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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
December 1979


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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Ray Marshall, Secretary
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
Janet L. Norwood, Commissioner

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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

a

DECEMBER 1979
VOLUME 102, NUMBER 12

LIBRARY.,
JAM 2 3 1980

Henry Lowenstern, Editor-in-Chief
Robert W. Fisher, Executive Editor

The influence of energy on industry output and employment

Ronald E. Kutscher

During 1973-77, energy producers had higher employment growth, lower output growth;
growth rates of other industries varied, based on labor, capital, and energy intensity

John F. Early

11

The Producer Price Index revision: overview and pilot survey
Data on the four industries tested show that expanded coverage, better samples,
and improved methodology significantly affected BLS estimates of price change

M. A. Andrews, W. Tillery

20

Heavy bargaining again in 1980
Contracts covering 3.7 million workers are slated to expire throughout the year,
including agreements in steel, telephone, aerospace, and other major industries

Robert J. Prier

29

Labor and material requirements for federally aided highways
Despite technological advances and more efficient construction methods,
overall labor requirements for federally aided highways have increased

REPORTS
Craig Howell and others
Howard Hayghe
Carl Rosenfeld
Edward S. Sekscenski
Marcy Jacobs


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Consumer prices rise at 13-percent rate for third straight quarter
The effect of unemployment on fam ily income in 1977
Occupational mobility during 1977
Job tenure declines as work force changes
AFL-CIO public employee delegates oppose mandatory social security
DEPARTMENTS
Labor month in review
Anatomy of price change
Research summaries
Significant decisions in labor cases
Major agreements expiring next month
Developments in industrial relations
Book reviews
Current labor statistics
Index of Volume 102

Labor M onth
In Review
GEORGE MEANY’S RETIREMENT,
last month, as president of the AFLCIO brought forth many tributes to
the 85-year-old union leader, including
these from U.S. Secretaries of Labor
who have known him:
George Shultz. “George Meany is well
known for his integrity, his patriotism,
and his bluntness. There is never a
doubt he will stand up for the things
he believes in, whatever the poten­
tial blandishments may be from the
White House, the Congress, or the
press.
“Nor is there ever any question
about his commitment to the better­
ment of the individual American work­
er. He also has the strength and integ­
rity to be for free enterprise on the
grounds that, along with free collec­
tive bargaining, it produces a good
deal for the American worker.
“He is a genuine patriot. He looks to
the defense of our country and our
system and is always ready to do what
is necessary in the ideological, mili­
tary, and diplomatic struggle.

union affairs. Yes-George Meany will
be missed. But his legacy will linger.
America will be the better for that
legacy.”
Arthur Goldberg. “To me, some of the
highlights of his career are:
“The merger of the AFL-CIO.
“The disciplining of 11 corruptly led
unions initially in the federation.
“His understanding that while the
labor movement must assert the spe­
cial interest of labor, government
must act in the common interest of
all.
“His intuitive sense that labor should
be cautious about placing its trust in
princes.
“His ability to speak and write in
plain, unadorned English.
“His recognition that a leader must
lead but that leadership depends upon
the consent of the governed.”

Willard Wirtz. “If it is true, as it prob­
ably is, that George Meany has been
the most influential private citizen in
the country, perhaps in the world, for
20 years, it is equally true that no one
James Hodgson. “He was, of course, with this much power has ever been
not without his detractors. American less overawed by it, or by himself.
“There has been too little realization
business often scored his unions for
power abuses. Yet it was during the of the effectiveness of this influence in
Meany era that American business the 1960’s when George Meany and
soared to peak levels of productive Walter Reuther and a few others mus­
tered organized labor’s critical support
efficiency and economic success.
“Ideologues also questioned Big for every article in the new social
George’s pragmatic practices and compact John Kennedy and Lyndon
goals. Yet the American worker was Johnson and Hubert Humphrey took
well served. Whether measured in to the Congress.
“We wouldn’t have had the Civil
terms of gains in human dignity, new
high living standards, or attained Rights Act without that support; or
political clout, Meany’s leadership the vastly expanded educational pro­
gram; or the housing legislation; or the
produced results.
“More than any other one man, per­ Trade Expansion Act; or the attack on
haps more than any other ten men, poverty; or a dozen other initiatives
America can thank this one-time that served the Nation’s interest first
plumber for the current state of our and organized labor’s only second.”

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John Dunlop. “First, he took the
leadership to unite the divided AFL
and CIO, to keep them together over
the past quarter century, and to bring
organic unity in the sense that the pre­
viously warring camps are not divided
today. The federation is united by
more than the hyphen of 1955.
“Second, he took the leadership to
help enact very considerable social
legislation of much broader interest
and significance than to the narrow
concerns of the constituent unions.
“His critical role in securing Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is of
special significance.
“George Meany has uniquely per­
sonified the main stream of the Ameri­
can labor movement as only Samuel
Gompers did before him.”
W. J. Usery. “Americans in this cen­
tury have been bountifully blessed
with opportunities to achieve the best
life known to man. This blessing has
not come by chance, but through the
dedicated, conscientious effort and
leadership of people such as George
Meany.
“His constant, unrelenting support
for human rights and freedom for all
people can be matched by only a few.
His dynamic leadership has brought us
the most rewarding system of free col­
lective bargaining in the world, one
that is uniquely based on a strong pri­
vate enterprise system.
Ray Marshall. “George Meany has
given unparalleled service to the
Nation and its working people. He has
fought untiringly to assure social and
economic justice for the trade union
members he represents. And he has in­
sisted, with equal vigor, that all people
have the opportunity to live fuller,
more rewarding lives. The American
people owe him a debt of gratitude.”

The influence of energy
on industry output and employment
During 1973-77, energy producers
had higher employment growth,
lower output growth; growth rates
o f other industries varied, based on
labor, capital, and energy intensity
R o n a l d E. K

u tsc h er

Energy issues have attracted considerable attention
since the Arab oil embargo of 1973-74. The natural gas
shortage during the winter of 1977, the extended coal
strike of 1977-78, and the ever-increasing world price
of oil have all heightened the Nation’s sensitivity to en­
ergy issues. However, some effects of the new economic
facts of energy—such as restrictions on private trans­
portation and the uncertainty of home heating fuel
supplies—have received more attention than other,
equally important effects—such as the impact on em­
ployment. Based on the following analysis, it appears
that the changes in the price and availability of energy
since 1973 have had a measurable effect on the output
and employment growth patterns of important groups
of industries.
In general, those industries that consume relatively
less energy in their production process experienced un­
usually high output growth rates during 1973-77. Re­
versing the long-term trend, their output growth rate
surpassed the growth rate of the most energy intensive
industries. Examined by specific energy resources, how­
ever, the effect on industry growth patterns varied.
In this article, the output and employment trends of
energy-producing industries are examined over the 1958
-77 period, with emphasis on changes during 1973Ronald E. Kutscher is Assistant Commissioner for Economic Growth
and Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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77. Similarly, changes in the output and employment
patterns of energy-consuming industries are examined,
with comparisons among those determined to be the
most and least energy intensive, most and least labor
intensive, and most and least capital intensive.
Trends for energy producers
Production and employment in energy-producing in­
dustries remain a relatively small proportion of national
output and employment, accounting for about 4 per­
cent of total output and 1.6 percent of total employ­
ment.
A thorough appraisal of the energy-employment rela­
tionship, however, requires a review of the output and
employment trends of energy-producing industries. For
the purpose of this analysis, production encompasses
crude petroleum and natural and liqilid gas extraction
(including oil- and gas-well drilling) coal mining, petro­
leum refining, and both electric and gas utilities.1 This
definition does not include solar, synthetic fuels, or oth­
er such unconventional energy sources that are largely
in a research and development mode. Also, only a limit­
ed amount of energy distribution to users is included in
the sectors described above. For example, they cover
the distribution of natural gas and electricity but ex­
clude the distribution of petroleum or coal products.
Construction of electrical generating plants or petro­
leum refineries is also excluded.
3

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Energy's Influence on Output and Employment
Energy output. Table 1 highlights several important
shifts in energy production patterns. During the 195877 period, there was a more rapid rate of growth in re­
fined petroleum products than for crude petroleum ex­
traction (4.6 percent compared with 1.6 percent average
annual growth). The disparity in these two industries
growth rates reflects the substitution of imported crude
oil for domestic crude. Beginning with the 1967-73 pe­
riod, crude petroleum extraction increased at a rate of
1.5 percent a year, while petroleum refining grew at a
4.4-percent annual rate. However, the gap in the growth
of the two sectors widened dramatically during the
1973-77 period, reflecting an even more rapid rate of
increase in imported crude oil. A number of factors
have been cited as contributing to the decline of domes­
tic crude oil extraction— ranging from a shortage of
drilling rigs during part of this period, to price controls,
to the decline in the availability of crude oil reserves in
the lower 48 States.
These production data also show a relative movement
away from natural gas to electricity during this period.
This is reflected in the relative rates of growth of output
for gas and for electric utilities (table 1). Examined by
subperiods, the shift appears to have begun prior to
1973. However, the relative shift between natural gas
and electricity becomes unclear during 1973-77—when
electric utilities showed a decline. Of course, the rela­
tive rates of growth in output of these two energy in­
dustries reflect a complex substitution effect—not just
between them but with petroleum products as well.
Coal experienced a moderate rate of growth relative to
most other types of energy during 1958-77 period.
However, since 1973, coal output has increased at a
very rapid rate. A primary factor behind this growth
was the large supply of coal in the United States rela­
tive to other types of energy. The supply picture, of
course, encompasses not only the quantity but also the
stability of that supply. Finally the production data in
table 1 show a dramatic turnaround in oil- and gaswell drilling since 1973, with a 1973-77 growth rate
approaching 9 percent. This rapid growth compares
with earlier declines in oil- and gas-well drilling and re­
flects, among other factors, prospects for higher prod­
uct prices, an important element in the decision to
search for new sources of oil and gas.
Other factors, of course, have influenced the relative
growth rates of energy output during this period. Natu­
ral gas, for example, has been under price controls for
several decades. Electricity production also reflects close
regulatory review. Further, domestic production of nat­
ural gas and petroleum has been constrained, particular­
ly at the regulated price.
Energy employment. Within the energy-producing sec­
tors discussed here, significant employment shifts have
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occurred since 1958. For example, employment growth
in coal mining has grown faster than output—reflecting
a decline in productivity— since 1967, although the gap
narrowed during 1973-77.2A somewhat similar pattern
occurred in the crude petroleum and natural gas extrac­
tion sector, particularly for oil- and gas-well drilling
and exploration. However, in the latter, the disparity
between output and employment growth occurred only
during 1973-77, probably indicating intensification of
the search for new oil and gas. In the other three ener­
gy-producing industries, 1973-77 employment growth
was slower than output growth—pointing to productiv­
ity gains in these sectors.
As shown in chart 1, the employment trend in all
crude petroleum and natural and liquid gas extraction
industries (including oil- and gas-well drilling) was
down— rather sharply— until the early 1970’s. Since
then, employment in these two sectors has increased.
Within the well-drilling and exploration sector, for ex­
ample, employment growth averaged an unprecedented
14.0 percent per year. Nevertheless, this increased effort
in seeking new oil has yet to be translated into produc­
tion, inasmuch as domestic crude oil production (actual
units, as measured by changes in real price) declined 3.0
percent a year during 1973-77.
The coal mining employment trend was down sharply
during 1947-67, but since then has shown a rather dra­
matic turnaround. In fact, during 1967-77, the number

Table 1. Output and employment trends of energy
producing industries, selected years, 1958-77
Output and
employment

Compound rates of growth
1958

1967

1973 19771 195877

195867

196773

197377

2.3

0.4

6.4

Output (millions
of constant
1972 dollars)
Coal mining............
Crude petroleum and
natural and liquid
gas extraction2 . . .
Oil and gas well
drilling2 ..............
Petroleum refining ..
Electric utilities........
Gas utilities ............

$4,275 $5,224 $5,342 $6,844

2.5

11,416 15,905 17,381 15,301

1.6

3.8

1.5

-3.1

3,393 3,047 2,740 3,852
19,465 27,656 35,752 45,996
13,105 23,214 34,198 33,826
10,370 17,063 20,192 18,910

.7
4.6
5.1
3.2

-1.2
4.0
6.6
5.7

-1.7
4.4
6.7
2.8

8.9
6.5
-.3
-1.6

Employment
(thousands)3
Coal mining............
Crude petroleum and
natural and liquid
gas extraction . . .
Oil and gas well
drilling ................
Petroleum refining . .
Electric utilities........
Gas utilities ............

230

152

177

233

.1

-4.5

2.6

7.1

210

167

160

195

-.4

-2.5

-.7

5.1

135
224
357
213

126
183
364
217

136
193
426
219

230
209
434
214

2.8
-.4
1.0
0

-.8
-2.2
.2
.2

1.3
.9
1.2
.1

14.0
2.0
.5
-.6

' 1977 output data are preliminary.
2Crude petroleum and natural and liquid gas extraction industries and oil- and gas-well
drilling industries are components of SIC 13, oil and gas extraction industries.
3Employment Includes, wage and salary workers, self-employed, and unpaid family work­
ers.

Chart 1. Employment in crude petroleum and natural gas extraction industries, 1947-78

Thousands of jobs

450 ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ I

1947

1950

1955

1960

of jobs in coal mining has increased by about 81,000.
Most of this employment growth occurred in the deep,
labor intensive mines of the Eastern United States.
Western coal production is a small but growing propor­
tion of total U.S. coal production; however, employ­
ment growth in these mines is not as pronounced.
Western mines are less labor intensive because they are
predominantly strip rather than deep mines.3
A review of employment trends in other energy pro­
ducing industries shows little change during the last 10
years. Electric utilities employment grew moderately
from 1969 to 1973; since then, both production and em­


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1965

1970

1975

ployment in electric utilities experienced almost no
growth. The sharp reversal in the use of electricity (ta­
ble 1) is not easy to explain, because price increases for
electricity have been less than for some other energy
sources. The 1974-75 recession and energy conserva­
tion programs initiated in this period may have affected
total consumption of electricity.
Overall, the output and employment trends for these
energy-producing sectors can be summarized as follows:
(1) employment in energy-producing industries is a
small part of total employment; (2) in several energyproducing industries, employment declined through the
5

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Energy's Influence on Output and Employment
late 1960’s, stabilized, and began increasing—conse­
quently, it is clear that not just the oil embargo of 1973
and the higher prices that followed contributed to this
turnaround, but other factors such as lower production
of oil and natural gas in the contiguous 48 States, regu­
lation of natural gas prices, and the relative availability
of coal contributed as well; (3) individual energy-pro­
ducing industries have experienced differing growth pat­
terns, as one type of energy appeared to be substituted
for another because of changes in relative prices and be­
cause of other factors such as supply constraints and
regulation; (4) several of these energy-producing indus­
tries have shown disparate changes in their rates of
growth for output and employment since 1973, result­
ing in productivity increases for some industries (petro­
leum refining and both electric and gas utilities) and
declines in productivity for others (oil and gas extrac­
tion and coal mining).
Trends for energy consumers
An industry can use energy for many different rea­
sons, but uses can be broadly grouped into three
categories: for heating, lighting, or cooling offices, stores,
factories, or warehouses; as a raw material in a manufac­
turing process; or as a power or heat source, including
fuel for transportation. The latter of these broad func­
tional uses is the most crucial from an employment per­
spective: power can be a substitute for labor—just as
capital equipment also can substitute for labor.
It is impossible at the present time to separate, in any
systematic way, energy uses by industry. Therefore, an
analysis of energy use by industry was performed for all
energy uses combined. However, direct and indirect, or
“embodied,” energy consumption can be measured sep­
arately. Indirect energy use covers the proportion of en­
ergy used in producing parts, materials, power, or
services used as inputs to production by an industry.
Examined on this basis, an industry such as dairy and
poultry production, which uses relatively small amounts
of energy directly, is shown as a relatively large energy
user because of the energy embodied in producing mate­
rial or service inputs such as animal feeds or fertilizers.
Each industry produces its goods or services based
on a mix of the factors of production—capital, labor,
energy, and other material inputs. Over time, the mix of
these factors can change in an industry because of
changes in the relative prices of these factors, o r'b e­
cause of changes in technology. Industries identified in
this analysis as capital, labor, or energy intensive use all
of the factors of production, even though one or anoth­
er of the factors may predominate.
Industry input-output data for 1973 were used to cal­
culate total energy use, direct use per $100 of pro­
duction, and the total of direct and indirect use per
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$100 of production for each of the four sources of
energy (coal, oil, natural gas, and electricity).4As shown
in table 2, the most and least energy intensive industries
were determined based on these calculations. Data on
output per hour of employment were used in table 3 to
determine the most and least labor intensive industries
in 1973. And a newly developed measure of capital
stock per unit of output was used to determine the
most and least capital intensive industries for 1973,5 as
shown in table 4. Some industries, such as amusement
and recreational services, are ranked as both very low
energy intensive and very high labor intensive; this is
simply a logical result of the specific production process
involved.
The review of industry output and employment
trends which follows could have been done for more
conventional groupings of industries, such as mining,
durable goods, manufacturing, or transportation. How­
ever, grouping industries by their relative use of energy,
labor, and capital provides a different and, for some
purposes, more relevant perspective.
For the industries identified in tables 2, 3, and 4,
1973-77 output growth (in real terms) and employment
growth were examined and compared with earlier peri­
ods, as shown in table 5. In addition to industry group­
ings by energy type, a selection of extreme energy
intensive (both high and low) industries was made from
the four energy sources. Listed in the note to table 5,
these industries ranked highest or lowest based on their
relative consumption of all energy types. Based on the
data in table 5, the following observations can be made.
The most energy intensive industries have experienced
slower output growth since 1973, but this slowdown ap­
pears to be of about the same proportion as the drop in
the rate of growth for the entire economy. Employment
in the most energy intensive industries experienced an
absolute decline during 1973-77, an appreciable change
from the 0.8-percent long-term growth rate.
The least energy intensive industries had a faster rate
of output growth during 1973-77 than both the overall
economy and the most energy intensive industries. The
faster growth rate for the least energy intensive indus­
tries compared to the most energy intensive industries

Detailed industry data
Energy intensiveness— for oil, coal, electricity, and gas
— has been calculated for 154 separate industries, based
on a 1973 input-output table. These data, along with de­
tailed industry data for labor and capital intensity, are
available from the Office of Economic Growth and Em­
ployment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Wash­
ington, D. C. 20212. The data also will be published early
next year together with a reprint of this article.

Table 2. The most and least energy intensive industries, by type of energy, 1973
Most energy intensive
Total
per $100
of producttion

Least energy intensive

Direct use Direct use
Total value
per $100 per 1,000
of directly
of proworker consumed enerduction
hours
gy (millions)

Industry

Total use Direct use Direct use
Total value
per $100 per $100 per 1,000
of directly
of proof proworker consumed enerduction
duction
hours
gy (millions)

Coal

Coal

Electric utilities..............................
Blast furnaces, basic steel ............
Metal containers ..........................
Cement and concrete..................
Synthetic fibers ............................
Metal stampings ..........................
Fabricated structural metal............
Water and sanitary services..........
Iron and steel foundries ................
Railroad equipment ......................

$5.99
4.12
1.58
1.49
1.40
1.28
1.23
1.09
1.06
1.02

$4.56
2.73
.16
.83
.86
.04
(’ )
.15
.07
.04

$1,430.38
728.43
4.79
188.44
192.21
6.81
.52
55.52
10.86
13.40

Industrial chemicals ......................
Plastic and synthetic rubber ..........
Agricultural chemicals ..................
Miscellaneous chemical products ..
New highway construction ............
Paint and allied products ..............
Air transportation..........................
Food and feed grains....................
Synthetic fibers ............................
Cleaning and toilet preparations . . .

$22.87
1414
10.40
7.82
762
7.11
6.45
6.29
6.03
5.07

$16.38
3.26
1.05
1.57
6.03
1.21
5.29
3.33
.10
.64

$5,850.80
1,375.19
325.89
397.01
1,051.85
373.15
924.02
621.09
21.24
267.53

Water and sanitary services..........
Pipeline transportation ..................
Local government passenger transit
Other nonferrous mining................
Iron ore mining ............................
Chemical and fertilizer mineral
mining..................................
Primary aluminum products ..........
Nonprofit organizations..................
Copper ore mining........................
Industrial chemicals ......................

$7 69
7.39
5.86
5.80'
5.14

$1.56
6.39
5.01
3.39
3.30

$578.42
3,101.43
341.20
517.05
1,066.95

$95.4
108.6
68.2
22.8
63.0

4.93
'4.92
449
447
4.02

3.62
2.53
3.76
2.64
2.02

834.44
815.89
204.88
385.68
720.84

30.0
274.1
664.4
33.9
477.9

$1,560 6
944.0
0.9
82.2
47.9
3.9
0.5
9.2
7.6
1.4

$0.79
Miscellaneous professional services........

Ü5
.05

PI
( 1)

$0.2
\ )
2

.12
\ )
1.67

( J

.15
1.01

.2
.5

( ;

( )

09
.10
.11

.02
Pi
( 1)
.01

Banking ..................

31

)
$0 of,

Radio and TV broadcasting ....................

.49
51
.60

.01

.95

3

Other medical services ..................

.09

6.70

103
W.l

Miscellaneous professional services ........
Credit agencies and financial institutions ..

.65
.68

.23
.14

27.64
10.92

67.3
15.2

Transportation services ..........................
Miscellaneous professional services........
Doctors and dentist offices......................

$0.28
.40
.44
A5
.55
.62

$0.11
.12
.03

$8.35
13.58
3 97

$2.0
33.1
76

.04
.14

2.98
93.77

1.3
14.9

.66
.67
.68

.02
.22
.47

3.54
26.01
73.97

7.4
93 9
162.6

Doctors and dentist offices......................
Communications ..............................

.23
.24

$0.01
(>)
.09

Truck transportation ..............................
Post office ..................................
Banking ..............................
Agricultural, forestry, and fishing services .
Tobacco manufacturing..........................
Amusement and recreational services . . . .

.28
.28
.32
.35
.36
.38

.03
.09
.12
.03
.05
.10

Banking ........
Amusement and recreational services . . . .
Agricultural, forestry, and fishery services .

Oil

Oil
$3,879 1
317.7
34.9
85.0
575.4
55.6
673.6
697.5
5.3
69.3

V

Electricity

Electricity

Agricultural, forestry, and fishery services .
Tobacco manufacturing ..........................
Maintenance and repair construction........
Miscellaneous business services..............

Natural aas

Natural aas
Structural clay products................
Chemical and fertilizer mineral
mining......................................
Electric utilities..........................
Industrial chemicals ......................
Water and sanitary services..........
Glass manufacturing ....................
Petroleum refining ........................
Iron ore mining ............................
Cement and concrete....................
Plaster and synthetic rubber..........

( 1)

$9.21

$5.60

$627.21

$69.6

5.73
5.56
4.72
3.42
3.39
3.35
3.26
3.05
3.01

3.15
2.92
1.83
.78
1.84
1.45
1.46
1.36
.36

725.28
916.30
655.05
289.39
224.21
1,225.63
473.73
307.00
151.56

26.1
999.7
434.3
47.8
121.5
507.4
28.0
133.9
35.0

^U.JO
66
13.44
v.Do
306
5 61
13.72
2.75
34.15
7 25

13
29.5
90
76
31 1
1.2
5.4
66

1Less than 0.005.

reverses a pattern that had prevailed in all earlier peri­
ods examined. Employment growth in the least energy
intensive industries remained stable—at about twice the
national average— before and after 1973.
When the growth rates of the most and least energy
intensive industries in each of the four energy types
were compared, no consistent pattern emerged. The
most coal intensive industries experienced the most pro­
nounced output slowdown in the 1973-77 period. The
most intensive industrial users of the other three energy
types—oil, electricity, and natural gas— showed output
slowdowns during 1973-77, but the reduced growth for
all three groups was roughly consistent with the slow­
down in the overall economy. Thus, the impact on the
most oil intensive industries was not as pronounced as
might have been expected, given that the price of oil in­


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creased relatively more than did the price of other ener­
gy types. Output growth for the least intensive users of
three energy sources—coal, oil, and electricity—during
1973-77 was faster than that of the most intensive
consumers of those energy types—a reversal from the
long-term growth patterns. The least intensive users of
natural gas were the exception, with a 1973-77 growth
rate below that of the most intensive users of natural
gas.
Employment growth in 1973-77 for the most and
least intensive users of the four energy types also varied.
The employment growth among each group of least en­
ergy intensive industries was faster than for their most
energy intensive counterparts. This was also true of ear­
lier periods. Employment growth patterns among each
group of most energy intensive industries during
7

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Energy's Influence on Output and Employment
Table 3.

Most and least labor intensive industries, 1973
In d u s try

W o rk e r

O utp u t

hours

p e r w o rk e r

(m illions)

h o u r1

2,672
3,532
1,843
777
3,243
2,314
360
25,803
1,180
1,360

$1.97
4.90
4.91
4.97
5.35
5.56
5.85
5.85
5.88
6.09

414
133
122
20
84
354
153
144
48
112

75.99
62.70
60.20
58.34
56.88
56.68
49.31
45.31
41.92
41.87

Most labor intensive:
Households................................................
Other agricultural products ..........................
Hotels and lodging place ............................
Barber and beauty shops ............................
Nonprofit organizations................................
Educational services, private........................
Cotton........................................................
Retail trade ................................................
Amusements and recreation services............
Post Office ................................................
Least labor intensive:
Petroleum refining and related products........
Tobacco manufacturing ..............................
Alcoholic beverages....................................
Real estate ................................................
Advertising..................................................
Gas utilities ................................................
Pipeline transportation ................................
Sugar ........................................................
Meat products............................................
Cleaning and toilet preparations ..................
' Output per hour data are stated in constant 1972 dollars.
NOTE: Rankings of labor intensiveness reflect the amount of production per hour. As a
consequence, those industries producing the least per hour are the most labor intensive,
while those industries producing the most per hour are the least labor intensive.

1973-77 approximated the long-term trend, except for
the most coal intensive industries. The latter showed a
1.4-percent average annual decline during 1973-77, a
marked change from the growth rate posted in earlier
periods. Another notable employment growth change
during 1973-77 was the sharply narrowed growth rate
differential between the most and least electricity inten­
sive industries.
The most labor intensive industries have shown a
somewhat faster rate of output growth than the overall
economy during 1973-77, a reversal of the pattern re­
corded in earlier periods. Employment growth in the
most labor intensive industries has been above the na­
tional average since 1973; in prior periods, employment
growth in these industries has been about equal to that
of the overall economy.
The least labor intensive industries have shown appre­
ciably faster output growth than the overall economy
since 1973. In earlier periods, these industries had expe­
rienced output growth at about the same rate as the na­
tional average. Employment growth among the least
labor intensive industries was below the rate for the
overall economy during 1973-77; generally, the rate has
been no more than the national average, and in a num­
ber of instances it has been appreciably less.
The most capital intensive industries have shown, for
all periods reviewed, appreciably faster output growth
than the overall economy. Since 1973, however, the dif­
ference has narrowed. Employment growth in the most
capital intensive industries has been consistently slower
than for the overall economy. With absolute declines
8

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in employment averaging 0.1 percent per year for these
industries during 1973-77, the difference between this
rate and the national average (1.5 percent annual in­
crease) widened.
The least capital intensive industries have shown much
slower output growth than the national average for all
periods reviewed. In fact, the gap increased during 1973
-77, when these industries experienced absolute declines
in output averaging 0.9 percent per year. Employment
growth in these industries has been below the national
average over the long term; during 1973-77, absolute
declines averaging 0.4 percent per year increased the dif­
ference.
The energy producing industries have shown slower
output growth than the overall economy since 1973.
Employment growth in these industries, however, has
been faster than the national average during 1973-77.
In each case, these data reverse earlier patterns. As not­
ed earlier in this article, however, the overall energy in­
dustry trends may differ from the data for specific types
of energy production.
Verifying the energy factor
The data appear to reveal some shifts in the underly­
ing pattern of output and employment growth in indus­
tries grouped by their use of energy, capital, and labor,
but a few cautions should be noted. In evaluating
whether there has been a permanent change in underly­
ing trends, a 4-year period, 1973-77, is very short; par­
ticularly when the period includes a major recession

Table 4.

Most and least capital intensive industries, 1973
Industry

Gross
Output
capital
stock
(millions of
(millions of 1972 dollars)
1972 dollars)

Capital
stock
per unit
of output

Most capital intensive:
Railroad transportation ......................
Miscellaneous chemical products........
Air transportation ..............................
Electric utilities ..................................
Water transportation ..........................
Communication except radio and TV ..
Transportation services......................
Chemical and fertilizer mineral mining ..
Pipeline transportation........................
Stone and clay mining........................

$51,106
11,873
27,812
54,033
13,511
49,051
2,477
959
1,927
3,158

$18,679
5,489
14,351
34,198
9,344
34,446
1,861
820
1,702
3,216

$2.74
2.16
1.94
1.58
1.45
1.42
1.33
1.17
1.13
.98

171
391
1,773
1,765
818
279
610
626
1,449
17,816

5,521
6,737
30,571
28,467
10,483
3,534
6,161
6,194
13,666
157,667

.03
.06
.06
.06
.08
.08
.10
.10
.11
.11

Least capital intensive:
Other transportation equipment ..........
Miscellaneous manufactures ..............
Meat products ..................................
Apparel ............................................
Tobacco ............................................
Medical and dental instruments ..........
Water and sanitary services................
Radio and TV receiving sets ..............
Miscellaneous food products ..............
New and repair construction ..............

NOTE: Capital stock are gross stock of plant and equipment priced in constant 1972
dollars.

Table 5.

Output and employment trends, selected industry groups, 1959-77
Employment
Industry group

1973 Level
(thousands)

Constant dollar output

Compound growth rates
1959 - 77

1959-67

1967 - 73

1973 - 77

1973 Level1
(billions of
1972 dollars)

1959-77

1959-67

1967-73

1973-77

Compound growth rates

Total................................................
Public ......................................
Private......................................

88,409.0
12,289.0
76,120.0

1.8
3.8
1.6

1.8
4.6
1.4

2.1
3.4
1.9

1.5
2.7
1.3

2,317.5
138.9
2,178.6

3.5
2.7
3.6

4.1
4.2
4.1

3.8
1.5
4.0

1.8
1.5
1.8

Energy intensive:
M o st..........................
Least..........................

1,551.0
9,575.0

.8
3.6

1.1
3.5

.9
4.2

-.2
3.1

98.6
230.1

5.3
4.8

5.5
4.8

6.6
5.2

3.1
4.1

Labor Intensive:
M o st..........................
Least..........................

23,560.0
2,312.0

1.7
1.0

1.2
.3

2.1
2.0

1.9
1.0

238.2
249.9

2.7
3.8

3.0
4.1

2.9
3.9

2.0
3.0

Capital intensive:
M o st..........................
Least..........................

2,985.0
7,426.0

.4
1.2

.2
.9

.8
2.5

-.1
-.4

124.1
271.7

5.1
2.1

6.0
3.2

6.0
2.6

2.1
-.9

Energy producers ..............

1,175.0

.4

-1.3

1.4

2.3

112.9

3.8

4.6

4.0

1.7

2,538.0
9,136.0

.8
2.9

1.6
2.7

1.1
3.6

-1.4
2.2

133.3
213.2

3.3
4.2

4.4
4.1

4.2
4.9

-.3
3.5

2,139.0
8,122.0

.1
3.9

.2
3.3

-0
4.7

.1
3.9

107.9
196.3

5.0
4.4

5.6
4.0

4.9
5.2

3.9
4.1

2,623.0
9,686.0

2.3
3.4

2.4
3.0

1.8
4.0

2.7
3.0

66.4
256.7

4.6
4.3

4.9
4.6

5.2
4.5

3.0
3.5

1,690.0
7.938.0

.9
2.6

.5
2.5

1.5
3.3

.6
1.6

130.4
194.9

5.0
4.0

4.7
3.7

6.0
5.1

4.0
3.2,

Coal intensive:
M o st..........................
Least..........................
Oil intensive:
M o st..........................
Least..........................
Electricity intensive:
M o st..........................
Least..........................
Gas intensive:
M o st..........................
Least..........................

'Private 1973 output is a gross duplicated measure, while public 1973 output is on a
Gross National Product basis. Thus, the total is a mixture of the two concepts. Even though
gross duplicated output is a much higher measure than GNP, growth rates using the two
measures are similar.
NOTE: The following were selected as the 10 most energy intensive industries, based on
their relative consumption of all energy types: Industrial chemicals; plastic and synthetic rub­

and partial recovery. Therefore, caution is necessary in
considering whether there has been a change in underly­
ing trends, or only a cyclical phenomenon.
Although 1973 was an important juncture in the
price—and, consequently, the use—of energy, it was
also the beginning of a cyclical downturn. Thus, chang­
es in trend, if cyclically related, should be observable in
previous cyclical downturns and recoveries. Data from
the 3-year period 1958-61, covering a cyclical down­
turn and recovery, indicate that at least some of the
post-1973 changes also occurred then. (See table 6.) For
example, employment in the most energy intensive in­
dustries also declined during 1958-61. Output and em­
ployment growth in energy-producing industries, how­
ever, are not comparable between the two periods.
A review of other changes associated with the 1973—
77 period reinforces the observation that this period
was not just a cyclical downturn. The output growth
rate of the most labor intensive industries surpassed
that of the total economy, a complete reversal from the
earlier period. Growth rates of the least capital intensive
industries appear vastly different from the earlier period.
In addition, the output growth rate of the least energy
intensive industries was absolutely greater than that of
the most energy intensive industries and relatively great­


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ber; synthetic fibers; cement and concrete; agricultural chemicals; stone and clay mining; elec­
tric utilities; miscellaneous chemical products; structural clay products; and iron ore mining.
The following were selected as the 10 least energy intensive industries, based on their rela­
tive consumption of all energy types: transportation services; doctors and dentist offices;
communication; insurance; banking; miscellaneous business services; miscellaneous profession­
al services; tobacco manufacturing; amusement and recreational service; and post office.

er than the growth rate of the total economy, a pattern
not found in the earlier period. Thus, it appears that
changes in energy prices, beginning in 1973, exerted a
measurable impact on the growth patterns of a broad
range of industries, with the least energy intensive and
the most labor intensive industries experiencing positive
effects.
Classifications of energy, labor, and capital intensive­
ness contain duplication in that an industry can be both
energy and capital intensive. An important question,
therefore, involves the sensitivity of the trends to the
elimination of duplication among the industry lists.
Data calculated after duplication among these lists was
eliminated show very little change in underlying trend
results.
It cannot be concluded that, because an industry’s
growth pattern changes, a substitution of one factor for
another has occurred. In this examination, industries
were ranked based on their capital, labor, and energy
intensiveness, and their changing growth patterns were
analyzed. However, no explicit account was taken of the
possible substitution of production factors. Further, a
considerable body of research exists which shows that
these factors, in some instances, are not substitutes but
complements to the other factors of production.6
9

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Energy’s Influence on Output and Employmerit '
The industry/energy equation
The importance of energy in the U.S. economy can­
not be overstated. Since 1973, dramatic changes in the
price of most energy resources (particularly petroleum)
have influenced the lives of nearly every individual
consumer. These energy supply changes have also in­
fluenced the employment and output growth rates of a
broad range of industries, partially based on the rate
energy is used on their production processes.
This study has focused on the most and least energy
intensive industrial users of energy, attempting to iso­

Table 6. Output and employment trends of selected
industry groups, 1958-61 and 1973-77
[Compound rates of growth]
Employment

Industry group

Output in constant 1972 dollars

1958-61

1973-77

1958-61

1973-77

Total ................................
Public............................
Private..........................

1.4
3.0
1.2

1.5
2.7
1.3

3.8
2.9
3.9

1.8
1.5
1.8

Energy intensive:
Most ..............
Least..............

-.4
2.8

-.2
3.1

5.1
5.1

3.1
4.1

Labor intensive:
Most ..............
Least..............

2.0
.2

1.9
1.0

1.7
5.2

2.0
3.0

-1.7
.6
-2.8

-.1
-.4
2.3

3.8
4.3
3.5

2.1
-.9
1.7

Capital intensive:

Energy producing .. .

NOTE: The notes to table 5 apply here also.

late the effect of the 1973-77 energy supply changes.
Based on this analysis, the least energy intensive indus­
tries appear to have benefited from the otherwise ad­
verse conditions. The output growth rate for these
industries during 1973-77 was much greater than that
of the total economy and eclipsed by a wide margin the
output growth rate for the most energy intensive indus­
tries—a reversal of the long-term trend. It is not insig­
nificant that this reversal occurred during a period that
included the worst recession in modern times.
The employment growth rate of the least energy in­
tensive industries during 1973-77 did not deviate much
as output growth from the long-term trends, remaining
about twice that of the total economy. Although em­
ployment declined for the most energy intensive indus­
tries over this period, this change is similar to the
employment decline during the 1958-61 cyclical down­
turn. Thus, employment growth patterns appeared to
correspond roughly with the output growth rate chang­
es in these industries during 1973-77.
As discussed earlier, insufficient time has elapsed to
determine whether these changes are just short term ad­
justments or will prevail over the long run. Capital
stock is relatively fixed in the short run. Given sufficient
time to adjust, some producers of energy intensive
goods or services will make changes in their production
processes which will affect their use of energy. This
could influence the relative prices of the goods and serv­
ices they produce and equalize the apparent advantage
of less energy intensive industries in an era of limited
energy supplies.
□

FOOTNOTES

1From the viewpoint of the Standard Industrial Classification (1967
version), this includes the following SIC codes: 11, 12, 1311, 1321,
138, 29, 491, 492, and 493. In the BLS Economic Growth model, en­
ergy production covers sectors 11, 12, 20, 60, 126, and 127. Although
employment and production data presented early in the article are
available in the 1972 version of the SIC, the data used in the later
analysis are not. Thus, to be consistent, the 1967 SIC base is used for
the industry data throughout this article.
: The relationship between output and employment trends provides
only a very crude guide to productivity trends. The results in this case
appear consistent with the BLS official productivity measures. See
BLS Bulletin 2002, “Productivity Indexes for Selected Industries,”
1978 Edition, September 1978.
3For an examination of the potential employment growth in both
Western and Eastern U.S. coal mines, see Willis J. Nordlund and
John Mumford, “Estimating employment potential in U.S. energy in­
dustries,” M o n th ly L a b o r Review , May 1978, pp. 10-13. Other as­
pects of employment growth in the coal industry are examined in

10

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Everett M. Kassalow, “Labor-management relations and the coal
industry,” M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , May 1979, pp. 23-27.
“The 1973 input-output table used in this analysis is a BLS update
of the 1967 input-output table prepared by the Bureau of Economic
Analysis, Department of Commerce. The original 400-sector tables
have been aggregated into 162 sectors by BLS.
5The capital stock data is gross stock in constant prices. These data
on industry capital stock were prepared by BLS. A detailed bulletin
“Capital stocks estimates for input-output industries: methods and
data,” BLS Bulletin 2034, presents the data and methodology used in
preparing industry capital stock data.
6 Ernst R. Brendt and Laurits R. Christensen, “The Translog Func­
tion and the Substitution of Equipment, Structure, and Labor in U.S.
Manufacturing, 1929-1968,” Jou rn al o f Econom etrics, March 1973;
and Ernst R. Brendt and David O. Wood, “Technology, Prices, and
the Derived Demand for Energy,” The R eview o f E conom ics a n d S ta ­
tistics, August 1975.

The Producer Price Index revision:
overview and pilot survey results
Data on the four industries tested show
that expanded coverage, better samples,
and improved methodology significantly
affected BLS estimates o f price change
Jo h n F. E a r l y

As the first stage of a comprehensive revision of the Pro­
ducer Price Index program1the Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics has recently completed a pilot survey to test the new
methodology and operational procedures. The four-in­
dustry trial run implemented changes in sampling, collec­
tion, pricing, and weighting. This article reports on the
results of the pilot survey for 1978 and discusses other
aspects of the Producer Price Index Revision program.
Program for revision
The goal of the revision program is to replace and ex­
pand the mining and manufacturing portions of the cur­
rent Producer Price Indexes (PPI) with new indexes
covering all 493 manufacturing and mining industries at
the four-digit level of detail in the Standard Industrial
Classification (SIC) System. Data for the first four in­
dustries in the pilot survey are now being released on a
monthly basis.2 Beginning with the data for January
1980, 12 additional industries will be published using
the methods and systems of the full-scale revision. Pub­
lication then is planned to accelerate, increasing to 49
industries by the end of 1980; 124 by 1981; 234 by
1982; 344 by 1983; 454 by 1984; and all 493 by early
1985.3 As indexes for new industries are published un­
der the revision program, they will replace the corre­
sponding commodity indexes in the present structure.
John F. Early is Assistant Commissioner for Industrial Prices and
Price Indexes, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Econometric estimates were
prepared by Steven Grandits, an economist in that division.


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Finally, in 1983, BLS will shift to the new revision
structure as the framework for publication and analysis.
Price indexes initially will be published for the total
output and for major products and product classes of
each industry surveyed. As data from additional indus­
tries become available, indexes will be developed for
products, regardless of the industry of origin. Output
price indexes will be developed for groups of industries
and for stage-of-processing industry sectors. Price in­
dexes of industry inputs will also be constructed.
Briefly, the following are the major improvements that
will be incorporated in the new indexes:
•

Coverage of mining and manufacturing will be com­
plete. The present indexes include prices for products
representing only about half of the value of shipments
in mining and. manufacturing production. Many ma­
jor industries, such as printing and publishing and
computers, are not covered at all. Even among the
covered industries, pricing is largely confined to ma­
jor products. In the new indexes, all industries will be
surveyed and every source of revenue—primary pro­
duction, secondary production, resales, and miscella­
neous receipts— will be sampled for pricing in each
industry.

•

Samples of both producers and products will be
much larger. For the present indexes, about 3,000
producers report prices on 10,000 items in 2,800
product areas. When the revision is complete, about
30,000 producers will be reporting prices on 140,000
11

/

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • The Producer Price Index Revision
items in nearly 10,000 product areas, of which about
6,000 will be published. (The samples in the pilot
survey are less than half the size of those to be used
in the full-scale survey.)
• The new indexes will better represent the different
kinds of transactions that can take place by includ­
ing them in the index sample. For example, a sale
may be “off the shelf” or the result of a long-term
contract; the buyer may be a distributor, retailer, ex­
porter, or manufacturer; the sale may be in the open
market or to another part of the company utilizing a
transfer price; finally, items may be sold individual­
ly, or by the dozen, gross, carload, or other quanti­
ty. These variables are, of course, held constant from
one month to the next in constructing both the new
and present indexes. In the present indexes, a partic­
ular item is priced only for a “typical” customer and
transaction size. Contract sales have only rarely been
included, and intra-company transfer sales have been
definitionally excluded.
• Substantial effort will be exerted to obtain transac­
tion prices— that is, the price received by the pro­
ducer. With the exception of machinery com­
modities, for which order prices generally continued
to be requested, the present PPI in recent years has
sought to reflect transaction prices, and substantial
progress has already been made; however, some
areas of the present index continue to reflect list
prices, prices from trade journals, and nominal
prices from organized exchanges. For the new index,
more time and resources will be used to obtain actu­
al transaction prices.
• Samples of producers and items to be priced will be
selected on a probability basis for the new indexes.
The present indexes have been composed almost ex­
clusively of volume-selling items from major produc­
ers selected on a judgmental basis. While this tech­
nique ensures that the “most important” prices are
included, it also produces an index that automatically
excludes substantial portions of the market. The di­
rection and magnitude of the resulting bias are inher­
ently unknowable. The major producers and volume­
selling products will continue to have a major role in
the new index, because the “probability-proportionalto-size” technique to be used will produce a sample in
which the different types of producers, products, and
transactions will appear with a frequency and weight
proportional to their shipment values in the economy.
The introduction of probability techniques for sample
selection will allow the calculation of measures of pre­
cision (variances and standard errors) which will aid
analysts in assessing price trends.4
• The old commodity index structure for broad levels
of aggregation, such as All Commodities or Industri­
12

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

•

als, suffers from multiple counting of price changes.
For example if a price increase for raw cotton is
passed on to cotton yarn, cotton gray cloth, finished
cotton cloth, and then cotton shirts, that price in­
crease would be reflected five times in the All-Com­
modities Index, weighted each time by the total
shipment value of each particular item. To prevent
such distortions in the indexes, net output weights
will be used. Net output is the value of shipments
that leave an industry; shipments within an industry
are excluded. At the four-digit level of industry de­
tail, the differences between net and gross value of
shipments are very small. As a result, the pilot in­
dexes provide very little insight into the effects this
change will have as more industries are completed
and summary indexes are calculated.
One of the most persistent problems in constructing
good price indexes is quality adjustment. When an
item that is being priced is discontinued, it is re­
placed by a new item. The difference between the ob­
served price of the two items may be factored into
two components— (1) the change resulting from the
physical change in the item, the quality change, and
(2) the pure price change. Only the pure price change
should be reflected in a price index. As part of the
revision effort, research is being conducted on the
better ways to do quality adjustment, but improve­
ment in this area will not be introduced initially.

The pilot indexes
The four industries tested in the pilot survey were soy­
bean oil mills, home laundry equipment, newspaper
printing and publishing, and concrete products except
brick and block. The industries were selected to provide
a variety of problems with which to test the survey. In­
dustry output price indexes are published in the present
program for the first two pilot industries, allowing for
direct comparison between the results of the present and
pilot surveys. Charts 1 and 2 compare the percent
change in the two sets of indexes for the two industries
as a whole and for their major products as well. In the
present PPI, no index is published for newspaper print­
ing and publishing and, for concrete products except
brick and block, only a commodity index for reinforced
storm sewer pipe is published. Chart 3 displays the index
changes for the present and pilot index for reinforced
storm sewer pipe. (Table 1 lists data for all three charts.)
The charts show significant differences between the
present and revision indexes, although these differences
were not consistent across industries. For soybean oil
mills, the aggregate indexes followed each other closely;
however, the indexes diverged in individual months for
industry products. For household laundry equipment,
the present index rose more than 60 percent faster than
the revised one from December 1977 to December 1978,

Chart 1. Comparison of present and pilot revised Producer Price Indexes for the soybean oil
mills industry, 1978

Monthly percent change

20

15
10

5
0

-5
-10

-15
Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

rising as fast or faster in most months. The divergence
between the present and pilot storm sewer pipe indexes
also was quite substantial, with changes in the indexes
differing in both magnitude and direction.
The effects of expansion
It is not possible to draw conclusions from such lim­
ited data on the possible magnitude or direction of er­
ror that may exist in the old indexes. Nor is it possible
to measure with precision the source of the divergences.
We can, however, estimate the possible effects of the
changes for particular cases.


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July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Broader product coverage. A major difference between
the present and new methodology is the expanded cov­
erage of the revision program. This is clearly demon­
strated in exhibit 1. For household laundry equipment,
the most significant expansion in coverage is the addi­
tion of gas dryers to the items priced. According to the
new index, prices for electric dryers rose by 2.4 percent
between December 1977 and December 1978, while
prices for gas dryers actually declined, by 0.5 percent in
the same period. The difference in demand for gas ver­
sus electric dryers is undoubtedly a major factor in
explaining the difference in price trends between the two
13

Chart 2. Comparison of present and pilot revised Producer Price indexes for the household laundry
equipment industry, 1978

Monthly percent change

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

products. With widespread restrictions on new gas
hook-ups, the demand for gas dryers was more limited
than for electric dryers. Consequently, demand for gas
dryers generally did not rise with the increase in major
appliance demand induced by the rapidly expanding
sales of new homes.
Other additions of primary production items of
household laundry equipment include nonautomatic
washers and parts and accessories. “Parts and accesso­
ries” is a common category of production in the ma­
chinery industries. Frequently in the present indexes,
14

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July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

the price movements of parts and accessories are im­
puted from the price changes for the complete unit. In
household laundry equipment, this imputation for 1978
would be inaccurate, as the trends are quite different.
While the price index for total industry output rose 3.5
percent in the 12 months following December 1977,
prices for parts and accessories actually declined by 8.1
percent. The new index also includes more items of sec­
ondary production and miscellaneous receipts.
The most significant addition to the new index for
soybean oil mills is crude soybean oil, degummed. In

the present index, only the oil that is not degummed is
priced with the implicit assumption that the prices of
the two oils move together. Chart 4 shows the monthly
change of the two pilot soybean oil indexes. The two
exhibit similar trends, but the timing and magnitude of
the changes are quite different, reflecting the differences
in demand for the two types of oil.
These examples illustrate how the limited coverage of
the old indexes could introduce inaccuracies in the meas­
urement of price change, even in industries that were
well covered by the old standards. The concrete prod­
ucts except brick and block and the newspaper printing
and publishing industries have little or no pricing in the
present index and, thus, offer less opportunity for com­
parison. For reinforced storm sewer pipes, the present
index’s only product to represent the entire concrete
products except brick and blocks industry, the present
index rose 18.7 percent in 1978, while the revision index
for the same product rose 10.0 percent and the revision
index for the entire industry rose 8.8 percent.
In the present PPI indexes, no items at all represent
printing and publishing. Revenue from advertising is ex­
cluded altogether from the weights, and it has been im­
plicitly assumed in- the aggregate indexes that news­
paper prices moved like the average of all pulp and
paper product prices. Between December 1977 and De­
cember 1978, the new index for newspaper printing and


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publishing rose only 7.2 percent, while the index for all
pulp and paper products increased 9.0 percent.
Better item and transaction coverage. The above results
illustrate the substantial changes that are likely to occur
as the result of complete coverage of production. The
indexes from the new survey also will give better meas­
ure of price change for those products that are priced in
both surveys by expanding the coverage of particular
items and the types of transactions to be priced. A sub­
stantially larger number of individual items are priced
in the new index. Exhibit 2 summarizes several charac­
teristics of the automatic washing machines priced in
the present and revision indexes. Six companies report
for the present index and seven for the pilot one, with
four of them common to both indexes.
The “volume-seller” approach of the present index
seems to have produced, in this case, a sample skewed
toward higher priced machines with extra features. This
skewing results from pricing the models most frequently
purchased at retail. The present index completely misses
the lower-cost, minimum-feature model typically sold as
“contractors’ models” for installation in new housing
units. Because the demand for these different models
may move very differently, the price trends as well as
price levels may differ.5
Not only are the new indexes more representative of
the products and producers in an industry, they are also
more representative of the circumstances of the sale of
these products. One of the transaction characteristics
sampled in the new index is the type of customer, be­
cause different prices are frequently charged to different
customers, The following tabulation shows, by the type
of customer, the number of prices collected in the pres­
ent and pilot surveys for automatic washers:
T yp e o f c u sto m e r

D istributor..........................
Retailer, general ................
Retailer, private brand . . . .
Intra-company ..................
Same price to a l l ................

