Groundwork’s Dr. Rakeen Mabud Reacts to June Jobs Report

Groundwork’s Dr. Rakeen Mabud Reacts to June Jobs Report

The U.S. economy added 372,000 jobs in June, according to today’s Jobs Report. Dr. Rakeen Mabud, chief economist and managing director of policy and research at Groundwork Collaborative, reacted with the following statement:

“While the labor market has experienced robust job growth in recent months, we must reject calls to push the economy into a recession and put millions out of work in the name of combating inflation. Doing so would be especially catastrophic for Black workers, who face nearly double the unemployment rate of white workers even in the best of times.

“Rather than condemning millions to joblessness, we must make the critical, long-overdue investments in care, climate, and housing that will bring down costs and strengthen our economy as a whole.”

• Black and other marginalized workers continue to experience unacceptable disparities in the labor market. While the economic recovery has been more equitable for Black workers than previous recoveries, it’s clear that bold public investment is still required to prevent disparities from calcifying once again.
• Gender gaps in the labor force participation rate continue to persist. Deeply entrenched gender inequities in our labor market highlight the need for investments in care infrastructure, particularly child care.
• Job growth in the public sector has significantly lagged behind job growth in the private sector. Investing in the public sector is a critical step in expanding access to quality jobs for women and workers of color.