This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ------ =_NextPart_000_01BCDF11.354BCF10 charset="iso-8859-1" BLS DAILY REPORT, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1997: RELEASED TODAY: In March 1997, employer costs for employee compensation for civilian workers (private industry and state and local government) in the United States averaged $19.22 per hour worked. Straight-time wages and salaries, which averaged $13.85, accounted for 72 percent of these costs, while benefits, which averaged $5.37, accounted for the remaining 28 percent .... The Employment Policy Institute, a liberal think tank, estimates that the United States has lost a net of 2.4 million jobs due to free-trade policies between 1979 and 1994. An EPI report says that, between those two years, the $99.5 billion inflation-adjusted increase in the U.S. goods and services deficit eliminated 2.4 million job opportunities. Most of the net jobs lost - 2.2 million - were in manufacturing ....The report looks at 183 industries and examines how trade flows have affected demographic and income groups and the wages of workers in import and export industry jobs. Free trade policies have caused every economic group to lose job opportunities, even the college educated, the study says ....The report found that industries facing rapidly growing imports pay wages that are about 4.5 percent higher than sectors in which exports are growing rapidly ....(Daily Labor Report, page A-2). A Business Roundtable report says a shortage of skilled craft labor in the construction industry is causing "significant problems in staffing construction projects," increasing costs and delaying schedules. The clear message in the report was that business owners "should do business only with contractors who invest in training and maintain the skills of their workforce" ....The Business Roundtable is an association comprised of the chief executives of more than 200 of the nation's largest corporations ....(Daily Labor Report, page A-9). The National Coalition on Health Care says the quality of health care is eroding at a crisis rate while the cost of insurance coverage is rising. In addition, the number of uninsured people is increasing, despite a growing economy, challenging the myth that economic growth alone will cure the problem, according to the president of the coalition ....(Daily Labor Report, page A-6)_____One in five, or about 47 million, Americans under age 65 will have no health insurance in the year 2005 if current trends continue and society takes no action, a coalition of 100 businesses and health industry and consumer groups said. Most of the uninsured will have jobs. Driving the trend, said the National Coalition on Health Care, are rising insurance costs for small businesses, the growth of service industry jobs, and an increasing number of part-time and contractual workers (USA Today, page 3A). After four years of near stability brought about by the spread of managed care, the premiums that most Americans pay for their health insurance are poised to rise significantly next year, industry groups and health care consultants report. Many say the average charge for health benefits, deducted from paychecks, will go up at least 5 percent, or more than twice as much as wages and inflation have been rising. For very large employers with great negotiating clout, the increases could be smaller, they say ....But across the nation, at some small companies with older and illness-prone employees, analysts say, the premiums might rise as much as 30 percent ....(New York Times, Oct. 19, page A1). Needing 40,000 more technicians and machine operators by 2002, 10 makers of the microchips that store or process data in computers and other devices are looking for people to staff 38 new plants nationwide. Their Sematech coalition has persuaded 18 more community and technical colleges to offer courses in semiconductor-manufacturing technology, or SMT ....(The Wall Street Journal, "Work Week" column, page A1). DUE OUT TOMORROW: Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers: Third Quarter 1997 ------ =_NextPart_000_01BCDF11.354BCF10 b3NvZnQgTWFpbC5Ob3RlADEIAQWAAwAOAAAAzQcKABYAEQAnAB0AAwBMAQEggAMADgAAAM0HCgAW ABEAJQArAAMAWAEBCYABACEAAABFQ0Y0NEJCM0M0NEFEMTExODg4RTAwMjBBRjlDMDMwOAAtBwEE gAEAFQAAAEZXOiBCTFMgRGFpbHkgUmVwb3J0AIcGAQ2ABAACAAAAAgACAAEDkAYA7AwAAB0AAAAD AC4AAAAAAEAAOQCA3v75Mt+8AR4AcAABAAAADQAAAERhaWx5IFJlcG9ydAAAAAACAXEAAQAAACAA AAABvN5K9dsV2Lb8Sf4R0ZUGAmCM22AqAAbYKyAAMx9U1R4AMUABAAAADQAAAFJJQ0hBUkRTT05f RAAAAAADABpAAAAAAB4AMEABAAAADQAAAFJJQ0hBUkRTT05fRAAAAAADABlAAAAAAAIBCRABAAAA GwoAABcKAADxEAAATFpGdVwSy+7/AAoBDwIVAqQD5AXrAoMAUBMDVAIAY2gKwHNldG4yBgAGwwKD MgPFAgBw3HJxEiAHEwKAfQqACM8fCdkCgAqBDbELYG5nMXgwMzMK+xLyDAETkG8mdAWQBUBCTAXw REEISUxZB/BFUE9SgFQsIFRVRVMZQAJZGgBPQ1RPQkUgUiAgMjEaADE5ODk3OgqFCoUZoExFUEFT RUQaEE8aYTr1GyBJA6BNCsARsBtzGgCkZW0LUG95BJAgBaC8c3QEIAIQBcAetWUfMcMewAnwc2F0 aQIgH5O4Y2l2AxAHMAOgdwWw9msEkAQgKBOQIZAg4CBQiQuAZHUfYHJ5IABwvGQgH2Ai4iOyFMBj B0BwIGdvdgSRB4ACMCnRIxEgdGggUFUDABiwLSPQUyQCBCBhJRFhZ+UmYSQbgC4yEiAgoAXA5mgI YSIEZC4bICaQJzDgaWdodC0g8AeAIgC/J0Em4SPCB0AKwAiQcxoAGHdoaR4hJwkzLjjuNRoAANAF oHUCMCZhH6KLAcAn8mMlYSBvZiXS1xHwHzQrI2wgUGIJ8A3AxyZAKx8ngDUuMx6BLLxfJeIVMADA C4ALgGcbMDi5LbdcJyxwKPAb3FQl8eZFHsMlUiBQBvArYCOQdx3AH2AmQHUYsCyRJIBp3y+gJzAD ICXgC4BrJdAAcP5rHpE20QDAJsIl4CDgJd//BCARwAQgFMAfYDdRL8AuI+AyLjQgbQMQIcAhEThq b2IEICNAIFB0b/8fkAnRKaAnMA2wJ/A2UirxmS+RdHcJ4RtxNzkjo7UbgTQo8UEDoBmwSTKx9z4g ACAqkXk5RBoAPrY5sPcfUD0hIhAgHwAR0RoAObLyJBuQLjUvkDxFC4AWsfUg8i094GojUSZhC4AF AOdC8C6hJbYuUyjwJPAEcP8qRQSQIaAt8DzhL9EhgAVA9mUhwDwwbiLhI9A7/S4wvnBAwizwJkAq 8SjxTTsiry5EO3M8szsTXAnwZDrg/x4wO+ESIDw2TPc+4BUwJaL5A4F1ZgDQNwAFEDMxNBNnNVJA pRTAb2sm4QVAMRw4MyMWPnIjsmV4YftI0TqibwfgPcQWsFOQOrL/JRAjoA3QGMEmYQ2wBGAJwPxh