Industrial employment continues to fall
Compared to January 2014, employment levels went down in 17 out of the 18 industries surveyed, most notably in machinery and electronics/telecom appliances
Industrial employment went down 4.1% in January 2015 compared to the same period in 2014, the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) reported in its Monthly Survey of Industry Employment and Wages (PIMES). The decline was 0.1% compared to December and 3.4% in the past twelve-month period.
Compared to January 2014, employment levels went down in 17 out of the 18 industries surveyed, most notably in machinery and electronics/telecom appliances (-11.3%); transportation and metal products (-7.7%); and other manufacturing products (-8.0%). The only positive change in the comparison was reported for chemicals, where employment rose 0.5%.
Among the reasons for the lower industrial employment levels, André Macedo, Analysis and Statistics Manager for IBGE, said the figures reflect a structural trend in Brazil's industry. The labor market, he explained, responds to signs of low business confidence. Moreover, he said, the negative numbers are not limited to employment – there were declines in other important factors related to production, such as overtime and extra shifts.
Translated by Mayra Borges
Fonte: Industrial employment continues to fall
