In March, the industrial employment had a negative change (-0.3%) in relation to the immediately previous month, in the seasonally adjusted series. In relation to March 2005, there was fall of 0.9%, the  seventh consecutive negative rate in this indicator. The number of employed persons fell by 1.0% in the first quarter of 2006, in relation to the same period of the previous year and was 0.4% lower than in the immediately previous quarter (seasonally adjusted series). The accumulated indicator of the last twelve months changed positively by 0.2%.

With the negative change from February to March, the quarterly moving average indicator continued stable in the quarters that ended in March and February (0.0%).

Industrial employment fell in nine among 14 localities surveyed, in relation to March 2005

In the monthly indicator, March 2006 compared to March 2005, the decrease of 0.9% was a consequence, mainly, of dismissals observed in nine among 14 localities and 10 among 18 segments surveyed. The main negative impacts on the overall result were observed in: Rio Grande do Sul (-9.0%), Northeast Region (-3.0%) and Paraná (-3.4%).  In the industry of Rio Grande do Sul, among the 12 groups which reduced the number of employed persons, footwear and leather articles (-21.2%) was the most important influence on the overall index.  In the industry of the Northeast, the result of food products and beverages (-5.3%) was the most significant among the 12 sectors which had negative results.  In Paraná, the main negative contribution was observed in wood (-24.9%), among the 11 activities with decrease in employment. On the other hand, the North and Central West Region (7.6%) and Minas Gerais (3.1%) brought the main positive results, benefited, mainly, by food products and beverages (17.3% and 16.9%, respectively). In the analysis by sectors, in the total of the country, the main negative contributions to the overall result were observed in the industries of footwear and leather articles (-12.9%), machines and equipment (-8.2%) and wood (-13.9%).  On the other hand, food products and beverages (8.0%) brought the most significant positive influence to the general industry, followed, in a lower degree, by machines and household and communication equipment (6.1%) and transportation (2.7%).

The quarterly analysis shows that the deceleration trend of the industrial employment observed  during 2005, continued in the first quarter of 2006.  The loss of dynamism observed from the fourth quarter of 2005 (-0.8%) to the first quarter of this year (-1.0%) reached 11 among 14 surveyed localities, mainly Pernambuco, where the rate changed from -0.3% to -1.9%.  This trend was also observed in 10 activities, in the total of the country, standing out the decreases observed in machines and  equipment, which changed from -4.5% to -8.4%, and metal products, from 4.0% to 0.4%.

In the indicator accumulated in the year (-1.0%), nine localities and 11 groups of industry reduced the number of workers.  At national level, the main negative contributions were observed in footwear and leather articles (-14.0%) and machines and equipment (-8.4%).  Rio Grande do Sul (-9.2%) and Northeast Region (-3.1%) brought the main negative influences.  On the other hand, the North and Central West Region (8.1%) and Minas Gerais (2.4%) brought the main positive influences to the annual result among the localities, and food products and beverages (8.3%), among the sectors.

The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months changed positively by 0.2%, although it has been on  a falling trend since June 2005.

Number of hours paid fell by 1.8% in relation to February

In March, the number of hours paid to the workers of industry, in the seasonally adjusted series, registered decrease of 1.8%, in relation to February, after growing by 1.9% in the previous month. The trend of the quarterly moving average index  had a slight negative change (-0.2%) among the quarters closed in March and February, while in the comparison with the immediately previous quarter (October-December 2005) stability was observed (0.1%).

In the comparison with the same month of the previous year, the number of hours paid fell by 0.6%.  The indicators for longer periods showed different results: negative result in the index accumulated of the first quarter of the year (-0.4%), while the index accumulated of the last twelve months had a positive change (0.2%). The average number of working hours registered positive rates in the monthly indicator (0.2%) and in the index accumulated in the year (0.6%), while the accumulated indicator in the last twelve months continued stable.

In the monthly indicator (-0.6%), a reduction in the number of hours paid was observed in 11 among 18 activities and in 10 among 14 surveyed regions.  In the analysis by sectors, wood (-17.0%), machines and equipment (-7.6%) and footwear and leather articles (-7.6%) brought the main negative influences, while food products and beverages (5.6%), followed by machines and electronic and communication equipment (9.8%) and transportation (4.5%) brought the main positive contributions to the overall result. In the analysis by regions, the localities with the most significant negative results in the overall result were: Rio Grande do Sul (-8.1%), Northeast Region (-3.8%) and Paraná (-5.3%). In these regions were activities that stood out indicating negative rates.  The main results came from footwear and leather articles (-13.5%), in the industry of Rio Grande do Sul; food products and beverages (-9.0%), in the Northeast Region; and wood (-32.1%), in the industry of Paraná.  On the other hand, the North and Central West Region (8.9%), followed by São Paulo (1.3%) and Minas Gerais (3.2%) brought the most significant positive influences.

The descending trend of the quarterly indicator, observed in 2005,  was attenuated from the last quarter of the previous year (-0.6%) to the first quarter of this year (-0.4%).  This trend shows mainly the increase observed in 12 among 18 surveyed segments, especially petroleum refining and alcohol production, which changed from 3.8% to 9.7%; and machines and electronic and communication equipment (from 5.4% to 9.8%).  The North and Central West Region, which changed from 2.0% to 9.5%, stood out among the seven localities with increase in the number of hours paid, from the fourth quarter of 2005 to the first quarter of 2006.  

