September 28, 2011 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Multifactor productivity in manufacturing, 2009

Percent change in multifactor productivity in the largest (by employment) manufacturing industries, 2008–2009
Industry	Percent change in multifactor productivity
Electronic instruments	1.2
Animal slaughtering and processing	-2.1
Converted paper products	-2.5
Medical equipment and supplies	-3.6
Plastics products	-3.9
Aerospace products and parts	-4.1
Printing and related support activities	-4.6
Motor vehicle parts	-5.7
Pharmaceuticals and medicines	-5.7
Other general purpose machinery	-6.7
Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing	-7.0
Other wood products	-7.2
Other miscellaneous manufacturing	-8.6
Agriculture, construction, and mining machinery	-10.1
Semiconductors and electronic components	-10.5
Architectural and structural metals	-12.2
Household and institutional furniture	-13.1
Other fabricated metal products	-13.1
Machine shops and threaded products	-15.2

OF INTEREST

Recent editions of Spotlight on Statistics

Fatal Injuries to Foreign-Born Hispanic or Latino Workers
Explores the industries, occupations, and events related to these fatalities.
For-Profit, Nonprofit, and Government Sector Jobs in 2022
Compares the labor force characteristics and experiences of workers in the for-profit, nonprofit, government, and self-employed sectors.
Union Membership, Activity, and Compensation in 2022
Focuses on trends in union membership, work stoppages, and pay and benefits among union members.
A Look at a Neat Industry: Distilleries
Examines trends in employment, establishments, wages, and consumer prices for distilleries.
Healthcare Occupations: Characteristics of the Employed
Compares the demographic characteristics of workers in healthcare occupations.