Full text of CPI Detailed Report : April 1960

The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.

Released May 25, 1960
U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington 25, D. C.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR APRIL 1960
The Consumer Price Index increased in April to 126.2 (1947-49-100),
exceeding the March high by 0.4 percent and showing the largest advance since last June,
the U.S. Labor Department's Bureau of Labor Statistics announced * M a y . The April 1960
index was 1.9 percent higher than a year earlier.
The rise in April was caused chiefly by an unusually large increase
(1.5 percent) in food prices--the sharpest since March 1958, when adverse weather had
affected supplies of fresh fruits and vegetables. This April all kinds of food went up
in price except dairy products and some vegetables. Prices rose most for meats, particularly pork; fresh fruits; eggs; and for potatoes and tomatoes. The Increases were in
part usual for the time of year. They reflected also, however, poor growing conditions
for some vegetables, and the early stages of a downswing in production for both pork
and eggs.
Prices for most other consumer goods and services Increased a little.
The only significant decline was for used cars, which are meeting severe competition from
new compact cars. New car prices, which customarily decline throughout the spring and
summer until the introduction of new models, held at about the March level, as sales
picked up markedly in late March and in April. Prices for a few other important consumer
goods and services showed no change in April, on the average--for Instance, public transportation, repairs and maintenance of owned homes, and electricity.
FOOD

Prices for store-bought food rose for the second successive month in
April, and for the first time in over a year exceeded those of a year
earlier (by 1.2 percent). Prices of restaurant meals continued their almost continuous
uptrend of recent years.
Prices for most meats rose between March and April, but the sharpest
increases were for pork chops and bacon. Pork prices in April continued below a year
earlier, however, but the differential has been greatly reduced by price increases in
each of the last 3 months. The rising price trend for pork this year reflects not only
seasonal declines in production from winter highs but also the beginning of a cyclical
decline in production.
Fresh fruits as a group rose 6.6 percent in April, and fresh
vegetables, 5.5 percent. The majority of fruits went up in price, as is usual in April.
Among the vegetables, however, sharply higher prices for potatoes, tomatoes, and onions
caused the rise. Prices went down substantially for green beans and celery and moderately for lettuce, carrots, and cabbage.
A substantial 12.6-percent rise in egg prices in April, when a
decline often occurs, brought the price index for eggs above year-earlier levels for the
first time in 19 months. Prices for eggs fell sharply between 1958 and 1959 to a post*
war low. Since then, farmers have reduced the laying flock and consequently production
levels, thus strengthening prices somewhat. In addition, the price uptrend during March
and April resulted from cold weather in March and increased demand before the Easter
holiday.
APPAREL




Among the small price increases observed for most other commodities
and services in April, those for apparel were among the more

2
significant. Even here, most apparel prices moved very little. Prices for men's and
boys' wear, however, rose 0.6 percent to their highest level since December 1957. The
increases were chiefly for men's suits and slacks, reflecting earlier price advances at
wholesale, and for dungarees, covering increased prices of material. Other men's work
clothing items also were a little higher in price, and scattered increases continued to
be reported for a wide range of cotton apparel items—business shirts, pajamas, undershirts, and shorts.
NEW AND USED CARS

With booming sales, average dealers' selling prices of new cars which
usually decline in the spring, remained at the March level. Dealers
experienced near-record April sales, second only to 1955.

On the other hand, prices for used cars declined (by 2.8 percent) in
April, when the trend in recent years has been upward. This is the first March-to-April
decrease since 1955, and, with the 4.1-percent slump in March, it contributed to the
largest 2-month drop in the index for used cars since 1953, when used cars were first
introduced into the Consumer Price Index. Thus, used car prices this April fell below
those for the same month of the previous year (by 3.8 percent) for the first time in
3% years.
Indications are that the growing success of compact cars, for which prices are
competitive, has affected demand and prices for used cars.
OTHER COMMODITIES
AND SERVICES

Prices for other durable goods and nondurable commodities excluding
food showed little change in April. Services (as distinguished from
commodities) rose only slightly, and less than in the earlier months
of the year. Among the services, the only rise of much significance in April was for
professional medical services (0.4 percent).
COST-OF-LIVING
ADJUSTMENTS

Approximately 1.1 million workers are scheduled to receive quarterly
escalator wage raises of either 1 or 2 cents an hour, based on the
April Consumer Price Index. Most of these workers, about 975,000,
will receive 2 cents an hour and are employed in the automobile, farm equipment, and
related parts industries. About 150,000 workers, mostly in electrical products, will be
paid increases of 1 cent an hour or 0.5 percent.
It is not known whether wage adjustments
will be given to an additional 115,000 workers, mostly in aircraft, whose wages were
geared to the April index under contracts that either have expired or will soon do so,
Among escalator adjustments due some workers on the basis of city
indexes for April, about 12,000 employees of the Chicago Transit System will receive a
% cent an hour raise.




