by Robert Remler
Employment on Long Island and in Valley Stream remains strong despite shocking lay-offs nationwide. Last month's cut of 26,000 jobs at a car manufacturer and the loss of 5,000 jobs at a cable television network are not expected to have a detrimental effect here, according to a labor market analyst.
Gary Huth, an analyst with the state department of labor, said that Long Island's economy would be affected only if Wall Street began to terminate positions.
Unemployment in Nassau County is 2.3 percent compared to 4.2 percent nationally and even less than Suffolk County's 2.6 percent, said Huth, who cited December figures.
"It basically means that job prospects are pretty good across the board," he said. While he cautioned that "shakeouts" will continue throughout the year, he said he remains optimistic about future opportunities for those who do get pink slips. "Most people seem to readily pick up something in the same industry," he said. "If a bank or hospital closes there appears to be jobs in other banks or in other hospitals."
The hottest industry on Long Island remains construction, said Huth. Construction jobs are growing almost twice as fast as the rest of the economy, he said.
Job growth locally is not dominated by low-paying jobs. Management-level opportunities remain strong, especially for people with experience, he said.
New York's strong economy has "fortified" job opportunities here, according to Huth. "New York City has not seen this job generation on a sustained basis...I don't think it has ever seen this kind of job growth," he said.
David McDonough, President of the Nassau Council of Chamber of Commerce's, said there seems to be a growth of jobs in the area. "I haven't yet seen discussion of lay-offs in our council." While some retail holiday sales were lower than expected, only seasonal help was laid off, he said. "I haven't seen anything yet on permanent help," said McDonough, the president of 50 chamber of commerce councils.
"When you heard of some of the major lay-offs like the Chrysler corporation, some of the larger companies...it does raise the issue and there could be the trickle down effect," he said. Reading about massive lay-offs creates a fear. "Anytime you read of layoffs of major employers when they are laying off thousands of people, it does have an affect."
Small neighborhood businesses may survive better than the major corporations because they carry necessities not luxury items like cars, according to McDonough.
He hoped that large corporate lay-offs will affect the large purchase decisions first, rather than the smaller businesses.
Locally, Operation Downtown will begin upgrading Rockaway Avenue in Valley Stream. Mayor Edward Cahill plans an improvement in the village's shopping district to attract businesses and jobs. Hiring of village workers, however, is on hold. Cahill said activity only takes place when part-time employees are upgraded to full-time positions.
The local private sector is more active.
Franklin Medical Center in Valley Stream held their first job fair in years last month. Bruce Beaver, community relations director for the hospital, said the job fair intended to attract trained individuals to fill positions because of expanding programs. Franklin Medical Center employs about 1,200 part-time, full-time and per-diem workers, said Beaver.
Fluctuations in the economy are not affecting the owner of Collision Concepts on Rockaway Avenue. Boris Klerer, also vice president of Valley Stream's Chamber of Commerce, said his industry requires employees with a special set of skills. "They are hard to find no matter what the economy."
Finding people to work is not difficult, according to the manager of Boston Market on Merrick Road. January and February are slow hiring periods, according to Ralph Barcelona. Applications for positions increase in March, he said, especially when help-wanted signs are posted in the window.
A help-wanted sign for a pharmacist was posted in the window of the Genovese Drug Store on Merrick Road last week. "That job was recently filled," said Carol Nurse, a pharmacist, but "the present is a good time to seek work as a pharmacist. There is a demand and it pays well."