N u m b e r in
p re se n t in d e x

N u m b e r in
p ilo t in d e x

6

4
7
9
3
5

. ..

The present index does not cover many of the impor­
tant types of transactions in the industry. The discount
structure to distributors and to retailers is different;
prices for private brand production are usually long­
term negotiated arrangements; and intra-company
transfers, excluded in the present index by definition,
must be included to account for prices of all output
from an industry.
It is not possible to quantify the contribution of each
of these sources of differences between the present and
pilot indexes. However, it can be illustrated that this
expanded coverage of item specification and types of
transactions does make a difference. Between December
15

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • The Producer Price Index Revision
Table 1. Comparison of present and pilot revised Producer Price Indexes, 19781
Industry or
product priced
Soybean oil m ills ........................
P ilo t............................
Present ........................
Crude degummed soybean oil
P ilo t............................
Present ........................
Crude not-degummed
soybean o il......................
P ilo t............................
Present........................
Soybean meal
P ilo t............................
Present........................
Household laundry equipment
P ilo t............................
Present........................

Percent changes from previous month, 1978
Code2

Percent change,
12/77-12/78

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

-0.4
5.4

-2.8
-7.3

15.8
17.3

0.8
-.8

1.8
2.4

-0.7
-4.4

0.8
3.3

-4.7
-5.2

2.3
3.0

1.9
1.9

-0.4
-3.2

3.5
6.1

17.8
17.6

-8.1
(3 )

3.7
(3 )

4.5
(3 )

4.6
(3 )

6.8
(3 )

6.2
(3 )

-1.7
(3 )

-2.8
(3 )

3.3
(3 )

-.4
(3 )

-.9
(3 )

1.9
(3 )

17.2
(3 )

2075-115
02-72-01-01

-5.7
-8.3

-2.0
-.4

24.5
25.8

1.1
-.2

4.8
6.4

-6.2
-7.5

1.8
1.9

-.5
-1.5

2.4
5.5

-2.8
-4.1

-8.2
-9.7

3.0
5.2

9.1
8.9

2075-211
02-92-01-11

2.0
14.5

-4.0
-11.8

15.4
15.7

-1.0
-2.0

.6
.9

-.1
-4.0

1.3
5.0

-6.1
-7.6

1.9
1.9

4.0
5.7

1.6
-.3

4.0
7.7

19.9
24.3

.3
.5

-.1
.4

.4
.4

.7
1.2

.2
0

-.3
0.4

.3
0.5

.2
0.8

0
0.1

.2
0

1.6
1.3

0
0

2075

2075-113

3633
3.5
5.7

Automatic washing machines
P ilo t............................
Present........................

3633-131
12-41-02-11

.1
.5

.2
.4

.2
.4

0.9
1.1

.2

.3
.6

.1
.6

-.1
.3

-.2
0

2.8
1.3

.1

0

0

4.6
5.4

Electric dryers
P ilo t............................
Present ........................

3633-155
12-41-02-32

.3
.6

.2
.4

1.3
.5

.4
1.3

0
0

.1
.8

-.5
.5

.4
1.1

-.2
0

0
0

-.4
1.0

-.2
0

2.4
6.4

.6
(3 )

.4
(3 )

.3
(3 )

1.6
(3 )

.8
(3 )

.7
(3 )

.7
(3 )

.8
(3 )

.7
(3 )

.6
(3 )

1.1
(3 )

.4
(3 )

8.8
(3 )

.1

Concrete products, except
brick and block ......................
P ilo t............................
Present ........................
Reinforced storm sewer pipe
P ilo t............................
Present........................
Newspaper printing and
publishing ..............................
P ilo t............................
Present........................

3272-161
13-32-01-01

.2
5.7

0

1.7
2.9

.8
1.8

.4
.7

1.3
0

1.1
6.5

1.4
1.7

.1
-1.7

1.8
0

.6

0

0

10.0
18.7

1.8
(3f )

1.2
(3 )

.2
(3 )

1.3
(3 )

.3
(3 )

.4
(3 )

.3
(3 )

.2
(3 )

.2
(3 )

.8
(3 )

.1
(3 )

.2
(3 )

7.2
(3 )

.2

2711

1977 and December 1978, the pilot index for automatic
washers rose 4.6 percent, while the present index in­
creased more rapidly, 5.4 percent. Of the 28 items
priced in the pilot index, eight fell into the same price
and capacity range as those included in the present in­
dex. A special index was constructed from that subset.
Like the present index, this limited coverage index in­
creased more rapidly (6.5 percent) than did the pilot in­
dex covering total production. There were also nine
items in the pilot index that reflected prices to distribu­
tors; a special index based on them rose 5.1 percent,
also showing a faster rate of increase than did the fullcoverage index. These results are much too skimpy to
draw any conclusions about the direction or magnitude
of any bias in the present index as a whole, but, at least
for this 12-month period, the markedly different price
trends for different segments of the market are not cap­
tured in the limited coverage of the present index.
Larger samples. The larger sample sizes alone also con­
tribute to the precision of the index. The difference
between change in the present and pilot indexes for
storm sewer pipe (18.7 versus 10.0 percent) seems to be
largely a matter of statistical variability. The pilot index
is based on 45 price quotations and moves much more


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0

3272

' Data revised through December 1978.
2Industry codes are 4-digit SIC codes, present index codes are PPI commodity cod^s formu-

16

.2

lated by BLS, and pilot index codes are Census commodity codes based on the SIC codes.
3Not available.

smoothly. The present index has only three price quota­
tions and is more volatile.
Transaction pricing improves accuracy
Although the prices in the old index reflect most of
the discounts used in an industry, they were chosen to
reflect the “typical” situation and, as a result, do not
account for some important variations in transactions
captured by improved transaction pricing under the
new index. Some of the differences between the present
and pilot indexes for automatic washers and electric
dryers can be traced to better transaction price report­
ing. While the magnitude of this effect cannot be docu­
mented, comparisons of detailed prices supplied by
reporters have shown that the pilot indexes are based
on better transaction information.
The indexes for soybean oil and meal illustrates anoth­
er aspect of pricing improvements. The present indexes
use the spot market prices that are reported in the trade
press for these products. These prices do not reflect the
wide variety of contractual arrangements under which
the vast majority of soybean oil and meal is sold. Be­
cause many soybean oil and meal sales are tied in some
way to future market prices in these commodities, it is
widely assumed that all oil sales and all meal sales

Exhibit 1. Industry coverage under the present and pilot
revised Producer Price Indexes
Industry

Census pro­
duct code

Present
index

sales. By sampling all types of transactions, BLS can
ensure that the new indexes will more accurately reflect
price trends at all times.

Pilot index

New weights eliminate double counting
Household laundry equipment
Primary production:
Washing machine, electric automatic........
Washing machine, electric nonautomatic ..
Dryer, mechanical, gas ..........................
Dryer, mechanical, electric......................
Parts and accessories............................

3633-131
3633-136
3633-151
3633-155
3633-396

Secondary production:
Commercial dryers, operated over
10 lbs..................................................
Commercial washer................................
Room air conditioner ..............................
Electric range, free standing....................
Electric range, drop in ............................
Dishwasher, portable..............................
Dishwasher, built in ................................
Food waste disposal ..............................
Resales ....................................................

3582-017
3582-012
3585-611
3631-121
3631-165
3639-412
3639-414
3639-471
3633-X98

Soybean oil mills
Primary production:
Soybean oil, crude, degummed ..............
Soybean oil, crude, not degummed..........
Soybean meal........................................
Soybean, other by products....................

2075-113
2075-115
2075-211
2075-298

Secondary production:
Grain, ground, (excluding corn)................
Shortening and cooking oils ....................
Margarine..............................................
Cottonseed oil, refined............................
Meat meal and tankage..........................
Animal and marine oil ............................
Other food, not elsewhere classified........
Nitrogenous fertilizer ..............................
Phosphatic fertilizer................................
Resales....................................................
Other receipts ..........................................

2048-911
2079-1
2079-2
2074-2
2076-2
2077-3
2099-9
2873-385
2874-331
2075-X98
2075-XXX

X

X

X
X

X
X
X
X
X

X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

X
X

X
X
X
X
X
X

X
X
X
X

X
X
X

X
X
X
X

The revision uses net shipment weights to combine
product price indexes into industry output price index­
es. Each product index is weighted by the value of that
product leaving the industry. The value of the product
sold to other establishments within the same industry is
excluded. The present aggregate commodity indexes in­
clude this intra-industry value in the weight, causing the
multiple counting of price change, noted earlier.
For the four pilot industries, the use of net weights
made very little difference, because the amount of intra­
industry shipments is quite small at the four-digit level.
Intra-industry shipments were valued at slightly more
than 1 percent of total shipments for soybean oil mills,
less than 0.5 percent for home laundry equipment, and
near zero for the other two industries. At higher levels
of aggregation, the effect of the new weights will be
more important.
The Finished Goods Producer Price Index, which is
part of the stage of processing the index system based
on the present indexes, is essentially a subindex of a
net-output-weighted price index for the private sector.6
The following tabulation compares the annual percent

move together. While this view may be true in general
terms, the data in table 1 and chart 1 show that the
spot price used in the present index is not a sufficient
indicator for all sales. Soybean oil prices rose 8.9 per­
cent during 1978 as measured by the old indexes and
9.1 percent as measured by the new. However, while the
average change is similar between the two indexes, the
individual prices that compose the revised index showed
changes ranging from small declines to increases of
nearly 40 percent. The following tabulation shows the
percent distribution of price changes for the industrial
item in the two pilot soybean product indexes:
P erce n t ch a n g e in p ric e
D ecem ber 1 9 7 7 -D e c e m b e r 1978

S o yb ea n oil,
not d egu m m ed

- 1 0 to - 0 .1 ..................................
0.0 to 9.9 ..........................................
10.0 to 1 9 .9 .......................................
20.0 to 2 9 .9 .......................................
30.0 to 3 9 .9 .......................................

11.1
55.6
11.1
22.2

S o yb ea n
m eal

7.7
42.3
46.2
3.8

Such diversity is a clear warning that, while the individ­
ual changes may average fairly near those for the spot
market used as the basis for pricing in the present in­
dex, there could be radical departures in the future, es­
pecially in a market that is suddenly affected by
external events, such as sudden large unplanned foreign


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

17

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • The Producer Price Index Revision
change for 1973-78 of the finished goods index with
the comparable All-Commodities Index, which is based
on gross-shipment weights:
Y ea r

1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978

A l l c o m m o d itie s

..................................
..................................
..................................
..................................
............................................
............................................

F in ish ed g o o d s

15.4
20.9
4.2
4.7

11.8
18.3
6.6
3.3
6.6
9.1

5.9
9.7

Not only does the change in weighting structure make a
difference in the measured level of inflation (15.4 percent
versus 11.8 percent in 1973), but it also changes the di­
rection of the trend. Both indexes measured a sharp drop
in inflation between 1974 and 1975. The net-weighted
Finished Goods Index showed a further substantial
slowdown in prices during 1976, while the gross-weight­
ed All-Commodities Index began a modest acceleration.
Extended application. The difference in gross- and netweighted output price indexes extends to more sophisti­
cated applications as well. Work done on developing in­
dustry price equations has generally relied on grossshipment-weighted output price indexes.7 The price
equations used in the major macroeconomic forecasting
models also generally rely on gross-shipment-weighted
priced indexes.8 To illustrate the potential econometric
Exhibit 2. Comparison of item specifications for
automatic washing machines, present and pilot
revised Producer Price Indexes
Item specifications

Number of prices ......................................................
Number of companies................................................
Average price (June 1978) ........................................
Capacity, pounds
2 0 ..............................................................
19 ............................................................
1 8 ..............................................................
1 6 ..............................................................
1 4 ..............................................................
Not available......................................................
Wash cycles
5 or more..................................................
4 ..............................................................
3 ..............................................................
2 ..............................................................
Not available......................................................
Water temperatures
5 ..............................................................
4 ..............................................................
3 ..............................................................
2 ..............................................................
Not available......................................................

Number of occurences
Present index

Pilot index

6
6
$257.84

28
7
$201.12

1
2

3

3
2

1

5
1
14
6
2

1

2
2
21
1
2

Water level adjustment
Infinite............................................................
Fixed..........................................................
Not available......................................................

3
1
2

8
18
2

Motor speeds
3 ..............................................................
2 ..............................................................
1 ............................................................

4
2

1
16
11

18

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

3
2

4
1
14
1
3
5

impact of using gross versus net shipment weights, an
output price equation was estimated for the rolling,
drawing, and extruding of nonferrous metals industry
(SIC 335). This industry was selected because it has a
relatively high incidence of intra-industry shipment
(17.3 percent) and both its inputs and outputs have rea­
sonably good pricing coverage in the current PPL
Special output price indexes were constructed using
price indexes available from the PPI and weights con­
structed from the 1972 Census of Manufactures and the
1967 input-output tables prepared by the Bureau of
Economic Analysis. One index was constructed using
gross-shipment weights; a second was constructed using
net-shipment weights. A materials input price index was
also constructed from the same sources. Data on aver­
age hourly earnings of production workers in the indus­
try were used to measure labor costs. The equations
were estimated for the period 1971-78 using quarterly
percent changes of each variable. Capacity utilization,
interest rate, and aggregate hours variables were also
tested but discarded because of very low significance.
Several different lag structures were tested without
success.
The differences between the two equations are not
large; however, they could well make a difference in a
large econometric model. For this model, the equation
based on the gross-weighted index would “pass
through” nearly 10 percent more of any change in input
prices than would the equation based on the net-weight­
ed index. (See table 2.)
In addition, the results are sufficiently different that
they might lead to different conclusions about the pric­
ing behavior of the industry. For example, based on the
1967 input-output tables, the cost of materials and fuels
was 65.0 percent of the total value of this industry’s
shipments. To test the hypothesis that producers in this
industry operated on a simple cost-pass-through basis,
one would test whether the coefficient of the input prices
is equal to 0.65. Results show that, with the net-output
model, the hypothesis could be accepted, but that the
gross-output model requires rejection of the hypothesis
at the 1-percent level of certainty and acceptance of the
alternative that material cost increases are more than
completely passed through, which would suggest an oli­
gopolistic market with relatively inelastic demand.
Survey response: cooperation is crucial
One critical factor in both surveys is the cooperation
received from American companies, because they are
the only possible source for the required information.
Most companies have been highly cooperative in both
the present and revision programs. They generally real­
ize the important role that accurate price statistics play
in fiscal and monetary policy decisions, which in turn
are major determinants of the Nation’s economic health

and the performance of individual companies. Many
companies also use the data extensively in their own
market and economic research activities, and more and
more companies are using the data to escalate prices in
long-term contracts for items they sell or buy.
When a company that has been selected for the sam­
ple does not cooperate, more is lost than just the infor­
mation on that company. If the refusing companies
have price trends that differ from those that cooperate,
a bias of inherently unknowable magnitude and direc­
tion is introduced into the index. Although, there is no
generally accepted quantitative relationship between co­
operation rates and the quality of the estimates, as the
revision proceeds, some effort will be made to analyze
the possible impact of refusals on this survey.
The tabulation below shows the frequency (in per­
cent) of successful pricing for the indexes for the four
pilot industries in December 1978:

I n d u s tr y

Soybean oil
mills .............
Newspaper pub­
lishing ..........
Concrete prod­
ucts, except
brick and
block .............
Home laundry
equipment . .

I n itia l
coop­
era tio n
ra te

Statistic

Net-weighted
index

Gross-weighted
index

-.0102
(.0090
.7471
(.0658
.5925
(.3787

-.0121
(.0082
.8185
(.0598
.5893
(.3439

.8320

.8782

Independent variable coefficients
Constant ....................................................
Input prices..................................................
Hourly earnings ..........................................

R2 .....................................................................
Durbin-Watson......................................................

1.42

1.81

NOTE: Standard error in parentheses.

to determine both the causes and effects of high refusal
rates in some industries.
S u b s t a n t i a l e f f o r t w i l l be spent over the next sev­
eral years in improving the Producer Price Indexes. Ex­
perience with the pilot survey has shown that changes
in sampling methods, collection procedures, pricing,
and weights have a significant impact on the estimates.
Research is continuing on other improvements, which
will be introduced in coming years.
□

R e fu s a l
d u r in g
repricin g

T em p o ra ­
rily n o t
a v a ila b le

T o ta l
respon se
ra te

96

9

0

87

80

5

16

59

69

15

5

49

--------- F O O T N O T E S ----------

100

0

6

94

1The PPI was formerly known as the WPI (Wholesale Price Index).
For a full description of problems with the old indexes, the theory be­
hind the revision, and the general methods being used, see John F.
Early, “Improving the measurement of producer price change,”
M o n th ly L abor R eview, April 1978, pp. 7-1 5 .
2Data were first released on August 10, 1978, and are available
from January 1978 forward on a December 1977 = 100 base.
3This schedule assumes that additional funding for the program
will be provided in future fiscal years.
4 Variances of the indexes and related measures are not available for
the pilot survey. It is planned that they will become available for the
production indexes in 1981.
'There is no evidence that the direction of this skewing is consis­
tent across products. The electric dryer samples in the PPI and PPIR
do show a similar skewed sample for the existing indexes. Another
study of refrigerator prices, however, suggest that for that appliance
the sample was skewed in the opposite direction. (See Jack E. Triplett
and Richard J. McDonald, “Assessing the Quality Error in Output
Measures: The Case of Refrigerators,” R eview o f In com e a n d Wealth,
June 1977, p. 151).
‘ Because of the superior characteristics of the stage-of-processing
indexes, in 1978 the BLS changed from the All-Commodities index to
the stage-of-processing indexes as the primary analytical framework
used in news releases and articles on producer prices.
10 tto Eckstein and Gary Fromm, “The Price Equation,” The
A m erican E conom ic Review, December 1968, pp. 1159-83. Otto
Eckstein and David Wyss, “Industry Price Equations,” The Econo­
m etrics o f Price D eterm ination, Proceedings of a conference sponsored
by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and the So­
cial Science Research Council, Oct. 30-31, 1970, pp. 133-56.
8L. Douglas Lee, A Com parison o f E conom etric M odels (Joint Eco­
nomic Committee, United States Congress, July 28, 1978).

The initial cooperation rate is the weighted proportion
of sample units that cooperated and successfully com­
pleted the initial interview for the survey. During this
interview, the survey is explained and data concerning
the unit are collected to classify properly and to weigh
it in the indexes. The majority of the interview is spent
in the probability selection of items and transaction
terms that are to be priced in the indexes and the devel­
opment of a detailed description or specification of
each.
The total response rate is the proportion of weight in
the index represented by the items for which prices were
available in the reference month, December 1978 in this
case. Differences between the initial cooperation rate
and the total response rate are twofold: (1) the refusal
of a few firms to continue with the monthly pricing of
the items selected during the initial interview and (2)
the temporary unavailability of reports for the reference
month, many of which become available before revised
data are issued 4 months later.
In two of the industries—newspaper publishing and
concrete products— the total response rate is low
enough to suggest the need for special attention. As the
PPIR continues, intensive reviews are being conducted


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Table 2. Comparison of estimates of output price
equations for rolling, drawing, and extruding nonferrous
metals, using net- and gross-weighted output price
indexes as dependent variables

19

Heavy bargaining
again in 1980
Contracts covering 3.7 million workers
are slated to expire throughout the year ,
including agreements in steel, telephone,
aerospace, and other major industries
M ary A. A ndrew s

and

W in s t o n T il le r y

Collective bargaining will be heavy in 1980, with 3.7
million workers covered by major contracts1that expire
or are subject to reopening on ,wages or benefits. About
the same number of workers were covered in 1979, but
1980 will be busier because more contracts will be ne­
gotiated. Bargaining is scheduled to take place in the
steel, aluminum and copper, telephone communication,
longshore, and aerospace industries.2In addition, nearly
half of the large contracts in the construction industry
expire in 1980. Unlike past years, when bargaining was
concentrated in a few months, talks in key industries
are scheduled throughout 1980.
Negotiators preparing for the 1980 bargaining rounds
may potentially face a repeat of the 1974-75 economy.
As the Nation entered the fourth quarter of 1979, em­
ployment and industrial production continued high, but
some economists predicted a downturn. Interest rates
were at record highs. Inflation was running at more
than 13 percent annually, the highest rate since the late
1940’s— paced by sharp increases in energy costs. In an
attempt to curb persistently high inflation, labor leaders
agreed to participate with government and industry on
a Pay Advisory Committee to develop pay and price
standards for 1980.
High inflation rates in 1979 will focus negotiators’ at­
tention on automatic cost-of-living adjustment (COLA)
Mary A. Andrews and Winston Tillery are economists in the Office of
Wages and Industrial Relations, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
20


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

clauses.3 About 60 percent of the workers subject to
1980 bargaining already are covered under contracts
that have such clauses; union negotiators probably will
seek to liberalize existing COLA provisions. Escalator
clauses are rare in the construction industry, where
unions have attempted to offset inflation by focusing on
wage increases.
In 1980, as in past years, expiring contracts with
COLA clauses tend to be of longer duration than those
without such clauses. Contracts with COLA clauses
also tend to provide for a larger total wage increase.4
Following are the average annual wage changes (in per­
cent) for contracts with and without COLA clauses:5

Contracts expiring in 1980 .........
With COLA ................................
Without C O L A ..........................

N e g o tia te d
ch an ge

N e g o tia te d
ch a n g e p lu s
COLA

6.0
5.0
7.5

8.1
8.4
7.5

Steel industry may set pattern
The importance of basic steel in the 1980 bargaining
schedule is underlined both by the strategic position of
steel in the economy and by the possibility that contracts
covering a large number of employees in other industries
may follow the steel pattern. The negotiations between
the Coordinating Committee Steel Companies, represent­
ing nine major steel firms,6 and the Basic Steel Industry
Conference of the United Steelworkers of America

will begin early in the year; contracts covering 280,000
workers expire August 1. (All unresolved issues are to
be submitted to arbitration by April 20.) This will be
the first round of steel talks headed by Lloyd
McBride, who succeeded retiring Steelworkers Presi­
dent I. W. Abel,7 and the third round of bargaining
conducted under the Experimental Negotiating Agree­
ment, adopted in 1973 to prevent “crisis bargaining”
and strikes.
The 1977 steel agreement was reached on April 12,
more than 3 months before the existing contract ex­
pired. The agreement provided for 80-cent pay increases
over the life of the contract, plus additional pay incre­
ments between job grades; continuation of the cost-ofliving adjustment clause; added protection from
subcontracting; paid holiday, pension, and insurance
improvements; a new employment and income security
program for employees with 20 years of service; up to 2
years of supplemental unemployment benefits; and im­
proved disability, early retirement, and short workweek
benefits.
The Steelworkers union has not yet announced its de­
mands.8 However, under the Experimental Negotiating
Agreement, some of the 1980 terms have already been
agreed upon, including a $150 bonus, a 3-percent yearly
minimum pay increase, continuation of the cost-of-liv­
ing escalator clause, the right to strike over local issues,
and the use of binding arbitration. McBride has said
that the developing recession will not be a major factor
in the union’s bargaining strategy. He acknowledged
that a recession may cause steel companies to close
marginal facilities, resulting in layoffs, but that the
union would maintain bargaining strength because of
the industry’s improved productivity and predictions of
steel shortages in the 1980’s. Steel strikes have created
little problem over the last two decades, although a few
customers have persisted in stockpiling steel.
The continuing fear of shutdowns and stockpiling
was instrumental in the development of the Experimen­
tal Negotiating Agreement, which prevents large-scale
shutdowns. The agreement will govern 1980 negotia­
tions, but it remains on trial and could be dropped after
1980. Some steel company officials suggest that the cost
of the “no-strike” pact is too high, and factions within
the Steelworkers union resent the loss of the strike as
an economic weapon.
Until the 1960’s, negotiation breakdowns and
industrywide strikes were common. During the 1950’s,
four strikes occurred, culminating in a 116-day walkout
in 1959 which ended only after President Eisenhower
invoked the Taft-Hartley emergency dispute procedures.
Besides impairing the national economy, the strikes
allowed foreign steel firms to enlarge their share of the
market and caused customers to stockpile steel in antic­
ipation of walkouts. The stockpiling disrupted normal


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Table 1. Calendar of major collective bargaining activity
[Workers in thousands]

Year and month

Principal industry

Contract
expirations1
Number

All years . . . .
Total 1980 .
January............

February..........
March..............
April ................
May ................
Ju ne ................
July..................
August ............
September . . . .
October............
November........
December........

Motor vehicle parts and
accessories; petroleum
refining ........................
Construction
Construction
Construction;
Construction;

....................
....................
aluminum . ..
copper ........

Telephone; basic steel . . . .
Men’s apparel; longshoring
(East Coast) ................
Aerospace ......................

Total 1981 .
January............
February..........
March..............
April ................
May ................
Ju ne ................
July..................

Petroleum refining ............
Cans ..............................
Railroads; coal (bituminous)
Construction ....................
Construction ....................
Construction ....................
Longshoring (West Coast) .

September . . . .
October............
November........
December........
Total 1982 .
January-June ..
July-December.

Trucking; apparel..............
Automobiles; electrical
equipment....................

1983 or later . . .
Year unknown or
in negotiation2

Ford and Chrysler; farm and
construction equipment ..

Scheduled wage
reopenings

Workers
Workers
Number
covered
covered

2,009
876

9,253
3,651

52
44

121
104

38
28
92
112
151
122
56
108

113
75
305
264
397
508
152
1,218

19
3
6

35
11
17

5
3
2

10
10
4

64
56
20
29

274
179
58
108

1
1
1
3

1
3
1
13

557

2,197

8

17

44
29
80
110
80
88
27
16
26
31
11
15

115
78
773
304
285
259
137
45
46
87
23
45

1

1

1
2
1
2
1

3
5
1
3
4

250

2,073

210

1,397

40

676

5

15

321

1,317

’ 14 agreements covering 51,000 workers are excluded because they have no fixed expi­
ration or reopening date.
2Bargaining units for which necessary information was not available: 225 agreements
which expired prior to Oct. 1, 1979 (when data for this table were tabulated), covering
1,013,000 workers, and 96 contracts which expire between Oct. 1,1979, and Dec. 31,1979,
covering 304,000 workers.
NOTE: Only bargaining units in the private nonagricutural economy affecting 1,000 work­
ers or more are considered for this table. Because of rounding, sums of individual items may
not equal totals.

industry workflow, requiring heavy overtime to meet
demand, followed by layoffs until steel inventories were
reduced.
Aluminum and copper talks begin in spring
The agreements with major aluminum companies are
scheduled to expire on May 31, 1980, and those with
principal copper mining and refining firms a month lat­
er. Bargaining over terms of employment for about
42,000 workers will be conducted between the three
largest aluminum companies (Aluminum Company of
America, Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Co., and
Reynolds Metals Co.) and the United Steelworkers of
America and the Aluminum Workers of America. Ana­
conda, Phelps-Dodge, Kennecott, Magma, and other
21

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Heavy Bargaining Again in 1980
copper companies will negotiate with the Steelworkers
and other unions.
Terms of Steelworkers agreements for the basic steel,
aluminum and copper, and metal containers industries
have many similarities because these industries are relat­
ed. The Steelworkers’ Wage Policy Committee develops
a general prenegotiation wage policy statement which
applies to all four industries.
For more than 20 years, the timing of negotiation
and agreement among these industries determined
which industry agreement would set a pattern for the
others. The can industry set the pattern in several
rounds, but its employment has declined because of
competition from glass containers, and from food pro­
cessors that manufacture their own cans. The can indus­
try apparently lacks the size to influence the other
negotiations and has been moved to last in the
bargaining order. Copper is unlikely to set the pattern
because settlements in this industry are on a piecemeal
basis, involve a number of unions besides the Steelwork­
ers, and are often reached only after lengthy strikes.
Aluminum set the pattern in 1974; agreement was
reached 4 months before the existing contract expired.
However, in 1977, for the first time in several rounds,
the steel industry came to terms first and established
the pattern. Because of the record of early settlement in
both steel and aluminum, it is impossible to predict
which industry will settle first in 1980.
The terms of the 1977 aluminum settlement were sim­
ilar to those for steel, including 3-year increases totaling
80 cents, incremental increases based on grade level,
continuation of the cost-of-living clause, benefit im­
provements, and a job-and-income-security program.
Copper settlements called for slightly larger pay in­
creases and differed in other ways from the overall pat­
tern.
Recent aluminum settlements have been reached
without significant strike activity, but the copper indus­
try has been characterized by frequent strikes, some of
them long and bitter. The 1977 copper settlements were
reached only after widespread strikes. One of the longest
large-scale strikes in U.S. labor history involved the
Steelworkers and 25 other unions and shut down major
copper-producing companies for 9 months during 196768 .

Telephone industry negotiates in summer
Nearly all major telephone agreements come up for
negotiation in 1980. Contracts covering nearly 700,000
employees of the American Telephone and Telegraph
Company (AT&T) are scheduled to expire August 9.
AT&T, which employs about 90 percent of the industry
work force, includes 24 operating companies of the Bell
System, the Long Lines Department, the Western Elec­
tric Company,9 and Bell Laboratories. The three princi­
22

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pal unions involved are the Communications Workers
of America (CWA), representing about 500,000 work­
ers; the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers
(IBEW), 120,000 workers; and the independent Tele­
communications International Union, 70,000 workers.
Until the 1970’s, negotiations were conducted sepa­
rately with each company. In 1971, CWA negotiated
settlements with two companies that established a pat­
tern for the other units, and, in 1974, AT&T agreed to
negotiate with each union on a national basis. The
CWA largely represents Bell System and Long Line em­
ployees; IBEW represents most workers at Western
Electric; and Telecommunications International repre­
sents Bell System workers in six eastern States.
Information on 1980 union demands is not now
available, but job security again may be an issue. Al­
though the telephone industry is not greatly disturbed
by economic downturns, relatively high increases in
productivity, technological advances, and increased im­
ports of foreign telephone equipment have affected em­
ployee security. The terms of the 1977 Bell System
settlement reflected concern over declining telephone
employment. Included were loss-of-income protection
and paid moving expenses in reassignments, benefits for
eligible employees retiring as an option to reassignment
or layoff1, and additional paid time off and limitations
on compulsory overtime. The settlement also provided
for a savings and security plan, involving company
stock contributions and improvement in retirement and
insurance benefits. Pay increases were related to the Bell
System pay progression system, and ranged up to 8 per­
cent the first year and 3 percent the second and third
years. The cost-of-living adjustment clause was contin­
ued without change.
The last nationwide telephone strike occurred in 1971
and lasted 5 days. In 1974 and 1977, agreement with
operating companies was reached only hours before na­
tionwide strikes were scheduled. In 1977, 56,000 West­
ern Electric workers represented by the IBEW rejected
the terms agreed to in the AT&T-CWA agreement.
They finally accepted a contract the company catego­
rized as “within the framework” of the earlier settle­
ment. The industry is highly automated, and a work
stoppage of operating companies must continue for a
considerable period before service begins to seriously
deteriorate.
Longshore agreements expire in fall
The International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA,
AFL-CIO) will bargain for about 50,OCX) dockworkers
at eastern and Gulf ports on agreements due to expire
at the end of September. If the employers’ bargaining
structure used during the 1977 negotiations is
maintained, the ILA will bargain with the Council of
North Atlantic Shipping Associations (CONASA) and

Table 2.

Major contract expiration and wage reopening dates, by industry

[Workers in thousands]
Year of contract termination1

Scheduled wage reopening

Total
1980

Industry
Contracts

1981

1982

1983 or later

Unknown or in
negotiation2

1980

1981

Workers
Workers
Workers
Workers
Workers
Workers
Workers
Workers
covered Contracts covered Contracts covered Contracts covered Contracts covered Contracts covered Contracts covered Contracts covered

All industries ..

2,009

9,253

876

3,651

557

2,197

250

2,073

5

15

321

1,317

44

104

8

17

Manufacturing ..

975

4,020

425

1,412

246

524

128

1,276

4

13

172

795

27

58

2

4

108
8
17

335
29
51

36
7
8

87
28
31

31

66

136
1
8

46

11

20
1
3

21

5

1

1

55

498

6

92

8

26

30

331

11

50

1

2

20
19

58
32

15
8

50
13

2
4

2
5

1
3

3
7

2
4

3
7

2

2

11

13

1

1

1

1

1

?

1

3

Food and kindred
products ..............
Tobacco manufacturing
Textile mill products ..
Apparel and other finished products . . . .
Lumber and wood
products, except
furniture................
Furniture and fixtures .
Paper and allied
products ..............
Printing, publishing!, and
allied industries . . .
Chemicals and allied
products ..............
Petroleum refining and
related industries ..
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics
products ..............
Leather and leather
products ..............
Stone, clay, glass, and
concrete products .
Primary metal
industries..............
Fabricated metal
products ..............
Machinery, except
electrical..............
Electrical machinery,
equipment and
supplies................
Transportation
equipment............
Instruments and
related products . . .
Miscellaneous
manufacturing
industries..............
Nonmanufacturing .
Mining, crude petroleum and natural
gas production . . . .
Construction ............
Transportation, except
railroads and
trucking................
Railroads ................
Trucking ..................
Communications . . . .
Utilities, gas and
electric ................
Wholesale trade . . . .
Retail trade, except
restaurants ..........
Restaurants..............
Finance, insurance and
real estate............
Services, except hotels
and health services
Hotels......................
Health services........

70

102

34

51

22

28

36

61

10

21

15

28

38

74

15

29

13

23

21

40

21

40

18

88

5

6

18

52

6

17

8

20

37

95

19

63

11

20

2

116

482

87

434

15

25

50

104

24

37

13

97

286

47

101

23

107

451

38

141

112

1,130

50

196

16

32

7

13

4

12

4

8

2

2

56

9

10

9

19

9

26

4

15

3

5

9

3

4

11

19

41

5

11

8

15

38

7

13

20

134

18

30

25

185

30

105

16

503

1

3

3
17

32

1

2

2

4

26

96

1

2

15

324

1

3

5

8

1

8

12

21

3

4

3

4

5

11

1

1

1,034

5,233

451

2,239

311

1,674

122

797

1

2

149

522

17

47

6

13

16
504

218
1,597

12
230

54
758

3
178

163
586

1
67

1
187

1

2

28

65

10

25

2

2

57
18
27
46

262
432
520
761

23

111

3
35

4
729

17
18
1
6

108
432
2
15

9
3

443
11

1

1

76
33

207
84

38
10

130
16

9
6

18
10

4
8

10
21

3

5

1

4

150
23

701
71

64
7

250
25

36
6

198
19

18
7

2

6

14

84

5

42

6

15

39
21
10

110
108
77

13
7
4

39
34
48

14
7
4

35
51
22

1

1

' See table 1, footnote 1.
2See table 1, footnote 2.

the New York Shipping Association on a single master
agreement covering about 35,000 dockworkers at New


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1

17

43

14
2

71
6

25
9

49
38

75
18

32
3

178
10

2

22

1

5

1
2

1
8

11
5
2

34
14
8

-

2
1

9
8

NOTE: Only bargaining units in the private, nonagricultural economy including 1,000 workers
or more are considered for this table. Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not
equal totals.

York, Baltimore, and other northern ports. The terms
of this agreement—limited to major issues including
(Text continued on

p.

27)

23

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Heavy Bargaining Again in 1980
Table 3.

Expiration, reopening, and wage adjustment provisions of selected collective bargaining agreements

[Contracts are listed in order of the Standard Industrial Classification Code]
1967
SIC
Code

Union2

Industry and employer1

Employees
covered

1980 provisions for
automatic cost-ofliving review4

Contract term
and reopening
provisions3

1980 provisions for
deferred
wage increases5

Manufacturing
20

Food and kindred products:
California Processors, Inc. and other cannery and food processors6
Dairy Industrial Relations Association
(Southern California)
John Morrell & Co.6
Kellogg Co. (Interstate)
Sugar Cos'., Negotiating Committee
(Hawaii)

21

Tobacco manufacturers:
Phillip Morris, U.S.A. (Richmond, Va.)

22

Textile mill products:
l-A Screen Print and Screen Makers and
Dye and Machine Print Cos.
Textile dyeing, printing and finishing compa­
nies6
Apparel and other finished products:
Clothing Manufacturers Association of
U.S.A.
Cotton Garment Manufacturers6
New York Coat and Suit Assn.; Affiliated
Dress Manufacturers, Inc. (New York,
N.Y.)6
Printing and publishing:
Metropolitan Lithographers Association, Inc.
(N.Y., Conn., N.J., and Pa.)
Rubber and miscellaneous products:6
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

23

27

30

Teamsters (Ind.)

60,000

July 1,1979 to July 1,1982

Teamsters (Ind.)

5,000

Mar. 6,1977 to Mar. 3,1980

Food and Commercial Workers
Grain Millers
Longshoremen and Warehousemen
(Ind.)

8,000
5,350
7,000

Sept. 1,1979 to Sept. 1,1982
Oct. 10,1978 to Sept. 26,1981
Feb. 1,1979 to Jan. 31,1980

Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco
Workers

8,200

Feb. 1,1977 to Jan. 31,1980

Textile Workers

6,000

Oct. 1,1978 to Sept. 30,1980

Clothing and Textile Workers

11,000

Oct. 1,1978 to Sept. 30,1980

Clothing and Textile Workers

80,000

June 1,1977 to Sept. 30,1980

Clothing and Textile Workers
Ladies’, Garment Workers

60,000
160,000

Sept. 1,1979 to Aug. 31,1982
May 1,1979 to May 31, 1982

Amalgamated Lithographers of America (Ind.)
Rubber Workers

8,100

July 1,1978 to June 29,1980

22,000

Apr. 21,1979 to Apr. 1,1982

July

July 1: 5.8 percent

Jan. and July

Sept. 1: 20 cents
Apr. 1: 27 cents
Jan. 1: 10 cents

1980:

Sept. 1: 30 cents
June 2: 8 percent

July, thereafter
quarterly
•

32

Stone, clay and glass products:
Brockway Glass Co., Inc.
Libbey-Owens-Ford Co.
Owens-Illinois, Inc.

33

Primary metal industries:
Aluminum Co. of America
Aluminum Co. of America
Armco Steel Corp. (Middleton, Ohio)
Colt Industries, Crucible, Inc. Division
Kaiser Aluminum and Chemical Corp.
Kaiser Steel Corp. (Fontana, Calif.)
National Steel Corp., Weirton Steel Division (Ohio and West Virginia)
Reynolds Metals Co.
United States Steel Corp. Salaried
employees

34

9 major basic steel companies:
Allegheny Ludlum Industries, Inc.; Armco
Steel Corp.; Bethlehem Steel Corp.; In­
land Steel Co.; Jones and Laughlin Steel
Corp., National Steel Corp.; Great Lakes
Steel Div. (Michigan); Republic Steel
Corp.; United States Steel Corp.; Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Co.
Fabricated metal products:6
American Can Co.

The Continental Group, Inc.

35

Machinery, except electrical:
Briggs and Stratton Corp. (Milwaukee,
Wise.)
Cummins Engine Co., Inc. (Columbus, Ind.)
J. I. Case Co.
Timken Co. (Ohio)

24

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Glass Bottle Blowers
Glass and Ceramjp Workers
Glass Bottle Blowers

7,500
7,500

Apr. 1,1977 to Mar. 31,1980
Oct. 25,1977 to Oct. 25, 1980

14,100

Apr. 1,1977 to Mar. 31,1980

50 cents

Apr. 29: 20 cents and
15 cents
advance
CO.LA.

Feb., thereafter
quarterly

Aluminum Workers
Steelworkers
Armco Employees Independent Federation, Inc. (Ind.)
Steelworkers
Steelworkers
Steelworkers

9,000
9,000
6,000

June 1,1977 to May 31,1980
Feb. 1,1977 to May 31,1980
Aug. 1,1977 to July 31,1980

Mar.
Mar.
Feb. and May

6,300
10,000
6,300

Aug. 1, 1977 to Aug. 1, 1980
June 1,1977 to May 31,1980
Aug. 1,1977 to July 31,1980

Independent Steelworkers Union (Ind.)

15,000

Aug. 1,1977 to Aug. 1,1980

Feb. and May
Mar.
Feb., thereafter
quarterly
Feb. and May

Steelworkers
Steelworkers

8,000
5,800

June 1,1977 to May 31,1980
Aug. 1,1977 to Aug. 1,1980

Mar.
Feb. and May

Steelworkers

280,000

Aug. 1,1977 to July 31,1980

Feb. and May

Steelworkers

9,000

Nov. 1, 1977 to Feb. 15, 1981

Feb., thereafter
quarterly

Steelworkers

15,500

Nov. 1,1977 to Feb. 15,1981

Feb., thereafter
quarterly

Allied Industrial Workers

8,000

Aug. 1,1977 to July 31,1980

Feb.

Feb. 1:

Diesel Workers' Union (Ind.)

6,700

May 1,1978 to May 3,1981

Apr. 28:

Auto Workers (Ind.)
Steelworkers

6,500
8,400

July 1,1977 to June 30,1980
Aug. 1, 1977 to Aug. 25, 1980

Mar., thereafter
quarterly
Jan.
Mar.

Mar. 1: 34-43.6 cents
and $13.60$17.44 weekly
Mar. 1: 34-42.4 cents
and $13.60$17.44 weekly
general in­
crease, plus
0.1 cent
increment

1.5 percent
34 - 54 cents

Table 3.

Continued— Expiration, reopening, and wage adjustment provisions

[Contracts are listed in order of the Standard Industrial Classification Code]
1967
SIC
Code
36

371

372

Industry and employer1

Electrical machinery, equipment and supplies:6
General Electric Co.

Contrari terni
and reopening
provisions3

Employees
covered

1980 provisions for
automatic cost-ofliving review*

1980 provisions for
deferred
wage increases6

Electrical Workers (UE-Ind.)

16,000

July 1,1979 to June 27,1982

June and Dec.

General Electric Co.

Electrical Workers (IUE)

68,000

July 1,1979 to June 27,1982

June and Dec.

General Motors Corp.

Electrical Workers (IUE)

25,000

Sept. 15,1979 to Sept. 14,1982 Mar.; thereafter

17.5 cents
and $7
weeKiy
June 30: 17.5 cents
and $7
weeKiy
Sept. 15: 3 percent

Raytheon Co. (Massachusetts)
Western Electric Co., Inc.
Western Electric Co., Inc.
Western Electric Co., Inc.
Westinghouse Electric Corp.

Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Communications Workers
Communications Workers
Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Electrical Workers (IUE)

9,400
14,200
15,000
50,000
19,000

Aug. 31,1979 to Aug. 21,1981
Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980
Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980
Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9. 1980
Sept. 4,1979 to July 11,1982

Jan. and July

July 14:

Westinghouse Electric Corp.

Electrical Workers (UE-Ind.)

5,500

Sept. 4,1979 to July 11,1982

Jan. and July

Westinghouse Electric Corp.

Federation of Westinghouse Independent Salaried Unions (Ind.)

12,000

July 16,1979 to July 26,1982

Jan. and July

5,000

Feb. 17,1977 to Feb. 17,1980

Whirlpool Corp. (Evansville, Ind.)
Transportation equipment —motor vehicle and
motor vehicle equipment:
American Motors Corp., Jeep Division (Toledo, Ohio)
Budd Co., National agreement
General Motors Corp., National Agreement6

Electrical Workers (IUE)

Auto Workers (Ind.)

5,000
9,000
490,000

Jan. 15,1977 to Jan. 15,1980
Sept. 17,1979 to Sept. 14,1982 Jan., thereafter
quarterly

Ford Motor Co., National Agreement6

Auto Workers (Ind.)

190,000

Sept. 17,1979 to Sept. 14,1982 Jan., thereafter
quarterly

Rockwell International Automotive Group

Auto Workers (Ind.)

5,350

Transportation equipment—aircraft:
Beech Aircraft Corp. (Kansas and Colorado)
Bendix Corp.
Boeing Co. (Washington, Utah, and Florida)

Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Lockheed California Co. Division (California)
McDonnell Douglas Corp. (California and
Oklahoma)
McDonnell Douglas Corp. (St. Louis, Mo.)
Rockwell International, Rockwell, Aerospace and Electronics Group (California,
Ohio, and Oklahoma)
United Aircraft Corp., Pratt Whitney Aircraft
Division (Connecticut)
Transportation equipment— shipbuilding:
Bethlehem Steel Corp., Shipbuilding department
Litton Systems, Inc., Ingalls Shipbuilding Division (Pascagoula, Miss.)
Pacific Coast Shipbuilding and Ship Repair
Firms (California, Washington, and Oregon)

Machinists

6,550

Aug. 7,1978 to Aug. 2,1981

Mar., thereafter
quarterly
Jan.

Dee. 16,1977 to Dee. 15,1980

July

Nov. 14,1977 to Oct. 3,1980

Apr. and July

Machinists

10,300

Jan. 1,1978 to Oct. 1,1980

Jan., thereafter
quarterly
Jan., thereafter
quarterly
Feb., thereafter
quarterly
Jan., thereafter
quarterly

Apr. 30,1977 to Apr. 30,1980
Dee. 16,1977 to Dee. 15,1980

Auto Workers (Ind.)

9,900

Apr. 17,1978 to Oct. 12,1980

Machinists

9,300

May 8,1978 to May 10,1981

Auto Workers (Ind.)

8,000

June 11,1978 to June 30,1981

Machinists

9,700

Nov. 28,1977 to Nov. 28,1982

June

Marine and Shipbuilding Workers

5,000

Aug. 14,1978 to Aug. 13,1981

Feb., thereafter
quarterly
Jan., therafter
quarterly
Feb., thereafter
quarterly

Metal Trades Department and
Teamsters (Ind.)
Metal Trades Department and
Teamsters (Ind.)

Sept. 15: 3 percent
(of base
raies;
Sept. 15: »3 percent
(of base
rates)

Feb. 5,1977 to Feb. 4,1980

24,000

6,500

17.5 cents
and $7
weeKiy
July 14: 17.5 cents
and $7
weeKiy
July 14: $7 weekly
and $33.33
monthly

Feb. 1,1977 to Jan. 31,1980

Auto Workers (Ind.)
Seattle Professional Engineering
Employees Association (Ind.)
Seattle Professional Engineering
Employees Association (Ind.)
Machinists

6,900
10,300

June 30:

Sept.

Auto Workers (Ind.)
Auto Workers (Ind.)

Boeing Co., Technical employees
(California and Washington)
Boeing Co. (Washington, Kansas, and Fiori-

373

Union2

10,900

Jan. 29,1978 to Feb. 1,1981

18,000

July 1,1977 to June 29, 1980

Mar.:

6 percent

Mar. 30:

16-22
cents

Aug. 14.

40 cents

Jan. 18: 23-31
cents

Nonmanufacturing
12

40

Bituminous coal and lignite mining:
Association of Bituminous Contractors, Inc.
Bituminous Coal Operators Association, National
Railroads6
Class 1railroads:
Operating unions
Nonoperating unions:
Shop craft
Nonshop craft


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

United Mine Workers (Ind.)
United Mine Workers (Ind.)

Locomotive Engineers
United Transportation
Carmen
Firemen and Oilers
Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Machinists
Maintenance of Way
Railway Clerks
Railway Signalmen

14,000
160,000

25,150
91,000
44,000
13,800
11,400
18,000
37,000
105,000
8,000

Mar. 26,1978 to Mar. 27, 1981
Mar. 26, 1978 to Mar. 27,1981

Mar.
Mar.

Aor.: 40 - 43 cents
Mar. 27.: $2.50$3.20 daily

Jan. 1,1978 to Mar. 31,1981
Jan. 1,1978 to Mar. 31,1981

Jan. and July
Jan. and July

July 1
July 1

5 percent
5 percent

Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.
Jan.

Jan. and July
Jan. and July
Jan. and July
Jan. and July
Jan. and July
Jan. and July
Jan. and July

July 1
July 1
July 1
July 1
July 1
July 1
July 1

5 percent
5 percent
5 percent
5 percent
5 percent
5 percent
5 percent

1,1978 to Mar. 31,1981
1,1978 to Mar. 31, 1981
1,1978 to Mar. 31,1981
1,1978 to Mar. 31,1981
1,1978 to Mar. 31,1981
1,1978 to Mar. 31, 1981
1,1978 to Mar. 31,1981

25

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Heavy Bargaining Again in 1980
Table 3.

Continued— Expiration, reopening, and wage adjustment provisions

[Contracts are listed in order of the Standard Industrial Classification Code]
1967
SIC
Code
41

42

44

Transit:6
Greyhound Lines, Inc.

