Employment grows two months in a row among car makers
O Estado de S. Paulo
The employment among the car makers has started to react in the last two months due to the increase of the car sales in the domestic market, benefited by the Excise Tax (IPI) cut. After eight consecutive months of fall, the number of workers in the makers increased 0.3% in July, compared to June, and 2.3% in August, compared to the immediately preceding month, according to a survey of the National Association of Vehicle Manufacturers (Anfavea). With that, 1,391 jobs were created in the sector in the last two months.
Despite the small reaction, the level of jobs among the makers in August is 5.5% below that seen in the same period of 2008. Last year's August the car industry employed 112,640 workers and, in August this year, it had 106,475 employees, between temporary and permanent workers. The increase of the employment was pulled up by the domestic sales of cars that increased 2.7% between January and August this year in relation to the same period of 2008. Meanwhile, the national production of cars fell 11.9% and the exports decreased 44.4% in number of units.
As for the level of employment in the car part plants, it did not follow the growth experienced by the makers. A survey of the Sindipeças - Association of Automotive Components Manufacturers - with 93 industries of the sector reveals that, after two consecutive months of stability (March and April), the staff decreased for three consecutive months. In July, the last available data, the sector employed 195,400 workers. Since April, when the car parts sector employed 200,000 people, 4,600 positions were closed. Compared to last October, when the crisis arose, there were 33,900 layoffs.