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Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov
Technical information: (202) 691-5654
Media contact: (202) 691-5902

USDL 01-280
For Release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Friday, August 31, 2001

INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS OF MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY
AND UNIT LABOR COST TRENDS, 2000
In 2000, the labor productivity growth rate for manufacturing was
the highest in the United States among the 10 countries for which
comparable data were available, according to preliminary data from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. The labor
productivity increase in the United States was 7.1 percent, followed by
6.0 and 5.8 percent in Germany and France, respectively. The
productivity growth rates in Canada and Norway were the lowest among
the countries compared. (See chart 1.)
These preliminary estimates for 2000, as well as revisions to the
estimates through 1999, are based on data available in June 2001. The
output series for U.S. manufacturing used for international comparisons
differs from the manufacturing series that BLS publishes quarterly on
U.S. productivity and costs. Labor productivity for this release is
computed as value added output per hour worked. (See technical notes.)
PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT:
Chart 1. Percent change in manufacturing output per hour, 2000
-2Unit labor costs - the cost of labor input required to produce
one unit of output - are computed as labor costs in nominal terms
divided by real output. Unit labor costs also can be expressed as the
ratio of hourly compensation to labor productivity. An increase in
productivity represents a decrease in the amount of labor input used to
produce a unit of output; thus, an increase in productivity can offset
an increase in compensation per hour in its effect on unit labor costs.
Unit labor costs in manufacturing, expressed in national currency
units, declined in 11 of the 13 countries for which comparable data on
unit labor costs were available in 2000. The United States had a
decline of 0.5 percent. The largest declines occurred in Japan (5.1
percent) and Denmark (2.9 percent). Norway and Canada were the only

two countries where unit labor costs increased. (See table A and chart
2.)
PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT:
Chart 2. Percent change in manufacturing unit labor costs (national
currency basis), 2000
Changes in exchange rates must be taken into account in order to
assess international competitiveness in manufacturing. The weakening
of the euro against the dollar in 2000 deepened the unit labor cost
declines in the European countries, when measured in U.S. dollars. The
stronger currencies in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan, however, resulted in
increased U.S. dollar-based unit labor costs in these three countries.
(See table A and chart 3.)
-3PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT:
Chart 3. Percent change in manufacturing unit labor costs (U.S. dollar
basis), 2000
Table A summarizes changes in manufacturing productivity, unit
labor costs, and related variables between 1999 and 2000. Output and
unit labor cost data are presented for 13 economies. Comparable
productivity data are not shown for Korea, Taiwan, and Denmark. (See
technical notes.) No 2000 data are available for the Netherlands.
Labor productivity rose in all 10 countries compared. In the United
States, France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, output per hour
rose because output increased while hours decreased. In Canada, Japan,
Belgium, and Sweden, output per hour rose because output increased more
than hours. Except for Norway, every country experienced an increase
in output. Norway’s growth in productivity was the result of a smaller
decline in output than in hours worked.
Unit labor costs measured in national currencies are affected by
the degree and direction of change in both hourly compensation and
productivity. Of the 10 countries for which hours worked series are
available, all, except Japan, showed an increase in both hourly
compensation and labor productivity in 2000. In Canada and Norway,
hourly compensation grew more than productivity, resulting in increases
in unit labor costs in national currency units. In the remaining eight
countries, productivity growth was greater than the rise in hourly
compensation, causing unit labor costs to decline.
-4-

Table A. Manufacturing productivity and unit labor costs in 14 countries or areas
Percent change, 1999-2000

Output
per
hour

Output

United States

7.1

6.1

Canada
Japan
Korea (2)
Taiwan (2)
Belgium
Denmark
France

1.2
5.4
NA
NA
3.0
NA
5.8

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

6.0
3.5
NA
1.1
4.8
5.0

Country
or area

(1)
(2)

Total
compensation

Hourly
compensation

Unit labor costs
National
U.S.
currency dollars

Employment

Average
hours

- 0.9

- 0.6

- 0.3

5.5

6.5

- 0.5

- 0.5

---

5.7
5.8
15.4
7.5
3.6
6.3
3.3

4.4
0.4
NA
NA
0.6
NA
- 2.3

4.4
- 1.8
NA
NA
1.8
- 0.8
1.2

0.0
2.2
NA
NA
- 1.2
NA
- 3.4

8.0
0.4
12.3
5.0
3.2
3.3
2.8

3.5
0.0
NA
NA
2.6
NA
5.2

-

2.2
5.1
2.7
2.3
0.4
2.9
0.5

2.2
0.1
2.4
1.0
-13.7
-16.2
-13.8

0.0
5.5
5.2
3.4
-13.3
-13.7
-13.3

5.7
3.4
NA
- 2.7
6.3
1.6

- 0.3
- 0.1
NA
- 3.8
1.5
- 3.3

0.7
0.1
NA
- 2.7
1.3
- 3.7

- 1.0
- 0.2
NA
- 1.1
0.2
0.4

3.2
2.8
NA
1.1
4.1
0.3

3.5
2.9
NA
5.0
2.6
3.7

- 2.3
- 0.5
NA
3.9
- 2.1
- 1.3

-15.4
-13.8
NA
- 8.0
-11.7
- 7.5

-13.3
-13.3
-13.3
-11.4
- 9.8
- 6.3

Hours

Value of foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar.
Productivity not available because suitable labor input measures have not been developed by BLS.

NA=Not Available
Although the productivity measure relates output to the hours
worked of persons employed in manufacturing, it does not measure the
specific contributions of labor as a single factor of production.
Rather, it reflects the joint effects of many influences, including new
technology, capital investment, capacity utilization, energy use, and
managerial skills, as well as the skills and efforts of the work force.
Table B (pages 9-13) shows average annual percent changes for
selected periods, beginning in 1979. Annual indexes of the data are in
tables 1-15 (pages 19-33).
-5BOX: Notes about the measures

Exchange
rate (1)

The measures in this news release are based on data available to BLS as
of June 2001. Revisions for 1999 and earlier years were made to the
measures for several countries to incorporate data not available at the
time of the April 2001 news release.
U.S. manufacturing output measure
The output measure for manufacturing in the United States is the chainweighted index of real gross product originating (deflated value
added), introduced by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S.
Department of Commerce, in August 1996. This series is based on
annually changing price weights.
The United States real output data through 1999 used in this report
were released by the BEA in December 2000. The estimates are described
in the Survey of Current Business, Vol. 80, No. 11, December 2000. The
BLS estimate of real U.S. output for 2000 was derived by extrapolating
the 1999 number forward, using the annual growth rate of the Federal
Reserve Board’s Industrial Production Index for Total Manufacturing.
The U.S. output series used for international comparisons differs from
the manufacturing series that BLS publishes on quarterly measures of
U.S. productivity and costs. While both series are based on annuallychanging price weights, the international comparisons program uses a
value added output concept, while the quarterly U.S. manufacturing
series is on a sectoral output basis. For information on the
differences between the value added and the sectoral output measures,
see technical notes.
Germany
Time series data for the whole of Germany, termed Germany (unified) in
previous BLS releases, are published by the German Federal Statistical
Office, beginning with 1991. For years prior to 1991, only data for
the former West Germany are available. Comparative indexes for the
former West Germany also are included in this report for historical
comparison purposes, although the data for West Germany end with 1998
and have not been updated or revised by BLS since they were published
in the news release USDL 99-235, on Aug. 27, 1999.
Italy
Data for this release have been revised from 1980, to correspond to the
General industrial classification of economic activities within the
European communities (NACE), by including industry 23 (manufacture of
coke, refined petroleum products, and nuclear fuel). Also, value added
output was revalued at basic prices.
New measures of National Accounts

Member states of the European Union are in the process of implementing
the European System of Integrated National Accounts (ESA 95). Some
other countries are adopting the System of National Accounts
recommended by the United Nations (SNA 93), on which ESA 95 is based.
Revisions due to these conversions to new systems are being
incorporated into the BLS estimates.
(continued on next page)
-6Notes about the measures (continued)
European exchange rates
On Jan. 1, 1999, 11 European countries joined the European Monetary
Union (EMU). Greece joined on Jan. 1, 2001. Currencies of EMU members
are established at fixed conversion rates to the euro, the official
currency of the EMU. Exchange rates between the national currencies of
EMU countries and the U.S. dollar are no longer reported; only the
exchange rate between the euro and the U.S. dollar is available.
In this news release, 2000 exchange rates in national currencies for
Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands are calculated by
taking the number of euros per U.S. dollar and then converting euros
into national currencies at fixed conversion rates.
1 euro equals:
40.3399
Belgian francs
1936.27
Italian lire
6.55957
French francs
2.20371
Netherlands guilders
1.95583
German marks
In 2000, 1 euro was equal to 0.9232 U.S. dollars. The currency
exchange rates cited in this publication are annual averages of daily
buying rates in New York City.
END OF BOX (Notes about the measures)
Manufacturing productivity, output, and labor input
The 7.1 percent increase in U.S. output per hour in manufacturing
in 2000 was the largest increase among all countries compared and 3
percentage points above the nation's average annual increase between
1990 and 2000. In 2000, U.S. output grew 6.1 percent and hours worked
fell 0.9 percent, the third year in a row that U.S. manufacturing hours
declined. (See table B.)

Of the 10 countries for which output per hour data are available,
9 experienced higher productivity growth in 2000 than in 1999. Only
Canada experienced lower productivity growth. (See table B.)
For the 1990-2000 period, productivity grew in all nine countries
for which these data are available. The rate of increase ranged from
4.7 percent per year for Sweden to 0.8 percent per year for Norway.
The United States and France were the only countries other than Sweden
that experienced productivity growth above 4 percent per year. (See
table B.)
In 2000, manufacturing output increased in all of the countries,
except Norway. Korean output grew by 15.4 percent in 2000. Increases
in other countries in 2000 ranged from 7.5 percent (Taiwan) to 1.6
percent (the United Kingdom). Manufacturing output in Norway has
declined for 2 consecutive years. (See table B.)
During 1990-2000, manufacturing output increased in all the
countries compared; the lowest gain was 0.6 percent per year in the
United Kingdom, and the highest was 8.2 percent per year in Korea. In
2000, all countries except Norway had higher output growth than the
1990-2000 average per year. (See table B.)
-7In 2000, total hours worked in manufacturing declined in 6 of the
10 countries for which comparable data were available and rose in 4.
The largest declines were in Norway (3.8 percent) and the United
Kingdom (3.3 percent). U.S. hours fell 0.9 percent, the third
consecutive year that U.S. manufacturing hours declined. Hours worked
in Canada increased 4.4 percent in 2000. Hours also rose in Japan,
Belgium, and Sweden. (See table B.)
Total hours worked in manufacturing declined between 1990 and
2000 in all countries for which hours data are available, except Canada
and Norway. Canadian hours worked rose at an average rate of 1.2
percent per year during the 1990-2000 period, while Norwegian hours
worked rose 0.3 percent per year. For the other countries, the average
1990-2000 decline in hours ranged from 2.4 percent per year in Japan to
0.1 percent per year in the U.S. (See table B.)
Manufacturing hourly compensation and unit labor costs
Hourly compensation in manufacturing increased in 2000 in all the
countries for which hours worked data were available, except Japan.

The largest increases occurred in the United States (6.5 percent),
France (5.2 percent), and Norway (5.0 percent). Hourly compensation in
Japan was unchanged in 2000. (See table B.)
A percent change in unit labor costs can be expressed
approximately as a percent change in hourly compensation minus a
percent change in labor productivity. Therefore, an increase in unit
labor costs indicates that labor compensation is rising faster than
productivity, while the reverse is true for declining unit labor costs.
Based on this relationship, table B shows that, for the pre-1990
periods of comparison for all countries except the Netherlands, average
annual increases in hourly compensation in national currency surpassed
average annual increases in labor productivity. (See table B.)
In 2000, unit labor costs, expressed in national currency units,
declined in 11 of the countries compared and increased in 2. The
largest declines occurred in Japan (5.1 percent), Denmark (2.9
percent), and Korea (2.7 percent). Only Canada (2.2 percent) and
Norway (3.9 percent) experienced a rise in unit labor costs in 2000.
In the U.S., unit labor costs decreased 0.5 percent in 2000, as
productivity increased 7.1 percent and hourly compensation increased
6.5 percent.
From 1990 to 2000, U.S. unit labor costs decreased 0.4 percent
per year. In addition to the U.S., four other countries-Japan,
Belgium, France, and Sweden-experienced declines in unit labor costs
over this time period, measured in their own currencies. (See tables B
and 9.)
In 2000, the euro lost value against the U.S. dollar, from an
average of $1.0653 per euro in 1999 to $0.9232 per euro in 2000, a drop
of 13.3 percent. Consequently, the currencies of countries in the euro
zone (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands) declined at
the same rate. The currencies of all the other European countries
(those not in the euro zone) also declined, by 6.3 to 13.7 percent.
However, the currencies of Japan, Korea, and Taiwan appreciated in
value against the U.S. dollar during 2000. The Japanese yen rose by
5.5 percent, the Korean won by 5.2 percent, and the Taiwanese dollar by
3.4 percent. The Canadian to U.S. dollar exchange rate was stable
between 1999 and 2000. (See tables B and 11.)
-8Movements in the currency markets had a noticeable effect on
comparative unit labor costs expressed in U.S. dollars. The
strengthening of currencies in Japan, Korea, and Taiwan against the

dollar in 2000 caused unit labor costs in these countries to rise when
expressed in U.S. dollars, although they decreased in terms of their
own currencies. The increases were 2.4 percent in Korea, 1.0 percent
in Taiwan, and 0.1 percent in Japan. The weakening of European
currencies against the dollar deepened the declines in their unit labor
costs when valued in U.S. dollars, from 7.5 percent in the United
Kingdom to 16.2 percent in Denmark. Unit labor costs declined also in
Norway (8 percent), when expressed in dollars, while increasing in
terms of its national currency. (See table B.)
-9Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2000
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

1979-2000 1979-85

1985-90

1990-2000

1997

1998

1999

2000

Output per hour
United States

3.5

3.5

2.4

4.1

3.6

4.5

6.6

7.1

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

2.1
3.7
NA
NA
3.7
NA
3.6

3.4
3.5
NA
NA
6.0
2.1
3.0

0.5
4.3
NA
NA
2.2
0.5
3.4

2.1
3.5
NA
NA
3.2
NA
4.1

2.8
4.2
NA
NA
8.3
NA
7.4

-0.1
0.2
NA
NA
1.6
NA
4.6

1.6
3.8
NA
NA
0.1
NA
2.6

1.2
5.4
NA
NA
3.0
NA
5.8

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

NA
2.7
NA
1.4
3.6
3.6

NA
4.0
4.4
2.4
3.1
4.4

NA
1.9
2.2
1.4
1.9
4.6

NA
2.3
NA
0.8
4.7
2.7

4.9
2.1
1.8
0.9
6.3
1.4

0.0
-0.4
2.2
0.6
5.4
1.3

1.2
0.7
2.2
-0.5
2.9
4.2

6.0
3.5
NA
1.1
4.8
5.0

United States

3.1

2.2

2.5

3.9

5.4

4.3

5.7

6.1

Canada

2.6

1.9

1.8

3.3

6.1

4.1

6.3

5.7

Output

Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

2.9
9.2
6.6
2.3
1.8
1.5

4.7
8.3
8.2
2.6
2.9
-0.4

4.8
12.2
7.0
2.5
-0.2
2.6

1.0
8.2
5.4
1.9
2.2
2.0

3.4
6.6
6.7
6.7
8.0
4.9

-5.9
-7.4
3.3
2.2
2.0
4.8

0.8
21.0
6.7
1.2
-0.8
2.0

5.8
15.4
7.5
3.6
6.3
3.3

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

NA
1.7
2.3
0.3
2.9
0.8

NA
0.9
1.8
0.6
2.2
-1.2

NA
3.2
3.2
-1.6
1.4
3.4

NA
1.4
2.1
1.0
4.0
0.6

3.4
3.2
2.6
5.1
5.3
1.3

1.5
1.5
3.3
1.8
6.9
0.5

0.4
-0.2
3.1
-3.2
4.1
0.0

5.7
3.4
NA
-2.7
6.3
1.6

Continued on next page
-10Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2000
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

