FOR DELIVERY: 9:30 A.M., E.D.T.
                            FRIDAY, OCTOBER 8, 1999

Advance copies of this statement are made available to the 
press under lock-up conditions with the explicit 
understanding that the data are embargoed until 8:30 a.m. 
Eastern Daylight Time.

Statement of

Katharine G. Abraham
Commissioner
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Friday, October 8, 1999



Good morning.  I am pleased to have this opportunity to 
discuss the September employment and unemployment estimates 
that we released this morning.
The unemployment rate was unchanged in September at 4.2 
percent; it has been either 4.2 or 4.3 percent each month 
since March.  Nonfarm payroll employment, as measured by our 
establishment survey, was essentially unchanged in 
September.  Employment in some areas and industries was held 
down by Hurricane Floyd, but employment growth was weak even 
in those areas and industries largely unaffected by the 
hurricane.
In the goods-producing sector, employment in 
construction rose by 21,000 in September, nearly offsetting 
the loss in the prior month.  Manufacturing employment 
declined by 21,000 in September.  The average monthly loss 
of factory jobs in the third quarter (-15,000) was 
considerably less than the average loss in the first half of 
the year (-36,000).  Employment declined over the month in 
rubber and plastics products (-7,000), industrial machinery 
(-6,000), aircraft (-6,000), apparel (-5,000), primary 
metals (-4,000), and textiles (-3,000).  Motor vehicle 
employment also declined in September, but was up for the 
quarter, and electrical equipment was up in September as 
well as for the quarter.  A large increase in food 
processing employment in September only partly reversed an 
August decline.  The factory workweek and factory overtime 
were unchanged in September, at 41.8 and 4.7 hours, 
respectively.
There was no net job growth in the service-producing 
sector (after seasonal adjustment).  The services industry 
added only 39,000 jobs in September, well below the average 
monthly gain of 126,000 for the prior 12 months.  Business 
services employment was up slightly in September, as 
continued strength in computer and data processing services 
was partly offset by a hurricane-related decline in help 
supply services.  (In the establishment survey, persons who 
are on unpaid absence from work for the entire reference 
period are not counted as employed.)  Job growth in health 
services was a modest 8,000 in September, with hospitals 
contributing much of the increase.  Engineering and 
management services continued to add jobs, but the increase 
of 8,000 was less than half its monthly average for the 
prior 12 months.  On the other hand, above-average gains 
occurred in motion pictures and educational services.  
Amusements and recreation lost 15,000 jobs, nearly reversing 
the advance of the prior month; some of September’s job loss 
likely was due to Hurricane Floyd.   
Retail trade employment declined by 49,000 in 
September.  Employment declines in eating and drinking 
places, and in other types of retail establishments, 
resulted in part from business closings related to Hurricane 
Floyd. Department stores lost 17,000 jobs, the fifth 
consecutive loss.  Automobile dealers and furniture stores 
added 2,000 and 3,000 jobs, respectively, in September, 
increases that were below their average monthly gains for 
the year.  
Wholesale trade added 7,000 jobs in September, compared 
with an average monthly gain of 17,000 this year through 
August.  Employment in durable goods distribution failed to 
grow for the first time in over 6 years.  
Finance employment decreased for the first time in over 
4 years, due to a decline in its mortgage banking component.  
Employment in both insurance and real estate was little 
changed.
Transportation and public utilities added 20,000 jobs 
in September.  Nearly all of the gain was in trucking and 
air transportation.  State and local government employment 
edged down in September, following large gains in August.  
Average hourly earnings of private production or 
nonsupervisory workers rose by 7 cents in September to 
$13.37, following a rise of 2 cents in August.  Over the 
year, average hourly earnings have risen by 3.8 percent.
	Turning now to the data from our survey of households, 
the unemployment rate was unchanged in September at 4.2 
percent and has remained under 4.4 percent since March.  The 
rates for most of the major demographic groups (adult men, 
adult women, whites, blacks, and Hispanics) have been fairly 
stable in recent months, although the rate for teenagers has 
ticked upward.  
Civilian employment changed little over the month, and 
the employment-population ratio remained at 64.1 percent.  
The number of persons who held more than one job in 
September totaled 7.6 million (not seasonally adjusted).  
These multiple jobholders made up 5.7 percent of the total 
employed, down slightly from 6.0 percent a year earlier.
In summary, employment was essentially unchanged over 
the month, and the unemployment rate remained at 4.2 
percent.	My colleagues and I now would be glad to answer 
your questions.


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