Full text of The Employment Situation : May 1978

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^ L I ^ ^ A A J E M f c

United States

A

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Washington, D.C. 20212

INeVvoar

Contact:

J. Bregger (202) 523-1944
523-1371
K. Hoyle
(202) 523-1913
523-1208
home:
333-1384

^

. USDL 78-511
TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN THIS RELEASE IS
EMBARGOED UNTIL 9:00 A. M. (EDT), FRIDAY,
JUNE 2, 1978

THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION:

MAY 1978

Employment continued to rise fn May and unemployment edged up slightly, as the Nation's
labor force surpassed the 100 million mark, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U. S. Department of Labor reported today.

The unemployment rate was 6.1 percent; it has shown little move-

ment since February, following more than a year of fairly steady declines*
Total employment—as measured by the monthly survey of households—was 94.1 million in May,
up 310,000 over the month.

Over the past year, total employment has grown by 3.6 million.

Nonfarm payroll employment—as measured by the monthly survey of establishments—advanced
by 175,000 to 85.3 million.

Payroll jobs have grown by 3.5 million since May 1977.

Unemployment
The number of persons unemployed in May was up slightly from the previous month, returning
to the 6.1 million level that had prevailed in February and March.

The unemployment rate, at

6.1 percent in May, has been in the 6.0-6.2 percent range over the past 4 months, after falling
gradually throughout most of 1977 and into 1978.

The rate had been 7.8 percent at the end of

1976.
The unemployment rate for adult males (4.2 percent) was unchanged from April to May, as a
sharp drop in joblessness among 20-24 year-olds was countered by an increase among men 25-54 years.
The rate among women in this central age group also increased over the month, as did the rate
among married women.
5.8 percent in April.

The jobless rate for all adult women reached 6.3 percent in May, up from
The unemployment rate for teenagers has been inching down in the past

few months and stood at 16.5 percent in May.

"Unemployment rates for both black and white workers,

at 12.3 and 5.2 percent, respectively, were about unchanged over the month.

(See tables A-2 and

A-6.)
Jobless rates among white-collar and service workers held fairly steady in May at levels
that have generally prevailed since the beginning of the year.

The unemployment rate for blue-

collar workers, which has improved slightly in 1978, was unchanged in May, as a'decrease among




nonfarm laborers was offset by an increase among operatives.

(See table A-2.)

Total Employment and the Labor Force
The growth in the number of employed persons continued in Hay, increasing by 310,000 and
pushing total employment up to 94.1 million.

Over the past year, total employment has risen by

3.6 million (after adjusting for changes in the survey introduced in January).

All of the major

age-sex groups shared in this over-the-year expansion, with adult men and women posting
gains.

similar

(See table A-l.)

The employment-population r a t i o — t h e proportion of total noninstitutional population 16
years and over that is e m p l o y e d — a l s o sustained its recent steady rise, reaching an all-time high
of 58.6 percent in May.

Table A. Major indicators of labor market activity, seasonally adjusted
Quarterly averages

Monthly data
1978

1977

Selected categories
I

II

III

IV

I

1978
Mar.

Apr.

May

Thousands of persons

HOUSEHOLD DATA
96,221
89,059
7,161
59,225
942

Civilian labor force
Total employment
Unemployment
Not in labor force
Discouraged workers

97,153
90,264
6,889
58,941
-1,062

97,559
90,823
6,736
59,205
1,067

98,622
92,069
6,554
58,777
969

99,205
93,050
6,155
58,799
903

99,414
93,266
6,148
58,776
N.A.

99,784
93,801
5,983
58,602
N.A.

100,261
94,112
6,149
58,340
N.A.

6.2
4.5
5.8
17.3
5.3
12.4
5.6

6.0
4.2
5.8
16.9
5.2
11.8
5.4

6.1
4.2
6.3
.16.5
5.2
12.3
5.6

Percent of labor force
Unemployment rates:
All workers
Adult men
Adult women
Teenagers
White
Black and other
Full-time workers

j

7,4
5.7
7.1
18.6
6.7
12.9
6.9

.

7.1
5.2
7.0
18.1
6.3
12.8
6.6

6.9
5.0
7.0
17.6
6.1
13.6
6.5

6.2
4.6
5.9
16.9
5.4
12.3
5.7

Thousands of jobs

ESTABLISHMENT DATA
Nonfarm payroll employment . . .
Goods-producing industries . . .
Service-producing industries . .

6.6
4.8
6.8
16.7
5.8
13.3
6.2

80,925
23,788
57,137

81,871
24,265
57,606

82,548
24,359
58,189

83,192
24,497
58,695

84,107
24,757
59,350

84,555
24,945
59,610

85,170p
25,331p
59,839p

85,345p
25,382p
59,963p

36.2
40.6
3.7

36.3p
40.7p
3.6p

36.Op
40.3p
3 . 5p

Hours of work
Average weekly hours:
Total private nonfarm
Manufacturing
Manufacturing overtime
p-praliminary.




36.1
40.1
3.3

36.2
40.4
3.4

36.0
40.3
3.3

36.2
40.5
3.5

35.9
40.0
3.7
N.A.-not available.

The civilian labor force passed the 100 million milestone in May, as a result of an overthe-month surge of nearly half a million workers.

Increases were pervasive among major demo-

graphic groups, with large gains posted t?y both black and white workers.
The overall labor force participation rate also reached a record high, 63.2 percent.

The

percentage of the civilian working age population participating in the labor force has been
rising rapidly in recent years, paced by the strong growth of adult women and teenagers.
Industry Payroll Employment
Following substantially larger over-the-month increases in March and April, nonagricultural payroll employment rose by 175,000 in May to 85.3 million.

Most of the major industry

divisions posted modest gains, as employment increased in 56 percent of the 172 industries that
comprise the BLS diffusion index of private nonagricultural payrolls.
employment has risen 3.5 million since May 1977.

Total nonfarm payroll

(See tables B-l and B-6.)

In the goods-producing sector, manufacturing employment edged up by 25,000 over the month.
Machinery was the largest gainer among the manufacturing industries, while the only notable
decline was in food processing.

Employment in contract construction rose by 20,000; this

followed 2 straight months of unusually sharp expansion in the industry.

Over the year,

employment in contract construction has risen by nearly 400,000 to a new high of 4.2 million.
In the service-producing industries, job gains occurred over the month in trade (55,000),
services (35,000), and finance, insurance, and real estate (25,000).
Hours
The average workweek for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural
payrolls decreased 0.3 hour in May to 36.0 hours.
level.

This was also 0.3 hour below the year-earlier

Almost all of the major industry groups posted declines over the month.

The manufac-

turing workweek was down 0.4 hour, but factory,overtime, at 3.5 hours, was little changed from
the April level.

After 3 months of strong gains, the workweek in contract construction receded

0.9 hour in May.

(See table B-2.)

Because of the decline in hours, coupled with only modest employment growth, the index of
aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on nonagricultural payrolls fell
by 0.5 percent in May to 119.8 (1967«100).
(See table B-5.)




The index was 3.4 percent above the year-ago level.

Hourly and Weekly Earnings
Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural
payrolls edged up from the April level, but, because of the decline in the average workweek,
average weekly earnings were down slightly over the month.

Since last May, average hourly and

weekly earnings have risen 8.5 and 7.6 percent, respectively.
Before adjustment for seasonality, average hourly earnings were $5.63, up 2 cents from
April and 44 cents from a year earlier.

Average weekly earnings fell by 41 cents over the

month to $201.55 but have risen $14.19 since last May.

(See table B-3.)

The Hourly Earnings Index
The Hourly Earnings Index—earnings adjusted for overtime in manufacturing, seasonality,
and the effects of changes in the proportion of workers in high-^wage and low-wage industries—
was 212.6 (1967=100) in May, 0.3 percent higher than in April.
May a year ago.

During the 12-month period ended in April, the Hourly Earnings Index in dollars

of constant purchasing power rose 1.7 percent.




The index was 8.2 percent above

(See table B-4.)