1979-2000 1979-85

1985-90

1990-2000

1997

1998

1999

2000

Total hours
United States

-0.4

-1.2

0.0

-0.1

1.8

-0.2

-0.8

-0.9

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

0.5
-0.7
NA
NA
-1.4
NA
-2.1

-1.5
1.1
NA
NA
-3.2
0.8
-3.3

1.3
0.5
NA
NA
0.4
-0.6
-0.8

1.2
-2.4
NA
NA
-1.3
NA
-2.0

3.1
-0.8
NA
NA
-1.5
NA
-2.3

4.2
-6.1
NA
NA
0.6
NA
0.2

4.6
-2.9
NA
NA
1.1
NA
-0.6

4.4
0.4
NA
NA
0.6
NA
-2.3

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

NA
-1.0
NA
-1.1
-0.7
-2.8

NA
-2.9
-2.5
-1.8
-0.8
-5.3

NA
1.3
1.0
-2.9
-0.5
-1.2

NA
-0.9
NA
0.3
-0.7
-2.0

-1.5
1.0
0.8
4.1
-1.0
-0.1

1.4
2.0
1.1
1.2
1.4
-0.8

-0.8
-0.8
0.8
-2.7
1.2
-4.0

-0.3
-0.1
NA
-3.8
1.5
-3.3

Employment
United States

-0.6

-1.4

-0.1

-0.4

1.0

0.7

-1.5

-0.6

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

0.3
-0.3
NA
NA
-1.4
-0.2
-1.6

-1.3
1.2
NA
NA
-2.6
1.0
-2.3

1.2
0.8
NA
NA
-0.3
-0.2
-0.9

0.9
-1.8
NA
NA
-1.3
-0.9
-1.5

3.2
-0.2
NA
NA
-1.5
-0.8
-2.1

3.8
-4.1
NA
NA
0.4
0.8
0.4

3.7
-2.7
NA
NA
-1.0
-2.1
-0.1

4.4
-1.8
NA
NA
1.8
-0.8
1.2

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

NA
-1.1
NA
-1.0
-1.3
-2.5

NA
-2.8
-2.2
-1.8
-1.2
-4.6

NA
0.3
1.2
-2.7
-0.8
-0.9

NA
-0.7
NA
0.3
-1.6
-2.1

-1.5
0.6
1.2
4.3
-1.1
0.4

0.4
2.2
1.3
1.0
1.2
-0.1

-0.4
-0.4
0.8
-2.7
1.0
-3.6

0.7
0.1
NA
-2.7
1.3
-3.7

Continued on next page
-11Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2000
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

1979-2000 1979-85

1985-90

1990-2000

1997

1998

1999

2000

Average hours
United States

0.2

0.2

0.1

0.2

0.7

-1.0

0.7

-0.3

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

0.1
-0.4
NA
NA
0.0
NA
-0.5

-0.2
0.0
NA
NA
-0.6
-0.3
-1.0

0.1
-0.3
NA
NA
0.7
-0.5
0.1

0.3
-0.7
NA
NA
0.0
NA
-0.6

-0.1
-0.6
NA
NA
0.1
NA
-0.3

0.3
-2.1
NA
NA
0.2
NA
-0.2

0.9
-0.2
NA
NA
2.1
NA
-0.5

0.0
2.2
NA
NA
-1.2
NA
-3.4

Germany

NA

NA

NA

NA

0.0

1.0

-0.4

-1.0

Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

0.1
NA
-0.1
0.6
-0.3

-0.1
-0.3
0.0
0.4
-0.8

1.0
-0.2
-0.2
0.3
-0.3

Total labor compensation in manufacturing 2/:

-0.2
NA
0.0
0.9
0.1

United States
Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

0.4
-0.4
-0.2
0.1
-0.6

-0.2
-0.2
0.1
0.2
-0.6

-0.4
0.0
0.0
0.2
-0.4

-0.2
NA
-1.1
0.2
0.4

National currency basis

4.3

5.8

3.9

3.5

3.7

5.1

3.1

5.5

5.4
2.9
14.5
9.7
3.0
4.9
4.0

7.5
5.9
18.7
15.9
4.7
9.0
9.1

5.6
5.1
19.7
10.7
4.0
4.6
3.6

4.1
0.0
9.5
5.5
1.6
2.8
1.2

5.3
2.6
-2.2
5.0
1.9
3.7
0.1

6.4
-3.7
-9.4
4.8
2.1
3.8
2.5

6.0
-3.0
5.7
4.0
1.5
2.5
2.0

8.0
0.4
12.3
5.0
3.2
3.3
2.8

NA
7.3
NA
5.5
6.0
4.8

NA
13.1
2.3
8.0
8.9
5.9

NA
8.2
3.1
4.7
7.9
8.0

NA
3.6
NA
4.5
3.3
2.6

0.5
4.9
3.4
8.7
3.4
3.5

2.3
0.8
4.2
7.5
5.7
4.4

0.9
2.5
4.0
3.0
3.7
0.5

3.2
2.8
NA
1.1
4.1
0.3

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

Continued on next page
-12Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2000
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

1979-2000 1979-85

Hourly compensation 2/:

1985-90

1990-2000

1997

1998

1999

2000

National currency basis

United States

4.7

7.2

3.9

3.7

1.9

5.4

4.0

6.5

Canada
Japan
Korea

4.9
3.6
NA

9.1
4.7
NA

4.2
4.6
NA

2.9
2.5
NA

2.1
3.4
NA

2.1
2.5
NA

1.3
-0.2
NA

3.5
0.0
NA

Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

NA
4.5
NA
6.2

NA
8.1
8.1
12.8

NA
3.7
5.3
4.5

NA
2.9
NA
3.3

NA
3.4
NA
2.5

NA
1.4
NA
2.3

NA
0.4
NA
2.6

NA
2.6
NA
5.2

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

NA
8.4
NA
6.7
6.7
7.8

NA
16.5
5.0
10.0
9.8
11.8

NA
6.8
2.1
7.8
8.4
9.3

NA
4.5
NA
4.3
4.1
4.7

2.0
3.8
2.6
4.4
4.4
3.7

0.9
-1.2
3.1
6.3
4.2
5.3

1.7
3.3
3.1
5.8
2.5
4.7

3.5
2.9
NA
5.0
2.6
3.7

Unit labor costs:
United States
Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France
Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

National currency basis
1.1

3.6

1.4

-0.4

-1.7

0.8

-2.5

-0.5

2.8
-0.1
4.8
2.9
0.8
3.1
2.5

5.5
1.1
9.6
7.2
2.0
5.9
9.5

3.7
0.3
6.7
3.5
1.5
4.8
1.0

0.8
-1.0
1.2
0.2
-0.3
0.6
-0.9

-0.7
-0.8
-8.3
-1.6
-4.5
-3.9
-4.5

2.2
2.3
-2.1
1.4
-0.2
1.8
-2.2

-0.2
-3.8
-12.7
-2.5
0.3
3.3
0.0

2.2
-5.1
-2.7
-2.3
-0.4
-2.9
-0.5

NA
5.5
NA
5.3
3.0
4.0

NA
12.0
0.5
7.4
6.5
7.1

NA
4.8
-0.1
6.4
6.4
4.5

NA
2.2
NA
3.5
-0.7
1.9

-2.8
1.7
0.9
3.5
-1.8
2.2

0.9
-0.7
0.9
5.6
-1.2
3.9

0.5
2.6
0.8
6.4
-0.4
0.5

-2.3
-0.5
NA
3.9
-2.1
-1.3

Continued on next page
-13Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2000
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

Unit labor costs:

1979-2000 1979-85

U.S. dollar basis

1985-90

1990-2000

1997

1998

1999

2000

United States

1.1

3.6

1.4

-0.4

-1.7

0.8

-2.5

-0.5

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

1.6
3.3
0.7
3.6
-1.1
1.0
0.0

2.8
-0.3
-0.5
5.4
-9.3
-5.8
-3.3

7.0
10.8
10.9
12.0
13.8
16.7
11.6

-1.6
2.0
-3.4
-1.3
-2.9
-2.1
-3.5

-2.2
-10.8
-22.3
-6.0
-17.4
-15.7
-16.4

-4.6
-5.4
-33.5
-13.0
-1.5
0.4
-3.2

-0.4
10.8
2.8
1.2
-3.8
-0.9
-4.2

2.2
0.1
2.4
1.0
-13.7
-16.2
-13.8

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

NA
1.0
NA
2.5
-0.6
2.3

NA
-2.5
-7.6
-1.7
-5.2
-1.3

NA
15.1
12.7
13.3
14.7
11.3

NA
-3.4
NA
0.0
-4.9
0.3

-15.7
-7.9
-12.9
-5.7
-13.8
7.2

-0.6
-2.6
-0.7
-0.9
-5.0
5.2

-3.7
-1.9
-3.3
2.9
-4.3
-2.0

-15.4
-13.8
NA
-8.0
-11.7
-7.5

United States

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

---

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

-1.1
3.4
-4.0
0.7
-1.9
-2.0
-2.4

-2.5
-1.5
-9.2
-1.7
-11.1
-11.0
-11.7

3.2
10.5
3.9
8.2
12.2
11.4
10.5

-2.4
3.0
-4.5
-1.5
-2.6
-2.6
-2.6

-1.5
-10.1
-15.3
-4.5
-13.5
-12.2
-12.4

-6.7
-7.6
-32.1
-14.2
-1.4
-1.4
-1.0

-0.1
15.2
17.7
3.8
-4.1
-4.1
-4.2

0.0
5.5
5.2
3.4
-13.3
-13.7
-13.3

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

NA
-4.3
-0.8
-2.6
-3.6
-1.6

NA
-12.9
-8.0
-8.4
-11.0
-7.9

NA
9.8
12.7
6.6
7.8
6.6

NA
-5.4
-2.7
-3.4
-4.3
-1.6

-13.3
-9.5
-13.6
-8.8
-12.2
4.9

-1.4
-1.9
-1.6
-6.2
-3.9
1.2

-4.2
-4.4
-4.1
-3.3
-3.9
-2.4

-13.3
-13.3
-13.3
-11.4
-9.8
-6.3

Exchange rates 3/

1/ Rates of change based on the compound
rate method.
2/ Adjusted to include employment taxes
that are not compensation to employees
but are labor costs to employers.

-14-

3/ Value of foreign currency relative to
the U.S. dollar.
NA = Not available.

Trade-weighted unit labor costs
Because the economies covered differ greatly in their relative
importance to U.S. trade in manufactured goods, BLS constructs indexes
of U.S. unit labor cost trends relative to a trade-weighted average of
unit labor cost trends in the other economies. (See chart 4.)
PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT:
Chart 4. U.S. manufacturing unit labor costs relative to 12
competitors, 1979-2000
The construction of the indexes shown in chart 4 is a three-step
process. First, the indexes of unit labor costs for all economies are
rebased to a common year (in this case, 1979=100). Second, for each
year, a "competitors" index is calculated as the weighted geometric
mean of the indexes for all competitor economies; the weights reflect
each country's importance in terms of U.S. trade in manufactured goods.
Finally, the U.S. index number for each year is divided by the
"competitors" index number (and multiplied by 100) to obtain a relative
ratio of the United States to the competitors. This process is used to
calculate the relative trade-weighted unit labor cost indexes on both a
national currency and a U.S. dollar basis.
In chart 4, the solid line indicates that U.S. unit labor costs
rose faster than "competitors" costs from 1979 to 1986 on a U.S. dollar
basis. In most years from 1986 to 1995, U.S. costs either rose at a
slower rate than the "competitors" costs or fell at a faster rate.
From 1995 to 1998, however, the strength of the U.S. dollar caused
relative U.S. unit labor costs to rise. After a dip in 1999, the index
of relative U.S. unit labor costs rose again in 2000. The data
underlying this chart are shown in table C.
-15Table C. U.S. manufacturing unit labor
costs relative to 12 competitors, 1979-2000

Year

1979
1980
1981

Unit Labor Costs
National Currency Basis
Own
Competitors'
Index
Index
Ratio
100.0
111.4
116.5

100.0
111.5
120.4

100.0
99.9
96.8

Unit Labor Costs
U.S. Dollar Basis
Own
Competitors'
Index
Index

Ratio

100.0
111.4
116.5

100.0
101.5
106.4

100.0
109.8
109.5

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000

124.2
121.6
121.0
123.4
128.9
122.8
122.5
128.0
132.4
138.0
141.3
142.3
139.2
134.0
132.1
129.9
131.0
127.8
127.1

128.6
131.0
131.7
133.2
138.8
141.0
142.4
146.1
152.2
159.0
163.1
164.1
162.0
162.3
163.3
161.0
163.3
160.3
157.5

96.6
92.8
91.9
92.6
92.8
87.1
86.1
87.6
87.0
86.8
86.7
86.7
85.9
82.6
80.9
80.7
80.2
79.7
80.7

124.2
121.6
121.0
123.4
128.9
122.8
122.5
128.0
132.4
138.0
141.3
142.3
139.2
134.0
132.1
129.9
131.0
127.8
127.1

105.9
104.8
99.7
97.7
122.2
140.2
153.0
152.7
164.1
174.2
181.9
178.6
179.1
189.2
180.8
165.0
155.5
158.8
152.6

117.3
116.0
121.4
126.2
105.5
87.6
80.1
83.8
80.7
79.3
77.7
79.6
77.7
70.8
73.1
78.8
84.2
80.5
83.3

-16TECHNICAL NOTES
The Bureau of Labor Statistics constructs trend indexes of
manufacturing labor productivity (output per hour), hourly compensation
costs, and unit labor costs from three basic aggregate measures output, total labor hours, and total compensation. The hours and
compensation measures refer to employees (wage and salary earners) in
Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, Denmark, and Italy. For all other countries,
the measures refer to all employed persons, including employees, selfemployed persons, and unpaid family workers. For all of the countries,
the term "hours" refers to hours worked.

In general, the measures relate to total manufacturing as defined by
the International Standard Industrial Classification (ISIC). However,
the measures for Denmark include mining and exclude manufacturing
handicrafts from 1960 to 1966.
The comparisons in this news release make use of data made available
to BLS as of June 2001 by the statistical agencies of the individual
countries. For some countries, the data for the most recent years are
based on the European System of Integrated National Accounts (ESA 95)
or on the United Nations System of National Accounts 1993 (SNA 93).
For other countries, data were compiled according to previously used
systems.
To obtain historical time series, BLS may link together data series
compiled according to different accounting systems.
Output. For most countries, the output measures are value added in
manufacturing from the national accounts. However, output for Japan
prior to 1970 and for the Netherlands prior to 1960 are indexes of
industrial production. The national accounts measures for the United
Kingdom are essentially identical to their indexes of industrial
production.
In this release, manufacturing output data for the United States
from 1977 forward are the gross product originating (value added)
measures prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S.
Department of Commerce. U. S. gross product originating is a chaintype annual-weighted series. /1 Comparable manufacturing output data are
not available prior to 1977.
The gross product originating series differs from the manufacturing
output series that BLS publishes on quarterly measures of U.S.
productivity and costs. The quarterly measures are on a sectoral
output basis rather than a value added basis. Sectoral output is gross
output less intra-sector sales and transfers. /2
A value added concept has been used for the international
comparisons series because the data are more readily available in the
countries' national accounts, whereas sectoral output would require a
complex estimation procedure. Also, although BLS has determined that
sectoral output is the correct concept for U.S. measures of single
factor productivity (output per hour), there are other considerations
that may make value added a better concept for international
comparisons, such as differences among countries in the extent of
vertical integration.