3
TABLE It Consumer Price Index—United States city average
Major group, subgroup, and s p e c i a l group i n d e x e s , A p r i l 1960
and percent changes from selected dates
(194.7-49-100 unless otherwise specified)

Indexes

Percent change to April 1960 from --

April
1960

March
1960

March
1960

-.,.——

126.2

125.7

0.4

Food
:
Food at home—' •• •
—
—
Cereals and bakery productsMeats, poultry, and fish—«•••••
• «—Dairy products
•••
—
— —
Fruits and vegetables-"—
,.,........
Other foods at h o m e —
—
—
Food away from home (Jan. 1 9 5 3 = 1 0 0 ) — —

119.5
116.7
135.8
109.3
115.3
129.9
106.1
118.5

117.7
114.7
135.5
107.2
116.4
125.0
103.4
118.0

1.5
1.7
.2
2.0
- .9
3.9
2.6
.4

Housing 2 /
—
—•
Rent
— • —
— —
Gas and electricity- — — — — .
Solid fuels and fuel o i l - - —
House furnishings
—
Household o p e r a t i o n - — — —

131.4
141.4
124.4
136.3
104.7
137.0

131.3
141.2
124.1
137.2
104.7
136.9

108.9
109.5
99.6
139.8
-92.9

108.8
108.9
99.6
139.7
93.0

— — — — — — —
—
—
—

146.1
134.4
199.4

146.5
134.9
199.4

— — - — — — — -

155.5

Group

All items

App&re 1

—

—

—

—»——•-—

Women's and girls1
Footwear—
Other apparel-—

—

—

—

--

—
—

— — —

Medical care
—

—

—

Transportation
Private——*—
Public
—

Personal care

—•—

—

—

—

—

—

Reading and r e c r e a t i o n * — — - - —

—

January
1960

April
1959

Year
1939

0.6

1.9

112.5

1.6
1.7
.7
2.7
- 1.0
3.3
1.5
.8

1.6
1.2
1.3
- 2.0
2.1
5.1
1.3
3.2

153.7
147.8
137.4
162.7
131.5
180.6
119.2
a n

.1
.1
.2
.7
0
.1

.5
.4
1.0
- 1.9
.7
.8

2.1
1.5
5.2
- 1.7
.9
2.4

72.7
63.3
18.6
141.7
96.1
100.3

.1
.6
0
.1
.1

.9
.6
1.6
.3
.8

1.8
1.4
.7
5.6
1.1

107.4
115.6
82.8
177.9
128.8

.3
.4
0

- 1.0
- 1.4
1.1

.6
0
3.5

108.1
105.2
145.3

155.0

.3

1.3

3.9

114.2

-

-

—

132.9

132.7

.2

.2

2.2

123.0

— — — —

121.1

120.9

.2

.7

2.9

92.2

131.9

131.7

.2

.1

2.9

86.8

.1

.3

2.1

87.8

Other goods and services-—
Special groupsi
All items less food

— - — —

129.8

129.7

— — — —

123.7

123.1

.5

.7

1.8

Comiaodities
—
—
—
Nondurable s
—
~————
—
Food
—
:
— —
Nondurables less f o o d - —
—
—
Apparel——
—
—
Apparel less footwear
Nondurables less food and apparel—Durable s
New cars—•
—
•
Used cars (Jan, 1 9 5 3 = 1 0 0 ) —
Durables less cars—
— —

