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USDL 03-89
For Release: 10:00 A.M. EDT
Wednesday, February 26, 2003

INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS OF MANUFACTURING PRODUCTIVITY
AND UNIT LABOR COST TRENDS, REVISED DATA FOR 2001
In 2001, output per hour in manufacturing declined in Canada, Japan, and the
United States, according to revised data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics,
U.S. Department of Labor. Labor productivity was unchanged in Sweden, and it
grew in the remaining nine economies for which comparable data are available.
Korea and Taiwan recorded the largest productivity gains, while Canada and Japan
recorded the largest declines. In all, the manufacturing productivity estimates
were revised upward for five nations and downward for three and were unchanged
for four. Data for the Netherlands for 2001 were reported for the first time.
PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT
Chart 1. Percent change in manufacturing output per hour, 2001
-2Unit labor costs in manufacturing, expressed in national currency units,
increased in 12 of the 14 economies for which comparable data on unit labor
costs are available for 2001. The largest increases occurred in Canada (5.5
percent) and Korea (5.2 percent). Unit labor costs increased 2.0 percent in
U.S. manufacturing. Taiwan and Denmark were the only two economies where unit
labor costs expressed in national currency units declined in 2001. (See table A
and chart 2.)
Changes in exchange rates must be taken into account in order to assess
international competitiveness in manufacturing. Unlike unit labor costs in
national currency units, unit labor costs expressed in U.S. dollars declined in
9 of the 14 countries due to the relative strength of the U.S. dollar in 2001
against all the other currencies. The largest declines occurred in Taiwan (11.2
percent) and Japan (9.2 percent). (See table A and chart 2.)
PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT
Chart 2. Percent change in manufacturing unit labor costs, 2000-2001
-3Table A. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 2000-2001

Output
per
hour
Output

Country
or area

Hours

Total
Hourly
Employ- Average compen- compenment
hours
sation sation

Unit labor costs
National U.S.
Exchange
currency dollars rate (1)

United States

- 0.4

- 6.0

- 5.6

- 4.1

- 1.6

- 4.2

1.5

2.0

2.0

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

- 2.0
- 1.6
3.2
6.3
1.2
NA
2.8

- 3.3
- 4.9
1.7
- 5.7
0.3
4.7
1.7

- 1.4
- 3.4
- 1.5
-11.3
- 1.0
NA
- 1.0

- 0.4
- 2.6
0.8
- 4.5
0.1
- 0.7
1.2

-

1.0
0.8
2.3
7.1
1.1
NA
- 2.2

2.1
- 2.6
7.0
- 9.4
4.1
3.2
4.0

3.5
0.7
8.7
2.2
5.2
NA
5.0

5.5
2.4
5.2
- 3.9
3.9
- 1.4
2.2

1.2
- 9.2
- 7.9
-11.2
0.7
- 4.2
- 0.9

- 4.1
-11.3
-12.5
- 7.6
- 3.0
- 2.8
- 3.0

1.4
1.7
0.4
0.8
0.0
1.3

0.6
0.7
0.2
- 1.2
- 2.4
- 2.4

-

0.4
0.3
0.1
1.6
1.0
4.2

-

2.3
2.7
4.7
3.3
0.9
- 0.3

3.1
3.8
4.9
5.4
3.4
3.4

1.7
2.0
4.4
4.6
3.4
2.1

- 1.4
- 1.1
1.3
2.4
- 8.3
- 3.0

- 3.0
- 3.0
- 3.0
- 2.0
-11.3
- 5.0

Germany
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom
(1)

0.8
1.0
0.2
2.0
2.4
3.6

-

1.2
1.3
0.1
0.4
1.4
0.6

Value of foreign currency relative to the U.S. dollar.

NA=Not Available
Table A summarizes changes in manufacturing productivity, unit labor costs,
and related variables between 2000 and 2001. Output and unit labor cost data
are presented for 14 economies. Comparable productivity data are not shown for
Denmark. (See technical notes.)
This release is a revision of news release USDL 02-543, issued in September
2002. It examines comparative trends in manufacturing output per hour, unit
labor costs, and related measures in 2001, the most recent year for which
comparative data are available and for certain selected time periods. Annual
indexes of these variables also are estimated for the time period 1950-2001.
Table B (pages 8-12) shows average annual percent changes for selected
periods, beginning in 1979. Annual indexes of the data are in tables 1-15
(pages 19-33).
The historical series of the variables are available also at the Bureau of
Labor Statistics, Division of Foreign Labor Statistics, web-site at address
http://www.bls.gov/fls/home.htm.
-4BOX: Notes about the measures

---

The measures in this release are based on data available to BLS as of December
2002. Revisions for 2000 and earlier years were made to the measures for
several countries to incorporate data not available at the time of the September
2002 report.
U.S. manufacturing output measure
The output measure for manufacturing in the United States is the chain-weighted
index of real gross domestic product by industry (deflated value added),
published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), U.S. Department of Commerce.
This series is based on annually changing price weights. Because this measure
is not available for years prior to 1977, U.S. measures of output, output per
hour, and unit labor costs begin with 1977.
The United States real output data through 2001 used in this report were
released by the BEA in November 2002. The estimates are described in the Survey
of Current Business, November 2002.
The U.S. output series used for international comparisons differs from the
manufacturing series that BLS publishes as part of its major sector productivity
and costs measures for the U.S. While both series are based on annuallychanging price weights, the international comparisons program uses a value added
output concept, while the 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
From 1991 forward, the estimated growth rates pertain to unified Germany; prior
to 1991 the rates pertained to the former West Germany. The two data series
have been linked in 1991. See technical notes for additional information.
Netherlands
2001 data for the Netherlands were not included in the preliminary estimates
issued in September 2002 because data for that year were not available. The
revised 2001 estimates include data for the Netherlands.
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.
END OF BOX: Notes about the measures
-5-

Manufacturing productivity, output, and labor input
In 2001, revised labor productivity in U.S. manufacturing declined by 0.4
percent. This resulted from the combination of a 6.0 percent decline in
manufacturing output that was only partially offset by a 5.6 percent decline in
hours worked.
Of the 13 economies for which comparable data are available, labor
productivity in 2001 increased in nine, declined in three, and remained
unchanged in one. While Taiwan and Korea achieved the largest productivity
increases (6.3 and 3.2 percent, respectively), Canada and Japan recorded the
steepest declines (2.0 and 1.6 percent, respectively). (See table A and chart
1.)
The 0.4 percent decline in U.S. manufacturing productivity in 2001 was the
first annual decline since 1989 and followed accelerating annual productivity
increases throughout the 1990s. (See table 1.) All the other economies except
Taiwan, Italy, and Norway, also recorded slower productivity increases or
declines in 2001 than their preceding 5-year and 10-year average growth rates.
(See tables B and 1.)
In 2001, manufacturing output grew in half of the economies compared and
declined in the other half. The United States recorded the largest output
decline among the economies compared (6.0 percent), followed by Taiwan (5.7
percent).
The preliminary estimate of U.S. manufacturing output for 2001 (released in
September 2002) showed a 3.8 percent drop. This estimate was derived by
extrapolating the 2000 number forward, using the annual growth rate of the
Federal Reserve Board's Industrial Production Index for Total Manufacturing.
The revised U.S. output number is based on manufacturing Real Gross Domestic
Product, released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in November 2002.
For the United States, this was the first year-over-year decline in
manufacturing output since 1991. In all the economies except Denmark,
manufacturing output grew less or declined in 2001 than its average annual
growth rate during the preceding five years.
In 2001, total hours worked in manufacturing declined in all 13 economies for
which this statistic is available. In the United States, hours worked fell by
5.6 percent, the second largest decline after Taiwan's 11.3 percent drop.
Elsewhere, the declines ranged between 0.2 and 3.6 percent. In the three
countries where labor productivity fell in 2001 (United States, Canada, and
Japan), manufacturing output declined more than hours worked.
The reductions in hours worked continued a general trend during the last
decades in the manufacturing sectors of these economies. In most of the
countries, hours worked in manufacturing reached their maximum levels in the
1960s and 1970s (the United States in 1979) and have trended downward since
then. In Taiwan and Korea, manufacturing hours have been declining since the
late 1980s. The only exception to this general trend was Canada. In Canada,
total hours worked in manufacturing, though down from 2000, was greater in 2001
than in any other previous year. (See table 4.)

For most countries, the decline in manufacturing hours through the years was
the result of declines in both manufacturing employment and average hours
worked. The reduction in average hours began earlier, but the decline in
employment has been steeper and steadier.
-6In some countries, average hours have risen slightly since 1979. (See tables 5,
6, and B.)
In 2001, manufacturing employment grew in five of the economies and declined
in nine. The largest declines in employment were recorded in Taiwan, the United
Kingdom, and the United States (down 4.5, 4.2, and 4.1 percent, respectively).
Employment increased most in France (1.2 percent). In the five countries that
experienced employment growth in 2001 (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, and
Korea), total hours worked still dropped due to relatively greater declines in
average hours.
Average hours fell in 12 of the 13 economies for which manufacturing hours are
available for 2001. The declines ranged from 0.1 percent in the Netherlands to
7.1 percent in Taiwan. In the United States, manufacturing average hours fell
by 1.6 percent. The United Kingdom, the only country where average hours
increased, nonetheless experienced a drop in total hours as a result of a sharp
decline in employment.
Manufacturing hourly compensation and unit labor costs
Hourly compensation in manufacturing increased in all 13 economies in 2001.
For most economies, the increases ranged between 3.1 and 5.4 percent. The U.S.
hourly compensation growth rate was the second lowest (1.5 percent), after
Japan's 0.7 percent. This increase in U.S. hourly compensation is below the
average annual increases of the last 15 years. (See table B.)
Manufacturing unit labor costs, in national currency units, increased
everywhere in 2001, except in Taiwan (down 3.9 percent) and Denmark (down 1.4
percent). The U.S. increase of 2.0 percent was the second lowest after
Germany's 1.7 percent. The largest increases in unit labor costs occurred in
Canada (5.5 percent) and Korea (5.2 percent). While in most countries the
higher unit labor costs were the result of hourly compensation rising more than
labor productivity, in the United States, Canada, and Japan, declining labor
productivity was the cause.
While the 2001 increase in unit labor costs in the United States was low by
comparison with the other countries, it was above the average U.S. annual
increases for the post-1985 period. Since 1985, the average annual growth rate
in U.S. manufacturing unit labor costs was 0.5 percent per year. (See tables 9
and B.)
To compare changes in competitiveness across economies in terms of U.S.
dollars, unit labor costs in national currency units must be adjusted for
changes in the currency's exchange rate against the dollar. When a foreign

currency depreciates against the U.S. dollar, fewer dollars must be paid in
exchange for each national currency unit. This will lead to a smaller increase
or a larger decline in unit labor costs converted from the foreign currency into
U.S. dollars.
In 2001, the U.S. dollar strengthened against the currencies of all the
countries compared. The change in value was greatest against the currencies of
Korea (12.5 percent), and Japan and Sweden (both 11.3 percent). The Norwegian
krone declined least (2.0 percent), while the euro weakened by 3.0 percent.
This continued a trend of a stronger U.S. dollar that had persisted for the
previous five years. (See table B.)
-7As a result of the dollar's revaluation, only four countries besides the
United States showed increases in manufacturing unit labor costs in 2001,
denominated in U.S. dollars: Canada, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Norway. In
these four countries, the decline in the values of their currencies was less
than the increase in unit labor costs denominated in their national currency
units.
Because of these exchange rate movements, the 2.0 percent increase in U.S.
unit labor costs went from being the second lowest in terms of national
currencies to being the second highest in U.S. dollar terms.
-8Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related
measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2001
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country

1979-2001 1979-1985 1985-1990 1990-1995 1995-2000 2000-2001

or area

Output per hour
United States

3.2

3.5

2.4

3.3

4.5

-0.4

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark

2.1
3.5
NA
5.9
3.6
NA

3.6
3.5
NA
5.1
6.0
2.4

0.5
4.3
8.2
7.9
2.2
0.7

3.8
3.3
9.7
5.3
3.2
NA

1.1
4.1
11.1
5.5
3.3
NA

-2.0
-1.6
3.2
6.3
1.2
NA

France

4.2

5.1

3.2

4.0

4.6

2.8

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

2.4
2.2
3.2
1.3
4.3
3.6

2.1
3.5
4.4
2.4
3.1
4.4

2.1
1.9
2.3
1.4
1.9
4.6

3.3
2.4
3.7
0.6
5.7
3.3

2.4
0.9
2.6
0.7
7.8
2.3

1.4
1.7
0.4
0.8
0.0
1.3

United States

2.5

2.2

2.5

3.1

4.3

-6.0

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

2.4
2.7
8.9
6.0
2.2
1.4
2.1

2.0
4.7
8.3
8.2
2.6
2.3
1.6

1.8
4.8
12.2
7.0
2.5
-0.6
2.5

2.4
0.4
8.4
5.0
0.6
1.7
1.1

4.5
2.0
8.1
5.7
3.2
1.7
3.4

-3.3
-4.9
1.7
-5.7
0.3
4.7
1.7

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

0.7
1.6
2.3
0.1
3.4
0.7

0.2
0.9
1.8
0.6
2.2
-1.2

2.3
3.2
3.2
-1.6
1.4
3.4

-0.7
1.5
1.9
1.2
3.7
0.4

0.9
1.2
2.7
0.5
7.7
1.0

0.6
0.7
0.2
-1.2
-2.4
-2.4

Output

Continued on next page
-9Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related
measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2001
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

1979-2001 1979-1985 1985-1990 1990-1995 1995-2000 2000-2001

Total hours
United States

-0.7

-1.2

0.0

-0.1

-0.2

-5.6

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

0.3
-0.9
NA
0.0
-1.4
NA
-2.0

-1.5
1.1
NA
2.9
-3.2
-0.1
-3.3

1.3
0.5
3.7
-0.8
0.4
-1.3
-0.7

-1.3
-2.8
-1.2
-0.3
-2.5
NA
-2.7

3.4
-2.0
-2.7
0.2
-0.1
NA
-1.1

-1.4
-3.4
-1.5
-11.3
-1.0
NA
-1.0

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

-1.7
-0.6
-0.9
-1.2
-0.9
-2.8

-1.9
-2.5
-2.5
-1.8
-0.8
-5.3

0.2
1.3
0.9
-2.9
-0.5
-1.2

-3.9
-0.9
-1.7
0.6
-1.9
-2.8

-1.5
0.3
0.0
-0.2
-0.1
-1.3

-0.8
-1.0
-0.2
-2.0
-2.4
-3.6

United States

-0.8

-1.4

-0.1

-0.6

-0.1

-4.1

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

0.2
-0.4
NA
0.8
-1.4
-0.5
-1.4

-1.3
1.2
NA
4.1
-2.6
0.2
-2.3

1.2
0.8
5.4
-0.5
-0.3
-0.8
-0.8

-1.5
-1.6
-0.9
-0.3
-2.2
-1.2
-2.5

3.0
-1.9
-2.5
0.5
-0.7
-0.3
-0.2

-0.4
-2.6
0.8
-4.5
0.1
-0.7
1.2

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

-1.2
-1.0
-0.7
-1.1
-1.4
-2.6

-1.1
-2.3
-2.2
-1.8
-1.2
-4.6

1.1
-0.2
1.0
-2.7
-0.8
-0.9

-4.2
-1.8
-1.6
0.3
-3.5
-3.1

-0.8
0.3
0.2
0.1
0.0
-1.0

0.4
0.3
-0.1
-1.6
-1.0
-4.2

Employment

Continued on next page
-10Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related
measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2001
Average annual rates of change 1/

