XN000022-1983-08-23 — Page 4

TUESDAY, AUGUST 23, 1983

THERE WAS A FAIRLY LARGE INCREASE IN EMPLOYMENT FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR WHEN COMPARED WITH THE PRECEDING MONTHS. EMPLOYMENT INCREASED IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES DUE TO THE RECRUITMENT OF SUMMER WORKERS TO COPE WITH INCREASES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND.

INCREASES IN EMPLOYMENT WERE ALSO REPORTED BY SOFT DRINKS AND BEER MANUFACTURERS BECAUSE OF HEAVY DEMAND DURING THE SUMMER. IN THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES SURVEYED, EMPLOYMENT CONTINUED TO DECLINE.

PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED IN THE FOOD AND DRINKS AND WEARING APPAREL INDUSTRIES ON ACCOUNT OF MORE OVERTIME WORK AND MORE COMMISSION FOR EMPLOYEES IN SEVERAL FACTORIES. WHILE PAYROLL INCREASED, PER CAPITA EARNINGS DECLINED IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS, FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES BECAUSE OF THE LOWER WAGES PAID TO THE LESS SKILFUL STUDENT WORKERS EMPLOYED DURING THE SUMMER.

IN THE SERVICES SECTOR, PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED IN PUBLIC UTILITIES FOLLOWING THE PAYMENT OF GRATUITIES AND SALARY REVISIONS BY A FEW COMPANIES.

THE PERCENTAGE CHANGES IN ORDERS-ON-HAND, EMPLOYMENT AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS 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 AND THE 50 LARGEST COMPANIES IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND SELECTED SERVICES SECTORS.

AS FROM JUNE THIS YEAR, THE PANEL FOR THIS SURVEY HAS BEEN UPDATED, AND THE SELECTION OF THE PANEL MEMBERS IS NOW BASED ON THEIR EMPLOYMENT IN MARCH 1983. HOWEVER, THE STATISTICS COMPILED FOR JUNE HAVE BEEN SUITABLY ADJUSTED TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE CHANGE IN THE COMPOSITION OF THE PANEL SO THAT THE OLD SERIES AND NEW SERIES OF DATA ARE SMOOTHLY LINKED TO ENSURE COMPARABILITY.

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 JUNE 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 THE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT (AT 3-7212832).

FOLLOWING ARE THE TABLES1

/A. ORDERS-ON-HAND