117.4
119.4
119.5
119.7
108.8
103.4
12.9.0
112.1
138.4
88.3
103.6

116.7
118.3
117.7
119.6
108.6
103.2
128.9
112.5
138.3
90.8
103.6

.6
.9
1.5
.1
.2
.2
.1
- .4
.1
- 2.8
0

.6
l-.l
1.6
.4
1.0
1.2
.1
- 1.1
- 2.1
- 5.5
.2

1.3
1.7
1.6
1.9
1.7
1.0
1.9
- .4
- .4
- 3.8
.3

Commodities less f o o d — —

115.6

115.7

-

-

.3

1.0

94.6

149.4
141.4
151.5

149.2
141.2
151.3

.1
.1
.1

.8
.4
.9

3.2
1.5
3.5

85.8
63.3
106.1

138.5
184.2
161.9
135.0

138.3
183.9
161.3
134.9

.1
.2
.4
.1

.9
.8
1.5
.7

3.4
2.8
4.3
3.4

59.2
130.0
129.6
131.6

$0,792

$0,796

.6

- 1.9

-53.0

All items less shelter--

—

—

—

Service s —
•
Rent
»
—
Services less rent-—-—-•-•"
Household operation services, gas,
and electricity
— —
Transportation s e r v i c e s - — —
Medical care s e r v i c e s —
Other services 2 /
•
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar
(1947-49=$! * 0 0 ) —
—

—

•

-

.1

.5

-

123.3

|

127.5
132. 3
153.7
103.9
108.8
(1/)
95.8
95.6
142.8
(1/)
80.8

l / " Not available.
2J Includes house purchase, interest, taxes, insurance, and upkeep, not shown separately,
2 / Includes house purchase, interest, taxes, insurance, and upkeep services; shoe repairs, television repairs, barber
and beauty shop services, and movies.




A

T A B U 2 s Constwsr ftrioe Ialex—All items indexes and percent changes, nXiottd dates
U.S. city average and 20 large cities

Fsroent change to
current month trcm

Indexes (1947-49=100)

City
United States city average-

—

April
1960

January
1960

April
1959

126.2

125.4

123.9

59.4

0.6

1.9

112.5

129.5
124.2
130.1
124.7
126.4

128.9
123.4
129.1
124.1
125.5

127.4
123.5
126.6
122.0
123.6

58.6
59*0
60.4
60.1
59.2

.5
.6
.8
.5
.7

1.6
.6
2.8
2.2
2.3

121.0
110.5
115.4
107.5
113.5

April
1960

January
1960

April
1959

128.3
126.6
127.1
127.9
127.5

126.4
127.0
126.2
126.6
127.2

125.1
125.5
125.1
124.5
125.3

61.0
61.7
60.7
58.1
58.3

March
1960

December
1959

March
1959

Year
1939

126.7
127.7
123.6
126.3
131.6

126.4
127.2
123.8
126.6
131.8

124.3
126.4
122.2
126.0
129.0

Tear
1939

January
1960

Year
1939

' April
1959

Cities priced monthly 1/
ChicagoDetroit—
Los AngelesHew TorkFhiladelphiaCities prioed in January, April,
July, October
2/
Boston—
Kansas City
Minneapolis—
Pittsburgh
Portland, OregonCities prioed in March, June,
September, December
2/
Atlanta
Baltimore
Cincinnati
St. Louis
San Francisco-

February
1960

Cities prioed in February, May,
August, November
2/
Cleveland
Houston
Scranton
—
Seattle
Washington, D.C.

126.1
125.6
121.4
129.0
121.9

November
1959
126.4
125.4
121.5
129.2
121.7

Year
1939

January
1960

-

February
1959

Year
1939

124.8
124.1
120.3
126.9
121.3

59.2
59.5
58.5
59.2
60.4

-

-

2.6
.9
1.6
2.7
1.8

110.3
105.2
109.4
120.1
118.7

March
1959

Year
1939

.2
.4
.2
.2
.2

117.3
120.6
111.6
113.0
124.6

1.9
1.0
1.1
.2
2.0

November
1959

-

Year
1939

1.5
.3
.7
1.0
.2

December
1959

58.3
57.9
58.4
59.3
58.6

April
1959

Year
1939

February
1959

.2
.2
.1
.2
.2

1.0
1.2
.9
1.7
.5

113.0
111.1
107.5
117.9
101.8

2/ Bents prioed bimonthly.
1/ Foods, fuels, and a few other items prioed monthly; rents and other commodities and servioes priced quarterly*

TABLE 3s

All
items

City
Ubited States oity average—
Chicago
Detroit
Los Angeles-Rev York- - •
Philadelphia