Country
or area

1979-2001 1979-1985 1985-1990 1990-1995 1995-2000 2000-2001

Average hours
United States

0.1

0.2

0.1

0.4

-0.1

-1.6

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

0.1
-0.4
NA
-0.8
0.0
NA
-0.6

-0.2
0.0
NA
-1.1
-0.6
-0.3
-1.1

0.1
-0.3
-1.6
-0.4
0.7
-0.5
0.1

0.3
-1.3
-0.2
0.0
-0.3
NA
-0.2

0.4
-0.1
-0.1
-0.3
0.7
NA
-0.9

-1.0
-0.8
-2.3
-7.1
-1.1
NA
-2.2

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

-0.6
0.5
-0.2
-0.1
0.5
-0.2

-0.8
-0.1
-0.3
0.0
0.4
-0.8

-0.9
1.6
-0.2
-0.2
0.3
-0.3

0.3
0.9
0.0
0.3
1.7
0.3

-0.6
0.0
-0.2
-0.3
-0.1
-0.3

-1.2
-1.3
-0.1
-0.4
-1.4
0.6

Total labor compensation in manufacturing 3/:

National currency basis

United States

3.9

5.8

3.9

3.4

3.7

-4.2

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

5.0
2.5
NA
8.6
3.1
4.9
3.8

7.5
5.9
NA
15.9
4.7
9.1
9.0

5.6
5.1
19.9
10.6
4.0
4.8
3.6

2.4
0.7
16.8
6.8
1.3
2.3
1.1

4.9
-1.1
4.1
4.2
1.9
3.1
0.8

2.1
-2.6
7.0
-9.4
4.1
3.2
4.0

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

3.3
7.1
3.1
5.4
5.8
4.8

4.0
13.0
2.3
8.0
8.9
6.2

5.2
8.2
3.5
4.7
7.9
8.1

2.3
4.0
2.8
4.0
2.0
2.5

1.6
3.1
3.4
4.9
4.8
3.2

2.3
2.7
4.7
3.3
0.9
-0.3

Continued on next page
-11-

Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related
measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2001
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

1979-2001 1979-1985 1985-1990 1990-1995 1995-2000 2000-2001

Hourly compensation 3/:

National currency basis

United States

4.6

7.2

3.9

3.5

4.0

1.5

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

4.7
3.4
NA
8.6
4.6
NA
5.9

9.1
4.7
NA
12.6
8.1
9.3
12.7

4.2
4.6
15.6
11.5
3.7
6.2
4.3

3.7
3.6
18.2
7.1
3.9
NA
3.9

1.4
1.0
6.9
4.0
2.0
NA
1.9

3.5
0.7
8.7
2.2
5.2
NA
5.0

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

5.1
7.7
4.0
6.7
6.7
7.8

6.0
15.9
5.0
10.0
9.8
12.2

5.0
6.8
2.6
7.8
8.4
9.4

6.4
4.9
4.5
3.4
4.0
5.4

3.1
2.8
3.3
5.1
4.8
4.6

3.1
3.8
4.9
5.4
3.4
3.4

Unit labor costs:
United States
Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France
Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands

National currency basis
1.3

3.6

1.4

0.2

-0.5

2.0

2.6
-0.1
NA
2.5
0.9
3.4
1.7

5.3
1.1
NA
7.1
2.0
6.7
7.3

3.7
0.3
6.9
3.4
1.5
5.4
1.1

-0.1
0.3
7.8
1.7
0.7
0.6
-0.1

0.4
-3.0
-3.7
-1.5
-1.3
1.4
-2.6

5.5
2.4
5.2
-3.9
3.9
-1.4
2.2

2.6
5.4
0.7

3.8
12.0
0.5

2.8
4.8
0.3

3.1
2.4
0.8

0.7
1.9
0.7

1.7
2.0
4.4

Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

5.3
2.3
4.1

7.4
6.5
7.5

6.4
6.4
4.5

2.8
-1.6
2.1

4.3
-2.7
2.2

4.6
3.4
2.1

Continued on next page
-12Table B. Output per hour, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and related
measures
Manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1979-2001
Average annual rates of change 1/
Country
or area

Unit labor costs:
United States

1979-2001 1979-1985 1985-1990 1990-1995 1995-2000 2000-2001

U.S. dollar basis
1.3

3.6

1.4

0.2

-0.5

2.0

Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Belgium
Denmark
France

1.3
2.5
NA
2.8
-1.0
1.3
-0.8

2.7
-0.3
NA
5.3
-9.3
-5.0
-5.3

7.0
10.8
11.1
11.8
13.8
17.4
11.7

-3.3
9.4
6.0
2.0
3.3
2.7
1.7

-1.2
-5.7
-10.8
-4.7
-8.8
-5.8
-9.2

1.2
-9.2
-7.9
-11.2
0.7
-4.2
-0.9

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

1.8
0.9
-0.2
2.5
-1.7
2.3

-4.1
-2.5
-7.6
-1.7
-5.2
-1.0

15.9
15.1
13.1
13.3
14.7
11.4

5.6
-3.7
3.4
2.5
-5.2
-0.4

-6.9
-3.1
-7.0
-2.3
-7.5
1.3

-1.4
-1.1
1.3
2.4
-8.3
-3.0

--

--

--

--

--

--

-1.3
2.7
-4.4
0.3

-2.5
-1.5
-9.2
-1.7

3.2
10.5
3.9
8.2

-3.2
9.1
-1.7
0.3

-1.6
-2.7
-7.3
-3.3

-4.1
-11.3
-12.5
-7.6

Exchange rates 4/
United States
Canada
Japan
Korea
Taiwan

Belgium
Denmark
France

-1.9
-2.1
-2.4

-11.1
-11.0
-11.7

12.2
11.4
10.5

2.5
2.0
1.8

-7.6
-7.1
-6.8

-3.0
-2.8
-3.0

Germany 2/
Italy
Netherlands
Norway
Sweden
United Kingdom

-0.8
-4.3
-0.9
-2.6
-3.9
-1.7

-7.6
-12.9
-8.0
-8.4
-11.0
-7.9

12.7
9.8
12.7
6.6
7.8
6.6

2.5
-6.0
2.6
-0.3
-3.7
-2.4

-7.5
-4.9
-7.6
-6.4
-4.9
-0.8

-3.0
-3.0
-3.0
-2.0
-11.3
-5.0

r = revised

NA = Not Available

1/Rates of change based on the compound
rate method.

3/Adjusted to include taxes
that are not compensation
to employees
but are labor costs to
employers.

2/Data for years before 1991 pertain to the
former West Germany.

4/Value of foreign currency
relative to
the U.S. dollar.

-13Trade-weighted unit labor costs
BLS constructs indexes of U.S. unit labor cost trends relative to a tradeweighted average of unit labor cost trends in the other economies to take
account of differences in the relative importance of foreign economies to U.S.
trade in manufactured goods. Chart 3 begins in 1979, a year in which U.S.
manufacturing output reached a business cycle peak.
PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT
Chart 3. U.S. manufacturing unit labor costs relative to 12 competitors, 19792001
The construction of the trade-weighted indexes 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 U.S. 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 this release, the relative U.S. trade-weighted indexes
are estimated against 12 economies for which comparable data are available over
this period; the indexes underlying this chart are shown in table C.
In chart 3, 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 1996 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 and 2001.
-14Table C. U.S. manufacturing unit labor
costs relative to 12 competitors, 1979-2001

Year

1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999

Unit Labor Costs
National Currency Basis
Own
Competitors'
Index
Index
Ratio
100.0
111.4
116.5
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
131.2
129.1

100.0
110.4
118.4
126.0
127.6
128.2
129.6
135.5
137.4
137.3
140.2
146.1
151.7
155.0
155.6
153.0
152.4
153.4
151.5
153.5
151.3

100.0
100.9
98.4
98.6
95.3
94.4
95.2
95.1
89.4
89.3
91.3
90.6
91.0
91.2
91.4
91.0
87.9
86.1
85.8
85.5
85.3

Unit Labor Costs
U.S. Dollar Basis
Own
Competitors'
Index
Index
Ratio
100.0
111.4
116.5
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
131.2
129.1

100.0
110.1
108.9
104.9
103.3
97.9
96.1
122.3
140.8
151.4
149.3
161.8
171.0
179.0
175.2
175.2
184.4
176.2
161.6
155.1
157.6

100.0
101.2
107.0
118.5
117.7
123.5
128.4
105.4
87.2
80.9
85.7
81.8
80.7
79.0
81.2
79.4
72.6
75.0
80.4
84.6
81.9

2000
2001

130.4
133.0

146.7
150.7

88.9
88.2

130.4
133.0

148.5
142.6

87.8
93.2

-15Technical Notes
Labor productivity is defined as real output per hour worked. Although the
labor productivity measure presented in this release 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 workforce.
Unit labor costs are defined as the cost of labor input required to produce
one unit of output. They are computed as labor compensation in nominal terms
divided by real output.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics constructs trend indexes of manufacturing labor
productivity, 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
Belgium, Denmark, Italy, and Taiwan. For all other countries, the measures
refer to all employed persons, including employees, self-employed 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 and the measures for France include parts of mining.
The comparisons in this release make use of data made available to BLS as of
December 2002 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 which were
compiled according to different accounting systems by the countries' statistical
agencies.
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 manufacturing value added measures for the United Kingdom are essentially
identical to their indexes of industrial production.
The output measure for manufacturing in the United States is the chain-

weighted index of real gross product originating (deflated value added),
introduced by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Department of
Commerce in August 1996. U.S. gross product originating is a chain-type annualweighted series. Because these value added output data for U.S. manufacturing
industries are not available for years prior to 1977, the comparative U.S.
measures of output, output per hour, and unit labor costs begin with 1977. 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 194798," Survey of Current Business, June 2000, pp. 24-38.
-16The gross product originating series differs from the manufacturing output
series that BLS publishes as part of its major sector productivity and costs
program. While both series are based on annually-changing price weights, the
gross product originating series is on a value added basis rather than the
sectoral output basis used in the official U.S. manufacturing productivity
series. Sectoral output is gross output less intrasector sales and transfers.
For information on sectoral output, see William Gullickson, "Measurement of
productivity growth in U.S. manufacturing," Monthly Labor Review, July 1995, pp.
13-28.
A value added concept has been used for the international comparisons series
because the data are more readily available from 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 productivity, there are other considerations that may make
value added a better concept for international comparisons of labor
productivity, such as differences among countries in the extent of vertical
integration of industries.
Estimation of manufacturing real output using moving price weights is becoming
prevalent. For example, the output measure for manufacturing in the United
States is the chain-weighted index of real gross product originating, based on
annually changing price weights. However, many earlier time periods within the
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 national
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.
For the United Kingdom from 1992, an index of total manufacturing hours is used,
derived from published quarterly indices of manufacturing hours. For all other
countries, the U.K. before 1992, and the former West Germany before 1959, BLS

constructs its own estimates of aggregate hours, using employment figures
published with the national accounts, or other comprehensive employment series,
and estimates of average annual hours worked. Hours measures for Denmark are
not available after 1993 due to a lack of comparable data.
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 U.S. is
derived using the Consumer Price Index research series (CPI-U-RS).
-17Data for Germany. The average annual growth rates for Germany pertain to
unified Germany from 1991 forward and to the former West Germany for prior
years. The data series are linked in 1991. In the historic data tables,
separate index series are shown for unified Germany and for former West Germany.
The West German estimates end with 1998, the last year for which the German
Statistical Office has published the necessary underlying data. These estimates
have not been updated or revised by BLS since they were published in the news
release USDL 99-235, on Aug. 27, 1999.
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 Taiwan. BLS developed
weights for 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

Weight

Country

Weight

Canada
Japan
Taiwan

25.31
30.57
5.79

Germany
Italy
Netherlands

11.61
4.60
2.25

Belgium
Denmark
France

2.14
0.48
5.90

Norway
0.48
Sweden
1.89
United Kingdom 8.99

Level 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
-18services -- not for value added by industry. Therefore, they do not provide
purchasing power parities by industry. The parities developed for total GDP are
not suitable for each component industry, such as manufacturing.
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.
Beginning with 1999, 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
6.55957 French francs
1.95583 German marks

1936.27 Italian lire
2.20371 Netherlands guilders

The currency exchange rates cited in this publication are annual averages of
daily buying rates in New York City.
- 19 Table 1. Output per hour in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)

