This was the third positive consecutive rate in the comparison with the immediately previous month, accumulating in this period an expansion of 1.2%.  Still in the comparison with seasonal adjustment, reductions were registered in the number of hours paid (-1.0%) as well as in the real payroll (-3.7%).  In the comparison March 07 / March 06, all the variables showed positive rates: the industrial employment expanded by 1.7%, the number of hours paid increased by 1.1% and the value of the real payroll increased by 3.7%.

Salaried Personnel Employed

In March, the industrial employment changed by 0.4% in relation to the immediately previous month, in the series with seasonal adjustment, third positive consecutive rate, accumulating an increase of 1.2% since last December. Compared to March 2006 the growth was of 1.7%, major rate since May 2005 (2.0%).  In the closure of the first quarter of 2007, the employed personnel increased by 1.2% in relation to the same period of 2006 and was 0.5% higher than the immediately previous quarter (series seasonally adjusted).  The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months had a positive change of 0.4%.  The indicator of quarterly moving average had an ascending trend, increasing by 0.4% between the quarters closed in March and February.

In the monthly index, the growth of 1.7% occurred, mainly due to hirings in eleven among fourteen localities and twelve among eighteen surveyed segments.  The localities responsible for the main positive records on the overall results were São Paulo (2.7%), Northeast Region (2.8%) and North and Central West Region (2.5%).  In the industry of São Paulo, among the fifteen groups which increased the employment, food products and beverages (4.8%), textiles (10.5%) and petroleum refining and alcohol production (28.1%) brought the most important results on the general index.

In the industry of the Northeast, food products and beverages (6.8%) and petroleum refining and alcohol production (42.4%), showing the dynamism of the sugar cane sector, brought the most significant results among the seven segments with positive indexes.  In the North and Central West Region, the increase of employment was observed mainly in food products and beverages (14.6%).  On the other hand, the negative results were concentrated in Rio Grande do Sul (-2.2%), Minas Gerais (-0.9%) and Bahia (-0.6%) standing out, respectively the sectors: footwear and leather articles (-14.4%); apparel (-17.0%); and non-metallic minerals (-16.1%).

Still in the comparison March 07/ March 06, the main positive contributions on the overall result came food products and beverages (6.7%), metal products (5.6%) and transportation (3.9%).  On the other hand, footwear and leather articles (-6.6%), apparel (-5.0%) and wood (-4.2%) brought the most significant negative results in the overall industry.

In the closure of the first quarter of 2007 (1.2%), ten localities and eleven groups increased the number of workers. In national coverage, the main positive contributions came from food products and beverages (6.5%), metal products (4.7%) and transportation (4.1%). In the analysis by areas, São Paulo (2.1%), Northeast Region (2.5%) and North and Central West Region (2.8%) brought the main positive results.  Rio Grande do Sul (-3.3%) and Minas Gerais (-0.8%) brought the main negative results among the localities and, footwear and leather articles (-8.1%) and apparel (-5.6%), among the sectors.

The quarterly analysis showed that the increase in the rhythm of growth of the industrial employment, observed since the second semester of 2006, expanded in the first quarter of 2007.  Between the fourth quarter of 2006 (0.6%) and the first quarter of this year (1.2%), eight sectors increased their participation in the overall result. Stood out machines and equipment, which changed from –2.2% to 1.7%, showing the major production of capital goods and the recovery of agricultural production, and metal products (from 2.2% to 4.7%).  The majority (10) of the fourteen localities surveyed had, in the first quarter, better results compared to the ones of the fourth quarter of 2006, especially Rio Grande do Sul (from –7.0% to –3.3%) and Paraná (from –1.0% to 1.8%).

In summary, following along the trend of recovery observed in the rhythm of industrial activity, the indexes of employment showed a positive scenario according to different comparisons.  In the comparisons with similar periods of the previous year, employment has presented positive results: the monthly indicator increases since July 2006 and the quarterly indicator increases since the third quarter of the previous year.  Another favorable signal comes from the comparisons without seasonal influences, where the number of employed persons showed result of 0.4% in March, maintaining a positive rate for the third consecutive month, period in which it accumulated an  increase of 1.2%.  From the fourth quarter of 2006 to the first quarter of 2007, the index changed from –0.1% to 0.5%.

Number of Hours Paid

The number of hours paid to the workers in the industry, in March, decreased by 1.0% in relation to February, in the series without seasonal influence, after growing by 1.9% in the previous month.  The indicator of the quarterly moving average continued to show a positive trend, having changed by 0.2% between the quarters closed in March and February.

In the comparison with a similar month of the previous year, the rate remained in 1.1%, tenth consecutive positive result.  In the analysis by quarters, the first quarter of the year was positive in the comparison with similar period of the previous year (0.8%), as well as in the comparison with the immediately previous quarter (0.5%) – series with seasonal adjustment. In the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, the increase was of 0.5% and remains in ascending trend since October 2006.

