In December, the industrial employment falls compared to November (-0.3%), in the series without seasonal influence. In the comparison with December 2003, the rate remains in 4.4% and, in the accumulated index of the year the increase was of 1.9%. In the fourth quarter of 2004, compared to the same period of the previous year, the growth was 4.3% in the number of employed persons.

The reductions observed, since October, in the index, month compared to immediately previous month, contributed for the slight fall observed in the trend of the quarterly moving average indicator, which between November and December 2004, presented a rate of –0.2%.

The growth of 4.4% in the monthly index was a consequence of the increase in the level of employment in 13 of 14 areas and in 13 among 18 investigated segments, whose highlights were food products and beverages (6.6%), machines and equipment (16.0%) and transportation (16.5%). The North and Central West Regions grew 8.0% and Rio de Janeiro remained with the less positive rate (1.4%). São Paulo, with 4.6%, was the locality that brought the most significant contribution to the total of the country. In this state, which detains 38% of the industrial employment, 12 sectors hired more than they dismissed especially machines and equipment (26.1%) and transportation (16.6%).

Still in the comparison December 04/December 03, only Rio Grande do Sul presented fall (-0.9%), due to dismissals in eight industrial groups of industry, especially, footwear and leather (-12.4%). In the total of the country, the dismissals surpass the hires in five groups of industry. The main negative impacts came from metal products (-4.1%) and footwear and leather (-3.7%).

In the quarterly analysis we observe that 2004 had an evolution inverse than the one observed in the previous year. In 2003, only the first quarter was positive. Regarding 2004, the employment presented a positive and a growing trend in the last three quarters: 1.0% in the second, 3.0% in the third and 4.3% in the last quarter. This performance occurred due to the growth of the industrial activity observed during 2004.

In the last quarter of 2004, in relation to the same period of 2003, 12 localities and 12 activities presented indexes above the third quarter. Stood out the hires of the sector petroleum refining and alcohol production (from 9.0% to 20.1%); apparel, still with negative rates in the period, although with less magnitude (from –7.0% to –1.6%); and transportation, which increased the rhythm of growth from 9.7% to 15.1%. Among the surveyed areas, the main highlights were the states of Pernambuco (from –1.2% to 4.6%) and Rio de Janeiro (from –2.7% to 0.6%), where the dismissals were higher than the hires in the third quarter of 2004, which pass to present positive rates in the last quarter of 2004.

In the accumulated index of the year, the industrial employment grew 1.9%, with 11 localities and 12 activities increasing the contingent of workers. In national level, the main positive contributions were machines and equipment (14.1%) and food products and beverages (3.7%). Regionally, Minas Gerais (4.4%) and São Paulo (1.5%) were the positive highlights. In Minas, considering the 13 sectors that increased the number of employed persons, the highlights were electrical, electronic and communication machines and equipment (18.7%) and food products and beverages (4.5%). In São Paulo, among the 12 groups of industry that stood out, the main positive contributions were machines and equipment (22.5%) and food products and beverages (5.6%).

On the other hand, the main negative influence in the annual result was the one of Rio de Janeiro (-2.4%), with apparel (-7.5%) and metal products (-5.1%) representing the main negative impacts among the five segments where it was not observed a growth in the employment.

Number of hours paid increases 2.2% in 2004

In December 2004, the number of hours paid to the workers of the industry fell 0.3% in relation to November, in the series with seasonal adjustment. In the other comparisons, there was growth: 5.1% in relation to December 2003; 4.2% in the fourth quarter and 2.2% in the accumulated index of the year. The indicators of the average daily hours of work also were positive: 0.6% in the monthly index and 0.2% in the accumulated index of the year. The indicator of quarterly moving average, with a small positive change of 0.1% in the quarters closed between December and November, maintained an ascending trend, although already indicating stability.

In the comparison with December 2003, the number of hours paid in the industry increased 5.1%, a result above the one of November (4.6%). All the localities and 13 among 18 surveyed groups of industry presented increase. Among the sectors, food products and beverages (7.3%), machines and equipment (16.1%) and transportation (16.7%) represented the major positive pressures, while the main negative contributions came from apparel (-2.1%) and other products of the manufacturing industry (-2.5%).

