For the second consecutive month, the rate remained stable (0.1%), from August to September, not considering seasonal effects. Even so, the quarterly moving average increased by 1.1% between June and September 2008. In the comparison between Sep/08 and Sep/07, there was increase of 2.2%, which represented the 27^th consecutive rate. In terms of the index accumulated in the year, there was increase of 2.7% in comparison with the same period in 2007. The real payroll of workers increased 2.7% in the month/immediately previous month comparison (with seasonal adjustment). In the analysis of similar periods last year, there was increase of 7.9% compared to September/07 and of 6.8% in the figure accumulated in the year.

SALARIED EMPLOYED PERSONS

Industrial employment was stable (0.1%) for the second consecutive month, from August to September, in the series without seasonal influences. Even so, the quarterly moving average indicator kept its sequence of four quarters with positive changes, having accumulated 1.1% of increase between June and September this year.

The comparison with September 2007 showed increase of 2.2%, the twenty-seventh consecutive positive rate. In the indicator accumulated in the year, there was increase of 2.7%. The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months (2.9%), which had been on a growing trend since September 2006, had practically the same rhythm of increase of employed persons in August 93.0%). In the quarterly indicator, the rate of the third quarter of 2008 was 2.5%, above that of the same period last year and, in relation to the immediately previous quarter – seasonally adjusted series – employment has kept a sequence of seven positive quarters, with rise of 1.0% compared to the second quarter of 2008.  

In the quarterly moving average index (2.2%), twelve of the fourteen areas and twelve of the eighteen subsectors had increase of the number of workers. São Paulo (2.6%), Minas Gerais (5.2%) and Rio Grande do Sul (3.3%) represented the most significant contributions to the overall result. In the industry of São Paulo state, hired persons outnumbered the dismissed ones, mainly in the subsectors of chemical products, electronic and communication machines and equipment (11.1%) and means of transportation (7.3%). In the industries of Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul, the highlights were, respectively, food products and beverages (12.1%) and metallurgy (10.7%); and machinery and equipment (23.7%) and metal products (14.1%). On the other hand, Santa Catarina (-1.9%) and Paraná (-0.3%) were the main negative contributions to the overall result, mainly due to the decreases observed in apparel (-12.1%) in the former area, and wood (-18.3%), in the latter, respectively.

At national level, the subsectors which most contributed positively to the overall rate were machinery and equipment (10.2%), means of transportation (8.2%), electronic and communications machines and equipment (10.2%), non-metallic mineral products (8.1%) and food products and beverages (1.9%). On the other hand, apparel (-7.1%), wood (-11.3%) and textiles (-6.5%) accounted for the major negative contributions.

In the analysis by quarter, it is possible to see that industrial employment has had positive results for nine consecutive quarters, compared to similar periods in previous years. In this third quarter of 2008, the increase of 2.5% had almost the same rhythm as in the previous quarter (2.4%). Between the second and the third quarters, there was increase of employment rate in ten subsectors, especially in footwear and leather articles, whose rate fell from -11.0% to -5.2% and non-metallic metal products, which changed from 2.7% to 7.0%, whereas the subsector of food products and beverages faced the opposite, decreasing from 3.2% in the second quarter to 1.7% in the third one. Between these two periods, ten areas had the highest rates in the third quarter, especially Ceará (from 0.1% to 4.1%), Espírito Santo (from –1.0% to 2.0%) and Minas Gerais (from 4.0% to 6.1%).

In terms of the indicator accumulated in the year, the number of employed persons increased 2.7%, being above the figure observed in the period January-September 2007 (1.8%). Eleven areas and twelve subsectors contributed positively to the overall index. Considering the subsectors, the main positive contributions came from machinery and equipment (12.1%) and means of transportation (10.1%), subsectors which lead industrial production, and are followed by: electronic material and communication equipment (12.3%) and food products and beverages (2.6%). Among the areas, São Paulo (3.8%), Minas Gerais (4.6%) and North and Central West Region (3.6%) accounted for the most significant impacts. On the other hand, from Santa Catarina came the most significant negative contribution (-0,8%) among the areas surveyed and, in the analysis by subsector, the highlights were footwear and leather articles (-9.1%), apparel  (-5.3%) and wood (-8.0%).

In summary, the positive evolution of industrial employment indexes, in the last few months, reflects the biggest dynamism of the productive activity, considering the trend of the quarterly moving average indicator. Also considering the adjusted series, employment increased 1.0% in September compared to the immediately previous quarter, and accumulated 4.9% of increase since the last quarter of 2006. Compared to similar periods in 2007, the number of employed persons keeps positive results: the monthly indicator has increased since July 2006 and the quarterly one, since the third quarter of 2006.

