Competing to Win Agenda
From protecting pro-growth tax provisions to fighting the regulatory onslaught and an imbalanced trade environment – the NAM is working hand in hand with manufacturers to engage officials, candidates and more Americans to take action on an agenda that’s going to address our most pressing issues, expand opportunity for the workforce and make our country’s competitiveness more resilient than ever.
Fresh off International Women’s Day, which was March 8, there’s some encouraging news on the labor front: more women are coming back to the workforce, both in manufacturing and throughout the economy.
In manufacturing: Female employment in the industry reached its height this year, with a total of 3.77 million workers, according to
NAM calculations based on BLS numbers.
The overall economy: “Women have gained more jobs than men for four straight months, including in January’s hiring surge, pushing them to hold more than 49.8% of all nonfarm jobs,” according to The Wall Street Journal (subscription).
Why it’s happening: The child-care disruptions and health concerns that made many women leave the workforce during the pandemic are diminishing, while employers offer historically high pay and increasing numbers of remote positions.
Why it’s important: More women in the workforce could help ease both worker shortages and inflation.
The last word: “In just a year, the 35×30 campaign has made great strides in increasing the number of women in manufacturing—and the latest data show as much,” said MI President Carolyn Lee. “We’re close to our goal. Together, we can get the rest of the way there and make it to 35% by 2030.”
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The National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) represents 14,000 member companies from across the country, in every industrial sector. We are the nation’s most effective resource and influential advocate for manufacturers.
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