This overview of labor trends in the United States, New York City, and Long Island is a compilation of information and statistics derived from seven major sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics; Lebenthal & Co., Inc.; Queens County Overall Economic Development Corporation; Suffolk County Department of Labor; The New York Times; U.S. Department of Commerce/Bureau of Economic Analysis; and the U.S. Department of Labor. With unemployment at a 30-year low, wages up, productivity rising, and inflation steady, the United States economy is strong and robust. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that the U.S. labor force will continue to grow 1.2% annually for the decade 1998 through 2008, adding 17 million workers during this period. The U.S. Department of Labor says that the country's employers want the labor pool to keep their skills current for today's and tomorrow's workforce needs. This national economic boom is being replicated in New York City. Growth in the high technology sector is seen both nationally and in New York City. While Queens and Long Island are still comprised of mostly lower-paying traditional occupational sectors, local groups in these two areas are executing plans to increase the number of high-tech jobs in their business communities. (JA)