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Now accepting applications for all
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Applications in Town Hall
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Auditions Feb. 17th,
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Application deadline Feb. 12th at 5pm.
10
NATION
Friday, February 6, 2004
THE BATTALION
Productivity gain raises hope that
companies will hire more workers
By Jeannine Aversa
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Productivity
Camp Day
Tuesday, February 10
9:30 am — 3:30 pm
MSC Flag Room and Hallway
50 Camps from California to New York and throughout
Texas interviewing for summer counselors & staff
Wanted: Counselors; wranglers; instructors in arts and crafts, sports,
lifesaving/water safety, small craft; individuals with nature and
outdoor education skills, people interested in working with youth in a
variety of outdoor settings throughout Texas and the nation.
All Majors Welcome
Sponsored by the Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences,
the Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences Club, and the TAMU Career Center
WASHINGTON — The pro
ductivity of America’s workers
grew modestly in the final three
months of 2003, raising hopes
that companies will step up hir
ing to meet demand rather
than relying solely on
increased efficiency.
The Labor Department report
ed Thursday that productivity —
the amount an employee pro
duces for every hour on the job
— grew at a 2.7 percent annual
rate from October through
December. Although that was a
slowdown from the 9.5 percent
rate for the three previous
months, it nevertheless was a
respectable pace that bodes well
for the economy’s recovery, ana
lysts said.
“You can squeeze only so
much juice out of an orange.
There is no question that busi
nesses — seeing demand grow
— are hiring more people in
response to slowing productivity
Here is a look at non-farm
business productivity, percent
change from previous quarter.
Seasonally adjusted
10
2.7%
1
I II III IV
2002
I II III IV
2003
SOURCE: U S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics
gains,” said Wells Fargo’s chief
economist Sung Won Sohn. “But
how many people will be hired
going forward — that is really a
debatable question.”
For all of 2003, productivity
grew by 4.2 percent, following
a 4.9 percent increase in 2002.
Productivity gains are impof-
tant to the economy’s long
term vitality. They allow k
economy to grow faster withou
setting off inflation. Companies
can pay workers more without
raising prices, which would eat
up those wage gains,
Productivity can bolster a com
pany’s profitability.
As profits improve, companies
may be more willing to be
capital investment and hiring,
Economists are predictii
the nation’s payrolls grew
around 180,000 jobs
January, compared with a
gain of 1,000 jobs $
December. The governmei
was releasing the employrni
report for January on Friday.
Analysts are hopeful that com-!
panies — after having squee;
so much efficiencies out of exist
ing workers last year - will
expand their ranks of workers*)
the months ahead to meet cus
tomers’ demand.
n
There were some encoun
ing signs to this end
Thursday’s report.
Chinese government: 37 deadin|
stampede at holiday gathering
BEIJING (AP) —At least 37
people were killed and 15 others
injured Thursday when a crowd
stampeded during a holiday
gathering outside the Chinese
capital on the final day of the
country’s Lunar New Year cele
brations, the government said.
Officials, including President
Hu Jintao, expressed “deep con
cern” and ordered an investiga
tion. The mayor of Beijing was
on at scene supervising.
“This is a very serious inci
dent,” said Wu Kun, a
spokesman for the Beijing city
government. “There could even
be more people dead. It’s still a
very confusing scene up there.”
The official Xinhua News
Agency reported the accident
happened in Miyun County, an
extreme northern suburb of
Beijing. Wu said it occurred at
7:45 p.m. in a popular gathering
spot called Mihong Park near
the town of Miyun when some
one tripped in a crowded area,
causing a chain reaction.
“One person fell down on a
grate in the park and caused
MONGOLIA
TZ
N. KOREX
... Miyun
0 400 mi Beijing^ “
CHINA
:Mil<e Ri
At least 37 dead and
15 injured in holiday
celebration stampede
'JAPAN
Hong Kong
SOURCE: Associated Press
many people to fall down.IheR
was a stampede,” Wu said. T
was a lot of people. I'm notsiw
how many.
X O €?
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