Since 2009, employment in upstate NY rose by less than a full percentage point, 0.3 percent.
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The report found upstate as a whole has recovered 79 percent of the 128,000 jobs lost during the recession.
Five regions, including two with local counties, lost jobs between June 2009 and June 2016, with the greatest declines in the Mohawk Valley Region at 2.8 percent and the Southern Tier at 2.5 percent. The biggest losses were seen in the Southern Tier, which saw a 2.5 percent decline, and the Mohawk Valley, which experienced a 2.8 percent loss.
Also, the overall upstate economy saw larger gains in average wages (3.3 percent) than either downstate or the nation over the previous year.
There have been improvements in the economy of upstate NY over the last several years, but that progress has been uneven.
Currently, total employment across upstate NY stands at slightly over 3 million, representing 32 percent of all jobs statewide.
Among industry sectors, upstate New York’s largest employment growth from 2010 through 2015 was in leisure and hospitality, which added nearly 26,000 jobs. What’s more, the total number of jobs added as part of the much-hyped Start-Up NY program has been seen as lackluster at best. Education and health services contributed more than 20,000 jobs. Both professional and business services, and the trade-transportation-utilities sector, grew by more than 10,000 jobs over the period. Declines were widespread across upstate.
“One piece of legislation that may be very thoughtful and helpful to New York City, may not work in Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse and what we’re asking for is an acknowledgement, perhaps each legislative session a list of maybe up to three priorities for legislation that would have a very positive impact on upstate economic growth”, Duffy told WXXI News.
In the North Country, though, wage growth just barely outpaced inflation.
In July, the state hit a record of 7.95 million jobs and the unemployment rate was 4.7 percent – below the national rate of 4.9 percent and the lowest since August 2007, the state Labor Department said last week.
Western New York saw the addition of a net 8,400 jobs and the Finger Lakes region, 9,500.
“Job counts and other measures of economic activity at the state and national levels command considerable public attention”, the report said. Overall, upstate regions added 8,600 jobs during that year.
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Oneonta Mayor Gary Herzig agreed that employment growth locally has been in the service, tourism and hospitality sectors, but those jobs don’t pay enough to support a family.