Estimation of manufacturing real output using moving weights is
becoming prevalent. However, many historical real output series have
been estimated using fixed price weights, with the weights updated
periodically (for example, every 5 or 10 years).
Measures of real output also may differ among countries because of
different approaches to estimating the prices of high-technology
products like computers and, in general, of products that undergo rapid
quality change.
Labor Input. The aggregate hours worked series used for France (from
1970 forward), Norway, Sweden, and Canada are series published with the
-17national accounts. For the former West Germany after 1959 and Germany
from 1991, BLS uses aggregate hours worked, which were developed by a
research institute of the German Ministry of Labor for use with the
national accounts employment figures; earlier figures are BLS estimates.
For the United Kingdom from 1992, an index of total manufacturing hours
is used, derived from published quarterly indices of manufacturing
hours. For other countries, the United Kingdom before 1992, and the
former West Germany before 1959, BLS constructs its own estimates of
average hours, using employment figures published with the national
accounts, or other comprehensive employment series, and estimates of
average annual hours worked. BLS is in the process of assessing the
comparability of the employment and hours time series data available
from statistical sources in Denmark, Korea, and Taiwan.
Compensation (Labor Cost). The compensation measures are from
national accounts data. Compensation includes employer expenditures
for legally required insurance programs and contractual and private
benefit plans, in addition to all payments made in cash or in-kind
directly to employees. For Canada, France, and Sweden, compensation is
increased to account for important taxes on payroll or employment. For
the United Kingdom, compensation is reduced between 1967 and 1991 to
account for subsidies. When data for the self-employed are not
available, total compensation is estimated by assuming the same hourly
compensation for self-employed and employees. Real compensation for
the United States is derived using the Consumer Price Index research
series (CPI-U-RS).
Current Indicators. The measures for recent years may be based on
current indicators of output (such as industrial production indexes),
employment, average hours, and hourly compensation until national

accounts and other statistics, normally used for the long-term
measures, become available.
Trade-Weighted Measures. The trade weights for Canada, Japan, and
the European countries were obtained by re-scaling a series of weights,
developed by the International Monetary Fund, based on average trade
flows over the 1989-91 period. These weights are based on aggregate
trade data for total manufacturing and take account of both bilateral
trade and the relative importance of "third country" markets. The
1989-91 weights do not include Korea and Taiwan. BLS developed weights
for Korea and Taiwan by using data from an earlier study from the
International Monetary Fund and other sources. The weight used for
Germany is based on the trade weight of the former West Germany.
The following weights were used for the entire period for which
trade-weighted unit labor cost measures are produced:
Country
Canada
Japan
Belgium
Denmark
France
Germany

Weight
24.46
29.54
2.06
0.46
5.70
11.22

Country
Italy
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom
Korea
Taiwan

Weight
4.44
0.46
1.83
8.68
5.55
5.60

-18Level Comparisons. The BLS measures are limited to trend
comparisons. BLS does not prepare level comparisons of manufacturing
productivity and unit labor costs because of data limitations and
technical problems in comparing the levels of manufacturing output
among countries. Each country measures manufacturing output in its own
currency units. To compare outputs among countries, a common unit of
measure is needed. Market exchange rates are not suitable as a basis
for comparing output levels. What is needed are purchasing power
parities, which are the number of foreign currency units required to
buy goods and services equivalent to what can be bought with one unit
of U.S. currency.
Purchasing power parities are available for total gross domestic
product (GDP) from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development (OECD). However, these parities are derived for
expenditures made by consumers, business, and government for goods and
services - not for value added by industry. Therefore, they do not
provide purchasing power parities by industry. The parities for total

GDP are not suitable for each component industry, such as
manufacturing.
1/ For more information on the U. S. measure, see Sherlene K.S. Lum,
Brian C. Moyer, and Robert E. Yuskavage, "Improved Estimates
of Gross Product by Industry for 1947-98," Survey of Current Business,
June 2000, pp. 24-38.
2/ For information on sectoral output, see William Gullickson,
"Measurement of productivity growth in U.S. manufacturing," Monthly
Labor Review, July 1995, pp. 13-28.
- 19 Table 1. Output per hour in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Sweden

Former West

States Canada
Kingdom

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
24.5

NA

26.5

NA

NA

NA

NA

22.6

13.4

NA

13.2

12.2

11.2

24.7

19.5

1955
26.5

NA

32.5

8.6

NA

NA

NA

24.6

16.8

NA

19.7

17.0

14.3

28.7

21.3

1960
30.0
1961
30.1
1962
30.7
1963
32.4
1964
34.5
1965
35.5
1966
36.7
1967
38.4
1968
41.3
1969

NA

38.5

13.8

NA

NA

18.0

29.9

21.9

NA

29.2

21.3

18.5

37.0

27.3

NA

40.6

15.6

NA

NA

18.2

31.6

23.3

NA

30.6

23.0

19.5

38.3

28.7

NA

43.6

16.4

NA

NA

19.2

33.2

24.8

NA

32.8

25.5

20.2

38.3

30.9

NA

45.4

17.7

NA

NA

19.9

34.3

26.1

NA

34.1

26.2

21.0

40.3

32.7

NA

47.2

20.1

NA

NA

21.2

37.1

28.1

NA

37.1

26.4

23.0

42.6

35.5

NA

49.5

21.0

NA

NA

22.3

38.9

30.1

NA

39.3

29.5

24.5

45.1

38.2

NA

50.4

23.0

NA

NA

23.8

40.8

32.5

NA

40.9

32.0

26.1

47.0

39.8

NA

50.9

26.0

NA

NA

25.1

43.8

34.6

NA

43.4

33.6

28.1

48.7

43.2

NA

53.8

29.1

NA

NA

27.3

47.8

38.2

NA

47.0

36.3

31.5

51.7

47.2

NA

56.4

33.4

NA

NA

29.9

49.8

40.6

NA

50.4

37.6

34.6

56.5

50.9

42.3
1970
43.2
1971
45.4
1972
47.9
1973
51.4
1974
52.2
1975
51.1
1976
53.3
1977
53.8
1978
54.6
1979
55.0

NA

56.0

37.5

NA

NA

32.9

52.7

43.0

NA

52.0

40.0

37.8

58.3

52.2

NA

59.4

39.8

NA

NA

35.1

56.3

45.5

NA

54.0

40.6

40.1

60.0

54.5

NA

62.5

43.6

NA

NA

39.2

60.8

47.6

NA

57.4

44.1

43.3

63.1

57.2

NA

66.5

47.6

NA

NA

43.5

66.9

50.9

NA

61.1

47.7

47.9

66.9

61.4

NA

67.5

48.8

NA

NA

45.8

69.1

52.1

NA

63.2

50.8

51.5

69.5

64.0

NA

64.7

50.2

NA

NA

47.6

76.1

53.9

NA

65.9

49.1

50.8

68.8

65.0

NA

70.1

53.2

NA

NA

52.4

78.8

57.2

NA

70.6

55.9

56.3

70.5

66.0

68.3

73.9

55.3

NA

NA

55.0

80.4

60.6

NA

72.7

57.0

60.9

71.5

65.0

69.2

75.2

57.5

NA

NA

58.3

81.6

63.3

NA

75.2

60.7

64.9

72.8

66.8

70.1

75.3

62.2

NA

NA

61.4

85.6

66.2

NA

78.4

66.5

68.1

78.1

72.0

1980
54.3
1981
57.1
1982
60.2
1983
65.0
1984
68.4
1985
71.1
1986
73.9
1987
78.1
1988
82.6
1989
86.2

70.5

74.4

63.2

NA

NA

65.4

90.3

66.6

NA

77.2

69.6

68.7

76.7

73.1

74.1

78.0

65.2

NA

NA

70.1

91.8

68.5

NA

78.7

70.3

70.3

76.5

72.7

76.2

77.3

67.9

NA

NA

73.5

92.1

73.3

NA

78.8

71.0

71.6

79.7

75.4

80.0

82.2

68.8

NA

NA

81.0

96.6

75.0

NA

82.6

73.4

77.3

82.4

80.9

83.2

90.2

71.1

NA

NA

85.0

96.1

76.2

NA

85.4

79.6

84.8

87.4

85.2

86.0

92.2

76.5

NA

NA

87.0

96.7

79.1

NA

89.1

84.1

88.4

90.2

86.2

86.0

89.6

76.1

NA

NA

87.8

91.1

80.4

NA

89.6

84.5

90.1

89.0

87.5

92.9

90.3

80.2

NA

NA

88.9

90.6

81.9

NA

88.1

86.0

90.9

93.3

89.2

96.9

90.7

83.9

NA

NA

92.0

94.1

87.5

NA

91.5

87.2

93.0

92.2

90.5

95.7

93.2

88.5

NA

NA

96.9

99.6

91.9

NA

94.6

89.6

96.8

94.6

93.2

1990
89.1

96.9

94.7

94.4

NA

NA

96.8

99.1

93.6

NA

99.0

92.2

98.4

96.6

94.6

1991
93.8
1992
100.0
1993
103.9
1994
107.1
1995
104.8
1996
103.5
1997
105.0
1998
106.3
1999
110.8
2000
116.4
NA:

97.9

95.5

99.0

NA

NA

99.1

99.6

96.9

99.0

101.9

95.4

99.5

97.5

95.5

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

102.1

104.9

101.7

NA

NA

102.5

104.5

100.6

101.8

100.6

103.1

101.5

100.6

107.3

107.3

109.7

103.3

NA

NA

108.4

NA

108.6

109.9

107.9

105.8

113.2

101.4

119.4

113.8

111.3

111.0

NA

NA

113.2

NA

114.7

112.8

111.2

109.4

118.0

102.0

121.9

117.0

110.1

116.1

NA

NA

117.1

NA

115.3

115.3

115.1

109.3

120.1

102.0

124.5

121.2

113.2

121.0

NA

NA

126.8

NA

123.8

121.0

121.8

111.6

122.2

103.0

132.3

126.7

113.1

121.2

NA

NA

128.8

NA

129.5

121.0

127.1

111.1

124.9

103.6

139.5

135.1

114.9

125.8

NA

NA

128.9

NA

132.9

122.4

NA

111.8

127.7

103.1

143.5

144.7

116.3

132.6

NA

NA

132.8

NA

140.5

129.8

NA

115.7

NA

104.2

150.4

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 20 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 2. Output per employed person in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Sweden

Former West

States Canada
Kingdom

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
30.1

NA

28.8

NA

NA

NA

NA

31.8

16.2

NA

19.2

13.4

14.6

32.3

25.3

1955
32.9

NA

34.1

10.3

NA

NA

NA

34.0

20.2

NA

28.8

19.2

18.7

37.7

27.5

1960
36.5
1961
36.1
1962
36.5
1963
38.5
1964
41.3
1965
42.0
1966
42.6
1967
44.2
1968
48.0
1969
49.1

NA

40.1

17.1

NA

NA

22.6

39.2

26.5

NA

38.4

24.3

24.4

46.7

33.3

NA

42.1

19.1

NA

NA

22.9

40.2

28.3

NA

39.6

26.0

24.7

47.6

34.7

NA

45.5

19.6

NA

NA

24.1

42.6

30.0

NA

41.3

27.9

25.4

47.4

37.1

NA

47.5

21.0

NA

NA

25.0

43.3

31.7

NA

42.4

28.8

26.3

49.7

38.9

NA

49.7

23.7

NA

NA

26.5

47.2

33.9

NA

46.1

29.1

28.5

52.8

41.8

NA

52.1

24.3

NA

NA

27.4

49.5

35.9

NA

48.7

31.3

30.3

54.6

44.5

NA

52.6

26.8

NA

NA

29.1

51.0

39.1

NA

50.0

34.4

32.1

57.1

46.4

NA

53.2

30.4

NA

NA

30.3

54.1

41.1

NA

51.7

36.6

34.4

58.6

49.5

NA

56.0

33.9

NA

NA

33.0

57.7

44.1

NA

56.6

39.5

37.9

60.7

52.9

NA

58.6

38.3

NA

NA

35.7

59.3

48.1

NA

60.7

40.7

41.1

64.9

56.1

1970
49.4
1971
50.6
1972
52.9
1973
57.5
1974
56.6
1975
55.2
1976
58.1
1977
59.0
1978
59.6
1979
59.8

NA

57.8

42.6

NA

NA

38.3

60.8

50.3

NA

62.4

42.5

44.0

66.3

57.4

NA

61.0

44.5

NA

NA

40.2

64.6

52.8

NA

63.4

42.0

46.2

67.6

59.8

NA

64.3

48.5

NA

NA

43.9

68.4

54.7

NA

66.6

45.3

49.2

70.0

61.1

NA

67.9

52.4

NA

NA

47.6

71.2

57.6

NA

70.4

49.6

53.4

73.9

64.4

NA

68.5

51.5

NA

NA

48.7

75.0

58.1

NA

71.4

50.9

55.6

75.6

66.5

NA

64.8

51.8

NA

NA

48.0

79.9

58.4

NA

72.5

48.4

53.8

74.5

66.2

NA

70.3

56.5

NA

NA

53.8

83.2

62.1

NA

79.9

55.0

59.6

74.2

66.4

67.1

74.0

58.9

NA

NA

56.1

84.1

65.2

NA

81.1

55.9

64.2

74.1

64.9

67.9

76.0

61.5

NA

NA

59.4

84.3

67.6

NA

82.8

59.4

67.7

73.9

64.9

68.4

75.7

67.0

NA

NA

62.6

88.4

70.6

NA

86.0

64.6

70.2

78.0

69.0

67.9

74.0

68.0

NA

NA

65.6

93.9

71.0

NA

83.5

67.7

71.3

77.0

69.3

71.4

76.9

69.7

NA

NA

68.7

94.3

72.1

NA

84.1

68.4

73.3

76.9

69.3

1980
57.4
1981
59.2

1982
62.9
1983
67.8
1984
71.4
1985
73.8
1986
76.4
1987
80.9
1988
85.7
1989
89.0

72.1

75.7

72.3

NA

NA

73.7

96.0

74.0

NA

83.7

68.9

75.4

79.4

72.1

77.8

81.5

73.4

NA

NA

79.2

102.1

75.4

NA

87.9

71.3

81.5

82.5

78.3

82.0

89.3

76.6

NA

NA

82.5

101.2

76.7

NA

90.9

77.3

88.1

87.4

84.0

84.9

91.9

82.1

NA

NA

85.7

98.4

79.2

NA

93.1

81.0

89.5

89.8

84.4

84.8

89.6

81.2

NA

NA

86.5

94.9

80.6

NA

93.0

83.4

90.9

88.7

85.3

92.1

91.1

86.0

NA

NA

88.4

92.2

82.6

NA

91.3

86.4

91.2

90.7

88.0

96.9

93.4

90.9

NA

NA

93.0

95.8

88.6

NA

94.4

90.6

94.0

90.3

89.1

95.7

93.9

94.8

NA

NA

97.5

100.2

92.9

NA

96.2

92.9

97.3

93.3

91.5

1990
91.2
1991
93.9
1992
100.0
1993
104.9
1994
109.5
1995
109.1
1996
108.0
1997
109.0
1998
109.6
1999
113.8
2000
120.0

96.3

94.9

99.7

NA

NA

98.5

98.4

94.1

NA

98.8

93.4

98.8

95.1

94.0

96.6

95.3

102.2

NA

NA

99.2

99.3

96.4

94.7

101.0

95.5

99.7

96.4

94.7

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

103.4

106.0

99.6

NA

NA

100.9

103.6

100.5

99.4

97.6

101.1

101.5

100.9

110.0

109.7

111.9

101.4

NA

NA

109.7

114.0

108.5

107.9

104.7

106.6

113.2

101.9

127.3

115.6

113.1

109.7

NA

NA

113.3

116.9

113.9

110.6

107.3

110.3

118.4

101.6

131.2

118.7

112.6

115.4

NA

NA

117.6

111.6

114.5

110.4

109.3

109.3

120.3

101.1

134.2

123.9

115.7

119.6

NA

NA

127.5

121.4

122.7

115.9

116.0

112.1

122.0

101.9

142.9

128.2

116.0

117.3

NA

NA

129.8

122.9

128.0

117.1

122.3

111.3

124.4

102.6

150.9

137.7

118.9

121.5

NA

NA

132.7

124.5

130.7

118.0

NA

111.6

127.2

102.1

155.7

147.0

120.3

130.9

NA

NA

135.1

133.4

133.5

123.8

NA

115.3

NA

102.0

163.5

NA:

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries.

** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 21 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 3. Output in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United

Former West

United
Year
Sweden

States Canada
Kingdom

1950
30.9

NA
49.6

22.5

1955
35.7

NA
58.3

1960
45.9
1961
49.0
1962
52.8
1963
55.4
1964
60.3
1965
64.5
1966
66.3
1967
68.5
1968
72.0
1969
77.7
1970
80.7
1971
81.2
1972
81.7

Japan

Nether-

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

2.2

NA

NA

NA

26.8

18.4

NA

14.5

10.1

16.7

38.5

29.1

4.9

NA

NA

NA

29.4

22.9

NA

27.5

15.6

22.8

47.2

NA
67.3
NA
67.6
NA
67.7
NA
70.2
NA
76.5
NA
78.7
NA
80.1
NA
80.6
NA
86.6
NA
89.9

34.0

10.7

NA

NA

30.7

40.8

31.0

NA

41.5

23.0

31.5

57.0

35.4

12.9

NA

NA

32.1

43.0

33.3

NA

44.0

25.4

32.6

59.4

39.3

14.0

NA

NA

34.6

46.7

35.7

NA

46.2

28.1

34.2

59.8

42.0

15.6

NA

NA

36.2

47.3

38.4

NA

47.1

29.9

35.7

63.4

45.9

18.1

NA

NA

39.5

52.9

42.0

NA

51.2

30.3

39.0

67.9

50.5

18.8

NA

NA

40.8

56.3

44.1

NA

55.0

31.9

41.7

71.5

53.9

21.3

NA

NA

43.2

57.5

48.1

NA

55.9

34.8

44.0

75.8

55.0

25.6

NA

NA

43.7

58.1

50.4

NA

54.7

38.3

45.7

78.2

58.1

29.5

NA

NA

46.7

62.6

53.2

NA

60.3

41.8

50.1

80.1

61.9

34.4

NA

NA

52.2

66.0

59.6

NA

67.4

44.5

54.9

86.0

NA
90.2
NA
89.3
NA
91.2

60.0

39.2

7.0

12.7

57.6

68.0

64.1

NA

70.9

48.1

59.1

89.9

63.7

41.0

8.3

15.5

60.1

69.4

68.1

NA

71.6

48.8

61.1

92.3

69.2

44.7

9.5

18.9

64.7

75.3

71.3

NA

73.8

51.5

62.7

96.5

1973
87.5
1974
92.2
1975
92.5
1976
92.5
1977
87.2
1978
84.9
1979
90.3

NA
99.7
NA
98.4
NA
91.6
NA
93.3
72.5
95.2
76.5
95.7
79.0
95.5

76.4

50.4

12.3

22.3

70.6

79.5

76.7

NA

78.5

58.1

67.2

102.0

77.9

49.1

14.3

21.0

73.4

80.7

78.2

NA

77.7

61.8

69.7

105.6

71.8

46.6

16.2

22.0

67.9

78.7

76.6

NA

74.1

58.3

65.1

103.2

77.9

50.6

19.9

27.0

73.0

82.5

81.1

NA

79.8

66.9

69.1

102.8

80.3

52.2

22.8

30.6

73.3

82.9

84.8

NA

81.3

69.3

72.5

102.7

84.9

53.7

27.5

37.1

74.3

82.7

86.8

NA

82.8

72.7

74.8

100.6

87.6

58.4

30.1

40.0

76.2

87.4

89.3

NA

87.1

80.3

76.7

104.7

1980
90.7
1981
88.0
1982
88.3
1983
93.9
1984
101.3
1985
102.9
1986
104.0
1987
106.6
1988
109.8
1989
110.9

75.8
87.2
79.2
81.8
74.6
81.7
79.2
83.5
87.6
86.5
90.0
89.0
88.6
90.2
96.4
94.5
103.2
101.4
102.4
105.5

85.2

60.4

29.9

44.0

78.2

91.3

88.7

NA

85.3

84.4

76.8

103.6

88.3

62.6

32.7

47.3

77.2

88.4

87.3

NA

84.4

81.8

77.0

101.7

78.9

64.6

34.6

48.5

80.4

89.8

88.2

NA

81.5

80.2

76.1

101.3

82.7

66.6

39.5

54.1

84.6

95.8

88.0

NA

82.7

79.6

78.5

99.9

93.2

71.0

46.0

62.2

87.2

100.3

87.0

NA

85.2

82.2

83.0

104.7

98.1

76.7

48.8

64.3

89.1

103.5

87.3

NA

88.3

84.9

85.4

108.5

98.9

75.5

57.9

74.7

89.1

103.5

87.3

NA

89.7

86.4

87.6

108.1

103.6

79.0

68.5

84.3

88.8

99.3

87.2

NA

88.0

89.0

88.8

110.7

109.9

85.3

76.7

87.7

93.3

100.8

92.2

NA

90.9

95.0

92.1

105.3

112.1

90.9

79.4

90.8

99.1

104.3

97.2

NA

94.0

98.3

96.6

101.3

1990
110.1
1991
104.1
1992
100.0
1993
101.9
1994
117.1

101.6
105.3
98.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
103.5
101.4
111.1
106.1

107.5

97.1

86.7

90.0

101.0

102.7

99.1

NA

99.1

99.4

99.9

100.2

99.2

102.0

95.0

96.1

100.7

101.7

99.8

102.3

102.8

99.3

100.4

98.3

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

105.0

96.3

105.4

102.4

97.0

99.0

95.7

92.5

91.8

96.5

98.4

102.7

113.0

94.9

116.8

108.5

101.4

109.3

100.3

95.2

93.5

102.4

104.6

106.7

1995
128.4
1996
131.1
1997
138.0
1998
147.6
1999
153.6
2000
163.4
NA:

118.4
107.8
121.3
108.2
127.9
109.6
133.3
110.1
141.0
110.1
149.5
111.9

118.5

98.9

129.9

114.9

104.2

114.7

104.9

95.3

93.7

107.2

108.1

109.0

120.0

103.0

138.7

120.3

106.6

109.7

104.6

92.6

92.5

105.4

108.7

110.1

127.3

106.5

147.8

128.3

113.8

118.5

109.7

95.7

95.8

108.8

111.5

115.7

132.5

100.2

136.8

132.6

116.3

120.8

115.0

97.1

100.7

110.5

115.2

117.7

140.8

101.0

165.6

141.5

117.7

119.8

117.3

97.5

NA

110.2

118.7

114.0

148.8

106.9

191.1

152.0

122.0

127.4

121.2

103.0

NA

113.9

NA

110.9

Not Available

** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 22 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 4. Total hours in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Kingdom

Former West

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

1950
202.2

85.5

84.8

NA

NA

NA

NA

118.7

137.1

NA

109.8

1955
220.2

94.6

89.4

57.0

NA

NA

NA

119.8

136.1

NA

1960
224.6
1961
224.7
1962
220.3
1963
216.6
1964
221.7
1965
221.5

92.1

88.3

77.8

NA

NA

170.7

136.5

141.2

89.7

87.2

82.4

NA

NA

175.9

136.2

93.4

90.3

85.2

NA

NA

180.3

94.4

92.6

87.9

NA

NA

96.4

97.2

90.0

NA

102.0

101.9

89.8

NA

Nether-

Germany** Italy

lands

Norway

Sweden

83.1

148.6

156.1

158.5

139.6

92.0

159.1

164.2

167.3

NA

142.3

108.1

170.6

154.1

168.3

142.8

NA

143.9

110.3

167.1

154.9

171.0

140.7

144.0

NA

140.8

110.2

169.2

156.3

170.8

181.8

138.0

147.3

NA

138.1

114.3

169.5

157.3

169.1

NA

186.5

142.6

149.1

NA

138.0

114.6

170.0

159.6

169.6

NA

183.2

144.9

146.4

NA

140.0

108.2

170.4

158.5

168.8

1966
218.2
1967
209.8
1968
209.6
1969
212.4

108.6

106.8

92.8

NA

NA

181.5

140.8

147.8

NA

136.7

108.8

168.3

161.2

166.5

108.0

107.9

98.3

NA

NA

173.6

132.7

145.8

NA

125.9

113.8

162.7

160.5

158.4

109.6

108.2

101.4

NA

NA

170.9

130.9

139.3

NA

128.3

115.4

158.8

155.0

152.6

110.9

109.7

103.0

NA

NA

174.9

132.7

146.9

NA

133.8

118.5

158.5

152.1

152.5

1970
208.8
1971
196.9
1972
190.5
1973
194.1
1974
188.5
1975
179.3
1976
175.1
1977
176.9
1978
175.4
1979
173.7

104.4

107.1

104.4

NA

NA

174.7

129.0

148.9

NA

136.3

120.2

156.2

154.3

154.7

100.5

107.4

103.1

NA

NA

171.4

123.3

149.6

NA

132.5

120.0

152.4

153.8

149.1

105.1

110.8

102.6

NA

NA

165.2

123.8

149.8

NA

128.7

116.8

144.9

153.0

142.9

110.4

114.9

106.0

NA

NA

162.1

118.8

150.6

NA

128.4

121.7

140.2

152.5

142.5

107.9

115.5

100.6

NA

NA

160.4

116.7

150.2

NA

122.9

121.7

135.4

151.9

144.0

97.2

111.1

92.8

NA

NA

142.6

103.5

142.2

NA

112.5

118.6

128.2

150.0

142.3

101.9

111.1

95.1

NA

NA

139.4

104.7

141.8

NA

113.1

119.8

122.7

145.8

140.2

106.1

108.8

94.4

NA

NA

133.3

103.1

140.0

NA

111.8

121.5

119.1

143.6

134.2

110.6

112.8

93.4

NA

NA

127.4

101.4

137.2

NA

110.1

119.7

115.2

138.3

127.1

112.7

116.2

93.8

NA

NA

124.2

102.1

134.8

NA

111.0

120.7

112.7

134.0

125.5

1980
160.5
1981
143.3
1982
135.6
1983
128.4
1984
126.4
1985
125.2
1986
122.0
1987
121.0

107.5

114.6

95.6

NA

NA

119.7

101.1

133.2

NA

110.5

121.3

111.8

135.0

124.0

107.0

113.2

95.9

NA

NA

110.2

96.3

127.4

NA

107.1

116.4

109.4

133.0

121.0

97.9

102.0

95.1

NA

NA

109.4

97.5

120.2

NA

103.4

113.0

106.3

127.1

117.2

98.9

100.7

96.8

NA

NA

104.3

99.2

117.4

NA

100.1

108.4

101.6

121.2

116.1

105.3

103.4

99.8

NA

NA

102.6

104.4

114.2

NA

99.7

103.2

97.9

119.7

118.9

104.6

106.4

100.3

NA

NA

102.4

107.0

110.4

NA

99.1

100.8

96.7

120.2

119.4

103.0

110.5

99.2

NA

NA

101.5

113.7

108.6

NA

100.1

102.2

97.3

121.6

118.9

103.8

114.7

98.5

NA

NA

100.0

109.6

106.5

NA

99.9

103.5

97.7

118.6

119.5

1988
122.8
1989
122.4

106.6

121.2

101.7

NA

NA

101.5

107.2

105.4

NA

99.3

109.0

99.0

114.3

121.4

107.1

120.2

102.7

NA

NA

102.3

104.7

105.8

NA

99.3

109.8

99.8

107.1

119.0

1990
118.1
1991
106.6
1992
100.0
1993
97.6
1994
99.1
1995
102.8
1996
104.6
1997
104.4
1998
103.6
1999
99.4
2000
96.1

104.8

113.5

102.9

NA

NA

104.3

103.7

105.9

NA

100.1

107.8

101.5

103.7

116.4

100.4

103.9

103.1

NA

NA

101.5

102.1

103.1

103.3

100.9

104.2

101.0

100.8

109.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

101.4

100.1

94.7

NA

NA

94.7

94.8

95.1

90.8

91.3

93.6

96.9

102.1

94.9

103.6

103.0

91.9

NA

NA

93.6

NA

92.4

86.6

86.7

96.8

92.4

105.2

98.1

104.0

106.4

89.1

NA

NA

92.0

NA

91.5

84.5

84.3

98.0

91.6

106.8

105.3

103.6

109.0

88.7

NA

NA

91.1

NA

90.7

80.3

80.4

96.5

90.5

107.9

105.3

105.5

112.4

88.0

NA

NA

89.7

NA

88.6

79.1

78.6

97.5

91.2

112.3

104.3

105.2

117.1

82.7

NA

NA

90.3

NA

88.8

80.2

79.3

99.4

92.2

113.6

105.8

104.3

122.6

80.3

NA

NA

91.3

NA

88.3

79.6

NA

98.6

93.0

110.6

107.1

103.4

128.0

80.6

NA

NA

91.8

NA

86.2

79.4

NA

98.5

NA

106.4

108.6

NA:

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 23 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 5. Employment in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Sweden

States Canada
Kingdom

Former West
Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Germany**

NetherItaly

lands

Norway

1950
122.0

84.3
164.7

77.9

NA

NA

NA

NA

84.4

113.7

NA

75.2

75.4

114.1

119.2

1955
129.7

93.1
177.1

85.3

47.8

NA

NA

NA

86.7

113.3

NA

95.5

81.4

121.8

125.1

1960
137.8
1961
141.3
1962
142.2
1963
142.4
1964
144.3
1965
144.8
1966
143.0
1967
138.3
1968
136.0
1969
138.4

92.6
184.4
90.0
186.9
92.8
185.2
93.5
182.3
94.9
185.1
99.3
187.5
105.4
188.0
106.7
182.2
108.5
180.5
110.6
183.0

84.8

62.8

NA

NA

135.7

104.1

116.9

NA

108.1

94.6

129.4

122.2

84.1

67.5

NA

NA

140.1

107.0

117.7

NA

111.3

97.5

132.2

124.8

86.5

71.3

NA

NA

143.3

109.7

118.9

NA

111.8

100.6

134.7

126.2

88.5

74.1

NA

NA

144.7

109.3

121.5

NA

111.0

103.8

135.4

127.7

92.5

76.4

NA

NA

148.8

112.0

123.7

NA

111.0

104.1

137.1

128.8

96.9

77.4

NA

NA

148.7

113.9

122.5

NA

113.0

101.7

137.9

130.8

102.4

79.7

NA

NA

148.5

112.8

123.2

NA

111.8

101.1

137.0

132.7

103.3

84.3

NA

NA

143.9

107.5

122.7

NA

105.8

104.4

132.9

133.5

103.8

87.2

NA

NA

141.5

108.5

120.6

NA

106.6

105.8

132.1

132.0

105.7

89.7

NA

NA

146.3

111.4

124.1

NA

111.0

109.4

133.7

132.6

1970
140.6
1971
135.9
1972
133.8
1973
135.8
1974
138.7
1975
139.8
1976
139.4
1977
134.5
1978
130.7

106.3
182.6
102.2
176.4
105.0
172.3
110.5
173.3
110.1
173.9
100.6
166.0
104.2
160.7
108.2
161.2
112.7
160.6

103.9

91.9

NA

NA

150.2

111.9

127.3

NA

113.6

113.0

134.3

135.5

104.4

92.3

NA

NA

149.6

107.3

128.9

NA

112.9

116.0

132.2

136.4

107.7

92.3

NA

NA

147.4

110.1

130.4

NA

110.8

113.8

127.5

137.8

112.5

96.2

NA

NA

148.4

111.6

133.2

NA

111.5

117.1

125.8

138.1

113.9

95.3

NA

NA

150.7

107.6

134.6

NA

108.9

121.4

125.4

139.6

110.9

90.0

NA

NA

141.5

98.5

131.2

NA

102.2

120.4

121.0

138.6

110.7

89.5

NA

NA

135.8

99.2

130.5

NA

99.9

121.6

116.0

138.4

108.5

88.6

NA

NA

130.5

98.5

130.0

NA

100.3

123.9

113.1

138.6

111.7

87.4

NA

NA

125.0

98.0

128.4

NA

100.0

122.4

110.5

136.1

1979
131.0

115.6
159.6

115.7

87.2

NA

NA

121.8

98.8

126.5

NA

101.2

124.3

109.3

134.2

1980
130.9
1981
127.0
1982
122.4
1983
119.9
1984
120.5
1985
122.0
1986
121.9
1987
121.1
1988
123.3
1989
121.2

111.6
151.8
111.0
138.1
103.5
129.9
101.8
123.3
106.8
121.2
106.0
120.6
104.5
118.0
104.7
116.9
106.6
118.3
107.0
118.6

115.1

88.9

NA

NA

119.3

97.2

125.0

NA

102.2

124.7

107.8

134.5

114.8

89.8

NA

NA

112.4

93.8

121.0

NA

100.3

119.7

105.0

132.3

104.3

89.3

NA

NA

109.2

93.6

119.1

NA

97.4

116.4

101.0

127.6

101.6

90.8

NA

NA

106.8

93.9

116.7

NA

94.1

111.7

96.4

121.0

104.4

92.7

NA

NA

105.7

99.1

113.4

NA

93.7

106.4

94.2

119.8

106.8

93.5

NA

NA

104.0

105.2

110.3

NA

94.9

104.8

95.4

120.7

110.4

93.0

NA

NA

103.0

109.1

108.3

NA

96.4

103.6

96.5

122.0

113.7

91.9

NA

NA

100.5

107.7

105.6

NA

96.4

103.1

97.4

122.0

117.6

93.9

NA

NA

100.4

105.3

104.1

NA

96.3

104.9

98.0

116.6

119.4

95.9

NA

NA

101.7

104.1

104.7

NA

97.6

105.8

99.3

108.7

1990
117.2
1991
109.9
1992
100.0
1993
92.6
1994
92.0
1995
97.9
1996
97.6
1997
96.6
1998
97.8
1999
98.7
2000
100.0

105.4
115.5
101.8
106.6
100.0
100.0
100.1
96.7
101.3
97.0
102.5
98.8
102.2
100.1
103.2
100.6
104.0
100.4
102.4
96.8
101.7
93.2

