The Latino population of the United States has now reached over 40 million; a population of this size will affect the dynamics of the job market in even the largest of countries, and America is no exception. Hispanics play a vital role in the job market, and the strength and diversity of this role is increasing each day.

With a reputation as hard-working and flexible, the number of Latino workers rises year on year. Between 1999 and 2003, employment of Hispanic workers increased by 27%. During the same period, employment of black workers was down 400,000. Only 7.7% of Latinos are unemployed, compared to more than 10% of the black population. Two-thirds of workers hired for new jobs in the 1990s were Hispanic.

Part of the reason Hispanic workers are so successful in the job market is down to the sectors they have traditionally worked in; sectors such as agriculture, food-processing, domestic service, gardening and construction. These areas have largely escaped the downturns and subsequent down-sizing that have afflicted some of the more industrial areas of large-scale employment, such as heavy industry and manufacturing. This has helped shield the Hispanic workforce from the worst effects of some economic downturns.

It's also true that the Latino workforce has always shown a greater willingness to relocate for work than most other sectors of the workforce, and sometimes will accept work for lower wages than other workers. These traits are particularly noticeable amongst recent immigrants, seeking to establish themselves in their new country and happy to be flexible to achieve this.

These trends are reflected in the fact that average earnings for Hispanic workers are lower than those for both black and white workers:

· Average weekly earnings for a Latino worker - $440;

· 15% less than blacks;

· 31% less than whites.

(Source: 2004 figures, from Business Week Online, March 2004)

However, Latinos do not just fill roles as employees. The number of Hispanic-owned businesses is growing rapidly, and increasingly Latinos are employers, further strengthening their role in the labor market. In 1987, there were only about 500,000 Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States. Today, there are more than 1.75 million, and this number keeps growing.

Latinos play a varied and indispensable role in fuelling economic activity in the United States. From their traditional role in high-manpower and low pay industries such as agriculture and construction through to starting and managing new businesses of their own, the positive role of the Latino workforce on the nation's job market is indisputable.