Fate of U.S. Labor Market Hinges on New York as Claims Surge

Of course, that also means the low national readings in prior weeks were probably giving an artificial signal of labor-market strength. Claims reached a four-decade low in mid-April when the seasonal adjustment would have typically expected the surge in applications from New York.

...

Figures provided by Verizon imply little impact from the striking workers. The company has hired between 500 and 1,000 "temporary" replacement workers, while union workers haven't been permanently replaced and are not being locked out of work, according to Rich Young, a Verizon spokesman.