FOR DELIVERY: 9:30 A.M., E.S.T.
                            FRIDAY, APRIL 3, 1998


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 Standard Time.

Statement of

Katharine G. Abraham
Commissioner
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Friday, April 3, 1998




Good morning.  I appreciate this opportunity to comment 
on the employment and unemployment data that we released 
this morning.  Nonfarm payroll employment and the 
unemployment rate were essentially unchanged in March.  A 
slight decline of 36,000 in payroll employment came on the 
heels of a 5-month period of unusually strong growth.  From 
October through February, an average of 345,000 jobs were 
added per month, a pace unmatched since 1994.  The 
unemployment rate, at 4.7 percent in March, has been at or 
below 5.0 percent since last April.  Average hourly earnings 
increased by 4 cents in March and were 4.0 percent higher 
than a year earlier.
Looking at the industry details from our payroll 
survey, employment in the construction industry declined by 
88,000 on a seasonally adjusted basis in March, following 4 
months of very strong growth.  Large numbers of construction 
workers normally are laid off during the November-to-
February period, as colder temperatures and inclement 
weather curtail building activity.  During the recent 
winter, however, fewer workers than normal were laid off 
because temperatures were unusually mild across much of the 
country, and because workers were needed for cleanup and 
rebuilding following severe ice storms in the Northeast and 
flooding and mudslides along the West Coast.  With so many 
construction jobs already filled, early spring hiring fell 
short of its usual pace.  In addition, the March survey 
period was actually much colder than normal, further 
dampening employment in many parts of the country.  As a 
result, the seasonally-adjusted construction employment 
level declined sharply.  
Manufacturing employment was essentially unchanged for 
the second straight month, after rising by 169,000 from 
October to January.  Most industries within manufacturing 
also showed little employment change over the month.  The 
average workweek for production workers fell by 0.3 hour in 
March and is now half an hour shorter than its post-World 
War II high last reached in December.  Factory overtime 
edged down by 0.1 hour over the month.
The services industry posted a small employment gain of 
45,000 in March; over the 12 months ending in February, the 
industry had added an average of 120,000 jobs per month.  
Within services, employment in help supply services fell by 
16,000 in March, after a large increase of 56,000 in 
February.  Employment in motion pictures also declined, 
falling by 8,000 in March.  While health services added 
7,000 jobs over the month, this was well below the average 
monthly increase of 18,000 in the prior year.  In contrast, 
strong employment growth continued in March in computer and 
data processing, engineering and management, and social 
services.
Employment in retail trade fell by 48,000 after 
seasonal adjustment in March.  Despite this decline, there 
were 483,000 more retail jobs in March than a year earlier.  
Nearly all of the March decline occurred in eating and 
drinking places, where seasonal hiring was below 
expectations, perhaps due to the cold weather.  Employment 
in apparel stores also fell in March, declining by 9,000 for 
the second straight month.  Other types of retail 
establishments showed little or no employment change over 
the month.
The finance industry added 19,000 jobs in March, 
compared with an average monthly gain of 11,000 over the 
prior 12 months.  Low mortgage rates and a strong U.S. stock 
market have spurred continued employment increases in 
finance.  Low mortgage rates also contributed to hiring in 
the real estate industry, which gained 7,000 jobs in March, 
the third straight month of increases.
The communications industry added 10,000 jobs in March 
and has gained 44,000 since last September.  Transportation 
employment rose by 13,000 in March, following 2 months of 
larger gains.  
Turning now to our survey of households, both the 
number of unemployed persons, 6.5 million, and the 
unemployment rate, 4.7 percent, were essentially unchanged 
in March.  The jobless rate has been at or below 5.0 percent 
since last April and has been within a tenth of a percentage 
point of the current rate since October.  Rates for all the 
major demographic groups showed little or no change in 
March.  Civilian employment was essentially unchanged over 
the month, and the employment-population ratio, at 64.0 
percent, was near its all-time high.
In summary, nonfarm payroll employment was essentially 
unchanged in March after rising by 1.7 million in the prior 
5 months.  The unemployment rate was 4.7 percent in March.
My colleagues and I now will be happy to answer your 
questions.
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