113.2

97.5

NA

NA

102.5

104.3

105.4

NA

100.3

106.4

101.1

105.4

104.1

99.8

NA

NA

101.5

102.4

103.6

108.0

101.8

104.1

100.7

101.9

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

99.1

96.8

NA

NA

96.1

95.5

95.2

93.0

94.0

95.5

96.9

101.8

100.9

93.6

NA

NA

92.5

95.8

92.4

88.2

89.3

96.1

92.4

104.7

104.8

90.1

NA

NA

91.9

98.1

92.1

86.2

87.3

97.2

91.3

107.2

106.6

89.3

NA

NA

90.6

98.3

91.3

83.8

84.6

96.4

90.3

108.9

110.0

89.1

NA

NA

89.2

97.5

89.4

82.6

82.6

97.1

91.4

113.6

114.2

85.5

NA

NA

89.6

98.3

89.8

82.9

82.4

99.2

92.6

114.7

118.5

83.2

NA

NA

88.7

96.3

89.7

82.6

NA

98.8

93.4

111.6

123.7

81.7

NA

NA

90.3

95.5

90.8

83.2

NA

98.9

NA

108.7

NA:

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 24 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 6. Annual hours per employed person in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United

Former West

United
Year
Sweden

States Canada
Kingdom

1950
129.9

101.4
122.8

1955
129.0
1960
122.1
1961
121.1
1962
120.1
1963
118.8
1964
117.5
1965
116.6
1966
116.4
1967
114.5
1968
112.2
1969
110.2

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

108.8

NA

NA

NA

NA

140.7

120.6

NA

101.5
124.3

104.8

119.3

NA

NA

NA

138.2

120.1

99.5
121.8
99.6
120.2
100.6
119.0
100.9
118.8
101.6
119.8
102.7
118.1
103.0
116.1
101.2
115.2
101.0
116.1
100.2
116.1

104.1

123.9

NA

NA

125.8

131.2

103.6

122.0

NA

NA

125.5

104.4

119.5

NA

NA

104.7

118.6

NA

105.1

117.9

105.2

Germany**

NetherItaly

lands

Norway

146.0

110.2

130.3

130.9

NA

146.1

113.0

130.6

131.2

120.8

NA

131.7

114.3

131.9

126.1

127.3

121.3

NA

129.4

113.1

126.5

124.2

125.8

128.3

121.1

NA

126.0

109.5

125.6

123.8

NA

125.7

126.3

121.2

NA

124.4

110.0

125.2

123.2

NA

NA

125.3

127.4

120.5

NA

124.3

110.0

124.0

124.0

115.9

NA

NA

123.2

127.2

119.4

NA

123.9

106.4

123.6

121.1

104.4

116.5

NA

NA

122.2

124.8

120.0

NA

122.3

107.6

122.9

121.4

104.5

116.7

NA

NA

120.7

123.4

118.9

NA

119.0

109.1

122.4

120.3

104.2

116.4

NA

NA

120.7

120.6

115.5

NA

120.4

109.1

120.2

117.4

103.9

114.8

NA

NA

119.5

119.1

118.4

NA

120.6

108.3

118.5

114.7

1970
110.0
1971
109.7
1972
106.8
1973
104.9
1974
103.8
1975
101.8
1976
100.6
1977
99.8
1978
97.2
1979
95.8

98.2
114.3
98.4
111.6
100.0
110.6
99.9
112.0
98.0
108.4
96.6
108.0
97.7
109.0
98.1
109.7
98.1
109.3
97.5
108.8

103.2

113.6

NA

NA

116.3

115.3

117.0

NA

119.9

106.4

116.4

113.9

102.8

111.8

NA

NA

114.6

114.9

116.1

NA

117.3

103.4

115.3

112.7

102.9

111.1

NA

NA

112.0

112.4

114.9

NA

116.2

102.7

113.6

111.0

102.1

110.2

NA

NA

109.3

106.4

113.1

NA

115.2

103.9

111.4

110.4

101.5

105.6

NA

NA

106.4

108.5

111.6

NA

112.9

100.3

108.0

108.9

100.2

103.2

NA

NA

100.7

105.1

108.3

NA

110.1

98.5

106.0

108.2

100.3

106.2

NA

NA

102.6

105.6

108.7

NA

113.2

98.5

105.8

105.4

100.3

106.5

NA

NA

102.1

104.6

107.7

NA

111.5

98.0

105.3

103.6

101.0

106.9

NA

NA

101.9

103.4

106.8

NA

110.1

97.8

104.3

101.6

100.5

107.6

NA

NA

102.0

103.3

106.6

NA

109.7

97.1

103.1

99.9

1980
94.8
1981
95.3
1982
95.7
1983
96.9
1984
98.6
1985
97.9
1986
97.5
1987
98.7
1988
98.5
1989
98.2

96.3
105.7
96.4
103.7
94.6
104.4
97.2
104.2
98.6
104.3
98.7
103.8
98.6
103.4
99.1
103.6
100.0
103.8
100.0
103.3

99.6

107.6

NA

NA

100.4

104.0

106.6

NA

108.1

97.3

103.7

100.4

98.7

106.8

NA

NA

98.1

102.7

105.3

NA

106.8

97.3

104.2

100.6

97.8

106.5

NA

NA

100.2

104.2

100.9

NA

106.2

97.1

105.3

99.7

99.1

106.6

NA

NA

97.7

105.6

100.6

NA

106.4

97.1

105.4

100.1

99.0

107.7

NA

NA

97.1

105.3

100.7

NA

106.4

97.1

104.0

99.9

99.6

107.3

NA

NA

98.5

101.8

100.1

NA

104.5

96.2

101.3

99.6

100.1

106.7

NA

NA

98.6

104.2

100.3

NA

103.9

98.6

100.8

99.7

100.9

107.2

NA

NA

99.4

101.8

100.9

NA

103.6

100.4

100.3

97.2

103.0

108.3

NA

NA

101.1

101.8

101.2

NA

103.2

104.0

101.1

98.0

100.7

107.1

NA

NA

100.6

100.6

101.0

NA

101.7

103.7

100.5

98.6

1990
99.3
1991

99.4
102.3
98.7

100.2

105.6

NA

NA

101.8

99.4

100.5

NA

99.8

101.2

100.5

98.4

99.8

103.2

NA

NA

100.0

99.7

99.5

95.6

99.1

100.1

100.2

98.9

99.2
1992
100.0
1993
102.6
1994
106.6
1995
107.6
1996
107.9
1997
108.0
1998
108.2
1999
108.5
2000
108.7
NA:

100.1
100.0
100.0
101.3
100.9
102.2
102.2
101.5
104.0
101.5
104.4
102.2
103.8
101.2
103.1
101.9
102.7
101.6
103.1

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

101.0

97.9

NA

NA

98.5

99.2

99.9

97.6

97.0

98.0

100.0

100.3

102.0

98.1

NA

NA

101.2

NA

99.9

98.2

97.1

100.7

100.0

100.5

101.6

98.8

NA

NA

100.1

NA

99.3

98.0

96.5

100.8

100.3

99.6

102.3

99.4

NA

NA

100.5

NA

99.4

95.8

95.0

100.0

100.2

99.1

102.2

98.8

NA

NA

100.6

NA

99.1

95.8

95.2

100.4

99.8

98.9

102.6

96.7

NA

NA

100.8

NA

98.9

96.8

96.2

100.2

99.6

99.1

103.5

96.6

NA

NA

102.9

NA

98.4

96.4

NA

99.8

99.6

99.0

103.4

98.7

NA

NA

101.7

NA

95.0

95.4

NA

99.6

NA

97.9

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 25 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 7. Hourly compensation in manufacturing, national currency basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Sweden*

Former West

States Canada*
Kingdom*

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
1.6

8.7

5.4

NA

NA

NA

NA

2.5

1.6

NA

3.4

0.8

3.1

2.2

1.9

1955
2.2

11.7

7.7

3.1

NA

NA

NA

3.4

2.8

NA

5.0

1.2

4.5

3.4

2.9

1960

14.9

10.0

4.3

NA

NA

5.4

4.6

4.3

NA

8.1

1.6

6.4

4.7

4.1

3.0
1961
3.2
1962
3.3
1963
3.5
1964
3.7
1965
4.1
1966
4.4
1967
4.6
1968
4.9
1969
5.3

15.3

10.2

5.0

NA

NA

5.7

5.2

4.7

NA

9.1

1.8

7.3

5.2

4.5

15.9

10.6

5.7

NA

NA

6.2

5.6

5.2

NA

10.3

2.1

7.8

5.7

5.0

16.4

11.1

6.4

NA

NA

6.8

6.1

5.7

NA

11.0

2.5

8.6

6.1

5.5

17.0

11.5

7.2

NA

NA

7.7

6.6

6.2

NA

11.9

2.6

9.9

6.5

6.0

17.4

12.2

8.1

NA

NA

8.5

7.4

6.7

NA

13.1

2.8

11.1

7.2

6.6

18.2

13.1

8.9

NA

NA

9.4

8.4

7.1

NA

14.2

3.0

12.5

7.8

7.3

19.2

13.8

10.0

NA

NA

10.3

9.4

7.6

NA

15.0

3.3

13.8

8.8

8.1

20.7

14.7

11.6

NA

NA

11.0

10.3

8.6

NA

16.1

3.5

15.4

9.6

8.8

22.2

15.9

13.8

NA

NA

12.1

11.6

9.2

NA

17.6

3.9

17.4

10.6

9.6

1970
6.1
1971
7.0
1972
8.1
1973
9.2
1974
11.1
1975
14.7
1976
17.1
1977
19.3
1978
22.5
1979
26.8

23.7

17.1

16.4

NA

NA

13.7

13.3

10.3

NA

20.7

4.7

20.2

11.8

10.7

25.2

18.2

19.0

NA

NA

15.9

15.2

11.6

NA

23.2

5.5

23.1

13.5

12.1

26.5

19.5

21.9

NA

NA

18.8

16.9

12.8

NA

25.6

6.1

26.5

15.2

13.5

28.5

21.2

26.7

NA

NA

22.3

20.5

14.7

NA

29.0

7.2

31.6

17.1

15.2

31.6

24.6

35.0

NA

NA

27.4

24.8

17.4

NA

33.0

9.4

37.7

20.1

17.9

35.5

28.3

40.8

NA

NA

33.1

29.6

21.3

NA

36.4

11.9

43.1

24.0

21.9

38.4

32.5

43.9

NA

NA

38.3

33.0

24.4

NA

39.1

14.7

48.1

27.7

25.7

41.8

36.1

48.5

NA

NA

41.4

36.5

27.7

NA

42.8

17.4

52.5

31.1

28.1

45.2

38.8

51.7

NA

NA

44.4

40.2

31.2

NA

45.9

20.1

56.8

34.1

31.1

49.6

42.7

55.0

NA

NA

47.2

45.0

35.4

NA

49.3

24.3

61.1

35.8

33.5

1980
32.3
1981
37.5
1982

55.6

47.6

58.5

NA

NA

52.5

49.6

40.8

NA

53.6

28.5

64.4

39.0

37.3

61.1

53.8

62.6

NA

NA

57.3

54.6

47.2

NA

57.0

34.5

67.4

43.3

41.2

67.0

61.0

65.7

NA

NA

59.9

59.5

56.1

NA

60.4

40.5

71.5

48.2

44.2

41.3
1983
44.3
1984
47.8
1985
52.3
1986
57.0
1987
63.6
1988
68.0
1989
73.0
1990
81.6
1991
92.0
1992
100.0
1993
104.5
1994
107.2
1995
107.8
1996
108.9
1997
112.9
1998
118.9
1999
124.5
2000
129.1
NA:

68.8

65.3

67.5

NA

NA

65.7

63.6

61.9

NA

63.1

47.2

74.9

52.9

49.0

71.2

69.0

69.5

NA

NA

71.4

67.2

67.2

NA

66.0

54.1

77.7

57.9

53.2

75.1

71.9

72.4

NA

NA

75.3

71.7

72.8

NA

70.0

60.8

81.8

63.4

58.6

78.5

73.0

76.0

NA

NA

77.3

73.2

75.8

NA

72.8

63.3

85.0

69.1

63.4

80.7

74.7

77.8

NA

NA

79.7

80.1

78.6

NA

76.0

66.9

87.8

78.4

67.6

84.0

77.5

79.1

NA

NA

81.1

82.9

81.6

NA

79.1

69.3

87.7

83.3

71.8

86.6

82.6

84.0

NA

NA

85.9

87.7

86.0

NA

83.2

75.9

88.5

87.2

79.4

90.8

88.3

90.5

NA

NA

90.1

92.7

90.6

NA

89.4

84.4

90.8

92.3

87.8

95.6

95.0

96.4

NA

NA

97.3

95.9

96.2

92.2

95.1

93.7

95.2

97.5

95.5

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

102.7

102.0

102.8

NA

NA

104.8

104.6

103.0

106.4

105.9

107.5

103.7

101.5

97.4

105.6

103.7

104.9

NA

NA

106.1

NA

105.6

112.0

111.7

107.8

108.2

104.4

100.0

107.9

106.0

108.3

NA

NA

109.2

NA

108.5

118.2

117.7

112.7

110.6

109.2

106.5

109.4

107.0

109.2

NA

NA

110.9

NA

110.3

123.8

123.7

120.3

113.2

113.6

114.4

111.4

109.3

112.9

NA

NA

114.7

NA

113.0

126.3

126.6

124.9

116.2

118.7

119.4

117.4

111.6

115.8

NA

NA

116.4

NA

115.6

127.5

127.6

123.4

119.8

126.1

124.4

122.1

113.1

115.5

NA

NA

116.8

NA

118.6

129.6

NA

127.5

123.5

133.4

127.5

130.1

117.0

115.5

NA

NA

119.8

NA

124.9

134.2

NA

131.2

NA

140.1

130.7

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries.
* Compensation adjusted to include changes in employment taxes that are not compensation to employees,

but are labor cost to employers.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 26 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 8. Hourly compensation in manufacturing, U.S. dollar basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Sweden*

Former West

States Canada*
Kingdom*

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
2.5

8.7

6.0

NA

NA

NA

NA

2.2

2.4

NA

1.3

1.7

1.4

1.9

2.1

1955
3.5

11.7

9.5

1.1

NA

NA

NA

3.0

4.3

NA

1.9

2.4

2.1

2.9

3.3

1960
4.7
1961
5.1
1962
5.3
1963
5.5
1964
5.9
1965
6.5
1966
7.0
1967
7.1
1968
6.6
1969
7.2

14.9

12.4

1.5

NA

NA

3.5

4.0

4.6

NA

3.0

3.2

3.0

4.1

4.6

15.3

12.2

1.8

NA

NA

3.7

4.5

5.1

NA

3.5

3.5

3.5

4.5

5.0

15.9

12.0

2.0

NA

NA

4.0

4.9

5.6

NA

4.0

4.1

3.8

5.0

5.6

16.4

12.4

2.2

NA

NA

4.4

5.4

6.1

NA

4.3

4.9

4.2

5.3

6.2

17.0

12.9

2.5

NA

NA

5.0

5.8

6.7

NA

4.7

5.2

4.8

5.6

6.8

17.4

13.7

2.8

NA

NA

5.5

6.4

7.2

NA

5.1

5.6

5.4

6.2

7.5

18.2

14.7

3.1

NA

NA

6.1

7.3

7.6

NA

5.5

5.9

6.1

6.8

8.2

19.2

15.4

3.5

NA

NA

6.7

8.1

8.2

NA

5.9

6.5

6.7

7.6

9.1

20.7

16.5

4.1

NA

NA

7.1

8.3

9.2

NA

6.3

7.0

7.5

8.4

9.9

22.2

17.9

4.9

NA

NA

7.7

9.3

9.4

NA

7.0

7.6

8.5

9.3

10.8

1970
8.3
1971
9.7

23.7

19.8

5.8

NA

NA

8.9

10.7

9.9

NA

8.9

9.3

9.8

10.3

12.0

25.2

21.7

6.9

NA

NA

10.5

12.4

11.1

NA

10.4

10.9

11.6

11.9

13.8

1972
11.5
1973
12.8
1974
14.7
1975
18.5
1976
17.5
1977
19.1
1978
24.5
1979
32.2

26.5

23.8

9.1

NA

NA

13.7

14.7

13.4

NA

12.6

12.9

14.5

14.3

16.5

28.5

25.6

12.5

NA

NA

18.5

20.5

17.5

NA

17.1

15.2

20.0

18.5

20.3

31.6

30.5

15.2

NA

NA

22.6

24.6

19.2

NA

19.9

17.8

24.7

22.6

23.5

35.5

33.7

17.4

NA

NA

29.0

31.1

26.3

NA

23.1

22.4

30.1

28.6

30.8

38.4

39.9

18.8

NA

NA

31.9

32.9

27.0

NA

24.3

21.9

32.0

31.6

34.3

41.8

41.1

22.9

NA

NA

37.1

36.7

29.8

NA

28.8

24.3

37.6

36.3

36.7

45.2

41.2

31.4

NA

NA

45.4

44.1

36.7

NA

35.8

29.2

46.2

40.4

40.2

49.6

44.0

32.0

NA

NA

51.7

51.6

44.0

NA

42.0

36.1

53.5

43.9

45.6

1980
42.5
1981
43.0
1982
40.9
1983
38.0
1984
36.2
1985
38.4
1986
47.3
1987
59.0
1988
68.6
1989
67.7