United
United
Year
Kingdom

Former West

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany**Germany**Italy

1950
24.5

NA

26.0

NA

NA

NA

NA

21.2

12.2

NA

13.2

1955
26.5

NA

31.9

8.6

NA

NA

NA

23.1

15.3

NA

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
42.3

NA

37.8

13.8

NA

NA

18.0

28.1

19.9

NA

39.8

15.6

NA

NA

18.2

29.7

NA

42.7

16.4

NA

NA

19.2

NA

44.5

17.7

NA

NA

NA

46.3

20.1

NA

NA

48.6

21.0

NA

49.5

NA

1970
43.2
1971
45.4
1972
47.9
1973
51.4
1974
52.2
1975
51.1
1976

Netherlands

Norway

Sweden

13.5

11.1

24.9

19.5

19.7

18.8

14.2

29.0

21.3

NA

29.2

23.6

18.3

37.4

27.3

21.1

NA

30.6

25.5

19.3

38.7

28.7

31.2

22.5

NA

32.8

28.2

20.0

38.7

30.9

19.9

32.2

23.7

NA

34.1

29.0

20.8

40.7

32.7

NA

21.2

34.9

25.6

NA

37.1

29.3

22.8

43.0

35.5

NA

NA

22.3

36.6

27.3

NA

39.3

32.6

24.3

45.6

38.2

23.0

NA

NA

23.8

38.4

29.6

NA

40.9

35.4

25.9

47.5

39.8

50.0

26.0

NA

NA

25.1

41.4

31.4

NA

43.4

37.2

27.8

49.2

43.2

NA

52.7

29.1

NA

NA

27.3

44.4

34.7

NA

47.0

40.1

31.2

52.2

47.2

NA

55.4

33.4

NA

NA

29.9

46.7

36.9

NA

50.4

41.6

34.3

57.1

50.9

NA

54.9

37.5

NA

NA

32.9

49.4

39.1

NA

52.0

44.3

37.5

58.8

52.2

NA

58.2

39.8

NA

NA

35.1

52.8

41.4

NA

54.0

45.0

39.7

60.6

54.5

NA

61.3

43.6

NA

NA

39.2

57.6

43.2

NA

57.4

47.8

42.9

63.7

57.2

NA

65.2

47.6

NA

33.1

43.5

63.5

46.3

NA

61.1

52.1

47.5

67.6

61.4

NA

66.2

48.8

NA

32.0

45.8

65.2

47.3

NA

63.2

55.3

51.0

70.2

64.0

NA

63.4

50.2

NA

33.7

47.6

70.6

49.0

NA

65.9

52.3

50.3

69.5

65.0

NA

68.8

53.2

NA

36.7

52.4

74.4

52.0

NA

70.6

59.8

55.8

71.1

66.0

53.3
1977
53.8
1978
54.6
1979
55.0

68.3

72.4

55.3

NA

38.5

55.0

77.3

55.0

NA

72.7

61.7

60.3

72.2

65.0

69.2

73.8

57.5

NA

43.4

58.3

79.6

57.5

NA

75.2

64.9

64.3

73.5

66.8

70.1

73.9

62.2

NA

45.1

61.4

83.3

59.5

NA

78.4

71.1

67.4

78.9

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

72.9

63.2

NA

47.7

65.4

86.2

61.7

NA

77.2

74.2

68.1

77.5

73.1

74.1

76.5

65.2

NA

52.8

70.1

87.3

65.2

NA

78.7

73.8

69.7

77.2

72.7

76.2

77.1

67.9

NA

54.1

73.5

88.4

69.9

NA

78.8

74.0

70.9

80.5

75.4

80.0

81.9

68.8

NA

57.5

81.0

93.5

73.5

NA

82.6

75.7

76.5

83.2

80.9

83.2

88.8

71.2

NA

59.1

85.0

94.3

76.0

NA

85.4

81.9

84.0

88.3

85.2

86.0

91.1

76.5

54.9

60.9

87.0

95.8

80.0

NA

89.1

87.4

87.6

91.1

86.2

86.0

87.6

76.1

58.9

66.6

87.8

91.8

82.6

NA

89.6

87.9

89.3

89.8

87.5

92.9

87.8

80.2

63.2

72.8

88.9

91.5

84.2

NA

88.1

89.3

90.1

94.2

89.2

96.9

89.6

83.9

68.7

76.4

92.0

94.1

88.6

NA

91.5

93.9

92.0

93.1

90.5

95.7

92.5

88.6

73.2

83.1

96.9

100.2

92.3

NA

94.6

95.5

95.9

95.5

93.2

1990
89.2
1991
93.8
1992
100.0
1993
103.9
1994
107.2
1995
104.9
1996
103.8
1997
105.0
1998

96.9

93.4

94.4

81.3

88.9

96.8

99.1

93.8

NA

99.0

95.8

98.3

97.6

94.6

97.9

95.3

99.0

91.4

96.6

99.1

99.5

97.0

98.3

101.9

95.9

99.0

98.2

95.5

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

102.1

105.8

101.7

108.1

102.9

102.5

99.3

100.6

101.8

100.6

101.4

102.5

99.6

107.3

107.3

110.8

103.3

118.0

106.7

108.4

NA

108.2

109.6

107.9

104.9

113.5

99.6

117.8

113.8

112.4

111.0

129.2

115.1

113.2

NA

113.9

112.3

111.2

108.0

117.6

100.7

124.5

117.0

109.7

116.1

142.5

123.1

117.3

NA

114.6

114.7

115.1

108.1

119.7

102.5

129.5

121.3

113.5

121.0

163.3

129.2

127.0

NA

121.9

120.4

121.8

109.9

121.7

102.0

141.0

126.5

113.1

121.2

182.9

135.8

129.4

NA

127.7

122.0

127.1

110.0

124.5

99.9

149.5

106.9
1999
111.3
2000
117.8
2001
119.3
NA:

133.7

116.0

126.7

202.3

143.1

128.8

NA

132.7

121.3

NA

109.9

127.4

103.6

162.7

142.1

118.4

135.9

218.4

150.6

133.2

NA

142.5

126.7

NA

113.0

134.0

104.5

181.0

141.5

116.1

133.8

225.5

160.1

134.9

NA

146.4

128.4

NA

115.0

134.5

105.3

181.0

lands

Norway

Sweden

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 4.
Source:
- 20 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 2. Output per employed person in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Kingdom

Former West
Germany**Germany**Italy

Nether-

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

1950
30.1

NA

28.3

NA

NA

NA

NA

29.9

14.7

NA

19.2

14.2

14.5

32.6

25.3

1955
32.9

NA

33.4

10.3

NA

NA

NA

31.9

18.3

NA

28.8

20.3

18.5

38.0

27.5

1960
36.5
1961
36.2
1962
36.6
1963
38.5
1964
41.4
1965
42.0
1966

NA

39.3

17.1

NA

NA

22.6

36.9

24.0

NA

38.4

25.7

24.1

47.1

33.3

NA

41.3

19.1

NA

NA

22.9

37.8

25.6

NA

39.6

27.5

24.4

48.0

34.7

NA

44.6

19.6

NA

NA

24.1

40.1

27.2

NA

41.3

29.5

25.1

47.9

37.1

NA

46.6

21.0

NA

NA

25.0

40.7

28.7

NA

42.4

30.4

26.1

50.1

38.9

NA

48.7

23.7

NA

NA

26.5

44.4

30.8

NA

46.1

30.7

28.2

53.3

41.8

NA

51.1

24.3

NA

NA

27.4

46.5

32.6

NA

48.7

33.1

30.0

55.2

44.5

NA

51.6

26.8

NA

NA

29.1

48.0

35.4

NA

50.0

36.4

31.8

57.6

46.4

42.6
1967
44.3
1968
48.0
1969
49.1
1970
49.4
1971
50.7
1972
52.9
1973
57.5
1974
56.6
1975
55.2
1976
58.1
1977
59.0
1978
59.6
1979
59.8
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

NA

52.2

30.4

NA

NA

30.3

51.1

37.3

NA

51.7

38.7

34.0

59.2

49.5

NA

55.0

33.9

NA

NA

33.0

53.5

40.0

NA

56.6

41.8

37.5

61.3

52.9

NA

57.5

38.3

NA

NA

35.7

55.7

43.6

NA

60.7

43.0

40.6

65.5

56.1

NA

56.7

42.6

NA

NA

38.3

57.0

45.6

NA

62.4

44.9

43.6

67.0

57.4

NA

59.9

44.5

NA

NA

40.2

60.7

47.9

NA

63.4

44.3

45.7

68.3

59.8

NA

63.1

48.5

NA

NA

43.9

64.7

49.6

NA

66.6

46.8

48.7

70.7

61.1

NA

66.6

52.4

NA

36.9

47.6

67.5

52.2

NA

70.4

51.7

52.9

74.6

64.4

NA

67.1

51.5

NA

34.4

48.7

70.8

52.7

NA

71.4

52.9

55.0

76.4

66.5

NA

63.5

51.8

NA

37.1

48.0

74.2

52.9

NA

72.5

49.1

53.3

75.2

66.2

NA

69.0

56.5

NA

40.5

53.8

78.6

56.3

NA

79.9

56.2

59.0

74.9

66.4

67.1

72.6

58.9

NA

42.6

56.1

80.9

59.1

NA

81.1

57.7

63.5

74.8

64.9

67.9

74.5

61.5

NA

47.5

59.4

82.3

61.3

NA

82.8

60.6

67.0

74.6

64.9

68.4

74.2

67.0

NA

49.2

62.6

86.1

63.4

NA

86.0

65.8

69.4

78.7

69.0

67.9

72.6

68.0

NA

52.1

65.6

89.6

65.6

NA

83.5

68.9

70.5

77.8

69.3

71.4

75.4

69.7

NA

54.9

68.7

89.6

68.4

NA

84.1

68.4

72.5

77.6

69.3

72.1

75.4

72.3

NA

56.2

73.7

92.1

70.5

NA

83.7

68.5

74.6

80.2

72.1

77.8

81.2

73.4

NA

59.8

79.2

98.7

73.8

NA

87.9

70.0

80.6

83.3

78.3

82.0

87.9

76.6

NA

61.9

82.5

99.3

76.2

NA

90.9

75.9

87.2

88.2

84.0

84.9

90.7

82.1

60.7

62.0

85.7

97.5

79.9

NA

93.1

80.2

88.6

90.7

84.4

84.8

87.7

81.2

66.3

69.0

86.5

95.6

82.7

NA

93.0

83.1

89.9

89.5

85.3

92.1

88.6

86.0

70.0

75.4

88.4

93.2

84.7

NA

91.3

86.9

90.2

91.6

88.0

96.9

92.3

90.9

74.2

78.2

93.0

95.9

89.6

NA

94.4

92.0

92.9

91.2

89.1

85.7
1989
89.0
1990
91.3
1991
93.9
1992
100.0
1993
104.9
1994
109.6
1995
109.1
1996
108.4
1997
109.3
1998
110.3
1999
114.5
2000
120.9
2001
123.2
NA:

95.7

93.2

94.8

76.0

83.8

97.5

100.8

93.3

NA

96.2

94.7

96.3

94.1

91.5

96.3

93.6

99.7

83.2

88.8

98.5

98.5

94.3

NA

98.8

95.0

98.6

96.0

93.9

96.6

95.1

102.2

92.7

96.6

99.2

99.1

96.5

94.7

101.0

96.0

99.1

97.2

94.7

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

103.4

106.9

99.6

108.3

102.9

100.9

98.5

100.5

99.4

97.6

99.8

102.4

99.9

110.0

109.7

113.0

101.4

119.0

107.0

109.7

110.2

108.2

107.8

104.7

106.9

113.5

100.1

126.4

115.6

114.1

109.7

130.5

114.9

113.3

113.7

113.1

110.5

107.3

112.2

117.8

100.3

134.5

118.7

112.2

115.4

141.7

122.7

117.9

108.5

113.9

110.3

109.3

110.9

119.8

101.5

139.6

123.9

116.0

119.6

160.1

129.2

127.8

118.1

120.8

115.9

116.0

114.2

121.4

100.8

151.6

128.1

116.2

117.3

172.2

133.2

130.4

117.5

126.3

117.9

122.3

113.5

123.8

99.1

160.8

136.3

120.4

122.5

205.7

141.2

133.1

120.7

130.5

116.7

NA

113.8

126.8

103.1

176.0

143.6

122.7

133.6

219.2

148.4

137.7

125.4

135.4

120.7

NA

117.6

133.2

102.5

194.9

140.7

119.1

130.5

221.1

146.5

137.9

132.2

136.1

120.9

NA

118.1

133.6

102.9

192.2

Norway

Sweden

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 4.
Source:
- 21 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 3. Output in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year

States

Former West
Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany**Germany**Italy

Netherlands

Kingdom
1950
49.6

NA

22.0

2.2

NA

NA

NA

29.1

16.6

NA

14.5

10.1

16.4

38.8

30.9

1955
58.3

NA

28.5

4.9

NA

NA

NA

32.0

20.6

NA

27.5

15.6

22.5

47.5

35.7

1960
67.3
1961
67.6
1962
67.7
1963
70.2
1964
76.5
1965
78.7
1966
80.1
1967
80.6
1968
86.6
1969
89.9

NA

33.4

10.7

NA

NA

30.7

44.4

27.9

NA

41.5

23.0

31.0

57.4

45.9

NA

34.7

12.9

NA

NA

32.1

46.8

30.0

NA

44.0

25.4

32.1

59.8

49.0

NA

38.6

14.0

NA

NA

34.6

50.8

32.1

NA

46.2

28.1

33.7

60.3

52.8

NA

41.2

15.6

NA

NA

36.2

51.4

34.6

NA

47.1

29.9

35.1

63.9

55.4

NA

45.1

18.1

NA

NA

39.5

57.5

37.8

NA

51.2

30.3

38.5

68.4

60.3

NA

49.5

18.8

NA

NA

40.8

61.3

39.7

NA

55.0

31.9

41.1

72.0

64.5

NA

52.9

21.3

NA

NA

43.2

62.6

43.3

NA

55.9

34.8

43.4

76.3

66.3

NA

53.9

25.6

NA

NA

43.7

63.7

45.4

NA

54.7

38.3

45.1

78.8

68.5

NA

57.0

29.5

NA

NA

46.7

67.3

47.9

NA

60.3

41.8

49.3

80.7

72.0

NA

60.7

34.4

NA

NA

52.2

71.8

53.7

NA

67.4

44.5

54.1

86.6

77.7

1970
90.2
1971
89.3
1972
91.2
1973
99.7
1974
98.4
1975
91.6
1976
93.3
1977
95.2
1978

NA

58.9

39.2

7.0

12.7

57.6

73.9

57.7

NA

70.9

48.1

58.2

90.6

80.7

NA

62.5

41.0

8.3

15.5

60.1

75.1

61.3

NA

71.6

48.8

60.2

92.9

81.2

NA

67.9

44.7

9.5

18.9

64.7

81.5

64.2

NA

73.8

51.5

61.8

97.2

81.7

NA

74.9

50.4

12.3

22.3

70.6

85.5

69.1

NA

78.5

58.1

66.2

102.8

87.5

NA

76.5

49.1

14.3

21.0

73.4

85.9

70.4

NA

77.7

61.8

68.7

106.3

92.2

NA

70.4

46.6

16.2

22.0

67.9

82.1

69.0

NA

74.1

58.3

64.2

104.0

92.5

NA

76.4

50.6

19.9

27.0

73.0

86.8

73.0

NA

79.8

66.9

68.1

103.5

92.5

72.5

78.8

52.2

22.8

30.6

73.3

88.2

76.4

NA

81.3

69.3

71.5

103.5

87.2

76.5

83.2

53.7

27.5

37.1

74.3

88.8

78.1

NA

82.8

72.7

73.7

101.4

84.9

95.7
1979
95.5
1980
87.2
1981
81.8
1982
81.7
1983
83.5
1984
86.5
1985
89.0
1986
90.2
1987
94.5
1988
101.4
1989
105.5
1990
105.4
1991
100.0
1992
100.0
1993
101.4
1994
106.1
1995
107.8
1996
108.5
1997
109.9
1998
110.8
1999
111.1

