In April, employment in industry decreased 0.7% compared to the previous year, in the seasonally adjusted series; this was the seventh consecutive negative rate, in a period with accumulated decrease of 6.6%. Compared to April 2008, the rate of -5.6% relative to employed persons is the lowest in the time series which started in 2001. The quarterly moving average index has kept a sequence of six negative rates, with lower rhythm of increase in April (-0.9%) than in the two immediately previous months (-1.5% in February and -1.2% in March). The number of hours paid in industry, in April, decreased 0.4% compared to the previous month, in the seasonally adjusted series; it was the second consecutive negative result (with accumulated decrease of 7.1%).

SALARIED EMPLOYED PERSONS

Compared to April 2008, the rate of -5.6% of salaried employed persons is the lowest in the time series. The index for the first four-month period of the year was -4.4%, opposite to that in the positive result obtained in the last four-month period of 2008 (0.7%), with both figures compared to the same period in the previous year. The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months, on a downward trend since August last year, has had its first negative rate (-0.4%) since November 2006 (-0.2%).

Also relative to the monthly index (-5.6%), the fifth negative rate, the 14 areas surveyed faced reduction of the number of workers; the main contribution to the formation of the overall rate came from São Paulo (-4.2%), followed by Minas Gerais (-7.2%) and North and Central West Region (-8.8%). In São Paulo, there was decrease in 14 subsectors, being the highlights means of transportation (-11.3%) and metal products (-12.7%). In Minas Gerais, and in the North and Central West Regions, apparel (-14.6%) and means of transportation (-14.1%); and wood (-26.6%) and electronic machines and communication equipment (-20.4%) were, respectively, the main contributions to the overall results of these areas.

In the country, most of (16) the eighteen subsectors surveyed faced reduction of the number of employed persons. The main negative contributions came from apparel (-9.7%), means of transportation (-9.4%), metal products (-10.2%) and machinery and equipment (-8.5%), whereas on the other hand, the positive impacts were those of paper and graphics (12.0%) and non-metallic minerals (0.8%).

The indicator accumulated in the year ended the first four-month period with decrease of 4.4%, and negative contributions from the 14 areas to the reduction of the employed population. São Paulo (-3.5%), North and Central West Region (-7.2%) and Minas Gerais (-5.2%) accounted for the main contributions to the overall average. In the country as a whole, there was decrease of employment in fourteen subsectors among which the main ones were: apparel (-9.1%), footwear and leather articles (-10.2%), wood (-14.9%) and means of transportation (-6.1%). On the other hand, there were positive contributions from paper and printing   (5.4%) and non-metallic minerals (1.5%).

NUMBER OF HOURS PAID

The number of hours paid in industry, in April, decreased by 0.4% compared to the result in the previous year, in the seasonally adjusted series. It was the seventh consecutive negative result, with accumulated decrease of 7.1%.The quarterly moving average index, after decreasing 0.6% between April and March, has remained on a downward trend since October 2007, but with at lower decrease rate.

The comparison with the same month in the previous year pointed to decrease of 6.2%, the sixth consecutive negative rater and the lowest result in the time series. The indicator accumulated in the year decreased 5.3%. The index accumulated in the last twelve month, on a downward trend since September last year, changed from -0.1% in March to -0.8% in April, the lowest result since March 2004 (-0.9%).

Also in terms of the monthly indicator, the number of hours paid fell 6.2%, with decreases in 14 areas and in 15 of the 18 subsectors surveyed. In the analysis by subsector, the main negative contributions came from means of transportation (-12.1%), machinery and equipment (-11.6%), apparel (-9.6%) and metal products (-10.2%). On the other hand, the most significant positive results were those of paper and printing (11.5%) and non-metallic minerals (1.7%).

