000 mark. That translates into about 95 percent employment.

The problem of too many jobs for too few workers is partly the result of the area's low unemployment rate.

Unemployment rates are falling everywhere.

The nation's unemployment rate fell to 5.3 percent in June, the lowest level in six years and down from the 5.6 rate in May.

Jobless rates for individual states are not yet available for June, but Missouri's May totals dipped to 4.0 based on a work force of 2.8 million, which translates into 2.7 million people with jobs.

Illinois was a full point higher, at 5.1 in May, but that was down from the 5.2 reading in April.

The Department of Labor said Friday that businesses added 239,000 workers to their payrolls in June, a much higher total than had been expected.

The good news started for Missouri in May, when 16,600 workers were added to employment rolls.

Missouri industry data show the job growth was primarily in the tourism and services related industries. Some 4,700 new jobs were added in amusement and recreational services, and 1,600 in hotels and lodging facilities. Eating and drinking establishments are employing 4,500 new workers.

"The Missouri labor market continues to be strong," said Tammy J. Berg of the Missouri Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. "Since May of 1995, there are 19,300 more people in the state's labor force, 41,200 more people employed and 21,900 fewer people unemployed."

Cape Girardeau County compares favorably with state statistics.

"We were a little higher than the state rate in May," said Jackie Cecil of the Missouri Job Service office in Cape Girardeau. "But we've been ranging just under or over the 4 percent mark the past year."

With a work force of more than 35,000 (35,472), Cape Girardeau County counts 33,932 with jobs and 1,440 without jobs.

Perry County, which is served by the Cape Girardeau Job Service office, reports the lowest unemployment rate in Southeast Missouri, at 3.9 percent.

Of the 10,022 people in the Perry work force, only 395 are without jobs.

Bollinger County, also served by the Cape Girardeau Job Service office, reported 7.7 percent unemployment in May.

"Bollinger has a smaller work force," said Cecil. "A few unemployed workers can change that percentage in a hurry."

Bollinger has only 394 unemployed workers, but with a work force of 5,116, that tabulates to 7.7 percent unemployment.

Jobs are available throughout the area.

"We have a number of service jobs and a few production jobs available," said Cecil.

Although most are in the $5 to $6 an hour range, some skilled positions are available at $10 to $15 an hour.

Cecil said June was a slow month, with 117 of the 185 openings for $6 an hour or less.

Because jobs are so plentiful, the wages for a number of previously minimum wage jobs have increased to $5 or $5.50 an hour.

May unemployment in Illinois remained at 5.4 percent, the same as in April and May but down 0.1 percent from May 1995.

Only three counties in the southern area changed more than 1 percentage point, supporting a picture of stability during a period that would appear to one of instability, said Charles M. "Mike" Vessell, a labor market economist with an office in Marion.

"Spring and its changeable weather usually affects construction and agriculture during this time of year," he said.

Pulaski County unemployment increased 1.1 percent, from 10.4 to 9.3 from April to May.

Alexander County unemployment increased 0.1 percent but is still less than 9 percent at 8.4. Union County dropped out of the double-digit column, at 9.5 percent in May.

Jackson and Massac counties remain the employment leaders with 94.7 and 94.5 percent employment, respectively.

Meanwhile, the nation's unemployment rate edged down to 5.4 percent.

Hardin, Perry and Randolph counties in Southern Illinois have the highest unemployment rates at 14.1, 13.5 and 12.3 percent, respectively. Lowest on the unemployment charts are McDonough and Champaign counties at 2.3 and 3.1 percent, respectively.