Americans have been working harder than ever, and this weekend they're getting some recognition for their efforts. Labor Day celebrates the hard work and industry of the American workforce, and the following figures show just how important it is.

WHO WE ARE

154.1 Million
Number of Americans over age 16 in the labor force being honored this Labor Day August 2010
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) August 2010 Employment Situation

11.8 Million
Total number of employees in the manufacturing sector as of August 2010
Source: Ibid.

44.3%
Percentage of workers in the manufacturing sector employed by small businesses
Source: U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) Office of Advocacy

5.9 million
Total number of workers employed in the construction industry
Source: BLS August 2010 Employment Situation

85.2%
Percentage of workers in the construction industry employed by small businesses
Source: SBA Office of Advocacy

12.3%
Percentage of employed wage and salary workers who are union members as of 2009
Source: BLS 2009 Union Members Summary

16.1 Million
Number of labor union members nationwide
Source: BLS, as cited in the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S. (Table 650)

1 Million
Number of Americans working as computer software engineers
Source: Table 640 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

137,000
Number of Americans working as aerospace engineers
Source: Ibid.

409,000
Number of Americans working as machinists 409,000
Source: Ibid.

53%
Projected 2006-2016 percentage growth in the number of network systems and data communication analysts, the occupation forecast to grow at a faster rate than any other
Source: Table 605 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

14%
The percentage of employers in the U.S. reporting difficulty filling key positions, the lowest in the Americas
Source: Manpower Inc.'s 2010 Talent Shortage Survey

4
Ranking of engineers on the list of jobs most in demand in 2010
Source: Ibid.

7.6 Million
Number of workers who hold down more than one job, with so-called moonlighters comprising 5 percent of the working population; of these, 4 million work full time at their primary job and part time at their other job
Source: Table 596 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

4.1
Median number of years that workers have been with their current employer; about 10 percent of those employed have been with their current employer for 20 years or more
Source: Table 598 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

10.1 Million
Number of self-employed workers
Source: Table 592 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

10.3 Million
Number of independent contractors
Source: Table 595 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

5.9 Million
Number of people who work at home
Source: U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey

HOW WE WORK

27%
Percentage of workers aged 16 and older who work more than 40 hours a week; about 7 percent work 60 or more hours a week
Source: Table 589 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

34.2
Average number of hours worked per week in the private sector
Source: BLS August 2010 Employment Situation

40.2
Average number of hours in the manufacturing workweek
Source: Ibid

3.7%
Percentage increase in productivity and output among U.S. workers from Q2 2009 to Q2 2010
Source: BLS Productivity and Costs - Second Quarter

25.5 Minutes
Average commute time to work in the U.S.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 American Community Survey

3.5 Million
Number of workers who face extreme commutes to work of 90 minutes or more each day
Source: Ibid.

76%
Percentage of workers who drive alone to work
Source: Ibid.

11%
Percentage of U.S. workers who carpool, with another 5 percent taking public transportation (excluding taxicabs)
Source: Ibid.

HOW WE ARE COMPENSATED

$46,367 and $35,745
Real median earnings for male and female full-time, year-round workers, respectively, in 2008
Source: U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.

$22.66
Average hourly earnings for employees in the private sector
Source: BLS August 2010 Employment Situation

2.4%
Base salary increases for salaried exempt workers in 2010
Source: Hewitt Associates

2.9%
Base pay increases expected for salaried exempt workers, salaried nonexempt workers and executives in 2011
Source: Ibid.

3.2%
Percentage increase of employee salaries in energy, aerospace, pharmaceuticals and construction/engineering industries each in 2011
Source: Ibid.

83%
Percentage of full-time workers 18 to 64 covered by health insurance during all or part of 2008
Source: U.S. Census Bureau's 2008 Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the U.S.

19%
Average percentage of an employee's annual salary spent on mandatory benefits in 2010, 18 percent on voluntary benefits and 11 percent on pay for time-not-worked benefits
Source: Society for Human Resource Management's 2010 Employee Benefits Survey Report

78%
Percentage of workers in private industry who receive paid vacation as one of their employment benefits
Source: Table 640 of the 2010 Statistical Abstract of the U.S.

HOW WE CELEBRATE

34.4 Million
Number of travelers taking a trip at least 50 miles away this Labor Day weekend, up from 31.3 million last year
Source: AAA Labor Day Holiday Travelers

31.4 Million
Number of weekend travelers planning to drive to their destinations, up from 28.5 million in 2009
Source: Ibid.

1.62 Million
Number of travelers planning to fly to their destinations this weekend, up from 1.54 million last year
Source: Ibid.

635 Miles
Average distance Americans are expected to travel for their holiday trip
Source: Ibid.

$697
Median amount Americans are expected to spend this Labor Day, nearly $50 more than last year
Source: Ibid.

63%
Percentage of Americans who cited dining as their primary activity for this weekend, followed by shopping (47 percent) and visiting friends and family (43 percent)
Source: Ibid.


In observance of Labor Day, IMT will be shuttered on Monday. We'll return immediately after the holiday weekend with our Weekly Industry Crib Sheet. Until then, we wish all our readers a happy, healthy and productive Labor Day.