Explanatory Note
This release presents and analyzes statistics from
t w o major surveys. Data on labor f o r c e , total employment, and unemployment (A tables) are derived from
the Current Population Survey—a sample survey of
households which is conducted by the Bureau of the
Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Beginning in
September 1975, the sample was enlarged by 9,000
households in order to provide greater reliability for
smaller States and thus permit the publication of annual
statistics for all 50 States and the District of Columbia.
These supplementary households were added to the
47,000 national household sample in January 1978; thus
the sample now consists of about 56,000 households
selected to represent the U.S. civilian noninstitutional
population 1'6 years and over.
Statistics on nonagricultural payroll employment,
hours, and earnings (B tables) are collected by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, in cooperation with State
agencies, from payroll records of a sample of approximately 165,000 establishments. Unless otherwise indicated, data for both statistical series relate to the week
containing the 12th day of the specified month.
Comparability of household and payroll
employment statistics
Employment data from the household and payroll
surveys d i f f e r in several basic respects. The household
survey provides information on the labor force activity
of the entire civilian noninstitutional population, 16
years of age and over, without duplication. Each person
is classified as either employed, unemployed, or not in
the labor force. The household survey counts employed
persons
in both
agriculture
and
nonagricultural
industries and, in addition to wage and salary workers
(including private household workers), counts the s e l f employed, unpaid family workers, and persons "with a
job but not at work" and not paid for the period absent.
The payroll survey relates only to paid wage and
salary employees (regardless of age) on the payrolls of
nonagricultural establishments. Persons who worked at
more than one job during the survey week or otherwise
appear on more than one payroll are counted more than
once in the establishment survey. Such persons are
counted only once in the household survey and are
classified in the job at which they worked the greatest
number of hours.
Unemployment
To be classified in the household survey as
unemployed an individual must: (1) Have been without a




job during the survey week; (2) have made specific
e f f o r t s to find employment sometime during the prior 4
weeks; and (3) be presently available for work. In
addition, persons on l a y o f f and those waiting to begin a
new job (within 30 days), neither of whom must meet
the jobseeking requirements, are also classified as
unemployed. The unemployed total includes all persons
who satisfactorily meet the above criteria, regardless
of their eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits
or any kind of public assistance. The unemployment rate
represents the unemployed as a proportion of the
civilian labor force (the employed and unemployed
combined).
The Bureau regularly publishes a wide variety of
labor market measures. See, for example, the demographic, occupational, and industry detail in tables A - 2
and A-3 of this release and the comprehensive
data package in Employment and Earnings each month-.
A special grouping of seven unemployment measures is
set forth in table A-7. Identified by the symbols U-1
through U-7, these measures represent a riange of
possible definitions of unemployment and of the labor
f o r c e — f r o m the most restrictive (U-1) to the most
comprehensive (U-7). The o f f i c i a l rate of unemployment
appears as U-5.
Seasonal adjustment
Nearly all economic phenomena are a f f e c t e d to
some
degree
by seasonal variations.
These
are
recurring, predictable events which are repeated more
or less regularly each year—changes in weather, opening
and closing of schools, major holidays, industry production schedules, etc. The cumulative e f f e c t s of these
events are often large. For example, on average over
the year, they explain about 95 percent of the monthto-month variance in the unemployment figures. Since
seasonal variations tend to be large relative to the
underlying cyclical trends, it is necessary to use
seasonally-adjusted
data
to
interpret
short-term
economic developments. A t the beginning of each year,
seasonal adjustment factors for unemployment and
other labor force series are calculated for use during
the entire year, taking into account the prior year's
experience, and revised seasonally-adjusted data are
introduced in the release containing January data.
All seasonally-adjusted civilian labor f o r c e and
unemployment rate statistics, as well as the major
employment and unemployment estimates, are c o m puted by aggregating independently adjusted series.
The o f f i c i a l unemployment rate for all civilian workers
is derived by dividing the estimate for total unem-

ployment (the sum of four seasonally-adjusted age-sex
components) by the civilian labor force (the sum of 12
seasonally-adjusted age-sex components).
For establishment data, the seasonally-adjusted
series for all employees, production workers, average
weekly hours, and average hourly earnings are adjusted
by aggregating the seasonally-adjusted data from the
respective component series. These data are also
revised annually, often in conjunction with benchmark
(comprehensive counts of employment) adjustments.
(The most recent revision of seasonally-adjusted data
was based on data throuigh August 1977.)
Sampling variability
Both
the household and establishment
survey
statistics are subject to sampling error, which should be
taken into account in evaluating the levels of a series as
well as changes over time. Because the household
survey is based upon a probability sample, the results
may d i f f e r from the figures that would be obtained if it
were possible to take a complete census using the same
questionnaires and procedures. The standard error is the
measure of sampling variability, that is, of the variation
that occurs by chance because a sample rather than the
entire population is surveyed. The chances are about 68
out of 100 that an estimate from the survey differs
from a figure that would be obtained through a
complete census by less than the standard error. Tables
A through H in the "Explanatory Notes" of Employment
and Earnings provide approximations of the standard
errors for unemployment and other labor
force
categories. To obtain a 90-percent level of confidence,
the confidence interval generally used by BLS, the
errors should be multiplied by 1.6. The following
examples provide an indication of the magnitude of
sampling error: For a monthly change in total e m -




ployment, the standard error is on the order of plus or
minus 182,000. Similarly, the standard error on a change
in total unemployment is approximately 115,000. The
standard error on a change in the national unemployment rate is 0.12 percentage point.
Although the relatively large size of the monthly
establishment survey assures a high degree of accuracy,
the estimates derived from it also may d i f f e r from the
figures obtained if a complete census using the same
schedules and procedures were possible. However, since
the estimating procedures utilize the previous month's
l e v e l as the base in computing the current month's level
of employment (link-relative technique), sampling and
response errors may accumulate over several months.
To remove this accumulated error, the employment
estimates
are
adjusted
to
new
benchmarks
(comprehensive counts of employment), usually on an
annual basis. In addition to taking account of sampling
and response errors, the benchmark revision adjusts the
estimates for changes in the industrial classification of
individual establishments. Employment estimates are
currently projected from March 1974 levels, plus an
interim benchmark adjustment based on December 1975
levels.
One measure of the reliability of the employment
estimates for individual industries is the root-meansquare error (RMSE). The RMSE is the standard deviation adjusted for the bias in estimates. If the bias is
small, the chances are about 68 out of 100 that an
estimate from the sample would d i f f e r from its benchmark by less than the RMSE. For total nonagricultural
employment, the RMSE is on the order of plus or minus
81,000. Measures of reliability (approximations of the
RMSE) for establishment-survey
data and actual
amounts of revision due to benchmark adjustments are
provided in tables J through O in the "Explanatory
Notes" of Employment and Earnings.

HOUSEHOLD DATA

NOTE Household survey data for periods prior to January 1978 shown in tables Arl through A-7 are not
ati ictly comparable with current data because of the introduction of an expansion in the sample and revisions in the estimation procedures. As a result, the overall civilian labor force and employment totals in
January were raised by roughly a quarter of a million; unemployment levels and rates were essentially unchanged. An explanation of the procedural changes and an indication of the differences appear in "Revisions
in the Current Population Survey in January 1978," Employment and Earnings, February 1978 Vol. 25 No. 7

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-1. Employment status of the noninstitutional population
[Numbers in thousands]

Not seasonally adjusted
Employment status

May
1977

Apr.
1978

May
1978

May
1977

Jan.
1978

Mar.
1978

Feb.
1978

Apr.
1978

May
1978

TOTAL
Total noninstitutional population1
Armed Forces1
Civilian noninstitutional population1
Civilian labor force

Employment-population ratio2
Nonagricultural industries
Unemployed
Unemployment ratq
Not in labor force