Consumer Price Index—Percent changes from March 1960 to April 1960
U.S. oity average and five cities priced monthly
All itsos and conodity groups

—
•

• • • -•••'

Food

0.4

1.5

.2
.2
.6
.2
.3

1.4
2.2
1.9
.6
1.0

Housing

Apparel

0.1
-

.4
.2
.1
.1
.4

-

-

Transportation

Medical
care

Personal
care

Rtafllng
and
recreation

Other
goods &
servioes

0.1

- 0.3

0.3

0.2

0.2

0.2

.2
.1
0
.2
.1

- .8
- 1.5
- .3
- .4
- .4

.4
0
1.0
.1
0

.2
.1
.3
.6
0

.2
- 3.6
.4
.5
- .2

0
.1
.1
0
.1

-

TABIfi 4* Consumer Price Index*—All items and commodity groups
April 1960 indexes and percent changes, January 1960 to April 1960
U.S. city average and 10 cities priced in April 1960
U.S.
Boston
City
Average

Group

Chicago Detroit

Kansas
City

Los
MinneaAngeles polis

New
York

Philadelphia

Pitts- Portland
burgh
Oregon

Indexes (19^7-^9-100)
All items

~

Food

!

Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products — — —
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at home —

Rent
--———
Gas and electricity
Solid fuels and fuel oil
Housefurnishings — —
Household operation

—

—

—

Men's and boys'
Vcnen's and girls'

—

Other apparel
Transportation - — —
Private
Public
Medical care

— '

