XN000022-1983-11-15 — Page 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 1787

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

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THE AVERAGE VOLUME OF ORDERS-ON-HAND (IN TERMS OF MONTHS) IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR REMAINED STABLE, BUT STILL AT A RELATIVELY HIGH LEVEL, IN SEPTEMBER.

MORE ORDERS-ON-HAND WERE RECORDED FOR THE ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC PRODUCTS AND THE 'OTHERS' CATEGORY OF INDUSTRIES AS SOME MANUFACTURERS RECEIVED MORE ORDERS FOR CHRISTMAS AND THE NEW YEAR. ON THE OTHER HAND, A MILD DECLINE IN ORDERS-ON-HAND WAS RECORDED IN THE WEARING APPAREL AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES.

THESE FIGURES WERE RELEASED TODAY BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT FROM THE MONTHLY SURVEY OF EMPLOYMENT, PAYROLL AND ORDERS-ON-HAND FOR SEPTEMBER 1983.

AS SUMMER STUDENT WORKERS BEGAN LEAVING THE FACTORIES FROM AUGUST, A SLIGHT DECREASE IN EMPLOYMENT WAS REPORTED AGAIN IN THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR IN SEPTEMBER.

THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS INDUSTRY HAD A MORE NOTABLE DECREASE. IN THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES SURVEYED. THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES CONTINUED TO DECREASE BECAUSE SOME OPERATIVES WERE LAID OFF AFTER THE COMPLETION OF PROJECTS.

HOWEVER, EMPLOYMENT IN THE SERVICES SECTOR REMAINED STABLE. PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS IN THE FOOD AND DRINKS INDUSTRY INCREASED AFTER SOME DECLINE IN THE PRECEDING MONTH.

IN THE PLASTIC PRODUCTS AND FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS INDUSTRIES. PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED BECAUSE OF WAGE ADJUSTMENTS AND MORE OVERTIME ALLOWANCES. TOTAL PAYROLL FOR THESE TWO INDUSTRIES, HOWEVER, SHOWED A DECREASE.

IN THE SERVICES SECTOR. PAYROLL AND PER CAPITA EARNINGS INCREASED SIGNIFICANTLY IN PUBLIC UTILITIES DUE TO THE PAYMENT OF ANNUAL BONUS AND BACK-PAY BY SOME FIRMS.

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

A SPOKESMAN FOR 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 CHOSEN BY REFERENCE TO THEIR EMPLOYMENT IN MARCH 1983."

AS THE SAMPLE WAS NOT DRAWN ON A RANDOM BASIS, THE SPOKESMAN CAUTIONED THAT RESULTS ON MAGNITUDE OF CHANGE MIGHT NOT REFLECT THE EXPERIENCE OF THE ECONOMY AS A WHOLE, ALTHOUGH THEY 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