158,228
2,128
156,101
96,193
61.6
90,042
56.9
3,478
86,564
6,151
6.4
59,907

160,504
2,H8
158,386
98,866
62.4
93,180
58.1
3,151
90,029
5,685
5.8
59,520

160,713
2,113
158,601
99,309
62.6
93,851
58.4
3,369
90,483
5,457
5.5
59,292

158,228
2,128
156,101
97,161
62.2
90,267
57.0
3,335
86,932
6,894
7.1
58,940

159,937
2,121
157,816
99,107
62.8
92,881
58.1
3,354
89,527
6,226
6.3
58,709

160,128
2,124
158,004
99,093
62,7
93,003
58.1
3,242
89,761
6,090
6.1
58,911

160,313
2,122
158,190
99,414
62.8
93,266
58.2
3,310
89,956
6,148
6.2
58,776

160,504
2,118
158,386
99,784
63.0
93,801
58.4
3,275
90,526
5,983
6.0
58,602

160,713
2,113
158,601
100,261
63.2
94,112
58.6
3,235
90,877
6,149
6.1
58,340

67,324
65,641
52,062
79.3
49,487
73.5
2,423
47,064
2,575
4.9
13,579

68,419
66,740
53,003
79.4
50,725
74.1
2,274
48,451
2,278
4.3
13,737

68,519
66,845
53,225
79.6
51,149
74.6
2,393
48,756
2,076
3.9
13,620

67,324
65,641
52,273
79.6
49,505
73.5
2,356
47,149
2,768
5.3
13,368

68,148
66,467
53,153
80.0
50,673
74.4
2,394
48,279
2,480
4.7
13,314

68,240
66,556
53,142
79.8
50,759
74.4
2,283
48,476
2,383
4.5
13,414

68,327
66,645
53,242
79.9
50,833
74.4
2,289
48,544
2,409
4.5
13,403

68,419
66,740
53,263
79.8
51,038
74.6
2,295
48,743
2,225
4.2
13,477

68,519
66,845
53,414
79.9
51,182
74.7
2,328
48,854
2,232
4.2
13,431

74,081
73,987
35,478
48.0
33,299
44.9
641
32,658
2,179
6.1
38,509

75,300
75,198
37,133
49.4
35,083
46.6
552
34,531
2,050
5.5
38,065

75,412
75,310
37 ,025
49.2
34,960
46.4
590
34,370
2,065
• 5.6
38,285

74,081
73,987
35,711
48.3
33,249
44.9
572
32,677
2,462
6.9
38,276

74,991
74,892
36,595
48.9
34,348
45.8
517
33,831
2,247
6.1
38,297

75,095
74,996
36,654
48.9
34,569
46.0
604
33,965
2,085
5.7
38,342

75,196
75,093
36,849
49.1
34,722
46.2
628
34,094
2,127
5.8
38,244

75,300
75,198
37,117
49.4
34,948
46.4
623
34,325
2,169
5.8
38,081

75,412
75,310
37,264
49.5
34,931
46.3
527
34,404
2,333
6.3
38,046

16,823
16,473
8,653
52.5
7,256
43.1
414
6,842
1,397
16.1
7 ,820

16,765
16,449
8,730
53.1
7,372
43.9
326
7,047
1,357
15.5
7,719

16,782
16,446
9,059
55.1
7,742
46.1
385
7,356
1 ,317
14.5
7,387

16,823
16,473
9,177
55.7
7,513
44.7
407
7,106
1,664
18.1
7,296

16,798
16,457
9,359
56.9
7,860
46.8
443
7,417
1 ,499
16.0
7,098

16,794
16,453
9,297
56.5
7,675
45.7
355
7,320
1,622
17.4
7,156

16,790
16,452
9,323
56.7
7,711
45.9
393
7 ,318
1 ,612
17.3
7 ,129

16,785
16,449
9,404
57.2
7,815
46.6
357
7,458
1 ,589
16.9
7,045

16,782
16,446
9,583
58.3
7 ,999
47.7
380
7,619
1 ,584
16.5
6,863

139,089
137,337
85,214
62.0
80,373
57.8
4,841
5.7
52,123

140,863
139,149
87,198
62.7
82,848
58.8
4,351
5.0
51,951

141.026
139,317
87,567
62.9
83,446
59,2
4,120
4.7
51,750

139,089
137,337
85,899
62.5
80,512
57.9
5,387
6.3
51,438

140,421
138,687
87,425
63.0
82,650
58.9
4,775
5.5
51,262

140,571
138,834
87,360
62.9
82,697
58.8
4,663
5.3
51,474

140,714
138,997
87,532
63.0
82,880
58.9
4,652
5.3
51,465

140,863
139,149
87,945
63.2
83,386
59.2
4,559
5.2
51,204

141,026
139,317
88,209
63.3
83,590
59.3
4,619
5.2
51,108

19,140
18,763
10,979
58.5
9,669
50.5
1,310
11.9
7,784

19,641
19,237
11,667
60.6
10,333
52.6
1,335
11.4
-7,569

19,687
19,284
11,742
60.9
10,405
52.9
1,337
11.4
7,541

19,140
18,763
11,175
59.6
9,732
50.8
1,443
12.9
7,588

19,516
19,129
11,725
61.3
10,238
52.5
1,487
12.7
7,404

19,558
19,170
11,785
61.5
10,391
53.1
1,394
11,8
7,385

19,599
19,194
11,871
61.8
10,402
53.1
1,469
12.4
7,323

19,641
19,237
11,816
61.4
10,418
53.0
1,398
11.8
7,421

Men, 20 years and over
Total noninstitutional population1
Civilian labor force
Participation rate
Employed
Employment-population ratio2
Agriculture
Nonagricultural industries
Unemployed
Unemployment rate
Not in labor force

"

Women, 20 years and over
Totpl noninstitutional population1
Civilian noninstitutional population1
Civilian labor force
Participation rate
Employed.




Agriculture
Nonagricultural industries
Unemployed
Not in labor force
Both sexes, 16-19 years
Total noninstitutional pop^vnion1
Civilian noninstitutional v opulation1
Participation rate
Employed
Employment-population ratio3
Nonagricultural industries
Unemployment rjrte
Not in labor force
WHITE
Total noninstitutional population1
Civilian noninstitutional population1
Participation rate
Employed
Employment-population ratio2
Unemployment rate
BLACK AND OTHER
Total noninstitutional population1
Civilian noninstitutional population1
Civilian labor force
Participation rate
Employed
Employment-population ratio3
Unemployment rate
Not in labor force

1
The population and Armed Forces figures are not adjusted for seasonal variations;
therefore, identical numbers appear in the unadjusted end seasonally adjusted columns.

19,687
19,284
11,934
61.9
10,467
53.2
1 ,467
12.3
7,350

* Civilian employment as a percent of the total noninstitutional population (including
Armed Forces).

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A - 2 . Major unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted

Selected categories

Number of
unemployed persons
(In th<Hisands)
May
1977

May
1978

6,894
2,768
2,462
1,664

White, total
Men, 20 years and over
Women, 20 years and over
Both sexes, 16-19 years

Unemployment rates
May
1977

Jan.
1978

Feb.
1978

Mar.
1978

Apr.
1978

May
1978

6,149
2,232
2,333
1,584

7.1
5.3
6.9
18.1

6.3
4.7
6.1
16.0

6.1
4.5
5.7
17.4

6.2
4.5
5.8
17.3

6.0
4.2
5.8
16.9

6.1
4.2
6.3
16.5

5,387
2,221
1,848
1,318

4,619
1,728
1,720
1,171

6.3
4.7
6.0
15.9

5.5
4.0
5.5
13.7

5.3
3.9
5.0
14.8

5.3
4.0
4.9
14.6

5.2
3.6
5.1
14.6

5.2
3.6
5.4
13.8

Black and other, total
Men, 20 years and over
Women, 20 years and over
Both sexes, 16-19 years

1,443
' 550
556
337

1,467
505
558
404

12.9
10.0
11.6
38.4

12.7
9.8
10.8
38.7

11.8
8.6
10.1
38.0

12.4
8.5
11.4
39.0

11.8
8.8
10.5
35.3

12.3
8.8
10.9
38.4

Married men, spouse present
Married women, spouse present
Women who head families

1,455
1,460
393

1,137
1,370
449

3.6
6.5
9.1

2.9
5.6
7.9

2.9
5.2
7.6

3.0
5.1
8.6

2.8
5.0
10.1

2.9
5.9
9.3

Full-time workers
Part-time workers
Unemployed 15 weeks and over1
Labor force time lost2

5,450
1,434
1,869

4,750
1,398
1,358

6.6
9.9
1.9
7.6

5.8
8.9
1.7
6.8

5.7
8.6
1.6
6.6

5.6
9.6
1.5
6.6

5.4
9.6
1.4
6.3

5.6
9.2
1.4
6.6

3.5
2.5
1.9
4.3
5.0
7.1
5.0
8.1
5.0
11.5
7.1
4.7

3.4
2.6
2.3
4.3
4.5
7.1
5.1
8.0
5.2
11.9
7.7
4.7

3.5
2.5
2.0
4.3
5.1
6.5
4.3
7.6
5.2
10.0
7.7
3.1

3.6
2.4
2.0
4.4
5.3
6.6
4.3
8.4
5.9
8.7
7.6
3.6

CHARACTERISTICS
Total, 16 years and over
Men, 20 years and over
Women, 20 years and over
Both sexes, 16-19 years

—

—

OCCUPATION 3
White-collar workers
Professional and technical
Managers and administrators, except farm
Sales workers
Clerical workers
Blue-collar workers
Craft and kindred workers
Operatives, exfeept transport .
Transport equipment operatives
Nonfarm laborers
Service workers
Farm workers

1,987
408
267
331
981
2,632
702
1,044
265
621
1,192
133

1,771
350
206
275.
940
2,233
545
996
221
471
1,056
101

4.3
2.9
2.7
5.5
5.8
8.0
5.6
9.1
7.0
12.3
8.8
4.4

3.6
2.7
2.5
3.9
5.0
7.1
5.4
7.9
5.4
11.0
7.6
3.9

5,051
591
1,402
757
645
217
1,498
1,313
636
171

4,323
450
1,234
664
570
• 205
1,246
1,142
643
119

7.2
12.8
6.5
5.9
7.2
4.4
8.3
6.5
4.0
11.5

6.2
11.7
5.6
5.2
6.1
4.3
7.1
5.3
4.2
9.0

6.1
11.5
5.7
5.0
6.5
3.2
7.1
5.1
3.5
10.1

6.0
11.3
5.4
4.8
6.2
3.7
7.3
5.1
3.7
10.0

5.9
9.5
5.3
4.4
6.5
3.7
7.2
5.2
3.8
7.7

5.9
9.2
5.6
5.0
6.4
3.8
6.8
5.3
4.1
7.7

487
127
228
132

248
47
126
75

7.5
13.8
8.0
4.9

5.7
12.9
6.1
3.5

5.2
12.5
5.4
3.4

5.0
13.2
4.6
3.5

4.5
10.7
4.5
3.1

4.0
6.9
5.5
2.3

1 ,143
701
279
163

977
552
275
150

7.3
10.3
5.6
4.3

7.1
10.1
5.4
4.0

6.7
9.7
5.0
3.8

6.9
9.5
5.8
3.5

6.5
8.8
6.1
2.9

5.9
7.7
4.8
3.9

1

INDUSTRY 3
Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers4
Construction
Manufacturing
Durable goods
Nondurable goods
Transportation and public utilities
Wholesale and retail trede
Finance and service industries
Government workers
Agricultural wage and salary workers
VETERAN STATUS
Male Vietnam-era veterans:9
20 to 34 years
20 to 24 years
25 to 29 years
30 to 34 years
Male nonveterans:
20 to 34 years
20 to 24*years
25 to 29 years
30 to 34 years

1
Unemployment rate calculated as a percent of civilian labor force.
3
Aggregete hours lost by the unemployed and persons on part time for economic reasons
as a percent of potentially available labor force hours.
3
Unemployment by occupation includes all experienced unemployed persons, whereas that




by industry covers only unemployed wage and salary workers.
4
Includes mining, not shown seperately.
5
Vietnam-era veterans are those who served between August 5,1964, and May 7,1975.

