Employment in the footwear sector in Brazil continues to grow

In the first quarter of this year, the Brazilian footwear sector has maintained the growth trend in the number of jobs. According to the General Registry of the Employed and Unemployed (CAGED), 27 000 new jobs were generated, accumulated in the period.
In the month of March, 9.200 workers were hired. In March 2009, the balance had been in 4400 people. With this result, the sector now has 347 000 employees, an increase of ten percent over the same period in 2009.

The figures confirm the expectations of the Brazilian Association of Footwear Industries (Abicalçados) on the resuming of the production levels in 2010. According to Milton Cardoso, president of the organization, these data indicate the Federal Government was right through the Foreign Trade Chamber, when enforcing the anti-dumping tariff last March (that was being charged on a temporary basis since September 2009), inhibiting the entry of footwear imported from China. In the last three months, footwear imports from that country dropped 62%, when Brazil purchased 4 million pairs. "We are keeping our promise of generating more jobs. We want to reach 400 000 jobs over the next two years, "said the president of the Abicalçados.

TOTAL EMPLOYEES IN THE INDUSTRY
March 2010	March 2009
347 000	312 000

NEWLY HIRED
March 2010	March 2009
9200	4400