Labor Rates Suffer.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)

DOWNSIZING AND OUTSOURCING AMONG U.S. chemical companies will drive down chemical employment rates in 2001, the third consecutive year the sector has registered job losses. Job growth in the life sciences sector, which includes pesticides and biotechnology, will not outweigh employment losses in other chemicals sectors, says Kevin Swift, senior director/policy economics and risk analysis at ACC. "Industry employment will likely continue to decline during the next few years," says Swift.

ACC says overall chemical employment stands at 1.031 million in 2000, down 0.3% from 1.034 million in 1999. There should be a marginal drop in 2001, to 1.025 million, says Swift. …