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Rogue Valley job market improves despite economy Unemployment figures released Friday show a slight improvement in the Rogue Valley job market, but they're a dramatic change from last year even as the nation's unemployment rate inches upward. Jackson County's unemployment rate for March was 5.9 percent, almost a full percent drop from 6.8 percent unemployment in February and March 2000, according to the Oregon Employment Department. Josephine County's unemployment picture also improved, dropping to 7.4 percent from 8.4 percent unemployment in February and March 2000. Oregon's seasonally adjusted unemployment was listed at 4.7 percent in March, lower than the 5.1 percent reported in March 2000 and two-tenths lower than February's figure. Nationally, unemployment was reported at 4.3 percent for March, up from 4.2 percent in February and 4 percent in March 2000. The number of non-farm jobs in the Rogue Valley increased by a net of 370 positions in March, according to Jean Work, a manager at the Oregon Employment Department's Medford field office. Gains were made primarily in the non-manufacturing sector, mostly in retail trade, government, construction, health care and social services. The Rogue Valley had 2,100 more non-manufacturing jobs in March compared to last year. Taking hits were wood products and electronics manufacturing. Overall, the manufacturing sector had 400 fewer jobs in March compared to last year. Most of the decline has come in the wood products industry, which continues to suffer under dismal market conditions - raw materials are scarce and expensive while finished products are fetching low prices. Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.