HOUSEHOLD

- HOUSEHOLD

DATA

DATA

Table A-3. Selected employment indicators
[In thousands)
Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

May
1977

May
1978

May
1977

Jan.
1978

Feb.
1978

9 0 , 042
5 3 , 525
3 6 , 517

9 3 , 851
5 5 , 312
3 8 , 539

3 8 , 470
2 0 , 920

3 8 , 665
2 1 , 694

90,267
53,644
36,623
38,430
20,928

9 2 , ,881
5 4 , ,975
3 7 , ,906
3 8 , ,645
2 1 , 638

93,003
54,897
38,106
38,666
21,738

4 4 , 485
1 3 , ,483
9 , ,428
5 ,,661
1 5 , ,913
3 0 , ,284
1 1 , ,870
1 0 , ,393
3 , ,534
4 , ,487
1 2 , ,294
2 ,, 9 8 1

4 6 , 726
1 4 , 356
9 , 913
5 , 887
1 6 , ,569
3 1 , 513
1 2 , ,206
1 0 , ,781
3 , ,530
4 , ,995
1 2 , ,804
2 , ,809

44,655
13,520
9,449
5,686
16,000
30,318
11,884
10,455
3,537
4,442
12,372
2,861

4 6 , ,547
1 4 , ,057
1 0 , ,067
5 , ,913
1 6 , ,510
3 0 , ,942
12 ,,111
1 0 , ,755
3 ,, 4 3 2
4 ,,644
1 2 ,, 7 0 4
2 ,, 8 7 2

46,555
14,016
10,134
5 ,811
16,594
31,198
12,220

1,, 3 2 5
1., 6 8 8
465

1,, 4 4 1
1,,614
314

1,318
1,646
378

1 ,,3 8 7
1 ,.6 0 4
342

1 ,345
1,587
314

79 , 7 5 8
15 , 1 9 6
64 , 5 6 1
1,, 3 1 7
63 ,244
6 ,219
587

83 , 4 1 3
15,, 3 2 5
6 8 ,, 0 8 8
1,, 3 8 6
66 , 7 0 2
6 ,502
567

80,353
15,078
65,275

Mar.
1978

Apr.
1978

May
1978

93,801
55,208
38,593
38,628
21,847

94,112
55,446
38,666
38,626
21,694

46,789
14,158
10,212
5,861
16,558
31,655
12,302
10,974

46,895
14,399
9,933
5,911
16,652
31,544
12,218
10,846
3,534
4,946
12,883
2,698

CHARACTERISTICS
Total employed, 16 years and over
Women
Married men, spouse present
Married women, spouse present

93,266
55,013
38,253
38,465
21,674

OCCUPATION

10,738
3,643
4,597
12,703
2,769

46,835
14,060
10,169
5,985
16,621
31,039
12,169
10,766
3,541
4,563
12,572
2,788

3,560
4,819
12,830
2,687

MAJOR I N D U S T R Y A N D CLASS
OF W O R K E R
Agriculture:

1 ,389
1 ,527
389

1 ,408
1 ,539
283

1 ,434
1,573
255

83,124
15,154
67,970
1,293
66,677
6,427
500

83,648
15,305
68,343
1,388
66,955
6,467
506

84,049
15,203
68,846
1,393
67 , 4 5 3
6,288
520

84,285
69,417
3,164

86,043
70,550
3,327

1 ,226
1,938
11,704

1 ,224
2,103
12,166

85,528
70,157
3,243
1,211
2,032
12,128

Apr.
1978

May
1978

2,790
1 ,784

2,932
1 ,803

1 ,384
716
668

1 ,358
680
678

Nonagricultural industries:

Private industries
Private households
Other industries
Self-employed workers

PERSONS A T W Q R K

1,3^4
63,951
6,017
539

82
15
67
1
66
6

,915
,267
,648
,421
,227
,259
439

83,078
15,237
67,841
1 ,383
66,458
6,268
488

1

Part time for economic reasons
Usually work part time
Part time for noneconomic reasons

'.

82 ,957
67 , 5 5 5
3 ,070
1 ,240
1 ,830
12 , 3 3 2

86 , 9 1 1
70 , 6 4 8
3 ,043
1 ,182
1 ,861
13 , 2 2 0

81,666
67,083
3,268
1,270
1,998
11,315

83 ,304
68 , 8 1 2
2 ,986
1 ,043
1 ,943
11 , 5 0 6

84,054

Feb.

69,215
3,193
1,128
2,065
11,646

1
Excludes persons "with a job but not at work" during the survey perjod for such
reasons as vacation, illness, or industrial disputes.

Table A-4. Duration of unemployment
[Numbers in thousands]
'- f
N o t seasonally adjusted
weeics or unemployment

Seasonally adjusted

May
1977

May
1978

May
1977

Jan.
1978

2,437
1,635
2,078

2,563
1,385

2,700
1,861
1 ,688
864
824

2,586
1,820
1,568
897
671

1978

Mar.
1978

DURATION
1 PC« than R uuepkc

. .

5 to 14 weeks
.
15 weeks and over
15 to 26 weeks
27 weeks and over
Auorans Impan) Huratinn in weeks
Median duration, in weeks

2,820

959
1.170

1,510
792
718

2,789
2,128
1,869
812
1 .057

1 $ . .4
8 , ,1

13..3
5 . ,8

14..9
7,,3

13.1
6.6

12.5
7.0

12.3
6.2

12.3
5.8

12.1
5.2

1 0 0 , .0
3 9 , .6
2 6 , .6
3 3 , .8

1 0 0 , .0
4 7 , .0
2 5 , .4
2 7 , .7
14,.5
13,.2

100, .0
4 1 , .1

100.0
43.2
29.8

100.0
43.3
30.5
26.2
15.0
11.2

100.0
45.8
30.5
23.8
12.4

100.0
46.8
29.9
23.2
12.0
11.2

100.0
48.1
29.6
22.3
11.2

1

1 ,877
1,463
766
697

PERCENT D I S T R I B U T I O N
Tntal unpmnlnypH

15 weeks and over
15 to 26 weeks




....

15,.6
18,.2

3 1 , .4
2 7 , .5
12,.0
15,.6

27.0
13.8
13.2

11.3

11.1

,

-

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD

DATA

Table A-5. Reasons for unemployment
[Numbers in thousands]
Not seasonally adjusted
Reasons

Seasonally adjusted

May
1977

May
1978

May
1977

Jan.
1978

Feb.
1978

Mar.
1978

Apr.
1Q7«

May
1Q7R

2,774
664
2,110
758
1,818
801

2,322
565
1,757
680
1,643
812

3,080
803
2,277
913
1,961
890

2,698
768
1,930
856
1,821
914

2,540
709
1,831
898
1 ,796
868

2,493
660
1,833
862
1,911
923

2,475
593
1,882
872
1,734
925

2,577
683
1 ,894
819
1,772
901

100.0
45.1
10.8
34.3
12.3
29.6
13.0

100,.0
42,.6
10,.4
32,,2
12,.5
30,.1
14,.9

100,.0
45,.0
11,.7
33,.3
13,.3
28 .7
13,.0

100,.0
42,,9
12..2
30,.7
13..6
29,.0
14,.5

100,.0
41..6
11..6
30;:0
14,,7
29,.4
14,.2

100..0
40..3
10..7
29,.6
13.,9
30..9
14..9

100..0
41.,2
9.,9
31..3
14..5
28..9
15,.4

100.0
42.5
11.3
31.2
13.5
29.2
14.8

2.9
.8
1.9
.8

2,.4
.7
1,.7
,8

3,.2
.9
2,.0
.9

2,.7
.9
1,.8
.9

2,.6
,9
1,.8
,9

2..5
,9
1,,9
.9

2..5
,9
1..7
,9

2.6
.8
1.8
* .9

NUMBER 9 F UNEMPLOYED

On layoff
Other job losers
Left last job

PERCENT DISTRIBUTION

On layoff

UNEMPLOYED AS A PERCENT OF THE
CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE

Table A-6. Unemployment by sex and age, seasonally adjusted
Number of
unemployed persons
(In thousands)

Sex and age

Total, 16 years and over
16 to 19 years
16 to 17 years
18 to 19 years
20 to 24 years
,..,..,
25 years and over
25 to 54 years
55 years and over
Men, 18 years and over
16 to 19 years
16 to 17 years
18 to 19 years
20 to 24 years
. 25 years and over
25 to 54 years
55 years and over
Women, 16 years and over
16 to 19 years
16 to 17 years
18 to 19 years
20 to 24 years
25 to 54 years
55 years and over




,,,..,..,
.

