FYI: Sure, the nation’s picking up more jobs these days, but they’re not as good as the ones it lost. The Economic Policy Institute looked at the wages in industries gaining and losing jobs in recent years, and found the cup less than half empty. Between November 2001 and 2003, the country lost 1.3 million manufacturing jobs, 272,000 information service jobs, and 93,000 jobs in professional and tech services—all high paying industries. Job growth has been in food and administrative services. The trend is a new one: Between the fourth quarters of 1998 and 2000, the industries gaining jobs paid an average $2 an hour more than those that were losing, but three years later, the tables have turned. Between the fourth quarters of 2001 and 2003, the industries losing jobs paid on average $2.27 an hour more than those growing. [12/18/03]