cCtRI6NFoQNwIFAJwP0IYHAqRDmyKgQuQSIWJbF/B3BAw1K0QMMjJzyyKPFGfwnRU7U+J1SDJLAj UCZhZfclESOQBZFuA3BV8VbTPTL/OxEgUEofHpElECXEFKEvcH8nUB6gI0AksCZRQzQfYHX+ZCOQ QRNQPgIQLPBXYjmBj1IJT5EzIlWxaWRsI5D/VtED8DMxWQQEIAqwI5AqBN85YwrAJDEG4DcQID/w Q9D/LcYrUClwHxE5YQOgEfAY0P8FsFizK0RZtCbhTvFmFmWW2TQTKEQLcGXhTGhBHJEPQLMaAAqw YQFBLTIp+i4b3EEY8CNQUzIEIAgA/2PhAZEvcUCqN2BNQBTRbqL5LkFzazxBJmEFAFTQURH/bcMl tV2RI2FhUCDzIycEAOtcozMiIgCQZwMASEEAcPcFQBiBcTFtWLMj8Q3QMyLbdMsYgWoYwTAQIkWW eLTvH2Ijsg2wC2B5MyIE8DnA7yNAL3BLEjVSYy9wCsEHgb8g0GEBJbVApSoAOUVicEbfU5AvwCJh dtAoQWxVQT1Q/X+obmXhA/A5sHSyKTFqRP8rQD1QC4AlEDsxJbIpQTMTfyOyMuIBkCW1cxNYAzmx af8odB+hLfB6UFA3cD8vcXYh+wOROuBzJKAHMCDzIHIFEP9c4kulEbAIkC5QUvAFkDcQvyGQV/QE YE7xadMB0DBLl/0g4yc68QrAKiEFQAWhQMFvIONipW1Pblk5bx41Uk5/IOMkwQhQB0BK0SERIRFI dULwbIJRQ2gCQRUgUHH+dZPyI5AuQTnAlMMksE7y/wQgBJAEcIRzO0IFAQCQBCC/j2Ep4S9TYHRL dAuAcwhw/wBwLfAfMScUdhKYchbgKPD/HcE94JfAIPJDNE9wBtAfEf8uQUqxmlImYSCgSlCJFHp4 exoADbBzZbAkImYHXYR5/xoAEbFg0RbgMyI5sqFAglH7OWNdineCUQdAAiAp4TxB/x8wniE5o3el LJQLIKIDPVD/pSQHkGXALggfMZP2j+9uDug2KV+q4k+kUSWxL+BvJRAaAAWxaEU3PCYaAEF/B4AF EHdRBCBj4R8RbqI2/0PQpINUg12wlpaaSCW1QuL/jUJD0AaQpMIVMC4RI3BNAf92MQIhC4A9ESOz idESACOQ/wGQIkAEIK9hT6Gco5hBk+j/LlAXAI1wf6YqNa+XI0l0wv+dQB8RVtUg0GXASy2dya7I /Vq0RCKxogayYxoAuZI5o3+TT5ReLJFO8ZukmjsfZnP/AMCkobZoQzSjtXLiR6RaHP8skSPBA5F6 eZ04CrEplbhVp4KzlgEiCFVTcBBUBHDzQSBudTNBbxAbIG89AYD/HxFjwQXAQuMuMi/ACsEj8btD 8ZYyYlbhKXFoNWK0Af9h4qcBPeCMcwBwJ0OXEkM0/6cBPDCdQDlFBGA7Ma1YZxL/MkWGka+faAI+ IIqzPUGKou8j4Hb4ZeEvwHgFQELiGgD/IydW2ZaquJOU0HdhmLFAs/9LIgBwYlM5oycFoXKOsR+T /5alL6gNsGFBLRMDYWcCfGH+Y1FgMCGkkiTwncBeUDmB/31hOzFox6vjjLg+0MSSOuH+bWFQK4GD ISoXRHdUdC+g/z8Bm6ZbEAWxXTOOkx6ngyH/gkIJwTmBL8Ak8CDwIOF4wv8UwDcQQzRFprKygOIv UR/mxZMHQEEwH3FBEd/Q3TwwzmLV0+LJM41wM5v6KAfCWSIhGhAHchqRGND3KPAbgG52McrfB7EJ gDMieDQwLI1gjXCMtAWQaP8DAInhBjGEtItxpFFKUCch92pTzwGNUTIbYfmxtDHM1P+iQytgA2CL cVcROWMfYIzC/wWxGIFH4TzhIOA3YCWxIHL/NxEiYSOyGKBpkg2wR8RoAv9RMjMiH6KedT1BeGPK oDNw/y/AB+ALUdoyjgQTMA2wfOT/07EQcDkCHiGoGDrSKAGaYP894T+hM3CMsyBx4vAmMSOU//ol JMFgtTlBPVAuQFTwHyJ/T9C20ngy0VFdkd4yqaAtN09c+iMUsWehUamhU032VKilNVJXwnIpIRWg mCBOSihRvoEaACJX9hJX/RWga3pQFKGdQJzB91cb3LZEGjAaoFUO8BrQTRnQ6FJPVx2RVQfhwpAR Yv1l4UV9gDMSWAMPsMqBI7L+Uyqy/FAREiJRHZA1UNOw/SPQUQfwa3AfERuCbzVvUo5kb1Bz8Ejg XGYyGkB+c41Qb1DwoPohUaBvNX0FbzAAHAAAAwDxPwkEAAADAP0/5AQAAAMAJgAAAAAAAwA2AAAA AAACAUcAAQAAAC4AAABjPVVTO2E9IDtwPUJMUztsPURDUENTTUFJTDEtOTcxMDIyMjEzOTI5Wi0y ODgAAAAeADhAAQAAAA0AAABSSUNIQVJEU09OX0QAAAAAHgA5QAEAAAANAAAAUklDSEFSRFNPTl9E AAAAAEAABzDw+v75Mt+8AUAACDCwvAW7Mt+8AR4APQABAAAABQAAAEZXOiAAAAAAHgAdDgEAAAAR MDYwOTcwNUNEODgxQjAwMjVAZGNwY3NtYWlsMS5wc2IuYmxzLmdvdj4ACwApAAAAAAALACMAAAAA AAMABhBOSVofAwAHEMYMAAADABAQAAAAAAMAERAAAAAAHgAIEAEAAABlAAAAQkxTREFJTFlSRVBP UlQsVFVFU0RBWSxPQ1RPQkVSMjEsMTk5NzpSRUxFQVNFRFRPREFZOklOTUFSQ0gxOTk3LEVNUExP OUM3RDAxMTlBRTQwMDYwOTcwNUNEODgxQjAwMjVAZGNwY3NtYWlsMS5wc2IuYmxzLmdvdj4A9GI= ------ =_NextPart_000_01BCDF11.354BCF10--