Other goods and services

126.2

128.3

129.5

124.2

126.6

130.1

127.1

124.7

126.4

127.9

127.5

119.5
116.7
135.8
109.3
115.3
129.9
106.1

119.2
115.8
133.4
109.0
107.6
132.5
105.3

116.7
114.0
130.5
103.2
120.3
123.9
109.8

119.1
116.4
125.1
104.8
113.0
141.7
106.7

112.4
109.3
129.4
103.1
108.4
118.4
99.1

126.8
121.0
147.3
110.9
113.6
143.9
106.2

118.6
115.5
135.0
104.3
107.6
135.1
112.8

121.4
117.6
141.9
112.7
117.2
122.4
106.9

121.2
118.0
136.7
110.5
118.1
129.9
105.5

121.0
119.2
133.9
109.3
117.6
132.6
115.5

121. 2
118.2
141.3
111.2
121.5
126.3
106.6

131.4
141.4
124.4
136.3
104.7
137.0

140.1
153.4
117.7
139.0
103.3
135.9

140.1

127.3
143.1
116.8
127.6
109.8
125.5

128.7
144.2
130.8
134.7
104.6
139.1

138.8

104.7
128.6

129.5
156.2
136.4
132.2
96.7
137.1

129.4
133.5
120.7
138.4
105.5
138.3

126.0

130.0
139.4
102.3
136.5

106.7
135.6
110.6
141.8

131.6
134.3
145.2
135.1
108.9
151.7

130.9
138.5
104.6
143.1
103.0
132.2

108.9
109.5
99.6
139.8
92.9

106.7
104.9
100.1
132.6
100.9

112.7
116.4
100.5
143.8
97.1

105.2
107.7
93.9
136.1
85.6

107.2
1-10.1
97.8
133.5
89.5

111.4
113.0
102.6
141.6
85.8

108.2
109.7
100.0
136.0
90.1

108.1
109.1
97.6
140.5
97.3

107.7
109.5
96.7
140.7
95.1

105.5
105.7
94.2
138.7
100.7

114.7
114.8
104.3
148.9
100.2

146.1
134.4
199.4

148.9
142.2
168.8

155.6
136.0
205.7

134.8
126.6
179.4

149.3
134.1
257.8

144.5
138.0
186.5

129.7
122.5
189.6

147.9
129.3
191.4

155.0
135.0
193.4

166.2
137.5
256.2

143.2
136.6
199.2

155.5
132.9
121.1
131.9

162.0
135.6
128.7
127.1

168.0
138.0
125.8
124.0

158.6
134.3
116.6
139.9

172.9
135.7
137.1
126.4

151.2
134.4
102.6
133.1

209.1
137.5
126.4
134.6

143.9
124.7
124.2
133.3

160.6
143.0
124.2
132.4

169.6
128.0
112.4
132.6

149.1
134.1
126.1
130.4

—

—

141.9
- -

—

Percent change from January 1960 to April 1960

All items

0.6

1.5

0.5

0.6

- 0.3

0.8

0.7

0.5

0.7

1.0

0.2

1.6
1.7
.7
2.7
- 1.0
3.3
1.5

1.5
1.8
1.4
1.4
- 6.5
6.7
5.4

1.3
1.5
.2
4.6
- .7
.3
.8

2.8
3.4
.2
3.7
1.7
8.2
2.3

1.0
1.5
1.5
4.0
- 3.0
2.4
.9

1.3
.2
.3
1.6
- 1.0
.6
- .7

1.4
1.8
.1
2.1
- .4
3.6
2.9

.7
.9
.1
1.6
- 3.5
2.6
2.8

1.4
1.6
.7
1.7
- 2.5
3.8
3.6

1.9
2.2
1.0
2.3
.2
6.8
1.0

0
.1
0
1.5
.2
l.Q
- 2.0

.5
.4
1.0
- 1.9
.7
.8

1.5
.4
.1
- 3.1
1.8
.7

0

.2
1/- .1
- .4
- .3
1.9
1.1

.6

.9
.3
.8
0
.2
.3

.5
.4
.4
- 2.2
1.1
.4

.6

- .2
- 2.7
.3
- 1.6

0
.4
1.6
0

.5
.5
1.4
• 0
.9
4.0

—
—
—

.9
.6
1.6
.3
.8

1.4
2.7
.9
1.1
.9

.6
1.4
.1
.6
.7

- .5
- .1
- 1.2
.4
.4

Transportation
—
—
—
—
P r i v a t e — — — — — — —
Public

- 1.0
- 1.4
1.1

.3
.3
0

- 1.6
- 2.1
0

- 1.7
- 2.2
0

- 3.6
- 4.2
0

1.3
.2
.7
.1

.4
0
8.2
.1

4.6
.4
.2
- .4

.4
0
.1
.1

.6
.1
.5
1.0

Food
Food fit hone
Cereals and bakery products
Meats, poultry, and fish
Dairy products —
Fruits and vegetables
Other foods at hone

—
—

Housing
—
Rent
Gas and' electricity — — — — — —
Solid fuels and fuel oil
—
lousefurnishings
Household operation — — — — — —
Apparel
Men's and boys'
Voaen's and girls'
—
—
Footwear
—
—
—
—
—
Other apparel
— — — — —

Medical c a n
—
Personal care - —
Reading and recreation
—
Other goods and services

1/

—

—

Change from February 1960 to April 1960.




—

-

-

.7
.2
.3
- 4.2
.2
1.4

—

...
.1

1.1
2.6

1.2
.5 .
1.7
1.0
1.8

-

1/

.5
2.5

117

.4
.5
.2
.1
.5

1.1
1.0
1.3
1.0
.3

1.3
.6
2.4
- .1
1.1

1.9
.2
3.6
1.0
1.1

1.7
.7
2.6
1.7
1.8

.6
- 1.4
13.5

- 1.6
- 1.8
0

- 1.0
- 1.3
0

- .8
- 1.0
0

.8
- 1.2
7.8

- 1.4
- 1.7
0

.2
.2
2.0
- .1

-

.6
.3
.2
.2

4.7
- .4
- 3.3
0

-

1.3
.5
.4
.2

-

3.0
.4
.7
.1

-

.8
.1
.4
.1

-

1.1

6
TABLE 51

Consumer Price Index —

Food and its subgroups

A p r i l 1960 indexes and percent changes, March 1960 t o A p r i l 1960
U.S. city average and 20 Large cities
(1947-49=100)
Total
Total

Cereals

and

Meats,

poultry,

Dairy

Fruits

food
f o o d at

home

bakery

products

and

fish

products

Percent
change

Percent
change

Percent
change

U.S. city average

119.5

1.5

116.7

1.7

135.8

0.2

Atlanta
—
Baltimore
Boston
Chicago
Cincinnati —
Cleveland
Detroit
Houston
Kansas City
Los Angeles

