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W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 9 D E C E M B E R 1 2 , 2 0 2 2 F O C U S M A N U FAC T U RI N G JOBS AVERAGE WEEKLY WAGE 2019 2022 % Change 2019 2022 % Change All Manufacturing 52,840 53,839 1.9% $1,060 $1,216 14.7% Chemical 2,799 3,983 42.3% $1,686 $1,686 0.0% Transportation equipment 10,566 11,256 6.5% $1,166 $1,112 −4.6% Miscellaneous manufacturing 1,900 2,287 20.4% $822 $705 −14.2% Beverage and tobacco product 2,069 2,439 17.9% $977 $1,063 8.8% Wood products 4,343 4,565 5.1% $866 $1,061 22.5% Plastics and rubber products 2,245 2,330 3.8% $965 $1,171 21.3% Textile product mills 865 904 4.5% $805 $1,050 30.4% Primary metal 277 291 5.1% $1,150 $1,332 15.8% Petroleum and coal products 434 432 −0.5% $1,221 $1,352 10.7% Apparel 197 184 −6.6% $672 $792 17.9% Food 5,518 5,478 −0.7% $718 $860 19.8% Furniture and related products 1,240 1,197 −3.5% $932 $911 −2.3% Electrical equipment, appliance and components 435 384 −11.7% $1,125 $832 −26.0% Nonmetallic mineral products 1,479 1,425 −3.7% $916 $1,074 17.2% Printing and related support activities 1,568 1,480 −5.6% $791 $935 18.2% Computer and electronic products 2,238 2,130 −4.8% $1,235 $1,117 −9.6% Textile mills 853 661 −22.5% $880 $937 6.5% Fabricated metal product 5,312 5,037 −5.2% $1,040 $1,150 10.6% Machinery 2,114 1,772 −16.2% $1,161 $805 −30.7% Paper 4,611 4,229 −8.3% $1,475 $1,659 12.5% Leather and allied products 1,777 1,375 −22.6% $725 $962 32.7% S O U R C E : Maine Dept. Labor, Center for Workforce Research, Quarterly Census of Employment & Wages MANUFACTURING JOBS BY INDUSTRY IN MAINE, SECOND QUARTER OF 2019 AND 2022 he figures here tell an interest- ing story of the past three years. It's a period that's been defined by the pandemic, supply chain issues, product shortages, labor shortages, inflation and increases in wages. That does not cover issues faced by individual sec- tors. The two most telling stats on the chart at right might be related to jobs and wages. On the top line, the number of manufacturing jobs grew in the past three years — not dramatically, but by just under 2%. Modest growth, certainly. But average weekly wages grew signifi- cantly, by 14.7%, from $1,060 a week to $1,216. What we don't know is how much of that increase was to reward the dedication of longtime employees and how much was related to recruiting and having to offer top dollar to land new employees. F O C U S S TA R T S O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » T

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