There was not statistically significant change in relation to February (10.6%), but there was fall of 2.0 percentage points in relation to March 2004 (12.8%). The average income increased 0.5% in the monthly comparison and 1.7% in relation to March 2004 – the third and seventh consecutive increase in these comparisons, respectively. Regarding the number of workers with formal contract, it increased 6.2% in relation to March 2004.

In March 2005, the rate of unemployment was estimated in 10.8% considering the total of the six Metropolitan Areas investigated and continued stable in relation to February. In relation to March 2004, when the rate was 12.8%, there was retraction of 2.0 percentage points.

In the analysis by areas, in relation to February, there was stability in all the surveyed areas. In the comparison with the same month of the previous year, the metropolitan areas of Belo Horizonte (from 12.1% to 10.7%), Rio de Janeiro (from 9.8% to 8.4%), São Paulo (from 14.6% to 11.5%) and Porto Alegre (from 9.6% to 7.9%) presented significant change. In the other areas, stability was observed.

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS (PD)

The Monthly Employment Survey registered stability in the total of unemployed persons, in relation to February, for the total of the six metropolitan areas. Nevertheless, in relation to March 2004, there was a considerable fall in the contingent of unemployed persons: -13.9%, or a reduction of 384 thousand persons.

In relation to February, there was no change in the surveyed areas. In relation to March 2004, Recife presented increase of 15.3%. There were falls in Belo Horizonte (-11.2%), Rio de Janeiro (-14.9%), São Paulo (-19.5%) and Porto Alegre (-17.6%). Only in the metropolitan area of Salvador stability was observed.

Women continued to be the majority among the unemployed persons: they represented 52.3% of the unemployed persons in March 2002, increased to 54.8% in March 2003, to 56.4% in March 2004, and attained 56.9% in March 2005.

Among the unemployed persons, 19.6% were searching for their first job and 27.6% were the main responsible for their family. Besides this, 23.1% were searching for a job for a period not above 30 days; 47.8%, for a period from 31 days to 6 months; 6.4%, from 7 to 11 months and 22.8% for at least 1 year. In March 2003, 40.2% of the unemployed persons had at least the secondary instruction concluded. This percentage reached 43.3% in March 2004, and, in the last survey, it reached 46.5%.

REAL AVERAGE INCOME ²

In March, the real average income usually earned by the employed persons, in the six metropolitan areas, reached R$ 945.20 or, approximately, 3.6 minimum wages. There was a positive change of 0.5% in relation to February 2005. In the comparison with March 2004, the increase attained 1.7%.

Recife (-3.1%), Rio de Janeiro (-0.5%) and Porto Alegre (-3.9%) presented decrease in the income, and the inverse occurred in Salvador (3.5%), Belo Horizonte (0.6%) and São Paulo (1.3%).

In the comparison with March of the previous year, there was a decrease of the income in Salvador (-0.9%) and Porto Alegre (-2.2%). The metropolitan areas of Recife (5.1%), Belo Horizonte (3.1%), Rio de Janeiro (0.6%) and São Paulo (2.9%) presented recovering in the income.

Income of classes of workers in the monthly comparison

In the total of the six areas, there was a hike of 0.8% in the income of the employees with a formal contract in the private sector: from R$ 954.06 to R$ 961.60. An increase of 0.6% was observed among those without a formal contract, whose income on the average passed from R$ 620.32 to R$ 616.60. Among the self-employed workers there was a decrease of 0.4%, with the income passing from R$ 735.43 to R$ 732.50.

Income of the classes of workers in the annual comparison For the total of the six areas, there was fall of 0.8% in the income of the employees with a formal contract in the private sector: from R$ 969.10 to R$ 961.60. A fall of 6.4% was observed among those without a formal contract, whose income passed from R$ 579.76 to R$ 616.60. Regarding the self-employed persons there was fall of 2.6%, with the average income passing from R$ 752.42 to R$ 732.50.

In relation to February, on the average, the income of the following groupings fell: construction (-4.1%); trade, automotive vehicle reparation and domestic and personal object and fuel retail trade
(-1.0%). The ones that had hike were the following: mining and quarrying, manufacturing industry and distribution of electricity, gas and water (2.1%); education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security (0.5%) and other services (lodging, transport, urban sanitation and personal services (1.2%). There was stability in services provided to companies, rentals, real estate activities and financial mediation and domestic services.

In relation to March 2004, there was an increase of the income in the following groupings: mining and quarrying, manufacturing industry and distribution of electricity, gas and water (1.6%); trade, automotive vehicle reparation and personal and domestic object and fuel retail trade (2.3%); education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security (1.4%); domestic services (2.7%) and other services (lodging, transport, urban sanitation and personal services) (5.6%). The groupings of construction (-5.2%) and of services provided to companies, rentals, real estate activities and financial mediation (-1.0%) presented decrease.

EMPLOYED PERSONS

In March 2005, the employed persons were estimated in 19.6 millions, a stable scenario in relation to February and an increase of 3.9% (742 thousand persons) in relation to March 2004. In the monthly comparison, only São Paulo presented significant change: 1.5%. In the comparison with March 2004, there were hikes in Salvador (6.4%), São Paulo (6.0%) and Porto Alegre (2.5%) and stability in the other areas.

Considering the level of employment (50.6%), there was stability in the labor market in relation to February, in the total of the six areas. In the comparison with March 2004, there was a hike of 0.8 percentage point.

