Metalworkers predict less activity and employment

In the metallurgical industry, the recession was already settled comfortably and began to have an impact on the key variables of the sector. In May, production, utilization of installed capacity and employment declined. Only billing increases in nominal terms, but at levels well below inflation, which ends up being another bad news.

In this context, the metallurgical industrialists have a more pessimistic view than the previous month in the short term and

"46% of the companies indicated that they expect a decline in their production , while only 22% said they expect positive changes "for the current quarter of June. August, indicates a report from the Association of Metallurgical Industries of the Argentine Republic (Adimra). In terms of employment, "31% of employers expect a drop in their company's staff in the near term, while nearly 60% expected it to be n & # 39; There is no substantial change in the next three months. "

This seems to be the result of a sectoral situation that suffered a setback in May. According to the May 2018 Adimra Report, "Metallurgical output decreased by 1.1% from one year to the next, averaging a cumulative increase of 1.2% over the same period of time. the year before ". Due to this deceleration of sectoral activity, during the fifth month of the year, the installed capacity utilization (OPC) reached 53.1%, which represents a reduction of 2 , 0% in May compared to At the level of the turnover, the total volume increased by 10.5% year on year in May "accompanying the decline in the level of activity of the sector", explains the Adimra Report

However, the most disturbing data are reflected in the current labor market and in some business decisions that affect workers. In line with the performance of the metallurgical activity, "the level of employment was reduced in May by 0.5% compared to the same month of the previous year", says the document of the # 39; business entity, while in the year accumulated autumn comes 0.4% over the previous year. In badyzing the measures adopted by the companies in this context, 54% corresponded to the reduction of the overtime, 16% to the reduction of the working time, 9% to the suspension of the personnel and 3% to REPRO or procedures of prevention of the crises .