New unemployment numbers this morning saw 637,000 new initial jobless claims last week. The number of people collecting unemployment nationally is now at 6.56 million. Disturbing: the number of those who are "long-term" unemployed (perhaps briefly) surpassed the number of short-term unemployed. These numbers do not include those of us who are working part-time, or have given up on filing for unemployment. But what does the jobs and income situation look like in context of the last twenty years?
The last twenty years of employment, through April 1, 2009, expressed as percent change year-to-year.

The last twenty years, through April 1, 2009, of changes in number of jobs in construction, expressed as change from previous year, in thousands.

The last twenty years, through April 1, 2009, of changes in number of jobs in finance, expressed as change from previous year, in thousands.

Los Angeles County, change in employment since last year, expressed in percent.

The last twenty years, through April 1, 2009, of percent changes in hourly income for all private industry jobs. Note how the downturn in growth lags far behind the recessions.