,...,.,.,.

,.,,..,,

,

Unemployment rates

May
1977

May
1978

May
1977

Jan.
1978

Feb.
1978

Mar.
1978

Apr.
197R

May
1Q78

6 ,894
1 ,664
783
881
1 ,560
3 ,628
3 ,053
586

6 ,149
1 ,584
792
793
1 ,332
3 ,195
2 ,745
467

7,.1
18,.1
20..6
16,.4
10,.9
4.,9
5,.2
4..1

6..3
16,.0
18,.2
14..5
10..5
4..2
4..3
3..5

6.,1
17.,4
20.,8
15.,0
10.,1
3.,9
4.,1
3..3

6.,2
17..3
20.,4
15..2
10..3
4..0
4..2
3..1

6..0
16..9
19..9
14..4
10.,0
3.,9
4..1
3.,2

6.1
16.5
19.3
14.5
9.0
4.2
4.5
3.2

3 ,638
870
410
460
836
1 ,916
1 ,578
343

3 ,001
769
406
364
632
1 ,589
1 ,297
295

6,.4
17,.4
19,.2
16,.1
10,.8
4,,3
4,.4
3,.9

5..6
' 14,.9
17,.2
13,.4
10,.5
3,.5
3,.6
3,.2

5.,6
17..2
21..1
14..3
10..3
3..4
3..4
3..2

5..6
17..1
21..0
14..3
10.,1
3,.5
3..5
3,.2

5..2
16..6
19,.9
13,.4
9..1
3..3
3..3
3..3

5.1
15.3
18.4
12.9
7.9
3.5
3.6
3.3

3 ,256
794
373
421
724
1 ,712
1 ,475
243

3 ,148
815
386
429
700
1 ,606
1 ,448
172

8 .2
19 .0
22,.2
16,.8
11,,1
5,.9
6,.2
4,.4

7,.3
17 .4
19 .5
15 .8
10,.5
5,.2
5,.5
3,.8

6,.9
17,.7
20,.4
15,.7
9..8
4..7
5..1
3..3

7,.0
17,.5
19,.6
16,.1
10,.4
4,.7
5,.2
3..0

7..0
17,.2
19,.9
15,.6
11.,0
4..8
5..2
3,.0

7.5
17.9
20.3
16.1
10.3
5.3
5.8
3.1

HOUSEHOLD DATA

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-7. Range of unemployment measures based on varying definitions of unemployment and the labor force,
seasonally adjusted
Monthly data

Quarterly averages
1977

1978
Apr.

May

U-1—Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer as a percent of the
civilian labor force

2.2

1.9

1.9

1.9

1.6

1.5

1.4

1.4

U-2—Job losers as a percent of the civilian labor force

3.4

3.1

3.2

3.0

2.6

2.5

2.5

2.6

U-3—Unemployed persons 25 years and over as a percent of the civilian
labor force 25 years and over

5.2

5.0

4.9

4.7

3.9

4.2

U-4—Unemployed full-time jobseekers as a percent of the full-time labor
force

6.9

U-5—Total unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor force
(official measure)

6.1

U-6—Total full-time jobseekers plus 1/a part-time jobseekers plus % total
on part time for economic reasons as a percent of the civilian
labor force less Vi of the part-time labor force
U-7 —Total full-time jobseekers plus
part-time jobseekers plus % total
on part time for economic reasons plus discouraged workers as a
percent of the civilian labor force plus discouraged workers less
Vi of the part-time labor force

7."6

1/2

N.A.= not available.




9.7

7.6

HOUSEHOLD DATA

-

HOUSEHOLD DATA

Table A-8. Employment status of the noninstitutional population for ten large States
[Numbers in thousands]
Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

State and employment status
May
1977

Apr.
1978

May
1978

May
1977

Jan.
1978

Feb.
1978

Mar.
1978

Apr.
1978

May
1978

15 8 7 8
10 0 4 8
9 252
795
7.9

16,175
10,538
9,777
760
7.2

16,,202
10,,559
9,,819
740
7.0

15,,878
10,,103
9,,235
868
8.6

16,,099
10,,288
9,,584
704
6.8

16,,124
10,,422
9,,628
794
7.6

16,,148
10,,568
9,,745
823
7.8

16,,175
10,,643
9,,862
781
7.3

16,,202
10,,615
9,,802
813
7.7

6 339
3 437
3 157 •
280
8.1

6,515
3,669
3,446
223
6.1

6,,533
3,,649
3,,424
225
6.2

6,,339
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

6,,465
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

6,,481
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

6,,498
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

6.,515
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

6,,533
(2)
(2)
(2)
(2)

8 142
5 139
4 889
249
4.9

8,205
5,236
4,950
287
5.5

8,,212
5,,275
4,,955
320
6.1

8,,142
5,,197
4,,903
294
5.7

8,,189
5,,299
4,,943
356
6.7

8,,195
5,,262
4,,923
339
6.4

8,,200
5,,243
4,,912
331
6.3

8,,205
5:,291
4:,977
314
5.9

8.,212
,5,,347
4,,969
378
7.1

4 288
2 769
2 585
184
6.6

4,327
2,794
2,635
160
5.7

4,,331
2,,806
2,,654
152
5.4

4,,288
(2)
2,,593
(2)
(2)

4,,315
(2)
2,,649
(2)
(2)

4,,319
(2)
2,,641
(2)
(2)

4:,323
(2)
2:,657
(2)
(2)

4:,327
(2)
2:,672
(2)
(2)

4,,331
(2)
2:,662
(2)
(2)

6,,539
4,,044
3,,746
297
7.3

6,609
4,155
3,881
274
6.6

6,,615

6,,539

6,,590

6,,609

(2)
(2)
312
(2)

(2)
(2)
330
(2)

6,,596
(2)
(2)
242
(2)

6,,602

4,,154
3.,882
272
6.6

(2)
(2)
229
(2)

(2)
(2)
254
(2)

6,,615
(2)
(2)
287
(2)

5,,404
3,,322
3,,037
285
8.6

5,453
3,302
3,064
238
7.2

5,,458
3.,343
3,,099
244
7.3

5,,404
3.,341
3,,038
303
9.1

5,,439
3.,406
3.,175
231
6.8

5,,444
3,,356

5,,448
3:• 2 7 4
3:,067
207
6.3

5,,453
3,,339
3:,093
246
7.4

5,,458
3,,363
3,,101
262
7.8

13:,295
7.,678
6,,999
680
8.8

13,324
7,830
7,245
585
7.5

13.,328
7, ,764
7, ,183
581
7.5

13,,295
7.,740
6,,980
760
9.8

13 ,317
7,,906
7,,278
6 28

13 ,321
7,,784
7:,182
602
7.7

13:,324
7,,842
7, ,239
603
7.7

13 ;,328
7, ,815
7, ,165
650

7.9

13 ;,318
7, ,826
7,,192
634
8.1

7,,767
4 j,757
4.,500
257
5.4

7,826
4,788
4,518
270
5.6

7,,832
4,,852
4,,606
247
5.1

7,,767
4,,787
4,,497
290
6.1

7.,812
4,,787
4,,526
261
5.5

7,,816
4,,795
4,,541
254
5.3

7:,820
4.,787
4,,538
249
5.2

7,,826
4,,850
4,,574
276
5.7

7,,832
4,,883
4,,603
280
5.7

8,,804
5,,112
4,,785
327
6.4

8,856
5,207
4,848
359
6.9

8,,861
5,,151
4.,852
299
5.8

8,,804
5,,149
4,,786
363
7.0

8:,842
5,,166
4,,802
364
7.0

81,846
5,,•188
4:,862
326
6.3

8,,850
5,,269
4:,899
370
7.0

8,,856
5,,248
4,,866
382
7.3

8,,861
5,,189
4,,853
336
6.5

8,,967
5,,703
5,,468
234

9,160
5,913
5,683
230

9:,125
5,,919
5,,612
307
5.2

9 ,143
5,,990
5,,702
288

9,,160
5,, 9 5 5
5,,695
260

3.9

8,,967
5,,767
5,,508
259
4.5

9 ,108
5,,984
5,,692
292

4.1

9,,179
5,,937
5,,690
247
4.2

9,,179
6,,003
5,,730
273
4.5

California
Civilian noninstitutional population
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate

1

Florida
Civilian noninstitutional population 1
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate
Illinois
Civilian noninstitutional population
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate

1

Massachusetts
Civilian noninstitutional population
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate

1

Michigan
Civilian noninstitutional population
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate

1

New Jersey
Civilian noninstitutional population

1

Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate

3,,109
247
7.4

New York
Civilian noninstitutional population 1
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate

8.3

Ohio
Civilian noninstitutional population 1
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate
Pennsylvania
Civilian noninstitutional population
Civilian labor force
Employed

1

Unemployed
Unemployment rate
Texas
Civilian noninstitutional population 1
Civilian labor force
Employed
Unemployed
Unemployment rate
1

The population figures are not adjusted for seasonal variations; therefore, identical

numbers appear in the unadjusted and the seasonally adjusted columns.
* These are the official Bureau of Labor Statistics' estimates used in the administration
of Federal fund allocation programs.




