THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Monday, April 3, 1995 TAG: 9504010159
SECTION: BUSINESS WEEKLY PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: Talk of the Town
LENGTH: Medium: 55 lines
Tidewater employers report almost 620,000 civilian positions were filled in January.
January's report, the latest month available, means the Peninsula and southside jobless rate for months has been near full employment - the point where economists say everyone who wants a job can find one.
So imagine the surprise last week on the Peninsula. More than 8,700 people sought work in UPS's new package tracking center in Newport News. ``The response has been incredible,'' said APAC TeleServices Inc. general manager Donald Berryman. Swamped with calls for four days, APAC closed its job hot line last week.
APAC expects to employ 300 when it opens the $14 million center in July for United Parcel Service. Forecasts call for 800 employees next year.
Strong demand for new jobs isn't considered surprising in Hampton Roads, even with a jobless rate of 5.7 percent in January. (The region's full employment level is 4.5 percent - a half-point higher than most cities because of the military's 100,000-plus personnel in Tidewater).
Matthew James, Portsmouth economic development director, offered his general rule of 10 resumes, phone calls or inquiries for each new job. That means a company that announces 100 new positions can expect 1,000 job seekers.
``What I find is we have a lot of people in the region who tend to be underemployed,'' James said.
They're willing to make even a lateral move in hopes of a promotion later with the new company.
Regionalism isn't unique to Hampton Roads. Merging local government chores interests Richmond, Henrico and Chesterfield counties.
While a measure to unify the Richmond area failed to survive the recent General Assembly, lawmakers passed a study bill. A panel will examine how to combine Richmond-area basic services.
On May 5, a Richmond delegation will tour Minneapolis and St. Paul. On the agenda will be the regional revenue sharing administered by a metropolitan council that represents more than 100 government agencies, said Jim Dunn, Metropolitan Richmond Chamber of Commerce president.
Speaking of regionalism, Jeff Joseph recommends renaming Hampton Roads. The Virginia Beach real estate salesman favors making Tidewater, the entire 1.5-million-population swath from Williamsburg to the N.C. line, one town named Virginia City.
Dispute Mediation Center said its caseload rose 100 percent in '94. The non-profit agency, part of the Better Business Bureau Foundation, mediates referrals from Norfolk and Suffolk courts. It also handles family, employee-employer, landlord-tenant and business-to-business disputes. by CNB