Trucking and warehousing:
Local cartage, for hire and private carriers
agreement (Chicago, III.)
National master freight agreement and supplements:6
Local cartage
Over-the-road
Water transportation:
Dry Cargo companies, Atlantic and Gulf
coasts
New York Shipping Association (New York)
Pacific Maritime Association6
Standard Freightship agreement, unlicensed
personnel
Standard Tanker agreement, unlicensed
personnel
West Gulf Maritime Association, Inc.
(Louisiana and Texas)

45

48

49

53

54

58

65

Union2

Industry and employer1

Airlines:6
American Airlines, ground service
Pan American, ground service
United Airlines, Inc., flight attendants
Communications:
American Telephone and Telegraph Co.,
Long Line Dept.
Bell Telephone Co. of Pennsylvania
General Telephone Co. of the Southwest
General Telephone of California6
Illinois Bell Telephone Co., plant department (Illinois and Indiana)
New England Telephone and Telegraph
Co., plant
New England Telephone and Telegraph Co.
New Jersey Bell Telephone Co., plant and
engineering departments
New York Telephone Co., downstate
agreement (New York and Connecticut)
New York Telephone Co., traffic department (New York and Connecticut)
Southern New England Telephone Co.
(Connecticut)
Western Electric Co., Inc., Installation
agreement
Electric, gas and sanitary services:
Consolidated Edison Co. of New York, Inc.
Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation
Retail trade —general merchandise:
R. H. Macy and Co., Inc. (New York, N.Y.)
Retail trade—food stores:
Food Employers Council General Merchandise agreement (California)
Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Co. (New
York and New Jersey)
Pathmark and Shop Rite Supermarkets
(New York and New Jersey)
United Supermarket Association (Detroit,
Mich.)6
Washington, D.C. Food Employers Labor
Relations Association (Washington, D.C.
area)
Retail trade—eating and drinking places:
Long Beach and Orange County Restaurant Association (California)
Restaurant-Hotel Employees Council of
Southern California
Real estate:
Building Managers Association of Chicago
Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations,
Inc., apartment buildings (New York,
N.Y.)6

26

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Amalgamated Transit

Chicago Truck Drivers, Helpers and
Warehouse Workers (Ind.)

Teamsters (Ind.)
Teamsters (Ind.)

Employees
covered

Contract term
and reopening
provisions3

Nov 1,1977 to Oct. 30,1980

Feb., thereafter
quarterly

7,700

Apr. 1, 1979 to Mar. 31,1982

Apr. and Oct.

Apr. 1: 35 cents

200,000
100,000

Apr. 1,1979 to Mar. 31,1982
Apr. 1,1979 to Mar. 31,1982

Apr. and Oct.
Apr. and Oct.

Apr. 1: 35 cents
Apr. 1: 35 cents

June and Dec.

June 16: 7 percent

5,000

June 16,1978 to June 15,1981

10,600
11,500

Oct. 1,1977 to Sept. 30,1980
July 1,1978 to July 1,1981

10,750

June 16,1978 to June 15,1981

Seafarers'

10,750

June 16,1978 to June 15,1981

Longshoremen’s Association

20,000

Oct. 1,1977 to Sept. 30,1980

Transport Workers
Transport Workers
Pilots

12,500
5,850
7,300

Sept. 1,1977 to Mar. 1,1980
Nov. 1,1977 to July 1,1980
Oct. 1,1977 to Apr. 1,1980

Communications Workers

22,600

Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

Federation of Telephone Workers of
Pennsylvania (Ind.)
Communications Workers
Communications Workers
Electrical Workers (IBEW)

12,150

Aug. 7, 1977 to Aug. 9, 1980

6,300
16,500
13,500

May 18,1977 to May 15,1980
Mar. 5,1977 to Mar. 4,1980
Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

Electrical Workers (IBEW)

16,000

Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

Electrical Workers (IBEW)
Electrical Workers (IBEW)

7,500
12,000

Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980
Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

8,000

Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

Telephone Traffic Union (Ind.)

10,000

Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

Connecticut Union of Telephone Workers, Inc. (Ind.)
Communications Workers

9,000

Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

17,300

Aug. 7,1977 to Aug. 9,1980

Utility Workers
Electrical Workers (IBEW)

17,700
7,300

June 18,1977 to June 17,1980
June 1,1978 to May 31,1980

Union of Telephone Workers (Ind.)

1980 provisions for
deferred
wage increases5

13,000

Longshoremen’s Association
Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s
(Ind.)
Seafarers'

Master, Mates and Pilots

1980 provisions for
automatic cost-ofliving review4

July: 85 cents
June 16: $54.17$103.77
June 16: $54.17$107.93

Jan. 6: 4 percent

Jan.

7,000

Feb. 1,1978 to Jan. 31,1980

Food and Commercial Workers

60,150

July 31,1978 to July 26,1981

Feb. and Dec.

Aug. 4: 50 cents

Food and Commercial Workers

11,900

Aug. 14,1977 to Aug. 16,1980

Feb.

Food and Commercial Workers

10,750

Apr. 10,1978 to Apr. 5,1981

Jan.

Feb. 17: $8 per
week
Apr. 6: $20 per
week

Retail, Wholesale and Department
Store

Food and Commercial Workers

12,500

Mar. 27,1977 to Mar. 22,1980

Food and Commercial Workers

12,200

Aug. 28,1977 to Sept. 6,1980

Hotel and Restaurant Employees

6,500

Mar. 1,1975 to Feb. 28,1980

Hotel and Restaurant Employees

9,000

Mar. 16,1975 to Mar. 15,1980

5,000
20,000

Mar. 28,1977 to Mar. 30,1980
Apr. 21,1979 to Apr. 20,1982

Service Employees
Service Employees

Mar.

Mar.

Apr. 21:

$16 per
week

Table 3.

Continued— Expiration, reopening, and wage adjustment provisions

[Contracts are listed in order of the Standard Industrial Classification Code]
1967
SIC
Code

70

Industry and employer1

Real estate: (continued)
Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations,
Inc., commercial buildings (New York,
N.Y.)
Hotels, roominghouses, camps, and other lodging places:
Hotel Association of New York City, Inc. «

Hotel Employers Association of San
Hotel Industry (Hawaii)

78

79

80

91

Nevada Resort Association resort hotels
(Las Vegas, Nev.)
Motion pictures:
Association of Motion Pictures Theatrical
Agreement (Los Angeles, Calif.)
Screen Actors Guild 1979 Commercials
Contract
Television Videotape agreement
Amusement and recreation services, except motion pictures:
Association of Motion Picture and Producers, Theatrical Agreement
Medical and other health services:
League of Voluntary Hospital and Homes of
New York
Postal services:
United States Postal Service nation-wide
agreement

Union2

Contract term
and reopening
provisions3

Service Employees

55,000

Jan. 1,1978 to Dec. 31,1980

New York Hotel Trades Council

25,000

June 1,1978 to May 31,1982

Hotel and Restaurant Employees

20,000

July 1,1975 to June 29,1980

Hotel and Restaurant Employees

10,000

Hotel and Restaurant Employees

15,000

June 1,1977 to May 31,1982
REOPENING: Dec. 1,1980
Mar. 26,1978 to Apr. 1,1980

Actors

8,500

July 1,1977 to June 3,1980

Actors

39,000

Feb. 7,1979 to Feb. 6,1982

Musicians

5,000

May 1,1978 to Apr. 30, 1980

Actors

8,500

July 1,1977 to July 1,1980

Retail, Wholesale and Department
Store
Postal Workers; Letter Carriers; and
Laborers’

1Geographical coverage of contracts is interstate unless specified.
2Unions are affiliated with AFL-CIO, except where noted as independent (Ind ).
3Contract term refers to the date contract is to go into effect, not the date of signing. Where
a contract has been amended or modified and the original termination date extended, the effec­
tive date of the changes becomes the new effective date of the agreement. For purposes of
this listing, the expiration is the formal termination date established by the agreement. In gener­
al, it is the earliest date on which termination of the contract could be effective, except for spe­
cial provisions for termination as in the case of disagreement arising out of wage reopening.
Many agreements provide for automatic renewal at the expiration date unless notice of termina­
tion is given. The Labor Management Relations Act of 1947 requires that a party to an agree­

contract duration, wages, hours, containerization, and
employer contributions to pension and welfare funds—
set the pattern for ILA settlements with other associa­
tions covering about 15,000 workers in South Atlantic
and Gulf ports. Many terms, such as vacations and hol­
idays, are negotiated separately at each port.
The 1977 negotiations were complicated by a Nation­
al Labor Relations Board decision, upheld by the
courts, that “rules on containers” in the previous mas­
ter contract violated Federal labor law. The ruling
prompted the ILA to demand an alternate job security
provision, and led to disagreement among the various
employer associations within CONASA over funding
arrangements for the industry’s guaranteed annual in­
come plan. As a result, the New York Shipping Associ­
ation withdrew from CONASA, and has remained
independent, even though the job security issue was re­
solved through an arrangement outside the regular
agreement.
The terms of the 1977 master contract, achieved after
a 2-month strike over the job security issue, provided
for 80 cents annual pay raises, increased employer con­


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Employees
covered

37,000

July 1,1978 to June 30,1980

600,000

July 21,1978 to July 20,1981

1980 provisions for
automatic cost-of
living review4

Jan.

1980 provisions for
deferred
wage increases «

Jan. 1: $11 per
week

June 1: $11 per
week (with
tip) $16 per
week (nontipped)

July

July 21 : $500 per
year

ment desiring to terminate or modify it shall serve written notice upon the other party 60 days
prior to the expiration date.
4Dates shown indicate the month in which adjustment is to be made, not the month of the
Consumer Price Index on which adjustment is based.
5Hourly rate increase unless otherwise specified.
«Contract terms are not on file with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, information is based on
newspaper accounts.
SOURCE: Contracts on file with the Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 1,1979. Where no
contracts are on file, table entries are based on newspaper accounts.

tributions to welfare and pension funds, and guaranteed
that the local funds would remain solvent. Other bene­
fits were improved at some ports.
The rise in containerization and other labordisplacing technology has spurred the ILA to protect
workers’ jobs and earnings through exclusive hiring
halls at some ports, complex work rules, and in 1968,
negotiating a guaranteed annual income plan. Al­
though the 1980 bargaining goals have not been an­
nounced, ILA President Thomas W. Gleason has
stated that job security continues to be a major issue
and that further improvements in employee safety are
needed. Gleason also expressed the need to gain uni­
form agreement terms at all ports to “stabilize compe­
tition” and to prevent employers from using “whip­
sawing tactics.”
Negotiation breakdowns and strikes have been
common in the longshore industry. Because even a short
dock strike can seriously disrupt international trade and
cause layoffs in other industries, the Taft-Hartley emer­
gency dispute procedures have been invoked eight times.
The last instance occurred in late 1971, after ILA
27

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Heavy Bargaining Again in 1980
longshoremen joined striking West Coast workers repre­
sented by the International Longshoremen’s and Ware­
housemen’s Union, who had walked out in July. The
West Coast workers did not return to work until Febru­
ary 1972. The 1977 ILA agreement ended a 2-month
strike directed against containerships at 34 Atlantic and
Gulf ports. During the strike, the dockworkers, with
few exceptions, continued to load and unload conven­
tional vessels.
Aerospace contracts expire in last quarter
Major collective bargaining agreements covering
about 100,000 workers in the aerospace industry will be
up for negotiation during the closing months of 1980.
Because of delay in reaching accord on the 1977 negoti­
ations (and, in one situation, negotiation of a 5-year
agreement), several aerospace contracts do not expire
until 1981 or 1982. The major aerospace companies are
Boeing, Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas, and Rockwell
International.
On the union side, principal negotiations will be con­
ducted by the International Association of Machinists
and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the International
Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural
Implement Workers of America (UAW). Several other
unions will negotiate contracts for a significant number
of engineers and other white-collar workers.
Although the IAM and UAW have a history of in­
tense competition for aerospace workers, they have
worked closely in recent rounds to develop common ob­
jectives and strategies. Negotiations are on a companyby-company basis, with the earliest settlement usually
setting the pattern. However, the terms of individual
contracts, as well as expiration dates, may vary consid­
erably, even within the company. Settlements in the
auto industry have sometimes influenced the aerospace
terms, particularly for UAW aerospace contracts.
The aerospace industry is characterized by large
fluctuations in employment. The largest companies,
which build complex military aircraft, missiles, and
space vehicles and large commercial airplanes, rely
heavily on contracts with relatively few customers—the
U.S. and foreign governments and commercial airlines.
Manufacturers of smaller aircraft, such as Beechcraft,
Cessna, Fairchild, and Piper, have a broader market, in­
cluding sales to businesses and individuals.
Boeing settled first in the 1977 negotiations, following
a 45-day strike. Employees received a 6.9-percent pay in­
crease the first year, and 3 percent in each of the
succeeding 2 years. The cost-of-living clause was re­
tained, the number of paid holidays increased, and the
pension formula improved. Changes also strengthened
the union security provisions, which had been a major is­
sue. The terms of settlement with other companies were
similar but not identical. Some units of McDonnell
28

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Douglas settled for somewhat reduced pay hikes in ex­
change for full retirement benefits (with no actuarial re­
ductions) at age 55 with 30 years of service. The
Lockheed Corporation, pleading financial problems, won
some concessions on pay, paid holidays, and seniority.
Lockheed claimed the then current system resulted in an
inefficient amount of “bumping” and transferring during
layoffs. Talks between the UAW and Rockwell Interna­
tional continued far beyond the October 1977 expiration
date, and the agreement finally reached will not expire
until June 1981; another large company, United Tech­
nologies, Inc., agreed to a 5-year contract with UAW.
Because much of the industry is engaged in produc­
tion for the armed forces, prolonged strikes can have a
critical effect on national security. Aerospace has a his­
tory of strikes, which sometimes closed down individual
companies for 2 or 3 months. A 93-day strike against
McDonnell Douglas in 1975 involved 18,700 workers.
Strike activity again erupted in 1977, disrupting produc­
tion for 6 to 11 weeks at Boeing, Lockheed, and
McDonnell Douglas plants. The IAM failed to main­
tain a solid front in the Lockheed strike; employees at
some locals delayed striking and some agreed to a
Lockheed offer and returned to work early.
□

--------- F O O T N O T E S ---------1Major contracts are those covering 1,000 workers or more in the
private nonfarm economy.
2 Bargaining situations in the railroad and bituminous coal indus­
tries, formerly on a 3-year cycle coinciding with the end of the calen­
dar year, do not appear because their expiration dates have been
extended into 1981. These industries were last summarized in Lena
Bolton, “Bargaining calendar to be heavy in 1977,” M o n th ly L a b o r
R eview , December 1976, pp. 14-24. Also, the bargaining situation in
the construction industry is not discussed because of the localized na­
ture of its contracts.
3For more detailed information about escalators offsetting in­
flation, see Victor J. Sheifer, “Cost-of-living adjustment: keeping up
with inflation?” M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , June 1979, pp. 14-17.
‘ For an analysis of how 1978 contracts compared with prior con­
tracts, see Edward J. Wasilewski, “ 1978 first year wage-rate and pack­
age adjustments smallest since 1973,” C u rren t W age D evelopm ents,
April 1979, pp. 45-66.
’ Data are through the third quarter 1979. It should be noted that
the construction industry, scheduled for substantial bargaining activi­
ty during 1980, is characterized by relatively few COLA provisions
and by short-term agreements.
‘ The firms are Allegheny Ludlum Industries, Inc.; Armco Steel
Corp.; Bethlehem Steel Corp.; Inland Steel Co.; Jones and Laughlin
Steel Corp.; National Steel Corp.; Republic Steel Corp.; United States
Steel Corp.; and Wheeling-Pittsburg Steel Corp.
7 Lloyd McBride defeated Edward Sadlowski for the presidency in a
bitter contest in February 1977.
8Preliminary information from the Steelworkers’ Wage Policy Com­
mittee indicates that the union’s 1980 bargaining program for steel
and related industries will emphasize cost-of-living protection and
other benefits for retirees, as well as improved cost-of-living clauses,
wage increases, and reduced worktime for active employees.
’ A wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Telephone and Tele­
graph Company that manufactures telephone equipment used by the
Bell System.

Labor and material requirements
for federally aided highways
Despite technological gains and more efficient
construction methods, overall labor requirements
for federally aided highway construction have
increased; each $1 billion in expenditures
during 1978 created an estimated 32,000jobs
R obert

J.

P r ie r

Reversing a long downward trend, labor requirements
for new federally aided highway construction have in­
creased. Measured in 1972 dollars, 121.6 employee
hours were spent for each $1,000 of federally aided
highway construction in 1976. (See table 1.) Approxi­
mately 44 percent of these employee hours (53.8 per
$1,000) came from workers in the construction industry,
while 56 percent (67.8 per $1,000) came from factories,
offices, and mines which produced and transported the
materials used. (See table 2.)
In constant dollars, after declining at a rate of 2.0
percent a year between 1958 and 1973, the number of
employee hours for new highways generated in all in­
dustries increased at an annual rate of 0.6 percent be­
tween 1973 and 1976.1 (See table 3.)
Adjusting the 1976 data for price and productivity
changes, the Bureau estimates that in 1978 each $1 bil­
lion of contract cost generated 32,000 full-time jobs,
15,000 within the construction industry and 17,000 in
other industries. In 1976, each $1 billion created 43,000
jobs, 20,000 in construction and 23,000 in other indus­
tries. Excluded from other industries are estimates of
the employment generated by spending of construction
workers’ wages and salaries, and contractors’ profits.3
Money spent for federally aided highways generated a

Robert J. Prier is an economist in the Division of Technological Stud­
ies, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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total of 354,000 jobs in 1976, 163,000 in construction
and 191,000 in other industries. Based on employeehour figures for Federal highway construction, the Bu­
reau estimates that expenditures on all public highways
created a total of 517,000 jobs:
N u m b e r o f jo b s (in th o u sa n d s)

I n d u s tr y

T o t a l .....................
C o n str u c tio n ...............
O n s i t e .....................
O f f s i t e .....................
Other industries . . .
M anufacturing . .
Trade, trans­
portation, and
services ...............
M ining and
m iscellaneous . .

Jobs p e r
b illion
d o lla r s

F e d e r a lly
a id e d
h ig h w a ys

43
20
18
2
23
11

354
163
149
14
191
91

517
238
217
21
278
133

9

71

104

3

28

41

A l l p u b lic
h ig h w a ys

Labor requirements for highway construction are af­
fected by a number of factors, including changes in
technology, productivity, and the cost of labor, materi­
als, and equipment. Smaller projects, and urban con­
struction involve different labor and technological
requirements than the large-scale, rural projects which
were characteristic of much of the Interstate Highway
System, over 90 percent of which is now open to traf­
fic.4
29

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Labor Requirements for Federally Aided Highways

Table 1. Em ployee hours per $1,000 o f construction cost fo r federally aided highway construction, by industry,
in current and 1972 dollars, selected years

Total
Construction
Offsite

1972 doNare4

Current dollars

Industry

................................................
................................................

1958

1961

246.4

234.6

1964
200.1

1976

1958

1961

1964

1967

1970

1973

1976

112.2

80.7

162.4

144.4

131.4

126.8

123.2

119.5

121.6

47.2

35.7

67.2

59.2

54.7

54.8

52.6

50.3

53.8

43.6

32.2

64.1

56.5

51.9

51.6

49.3

46.4

48.5

1967

1970

1973

172.6

141.3

102.0

96.1

83.3

74.6

60.4

97.3

91.7

79.0

70.2

56.6

4.7

4.4

4.3

4.4

3.8

3.6

3.5

3.1

2.7

2.8

3.2

3.3

3.8

5.3

98.0

80.9

65.0

45.0

95.1

85.3

76.7

72.0

70.5

69.2

67.8

...................................................

116.8

144.4

138.5

M a n u fa c tu rin g .....................................

66.1

66.4

66.0

57.4

47.3

33.8

22.8

43.6

40.9

43.3

42.2

41.2

36.0

34.4

T ra d e ,2 transportation, and services

52.5

49.9

32.4

27.4

22.6

22.2

15.4

34.6

30.7

21.3

20.1

19.7

23.6

23.2

9.7

9.6

9.6

10.4

O ther industries

...........................................

Mining and m iscellaneous3 .............

18.4

22.2

25.8

11.0

13.2

' The deflator used is an unpublished composite index derived by the Bureau of Labor S t a b tics for highway projects reported as completed.

The number of onsite employee hours required by
each $1,000 decreased at an average rate of 2.1 percent
per year between 1958 and 1973, only to increase at a
rate of 1.5 percent between 1973 and 1976. Declining
employee-hour requirements paralleled the construction
of most of the Interstate Highway System. The shift to
more labor intensive projects, such as non-interstate
highways, and the economic recession of 1974-75 were
partially responsible for the increasing labor require­
ments of 1973-76. Although no generally accepted fig­
ures are available for productivity in the highway con­
struction industry because of the changing mix of work
involved and the lack of sufficiently detailed data, the
increasing employee hours reflect, in part, decreasing
productivity.
In 1976, each $1,000 of expenditures for federally
aided highways required 48.5 employee hours at the
construction site. (See table 4.) The distribution by oc­
cupation reflects the high mechanization in modem
highway building. Twenty-four percent of onsite con­
struction workers were equipment operators, 13 percent

Table 2. Em ployee hours per $1,000 o f contract cost fo r
federally aided highway construction, selected years
___________________________________________

1958

1961

1964

1967

1970

1973

1976

T o t a l ................................

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

C o n s tru c tio n................................

41.4

41.0

41.6

43.2

42.7

42.1

44.2

39.5

39.1

39.5

40.7

40.1

38.9

39.9

Onsite

................................

Offsite

................................

1.9

1.9

2.1

2.5

2.7

3.2

4.3

O ther industries ........................

58.6

59.0

58.4

56.8

57.3

57.9

55.8

M a n u fa c tu rin g ...................
T r a d e ,1 transportation,

26.8

28.3

33.0

33.3

33.5

30.1

28.3

19.8

19.1

8.0

8.6

................

21.3

21.3

16.2

15.9

16.0

Mining and miscellaneous

10.5

9.5

9.2

7.6

7.8

and services

' Data for trade have been revised to include retail as well as wholesale trade.
NO TE: Percent distribution derived from current dollar figures from table 1. Detail m ay not
add to totals due to rounding.

30


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17.0

12.1

13.7

3 Includes finance, insurance, real estate, communications, other construction, public utilities,
NO TE: Detail m ay not add to totals due to rounding.

Onsite labor requirements

Industry

6.9

mining, agriculture, and government enterprises.

2 D a ta for trade have been revised to include retail as well as wholesale trade.

[In percent]

9.0

were truckdrivers, and 2 percent were mechanics in­
volved in equipment upkeep. These three occupations
accounted for 40 percent of total onsite labor require­
ments in 1976, the same as in 1973. Skilled craftworkers, such as carpenters and cement finishers, sup­
plied 21 percent of the onsite labor, while semiskilled
and unskilled laborers provided 33 percent. Managerial,
supervisory, and clerical personnel made up 6 percent.
The overall occupational distribution has remained vir­
tually unchanged since 1970.
Minority groups. Minority workers accounted for 21
percent of onsite construction employment in 1976. (See
table 5.) In 1970, 30 percent of minority workers held
jobs in skilled constmction trades, while nearly 60 per­
cent were laborers. In 1976, 40 percent of minority
workers held skilled trade jobs, while the percentage
employed as laborers decreased to 48 percent. This
change results partly from apprenticeship and on-thejob training programs. In 1976, over 56 percent of onthe-job trainees were members of minority groups, as
were 45 percent of all apprentices. Between 1973 and
1976, minority groups increased their participation in
every skilled construction trade except cement finishers,
where minority workers already account for 53 percent
of employment.
By type of operation
The onsite labor requirements of federally aided high­
way construction are partly affected by type of con­
struction and by region as shown below in employee
hours per $1,000 of cost (current dollars):5
Type of
construction
All projects . .
Surfaces only . . .
Structures only . .
Projects involving
structures and
surfaces . . . .

United North­ North
east Central South West
States
37.2
31.3
33.9

31.8
28.7
31.7

29.8
26.6
30.6

48.5
41.3
40.6

30.8
27.3
30.6

41.8

33.0

34.0

53.0

32.9

Table 3. Average annual rates o f change o f em ployee
hours per $1,000 o f contract cost fo r federally aided
highway construction, based on 1972 dollars, selected
periods
pn percent]
Industry

T o ta l....................................

1958 - 78

1958-73

1958 - 67

1967-76

1973-76

-1 .6

-2 .0

-2 .7

-0 .5

+ 0 .6

Construction ....................................

-1 .2

-1 .9

-2 .2

O n s ite .......................................

-1 .5

-2 .1

-2 .4

-.7

+ 1 .5

O ffs ite......................................

+ 3 .0

+ 1.4

+ .4

+ 5 .8

+ 1 1 .7

Other industries...............................

-1 .9

-2 .1

-3 .0

-.2

+ 2 .3

-.7

-.7

Manufacturing ........................

-1 .3

-1 .3

-.4

-2 .2

-1 .5

Trade, transportation, services

-2 .2

-2 .5

-5 .9

+ 1.6

-.6

Mining and miscellaneous . . .

-2 .7

-3 .7

-6 .0

+ .8

+ 2 .7

NOTE: Rates of change derived using compound interest method.

Surfaces. Projects involving surfacing operations only,
required fewer employee hours, for each 1,000 current
dollars of contract cost, reflecting the efficient use of
construction equipment in this type of work. Equipment
operators and truckdrivers provided a particularly im­
portant portion of onsite labor for surfacing projects.
Structures. In all regions except the South, construction
of bridges, tunnels, and elevated highways required
greater labor cost than did surfacing projects. Much of
the modem, laborsaving equipment available for surfac­
ing cannot be used in the building of highway struc­
tures. The result is fewer equipment operators but more
skilled craftworkers, such as carpenters, steel workers,
and cement finishers.
Combined projects. While less than 20 percent of proj­
ects involved both surfacing operations and structures,
they averaged five times the cost of those involving sur­
facing or structures alone. They also required more em­
ployee hours.

Since 1958, the employment generated in manufactur­
ing industries for federally aided highway construction
has declined at a rate of 1.3 percent a year. The manu­
facturing industries most affected by the material re­
quirements of highway construction are steel, cement,
and petroleum refining. (See table 6.) The declining rate
of employee-hour requirements reflects increased pro­
ductivity in the individual industries, and other factors
such as technological advances, substitution of one ma­
terial for another, material shortages, and the type of
roadwork.
The number of employee hours worked away from
the construction site, such as clerical and managerial
positions, increased at a rate of nearly 6 percent per
year between 1967 and 1976. Employment in mining
and miscellaneous categories increased at a rate of 0.8
percent a year over the same p>eriod.
Distribution of construction costs;
In 1976, materials and supplies accounted for 47 per­
cent of contractor expenditures, while onsite wages and
salaries claimed 24 percent. Overhead, equipment, off­
site wages and salaries, fringe benefits, and contractors’
profit accounted for the remaining cost. (See table 7.)
Between 1961 and 1973, the percentage of costs going
for materials and supplies decreased steadily. This trend
reversed between 1973 and 1976 as the percentage of
total costs increased for materials.
In 1973, shortages of petroleum products, steel, and
Table 4. O nsite hours per $1,000 o f construction cost
fo r federally aided highway construction, by occupation,
selected years
1970

Total

Geographic distribution. Nationwide statistics for high­
way labor requirements are affected by the regional
distribution of construction work as well as by type of
work. The North Central States, with 29.8 employee
hours per $1,000 of construction cost, had the lowest
employee-hour requirements in any region, followed
closely by the West and Northeast. In the South, 48.5
employee hours were required for each $1,000 of con­
tract cost, reflecting in part its lower level of mechani­
zation.
Offsite labor requirements
Sixty percent of highway-related employee hours were
worked away from the construction site in 1976. More
than 4 percent represented work in the construction in­
dustry such as in contractors’ offices and warehouses,
while nearly 56 percent occurred in the industries which
supply and transport highway construction materials.


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1973

Onsite
hours per
$1,000

Occupation

.....................

1976

Onsite
hours per
$1,000

Onsite
hours per POfCOflt
$1,000

49.3

100.0

46.4

100.0

48.5

100.0

....

22.3

45.2

21.5

46.3

21.9

45.1

s u p erv iso rs ...........
Equipment operators

3.7

7.6

3.5

7.6

3.6

7.4
24.3

Construction trades
Blue-collar

12.1

24.5

11.8

25.5

11.8

.............

1.3

2.7

1.2

2.5

1.3

2.6

C a rp e n te rs ................

3.1

6.3

2.8

6.1

Cem ent masons . . .

1.4

2.8

1.4

3.0

2.8
1.6

3.4

Ironworkers

5.7

E lectrician s................

.3

.7

.5

1.1

.6

1.2

P ip efitters ...................

.1

.3

.1

.2

.1

2

P a in te r s .....................

.1

.3

.1

.3
1.3

.2
.7

1.4

Apprentices

.............

A

.3

’ .7

.6

.2

’ .7

.9

1.9

.8

1.6

l a b o r e r s .............................

17.0

34.4

15.8

34.0

16.1

33.2

S e m is k ille d ................

'6 . 3

1 12.7

6.4

13.8

6.8

14.0

Unskilled

10.7

121.7

9.4

20.2

9.3

19.2

On-the-job trainees .

...................

O ther trades
................

1.5

3.0

1.3

2.7

12

2.5

T ru c k d riv e rs .............

5.5

11.2

5.3

11.4

6.3

12.9

3.1

62

2.7

5.9

3.1

6.3

Mechanics

M anagerial, supervisory,
a n d d e ric a l

...................

1 Revised data.
NO TE: Details m ay not add to totals due to roundhg.
S O U R C E : U .S. Departm ent of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, O ffice of
Civil Rights.

31

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 •
Table 5.

L a b o r R e q u ir e m e n ts f o r F e d e r a lly A id e d H ig h w a y s

Minority employment in federally aided highway construction, by occupation, selected years

Occupation

workers as a
percent of
all workers

1976

1973

1970
Minority

Percent
distribution
of minority
employment

in category

Minority
workers as a
percent of
all workers

Percent
distribution
of minority
employment

in category

Minority
workers as a
percent of
all workers

Percent
distribution
of minority
employment

in category

19.8

100.0

20.7

100.0

21.0

100.0

Construction trades .........
Blue-collar supervisors
Carpenters .............
Cement finishers . . . .
Electricians .............
Equipment operators .
Ironworkers.............
Painters ................
Pipefitters ..............
Apprentices.............
On-the-job trainees ..

13.2
9.0
13.5
50.8
5.9
10.1
14.3
17.4
16.8
17.1
51.2

30.2
3.4
4.3
7.3
.2
12.6
2.0
.3
.2
.6
1.3

15.9
9.1
19.6
52.7
11.2
12.1
21.7
13.6
37.5
35.8
62.7

35.4
3.3
5.8
7.7
.6
14.8
2.6
.2
.3
2.3
5.8

18.6
11.3
22.9
50.6
15.2
14.9
22.3
17.1
45.5
45.1
56.4

40.0
4.0
6.3
8.1
.8
17.3
2.7
.3
.4
3.0
4.4

Laborers........................
Semiskilled .............
Unskilled................

34.3
36.6
32.9

59.4
23.4
36.0

32.5

53.2

30.2
29.6
30.7

47.8
19.8
28.1

Other trades
Mechanics..............
Truckdrivers ...........

5.6
14.9

.8
8.5

8.1
16.6

1.0
9.0

9.5
15.2

1.1
9.4

Managerial, supervisory,
and clerical................

3.4

1.1

4.8

1.4

5.4

1.6

Total..................

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, Office of Civil Rights.

cement were accompanied by sharply rising prices. Be­
tween 1973 and 1976, asphalt prices increased at an av­
erage rate of 36 percent a year, while the prices of
cement, reinforcing steel, and structural steel all rose at
an annual rate of approximately 16 percent.6
The distribution of costs depends in part on the type
of project. For surfacing work, onsite wages and sala­
ries accounted for 21.2 percent of costs, and materials
47.2 percent. For structural work, labor accounted for
22.8 percent of costs, and materials 54.7 percent. For
projects involving both tasks, onsite labor claimed 25.8
percent, and materials 44.7 percent. The remaining
costs were for equipment, overhead, and profit.
Materials constituted nearly 55 percent of costs for
bridges, tunnels, and elevated highways, reflecting the
large quantities of steel and concrete used in these
structures. Surfacing operations, however, required
more construction equipment and less labor.
Average hourly earnings for highway construction
workers rose from $2.43 per hour in 1958 to $7.55 per
hour in 1978, an average increase of 5.8 percent a year.7
Productivity gains have kept labor’s share of highway
expenditures stable. However, the trend toward more
labor-intensive maintenance and repair work may ad­
versely affect highway productivity, until new technol­
ogy or methods are developed and implemented.
Technological changes
Technological advances in the methods, materials,
and machinery of the highway construction industry in­
crease productivity and reduce cost. The increasing
32

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complexity of highway construction, and the rising
costs of material and labor have encouraged technologi­
cal innovation and experimentation in the search for
more economical and efficient methods of building high­
ways.
M ethods of construction
Asphalt, cement, and aggregates are becoming more
expensive, making recycling of both asphalt and con­
crete surfaces more economical. Recycled concrete can
be used as a low-cost aggregate, eliminating quarrying
and hauling of rock, sand, and gravel. Recycled asphalt
can be combined with new asphalt and a softening
agent to produce surfacing material of acceptable quali­
ty.
Pavement recycling still accounts for little current
resurfacing, but technology adaptations are expected to
make recycling more economically acceptable. Manufac­
turers have developed equipment, which in a single step
can remove pavement and prepare the underlying base
material. Asphalt mixing plants with new modifications
are capable of both recycling and new production.
Much current research is directed towards making
highways safer and more durable. The Federal Highway
Administration is experimenting with safety features
such as nonskid pavement, de-icing techniques, and
electronic traffic control devices to warn motorists of
changing weather and road conditions. Salt-resistant
materials and improved drainage techniques are being
developed to increase the life span of pavement and
bridges.

Table 6. Materials and supplies used in federally aided
highway construction, selected years

Table 7. Distribution o f construction costs for federally
aided highways (except secondary), selected years

[Per 1,000 current dollars]
T y p e o f m a teria l

Total ..........................
Stone, clay, glass, and
concrete products ..............
Aggregates (purchased and
produced) ....................
Ready-mix concrete ........
Cement..........................
Concrete culvert pipe . . . .
Clay pipe........................

Type of coat
1958

1961

1964

1967

1970

1973

1976

$506

$526

$502

$478

$450

$445

$467

180

178

204

209

189

164

151

75
41
49
15

72
48
46
12

98
46
44
15
1

99
49
48
12
1

87
50
38
12
2

81
45
26
10
2

71
41
29
9
1

Metal products ......................
Structural steel................
Reinforcing steel..............
Bridge and guard railing . .
Steel culvert p ip e ............
Miscellaneous steel ........
Fencing..........................

122
56
39

147
68
47

9
18

8
24

132
49
45
12
8
13
5

127
47
45
14
6
9
6

119
37
44
18
6
8
6

116
45
36
14
7
9
5

120
47
36
14
10
8
5

Petroleum products................
Premixed bituminous paving
materials ....................
Fuels and oils..................
Bitumens........................

107

85

82

97

92

94

100

45
35
27

33
33
19

29
39
14

40
42
15

43
36
13

43
36
15

48
30
22

Other products ......................
Lumber and timber products
Explosives ......................
Materials not reported . . . .

97
11
5
81

116
10
6
100

84
9
8
67

45
7
14
24

50
7
9
34

72
9
4
59

95
5
6
84

NOTE: Because of rounding, details may not add to totals.
SOURCE: U S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration, based on
'material quantities reported by contractors.

Machinery usage
Highway equipment is becoming increasingly versatile
as a result of more complex and diversified work re­
quirements. Maintenance and repair work require
smaller, more flexible machinery than did earlier, large,
Interstate construction jobs. Fuel costs have caused
contractors to seek energy-efficient equipment. Govern­
ment health and safety regulations now require safer,
cleaner, quieter machinery.
As equipment costs rise, time lost because of equip­
ment breakdown becomes more expensive. According to

1958

1961

1964

1967

1970

1973

1976

Total........................

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

100.0

Onsite wages and salaries . . . .

23.9

24.7

260

24.8

25.6

24.6

23.8

Materials and supplies ...........

50.6

52.6

50.3

47.8

45.0

44.5

46.7

Overhead ’ , contractors'
equipment, and profit .........

25.5

22.7

23.7

27.4

29.4

30.9

29.5

11ncludes salaries for offsite workers, supplemental benefit!!, insurance, construction financing
charges, and other miscellaneous expenses.
SOURCE: U. S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration.

BLS data, construction equipment costs rose an average
of 15 percent per year between 1973 and 1976.8In some
cases, particularly for smaller, more diversified firms,
equipment leasing is becoming increasingly popular and
practical.
Equipment manufacturers are seeking to increase the
efficiency and productivity of their products. Slipform
paving machines, the major labor-saving innovation of
the past two decades, are still being refined and made
more versatile. Slipform pavers today can not only pave
up to 2 miles of road surface a day, but also can form
curves, gutters, and safety medians, speeding comple­
tion time.
Advances in laser beam technology have made sur­
veying and measuring more precise. Lasers enhance onthe-job safety by eliminating the need for string lines,
thus creating fewer obstructions. By increasing the
speed and precision of surveying techniques, lasers can
also increase productivity and save labor.
Computer technology is gaining importance in the
highway construction industry, particularly in larger
firms. Computers increase managerial efficiency by
allowing contractors to better monitor costs and work
scheduling. They are also used to aid offsite clerical
tasks such as bookkeeping and preparing payrolls.
□

FOOTNOTES

1
The 1978 employment estimates for highway construction were de­ Diane S. Finger, “Labor requirements for Federal highway construc­
veloped from previous survey data adjusted for price and productivity
tion,” M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , December 1975, pp. 31-36. These
changes. The deflator used to adjust for price changes is the Federal
findings are part of a series of studies prepared every 3 years by the
Highway Administration’s composite index for highway price trends.
Bureau of Labor Statistics, from data provided by the Federal High­
The index, when converted to a 1972 base, equaled 144.2 in 1976, and
way Administration. Initiated in 1958, the studies trace the labor and
191.7 in 1978.
material requirements of federally aided highway construction.
The estimate used to adjust the survey data for productivity change
2
The Federal Highway Administration provides data on total costs,
is the inverse of the change in onsite employee hours per $1,000, after
onsite employee-hour requirements, material costs, and occupational
adjustments for price variations, between 1970 and 1976. The annual
distributions, from reports filed upon the completion of projects. Ex­
rate of change averaged 0.6 percent a year.
penditure figures exclude purchases of rights-of-way, preliminary and
Because of part-time workers, transients, and the seasonal nature of
construction engineering costs, and State and local projects for which
the construction industry, more workers would be employed than in­
Federal funds were not requested or allowed.
dicated by the full-time job estimates.
Employee-hour and employee-year estimates for offsite construction
See L a b o r a n d M a te ria l R equirem en ts f o r C onstruction o f F ederally
were derived from the ratio of “nonconstruction” to total workers in
A id e d H ighways, 1958, 1961, a n d 1964, Report 299 (Bureau of Labor
the highway and street construction industry (Standard Industrial
Statistics, 1966); Robert Ball, “Labor and materials required for high­
Classification 161) as shown in E m p lo ym en t a n d E arnings (Bureau of
way construction,” M o n th ly L a b o r Review , June 1973, pp. 40-45;
Labor Statistics), March issues. The data were adjusted to remove the


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33

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Labor Requirements for Federally Aided Highways
portion of clerical and administrative hours already included in onsite
hours. Estimates in supplying industries were derived from an
interindustry growth model, adjusted for subsequent productivity
changes. Material costs from each industry group were aggregated,
deflated by the respective wholesale price indexes, and matched with
the industry groups in the model, yielding employee-hour estimates
for given expenditures. Karen Horowitz of the Office of Economic
Growth (BLS) assisted in the development of the employment esti­
mates for the supplying industries.
3BLS uses 1,800 hours to represent one full-time, year-round onsite
construction job, and 2,000 hours for offsite construction. Employee
years in the other industries average about 2,000 hours, based upon ac­
tual hours worked. Total job figures are based upon estimated capital
expenditures of $8.31 billion for federally aided highway construction
in 1976. Expenditures for all public highways were $12.14 billion. Be­
cause the total job estimates for all public highways are based upon
employee-hour data for federally aided projects, the estimates will not
reflect any differences that may exist between federally aided and
nonfederally aided highway work. State and local construction would
usually involve smaller, more labor-intensive work than federally aided
projects. The estimates exclude certain types of employment: planning
and design work before a contact is let; government time for inspec­
tion, supervision, and purchasing of rights-of-way; and employment
generated by consumer spending of wages, salaries, and profit.
4 According to the Federal Highway Administration, on December
31, 1977, 38,907 out of 42,500 total miles were open to traffic.

’ The tabulation prepared by BLS included over 3,400 reports re­
ceived by the Federal Highway Administration during 1976 (FHWA
form PR-47). Data was obtained by State, for total contract cost, in­
cluding materials, labor, and type of work (surfacing, structural, or a
combination).
The four geographic regions were: Northeast: Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylva­
nia, Rhode Island, and Vermont; North C en tral Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin; South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware,
District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mary­
land, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Ten­
nessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia; and West: Arizona,
California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,
Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
‘ Based on the Producer Price Index (formerly the Wholesale Price
Index), using compound interest rates to determine annual rates of
change. The index for asphalt paving rose from 128.3 in 1973 to 319.5
in 1976. Other annual rates of increase were: fuels and oils, 29 per­
cent; structural steel, 16.9 percent; reinforcing steel, 16.5 percent; and
cement, 15.7 percent.
7 See Em ploym ent and Earnings, March 1979, table C -2 . Average
hourly earnings for the highway and street construction industry, SIC
161.
'See Wholesale Prices and Price Indexes, BLS Supplement 1974,
Data for 1973; and Supplement 1977, Data for 1976, Category 112.

The base of the iceberg
In all the exhortations to develop measures of inade­
quate employment, no metaphor has been so widespread as
that of the iceberg. Unemployment is claimed to be the tip
of an iceberg of underutilized labor. Like all metaphors,
this one makes a point. The volume of inadequate employ­
ment is probably much greater than the volume of the un­
employment, and because more workers are affected, the
national product lost to inadequate employment is proba­
bly greater than that lost to unemployment. The rhetorical
point of the metaphor has succeeded, for there is congres­
sional mandate to develop new employment indicators.
The iceberg metaphor has not yet completed its usefulness,
however. Like all metaphors, it also has its shortcomings,
and the shortcomings provide clues to problems of measur­
ing inadequate employment.
In an iceberg, there is a relatively constant ratio between
the proportion of the ice above the water line and that be­
low. Both the visible and the invisible ice are assumed to
be the same physical phenomenon. And so having mea­
sured the tip, it is not really necessary to measure the base;
an empirical rule-of-thumb will suffice. But underutilized
labor is not analogous.

34

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Unemployment does not necessarily bear any constant
ratio to inadequate employment. Both might be results of
the same underlying causes; for example, both might in­
crease during recessions. But they might also be partial
substitutes, so that the lower the unemployment, the
higher the inadequate employment. Within the United
States, differences in the social organization of work may
mean that in response to identical economic conditions,
one labor market may have higher unemployment and an­
other may have more inadequate employment. In other
words, the “tip” and the “base” of the iceberg may be
only superficially the same. Further, without repeated em­
pirical measurements, it is impossible to make a priori de­
termination about the relation of the “tip” to the “base.”
No empirical rule-of-thumb is available.
— T e r e s a A . Su l l i v a n

and

P h il l ip M . H

auser

The Labor Utilization Framework: Assumptions, Data, and Policy
Implications

(Washington, National Commission on Employment and
Unemployment Statistics, 1978), pp. 12-13.

The A natom y of
Price C hange
C on su m er p rices rise at 1 3-p ercen t rate
fo r th e th ird c o n se c u tiv e quarter

orous, and inventory levels were not excessive in most
industries.
Crude oil prices continue to rise

C

r a ig

and

H

Ed

o w ell,

d ie

W

il l ia m

T

homas

,

Lamb

During the third quarter, the Consumer Price Index for
All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) moved up at a seasonal­
ly adjusted annual rate of 13.2 percent, the same rate as
in the first half. Energy items soared at a 49.1-percent
rate, much less than in the second quarter, but substan­
tially more than in the first. Food prices rose less than
in either of the two preceding quarters. Prices for items
other than food and energy increased about as much as
in the second quarter, but considerably more than in
the first. (See table 1.)
At the primary market level, the Producer Price In­
dex (PPI) for Finished Goods advanced at a rate of
15.7 percent, compared with a 6.8-percent rate in the
second quarter and a 14.3-percent rate in the first. The
index for finished energy goods rose even more rapidly
than it did earlier in the year, and consumer food prices
turned up after a second-quarter decrease. Prices for
finished goods less food and energy, however, rose at a
7.7-percent rate, about the same as in the second quar­
ter and somewhat less than in the first. Prices for both
intermediate and crude materials advanced more than in
the second quarter.
The continued high rate of inflation for consumer
goods and services other than food and energy was in
part due to the strength of the general economy, which
rebounded somewhat after a second-quarter decline. Al­
though consumer demand was generally good, the rate
of savings was the lowest (just over 4 percent) since the
Korean conflict, raising fears that a high level of busi­
ness activity in the third quarter was maintained at the
expense of a weaker economy later on. The level of resi­
dential construction activity was also unexpectedly high
from June to September. Capital spending remained vig-

Craig Howell, William Thomas, and Eddie Lamb are economists in
the Office of Prices and Living Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
They were assisted by Mary Bums and Andrew Clem, economists in
the same office.


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The rapid advance for energy prices in the third quar­
ter was largely the result of increased costs of both for­
eign and domestic crude petroleum. (See table 2.) At
the retail level, the CPI for energy items rose at a
49.1-percent annual rate, substantially less than the
70-percent rate in the previous quarter. Prices received
by energy producers, however, moved up at even faster
rates at all stages of processing than in the first half.
(These third-quarter PPI data generally reflect price in­
creases between May and August, because of a 1-month
lag in the Producer Price Indexes for many energy
products.)
The cutoff of oil shipments from Iran last winter
brought about a shortage of petroleum products, which
lasted through the spring and early summer. During the
second quarter, several oil-exporting countries raised
their prices above $14.55 per barrel, the official Organi­
zation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
benchmark; some began selling on the spot market for
immediate delivery, rather than through long-term con­
tracts. Because of uncertainty about future supplies and
speculative hoarding, spot prices for oil in world mar­
kets had risen to nearly $40 per barrel by early June.
When the oil ministers of the OPEC nations con­
vened in late June, they permitted member countries to
add surcharges of up to $5.50 per barrel. In early July,
Saudi Arabia announced that it would increase oil pro­
duction by 1 million barrels a day to stabilize the cha­
otic conditions in the oil market. Spot prices for oil
then dropped to about $30 per barrel, as the supply sit­
uation improved. However, oil shipments from Iran
again declined in August, partly because of renewed po­
litical turmoil. Algeria and Nigeria also cut back out­
put; these countries produce high-grade light oil, which
is preferred for refining gasoline. Thus, by September,
world oil prices were again on the rise.
In the United States, phased deregulation of crude oil
prices began in June, leading to sharply higher domestic
oil prices (up at a rate of 97.0 percent in the third quar­
ter). Crude oil stocks decreased about 2 percent from
June to September as refiners increased output of gaso­
line and distillate fuels (diesel fuel and fuel oil No.
35

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Anatomy of Price Change
2), which were in short supply in the second quarter.
Shortages of petroleum products which had existed at
midyear were substantially alleviated by the end of the
third quarter.
Gasoline lines disappear
Prices for gasoline were substantially higher in the
third quarter, mainly due to increased crude oil costs.
Retail prices rose considerably less than in the previous
3 months, while prices received by refiners advanced
even more than in the second quarter. The market share
of unleaded gasoline grew to 41 percent; this type of
gasoline requires the addition of octane-boosting chemi­

Table 1. Changes in selected com ponents o f the
Consum er and th e Producer Price Indexes, 1 9 7 8 -7 9
Compound annual rate,
seasonally adjusted except as
noted, for 3 months ended—
index

1979

1978
Sept- Dec. Mar.

June

Sept

Consumer Price Index
for AD Urban Consumers (CPMJ)1
All items ...................................................................................
Food and beverages ...................................................
Housing ...........................................................................
Apparel and upkeep ...................................................

13.2

8.5

8.5

13.0

13.4

4.9

10.0

17.6

7.5

4.3

10.5

8.8

12.0

15.5

16.1

2.3

8.7

1.5

7.7

T ra n sp o rtatio n ................................................................

9.0

11.1

14.6

24.4

19.5

Medical c a r e ...................................................................

8.7

10.8

9.4

7.7

9.9

E n te rta in m e n t................................................................
O ther goods and services ........................................

6.1

6.7

8.9

5.5

7 2

2.3

^ 12.6

13.1

2.4

8.5

5.7

4.8

10.2

17.7

7.5

4.2

8.3

9.6

12.9

15.8

16.2

S e r v ic e s ...........................................................................

10.3

7.2

10.6

13.8

14.3

E n erg y 2 ...........................................................................
Fuel oil, coal and bottled gas ........................

8.2

5.8

24.6

70.0

49.1

4.8

14.0

36.7

89.4

100.9

Food

................................................................................

G as and e le c tr ic ity .............................................
Gasoline, motor oil, coolants, e tc . 2 .............
All items less e n e r g y ...................................................
All items less food and e n e rg y 2 .............................

4.5

-2 .8

10.7

29.9

18.9

15.3

9.5

30.5

105.7

65.6

8.5

7.7

11.6

10.6

10.0

9.7

7.7

9.3

11.2

11.5

Producer Price Index (PPI)
by stage of processing 1
Finished g o o d s ........................................................................
Finished energy g o o d s ................................................

7.4

10.5

14.3

6.8

15.7

8.0

22.7

31.4

76.8

107.5

- 1 1 .1

12.9

...........................................................

4.9

15.3

21.0

Finished goods less food ...........................................
Fnished goods less food and e n e r g y ...........

8.1

8.8

12.1

13.7

7.8

7.5

10.3

8.0

7.7

Fnished consumer goods less food

8.8

8.8

13.4

16.8

24.4

e n e r g y ................................................................

9.2

6.5

10.0

7.2

10.1

Capital e q u ip m e n t........................................................

7.0

8.8

10.3

9.2

4.9

Consum er foods

.....................

16.7

F ris h e d consumer goods less food and

11.5

14.1

13.4

19.9

Intermedtate materials, supplies, and components . . .

7.3

Interm ediate energy g o o d s ........................................
Interm ediate foods and f e e d s ...................................