2

4.9

4.8

4.4

Seasonally-adjusted data are not presented for this series, because the variations that are

due to seasonal influences cannot be separated with sufficient precision from those which stem
from the trend-cycle and irregular components of the original time series,

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-1. Employees on nonagricultural payrolls, by industry
[In thousands]
Seasonally adjusted

Not seasonally adjusted
Industry
MAY
1 977

TOTAL
GOODS-PRODUCING

DURABLE GOODS ..
Production workers .
Ordnance and accessories
Lumber and wood products
Furniture and fixtures
Stone, clay, and glass products . . .
Primary metal industries
Fabricated metal products
Machinery, except electrical
Electrical equipment
Transportation equipment
Instruments and related products
Miscellaneous manufacturing

TRANSPORTATION A N D PUBLIC
UTILITIES
WHOLESALE A N D RETAIL T R A D E
WHOLESALE TRADE
RETAIL TRADE
FINANCE, INSURANCE, A N D REAL ESTATE

.

FFR .
1978

MAP.
l<*78

APR.
1978

84,867

85,552

31,83 7

83,719

84,046

8 4 , 5 55

85,170

24,984

25,286

24,264

24,59 3

24,733

24,945

25,331

716

887

901

3, 721

4,061

4,245

3 ,916

3 ,947

4,353

4 , 2 26

20,140
14, 515

19,566
14,102

19,972
14,40 3

20,075
14,48<*

20,164
14,556

20,209
14,588

11,928
8,578

12,018

11 , 4 5 1

8,647

8, 211

11 , 8 2 8
8, 512

U ,900
8 , 575

11,965
8,614

11,986
8,632

156.4
157. I
155.2
660.8
650.1
63
.0
532.4
534.9
504. I
661.5
680.5
655.7
1,217. 8 1,205. 1 1,213.8
1,440.1 1,498.7 I,507.8
2,161.0 2,301. 5 2.313.4
1,915.1 2,014.3 2.023.7
1,850.6 1.873.8
541.5
544.6
525.4
418.0
420.7
419. 9

157. 1
673.4
532.3
688.3
1,223.9
I,516.8
2.324.6
2,034.2
1,395.2
547.7
424.2

156
63 8
50 8
653
1,215
1, 4 4 4
2 , 165
1,925
1,797
52 8
, 42 2

156
667
532
67 5

539
42 3

157
664
537
676
1 ,217
1,515
2 ,279
2,017
1,879
541
427

1 57
6 70
5 40
6 80
1 , 2 15
1 ,515
2,295
2,035
1 , 8 85
5 45
4 28

1,518
2, 311
2,038
1,876
548
428

8, 122

8,115
5 ,891

8 , 144
5,89 1

9 , 166
5,913

3 » 1 99
5 , 9 42

8,223
5,956

1,565.2 1,661. 1
65. 3
61.8
61.9
990.9
995. 7
989.9
1, 2 9 4 . 6 1 . 2 9 7 . 5 1 . 2 9 7 . 7
707.4
715.6
711.8
1, 1 3 1 . 2 I , 1 3 5 . 1 1, 1 3 5 . 7
1,06 6.3 1,069.5 1,070.4
211.4
213.4
215.3
694.1
698.5
701.6
262. I
264.9
267.5

1,733
72
986
1,292
701

1 , 729
60
995

1, 108

1,062
210
684
267

1,72 8
69
99 1
1,289
707
1 , 125
1,066
214
693
262

710
1 ,129
1,070
217
701
263

1 , 7 39
70
995
1 , 2 92
7 14
1 , 1 33
1,071
2 17
7 05
263

1,742
68
991
1 ,301
718
1 ,137
1,074
216
712
264

5 9 , 126

59,313

59,610

59,839

19,470
14,021

19,924
14,341

20,036
14,432

11,442
8 ,237

11,833
8,498

1,673.9
63.2
983. 5
1,295. 9
6 96. 0
1,105.4
1 , 0 56. 4
209.8
673.9
269.7

SERVICE-PRODUCING .

JAN.
1978

83,734

8 ,02 8
5,814

Food and kindred products
Tobacco manufacturers
Textile mill products
Apparel and other textile products
Paper and allied products
Printing and publishing
Chemicals and allied products
Petroleum and coal products
Rubber and plastics products, nec
Leather and leather products

MAY
1977

24,361

1, 811. 0

NONDURABLE GOODS
Production workers •.

1 978

8 2 , 0? 9

3,853

MANUFACTURING..
Production workers

p
1978

24,167

MINING
CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION .

M/VR .
1978

8,091
5, 843

8 , 108
5,854

5,868

1,668.0

3,85 3

1,212
1,499
2,265
1,998

1,862

1,28^

157
6 70
537
687

1 ,216

57 , 862

59,373

59,883

60,266

57,573

4,57 7

4,630

4,670

4,697

4,586

4,628

4 ,651

4 , S 72

4 , 708

18,176

18,518

18,720

18,906

18,202

18,744

18,744

18,849

18,876

4,353
13,823

4,495
14,023

4,511
14,209

4,534
14,372

4,379
13,823

4,48 2
14,262

4, 510
14,234

4 , 5 40
4,309

4,552
14,324

4,476

4,637

4,673

4,706

4,481

4,630

4,647

4,673

4,687

16,087

15,875

15,954

SERVICES

15,288

15,748

15,954

15, 197

15,693

15,791

GOVERNMENT

15,345

15,840

15, 866

15,870

15,107

15,431

15,480

15,544

15,614

2,728
12 , 6 1 7

2, 725
13,115

2,739
13,127

21 747
13,123

2,725
12,382

2,736
12,69 5

2 ,736
12,744

2 , 7 36
12,808

2,744
12,870

FEDERAL
STATE AND LOCAL
p=preliminary.




ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-2. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers, on private
nonagricultural payrolls, by industry
Not seasonally adjusted

Seasonally adjusted

Industry
MAY
1977

TOTAL PRIVATE

MAR.
1978

36.1

35.9

MINING

44.1

CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION

37.b

MANUFACTURING
Overtime hours
DURABLE GOODS
Overtime hours

APR.
1978

*AY
197 8

MAY
1977

JAN.
1978

FEB.
1978

MAR.
1978

36.0

35.8

36.3

35.6

35 . 3

36.2

44. 1

43 . 8

43.7

44.1

43.2

43.6

36.4

37.1

36.6

37.4

34.6

35.7

40.3
3.3

40.4
3.4

40.4
3.4

40.3
3.4

40,4
3.4

39.6
3.5

4 1.0
3.5

41.0
3.7

41.0
3.6

41.0
3 .6

41.0
3.6

41.3
40.3
38.4
41.8
4 1 .b
41.0
4 1 .4
40 d
42.8
40.3
39.0

41 .2
39.5
39.4
41.4
4L . 4
41.1
4?.?
40.3
41.5
41 . 0
39.3

40.3
40.0
39.2
42.0
41 .4
41.2
41.9
40.1
41.9
40.9
39.2

40.0
39. 7
39.0
41.9
41.4
41.1
41.7
40.1
41.9
40.6
39. 1

39.3
3- D

39.4
3.1

39.4
3.1

3 9.7
38.1
40.6
35.5
42.7
37.p
41.7
42.S
41.1
37.3

39.4
3P . 5
40.4
35 . 8
43.0
38.3
42.0
43.6
40.6
37.2

T R A N S P O R T A T I O N A N D PUBLIC
UTILITIES

40.3

40.2

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE

^3.2
38.7
3 1.S

FINANCE, INSURANCE, A N D
REAL ESTATE

36.6

SERVICES

33.3

Ordnance and accessories
Lumber and wood products
Furniture and fixtures
Stone, clay, and glass products
Primary metal industries
Fabricated metal products
Machinery, except electrical
Electrical equipment
Transportation equipment
Instruments and related products
Miscellaneous manufacturing
NONDURABLE GOODS
Overtime hours
Food and kindred products
Tobacco manufacturers
Textile mill products
Apparel and other textile products
Paper and allied products
Printing and publishing
Chemicals and allied products
Petroleum and coal products
Rubber and plastics products, nec
Leather and leather products

WHOLESALE TRADE
RETAIL TRADE

.

