September 28, 1999 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

Shifts in auto industry employment, 1979-98

Since 1987, the number of people employed in the motor vehicle parts industry has exceeded the number employed in the motor vehicle assembly industry.

[Chart data—TXT]

In 1979, the motor vehicle parts and assembly industries were comparable in terms of employment: 441,100 in parts and 463,000 in assembly. During the recession of 1981-82, employment was reduced sharply in both industries.

Since the 1981-82 recession, the number of employees in the parts industry has grown in every year except two, while the number of employees in the assembly industry has increased in 8 of 16 years. From 1987 forward, there have been more workers in parts than in assembly. By 1998, there were 546,800 workers in the parts industry, and 341,800 in the assembly industry.

In a third motor-vehicles-related industry, automotive stampings, employment in 1998 was little changed from 1979. There were 117,600 workers in automotive stampings in 1979, and 114,100 in 1998.

These data are a product of the BLS Current Employment Statistics program. Find out more in chapter 1 of Report on the American Workforce 1999 (PDF 1,037K).