79.0

85.9

58.4

30.1

40.0

76.2

92.8

79.6

NA

87.1

80.3

75.6

105.5

90.3

75.8

83.6

60.4

29.9

44.0

78.2

94.4

81.6

NA

85.3

84.4

75.7

104.4

90.7

79.2

86.6

62.6

32.7

47.3

77.2

90.4

82.2

NA

84.4

81.8

75.8

102.5

88.0

74.6

78.7

64.6

34.6

48.5

80.4

92.1

83.4

NA

81.5

80.2

75.0

102.0

88.3

79.2

82.5

66.6

39.5

54.1

84.6

98.0

85.5

NA

82.7

79.6

77.3

100.6

93.9

87.6

91.8

71.0

46.0

62.2

87.2

103.0

85.7

NA

85.2

82.2

81.8

105.5

101.3

90.0

96.9

76.7

48.8

64.3

89.1

106.1

87.5

NA

88.3

84.9

84.2

109.2

102.9

88.6

96.8

75.5

57.9

74.7

89.1

106.9

89.0

NA

89.7

86.4

86.4

108.9

104.0

96.4

100.7

79.0

68.5

84.3

88.8

101.8

89.1

NA

88.0

89.0

87.5

111.5

106.6

103.2

108.5

85.3

76.7

87.7

93.3

100.9

93.2

NA

90.9

95.0

89.9

106.1

109.8

102.4

111.3

90.9

79.4

90.8

99.1

105.0

97.7

NA

94.0

98.3

93.9

102.1

110.9

101.6

106.0

97.1

86.7

90.0

101.0

102.8

99.1

NA

99.1

99.4

98.6

100.9

110.1

98.3

99.0

102.0

95.0

96.1

100.7

101.5

99.8

102.3

102.8

99.3

99.8

99.0

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

103.5

105.9

96.3

105.4

102.4

97.0

95.6

95.7

92.4

91.8

96.5

98.2

101.7

101.9

111.1

114.1

94.9

116.8

108.5

101.4

105.6

100.3

95.1

93.5

102.4

104.8

104.6

117.0

118.4

119.6

98.9

129.9

114.9

104.2

111.6

104.9

95.2

93.7

107.2

108.6

107.3

131.9

121.3

119.6

103.0

138.7

120.3

106.7

106.7

104.6

92.5

92.5

105.4

109.2

110.3

136.4

127.9

127.7

106.5

147.8

128.3

114.0

115.2

109.7

95.7

95.8

108.8

111.9

114.2

146.5

133.1

132.8

100.2

136.8

132.6

116.5

115.7

115.0

97.7

100.7

110.7

115.2

113.7

158.3

139.5

141.0

101.9

165.6

141.5

117.3

117.7

118.7

95.7

NA

110.5

118.0

113.6

172.5

2000
113.4
2001
110.7
NA:

146.1

148.8

109.2

191.9

151.8

122.0

121.4

124.1

99.8

NA

113.9

123.9

110.2

191.1

137.3

143.9

103.9

195.2

143.1

122.3

127.1

126.3

100.4

NA

114.7

124.2

108.9

186.6

lands

Norway

Sweden

Not Available

** See note on Germany in box on page 4.
Source:
- 22 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 4. Total hours in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Kingdom

Former West

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

1950
202.2

85.5

84.8

NA

NA

NA

1955
220.2

94.6

89.4

57.0

NA

1960
224.6
1961
224.7
1962
220.3
1963
216.6
1964
221.7
1965
221.5
1966
218.2
1967
209.8
1968
209.6
1969
212.4

92.1

88.3

77.8

89.7

87.2

93.4

Germany**Germany**Italy

Nether-

Denmark

France

NA

137.3

136.3

NA

109.8

75.0

147.8

155.6

158.5

NA

NA

138.5

135.1

NA

139.6

83.1

158.2

163.7

167.3

NA

NA

170.7

157.8

140.0

NA

142.3

97.6

169.7

153.6

168.3

82.4

NA

NA

175.9

157.5

141.6

NA

143.9

99.6

166.2

154.5

171.0

90.3

85.1

NA

NA

180.3

162.7

142.7

NA

140.8

99.5

168.3

155.8

170.8

94.4

92.6

87.9

NA

NA

181.8

159.6

146.0

NA

138.1

103.2

168.6

156.9

169.1

96.4

97.2

90.0

NA

NA

186.5

164.9

147.8

NA

138.0

103.5

169.0

159.2

169.6

102.0

101.9

89.8

NA

NA

183.2

167.5

145.1

NA

140.0

97.7

169.4

158.1

168.8

108.6

106.8

92.8

NA

NA

181.5

162.8

146.5

NA

136.7

98.2

167.4

160.8

166.5

108.0

107.9

98.3

NA

NA

173.6

153.8

144.5

NA

125.9

102.8

161.8

160.1

158.4

109.6

108.2

101.4

NA

NA

170.9

151.7

138.1

NA

128.3

104.2

157.9

154.6

152.6

110.9

109.7

103.0

NA

NA

174.9

153.6

145.5

NA

133.8

107.0

157.6

151.7

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

149.5

147.5

NA

136.3

108.5

155.4

153.9

154.7

100.5

107.4

103.1

NA

NA

171.4

142.1

148.2

NA

132.5

108.4

151.6

153.4

149.1

105.1

110.8

102.6

NA

NA

165.2

141.4

148.4

NA

128.7

107.7

144.1

152.6

142.9

110.4

114.9

106.0

NA

67.4

162.1

134.8

149.2

NA

128.4

111.4

139.4

152.1

142.5

107.9

115.5

100.6

NA

65.6

160.4

131.7

148.8

NA

122.9

111.8

134.6

151.5

144.0

97.2

111.1

92.8

NA

65.1

142.6

116.3

140.8

NA

112.5

111.4

127.5

149.6

142.3

101.9

111.1

95.0

NA

73.7

139.4

116.7

140.5

NA

113.1

111.9

122.0

145.5

140.2

106.1

108.8

94.4

NA

79.3

133.3

114.1

138.7

NA

111.8

112.3

118.4

143.2

134.2

110.6

112.8

93.3

NA

85.5

127.4

111.5

135.9

NA

110.1

112.0

114.6

137.9

127.1

112.7

116.2

93.8

NA

88.7

124.2

111.3

133.7

NA

111.0

112.9

112.0

133.7

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
1988
122.8
1989
122.4

107.5

114.6

95.6

NA

92.3

119.7

109.6

132.3

NA

110.5

113.8

111.2

134.7

124.0

107.0

113.2

95.9

NA

89.7

110.2

103.6

126.0

NA

107.1

111.0

108.8

132.7

121.0

97.9

102.0

95.1

NA

89.6

109.4

104.1

119.3

NA

103.4

108.4

105.7

126.8

117.2

98.9

100.7

96.8

NA

94.0

104.3

104.9

116.2

NA

100.1

105.3

101.0

120.9

116.1

105.3

103.4

99.8

NA

105.2

102.6

109.2

112.9

NA

99.7

100.3

97.4

119.4

118.9

104.6

106.4

100.3

88.8

105.5

102.4

110.7

109.4

NA

99.1

97.1

96.1

119.9

119.4

103.0

110.5

99.2

98.3

112.2

101.5

116.4

107.7

NA

100.1

98.3

96.7

121.2

118.9

103.8

114.7

98.5

108.3

115.8

100.0

111.2

105.8

NA

99.9

99.7

97.2

118.3

119.5

106.6

121.2

101.7

111.6

114.8

101.5

107.2

105.2

NA

99.3

101.2

97.7

114.0

121.4

107.1

120.2

102.7

108.5

109.2

102.3

104.7

105.7

NA

99.3

103.0

97.9

106.8

119.0

1990
118.1
1991

104.8

113.5

102.9

106.6

101.3

104.3

103.7

105.6

NA

100.1

103.7

100.3

103.4

116.4

100.4

103.9

103.1

103.9

99.5

101.5

102.1

102.9

104.1

100.9

103.6

100.8

100.8

109.0

106.6
1992
100.0
1993
97.6
1994
99.0
1995
102.7
1996
104.6
1997
104.7
1998
103.7
1999
99.9
2000
96.3
2001
92.8
NA:

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

101.4

100.1

94.7

97.5

99.6

94.7

96.2

95.1

90.8

91.3

95.2

95.8

102.1

94.9

103.6

103.0

91.9

98.9

101.6

93.6

NA

92.7

86.8

86.7

97.6

92.4

105.0

99.4

104.0

106.4

89.1

100.6

99.8

92.0

NA

92.1

84.8

84.3

99.3

92.3

106.6

105.9

103.6

109.0

88.7

97.3

97.7

91.0

NA

91.3

80.6

80.4

97.5

91.2

107.6

105.3

105.4

112.4

88.0

90.5

99.3

89.7

NA

90.0

79.5

78.6

99.0

91.9

112.0

103.9

105.2

117.5

82.7

74.8

97.7

90.0

NA

90.0

80.1

79.3

100.6

92.6

113.7

105.9

104.4

121.5

80.4

81.9

98.9

91.0

NA

89.4

78.9

NA

100.5

92.6

109.6

106.0

102.8

125.6

80.3

87.9

100.8

91.6

NA

87.1

78.8

NA

100.7

92.5

105.4

105.6

97.1

123.9

77.7

86.5

89.4

90.7

NA

86.2

78.2

NA

99.7

92.3

103.4

103.1

lands

Norway

Sweden

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 4.
Source:
- 23 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 5. Employment in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Kingdom

Former West
Germany**Germany**Italy

Nether-

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

1950
164.6

84.3

77.9

NA

NA

NA

NA

97.5

112.9

NA

75.2

71.4

113.5

119.0

122.0

1955
177.1

93.1

85.3

47.8

NA

NA

NA

100.2

112.5

NA

95.5

77.1

121.2

124.9

129.7

1960
184.3
1961
186.9
1962
185.1
1963
182.2
1964
185.0
1965
187.4
1966
187.9
1967
182.1
1968
180.4
1969
182.9

92.6

84.8

62.8

NA

NA

135.7

120.3

116.1

NA

108.1

89.5

128.8

121.9

137.8

90.0

84.1

67.5

NA

NA

140.1

123.7

116.9

NA

111.3

92.4

131.6

124.5

141.3

92.8

86.5

71.3

NA

NA

143.3

126.8

118.1

NA

111.8

95.3

134.1

126.0

142.2

93.5

88.5

74.1

NA

NA

144.7

126.4

120.6

NA

111.0

98.3

134.8

127.4

142.4

94.9

92.5

76.4

NA

NA

148.8

129.5

122.9

NA

111.0

98.6

136.5

128.5

144.3

99.3

96.9

77.4

NA

NA

148.7

131.7

121.7

NA

113.0

96.3

137.2

130.6

144.8

105.4

102.4

79.7

NA

NA

148.5

130.4

122.3

NA

111.8

95.7

136.3

132.4

143.0

106.7

103.3

84.3

NA

NA

143.9

124.6

121.8

NA

105.8

98.8

132.3

133.2

138.3

108.5

103.8

87.2

NA

NA

141.5

125.7

119.7

NA

106.6

100.2

131.5

131.7

136.0

110.6

105.7

89.7

NA

NA

146.3

129.0

123.2

NA

111.0

103.6

133.1

132.3

138.4

1970
182.6
1971
176.4
1972
172.2
1973
173.2
1974
173.9
1975
165.9
1976
160.6
1977
161.2
1978
160.5
1979
159.6

106.3

103.9

91.9

NA

NA

150.2

129.7

126.4

NA

113.6

107.0

133.7

135.3

140.6

102.2

104.4

92.3

NA

NA

149.6

123.6

128.0

NA

112.9

109.9

131.6

136.1

135.9

105.0

107.7

92.3

NA

NA

147.4

125.8

129.5

NA

110.8

110.0

126.9

137.5

133.8

110.5

112.5

96.2

NA

60.3

148.4

126.6

132.2

NA

111.5

112.4

125.2

137.8

135.8

110.1

113.9

95.3

NA

61.2

150.7

121.4

133.7

NA

108.9

116.9

124.8

139.3

138.7

100.6

110.9

90.0

NA

59.3

141.5

110.6

130.3

NA

102.2

118.5

120.4

138.3

139.8

104.2

110.7

89.5

NA

66.7

135.8

110.5

129.6

NA

99.9

119.1

115.4

138.1

139.4

108.2

108.5

88.6

NA

71.9

130.5

109.1

129.1

NA

100.3

120.1

112.6

138.3

134.5

112.7

111.7

87.4

NA

78.1

125.0

107.8

127.6

NA

100.0

120.0

110.0

135.8

130.7

115.6

115.7

87.2

NA

81.4

121.8

107.8

125.6

NA

101.2

121.9

108.8

134.0

131.0

1980
151.8
1981

111.6

115.1

88.9

NA

84.4

119.3

105.4

124.3

NA

102.2

122.6

107.3

134.2

130.9

111.0

114.8

89.8

NA

86.2

112.4

100.9

120.1

NA

100.3

119.6

104.6

132.0

127.0

138.0
1982
129.9
1983
123.2
1984
121.1
1985
120.6
1986
118.0
1987
116.8
1988
118.3
1989
118.6

103.5

104.3

89.3

NA

86.3

109.2

99.9

118.3

NA

97.4

117.1

100.5

127.3

122.4

101.8

101.6

90.8

NA

90.5

106.8

99.3

115.8

NA

94.1

113.7

95.9

120.8

119.9

106.8

104.4

92.7

NA

100.4

105.7

103.7

112.5

NA

93.7

108.4

93.8

119.6

120.5

106.0

106.8

93.5

80.3

103.7

104.0

108.8

109.6

NA

94.9

105.8

95.0

120.5

122.0

104.5

110.4

93.0

87.3

108.4

103.0

111.8

107.6

NA

96.4

103.9

96.0

121.7

121.9

104.7

113.7

91.9

97.9

111.8

100.5

109.3

105.1

NA

96.4

102.5

97.0

121.8

121.1

106.6

117.6

93.9

103.4

112.2

100.4

105.3

104.0

NA

96.3

103.3

96.8

116.3

123.3

107.0

119.4

95.9

104.4

108.3

101.7

104.1

104.6

NA

97.6

103.8

97.5

108.4

121.2

1990
115.4
1991
106.5
1992
100.0
1993
96.6
1994
96.8
1995
98.8
1996
100.1
1997
100.6
1998
100.4
1999
97.0

105.4

113.2

97.5

104.3

101.4

102.5

104.3

105.1

NA

100.3

104.6

100.0

105.2

117.2

101.8

104.1

99.8

102.5

99.5

101.5

102.4

103.5

108.0

101.8

103.5

100.7

101.9

109.9

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

100.1

99.1

96.8

97.3

99.6

96.1

97.0

95.2

93.0

94.0

96.8

95.9

101.8

92.6

101.3

100.9

93.6

98.1

101.4

92.5

95.8

92.7

88.2

89.3

95.8

92.4

104.5

92.6

102.5

104.8

90.1

99.6

99.9

91.9

98.1

92.7

86.2

87.3

95.6

92.1

107.0

98.0

102.2

106.6

89.3

97.9

98.1

90.5

98.3

91.8

83.8

84.6

95.1

91.1

108.7

97.7

103.2

110.0

89.1

92.3

99.3

89.2

97.5

90.9

82.6

82.6

95.3

92.2

113.3

96.6

104.0

114.3

85.5

79.5

99.6

89.3

98.4

91.0

82.9

82.4

97.5

93.1

114.7

98.4

102.4

117.1

83.2

80.5

100.2

88.1

97.6

90.9

82.0

NA

97.1

93.1

110.2

98.0

2000
93.8
2001
89.8

101.8

121.2

81.7

87.6

102.3

88.6

96.8

91.7

82.7

NA

96.9

93.1

107.5

98.0

97.6

120.7

79.6

88.3

97.7

88.7

96.2

92.8

83.0

NA

97.1

93.0

105.8

97.0

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 4.
Source:
- 24 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 6. Average annual hours in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
Kingdom

Former West

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

1950
122.8

101.4

108.8

NA

NA

NA

1955
124.4

101.5

104.8

119.3

NA

1960
121.8
1961
120.2
1962
119.0
1963
118.9
1964
119.8
1965
118.1
1966
116.1
1967
115.2
1968
116.2
1969
116.2

