Despite the improving economy many U.S. manufacturers are still at recession-level employment. While service sector jobs are multiplying rapidly, manufacturing employment is down nearly 3 million jobs over the last 44 months. Even when production grows, the workforce continues to shrink as manufacturers use alternatives to hiring. This trend is contrary to the current presidential debate between Bush and Kerry; both candidates feel improvements in the economy or control over spiraling health care costs will result in new manufacturing jobs.
See "Surge in Jobs Mostly Bypasses the Factory Floor", Louis Uchitelle, The New York Times, May 10, 2004