116.8
119.7
119.2
116.7
120.4
115.8
119.1
114.8
112.4
126.8

1.6
1.3
.8
1.4
2.2
2.1
2.2
1.6
1.5
1.9

114.6
115.6
115.8
114.0
117.3
113.1
116.4
111.5
109.3

1.8
1.5
.8
1.6
2.4
2.5
2.6
1.6
1.9
1.3

126.3
133.4
133.4
130.5
135.8
128.5
125.1

.1
.4
.6
.1
.3
.2
.2
.2
.9
0

118.6
121.4
121.2
121.0
121.2

1.7
.6
1.0
2.2
1.0
1.1
1.5
1.4
1.6
1.4

115.5
117.6

2.2
.7
1.2
2.6
1.1
1.3
1.8
1.5
1.9
1.7

135.0
141.9
136.7
133.9
141.3
123.1
151.4
134.0
148.2
132.9

—
—
*—

Minneapolis New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Portland, Oreg. St. Louis
San Francisco
Scranton
Seattle
Washington, D.C. —

118.0
124.6
115.5
122.8
119.5

TABLE 6J

121.0

118.0
119.2
118.2
112.8
121.6
113.9
120.3
116.9

126.1

129.4
147.3

Consumer Price Index —

0
.1
.3
.1
.3
.1
.1
.6
.2

Percent
change

Index

109.3

2.0

115.3

111.9

3.2
1.7
.4
1.9
3.0
3.3
2.6
2.4
2.0
2.1

116.3
116.6
107.6
120.3
117.3

1.6
.4
.6
2.0
1.8
3.6
3.4
2.3
2.6
.3

107.6
117.2
118.1
117.6
121.5

108.6

109.0
103.2
110.7
104.6
104.8
103.2
103.1
110.9
104.3
112.7
110.5
109.3
111.2
104.9
115.5
107.7

112.1

106.4

110.2

113.0
115.8
108.4
113.6

101.0
117.8
109.6
119.8
120.6

and

vegetables

City
Percent
change

Percent
change

Other
f o o d s at
Index

home

Percent
change

129.9

3.9

106.1

2.6

0
.2
4.8
0
.1
.3
.2
.1
.2
1.2

127.9
123.2
132.5
123.9
128.0
125.0
141.7
124.4
118.4
143.9

1.6
1.4
3.4
3.9
4.1
5.2
5.5
4.6
3.3
4.0

101.5
107.3
105.3
109.8

2.6
3.0
3.8
1.8
3.4
2.6
3.3
.7
2.7
.3

0
2.1
2.5
.3
.1
2.3
2.2
2.8
0
.6

135.1
122.4
129.9
132.6
126.3
133.0
138.7
123.5
136.6
126.2

108.8
108.1

106.7
101.5
99.1
106.2

4.1
3.9
3.6
2.2
.5
.6
1.7
4.2
1.3
3.2

112.8
106.9
105.5
115.5
106.6
111.8
104.3
104.7
104.7

110.1

Average retail prices of selected foods

U.S. city average
Food and unit
Cereals and bakery productsi
5 lb,
Flour, wheat — —
— —
20 oz.
Biscuit mix
—
lb.
Corn meal
—
lb.
•
Rice, short grain
- - lb.
Rice, long grain
Rolled oats
— - — — is oz.
Corn flakes - — — — — 12 oz.
Bread, white
—
lb.
Soda cracicers — — - — — —
lb.
Vanilla cooKies
— — ~ — — - « — « - 7 oz.
Meats, poultry, and fish;
Round steak
— ib.
Chuck roast
—
ib.
Rib roast
——
- — , — _ ib.
Hamburger — —
ib.
Veal cutlets — • — — — — — — - — - ib.
Pork chops, center cut
— — — ib.
Bacon, sliced
— i b .
Ham, whole —
— — — — • • — — — v.
Lamb, leg
lb.
Frankfurters
— - — —
Luncheon meat, canned — — • — — — 1 2 oz.
Frying chickens, ready-to-cock — ib.
Ocean perch, fillet, frozen
ib.
Haddock, fillet, frozen
— i b .
Salmon, pink, canned — — — — i g
Tuna fish, canned
— 6 tn b? OZ.
Dairy products:
Milk, fresh, (grocery) — — . q*Milk, fresh, (delivered)
'itIce cream
— — - — g a l .
Butter
Cheese, American process - — l b .
Milk, evaporated
Fruits and vegetables
Frozen:
Strawberries
Orange juice concentrate
Peas, green —
Beans, green —
—
.—
Freshi
Apples
—
—
—
Bananas
Oranges, size 200 <
Lemons
Grapefruit *
Priced only in season*




