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SECTION 3 EMPLOYMENT AND EARNINGS




Labour Force Status

• Western Australia's unemployment rate (trend) increased from 2.9% in November 2008 to 3.6% in February 2009. This is 0.5 percentage points higher than the rate one year before. Nationally, Australia's unemployment rate stood at 4.9% in February 2009.
• The number of unemployed persons (trend) increased from 35,000 to 44,200 persons in the February quarter 2009.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

• The number of employed people (trend) showed a small downturn in the February quarter (down 0.5%) although this figure rose by 2.7% over the preceding year.
• Notwithstanding the recent downturn, there has been steady growth in the annual employment figures since the year 2000, with faster growth in the years 2005 to 2007 reflecting overall population growth as well as government policy to attract skilled migrant workers.

EMPLOYED PERSONS, Total

3 LABOUR FORCE STATUS (AGED 15 YEARS AND OVER): Trend
		Employed	Unemployed	Total labour force(a)	Participation rate	Unemployment rate
Quarter		'000	'000	'000	%	%
Persons
2008
	February	1 138.4	37.4	1 175.8	68.5	3.2
	May	1 145.6	38.5	1 184.1	68.5	3.2
	August	1 167.1	34.5	1 201.5	69.1	2.9
	November	1 175.6	35.5	1 211.0	69.2	2.9
2009
	February	1 169.6	44.2	1 213.9	68.9	3.6
(a) Discrepancies in total may occur due to rounding.
Source: Labour Force, Australia, cat. no. 6202.0.

• In original data terms, the industries with the largest employment losses in the February quarter 2009 were Mining (21%), Financial and insurance services (14%), Professional, scientific and technical services (12%) and Transport, postal and warehousing (6%). Some of these industries, notably Financial and insurance services; and Professional, scientific and technical services, have declined in employment since the February quarter 2008 while the movement in Mining, along with Transport, postal and warehousing, has been more volatile over this period.
• Despite the general downturn, there was substantial growth in employee numbers in several industries. This included increases of 15% in Electricity, gas, water and waste services, 12% in Retail trade, 11% in Public administration and safety and 6% in Manufacturing. With the exception of Manufacturing, these industries have exhibited a steady growth in employment since February 2008.

4 Number of employed persons(a), By industry(b): original
		2008		2009
		February	November	February
		'000	'000	'000
Western Australia		1 139.9	1 168.1	1 163.4
Industry
	Agriculture, forestry and fishing	42.0	50.7	50.1
	Mining	56.0	71.5	56.8
	Manufacturing	102.8	96.7	102.9
	Electricity, gas, water and waste services	13.7	19.7	22.6
	Construction	125.4	124.3	122.3
	Wholesale trade	34.8	41.8	42.1
	Retail trade	124.9	130.4	146.4
	Accommodation and food services	54.7	66.5	65.2
	Transport, postal and warehousing	53.4	63.3	59.7
	Information media and telecommunications	13.6	13.2	14.0
	Financial and insurance services	31.5	30.1	26.0
	Rental, hiring and real estate services	22.2	24.5	21.0
	Professional, scientific and technical services	88.0	75.1	66.4
	Administrative and support services	39.8	33.0	35.7
	Public administration and safety	63.7	67.3	74.7
	Education and training	86.8	78.3	77.1
	Health Care and social assistance	111.8	114.3	115.1
	Arts and recreation services	23.3	18.0	19.6
	Other services	51.6	49.2	45.9
(a) The ANZSIC 2006 classification system replaces the existing classification ANZSIC 1993, for the periods November 1984 to the current release. Industry data will continue to be collected in the LFS to the Group (3 digit) level. For more information on the implementation of ANZSIC 2006 see Information Paper: Update on ANZSIC 2006 Implementation, 2008 (cat.no.1295.0.55.001).
(b) Industry estimates are classified to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2006.
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, cat. no. 6291.0.55.003.

• Based on original data, the occupation recording the largest decrease in employment in the February quarter 2009 was Labourers (13%). Decreases were also experienced by Professionals and Machinery operators and drivers (both down almost 8%).
• Over the same period, employment growth occurred in other occupations including Technicians and trades workers; Clerical and administrative workers; Managers; and Sales workers, all with increases of between 5% and 7%.