99.5

104.1

123.9

99.6

103.6

100.6

1970
114.4
1971

Denmark

France

Germany**Germany**Italy

NA

140.7

120.7

NA

146.0

NA

NA

138.2

120.0

NA

NA

NA

125.8

131.2

120.6

122.0

NA

NA

125.5

127.3

104.4

119.5

NA

NA

125.8

100.9

104.7

118.6

NA

NA

101.6

105.1

117.9

NA

102.7

105.2

115.9

103.0

104.4

101.2

Netherlands

Norway

Sweden

105.1

130.2

130.8

129.9

146.1

107.8

130.5

131.1

129.0

NA

131.7

109.0

131.8

126.0

122.1

121.1

NA

129.4

107.8

126.3

124.1

121.1

128.3

120.9

NA

126.0

104.4

125.4

123.7

120.1

125.7

126.3

121.0

NA

124.4

104.9

125.0

123.1

118.8

NA

125.3

127.4

120.3

NA

124.3

104.9

123.9

123.9

117.5

NA

NA

123.2

127.2

119.2

NA

123.9

101.4

123.5

121.1

116.6

116.5

NA

NA

122.2

124.8

119.8

NA

122.3

102.6

122.8

121.4

116.4

104.5

116.7

NA

NA

120.7

123.4

118.6

NA

119.0

104.0

122.3

120.2

114.5

101.0

104.2

116.4

NA

NA

120.7

120.6

115.3

NA

120.4

104.0

120.1

117.4

112.2

100.2

103.9

114.8

NA

NA

119.5

119.1

118.1

NA

120.6

103.3

118.4

114.7

110.2

98.2

103.2

113.6

NA

NA

116.3

115.3

116.7

NA

119.9

101.4

116.2

113.8

110.0

98.4

102.8

111.8

NA

NA

114.6

114.9

115.8

NA

117.3

98.6

115.1

112.7

109.7

111.7
1972
110.6
1973
112.1
1974
108.4
1975
108.1
1976
109.0
1977
109.8
1978
109.3
1979
108.9
1980
105.7
1981
103.8
1982
104.4
1983
104.2
1984
104.4
1985
103.8
1986
103.4
1987
103.6
1988
103.8
1989
103.2
1990
102.3
1991
100.1
1992
100.0
1993

100.0

102.9

111.1

NA

NA

112.0

112.4

114.6

NA

116.2

97.9

113.5

111.0

106.8

99.9

102.1

110.1

NA

111.7

109.3

106.4

112.8

NA

115.2

99.1

111.3

110.3

104.9

98.0

101.5

105.6

NA

107.3

106.4

108.5

111.3

NA

112.9

95.6

107.9

108.8

103.8

96.6

100.2

103.2

NA

109.9

100.7

105.1

108.1

NA

110.1

94.0

105.9

108.1

101.8

97.7

100.3

106.2

NA

110.5

102.6

105.6

108.4

NA

113.2

94.0

105.7

105.3

100.6

98.1

100.3

106.5

NA

110.4

102.1

104.6

107.5

NA

111.5

93.5

105.2

103.5

99.8

98.1

101.0

106.9

NA

109.6

101.9

103.4

106.5

NA

110.1

93.3

104.2

101.6

97.2

97.5

100.5

107.6

NA

109.0

102.0

103.3

106.5

NA

109.7

92.6

103.0

99.8

95.8

96.3

99.6

107.6

NA

109.3

100.4

104.0

106.4

NA

108.1

92.8

103.6

100.4

94.8

96.4

98.7

106.8

NA

104.1

98.1

102.7

104.9

NA

106.8

92.8

104.1

100.5

95.3

94.6

97.8

106.5

NA

103.9

100.2

104.2

100.8

NA

106.2

92.6

105.2

99.6

95.7

97.2

99.1

106.6

NA

103.9

97.7

105.6

100.3

NA

106.4

92.6

105.3

100.1

96.9

98.6

99.0

107.7

NA

104.8

97.1

105.3

100.4

NA

106.4

92.6

103.8

99.9

98.6

98.7

99.6

107.3

110.6

101.7

98.5

101.8

99.8

NA

104.5

91.8

101.2

99.5

97.9

98.6

100.1

106.7

112.6

103.5

98.6

104.2

100.0

NA

103.9

94.5

100.7

99.6

97.5

99.1

100.9

107.2

110.7

103.6

99.4

101.8

100.7

NA

103.6

97.3

100.2

97.2

98.7

100.0

103.0

108.3

108.0

102.3

101.1

101.8

101.2

NA

103.2

98.0

101.0

98.0

98.5

100.0

100.7

107.1

103.9

100.8

100.6

100.6

101.0

NA

101.7

99.2

100.4

98.5

98.2

99.4

100.2

105.6

102.3

99.9

101.8

99.4

100.5

NA

99.8

99.2

100.4

98.3

99.3

98.7

99.8

103.2

101.4

100.0

100.0

99.7

99.5

96.3

99.1

100.1

100.1

98.9

99.2

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

101.3

101.0

97.9

100.2

100.0

98.5

99.2

99.9

97.6

97.0

98.4

99.9

100.3

102.6

101.0
1994
102.3
1995
104.0
1996
104.5
1997
104.1
1998
103.3
1999
102.9
2000
102.7
2001
103.3
NA:

102.2

102.0

98.1

100.8

100.2

101.2

NA

99.9

98.4

97.1

101.9

100.0

100.5

107.3

101.5

101.6

98.9

101.0

99.9

100.1

NA

99.3

98.4

96.5

103.8

100.2

99.6

108.0

101.5

102.3

99.4

99.4

99.7

100.5

NA

99.4

96.2

95.0

102.5

100.1

99.0

107.8

102.2

102.2

98.8

98.0

100.0

100.6

NA

99.1

96.3

95.2

103.9

99.7

98.9

107.5

101.2

102.7

96.8

94.1

98.1

100.8

NA

98.9

96.6

96.2

103.2

99.5

99.2

107.6

102.0

103.8

96.7

101.7

98.7

103.3

NA

98.4

96.2

NA

103.6

99.5

99.5

108.2

101.0

103.6

98.3

100.3

98.5

103.4

NA

95.0

95.3

NA

104.0

99.4

98.1

107.7

99.4

102.6

97.6

98.0

91.5

102.2

NA

92.9

94.2

NA

102.7

99.3

97.7

106.2

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 4.
Source:
- 25 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 7. Hourly compensation in manufacturing, national currency basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
States
Kingdom*

Former West
Canada*

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Nether-

Germany**Germany**Italy

lands

Norway

Sweden*

1950
1.5

8.7

5.4

NA

NA

NA

NA

2.1

1.6

NA

3.4

0.9

3.0

2.2

1.9

1955
2.2

11.7

7.7

3.1

NA

NA

NA

2.8

2.9

NA

5.0

1.4

4.4

3.4

2.9

1960
3.0
1961

14.9

10.0

4.3

NA

NA

5.4

3.8

4.3

NA

8.1

1.8

6.2

4.7

4.1

15.3

10.2

5.0

NA

NA

5.7

4.3

4.8

NA

9.1

2.0

7.0

5.2

4.5

3.2
1962
3.3
1963
3.5
1964
3.7
1965
4.0
1966
4.4
1967
4.5
1968
4.8
1969
5.3

15.9

10.6

5.7

NA

NA

6.2

4.7

5.3

NA

10.3

2.3

7.5

5.7

5.0

16.4

11.1

6.4

NA

NA

6.8

5.1

5.8

NA

11.0

2.8

8.3

6.1

5.5

17.0

11.5

7.2

NA

NA

7.7

5.5

6.3

NA

11.9

2.9

9.6

6.5

6.0

17.4

12.2

8.1

NA

NA

8.5

6.2

6.8

NA

13.1

3.1

10.7

7.2

6.6

18.2

13.1

8.9

NA

NA

9.4

7.0

7.2

NA

14.2

3.3

12.0

7.8

7.3

19.2

13.8

10.0

NA

NA

10.3

7.8

7.7

NA

15.0

3.7

13.3

8.7

8.1

20.7

14.7

11.7

NA

NA

11.0

8.6

8.8

NA

16.1

3.9

14.8

9.6

8.7

22.2

15.9

13.8

NA

NA

12.1

9.7

9.3

NA

17.6

4.3

16.8

10.6

9.6

1970
6.1
1971
6.9
1972
8.0
1973
9.1
1974
11.0
1975
14.6
1976
16.9
1977
19.1
1978
22.3
1979
26.5

23.7

17.1

16.4

NA

NA

13.7

11.1

10.5

NA

20.7

5.3

19.5

11.8

10.7

25.2

18.2

19.0

NA

NA

15.9

12.8

11.8

NA

23.2

6.1

22.3

13.5

12.1

26.5

19.5

21.9

NA

NA

18.8

14.3

13.0

NA

25.6

6.7

25.6

15.2

13.5

28.5

21.2

26.7

NA

9.5

22.3

17.5

14.9

NA

29.0

7.9

30.5

17.1

15.2

31.6

24.6

35.1

NA

13.9

27.4

21.4

17.7

NA

33.0

10.3

36.4

20.1

17.9

35.5

28.3

40.8

NA

14.9

33.1

25.7

21.6

NA

36.4

12.7

41.6

24.0

21.9

38.4

32.5

44.0

NA

16.7

38.3

28.9

24.8

NA

39.1

15.8

46.5

27.7

25.7

41.8

36.1

48.5

NA

18.2

41.4

32.2

28.1

NA

42.8

18.9

50.6

31.1

28.1

45.2

38.8

51.7

NA

20.5

44.4

35.8

31.7

NA

45.9

21.5

54.8

34.1

31.1

49.6

42.7

55.0

NA

24.3

47.2

40.4

35.9

NA

49.3

26.0

58.9

35.8

33.5

1980
32.1
1981
37.4
1982
41.2
1983

55.6

47.6

58.5

NA

29.6

52.5

45.0

41.3

NA

53.6

30.4

62.1

39.0

37.3

61.1

53.8

62.7

NA

38.0

57.3

50.0

48.0

NA

57.0

36.2

65.0

43.3

41.2

67.0

61.0

65.8

NA

41.5

59.9

54.9

56.7

NA

60.4

42.2

69.0

48.2

44.2

68.8

65.3

67.5

NA

43.3

65.7

59.4

62.6

NA

63.1

48.6

72.2

52.9

49.1

44.4
1984
48.1
1985
52.9
1986
57.6
1987
64.3
1988
68.7
1989
73.8
1990
82.9
1991
93.8
1992
100.0
1993
104.6
1994
106.8
1995
107.9
1996
109.5
1997
113.6
1998
120.6
1999
127.3
2000
134.9
2001
139.5
NA:

71.2

69.0

69.6

NA

46.2

71.4

63.6

68.0

NA

66.0

55.7

74.9

57.9

53.2

75.1

71.9

72.4

33.1

49.5

75.3

68.8

73.6

NA

70.0

63.1

78.9

63.4

58.6

78.5

73.0

76.1

35.2

55.7

77.3

71.1

76.6

NA

72.8

65.9

82.0

69.1

63.4

80.7

74.7

77.8

40.3

60.9

79.7

78.4

79.3

NA

76.0

69.4

84.7

78.4

67.7

84.0

77.5

79.2

50.0

65.6

81.1

82.9

81.9

NA

79.1

74.6

85.3

83.3

71.8

86.6

82.6

84.1

57.6

74.3

85.9

87.7

86.1

NA

83.2

80.9

86.8

87.2

79.4

90.8

88.3

90.6

68.5

85.3

90.1

92.7

90.9

NA

89.4

87.6

89.8

92.3

87.8

95.6

95.0

96.5

86.1

93.5

97.3

96.0

96.4

91.5

95.1

94.2

94.8

97.5

95.5

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

102.7

102.0

102.7

114.0

106.0

104.8

103.0

102.6

106.4

105.9

105.7

104.5

101.5

97.4

105.6

103.7

104.7

129.5

111.1

106.1

NA

106.0

111.8

111.7

106.8

109.0

104.4

99.8

107.9

106.0

108.3

158.1

120.3

109.2

NA

110.0

117.6

117.7

111.3

112.1

109.2

106.8

109.4

107.0

109.1

184.1

128.2

111.0

NA

112.1

123.3

123.7

119.0

114.4

113.6

115.2

111.5

109.3

112.6

197.7

132.3

115.2

NA

112.0

125.7

126.6

123.0

117.2

118.7

121.0

117.4

110.5

115.4

214.8

140.2

116.9

NA

112.6

127.6

127.6

122.2

122.0

125.7

125.6

122.1

112.3

114.8

211.1

144.0

118.4

NA

116.3

130.6

NA

124.6

126.0

133.0

130.3

131.1

113.9

113.7

221.1

146.2

120.5

NA

120.8

137.2

NA

127.8

132.1

140.0

135.3

133.1

117.8

114.5

240.2

149.4

126.7

NA

126.9

141.4

NA

132.6

138.5

147.6

139.8

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 4.
Source:
- 26 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 8. Hourly compensation in manufacturing, U.S. dollar basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
States
Kingdom*

Former West
Canada*

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Nether-

Germany**Germany**Italy

lands

Norway

Sweden*

1950
2.5

8.7

6.0

NA

NA

NA

NA

1.8

2.5

NA

1.3

1.9

1.4

1.9

2.1

1955
3.5

11.7

9.5

1.1

NA

NA

NA

2.5

4.3

NA

1.9

2.7

2.0

2.9

3.3

1960
4.7
1961
5.0
1962
5.3
1963
5.5
1964
5.8
1965
6.4
1966
6.9
1967
7.0
1968
6.6
1969
7.1

14.9

12.4

1.5

NA

NA

3.5

3.4

4.7

NA

3.0

3.5

2.9

4.1

4.6

15.3

12.2

1.8

NA

NA

3.7

3.8

5.1

NA

3.5

3.9

3.4

4.5

5.0

15.9

12.0

2.0

NA

NA

4.0

4.1

5.7

NA

4.0

4.6

3.7

5.0

5.6

16.4

12.4

2.2

NA

NA

4.4

4.5

6.2

NA

4.3

5.5

4.0

5.3

6.2

17.0

12.9

2.5

NA

NA

5.0

4.8

6.8

NA

4.7

5.8

4.7

5.6

6.8

17.4

13.7

2.8

NA

NA

5.5

5.4

7.3

NA

5.1

6.2

5.2

6.2

7.5

18.2

14.7

3.1

NA

NA

6.1

6.1

7.7

NA

5.5

6.6

5.8

6.8

8.2

19.2

15.4

3.5

NA

NA

6.7

6.8

8.3

NA

5.9

7.3

6.5

7.6

9.1

20.7

16.5

4.1

NA

NA

7.1

7.0

9.4

NA

6.3

7.8

7.2

8.4

9.9

22.2

17.9

4.9

NA

NA

7.7

7.8

9.5

NA

7.0

8.5

8.2

9.3

10.8

1970
8.3
1971
9.6

23.7

19.8

5.8

NA

NA

8.9

8.9

10.0

NA

8.9

10.3

9.5

10.3

12.0

25.2

21.7

6.9

NA

NA

10.5

10.4

11.3

NA

10.4

12.1

11.2

11.9

13.8

1972
11.4
1973
12.7
1974
14.6
1975
18.4
1976
17.3
1977
18.9
1978
24.2
1979
31.9

26.5

23.8

9.2

NA

NA

13.7

12.4

13.6

NA

12.6

14.1

14.0

14.3

16.5

28.5

25.6

12.5

NA

6.3

18.5

17.6

17.8

NA

17.1

16.7

19.3

18.5

20.3

31.6

30.5

15.2

NA

9.2

22.6

21.2

19.5

NA

19.9

19.4

23.9

22.6

23.5

35.5

33.7

17.5

NA

9.9

29.0

27.0

26.7

NA

23.1

23.9

29.0

28.6

30.8

38.4

39.9

18.8

NA

11.0

31.9

28.9

27.4

NA

24.3

23.5

30.9

31.6

34.3

41.8

41.1

23.0

NA

12.1

37.1

32.4

30.3

NA

28.8

26.4

36.3

36.3

36.7

45.2

41.2

31.5

NA

13.9

45.4

39.3

37.3

NA

35.8

31.2

44.6

40.4

40.2

49.6

44.0

32.0

NA

16.9

51.7

46.4

44.6

NA

42.0

38.6

51.6

43.9

45.5

1980
42.2
1981
42.8
1982
40.8
1983
38.1
1984
36.4
1985
38.9
1986
47.9
1987
59.7
1988
69.3
1989
68.4

