In September, the figures of industrial employment were positive in the seasonally adjusted series, there was an increase of 1% in comparison with August; in contrast with September 2003, the growth was of 3.5%; the third quarter was 2.9% above the same period in 2003 and the cumulative index of the year was 1.1%. The cumulative index of the last 12 months registered, this months, the first positive rate (0.3%) of the time series, started in December of 2002.

Contrasting this month with the previous month seasonally adjusted, this was the fifth increase in a row with the employment cumulating growth of 3.5% between April and September 2004. This movement of expansion was also confirmed by the quarterly moving average index, which recorded an increase of 3.6% between the quarters closed in December 2003 and September 2004.

In the monthly index, the increase of 3.5% was generalized with 13 out of the 14 segments recording positive rates. São Paulo (2.2%) and Minas Gerais (7.4%) recorded the highest weight in the overall rate. São Paulo was benefited by, mainly, machinery and equipment (24.3%) and food and beverages (7.8%), among the 13 segments that expanded the number of workers; and Minas Gerais due to hiring in 16 segments, especially, electric-electronic and communication machinery and apparatus (30.1%) and food and beverages (4.7%). But the only negative influence was from Rio de Janeiro (-2%), mainly attributable to food and beverages and metal products (-21.9%).

Nationally, the analysis by sector shows that the main positive contributions were machinery and equipment (16.5%) and means of transportation (11.2%), while the negative highlights were wearing apparel (-6.2%), fabricated metal products (-6.1%), paper and press (-4.1%) and non-metalic minerals (-1.2%).

In the quarterly analysis, the industrial employment indexes had improvement between the second and third quarters (from 0.9% to 2.9%), also observed in all areas  (according to the graph below). By activity, in the country overall, 15 segments also recorded this movement, with highlights to tobacco (from 36.4% to 45.6%), footwear and leather (from 0.4% to 6%) and electric-electronic and communication machinery and apparatus (from 4.4% to 9.6%).

In the cumulative index of the year, there was an expansion of 1.1%, where nine areas posted growth on the overall of employed persons. Minas Gerais (4%) and the North and Central-West Regions (3.8%) were responsible by the major positive influences, contrary to Rio de Janeiro's (-3.4%), Espírito Santo's (-2%) and Pernambuco's (-1.4%) results. Among the segments, 12 had positive rates, the major impacts in national average were: machinery and equipment (13.7%), food and beverages (2.6%) and means of transportation (5.8%). On the contrary, concerning influence, the segments with reduction of labor force were wearing apparel (-9.5%), fabricated metal products (-5.5%) and paper and press (-5.8%).

NUMBER OF HOURS PAID

In September, the total of hours paid to industrial workers grew 1.3% in relation to August, seasonally adjusted. In contrast with September 2003, the increase was of 3.4%. The indicator for longer periods also recorded increase: 1.5% in the cumulative index of the year and 0.6% in the cumulative index of the last 12 months. The average of working hours presents a small decrease (-0.1%) in relation to  September 2003, while the cumulative indicator of the year and of the last 12 months posted a small increase, both with 0.3%.

With an increase of 0.3% in the number of hours paid among the quarters closed in September and in August, the quarterly moving average indicator kept the upward trend started in July 2004.

In comparison with September 2003, the number of hours paid in the industry grew slower (3.4%) than in August (3.9%). The positive contributions came from 13 of the 14 areas and 14 of the 18 surveyed segments. By sector, the major positive influences were machinery and equipment (15.8%), means of transportation (10.8%) and electric-electronic and communication machinery and apparatus (12.4%). On the other hand, the major negative contributors were wearing apparel (-7.3%), fabricated metal products (-3.7%) and paper and press (-3.4%).

According to the monthly indicator, the areas responsible for the most important influences on the national result were Minas Gerais (8.1%), São Paulo (2.1%) and the North and Central-West Regions (6.7%). In the Minas Gerais' industry, 16 out of the 18 surveyed segments increased the number of hours paid, rubber and plastic (61.7%) electric-electronic and communication machinery and apparatus (28.2%) and basic metals (13.3%) stood out. As to São Paulo's industry, the major positive influences were  machinery and equipment (21.2%), means of transportation (8%) and electric-electronic and communication machinery and apparatus (11.9%). In the North and Central-West Regions' industry, the main positive highlight was food and beverages (14.1%). On the other hand, the only negative rate in the country was Rio de Janeiro (-2.9%), influenced mainly due to, food and beverages (-18.6%).

