ON
9
TUESDAY, MAY 17, 1983
PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES AND THE +OTHERS+ CATEGORY OF THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS BONUSES AND DOUBLE PAY HAD BEEN GRANTED TO EMPLOYEES IN A NUMBER OF FACTORIES SURVEYED IN THE PRECEDING MONTH.
THE DECLINES IN PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS FOR THE FOOD AND DRINKS, WEARING APPAREL AND THE TEXTILES INDUSTRIES WERE LESS SIGNIFICANT SINCE A BIGGER PROPORTION OF THE MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED HAD ALREADY ISSUED SUCH BONUSES IN JANUARY,
PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR ROSE WITH MORE OVERTIME AND MORE DAYS WORKED IN A NUMBER OF COMPANIES.
IN THE SERVICES SECTOR, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS DROPPED IN THE HOTELS SURVEYED AND IN FIRMS IN THE +OTHERS+ CATEGORY BECAUSE BONUSES HAD BEEN GRANTED IN A NUMBER OF COMPANIES IN THE PRECEDING MONTH.
THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF DAYS WORKED PER WEEK BY OPERATIVES INCREASED IN MOST OF THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES SURVEYED, SIGNIFYING A RETURN TO NORMAL PRODUCTION AFTER THE LUNAR NÉN YEAR HOLIDAYS.
THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT, PER CAPITA EARNINGO AND ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS ARE SHOWN IN THE ACCOMPANYING TABLE.
WHEN RELEASING THE SURVEY RESULTS, THE DEPARTMENT POINTED OUT THAT THE SURVEY COVERED A PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES (CHOSEN BY REFERENCE TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT SIZE IN SEPTEMBER 1979) AND THE 43 LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SELECTED SERVICES SECTORS.
AS THE SAMPLE WAS NOT DRAWN ON A RANDOM BASIS, THE DEPARTMENT CAUTIONED THAT RESULTS ON MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE, ALTHOUGH IT SHOULD GIVE A USEFUL INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FOR A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM.
THE SURVEY REPORT FOR MARCH 1983 IS NOW ON SALE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE, GENERAL POST OFFICE, AT $1.5 PER COPY.
ENQUIRIES ON THE SURVEY RESULTS MAY BE MADE TO TE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATI¿TICS DEPARTMENT (AT 3-7212832).
MORE DETAILS ARE GIVEN IN THE FOLLOWING STATISTICAL TABLES:
/A. EMPLOYMENT AND
Page 10Page 11