APR.
1978

p

MAY
1^78

36.3

36.0

44.6

44.2

43.7

16. 8

37.4

36.5

39.9
3.8

40.6
3. 7

40.7
3. 6

40.3
3.5

40.2
3.7

40. 5
A.O

41. 2
3.9

41 .2
3.8

41 . 0
3.7

41.1
40.0
38.7
41.6
41.5
41.0
41.6
40.2
42.5
40.4
39.0

40.2
39.4
37.7
40.3
41 .0
40.3
40.9
39.5
41.1
39.8
36.0

37.9
39.4
39.8
40.9
41.5
40.7
41. 7
39.6
40.6
40.3
38.3

41. 1
39. 9
39. 0
41.6
41. 5
41. 3
42. 2
40.4
41.7
41. 1
39.2

40. 3
40.0
39. 8
42.3
41.4
41.5
42.2
40.3
41.9
41.2
39.3

40. 1
39.4
39.3
41.7
41.4
41.1
42.0
40. 2
41.6
40. 7
39. 1

39.3
3.0

39.5
3.2

38 . 7
3. 1

39.1
3.4

39.7
3. 3

39.8
3.4

39.4
3.2

39.3
38.5
40.3
35.0
42.7
37.7
42.0
43.«
40.8
37.6

39.4
38.4
40.4
55.6
42.6
37.4
41.8
43.4
40.5
37.5

40.0
38.4
40.5'
35.6
42.9
37.6
41 .7
42.6
41 .3
37.1

39.1
37.5
40.0
33.9
42.2
37.4
41 .6
43.6
39.8
36.6

39.6
38.5
40.3
3 5.2
42.4
37.5
41 .7
43.4
3^.4
36.6

40.0
39. 0
40.6
3 5.9
43.4
38. 1
42. 1
44. 0
40.6
3 7.4

40.0
38.9
40.7
36. 1
43.4
38. 1
41.9
43.8
41.1
38.2

39.7
38. 7
40.3
35.7
42.8
37. 5
41.8
43.4
40.7
37.3

40.1

39.9

40.3

3<».R

40.4

40. 6

40.3

40.2

J2.R

32.8

32.8

3 T. 5

32.8

32.8

33. 1

33.1

33.1

38.8
31 . 0

38.8
31.1

38.7
31.1

33.8
31.9

38.6
31.1

38.8
31. 1

39. 0
31. 4

39.0
31.4

38.8
31.4

36.5

36.8

36.5

36.7

36.5

36.S

36.6

36.8

36.6

33.3

33.3

33.0

33.5

33.5

33.2

33.5

33.5

33.2

1
Data relate to production workers in mining and manufacturing: to construction workers in contract construction: and to nonsupervisory workers in transportation end public utilities; wholesale and
retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and services. These groups account for approximately four-fifths of the total employment on private nonagricultural payrolls.
p= preliminary.




ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-3. Average hourly and weekly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private
nonagricultural payrolls, by industry
Average hourly earnings
Industry

Average weekly earnings

MAR.
1978

APR.
1978

MAR.
1978

APR.
1978

$5.19
5.20

$5.54
5.56

$5.61
5.62

$5.63
5.64

$187.36
188.76

$198.89
201.27

$20 1.96
204.01

$201.55
203.04

MINING

6.81

6.87

7.55

7.60

300.32

302.97

33 0 . 69

332.12

CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION

7.91

8.36

8.32

8.43

296.63

304.30

308.67

308.54

MANUFACTURING

5.56

5.96

5.99

6.03

224.07

2 4 0 . 78

242.00

243.01

5.95

6 . 35

6 . 39

6.43

243.95

260.35

261.99

263.63

6 . 16
4 . 97
4.23
5 . 73
7 . 39
5.77
6.10
5.23
7 . 10
5.13
4 . 31

6 . 68
5.34
4.53
6.04
7.97
6.11
6.55
5.65
7.57
5.49
4.56

6. 69
5.40
4.56
6.14
7.99
0.17
6 . 56
5.67
7.62
5 . 50
4.59

6.64
5.47
4 . 58
6 . 19
8.09
6.20
6 . 57
5.70
7.64
5.51
4.60

252.56
200.29
162.43
239.51
306.69
236.57
252.54
209.72
303.88
206.74
168.09

275.22
210.93
178.48
250.06
329.96
251.12
276.41
227.70
314.16
225.09
179.21

269.61
21 6 . 0 0
178.>5
257.68
3 3 0 . 79
254.20
2 7 4 . 86
22 7. 37
319.28
224.95
179.93

265.60
217.16
178.62
259.36
334.93
254.82
273.97
228.57
.320.12
2 2 3 . 71
179.86

4.99

5.37

5.39

5.41

196.11

211.58

212.37

212.61

5.28
5.58
3.86
3.56
5.80
6.02
6.29
7.69
5.05
3.63

5.66
6.22
4 . 16
3.89
6.27
6.37
6.79
8.34
5.29
3.89

5.70
6.29
4 . 17
3.«*1
6.28
6.37
6.81
8.36
5.33
3.89

5.75
6.28
4 . 17
3.91
6.32
6.40
6.84
8.32
5.40
3.89

209.62
212.60
156.72
126.38
247.66
225.75
262.29
327.59
207.56
135.40

223.00
239.47
168.06
139.26
269.61
242.06
285.18
363.62
2 1 4 , . 77
144.71

2 2 4 . 01
2 4 2 . 17
168.05
139.98
2 6 8 . 16
2 4 0 . 15
2 8 6 . 02
3 6 6 . 17
217.46
146.26

226.55
241.15
168.47
139.20
269.23
239.36
285.91
361.09
218.70
145.88

6.83

7.31

7.40

7.40

273.2C

293.86

2 9 6 . 74

295.26

4.25

4.57

4.61

4.62

141.10

149.90

151.21

151.54

5 . 52
3.80

5.87
4.09

5.96
4 . 12

5.97
4 . 13

213.62
120.08

2 2 7 . 76
1 2 6 . 79

231.25
1 2 8 . 13

231.04
128.44

FINANCE, INSURANCE, A N D REAL ESTATE

4 . 58

4.83

4.92

4 . 90

167.63

176.30

1 8 1 . 06

178.85

SERVICES

4.67

5.02

5.05

5.07

155.51

167.17

1 6 8 . 17

167.31

TOTAL PRIVATE

DURABLE GOODS

Lumber and wood products
Furniture and fixtures
Stone, clay, and glass products
Primary metal industries

Rubber and plastics products, nec
Leather and leather products.
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N A N D PUBLIC UTILITIES
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE
WHOLESALE TRADE
RETAIL TRADE

1

See footnote 1, table B-2.
p=preliminary.




!

P

MAY
1978

MAY
1977

MAY
1977

P

MAY
1978

'

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B-4. Hourly earnings index for production or nonsupervisory workers' on private
nonagricultural payrolls, by industry division, seasonally adjusted
[1967=1001
Pareent c h M f i from
Industry

MAY
1977

DEC.
1977

JAN.
1978

FEB*
1978

MAR.
1978

APR.
1978

196.4
108.6

205.2
110.3

208.1
111.0

208.8
110.6

210.2
110.5

212.0
110.5

212.6
N.A.

8.2
(2)

0.3
(3)

213.1
193.3
196.9
209.9
190.6
178.5
200.5

219.1
198.9
206.3
221.5
198.8
185.8
209.8

221.4
201.1
208.3
223.3
202.4
188.5
214.4

223.2
201.6
209.7
223.9
203.0
187.5
214.3

225.3
203.8
210.9
225.0
204.8
188.5
215.7

235.9
204.2
212.1
227.7
206.9
191.7
217.5

237.2
205.7
213.3
227.4
206.8
190.7
218.1

11.3
6.5
8.3
8.3
8.5
6.8
o. o

. 5
. 8
.6
- . 1
—. 1
—.5
.3

P

MAY P
1978

MAY
MAY

197 7 1978

APR.
MAY

19781978

TOTAL PRIVATE NONFARM:
Current dollars
Constant (1967) dollars
MINING
CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION
MANUFACTURING
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE
FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE
SERVICES
\
2
3

SEE FOOTNOTE 1 , TABLE B - 2 .
P E R C E N T CHANGE WAS 1 . 7 FROM A P R I L 1 9 7 7 T O A P R I L 1 9 7 8 . T H E L A T E S T MONTH A V A I L A B L E .
P E R C E N T CHANGE WAS . 0 FROM MARCH 1 9 7 8 T O A P R I L 1 9 7 8 , T H E L A T E S T MONTH A V A I L A B L E .

N.A. * not available,
^preliminary.
NOTE: Ail series are in current dollars except where indicated. The index excludes effects pf two types of changes that are unrelated to underlying wage-rate developments: Fluctuations in overtime
premiums in manufacturing (the only sector for which overtime data are available) and the effects of changes in the proportion of workers in high-wage and low-wage industries.

Table B-5. Indexes of aggregate weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers,1 on private
nonagricultural payrolls, by industry, seasonally adjusted
[1967*1001
l

1977

-il*

Industry division and group
MAY

TOTAL PRIVATE
GOODS-PRODUCING
MINING
CONTRACT CONSTRUCTION

JUNE

JULY

AUG.

SEPT.

OCT.

NOV.

DEC.

JAN.

