COLUMN: Unemployment rate dips slightly, but low-wage workers continue to be hardest hit

A graph showing the percentage of total U.S. employment in goods producing and service producing industries from 1950 to 2018. (Courtesy/ Oregon Employment Department)

The good news for Salem’s economy is that the unemployment rate has come down from 13.2 percent in April to 12.7 percent in May. The not-so-good news is that those still unemployed due to the pandemic shut-down were mostly low wage workers in service industries. This aspect of the current recession…