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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
August 1982
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In this issue:
Employment and Unemployment in the first half,
Imports and U.S. Employment.
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Raymond J. Donovan, Secretary
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Janet L. Norwood, Commissioner
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August cover:
‘The Machine Drill,” an oil painting
by Frantisek Kupka (1871-1957),
the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection,
on exhibit at the National Gallery of Art,
Washington, D.C., from May 30 through
September 6, 1982.
Cover design by Melvin B. Moxley,
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
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AUGUST 1982
VOLUME 105, NUMBER 8
Henry Lowenstern, Editor-in-Chief
Robert W. Fisher, Executive Editor
1Ö R A R y
AUG 2 4 198Ï
The Nation’s employment situation worsens in the first half
M. A. Hewson, M. A. Urquhart
The continued economic slide pushed the unemployment rate to a postwar high
in the second quarter; construction and durable goods industries were hardest hit
Gregory K. Schoepfle
13
Imports and domestic employment: identifying affected industries
For monitoring trade, the Bureau has developed measures of import penetration;
data suggest a fourth of manufacturing groups may be sensitive to rising imports
H. J. Hilaski, C. L. Wang
27
How valid are estimates of occupational illness?
While the annual BLS survey measures few chronic, long-latent, or fatal illnesses,
estimates derived from other studies can prove statistically flawed and inaccurate
D. Bell, W. Wiatrowski
36
Disability benefits for employees in private pension plans
Although benefits may vary, a private pension and social security would replace
about one-half of the pre-disability earnings of many 20-year employees aged 55
R. Frumkin, W. Wiatrowski
41
BLS takes a new look at employee benefits
Initiated in 1979, the annual survey provides a comprehensive study
of benefit plan coverage and provisions in medium and large companies
REPORTS
Howard Hayghe
Eugene H. Becker
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Weekly family earnings: a quarterly perspective
Analysis of work stoppages in the Federal sector, 1962-81
DEPARTMENTS
Labor month in review
Research summaries
Major agreements expiring next month
Developments in industrial relations
Book reviews
Current labor statistics
Labor M onth
In Review
WORK EXPERIENCE. The Bureau of
Labor Statistics published results of the
latest survey on work experience of the
population. The data are based on
responses to special questions in the
March 1982 Current Population Sur
vey, conducted for b l s by the Census
Bureau. The data show:
More extensive unemployment. The 23.4
million persons who encountered some
unemployment in 1981 were 2 million
more than in 1980, and represented 19.5
percent of all persons in the labor force
for at least 1 week. This proportion was
higher than the 18.1 percent in 1980, but
below the 20.2-percent peak of 1975.
For men and all blacks, however, the
proportion with some unemployment
during the year equaled or exceeded the
previous highs.
Among men, the proportion with
some unemployment during 1981 was
20.0 percent, the same as in 1975.
Among women, the proportion was 19.0
percent, still below its 1975 peak of 20.5
percent. Men were not only more likely
to become unemployed; they generally
remained unemployed longer than
women.
For blacks, the proportion experienc
ing joblessness in 1981—30.5 per
cent—was up from 28.0 percent in 1980
and even higher than the previous peak
of 29.5 percent reached in 1975. By com
parison, the proportion of whites with
unemployment rose to 18.3 percent in
1981, up from 16.9 percent in 1980 but
still down from 19.1 percent in 1975. For
Hispanics, the rate remained largely un
changed over the year at 24 percent.
Blacks were also unemployed longer
than either whites or Hispanics. The me
dian number of weeks of unemployment
was 15.3 for blacks, 13.0 weeks for
whites, and 14.5 weeks for His
panics.
Of the 23.4 million persons who ex
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perienced some unemployment in 1981,
2.9 million held no job at all during the
year—many because they left the labor
force. Of the 20.5 million who found
some work, the median duration of
joblessness increased from 13.0 weeks in
1980 to 13.3 weeks in 1981. The propor
tion of unemployed workers with two or
more periods of joblessness also increas
ed in 1981 to 34 percent from 32 percent
a year earlier.
A modest rise in employment. Employ
ment continued to grow slowly in 1981.
A total of 116.8 million persons 16 years
of age and over worked all or part of the
year, 1 million more than in 1980. Be
cause population growth outpaced job
growth, the proportion of the popu
lation working during the year edged
downward for the third straight year to
68 percent.
For men, the proportion who worked
continued a 15-year decline and—at 79.7
percent—reached its lowest level since
the beginning of this series in 1948. For
women, the proportion with em
ployment was essentially unchanged and
remained near the high of 58.0 percent
reached in 1979. And the proportion of
women working full time, year-round,
continued to increase.
The proportion of blacks who worked
during the year reached a new low of
60.7 percent. For black men, the propor
tion dropped to 68.6 percent, 4 percen
tage points lower than in 1978. The pro
portions of whites and Hispanics work
ing during the year remained largely un
changed at 69 and 66 percent.
Lower real annual earnings. The median
annual earnings of wage and salary
workers employed at full-time jobs yearround rose to $20,593 for men and to
$12,345 for women. For both groups,
the 1981 median was about 9 percent
higher than the median for the previous
year. Thus, there was no change in the
ratio of the average annual earnings of
women to those of men, which remained
at 60 percent.
After adjusting for inflation, the me
dian annual earnings of men and women
declined by about 1 percent relative to
1980, as the Consumer Price Index for
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers ( c p i - w ) rose by 10.2 percent in
1981.
Annual earnings of black and
Hispanic workers continued to be much
lower than those of white workers. The
median for white men employed at full
time jobs all year was $21,087,
compared to $14,988 for black men
and $14,953 for Hispanic men. For
white women who usually worked full
time, year-round, the median was
$12,476, compared to $11,166 for black
women and $10,725 for Hispanic
women.
The work experience questions in the
March survey refer, retroactively, to
respondents’ work status and earnings
for the entire previous year. Because
many persons enter and leave the labor
force during the course of a year, the
total numbers with employment and
unemployment as determined through
the work experience questions are much
greater than the annual averages based
on the monthly survey conducted during
the year. For example, the number who
reported that they experienced some
unemployment during 1981 was 2.8
times greater than the annual average of
the 1981 monthly figures.
Tables showing the survey results ap
pear in the news release, u s d l 82-255,
available from the Inquiries and Cor
respondence Section, Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Washington, D.C. 20212.
Survey results will be discussed in greater
detail in a forthcoming issue of the
Review.
□
The Nation’s employment situation
worsens in the first half of 1982
The continued economic slide
pushed the U.S. unemployment rate
to a postwar high in the second quarter;
construction and durable goods industries
were hardest hit
M
a r il l y n
A. H
ew so n a n d
M
ic h a e l
A. U
rquhart
The economy entered 1982 deeply mired in its eighth
post-World War II recession, following an unusually
brief and weak recovery. The employment situation of
some worker groups, particularly blacks and teenagers,
had simply not shown improvement from the 1980 re
cession. Labor market conditions, which had been dete
riorating rapidly since m id-1981, worsened substantially
in the fourth quarter and continued to weaken through
the first quarter of 1982. Employment dropped sharply
and unemployment soared to the highest level recorded
in the postwar era. However, there was evidence of
moderation by the end of the second quarter.
Persistently high interest rates, which aborted the re
covery from the 1980 recession, were a major cause of
the 1981-82 economic reversal. The interest-rate sensi
tive construction and automobile manufacturing indus
tries have experienced an economic slump spanning the
two recessions. By late 1981, the weakness had clearly
spread to much of the rest of the economy, including
the services sector. The deterioration in the labor mar
ket became more pervasive as slackening sales and
growing inventories forced firms to sharply curtail new
orders, cut back production, and lay off workers. Al
though labor market conditions appeared to be improv-
Marillyn A. Hewson is an economist in the Division of Monthly In
dustry Employment Statistics, and Michael A. Urquhart is an
economist in the Division of Employment and Unemployment Analy
sis, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ing by late spring, recessionary forces clearly dominated
the first half of 1982.
This article continues the Monthly Labor Review prac
tice of examining the Nation’s employment situation at
mid-year. It traces developments in employment and
unemployment during the current recession, concentrat
ing particularly on the first 6 months of 1982.
Job cutbacks
The renewed deterioration in economic activity wors
ened in the final quarter of 1981 and continued to accel
erate during early 1982. However, signs that the rapid
contraction in economic activity was losing momentum
were evident by late spring, as the rate of decline in
nonfarm employment slowed significantly in the second
quarter. By midyear, nonfarm payroll jobs had declined
by 1.4 million from the July 1981 high of 91.4 million.
To put the current labor market situation into per
spective, it is useful to assess and compare the severity
and extent of recent job cutbacks with those of the
past. Table 1 presents measures of the duration, depth,
and diffusion of declines in nonfarm payroll employ
ment (based on data from the BLS survey of establish
ments) during each of the seven complete postwar
recessions plus the current period.1April 1982 was used
as the month that nonfarm payroll employment reached
its trough for the 1981-82 recessionary period. Of
course, data for subsequent months may prove other
wise, but it is still useful analytically to compare the de3
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Unemployment in the First H alf
dine in nonfarm payroll employment as of this point in
the recession with past downturns.
As the table illustrates, the length of the contraction
in nonfarm employment for the 1981-82 recession was
longer than the declines for the three previous postwar
recessions, spanning 9 months. Moreover, the pervasive
ness of the 1981-82 decline, as measured by the 186-in
dustries diffusion index which covers all employment on
private nonagricultural payrolls,2 was greater than for
the 1980 downturn. While the 1980 contraction had
been largely confined to construction and automobile
manufacturing, and their supplying industries, the
1981-82 downturn was visibly more widespread, with
employment declines witnessed in virtually all of the
goods-producing industries, as well as in a large number
of the service-producing industries.
Despite the longer and more pervasive nature of the
recent nonfarm payroll job losses, the relative employ
ment decline— 1.4 percent— matched that of the 1980
downturn. Thus, the job loss total for each of the last
two recessions was less than those that occurred in the
1973-75 and earlier postwar recessions.
It has been argued that the continuing shift in jobs
from the goods to services sector has moderated the ef
fects of business contractions on employment in the
U.S. economy.3That is, as the service-producing sector’s
share of nonfarm jobs increases, this, in turn, serves to
cushion a slowdown in the economy as a whole, be
cause employment in the service-producing sector has
historically been less affected by economic contractions
Table 1. Measures of duration, depth, and diffusion in
peak-to-trough changes in nonfarm payroll employment,
selected periods, 1948-82
Peak to trough1
Diffusion3
(in percent)
Duration
Depth2
(in months) (in percent)
30 industries4 186 industries
Sept. 1948 to Oct. 1949 ..
June 1953 to Aug. 1954 ..
July 1957 to May 1958 . . .
Apr. 1960 to Feb. 1961 . . .
Mar. 1970 to Nov. 1970 ..
Oct. 1974 to Apr. 1975 . . .
Mar. 1980 to July 1980 . . .
July 1981 to Apr. 19826 . .
13
14
10
10
8
6
4
9
-5.2
-3.5
-4.2
-2.2
-1.5
-2.9
-1.4
-1.4
90
87
88
82
77
88
76
93
( 5)
( 5)
( 5)
( 5)
( 5)
88
77
78
1Peak-to-trough dates in nonfarm payroll employment near the following National Bureau
of Economic Research designated postwar recessionary periods: November 1948 to Octo
ber 1949, July 1953 to May 1954, August 1957 to April 1958, April 1960 to February 1961,
December 1969 to November 1970, November 1973 to March 1975, January 1980 to July
1980, July 1981 to
the 1982 trough has not yet been designated by the National Bureau
of Economic Research.
2 Percent decline in employment level over the period.
3 Percent of industries in which employment declined over a 6-month span, centered on
the fourth month of the span: February 1949, March 1954, September 1957, August 1960,
June 1970, January 1975, April 1980, and January 1982.
indexes of diffusion, 30 industries, 6-month span for April 1947 to May 1974 are
published in John F. Early, "Introduction to Diffusion Indexes,” Employment and Earnings,
December 1974, p. 11, table 8. Indexes of diffusion for subsequent periods under study are
for 29 industries due to the 1972 SIC revision which divided the industry category for Ord
nance and accessories among the remaining manufacturing industries. These indexes were
calculated specifically for this report.
6 Data are not available.
6 As of this writing, April was the month in which nonfarm payroll employment appeared to
have reached Its 1982 low.
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than in the goods sector. Business downturns typically
reduce the services sector’s rate of growth but do not
usually result in overall employment declines in ser
vices. This phenomenon was observed once again in the
1981-82 recession. Employment continued to expand in
the services sector during the downturn as it has for
most of the postwar recessions, although at a much
slower pace than the roughly 4-percent growth rate ex
perienced in nonrecessionary periods.
The data in table 1 clearly show the moderation in
recessionary employment cutbacks during the postwar
period. In contrast to the employment effects of earlier
recessions, job cutbacks during recent downturns have
been generally shorter in duration and considerably less
severe in magnitude. In fact, during the 1973-75 reces
sion, which is generally regarded as the most severe
postwar business downturn, the percentage decline in
employment was significantly less than during postwar
recessions prior to 1960, as well as noticeably shorter.
Although when examined as a separate entity the
1981-82 recession does not appear at this point to have
resulted in employment declines any more severe than
in previous downturns, it is worth noting two important
factors which set it apart from other postwar recessions.
The most significant atypical development was that this
contraction was preceded by the shortest and weakest
recovery in the postwar period, a recovery which halted
before many industries had rebounded fully. As a re
sult, some industries have experienced what may be re
garded as a “double-dip” recession, a downturn more
severe and spanning a much longer period than the cy
clical decline for the economy in the aggregate. In fact,
employment in some industries, such as primary metals
and stone, clay, and glass, has fallen to levels below
those experienced during the 1973-75 recession.
The second dominant feature was the failure of inter
est rates to recede as in previous postwar downturns.
This caused a continued slump in the housing, automo
tive, and other credit-sensitive industries, and inhibited
growth in all industries by reducing orders for suppli
ers, inflating inventory carrying costs, and dampening
spending on consumer and capital goods.
As indicated above, the bulk of the employment de
clines in the first half of 1982 was centered in the
goods-producing sector, notably in manufacturing and
construction. (See table 2.) Continuing the losses begun
in the second half of 1981, virtually every manufactur
ing industry registered some decline. The job losses
took place largely in the more cyclically sensitive dura
ble goods industries, where the job count fell by more
than 900,000 between the second quarters of 1981 and
1982, principally the result of the depressed housing
and automobile markets.
Housing demand both for new residential construc
tion and for existing homes was kept low by high mort-
Table 2.
Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages, 1981-82
[In thousands]
1982
1981
Selected categories
II
I
II
III
IV
I
Employed ..............................................................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years ...............................
Men, 20 years and o ve r......................................
Women, 20 years and over ...............................
100,125
7,476
53,448
39,202
100,784
7,341
53,767
39,667
100,654
7,176
53,786
39,692
100,043
6,914
53,327
39,802
99,554
6,733
53,050
39,772
99,740
6,616
53,078
40,047
W h ite ...................................................................
B a c k ...................................................................
Hispanic origin ...................................................
88,381
9,387
5,277
89,039
9,419
5,336
89,006
9,308
5,349
88,414
9,304
5,431
87,967
9,259
5,296
82,204
9,167
5,163
White-collar w o rke rs..........................................
Blue-collar w o rkers............................................
Service workers .................................................
Farmworkers .....................................................
52,754
31,211
13,358
2,748
52,943
31,673
13,384
2,761
52,985
31,486
13,400
2,741
53,123
30,660
13,611
2,744
52,813
30,309
13,616
2,771
53,489
29,855
13,695
2,671
Nonfarm payroll employment.................................
Goods-producing industries ...............................
Mining ............................................................
Construction ...................................................
Manufacturing.................................................
Durable goods............................................
Nondurable g o o d s ......................................
90,945
25,559
1,113
4,274
20,172
12,120
8,052
91,172
25,577
1,033
4,230
20,314
12,228
8,086
91,360
25,646
1,179
4,148
20,319
12,226
8,093
90,954
25,159
1,201
4,066
19,892
11,895
7,997
90,408
24,588
1,200
3,958
19,430
11,562
7,868
90,081
24,201
1,155
3,961
19,085
11,322
7,763
Service-producing industries .............................
Transportation and public utilities ..................
Wholesale and retail tra d e .............................
Wholesale trade ........................................
Retail tra d e .................................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate ...............
Services..........................................................
Government ...................................................
Federal.......................................................
State and local ..........................................
65,386
5,146
20,413
5,327
15,087
5,262
18,383
16,183
2,789
13,394
65,595
5,161
20,547
5,359
15,188
5,294
18,518
16,075
2,776
13,300
65,714
5,172
20,643
5,382
15,262
5,319
18,659
15,921
2,769
13,151
65,795
5,147
20,600
5,371
15,230
5,327
18,807
15,914
2,754
13,160
65,819
5,113
20,652
5,342
15,310
5,329
18,867
15,858
2,738
13,120
65,880
5,090
20,628
5,317
15,311
5,341
18,950
15,870
2,729
13,141
gage rates which prevailed throughout the period.
Employment declines in the construction industry accel
erated sharply in the last half of 1981 and first two
quarters of 1982. Job cutbacks totaled more than
100,000 in the first 6 months of 1982, following a loss
of almost 165,000 in the second half of 1981. With re
cord inventories of unsold homes, the housing industry
remained in its longest and deepest slump in postwar
history.
The housing slump was also reflected in the dismal
performance of industries producing household durables
such as major appliances and household furniture. Like
wise, lumber and wood products and stone, clay, and
glass, which are also closely tied to the construction in
dustry, were hard hit by the almost 3-year depression in
the housing market.
The general economic malaise, coupled with high in
terest rates, prolonged the deep recessionary environ
ment in the automotive industry. Reflecting the
persistent weakness in the demand for autos, job cur
tailments in the transportation equipment industry ap
proached 185,000 between the second quarters of 1981
and 1982. However, by m id-1982, automobile invento
ries appeared to have been worked down to minimal
levels, and job cutbacks had slowed significantly.
The primary metals industry was another source of
weakness in the durable goods sector. The recession-in
duced slowdown in demand and production prompted a
widespread reduction in steel inventories by users con
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
cerned with the high cost of holding stocks. Moreover,
a surge in steel imports also played havoc with the in
dustry’s already deteriorating operating environment.
As a result, employment in primary metals dropped al
most 190,000 over the year ended second-quarter 1982
to a level more than 160,000 below its 1973-75 reces
sion low.
Sizable cutbacks were posted among the other dura
ble metals industries— particularly fabricated metals,
nonelectrical machinery, and electric and electronic
equipment— affected by low capacity utilization, declin
ing orders, and scaled-back capital spending plans. The
pronounced slump in the automobile industry was a key
contributor to the declines in nonelectrical machinery,
particularly in the machine tools industry where sched
uled major retooling programs were canceled or post
poned when auto sales remained at depressed levels.
High borrowing costs and the recession took their toll
on nonelectrical farm and construction machinery, while
softening crude oil prices dampened the demand for oil
drilling equipment.
The adverse effects of the prolonged slump in the
housing and automotive industries also spilled over into
the nondurable goods sector. Particularly sharp employ
ment declines were registered in the housing- and autorelated textiles and rubber and plastics products indus
tries. The apparel industry, hurt by weak consumer
spending and strong international competition, wit
nessed the largest curtailments, losing more than 90,000
5
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Unemployment in the First H alf
jobs between the second quarters of 1981 and 1982.
Both the apparel and textile industries have fallen to
more depressed employment levels than those experi
enced during the 1973-75 recession.
Even the mining industry, which has generally been
less affected by economic downturns subsequent to the
1973-74 oil embargo, witnessed employment declines in
the first half of the year. Job losses in the metal mining
and nonmetallic minerals industries were not offset, as
in past recessions, by gains in the usually robust oil and
gas extraction industry. The drop in world crude-oil
prices was reflected in the job losses in oil and gas ex
ploration and drilling activity in early 1982, where a
20,000 drop in employment in oil and gas field services
in the second quarter contrasted sharply to the prior 8
years of steady growth. As a result, mining experienced
a decline of 45,000 jobs in the first half of 1982.
Although the recessionary impact was primarily fo
cused in the goods-producing sector of the economy,
employment growth in the service-producing sector
moderated significantly with the onset of the recession,
and some of the industry divisions that were heretofore
relatively recession-immune actually registered sizable
job losses.
In government, employment continued the declines
that began in m id-1980. State and local government em
ployment, which historically has shown growth during
periods of economic downturn, posted declines during
the two latest business contractions. Conversely, Feder
al government employment has not been historically
buoyant during recessions. For example, during the
postwar recessions prior to 1980, Federal government
employment declined, on average, by about 50,000, in
contrast to an average increase of 300,000 jobs in State
and local government. During the current downtrend,
job losses in Federal government totaled 45,000 be
tween July 1981 and April 1982, while State and local
government employment fell 65,000.
Employment declines were witnessed in wholesale
and retail trade by the end of 1981, due primarily to the
lackluster performance of retail sales. Despite the appre
ciable abatement in inflation and consequent increased
purchasing power, the general weakness in retail spend
ing reflected consumer caution in light of the economic
slump and uncertain job outlook. Thus, although trade
employment turned up slightly in the first quarter of
1982, offsetting earlier declines, it registered little
growth for the first half of 1982 as a whole.
The number of jobs in transportation and public util
ities also displayed a noticeable decline, beginning in
the final quarter of 1981. Employment dropped more
than 55,000 by m id-1982, with job losses centered in
transportation, primarily in railroads and trucking and
warehousing. Transportation is the most cyclically sen
sitive of the service-producing industries, no doubt be
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cause of its strong dependence on activity in the goodsproducing sector.
Countering the job losses in transportation, trade,
and government, employment growth was sustained
elsewhere in the service-producing sector, led by the ser
vices division. This includes industries ranging from ho
tels, amusement and recreation, and auto repair to
legal, health, business, personal, and educational ser
vices. While increasing more than 400,000 between the
second quarters of 1981 and 1982, the rate of job
growth had slowed markedly from that experienced pri
or to the economic slowdown. Employment growth
continued in the finance, insurance, and real estate in
dustry but was also visibly affected by the recession, as
it slowed to a trickle in the first half of 1982.
Worker groups
The impact of the recession is also clearly evident
from recent movements in total employment as mea
sured by the monthly Current Population Survey of
households. (See table 2.) At 99.6 million in the first
quarter of 1982, total employment was down 1.2 mil
lion from its pre-recession peak in the second quarter of
1981. However, the pace of the decline, quite rapid in
the fourth quarter of 1981, had slowed in 1982, with
employment increasing 200,000 in the second quarter.
The employment-population ratio, which measures
the proportion of the population that is employed, is a
useful statistic for placing these declines in perspective.4
This ratio is sensitive to changes in both the number of
jobholders and the number of persons in the workingage population. As such, it is an indicator of the econo
my’s ability to provide jobs for its growing population.
The following tabulation provides seasonally adjusted
quarterly average employment-population ratios for the
major age-sex groups for 1981 and 1982:
_________ 1981_____________1982
I
T o t a l ..................
Both sexes, 16 to 19
years .....................
Men, 20 years and
over ........................
Women, 20 years and
o v e r ........................
II
III
IV
I
II
58.4
58.6
58.3
57.8
57.3
57.3
44.8
44.3
43.6
42.3
41.5 41.1
72.6
72.7
72.4
71.5
70.8
70.6
48.3
48.7
48.5
48.4
48.2
48.3
After reaching a high of 59.3 percent in the fourth
quarter of 1979, two recessions in consecutive years re
duced the overall ratio 2 points to 57.3 percent by the
second quarter of 1982, a 5-year low. Although all
three major age-sex groups registered employment-pop
ulation ratio declines in the current recession, each drop
depicts a slightly different predicament. For example,
while employment among adult men fell by almost
700,000 to 53 million between the second quarters of
1981 and 1982, their population rose. Both of these fac
tors would act to depress their employment-population
ratio, which, in fact, fell to an alltime low of 70.6 per
cent in second-quarter 1982.
The situation for teenagers was also severe, as em
ployment declines of 700,000 in the past year dropped
their ratio 3 percentage points to 41.1 percent. This
happened even though their population also decreased
over the same period. That is, employment declines
exceeded population declines. Unlike the case for men
and teenagers, employment among women actually in
creased 370,000 over the year to 40 million in secondquarter 1982. However, because the number of women
grew even faster, their employment-population ratio de
clined from a high of 48.7 percent in the second quarter
of 1981 to 48.3 percent a year later.
The contrasting employment trends for men and
women are attributable, in large part, to the nature of
their occupational and industrial attachment. Cyclical
downturns in employment are heavily concentrated in
the goods-producing sector and thus among blue-collar
workers, where the work force is predominantly male.
Employment among blue-collar workers declined by 1.0
million in the last half of 1981, followed by an addition
al 800,000 drop in the first two quarters of 1982. Bluecollar employment was down to 29.9 million in the sec
ond quarter, the lowest in more than 5 years. While all
major blue-collar occupations were affected, the opera
tives group, excluding transport, was the hardest hit,
losing more than a million jobs. White-collar employ
ment, on the other hand, actually increased by 500,000
between the second quarters of 1981 and 1982, with
most of the increase occurring in 1982. Increases among
professional and technical workers and salesworkers
more than offset declines among clerical workers. Em
ployment of service workers also increased slightly, but
this was limited to the last half of 1981.
Divergent patterns of employment decline were ob
served among the different race-ethnic groups. White
employment, which averaged 88.2 million in the second
quarter of 1982, was off almost 1 million over the year.
However, this decline occurred entirely in the latter half
of 1981. Since December, their employment has in
creased slightly, although their employment-population
ratio had slipped to 58.4 percent by the second quarter
of 1982. In contrast, employment losses among blacks5
and Hispanics have been greater in 1982 than during
1981. At 9.1 million in second-quarter 1982, black em
ployment was 250,000 below the year-earlier level, and
their employment ratio was at a record low. As in pre
vious recessions, blacks have suffered proportionately
larger employment declines than whites. Representing
only 10 percent of the labor force, blacks have account
ed for 24 percent of the total employment cutbacks.
Hispanic employment actually increased during the ear
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ly part of the recession, before declining 270,000 in
1982 to 5.2 million in the second quarter.
Record jobless rates reached
The continued economic slide in 1982 pushed the Na
tion’s unemployment rate to a record high for the postWorld War II period. Total unemployment reached
10.5 million, or 9.5 percent of the labor force, in May.
This was an increase of 0.7 percentage point since De
cember, and was 2.3 percentage points above the
prerecession low of 7.2 percent recorded last July. Al
though less than the postwar average for peak-to-trough
changes in the jobless rate of 3.3 percentage points, the
current rate reflects, in part, the relatively brief and
weak recovery that separated downturns in 2 consecu
tive years, an unprecedented economic occurrence. Un
employment had risen by 3.8 percentage points over
these two recessionary periods, close to the 4.4 rise of
the 1973-75 recession. The unemployment rate was
unchanged in June.
After a surge in the last quarter of 1981 which added
more than a million people to the jobless total, unem
ployment increased by less than half as much in the
first quarter of 1982. However, while employment in
creased in the second quarter, the unemployment level
jumped by another 850,000 persons, pushing virtually
all major unemployment series to record rates. Follow
ing are the most recent and previous high monthly job
less rates, seasonally adjusted, for major demographic
groups:
1975
Total
9.0 (May)
Both sexes, 16-19 years .......... 20.9 (June)
Men, 20 years and over ..........
7.3 (May)
8.5 (April)
Women, 20 years and over . . .
W h ite s ..........................................
8.4 (May)
Blacks .......................................... 15.4 (Sept.)
1982
9.5 (May)
23.1
8.7
8.3
8.5
18.7
(May)
(June)
(May)
(May)
(May)
Unemployment increased more rapidly for adult men
than for women early in the recession; men’s jobless
rate, which typically is lower than that for women, ac
tually exceeded the women’s rate in the first and second
quarters of 1982. (See table 3.) Overall, men have con
tributed about 65 percent of the total increase in unem
ployment since July 1981, and women, less than 30
percent. (Their respective shares of the labor force are
53 and 40 percent.)
The situation for teenagers was also quite severe.
Their jobless rate showed no recovery during 1981 or
1982, rising almost 4.4 points from July 1981 to an alltime high of 23.1 percent in May 1982. Although teen
agers accounted for only 8 percent of the labor force,
their share of total unemployment was more than 19
percent. Black teenage unemployment was 50.1 percent
in the second quarter of 1982, up more than 10 percent7
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Unemployment in the First H alf
age points over the year. In contrast, white teenage un
employment increased about 3 points over the same pe
riod to 20.2 percent. Both rates surpassed those that
occurred in the second quarter of 1975, the peak quar
ter in overall unemployment during the 1973-75 reces
sion.
From a metropolitan-nonmetropolitan standpoint, it
was apparent that black teenagers residing in the Na
tion’s central cities and nonmetropolitan areas had been
particularly hard hit in the current recession. This is il
lustrated in the tabulation below, which presents sec
ond-quarter 1975 and 1982 jobless rates (not seasonally
adjusted) for metropolitan central cities and suburbs
and for nonmetropolitan areas, by age and race:
Central
cities
Suburbs
Nonmetropolitan
areas
1975
1982
II
II
White:
16 to 19 years . . . .
20 years and over . .
21.2
7.7
21.5
7.3
18.4 18.7 16.6
6.5 6.5 6.6
22.0
7.9
Black:
16 to 19 years . . . .
20 years and over . .
43.1
12.1
54.1
17.1
43.4 47.1 39.6
12.3 13.5 12.9
51.5
15.9
1975 1982 1975 1982
II
II
II
II
There was little change in the unemployment rate of
black teenagers living in the suburbs over the same peri
od. In contrast, all of the increase in unemployment
among white teenagers occurred in nonmetropolitan
areas.
Table 3. Major unemployment indicators, seasonally
adjusted quarterly averages, 1981-82
[Unemployment rates]
1981
Category
1982
I
II
III
IV
Total (all civilian workers) . . . .
Both sexes, 16-19 years . . .
Males, 20 years and over ..
Females, 20 years and over
7.4
19.1
6.0
6.6
7.4
19.2
6.1
6.7
7.4
19.1
6.0
6.7
8.3
21.1
7.2
7.2
8.8
21.9
7.7
7.6
9.5
22.8
8.4
8.2
W h ite ...................................
B la c k ....................................
Hispanic...............................
6.5
14.6
11.0
6.5
15.1
9.8
6.4
15.8
9.8
7.3
17.0
11.1
7.7
17.4
12.4
8.4
18.4
12.5
3.9
2.7
4.0
2.9
4.0
2.7
4.3
2.9
4.5
3.1
4.9
3.3
2.5
4.2
5.6
10.1
7.1
2.6
4.4
5.6
9.8
7.1
2.7
4.9
5.7
9.7
7.2
2.9
4.9
6.1
11.8
8.7
2.9
5.0
6.6
12.6
8.8
3.5
5.6
6.9
13.7
9.7
12.0
11.5
11.3
14.1
15.6
16.7
8.9
14.7
8.4
5.0
8.1
14.1
9.0
5.1
8.0
14.0
8.6
4.7
9.6
16.2
9.5
6.3
10.3
17.6
9.7
5.8
11.8
18.5
10.8
7.1
1
II
Characteristic
Occupation
White-collar w o rke rs...........
Professional and technical
Managers and admlnistrators, except fa r m .........
Salesworkers ..................
Clerical workers .............
Blue-collar w o rkers.............
Craft and kindred workers
Operatives, except transport .............................
Transport equipment
operatives....................
Nonfarm laborers ...........
Service workers ..................
Farmworkers ......................
8
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Overall, unemployment among major race-ethnic
groups increased substantially during the 1981-82 reces
sion, with rates for whites and blacks at record levels in
May 1982, while the rate for Hispanics was still slightly
below its 1975 high. From July 1981 to May 1982,
white unemployment was up 2.2 points to 8.5 percent.
Blacks had a very limited recovery from the 1980 reces
sion and began to experience record rates of unemploy
ment almost from the beginning of the current down
turn. Their rate was 18.7 percent in May 1982, up from
14.9 percent the previous July. Over the same period,
Hispanic unemployment increased from 10.0 to 13.9
percent.
As indicated earlier, blue-collar workers have been
hardest hit during the current recession. Unlike the to
tal jobless rate, the blue-collar unemployment rate rose
in June to 13.9 percent, up more than 4 points since
July 1981. Operatives, excluding transport, and non
farm laborers were most affected, with rates of 16.7 and
17.9 percent in June.
In contrast, white-collar workers showed only a mod
erate increase in unemployment over the year ended
June 1982. Their rate of 5.0 percent in June was still be
low the highs of the 1975 recession. While unemploy
ment increased for all major white-collar occupations,
that for clerical workers showed the largest increase, ris
ing 1.5 points to a high of 7.2 percent in April. Both ser
vice workers and farmworkers reached record rates in
May of 11.3 percent and 8.3 percent, respectively.
Job losers, leavers, and entrants. During economic down
turns, the number of persons who lose their jobs in
creases as firms cut back production and reduce their
work forces through layoffs or permanent separations.
At 58.0 percent in the second quarter of 1982, the jobloser share of unemployment was up about 7.5 percent
age points over the year and surpassed the highs
reached in both the 1975 and 1980 recessions. At about
19 percent during the first two quarters of 1982, the
layoff component of the job-loser total was down
slightly from the fourth quarter of 1981 and still below
rates reached in the previous two recessions.
In contrast, the share of total unemployment that re
sults from individuals voluntarily leaving their last jobs
(to look for new jobs) tends to decline, as one would
expect, during periods of high unemployment. The job
leavers’ share has declined throughout the current reces
sion, reaching an alltime low of 8.4 percent in the sec
ond quarter of 1982. Both new entrants’ and reentrants’
shares of total unemployment were down slightly in the
first 6 months of 1982.
Duration o f unemployment. The substantial increase in
unemployment during the fourth quarter of 1981 raised
the short-term jobless share and reduced the two mea-
sures of duration of unemployment — the mean and the
median. Since then both measures have lengthened as
the proportion unemployed 15 weeks or longer ex
ceeded 30 percent at midyear. The median duration of
unemployment rose from 6.8 weeks in the fourth quar
ter of 1981 to a record 9.1 weeks in the second quarter
of 1982. Over the same period, the mean duration in
creased from 13.2 to 15.1 weeks, surpassing the high
reached during the 1980 recession but are still consider
ably below that reached in 1975. Because measures of
duration typically lag cyclical changes in economic ac
tivity, both measures can be expected to continue rising
for the balance of the year, even if an improvement in
the labor market begins soon.
Other recessionary impacts
Shortened workweeks and discouraged workers. The poor
performance of the economy over the past year has in
creased both the number of persons involuntarily work
ing part time, either as a result of slack work or the
inability to find full-time work, and the number report
ing they want a job but are not looking for work be
cause they believe no work is available— so-called
“discouraged workers.” Neither group is reflected in the
official unemployment counts, although information on
them is published on a regular basis. Measurement of
both groups is vital to a fuller understanding of the na
ture and magnitude of the overall underutilization of
our human resources. The following tabulation provides
seasonally adjusted quarterly averages (in thousands)
for nonagricultural workers involuntarily on shortened
workweeks and for discouraged workers during 1981
and 1982:
The number of discouraged workers has risen nearly
continuously for more than 3 years. The discouraged to
tal reached a high of 1.5 million in the second quarter
of 1982, up 375,000 since the end of 1981; about 70
percent of the discouraged cited job-market, rather than
personal, factors as reasons for their discouragement.
Women and black and other minorities continued to
be overrepresented among the discouraged in 1982.
Women accounted for about 60 percent in the second
quarter, whereas they comprised only 43 percent of the
civilian labor force. While women’s share of dis
couragement was the same as last year, the black and
other minorities share has become even more dispropor
tionate. Some 500,000 discouraged workers were blacks
or members of other racial minority groups, 33 percent
of the second quarter total and up from 31 percent a
year earlier. (Their share of the civilian labor force was
13 percent.)
Alternative measures. While persons involuntarily work
ing part time or discouraged are not included in the of
ficial measures of unemployment, the Bureau of Labor
Statistics does provide a measure which includes these
categories along with the unemployed. Designated as
U-7, it is one of six alternative measures of unemploy
ment regularly published by the Bureau; this has been
done in recognition of the fact that no single measure of
unemployment can satisfy the diverse needs of data
users. The definitions for all seven measures are provid
ed below, and their trends during the past decade are
presented in chart 1.
U-l
________ 1981____________ 1982
1
II
III
IV
I
II
Involuntary
p art-tim ers............. 4,323 4,166 4,460 5,108 5,450 5,680
As a percent of
total at work . . .
4.7
4.6
4.9
5.6
6.0
6.2
Discouraged ........... 1,093 1,043 1,094 1,119 1,339 1,597
U-2
U-3
U-4
After declining in the second quarter of 1981, the
number of nonagricultural workers involuntarily on
part-time schedules increased steadily, reaching 5.7 mil
lion, or 6.2 percent of those “at work” in nonagri
cultural industries, in the second quarter of 1982; both
figures are record highs since collection of the data be
gan in 1955. While employers often reduce hours before
laying off employees in economic downturns, the cur
rent high number of workers on shortened workweeks
may also reflect a growing tendency among employers
to keep workers on short workweeks for longer periods,6
and the growing number of would-be full-time workers
who obtain part-time jobs rather than remain unem
ployed.
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U-5
U-6
U-7
Persons unemployed 15 weeks or longer as a
percent of the civilian labor force.
Job losers as a percent of the civilian labor
force.
Unemployed persons 25 years and over as a
percent of the civilian labor force 25 years
and over.
Unemployed full-time jobseekers as a per
cent of the full-time labor force.
Total unemployed as a percent of the civilian
labor force (official measure).
Total full-time jobseekers plus half part-time
jobseekers plus half total on part time for
economic reasons, as a percent of the civilian
labor force less half of the part-time labor
force.
Total full-time jobseekers plus half part-time
jobseekers plus half total on part time for
economic reasons plus discouraged workers,
as a percent of the civilian labor force plus
discouraged workers less half of the parttime labor force.
9
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Unemployment in the First H alf
Each measure is representative of a different body of
opinion about the meaning and measurement of unem
ployment. The rationale for U-7 is that involuntary
part-time workers should be counted as at least “par
tially” unemployed and that the situation of discour
aged workers is essentially the same as that of the
unemployed. In this measure, those seeking only parttime work or voluntarily employed part time are given
weight of one-half because the latter only work about
half a full-time schedule. As can be seen from chart 1,
U-7 has consistently been several points higher than
U-5, the official measure. From a high of 12.0 percent
in the second quarter of 1975, U-7 declined to 8.0 per
cent in the second quarter of 1979 before rising under
the impact of the last two recessions to a new high of
13.4 percent in the second quarter of 1982.
In contrast, several measures are much more restric
tive than the official measure. For instance, U-l in
cludes only those unemployed 15 weeks or longer, while
U-2 counts only job losers. The rationale behind U -l is
that joblessness is a problem only when it has con
tinued long enough to cause substantial hardship, while
proponents of U-2 argue that only persons who lose
their jobs merit concern because this is what leads to
significantly lower income. In second-quarter 1982, U-l
was 3.0 percent, almost matching its high reached in
1975, while U-2 was at an alltime high of 5.5 percent.
Chart 1 shows how consistent the trend in unemploy
ment has been, regardless of the measure one might
choose. For example, all measures, with the single ex
ception of U-l which tends to lag the others by one or
more quarters, reached cyclical highs in the second
quarter of 1975 and lows in the second quarter of 1979.
The magnitude of the impact of back-to-back recessions
in 1980 and 1981-82 is evidenced by the fact that every
measure reached a record high by the second quarter of
1982, with the exception of U -l.
Joblessness among States. There is considerable variation
in unemployment rates at the State level as well as at
other subnational levels. The reasons for such differ-
Chart 1. Unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted quarterly averages, 1970-82
Percent
i 4 . o
m
U1 Unem ployed 15 w eeks or longer
U2
U3
U4
U5
U6
12.0
Job losers
Persons 25 years and over
Full-timers
Offictal measure
Full-timers plus half of voluntary
and involuntary part-timers
U7 U6 plus discouraged workers
10.0
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
NOTE: Second-quarter 1982 data are April-May averages.
10
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1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
ences are numerous; those often cited include area dif
ferences in the composition of industry and the local
work forces and a given area’s competitive strength and
growth rate.7 The purpose here is not to examine why
the incidence of unemployment varies across areas, but
to present an overview of the States most or least affect
ed by the recent downturn in economic activity. The
uneven impact of the recent recession is reflected in the
following list of States with the largest and smallest
changes in jobless rates between the first quarters of
1981 and 1982; during that period, the Nation’s unem
ployment rate increased 1.4 percentage points. (Data on
the 10 most populous States come directly from the
household survey, while data for the remaining States
are based upon estimation procedures provided by the
BLS to the States, taking into account data from the
household survey, unemployment insurance records,
and other sources.8)
Increased substantially
Percentage
point
change
State
A la b a m a .............
Idaho ..................
Washington . . . .
South Carolina
Iowa ..................
In d ia n a ................
Michigan ..........
Pennsylvania . . .
3.5
3.2
3.1
3.0
3.0
2.7
2.6
2.6
Little changed
State
Percentage
point
change
North Dakota . . .
South Dakota
..
New Mexico . . . .
Wyoming . . . .
Alaska .............
New York . . . .
West Virginia
M a in e ................
N e v a d a .............
-0.9
-0.4
-0.2
0.2
0.3
0.3
0.3
0.4
0.4
In general, States with a heavy reliance on durable
goods manufacturing such as auto, steel, and logging
suffered the largest increases in unemployment, while
mineral-rich States were less affected.
The following list of States with extremely high or
low jobless rates (not seasonally adjusted) during the
first quarter of 1982, when the overall rate was 9.5 per
cent, provides a slightly different picture:
Above 12 percent
State
U nemployment
rate
Michigan . . .
Alabama . . . .
In d ia n a ............
Washington . .
O re g o n ............
West Virginia
Ohio .............
Tennessee . . .
16.4
14.3
13.3
12.7
12.5
12.2
12.1
12.1
Below 6 percent
State
U nemployment
rate
Oklahoma . . .
Wyoming . . .
K a n s a s ...........
H a w a ii...........
South Dakota
North Dakota
T e x a s ....................
4.9
4.9
5.4
5.7
5.8
5.8
5.8
A comparison of the two tabulations shows that the
four States with the highest jobless rates also posted
substantial over-the-year unemployment gains. (The
12-percent cutoff point was chosen only to highlight the
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situation and is not meant to imply that any State does
not necessarily have an unemployment problem.) Over
all, the unemployment situation appears to be most se
vere in the industrial North and South Central States
and in the Pacific Northwest, and least severe in the
Plains and Mountain States.
Labor force growth
Growth in the civilian labor force has slowed consid
erably in recent years, in part because of the smaller
number of persons reaching labor force age, but also
because of the poor performance of the economy. At
110.2 million in the second quarter of 1982, the labor
force had grown only 1.3 million over the year, far be
low the 2.1-million increase of the previous year. (Labor
force movements within the second quarter were unusu
ally large on a seasonally adjusted basis, as the total in
creased by a million in May and then declined by a
similar amount in June.) The following tabulation pro
vides seasonally adjusted labor force levels (in thou
sands) and participation rates (percent of a group’s
population that is either employed or unemployed) for
the second quarters of 1981 and 1982 for major age-sex
groups:
Second quarter 1981
Second quarter 1982
Labor
force
Participation
rate
Labor
force
Participation
rate
64.1
110,168
64.0
9,084
55.8
8,569
54.1
57,243
79.2
57,920
78.9
42,507
52.3
43,629
52.8
T o t a l ............. 108,835
Both sexes, 16
to 19 years .
Men, 20 years
and over . . .
Women, 20
years and
o v e r .............
Adult women continued to experience the strongest
labor force growth— 1.1 million over the year. In con
trast, adult men posted an increase of only 500,000,
while the teenage labor force declined by 500,000. Most
of the teenage decline reflected the drop in their total
population.
The overall labor force participation rate was 64.0
percent in the second quarter of 1982, about the same
as the record 64.1 percent reached in the second quarter
of 1981. The percentage of the population active in the
labor force has been rising throughout the last two de
cades, as increases among adult women and, until re
cently, teenagers have more than offset declines among
adult men.
In spite of the recession, the participation rate for
adult women continued to increase, rising one-half of a
point over the year to 52.8 percent. However, this was
far below increases registered in previous years. At 78.9
percent in the second quarter of 1982, the participation
11
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Unemployment in the First H alf
rate for adult men continued its secular decline, while
the rate for teenagers fell 1.7 points over the past year
to 54.1 percent, its lowest level in more than 8 years.
By M i d y e a r , there were some signs that the labor
market was improving. Industry job cutbacks had
slowed and unemployment appeared to be leveling.
Whether the economy was actually on the road to re
covery or merely pausing before further deterioration
was still unclear, as economic signals overall were
mixed. The behavior of interest rates, the factor that
deepened and prolonged the current recession, will un
doubtedly play the key role in the timing and degree of
a subsequent recovery.
□
FOOTNOTES
' Statistics on nonagricultural payroll employment from the Current
Employment Statistics (CES) program are collected by State agencies
from employer reports of payroll records and are tabulated by the Bu
reau of Labor Statistics. Data on labor force, total employment, and
unemployment are derived from the Current Population Survey
(CPS), a sample survey of households conducted and tabulated by the
Bureau of Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A description of
the two surveys appears in the Bureau of Labor Statistics monthly
publication, E m p lo ym en t a n d Earnings.
With the release of benchmarked employment data for the payroll
series in May 1982, the BLS converted coverage of the Indexes of Dif
fusion from 172 to 186 industries, incorporating industry series added
with the 1972 SIC revision. For comparability, the 172-industries dif
fusion indexes for the recessionary periods in table 1 are available be
ginning with the 1960-61 period. The indexes showing the percent of
industries in which employment declined over a 6-month span are as
follows: August 1960, 76; June 1970, 76; January 1975, 88; April
1980, 78; and January 1982, 79. The 186-industries indexes were not
much different from the 172-industries indexes for the same time peri
ods. For a detailed discussion of indexes of diffusion of changes in the
number of employees on private nonagricultural payrolls, see John F.
Early, “Introduction of Diffusion Indexes,” E m p lo ym en t a n d Earnings,
December 1974, pp. 7-11.
See, for example, Geoffrey H. Moore, “Lessons of the 1973-1976
Recession and Recovery” in William Felner, ed., C ontem porary E co
nom ic Problem s 1 977 (Washington, D.C., American Enterprise Insti
tute for Public Policy Research, 1977), pp. 117-58; Norman Bowers,
“Have employment patterns in recessions changed,” M o n th ly L abor
R eview, February 1981, pp. 15-28; and Michael A. Urquhart, “The
services industry: is it recession-proof?” M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , Octo
ber 1981, pp. 12-18.
4 For a discussion of the employment-population ratio as a cyclical
indicator, see Carol Boyd Leon, “The employment-population ratio:
its value in labor force analysis,” M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , February
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12
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1981, pp. 36-45; and Julius Shiskin, “Employment and unemploy
ment: the doughnut or the hole?” M on th ly L abor R eview, February
1976, pp. 3-10.
The proportion of blacks in the “black and other" group has been
declining; it was 83 percent in 1980. This has resulted from a gradual
influx of Asians, particularly Vietnamese, into the U.S. labor force in
the 1970's. For this reason, and because of the availability and in
creased reliability of data for blacks, it is not as necessary as in the
past to use data for "black and other” when discussing black work
ers. Thus, unless otherwise stated, the term black in this article refers
exclusively to the “black only” population and not to the “black and
other" category, which, in addition to blacks, includes American
Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Asian and Pacific Islanders.
"See Robert W. Bednarzik, "Work-sharing in the U.S.: its preva
lence and duration," M on th ly L abor R eview , July 1980, pp. 3-12.
See, for example, Lynn E. Browne, “Regional Industry Mix and
the Business Cycle,” N ew E nglan d E conom ic R eview , November/
December, 1978, pp. 35-53; Lynn E. Browne, “Regional Unemploy
ment Rates — Why Are They So Different?” N ew E n glan d Econom ic
R eview , July/August 1978, pp. 5-26; and Thomas Hyclak and David
Lynch, “An Empirical Analysis of State Unemployment Rates in the
1970’s,” Journal o f R egional Science, Vol. 20, No. 3, 1980, pp. 37786.
s Labor force and unemployment estimates for States are part of a
cooperative program between the Bureau and State employment secu
rity agencies where estimates are prepared under concepts, definitions,
and technical procedures established by the Bureau. A fuller explana
tion of the technical procedures used to develop these estimates ap
pears monthly in the Explanatory Note on State and Area Un
employment Data in the BLS periodical, E m ploym en t a n d Earnings.
The 10 most populous States (as of the 1970 census) for which esti
mates come directly from the Current Population Survey are: New
York, California, Illinois, Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan,
Texas, Massachusetts, and Florida.
Imports and domestic employment:
identifying affected industries
For its trade monitoring program,
the Bureau has developed measures
of import penetration; initial data
suggest about one-fourth of manufacturing
groups might be sensitive to rising imports
G
regory
K . Sc h o e p fl e
Concern about the performance of U.S. industries in
domestic and international markets has led to increas
ing interest in the development of indicators of the do
mestic market share accounted for by imports.
Accordingly, the Bureau of Labor Statistics has begun
constructing measures which, when applied in conjunc
tion with other information, could be used to identify
domestic industries that might be experiencing adverse
employment effects or other adjustment problems be
cause of changing international trade patterns. Analysis
of the geographic concentration of domestic production
and employment for these sectors could help Federal
agencies target assistance programs for workers, com
munities, and industries.
This article considers the problems of constructing in
dicators of import market share at the 4-digit Standard
Industrial Classification (sic) level,1 and discusses some
of the main features and trends of the BLS trade moni
toring statistics. Data examined so far show that, beGregory K. Schoepfle is a supervisory economist in the Division of
Foreign Labor Statistics and Trade, Bureau of Labor Statistics. This
article is based on a paper the author presented at the Annual Meet
ing of the Western Economic Association in San Francisco, July 5,
1981. Mary Kay Rieg of the R e v ie w staff provided special editorial
assistance.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
tween 1972 and 1979, the import share of the domestic
market for manufactured goods rose moderately. How
ever, among the 318 manufacturing groups studied sep
arately, 72 were found to be “import-sensitive” — that
is, having experienced either a sustained high level or a
substantial increase in import share of U.S. sales during
1972-79. Employment declines over this period were re
ported in 38 of the 79 domestic industries which pro
duce products similar to those in “import-sensitive”
groups; more than half of these 38 industries were in
volved in the manufacture of textile, apparel, and leath
er goods products. The limitations of these measures are
examined in the appendix.
Background
Under section 282 of the Trade Act of 1974 (19 USC
2393), the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of
the Census were given the responsibility of monitoring
changes in U.S. imports and related domestic produc
tion and employment. The context for this monitoring
program was the expanded trade adjustment assistance
program established under Title II of the act. The trade
monitoring system was intended to inform the Congress
and administrators of adjustment assistance programs
of those industries and localities in which adjustment
13
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Imports and Employment
problems were likely to occur as a result of the expan
sion of international trade.
The Bureau of the Census and the Bureau of Labor
Statistics ( bls) jointly carry out the monitoring. The
Census Bureau develops and publishes trade and domes
tic production data, while BLS has chief responsibility
for the development and publication of related employ
ment data, the development of the trade monitoring sys
tem, and the establishment of a reporting program on
the results.
In connection with its broad responsibility, BLS plans,
subject to availability of resources,2 to:
• Establish a reliable base of detailed merchandise im
port, product-based output, and industry employment
data on a consistent classification system.
• Set up a timely system for reporting and summarizing
the data.
• Provide objective interpretations of the findings.
Currently, the Bureau produces quarterly and annual
tabulations on SIC-based merchandise imports and in
dustry employment. Import penetration ratios, that is,
the ratio of imports to the sum of domestic product
shipments and imports, are computed annually for man
ufacturing commodity groups.
nomic activity accounted for by the exports; unfortu
nately, data on export sales by U.S. manufacturing
establishments are limited.4
Import penetration and export proportion measures
presented in this article show the market shares of a fi
nal commodity which are accounted for by imports and
exports, respectively. They do not, however, account for
intermediate products used in domestic production. For
example, they exclude imported or domestically pro
duced components of end-products which are consumed
here or abroad. An analysis of intermediate goods
would have to be based on an econometric model or an
input-output table.
Taking into account the data limitations which are
discussed in greater detail in the appendix and the de
sire to develop measures for broad industrial trade
monitoring, currently available series on U.S. imports
and exports, reclassified to the equivalent producer in
dustry, are related to industrial product-based ship
ments. Four ratios which relate domestic shipments to
international merchandise trade may be considered:5
(a) M / (M + S - X)
(b) M / (M + S)
(c) X / S
Concepts
A variety of measures can be developed to assess the
United States’ relative trade performance, both on an
aggregate basis and by industrial sector. Depending
upon the ultimate application, certain definitions of
these measures may be preferred over others. Of special
interest for the examination of potential employment
adjustment problems are indicators of the share of the
domestic market accounted for by foreign imports and
the share of total sales which is accounted for by U.S.
exports.
Ideally, a measure of import penetration should com
pare domestic consumption of a product with imports
of the product at a specified market point of distribu
tion; however, no product-specific measure of consump
tion exists. The best available substitute is domestic
demand, often termed “apparent consumption,’’ which
is usually defined as U.S. sales (shipments) less net ex
ports (exports minus imports).3 Furthermore, while final
sales (retail for consumers) of imports over final U.S.
sales from all sources would be the most appropriate
measure of the proportion of the domestic market
served by imports (that is, import penetration), such
data are not reported separately in Federal statistics.
Similar problems arise in the development of mea
sures of export performance. Final sales of U.S. exports
(excluding transportation and insurance costs to the
point of exportation) over U.S. total final sales would
be the best measure of the proportion of domestic eco
14
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
(d) X / (M + S)
where
M
X
s
S - X
M + S —X
M + S
_
=
=
=
=
=
U.S. imports
U.S. exports
U.S. product shipments
consumption of domestically
produced goods
apparent consumption
new supply
Measure (a), the ratio of imports to apparent con
sumption, is commonly used to assess the import pene
tration of a domestic market, showing the share of a
market which is served by imports. One shortcoming of
this market share-based measure from an employment
point of view is that it fails to capture the offsetting na
ture of the domestic industry’s involvement in export
markets. Measure (b) makes allowances for this factor,
representing the ratio of imports to new supply. New
supply is defined as imports plus U.S. product ship
ments. The latter include domestically produced goods
which are exported for foreign consumption as well as
those which are consumed here. Such a supply-based
measure takes into account (and is influenced by) not
only domestic demand but also foreign demand for U.S.
goods. Increased output in response to increases in ei
ther domestic or foreign demand for the product will
usually result in increased domestic employment levels.
Therefore, from an employment point of view, measure
(b) might be preferred to (a), because it takes into ac
count the foreign demand for U.S. goods. If exports do
not play a significant role in the consumption of an in
dustry’s output, then ratios (a) and (b) will be nearly
the same. However, if exports are important, ratio (b)
will be smaller than (a).
Measure (c), the ratio of exports to U.S. shipments, is
a commonly used export performance measure. It re
flects the proportion of total domestic output which is
exported, but fails to capture the influence of imports in
U.S. markets. Measure (d), the ratio of exports to new
supply, accounts for the influence of imports and possi
ble displacement effects which they might have. From
an employment standpoint, any domestic employment
displacement due to imports would be conjectural —
that is, it is not clear that the same goods could or
would be produced domestically if imports were not
available.6 Therefore, measure (c) might be preferred to
(d), because it would directly reflect the actual impor
tance of exports in domestic activities. Ratio (d) will be
smaller than (c) if imports are significant; correspond
ingly, the less significant imports are in new supply, the
closer the two measures will be.
Ratio (d) does have a feature which might commend
its use in conjunction with measure (b), namely a com
mon denominator. Hence, the difference between mea
sures (d) and (b) could be viewed as a trade gap or
balance measure for a sector relative to the size of the
sector.
All of the above ratios could be based on either d o l
lar value or a unit of quantity, if a consistent measure
of the latter is available. (Perhaps the best evaluation of
these ratios from an employment standpoint would be
with weighted aggregates of U.S. unit labor require
ments.) Measures based on quantity assume that there
is a homogeneous and meaningful unit as well as prod
uct specification for the classification. For certain welldefined products, such as new automobiles and textile
goods, quantity-based measures might be constructed,
but the appropriate level of commodity aggregation is
often difficult to determine. Furthermore, quantitybased measures often fail to capture quality differences
within a product group.
In constructing product-based measures at the aggre
gate industrial level, value-based measures, while they
have some limitations,7 are generally more useful, be
cause homogeneous units of quantity either are not
available or are not very meaningful for purposes of
comparison. About two-thirds of the manufacturing
4-digit SIC-based import commodity groups do not have
a homogeneous unit of quantity.
Quality differentials are frequently reflected in value
data through prices, which may serve as implicit
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
weights when aggregating commodity groups. Ideally,
the value of imports should be adjusted for price chang
es, as well as for importer markups, customs duties,
subsidies, and costs of transportation and insurance to
the market point of distribution. A transaction-based
price index would account for any changes in product
specification, quality, and conditions of sale. Unfortu
nately, at the present time, there are no adequate and
consistent deflators for SIC-based imports or exports. In
general, domestic prices of imported goods include, in
addition to the import price, the domestic value added
(unloading, inland transit, further manufacture, han
dling, markups, and so forth) and applicable duties. Be
cause all these costs can vary independently of import
prices, domestic price trends are considered to be poor
proxies for import price trends.8 In addition, the use of
calculated import unit-value measures as price indexes
for import commodity groups can be misleading, be
cause of variations in product specification and quality
within the product category.
In general, value-based measures will differ from
those calculated on a quantity basis. For example, val
ue-based import penetration ratios will be smaller than
those which are quantity based in those cases where im
ports consist predominantly of items with lower unit
values than similar domestic products (for example,
nonrubber footwear and brassieres). The effect of using
current-dollar trade and shipment values in place of real
(deflated) values in the calculation of the market share
measures depends upon the stability of the ratio of im
port or export prices to domestic prices. In many cases,
we would expect domestic and world commodity prices
to exhibit similar trends in the absence of domestic
price controls or government subsidies. Therefore, it
would be expected that import penetration ratios based
on current-dollar values would show more stability with
regard to inflation than either of their component valuebased series on imports or shipments.
Table 1. Two-digit SIC-based share of manufacturing
total imports, shipments, and employment, by import
penetration level, 1972 and 1979
[In percent]
Share of manufacturing total
import penetration
level in
1972 or 1979
Two-digit
SIC groups
Import
value
Shipments
value
Industry
employment
1972
1979
1972
1979
1972
1979
1972
1979
All SIC groups . .
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Under 1 percent...........
1 and under 2 percent .
2 and under 5 percent .
5 and under 10 percent.
10 and under 20 percent
20 and under 50 percent
50 percent and over . . .
10.0
—
30.0
45.0
15.0
—
5.0
5.0
30.0
20.0
30.0
10.0
0.6
—
20.9
49.7
28.9
—
(’ )
0.4
18.4
23.4
52.1
5.6
4.3
—
38.0
42.0
15.6
—
0.5
3.4
35.7
24.7
34.0
1.7
6.1
—
31.8
48.9
13.2
—
0.3
5.9
31.6
19.9
39.0
3.3
1Less than 0.05 percent.
Due to rounding, sums of individual items may not equal 100.
N ote :
15
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Imports and Employment
Data
The shipments data for the market-share measures
ai 3 from the Census Bureau’s Annual Survey o f M anu
factures. The value of product shipments is a sampling
estimate of the current-dollar value of all products sold,
transferred to other plants of the same company, or
shipped on consignment, whether for domestic con
sumption or for export. It represents net sales value
(f.o.b. plant), and excludes discounts and allowances,
freight charges, and excise taxes. In a few cases, domes
tic production values, rather than shipment values, are
used. Products bought and resold without further man
ufacture are excluded. The value of shipments for a
4-digit class of products used in the measures is on a
wherever-made basis— that is, total shipments of the
primary products of the industry, which include sales of
the same products made by firms classified in other in
dustries. (See the appendix for further discussion.)
The import and export data are from the Census Bu
reau’s foreign trade statistics.9 The import value is
current U.S. dollar customs value (usually foreign port
value) of imports for consumption and excludes any
customs duty, freight, or handling charges. The export
value is current U.S. dollar free alongside ship (f.a.s.)
value (U.S. port value) of exports of domestic merchan
dise and includes any markups and freight or handling
charges incurred to the port of exportation.
Trends in penetration measures
As part of the current trade monitoring program, BLS
tracks 347 4-digit SIC-based manufacturing import
groups (as well as 63 agricultural and mineral groups)
each quarter for significant increases in the current-dol
lar value of imports for consumption. In addition, in
dustry employment is analyzed quarterly for significant
declines.
While these procedures are useful in highlighting
short-term movements in those commodity groups and
industries which are experiencing a sudden increase in
imports and a decline in current industry employment,
it is instructive to consider the structure and composi
tion of import penetration, as well as the long-term
trends in industry employment, for those commodity
groups for which either import penetration has in
creased substantially in the recent past or the level of
penetration has remained relatively high.
Structure and composition. Chart 1 presents an overview
of the structure of import penetration and export pro
portion in 2-digit SIC-based U.S. manufacturing major
groups for the years 1972 and 1979 (latest available). In
both years, the all-manufacturing levels of both import
penetration and export proportion were in the 5.0- to
9.9-percent range; between those years, import penetra
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16
Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis
tion rose more moderately than export proportion. Dur
ing the period 1972-79, the leather, miscellaneous
manufactures, and apparel major groups experienced
the largest increases in import penetration, while the
textiles group registered a slight decline. During the
same period, the tobacco, instruments, electrical and
nonelectrical machinery, and miscellaneous manufac
tures major groups showed the largest increases in ex
port proportion, while the petroleum refining group
experienced a modest decrease.
At the aggregate level, imports appear to contribute
significantly (above 10 percent in 1979) to the available
new supply of apparel, lumber, leather, primary metals,
electrical machinery, transportation equipment, instru
ments, and miscellaneous manufactures, but have a neg
ligible role in tobacco and printing and publishing. In
four of the major groups in which imports contribute
significantly to new supply (transportation equipment,
electrical machinery, instruments, and miscellaneous
manufactures), U.S. exports also play an important role.
Other major groups in which a significant proportion of
output is exported include tobacco, chemicals, and
nonelectrical machinery.
Table 1 presents the percentage distribution of total
manufactures import value, product-based shipments,
and industry employment by import penetration level in
1972 and 1979, on a 2-digit SIC basis. In both years, 12
of the 20 major manufacturing groups had a level of
import penetration of 5 percent or more. In 1972, the
corresponding imports accounted for 79 percent of the
value of all manufactured imports; by 1979, their im
ports accounted for about 83 percent of the total.
In 1972, approximately 29 percent of the import val
ue was accounted for by product groups with pene
tration levels of 10 percent or more, but by 1979, this
share had grown to nearly 58 percent. During this peri
od, both the industry employment and product ship
ments share-of-manufacturing total for the groups with
Table 2. Four-digit SIC-based share of manufacturing
total imports and shipments, by import penetration level,
1972 and 1979
[In percent]
Import penetration
level In
1972 or 1979
Import
penetration
level for
all SIC groups
in range
Share of manufacturing total
Four-digit
SIC groups
Import
value
Shipments
value
1972
1979
1972
1979
1972
1979
1972
1979
All SIC groups . .
6.1
7.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
Under 1 percent...........
1 and under 2 percent .
2 and under 5 percent .
5 and under 10 percent
10 and under 20 percent
20 and under 50 percent
50 percent and over . . .
0.3
1.2
3.4
7.7
13.9
28.4
57.1
0.4
1.3
3.6
7.1
14.7
28.0
61.9
21.7
12.0
26.4
18.2
11.3
8.5
1.9
18.2
8.8
198
22.3
16.0
12.3
2.5
1.1
1.8
16.6
28.2
30.2
15.3
6.8
0.9
1.2
8.2
28.3
37.2
17.3
6.9
22.9
9.3
30.8
22.2
12.2
2.5
0.3
18.3
7.9
19.1
31.8
18.7
4.8
0.4
N ote :
Due to rounding, sums of individual items may not equal 100.
Chart 1. Imports as a percent of new supply and exports as a percent of product shipments
by major manufacturing group, 1972 and 1979
Export Proportion
Percent
Import Penetration
Percent
25
20
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15
10
5
0
0
5
10
15
20
25
Food
Tobacco
3 1979
1972
Textiles
Apparel
Lumber
Furniture
Paper
Printing and publishing
Chemicals
Petroleum refining
Rubber
Leather
Stone, clay, and glass
Primary metals
Fabricated metals
Machinery,
except electrical
Electrical machinery
Transportation equipment
Instruments
Miscellaneous
manufactures
All manufacturing
17
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Imports and Employment
Table 3. Distribution of 4-digit SIC-based manufacturing import commodity groups and value of imports, by import
penetration level, 1972 and 1979
[Cumulative frequency in percent]
______________________________________________________________________
Four-digit SIC-based import
manufacturing commodity groups
Import penetration level
in 1972 or 1979
Number
All SIC groups ...................................................
318
-
Under 1 percent ............................................................
1 and under 2 percent ...................................................
2 and under 5 percent ...................................................
5 and under 10 percent .................................................
10 and under 20 percent ..............................................
20 and under 50 percent ...............................................
50 percent and o v e r.......................................................
69
38
84
58
36
27
6
Number
Cumulative
frequency
Millions of
dollars
Cumulative
frequency
Millions of
dollars
Cumulative
frequency
318
-
$45,219.3
-
$136,598.4
-
18.2
27.0
46.9
69.2
85.2
97.5
100.0
58
28
63
71
51
39
8
21.7
33.7
60.1
78.3
89.6
98.1
100.0
1979
1972
1979
1972
Cumulative
frequency
N ote :
Value of imports for consumption
478.2
809.9
7,527.5
12,751.2
13,655.0
6,936.8
3,060.7
0.9
2.1
10.3
38.6
75.8
93.1
100.0
1,184.0
1,622.7
11,238.9
38,651.2
50,872.2
23,564.6
9,464.8
1.1
2.9
19.5
47.7
77.9
93.2
100.0
Due to rounding, sum of individual items may not equal total.
penetration levels of 5 percent or more remained rela
tively unchanged, in the 58- to 66-percent range. De
spite the probability of extensive duplication in the
value of product shipments at the 2-digit SIC level, the
shipments value share-of-manufacturing total for groups
with 1979 penetration levels of 5 percent or more was
about 60 percent, whether measured on a final product,
industry, or value-added basis.
Table 2 shows the percentage distribution of total
manufactures import value and product-based ship
ments by import penetration level in 1972 and 1979 on
a more detailed 4-digit SIC basis. Tables 3 and 4 present
some additional information on the 1972 and 1979 dis
tribution of 4-digit SIC-based manufacturing commodity
groups by import value and import penetration level.
In 1972, 40 percent of the 318 4-digit product groups
had levels of import penetration of 5 percent or more;
these product groups accounted for 81 percent of the
value of manufactures imports and 37 percent of the
value of manufactures product shipments. By 1979, 53
percent of the groups had a penetration level of 5 per
cent or more and accounted for 90 percent of the value
of manufactures imports and 56 percent of manufac
tures product shipments. While the number of groups,
import value, and shipments value share-of-manufactur
ing totals for 4-digit groups with import penetration
Table 4.
1979
levels between 2.0 and 19.9 percent remained fairly sta
ble between 1972 and 1979, the share distribution with
in this penetration range reflected a general upward
trend because of the growing importance of imports in
new supply. For example, during this period, the shareof-manufacturing total of those 4-digit groups with im
port penetration levels between 10.0 and 19.9 percent
increased 4.7 percentage points to 16.0 percent, while
the share of groups with import penetration levels be
tween 2.0 and 4.9 percent decreased 6.6 points to 19.8
percent.
In 1972, slightly more than one-fourth (86 out of
318) of the 4-digit manufacturing commodity groups
had levels of import penetration less than 10 percent
and import values under $10 million. (See table 4.) By
1979, the number was only one-ninth of the total num
ber of groups. Between 1972 and 1979, the number of
4-digit commodity groups with import values of $500
million or more increased about 350 percent, from 13 to
58.
To permit examination of the composition of changes
within the major manufacturing groups over time, table
5 summarizes the distribution of 4-digit manufacturing
commodity groups within each 2-digit major manufac
turing group, by 1972 and 1979 import penetration lev
el. Perusal of this table reveals that the 2-digit major
Four-digit SIC-based manufacturing commodity groups, by value of imports and import penetration level, 1972 and
[Number of 4-digit SIC groups]
1972
Value of imports for
consumption in 1972 or 1979
Total, all commodity groups...............................
Under $10 million............................................................
$10 million and under $50 million .................................
$50 million and under $500 million ...............................
$500 million and o v e r.....................................................
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18
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1979
Import penetration level
Number of
SIC groups
318
86
91
128
13
Under 10
percent
249
86
77
82
4
10 and under
20 percent
Import penetration level
20 percent
and over
36
33
—
—
8
24
4
6
22
5
Number of
SIC groups
318
35
79
146
58
Under 10
percent
220
35
74
88
23
10 and under
20 percent
20 percent
and over
51
47
—
_
4
32
15
1
26
20
Table 5. Distribution of 4-digit SIC-based manufacturing commodity groups, by import penetration level and
2-digit parent SIC, 1972 and 1979
[Number of 4-digit SIC-based groups]
Imports as a percent of new supply
SIC
Code
Commodity group
Number of
SIC groups
Under 1
percent
1 and under
2 percent
50 percent
and over
5 and under
10 percent
10 and under
20 percent
20 and under
50 percent
84
158
36
27
6
19
1
5
8
2
11
1
1
'9
—
'2
2
’3
3
13
16
11
1
3
3
1
1
14
14
11
—
1_
4
—
3
2
2
—
1
—
1
1
3
11
2
—
6
13
7
111
16
4
11
2
1
—
1
4
1
—
1
_
1
—
—
’6
1
3
1
2
3
’1
3
17
1
—
1
3
3
1
—
2
1
—
1
2
2 and under
5 percent
1972
Total, manufactured commodities.........
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
Food and kindred products...............................
Tobacco manufactures......................................
Textile mill products..........................................
Apparel and related products ..........................
Lumber and wood products .............................
Furniture and fixtures ........................................
Paper and allied products.................................
Printing and publishing ......................................
Chemicals and allied products..........................
Petroleum refining ............................................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastic products . . .
Leather and leather products ...........................
Stone, clay, and glass products........................
Primary metal products ...................................
Fabricated metal products ...............................
Machinery, except electrical .............................
Electrical machinery..........................................
Transportation equipm ent.................................