55.6

49.1

32.7

NA

NA

57.7

53.2

51.1

NA

46.1

41.1

57.0

49.0

51.4

61.1

54.2

36.0

NA

NA

49.5

46.2

46.0

NA

39.3

37.3

47.4

46.9

47.4

67.0

59.7

33.4

NA

NA

42.1

43.0

45.1

NA

38.8

36.8

47.1

46.4

41.0

68.8

64.0

36.0

NA

NA

41.3

42.0

43.0

NA

38.6

38.2

46.1

45.0

37.2

71.2

64.4

37.1

NA

NA

39.7

39.2

40.7

NA

36.3

38.0

42.6

44.1

37.5

75.1

63.6

38.5

NA

NA

40.8

40.9

42.9

NA

37.2

39.2

43.3

45.8

39.7

78.5

63.5

57.2

NA

NA

55.6

54.6

57.9

NA

52.4

52.3

61.1

58.0

51.8

80.7

68.1

68.2

NA

NA

68.6

70.6

69.2

NA

66.0

63.5

76.2

72.3

62.1

84.0

76.2

78.2

NA

NA

70.9

74.3

72.5

NA

70.4

65.5

78.0

79.3

68.2

86.6

84.3

77.1

NA

NA

70.1

72.3

71.4

NA

69.1

68.2

73.4

78.4

71.6

1990
82.5
1991
92.0
1992
100.0
1993
88.9

90.8

91.5

79.1

NA

NA

86.6

90.4

88.0

NA

86.4

86.8

87.7

91.7

86.4

95.6

100.1

90.8

NA

NA

91.5

90.5

90.2

86.7

89.4

93.0

89.4

93.3

91.9

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

102.7

95.5

117.3

NA

NA

97.4

97.4

96.2

100.4

100.0

84.2

98.1

88.8

72.8

1994
92.9
1995
96.4
1996
96.3
1997
104.7
1998
111.5
1999
114.0
2000
110.7
NA:

105.6

91.7

130.1

NA

NA

102.1

NA

100.8

107.8

107.6

82.4

104.6

91.9

75.5

107.9

93.3

146.2

NA

NA

119.1

NA

115.1

128.9

128.3

85.2

121.2

107.1

86.9

109.4

94.8

127.2

NA

NA

115.1

NA

114.1

128.5

128.4

96.0

118.0

109.3

99.3

111.4

95.3

118.3

NA

NA

103.0

NA

102.5

113.7

114.0

90.3

104.6

104.1

91.0

117.4

90.9

112.0

NA

NA

103.0

NA

103.8

113.1

113.3

87.5

106.2

103.8

91.1

122.1

92.0

128.8

NA

NA

99.2

NA

102.0

110.3

NA

86.4

105.0

106.2

89.8

130.1

95.2

135.9

NA

NA

88.1

NA

93.0

99.0

NA

77.1

NA

98.8

83.0

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries
* Compensation adjusted to include changes in employment taxes that are not compensation to employees
but are labor cost to employers.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 27 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Table 9. Unit labor costs in manufacturing, national currency basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Sweden*

Former West

States Canada*
Kingdom*

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
6.4

NA

20.5

NA

NA

NA

NA

11.0

12.0

NA

25.5

7.0

27.7

8.9

9.5

1955
8.4

NA

23.7

36.4

NA

NA

NA

13.8

16.8

NA

25.4

7.1

31.6

11.7

13.8

1960
9.9
1961

NA

25.9

31.3

NA

NA

30.1

15.4

19.4

NA

27.8

7.5

34.6

12.8

15.0

NA

25.2

32.1

NA

NA

31.5

16.3

20.2

NA

29.7

7.7

37.4

13.5

15.6

10.6
1962
10.9
1963
10.8
1964
10.8
1965
11.5
1966
12.0
1967
11.9
1968
11.8
1969
12.6
1970
14.2
1971
15.4
1972
16.9
1973
18.0
1974
21.2
1975
28.9
1976
32.1
1977
35.9
1978
41.3
1979
48.7
1980
59.4
1981
65.7
1982
68.5
1983

NA

24.4

34.9

NA

NA

32.1

17.0

21.0

NA

31.5

8.2

38.5

14.9

16.2

NA

24.4

36.1

NA

NA

34.2

17.9

21.7

NA

32.2

9.4

40.7

15.1

16.9

NA

24.4

35.8

NA

NA

36.3

17.9

21.9

NA

32.1

10.0

43.2

15.2

16.9

NA

24.6

38.7

NA

NA

38.3

18.9

22.2

NA

33.3

9.6

45.4

15.9

17.4

NA

26.0

38.9

NA

NA

39.6

20.5

21.7

NA

34.7

9.4

47.7

16.7

18.2

NA

27.1

38.5

NA

NA

40.9

21.4

22.0

NA

34.5

9.9

49.2

18.0

18.7

NA

27.4

40.0

NA

NA

40.3

21.6

22.6

NA

34.3

9.8

48.8

18.7

18.5

NA

28.2

41.4

NA

NA

40.4

23.4

22.6

NA

35.0

10.3

50.4

18.8

18.8

NA

30.5

43.8

8.3

23.3

41.7

25.2

24.0

NA

39.8

11.8

53.3

20.3

20.6

NA

30.6

47.8

8.8

24.4

45.2

27.1

25.5

NA

42.9

13.4

57.6

22.5

22.2

NA

31.2

50.1

9.7

24.4

47.9

27.8

26.9

NA

44.7

13.9

61.2

24.1

23.6

NA

31.9

56.2

11.6

28.2

51.2

30.6

28.8

NA

47.5

15.1

65.8

25.5

24.8

NA

36.5

71.8

14.2

42.7

59.9

35.9

33.5

NA

52.1

18.5

73.2

28.9

27.9

NA

43.8

81.3

16.3

43.4

69.5

38.9

39.5

NA

55.2

24.2

84.9

34.8

33.7

NA

46.4

82.6

20.7

44.6

73.1

41.8

42.6

NA

55.4

26.4

85.5

39.3

38.9

61.2

48.9

87.6

24.4

46.4

75.3

45.4

45.7

NA

58.8

30.6

86.2

43.5

43.3

65.3

51.6

89.8

29.3

46.5

76.1

49.3

49.4

NA

61.1

33.1

87.5

46.8

46.6

70.7

56.7

88.4

35.9

52.8

76.8

52.5

53.4

NA

62.9

36.6

89.7

45.8

46.6

78.8

63.9

92.5

45.1

61.1

80.3

55.0

61.3

NA

69.4

41.0

93.7

50.8

51.0

82.4

69.0

96.0

52.1

70.9

81.7

59.5

68.9

NA

72.4

49.0

95.8

56.6

56.6

87.9

78.9

96.7

55.6

75.5

81.5

64.6

76.5

NA

76.7

57.0

100.0

60.5

58.7

86.0

79.4

98.0

59.6

73.9

81.1

65.8

82.5

NA

76.4

64.2

96.9

64.2

60.7

68.1
1984
69.8
1985
73.6
1986
77.1
1987
81.5
1988
82.3
1989
84.7
1990
91.6
1991
98.1
1992
100.0
1993
100.6
1994
100.0
1995
102.9
1996
105.3
1997
107.6
1998
111.8
1999
112.4
2000
110.9
NA:

85.6

76.5

97.7

61.9

76.8

84.0

69.9

88.2

NA

77.3

67.9

91.6

66.3

62.5

87.3

78.0

94.6

62.1

80.0

86.5

74.2

92.0

NA

78.6

72.2

92.5

70.2

68.0

91.2

81.5

99.9

62.1

82.1

88.0

80.4

94.3

NA

81.2

74.9

94.4

77.7

72.4

86.9

82.8

97.0

66.9

82.1

89.7

88.4

96.1

NA

86.3

77.8

96.6

84.1

75.8

86.7

85.5

94.3

76.1

84.4

88.1

88.2

93.3

NA

86.5

79.4

94.2

90.4

79.4

90.5

88.6

94.9

81.5

88.3

88.7

88.1

93.5

NA

87.9

84.8

91.4

92.2

85.1

93.7

93.3

95.9

85.9

95.1

93.0

93.6

96.8

NA

90.3

91.5

92.3

95.6

92.9

97.6

99.5

97.4

95.0

96.4

98.1

96.3

99.3

93.1

93.3

98.2

95.6

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.6

97.2

101.1

103.8

100.9

102.3

100.1

102.4

104.5

105.3

104.3

102.1

100.9

90.8

98.5

94.5

101.5

108.2

101.9

97.9

93.0

97.2

101.9

103.6

101.9

95.6

102.9

83.8

94.8

95.2

97.6

120.4

102.1

96.4

93.8

94.6

104.7

105.9

103.0

93.7

107.0

87.4

93.5

97.2

94.0

126.5

101.6

94.7

100.9

95.7

107.4

107.5

110.0

94.2

111.4

91.9

91.9

96.5

93.3

116.1

100.0

90.5

96.9

91.3

104.4

103.9

111.9

95.1

115.2

90.2

92.7

98.6

95.5

113.6

101.4

90.3

98.7

89.3

105.3

100.4

111.1

95.9

121.7

89.2

90.4

98.4

91.8

99.2

98.9

90.6

101.9

89.3

105.9

NA

114.0

96.7

129.5

88.8

89.9

100.6

87.1

96.6

96.6

90.2

99.0

88.9

103.4

NA

113.4

NA

134.5

86.9

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in other countries.
* Compensation adjusted to include changes in employment taxes that are not compensation to employees,
but are labor cost to employers.

** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 28 Table 10.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Unit labor costs in manufacturing, U.S. dollar basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Sweden*

Former West

States Canada*
Kingdom*

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
10.1

NA

22.7

NA

NA

NA

NA

9.6

18.1

NA

9.5

13.8

12.8

7.8

10.7

1955
13.3

NA

29.1

12.8

NA

NA

NA

12.0

25.3

NA

9.4

14.1

14.6

10.2

15.5

1960
15.8
1961
16.8
1962
17.3
1963
17.1
1964
17.1
1965
18.2
1966
19.0
1967
18.5
1968
16.0
1969
17.1

NA

32.2

11.0

NA

NA

19.4

13.5

20.9

NA

10.4

14.9

16.1

11.2

16.9

NA

30.1

11.3

NA

NA

20.3

14.3

21.8

NA

11.6

15.3

18.1

11.8

17.6

NA

27.6

12.3

NA

NA

20.7

14.9

22.7

NA

12.3

16.2

18.8

12.9

18.3

NA

27.3

12.7

NA

NA

22.0

15.7

23.4

NA

12.6

18.7

19.9

13.1

18.9

NA

27.3

12.5

NA

NA

23.5

15.6

23.6

NA

12.6

19.7

21.1

13.2

19.1

NA

27.6

13.6

NA

NA

24.8

16.5

24.0

NA

13.0

18.9

22.2

13.8

19.6

NA

29.1

13.6

NA

NA

25.6

17.9

23.4

NA

13.6

18.5

23.2

14.5

20.6

NA

30.3

13.5

NA

NA

26.5

18.5

23.7

NA

13.5

19.5

24.0

15.6

21.1

NA

30.7

14.1

NA

NA

25.9

17.4

24.1

NA

13.4

19.3

23.7

16.2

20.9

NA

31.7

14.6

NA

NA

25.9

18.8

23.1

NA

13.9

20.3

24.4

16.4

21.1

1970
19.3
1971
21.4
1972
23.9

NA

35.3

15.5

21.0

14.7

27.0

20.3

23.0

NA

17.1

23.2

25.9

17.6

23.1

NA

36.6

17.4

19.9

15.3

29.9

22.1

24.5

NA

19.3

26.8

29.0

19.9

25.3

NA

38.1

21.0

19.5

15.4

35.0

24.1

28.2

NA

21.9

29.3

33.5

22.7

28.9

1973
24.9
1974
28.1
1975
36.3
1976
32.8
1977
35.5
1978
44.8
1979
58.5

NA

38.6

26.3

22.8

18.6

42.4

30.7

34.3

NA

28.0

31.9

41.6

27.6

33.1

NA

45.1

31.2

27.6

28.3

49.5

35.6

36.9

NA

31.5

35.1

48.0

32.5

36.7

NA

52.0

34.8

26.4

28.7

60.9

40.9

48.8

NA

35.1

45.6

59.2

41.5

47.4

NA

56.9

35.3

33.6

29.6

60.9

41.8

47.3

NA

34.4

39.1

56.9

44.8

52.0

61.2

55.6

41.5

39.5

30.8

67.6

45.7

49.3

NA

39.6

42.7

61.8

50.8

56.4

65.3

54.7

54.6

47.5

31.6

77.8

54.1

58.0

NA

47.6

48.0

71.2

55.5

60.1

70.7

58.5

51.3

58.2

36.9

84.2

60.3

66.5

NA

53.6

54.2

78.6

56.2

63.3

1980
78.3
1981
75.2
1982
67.8
1983
58.4
1984
52.8
1985
54.1
1986
64.0
1987
75.6
1988
83.0
1989
78.5

78.8

66.1

51.8

58.3

42.7

88.3

58.9

76.7

NA

59.6

59.0

82.9

63.9

70.2

82.4

69.6

55.2

60.0

48.4

70.6

50.4

67.1

NA

49.9

53.1

67.4

61.3

65.1

87.9

77.2

49.2

59.6

48.5

57.2

46.7

61.5

NA

49.3

51.9

65.8

58.2

54.4

86.0

77.9

52.3

60.3

46.4

51.0

43.4

57.3

NA

46.7

52.1

59.7

54.7

46.1

85.6

71.4

52.2

60.1

48.8

46.8

40.8

53.4

NA

42.4

47.7

50.2

50.5

44.0

87.3

69.0

50.3

56.5

50.4

46.9

42.3

54.2

NA

41.7

46.6

49.0

50.8

46.1

91.2

70.9

75.2

55.1

54.6

63.4

60.0

72.0

NA

58.5

61.9

67.8

65.3

59.2

86.9

75.4

85.0

63.5

65.1

77.2

77.9

84.6

NA

74.9

73.9

83.8

77.5

69.6

86.7

84.0

93.2

81.3

74.2

77.0

79.0

82.8

NA

76.9

75.2

83.8

86.1

75.4

90.5

90.4

87.1

94.8

84.1

72.3

72.6

77.6

NA

73.0

76.1

75.8

82.9

76.8

1990
92.5
1991
98.2
1992
100.0
1993
85.5
1994
86.8

93.7

96.6

83.8

94.9

88.9

89.5

91.3

94.0

NA

87.3

94.1

89.1

95.0

91.3

97.6

104.9

91.7

101.1

90.6

92.3

90.8

93.1

87.6

87.8

97.5

89.9

95.7

96.3

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.6

91.0

115.4

101.1

96.1

95.1

93.2

95.6

98.6

99.4

81.6

96.6

88.3

67.8

98.5

83.6

125.9

105.2

96.9

94.2

88.3

92.8

98.2

99.8

77.9

92.4

90.7

63.2

1995
91.9
1996
93.0
1997
99.8
1998
104.9
1999
102.9
2000
95.2
NA:

94.8

83.8

131.7

122.3

96.9

105.2

101.1

100.4

114.2

115.5

77.9

102.7

105.0

71.3

93.5

86.1

109.6

123.3

93.0

98.3

105.0

99.0

111.5

111.6

87.9

98.3

107.1

79.8

91.9

84.2

97.7

95.8

87.4

81.2

88.6

82.8

94.0

93.5

80.9

85.6

101.0

68.8

92.7

80.4

92.4

63.7

76.0

80.0

88.9

80.1

93.5

89.1

78.8

85.0

100.2

65.3

90.4

80.0

102.4

65.4

76.9

76.9

88.0

76.8

90.1

NA

77.3

82.2

103.1

62.5

89.9

81.8

102.5

67.0

77.7

66.4

73.8

66.2

76.2

NA

66.6

NA

94.8

55.2

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in the other countries.
* Compensation adjusted to include changes in employment taxes that are not compensation to employees,
but are labor costs to employers.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 29 Table 11.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Exchange rates, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000 (Value of foreign currency relative to U.S. dollar)
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Sweden

