By Stephanie Gattman, Truth Staff
sgattman@etruth.com
Just 10 years ago, Elkhart County's average annual unemployment rate was 2.4 percent.
Yes, 2.4 percent.
In July, the county's jobless rate reached 9.3 percent. The last time local unemployment struggled like this was in 1982, when the annual average was 13.2 percent.
Who says we're not in a recession -- at least in this part of Indiana?
"There is no overnight pill you take to resolve the issues we're facing right now," said David Daugherty, president of the Goshen Chamber of Commerce.
Elkhart County vaulted from the 15th highest unemployment rate in the state in June to fifth in July.
According to figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Friday, almost 9,800 people were out of work in July, a rate of 9.3 percent -- up from 7 percent in June. The rate was 4.5 percent a year ago.
The news is worse in Goshen, where the rate hit 10.1 percent. It was 6.6 percent in June. A year ago, unemployment was just 4.4 percent in the Maple City.
In Elkhart, unemployment is 9.8 percent, up more than a point from last month's 8.6 percent rate. It was 5.9 percent a year ago.
Businesses and the county don't have control over the economy, gas prices and financial markets, factors contributing to Elkhart County's unemployment troubles and things that also don't change overnight, Daugherty said.
"It's one of those things you just hate to see," he said of the unemployment rate. "I have never been here through one of the down cycles. I have been told things can get tough in one of the down cycles. Obviously, that's where we're at."
And it could get worse before it gets better, he acknowledged.
"It is a tough time right now," Daugherty said. "A lot of things are happening that are making it tough."
In July, Dutchmen Manufacturing, Coachmen Industries and Newmar Corp. laid off workers. Monaco Coach Corp. announced the layoff of 1,400 workers in Elkhart, Wakarusa and Nappanee. However, those layoffs don't take effect until mid-September.
Daugherty noted that the RV industry makes up 50 percent of the labor force in Elkhart County. In meeting with other chamber members, however, "a lot of our members are doing OK. The RV industry has really had a tough struggle for the past six months or more," he said.
The chamber is working with other government and business leaders to try to help, as well as to look at how to diversify the county's economic base. "There are a lot of things that are going on right now," Daugherty said.
Daugherty, members of the Elkhart chamber and county officials traveled to Washington recently to meet with economic development administration officials.
U.S. Reps. Joe Donnelly, D-Granger, and Mark Souder, R-Fort Wayne, organized training for displaced workers.
The Goshen chamber has a new online program for its members which helps train employees in better customer service.
Meanwhile, unemployment in Elkhart and Goshen is even higher than in Gary and South Bend. Gary's rate was 8.1 percent in July; South Bend, 7.9 percent. St. Joseph County ranks 25th in the state with a total unemployment rate in the county of 7.2 percent.
The statewide average is 6.1 percent, with the lowest county -- DuBois -- at 3.7 percent.