Instruments, optical goods, c lo c k s ....................
Miscellaneous manufactured commodities . . . .
318
39
3
20
21
10
1
9
8
26
3
6
11
23
15
20
38
27
11
10
17
69
18
M
4
2
3
—
4
16
7
2
—
—
5
3
7
2
2
2
—
1
38
6
—
2
1
1
—
2
—
5
1
—
4
1
2
5
3
2
2
1
—
_
—
—
1
1
—
—
1
1
1
1979
Total, manufactured commodities.........
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
Food and kindred products...............................
Tobacco manufactures......................................
Textile mill products..........................................
Apparel and related products ...........................
Lumber and wood products .............................
Furniture and fixtures ........................................
Paper and allied products.................................
Printing and publishing ......................................
Chemicals and allied products...........................
Petroleum refining ............................................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..
Leather and leather products ...........................
Stone, clay, and glass products........................
Primary metal products ....................................
Fabricated metal products ...............................
Machinery, except electrical .............................
Electrical machinery..........................................
Transportation equipm ent.................................
Instruments, optical goods, c lo c k s ....................
Miscellaneous manufactured commodities . . . .
318
39
3
20
21
10
1
9
8
26
3
6
11
23
15
20
38
27
11
10
17
58
17
11
4
1
3
—
3
5
6
—
—
—
4
1
6
2
2
2
—
1
28
63
171
51
39
8
7
—
2
1
—
—
2
M
6
1
—
—
2
1
1
3
1
—
—
’6
1
'4
2
1
11
2
2
'7
1
2
1
15
4
M
7
5
2
4
2
4
1
4
5
3
—
1
—
1
17
11
—
1
—
4
—
1
3
2
11
5
10
13
11
13
7
4
—
4
4
2
—
1
-
—
2
’1
12
—
6
5
4
’ 14
12
5
1
2
_
1
—
—
’6
3
2
_
2
4
—
2
’4
—
1
1
—
—
—
—
1
1
1
1
—
1
1
1Level of import penetration for the 2-digit SIC-based group in 1972 or 1979.
group import penetration level, while representative for
the group as a whole, does not reflect the level of pene
tration for each 4-digit group within the major group.
In addition, the 4-digit industry size, importance (based
on shipments value or employment), and propensity to
import or export varies greatly within some 2-digit ma
jor groups.
For example, in 1979, 53 percent of all 4-digit manu
facturing commodity groups had a level of import
penetration of 5 percent or more. Sixty percent— 12 of
20— of the 2-digit major groups had overall levels of
import penetration of 5 percent or more. Two of these
12 major groups (paper and petroleum refining) had
fewer than 50 percent of their constituent 4-digit groups
with penetration at or above the 5-percent level. Con
versely, in one 2-digit major group (stone, clay, and
glass) with a penetration level less than 5 percent, more
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
than 50 percent of component 4-digit groups experi
enced penetration levels of 5 percent or more.
Long-term trends. The following tabulation compares
the 1972-79 average annual increases in import penetra
tion with the average levels of penetration for all 4-digit
SIC-based manufacturing groups:
Average annual change
Total groups ..........
Average level:
Under 15 percent .
15 percent or
more ..................
Total
groups
Under 1
percentage
point
1 percentage
point or
more
318
274
44
266
246
20
52
28
24
19
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Imports and Employment
As indicated, 44 of the 318 4-digit manufacturing com
modity groups had a 1972-79 average annual increase
in import penetration of 1 percentage point or more.
(See table 6.) Twenty of the 44 groups had a 1972-79
average level of import penetration of less than 15 per
cent. During this same period, 5 of the 44 groups expe
rienced a rate of growth in export proportion which
equaled or exceeded that of import penetration. Fiftytwo of the 318 manufacturing commodity groups had a
1972-79 average level of import penetration of 15 per
cent or more. (See table 7.) In 28 of these 52 groups,
import penetration either declined or had a 1972-79 av
erage annual increase of less than 1 percentage point.
Of the 52 groups, 15 exported at least 10 percent of
their shipments, on average, during this period, indicat
ing a high degree of trade activity in both imports and
exports.
If we consider those groups for which either (1) the
1972-79 average annual increase was 1 percentage point
or more, or (2) the 1972-79 average level of import
penetration was 15 percent or more, we obtain a total
of 72 import groups which have recently experienced ei
ther a sustained high level of import penetration or sub
stantial increase in import penetration. For brevity, we
shall refer to these 72 import groups as “import-sensi
tive” groups.10
Industry employment related to the “import-sensi
tive” groups is presented in table 8. In many cases, the
Table 6. Four-digit SIC-based manufacturing commodity groups with average annual increases in import penetration of 1
percentage point or more, 1972-79
Imports as a percent of new supply
SIC-based
code
Commodity group
High
1979
level
Average,
1972-79
Average annual
percentage
point change,
1972 79
Range, 1972 79
1972
level
Low
3021
2279
2385
3149(part)
3263
3873
2066(part); 2099(part)
3171
2386
3911; 3915(part)
Footwear, rubber or plastic ..............................................................................
Floor coverings, nes, of textile or vegetable materials ....................................
Rainwear ...........................................................................................................
Leather ski boots and other leather athletic footw ear......................................
Earthenware tableware ....................................................................................
Watches, clocks, clockwork operated devices, and parts ...............................
Chocolate and cocoa products.........................................................................
Women’s handbags and p u rs e s .......................................................................
Leather wearing apparel, n e s ............................................................................
Jewelry and cigarette lighters of precious m etals............................................
33.9
30.9
20.2
31.6
51.2
21.1
11.0
20.6
34.6
4.2
33.9
30.9
20.2
31.6
49.2
21.1
11.0
20.6
33.9
4.2
71.7
57.2
44.9
62.2
70.0
39.9
31.6
38.5
57.7
20.5
69.2
57.2
40.6
51.2
70.0
39.9
29.2
38.5
50.4
20.5
52.5
42.1
33.4
46.7
56.7
30.0
19.1
29.1
43.7
9.9
5.0
3.8
2.9
2.8
2.7
2.7
2.6
2.6
2.3
2.3
3144; 3149(part)
2271
2342
3339; 3341 (part)
3541
3553
3674; 3629(part)
2371
3313
3944
Women's footwear, except athle tic...................................................................
Floor coverings, textile materials, pile inserted.................................................
Corsets and allied garments ............................................................................
Smelter and refined nonferrous metals, nes ...................................................
Metal-cutting machine tools, and parts, n e s .....................................................
Woodworking machinery, and parts, n e s ..........................................................
Semiconductors, rectifiers, and rectifying apparatus........................................
Fur wearing apparel, and fur articles, nes ........................................................
Electrometallurgical products............................................................................
Games, toys, and children’s vehicles, except d o lls ..........................................
18.9
11.3
5.3
50.0
7.7
7.9
11.5
3.7
19.7
11.2
18.9
11.3
5.3
42.7
7.7
7.9
11.5
3.7
19.7
11.1
33.5
28.0
18.8
62.6
19.5
19.7
23.2
15.1
36.3
22.2
33.5
24.3
18.8
62.6
19.5
19.7
23.2
15.1
31.1
22.2
24.9
19.3
12.1
51.2
12.5
12.9
19.1
8.9
29.7
14.6
2.1
1.9
1.9
11.8
1.7
1.7
1.7
'1.6
1.6
1.6
2381; 2259
3131
2321; 2322;
2331 (part);
2361 (part);
2253(part);
2254(part)
3676
3161
3253
3333; 3341 (part)
3151
3851
3942
Gloves, except sports, leather, or fur gloves ...................................................
Leather cut to shapes for footwear; leather shoelaces....................................
13.8
2.2
12.7
2.2
24.1
12.9
24.1
12.9
17.4
6.8
1.5
1.5
Male shirts, nightwear, and underwear; and female and infants’ knit shirts . . .
Resistors for electronic applications ................................................................
Luggage of leather, textile materials, plastics...................................................
Ceramic floor and wall t i l e ................................................................................
Smelter and refined zinc ..................................................................................
Gloves, le ath er..................................................................................................
Ophthalmic goods and parts, n e s .....................................................................
Dolls and stuffed toy anim als............................................................................
10.7
6.2
15.4
22.9
28.5
22.3
12.4
21.8
10.7
6.2
12.6
16.7
28.5
18.3
12.4
17.5
20.6
16.3
25.0
32.2
43.2
31.0
20.5
30.1
20.6
16.3
24.4
32.2
37.4
31.0
20.5
30.1
14.6
10.8
18.5
25.2
37.4
23.0
16.6
22.7
1.4
11.4
1.3
1.3
1.3
1.2
1.2
1.2
2121
2331 (part); 2335;
2361 (part)
2387(part)
2429
2492
3547
3675; 3629(part)
2311; 2329(part)
2337; 2363
3269
Cigars and cheroots .........................................................................................
2.3
2.3
9.7
9.7
5.8
1.1
Women’s, girls’, and infants’ dresses, blouses, and shirts, except knit shirts . . .
Leather apparel belts, with or without buckles.................................................
Wood shingles, cooperage stock, and excelsior...............................................
Wood particleboard, whether or not face finished............................................
Metal rolling mills, and parts, n e s .....................................................................
Electrical capacitors, fixed or variable..............................................................
Men’s or boys’ suits and coats, except raincoats............................................
Women’s, girls’, and infants’ coats, suits, and s k irts ........................................
Ceramic articles, r e s .........................................................................................
4.2
4.8
26.6
0.6
4.0
9.6
6.1
6.6
33.7
4.1
4.8
19.3
0.3
3.4
9.6
6.1
6.1
33.7
12.0
12.3
34.2
8.5
11.4
17.2
13.1
13.7
45.7
12.0
12.3
34.1
8.5
11.4
17.2
13.1
13.7
40.6
6.9
7.9
28.2
3.4
5.5
14.0
9.8
9.0
38.9
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
M.1
1.0
1.0
1.0
3554
3651
3961
3964
Pulp and paper machinery, and parts, nes .....................................................
Radio and television receiving sets, phonographs, and audio equipment, nes ..
Costume jewelry and novelties, except precious m eta l...................................
Needles, pins, zippers, and similar notions........................................................
12.6
34.9
10.4
9.1
10.1
33.3
10.4
9.1
19.7
44.3
17.8
16.3
19.7
42.1
17.8
16.3
14.2
38.7
13.6
12.5
1.0
’ 1.0
1.0
1.0
'The 1972-79 average annual percentage point change in export proportion tor this group
is equal to or exceeds the 1972-79 average annual percentage point change in import
Digitized for
20FRASER
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
penetration,
nes = not elsewhere specified.
industry employment series are not that well matched
to the import groups. The industry coverage may be
broader or narrower than that implied by the import
product group; some industry employment series are re
lated to more than one import group. Given these and
other limitations which are discussed in the appendix,
the employment coverage of the “import-sensitive”
groups presented in table 8 should be considered only
as approximate.
Fifty-one industry employment series in table 8 relate
Table 7. Four-digit SIC-based manufacturing commodity groups with average levels of import penetration of 15 percent or
more, 1972-79
Imports as a percent of new supply
SIC-based
code
3915(part)
3263
3751
2299
3021
3339;
3341 (part)
3636
3149(part)
3962
2386
2279
3262
3574(part)
3269
3651
3333;
3341 (part)
2385
2611
3552
2435
3873
3313
2292
3171
2429
2298
2085
3253
3144;
3149(part)
2084
3151
3942
2091
2833
2061-3
2271
2066(part);
2099(part)
3674;
3629(part)
3914
3161
3699(part);
3629(part)
2381; 2259
2369; 2339;
2329(part);
2387(part);
2253(part)
3143;
3149(part)
3572
3832
3851
3949
3711,3,6;
3799(part)
3811 (part)
3172
2421
Commodity group
Range, 1972 79
Average,
1972-79
Average annual
percentage
point change,
1972-79
1972
level
Low
High
1979
level
Jewelers' findings and materials, and lapidary w o rk ........................................
Earthenware tablew are....................................................................................
Motorcycles, bicycles, and parts, nes ..............................................................
Textile mill products, n e s ..................................................................................
Footwear, rubber or plastic ..............................................................................
68.9
51.2
65.1
59.0
33.9
68.9
49.2
49.8
39.6
33.9
75.6
70.0
65.1
63.7
71.7
72.3
70.0
52.4
46.2
69.2
172.4
56.7
55.6
154.0
52.5
0.5
2.7
-1.8
-1.8
5.0
Smelter and refined nonferrous metals, nes ...................................................
Sewing machines, and parts, n e s .....................................................................
Leather ski boots and other leather athletic footw ear......................................
Artificial trees, flowers, dried plants, and grasses............................................
Leather wearing apparel, n e s ...........................................................................
Floor coverings, nes, of textile or vegetable materials ...................................
China tableware ...............................................................................................
Calculating and accounting machines, excluding parts ...................................
Ceramic articles, n e s .........................................................................................
Radio and television receiving sets, phonographs, and audio equipment, nes ..
50.0
50.9
31.6
41.9
34.6
30.9
41.0
40.1
33.7
34.9
42.7
41.3
31.6
37.2
33.9
30.9
368
33.6
33.7
33.3
62.6
50.9
62.2
54.2
57.7
57.2
44.5
46.1
45.7
44.3
62.6
41.3
51.2
45.8
50.4
57.2
41.0
40.6
40.6
42.1
151.2
146.9
46.7
45.9
43.7
42.1
40.6
'40.4
38.9
’ 38.7
1.8
-1.4
2.8
0.6
2.3
3.8
0.0
0.1
1.0
1.0
Smelter and refined zinc ..................................................................................
Rainw ear...........................................................................................................
Pulp mill products.............................................................................................
Textile machinery, and parts, n e s .....................................................................
Hardwood plywood and veneer .......................................................................
Watches, clocks, clockwork operated devices, and p a r ts ...............................
Electrometallurgical products...........................................................................
Lace goods, nes ................................................................................................
Women's handbags and purs e s .......................................................................
Wood shingles, cooperage stock, and excelsior...............................................
Cordage.............................................................................................................
Distilled, rectified, and blended liquors, except brandy ....................................
Ceramic floor and wall t ile ................................................................................
28.5
20.2
30.4
36.6
31.3
21.1
19.7
21.7
20.6
26.6
21.5
24.9
22.9
28.5
20.2
30.3
26.1
27.9
21.1
19.7
21.7
20.6
19.3
20.4
24.3
16.7
43.2
44.9
32.3
37.3
33.1
39.9
36.3
35.1
38.5
34.2
40.3
26.4
32.2
37.4
40.6
32.3
33.2
33.1
39.9
31.1
27.7
38.5
34.1
23.4
24.3
32.2
37.4
33.4
’ 31.4
131.3
31.0
30.0
29.7
'29.6
29.1
28.2
25.5
25.3
25.2
1.3
2.9
0.3
-0.5
0.3
2.7
1.6
0.9
2.6
1.1
0.3
-0.1
1.3
Women’s footwear, except athletic...................................................................
Wines, brandy, and brandy spirits.....................................................................
G'Oves. le ath er..................................................................................................
Dolls and stuffed toy anim als...........................................................................
Canned and cured fish and seafoods ..............................................................
Medicináis and botan cals ................................................................................
Cane or beet sugar, syrup, and molasses; beet pulp ......................................
Floor coverings, textile materials, pile inserted.................................................
18.9
21.3
22.3
21.8
24.8
22.0
22.5
11.3
18.9
18.5
18.3
17.5
20.7
20.2
16.1
11.3
33.5
28.9
31.0
30.1
25.4
24.6
24.3
28.0
33.5
26.2
31.0
30.1
21.0
21.7
18.5
24.3
24.9
23.2
23.0
22.7
'22.3
’ 21.7
21.5
19.3
2.1
0.7
1.2
1.2
-0.5
0.0
-0.6
1.9
Chocolate and cocoa products.........................................................................
11.0
11.0
31.6
29.2
19.1
2.6
Semiconductors, rectifiers, and rectifying apparatus........................................
Silverware, plated ware, and stainless steel ware ..........................................
Luggage of leather, textile materials, plastics .................................................
11.5
14.9
15.4
11.5
14.9
12.6
23.2
21.6
25.0
23.2
17.4
24.4
' 19.1
18.7
18.5
1.7
0.4
1.3
Electrical articles and electrical parts of articles ............................................
Gloves, except sports, leather, or fur gloves ...................................................
17.5
13.8
14.9
12.7
20.3
24.1
20.3
24.1
’ 18.3
17.4
0.4
1.5
Outerwear, nes, of textile materials ................................................................
16.3
14.0
20.8
20.0
17.3
0.5
Men’s footwear, except athletic .......................................................................
Typewriters and parts, nes ..............................................................................
Optical instruments and lenses, and parts, nes ..............................................
Ophthalmic goods and parts, n e s .....................................................................
Sporting and athletic goods and parts, nes .....................................................
14.7
16.3
17.1
12.4
13.0
14.7
14.8
14.3
12.4
12.8
20.4
19.5
19.5
20.5
19.1
20.4
18.5
15.9
20.5
18.6
17.2
17.1
' 17.1
16.6
16.2
0.8
0.3
-0.2
1.2
0.8
Motor vehicles and passenger car, truck, and bus bodies...............................
Surveying and drafting instruments; balances, nes; measuring
equipment, nes .............................................................................................
Flat goods of leather and other materials .......................................................
Lumber and other sawmill and planing mill products, except
dimension hardwood ....................................................................................
13.6
13.4
18.3
18.3
16.0
0.7
12.5
14.0
12.5
10.7
22.0
20.1
19.0
20.1
1 15.5
15.4
0.9
0.9
16.3
11.2
17.5
16.9
15.1
0.1
'The 1972-79 average level of export proportionfor this group exceeds 10 percent.
percent: SIC 2321-2, 2253(part), 2254 (part), 2331 (part), 2361 (part) — Male shirts, nightwear,
nes = not elsewhere specified
and underwear, and female and infants’knit shirts (20.6 percent); SIC 3911, 3915(part) — JewNote: This table includes all 4-digit SIC-basedmanufacturing commodity groups with
imelry. of precious metal or stones (20.5 percent); and SIC 3944-G am es, toys, and children's
ports accounting for 20 percent or more of new supply in 1979, with the
exception ofthefolvehicles (22.2 percent),
lowing groups, which all had a 1972-79 average level of import penetration less than 15
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21
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Imports and Employment
Table 8. Employment in domestic industries which produce products similar to those in import-sensitive1 product qroups,
1972, 1979, and 1981
SIC
code
Industry
Annual average
employment
(in thousands)
Annual
average
growth rate
(in percent)
1972
1979
1981
2084
2085
2091
Cane and beet s u g a r..........................
Chocolate and cocoa products; chewing
gum2 ......................................
Wines, brandy, and brandy spirits2 . . . .
Distilled liquors, except brandy2 ...........
Canned and cured seafoods2 ...............
37.1
30.7
31.7
-2.7
-1.7
20.7
10.5
22.8
19.9
20.5
13.2
19.0
20.1
19.7
14.4
17.4
18.4
-0.1
3.3
-2 .6
0.1
-0.5
3.6
-3 .0
-0.9
Cigars2 .................................................
1972
31493
3161
3171
3172
3151,3199
Footwear, except rubber, nec2 ...........
Luggage ..............................................
Women's handbags and purses2 .........
Personal leather goods, nec2 .............
Other leather products, nec2 .............
3253,9
3262,33
Knit outerwear m ills ...............................
Knit underwear mills .............................
Knit fabric and knitting mills, nec2 .........
Floor covering mills ...............................
Other textile goods2 ...............................
Cordage and twine2 ...............................
14.7
8.0
7.0
-8 .3
-7.9
3269
77.6
34.4
28.6
62.2
36.3
10.9
70.5
32.0
25.7
60.5
36.8
10.3
71.5
30.2
21.5
52.6
35.6
9.1
-1.4
-1 .0
-1.5
-0.4
0.2
-0.8
-0 .9
-1.4
-3.1
-1.8
-0.2
-2 .0
3313
3332,3
3339
3341 3
Electrometallurgical products2 ...........
Primary lead and zinc2 ......................
Primary nonferrous metals, nec2 . . . .
Secondary nonferrous metals2 ...........
2335
2337
2339
2342
23613
2363
2369
2371
2381
2385
2386,7,93
Men s and boys’ suits and c o a ts...........
Men’s and boys’ shirts and nightwear ..
Men’s and boys’ underwear2 ...............
Men's and boys' clothing, nec2 .............
Women’s and misses’ blouses and
w a ists ............................................
Women’s and misses' d re sse s.............
Women’s and misses' suits and coats ..
Women’s and misses’ outerwear, nec ..
Brassieres and allied garments.............
Children’s dresses and blouses ...........
Children's coats and suits2 ....................
Children’s outerwear2 ...........................
Fur goods4 ...................................
Fabric dress and work gloves2 .............
Waterproof outergarments2 ..................
Apparel and accessories, nec2 .............
1981 1972-79 1972—
81
32.3
17.3
19.9
13.0
14.0
23.5
17.7
18.5
14.3
14.5
23.0
15.0
17.5
12.6
13.6
-4.4
0.3
-1 .0
1.4
0.5
-3.7
-1 .6
-1.4
-0.3
-0.3
18.8
15.6
13.2
-2 .6
-3.9
10.4
12.0
9.7
14.6
9.4
12.5
-1.0
2.8
-1.1
0.5
15.1
9.1
8.2
17.7
15.0
9.5
10.7
24.8
13.1
7.7
11.8
23.7
-0.1
0.6
3.9
4.9
-1.6
-1.8
4.1
3.3
58.4
11.8
35.5
10.8
14.8
77.4
11.6
26.9
13.6
18.9
79.5
10.1
26.2
11.7
19.6
4.1
-0.2
-3.9
3.3
3.6
3.5
-1.7
-3.3
0.9
3.2
45.2
36.2
38.3
-3.1
-1.8
11.4 14.5
35.1 36.9
114.5 87.5
115.2 201.1
19.2 26.8
10.5 22.1
12.2
31.8
82.2
224.6
27.0
19.3
3.5
0.7
-3.8
8.3
4.9
11.2
0.8
-1.1
-3.6
7.7
3.9
7.0
14.0
0.7
0.0
415.2 463.0 352.4
46 1 46 1 37 1
18.2 19.5
16.8
1.6
00
1.0
-1.8
24
-0.9
Primary metal industries
Apparel and other textile products
2311
2321
2322
23293
23313
1979
Annual
average
growth rate
(in percent)
Stone, clay, and glass products
Textile mill products
22533
2254
2258,9
2271,2,93
2291-4,7,93
2298
Industry
Other structural clay products2 ...........
Vitreous china and earthenware food
utensils2 ..........................................
Pottery products, nec2 ........................
Tobacco manufactures
2121
Annual average
employment
(in thousands)
1972 79 1972—
81
Food and kindred products
2061-3
2066,7
SIC
code
112.8 81.2
118.0 102.8
20.2 16.2
57.3 59.5
76.5
97.4
14.4
58.4
-4.6
-2 .0
-3.1
0.5
-4.2
-2.1
-3.7
0.2
46.0 64.0 62.4
197.4 156.5 137.1
73.4 64.8 61.4
105.5 149.4 147.1
31.3 18.7 18.3
34.0 27.5 27.2
9.7
7.4
6.4
29.8 30.8 30.2
5.7
4.4
4.0
14.0 14.5 11.1
17.8 12.2 11.8
21.5 20.1
24.3
4.8
-3.3
-1.8
5.1
-7.1
-3 .0
-3.8
0.5
-3 .6
0.5
-5.3
-1 .0
3.4
-4 .0
-2 .0
3.8
-5.8
-2.4
-4.5
0.1
-3.9
-2.5
-4.5
1.4
Machinery, except electrical
3541
3547
3552
3553
3554
3572
3574
Machine tools, metal cutting types . . .
Rolling mill machinery2 ........................
Textile machinery ...............................
Woodworking machinery2 ....................
Paper industries machinery2 ...............
Typewriters5 ........................................
Calculating and accounting machines5 .
1
Electric and electronic equipment
36293
3635,6,9
3651
3674
3675
3676,8
3699
Electrical industrial apparatus, nec2 . . .
Other household appliances2 .............
Radio and tv receiving sets ...............
Semiconductors and related devices ..
Electronic capacitors2 ........................
Electronic resistors and connectors2 ..
Other miscellaneous electrical
equipment2 ......................................
14.0
14.7
Transportation equipment
Lumber and wood products
2421
2429
2435
2492,9
Sawmills and planing mills, general ..
182.0 196.4 171.5
Special product sawmills, nec2 .............
6.1
6.5
4.9
Flardwood veneer and plywood ...........
30.9 27.9 24.8
Particleboard and wood products, nec2 . 65.0 70.8 67.7
1.1
0.9
-1.4
1.2
-0.7
-2.4
-2.4
0.5
Paper and allied products
2611
Pulp mills2 ........................................
13.7
16.1
17.2
2.3
2.6
14.8
17.2
18.6
2.2
2.6
3711
3713
3751
Motor vehicles and car bodies ...........
Truck and bus bodies ........................
Motorcycles, bicycles, and parts2 . . . .
Instruments and related products
3811
3832
3851
3873
Engineering and scientific instruments .
Optical instruments and le nses...........
Ophthalmic g o o d s ...............................
Watches, clocks, and watchcases . . . .
Chemicals and allied products
2833
Medicináis and botanicals2 ....................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics
products
3021
Rubber and plastic footwear..................
28.7
22.7
22.2
-3.3
-2.8
Leather and leather products
3131
3143
3144
Boot and shoe cut stock and findings2 ..
Men's footwear, except athletic ...........
Women’s footwear, except athletic . . . .
13.4
63.8
86.6
11.7
57.9
59.3
11.2
57.2
52.9
-1 .9
-1.4
-5.3
-2.0
-1 .2
-5.3
11mport commodity groups for which either (1) the 1972-79 average annual increase in im
port penetration was 1 percentage point or more, or (2) the 1972-79 average level of import
penetration was 15 percent or more.
2 Unpublished establishment survey data. Employment data are of good quality, but have not
been published due to an inadequate sample for publication of non-employment data types.
3 Industry employment series is related to more than one import-sensitive product group.
4 Unpublished establishment survey data. Employment data are of low quality and have not
been published due to an inadequate sample for publication of any data types.
5 Unpublished establishment survey data. Employment data represent a combination of
unpublished confidential series to avoid disclosure of any individual Industry estimates.
22
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64.5
17.6
37.1
29.6
72.4
31.6
45.1
27.7
78.5
33.4
40.7
20.1
1.7
8.7
2.8
0.9
2.2
7.4
1.0
4.2
33.9
11.2
7.2
40.0
11.9
8.9
37.3
11.7
7.8
2.4
0.9
3.1
1.1
0.5
0.9
69.7
56.7
27.3
11.0
21.7
59.7
61.5
31.1
8.6
18.6
59.7
57.7
24.0
8.5
13.9
-2.2
1.2
1.9
-3.5
-2.2
-1.7
0.2
-1.4
-2.8
-4.8
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries
3911
3914
39153
3942,43
3949
3961
3962,3
3964
Jewelry, precious m e ta l......................
Silverware and plated ware2 ...............
Jewelers’ materials and lapidary work2
Dolls, games, toys; and children's
vehicles......................................
Sporting and athletic goods ...............
Costume je w e lry .................................
Artificial flowers and buttons2 .............
Needles, pins, and fasteners2 .............
nec = not elsewhere classified.
N ote : There are a few Industry employment series which have not been included because
either data are not available for 1972 or industry coverage of the employment series is too
broad to be matched with the import-sensitive product group.
S ource :
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Payroll Employment Program, Establishment Survey,
March 1981 benchmark.
to the 44 import commodity groups in table 6 with
1972-79 average annual increases in import penetration
of 1 percentage point or more; 28 industry employment
series relate to the 28 import groups in table 7 that had
1972-79 average annual increases in import penetration
of less than 1 percentage point, but an average level of
import penetration of 15 percent or more.
Of the 79 employment series in table 8, 38 show a de
clining 1972-79 average annual rate of change; 51 show
a declining rate for the period 1972-81. (The larger
number of declines for the 1972-81 period may be due
to the downturn in the business cycle during 1980.)
Twenty-two of the 38 industries with 1972-79 employ
ment declines and 27 of the 51 with 1972-81 employ
ment declines are in the textile, apparel, and leather
goods groups. During the period 1972-79, total manu
facturing employment grew at an average annual rate of
1.4 percent; for the period 1972-81, the growth rate
was 0.6 percent. Further analysis would be required to
determine whether imports were the major factor in the
long-term employment decline in these 38 (or 51) indus
tries. However, the foregoing does illustrate how analy
sis of import penetration and change in industry
employment might be used as a screening tool to focus
on potential import problems which an industry might
be facing.
Usefulness of the measures
A review of some of the major methodological and
measurement problems in relating trade data to domes
tic output and industry employment is presented in the
appendix. Given these problems, the absolute values of
the measures of import penetration and export propor
tion are of limited use, for example, in inter-industry
comparisons. However, they are valid for the study of
direction and magnitude of change over time, if all oth
er relevant factors remain unaltered (for example, no
structural or reporting changes).
Changes in import penetration are usually more im
portant than levels when examining for possible em
ployment displacement in a particular industry. How
ever, it should be noted that a rapid rise in import
penetration is not necessarily undesirable, because it
might reflect a greater product specialization within an
industry. This might involve higher levels of both im
ports and exports, reflecting greater net competitiveness.
For this reason, measures of import penetration should
be examined in conjunction with measures of export
proportion as well as other indicators.
The BLS measures of import penetration have been de
veloped on a 4-digit SIC basis because domestic employ
ment measures are available only on that basis.
However, by confining import penetration measures to
the 4-digit S ic level, which often represents combinations
of broad product groups, we may overlook some poten
tial adjustment problems if these groups contain a mix
ture of very competitive and less competitive products.
As MORE COMPLETE DATA become available, it may be
possible to further refine and improve the quality of the
measures which BLS has developed for use in its trade
monitoring program. However, the interpretation of im
port penetration measures may be affected by factors in
addition to the data limitations indicated above. For ex
ample, the stage of the business cycle, as reflected in U.S.
and world demand, will help determine the level and
composition of both imports and exports. Shifts in
consumer demand due to changing tastes or product
substitution, strikes, the weather, and new government
regulations are other exogenous factors. Long-term secu
lar changes in capital investment, technology, and labor
force characteristics also are influential.
Q
FOOTNOTES
' Commodity classification is based upon the Standard Industrial
Classification Manual: 1972 (Washington, U.S. Government Printing
1976 Annual Survey of Manufactures, M76-AS-8 (Bureau of the Cen
Office), and its 1977 Supplement. See the appendix for a more detailed
description of the methods used to classify imports, exports, and do
mestic output.
‘ While BLS has received no appropriation for its role, it has devot
ed some resources from other programs to trade monitoring. The
Census Bureau has received some limited funding for its role which
has resulted in improved comparability between reported domestic
production, import, and export commodity data, as well as more
timely and detailed reporting of domestic production data.
' An alternative measure might be based upon a production or out
put basis, that is, imports relative to shipments less net inventories
and net exports. In most cases, inventory change data are not general
ly available for adjusting product shipments data. If this measure
were based over several years, the year-to-year fluctuations in invento
ries over the business cycle probably would not create severe distor
tions and would likely parallel analysis based on a domestic demand
or apparent consumption basis.
sus, 1978).
' A fifth measure, the ratio of imports to U.S. product shipments,
M /S, is not discussed here. This ratio is equivalent to the ratio of the
relative shares of new supply of imports-to-shipments, that is, [M/(M
+ S)]/[S/(M + S)]. Algebraically, it can be derived from ratio (b) as
follows: let M /(M + S) = B, then M /S = B / ( l- B ) . Note that B
may take on any value between 0 and 1; (M /S) is nonnegative but not
necessarily bounded from above.
6
A solution to this problem would involve distinguishing “directly
competitive” imports (primarily finished manufactures) from “sup
porting” imports such as raw materials (for example, petroleum, lum
ber, certain mineral and agricultural products, and semi-finished
manufactures), and analyzing the supply and product availability of
domestically produced substitutes. Substitution of domestic goods for
foreign goods and resources will depend on both consumer tastes and
industry technology. On the consumer side, income and price (cross)
elasticities of demand, and on the producer side, capacity utilization,
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4 See, “Origin of Exports of Manufacturing Establishments,” in
23
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Imports and Employment
productivity, and the possibility of resource bottlenecks, will influence
the adjustment (both in the short run and the long run) to replace
ment of imported commodities with domestically produced goods.
The value-based measures presented in this article should be con
sidered as approximations intended for broad industrial monitoring.
Further adjustments would need to be made for a detailed analysis of
a specific sector. These might include adjustments in import value to
make it more equivalent to a domestic valuation, and attempting to
account for different cost and wage structures among countries, the
changing composition of the product basket, point of sale, and timing
of sale.
* BLS produces U.S. import and export price indexes which are
based on the nomenclature of the Standard International Trade Clas
sification (SITC) System of the United Nations, 1974 Revision.
Monthly net transaction price data are collected by BLS for approxi
mately 14,500 products from more than 6,000 companies (importers
and exporters). The product areas surveyed for the import price in
dexes account for about 96 percent of the value of U.S. imports and
cover all imported commodities, excluding chemicals. The product
areas surveyed for the export price indexes account for approximately
64 percent of the value of all U.S. exports and include machinery and
transportation equipment, and selected categories of chemicals, inter
mediate products, crude materials, and food.
" Import data are BLS SIC-based aggregations of Census Bureau
IM-145 monthly import tapes. Export data are from the Census Bu
reau’s EA-675, U.S. Exports of Domestic and Foreign Merchandise,
SIC Division by SIC-Based 2-Digit, 3-Digit, and 4-Digit Product
Code.
It should not be concluded that the remaining 246 groups are in
sensitive to import changes. The choice of average annual increase of
1 percentage point and average level of 15 percent for the period is
completely arbitrary and made only for the purpose of reducing the
number of groups considered for analysis. The selection criteria could
be adjusted according to any desired level of discrimination.
APPENDIX: Data limitations
There are several conceptual and measurement difficulties
in comparing domestic output and employment data to com
modity trade data. These problems vary with the product or
industry considered, the definition of the industrial market,
and the scope of the measure. Because each of the factors enu
merated below affects comparability among trade and domes
tic data to some degree, the BLS measures of import
penetration and any related employment coverage for import
groups should be viewed only as approximations.
M arket mismatches. For the analysis of trade-related employ
ment effects, it would seem reasonable to consider the output
at the industrial level (4-digit SIC), because workers usually
are mobile between establishments which produce similar
products. However, for any meaningful analysis, there must
be a defined market with distinct products, the definition
depending, in part, upon the degree of vertical integration
within the industry. In the above article, markets were defined
at the industry level (4-digit SIC), but the pertinent market
could be broader in some cases (for example, steel — SIC 331)
or narrower (as for canned mushrooms, SIC 20333, within
canned vegetables, SIC 2033). This is an important caveat, be
cause the degree of import penetration calculated will vary
with the definition of the ‘industry’ (2- , 3- , or 4-digit) or
product category (5- or 7-digit) used.
Com m odity versus industry base. Data on U.S. manufacturers’
shipments are available on two bases: 1) industry shipments—
total shipments of firms classified in a given industry, which
include other secondary products, and 2) product-class ship
m ents— total shipments of the primary products of the indus
try, which include sales of the same products made by firms
classified in other industries. Because international trade classi
fications are commodity-based, it was decided to match
imports and exports to domestic sales of a commodity on a
product-class basis.
A product class is a group of individual products of an in
dustry. It is designated by a 5-digit code, the first four digits
indicating the SIC (industry), and the fifth, the specific group
of products. In some cases, a 5-digit product class is, by defi
nition, limited to products of a particular manufacturing pro
cess (for example, ferrous wire made in wiredrawing plants,
SIC 33151, as distinguished from ferrous wire not produced by
wiredrawers, SIC 34961). Accordingly, the output of all 5-digit
classes with similar end products must be combined before
comparisons are made with import levels, because the import
24
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
classifications do not make these differentiations.
Because employment data are available only on an industry
basis, we must consider the commodity-to-industry mismatch
when relating product-based measures of import penetration
or export proportion to industry employment. Two available
measures are useful in evaluating this problem. The first is the
specialization ratio, defined as primary product output within
the industry divided by total industry output (primary and
secondary). The second measure, the coverage ratio, is the pri
mary product output produced within an industry divided by
total output of the primary product by all industries. If these
two measures are fairly constant over time, then the industryto-commodity mismatch should not present a major problem
when changes in commodity-based import penetration or ex
port proportion are compared with changes in industry-based
measures, such as employment.
Data duplication. In computing measures of import penetra
tion at the 4-digit SIC level, domestic product-based output
must be aggregated and matched to imports. Aggregation of
5-digit product-class shipments to a 4-digit level will result in
duplication to the extent that these commodities are used as
materials in other commodities produced within the industry
considered. (There are no similar problems of duplication in
the import data, because only final products are recorded.)
Most domestic output classes covering contract and commis
sion work have been excluded to minimize duplication in the
valuation of output. However, in lieu of an appropriate gener
al measure of duplication, such as the percentage of output
currently accounted for by intraindustry sales, it can only be
noted that, if there is substantial duplication in the measure
ment of domestic output, the corresponding measure of im
port penetration will be understated.
Comparability o f com m odity classes. The available trade data
are not ideal for the calculation of import penetration ratios
or export proportions. Limitations include problems of valua
tion, timing, coverage, and comparability with classifications
for domestic output.
Perhaps the most critical problem is the incongruity among
classifications used for reporting domestic production, U.S.
imports, and U.S. exports. Reported domestic production (as
well as employment) is based on the classification of domestic
economic activity of establishments according to the Standard
Industrial Classification (SIC) M anual, 1972 edition. U.S. im
ports are reported on the basis of more than 10,000 legal tariff
commodity classifications, designed for the collection of
duties, in the T a r if f S c h e d u le s o f th e U n ite d S ta te s A n n o ta te d
(TSUSA). Finally, U.S. exports are reported on the basis of the
Commerce Departm ent’s more than 4,000 Statistical Classi
fications of U.S. Exports (Schedule B).
The three classification structures (SIC, TSUSA, Schedule B)
were designed for different uses. The SIC nomenclature is or
ganized by stage of processing (for example, raw materials,
manufactured products, services, and so forth). The origin of
production is the establishment primarily responsible for out
put. In some cases, the method of manufacture or process, or
market use, is important for industry classification. On the
other hand, the trade classifications are commodity based;
that is, they define objective commodity characteristics, mate
rial content, operating characteristics, and so forth, which
may cross industry lines. In the case of imports, these com
modity characteristics are important for the determination of
any applicable duty.
For the purpose of relating imports (exports) to output, in
dividual TSUSA (Schedule B) commodity numbers are
assigned to a 5-digit SIC-based product class. In cases where
the TSUSA (Schedule B) numbers include items which should
be classified under two or more SIC-based output codes, an
assignment is made to that code under which the principal
content of the TSUSA (Schedule B) number appears to belong,
if such an assignment will not significantly overcount the SIC
classification to which the TSUSA (Schedule B) number is
assigned or undercount the other SIC classifications to which
it partially belongs. Where it appears that distortions will re
sult from the assignment of an entire TSUSA (Schedule B)
number to a single SIC-based output code, the principal SICbased output classes are combined to form a more compre
hensive SIC-based import (export) code, and the pertinent
TSUSA (Schedule B) data are assigned to the combination. For
the 1972 edition of the SIC, and its 1977 Supplement, there
are 452 4-digit SIC-based manufacturing output codes and 347
(409) 4-digit SIC-based manufacturing import (export) codes.
As one can see, the concordance between domestic output and
either SIC-based imports or exports (and for that matter, even
between SIC-based imports and exports) is not perfect.
Under Section 608 of the Trade Act of 1974, the D epart
ments of Commerce and Treasury, along with the Internation
al Trade Commission, are working to improve the different
classifications used for reporting domestic production, im
ports, and exports. Since the signing of the Act, significant
improvements have been made. A completely new Schedule B
classification for exports, structured after the TSUSA number
ing scheme for imports, was introduced in 1978. In addition,
new and more detailed TSUSA classifications are introduced
each year, which in many cases permit better associations with
domestic output classifications. But while these improvements
in comparability are critical for relating trade to domestic eco
nomic activity, they present substantial problems for time-se
ries analysis, because the improvements are often achieved at
the cost of breaks in individual classification series. For exam
ple, only 318 of the 347 4-digit SIC-based import classificat
ions currently available can be matched to output on a
consistent basis for the years 1972-79.
In some cases, it is inappropriate (or impossible) to calcu
late a measure of import penetration, because comparable im
port data are not available for certain domestic output classifi
cations (for example, morticians’ goods, screw machine prod
ucts, and so forth). In most cases this is not because these
items are not imported, but because the different classification
structures used for imports (TSUSA) and output (SIC) do not
distinguish product characteristics on the same basis. In some
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cases, the tariff classifications are not defined precisely enough
to permit association of import data with 5-digit detailed do
mestic output classifications. However, where it is likely that
the domestic product class is subsumed in imports at the
4-digit level, it is included in the calculation of the import
penetration measure. (For example, products like canned baby
foods, SIC 20321, are assumed to be included in the broader
import grouping for canned and preserved fruits and vegeta
bles.)
The value of manufactures shipments at the 4-digit com
modity level often includes a small amount which is not
distributed among the individual 5-digit product classes.
When SIC-based import groupings represent combinations of
product classes from different 4-digit groups, a share of the
undistributed output for the 4-digit output class is allocated
to each output product class according to the 5-digit productclass share of the 4-digit total. Because this allocation is an
approximation, the value of shipments for the 4-digit import
commodity group might be slightly misstated.
V aluation . Differences in the method and point of valuation of
imports and exports present major problems in comparisons
with domestic output. Output shipments values are sample es
timates, subject to error, and usually relate to the point of
production. They include interplant transfers and are gross
output measures (value added plus cost of materials).
In the above analysis, exports were valued at the point of
exportation— seaport, borderpoint, or airport. The export val
ue represents the selling price, or cost if not sold, and includes
expenditures for freight, insurance, and other charges to the
export point. In addition, the exporter’s trade margin above
cost boosts the export value in relation to producers’ values.
Information on the magnitude of this incremental margin is
not available on a commodity-by-commodity basis. And, be
cause export values pertain only to direct exports, and not to
commodities which are incorporated into other, more finished
products and exported in finished form, the relation of exports
to shipments for intermediate products (such as steel shapes)
is considerably understated.
Beginning in 1974, the Census Bureau began reporting im
ports on an f.a.s. basis (transaction value, f.o.b. port of expor
tation) and on a c.i.f. basis (value of the import at the first
port of entry), in addition to the previously reported customs
value. The customs value, which is used in this article, has
been the basic valuation for duty-collection purposes since the
inception of the tariff schedules. It usually represents the value
in the foreign country and excludes duties, insurance, and oth
er charges. Until recently, customs values did not necessarily
represent transaction values. Certain products were valued for
customs purposes on the basis of their American Selling Price
(ASP), which in most cases was above the actual transaction
value. However, under the Customs Valuation Code of the
Trade Agreements Act of 1979, the ASP valuation practice is
to be phased out and replaced with a transaction-based valua
tion. As a result, beginning with the compilation of 1982
trade statistics, the Census Bureau is substituting the transac
tion-based customs value for the f.a.s. value, and discontin
uing the compilation of f.a.s. import values.
Of the three alternative import valuations, customs value,
f.a.s., and c.i.f., the last would be preferred, because it would
reflect the purchase price, freight, insurance, and other charges
(except overland charges from Mexico or Canada). To obtain
a landed value, customs duties assessed should also be added.
This landed value would be the most appropriate measure to
use in comparisons with domestic output. Because customs
value was used in the above analysis, the import values under-
25
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Imports and Employment
state the landed U.S. market value. However, the Census Bu
reau has tabulated SIC-based import penetration measures for
1974 using all three valuation bases, finding that in most cases
there are no major differences, while in some there might be
differences of as much as 2 percentage points.
Both imports and exports exclude low-valued shipments
and mail entry items. To the extent these items are impor
tant in a product category, the valuation will be understated.
With few exceptions (for example, used tractors, cars, and
tires), used or rebuilt commodities are classified in the same
import or export group as new merchandise. Import penetra
tion measures will be overstated to the extent that used or re
built products are significant in trade, because domestic
shipments data usually do not include such commodities.
Differences in labor requirements for imported commodities
present a major problem in value comparisons with domestic
output when inferences are made about the employment asso
ciated with a particular commodity group. A commodity
26
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group should be defined with sufficient product detail to en
sure homogeneity with regard to labor requirements. But in
the foregoing analysis, imports are not differentiated by sup
plying country, a primary determinate of labor input and
costs. Products are assumed to be homogeneous within world
industrial sectors, and are distinguished only between those
which are imported and those which are produced domestical
ly. Imports are compared with like or similar domestically
produced commodities on a dollar-for-dollar basis. While this
method is probably more valid for the analysis of the balance
of payments, it has severe limitations if such a one-to-one cor
respondence between output and imports is inferred. Different
wage and cost structures in each country will affect current
dollar value comparability between domestically produced and
imported goods. Furthermore, any estimate of the U.S. labor
requirements necessary to produce output equivalent to the
imported amount would be affected by differences in the valu
ation of imports and output.
Productivity and people
A number of economic factors have created a new awareness of the
human factor in the productivity equation: inflation, the high cost of
money, slow economic growth, high energy costs, and increased for
eign competition have all served to broaden our perspective. Although
in the past top management has tended to downgrade or minimize the
importance of the human factor, there is a new awareness of its signif
icance today. A national opinion survey of leadership in the United
States in 1979 revealed that government leaders considered improved
employee relations to be one of the principal avenues of productivity
improvement. Increasing awareness by the chief executive officers in
American industry of this source of productivity will also focus cor
porate attention on more innovative programs within the workplace.
— J e r o m e M. R o s o w , e d .
Productivity: Prospects for Growth
(New York, Van Nostrand Reinhold Co.,
1981), p. 256.
How valid are estimates
of occupational illness?
While the annual BLS survey measures
few chronic, long-latent, or fatal illnesses,
estimates derived from other studies
can prove statistically flawed and inaccurate
H a r v e y J. H i l a s k i a n d C h a o L i n g W a n g
Incidence rates of occupational disease, published each
year by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, understate the
total impact of the work environment on workers’
health.1This is so because the statistics virtually exclude
chronic types of illnesses, as well as illnesses having a
long latent period whose relationship to the job often
surfaces only after retirement or death.
Alternative methods of measurement confirm that an
undercount exists, but differ concerning its magnitude.
This article examines some of the alternative methods of
estimating occupational diseases and suggests that a
consensus on the adequacy and reliability of the esti
mates is not likely.
One of the first studies to highlight the scope of occu
pational disease in this country was a pilot study
sponsored by the National Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health ( n i o s h ). Confined to cross-sectional
samples of workers in designated small industries in O r
egon and Washington, the study was designed to deter
mine the usefulness of a set of medical procedures for
diagnosing occupational disease, and to ascertain how
much new data on occupational illnesses would be gen
erated by this method. The results of the study,
published in 1975, underscored the issue of a large
undercount in current occupational illness statistics, pri
marily those of BLS.2
Harvey J. Hilaski is an economist in the Office of Occupational
Health and Safety Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Chao Ling
Wang is a biostatistician in the same office. Mary Kay Rieg of the
R e v ie w staff provided special editorial assistance.
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When analysts compared counts of cases of “proba
ble occupational disease” from the pilot study with
those from employer logs maintained under regulations
of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
( o s h a ), and with employer workers’ compensation re
cords, they found that nearly 90 percent of the cases
(approximately 400) uncovered in the pilot study were
not listed in employers’ files.3In effect, the findings indi
cated that the procedures normally followed by employ
ers in recording and reporting occupational illnesses in
fulfillment of legal requirements result in a gross under
estimate of occupational disease in the United States.
It should not be surprising that most of the “proba
ble occupational disease” cases found in the pilot study
were not included in employer records. Consider, for
example, that of the 346 cases discovered in the study,
hearing loss was most prominent, amounting to about
28 percent. This condition usually has a gradual onset,
with the result that the worker may be unaware of any
defect in hearing unless he or she undergoes a hearing
test such as that administered in the study. Moreover,
hearing loss is often part of the aging process; without
baseline data and subsequent periodic testing of the
work environment and resulting effects on the worker,
the occupational relationship can be seriously chal
lenged.4
The NIOSH study results may be questioned in several
aspects, including possible bias inherent in the special
procedures used to assess the health status of surveyed
workers. However, the design is a feasible method for
27
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • O c c u p a tio n a l Illn e ss E stim a te s
dealing with the detection of occupational diseases
which are not readily apparent. Unlike the BLS annual
survey, which measures the incidence of occupational
disease, or the number of new cases recognized by em
ployers as occupational in keeping with regulatory crite
ria, the NIOSH study measured the prevalence of
occupational illness, or the level of occupational illnesses
existing at a given time. For some purposes, prevalence
is the more meaningful measure, in that it reflects the
universe of persons with disease whose medical and eco
nomic needs may warrant special attention. However,
high prevalence does not necessarily indicate high risk;
instead, it may reflect an increase in survival, perhaps
due to improved medical care. Conversely, low preva
lence may reflect either a rapidly fatal process or cure of
disease. The incidence measure is better adapted to keep
a “running tab” on the health effects of workplace ha
zards, except for that component of occupational disease
which is chronic in nature or of long latency.
Indirect estimates
Other studies and reports on occupational health
problems have also pointed to an undercount in current
illness estimates, but they are largely based on indirect
evidence. The lack of reliable measures of occupational
illnesses nationally has necessitated use and manipula
tion of surrogate data from epidemiologic or other stud
ies to produce rather specific estimates of occupational
diseases. On the basis of such data, a 1979 Labor De
partment report to Congress claimed that a conservative
estimate of the prevalence of byssinosis among nearly
560.000 workers exposed to cotton dust at current lev
els was 83,610.5 In 1980, another congressional report
by the Department (hereinafter referred to as the Inter
im Report) provided several estimates of respiratory
disease prevalence or deaths from worker exposure to
asbestos, silica, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, arsenic,
nickel, coal tar products, and diisocyanates.6 Among
other things, the Interim Report stated that, of 1 mil
lion workers currently exposed to silica, an estimated
59.000 will develop “some level” of silicosis; it also pre
dicted 43,230 lung impairments as a result of exposure
to diisocyanates, chemicals used to produce plastic
products.
Much like the NIOSH study results, these estimates
suggest a substantial undercount in the regularly
published national statistics, which for 1980 showed
2,200 cases of all “dust diseases of the lungs.”7(The BLS
survey does not ask employers to specify recognized oc
cupational illnesses such as asbestosis, byssinosis, and
silicosis and thus provides no direct estimates of the in
cidence of these diseases.) It seems worthwhile, there
fore, to examine more closely the major methodologies
and techniques commonly used in deriving indirect esti
mates of occupational disease.8
28
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P revalence o f disease. Prevalence rates were used to de
rive the estimate for silicosis cited above. These rates
express the proportion of the population having a dis
ease at a given time, regardless of time of onset. But be
cause epidemiological studies, the major source of
prevalence estimates of occupational disease, are con
fined to a particular population with a specific exposure,
extrapolation of the findings to other, larger populations
requires caution. Table 1, excerpted from the Interim
Report, will be used to illustrate some of the limitations
in the use of prevalence rates for this purpose.
The exposed population figures, obtained from a vari
ety of sources, including the Mine Safety and Health
Administration and NIOSH, are not representative exclu
sively of the exposed work force. The more important
figures in this table are the prevalence rates, which were
obtained from various special studies. Estimates of the
numbers of disease cases were calculated by multiplying
the exposed populations by the prevalence rates.
The crucial problem in applying prevalence rates de
rived from special studies to an entire production work
force is the lack of assurance that the composition and
levels of exposure of the larger population are the same
as those of the worker group studied. The group of
workers selected for epidemiological study is usually not
a statistical sample of all production workers in the in
dustry; therefore, the prevalence rates from such a study
cannot be generalized to the larger population.
Use of the specialized prevalence rates in deriving the
silicosis estimates probably led to biased results. For ex
ample, the 10-percent prevalence rate for the granite in
dustry, which was adapted from an article published in
the A rc h iv e s o f E n v ir o n m e n ta l H e a lth in 1974,9 was not
a prevalence measure of silicosis or other respiratory
disease, as would be expected. The source data related
only to current dust exposures in the Vermont granite
Table 1. Estimated number of cases of silicosis among
currently exposed workers
Industry
T o ta l...........
Mining:
M e ta l..................
Coal ..................
Nonmetal...........
Quarry:
Granite...........
Sand or gravel
Population
exposed
Prevalence
per 100 persons
Estimated number
of disease
cases
59,102
1,057,000
24,000
126,000
7,000
3.4
.5
.8
816
630
56
4,000
40,000
10.0
10.0
400
4,000
Stone, clay, and
glass products • •
511,000
2 .0 -2 0 .0
31,500
Foundries:
Iron and steel . . .
Nonferrous.........
192,000
75,000
4.0 — 9.0
16,700
Abrasive blasting ..
78,000
6.5
5,000
S ource : U.S. Department of Labor, An Interim Report to Congress on Occupational Dis
eases, June 1980, table A-2, pp. 130-31.
sheds. But for estimating purposes, it was assumed that
sand and gravel workers have the same “prevalence
rate” as the granite workers, under further assumption
of a similar degree and duration of exposure. In the
case of the stone, clay, and glass products industry, a
specific prevalence rate was selected for estimating pur
poses, although special studies showed a range of rates.
While the chosen rate— 6.16 percent— appears conser
vative, there is no reason to assume that it is a better
estimate than any other within the wide 2- to 20-per
cent range of individual study results. If prevalence
rates had been calculated from sample data, the preci
sion of the estimates could be measured by standard er
rors. But for the data in table 1, the standard error of
estimated prevalence is not available, and the precision
of the estimates is therefore not known.
Dose-response. Dose-response studies generally attempt
to establish a statistical relationship between dose (ex
posure) and response (onset of disease or death). For
simplicity, this will be illustrated by example. Eight of
22 North Carolina textile manufacturing plants were se
lected for a 1970-71 study of cotton textile workers.10A
dose-response curve was fitted to the resulting data on
the prevalence of byssinosis among a group of 1,259
workers in the cotton preparation and yarn area. (See
table 2.) From the fitted curve, the byssinosis preva
lence rates and their 95-percent confidence limits for
workers in the cotton preparation and yarn area were
predicted at various cotton dust levels of exposure:
Dust level (m g/m 3) . . . .
Predicted prevalence
per 100 workers ..........
95-percent confidence
in te r v a l..........................
0.1
0.2
0.5
6.5
12.7
25.8
5.0-8.5
10.8-14.9
22.5-29.3
The referenced study suggested that a reasonably safe
level of lint-free cotton dust is 0.1 m g/m 3 in the cotton
preparation and yarn area, because nearly 94 percent of
the workers exposed at this level had no symptoms of
byssinosis.
As indicated in table 3, the authors of the Interim
Report used the results of the North Carolina study to
calculate the total number of expected byssinosis cases
by multiplying 1977 BLS data for production workers in
six yarn manufacturing industries by the prevalence rate
of 25.8 per 100 workers— the prevalence predicted by
the textile worker study for dust level exposure of 0.5
m g /m 3. But it is unrealistic to assume that all workers
in yarn industries generally are exposed to such high
levels of cotton dust. This assumption might not even
be true of cotton preparation and yarn workers nation
wide, the types of workers among whom the prevalence
study was done. Even if it were, however, the results of
this special study should not be construed as necessarily
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Table 2.
level
Data on byssinosis prevalence by median dust
Median dust level (mg/m3 rounded)
Item
Sample size (n) ..................
Cases of byssinosis (r) . . . .
Prevalence (r/n x 100) . . .
.05
.07
.10
.15
145
5
3.4
71
2
2.8
193
14
7.3
279
78 208 147
65
31
27
10
39
37
30
14
9.7 12.8 18.8 25.2 46.2 45.2
.23
.34
.51
.77
1.2
1.7
42
17
40.5
representative of production workers in all yarn manu
facturing industries, because the occupational composi
tion of other industry segments would probably not be
similar to that of the cotton preparation and yarn area.
Closer scrutiny of the dose-response relationship in
the cotton preparation and yarn area makes the selec
tion of the 25.8 prevalence rate even more puzzling, as
only about 285, or 23 percent, of the 1,259 workers fell
in the categories exposed to median dust levels 0.5
m g/m 3 or above. According to the data in table 2, the
average overall byssinosis prevalence for the entire
study was 15.5 per 100 workers, or 195 persons.
For the study of illnesses such as byssinosis, informa
tion on duration or years of exposure to the hazard is
also crucial. This factor should be taken into account
because a worker with 10 or 20 years of work exposure
would seem to be more susceptible to byssinosis than a
worker with a few years of exposure. Moreover, a work
er’s exposure level may change over the years, due to
changes (not always for the worse) in working condi
tions, including ventilation, industrial hygiene practices,
and so forth. In short, a worker normally experiences
different amounts of exposure, of varied duration, over
the course of his or her employment. If the dose-re
sponse relationship curve is not adjusted for the extent
of exposure, its accuracy is diminished. Unfortunately,
comprehensive data on the intensity, duration, and
fluctation of exposure are rarely available, particularly
in retrospective studies of the type used in making the
above estimates.
In general, dose-response relationship curves are
nonlinear, monotonic (increasing or decreasing), and
have lower and upper asymptotes (usually, but not al
ways, 0 and 100 percent). The models tend to operate
well in a restricted range of exposure or dosage levels,
but not over the entire range; that is, they may be use
ful in determining the “safe” level of exposure, but they
are not suitable for developing national or industry
wide statistics on occupational illnesses.
Standardized mortality ratio. The standardized mortality
ratio has been widely used as a summary index of mor
tality in occupational epidemiologic studies. The ratio is
a method commonly used to accomplish indirect age
adjustment by applying age-specific death rates of a
standard population to a study population to yield a
29
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Occupational Illness Estimates
Table 3. Expected numbers of byssinosis cases,
selected yarn manufacturing industries
Yarn manufacturing
Broad woven fabric mills,
cotton ...........................
Circular knit fabric mills . . .
Yarn spinning mills ...........
Texturizing, throwing, twisting, and winding mills ..
Thread m ills ......................
Tire cord and fabric .........
Standard
Industrial
Classification
Code
Exposed
workers
Assumed
prevalence
(in percent)
Expected
cases
2211
2257
2281
86,600
1,000
34,400
25.8
25.8
25.8
22,340
300
8,880
2282
2284
2296
13,900
3,600
1,600
25.8
25.8
25.8
3,590
930
410
S ource : U.S. Department of Labor, An Interim Report to Congress on Occupational Dis
eases, June 1980, table A-1, p. 126.
number of “expected” deaths. It is defined as:
SMR _ total observed deaths in a study population
total expected deaths in the population
A ratio greater than 1 means that more deaths have
been observed in the study group than would be
expected on the basis of rates for the standard popula
tion; conversely, fewer deaths than expected are indicat
ed by a ratio less than 1. A test, such as chi-square, is
generally used for determining the level of significance
of the results.
If the focus is on mortality from hazards in the
workplace, an ideal standard population would include
all workers in the Nation. But because mortality data
are not available in this detail, the total U.S. popula
tion, or the male population, is generally selected as the
standard. Consequently, misunderstanding sometimes
arises in applying standardized mortality ratios to esti
mate the total number of deaths caused by certain dis
eases in industry.
In the Interim Report, the ratio was used to derive
estimates of work-related lung cancers.11 Data from
three sources were used in the computations:
(1) The number of workers exposed to beryllium com
pounds and oxides in end-user processes, estimat
ed at 50,000, was obtained from the n i o s h 1972
National Occupational Hazard Survey.
(2) The mortality ratio of 1.6 for lung cancer among
beryllium workers was taken from epidemiologic
studies.
(3) The 1976 U.S. age-adjusted incidence for lung
cancer of 116 per 100,000 males over age 20 was
used.
The number of expected deaths from lung cancer
among workers in end-user industry processes was then
calculated as: 50,000 X 1.6 X (116/100,000), or about
93 lung cancer deaths. Is this a valid estimate of all
lung cancer deaths in this industrial population which
were due to exposure to beryllium compounds?
First, it is important to understand that a stan
30
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dardized mortality ratio of 1.6 does not mean that the
mortality rate of the study population is 1.6 times that
of the standard population and can thus be used as a
multiplying factor to obtain the number of deaths in a
broader population. Even when exposed to the same
health hazards and having the same age-specific death
rates for all age groups, different study populations will
yield different values of the standardized mortality ratio
if their age distributions differ. Obviously, then, the ra
tios should not be used in estimating the number of
deaths due to disease in populations which differ in
composition from a study population.
Second, a high ratio does not imply that all deaths
from lung cancers, for example, are caused by occupa
tional exposure; it tells us only that the study population
has an unusually high mortality risk. We do not know
what percentage of deaths actually resulted from expo
sure, in this case to beryllium. Even if the standardized
mortality ratio were interpreted to mean that the num
ber of deaths of the study population is 1.6 times that of
the standard population, 58 (that is, 93/1.6) deaths per
year from lung cancer would have occurred in the study
population irrespective of any exposure to beryllium.
That leaves 35 deaths per year (or about 38 percent of
total estimated deaths) which might be attributed to, or
aggravated by, exposure to beryllium compounds. At
most, the estimate of 93 deaths depicts the total cancer
toll among the occupational group, not the excess cancer
resulting from beryllium exposure.
Relative risk. Because incidence or other direct measures
of occupational disease are generally lacking, epidemio
logic study of occupational morbidity often relies on a
measure of excess risk of a disease among workers in
specified working environments to determine the associ
ation between certain occupational factors and the inci
dence of disease. One such measure is relative risk.
As we will see, relative risk also is subject to misuse
in making estimates of occupational disease in industry,
perhaps because of confusion about its definition. This
can be illustrated again by an example from the Interim
Report. From the National Occupational Hazard Sur
vey, 98,090 workers were estimated to be exposed to
chromates in chromate pigment production and, as not
ed, the 1976 U.S. male age-adjusted incidence rate of
lung cancer for those over age 20 was 116 per 100,000.
Based on these two figures and a chosen relative risk of
5, the estimated number of lung cancers per year among
the 98,090 workers was 570 cases: (exposed population)
X (incidence rate of male population) X (relative risk)
= (98,090) X (116/100,000) X 5 = 570 cases.
The report stated: “ Based on three studies reporting
relative risks from 2.3 to 38, a relative risk of 5 will be
used for workers exposed to chromate compounds. . . . ” 12
Seemingly, this is a conservative choice, but in reality
there is no way to tell whether the relative risk of 5 is ap
propriate or not, because we have no information on its
precision. More basic issues are whether relative risk
should even be used to estimate the incidence of lung can
cer cases, and what is involved if one does so.
Relative risk is a measure of the strength of the asso
ciation of the disease with a certain factor, such as
exposure to a specific chemical, and thus is an impor
tant statistical tool in retrospective epidemiological
studies. It is defined as the ratio of the incidence rate of
those exposed to a factor to that of those not exposed.
Conversely, relative risk can be used to compare
groups of subjects diagnosed as having a disease to de
termine if the groups differ in the proportion of persons
who had been exposed to the specific factor or factors.
However, because retrospective study entails looking at
the historical frequency of the suspected cause in a dis
eased group and a control group, the incidence rates of
the diseased among the exposed and unexposed cannot
be estimated directly but only approximated by relative
risk, an odds ratio (or risk ratio).
Consider the following tabulation, in which the total
r of the /th group of workers in a study population T
K
(T = 2 TJ, where K equals the total number of groups,
is divided as:
Exposed to factor . . . .
Not exposed to factor .
T o ta l...................
With
disease
W ithout
disease
A1
B1
C
D
A.1 +
C1
,
B1 + D 1
Total
A 1 + B1
C, + D,
T1
Data classified in the table may be obtained from prospective, cross-sectional, or retrospective studies. Ac
cording to the tabulation above, the proportion of
workers exposed to a factor and having the disease is
Aj /(A j + B,), while the corresponding proportion of
unexposed workers with the disease is C /(C + Dj).
Thus, the relative risk of disease for exposed workers is:
Aj (C + D ^ /C (Ai + Bj). But because the incidence of
a specific disease in a population tends to be low, the
calculation ( A j D ^ / ^ C ) — that is, (A j/B ^/C C /D ,)—
provides a close approximation of the relative risk (but
not of the incidence of disease) for the /th group of in
dividuals. For an overall relative risk, a commonly used
formula is:13
R = I (AjDj/Tj) / I (BjCj/Tj)
i =
1
i =
1
Because age is an important factor affecting incidence
of disease, it should be accounted for in measurements
of overall relative risk. In such an age-adjusted risk ra
tio, Tj is the total of the /th age group. The chi-square
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test is commonly used to determine whether the relative
risk is significantly different from 1. Using a risk ratio
from a particular study and an incidence rate for the
general male population to estimate the extent of occu
pational disease in a larger population exposed to a
specific factor assumes similarity among the age and sex
distributions of all groups. However, in the Interim Re
port’s estimate of disease from exposure to chromate
compounds, the composition of the general male popu
lation and the exposed population may not be similar to
that of any special study population. Therefore, use of
the relative risk of 5, selected from a range, may pro
duce biased results.
In brief, relative risk is a measure only of the strength
of the association between the disease and the exposure
factor. If significantly different from 1, it indicates only
that the disease is strongly associated with the exposure
factor, not that the factor necessarily causes the disease.
Any firmer conclusion would require further study. Rel
ative risk is surely a critical measure for assessing the
etiologic role of a factor in disease, but it is not suitable
for estimating the incidence of disease.
Cancer related to occupational factors
What fraction of cancer incidence in this country is
attributed to occupational exposure to carcinogens in
the workplace? An unpublished 1978 report prepared
jointly by several research institutes indicated that
about 20 percent of all cancers are occupationally relat
ed and stated: “If recent evidence is considered and if
the full consequences of occupational exposures in the
present and recent past are taken into account, esti
mates of at least 20 percent . . . may even be conserva
tive.” 14 The report concluded that earlier estimates that
only 1 to 5 percent of all cancers in the United States
were attributable to occupational factors had not been
scientifically documented and that Dr. Philip Cole’s
1977 estimates of less than 15 percent for men, and less
than 5 percent for women, contained a large element of
uncertainty.15 The results from the joint report have
been cited in numerous publications, and questions have
been raised concerning their validity.
The 20-percent overall estimate resulted from a twostep merger of the results of several separate studies.
The first step developed estimates of the fraction of can
cers due to asbestos exposure, while the second com
pared the risks from asbestos exposure with those from
five other high-exposure substances, with the final result
based on that comparison. Details of the estimation
procedure follow.
According to the report, about 8 to 10 million work
ers have been exposed to asbestos since the beginning of
World War II, and approximately 4 million have had
heavy exposure. On the basis of a longitudinal study of
a cohort of insulation and shipyard workers, the report
31
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Occupational Illness Estimates
indicated that, of deaths of heavily exposed workers, 20
to 25 percent were from lung cancer, 7 to 10 percent
from pleural or peritoneal mesothelioma, and 8 to 9
percent from gastrointestinal cancer. Summed up, this
suggests that 35 to 44 percent of cohort deaths were at
tributable to cancer diseases. Accordingly, the joint
study group concluded that, over the next 30 years, at
least 1.6 million (about 40 percent of the 4 million)
heavily exposed workers would die from the asbestos-re
lated cancers listed above. Based on an assumption
suggested by data from a second source, the excess risk
to the remaining less heavily exposed workers (4 to 7
million) was estimated to be one-fourth of that for the
heavily exposed (a 10-percent risk, obtained as lA X 40
percent), yielding a cancer estimate for this group of 0.4
to 0.7 million. This raises the total to between 2.0 and
2.3 million cancer deaths over the next three decades,
with expected averages of 58,000 to 75,000 cancer
deaths per year associated with asbestos alone. The
joint study indicated that this excess number of cancer
deaths would account for roughly 13 to 18 percent of
all expected cancer deaths.
In the second step, the study presented data on carci
nogenic risks to workers found to be exposed to five
substances in addition to asbestos during a 1972-74
National Occupational Hazard Survey.16 Table 4, adapt
ed from the study, shows selected results. The risk ra
tios were either standard mortality ratios or risk ratios
selected from a range of values obtained from other epi
demiological studies. The report indicated that the
figures were not precise estimates, but reasonable ones
for comparison purposes, because they were all derived
by the same method.
Other conclusions pertaining to the second step of
the joint study:
• Excess cases for the other five substances combined
are about 33,000 cancers per year, versus 13,900 for
asbestos alone (table 4). The data show that these five
agents together pose hazards similar to or greater
than those posed by asbestos.
• The projected numbers of excess cancers are only for
the 1972-74 groups of N-size workers. But because of
workplace turnover, the actual number of workers ex
posed over time will be several times larger than N.
• Consequently, the excess number of cases from asbes
tos (13,900) among the 1972-74 group underesti
mates the annual expected number of cancer deaths
related to asbestos— 58,000 to 75,000, as derived in
step 1— by a factor of 4 to 5.
• Because the data for the five other substances listed
in table 4 were derived in the same way as those for
asbestos, the estimates may likewise underestimate
the number of cancers attributable to these sub
stances.
Digitized for
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Table 4. Risks of disease associated with exposure to
selected substances
Chemical
substance
Estimated
number of
workers exposed,
1972-74 (N)
(in millions)
Asbestos . .
1.6
Arsenic . . .
1.5
Benzene . . .
2.0
Chromium .
1.5
Nickel
1.4
....
Petroleum
products .
3.9
Diseases
of risk
Lung cancer
Mesothelioma
Respiratory
cancer
Leukemia
Respiratory
cancer
Respiratory
cancer
Lung cancer
Age-adjusted Projected
incidence number of
of
excess
(R)
disease (1)
cases
(assumed)
(per 100,000)
(R-1)NI
Risk
ratio
6.6
116
(one third of lung cancer)
4.7
131
5
17.9
10,400
3,500
7,300
1,400
5
131
7,900
5
131
7,300
3
116
9,100
S ource : National Cancer Institute, National Institute of Environmental Health Services,
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Estimates o f the Fraction o f Cancer in
the United States Related to Occupational Factors, September 1978, (unpublished) table 2
p. 33-38.
• According to results from the first study step, asbes
tos alone will account for between 13 and 18 percent
of all cancer deaths over the next 30 years. The data
for the five other substances suggest at least 10 to 20
percent additional cancer deaths. Hence the study
conclusion that occupationally related cancers may
make up 20 percent or more of cancer deaths in
forthcoming decades.
