Drop in labour supply

The labour supply in May dropped by 405 over the same month in the previous year. This resulted from an increase of 454 persons in the gainfully occupied population and a drop of 859 persons on the unemployment register, the National Statistics Office said.

The manufacturing sector shed 353 people (-1.5 per cent) from its workforce in the 12 months to May.

The sub-sector concerned with food products and beverages dropped 94 people (-2.5 per cent), while factories producing medical and optical instruments laid off 32 people (-2.7 per cent).

On the other hand, the sub-sector concerned with electrical machinery and apparatus registered a slight increase in its employment levels over the 12 months up to May.

The number of workers in hotels and restaurants dipped by 154 (-1.9 per cent) on a year-on year basis.

On the other hand, the education sector grew by 391 persons (3.3 per cent).

In May, the total amount of part-time jobs in the labour market went up by 3,571 over the same month last year.

In the month under review, those persons holding a part-time job in agriculture as their primary occupation increased by 39. Similarly, those persons holding a part-time job in construction as their primary occupation increased by 55, whereas those persons holding a part-time job in wholesale trade as their primary occupation increased by 251.

Hotels and restaurants have signed on 478 persons whose part-time job is their primary occupation.

In the 12 months to May, those persons who held a part-time job in conjunction with their main full-time job increased by 1,261.

The construction sector increased its employment level by 32 persons whose part-time employment is additional to their full-time occupation.

The publishing, printing and media sector saw an increase of 27 persons whose part-time employment is over and above their full-time job.