>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

The wood products industry in Union County contributed $32.6 million in wages, with the average yearly pay per job coming in at just over $44,700. About 730 people were employed in the wood products sector. (Observer file photo).

Bill Rautenstrauch

Staff Writer

As a supplier of jobs and contributor to the local economy, timber is still king in Union and Wallowa counties.

That fact was included in data on average pay per job released this month by the Oregon Employment Department.

The department's annual report on average wages, completed in August and included in the September issue of Eastern Oregon Labor Trends, showed that Union County's wood products industry led all others except local government in total wages paid in 2004. The situation was much the same in Wallowa County.

The industry also stood near the top of the scale in average pay per job.

Total wages for all industries in Union County for 2004 stood at $266 million. Of that, wood products contributed $32.6 million, with the average yearly pay per job coming in at just over $44,700. About 730 people were employed in the wood products sector.

Transportation equipment manufacturing — which includes RV manufacturing — also was a heavy hitter on the Union County scene.

According to the report, the industry paid out $23.5 million in total wages in 2004. On average, take-home pay for the 668 workers in the sector was $35,135.

Local, state and federal government entities also played a huge role in the Union County's economy during the last year, providing 2,246 jobs.

Local government led the way in the public sector, paying out $33.4 million in wages. On average, the 1,220 workers in the sector made $27,379.

State government employed 797 people, with a total payroll of $29.9 million, or $37,583 per worker.

Schoolteachers in the public school districts were counted in the local government sector, while teachers at the university level were included among state employees.

Federal government workers were the best paid civil servants in the county, earning an average of $46,115.

But the federal sector employed only 229, far fewer than the state and local entities.

In all, 52 industries were enumerated for Union County.

On the lower end of the pay scale, people in the arts, entertainment and recreation industry only made $9,357, on average.

A job in the food service and drinking places sector paid $10,448. Those working in the accommodation industry earned about the same.

Nursing and residential care facilities employees averaged $15,441. Health care and social assistance professionals, on the other hand, earned an average of $35,776.

Overall, 2004's average pay in Union County was $27,883.

In Wallowa County, forestry and logging remained a top employer, with a 2004 payroll of $2.2 million. Average wage for the industry's 67 workers was $33,515.

A related sector termed "support activities for agriculture and logging" employed 19, at an average wage of $25,003. Total wages for the industry were $475,060.

A third sector called "other manufacturing" paid out $2.8 million in 2004. Ninety-nine workers in the sector earned an average $28,300. The industry includes workers employed at the Wallowa sawmill.

Wallowa County's second largest private sector employer in 2004 was the primary metal manufacturing trade.

The industry, which takes in bronze foundries, yielded $2.1 million in wages, with 86 workers earning yearly salaries of about $24,600.

As in Union County, workers in food services and drinking places had the short end of the stick in 2004, earning yearly wages of $8,181.

Employees at health and personal care stores also fared poorly, earning an average of $9,435.

Thirty workers counted in four nursing and residential care facilities averaged $16,087 in earnings.

Wallowa County's total payroll for the year was $53.9 million, and the average pay per worker was $23,800.

The employment department also released its by-industry employment projections for the next ten years.

Region 13 — Union, Wallowa and Baker Counties — is expected to post overall gains, though not quite as robust as the rest of the state.

The projections say Oregon is expected to add 240,000 non-farm jobs, an increase of 15 percent. That is slightly behind job growth in the prior decade when the state added 230,000 for 17 percent employment growth.

In Region 13, consisting of Union, Wallowa and Baker counties, total non-farm employment is expected to grow 10.2 percent, or roughly 1,800 jobs.

Educational and health services will see 22 percent growth, adding about 440 positions. The professional and business services sector will grow by 20 percent, adding150.

Natural resources and mining is one of two industries expected to shed jobs. The department predicts employment in that sector will shrink by about 5 percent.

While state and local governments are expected to increase hiring, federal government offices in Region 13 will continue to downsize.

According to the forecast, the region's federal workforce — 750 employees in all three counties in 2004 — will decline by almost 5 percent, or 30 jobs.