55.6

49.1

32.8

NA

20.7

57.7

48.2

51.7

NA

46.1

43.8

55.0

49.0

51.4

61.1

54.2

36.0

NA

26.0

49.5

42.3

46.7

NA

39.3

39.1

45.8

46.9

47.3

67.0

59.7

33.5

NA

26.7

42.1

39.7

45.6

NA

38.8

38.4

45.4

46.4

41.0

68.8

64.0

36.0

NA

27.2

41.3

39.2

43.5

NA

38.6

39.4

44.5

45.0

37.2

71.2

64.4

37.1

NA

29.3

39.7

37.1

41.2

NA

36.3

39.1

41.1

44.1

37.5

75.1

63.6

38.5

30.2

31.2

40.8

39.2

43.4

NA

37.2

40.7

41.8

45.8

39.7

78.5

63.5

57.3

31.2

37.0

55.6

53.0

58.5

NA

52.4

54.4

58.9

58.0

51.8

80.7

68.1

68.2

38.3

48.3

68.6

69.2

69.8

NA

66.0

66.0

73.6

72.3

62.1

84.0

76.2

78.3

53.5

57.7

70.9

74.3

72.8

NA

70.4

70.6

75.9

79.3

68.2

86.6

84.3

77.2

67.0

70.8

70.1

72.3

71.4

NA

69.1

72.7

71.9

78.4

71.6

1990
83.7
1991
93.9
1992
100.0
1993
89.0

90.8

91.5

79.2

75.6

79.7

86.6

90.4

88.3

NA

86.4

90.1

86.7

91.7

86.4

95.6

100.1

90.9

91.7

87.9

91.5

90.5

90.4

86.1

89.4

93.5

89.1

93.3

91.9

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

102.7

95.5

117.2

111.0

100.9

97.4

95.9

95.8

100.4

100.0

82.8

98.9

88.8

72.8

1994
92.6
1995
96.4
1996
96.7
1997
105.4
1998
113.1
1999
116.6

105.6

91.7

129.9

126.0

105.6

102.1

NA

101.1

107.6

107.6

81.7

105.4

91.9

75.3

107.9

93.3

146.1

160.5

114.2

119.1

NA

116.8

128.3

128.3

84.2

122.8

107.1

87.1

109.4

94.8

127.2

179.4

117.4

115.3

NA

116.0

128.0

128.4

95.0

119.3

109.3

100.1

111.5

95.3

117.9

163.7

115.6

103.4

NA

101.5

113.2

114.0

88.9

105.6

104.1

92.2

117.4

90.0

111.7

120.4

105.1

103.5

NA

101.0

113.3

113.3

86.7

108.2

103.4

92.0

122.1

91.4

128.0

139.2

112.1

100.5

NA

100.0

111.1

NA

84.5

107.1

105.9

91.7

2000
115.7
2001
113.7

131.1

92.6

133.7

153.4

117.7

88.6

NA

90.0

101.1

NA

75.1

97.3

98.7

85.9

133.1

91.9

119.4

145.9

111.1

90.4

NA

91.6

101.1

NA

75.6

98.9

102.0

78.8

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.
* 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 4.
Source:
- 27 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 9. Unit labor costs in manufacturing, national currency basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
(Indexes: 1992=100)
United
United
Year
States
Kingdom*

Former West
Canada*

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Nether-

Germany**Germany**Italy

lands

Norway

Sweden*

1950
6.3

NA

20.9

NA

NA

NA

NA

9.8

13.4

NA

25.5

7.0

27.0

8.9

9.5

1955
8.3

NA

24.2

36.5

NA

NA

NA

12.2

18.8

NA

25.4

7.2

30.8

11.6

13.8

1960

NA

26.4

31.3

NA

NA

30.1

13.6

21.7

NA

27.8

7.5

33.7

12.7

15.0

9.8
1961
10.5
1962
10.8
1963
10.7
1964
10.7
1965
11.4
1966
11.9
1967
11.8
1968
11.7
1969
12.5
1970
14.1
1971
15.3
1972
16.8
1973
17.8
1974
21.0
1975
28.6
1976
31.8
1977
35.6
1978
40.9
1979
48.3
1980
59.0
1981
65.5
1982

NA

25.7

32.1

NA

NA

31.5

14.5

22.6

NA

29.7

7.7

36.4

13.4

15.6

NA

24.8

35.0

NA

NA

32.1

15.1

23.4

NA

31.5

8.2

37.5

14.7

16.2

NA

24.9

36.1

NA

NA

34.2

15.9

24.2

NA

32.2

9.5

39.7

14.9

16.9

NA

24.9

35.8

NA

NA

36.3

15.9

24.5

NA

32.1

10.0

42.1

15.1

16.9

NA

25.1

38.7

NA

NA

38.3

16.8

24.8

NA

33.3

9.6

44.3

15.7

17.4

NA

26.5

38.9

NA

NA

39.6

18.2

24.3

NA

34.7

9.4

46.5

16.5

18.2

NA

27.6

38.5

NA

NA

40.9

18.9

24.6

NA

34.5

9.9

47.9

17.8

18.6

NA

27.9

40.0

NA

NA

40.3

19.4

25.2

NA

34.3

9.8

47.5

18.5

18.5

NA

28.8

41.4

NA

NA

40.4

20.8

25.3

NA

35.0

10.4

49.1

18.6

18.8

NA

31.1

43.8

NA

23.8

41.7

22.4

26.8

NA

39.8

11.9

51.9

20.1

20.6

NA

31.2

47.8

NA

24.8

45.2

24.2

28.5

NA

42.9

13.5

56.1

22.3

22.2

NA

31.8

50.2

NA

24.9

47.9

24.9

30.0

NA

44.7

13.9

59.6

23.8

23.6

NA

32.6

56.2

NA

28.8

51.2

27.6

32.2

NA

47.5

15.1

64.1

25.3

24.8

NA

37.2

71.9

NA

43.5

59.9

32.8

37.4

NA

52.1

18.6

71.3

28.6

27.9

NA

44.7

81.4

NA

44.2

69.5

36.3

44.1

NA

55.2

24.2

82.7

34.5

33.7

NA

47.3

82.7

NA

45.5

73.1

38.8

47.6

NA

55.4

26.4

83.2

39.0

38.9

61.2

49.9

87.7

NA

47.3

75.3

41.7

51.1

NA

58.8

30.7

83.9

43.1

43.3

65.3

52.6

89.9

NA

47.4

76.1

45.0

55.1

NA

61.1

33.1

85.2

46.4

46.6

70.7

57.8

88.4

NA

53.8

76.8

48.5

60.2

NA

62.9

36.6

87.4

45.4

46.6

78.8

65.2

92.6

NA

62.2

80.3

52.2

67.0

NA

69.4

41.0

91.2

50.3

51.0

82.4

70.4

96.0

NA

72.1

81.7

57.3

73.5

NA

72.4

49.0

93.4

56.1

56.6

87.9

79.1

96.8

NA

76.8

81.5

62.1

81.2

NA

76.7

57.0

97.4

59.9

58.7

68.5
1983
68.2
1984
70.3
1985
74.4
1986
77.9
1987
82.4
1988
83.2
1989
85.6
1990
92.9
1991
100.1
1992
100.0
1993
100.7
1994
99.7
1995
102.9
1996
105.5
1997
108.2
1998
112.8
1999
114.4
2000
114.5
2001
117.0
NA:

86.0

79.7

98.1

NA

75.2

81.1

63.5

85.1

NA

76.4

64.2

94.4

63.6

60.7

85.6

77.8

97.8

NA

78.1

84.0

67.4

89.6

NA

77.3

67.9

89.2

65.6

62.5

87.3

78.9

94.7

60.4

81.3

86.5

71.7

91.9

NA

78.6

72.2

90.1

69.6

68.0

91.2

83.3

99.9

59.8

83.5

88.0

77.4

92.6

NA

81.2

74.9

91.9

76.9

72.5

86.9

85.1

97.0

63.8

83.7

89.7

85.7

94.2

NA

86.3

77.8

94.1

83.2

75.8

86.7

86.6

94.3

72.8

85.9

88.1

88.1

92.5

NA

86.5

79.4

92.7

89.5

79.4

90.5

89.3

94.9

78.7

89.5

88.7

87.5

93.2

NA

87.9

84.8

90.5

91.3

85.1

93.7

94.6

95.9

84.2

95.9

93.0

93.5

96.9

NA

90.3

91.5

91.4

94.6

92.9

97.6

99.6

97.4

94.1

96.8

98.1

96.5

99.3

93.1

93.3

98.2

95.8

99.2

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

96.4

101.0

105.4

103.0

102.3

103.7

101.9

104.5

105.3

104.3

102.0

101.9

90.8

98.5

93.6

101.4

109.8

104.1

97.9

96.2

97.9

102.0

103.6

101.9

96.1

104.8

84.7

94.8

94.3

97.6

122.4

104.5

96.4

96.4

96.6

104.7

105.9

103.0

95.3

108.4

85.8

93.5

97.5

94.0

129.1

104.1

94.7

103.2

97.8

107.5

107.5

110.0

95.6

110.8

89.0

91.9

96.2

93.0

121.0

102.3

90.7

99.4

91.9

104.5

103.9

111.9

96.3

116.4

85.8

92.8

97.7

95.2

117.4

103.2

90.4

102.8

88.2

104.6

100.4

111.1

98.1

125.7

84.0

91.3

96.8

90.6

104.4

100.7

91.9

103.7

87.7

107.6

NA

113.4

98.9

128.4

80.1

92.3

96.1

83.6

101.2

97.1

90.4

103.2

84.8

108.3

NA

113.1

98.6

134.0

74.7

94.1

101.5

85.6

106.5

93.3

93.9

101.7

86.6

110.1

NA

115.3

103.0

140.1

77.2

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 4.
Source:
- 28 Table 10.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Unit labor costs in manufacturing, U.S. dollar basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
1992=100)

United
United
Year
States
Kingdom*

Former West
Canada*

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Germany**Germany**Italy

Netherlands

Norway

Sweden*

1950
10.0

NA

23.1

NA

NA

NA

NA

8.5

20.3

NA

9.5

13.8

12.5

7.7

10.7

1955
13.2

NA

29.7

12.8

NA

NA

NA

10.7

28.4

NA

9.4

14.1

14.2

10.1

15.5

1960
15.6
1961
16.7
1962
17.2
1963
17.0
1964
16.9
1965
18.0
1966
18.9
1967
18.3
1968
15.9
1969
16.9

NA

32.9

11.0

NA

NA

19.4

12.0

23.4

NA

10.4

15.0

15.7

11.1

16.9

NA

30.6

11.3

NA

NA

20.3

12.7

24.3

NA

11.6

15.3

17.6

11.7

17.6

NA

28.1

12.3

NA

NA

20.7

13.2

25.3

NA

12.3

16.3

18.3

12.8

18.3

NA

27.8

12.7

NA

NA

22.0

13.9

26.2

NA

12.6

18.8

19.4

13.0

18.9

NA

27.9

12.5

NA

NA

23.5

13.9

26.4

NA

12.6

19.8

20.5

13.1

19.1

NA

28.2

13.6

NA

NA

24.8

14.7

26.8

NA

13.0

19.0

21.6

13.7

19.6

NA

29.7

13.6

NA

NA

25.6

15.9

26.2

NA

13.6

18.6

22.6

14.3

20.6

NA

30.9

13.5

NA

NA

26.5

16.3

26.5

NA

13.5

19.6

23.4

15.5

21.0

NA

31.3

14.1

NA

NA

25.9

15.7

27.0

NA

13.4

19.4

23.1

16.1

20.9

NA

32.3

14.6

NA

NA

25.9

16.7

25.8

NA

13.9

20.4

23.8

16.2

21.1

1970
19.1

NA

36.0

15.5

NA

14.9

27.0

18.0

25.7

NA

17.1

23.3

25.3

17.5

23.1

1971
21.2
1972
23.7
1973
24.7
1974
27.9
1975
36.0
1976
32.5
1977
35.1
1978
44.4
1979
58.0

NA

37.3

17.4

NA

15.6

29.9

19.8

27.3

NA

19.3

26.9

28.3

19.7

25.3

NA

38.8

21.0

NA

15.7

35.0

21.6

31.5

NA

21.9

29.4

32.7

22.5

28.9

NA

39.3

26.3

NA

18.9

42.4

27.7

38.4

NA

28.0

32.0

40.6

27.4

33.1

NA

46.0

31.3

NA

28.8

49.5

32.5

41.2

NA

31.5

35.2

46.8

32.2

36.7

NA

53.1

34.8

NA

29.3

60.9

38.2

54.5

NA

35.1

45.7

57.6

41.1

47.4

NA

58.0

35.4

NA

30.1

60.9

38.8

52.8

NA

34.4

39.2

55.4

44.4

52.0

61.2

56.7

41.5

NA

31.3

67.6

42.0

55.0

NA

39.6

42.8

60.2

50.3

56.4

65.3

55.8

54.7

NA

32.2

77.8

49.3

64.9

NA

47.6

48.1

69.4

55.0

60.1

70.7

59.6

51.4

NA

37.5

84.2

55.7

74.9

NA

53.6

54.3

76.6

55.7

63.3

1980
77.7
1981
75.0
1982
67.8
1983
58.6
1984
53.2
1985
54.7
1986
64.8
1987
76.5
1988
83.9
1989
79.4

