October 23, 2003

How towns react to job losses
Posted by jbutler@bostonworks.com">Jason Butler at 9:01 AM -

Here's an interesting article from this morning's Globe about how different towns react to factory-job losses.

Over time, it is possible to replace the lost jobs and create a successful new economy. But as the experience of Pittsfield demonstrates, not everyone or every place will be able to make the leap. Between 1980 and 2000, when the latest downturn began, Massachusetts shed 236,000 manufacturing jobs, but still ended the period with 669,000 more jobs. The new jobs were not all low-paying service positions. In the Boston area, in particular, good new jobs were added in high technology, healthcare, finance, and a range of professional services, from consulting to law.

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