Still, according to the monthly indicator, the localities responsible for the major positive impacts in the national result were observed in São Paulo (5.5%), Minas Gerais (6.6%) and North and Central West Regions (8.3%). In the industry of São Paulo, 11 among 18 surveyed groups of industry presented growth in the number of paid hours, especially machines and equipment (25.9%), transportation (17.8%) and food products and beverages (10.5%). In the industry of Minas, the segments of basic metal products (15.6%), metal products (27.4%) and transportation (14.6%) presented the more significant increases. Considering the industry in the North and Central West Regions, the major positive pressure came from food products and beverages (15.0%).

In the course of 2004, the quarterly indicator presented a trend clearly positive. For example, the growth of 4.2% in the last quarter surpassed the result of the third quarter (3.2%). 

In the closing of 2004, the number of hours paid increased 2.2%, with 13 among 14 regions and 12 among 18 surveyed industrial sectors presenting positive performance. The localities that had more expressive increases were São Paulo (1.8%), Minas Gerais (5.3%) and North and Central West Regions (4.7%). The only negative pressure came from the industry of Rio de Janeiro (-3.5%).

In relation to the sectors, the more relevant positive impacts came from machines and equipment (15.0%), transportation (9.6%) and food products and beverages (2.7%). On the other hand, apparel (-8.0%) and metal products (-3.8%) were responsible for the main negative contributions.

Growth of 9.0% in the payroll in 2004 is the highest in ten years

In December 2004, the payroll of the workers in the industry, already seasonally adjusted, fell 0.6% in relation to November, the third fall in a row. This reduction can be confirmed by the quarterly moving average index, which presented fall of 0.7% in the real value of the payroll between the quarters closed in November and December 2004.

In the other indicators, the payroll of the Brazilian industry continues to grow 8.8% in relation to December 2003, 8.6% in the last quarter of 2004 and 9.0% in the accumulated index of the year. Regarding the real average payroll, the results were also positive in the main comparisons: 4.2% in the monthly index and 6.9% in the accumulated index of the last year.

In relation to December 2003, the real payroll increased 8.8%, with all the surveyed localities presenting growth. Again, the industry of São Paulo (9.6%) answered for the contribution of major impact in the formation of the global index, pressured, mainly, by the increase observed in 11 investigated activities, especially, transportation (32.9%) and machines and equipment (22.0%).

In the same comparison, positive indexes were observed in 15 among 18 surveyed sectors in the total of the country, specially transportation (29.9%), machines and equipment (16.1%) and food products and beverages (7.8%). Just the industries that produce paper and printing (-8.6%), other products of the manufacturing industry (-1.3%) and wood (-1.6%) exhibited real loss in the payroll.

In the analysis by quarters, the index of the value of payroll maintained positive rates during 2004. In the last quarter of the year, the increase of 8.6% remained below the result of the third quarter (9.4%). The industries that most presented growth in the value of the real payroll in the period October-December were the ones of Minas Gerais (14.0%), Ceará (11.4%), North and Central West Regions (10.2%), Rio de Janeiro (9.7%) and Espírito Santo (9.5%).

In 2004, the payroll increased 9.0% and inverted the decrease of 4.2% observed in 2003. In the formation of the rate, 15 among 18 investigated industrial activities brought a positive influence, with the following highlights: machines and equipment (28.3%), transportation (14.6%) and food products and beverages (8.5%). In opposition, metal products (-3.4%), textiles (-1.3%) and apparel (-1.2%) were the three activities that indicated negative results. In the regional analysis, all the locations indicated positive changes, especially São Paulo (9.6%), pressured, mainly, by the expansion of machines and equipment (44.2%), transportation (14.0%) and food products and beverages (11.4%). The localities that had the major increases came from Minas Gerais (12.7%) and North and Central West Region (10.6%).

According to the accumulated indicator of the year, the real average payroll increased 6.9%, with all the localities and 15 among 18 investigated sectors presenting gains in relation to the same period of 2003. Regionally, the major expansions came from Rio de Janeiro (10.8%), Espírito Santo (9.3%), São Paulo (7.9%) and Minas Gerais (7.9%). By sectors, the main highlights, in terms of magnitude of the rate, were machines and equipment (12.5%) and mining and quarrying (9.6%).

In resume, following the good result of the industrial production; the employment, the number of hours paid, and the total wages also presented positive results in 2004. Among the sectors, the highlights in terms of hires were the productive activities of capital goods (machines and equipment and transportation), durable consumer goods (transportation and electrical, electronic and communication material) and those associated to agribusiness (food products and beverages).