Closer examination of the joint study findings indi
cates that they may not be fully supported by data from
the various studies used in their development, a conclu
sion corroborated in a report prepared for the Office of
Technology Assessment, U.S. Congress.17
First, a study of causes of nearly 2,300 deaths among
a cohort of 17,800 asbestos insulation workers contrib
uted the finding that 35 to 44 percent of workers heavi
ly exposed to asbestos died of cancer. The joint study
group selected 40 percent as an approximation of the
cohort’s fatal cancer risk, and applied this percentage to
a national population of 4 million workers considered
to be heavily exposed to asbestos. This extrapolation
was based on the unstated and probably unjustified as
sumption that the cohort of asbestos insulation workers
was representative of the worker population of mixed
industries. The mixed industry population might well dif
fer from the cohort group not only in levels and length
of asbestos exposure, but also in terms of population
factors, such as age, sex, race, and percentage of smok
ers, which play significant roles in risk assessment.
From the statistical point of view, application of the re
sults from a study population to other populations of dif
ferent composition and exposure experience usually pro
duces biased estimates. The assumption that the risk of
cancers for the less heavily exposed group of 4 to 7 mil
lion workers is one-fourth that of the heavily exposed
group is similarly questionable. Consequently, the re-
suiting total estimate of 58,000 to 75,000 asbestos-relat
ed cancer deaths per year is highly suspect.
Second, the analytic results by “causes” of death in
the cohort group of asbestos insulation workers showed
only the percentage distribution by disease, irrespective
of cause; they did not indicate what fraction of cancer
was induced or aggravated by asbestos alone or by any
other specific exposure. Although it may be highly ab
normal to find 20 to 25 percent of lung cancers and 8
to 9 percent of gastrointestinal cancers as causes of
death among a group of workers, the actual percentage
of cohort-group deaths specifically associated with expo
sure to asbestos remains uncertain.
Third, the method of estimating excess cancer cases
or deaths for each exposure substance shown in table 4
may result in either overestimates or underestimates.
Risk ratios do not in themselves provide the magnitude
of risk, because they are greatly affected by the compo
sition of the study population. In that the risk ratio is a
ratio of observed to expected disease cases or deaths,
any small increase in observed cases will greatly in
crease the risk ratio if the expected number of cases is
small. This is especially true when the study population
is small. Assume, for example, that study results indi
cate that 1,400 deaths were observed when only 1,000
were expected, yielding a risk ratio of 1.4. The chisquare value for the level of significance will be: X2 =
(observed-expected)2/ expected = 160. To achieve the
same level of significance for an expected number of 10,
the observed number would have to be 50, and the re
sulting risk ratio would be 5. Thus, a small study popu
lation has a better chance to yield a large risk ratio
than a large study population, if both experience the
same hazards and have the same population composi
tion. It is not surprising, therefore, to find that risk ra
tios vary widely among epidemiologic studies of
workers exposed to the same chemical substance. It is
more im portant to know whether the value of the risk
ratio is significantly different from 1, which indicates
that the risks for the exposed and nonexposed groups
are not identical, than to determine the absolute magni
tude of the ratio itself.
Fourth, the joint report considered 13,900 excess
cases per year due to asbestos exposure to be under
estimated by a factor of 4 to 5 under the assumption of
high turnover of the work force. Because the report had
already estimated 58,000 to 75,000 asbestos-related
deaths per year in an exposed population estimated at 8
to 11 million, further inflation by this factor results in
an incredible number of occupational cancers. Based on
the age-adjusted incidence shown in table 4, the number
of expected lung cancer deaths, excluding mesothelioma,
among a 1.6 million male population over age 20 would
be 11.6 million X (116/100,000) or 1,856, in the ab
sence of any exposure to asbestos. It follows, then, that
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excess lung cancer deaths due to asbestos exposure
alone (10,400) amount to 85 percent of all lung cancer
deaths in this 1.6 million exposed population— that is,
10,400/(1,856 + 10,400). Add to this calculation the
mesothelioma cases, and the figure becomes 88 percent,
a rather astounding share considering all other cancer
causes.
Estimates of the excess number of predominantly re
spiratory type cancer cases due to the five other sub
stances for the given groups of exposed workers also are
indicated in table 4. For these groups, the expected
numbers of cancer cases in the absence of exposure
would be: 1,970 (arsenic), 360 (benzene), 1,970 (chromi
um), 1,830 (nickel), and 4,520 (petroleum products), by
direct application of the corresponding incidence rate.
This means that the proportion of total cancer cases as
sociated with each of these five chemicals would amount
to 79 percent, 80 percent, 90 percent, 80 percent, and
67 percent, respectively. These proportions appear un
reasonably high.
Finally, the joint study group considered the excess
number of cancers attributed to the five other sub
stances to be underestimated also, based on the twostep findings for asbestos and applying the same logic.
However, this inference is not justifiable, because esti
mates for the other substances were obtained indepen
dently, and the magnitudes of the estimates were greatly
affected by the value of the risk ratio chosen for each.
Disability-impairment data
Three types of disability data are available to the oc
cupational health analyst: Social Security Administration
data from the various surveys of disabled adults; the So
cial Security Administration’s disability applicant files;
and the National Center for Health Statistics’ Health In
terview Survey data. These data sets also suggest that
there are greater numbers of health problems with some
occupational connection than published data from em
ployer-based surveys would indicate, but they do not
necessarily establish a causal connection between work
and disease. Therefore, it may be beneficial to discuss
briefly the conceptual framework of these data bases.
The disability study. This study was an analysis of dis
ability data obtained from an interview survey of 18,000
persons age 20 to 64, who had been selected from the
1970 5-percent census sample.18 The survey was con
ducted by the Bureau of the Census for the Social Secu
rity Administration. Of the 18,000-member sample,
11,700 had been selected from among those persons
who had a disability prior to October 1969 as indicated
on the 1970 census questionnaire. A mail screening in
1971 resulted in selection of another 1,200 recent onset
cases and 5,100 nondisabled persons. Disability in the
study was defined “severe,” if it precluded work alto33
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Occupational Illness Estimates
gether, or “partial,” if it limited the kind or amount of
work performed.
Based on survey results, it was estimated that about
15 million persons age 20 to 64 nationwide were dis
abled from all causes. To determine the job-relatedness
of a disability, the survey respondent was asked: “Was
your (main condition or illness) caused by your job?”
Of the resulting estimated 2.4 million job-caused
disabilities, 1.7 million were attributed by the author of
the study to occupational disease. (For purposes of the
study, occupational diseases were defined as all cases of
disability which were not caused by an accident on the
job.) The study further stated: “Because of limited un
derstanding of what diseases are occupational in nature,
it is likely that the actual number of occupational dis
ease cases is much higher” (page IV).
The study indicated that, of the 1.7 million persons
disabled by occupational disease, 1.1 million or twothirds were partially disabled. Among the 0.6 million
severely disabled, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular
conditions accounted for almost 60 percent of all condi
tions reported. About 25 percent had mental and diges
tive ailments and 9 percent, respiratory conditions.
Cancer caused by occupation was estimated among the
severely disabled at little more than 1 percent, slightly
over 6,000 cases.
Can we say that these are good estimates? As the au
thor of the study points out, the survey provided a
snapshot of the population at a given time.19 Thus, the
resulting estimates measured the prevalence of occupa
tional disease, counting as they did all existing
disabilities without regard to time of onset or diagnosis.
The occupational relationship was subjectively perceived
by respondents and may or may not have been corrobo
rated by objective medical evidence. Except perhaps for
the musculoskeletal impairments, the other conditions
were of a type for which objective evidence of occupa
tional causality might have been difficult to obtain.
Finally, while national estimates based on survey
data of self-perceived work-related disabilities suggest
that an undercount in employer-based occupational ill
ness estimates does exist and in some identifiable pa
rameter, it appears that those diseases which have long
latent periods and have yet to be diagnosed are missed
in this approach as well. Many long-latent diseases or
aggravating disease symptoms of possible occupational
origin are recognized beyond the cutoff age of most di
rect surveys. When disease appears after a worker has
lived at least a normal life span, other factors, related to
the aging process, enter which may lessen the urgency
to determine precise causes.
Disability applicant files. The Social Security disability
program provides benefits to disabled adults with work
experience in employments covered by the Social Securi
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ty Act, and to adults disabled since childhood who are
dependents of disabled or retired work beneficiaries or
of deceased insured workers. To qualify, claimants for
Social Security Disability Insurance must prove that
they are both disabled and unable to engage in any sub
stantially gainful work due to their medical condition.
Two sample data files from disability applicant records
are maintained by the Social Security Administration
( s s a ), the Continuous Disability History Sample ( c d h s )
and the Longitudinal Sample of Disability Insurance
Applicants ( l s d i a ). CDHS contains about 25 percent of
allowed claims and 10 percent of denied claims, while
LSDIA is a 5-percent longitudinal sample of disability
applicants.
Disability applicant records contain demographic in
formation, such as sex, race, date of birth, education,
occupation, and industry of employment, as well as im
portant medical information, such as diagnosis (prima
ry, secondary, and tertiary), listings of impairments,
principal body system involved, and severity and dura
tion of impairment. It is important to note, however,
that in the recording and coding of disability cases,
work-related illnesses are not distinguished from
nonwork-related ones. That is, for adjudicative pur
poses, an occupational relation to the disease or disabil
ity does not have to be established. (Although
occupations are associated with worker claimants, no
causal relationship is required or intended.) According
to a 1974 report by the U.S. Department of Health, Ed
ucation, and Welfare, the leading causes of disability by
diagnosis were listed as chronic ischemic heart, schizo
phrenia, osteoarthritis, emphysema, displacement of in
tervertebral disc, diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis,
acute cerebrovascular disease, malignant neoplasm of
trachea and lung, neuroses, pulmonary tuberculosis, and
mental disorders.20 This listing also contains types of
diseases for which, obviously, objective evidence of oc
cupational causation would be hard to come by.
To qualify for disability insurance, a claimant must
have a health condition sufficiently incapacitating to be
unable to engage in any substantial, gainful work. Thus,
a worker may have an occupational disease, but be
disallowed disability benefits because pursuit of gainful
employment is still possible. Therefore, disability esti
mates based on SSA records are not precise and compre
hensive indicators of occupational impact. In addition,
the occupational history of an applicant is limited to his
or her longest full-time occupation in the 10-year period
preceding the alleged date of onset. Because a jobcaused disability, especially one of a chronic nature,
may have been due to an earlier exposure, and perhaps,
to a different job, there is a potential bias in the use of
these statistics for epidemiological study. While the SSA
disability files are an important source of data for devel
opment of morbidity ratios which identify disease and
occupational relationships worthy of further study, they
are not suitable for deriving estimates of occupational
disease.21
data can serve important epidemiological research ob
jectives, but should not be used to derive precise esti
mates of occupational disease incidence.22
Health Interview Survey data. The Health Interview Sur
vey of the National Center for Health Statistics is a na
tionwide survey of approximately 40,000 households,
conducted on a continuous basis. It is designed to gath
er information on personal and demographic character
istics, illnesses, injuries, impairments, chronic condi
tions, and other health topics. Respondents are asked
whether they worked in the 2 weeks prior to the inter
view week, and in what occupation and industry. Each
year’s sample includes about 120,000 persons, of whom
roughly 50 percent are employed.
As data are processed and tabulated, the center
publishes analytical reports on various topics. While
very few reports have been published on the work force
population as the primary study target, data files are
available for research purposes. Like the Social Security
Administration disability applicant data the center’s
D e s p i t e t h e i r s h o r t c o m i n g s , the results of the studies
and applied methodologies discussed above do, in com
bination, point to a larger impact of the workplace on
the health of workers than is borne out in regularly
published statistics, although the magnitude of the un
derstatement remains uncertain. Continued efforts to
wards improved or new methods are needed to produce
national estimates of greater credibility for the chronic
and long latent disease component of job origin. Such
efforts might include improved techniques for diagnos
ing occupational diseases; more sophisticated and effi
cient means of monitoring workers’ health; education
and training of doctors and workers regarding health
hazards on the job; conduct of epidemiological studies
representative of national experience; and establishing
methodology for determining the contribution of job ex
posure to the origin and course of disease.
□
sp on se Studies in C otton T extile W orkers,” Journal of Occupational
' Harvey J. Hilaski, “Understanding statistics on occupational
Medicine, V ol. 15, N o . 3, 1973, pp. 2 2 2 -3 0 .
illnesses,” Monthly Labor Review, March 1981, pp. 25-29.
2
David P. Discher, Goldy D. Kleinman, and F. James Foster, Pilot
" An Interim Report, pp. 2 1 -2 3 .
Study for Development of an Occupational Disease Surveillance Method
(Washington, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Na
tional Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1975).
' In the survey, the examining physician determined a condition to
be one of five types: probable occupational disease; doubtful occupa
tional disease; suggestive history; cannot be evaluated; probably
nonoccupational. Probable occupational disease was considered to be
present when “manifestations of disease are consistent with those
known to result from excessive exposure to a given injurious agent;
this injurious agent is present in the patient’s working environment
and significant contact in course of usual duties is likely.” Discher
and other, Pilot Study, p. 25.
4 Although OSH A had a noise standard as early as 1971, environ
mental and audiometric testing was not formalized at the time of the
pilot survey. Under the Hearing Conservation Amendment, which be
came effective Aug. 22, 1981, the permissible exposure level (PEL) re
mains at the 90 decibel (dB) level as an 8-hour time weighted average
but an 85 decibel time weighted average was established as an action
level which triggers the initiation of hearing conservation programs,
including exposure monitoring, audiometric testing of employees,
training, and some recordkeeping.
5U.S. Department of Labor, Cotton Dust: Review of Alternative
Technical Standards and Control Technologies, Report to the Congress,
May 1979.
6 U.S. Department of Labor, An Interim Report to Congress on Oc
cupational Diseases, June 1980. Also see “Labor Month in Review,”
Monthly Labor Review, August 1980, p. 2.
7See Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in the United States by In
dustry, 1980, Bulletin 2130 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), p. 32,
table 7.
"This study was undertaken in the spring of 1980 as part of the
Bureau’s continuing evaluation of occupational safety and health sta
tistics.
qGilles P. Theriault, William A. Burgess, Lou J. DiBerardinis, and
John M. Peters, “Dust Exposure in the Vermont Granite Sheds,” Ar
chives of Environmental Health, Vol. 28, 1974, pp. 12-17.
10 James A. Merchant, John C. Lumsden, and others, “Dose Re
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12 Ibid., p. 26.
13 See N ath an M antel and W illiam H aenszel, “ Statistical A sp ects of
the A n alysis of D a ta from R etrospective Studies of D isea se ,” Journal
of the National Cancer Institute, V ol. 22, N o . 4, 1979, pp. 719—48, for
a full discussion of the various relative risk form ulas.
14 N ation al Cancer Institute, N ation al Institute of E nvironm ental
H ealth Services, N ation al Institute for O ccupational Safety and
H ealth , Estimates of the Fraction of Cancer in the United States Relat
ed to Occupational Factors, Septem ber 1978 (unpub lished), p. 1.
15 Ibid., pp. 5 -8 .
16 E xposure inform ation for all substances, except arsenic, w as d e
rived from the N ation al O ccupational H azard Survey con d u cted by
N IO S H during 19 7 2 -7 4 . E xposure inform ation for arsenic was c o n
tained in criteria for a 1975 recom m ended standard developed by
N IO S H .
17 R ichard D o ll and R ichard Peto, “T he C auses of Cancer: Q uan tita
tive E stim ates of A void ab le R isks of C ancer in the U n ited States T o
d a y ,” Journal of the National Cancer Institute, June 1981, pp. 1238—
45.
18 G len M . Shor, Occupational Disease and Compensation: An
Analysis of the 1972 SSA Survey of Disabled Adults, prepared under
contract for the Office of the A ssistan t Secretary for P olicy, E valua
tion and R esearch, U .S . D epartm ent of Labor, O ctober 1979.
19 Shor,
Occupational Disease, p. 2.
20 Social Security Disability Applicant Statistics 1970 (W ashin gton,
U .S. D epartm ent of H ealth, E ducation , and W elfare, 1974).
21 F or a recent study of Social Security disability data, see NIOSH
Research Report, Occupational Characteristics of Disabled Workers
(W ashin gton, U .S. D epartm ent of H ealth and H um an Services, N a
tional Institute for O ccupational Safety and H ealth, 1980).
22 For an alysis of H ealth Interview Survey data, see NIOSH Re
search Report, Industrial Characteristics of Persons Reporting Morbidity
During the Health Interview Surveys Conducted in 1969-1974 (W ash
in gton , U .S . D epartm ent of H ealth and H um an Services, N ation al In
stitu te for O ccupational Safety and H ealth, 1980).
35
Disability benefits for employees
in private pension plans
Although benefits vary,
for many 20-year employees aged 55,
a private pension and social security
would replace about one-half of
the worker's pre-disability earnings
D
onald
B ell
and
W il l ia m W ia t r o w s k i
Although private pension plans are thought of primarily
as a source of cash income for the elderly, they typically
serve other functions as well. For example, they usually
contain early retirement features and often provide pen
sions to workers who lose their jobs because of disability.
The high proportion of pension plans with disability
retirement features is dramatized in data from the Bu
reau of Labor Statistics’ annual survey of the incidence
and characteristics of employee benefit plans in medium
and large establishments.1 Of the 1,002 private pension
plans found in the 1980 survey, 86 percent had disabili
ty retirement features.2 This article analyzes the various
eligibility requirements for disability retirement and typ
ical benefit levels, as found in these plans.
Disabled workers may have other protection as well.
They often are eligible for social security benefits and
also may be covered by private long-term disability in
surance plans. This study includes retirement benefits
and related long-term disability and social security bene
fits. However, excluded from the study are separate
long-term disability plans which would be the only
source of private disability income, and general early re
tirement provisions without specific disability features.
Two-thirds of the 861 pension plans with disability
provisions offered immediate disability benefits. The re
maining third deferred benefits until the employee
reached the early or normal retirement age stipulated by
the plan. However, immediate long-term disability inDonald Bell and William Wiatrowski are economists in the Division
of Occupational Pay and Employee Benefit Levels, Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
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36
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
surance benefits were typically available to employees
under deferred disability retirement plans. (Long-term
disability benefits were less common when immediate
disability pensions were paid.) Such private benefits are
provided in addition to payments under the social secu
rity system when a worker is incapacitated.
Under retirement plans providing immediate disabili
ty pensions, benefits were available to workers meeting
plan definitions of disability; commonly, service or age
requirements, or both, were specified as well. Employees
covered by deferred-benefit plans also had to reach the
stipulated early or normal retirement age to receive
benefits.
Illustrative benefit levels from all potential sources—
disability retirement, long-term disability insurance, and
social security — were calculated as a percent of pre-re
tirement earnings for a hypothetical worker disabled at
age 55, with 20 years of service. Under these conditions,
combined private pension and social security benefits
tended to replace about half of pre-disability earnings in
instances when private pension plans provided immedi
ate retirement benefits. Replacement rates in many cases
were more liberal where retirement packages furnished
deferred pensions integrated with long-term disability
benefits. As a rule, social security, rather than private
plans, was the larger income source for the disabled
worker.
Immediate and deferred benefits
Sixty-eight percent of the 861 disability retirement
plans examined offered immediate pensions. The balance
(32 percent) deferred benefit payments until the normal
retirement age or in some instances, at the employee’s
option, until the early retirement age.
A key element in any pension plan is the formula in
cluded for calculating benefits. (Common formulas in
volve percentages of an employee’s career or terminal
earnings and dollar amounts per year for which an indi
vidual is covered by the plan.3 ) Most of the pension
plans studied used the same basic formula to calculate
disability and normal retirement benefits.
Immediate disability retirement. Of the 583 plans with
immediate disability retirement provisions, nearly threefourths used an unreduced normal benefit formula for
disabled workers. (See table 1.) That is, beneficiaries re
ceived pensions calculated as if disability occurred at
the normal retirement age;4 no reduction in benefits was
made solely because of the early retirement age. Never
theless, these disability pensions tended to be lower
than those for normal retirement because benefits typi
cally were based on shorter service.
An additional 15 percent of plans with immediate
disability benefits reduced pensions because of the rela
tively young age of those who retire on disability. Near
ly half of these plans provided for actuarial reductions;
pensions for retirement at age 55 usually were about 61
percent below those for normal retirement at age 65
with the same service. The remainder of these plans
provided for less than actuarial reductions, the average
benefit for disability at age 55 being approximately 43
percent less than that for normal retirement at age 65.
The remaining 14 percent of the plans with immedi
ate disability pensions based benefits on formulas
designed to temper reductions caused by shortness of
service or to yield higher returns than under the normal
retirement formula.
Generally, plans do not provide for later modification
of the benefits determined at the time of disability re
tirement. However, 7 percent of the immediate disabili
ty retirement plans specified a recalculation of benefits
at age 65, mainly either to increase compensation for
persons whose benefits were reduced because their dis
ability occurred before normal retirement age or to raise
benefits for those with short service at the time of dis
ability retirement. Four percent recalculated benefits at
age 65 based on the normal retirement formula and ser
vice at the date of disability; 3 percent recalculated on
the basis of credited service at the time of disability
plus the period of disability.
Deferred disability retirement. In sharp contrast to the
typical practice under plans providing immediate bene
fits, only 16 percent of the deferred disability retirement
plans based benefits solely on service at the time of dis
ability. (See table 2.) Benefit calculations under most of
the deferred plans granted service credit for all or part
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Table 1. Pension plans with immediate disability
retirement provisions by type of benefit formula,
medium and large establishments, 1980
Benefit formula
Plans with
immediate
disability
retirement
Percent oh.
Plans with
immediate
disability
retirement
All
disability
retirement
plans
..........................................
583
100
68
Unreduced normal benefits....................
418
72
49
Reduced normal benefits ......................
85
15
10
Actuarially reduced form ulas.............
Same as early retirement ..................
Percent per year reduction between
retirement and specified age .........
39
29
7
5
5
3
17
3
2
Other than normal benefits....................
80
14
9
Flat amount formulas ........................
Dollars times years of s e rv ic e ...........
Percent of unreduced benefit
minus social security......................
Percent of earnings minus social
security ..........................................
Percent of earnings in highest of
last years w o rk e d ...........................
19
24
3
4
2
3
20
3
2
12
2
1
5
1
1
Tota
N ote :
Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.
of the period between disability and the initiation of
pension payments. Thus, 77 percent of these plans
allowed service credit to accrue during all of the defer
ral period, while 7 percent allowed partial credit, usual
ly for 1 or 2 years.
Coordination o f pensions and social security. Benefits
under private pension plans may be coordinated with
those under the social security system. This occurs
through either offset or integration provisions in the pri
vate plans. Under the former approach, private benefits
are reduced by all or part of the social security pay
ment. Integration provisions apply separate benefit for
mulas to earnings above and below the social security
taxable wage base; for example, 1 percent of earnings
up to the social security tax base and 1.5 percent of
earnings above that tax base for each year of service.
Thirty percent of all pension plan participants in the
1980 study were covered by offset provisions; 16 per
cent were in plans with integrated formulas for normal
retirement benefits.5 Such coordination typically was ap
plicable to disability retirement, too.
Long-term disability insurance
A review of disability benefits must also consider
long-term disability insurance, which often supplements
or serves as an alternative to disability pensions. Gener
ally, these payments begin after sick leave and accident
and sickness insurance are exhausted and continue as
long as a disabled employee remains incapacitated, or
until retirement age is reached. Forty percent of persons
covered by the Bureau’s 1980 survey of employee bene37
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Disability Benefits
fit plans participated in long-term disability plans. Spec
ified benefits, including payments from social security
and other government programs such as workers’ com
pensation, were usually a fixed percent of monthly earn
ings. Almost two-thirds of the participants were in
plans designed to provide 50 to 60 percent of pre-dis
ability earnings; however, resulting dollar benefits were
often limited by maximum coverage restrictions so that
persons with high earnings may receive a lower percent
of earnings for disability benefits.6
As expected, long-term disability insurance plans
were more prevalent where retirement pension plans
provided deferred disability benefits. Table 2 shows that
89 percent of deferred plans were in establishments with
long-term disability plans financed either solely by the
employer or jointly by the employer and employees.
Nine percent of the deferred disability retirement plans
were in establishments providing an optional long-term
disability plan paid for entirely by the employees. Thus,
only 2 percent have workers who cannot receive imme
diately available disability benefits from private sources
related to their employment.
Long-term disability insurance plans were less preva
lent when pension plans provided immediate disability
retirement benefits. Twenty-seven percent of these pen
sion programs were tied in with the insurance plans.
Coordination of long-term disability benefits with dis
ability pensions and social security was almost
universal. The most common method of coordination
was by offset; long-term disability benefits were reduced
by the amount of private pension and social security a
disabled worker received. The total benefit received by
an employee covered by such a program was the
amount specified by the long-term disability plan, gen
Table 2. Pension plans with deferred disability retirement
provisions by service credited and integration with long
term disability insurance, medium and large
establishments, 1980
Characteristic
Plans with
deferred
disability
retirement
Percent of:
Plans with
deferred
disability
retirement
All
disability
retirement
plans
Service credited:
T o ta l............................................
Service when disabled ...........................
Service plus credit to normal or
early retirement .................................
Service plus partial credits ....................
278
44
100
16
32
5
215
19
77
7
25
2
278
100
32
248
89
29
25
5
9
2
3
1
Integration with long- term disability
insurance:
T o ta l............................................
Insurance paid by employer or jointly
by employer and employee ...............
Insurance paid entirely by
em ployee............................................
No insurance ..........................................
N ote :
Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.
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38
Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis
erally 50 to 60 percent of pre-retirement earnings. Offset
provisions were in four-fifths of the long-term disability
plans in establishments with either immediate or de
ferred disability retirement benefits. Substantially all of
the remainder specified an overall maximum benefit
from all sources, most often 70 or 75 percent of pre
retirement earnings.
Eligibility requirements
To qualify for a disability pension, a worker must
meet the plan’s definition of total and permanent dis
ability and, frequently, a service requirement. A mini
mum age may also be specified. These requirements
often differ from those applicable to social security dis
ability benefits.
Definitions o f disability. As a rule, definitions of disabili
ty are designed to make benefits available only to
workers whose incapacities require them to withdraw
from the labor force. About three-fourths of the disabil
ity retirement plans defined disability either in the same
way as social security (25 percent) or more restrictively
(48 percent). The Social Security Act defines disability
as incapacity for substantial gainful work at any job
that exists to a considerable extent in the U.S. economy;
such incapacity is expected to result in death or to last
for a year or more.7 Many private plans have a more re
strictive definition, stating that persons must be dis
abled for “any type of occupation or employment.”
Consequently, workers meeting the eligibility require
ment of nearly three-fourths of the private plans also
met the social security test.
However, one-fourth of the disability retirement plans
defined disability as occurring when an employee was
unable to continue in his or her job with the company.
Individuals meeting this criterion would not necessarily
qualify for social security disability benefits.8 But, half
of the plans containing this relatively liberal definition
offered a supplemental benefit which continued until eli
gibility for social security disability or retirement bene
fits or a specified age, such as 65, for persons not
covered by social security. In this manner, they provid
ed benefits more comparable to those obtained by em
ployees eligible for social security disability payments.
Age and service requirements. Comparison of findings of
this study with those of a 1966 Bureau analysis9 indi
cates a growing emphasis on service rather than on age
in defining eligibility for disability pensions. This brings
private plans closer to the social security approach,
which now includes only a service requirement. (A min
imum age requirement for social security disability ben
efits was removed in 1960.) The following tabulation
summarizes the various age and service requirements
made by the plans.
R e q u ire m e n ts
Total ..................................
No age or service ........................
Service o n l y ..................................
Age o n l y ........................................
Age and service ..........................
Meets qualification for long-term
disability b en e fits.....................
N um ber o f
p la n s
P ercen t o f
p la n s
861
138
499
9
112
100
16
58
1
13
103
12
Almost three-fifths of the disability retirement plans in
the 1980 study included a service requirement, but did
not specify a minimum age for benefits. The average
length of service required by these plans was 11 years.
This was more restrictive than the social security stipu
lation which stated that an individual must be fully in
sured10 and work in covered service 20 of the last 40
quarters (5 of the last 10 years).
Only 14 percent of the plans specified a minimum
age; most combined age and service requirements, com
monly age 45 with 10 years of service or age 50 with 15
years of service. The average age requirement in these
plans was 46 years. Just 1 percent of the plans had only
an age requirement, averaging 54 years.
The remainder of the plans (241) did not specify ei
ther an age or a service requirement per se. However,
more than 40 percent of this group required that the el
igibility for associated long-term disability plans be met,
which most often had a minimal service requirement.
ing immediate disability benefits were not coordinated
with long-term disability plans and provided pensions
unreduced solely for early disability retirement age.
These plans, under the hypothetical conditions, would
provide a pension estimated to average 21 percent of
pre-retirement earnings. Adding social security pay
m ents— 32 percent— total benefits would be just over
half of earnings before disability.12
Replacement rates would vary under alternative bene
fit formulas. For example, a small portion of immediate
disability retirement plans actuarially reduce benefits for
early retirement age. These plans would commonly re
place only 8 percent of the earnings of the hypothetical
worker,13 resulting in combined private pension and so
cial security benefits of two-fifths of pre-retirement earn
ings. (In practice, replacement rates would deviate from
those calculated here, depending on the actual age-ser
vice status of individual disabled workers.)
Replacement rates in the immediate disability benefit
plans studied would generally continue unchanged after
normal retirement age, except for the 50 percent in
crease in social security benefits provided for married
employees with one wage earner in the family.14
Table 3. Full-time participants in private pension plans by
provisions for disability retirement, medium and large
establishments, 1980
[In percent]
Participants
Waiting periods. Immediate disability retirement and
long-term disability benefits typically were payable after
an initial waiting period, usually 5 or 6 months. The
waiting period, similar to the 5 months imposed by so
cial security, is designed to ensure the validity of a
claim before initiating payment of long-term benefits.
However, most of the employees in the study were cov
ered during all or part of the waiting period by sick
leave or short-term accident and sickness insurance.11
Illustrative benefits
The following replacement rates illustrate typical dis
ability retirement benefits among various types of plans
and relate benefit levels to pre-disability earnings. Re
placement rates— ratios of disability benefits to pre-dis
ability earnings— were calculated for a hypothetical
employee, age 55, retiring on a disability pension after
20 years of service under his or her current private pen
sion plan. This is in contrast to assumed normal retire
ment at age 65 after 30 years. The hypothetical
employee also had been covered for 30 years under so
cial security, and met the social security definition of
disability. Earnings equaled the average in the broad in
dustry group in which employed, and followed a typical
growth pattern over the years.
As noted, the majority of private pension plans giv
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Characteristic
Total with disability
retirement benefits ....................
All
Professional Technical
and
and
administrative
clerical
Production
87
85
81
91
Total ..........................................
100
100
100
100
No age or service ........................
Age only ........................................
Service o n ly ...................................
Age and service.............................
No age or service — meets
qualification for long-term
disability benefits ......................
16
1
61
11
18
1
51
9
21
1
48
11
13
1
70
12
11
21
18
5
Total ......................................
100
100
100
100
Immediate disability
retirement .................................
Unreduced normal formula . . . .
Reduced normal form ula...........
Other than normal formula1 . . . .
70
55
7
8
52
41
6
6
51
39
7
5
84
67
8
10
30
47
49
16
5
6
7
4
24
2
39
3
38
4
12
1
Minimum requirements for
disability retirement
Benefit provisions
Deferred disability
retirement .................................
With benefits based on:
Service when disabled...........
Service plus credit to
normal retirement date . . . .
Service with some credit . . . .
' Includes flat amount benefits, dollar amount formulas, percent of unreduced normal ben
efits less social security, and percent of earnings formulas both with and without social secu
rity offsets.
N ote :
Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.
39
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Disability Benefits
The discussion of replacement rates under immediate
disability retirement plans has ignored long-term dis
ability benefits which are available to only a small frac
tion of the workers affected. However, these benefits are
the primary private source of pre-retirement age earn
ings when deferred disability pensions are provided. In
these instances, long-term disability payments— com
bined with social security— commonly yield either 50
or 60 percent of pre-disability earnings.
Under deferred disability pension plans, replacement
rates change at the normal retirement age, both because
of the addition of spouse’s benefits under social security
and the switch from long-term disability to private pen
sion benefits. As observed above, pension benefits nor
mally reflect service credit for the period of long-term
disability benefits. For a worker retiring at age 55, an
additional 10 years of credit would, on the average,
raise the pension at age 65 from 21 to 30 percent of
pre-retirement earnings; total yield— including social se
curity— would then be 62 percent for a single employee
and 78 percent if married.15 Deferred and long-term dis
ability benefit packages were more prevalent among
non-negotiated plans for salaried personnel than among
collectively bargained plans for hourly rated employees;
' The survey is conducted in a sample designed to represent all pri
vate sector establishments in the United States, excluding Alaska and
Hawaii, employing at least 50, 100, or 250 workers, depending on the
industry. Industrial coverage includes: mining; construction; manufac
turing; transportation, communications, electric, gas, and sanitary ser
vices; wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate;
and selected services. For additional details on the survey, see Em
ployee Benefits in Industry, 1980, Bulletin 2107 (Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics, 1981). See also Robert Frumkin and William Wiatrowski,
“ Bureau of Labor Statistics takes a new look at employee benefits”
in this issue of the Review.
While the bulletin contains information for a universe of employees,
data tabulations in this article are simple counts of the number of
pension plans containing the characteristics under analysis. The data
relate solely to the specific plans included in the study. No attempt
has been made to project findings to the entire universe of pension
plans.
2For an independent source of data on the incidence of disability
retirement plans, see Jonathan Sunshine, Disability, Office of Manage
ment and Budget Staff Technical Paper, 1979, p. 113. An earlier BLS
study of disability benefits, which excluded both related long-term
disability insurance and deferred disability benefits, is reported in
Stanley S. Sacks, “Disability Benefits Under Private Pension Plans,”
Monthly Labor Review, April 1966, pp. 389-95.
3Employee Benefits, pp. 6, 25.
4 Normal retirement is the point at which a worker can retire and
immediately receive all accrued benefits by virtue of service and earn
ings, without reduction because of age.
5Employee Benefits, pp. 6, 25.
‘ Ibid., p. 3.
7For a more complete definition see Social Security Programs in the
United States, (Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Social
Security Administration, January 1973), p. 31.
*There may be differences among private plans and the social secu
rity system with respect to coverage of disabilities associated with ner
40
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
therefore, white-collar workers tended to enjoy higher
replacement rates than blue-collar employees when re
tiring on disability.
Participants in pension plans
Estimates of the extent of worker participation in
pension plans of medium and large establishments are
found in Employee Benefits in Industry, 1980, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2107. Table 3 contains perti
nent findings of that study. The findings, it should be
stressed, are based on review of the same data source as
was analyzed for the current article. As shown in the
table, 70 percent of all participants in pension plans
with disability retirement provisions could receive im
mediate retirement benefits. The present analysis found
immediate benefits specified in 68 percent of the plans.
The closeness of the two calculations is striking, even
after recognizing that both percentages were derived
from the same survey data.
A breakdown of findings by occupational group is
available for plan participant data only. Among the
findings is that deferred disability benefit plans are
markedly more common for white-collar than for bluecollar employees.
□
vous conditions, alcoholism, drugs, self-inflicted injuries, and criminal
activity.
9 Sacks, “Disability Benefits.”
10Generally, to be fully insured a worker must have one quarter of
coverage for each year from age 21 to date of disability.
11Employee Benefits, pp. 2-3.
12 Coordination of private disability and social security benefits is
accounted for in the calculation of the replacement rate for private
benefits.
"The 8-percent replacement rate was derived by multiplying the
unreduced normal retirement formula replacement rate of 21 percent
by 39 percent. (As described above, plans actuarially reducing pen
sions for early retirement usually lowered benefits about 61 percent
for quitting work 10 years before the normal retirement age.)
14 Social security benefits are increased after each year in which the
Consumer Price Index rises 3 percent or more. Such escalation is ig
nored in this analysis, because price changes cannot be accurately
forecast.
15 Both the 21-percent replacement rate for employees retiring under
private pension plans with 20 years of service and the 30-percent rate
for retirement after 30 years were derived by BLS from data in a
study by James H. Schulz, Thomas D. Leavitt, Leslie Kelly, and John
Strate, Private Pension Benefits in the 1970's (Bryn Mawr, Pa.,
McCahan Foundation, 1982). Schulz and his associates calculated re
placement rates for retirements after varying lengths of service, for
men and for women. Their calculations were based on an analysis of
all pension plans in the 1979 BLS survey of employee benefit plans.
The study calculated replacement rates for normal rather than disabil
ity retirement. However, because normal and disability retirement
benefits are commonly based on the same formula, separate computa
tions for disability retirement would not, in general, be appreciably
different. For an earlier Schulz study, see James H. Schulz, Thomas
D. Leavitt, and Leslie Kelly, “Private pensions fall far short of
preretirement income levels,” Monthly Labor Review, February 1979,
pp. 28-32.
Bureau of Labor Statistics takes
a new look at employee benefits
Initiated in 1979, annual survey provides
a comprehensive study o f benefit plan coverage
and provisions in medium and large firms
R o b e r t F r u m k in a n d W il l ia m
W ia t r o w s k i
In 1981, employees in medium and large size establish
ments received, on average, about 10 paid holidays each
year and nearly 16 days of paid vacation annually after
10 years of service. For 3 of 5 participants in a life in
surance plan, coverage was based on earnings, with the
prevalence of earnings-related plans much higher among
white-collar employees. Seventy-one percent of the
workers covered by the survey participated in health in
surance plans that were fully paid for by their employ
ers, and just under one-half also received employer-paid
coverage for their dependents. Eighty-four percent of
the employees were covered by private retirement pen
sion plans (in addition to social security); 79 percent
were in plans fully paid for by the employer.
As these statistics indicate, benefit plans are impor
tant elements in the typical employee compensation
package. Employer outlays for legally required and pri
vate benefits, including paid leave, constituted about
one-fourth of all expenditures for employee compensa
tion in 1977, when this subject was last studied by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics.1 Moreover, the rate of
growth in outlays for these benefits has substantially
outpaced that for wages and salaries over the 40-year
period since benefits began to gain prominence.
For many years, BLS tracked growth of benefit plans
by studying both their provisions and their cost to em
ployers.2 Recently, BLS initiated an annual survey on the
incidence and characteristics of employee benefit plans.
Robert Frumkin and William Wiatrowski are economists in the Divi
sion of Occupational Pay and Employee Benefit Levels, Bureau of La
bor Statistics.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
This article describes the design, coverage, output, and
availability of results from this new survey, which was
first conducted in 1979.
The survey reports detailed characteristics of paid
leave, insurance, and pension plans, yielding extensive
data on employee benefit plan provisions. In addition, it
produces estimates of the percent of employees covered
by these plans or eligible for other benefits, such as
profit sharing and educational assistance. Data are
published for all full-time workers in three occupational
groups: professional-administrative, technical-clerical,
and production.
The program originally was designed to provide the
Office of Personnel Management ( o p m ) with data on
specific provisions of private sector employee benefits
for a new approach to evaluating pay and benefits of
Federal employees. This approach compares the Federal
wage-benefit package with that in private industry.3
(Current legislation requires that pay rates for Federal
civilian workers, but not their benefits, be set on a com
parability basis.) To meet OPM’s needs, BLS developed a
survey to provide extensive data on employee benefits,
covering the same industry and size scope as the Bu
reau’s annual Professional, Administrative, Technical,
and Clerical Pay Survey that is currently used to evalu
ate Federal white-collar salary rates.4
Survey coverage
The employee benefits survey covers medium and
large size private sector establishments in the contigu
ous United States, employing at least 50, 100, or 250
workers, depending on the industry. A subsample of
41
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Annual Survey o f Employee Benefits
1,500 establishments from the Professional, Administra
tive, Technical, and Clerical Pay Survey, covering a wide
range of manufacturing and nonmanufacturing indus
tries, is selected to yield national estimates.5 Data are
collected by personal visits of Bureau field representa
tives to the sampled establishments. Respondents are
requested to provide data on the coverage and details of
selected types of plans for paid time off— lunch time,
rest periods, holidays, personal leave, vacations, and
sick leave. Rather than ask company officials for exten
sive information, brochures are collected which contain
descriptions of insurance and pension plan characteris
tics. Data are also obtained from the Department of La
bor’s Employee Retirement Income Security Act files.6
Information on approximately 7,400 paid leave plans
and 6,800 insurance and pension benefit plans were col
lected for analysis in the 1981 survey. The use of bro
chures for plan analysis eliminates some of the burden
put on the respondent’s time. Insurance plans included
in the survey cover health, life, accident and sickness,
and long-term disability benefits. Retirement pension
plans are also studied in detail. Besides plan provisions,
the number of persons participating in each plan is re
ported. Information also is collected on the percent of
employees eligible for other benefits, such as profit-shar
ing and stock plans, employee discounts, educational
assistance, and parking.
Because of their complexity, insurance and pension
plans require the recording of considerable detail on
benefit provisions. For each benefit, several common
provisions are examined: eligibility requirements, in the
form of age or service attainment, or both, which are
necessary to join the plan; the waiting period before
certain benefits begin; and cost of the plan to the em
ployee. Plans for which an employee pays 100 percent
of the cost are not included in the study.
Health insurance plan analysis includes provisions for
hospital room and board, surgical care, doctor visits, di
agnostic x-ray, prescription drugs, private duty nursing,
and mental health care. In each of these areas, analysis
covers such limitations on benefits as deductible and coinsurance provisions, maximum dollar amount payable,
and maximum numbers of days covered. In addition,
each plan is carefully studied for details of dental cover
age, maternity care, and scheduled dollar amounts pay
able for certain surgical procedures.
In the examination of pension plans, age and service
requirements are studied for normal, early, and disabili
ty retirement and for pension vesting (the point at
which an employee has the legal right to some pension
benefit regardless of any further service under the plan).
The most significant feature of pension analysis is the
review of the benefit formulas. A variety of formulas is
used to determine retirement payments; for example,
percentage of the employee’s career or terminal earn
42
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ings, or a dollar amount for each year an employee is
covered under the plan. Other pension provisions ana
lyzed are survivor benefits, reductions in pensions for
early retirement, supplemental payments provided in
addition to normal retirement benefits, and cost-of-liv
ing adjustments.
Life insurance plans are reviewed for the amount of in
surance, effects of disability on the insurance contract,
and payment for accidental death. Accident and sickness
insurance analysis includes the weekly benefit formula
and duration of benefits, while for long-term disability
insurance, the analysis includes benefit amounts and the
integration of long-term disability insurance payments
with other sources of income, such as social security,
workers’ compensation, and railroad retirement.
As for paid time off, the amount of lunch and rest
time is recorded, together with the number of holidays
and personal leave days granted each year. Analysis of
vacation plans includes development of a schedule
showing the variations in vacation time and payments
by length of service. A similar schedule reports sick
leave benefits, showing the number of days paid at full
pay, partial pay, or both, as well as any waiting period
before benefits may begin. For both vacation and sick
leave, the incidence of cash-in or carry-over provisions,
or both, for unused benefits is noted.
Limited data are collected on a number of other bene
fit plans which may add significantly to employee com-
Table 1. Full-time employees participating in selected
benefit plans, medium and large establishments, 1981
[In percent]
Plan
Paid time off:
Holidays....................
Vacations ..................
Personal leave .........
Lunch period.............
Rest time ..................
Sick leave..................
Accident and sickness insurance .............................
Fully paid by employer
Long-term disability insurance .............................
Fully paid by employer
Health insurance for
employee......................
Fully paid by employer
Health insurance for depend e n ts .............................
Fully paid by employer
Life insurance....................
Fully paid by employer
Retirement pension...........
Fully paid by employer
All
employees
Professional
and
administrative
employees
Technical
and
clerical
employees
Production
employees
99
99
23
10
75
65
100
100
31
4
60
92
100
100
32
4
76
92
99
99
14
15
82
41
50
41
30
22
35
26
66
55
41
32
61
47
52
40
28
23
97
71
98
67
96
58
97
79
94
48
96
81
84
79
96
45
98
81
88
81
91
36
95
78
85
80
94
55
96
82
82
77
N ote : Participation is defined as coverage by a paid leave, insurance, or pension plan.
Employees subject to a minimum service requirement before they are eligible for a benefit
are counted as participants even if they have not met the requirement at the time of the sur
vey. If employees are required to pay part of the cost of a benefit, only those who elect the
coverage and pay their share are counted as participants. Benefits for which the employee
must pay the full premium are outside the scope of the survey.
pensation, such as profit-sharing, savings, and stock
plans. The incidence of these benefits is examined sepa
rately for each employee group in each establishment.
In addition, data are collected on the full or partial
defrayment of cost for relocation allowance, recreation
facilities, subsidized meals, parking, educational assis
tance, and employer-provided automobiles.
Availability of results
Major survey findings are reported annually in a bul
letin published by BLS. The data and analysis center on
the extent of employee participation in specified benefit
plans and the provisions of these plans. The results of
the pilot survey (in 1979) were published in 1980 in a
report entitled Employee Benefits in Industry: A Pilot
Survey.1 This report contained 20 tables on worker cov
erage under various types of provisions for paid leave,
insurance, and pension plans. Data collected in 1980 are
contained in a more comprehensive bulletin, Employee
Benefits in Industry, 1980, and reflect improvements in
survey procedures and techniques, as well as changes in
benefit practices in private industry.
A bulletin with estimates from the 1981 survey, enti
tled Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Firms,
1981, will be available in early September.8 The bulletin
contains details on three employee groupings demon
strated in accompanying tables: all employees covered
by the survey (table 1); employees who participated in a
particular type of benefit plan (table 2); and employees
covered by a particular type of provision within a bene
fit area to provide a closeup look at an important fea
ture (table 3). In addition, articles on the results of ad
ditional research on various benefit plan provisions,
such as the article on disability retirement in this issue,
are occasionally published in the Monthly Labor Review.
Other articles in preparation include the growth of ma
jor medical insurance coverage and spouse benefits in
pension plans.
Employee benefit data collected during the annual
survey, including detailed plan provisions and partici
pant figures, are available on magnetic data tapes.4 In
accordance with a pledge of confidentiality to survey re
spondents, all information that could identify a specific
reporting establishment is removed. The tapes may be
used to derive national estimates, similar to those pres
ented in the bulletin, for those provisions on the data
base that are not regularly tabulated by BLS.
Future direction
This research program on incidence and characteris
tics of employee benefits evolved from a pilot study to
an annual survey and is continuing to expand. More in
tensive methods of analysis, as well as an increased
number of data items, will lead to the publication of
more comprehensive findings. Currently, such subjects
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Table 2. Participants in a pension plan by age and
associated service requirements for normal retirement,
medium and large establishments, 1981
[In percent]
Age and service
requirements’
Professional
Technical
and
and
Production
All
clerical
participants
participants administrative
participants participants
14
6
7
22
( 2)
14
( 2)
5
7
( 2)
21
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
4
2
( 2)
2
7
6
( 2)
1
4
3
( 2)
1
3
( 2)
( 2)
3
Age 56 to 59 ........................
15 or 20 years of service
30 or more years of service
2
1
1
1
<2)
1
1
( 2)
1
2
1
1
Age 6 0 ...................................
No service requirement .
10 years of service . . . .
15 years of service . . . .
20 or 25 years of service
30 years of service . . . .
More than 30 years of
service ......................
310
2
2
1
( 2)
3
313
4
2
2
<2)
3
313
3
3
2
1
3
( 2)
1
1
( 2)
Age 6 2 ....................................
No service requirement .
5 years of service .........
10 years of service . . . .
15 years of service . . . .
20 or 25 years of service
30 years of service . . . .
418
4
1
8
2
2
2
419
4
1
7
2
2
2
418
5
1
6
2
1
2
419
3
1
10
1
2
1
Age 63 to 64 ........................
No service requirement .
30 years of service . . . .
1
1
( 2)
1
1
( 2)
3
3
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
Age 6 5 ...................................
No service requirement .
5 years of service .........
10 years of service . . . .
15 years of service . . . .
544
39
1
3
( 2)
544
42
1
1
( 2)
547
45
( 2)
2
( 2)
5 42
35
1
5
( 2)
7
2
( 2)
3
1
9
2
1
6
1
7
2
( 2)
3
2
6
2
( 2)
3
1
No age requirement .............
Fewer than 30 years of
service ......................
30 years of service . . . .
More than 30 years of
service ......................
Age 5 5 ...................................
20 years of service . . . .
25 years of service . . . .
30 years of service . . . .
Sum of age
Equals
Equals
Equals
Equals
plus service . . . .
less than 80 . . . .
80 ......................
85 ......................
90 or m o re .........
36
1
2
1
<2)
2
1
' If a plan had more than one age and service requirement, the earliest age and associat
ed service requirement was tabulated,
2 Less than 0.5 percent.
3 Includes 0.5 percent or fewer participants who were in plans with service requirements
other than specified.
4 Includes 0.7 percent or fewer participants who were in plans with service requirements
other than specified.
includes 0.1 percent or fewer participants who were in plans with service requirements
other than specified.
N ote : Normal retirement is the point at which the participant could retire and immediate
ly receive all accrued benefits by virtue of service and earnings, without reduction due to
age. Because of rounding sums of individual items may not equal totals. Dashes indicate no
employees in this category. Data are for full-time workers only.
as Health Maintenance Organization coverage, social se
curity offset and integration with pension benefits, and
differences in benefits for production and white-collar
workers are being researched on the basis of data col
lected in the 1981 survey.
Collection of benefit data for 1982 includes, for the
first time, information on post-retirement pension in
creases. In addition, more detailed information is being
secured on health and life insurance coverage for retir43
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Annual Survey o f Employee Benefits
Table 3. Participants in health insurance plans with dental benefits, by type of procedure and extent of coverage, medium
and large establishments, 1981
[In percent]
Type of
dental procedure
Scheduled
cash
allowance
Incentive
schedule’
Total
50
60
61-74
75
80
85
90
91 99
100
Not
covered
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
17
18
29
27
26
28
29
14
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
—
80
79
68
69
68
68
68
53
1
1
3
3
5
31
32
44
1
1
1
2
2
4
4
3
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
( 2)
4
4
5
5
4
1
1
( 2)
25
27
33
33
31
14
13
2
( 2)
7
8
7
8
6
6
2
10
10
10
10
7
7
—
—
—
—
—
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
47
28
7
9
7
3
3
3
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
3
3
2
34
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
19
20
31
29
28
30
30
16
4
4
4
3
3
1
1
—
77
76
65
68
67
66
66
54
1
1
4
4
6
35
35
46
1
1
2
2
3
5
6
4
1
1
1
1
( 2)
1
1
27
29
38
37
35
13
13
1
( 2)
4
6
6
7
4
4
( 2)
1
6
6
6
6
3
3
<2)
_
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 2)
3
3
3
3
3
1
1
—
43
31
5
9
7
3
3
3
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
2
3
2
29
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
19
20
34
33
30
32
33
16
4
4
4
4
4
1
1
—
77
76
62
63
63
63
63
47
( 2)
( 2>
3
3
5
32
32
37
1
1
2
2
3
5
6
3
1
1
1
1
( 2)
2
2
( 2)
4
4
4
4
4
1
1
2
27
30
35
35
33
13
13
2
( 2)
3
4
4
4
3
3
( 2)
2
5
5
5
5
3
3
( 2)
42
31
6
8
8
3
2
2
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
2
3
3
37
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
100
15
15
26
24
23
25
26
12
2
2
2
2
2
1
1
—
83
82
72
73
71
72
72
54
1
1
2
2
4
29
29
47
1
1
1
1
1
3
3
2
( 2)
( 2)
1
1
1
1
1
( 2)
5
5
6
6
6
1
1
( 2)
23
25
30
30
29
14
14
2
( 2)
10
11
9
11
9
9
( 2)
2
15
14
14
14
11
11
—
( 2)
—
Total
Percent of reasonable and customary charge
All participants
Examinations ........................................
Dental x -ra y s ........................................
Fillings...................................................
Dental surgery ......................................
Periodontal c a re ....................................
inlays ...................................................
Crowns .................................................
Orthodontia ..........................................
_
Professional and
administrative
Examinations ........................................
Dental x -ra y s ........................................
F ilin g s ...................................................
Dental su rg e ry......................................
Periodontal c a re ....................................
Inlays ...................................................
Crowns .................................................
Orthodontia ..........................................
( 2)
_
Technical and clerical
Examinations ........................................
Dental x -ra y s ........................................
Fillings...................................................
Dental surgery ......................................
Periodontal c a re ...................................
Inlays ...................................................
Crowns .................................................
Orthodontia ..........................................
_
—
—
—
—
—
—
( 2)
_
Production
Examinations ........................................
Dental x -ra y s ........................................
Fallings...................................................
Dental su rg e ry......................................
Periodontal c a re ...................................
Inlays ...................................................
Crowns .................................................
Orthodontia ..........................................
1 Reimbursement arrangement in which the percentage of dental expenses paid by the plan
increases if regular dental appointments are scheduled.
2 Less than 0.5 percent.
ees. Unscheduled post-retirement pension increases are
being analyzed along with pension formula provisions.
Retiree health and life insurance coverage is now stud
ied as well as the cost of this insurance to the retiree.
Information from this survey is helpful to a range of
users, including personnel managers, employee benefit
administrators, and industrial relations managers in pri
vate industry; unions; government agencies; academic
_
—
—
—
—
—
51
26
7
10
7
3
3
3
—
—
( 2)
( 2)
3
3
2
34
N ote : Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals. Dashes indicate
no employees in this category. Data are for full-time workers only.
researchers; and consultants, to name a few. To provide
more comprehensive information to these users, BLS is
investigating the possibility of expanding the scope of
the survey to include small establishments and to cover
some of the currently excluded industries. The survey’s
content and procedures will be evaluated continuously
and additional analysis on private sector employee bene
fits will be developed as appropriate.
□
FOOTNOTES
' Employee Compensation in the Private Nonfarm Economy, 1977,
Summary 80-5 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1980), p. 3, table 1.
‘ For example, major provisions of benefit plans were summarized
periodically and published in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Digest of
Selected Health and Insurance Plans and Digest of Selected Pension
Plans. The series ran from 1955 to 1979. In addition, surveys of ex
penditures for employee compensation were conducted in the 1959-77
period. These programs have been discontinued because of budget
constraints. The Bureau’s Employment Cost Index, a quarterly mea
44
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
sure of change in the rate of compensation, includes benefits as well
as wages and salaries.
The Office of Personnel Management processed the Bureau’s 1979
and 1980 employee benefits data base through their total compensa
tion comparability computer system. See Office of Personnel Manage
ment, Total Compensation Comparability: Background, Method, and
Preliminary Results, July 1981, for a description of the total compen
sation comparability program.
4Technical specifications for the salary survey are in National Sur-
vey of Professional, Administrative, Technical, and Clerical Pay, March
1981, Bulletin 2108 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1981). The survey col
lects pay data for occupations defined to reflect duties and responsi
bilities of employees in private industry and that correspond to speci
fic General Schedule grades in the Federal sector. Hence, the
establishments selected for the survey are limited to those likely to
have positions similar to those in the Federal service. For this reason,
small establishments (fewer than 50, 100, or 250 employees, depending
on the industry) and some industries (primarily in the services sector)
are excluded from the scope of the PATC survey. Industrial coverage
includes: manufacturing; mining; construction; transportation, commu
nications, electric, gas, and sanitary services; wholesale trade; retail
trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and selected services. The se
lected services are limited to business services such as advertising,
credit reporting and collection agencies, computer and data processing
services, research and development laboratories, commercial testing
laboratories, and management and public relations services; engineer
ing and architectural services; noncommercial research organizations;
and accounting, auditing, and bookkeeping services.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
?For an account of the sampling techniques, see the Technical Note
in Employee Benefits in Industry, 1980, Bulletin 2107 (Bureau of La
bor Statistics, 1981).
"The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 requires
benefit plan administrators to file summary plan descriptions with the
Department of Labor. A summary plan description gives information
on what the plan provides and how it operates and must be updated
within 210 days after the end of the plan year (calendar or fiscal) in
which the change is adopted.
Employee Benefits in Industry: A Pilot Survey, Report 615 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 1980).
’ Employee Benefits in Medium and Large Firms, 1981, Bulletin 2140
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, forthcoming), for sale by the Superinten
dent of Documents, Washington 20402, or by BLS regional offices
listed on cover.
"The tapes may be purchased from the Office of Wages and Indus
trial Relations, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C. 20212.
A note on communications
The Monthly Labor Review welcomes communications that supple
ment, challenge, or expand on research published in its pages. To be
considered for publication, communications should be factual and an
alytical, not polemical in tone. Communications should be addressed
to the Editor-in-Chief, Monthly Labor Review, Bureau of Labor Statis
tics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C. 20212.
45
Research
Summaries
Weekly family earnings:
a quarterly perspective
How ard H ayghe
Most American families depend on wages and salaries
for their livelihood. About 74 percent receive wage or
salary earnings while another 7 percent obtain earnings
solely from self employment. The rest— 18.4 percent —
report no earnings whatsoever, living instead on income
from public or private pensions, social security, invest
ments, personal savings, public assistance, or other
sources.
A statistical series, introduced by the Bureau of La
bor Statistics in 1980, provides information on the com
bined usual weekly wage and salary earnings of families
on a quarterly basis.1 Separate earnings statistics are
also published for families with at least one unemployed
member. Such information can be of value to policy
makers and analysts concerned with how changes in
employment, unemployment, and wages affect the eco
nomic well-being of American families.
Prior to 1980, the BLS had published statistics on
usual weekly earnings by demographic characteristics,
but only on an annual basis.2 Such once-a-year observa
tions were limited in their capacity to record the impact
of economic changes. While an older monthly series on
average weekly and hourly earnings from payroll re
cords is more timely and provides detail by industry
and geographic area, it does not include demographic
or family information.3
This article discusses the newer, family-oriented earn
ings series, and focuses on the earnings situations of
various categories of families at the end of 1981. Also
discussed are developments in unemployment and infla
tion as they relate to family earnings.
Earnings by family type
There were about 60.1 million families in the United
States in the fourth quarter of 1981. Of these, a little
Howard Hayghe is a labor economist in the Division of Labor Force
Studies, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
a
over 11 million had no employed members, more than
4.3 million had only self-employed workers, and anoth
er 4.2 million had both self-employed and wage and sal
ary workers. The remaining 40.5 million families had
only wage and salary workers (table 1). Because infor
mation is not collected on the earnings of the selfemployed in the Current Population Survey, the follow
ing discussion focuses on those families with only wage
and salary employment.
More than half of the 40.5 million wage-earning fami
lies contained at least two workers (table 2). At $585,
the median weekly earnings of these families were near
ly twice the earnings of families with one worker ($299).
The fact that so many families now have two workers
or more is directly attributable to the dramatic changes
in women’s labor force behavior over the past decade or
so. During the 1970’s— despite two recession periods—
the number of working women grew by an average of
about a million a year, and more than half of these
women were wives. Also accelerating the trend toward
two-worker couples was the tendency of couples to ei
ther postpone having children or to have fewer of them,
and the willingness of mothers to enter or reenter the
labor force sooner after childbirth than in the past. In
March 1970, for instance, 24 percent of the wives with
children under age 2 were in the labor force. Ten years
later, the proportion was 39 percent.
Among married-couple families, about 19 million, or
58 percent of those with wage and salary earnings, had
at least two workers in the fourth quarter of 1981. The
median weekly earnings of such families were $601,
compared with $336 for the 13.9 million one-worker
families. Whether for one-earner or multiple-earner fam
ilies, earnings were highest when the husband worked.
For example, in one-earner families, median earnings
were $383 when the husband worked, but were between
$179 and $198 when the wife or some other family
member was the only person employed. For those with
at least two wage and salary workers, where the hus
band worked, usual median family earnings ranged
from $574 to $780, depending on which other family
members were also employed. In contrast, when the
husband was not working, median family earnings were
$380 and a little over $400.
As has long been the case, families maintained by
women are characterized by very low earnings.4 More
over, the number of such families has grown considera
bly over the last decade; in March 1970, they numbered
5.6 million and by the end of 1981, they totaled 9.3
million. In the latter year, median weekly earnings of
the 5.9 million families maintained by women with
wage and salary workers were only about half those of
married couples. The low earnings reflect both the small
proportion of such families having two workers or
more, as well as the generally low earnings of women
who maintain their own families. Fewer than 3 out of
10 families maintained by women contained more than
one worker.
To a certain extent, the low earnings levels of women
maintaining families are a result of fewer years of
schooling. A relatively high proportion who were in the
labor force— over one-fourth— had not completed high
school. And, as is well known, a high school diploma is
frequently either the key to higher-paying jobs or to the
additional training needed to compete for these occupa
tions. Women maintaining families are also more likely
than wives to have preschool children whose presence
may restrict not only the mother’s job-seeking efforts
but her choice of jobs as well.
Race and Hispanic origin. Weekly earnings for black
married couples ($412) were 84 percent of those of
whites ($492), and Hispanic family earnings averaged
80 percent of white family earnings:
W h ite
B la ck
H isp a n ic
Married-couple fam ilies................ . . $492
Families maintained by women . . . 252
Families maintained by men . . . . . 413
$412
226
353
$394
225
263
The earnings of black and Hispanic families that were
maintained by women were 90 percent of those of their
white counterparts.
The primary factor underlying the racial or ethnic
differentials in earnings among married-couple families
Table 1. Distribution of families by weekly earnings
status, fourth quarter 1981
[Not seasonally adjusted]
Weekly earnings status
Total fam ilies.................................................
No earnings..............................................................
With earnings............................................................
With self-employed workers only ........................
With wage or salary w o rke rs...............................
Husbands, wives, or householders selfemployed .................................................
All other families with wage or salary
workers1 ...................................................
Number
(in thousands)
60,077
11,074
49,002
4,324
44,678
Percent
100.0
18.4
81.6
7.2
74.4
4,166
6.9
40,513
67.4
1May include some members (other than husband, wife, or householder) who were selfemployed.
N ote :
Due to rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Table 2. Median weekly earnings by type of family, and
number and relationship of workers, fourth quarter 1981
[Not seasonally adjusted]
Number
(in thousands)
Percent
Median
earnings
Total families with wage or salary
workers1 .................................................
40,513
100.0
$442
One worker ..........................................
Two workers or more ...........................
19,304
21,209
47.6
52.4
299
585
Married-couple families ........................
One w o rk e r...................................
Husband ...................................
Wife ..........................................
Other family member ...............
Two workers or m o re ....................
Husband and wife only .............
Husband, wife, and other(s) . . . .
Husband and other family
member(s) .............................
Wife and other family member(s)
Other family members only . . . .
32,920
13,949
11,077
2,227
644
18,972
13,204
2,895
100.0
42.4
33.6
6.8
2.0
57.6
40.1
8.8
486
336
383
179
198
601
574
780
2,318
408
146
7.0
1.2
.4
603
380
405
Families maintained by women2 ...........
One w o rker........................................
Householder .................................
Other family member ....................
Two workers or m o re ........................
5,889
4,274
3,331
943
1,615
100.0
72.6
56.6
16.0
27.4
245
204
212
176
399
Families maintained by men2 ...............
One w orker........................................
Householder .................................
1,704
1,082
857
225
622
100.0
63.5
50.3
13.2
36.5
405
327
368
204
545
Type of family and
relationship of worker(s)
Two workers or m o re ........................
1 Excludes families in which the husband, wife, or householder is self-employed.
2 No spouse present.
N ote : Due to rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.
is the level of the husbands’ earnings. White husbands
working full time had median usual weekly earnings of
$402 in the fourth quarter, compared with around $300
for black or Hispanic husbands. These earnings differ
ences can be largely attributed to the fact that black
and Hispanic husbands tend to work in occupations
that are relatively low-paying. In March 1981, for ex
ample, about half of the black and Hispanic husbands
working full time were operatives, laborers, or service
workers, compared with one-fourth of the white hus
bands. In contrast, 37 percent of the white husbands
were in professional or managerial jobs, compared with
17 percent of black or Hispanic husbands.
Inflation. For families with wage and salary earners,
there was not as much loss in purchasing power in 1981
as during the year before (table 3). Between the fourth
quarters of 1980 and 1981, median weekly earnings of
families grew by 6.5 percent, while consumer prices (as
measured by the C P l-w )5 advanced by 9.4 percent. Fami
lies with two or more wage and salary workers nearly
kept pace with rising prices but the earnings of oneworker families grew by only 4.5 percent in nominal
terms and thus declined considerably in real terms. In
the previous year, the increase in earnings (7.0 percent)
offset only a little more than half the rise in prices (12.6
percent).
47
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Research Summaries
Earnings of married-couple families rose 9.0 percent
from a median of $446 in the fourth quarter of 1980 to
$486 in the fourth quarter of 1981. Weekly earnings of
families where there was only one worker advanced by
5.0 percent while the earnings of two-worker families
increased by 8.9 percent. In contrast, the usual weekly
median earnings of families maintained by women ad
vanced at a slower pace— 7.0 percent.
Unemployment and family earnings
Unemployment grew rapidly during the closing
months of 1981. The national unemployment rate
jumped from 7.3 percent in August (a level which had
been maintained throughout most of the calendar year)
to 8.8 percent in December 1981. As a result, the num
ber of families with unemployed members rose by about
800,000, or 14 percent, over the year ending in the
fourth quarter of 1981. However, this increase was not
as steep as the rise during the year ended in the fourth
quarter of 1980 when the number of families with un
employed members grew by 27 percent.
In the fourth quarter of 1981, nearly 6.6 million fami
lies (over 10 percent of all families) contained at least
one unemployed person; 1.8 million of these had no
earners (table 4). In 7 out of 10 married-couple families
with both wage and salary workers and unemployed
members, the wife, son, or daughter (or some other
member) was jobless, not the husband. Likewise, in
nearly 90 percent of the families maintained by women
and 75 percent of those maintained by men, the unem
ployed member was someone other than the householder.
Median usual weekly earnings for the 4.3 million
families with both unemployed members and wage and
salary workers in the fourth quarter were $312. M ar
ried-couple families reported median earnings of $335 a
Table 3. Total weekly wage and salary earnings of
families by number of workers and family type, quarterly
averages, 1979-81
[Not seasonally adjusted]
Type of family
and number
of workers
Total families with wage
or salary workers' . . . .
One worker .............
Two workers or more
Median earnings
Percent change
1979 IV to
1980 IV
1980 IV to
1981 IV
1979 IV
1980 IV
1981 IV
$388
271
495
$415
286
539
$442
299
585
7.0
5.5
8.9
6.5
4.5
8.5
419
305
509
446
320
552
486
336
601
6.4
4.9
8.4
9.0
5.0
8.9
Married-couple families . . .
One worker .............
Two workers or more
Families maintained by
women2 ........................
Families maintained by
men2 .............................
217
229
245
5.5
7.0
349
385
405
10.3
5.2
Consumer Price Index3 . . .
-
-
-
12.6
9.4
' Excludes families in which the husband, wife, or householder is self-employed.
2 No spouse present.
3 For Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.
Digitized for
48FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Table 4. Families with unemployment by presence and
relationship of worker(s) to unemployed members, total
weekly wage and salary earnings, and family type, fourth
quarter 1981
[Not seasonally adjusted]
Type of family and relationship
of worker(s) to unemployed
Number
(in thousands)
Percent
Median
earnings
Total families ............................................
No one em ployed'.................................
Some employed, no wage or salary
workers..............................................
With wage or salary workers ...............
Husband, wife, or householder selfemployed ......................................
All other families ...............................
6,588
1,843
100.0
28.0
290
4,455
54.4
67.6
191
4,265
2.9
64.7
Married-couple families ....................
Husband unemployed....................
Wife only worker ......................
Wife and other worker(s)...........
Other worker(s) o n ly ..................
Wife unemployed...........................
Husband only worker ...............
Husband and other worker(s) ..
Other worker(s) o n ly ..................
Other member(s) unemployed . . . .
Husband or wife worker ...........
Husband and wife workers ..
Other combinations of workers .
3,326
961
785
105
71
1,095
933
147
14
1,271
599
613
59
100.0
28.9
23.6
3.2
2.1
32.9
28.1
4.4
.4
38.2
18.0
18.4
1.8
( 2)
493
408
619
( 2)
Families maintained by women3 . . . .
Householder unemployed.............
Other member(s) unemployed . . . .
731
88
643
100.0
12.0
88.0
231
( 2)
236
Families maintained by men3 ...........
Householder unemployed.............
Other member(s) unemployed . . . .
208
51
157
100.0
24.5
75.5
282
( 2)
330
—
—
$312
335
193
185
332
( 2)
338
319
520
1May include small number of families in which the only worker is an unpaid family
worker.
2 Median not shown where base is less than 100,000.
3 No spouse present.
N ote : Due to rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.
week— about 45 percent higher than the earnings of
families maintained by women ($231) and 19 percent
more than those of families maintained by men ($282).
For the most part, the earnings of families with un
employment depend on which family member is jobless.
In married-couple families with an unemployed hus
band, earnings averaged $193 a week in the fourth
quarter of 1981, compared with $338 for families with a
jobless wife, and $493 when some member other than
the husband or wife was unemployed. Furthermore,
these medians varied considerably depending on which
family members were working. For instance, in families
with an unemployed husband and a working wife, earn
ings totaled $185 a week; but, when the wife was joined
by other family workers, earnings were $332.6
I n c r e a s i n g l y , p o l i c y -o r i e n t e d a n a l y s e s and inter
pretations of the family earnings data will involve con
sideration of long-term demographic trends. For
instance, as the population ages, growing numbers of
families will contain persons past retirement age. Also,
divorce and separation may continue to raise the pro
portion of families that are not married couples. More
over, because of these trends as well as others related to
family formation and dissolution, the number of mar-
ried couples is projected to increase more slowly in
coming years. Such changes will undoubtedly have
some impact on the family earnings profile. Thus, to
understand the significance of changes in family earn
ings, analysts will need to examine the many demo
graphic trends relating to families.
□
------ FOOTNOTES-----1The Bureau of Labor Statistics first released quarterly family earn
ings data in a press release entitled “New Data Relate Workers’
Earnings to the Families in Which They Live,” USDL 80-188, Mar.
27, 1980. The data continue to be published on a quarterly basis.
Earnings information is obtained from the Current Population Sur
vey (CPS) only for families with wage or salary workers. The CPS is a
sample survey of some 60,000 households (65,000 prior to May 1981)
conducted monthly for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Bureau
of the Census, with coverage in all 50 States and the District of Co
lumbia. The survey provides basic information on the labor force, em
ployment, and unemployment. The earnings information is collected
each month from only a quarter of the sample and cumulated to pro
vide quarterly and annual estimates. For a description of the proce
dures used to develop the weekly earnings data, see Technical
Description of the Quarterly Data on Weekly Earnings from the Current
Population Survey, Bulletin 2113 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982).
2For an extensive discussion of these data, see Weekly and Hourly
Earnings Data from the Current Population Survey, Special Labor
Force Report 195 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1977).
' For a description of these data, see “Explanatory Note” in Em
ployment and Earnings, January 1981, pp. 228-35.
