XN000022-1982-07-19 — Page 7

MONDAY, JULY 19, 1982

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MONTHLY SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND ORDERS-ON-HAND

FOR MAY 1982

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY (MONDAY) RELEASED STATISTICS FROM THE MONTHLY SURVEY FOR MAY 1982, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED ON A PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES (CHOSEN BY REFERENCE TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT SIZE IN SEPTEMBER 1979) AS WELL AS OF THE 43 LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SELECTED SERVICES SECTORS.

AS THE SAMPLE WAS NOT DRAWN ON A RANDOM BASIS, THE RESULTS ON MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE, BUT SHOULD GIVE USEFUL INDICATIONS OF THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FOR A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM.

ACCORDING TO THE MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED, EMPLOYMENT INCREASED IN THE FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY IN MAY 1982 AS COMPARED WITH THE PRECEDING MONTH ON ACCOUNT OF A HIGHER SEASONAL DEMAND FOR SOFT DRINKS AND BEER, EMPLOYMENT DECLINED IN THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY DUE TO THE CLOSURE OF A FACTORY SURVEYED TOWARDS THE END OF THE MONTH.

PER CAPITA EARNINGS ROSE GENERALLY IN THE MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION SECTOR.

WITHIN MANUFACTURING, PER CAPITA EARNINGS ROSE IN THE TEXTILES INDUSTRY ON ACCOUNT OF SALARY ADJUSTMENTS, AND THE AWARD OF BONUSES AND BACK PAY IN A FEW FACTORIES SURVEYED. PER CAPITA EARNINGS ALSO ROSE IN THE FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY BECAUSE MORE COMMISSION WAS PAID TO EMPLOYEES IN SEVERAL SOFT DRINKS FACTORIES IN A PERIOD OF BETTER BUSINESS.

IN THE CASE OF FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS, THE INCREASE IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS WAS BROUGHT ABOUT BY THE AWARD OF SEVERANCE PAY TO EMPLOYEES UPON THE CLOSURE OF A FACTORY SURVEYED.

ON THE OTHER HAND, THE DECREASE IN PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY WAS DUE TO THE EMPLOYMENT OF STUDENTS AS SUMMER WORKERS THIS MONTH WITH LOWER RATES OF PAY, AND THE AWARD OF SEVERANCE PAY BY ONE FACTORY IN THE PRECEDING MONTH.

PER CAPITA EARNINGS DROPPED IN THE SERVICES SECTOR, NOTABLY IN HOTELS FOLLOWING THE PAYMENT OF BONUSES BY A FEW COMPANIES SURVEYED IN THE PRECEDING MONTH.

ACCORDING TO THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, THERE WERE SLIGHTLY MORE ORDERS-ON-HAND (IN TERMS OF MONTHS) FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR AS A WHOLE. ORDERS-ON-HAND ROSE SLIGHTLY IN THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY.

THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN EMPLOYMENT, PER CAPITA EARNINGS AND ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS ARE SHOWN IN THE ACCOMPANYING TABLE.

THE SURVEY REPORT FOR MAY 1982 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 THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (AT 3-7221914).