For the third consecutive month, the unemployment rate, measured by the Monthly Employment Survey of IBGE, was 9.4%. In relation to August 2004 (11.4%), there was decrease of 2.0 percentage points.

For the third consecutive month, the unemployment rate, measured by the Monthly Employment Survey of IBGE, was 9.4%. In relation to August 2004 (11.4%), there was decrease of 2 percentage points. Although stable, the rate is still following the descending trend started in May 2004 (12.2%). The real average income usually earned (R$ 973.20) increased by 0.7% and 3.7% in relation to July and August 2005, respectively. In one year ,the total increase of the income earned was 3.7%, the highest change in all the survey series considering this comparison.

The survey, conducted in Recife, Salvador, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Porto Alegre, also showed the stability of the activity rate (56.5%) in the monthly comparison. Compared to data of August 2004, this indicator decreased (-1.1 percentage point), as a consequence, mainly, of the reduction of the number of unemployed persons. The level of occupation for the group of six metropolitan areas did not change (51.2%), in either comparison.

The number of employees with a formal contract remained stable in the monthly comparison. In relation to August 2004, however, there was increase of 6.2% in this figure, a total of 462 thousand jobs in the six areas. The only group whose unemployment rate was reduced from July to August 2005 was Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation (5.7%).

In August, in the monthly and annual comparisons, the real average income, estimated to be R$ 973.20, increased for all the categories of employment. It kept following the growing trend started three months ago, and increased by 0.7% in relation to July.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

In August 2005, the overall unemployment rate was 9.4%. This result shows stability in relation to July and June (9.4%), and it still the lowest in the whole series. In comparison with August 2004, when the rate was 11.4%, there was decrease of 2.0 percentage points. At regional level, in comparison with July 2005, no changes were registered in any of the metropolitan areas surveyed. In comparison with August 2004, the rates concerning this estimate changed significantly in Belo Horizonte (from 10.2% to 8.3%), Rio de Janeiro (8.6% to 7.4%) and São Paulo (from 12.6% to 9.4%). In the metropolitan areas of Recife, Salvador and Porto Alegre, there was stability.

The chart below shows the evolution of the unemployment rate by metropolitan area:

Unemployment Rate by Metropolitan Area (%)

 

Month /Year

Total

Recife

Salvador

Belo Horizonte

Rio de Janeiro

São Paulo

Porto Alegre

Aug/03

13.0

15.0

17.6

12.1

9.5

14.9

9.8

Sep/03

12.9

15.0

17.6

10.8

9.7

14.8

10.1

Oct/03

12.9

14.4

17.0

11.2

9.4

15.0

10.1

Nov/03

12.2

14.0

16.4

10.3

8.9

14.0

9.4

Dec/03

10.9

12.1

15.7

10.4

8.6

11.8

7.9

Jan/04

11.7

12.8

16.2

12.3

8.9

12.9

7.6

Feb/04

12.0

12.7

17.1

11.9

8.6

13.6

8.5

Mar/04

12.8

12.6

17.1

12.1

9.8

14.6

9.6

Apr/04

13.1

14.3

16.6

11.4

10.7

14.5

10.7

May/04

12.2

13.3

16.2

10.9

9.6

13.6

9.7

Jun/04

11.7

12.8

14.9

10.5

8.9

13.3

9.5

Jul/04

11.2

13.4

14.9

10.7

8.1

12.5

8.9

Aug/04

11.4

13.5

16.6

10.2

8.6

12.6

8.5

Sep/04

10.9

12.4

15.6

10.2

8.8

11.7

8.7

Oct/04

10.5

12.1

15.8

9.6

8.5

11.2

7.6

Nov/04

10.6

11.2

15.9

9.2

9.4

11.2

7.8

Dec/04

9.6

11.1

15.4

8.5

8.5

9.8

6.6

Jan/05

10.2

12.2

15.8

9.8

7.4

11.1

7.0

Feb/05

10.6

13.2

15.6

9.9

8.4

11.5

7.1

Mar/05

10.8

14.1

15.7

10.7

8.4

11.5

7.9

Apr/05

10.8

13.0

17.0

9.5

8.6

11.4

8.0

May/05

10.2

12.8

15.9

8.9

8.5

10.5

7.7

Jun/05

9.4

9.6

14.7

8.5

6.9

10.5

7.1

Jul/05

9.4

12.7

15.7

8.2

7.2

9.9

7.0

Aug/05

9.4

13.4

15.5

8.3

7.4

9.4

7.6

 