In the comparison April 09/April 08, the areas which accounted for the main negative contributions to the national result were São Paulo (-4.3%), North and Central West Region (-10.2%), Rio Grande do Sul (-9.8%) and Minas Gerais (-7.0%). In the industry of São Paulo, 15 activities faced reduction of the number of hour paid, being the highlight means of transportation (-13.0%) and machinery and equipment (-11.7%). In the second aforementioned area, wood (-27.2%) and electronic machines and communication equipment (-22.1%) accounted for the main negative results; in the industry of Rio Grande do Sul and Minas Gerais the highlights were, respectively,: footwear and leather articles (-14.7%) and machinery and equipment (-10.8%); apparel (-11.7%) and machinery and equipment (-17.6%).

In the analysis by four-month period, the number of hours paid changed from 0.4%, in the last period, to -5.3% in the first four-month of 2009, in which the downward trend observed since 2008 was maintained.  The index accumulated in the first four months of 2009 indicates decrease in 14 areas and in 14 subsectors. São Paulo (-4.4%), North and Central West Region (8.5%), Rio Grande do Sul (-7.5%) and Minas Gerais (-5.4%) accounted for the main negative contributions to the formation of the overall rate. By subsector, the main impacts came from apparel (-9.4%), means of transportation (-9.2%), machinery and equipment (-8.2%) and food products and beverages (-3.1%). On the other hand, paper and printing (5.0%) and non-metallic minerals (2.0%) were the most significant positive contributions.

In summary, the evolution of the adjusted index shows that industrial production recovered gradually in the first four months of 2009, having accumulated gain of 6.2%. However, this situation is not observed in the indicators of employment and number of hours paid in industry, which have remained on a downward trend since October, accumulating until April decreases of 6.6% and 7.1%, respectively. Compared to similar period in 2008, the result remain indicating record negative rates both in industrial employment and in the number of hours paid.

REAL PAYROLL

In April, the real payroll of industry, not considering seasonal effects, changed negatively (-0.2%) in relation to March, the second consecutive negative result, having accumulated decrease of 2.8% in the period. The quarterly moving average index decreased 0.3% in April, the sixth consecutive negative result, in a period in which it accumulated decrease of 4.0%.

Compared to the same month in the previous year, real payroll fell by 1.8%, the second negative rate, whereas the indicator accumulated in the first four months of the year was -0.5%. The annualized rate, the index accumulated in the last twelve months (3.7%), has remained on a downward trend since September 2008 (6.7%).

In relation to April 2008, real payroll fell by 1.8%, with decrease in 10 of the 14 areas surveyed. The main contribution to the overall result came from Minas Gerais (-7.9%), followed by Rio Grande do Sul (-6.2%) and North and Central West Region (-6.0%). In the first afore mentioned area, the main negative contributions to the overall rate came from metallurgy (-23.3%) and metal products (-12.9%). In the industry of Rio Grande do Sul, means of transportation (-22.5%) and footwear and leather articles (-8.6%) were the main highlights. In the North and Central West Region, food products and beverages (-4.7%) and wood (-17.1%) were the mist significant negative contributions. On the other hand, Rio de Janeiro (4.8%) and Espírito Santo (6.6%) accounted for the main positive contributions, especially due to the growth of mining and quarrying (13.2%), in the former, and of machinery and equipment (24.6%), in the latter.  

Also in the monthly comparison, by subsector, in the country, real payroll decreased in 11 of the 18 subsectors surveyed, especially in machinery and equipment (-10.0%), electronic machines and communication equipment (-10.0%), metallurgy (-9.4%) and rubber and plastic (-9.3%). On the contrary, paper and printing (21.2%) and mining and quarrying industry (7.8%) were the main positive contributions.  

In the analysis by four-month period, real payroll decreased 0.5%, the first negative result after a sequence of fifteen positive rates, and remained on a downward trend as observed since the second four-month period of 2008. In the first four months of 2009, twelve activities had negative rates in terms of real payroll, and the most significant contributions came from electronic machines and communication equipment (-7.6%), rubber and plastic (-7.7%), machinery and equipment (-3.4%) and means of transportation (-2.2%). On the other hand, mining and quarrying industry (19.7%) and paper and printing (9.7%) accounted for the main positive contributions. By area, the highlights were São Paulo (-1.3%) and Rio Grande do Sul (-3,9%), opposite to  the opsitive results of Rio de Janeiro (3.0%) and Espírito Santo (12.1%).