April
1960

March
1960

55.3
26.9
13.0
18.7
20.6
21.9
25.7
20.1
28.9
24.3

54. 9
26. 9
13. 1
18. 7
20. 5
2'i. 9
25. 7
20. 0
28. 9
24.,4

107.7
64.0
81.1
53.2
143,1
84.1
63.9
58.1
75.0
62.4
50.3
44.0
47.5

105.,6
62.,6
81.6
52.,7
144,,0
80,.8
58,,8
58., 8
73, 7
6 1 ,.2
5 0 ,,4
44,. 2

Cents

Cents

56,0

!
!
1

!

1

!

!
i
j

6C. 2
|

32.5

i!
j
1
!

24.3
25.6
86.9
7 4 , l

;

33.9
1 5 . 7

47,

56.4
.0
32 *>

65

24
25

87 . 5
74.4
33 . 9
15 .7

26.6
22,4
19.9

-

16,2
64.9

Food and unit
Fre sh—Continued
lb.
Peaches *
Pt.
Strawberries *
lb.
Grapes, seedless *
_
lb.
Watermelons *
10 lb.
Potatoes —
—
— lb.
Sweet potatoes—
lb.
Onions
—
!
lb.
Carrots
— — —
j
h
e
ad
Lettuce
— —
j
lb.
Celery —
—
—
_ lb.
Cabbage
—
... lb.
Tomatoes — — • - — — —
i;
— lb.
Beans, green •
!j
Canned:
!
i
4
6
o
z. can
Orange juice
j|
#2& can
Peaches — — —
';;
#2 can
Fineapple
i|
—
#303 can
Fruit cocktail — »
j!
#303 can
Corn, cream style
!|
- #303 can
Peas, green
—
1
#303 can
Tomatoes — —
j!
4? to 5 oz.
Baby foods
i.
Dried %
1:
Prunes
lb.
Beans — — ;; Other foods at home
1:
IOj to II-07. can
i| Tomato soup — — .
16~oz. can
Beans with pork —
15 oz.
Picklea, sliced
ii
14 oz.
Catsup, tomato
j!
lb. can
Coffee
"
_ l b . beg
Coffee
pVg. Of If.
Tea bags
— —
—
36 oz.
Cola drink, carton
Shortening, hydrogenated
3 i>.
Hra ferine,, colored
— j t .
Lard • ~ — « — .
« »
Salad dressirjg
—
Pea oil t bitter
m,,

Eg^*
j-e-^
h rpe
Ce Idt I h, H a v e
— —

April
1960
Cents

March
1960
Cents

38.5

80.0
12.8
9.1
12.5
17.1
12.6
9.8
39.4
27.3

69.3
12.8
8.1
12.7
17.7
14.3
9.9
34.1
32.8

42.8
33.6
37.7
26.9
18.9

43.0
33.5
37.7
27.0
18.7

20.1

20.0

15.9
10.0

15.8

39.5
16.8

39.4

12.5
14.9
26.4
22.5
75.6
59.6
24.4
29.5
81.4
26.9

12.5
14.9
26.4
22.3
75.4
59.6
24.3
29.0
80* 8
26.9
isa

5f~ „ 1
5 «4

55,3
57.5
26.6
28,8

10.0
16.8

35.9

49,5
9.3

- —«(-•» >

2,1
Labor D.C*

7
Brief Explanation of the CPI
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) measures average changes in prices of goods and
service^ usually bought by city families of wage earners and clerical workers. It is
based on prices of about 300 items which were selected so that their price changes would
represent the movement of prices of all goods and services purchased by wage and clerical
families; they include all of the important items in family spending. Prices for these
items are obtained in k-6 cities which were chosen to represent all urban places in the
United States; they are collected from grocery and department stores, hospitals, filling
stations, and other types of stores and service establishments which wage-earner and
clerical-worker families patronize.
Prices of foods, fuels, and a few other items are obtained every month in all
k6 cities. Prices of most other commodities and services are collected every month in
the 5 largest cities and every 3 months in other cities. Mail questionnaires are used
to obtain local transit fares, public utility rates, newspaper prices, fuel prices, and
certain other items which change in price infrequently. Prices of most other goods and
services are obtained by personal visits of the Bureau's trained representatives.
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each city are
averaged together with weights which represent their importance in family spending. City
data are then combined in the total index with weights based on the 1950 populations of
cities they represent. Index number^ axe computed on the base 19^7-^9 « 100.
The national index (the United States city average) includes prices from the
20 large cities for which separate indexes are published in this report, as well as
from the following 26 medium-sized and small cities:
Anna, Illinois
Camden, Arkansas
Canton, Ohio
Charleston, W. Virginia
Evansville, Indiana
Garrett, Indiana
Glendale, Arizona
Grand Forks, N. Dakota
Grand Island, Nebraska

