Census Bureau Releases First 2012 Economic Census Product Lines Reports

The Census Bureau today released the first product lines reports from its 2012 Economic Census Subject Series. These reports present national and state-level data at the two through six- or seven-digit North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) level. They provide statistics on number of establishments and sales/receipts/revenue by products and contributing industry. Reports were released for the following four sectors:

·        Retail Trade — This is the first report in the subject series for this sector. Presents data down to the six-digit NAICS level. The retail trade subject and summary series reports will be released on a flow basis through March 2016 on topics ranging from product lines to class of customer.

·        Utilities — This is the first report in the subject series for this sector. Presents data down to the six-digit NAICS level. The utilities sector subject and summary series reports will be released on a flow basis through June 2016 on topics ranging from product lines to construction activity.

·        Transportation and Warehousing — This is the first report in the subject series for this sector. Presents data down to the seven-digit NAICS level. The transportation and warehousing subject and summary series reports will be released on a flow basis through June 2016 on topics ranging from product lines to end of year inventories.

·        Accommodations and Food Services — Presents data down to the seven-digit NAICS level. The accommodations and food services subject and summary series reports will be released on a flow basis through June 2016 on topics ranging from product lines to average cost per meal.

Completion of 2012 Economic Census Geographic Area Series: Accommodation and Food Services

The 2012 Economic Census concludes the Geographic Area Series for accommodation and food services.  The accommodation and food services sector includes establishments primarily engaged in providing customers with lodging and/or preparing meals, snacks and beverages for immediate consumption. Geographic Area Series data are presented for the nation, states, combined statistical areas, metropolitan statistical areas, counties and economic places. The Geographic Area Series provides detailed statistics by subsectors and industries on the number of establishments, sales, payroll, and employment and other data items by industry. Internet address: <http://www.census.gov/newsroom/press-releases/2015/cb15-tps81.html>.

Hard-hitting Series on Food Service Industry Wins Pulitzer

The food service industry is the province of kitchen workers who must enlist government investigators to collect the bare minimum that the law entitles them to receive; wait staff who earn a punishingly low $2.13 per hour nationally in exchange for tips whose distribution is often controlled by management; and fast-food employees who work for chains that explicitly advise them to apply for food stamps and other government aid to supplement their unlivable pay.”

This excerpt from a Boston Globe editorial by Kathleen Kingsbury, “For restaurant workers, fair conditions not on the menu,” sums up the problems that plague one of the country’s largest industries. It’s part of her 2015 Pulitzer Prize-winning series on food service workers, “Service Not Included,” that illustrates a sad reality: too many people are worker harder but still falling farther behind.

More from The US Department of Labor blog.