JOBLESS RATES FOR MISSOURI, ILLINOIS INCREASE IN JUNE

The June work force decreased in Cape Girardeau County.

"Our civilian labor force for June was 35,881," said Jackie Cecil, office manager of the Division of Employment Security in Cape Girardeau. "This figure is down 729 from May's total."

Even though students entered the labor market in June, the number is still less than that of May, Cecil said.

There were 34,151 people in the county's labor force employed in June, Cecil said, making the unemployment rate 4.8 percent, an increase of .6 percent.

"I'm not really sure why the unemployment rate is up for June, but the June figures weren't affected by the flooding, which didn't get really bad until July," Cecil said.

Meanwhile, Bollinger and Perry counties experienced increases in their civilian labor forces, Cecil said.

Bollinger County's labor force for June was 4,295, an increase of 108 over May, Cecil said. The county's unemployment rate was 9.8, an increase of .7 percent over the previous month, he said.

"When there are less people in an area, the unemployment rate will be higher because there is a smaller labor force there," Cecil explained.

Perry County also had an increase in its civilian labor force for June, Cecil said. The county, with a labor force of 10,585, had 692 unemployed people, resulting in a 6.5 percent unemployment rate, he said. That is up from the 5.8 percent unemployment it had in May.

All three counties experienced an increase in unemployment rates, but Bollinger County's work force is so small that any movement either way tends to make a significant difference, Cecil said.

Missouri's statewide unemployment rate in June increased to 7 percent, up from 6.1 percent in May.

Paul L. Rodgers, director of the Missouri Division of Employment Security, said unemployment normally increases in May and June due to a large influx of summer job-seekers entering the labor force. Most of the increase occurred in June, he said.

Flooding appeared to have had little effect on June employment statistics, Rodgers said, but the situation is expected to change in July, as worsening flood conditions forced businesses to close or curtail operations.

"I believe the unemployment figures in the area will be higher in July because of the flooding," Cecil said. "I think we can anticipate a significant increase in both Perry and Cape counties, but Cape's percentage rate will not jump as much as Perry's due to a large labor force," he said.

Illinois' statewide unemployment rate increased to 8.4 percent for June, a one-half percent increase over May.

Alexander, Pulaski and Union counties all experienced increases in their unemployment rates for June. Alexander County's rate increased by 1.3 percent to 18.4 percent. The June unemployment rate for Pulaski County was 23.2, a 2.5 percent increase. Union County's rate increased by one-half percent to 17.9 percent for June.