4 See Beverly L. Johnson, Women Who Head Families, Special La
bor Force Report 213 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1978).
5The CPI-W refers to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage
Earners and Clerical Workers. For a discussion of the general method
of computing the Consumer Price Index, see The Consumer Price In
dex: Concepts and Contents over the Years, Report 517 (Bureau of La
bor Statistics, 1978).
6 It should also be noted that in 1981, on average, about 2.9 million
people a week received unemployment insurance benefits which aver
aged a little over $100. Data on unemployment insurance recipients
and amounts can be obtained from the U.S. Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration, Unemployment Insurance
Service, Division of Actuarial Services.
7For a discussion of demographic trends and how they will affect
families by the end of the century, see George Masnick and Mary Jo
Bane, The Nation’s Families: 1960-1990 (Joint Center for Urban Stud
ies of MIT and Harvard University, 1980).
Analysis of work stoppages
in the Federal sector, 1962-81
Eug ene
H.
Becker
Since 1962, 39 work stoppages by Federal Government
workers have been recorded by the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics and the Office of Personnel Management.1 These
Eugene H. Becker is an economist with the Office of Employment
Structure and Trends, formerly with the Office of Wages and Industri
al Relations, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
stoppages occurred despite legislation explicitly prohib
iting any type of strike activity by Federal workers.
The statutory prohibition began with the LloydLaFollette Act of 1912. This act gave postal workers
the right to organize, as long as they did not join
unions asserting the right to strike.2 Later, the strike
ban was extended to cover other Federal workers and
was codified in section 305 of the Labor-Management
Relations Act of 1947, which read, in part:3
It shall be unlawful for any individual employee of the
United States or any agency thereof including wholly
owned government corporations to participate in any
strike. Any individual employed by the United States or
any such agency who strikes shall be discharged immedi
ately from his employment, and shall forfeit his civil-ser
vice status, if any, and shall not be eligible for
reemployment for three years by the United States or any
such agency.
Criminal penalties were added to the body of
antistrike legislation in 1955.4 In 1966, strike activity by
Federal workers was further proscribed in the U.S.
Code relating to Federal employment. The statutes pro
hibited the holding of a Federal job by persons who (1)
participate in a strike, (2) assert the right to strike, or
(3) belong to an organization that asserts the right to
strike against the U.S. Government. The penalties for
noncompliance were a fine of not more than $1,000, or
a jail sentence of up to a year and a day. More recently,
the ban on Federal strike activity has been codified in
Title VII of the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978,
which states that, for a Federal employee, “ . . . it shall
be an unfair labor practice . . . to call, or participate in,
a strike, work stoppage or slowdown, or picketing of an
agency in a labor-management dispute if such picketing
interferes with an agency’s operations, or . . . to con
done any activity described in this paragraph by failing
to take action to prevent or stop such activity . . . .”5
In 1971, the United Federation of Postal Clerks chal
lenged the constitutionality of the laws proscribing
strike activity by U.S. Government employees.6 Among
other complaints, the union contended that terms such
as “strike” and “participates in a strike,” language com
mon to all the laws in question, are so vague as to be
unconstitutional. However, the court held that there
was no vagueness in the two terms, and that, indeed,
they “occupy central positions in our labor statutes and
accompanying case laws . . . .” Subsequently, the U.S.
Supreme Court affirmed the ruling of the lower court
that the laws under attack were constitutional.7
Work stoppages by Federal employees occurred as far
back as 1835, when civilian blue-collar yard workers of
the Navy Department in Washington, D.C., struck over
working hours and for a “general redress of griev
ances.”8 After appealing to the Secretary of the Navy,
but gaining little satisfaction, the workers returned to
49
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Research Summaries
Table 1.
Beginning
date
l% 2 :
Jan. 16
Work stoppages by Federal employees, 1962-81
Duration
(calendar
days)
Establishment
and
location
2
Tennessee Valley Authority, Par
adise Power Plant;
Drakesboro, Ky.
Tennessee Valley Authority, Par
adise Power Plant;
Drakesboro, Ky.
Union involved
International Brotherhood of Elec
trical Workers (A FU -C IO )
International Brotherhood of
Teamsters, Chauffeurs,
Warehousemen and Helpers of
America (Ind.)
International Brotherhood of Boiler
makers, Iron Shipbuilders, Black
smiths, Forgers and Helpers
(AFU -CIO ); International Associ
ation of Bridge, Structural and
Ornamental Iron Workers (A F L C IO )
Sheet Metal Workers International
Association (A FU -C IO )
Workers
involved
190
Dispute over alleged unsafe working
conditions
Employees returned to work without
penalty after labor-management inter
views.
Employees returned to work following
labor-management interviews; three
employees were suspended for 28
days.
Employees returned to work without
penalty after labor-management inter
views.
Assignment .of truck driving duties
to driver temporarily idle
350
Jurisdictional dispute over erecting
slag tanks by employees repre
sented by Iron Workers
6
June 20
10
Tennessee Valley Authority, Par
adise Power Plant;
Drakesboro, Ky.
July 30
24
Tennessee Valley Authority, Par
adise Power Plant;
Drakesboro, Ky.
1968:
Nov. 30
3
St. Elizabeth Hospital; Washing
ton, D.C.
American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees
(A FU -C IO )
Dec. 11
8
International Brotherhood of Elec
trical Workers (A FU -C IO )
Oct. 9
2
Tennessee Valley Authority,
Brown's Ferry Nuclear Plant;
Athens, Ga.
Hunter's Point Naval Shipyard;
San Francisco, Calif.
Uaundry and Dry Cleaning Interna
tional Union (A FU -C IO )
1969:
June 18
2
Federal Aviation Administration;
interstate
Professional A ir Traffic Controllers
Organization (A F L -C IO )
July l
2
U.S. Post Office Department;
New York City
National Association of Fetter Car
riers (AFU -C IO ); National Postal
Union (Ind.)
72
1970:
Mar. 18
9
U.S. Post Office Department; na
tionwide
National Association of Fetter Car
riers (AFU -C IO ); National Postal
Union (Ind.); United Federation
of Postal Clerks (AFU -C IO ); The
National Association of Special
Delivery Messengers (A FU -C IO )
Mar. 25
22
Federal Aviation Administration;
nationwide
M ay 25
I
U.S. Government Printing Of
fice; Washington, D.C.
June 8'
7
U.S. Department of Agriculture;
Alabama
April 5
10
Tennessee Valley Authority, N u
clear Project; Daisy, Tenn.
M ay 4'
3
June 17'
1
Department of Housing and U r
ban Development;
Washington, D.C.
Naval Publication and Forms
Center; Philadelphia, Pa.
June 23
5
Library of Congress; Washing
ton, D.C.
1
May 11
July 31'
Sept. 24
Penalties
85
Mar. 16
1973:
Jan.1
Issues
Work assignment procedures and
pay scales
Employees returned to work following
labor-management interviews; the 85
sheet metal workers who began the
stoppage were fired.
Alleged violation of position classi
fication standards, work relation
ships, and laundering of uni
forms of male nursing
assistants
Suspension of entire
electrical crew for violating
published job rules
Grievance procedures, working
conditions, and disciplinary ac
tions
Issues settled through labor-manage
ment meetings. N o penalties were im
posed.
Alleged remarks made by head of
F A A downgrading the role of
controllers in policing air traffic
Size of second year wage in
crease
About 100 workers were temporarily
suspended and P A T C O lost its dues
check-off privileges.
Employees called in sick; those found
not to have been sick were placed on
leave without pay for 2 weeks.
152.100
Retroactive pay increase, postal re
form, and compression of pay
schedule
Professional A ir Traffic Controllers
Organization (A FU -C IO )
2,319
Columbia Typographical Union
(AFL-CIO)/International Typo
graphical Union
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees (A F L -C IO )
1,400
Employee reassignment, mediation
of grievances, and union recogni
tion
Manner in which the pay-setting
formula was applied
All issues were settled by special leg
islation (PL 91-23), which provided
for a 6-percent retroactive pay in
crease and the enactment of the
Postal Reorganization and Salary
Adjustment Act. N o penalties were
imposed.
66 controllers were fired; about 1,800
were suspended 1 day for each day
they stayed off the job.
Formula was revised. N o penalties were
imposed.
Federal poultry inspectors refused
to cross a National Farmer's O r
ganization picket line for fear of
physical harm
Inspectors who had not reported for
work were considered absent without
leave and were not paid for the time
of their absence.
2,500
103
1,496
80
485
Not
known
Employees returned to work without
penalty following labor-management
interviews.
Employees returned to work without
penalties when shipyard agreed to
immediate negotiations on a con
tract.
International Association of Bridge,
Structural and Ornamental Iron
Workers (A F L -C IO )
None
990
Work assignment
N o information available.
175
Alleged bias in employment prac
tices
Laborer's International Union of
North America (A F L -C IO ) was
official representative but judged
not to be involved
None
19
Dissatisfaction over workload and
low pay
35
Wages and working conditions
Some employees were charged with be
ing absent without leave; others were
warned about their actions.
Involved workers were listed as absent
without leave and given formal letters
of reprimand; two supervisors were
given 1-day suspensions.
All employees suspended and ordered to
report back to work; 13 who did not
were fired.
St. Elizabeth Hospital; Washing
ton, D.C.
None
14
Position classification
5
Army Air Force Exchange;
Charleston, Ohio
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees (A F L -C IO )
61
Job classification
1
A ir Force base post exchange,
Ft. Dix: McGuire, N.J.
Tennessee Valley Authority,
Brown's Ferry Nuclear Con
struction Site: Athens, Ala.
60
Reduction in workweek from 40 to
35 hours
Hiring of nonunion welders because
union allegedly did not furnish
T V A with union welders
12
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
None
United Association of Journeymen
and Apprentices of the Plumbing
and Pipe Fitting Industry of the
United States (A F L -C IO )
460
Letter given to each employee spelling
out the illegality and consequences of
concerted actions against the Federal
Government.
Three employees were discharged; the
others were not paid for the time they
were out.
N o penalties were imposed.
Following labor-management interviews,
165 steamfitters were fired; others re
turned to their jobs.
Table 1.
Beginning
date
Continued— Work stoppages by Federal employees, 1962-81
Duration
(calendar
days)
Establishment
and
location
Union involved
Workers
involved
Issues
Penalties
1974:
Jan. 21
4
U.S. Postal Service: Jersey City.
N.J.
American Postal Workers Union
(A F L -C IO )
M ay 1'
2
Mare Island Naval Shipyard;
California
Arm y and A ir Force Exchange
Service: Charlestown. Ind.
Metal Trades Council
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees (A F L -C IO )
Puget Sound Naval Shipyard:
Washington
Washington National Airport
Police: Virginia
Metal Trades Council
60
Change in pay structure
International Brotherhood of Police
Officers ( N A G E )
33
New work rules prohibiting airport
police officers from carrying
home their service revolvers
16
Job classification
N o penalties were imposed.
Dissatisfaction over terms of tenta
tive agreement reached by
union and Postal Service (main
issue was size of wage in
crease)
About 125 workers were fired, 120 tem
porarily suspended, and 2,500 re
ceived letters of warning.
Change in working hours
U.S. District Court ordered workers to
return to work and submit grievances
to arbitration.
80
Change in pay structure
64
Protest over Department of Defense
wage and salary survey
Employees were not paid for the days
they were out.
Employees returned to work without
penalty following labor-management
talks.
Employees were not paid for the days
they were out.
N o penalties were imposed.
475
M ay 9
3
M ay 16'
3
M ay 16
1
1977:
June 301
I
Federal Aviation Administration:
Los Angeles/Oakland. Calif.
None
1978:
July 21
8
U.S. Postal Service Bulk Mailing
Center: New Jersey and Cali
fornia
American Postal Workers Union
(A F L -C IO )
1979:
Nov. I P
1
Norfolk Naval Shipyard; Virginia
None
23
Pay rules in effect for trial run of
new aircraft carrier
N o penalties were imposed.
1980:
April 211
1
Department of Energy (Phoenix
Western Area Power Adminis
tration): Arizona
Department of the Interior
(Grand Coulee Dam): Arizo-
None
60
Retroactive pay
Involved workers charged with being
absent without leave.
June 201
1
June 251
1
July 28
10
4.750
International Brotherhood of Elec
trical Workers (A F L -C IO )
183
Protest over size of Federal wage
increase
N o penalties were imposed.
U.S. Arm y Corps of Engineers
(hydoelectric dams in Oregon,
Idaho, Washington, and M o n
tana)
Tennessee Valley Authority,
Phipps Bend Nuclear Plant;
Surgoinsville, Tenn.
Immigration and Naturalization
Service; New York City
Veterans Administration: Den
ver, Colo.
None
250
Protest over size of Federal wage
increase
59 workers were reprimanded.
15 construction unions
900
Discharge of ironworker who alleg
edly struck supervisor.
42 workers were fired and 210 were sus
pended for 1 year.
American Federation of Govern
ment Employees (A F L -C IO )
None
50
Immigration and Naturalization
Service policy towards Iranians
Disapproval of proposed pay
raises
N o penalties were imposed.
Aug. 51
1
Aug. I9 1
1
Sepl. 171
1
Federal Aviation Administration;
Anchorage, Alaska
None
15
Recruitment policies
Dee. 151
1
Veterans Administration Hospi
tal: Los Angeles, Calif.
None
13
Disapproval of proposed special pay
rates
Involved workers charged with being
absent without leave and reprimand-
Dec. 20'
1
Veterans Administration Hospi
tal: San Francisco, Calif.
None
18
Pay comparability
Involved workers charged with being
absent without leave and reprimand
ed.
Federal Aviation Administration;
nationwide
Professional A ir Traffic Controllers
Organization (A F L -C IO )
Size of wage increase, length of
workweek, and early retirement
About 11,500 workers who did not re
turn to work during a presidentially
mandated grace period were fired.
1981:
Aug. 3
81
12
12,500
Involved workers
absent without
ed.
Involved workers
absent without
charged with being
leave and reprimand
charged with being
leave and reprimand-
' Information provided by the Office of Labor-Management Relations of the Office of Personnel Management (formerly the U.S. Civil Service Commission).
their jobs. Between 1835 and 1937, there were at least
25 other stoppages by Federal employees, mostly civil
ian blue-collar workers of the Army and Navy Depart
ments. These stoppages were “primarily strikes of
mechanics for wage and hour improvements just as
were strikes of such workers in the private sector.”9
There were some exceptions to the general rule of
Federal strikes by only blue-collar workers. For exam
ple, in 1907, 26 postal employees in Butte, Mont.,
struck over wage and reclassification issues. Eight of
them were replaced when they failed to return to their
jobs. In 1937, a strike by Federal public health workers
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
ended when the national union, the American Federa
tion of Government Employees, expelled the local for
violating the no-strike clause in its constitution.
Between 1937 and 1957, the Bureau of Labor Statis
tics did not keep separate statistics on Federal strikes.
Rather, it distributed such data among the industries in
which the strike occurred. There were no Federal strikes
during 1958-61. However, between 1962 and 1981,
there were 39 stoppages involving Federal workers.10
(See table 1.) No stoppages occurred in 8 of the years,
and almost a quarter of them occurred in 1980.
All types of workers— blue-collar, white-collar, ser51
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Research Summaries
vice, professional and technical, and laborers— have
participated in strikes against the Federal Government.
Eight of the 39 strikes involved construction workers at
Tennessee Valley Authority installations, most of which
were under construction at the time of the strike; four
involved postal carriers and mail clerks, and the 1970
postal strike involving 150,000 workers was the largest
Federal stoppage; air traffic controllers participated in
five strikes, including an 81-day dispute in 1981, the
longest Federal strike on record, which resulted in the
firing of approximately 11,500 controllers; U.S. Naval
shipyards had four stoppages; Army and Air Force post
exchanges and the Veterans Administration each had
three; and other Federal stoppages involved police, hos
pital workers (nurses’ aides), custodial workers, typo
graphers, and clerical workers. (See table 1.)
The issues surrounding Federal work stoppages were
as broad as those found in private sector strikes. Stop
pages occurred over safety issues, work assignments, ju
risdictional questions, pay scales, job classification,
working conditions, job rules, wages, union recognition,
union security, working hours, and general grievances."
However, wages or wage-related issues were either pri
mary or secondary causes of more than half the strikes,
suggesting that Federal employees, like their counter
parts in private industry, most often strike to improve
their economic standing.
Penalties for Federal employees who engage in strikes
include dismissal, suspension for various periods of
time, written warnings and reprimands, and loss of pay.
The following tabulation summarizes the penalties im
posed in the 39 Federal work stoppages (multiple penal
ties were imposed in some stoppages):
Penalty
R eprim and...........................................................
Loss of p a y ...........................................................
Temporary suspension ........................................
Discharge.............................................................
No p en a lty ...........................................................
Information notavailable .....................................
Incidence
9
11
8
8
14
1
For most Federal employees, the settlement of
disputes is governed by the Civil Service Reform Act of
1978. This act gives the Federal Labor Relations Au
thority the responsibility of deciding unfair labor prac
tices cases which, among other things, include engag
ing in or failing to prevent or stop a strike or work
stoppage. For the Tennessee Valley Authority, however,
the penalties are determined by a labor-management
board, the Committee of the Tennessee Valley Trades
and Labor Council. The council members interview all
participants of a strike to determine: (1) the cause of the
dispute; (2) the person(s) primarily responsible for the
strike; (3) if the participant(s) may return to work; (4)
what statement, if any, to include in the employee(s) re
cords, and (5) the appropriate penalty against individu
52
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
als found to have instigated the strike or who failed in
their responsibility to attempt to prevent the action.
Since 1962, the council has determined that dismissals
were the appropriate remedy in 3 of the 8 tva strikes,
and suspensions for varying lengths of time in at least
two strikes; in three others, the workers returned to
work without penalty.
In 2 of the 4 postal strikes, workers were discharged
or suspended for varying lengths of time and received
letters of reprimand. No penalties were imposed in the
other two stoppages, including the 9-day strike in 1970
which involved more than 150,000 postal employees.
Air traffic controllers were penalized in 4 of their 5
stoppages, having multiple penalties imposed in at least
one stoppage. In addition, the Professional Air Traffic
Controllers Organization temporarily lost its dues
checkoff privileges as a result of their 1969 walkout and
was decertified as the controllers’ bargaining agent fol
lowing their nationwide stoppage in 1981. This is the
only incidence of decertification in any Federal dispute
since 1962.
The most prevalent disciplinary action was being
charged absent without leave and, in most cases, losing
a day of pay for each day off the job. Written repri
mands were the second most frequent penalty, followed
by temporary suspensions and discharge.
□
------ FOOTNOTES-----1Information on 18 of the 39 stoppages was obtained from
unpublished records of the Office of Personnel Management.
2 37 Stat. 555 (1912), 5 U.S.C. 652. The act states, in part, that
membership in unions “imposing an obligation or duty . . . to engage
in any strike or proposing to assist . . . in any strike against the Unit
ed States” would result in grade reduction or loss of the employee’s
job. See David Ziskind, One Thousand Strikes of Government Employ
ees (New York, Columbia University Press, 1940).
' Section 305 of the Labor Management Relations Act was repealed
in 1955. However, at the same time, 5 U.S.C., Secs. 118p and 118r
were enacted, retaining the prohibitions against strikes by Federal em
ployees. These two sections were subsequently replaced in 1966 by 5
U.S.C., Secs. 3333 and 7311, and by 18 U.S.C., Sec. 1918.
4Title 5, Sec. 118r of the Unites States Code.
’ Title VII had its antecedent in Executive Order 10988, which de
clared that an orderly and constructive relationship between unions
and management was government policy. The number of Federal
workers represented by unions increased substantially after this Exec
utive Order was issued in 1962. See Wage Chronology: Federal Em
ployees Under the General Schedule Pay System, July 1924-October
1974, Bulletin 1870 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1975), p. vii.
6The challenged laws were 5 U.S.C., Sec. 7311 (3) which forbids
anyone from accepting or holding a Federal job who “participates in
a strike;” 18 U.S.C., Sec. 1918 which makes strikes against the Feder
al government a criminal offense and provides penalties for violations;
5 U.S.C., Sec. 333 (par. C) which requires no-strike affidavits from
Federal workers; and Executive Order 11491. See United Federation of
Postal Clerks v. Blount, D.C.D.C. 1971, 325 F Supp. 879.
7 92 S.Ct. 80, 404 U.S. 802, 30 L.Ed.2d38.
8Ziskind, p. 24.
’ Ziskind, p. 32; the last Federal strike noted by Ziskind occurred in
1937.
In addition, during 1917-20, when the United States vested control
of the Nation’s railroads and harbors in the Federal Railroad Admin
istration, there were 46 stoppages involving railroad, marine, and wa
terfront employees. However, because of the temporary and
emergency nature of Federal involvement in these industries, these
stoppages are not considered bona fide Federal stoppages, nor are the
large number of stoppages by participants in Depression-era Federal
public works projects.
10These disputes include all Federal work stoppages lasting a shift,
full day, or longer, and involving at least six workers. The Office of
Personnel Management, in addition, takes account of all Federal job
actions including informational picketing, walkouts (however short),
sickouts and sitins, and other actions that may interrupt or have the
potential to interrupt work routine. However, unless the job action
met the Bureau’s definition of a full shift and at least six workers, it
was not included in the 39 stoppages noted. Stoppages culled from
the Office of Personnel Management records are noted in the table.
11 Federal law limits collective bargaining by Federal employees to
nonwage issues. Exceptions to this rule, however, are air traffic con
trollers and employees of the Postal Service, Government Printing Of
fice, and Tennessee Valley Authority. Seven of the twenty wagerelated stoppages involved employees of these four agencies.
An overview of the population
below the poverty level
The number of persons below the poverty level rose
from 24.5 million in 1978, to 25.3 million (11.6 percent
of the total population) in 1979. Statistically significant
is the fact that the percentage of the population below
the poverty level was unchanged.
Although the poverty rate for all persons was 11.6
percent, many groups had poverty rates well above or
below the national average. For example, persons in
families maintained by women with no husband present,
had a poverty rate of 30 percent, compared with per
sons in families maintained by mean which had a pover
ty rate of only 6 percent. Despite the increase in the
total number of persons below the poverty level during
1978-79, only a few of the major subgroups within the
population experienced significant increases in the num
ber of poor or the poverty rate.
There were 16.8 million whites and 7.8 million blacks
below the poverty level in 1979— not significantly dif
ferent from the previous year. As in earlier years, the
poverty rate for whites (9 percent) was much lower
than the rate for blacks (31 percent). Blacks accounted
for 12 percent of the total U.S. population, but they
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
made up 31 percent of the poverty population. About
2.9 million persons of Spanish origin were below the
poverty level (11 percent of the poverty population) in
1979. Their poverty rate, 22 percent, was the same as in
1978.
The number of poor persons 65 years old and over
increased from 3.2 million in 1978 to 3.6 million (a
15-percent poverty rate) in 1979. This increase probably
occurred because their income (other than Social Securi
ty) did not keep up with inflation (which rose to 11.3
percent in 1979).
There were 15.7 million persons below the poverty
level living in metropolitan areas. Of these, 9.5 million
lived in central cities and 6.2 million lived in suburban
areas. Poverty rates were the highest in 1979 for central
city residents (16 percent) and lowest for suburban area
residents (7 percent).
Of the 25.3 million persons below the poverty level in
1979, 42 percent lived in the South. The poverty rate
for persons living in the South was 15 percent, com
pared with 10 percent for those in the North and West
Region (combined regions).
The poverty level for families with a female house
holder, no husband present (30 percent) was much
higher than the rates of married-couple families (5 per
cent) and families with a male householder, no wife
present (10 percent). In 1979, the majority of white
families below the poverty level were married-couple
families (59 percent). By contrast, most poor black fam
ilies were maintained by women with no husband pres
ent (72 percent). Nevertheless, for both races, the
porportion of poor families maintained by women has
increased substantially since 1970.
Finally, 5.6 million unrelated individuals (15 years
old and over, living alone or with nonrelatives) were be
low the poverty level in 1979; 1.9 million men and 3.7
million women. This group increased by 400,000 be
tween 1977 and 1979, and accounted for 12 percent of
all persons and 22 percent of persons below the poverty
level.
The full report, Characteristics o f the Population Be
low the Poverty Level: 1979, U.S. Bureau of the Census,
Current Population Reports, Series P-60, No. 130, is for
sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govern
ment Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.
□
53
M ajor Agreements
Expiring Next M onth
This list of collective bargaining agreements expiring in September is based on contracts on file in
the Bureau’s Office of Wages and Industrial Relations. The list includes agreements covering 1,000
workers or more.
L ab or o r g a n iz a tio n 1
In d u stry
E m p lo y er and lo ca tio n
A c m e -C le v e la n d C orp ., N a tio n a l A c m e C o. D iv isio n (C lev ela n d , O h io )
. .
A m erican P r o tec tiv e Services, In c., U p to w n A g reem en t (San F ra n cisco ,
C alif.)
M a ch in ery ..........................................
Services ................................................
M e ch a n ic s E d u c a tio n a l S o ciety .............
In tern a tio n a l U n io n o f S ecurity O fficers
N u m b e r of
w o rk ers
1,200
2 ,2 0 0
(In d .)
B ronx R e a lty A d v iso r y B oard, Inc. ( N e w Y o rk , N . Y . ) ..........................................
B run o F o o d S tores, Inc. and F o o d W o rld , Inc. ( A l a b a m a ) ................................
R eal e s t a t e ..........................................
R eta il trad e ......................................
Service E m p lo y e es ..........................................
F o o d a n d C o m m ercia l W o r k e r s .............
1 1 ,000
2 ,7 0 0
C aterpillar T ractor C o., T o w m o to r C o rp ., C entral A g reem en t (In tersta te)
M a ch in ery
A u to W o r k e r s ...................................................
C h rysler C orp ., 4 agreem en ts ( I n t e r s t a t e ) ......................................................................
T ra n sp o rta tio n eq u ip m en t . . . .
A u to W o r k e r s ...................................................
2 5 ,0 0 0
1,500
7 5 ,3 0 0
D eere an d C o. (Io w a and I l l i n o i s ) ......................................................................................
M a ch in ery
A u to W o r k e r s ...................................................
F o o d E m p lo y e rs C o u n cil, In c., 3 a g reem en ts ( C a l i f o r n i a ) ...................................
W h o le sa le t r a d e ................................
T ea m sters (In d .)
F M C C orp ., B earing and C h ain D iv isio n s (In d ia n a p o lis, In d .)
M a ch in ery
Steelw o rk ers
.......................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
.............................................
7 ,0 0 0
......................................................
2 ,0 0 0
...................................................
1,050
3 ,0 0 0
G reater N e w Y ork F o ld in g B o x and D isp la y M a n u fa ctu rers A s so c ia tio n
( N e w Y ork )
G T E Sylvan ia (O tta w a , O h io ) .............................................................................................
P a p e r ......................................................
P ap erw ork ers
E lectrical p r o d u c t s ..........................
E lectrical W orkers (IB E W )
Jew el C o m p a n ie s, In c., Jew el F o o d S to res D iv isio n (In d ia n a a n d Illin o is) .
R eta il trad e
U n ite d R eta il W orkers
......................................
3 2 ,0 0 0
1,200
......................
1,850
................................
1 4,000
1,150
1,150
1,700
1,900
2 ,0 0 0
K elly-S p rin gfield Tire C o. (T yler, T e x . ) ..........................................................................
K ern C o u n ty F lo o r C overin g A s s o c ia tio n (C a lifo rn ia ) ..........................................
R u b b er ................................................
C o n s t r u c t io n ......................................
B u ild in g a n d C o n str u c tio n T rades
C o u n cil
R ubber W orkers .............................................
P ain ters ................................................................
S an yo M an u factu rin g C orp ., F orrest C ity , A rk a n sa s P la n ts (A r k a n sa s) . .
S ecurity A g e n c ie s, U p to w n A g reem en t (San F ra n cisco , C a lif.)2 .......................
E lectrical p r o d u c t s ..........................
Services ................................................
E lectrical W orkers (IU E ) ..........................
In tern a tio n a l U n io n o f S ecurity O fficers
(In d .)
3 ,000
W estern S tates F ield C o n stru ctio n A g reem en t (In te r sta te )2 ................................
C o n s t r u c t io n ......................................
G o v ern m en t a c tiv ity
B o ile r m a k e r s ......................................................
L ab or o r g a n iz a tio n 1
Florida: D a d e C o u n ty Fire D e p a r t m e n t ..........................................................................
D a d e C o u n ty P olic e D ep a rtm en t ...................................................................
Fire p ro tectio n ................................
P ub lic s a f e t y ......................................
Fire F i g h t e r s ......................................................
D a d e C o u n ty P o lic e B en evolen t
A sso c ia tio n
O hio: C olu m b u s M unicipal E m p lo y e es
M u ltid ep a rtm en ts
A m erica n F ed era tio n o f S ta te, C o u n ty
and M u n icip a l E m p lo y e es
..........................................................................
'A ffilia te d w ith A F L -C I O excep t w h ere n o ted as in d ep en d en t (In d .).
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
..........................
3 ,5 0 0
2 I n d u stry area (g ro u p o f c o m p a n ie s sig n in g sa m e c o n tra c t).
1,000
2 ,2 0 0
6 0 ,0 0 0
4 ,0 0 0
Developments in
Industrial Relations
Pattern-setting agreement in garment industry
About 150,000 workers in the dress, coat and suit,
and sportswear industries were covered by a settlement
between the Ladies Garment Workers and various em
ployer groups. The 3-year agreements are expected to
set a pattern for 50,000 other workers and were effective
on the June 1 termination date of the prior agreements.
The initial 35-cent-an-hour wage increase was deferred
to December 1, 1982, and will be followed by a 35-cent
increase on June 1, 1983, and a 40-cent increase on July
1, 1984. Under the prior contracts, hourly pay rates
ranged from $5.50 to $5.75.
A cost-of-living clause was established. Under the
formula, the workers will receive a February 1984 pay
adjustment of 10 cents an hour if the Consumer Price
Index rises 8.5 percent between June 1, 1982, and De
cember 1, 1983, plus 5 cents for each additional 0.5-per
centage point rise in the index, subject to a 25-cent cap.
Prior contracts did not have a cost-of-living clause but
were subject to reopening if the CPI rose by specified
amounts.
Other terms included an additional paid holiday and,
for sportswear employees, a 1.5-percent (of payroll) in
crease in employer financing of benefits.
Employer groups involved in the settlement included
the Affiliated Dress Manufacturers Association, Apparel
Manufacturers Association, New York Coat and Suit
Association, and New York Skirt and Sportswear Asso
ciation.
mining if the company was justified in firing 22 of the
strikers for alleged picket line violence. Other major is
sues were company demands for increased productivity
and installation of a computer system to aid in keeping
inventories and managing the flow of work.
In regard to the productivity issue, American Stan
dard said the settlement provides that, “in general, in
centive employees will have to meet or exceed output
standards before prior earnings are guaranteed; howev
er, they will now have the opportunity to increase their
earnings significantly depending on their output.”
The union said that it had agreed to installation of
the computer system after the company promised not to
use it for pinpointing high incentive earnings or for any
time study purposes.
The 3-year accord also limited workers at the Wes
tinghouse Air Brake Co. plant in Wilmerding to two
job transfers a year. Previously, they could bid on jobs
at will, which disrupted production, according to man
agement officials. American Standard agreed to conduct
programs to train senior employees for job openings at
its w a b c o and the Union Switch and Signal plants.
The settlement, which covered 3,800 workers at the
two plants, provided for a total of 85 cents an hour in
specified wage increases; for retention of the provision
for automatic cost-of-living pay adjustments, subject to
a limit of $2.32 an hour over the 3-year term; for estab
lishment of a dental care plan; and for improvements in
pensions and other benefits.
Airline strike ends
Strike against American Standard ends
A 207-day strike against plants of American Stand
ard, Inc., subsidiaries in Wilmerding and Swissvale, Pa.,
ended when the company and Local 610 of the United
Electrical Workers resolved the last major issue by
agreeing on grievance-arbitration procedures for deter-
“Developments in Industrial Relations” is prepared by George Ruben
of the Division of Developments in Labor-Management Relations,
Bureau of Labor Statistics, and is largely based on information from
secondary sources.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A 3 Vi-week strike against Northwest Airlines ended
when 3,600 mechanics, baggage handlers, food-service
workers, and security personnel ratified a 38-month
contract. The agreement, negotiated by the Internation
al Association of Machinists, called for wage increases
of 9 percent retroactive to November 1, 1981, 9 percent
on January 1, 1983, and 5.5 percent on January 1,
1984.
The parties compromised on the productivity conces
sion Northwest had sought. In exchange for greater
flexibility in job assignments, the company dropped its
55
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Developments in Industrial Relations
demand for an increase in the number of part-time em
ployees. The union said it viewed the changes in work
rules as a lesser danger to job security than an increase
in the number of part-time employees.
Other provisions included increased shift differentials
and pay premiums for employees holding Federal air
craft repair and maintenance licenses, and a new com
bined regular medical and major medical lifetime cover
age of $1 million, instead of the previous total of
$500,000.
Paper mill institutes ‘gainsharing’ plan
More than 2,000 employees of Crown Zellerbach
pulp and paper mills in Camas and Port Townsend,
Wash., were covered by a new “gainsharing” plan de
veloped under provisions of a 5-year labor contract ne
gotiated in m id-1981. Crown Zellerbach said that the
plan will pay the workers extra money for productivity
improvements achieved by “working smarter, not
harder.”
The employees, who are represented by the Associa
tion of Western Pulp and Paper Workers union, re
ceived an initial payment of $500 because they accepted
the plan before the June 1 deadline. In the future, the
size of the annual lump-sum payments will be based on
the hours worked and the cost savings resulting from a
productivity formula. The formula will include such fac
tors as the output of paper machines, reduction of
waste, and reduction of purchased energy. Regardless of
the results, the workers will receive at least 10 cents for
each hour worked during the 12-month period.
Early negotiations possible in steel industry
The way was cleared for a possible early settlement in
the steel industry when presidents of Steelworkers’ local
unions voted 263 to 79 to begin “discussions [with the
major producers] for the purpose of exploring possible
solutions” to economic conditions and resulting layoffs
plaguing the industry.
Union president Lloyd McBride said that he was not
“ruling in or ruling out anything” regarding possible
wage-and-benefit concessions or new contract talks. The
union’s current 3-year agreements with the eight Coor
dinating Committee Steel Companies are scheduled to
expire in August 1983.
In a related development, U.S. Steel Corp. reduced
salaries of its 20,000 management level employees by at
least 5 percent, effective July 1. In addition, the compa
ny froze the cost-of-living allowances of 7,000
nonmanagement employees; previously, the company
had granted quarterly pay adjustments to these employ
ees similar to those resulting from the provision in the
Steelworkers’ contract.
The company also said that some benefits would be
56
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
reduced for all of the white-collar workers. The changes
included elimination of the fifth week of paid vacation
for long-service employees, two paid holidays a year,
and a dental care plan, as well as modifications of other
health benefits. Earlier in the year, other major steel
companies had imposed similar changes for nonunion
white-collar workers.
Wage-and-benefit concessions
The results of adverse economic conditions were not
confined to the steel industry. Various companies
moved to alleviate problems, either through bargaining
with unions or by instituting wage-and-benefit reduc
tions or deferrals for nonunion workers.
• In Billings, Mont., 350 employees of Pierce Packing
Co. agreed to a 1-year wage reduction of $1.90 an
hour, with the lost money to be repaid over a 4-year
period. The workers, who are represented by two lo
cals of the United Food and Commercial Workers
and a local of the Operating Engineers, also agreed to
a 1-year moratorium on pay increases, including costof-living adjustments; to take three holidays without
pay; and to changes in work rules intended to in
crease productivity. Similar changes were instituted
for salaried employees, who are not union-represent
ed. The company said the changes were needed to
counter a slowdown in its sales of pork products.
• In the nonferrous mining industry, Hecla Mining Co.
of Wallace, Idaho, announced a pay reduction rang
ing from 5 percent for employees earning less than
$17,000 a year to 15 percent for top management.
The reduction was 10 percent ($2,080 a year) for
miners earning the starting rate of $10 an hour.
Among the workers affected were 100 gold miners
and 30 lead and silver miners. The cut did not apply
to 250 lead and silver miners represented by the
United Steel Workers. It also did not apply to 220
nonunion lead, zinc, and silver miners whose pay had
already been cut 10 percent. Hecla President William
A. Griffith said the pay cuts were required because of
severe declines in mineral prices.
• Barber-Greene Co. cut salaries by 3 to 9 percent for
its 900 office and management employees in the Unit
ed States and Canada. The company said that salaries
will be frozen at the reduced level “for the indefinite
future” and that some of its white-collar workers
would be laid off over the next 2 months. The com
pany, which had already cut its hourly work force by
30 percent within the last year, said the white-collar
actions were necessitated by slumping demand for its
road construction, mining, and industrial machinery.
• The Hesston Co., a Kansas manufacturer of farm and
oil field equipment, froze the pay of 200 clerical
workers and cut the pay of 350 other white-collar
•
•
•
•
•
workers by 5 percent. Hesston said the moves were
needed “to reduce costs that cannot be recovered in
today’s economic conditions.” The changes did not af
fect 950 employees represented by an independent
union.
In Columbus, Ind., Cummins Engine Co. cut the pay
of all its salaried employees in the United States by 6
percent and said it was considering further measures
to reduce costs. This was in addition to a cut 3
months earlier for officers of the company. The com
pany said that it was discussing wage concessions
with an independent union representing office work
ers in the Columbus area, but was not discussing cuts
with the Diesel Workers Union, another independent
union, because “we’ve already had lots of layoffs
among the production workers it represents.”
In the rubber industry, B.F. Goodrich Co. announced
that it was cutting the pay of 10,000 higher-salaried
employees and freezing the pay of several thousand
others. John D. Ong, chairman and chief executive of
ficer of the company, said “the actions are precau
tionary in nature and represent our commitment to
managing our way through this difficult period.” The
cut, limited to employees earning at least $20,000 a
year, was 15 percent for members of Goodrich’s man
agement committee, 10 percent for other executives,
and 5 percent for other employees. The company also
said that it would not grant pay increases to salaried
workers and was eliminating a week of paid vacation
for those eligible for 3 weeks in 1983.
Exxon Corp. announced that it planned to reduce ex
penses 15 percent and that 60 percent of this would
be achieved through personnel cutbacks. The oil com
pany said that the staff reduction would be achieved
through voluntary retirements.
In Grand Haven, Mich., employees of the Bastian
Blessing Co. agreed to a $l-an-hour reduction in fu
ture wage-and-benefit improvements that had been
scheduled under a 3-year contract negotiated in Feb
ruary. Under the concession plan, average pay will go
from $9.30 an hour to $9.32 by the end of 1983, and
to $10.12 by the end of the 3-year contract term. The
300 employees represented by Sheet Metal Workers
Local 430 accepted the agreement after being told
that the cost reduction was necessary to assure pur
chase of the plant by local investors, including some
officials of the plant, which makes restaurant equip
ment. The purchase negotiations were being conduct
ed with the plant’s parent firm, Bastian Industries,
Inc. The Grand Haven plant had been experiencing
financial problems and layoffs because of the loss of a
major account. The purchase group assured the em
ployees that completion of the sale would result in re
call of the workers.
The Aluminum Company of America froze the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
•
•
•
•
•
salaries of its top 1,800 managers and cut in half the
rate at which 9,500 other salaried employees accrue
points toward salary increases based on the cost-ofliving, performance, and other factors. Company
spokesman Robert Larson described the move as “a
short-term tactic to conserve cash and a long-term
strategy to bring all our salaries into a more competi
tive relationship with other manufacturing compa
nies.”
The Kirsch Co., a maker of home furnishings
hardware, and Local 797 of the Automobile Workers
revised their existing contract to provide for a wage
freeze extending to June 1985. The accord, which was
ratified by a 410 to 41 margin, also called for reduc
tions in some benefits. Despite these cost-saving
changes, the Sturges, Mich., firm gave no assurance
that more layoffs or a plant closing could be averted.
Kirsch already had 300 production workers on layoff.
In Lockport, N.Y., 430 employees of Guterl Special
Steel Corp. agreed to a package of wage-and-benefit
reductions expected to save the company $1.5 mil
lion. Workers will return to “normal” wage-and-bene
fit levels in October 1983, a week before the expira
tion of Guterl’s current contract with Local 2857 of
the United Steelworkers. In exchange for the aid, the
company agreed to return to employees the dollar
value of the concessions, plus 7 percent interest, be
ginning October 1, 1984, if financial conditions per
mit. Guterl president Douglas K. Pinner said the
union aid was necessitated by “a severely depressed
economy, coupled with unconscionable levels of im
ports approaching 50 percent in some steel prod
ucts.”
In the construction industry, 200 plumbers in
Connecticut agreed to work on housebuilding proj
ects at 65 percent of their usual pay rate. The agree
ment between the Naugatuck Valley Mechanical
Contractors Association and Local 22 of the Plumb
ers and Pipefitters specified that the special rate
would apply to work on single family homes, garden
apartments, and condominiums. The rate also applies
to small warehouses and commercial facilities.
Caterpillar Tractor Co. froze the salaries of its man
agement and weekly salaried employees, and suspend
ed their quarterly cost-of-living increases, merit raises,
and payments in lieu of unused vacation time. The
move affected 13,800 management employees and
9,600 others, such as secretaries and technicians. The
heavy equipment manufacturer also was offering cash
retirement inducements to management employees at
least 58 years old.
Massey Ferguson announced that it was deferring
payment of part of the salaries of its 3,000 North
American white-collar employees until October. The
deferred amount, expected to total $6 million,
57
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Developments in Industrial Relations
amounted to 25 percent of pay for senior employees
and 20 percent for others. The Canadian company in
dicated that 2,000 of the affected workers are located
in the United States, primarily in the Des Moines,
Iowa, and Detroit, Mich., areas. Earlier in 1982,
Massey-Ferguson’s production workers in the United
States agreed to wage concessions totaling $10 mil
lion over a 30-month period. These workers are rep
resented by the United Automobile Workers.
• Clark Equipment Co. announced plans to cut 700
employees from its white-collar staff of 5,200 by No
vember 1. Some of the reduction would be accom
plished by offering special retirement incentives to
employees who are age 55 with at least 10 years of
service. About 500 employees were eligible for the
program. The construction equipment maker also dis
closed that it was undertaking a study to determine if
some of its 11 North American plants should be
closed.
Supreme Court rules on subcontracting clauses
In the area of collective bargaining, the Supreme
Court ruled that a construction union can negotiate
provisions requiring contractors to do business only
with subcontractors that recognize the union. The case
resulted from 1959 amendments to a Federal law that
prohibited such subcontracting clauses in all industries
except construction. Despite this language, doubts
about the exemption had continued because, in 1975,
the court had taken a narrow interpretation of the ex
emption.
In the recent unanimous ruling, written by Justice
Thurgood Marshall, the court said that construction
unions can seek subcontracting clauses in the normal
course of collective bargaining.
In its arguments in the case, which involved labor
disputes in Southern California and in Oregon, the in
dustry representatives involved contended that such
clauses should apply only when needed on specific pro
jects to preclude union and nonunion workers from
working side by side.
Court bans ‘nonunion’ contributors to campaigns
A union can prohibit outsiders from contributing to
union leadership campaigns, according to the Supreme
Court. The case resulted from the 1977 race for leader
ship of the Steelworkers union between Lloyd McBride,
who was endorsed by most of the incumbent officers
Digitized for
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
and won the contest, and Edward Sadlowski, who drew
substantial financial contributions from “outsiders.”
Later, in 1979, the union’s convention adopted a rule
prohibiting outside contributions.
Sadlowski then challenged the rule in court, contend
ing that it violated provisions of the Labor-Manage
ment Reporting and Disclosure Act guaranteeing free
speech to union members.
Writing for the majority, Justice Thurgood Marshall
said that the act’s free speech guarantee was not as
broad as the guarantee of the First Amendment to the
Constitution and that the union need only show— as it
had— that its rule was “rationally related” to its desire
to reduce outside interference.
Justice Byron R. White, writing for the minority, said
that the outsider rule was unreasonable because Con
gress was concerned about corrupt and entrenched
union leadership when it passed the 1959 law. Continu
ing, he said that restrictions such as the outsiders rule
“are a far cry from the free and open elections that
Congress anticipated and are wholly inconsistent with
the way elections have been run in this country.”
3M Company settles sex discrimination suits
Ending years of litigation, Minnesota Mining & Man
ufacturing (3M) Co. settled several sex bias suits by
agreeing to pay $2.3 million to 2,350 women. The
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said that
the suits had charged the company with discrimination
in job assignments, wages, promotions, transfers, and
other employment policies.
Under the settlement, the company agreed to give
1,350 female employees about $1.5 million in back pay,
plus interest. The company also agreed to help the
women attain higher-paying jobs by offering them job
counseling, posting job vacancies, and paying for jobrelated courses.
Locals of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers and
the Grain Millers unions, which were codefendants in
the suits, will set up committees to handle discrimina
tion issues at the five plants.
The settlement also required 3M to pay $525,000
plus interest to some 1,000 women it had forced to take
maternity leave 4 months before they were scheduled to
give birth. This policy was essentially ended in 1973.
3M said that it settled because the suits were con
suming a great deal of management time, and that now
it could concentrate on its affirmative action programs
for hiring, training, and promoting women.
Book Reviews
Portrait of a leader
George Meany and His Times: A Biography. By Archie
Robinson. New York, Simon and Schuster, 1981.
445 pp. $18.75. Single copy, $12.50 postpaid, AFLCIO Books, P.O. Box 37473, Washington 20013.
George Meany, scowling through the thick smoke of
a cigar, uttering defiant and sometimes ungrammatical
challenges to leaders of government and industry, prob
ably would have been a casting director’s ideal “labor
boss.”
But the George Meany of this book, passionately de
voted to democratic institutions, arch foe of commu
nism and corruption, champion of civil rights and social
justice, is difficult to fit into the “labor boss” stereo
type.
George Meany not only authorized this biography, he
collaborated actively in its preparation during 4 years of
weekly taped interviews with the author. Not surpris
ingly, then, the book is less a searching evaluation than
the recollections of a celebrated leader at the end of his
career.
Archie Robinson got to know George Meany during
37 years as a labor reporter for the Detroit News and
U.S. News & World Report. Because he relies heavily on
speeches and taped recollections, his admiring portrait
accurately reflects Meany’s direct— and often blunt —
manner. But the virtue of telling Meany’s story in Mea
ny’s own words is offset at times by Robinson’s practice
of reporting events by stringing together Meany quota
tions, with minimal or self-conscious, “as he recalled for
this book,” transitions. This tends to limit the reader to
Meany’s view of events, where the inclusion of other
views might have provided fuller understanding.
An example of this limitation is the account of Mea
ny’s frustration with the World War II stabilization
program which led to an attack on the Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Robinson quotes at length from Meany’s
statements accusing b l s of not doing an adequate job of
measuring the cost of living, charging that BLS “has laid
aside its function as an impartial research agency inter
ested only in securing and presenting the facts and has
identified itself with the objectives of a specific political
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
administration,” and denouncing Acting Commissioner
Ford Hinrichs as “a bureaucratic monkey on a stick
who moves up and down in conformity with the dic
tates of the administrative wage policy.” Robinson’s
readers don’t learn that other participants in that dis
pute, including some of Meany’s trade union colleagues,
found his attacks on BLS unwarranted.
Robinson traces Meany’s rise from a high school
dropout who failed in his first attempt to pass the jour
neyman plumber examination, to popular business
agent for his Bronx union local, chief lobbyist and pres
ident of the New York State Federation of Labor, sec
retary-treasurer of the American Federation of Labor,
and finally, AFL-CIO president. The book is at its best
when it describes Meany’s relationship with eight presi
dents of the United States and with Walter Reuther.
(After one of Reuther’s attacks on Meany as “a com
placent custodian of the status quo,” Meany joked to
reporters that “I’m now signing my letters ‘sincerely
and complacently yours’.”)
Robinson describes some events not often remem
bered, including the fact that, while still in New York,
Meany led a successful strike against the New Deal re
lief agencies that wanted to pay less than prevailing
rates on Works Progress Administration construction
projects.
The book also documents Meany opinions that will
surprise some readers:
On the split in the labor movement in the 1930’s:
“There was no good trade union reason for the split . . .
(Franklin D. Roosevelt) was going to seek more active
political support (in the 1936 election) and he didn’t
figure he would get it through the AFL Executive Coun
cil, which was fairly conservative. . . . The industrial
union idea was a bugaboo designed to cover up the po
litical motives of the sponsors of the CIO.”
On forming a labor party: “When you set up a labor
party— I don’t care where it is— and you tie yourself to
a labor party, you are saying, in effect, we not only
want better conditions for the people we represent, we
not only want to raise the standard of life, we want to
run the country. (Samuel) Gompers took the position
that it was not our job to run the country. . . . The
Gompers’ philosophy was not to be nonpolitical, it was
59
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Book Reviews
to be nonpartisan. The Gompers’ philosophy basically
was that labor should not tie itself to a political party
in any way at all. That is still our policy . . . .”
On lobbying: “You never beg and you never threaten.
And always keep in the back of your mind that the oth
er guy may be right.”
On being an economist: “I look back when I was a
high school dropout. I think now that if I had gone on,
I might have wound up being an economist. And to me,
that’s kind of a sad profession. Although it is the one
profession in which you can gain great eminence with
out ever being right.”
In pursuing plumbing and union leadership careers
instead of economics, George Meany was often right
and gained great eminence as well. This book tells that
story and tells it well.
— H en r y Low enstern
Editor-in-Chief
M onthly Labor Review
Excluding unions
Preventive Labor Relations. By John G. Kilgour. New
York, AMACOM, A division of American Manage
ment Associations, 1981. 338 pp. $24.95.
In recent years, a steady flow of books and articles
have been published to assist employers in preventing
unions from invading their businesses and activities.
These publications, together with a series of seminars
and intensified activity by consultants advising employ
ers on how to avoid unions, have contributed to a cli
mate of tension and distrust in labor-management
relations. There is little doubt that some of these
antiunion efforts have caused great concern in the orga
nized labor movement.
This book may irritate some labor union members
and officers merely because it discusses ways of prevent
ing labor unions from organizing the unorganized. It is
not, however, a vitriolic attack on labor unions. It be
gins with the assumption that the vast majority of
nonunionized employers would prefer to remain free of
unions. It then proceeds to cover a number of areas in
which employers can take action to keep unions out.
Throughout the book, however, the author stresses the
need to adhere to the rules of collective bargaining and
personnel administration.
Basically, “preventive labor relations” encourages ear
ly attention to organizing efforts, establishing effective
communication links to detect early organizing moves,
and establishing a basis for meeting and conferring with
employees on a regular basis. Employers are cautioned
not to overpublicize their efforts because employees
60
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
could become more aware of union activities than
would otherwise be the case.
Particular suggestions are made with respect to plant
location (where unions have traditionally experienced
difficulties in organizing workers); a mix of workers to
include groups generally opposed to unions; and estab
lishment of larger work units which the author believes
will help oppose organizing efforts because, he says,
unions are less successful in organizing larger units.
This last point conflicts with recent releases by the Na
tional Labor Relations Board indicating that unions
have been most successful in organizing larger units.
The author may be thinking of larger bargaining units
with a diverse work force consisting of a sizable number
of workers from groups not thought to be susceptible to
union organizing drives.
The author considers effective screening and hiring of
workers to be one of the most essential aspects of pre
ventive labor relations. He cautions, however, that care
must be taken to avoid the legal pitfalls of such selec
tive personnel practices. It would seem to this reviewer
that the official use of such practices can be construed
as a violation of existing law, especially since the book
suggests that certain “protected” groups are more prone
to join unions than are members of other groups.
Among the groups mentioned by the author as being
less likely to join unions are retired military personnel,
older people, part-time and temporary workers, and cer
tain ethnic-racial groups who believe that unions have
not acted in their best interests. One must question this
kind of selection policy and practice on another basis.
Will the organization get the best possible work force?
The point made by the author is that a carefully select
ed mix of workers can help keep unions out.
Kilgour emphasizes two important points. For exam
ple, he says the best way to keep unions out is to
practice fair and effective personnel administration. This
means not only the personnel office but each manager,
who, in effect, is a personnel manager. If workers be
lieve that the organization’s personnel policies and prac
tices are superior to what can be expected in a
unionized environment, there will be little or no
incentive to join a union.
If, however, union organization drives get started, it
is easier to defeat them if the organization has advance
warning. Open door policies practiced by managers, exit
interviews, attitude surveys, detection of increased ab
senteeism or turnover, and so forth, can help serve as
an early warning system. Again, it is important, says
the author, not to show too much activity or concern
because this might precipitate unions to take action ear
lier than planned, or, it can help to stir up employees to
seek outside assistance.
If organizing drives do get started, employers are
cautioned to operate within the rules. This is not to
suggest a “cave-in,” but the author says that employers
should manage to get this viewpoint across, and to do
all that is legally possible to keep the union organizing
effort from succeeding. This involves getting informa
tion to employees, timing events to conform to the or
ganization’s needs, and striving to gain the best
strategic advantage possible.
Finally, the author suggests that if a certification elec
tion results in a union victory, management must be
tough, effective negotiators. Thereafter, they should ad
minister the contract fairly and consistently and contin
ue to manage effectively. The fight is not necessarily
over. Changes can and do occur.
This book can be helpful to employers in planning
strategy to prevent unions from organizing workers. It
has a sensible tone and approach, with proper caution.
It can also be helpful to union organizers in planning
their strategy. On balance, this book would be useful to
both management and labor.
Ben Bu r d etsk y
Professor
Department of Business Administration
George Washington University
Publications received
Economic growth and development
Fuchs, Victor R., Economic Growth and the Rise o f Service
Employment. Reprinted from Towards an Explanation o f
Economic Growth, 1981, pp. 221-42. Cambridge, Mass.,
National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1982.
( n b e r Reprint, 257.) $1.50.
Palumbo, George, “An Economic Analysis: The Impact of
Public Employment G row th,” Growth and Change, Janu
ary 1982, pp. 37-45.
Senese, Donald J., ed., Ideas Confront Reality: An Analysis o f
Critical Issues in the Reagan Era. Washington, U.S. De
partment of Agriculture, Graduate School Press, 1981,
150 pp., bibliography. $10, cloth; $7, paper.
Novit, Mitchell S., “ Defamation: Management’s New Predica
ment,” Business, A pril-June 1982, pp. 2-7.
Nye, David L., “Fire at Will: New Rules for Managers,”
Business, A pril-June 1982, pp. 8-11.
Pencavel, John H., The T rade-O ff Between Wages and E m
ploym ent in Trade Union Objectives. Cambridge, Mass.,
National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1982, 29
pp. ( n b e r Working Paper Series, 870.) $1.50.
Raskin, A. H., “Turnaround in Bargaining,” The JournallT he
Institute for Socioeconomic Studies, Spring 1982, pp. 1222 .
Riche, M artha Farnsworth, “The Future of Organized La
bor,” The Best o f Business, Spring 1982, pp. 45-48. (Re
printed from American Demographics, September 1981.)
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Analysis o f Work Stoppages,
1980. Prepared by Jane S. Gelman. Washington, 1982, 90
pp. (Bulletin 2120.) $5, Superintendent of Documents,
Washington 20402.
Industry and government organization
Jordon, William A., Canadian Airline Performance Under Reg
ulation. Ottawa, Ontario, Economic Council of Canada,
1982, 226 pp. (Working Paper, 29.)
Levin, Carl, “Save the Auto Industry,” The JournallT he In
stitute for Socioeconomic Studies, Spring 1982, pp. 1-11.
Papillon, Beniot-Mario, The Taxi Industry and Its Regulation
in Canada. Ottawa, Ontario, Economic Council of Cana
da, 1982, 124 pp., bibliography. (Working Paper, 30.)
“Survival in the Basic Industries: How Four Companies Hope
to Avoid Disaster,” Business Week, Apr. 26, 1982, begin
ning on p. 74.
Waverman, Leonard, The Process o f Telecommunications R eg
ulation in Canada. Ottawa, Ontario, Economic Council of
Canada, 1982, 105 pp. (Working Paper, 28.)
International economics
Dow, Shelia C , “The Regional Composition of the Money
Multiplier Process,” Scottish Journal o f Political Economy,
February 1982, pp. 22-44.
Jacquemin, Alexis, “Imperfect Market Structure and Interna
tional Trade— Some Recent Research,” Kyklos, Vol. 35,
Fase. 1, 1982, pp. 75-93.
Labor and economic history
Economic Growth M odel
System Used fo r Projections to 1990. Prepared by Richard
“Africa South of the Sahara, 1982,” Current History, March
1982, pp. 97-128.
Oliver. Washington, 1982, 108 pp. (Bulletin 2112.) $5.50,
Superintendent of Documents, Washington 20402.
Hill, Herbert, “The a f l - C I O and the Black Worker: TwentyFive Years After the Merger,” The Journal o f Intergroup
Relations, Spring 1982, pp. 1-78.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics,
BLS
Industrial relations
Canada, Queen’s University, Labor Relations Law. 3d ed.
(Compiled by the Labour Relations Law Casebook
Group.) Kingston, Ontario, Canada, Queen’s University,
Industrial Relations Center, 1981, 656 pp. $27.50, paper.
“ Employee Relations Law Institute: A Symposium,” E m ploy
ee Relations Journal, Spring 1982, pp. 551-618.
Shergold, Peter R., Working-Class Life: “The American S tan
d a rd ” in Comparative Perspective, 1899-1913. Pittsburgh,
Pa., University of Pittsburgh Press, 1982, 306 pp. $21.95.
Steinberg, Ronnie, Wages and Hours: Labor and Reform in
Twentieth-Century America. New Brunswick, N.J.,
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1982, 274
pp., bibliography. $25, Rutgers University Press.
Ingebretsen, Mark, “Organized Labor Faces the Robot Age,”
The Best o f Business, Spring 1982, p. 49.
Labor force
Mamorsky, Jeffrey D. and Lisa Mezzetti, “ Emerging E R IS A
Litigation,” Employee Relations Law Journal, pp. 682-90.
Ashton, David N., Malcolm J. Maguire, Valerie Garland,
Youth in the Labour M arket. London, England, Depart-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
61
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Book Reviews
ment of Employment, Research Administration, 1982, 82
pp. (Research Paper, 34.)
Galbraith, Jay R., “Designing the Innovating Organization,”
Organizational Dynamics, Winter 1982, pp. 5-25.
Ault, David E., Gilbert L. Rutman, Thomas Stevenson,
“Some Factors Affecting Mobility in the Labor Market
for Academic Economists,” Economic Inquiry, January
1982, pp. 104—32.
Hayes, Robert H. and David A. Garvin, “Managing As If
Tomorrow M attered,” Harvard Business Review, M ayJune 1982, pp. 70-79.
Barth, Michael C., “Dislocated Workers,” The Journal/The
Institute for Socioeconomic Studies, Spring 1982, pp. 2335.
Herzberg, Frederick, The Managerial Choice: To Be Efficient
and To Be Human. 2d ed. (Rev.) Salt Lake City, Utah,
Olympus Publishing Co., 1982, 360 pp., bibliography.
$19.95.
Braunstein, Yale M. and Andrew Schotter, “Labor Market
Search: An Experimental Study,” Economic Inquiry, Jan
uary 1982, pp. 133-44.
“Japanese Management and White Collar Government: An
Interview with Joji Arai,” Management, Winter 1982, pp.
2- 8.
Flinn, Christopher J. and James J. Heckman, New Methods
Johnston, Robert W., “ Negotiation Strategies: Different
Strokes for Different Folks,” Personnel, M arch-April
1982, pp. 36—44.
for Analyzing Structural Models o f Labor Force Dynamics.
Cambridge, Mass., National Bureau of Economic Re
search, Inc., 1982, 8 6 pp. ( n b e r Working Paper Series,
856.) $1.50.
Heckman, James J. and Thomas E. MaCurdy, New Methods
for Estimating Labor Supply Functions: A Survey. Cam
bridge, Mass., National Bureau of Economic Research,
Inc., 1982, 64 pp. ( n b e r Working Paper Series, 858.)
$1.50.
McCrea, Joan M., “Illegal Labor Migration from Mexico to
the United States,” Labour and Society, October-December 1981, pp. 355-73.
Main, Brian G. M., “Three Summary Measures of the D ura
tion of Unemployment,” Scottish Journal o f Political
Economy, February 1982, pp. 99-101.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Geographic Profile o f Employ
ment and Unemployment, 1980. Prepared by Richard
Rosen, Anderia Thomas, Paul Hadlock, and Joya Ashe.
Washington, 1982, 148 pp. (Bulletin 2111.) $6, Superin
tendent of Documents, Washington 20402.
U.S. General Accounting Office, Labor Market Problems of
Teenagers Result Largely from Doing Poorly in School.
Washington, 1982, 106 pp. (pad-82-06.) Available from
U.S. General Accounting Office, Document Handling and
Information Services Facility, Gaithersburg, Md. 20760.
Weintraub, Sidney and Stanley R. Ross, “ Temporary” Alien
Workers in the United States: Designing Policy from Fact
and Opinion. Boulder, Colo., Westview Press, 1982, 124
pp., bibliography. (A Westview Replica Edition.) $16, pa
per.
Management and organization theory
Miles, Raymond E. and Howard R. Rosenberg, “The Human
Resources Approach to Management: Second-Generation
Issues,” Organizational Dynamics, Winter 1982, pp. 2641.
Pfeffer, Jeffrey and Jerry Ross, “The Effects of Marriage and a
Working Wife on Occupational and Wage Attainment,”
Administrative Science Quarterly, March 1982, pp. 66-80.
Prewitt, Lena B., “The Emerging Field of Human Resources
Management,” Personnel Administrator, May 1982, pp.
81-87.
“Quality of Work Life,” Personnel Administrator, May 1982,
pp. 27-53.
Redling, Edward T., “The 1981 Tax Act: Boon to Managerial
Compensation,” Personnel, M arch-April 1982, pp. 26-35.
Scarborough, Norman and Thomas W. Zimmerer, “Human
Resources Forecasting: Why and Where to Begin,” Per
sonnel Administrator, May 1982, pp. 55-61.
Siegel, Efstathia A., “Merit Pay Attitudes Signal Need for
Management Involvement,” Management, Winter 1982,
pp. 13-15.
Thackray, John, “The New Organization Man,” The Best of
Business, Spring 1982, beginning on p. 7. (Reprinted from
Management Today, September 1981.)
Ukeles, Jacob B„ Doing More With Less. New York, A M A C O M ,
A division of American Management Associations, 1982,
310 pp. $19.95.
Monetary and fiscal policy
Alderfer, Clayton P. and Ken K. Smith, “Studying Intergroup
Relations Embedded in Organizations,” Administrative
Science Quarterly, March 1982, pp. 35-65.
Roley, V. Vance, “Weekly Money Supply Announcements
and the Volatility of Short-Term Interest Rates,” Eco
nomic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City,
April 1982, pp. 3-15.
Ashkenas, Ronald N. and Robert H. Schaffer, “ Managers
Can Avoid Wasting Time,” Harvard Business Week, M ayJune 1982, pp. 98-104.
Sellon, Gordon H., Jr., “Monetary Targets and Inflation: The
Canadian Experience,” Economic Review, Federal Reserve
Bank of Kansas City, April 1982, pp. 16-31.
Brown, M. Craig, “Administrative Succession and Organiza
tional Performance: The Succession Effect,” Administra
tive Science Quarterly, March 1982, pp. 1-16.
Prices and living conditions
Byrd, Richard E., “Developmental Stages in Organizations:
As the Twig Is Bent, So Grows the Tree,” Personnel,
M arch-April 1982, pp. 12-15.
Digitized for62
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Kling, Arnold, “Imperfect Information and Price Rigidity,”
Economic Inquiry, January 1982, pp. 145-54.
Shea, Koon-Lam, “An Alternative Theory of Inflation,”
Kyklos, Vol. 34, Fasc. 4, 1981, pp. 611-28.
Current
Labor Statistics
Notes on Current Labor Statistics
.......................................................................................................................................
Schedule of release dates for major BLS statistical series
.............................................................................
Employment data from household survey. Definitions and notes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
.............................................................
Employment status of noninstitutional population, selected years, 1950-81 ..................................................................
Employment status by sex, age, and race, seasonally adjusted ........................................................................................
Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted ..........................................................................................................
Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted .....................................................................................................
Unemployment rates, by sex and age, seasonally adjusted ................................................................................................
Unemployed persons, by reason for unemployment, seasonally adjusted ........................................................................
Duration of unemployment, seasonally adjusted ..................................................................................................................
Employment, hours, and earnings data from establishment surveys. Definitions and notes
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
Employment by industry, selected years, 1950-81 ................................................................................................................
Employment by State ..................................................................................................................................................................
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group ................................................................................
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted ...........................................
Hours and earnings, by industry division, selected years, 1950-81 ..................................................................................
Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group .............................................................................
Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted ........................................
Hourly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group ........................................................................
Hourly Earnings Index, by industry division, seasonally adjusted ..................................................................................
Weekly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group ........................................................................
Unemployment insurance data. Definitions
..................................................................................................................
18. Unemployment insurance and employment service operations ..........................................................................................
Price data. Definitions and notes
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
65
65
66
67
68
69
69
69
70
71
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
77
78
79
79
..................................................................................................
80
81
81
87
88
89
90
92
92
92
............................................................................................................................
Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices,selected years, 1950-81
Annual changes in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, 1971-81 ................................................
Quarterly indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, seasonally adjusted .....................
Percent change from preceding quarter and year in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices . .
Wage and compensation data. D efinitions .......................................................................................................................
32. Employment Cost Index, total compensation ........................................................................................................................
33. Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, by occupation and industry grou p ..........................................................
34. Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, private nonfarm workers, by bargaining status, region, and area
s i z e .....................................................................................................................................................................................................
35. Wage and compensation change, major collective bargaining settlements, 1977 to date ..............................................
36. Effective wage adjustments in collective bargaining units covering 1,000 workers or more, 1977 to d a te ................
Work stoppage data. Definition
37.
64
Consumer Price Index, 1967-81
Consumer Price Index, U.S. city average, general summary and selected items ..........................................................
Consumer Price Index, cross-classification of region and population size class .............................................................
Consumer Price Index, selected areas .....................................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing .....................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings ................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, for special commodity groupings ................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product ................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries
...................................................................................
Productivity data. Definitions andnotes
28.
29.
30.
31.
64
................................................................................................................................................
Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more, 1947 to date .....................................................................................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
95
95
96
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
102
103
103
NOTES ON CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS
This section of the Review presents the principal statistical se
ries collected and calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A brief introduction to each group of tables provides defi
nitions, notes on the data, sources, and other material usually
found in footnotes.
Readers who need additional information are invited to
consult the BLS regional offices listed on the inside front cov
er of this issue of the Review. Some general notes applicable to
several series are given below.
published for numerous Consumer and Producer Price Index series.
However, seasonally adjusted indexes are not published for the U.S.
average All Items CPI. Only seasonally adjusted percent changes are
available for this series.
Adjustments for price changes. Some data are adjusted to eliminate
the effect of changes in price. These adjustments are made by dividing
current dollar values by the Consumer Price Index or the appropriate
component of the index, then multiplying by 100. For example, given
a current hourly wage rate of $3 and a current price index number of
150, where 1967 = 100, the hourly rate expressed in 1967 dollars is
$2 ($3/150 X 100 = $2). The resulting values are described as
“real,” “constant,” or “ 1967” dollars.
Seasonal adjustment. Certain monthly and quarterly data are adjusted
to eliminate the effect of such factors as climatic conditions, industry
production schedules, opening and closing of schools, holiday buying
periods, and vacation practices, which might otherwise mask short
term movements of the statistical series. Tables containing these data
are identified as “seasonally adjusted.” Seasonal effects are estimated
Availability of information. Data that supplement the tables in this
section are published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in a variety of
sources. Press releases provide the latest statistical information
published by the Bureau; the major recurring releases are published
on the basis o f past experience. W hen new seasonal factors are c o m
according to the sch ed ule given below . T he B L S H an dbook o f L abor
puted each year, revisions may affect seasonally adjusted data for sev
eral preceding years.
Seasonally adjusted labor force data in tables 2-7 were revised in
the March 1982 issue of the Review to reflect experience through 1981.
The original estimates also were revised to 1970 to reflect 1980 census
population controls.
Beginning in January 1980, the BLS introduced two major modifi
cations in the seasonal adjustment methodology for labor force data.
First, the data are being seasonally adjusted with a new procedure
called X -ll/A R IM A , which was developed at Statistics Canada as an
extension of the standard X -ll method. A detailed description of the
procedure appears in The X-ll ARIMA Seasonal Adjustment Method
by Estela Bee Dagum (Statistics Canada Catalogue No. 12-564E, Feb
ruary 1980). The second change is that seasonal factors are now being
calculated for use during the first 6 months of the year, rather than for
the entire year, and then are calculated at mid-year for the July-December period. Revisions of historical data continue to be made only
at the end of each calendar year.
Annual revision of the seasonally adjusted payroll data shown in
tables 11, 14, and 16 were made in August 1981 using the X -ll
ARIM A seasonal adjustment methodology. New seasonal factors for
productivity data in tables 30 and 31 are usually introduced
in the September issue. Seasonally adjusted indexes and percent
changes from month to month and from quarter to quarter are
Statistics, Bulletin 2070, provides more detailed data and greater his
torical coverage for most of the statistical series presented in the
Monthly Labor Review. More information from the household and es
tablishment surveys is provided in Employment and Earnings, a
monthly publication of the Bureau. Historically, comparable informa
tion from the establishment survey is published in two comprehensive
data books — Employment and Earnings, United States and Employ
ment and Earnings, States and Areas, and their annual supplements.
More detailed information on wages and other aspects of collective
bargaining appears in the monthly periodical, Current Wage Develop
ments. More detailed price information is published each month in the
periodicals, the CPI Detailed Report and Producer Prices and Price In
dexes.
Symbols
p = preliminary. To improve the timeliness of some series,
preliminary figures are issued based on representative
but incomplete returns.
r = revised. Generally, this revision reflects the availability
of later data but may also reflect other adjustments,
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified.
Schedule of release dates for major BLS statistical series
Employment situation..............................................
Producer Price Index ....................................................
Employment Cost Index ........................................................
Consumer Price Index ................................................................
Real Earnings ................................................
Productivity and costs:
Nonfinancial corporations ........................................................
