Jobs remain plentiful but workers are in short supply. The first in a series of jobs reports out this week shows 11.4 million jobs went unfilled in the U.S. in April. That’s a decline from the previous month, but the trend of more open jobs than there are people to fill them remains intact. Another 4.4 million people quit their jobs in April, little changed from the previous month.
The tight job market has made it challenging for some companies to hire seasonal workers. At Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township, they’ve had to raise wages to fill current openings, according to marketing manager Kristen Fitzgerald.
On Wednesday in Atlantic City, casino workers represented by UNITE HERE Local 54 planned to picket on the boardwalk, in front of the Tropicana casino. No agreement has been reached in ongoing contract talks with the casinos, although the union has not voted to authorize a strike.
City council members in Ocean City don’t want to see power lines connected to an offshore wind project running through their community. Earlier this year, Ørsted filed a petition with the state Board of Public Utilities to install underground transmission lines. According to the Press of Atlantic City, the city council last week passed a resolution asking the BPU to deny the wind company’s request, saying there are other possible routes. Ørsted told the Press of Atlantic City that the route for the lines was chosen because it would cause the least disturbance to residents and the environment. The council’s resolution dealt with the issue of allowing easements for the power lines across property purchased under the state Green Acres program.
