Westchester NOW

1.3 million jobs have disappeared since the recession began 38 months ago in March 2001, inaugurating the only period of sustained job loss for women in the past four decades. Women workers lost more than 300,000 jobs between the start of the recession in March 2001 and March 2004. Even though the past three months have seen what the Economic Policy Institute's JobWatch.org calls "healthy gains," the group says it would be a mistake to attribute these gains to the Bush administration's tax cuts, which took effect in July 2003 with the stated goal of creating of 5.5 million new jobs by the end of 2004. In fact, since the tax cuts took effect, the U.S. has seen the greatest sustained job loss since the Great Depression.

Sources: "Labor Market Experiences Third Month of Healthy Job Growth," JobWatch.org; "Record-Breaking Job Loss Continues for Women, Three Years After Start of Recession," Institute for Women's Policy Research, June 2, 2004; "Bush Administration's Tax Cuts Not Fulfilling Job Creation Promises," Economic Policy Institute, June 2004; "Greatest Sustained Job Loss Since the Great Depression," Economic Policy Institute, June 2004

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