Employment in manufacturing sector down 6.7 pct in 2013

The workforce in the manufacturing industry fell to 336,350 in 2013, from 360,450 in the previous year. The statistics service said that the workforce was 337,400 in the first quarter of the year, rising to 338,000 in the second, falling to 336,100 in the third quarter and falling further to 331,900 in the fourth quarter of 2013.

The number of job positions in the sector was down by 224,200, or 40 pct compared with 2007.