Commissioner’s Statement on the Employment Situation ~ June 1, 2007

* Non-farm payroll employment rose by 157,000 in May to 137.8 million.

* The unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.5 percent.

* Payroll job growth averaged 133,000/month compared with 189,000/month in 2006.

* Food services and drinking places added 35,000 jobs in May and 361,000 over the year.

* Health-care employment grew by 25,000, with gains in hospitals and ambulatory health-care services.

* Social assistance industry added 32,000 jobs over the last 3 months.

* Employment increased in computer systems design and in architectural and engineering services.

* Employment continued to trend up in wholesale trade, information, and private education.

* Employment in financial activities was essentially unchanged over the month.

* Manufacturing employment continued to decline in May (-19,000), reflecting a large job loss in motor vehicles and parts (-10,000) and smaller declines in other industries.

* Over the year, manufacturing lost 164,000 jobs; nearly half were in the motor vehicle and parts industry.

* Average weekly hours and overtime in factories each fell by 0.1 hour in May to 41.0 and 4.1 hours, respectively.

Source: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/jec.nr0.htm