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                        Statement of
                              
                     Kathleen P. Utgoff
                        Commissioner
                 Bureau of Labor Statistics
                              
                     Friday, May 5, 2006


     Nonfarm payroll employment increased by 138,000 in
April, and the unemployment rate was unchanged at 4.7
percent.  Over the year, nonfarm employment has risen by
about 2 million.  Average hourly earnings were up by 9
cents over the month.
     
     In the service-providing sector, the health care
industry remained a steady source of job growth in April,
as employment rose by 23,000.  Job gains were spread among
nursing and residential care facilities, hospitals, and
doctors' offices.

     Employment in finance and insurance continued to expand
over the month.  The credit intermediation industry added
9,000 jobs, and the insurance industry grew by 10,000 jobs.
Since last September, employment growth in the insurance
industry has strengthened; 55,000 jobs were added over this
period.  Employment in professional and business services
and in food services and drinking establishments continued
to trend up.
     
     Retail trade employment was down over the month.
Employment in general merchandise stores declined by 34,000,
following a large increase in March.  Overall, the number of
retail jobs has changed little, on net, since the middle of
last year.
     
     In the goods-producing sector, manufacturing employment
increased by 19,000 over the month, with gains occurring in
several durable goods industries.  Motor vehicles employment
was up by 12,000 over the month.  Despite the gain, motor
vehicles employment in April was about the same as in
January of this year.  Over the month, there also were job
gains in computer and electronic products and in fabricated
metals.  Manufacturing hours were unchanged in April, and
factory overtime edged down.

     Employment in support activities for mining continued
to rise in April, primarily in activities related to oil and
gas operations.  Since its recent low point in April 2003,
mining support employment has grown by 79,000, or 45
percent.
     
     Construction employment was little changed for the
second straight month following large gains in January and
February.  Since its last low point in March 2003, the
construction industry has added 855,000 jobs.
     
     Average hourly earnings for production or nonsupervisory
workers in the private sector rose by 9 cents in April to $16.61.
This followed gains of 5 cents in March and 7 cents in February.
Over the year, average hourly earnings have risen by 3.8 percent.

     Most major indicators from the household survey showed
little or no change over the month.  The unemployment rate
held at 4.7 percent in April and has been at or near that
level since January.  The civilian labor force participation
rate was 66.1 percent in April.  In the past year, the
participation rate has remained in a narrow range from 66.0
to 66.2 percent.

     In summary, nonfarm payroll employment increased by
138,000 in April, and the unemployment rate held at 4.7
percent.