In March, the unemployment rate calculated by the PME (Monthly Employment Survey) was estimated in 10.4%, being stable in relation to February (10.1%). In the monthly comparison, the scenario was also of stability in all the surveyed metropolitan areas. The average unemployment for the 1st quarter of 2006 was estimated in 9.9%, the lowest for a 1st quarter since 2002, when the new series of the PME was initiated. In the first three months of 2006, the unemployment rate continued below the one observed in the same months of the previous years. The number of employees with a formal contract in the private sector increased by 4.2% in relation to March 2005. No sector of activity had significant change in the comparison March/ February.  Regarding the annual comparison stood out the performance of the group services rendered to companies, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation, with growth of 5.0%. The average real income of the employed population, estimated in R$1,006.80 in March, increased in the monthly (0.5%) and annual (2.5%) comparisons.

Evolution of the average unemployment rate from 2003 to 2006, in the total of the six metropolitan areas

In relation to March 2005, when the unemployment rate was 10.8%, the scenario was of stability.  In the same comparison (March 2006/ March 2005), changes were observed in the rates of the metropolitan areas of Recife (from 14.1% to 16.5%), Salvador (from 15.7% to 13.7%) and Belo Horizonte (from 10.7% to 9.3%). The metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Porto Alegre did not have significant changes. The evolution of the unemployment rate since 2003 can be seen in the table below.

EMPLOYED POPULATION (PO)

The number of employed persons, estimated in 19.9 million persons in March 2006, was stable in relation to February.  In the comparison with March 2005, the growth was of 1.9%, which means, more 369 thousand persons. Still in the monthly comparison, all the regions were stable in this estimate.

In the comparison with March 2005, there was an increase in the number of employed persons in three among six metropolitan investigated areas: Salvador (3.1%), Belo Horizonte (5.9%) and Porto Alegre (3.8%). 

Considering the level of employment (50.6%), the results were stable in the monthly comparison as well as in the comparison with March 2005.  In the monthly comparison, the scenario was of stability in all the surveyed metropolitan areas.  In relation to March 2005, only the area of Belo Horizonte had increase in the level of employment (1.6 percentage points).

Men were, in March 2006, 56.3% of the employed population and women, 43.7%.  The population from 25 to 49 years old was 63.9% of the employed population, and 51.8% of the employed population had 11 years or more of study.

Evolution, from March 2005 to March 2006, of the employed population for the total of the six metropolitan areas

Analysis of the results in relation to the main groups of activity

Mining and quarrying, manufacturing industry and distribution of electricity, gas and water: 17.5% of employed population. In the total of the six areas, in both comparisons (monthly and annual), the number of employed persons of this group was stable. In the monthly comparison, there was a significant change only in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro: fall of -6.1%. In one month, approximately 39 thousand jobs were closed.

Construction: 7.2% of the employed population. It also had stability for the total of the six areas, in both comparisons. In the monthly comparison, there was a significant change only in the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro: hike of 8.4%, with the formation of 31 thousand jobs.  In the comparison with March 2005, there only was change in the metropolitan areas of Recife (-22.0%), with fall of approximately 19 thousand jobs.

Trade, repair of automotive vehicles and of personal and domestic objects and retail fuel trade: 19.3% of the employed population. It had stability in relation to February 2006 as well as March 2005 for the total of the six areas.

Services rendered to companies, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation: 14.3% of the employed population. The total of employed persons in this group was stable in relation to February 2006. In relation to March 2005, there was a hike of 5%.  In the analysis by areas, in the monthly comparison, there was a significant change only in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte (-7.1%), with fall of approximately 19 thousand jobs. In the comparison with March 2005, there was change only in the metropolitan area of São Paulo (7.2%), with increase of approximately 86 thousand jobs.

Education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security: 16.0% of the employed population. In the total of the six areas, in both comparisons, there was stability. In the comparison with February 2006, the scenario was of stability in all the surveyed areas; while in the annual comparison, there was change in Belo Horizonte (12.8%), which means, 41 thousand jobs were formed.

Domestic services: 8.1% of the employed population.  It had stability in relation to February 2006 as well as March 2005 for the total of the six areas.

Other services (lodging, transportation, urban sanitation and personal services): 16.9% of the employed population.  For the total of the six surveyed areas, there was stability in relation to February 2006 and March 2005. In the analysis by areas, in the monthly comparison, the scenario was of stability, although in the annual comparison fall was observed in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro (-7.2%) and hike in the metropolitan areas of Recife (11.5%) and Belo Horizonte (14.1%).

Distribution of employed population, by metropolitan area, according to the groups of activities

Analysis of classes of workers in the labor market

Employees WITH a formal contract in the private sector: 41.3% of the employed population. In relation to February 2006, this group was stable. Compared to March 2005, it changed 4.2%, with increase of approximately 333 thousand persons. In the monthly comparison, there was not change in none of the surveyed areas; compared to March 2005, changes were observed in the metropolitan areas of Belo Horizonte (7.0%), Rio de Janeiro (6.2%) and São Paulo (4.2%).

Employees WITHOUT a formal contract in the private sector: 14.5% of the employed population. This group was stable in relation to February and had a reduction in the annual comparison (-4.8%). In the monthly comparison, there was not change in none of the areas; and in the comparison with March 2005, hikes were observed in the metropolitan areas of Salvador (13.9%) and Belo Horizonte (12.8%) and fall in São Paulo (-11.2%).

Own-account workers: 19.0% of the employed population. It was observed stability for this group in the monthly and annual comparisons. In the monthly comparison, change was not registered in none of the metropolitan areas. In the comparison with March 2005, there were changes in the metropolitan areas of Rio de Janeiro (-5.8%) and Porto Alegre (9.2%).

Distribution of Employed Population, by metropolitan area, according to classes of workers

AVERAGE REAL INCOME

In March, the average real income usually earned by workers in the six surveyed metropolitan areas was estimated in R$ 1,006.80, an increase of 0.5% in relation to February. In the comparison with March 2005, there was a recovery of 2.5%.

In the monthly comparison, the income increased in the metropolitan areas of Recife (6.1%), Salvador (1.5%), Belo Horizonte (1.0%) and Rio de Janeiro (0.5%). In São Paulo and Porto Alegre, the scenario was of stability.  In the comparison with March 2005, there was recovery in the income of all the metropolitan areas: Recife (10.5%), Salvador (4.8%), Porto Alegre (3.3%), São Paulo (2.4%), Rio de Janeiro (2.2%) and Belo Horizonte (2.1%).

Income of classes of workers in the MONTHLY comparison

Employees with a formal contract in the private sector:  upward movement of 2.1%; average income of R$ 1,014.90. In the metropolitan areas of Recife (-0.9%) and Salvador (-3.2%) decrease was observed. In the metropolitan areas of Belo Horizonte (2.8%), Rio de Janeiro (0.4%) and São Paulo (3.1%), recovery was observed. In the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, income was stable.

Employees without a formal contract in the private sector: Fall of -3.3%; average income of R$ 645.30. In the metropolitan areas of Recife (2.0%), Belo Horizonte (8.9%) and Rio de Janeiro (2.4%), there were gains. In Salvador (-14.4%), São Paulo (-4.5%) and Porto Alegre (-7.8%), decrease was observed.

Own-account workers: Fall of -2.1%; average income of R$ 787.70. The metropolitan areas of Recife (-1.2%), Salvador (-1.7%), Belo Horizonte (-5.3%), Rio de Janeiro (-3.0%) and São Paulo (-1.9%) had decreases, while the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre (3.2%) had gains.

Income of classes of workers in the ANNUAL comparison

Employees with a formal contract in the private sector: Hike of 1.5%. The workers of the metropolitan areas of Recife (1.7%), Salvador (0.8), Rio de Janeiro (6.6%) and São Paulo (1.4%) had gain. While for the workers of the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte (-2.5), loss was observed. In the metropolitan area of Porto Alegre, the scenario was of stability.

Employees without a formal contract in the private sector: Hike of 0.7%.  The workers of the metropolitan areas of Recife (4.1%), Belo Horizonte (7.7%), São Paulo (6.4%) and Porto Alegre (5.2%) had recovery while in the areas of Salvador (-11.5%) and Rio de Janeiro (-6.7%) there was loss.

Own-account workers: Hike of 3.5%.  It was recorded recovery in the metropolitan areas of Belo Horizonte (2.3%), São Paulo (7.1%) and Porto Alegre (11.1%).  In the metropolitan areas of Recife (-1.6%), Salvador (-2.8%) and Rio de Janeiro (-1.4%), loss in the income was observed.

Evolution, from March 2005 to March 2006 of the average real income of the employed population, for the total of the six metropolitan areas.

In the comparison with February 2006, the analysis of the average income of workers observed by activity group was the following:

Stability in trade, repair of automotive vehicles and of personal and domestic objects and retail fuel trade; and in domestic services.

Hike in construction (1.2%); services rendered to companies, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation (0.7%); and education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security (0.7%); and other services (3.6%).

Fall in mining and quarrying, manufacturing and distribution of electricity, gas and water (-2.5%).

In the comparison with March 2005, the following result was observed:

Hike in construction (1.7%); trade, repair of automotive vehicles and personal and domestic objects and retail fuel trade (7.2%); services rendered to companies, rents, real estate activities and financial mediation (3.5%); education, health, social services, public administration, defense and social security (0.8%); domestic services (5.0%); and other services (1.9%).

Fall in mining and quarrying, manufacturing and distribution of electricity, gas and water (-1.6%).

NON-ECONOMICALLY ACTIVE POPULATION (PNEA)

The non-economic active population, not classified by the PME as employed nor unemployed was estimated, for the total of the six investigated metropolitan areas, in March 2006, in 17.1 million persons, maintaining stability in relation to February.  In the comparison with March 2005, there was increase of 2.5%, which means, 420 thousand persons.