-4 .2

11.6

13.2

55.7

72.5

16.1

14.8

13.2

-1 .6

20.5
19.8

...

6.9

11 2

14.0

14.3

Interm ediate materials less food and energy

8.3

11.1

14.2

9.5

13.4

C rude materials for further p r o c e s s in g ...........................

8.2

20.6

30.1

4.3

17.0

C rude energy m aterials2 ...........................................

48.2

Interm ediate m aterials less foods and feeds

10.5

12.2

2 1.6

35.2

..............................

2.8

21.2

31.0

- 7 .1

...........................................

16.9

19.8

29.2

22.0

21.2

27.8

37.0

71.3

.1

- 1 5 .8

C rude foodstuffs and feedstuffs
C rude nonfood materials

13.9

C rude materials less agricultural products
a n d e n e rg y

................................................................

1See "Definitions” and "Notes” precedxig tables 22 - 30 of C u rrm tU to r Statistics in tis
2Not seasonally adjusted.
NOTE: Monthly data for Producer Price Indexes have been revised through May 1979 to
reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by respondents. For this reason, some
of the figures shown above and elsewhere in this report dffer from those previously
published.

36

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cals which were in short supply and therefore increas­
ingly expensive. Panic buying among motorists broke
out in the late spring, leading to service station lines in
many parts of the country reminiscent of the 1973-74
shortage. Many State and local governments moved to
curb panic buying by setting minimum purchases and
odd-even sales days by license plate number. Service
station lines disappeared as the availability of gasoline
increased. Sales declined during the quarter because of
both low gasoline supplies and driver resistance to rap­
idly climbing prices.
The rate of increase in home heating oil prices accel­
erated somewhat from the second quarter at both the
producer and retail levels, reflecting higher crude oil
prices. During the first 9 months of the year, retail and
producer prices for fuel oil rose at annual rates of more
than 80 percent, compared with rates of about 62 per­
cent for gasoline prices. Unlike gasoline, fuel oil prices
are not controlled. As a result of strong demand, re­
finers and distributors were able to raise heating oil
prices by more than the pass-through of increased crude
oil costs. Primary stocks of middle distillate fuels
(which include home heating oil) increased from about
140 million barrels to about 230 million barrels in the
third quarter, as the Federal Government sought to en­
sure that oil companies would have enough home
heating oil supplies on hand for peak demand in winter.
Consumer prices for piped gas and electricity rose
considerably less than in the second quarter as electric
rate increases slowed. Higher costs of natural gas at the
wellhead were reflected in increased residential rates.
Industrial fuel prices soar
Prices for intermediate energy goods rose at a
72.5-percent rate, compared with a 55.7-percent rate in
the second quarter. Price increases for liquefied petro­
leum gas skyrocketed (from a 60.8-percent rate to a
238.3-percent rate), partly because of higher prices for
crude petroleum feedstocks. In addition, demand for
butane from gasoline refiners was strong, as was petro­
chemical producers’ demand for propane and ethane.
The index for diesel fuel soared at a 160.8-percent rate,
compared with a 120-percent rate in the second quarter.
Diesel prices usually closely follow home heating oil
prices, as the two fuels are nearly identical. Commercial
jet fuel price increases accelerated about as much as did
diesel fuel in the wake of stronger demand and a con­
tinued response to the removal of price controls last
winter. Prices for residual fuel increased slightly more
th a n in the previous 3 months as several States forced
electric utilities to switch from relatively inexpensive
high-sulfur fuel oil to cleaner but more expensive lowsulfur fuel. Producer prices for industrial and commer­
cial electric power rose less than in the second quarter.
Although higher residual fuel costs did lead to

Table 2. Changes in retail and producer prices for
energy-related items, 1 9 7 8 -7 9

Item

Index

Relative
Importance
December
1978

Compound annual rate,
seasonally adjusted except
as noted, for 3 months ended —
1978

1979

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept

Finished items
Energy items, (gas, elec­
tricity, fuel oil, coal,
gasoline, motor oil) ' . . .
Finished energy goods .. .

CPI
PPI

100.0
100.0

8.2
8.0

5.8
22.7

24.6
31.4

70.0
76.8

49.1
107.5

CPI
CPI
PPI

50.2
37.0
64.7

15.3
13.0
11.3

9.5
18.2
27.8

30.5
35.6
38.4

105.7
90.8
62.6

65.6
63.1
88.0

CPI
CPI
PPI

49.8
8.7
22.9

4.6
6.8
1.6

.5
17.9
26.1

16.1
44.3
31.9

41.1
101.6
122.1

35.2
107.9
141.6

CPI

39.4

4.5 -2.8

10.7

29.9

18.9

PPI

100.0

-4.2

11.6

13.2

55.7

72.5

PPI
PPI
PPI

8.4
6.8
12.8

2.4
7.7
-7.6

19.1
-.7
17.6

30.1
6.1
18.4

120.0
121.3
121.8

160.8
162.4
128.2

PPI
PPI

5.7
46.0

-19.6
-10.0

-7.7
11.0

-5.2
1.9

60.8
20.0

238.3
12.2

.

PPI

100.0

10.5

12.2

21.6

35.2

48.2

Natural gas12 ........
Crude petroleum1 u .
C oal.................... ' .

PPI
PPI
PPI

42.6
34.0
23.2

13.0
9.4
9.9

21.5
9.1
-.5

39.0
16.0
8.5

43.8
45.9
-1.6

39.4
97.0
3.1

Gasoline, motor oil,
coolants, etc. ' . . . .
Gasoline2 ........

Household fuels . . . .
Fueloil2 ..........
Gas (piped) and
electricity . . . .
Intermediate materials
Intermediate energy goods
Diesel fuel2 ..............
Commercial jet fuel2 .
Residual fuel2 ..........
Liquefied petroleum
gas’ ....................
Electric power3 ........
Crude materials
Crude energy materials '

1Not seasonally adjusted.
2Prices for these items are lagged 1 month in the PPL
3Includes commercial and industrial power, but not residential power.

higher electricity prices, the relatively large supply and
low cost of coal helped keep the increases moderate.
The index for crude petroleum (which includes only
domestic production) increased more than at any time
since early 1974, as a result of the phased decontrol of
crude oil prices which began in June. During the third
quarter, the Department of Energy decontrolled an addi­
tional 5 percent of crude oil, allowing one-fifth of U.S.
output to be sold at the world market price. Natural gas
prices spurted at a rate of about 40 percent for the third
consecutive quarter. The increase was due to the phased
deregulation of domestic natural gas, as well as contin­
ued advances in the price of gas imported from Canada.
Coal prices turned up slightly after a small decline in the
second quarter. A few utilities switched to coal from in­
creasingly costly residual fuel for generation of electrici­
ty, but supplies remained abundant and both foreign and
domestic demand was weak. From September 1978 to
September 1979, coal prices moved up only 2.3 percent.
Retail food price increases moderate
In the third quarter, retail price increases for food
continued to moderate. Food prices in the CPI rose at a


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seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.2 percent, com­
pared with a 12.5-percent rate in the first half. At the
producer level, food prices advanced at a 12.9-percent
rate after declining from March to June and, before
that, increasing sharply from December to March. The
difference in the inflation rate for foods in the CPI and
PPI was mainly due to differences in timing of price
changes for meats and poultry. (See table 3.)
Retail prices declined sharply for beef and veal, pork,
and poultry, reflecting second-quarter declines at the
processor level. However, producer prices for beef and
veal rose sharply in September as a result of improved
retail demand, resulting in an overall rise in the PPI for
the third quarter. Processor prices for pork fell sharply
in July as supplies were more than ample but rose in Au­
gust and September when supplies decreased. Declines
for processed poultry in both the CPI and PPI were due
to ample supplies of turkeys and fryers. At the farm lev­
el, cattle prices advanced at a rate of 15.1 percent, after
falling at a 22.5-percent rate in the second quarter and
surging at a record 152.1-percent rate in the first quarter.
By the end of September, the number of cattle being fed
for slaughter was 13 percent below the level of a year
earlier. Hog prices rose at a 4.7-percent rate, folfowing a
steep decline at a 72.9-percent rate from March to June.
Live poultry prices continued to decrease, although not
as sharply as in the previous quarter.
Higher prices for green coffee caused roasted coffee
prices to rise sharply at both the retail and processor
levels (at rates of 126.2 and 107.8 percent, respectively).
The steep rise in green coffee bean prices reflected
strong roaster demand and supply uncertainties as a re­
sult of a Brazilian freeze, and political unrest in Nicara­
gua.
Price increases for dairy products accelerated in both
the CPI and PPI, reflecting increased costs for produc­
ing fluid milk and higher processing costs for dairy
products. In September, manufacturing grade fluid milk
prices were 17.2 percent higher than a year earlier.
Egg prices fell sharply at both the retail (38.6-percent
rate) and farm (44.3-percent rate) levels, the first de­
creases this year. Lower prices resulted from increased
production.
Both retail and primary market prices for fresh fruits
and vegetables advanced, partly as a result of sharply
higher prices for lettuce due to labor problems in the
West. Prices for bananas, grapes, and tomatoes were
lower as a result of increased supplies. Processed fruits
and vegetables rose in both the CPI and PPI, reflecting
tight stocks of some items and increased processing
costs.
Prices for cereal and bakery products advanced rapid­
ly at both the retail and processor levels. The rise in
bread prices reflected higher production costs, particu­
larly for flour, fuel, and labor. The PPI for milled rice
37

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Anatomy of Price Change
advanced at a 151.2-percent rate, even faster than the
73.9-percent rate in the second quarter; demand contin­
ued strong, supplies shortened, and production costs,
particularly for labor and fuel, increased. Price increases
for grains moderated considerably after rising at a
68.3-percent rate in the second quarter. Favorable
growing conditions resulted in expectations of increased
crops for wheat and corn, but export demand remained
unusually strong.
Among other foods, producer prices for refined sugar
in consumer-sized packages rose over the quarter, re­
flecting higher raw sugar costs. Strong demand contin­
ued to exert upward pressure on retail and processor
prices for fats and oils.
Among other farm products, the index for hay, hay­
seeds, and oilseeds declined from June to September;
lower prices for hay were due to improved growing con­
ditions, and soybean prices fell as a result of expecta­

Table 3. Changes in retail and producer prices for
consum er foods, 1 9 7 8 -7 9

Commodity

Index

Relative
Importance
December
1978

Compound annual rate, seasonally adjusted
except as noted, for 3 months ended—
1979

1978
Sept

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept

100.0

4.8

10.2

17.7

7.5

4.2

100.0

4.9

15.3

21.0

- 1 1 .1

12.9

CPI

8.5

- 1 1 .2

11.3

87.6

25.6

- 1 7 .7

PPI

13.1

-2 .2

1.0

135.0

- 2 5 .5

27.6

........................

CPI

5.2

- 1 6 .7

57.9

12.1

- 3 0 .4

- 2 9 .4

PPI

8.3

13.6

27.8

4.5

- 5 6 .5

2.5

Poultry2 ...................

CPI
PPI

2.3

-1 .1

.7

30.7

-5 .6

-2 4 .0

3.6

-8 .8

26.1

-8 .2

- 5 0 .5

-9 .9

CPI

8.7

11.3

6.6

8.5

10.2

17.8

PPI

12.1

-.4

5.5

7.2

23.6

20.8

CPI
PPI

9.4

8.5

13.5

12.9

9.9

11.3

14.9

12.0

19.3

5.9

12.5

15.4

CPI

4.7

17.9

- 2 7 .2

20.2

2.1

38.3

PPI

4.3

-.7

36.9

- 1 0 .0

- 2 4 .0

7.2

CPI

4.5

8.9

9.7

7.0

9.9

10.1

PPI

7.1

12.4

25.5

6.0

2.9

5.7

CPI

1.4

-3 .0

24.0

50.3

7.8

- 3 8 .6

PPI

2.2

50.1

14.7

79.6

3.8

- 4 4 .3

12.0

11.6

Consum er fo o d s 1

Beef and v e a l 2

Pork

...

CPI
PPI

C ereal and bakery
p ro d u c ts .............

Dairy products . . .

Fresh fruits and
vegetables . . . .

Processed fruits
and vegetables .

E g g s ........................

Sugar and
s w e e ts 3 4 ...........

C offee, roasted

..

CPI

2.2

9.0

6.5

1.3

PPI

4.1

11.2

4.0

7.8

CPI
PPI

.9

- 3 1 .8

-9 .3

- 2 0 .3

- 1 .1

126.2

3.9

- 1 7 .1

-.1

- 3 2 .5

21.6

107.8

8.3.

9.1

Fats and oil
products5 ...........

CPI

1.9

7.2

3.6

8.4

9.9

8.2

PPI

1.4

-1 1 .6

11.4

6.3

6.0

14 2

1 1ncludes items not listed. The CPI includes prices of food aw ay from home, which ac­
count for about 3 0 percent of the food index. The PPI for finished consumer foods does not
reflect restaurant prices.
2 These items a re no longer seasonally adjusted in the CPI.
3 "S u g a r and confectionery” in the PPI.
4 Not seasonally adju sted in the PPI.
^ ‘V egetable oil end products” in the PPI.

38


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tions of a record U.S. crop. After rising sharply in the
preceding 3 months, prices for grain byproduct feeds
rose much more slowly, reflecting the moderation in
grain price increases.
Consumer sendees
The services component of the Consumer Price Index
rose at a seasonally adjusted rate of 14.3 percent, about
the same as in the second quarter and considerably
more than in the first. More than a third of this ad­
vance was due to the index for contracted mortgage in­
terest costs, which climbed at a rate of about 38 percent
after rising at a 28.5-percent rate during the first half.
Charges for public transportation and for personal and
educational services also rose much faster than earlier in
the year, and most other major categories of the serv­
ices index moved up more than in the second quarter.
However, increases for piped gas and electricity, home
and auto maintenance, and entertainment services were
somewhat smaller than in the second quarter. (See table
4.)
The household services less rent index rose at a
17.7-percent rate, about the same as in the first half of
the year. Contracted mortgage interest costs accounted
for nearly half of the rise in this index. Prices of new
homes also continued to move up strongly. Housing
starts remained fairly strong because of good demand
and the availability of mortgage money. Prices of piped
gas and electricity rose at a 18.9-percent rate, compared
with rates of 30 percent in the second quarter and 10.7
percent in the first. Electricity rates increased much less
than they did earlier in the year, but gas rates contin­
ued to climb.
Among other housing-related services, the index for
property taxes rose at a 4-percent annual rate, com­
pared with 2.2 percent in the second quarter, reflecting
higher assessed property values in many large metropol­
itan areas. Property insurance costs rose at a rate of
11.6 percent, compared with 15.2 percent in the preced­
ing quarter. Charges for home maintenance and repair
services rose at a rate of 8.8 percent, compared with
11.1 percent in the first half.
The transportation services index rose at a rate of
12.5 percent, compared with rates of 10.1 percent in the
second quarter and 5.8 percent in the first. The public
transportation component rose much more than in the
first half. Airline fares soared at a 47.4-percent rate in
the third quarter, after a 5.3-percent rate in the second
quarter, and intercity train and bus fares advanced at
rates of 34.3 and 24.1 percent, compared with 8 and 9.9
percent in the second quarter; higher fuel prices were
largely responsible for each increase. The rise in the in­
dex for other private transportation reflected increases
in automobile insurance costs, finance charges, and
rental registration fees.

Table 4. Changes in consumer service prices, 1978-79

Item

Services............
Rent, residential............
Household less rent ' . . .
Home financing,
taxes, and insurance..................
Home maintenance
and repairs ........
Gas (piped) and
electricity ..........
Housekeeping
services ............
Transportation services ..
Auto maintenance and
repairs ..............
Other private transportation services .
Public transportation
Medical care services . . .
Entertainment services ..
Personal care services2 .
Apparel services2 ..........
Personal and educational
services....................

Relative
Importance
December
1978

Compound annual rate, seasonally adjusted
except as noted, for 3 months ended —
1978

1979

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept

100.0
13.6
51.0

10.3
7.3
12.3

7.2
7.7
6.1

10.6
3.6
15.7

13.8
8.7
18.5

14.3
10.7
17.7

23.7

19.6

7.0

25.8

23.1

25.4

9.1

8.2

11.9

9.8

12.4

8.8

8.2

4.5

-2.8

10.7

29.9

18.9

5.2
14.3

11.5
6.3

13.0
7.8

5.8
5.8

8.3
10.1

10.8
12.5

3.7

9.6

10.0

9.9

11.3

9.1

8.1
2.5
10.1
4.0
2.3
1.6

6.8
-.2
9.2
7.8
7.7
7.6

8.9
1.9
11.3
7.2
7.3
9.2

3.5
5.9
10.1
6.8
9.0
16.5

10.8
7.1
8.0
9.5
8.5
10.0

10.9
22.2
10.5
4.1
9.0
11.0

3.1

17.3

5.3

3.9

6.2

19.7

11ncludes items not listed.
2Not seasonally adjusted.

A large acceleration in the index for personal and ed­
ucational services was primarily due to college tuition
costs (priced almost entirely during the third quarter).
These charges increased at a 31.8-percent rate, com­
pared with a rate of 32.7 percent in the same quarter of
1978.
Finished goods except food and energy
Consumer goods. Retail prices for commodities except
food and energy rose at a seasonally adjusted rate of
8.0 percent, somewhat more than in the second quarter
but less than in the first. Home purchase prices contin­
ued to rise at double-digit rates. The increase in the PPI
for finished consumer goods less food and energy accel­
erated from a 7.2-percent rate in the second quarter to
a 10.1-percent rate in the third, virtually the same as in
the first 3 months of 1979. This acceleration was caused
in part by a surge in material costs, especially for ener­
gy and precious metals. Prices for passenger cars moved
up much less than in the first half at both the retail and
primary market levels, and used car prices dropped for
the second consecutive quarter. (See table 5.)
Home purchase prices (which are included in the CPI
but not in the PPI) advanced at a 16.5-percent rate, an
even faster pace than in the first half. House prices con­
tinued to rise in most parts of the country, even though
the historically high level of interest rates severely re­
stricted the flow of savings into thrift institutions, the
major source of home mortgage financing.
Higher costs for petroleum-based materials were a
major influence in accelerated price increases at the pri­


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mary market level for products such as tires, soaps and
detergents, plastic dinner ware, and floor coverings.
Speculation in gold prices led to a 62.7-percent rate of
advance in the PPI for precious metal jewelry, while
household flatware prices climbed in the wake of a
120-percent spurt in silver prices from September 1978
through September 1979. Higher material costs were
also a crucial factor in higher producer prices for foot­
wear, paper goods, sporting goods, and tobacco prod­
ucts. However, fears of consumer resistance helped to
restrain the full pass-through of many of these price in­
creases to the retail level. Weak demand helped to keep
increases for apparel, appliances, and furniture relatively
moderate at both the retail and primary market levels
in spite of higher material costs.
Price indexes for new cars rose in July when domestic
manufacturers raised prices, especially for small and
medium-size cars, to cover higher costs and to reduce
demand for models with a heavy backlog of orders. The
July price increases brought prices for the 1979 model
year close to the maximum permitted under the Carter
Administration’s guidelines. The indexes moved down
in August and September as manufacturers offered large
rebates on larger sized models to reduce the unusually
high inventories that had developed by midyear. De­
mand for bigger cars had fallen as tight supplies and
rapidly climbing gasoline prices made smaller cars with
better mileage more attractive. Prices for used cars (in­
cluded in the CPI but not in the PPI) declined through­
out the third quarter, chiefly because of buyer resistance
to larger models with relatively poor mileage.
Capital equipment. Producer prices for capital equip­
ment moved up at a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.9 per­
cent, only half as much as in the first half, and the
smallest rate of increase in 6 years. The slowdown was
primarily caused by a drop in the motor vehicles index,
which edged slightly lower when manufacturers cut
prices to revive demand for lighter trucks. The motor
vehicles index had risen at a 12.1-percent rate during
the first half. Prices for most other kinds of capital
equipment, however, continued to rise about as much as
earlier in the year, reflecting strong demand. Some of
the largest third quarter advances were registered for
machine tools, plastic and rubber industry machinery,
agricultural machinery, and railroad equipment.
Materials except food and energy
Nondurable manufacturing. The index for nondurable
manufacturing materials advanced at a 19.1-percent sea­
sonally adjusted rate, compared with a 15.3-percent rate
during the first half. The principal cause was the sharp­
ly increased cost of crude petroleum, used in making
chemicals, plastics, and other synthetic products.
39

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Anatomy of Price Change
Prices for plastic resins and materials rose more than
at any time since late 1974. This was due to sharp ad­
vances in petrochemical feedstock prices combined with
strong foreign and domestic demand. Synthetic rubber,
which is also derived from petroleum, registered the
biggest price increase since m id -1974. Demand for rub­
ber products weakened in response to the steep price
rises, however, resulting in a slowdown in the rate of in­
crease of synthetic rubber prices by the end of the quar­
ter.

Table 5. Changes in retail and producer prices for
consumer goods other than food and energy, 1978-79

Commodity

Commodities less food
and energy* ..........

Relative
Index Importance
December
1978

Compound annual rate, seasonally
adjusted except as noted,
for 3 months ended —
1978

1979

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

CPI
PPI

100.0
100.0

7.2
9.2

8.3
6.5

9.8
10.0

7.3
7.2

8.0
10.1

CPI
PPI

11.5
14.5

1.3
3.2

0
5.9

8.2
7.4

-1.8
4.4

7.0
4.1

CPI
PPI

1.9
2.8

3.7
10.8

10.6
22.6

4.8
32.9

12.4
20.0

7.0
12.0

CPI
PPI

1.6
2.2

7.6
3.6

4.7
7.1

7.9
9.0

8.7
4.1

.9
10.1

CPI
PPI

.9
1.7

4.9
5.5

17.0
15.2

4.3
4.8

-.2
2.4

9.7
22.6

CPI
PPI

.7
2.7

5.7
4.8

11.6
24.4

14.8
2.4

5.7
4.2

-1.0
18.5

....................

CPI
PPI

1.2
1.8

3.7
-10.3

8.1
23.4

13.5
20.4

3.2
11.4

12.4
20.9

Furniture2 ..................

CPI
PPI

3.6
4.4

7.9
9.1

6.5
7.5

6.9
5.7

5.1
7.9

3.9
6.0

CPI
PPI

4.6
6.7

3.7
9.5

4.3
3.1

5.2
4.7

2.4
3.1

1.8
2.4

CPI
PPI

9.7
15.7

7.2
5.0

1.0
2.0

12.8
12.4

12.7
12.8

6.9
.5

CPI
PPI

1.9
1.3

-2.3
5.3

4.8
1.3

11.2
19.6

10.5
6.2

7.5
19.6

CPI
PPI

3.2
3.9

14.1
15.6

-2.4
-2.7

11.8
21.1

3.7
-.2

9.7
15.4

Precious metal
jewelry7 ..................

PPI

1.9

( 8)

(8)

42.2

26.9

62.7

Flome purchase9 ........

CPI

28.3

11.8

14.3

10.8

15.5

16.5

Used cars9 ................

CPI

8.0

11.7

21.5

9.1

-4.6

-8.8

Apparel, excluding
footwear2 ..............

Footwear....................

Textile housefurnishing2 ..............

Soap and detergents3 .

Cleansing and toilet
tissue, paper towels
and napkins3 4 ........

Tires56

Appliance, including
radio and TV ..........

New ca rs....................

Sporting goods and
equipment5 ............

Tobacco products2 . . . .

1Commodities less food and energy account for 35.9 percent of the CPI-U and 53.9 per­
cent of the PPI for finished consumer goods.
2Not seasonally adjusted in the PPI.
3Not seasonally adjusted in the PPI or the CPI.
4“ Sanitary papers and health products" in the PPI.
5Not seasonally adjusted in the CPI.
6“Tires and tubes” in the PPI.
7Not included in the CPI; not seasonally adjusted.
8Not available.
“ Not included in the PPI.

40

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The industrial chemicals index continued to advance
rapidly, but not quite as much as in the second quar­
ter. The biggest increases were for organic petrochemi­
cals, which were affected by the rising cost of crude
oil. An additional influence was strong foreign demand
for American petrochemicals, generally cheaper than
those produced overseas because U.S. crude oil is
priced much lower than the world market level. In­
creasing demand for benzene and toluene by refiners of
unleaded gasoline led to still higher prices and tight
supplies of these commodities. Synthetic fibers prices
advanced even more than in the second quarter, as
makers of polyester and nylon passed through rising
costs of oil-based raw materials; these increases led to
accelerated price increases for processed yarns and
threads and for gray fabrics. Higher petrochemical
prices also led to sharp increases for paint materials
prices.
Prices for nitrogenates and phosphates rose sharply
as demand was up for fertilizers to be used in the fall
planting season. Strong demand for corrugated card­
board containers contributed to large increases in the
indexes for paperboard and woodpulp. Prices for leath­
er declined after a year of sharp increases; this re­
flected similar movements in the price of hides.
Durable manufacturing. The Producer Price Index for
durable manufacturing materials increased at a season­
ally adjusted annual rate of 17.7 percent, considerably
more than the 9.4-percent rate in the second quarter.
The acceleration was partly due to rapidly climbing
prices for gold and silver, in high demand by specula­
tors as a hedge against inflation. The high cost of gold
led to steep increases for jewelers’ materials and find­
ings. Speculative demand coupled with a rapid climb
in copper prices on the world market caused the cop­
per index to rise. Prices for aluminum increased be­
cause of higher raw material costs. Lead prices,
however, rose much more slowly than in the first half
because of weak demand.
The steel mill products index increased as a result
of widespread price increases on July 1, when steel
producers passed along the increases allowed under the
wage-price guidelines. However, weaker demand from
a variety of customers contributed to some steel plant
shutdowns during the quarter.
Construction materials. The PPI for materials and com­
ponents for construction advanced at a 9.8-percent an­
nual rate, more than in the second quarter, but less
than in the first quarter. The annual rate of housing
starts remained at approximately 1.8 million in the
third quarter, about the same as in the previous quarter
but about 8 percent below the level of the year before.
Price increases for softwood lumber accelerated sharply.
Lumber distributors maintained low inventories in an-

ticipation of a recession in the construction industry,
but the unexpected strength of the housing market put
a strain on available supplies and led to higher prices.
In addition, log exports to Japan were at a record level,
further reducing domestic supplies. After falling in the
second quarter, plywood prices rebounded strongly be­
cause of unexpectedly good demand.
Higher domestic copper prices, spurred chiefly by a
surge in copper prices on the world market, brought
about an increase for nonferrous wire and cable prices.
Prices for plastic construction products advanced be­
cause of increased costs of oil-based plastic resins.
Higher petroleum prices also led to accelerating price
increases for bituminous paving materials. Prices for
structural clay products, which are energy-intensive,
moved up in the wake of increased costs for energy. In­
creases were also recorded for heating equipment and
wiring devices.
Other intermediate materials. Mixed fertilizer prices rose
even more rapidly than in the second quarter because of
strong demand. The index for paper boxes and contain­
ers advanced as a result of good demand and higher
woodpulp costs. Prices for electronic components and
accessories increased sharply, partly because of large in­
creases in the costs of precious metals, tantalum, and
plastics; strong demand was also a major factor. In­
creased material and energy costs, plus continued
strong demand in the capital goods sector, led to accel­

erating price increases for refrigerant compressors, fans
and blowers, electric motors, internal combustion en­
gines, mining machinery parts, and cutting tools.
Crude materials. The Producer Price Index for crude
materials except agricultural products and energy de­
clined at a 15.8-percent rate, seasonally adjusted, from
June to September. There had been virtually no change
in the second quarter, but prices had surged at a
71.3-percent rate in the first quarter. Prices for hides
and skins fell even more than in the second quarter; do­
mestic and foreign demand was weak as many tanners
resisted sharply higher prices registered in earlier
months. Iron and steel scrap prices also moved down
substantially as a drop in steel production caused a lull
in the scrap market. Wastepaper prices declined moder­
ately for the second consecutive quarter because of poor
demand. After rising sharply in the second quarter, nat­
ural rubber prices fell because manufacturers of tires
and other automotive rubber products curtailed materi­
als purchases in the wake of lower sales. Prices for alu­
minum base scrap, which had been rising since last
December, declined sharply because of poor market de­
mand from U.S. primary and secondary smelters.
However, copper base scrap moved up after falling in
the second quarter; improved demand from primary
and secondary smelters was largely responsible for the
turnaround. Prices for sand, gravel, and crushed stone,
potash, and iron ore also rose.
□

A note on communications
The Monthly Labor Review welcomes communica­
tions that supplement, challenge, or expand on re­
search published in its pages. To be considered for
publication, communications should be factual and


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

analytical, not polemical in tone. Communications
should be addressed to the Editor-in-Chief, Monthly
Labor Review, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. De­
partment of Labor, Washington, D.C. 20212.

41

f

Research
Summaries

T h e e ffe c t o f u n em p loym en t
on fa m ily in co m e in 1 977

H ow ard Hayghe

Nearly one in every four husband and wife families, 10.8
million out of 46.6 million, encountered some period of
unemployment during 1977. For the most part, only
one member in these families was unemployed at some
time, usually the wife, or teenage son or daughter.1
In 9 out of 10 families where the wife or other relative
was jobless at some time, the husband usually worked
full time (table 1).
These data are based on special tabulations from the
March 1978 Current Population Survey.2The number of
employed and unemployed persons shown is much larg­
er than indicated by annual average data, because many
more persons work or seek work over the course of a
year than at any one point in time.3
Family income levels vary depending on which mem­
bers experienced unemployment. However, other fac­
tors, especially the age, sex, occupation, and rela­
tionship of working family members, also are major
factors. For example, married women and young peo­
ple, two groups more often affected by unemployment
than married men, have lower than average earnings. In
May 1977, median usual full-time weekly earnings were
$158 for wives, $168 for young men (16 to 24), and
$133 for young women. In comparison, husbands had
earnings of $272. A majority of those unemployed at
some time during 1977 worked at relatively low-skill
low-pay clerical, operative, service, and nonfarm labor
jobs, further accentuating income differences with fami­
lies experiencing no unemployment. In addition, the ex­
istence of other sources of income, such as unem­
ployment insurance benefits, may also tend to obscure
the direct effect of unemployment.
Overall, the median 1977 income of husband and wife
families encountering some period of unemployment
was $2,500 lower than for families encountering none

I

p im

,

a

(table 2). Of course, this aggregate difference varied
considerably depending on the number of earners, the
number of persons encountering unemployment, and
their family relationship.
When families had two earners or more, median in­
come was about $21,950 where no one experienced un­
employment, $19,180 where one member had been
unemployed, and $18,020 where two members or more
had been unemployed at some time. Income was rela­
tively high among the small number of families with
two or more members unemployed at some time during
the year, because well over half also had three earners
or more.
Taking the information on number of earners one
step further reveals a wide variation in family income,
depending on which member experienced some period
of joblessness. For instance, in one-earner families, meTable 1. Employment and unemployment in husband and
wife families during 1977
,
Number
(in thousands)

Percent

46,645
41,803
31,023
10,780
4,842

100.0
89.6
66.5
23.1
10.4

10,780
8,874
3,478
5,396
1,906
785
1,121

100.0
82.3
32.3
50.1
17.7
7.3
10.4

Husband only unemployed..........................................
Other member employed ....................................
Wife o n ly ....................................................
Other relative only ......................................
Wife and other relative(s) ............................
Other relatives............................................
No other member in labor force ..........................

3,478
2,205
1,739
134
291
41
1,274

100.0
63.4
50.0
3.9
8.4
1.2
36.6

Wife or other relative(s) unemployed ..........................
Husband employed ............................................
Husband not in labor fo rce ..................................

6,181
5,645
535

100.0
91.3
8.7

Item

Husband and wife families
Total..............................................................
With one or more members in labor force ............
No member with unemployment....................
Some member(s) unemployed' ....................
No members in labor force..................................
Number and relationship of
unemployed members
Families with unemployed members............................
One unemployed................................................
Husband ....................................................
Wife or other relative o n ly ............................
Two or more unemployed....................................
Wife or other relative(s) or b oth....................
Husband and others....................................
Unemployed members by presence of
employed members

1Refers to unemployment at any time during survey year.

Howard Hayghe is an economist in the Office of Current Employment
Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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NOTE: Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.

there was only one earner in the family. For instance,
41 percent of one-earner families where the worker was
jobless at some time during the year, had incomes of
less than $10,000, while only 14 percent had incomes
over $20,000. In comparison, 17 percent of two-earner
families with one member unemployed had incomes be­
low $10,000 while for three-earner families, the propor­
tion was 2 percent.
A family’s economic status depends largely upon
which family members were without work. For in­
stance, 35 percent of one-earner families where the hus­
band experienced no unemployment were in the $20,000
bracket. However, where the husband had some period
of unemployment, only 10 percent of the families had
incomes that high. Similarly, in two-earner families
where the husband and wife were workers, 20 percent
of the families had incomes over $20,000 if the husband
was jobless at some time, compared to 50 percent when
he was not.
Although husband and wife families encountering un­
employment had lower incomes than those which did
not, their 1977 median income levels were from two to
three times as great as the poverty threshold4 for a fam­
ily of comparable size:

Table 2. Median income of husband and wife families in
1977, by presence of unemployed members and number
of earners
[Numbers in thousands]
Number with unemployed
during 1977 (in thousands)
Item

Total families with one
member or more in
labor fo rc e ..............
No earners..................
One earner ................
Two earners or more ..
Two earners........
Three earners
or more............

Median family income in 1977

None

One

Two or
more

None
unem­
ployed

One Two or more
unem­
unem­
ployed
ployed

31,022

8,874

1,907

$19,551

$16,991

$16,884
(')
9,190
18,016
13,000
23,415

12,152
18,856
15,115

142
1,993
6,739
4,582

22
179
1,706
750

15,790
21,954
20,668

5,303
11,483
19,179
16,463

3,741

2,157

956

27,520

26,320

1Median not shown where base is less than 75,000.
NOTE: Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.

dian income was $16,250 where the husband experi­
enced no unemployment but only $10,680 where he was
jobless at some time. Even the presence of other earners
does not entirely compensate for the husband’s unem­
ployment. Among working couples with no unemploy­
ment during the year, income averaged $20,500. When
the wife was unemployed at some time and the husband
was not, family income averaged $16,950, but when the
reverse was true, family income averaged $14,260.
How did families with some member or members un­
employed during the year fare relative to families where
no one was unemployed? Of the families encountering
no unemployment, 48 percent had incomes above
$20,000 in 1977 (table 3). This proportion, varied of
course, by the number of earners: When there was only
one earner, 33 percent had incomes that high, compared
with 77 percent of families with three earners or more.
Families encountering unemployment in 1977 were con­
centrated in lower income brackets, particularly when

Family size

Poverty
threshold

One
member
unemployed

Two or more
members
unemployed

Two persons . . .
Three persons . .
Four persons . .
Five persons . . .
Six persons . . . .

$3,961
4,860
6,195
7,324
8,268

$14,360
16,360
18,520
18,910
19,270

$11,840
13,620
17,560
21,520
20,830

Further, even though the unemployment of the husband
is associated with greatly reduced family income, the
median income of such families remained substantially
above the poverty level.
□

Table 3. Percent distribution of husband and wife families by presence and number of unemployed family members, number
of earners and income in 1977
-Family income

Total
families
(in thousands)

Percent

Under
$5,000

$5,000$9,999

$10,000$14,999

$15,000$19,999

$20,000$24,999

$25,000
and over

None unemployed ..................................
1 earner ..........................................
2 earners ........................................
3 or more earners............................

31,022
12,152
15,115
3,741

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

2.6
4.8
1.3
.5

10.6
17.9
6.8
2.3

17.5
23.0
15.8
6.2

21.2
21.2
23.0
13.7

17.9
14.4
20.8
17.6

30.2
18.7
32.3
59.6

1 unemployed ........................................
No earners......................................
1 earner..........................................
2 earners ........................................
3 or more earners............................

8,874
142
1,993
4,582
2,157

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

4.3
43.7
13.0
2.4
.3

15.2
45.1
28.3
15.2
1.3

21.2
7.7
27.7
24.5
8.4

20.1
2.8
16.9
24.3
14.3

15.5

23.7

8.4
17.2
18.4

5.7
16.4
55.6

2 or more unemployed ............................
No earners......................................
1 earner ..........................................
2 earners ........................................
3 or more earners............................

1,907
22
179
750
956

100.0
(2>
100.0
100.0
100.0

4.5

17.1
<2)
32.4
26.0
7.1

20.8
<2)
30.2
28.1
13.4

18.1
(2)
11.2
20.7
17.2

9.3
(2)
2.8
11.3
17.2

25.5
(2)
1.1
7.2
44.4

Item

1Refers to unemployment at any time during survey year
2Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000.


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n
22.3
7.1
.5

NOTE: Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.

43

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Research Summaries
--------- F O O T N O T E S ---------' Husband and wife families consist of married couples living in the
same household who may or may not have children or other relatives
living with them.
See, for example, M a r ita l a n d F a m ily C haracteristics o f the W ork
Force, M arch 1978, Special Labor Force Report 219, (Bureau of La­
bor Statistics, 1979). Also, see E m p lo ym en t a n d Earnings, February
1979, p. 35, table A-9.
Statistics similar to these have been available for some 20 years in
annual Bureau of Labor Statistics’ data series on the labor force char­
acteristics of family members and are now available on a monthly and
quarterly basis.
2The Current Population Survey is a nationwide sample survey
conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Bureau of the
Census. Data in this report relate to the civilian noninstitutional pop­
ulation 16 years old and over. Sampling variability may be relatively
large in cases where numbers are small, therefore, small differences
between estimates or percentages should be interpreted with caution.
For more information on tests for statistical significance, see Special
Labor Force Report 219, op. cit..
Earlier Bureau of Labor Statistics studies on families include R. L.
Stein and D. P. Klein, “Unemployment Among Household Heads,”
BLS Report 443 (May 1975), E. Waldman and Y. C. Olson, “Unem­
ployment in the American Family,” M o n th ly L a b o r Review, October
1968, pp. 239-46, and Howard Hayghe, “New data series on families
shows most jobless have working relatives,” M o n th ly L a b o r Review,
December 1976, pp. 46-48.
3See A. M. Young, “Work experience of the population in 1978,”
to be published in the M o n th ly L a b o r Review.
4 See U.S. Bureau of the Census, Current Population Reports, Se­
ries, P-60, No. 119, “Characteristics of the Population Below the Pov­
erty Level: 1977,” table A-3.

O cc u p a tio n a l m o b ility
du rin g 1 977
Carl R

osenfeld

Workers change occupations for many reasons, either
individually or in combination. Some cannot find anoth­
er job in their field after they are laid off because of
plant closing, business failure, or lack of work. Others
may change occupations voluntarily because they dislike
the one they have or just want to try a different one.
They may wish to get into a better paying field, one that
is less subject to layoff, or where physical and other
working conditions are more pleasant. Some workers,
especially college students and those in vocational train­
ing programs, hold temporary jobs while in school and
then tend to shift to a job related to their field of study
upon graduation or completion of training.
About 11.6 percent of all persons 18 years of age and
Carl Rosenfeld is an economist formerly with the Office of Current
Employment Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Daniel Glazer, a
computer systems analyst in the same office, developed the statistical
tabulations used in this analysis.

44

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over (and not in school) employed in both January 1977
and January 1978 were working at a different detailed
occupation at the latter date.1 Similar surveys in 1965
and 1972 showed lower mobility rates of 8.9 percent and
8.7 percent, respectively.2
Several factors contributed to the greater tendency to
change occupations during 1977 than in the years cov­
ered by the prior two surveys. Some persons who be­
come unemployed during the course of a year may find
another job only if they are willing to change the kind of
work they do. Unemployment in 1977 was relatively
high. It averaged 7 percent during the year; in 1965 and
1972 the unemployment rates were much lower. Of
course, some workers voluntarily shift from one occupa­
tion to another during the year without any intervening
unemployment. Contributing to the high rate of occupa­
tional mobility during 1977 was the general availability
of jobs for persons with the requisite skills, in spite of
the relatively large numbers who were unemployed.
During the year employment rose by about 4.2 million,
more than in 1965 and 1972.
Nearly 9 out of 10 of the 87 million men and women
18 years and over employed in January 1978 had also
worked a year earlier. The remainder had been either
looking for work or were not in the labor force (table 1).
This article examines the occupational mobility of the
nearly 9 million workers who had a different occupation
in January 1977 than in January 1978.3The occupational
mobility rates in this report are based on questions
asked in the Current Population Survey in January 1978
relating to the occupation in which persons were
employed that month, and the occupation a year earlier.
Indications are that occupational mobility data derived
from retrospective questions may be subject to errors of
recall since some persons cannot accurately remember
their occupation a year earlier; some may incorrectly re­
port a different occupation while others may incorrectly
report a past occupation as the same as current occupa­
tion. Also, the consistency level of the two sets of data
can be affected by errors of response to labor force sta­
tus, in coding of the occupation, and in reporting. In
about half of the households in the survey information is
given by someone other than the person for whom the
data are requested.
Age and sex
The proportion of workers who change occupations
decreases sharply as age increases and occupational pat­
terns tend to stabilize. Occupational mobility rates were
highest, regardless of sex or race, among young work­
ers,4 especially those 18 and 19 years old, where it
exceeded 40 percent among both men and women (table
2). Persons under age 25 comprised about 36 percent of
all who were in a different occupation in January 1978
than a year earlier but only 15 percent of all the work-

Table 1. Occupational mobility between January 1977
and January 1978 of employed persons, by age, sex, race,
and Hispanic origin, January 1978
Status in January 1977

Total employed
in January 1978
Characteristic

Differ­
Same
Unem­
Number
ent
occupa­
(in thou­ Percent
occupa­ ployed
tion
sands)
tion

Not in
labor
force

Occupa­
tional
mobility
rate1

BOTH SEXES
Total, 18 years
old and
over, not
in school .. 86,564

100.0

78.1

10.2

4.4

7.3

11.6

MEN
Total, 18 years
old and
over, not ¡>
in school .. 51,117

100.0

80.9

10.5

4.5

4.1

11.5

18 and 19 years ..
20 to 24 years . . .
25 to 34 years . . .
35 to 44 years . .
45 to 54 years . .
55 to 64 years . .
65 years and over

1,782
6,415
14,140
10,473
9,838
6,702
1,767

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

33.5
57.5
78.1
87.7
91.5
92.5
90.8

26.4
21.9
14.3
7.7
4.3
3.3
1.8

11.1
9.9
4.8
3.2
2.9
2.2
1.9

29.0
10.7
2.8
1.4
1.3
2.1
5.5

44.1
27.8
15.5
8.1
4.5
3.4
2.0

White..................
Black..................
Hispanic origin . .

45,944
4,371
2,384

100.0
100.0
100.0

81.2
77.8
77.8

10.7
9.2
10.9

4.1
8.7
6.2

4.0
4.4
5.1

11.6
10.6
12.2

WOMEN
Total, 18 years
old and
over, not
in school .. 35,447

100.0

74.1

9.8

4.4

11.8

11.7

18 and 19 years ..
20 to 24 years . . .
25 to 34 years . ..
35 to 44 years . . .
45 to 54 years .. .
55 to 64 years . ..
65 years and over

1,613
5,535
9,438
7,021
6,457
4,285
1,098

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

33.4
584
70.4
77.7
85.9
90.1
89.5

23.0
17.1
11.8
8.0
4.6
3.4
2.3

8.5
7.2
4.8
3.5
3.5
1.7
.9

35.1
17.4
13.0
10.8
5.9
4.8
7.4

40.8
22.6
14.4
9.3
5.1
3.6
2.5

White..................
Black..................
Hispanic origin . . .

30,897
3,886
1,445

100.0
100.0
100.0

73.6
78.4
69.2

10.3
6.3
9.1

4.0
6.4
6.5

12.1
8.8
15.2

12.2
7.5
11.6

1Percent of persons employed in both January 1977 and January 1978 who had a differ­
ent occupation in January 1978 than in January 1977.

ers. Many workers under age 25 have little if any family
responsibilities and therefore they are in a position to
try different occupations before they find their place in
the occupational structure. Also, some of those
employed in January 1977 may have been attending
school and holding part-time or temporary jobs totally
unrelated to their education and training. When they
left school they presumably took different kinds of jobs
than they held while in school.
Occupational mobility was lowest (5 percent or less)
among workers age 45 and over.5Their low tendency to
change occupations reflects not only an increase in fami­
ly responsibilities for most workers but also their relative
immunity to layoffs because of seniority rights and their
strong attachment to one occupation. Also, there may be
a reluctance to change jobs voluntarily, in part because
they do not wish to leave a job with pension coverage to
take a better paying one without such coverage.


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The overall occupational mobility rates for men and
women were about the same, but there were variations
by age. Among workers under age 35, the rates for men
were higher than those for women but above this age
the rates for men tended to be somewhat lower.
Single men and women are no more likely to change
occupations than married persons of comparable age.
However, since a majority of the single persons are un­
der age 25, whereas only a small proportion of the mar­
ried are in this age group, the mobility average for all
single persons is much higher than the average for the
married group.
Occupational mobility rates among men were the
same for blacks and persons of Hispanic origin as for
whites. Among women, however, the rate for blacks
was below those for whites and Hispanics. The higher
rate for white than for black women may reflect the rel­
atively large increase in the number of white women en­
tering the labor force in recent years; newcomers may
be more likely to change jobs to find the kind of work
they like than persons who are in the work force longer.
Educational attainment
Occupational mobility rates among *both men and
women were lowest for persons with no more than an
elementary education; the highest rate for men was
among those who had completed 1 to 3 years of college;
among women, the rate was equally high for those who
completed 1 to 3 years of college as for college grad­
uates:
Elementary school,
8 years or less ..........................
High school:
1 to 3 years . . . .
4 y e a r s..........................
College:
1 to 3 y e a r s..........................
4 years or more . . . .

Men

Women

7.0
11.7

6.0
9.8
12.1
13.4
12.5

12.2
14.7
10.0

To a certain extent, the above differences reflect the
differing age composition of the two groups. Persons
with the least education are mainly in the upper age
groups where occupational mobility tends to be low. A
majority of the persons who attended college are in the
age groups under 35 which have the highest mobility
rates.
The comparatively low occupational mobility rate for
men who graduated from college undoubtedly reflects
the selective nature of the jobs they hold. About 3 of 4
employed men with a college degree work at relatively
well-paid professional or managerial jobs. Only if a
worker has the high education, training, or experience
requirements, can he expect to enter these two occupa­
tion groups.
When occupational mobility rates are examined for
each age group by education, we find that the rates do
not vary consistently as the number of years of formal
45

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Research Summaries
Table 2. Percent’ of workers who changed occupations
in 1977, by age, sex, race and Hispanic origin
White
Age
Men

Black

Hispanic origin

Women

Men

Women

Men

Women

Total, 18 years and over,
not In school..................

11.6

12.2

10.6

7.5

12.2

11.6

18 and 19 years ..........................
20 to 24 years..............................
25 to 34 years..............................
35 to 44 years..............................
45 to 54 years..............................
55 to 64 years..............................
65 years and o v e r........................

43.7
27.8
15.8
8.1
4.5
3.4
2.2

41.2
23.1
14.9
10.2
5.6
3.8
2.7

( 2)
24.9
13.2
7.3
5.7
3.8

(2)
18.2
10.7
4.2
1.8
2.2
1.3

(2)
26.4
14.3
6.7
5.5
6.1
(2)

(2)
23.5
14.4
8.1
4.2
2.8
(2)

1Percentage reflects the proportion of workers employed in both January 1977 and Janu­
ary 1978 who had a different occupation in January 1977 than in January 1978.
2Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000.
NOTE: Dash (-) represents zero or rounds to zero.

schooling increased. However, for each educational at­
tainment group the occupational mobility rates declined
with advancing age.
Rates by occupation
Mobility rates varied widely by occupation depending
in part on the extent of education and training required
(table 3). Relatively few men and women went from
other occupation groups into farming or professional
and technical occupations. The small proportion becom­
ing farmers is not surprising since their number has
been declining for many years, in part because of the
large resources usually required to acquire a farm. As
for professional jobs, these require a large amount of
education, and are more generally entered into by per­
sons leaving school than by those shifting from a dif­
ferent occupational group. For men, occupational mo­
bility rates were also below average for managers and
craftworkers, two occupation groups for which particu­
lar skills are required. The high rates for women in
these two occupations are probably a reflection of the
expansion of job opportunities for them. In fact, em­
ployment of women managers expanded faster over the
year than for all women. For both men and women, the
highest mobility rates were for nonfarm laborers, an oc­
cupation group for which skill or experience requirements
are minimal. The low rate for female private household
workers reflects the apparent reluctance of women to
move into this kind of relatively low paid work.
Most of the occupational shifts in 1977 involved go­
ing into an occupation group entirely different from the
one held in January 1977. Only about 32 percent of the
men and 44 percent of the women who changed their
occupations during the year came from occupations in
the same occupation group. Among men, for example
nearly half of the professional and technical workers
who changed jobs came from other professional or tech­
nical occupations, the highest proportion for men (table
4). Among women who changed occupations, 59 per­
46

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cent of the clerical workers had shifted from other cleri­
cal jobs, by far the highest proportion for any occupa­
tion group among both men and women. Because 35
percent of all women employed in January 1977 were
clerical workers, it is reasonable to expect that a large
proportion of those moving into different clerical jobs
over the year would come from the same occupation
group.
Although occupation changers tended to move to oc­
cupation groups different from the one in which they
were formerly, they generally remained within their
broad occupation field— white collar or blue collar.
About 70 percent of the male occupation changers who
were white- or blue-collar workers in January 1978
came from jobs within their respective fields. Among
women, about 80 percent of the white-collar changers
and about half the blue-collar changers remained within
the same field.
The net result of all the occupation shifting over the
year was a minor upgrading in the occupational compo­
sition of these persons. In January 1978, somewhat
more of the occupational changers were white-collar
workers, shifting into mainly professional and manager
jobs, and fewer were service workers. The number of
blue-collar workers remained unchanged but there was
a slight rise in the number of craftworkers.
Changing employer and industry
Changing occupations was usually associated with
changes in an employer. This is not surprising because
some of the workers who changed occupations had been

Table 3. Occupational mobility rates1between January
1977 and January 1978 of employed persons, by occupa­
tion and sex, January 1978
[Numbers in thousands]
Men
Occupation

Total ..........................

