Now that we are moving to the new year, we can take a look at what 2012 brought the economy, workplace and people as a whole. Here a few statistics to show the changes from 2011 to 2012 and what 2013 may bring.
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the number of workers who were members of a union decreased from 11.8% in 2011 to 11.3% in 2012 with the total number of union members being 14.4 million.
- The national jobless rate decreased 0.7% from December 2011 to December 2012. The jobless rate stands at 7.8% as of December 2012 according to the BLS.
- Of the 103.8 million full-time wage and salary workers, the median earnings were $775 per week in the fourth quarter of 2012 which was 1.4% higher than December 2011.
- OSHA has not released its 2012 data yet, but always remember to practice safety in the workplace at all times.
- According to the American Staffing Association, staffing employment in December 2012 was up .7% from December 2011. For the third quarter of 2012 (July-September) the number of temp/contract workers staffed by staffing firms was 4.3% higher than the third quarter of 2011.
These a just a few statistics to wrap up 2012, showing positive and negative changes that have taken place. With the economic and political changes we face, there is no telling what 2013 will bring but we hope to see a positive change take place.
For more data and information, please visit the Bureau of Labor Statistics Website at www.bls.gov.