Want a job? Join the crowd.

11,000 apply for 400 openings at Wal-Mart's new Oakland store

Stephen Levy, an economist for the Center for Continuing Study of the California Economy, said the pent-up demand for work reflects the Bay Area's slow recovery from the dot-com crash.

"There's still a lot of people who were put out of work in the last four years who still don't have a job," Levy said.

Some people actually believe that unionizing Wal-Mart has a chance with people this badly in need of a job. Here's a hint: Unions have no chance of penetrating Wal-Mart.

This is the bottom line:

"It's not about Wal-Mart -- it's about the rest of the labor market," Levy said. "If the rest of the labor market was strong, you wouldn't have 11,000 people applying for 400 JOBS."

Mike Shedlock / Mish
http://globaleconomicanalysis.blogspot.com/