Washington, D.C. – The manufacturing sector added 55,000 jobs in April, according to new data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most of those gains came in durable goods, which added 31,000 of those jobs.
Alliance for American Manufacturing President Scott Paul said:
“Despite a myriad of challenges, American factories are on a roll. We added a whopping 55,000 new manufacturing jobs in April. Coupled with the latest job openings data — 853,000 in March alone — we can forecast hiring strength as we look ahead.
“Still, the sector faces massive challenges. The dependence on imports in supply chains has pushed our trade deficit to a record level, and has made us more vulnerable to inflation and disruptions as Covid-19 restriction measures in China ripple through the global economy. If the Federal Reserve tightens too much or the dollar continues to strengthen, we’ll have difficulties exporting, face an even greater surge of imports, and see growth slow down too fast.
“One thing is certain: Now is not the time to reduce or eliminate tariffs on Chinese products. Such a move would make it even more difficult to reshore critical supply chains.”