XN000022-1983-03-15 — Page 2

TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 1983

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

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THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT TODAY RELEASED STATISTICS FROM THE MONTHLY SURVEY FOR JANUARY 1983.

THE SURVEY COVERED A PANEL OF THE 200 LARGEST MANUFACTURING COMPANIES (CHOSEN BY REFERENCE TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT SIZE IN SEPTEMBER 1979) AS WELL AS 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 A USEFUL INDICATION OF THE DIRECTION OF CHANGE FOR A QUICK ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN THE ECONOMY IN THE SHORT TERM.

FOR ALL THE MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED TAKEN TOGETHER, EMPLOYMENT DECLINED SLIGHTLY IN JANUARY 1983, COMPARED WITH THE PRECEDING MONTH. THE DECLINE OCCURRED MAINLY IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY AND THE +OTHERS+ CATEGORY OF THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR ON ACCOUNT OF LABOUR TURNOVER.

PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED SUBSTANTIALLY IN ALL THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES SURVEYED AS BONUSES AND DOUBLE PAY WERE GRANTED TO EMPLOYEES IN A NUMBER OF FACTORIES AT THE END OF JANUARY PRECEDING THE LUNAR NEW YEAR IN FEBRUARY.

IN THE CONSTRUCTION SECTOR AND IN THE HOTELS SURVEYED, EMPLOYMENT DECREASED OWING TO THE RETRENCHMENT OF EMPLOYEES BY SEVERAL COMPANIES.

SIMILAR TO THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MOST OF THE SERVICES SECTORS ALSO ROSE SIGNIFICANTLY BECAUSE OF YEAR-END AWARDS. HOWEVER, PER CAPITA EARNINGS DROPPED SLIGHTLY IN THE BANKS SURVEYED BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAD ALREADY ISSUED BONUSES AND DOUBLE PAY TO THE IR EMPLOYEES IN THE PRECEDING MONTH.

THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND (IN TERMS OF MONTHS), AS REPORTED BY THE MANUFACTURERS SURVEYED FOR JANUARY 1983, INCREASED SLIGHTLY AS COMPARED WITH THE PRECEDING MONTH. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT INCREASE WAS RECORDED IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY WHEREAS THE FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRY WAS THE ONLY INDUSTRY WITH A DECLINE IN THE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND.

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