5 Number of employed persons(a), By occupation(b): original
		2008		2009
		February	November	February
		'000	'000	'000
Western Australia		1 139.9	1 168.1	1 163.4
Occupation
	Managers	132.7	143.6	151.5
	Professionals	234.9	222.6	205.7
	Technicians and trades workers	198.0	199.4	211.6
	Community and personal service workers	92.2	100.1	100.4
	Clerical and administrative workers	167.3	160.4	171.6
	Sales workers	101.0	108.2	114.0
	Machinery operators and drivers	85.5	92.7	85.4
	Labourers	128.4	141.1	123.1
(a) The ANZSCO classification system replaces the classification Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) Second Edition, introduced in August 1996.Occupation data will continue to be collected in the LFS to the Unit Group (4 digit) level. For more information on the implementation of ANZSCO see Information Paper: ANZSCO - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, 2005 (cat.no.1221.0).
(b) Occupation estimates are based the 2006 Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, cat. no. 6291.0.55.003.

• Based on original data, the average weekly number of hours worked by employees in Western Australia (35.1) has remained steady over the last two quarters. Employees in the mining (45.7) and construction (42.4) industries continued to work longer hours on average.
• Industries showing substantial increases in average hours worked during the February quarter were Information media and telecommunications (up 5.4 hours to 37.7 hours per week ) and Wholesale trade (up 3 hours to 39.9 hours per week). In both industries, however, the figure for the last quarter was relatively close to the February 2008 figure.
• Average weekly hours worked decreased in other industries including Administrative and support services (down 4.1 hours to 28.9 hours per week), Other services (down 2.8 hours to 34.1 hours per week) and Agriculture, forestry and fishing (down 2.6 hours to 40.3 hours per week). Some of this decrease in working hours may be attributable to seasonal factors and the prevalence of casual labour particularly in the service industries.

6 Employees average weekly hours worked(a), By industry(b): Original
	2008		2009
	February	November	February
Average weekly hours worked (hours)
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	40.2	42.9	40.3
Mining	43.4	43.7	45.7
Manufacturing	40.3	38.9	39.6
Electricity, gas, water and waste services	40.6	36.0	36.3
Construction	40.7	42.0	42.4
Wholesale trade	38.7	36.9	39.9
Retail trade	29.0	28.4	28.6
Accommodation and food services	28.7	29.2	28.9
Transport, postal and warehousing	37.7	39.3	38.0
Information media and telecommunications	37.2	32.3	37.7
Financial and insurance services	36.1	36.7	35.9
Rental, hiring and real estate services	37.3	37.0	37.2
Professional, scientific and technical services	39.7	36.9	37.6
Administrative and support services	31.8	33.0	28.9
Public administration and safety	34.4	33.3	35.0
Education and training	33.9	31.6	32.4
Health Care and social assistance	29.2	29.4	29.3
Arts and recreation services	30.2	29.3	30.7
Other services	36.0	36.9	34.1
Total	35.5	35.1	35.1
(a) The ANZSIC 2006 classification system replaces the existing classification ANZSIC 1993, for the periods November 1984 to the current release. Industry data will continue to be collected in the LFS to the Group (3 digit) level. For more information on the implementation of ANZSIC 2006 see Information Paper: Update on ANZSIC 2006 Implementation, 2008 (cat.no.1295.0.55.001).
(b) Industry estimates are classified to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC) 2006.
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, cat. no. 6291.0.55.003.

• From an occupation perspective, employees in managerial occupations consistently work the longest hours, averaging more than 43 hours a week for the last two quarters. They are closely followed by Machine operators and drivers; and Technicians and trades workers who worked an average of 42.3 hours and 39.9 hours respectively in the February quarter.
• By contrast, people employed as Community and personal service workers, Sales workers and Labourers averaged less than 30 hours a week in the last quarter. Over the previous year these employees consistently worked fewer hours than employees in other occupations, almost certainly reflecting the greater proportion of part-time workers.