64
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
R e le a s e
P e r io d
R e le a s e
P e rio d
M L R ta b le
d a te
c o v e re d
d a te
c o v e re d
num ber
August 6
August 13
August 19
August 24
August 24
July
July
2nd quarter
July
July
September 3
September 10
August
August
September 23
September 23
August
August
1-11
23-27
32 34
19-22
12-17
August 26
2nd quarter
28-31
EMPLOYMENT DATA FROM THE HOUSEHOLD SURVEY
m p l o y m e n t
d a t a
in this section are obtained from the
Current Population Survey, a program of personal interviews
conducted monthly by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau
of Labor Statistics. The sample consists of about 60,000
households selected to represent the U.S. population 16 years
of age and older. Households are interviewed on a rotating
basis, so that three-fourths of the sample is the same for any 2
consecutive months.
E
Full-time workers are those employed at least 35 hours a week;
part-time workers are those who work fewer hours. Workers on part-
Definitions
Employed persons are (1) those who worked for pay any time
during the week which includes the 12th day of the month or who
worked unpaid for 15 hours or more in a family-operated enterprise
and (2) those who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs
because of illness, vacation, industrial dispute, or similar reasons. A
person working at more than one job is counted only in the job at
which he or she worked the greatest number of hours.
Unemployed persons are those who did not work during the survey
week, but were available for work except for temporary illness and
had looked for jobs within the preceding 4 weeks. Persons who did
not look for work because they were on layoff or waiting to start new
jobs within the next 30 days are also counted among the unemployed.
The unemployment rate represents the number unemployed as a
percent of the civilian labor force.
The civilian labor force consists of all employed or unemployed
persons in the civilian noninstitutional population; the total labor
force includes military personnel. Persons not in the labor force are
1.
those not classified as employed or unemployed; this group includes
persons retired, those engaged in their own housework, those not
working while attending school, those unable to work because of
long-term illness, those discouraged from seeking work because of
personal or job market factors, and those who are voluntarily idle.
The noninstitutional population comprises all persons 16 years of age
and older who are not inmates of penal or mental institutions,
sanitariums, or homes for the aged, infirm, or needy.
time schedules for economic reasons (such as slack work, terminating
or starting a job during the week, material shortages, or inability to
find full-time work) are among those counted as being on full-time
status, under the assumption that they would be working full time if
conditions permitted. The survey classifies unemployed persons in
full-time or part-time status by their reported preferences for full-time
or part-time work.
Notes on the data
From time to time, and especially after a decennial census,
adjustments are made in the Current Population Survey figures to
correct for estimating errors during the preceding years. These
adjustments affect the comparability of historical data presented in
table 1. A description of these adjustments and their effect on the
various data series appear in the Explanatory Notes of E m ploym en t
a n d Earnings.
Data in tables 2-7 are seasonally adjusted, based on the seasonal
experience through December 1981.
Employment status of the noninstitutional population, 16 years and over, selected years, 1950-81
[Numbers in thousands]
C iv ilia n la b o r fo r c e
T o ta l la b o r fo r c e
Year
in s titu tio n a l
p o p u la tio n
U n e m p lo y e d
E m p lo y e d
T o ta l n o n
N um ber
P e rc e n t o f
p o p u la tio n
T o ta l
A g ric u ltu re
c u ltu ra l
N o t in
P e rc e n t o f
N o n a g ri-
T o ta l
N um ber
la b o r fo r c e
la b o r
fo r c e
in d u s trie s
1950 ............................................................
1955 ............................................................
1960 ............................................................
106,645
112,732
119,759
63,858
68,072
72,142
59.9
60.4
60.2
62,208
65,023
69,628
58,918
62,170
65,778
7,160
6,450
5.458
51,758
55,722
60,318
3,288
2,852
3,852
5.3
4.4
5.5
42,787
44,660
47,617
1965 ............................................................
1966 ............................................................
1967 ............................................................
1968 ............................................................
1969 ............................................................
129,236
131,180
133,319
135,562
137,841
77,178
78,893
80,793
82,272
84,240
59.7
60.1
60.6
60.7
61.1
74,455
75,770
77,347
78,737
80,734
71,088
72,895
74,372
75,920
77,902
4,361
3,979
3,844
3,817
3,606
66,726
68,915
70,527
72,103
74,296
3,366
2,875
2,975
2,817
2,832
4.5
3.8
3.8
3.6
3.5
52,058
52,288
52,527
53,291
53,602
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
............................................................
140,272
143,033
146,574
149,423
152,349
85,959
87,198
89,484
91,756
94,179
61.3
61.0
61.1
61.4
61.8
82,771
84,382
87,034
89,429
91,949
78,678
79,367
82,153
85,064
86,794
3,463
3,394
3,484
3,470
3,515
75,215
75,972
78,669
81,594
83,279
4,093
5,016
4,882
4,365
5,156
4.9
5.9
5.6
4.9
5.6
54,315
55,834
57,091
57,667
58,171
1975 ............................................................
1976 ............................................................
1977 ............................................................
1978 ............................................................
1979 ............................................................
155,333
158,294
161,166
164,027
166,951
95,955
98,302
101,142
104,368
107,050
61.8
62.1
62.8
63.6
64.1
93,775
96,158
99,009
102,251
104,962
85,846
88,752
92,017
96,048
98,824
3,408
3,331
3,283
3,387
3,347
82,438
85,421
88,734
92,661
95,477
7,929
7,406
6,991
6,202
6,137
8.5
7.7
7.1
6.1
5.8
59,377
59,991
60,025
59,659
59,900
1980 ............................................................
1981 ............................................................
169,848
172,272
109,042
110,812
64.2
64.3
106,940
108,670
99,303
100,397
3,364
3,368
95,938
97,030
7,637
8,273
7.1
7.6
60,806
61,460
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65
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Household Data
2.
Employment status by sex, age, and race, seasonally adjusted
[Numbers in thousands]
A nnual a ve rag e
1981
198 2
E m p lo y m e n t s ta tu s
198 0
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
169,848
109,042
167,745
106,940
99,303
3,364
95,938
7,637
7,1
60,806
172,272
110,812
170,130
108,670
100,397
3,368
97,030
8,273
7.6
61,460
172,172
110,565
170,042
108,434
100,430
3,348
97,082
8,004
7.4
61,608
172,385
110,827
170,246
108,688
100,864
3,342
97,522
7,824
7.2
61,558
172,559
110,978
170,399
108,818
100,840
3,404
97,436
7,978
7.3
61,581
172,758
110,659
170,593
108,494
100,258
3,358
96,900
8,236
7.6
62,099
172,966
111,170
170,809
109,012
100,343
3,378
96,965
8,669
8.0
61,797
173,155
111,430
170,996
109,272
100,172
3,372
96,800
9,100
8.3
61,724
173,330
111,348
171,166
109,184
99,613
3,209
96,404
9,571
8.8
61,982
173,495
111,038
171,335
108,879
99,581
3,411
96,170
9,298
8.5
62,456
173,657
111,333
171,489
109,165
99,590
3,373
96,217
9,575
8.8
62,324
173,843
111,521
171,667
109,346
99,492
3,349
96,144
9,854
9.0
62,321
174,020
111,824
171,844
109,648
99,340
3,309
96,032
10,307
9.4
62,197
174,201
112,841
172,026
110,666
100,117
3,488
96,629
10,549
9.5
61,360
174,364
112,364
172,190
110,191
99,764
3,357
96,406
10,427
9.5
61,999
71,138
56,455
53,101
2,396
50,706
3,353
5.9
14,683
72,419
.57,197
53,582
2,384
51,199
3,615
6.3
15,222
72,359
57,094
53,597
2,379
51,218
3,497
6.1
15,265
72,472
57,172
53,874
2,383
51,491
3,298
5.8
15,300
72,559
57,250
53,791
2,422
51,369
3,459
6.0
15,309
72,670
57,262
53,693
2,383
51,310
3,569
6.2
15,408
72,795
57,355
53,504
2,413
51,091
3,851
6.7
15,440
72,921
57,459
53,354
2,382
50,972
4,105
7.1
15,462
73,020
57,665
53,122
2,311
50,811
4,543
7.9
15,355
73,120
57,368
53,047
2,390
50,657
4,322
7.5
15,752
73,209
57,448
53,097
2,386
50,711
4,351
7.6
15,761
73,287
57,554
53,006
2,377
50,629
4,548
7.9
15,733
73,392
57,730
52,988
2,382
50,606
4,742
8.2
15,662
73,499
58,164
53,260
2,464
50,796
4,904
8.4
15,335
73,585
58,016
52,985
2,424
50,561
5,031
8.7
15,569
80,065
41,106
38,492
584
37,907
2,615
6.4
38,959
81,497
42,485
39,590
604
38,986
2,895
6.8
39,012
81,434
42,581
39,757
585
39,172
2,824
6.6
38,853
81,561
42,682
39,810
590
39,220
2,872
6.7
38,879
81,671
42,666
39,841
609
39,232
2,825
6.6
39,005
81,792
42,344
39,426
608
38,818
2,918
6.9
39,448
8i,920
42,831
39,814
596
39,218
3,017
7.0
39,089
82,038
42,987
39,878
635
39,243
3,109
7.2
39,051
82,151
42,888
39,713
572
39,141
3,175
7.4
39,263
82,260
42,868
39,764
649
39,115
3,104
7.2
39,392
82,367
43,031
39,744
628
39,116
3,286
7.6
39,336
82,478
43,243
39,807
636
39,172
3,435
7.9
39,235
62,591
43,301
39,715
601
39,114
c 3,586
8.3
39,290
82,707
43,683
40,075
634
39,441
3,608
8.3
39,024
82,811
43,904
40,350
581
39,769
3,554
8.1
38,907
16,543
9,378
7,710
385
7,325
1,669
17.8
7,165
16,214
8,988
7,225
380
6,845
1,763
19.6
7,226
16,249
8,759
7,076
384
6,692
1,683
19.2
7,490
16,213
8,834
7,180
369
6,811
1,654
18.7
7,379
16,169
8,902
7,208
373
6,835
1,694
19.0
7,267
16,131
8,888
7,139
367
6,772
1,749
19.7
7,243
16,093
8,826
7,025
369
6,656
1,801
20.4
7,267
16,037
8,826
6,940
355
6,585
1,886
21.4
7,211
15,995
8,631
6,778
326
6,452
1,853
21.5
7,364
15,955
8,643
6,771
373
6,398
1,872
21.7
7,312
15,913
8,686
6,748
359
6,389
1,938
22.3
7,227
15,902
8,549
6,679
336
6,343
1,870
21.9
7,353
15,861
8,616
6,637
326
6,311
1,979
23.0
7,245
15,820
8,819
6,782
390
6,392
2,037
23.1
7,001
15,794
8,271
6,429
353
6,076
1,842
22.3
7,523
146,122
93,600
87,715
5,884
6.3
52,522
147,908
95,052
88,709
6,343
6.7
52,856
147,804
94,887
88,799
6,088
6.4
52,917
147,976
95,126
89,170
5,956
6.3
52,850
148,144
95,163
89,221
5,942
6.2
52,981
148,370
94,884
88,628
6,256
6.6
53,486
148,562
95,365
88,734
6,631
7.0
53,197
148,631
95,535
88,498
7,037
7.4
53,096
148,755
95,329
88,010
7,319
7.7
53,426
148,842
95,120
87,955
7,165
7.5
53,722
148,855
95,333
87,990
7,344
7.7
53,522
149,132
95,508
87,956
7,552
7.9
53,624
149,249
96,015
87,988
8,026
8.4
53,234
149,250
96,641
88,450
8,191
8.5
52,609
149,429
96,223
88,173
8,050
8.4
53,206
17,824
10,865
9,313
1,553
14.3
6,959
18,219
11,086
9,355
1,731
15.6
7,133
18,206
11,033
9,310
1,723
15.6
7,173
18,239
10,971
9,338
1,633
14.9
7,268
18,266
11,069
9,267
1,802
16.3
7,197
18,297
11,134
9,319
1,815
16.3
7,163
18,333
11,188
9,313
1,875
16.8
7,145
18,362
11,207
9,321
1,886
16.8
7,155
18,392
11,226
9,279
1,947
17.3
7,166
18,423
11,188
9,314
1,874
16.8
7,235
18,450
11,205
9,265
1,939
17.3
7,245
18,480
11,217
9,197
2,020
18.0
7,263
18,511
11,170
9,111
2,058
18.4
7,341
18,542
11,335
9,216
2,120
18.7
7,207
18,570
11,253
9,174
2,079
18.5
7,317
June
TO TAL
Total noninstitutional population1 ..........................
Total labor force ....................................
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ................................
Employed ......................................
Agriculture ..............................
Nonagricultural industries ........
Unemployed ..................................
Unemployment rate ........................
Not in labor force ..................................
M en , 20 y e a rs and o v e r
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Agriculture ....................................
Nonagricultural industries ................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ........................................
W o m e n , 20 y ea rs and o v e r
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Agriculture ....................................
Nonagricultural Industries ................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ........................................
B o th s e x e s , 16 to 1 9 y e a r s
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Agriculture ....................................
Nonagricultural Industries ................
Unemployed ..............................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ........................................
W h ite
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ............................
Not in labor force ........................................
B la c k
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ................................
1As in table 1, population figures are not seasonally adjusted.
Digitized for66
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3.
Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted
[ Numbers in thousands]
A nnual a v e rag e
1981
1982
S e le c t e d c a t e g o r ie s
1980
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
100,343
57,266
43,077
38,746
23,874
M ay
June
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
100,172
57,051
43,121
38,553
23,820
99,613
56,725
42,888
38,342
23,691
99,581
56,629
42,952
38,234
23,744
99,590
56,658
42,932
38,255
23,727
99,492
56,472
43,020
38,181
23,900
99,340
56,401
42,940
38,142
23,831
100,117
56,820
43,297
38,312
24,213
99,764
56,223
43,541
38,354
24,401
C H A R A C T E R IS T IC
Total employed, 16 years and over ......................
Men ............................................................
Women........................................................
Married men, spouse present ........................
Married women, spouse present ....................
99,303
57,186
42,117
39,004
23,532
100,397
57,397
43,000
38,882
23,915
100,430
57,279
43,151
38,930
24,106
100,864
57,640
43,224
38,961
24,159
51,882
15,968
11,138
6,303
18,473
31,452
12,787
10,565
3,531
4,567
13,228
2,741
52,949
16,420
11,540
6,425
18,564
31,261
12,662
10,540
3,476
4,583
13,438
2,749
52,957
16,410
11,411
6,513
18,623
31,538
12,749
10,703
3,493
4,593
13,214
2,710
52,907
16,364
11,578
6,373
18,592
31,580
12,787
10,719
3,526
4,548
13,526
2,727
53,141
16,621
11,460
6,490
18,570
31,611
12,724
10,658
3,530
4,699
13,282
2,753
52,908
16,598
11,533
6,441
18,336
31,266
12,514
10,524
3,506
4,722
13,391
2,743
53,199
16,681
11,616
6,400
18,502
30,953
12,446
10,410
3,580
4,517
13,525
2,770
53,086
16,657
11,461
6,418
18,550
30,683
12,411
10,220
3,438
4,614
13,670
2,802
53,084
16,774
11,424
6,450
18,436
30,344
12,446
10,169
3,368
4,361
13,639
2,660
52,836
16,803
11,091
6,520
18,423
30,203
12,370
9,966
3,415
4,451
13,709
2,817
52,841
16,612
11,253
6,544
18,432
30,309
12.454
9,955
3,503
4,397
13,612
2,787
52,763
16,659
11,311
6,637
18,155
30,416
12,511
9,860
3,397
4,648
13,526
2,710
53,177
16,844
11,501
6,603
18,229
29,924
12,492
9,688
3,400
4,343
13,555
2,623
53,705
16,818
11,541
6,587
18,759
29,926
12,316
9,585
3,419
4,607
13,738
2,731
53,586
17,053
11,504
6,547
18,482
29,716
12,207
9,655
3,414
4,441
13,791
2,660
1,425
1,642
297
1,464
1,638
266
1,437
1,664
263
1,495
1,593
244
1,501
1,638
256
1,461
1,643
256
1,502
1,631
261
1,436
1,641
321
1,352
1,602
228
1,377
1,674
380
1,426
1,596
359
1,416
1,644
277
1,423
1,664
270
1,541
1,698
236
1,431
1,676
251
88,525
15,912
72,612
1,192
71,420
7,000
413
89,543
15,689
73,853
1,208
72,645
7,097
390
89,508
15,707
73,801
1,177
72,624
7,128
376
89,971
15,637
74,334
1,216
73,118
7,071
389
89,995
15,526
74,469
1,259
73,210
7,103
387
89,376
15,475
73,901
1,102
72,799
7,217
399
89,460
15,491
73,969
1,162
72,807
7,152
451
89,238
15,397
73,841
1,204
72,637
7,141
425
88,991
15,585
73,406
1,291
72,115
7,057
410
88,759
15,578
73,181
1,248
71,932
6,971
410
88,586
15,527
73,059
1,161
71,898
7,055
408
88,526
15,492
73,034
1,225
71,809
7,126
434
88,322
15,453
72,869
1,192
71,677
7,264
413
89,051
15,422
73,629
1,202
72,427
7,269
382
88,606
15,635
72,970
1,201
71,770
7,319
397
90,209
73,590
4,064
1,714
2,350
12,555
91,377
74,339
4,499
1,738
2,761
12,539
91,500
74,693
4,033
1,465
2,568
12,774
92,532
75,620
4,374
1,680
2,694
12,538
91,569
74,467
4,350
1,729
2,621
12,752
90,878
73,794
4,656
1,759
2,897
12,428
91,384
73,886
5,009
2,006
3,003
12,489
91,323
73,915
5,026
1,945
3,081
12,382
90,922
73,360
5,288
2.121
3,167
12,274
90,125
72,803
5,071
1,783
3,287
12,251
90,892
73,028
5,563
2,193
3,370
12,300
90,548
72,649
5,717
2,237
3,480
12,183
90,596
72,335
5,834
2,223
3,611
12,427
91,282
73,036
5,763
2,211
3,552
12,483
91,020
72,662
5,444
2,064
3,380
12,914
100,840 100,258
57,551 57,471
43,289 42,787
38,961 38,855
24,043 23,626
O C C U P A T IO N
White-collar workers............................................
Professional and technical ............................
Managers and administrators, except farm . . . .
Salesworkers................................................
Clerical workers............................................
Blue-collar workers..............................................
Craft and kindred workers ............................
Operatives, except transport..........................
Transport equipment operatives ....................
Nonfarm laborers..........................................
Service workers ..................................................
Farmworkers ......................................................
M A J O R IN D U S T R Y A N D C L A S S
OF W ORKER
Agriculture:
Wage and salary workers..............................
Self-employed workers..................................
Unpaid family workers ..................................
Nonagricultural industries:
Wage and salary workers..............................
Government ..........................................
Private industries....................................
Private households ..........................
Other industries ..............................
Self-employed workers..................................
Unpaid family workers ..................................
PERSONS AT W ORK ’
Nonagricultural industries ....................................
Full-time schedules ......................................
Part time for economic reasons......................
Usually work full time..............................
Usually work part tim e............................
Part time for noneconomic reasons................
’ Excludes persons "with a job but not at work” during the survey period for such reasons as vacation, illness, or industrial disputes.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
67
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Household Data
4.
Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted
[Unemployment rates]
A nnual a v e ra g e
1981
198 2
S e le c t e d c a t e g o r ie s
198 0
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
Total, 16 years and over......................................
Men, 20 years and o v e r................................
Women, 20 years and over............................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years............................
7.1
5.9
6.4
17.8
7.6
6.3
6.8
19.6
7.4
6.1
6.6
19.2
7.2
5.8
6,7
18.7
7.3
6.0
6.6
19.0
7.6
6.2
6,9
19.7
8.0
6.7
7.0
20.4
8.3
7.1
7.2
21.4
8.8
7.9
7.4
21.5
8.5
7.5
7.2
21.7
8.8
7.6
7,6
22.3
9.0
7.9
7.9
21.9
9.4
8.2
8.3
23.0
9.5
8.4
8.3
23.1
9.5
8.7
8.1
22.3
White, tota ..................................................
Men, 20 years and over..........................
Women, 20 years and over ....................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years ....................
6.3
5.3
5.6
15.5
6.7
5.6
5.9
17.3
6.4
5.3
5.7
16.8
6.3
5.0
5.8
16.4
6.2
5.2
5.5
16.1
6.6
5.5
5.9
17.2
7.0
5.9
6.1
17.7
7.4
6.4
6.3
19.0
7.7
6.9
6.4
19.0
7.5
6.6
6.3
19.6
7.7
6.7
6.6
20.0
7.9
7.0
6.9
19.0
8.4
7.3
7.2
20.8
8.5
7.5
7.3
20.3
8.4
7.7
7.1
19.4
Black, tota ..................................................
Men, 20 years and over..........................
Women, 20 years and over ....................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years ....................
14.3
12.4
11.9
38.5
15.6
13.5
13.4
41.4
15.6
13.7
13.3
40.9
14.9
12.7
13.1
40.0
16.3
13.6
13.8
49.0
16.3
14.5
14.0
40.8
16.8
14.7
13.9
45.6
16.8
15.5
13.6
44.1
17.3
16.5
14.1
42.2
16.8
16.3
13.3
41.2
17.3
16.0
14.5
42.3
18.0
16,0
15.4
46.0
18.4
16.9
15.6
48.1
18.7
17.0
15.3
49.8
18.5
17.1
15.0
52.6
Married men, spouse present ........................
Married women, spouse present....................
Women who maintain families........................
Full-time workers..........................................
Part-time workers..........................................
Unemployed 15 weeks and over....................
Labor force time lost’ ....................................
4.2
5.8
9.2
6.9
8.8
1.7
7.9
4.3
6.0
10.4
7.3
9.4
2.1
8.5
4.2
5.7
10.7
7.1
9.2
2.2
7.9
3.9
5.7
11.2
6.8
9.3
2.0
7.9
4.0
5.5
10.1
6.9
9.6
2.0
7.9
4.4
6,0
10.7
7.3
9.6
2.1
8.5
4.8
6.1
10.6
7.7
9.5
2.1
9.1
5.2
6.5
10.8
8.1
10.2
2.2
9.5
5.7
6.6
10.5
8.7
9.2
2.2
10.1
5.3
6.2
10.4
8.4
9.6
2.2
10.0
5.3
7.0
10.2
8.5
10.8
2.5
9.8
5.5
7.1
10.6
8.9
10.0
2.7
10.4
6.0
7.8
11.5
9.2
10.9
2.7
10.4
6.1
7.4
11.8
9.2
10.5
3.0
11.1
6.5
7.0
12.4
9.4
9.8
3.3
10.2
3.7
2.5
2.4
4.4
5.3
10.0
6.6
12.2
8.8
14.6
7.9
4.6
4.0
2.8
2.7
4.6
5.7
10.3
7.5
12.2
8.7
14.7
8.9
5.3
3.9
2.8
2.7
4.3
5.4
9.8
7.1
11.1
8.1
14.7
8.9
6.2
4.0
2.8
2.6
4.9
5.7
9.5
6.9
11.1
7.3
14.4
8.0
4.8
3.9
2.5
2.7
4.7
5.7
9.5
7.0
11.1
8.0
13.2
8.9
5.4
4.1
2.8
2.7
5.0
5.8
10.2
7.7
11.6
8.7
14.6
9.0
4.0
4.1
2.6
2.8
4.9
6.0
10.9
8,3
12.8
8.0
15.6
9.3
6.2
4.2
2.7
3.0
5.0
6.0
11.8
8.5
14.1
10.4
16.0
9.7
6.2
4.5
3.4
3.1
4.9
6.2
12.7
9.3
15.5
10.5
16.9
9.6
6.4
4.2
2.9
2.7
4.5
6,3
12.5
9.0
15.4
10.2
16.9
9.2
6.9
4.6
3.1
3.1
4.8
6.7
12.5
8.4
15.4
10.3
17.9
9.8
4.9
4.8
3.2
3.0
5.8
6.9
12.9
9.1
15.9
10.4
17.9
10.2
5.4
4.9
3.2
3.3
5.6
7.2
13.7
9.6
, 16.9
10.7
19.2
11.1
5.8
4.8
3.3
3.5
5.2
6.8
13.5
9.4
16.5
11.8
18.3
11.3
8.3
5.0
3.3
3.8
5.8
6.9
13.9
10.3
16.7
13.0
17.9
9.9
7.2
7.4
14.1
8.5
8.9
7.9
4.9
7.4
5.3
4.1
11.0
7.7
15.6
8.3
8.2
8.4
5.2
8.1
5.9
4.7
12.1
7.4
16.1
7.4
7.1
7.9
4.9
7.7
5.8
4.6
13.3
7.2
15.2
7.3
7.1
7.6
4.1
7.9
5.7
4.6
10.7
7.3
16.2
7.0
6.5
7.9
4.8
7.9
5.7
4.5
12.0
7.7
16.3
7.9
7.7
8.3
4.2
8.5
6.0
4.7
11.0
8.1
17.6
8.6
8.6
8.6
4.8
8.4
6.2
4.7
13.4
8.4
17.8
9.4
9.5
9.3
5.5
8.6
6.1
5.2
14.1
9.1
18,1
11.0
11.8
9.6
6.0
8.9
6.4
5.0
14.8
8.8
18.7
10.4
11.0
9.5
6.4
8.7
5.9
4.8
16.2
9.0
18.1
10.6
11.3
9.5
5.9
9.0
6.5
5.2
12.8
9.5
17.9
10.8
10.8
10.8
5.6
10.3
6.9
4.9
14,0
9.9
19.4
11.3
11.9
10.5
7.0
10.1
7.0
5.3
14.6
9.9
18.8
11.6
12.2
10.7
6.5
10.6
6.9
5.0
18.2
10.0
19,2
12.3
13.2
11.0
6.9
9.7
6.8
4.6
16.3
C H A R A C T E R IS T IC
O C C U P A T IO N
White-collar workers............................................
Professional and technical ............................
Managers and administrators, except farm . . . .
Salesworkers................................................
Clerical workers............................................
Blue-collar workers..............................................
Craft and kindred workers ............................
Operatives, except transport..........................
Transport equipment operatives ....................
Nonfarm laborers..........................................
Service workers..................................................
farmworkers ......................................................
IN D U S T R Y
Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers2 .
Construction ................................................
Manufacturing ..............................................
Durable goods ......................................
Nondurable goods..................................
Transportation and public utilities....................
Wholesale and retail trade ............................
Finance and service industries........................
Government workers ..........................................
Agricultural wage and salary workers....................
' Aggregate hours lost by the unemployed and persons on part time for economic reasons as a
percent of potentially available labor force hours.
Digitized for
68FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2 Includes mining, not shown separately,
5.
Unemployment rates, by sex and age, seasonally adjusted
198 2
1981
A nnual a v e rag e
S ex and age
June
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
7.3
19.0
20.8
17.6
12.1
5.2
5.5
3.5
7.6
19.7
21.4
18.5
12.3
5.4
5.8
3.8
8.0
20.4
21.5
20.0
12.7
5.7
6.2
3.8
8.3
21.4
22.6
20.5
13.0
6.0
6.5
3.8
8.8
21.5
21,9
21.2
13.5
6.5
6.9
4.1
8.5
21.7
21.9
21.3
13.5
6.3
6.7
4.2
8.8
22.3
22.7
22.0
14.1
6,4
6.8
4.3
9.0
21.9
22.7
21.3
14.2
6.8
7.3
4.6
9.4
23.0
24.6
21.9
14.7
7.0
7.4
5.0
9.5
23.1
25.3
21.3
14.3
7.1
7.7
4.8
9.5
22.3
23.7
21.9
14.4
7.4
7.7
5.4
6.7
18.8
19.9
17.9
11.6
4.7
5.0
3.4
7.1
19.8
21.5
18.3
12.9
4.9
5.2
3.4
7.3
19.9
21.5
18.7
13.1
5.0
5.5
3.5
7.7
20.1
21.1
19.3
13.8
5.5
5.9
3.7
8.3
21.8
22.7
21.0
14.4
5.8
6.3
3.7
9.0
22.3
22.6
22.2
14.8
6.5
6.9
4.4
8.6
22.1
23.0
21.4
14.9
6.3
6.7
4.3
8.7
22.5
23.0
22.1
15.4
6.3
6.7
4.2
9.0
23.5
24.3
22.9
15.7
6.6
7.1
4.8
9.4
24.4
24.7
24.3
16.0
6.9
7.2
5.1
9.6
24.0
263
21.9
15.5
6.9
7.5
4.7
9.7
24.2
25.8
24.0
15.8
7.5
8.0
5.0
7.8
18.6
19.7
17.7
11.3
5.8
6.1
3.7
7.7
18.2
20.0
16.9
11.1
5.6
6,0
3.7
8.0
19.5
21.2
18.3
11.4
6.0
6.3
4.3
8.2
20.7
21.9
20.6
11.5
6.1
6.5
4.0
8.4
20.9
22.5
19.9
11.3
6.4
6.8
3.8
8.5
20.5
21.1
20.0
12.0
6.4
6.9
3.7
8.4
21.2
20.6
21.1
11.9
6.3
6.7
4.1
8.9
22.1
22.5
21.9
12.7
6.5
7.0
4.3
9.0
20.1
20.8
19.6
12.6
7.0
7.6
4.3
9.4
21.3
24.5
19.4
13.3
7.2
7.7
4.8
9.5
22.1
24.1
20.6
12.9
7.4
8.0
5.0
9.1
20.2
21.4
19.7
12.9
7.2
7.4
6.0
1981
Total, 16 years and o ve r......................................
16 to 19 years..............................................
16 to 17 years........................................
18 to 19 years........................................
20 to 24 years..............................................
25 years and over ........................................
25 to 54 years........................................
55 years and o ve r..................................
7.1
17.8
20.0
16.2
11.5
5.1
5.5
3.3
7.6
19.6
21.4
18.4
12.3
5.4
5.8
3.6
7.4
19.2
22.6
17.5
12.1
5.3
5.6
3.5
7.2
18.7
19.8
17.8
11.5
5.2
5.5
3.5
Men, 16 years and over ................................
16 to 19 years........................................
16 to 17 years ................................
18 to 19 years ................................
20 to 24 years........................................
25 years and over..................................
25 to 54 years ................................
55 years and over ............................
6.9
18,3
20.4
16.7
12.5
4.8
5.1
3.3
7.4
20.1
22.0
18.8
13.2
5.1
5.5
3.5
7.2
20.0
24.0
18.2
12.9
5.0
5.2
3.4
Women, 16 years and over............................
16 to 19 years........................................
16 to 17 years ................................
18 to 19 years ................................
20 to 24 years........................................
25 years and o ve r..................................
25 to 54 years ................................
55 years and over............................
7.4
17.2
19.6
15.6
10.4
5.5
6.0
3.2
7.9
19.0
20.7
17.9
11.2
5.9
6.3
3.8
7.7
18.4
21.1
16.8
11.2
5.7
6.1
3.5
6.
June
S e p t.
198 0
July
Aug.
Unemployed persons, by reason for unemployment, seasonally adjusted
[Numbers in thousands]
198 2
1981
R e a s o n f o r u n e m p lo y m e n t
M ay
June
5,906
1,946
3,959
937
2,365
1,081
5,901
1,969
3,932
874
2,438
1,154
6,302
2,071
4,231
813
2,372
1,088
100.0
57.4
18.7
38.7
9.0
22.9
10.7
100.0
57.4
18.9
38.5
9.1
23.0
10.5
100.0
56.9
19.0
37.9
8.4
23.5
11.1
100.0
59.6
19.6
40.0
7.7
22.4
10.3
5.1
.8
2.1
1.0
5.4
.9
2.2
1.0
5.3
.8
2.2
1.0
5.7
.7
2.2
1.0
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
4,173
1,302
2,871
896
2,039
973
3,867
1,225
2,642
926
2,078
940
4,106
1,276
2,830
879
2,034
971
4,426
1,452
2,974
921
2,058
977
4,573
1,631
2,942
976
2,178
1,002
4,905
1,826
3,079
916
2,339
996
5,343
2,042
3,301
923
2,244
1,021
5,205
1,860
3,345
835
2,079
1,055
5,153
1,740
3,413
964
2,277
1,100
5,622
1,828
3,794
885
2,249
1,044
100.0
51.6
16.1
35.5
11.1
25.2
12.0
100.0
49.5
15.7
33.8
11.9
26.6
12.0
100.0
51.4
16.0
35.4
11.0
25.5
12.2
100.0
52.8
17.3
35.5
11,0
24.6
11.7
100.0
52.4
18.7
33.7
11.2
25.0
11.5
100.0
53.6
19.9
33.6
10.0
25.5
10.9
100.0
56.1
21.4
34.6
9.7
23.5
10.7
100.0
56.7
20.3
36.5
9.1
22.7
11.5
100.0
54.3
18,3
35.9
10.2
24.0
11.6
3.8
.8
1,9
.9
3.6
.9
1.9
.9
3.8
.8
1.9
.9
4.1
.8
1.9
.9
4.2
.9
2.0
.9
4.5
.8
2.1
.9
4.9
.8
2.1
.9
4.8
.8
1.9
1.0
4.7
.9
2.1
1.0
NUM BER OF UNEM PLOYED
Lost ast jo b ........................................................................................
On layoff......................................................................................
Other job losers............................................................................
Left last job ........................................................................................
Reentered labor force..........................................................................
Seeking first job ..................................................................................
P E R C E N T D IS T R IB U T IO N
Total unemployed................................................................................
Job losers ..........................................................................................
On layoff.......................................................................................
Other job losers............................................................................
Job leavers ........................................................................................
Reentrants..........................................................................................
New entrants ......................................................................................
PERCENT OF
C IV IL IA N L A B O R F O R C E
Job losers ..........................................................................................
Job leavers ........................................................................................
Reentrants...........................................................................................
New entrants ......................................................................................
7.
Duration of unemployment, seasonally adjusted
[Numbers in thousands]
198 2
1981
A nnual a v e ra g e
W e e k s o f u n e m p lo y m e n t
Less than 5 weeks ..............................................
5 to 14 weeks ....................................................
15 weeks and over..............................................
15 to 26 weeks ............................................
27 weeks and over........................................
Average (mean) duration, in weeks ......................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
198 0
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
3,295
2,470
1,871
1,052
820
11.9
3,449
2,539
2,285
1,122
1,162
13.7
3,303
2,423
2,363
1,227
1,136
14.3
3,323
2,312
2,170
1,096
1,074
14.1
3,326
2,469
2,217
1,078
1,139
14.3
3,529
2,585
2,248
1,146
1,102
13.7
3,707
2,686
2,292
1,166
1,126
13.6
3,852
2,882
2,364
1,229
1,135
13.1
4,037
3,016
2,372
1,189
1,183
12.8
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
3,852
3,068
2,399
1,210
1,190
13.5
3,789
3,052
2,724
1,445
1,278
14.1
3,825
3,078
2,954
1,605
1,349
13.9
3,958
3,304
3,015
1,508
1,507
14.2
3,874
3,320
3,286
1,634
1,652
14.6
3,543
3,458
3,673
1,826
1,847
16.5
69
EMPLOYMENT, HOURS, AND EARNINGS DATA FROM ESTABLISHMENT SURVEYS
E m p l o y m e n t , h o u r s , a n d e a r n i n g s d a t a in this section are
compiled from payroll records reported monthly on a volun
tary basis to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and its cooperat
ing State agencies by 177,000 establishments representing all
industries except agriculture. In most industries, the sampling
probabilities are based on the size of the establishment; most
large establishments are therefore in the sample. (An estab
lishment is not necessarily a firm; it may be a branch plant,
for example, or warehouse.) Self-employed persons and others
not on a regular civilian payroll are outside the scope of the
survey because they are excluded from establishment records.
This largely accounts for the difference in employment figures
between the household and establishment surveys.
payments. Real earnings are earnings adjusted to reflect the effects of
changes in consumer prices. The deflator for this series is derived
from the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers (CPI-W). The Hourly Earnings Index is calculated from av
erage hourly earnings data adjusted to exclude the effects of two types
of changes that are unrelated to underlying wage-rate developments:
fluctuations in overtime premiums in manufacturing (the only sector
for which overtime data are available) and the effects of changes and
seasonal factors in the proportion of workers in high-wage and lowwage industries.
Hours represent the average weekly hours of production or
nonsupervisory workers for which pay was received and are different
from standard or scheduled hours. Overtime hours represent the por
tion of gross average weekly hours which were in excess of regular
hours and for which overtime premiums were paid.
Definitions
Employed persons are all persons who received pay (including holi
day and sick pay)
12th of the month.
cent of all persons
ment which reports
for any part of the payroll period including the
Persons holding more than one job (about 5 per
in the labor force) are counted in each establish
them.
Production workers in manufacturing include blue-collar worker
supervisors and all nonsupervisory workers closely associated with
production operations. Those workers mentioned in tables 12-17 in
clude production workers in manufacturing and mining; construction
workers in construction; and nonsupervisory workers in transporta
tion and public utilities; in wholesale and retail trade; in finance, in
surance, and real estate; and in services industries. These groups
account for about four-fifths of the total employment on private
nonagricultural payrolls.
Earnings are the payments production or nonsupervisory workers
receive during the survey period, including premium pay for overtime
or late-shift work but excluding irregular bonuses and other special
70
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Notes on the data
Establishment data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are
periodically adjusted to comprehensive counts of employment (called
“benchmarks”). The latest complete adjustment was made with the re
lease of May 1982 data, published in the July 1982 issue of the Review.
Consequently, data published in the Review prior to that issue are not
necessarily comparable to current data. Complete comparable histori
cal unadjusted and seasonally adjusted data are published in a Supple
ment to Employment and Earnings (unadjusted data from April 1977
through February 1982 and seasonally adjusted data from January
1974 through February 1982) and in Employment and Earnings, Unit
ed States, 1909-78, BLS Bulletin 1312-11 (for prior periods).
A comprehensive discussion of the differences between household
and establishment data on employment appears in Gloria P. Green,
“Comparing employment estimates from household and payroll sur
veys,” Monthly Labor Review, December 1969, pp. 9-20. See also BLS
Handbook of Methods for Surveys and Studies, Bulletin 1910 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 1976).
8.
Employment by industry, selected years, 1950-81
[Nonagricultural payroll data, In thousands]
Year
T o ta l
M in in g
C o n s tr u c
M a n u fa c
tio n
T ra n s
W h o le
p o r ta tio n
s a le
and
and
tu rin g
p u b lic
re ta il
u tilitie s
tr a d e
G o v e rn m e n t
F in a n c e ,
W h o le s a le
R e ta il
tr a d e
tr a d e
in s u r
ance,
S e r v ic e s
a n d rea l
T o ta l
F e d e ra l
S ta te
a n d lo c a l
e s t a te
1950 ..........................................................
1955 ..........................................................
I960' ........................................................
1964 ..........................................................
1965 ..........................................................
45,197
50,641
54,189
58,283
60,765
901
792
712
634
632
2,364
2,839
2,926
3,097
3,232
15,241
16,882
16,796
17,274
18,062
4,034
4,141
4,004
3,951
4,036
9,386
10,535
11,391
12,160
12,716
2,635
2,926
3,143
3,337
3,466
6,751
7,610
8,248
8,823
9,250
1,888
2,298
2,629
2,911
2,977
5,357
6,240
7,378
8,660
9,036
6,026
6,914
8,353
9,596
10,074
1,928
2,187
2,270
2,348
2,378
4,098
4,727
6,083
7,248
7,696
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
63,901
65,803
67,897
70,384
70,880
627
613
606
619
623
3,317
3,248
3,350
3,575
3,588
19,214
19,447
19,781
20,167
19,367
4,158
4,268
4,318
4,442
4,515
13,245
13,606
14,099
14,705
15,040
3,597
3,689
3,779
3,907
3,993
9,648
9,917
10,320
10,798
11,047
3,058
3,185
3,337
3,512
3,645
9,498
10,045
10,567
11,169
11,548
10,784
11,391
11,839
12,195
12,554
2,564
2,719
2,737
2,758
2,731
8,220
8,672
9,102
9,437
9,823
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
71,214
73,675
76,790
78,265
76,945
609
628
642
697
752
3,704
3,889
4,097
4,020
3,525
18,623
19,151
20,154
20,077
18,323
4,476
4,541
4,656
4,725
4,542
15,352
15,949
16,607
16,987
17,060
4,001
4,113
4,277
4,433
4,415
11,351
11,836
12,329
12,554
12,645
3,772
3,908
4,046
4,148
4,165
11,797
12,276
12,857
13,441
13,892
12,881
13,334
13,732
14,170
14,686
2,696
2,684
2,663
2,724
2,748
10,185
10,649
11,068
11,446
11,937
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
..........................................................
79,382
82,471
86,697
89,823
90,406
779
813
851
958
1,027
3,576
3,851
4,229
4,463
4,346
18,997
19,682
20,505
21,040
20,285
4,582
4,713
4,923
5,136
5,146
17,755
18,516
19,542
20,192
20,310
4,546
4,708
4,969
5,204
5,275
13,209
13,808
14,573
14,989
15,035
4,271
4,467
4,724
4,975
5,160
14,551
15,303
16,252
17,112
17,890
14,871
15,127
15,672
15,947
16,241
2,733
2,727
2,753
2,773
2,866
12,138
12,399
12,919
13,147
13,375
1981 ..........................................................
91,105
1,132
4,176
20,173
5,157
20,551
5,359
15,192
5,301
18,592
16,024
2,772
13,253
’ Data include Alaska and Hawaii beginning In 1959.
9.
Employment by State
[Nonagricultural payroll data, in thousands]
State
May 1981
Apr. 1982
May 1982 p
State
May 1981
Apr. 1982
May 1982 p
Alabama ..............................................................................
Alaska ...................................................................................
Arizona ................................................................................
Arkansas ..............................................................................
C a lifo rr.a ..............................................................................
1,347.8
. 176.7
1,044.8
750.0
10,046.1
1,338.2
180.9
1,049.4
726.6
10,020.2
1,337.1
186.2
1,039.4
728.3
10,026.9
Montana..........................................................................
Nebraska.......................................................................
Nevada ..........................................................................
New Hampshire ............................................................
New Jersey ............................................... ..................
284.6
630.8
413.2
392.9
3,085.3
288.1
610.7
413.2
388.9
3,051.5
288.0
616.4
415.6
393.1
3,067.4
Colorado ......................................................................
Connecticut ..................................................................
Delaware ......................................................................
District of Columbia ........................................................
Florida ..........................................................................
1,265.5
1,450.3
260.0
610.2
3,725.2
1,287.0
1,417.7
256.1
602.1
3,815.2
1,285.2
1,425.2
258.3
601.4
3,789.1
New M exico...................................................................
New Y o rk ................................................................
North Carolina ........................................................
North Dakota .................................................................
Ohio ....................................................................
478.5
7,302.0
2,397.7
249.5
4,356.7
474.8
7,248.0
2,352.9
247.4
4,216.6
475.8
7,305.2
2,348.7
252.9
4,248.4
Georgia .................................................................................
Hawaii ...................................................................................
Ida h o .....................................................................................
Illinois ...................................................................................
2,192.4
406.7
327.8
4,748.9
2,136.0
2,165.9
403.3
315.7
4,621.3
2,032.0
2,164.8
402.7
317.1
4,648.3
2 046 1
Oklahoma .....................................................................
Oregon ..........................................................................
Pennsylvania .................................................................
Rhode Island .................................................................
1,192.0
1,028.5
4,754.5
403.1
1 207 7
1,218.5
971.6
4,585.2
387.2
1 189 9
1,224.5
975.1
4,598.8
391.0
Iowa .....................................................................................
Kansas .................................................................................
Kentucky ......................................................................
Louisiana ......................................................................
Maine ..........................................................................
1,104.4
958.0
1,201.4
1,626.8
417.7
1,057.6
939.6
1,166.9
1,629.2
403.0
1,063.1
939.5
1,171.6
1,622.1
409.6
South D a kota .................................................................
Tennessee .....................................................................
Texas ....................................................................
Utah ..............................................................................
Vermont ..................................................................
239.5
1,760.0
6,112.9
552.1
201.2
231.7
1,720,8
6,297.0
560.7
197.0
235.7
( 1)
6,291.0
560.8
200.2
Maryland ......................................................................
Massachusetts.....................................................................
Michigan ......................................................................
Minnesota ............................................................................
Mississippi ............................................................................
Missouri.................................................................................
1,725.5
2,683.5
3,419.7
1,777.8
828.1
1,991.1
1,683.0
2,625.1
3,206.2
1,720.8
808.6
1,958.7
1,689.3
2,641.3
3,250.2
1,741.3
805.0
1,971.0
Virginia ....................................................................
Washington ............................................................
West Virginia ..........................................................
Wisconsin.......................................................................
Wyoming .......................................................................
2,154.3
1,617.6
585.6
1,923.7
215.4
2,157.1
1,556.5
606.2
1,857.3
213.3
2,163.6
1,565.1
609.1
1,874.0
218.1
Virgin Islands .................................................................
37.8
35.9
(’ )
1Not available.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
71
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
10.
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group
[Nonagricultural payroll data, in thousands]
1981
A nnual a v e ra g e
1982
In d u s tr y d iv is io n a n d g ro u p
1980
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M ar.
A p r.
M ayp
90,406
91,105
92,056
91,107
91,087
91,620
91,884
91,765
91,437
89,269
89,413
89,679
89,984
90,440
90,741
M IN IN G
1,027
1,132
1,159
1,184
1,200
1,201
1,196
1,203
1,200
1,183
1,180
1,178
1,171
1,155
1,151
C O N S T R U C T IO N
4,346
4,176
4,350
4,415
4,431
4,366
4,340
4,221
4,009
3,576
3,559
3,631
3,796
4,002
4,102
20,285
14,214
20,173
14,021
20,445
14,267
20,246
14,043
20,370
14,153
20,499
14,304
20,271
14,079
20,025
13,834
19,705
13,515
19,353
13,200
19,299
13,168
19,207
13,093
19,073
12,971
19,043
12,964
19,074
13,016
Production workers..................................
12,187
8,442
12,117
8,301
12,317
8,486
12,179
8,330
12,164
8,302
12,272
8,423
12,144
8,297
11,979
8,135
11,762
7,922
11,557
7,739
11,503
7,705
11,454
7,664
11,356
7,572
11,318
7,554
11,320
7,572
Lumber and wood products ........................
Furniture and fixtures......................................
Stone, clay, and glass products ......................
Primary metal industries..................................
Fabricated metal products ..............................
Machinery, except electrical............................
Electric and electronic equipment ....................
Transportation equipment................................
Instruments and related products ....................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..........................
690.5
465.8
662.1
1,142.2
1,613.1
2,494.0
2,090.6
1,899.7
711.3
418.0
668.7
467.3
638,2
1,121.1
1,592.4
2,507.0
2,092.2
1,892.6
726.8
410.7
699.4
470.9
658.2
1,148.1
1,616.6
2,524.9
2,109.5
1,942.6
732.3
414.9
696.9
462.3
654.2
1,128.4
1,593.6
2,512.2
2,096,0
1,897,0
731.2
407.5
691.2
470.6
656.3
1,132.6
1,599,9
2,507.1
2,102.5
1,850.8
735.8
417.0
680.9
474.9
652.0
1,131.7
1,615.8
2,536.2
2,120.0
1,904.5
732.6
423.8
654.5
473.9
639.8
1,102.2
1,591,8
2,525.1
2,113.3
1,888.9
729.6
425.0
629.1
467.4
628.5
1,081.0
1,570.4
2,510.0
2,086.8
1,857.0
727.6
421.5
606.4
461,9
606.9
1,051.5
1,539.3
2,494.7
2,061.4
1,806.3
726.5
406.8
587.1
454,2
576.0
1,034.9
1,508.7
2,464.8
2,056.6
1,766.0
719.0
389.8
592.9
450.8
571.5
1,018.4
1,500.3
2,458.5
2,045.2
1,758.5
715.3
391.3
592.0
446.3
574.2
1,004.4
1,491.3
2,428.8
2,034.2
1,776.2
713.8
392.3
603.0
443.8
580.1
977.3
1,476.4
2,396.4
2,027.9
1,749.9
711.1
390.0
616.5
439,6
588,3
949.2
1,465,8
2,373.3
2,024.4
1,761.2
711.7
388.0
635.6
441.9
593.7
943.8
1,467,6
2,346.0
2,034.6
1,752.5
714.6
389.5
Production workers..................................
8,098
5,772
8,056
5,721
8,128
5,781
8,067
5,713
8,206
5,851
8,227
5,881
8,127
5,782
8,046
5,699
7,943
5,593
7,796
5,461
7,796
5,463
7,753
5,429
7,717
5,399
7,725
5,410
7,754.4
5,444
Food and kindred products..............................
Tobacco manufactures ..................................
Textile mill products........................................
Apparel and other textile products ..................
Paper and allied products ..............................
Printing and publishing....................................
Chemicals and allied products ........................
Petroleum and coal products ..........................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..
Leather and leather products..........................
1,708.0
68.9
847.7
1,263.5
692.8
1,252.1
1,107.4
197.9
726.8
232.9
1,674.3
69.8
822.5
1,244.0
687.8
1,265.8
1,107.3
215.6
736.1
233.0
1,663.9
65.5
834.1
1,271.8
696.5
1,264.0
1,121.6
220.0
750.9
240.1
1,703.0
65.3
819.6
1,218.2
691.8
1,264.0
1,116.7
221.1
738.8
228.4
1,759.6
73.8
829.7
1,260.3
695.5
1,265.9
1,112.0
220.7
749.2
239.1
1,763.2
75.7
831.9
1,270.5
697.1
1,270.0
1,110.1
218.0
752.9
237.4
1,719.4
75.0
816.4
1,257.9
686.4
1,274.5
1,104.4
216.8
740.0
235.8
1,680,8
73.1
809.1
1,243.5
681.1
1,279.4
1,100.1
215.9
730.5
232.4
1,649.1
71.7
798.2
1,210.5
676.0
1,286.3
1,096.9
212.5
718.3
223.5
1,605.0
70.5
777.6
1,175.8
669.3
1,273.8
1,089,0
204.7
710.8
219.0
1,604.7
67,5
776.6
1,194.4
665.8
1,276.9
1,087.5
203.2
706.5
212.5
1,597.9
64.2
760.0
1,184.5
665.1
1,279.1
1,087.1
203.7
6998
211.6
1,578.5
62.0
770.5
1,167.5
662.2
1,273.8
1,080.9
203.8
704.2
213.4
1,599.3
61.1
757.7
1,170.9
659.9
1,271.2
1,079.4
206.4
704.6
214.4
1,624.4
62.4
739.5
1,178.9
664.5
1,267.9
1,084.6
208.8
707.6
215.6
5,146
5,157
5,199
5,181
5,180
5,227
5,208
5,188
5,157
5,065
5,051
5,049
5,058
5,096
5,112
20,310
20,551
20,671
20,600
20,664
20,731
20,731
20,883
21,170
20,417
20,258
20,306
20,446
20,632
20,721
5,275
5,359
5,397
5,391
5,402
5,388
5,400
5,398
5,372
5,314
5,303
5,309
5,307
5,315
5,334
15,035
15,192
15,274
15,209
15,262
15,343
15,331
15,485
15,798
15,103
14,955
14,997
15,139
15,317
15,387
5,160
5,301
5,353
5,376
5,374
5,327
5,314
5,308
5,313
5,290
5,285
5,304
5,319
5,340
5,402
TOTAL
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Production workers......................
D u r a b le g o o d s
N o n d u ra b le g o o d s
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D P U B L IC U T IL IT IE S
W H O L E S A L E A N D R E T A IL T R A D E
W H O LE S A LE TR A D E
R E T A IL T R A D E
F IN A N C E , IN S U R A N C E , A N D R E A L E S T A T E
Junep
S E R V IC E S
17,890
18,592
18,711
18,771
18,771
18,740
18,824
18,800
18,775
18,523
18,696
18,828
18,967
19,024
19,124
G OVERNM ENT
16,241
2,866
13,375
16,024
2,772
13,253
16,168
2,825
13,343
15,334
2,833
12,501
15,097
2,803
12,294
15,529
2,735
12,794
16,000
2,737
13,263
16,137
2,729
13,408
16,108
2,729
13,379
15,862
2,717
13,145
16,085
2,723
13,362
16,176
2,725
13,451
16,154
2,730
13,424
16,148
2,739
13,409
16,055
2,770
13,285
Federal..........................................................
State and local ..............................................
72
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
11.
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted
[Nonagricultural payroll data, In thousands]
1981
1982
In d u s try d iv is io n a n d g ro u p
T O T A L ......................................................................................................................
M IN IN G
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ayp
Junep
91,286
91,396
91,322
91,363
91,224
90,996
90,642
90,460
90,459
90,304
90,083
90,151
90,010
1,137
1,164
1,180
1,192
1,195
1,202
1,206
1,201
1,203
1,197
1,182
1,154
1,130
4,185
4,175
4,146
4,124
4,101
4,071
4,026
3,966
3,974
3,934
3,938
3,994
3,952
20,334
14,177
20,379
14,212
20,311
14,136
20,267
14,087
20,097
13,915
19,903
13,717
19,676
13,488
19,517
13,341
19,454
13,290
19,319
13,179
19,169
13,042
19,114
13,014
18,971
12,934
Production workers..................................................................
12,246
8,427
12,266
8,439
12,228
8,389
12,184
8,345
12,059
8,218
11,901
8,061
11,724
7,885
11,622
7,793
11,575
7,759
11,490
7,685
11,375
7,576
11,337
7,557
11,254
7,518
Lumber and wood products ............................................................
Furniture and fixtures......................................................................
Stone, clay, and glass products ......................................................
Primary metal industries..................................................................
Fabricated metal products ..............................................................
Machinery, except electrical............................................................
Electric and electronic equipment....................................................
Transportation equipment................................................................
Instruments and related products ....................................................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..........................................................
685
474
644
1,137
1,611
2,516
2,104
1,938
726
411
683
476
644
1,132
1,617
2,527
2,112
1,925
731
419
671
475
643
1,134
1,610
2,532
2,116
1,901
734
412
661
473
638
1,125
1,604
2,539
2,113
1,884
734
413
643
469
629
1,104
1,577
2,532
2,101
1,861
731
412
628
462
620
1,082
1,553
2,511
2,077
1,830
727
411
615
457
610
1,053
1,529
2,486
2,049
1,791
725
409
607
452
596
1,038
1,515
2,459
2,055
1,777
720
403
611
449
596
1,024
1,505
2,446
2,048
1,778
718
400
607
446
590
1,007
1,496
2,419
2,038
1,774
716
397
615
443
584
976
1,481
2,389
2,034
1,748
713
392
618
443
587
946
1,473
2,378
2,033
1,756
714
389
623
445
581
934
1,462
2,339
2,029
1,747
708
386
Production workers..................................................................
8,088
5,750
8,113
5,773
8,083
5,747
8,083
5,742
8,038
5,697
8,002
5,656
7,952
5,603
7,895
5,548
7,879
5,531
7,829
5,494
7,794
5,466
7,777
5,457
7,717
5,416
Food and kindred products..............................................................
Tobacco manufactures ..................................................................
Textile mill products........................................................................
Apparel and other textile products ..................................................
Paper and allied products ..............................................................
Printing and publishing....................................................................
Chemicals and allied products ........................................................
Petroleum and coal products ..........................................................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ....................................
Leather and leather products ..........................................................
1,673
71
830
1,251
690
1,263
1,111
217
747
235
1,678
70
835
1,255
691
1,268
1,110
217
750
239
1,659
70
829
1,253
691
1,271
1,107
216
752
235
1,658
69
827
1,253
695
1,274
1,110
216 .
746
235
1,662
69
814
1,243
685
1,276
1,107
215
734
233
1,664
69
804
1,235
681
1,276
1,103
215
725
230
1,661
68
794
1,222
677
1,276
1,100
214
716
224
1,657
69
780
1,201
674
1,275
1,095
210
712
222
1,663
68
777
1,201
670
1,276
1,093
208
708
215
1,658
68
760
1,186
668
1,278
1,088
207
703
213
1,643
67
773
1,165
664
1,274
1,082
206
706
214
1,649
67
758
1,164
661
1,274
1,078
206
708
212
1,634
67
736
1,159
659
1,267
1,074
206
704
211
5,162
5,168
5,168
5,181
5,162
5,150
5,128
5,125
5,115
5,100
5,094
5,101
5,076
20,590
20,620
20,650
20,660
20,654
20,623
20,524
20,630
20,670
20,655
20,584
20,658
20,643
C O N S T R U C T IO N
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Production workers..................................................................
D u r a b le g o o d s
N o n d u ra b le g o o d s
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D P U B L IC U T IL IT IE S
W H O L E S A L E A N D R E T A IL T R A D E
W HOLESALE TRADE
R E T A IL T R A D E ...............................................................................................................................
F IN A N C E , IN S U R A N C E , A N D R E A L E S T A T E
.........................................................
5,366
5,375
5,387
5,383
5,380
5,375
5,357
5,346
5,343
5,336
5,323
5,326
5,302
15,224
15,245
15,263
15,277
15,274
15,248
15,167
15,284
15,327
15,319
15,261
15,332
15,341
5,302
5,311
5,319
5,328
5,325
5,324
5,331
5,326
5,326
5,336
5,335
5,340
5,349
S E R V IC E S
18,556
18,615
18,654
18,707
18,773
18,815
18,834
18,831
18,867
18,904
18,929
18,948
18,972
GOVERNM ENT
16,020
2,777
13,243
15,964
2,775
13,189
15,894
2,769
13,125
15,904
2,764
13,140
15,917
2,757
13,160
15,908
2,749
13,159
15,917
2,756
13,161
15,864
2,741
13,123
15,850
2,737
13,113
15,859
2,736
13,123
15,852
2,730
13,122
15,842
2,734
13,108
15,917
2,724
13,193
Federal..........................................................................................
State anc local ..............................................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
73
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 •
12.
Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
Hours and earnings, by industry division, selected years, 1950-81
[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on nonagricultural payrolls]
Year
A v e ra g e
A v era g e
A v e ra g e
A v era g e
A v e ra g e
A v e ra g e
A v e ra g e
A v e ra g e
A v e ra g e
A v e ra g e
A v era g e
w e e k ly
w e e k ly
h o u rly
w e e k ly
w e e k ly
h o u rly
w e e k ly
w e e k ly
h o u rly
w e e k ly
w e e k ly
h o u rly
e a rn in g s
h o u rs
e a rn in g s
e a rn in g s
h o u rs
e a r n in g s
e a r n in g s
h o u rs
e a rn in g s
e a rn in g s
h o u rs
e a rn in g s
T o ta l p r iv a te
M in in g
C o n s tr u c tio n
M a n u fa c tu rin g
1950 ..................
1955 ..................
I9601 ................
1964 ..................
1965 ..................
$53.13
67.72
80.67
91.33
95.45
39.8
39.6
38.6
38.7
38.8
$1.335
1.71
2.09
2.36
2.46
$67.16
89.54
105.04
117.74
123.52
37.9
40.7
40.4
41.9
42.3
$1.772
2.20
2.60
2.81
2.92
$69.68
90.90
112.67
132.06
138.38
37.4
37.1
36.7
37.2
37.4
$1.863
2.45
3.07
3.55
3.70
$58,32
75.30
89.72
102.97
107.53
40.5
40.7
39.7
40.7
41.2
$1.440
1.85
2.26
2.53
2.61
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
98.82
101.84
107.73
114.61
119.83
38.6
38.0
37.8
37.7
37.1
2.56
2.68
2.85
3,04
3.23
130.24
135.89
142.71
154.80
164.40
42.7
42.6
42.6
43.0
42.7
3.05
3.19
3.35
3.60
3.85
146.26
154.95
164.49
181.54
195.45
37.6
37.7
37.3
37.9
37.3
3.89
4.11
4.41
4.79
5.24
112.19
114.49
122.51
129.51
133.33
41.4
40.6
40.7
40.6
39.8
2.71
2.82
3.01
3.19
3.35
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
127.31
136.90
145.39
154.76
163.53
36.9
37.0
36.9
36.5
36.1
3.45
3.70
3.94
4.24
4.53
172.14
189.14
201.40
219.14
249.31
42.4
42.6
42.4
41.9
41.9
4.06
4.44
4.75
5.23
5.95
211.67
221.19
235.89
249.25
266.08
37.2
36.5
36.8
36.6
36.4
5.69
6.06
6.41
6.81
7.31
142.44
154.71
166.46
176.80
190.79
39.9
40.5
40.7
40.0
39.5
3.57
3.82
4.09
4,42
4.83
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
175.45
189.00
203.70
219.91
235.10
36.1
36.0
35.8
35.7
35.3
4.86
5.25
5.69
6.16
6.66
273.90
301.20
332.88
365.07
397.06
42.4
43.4
43.4
43.0
43.3
6.46
6.94
7.67
8.49
9.17
283.73
295.65
318.69
342.99
367.78
36.8
36.5
36.8
37.0
37.0
7.71
8.10
8.66
9.27
9.94
209.32
228.90
249.27
269.34
288.62
40.1
40.3
40.4
40.2
39.7
5.22
5.68
6.17
6.70
7.27
1981 ..................
255.20
35.2
7.25
439.19
43.7
10.05
398.52
36.9
10.80
318.00
39.8
7.99
T r a n s p o r ta tio n a n d p u b lic
1950 ..................
1955 ..................
I9601 ................
1964 ..................
1965 ..................
F in a n c e , in s u ra n c e , a n d
W h o le s a le a n d re ta il tr a d e
u tilitie s
$118.78
125.14
41.1
41.3
$2.89
3.03
$44.55
55.16
66.01
74.66
76.91
S e r v ic e s
re a l e s t a te
40 5
39.4
38.6
37.9
37.7
$1 100
1 40
1 71
1.97
2.04
$50 52
63 92
75 14
85.79
88.91
37 7
37 6
37 2
37.3
37.2
$1 340
1 70
2 0?
2.30
2.39
$70.03
73.60
36.1
35.9
$1.94
2.05
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
128.13
130.82
138.85
147.74
155.93
41.2
40.5
40.6
40.7
40.5
3.11
3.23
3.42
3.63
3.85
79.39
82.35
87.00
91.39
96.02
37.1
36.6
36.1
35.7
35.3
2.14
2.25
2.41
2.56
2.72
92.13
95.72
101.75
108.70
112.67
37.3
37.1
37.0
37.1
36.7
2.47
2.58
2.75
2.93
3.07
77.04
80.38
83.97
90.57
96.66
35.5
35.1
34.7
34.7
34.4
2.17
2.29
2.42
2.61
2.81
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
168.82
187.86
203.31
217.48
233.44
40.1
40.4
40.5
40.2
39.7
4.21
4.65
5.02
5.41
5.88
101.09
106.45
111.76
119.02
126.45
35.1
34.9
34.6
34.2
33.9
2.88
3.05
3.23
3.48
3.73
117.85
122.98
129.20
137.61
148.19
36.6
36.6
36.6
36.5
36.5
3.22
3.36
3.53
3.77
4.06
103.06
110.85
117.29
126.00
134.67
33.9
33.9
33.8
33.6
33.5
3.04
3.27
3.47
3.75
4.02
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
256.71
278.90
302.80
325.58
351.25
39.8
39.9
40.0
39.9
39.6
6.45
6.99
7.57
8.16
8.87
133.79
142.52
153.64
164.96
176.46
33.7
33.3
32.9
32.6
32.2
3.97
4.28
4.67
5.06
5.48
155.43
165.26
178.00
190.77
209.60
36.4
36.4
36.4
36.2
36.2
4.27
4.54
4.89
5.27
5.79
143.52
153.45
163.67
175.27
190.71
33.3
33.0
32.8
32.7
32.6
4.31
4.65
4.99
5.36
5.85
1981 ..................
382.18
39.4
9.70
190.95
32.2
5.93
229.05
36.3
6.31
208.97
32.6
6.41
1Data include Alaska and Hawaii beginning in 1959.
74
A v e ra g e
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
13.
Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group
[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
A nnual a v e rag e
198 2
1981
In d u s tr y d iv is io n a n d g r o u p
T O T A L P R IV A T E
198 0
1981
June
Ju ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ayp
Junep
35.3
35.2
35.4
35.6
35.6
35.1
35.2
35.1
35.2
339
34.8
34.7
34.6
34.8
35.0
M IN IN G
43.3
43.7
42.3
43.6
44.2
43.9
44.5
44.4
44.8
42.9
43.6
43.8
42.7
42.5
420
C O N S T R U C T IO N
37.0
36.9
37.2
37.8
37.4
35.8
37.6
37.1
37.1
333
35.9
37.0
36.7
37.5
37.4
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
39.7
2.8
39.8
2.8
40.2
3.0
396
2.8
39.9
3.0
39.5
2.9
39.7
2.8
39.7
2.6
39.9
2.6
37.1
2.2
39.2
2.3
39.1
2.3
38.7
2.1
39.0
2.2
392
2.3
Overtime hours ......................................
40.1
2.8
40.2
2.8
40.6
3.0
40.0
2.8
40.2
2.9
39.8
2.8
40.1
2.7
40.1
2.5
40.4
2.6
37.7
2.1
39.7
2.2
39.6
2.2
392
2.0
39.4
2.1
39.6
2.3
Lumber and wood products ..........................
Furniture and fixtures ....................................
Stone, clay, and glass products......................
Primary metal industries................................
Fabricated metal products ............................
38.5
38.1
40.8
40.1
40.4
38.7
38.4
40.6
40.5
40.3
39.5
38.9
41.2
40.9
40.8
38.7
37.8
40.8
40.3
39.9
39.0
38.6
41.0
40.3
40.3
37.9
37.7
40.6
40.8
39.7
38.2
38.6
40.5
39.7
40.2
37.7
38.1
40.5
39.7
40.1
38.1
38.9
40.1
39.6
40.5
33.7
32.5
37.4
38.4
37.8
37.5
37.4
392
39.6
39.4
37.6
37.6
39.8
39.0
39.6
37.3
37.1
39.9
38.7
39.0
38.4
37.2
40.4
38.3
39.4
38.2
37.6
40.7
39.1
39.6
Machinery except electrical............................
Electric and electronic equipment ..................
Transportation equipment ..............................
Instruments and related products ..................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ........................
41.0
39.8
40.6
40.5
38.7
40.9
39.9
40.9
40.4
38.8
41.1
40.2
41.4
40.4
39.0
40.5
39.7
40.8
39.9
38.5
40.7
40.0
40.6
40.4
38.9
40.4
39.7
39.9
40.4
38.7
40.7
39.9
41.0
40.4
39.3
41.0
398
40.8
40.8
39.5
41.6
40.4
41.4
40.7
39.1
39.2
38.1
38.4
38.6
36.6
40.7
398
40.4
40.0
38.4
40.4
39.5
40.4
40.1
38.7
39.8
39.0
40.5
39.5
38.2
39.6
39.2
41.0
40.0
38.5
39.6
39.4
41.5
39.8
38.6
Overtime hours......................................
39.0
2.8
39.1
2.8
39.5
2.9
39.1
2.8
39.4
3.0
39.1
3.1
39.1
2.9
39.1
2.8
39.2
2.7
362
2.4
38.6
2.5
38.3
2.4
38.1
2.3
38.4
2.4
38.6
2.4
Food and kindred products............................
Tobacco manufactures..................................
Textile mill products......................................
Apparel and other textile products..................
Paper and allied products..............................
39.7
38.1
40.1
354
42.2
39.7
38.8
39.6
35.7
42.5
39.7
38.5
40.4
36.3
42.7
39.6
38.6
39.6
36.0
42.4
39.9
40.7
39.9
36.3
42.4
39.8
40.2
389
35.2
43.2
39.5
39.4
39.4
35.8
42.4
398
38.8
39.2
35.8
42.3
40.4
38.1
38.6
35.5
42.7
38.7
36.1
31.2
30.0
41.3
39.7
38.3
38,1
35.2
42.0
39.0
37.3
37.7
35.1
41.7
38.8
36.6
37.2
34.4
41.8
39.3
36.9
37.9
34.9
41.5
39.6
37.6
38.1
35.2
41.7
Printing and publishing ..................................
Chemicals and allied products........................
Petroleum and coal products ........................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..
Leather and leather products ........................
37.1
41.5
41.8
40.0
36.7
37.3
41.6
43.2
40.3
36.8
37.2
41.6
43.5
40.9
38.1
37.2
41.5
43.7
39.9
36.5
37.5
41.4
43.0
40.4
36.9
37.4
42.2
44.4
39.7
36.0
37.2
41.5
43.1
40.2
36.7
37.3
41.6
43.1
39.9
36.6
37.9
41.8
42.6
40.1
36.4
36.4
40.8
43.2
37.8
33.3
37.1
41.1
42.2
39.9
35.3
37.1
40.7
42.4
39.7
35.6
36.8
40.7
44.0
39.5
35.2
36.8
40.8
43.8
39.7
36.3
36.9
40.8
44.6
40.0
36.7
39.2
39.1
39.2
39.3
38.5
39.2
39.0
38.8
389
39.0
Overtime hours ......................................
D u r a b le g o o d s
N o n d u ra b le g o o d s
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D P U B L IC U T IL IT IE S
39.6
394
39.7
39.7
39.5
W H O L E S A L E A N D R E T A IL T R A D E
32.2
32.2
32.4
32.8
32.8
32.2
32.0
31.9
32.3
31.1
31.6
31.6
31.7
31.9
32.2
W H OLESALE TRAD E
38.5
38.6
386
38.8
387
38.5
386
38.6
38.7
37.8
38.2
38.3
38.2
384
38.7
R E T A IL T R A D E
30.2
30.1
30.3
30.9
30.9
30.2
29.8
29.8
30.3
29,0
29.4
29.4
29.6
29.8
30.1
F IN A N C E , IN S U R A N C E , A N D R E A L E S T A T E
36.2
36.3
36.1
36.3
36.4
36.0
36.2
36.2
36.2
36.2
36.2
36.3
36.2
36.3
36.1
S E R V IC E S
32.6
32.6
32.7
33.1
32.9
32.4
32.5
32.5
32.6
32.3
32.5
32.5
32.5
32.4
32.7
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
75
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
14.
Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted
[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
1981
1982
In d u s tr y d iv is io n a n d g ro u p
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M ar.
A p r,
M ayp
Junep
35.2
35.3
35.2
35.0
35.1
35.1
35.0
34.4
35.0
34.9
34.9
34.9
34.8
40.1
3.0
40.0
3.0
39.9
3.0
39.4
2.7
39,5
2.7
39.3
2.5
39.1
2.4
37.6
2.3
39.4
2.4
39.0
2.3
39.0
2.4
39.1
2.3
39,1
2.4
Overtime hours............................................
40.5
3.0
40.5
3.0
40,4
3.0
39.7
2.7
40.0
2.6
39.7
2.4
39.5
2.3
38.2
2.2
39.8
2.2
39.5
2.2
39.5
2.2
39.5
2.2
39.6
2.3
Lumber and wood products ............................
Furniture and fixtures ..........................................
Stone, clay, and glass products ..................
Primary metal industries............................
Fabricated metal products ..................................