Women

Number
Occupational Number Occupational
employed,
employed,
mobility
mobility
January
January
rate1
rate1
1978
1978
45,388

11.5

28,830

11.7

7,293

8.4

5,168

8.5

7,331
2,664
2,850

10.3
13.4
13.2

2,117
1,754
10,331

14.1
13.9
12.8

Craft and kindred workers . . . .
Operatives, except transport . . .
Transport equipment operatives
Laborers, except farm ............

9,926
5,235
2,630
2,392

10.6
15.1
12.6
20.4

511
3,188
193
252

14.3
11.6
14.8
16.5

Private household workers . . . .
Service workers, except private
household ..........................
Farmers and farm managers . . .
Farm laborers and supervisors .

20

(2)

670

9.1

3,275
1,230
537

11.4
3.0
12.1

4,398
75
173

10.4
7.5
9.2

Professional, technical and
kindred workers ..................
Managers and administrators,
except fa rm ........................
Sales workers ........................
Clerical and kindred workers . . .

1Percent of persons employed In both January 1977 and January 1978 who had a differ­
ent occupation in January 1978 than in January 1977.
2Rate not shown where base is less than 75,000.

Table 4.

Occupation in January 1977 of workers who changed occupations during 1977, by occupation in January 1978

Occupation in
January 1978

Men, 18 years
and over, not
in school ........

Occupation in January 1977

Total
employed who
changed
occupation

Profes­
Managers
sional,
and admin­
technical, istrators,
and kin­
Number1
except
dred work­
(in thou­
farm
Percent
ers
sands)

Sales
workers

Clerical
and
kindred
workers

Craft
and
kindred
workers

Oper­
atives,
except
trans­
port

Transport
equipment
operatives

Labor­
ers,
except
farm

Service
workers,
including
private
household

Farmers
and
farm
managers

Farm
laborers
and
super­
visors

5,232

100

10

11

7

8

16

17

7

9

10

1

2

White-collar workers ..
Professional,
technical, and
kindred
workers ..........
Managers and
administrators,
except farm . . .
Salesworkers . . . .
Clerical and kin­
dred workers ..

2,099

100

21

21

13

11

9

6

3

5

7

1

1

613

100

46

13

6

7

8

6

2

4

6

1

1

753
357

100
100

13
8

32
25

15
25

9
7

11
6

6
3

3
5

4
4

4
10

1
( 2)

1
1

376

100

7

8

7

27

11

11

4

10

13

( 2)

1

Blue-collar workers . . .
Craft and kindred
worker............
Operatives, ex­
cept transport ..
Transport equip­
ment opera­
tives ................
Laborers, except
farm ................

2,657

100

3

5

5

5

22

25

9

13

8

1

2

1,048

100

5

5

5

4

31

19

8

12

6

1

1

791

100

1

5

3

5

18

37

9

11

7

1

2

330

100

2

7

6

6

13

24

13

13

8

(2)

5

488

100

4

2

5

6

13

20

7

21

14

1

4

Serivce workers, in­
cluding private
household . . . .
Farmworkers..............

374
101

100
100

5
2

7
5

2
1

8
2

12
11

14
19

9
9

7
12

34
6

( 2)
11

1
16

Women, 18 years
and over, not
in school ........

3,361

100.0

12

5

8

39

2

11

1

1

19

31

White-collar workers ..
Professional, tech­
nical and
kindred workers ..
Managers and ad­
ministrators,
except fa rm ........
Salesworkers..........
Clerical and kindred
workers..............

2,308

100.0

15

7

9

47

1

4

1

1

14

(2)

439

100.0

44

5

6

29

2

1

(2)

1

10

( 2)

299
244

100.0
100.0

17
15

17
8

12
19

35
28

3

2
5

1

12
22

( 2)

1,326

100.0

6

5

7

59

1

6

( 2)

1

13

(2)

Blue-collar workers . . .
Craft and kindred
workers..............
Operatives, except
transport ............
Transport equipment
operatives ..........
Laborers, except
farm ..................

515

100.0

3

1

5

21

5

39

2

3

20

(2)

75

100.0

11

8

27

7

28

2

15

370

100.0

1

5

17

5

44

2

22

29

( 4)

41

( 4)

519
21

100.0
(4>

Service workers,
including private
household ..............
Farmworkers..............

1

* • *

6

3

9

23

11ncludes some persons who changed occupations but whose occupation in January 1977
was not reported.
2Less than 0.5 percent.
3Data are for women classified as farmworkers.

unemployed between jobs. Others may have found it
easier to change to the kind of work they want to do by
moving to a different employer. About 9 out of 10 per­
sons who changed occupations during 1977 had a dif­
ferent employer in January 1978 than a year earlier.


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2

2

10

1

1

44

2

4Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000.
NOTE: Because of rounding, sum of individual items may not equal totals.

This proportion was about the same for men as for
women, and for blacks as for whites. Only about 4 per­
cent of the persons who changed occupations had
worked for their employer for over 5 years. Many of
these persons probably moved up the job ladder to su47

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Research Summaries
pervisory or managerial positions or to a job requiring
more skill.
Most occupation changers also changed industry of
employment. Approximately 7 of 10 persons who
changed occupations were in a different industry in
January 1978 than a year earlier. The ratio was about
the same for men as for women and for blacks as for
whites. During 1972, a higher proportion, 80 percent,
of the occupation changers also moved into a different
industry.

--------- F O O T N O T E S ---------1The occupational mobility rate reflects the percentage of persons
who changed 3-digit occupations between January 1977 and January
1978 as a proportion of the total employed at both dates. This is
based primarily on information obtained from supplementary ques­
tions to the January 1978 Current Population Survey conducted for
the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Bureau of the Census. The data
relate to the civilian noninstitutional population 18 years old and over
and not in school in the week ending Jan. 15, 1978.
Because estimates are based on a sample, they may differ from the
figures that would have been obtained from a complete census. Sam­
pling variability may be relatively large in cases where the numbers
are small. Small estimates, or small differences between estimated per­
centages or rates should be used and interpreted with caution. All dis­
tributions and rates are based on total number of persons reporting
data for both dates.
2For previous reports on occupational mobility see Samuel Saben,
“Occupational Mobility of Employed Workers” (between January
1965 and January 1966), M o n th ly L a b o r Review , June 1967, pp. J I­
BS, reprinted as Special Labor Force Report 84; and James J. Byrne,
“Occupational mobility of workers” (between January 1972 and Janu­
ary 1973), M o n th ly L a b o r Review , February 1975, pp. 53-59, reprint­
ed as Special Labor Force Report 186.
3In addition to limitations of the data resulting from retrospective
bias, there are several limitations which reflect how the data were ob­
tained. First, the survey asked for a worker’s occupation in January
1978; if a different kind of work was done in January 1977, informa­
tion was obtained about that occupation. Therefore, any intermediate
changes during the course of the year are not included in this report.
Second, the mobility rates are based on the occupation held in Janu­
ary 1978, the survey date, rather than in January 1977, the beginning
of the period. Thus, the rates reflect the percentage of workers in an
occupation who came from a different occupation, not the probability
of persons leaving a given occupation. Third, the degree of occupation
and industry mobility increases with the amount of detail used in
classifying them. This survey used the detailed 440 3-digit occupations
and the 227 3-digit industries in the 1970 Census o f Population, A lp h a­
betical In d ex o f Industries a n d O ccupations (Bureau of the Census,
1970). Consequently, moves defined as occupational mobility in this
survey may not be similarly defined in a survey using a less detailed
classification system. No information was available for about 3 per­
cent of the workers on whether they were in the labor force in Janu­
ary 1977 or on whether they changed occupations.
4 For information on occupational mobility of young men over a
period of several years see C areer Thresholds, Volum e 6, A lon gitudin al
stu d y o f ed u ca tio n a l a n d labor m a rk e t experience o f yo u n g men, Re­
search and Development Monograph 16 (U.S. Department of Labor,
Employment and Training Administration, 1977), ch. IV.
5For information on occupational mobility of middle-aged men
over a 5-year period see the P re-retirem ent years, V olum e 4, A longitu­
d in a l stu d y o f the labor m a rk e t experience o f m en, Manpower Research
and Development Monograph 15 (U.S. Department of Labor, Man­
power Administration, 1975), ch. IV.

48

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J o b ten u re d e c lin e s
a s w ork fo r c e ch a n g es
Edw

ard

S. S e k s c e n s k i

Many factors determine the length of time a person
works continuously for the same employer. Among the
most important are seasonal and economic develop­
ments, and demographic characteristics. Seasonal fluc­
tuations in some industries, such as construction and
retail trade, may prevent some workers from gaining
even 1 year of continuous employment. Similarly, re­
sort employees or migrant farmworkers may have sev­
eral employers during the course of a year. Others,
especially the self employed, professionals, and some
highly skilled workers tend to remain employed at the
same job for a longer time, due partly to the large in­
vestment in capital, training, and education their jobs
require.
Individual characteristics such as age, sex, marital
status, and race also are important determinants of how
long a worker wants to remain in any one job. Many
persons, especially those under the age 25, voluntarily
shift from one employer to another as they seek work
they prefer. Older workers are more likely to remain
with the same employer longer, especially if their earn­
ings reflect longevity increases, or they have accumulat­
ed pension or seniority rights.
About 30 percent of the 91 million Americans em­
ployed in January 1978 were working at jobs they had
found during the prior year. At the other end of the
tenure spectrum, one fourth of the workers had been at
the same job for over 10 years (table 1). In January
1978, median job tenure for all workers was 3.6 years,
somewhat less than in 1968 and 1973:'

1968 ...............
1973 ...............
1978

Both sexes
3.8
3.9
3.6

Men
4.8
4.6
4.5

Women
2.4
2.8
2.6

The decline in job tenure reflects two basic trends
that have been evident for 10 or 15 years: the large in­
flow into the work force of youths and women, who
start at the bottom as new entrants or reentrants, and
the trend toward earlier retirement, which removes
some of the workers with the longest tenure. The rela­
tively high unemployment in recent years also has been
a contributing factor.
Job tenure is defined as the length of time an employee
Edward S. Sekscenski is an economist in the Office of Current Em­
ployment Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

has worked steadily for the same employer, though not
necessarily in the same occupation. A steady period of
employment at a particular job is one in which there
have been no interruptions except for vacations, tempo­
rary illness, strikes, layoffs of less than 30 days, and
similar short-term absences. Employment is considered
terminated if a person quits or is laid off from a job for
30 days or more, enters the Armed Forces, or transfers
to a job in a different company.
Age and sex differences
Average job tenure is linked directly to age. The
nearly 1.2 million workers age 70 and over had the lon­
gest average tenure, reflecting in part the many selfemployed in this group. Tenure for teenagers was less
than 6 months in light of their recent entry into the
work force, the temporary nature of many of their jobs,
and their tendency to change jobs. Workers age 20 to
24 also had very short tenure, slightly less than 1 year,
reflecting in part that some had recently entered the
work force after completion of high school or college,
or after military service. Young workers are also prone
to change jobs as they search for a suitable career.
In January 1978, average job tenure for women was
about 2.6 years, and for men, about 4.5 years. The low­
er duration for women is a result of the large propor­
tion under age 25, and the tendency of many to leave
the work force at least once during their working lives
because of family responsibilities. For men under 25,
tenure is also low. However, the gap between women
and men widens after 25. In the 55 to 59 age group,
women’s tenure is 6.5 years less than that of men.
Over the past decade the average tenure of women 65
to 69 has decreased from 10.5 to 7.5 years, partially be­
cause many with long work histories are now obtaining
retirement benefits and leaving the work force.2 This
leaves a larger proportion with shorter tenure.

Table 1. Length of time on current job, workers 16 years
and older, by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, January 1978
[Numbers in thousands]
Both
sexes

Men

Women

White

Black

Hispanic
origin

91,048
100.0

53,525
100.0

37,523
100.0

80,995
100.0

8,512
100.0

3,967
100.0

6 months or less ..............
7 to 12 months ................
Over 1 and up to 2 years . .
2 to 3 years ....................
3 to 5 years ....................
5 to 10 years....................
10 to 15 years..................
15 to 20 years..................
20 to 25 years..................
25 to 30 years..................
30 to 35 years..................
Over 35 years..................

19.0
9.2
11.7
7.7
12.5
16.7
8.7
5.0
3.7
2.8
1.7
1.3

16.6
8.6
10.4
7.1
11.9
16.9
9.6
6.1
4.8
3.8
2.4
1.9

22.5
10.0
13.6
8.4
13.4
16.4
7.4
3.5
2.1
1.3
.8
.5

19.0
9.3
11.8
7.6
12.4
16.5
8.5
5.1
3.8
2.8
1.8
1.4

18.4
7.8
10.5
7.7
13.5
19.3
10.5
4.6
3.4
2.2
1.1
.9

22.8
10.8
13.8
8.5
14.2
16.6
6.4
2.7
1.7
1.5
.5
.6

Median years on job ........

3.6

4.5

2.6

3.6

3.7

2.6

Length of time on
current job
Total:

Number . . .
Percent. . . .


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Marital status of women
Average tenure of women workers varies with their
marital status, as well as with age. In January 1978, in
every age group from 25 to 64 years, single women
(never married) had been on the same job longer than
either married women or those who were widowed, di­
vorced, or separated. (See table 2.) At ages 55 to 64, for
example, single women averaged nearly 15 years on the
job, 6 years longer than married women, but the same
average as men. Because single women generally remain
in the labor force once entering, their average duration
on the job in each age group is the same or nearly the
same as for men. Under age 25, married women had
slightly higher tenure than single women, although both
averaged less than a year.
Racial variations
Job tenure for whites was about the same as for
blacks, and about 1 year longer than for workers of
Hispanic origin.3White men had worked longer on their
current jobs than black men, but black women had
worked longer than white women. (See table 3.)
The lower job tenure for black men as compared
with white men reflects the occupations in which these
two groups tend to be employed. Black men are more
heavily represented among service workers, operatives,
and nonfarm laborers, occupational groups in which un­
employment rates are generally above average and ten­
ure is below average. More white men are in the
professional and managerial occupations in which un­
employment rates are relatively low and tenure higher.
Job tenure for black women exceeded that for white
women in January 1978 partly because of the large in­
flux of white women into the labor force during recent
years. Labor force participation rates for white women
historically have been much lower than those for black
women. During the 1960’s and 1970’s, the labor force
participation rate of white women increased dramatical­
ly, while the rate for black women rose only slightly.
As a result, the white rate is now only slightly lower
than that for blacks.4
Table 2. Median years on current job of women, by
marital status and age, January 1978
Single

Married,
spouse
present

Other
marital 1
status

Total ......................................

1.5

3.5

3.6

16 to 24 years....................................
25 to 34 years....................................
35 to 44 years....................................
45 to 54 years....................................
55 to 64 years....................................
65 years and over ..............................

.6
2.6
5.7
10.7
14.6
8.5

.9
1.6
3.5
5.8
8.6
9.7

.7
1.6
3.6
5.8
7.8
8.1

Age

11ncludes widowed, divorced, and separated.

49

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Research Summaries
Tenure of black women nearly doubled in the past
decade, from 2.0 years to 3.6 years, while that for white
women did not rise significantly. A greater proportion
of black women are now employed in professional and
managerial jobs than in 1968, and fewer work as do­
mestics, where their tenure is about the average for all
women.

Table 3. Median years on current job, by sex, age, race
and Hispanic origin, January 1978
All workers

White

Black

Hispanic
origin

Age
Both
Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women
sexes
Total 16 years
old and
over . . . .
16 to 24 years . . . .
25 to 34 years . . . .
35 to 44 years . . . .
45 to 54 years . . . .
55 to 64 years . . . .
65 and o ve r..........

3.6

4.5

2.6

4.6

2.6

3.7

3.6

2.7

1.6

.7
2.6
5.0
8.3
11.0
11.0

.7
2.7
6.9
11.0
14.6
13.5

.7
1.6
3.6
5.9
8.5
8.4

.7
2.7
6.9
11.3
14.8
14.1

.7
1.6
2.7
5.8
8.4
8.3

.7
2.7
6.7
9.4
13.0
10.9

.7
2.7
5.0
7.9
9.2
8.7

.7
2.6
5.7
6.0
9.3

.7
1.6
2.6
4.6
6.9
( ')

(')

1Median not shown where base is less than 75,000.

Table 4. Median years on current job, by occupation,
industry, and sex, January 1978
Occupation and industry

Men

Women

4.5

2.6

4.8
5.9
3.6
4.7
4.9
3.6
3.7
1.6
2.5
19.8
2.7

3.6
3.6
1.6
2.6
2.7
3.5
1.6
1.6
1.6
8.2
3.6

Agriculture......................................................

8.3

3.6

Wage and salary workers..........................................
Self-employed workers..............................................
Unpaid family workers ..............................................

3.5
18.1

(’)

1.6
6.9
7.5

Nonagricultural industries ................................

3.7

2.6

Wage and salary workers..........................................
Mining ..............................................................
Construction......................................................
Manufactunng....................................................
Transportation and public utilities ........................
Wholesale and retail tra d e ..................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate......................
Service..............................................................
Public administration ..........................................
Self-employed workers..............................................
Unpaid family workers ..............................................

3.7
3.5
2.5
5.0
6.6
2.5
3.7
3.5
6.7
6.8

2.6

Total, all workers............................................
OCCUPATION

Professional, technical, and kindred workers................
Managers and administrators, except fa rm ..................
Salesworkers............................................................
Clerical and kindred workers......................................
Craft and kindred workers..........................................
Operatives, except transport......................................
Transport equipment operatives..................................
Nonfarm laborers......................................................
Service workers........................................................
Farmers and farm managers......................................
Farm laborers and supervisors ..................................
INDUSTRY

1Median not shown where base is less than 75,000.

50

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(')

1.6
3.5
3.7
1.5
2.5
2.6
3.6
3.5
4.7

Tenure by occupation and industry
Farmers had by far the longest job tenure of any oc­
cupational group, about 20 years for men, and over 8
years for women (table 4). Farmers are self-employed
and tend to operate their farms regardless of unemploy­
ment fluctuations in other industries. Farmers also tend
to be older than the average worker (61 percent are age
45 and over, double the percentage for all workers); rel­
atively few young persons have the capital to purchase
and operate a farm.
Among men, managers had worked longer (almost 6
years) on their current jobs than any other major occu­
pational group except farmers. For women, the manage­
rial occupation was 1 of 4 occupations with equally
high duration. Unemployment rates are generally lower
for managers than any other occupational group, and
managers tend to be older than the average worker.
For both men and women, tenure was low for non­
farm laborers and service workers, in part because some
are employed in industries subject to seasonal fluctua­
tions, and because they tend to be younger than most
other workers.
Job tenure for wage and salary workers in nonagricultural industries was longest (nearly 7 years for
men and 4 years for women) in the transportation and
public utilities industry group, and in public administra­
tion (Federal, State, and local government). Workers in
these industries are less likely to be laid off and their
jobs are less likely to be affected by cyclical factors
than in other industries. Tenure was lowest for workers
in the construction and trade industries.
□
--------- F O O T N O T E S ---------1This report is based primarily on information from a supplemen­
tary question, “When did . . . start working at his present job or
business?” found in the January 1978 Current Population Survey,
conducted for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Bureau of the
Census. Most of the data relate to persons 16 years old and over
employed in the week ending Jan. 14, 1978. Sampling variability
may be large where numbers are small. Therefore, small differences
between estimates or percentages should be interpreted with cau­
tion.
This report is another in a series of reports on job tenure. Survey
findings for January 1968 appeared in the September 1969 M on th ly
L a b o r R eview (reprinted with additional tabular material and an ex­
planatory note as Special Labor Force Report 112). Data for January
1973 appeared in the December 1974 M o n th ly L a b o r R eview (reprint­
ed as Special Labor Force Report 172).
2R each in g R e tirem en t Age, F indings fr o m a su rvey o f n ew ly en titled
workers 1 9 6 8 - 70 (U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Wel­
fare, Social Security Administration, 1976), p.91.
3Data on workers of Hispanic origin were tabulated separately
without regard to race. They, therefore, are included in the data for
white and for black workers. According to the 1970 census, approxi­
mately 96 percent of the Hispanic population was classified as white.
4 E m p lo ym en t a n d Training R e p o rt o f the President, 1978, table
A - 4 , pp. 187-88.

U n io n w age ra tes
in lo c a l tru ck in g
Average union wages of local truckdrivers and helpers
increased 8.9 percent in the year ended July 1, 1977.
This was the largest rise since 1971-72. (See table 1.)
Its size reflected, to some extent, the impact of the first
uncapped (unlimited) cost-of-living adjustment under
the 1976 nationwide general freight agreement.
Local truckdrivers averaged $8.09 an hour on July 1,
1977; their helpers averaged $7.28. Much of this dif­
ferential reflects the distribution of drivers and helpers
among cities and in trucking operations with disparate

Table 1. Annual percent increases in average union
hourly wage rates for local truckdrivers and helpers,
July 1967-77
Year

1967 68
1968 69
1969 70
1970 71
1971 72
1972 73
1973 74
1974 75
1975 76
1976-77
NOTE:

....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................
....................................................

Drivers and
helpers

Drivers

Helpers

5.2
5.9
10.0
12.5
9.9
7.9
8.2
7.5
8.2
8.9

5.3
5.9
10.0
12.4
10.0
7.9
8.3
7.5
8.3
8.9

5.2
5.8
10.0
13.4
9.7
8.4
7.7
7.0
8.0
8.7

Beginning in 1979, the Bureau's local trucking survey will be conducted biennial­

ly.


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pay levels, rather than differences in rates paid the two
classifications within the same city and type of hauling.
Sixty percent of the drivers averaged at least $8.40 an
hour and 8 percent averaged $9 or more, while only 20
percent of the helpers had wage rates of at least $8.40
an hour and fewer than 1 percent reached the $9 mark.
Among the nine regions studied, the Southwest re­
ported the largest average wage-rate increase (10.2 per­
cent), and the Middle Atlantic States the smallest (7.7
percent). In the Great Lakes, the region with the largest
concentration of union truckdrivers and helpers, the in­
crease was 9.5 percent.
Nearly all of the truckdrivers and helpers were pro­
vided benefits through insurance or pension funds either
fully or partially paid for by their employers. These
payments were usually identical for drivers and helpers
covered by the same agreement.
The survey, conducted by the Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics, covered about 322,000 drivers and 28,000 helpers
who were active union members in the 153 cities with
populations of at least 100,000, according to the 1970
census. Excluded were drivers and helpers paid on a
mileage or commission basis, and over-the-road drivers.
Union wage rates are the basic (minimum) wage rates
(excluding holiday, vacation, or other benefit payments
made or regularly credited to the employee) agreed
upon through collective bargaining between employers
and unions.
A comprehensive report on the 1977 survey is avail­
able from the Bureau or its regional offices.
□

51

Significant Decisions
In Labor Cases
Supreme Court opens new term

Compensation under which law?

On the opening day of its 1979-80 term, the Su­
preme Court agreed to review a 6th Circuit decision up­
holding a Department of Labor regulation that allows
employees the right to refuse to work under conditions
that present a real and immediate danger of death or se­
rious injury.1 The regulation, which permits work refus­
als only when “there is insufficient time, due to the ur­
gency of the situation, to eliminate the danger through
resort to regular statutory channels,” was ruled invalid
by the 5th Circuit earlier in 1977.2 Last term, the High
Court refused to review that decision. But its review of
the more recent 6th Circuit ruling may lead to a resolu­
tion of the conflict between the appeals courts on
the issue.
On the first Monday in October, the High Court also
summarily dismissed a pair of workers’ compensation
cases on appeal from two State Supreme Court«3 and
refused to review another 38 labor and labor-related
cases on appeal from various lower courts. Unless four
of the nine justices vote to review a case, review is de­
nied, leaving the lower court ruling in effect.4
Of those cases denied review, a ruling by the 8th Cir­
cuit involved issues particularly important to organized
labor’s potential political influence. In Gabauer v. Wood­
cock:,5the appeals court ruled 4 to 3 that the United Auto
Workers did not violate the Landrum-Griffin Act by
expending union money for political purposes not related
to the interests and welfare of the union. Six members of
an Auto Workers local in St. Louis had charged that the
union violated the law by contributing to such organiza­
tions as the Students for a Democratic Society and the
Students Nonviolent Coordinating Committee. The court
held, however, that union officers “did not breach their
fiduciary duty by making the questioned expenditures.”
It also noted that the union constitution authorized polit­
ical activities which directly or indirectly further the
union’s interests “in the improvement of general econom­
ic and social conditions.” Thus, the court concluded that
it had “neither the power nor the standards by which to
review expenditures challenged by a minority of the
union merely because of their controversial nature.”

Lower court rulings in a pair of workers’ compensa­
tion cases were also left standing by the Supreme Court.
In Pettus v. American Airlines,6 the 4th Circuit ruled
that the Full Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitu­
tion and res judicata prevent an injured worker from re­
ceiving compensation in one jurisdiction, if another
jurisdiction has refused to continue paying benefits it
had once authorized for the same injury and its law ex­
cludes other remedies.
Following a back injury at his job in Virginia,
George Pettus received benefits under the State’s work­
ers’ compensation law. However, Virginia stopped
payments to Pettus for refusing to undergo “recom­
mended” back surgery. Pettus then filed a workers’
compensation claim with the District of Columbia,
which granted benefits based on his “contact” with the
city and its discretionary policy concerning the refusal
of medical treatment.7 However, the appeals court
ruled that the District was required to accept Virginia’s
decision to deny benefits.
In 1943, the Supreme Court ruled in Magnolia8 that
a specific provision in the Texas workers’ compensation
law barred claims for the same injury in other jurisdic­
tions. Four years later, however, the High Court’s rul­
ing in McCartin9 permitted an Illinois resident injured
in Wisconsin to receive compensation from Wisconsin,
less any amounts paid under Illinois law. The acknowl­
edged distinction between Magnolia and McCartin was
that the Texas law specifically forbade recovery for the
same injury in another State, whereas the Illinois law
did not.
The Federal appeals court in Richmond compared
the language of the Virginia workers’ compensation
statute. It found that the rights and remedies granted to
an employee by the law exclude “all other rights and
remedies of such employees, . . . at common law or oth­
erwise.” 10 The court concluded that this language had
the same exclusionary effect as the Texas law, barring
any remedies available in other jurisdictions through the
doctrine of res judicata in conjunction with the Full
Faith and Credit Clause of the Constitution.
Significantly, however, the Texas law restricts reme­
dies from second jurisdictions only when “the employee
has claimed and received compensation” from the'first.11

“Significant Decisions in Labor Cases” is written by Gregory J.
Mounts, of the M o n th ly L a b o r R eview staff.

52

,


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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Significant Decisions in Labor Cases
And, in Magnolia, the worker continued to receive
benefits from Texas.
In Boggs v. Blue Diamond Coal Co.,8 the 6th Circuit
ruled that the parent holding company of a coal mining
company may be sued for negligence in a mining disas­
ter in which 15 miners lost their lives. Their widows al­
leged that the parent company negligently delayed
construction of improvements required to minimize the
accumulation of methane gas. As restated by the court,
Blue Diamond allegedly “authorized removal of existing
ventilation and safety devices in order to open a new
tunnel of the mine but concealed the changes from Fed­
eral mine inspectors who would have taken immediate
steps to correct the dangerous conditions . . . The venti­
lation changes increased the methane gas in the tunnel
and caused the explosion.’’
The court evaluated Blue Diamond’s claimed immu­
nity from liability by examining the relationship be­
tween the parent and subsidiary in the context of
Kentucky’s workers’ compensation law. The law pro­
vides immunity from tort liability only for entities classi­
fied as “contractors” or “employers.” The court reject­
ed Blue Diamond’s claim that its “functional re­
lationship” with its subsidiary constituted an implied
contract and that it should therefore be regarded as a
“contractor” under the law. The court also reasoned
that the “corporate veil” should not be pierced at the
convenience of corporations; thus, Blue Diamond’s al­
ternative claim that it should be regarded as the “em­
ployer” for purposes of the compensation law was
rejected. Thus, the miners’ widows may sue Blue
Diamond for damages under the State’s tort law.
Not trespass in California
In 1978, the Supreme Court ruled that courts may
apply State trespass laws to cases involving picketing
that might either be protected or prohibited by the Na­

tional Labor Relations Act.13 Reversing the California
Supreme Court, the High Court carved out this excep­
tion to the traditional rule of Federal preemption be­
cause employers in such cases could not seek relief from
the National Labor Relations Board.
On remand, the California Supreme Court considered
whether union picketing on privately owned sidewalks
surrounding a Sears store violated State law. In a recent
5-to-3 decision, the court ruled that such picketing was
permissible under California labor law and, by a 1975
act of the legislature, could not be enjoined.14
The majority examined the provisions of the Moscone
Act. The 1975 law prohibited the judiciary from
restraining or enjoining persons from peaceful picketing
in “any public street or any place where any person or
persons may lawfully be.” Another provision of the law,
the court noted, required that the protections afforded
labor disputes “be strictly construed in accordance with
existing law governing labor disputes.”
The court reasoned that a pair of earlier cases, ad­
dressing the same issue of private property interests ver­
sus union picketing rights, established the “existing
law” referred to in the act. In both cases,15 the court
had ruled that, under California labor law, the interests
of unions in peaceful picketing outweighed the property
rights of employers engaged in retail businesses.
In approving peaceful picketing on sidewalks outside
retail stores— “whether it is on main street, . . . in a
suburban shopping center or in a parking lot” — the
court rejected Sears’ claim of a federally derived right
to enjoin such activity. In addition, the court conclud­
ed, the Moscone Act is valid under the due process
clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitu­
tion because its purpose“ — the elimination of unneces­
sary judicial intervention into labor disputes—indis­
putably bears a reasonable relationship to legitimate
State objectives.”
□

FOOTNOTES

' M a rsh a ll v. W hirlpool Corp., 5 F.2d 715 (6th Cir., 1979) 48 U.S.L.W.
3188 (U.S., Oct. 2, 1979, Review Granted); for a discussion of the
case, see M o n th ly L a b o r R eview, June 1979, pp. 44-45.
2M a rsh a ll v. D a n iel C onstruction Co., 563 F.2d 707 (5th Cir., 1977)
47 U.S.L.W. 3226 (U.S., Oct. 2, 1978, Review Denied); for a discus­
sion of the case, see M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , March 1979, p. 61.
3D odson Insurance G roup v. M a lo n ey (New Mex. Sup. Ct., Feb., 7,
1979); and S lagle v. Parker, 370 Sold 947 (Ala. Sup. Ct., Apr. 6,
1979), where the court ruled that Alabama’s workmen’s compensation
law does not violate the Constitution by immunizing coworkers in
wrongful death suits, even though such immunity is not permitted for
common law personal injury actions.
4 Denial of review does not technically affirm lower court holdings
because the Supreme Court is free to alter them by ruling in other
cases raising the same issues.
5 G abau er v. W oodcock, 594 F.2d 662 (8th Cir., 1979), 48 U.S.L.W.
3207 (U.S., Oct. 2, 1979, Review Denied).
6 P ettu s v. A m erican Airlines, 587 F.2d 627 (4th Cir., 1978), 48
U.S.L.W. 3214 (U.S., Oct. 2, 1979, Review Denied).


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7Workmen’s compensation in the District of Columbia is adminis­
tered through the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs, U.S.
Department of Labor, as an extension of the Longshoremen’s and
Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.
8M agnolia P etroleum Co. v. H unt, 320 U.S., 430 (1943).
9 In d u stria l C om m ission o f Wisconsin v. M cC artin, 330 U.S. 622
(1947).
10Virginia Code Annotated, Sec. 65. 1-40 (Repl. Vol. 1973).
" See M agnolia P etroleum Co. v. H unt, 320 U.S. 430, at 435 (1943).
12 Boggs v. B lue C oal D ia m o n d Com pany, 590 F.2d 655 (6th Cir.,
1979), 48 U.S.L.W. 3214 (U.S., Oct. 2, 1979, Review Denied).
13 Sears, R oebu ck & Co. v. San D iego C ou n ty D istrict C ouncil o f C ar­
penters, 436 U.S. 180 (1978), see M on th ly L a b o r Review , August 1978,

pp. 46-47, and January 1979, pp. 55-57.
14Sears, R o ebu ck & Co. v. San D iego C ou n ty D istrict C ouncil o f C ar­
penters, 1979 D a il y L a b . R e p . 190, D - l (Cal S u p Ct, 1979).
15S ch w artz-T orran ce In vestm en t Corp. v. B a k e ry & C onfectionery
W orkers' Union, 61 Cal2d 766 (Cal Sup Ct, 1964), and In re Lane, 71

Cal 2d 872 (Cal Sup Ct, 1969).

53

M ajor Agreements
Expiring Next M onth
This list of collective bargaining agreements expiring in January 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.

Employer and location

Industry

American M otors Corp., Jeep Corp. (Toledo, Ohio) ......................................
American Tobacco Co. (N orth Carolina and V irg in ia )...................................

Transportation equipment . . . .
T o b a c c o ........................................

Associated Produce Dealers & Brokers of Los Angeles, Inc. (California) . .

Union1

Number of
workers
5,000
4,200

Wholesale t r a d e ...........................

Auto Workers ( I n d .) ................................
Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco
Workers
Teamsters (Ind.) ......................................

Budd Co., National Office Agreement (Michigan, Indiana, and
Pennsylvania)
Budd Co., National Agreement (Michigan, Indiana, and Pennsylvania) . .
Bulova W atch Co., Inc. (New Y o r k ) ...................................................................

Transportation equipment . . . .

Auto W orkers ( I n d .) ................................

3,500

Transportation equipment . . . .
Instrum ents ................................

9,000
1,600

Campbell Soup Co. (Napoleon, O h i o ) ................................................................
Caterpillar Tractor Co. (Joliet, 111.)......................................................................
Champion Spark Plug Co. (In te rs ta te )................................................................

Food products ...........................
Machinery ...................................

Auto W orkers ( I n d .) ................................
Independent Production, Maintenance
and Service Employees of the
Bulova W atch Co., Inc.
Food and Commercial W o r k e r s ...........
Machinists ................................................

Dana Corp., Spicer Axle Division (Fort Wayne, Ind.) ...................................
Delmarva Poultry Processors Association (M aryland and Delaware) . . . .

Transportation equipment . . . .
Food products ...........................

DeSoto Inc., Jackson Furniture Division (Jackson, M is s .)..............................

1,500

2,000
4,800
4.200
2.200
1,600

F u r n itu r e ......................................

Allied Industrial Workers .....................
Food and Commercial Workers;
Teamsters (Ind.)
Carpenters ................................................

Fedders Corp. (Effingham, 111.)..............................................................................

Machinery ...................................

Stove W o rk e rs ...........................................

1,300

General Mills Fun Group, Inc., Kenner Products Division
(Cincinnati, Ohio)
Graphic A rts Association of Delaware Valley, Inc. (P ennsylvania).............
G reater Seattle Retail Drug Association, Inc. (Seattle, W a s h .)......................

Miscellaneous manufacturing . .

Allied Industrial W o r k e r s ......................

1,500

Printing and publishing ...........
Retail trade ................................

Graphic A r t s ..............................................
Food and Commercial W o r k e r s ...........

1,650
2,300

Industrial Relations Council of Furniture Manufacturers in Southern
California

F u r n itu r e ......................................

Carpenters

1,200

John-Manville Sales Corp. (Manville and Findeme, N . J . ) ..............................

Stone, clay, and glass products

Paperworkers

...........................................

1,600

Kelsey-Hayes Co. (Detroit and Romulus, M ic h .)..............................................
Kelsey-Hayes Co. (Jackson, M ic h .) ......................................................................

Transportation equipment . . . .
Transportation equipment . . . .

Allied Industrial W o r k e r s .....................

1,900
1,000

Levingston Shipbuilding Co. (Orange, T e x . ) ......................................................
Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Lockheed California Co. Division (California) . .

Transportation equipment . . . .
Transportation equipment . . . .

Orange Metal Trades Council ..............
Machinists ................................................

1,300
10,300

Masonite Corp., H ardboard Division (Laurel, M is s .) ......................................

L u m b e r ........................................

Woodworkers ...........................................

1,650

Philip Morris U.S.A. (Richmond, V a .) ................................................................

T o b a c c o ........................................
T o b a c c o ........................................

Pineapple Companies, Factory and Plantations (H aw aii)2 ..............................

Food products

R. H. Macy & Co., Inc. (New York, N.Y.) ......................................................
Revlon, Inc. (Edison, N .J.) ...................................................................................

Retail trade ................................
C hem icals......................................

Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco
Workers
Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco
Workers
Longshoremen and Warehousemen
(Ind.)
Retail, Wholesale and Department Store
Distributive Workers ( I n d . ) ...................

5,800

Philip M orris U.S.A. (Louisville, K y . ) ................................................................

Sterling Drug, Inc., W inthrop Laboratories (Rensselaer, N.Y.) ...................

C hem icals......................................

Chemical Workers ...................................

1,100

Utility C ontractors Association of New Jersey ................................................

C o n stru ctio n ................................

L a b o re rs ......................................................

4,500

'Affiliated with A F L -C IO except where noted as independent (Ind.).
in d u s try area (group of companies signing same contract).

54


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...........................

................................................

1,100

2,400
4,000
7,000
2,000

Developments in
Industrial Relations

George Meany retires

UAW president gets seat on Chrysler’s board

A FL-C IO President George Meany did not seek reelection in November, ending a quarter-century reign as
the leader of the American labor movement. SecretaryTreasurer Lane Kirkland had made the announcement
earlier to the Executive Council of the organization for
the ailing 85-year-old leader.
Meany, a high school dropout, began his 69-year la­
bor career as a plumber in Brooklyn. At age 28, he be­
came the business agent of his local and then secretarytreasurer of the New York City Building Trades Coun­
cil. In 1939, he was elected secretary-treasurer of the
AFL and became the chief lieutenant to Federation
President William Green. On Green’s death in 1952,
Meany was elected his successor.
He was the key figure in the 1955 merger of the
American Federation of Labor and the Congress of In­
dustrial Organizations that ended a period of bitter
feuding between the organizations. The new A FL-C IO
recognized his achievement by electing him president, a
post he retained until his decision to step down.
President Carter praised Meany, saying that the Na­
tion had benefited from “his heart, his mind and his ex­
perience.” R. Heath Larry, president of the National
Association of Manufacturers, saluted Meany, saying
that while Meany had his differences with American
business, “they were always articulated openly and with
rectitude.” (See p. 2 for tributes of U S. Secretaries of
Labor.)
Despite the departure of Meany, no major changes
are expected in the policies and aims of the 13.5-million
member Federation in the near future. Kirkland, who
succeeded Meany, called the labor movement “entirely
healthy” with “forceful and progressive leadership.” He
said, “I am not a stranger coming into this house. I’ve
been here quite a while. Every program, every policy
has my fingerprints on it.”

The round of bargaining between the “Big Three” au­
tomobile manufacturers and the United Auto Workers
was concluded when the Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler
Corp. settled. The accord for 190,000 Ford workers was
essentially identical to the General Motors accord. (See
Monthly Labor Review, November 1979, pp. 58-59.)
In a break from tradition, Chrysler and UAW agreed
that union president Douglas Fraser would be nominat­
ed to be a member of Chrysler’s board of directors. The
union had broached the subject in 1976; it revived the
idea in May 1979 when Chrysler closed its Hamtramck,
Mich., plant, which employed 5,000 UAW members.
According to Fraser, this action made many in the
union think about seeking a board seat “when they saw
decisions like this being made without any voice on the
board to raise questions or present a different view­
point.”
The UAW, as it had promised, settled for a less cost­
ly package to aid the financially beleagured Chrysler
Corp. Union officials stressed that the concessions are
temporary and that Chrysler employees will be at the
same wage and benefit levels as General Motors and
Ford employees at the end of the three agreements in
1982. The parties estimated that the contract conces­
sions would save Chrysler $202 million. (The union also
agreed to a 1-year deferral of a $200 million payment to
the pension fund.) Some deviations in the contract:
• Chrysler’s 3-percent wage increases are effective in
March 1980, January 1981, and November 1981, com­
pared with September of 1979, 1980, and 1981 at Gen­
eral Motors. (The 24-cents-an-hour “travel” cost-ofliving increase was effective September 17, 1979, at all
companies.)
• Chrysler’s automatic wage escalator formula
matched the liberalized General Motors formula but,
unlike at General Motors, $1.32 of the existing $1.37
escalator allowance will not be incorporated into base
rates until December 1980. Also, until October 1981,
the $1.32 and the 24 cents travel increase at Chrysler
will not be treated as part of base rates in determining
sickness and accident benefits.
• The immediate improvements in pensions at
Chrysler were valued at 70 percent of those at General

“Developments in Industrial Relations” is prepared by George Ruben
and other members of the staff of the Division of Trends in Employee
Compensation, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and is largely based on in­
formation from secondary sources.


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55

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Developments in Industrial Relations

AFL-CIO public employee delegates oppose mandatory social security
Delegates to the fourth convention of the AFLCIO’s Public Employee Department opposed legisla­
tion providing for mandatory social security coverage
for all government workers, including any proposal to
merge government retirement plans into the social se­
curity system. Delegates from 29 of the 33-member
unions were in attendance.
The convention passed a resolution urging legisla­
tion to prohibit the unilateral withdrawal of govern­
mental jurisdictions from the social security system.
In 1980, 98 jurisdictions in 16 States plan to leave
the system in a move to reduce their payroll retire­
ment contributions (Monthly Labor Review, Novem­
ber 1979, p. 61).
Some delegates argued that State and local
government workers should have the right to vote on
whether governmental units may withdraw from the
system. Other delegates expressed concern that em­
ployees leaving the system give up more than they
gain. The resolution proved to be the only divisive is­
sue at the convention, held September 11-12 in
Washington, D.C.
The Public Employee Department was established
in 1974 to coordinate the activities of AFL-CIO’s
public employee unions. The Department promotes
the interests of more than 2 million Federal, postal,
and State and local government employees through
legislative activities and research, legal, safety, and
public relations services.
The convention unanimously reelected William H.
McClennan for another 2-year term. McClennan,
head of the 150,000 member International Associa­
tion of Fire Fighters, has led the Department since
its inception in 1974. Kenneth T. Blaylock, president
of the 260,000 member American Federation of Gov­
ernment Employees, was reelected treasurer in an
unopposed election.
In the keynote address, President McClennan dis­
cussed the roles of public employee unions. He urged
the Public Employee Department to fulfill its mission
of bringing all public employee unions into the orga­
nization to promote change, compare experiences,
and make common decisions on matters of legisla­
tion and collective bargaining.
Hatch Act reform. The convention again made reform
of the Hatch Act a top priority. Congress originally
enacted the Hatch Act to protect Federal employees
from partisan political pressures and patronage.
Some now argue that the act restricts Federal em­
ployees from participating fully in political affairs.
For example, delegates to the convention complained
that Federal workers are not allowed to cam­
paign for partisan political candidates, seek elective

56

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office, or actively participate in a political party.
They called for reform, but, at the same time, advo­
cated strong protections against partisan political in­
fluences on the job.
Collective bargaining. A national collective bargaining
law for State and local employees continues to be a
primary goal of the Department. Convention dele­
gates claimed that government workers often are de­
nied the same rights to elect union representatives
and to bargain collectively that are guaranteed by
Federal law to workers in private industry. They
adopted resolutions urging Congress to either extend
coverage of the National Labor Relations Act to in­
clude State and local government employees or to
enact legislation that would specify certain minimum
collective bargaining standards and procedures.
Proposition 13 and a balanced budget. Tax reform
was discussed extensively at the convention. Several
speakers commented on the adverse effects of Cali­
fornia’s Proposition 13 (which severely restricts the
growth of property taxes) on various social pro­
grams and upon public employee’ jobs. The Depart­
ment’s representatives described such tax reforms as
anti-government and anti-union strategies. In this
same vein, some delegates expressed disapproval of
efforts to mandate through amendment of the U.S.
Constitution a balanced Federal budget. Though
proponents of the amendment have urged it as the
only way to control the growth of Federal spending,
convention delegates saw such action as “anti­
union” and resolved to oppose such an amendment,
calling it “a serious threat to our representative
democracy.”
Other resolutions, Assistant Secretary of Labor Eula
Bingham, head of the U.S. Department of Labor’s
Occupational Safety and Health Administration,
called for extending private sector health and safety
protections to include public employees, a move that
the convention heartily endorsed.
The convention also voted for a reduction in the
72-hour workweek of Federal firefighters, removal of
residency requirements for local employees, an end to
Presidential control over Federal pay and the cre­
ation of a pay-setting system based on “true” compa­
rability with the private sector, employee parking to
be condition of employment subject to collective
bargaining, and the reestablishment of a Senate Post
Office and Civil Service Committee.
□
— M arcy Jacobs
Econom ist
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Motors and further improvements were to be made in
seven steps, compared with nine steps at General Mo­
tors. However, by May 1982, pensions at Chrysler will
match those at General Motors.
• Chrysler employees will receive 9 paid personal
holidays in 1981 and 11 in 1982. At General Motors,
paid holidays total 8 in 1980, 9 in 1981, and 9 in 1982.

Grain workers settle, ending strike
The shipment of grain out of the ports of Duluth,
Minn., and Superior, Wis., resumed after members of
Local 118 of the Grain Millers ratified the last of eight
agreements with companies that load the grain on ships,
usually for overseas delivery. The 600 employees, who
load about 10 percent of the Nation’s grain, had been
on strike since early July, forcing operators to store
grain outside of already filled elevators.
The main issue in the negotiations was a union de­
mand for an automatic cost-of-living wage escalator
clause. The settlements did not provide for such a
clause; instead, the workers will receive $1,000 “produc­
tivity bonuses’’ in each of the 3 contract years. Other
provisions included wage increases of 8 percent in the
first and second years and 5 percent in the third. An
additional increase of up to 3 percent is payable in the
third year if the Carter Administration relaxes its pay
guideline, and the parties may reopen the contract if the
guideline is terminated.

Two union presidents stepping down
President Thomas F. Murphy of the Bricklayers an­
nounced that he would resign by the end of 1979 to be­
come chairman of the Mason Industry Committee, a
union-management body that engages in lobbying and
research to aid the industry. Under the union’s constitu­
tion, Secretary John T. Joyce will fill the top post for
the balance of the 4-year term.
Murphy, 68, started in the union as a special deputy,
moved up to treasurer and member of the executive
board in 1948, to secretary in 1960, and to the presi­
dency in 1966.
Joyce, 43, has been secretary of the union since 1971,
after serving as treasurer for 5 years. Earlier, he served
in various positions with Local 21 in Chicago.
In another change of leadership, President William
Sidell of the Carpenters announced that he will retire
at the end of the year. Under the union’s constitution,
he will be succeeded by First Vice President William
Konyha.
Sidell began his labor career by serving in several
elected offices of Local 721 in Los Angeles. He held of­
fice in the district council of Carpenters and the Califor­


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nia State AFL-CIO, was elected to the union’s execu­
tive board in 1962, and became a vice president in 1964.
He became president in March 1972, after the death of
M. A. Hutcheson. He also has been an A FL-C IO vice
president since 1972.
Konyha, age 64, started his career in 1932 as an ap­
prentice in Cleveland. He became president of his local,
served as a general representative of the Carpenters, and
was president of the Ohio State Council of Carpenters
from 1962 to 1972. He became first vice president of the
union in January 1974.

Coalition of Labor Union Women convenes
At the convention of the Coalition of Labor Union
Women, 1,100 delegates pledged intensified efforts to
gain ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment; re­
newed the organization’s commitment to affirmative ac­
tion plans; called for strengthening Federal job safety
and health protection; backed the establishment of a na­
tional health services program; renewed the Coalition’s
commitment to obtaining federally financed child-care
programs; and called for changes in the social’security
system to attain more protection for all women.
Coalition President Joyce D. Miller reminded the del­
egates that women “still have a long way to go . . .
women are segregated into low-paying stereotyped jobs
and cannot escape the wage ghetto imposed by both
economic forces and longstanding patterns of discrimi­
nation.” Thomas R. Donahue, executive assistant to the
A FL-C IO President George Meany, assured the dele­
gates that the entire labor movement shares “your cen­
tral concern.” He told the Coalition that its goal—
obtaining job equality for women by using the collec­
tive strength of unions—could be aided by making
unions “bigger, more effective, and more dynamic.”

Garment workers in New York get 3-year contract
A new agreement between the Clothing and Textile
Workers and cotton garment manufacturers covered
75,000 workers in the New York City area. The accord
calls for wage increases of 90 cents an hour over the
3-year term. In addition, workers will receive a wage es­
calator adjustment of 4.35 cents an hour for each per­
centage-point rise in the Consumer Price Index in excess
of 8.8 percent from June 1979 to June 1980; the adjust­
ment will rise to 4.65 cents for the year ended in June
1981. Each adjustment is limited to 10 cents.
The employers’ combined payments for pensions and
insurance benefits will be increased to 17.75 percent of
payroll, from 12.5 percent, over the contract term. In
addition, trustees of the plans were empowered to raise
fund payments to maintain minimum levels. By the end
57

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Developments in Industrial Relations
of the contract term, the pension benefit rate will be in­
creased to $4.75 a month for each year of service; this
will bring the minimum benefit to $115 a month. Other
terms include a 10th paid holiday, beginning in 1981,
and a fourth week of vacation for employees with 20
years of service, beginning in 1982.

