Final answer:
The assertion that the shift from goods-producing to service-producing employment is expected to decline is false. The U.S. economy has experienced a significant increase in service-oriented jobs over recent decades, along with a decline in the manufacturing sector.
Step-by-step explanation:
Shift from Goods-Producing to Service-Producing Employment
It is false that the long-term shift from goods-producing to service-producing employment is expected to decline according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. In fact, there has been a noticeable shift towards a service-oriented economy in the United States over the past few decades. This trend has contributed to a decline in goods-producing jobs, particularly in sectors such as manufacturing, which peaked in the late 1970s and have since declined by more than a third.
Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that the service sector has become increasingly dominant, with a substantial rise in service jobs and a modest increase in government jobs until 1990, followed by a slight decline. The workforce's move into information activities and services is indicative of the United States transitioning to a postindustrial service economy. The growth of the information age has played a role in this shift, especially since the late 20th century.
Several factors, including the force of globalization and outsourcing, have influenced this shift. The outcome is a decrease in manufacturing jobs and an increase in service, retail, and food industry positions, which often offer lower wages compared to the lost medium-wage occupations of the past. Moreover, the legal environment in the U.S. has also contributed to a reduced influence of unions, particularly within the expanding service sector where union membership is less prevalent.