Speaker forms committee to assess state’s labor participation

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October 2, 2023

Jobs, employment, workforce participation are top of mind for leaders in Alabama and across the country.

With the state’s unemployment rate at an all-time low of 2.2%, that statistic places Alabama among the 10 states with the lowest unemployment rates.

Gov. Kay Ivey recently encouraged leaders to note not just unemployment rates, but the importance of the labor force participation rate. Despite the low unemployment rate, the labor force participation in Alabama is lower than in most other states.

Speaker of the House Nathaniel Ledbetter announced Monday an ad hoc committee to study Alabama’s labor force participation rates and identifying barriers to workforce entry.

“Alabama is witnessing record-breaking economic growth and historically low unemployment rates,” Ledbetter said. “Despite these numbers, in Alabama, there are roughly 140,000 job openings and, at the same time, 48,834 unemployed workers across our state.

“That means we are lacking nearly 100,000 workers over 16 years old, which puts our labor force participation rate at a mere 57 percent — one of the lowest rates in the entire country.”

Some specific areas the study commission will address are extending adequate childcare to families, examining the correlation between productivity growth and labor output, ensuring wages and salaries are competitive, addressing workforce housing concerns, and offering improved and more expansive mental health programs and services, according to the Speaker’s office.

“Over the coming months, it will be imperative for this group to build on the progress of, and collaborate with, existing entities such as the Lt. Governor’s Commission on 21st Century Workforce, the Alabama Community College System, Alabama higher-education institutions, and essential stakeholders across the private sector,” said Ledbetter.

“An insufficiency of resources such as these creates barriers to workforce entry as much as an absence of quality education.”

Members on the study committee will be Rep. Reed Ingram (R–Pike Road), chairman; Rep. Danny Garrett (R–Trussville); Rep. Donna Givens (R–Robersdale); Rep. Anthony Daniels (D–Huntsville); Rep. James Lomax (R–Huntsville); Rep. Barbara Drummond (D–Mobile); Rep. Mike Kirkland (R–Scottsboro); Rep. Bill Lamb (R–Tuscaloosa); Rep. Kelvin Lawrence (D–Hayneville); Rep. Curtis Travis (D–Tuscaloosa); Rep. Chris Pringle (R–Mobile); Rep. Matt Woods (R–Jasper); Rep. Wes Kitchens (R–Guntersville); Rep. Jim Carns (R–Birmingham); and Rep. Scott Stadthagen (R–Hartselle).

Grayson Everett is the state and political editor for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @Grayson270