On a quarterly basis, the number of hours paid kept the upward trend, moving from 1.2% in the second quarter to 3.1% in the third quarter. In this movement, the main contributors were tobacco (from 30.8% to 54.8%); footwear and leather (from 0.2% to 6%) and textiles (from -2.7% to 3%). Conversely, the main reduction came from rubber and plastic (from 7.6% to 3.7%) and mining and quarrying industry (from 5.6% to 4.2%).

Between the second and third quarters of this year, except for Paraná, which kept stable, all surveyed areas expanded the number of hours paid. Espírito Santo (moving from -1.3% to 3.3%) and Rio Grande do Sul (from -0.8% to 3.7%) were the areas that mostly stood out.

In the cumulative index of January-September, there was an increase of 1.5% in the hours paid by the industry, a result of the positive figures in 12 out of the 14 areas and in 12 out of the 18 industrial segments surveyed. The major positive figures came from Minas Gerais (5.2%), São Paulo (1%) and the North and Central-West (3.5%). On the other hand, the only two negative impacts were Rio de Janeiro (-4.6%) and Espírito Santo (-1.2%). By sector, the major positive influences were machinery and equipment (14.9%), means of transportation (8.1%) and basic metals (10.4%). By contrast, wearing apparel (-10%) and fabricated metal products (-4.8%) stood out as the main negative contributors.

PAYROLL

After a fall in two months in a row, the payroll of industrial workers grew slightly, in the seasonally adjusted series, increasing 0.3% between August and September. In other indicators, the figures kept favorable: 10.2% in the monthly index; 9.3% in the third quarter of 2004 in relation to the same period in the previous year; 9.2% in the cumulative index of the year and 6.4% in the cumulative index of the last 12 months. In relation to the average payroll, all rates kept positive: 6.5% monthly; 8% in the cumulative index of the year and 6.2% in the cumulative index of the last 12 months.

Between August and September, the indicator of the quarterly moving average kept stable, however, it is 9.2% higher than the one recorded in September 2003. It is important to mention, in this kind of indicator, that the contrast with September of other years, the salary in September 2004 posted the highest level since the beginning of the series in 2001.

In the comparison with September 2003, there was an increase of 10.2%, but 14 areas and 16 out of the 18 activities had increase, in real terms, in the payroll. São Paulo's industry (11.7%) is responsible by the major impact contribution in the formation of overall index, pressed, mostly, by the increase seen in 15 activities with highlights to machinery and equipment (53.3%), means of transportation (23.7%) and food and beverages (18.9%). In relation to the high increase of the rate, the highlight was Minas Gerais (14.5%), due to the rise on fabricated metal products (49.4%), basic metals (15.9%) and chemicals (37.7%).

In this comparison, in the country overall, 16 out of the 18 surveyed segments had positive figures, being the main impacts in the country: machinery and equipment (34%), means of transportation (22%) and food and beverages (8.2%). Only fabricated metal products (-4.9%) and wearing apparel (-4.1%) had real losses in the payroll in this comparison

Comparing with the same quarters of 2003, in general, it was possible to see the growing pace in value of Brazilian industry payroll moving from the second (8.4%) to third quarters of 2004 (9.3%). This movement was followed by seven out of 14 areas and 10 out of the 18 surveyed segments. Rio de Janeiro (from 0.4% to 16.4%) was influenced by the abnormal advance on mining and quarrying (from -17.2% to 82.9%) due to the bonus payment and profit-sharing, was the area with most evident movement. Especially on third quarter of this year, the industries that most expanded the value of payroll were Rio de Janeiro (16.4%), Minas Gerais (12.6%), Espírito Santo (10.4%), the North and Central-West Regions (9.4%) and São Paulo (9.3%).

 In the cumulative index of the year, the increase of 9.2% in the value of the payroll was followed by 15 segments, but the major positive influences came from machinery and equipment (32.2%), means of transportation (10.4%) and food and beverages (8.5%). On the other hand, only fabricated metal products (-5.2%), wearing apparel (-3.1%) and textiles had real losses in the payroll. Analyzing by area, all areas recorded positive changes, with highlight to São Paulo (9.6%), mainly influenced by the gains in machinery and equipment (51.9%).

According to the cumulative index of the year, concerning the average real payroll of industry, there were gains in all areas and in 15 out of the 18 surveyed segments. By area, the major expansions came from Rio de Janeiro (12.1%), Espírito Santo (11.5%) and São Paulo (9.2%). Among the segments, the major highlights were machinery and equipment (16.3%), mining and quarrying industries (11.6%) and paper and press (10.2%).

To sum up, the positive results in the payroll overall indicated the consolidation of the recovery of profits in 2004. This upward trend in salary was a result of a higher dynamism seen in the production and maintenance of reduced price indexes throughout the year.