FEB.

MAR.

APR.

p

MAY

p

11 5.*

115.8

115.8

115.6 115. 9

116.8

117.2

117.5

116. 1

117.0

119.2

120.4

119.8

101.4

101.8

101.4

100.6 100.9

101.7

102.3

102.1

99.5

101.4

10 4 . 3

106.8

105.8

1 V3.9

144.8

113.3

110.7

112.6

118.7

149.9

149.3

1 14.0 113.5

104.7

108.9

116.5

124.6

122.1

98.8

99.7

98.2

99.7

10 1 . 7

102.1

101.4

99.3
38.2
106.8
110.6
103.2
89.7
105.0
105.5
98.8
96.2
113.2
91.1

99.5
38.2
109.5
111.7
106.7
89.5
105.7
104.9
99.4
94.5
113.4
91 .5

100.8
40.2
109.8
113.3
107.0
89 . 7
107. 7
106 . 0
100.4
96.7
114.4
93.9

99.3
39.8
107.6
109.3
104.3
89.5
105. 3
104.0
98.9
96.5
113.4
92.3

100.9
38. 1
106.8
116.5
105.4
91.2
107.6
107.0
100.3
96.3
114.8
93.9

103. C 103.4
39.9
41.3
109. 3 109.4
11 7 . 6 1 1 7 . 0
108. 0 111.3
90.9
90.9
10 9 . 1 1 0 9 . 8
109. 1 110.0
10 3 . 4 1 0 3 . 1
99. 1
99.0
11 7 . 8 1 1 9 . 2
96.4
96.9

102.9
39.2
108.4
115.0
109.3
91.5
108.9
110.4
103.3
98.3
117.7
95.8

140.6
112.

142. 3 1 3 9 . 9
111.3

112.8

134.7 142.5
110.8 110.4

112.3

97.8

98.4

98.1

98. 7

97.8
40.7
104.1
107.a
104.2
90.7*
102.8
100.^
97.
95.3
112 .3
94.7

98. 7
41.0
104.0
107.9
105.4
90.9
104.2
101.6
97.9
96.5
L13.2
94.6

98.5
97.3
78.c
100.2
88.6
100.4
95 . 1
103.3
119.3
135.3
73.3

98.7
97.7
97.3
95.9
80.2
77.2
99. 7
99.9
89.8
87.6
101. 1 100.3
95.3
95.6
103.8 103.7
121.6 119.9
133.9 132.5
72.9
69.9

96.9
96.9
97.1
94. 1
92.8
94.5
72.4
73.2
71.7
98.9
99.4 100.2
87.8
87.2
87.8
99.7 100.2
99.4
95.1
95.7
95.7
103.4 103.0 102.6
120.4 120.8 122.8
129.7 129.3 13J.5
72.7
73.8
71.8

97.8
94.2
7 2.2
101.4
88.6
99.6
95.9
103.0
124.8
132.5
73.7

98.1
94.6
74.0
100.8
89.0
100.8
95.9
103.5
125.7
133.8
71.9

96.5
94.4
72.4
99.3
84.2
99.3
94.6
103.8
126.6
131.3
70.7

97. 8
96.0
74.4
100.4
87.2
100.2
95.3
104.5
127.8
131. 9
70.7

99. 9 100.3
97.6
97.6
73.8
76.7
10 1 . 3 1 0 1 . 2
89.4
90.7
10 3 . 1 1 0 3 . 5
97.4
97.6
10 5 . 5 1 0 5 . 2
128.6 128.1
13 7 . 4 1 4 0 . 1
72.6
74.5

99.2
95.5
76.1
100.9
89 . 2
103.0
96.0
105.3
125.1
138.5
73.1

125.9

125.6

125.8

126.1 126.4

127.2

127.5

128.2

127.6

127.8

129.4

129.8

129.6

TRANSPORTATION A N D PUBLIC
UTILITIES

104.fa

104. 1

103.1

103.5 103.9

102.9

105.1

105.6

103.5

105.4

106.3

106.3

106.1

WHOLESALE A N D RETAIL
TRADE

121.4

121.2

121.6

121.6 121.8

122.7

122.4

123.2

122.3

122.3

12 4 . 1

124.1

124.4

117.3
123.J

117.3
122.7

117.5
123.1

117.5 117.8
123.1 123.3

118.7
124.2

118.8
123.7

118.9
124.8

118.9
123.5

120.3
123. 1

121.7
12 4 . 9

122.0
124.9

121.7
125.4

131.o

131.7

132.3

132.7 L33.2

134.2

134.9

134.9

135.4

135.9

136.7

138. 1

138.0

140.3

139.6

140.1

L40.9

142.7

142.6

143.4

143.8

143.4

145.3

146.0

145.2

MANUFACTURING
DURABLE GOODS
Lumber and wood products
Furniture and fixtures
Stone, clay, and glass products
Primary metal industries
Fabricated metal products
Machinery, except electrical
Electrical equipment and supplies
Transportation equipment
Instruments and related products
Miscellaneous manufacturing industry
NONDURABLE GOODS
Food and kindred products
Tobacco manufacturers
Textile mill products
Apparel and other textile products
Paper and allied products
Printing and publishing
Chemicals and allied products
Petroleum and coal products
Rubber and plastics products, nec
Leather and leather products
SERVICE-PRODUCING

WHOLESALE TRADE
RETAIL TRADE
FINANCE, INSURANCE, A N D
REAL ESTATE
SERVICES
1

See footnote 1, table B-2.




98.0
98.3
40.5
105.3
108.4
104.9
89.0
103. 7
103.2
98 . 3
94.8
111.7
91.4

97.6
98.L
39.3
104.0
107.2
104.1
88.2
103.3
103.5
98.3
95.4
111.3
91.3

140.6

98 .4
39. 1
106.0
108.3
103.3
89.0
103. 1
103.6
97.8
96.5
112.4
90.3

p-preliminery.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Table B - 6 . Indexes of diffusion:

ESTABLISHMENT DATA

Percent of industries in which employment 1 increased

Over 12-month span

Over 1-month span

Over 3-month span

Over 6-month span

January
February
March

15. 1
15. 7
25 6

12. 8
12. 8
18. 6

12. 8
11. 9
17. 7

16. 6
1 7 . l+
17. 7

April
May

39. 0
51. 2
kO. 7

32. 3
t+3. n
52. 3

28. 2
k l . 6
5 6 .,7

20. 6
27. 0
1+0. 7

July

58. 1
73. 0
80 8

57. 0
7 6 ., 2
81. 7

67. 2
70. 1
75. 3

50. 6
63. 1
7 2 . ,k

66. 9
62. 2
7U. 1

7k. 1
72. k
7k. J

82. 3
8 3 . l+
81. 7

7 7 .,3
80. 2
82. 6

78
77
7k

8 2 ., 0
8k. , 3
8 5 ,,2

8 3 .,1
8 1 .,7
79. 9

8 6 ., 0
8 U ., 6
8 1 ., 1

7 9 , ,h
6 6 ..6
5k, . 1

7 7 .,9
7 1 .,5
6 1 .,0

7 9 .,1+
7 0 .,9
6 8 .,6

7k. ,1+
7 9 ., 7
7 9 ,. 1

September

57, . 3
h7, . 1
6 9 ..8

5 2 .,9
6 2 ..5
5 6 .,7

5 7 ., 0
5 7 ., 3
6 3 ., 7

71+,. 1
7k, . 7
7 8 .. 5

December

1+2.,k
6 9 ,. 5
73 . 0

6 2 ..8
5 8 . .7
7 9 ,.9

6 9 .. 8
7 3 ., 5
7 8 .. 5

7 6 .. 5
7 5 ,. 0
7i+,. 7

7 5 ,. 0
7 3 ,. 5
8 2 ,. 3

79, . 7
8 6 ,. 0
8 5 ,. 8

8 9 ,. 0
8 6 ,. 6
8 3 ,. 1

7 5 ,. 9
7 5 ,. 6
78 . 2

81+,. 0

June

77 . 6
6 8 ,. 6
6 3 ,. 7

73 . 3
7 0 ,. 1

8 0 ,. 5
7 1 ,. 5
6 8 ,. 0

79 . 1
77 . 6

July
August
September

65 .7
50 . 0
61 .3

5 6 ,. 1
6 2 ,. 5
57 . 0

6 8 ,. 3
68 . 3
7 2 ,. 1

78 . 8
78 . 8
75 . 6

59 . 9
75 . 9
73 . 8

73 . 3
76 . 2
77 . 9

75 . 0
80 . 5
83 . 7

77 . 6 p
76 • 2p

December . .

66 . 9
70 . 1
7 k .1+

80 .5
81 . 7
77 . 9p

85 . 2p
80 • 2p

68 . 9p
55 . 8 p

68 . 3p

Year and month

1975

September
October

...

December . .
1976

February

July

5
9
1

1977

April

1978

March
April
June
July
August
September . .

November
December

..

1 Number of employees, seasonally adjusted, on payrolls of 172 private nonagricultural industries,
p = preliminary.




78 . 2