UNEMPLOYED POPULATION (PD)

The number of unemployed persons (2.1 million) was stable in relation to July 2005 in all the areas surveyed. In comparison with the same month last year, the rate registered decrease of 17.1%.In relation to the equivalent period last year, reduction of the number of unemployed persons was observed in the metropolitan areas of Belo Horizonte (-19.8%), Rio de Janeiro (-15.0%) and São Paulo (-24.6%). In the remaining areas there was stability.

 

The majority of the unemployed population (55.1%) in August 2005 were women; in this same month they accounted for 53.1% (2002), 54.6% (2003), 56.1% (2004) of the overall rate. Almost half of the unemployed persons (46.4%), in August, were between 15 and 24 years of age. Among the unemployed, 8.1% were between 15 and 17 years of age, 38.3% between 18 and 24, 46.3% between 25 and 49 years of age and 6.9% were 50 or over. A total 19.5% were looking for their first job and 26.5% were head of the household. As for the job searching period, 22.0% had been looking for a job for no longer than 30 days; 41.9%, for a period between 31 days and 6 months; 11.2%, between 7 and 11 months; and 25.0%, for a period of time of at least one year. In August 2002, 36.7% of the unemployed persons had at least finished the secondary education; this percentage was 40.3% in 2003, 42.8% in 2004, and reached 45.7% in the latest survey released.

 

EMPLOYED POPULATION

The number of employed persons, estimated to be 19.9 million in August 2005, remained stable in the six areas surveyed, as well as in each one of them separately. In comparison with July 2005, there was change of 2.4%, that is, a total of 469 thousand workers. In relation to August 2004, increase of this estimate was registered in the metropolitan areas of Salvador (3.3%), São Paulo (3.9%) and Porto Alegre (4.2%). In the remaining areas, there was stability.

Considering the level of occupation (51.2%), the results showed stability in the job market, in both comparisons. At regional level, in the monthly comparison, there was stability in all the areas. In comparison with the same month last year, there were changes in Rio de Janeiro (-1.1 percentage point) and Porto Alegre (1.4 percentage point). The employment rate (employment population /economically-active population), estimated to be 90.6% in August 2005, did not change in the monthly comparison. In the annual comparison, increase of 2.0 percentage points was observed.

The survey showed that, in August 2005, men made up 56.1% of the employed population, whereas women, 43.9%. The population between 25 and 49 years of age made up 63.9% of the overall number of employed persons. The survey also showed that the percentage of employed persons with 11 or more years of schooling was 50.2%.

In relation to the dimension of the enterprise, in August 2005, 56.1% of the employed population was working in enterprises with 11 or more people. For those with a staff between 6 and 10 employees, the percentage was 6.6%, whereas for those with at least 5 employees, the rate was 37.4%.

According to the Monthly Employment Survey, in August 2005, 47.3% of the employed population worked between 40 and 44 hours a week, and about 34.0%, worked over 45 hours a week. On average, according to data from the survey, 67.2% of workers, in the six areas surveyed, had had that job for at least 2 years; 11.0% between 1 and 2 years; 19.6% between 1 month and 1 year; only 2.1% had had that job for less than 1 month.

 

GROUP OF RENDERED SERVICES GENERATES 154 THOUSAND NEW JOBS

 

 

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

(17.8 of the employed population). For the six areas, in the monthly and annual comparisons, the number of employed persons of this group was stable. At regional level, no significant changes were observed in any of the comparisons.

• Construction

(7.0% of the employed population). For the six areas, in both comparisons, this group presented stability. At regional level, no significant changes were observed in any of the areas surveyed in either comparison.

 

 

 

Trade, repair of automotive vehicles, personal and domestic objects and retail fuel trade

(19,3% of the employed population). This group remained stable in relation to July 2005 and to August 2004. At regional level, in the comparison with July 2005, there was stability in all the regions. In terms of the annual comparison, there was increase in Salvador (9.4%) and Porto Alegre (8.6%).

• Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation (14.3% of the employed population). This is the only group which presented a significant change in relation to July 2005. It registered increase of 5.7%, that is, 154 thousand persons in one month. In terms of the annual comparison, the change was 7.3%. At regional level, only the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro (7.5%) and São Paulo (6.7%) had results different from those of the previous month. In the annual comparison, the metropolitan area of São Paulo was the only one to increase (9.9%)

• Education, health, social services public administration, defense and social security(15.7% of the employed population) No significant changes were observed in any of the areas in the analyzed period. At regional level, the number of people employed in this group remained stable in both comparisons.

 

• Domestic services

(8.4% of the employed population). In comparison with July 2005, no significant changes were observed in any of the six areas. However, in comparison with August 2004, there was increase of about 7.5%. At regional level, there was stability in al the areas surveyed. In the annual comparison, changes occurred only in the metropolitan area of São Paulo (12.7%).

 

 

 

 

• Other services (lodging, transportation, urban sanitation and personal services) (16.9% of the employed population) In relation to this group, there was stability in all the six areas surveyed. At regional level, the only change was observed in the metropolitan area of São Paulo (7.1%), in the annual comparison.

 

 

NUMBER OF JOBS WITH A FORMAL CONTRACT GROWS THIS YEAR

 

• Employees WITH a formal contract in the private sector (40.0% of the employed population)

In relation to July 2005, the number of workers with a formal contract in the informal sector remained stable. In comparison with August 2004, the change was 6.2%, that is, approximately 462 thousand people. At regional level, in comparison with July 2005, no changes were observed in any of metropolitan areas surveyed. In comparison with August 2004, there were changes only in São Paulo (10.4%) and Porto Alegre (10.3%).

 

 

 

• Employees WITHOUT a formal contract in the private sector

(15.5%of the employed population). This estimate remained stable in August 2005, both in relation to July 2005 and to August 2004. At regional level, there were no changes in any of the areas surveyed. In terms of the annual comparison, there were changes in Salvador (19.6%) and Belo Horizonte (-13.1%).

 

 

• Own-account workers

(19.4% of the employed population) There were no changes in any of the six areas surveyed in the monthly comparison. In terms of the annual comparison, there were changes in the metropolitan area of São Paulo (-6.9%).

REAL AVERAGE INCOME

The purchasing power of workers is still in recovery. The research showed that, for the six regions, the real average income usually earned, estimated to be R$ 973.20, presented slight increase (0.7%) in relation to July 2005. In comparison with August 2004, the scenario of recovery was confirmed (3.7%).

The analysis by area, referring to the monthly comparison, points to a scenario of recovery in three of the areas surveyed: Salvador (4.5%), Rio de Janeiro (2.9%) and Porto Alegre (1.1%). In Recife and São Paulo, there was stability; only Belo Horizonte presented decrease (-1.8%).

In the comparison with August 2004, the analysis by region showed recovery of the purchasing power of workers in the metropolitan areas of Recife (2.1%), Salvador (6.6%), Belo Horizonte (0.9%), Rio de Janeiro (5.4%) and São Paulo (4.0%). In the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, there was decrease (-1.8%).

 

Income by Category of Position in the group in the monthly comparison

The monthly comparison for the six areas surveyed showed recovery of income in all categories. For employees WITH a formal contract in the private sector , the increase was 1.3%, from R$ 977.50 in July to R$ 990.00 in August. All the regions were benefited in this case.

In relation to employees WITHOUT a formal contract in the private sector, there was, in August 2005, recovery of 2.4%, from R$ 628.37 in July to R$ 643.40 in August. Almost all the areas, in a certain way, presented increase in this category, except the metropolitan areas of Recife (-1.3%) and São Paulo (-2.7%).

Among own account workers, the recovery of income in the month was 1.6%, from R$ 759.96 to R$ 772.00. Almost all the regions, in a certain way, presented increase in this category, except Porto Alegre (-2.5%).