Federal salary increase
The scheduled annual salary increase for Federal
white-collar employees, military personnel, members of
Congress, Federal judges, and political and career offi­
cials became involved in a clash between the two houses
of Congress. The final result was a two-level increase—
7 percent for the majority of the Federal employees and
5.5 percent for the remainder.
In August, President Carter proposed to Congress
that the salaries of the 1.4 million white-collar employ­
ees covered by the General Schedule pay system be
raised 7 percent. Earlier, he proposed only a 5.5-percent
increase but concluded that the larger amount was now
warranted because of the accelerating rate of inflation.
Under the Federal Salary Act of 1970, the Senate or the
House could have rejected the proposal; this did not
happen and the full increase went into effect the first
pay period in October for all employees in GS grades 3
to 14 and those in the first seven pay steps of grade 15.
(The increase ranged from 6.99 to 9.89 percent for
grade 1 and from 7.07 to 9.51 percent for grade 2.) Em­
ployees in other steps of grade 15 and all employees in
grades 16, 17, and 18 did not receive a 7-percent in­
crease because they were already at the statutory ceiling
of $47,500 a year, but they received a 5.5-percent in­
crease because the ceiling— the rate for the lowest level
(level V) of the Executive Schedule for political appoin­
tees and certain career officials— was raised by Con­
gress as a result of. legislating a raise for its own
members.
Under the Executive Salary Cost-of-Living Adjust­
ment Act of 1975, members of Congress, Federal
judges, and political and career officials would have au­
tomatically received the weighted average amount of the
GS increase, which was slightly more than 7 percent.
However, both the Senate and the House voted not to
appropriate money for an increase of that size. Instead,

58

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they appropriated money to put into effect the 5.5-percent increase they had declined in October 1978. (The
measure that had precluded the 5.5-percent increase
expired at the end of September, and Congress had not
yet acted to prevent the 7-percent automatic increase,
with the result that persons covered by the cost-of-liv­
ing pay act received both increases for a brief period.
This raised an issue regarding the 913 judges because
the Constitution prohibits any reduction in the salaries
of active judges.)
Military personnel received the same increases as GS
employees (5.5 percent for top officers and 7 percent for
all other officers and all enlisted personnel) under a law
that links their pay to GS pay.
Pay for 530,000 Federal blue-collar employees is ad­
justed at various times throughout the year based on
comparisons with prevailing local pay rates for the
same occupations in the private economy. However,
special legislation and a presidential order limited the
blue-collar employees increase to 5.5-percent during the
fiscal year ended September 30, 1979. A similar 7-percent limit applies during the current fiscal year.

Union pension funds invested in nonunion firms
According to a study of the stock holdings of 142
public and private pension plans, billions of dollars inunion pension assets are being invested in predominant­
ly nonunion companies whose objectives often conflict
with those of the labor movement. The study, “Pension
Investment: A Social Audit,” was published by Corpo­
rate Data Exchange, Inc., a New York City nonprofit
research firm, in conjunction with Peoples Business
Commission, a Washington, D.C., public education or­
ganization.
The study included a listing of pension plan holdings
in 99 corporations identified by the authors as primarily
nonunion, violators of occupational safety and health
rules, violators of equal employment opportunity goals,
or investors or lenders to South Africa. Twenty-four of
the plans were not collectively bargained, 54 were
bargained but controlled by the employer, 44 were
bargained and jointly controlled by the employer and
union, and 20 plans covered public employees.

How national are the multinationals?
American Multinationals and American Interests. By
C. Fred Bergsten, Thomas Horst, and Theodore H.
Moran. Washington, D.C., The Brookings Institu­
tion, 1978. 535 pp., index. $18.95, cloth; $8.95,
paper.
Foreign direct investment has become a larger and
larger part of total American business activity. Between
1966 and 1974, foreign expenditures as a share of total
U.S. spending on plant and equipment grew from 12 to
18 Vi percent, according to figures documented in Ameri­
can Multinationals and American Interests and, over the
same period, foreign earnings as a proportion of total
corporate earnings increased from 4.6 to 17.4 percent.
Throughout the era, foreign investment was a focus of
domestic political debate and a source of international
political friction. Domestically, the central issues were
job and trade displacement, taxation, and antitrust poli­
cy. In the international sphere, there was concern about
the role of the multinational corporation in the develop­
ment efforts of the Third and Fourth Worlds, the im­
pact of multinational investment on the structure of the
international economic system, and the relationship be­
tween these enterprises and American foreign policy­
making.
Through a combination of original research and
thorough evaluation of previous studies and casework,
Bergsten, Horst, and Moran have produced what
should become a standard reference on the multination­
al corporation as an international economic policy issue.
Their book is directed towards specialists in foreign eco­
nomic policy. The complexity of the field is evident, in
that the book considers two schools of economic
thought and four schools of international political anal­
ysis as they apply to the foreign and domestic sectors of
the politics and economics of home and host countries.
The authors were faced with 48 analytical dimensions,
in at least eight major issue areas. Considering the task,
Bergsten, Horst, and Moran have done a very good job
in a remarkably readable and concise way.
Space constraints prevent me from providing more
than the high points of the analytical content of Ameri­
can Multinationals and American Interests. On the eco­


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nomic side, traditional neoclassical interpretations,
which stress the rationalization of production, employ­
ment, and trade as an outcome of free multinational in­
vestment, are contrasted with product cycle-industrial
organization models, which hold that multinationals in­
vest abroad to create, or maintain, oligopoly positions
in the markets for products as they move through prod­
uct-cycle stages of innovation, maturity, and decline.
The latter school often holds that the multinationals ex­
ploit the international economic system in the sense
that they displace jobs and income from home countries
without creating proportional gains in host countries,
and then expropriate the surplus.
In their survey of the existing literature, Bergsten,
Horst, and Moran find case studies and empirical work
that give each side about equal support. Based on this
survey, and the results of their own empirical work,
which concludes that foreign investment has little or no
net effect on U.S. aggregate employment, trade, or pro­
duction, it is my suspicion that the parties to an essen­
tially ideological dispute have heretofore been using
fragmentary and anecdotal evidence to make their cases.
Even if it made no other contribution, American Multi­
nationals and American Interests does a great service by
providing a basically even-handed perspective to these
issues. Other important economic conclusions are that
multinationals tend to overhedge in the foreign ex­
change markets, rather than risk destabilizing specula­
tion, as some critics suggest; that no sound judgment
can be made concerning the charge that the multina­
tionals have disrupted the balance of payments system;
but that multinationals do speed up the pace of change
and dislocation in the international economy.
Foreign policy analysts have developed four interpre­
tations of the multinational corporation phenomenon.
In neoimperalist interpretations, the nation state and its
foreign policy becomes a tool of the corporate search
for profits. Neomercantilists believe, conversely, that
the corporations become instruments of state policies of
national security and interest. The other two interpreta­
tions hold that the multinational corporations are in
competition with the nation state for power in the
world system. The “sovereignty-at-bay” school holds
that the multinational has become an increasingly
59

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Book Reviews
“anational” entity and, on balance, has been a helpful
influence in the world. On the other hand, the “global
reach” school, while agreeing with the assertion of
growing “anationality”, holds that multinationals have
been an exceedingly destructive force in world affairs.
Bergsten, Horst, and Moran do not explicitly embrace
any of these analytical models, however, their policy
statements lead me to believe that, at least implicitly,
they hold to a modified, economically-oriented version
of the neomercantilist paradigm.
In their policy recommendations, they first set out a
number of broad principles: neutrality, especially of tax­
ation, between home and foreign investment; protection
of American corporate interests from adverse impacts of
other nations’ policies; alleviation of sector-specific do­
mestic costs of generally beneficial foreign investment
policy; enhancement of access to raw materials through
the encouragement of nonequity forms of foreign invest­
ment in extractive industries; comprehensive consider­
ation of antitrust policy to include potentials for new
competition from foreign production as well as foreign
investment’s impact on domestic concentration; use of
the multinational to gain bargaining leverage with the
Soviet Union (a classic neomercantilist policy); and the
encouragement of better Third and Fourth World rela­
tions through a more sensitive policy toward the devel­
opment impacts of multinational investment (also a
typically neomercantilist consideration).
Bergsten, Horst, and Moran’s specific policy recom­
mendations are remarkable only by the quality of re­
search and thinking that preceded them. That is to say,
their policy measures are generally well-thought-out re­
sponses to specific policy problems, rather than a series
of spectacular devices designed to set the whole earth
straight. Indeed, if there is any serious shortcoming in
their recommendations, it is an excessive acceptance of
the current organizational structure, a structure that
many analysts feel is a cause of many problems in U.S.
international economic policymaking. One innovative
proposal was a plan to initiate an “escape clause”
mechanism for foreign investment modeled on the pres­
ent system used in trade policy, while a somewhat trou­
bling recommendation was broader control and
licensing of the multinationals’ operations in the Soviet
Union, including the specific proposal to base such li­
censing on political factors. It is my opinion that openly
basing nonsensitive commercial licensing on explicitly
political consideration is an inappropriate precedent, re­
gardless of what country it is applied to.
American Multinationals and American Interests is an
enormously well-researched, closely analyzed, and clear­
ly written book on an intricate, controversial, and im­
portant topic. Except for my difficulty with the authors’
overly passive acceptance of the existing foreign eco­
nomic policymaking structure and a certain distaste for
60

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their implicit assumption that the private multinational
corporation should be treated as manipulable instru­
ments of foreign policy, I found little to argue with. I
recommend this book very highly to anyone seriously
interested in multinational corporations and the com­
plex issues surrounding them.
— R ic h a r d M . D e v e n s
Economist
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Best textbook available
School Finance: The Economics and Politics of Public
Education. By Walter I. Garins, James W. Guthrie
and Lawrence C. Pierce. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.,
Prentice-Hall Inc., 1978, 451 pp. $14.95.
The authors of School Finance, all widely experienced
and respected in the field, have tried hard to weave the
strands of public choice economics, bureaucratic poli­
tics, and financial institutions into “a new political
economy” of school finance. The resulting fabric by and
large is interesting and potentially useful to varied audi­
ences.
Written primarily for classroom use in schools of ed­
ucation, the book also is meant to be a reference work
for curious legislators, school board members, educa­
tional administrators and citizen leaders in school af­
fairs. There is something for everyone.
All audiences will appreciate the introductory section
on values. By focusing especially on the roles of educa­
tion in achieving greater equality, higher efficiency, and
freer choice, the authors illustrate the need to give up
some of one goal to get more of another when insuffi­
cient numbers of instrumental variables are available to
policymakers and administrators. They do not make
very clear, alas, the conditions under which more of
both may possibly be had.
The role of government in education also is rational­
ized in the introductory section by use of a soft version
of the theory of externalities. Unfortunately, works by
Aston and Bowen (Alexander W. Aston, Four Critical
Years, San Francisco, Jossey-Bass, 1978, and Howard
R. Bowen, Investment in Learning, San Francisco,
Jossey-Bass for the Carnegie Council on Policy Studies
in Higher Education, 1977), which array impressively
the numerous nonpecuniary social benefits of education,
were not available to the authors to clinch the case. In­
stead, they were forced to assert the external effects,
Hansen and Weisbrod notwithstanding.
Section two is a collection of chapters describing the

current organization and patterns of financing public
education in the United States. They deal successively
with school organization, collective bargaining, revenue
structures, the Federal role, and State aid criteria. All
are interesting, especially because the authors have
chosen to present these institutional materials in the un­
conventional framework (for educators!) of public
choice economics. School boards and educational ad­
ministrators really do have significant choices to make if
they can be taught to think rationally about alternative
ways to achieve particular ends. James Buchanan and
his colleagues should be pleased to see this affirmation
of their work.
Section three is a set of normative chapters proposing
and appraising alternatives to the structures described
in section two. It begins with Serrano and alternative
means of achieving greater equality in the distribution
of educational benefits; continues with suggestions
about accountability, budgeting, simulations, and fore­
casting as means of enhancing efficiency; and ends with
a chapter about the politics of school finance. The au­
thors even propose their own idealized system of public
education and its finance.
Finally, section four takes up three topics: the man­
agement of capital, the particular problems of urban
schools, and financing postsecondary education. Clearly,
the book is primarily about financing elementary and
secondary rather than higher education.
Qualitatively, the book suffers on two counts. The
first is that it is a book about economics written by
noneconomists. Some readers will applaud this fact as
evidence of the liberation of an important set of tools
from an especially narrow perspective. But the tools too
easily can be misused, as in the authors’ use of the term
“efficiency” and their tendency (shared with most politi­
cal scientists) to assume public choice must always be a
zero-sum game.
The book also suffers from having been completed
before passage of Proposition 13. To be sure, many re­
forms in school finance which will be forced on the sys­
tem by such legislation accord with those implicit in
Serrano et al. (for example, State assumption of the ob­
ligation for at least basic education). But others do not
(for example, transfer to the State of even greater con­
trol over curriculum, personnel policies, and manage­
ment systems). June 6, 1978, the day California voters
approved Proposition 13, shortened the half life of text­
books in school finance to 1 day.
Even so, School Finance is the best textbook avail­
able, clearly worthy of careful reading by all those who
care about public education.


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— G o r d o n K. D o u g l a ss
James Irvine Professor of Economics
Pomona College

Bring back the gold standard?
The Inflation Crisis and How To Resolve It. By Henry
Hazlitt. New Rochelle, N.Y., Arlington House,
1978. 192 pp. $8.95.
When this reviewer was a teenager, he worked for 6
weeks on a neighbor’s farm. When the job ended, he
was paid $20.50 in two coins—a $20 gold piece and a
50-cent silver piece. This summer, many decades later,
that gold piece (one ounce) was quoted at $275, nearly
14 times higher in value. What happened?
The answer is, paper money. In those days paper
money was a convenience for the user, but it was con­
vertible into gold on demand. Prices could rise, as in
World War I, but they would fall back, as they did in
the business recession of 1921, then stabilize in the
prosperity of the 1920’s.
Then came the depression of the 1930’s, which origi­
nated in Europe. To help bring the United States out of
the depression, President Franklin D. Roosevelt re­
valued the dollar by pricing gold at $35 an ounce. Be­
cause other nations followed suit, the gold reserves in
the world were increased by about 75 percent. Howev­
er, World War II disorganized world markets and took
gold out of circulation as ordinary money.
Henry Hazlitt is an economist who has written exten­
sively on this subject since the end of World War II.
This latest book is a call for the return to the gold stan­
dard as a cure of inflation.
In Hazlitt’s view, gold coins and gold certificates (al­
ways backed 100 percent by gold in vaults) could be
minted and issued by private industry (presumably
banks). Governments could go on issuing national pa­
per currencies as they do now. But they would be under
pressure to prevent their currencies from falling in value
with respect to gold. Bankers, businessmen, and ordi­
nary consumers would quit dealing in a currency which
was seriously depreciating. The private business world
could develop a money system which would not only
work well, but would also be a guarantee against infla­
tion.
Hazlitt’s point is that gold is a scarce metal, with in­
dustrial and monetary uses, which has maintained value
throughout centuries. Gold would guarantee the pur­
chasing power of money. “Permitting private gold coin­
age and private gold certificate issues will allow us to
bring the world back to a pure gold standard.” He be­
lieves that this new reform would involve a transition
period, during which prices would be quoted in both
gold and paper, with an eventual return to the old gold
standard for both coins and paper money. The book
ends on that note. Hazlitt hopes that he has made a
case for a return to the 19th century gold standard.
However, what is needed is another book showing
61

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Book Reviews
the world how to get to this goal. Most of the gold
supplies throughout the world are in the possession of
governments, which occasionally trade them back and
forth. The United States has recently been selling some
gold to foreign governments in order to keep up the ex­
change value of the dollar. But there is no longer any
guarantee of such exchange value, nor will the United
States permit its gold reserves to decline too much. The
basic problem will be how to get governments to con­
vert their gold reserves into coins and gold certificates
and then to permit these to circulate freely throughout
the country—and abroad, if necessary.
Consumer prices in the United States have doubled
within the last 10 years and at current rates will double
again in 6 years. So Hazlitt’s warning has become more
urgent. In addition, housing and real estate prices have
been skyrocketing as people are striving to protect the
domestic purchasing power of their dollars. Housing
prices push up the Consumer Price Index. And soaring
oil prices are undercutting the purchasing power of the
dollar abroad. What can the United States do to bring
this dangerous problem under control? Hazlitt proposes
a return to the gold standard. The problem is, how to
do it?
— Ew a n C l a g u e
Consultant,
former Commissioner of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Solow, Robert M., “Alternative approaches to macroeconomic
theory: a partial view,” T he C a n a d ia n J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m ­
ics, August 1979, pp. 339-54.
“The End of the Industrial Society,” B u sin ess W eek, Sept. 3,
1979, pp. 2-61.

Economic and social statistics
Hein, John, “The quality of well-being: How do you measure
it?” A cross th e B oard, October 1979, pp. 75-87.
Hodge, Robert W. and Ricardo Klorman, “Dynamic Social
Indicator Models: Some Problems of Theory, Concept,
and Data,” S o cio lo g y a n d S o c ia l R esearch , July 1979, pp.
613-48.
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, P o d ia try
W orkforce, C h a ra cteristics o f th e P rovision o f P a tie n t Care,
U n ite d S ta tes: 1974. Hyattsville, Md., Department of

Health, Education, and Welfare, National Center for
Health Statistics, Public Health Service, Office of Health
Research, Statistics, and Technology, 1979, 44 pp.
(DHEW Publication [PHS] 79-1817.)

Education
Ashworth, Kenneth H., A m e r ic a n H ig h e r E d u c a tio n in D e ­
cline. College Station, Tex., Texas A&M University Press,
1979, 105 pp. $7.95.
Hyman, Herbert H. and Charles R. Wright, E d u c a tio n 's L a s t­
in g In flu en ce on Values. Chicago, The University of Chi­
cago Press, 1979, 161 pp., appendix, index. $12.50.
Massel, Katharine Douglas, “ 1979: International Year of the
Child,” A m erica s, August 1979, pp. 9-16.

Industrial relations
Bennett, James T. and Manuel H. Johnson, “Free Riders in
U.S. Labour Unions: Artifice or Affliction?” B ritish J o u r­
n a l o f I n d u s tr ia l R ela tio n s, July 1979, pp. 158-72.

P u b lic a tio n s r eceiv ed
Agriculture and natural resources
Murray, Thomas J., “The Wildcatters Are Growling,” D u n 's
R eview , September 1979, pp. 6 4 - 66.
Ridker, Ronald G. and Elizabeth W. Cecelski, R esou rces, E n ­
viro n m en t, a n d P o p u la tio n : T he N a tu r e o f F u tu re L im its.

Washington, Population Reference Bureau, Inc., 1979, 43
pp. (Population Bulletin, Vol. 34, No. 3.)
Stobaugh, Robert and Daniel Yergin, “Toward a Balanced
Energy Program,” C h allen ge, September-October 1979,
pp. 3-11.
Stuart, Alexander, “The Rough Road to Making Oil and Gas
from Coal,” F ortu ne, Sept. 24, 1979, beginning on-p. 50.

Biasatti, Lawrence L. and James E. Martin, “A Measure of
the Quality of Union-Management Relationships,” J o u r­
n a l o f A p p lie d P sych ology, August 1979, pp. 387-90.
Brooks, William W., Ben F. Sands, Jr., and Kenneth A.
Kovach, “A Current Perspective on Military Unioniza­
tion: Can It Happen Here?” J o u r n a l o f C o lle c tive N e g o tia ­
tion s in th e P u b lic S ector, Vol. 8 No. 2, 1979, pp. 97-104.
Fairley, Lincoln, F a cin g M e c h a n iza tio n : T h e W est C o a st
L o n g sh o re P lan , Los Angeles, University of California In­
stitute of Industrial Relations, 1979, 447 pp. appendix,
bibliography. $8.50.
Freedman, Audrey, M a n a g in g L a b o r R ela tio n s. New York,
The Conference Board, 1979, 92 pp. $10, associates; $30,
non-associates.

“The Oil Majors Bet on Coal,” B u sin ess W eek, Sept. 24, 1979,
beginning on p. 104.

Havelick, Franklin J., ed., C o llective B argain in g: N e w D im e n ­
sion s in L a b o r R ela tio n s. Boulder, Colo., Westview Press,
1979, 183 pp. $20.

Economic growth and development

“Hot UAW Issue: ‘Quality of work life,’ ” B u sin ess W eek,
Sept. 17, 1979, pp. 120-22.

“America: 50 Years After the Crash,” V iew point, an I U D
Q u a rterly, 3d Quarter 1979, entire issue.
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research,
C o n te m p o ra ry E c o n o m ic P ro b le m s 1979. Washington,
American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research,
1979, 436 pp. $6.75.
62


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Rifkin,

Bernard

and Susan Rifkin, A m eric a n L a b o r
New York, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1979,
928 pp. $39.95.

S ou rcebook.

Robinson, Jerald F. and James K. Me Collum, “The Rejec­
tion of Military Unionization: Analysis of the AFGE

Data,” J o u r n a l o f C o llective N e g o tia tio n s in th e P u b lic
Vol. 8, No. 2, 1979, pp. 105-15.

Tentler, Leslie Woodcock, W a g e-E a rn in g W om en : I n d u s tr ia l

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, C o llective B a rg a in in g in th e
M o to r V ehicle a n d E q u ip m e n t In d u stry. By Marcy Freed­
man. Washington, 1979, 13 pp. (Report 574.)

New York, Oxford University Press, 1979, 266 pp., bibli­
ography, index. $14.95.

S ector,

--------- M a jo r

C o lle c tive
B a rg a in in g
A g re e m e n ts:
W age
P ro d u c tio n -S ta n d a rd , a n d T im e S tu d y P ro vi­

In cen tive,
sions. Washington,

1979, 77 pp. (Bulletin 1425-18.)
Stock No. 029-001-02378-2. For sale by the Superinten­
dent of Documents, Washington 20402.

Industry and government organization
“Big Steel’s Liquidation,” B u sin ess W eek, Sept. 17, 1979, be­
ginning on p. 78.
Morgan, Dan, M e rc h a n ts o f G rain, New York, The Viking
Press, 1979, 387 pp., index, $14.95.
“Why supply-side economics is suddenly popular,” B u sin ess
W eek, Sept. 17, 1979, pp. 116-18.

International economics
Brown, Shannon R., “The Ewo Filature: A Study in the
Transfer of Technology to China in the 19th Century,”
T ech n o lo g y a n d C u ltu re, July 1979, pp. 550-68.
Daniel, Philip, A frica n isa tio n , N a tio n a lisa tio n a n d In eq u a lity:
M in in g L a b o u r a n d th e C o p p e rb e lt in Z a m b ia n D evelo p ­
m en t. New York, Cambridge University Press, 1979, 202

pp. $29.50, cloth; $13.50, paper.

W ork a n d F a m ily L ife in th e U n ite d S ta tes, 1 9 0 0 - 1 9 3 0 .

Labor force
Agassi, Judith Buber, W om en on th e Job: T he A ttitu d e s o f
W om en to T h eir W ork. Lexington, D.C. Heath and Co.,
1979, 263 pp. $24.95.
Horn, Peter W„ “Effects of Job Peripherality and Personal
Characteristics on the Job Satisfaction of Part Time
Workers,” A c a d e m y o f M a n a g e m e n t Jou rn al, September
1979, pp. 551-65.
Smith, Ralph E., ed., T h e S u b tle R e vo lu tio n : W om en a t W ork.
Washington, The Urban Institute, 1979, 279 pp., bibliog­
raphy. $7.50.

Management and organization theory
Alderfer, Clayton P. and Richard A. Guzzo, “Life Experi­
ences and Adults’ Enduring Strength of Desires in Or­
ganizations,” A d m in is tr a tiv e S cien ce Q u a rterly, September
1979, pp. 347-61.
Allio, Robert J. and Malcolm W. Pennington, eds., C o rp o ra te
P lan n in g: T ech n iqu es a n d A pplication s. New York,
AMACOM, A division of American Management Asso­
ciations, 1979, 436 pp., bibliography. $19.95.

Ozawa, Terutomo, M u ltin a tio n a lism , Ja p a n ese S ty le : T he P o lit­
ic a l E c o n o m y o f O u tw a r d D ep en d en cy. Princeton, N.J.,
Princeton University Press, 1979, 289 pp. $16.50.

Atwood, Caleb S., “A work schedule to increase productivi­
ty,” T he P erso n n el A d m in is tra to r, October 1979, pp. 2 9 33.

“The People’s Republic of China, 1979,” C u r re n t H istory, Sep­
tember 1979, entire issue.
“The Soviet Union, 1979,” C u rre n t H isto ry, October 1979, be­
ginning on p. 97.
U.S. Bureau of International Labor Affairs, C o u n try L a b o r
P rofile: J a pan . By Solomon B. Levine. C o u n try L a b o r P ro ­
file : R e p u b lic o f th e P h ilippin es. By Donald Harris.
C o u n try L a b o r P rofile:
V enezuela.
By Martha R.
Lowenstern. Washington, U.S. Department of Labor, Bu­
reau of International Labor Affairs, 1979, 7, 7, and 7 pp.,
respectively. For sale by the Superintendent of Docu­
ments, Washington 20402.

Baytos, Lawrence M., “Easing the Pain of Terminations,”
P erson n el, July-August 1979, pp. 6 4 - 69.

Labor and economic history
Blewett, Mary H., “The Union of Sex and Craft in the Haver­
hill Shoe Strike of 1895,” L a b o r H isto ry, Summer 1979,
pp. 352-75.
Dawson, Andrew, “The Paradox of Dynamic Technological
Change and the Labor Aristocracy in the United States,
1880-1914,” L a b o r H isto ry, Summer 1979, pp. 325-51.
Dodd, Martin H., “Marlboro, Massachusetts and the Shoeworkers’ Strike of 1898-1899,” L a b o r H isto ry, Summer
1979, pp. 376-97.
Meier, August and Elliott Rudwick, B la c k D e tro it a n d th e
R ise o f th e U A W . New York, Oxford University Press,
1979, 289 pp., bibliography, index. $15.
Montgomery, David, W o rk ers' co n tro l in A m eric a : S tu d ie s in
th e h isto ry o f w ork, techn ology, a n d la b o r stru ggles. New
York, Cambridge University Press, 1979, 189 pp. bibliog­
raphy. $14.95.


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Butterworth, John, D e b t C ollection L e tte r s in Ten L a n g u a g es:
W ith N o te s on T erm in ology, P ra c tic e a n d M e th o d s o f P a y ­
m e n t in D ifferen t C oun tries. New York, AMACOM, A

division of American Management Associations, 1979,
various pagings. $54.
Channon, Derek F., with Michael Jalland, M u ltin a tio n a l S tr a ­
tegic P lan n in g. New York, AMACOM, A division of
American Management Associations, 1979, 344 pp. $35.
Cooke, Kathleen, “A Model for the Identification of Training
Needs,” P u b lic P erso n n el M a n a g em e n t, July-August
1979, pp. 257-61.
Desatnick, Robert L., T he E x p a n d in g R o le o f th e H u m a n R e ­
so u rces M a n a g er. New York, AMACOM, A division of
American Management Associations, 1979, 230 pp.
$15.95.
Frease, Michael and Robert A. Zawacki, “Job-sharing: an an­
swer to productivity problems?” T he P erso n n el A d m in is ­
trator, October 1979, pp. 35-38.
Howe, Roger J. and Mark G. Mindell, “Motivating the
contemporary employee,” M a n a g e m e n t R eview , Septem­
ber 1979, pp. 51-55.
Jordan, Vernon E., “Human resource perspectives for the
’80s,” T he P erso n n el A d m in is tra to r, October 1979, pp.
75-82.
Klingner, Donald E., “Changing role of personnel manage­
ment in the 1980s,” T h e P erso n n el A d m in is tra to r, Septem­
ber 1979, pp. 41-48.

63

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Book Reviews
Lesly, Philip, H o w W e D isc o m m u n ica te . New York,
AMACOM, A division of American Management Asso­
ciations, 1979, 227 pp. $12.95.
Martin, James E., “Equal Employment Opportunity Com­
plaint Procedures and Federal Union-Management Re­
lations: A Field Study,” T he A rb itra tio n Jou rn al, Sep­
tember 1979, pp. 34-42.
Miller, Howard E. and James R. Terborg, “Job Attitudes of
Part-Time and Full-Time Employees,” J o u r n a l o f A p p lie d
P sych ology, August 1979, pp. 380-86.

to, Ontario, Canada, Ontario Ministry of Labor, Re­
search Branch, 1979, 273 pp.
Schlachtmeyer, Albert S. and Robert B. Bogart, “EmployeeChoice Benefits— Can Employees Handle It?” C o m p en sa ­
tion R eview , Third Quarter 1979, pp. 12-19.
Seeley, Barrett, “The Drift in Workers’ Compensation,” T he
A F L - C I O A m e ric a n F ederation ist, September 1979, pp.
19-23.
Todd, Sharon McKinnon, “A Survey of the Fringe on Top,”
B usiness, September-October 1979, pp. 39-42.

Moran, Robert T., “Japanese participative management— or
how rinji seido can work for you,” S .A .M . A d v a n c e d
M a n a g e m e n t J o u rn al, Summer 1979, pp. 14-22.

White, William L., “Impact of the Anti-Inflation Program on
Executive Compensation,” P ersonn el, July-August 1979,
pp. 12-27.

Osterman, Elaine Pevar, “The Discipline of Public Employees:
The New York State Experience,” T he A rb itra tio n J o u r­
nal, September 1979, pp. 25-33.

Wolf, Wendy C. and Maurice M. MacDonald, “The Earnings
of Men and Remarriage,” D e m o g ra p h y, August 1979, pp.
389-99.

Sleeth, Randall G., “The mediocrity paradox,” T he P erso n n el
A d m in is tra to r, September 1979, pp. 63-69.

Monetary and fiscal policy
Barber, Clarence L., “Inflation Distortion and the Balanced
Budget,” C h allen ge, September-October 1979, pp. 4 4 47.
Floyd, John E., “Government expenditure policies in the
small open economy,” T he C a n a d ia n J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m ­
ics, August 1979, pp. 377-93.
Scherer, Joseph, “Is the Federal Budget Balanced?” C h allen ge,
September-October 1979, pp. 41-43.
Sobel, Lester A., ed., The G rea t A m e r ic a n T a x R evo lt. New
York, Facts on File, Inc., 158 pp.

Productivity and technological change
Duncan, Marvin and C. Edward Harshbarger, “Agricultural
Productivity: Trends and Implications for the Future,”
E c o n o m ic R eview , Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City,
September-October 1979, pp. 3-12.
Donahue, Thomas R., “Technology: Using It Wisely,” The
A F L - C I O A m e r ic a n F ederation ist, September 1979, pp.
5 -8 .
Lienhard, John H., “The Rate of Technological Improvement
Before and After the 1830s,” T ech n ology a n d C u ltu re,
July 1979, pp. 515-30.
McLeod, William B., “Public Sector Productivity: A Union
Perspective,” C P E R (California Public Employee Rela­
tions), September 1979, pp. 12-22.
Stanback, Thomas M., Jr., U n d ersta n d in g th e S ervice E con o­
m y: E m p lo y m e n t, P ro d u c tiv ity , L ocation . Baltimore, The
Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979, 122 pp. $9.50.

Urban affairs
Burrows, Lawrence B., G row th M a n a g e m e n t: Issues, T ech n i­
ques, a n d P o lic y Im p lica tio n s. New Brunswick, Rutgers—
The State University of New Jersey, Center for Urban
Policy Research, 1978, 141 pp., bibliography.
Frieden, Bernard J., “Regulating the American Dream,”
A cro ss th e B o a rd , August 1979, pp. 67-73.

Wages and compensation
Ontario Ministry of Labour, H ou rs, W ages a n d R e la te d P a y ­
m e n ts in th e O n ta rio C o n stru ction In d u stry, 1979. Toron­
64

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U.S. Postal Service
STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAGEMENT, AND CIRCULATION
(ACT OF AUGUST 12,1970: SECTION 3685. TITLE 39, UNITED STATES CODE)
1. Title of Publication; Monthly Labor Review
2. Date of Filing: October 16,1978
3. Frequency of Issue: Monthly
4. Annual Subscripton Price: $18
5. Location of Known Office of Publication: 441 G Street, NW., Washington, D.C. 20212
6. Location of the Headquarters or General Business Offices of the Publishers: 441 G
Street, NW., Washington, D.C.20212
7. Names and Complete Addresses of Publisher, Editor, and Managing Editor; Publisher: U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 441 G Street, NW., Washington,
D.C., 20212: Editor: Henry Lowenstern, Room 2029, 441 G Street, NW., Washington,
D.C. 20212; Managing Editor: Merv Knobloch, Room 2028, 441 G Street, N.W., Wash­
ington, D C. 20212
8. Owner: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 441 G Street, N.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20212
9. Known Bondholders, Mortagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Per­
cent or More of Total Amounts of Bonds, Mortgages, or Other Securities: None
10. Extent and Nature of Circulation.
Actual No. Of
Average No.
Copies of
Copies Each
Single Issue
Issue During
Published
Preceding
Nearest To
Filing Date
12 Months
A.
B.

C.
D.

E.

G.

Total no. copies printed (net press run)
Paid circulation:
1. Sales through dealers and carries,
street vendors, and counter s a le s........
2. Mail Subscriptions ..............................
Total paid circulation ..................................
Free distribution by mail, carrier, or other
means (samples, complimentary, and other
free copies)............................................
Total distribution (sum of C and D )..............
F. Copies not distributed:
1. Office use, leftover, unaccounted,
spoiled after printing........................
2. Returns from news agents................
Total (sum of E and F-should equal net
press run shown in A) ............................

18,804

17,351

3,050
13,800
16,851

1,598
13,800
15,398

503
17,354

503
15,901

1,450
NA

1,450
NA

18,804

17,351

I certify that the statements made by me above are correct and complete.
(Signed) Henry Lowenstern, Editor-in-Chief

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, 1950-78 ................................................................
Employment status by age, sex, and race, seasonally adjusted ........................................................................................
Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted ........................................................................................................
Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted .....................................................................................................
Unemployment rates, by age and sex, 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.
18.
19.
20.

Employment by industry, 1949-78 ...............................................................
Employment by State ...............................................................................................................................................................
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing g r o u p ................................................................................
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted .....................
Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, 1976 to date ........................................................................................................
Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, by major industry group ..................................................................................
Hours and earnings, by industry division, 1947-78 ..........................................................................................................
Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing g r o u p .............................................................................
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 ........................................................................................................................
Weekly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group ........................................................................
Gross and spendable weekly earnings in current and 1967 dollars, 1960 to date ........................................................

Unemployment insurance data. Definitions and notes

67

67
68
69
70
71
71
71
12

73
73
74
75
76
76
77
78
79
80
80
81
82
83

..........................................................................................................................................
Consumer Price Indexes, 1967-78
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 grouping ................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, for special commodity groupings ................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product ................................................................................................................
Price indexes for the output of selected SIC industries .......................................

84

Price data. Definitions and notes

Productivity data. Definitions and notes
31.
32.
33.
34.

66

........................................................................................
........................................................................................

21. Unemployment insurance and employment service operations

22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.

66

Indexes
Annual
Indexes
Percent

.......................................................................................................................
of productivity and related data, 1950-78
percent change in productivity and related data, 1968-78 ................................................................................
of productivity, hourly compensation, and unit costs ........................................................................................
change in productivity, hourly compensation, and unit costs ..........................................................................

Labor-management data. Definitions and notes

........................................................................................................
35. Wage and benefit settlements in major collective bargaining units ................................................................................
36. Effective wage rate adjustments going into effect in major collective bargaining units .............................................
37. Work stoppages, 1946 to date ...............................................................................................................................................


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83

85
85
91
92
93
94
96
96
96
99

99
100
100
101
102

103
103
104

65

NOTES ON CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS

This section of the R e v ie w 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 R eview . Some general notes applicable to
several series are given below.
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
on the basis of past experience. When new seasonal factors are com­
puted each year, revisions may affect seasonally adjusted data for sev­
eral preceding years. For a technical discussion of the method used to
make seasonal adjustments, see “Appendix A. The BLS Seasonal Fac­
tor Method,” B L S H an d b o o k o f M eth o d s f o r Surveys a n d Studies, Bul­
letin 1910 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1976), pp. 272-78, and X - l l
Variant o f the Census M e th o d I I S easonal A d ju stm e n t Program , Techni­
cal Paper No. 15 (Bureau of the Census, 1967). Seasonally adjusted
employment data in tables 2 - 7 were last revised in the February 1979
issue of the R eview to reflect the preceding year’s experience. Annual
revision of the seasonally adjusted payroll data in tables 11, 13, 16,
and 18 was last introduced in the November 1979 issue of the Review.
New seasonal factors for productivity data in tables 33 and 34 are
usually introduced in the September issue. Seasonally adjusted indexes
and percent changes from month to month and from quarter to quar­
ter are 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.
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
according to the schedule given below. The H an dbook o f L a b o r S tatis­
tics 1977, Bulletin 1966, provides more detailed data and greater his­
torical coverage for most of the statistical series presented in the
M o n th ly L a b o r Review. More information from the household and es­
tablishment surveys is provided in E m p lo ym en t a n d Earnings, a
monthly publication of the Bureau, and in two comprehensive data
books issued annually— E m p lo ym en t a n d Earnings, U nited S tates and
E m p lo ym en t a n d Earnings, S tates a n d Areas. More detailed informa­
tion on wages and other aspects of collective bargaining appears in
the monthly periodical, C urrent W age D evelopm ents. More detailed
price information is published each month in the periodicals, the C P I
D eta iled R eport and P roducer Prices a n d Price Indexes. Selected key
statistical series are presented graphically in the monthly C hartbook
on Prices, Wages, a n d Productivity.

Sym bols

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
Title and frequency

Release

Period

Release

Period

MLR table

(monthly except where indicated)

date

covered

date

covered

number

Producer Price Indexes..........................................................
Employment situation............................................................
Consumer Price Index ..........................................................
Real earnings .....................................................................
Productivity and costs (quarterly):
Nonfarm business and manufacturing ...................................
Work stoppages...................................................................
Labor turnover in manufacturing .............................................

December 6
December 7
December 21
December 21

November
November
November
November

January 10
January 11
January 25
January 25

December
December
December
December

26-30
1-11
22-25
14-20

December 31
December 31

November
November

January
January 29
January 30

4th quarter
December
December

31-34
37
12-13

66

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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
56,000 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

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 were
available for work but did not 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
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
longterm 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.
Full-tim e workers are those employed at
part-time workers are those who work fewer

least 35 horns a week;
hours. Workers on parttime 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.
Data for periods prior to January 1978 are not strictly comparable
with current data because of the introduction of an expansion in the
sample and revisions in the estimation procedures. For an explanation
of the supplementation procedures and an indication of the differ­
ences, see “Revisions in the Current Population Survey in January
1978,” Em ploym ent and Earnings, February 1978, pp. 7-10.
Data in tables 2 -7 are seasonally adjusted, based on the seasonal
experience through December 1978.

1. Employment status of the noninstitutional population, 16 years and over, selected years, 1950-78
[Numbers in thousands]
ALjUtAn Ia Wm

rf n
utvman uttxx tore®

Total labor force
Yew

Total nonInetttutional
population

Unemployed

Employed
Number

Percent of
population

Total
Total

Agriculture

Nonagricuttural
Industrie*

Not In
labor force

Number

Percent of
labor
force

3,288
2,852
3,852
3,786
3,366

5.3
4.4
5.5
5.2
4.5

42,787
44,660
47,617
51,394
52,058

1950
1955
1960
1964
1965

........................................................
........................................................
........................................................
........................................................
........................................................

106,645
112,732
119,759
127,224
129,236

63,858
68,072
72,142
75,830
77,178

59.9
60.4
60.2
59.6
59.7

62,208
65,023
69,628
73,091
74,455

58,920
62,171
65,778
69,305
71,088

7,160
6,449
5,458
4,523
4,361

51,760
55,724
60,318
64,782
66,726

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

........................................................
........................................................
........................................................
........................................................
........................................................

131,180
133,319
135,562
137,841
140,182

78,893
80,793
82,272
84,239
85,903

60.1
60.6
60.7
61.1
61.3

75,770
77,347
78,737
80,733
82,715

72,895
74,372
75,920
77,902
78,627

3,979
3,844
3,817
3,606
3,462

68,915
70,527
72,103
74,296
75,165

2,875
2,975
2,817
2,831
4,088

3.8
3.8
3.6
3.5
4.9

52,288
52,527
53,291
53,602
54,280

1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

........................................................
........................................................
........................................................
........................................................
........................................................

142,596
145,775
148,263
150,827
153,449

86,929
88,991
91,040
93,240
94,793

61.0
61.0
61.4
61.8
61.8

84,113
86,542
88,714
91,011
92,613

79,120
81,702
84,409
85,936
84,783

3,387
3,472
3,452
3,492
3,380

75,732
78,230
80,957
82,443
81,403

4,993
4,840
4,304
5,076
7,830

5.9
5.6
4.9
5.6
8.5

55,666
56,785
57,222
57,587
58,655

1976 ........................................................
1977 ........................................................
1978 ................................................

156,048
158,559
161,058

96,917
99,534
102,537

62.1
62.8
63.7

94,773
97,401
100,420

87,485
90,546
94,373

3,297
3,244
3,342

84,188
87,302
91,031

7,288
6,855
6,047

7.7
7.0
6.0

59,130
59,025
58,521


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'

67

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Household Data
2.

Employment status by sex, age, and race, seasonally adjusted

[Numbers in thousands]
Employment status

1978

Annual Average
1977

1978

Oct

1979

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

162,033
103,745
159,916
101,628
95,751
3275
92,476
5,877
5.8
58288

162250
103,975
160,142
101,867
95,855
3,387
92,468
6,012
5.9
58275

162,448
104277
160,353
102,183
96,300
3232
93,068
5,883
5.8
58,170

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

163,469
104,604
161,393
102,528
96,754
3260
93,494
5,774
5.6
58,865

163,685
105,141
161,604
103,059
97210
3262
93,949
5,848
5.7
58,545

163,891
105,139
161,801
103,049
96,900
3,322
93,578
6,149
6.0
58,752

164,106
105,590
162,013
103,498
97,513
3,400
94,113
5,985
5.8
58,515

164,468
105,567
162,375
103,474
97293
3288
94,005
6,182
6.0
58,901

TOTAL

Total noninstitutional population1 ........................
Total labor force ...................................
Civilian noninstitutional population' ....................
Civilian labor force .............................
Employed ...................................
Agriculture ...........................
Nonagricultural industries .......
Unemployed ...............................
Unemployment rate ......................
Not in labor force ...............................

158,559
99,534
156,426
97,401
90,546
3,244
87,302
6,855
7.0
59,025

161,058 161,829
102,537 103,199
158,941 159,707
100,420 101,077
94,373 95241
3,342
3,374
91,867
91,031
6,047
5,836
6.0
5.8
58,521
58,630

162,633 162,909 163,008 163260
104,621 104,804 104,193 104,325
160,539 160,819 160,926 161,182
102,527 102,714 102,111 102247
96,647 96,842 96,174 96,318
3,311
3,343
3,186
3,184
93,335 93,499 92,987 93,134
5,881
5,871
5,937
5,929
5.7
5.7
5.8
5.8
58,012 58,105 58,815 58,935

Men, 20 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population' ....................
Civilian labor force ...................................
Employed ........................................
Agriculture .................................
Nonagricultural industries ..............
Unemployed ....................................
Unemployment rate ...........................
Not in labor force ....................................

65,796
52,464
49,737
2,308
47,429
2,727
5.2
13,332

67,006
53,464
51212
2,361
48,852
2252
4.2
13,541

67,382
53,593
51,448
2,363
49,085
2,145
4.0
13,789

67,486
53,938
51,825
2,337
49,488
2,113
3.9
13,548

67,600
54,033
51,838
2,403
49,435
2,195
4.1
13,567

67,726
54,333
52,133
2293
49,841
2200
4.0
13,393

67,816
54,485
52,331
2,324
50,007
2,154
4.0
13,331

67,939
54,444
52264
2,355
49,909
2,180
4.0
13,495

67,997
54243
52,056
2271
49,785
2,187
4.0
13,754

68,123
54261
52,157
2274
49,883
2,105
3.9
13,862

68227
54,395
52299
2,306
49,993
2,096
3.9
13,832

68,319
54,567
52,319
2,323
49,996
2249
4.1
13,752

68,417
54,527
52227
2,385
49,843
2,300
42
13,890

68,522
54,653
52,382
2,395
49,987
2271
4.2
13,869

68,697
54,696
52,366
2,372
49,994
2,330
4.3
14,001

74,160
35,685
33,199
537
32,662
2,486
7.0
38,474

75,489
37,416
35,180
586
34,593
2236
6.0
38,073

75,889
37,860
35,726
587
35,139
2,134
5.6
38,029

76,001
38,095
35,887
571
35,316
2208
5.8
37,906

76,119
38217
35,990
591
35,399
2227
5.8
37,902

76228
38,185
36,019
586
35,433
2,166
5.7
38,043

76,332
38,429
36252
608
35,644
2,177
5.7
37,903

76,476
38,642
36,440
613
35,827
2201
5.7
37,834

76,532
38,345
36,165
580
35,584
2,180
5.7
38,187

76,670
38,560
36,323
543
35,780
2237
5.8
38,110

76,784
38,596
36,373
592
35,781
2223
5.8
38,188

76,897
39,010
36,861
584
36276
2,150
5.5
37,887

77,006
39292
36,968
596
36,371
2,324
5.9
37,714

77,124
39,331
37,178
640
36,538
2,153
5.5
37,793

77,308
39,317
37,039
556
36,483
2279
5.8
37,991

16,470
9252
7,610
399
7211
1,642
17.7
7218

16,447
9,540
7,981
395
7,586
1,559
16.3
6,907

16,436
9,624
’8,067
424
7,643
1,557
16.2
6,812

16,429
9,595
8,039
367
7,672
1,556
16.2
6,834

16,422
9,617
8,027
393
7,634
1,590
16.5
6,805

16,400
9,665
8,148
354
7,794
1,517
15.7
6,735

16,391
9,613
8,064
380
7,684
1,549
16.1
6,778

16,404
9,628
8,138
375
7,763
1,490
15.5
6,776

16,397
9,523
7,953
335
7,618
1,570
]6.5
6,874

16,389
9,426
7,839
368
7,471
1,587
16.8
6,963

16,381
9,537
8,082
362
7,720
1,455
15.3
6,844

16,387
9,481
8,031
355
7,676
1,450
15.3
6,906

16,377
9230
7,705
341
7,364
1,525
16.5
7,147

16,367
9,514
7,953
365
7,588
1,561
16.4
6,853

16,370
9,461
7,888
360
7,528
1,573
16.6
6,909

137,595
86,107
80,734
5,373
6.2
51,488

139,580
88,456
83,836
4,620
52
51,124

140,170
89,067
84,565
4,502
5.1
51,103

140,332 140,507
89,468 89,747
85,013 85,125
4,455
4,622
5.0
5.2
50,864 50,760

140,683
90,093
85,543
4,550
5.1
50,590

140,825
90,395
85,941
4,453
4.9
50,430

141,063
90,415
85,938
4,478
5.0
50,648

141,123
89,923
85,479
4,444
4.9
51200

141,331
90,018
85,515
4,503
5.0
51,313

141,492 141,661 141,822
90279 90,554 90,662
85,871
86,093 85,829
4,409
4,460
4,832
4.9
4.9
5.3
51213 51,107 51,161

141,981
91,081
86,395
4,687
5.1
50,900

142296
90,997
86243
4,755
5.2
51299

18,831
11294
9,812
1,482
13.1
7,535

19,361
11,964
10,537
1,427
11.9
7,397

19,536
12,122
10,749
1,373
11.3
7,414

19,670
12,077
10,725
1,352
11.2
7,593

19,714
12228
10,775
■ 1,452
11.9
7,486

19,755
12251
10,878
1,374
11.2
7,504

19,802
12,175
10,734
1,442
11.8
7,627

19,850
12,176
10,767
1,409
11.6
7,674

20,032
12,408
11,095
1,313
10.6
7264

20,079
12,546
11,083
1,463
11.7
7,533

Women, 20 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional population' ....................
Civilian labor force ...................................
Employed ........................................
Agriculture .................................
Nonagricultural industries ..............
Unemployed ....................................
Unemployment rate ...........................
Not in labor force ....................................
Both sexes, 16-19 years

Civilian noninstitutional population' ....................
Civilian labor force ...................................
Employed ........................................
Agriculture .................................
Nonagricultural industries ..............
Unemployed .....................................
Unemployment rate ...........................
Not in labor force ....................................
WHITE

Civilian noninstitutional population1 ....................
Civilian labor force ...................................
Employed ........................................
Unemployed ....................................
Unemployment rate ...........................
Not in labor force ....................................
BLACK AND OTHER

Civilian noninstitutional population1 ....................
Civilian labor force ...................................
Employed ........................................
Unemployed ....................................
Unemployment rate ...........................
Not in labor force ....................................

'As in table 1, population figures are not seasonally adjusted.

68

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

19,585
12,163
10,746
1,417
11.7
7,422

19,635
12,153
10,758
1,395
11.5
7,482

19,901
12272
10,883
1,389
11.3
7,629

19,943
12,364
11,025
1,338
10.8
7,579

19,979
12,340
10,987
1,353
11.0
7,639

3.

Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted

pn thousands]

/Annual average

1979

1978

Selected categories
Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

1977

1978

Oct

90,546
53,861
36,685
38,397
20,976

94,373
55,491
38,882
38,688
21,881

95,241
55,754
39,487
38,782
22,194

95,751
56,096
39,655
38,944
22,274

95,855
56,072
39,783
39,039
22,297

96,300
56,449
39,851
39,202
22,410

96,647
56,549
40,098
39,374
22,632

96,842
56,559
40283
39291
22,700

96,174
56267
39,907
38,917
22,355

96,318
56,352
39,966
38,988
22,490

96,754
56,638
40,116
39,055
22,580

97210
56,595
40,615
39,163
22,890

96,900
56,316
40,585
39,146
22,777

97,513
56,653
40,860
39,175
22,965

97293
56,539
40,754
39,135
22,922

45,187
13,692

47,205
14,245

47,713
14,307

47,888
14,297

48,040
14,629

48,275
14,743

49,001
15,034

49,133
15,083

49,160
15226

49,104
15220

49,165
15,053

49,573
15,063

49,615
14,983

49,779
15,078

49,648
14,929

9,662
5,728
16,106
30,211
11,881
10,354
3,476
4,501
12,392
2,756

10,105
5,951
16,904
31,531
12,386
10,875
3,541
4,729
12,839
2,798

9,968
5,986
17,452
31,986
12,556
11,178
3,581
4,671
12,951
2,821

10,030
6,192
17,369
32,202
12,646
11,177
3,640
4,739
13,009
2,739

10,217
6,092
17,102
31,962
12,610
10,887
3,640
4,825
13,007
2,826

10,322
6,055
17,154
32,491
12,842
11,047
3,678
4,924
12,777
2,759

10,414
6,141
17,412
32,331
12,932
10,953
3,618
4,829
12,770
2,742

10,407
6,067
17,577
32,085
12,808
11,060
3,565
4,652
12,856
2,803

10,409
6,079
17,446
31,582
12,697
10,651
3,550
4,684
12,909
2,624

10,374
6,091
17,418
31,826
12,790
10,664
3,667
4,706
12,754
2,600

10,565
6,065
17,481
31,958
13,003
10,759
3,596
4,600
12,946
2,683

10,675
6,161
17,673
31,949
12,832
10,853
3,610
4,652
12,697
2,657

10,772
6,085
17,774
31,767
12,755
10,880
3,571
4,561
12,591
2,703

10,640
6,114
17,947
32287
13,057
10,987
3,622
4,621
12,796
2,736

10,648
6247
17,825
32,191
12,974
10,989
3,561
4,667
12,977
2,702

1,331
1,570
344

1,419
1,607
316

1,423
1,638
323

1,424
1,563
293

1,478
1,625
318

1,365
1,547
293

1,429
1,550
348

1,419
1,595
324

1,362
1,531
282

1,439
1,490
270

1,445
1,525
293

1,403
1,552
294

1,363
1,632
310

1,391
1,678
* 327

1,373
1,617
312

80,804
15,153
65,651
1,376
64,275
6,005
492

84,253
15,289
68,966
1,363
67,603
6,305
472

85,363
15,387
69,976
1,315
68,661
6,314
453

85,578
15,373
70,205
1,335
68,870
6,370
455

85,579
15,360
70,219
1,316
68,903
6,515
460

86,169
15,217
70,952
1,245
69,707
6,529
478

86,346
15293
71,053
1,334
69,719
6,632
456

86,592
15224
71,368
1255
70,112
6,585
443

86,195
15,356
70,839
1,160
69,679
6,468
471

86,129
15,635
70,494
1,177
69,317
6,625
466

86,309
12257
71,051
1236
69,816
6,600
482

86277
15,382
70,895
1217
69,678
6,753
529

86227
15260
70,967
1205
69,761
6,649
443

86,891
15,450
71,441
1,332
70,109
6,682
453

87,032
15,549
71,483
1270
70213
6,814
421

81,999
67,262
3,297
1,257
2,040
11,440

85,693
70,543
3,216
1,249
1,967
11,934

86,511
71,318
3,164
1,167
1,997
12,029

86,653
71,394
3,131
1,279
1,852
12,128

87,046
71,787
3,058
1,209
1,849
12,201

87,490
72209
3,159
1208
1,951
12,122

87,592
72250
3,147
1205
1,942
12,195

87,955
72,623
3,179
1235
1,944
12,154

86,345
71,554
3,312
1265
2,048
11,479

87,727
72,476
3,307
1246
2,061
11,943

87,843
72230
3,416
1,416
2,000
12,198

89,074
73,138
3,340
1,394
1,946
12,597

89,154
73222
3,355
1,478
1,877
12,577

88,824
73252
3,111
1255
1,856
2,461

88,487
73,164
3230
1293
1,937
12,093

CHARACTERISTIC
Total employed, 16 years and over ....................
Men .......................................................
Women...................................................
Married men, spouse present ......................
Married women, ¡spouse present..................
OCCUPATION
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 labored!......................................
Service workers..............................................
Farmworkers .................................................
MAJOR INDUSTRY AND CLASS
OF WORKER
Agriculture:
Wage and salary workers...........................
Seif-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 WORK1
Nonagricultural industries .................................
Full-time schedules ...................................
Part time for economic reasons....................
Usually work full time...........................
Usually work part time.........................
Part time for noneconomic reasons..............

'Exdudes persons “with a job but not at work” during the survey period for such reasons as
vacation, illness, or industrial disputes.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

69

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current L a b o r Statistics: H ousehold D ata
4.

Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted
1979

1978

Annual average
Employment status

1977

1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

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

7.0
5.2
7.0
17.7

6.0
4.2
6.0
16.3

5.8
4.0
5.6
16.2

5.8
3.9
5.8
16.2

5.9
4.1
5.8
16.5

5.8
4.0
5.7
15.7

5.7
4.0
5.7
16.1

5.7
4.0
5.7
15.1

5.8
4.0
5.7
16.5

5.8
3.9
5.8
16.8

5.6
3.9
5.8
15.3

5.7
4.1
5.5
15.3

6.0
4.2
5.9
16.5

5.8
4.2
5.5
16.4

6.0
4.3
5.8
16.6

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

6.2
4.6
6.2
15.4

5.2
3.7
5.2
13.9

5.1
3.5
4.9
14.0

5.0
3.4
5.0
13.8

5.2
3.5
5.1
14.2

5.1
3.6
5.0
13.7

4.9
3.4
5.0
13.6

5.0
3.4
5.0
13.6

4.9
3.4
4.9
13.9

5.0
3.3
5.1
14.3

4.9
3.4
5.0
13.0

4.9
3.6
4.7
13.3

5.3
3.8
5.2
14.9

5.1
3.7
4.8
14.6

5.2
3.7
5.1
14.4

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

13.1
10.0
11.7
38.3

11.9
8.6
10.6
36.3

11.3
8.3
10.1
34.5

11.7
8.3
10.3
36.5

11.5
8.4
10.2
34.9

11.2
7.8
10.6
32.7

11.9
8.6
10.6
35.5

11.2
8.8
9.8
31.5

11.8
8.6
10.8
34.5

11.6
8.4
9.9
36.9

11.3
7.9
10.8
34.0

10.8
8.3
9.8
30.9

11.0
8.3
10.3
30.7

10.6
7.9
9.6
31.5

11.7
9.0
10.1
35.7

Married men, spouse present......................
Married women, spouse present..................
Women who head families.........................
Full-time workers......................................
Part-time workers ....................................
Unemployed 15 weeks and over..................
Labor force time lost' ...............................

3.6
6.5
9.3
6.5
9.8
2.0
7.6

2.8
5.5
8.5
5.5
9.0
1.4
6.5

2.6
5.3
7.5
5.2
9.0
1.3
6.2

2.4
5.5
7.7
5.2
8.9
1.2
6.2

2.5
5.6
7.7
5.3
9.2
1.2
6.2

2.6
5.3
7.8
5.2
9.1
1.2
6.2

2.6
5.1
8.3
5.2
8.6
1.2
6.2

2.6
5.1
8.3
5.1
9.2
1.3
6.1

2.7
5.2
8.4
5.3
8.8
1.2
6.5

2.5
5.2
8.9
5.2
9.6
1.2
6.3

2.6
5.2
9.1
5.1
8.6
1.1
6.3

2.9
4.8
8.1
5.3
8.2
1.0
6.4

3.0
5.4
7.9
5.4
8.8
1.2
6.5

2.8
4.7
7.6
5.4
8.3
1.1
6.2

2.9
5.3
8.4
5.5
9.0
1.2
6.4

4.3
3.0

3.5
2.6

3.3
2.8

3.2
2.4

3.5
3.0

3.3
2.5

3.4
2.3

3.4
2.1

3.3
2.2

3.2
2.0

3.4
2.5

3.2
2.5

3.6
2.6

3.3
2.5

3.5
2.8

2.8
5.3
5.9
8.1
5.6
9.5
6.6
12.0
8.2
4.6

2.1
4.1
4.9
6.9
4.6
8.1
5.2
10.7
7.4
3.8

1.8
4.1
4.2
6.8
4.9
7.6
4.8
11.0
7.1
4.6

2.2
3.1
4.5
6.4
4.0
7.5
4.2
11.6
7.4
3.2

1.9
3.6
4.6
6.8
4.7
7.7
5.3
11.0
7.7
3.4

2.0
3.8
4.6
6.4
4.5
7.6
4.9
9.4
7.9
2.8

1.9
4.3
4.7
6.4
4.7
7.6
5.0
9.3
7.1
3.6

2.2
4.1
4.9
6.6
4.6
7.7
5.2
10.3
7.2
3.2

2.3
4.0
4.5
6.9
4.2
8.6
6.0
10.5
7.4
3.4

2.2
4.0
4.6
6.7
4.0
8.3
5.4
11.1
7.2
3.5

2.0
4.5
4.6
6.5
4.2
7.7
5.5
10.3
7.2
3.1

1.9
3.5
4.4
6.8
4.2
8.3
5.2
10.9
7.2
4.5

2.3
4.2
5.0
7.6
4.9
9.3
6.8
11.5
7.0
3.8

2.2
3.9
4.5
7.1
4.1
9.2
6.2
10.8
6.7
4.2

2.3
3.8
4.7
7.3
4.8
9.2
5.6
10.6
7.0
4.3

7.0
12.7
6.7
6.2
7.4
4.7
8.0
6.0
4.2
11.1

5.9
10.6
5.5
4.9
6.3
3.7
6.9
5.1
3.9
8.8

5.6
11.2
5.1
4.6
6.0
3.4
6.7
4.6
3.9
9.5

5.6
10.8
5.1
4.6
5.8
3.3
6.5
5.0
3.9
7.9

5.8
12.1
5.0
4.4
6.0
3.3
6.8
5.1
4.0
7.7

5.7
10.6
5.0
4.4
5.9
3.5
6.5
5.1
4.0
7.2

5.6
11.5
4.8
4.1
5.8
3.0
6.6
4.8
3.7
8.9

5.5
10.2
5.2
4.3
6.4
4.0
6.2
4.7
4.1
7.7

5.7
10.3
5.4
4.6
6.5
2.9
6.6
4.8
3.6
8.6

5.7
9.6
5.4
4.4
7.0
3.5
6.4
5.0
3.5
9.3

5.6
9.6
5.3
4.8
6.2
3.0
6.8
4.7
3.6
7.7

5.7
9.5
5.8
5.5
6.2
3.9
6.2
4.9
3.5
10.4

6.1
9.5
6.2
5.7
6.9
3.8
6.6
5.4
3.8
9.9

5.8
8.8
6.1
5.3
7.3
4.1
6.4
4.7
3.3
10.3

6.0
10.1
6.2
5.6
7.0
3.8
6.5
4.9
4.1
9.8

CHARACTERISTIC

OCCUPATION
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.................................................
INDUSTRY
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 ................

1Aggregate hours lost by the unemployed and persons on part time for economic reasons as a
percent of potentially available labor force hours.

70

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2Includes mining, not shown separately,

5.

Unemployment rates, by sex and age, seasonally adjusted
1979

1978

Annual average
Sex and age
1977

1978

O ct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct.

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

7,0
17.7
19.9
16.2
10.9
4.9
5.1
4.1

6.0
16.3
19.3
14.2
9.5
4.0
4.2
3.2

5.8
16.2
19.2
14.0
8.6
3.9
4.2
3.0

5.8
16.2
19.3
14.0
9.0
3.8
4.0
2.9

5.9
16.5
20.2
13.8
9.3
3.9
4.2
2.9

5.8
15.7
18.4
13.6
8.6
3.9
4.2
2.9

5.7
16.1
18.4
14.6
8.6
3.9
4.1
3.0

5.7
15.5
18.9
13.1
8.8
3.9
4.1
3.1

5.8
16.5
19.1
14.3
8.5
4.0
4.2
3.1

5.8
16.8
19.2
15.2
8.9
3.8
4.0
3.2

5.6
15.3
16.7
14.1
8.9
3.8
4.0
2.9

5.7
15.3
17.1
14.4
9.0
3.9
4.0
3.2

6.0
16.5
18.1
15.5
9.3
4.1
4.3
3.2

5.8
16.4
16.8
16.0
9.2
3.8
4.1
2.9

6.0
16.6
18.5
15.3
9.5
4.0
4.3
2.9

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

6.2
17.3
19.5
15.6
10.7
4.2
4.3
3.9

5.2
15.7
19.2
13.2
9.1
3.3
3.4
3.1

5.1
16.1
19.9
13.2
8.5
3.3
3.4
2.8

5.0
15.9
20.1
12.7
8.5
3.1
3.2
2.5

5.1
16.7
20.7
13.6
8.9
3.2
3.4
2.6

5.1
16.1
19.1
13.5
8.4
3.2
3.3
2.8

5.0
16.5
19.2
14.7
8.2
3.2
3.2
2.8

5.0
16.0
19.9
13.2
8.4
3.2
3.3
2.8

5.1
16.2
18.0
14.2
7.8
3.3
3.4
3.0

4.9
16.1
19.0
14.1
8.0
3.1
3.1
2.9

4.7
14.1
15.8
13.5
8.0
3.1
3.1
3.1

5.0
14.9
15.2
14.9
8.8
3.3
3.3
3.4

5.2
16.0
17.3
15.3
8.9
3.5
3.6
3.2

5.2
16.2
16.6
15.6
8.8
3.4
3.5
2.9

5.2
15.7
17.1
14.6
9.5
3.4
3.6
2.7

Women, 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

8.2
18.3
20.4
16.8
11.2
6.0
6.4
4.5

7.2
17.0
19.5
15.3
10.1
5.1
5.4
3.3

6.8
16.3
18.4
14.8
8.7
4.9
5.2
3.3

6.9
16.5
18.3
15.5
9.6
4.9
5.2
3.5

6.9
16.3
19.6
14.1
9.7
5.0
5.3
3.3

6.7
15.3
17.5
13.6
8.9
5.0
5.4
3.1

6.7
15.7
17.4
14.4
9.1
4.9
5.3
3.3

6.7
14.8
17.8
13.0
9.4
4.8
5.2
3.6

6.9
16.8
20.2
14.4
9.4
4.9
5.2
3.1

7.0
17.7
19.3
16.4
9.9
5.0
5.2
3.7

6.9
16.6
17.7
14.8
9.9
4.8
5.3
2.7

6.6
15.8
19.2
13.8
9.3
4.7
5.0
2.9

7.0
17.1
18.9
15.8
9.9
5.0
5.4
3.3

6.6
16.7
17.0
16.5
9.7
4.6
4.9
3.0

7.0
17.6
20.0
16.0
9.6
4.9
5.3
3.4

6.

Unemployed persons, by reason for unemployment, seasonally adjusted

[Numbers in thousands]
1979

1978

Reason for unemployment
O ct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

O ct

2,456
644
1,812
812
1,721
825

2,372
746
1,626
825
1,754
872

2,442
715
1,727
871
1,937
826

2,454
753
1,701
927
1,692
823

2,481
792
1,689
829
1,756
874

2,440
789
1,652
863
1,788
822

2,521
846
1,675
847
1,790
811

2,361
710
1,652
951
1,762
841

2,358
796
1,562
867
1,738
787

2,532
793
1,739
838
1,737
694

2,724
960
1,765
894
1,798
720

2,608
836
1,771
818
1,785
803

2,771
916
1,855
825
1,788
793

100.0
42.2
11.1
31.1
14.0
29.6
14.2

100.0
40.7
12.8
27.9
14.2
30.1
15.0

100.0
40.2
11.8
28.4
14.3
31.9
13.6

100.0
41.6
12.8
28.9
15.7
28.7
14.0

100.0
41.8
13.3
28.4
14.0
29.6
14.7

100.0
41.3
13.3
27.9
14.6
30.2
13.9

100.0
42.2
14.2
28.1
14.2
30.0
13.6

100.0
39.9
12.0
27.9
16.1
29.8
14.2

100.0
41.0
13.8
27.2
15.1
30.2
13.7

100.0
43.7
13.7
30.0
14.4
29.9
12.0

100.0
44.4
15.6
28.8
14.6
29.3
11.7

100.0
43.4
13.9
29.5
13.6
29.7
13.4

100.0
44.9
14.8
30.0
13.4
29.0
12.8

2.4
.8
1.7
.8

2.3
.8
1.7
.9

2.4
.9
1.9
.8

2.4
.9
1.7
.8

2.4
.8
1.7
.9

2.4
.8
1.7
.8

2.5
.8
1.8
.8

2.3
.9
1.7
.8

2.3
.8
1.7
.8

2.5
.8
1.7
.7

2.6
.9
1.7
.7

2.5
.8
1.7
.8

2.7
.8
1.7
.8

NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED

Lost last job ..............................................................................
On layoff ............................................................................
Other job losers ...................................................................
Left last job ................................................................................
Reentered labor force .................................................................
Seeking first job...........................................................................
PERCENT DISTRIBUTION

Total unemployed .......................................................................
Job losers..................................................................................
On layoff ............................................................................
Other job losers ...................................................................
Job leavers................................................................................
Reentrants ................................................................................
New entrants..............................................................................
UNEMPLOYED AS A PERCENT OF
THE CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE

Job losers..................................................................................
Job leavers................................................................................
Reentrants ................................................................................
New entrants..............................................................................

7.

Duration of unemployment, seasonally adjusted

[Numbers in thousands]
1979

1978

Annual average
Weeks of unemployment

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 ....................


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1977

1978

2,856
2,089
1,911
896
1.015
14.3

2,793
1,875
1,379
746
633
11.9

O ct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

O ct

2,719
1,789
1,317
732
585
11.8

2,833
1,774
1,196
685
511
11.0

2,876
1,979
1,208
726
482
10.7

2,713
1,877
1,251
728
523
11.2

2,743
1,870
1,260
712
548
11.3

2,751
1,857
1,305
729
576
11.7

2,939
1,874
1835
692
543
11.0

2,787
1,935
1813
705
508
11.1

2,927
1,782
1,086
616
470
10.4

2,784
1,970
1,052
600
451
10.0

3,226
1,743
1,191
662
529
10.5

2,743
2,050
1,133
627
507
10.6

2,963
1,965
1,223
703
520
10.5

71

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 in 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 162,000 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.
L a b o r t u r n o v e r d a t a in this section are compiled from per­
sonnel records reported monthly on a voluntary basis to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics and its cooperating State agencies.
A sample of 40,000 establishments represents all industries in
the manufacturing and mining sectors of the economy.

Definitions
Employed persons are all persons who received pay (including holi­
day and sick pay) for any part of the payroll period including the
12th of the month. Persons holding more than one job (about 5 per­
cent of all persons in the labor force) are counted in each establish­
ment which reports them.
Production workers in manufacturing include blue-collar worker
supervisors and all nonsupervisory workers closely associated with
production operations. Those workers mentioned in tables 14-20 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 service 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
payments. Real earnings are earnings adjusted to eliminate the effects
of price change. The Hourly Earnings Index is calculated from aver­
age 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. Spendable earnings are earnings from which estimat­
ed social security and Federal income taxes have been deducted. The
Bureau of Labor Statistics computes spendable earnings from gross

72

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weekly earnings for only two illustrative cases: (1) a worker with no
dependents and (2) a married worker with three dependents.
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.
Labor turnover is the movement of all wage and salary workers
from one employment status to another. Accession rates indicate the
average number of persons added to a payroll in a given period per
100 employees; separation rates indicate the average number dropped
from a payroll per 100 employees. Although month-to-month changes
in employment can be calculated from the labor turnover data, the re­
sults are not comparable with employment data from the employment
and payroll survey. The labor turnover survey measures changes dur­
ing the calendar month while the employment and payroll survey
measures changes from midmonth to midmonth.

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 September 1979 data, published in the November 1979 issue of
the Review . Consequently, data published in the R eview prior to that
issue are not necessarily comparable to current data. Complete compa­
rable historical unadjusted and seasonally adjusted data are published
in a Supplement to Employment and Earnings (unadjusted data from
April 1977 through June 1979 and seasonally adjusted data from Jan­
uary 1974 through June 1979) and in E m p lo ym en t a n d Earnings, Unit­
e d States, 1 9 0 9 -7 8 , BLS Bulletin 1312-11 (for prior periods).
Data on recalls were shown for the first time in tables 12 and 13 in
the January 1978 issue of the Review . For a detailed discussion of the
recalls series, along with historical data, see “New Series on Recalls
from the Labor Turnover Survey,” E m p lo y m e n t a n d Earnings, Decem­
ber 1977, pp. 10-19.
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,” M o n th ly L a b o r R eview , December 1969, pp. 9-20. See also
B L S H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s f o r S u rveys a n d Studies, Bulletin 1910 (Bu­
reau of Labor Statistics, 1976).
The formulas used to construct the spendable average weekly earn­
ings series reflect the latest provisions of the Federal income tax and
social security tax laws. For the spendable average weekly earnings
formulas for the years 1977-79, see E m p lo y m e n t a n d Earnings, Sep­
tember 1979, pp. 6-8. Beginning with data for January 1978, real
earnings data are adjusted using the revised Consumer Price Index for
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. Data prior to January
1978 are based on the unrevised Consumer Price Index for Urban
Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.

8.

Employment by industry, 1949-78

[Nonagricultural payroll data, in thousands]

Year

Total

Mining

Government

Construc­
tion

Manufac­
turing

Trans­
portation
and
public
utilities

Whole­
sale
and
retail
trade

Wholesale
trade

Retail
trade

Finance,
Insur­
ance,
and real
estate

Services
Total

Federal

State
and local

1949 .....................................................
1950 .....................................................

43,754
45,197

930
901

2,194
2,364

14,441
15,241

4,001
4,034

9,264
9,386

2,602
2,635

6,662
6,751

1,828
1,888

5,240
5,357

5,856
6,026

1,908
1,928

3,948
4,098

1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................

47,819
48,793
50,202
48,990
50,641

929
898
866
791
792

2,637
2,668
2,659
2,646
2,839

16,393
16,632
17,549
16,314
16,882

4,226
4,248
4,290
4,084
4,141

9,742
10,004
10,247
10,235
10,535

2,727
2,812
2,854
2,867
2,926

7,015
7,192
7,393
7,368
c7,610

1,956
2,035
2,111
2,200
2,298

5,547
5,699
5,835
5,969
6,240

6,389
6,609
6,645
6,751
6,914

2,302
2,420
2,305
2,188
2,187

4,087
4,188
4,340
4,563
4,727

1956
1957
1958
1959'
1960

.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................
...................................................
.....................................................

52,369
52,853
51,324
53,268
54,189

822
828
751
732
712

3,039
2,962
2,817
3,004
2,926

17,243
17,174
15,945
16,675
16,796

4,244
4,241
3,976
4,011
4,004

10,858
10,886
10,750
11,127
11,391

3,018
3,028
2,980
3,082
3,143

7,840
7,858
7,770
8,045
8,248

2,389
2,438
2,481
2,549
2,629

6,497
6,708
6,765
7,087
7,378

c7,278
7,616
7,839
8,083
8,353

2,209
2,217
2,191
2,233
2,270

5,069
5,399
5,648
5,850
6,083

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................

53,999
55,549
56,653
58,283
60,765

672
650
635
634
632

2,859
2,948
3,010
3,097
3,232

16,326
16,853
16,995
17,274
18,062

3,903
3,906
3,903
3,951
4,036

11,337
11,566
11,778
12,160
12,716

3,133
3,198
3,248
3,337
3,466

8,204
8,368
8,530
8,823
9,250

2,688
2,754
2,830
2,911
2,977

7,620
7,982
8,277
8,660
9,036

8,594
8,890
9,225
9,596
10,074

2,279
2,340
2,358
2,348
2,378

6,315
6,550
6,868
7,248
7,696

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................
.....................................................

63,901
65,803
c67,897
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 .....................................................

79,382
82,423
86,446

779
813
851

3,576
3,851
4,271

18,997
19,682
20,476

4,582
4,713
4,927

17,755
18,516
19,499

4,546
4,708
4,957

13,209
13,808
14,542

4,271
4,467
4,727

14,551
15,303
16,220

14,871
15,079
15,476

2,733
2,727
2,753

12,138
12,352
12,723

'Data include Alaska and Hawaii beginning in 1959.

9.

c = Corrected.

Employment by State

[Nonagricultural payroll data, in thousands]
State

Sept. 1978

Aug. 1979

Sept. 1979p

Alabama ................................................................
Alaska ...................................................................
Arizona ..................................................................
Arkansas ................................................................
California................................................................

1,355.3
173.3
898.5
740.3
9,379.6

1,351.9
173.4
931.8
742.6
9,679.1

1,359.9
172.0
952.8
750.1
9,764.0

Colorado ................................................................
Connecticut ............................................................
Delaware................................................................
District of Columbia...................................................
Florida...................................................................

1,156.2
1,372.8
252.9
590.2
3,129.4

1,193.6
1,389.5
246.8
611.7
3,240.1

Georgia ..................................................................
Hawaii’ .................................................................
Idaho.....................................................................
Illinois ...................................................................
Indiana...................................................................

2,002.0
375.4
344.9
4,797,4
2,229.5

Iowa .....................................................................
Kansas .................................................................
Kentucky ................................................................
Louisiana................................................................
Maine ...................................................................
Maryland ................................................................
Massachusetts........................................................
Michigan ................................................................
Minnesota ..............................................................
Mississippi ..............................................................
Missouri.................................................................

Sept. 1978

Aug. 1979

Sept. 1979"

Montana............................................................
Nebraska ..........................................................
Nevada ............................................................
New Hampshire .................................................
New Jersey ......................................................

287.4
604.6
366.1
373.9
3,006.9

2988
613.6
381.7
394.5
3,0709

298,7
623.0
382.7
391.2
3,040.0

1,197.7
1,409.8
249.5
596.4
3,255.1

New Mexico......................................................
New York..........................................................
North Carolina ...................................................
North Dakota .....................................................
Ohio ................................................................

454.3
7,075.0
2,292.7
239.5
4,438.2

470.7
7,151.5
2,321.7
248.8
4,471.1

473.0
7.125.6
2,361.6
249.9
4,529.1

2,015.6
398.8
341.0
4,904.3
2,252.8

2,022.1
389.5
343.3
4,888.9
2,261.3

Oklahoma ........................................................
Oregon ............................................................
Pennsylvania .....................................................
Rhode island .....................................................
South Carolina ...................................................

1,045.3
1,026.7
4,708.6
409.9
1,145.0

1,084.1
1,056.4
4,6881
407.2
1,165.8

1,086.4
1,064.9
4,691.5
406.8
1,168.0

1,118.3
923.7
1,260.5
1,423.2
414.9

1,120.1
944.3
1,268.8
1,443.5
422.9

1,143.6
956.0
1,280.1
1,443.8
418.1

South Dakota.....................................................
Tennessee ........................................................
Texas ..............................................................
Utah ................................................................
Vermont............................................................

236.4
1,729.2
5,315.3
540.6
194.1

240.1
1,722.0
5,508.7
558.9
196.9

236.1
1,735.8
5,556.7
570.4
199.6

1,609.5
2,552.6
3,617.1
1,714.6
828.0
1,955.4

1,610.1
2,581.5
3,512.3
1,772.3
819.8
1,955.6

1,626.2
2,596.4
3,580.5
1,778.1
834.1
1,972.8

Virginia..............................................................
Washington .......................................................
West Virginia .....................................................
Wisconsin..........................................................
Wyoming ..........................................................

2,068.1
1,532.5
628.8
1,922.4
199.2

2,117.9
1,620.2
628.5
1,978.4
218.4

2,122.8
1,634.4
640.8
1,995.5
2207

’ Revised series; not strictly comparable with previously published data.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

73

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current L abor Statistics: E stablishm ent D ata
10.

Employment by Industry division and major manufacturing group

[N onagricultural payroll d ata, in thousands]

Annual average

1979

1978

Industry division and group
1977

1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

SepLp

Oct”

TOTAL ...................................................

82,423

86,446

88,100

88,622

88,893

87,128

87,331

88,207

88,820

89,671

90,541

89,618

89,673

90255

90,851

MINING .......................................................

813

851

913

920

916

910

915

926

932

944

968

976

986

979

975
4,975

CONSTRUCTION ..........................................

3,851

4,271

4,662

4,584

4,402

3,998

3,957

4,226

4,413

4,662

4,881

4,993

5,048

4,978

MANUFACTURING........................................
Production workers ...................................

19,682
14,135

20,476
14,714

20,832
15,003

20,903
15,058

20,902
15,047

20,763
14,910

20,775
14,908

20,887
14,993

20,907
15,002

20,988
15,061

21234
15240

20,965
14,946

20,996
14,960

21,199
15,178

21,157
15,172

Durable goods ..........................................
Production workers ...................................

11,597
8,307

12,246
8,786

12,508
8,994

12,583
9,057

12,616
9,081

12,561
9,016

12,579
9,018

12,664
9,081

12,697
9,105

12,739
9,129

12,877
9223

12,712
9,031

12,598
8,907

12,812
9,123

12,775
9,116

Lumber and wood products ........................
Furniture and fixtures.................................
Stone, day, and glass products ..................
Primary metal industries.............................
Fabricated metal products .........................
Machinery, except electrical........................
Electric and electronic equipment................
Transportation equipment...........................
Instruments and related products ................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ......................

721.9
464.3
668.7
1,181.6
1,582.8
2,174.7
1,878.0
1,871.5
615.1
438.4

752.4
491.1
698.0
1,212.7
1,673.4
2,319.2
1,999.5
1,991.7
653.5
454.0

763.0
496.2
713.3
1,227.6
1,707.2
2,362.1
2,042.9
2,053.5
665.4
476.5

757.2
498.0
712.9
1,236.1
1,717.9
2,384.5
2,057.2
2,073.4
672.0
473.4

753.9
498.4
703.6
1,243.0
1,723.6
2,415.7
2,062.4
2,087.6
675.6
452.3

739.0
497.0
681.6
1,243.8
1,716.0
2,428.7
2,060.9
2,075.2
677.5
441.2

737.7
495.2
680.6
1,244.8
1,715.6
2,446.4
2,071.0
2,062.7
680.2
444.8

745.5
491.8
697.2
131.1
1,719.8
2,459.5
2,082.6
2,083.9
683.2
449.0

748.8
487.8
706.6
1259.0
1,723.7
2,468.0
2,086.1
2,082.2
686.5
448.0

763.8
483.9
718.6
1258.6
1,727.8
2,463.6
2,095.2
2,091.8
686.5
448.9

783.2
484.2
733.1
1274.3
1,749.0
2,491.2
2,128.2
2,077.9
698.8
457.4

776.8
475.5
727.1
1260.7
1,715.7
2,485.1
2,111.7
2,027.7
692.9
438.6

780.0
483.5
728.2
1244.5
1,716.1
2,467.1
2,089.5
1,933.2
695.3
460.6

778.4
486.4
723.9
1245.9
1,736.3
2,498.8
2,133.6
2,053.6
691.8
463.1

776.6
489.0
719.4
1235.2
1,745.3
2,450.2
2,145.7
2,049.0
697.4
467.3

Nondurable goods ....................................
Production workers ...................................

8,086
5,828

8,230
5,928

8,324
6,009

8,320
6,001

8,286
5,966

8,202
5,894

8,196
5,890

8,223
5,912

8210
5,897

8249
5,932

8,357
6,017

8253
5,915

8,398
6,053

8,387
6,055

8,382
6,056

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.....................

1,711.0
70.7
910.2
1,316.3
691.6
1,141.4
1,073.7
202.3
713.5
254.8

1,721.2
69.6
900.2
1,332.5
700.9
1,193.1
1,096.3
208.7
751.9
255.6

1,768.2
76.4
900.0
1,348.3
695.0
1,201.2
1,100.6
211.7
766.6
256.3

1,740.9
74.2
901.8
1,345.0
702.4
1,215.1
1,103.2
210.7
771.9
255.1

1,717.2
73.9
899.9
1,327.4
704.1
1,226.4
1,103.0
209.0
773.5
251.5

1,678.0
69.8
896.3,
1,313.6
700.0
1,221.0
1,100.0
205.8
771.0
246.3

1,658.1
66.4
896.4
1,320.6
703.4
1,225.7
1,099.7
206.4
773.8
245.1

1,666.9
64.4
894.4
1,326.6
708.8
1,229.5
1,103.9
206.3
774.4
245.7

1,657.3
62.5
890.4
1,323.7
710.8
1231.0
1,106.7
210.8
772.0
245.1

1,669.6
61.9
892.5
1,327.5
712.7
1234.7
1,110.9
212.9
777.0
249.2

1,716.6
62.1
900.4
1,333.1
724.6
1243.4
1,126.6
216.8
779.4
253.7

1,737.8
62.1
875.5
1278.7
719.6
1245.8
1,123.0
218.0
767.4
224.7

1,810.0
69.0
890.4
1,308.9
723.3
1245.4
1,121.2
218.3
765.8
245.8

1,814.3
72.5
889.1
1,310.7
718.4
1245.3
1,113.1
218.2
762.3
242.6

1,775.9
73.6
892.4
1322.2
718.3
12562
1,115.2
220.4
765.7
241.7

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES .. .

4,713

4,927

5,039

5,063

5,084

5,010

5,028

5,060

4,989

5,125

5231

5200

5210

5243

5255

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE..................

18,516

19,499

19,813

20,095

20,523

19,765

19,548

19,690

19,957

20,119

20222

20,118

20,137

20240

20,352

WHOLESALE TRADE ....................................

4,708

4,957

5,050

5,069

5,092

5,066

5,067

5,098

5,112

5,146

5211

5208

5211

5203

5250

RETAIL TRADE..............................................

13,808

14,542

14,763

15,026

15,431

14,699

14,481

14,592

14,845

14,973

15,011

14,910

14,926

15,037

15,102

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE .. .

4,467

4,727

4,788

4,817

4,832

4,829

4,845

4,870

4,900

4,936

5,003

5,032

5,053

5,000

5,020

SERVICES ...................................................

15,303

16,220

16,497

16,537

16,547

16,353

16,545

16,749

16,897

17,039

17239

17,314

17,312

17254

17,325

GOVERNMENT..............................................
Federal...................................................
State and local ........................................

15,079
2,727
12,352

15,476
2,753
12,723

15,556
2,746
12,810

15,703
2,746
12,957

15,687
2,733
12,954

15,500
2,730
12,770

15,718
2,738
12,980

15,799
2,740
13,059

15,825
2,750
13,075

15,858
2,773
13,085

15,763
2,824
12,939

15,020
2,838
12,182

14,931
2,844
12,087

15,362
2,787
12,575

15,792
2,777
13,015

74

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]
1979

1978
Industry division and group

TOTAL ....................................................................................................

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

Juiy

Aug.

Sept.'1

O ct.p

87,424

87,840

88,133

88,433

88,700

89,039

89,036

89,398

89,626

89,713

89,762

89,845

90,151

MINING .........................................................................................................

910

919

922

927

937

940

940

944

949

956

968

972

972

CONSTRUCTION .........................................................................................

4,398

4,429

4,469

4,497

4,486

4,614

4,559

4,648

4,662

4,688

4,674

4,665

4,693

MANUFACTURING .......................................................................................

20,633
14,816

20,772
14,933

20,881
15,021

20,958
15,085

21,025
15,128

21,073
15,153

21,066
15,134

21,059
15,112

21,063
15,096

21,079
15,090

20,957
14,956

20,954
14,959

20,958
14,983

Production workers............................................................

12,419
8,908

12,510
8,983

12,583
9,042

12,640
9,085

12,715
9,138

12,751
9,158

12,752
9,146

12,739
9,119

12,760
9,123

12,786
9,124

12,714
9,044

12,742
9,070

12,688
9,029

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 .....................................................

752
490
701
1,229
1,692
2,369
2,025
2,037
666
458

760
492
704
1,242
1,706
2,382
2,037
2,057
670
460

765
494
710
1,247
1,718
2,404
2,050
2,063
674
458

768
497
709
1,250
1,725
2,419
2,065
2,069
679
459

768
496
712
1,256
1,733
2,437
2,079
2,094
682
458

769
493
718
1,259
1,732
2,450
2,093
2,094
685
458

761
490
714
1,260
1,732
2,466
2,101
2,084
689
455

762
487
715
1,254
1,730
2,471
2,106
2,077
688
449

757
485
715
1,257
1,737
2,484
2,124
2,057
693
451

753
488
711
1,256
1,730
2,500
2,131
2,073
694
450

752
484
710
1,245
1,714
2,492
2,092
2,079
695
451

760
481
708
1,237
1,717
2,499
2,115
2,087
691
447

765
483
707
1,236
1,730
2,458
2,127
2,033
698
449

Nondurable goods ..................................................................................

Production workers............................................................

8,214
5,908

8,262
5,950

8,298
5,979

8,318
6,000

8,310
5,990

8,322
5,995

8,314
5,988

8,320
5,993

8,303
5,973

8,293
5,966

8,243
5,912

8,212
5,889

8,272
5,954

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
69
897
1,330
692
1,199
1,098
210
755
256

1,725
69
897
1,330
700
1,212
1,102
210
763
254

1,736
69
899
1,333
703
1,218
1,106
211
770
253

1,735
68
900
1,339
706
1,225
1,109
211
774
251

1,729
68
899
1,327
711
1,229
1,108
212
779
248

1,736
69
897
1,324
716
1,232
1,108
213
780
247

1,728
69
892
1,325
717
1,234
1,111
213
781
244

1,725
70
893
1,324
714
1,236
1,114
213
784
247

1,720
69
892
1,312
715
1,242
1,119
212
775
247

1,707
68
892
1,324
718
1,250
1,116
212
777
229

1,696
64
886
1,302
717
1,247
1,111
213
764
243

1,691
66
884
1,295
714
1,244
1,109
215
751
243

1,716
66
890
1,304
715
1,254
1,113
219
754
241

Production workers............................................................
Durable goods

.......................................................................................

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES ..........................................

5,014

5,038

5,054

5,071

5,094

5,116

5,024

5,130

5,190

5,169

5,194

5,181

5,229

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL T R A D E ............................................................

19,744

19,829

19,858

19,965

20,016

20,054

20,088

20,129

20,116

20,122

20,126

20,149

20,281

WHOLESALE TRADE ..................................................................................

5,025

5,054

5,077

5,102

5,118

5,134

5,138

5,156

5,180

5,182

5,185

5,187

5,224

RETAIL TRADE.............................................................................................

14,719

14,775

14,781

14,863

14,898

14,920

14,950

14,973

14,936

14,940

14,941

14,962

15,057

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE ..........................................

4,793

4,827

4,847

4,868

4,884

4,899

4,915

4,936

4,958

4,972

5,003

4,995

5,025

SERVICES ....................................................................................................

16,464

16,554

16,630

16,670

16,763

16,833

16,880

16,954

17,051

17,092

17,141

17,220

17,290

GOVERNMENT ..............................................................................................

15,468
2,760
12,708

15,472
2,757
12,715

15,472
2,734
12,738

15,477
2,758
12,719

15,495
2,757
12,738

15,510
2,757
12,753

15,564
2,758
12,806

15,598
2,770
12,828

15,637
2,788
12,849

15,635
2,785
12,850

15,699
2,813
12,886

15,709
2,798
12,911

15,703
2,791
12,912

Federal..................................................................................
State and ¡oca .......................................................................


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

75

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
12.

Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, 1976 to date

[Per 100 employees]
Year

Annual
average

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

4.2
4.3
4.4
4.3

5.1
5.3
5.4
4.9

4.4
4.6
4.9
p4.4

3.5
3.9
4.3

2.9
3.1
3.3

2.2
2.4
2.4

2.9
3.0
3.3
3.1

3.6
4.0
4.2
3.7

3.2
3.5
3.9
p3.4

2.5
3.0
3.5

1.9
2.2
2.6

1.3
1.6
1.7

1.1
.9
.8
.9

1.1
1.0
.9
.9

.8
.8
.7
p.7

.7
.6
.6

.7
.6
.5

.7
.6
.5

4.3
4.3
4.1
4.3

4.9
5.1
5.3
5.7

4.7
4.9
4.8
p4.6

4.1
3.8
4.1

3.4
3.4
3.5

3.5
3.4
3.4

1.9
1.9
2.1
2.0

2.8
3.1
3.5
3.3

2.5
2.8
3.1
p2.7

1.7
1.9
2.3

1.2
1.5
1.7

1.0
1.2
1.3

1.6
1.5
1.0
1.4

1.1
1.0
.8
1.3

1.3
1.1
.8
p1.1

1.5
1.1
.9

1.5
1.1
1.0

1.8
1.5
1.4

Total accessions

1976
1977
1978
1979

..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................

3.9
4.0
4.1

3.9
3.7
3.8
4.0

3.5
3.7
3.2
3.4

4.2
4.0
3.8
3.8

3.9
3.8
4.0
3.9

4.5
4.6
4.7
4.7

1976
1977
1978
1979

..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................

2.6
2.8
3.1

2.1
2.2
2.5
2.8

2.1
2.1
2.2
2.5

2.7
2.6
2.7
2.8

2.6
2.7
2.9
2.9

3.1
3.5
3.6
3.6

1976
1977
1978
1979

..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................

4.8
4.9
4.9
4.8
New hires

3.6
3.7
3.9
3.8
Recalls

1.0
.9
.7

1.4
1.2
1.0
.9

1.0
1.3
.7
.7

1.0
.9
.8
.7

1.2
1.1
.8
.7

1.0
.6
8
.8

.9
.8
.7
.7
Total separations

1976
1977
1978
1979

..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................

3.8
3.8
3.9

3.7
3.9
3.6
3.8

3.0
3.4
3.1
3.2

3.5
3.4
3.5
3.6

3.6
3.4
3.6
3.6

3.4
3.5
3.7
3.8

1976
1977
1978
1979

..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................

1.7
1.8
2.1

1.3
1.4
1.5
1.8

1.2
1.3
1.4
1.6

1.6
1.6
1.8
1.9

1.7
1.7
2.0
2.0

1.7
1.9
2.1
2.1

1976
1977
1978
1979

..........................................
..........................................
..........................................
..........................................

1.3
1.1
.9

1.6
1.7
1.2
1.1

1.0
1.4
.9
.8

1.1
1.0
.9
.8

1.1
.9
.8
.9

.9
.8
.7
.7

3.6
3.5
3.8
3.9
Quits

1.8
1.9
2.2
2.1
Layoffs

13.

.

.9
.8
.7
.8

Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, by major industry group

[Per 100 employees]
Accession rates
Major industry group

MANUFACTURING......................................

Seasonally adjusted.............
Durable g o o d s ......................................

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.......
Nondurable g o o d s ...............................

Food and kindred products .........
Tobacco manufacturers..............
Textile mill products ..................
Apparel and other 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.......

76

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Total

Separation rates

New hires

Recalls

Total

Quits

Layoffs

Sept.
1978

Aug.
1979

Sept
1979 »

Sept.
1978

Aug.
1979

Sept.
1979 P

Sept.
1978

Aug.
1979

Sept
1979 p

Sept
1978

Aug.
1979

Sept
1979 p

Sept
1978

Aug.
1979

Sept.
1979 p

Sept.
1978

Aug.
1979

Sept.
1979 p

4.9
4.1

4.9
3.7

4.4
3.8

3.9
3.1

3.7
2.7

3.4
2.8

0.7

0.9

0.7

4.8
3.7

5.7
4.3

4.6
3.9

3.1
2.1

3.3
1.9

2.7
1.9

0.8
.8

1.3
1.5

1.1
1.2

4.5
6.4
4.2
2.9
5.0
3.4
4.1
5.1
3.2
7.7

4.2
6.7
6.8
4.5
2.7
4.8
3.1
3.8
4.6
3.0
6.9

3.9
5.7
5.6
3.8
2.2
4.7
3.0
3.9

3.5
5.8
6.8
3.6
2.1
4.2
2.8
3.2
2.9
2.6
6.4

3.1
5.8
5.7
3.7
1.7
3.8
2.4
2.8
2.2
2.4
5.7

3.0
5.0
5.0
3.1
1.5
3.6
2.4
3.0

.6
.4
.4
.4
.5
.5
.3
.4
1.7
.2
1.0

.8 '
.6
1.0
.6
.6
.7
.3
.6
1.8
.3
1.0

.6
.5
.5
.6
.5
.8
.3
.5

4.2
7.4
7.2
4.8
3.2
4.7
3.2
4.1
3.0
3.5
6.8

5.2
7.7
7.3
5.8
4.4
5.9
3.7
4.7
6.0
3.7
7.2

4.0
6.2
5.4
4.5
3.7
4.5
3.1
3.8

2.6
5.4
5.1
2.9
1.6
3.0
2.0
2.3
1.6
2.4
4.4

2.8
5.5
4.9
3.5
1.9
3.3
2:2
2.8
1.7
2.5
4.8

2.2
4.4
3.5
2.6
1.3
2.5
1.6
2.2

.6
.7
.7
.8
.6
.6
.3
.6
6
.4
.8

1.3
.8
.9
1.1
1.4
1.5
.6
.8
3.2
.4
1.0

.9
.6
.6
1.0
1.5
1.1
.6
.6

5.4
8.4
6.1
5.2
6.4
3.3
4.3
1.9
2.3

6.0
10.3
9.7
5.8
6.9
3.3
4.0
1.9
2.0

4.5
7.8
4.1
4.6
4.8
2.7
3.4
1.6
1.8

1.2
2.2
4.4
.7
1.8
.4
.4
.2
.1

6.3
8.2
3.2
6.5
8.0
4.6
4.8
2.9
3.2

5.2
6.3
3.6 j
3.8
2.2
2.8

3.8
5.7
1.9
4.1
4.5
2.5
2.9
1.3
1.4

4.1
5.6
1.8
4.4
4.8
2.8
3.4
1.9
1.7

3.6
3.9
2.0
2.6
1.2
1.5

1.1
2.6
.4
.5
1.1
.6
.5
.4
.6

1.2
1.7
.5
.9
2.1
.8
.6
.4
.5

1.3
2.7

.3
.1

5.9
9.4
3.1
5.6
6.5
4.0
4.1
2.3
2.8

5.6
9.1

4.1
4.4
2.4
3.5
1.4
3.5

.8
1.7
2.0
.5
1.1
.2
.4
.3
.2

.9
2.0

4.9
6.2
2.9
3.9
1.8
3.7

4.4
6.5
3.8
4.3
5.0
2.9
3.8
1.5
' 1.9

5.9
7.9

5.5
10.7

5.2
6.9

5.2
6.5

4.5
6.5

4.2
5.4

.4
1.1

.7
3.7

.5
1.1

6.0
9.2

7.4
10.7

6.0
8.2

4.1
6.2

4.5
6.7

3.5
5.0

.6
1.9

1.6
2.5

1.3
2.2

7.4

3.0
6.9
5.2
8.3

2.5
5.9
4.0
6.1

.2
.8

.5
1.6
.3
.4

3.6
6.2

2.5
3.8
3.4
5.2

.4
1.1

.7
1.6
.6
.5
.4
6

14.

Hours and earnings, by industry division, 1947-78

[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on nonagricultural payrolls]
Average
weekly
earnings

Year

Average
weekly
hours

Average
hourly
earnings

Average
weekly
earnings

Total private

Average
weekly
hours

Average
hourly
earnings

Average
weekly
earnings

Mining

Average
weekly
hours

Average
hourly
earnings

Average
weekly
earnings

Construction

Average
weekly
hours

Average
hourly
earnings

Manufacturing

1947
1948
1949
1950

................
................
................
................

$45.58
49.00
50.24
53.13

40.3
40.0
39.4
39.8

$1,131
1.225
1.275
1.335

$59.94
65.56
62.33
67.16

40.8
39.4
36.3
37.9

$1,469
1.664
1.717
1.772

$58.87
65.27
67.56
69.68

38.2
38.1
37.7
37.4

$1,541
1.713
1.792
1.863

$49.17
53.12
53.88
58.32

40,4
40.0
39.1
40.5

$1,217
1.328
1.378
1.440

1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

................
................
................
................
................

57.86
60.65
63.76
64.52
67.72

39.9
39.9
39.6
39.1
39.6

1.45
1.52
1.61
1.65
1.71

74.11
77.59
83.03
82.60
89.54

38.4
38.6
38.8
38.6
40.7

1.93
2.01
2.14
2.14
2.20

7696
82.86
86.41
88.91
90.90

38.1
38.9
37.9
37.2
37.1

2.02
2.13
2.28
2.39
2.45

63.34
66.75
70.47
70.49
75.30

40.6
40.7
40.5
39.6
40.7

1.56
1.64
1.74
1.78
1.85

1956 ................
1957 ................
1958 ................
1959’ ..............
1960 ................

70.74
73.33
75.08
78.78
80.67

39.3
38.8
38.5
39.0
38.6

1.80
1.89
1.95
2.02
2.09

95.06
98.25
96.08
103.68
105.04

40.8
40.1
38.9
40.5
40.4

2.33
2.45
2.47
2.56
2.60

96.38
100.27
103.78
108.41
112.67

37.5
37.0
36.8
37.0
36.7

2.57
2.71
2.82
2.93
3.07

78.78
81.19
82.32
88.26
89.72

40.4
39.8
39.2
40.3
39.7

1.95
2.04
2.10
2.19
2.26

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

................
................
................
................
................

82.60
85.91
88.46
91.33
95.45

38.6
38.7
38.8
38.7
38.8

2.14
2.22
2.28
2.36
2.46

106.92
110.70
114.40
117.74
123.52

40.5
41.0
41.6
41.9
42.3

2.64
2.70
2.75
2.81
2.92

118.08
122.47
127.19
132.06
138.38

36.9
37.0
37.3
37.2
37.4

3.20
3.31
3.41
3.55
3.70

92.34
96.56
99.23
102.97
107.53

39.8
40.4
40.5
40.7
41.2

2.32
2.39
2.45
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 ................

175.45
189.00
203.70

36.1
36.0
35.8

4.86
5.25
5.69

273.90
301.20
332.11

42.4
43.4
43.3

6.46
6.94
7.67

283.73
295.65
318.32

36.8
36.5
36.8

7.71
8.10
8.65

209.32
228.90
249.27

40.1
40.3
40.4

5.22
5.68
6.17

Transportation and public
utilities

1947
1948
1949
1950

Finance, insurance, and
real estate

wnoiesaie ana retail trade

Services

................
................
................
................