38.9
38.8
40.7
40.9
40.6
38.7
38.6
40.8
40,7
40.5
38.4
38.4
40.7
40.8
40.4
37.6
37.4
40.3
40.6
39.6
37.8
38.0
40.1
40.0
40.0
37.7
37.6
40.1
39.6
39.7
37.7
37.9
39.7
39.2
39.5
35.0
33.6
38.6
38.3
38,1
37.9
37.7
40.1
39.4
39.7
37.6
37.3
40.0
38.8
39.5
37.6
37.4
40.0
38.5
39,4
38.4
37.5
40.2
38.5
39.5
37.7
37.5
40.3
39.1
39.4
Machinery, except electrical ................................
Electric and electronic equipment ........................
Transportation equipment....................................
Instruments and related products ........................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..............................
41.1
40.2
41.4
40.4
39.0
41.2
40.4
41.2
40.5
39.0
41.1
40.3
41.2
40.6
38.9
40.3
39.7
40.1
40.4
384
40.8
39.8
40.6
40.3
38.9
40.7
39.4
40.4
40.2
39.0
40.4
39.5
39.7
39.9
38.5
39.3
38.3
39.0
39.0
37.3
40.7
39.8
40.5
39.9
38.6
40.2
39.4
40.4
39.9
38.6
40.1
39.3
41.1
39.9
385
39.7
39.4
41.0
40.1
38.7
396
39.4
41.5
39.8
38,6
Overtime hours......................................
39.4
2.9
39.2
2.9
39.2
2.9
38.9
2.8
38.9
2.8
38.7
2.7
38.6
2.6
36.8
2.5
38.9
2.6
38.5
2.5
38.4
2.6
38.5
2.5
38.5
2.4
Food and kindred products....................
Textile mill products............................................
Apparel and other textile products........................
Paper and allied products................................
39.7
40.1
35.9
42.7
39.5
40.1
35.8
42.7
39.4
39.8
359
42.5
39.3
38.8
35.2
43.0
39.5
39.0
35.5
42.4
39.5
38.7
35.5
42.0
39.8
37.8
35.1
41.8
39.1
32.3
31.4
41.3
40.2
38.3
35.5
42.3
39.5
37.6
35.0
41.8
39.4
37.7
34.7
42.1
39.3
37.9
34.8
41.8
39.6
37.8
34.8
41.7
Printing and publishing ........................................
Chemicals and allied products..............................
Petroleum and coal products ..............................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ........
Leather and leather products ..............................
37.4
41.7
43.4
40.9
37.1
37.3
41.7
43,1
40.5
36.4
37.3
41.7
42.9
40.5
36.7
37.1
42.2
43.1
39.7
36.2
37.1
41.5
42.2
39.9
36.7
37.1
41.2
42.5
39.6
36.5
37.1
41.3
42.7
39.4
36.1
36.9
41.0
44.3
37.9
34.1
37.4
41.2
43.5
40,0
35.6
37.1
40.7
43.5
396
35.8
37.1
40.7
44.0
39.8
35.6
36.9
41.0
44.0
39.9
35.9
37.1
40.9
44.5
40.0
35.7
T O T A L P R IV A T E
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Overtime hours......................................
D u r a b le g o o d s
N o n d u ra b le g o o d s
W H O L E S A L E A N D R E T A IL T R A D E
32.1
35.2
32.2
32.1
32.0
32.1
32.0
31.7
32.0
31.9
31.8
32.0
31.9
W H OLESALE TRADE
38.5
38.6
38.6
38.5
38.4
38.5
38.4
38.1
38.5
38.4
38.3
38.5
38.7
R E T A IL T R A D E
30.0
30.1
30.1
30.1
29.9
30.0
29.9
29.7
29.9
29.8
29.8
30.0
29.8
S E R V IC E S
32.5
32.6
32.5
32.5
32.6
32.6
32.6
32.5
32.6
32.6
32.7
32.6
326
N ote : The industry divisions of mining; construction; tobacco manufactures (a major
manufacturing group, nondurable goods); transportation and public utilities; and finance, insurance,
and real estate are no longer shown. This is because the seasonal component in these is small
76
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
relative to the trend-cycle, or irregular components, or both, and consequently cannot be precisely
separated,
15.
Hourly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group
[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
1981
A nnual a ve rag e
1982
In d u s tr y d iv is io n a n d g ro u p
1980
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
$6.66
$7.25
$7.20
$7.24
$7.30
$7.40
$7.42
$7.47
$7.45
$7.55
$7.54
$7.55
9.17
10.05
9.93
10.09
10.12
10.27
10.25
10.39
10.41
10.65
10.62
10.62
C O N S T R U C T IO N
9.94
10,80
10.64
10.79
10.92
11.07
11.65
11.18
11.26
11.59
11.32
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
7.27
7.99
7.97
8.02
8.03
8.16
8.16
8.20
8.27
8.42
8.34
Lumber and wood products ....................
Furniture and fixtures..............................
Stone, clay, and glass products ..............
Primary metal industries..........................
Fabricated metal products ......................
7.75
6.55
5.49
7.50
977
7.45
8.53
7.00
5.91
8.27
10.81
820
8.54
7.09
5.90
8.31
1075
8.23
8.57
7.15
5.92
8.40
10.78
8.21
8.59
7.13
5.99
8.41
10.99
8.26
8.70
7.16
6.01
8.53
11.22
8.33
8.73
7.10
6.06
8.50
10.97
8.39
8.77
7.16
6.05
8.54
11.10
8.42
8.83
7.16
6.12
8.56
11.08
8.53
8.92
7.38
6.28
8.70
11.23
8.55
Machinery, except electrical....................
Electric and electronic equipment............
Transportation equipment........................
Instruments and related products ............
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................
8.00
6.94
9.35
6.80
5.46
8.81
7.62
10.39
7.43
5.96
8.79
7.56
10.45
7.33
5.92
8.83
7.65
10.44
7.43
5.97
8.84
7.73
10.37
7.55
5.96
8.96
7.75
10.49
7.59
6.05
9.04
7.80
10.74
7.60
6.05
9.08
7.83
10.74
7.68
6.11
9.18
7.90
10.76
7.81
6.19
Food and kindred products......................
Tobacco manufactures............................
Textile mill products................................
Apparel and other textile products ..........
Paper and allied products........................
6.55
6.85
7.74
5.07
4.56
7.84
7.18
7.43
8.88
5.52
4.96
8.60
7.13
7.41
9.35
5.41
4.97
8.54
7.22
7.45
9.46
5.50
4.92
8.73
7.23
7.48
8.70
5.65
4.96
8.67
7.36
7.56
8.76
5.69
5.04
8.95
7.33
7.51
8.67
5.72
5.05
8.82
7.38
7.61
9.04
5.73
5.04
8.89
Printing and publishing ............................
Chemicals and allied products ................
Petroleum and coal products ..................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products
Leather and leather products ..................
7.53
8.30
10.10
6.52
4.58
8.18
9.12
11.38
7.16
4.99
8.11
9.07
11.31
7.14
4.98
8.20
9.16
11.43
7.18
4.97
825
9.19
11.32
7.23
4.97
8.37
9.38
11.55
7.29
5.09
8.40
9.37
11.47
7.30
5.09
T O T A L P R IV A T E
M I N I N G ..............................................................................................
D u ra b le g o o d s
N o n d u ra b le g o o d s
M ay p
Junep
$7.58
$7,63
$7.62
10.65
10.68
10.74
11.33
11.32
11.44
11.42
8.37
8.42
8.45
8.51
8.89
7.27
6.19
8.62
11.20
8.57
8.91
7.28
6.21
8.65
11.15
8.64
8.94
7.24
6.21
8.72
11.24
8.69
9.02
7,40
6.26
8.80
11.23
8.79
9.07
7.50
6.30
8.88
11.34
8.82
9.19
7.98
10.79
7.93
6.27
9.20
7.96
10 82
7.94
6.29
9.18
8.01
10.89
8.00
6.32
9.24
8.03
10.89
8.07
6.35
9.28
8.06
11.09
8.19
6.38
9.34
8.09
11.19
8.18
642
7.44
7.67
8.96
5.72
5.04
8.96
7.67
7.82
9.21
5.76
5.18
9.06
7.54
7.74
9.56
576
5.13
8.99
7.57
7.79
9.72
5.76
5.15
9.03
7.65
7.90
10.05
5.79
5.18
9.11
7.64
7.90
9.90
5.79
5.15
9.14
7.70
7.89
10.47
5.79
5.16
9.23
8.42
9.42
11.58
7.31
5.11
8.48
9.53
11.59
7.38
5.15
8.58
9.68
11.91
7.51
5.19
8.56
9.68
12 29
7.49
5.22
8.59
9.71
12.32
7.45
5.24
8.59
9.81
12.50
7.52
5.32
8.60
9.82
12.44
7.53
5.28
8.67
9.95
12.49
7.63
5.31
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D P U B L IC U T IL IT IE S
8.87
9.70
9.61
9.67
9.87
9.95
9,94
10.05
10.06
10.10
10.13
10.07
10.14
10.18
10.21
W H O L E S A L E A N D R E T A IL T R A D E
5.48
5.93
5.88
5.91
5.94
6.04
6.01
6.04
6.02
6.17
6.16
6.16
6.18
6.20
6.19
W H OLESALE TRAD E
6.96
7.57
7.49
7.58
7.65
7.70
7.73
7.79
7.81
7.94
7.94
7.93
7.97
8.03
7.99
R E T A IL T R A D E
4 88
5.25
5.22
5.24
5.25
5.37
5.29
5.32
5.31
5.43
5.42
5.43
5.44
5.47
5.47
F IN A N C E , IN S U R A N C E , A N D R E A L E S T A T E .
5.79
6.31
6.25
6.28
6.38
6.39
6.43
6.52
6.47
6.56
6.62
6.59
6.64
6.76
6.68
S E R V IC E S
5.85
6.41
6.33
6.34
6.41
6.52
6.58
6.67
6.66
6.79
6.79
6.77
6.81
6.84
680
16.
Hourly Earnings Index for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls, by industry division
[Seasonally adjusted data: 1977=100]
1981
1982
Industry
TOTAL PRIVATE (in current dollars)
Mining2 ...............................................
Construction ......................................
Manufacturing ....................................
Transportation and public utilities . . . .
Wholesale and retail trade ...............
Finance, insurance, and real estate ..
Services ............................................
TOTAL PRIVATE (in constant dollars)
June 1981
to
June 1982'
July
Aug.
Sept.
138.4
139.1
140.5
141.4
142.0
143.0
143.5
144.9
145.0
145.4
146.3
147.6
147.9
.2
6.9
147.4
130 9
141.5
139.6
137.6
137.1
136.7
149.0
132.2
142.4
139.0
138.4
137.8
137.4
149.5
132.8
143.5
141.6
139.7
140.1
139.2
151.7
133.5
144.7
141.5
141.0
140.4
139.7
151.4
134.7
145.4
142.3
140.5
141.4
140.9
153.4
135.7
146.4
143.5
141.3
142.6
142.2
153.4
136.6
146.9
144.3
141.7
142.0
142.6
156.2
139.9
148.9
145.5
142.1
143.1
143.4
156.0
137.9
149.1
146.0
142.5
143.3
143.7
156.0
138.1
149.9
146.3
142.8
143.8
143.9
156.5
138.7
150.8
146.9
143.7
144.9
145.1
157.0
139.7
151.8
148.1
145.2
147.9
146.4
158.2
139.9
152.5
149.1
145.2
146.6
146.5
.8
.1
.4
.7
( 3)
- .9
.1
7.3
6.9
7.8
6.8
5.5
6.9
7.2
92.9
92.2
92.5
92.1
92.1
92.3
92.3
92.9
92.8
93.3
93.7
93.7
( 4)
( 4)
( 4)
Oct.
Nov.
1Over-the-year percent change before seasonal adjustment.
2This series Is not seasonally adjusted because the seasonal component is small relative to
the trend-cycle, irregular components, or both, and consequently cannot be separated with
sufficient precision.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
May 1982
to
June 1982
June
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May p
Junep
3 Less than 0.05 percent.
4 Not available,
77
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
17.
Weekly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group
[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
A nnual a v e rag e
1981
198 2
In d u s tr y d iv is io n a n d g ro u p
198 0
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
$235.10
172.74
$255.20
170.13
$254.88
170.49
$257.74
170.35
$259.88
170.64
$259.74
168.88
$261.18
169.49
$262.20
169.71
$262.24
169.30
$255.95
164.70
$262.39
168.31
$261.99
168.37
$262.27
167,80
$265.52
168.16
$266.70
(’ )
M ay»
Junep
T O T A L P R IV A T E :
Current dollars..........................................
Constant (1977) dollars..............................
M IN IN G
397.06
439.19
420.04
439.92
447.30
450.85
456.13
461.32
466.37
456.89
463.03
465.16
454.76
453 90
$451.08
C O N S T R U C T IO N
367.78
398.52
395.81
407.86
408.41
396.31
419.62
414.78
417.75
385.95
406.39
419.21
415.44
429.00
427.11
288.62
212.06
318.00
212.00
320.39
214.31
317.59
209.91
320.40
210.37
322.32
209.57
323.95
210.22
325.54
210.71
329.97
213.02
312.38
201.02
326.93
209.70
327.27
210.33
325.85
208.48
329.55
208.71
333.59
Lumber and wood products........................
Furniture and fixtures ................................
Stone, clay, and glass products..................
Primary metal industries ............................
Fabricated metal products..........................
310.78
252.18
209.17
306.00
391.78
300.98
342.91
270.90
226.94
335.76
437.81
330.46
346.72
280.06
229.51
342.37
439.68
335.78
342.80
276.71
223.78
342.72
434.43
327.58
345.32
278.07
231.21
344.81
442.90
332.88
346.26
271.36
226.58
346.32
457.78
330.70
350.07
271.22
233.92
344.25
435.51
337.28
351.68
269.93
230.51
345.87
440.67
337.64
356.73
272.80
238.07
343.26
438.77
345.47
336.28
248.71
204.10
325.38
431.23
323.19
352.93
272.63
231.51
337.90
443.52
337.66
352.84
273.73
233.50
344.27
434.85
342.14
350.45
270.05
230.39
347.93
434.99
338.91
355.39 $359.17
284.16 286.50
232.87 236.88
355.52 361.42
430.11 443.39
346.33 349.27
Machinery except electrical........................
Electric and electronic equipment................
Transportation equipment ..........................
Instruments and related products................
Miscellaneous manufacturing......................
328.00
276.21
379.61
275.40
211.30
360.33
304.04
424.95
300,17
231.25
361.27
303.91
432.63
296.13
230.88
357.62
303.71
425.95
296.46
229.85
359.79
309.20
421.02
305.02
231.84
361.98
307.68
418.55
306.64
234.14
367.93
311.22
440.34
307.04
237.77
372.28
311.63
438.19
313.34
241.35
381.89
319.16
445.46
317.87
242.03
360.25
304.04
414.34
306.10
229.48
374.44
316.81
437.13
317.60
241.54
370.87
316.40
439.96
320.80
244.58
367.75
313.17
441.05
318.77
242.57
367.49
315.95
454.69
327.60
245.63
369.86
318.75
464.39
325.56
247.81
255.45
271.95
294.89
203.31
161.42
330.85
280.74
294.97
344.54
218.59
177.07
365.50
281.64
294.18
359.98
218.56
180.41
364.66
282.30
295.02
365.16
217.80
177.12
370.15
284.86
298.45
354.09
225.44
180.05
367.61
287.78
300.89
352.15
221.34
177.41
386.64
286.60
296.65
341.60
225.37
180.79
373.97
288.56
302.88
350.75
224.62
180.43
376.05
291.65
309.87
341.38
220.79
178.92
382.59
277.65
302.63
332.48
179.71
155.40
374.18
291.04
307.28
366.15
219.46
180.58
377.58
289.93
303.81
362.56
217.15
180.77
376.55
291.47
306.52
367.83
215.39
178.19
380.80
293.38
310.47
365.31
219.44
179.74
379.31
297.22
312.44
393.67
220.60
181.63
384.89
279.36
344.45
422.18
305.11
379.39
491.62
301.69
377.31
491.99
305.04
380 14
499,49
309.38
380.47
486.76
313.04
395.84
512.82
312.48
388.86
494.36
314.07
391.87
499.10
321.39
398.35
493.73
312.31
394.94
514.51
317.58
397.85
518.64
318.69
395.20
522.37
316.11
399.27
550.00
316.48
400.66
544.87
319.92
405.96
557.05
260.80
168.09
288.55
183.63
292.03
189.74
286.48
181.41
292.09
183.39
289.41
183.24
293.46
186.80
291.67
187.03
295.94
187.46
283.88
172.83
298.85
184.27
295.77
186.54
297.04
187.26
298.94
191.66
305.20
194 88
351.25
382 18
381,52
383.90
389.87
390.04
388.65
393.96
395.36
388.85
397.10
392.73
393.43
396.00
398.19
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
Current dollars........................................
Constant (1977) dollars ..........................
D u r a b le g o o d s
N o n d u ra b le g o o d s
Food and kindred products ........................
Tobacco manufactures ..............................
Textile mill products ..................................
Apparel and other textile products ..............
Paper and allied products ..........................
Printing and publishing................................
Chemicals and allied products....................
Petroleum and coal products......................
Rubber and miscellaneous
plastics products....................................
Leather and leather products......................
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D P U B L IC U T IL IT IE S
(’ )
W H O L E S A L E A N D R E T A IL T R A D E
176.46
190.95
190.51
193.85
194.83
194.49
192.32
192.68
194.45
191.89
194.66
194.66
195.91
197.78
199.32
W H OLESALE TRAD E
267.96
292.20
289.11
294.10
296.06
296.45
298.38
300.69
302.25
300.13
303.31
303.72
304.45
308.35
309.21
................................................
R E T A IL T R A D E .....................................................................
147.38
158.03
158.17
161.92
162.23
162.17
157.64
158.54
160.89
157.47
159.35
159.64
161.02
163.01
164.65
F IN A N C E , IN S U R A N C E , A N D R E A L E S T A T E
209.60
229.05
225.63
227.96
232.23
230.04
232.77
236.02
234.21
237.47
239.64
239.22
240.37
245.39
241.15
S E R V I C E S ........................................................................
190.71
208.97
206.99
209.85
210.89
211.25
213.85
216.78
217.12
219.32
220.68
220.03
221.33
221.62
222.36
' Not available.
78
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA
ployed. Persons not covered by unemployment insurance (about 10
percent of the labor force) and those who have exhausted or not yet
earned benefit rights are excluded from the scope of the survey. Ini
tial claims are notices filed by persons in unemployment insurance
programs to indicate they are out of work and wish to begin receiv
ing compensation. A claimant who continued to be unemployed a
full week is then counted in the insured unemployment figure. The
rate of insured unemployment expresses the number of insured unem
ployed as a percent of the average insured employment in a
12-month period.
N a t io n a l u n e m p l o y m e n t
in s u r a n c e
d a t a
are compiled
monthly by the Employment and Training Administration of
the U.S. Department of Labor from monthly reports of unem
ployment insurance activity prepared by State agencies. Rail
road unemployment insurance data are prepared by the U.S.
Railroad Retirement Board.
Definitions
An application for benefits is filed by a railroad worker at the be
ginning of his first period of unemployment in a benefit year; no ap
plication is required for subsequent periods in the same year. Num
ber of payments are payments made in 14-day registration periods.
The average amount of benefit payment is an average for all com
pensable periods, not adjusted for recovery of overpayments or set
tlement of underpayments. However, total benefits paid have been
adjusted.
Data for all programs represent an unduplicated count of insured
unemployment under State programs, Unemployment Compensation
for Ex-Servicemen, and Unemployment Compensation for Federal
Employees, and the Railroad Insurance Act.
Under both State and Federal unemployment insurance programs
for civilian employees, insured workers must report the completion of
at least 1 week of unemployment before they are defined as unem
18.
Unemployment insurance and employment service operations
[All items except average benefits amounts are in thousands]
198 2
1981
Ite m
June
M ay
All programs:
Insured unemployment ......................
State unemployment insurance
program:1
Initial claims2 ....................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Rate of insured unemployment ..........
Weeks of unemployment
compensated ................................
Average weekly benefit amount
for total unemployment ..................
Total benefits paid ............................
Unemployment compensation for exservicemen: 3
Initial claims1 ....................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Weeks of unemployment
compensated ................................
Total benefits paid ............................
Unemployment compensation for
Federal civilian employees:4
Initial claims ......................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Weeks of unemployment
compensated ................................
Total benefits paid ............................
Railroad unemployment insurance:
Applications ......................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Number of payments ........................
Average amount of benefit
payment........................................
Total benefits paid ............................
Employment service:5
New applications and renewals ..........
Nonfarm placements..........................
S e p t.
Aug.
J u ly
M a r.
Feb.
J an .
Dec.
A p r,
4,892
M ayp
4,760
4,388
3,111
2,949
3,012
2,874
2,680
2,753
3,228
3,935
4,681
4,723
1,417
1,741
2,114
1,610
1,681
1,996
2,286
3,272
3,328
2,272
2,418
2,347
1,995
4,067
4.6
3,729
4.3
16,156
13,680
2,691
3.1
2,596
3.0
2,743
3.1
2,656
3.0
2,488
2.9
9,790
9,928
10,486
9,594
2,592
3.0
9,565
9,424
$105.94
$107.39
$103.47
$105.49
$99 02
$1,006,341 $1,012,764 $1,061,899 $1,004,864 $1,001,020
$108.92
$997,757
15
11
15
22
19
19
3,061
3.5
3,778
4.3
4,470
5.1
4,376
5.0
4,282
4.9
10,052
14,592
15,962
15,631
18,144
$118.09
$117.10
$117.51
$116.95
$110.52
$112.83
$114.83
$1,080,810 $1,592,546 $1,764,206 $1,781,830 $2,072,642 $1,848,253 $1,573,771
9
11
8
8
10
9
8
13
11
10
9
43
42
44
44
34
26
22
19
16
183
$19,965
192
$21,145
203
$22,785
190
$21,425
153
$17,144
116
$12,952
91
$10,043
93
$10,155
65
$7,098
49
r $5,304
48
$5,141
37
$4,029
31
$3,431
11
13
15
17
18
20
16
17
17
12
13
13
11
27
25
25
25
29
32
36
39
40
40
38
33
29
172
$19,677
147
$16,820
121
$13,748
107
$11,023
105
$10,705
105
$10,805
102
$9,543
100
$10,495
112
$11,719
127
$13,491
174
$18,891
162
$18,040
154
$17,517
6
26
41
13
15
21
13
19
22
11
9
5
5
35
79
30
86
28
32
29
63
34
74
40
86
44
83
54
117
75
153
67
140
65
154
57
130
44
95
$199.43
$15,428
$201.06
$16,206
$199.63
$11,541
$202.53
$7,071
$207.98
15,046
$197.26
15,994
$207.08
$16,377
$212.33
$25,292
$213.39
$30,544
$214.07
$28,011
$215.71
$33,853
$209.48
$26,262
$200,75
$19,110
12,868
2,446
11nitial claims and State insured unemployment Include data under the program for Puerto Rican
sugarcane workers.
2 Excludes transition claims under State programs.
3 Excludes data on claims and payments made jointly with other programs.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Nov,
O c t.
16,502
3,509
4,081
731
7,439
1,232
4 Excludes data on claims and payments made jointly with State programs,
5 Cumulative total for fiscal year (October 1-September 30). Data computed quarterly.
N ote : Data for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands included. Dashes indicate data not available.
r= revised.
79
PRICE DATA
d a t a are gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
from retail and primary markets in the United States. Price
indexes are given in relation to a base period (1967 = 100,
unless otherwise noted).
P r ic e
Definitions
The Consumer Price Index is a monthly statistical measure of the
average change in prices in a fixed market basket of goods and ser
vices. Effective with the January 1978 index, the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics began publishing CPI’s for two groups of the population. One
index, a new CPI for All Urban Consumers, covers 80 percent of the
total noninstitutional population; and the other index, a revised CPI
for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, covers about half the
new index population. The All Urban Consumers index includes, in
addition to wage earners and clerical workers, professional, manageri
al, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the
unemployed, retirees, and others not in the labor force.
The CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, drugs,
transportation fares, doctor’s and dentist’s fees, and other goods and
services that people buy for day-to-day living. The quantity and quali
ty of these items is kept essentially unchanged between major revi
sions so that only price changes will be measured. Prices are collected
from over 18,000 tenants, 24,000 retail establishments, and 18,000
housing units for property taxes in 85 urban areas across the country.
All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are
included in the index. Because the CPI’s are based on the expendi
tures of two population groups in 1972-73, they may not accurately
reflect the experience of individual families and single persons with
different buying habits.
Though the CPI is often called the “Cost-of-Living Index,” it meas
ures only price change, which is just one of several important factors
affecting living costs. Area indexes do not measure differences in the
level of prices among cities. They only measure the average change in
prices for each area since the base period.
Producer Price Indexes measure average changes in prices received
in primary markets of the United States by producers of commodities
in all stages of processing. The sample used for calculating these in
dexes contains about 2,800 commodities and about 10,000 quotations
per month selected to represent the movement of prices of all com
modities produced in the manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, fishing,
mining, gas and electricity, and public utilities sectors. The universe
includes all commodities produced or imported for sale in commercial
transactions in primary markets in the United States.
Producer Price Indexes can be organized by stage of processing or
by commodity. The stage of processing structure organizes products
by degree of fabrication (that is, finished goods, intermediate or
semifinished goods, and crude materials). The commodity structure
organizes products by similarity of end-use or material composition.
To the extent possible, prices used in calculating Producer Price In
dexes apply to the first significant commercial transaction in the Unit
ed States, from the production or central marketing point. Price data
are generally collected monthly, primarily by mail questionnaire.
80
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Most prices are obtained directly from producing companies on a vol
untary and confidential basis. Prices generally are reported for the
Tuesday of the week containing the 13th day of the month.
In calculating Producer Price Indexes, price changes for the vari
ous commodities are averaged together with implicit quantity weights
representing their importance in the total net selling value of all com
modities as of 1972. The detailed data are aggregated to obtain in
dexes for stage of processing groupings, commodity groupings, dura
bility of product groupings, and a number of special composite
groupings.
Price indexes for the output of selected SIC industries measure av
erage price changes in commodities produced by particular industries,
as defined in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual 1972
(Washington, U,S. Office of Management and Budget, 1972). These
indexes are derived from several price series, combined to match the
economic activity of the specified industry and weighted by the value
of shipments in the industry. They use data from comprehensive in
d u s t r ia l censuses c o n d u c t e d by the U.S. B u r e a u of the C e n s u s a n d the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Notes on the data
Beginning with the May 1978 issue of the Review, regional CPI’s
cross classified by population size, were introduced. These indexes will
enable users in local areas for which an index is not published to get a
better approximation of the CPI for their area by using the appropri
ate population size class measure for their region. The cross-classified
indexes will be published bimonthly. (See table 21.)
For further details about the new and the revised indexes and a
comparison of various aspects of these indexes with the old unrevised
CPI, see Facts About the Revised Consumer Price Index, a pamphlet in
the Consumer Price Index Revision 1978 series. See also The
Consumer Price Index: Concepts and Content Over the Years, Report
517, revised edition (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 1978).
For interarea comparisons of living costs at three hypothetical stand
ards of living, see the family budget data published in the Handbook
of Labor Statistics, 1977, Bulletin 1966 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1977), tables 122-133. Additional data and analysis on price changes
are provided in the CPI Detailed Report and Producer Prices and Price
Indexes, both monthly publications of the Bureau.
As of January 1976, the Wholesale Price Index (as it was then
called) incorporated a revised weighting structure reflecting 1972 val
ues of shipments. From January 1967 through December 1975, 1963
values of shipments were used as weights.
For a discussion of the general method of computing consumer,
producer, and industry price indexes, see BLS Handbook of Methods
for Surveys and Studies, Bulletin 1910 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1976), chapters 13-15. See also John F. Early, “Improving the meas
urement of producer price change,” Monthly Labor Review, April
1978, pp. 7-15. For industry prices, see also Bennett R. Moss, “In
dustry and Sector Price Indexes,” Monthly Labor Review, August
1965, pp. 974-82.
19.
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, annual averages and changes, 1967-81
[1967 = 100]
Foo d and
A ll ite m s
Year
In d e x
A p p a re l and
H o u s in g
P e rc e n t
change
In d e x
P e rc e n t
change
P e rc e n t
In d e x
T r a n s p o r ta tio n
O th e r g o o d s
E n te r ta in m e n t
M e d ic a l c a r e
a n d s e r v ic e s
upkeep
b e ve rag es
change
P e rc e n t
In d e x
chang e
In d e x
P e rc e n t
change
P e rc e n t
In d e x
change
In d e x
P e rc e n t
change
P e rc e n t
In d e x
change
1967
1968
1969
1970
..................
..................
..................
..................
100.0
104.2
109.8
116.3
4.2
5.4
5.9
100.0
103.6
108.8
114.7
3.6
5.0
5.4
100.0
104.0
110.4
118.2
4.0
6.2
7.1
100.0
105.4
111.5
116.1
5.4
5.8
4.1
100.0
103.2
107.2
112.7
3.2
3.9
5.1
100.0
106.1
113.4
120.6
6.1
6.9
6.3
100.0
105.7
111.0
116.7
5.7
5.0
5.1
100.0
105.2
110.4
116.8
5.2
4.9
5.8
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
121.3
125.3
133.1
147.7
161.2
4.3
3.3
6.2
11.0
9.1
118.3
123.2
139.5
158.7
172.1
3.1
4.1
13.2
13.8
8.4
123.4
128.1
133.7
148.8
164.5
4.4
3.8
4.4
11.3
10.6
119.8
122.3
126.8
136.2
142.3
3.2
2.1
3.7
7.4
4.5
118.6
119.9
123.8
137.7
150.6
5.2
1.1
3.3
11.2
9.4
128.4
132.5
137.7
150.5
168.6
6.5
3.2
3.9
9.3
12.0
122.9
126.5
130.0
139.8
152.2
5.3
2.9
2.8
7.5
8.9
122.4
127.5
132.5
142.0
153.9
4.8
4.2
3.9
7.2
8.4
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
170.5
181.5
195.3
217.7
247.0
5.8
6.5
7.6
11.5
13.5
177.4
188.0
206.2
228.7
248.7
3.1
6.0
9.7
10.9
8.7
174.6
186.5
202.6
227.5
263.2
6.1
6.8
8.6
12.3
15.7
147.6
154.2
159.5
166.4
177.4
3.7
4.5
3.4
4.3
6.6
165.5
177.2
185.8
212.8
250.5
9.9
7.1
4.9
14.5
17.7
184,7
202.4
219.4
240.1
267.2
9.5
9.6
8.4
9.4
11.3
159.8
167.7
176.2
187,6
203.7
5.0
4.9
5.1
6.5
8.5
162.7
172.2
183.2
196.3
213.6
5.7
5.8
6.4
7.2
8.8
1981 ..................
272.3
10.2
267.8
7.7
293.2
11.4
186.6
5.2
281.3
12.3
295.1
10.4
219.0
7.5
233.3
9.2
20. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers and revised CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers,
U.S. city average— general summary and groups, subgroups, and selected items
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
U rb a n W a g e E a rn e rs a n d C le ric a l W o r k e r s (r e v is e d )
A ll U rb a n C o n s u m e rs
G e n e r a l s u m m a ry
A ll i t e m s ..................................................................................................................................
1982
1981
1982
1981
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
269.0
281.5
282.5
283.4
283.1
284.3
287.1
269.1
281.1
282.1
282.9
282.5
283.7
286.5
275.6
306.7
191.1
285.1
318.8
232.8
252.2
276.5
309.4
191.9
282.9
321.7
233.9
253.8
278.1
313.8
191.5
285.6
323.8
234.4
255.0
265.9
288.1
186.2
278.9
290.8
217.7
230.4
270.8
304.7
189.4
291.5
309.1
224.4
243.5
273.9
305.6
186.5
291.6
312.0
226.1
245.0
276.0
306.7
187.3
289.6
314.9
228.1
247.1
275.9
306.2
190.5
286.6
317.4
229.5
249.3
276.8
309.2
191.2
284.3
320.2
230.5
250.9
278.4
313.7
190.6
287.1
322.3
231.1
252.4
Food and beverages ....................................................................
Housing........................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep......................................................................
Transportation ..............................................................................
Medical care ................................................................................
Entertainment ..............................................................................
Other goods and services..............................................................
265.4
288.5
186.4
277.8
289.0
220.3
232.2
270.5
305.2
190.5
289.8
310.2
227.3
246.7
273.6
306.1
187.3
289.9
313.4
229.2
248.4
275.8
307.3
188.0
288.0
316.2
231.2
250.3
Commodities ................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ....................................
Nondurables less food and beverages..................................
Durables............................................................................
251.9
241.7
263.8
223.9
258.4
248.7
266.7
233.7
258.8
248.0
265.6
233.4
259.5
248.1
265.3
233.7
258.8
247.1
263.4
233.5
258.9
247.0
259.7
235.8
261.5
249.8
261.0
239.8
252.4
242.3
266.6
222.4
258.8
249.3
268.9
232.7
259.3
248.7
267.8
232.4
259.9
248.6
267.5
232.5
259.1
247.5
265.3
232.4
259.2
247.2
261.3
234.8
261.7
250.1
262.6
238.9
Services ......................................................................................
Rent, residential..................................................................
Household services less rent ..............................................
Transportation services........................................................
Medical care services..........................................................
Other servces....................................................................
299.6
205.9
360.4
266.6
311.7
235.3
321.8
216.5
390.4
284.2
335.7
249.5
323.9
217.8
392.4
286,6
339.4
251.7
325.3
218.6
393.7
287.6
342.4
253.0
325.5
219.6
392.5
288.8
345.1
254.0
328.4
220.1
397.3
290.3
348.0
255.3
331.8
221.8
403.0
291.3
350.2
255.9
300.0
205.5
363.5
265.5
313.6
234.5
322.4
216.0
394.8
283.6
334.0
248.0
324.3
217.4
396.5
285.9
337.5
250.0
325.5
218.1
397.7
286.7
340.6
251.3
325.8
219.1
396.6
287.9
343.0
252.4
329.1
219.6
402.3
289.2
345.8
253.8
332.4
221.3
408.2
290.0
348.0
254.4
All items ¡ess food ........................................................................
All items less mortgage interest costs ............................................
Commodities less food..................................................................
Nondurables less food ..................................................................
Nondurables less food and apparel................................................
Nondurables ................................................................................
Services ¡ess rent ........................................................................
Services less medical ca re ............................................................
Domestically produced farm foods ................................................
Selected beef cuts........................................................................
Energy ........................................................................................
All items less energy ....................................................................
All items less food and energy ............................................
Commodities less food and energy....................................
Energy commodities ........................................................
Services less energy........................................................
267.0
255.2
239.6
258,2
298.0
265.8
317.4
296.2
254.7
270.9
411.3
257.9
253.0
215.7
455.4
296.5
280.8
264.9
246.5
261.1
300.7
269.8
342.0
318.1
259.1
270.7
414.6
271.1
267.9
224.2
448.0
318,9
281.4
266.1
245.9
260.2
301.0
270.8
344.2
320.0
262.4
269.6
416.4
272.1
268.5
223.7
4464
320.5
282.1
267.1
246.0
260.1
300.5
271.7
345.7
321.1
265.1
271.7
413.0
273.4
269.5
224.5
440.1
321.9
281.7
267.2
245.2
258.4
296.6
270.7
345.7
321.1
263.8
272.0
406.1
273.6
269.8
225.3
424.5
321.5
282.9
267.9
245.0
255.0
291.4
269.3
349.1
324.0
264.5
275.1
395.7
275.7
272.2
227.2
406.6
324.5
286.0
270.3
247,8
256.2
293.4
270.7
352.8
327.5
267.1
281.6
402.1
278.3
274.9
229.9
410.2
327.2
267.2
255.8
240.3
260.9
300.1
267,2
318.2
296.4
254.2
273.8
414.9
257.0
251.9
214.6
456.0
297.0
280.7
265.2
247.2
263.3
302.5
270.9
342.9
318.7
258 2
271.9
417.6
269.9
266.6
223.3
448.7
319.5
281.3
266.4
246.6
262.4
302.6
271.9
345.0
320.5
261.4
271.1
419.0
270.9
267.1
222.8
447.0
321.0
281.7
267.2
246.6
262.2
302.0
272.8
346.3
321.6
264.0
273.1
415.4
272.1
268.0
223.6
4407
322.2
281.3
267.3
245,6
260.2
297.8
271.6
346.4
321.6
262.7
273.3
407.9
272.3
268.3
224.5
425.0
321.8
282.5
267.9
245.3
256.6
292.3
270.1
350.2
324.9
263.5
276.4
396.9
274.5
270.9
226.4
406,9
325.2
285.6
270.3
248.1
257.8
294.4
271.5
353.8
328.3
266.0
283.1
403.1
277.0
273.6
229.1
410.5
327.9
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar, 1967 = $1 ....................
$0,372
$0,355
$0,354
$0,353
$0,353
$0,352
$0,348
$0,372
$0,356
$0,354
$0,353
$0,354
$0,352
$0,349
S p e c ia l in d e x e s :
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
81
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
20.
Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
All U rb a n C o n s u m e rs
G e n e r a l s u m m a ry
FO O D A N D BEVERA GES
1981
U rb a n W a g e E a rn e rs a n d C le ric a l W o r k e rs (r e v is e d )
198 2
1981
198 2
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
265.4
270.5
273.6
275.8
275.6
276.5
278.1
265.9
270.8
273.9
276.0
275.9
276.8
278.4
Food
272.5
277.8
281.0
283.3
283.0
283.9
285.5
272.9
277.9
281.1
283.4
283.1
284.1
285.7
Food at home..............................................................
Cereals and bakery products ................................
Cereals and cereal products (12/77 = 100) ..............................
Flour and prepared flour mixes (12/77 = 100)....................
Cereal (12/77 = 100)........................................................
Rice, pasta, and cornmeal (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Bakery products (12/77 = 100)................................................
White bread..............................................................
Other breads (12/77 = 100)..............................................
Fresh biscuits, rolls, and muffins (12/77 = 100) ..................
Fresh cakes and cupcakes (12/77 = 100)..........................
Cookies (12/77 = 100)......................................................
Crackers, bread, and cracker products (12/77 = 100) ........
Fresh sweetrolls, coffeecake, and donuts (12/77 = 100) . . .
Frozen and refrigerated bakery products
and fresh pies, tarts, and turnovers (12/77 = 100) ..........
267.7
270.0
146.8
138.8
149.8
149.8
141.5
235.1
139.3
141.5
142.3
141.8
128.2
142.8
271.7
277.7
151.5
137.8
160.2
151.7
145.4
241.5
143.4
145.9
144.9
147.6
134.2
145.4
275.3
279.8
153.0
139.1
163.1
151.1
146.4
243.3
143.9
146.5
147.2
148.1
133.4
146.2
278.0
280.9
154.0
139.1
164.8
152.4
146.8
243.8
143.7
146.4
147.0
149.2
135.4
147.0
277.1
281.3
153.9
139.2
165.2
151.2
147.1
242.3
145.1
148.4
148.0
149.4
135.3
146.3
277.9
281.7
153.6
139.7
165.4
149.6
147.5
242.8
145.2
147,6
148.4
150.2
137.3
146.8
279.8
283,3
154.5
141,8
165.7
150.2
148.3
243.8
146.3
149.7
149.0
150.5
139.6
147.3
267,2
269.4
148.4
140.3
151.3
152.0
140.6
233.2
141.7
139.6
141.2
142.1
128.9
142.5
270.8
276.6
152.5
138.4
162.1
152.9
144.3
237.4
145.3
141.9
143.7
148.4
135.6
147.8
274.4
278.6
153.9
139.6
165.1
152,4
145.3
239.4
145.7
142.5
145.8
148.9
134.7
148.9
277.0
279.8
155.0
139.6
166.8
153.6
145.7
240.0
145,5
142.8
145.8
150.1
136.8
149.3
276.2
280.0
154.8
139.6
167.2
152.4
146.0
238.3
147.0
144.6
146.4
150.2
136.5
148.7
277.0
280.4
154.6
140.1
167.4
150.8
146.3
238.8
147.1
143.8
146.8
151.2
138.7
149.3
278.8
282.0
155.4
142.1
167.8
151.5
147.2
240.0
148.2
146.0
147.4
151.4
141.0
149.9
147,0
149.3
151.2
151.5
153.5
153.4
153.6
140.1
143.0
144.7
144.8
146.8
146.5
146.7
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs..........................................................
Meats, poultry, and fish ............................................................
Meats ............................................................
Beef and veal ................................................................
Ground beef other than canned....................................
Chuck roast................................................................
Round roast................................................................
Round steak ..............................................................
Sirloin steak............................................................
Other beef and veal (12/77 = 100) ............................
Pork............................................
Bacon ........................................................................
Chops ....................................................................
Ham other than canned (12/77 = 100)........................
Sausage ......................................................
Canned ham ..............................................................
Other pork (12/77 = 100) ................................
Other meats ................................................................
Frankfurters......................................
Bologna, liverwurst, and salami (12/77 = 100) ............
Other lunchmeats (12/77 = 100) ......................
Lamb and organ meats (12/77 = 100) ..............
Poultry....................................................
Fresh whole chicken............................
Fresh and frozen chicken parts (12/77 = 100) ........
Other poultry (12/77 = 100) ................................
Fish and seafood ................................
Canned fish and seafood (12/77 = 100)............
Fresh and frozen fish and seafood (12/77 = 100) .
Eggs ......................................................................................
247.0
253.2
252.3
270.3
264.1
280,3
246.8
256.0
271.4
159.2
217.3
212.7
203.7
97.2
277.7
230,5
122.7
253.9
247.6
143.0
126.9
145.3
194.7
190.3
127.5
128.3
353.2
139.2
131.8
170.5
253.7
258.4
258.7
270.5
264.5
282.2
242.6
254.6
260.1
161.0
234.3
237.2
212.4
109.1
299.1
244.3
130.0
260.6
261.0
146.4
132.6
140.7
191.7
190.1
128.1
120.7
359.6
140.7
134.7
198.0
253.7
259.1
257.8
269.4
262.2
279.6
241.6
257.5
258.2
160.9
234.7
235.5
219.2
107.3
297.6
245.4
129.5
258.1
256.7
145.4
132.2
138.6
194.2
193.1
128.5
123.2
373.3
140.6
143.2
189.4
256.8
261.2
260.2
271.5
265.0
285.8
245.3
256.1
257.1
161.4
238.9
245.6
222.1
107.0
300.0
246.1
133.8
258.1
258.0
146.1
131.7
137.7
195,7
196.3
128.9
123.2
373.8
140.9
143.2
205.1
256.9
262.1
261.2
271.7
265.8
284.3
243.0
258.8
260.6
161.5
239.5
249.6
216.3
109.2
305.8
247.6
132.6
262.4
260.5
149.2
133.7
141.0
194.7
195.1
127.5
123.9
376.3
141.0
144.7
195.2
258.3
264.2
263.6
274.8
266.9
285.4
244.9
262.8
271.1
163,7
241.6
255.9
223.4
105.4
305.7
245.6
135.2
262.8
259.5
150.2
133.2
142.6
193.3
194.1
127.6
121.3
382.0
141.5
147.9
186,9
261.0
268.2
269.7
281.1
269,4
287.2
252.4
269.2
282.3
169.0
249.9
267.7
230.0
111.1
313.3
249,9
138.9
264.0
262.7
150.7
134.3
141.2
196.0
196.8
128.3
124.3
366.3
139.8
139.4
172.3
246.3
252.4
251.7
272.5
267.8
290.9
249.4
253.7
275.3
158.5
216.3
215.2
201.5
93.8
278.5
231.4
122.4
250.6
247.0
140.6
124.8
145.9
192.5
187.0
126.6
127.5
349.9
137.8
130.5
171,5
253.1
257.7
257.9
270.9
265.8
291.5
245.9
252.2
260.7
159.1
233.8
240.5
211.0
106.3
300.0
247.7
129.2
259.7
260.0
146.3
130.6
143.9
189.5
187.8
126.3
119.8
358.6
140.2
134.4
198.8
253.3
258.6
257.3
270.1
263.7
288.5
244.7
256.1
258,9
159.3
234.4
239.3
217.6
104.8
298.8
249.0
128.8
257.3
256.1
145.4
130.2
141.4
192.4
190.9
126.9
123.0
372.4
140.0
143.0
190.6
256.4
260.7
259.7
272.2
266.3
295.0
248.9
254.4
257.8
159.7
238.5
249.3
220.2
104.7
301.0
249.9
133.1
257.4
257.1
146.2
129.7
141.0
193.8
194,4
127.1
122.6
373.2
140.4
143.2
206.1
256.4
261.5
260.6
272.3
266.9
293.1
245.9
256.4
262.2
159.8
238.9
253.3
214.7
106.5
306.6
251,2
131.7
261.7
260.0
149.4
131.7
144.2
192.8
192,8
125.9
123.3
375.5
140.5
144.6
196.3
257.8
263,6
262.8
275.3
267.9
294.1
247.9
260.8
272.4
162.1
241.0
259.7
221.7
102.8
306.3
248.9
134.5
261.8
258.4
150.3
131.2
145.6
191.5
192.0
125.9
120.8
381.4
140.8
148.0
187.9
260.7
267.7
269.0
281.9
270.7
296.2
255.9
267.8
283.8
167.5
249.2
271.9
228.2
108.3
314.2
253.2
138.2
263.2
261.8
150,7
132.3
144.4
194.1
194.7
126.5
123.9
365.0
139.2
138.9
173.4
Dairy products............................................
Fresh milk and cream (12/77 = 100) ..................
Fresh whole m ilk..................................
Other fresh milk and cream (12/77 = 100)............
Processed dairy products (12/77 = 100) . . . .
Butter................................................
Cheese (12/77 = 100) ........................
Ice cream and related products (12/77 = 100)........
Other dairy products (12/77 = 100)............
243,8
134.9
220.8
134.7
141.9
245.2
140.5
146.2
136.1
245.5
135.2
221.2
135.3
143.9
248.7
141.0
150.3
139.7
245.8
135.1
221.2
135.1
144.4
249.3
142.0
150.8
138.4
246.5
135.5
221.5
135.8
144.8
248.9
142.8
150.0
140.0
246.5
135.3
221.7
135.1
1449
250.1
143.3
149.5
139.5
247.5
135.9
222.2
136.2
145.6
250.1
143.7
150.9
139.9
247.0
135.7
222.0
135,7
145.2
251.1
144.0
148.7
139.7
243.9
134,7
220.4
134.8
142.6
247.6
140.6
147.8
136.4
244.9
134.6
220.2
134.9
144.2
251.3
141.3
149.4
140.5
245.2
134.6
220.2
134.7
144.7
252.0
142.3
149,9
139.1
245.8
134.9
220.5
135.5
145.1
251.4
143.1
149.1
140.8
245.9
134.8
220.8
134.6
145.3
252.7
143.6
148.9
140.3
246.8
135.3
221.3
135.7
145.9
252.7
144.0
150.2
140.8
246.3
135.1
221.1
135.2
145.5
253.7
144,3
147.9
140.4
Fruits and vegetables ......................................
Fresh fruits and vegetables ................................
Fresh fruits........................................
Apples........................................................
Bananas ......................................
Oranges ..............................
Other fresh fruits (12/77 = 100)..................
Fresh vegetables....................................
Potatoes ..............................................
Lettuce ..........................................................
Tomatoes ..........................................
Other fresh vegetables (12/77 = 100) ............
276.8
284.4
276.6
235.4
266.3
274 1
154.9
291.7
384.4
252.5
200.2
158.6
276.4
274.9
269.6
261.2
254.9
280.6
141.0
279.8
286.8
343.1
204,6
150.4
294.7
308.0
276.7
273.0
253.5
283.1
145.9
337.3
288.8
5144
245.6
174.8
301.5
319.6
291.2
279.5
251.0
313.1
154.5
346.2
297.4
408,9
288.5
199.1
293.1
302.1
297.8
288.7
263.0
316.3
157.2
306.1
301.0
270.9
258.1
185.0
294.0
304.1
306.7
287.5
268.5
330.8
163.4
301.8
306.1
355.2
220.5
166.3
297.9
311.7
318.8
299.8
261.6
362.1
168.2
305.1
320.3
291.6
226.5
179.3
274.3
281 8
271.5
232.7
264.2
261.1
153.3
291.1
378.1
255.6
193.8
160.1
272.6
269.4
260.5
261.2
252.8
252.8
136.7
277.6
280.0
342.7
207.8
149.1
291.3
303.1
267.0
272.6
251.1
255.1
141.0
335.8
282.7
515.8
248.8
173.9
297.4
313.4
280.1
279.9
247.9
281.1
149.0
343.5
291.5
408.0
293.2
197.2
289.1
296.1
287.3
288,5
261.1
285.9
151.8
304.2
294.8
271.3
261.8
184,0
290.3
298.9
295.5
287.8
266.1
300.2
157.6
302.0
300.8
358.6
224.9
166.7
293.6
305.1
306.9
300.1
259.3
328.3
162.4
303.7
313.6
293.5
230.6
178.6
270.9
142.1
144.2
145.3
136.7
130.2
129.8
280.6
145.0
142.3
149.5
142.6
136.9
139.1
282.7
146.4
143.5
151.4
143.6
137.6
140.7
284.2
147.9
147.8
151.5
144,3
137.7
141.7
285.8
149.0
149.2
152.4
145.3
138,2
142.0
285,5
148.2
147.1
151.5
145.6
138.6
144.0
285.4
148.3
145.7
152.2
146.4
138.5
143.9
268.4
141.6
142.0
145.1
137.4
128.9
129.6
278.4
144,5
141.2
148.3
143.0
135.7
140.2
280.6
146.0
142.8
150.1
144.0
136.5
141.8
282.0
147.4
146.6
150.3
144.8
136.6
143.1
283.7
148.6
148.2
151.4
145.9
137.2
1434
283.3
147,7
146.1
150.4
146.2
137.5
145.3
283.3
147.9
144.6
151.0
147.0
137.4
145.2
Processed fruits and vegetables ....................................
Processed fruits (12/77 = 100) ............................
Frozen fruit and fruit juices (12/77 = 100)....................
Fruit juices other than frozen (12/77 = 100) ................
Canned and dried fruits (12/77 = 100) ............
Processed vegetables (12/77 = 1 0 0 ) ..........
Frozen vegetables (12/77 = 100)..........................
Digitized for
82FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
20.
Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
U rb a n W a g e E a r n e r s a n d C le ric a l W o r k e r s (r e v is e d )
A ll U rb a n C o n s u m e rs
1982
1981
1982
1981
G e n e r a l s u m m a ry
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
Fruits and vegetables Continued
Cut corn and canned beans except lima (12/77=100) . . . .
Other canned and dried vegetables (12/77-100)..............
Other foods at hom e........................................................................
Sugar and sweets......................................................................
Candy and chewing gum (12/77 -100) ................................
Sugar and artificial sweeteners (12/77-100)........................
Other sweets (12/77 -100) ................................................
Fats and oils (12/77 -100) ........................................................
Margarine ..........................................................................
Nondairy substitutes and peanut butter (12/77-100) ............
Other fats, oils, and salad dressings (12/77-100)................
Nonalcoholic beverages ............................................................
Cola drinks, excluding diet c o la ............................................
Carbonated drinks, including diet cola (12/77-100)..............
Roasted coffee ..................................................................
Freeze dried and instant coffee............................................
Other noncarbonated drinks (12/77-100)............................
Other prepared foods ................................................................
Canned and packaged soup (12/77-100)............................
Frozen prepared foods (12/77-100)....................................
Snacks (12/77-100)..........................................................
Seasonings, olives, pickles, and relish (12/77-100)..............
Other condiments (12/77-100) ..........................................
Miscellaneous prepared foods (12/77-100) ........................
Other canned and packaged prepared foods (12/77=100) . . .
131.5
129.8
323.7
367.1
145.1
178.4
141.4
270.7
256.1
182.7
130.4
412.3
295.7
140.6
354.4
339.1
134,0
252.9
131.5
141.6
145.9
140.0
141.1
138.6
136.6
138.9
134.8
325.6
359.3
149.9
153.4
146.1
261.1
255.7
160.1
129.7
412.5
298.1
139.3
344.4
332.0
137.0
262.8
133.7
145.9
152.2
148.8
144.6
145.8
142.5
139.9
135.0
328.7
361.6
150.1
155.6
147.1
261.6
257.8
157.7
130.5
418.7
302.4
141,9
353.3
336.9
138.0
264.6
134.3
147.8
152.6
149.7
146.4
146,9
142.5
140.7
134.1
330,7
364.2
150.0
160.0
146.9
260.5
256.7
157.8
129.8
423.4
304.6
143.8
364.4
342.8
138.4
265.3
135.9
146.2
153.4
151.3
146.9
147.0
143.0
141.2
134.8
331.7
365.5
150.3
161.0
147.4
259.6
256.7
156.1
129.5
424.8
306.6
143.4
366.6
343.6
138.9
266.5
135.6
147.0
153.4
153.2
148.2
147.7
143.2
140.5
135.0
331.6
365.3
150.9
159.9
147.2
260.4
259.6
157.3
129.0
424.1
304.9
143.4
369.6
343.4
138.7
266.6
135.7
147.2
152.9
153.6
148.7
147.6
143.3
140.7
134.6
332.6
365.7
150.0
160.5
148.9
260.6
259.7
156.0
129.6
425.6
306.1
144.3
369,3
344.3
138.9
267.5
135.7
147.8
153.5
152.8
150.2
148.5
143.5
130.1
128.0
324.8
368.1
145.8
179.2
139.7
270.9
256.7
181.6
130.4
414.6
293.7
139.4
350.5
340.2
133.9
254.7
132.1
139.6
149.1
139.3
143.6
139.6
137.2
136.5
133.2
326.4
359,3
149.9
154.6
144.2
261.0
254.9
158.5
130.1
414.2
295.7
137.2
340.1
331.6
137.1
264.4
135.7
145.3
154.2
147.7
146.2
145.8
143.9
137.5
133.5
329.6
361.6
150.0
157.0
145.2
261.5
257.2
156.0
131.0
420.5
300.0
139.7
348.8
336.5
138.2
266.3
136.4
147.4
154.6
148.6
148.0
147.0
143.9
138.3
132.6
331.5
364.1
149,8
161.3
145.1
260.6
256.1
156.3
130.2
425.0
302.0
141.7
359.9
342.5
138.6
266.9
137.9
145.6
155.2
150.3
148.4
147.1
144.5
138.8
133.3
332.6
365.4
150.1
162.4
145.5
259.7
256.1
154,4
130.0
426.6
303.8
141.4
362.2
343.4
139.1
268.1
137.8
146.5
155.4
152,2
149.9
147.9
144.5
137.9
133.5
332.6
365.2
150.8
161.1
145.3
260.4
259.1
155.6
129.5
426.0
302.4
141.5
365.0
343.0
138.9
268.3
137.8
146.7
155.0
152.7
150.4
147.7
144.6
138.5
133.2
333.5
365.6
149.9
161.8
147.0
260.6
259.3
154.2
130.2
427.3
303.6
142.3
364.3
343.9
1391
269.3
137.7
147.3
155.6
151.9
151.9
148.7
144.9
Food away from home............................................................................
Lunch (12/77-100) ........................................................................
Dinner (12/77-100) ........................................................................
Other meals and snacks (12/77 - 1 0 0 ) ..............................................
289.3
141.0
139.9
139.9
2977
144.6
144.0
144.7
299.8
146.1
144.8
145.4
301.2
146.6
145.2
146,9
302.4
147.0
145.7
147.9
303.6
147.5
146.3
148.6
304.8
148.2
147.1
148.5
291.9
141.8
141.7
141.1
300.7
146.3
145.6
145.4
302.8
147.7
146.4
146.2
304.2
148.2
146.8
147.6
305.4
148.6
147.3
148.7
306.7
149.1
147.9
149.3
307.8
149.8
148.8
149.2
A lc o h o lic b e v e r a g e s
199.1
202.7
204.0
205.6
206.6
207.4
208.0
201.2
204.9
206.0
207.6
208.8
209.5
210.1
Alcoholic beverages at home (12/77-100)..............................................
Beer and a le ....................................................................................
Whiskey ..........................................................................................
Wine................................................................................................
Other alcoholic beverages (12/77-100)............................................
Alcoholic beverages away from home (12/77-100)..................................
129.3
201.4
142.5
223.9
115.5
132.6
131.4
204.1
145.0
230.0
117.3
135.8
132.2
205.0
145.9
232.2
117.5
137.0
133.3
207.4
146.8
234.2
117.8
137.6
134.0
209.2
147.0
235.3
118.1
138.2
134.6
210.5
147.2
236.4
118.2
138.4
135.0
210.3
148.2
236.9
119.0
139.1
131.1
201.8
143.2
234.3
114.6
132.0
132.8
203.5
145.9
238.0
117.4
137.3
133.4
204.3
146.8
239.8
117.5
138.6
134.6
206.5
147.7
241.6
117.8
139.1
135.4
208.3
147.8
243.3
118.0
139.7
136.0
209.6
148.0
244.4
118.0
139.9
136.2
209.4
149.0
244.9
118.9
140 6
H O U S IN G
288.5
305.2
306.1
307.3
306.7
309.4
313.8
288.1
304.7
305.6
306.7
306.2
309.2
313.7
330.3
328.5
332.8
338.3
218.1
219.1
219.6
221.3
322.6
344.0
143.8
FO O D A N D BEVERA G ES
Food
C o n tin u e d
C o n tin u e d
Food at home — Continued
S h e l t e r .................................................................................................................................................
308.4
328.0
328.3
329.5
327.6
331.4
336.7
309.4
329.3
329.4
Rent, residential......................................................................................
205.9
216.5
217.8
218.6
219.6
220.1
221.8
205.5
216.0
217.4
Other rental costs ..................................................................................
Lodging while out of town..................................................................
Tenants’ insurance (12/77-100) ......................................................
286.4
307.2
131.9
306.3
319.9
140.7
313.6
331.1
141.8
316.9
335.9
143.5
320.1
340.9
144.1
323.7
346.6
144.9
323.6
346.6
144.4
286.1
305.5
132.3
305.3
318.0
140.6
312.3
328.4
142.0
315.6
333.0
143.6
318.9
337.9
144.3
322.8
343.9
144,7
Homeownership......................................................................................
Home purchase................................................................................
Financing, taxes, and insurance ........................................................
Property insurance ....................................................................
Property taxes ..........................................................................
Contracted mortgage interest c o s t..............................................
Mortgage interest rates........................................................
Maintenance and repairs ..................................................................
Maintenance and repair services ................................................
Maintenance and repair commodities ..........................................
Paint and wallpaper, supplies, tools, and
equipment (12/77-100) ..................................................
Lumber, awnings, glass, and masonry (12/77-100)..............
Plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling
supplies (12/77-100)......................................................
Miscellaneous supplies and equipment (12/77=100) ............
345.0
263.0
458.3
383.7
199.8
596.9
224.0
312.9
341.2
246.3
367.8
270.5
506.3
394.1
210.7
666.6
243.9
324.1
355.4
250.3
367.5
269.3
506.0
393.0
212.9
665.2
244.4
326.7
358.2
252.5
368.7
270.4
507.2
393.7
215.1
666.1
243.9
328.2
359.4
254.6
365.7
269.2
500.9
394.1
216.6
655.5
240.7
327.2
357.8
255.0
370.6
272.3
508.4
393.6
217.2
667.1
242,1
331.6
363.6
256.2
377,4
279.3
516.2
396.7
218.3
678.5
240.2
334.5
367.0
257.8
347.1
262.2
464.3
387.1
201.7
598.6
224.9
307.3
337.6
241.1
370.4
268.7
512.9
396.5
212.5
668.1
245.3
321.0
356.5
244.9
369.9
267.4
512.2
395.6
214.5
666.3
245.7
323.3
359.2
246.4
370.8
268.3
513.2
396.0
217.2
666.6
245.4
324.6
360.1
248.2
367.9
267.1
507.0
396.5
218.5
656.4
242.3
323.7
358.6
248.6
373.6
270.5
516.0
396.0
219.1
670.2
244.4
328.3
365.0
249,7
380.5
278.1
523.8
399.2
220.2
681.4
242.1
330.9
368.0
251.3
143.9
125.1
147.3
124.3
149.4
124.6
150.9
124.6
151.8
123.9
153.1
124.5
154.2
124.5
137.7
123.7
140.5
121.6
142.3
121.9
143.7
121.7
144,7
121.2
1458
121.9
147.0
121.9
130.7
127.6
131.5
132.5
131.9
133.6
133.8
134.8
133.4
135.1
133.4
135.6
135.1
136.3
128.1
130.8
131.6
134.7
131.8
135.7
133.4
136.9
133.1
137.1
133.1
137.4
134.9
138.2
F u e l a n d o th e r u tilitie s
314.9
331.8
336.2
337.1
339.3
339.2
345.4
315.7
332.7
337.0
337.9
340.2
340.3
346.5
Fuels ....................................................................................................
Fuel oil, coal, and bottled gas............................................................
Fuel o il......................................................................................
Other fuels (6/78 - 100) ..........................................................
Gas (piped) and electricity ................................................................
Electricity..................................................................................
Utility (piped) gas ......................................................................
403.3
685.8
720.6
163.6
339.6
281.9
416.5
420.0
682.5
713.5
169.4
359.9
300.3
438.2
426.9
686.0
716.8
170.9
367.4
306.6
447.2
427.6
683.1
713.8
170.0
368.7
306.8
450.8
430.5
664.0
692.3
168.0
375.9
313.3
458.6
428.2
641.3
666.2
166.4
377.8
312.8
465.3
438.0
644.6
670.6
165.7
388.6
314.9
493.4
402.5
688.6
723.1
164.7
338.1
281.2
413.0
419.6
685.5
716.0
170.8
358.8
299.3
436,4
426.2
688.9
719.3
172.1
366.0
305.3
445.2
426.8
686.0
716.3
171.4
367.3
305.5
448.7
429.9
666.7
694.4
169,5
374.8
312.3
456.6
427.8
644.0
6684
167.9
376.8
311.8
463.6
437.4
647.7
673.3
167.1
387.4
314.4
489.7
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
83
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
20.
Continued
Consumer Price Index — U.S. city average
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
All U rb a n C o n s u m e rs
G e n e r a l s u m m a ry
1981
U rb a n W a g e E a rn e rs a n d C le ric a l W o r k e rs (r e v is e d )
1982
1981
1982
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
M ay
Dec.
J an .
F eb.
M ar.
A p r.
M ay
Other utilities and public services ............................................................
Telephone services ..........................................................................
Local charges (12/77 = 100) ....................................................
Interstate toll calls (12/77 = 100) ..............................................
Intrastate toll calls (12/77 = 100) ..............................................
Water and sewerage maintenance ....................................................
176.2
144.0
115.5
101.8
101 7
282.3
191,9
156.8
124.4
1167
107.1
307.4
192.7
157.2
124.0
116.8
109.2
309.8
193.9
157.9
125.3
116.6
109.1
313.3
195.0
158.5
125.6
117.7
109.0
316.9
197,7
160.8
127.9
119.9
108.9
320.7
198.9
161.6
128.9
120.0
109.3
323.5
176.6
144.1
115.7
101.9
101.5
284.7
<92.2
156.9
124.6
116.8
106 9
309.4
193.1
157.3
124.2
116.9
109.0
312.2
194,3
158.0
125.4
116.7
108.8
315.7
1954
158.6
125.7
117.8
108.7
319.7
198.2
161.0
128.1
120.2
108.7
323.6
199.5
161.9
129.2
120.4
109.0
326.7
H o u s e h o ld fu rn is h in g s a n d o p e r a tio n s
220.1
227.7
228.4
230.2
231.6
232.6
233.4
216.8
224.2
224.9
226.7
228.0
229.1
230.0
Housefurnishings ....................................................................................
Textile housefurnishings....................................................................
Household linens (12/77 - 100) ................................................
Curtains, drapes, slipcovers, and sewing materials (12/77 = 100) .
Furniture and bedding ......................................................................
Bedroom furniture (12/77 = 100) ..............................................
Sofas (12/77 = 100) ................................................................
Living room chairs and tables (12/77 = 100) ..............................
Other furniture (12/77 = 100)....................................................
Appliances including TV and sound equipment....................................
Television and sound equipment (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Television ..........................................................................
Sound equipment (12/77 = 100) ........................................
Household appliances................................................................
Refrigerators and home freezers..........................................
Laundry equipment (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Other household appliances (12/77 = 100)..........................
Stoves, dishwashers, vacuums, and sewing
machines (12/77 = 100) ..............................................
Office machines, small electric appliances,
and air conditioners (12/77 = 100)................................
Other household equipment (12/77 - 100)........................................
Floor and window coverings, infants’, laundry,
cleaning, and outdoor equipment (12/77 = 100) ......................
Clocks, lamps, and decor items (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Tableware, serving pieces, and nonelectric
kitchenware (12/77 = 100) ....................................................
Lawn equipment, power tools, and other hardware (12/77 = 100) .
184.2
198.3
122.3
125.0
204.2
133.4
117.0
117.5
134.7
145.5
108.3
105.4
112.1
171.3
170.9
126.2
117.6
189.2
211.2
128.8
134.7
209.7
138.6
119.4
119.0
138.4
147.9
108.9
104.7
1137
175.9
179.9
130.5
118.7
189.8
210.1
127.3
134.8
209.5
139.7
117.3
118.9
138.5
148.8
108.8
104.4
113.8
178.0
180.8
132.2
120.6
191.4
216.0
131.0
138.5
209.4
140.5
116.4
118.6
138.1
149.9
109.2
104.5
114.5
179.7
182.6
133.5
121.6
192.7
217.7
134.7
136.7
212.1
140.8
118.0
121.6
140.5
150.1
109.1
104.7
114.0
180.3
183.7
133.3
122.2
193.8
218.7
135,8
136.9
214.7
142.3
119.3
123.2
142.3
150.6
108.7
104.2
113.7
182.1
184.8
136.4
122.9
194.7
220.9
135.4
140.1
215.1
144.5
119.1
122.8
141.6
151.4
108.8
104.3
113.9
183.6
186.2
136.6
124.3
182.1
202.3
124.7
127.7
200.6
129.2
115.8
119.1
131.2
1444
106.9
104.4
110.1
170.6
175.8
125.3
115.2
187.1
213.9
129.9
137.4
206.0
135.2
119.5
119.1
134.0
147.5
108.0
103.3
112.9
176.0
185.3
130.3
116.8
187.7
212.5
1286
137.0
205.9
136.5
117.6
119.0
133.9
148.5
107.9
103.1
113.0
178.1
1861
132.4
118.5
189.3
218.5
132.1
141.0
205.5
137.1
116.5
118.8
133.4
149.6
108.4
103.3
113.8
179.9
187.9
133.8
119.7
190 4
219.9
135.6
138.7
208.2
137.2
118.2
121.8
135.8
149.7
108.2
103.5
113.2
180.4
189.3
133.5
120.0
191.7
221.4
137.0
139.1
211.0
138.9
119.6
123.3
137.9
150.3
107.7
103.0
112.8
182.3
190.6
136.6
120.7
192.5
223.9
136.8
142.8
211.3
140.7
119.4
122.9
137.0
151.1
107.9
103.0
113.0
183.8
191.8
136.8
122.3
117.2
117.9
119.4
121.0
121.9
122.3
123.7
115.1
116.2
117.4
118.9
119.3
119.7
121.4
118.0
130,7
119.6
134.0
121.9
134.9
122.4
1367
122.5
137.3
123.5
137.8
124.9
138.3
115,3
129.0
117.3
131.9
119.7
132.9
120.5
134.7
120.7
135.3
121.8
135.6
123.3
136.0
132.2
124.4
135.9
128.4
136.3
128.6
139.1
129.8
140.9
129.0
140.3
130.2
141.4
131.4
125.1
120.9
128.3
124.7
128.6
124.8
131.0
126.0
133.3
125.4
132.9
126.5
133.9
127.4
138.8
122.5
141.0
126.3
142.3
127.8
143.3
130.3
143.1
132.1
145.0
130.8
144.4
132.1
136.0
127.0
137.1
131.5
138.2
133.2
139.5
135.5
139.0
137.3
140.6
136.0
139.8
137.4
Housekeeping supplies............................................................................
Soaps and detergents ......................................................................
Other laundry and cleaning products (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Cleansing and toilet tissue, paper towels and napkins (12/77 = 100) ,,
Stationery, stationery supplies, and gift wrap (12/77 = 100) ..............
Miscellaneous household products (12/77 = 100)..............................
Lawn and garden supplies (12/77 = 100)..........................................
269.0
262.6
132.8
137.8
125.1
138.4
140.6
277.4
271.6
138.8
144.5
128.8
145.4
136.7
279.1
275.5
139.6
145.1
128.8
146.2
137.1
282.4
278.0
141.0
1457
130.4
146.9
141.8
284.2
279,5
142.1
145.7
130.7
147.5
144.7
284.9
280.0
142.7
146.4
131.4
147.5
144.7
285.5
278.8
143.3
146.0
132.0
149.3
144.8
265.5
260.2
131.5
137.9
126.8
135.0
132,4
274.1
268.0
137.5
144.4
131.6
140.4
129.4
275.7
272.0
138.4
145.1
131.7
141,2
129.2
278.8
274,4
139.8
145.6
133.4
141.8
134.1
280.4
275.7
140.9
145.4
133.8
142.4
136.7
281.2
276.3
141.6
146.2
134.6
142.4
136.8
281.8
275.2
142.3
145.6
135.3
144.1
136.6
Housekeeping services............................................................................
Postage ..........................................................................................
Moving, storage, freight, household laundry, and
drycleaning services (12/77 -= 100) ............................................
Appliance and furniture repair (12/77 = 100) ....................................
291.6
308.0
306.9
337.5
307 4
337.5
308.1
337.5
309.9
337.5
310.4
337.5
311.3
337.5
289.9
308.1
305.4
337.5
305.9
337.5
306.8
337.5
308.2
337.5
309.2
337.5
310.2
337.5
141.6
125.9
147.8
133.0
148.4
133.6
149,4
134.2
150,8
135.0
152.1
135.6
1531
136.6
140.7
124.6
147.6
131.6
148.0
132.2
149.1
132.8
150.6
133.5
152.2
134,1
153.3
135.1
A PPAREL A N D UPKEEP
186.4
190.5
187.3
188.0
191.1
191.9
191.5
186.2
189.4
186.5
187.3
190.5
191.2
190.6
A p p a r e l c o m m o d i t i e s ...................................................................................................................
177.2
1807
177.0
177.6
180.8
181.4
180.9
177.6
180.1
176.7
177.4
180.8
181.3
180.5
Apparel commodities less footwear....................................................
Men's and boys ............................................................................
Men’s (12/77 = 100) ................................................................
Suits, sport coats, and jackets (12/77 = 100) ......................
