Union City's Unemployment Rate Hovers Just Above 10 Percent

Union City's unemployment rate is currently at 10.4 percent, according to a report released Friday by the California Employment Development Department.

Approximately 3,500 Union City residents are out of work, according to the report. The city has a total labor force of 34,000.

The report displays figures through the month of October.

California's statwide unemployment rate remained unchanged at 12.4 percent, which means more than 2.26 million people are out of work in the state, according to the department.

The state's rate continues to top the national rate, which also remained steady at 9.6 percent.

Alameda County's unemployment rate remained close to the state average at 11 percent. Oakland, the largest city in the county with a work force of 202,400, has the highest rate in the county at 16.6 percent, according to the study. Albany, with a labor force of 8,900, had the lowest unemployment rate at 4.8.

Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties also remained close to the state average, with 10.6 and 10.9 percent respectively.

Other counties were slightly lower.

San Francisco came in at 9.3 percent. San Mateo came in at 8.5 percent. With the lowest rate in California, Marin sits at 8 percent, according to the department.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement in response to the unemployment figures, expressing his support for the positive outcome of employment legislation.

"California continues to experience a slow recovery," Schwarzenegger said. "But I am proud that we passed a budget that held the line on tax increases and (I'm) pleased that the California voters upheld vital employment incentives on the November ballot."

The unemployment rate applies to non-agricultural jobs. Unemployment rates in the agricultural industry are adjusted seasonally and handled by another agency, according to EDD.

Results were derived from a national survey of 5,500 California households.

Bay City News contributed to this report.