Huntington, W. Virginia
Laconia, New Hampshire
Lodi, California
Lynchburg, Virginia
Madill, Oklahoma
Madison, Wisconsin
Middlesboro, Kentucky
Middletown, Connecticut
Newark, Ohio

Pulaski, Virginia
Ravenna, Ohio
Rawlins, Wyoming
San Jose, California
Sandpoint, Idaho
Shawnee, Qklahoma
Shenandoah, Iowa
Youngstown, Ohio

Comparisons of city indexes show only that prices in one city changed more or
less than in another. The city indexes cannot be used to measure differences in price
levels or in living costs between cities.
A description of the index and historical tables of index numbers for the
United States city average and for 20 large cities are available on request to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics in Washington or any of its regional offices (addresses below).
The historical tables include index numbers for All Items, Food, Apparel, and Rent for
periods from 1913 to date; and for other groups of goods and services from 1935 to date.
BLS Regional Offices
Atlanta
1371 Peachtree
Street, N. E.
Zone 9




New York
Chicago
San Francisco
Boston
3^1 Ninth Ave. 105 West Adams St. 630 Sansome St. 18 Oliver St.
Zone 1
Zone 3
Zone 11
Zone 10

LABOR - D. C.




Union Security and Checkoff Provisions in Major Union Contracts, 1958-59

An analysis of major collective bargaining agreements, affecting 7,500,000 workers,
covering, with details by industry, region, and State:

•

Prevalence and Types of Union Security

•

Trends in Union Security

•
•
•

Provisions

Provisions

Hiring Arrangements
Prevalence and Types of Checkoff Payments
Checkoff Authorization and Renewal

Order as BLS Bulletin 1272 and send check or money order to any of these Bureau of Labor
Statistics regional offices:
18 Oliver Street
Boston 10, Mass.

341 Ninth Avenue
New York 1, N.Y.

105 West Adams Street
Chicago 3, 111.

1371 Peachtree Street, NE.
Atlanta 9, Ga.

630 Sansome Street
San Francisco 11, Calif.
or to the

Superintendent of Documents
U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington 25, D.C.

Price 20 cents a copy

ORDER FORM

Enclosed find $
(check or money order). Please send me
copies of BLS Bulletin 1272,
UnionSecurityandCheckoff Provisions in Major Union Contracts, 1958-59, 20 cents a copy. (Twentyfive percent discount on orders of 100 copies or more.)
Name
Street Address
City, Zone, and State

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS




,

_




HEALTH AND INSURANCE PLANS UNDER COLLECTIVE BARGAINING:
HOSPITAL BENEFITS - EARLY 1959
A comprehensive statistical analysis of the key features
of hospital benefit provisions of 300 health and insurance
plans covering approximately 5 million workers•
This is
the second in a series of bulletins dealing separately with
the various components of health and insurance plans under
collective bargaining.

*

*

*

Order as BLS Bulletin 127^ and send check or money order to any of
these Bureau of Labor Statistics regional offices:
18 Oliver St.
Boston 10, Mass.

Jkl 9th Ave.
New York 1, N. Y.

105 West Adams St.
Chicago 3, 111.

1371 Peachtree St., NE
Atlanta 9» Ga.

630 Sansome St.
San Francisco 11, Calif.
or to the

Superintendent of Documents
Government Printing Office
Washington 25, D. C.
Price 30 cents a copy

ORDER FORM
Enclosed find $
(check or money order). Please send me _ _ copies of
BLS Bull. I2?k, Health and Insurance Plans Under Collective Bargaining:
Hospital Benefits - Early 1959, 30 cents a copy.
(Twenty-five percent
discount on orders of 100 copies or more.)
Name
Street Address _____
City, Zone, and State

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LIBOR
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS