This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ------ =_NextPart_000_01BD328A.C67FB750 BLS DAILY REPORT, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 03, 1998 RELEASED TODAY: In November 1997, there were 1,095 mass layoff actions by employers as measured by new filings for unemployment insurance benefits during the month. Each action involved at least 50 persons from a single establishment and 94,287 workers were involved. Both the number of layoff events and initial claimants for unemployment insurance were lower than November 1996... The Labor Department is on the verge of introducing legislation aimed at reforming the unemployment insurance system. According to Ray Uhalde, acting assistant secretary of labor for employment and training, the proposal is intended to launch a national dialogue between employers, unions, states, job training providers, and any other party interested in the security of the system. ....(Daily Labor Report, p AA-2) The Clinton administration is seeking additional funding for the federal government's three major statistical agencies to improve price and product measures, gear up for the 2000 census, and develop a new data series on labor market conditions, officials announced Feb. 2. Continuing its ongoing effort to improve the Consumer Price Index, BLS asked for an $18.3 million increase. BLS would use some of the increased funding to speed up the process of updating the market basket of goods and services sampled to determine price changes; increase the scope of its expenditure survey; and allow the agency to initiate a new data series that would survey businesses on job openings and labor shortages...(Daily Labor Report. p AA-4) Labor costs jumped sharply at the end of 1997, and further acceleration, which would put a squeeze on profit margins in 1998, is all but assured. The troublesome news from labor costs couldn't come at a worse time for many corporations. The bearer of these bad tidings was the Employment Cost Index. The fourth quarter ECI for civilian workers jumped 1% from the third quarter, the largest quantity rise in five years. The index for the private sector surged an even steeper 1.2%, and the yearly pace picked up considerably, led by faster wage growth...(Business Week, February 9. p 31) DUE OUT TOMORROW: State and Metropolitan Area Employment and Unemployment - December 1997 ------ =_NextPart_000_01BD328A.C67FB750 b3NvZnQgTWFpbC5Ob3RlADEIAQWAAwAOAAAAzgcCAAUAEgALAB4ABAAbAQEggAMADgAAAM4HAgAF gAEAEQAAAEJMUyBEYWlseSBSZXBvcnQAkAUBDYAEAAIAAAACAAIAAQOQBgB8CQAAHQAAAAMALgAA AAABvTDoD8FX6LegnHkR0YLIACCvmi75AAAzbCAAaH3b1R4AMUABAAAADQAAAFJJQ0hBUkRTT05f RAAAAAADABpAAAAAAB4AMEABAAAADQAAAFJJQ0hBUkRTT05fRAAAAAADABlAAAAAAAIBCRABAAAA qQYAAKUGAAAMCgAATFpGdf3oHV7/AAoBDwIVAqQD5AXrAoMAUBMDVAIAY2gKwHNldG4yBgAGwwKD MgPFAgBw3HJxEiAHEwKAfQqACM8fCdkCgAqBDbELYG5nMXgwMzMK+xLyDAETkG8mdAWQBUBCTAXw REEISUxZB/BFUE9SgFQsIFRVRVMZQAJZGgBGRUJSVUEOUhmAFxAaADE5OTgHCoUKhRmgTEVBU0UK RBoQTxphOiAgSeEDoE5vdmUG0ASQG3ISNxoAdGgEkGUgd4Ee8jEsMDk1IADAUwQRC2B5bw3QIADQ dMZpAiAEIGJ5IB4QC1C8b3kEkAQgH/Af0GUf8NcIcAmAIRJuB9FmAxALgO5nBCACEAXAdSLgIWMH gN0CMCALgCJRAHBjHxAeMOsi4CMgdAQgZAhxFuAewlMf0AIhaC4dkEUA0Gi7IJUkoXYG8B4AIpBh BUCGbCIxBUA1MCBwIbH3IOIDUiCQIACQFuAokCFA5yjAAaAjQHNoJGMAcCKQwDk0LDI4Nx8gBbDe ayGyHzMn1ibhQhigJ0C5JlJudR4jIGAgJmUeAD8CMCHRK3ELgCWgBzEgY/8LYQOBJbEjryS4HzMU wB8xZx7BA5Ed6jYuNIAbzFRNJmFMAaAFsURlCrF0nyRkBCAnoSZSHgByZx8Q2y6RC4B0A2Al4GMm EiiQ/mcEAAtgJ4MwgSg0FTAxAc5tJhYxTyT0c3kowB4QqSbhQWMFoWQmE28H8OkgQCBVEcBsDbAa ACCi/yYhH/EEAAGQJIER8AUAEgD/CsAhMC6TNfIxAjspK2I4MB8LcSNRHrMpEANgcG9z/zAxNuE4 EQnwDbBB4T2wC2B/OwAnMiLQOTMwMT1QB0Bv9mcKUCVBdB8wCfAhSBoAPzsAINIaACqRGLBHEWpv 5mJB90LSdmkEgUcRK2L/AHBAIR7SKRA2YSEwQ6IVMP88kS/CJkM/oQhxStEukUvjpzyECoU0gShE C3BsITBdNdRSNkAU0RoAcBPQQcgtMik0vyBDI0E9oP05cWQ6cT8xJPAnhAQgEfC0ZWs+w2Q9UEUV ZjsAdz1TMQImUmYJgASQMDFn9x3xBKAkYicEIB7QCdEf0U9IQAXAR8I/MWljMDFh/zewJRAIkFYR PbAHcEkSQsL/V2AfECtiGIE4YQVAIiVHEfs3sArBdU+AVGYB0FvAMFD/CfAiUEmVDbAeABTAT4BE 0f0H0WQoYCnxBnEHkSehQHT/AMAsMQVABaBUASDDGgAgYXdXYAcxL4JuCGAlESKQRvRlYibgMibh CFACMAuA/nUmEiWiAiBVYCYSDcEU0b9YOiZSYfEiUAeABcBQWQP7HbANsHgaABkCH/AsQCKQgzEC A5EkMTguMx/Q3wMQI0Anoz/BH/BlLWIZEf0sEHU+QDrwEfAqAANwN8PfJlJoFmahU/U9oXMpICKB /1sBQqUlIAQRLpFbAF2hJhf9XwRiZmIFQC6RVWAEcC+E713xSUBssSoAYSFhRAQNsL9LITpxWNYR sRbgB5A7aAf/S9QFoCkgN9MlsWXgKSBfgu8iYSoACHAeAHlyYEnDZ7D/MxAmQ1ezITBYMy/zGLBd P/9WEihhaQR05CEQXEBxUQQQ/140SEJzcUJCL4RAdCrwFNG9V7FzTg9PEybgT4M0T+3vNdQFoCjA BCBqLjApIG+R/xHBC1AhMChhJlJD0S6CHnT/K2JT4AAgSmIA0CUgKJBSFDkaAHdoV2AnQGkEcHXL K0EqAHEKUGV6N8EDoP8YgSWRXuI48AYxS7EbghoA/zbhdaF5sStBBBAiYibhNZL9ODF1AmAHkGmy IuEphUB053/UBaBpIW4nX0JpwShh/ynwLBFy4gdxMPMDgSEwBaH/TyE5M3yQiIQeMArALmQe0d9p cW5wQeFJUCNTdyHxJlL+RTs4CFAowWWziHUCEIKyjiCFMDZhHkFFQ0kw8z84gElAI0ADkSwWgDUx JfcplCZSHtBpCyCTBkKEC2D/N6EowZMRYhFK0QUQaXFLsf8jIFjBIaAR0Yh1C4Bl0VRX/VjxdndC P6E9oFbRCHA3sD9J4i8jR7EJ4CkhG3AuMn4lSaQmUpliTnEKsCUhcH9XYGaCWwFfYQCQVQICYHn3 GgBwgiEhZiixHkGQYDexLwnAMxAmwXyxQnnVIFe3UsEakWFwcpMhITA5fgIUMzFP7UQaMCBPVYpU HSFNGdBST1cdgfZTR9IrU00SAELyI0A/Ua8T0SIwkNorYlU7Gi02Ib8lIB4nCo8X7xwmFFEArbAA AAADAPE/CQQAAAMA/T/kBAAAAwAmAAAAAAADADYAAAAAAAIBRwABAAAAMAAAAGM9VVM7YT0gO3A9 QkxTO2w9RENQQ1NNQUlMMS05ODAyMDUyMzExMzBaLTI3ODQ3AB4AOEABAAAADQAAAFJJQ0hBUkRT T05fRAAAAAAeADlAAQAAAA0AAABSSUNIQVJEU09OX0QAAAAAQAAHMNCfwmSLMr0BQAAIMFC3f8aK Mr0BHgA9AAEAAAABAAAAAAAAAB4AHQ4BAAAAEQAAAEJMUyBEYWlseSBSZXBvcnQAAAAAHgA1EAEA AABAAAAAPEUxNkVFQTRDRTlDN0QwMTE5QUU0MDA2MDk3MDVDRDg4MzVCMEUwQGRjcGNzbWFpbDEu cHNiLmJscy5nb3Y+AAsAKQAAAAAACwAjAAAAAAADAAYQnkvDXwMABxBKBwAAAwAQEAAAAAADABEQ AAAAAB4ACBABAAAAZQAAAEJMU0RBSUxZUkVQT1JULFRVRVNEQVksRkVCUlVBUlkwMywxOTk4UkVM RUFTRURUT0RBWTpJTk5PVkVNQkVSMTk5NyxUSEVSRVdFUkUxLDA5NU1BU1NMQVlPRkZBQ1RJT05T QlkAAAAAAgF/AAEAAABAAAAAPEUxNkVFQTRDRTlDN0QwMTE5QUU0MDA2MDk3MDVDRDg4MzVCMEUw QGRjcGNzbWFpbDEucHNiLmJscy5nb3Y+AFnL ------ =_NextPart_000_01BD328A.C67FB750--
