Manufacturing employment rose 1.1% over last quarter adding 2332 employees. Printing-Publishing (27) reported the largest increase up 970 employees. Seasonal hiring for Christmas and Valentine card production caused a large share of the quarterly gain. Electrical Machinery (36) had the second largest sector gain up 924 employees. Expansions occurred in firms producing circuit boards, semiconductors, electronic conductors and misc electronic components. Non-Electrical Machinery (35) added 584 employees. Computer and peripheral equipment production growth was the mainstay of the expansion in Non-Electrical Machinery. Increases in peripheral equipment production occurred mainly in one company. Increases in employment for computer manufacturing were the result of expansions and plant transfers from a facility in another manufacturing arena. Primary Metals (33) experienced a loss of 356 employees due to a strike. Apparel (23) suffered the second largest decline dropping by 191. Losses were a combination of downsizing, closures and project completions.
ANNUAL
Employment in Manufacturing increased 4.3% over a year ago adding 8505. The largest sector increase occurred in Non-Electrical Machinery (35) up 2491 employees. The addition of about 750 due to SIC changes in January and production expansions in computer and office equipment caused most of the increase. Electrical Machinery (36) added 1866 employees, the second largest sector gain. Communications equipment and electronic components and accessories incurred most of the gain. Electronic components and accessories was up about 1600 with growth occurring yearlong. Printing-Publishing (27) showed the third largest gain up 1170 employees. Many facets of this sector expanded: newspaper, periodical and commercial printing and publishing and card printing. Primary Metals (33) is down 379 employees the consequence of a strike that began this quarter. Apparel (23) dropped 185 employees. Increased competition resulting in streamlining operations caused cutbacks at a number of firms particularly those doing business in Misc Fabricated Textile Products.
![[]](901e02a4.gif){kind=small}
![[]](90000211.gif){kind=small}
![[]](90000269.gif){kind=small}