NUMBER OF HOURS PAID

In September, the number of hours paid to industry workers increased 0.6% compared to results in August, in the seasonally adjusted series, after having decreased in the previous month (-0.6%). The quarterly moving average index had 0.3% of expansion from August to September and has kept positive results for three consecutive quarters, period during which it has accumulated increase of 1.0%. In the end of the third quarter of 2008, compared to the same period in the previous year, the number of hours paid increased 2.5%; it kept almost the same rhythm as in the second quarter (2.4%) and advancing 0.9% in relation to the immediately previous quarter, not considering seasonal influences. Compared to the same month in the previous year, the number of hours paid to industry workers increased (2.5%), the twenty-eighth consecutive positive result. The figure accumulated in the last twelve months also reflects increase (2.7%), whereas that of the last twelve months, on an upward trend since September 2006, reflects the result of August (2.7%).

Considering the monthly indicator, the total hours paid was due, mainly, to the good performance of eleven of the fourteen areas and of twelve of the eighteen subsectors surveyed. In the industrial activity, the main positive contributions came from machinery and equipment (12.7%), means  of transportation (9.3%) and electronic material and communication equipment (9.3%). On the other hand, apparel (-5.5%) and  wood (-10.0%) contributed negatively to the result.

In this same comparison, the areas which most contributed to the overall results were São Paulo (2.7%), Minas Gerais (6.8%) and Rio Grande do Sul (3.3%). In São Paulo, eleven activities investigated  led to increase of the number of hours paid, being the highlight machinery and equipment (9.2%), means of transportation (8.3%) and electronic material and communication equipment (9.7%). In Minas Gerais, the most relevant positive impacts came from food products and beverages (11.0%), metallurgy (14.5%) and means of transportation (16.2%) and, in Rio Grande do Sul, machinery and equipment (27.1%) and metal products (14.4%). On the other hand, the area with the most significant influence to the overall rate was Santa Catarina (-0.5%), mainly due to the negative impact of apparel (-12.3%) and wood (-13.8%).

In the comparison by quarter, the number of hours paid increased 2.5% compared to the figure in the same quarter of the previous year, being practically the same as in the quarter April-June (2.4%). From the second to the third quarter, both comparisons versus the same period in the previous year, eleven subsectors showed increase of the number of hours paid, especially footwear and leather articles, which changed from–11.8% to –5.8% and products made of non-metallic minerals (from 3.0% to 8.1%). In the analysis by area, increases were observed in eleven areas, especially in Ceará (from 1.8% to 5.4%) and Espírito Santo (-1.5% to 1.6%).

In the period accumulated in the year (January-September), the increase of the number of hours paid was 2.7%, mainly due to the growth of eleven areas and twelve subsectors. By area, the most significant positive contributions came from São Paulo (3.8%), Minas Gerais (5.2%) and North and Central West Region (3.5%). The negatrive contributions were: Pernambuco (-1.1%), Espírito Santo (-1.0%) and Santa Catarina (-0.2%). In the analysis by subsector, the main increases came from machinery and equipment (13.0%), means of transportation (11.1%) and electronic material and communication equipment (11.2%). On the other hand, footwear and leather articles (-10.0%) and apparel (-5.3%) were the highlights as the main negative contributions.

REAL PAYROLL

In September, the seasonally adjusted real payroll of industry workers increased 2.7% in comparison with the immediately previous month, after decreasing 0.5% in August. The quarterly moving average indicator increased 1.3% between the quarters which ended in August and September and has accumulated, since July, increase of 2.6%.

Compared to similar periods in the previous year, the results remain positive: 7.9% compared to September 2007 and 6.8% accumulated in the year. The indicator accumulated in the last 12 months (6.7%) was practically stable in relation to that accumulated in August (6.6%). In the third quarter of 2008, there was increase of 7.2% in the comparison with the same quarter in the previous year, the highest result since December 2004. Compared to the immediately previous quarter, in the seasonally adjusted series, it had the tenth consecutive increase (2.6%), accumulating gain of 15.3% since March 2006.

By subsector, real payroll increase in thirteen of the eighteen subsectors. The most relevant positive impacts came from means of transportation (16.0%), machinery and equipment (12.4%), metallurgy (19.3%), non-metallic metal products (20.7%) and metal products (13.3%). On the other hand, the main decreases came from paper and printing (-2.3%) and textiles (-2.7%).

In the analysis by quarter, the real payroll index, in relation to the same period in the previous year, had increment from the second (6.5%) to the third quarter (7.2%) of 2008. This change is present in nine areas, especially in Espírito Santo, which changed from 6.2% to 9.9%, and Minas Gerais (from 9.4% to 11.9%). In the analysis by subsector, there was increase of participation in nine segments between the two periods, being the highlights chemical products (from 9.8% to 17.8%), metallurgy (from 7.7% to 15.0%) and machinery and equipment (from 8.4% to 10.8%).

The indicator accumulated in the year (6.8%) had the highest increments in real payroll in all the areas surveyed. The main contributions were those of São Paulo (7.9%) and Minas Gerais (9.4%). In terms of subsector, among the thirteen activities with increase the main positive impacts came from means of transportation (13.4%), machinery and equipment (9.4%), chemical products (11.4%) and metal products (12.7%). On the other hand, the main decreases were those in footwear and leather articles (-6.6%) and paper and printing (-2.8%).