U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on the October 2009
Employment Situation report released today:
"This past October, the economy lost 190,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate increased to 10.2
percent.
"We have known for some time now that the unemployment rate could reach this level, and it is
an unacceptable situation. We are working hard to reverse these circumstances for the millions of
Americans who need and want work but cannot find it.
"When this recession began in December 2007, the housing market was collapsing, and with the
subsequent credit collapse, small businesses were unable to raise the working capital necessary
to keep their employees on payroll. When this administration began its work in January 2009, the
economy was in a freefall, shedding 700,000 jobs a month.
"This administration met these challenges head on by immediately putting a plan into action to
create jobs and drive economic growth. As a result, housing markets are now showing signs of
recovery, credit is flowing again and just last week we saw that the economy is growing, rather
than shrinking, for the first time in a year.
"As the economy recovers, more businesses will begin hiring workers, and there are signs of
transformation and growth even in sectors that were hardest hit. For example, last week, Vice
President Biden announced Fisker Automotive Co.'s purchase and reopening of the closed GM
Boxwood Plant in Delaware. The company expects to employ 2,000 workers and produce as
many as 100,000 long-range hybrid cars annually.
"In Nevada, I toured the NV Energy operations center, where the power company is planning to
upgrade homes using smart grid technology. The administration's investment in these types of
projects will not only create thousands of jobs but lead to clean energy tomorrow.
"The Department of Labor is helping workers acquire the skills necessary for jobs in emerging
and growing sectors. This past year, hundreds of thousands of people have taken advanta