In February, industrial employment increased again in relation to the previous month (0.5%), after four consecutive months of fall, considering a seasonally adjusted series. In this period, the accumulated fall was 1.4% (September 05/January 06). In comparison with February 2005, there was decrease of 0.8%, the sixth negative rate in a row. Considering the indicator accumulated in the the first two months of the year, there was 1.1% of reduction. The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months (0.4%) remained on a decelerating trend.

With the positive change from January to February, the falling trend of the quarterly moving average indicator was interrupted; there was stability in the quarters ended in February and in January (0.0%).

In the comparison February 06/February 05 (0.8%), dismissals outnumbered hirings in 9 of the 14 areas surveyed, especially in Rio Grande do Sul (-9.0%). This is a consequence, mainly, of the fall of the subsector footwear and leather articles (-23.2%). Also relevant were the results in the Northeast Region (-2.7%), due to the subsector food products and beverages (-5.4%) and Santa Catarina (-3.6%), where the fall of wood (-13.5%) also affected the overall rate. On the other hand, the main positive contributions in this case were represented by the industries of the North and Central West regions (9.7%) and of Minas Gerais (1.9%). The subsector food products and beverages was the main responsible for the positive results in the aforementioned areas, with rates of 24.8% and 17.8%, respectively.

In the analysis by subsector, 13 of the 18 activities presented negative results, and the main contributions came from footwear and leather articles (-14.2%), machinery and equipment (-8.4%) and wood (14.3%). The main negative impacts, on the other hand, were: food products and beverages (8.8%), electric machines, electronic and communication equipment (5.0%) and means of transportation (3.6%).

In terms of the indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year (-1.1%), 9 areas and 13 subsectors  faced reduction of the number of industrial workers. Rio Grande do Sul (-9.3%), with the lowest rate among the areas, was the main negative influence on the overall rate in the country. In the analysis by industrial subsector, footwear and leather articles (-14.6%), machinery and equipment (-8.8%) and wood (-14.9%) were the most relevant negative contributions. On the other hand, the main positive influences on the overall result were food products and beverages (8.3%) and means of transportation (3.6%), in the analysis by subsector, and the Northeast and Central West Regions and Minas Gerais (1.5%), considering the areas surveyed.

Number of hours paid increases by 2.0%

In February, the number of hours paid to industrial workers showed increase of 2.0% over January, considering a seasonally adjusted series and after two months of fall. In this period, the rate accumulated was 1.3%. The increase observed from January to February contributed to the positive change of 0.2% in the quarterly moving average indicator.

In comparison to February 2005, the number of hours paid remained stable (0.0%), whereas in terms of the indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year the fall was 0.4%. The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months (0.4%) was practically the same as in January (0.5%) and has been on a falling trend since June 2005 (2.7%). 

The monthly indicator had negative change (0.0%), with 5 of the 14 areas and 7 of the 18 subsectors surveyed presenting positive results. The main impacts on the formation of the overall rate were food products and beverages (6.6%), electric machines, electronic and communication equipment (8.0%) and means of transportation (6.3%). On the other hand, the main negative contributions came from machinery and equipment (-8.4%) and wood (-15.0%).

Still in the comparison February 06/February 05, the main responsibles for the positive contributions to the overall rate were: North and Central West Regions (11.5%), São Paulo (2.7%) and Minas Gerais (3.1%); the subsector food products and beverages was the highlight in the the three localities, with respective rates of 26.2%, 11.8% and 23.0%. Also important was the increase of the number of hours paid in the subsector electric machines, electronic and communication equipment (12.7%), in Minas Gerais. On the other hand, the main negative influences on the overall index came from Rio Grande do Sul (-9.0%) and Paraná (-5.7%), where the falls of footwear and leather articles (-17.3%) and of wood (-29.8%) were also relevant.

The indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year was reduced by 0.4%, due to the falls observed in 9 of the 14 areas and in 11 of the 18 subsectors suveyed. The areas accounting for the main negative impacts were: Rio Grande do Sul (-8.7%), Paraná (-5.9%) and Northeast Region (-3.5%). On the contrary, the two main positive contributions came from the North and Central West Regions (10.0%) and São Paulo (2.3%). In the analysis by area, the most relevant negative impacts were wood (-15.9%) and machinery and equipment (-8.6%). The industries of food products and beverages (6.5%) and electric machines, electronic and communication equipment (9.6%) represented the main positive contributions.

Payroll increases by 2.4%

In February 2006, the cost of the payroll of industrial workers, in the seasonally adjusted series, increased by 2.4% in relation to January. This behavior can be explained, mainly, by the paying of workers benefits in the mining and quarrying industry (31.1%). It is worth pointing out that with this second result, payroll accumulated increase of 7.7% in relation to December 2005.

The quarterly moving average indicator showed increase of 1.8% in the quarters ended in January and February, with a faster rhythm than in January (0.8%).

In terms of the other indicators, the results were also positive: 2.1% for the monthly indicator, 0.8% accumulated in the year and 2.8% accumulated in the last twelve months.

In the comparison February 06/February 05, the real payroll increased by 2.1%, with positive rates in 8 of the 14 areas sureyed. The main positive contribution came from Minas Gerais (17.7%), caused, mainly, by the non-typical increase observed in the mining and quarrying industry (155.0%) which resulted from the paying of employee participation in profits and results of a major company. It is also worth mentioning the progress of the North and Central West Regions (11.6%) and of São Paulo (1.0%). On the contrary, the major salary losses came from Rio Grande do Sul (-8.1%) due to footwear and leather articles (-23.6%) and petrochemical products (-16.8%); and from Paraná (-6.1%), due to food products and beverages (-9.8%) and wood (-19.5%).

By subsector, still considering the monthly indicator, there was increase of the real payroll in 9 of the 18 industrial subsectors surveyed. The main positive contributions came from mining and quarrying industry (43.5%), petrochemical products (11.3%) and means of transportation (8.7%). On the other hand, the negative results came from machinery and equipment (-12.8%), footwear and leather articles (-14.2%) and wood (-11.9%).

The indicator accumulated in the first two months of the year had 0.8% of increase in the real payroll, with increment in 9 of the 14 localities surveyed. The main positive impacts came from Minas Gerais (12.2%), with increases of 69.8% in mining and quarrying industry and of 15.2% in means of trasnportation; and from the North and Central West Regions (9.6%), where the highlights were food products and beverages and mining and quarrying industry (45.7%). On the contrary, the  main negative contributions came from Rio Grande do Sul (-9.4%) and from Paraná (-5.5%). By subsector, there were salary raises in 10 of 18 activities, especially chemical products (11.1%), mining and quarrying industry (32.2%) and means of tranportation (5.3%). Machinery and equipment (-13.8%), footwear and leather articles (-15.9%) and wood (-14.6%) were the main negative influences.

The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, on a downward trend since January 2005 (9.4%), remained at a constant rate in February (2.8%), not presenting any change in relation to the previous month.