Former West

States Canada
Kingdom

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Nether-

Germany** Italy

lands

Norway

1950
158.6

100.0

110.5

35.2

NA

NA

NA

87.5

151.3

NA

37.2

197.3

46.2

87.1

112.6

1955
158.0

100.0

122.5

35.2

NA

NA

NA

87.4

151.2

NA

37.1

197.1

46.1

87.0

112.6

1960
159.0
1961
158.6
1962

100.0

124.6

35.2

NA

NA

64.5

87.6

107.9

NA

37.4

198.4

46.6

87.1

112.7

100.0

119.4

35.1

NA

NA

64.5

87.4

107.9

NA

38.9

198.4

48.5

87.0

112.7

100.0

113.1

35.1

NA

NA

64.6

87.5

108.0

NA

39.1

198.5

48.8

87.1

113.0

159.0
1963
158.5
1964
158.1
1965
158.3
1966
158.1
1967
155.7
1968
135.5
1969
135.3

100.0

112.0

35.1

NA

NA

64.5

87.4

108.0

NA

39.2

198.2

48.8

86.9

112.3

100.0

112.0

35.0

NA

NA

64.6

87.3

108.0

NA

39.3

197.3

48.8

86.8

113.1

100.0

112.1

35.1

NA

NA

64.8

87.3

108.0

NA

39.1

197.2

48.8

86.9

112.9

100.0

112.2

35.0

NA

NA

64.5

87.4

107.7

NA

39.1

197.3

48.6

86.9

112.8

100.0

112.0

35.0

NA

NA

64.7

86.5

107.6

NA

39.2

197.4

48.8

86.9

112.9

100.0

112.2

35.2

NA

NA

64.4

80.7

106.9

NA

39.1

197.7

48.6

87.0

112.7

100.0

112.2

35.4

NA

NA

64.1

80.3

102.2

NA

39.8

196.4

48.5

87.0

112.7

1970
135.6
1971
138.4
1972
141.6
1973
138.8
1974
132.5
1975
125.8
1976
102.2
1977
98.8
1978
108.6
1979
120.2

100.0

115.8

35.4

252.7

62.9

64.7

80.5

95.7

NA

42.8

196.5

48.6

86.9

112.3

100.0

119.7

36.5

226.0

62.9

66.2

81.6

96.1

NA

44.9

199.3

50.4

88.3

114.1

100.0

122.0

41.8

199.7

62.9

73.0

86.8

104.9

NA

49.0

211.1

54.8

94.3

122.5

100.0

120.8

46.8

197.0

65.8

82.8

100.2

119.3

NA

59.0

211.8

63.3

108.2

133.8

100.0

123.6

43.5

194.0

66.2

82.7

99.3

110.1

NA

60.5

189.4

65.5

112.6

131.4

100.0

118.8

42.7

162.1

66.2

87.6

105.3

123.6

NA

63.6

188.9

69.7

119.2

140.6

100.0

122.6

42.8

162.1

66.2

83.3

99.9

110.9

NA

62.1

148.4

66.6

113.9

133.7

100.0

113.7

47.3

162.1

66.2

89.7

100.6

107.7

NA

67.3

139.6

71.7

116.8

130.4

100.0

106.0

60.8

162.1

67.9

102.3

109.6

117.6

NA

77.9

145.2

81.4

118.6

129.0

100.0

103.2

58.1

162.1

69.8

109.6

114.8

124.4

NA

85.2

148.3

87.7

122.7

135.9

1980
131.7
1981
114.6
1982
99.0
1983
85.8
1984

100.0

103.4

55.9

129.2

69.8

110.0

107.1

125.3

NA

85.9

143.9

88.5

125.8

137.7

100.0

100.8

57.5

115.2

68.3

86.4

84.6

97.3

NA

69.0

108.2

70.4

108.2

115.0

100.0

97.9

50.9

107.2

64.3

70.2

72.4

80.5

NA

64.3

91.0

65.8

96.2

92.7

100.0

98.1

53.4

101.1

62.8

62.9

66.0

69.5

NA

61.2

81.1

61.6

85.1

75.9

100.0

93.3

53.4

97.1

63.5

55.7

58.3

60.6

NA

54.9

70.2

54.8

76.2

70.4

75.7
1985
73.5
1986
83.1
1987
92.8
1988
100.8
1989
92.7

88.5

53.2

91.0

63.1

54.2

57.0

58.9

NA

53.1

64.5

53.0

72.3

67.7

100.0

87.0

75.3

88.7

66.5

72.0

74.6

76.4

NA

72.0

82.6

71.8

84.0

81.7

100.0

91.1

87.7

95.0

79.2

86.1

88.2

88.0

NA

86.9

95.0

86.8

92.2

91.8

100.0

98.2

98.9

106.8

87.9

87.4

89.6

88.8

NA

88.9

94.6

88.9

95.2

94.9

100.0

102.1

91.8

116.4

95.3

81.6

82.5

83.0

NA

83.0

89.8

82.9

89.9

90.2

100.0

103.6

87.4

110.4

93.5

96.2

97.5

97.2

NA

96.6

102.8

96.6

99.4

98.4

100.0

105.5

94.2

106.5

94.0

94.0

94.3

93.7

94.0

94.0

99.3

93.9

95.7

96.3

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

93.7

114.1

97.4

95.2

93.0

93.1

93.4

94.4

94.4

78.3

94.6

87.5

74.7

100.0

88.4

124.1

97.2

95.1

96.2

95.0

95.4

96.3

96.3

76.5

96.7

88.1

75.5

100.0

88.1

134.9

101.5

95.0

109.1

107.8

106.2

109.1

109.1

75.6

109.6

98.1

81.6

100.0

88.6

116.5

97.5

91.6

103.8

104.1

103.5

103.8

103.8

79.9

104.3

96.2

86.8

100.0

87.3

104.7

82.5

87.4

89.8

91.3

90.7

90.0

90.0

72.3

90.1

87.7

76.2

100.0

81.5

96.8

56.0

75.0

88.5

90.1

89.7

88.8

88.8

70.9

88.7

82.3

73.3

100.0

81.3

111.5

65.9

77.8

84.9

86.4

86.0

85.1

85.1

67.8

85.0

79.6

70.4

100.0

81.4

117.6

69.4

80.5

73.6

74.6

74.5

73.7

NA

58.7

73.7

70.5

63.5

1990
101.0
1991
100.1
1992
100.0
1993
85.0
1994
86.7
1995
89.4
1996
88.4
1997
92.7
1998
93.8
1999
91.6
2000
85.8

100.0

NA:

Not Available

** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 30 Table 12.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Annual compensation per employed person in manufacturing, national currency basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
1992=100)
United

Former West

Nether-

United
Year
Sweden*

States Canada*
Kingdom*

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
1.9

8.8

5.9

NA

NA

NA

NA

3.5

1.9

NA

4.9

0.9

4.0

2.9

2.4

1955
2.8

11.8

8.1

3.7

NA

NA

NA

4.7

3.4

NA

7.3

1.4

5.9

4.4

3.8

1960
3.6
1961
3.8
1962
4.0
1963
4.2
1964
4.5
1965
4.8
1966
5.1
1967
5.2
1968
5.7
1969
6.2

14.8

10.4

5.3

NA

NA

6.8

6.0

5.1

NA

10.7

1.8

8.4

6.0

5.0

15.2

10.6

6.1

NA

NA

7.2

6.6

5.7

NA

11.8

2.0

9.2

6.4

5.4

16.0

11.1

6.9

NA

NA

7.8

7.2

6.3

NA

13.0

2.3

9.8

7.0

6.0

16.5

11.6

7.6

NA

NA

8.6

7.8

6.9

NA

13.7

2.7

10.7

7.5

6.6

17.3

12.1

8.5

NA

NA

9.6

8.5

7.4

NA

14.8

2.9

12.3

8.0

7.1

17.9

12.8

9.4

NA

NA

10.5

9.4

8.0

NA

16.2

3.0

13.8

8.7

7.7

18.8

13.7

10.4

NA

NA

11.5

10.4

8.5

NA

17.4

3.2

15.3

9.5

8.5

19.4

14.4

11.7

NA

NA

12.4

11.6

9.0

NA

17.8

3.6

16.9

10.5

9.2

20.9

15.4

13.6

NA

NA

13.3

12.5

10.0

NA

19.4

3.9

18.5

11.3

9.8

22.2

16.5

15.8

NA

NA

14.4

13.8

10.9

NA

21.3

4.2

20.7

12.2

10.5

1970
7.0
1971
7.8
1972
9.0
1973
10.3
1974
12.0
1975
15.9
1976
18.6
1977

23.3

17.6

18.7

NA

NA

16.0

15.3

12.1

NA

24.8

5.0

23.5

13.5

11.8

24.8

18.7

21.2

NA

NA

18.2

17.5

13.5

NA

27.2

5.6

26.6

15.3

13.3

26.5

20.1

24.3

NA

NA

21.0

19.0

14.7

NA

29.8

6.3

30.1

16.8

14.4

28.5

21.7

29.4

NA

NA

24.3

21.8

16.6

NA

33.4

7.5

35.2

18.9

16.0

31.0

25.0

37.0

NA

NA

29.2

26.9

19.5

NA

37.2

9.4

40.7

21.8

18.6

34.3

28.4

42.1

NA

NA

33.3

31.1

23.0

NA

40.0

11.7

45.7

25.9

22.3

37.6

32.7

46.7

NA

NA

39.3

34.8

26.5

NA

44.3

14.5

50.9

29.2

25.8

41.0

36.2

51.6

NA

NA

42.3

38.2

29.8

NA

47.7

17.1

55.3

32.2

28.1

21.2
1978
24.6
1979
29.1

44.3

39.2

55.2

NA

NA

45.2

41.6

33.4

NA

50.6

19.6

59.2

34.6

30.3

48.4

42.9

59.2

NA

NA

48.1

46.5

37.7

NA

54.1

23.6

62.9

35.7

32.1

1980
34.1
1981
38.9
1982
43.1
1983
46.1
1984
49.9
1985
54.3
1986
58.9
1987
65.9
1988
70.6
1989
75.3

53.5

47.3

62.9

NA

NA

52.7

51.6

43.5

NA

57.9

27.8

66.7

39.1

35.3

58.8

53.1

66.9

NA

NA

56.1

56.1

49.7

NA

60.9

33.5

70.2

43.6

39.2

63.3

59.7

70.0

NA

NA

60.0

62.0

56.6

NA

64.1

39.3

75.3

48.1

42.3

66.9

64.7

71.9

NA

NA

64.2

67.2

62.3

NA

67.2

45.8

78.9

53.0

47.5

70.2

68.3

74.9

NA

NA

69.3

70.8

67.7

NA

70.3

52.5

80.7

57.9

52.5

74.1

71.6

77.7

NA

NA

74.1

73.0

72.8

NA

73.1

58.5

82.9

63.1

57.4

77.4

73.0

81.1

NA

NA

76.2

76.3

76.0

NA

75.6

62.5

85.7

68.9

61.8

80.0

75.4

83.4

NA

NA

79.2

81.5

79.3

NA

78.8

67.2

88.1

76.3

66.8

84.0

79.9

85.7

NA

NA

81.9

84.4

82.6

NA

81.7

72.0

88.6

81.6

70.7

86.7

83.2

89.9

NA

NA

86.4

88.2

86.9

NA

84.6

78.8

89.0

86.0

77.9

1990
83.5
1991
92.1
1992
100.0
1993
105.5
1994
109.5
1995
112.2
1996
113.8
1997
117.2
1998
122.6
1999

90.2

88.5

95.5

NA

NA

91.7

92.1

91.0

NA

89.2

85.4

91.2

90.9

87.2

94.3

94.8

99.5

NA

NA

97.3

95.6

95.7

88.2

94.3

93.8

95.4

96.4

94.7

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

104.1

103.0

100.6

NA

NA

103.2

103.8

102.9

103.9

102.8

105.4

103.7

101.8

99.9

108.0

105.8

102.9

NA

NA

107.4

106.0

105.5

109.9

108.5

108.6

108.2

104.9

106.6

109.5

107.6

107.1

NA

NA

109.2

109.7

107.7

115.8

113.6

113.7

110.9

108.8

114.6

111.0

109.5

108.5

NA

NA

111.5

112.6

109.6

118.6

117.6

120.3

113.4

112.6

123.4

113.9

111.7

111.6

NA

NA

115.4

117.7

112.0

121.0

120.5

125.4

115.9

117.4

128.9

118.8

114.4

112.0

NA

NA

117.3

121.3

114.4

123.4

122.8

123.7

119.3

124.9

134.6

124.5

117.0

111.6

NA

NA

120.2

126.9

116.7

125.0

NA

127.3

123.0

132.1

138.2

127.8
2000
133.1
NA:

132.2

121.0

114.1

NA

NA

121.8

132.1

118.6

128.1

NA

130.7

NA

137.2

142.1

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in the other countries.
* Compensation adjusted to include changes in employment taxes that are not compensation to employees,
but are labor costs to employers.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 31 Table 13.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Real hourly compensation in manufacturing, CPI basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Sweden

Former West

States Canada
Kingdom

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
25.9

46.8

37.0

NA

NA

NA

NA

28.6

19.8

NA

11.7

17.2

17.1

26.3

25.3

1955
28.2

56.5

46.5

18.2

NA

NA

NA

31.9

26.7

NA

15.9

20.1

21.2

29.5

30.5

1960
33.1
1961
34.3
1962
34.5
1963
35.4
1964
36.6
1965
38.2
1966
39.7

65.2

54.6

23.1

NA

NA

24.5

38.7

30.1

NA

23.6

24.1

26.4

36.4

35.4

66.4

55.5

25.5

NA

NA

25.7

41.7

32.2

NA

25.8

26.1

29.8

38.7

37.9

68.3

56.9

27.3

NA

NA

27.2

42.5

34.1

NA

28.4

29.4

31.1

40.4

40.4

69.4

58.3

28.4

NA

NA

29.4

43.9

35.4

NA

29.4

32.4

33.1

42.0

43.4

71.4

59.6

30.7

NA

NA

31.9

45.7

37.2

NA

31.1

32.7

36.3

42.5

45.7

71.8

61.7

32.1

NA

NA

34.0

47.7

39.4

NA

33.1

33.5

39.1

45.0

48.1

73.0

63.8

33.7

NA

NA

36.0

50.8

40.6

NA

34.7

34.8

41.4

47.7

49.5

1967
40.7
1968
41.8
1969
43.1

74.6

64.9

36.3

NA

NA

38.3

53.0

42.6

NA

36.1

37.0

44.3

51.0

52.6

77.1

66.6

40.1

NA

NA

39.8

54.0

46.4

NA

38.3

39.0

47.6

54.3

56.0

78.4

68.9

45.2

NA

NA

42.0

58.7

47.6

NA

41.1

41.7

50.2

58.1

58.9

1970
46.5
1971
48.4
1972
52.1
1973
54.3
1974
56.2
1975
60.4
1976
60.1
1977
58.5
1978
62.7
1979
65.6

79.4

71.5

49.9

NA

NA

46.1

62.9

50.9

NA

46.7

48.3

56.0

58.3

61.8

80.7

73.9

54.3

NA

NA

51.0

68.3

54.2

NA

49.8

53.2

59.5

62.9

64.1

82.2

75.7

59.6

NA

NA

57.2

71.0

56.3

NA

52.3

56.4

63.3

65.8

67.5

83.4

76.6

65.2

NA

NA

63.5

78.8

60.0

NA

55.4

59.9

69.7

69.0

69.8

83.4

80.2

69.4

NA

NA

69.3

82.8

62.8

NA

58.9

65.7

75.9

74.0

74.8

85.6

83.2

72.3

NA

NA

74.3

90.0

68.4

NA

61.3

70.9

79.0

79.1

83.6

87.7

88.8

71.2

NA

NA

78.8

92.1

71.5

NA

63.1

75.4

80.9

83.9

88.4

89.6

91.2

72.6

NA

NA

79.4

91.8

74.2

NA

66.7

76.3

82.8

86.3

86.1

90.5

89.9

74.3

NA

NA

81.5

91.9

76.6

NA

69.9

78.3

86.0

87.4

88.9

90.9

90.6

76.2

NA

NA

82.9

93.7

78.4

NA

72.2

82.7

88.6

87.6

89.9

1980
67.2
1981
70.0
1982
70.5
1983
72.4
1984
74.3
1985
76.6
1986
80.7
1987
86.5
1988
88.1

