Report shows manufacturing hiring weakening

The September SHRM/Rutgers Leading Indicator of National Employment® (LINE) survey, released Aug. 28, indicates that U.S. manufacturing hiring will be much weaker in September 2007 than it was in September 2006. The responses from survey participants reveal that compared with a year ago, new-hire compensation in manufacturing is dropping slightly, and the number of vacant positions employers are actively trying to fill is rising less rapidly within the exempt and nonexempt manufacturing sector.

The manufacturing employment index dropped substantially from 46.9 in September 2006 to 31.4 in September 2007. September 2006 was a month in which manufacturing employment decreased, shrinking by 12,000 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis and decreasing by 48,000 jobs on a not seasonally adjusted basis.

The full reportis available online.