78.8

67.4

51.8

NA

43.4

88.3

55.9

83.9

NA

59.6

59.0

80.7

63.3

70.2

82.4

70.9

55.2

NA

49.2

70.6

48.4

71.6

NA

49.9

53.1

65.7

60.7

65.1

87.9

77.5

49.3

NA

49.4

57.2

44.9

65.3

NA

49.3

51.9

64.1

57.7

54.4

86.0

78.1

52.4

NA

47.2

51.0

41.9

59.1

NA

46.7

52.1

58.2

54.1

46.1

85.6

72.5

52.2

NA

49.6

46.8

39.3

54.3

NA

42.4

47.7

48.9

50.0

44.0

87.3

69.8

50.3

55.0

51.3

46.9

40.9

54.2

NA

41.7

46.6

47.8

50.3

46.1

91.2

72.4

75.3

53.0

55.6

63.4

57.7

70.8

NA

58.5

61.9

66.0

64.6

59.2

86.9

77.6

85.1

60.6

66.3

77.2

75.5

82.9

NA

74.9

73.9

81.7

76.7

69.6

86.7

85.0

93.3

77.8

75.5

77.0

78.9

82.2

NA

76.9

75.2

82.4

85.2

75.4

90.5

91.1

87.2

91.6

85.2

72.3

72.1

77.3

NA

73.0

76.1

75.0

82.1

76.8

1990
93.9
1991
100.1
1992
100.0

93.7

98.0

83.9

93.0

89.7

89.5

91.2

94.1

NA

87.3

94.1

88.3

94.0

91.3

97.6

105.1

91.8

100.3

91.1

92.3

91.0

93.1

87.5

87.8

97.5

90.0

95.0

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

1993
85.6
1994
86.4
1995
91.9
1996
93.2
1997
100.4
1998
105.9
1999
104.8

100.6

90.3

115.3

102.7

98.1

95.1

96.5

95.2

98.7

99.4

81.6

96.5

89.2

67.8

98.5

82.8

125.8

106.8

99.0

94.2

91.4

93.4

98.2

99.8

77.9

92.9

92.3

64.0

94.8

83.0

131.6

124.3

99.2

105.2

104.0

102.5

114.2

115.5

77.9

104.4

106.4

70.0

93.5

86.4

109.5

125.9

95.4

98.3

107.5

101.2

111.6

111.6

87.9

99.7

106.6

77.3

91.9

84.0

97.4

100.2

89.5

81.4

90.8

83.3

94.0

93.5

80.9

86.7

102.1

65.4

92.8

79.6

92.2

65.8

77.4

80.0

92.6

79.1

92.9

89.1

78.8

86.9

103.5

61.5

91.3

78.8

101.0

68.8

78.3

78.0

89.5

75.4

91.6

NA

76.9

84.0

102.2

56.4

2000
98.3
2001
95.3

92.3

78.2

98.4

70.2

78.1

66.5

76.9

63.2

79.8

NA

66.4

72.6

94.5

47.5

94.1

79.2

89.3

64.7

69.4

67.0

73.7

62.6

78.7

NA

65.7

73.6

96.8

43.5

lands

Norway

Sweden

NA:

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 4.
Source:
- 29 Table 11.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Exchange rates, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001 (Value of foreign currency relative to U.S. dollar)
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Kingdom

Former West
Germany**Germany**Italy

Nether-

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

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
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

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

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

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

114.6
1982
99.0
1983
85.8
1984
75.7
1985
73.5
1986
83.1
1987
92.8
1988
100.8
1989
92.7

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

100.0

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

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

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

82.8

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

2000
85.8
2001
81.5

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

100.0

78.0

104.3

60.7

74.4

71.3

72.5

72.2

71.5

NA

57.0

71.4

69.1

56.3

NA:

Not Available

** See note on Germany in box on page 4.
Source:
- 30 Table 12.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Average annual compensation in manufacturing, national currency basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
1992=100)

United
United
Year
States
Kingdom*

Former West
Canada*

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Nether-

Germany**Germany**Italy

lands

Norway

Sweden*

1950
1.9

8.8

5.9

NA

NA

NA

NA

2.9

2.0

NA

4.9

1.0

3.9

2.9

2.4

1955
2.7

11.8

8.1

3.8

NA

NA

NA

3.9

3.4

NA

7.3

1.5

5.7

4.4

3.8

1960
3.6
1961
3.8
1962
3.9
1963
4.1
1964
4.4
1965
4.8
1966
5.1
1967
5.2
1968
5.6
1969
6.1

14.8

10.4

5.3

NA

NA

6.8

5.0

5.2

NA

10.7

1.9

8.1

6.0

5.0

15.2

10.6

6.1

NA

NA

7.2

5.5

5.8

NA

11.8

2.1

8.9

6.4

5.4

16.0

11.1

6.9

NA

NA

7.8

6.1

6.4

NA

13.0

2.4

9.4

7.0

6.0

16.5

11.6

7.6

NA

NA

8.6

6.5

7.0

NA

13.7

2.9

10.3

7.5

6.6

17.3

12.1

8.5

NA

NA

9.6

7.1

7.5

NA

14.8

3.1

11.9

8.0

7.1

17.9

12.8

9.4

NA

NA

10.5

7.8

8.1

NA

16.2

3.2

13.3

8.7

7.7

18.8

13.7

10.4

NA

NA

11.5

8.7

8.6

NA

17.4

3.4

14.8

9.5

8.5

19.4

14.4

11.7

NA

NA

12.4

9.7

9.2

NA

17.8

3.8

16.3

10.5

9.2

20.9

15.4

13.6

NA

NA

13.3

10.4

10.1

NA

19.4

4.1

17.8

11.3

9.8

22.2

16.5

15.9

NA

NA

14.4

11.6

11.0

NA

21.3

4.5

19.9

12.2

10.5

1970
7.0
1971
7.8
1972
8.9

23.3

17.6

18.7

NA

NA

16.0

12.7

12.2

NA

24.8

5.3

22.6

13.4

11.8

24.8

18.7

21.3

NA

NA

18.2

14.7

13.6

NA

27.2

6.0

25.6

15.2

13.3

26.5

20.1

24.3

NA

NA

21.0

16.1

14.9

NA

29.8

6.5

29.0

16.8

14.4

1973
10.2
1974
11.9
1975
15.8
1976
18.5
1977
21.0
1978
24.4
1979
28.9

28.5

21.7

29.5

NA

10.6

24.3

18.7

16.8

NA

33.4

7.8

33.9

18.9

16.0

31.0

25.0

37.0

NA

15.0

29.2

23.2

19.7

NA

37.2

9.8

39.3

21.8

18.6

34.3

28.4

42.1

NA

16.4

33.3

27.0

23.3

NA

40.0

11.9

44.1

25.9

22.3

37.6

32.7

46.7

NA

18.4

39.3

30.5

26.8

NA

44.3

14.9

49.1

29.2

25.8

41.0

36.2

51.7

NA

20.1

42.3

33.7

30.2

NA

47.7

17.7

53.3

32.2

28.1

44.3

39.2

55.3

NA

22.5

45.2

37.0

33.8

NA

50.6

20.1

57.1

34.6

30.3

48.4

42.9

59.2

NA

26.5

48.1

41.8

38.2

NA

54.1

24.1

60.7

35.7

32.1

1980
33.9
1981
38.8
1982
43.0
1983
46.2
1984
50.2
1985
55.0
1986
59.6
1987
66.6
1988
71.4
1989
76.2

53.5

47.3

63.0

NA

32.4

52.7

46.8

43.9

NA

57.9

28.2

64.4

39.1

35.3

58.8

53.1

66.9

NA

39.6

56.1

51.3

50.3

NA

60.9

33.6

67.7

43.5

39.2

63.3

59.7

70.0

NA

43.1

60.0

57.2

57.2

NA

64.1

39.0

72.6

48.0

42.3

66.9

64.7

72.0

NA

44.9

64.2

62.7

62.8

NA

67.2

45.0

76.1

53.0

47.5

70.2

68.3

74.9

NA

48.4

69.3

67.0

68.3

NA

70.3

51.5

77.8

57.9

52.5

74.1

71.6

77.7

36.7

50.4

74.1

70.0

73.4

NA

73.1

57.9

79.9

63.1

57.4

77.4

73.0

81.2

39.6

57.6

76.2

74.0

76.6

NA

75.6

62.3

82.7

68.8

61.8

80.0

75.4

83.4

44.6

63.1

79.2

79.8

79.8

NA

78.8

67.6

84.9

76.2

66.8

84.0

79.9

85.7

54.0

67.1

81.9

84.4

82.9

NA

81.7

73.1

86.1

81.6

70.7

86.7

83.2

90.0

59.9

75.0

86.4

88.2

87.0

NA

84.6

80.3

87.1

85.9

77.9

1990
84.8
1991
93.9
1992
100.0
1993
105.7
1994
109.2

90.2

88.5

95.6

70.0

85.2

91.7

92.1

91.3

NA

89.2

86.9

90.2

90.8

87.2

94.3

94.8

99.6

87.3

93.5

97.3

95.6

95.9

88.2

94.3

94.3

94.9

96.4

94.7

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

104.1

103.0

100.6

114.2

106.0

103.2

102.2

102.4

103.9

102.8

104.0

104.4

101.8

99.9

108.0

105.8

102.8

130.6

111.4

107.4

106.0

105.9

109.9

108.5

108.8

109.0

104.9

107.1

1995
112.2
1996
114.4
1997
118.3
1998
124.5
1999
131.0

109.5

107.6

107.0

159.7

120.1

109.2

109.7

109.3

115.8

113.6

115.6

112.3

108.7

115.4

111.0

109.5

108.5

182.9

127.7

111.6

112.1

111.4

118.6

117.6

122.0

114.5

112.5

124.2

113.9

111.7

111.3

193.8

132.3

115.8

117.4

111.0

121.0

120.5

127.7

116.8

117.3

130.1

118.8

113.5

111.7

202.2

137.5

117.8

120.8

111.4

123.3

122.8

126.1

121.4

124.6

135.1

124.5

116.6

111.0

214.6

142.1

122.3

125.1

114.4

125.6

NA

129.0

125.3

132.4

140.9

2000
138.5
2001
144.1

132.5

118.0

111.7

221.9

144.1

124.6

129.3

114.8

130.7

NA

132.9

131.3

137.3

145.7

132.4

120.9

111.7

235.5

136.7

129.6

134.4

117.9

133.1

NA

136.2

137.5

144.2

148.5

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 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 4.
Source:
- 31 Table 13.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Real hourly compensation in manufacturing, CPI basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Kingdom

Former West

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany**Germany**Italy

1950
25.6

46.6

37.0

NA

NA

NA

NA

23.9

20.1

NA

11.7

1955
28.0

56.4

46.5

18.2

NA

NA

NA

26.6

27.1

NA

1960
32.8
1961

65.0

54.6

23.1

NA

NA

24.5

32.3

30.6

66.3

55.5

25.6

NA

NA

25.7

34.8

32.7

Netherlands

Norway

Sweden

19.1

16.5

26.3

25.3

15.9

22.3

20.5

29.5

30.5

NA

23.6

26.8

25.5

36.4

35.4

NA

25.8

29.0

28.8

38.7

37.9

34.0
1962
34.2
1963
35.1
1964
36.2
1965
37.8
1966
39.4
1967
40.4
1968
41.4
1969
42.7

68.1

56.9

27.3

NA

NA

27.2

35.5

34.6

NA

28.4

32.7

30.0

40.4

40.4

69.3

58.3

28.4

NA

NA

29.4

36.6

36.0

NA

29.4

36.1

32.0

42.0

43.4

71.2

59.6

30.7

NA

NA

31.9

38.2

37.8

NA

31.1

36.3

35.0

42.5

45.7

71.6

61.7

32.1

NA

NA

34.0

39.8

40.0

NA

33.1

37.2

37.7

45.0

48.1

72.8

63.8

33.7

NA

NA

36.0

42.4

41.2

NA

34.7

38.7

39.9

47.6

49.5

74.4

64.9

36.3

NA

NA

38.3

44.2

43.2

NA

36.1

41.2

42.8

51.0

52.6

76.9

66.6

40.1

NA

NA

39.8

45.0

47.1

NA

38.3

43.3

45.9

54.3

56.0

78.2

68.9

45.2

NA

NA

42.0

49.0

48.3

NA

41.1

46.3

48.5

58.1

58.9

1970
46.1
1971
47.9
1972
51.6
1973
53.8
1974
55.7
1975
59.8
1976
59.6
1977
57.9
1978
62.1
1979
65.0

79.2

71.5

49.9

NA

NA

46.1

52.4

51.7

NA

46.7

53.7

54.1

58.3

61.8

80.5

73.9

54.3

NA

NA

51.0

57.4

55.0

NA

49.8

59.1

57.5

62.9

64.1

82.0

75.7

59.6

NA

NA

57.2

60.2

57.2

NA

52.3

61.5

61.1

65.8

67.5

83.1

76.6

65.3

NA

32.7

63.5

67.4

61.0

NA

55.4

65.7

67.3

69.0

69.8

83.1

80.2

69.4

NA

32.5

69.3

71.3

63.7

NA

58.9

71.7

73.2

74.0

74.8

85.4

83.2

72.4

NA

33.0

74.3

78.1

69.5

NA

61.3

75.7

76.2

79.1

83.6

87.5

88.8

71.3

NA

36.0

78.8

80.7

72.6

NA

63.1

80.9

78.0

83.9

88.4

89.3

91.2

72.7

NA

36.8

79.4

81.1

75.4

NA

66.7

82.7

79.9

86.3

86.1

90.3

89.9

74.4

NA

39.2

81.5

81.8

77.8

NA

69.9

83.9

83.0

87.4

88.9

90.6

90.6

76.3

NA

42.2

82.9

84.2

79.5

NA

72.2

88.5

85.5

87.6

89.9

1980
66.7
1981
69.8
1982
70.4
1983

91.4

91.6

75.3

NA

43.3

86.5

83.4

80.6

NA

74.6

85.3

84.3

86.0

87.7

91.9

92.0

76.8

NA

47.8

87.7

83.0

82.6

NA

74.6

86.1

82.7

84.1

86.3

95.1

94.1

78.5

NA

50.7

84.4

82.7

87.3

NA

75.0

86.2

83.1

84.1

85.1

93.9

95.2

79.1

NA

52.1

86.0

83.8

88.0

NA

76.0

86.6

84.6

85.1

84.5

72.5
1984
74.8
1985
77.5
1986
81.6
1987
87.4
1988
89.1
1989
88.7
1990
91.1
1991
97.4
1992
100.0
1993
103.0
1994
102.7
1995
100.2
1996
99.3
1997
99.9
1998
102.5
1999
106.6
2000
109.7
2001
111.5
NA:

93.4

96.4

79.7

NA

55.6

87.8

84.4

88.9

NA

77.7

89.6

85.0

87.7

85.2

95.3

96.6

81.3

50.1

59.8

88.3

87.1

90.7

NA

80.7

93.0

87.6

90.8

87.4

97.8

94.1

84.9

51.8

66.7

89.6

86.9

91.9

NA

84.1

91.7

90.9

92.4

90.4

97.3

92.3

86.8

57.5

72.6

90.9

92.2

92.3

NA

87.7

92.2

94.2

96.4

92.4

97.7

92.1

87.6

66.7

77.2

91.4

93.2

93.0

NA

90.3

94.4

94.0

96.0

94.1

96.6

93.4

91.0

72.7

83.8

94.0

94.1

94.3

NA

92.3

96.3

94.7

96.1

98.3

96.4

94.7

95.1

79.6

92.3

95.2

96.9

96.3

NA

96.6

98.0

95.6

97.7

97.6

98.0

96.3

98.0

91.5

97.7

99.7

98.0

99.0

96.2

99.1

99.1

97.9

99.8

97.3

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

100.3

100.2

101.4

108.7

102.9

102.0

101.7

100.5

101.8

102.1

101.2

101.8

99.2

95.3

101.0

101.6

102.7

116.4

103.7

100.9

NA

102.1

104.1

104.8

98.3

103.4

100.6

95.6

100.7

101.7

106.3

136.0

108.3

102.3

NA

104.2

107.8

108.7

97.4

104.2

102.7

97.8

99.4

101.1

107.0

150.8

111.9

101.9

NA

104.1

111.4

112.8

100.1

104.3

105.6

104.4

99.2

101.6

108.4

155.2

114.5

104.0

NA

102.7

111.5

113.3

101.4

104.6

107.5

108.4

103.0

101.4

110.5

156.8

119.3

104.6

NA

102.6

112.1

113.3

98.8

106.8

111.3

111.7

104.9

101.3

110.3

152.8

122.4

104.7

NA

105.5

114.0

NA

99.1

107.9

115.2

112.1

109.0

99.9

109.9

156.5

122.7

103.9

NA

107.7

117.6

NA

99.1

110.3

117.6

119.1

107.7

100.8

111.5

163.4

125.4

106.7

NA

111.3

118.2

NA

100.1

110.7

120.3

120.4

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 the other countries.
** See note on Germany in box on page 4.