91.6

91.6

75.2

NA

NA

86.5

92.1

79.6

NA

74.6

80.0

87.4

86.0

87.7

92.1

92.0

76.8

NA

NA

87.7

90.7

81.3

NA

74.6

82.0

85.7

84.1

86.3

95.4

94.1

78.4

NA

NA

84.4

89.7

86.3

NA

75.0

82.7

86.1

84.1

85.1

94.1

95.2

79.0

NA

NA

86.0

89.7

87.0

NA

76.0

84.1

87.7

85.1

84.5

93.6

96.4

79.6

NA

NA

87.8

89.2

87.8

NA

77.7

87.0

88.1

87.7

85.2

95.5

96.6

81.2

NA

NA

88.3

90.9

89.7

NA

80.7

89.6

90.7

90.8

87.4

98.1

94.1

84.8

NA

NA

89.6

89.6

91.0

NA

84.1

88.1

94.2

92.4

90.4

97.5

92.3

86.7

NA

NA

90.9

94.1

91.6

NA

87.7

88.8

97.6

96.4

92.4

97.9

92.1

87.5

NA

NA

91.4

93.2

92.7

NA

90.3

87.6

96.6

96.0

94.1

1989
87.7

96.8

93.4

90.9

NA

NA

94.0

94.1

94.2

NA

92.3

90.4

96.6

96.1

98.3

1990
89.7
1991
95.4
1992
100.0
1993
102.9
1994
103.0
1995
100.2
1996
98.8
1997
99.3
1998
101.1
1999
104.2
2000
105.0

96.6

94.7

95.0

NA

NA

95.2

96.9

96.0

NA

96.6

94.3

96.6

97.7

97.6

98.1

96.3

98.0

NA

NA

99.7

98.0

98.8

96.9

99.1

98.5

98.2

99.8

97.3

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.2

100.2

101.4

NA

NA

102.0

103.3

100.9

101.9

102.1

102.9

101.0

99.2

95.3

100.8

101.6

102.8

NA

NA

100.9

NA

101.7

104.3

104.8

99.2

102.6

100.6

95.8

100.4

101.7

106.3

NA

NA

102.3

NA

102.7

108.2

108.7

98.6

102.9

102.7

97.6

99.1

101.1

107.0

NA

NA

101.8

NA

102.4

111.9

112.8

101.1

103.2

105.6

103.6

98.8

101.6

108.7

NA

NA

103.6

NA

103.7

112.1

113.3

102.9

103.7

107.5

106.9

102.7

102.8

110.8

NA

NA

104.1

NA

105.4

112.0

113.3

99.8

104.8

111.7

110.6

104.6

102.4

110.9

NA

NA

103.3

NA

107.6

113.2

NA

101.4

105.7

115.6

109.4

107.8

103.1

111.7

NA

NA

103.3

NA

111.3

115.0

NA

101.8

NA

117.7

115.8

NA:

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in the other countries.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 32 Table 14.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Real annual compensation per employed person in manufacturing, CPI basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Sweden
1950

Former West

States Canada
Kingdom
47.4

40.3

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

NA

NA

NA

NA

40.2

23.9

NA

17.2

19.0

22.3

34.5

32.8

31.7
1955
35.1

57.4

48.7

21.7

NA

NA

NA

44.0

32.1

NA

23.3

22.7

27.7

38.7

39.4

1960
40.4
1961
41.2
1962
41.1
1963
42.1
1964
43.8
1965
45.1
1966
46.1
1967
46.9
1968
48.6
1969
50.0

64.9

56.8

28.6

NA

NA

30.8

50.8

36.4

NA

31.0

27.5

34.8

45.9

43.2

66.2

57.5

31.2

NA

NA

32.2

53.1

39.1

NA

33.4

29.5

37.7

48.1

45.9

68.7

59.4

32.6

NA

NA

34.2

54.5

41.2

NA

35.8

32.2

39.0

50.0

48.5

70.1

61.0

33.6

NA

NA

37.0

55.4

42.9

NA

36.5

35.7

41.5

51.8

51.5

72.5

62.7

36.2

NA

NA

39.9

58.3

44.8

NA

38.7

35.9

45.0

52.7

53.7

73.7

64.9

37.2

NA

NA

41.9

60.7

47.1

NA

41.0

35.6

48.3

54.5

56.0

75.2

66.6

39.3

NA

NA

44.0

63.4

48.8

NA

42.4

37.4

50.9

57.9

57.6

75.5

67.8

42.3

NA

NA

46.2

65.4

50.6

NA

42.9

40.4

54.3

61.3

60.3

77.9

69.4

46.6

NA

NA

48.1

65.1

53.6

NA

46.1

42.5

57.2

63.7

62.9

78.6

71.5

51.8

NA

NA

50.2

69.9

56.3

NA

49.5

45.2

59.6

66.6

64.9

1970
53.2
1971
54.0
1972
57.6
1973
60.8
1974
61.0
1975
65.2
1976
65.5
1977
64.1
1978
68.5
1979
71.3

78.0

73.7

56.7

NA

NA

53.6

72.5

59.6

NA

56.0

51.4

65.2

66.4

68.0

79.4

76.0

60.7

NA

NA

58.5

78.5

62.9

NA

58.4

55.1

68.6

70.9

70.3

82.3

77.9

66.2

NA

NA

64.1

79.8

64.7

NA

60.7

58.0

72.0

73.0

72.1

83.3

78.3

71.8

NA

NA

69.4

83.9

67.9

NA

63.8

62.2

77.7

76.1

73.2

81.7

81.4

73.3

NA

NA

73.8

89.8

70.1

NA

66.5

65.9

81.9

80.5

77.6

82.7

83.4

74.6

NA

NA

74.8

94.6

74.1

NA

67.4

69.9

83.7

85.6

85.1

85.7

89.1

75.6

NA

NA

80.8

97.2

77.7

NA

71.5

74.3

85.6

88.4

89.0

87.9

91.4

77.4

NA

NA

81.1

96.0

80.0

NA

74.3

74.8

87.3

89.4

86.0

88.8

90.8

79.4

NA

NA

83.1

95.0

81.8

NA

76.9

76.6

89.7

88.8

86.5

88.6

91.1

82.0

NA

NA

84.6

96.8

83.6

NA

79.2

80.2

91.4

87.5

86.1

1980
71.0
1981
72.7
1982
73.6
1983
75.4
1984
77.5
1985
79.6
1986
83.4
1987
89.6
1988
91.4
1989
90.6

88.3

91.2

80.9

NA

NA

86.9

95.7

84.9

NA

80.7

77.9

90.6

86.3

83.1

88.7

90.8

82.0

NA

NA

86.0

93.2

85.6

NA

79.7

79.8

89.3

84.6

82.2

90.2

92.0

83.5

NA

NA

84.5

93.5

87.2

NA

79.7

80.2

90.6

83.8

81.4

91.4

94.3

84.3

NA

NA

84.0

94.7

87.4

NA

80.9

81.6

92.4

85.2

81.8

92.3

95.4

85.8

NA

NA

85.3

93.9

88.5

NA

82.7

84.5

91.6

87.7

84.0

94.2

96.2

87.2

NA

NA

87.0

92.5

89.8

NA

84.3

86.2

91.9

90.4

85.5

96.7

94.2

90.5

NA

NA

88.3

93.3

91.3

NA

87.3

86.9

95.0

92.1

88.1

96.7

93.2

92.9

NA

NA

90.4

95.8

92.4

NA

90.9

89.2

98.0

93.7

91.2

97.9

94.9

94.8

NA

NA

92.4

94.9

93.8

NA

93.2

91.1

97.7

94.1

92.7

96.9

94.1

97.4

NA

NA

94.5

94.6

95.2

NA

93.9

93.7

97.1

94.7

96.5

1990
91.7
1991
95.5
1992
100.0
1993
103.9
1994
105.3
1995
104.2
1996
103.2
1997
103.1
1998
104.2
1999
107.0
2000
108.2

96.0

94.9

100.3

NA

NA

96.9

96.3

96.5

NA

96.4

95.5

97.0

96.2

96.9

96.8

96.1

101.2

NA

NA

99.7

97.6

98.3

92.7

98.2

98.6

98.4

98.7

96.6

100.0

100.0

100.0

NA

NA

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

101.5

101.2

99.3

NA

NA

100.5

102.5

100.8

99.4

99.1

100.8

101.0

99.5

97.7

103.0

103.6

100.9

NA

NA

102.1

102.6

101.7

102.4

101.7

99.9

102.6

101.2

102.1

101.9

103.3

105.1

NA

NA

102.3

104.0

102.0

106.1

104.9

99.4

103.2

102.4

105.0

100.5

103.4

106.4

NA

NA

102.3

104.6

101.8

107.2

107.2

101.2

103.4

104.6

111.8

101.0

103.8

107.5

NA

NA

104.2

107.0

102.8

107.3

107.9

103.4

103.5

106.3

115.5

103.9

105.4

107.2

NA

NA

104.9

108.2

104.2

108.4

109.0

100.0

104.4

110.7

119.7

106.6

105.9

107.1

NA

NA

106.4

110.6

105.8

109.1

NA

101.2

105.3

114.4

118.7

109.6

106.7

110.3

NA

NA

105.1

111.7

105.8

109.8

NA

101.4

NA

115.2

125.9

NA:

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in the other countries.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:
- 33 Table 15.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.

Total labor compensation in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2000
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Sweden*

Former West

States Canada*
Kingdom*

Nether-

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Germany

Germany**

Italy

lands

Norway

1950
3.2

7.4

4.6

NA

NA

NA

NA

2.9

2.2

NA

3.7

.7

4.6

3.4

2.9

1955
4.9

11.0

6.9

1.8

NA

NA

NA

4.1

3.8

NA

7.0

1.1

7.2

5.5

4.9

1960
6.7
1961
7.2
1962
7.4
1963
7.6
1964
8.3
1965
9.0
1966
9.6
1967
9.6
1968
10.2
1969
11.3

13.7

8.8

3.4

NA

NA

9.2

6.3

6.0

NA

11.6

1.7

10.9

7.3

6.9

13.7

8.9

4.1

NA

NA

10.1

7.0

6.7

NA

13.1

2.0

12.2

8.0

7.7

14.8

9.6

4.9

NA

NA

11.1

7.9

7.5

NA

14.5

2.3

13.2

8.9

8.5

15.4

10.2

5.6

NA

NA

12.4

8.5

8.3

NA

15.2

2.8

14.5

9.6

9.3

16.4

11.2

6.5

NA

NA

14.3

9.5

9.2

NA

16.4

3.0

16.9

10.4

10.2

17.8

12.4

7.3

NA

NA

15.6

10.7

9.8

NA

18.3

3.1

19.0

11.4

11.2

19.8

14.0

8.3

NA

NA

17.1

11.8

10.5

NA

19.4

3.3

21.0

12.6

12.1

20.7

14.9

9.8

NA

NA

17.9

12.5

11.1

NA

18.9

3.8

22.5

14.0

12.8

22.6

15.9

11.8

NA

NA

18.8

13.5

12.0

NA

20.7

4.1

24.4

14.9

13.4

24.6

17.5

14.2

NA

NA

21.1

15.4

13.5

NA

23.6

4.6

27.7

16.2

14.6

1970

24.8

18.3

17.1

3.0

24.0

17.1

15.4

NA

28.2

5.7

31.5

18.2

16.6

.6

12.8
1971
13.8
1972
15.4
1973
17.9
1974
20.9
1975
26.4
1976
29.9
1977
34.2
1978
39.5
1979
46.5

25.3

19.5

19.6

.7

3.8

27.2

18.8

17.3

NA

30.7

6.5

35.2

20.8

18.0

27.8

21.6

22.4

.9

4.6

31.0

20.9

19.2

NA

33.0

7.1

38.4

23.2

19.3

31.5

24.4

28.3

1.4

6.3

36.1

24.3

22.1

NA

37.3

8.8

44.2

26.1

21.7

34.2

28.5

35.3

2.0

9.0

43.9

28.9

26.2

NA

40.5

11.4

51.0

30.5

25.7

34.5

31.5

37.9

2.6

9.5

47.2

30.6

30.2

NA

40.9

14.1

55.3

35.9

31.2

39.2

36.1

41.8

4.1

12.1

53.4

34.5

34.6

NA

44.2

17.7

59.1

40.4

36.0

44.4

39.3

45.7

5.6

14.2

55.2

37.7

38.8

NA

47.8

21.2

62.5

44.7

37.7

50.0

43.8

48.2

8.1

17.3

56.5

40.8

42.8

NA

50.6

24.0

65.5

47.1

39.6

55.9

49.6

51.6

10.8

21.2

58.6

45.9

47.7

NA

54.8

29.4

68.8

48.0

42.1

1980
51.8
1981
53.7
1982
56.0
1983
56.9
1984
60.4
1985
65.5
1986
69.5
1987
77.0
1988
83.5
1989
89.3

59.7

54.5

55.9

13.5

26.9

62.8

50.2

54.3

NA

59.2

34.6

72.0

52.6

46.3

65.3

60.9

60.1

17.0

33.6

63.1

52.6

60.1

NA

61.0

40.1

73.8

57.6

49.8

65.6

62.2

62.5

19.2

36.6

65.5

58.0

67.4

NA

62.5

45.7

76.1

61.3

51.8

68.1

65.7

65.3

23.6

40.0

68.6

63.1

72.7

NA

63.2

51.1

76.1

64.1

56.9

75.0

71.3

69.4

28.5

47.8

73.2

70.2

76.7

NA

65.9

55.8

76.1

69.4

63.2

78.5

76.5

72.6

30.3

51.4

77.1

76.8

80.3

NA

69.4

61.3

79.0

76.2

70.0

80.8

80.6

75.4

35.9

61.4

78.5

83.2

82.3

NA

72.9

64.7

82.7

84.0

75.4

83.8

85.7

76.6

45.8

69.2

79.7

87.7

83.8

NA

76.0

69.2

85.8

93.0

80.8

89.5

94.0

80.4

58.4

74.0

82.3

88.9

86.0

NA

78.6

75.5

86.8

95.2

87.2

92.8

99.3

86.3

64.7

80.2

87.9

91.8

90.9

NA

82.6

83.3

88.3

93.4

94.5

1990
96.4
1991
98.1
1992

95.1

100.2

93.1

74.5

85.6

94.0

96.1

95.9

NA

89.5

90.9

92.2

95.7

102.3

96.0

98.6

99.4

90.2

92.6

98.8

98.0

99.2

95.2

96.0

97.6

96.1

98.3

104.1

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0
1993
102.0
1994
106.2
1995
110.9
1996
113.9
1997
117.9
1998
123.2
1999
123.7
2000
124.1
NA:

104.2

102.1

97.4

109.4

103.4

99.2

99.1

97.9

96.6

96.6

100.6

100.5

103.6

92.5

109.4

106.8

96.3

126.4

110.6

99.3

101.6

97.5

97.0

96.8

104.3

100.0

109.9

98.1

112.2

112.8

96.5

156.5

117.2

100.4

107.6

99.2

99.8

99.2

110.5

101.3

116.6

112.2

113.4

116.7

96.9

175.5

122.2

101.0

110.7

100.0

99.5

99.4

116.0

102.5

122.6

120.4

117.5

122.9

99.4

171.6

128.3

102.9

114.8

100.2

99.9

99.5

121.7

106.0

133.3

124.5

123.5

130.7

95.7

155.5

134.5

105.1

119.2

102.7

102.3

101.2

122.7

110.4

143.3

131.6

127.4

138.6

92.8

164.3

139.9

106.6

122.2

104.7

103.2

NA

125.7

114.8

147.5

136.5

134.5

149.7

93.2

184.6

146.8

110.0

126.2

107.7

106.5

NA

129.2

NA

149.1

142.0

Not Available

Note: The data relate to employees (wage and salary earners) in Korea, Taiwan, Belgium, Denmark, and Italy
and to all employed persons (employees and self-employed workers)
in the other countries.
* Compensation adjusted to include changes in employment taxes that are not compensation to employees,
but are labor costs to employers.
** See note on Germany in box on page 5.
Source:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, August 2001.