Coats and jackets (12/77 = 100)........................................
Furnishings and special clothing (12/77 — 100) ....................
Shirts (12/77 = 100) ..........................................................
Dungarees, jeans, and trousers (12/77 = 100) ....................
Boys'(12/77 = 100) ................................................................
Coats, jackets, sweaters, and shirts (12/77 = 100) ..............
Furnishings (12/77 = 100) ..................................................
Suits, trousers, sport coats, and jackets (12/77 = 100) ........
Women’s arc girls' ..........................................................................
Women’s (12/77 = 100)........................................................
Coats and jackets ..............................................................
Dresses ..............................................................................
Separates and sportswear (12/77 = 100)............................
Underwear, nightwear, and hosiery (12/77 = 100)................
Suits (12/77 = 100)............................................................
Girls’ (12/77 - 100)..................................................................
Coats, jackets, dresses, and suits (12/77 = 100)..................
Separates and sportswear (12/77 - 100)............................
Underwear, nightwear, hosiery, and
accessories (12/77 = 100)..............................................
173.3
176,8
111.2
104.7
97.9
129.2
118.3
105.5
115.1
108.8
121.4
117.5
157.2
103.9
152.8
164.8
99.0
119.7
90.7
107.9
104.1
106.9
176.6
181.6
114,5
106.4
101.4
134.2
122.7
108.5
117.2
109.9
127.5
118.8
159.6
105.8
161.8
164,0
100.7
124.8
87.7
1077
98.4
108.9
172.8
178.7
112.9
104.3
96.4
133.6
120.7
108.2
114.6
1047
127.3
117.2
154.3
102.3
158.4
153.1
96.7
124.0
84.2
104.4
93.4
106.3
173.4
179.3
113.0
104.8
95.8
134.7
119.3
108.6
116.0
105.9
128.2
119.1
154.7
102.9
156.4
152.8
96.3
126.2
87.0
102.7
92.6
103.4
176.8
181.7
114.5
107.2
98.1
136.8
119.9
108.6
117.8
109.4
128.7
120.1
160.3
106.8
162.0
163.1
100.3
127.1
92.7
105.6
98.2
104.6
177.4
183.1
115.5
107.6
99,1
138.2
121.3
109.7
118.3
111.2
130.3
119.0
160.9
107.1
163.4
166.6
100.1
127.4
89.4
c 106.7
98.8
105.4
176.7
183.8
115.9
108.1
99.9
138.7
121.2
110.3
118.8
111.5
131.2
119.6
159.1
105.7
158.3
162.0
101.2
128.1
83.4
106.3
96.9
105.9
173.8
177.3
111.8
99.3
100.5
123.9
120.3
112.2
114.2
111.8
117.4
114.8
160.0
106.2
155,8
159.7
101.5
119.5
106.9
107.1
98.8
109.6
175.6
181.7
115.0
99.5
104.1
130.6
125.3
114.1
115.4
110.9
123.5
115.9
160.7
107.1
167.3
149.5
101.3
124.5
106.0
106.0
96.1
107.5
172.2
178.6
113.3
97.8
97.6
129.8
123.3
113.6
112.9
105.3
123.3
114.7
156.4
103.9
161.6
140.7
97,3
123.7
104.0
104.2
91.2
108.2
173.0
179.4
113.5
98.2
97.2
131.1
121.8
114.1
114.3
106.3
124.2
116.7
157.1
104.8
163.1
140.9
96.8
126.0
105.6
103.1
91.5
106.0
176.6
181.6
114.7
100.4
99.7
133.1
122.3
114.2
116.1
109.7
124.7
117.8
163.0
109.0
173.1
148.1
101.2
126.9
114.1
106,0
97.2
106.9
177.1
182.9
115.7
101.1
100.7
134.5
123.4
115.1
116.5
111.5
126.0
116.8
163.4
109.1
172.9
151.1
101.0
127.3
111.0
106.9
97.6
107.6
176.0
183.7
116.2
101.4
101.5
135.3
123.1
115.6
117.1
112.0
127.2
117.3
160.8
107.1
165.7
147.1
101.9
127.9
100.6
106.2
95.0
108.0
116.1
120.7
119.2
118.0
119.6
122.0
122.4
115,9
119.5
118.2
117.0
118.7
121.0
121.5
H O U S IN G
C o n tin u e d
F u e l a n d o th e r u tilitie s
C o n tin u e d
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
20.
Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
U rb a n W a g e E a rn e rs a n d C le ric a l W o r k e rs (r e v is e d )
A ll U rb a n C o n s u m e rs
G e n e r a l s u m m a ry
APPAREL AND UPKEEP
A p p a r e l c o m m o d itie s
198 2
1981
198 2
1981
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
256.9
212.1
114.3
146.8
259.4
214.5
118.3
147.4
259.6
212.9
116.2
146.7
262.2
214.3
117.6
147.4
264.7
212.7
118.1
145.7
267.0
210.8
118.5
143.8
269.0
209.7
119.3
142.5
269.9
204.1
113.4
140.5
270.6
203.2
116.2
138.4
270.1
201.4
114.3
137.5
271.4
202.8
115.9
138.1
275.4
201.6
116.5
136.7
278.2
199.5
116.9
134.5
279.3
198.8
205.9
132.5
134.8
121.6
203.1
132.2
132.5
118.9
203.3
132.6
132.3
119.0
205.2
134.5
132.1
120.8
206.1
134.4
133.6
121.1
206.9
134.5
134.6
C o n tin u e d
C o n tin u e d
Apparel commodities less footwear — Continued
Infants' and toddlers’ ......................................................................
Other apparel commodities ............................................................
Sewing materials and notions (12/77 - 100) ............................
Jewelry and luggage (12/77 - 100) ........................................
1 1 7 .7
133.5
Footwear ..............................................................................................
Men's (12/77 - 100) ....................................................................
Boys' and girls' (12/77 - 100) ......................................................
Women’s (12/77 - 100)................................................................
201.0
127.8
129.3
122.4
205.7
130.7
132.1
125.4
202.8
130.3
130.1
122.6
202.8
130.7
129.5
122.7
204.9
132.5
129.2
124.7
205.6
132.3
130.4
125.1
206.5
132.4
131.5
125.8
200.0
128.7
127.7
120.5
A p p a r e l s e r v ic e s
Laundry and drycleaning other than coin operated (12/77 - 100)............
Other apparel services (12/77 - 100) ..................................................
256.4
152.2
135.6
266.4
159.2
139.1
267.6
160.0
139.4
269.4
161.4
139.8
271.3
162.4
141.1
273.4
163.5
142.5
274.7
164.4
142.9
254.2
151.5
134.5
264.4
157.8
139.6
265.5
158.5
139.9
267.2
159.9
140.3
269.0
160.9
141.5
271.0
162.0
142.7
272.3
162.8
143.1
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N
277.8
289.8
289.9
288.0
285.1
2829
285.6
278.9
291.5
291.6
289.6
286.6
284.3
287.1
.........................................................................................................................
1 2 1 .6
P r i v a t e .................................................................................................................................................
276.0
286.5
286.6
284.5
281.3
278.8
281.5
277.7
289.0
289.0
286.9
283.7
281.2
284.0
New cars ............................................................................................
Used cars ............................................................................................
Gasoline ..............................................................................................
Automobile maintenance and repair........................................................
Body work (12/77 - 100) ..............................................................
Automobile drive train, brake, and miscellaneous
mechanical repair (12/77 - 100) ................................................
Maintenance and servicing (12/77 - 100) ......................................
Power plant repair (12/77 - 100) ..................................................
Other private transportation ..................................................................
Other private transportation commodities ........................................
Motor oil, coolant, and other products (12/77 - 100) ................
Automobile parts and equipment (12/77 - 100)........................
Tires ................................................................................
Other parts and equipment (12/77 - 100) ........................
Other private transportation services................................................
Automobile insurance ..............................................................
Automobile finance charges (12/77 = 100) ..............................
Automobile rental, registration, and other fees (12/77 = 100) . . .
State registration ..............................................................
Drivers'licenses (12/77 - 100) ........................................
Vehicle inspection (12/77 - 100) ......................................
Other vehicle-related fees (12/77 - 100) ..........................
190.9
245.2
416.5
290.8
141.5
197.0
281.9
408.4
304.1
150.6
197.4
280.5
406,0
305.5
151.5
195.5
279.7
399.1
307.7
153.7
194.4
280.9
383.9
310.2
154.5
196.0
285.1
366.7
311.9
155.0
197.5
291.4
370.4
313.6
155.7
191.2
245.2
417.7
291.3
141.3
196.9
281.9
409.8
304.8
148.9
197.3
280.5
407.5
306.2
149.8
195.3
279.7
400.6
308.4
152.1
194.2
195.9
285.2
280.9
385.4 c 367.9
311.1
312.8
152.7
153.3
197.3
291.4
371.7
314.4
154.0
138.7
136.5
138.6
238.9
208.6
143.1
133.6
186.4
130.4
249.2
256.8
172.9
117.7
147.5
105.5
125.8
136.3
144.7
141.5
145.6
250.6
214.5
148.7
137.2
191.5
133.9
262.6
266.0
190.5
120.8
149.0
111.9
128.3
141.6
145.7
142.0
146.2
253.3
215.5
148.2
138.1
192.8
134.3
265.8
266.8
190.9
127.6
166.9
117.3
129.2
142.5
146.5
142.7
147.3
253.4
214.8
149.3
137.4
191.3
134.6
266.1
268.1
188.9
128.9
167.1
121.7
129.3
144.8
148.7
143.9
148.0
254.5
215.6
150.2
137.9
191.7
135.7
267.2
269.8
188.9
129.7
168.5
122.9
129.3
145.3
149.5
144.5
149.1
255.1
214.9
150.7
137.2
190.1
136.2
268.2
270.4
187.2
133.3
174.2
123.0
129.0
149.5
150.8
145.0
150.1
255.7
216.9
149.9
138.8
192.3
138.0
268.4
271.6
186.3
133.3
174.2
127.7
126.7
149.2
141.2
136.4
137.7
241.9
211.7
141.4
136.1
191.1
130.7
252.4
256.3
172.5
118.1
147.7
105.2
126.5
142.8
148.5
141.0
145.1
254.2
216.9
147.2
139.2
195.2
133.9
266.6
265.6
189.9
121.4
149.0
111.9
129.0
149.2
149.5
141.5
145.7
256.9
218.0
146.9
140.0
196.5
134.5
269.7
266.6
190.3
128.4
166.2
117.1
130.5
150.4
150.2
142.3
146.8
256.8
217.3
147.8
139.4
195.1
134.9
269.8
268.0
188.3
129.5
166.5
121.7
130.6
152.4
152.8
153.7
143.4
144.0
147.5
148.6
258.2
257.8
218.2 c 217.3
149.2
148.7
139.2
139.9
193.7
195.5
136.6
135.9
271.6
270.8
270.2
269.6
186.7
188.2
133.7
130.1
173.8
167.8
123.0
123.0
130.4
130.6
156.4
152.5
154.9
144.4
149.6
258.8
219.4
148.4
140.9
196.0
138.4
271.8
271.3
185.9
133.7
173.8
127.9
128.3
156.2
P u b l i c ....................................................................................................................................................
297.7
333,8
334.9
336.8
336.7
339.3
342.1
288.2
328.6
329.4
331.0
331.0
333.3
335.1
Airline fare............................................................................................
Intercity bus fare ..................................................................................
Intracity mass transit ............................................................................
Taxi fare ..............................................................................................
Intercity train fa re ..................................................................................
348,8
333.4
251.9
280.4
296.7
374.7
365.2
304.6
294.7
319.2
375.5
367.3
305.9
296.3
318.1
379.3
365.7
306.7
296.7
314.0
379.0
365.6
306.6
297.2
314.1
382.7
367.0
308.1
297.6
332.1
388.9
366.0
308.3
297.6
337.9
346.7
333.0
249.9
287.9
298.5
372.8
366.1
303.9
304.1
318.9
372.7
368.9
305.1
305.6
317.9
376.3
367.4
305.8
306.1
314.5
376.3
367.0
305.7
306.6
314.5
379.8
368.7
307.2
307.3
332.1
385.2
367.5
307.1
307.2
337.9
M E D IC A L C A R E ............................................................................................................................
289.0
310.2
313.4
316.2
318.8
321.7
323.8
290.8
309.1
312.0
314.9
317.4
320.2
322.3
M e d ic a l c a r e c o m m o d itie s
184.7
194.9
195.9
197.7
200.0
202.4
204.1
185.9
195.4
196,4
198.3
200.6
203.0
204.8
Prescription drugs ................................................................................
Anti-infective drugs (12/77 - 100)..................................................
Tranquilizers and sedatives (12/77 - 100) ......................................
Circulatories and diuretics (12/77 - 100)........................................
Hormones, diabetic drugs, biologicals, and
prescription medical supplies (12/77 - 100) ................................
Pain and symptom control drugs (12/77 - 100) ..............................
Supplements, cough and cold preparations, and
respiratory agents (12/77 - 100)................................................
170.4
130.3
136.0
124.9
181.0
137.8
144.8
131.9
181.9
138.2
145.4
132.2
183.7
138.4
146.8
134.0
186.1
139.3
148.6
135.7
188.8
140.9
152.0
136.7
190.4
142.5
153.8
137.0
171,6
132.7
135.2
126.1
181.9
139.7
144.4
131.8
182.8
140.1
144.9
132.1
184.7
140.4
146.5
134.0
187.0
141.1
148.3
135.6
189.7
142.5
151.8
136.6
191.4
144.1
153.8
136.8
154.6
136.5
164.6
145.9
165.6
147.3
168.4
148.8
170.8
150.8
173.3
153.1
175.4
153.7
154.5
138.2
165.9
147.3
166.9
148.7
169.7
150.3
172.0
152.3
174.6
154.6
176.9
155.2
130.2
138.1
138.8
139.9
142.7
144.7
145.9
131.2
138.0
138.8
139.9
142.7
144.8
146.0
Nonprescription drugs and medical supplies (12/77 = 100) ....................
Eyeglasses (12/77 - 100) ............................................................
Internal and respiratory over-the-counter drugs ................................
Nonprescription medical equipment and supplies (12/77 - 100)........
132.6
125.3
209.1
128.6
139.2
128.4
221.6
134.6
139.9
128.3
222.8
135.9
141.1
128.9
225.1
137.1
142.5
129.5
228.1
138.1
143.9
130.1
231.1
138.9
145.1
130.9
233.4
139.5
133.6
124.1
211.0
130.5
139.7
127.1
222.8
135.2
140.4
127.1
223.9
136.6
141.6
127.6
226.4
137.7
143.2
128.1
229.6
138.8
144.6
128.7
232.5
139.7
145.9
129.7
235.0
140.4
M e d ic a l c a r e s e r v ic e s
311.7
335.7
339.4
342.4
345.1
348.0
350.2
313.6
334.0
337.5
340.6
343.0
345.8
348.0
292.2
318.6
274.1
137.2
294.3
321.7
274.9
138.5
295.9 c 297.9
323.2
325.2
276.6
279.2
139.4
139.4
299.3
327.0
280.3
140.2
393.8
164.0
522.0
161.2
398.0
165.7
527.0
163.0
401.6
166.9
531.0
164.2
405.4
168.3
535.2
165.5
408.5
169.1
536.7
166.6
Professional services ............................................................................
Physicians’ services........................................................................
Dental services..............................................................................
Other professional services (12/77 - 100)......................................
273.8
295.5
257.7
133.7
290.0
313.0
273.9
140.3
292.0
315.5
275.8
140.3
294.2
318.8
276.8
141.5
295.8
320.3
278.6
142.4
297.8
322.2
281.1
142.5
299.2
324.0
282.1
143.4
278.0
300.3
263.3
132.1
290.3
316.0
272.3
137.2
Other medical care services..................................................................
Hospital and other medical services (12/77 - 100)..........................
Hospital room..........................................................................
Other hospital and medical care services (12/77 = 100)............
357.6
148.3
465.1
147.6
390.9
162.7
519.3
159.6
396.8
1656
529.4
162.2
400.8
167.1
533.8
163.8
404.7
168.5
538.5
165.2
408.7
169.8
542.2
166 4
411.9
170.6
543.8
167.6
357.1
147.3
461.3
146.8
388.1
161.1
512.6
158.4
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
85
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
20.
Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average
[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
A ll U rb a n C o n s u m e rs
1981
G e n e r a l s u m m a ry
M ay
U rb a n W a g e E a rn e rs a n d C le ric a l W o r k e rs (r e v is e d )
1982
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
1981
A p r.
May.
M ay
1982
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
E N T E R T A IN M E N T
220.3
227.3
229.2
231.2
232.8
233.9
234.4
217.7
224.4
226.1
228.1
229.5
230.5
231.1
E n te r ta in m e n t c o m m o d itie s
225.0
230.6
232.0
234.3
236.6
238.0
238.8
220.4
225.4
226.7
228.9
230.8
232.0
232.8
Reading materials (12/77 = 100)............................................................
Newspapers ....................................................................................
Magazines, periodicals, and books (12/77 = 100)..............................
135.6
264.1
137.1
139.6
267.7
143.5
142.9
270.5
149.0
144.1
273.1
149.9
146.1
276.4
152.4
146.8
280.1
151.6
148.5
281.6
154.4
135.6
264.0
137.3
139.1
267.6
143.4
142.1
270.1
148.8
143.3
272.8
149.7
145.3
276.0
152.2
146.1
279.7
151.4
147.7
281.2
154.2
Sporting goods and equipment (12/77 = 100)..........................................
Sport vehicles (12/77 - 100) ..........................................................
Indoor and warm weather sport equipment (12/77 - 100)..................
Bicycles ..........................................................................................
Other sporting goods and equipment (12/77 = 100 )..........................
127.2
129.5
117.4
190.4
122.4
130.0
132.1
119.9
193.9
126.2
129.5
0(1,
120.1
194.8
125.3
131.5
133.9
119.6
197.3
127.0
132.3
135.4
119.9
197.6
125.6
132.9
136.1
120.4
198.9
126.3
132.8
135.4
121.0
199.4
127.6
120.8
119.3
116.4
191.6
121.5
122.4
120.2
117.9
195.2
126.3
122.4
(’ )
118.2
196.2
125.2
123.9
121.9
117.7
198.9
127.4
124.3
122.5
118.1
198.9
126.0
124.7
122.8
118.6
200.2
126.5
124.9
122.6
119.2
200.7
127.9
Toys, hobbies, and other entertainment (12/77 = 100)..............................
Toys, hobbies, and music equipment (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Photographic supplies and equipment (12/77 = 100)..........................
Pet supplies and expenses (12/77 = 100) ........................................
128.8
127.6
125.8
133.3
132.0
130.1
125.2
140.2
132.2
130.8
125.2
139.7
133.2
131.7
126.9
140.6
134.5
133.4
128.3
140.8
135.4
134.1
129.8
141.9
135.5
134.8
130.0
141.0
127.7
125.0
126.1
133.6
130.9
126.9
126.3
140.9
131.2
127.7
126.3
140.5
132.3
128.6
127.9
141.6
133.5
130.2
129.5
141.7
134.3
130.7
131.0
142.7
134.4
131.4
131.2
141.8
E n te r ta in m e n t s e r v ic e s
214.0
223.0
225.5
227.1
227.8
228.5
228.7
214.2
223.9
226.1
227.8
228.4
229.2
229.2
Fees for participant sports (12/77 = 100)................................................
Admissions (12/77 = 100)......................................................................
Other entertainment services (12/77 = 100)............................................
130.7
125.1
121.7
137.6
129.7
123.7
139.6
131.2
124.2
140.9
131.6
125.0
141.9
131.2
125.1
142.0
132.2
125.2
141.6
133.0
125.7
130.5
125,0
122.5
139.3
128.7
124.3
141.2
130.1
124.7
142.5
130.6
125.9
143.5
130.3
125.9
143.7
131.2
125.9
142.9
132.1
126.4
O T H E R G O O D S A N D S E R V IC E S
232.2
246.7
248.4
250.3
252.2
253.8
255.0
230.4
243.5
245.0
247.1
249.3
250.9
252.4
T o b a c c o p r o d u c ts
218.2
226.8
227.1
230.7
234.1
235.1
237.4
217.8
225.9
226.2
229.8
233.2
234.0
236.6
Cigarettes ..............................................................................................
Other tobacco products and smoking accessories (12/77 - 100)..............
220.8
130.4
229.7
134.4
230.0
134.7
233.6
136.8
237.3
138.1
238.0
139.9
240.4
141.0
220.3
131.3
228.7
134.7
229.1
135.0
232.7
136.9
236.3
138.2
236.9
140.1
239.6
141.1
P e rs o n a l c a re
230.5
239.1
240.9
242.3
243.7
245.9
246.5
228.4
237.1
238.8
240.4
241.8
244.1
244.7
238.5
138.4
145.6
240.6
140.8
148.0
243.8
142.9
149.0
244.5
142.1
150.1
225.5
130.1
136.1
235.4
135.8
139.8
236.9
136.4
142.6
239.2
137.8
144.2
241.5
140.0
146.6
244.7
142.3
147.6
245.4
141.7
148.6
Toilet goods and personal care appliances................................................
Products for the hair, hairpieces, and wigs (12/77 = 100) ..................
Dental and shaving products (12/77 = 100)......................................
Cosmetics, bath and nail preparations, manicure
and eye makeup implements (12/77 = 100) ..................................
Other toilet goods and small personal care appliances (12/77 = 100)
226.6
132.4
138.6
234.7
136.5
141.2
236.4
137.2
144.0
127.8
129.8 '
133.2
136.0
134.1
135.9
135.0
137.0
135.1
137.4
136.5
140.3
137.6
140.5
126.2
134.0
133.7
139.1
134.5
138.9
135.8
140.2
136.1
140.7
137.5
143.5
138.5
144.0
Personal care services............................................................................
Beauty parlor services for women......................................................
Haircuts and other barber shop services for men (12/77 = 100) ........
234.7
236.4
131.1
243.9
245.2
136.8
245.7
246.9
138.0
246.5
247.7
138.4
247.3
248.9
138.4
248.7
250.7
138.8
249.2
251.3
138.9
231.5
232.0
130.5
239.2
238.8
135.7
241.0
240.5
136.8
241.8
241.3
137.2
242.6
242.5
137.2
244.0
244.3
137.6
244.4
245.0
137.7
P e r s o n a l a n d e d u c a tio n a l e x p e n s e s
256.8
285.1
288.1
289.2
290.4
291.9
292.8
257.7
285.9
288.9
290.2
291.7
293.5
294.6
Schoolbooks and supplies ......................................................................
Personal and educational services............................................................
Tuition and other school fees ............................................................
College tuition (12/77 = 100) ....................................................
Elementary and high school tuition (12/77 = 100) ......................
Personal expenses (12/77 = 100)....................................................
230.8
263.0
1328
132.3
134,4
143.6
254.5
292.3
149.1
148.3
152.0
153.4
260.7
294.8
150.5
149.9
152.1
154.3
262.9
295.8
150.6
150.1
152.2
156,1
263.3
297.1
151.1
150.7
152.2
157.4
263.8
298.7
151.4
151.0
152.2
160.9
264.2
299.8
151.4
151.0
152.2
163.6
234.7
263.6
133.0
132.3
134.4
142.8
258.5
292.8
149.4
148.1
152.7
152.7
264.8
295.2
150.7
149,6
152.8
153.7
267.1
296.3
150.9
149.8
152.9
155.3
267.5
298.0
151.7
150.9
152.9
156.7
268.0
300.0
152.0
151.3
152.9
160.5
268.4
301.4
152.0
151.3
152.9
163.6
410.4
386.6
272.4
326.2
402.8
423.1
293.9
341.3
400.5
423.9
297.7
343.0
393.9
424.8
299.1
344.0
379.3
420.9
302.7
344.0
362.6
426.3
305,1
347.5
366.1
431.5
310.8
349.8
411.5
386.1
270.6
323.8
404.0
422.1
292.6
341.5
401.8
422.8
296.4
343.3
395.3
423.5
297.7
344.2
380.6
419.9
301.5
344.0
363.7
425.9
304.0
348.2
367.2
430.9
309.6
350.4
S p e c ia l in d e x e s :
Gasoline, motor oil, coolant, and other products........................................
Insurance and finance ............................................................................
Utilities and public transportation..............................................................
Housekeeping and home maintenance services ........................................
1Not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
86
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
c=corrected.
21. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Cross classification of region and population size class by expenditure
category and commodity and service group
[December 1977 = 100]
S iz e c la s s A
S iz e c la s s B
S iz e c la s s C
S iz e c la s s D
(1 .2 5 m illio n o r m o r e )
(3 8 5 ,0 0 0 -1 .2 5 0 m illio n )
(7 5 ,0 0 0 -3 8 5 ,0 0 0 )
(7 5 ,0 0 0 o r le s s )
C a te g o r y a n d g ro u p
1981
Dec.
198 2
Feb.
Dec.
1981
198 2
1981
A pr.
Feb.
A p r.
Dec.
1981
1 98 2
198 2
Feb.
A p r.
Dec.
Feb.
A p r.
N o r th e a s t
E X P E N D IT U R E C A T E G O R Y
Food and beverages ....................................................................................
Housing .......................... ............................................................................
Other goods and services ............................................................................
144.2
139.6
148.0
117.5
157.9
142.0
131.9
135.4
144.2
143.3
146.0
117.0
156.5
145.1
133.3
136.9
143.6
143.7
144.5
119.1
153.7
146.4
135.5
139.0
152.9
139.6
161,9
123.1
165.4
146.6
131.0
138,7
150.7
142.7
155.7
120.5
164.2
147.0
132.4
140.6
150.0
142.2
155.3
122.5
160.0
148.9
136.2
141.1
159.2
142.8
176.3
125.9
162.7
146.3
133.7
142.0
158.1
145.7
172.5
123.1
161.6
148.7
136.1
142.9
158.6
147.4
173.3
127.4
158.6
150.4
135.8
145.3
150.7
137.0
159.3
125.4
161.8
143.0
134.3
138.5
151.4
140.4
159.5
119.9
161.7
144.8
137.6
140.6
151.9
140.4
160,5
125.1
158.1
151,5
139.0
142.9
141.8
143.2
147.3
142.1
141.4
146.9
140.8
139.0
147.4
149.6
154.5
158.0
147.9
150.5
155.1
146.6
148.7
155.4
151.1
154.9
172.5
150.1
152.2
171.0
149.6
150.6
173.4
147.2
152.1
156.1
147.6
151.0
157.3
146.5
149.4
160.4
C O M M O D IT Y A N D S E R V IC E G R O U P
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services ............................................................................................................
N o rth C e n tr a l re g io n
E X P E N D IT U R E C A T E G O R Y
All items ............................................................................................................
Food and beverages ....................................................................................
Housing ......................................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep ....................................................................................
Transportation..............................................................................................
Medical care................................................................................................
Entertainment ..............................................................................................
Other goods and services ............................................................................
152.6
139.8
163.3
113.7
162.7
144.6
134.1
137.0
153.6
141.6
164.9
112.7
161.1
148.4
137.1
138.8
155.2
141.9
168.8
114.8
158.7
150.9
137.0
140.3
149.2
139.3
153.8
128.0
160.8
146.8
124.4
142.9
151.9
140.8
159.9
121.1
159.7
150.8
126.4
145.1
155.1
141.7
167.2
122.7
156.9
152.8
130.3
146.5
147.4
140.7
150.0
122.4
162.3
147.7
132.6
135.6
149.1
143.1
152.7
121.8
161.0
150.3
136.1
137.3
151.2
143.1
157.2
125,8
158.4
153.8
138.1
139.0
147.6
143.4
149.1
123.6
160.1
151.2
129.2
141.7
151,0
144.7
155.5
119.5
160.3
154.5
132.5
144.6
153.3
146.2
160.7
123.5
157.2
157.0
130.9
146.4
145.1
147.6
163.7
145.2
146.9
166.1
145.4
147.0
169.8
142.9
144.4
159.5
145.4
147.3
162.6
146.4
148.3
169.3
142.2
142.8
156.1
143.5
143.6
158.4
144,3
144.8
162.4
140.7
139.5
158.7
142.1
141.0
165.0
143.7
142.6
168.7
C O M M O D IT Y A N D S E R V IC E G R O U P
Commodities......................................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services ............................................................................................................
S o u th
E X P E N D IT U R E C A T E G O R Y
All items ............................................................................................................
Food and beverages ....................................................................................
Housing ......................................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep ....................................................................................
Transportation..............................................................................................
Medical care................................................................................................
Entertainment ..............................................................................................
Other goods and services ............................................................................
152.0
141.4
160.3
123.5
161.9
143.2
127.4
139.7
152.6
144.2
160.2
122.6
161.5
145.9
129.3
141.2
152.9
145.0
161.1
125.6
157.5
149.5
130.1
142.8
155.9
141.3
166.7
123.7
164.1
147.6
137.1
139.5
157.2
144.8
168.3
121.1
162.8
150.5
140.0
140.7
155.7
144.9
165.2
124.3
159.7
152.3
141.2
142.4
152.3
141.9
159.7
118.2
162.3
153.0
136.4
139,9
154.0
144.1
162.7
117.0
160.7
155.4
140.4
142.0
152.3
144.0
159.1
120.2
157.1
160.1
141.1
143.7
150.8
143.4
156.2
110.4
161.6
160.1
138.4
140.5
152.3
146.1
158.8
105.7
159.9
162.5
140.4
147.9
153.5
145.9
161.5
111.1
155.8
165.1
145.7
150.2
145.9
147.9
160.5
146.8
148,0
160.7
146.3
146.9
162.1
147.5
150.1
168.6
148.4
149.9
170,4
147.6
148.8
167.8
145.3
146.7
163.1
146.0
146.8
166.3
144.3
144.5
164.5
145.1
145.8
159.5
145.0
144.6
163.3
146.0
146.0
164.8
C O M M O D IT Y A N D S E R V IC E G R O U P
Commodities ......................................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services ............................................................................................................
W est
E X P E N D IT U R E C A T E G O R Y
All items .............................................................................................................
Food and beverages ....................................................................................
Housing ......................................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep ....................................................................................
Transportation..............................................................................................
Medical care................................................................................................
Entertainment ..............................................................................................
Other goods and services ............................................................................
156.1
140.8
165.5
121.9
162.9
155.7
133.6
141.0
157.9
143.9
167.2
121.7
164.2
157.8
135.1
144.5
158.5
144.5
168.1
120.6
162.9
160.7
137.7
147.5
155.1
145.4
161.6
127.1
165.0
151.3
133.9
142,8
157.1
147.9
164.9
126.4
163.6
153.7
135.5
145.3
157.0
147.6
164.8
126.6
161.7
156.0
136.8
148.9
149.4
140.1
153.8
117.1
162.8
151.1
129.4
136.8
150.2
143.4
154.4
118.8
160.9
154.8
130.4
137.1
151.1
143.5
156.3
119.7
158.3
157.3
133.9
139.5
149.1
145.8
146.1
135.6
164.6
152.8
145.6
148.0
153.3
148.1
153.9
131.9
164.5
157.9
147.8
147.6
157.9
148.5
163.5
140.4
160.5
162.4
148.9
149.8
144.9
146.6
170.9
146.0
146.9
173.7
145.5
145.9
175.9
147.2
148.0
166.0
148.4
148.6
169.1
148.1
148.3
169.3
143.7
145.1
157.5
145.2
145.9
157.3
146.4
147.5
157,9
145.5
145.4
154.6
147.5
147.3
161.8
148.9
149.1
171.2
C O M M O D IT Y A N D S E R V IC E G R O U P
Commodities......................................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services ............................................................................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
87
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
22.
Consumer Price Index — U.S. city average, and selected areas
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
U rb a n W a g e E a rn e rs a n d C le ric a l W o r k e rs (r e v is e d )
A ll U rb a n C o n s u m e rs
A re a 1
1981
1981
198 2
198 2
M ay
D ec.
J an .
Feb.
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
M ay
Dec.
J an .
Feb.
M ar.
A p r.
M ay
U.S. city average2 ..............................................................
269.0
281 5
282.5
283.4
283.1
284.3
287.1
269.1
281.1
282.1
282.9
282 5
283.7
286.5
Anchorage, Alaska (10/67=100) ........................................
Atlanta, Ga...........................................................................
Baltimore, Md.......................................................................
Boston. Mass........................................................................
Buffalo, N.Y..........................................................................
244.6
Chicago, III-Northwestern Ind................................................
Cincinnati, Ohio-Ky.-Ind.........................................................
Cleveland, O hio..................................................................
Dallas-Ft. Worth, Tex............................................................
Denver-Boulder, Colo............................................................
264.5
271.7
Detroit, Mich.........................................................................
Honolulu, Hawaii ................................................................
Houston, Tex........................................................................
Kansas City, Mo -Kansas ....................................................
Los Angeles-Long Beach, Anaheim, Calif................................
275.2
253.0
282.2
273.9
275.4
285.7
281.6
295.1
278.3
258.3
302.7
273.5
282.3
Philadelphia, Pa.-N.J.............................................................
Pittsburgh, Pa.......................................................................
Portland, Oreg.-Wash............................................................
St. Louis, Mo -ill....................................................................
San Diego, Calif....................................................................
278.5
268.0
297.5
San Francisco-Oakland, Calif.................................................
Seattle-Everett, Wash...........................................................
Washington, D.C.-Md.-Va.......................................................
274.7
264.7
261.9
285.8
298.7
267.9
274.9
281.8
268.5
272.5
275.7
277.8
262.2
304.1
276.0
285.6
306.0
269.0
275.5
278.6
2866
267.4
267.2
274.7
263.9
273.3
313.4
293.4
283.7
263.8
304.9
274.0
286.8
285.9
271.3
287.1
270.7
155.7
292.9
144.8
283.5
301.7
268.2
270.9
270.2
255.9
263.3
275.1
275.3
293.4
278.8
274.4
281.2
291.0
275.1
262.9
282.1
285.7
329.2
276.1
268.4
292.5
301.2
278.4
271.5
267.7
277.8
289.8
274.1
282.6
267.5
274.5
275.1
274.8
263.2
300.3
274.1
289.4
305.3
267.8
275.1
280.0
287.0
291,2
285.7
292.7
275.1
290.4
319.5
280.3
264.7
302.1
272.1
290.5
156.4
292.5
265.9
268.4
274.3
294.9
282.7
290.6
157.0
296.0
301.2
266.5
274.5
276.7
283.9
279.3
313.9
285.5
277.1
317.4
291.9
281.8
280.0
315.0
156.4
295.3
298.3
266.9
283.7
272.0
256.4
276.5
287.2
285.0
289.8
292.7
Area is used for New York and Chicago.
2 Average of 85 cities.
275.4
310.5
275.1
259.3
298.8
272.0
286.1
282.9
282.2
269.8
258.0
275.9
288.4
258.0
254.5
282.7
282.3
273.4
262.7
298.8
295.8
'The areas listed include not only the central city but the entire portion of the Standard Metropolitan
Statistical Area, as defined for the 1970 Census of Population, except that the Standard Consolidated
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
88
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
278.2
286.7
280.7
319.0
295.9
278.0
287.7
288.7
248.6
284.1
286.5
297.2
155.1
289.3
288,4
278.4
323.1
294.0
280.2
309.2
155.2
291.3
143.2
278.5
256.7
259.9
280.8
240.1
268.6
263.6
258.3
276.4
284.9
285.9
293.6
305.4
2882
267.3
274.9
263.8
283.6
272.5
280.2
281.9
269.8
259.9
264.3
Miami, Fla. (11/77-100) ....................................................
Milwaukee, Wis.....................................................................
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis..............................................
New York, N.Y.-Northeastern N.J...........................................
Northeast, Pa. (Scranton)....................................................
260.0
279.8
282.1
274.0
269.3
263.6
269.4
272.1
274.7
279.7
284.5
323.3
297.8
289.6
283.8
297.1
283.3
23.
Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing
[1967 = 100]
Annual
C o m m o d ity g r o u p in g
19 32
1981
a ve rag e
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .1
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
1981
June
Ju ly
Aug.
S e p t.
Finished g oo d s...................................................................
269.8
270.5
271.8
271.5
271.5
274.3
274.7
275.4
277.9
'277.9
276.9
276.9
277.7
279.9
Finished consumer g o o d s..........................................
Finished consumer foo d s........................................
C rude...................................................................
Processed ..........................................................
Nondurable goods less foods ...............................
Durable goods ........................................................
Consumer nondurable goods less food and energy
Capital equipment ......................................................
271.2
253.5
263.6
250.6
319.4
218.5
208.6
264.3
272.3
2538
258.9
251.3
322.0
218.2
208.4
263.8
273.5
257.6
262.7
255.0
322.5
218.1
209.5
265.4
273.0
256.3
256.9
254.2
322.1
218.3
210.4
265.8
273.1
256.2
253.5
254.4
324.2
215.8
211.8
265.3
275.1
254.0
253.8
252.0
324.3
224.5
212.6
271.5
275.2
252.7
260.0
249.9
325.4
224.7
213.6
273.0
275.8
252.9
273.9
249.0
326.3
225.4
213.9
274.1
278.3
256.4
280.6
252.1
329.3
226.2
217.4
276.2
'278.6
258.2
'282.5
'254.0
'330.3
'224.0
'219.6
'275.0
277.2
257.1
262.9
254.4
328.0
223.5
219.6
275.7
276.9
259.8
266.1
257.1
324.9
223.8
221.4
277.1
277.6
262.3
259.4
260.4
324.1
224.7
222.9
278.3
280.0
263.4
254.3
262.0
328.1
226.2
222.9
279.6
Intermediate materials, supplies, and components...........
306.0
307.2
308.5
310.1
309.7
309.4
309.0
309.4
311.0
'311.1
310.9
310.1
309.8
310.0
Materials and components for manufacturing...........
Materials for food manufacturing ...........................
Materials for nondurable manufacturing ................
Materials for durable manufacturing......................
Components for manufacturing .............................
286.2
260.9
285.9
312.2
259.2
285.8
262.4
287.7
310.7
257.3
287.9
260.5
289.2
314.4
259.5
289.8
261.0
291.0
316.0
261.8
290.2
254.6
291.2
317.1
263.8
290.2
250.9
290.9
316.7
265.1
289.5
246.8
289.4
314.9
266.9
289.3
245.6
288.8
314.0
267.8
290.4
250.7
289.0
313.6
269.8
'290.9
'252.8
'289.3
'313.1
' 270.9
290.8
252.0
289.5
311.2
272.0
290.9
254.3
288.1
311.2
272.9
291.5
260.0
288.1
310.6
273.8
290.0
260.9
285.8
307.3
273.9
Materials and components for construction .............
287.5
289.6
290.4
290.7
290.0
290.1
290.2
291.1
292.0
'293.0
293.3
293.8
293.4
294.2
Processed fuels and lubricants .................................
Manufacturing industries ........................................
Nonmanufacturing industries .................................
595.0
498,2
680.5
605.7
505.4
694.3
602.0
500.3
692.0
607.8
508.3
695.6
601.4
500.5
690.5
596.9
497.5
684.7
595.1
496.4
682.2
598.1
499.0
685.6
604.4
505.9
691.3
'596.8
'497.8
'684.2
593.5
497.1
678.4
579.8
487.6
660.9
569.9
482.3
646.7
581.2
492.0
659.3
Containers...................................................................
276.2
277.2
278.8
280.3
280.6
280.9
280.6
280.2
282.5
'285.5
286.5
287.4
287.1
286.7
Supplies .....................................................................
Manufacturing industries ........................................
Nonmanufacturing industries ..................................
Feeds ...................................................................
Other supplies......................................................
263.9
253.2
269.6
230.4
276.4
264.6
253.4
270.5
235.4
276.3
266.0
255.0
272.0
232.8
278.7
266.1
256.0
271.6
229.1
279.3
266.1
256.8
271.1
221.3
280.7
266.6
258.2
271.2
215.9
282.3
267.2
259.2
271.6
212.0
283.7
268.3
261.0
272.4
214.6
284.1
269.8
262.6
273.8
214.8
285.7
'270.4
'263.3
'274.4
'212.0
'287.3
270.9
264.8
274.4
208.8
288.1
272.3
265.6
276.0
212.9
289.1
273.6
267.2
277.2
214.2
290.2
273.6
267.3
277.1
213.1
290,4
Crude materials for further processing .............................
329.1
335.4
337.3
333.0
327.4
319.9
313.9
311.5
318.4
'321.6
319.9
322.8
328.1
325.7
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs ..........................................
257.4
264.3
267.2
261.8
253.4
245.7
238.3
233.7
242.6
248.3
247.9
254.3
262.3
259.8
Nonfood materials .....................................................
481.6
487.4
487.2
485.3
486.0
479.2
476.3
478.6
481.5
479.3
475.0
470.4
470.4
467.9
404.1
418.6
264.7
397.8
411.7
264.8
396.2
409.8
265.2
399.5
413.2
267.6
'394.8
'407.5
'270.5
387.4
398.5
275.1
379.0
389.0
275.3
376.6
386.4
274.0
370.0
378.9
273.7
FINISHED GOODS
INTERMEDIATE MATERIALS
CRUDE MATERIALS
Nonfood materials except fuel ...............................
Manufacturing industries....................................
Construction ......................................................
413.9
429.6
262.4
418.1
434.2
262.6
413.1
428.7
262.6
413.9
429.6
263.1
410.2
425.4
263.6
Crude fuel ............................................................
Manufacturing industries....................................
Nonmanufacturing industries.............................
676.5
865.4
674.3
759.2
877.2
678.5
781.2
902.6
698.1
766.7
883.0
687.8
788.7
911.4
704.8
779.0
898.4
697.8
792.5
915.8
708.2
813.0
942.5
724.0
812.9
940.3
725.6
'824.5
'954.4
'735.4
837.7
972.8
744.5
853.7
992.4
757.6
866.1
1,008.2
767.4
885.2
1,033.6
781.7
Finished goods excluding fo o d s ......................................
Finished consumer goods excluding fo o d s .............
Finished consumer goods less e n e rg y....................
273.2
276.3
2339
274.1
277.7
233,4
274.7
277.9
235.0
274.6
277.7
235.0
274.7
277.9
234.9
279.1
281.6
237.2
280.0
282.4
237.2
280.9
283.2
237.6
283.0
285.2
240.5
'282.4
' 284,9
'241.3
281.5
283.3
240.7
280.6
281.7
242.4
280.9
281.6
244.1
283.4
284.6
244.9
Intermediate materials less foods and fe e d s ..................
Intermediate materials less energy .........................
310.1
285.2
311.2
285.5
312.7
287.2
314.5
288.5
314.6
288.7
314.6
288.8
314.5
288.5
314,9
288.7
316.4
289.9
' 316.4
'290.7
316.3
290.7
315.3
291.2
314.6
291.7
314.8
290.9
Intermediate foods and feeds
........................................
250.7
253.2
251.1
250.2
243.5
239.3
235.2
235.2
238.8
' 239.4
237.8
240.7
245.0
245.3
Crude materials less agricultural products ....................
Crude materials less e n e rg y....................................
545.8
254.0
551.3
259.7
550.6
261.8
549.1
258.0
551.4
250.4
543.4
243.2
540.7
235.8
543.5
231.6
546.1
239.1
543.9
243,4
538.2
242.8
532.2
247.3
531.7
252.5
529.4
248.6
SPECIAL GROUPINGS
’ Data for February 1982 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections
by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
r=revised.
89
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
24.
Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
A nnual
Code
C o m m o d ity g r o u p a n d s u b g r o u p
A ll c o m m o d itie s
..................................................................
All c o m m o d itie s (1 9 5 7 -5 9 = 1 00 )
F a rm p ro d u c ts a n d p r o c e s s e d fo o d s a n d fe e d s
In d u s tria l c o m m o d itie s
1981
198 2
a v e rag e
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .1
M a r.
A p r.
293,4
311.3
294.8
312.8
296.2
314.3
296.4
314.5
295.7
313.7
296.1
314.2
295.5
313.5
295.8
313.8
298.3
316.5
r 298.6
'316.8
297.9
316.1
251.5
304.1
254.3
305.1
256.8
306.2
254.2
307.2
250.3
307.4
246.0
309.0
242.5
309.3
241.0
310.0
246.0
311.8
'248.4
'311.6
M ay
June
297.9
316.1
298.6
316.8
299.4
317.7
247.5
311.0
251.4
309.9
255.6
309.5
255.3
310.7
FA R M P R O D U C TS A N D PR O C E SS E D FO O DS
A N D FEEDS
01
01-1
01-2
01-3
01-4
01-5
01-6
01-7
01-8
01-9
Farm products ..................................................................
Fresh and dried fruits and vegetables ........................................
Grains................................................................
Livestock ......................................................................
Live poultry................................................................
Plant and animal fibers......................................................
Fluid milk ..............................................
Eggs........................................................................................
Hay, hayseeds, and oilseeds ................................................
Other farm products ..............................................................
254.9
267.0
248.4
248.0
201.2
242.0
287.4
187.1
274,1
274.3
260.7
263.3
257.1
263.0
210.0
259.6
285.0
174.6
285.3
242.7
263.3
265.6
257,4
266.5
215.3
251.3
284.3
185.1
290.0
250.2
257.9
258.1
242.7
262.0
210.3
232.5
285.0
180.7
284.3
263.9
251.1
252.8
227.0
257.3
196.7
206.5
287.3
193.2
267.2
268.9
243.1
248.8
227.6
244.5
185.7
211.7
294.3
193.8
230.4
263.3
237.4
254.0
226.5
231.1
175.0
198.5
288.2
209.7
221.1
273.1
234.6
280.5
213.6
225.0
171.4
188.4
286.7
195.5
218.8
280.2
242.2
289.2
225.2
236.8
186.8
198.2
287.6
187.0
218.4
280.1
247.1
'290.1
223.2
251.2
197.3
'193.5
285.8
200.6
217.6
273.7
244.6
256.4
220.9
255.6
197.7
199.7
282.5
204.0
213.7
273.0
250.6
266.7
226.0
267.6
186.2
207.4
280.3
192.1
222.8
274.2
256.1
270.7
228.2
282.9
192.7
214,1
278.8
164.3
224.3
273.9
252.7
263.8
225.7
277.5
207.2
203.1
278.9
159.3
219.3
271.8
02
02-1
02-2
02-3
02-4
02-5
02-6
02-7
02-8
02-9
Processed foods and feeds..............................................
Cereal and bakery products......................................................
Meats, poultry, and fish ............................................................
Dairy products..............................................................
Processed fruits and vegetables............................................
Sugar and confectionery ..............................................
Beverages and beverage materials..................................
Fats and o ils ....................................................
Miscellaneous processed foods ......................
Prepared animal feeds................................
248.7
255.5
246.2
245.7
261.1
276.8
247.5
227.5
250.1
230.3
249,9
256.4
248.6
245.2
262.5
274.8
248.1
227.3
251.5
234.3
252.2
258.3
257.1
245.1
265.9
266.0
249.0
234.8
252.2
232.2
251.2
257.7
254.4
245.3
267.3
267.3
249.4
229.5
252.1
228.9
248.9
258.5
253.3
245.5
270.0
246.8
249.1
224.3
253.0
222.9
246.6
256.9
246.6
246.8
271.7
246.7
250.0
223.4
249.9
218.1
244.3
256.5
240.0
246.9
270.5
244.1
251.4
221.5
250.1
214.7
243.6
255.1
236.1
247.2
271.8
247.6
251.9
219.1
250.1
217.2
247.1
256.6
243.7
247.7
273.2
256.8
253.9
216.6
251.0
217.4
'248.1
'253.3
'247.9
248.0
'276.3
'257.2
'255.1
'216.8
250.9
'214.9
248.1
254.2
249,7
248.0
275.7
255.0
255.7
214.1
249.6
212.0
250.8
253.8
257.1
248.4
274.5
256.4
256.6
218.6
249.5
216.1
254.4
253.9
267.1
248.5
273.4
265.8
256.7
222.2
248.0
217.4
255.8
253.3
271.1
248.7
275.4
269.5
256.5
222.0
248.6
216.4
03
03-1
03-2
03-3
03-4
03-81
03-82
Textile products and apparel ......................................
Synthetic fibers (12/75 = 100)..........
Processed yarns and threads (12/75 = 100) ........................
Gray fabrics (12/75 = 100)..............................
Finished fabrics (12/75 = 100) ........
Apparel....................................................
Textile housefurnishings....................................
199.6
156.7
137.8
146.7
125.2
185.5
228.2
200.1
157.9
139.3
147.4
125.6
186.2
223.9
201.3
159.7
140.3
148.2
126.0
187.2
227.1
202.4
161.2
142.0
149.0
126.8
187.8
228.8
202.9
161.0
142.3
149.1
126.8
188.0
232.2
204.0
162.7
144.4
148.0
126.7
189.9
233,0
203.6
161.6
140.3
147.4
126.5
190.8
233.4
203.4
161.5
139.6
147.2
125.6
191.0
233.6
205.0
162.9
139.2
148.2
126.8
192.7
237.6
'205.6
'163.2
'140.7
'147.3
' 127.1
'193.2
'240.8
205.0
163.8
140.8
147.1
125.7
191.7
246.2
204.7
162.1
140.4
145.8
125.5
192.2
246.5
205.1
164.3
141.0
145,5
125.4
192.7
246.4
204.5
163.8
139.4
145.8
124.0
193,0
244.4
04
04-2
04-3
04-4
Hides, skins, leather, and related products ............
Leather............................................
Footwear ................................................
Other leather and related products..............
261.5
319.5
241.2
243.5
261.6
321.0
241.5
244.3
261.1
319.0
2424
242.9
261.3
313.7
242.5
245.1
261.7
313.2
242.9
245.0
260.0
313.7
239.6
245.0
259.8
311.3
239.8
245.4
260.7
312.3
240.1
245.4
261.8
319.0
238.9
247.5
'261.6
'317.7
'238,6
'248.1
262.7
315.5
240.6
253.3
264,4
313.2
243.7
253.2
263.4
309.5
242.5
253.2
262.7
306.7
243.8
250.5
05
05-1
05-2
05-3
05-4
05-61
05-7
Fuels and related products and power ........
C oal......................................
Coke ..................................
Gas fuels2 ................................
Electric power..............................
Crude petroleum3 ............................
Petroleum products, refined4 ..............
694,4
497.3
456.5
939.8
366.8
803.6
805.8
707.6
491.7
469.7
954.6
366.6
815.9
828.1
704.9
505.5
469.7
9694
374.6
798.9
816.3
704,3
507.0
469.7
949.3
385.8
796.8
813.4
703.5
510.2
469.7
976.6
383.8
796.8
806,1
698.1
510.8
469.7
965.6
378.4
788.2
802.3
698.1
512.7
469.7
983.0
378.3
785.9
798.3
702.5
515.2
469,7
1,003.7
384.2
787.2
798.6
705.1
525.3
469.7
987,9
392.8
787.2
801.9
'697.8
' 529.9
' 469.7
'987.6
'392.9
'770.3
'789.7
690.1
527.0
468.1
993.8
404.1
745.0
770.5
671.2
532.5
468.1
996.6
406.7
718.0
733.4
06
06-1
06-21
06-22
06-3
06-4
06-5
06-6
06-7
Chemicals and allied products..............
Industrial chemicals5 ..............................
Prepared paint......................................
Paint materials ......................
Drugs and pharmaceuticals ..........................
Fats and oils, inedible ......................
Agricultural chemicals and chemical products
Plastic resins and materials ................
Other chemicals and allied products , . .
287.8
363.8
249.9
300.2
193.4
295.6
284.8
289.2
254.4
290.5
369.7
250.0
300.8
193.2
303.1
288.9
290.0
256.3
291.3
370.4
250.7
304.5
195.5
290.9
288.9
295.9
254.8
293.3
371,5
250.7
308.5
195.0
305.6
2934
297.5
257.3
293.3
371.8
250.7
308.0
197.8
285.6
292.6
296.8
257.4
292.4
367.9
250.7
308.1
198.5
277.7
293.1
299.5
256.9
292.0
363.7
254.5
308,3
198.2
282.5
295.7
293.2
259.9
291.8
362.8
256.4
305.8
198.9
280.4
294.9
294.2
260.0
292.9
362.9
258.9
306.6
202.2
272.8
296.8
286.1
263.8
'293.6
'362.2
'258.9
' 306.4
'204,4
274.2
'298.0
'287.3
'264.9
294.6
362.6
259.3
306.8
204.8
290.1
297.0
286.8
267.7
294.5
359.6
259.3
306.8
208.6
282.6
296.3
286.1
269.0
296.2
358.1
265.1
306.2
209.4
288.4
294.9
285.4
275.9
293.5
352.9
265.1
304.2
209.6
287.5
294.0
281.9
273.0
07
07-1
07-11
07-12
07-13
07-2
Rubber and plastic products ....................
Rubber and rubber products .. .
Crude rubber ..........................
Tires and tubes..............................
Miscellaneous rubber products........
Plastic products (6/78 = 100) . . . .
232.8
256.7
281.7
250.9
252.4
128.4
233.4
256.8
285.2
251.2
250,9
129.1
232.1
254.7
284.2
246.8
251 4
128.7
234.1
256.9
284.7
249.9
253.1
129.8
235.7
260.3
283.1
256.5
253.9
129.9
237.3
262.9
279.8
257.1
261.1
130.3
238.0
264.4
279.0
255.9
266.7
130.3
238.3
264.6
280.8
255.4
267.2
130.6
237.3
262.5
281.8
253.6
263.8
130,5
'239.3
' 266.0
282.1
'256.7
' 268.8
' 131.0
241.8
269.3
282.8
256.3
278.1
132.0
241.9
268.7
283.2
254.4
278.8
132.4
242.9
271.2
283.6
255.0
284.6
132.3
243.3
271.5
282.4
255.3
285.4
132.6
08
08-1
08-2
08-3
08-4
Lumber and wood products....................
Lumber....................
Millwork ........................
Plywood..............
Other wood products....................
2928
325.2
273.4
245.7
239.2
298.1
335.8
272.2
251.5
239.8
296.5
332.4
273.6
247.8
240.7
294.5
329.9
272.3
245,6
239.8
289.3
320.2
271.4
240.8
240.5
284.3
311.7
271.3
234.3
239.9
282.1
306.6
271.8
233.5
239.3
285.4
309.9
273.7
239.7
239.4
285.5
310.0
277,1
237.4
238.2
' 285.2
' 308.1
'278.6
'235.1
'238.7
285.4
308.1
276.4
237.1
239.6
286.1
311,5
276.4
234.1
237.7
283.9
309.2
275.8
230.6
237.3
288.7
315.2
280.1
238.9
237.1
IN D U S T R IA L C O M M O D IT IE S
See footnotes at end of table.
90
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
661.9
677.4
534.4
534.1
462.7
468.2
1,003.4 1,029.7
405.5
406.6
718,2
718.5
712.7
738.5
24.
Continued — Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
C o m m o d ity g r o u p a n d s u b g r o u p
IN D U S T R IA L C O M M O D IT IE S -
1982
1981
Annual
Code
a v e rag e
1980
June
Ju ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .1
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
273.7
271.0
398.1
175.7
280.0
258.2
259.0
231.3
272.9
271.2
394.2
182.9
278.5
259.2
259.9
237.4
274.9
272.3
394.2
182.1
279.7
259.4
261.2
235.5
275.9
273.7
394.2
182.1
282.1
260.6
262.4
234.2
277.8
274.8
394.2
178.5
285.9
261.6
262.8
234.2
279.2
275.7
402.3
165.1
287 8
261.7
263.2
233.3
280.4
275.8
413.7
144.5
287.4
261.6
263.1
232.1
281.0
275.6
413.7
143.4
287.2
260.0
263.2
230.3
285.5
276.1
410.3
135.2
289.2
259.7
263.9
233.8
r 286.3
r 276.8
r 410.3
128.8
r 289.8
261.4
r 264.7
'231.4
286.3
277.3
414.1
129.2
289.5
261.1
265.5
237.5
287.9
276.4
392.3
128.1
291.7
261.2
265.0
235.5
289.1
275.4
398.2
121.5
288.8
258.8
264.7
239.5
289.3
274,6
390.3
115.2
288.2
255.9
265.0
239.4
298.4
330.1
332.2
284.5
314.1
259.7
268.9
223.5
295.0
269.4
302.0
338.8
344.9
282.8
315.2
263.8
270.9
226.4
297.9
272.0
304.1
339.9
344.9
287.3
318.7
265.3
271.2
227.9
299.3
272.9
304.9
339.8
345.3
289.4
318.8
267.8
271.6
228.5
300.0
273.7
305.3
341.3
348.7
285.4
318.2
269.5
272.9
229.0
302.6
276.1
304.2
340.0
348.6
281.1
318.1
271.5
273.1
228.8
303.2
278.0
303.3
339.9
348.9
277.1
316.8
272.0
274.0
229.9
303.0
278.3
304.7
343.1
350.6
274 4
324.3
274.1
274.6
233.4
303.4
281.2
'304.2
' 342.9
' 350.3
'273.6
'326.2
r 274.8
'276.4
'233.1
'304.0
'278.7
303.6
342.4
350.5
267.6
326.1
275.7
278.9
233.5
304.5
284.6
303.8
342.6
352.2
266.1
329.7
276.2
280.3
235.8
305.0
285.3
303.4
341.2
352.1
263.5
330.1
276.7
281.0
237.3
304.8
290.0
300.1
338.3
349.9
253 7
330.2
277:9
282.5
238.6
305.2
289.5
C o n tin u e d
09
09-1
09-11
09-12
09 13
09-14
09-15
09-2
Pulp, paper, and allied products....................................................
Pulp, paper, and products, excluding building paper and board . .
10
10-1
10-13
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10-6
10-7
10-8
Metals and metal products ..........................................................
Plumbing fixtures and brass fittings............................................
Heating equipment....................................................................
Fabricated structural metal products..........................................
Miscellaneous metal products....................................................
300.4
333.8
337.6
286.0
315.9
262.4
267.4
223.9
295.4
270.8
11
11-1
11-2
11-3
11-4
11-6
11-7
11-9
Machinery and equipment............................................................
Agricultural machinery and equipment........................................
Construction machinery and equipment......................................
Metalworking machinery and equipment ....................................
General purpose machinery and equipment................................
Special industry machinery and equipment ................................
Electrical machinery and equipment ..........................................
Miscellaneous machinery..........................................................
263.1
287.7
320.8
301.2
2885
308.0
220.1
252.3
262.1
286.8
320.1
301.3
287.0
308.8
219.2
250.1
264.8
288.1
323.8
302.9
290.6
311.0
221.1
254.0
266.2
290.3
325.0
303.5
292.3
310.3
222.8
256.0
268.1
292.8
326.5
305.3
2939
312.8
224.2
258.5
269.3
295.5
328.3
306.6
295.1
314.6
225.3
259.0
270.4
300.8
329.6
307.9
296.2
315.0
226,0
259.8
272.0
302.8
332.0
312.9
297.9
316.4
227.0
260.4
274.1
303.1
337.0
315.9
300.0
320.4
228.7
261.4
'275.4
'304.6
'337.9
'317.2
'301.3
' 320.7
' 229 5
'264.0
275.7
304.6
337.4
317.0
301.5
320.6
230.5
264.1
277.3
306.1
341.4
318.7
302.9
323.1
231.6
265.4
278.1
307.0
343.4
320.3
303.3
324.1
231.7
267.2
278.4
308.8
343.7
320.8
303 1
324.7
231.9
268.0
12
12-1
12-2
12-3
12-4
12-5
12-6
Furniture and household durables ................................................
Household furniture..................................................................
Commercial furniture................................................................
Floor coverings ........................................................................
Household appliances ..............................................................
Home electronic equipment ......................................................
Other household durable goods ................................................
198.4
219.4
257.6
178.6
186.9
89.1
280.8
197.3
218.6
257.9
180.7
186.1
86.7
276.4
199.5
220.0
258.7
182.8
188.8
87.4
282.1
199.6
220.7
259.1
181.9
189.1
87.6
280.9
201.0
222.2
261.6
181.7
190.1
87.8
285.8
201.3
222.8
262.1
180.9
190.8
88.1
285.8
202.1
225.1
263.3
182.3
190.9
88.0
285.3
202.9
226.6
263.9
181,4
191.3
89.6
286.2
203.5
2275
266.7
180.3
1934
89.3
283.4
'204.6
'227.4
'271.2
' 180.6
' 195.3
' 89.6
'283.7
204.7
228.5
273.9
179.8
195.9
86.8
284.3
205.6
230.6
274.5
180.3
196.3
88.2
283.5
206.1
230.9
275.5
180.5
197.8
88.1
283.1
206.6
231.1
276.2
180.7
198.5
88 2
284.6
13
13-11
13-2
13-3
13-4
13 5
13 6
13-7
13-8
13-9
Nonmetallic mineral products........................................................
Flat glass .................................................................................
Concrete ingredients ................................................................
Concrete products....................................................................
Structural clay products, excluding refractories ..........................
Refractories ............................................................................
313.6
210.3
297.5
293.5
250.7
307,1
428.5
260.7
335.3
476.8
314.3
218.3
297.7
293.4
250.9
307.1
421.9
259.7
335.5
476.2
314.1
218.3
298.0
293.4
250.9
307.1
420.9
255.3
335.5
475.3
313.2
218.3
298.5
292.9
255.3
307.1
401.6
252.9
335.5
474.3
313.3
218.5
298.4
293.3
256.2
307.8
402.9
252.4
335.5
473.3
313.7
218.5
298.5
293.4
256.5
308.9
410.2
251.3
335.5
473.5
313.5
216.1
298.7
293.6
257.5
311.3
405.6
249.7
335.5
474.7
315.6
216.2
306.2
295.5
257.5
316.8
401.3
250.4
335.4
474.7
'319.0
'216.2
' 308.4
'295.9
'257.7
'335.1
'400.4
255.0
'352.2
'478.7
319.7
216.2
309.5
296.0
257.4
338.4
392.8
260.7
355.2
480.1
320.0
216.2
309.2
297.3
260.7
339.7
385.2
262.8
357.4
478.8
319.1
216.2
310.7
297.1
258.1
318.7
216.2
310.9
297.9
258.4
Gypsum products ....................................................................
Glass containers ......................................................................
Other nonmetallic minerals........................................................
309.5
212.9
296.3
291.2
249.7
302.5
407.0
256.2
328.5
463.9
384.0
259.4
357.4
472.1
388.8
256.4
357.4
465.2
14
14-1
14-4
Transportation equipment (12/68 - 100)......................................
Motor vehicles and equipment ..................................................
Railroad equipment ..................................................................
235.4
237.5
338.2
234.3
236.7
331.4
235.0
237.4
338.1
235.9
238.4
338.7
231.8
232.8
338.7
244.5
247.8
338.7
246.3
248.9
341.3
246,8
249.5
340.1
248.6
250.8
345.8
'245.2
' 246.8
'345.8
244.9
246.4
352.8
245.6
246.6
353.9
247.2
248.7
349.6
249.6
¿51.5
349.6
15
15-1
15-2
15 3
15-4
15-5
15-9
Miscellaneous products................................................................
Toys, sporting goods, small arms, ammunition............................
Tobacco products ....................................................................
265.6
212.2
268.3
259.6
210.1
<6)
346.9
266.3
211.2
268.7
268.0
212.5
(6)
346.9
263.2
213.2
268.8
267.5
211.4
158.1
333.1
262.6
212.7
268.8
267.7
207.1
158.3
334.6
267.0
213.6
274.5
267.8
208.7
158.7
345.5
268.5
213.0
278.2
269.7
208.9
159.1
348.5
269.5
212.7
278.2
269.7
209.0
159.3
344.8
267.6
213.3
278.2
269.7
209.1
159.3
344.6
268.3
218.4
278.2
270.3
209.9
159.5
342.2
'273.5
'220.1
'306.6
'270.4
'210.5
159.6
'341.1
272.9
221.6
306.4
271.8
212.5
161.6
334.3
273.3
221.9
306.5
271.8
214.6
162.0
333.5
272.3
222.7
306.7
280.3
210.9
162.1
330.8
271.6
222.9
306.7
280.3
210.8
162.5
328.0
Wastepaper ............................................................................
Paperboard ..............................................................................
Converted paper and paperboard products................................
Building paper and board..........................................................
Steel mill products....................................................................
Nonferrous metals....................................................................
Metal containers ......................................................................
Photographic equipment and supplies ........................................
Mobile homes (12/74 - 100)....................................................
Other miscellaneous products ..................................................
1Data for February 1982 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections
by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
2 Prices for natural gas are lagged 1 month.
3 Includes only domestic production.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4 Most prices for refined petroleum products are lagged 1 month,
5 Some prices for industrial chemicals are lagged 1 month.
6 Not available.
r=revised.
91
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
25.
Producer Price Indexes, for special commodity groupings
[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
Annual
C o m m o d i t y g r o u p in g
1981
198 2
a v e ra g e
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .'
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
295.7
251.9
252.2
298.0
255.2
256.0
265.0
136.8
135.8
204.7
298.7
253.7
255.0
266.1
137.2
135.3
204.7
298.5
251.7
252.8
266.4
138.1
135.5
204.7
299.5
249.1
250.0
268.7
138.2
136.5
204.7
299.4
247.4
247.6
269.0
138.4
136.5
205.7
300.0
247.6
246.5
269.4
137.9
136.7
206.3
302.0
251.6
250.5
271.1
139.3
136.9
213.9
'301.9
'253.2
'251.9
'271.5
' 139.7
' 136.9
'215.6
301.4
251.5
252.1
271.6
139.0
137.5
216.4
300.9
254.4
254.9
272.2
138.9
138.1
216.4
301.1
257.9
259.0
272.8
138.9
138.5
216.3
302.3
259.0
260.9
272.5
138.1
138.5
217.8
Industrial commodities less fu e ls......................................
Selected textile mill products (Dec. 1975 = 100 )...........
Hosiery ............................................
Underwear and nightwear ............................................
Chemicals and allied products, including synthetic rubber
and fibers and yarns.................................................
Pharmaceutical preparations ..........................................
Lumber and wood products, excluding m illw o rk.............
Special metals and metal products.................................
Fabricated metal products...............................
Copper and copper products ..........................................
Machinery and motive products ...............................
135.9
134.3
203.5
296.7
252.2
253.1
263.5
135.9
135.7
203.5
278.6
186.8
303.1
279.4
2800
204.0
256.7
281.2
186,6
312.2
277.9
279.0
203.7
255.6
282.3
189.0
308.7
280.2
281.7
202.5
257.4
284.0
188.4
3062
281.9
283.1
206.2
258.6
284.4
191.6
298.0
280.1
283.9
205.1
257.7
283.8
192.8
290.1
286.7
286.0
201.9
264.3
283.2
192.5
2864
286.8
287.0
198.9
265.8
283.1
193.3
290.7
286.6
287.1
195.4
266.9
284.3
196.8
289.9
287.9
289.4
194.5
268.9
'285.1
' 199.3
'287.9
'286.0
'289.0
194.1
' 268.1
285.8
200.0
288.6
285.5
291.5
191.0
268.2
285.7
204.4
289.9
285.7
292.5
190.5
269.3
287.3
205.3
287.2
286.4
294.3
191.6
270.5
284.8
205.3
294.0
285.8
294.6
180.0
271.8
Machinery and equipment, except electrical....................
Agricultural machinery, including tractors......................
Metalworking machinery ...........................
Numerically controlled machine tools (Dec. 1971 = 100)
Total tractors ...................................................
Agricultural machinery and equipment less p a r ts ...........
Farm and garden tractors less p a rts ...............................
Agricultural machinery, excluding tractors less parts . . .
Industrial valves ............................................
Industrial fittings ............................................
Construction materials.................................
2883
296.2
329.4
239.4
324.0
289.0
298.9
294.4
314.8
302.1
283.0
287.3
294.8
328.3
241.4
322.5
287.9
298.0
292.5
315.3
303.0
285.0
290.4
295.6
330.1
241.7
325.5
288.6
298.0
293.9
317.5
303.0
285.7
291.7
298.2
331.4
241.8
327.8
291.1
301.4
295.8
319.8
303.0
285.5
293.8
301.6
333.9
241.8
330.7
294.0
305.5
298.7
322.7
304.3
284.4
295.0
305.7
336.7
241.8
338.3
297.6
313.0
299.9
322.4
304.1
284.6
296.4
312.5
338.3
242.2
342.2
303.5
319.6
303.5
323.4
304.1
284.1
298.4
314.7
341.2
242.0
342.3
305.8
319.7
310.9
325.3
304.1
285.2
300.7
315.1
343.8
240.1
346.9
306.5
319.7
311.6
328.6
304.1
286.6
'302.3
'316.0
'344.9
'239.8
'346.9
'307.4
'319.7
'313.2
'330.2
304.1
286.9
302.2
315.5
346.4
240.3
346.4
307.3
318.8
307.3
327.1
304.1
287.4
304.1
317.7
348.8
240.2
351.7
309.2
322.3
314.3
327.7
309.1
288.1
305.2
318.2
349.4
240.3
352.4
309.6
322.9
314.7
327.9
309.1
287.9
305.7
319.8
350.3
240.3
353.2
311.0
324.3
316,5
327.2
309.1
289.1
June
A ll c o m m o d i t i e s
le s s fa r m p r o d u c ts
A ll f o o d s
P ro c e s s e d fo o d s
1Data for February 1982 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections
by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
26.
r=revised,
Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product
[1967 = 100]
A nnual
C o m m o d i t y g r o u p in g
1981
1982
a v e rag e
June
1981
Ju ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .1
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
Total durable goods ......................................
Total nondurable g o o d s.............................
269.8
312.4
269.1
315.7
270.8
316.8
271.9
316.2
271.8
315.0
275.0
312.8
275.4
311.4
276.0
311.4
277.6
314.7
'277.4
'315,4
277.3
314.2
278.1
313.5
278,4
314.5
278.4
316.0
Total manufactures........................
Durable ..............................................
Nondurable........................
285.9
269.6
303.6
286.9
268.9
306.4
288.0
270.6
306.9
288.6
271.7
306.9
288,3
271.7
306.3
289.8
275.1
305,5
289.7
275.8
304.5
289.9
276.5
304.3
291.9
278.0
306.8
'292.0
'277.8
307.2
291.9
277.8
305.8
290,9
278.7
303.9
291.3
279.1
304.1
292.4
279.4
306.2
Total raw or slightly processed goods . . .
Durable ...............................
Nondurable.................................