Source:
- 32 Table 14.
(Indexes:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Real average annual compensation in manufacturing, CPI basis, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
1992=100)
United

United
Year
Kingdom

Former West

States

Canada

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France

Germany**Germany**Italy

1950
31.5

47.3

40.3

NA

NA

NA

NA

33.6

24.3

NA

17.2

1955
34.8

57.2

48.7

21.7

NA

NA

NA

36.8

32.6

NA

1960
40.0
1961
40.8
1962
40.7
1963
41.7
1964
43.4
1965
44.7
1966
45.7
1967
46.5
1968
48.1
1969
49.6

64.7

56.8

28.6

NA

NA

30.8

42.4

36.9

66.0

57.5

31.2

NA

NA

32.2

44.3

68.5

59.4

32.7

NA

NA

34.2

69.9

61.0

33.6

NA

NA

72.4

62.7

36.2

NA

73.5

64.9

37.3

75.0

66.6

75.3

1970
52.7
1971
53.5
1972
57.1
1973

Netherlands

Norway

Sweden

20.1

21.5

34.4

32.8

23.3

24.0

26.7

38.6

39.4

NA

31.0

29.2

33.6

45.8

43.2

39.7

NA

33.4

31.3

36.3

48.1

45.9

45.5

41.8

NA

35.8

34.1

37.6

49.9

48.5

37.0

46.3

43.5

NA

36.5

37.8

40.0

51.8

51.5

NA

39.9

48.7

45.4

NA

38.7

38.1

43.3

52.7

53.7

NA

NA

41.9

50.7

47.7

NA

41.0

37.8

46.6

54.5

56.0

39.3

NA

NA

44.0

53.0

49.4

NA

42.4

39.7

49.1

57.8

57.6

67.8

42.4

NA

NA

46.2

54.5

51.3

NA

42.9

42.8

52.3

61.3

60.3

77.7

69.4

46.7

NA

NA

48.1

54.3

54.3

NA

46.1

45.0

55.2

63.7

62.9

78.4

71.5

51.9

NA

NA

50.2

58.4

57.0

NA

49.5

47.9

57.4

66.6

64.9

77.8

73.7

56.7

NA

NA

53.6

60.4

60.4

NA

56.0

54.5

62.9

66.4

68.0

79.2

76.0

60.7

NA

NA

58.5

65.9

63.7

NA

58.4

58.3

66.2

70.8

70.3

82.1

77.9

66.2

NA

NA

64.1

67.7

65.5

NA

60.7

60.2

69.4

73.0

72.1

83.0

78.3

71.9

NA

36.5

69.4

71.7

68.8

NA

63.8

65.1

74.9

76.1

73.2

60.3
1974
60.4
1975
64.6
1976
64.9
1977
63.6
1978
67.9
1979
70.7

81.5

81.4

73.3

NA

34.9

73.8

77.4

71.0

NA

66.5

68.6

79.0

80.5

77.6

82.5

83.4

74.7

NA

36.3

74.8

82.1

75.1

NA

67.4

71.1

80.7

85.6

85.1

85.5

89.1

75.7

NA

39.8

80.8

85.2

78.8

NA

71.5

76.0

82.5

88.3

89.0

87.6

91.4

77.4

NA

40.6

81.1

84.8

81.0

NA

74.3

77.3

84.1

89.3

86.0

88.6

90.8

79.5

NA

43.0

83.1

84.6

82.9

NA

76.9

78.3

86.5

88.7

86.5

88.4

91.1

82.1

NA

46.0

84.6

87.0

84.7

NA

79.2

81.9

88.1

87.4

86.1

1980
70.5
1981
72.5
1982
73.5
1983
75.6
1984
78.1
1985
80.5
1986
84.4
1987
90.6
1988
92.5
1989
91.6

88.1

91.2

81.0

NA

47.4

86.9

86.7

85.8

NA

80.7

79.2

87.3

86.3

83.1

88.5

90.8

82.1

NA

49.8

86.0

85.2

86.7

NA

79.7

79.9

86.1

84.6

82.2

90.0

92.0

83.5

NA

52.7

84.5

86.2

88.0

NA

79.7

79.8

87.4

83.8

81.4

91.2

94.3

84.4

NA

54.1

84.0

88.5

88.2

NA

80.9

80.2

89.1

85.2

81.8

92.1

95.4

85.8

NA

58.3

85.3

88.9

89.2

NA

82.7

82.9

88.3

87.6

84.0

94.0

96.2

87.2

55.5

60.8

87.0

88.7

90.5

NA

84.3

85.3

88.6

90.4

85.5

96.4

94.2

90.6

58.3

69.0

88.3

90.5

92.0

NA

87.3

86.7

91.5

92.0

88.1

96.5

93.2

93.0

63.7

75.2

90.4

93.8

92.9

NA

90.9

89.8

94.4

93.7

91.2

97.7

94.9

94.9

72.0

79.0

92.4

94.9

94.1

NA

93.2

92.5

94.9

94.0

92.7

96.6

94.1

97.4

75.6

84.5

94.5

94.6

95.3

NA

93.9

95.6

95.1

94.7

96.5

1990
93.2
1991
97.5
1992
100.0
1993
104.0
1994
105.0
1995

95.9

94.9

100.4

81.4

92.2

96.9

96.3

96.8

NA

96.4

97.2

95.9

96.1

96.9

96.7

96.1

101.2

92.8

97.7

99.7

97.6

98.5

92.6

98.2

99.2

98.0

98.7

96.6

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

101.6

101.2

99.3

109.0

102.9

100.5

100.9

100.4

99.4

99.1

99.6

101.7

99.5

97.7

103.2

103.6

100.7

117.3

103.9

102.1

102.7

102.0

102.4

101.7

100.2

103.4

101.1

102.5

102.2

103.3

105.0

137.4

108.1

102.3

104.0

103.5

106.1

104.9

101.1

104.4

102.3

105.7

104.2
1996
103.7
1997
104.0
1998
105.9
1999
109.7

103.4

106.3

149.9

111.5

102.4

104.1

103.4

107.2

107.2

102.6

104.4

104.6

112.6

101.3

103.8

107.1

152.1

114.5

104.6

106.7

101.8

107.3

107.9

105.3

104.3

106.3

116.5

104.3

104.2

106.9

147.6

117.1

105.4

107.8

101.5

108.3

109.0

101.9

106.2

110.4

120.2

107.0

105.1

106.6

155.4

120.7

108.2

108.9

103.7

109.7

NA

102.6

107.3

114.6

121.3

110.2

103.6

108.0

157.1

120.9

107.5

109.4

102.3

112.0

NA

103.1

109.6

115.3

128.2

107.1

103.5

108.8

160.2

114.7

109.1

111.0

103.4

111.3

NA

102.8

109.9

117.5

127.9

2000
112.6
2001
115.2

100.8

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 4.
Source:
- 33 -

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.

Table 15.
(Indexes:

Total labor compensation in manufacturing, 14 countries or areas, 1950-2001
1992=100)

United
United
Year States
Kingdom*

Former West
Canada*

Japan

Korea

Taiwan

Belgium

Denmark

France*

Nether-

Germany**Germany**Italy

lands

Norway

Sweden*

1950
3.1

7.4

4.6

NA

NA

NA

NA

2.8

2.2

NA

3.7

.7

4.4

3.4

2.9

1955
4.9

11.0

6.9

1.8

NA

NA

NA

3.9

3.9

NA

7.0

1.1

6.9

5.5

4.9

1960
6.6
1961
7.1
1962
7.3
1963

13.7

8.8

3.4

NA

NA

9.2

6.1

6.0

NA

11.6

1.7

10.5

7.3

6.9

13.7

8.9

4.1

NA

NA

10.1

6.8

6.8

NA

13.1

2.0

11.7

8.0

7.7

14.8

9.6

4.9

NA

NA

11.1

7.7

7.5

NA

14.5

2.3

12.6

8.9

8.5

15.4

10.2

5.6

NA

NA

12.4

8.2

8.4

NA

15.2

2.8

13.9

9.5

9.3

7.5
1964
8.2
1965
9.0
1966
9.5
1967
9.5
1968
10.1
1969
11.2

16.4

11.2

6.5

NA

NA

14.3

9.1

9.2

NA

16.4

3.0

16.2

10.3

10.2

17.8

12.4

7.3

NA

NA

15.6

10.3

9.8

NA

18.3

3.1

18.2

11.3

11.2

19.8

14.0

8.3

NA

NA

17.1

11.4

10.5

NA

19.4

3.3

20.1

12.6

12.1

20.7

14.9

9.8

NA

NA

17.9

12.0

11.2

NA

18.9

3.8

21.6

14.0

12.8

22.6

15.9

11.8

NA

NA

18.8

13.1

12.1

NA

20.7

4.1

23.4

14.9

13.4

24.6

17.5

14.2

NA

NA

21.1

14.9

13.6

NA

23.6

4.6

26.5

16.1

14.6

1970
12.7
1971
13.7
1972
15.3
1973
17.7
1974
20.7
1975
26.2
1976
29.7
1977
33.8
1978
39.1
1979
46.1

24.8

18.3

17.2

NA

3.0

24.0

16.5

15.5

NA

28.2

5.7

30.3

18.2

16.6

25.3

19.5

19.6

NA

3.9

27.2

18.2

17.4

NA

30.7

6.6

33.7

20.8

18.0

27.8

21.6

22.4

NA

4.7

31.0

20.3

19.3

NA

33.0

7.2

36.8

23.2

19.3

31.5

24.4

28.3

NA

6.4

36.1

23.6

22.2

NA

37.3

8.8

42.4

26.0

21.7

34.2

28.5

35.3

NA

9.1

43.9

28.2

26.3

NA

40.5

11.5

49.0

30.4

25.7

34.5

31.5

37.9

NA

9.7

47.2

29.8

30.4

NA

40.9

14.1

53.1

35.8

31.2

39.2

36.1

41.8

NA

12.3

53.4

33.7

34.8

NA

44.2

17.7

56.7

40.3

36.0

44.4

39.3

45.8

NA

14.5

55.2

36.8

39.0

NA

47.8

21.2

60.0

44.6

37.8

50.0

43.8

48.3

NA

17.6

56.5

39.9

43.1

NA

50.6

24.1

62.8

47.0

39.6

55.9

49.6

51.6

NA

21.5

58.6

45.0

48.0

NA

54.8

29.4

66.0

47.9

42.1

1980
51.5
1981
53.5
1982
55.9
1983
57.0
1984
60.9
1985

59.7

54.5

56.0

NA

27.4

62.8

49.3

54.6

NA

59.2

34.6

69.1

52.5

46.3

65.3

60.9

60.1

NA

34.1

63.1

51.8

60.4

NA

61.0

40.1

70.8

57.5

49.8

65.6

62.2

62.6

NA

37.2

65.5

57.1

67.7

NA

62.5

45.7

73.0

61.1

51.8

68.1

65.7

65.4

NA

40.7

68.6

62.3

72.8

NA

63.2

51.1

73.0

64.0

57.0

75.0

71.3

69.4

NA

48.6

73.2

69.5

76.8

NA

65.9

55.8

73.0

69.2

63.2

78.5

76.5

72.6

29.4

52.3

77.1

76.1

80.4

NA

69.4

61.3

75.9

76.0

70.0

66.3
1986
70.3
1987
77.8
1988
84.4
1989
90.3

80.8

80.6

75.5

34.6

62.5

78.5

82.7

82.4

NA

72.9

64.7

79.4

83.8

75.4

83.8

85.7

76.7

43.7

70.5

79.7

87.2

83.9

NA

76.0

69.2

82.4

92.8

80.9

89.5

94.0

80.5

55.9

75.3

82.3

88.9

86.2

NA

78.6

75.5

83.4

94.9

87.2

92.8

99.3

86.3

62.5

81.2

87.9

91.8

91.0

NA

82.6

83.3

85.0

93.2

94.5

95.1

100.2

93.2

73.0

86.4

94.0

96.1

96.0

NA

89.5

90.9

90.2

95.5

102.3

96.0

98.6

99.4

89.4

93.1

98.8

98.0

99.2

95.2

96.0

97.6

95.6

98.2

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

104.2

102.1

97.3

111.1

105.5

99.2

99.1

97.5

96.6

96.6

100.6

100.1

103.6

92.4

109.4

106.8

96.2

128.2

112.9

99.3

101.6

98.2

97.0

96.8

104.3

100.7

109.6

99.2

112.2

112.8

96.4

159.0

120.0

100.4

107.6

101.3

99.7

99.2

110.5

103.4

116.3

113.1

113.4

116.7

96.8

179.1

125.3

101.0

110.2

102.3

99.4

99.4

116.0

104.4

122.3

121.3

117.5

122.9

99.1

178.9

131.3

103.3

114.5

100.8

99.9

99.5

121.7

107.7

132.9

125.7

123.5

129.8

95.4

160.7

136.9

105.3

118.9

101.4

102.2

101.2

123.0

113.0

142.9

133.0

127.4

136.5

92.3

172.8

142.4

107.7

122.0

104.0

103.0

NA

125.2

116.6

145.8

138.1

2000 134.8
129.8
2001 129.2
129.4

143.0

91.3

194.2

147.4

110.3

125.2

105.2

108.1

NA

128.7

122.2

147.6

142.8

146.0

88.9

207.9

133.5

114.9

129.3

109.4

110.5

NA

132.3

127.9

152.6

144.1

1990
97.9
1991
100.1
1992
100.0
1993
102.1
1994
105.8
1995
110.8
1996
114.5
1997
119.0
1998
125.0
1999
127.2

NA:

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 4.

Source:

U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, February 2003.