The indicator of hours paid accumulated in the first quarter, in relation to the same period of the previous year, fell by 0.4%, with decrease in 10 among 18 industrial sectors and in nine among 14 sectors surveyed.  Among the sectors which recorded negative rates, wood (-16.4%), machines and equipment (-8.0%) and footwear and leather articles (-8.1%) brought the major impacts to the overall result.  On the other hand, the positive contribution of food products and beverages (6.1%) must be pointed out.  In the analysis by regions, the major negative influence on the overall result was observed in Rio Grande do Sul (-8.3%), as a consequence of the reduction observed in footwear and leather articles (-14.3%), followed by Paraná (-5.7%), Northeast Region (-3.5%) and Santa Catarina (-4.4%). On the other hand, the North and Central West Region (9.5%) and São Paulo (2.0%) brought the main positive impacts. The highlight in the North and Central West Region was food products and beverages (22.1%) while in São Paulo, food products and beverages (11.2%) and machines and electronic and communication equipment (12.8%).

The indicator accumulated in the last twelve months had positive results, although it has been decreasing in the last three months: 0.5% up to January; 0.4% up to February and 0.2% up to March.

Payroll fell by 2.0% in March, after two months with positive changes

In March, the real value of payroll in the Brazilian industry already seasonally adjusted fell by 2.0%, after increasing 7.9% in the two previous months.  The negative result of this month did not change the trend of the quarterly moving average index which increased 1.8% between the quarters closed in February and March of this year.  It can be pointed out that this was the third consecutive expansion in this type of comparison, which contributed to an accumulated growth of 4.8% in the first quarter of 2006, in relation to the last quarter of 2005.

In the other indicators, the results of the value of real payroll were decrease of -0.8% in relation to March 2005, expansion of 0.5% in the index accumulated in the first quarter of 2006 and expansion of 2.5% in the index accumulated of the last twelve months. In relation to the average real payroll the results were the following: 0.0% in the monthly, 1.5% in the indicator accumulated in the year and 2.3% in the indicator accumulated in the last twelve months.

In relation to March 2005, the real payroll fell by 0.8%, with nine among 14 surveyed localities with negative indexes. The industry of Rio Grande do Sul (-10.2%) answered, as in the previous month, for the contribution with major negative impact on the formation of the overall average, still considerably influenced by the sector footwear and leather articles (-26.7%).  Also stood out with negative results, although in a lower degree, Paraná (-9.0%), Minas Gerais (-5.7%) and Northeast Region (-4.8%).

Still in relation to March 2005, for the total of the Country were observed, in sectorial level, negative indexes in 11 among 18 surveyed groups of industry.  The decreases of major influence in the overall average were observed in machines and equipment (-11.7%) and mining and quarrying (-26.0%), followed by footwear and leather articles (-15.7%) and wood (-15.8%).  On the other hand, chemical products (12.0%), transportation (8.1%) and machines and electronic and communication equipment (14.6%) brought the main positive results to the real payroll.

In the comparison with the same quarter of the previous year, positive results were observed in nine consecutive quarters, although with a deceleration trend in the rhythm of growth in the value of the real payroll since the third quarter of the previous year (3.8%).  The reduction in the rhythm from the last quarter of the previous year (1.5%) to the first quarter of this year (0.5%) was observed in 12 among 18 activities and nine among 14 localities. Among the industries which mostly decelerated the production, from the period of October-December to the first quarter of this year, were the ones of Bahia (from 3.9% to -3.6%), Rio Grande do Sul (from -3.4% to -9.7%), Paraná (from -2.6% to -6.6%) and Santa Catarina (from 2.9% to -0.8%).

The accumulated indicator in the first quarter of 2006 indicated growth of 0.5% in the value of the real payroll, with nine among 18 industrial activities investigated influencing positively the general index.  The groups of chemical products (11.2%), transportation (6.3%) and machines and electronic and communication equipment (11.3%) brought the most significant positive impacts.  On the other hand, machines and equipment, with fall of 12.1%, brought the major negative result, followed by the adverse results of footwear and leather articles (-15.9%) and wood (-15.4%).

In the analysis by regions, still in relation to the accumulated indicator in the year, there was expansion in the value of the real payroll in eight among 14 investigated localities, especially Minas Gerais (6.3%) and São Paulo (1.0%).  The activities which mostly contributed to this result were transportation (14.8%) and basic metallurgy (6.2%) in Minas Gerais; and chemical products (31.3%) and machines and electronic and communication equipment (13.1%) in São Paulo.  On the other hand, Rio Grande do Sul (-9.7%) and Paraná (-6.6%) brought once again the main negative impacts. This occurred mainly due to the decreases observed in footwear and leather articles (-26.3%), in Rio Grande do Sul; and wood (-22.1%), chemical products (-21.7%) and food products and beverages (-8.9%), in Paraná.

The accumulated indicator in the last twelve months continued indicating positive results, although with a slight deceleration from February (2.9%) to March (2.5%).