In the monthly comparison, only São Paulo presented significant change (0.8 percentage point). In the comparison with March of the previous year, there were hikes in Salvador (1.6 percentage point) and São Paulo (1.9 percentage point), and stability in the other metropolitan areas.

In March, men represented 56.5% of the employed population, and women, 43.5%. The population from 25 to 49 years old represented 64.1% of the total of the employed persons. In March, the percentage of employed persons with 11 years or more of study reached 50.2%, and is increasing annually: from 44.4% in March 2002, it increased to 45.9% in March 2003 and reached 48.2% in March 2004.

The PME estimated in 56.0% the proportion of persons working in establishments with 11 or more persons. In the establishments with six to ten employed persons, the proportion was 6.7%, while in those with up to five employed persons the proportion was 37.4%.

In March 2005, 47.2% of the employed persons were accomplishing from 40 to 44 weekly hours of work and about 34.9%, above 45 weekly hours of work.

On the average, 68.1% of the workers, in the six surveyed areas, were employed for at least two years or more; 11.2% from one year up to 2 years; 18.6% from one month to one year; and only 2.1% were employed less than one month. Results of the main groupings of activity

Mining and quarrying, manufacturing industry and distribution of electricity, gas and water

(17.9% of the employed persons - PO). In the total of the six areas, in relation to the previous month, there was not change. In the annual comparison, there was change of 8.5% (275 thousand persons). In relation to last February and also to March 2004, there only was not observed stability in São Paulo, where the employed population of this grouping increased 4.1% and 12.7%, respectively.

Construction

(7.4% of the employed persons - PO) In the total of the six areas, in relation to February and also to March 2004, there was not change. There was stability in all the areas, in relation to February. In relation to March of the previous year only Recife presented change (19.7%).

Trade, automotive vehicle reparation and domestic and personal objects and retail fuel trade

(19.6% of the employed persons PO) There was stability in relation to February as well as in relation to March of the previous year. In the analysis by areas, in the comparison with February, there only was not observed stability in Salvador (-6.3%). In the annual comparison, change was observed only in Belo Horizonte (8.0%).

Services provided to companies, rentals, real estate activities and financial mediation

(13.8% of the employed persons - PO). In the total of the six areas, there was stability in relation to February and change of 6.9% in relation to March 2004. In the analysis by areas, in the monthly comparison there was not change. In relation to March 2004, only São Paulo (9.5%) and Porto Alegre (13.6%) presented significant changes.

Education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security

(15.9% of the employed persons - PO) There was change of 3.9% in both comparisons, for the total of the six areas. In the analysis by areas, in the month, there was change only in Recife (7.7%) and São Paulo (7.5%) and, in the year, general stability.

Domestic Services

(8.5% of the employed persons - PO) In relation to February, in the six areas, there was stability and, compared to March 2004, change of 7.6%. In the analysis by areas, in relation to February, there was a general stability and, in the year, changes in Recife (13.6%), Salvador (14.2%) and Rio de Janeiro (12.6%).

Other services (lodging, transport, urban sanitation and personal services)

(15.7% of the employed persons -PO) In the total of the six areas, there was stability in both comparisons. In the analysis by areas, in the monthly comparison, there was stability in all the researched areas. In the comparison with March 2004, there were changes in Recife (10.0%), São Paulo (6.6%) and Porto Alegre (11.3%).Results by classes of workers in the labor market

Employees WITH a formal contract in the private sector

(40.3% of the employed persons PO) In the total of the six areas, in relation to February, there was stability and, compared to March 2004, change of 6.2%. In the analysis by areas, in the month there were not changes. In relation to March 2004, there was change in Recife (15.5%), Salvador (10.9%), Belo Horizonte (5.3%) and São Paulo (8.0%).

Employees WITHOUT a formal contract in the private sector

⁵ (15.5% of the employed persons - PO) There was stability in relation to February and hike of 5.7% in the annual comparison. In the analysis by areas, in the monthly comparison, there was change only in Salvador (-7.6%) and Porto Alegre (-8.5%). In the year, only São Paulo (13.1%) and Porto Alegre (17.9%) presented changes.

Self-employed workers

(19.6% of the employed persons - PO) There were not changes in the comparisons. In the analysis by areas, in the monthly comparison, there were not changes in the surveyed areas. In the annual comparison, there were changes in the metropolitan areas of Recife (-9.0%) and São Paulo (-7.5%).

ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE PERSONS (PEA)

The PEA increased 0.9% compared to February and 1.7% compared to March 2004. The labor force participation rate – proportion of economically active persons in relation to the population with 10 years old and over (PIA) – was 56.8%, a hike of 0.5 percentage point in relation to February and stable in relation to March 2004.

In March, men represented 55.1% of the PEA, and women, 44.9%. Salvador presented the major feminine participation in the labor market: 46.8%.

By age groups, 0.2% of the PEA had between 10 and 14 years old; 2.5%, from 15 to 17 years old; 18.5%, from 18 to 24 years old; 62.2%, from 25 to 49 years old and 16.6%, from 50 years old and over. In March, the population between 16 and 24 years old, goal of the First Job Program, represented 20.5% of the PEA.

In relation to February, there was a significant change only in São Paulo (1.5%). In relation to March 2004, there were increases in Recife (3.1%), Salvador (4.7%) and São Paulo (2.3%) and stability in the other areas.