7 Employees average weekly hours worked(a), By occupation(b): Original
	2008		2009
	February	November	February
Average weekly hours worked (hours)
Managers	43.1	43.5	43.3
Professionals	36.3	35.9	36.8
Technicians and trades workers	40.4	38.7	39.9
Community and personal service workers	28.2	27.4	26.0
Clerical and administrative workers	33.3	32.8	32.3
Sales workers	27.5	26.6	27.5
Machinery operators and drivers	41.8	43.5	42.3
Labourers	30.8	31.1	29.8
Total	35.5	35.1	35.1
(a) The ANZSCO classification system replaces the classification Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO) Second Edition, introduced in August 1996.Occupation data will continue to be collected in the LFS to the Unit Group (4 digit) level. For more information on the implementation of ANZSCO see Information Paper: ANZSCO - Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations, 2005 (cat.no.1221.0).
(b) Occupation estimates are based the 2006 Australian and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupations (ANZSCO).
Source: Labour Force, Australia, Detailed, Quarterly, cat. no. 6291.0.55.003.

• In trend terms Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) of full-time adult employees rose 1.6% to $1,316 in the November quarter in Western Australia.
• Ordinary time earnings for full-time adult employees rose for both males (1.7% or $25 per week) and females (1.9% or $19 per week) in the quarter.

8 Average Weekly Earnings Of Employees: All series
		Full-time adult ordinary time earnings
Quarter		MALES	FEMALES	PERSONS
ORIGINAL ($)
2007
	November	1 330.20	972.30	1 216.60
2008
	August	1 421.00	1 024.20	1 291.50
	November	1 452.80	1 057.10	1 321.40
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED ($)
2007
	November	1 328.60	970.90	1 215.10
2008
	August	1 422.40	1 026.20	1 293.20
	November	1 451.20	1 054.70	1 319.40
TREND ($)
2007
	November	1 337.70	973.20	1 221.90
2008
	August	1 423.20	1 031.10	1 295.20
	November	1 447.70	1 050.40	1 315.70
Source: Average weekly Earnings, Australia, cat. no. 6302.0.

• Industries with the largest percentage increase in average weekly earnings of full-time adult employees in the November quarter were Retail Trade, Accommodation, Cafes and Restaurants and Wholesale Trade. These industries had increases around 5% to 6%.
• The industries where average weekly earnings decreased in the November quarter included Health and Community Services (down 2.2%) and Finance and Insurance (down 1.1%).

9 Average weekly earnings of employees, By industry: Original
	2007	2008
ANZSIC Division	November	August	November
Full-time adult ordinary time earnings ($)
Mining	1 978.30	2 135.80	2 136.40
Manufacturing	1 152.60	1 194.50	1 213.10
Electricity, gas and water supply	1 498.80	1 575.70	1 635.10
Construction	1 206.30	1 323.20	1 328.40
Wholesale trade	1 144.90	1 224.10	1 288.60
Retail trade	896.00	927.10	985.70
Accommodation, cafes and restaurants	906.10	826.80	878.40
Transport and storage	1 005.60	1 218.60	1 265.90
Communication services	1 044.00	1 028.10	1 039.20
Finance and insurance	1 161.70	1 233.80	1 219.80
Property and business services	1 392.10	1 423.60	1 443.60
Government administration and defence	1 089.40	1 103.00	1 132.10
Education	1 124.10	1 181.10	1 228.20
Health and community services	1 137.90	1 238.50	1 211.70
Cultural and recreational services	1 131.60	1 113.60	1 139.70
Personal and other services	1 035.20	1 134.30	1 173.80
Total	1 216.60	1 291.50	1 321.40
Source: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, cat. no. 6302.0.

• For the December quarter 2008, there were 6 disputes in Western Australia, one fewer than in the previous quarter.
• The number of employees involved in industrial disputes in Western Australia in the December quarter was about 1,200, which was three times more than in the September quarter.
• Approximately 1,800 working days were lost due to industrial disputation. However, this quarterly figure is very volatile.

10 INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES WHICH OCCURRED DURING THE PERIOD: Original
		Number of disputes	Number of employees involved	Working days lost	Working days lost per thousand employees
Reference period		no.	'000	'000	no.
2007		16	2.1	3.1	np
2008		30	11.9	10.4	np
2007
	September	5	0.5	0.9	0.9
	December	np	0.6	1.3	1.3
2008
	March	9	8.9	6.8	6.9
	June	10	1.6	1.4	1.4
	September	7	0.4	0.4	0.4
	December	6	1.2	1.8	1.8
np not available for publication but included in totals where applicable, unless otherwise indicated
Source: ABS data available on request, Industrial Disputes, Australia, cat. no. 6321.0.55.001.