U.S. employers added just 12,000 jobs last month as hurricanes and strikes sharply cut payrolls.

Boeing 737 Max planes are seen behind a fence as Boeing workers picket Sept. 24 near the company’s facilities in Renton, Washington (AP)

WASHINGTON, Nov. 2 (AP): U.S. employers added just 12,000 jobs in October, a total that economists said was held back by strikes and hurricanes that left many workers temporarily without pay. The report provides a somewhat blurry picture of the labor market at the end of a presidential race that hinged heavily on voter sentiment about the economy.

Hiring gains last month were down significantly from the 223,000 jobs added in September. But economists estimate that Hurricanes Helen and Milton, combined with strikes at Boeing and other plants, reduced net job growth by tens of thousands in October. Friday’s Labor Department report also showed the unemployment rate remained at 4.1% last month.

The low unemployment rate suggests the labor market is still generally healthy, although not as strong as it was earlier this year. Combined with an inflation rate that has fallen from its 2022 peak to near pre-pandemic levels, the overall economy appears to be on solid footing heading into Election Day. The government did not estimate how many jobs were likely temporarily removed from payrolls last month.

But economists said they believed the hurricanes and strikes had led to up to 100,000 job losses. Reflecting the impact of the strikes, factories cut 46,000 positions in October. However, in a warning sign for future hiring, temporary work firms lost 49,000 jobs last month. Companies often hire temporary workers before hiring full-time employees.

On the other hand, health care companies added 52,000 jobs in October, and state and local governments added 39,000. The October jobs report also lowered the government’s estimate of job gains in August and September by 112,000, indicating that the labor market was not as strong as originally thought.

“The large one-time shocks that hit the economy in October make it difficult to know whether the labor market changed direction this month,” Bill Adams, chief economist at Comerica Bank, wrote in a commentary. “But downward revisions. Job growth in September shows there was a cooling before these shocks occurred.”