 

Income by Categories of Employment in the annual comparison

In the six areas surveyed, in the annual comparison, there was recovery of income in all the categories: in relation to employees WITH a formal contract in the private sector (1.9%), with the average income changing from R$ 972.38 (August 2004) to R$ 990.50 (August 2005) Almost all the areas, in a certain way, presented increase in this category. In the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (-2.6%) the opposite happened.

Taking into consideration the category of employees WITHOUT a formal contract in the private sector (5.4%), the average income changed from R$ 610.64 to R$ 643.40. Almost all the areas, in a certain way, presented increase in this category. In the metropolitan areas of Recife (-3.0%) and Porto Alegre (-2.4%) there was decrease.

The category of own-account workers (4.2%), with the average income changing from R$ 741.13 to R$ 772.00 presented recovery. The only exception was the metropolitan area of Recife (-1.8%).

Real Average Income Usually Earned by the Employed Population, by metropolitan area

 

Month/Year

TOTAL

Recife

Salvador

Belo Horizonte

Rio de Janeiro

São Paulo

Porto Alegre

Aug/03

947.04

652.72

735.47

796.49

915.56

1.081.11

951.46

Sep/03

924.62

653.26

716.40

807.78

900.75

1.034.25

954.18

Oct/03

918.44

628.70

696.69

831.46

869.09

1.041.87

939.82

Nov/03

919.27

630.31

708.44

816.50

864.73

1.047.87

936.42

Dec/03

908.63

608.40

738.53

800.38

853.75

1.030.28

939.17

Jan/04

925.62

626.02

721.58

822.05

841.58

1.063.48

973.18

Feb/04

930.62

599.62

727.59

812.45

851.17

1.083.90

932.65

Mar/04

943.69

594.73

732.88

824.15

894.25

1.082.39

944.38

Apr/04

935.46

596.36

732.69

819.10

906.40

1.061.17

928.48

May/04

928.69

589.98

708.31

801.08

862.91

1.082.79

896.71

Jun/04

945.86

634.78

710.74

820.59

865.15

1.100.18

942.48

Jul/04

951.86

666.28

726.47

831.69

891.46

1.091.66

968.49

Aug/04

938.34

687.10

711.33

846.25

867.89

1.075.57

956.55

Sep/04

954.37

686.97

726.58

851.66

898.42

1.093.26

948.37

Oct/04

942.76

675.12

718.00

836.39

896.86

1.075.51

933.17

Nov/04

943.46

653.62

709.75

827.01

898.32

1.076.51

957.50

Dec/04

926.02

636.45

712.07

808.06

885.82

1.055.03

931.48

Jan/05

945.98

621.98

702.95

841.74

913.88

1.082.79

927.87

Feb/05

955.10

644.99

701.32

844.43

903.97

1.099.32

961.04

Mar/05

960.02

625.03

725.97

849.75

899.30

1.113.91

923.75

Apr/05

943.20

654.86

715.00

861.49

889.07

1.077.04

910.27

May/05

929.14

634.28

687.20

853.04

860.90

1.073.54

907.96

Jun/05

943.17

668.36

703.13

858.20

870.59

1.088.40

924.05

Jul/05

966.72

700.37

726.09

869.61

888.90

1.121.28

928.77

Aug/05

973.20

701.40

758.60

854.10

914.90

1.118.20

939.00

 

In comparison with July 2005, there was increase of the real average income usually earned by workers of the following groups of activity: Mining and quarrying, manufacturing and distribution of electricity, gas and water (1.9%); Construction (3.7%); Education, health social services, public administration, defense and social security (3.1%); and decrease of the following ones: Trade, repair of automotive vehicles, personal and domestic objects and retail fuel trade (-1.9%); Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial (-2.6%); domestic services (-1.0%) and Other services (lodging, transportation, urban sanitation and personal services)(-2.6%).

In the comparison with August 2004, there was increase of the average income usually earned by workers of the following groups of activity: Mining and quarrying, manufacturing and distribution of electricity, gas and water (5.5%); Trade, repair of automotive vehicles, personal and domestic objects and retail fuel trade (5.4%); Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial (5.7%); Domestic services (5.3%); and Other services (lodging, transportation, urban sanitation and personal services) (3.1%); decrease in the following groups: Construction (-0.4%); stability in: Education, health social services, public administration, defense and social security.