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Work/Long Island
Unemployment still low, but illegal aliens fret
by Rodolfo Castle
In spite of the losses generated by the attacks to the Twin Towers, the index of unemployment in Long Island continues being one of lowest in the state of New York, according to the numbers of the Department of Labor. A report of the numbers of unemployment in the month of March indicates that only Albany, the capital of New York has lower numbers, with 2.6 percent. It follows Long Island with 3.5 and Westchester with 3.8. Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Queens are above of 4 percent. In the city of New York, the percentage reached the 6.2 percent.
But those who work off the books they assure that "the situation has [blackened ?- strange idiom about ants]", according to some day laborers speaking to Hoy reporters.
"Because they do not have documents the situation after the 11 of September is quite difficult, because there is little work", said Carlos Cannels of the Center of Labor Rights, ["El Centro de Derechos de Laborales" in Espanol or Workplace Project as commonly called in English] indicating that among them yes it has been felt what happened in Manhattan.
"As it goes Manhattan, so goes the region", said the economists. "With the fall of the World-wide Center of Commerce jobs of good wages were lost and this impacts other areas", said Pearl Kamer, an economist a director of the Long Island Association.
A factor that could help is tourism, since this industry generates around five billion dollars for Long Island, replacing the manufacturing industry as a source of jobs that demand little technical ability.
"The loss of heart of the Americans to travel outside the country is a factor that could mean benefits for places like Long Island", Michael Hollander said, director of a local agency of tourism. "the towns located at the end of the island are having their best season of autumn in long time".
But in this also it has much to do the movement in the city. "If the flow of tourists is interrupted who visit the city of New York, it is inevitable that Long Island undergoes the consequences". Kamer said that great part of the tourism that arrives in Long Island is a spiral that begins in the city. "After visiting the Statue of the Liberty or the Metropolitan Museum, many decide to visit Jones Beach or Roosevelt Field", and as such is a reason why declining the tourism in the city could affect to the workers in all the region.
The increase in the productivity was a distinguishing factor in the economic boom in the decade of the ' 90's. Productivity means prosperity for the workers and the companies. "If the productivity slackens, as it is afraid it could after happened the 11 of September, the businesses and the workers will spend less and inevitably will increase unemployment", said several economists.