The massive rebound in the US economy has so far been accompanied by a shortage in the labor market and wage increases for highly coveted workers.
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The restaurant industry is particularly affected by the lack of manpower in the United States and signs asking for help are multiplying on the windows of establishments.
AFP
«Help wanted» (Seeking help). Right now, job posting signs are popping up on American storefronts. On the eve of Friday’s announcement of employment figures for May, these panels reflect the critical labor shortage facing a rebounding US economy. Driven by massive government aid to households and businesses, it grew 1.6% in the first quarter of 2021, or 6.4% growth at an annualized rate.
Paradoxically, the job creation figures in April were very disappointing for the White House, with 266,000 new jobs instead of the million expected by analysts. The unemployment rate is remained stuck at 6.1%, a situation that exposed the Biden administration to a shower of criticism from the Republican opposition. “We are far from having reached our unemployment rate before the pandemic (editor’s note: 3.5% in February 2020) and it’s not for lack of jobs, ”criticized Republican senators from North Carolina Richard Burr and Thom Tillis at the end of May. in a joint press releaset. “The shortage of jobs is caused by exorbitant federal unemployment benefits.”