330.7
271.4
334.0
335.4
272.4
338.9
337.9
271.2
341.8
335.8
275.9
339.1
332.7
270.4
336.3
326.4
263,7
330.0
323.3
253.4
327.4
323.6
247.8
328.2
328.9
253.8
333.4
330.6
'253.7
'335.2
329.9
250.7
334.7
332.2
245.9
337.5
334.9
239.4
340.8
333.6
225.2
340,6
' Data for February 1982 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections
by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
27.
r=revised,
Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
1972
S IC
A nnual
1981
In d u s try d e s c r ip tio n
code
198 2
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .1
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
167.3
346.0
493.9
898.8
277.3
138.7
168.1
352.0
488.4
713.7
278.4
137.1
168.1
358.3
502.1
911.5
278.4
137.1
168.1
365.4
503.4
900.3
278.2
137.1
168.1
364.5
506.0
913.6
279.2
137.1
168,1
354.1
506.2
900.8
279.7
143.4
171.3
354.1
507.8
907.5
279.8
143.4
171.3
343.7
510.3
921.7
280.7
143.4
171.3
347.9
520.9
919.7
287.4
149.6
171.3
313.7
'525.8
'913.9
' 289 9
149.6
171.3
325.0
521.9
904.7
292.7
149.6
171.3
327.0
527.2
894.9
2922
151.7
177.1
308.3
529.4
902.0
294,4
151.7
177.1
307.5
529.8
915.1
295.2
151.7
243.1
241.3
192.0
274.8
245.9
238.1
198.3
273.5
252.6
246.0
203,6
273.8
250.9
254.0
201.2
273.7
252.7
253.9
188.8
275.0
244.1
252.2
175.5
279.2
237.0
248.9
172.8
279.5
234.1
247.0
166.7
275.0
237.6
245.6
<2)
275.0
'244.4
'251.0
(2)
276.4
247.0
248.2
(2)
276.8
2533
253.4
(2)
275.3
264.3
265.9
(2)
274.9
265.7
273.7
( 2)
274.9
M IN IN G
1011
1092
1211
1311
1442
1455
Iron ores (12/75 = 100)..............................
Mercury ores (12/75 = 100) ............................
Bituminous coal and lignite ..............................
Crude petroleum and natural gas ............
Construction sand and gravel ..................
Kaolin and ball clay (6/76 = 100)......................
2011
2013
2016
2021
Meatpacking plants ..................
Sausages and other prepared meats..............
Poultry dressing plants............................
Creamery butter....................................
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis
92
27.
Continued ^ P ro d u ce r Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
In d u s tr y d e s c r ip tio n
S IC
code
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
L>
1982
1981
Annual
1972
a v e rs e
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .1
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
C o n tin u e d
2022
2024
2033
2034
2041
2044
2048
2061
2063
2067
Cheese, natural and processed (12/72 - 100)..............
Ice cream and frozen desserts (12/72 - 100) ..............
Canned fruits and vegetables........................................
Dehydrated food products (12/73 - 100)......................
Flour mills (12/71 - 100) ............................................
Rice milling..................................................................
Prepared foods, n.e.c. (12/75 - 100)............................
Raw cane sugar ..........................................................
Beet sugar ..................................................................
Chewing gum ..............................................................
215.8
211.9
248.5
177.6
195.9
277.2
124.6
273.5
320.6
309.8
216.1
212.4
248.9
175.0
199.3
300.3
127.5
263.3
339.7
303.1
213.8
212.7
251.6
180.5
196.5
297.4
125.9
272.2
274.1
303.1
214.5
212.7
252.9
178.7
191.0
284.3
124.8
254.6
287.5
303.2
215,0
212.7
254.3
183.4
195.3
268.2
119.6
212.3
270.7
303.2
215.4
212.5
257.0
182.1
191.1
247.3
117.3
219.9
250.3
303.2
215.9
212.5
256.4
181.4
191.5
235.4
116.4
224.3
230.4
303.2
218.4
212.7
258.9
182.1
189.2
215.1
116.0
230.8
250.5
303.2
218.6
212.8
260.8
184.0
191.5
205.9
116.0
247.6
266.4
303.3
217.9
212.8
r 262.6
181.8
r 187.5
192.2
'115.9
245.1
'272.2
303.3
216.8
210.9
262.7
181.5
187.3
183.5
114.8
233.0
272.4
303.4
216.6
214.2
261.5
181.5
192.5
177.9
115.4
242.9
272.6
303.4
217.1
214.2
262.3
178.5
188.4
183.0
116.7
269.2
280.2
303.4
217.9
214.2
264.6
178.5
189.1
180.3
115.7
286.7
280.2
303.4
2074
2075
2077
2083
2085
2091
2092
2095
2098
2111
Cottonseed oil m ills......................................................
Soybean oil m ills..........................................................
Animal and marine fats and oils ....................................
Malt ............................................................................
Distilled liquor, except brandy (12/75 - 100) ................
Canned and cured seafoods (12/73 - 100) ..................
Fresh or frozen packaged fish ......................................
Roasted coffee (12/72 - 100)......................................
Macaroni and spaghetti ................................................
Cigarettes....................................................................
199.0
245.8
288.1
282.5
134.7
187.8
369.6
238.0
252.0
277.7
212.3
248.4
291.3
286.1
134.6
187.5
375.5
238.6
246.6
278.3
212.0
253.7
288.8
286.1
134.6
187.4
367.6
236.4
259.5
278.3
206.0
245.8
294.1
286.1
135.5
188.4
347.1
235.7
259.5
278.3
182.3
234.2
281.2
275.4
135.5
188.8
353.5
237.3
259.5
284.2
172.0
229.7
274.0
275.4
135.5
188.2
356.9
238.2
259.5
288.4
167.2
221.2
272.3
275.4
137.9
188.3
360.8
239.2
259.5
288.4
182.4
221.9
266.6
275.4
137.9
188.5
369.5
240.4
259.5
288.4
184.9
223.1
260.4
267.1
140.1
187.2
396.8
245.1
259.5
288.4
'170.5
'220.4
262.6
267.1
137.9
187.0
'389.2
'247.7
259.5
319.7
158.2
217.8
271.8
267.1
140.2
187.7
420.7
248.7
259.5
319.7
164.6
225.0
273.3
259.1
140.2
188.2
433.8
250.7
259.5
319.7
167.9
232.0
271.5
259.8
139.8
188.0
427.5
247.9
259.5
319.8
170.2
226.4
272.3
259.8
139.8
188.4
442.8
247.6
259.5
319.8
2121
2131
2211
2221
2251
2254
2257
2261
2262
Cigars ........................................................................
Chewing and smoking tobacco......................................
Weaving mills, cotton (12/72 - 100) ............................
Weaving mills, synthetic (12/77 - 100) ........................
Women’s hosiery, except socks (12/75 - 100)..............
Knit underwear mills ....................................................
Circular knit fabric mills (6/76 - 100)............................
Finishing plants, cotton (6/76 - 100) ............................
Finishing plants, synthetics, silk (6/76 - 100) ................
169.1
320.9
234.1
136.6
113.5
210.2
110.8
144.9
126.5
168.5
320.8
234.3
137.1
115.6
210.0
110.4
146.2
126.6
169.7
321.0
234.7
138.0
115.5
210.7
111.0
146.3
127.1
169.7
321.3
237.4
139.3
115.0
210.8
112.0
146.2
127.8
174.5
325.3
236.0
139.5
115.0
210.9
111.9
145.4
129.0
174.5
326.1
233.2
139.4
115.2
210.9
112.0
144.9
129.1
174.5
326.1
229.8
139.8
115.1
212.8
112.4
143.5
129.1
174.5
326.1
227.6
139.5
115.2
213.0
111.8
141.4
128.6
174.5
326.1
227.3
139.8
115.6
225.2
112.4
140.5
129.4
'178.6
349.4
'227.1
'139.7
115.6
'225.2
'113.2
140.3
' 129.9
175.6
349.4
226.5
139.9
116.2
235.5
110.6
140.8
128.3
176.8
349.4
226.1
139.2
116.3
235.6
110.1
141.6
128.1
176.6
353.6
227.7
138.9
117.0
226.0
109.7
141.4
128.2
176.6
353.6
226.0
138.0
117.0
228.7
108.2
141.3
127.2
2272
2281
2282
2284
2298
2311
2321
2322
2323
2327
Tufted carpets and rugs................................................
Yarn mills, except wool (12/71 - 100) ..........................
Throwing and winding mills (6/76 - 100) ......................
Thread mills (6/76 - 100)............................................
Cordage and twine (12/77 - 100)................................
Men’s and boys' suits and coats....................................
Men’s and boys' shirts and nightwear ............................
Men’s and boys’ underwear..........................................
Men's and boys’ neckwear (12/75 - 100) ....................
Men's and boys’ separate trousers................................
154.3
221.8
138.6
151.4
134.8
223.9
208.8
230.6
114.6
186.1
155.6
225.8
139.3
151.1
134.3
224.6
207.5
230.7
115.4
186.1
158.3
225.1
142.7
151.1
134.3
225.9
210.5
230.8
113.9
186.4
157.4
225.4
146,8
151.1
134.3
226.2
210.6
230.8
113.9
186.4
157.3
223.8
148.0
154.8
139.3
226.5
211.5
230.8
113.9
186.4
155.7
222.4
154.5
157.0
139.3
227.4
212.4
230.8
113.9
186.8
157.0
219.9
145.6
157.0
139.3
228.4
212.6
233.0
113.9
186.9
156.7
217.2
146.0
156.8
140.7
230.5
213.4
233.0
113.9
187.1
155.5
216.3
145.7
156.8
141.0
233.7
173.4
246,9
115.3
188.4
'155.7
'215.7
'150.3
156.8
141.0
'233.6
'215.9
246.9
117.3
' 188.4
155.7
215.6
150.8
156.8
141.0
233.9
192.7
247.4
117.3
188.2
156.1
214.6
150.9
156.7
141.0
234.3
193.1
247.4
117.3
193.0
156.4
214.9
152.6
156.6
141.0
234.6
173.6
247.4
117.3
194.9
156.9
214.0
149.3
156.5
141.0
235.3
215.7
251.2
121.3
195.0
2328
2331
2335
2341
2342
2361
2381
2394
2396
2421
Men’s and boys' work clothing ......................................
Women’s and misses’ blouses and waists (6/78 = 100) .
Women's and misses’ dresses (12/77 - 100)................
Women’s and children's underwear (12/72 - 100) ........
Brassieres and allied garments (12/75 = 100) ..............
Children’s dresses and blouses (12/77 = 100)..............
Fabric dress and work gloves........................................
Canvas and related products (12/77 - 100)..................
Automotive and apparel trimmings (12/77 - 100)..........
Sawmills and planing mills (12/71 - 100)......................
248.4
119.8
121.1
169.9
136.8
120.3
289.3
132.1
131.0
228.2
248.3
118.5
122.5
170.5
136.9
120.5
292.1
130.1
131.0
234.8
250.8
121.0
123.0
170.6
138.8
121.6
289.2
130.1
131.0
233.5
251.1
121.2
124.3
170.6
138.8
121.7
289.2
133.1
131.0
231.2
251.2
121.3
123.5
170.6
138.8
121.7
289.2
134.6
131.0
225.2
253.1
126.4
123.4
170.6
138.8
122.0
289.2
137.6
131.0
219.5
253.2
126.7
124.1
171.6
138.9
122.5
289.2
137.6
131.0
216.5
253.3
126.7
122.7
171.6
140.1
123.2
289.2
139.7
131.0
218.6
252.5
126.5
123.0
174.7
145.1
123.2
293.8
144.9
131.0
218.0
'254.2
'126.5
'123.0
' 174.8
'148.8
'123.2
297.4
' 144.9
131.0
'216.9
252.9
123.9
123.6
175.7
149.2
122.0
295.5
147.8
131.0
217.1
253.8
123.8
122.9
175.7
149.2
121.0
295.5
146.3
131.0
218.4
253.7
123.7
122.9
177.2
148.5
121.0
295.5
146.5
131.0
216.8
254.1
123.7
123.1
179.4
148.5
121.0
294.5
143.8
131.0
219.7
2436
2439
2448
2451
2492
2511
2512
2515
2521
2611
Softwood veneer and plywood (12/75 - 100)................
Structural wood members, n.e.c. (12/75 - 100) ............
Wood pallets and skids (12/75 - 100)..........................
Mobile homes (12/74 - 100)........................................
Particleboard (12/75 - 100) ........................................
Wood household furniture (12/71 -1 0 0 ) ......................
Upholstered household furniture (12/71 = 100)..............
Mattresses and bedsprings............................................
Wood office furniture ....................................................
Pulp mills (12/73 - 100)..............................................
142.0
156.6
152.5
156.8
172.8
197.4
174.9
193.7
254.6
253.2
148.1
158.2
153.0
156.1
182.3
197.5
173.9
190.5
254.6
251.3
143.8
157.6
153.1
158.1
179.6
198.6
175.1
191.3
254.7
251.3
139.6
156.9
152.9
158.3
173.6
199.2
175.1
194.6
254.7
251.3
135.4
156.6
152.8
158.7
170.5
200.1
175.3
195.2
257.1
251.3
129.3
154.8
152.0
159.2
168.0
201.0
175.6
195.2
257.1
255.0
129.0
154.2
150.4
159.3
166.9
202.0
179.5
197.5
257.0
262.5
134.5
153.2
149.9
160.3
170.3
202.8
182.1
198.0
257.6
262.5
132.5
153.9
149.8
160.4
172.6
203.6
184.4
204.4
261.9
258.6
'130.5
'153.5
'149.0
'160.5
'170.7
'204.3
'179.3
'205.6
'270.7
'258.6
132.3
152.3
148.1
162.7
173.4
204.8
182.0
210.0
271.9
262.9
129.2
152.9
145.8
162.9
176.8
2070
184.6
210.1
271.9
255.8
126.0
151.5
144.6
163.1
176.7
207.3
185.1
210.3
271.9
254.8
133.3
152.9
144.2
163.4
176.9
207.6
185.1
210.3
271.9
246.5
2621
2631
2647
2654
2655
2812
2821
2822
2824
2873
Paper mills, except building (12/74 - 100)....................
Paperboard mills (12/74 - 100) ..................................
Sanitary paper products................................................
Sanitary food containers ..............................................
Fiber cans, drums, and similar products (12/75 = 100) ..
Alkalies and chlorine (12/73 - 100)..............................
Plastics materials and resins (6/76 - 100)....................
Synthetic rubber ..........................................................
Organic fiber, noncellulosic............................................
Nitrogenous fertilizers (12/75 - 100) ............................
156.3
151.8
343.8
245.3
163.0
305.3
150.8
292.9
155.7
142.7
155.7
152.3
344.4
242.2
160.9
309.3
150.7
296.3
156,8
143.4
157.0
151.7
344.2
246.0
163.2
306.2
155.0
297.3
159.2
143.5
157.4
152.4
344.3
252.9
163.2
310.4
155.6
299.4
160.3
143.9
158,8
153.7
344.3
253.2
163.2
316.0
156.0
2993
160.6
142.1
159.8
153.6
344.0
253.4
167.6
317,7
156.3
301.0
164.2
142.9
159.7
153.5
344.1
253.3
167.6
317.0
153.7
301.4
162.5
144.2
159.6
152.7
344.6
253.3
170.0
324.8
154.3
302.7
161.9
142.9
162.0
152.5
344.6
254.0
176.4
329.4
150.7
303,9
161.8
142.4
162.0
' 153.4
' 344.6
'256.9
176.5
'335.2
'152.6
'306.1
'162.9
'142.6
161.9
153.2
345.6
261.4
176.5
335.0
151.7
305.6
162.4
142.2
161.8
153.0
345.5
261.4
176.5
322.1
151.2
306.6
161.7
142.7
160.5
151.5
344.7
261.4
176.7
338.2
151.9
307.1
161.7
141.1
160.8
150.0
347.3
261.4
176 7
338.2
150.7
303.8
161.3
139.5
2874
2875
2892
2911
2951
2952
3011
Phosphatic fertilizers ....................................................
Fertilizers, mixing only ..................................................
Explosives ..................................................................
Petroleum refining (6/76 = 100) ..................................
Paving mixtures and blocks (12/75 = 100)....................
Asphalt felts and coatings (12/75 - 100) ......................
Tires and inner tubes (12/73 - 100) ............................
254.1
270.2
312.0
294.4
194.3
176.7
215.9
250.9
273.1
312.6
302.6
198.4
185.7
216.2
249.4
275.3
315.7
299.1
197.1
182.8
213.1
260.0
2730
319.8
297.5
196.3
182.3
215.5
259.4
272.0
316.5
295.8
196.0
174.3
220.6
259.4
273.8
318.7
294.6
196.3
174.9
221.0
258.5
273.7
316.5
293.3
196.4
178.1
220.1
259.0
270.5
315.6
293.1
196.0
176.1
221.2
261.0
274.3
314.9
293.0
197.0
174.2
222.0
'263.5
'276.8
' 317.6
' 289 1
'198.0
'173.8
'222.4
261.7
278.1
316.3
281,9
198.8
170.5
2223
258.5
278.4
322.2
267.5
197.1
167.4
220.9
256.2
278.5
321.4
259.2
196.6
167.7
221.2
257.6
278.8
319.6
267.7
195.1
169.8
221.5
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
93
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
27.
Continued— Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries
[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
1972
A nnual
1981
1982
In d u s try d e s c r ip tio n
S IC
code
1981
June
J u ly
Aug.
S e p t.
O c t.
Nov.
Dec.
J an .
F e b .’
M a r.
A p r.
M ay
June
3021
3031
3079
3111
3143
3144
3171
3211
3221
Rubber and plastic footwear (12/71 = 100)....................................
Reclaimed rubber (12/73 =100) ....................................................
Miscellaneous plastic products (6/78 = 100) ..................................
Leather tanning and finishing (12/77 = 100)....................................
Men’s footwear, except athletic (12/75 = 100)................................
Women’s footwear, except athletic..................................................
Women’s handbags and purses (12/75 = 100) ..............................
Flat glass (12/71 = 100) ..............................................................
G ass containers............................................................................
184.4
193.4
128.8
150.6
169.1
217.8
155.5
175.6
328.4
184.1
187.7
129.6
150.7
169.6
218.5
158.4
174.6
335.2
185.0
192.9
129.2
151.3
170.7
218.9
158.4
180.0
335.4
185.4
200.3
130.2
148.5
171.4
217.8
158.4
180.0
335.4
185.3
200.3
130.3
148.3
170.9
218.2
158.4
180.0
335.4
185.0
200.3
130.8
148.2
170.5
212.5
158.4
180.1
335.4
185.0
200.3
130.8
146.8
170.6
212.7
158.4
180.1
335.4
185.2
200.3
131.0
147.5
171.3
212.4
158.4
177.4
335.4
186.1
200.3
131.1
150.8
173.1
208.5
158.4
177.5
335.3
r 188.4
r 200.4
'131.6
'149.3
'172.2
'209.8
158.4
'177.5
'352.1
189.1
204.9
132.5
148.2
173.6
211.6
158.4
177.5
355.1
189.0
206,9
132.9
147.5
174.9
215.6
158.4
177.5
357.3
186.7
207.2
132.7
147.3
175.1
213.4
158.4
177.5
357.3
187.0
208.4
132.9
146.9
175.2
215.2
158.4
177.5
357.3
3241
3251
3253
3255
3259
3261
3262
3263
3269
3271
Cement, hydraulic..........................................................................
Brick and structural clay tile ............................................................
Ceramic wall and floor tile (12/75 = 100) ......................................
Clay refractories............................................................................
Structural clay products, n.e.c...........................................................
Vitreous plumbing fixtures ..............................................................
Vitreous china food utensils............................................................
Fine earthenware food utensils........................................................
Pottery products, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100)............................................
Concrete block and brick................................................................
328.5
296.9
132.5
310.4
222.7
254.9
335.0
308.9
160.1
270.4
331.0
298.5
132.1
312.2
223.9
255.8
336.6
309.6
160.7
271.2
331.6
298.9
132.1
312.3
223.9
258.7
336.6
309.6
160.7
271.2
331.6
298.9
132.1
312.3
223.9
259.6
336.6
309.6
160.7
274.0
332.0
299.9
140.4
312.5
227.5
259.0
336.8
313.8
161.8
274.2
330.3
299.9
140.4
313.9
231.7
259.0
336.8
313.8
161.8
274.3
330.3
300.5
140.4
315.2
231.7
259.3
344.7
315.0
163.7
274.2
330.3
300.5
140.4
319.9
236.6
260.1
344.7
315.0
163.7
275.1
339.6
298.9
140.4
329.6
225.6
261.1
347.7
315.1
164.3
274.9
'341.5
'299.4
' 140.4
'354.4
'226.0
260.6
347.7
'315.1
'164.3
'276.4
338.3
291.8
136.8
357.5
196.8
260.7
347.3
314.4
164.1
276.3
337.9
295.9
137.1
357.0
202.4
261.9
336.2
312.8
161.4
276.4
338.6
305.8
138.0
357.2
216.4
265.4
345.2
314.1
163.6
276,6
338.7
306.4
138.0
357.1
216.5
265.5
349.8
314.8
164.8
277.0
3273
3274
3275
3291
3297
3312
3313
3316
3317
3321
Ready-mixed concrete....................................................................
Lime (12/75 = 100) ......................................................................
Gypsum products ..........................................................................
Abrasive products (12/71 =100) ..................................................
Nonclay refractories (12/74 = 100)................................................
Blast furnaces and steel mills ........................................................
Electrometallurgical products (12/75 = 100) ..................................
Cold finishing of steel shapes..........................................................
Steel pipes and tubes ....................................................................
Gray iron foundries (12/68 = 100)..................................................
298.7
172.5
257.3
232.5
185.3
342.8
121.8
316.2
341.5
299.5
301.7
173.0
260.9
234.1
189.7
338.2
120.7
309.5
336.3
298.4
300.7
173.1
261.8
235.0
189.7
350.1
121.2
325.0
348.2
298.8
300.0
173,9
258.9
235.1
189.7
350.0
121.5
325.7
350.6
299,9
299.2
173.7
252.9
237.3
189.7
350.3
121.4
326.2
350.5
302.0
299.5
173.7
251.5
237.6
189.7
353.1
125.4
326.4
362.0
303.3
299.4
173.5
252.5
241.0
190.2
353.0
125.4
326.4
362.3
305.2
299.6
173.8
250.6
241.0
190.3
353.3
125.3
326.7
363.0
306.1
301,9
178.8
250.9
241.3
191.2
354.7
125.3
327.0
363.7
307.9
'301.9
'183.7
253.9
'248.3
'198.3
'354.4
123.4
327.0
'364.1
'310.0
302.0
186.0
260.5
247.8
200.5
354.5
120.3
327.0
366.0
310.6
303.3
186.6
262.2
248.9
202.4
356.1
120.3
327.6
365.8
310.4
303.9
188.1
258.8
251.2
203.2
355.9
120.3
327.8
365.8
311.4
304.7
188.4
256.2
252.1
203.9
353.6
120.4
325.6
365.7
311.6
3333
3334
3351
3353
3354
3355
3411
3425
3431
3465
Primary zin c..................................................................................
Primary aluminum..........................................................................
Copper rolling and drawing ............................................................
Aluminum sheet, plate, and foil (12/75 = 100) ................................
Aluminum extruded products (12/75 = 100)....................................
Aluminum rolling, drawing, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100) ..............................
Metal cans....................................................................................
Hand saws and saw blades (12/72 = 100) ....................................
Metal sanitary ware................................................................
Automotive stampings (12/75 = 100) ............................................
326.5
333.5
212.4
175.9
180.1
159.1
305.3
201.3
265.0
146.4
335.1
332.5
210.6
176.1
180.8
157.3
304.7
200.2
265.2
145.2
335.4
334.2
209.4
177.3
181.2
157.2
305.5
204.1
269.2
146.2
353.8
334.4
212.9
177.4
181.3
157.2
306.7
204.2
269.7
146.4
355.9
333.6
214.1
178.0
181.2
157.7
306.8
204.6
270.2
146.9
337.0
333.5
212.3
179.9
181.3
163.0
307.0
204.8
270.3
147.4
337.5
332.5
209.2
180.2
181.4
166,2
306.0
205.0
271.6
149.7
315.7
332.8
207.1
180.8
181.1
166.1
304.9
206.0
271.8
149.1
308.6
324.1
204.8
181.8
180.8
166.1
310.8
211.6
271.3
150.1
'311.2
' 320.2
'203.9
'181.7
180.8
'166.5
'314.0
'214.8
'272.8
'144.7
298.6
320.7
199.6
181.4
180.5
165.9
315.1
214,3
273.8
152.6
2734
316.5
196.6
180,1
179.9
162.9
319.6
214.9
275,8
152.7
259.9
313.8
197.5
178.7
180.2
163.0
320.4
220.8
275,7
153,0
259.7
308.4
189.8
178.0
180.1
165.4
319.3
220.9
276.0
153.0
3482
3493
3494
3498
3519
3531
3532
3533
3534
3542
Small arms ammunition (12/75 = 100) ......................
Steel springs, except wire ........................................................
Valves and pipe fittings (12/71 = 100)......................................
Fabricated pipe and fittings ....................................................
Internal combustion engines, n.e.c...................................................
Construction machinery (12/76 = 100) ..................
Mining machinery (12/72 = 100)............................
Oilfield machinery and equipment........................................
Elevators and moving stairways........................................
Machine tools, metal forming types (12/71 = 100) ................
160.5
245.1
248.4
361.4
311.0
157.0
282.3
395.4
253.5
306.4
157.8
241.9
248.5
361.6
307.2
156.9
280.8
390.3
251.2
305.7
157.8
243.7
250.0
364.6
312.0
159.0
282.7
401.3
252.1
307.6
159.9
248.9
251,0
370.0
314.2
159.5
285.3
406.5
252.8
309.5
159.9
252.4
252.7
375.1
322.1
160.1
286.9
411.3
254.6
312.0
159.9
253.9
252.9
377.7
323.2
161.0
288.5
415.6
257.0
311.7
159.9
254.1
253.5
378.6
326.4
161.6
290.8
418.2
260.7
312.3
163.9
256.1
255.7
379.3
325.4
159.7
292.9
420.3
265.6
319.3
167.5
255.8
257.7
378.6
329,4
162,5
295.5
427.2
264.3
319.7
'167.5
'257.4
'258.9
377.7
'332.0
' 162.4
'297.8
'429.2
'269.8
'322.8
173.2
256.6
257.4
376.5
330.7
163.2
299.6
433.7
269.9
324.5
171.9
256.0
258.6
385.5
332,6
164.1
301.4
436.2
270.8
325.5
171.9
255.3
259.2
385.4
337.0
165.2
302.7
435.8
271.6
325.6
175.9
255.2
259.0
385.4
337.7
165.3
303.5
437.8
273.5
326.5
3546
3552
3553
3576
3592
3612
3623
3631
3632
3633
Power driven hand tools (12/76 = 100)............
Textile machinery (12/69 = 100)..............
Woodworking machinery (12/72 = 100)..........
Scales and balances, excluding laboratory ........................
Carburetors, pistons, rings, valves (6/76 = 100)................
Transformers ................................................
Welding apparatus, electric (12/72 = 100)............
Household cooking equipment (12/75 = 100)........................
Household refrigerators, freezers (6/76 = 100) ........
Household laundry equipment (12/73 = 100)....................
147.1
243.4
224.5
226.2
177.9
209.7
227.2
141.1
132.3
174.2
147.1
244.4
219.7
230.3
176.5
209.6
227.2
141.0
130.8
173.6
148.2
246.2
224.0
226.6
180.8
210.7
228.3
140.5
135.5
174.1
148.4
245.4
225.4
226.6
181.3
212.8
229.6
141.5
135.5
174,6
148.6
248.2
228.9
226.1
182.1
214.5
231.6
141.6
136.4
177.2
149.5
248.0
228.9
226.2
185.4
217.3
232.5
141.6
137.8
177.0
149.5
247,9
229.1
226.3
187.2
222.0
233.2
141.9
137.9
178.4
150.0
249.9
229.1
226.5
187.3
222.0
235.8
142.6
137.9
178.8
153.3
252.3
233.7
228.3
185.3
220.5
236.8
146.0
140.1
180.1
'153.2
'253.5
'232.9
'228.8
' 189.6
'222.2
' 236.9
'146.8
'141.1
'180.5
153.4
253.4
229.6
229.8
190.2
222.4
231.5
146.9
140.8
186.2
154.0
256.2
235.0
229.6
192.6
223.2
232 9
146.2
142.5
186.9
156.1
256.5
234.7
229.5
195.2
224.7
232.9
146.8
143.2
188.6
156.4
258.1
234.4
230.6
195.7
224.8
233.1
146.9
144.3
189.0
3635
3636
3641
3644
3646
3648
3671
3674
3675
3676
Household vacuum cleaners ........................
Sewing machines (12/75 = 100)........................
Electric lamps........................................
Noncurrent-carrying wiring devices (12/72 = 100)
Commercial lighting fixtures (12/75 = 100) ..............
Lighting equipment, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100) ..................
Electron tubes receiving type..........................................
Semiconductors and related devices ..................
Electronic capacitors (12/75 = 100) ..................................
Electronic resistors (12/75 = 100)......................
156.8
146.6
277.5
250.4
154.4
155.7
309.7
90.4
170,3
141.3
158.6
153.8
276.5
251.5
156.2
153.7
312.5
90.3
171.2
141.2
158.6
153.8
275.2
253.3
154.4
153.8
327.4
89.2
171.4
142.1
158,8
153.8
280.0
253.8
155.5
161.3
327.5
89.2
178.8
142.5
158.8
153.8
283.1
258.5
157.6
161.7
327.5
91.4
172.4
142.7
161.3
156.0
285.9
258.7
158.9
162.0
327.5
91.6
171.5
142.7
161.0
156 0
284,8
262.1
159.3
162.4
327.8
92.0
168.1
143.0
160.8
156.0
281.3
262.1
159.2
163.1
342.2
91.7
166.6
142.8
165.6
156.0
282.1
257.9
159.2
162.8
374.1
90.9
167 4
143.7
'165.2
' 155.8
'286.1
'259.0
161.1
167.8
'374.2
'90.2
' 169.7
'144.0
158.8
155.2
283.5
261.5
163.2
168.8
375.1
91.2
168.6
144.0
158.2
153.7
290.7
259.5
163.6
170.2
375.2
90.1
167.8
144.7
158,3
153.7
294.5
263.0
167.5
170.4
375.0
89.6
166.6
145.2
158.4
1537
2939
261.1
167,2
170.9
375.1
89,7
166.8
144.9
3678
3692
3711
3942
3944
3955
3995
3996
Electronic connectors (12/75 = 100)....................................
Primary batteries, dry and w e t............................................
Motor vehicles and car bodies (12/75 = 100)..............
Dolls (12/75 = 100)......................................
Games, toys, and children’s vehicles ........................
Carbon paper and inked ribbons (12/75 = 100)..............
Burial caskets (6/76 =100) ....................
Hard surface floor coverings (12/75 = 100)..........................
154.8
182.2
150.2
131.1
220.5
138.6
139.5
151.8
154.3
181.0
150.3
130.9
221.9
140.4
138.3
151.5
155.0
181.6
150.3
130.9
222.0
140.4
138.3
153.3
155.8
182.7
150.1
130.9
222.0
140.6
140.6
153.6
156.5
182.7
143.4
130.9
222.2
140.6
143.4
153.7
156.8
182.7
158.6
130.9
222.2
140.2
143.4
153.7
155.8
182.7
158.7
130.9
222.6
140.2
143.4
153.7
155.8
182.7
159.1
130.9
223.9
140.3
142.7
153.7
155.9
182.0
159.8
135.5
228.4
140.3
142.7
155.1
'156.2
' 184.3
' 155.0
' 136.6
'232.5
140.3
143.8
155.2
157.1
191.2
154,7
136.2
231.4
140.3
145.3
156.1
156.7
195.4
154.5
136,5
231.4
140.3
145.3
156.1
158.1
194.9
156.7
136.5
231.7
140.5
149.3
156.3
158.3
195.8
159.6
136.5
231.7
140.6
149.3 154.3
' Data for February 1982 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections
by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
94
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
2 Not available,
r = revised.
PRODUCTIVITY DATA
are compiled by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics from establishment data and from estimates of com
pensation and output supplied by the U.S. Department of
Commerce and the Federal Reserve Board.
P r o d u c t iv it y d a t a
Definitions
Output is the constant dollar gross domestic product produced in a
given period. Indexes of output per hour of labor input, or labor pro
ductivity, measure the value of goods and services produced per hour
of labor. Compensation per hour includes wages and salaries of em
ployees plus employers’ contributions for social insurance and private
benefit plans. The data also include an estimate of wages, salaries, and
supplementary payments for the self-employed, except for nonfinancial corporations, in which there are no self-employed. Real com
pensation per hour is compensation per hour adjusted by the
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Unit labor cost measures the labor compensation cost required to
produce one unit of output and is derived by dividing compensation
by output. Unit nonlabor payments include profits, depreciation, in
terest, and indirect taxes per unit of output. They are computed by
subtracting compensation of all persons from the current dollar gross
domestic product and dividing by output. In these tables, unit
nonlabor costs contain all the components of unit nonlabor payments
except unit profits. Unit profits include corporate profits and invento
ry valuation adjustments per unit of output.
The implicit price deflator is derived by dividing the current dollar
estimate of gross product by the constant dollar estimate, making the
deflator, in effect, a price index for gross product of the sector reported.
28.
The use of the term “man hours” to identify the labor component
of productivity and costs, in tables 28 through 31, has been discontin
ued. Hours of all persons is now used to describe the labor input of
payroll workers, self-employed persons, and unpaid family workers.
Output per all-employee hour is now used to describe labor productiv
ity in nonfinancial corporations where there are no self-employed.
Notes on the data
In the private business sector and the nonfarm business sector, the
basis for the output measure employed in the computation of output
per hour is Gross Domestic Product rather than Gross National
Product. Computation of hours includes estimates of nonfarm and
farm proprietor hours.
Output data are supplied by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S.
Department of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Board. Quarterly
manufacturing output indexes are adjusted by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics to annual estimates of output (gross product originating)
from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Compensation and hours data
are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
Beginning with the September 1976 issue of the Review, the produc
tivity tables were revised to reflect changeover to the new series — pri
vate business sector and nonfarm business sector— which differ from
the previously published total private economy and nonfarm sector in
that output imputed for owner-occupied dwellings and the household
and institutions sectors, as well as the statistical discrepancy, are
omitted. For a detailed explanation, see J. R. Norsworthy and L. J.
Fulco, “New sector definitions for productivity series,” M on th ly L abor
R eview, October 1976, pages 40-42.
Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, selected years, 1950 81
[1977 = 100]
Ite m
Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons .
Compensation per hour .............
Real compensation per hour . ..
Unit labor c o s t.............................
Unit nonlabor payments ...........
Implicit price deflator ................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons .
Compensation per hour ...........
Real compensation per hour .. .
Unit labor c o s t...........................
Unit nonlabor payments ...........
Implicit price deflator ................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees
Compensation per hour ...........
Real compensation per hour . . .
Unit labor c o s t ...........................
Unit nonlabor payments ...........
Implicit price deflator ................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons .
Compensation per hour ...........
Real compensation per hour . . .
Unit labor c o s t ...........................
Unit nonlabor payments ...........
Implicit price deflator ...............
1950
1955
1960
1965
1970
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
50.3
20.0
50.4
39.8
43.5
41.0
58.2
26.3
59.6
45.2
47.8
46.1
65.1
33.9
69.4
52.1
50.8
51.7
78.2
41.7
80.0
53.3
57.8
54.8
86.1
58.2
90.8
67.6
63.4
66.2
92.7
78.0
95.9
84.2
78.9
82.4
94.8
85.5
96.3
90.2
90.7
90.4
97.9
92.9
98.8
94.8
94.4
94.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.8
108.4
100.7
108,6
105.1
107.4
99.5
119.3
99.6
119.9
110.9
116.9
99.3
131.5
96.7
132.4
118.3
127.6
100.4
144.6
96.3
144.0
130.6
139.4
56.2
21.8
55.0
38.8
42.8
40.2
62.7
28.3
63.9
45.1
47.9
46.0
68.2
35.6
73.0
52.3
50.5
51.7
80.4
42.8
82.2
53.2
58.2
54.9
86.7
58.6
91.5
67.6
640
66.4
93.1
78.4
96.4
84.3
76.1
81.6
95.0
86.0
96.8
90.5
88.9
89.9
98.1
93.0
99.0
94.8
94,0
94.5
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.8
108.5
100.7
108.7
103.6
107.0
99.1
119.0
99.3
120.0
108.5
116.2
98.8
130.8
96.2
132.4
117.6
127.4
99.7
143.9
95.9
144.3
130.4
139.7
( ')
{' )
(' )
(’ )
( 1)
( 1)
( 1)
(’ )
( )
( 1)
( 1)
1
66.3
36.3
74.2
54.7
546
54.7
79.9
43.0
82.6
53.8
60.8
56.2
85.4
58.3
91.0
68.3
63.1
66.5
91.3
77.6
95.4
85.1
75.7
81.8
94.4
85.5
96.3
90.6
90.9
90.7
97.4
92.5
98.5
95.0
95.0
95.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.4
108.2
100.5
107.8
103.8
106.4
100.4
118.7
99.1
118.2
108.3
114.8
101.0
130.7
96.2
129.4
117.3
125.2
103.5
143.9
95.9
139.0
132.3
136.7
49.5
21.5
54.1
43.4
55.1
46.8
56.5
28.8
65.2
51.0
59.4
53.4
60.1
36.7
75.1
61.1
62.0
61.3
74.6
42.9
82.3
57.4
70.3
61.2
79.2
57.6
89.9
72.7
66.0
70.7
90.9
76.4
93.9
84.1
70.4
80.1
93.5
85.5
96.3
91.4
88.5
90.6
97.7
92.4
98.3
94.6
95.1
94.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.9
108.2
100.5
107.3
104.7
106.5
102.0
118.8
99.2
116.5
105.7
113.4
101.7
131.6
96.8
129.4
108.7
123.4
104.0
146.2
97.4
140.6
122.6
135.4
(’ )
1Not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
95
M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Productivity
29.
Annual changes in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, 1971-81
A n n u a l ra te
Year
of change
Ite m
Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees........................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
1971
197 2
197 3
1 97 4
197 5
1 97 6
1 97 7
1 97 8
197 9
198 0
1981
3.6
6.6
2.2
2.9
7.6
4.4
3.5
6.5
3.1
2.9
4.5
3.4
2.7
8.0
1.7
5.2
5.9
5.4
-2.3
9.4
-1.4
11.9
4,4
9.4
2.3
9.6
0.4
7.2
15.0
9.7
3.3
8.6
2.7
5.1
4.1
4.7
2.1
7.7
1.2
5.5
5.9
5.6
-0.2
8.4
0.7
8.6
5.1
7.4
-0.3
10.1
-1.1
10.4
5.5
8.8
-0.2
10.2
-2.9
10.4
6.6
9.2
1.1
10.0
-0.3
8.8
10.4
9.3
2.4
6.2
2.3
3.6
3.3
3.5
2.1
7.2
1.7
5.0
4.5
4,9
3.3
66
2.2
3.1
7.4
4.5
3.7
6.7
3.3
2.8
3.2
3.0
2.5
7.6
1.3
4.9
1.3
3.7
-2.4
9.4
-1.4
12.1
5.9
10.1
2.1
9.6
0.4
7.4
16.7
10.3
3.2
8,1
2.2
4.7
5.7
5.1
2.0
7.6
1.0
5.5
6.4
5.8
-0.2
8.5
0.7
8.7
3.6
7.0
-0.7
9.7
-1.4
10.4
4.8
8.6
-0.3
9.9
-3.2
10.3
8.4
9.7
0.9
10.0
-0.3
9.0
10.9
9.6
2.1
5.9
2.0
3.7
3.3
3.6
1.8
7.0
1.5
5.0
4.4
4.8
4.8
6.5
2.1
1.6
7.4
3.5
3.0
5.8
2.5
2.8
2.7
2.8
2.6
7.7
1.4
4.9
1.5
3,8
-3.4
9.7
-1.1
13.6
7.1
11.4
3.4
10.1
0.9
6.5
20.1
10.9
3.2
8.2
2.3
4.9
4.6
4.8
2.7
8.1
1.5
5.3
5.2
5.2
0.4
8.2
0.5
7.8
3.8
6.4
0.0
9.7
- 1.4
9.7
4.4
7.9
0.6
10.1
-3.0
9.5
8.3
9.1
2.4
10.0
-0.3
7.4
12.8
9,2
( ')
( ')
( 1)
( 1)
( ')
( ')
2.0
6.9
1.4
4.8
4.0
4.5
6.1
6.1
1.8
0.0
11.2
3.1
5.0
5.4
2.0
0.3
0.8
0.5
5.4
7.2
0.9
1.7
-3.3
0.3
-2.4
10.6
-0.3
13.3
-1.8
9.0
2.9
11.9
2.5
8.8
25.9
13.1
4,4
8.0
2.1
3.4
7.4
4,6
2.4
8.3
1.7
5.7
5.2
5.6
0.9
8.2
0.5
7.3
4.7
6.5
1.1
9.8
-1.3
8.6
0.9
6.4
-0.3
10.7
-2.5
11.0
2.9
8.8
2.2
11.1
0.7
8.7
12.7
9.7
2.6
5.8
2.0
3.1
2.3
2.8
2.6
6.9
1.4
4,1
3.0
3.8
1 95 0-81
1 96 0 -8 1
1Not available.
30.
Quarterly indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, seasonally adjusted
[1977 = 100]
Q u a rte r ly in d e x e s
A nnual
Ite m
Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost..........................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ..................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees ........................
Compensation per hou r........................
Real compensation per hour........................
Total unit costs ..........................
Unit labor cost ............................................
Unit nonlabor costs......................................
Unit profits ................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost..............................................
96
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
a v e ra g e
1 97 9
198 0
1981
198 2
198 0
1981
III
IV
I
II
III
IV
99.3
131.5
96.7
132.4
118.3
127.6
100.4
144,6
96.3
144.0
130,6
139.4
99.4
120.7
99.2
121.4
111.5
118.1
99.1
123.2
98.0
124.3
112.2
120.2
99.5
126.4
96.7
127.0
115.2
123.0
99.1
130.1
96.6
131.3
116.0
126.1
99.4
133,1
96.9
133.9
119.7
129.1
99.1
135.9
96.0
137.1
122.7
132.2
100.3
139.8
96.1
139.4
127.6
135.4
101.2
143.3
96.9
141.6
129.3
137.5
100.9
146.5
96.3
145.2
132.4
140.9
99.2
148.5
95.8
149.7
132.6
143.9
98.9
151.2
96.8
152.8
129.2
144.9
98.8
130.8
96.2
132.4
117.6
127.4
99.7
143.9
95.9
144.3
130,4
139.7
98.9
120.2
98.8
121.5
109.2
117.4
98.8
123.0
97.8
124.4
110.1
119.7
98.9
126.0
96.4
127.4
113.9
122.9
98.2
129.4
96.0
131,8
115.1
126.3
99.0
132.3
96.3
133.6
119.2
128.8
99.0
135.4
95.7
136.8
122.0
131.9
100.0
139.2
95.7
139.1
127.8
135.3
100.4
142.4
96.3
141.9
128.7
137.5
99.9
145.7
95.8
145.8
132.2
141.2
98.2
147.9
95.4
150.7
132.8
144,7
98.3
150.8
96.5
153.3
129.7
145.4
101.0
130.7
96.2
129.7
129.4
130.2
90.2
125,2
103.5
143.9
95.9
140.9
139.0
146.1
103.6
136.7
100.5
120.1
98.7
118.2
119.5
114.6
97.5
115.9
99.9
122.7
97.5
121.3
122.8
117.2
92.2
118.1
100.2
125.7
96.2
124.2
125.4
120.9
95.5
121.0
100.1
129.3
95.9
129.2
129.1
129.3
83.4
124.1
101.8
132.5
96.5
131.1
130.2
133.8
89.1
126.4
101.8
135.5
95.7
134.1
133.1
136.9
92.4
129.5
103.4
139.3
95.8
136.0
134.7
139.5
106.8
132.7
104.0
142.4
96.3
138.7
137.0
143.6
102.8
134.7
103.8
145.5
95.7
142.2
140.2
147.7
106.7
138.2
102.4
148.0
95.5
147.0
144.6
153.8
96.6
141.4
102.3
151.1
96.7
150.0
147.7
156.3
80.7
142.2
101.7
131.6
96.8
129.4
104.0
146.2
97.4
140.6
102.0
119.8
98.5
117.5
102.1
122.3
97.2
119.8
102.1
125.4
96.0
122.8
100.8
130.0
96.5
129.0
100.7
133.9
97.5
133.0
103.1
137.3
97.0
133.2
103.9
141.1
97.1
135.8
104,8
144.8
97.9
138.2
105.0
148.0
97.3
141.0
102.0
150.8
97.3
147.8
100.7
154.7
99.0
153,5
I
II
III
IV
I
31.
Percent change from preceding quarter and year in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted at annual rate
[1977 = 100]
_______________ _____________________ _____________________________
___________________ __________________________
P e r c e n t c h a n g e fr o m s a m e q u a r te r
Q u a rte r ly p e r c e n t c h a n g e a t a n n u a l ra te
Ite m
c=corrected.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
I 1 98 0
II 198 0
III 198 0
y e a r ago
IV 198 0
I 1981
IV 1 98 0
1 1981
II 1981
III 1981
IV 1981
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
to
I 1981
II 1981
III 1981
IV 1981
11982
III 1981
IV 1981
I 198 2
IV 198 0
3.5
10.4
3.2
6.6
5.3
6.2
-1.1
9.3
-2.3
10.6
10.1
10.4
-6.6
5.5
-2.1
13.0
0.4
8.9
-0.9
7.6
4.2
8.6
-9.7
2.6
0.0
10.3
-2.0
10.3
9.3
10.0
0.8
10.6
-0.6
9.7
10.8
10.1
2.1
10.1
0.3
7.8
11.5
9.0
1.5
10.1
-0.6
8.5
10.6
9.1
0.0
9.3
-0.2
9.3
8.1
8.9
-1.4
8.2
0.7
9.7
1.3
7.0
4.4
11.7
0.3
7.0
20.2
11.0
1.4
9.6
•2.5
8.1
3.0
6.5
-1.7
9.5
-2.2
11.5
11.3
11.4
-6.9
6.3
-1.4
14.1
-1.8
10.1
0.5
7.9
4.5
7.3
-9.0
2.1
0.2
10.1
-2.2
9.9
10.8
10.2
1.2
10.5
-0.7
9.2
12.2
10.1
2.3
10.0
0.3
7.6
11.8
8.9
0.9
10.2
-0.6
9.2
10.9
9.7
-0.8
9.3
-0.2
10.1
8.8
9.7
-1.7
8.3
0.8
10.2
1.5
7.5
0.0
9.4
-3.1
9.4
9.4
9.5
15.7
9.9
6.6
11.7
0.3
5.6
4.8
7.9
77.9
10.4
2.2
9.3
2.1
8.4
7.0
12.3
-13.9
6.2
-0.5
9.1
-2.5
10.3
9.7
11.8
15.7
10.7
-5.5
6.9
0.8
14.4
13.2
17.6
-32.6
9.6
-0.3
8.6
5.2
8.3
8.9
6.7
c -51.4
2.4
1.9
10.4
-1.9
10.5
8.4
16.8
0.3
9.6
3.2
10.8
-0.4
9.5
7.4
15.4
11.8
9.7
3.8
10.1
0.4
7.4
6.1
11.1
23.3
8.6
2.0
9,9
-0.8
8.4
7.7
10.4
19.7
9.3
0.6
9.2
-0.3
9.6
8.6
12.3
4.5
9.2
-1.1
8.5
0.9
10.3
9.7
12.0
-24.4
7.2
9.8
10.5
-2.2
0.6
3.1
11.6
c0.2
8.2
3.5
10.8
3.5
7.0
r0.9
9.3
-2.4
8.3
-11.0
7.6
-0.2
20.9
-4.9
10.7
7.2
16.5
1.0
12.3
-0.2
11.2
1.8
12.5
1.1
10.6
4.0
11.4
1.5
7.1
4.3
10.5
-0.2
6.0
-1.1
9.8
0.3
11.0
-3.0
9.6
2.0
13,0
1 1981
II 1981
-1.1
8.6
-3.8
9.8
10.2
9.9
4.7
11.9
0.5
6.9
17.1
10.0
-0.2
9.8
-2.7
10.1
9.9
10.0
IV 1 98 0
Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ......................
Compensation per hour ..................................
Real compensation per h o u r...........................
Unit labor costs ...............................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..................................
Implicit price deflator ......................................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ......................
Compensation per hour ..................................
Real compensation per h o u r ....................................
Unit labor costs ................................................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..................................
Implicit price deflator ...................................................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees ........................
Compensation per hour .............................................
Real compensation per h o u r ....................................
Total unit costs ...............................................................
Unit labor costs .........................................................
Unit nonlabor c o s ts ......................................
Unit profits ...........................................................................
Implicit price deflator ...................................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons ..............................
Compensation per hour .............................................
Real compensation per h o u r ....................................
Unit labor costs ...............................................
IV 1 97 9
III 198 0
WAGE AND COMPENSATION DATA
D ata for the Employment Cost Index are reported to the Bu
reau of Labor Statistics by a sample of 2,000 private nonfarm
establishments and 750 State and local government units se
lected to represent total employment in those sectors. On av
erage, each reporting unit provides wage and compensation
information on five well-specified occupations.
Data on negotiated wage and benefit changes are obtained
from contracts on file at the Bureau, direct contact with the
parties, and secondary sources.
Definitions
The Employment Cost Index (ECI) is a quarterly measure of the
average change in the cost of employing labor. The rate of total com
pensation, which comprises wages, salaries, and employer costs for
employee benefits, is collected for workers performing specified tasks.
Employment in each occupation is held constant over time for all se
ries produced in the ECI, except those by region, bargaining status,
and area. As a consequence, only changes in compensation are meas
ured. Industry and occupational employment data from the 1970 Cen
sus of Population are used in deriving constant weights for the ECI.
While holding total industry and occupational employment fixed, in
the estimation of indexes by region, bargaining status, and area, the
employment in those measures is allowed to vary over time in accord
with changes in the sample. The rate of change (in percent) is avail
able for wages and salaries, as well as for total compensation. Data
are collected for the pay period including the 12th day of the survey
months of March, June, September, and December. The statistics are
neither annualized nor adjusted for seasonal influence.
Wages and salaries consist of earnings before payroll deductions, ex
cluding premium pay for overtime, work on weekends and holidays,
and shift differentials. Production bonuses, incentive earnings, com
missions, and cost-of-living adjustments are included; nonproduction
bonuses are included with other supplemental pay items in the bene
fits category; and payments-in-kind, free room and board, and tips are
excluded. Benefits include supplemental pay, insurance, retirement and
savings plans, and hours-related and legally required benefits.
Data on negotiated wage changes apply to private nonfarm industry
collective bargaining agreements covering 1,000 workers or more.
Data on compensation changes apply only to those agreements cover
ing 5,000 workers or more. First-year wage or compensation changes
refer to average negotiated changes for workers covered by settle
ments reached in the period and implemented within the first 12
months after the effective date of the agreement. Changes over the life
98
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
of the agreement refer to all adjustments specified in the contract,
expressed as an average annual rate. These measures exclude wage
changes that may occur under cost-of-living adjustment clauses, that
are triggered by movements in the Consumer Price Index. Wage-rate
changes are expressed as a percent of straight-time hourly earnings;
compensation changes are expressed as a percent of total wages and
benefits.
Effective wage adjustments reflect all negotiated changes implemented
in the reference period, regardless of the settlement date. They include
changes from settlements reached during the period, changes deferred
from contracts negotiated in an earlier period, and cost-of-living ad
justments. The data also reflect contracts providing for no wage ad
justment in the period. Effective adjustments and each of their
components are prorated over all workers in bargaining units with at
least 1,000 workers.
Notes on the data
The Employment Cost Index data series began in the fourth quar
ter of 1975, with the quarterly percent change in wages and salaries in
the private nonfarm sector. Data on employer costs for employee bene
fits were included in 1980, to produce a measure of the percent
change in employers’ cost for employees’ total compensation. State
and local government units were added to the ECI coverage in 1981,
providing a measure of total compensation change in the civilian non
farm economy.
Data for the broad white-collar, blue-collar, and service worker
groups, and the manufacturing, nonmanufacturing, and service indus
try groups are presented in the ECI. Additional occupation and in
dustry detail are provided for the wages and salaries component of
total compensation in the private nonfarm sector. For State and local
government units, additional industry detail is shown for both total
compensation and its wages and salaries component.
Historical indexes (June 1981 = 100) of the quarterly rates of chang
es presented in the ECI are also available.
For a more detailed discussion of the ECI, see chapter 25, “The
Employment Cost Index,” of the BLS Handbook of Methods (Bulletin
1910), and the Monthly Labor Review articles: “Employment Cost In
dex: a measure of change in the ‘price of labor,”’ July 1975; “How
benefits will be incorporated into the Employment Cost Index,” Janu
ary 1978; and “The Employment Cost Index: recent trends and ex
pansion,” May 1982.
Additional data for the ECI and other measures of wage and com
pensation changes appear in Current Wage Developments, a monthly
periodical of the Bureau.
32.
Employment Cost Index, total compensation
[June 1981=100]
P erc e n t ch an g e
198 2
1981
198 0
3 m o n th s
12 m o n th s
ended
ended
S e r ie s
C iv ilia n n o n fa r m w o r k e r s ' ................................................
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar workers ......................................................
Blue-collar workers ........................................................
Service workers ............................................................
Workers, by industry division
Manufacturing................................................................
Nonmanufacturing..........................................................
Services....................................................................
Public administration2 ..................................................
P r iv a te n o n fa r m w o r k e r s
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar workers ......................................................
Blue-collar workers ........................................................
Service workers ............................................................
Workers, by industry division
Manufacturing................................................................
Nonmanufacturing..........................................................
M a rc h
June
S e p t.
Dec.
M a rc h
June
S e p t.
Dec.
_
_
_
—
-
100.0
102.6
104.5
106.3
1.7
-
-
-
-
-
-
100.0
100.0
100.0
102.7
102.3
102.8
104.9
104.1
104.2
106.5
105.7
107.2
1.5
1.5
2.9
—
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
102.1
102.8
104.4
104.3
104.0
104.8
107.1
106.0
106.0
106.4
108.2
108.1
1.9
1.5
1.0
2.0
-
-
-
-
-
-
886
90.7
92.8
94.7
98.1
100.0
102.0
104.0
105.8
1.7
7.8
88.7
88.3
89.9
90.8
90.5
90.8
92.6
930
92.7
94.5
94.9
94.3
98.3
97.8
99.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.8
102.2
101.9
104.0
104.0
103.1
105.8
105.6
106.7
1.7
1.5
3.5
7.6
8.0
7.5
88.7
88.6
90.5
90.8
92.6
92.9
94.7
94.7
98.0
98.2
100.0
100.0
102.1
102.0
104.0
103.9
106.0
105.7
1.9
1.7
8.2
7.6
-
-
-
-
-
100.0
105.3
107.4
108.8
1.3
-
-
-
105.7
104.2
107.8
105.9
109.1
108.2
1.2
2.2
-
_
_
_
_
100.0
100.0
—
—
—
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
105.8
106.0
106.3
105.0
104.3
107.9
107.9
108.3
107.8
106.0
109.0
108.9
109.3
109.5
108.1
1.0
.9
.9
1.6
2.0
—
—
S ta te a n d lo c a l g o v e r n m e n t w o r k e r s
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar workers ......................................................
Blue-collar workers........................................................
Workers, by industry division
Elementary and secondary......................................
Hospitals and other services3 ......................................
Public administration2 ....................................................
'Excludes private household and Federal workers.
Consists of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
M a rc h 198 2
M a rc h
-
:
_
—
-
-
-
-
-
includes, for example, library, social, and health services.
N ote : Dashes indicate data not available.
99
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Wage and Compensation Data
33.
Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, by occupation and industry group
[June 1981 = 100]
P erc e n t ch an g e
Ì80
Series
1981
198 2
3 m o n th s
ended
12 m o n th s
ended
M a rc h
June
S e p t.
Dec.
M a rc h
June
S e p t.
Dec.
M a rc h
-
-
-
-
-
100.0
102.5
104.4
106.3
1.8
-
-
~
-
—
—
—
—
—
100.0
100.0
100.0
102.6
102.4
102.5
104.7
104.0
103.6
106.7
105.5
106.8
1.9
1.4
3.1
—
Civilian nonfarm workers'
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar workers ......................
Blue-collar workers........................
Service workers ............................
_
Workers, by industry division
Manufacturing................................
Nonmanufacturing..........................
Services....................................
Public administration2 ..................
-
_
All private nonfarm workers3
-
—
_
M a rc
-
—
—
—
~
—
—
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
102.1
102.7
104.4
103.8
104.0
104.5
106.6
105.5
105.9
106.5
108.6
107.5
1.8
1.9
1.9
1.9
198 2
-
—
—
-
89.6
91.5
93.5
95.4
98.0
100.0
102.0
103.8
105.9
2.0
8.1
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar workers ......................
Professional and technical workers
Managers and administrators . . . .
Salesworkers ............................
Clerical workers ........................
Blue-collar workers........................
Craft and kindred workers ..........
Operatives, except transport . . . .
Transport equipment operatives ..
Nonfarm laborers ......................
Service workers ............................
89.7
89.2
90.6
88.5
90.3
89.3
89.3
89.4
89.1
89,6
90.8
91.4
90.8
92.0
90.7
91.9
91.6
91.4
91.5
92.2
91.8
91.9
93.3
93.2
93.5
92.2
93.8
93.8
94.0
936
93.5
93.9
934
95.2
95.3
94.7
94.8
95.7
95.7
96.1
95.5
95.3
95.7
94.8
98.1
98.2
98.6
96.2
986
97.7
97.8
97.8
96.8
97,5
99.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.8
103.3
101.6
98.0
102.7
102.3
102.9
102.1
101.0
101.5
101.8
103.9
105.5
102.8
101,9
104.2
103.9
104.3
104.1
102,7
103.3
102.7
106.2
108.0
105.8
102.2
107.0
105.4
106.2
105.4
103.2
104.1
106.7
2.2
2.4
2.9
.3
2.7
1.4
1.8
1.2
.5
.8
3.9
8.3
10.0
7.3
6.2
8.5
7.9
8.6
7.8
6.6
6.8
7.6
Workers, by industry division
Manufacturing....................................
Durables........................................
Nondurables..................................
Nonmanufacturing..............................
Construction..................................
Transportation and public utilities . . .
Wholesale and retail trade..............
Wholesale trade ........................
Retail trade................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate ..
Services..........................................
89.9
89.3
91.0
89.5
89.3
88.2
90.5
89.7
90.8
87.1
90.5
91.8
91.2
92.7
91.3
91.9
90.2
92.2
92.1
92.2
89.4
91.9
93.6
93.5
93.8
93.4
94.5
93.1
93.6
93.0
93.8
91.2
94.2
95.7
95.7
95.7
95.2
95.9
95.6
95.1
95.9
94.8
93.1
95.7
97.9
97.9
97.8
98.1
97.6
97.7
98.2
98.5
98.1
95.7
99.6
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100,0
102.1
102.1
102.0
102.0
103.0
102.0
101.3
102.0
101.0
98.3
103.6
104.0
104.5
103.1
103.8
104.3
103.6
102.3
103.4
101.9
102.3
105.8
105.9
106.3
105.3
105.9
105.9
105.7
103.9
106.3
103.0
103.7
108.8
1.8
1.7
2.1
2.0
1.5
2.0
1.6
2.8
1.1
1.4
2.8
8.2
8.6
7.7
8.0
8.5
8.2
5.8
7.9
5.0
8.4
9.2
-
State and local governments
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar workers ........................
Blue-collar workers ..........................
Workers, by industry division
Services..........................................
Schools ......................................
Elementary and secondary........
Hospitals and other services4 ........
Public administration2 ......................
-
-
-
-
-
100.0
105.0
107.0
108.2
1.1
-
-
-
-
-
100.0
100.0
105,4
103.9
107.5
105.5
108.5
107.5
.9
1.9
—
—
—
—
—
—
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
105.5
105.7
106.0
104.6
103.3
107.6
107.7
107.9
107.3
105.5
_
—
—
"
'Excludes private household and Federal workers.
Consists of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities.
3 Excludes private household workers.
100
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4 Includes, for example, library, social, and health services.
N ote : Dashes indicate data not available.
108.4
108.3
108.7
108.8
107.5
.7
.6
.7
1.4
1.9
-
_
_
_
_
-
34.
Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, private nonfarm workers, by bargaining status, region, and area size
[June 1981 = 100]
Percent change
1982
1981
1980
Series
3 months
ended
12 months
ended
March 1982
March
June
Sept.
Dec.
March
June
Sept.
Dec.
March
87,4
—
—
89.7
—
—
92.4
—
—
94.7
—
97.6
—
100.0
100.0
100.0
102.5
102.3
102.7
104.8
104.6
105.0
106.5
106.3
106.8
1.6
1.6
1.7
9.1
89.3
—
92.8
-
94.6
-
98.4
-
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.7
101.8
101.7
103.5
103.5
103.5
105.3
105.7
105.2
1.7
2.1
1.6
7.0
—
91.1
—
—
88.5
88.8
90.6
90.3
92.8
91.9
94.7
94.2
98.1
98.1
100.0
100.0
102.1
101.8
104.1
105.2
105.7
106.2
1.5
2.9
7.7
Manufacturing ................................................................
Nonmanufacturing ..........................................................
88.4
88.8
88.0
90.8
91.3
90.4
93.5
93.8
93.1
95.8
96.1
95.5
97.4
97.7
97.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
102.7
102.6
102.8
105.0
104.7
105.2
106.5
105.9
107.0
1.4
U
1.7
Manufacturing ................................................................
Nonmanufacturing ..........................................................
90.2
91.0
89.9
91.8
92.3
91.5
93.4
93.4
93.4
95.1
95.4
95.0
98.2
97.9
98.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.6
101.7
101.6
103.2
103.3
103.2
105.6
105.9
105.5
2.3
2.5
2.2
North Central......................................................................
West...................................................................................
90.6
89.7
89.7
88.2
92.5
91.4
91.6
90.4
94.2
93.2
93.3
93.5
960
94.9
95.3
95.3
98.3
98.0
98.1
97.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.7
101.9
101.6
103.2
104.4
102.8
103.3
105.1
106.1
105.7
104.7
107.9
1.6
2.8
1.4
2.7
Workers, by area size1
Metropolitan areas..............................................................
Other areas........................................................................
89.4
90.1
91.4
91.5
93.5
92.9
95.4
95.1
97.9
98.3
100.0
100.0
102.1
101.8
104.0
103.1
105.9
106.0
1.8
2.8
COMPENSATION
Workers, by bargaining status1
Manufacturing ................................................................
Nonmanufacturing ..........................................................
Manufacturing ................................................................
Nonmanufacturing ..........................................................
Workers, by area size1
Metropolitan areas..............................................................
Other areas........................................................................
WAGES AND SALARIES
Workers, by bargaining status1
Workers, by region1
8.4
7.5
8.2
7.9
6.7
1The indexes are calculated differently from those for the occupation and industry groups. For
a detailed description of the index calculation, see BLS H andbook o f M ethods, Bulletin 1910.
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101
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW August 1982 • Current Labor Statistics: Wage and Compensation Data
35.
Wage and compensation change, major collective bargaining settlements, 1977 to date
[In percent]
Quarterly average
Annual averaae
Measure
1980
1981
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1
II
III
IV
I
9.6
6.2
8.3
6.3
9.0
6.6
10.4
7.1
10.2
8.3
8.8
6.7
10.2
7.4
11.4
7.2
8.5
6.1
First year of contract..................
Annual rate over life of contract ..
7.8
5.8
7.6
6.4
7.4
6.0
9.5
7.1
9.8
7.9
8.2
6.5
9.1
7.3
10.5
7.4
Manufacturing:
First year of contract................
Annual rate over life of contract ..
8.4
5.5
8.3
6.6
6.9
5.4
7.4
5.4
7.2
6.1
7.2
5.7
6.7
5.1
Nonmanufacturing (excluding
construction):
First year of contract..................
Annual rate over life of contract ..
8.0
5.9
8.0
6.5
7.6
6.2
9.5
6.6
9.8
7.3
9.4
7.6
Construction:
First year of contract..................
Annual rate over life of contract ..
6.3
6.3
6.5
6.2
8.8
8.3
13.6
11.5
13.5
11.3
10.8
9.1
1982
II
III
IV
7.7
7.2
11.6
10.8
10.5
8,1
11.0
5.8
1.8
1.1
8.3
6.5
7.1
6.2
11.8
9.7
10.8
8.7
9.0
5.7
2.2
2.0
8.4
5.6
7.8
5.8
6.4
5.5
8.2
6.7
9.0
7.5
6.6
5.4
1.9
1.8
10.3
8.5
9.5
5.9
8.2
6.8
8.0
7.3
11.8
9.1
8.6
7.2
9.6
5.6
1.8
1.4
12.2
10.4
15.4
13.0
14.3
12.0
11.4
10.3
12.9
11.1
16.4
12.4
11.4
11.7
9.3
8.9
I»
Total compensation changes covering
5,000 workers or more, all
industries:
First year of contract..................
Annual rate over life of contract ..
Wage rate changes covering at least
1,000 workers, all industries:
36.
Effective wage adjustments in collective bargaining units covering 1,000 workers or more, 1977 to date
Year
Y e a r a n d q u a r te r
198 0
M e a s u re
197 8
1 97 9
1980
1
Average percent adjustment (including no change):
All Industries..........................
Manufacturing........................
Nonmanufacturing..............................
From settlements reached in period ............
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier period
From cost-of-living clauses................
Total number of workers receiving wage change (in
thousands)1 ..............................
From settlements reached
in period..............................................
Deferred from settlements
reached in earlier period ........................
From cost-of-living clauses..............................
Number of workers receiving no adjustments (in
thousands) ................................................
1982
p
II
Ill
IV
I
II
III
IV
I
8.0
8.4
7.6
8.2
8.6
7.9
9.1
9.6
8.8
9.9
10.2
9.7
9.5
9.4
9.5
1.6
2.0
1.3
3.3
3.4
3.2
3.5
2.9
4.0
1.3
1.7
1.1
1.7
2.3
1.2
3.2
2.4
3.8
3.3
3.1
3.4
1.5
19
1.1
9
8
1.0
3.0
3.2
1.7
2.0
3.7
2.4
3.0
3.0
3.1
3.6
3.5
2.8
2.5
3.8
3.2
.4
.5
.7
1.0
1.4
.8
1.7
1.2
.7
.5
.3
.6
,4
.5
.7
1.1
1.4
.7
5
15
1.2
4
4
.6
5
.2
—
—
—
—
-
-
-
3,855
4,701
4,364
3,225
2,713
-
8,648
-
—
—
—
2,270
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
—
-
—
~
6,267
4,593
—
—
~
145
—
"
1The total number of workers who received adjustments does not equal the sum of workers that
received each type of adjustment, because some workers received more than one type of adjustment
during the period.
^
102
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1981
1981
_
_
579
909
540
604
153
-
888
2,639
2,055
2,669
3,023
2,934
882
2,179
1 033
1,750
-
4,937
4,092
4,428
5,568
6,176
*•>
WORK STOPPAGE DATA
Estimates of days idle as a percent of estimated working time meas
ures only the impact of larger strikes (1,000 workers or more). For
merly, these estimates measured the impact of strikes involving 6
workers or more; that is, the impact of virtually a ll strikes. Due to
budget stringencies, collection of data on strikes involving 6 workers
or more was discontinued with the December 1981 data.
Work stoppages include all known strikes or lockouts involving 1,000
workers or more and lasting a full shift or longer. Data are based
largely on newspaper accounts and cover all workers idle one shift or
more in establishments directly involved in a stoppage. They do not
measure the indirect or secondary effect on other establishments
whose employees are idle owing to material or service shortages.
37.
Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more, 1947 to date
B e g in n in g in
m o n th o r y e a r
D a y s id le
W o r k e rs in v o lv e d
N u m b e r o f s to p p a g e s
M o n th a n d y e a r
In e ffe c t
B e g in n in g in
In e ffe c t
d u rin g m o n th
m o n th o r y e a r
d u rin g m o n th
o r year
(in th o u s a n d s )
(in th o u s a n d s )
Num ber
(in th o u s a n d s )
P erc e n t o f
e s tim a te d
w o r k in g tim e
1947 .........................................................................................
1948
1949
1950
..............
270
245
262
424
1,629
1,435
2,537
1,698
25,720
26,127
43,420
30,390
.22
.38
.26
1951
................................................
1952 .........................................................................................
1953
.................................................................................
..........................................
1954
1955
415
470
437
265
363
1,462
2,746
1,623
1,075
2,055
15,070
48,820
18,130
16,630
21,180
.12
.38
.14
.13
.16
1956
...........................................................................
1957 .........................................................................................
1958
..................................
1959
1960
287
279
332
245
222
1,370
887
1,587
1,381
896
26,840
10,340
17,900
60,850
13,260
.20
.07
.13
.43
09
1961.........................................................................................
1962
......................................................
1963
................................
1964
..........................................
1965
195
211
181
246
268
1,031
793
512
1,183
999
10,140
11,760
10,020
16,220
15,140
.07
.08
.07
.11
.10
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
321
381
392
412
381
1,300
2,192
1,855
1,576
2,468
16,000
31,320
35,567
29,397
52,761
.10
.18
.20
.16
.29
298
250
317
424
235
2,516
975
1,400
1,796
965
35,538
16,764
16,260
31,809
17,563
.19
.09
.08
.16
.09
1976
1977 . . .
1978 . ..
1979
1980
231
298
219
235
187
1,519
1,212
1,006
1,021
795
23,962
21,258
23,774
20,409
20,844
.12
.10
.11
.09
.09
1981 . .
145
729
16,908
.07
.01
.01
.04
.20
.24
.13
.01
.01
.02
.02
.03
.04
.......................................................................................
..................................
1971
1972
1973 . . .
1974
1975
....................................
......................................................
1981:
January..................................................................
February ................................................................
March ....................................................................
April .......................................................................
May .......................................................................
June .......................................................................
6
7
16
17
18
30
12
10
20
27
27
43
12.0
10.7
201.6
48.0
85.1
200.1
29.6
20.9
207.8
223.5
259.0
415.1
257.9
118.5
861.8
4,085.2
4,454.0
2,618.3
1982°:
January..................................................................
February ................................................................
March ....................................................................
April ......................................................................
May ......................................................................
June ......................................................................
2
2
3
8
r 14
14
4
6
8
15
'20
22
6.1
2.5
8.3
34.7
'43.7
33.3
11.4
13.9
21.3
54.3
'59.3
56.4
199.9
236.9
352.2
478.3
'616.1
816.9
r=revised.
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Bargaining Calendar, 1982. Bulletin 2127, 63 pp., $4.50
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model which was used to develop the revised 1990 industry and
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series of BLS studies, this bulletin provides information about
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