The number of hours paid, according to the monthly indicator, registered increase of 1.1% with eleven among fourteen localities and eleven among eighteen surveyed groups indicating increase. In the analysis by sectors, the major positive influences came from food products and beverages (6.1%), metal products (3.8%) and other products of the manufacturing industry (4.6%).  On the other hand, footwear and leather articles (-9.7%) and apparel (-6.8%) brought the most important negative contributions.

Still in the comparison with March 2006, the localities that brought the most relevant positive results in the national result were São Paulo (1.3%), Northeast Region (2.0%) and Paraná (3.0%). In São Paulo, twelve among eighteen activities increased the number of hours paid especially petroleum refining and alcohol production (21.1%), textiles (5.8%) and food products and beverages (1.8%).

In the industry of the Northeast, food products and beverages (5.9%) and petroleum refining and alcohol production (44.8%) brought the main positive contributions; and in Paraná, the segment of food products and beverages (8.1%) brought the most significant result. The main negative result in the overall result came from Rio Grande do Sul (-2.8%), mainly due to footwear and leather articles (-19.3%).

The indicator accumulated in the first quarter of 2007, in relation to the same period of the previous year, increased by 0.8% with positive results in eleven among eighteen sectors and in ten among fourteen localities.  Food products and beverages (6.4%), metal products (3.8%) and transportation (3.2%) brought the major results in the overall average. On the other hand, the main negative contributions came from footwear and leather articles (-9.6%) and apparel (-7.5%).

In the analysis by areas, the most relevant positive influences on the overall result came from São Paulo (1.1%) and Northeast Region (2.2%), while, on the other hand, Rio Grande do Sul (-3.4%) and Minas Gerais (-1.7%) brought the main negative results. In quarterly basis, after having an ascending trend during 2006 (0.1% in the first and second quarters, 0.4% in the third and 0.8% in the fourth), the number of hours paid maintained the rhythm of growth observed in the last quarter of 2006.

Real Payroll

In March, the value of the real payroll, seasonally adjusted, fell by 3.7% in relation to the previous month, after increasing by 13.0% in the two previous months. With this, the quarterly moving average indicator increased by 2.7% between the quarters closed in February and March, sustaining the third positive consecutive rate, accumulating gain of 6.3% in the first quarter of 2007.

In the other indicators, the value of the real payroll was positive: 3.7% in relation to March 2006, 4.4% in the index accumulated in the year and 2.3% in the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, maintaining an ascending trend since December 2006.

In the comparison March 07/ March 06, the real payroll increased by 3.7%, with positive rates in fourteen surveyed localities.  The main positive contribution came from São Paulo (1.5%), due mainly, to food products and beverages (6.0%), transportation (2.7%) and non-metallic minerals (12.5%). Following, it is worth mentioning the North and Central West Region (9.9%), due to food products and beverages (20.6%) and chemical products (22.6%); and the Northeast Region (7.9%) due to food products and beverages (12.7%) and petroleum refining and alcohol production (33.9%).  Also, in a lower degree Minas Gerais (5.7%), Rio Grande do Sul (5.0%) and Santa Catarina (4.5%) brought positive results.

In the analysis by sectors, still in the monthly comparison, twelve among eighteen surveyed activities had increase in the real payroll.  The major positive influences came from food products and beverages (9.1%), transportation (3.7%) and mining and quarrying (13.7%).  On the other hand, the most significant negative results were observed in paper and printing (-5.4%), electronic material and communication equipment (-3.3%) and wood (-5.1%).

The indicator accumulated in the year increased by 4.4%, with positive results in thirteen among eighteen activities.  Food products and beverages (9.5%), mining and quarrying (14.8%) and chemical products (7.8%) brought the most significant positive results, while paper and printing (-4.0%), wood (-6.0%) and footwear and leather articles (-3.2%) brought the main negative results.  In the analysis by areas the main highlights in the expansion of the real value of the payroll were São Paulo (2.7%), mainly due to food products and beverages (8.5%) and chemical products (7.5%); Northeast Region (7.8%), due to food products and beverages (11.9%) and petroleum refining and alcohol production (29.7%); and Minas Gerais (6.5%), due to basic metallurgy (10.3%) and mining and quarrying  (16.6%).

In the comparison with same quarter of the previous year, positive rates can be observed for thirteen consecutive quarters with an ascending trend since the second quarter of 2006 (0.8%). The acceleration in the rhythm of expansion of the real value of the payroll, from the last quarter of 2006 (2.3%) to the first quarter of this year (4.4%), shows the gains in thirteen among eighteen activities and in eleven among fourteen localities.  In the analysis by sectors, the highlights came from food products and beverages (from 3.9% to 9.5%), basic metallurgy (2.3% to 8.7%) and transportation (-1.2% to 1.3%). Among the localities which most accelerated, it is worth mentioning Rio Grande do Sul (-7.5% to 4.1%), Bahia (-1.2% to 4.8%) and Ceará (2.4% to 7.3%).