CBIA: April Jobs Report Highlights Need for Pro-Growth Climate

Connecticut’s latest employment report clearly highlights the need for policies that will create conditions for job creation and growth, the state’s largest business organization said today.

“The April jobs report showed some improvement over what we had seen in the first three months,” CBIA economic adviser Pete Gioia said. “We also saw a slight drop of a tenth of a point in the unemployment rate.

“However, this growth has been lethargic and is subpar compared with what we’re seeing in other parts of the country and New England.

“We have in place a base that is strong that could power very good job growth, including innovation, advanced manufacturing, and other areas.

“We need to have conditions created that are conducive for growth. We don’t have that right now.”

Gioia noted that the state has lost 1,500 jobs—including a net loss of 1,600 private sector jobs— since the beginning of the year.

Overall, Connecticut has recovered 82% of the 119,100 jobs lost in the 2008-2010 recession, the only New England state and one of just a handful of states in the country yet to reach full recovery.

CBIA is Connecticut’s largest business organization, with thousands of member companies, small and large, representing a diverse range of industries from every part of the state. For more information, please email or call Joe Budd (860.244.1900).