TOTAL LABOR FORCE

The total labor force in Sunflower County includes more than 15,000 workers, and the commuter workforce consists of approximately 133,000. Sunflower County's workforce is balanced among manufacturing, services, wholesale/retail trade and government sectors. This provides for a stable economic environment during periods of fluctuation nationally. The region’s competitively priced manufacturing labor has fostered growth and diversification within the manufacturing sector. Average hourly earnings have continued to hold steady at roughly 75% of the national average.

RIGHT-TO-WORK AND WAGES

As one of seven states with the right-to-work law in the constitution, Mississippi historically has good working relationships between management and labor. Lost work time due to strikes in the state is lower than the average for the Southeast, and less than half that of the United States. Mississippi has less than 6% union membership. This compares to a national average of nearly 15%. Wage rates are also competitive, directly corresponding to the state's lower-than-average living and business costs.​​​