May job numbers in Alaska up from year earlier

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – Alaska’s unemployment rate fell to 6.4 percent last month, which would be its lowest level in more than a decade.

The figure is preliminary and could still change; the state’s unemployment rate had stood at 6.5 percent since August. Federal labor statistics show the last time Alaska’s unemployment rate was 6.4 percent was December 2007.

The state labor department says Alaska gained 900 jobs between May 2018 and last month. Construction added the most jobs during that time, followed by the oil and gas sector.

Manufacturing, which the department says is mostly seafood processing, was down 600 jobs over that period.