However, the prices for consumer goods and the materials prices for construction are stable. Labor Markets District temporary employment agencies reported a broad based increase in the demand for workers, following a seasonal holiday decline. Strong demand for administrative assistants, clerical workers, and legal secretaries continues unabated. Demand for workers with computer skills seems to have shifted away from hardware and systems workers to software and Web-based workers. Although most contacts mentioned difficulty in finding qualified personnel, none reported an inability to fill customer orders or significant wage increases.
All contacts expect a steady growth in demand to continue for the next few months.
Union sources reported continued wage growth, averaging 3 per cent. Pension funds have done well recently due to high stock market returns. This has been balanced by a concern over the possibility that higher health care costs will be borne increasingly by workers and less by the firms. Job security remains a high-priority issue in union negotiations. Reports on the demand for information technology were mixed, depending on the type of services provided.