In December 2009, the unemployment rate was the same as that of December 2008 (6.8%, the smallest in the series) and decreased 0.6 percentage point in relation to November 2009 (7.4%). The employed population (21.8 million) increased 1% in relation to November and 1.4% in relation to December 2008. The number of workers with a formal contract (9.8 million) increased 1.5% in relation to November and remained stable in relation to December 2008. The unemployed population (1.6 million) decreased (-7.1%) in relation to November and remained stable in relation to December 2008. The average real income usually earned (R$ 1,344.40) decreased (-0.9%) in relation to November and increased 0.7% in relation to December 2008.

The average household income per capita (R$ 855.03) decreased (-0.7%) in relation to November 2009 and increased 4.4% in relation to December 2008. The volume of real income usually earned of November 2009 (R$ 29.6 billion) was stable in relation to October 2009 and grew 2.3% in relation to November 2008. The volume of real income actually earned of November 2009 (R$ 31.5 billion) grew 6.9% in relation to October 2009 and 2.5% in relation to November 2008.

EMPLOYED POPULATION

In December 2009, the employed population (21.8 million) in the six metropolitan areas investigated by PME increased 1% (212 thousand more jobs), in relation to November, and 1.4% (308 thousand more jobs) in the comparison with December 2008.

In relation to November 2009, the group Trade, repair of automotive vehicles and personal and domestic objects and retail trade of fuels was the only with significant variation: rise of 2.3%. In relation to December 2008, the only groups with variations were Construction (5.3%) and Domestic services (8.4%).

The number of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (9.8 million) grew 1.5% in relation to November (or 141 thousand more jobs with a formal contract) and remained stable in relation to December 2008.

AVERAGE REAL INCOME

The average real income usually earned (R$ 1,344.40) dropped (-0.9%) in the monthly comparison and rose 0.7% in relation to December 2008.

Income by group of activity

In the month, there were income rises in the groups Construction (3.6%), Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation (1.5%), and Domestic services (0.8%).

There were declines in the groups Mining and quarrying industry, manufacturing industry, and distribution of electricity, gas and water (-2.6%); Trade, repair of automotive vehicles and personal and domestic objects, and retail trade of fuels (-1.7%) and Other services (-2.2%). The group Education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security remained stable.

 In the annual analysis, there were rises in the groups Construction (4.5%); Trade, repair of automotive vehicles and personal and domestic objects, and retail trade of fuels (4.4%); Services rendered to enterprises, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation (6.1%); Education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security (2.1%); and Domestic services (4.5%).

There were falls in the income of the groups Mining and quarrying industry, manufacturing industry, and distribution of electricity, gas and water (-0.7%), and Other services (-7.5%).

HOUSEHOLD INCOME PER CAPITA

In December 2009, the household income per capita verified by the Monthly Employment Survey of IBGE, in the average of six investigated metropolitan areas (R$ 892.73), decreased (-0.7%) in relation to November 2009 and increased 4.4% in relation to December 2008.

VOLUME OF INCOME 

The volume of real income usually earned by workers (R$ 29.6 billion) remained stable in relation to October 2009 and grew 2.3% in relation to November 2008.

The volume of real income actually earned by workers (R$ 31.5 billion) grew 6.9% in relation to October 2009 and 2.5% in relation to November 2008.

In December 2009, the unemployment rate in the six metropolitan areas investigated by the Monthly Employment Survey (PME) of IBGE (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte, Salvador, Recife and Porto Alegre) was 6.8%, the same as that of December 2008 and also the lowest in the series of the survey, initiated in March 2002. In relation to November 2009 (7.4%), the unemployment rate decreased by 0.6 percentage point.

The number of unemployed people (1.6 million) in the total of the six investigated areas had a fall (-7.1%) in relation to November, what corresponds to a reduction of 122 thousand unemployed people in the month. In relation to December 2008, there was stability. Considering November 2009, Belo Horizonte, São Paulo and Porto Alegre were the only metropolitan areas with statistically significant variations in the number of unemployed people.

Income by type of participation in the job market

In relation to November 2009, there were rises in incomes of workers without a formal contract in the private sector (1.2%), of military or civil servants (0.4%), and of own-account workers (1.3%). In this same comparison, there was a decrease in the income of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (-1.7%).

In relation to December 2008, there were rises in the incomes of workers without a formal contract in the private sector (10.7%), of military or civil servants (2.1%), and of own-account workers (4.1%). In this same comparison, there was fall in the income of workers with a formal contract in the private sector (-2.1%).