TRANSPORTATION, COMMUNICATION& PUBLIC UTILITIES

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(40 - 49)

Employment change from last quarter	+ 0.7
Employment change from year ago	+ 1.9
Wage change from year ago	+ 4.4

QUARTERLY

TCPU employment registered slight upward movement adding 813 for a gain of 0.7%. Sector activity was mixed with gains offsetting losses. Trucking-Warehousing (42) generated the largest share of employment growth adding 681. Increases were seasonal but higher than last year at this time. Construction hauling and furniture moving seasonally influences this sector. Communication (48) showed the second greatest increase up 398 employees. Growth was specific to telephone communications and found in only a handful of businesses. Transport Services (47) which covers travel and tour arrangers added 205 employees. While seasonal gains were seen for increased summer demand, expansion also occurred. Local Transportation (41) dropped 432 employees. Losses were seasonal tied to the end of the ski season and the dissipated need for ground transport to the various ski areas.


ANNUAL

Annual employment growth in TCPU was slow at 1.9% adding 2207 employees. The largest sector increase was reported in Air Transportation (45) up 1631 employees. Scheduled air transportation added over 900 employees with growth divided between Denver and El Paso county. Air courier services added about 550 employees. Increases are questionable and may be more bad reporting rather than actual growth. Communication (48) experienced the second largest increase up 796 employees. The bulk of the increase occurred over the year in Cable & Other Pay Television Services. Electric-Gas-Sanitation Services (49) declined dropping by 538 employees. Layoffs in utility service and project completions in sanitary services caused the decline. Trucking-Warehousing (42) dropped 214 employees. Losses were the result of layoffs and closures occurring in fourth quarter 1996 and first quarter 1997.


Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) Second Quarter 1997