[PEN-L:9514] BLS Daily Report

[Richardson_D <Richardson_D@xxxxxxx>]

BLS DAILY REPORT, WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1999

RELEASED TODAY:  In January through March of 1999, there were 1,484 mass
layoff actions by employers that resulted in the separation of 267,214
workers from their jobs for more than 30 days.  Both the number of layoff
events and the number of separations were higher than in January-March 1998.
....

After adjustment for inflation, the median weekly earnings of U.S. workers
rose 3.3 percent in the second quarter of this year, according to BLS.  The
actual median pay for the approximately 97.6 million workers who said they
usually work full time was $543 a week during the second quarter, which was
5.4 percent higher than a year ago. ...  (Daily Labor Report, page D-1).

The trade deficit in goods and services surged 14.8 percent to a new record
high in May, as the strong U.S. economy continued to pull in imports while
exports of aircraft and autos slumped, the Commerce Department says.
Imports rose 2.2 percent; exports declined 0.8 percent. ...  (Daily Labor
Report, page D-6; Wall Street Journal, page A2)_____Almost every month of
late, the U.S. trade deficit has hit a new record, thanks to America's
unflagging appetite for foreign goods. ...  The May report underlined a
phenomenon that is both heartening and worrisome for the U.S. economy:  On
the one hand, Americans are feeling so prosperous that they are buying
ever-rising amounts of imports.  On the other hand, most of American's
trading partners are in such sluggish times that their purchases of U.S.
exports are flat or even falling. ...  (Washington Post, page E1)_____The
trade deficit jumped to another record, fueled by rising oil prices and
growing evidence that China is using exports to support its lagging economy.
....  (New York Times, page C1).

Federal women are starting to break through the legendary "glass ceiling"
that has slowed or thwarted their advancement in government careers, new
data collected by the Office of Personnel Management suggests.  Preliminary
fiscal 1998 figures, the latest available, show that women held 31 percent
of the supervisor and manager positions and accounted for 22.4 percent of
senior federal executives. ...  Overall, the figures indicate that federal
women are making greater progress than was thought possible. ...  Even
though women seem to be making significant progress, the data, in part,
reaffirms views that parity still will take some time. ...  Downsizing may
have favored gender-equity goals. ...  (Washington Post, page A19).

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