Although the industry has been hard hit the economic recession, the manufacturing jobs Nashville has to offer are still plenty.

The Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin area's manufacturing industry employed 62,900 workers during December 2009, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is down from 63,300 workers during November and a 10.4 percent decrease from December 2008.

The Tennessee Department of Labor & Workforce Development reports that all production occupations in the Nashville area employ a total of about 66,180 workers and offer an average salary of $34,690 per year.

The majority of production occupations cross over into the manufacturing industry, but some are out of the ordinary, such as bakers.

The TDLWD lists the top employing production occupations and their average yearly salaries as:

1. Team assemblers - 10,710 employees, $41,030 per year
2. First line supervisors and managers of production and operating workers - 5,130 employees, $49,176 per year
3. All other assemblers and fabricators - 4,560 employees, $36,940 per year
4. Cutting, punching, and press machine setters, operators, and tenders of metal and plastic - 2,600 employees, $27,562 per year
5. Machinists - 1,810 employees, $36,947 per year
6. Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers - 960 employees, $33,715 per year
7. Grinding, lapping, polishing, and buffing machine tool setters, operators, and tenders of metal and plastic - 590 employees, $33,406 per year
8. Butchers and meat cutters - 530 employees, $27,870
9. Food batchmakers - 500 employees, $25,276 per year
10. Extruding and drawing machine setters, operators, and tenders of metal and plastic - 410 employees, $32,113 per year

Labels: Manufacturing jobs Nashville

A budget shortfall will result in the loss of some Miami medical jobs.

Jackson Health System recently announced that it will lay off at least 21 employees in an effort to combat a budget deficit. WSVN reports that the hospital's Union for Healthcare Professionals is currently reviewing the list.

Union officials are concerned that reducing staff numbers will directly affect the type and quality of care available, as patient numbers have not changed. Some officials think the hospital should focus on collecting bills instead of making layoffs.

Those slated to lose their jobs are one attending physician and 20 associate nurse managers. Dr. Eneida Roldan, CEO of Jackson Health System, said the job cuts could lead to the Jackson South and North emergency rooms closing.

As JHS is currently facing a budget shortfall of more than $240 million, the hospital's executive team is hoping to cut 20 to 25 percent of the current budget. However, the jobs to be cut will only amount to $7.5 million.

Part of the reason that JHS is facing such a deficit is that it is considered to be one of the top three public hospitals in the country that performs charity care to help patients who can't normally pay for quality healthcare or insurance.

"None of these cuts have been taken lightly," Roldan said. "It is of no fault of one situation but of many complex and multi-factorial reasons, and the only thing I want to say to the residents of Miami-Dade County is that Jackson will continue with its doors open, Jackson will provide the quality of care, but Jackson will need to become a different system."

Labels: Miami medical jobs

Local officials and residents who will lose their Houston jobs (Click here) if the Constellation lunar exploration program is canceled are attempting to fight back.

Although President Barack Obama's proposed budget includes an additional $6 billion over five years for NASA, it calls for an end to the Constellation program. The Houston Chronicle is reporting that Council Member Mike Sullivan is leading an effort to convince the current administration that canceling the program would be a mistake.

The district that Sullivan represents includes the Johnson Space Center. If the Constellation lunar exploration program is shut down, it will result in the loss of 7,000 Houston area jobs.

During a recent Houston City Council meeting, Sullivan said he would work with the local congressional delegation, the Greater Houston Partnership and the Clear Lake Area Chamber of Commerce to preserve the Constellation program.

"We will have a coordinated plan moving forward," he said.

However, officials have come up with another plan that could save those jobs. That plan includes making the Houston area a base for the Mars exploration plan, which NASA Administrator Charles Bolden recently described, saying he wants to shift the manned space effort toward the goal of sending humans safely to Mars, possibly by the 2030s.

The loss of 7,000 jobs would be a huge hit to the Houston area's economy, which has managed to succeed during the economic downturn when compared to most other cities.

During December 2009, the Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown area's unemployment rate increased from 8.2 percent to 8.3 percent, following a decrease from 8.4 percent during November. Despite the increase, the area's rate was still lower than the national unemployment rate at the time of 10 percent.

The area had a total non-farm employment of 2,535,600 workers during December, according to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. This is up from 2,532,900 workers during November, but a 3.5 percent decrease from December 2008.

Labels: Houston Jobs

One American automobile manufacturer is helping to create Baltimore County jobs.

Several officials recently announced that the General Motors Powertrain Baltimore plant in White Marsh plans to produce next generation, two-mode, rear-wheel-drive motors and related electrical drive components.

As part of that decision, GM plans to construct a high-volume electric drive manufacturing facility at the Baltimore County Transmission plant, a move that will create about 200 new jobs and retain hundreds of other positions.

"Maryland is proud to be home for this new innovation driven by GM for the next generation of green technology," Gov. Martin O'Malley said. "The technology being unveiled today will help drivers drive further on less fuel, and provide green jobs for Marylanders to support their families.

"Maryland is home to one of the nation's most talented and skilled workforces, and GM's decision to house the manufacturing of their new technology in our state is validation of their commitment to fuel innovation, create jobs, and drive economic progress here in Maryland," he continued.

GM plans to invest $129 million in the plant to build electric motors and related electric drive components. The company currently employs more than 200 salaried and hourly workers at the White Marsh facility.

GM recently received a $105 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to manufacture electric drive systems. In addition, the state is providing a $3 million Maryland Economic Development Assistant Fund grant and a $1.5 million Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Workforce Training Fund grant.

Baltimore County also plans to provide a conditional $6 million Business Growth Fund grant and a $150,000 Economic Development Training grant.

Once completed, the new manufacturing facility will have the capacity to produce 40,000 Global Rear Wheel Drive motors. Those motors, to be placed in cars and trucks, contain two electric motors and three planetary gear sets that transform power from the gas engine and battery into usable power to propel the vehicle.