$38.07
40.80
42.93
44.55

40.5
40.4
40.5
40.5

$0 940
1.010
1.060
1.100

$43 21
45 48
47 63
50 52

37 9
37 9
37 8
37 7

1951................
1952 ................
1953 ................
1954 ................
1955 ................

47.79
49.20
51.35
53.33
55.16

40.5
40.0
39.5
39.5
39 4

1.18
1.23
1.30
1 35
1 40

54 67
57 08
59 57
62 04
63 92

37 7
37 8
37 7
37 6
37 6

1956 ................
1957 ................
1958 ................
1959’ ..............

57.48
59.60
61.76
64.41
66.01

39.1
38.7
38.6
38.8
38.6

1 47
1.54
1.60
166
1.71

65 68
67 53
7012
72 74
75.14

36 9
36 7
37 1
37 3
37.2

38.3
38.2
38.1
37.9
37.7

1.76
1 83
1 89
1.97
2.04

7712
80 94
84 38
85.79
88.91

36 9
37 3
37 5
37.3
37.2

2 25
2.30
2.39

$70.03
73.60

36.1
35.9

$1.94
2.05

1960 ................
1961................
1962 ................
1963 ................
1964 ................
1965 ................

$118.78
125.14

41.1
41.3

$2.69
3.03

67.41
69.91
72.01
74.66
76.91

1 ?00
1 260

1 51

1 84
1 89
2.02
209

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 ................

256.71
278.90
302.80

39.8
39.9
40.0

6.45
6.99
7.57

133.79
142.52
153.64

33.7
33.3
32.9

3.97
4.28
4.67

155.43
165.26
178.36

36.4
36.4
36.4

4.27
4.54
4.90

143.52
153.45
163.67

33.3
33.0
32.8

4.31
4.65
4.99

1Data include Alaska and Hawaii beginning in 1959.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

77

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data

15.

Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group

[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
1979

1978

Annual Average
Industry division and group
1977

1978

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.p

O ct.p

TOTAL PRIVATE...............................................

36.0

35.8

35.9

35.8

36.1

35.2

35.4

35.7

35.1

35.5

35.9

36.0

36.0

35.8

35.6

MINING .....................................................................

43.4

43.3

43.7

43.8

43.4

42.4

42.6

42.9

42.6

42.8

43.3

41.7

43.1

43.5

43.5

38.0

37.9

37.4

CONSTRUCTION.....................................................

36.5

36.8

37.9

36.5

37.0

34.6

35.4

37.0

35.5

37.2

37.9

37.7

MANUFACTURING .................................................

40.3
3.5

40.4
3.6

40.6
3.8

40.9
3.8

41.4
3.9

40.1
3.5

40.2
3.5

406
3.6

38.9
2.5

40.1
3.3

40.4
3.4

39.9
3.2

40.0
3.3

40.3
3.6

40.2
3.4

Overtime hours...................................

41.0
3.7

41.1
3.8

41.4
4.1

41.6
4.1

42.3
4.3

40.9
3.8

41.1
3.9

41.4
3.9

39.3
2.6

40.8
3.6

41.0
3.6

40.4
3.4

40.4
3.4

40.8
3.6

40.7
3.5

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

39.8
39.0
41.3
41.3
41.0

39.8
39.3
41.6
41.8
41.0

40.4
39.6
42.3
41.9
41.0

39.9
39.4
42.1
42.2
41.4

40.1
40.1
42.2
42.5
42.2

38.5
38.3
40.5
42.2
40.8

39.0
38.1
40.6
42.1
40.9

39.7
39.0
41.8
41.9
41.3

39.1
37.5
41.1
41.7
38.8

39.6
38.2
41.9
41.4
40.7

40.2
38.8
42.1
41.6
41.0

39.4
38.0
41.5
41.3
40.3

39.9
38.6
41.7
40.8
40.5

40.1
39.0
41.7
41.2
409

39.9
39.4
41.5
40.5
40.9

Machinery except electrical.........................
Electric and electronic equipment ................
Transportation equipment...........................
Instruments and related products ................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ......................

41.5
40.4
42.5
40.6
38.8

42.0
40.3
42.2
40.9
38.8

42.0
40.4
42.7
41.0
39.1

42.5
40.7
43.0
41.3
39.4

43.6
41.3
44.5
41.7
39.4

42.1
40.3
41.9
40.6
38.6

42.5
40.5
42.1
41.0
38.6

42.6
40.7
42.3
41.3
39.2

40.3
38.8
37.9
40.0
37.6

41.7
40.2
41.6
40.8
38.5

42.0
40.5
41.3
40.7
39.0

41.2
39.6
40.9
40.3
38.7

41.3
39.7
40.5
40.3
38.9

41.8
40.4
40.7
40.8
39.3

41.4
40.5
41.1
40.6
39.3

Nondurable goods ............................................

Overtime hours...................................

39.4
3.2

39.4
3.2

39.5
3.4

39.7
3.3

39.9
3.3

38.9
3.0

3&9
3.0

39.3
3.1

38.2
2.5

39.1
2.9

39.4
3.0

39.2
3.0

39.4
3.2

39.6
3.5

39.4
3.3

Food and kindred products.........................
Tobacco manufactures...............................
Textile mill products..................................
Apparel and other textile products................
Paper and allied products...........................

40.0
37.8
40.4
35.6
42.9

39.7
38.1
40.4
35.6
42.9

39.9
37.6
40.3
35.5
42.8

40.0
38.7
40.6
35.9
43.2

40.3
38.8
40.8
35.8
43.4

39.5
36.1
39.9
34.6
42.6

39.2
36.2
39.9
34.9
42.2

39.6
38.1
40.4
35.4
42.6

39.0
37.6
38.6
33.9
41.6

39.6
38.9
40.1
35.1
42.4

39.8
39.0
40.6
35.6
42.8

40.1
36.1
39.9
35.4
42.5

40.3
37.6
40.3
35.6
42.6

40.6
39.0
40.8
35.3
42.7

39.9
38.6
40.8
35.3
42.9

Printing and publishing ...............................
Chemicals and allied products......................
Petroleum and coal products ......................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products
Leather and leather products ......................

37.7
41.7
42.7
41.0
36.9

37.6
41.9
43.6
40.9
37.1

37.8
42.0
44.3
41.3
37.0

38.1
42.3
44.5
41.4
37.0

38.3
42.3
43.7
42.0
37.1

37.1
41.7
42.8
41.1
36.3

37.3
41.7
42.7
41.2
35.9

37.7
41.9
43.8
41.4
35.9

36.8
41.9
43.9
39.4
35.3

37.3
41.8
43.7
40.5
36.4

37.4
41.8
43.4
40.7
37.1

37.4
41.7
44.1
40.2
36.9

37.9
41.8
43.6
40.0
36.6

37.9
41.9
44.7
40.5
36.6

37.4
42.0
44.6
40.3
36.3

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES

39.9

40.0

40.0

39.9

40.2

39.6

399

39.8

39.0

39.6

40.0

40.0

40.3

40.1

39.9

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE

33.3

32.9

32.8

32.5

33.1

32.0

32.1

32.4

32.5

32.4

32.9

33.3

33.2

32.6

32.4

38.4

38.9

38.6

38.9

39.0

39.0

38.9

38.8

38.7

31.4

30.7

30.4

Overtime hours..................................
Durable goods ...................................................

WHOLESALE TRADE...............................................

38.8

38.8

39.0

38.8

39.1

38.4

RETAIL T R A D E ........................................................

31.6

31.0

30.8

30.6

31.3

29.9

30.1

30.3

30.6

30.4

31.0

31.5

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL
ESTATE ................................................................

36.4

36.4

36.6

36.3

36.3

36.4

36.4

36.3

36.4

36.1

36.2

36.4

36.2

36.3

36.4

33.3

33.2

32.7

32.5

SERVICES

78

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

33.0

32.8

32.7

32.6

32.5

32.4

32.4

32.6

32.5

32.5

32.9

16.

Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted

[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
1978
Industry division and group

TOTAL PRIVATE
MINING ............................................................

Oct

Nov.

1979
Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

SepLp

Octp

35.8

35.8

35.8

35.8

35.7

35.9

35.3

35.7

35.6

35.6

35.6

35.7

35.5

43.1

43.3

43.4

43.4

43.1

43.1

42.9

42.8

43.0

41.6

43.2

43.1

42.9

CONSTRUCTION

36.9

36.8

37.0

37.1

36.6

37.1

35.5

37.1

37.2

36.8

37.2

37.5

36.5

MANUFACTURING.............................................
Overtime hours........................................

40.5
3.6

40.6
3.7

40.6
3.7

40.6
3.7

40.6
3.7

40.6
3.7

39.1
2.7

40.2
3.5

40.1
3.4

40.2
3.3

40.1
3.2

40.1
3.2

40.1
3.2

Durable goods ...............................................
Overtime hours........................................

41.3
3.9

41.3
4.0

41.4
4.0

41.4
4.1

41.4
4.1

41.4
4.0

39.5
2.7

40.9
3.8

40.7
3.6

40.7
3.5

40.7
3.3

40.7
3.3

40.7
3.3

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

40.0
39.1
41.9
42.2
40.9

40.0
39.1
41.9
42.2
41.1

39.9
39.2
41.9
42.2
41.3

39.9
38.9
41.8
42.3
41.1

39.6
38.8
41.6
42.2
41.3

40.0
39.1
42.0
42.0
41.3

39.1
38.1
41.2
41.8
39.1

39.4
38.5
41.7
41.4
40.7

39.4
38.5
41.6
41.2
40.7

39.3
38.4
41.4
41.3
40.8

39.5
38.3
41.3
41.0
40.6

39.7
38.6
41.5
40.9
40.8

39.5
38.9
41.1
40.7
40.8

Machinery, except electrical.............................
Electric and electronic equipment ......................
Transportation equipment.................................
Instruments and related products ......................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ...........................

42.0
40.4
42.7
40.9
38.9

42.2
40.4
42.7
40.9
38.9

42.4
40.5
42.8
40.9
38.9

42.3
40.5
42.8
41.1
39.0

42.5
40.7
42.7
41.2
39.0

42.4
40.7
42.3
41.2
39.0

40.5
39.0
37.9
40.3
37.6

42.0
40.4
41.5
40.8
38.6

42.0
40.3
40.8
40.6
38.9

41.9
40.2
40.9
40.7
39.3

41.6
39.8
41.7
40.5
39.1

41.8
40.2
40.6
40.7
39.1

41.4
40.5
41.1
40.5
39.1

Nondurable goods ..........................................
Overtime hours........................................

39.4
3.2

39.5
3.2

39.4
3.2

39.5
3.2

39.3
3.2

39.4
3.3

38.6
2.7

39.2
3.0

39.2
3.0

39.2
3.0

39.2
3.0

39.3
3.1

39.3
3.1

Food and kindred products...............................
Tobacco manufactures ..................................
Textile mill products........................................
Apparel and other textile products ....................
Paper and allied products ...............................

39.8
37.1
40.3
35.3
42.8

39.8
37.5
40.4
35.6
43.0

39.9
38.1
40.4
35.5
42.8

40.0
37.2
40.7
35.3
42.8

39.8
36.9
40.1
35.4
42.7

40.0
38.0
40.3
35.4
42.8

39.6
37.6
38.8
34.2
41.8

39.8
38.9
40.0
35.2
42.6

39.8
37.6
40.1
35.2
42.5

39.8
38.5
40.1
35.5
42.5

39.7
38.0
40.1
35.3
42.6

40.0
38.5
40.6
35.2
42.4

39.8
38.1
40.8
35.1
42.9

Printing and publishing....................................
Chemicals and allied products .........................
Petroleum and coal products ...........................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products.......
Leather and leather products ...........................

37.7
42.0
43.9
41.1
37.0

37.8
42.1
44.1
41.1
36.9

37.6
41.8
43.8
41.2
36.7

37.7
42.0
43.5
41.4
36.8

37.7
42.0
43.6
41.2
36.4

37.7
41.9
44.0
41.3
36.3

37.1
41.7
43.9
39.7
35.6

37.4
41.9
43.7
40.9
36.1

37.4
41.7
43.3
40.7
36.4

37.5
41.9
43.6
40.6
36.6

37.7
42.0
43.7
40.2
36.5

37.5
41.8
44.1
40.3
36.8

37.3
42.0
44.2
40.1
36.3

40.0

39.9

40.0

40.0

40.0

40.0

39.2

39.8

39.8

39.7

39.9

40.1

39.9

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBUC UTILITIES
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE........................

32.9

32.8

32.8

32.5

32.5

32.7

32.8

32.6

32.6

32.6

32.5

32.6

32.5

WHOLESALE TRADE

38.9

38.8

38.9

38.7

38.7

39.0

38.7

39.0

38.8

38.8

38.7

38.7

38.6

RETAIL TRADE

31.0

30.9

30.9

30.6

30.6

30.7

30.9

30.6

30.6

30.6

30.5

30.7

30.6

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL
ESTATE ........................................................

36.5

36.4

36.3

36.3

36.4

36.4

36.5

36.1

36.2

36.3

36.1

36.4

36.3

SERVICES

32.7

32.7

32.6

32.6

32.6

32.8

32.7

32.7

32.7

32.8

32.7

32.7

32.5


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

79

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
17.

Hourly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group

[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]

TOTAL PRIVATE.............................................

1979

1978

Annual average
Industry division and group

1977

1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept*

Oct*

$5.25

$5.69

$5.87

$5.88

$5.91

$5.97

$6.00

$6.02

$6.03

$6.09

$6.12

$6.16

$6.19

$6.30

$6.31

MINING................................................................

6.94

7.67

7.98

8.05

8.06

8.20

8.21

8.27

8.54

8.45

8.49

8.52

8.48

8.55

6.53

CONSTRUCTION...................................................

8.10

8.65

8.89

8.89

8.92

8.98

9.02

8.97

9.02

9.14

9.13

9.24

9.32

9.50

9.51

MANUFACTURING ...............................................

5.68

6.17

6.33

6.38

6.48

6.49

6.52

6.56

6.54

6.63

6.66

6.71

6.69

6.80

6.83

Durable goods...............................................
Lumber and wood products .........................
Furniture and fixtures...................................
Stone, clay, and glass products ....................
Primary metal industries...............................
Fabricated metal products ...........................

6.06
5.10
4.34
5.81
7.40
5.91

6.58
5.60
4.68
6.32
8.20
6.34

6.76
5.77
4.78
6.49
8.42
6.49

6.82
5.75
4.80
6.54
8.52
6.54

6.93
5.79
4.86
6.58
8.56
6.62

6.92
5.79
4.87
6.57
8.62
6.60

6.96
5.83
4.93
6.58
8.75
6.65

6.99
5.84
4.95
6.64
8.75
6.72

6.95
5.90
4.94
6.73
8.92
6.62

7.07
5.97
4.97
6.78
8.83
6.77

7.11
6.16
5.05
6.85
8.91
6.81

7.15
6.23
5.04
6.89
9.04
6.80

7.12
6.23
5.10
6.90
9.10
6.83

7.24
6.31
5.18
6.97
9.15
6.93

7.27
6.26
5.20
7.02
9.14
6.98

Machinery, except electrical.........................
Electric and electronic equipment..................
Transportation equipment.............................
Instruments and related products ..................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ........................

6.26
5.39
7.28
5.29
4.36

6.77
5.82
7.91
5.71
4.69

6.95
5.95
8.21
5.79
4.76

7.01
5.97
8.27
5.84
4.79

7.15
6.09
8.41
5.95
4.86

7.10
6.11
8.34
5.99
4.93

7.16
6.13
8.35
6.02
4.95

7.19
6.16
8.42
6.04
4.95

7.10
6.11
8.26
6.03
4.96

7.25
6.21
8.56
6.11
5.00

7.34
6.25
8.53
6.11
4.99

7.35
6.27
8.55
6.16
5.03

7.35
6.36
8.44
6.14
5.04

7.50
6.46
8.58
6.21
5.07

7.51
6.51
8.68
6.28
5.11

Nondurable goods..........................................
Food are kindred products...........................
Tobacco manufactures.................................
Textile mill products.....................................
Apparel and other textile products ................
Paper and allied products.............................

5.11
5.37
5.54
3.99
3.62
5.9*

5.53
5.80
6.13
4.30
3.94
6.52

5.65
5.89
5.82
4.42
4.02
6.68

5.70
5.97
6.02
4.45
4.04
6.75

5.75
6.02
6.18
4.48
4.08
6.79

5.81
6.09
6.36
4.52
4.17
6.80

5.82
6.10
6.53
4.51
4.17
6.83

5.85
6.12
6.64
4.52
4.19
6.88

5.90
6.19
6.80
4.48
4.19
6.92

5.91
6.22
6.83
4.52
4.20
6.96

5.94
6.22
6.82
4.54
4.21
7.05

6.03
6.28
6.83
4.65
4.23
7.17

6.04
6.28
6.59
4.77
4.21
7.22

6.11
6.34
6.54
4.81
4.28
7.31

6.14
6.38
6.38
4.84
4.32
7.36

Printing and publishing.................................
Chemicals and allied products ......................
Petroleum and coal products ........................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ...
Leather and leather products ........................

6.12
6.43
7.83
5.17
3.61

6.50
7.01
8.63
5.52
3.89

6.61
7.19
8.70
5.68
3.94

6.66
7.22
8.78
5.71
3.98

6.70
7.28
8.89
5.77
4.01

6.72
7.32
9.01
5.82
4.13

6.73
7.32
9.10
5.84
4.14

6.77
7.36
9.31
5.86
4.17

6.72
7.50
9.44
5.82
4.18

6.83
7.47
9.39
5.90
4.18

6.88
7.53
9.32
5.91
4.19

6.90
7.60
9.39
5.95
4.19

6.94
7.65
9.35
5.94
4.22

7.05
7.71
9.51
6.02
4.29

7.05
7.77
9.53
6.05
4.31

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES.............

6.99

7.57

7.78

7.78

7.85

7.90

7.92

7.90

7.88

7.94

8.03

8.23

8.32

8.43

8.43

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE .........................

4.28

4.67

4.79

4.80

4.81

4.96

4.97

4.98

5.00

5.00

5.02

5.05

5.06

5.13

5.14

6.07

6.14

6.18

6.21

6.23

6.30

6.29

6.34

6.39

6.41

6.51

6.51

4.58

4.59

WHOLESALE TRADE..............................................

5.39

5.88

6.05

RETAIL TRADE.....................................................

3.85

4.20

4.29

4.31

4.31

4.47

4.47

4.47

4.49

4.49

4.50

4.51

4.52

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL
ESTATE ............................................................

4.54

4.90

5.02

5.03

5.07

5.13

5.19

5.16

5.23

5.22

5.22

5.29

5.29

5.38

5.37

5.27

5.29

5.30

5.45

5.47

4.99

4.65

SERVICES............................................................

5.13

5.11

5.16

5.23

5.27

5.26

5.29

5.27

18. Hourly Earnings Index for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls, by industry
division
[Seasonally adjusted data: 1967 = 100]

Percent change

1979

1978
Industry
Oct

Nov

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept*

Oct*

Sept 1979
to
Oct 1979

Oct 1978
to
Oct 1979

218.1

219.2

220.9

222.6

224.0

225.2

226.8

227.5

229.0

230.9

232.2

234.2

234.9

0.3

7.7

Mining ....................................
Construction .............................
Manufacturing...........................
Transportation and public utilities ..
Wholesale and retail trade...........
Finance, insurance, and real estate
Services...................................

248.9
210.5
220.8
235.4
211.7
199.6
217.2

249.9
211.6
222.4
236.3
213.0
200.7
217.7

250.9
213.0
224.2
239.0
214.6
202.1
219.3

252.1
213.8
225.4
240.8
217.7
202.4
220.8

253.7
216.7
227.2
241.7
218.1
204.2
222.2

256.1
216.5
228.7
243.1
219.4
204.8
223.3

264.1
218.1
231.0
241.7
220.9
207.5
225.0

262.7
220.4
232.3
243.7
221.0
207.0
224.3

264.9
220.4
233.9
246.4
222.6
208.0
225.7

266.9
222.1
235.4
251.3
223.8
210.8
227.0

265.6
223.1
236.9
252.6
225.4
211.5
228.4

265.6
224.3
238.7
255.0
226.8
214.4
231.4

267.0
224.5
240.3
255.5
227.1
213.3
232.0

.5
.1
.7
.2
.1
-.5

2

7.3
6.6
8.8
8.5
7.3
6.8
6.8

TOTAL PRIVATE (In constant dollars)

108.7

108.6

106.7

106.5

107.8

107.3

106.9

106.1

105.7

105.6

105.1

104.8

( 1)

V)

( ')

TOTAL PRIVATE (In current dollars)

1Not available.

80

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19. Weekly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group
[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
Annual average

1978

1979

Industry division and group
1977
TOTAL PRIVATE:...................................

1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb

Mar.

$189.00 $203.70 $210.73 $210.50 $213.35 $210.14 $212.40 $214.91

Apr.

May

June

$211.65 $216.20 $219.71

ju.y

Aug.

Septp

$221.76 $222.84 $225.54

Octp
$224.64

MINING ........................................................

301.20

332.11

348.73

352.59

349.80

347.68

349.75

354.78

363.80

361.66

367.62

355.28

365.49

371.93

371.06

CONSTRUCTION ............................................

295.65

318.32

336.93

324.49

330.04

310.71

319.31

331.89

320.21

340.01

346.03

348.35

354.16

360.05

355.67

MANUFACTURING..........................................

228.90

249.27

257.00

260.94

268.27

260.25

262.10

266.34

254.41

265.86

269.06

267.73

267.60

274.04

274.57

Durable goods
Lumber and wood products ........................
Furniture and fixtures .................................
Stone, clay, and glass products....................
Primary metal industries.............................
Fabricated metal products .........................

248.46
202.98
169.26
239.95
305.62
242.31

270.44
222.88
183.92
262.91
342.76
259.94

279.86
233.11
189.29
274.53
352.80
266.09

283.71
229.43
189.12
275.33
359.54
270.76

293.14
232.18
194.89
277.68
363.80
279.36

283.03
222.92
186.52
266.09
363.76
269.28

286.06
227.37
187.83
267.15
368.38
271.99

289.39
231.85
193.05
277.55
366.63
277.54

273.14
230.69
185.25
276.60
371.96
256.86

288.46
236.41
189.85
284.08
365.56
275.54

291.51
247.63
195.94
2Ó8.39
370.66
279.21

288.86
245.46
191.52
285.94
373.35
274.04

287.65
248.58
196.86
287.73
371.28
276.62

295.39
253.03
202.02
290.65
376.98
283.44

295.89
249.77
204.88
291.33
370.17
285.48

Machinery except electrical.........................
Electric and electronic equipment ................
Transportation equipment...........................
Instruments and related products ................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ......................

259.79
217.76
309.40
214.77
169.17

284.34
234.55
333.80
233.54
181.97

291.90
240.38
350.57
237.39
186.12

297.93
242.98
355.61
241.19
188.73

311.74
251.52
374.25
248.12
191.48

298.91
246.23
349.45
243.19
190.30

304.30
248.27
351.54
246.82
191.07

306.29
250.71
356.17
249.45
194.04

286.13
237.07
313.05
241.20
186.50

302.33
249.64
356.10
249.29
192.50

308.28
253.13
352.29
248.68
194.61

302.82
248.29
349.70
248.25
194.66

303.55
252.49
341.82
247.44
196.06

313.50
260.98
349.21
253.37
199.25

310.91
263.66
356.75
254.97
200.82

Nondurable goods........................................
Food and kindred products.........................
Tobacco manufactures...............................
Textile mill products...................................
Apparel and other textile products................
Paper and allied products...........................

201.33
214.80
209.41
161.20
128.87
255.68

217.88
230.26
233.55
173.72
140.26
279.71

223.18
235.01
218.83
178.13
142.71
285.90

226.29
238.80
232.97
180.67
145.04
291.60

229.43
242.61
239.78
182.78
146.06
294.69

226.01
240.56
229.60
180.35
144.28
289.68

226.40
239.12
236.39
179.50
145.53
288.23

229.91
242.35
252.98
182.61
148.33
293.09

225.38
241.41
255.68
172.93
142.04
287.87

231.08
246.31
265.69
181.25
147.42
295.10

234.04
247.56
265.98
184.32
149.88
302.74

236.38
251.83
246.56
185.54
149.74
304.73

237.98
253.08
247.78
192.23
149.88
307.57

241.96
257.40
255.06
196.25
151.08
312.14

241.92
254.56
246.27
197.47
152.50
315.74

Printing and publishing ...............................
Chemicals and allied products......................
Petroleum and coal products ......................
Rubber and miscellaneous
plastics products....................................
Leather and leather products ......................

230.72
268.13
334.34

244.40
293.72
376.27

249.86
301.98
385.41

253.75
305.41
390.71

256.61
307.94
388.49

249.31
305.24
385.63

251.03
305.24
388.57

255.23
308.38
407.78

247.30
314.25
414.42

254.76
312.25
410.34

257.31
314.75
404.49

258.06
316.92
414.10

263.03
319.77
407.68

267.20
323.05
425.10

263.67
326.34
425.04

211.97
133.21

225.77
144.32

234.58
145.78

236.39
147.26

242.34
148.77

239.20
149.92

240.61
148.63

242.60
149.70

229.31
147.55

238.95
152.15

240.54
155.45

239.19
154.61

237.60
154.45

243.81
157.01

243.82
156.45

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES . . .

278.90

302.80

311.20

310.42

315.57

312.84

316.01

314.42

307.32

314.42

321.20

329.20

335.30

338.04

336.36

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE....................

142.52

153.64

157.11

156.00

159.21

158.72

159.54

161.35

162.50

162.00

165.16

168.17

167.99

167.24

166.54

WHOLESALE TRADE ......................................

209.13

228.14

235.95

235.52

240.07

237.31

238.46

242.35

243.18

244.68

247.26

249.21

249.35

252.59

251.94

RETAIL TRADE...............................................

121.66

130.20

132.13

131.89

134.90

133.65

134.55

135.44

137.39

136.50

139.50

142.07

141.93

140.61

139.54

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE . . .

165.26

178.36

183.73

182.59

184.04

186.73

188.92

187.31

190.37

188.44

188.96

192.56

191.50

195.29

195.47

SERVICES .....................................................

153.45

163.67

167.10

167.24

167.70

169.45

170.75

171.48

171.93

171.28

173.38

176.16

175.96

178.22

177.78


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

81

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
20.

Gross and spendable weekly earnings, in current and 1967 dollars, 1960 to date

[Averages for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
Manufacturing workers

Private nonagricultural workers

Year and month

1960 ......................................

Gross average
weekly eamings

Spendable average weekly eamings
Worker with no
dependents

Married worker with
3 dependents

Gross average
weekly earnings

Spendable average weekly earnings
Workers with no
dependents

Married worker with
3 dependents

Current
dollars

1967
dollars

Current
dollars

1967
dollars

Current
dollars

1967
dollars

Current
dollars

1967
dollars

Current
dollars

1967
dollars

Current
dollars

1967
dollars

$80.67

$90.95

$65.59

$73.95

$72.96

$82.25

$89.72

$101.15

$72.57

$81.82

$80.11

$90.32

74.48
76.99
78.56
82.57
86.63

83.13
84.98
85.67
88.88
91.67

92.34
96.56
99.23
102.97
107.53

103.06
106.58
108.21
110.84
113.79

74.60
77.86
79.51
84.40
89.08

83.26
85.94
86.71
90.85
94.26

82.18
85.53
87.25
92.18
96.78

91.72
94.40
95.15
99.22
102.41

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

......................................
......................................
......................................
......................................
......................................

82.60
85.91
88.46
91.33
95.45

92.19
94.82
96.47
98.31
101.01

67.08
69.56
71.05
75.04
79.32

74.87
76.78
77.48
80.78
83.94

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

......................................
......................................
......................................
......................................
......................................

98.82
101.84
107.73
114.61
119.83

101.67
101.84
103.39
104 38
103.04

81.29
83.38
86.71
90.96
96.21

83.63
83.38
83.21
82.84
82.73

88.66
90.86
95.28
99.99
104.90

91.21
90.86
91.44
91.07
90.20

112.19
114.49
122.51
129.51
133.33

115.42
114.49
117.57
117.95
114.64

91.45
92.97
97.70
101.90
106.32

94.08
92.97
93.76
92.81
91.42

99.33
100.93
106.75
111.44
115.58

102.19
100.93
102.45
101.49
99.38

1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

......................................
......................................
......................................
......................................
......................................

127.31
136.90
145.39
154.76
163.53

104.95
109.26
109.23
104.78
101.45

103.80
112.19
117.51
124.37
132.49

85.57
89.54
88.29
84.20
82.19

112.43
121.68
127.38
134.61
145.65

92.69
97.11
95.70
91.14
90.35

142.44
154.71
166.46
176.80
190.79

117.43
123.47
125.06
119.70
118.36

114.97
125.34
132.57
140.19
151.61

94.78
100.03
99.60
94.92
94.05

124.24
135.57
143.50
151.56
166.29

102.42
108.20
107.81
102.61
103.16

1976 ......................................
1977 ......................................
1978 ......................................

175.45
189.00
203.70

102.90
104.13
104.30

143.30
155.19
165.39

84.05
85.50
84.69

155.87
169.93
180.71

91.42
93.63
92.53

209.32
228.90
249.27

122.77
126.12
127.63

167.83
183.80
197.40

98.43
101.27
101.08

181.32
200.06
214.87

106.35
110.23
110.02

1978: October.........................
November......................
December......................

210.73
210.50
213.35

105.00
104.31
105.15

170.45
170.28
172.31

84.93
84.38
84.92

185.98
185.81
187.95

92.67
92.08
92.63

257.00
260.94
268.27

128.05
129.31
132.22

202.57
205.21
210.12

100.93
101.69
103.56

220.73
223.76
229.40

109.98
110.88
113.06

1979: January.........................
February.......................
March...........................

210.14
212.40
214.91

102.66
102.56
102.68

170.88
172.53
174.35

83.48
83.31
83.30

187.22
188.98
190.93

91.46
91.25
91.22

260.25
262.10
266.34

127.14
126.56
127.25

206.40
207.69
210.65

100.83
100.28
100.65

225.48
226.89
230.10

110.15
109.56
109.94

April .............................
May .............................
June.............................

211.65
215.20
219.71

99.93
100.89
101.30

171.98
175.29
177.85

81.20
81.80
82.00

188.39
191.93
194.67

88.95
89.56
89.75

254.41
265.86
269.06

120.12
124.06
124.05

202.32
210.04
212.51

95.52
98.14
97.98

221.05
229.74
232.17

104.37
107.20
107.04

July...............................
August .........................
Septemberp ..................

221.76
c222.84
225.54

101.08
100.60
100.82

179.35
180.13
182.10

81.75
81.32
81.40

196.26
197.11
199.15

89.45
88.99
89.03

267.73
267.60
274.04

122.03
120.81
122.50

211.61
211.52
215.89

96.45
95.49
96.51

231.16
231.06
235.94

105.36
104.32
105.47

Octoberp ......................

224.64

(’ )

181.45

( 1)

198.46

(’ )

274.57

<’ )

216.25

( 1)

236.35

(’ )

1Not available.
c = Corrected.
NOTE: The earnings expressed in 1967 dollars have been adjusted for changes in price level
as measured by the Bureau’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers

82

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

'

(revised). These series are described in “The Spendable Earnings Series: A Technical Note on its
Calculation” , Employment and Earnings and Monthly Report on the Labor Force, February 1969,
^ g “ 13^
’^

alS° "Spendable Eamin9S FOmnU'aS’ 1977“ 79" Employmen, and Eamings’ Sep,ember

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA

U n e m p l o y m e n t i n s u r a n c e d a t a are compiled monthly by
the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. De­
partment of Labor from records of State and Federal unem­
ployment insurance claims filed and benefits paid. Railroad
unemployment insurance data are prepared by the U.S. Rail­
road Retirement Board.

ployed. Persons not covered by unemployment insurance (about onethird 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.

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 the State, Ex-Servicemen, and UCFE programs,
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

21.

Unemployment Insurance and employment service operations

[All items except average benefits amounts are in thousands]

1978
Aug.

All programs:
Insured unemployment....................
State unemployment insurance
program:'
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 claims' .................................
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 .........................

2,394

Sept

2,064

O ct

1979
Nov.

1,999

2,148

Dec.

2,567

Jan.

Feb.

3,198

Mar.

3,209

Apr.

2,921

May

2,610

June

2,230

July

2,119

Aug.

2,429

1,372

1,059

1,289

1,526

1,882

2,421

1,576

1,396

1,591

1,326

1,411

2,010

2,168
3.0

1,860
2.6

1,816
2.4

2,009
2.7

2,421
3.2

3,037
3.9

3,053
4.0

2,750
3.6

2,440
3.1

2,078
2.6

1,991
2.5

2,300
2.8

8,483

6,517

6,405

6,744

7,907

11,371

10,762

11,105

8,956

8,478

7,263

7,875

81.53
$677,777

$81.90
$520,967

$83.42
519,726

$83.99
$550,691

$85.34
$645,084

$88.28
$972,820

$90.31
$915,146

$90.28
$975,641

$89.25
$777,699

$88.23
$727,106

$86.93
$613,324

$86.24
$663,131

25

23

23

23

24

24

21

21

20

21

24

29

50

48

49

48

50

54

53

52

48

45

45

51

234
$21,518

223
$18,284

203
$18,887

244
$20,591

228
$21,040

262
$24,425

219
$20,489

241
$22,794

207
$19,617

214
$20,445

199
$19,090

218
$21,065

16

15

18

16

18

21

13

12

12

12

13

16

32

31

34

32

34

37

35

33

27

-24

23

2.5

105
$11,440

115
$9,945

120
$10,414

135
$11,826

136
$12,174

158
$14,222

133
$12,256

143
$13,168

112
$10,345

108
$9,488

95
$8,614

98
$8,932

2,377

2,245
2.7

52

25

Railroad unemployment insurance:
Applications..................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume) .........................
Number of payments ......................
Average amount of benefit
payment....................................
Total benefits paid .........................

16

28

8

15

10

8

6

5

3

3

9

15

8

36
82

37
69

18
53

17
33

17
30

26
50

24
50

23
23

18
40

10
29

8
19

11
20

12
26

$207.85
$15,080

$218.70
$14,318

$192.38
$10,070

$171.54
$5,394

$189.59
$5,678

$200.80
$9,634

$200.54
$9,871

$204.72
$10,538

$195.55
$7,276

$177.39
$5,681

$183.13
$3,314

$190.10
$3,699

$195.61
$3,767

Employment service:5
New applications and renewals
Nonfarm placements ......................

14,413
4,024

15,463
4,439

1,670
467

3,026
827

414
1,120

5,630
1,414

8,059
1,991

9,180
2,291

10,452
2,616

11,907
3,051

13,186
3,482

'Initial claims and State insured unemployment include data under the program for Puerto Rican
sugarcane workers.
2Includes interstate claims for the Virgin Islands. Excludes transition claims under State programs.
3Excludes data on claims and payments made jointly with other programs


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4Includes the Virgin Islands. Excludes data on claims and payments made jointly with State
programs.
5Cumulative total for fiscal year (October 1- September 30).
NOTE: Data for Puerto Rico included. Dashes indicate data not available.

83

PRICE DATA

P r ic e 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).

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 mea­
sures 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.

84

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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 S ta n d a rd In d u stria l Classification M a n u a l 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
dustrial censuses conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census and 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 24.)
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 A bou t the R evised C onsum er Price Index, a pamphlet in
the Consumer Price Index Revision 1978 series. See also The
C onsum er Price In dex: Concepts a n d C ontent O ver the Years. Report
517, revised edition (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 1978).
For interarea comparisons of living costs at three hypothetical stan­
dards of living, see the family budget data published in the H andbook
o f L a b o r Statistics, 1977, Bulletin 1966 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1977), tables 122-133. Additional data and analysis on price changes
are provided in the C P I D eta iled R eport and P roducer Prices a n d 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 B L S H an dbook o f M ethods
f o r S urveys a n d Studies, Bulletin 1910 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1976), chapters 13-15. See also John F. Early, “Improving the mea­
surement of producer price change,” M on th ly L a b o r Review, April
1978, pp. 7-15. For industry prices, see also Bennett R. Moss, “In­
dustry and Sector Price Indexes,” M on th ly L a b o r Review, August
1965, pp. 974-82.

22.

Consum er Price index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, annual averages and changes, 1967- 78

[1967 = 100]
Food and
beverages

All i ems
Year
Index

Percent
change

Percent
change

Index

Apparel and
upkeep

Housing

Index

Percent
change

Transportation

Percent
change

Index

Index

Percent
change

Medical care

Index

Other goods
and services

Entertainment

Percent
change

Percent
change

Index

Index

Percent
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
1268
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 ................

170.5
181.5
195.3

5.8
6.5
7.6

177.4
188.0
206.2

3.1
6.0
9.7

174.6
186.5
202.6

6.1
6.8
8.6

147.6
154.2
159.5

3.7
4.5
3.4

165.5
177.2
185.8

9.9
7.1
4.9

184.7
202.4
219.4

9.5
9.6
8.4

159.8
167.7
176.2

5.0
4.9
5.1

162.7
172.2
183 2

5.7
5.8
6.4

23. 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]
All Urban Consumers
General summary

1978

Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

1979

1978

1979

Sept

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

All ite m s .................................

199.3

211.5

214.1

216.6

218.9

221.1

223.4

199.1

211.8

214.3

216%

219.4

221.5

223.7

Food and beverages ...............................
Housing....................................
Apparel and upkeep...............................
Transportation .................................
Medical care ..........................................
Entertainment .............................
Other goods and services......................................

210.3
207.5
161.9
188.7
222.6
178.3
187.8

226.3
219.8
165.4
202.9
235.1
186.5
193.2

228.2
222.4
166.1
207.7
236.3
187.8
193.9

229.3
225.5
165.7
212.6
237.7
188 2
194.5

230.7
228.4
164.3
216.6
2399
189.1
195.2

230.2
231.5
166.3
219.6
241 8
190.2
197.0

231.0
234.6
1698
221.4
243.7
191.1
201.7

210.1
2070
161.9
189.2
222.8
177.4
187.1

226.7
219.7
165.4
203.7
235.2
185.5
193.1

228.2
222.3
165.7
208.6
236.3
187.1
193.8

229.3
225.5
165.3
213.7
238.2
187.5
194.3

230.9
228.4
164.5
217.8
240.5
188 6
195.1

230.4
231.5
166.2
220.7
242.6
188.9
197.2

231.2
234.5
169.3
222.4
244.7
190.2
200.6

Commodities.............................
Commodities less food and beverages .........
Nondurables less food and beverages...........
Durables....................................

190.5
178.9
179.1
177.2

203.3
190.1
191.9
187.2

205.8
192.9
195.7
189 2

208.4
196.0
200.5
191.1

210.5
198.4
204.2
192.6

212.2
200.9
208.8
193.6

214.1
203.3
213.2
194.5

190.4
178.7
179.2
177.0

203.6
190.2
192.7
186.8

206.1
193.1
196.6
188.9

208.7
196.3
201.6
190.8

211.0
198.8
205.6
192.2

212.6
201.3
210.5
192.9

214.4
203.5
214.8
193.5

Services ..........................................
Rent, residential......................................
Household services less rent ......................
Transportation services................
Medical care services...............................
Other services........................

215.6
166.4
241.8
198.7
239.1
188.9

227.0
172.0
256.5
208.2
253.1
196.2

229.5
173.8
260.2
209.8
254.4
197.6

232.1
174.7
264.5
210.9
255.9
198 4

234.7
175.9
268.6
212.6
258.5
199.3

237.6
177.5
272.8
2149
260.6
200.5

240.7
179.0
276.7
216.6
262.8
204.7

215.2
166.3
241.7
198 8
239.2
188.4

227.1
171.9
257.2
209.0
252.9
196.4

229.7
173.7
261.1
210.5
254.0
198.0

232.3
174.7
265.6
211.6
256.1
198.7

235.1
175.8
2698
213.3
258.8
200.1

237.9
177.3
274.1
215.3
261.2
201.2

241 0
178.9
278.2
216.8
263.8
204.9

195.1
195.5
177.8
177.1
188 0
195.4
224.6
211.7
2039
211.1
225.1
197.6
192.4
173.7
217.1
213.9

206.3
206.4
188 9
189.6
205.2
209.9
237.1
222.7
222.4
2640
250.2
2088
202.3
182.1
253.2
225.6

208.9
208.7
191.6
193.2
210.2
212.8
239.8
225.3
224.2
271.9
2608
210.7
204.1
183.6
266.4
227.8

211.8
211.0
194.7
197.6
217.0
215.7
242.6
228.0
224.9
268.3
275.4
212.2
205.8
184.8
284.9
229.9

214.2
213.0
197.0
201.1
222.8
218.3
245.6
230.6
225.9
2678
287.1
213.8
207.3
185.6
300.8
232.4

216.9
214.7
199.5
205.4
228.3
220.4
248.8
233.6
223.5
253.0
296.3
215.4
2094
186.8
314.5
235.4

2196
216.7
201.8
209.6
232.7
223.1
252.1
236.7
223.7
255.3
304.3
217.3
211.5
188.2
325.3
238.4

194.8
195.4
177.7
177.2
188.0
195.5
224.2
211.3
203.7
212.0
224.9
197.4
192.1
193.6
217.3
213.5

206.3
2068
189.0
190.2
205.8
210.6
237.3
222.9
222.3
265.6
251.2
209.0
202.1
181.8
253.9
225.8

209.1
209.1
191.8
194.0
211.0
213.2
240.1
225.6
223.9
273.1
2622
210.8
204.0
183.3
267.3
228.0

212.0
211.5
194.9
198.6
218.0
216.3
243.0
228.2
224.6
269.9
277.3
212.3
205.5
184.5
286.2
230.1

214.6
213.7
197.4
202.5
223.9
2192
246.1
231.0
225.8
270.1
289.2
213.9
2072
185.4
301.9
232.7

217.3
215.3
199 9
207.0
229.7
221.3
249.2
233.9
223.4
255.5
298.8
215.3
209.0
186.4
315.8
235.7

219.8
217.2
202.0
211.0
234.2
223.9
2526
236 9
223.6
258.0
307.0
217.0
211.0
187.5
326.5
238.7

$0,502

$0,473

$0,467

$0,462

$0,457

$0,452

$0,448

$0 502

$0,472

$0,467

$0,461

$0,456

Sept

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Special Indexes:

All items less food .........................
All items less mortgage interest costs.............
Commodities less food..............
Nondurables less food ...........................
Nondurables less food and apparel................
Nondurables ......................
Services less rent .........................
Services less medical care.........................
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....................................
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar, 1967 = $1 .............


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

$0,451

$0,447

r

85

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1967 =100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

All Urban Consumers
General summary

1979

1978

1979

1978
Sept.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Sept.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

BEVERAGES ................................................................................................

210.3

226.3

228.2

229.3

230.7

230.2

231.0

210.1

226.7

228.2

229.3

230.9

230.4

231.2

Food .............................................................................................................

215.6

232.3

234.3

235.4

236.9

236.3

237.1

215.4

232.7

234.2

235.4

237.1

236.5

237.3

232.8
216.8
114.7
117.0
115.4
111.7
114.7
189.0
116.2
114.5
113.9
114.9
113.2
115.3

233.6
218.2
115.4
118.4
116.0
111.8
115.5
189.5
117.1
115.4
114.8
116.2
112.7
117.8

235.0
221.1
117.0
120.3
117.4
113.4
117.0
194.3
118.5
115.8
115.9
117.2
112.9
1178

233.5
224.1
119.0
123.3
118.5
115.8
118.5
198.0
120.8
117.7
116.3
117.2
114.9
119.3

234.2
226.6
120.6
125.1
118.7
119.1
119.7
200.5
122.5
118.6
116.8
117.8
114.9
121.6

Food at home ..............................................................................
Cereals and bakery products.....................................................
Cereals and bakery 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 and 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) .........

2334
216.2
114.6
116.7
115.1
111.9
114.4
189.0
114.9
114.7
113.3
113.4
113.3
113.7

234.2
217.8
115.5
117.8
115.8
112.8
115.2
190.3
115.3
115.8
114.0
114.1
112.2
115.9

235.5
220.1
116.6
119.4
117.0
113.6
116.4
194.2
116.2
116.1
114.8
114.8
112.7
116.0

233.9
223.7
118.5
122.5
118.0
115.7
118.3
198.4
118.6
118,1
116.6
115.6
114.7
117.5

234.7
225.6
120.0
123.4
118.8
118.6
119.2
200.7
119.6
119.0
116.7
115.9
114.8
118.8

213.8
204.3
110.7
112.1
109.4
111.2
107.3
175.5
108.8
107.7
106.4
107.1
107.0
107.5

231.4
215.2
114.1
115.5
114.6
112.2
113.8
188.0
114.2
113.2
113.0
114.5
113.1
114.0

214.1
203.8
110.5
111.7
109.0
111.4
106.9
176.5
107.3
107.4
106.2
105.9
107,4
105.6

231.7
214.5
114.0
114.8
114.6
112.5
113.3
188,4
112.6
113.3
112.0
113.1
112.4
112.0

108.8

114.9

116.6

117.6

119.8

120.8

121.7

108.6

112.9

114.1

113.9

116.5

117.1

118.6

239.8
246.1
249.6
266.9
278.7
279.7
236.8
250,0
259.8
151.3
217.2
203.9
206.4
995
276.1
226.0
124.4
248.9
249.3
136.7
123.1
143.9
187.2
185.8
120.3
123.4
301.0
110.3
117.2
161.9

239.0
245.0
248.0
266.4
274.5
280.5
239.1
248.1
260.7
151.8
215.1
200.0
207.7
97.2
270.4
224.4
124.2
245.1
243.2
135.4
122.0
141.0
186.2
184.1
119.4
123.6
304.3
111,4
118.6
165.8

230.2
235.8
237.8
251.9
260.3
257.5
222.2
238.1
247.5
145.0
207.4
192.5
195.3
96.4
263.8
221.1
118.3
243.5
241.9
134.3
122.7
137.6
177.1
171.3
112.1
123.0
306.5
112.7
119.2
161.8

231.0
236.0
238.1
254.2
261.4
261.0
229.2
239.2
251.0
145.6
206.5
194.0
198.1
95.2
258.4
216.6
117.4
240.2
235.9
133.2
121.6
135.6
174.8
169.9
111.8
119.2
309.7
113.9
120.4
170.7

209.4
213.5
212.3
210.6
209.7
214.8
189.9
197.2
212.4
123.5
213.2
220.8
200.8
98.0
263.6
213.0
117.4
213.1
209.7
118.3
110.7
115.2
175.5
175,4
112.0
115.3
278.7
105.0
106.9
161.4

239.4
244.4
247.6
263.9
273.2
286.8
237.2
245.1
247.5
149.1
225.6
223.2
214.1
101.5
280.9
234.3
127.3
236.1
238.9
130.9
119.0
131.2
187.2
187.8
121.0
120.6
292.9
107.9
113.9
179.8

241.2
246.9
250.9
271.3
280.0
293.1
244.1
253.2
259.3
153.4
221.6
216.7
211.3
99.6
274.2
229.6
126.5
240.0
242.4
132.2
118.6
140.0
186.2
183.9
120.2
122.9
292.7
108.6
113.2
171.5

239.0
245.3
248.8
268.2
278.8
286.0
240.0
247.5
261.1
151.6
217.2
206.0
207.4
97.0
276.0
226.4
124.4
245.2
249.0
133.4
1206
145.9
185.1
181.5
120.1
122.7
295.9
109.2
114,9
161.6

238.3
244.2
247.4
268.4
274.7
288.7
242.7
246.4
260.7
152.8
214.9
201.6
209.2
96.1
269.5
222.3
123.2
241.0
243.0
132.3
119.4
141.1
184.0
179.6
119.1
123.2
298.3
110.2
115.7
165.4

229.6
235.3
237.6
254.1
261.9
264.0
225.9
235.4
247.3
146.0
207.6
195.0
196.2
94.9
263.2
218.9
118.4
239.9
242.6
129.7
120.8
137.9
174.3
166.7
111.1
122.1
301.4
111.5
116.9
160.5

230.5
235.4
237.7
256.4
263.5
267.9
231.0
235.7
253.9
146.6
206.1
195.6
196.1
94.3
258.4
215.3
117.5
236.6
2361
129.5
119.0
136.9
172.8
165.8
110.9
119.8
304.4
113.5
117.5
170.5

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 .................................................................
Pork 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...................................................................

209.9
214.0
212.7
209.7
209.1
208.4
190.8
2001
212.9
123.1
213.7
219.1
200.5
980
265.0
218.4
117.9
215.7
210,9
119.5
113.0
115.8
177.9
180.6
111.7
116.6
280.0
104.9
107.7
161.9

240.0
245.1
248.3
262.5
273.7
278.5
235.8
247.8
248.4
148.4
225.9
220.8
212.8
103.7
282.0
234.4
127.8
239.4
240.1
132.5
121.8
131.2
189.9
191.5
121.5
1230
295.6
108.9
114.8
179.3

242.2
247.9
252.1
270.3
280.6
285.7
244.4
256.5
259.0
152.8
222.2
215.8
210.1
101.8
276.1
229.5
127.0
244.0
245.2
134.1
121.8
138.5
188.0
185.9
120.4
125.1
297.2
109.8
115.2
172.9

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) ...........................

188.8
106.5
174.2
106.6
107.0
187.0
106.7
106.4
105 4

202.4
114.0
186.5
114.1
114.9
196.6
115.5
114.3
111.9

2038
114.7
188.1
114.3
115.8
199.4
116.3
115.2
112.7

205.5
115.7
189.4
115.6
116.8
199 9
116.9
116.9
114.5

206.3
116.1 '
190.0
116.3
117.3
200.6
117.7
117.0
114.5

208.6
117.7
192.8
117.4
118.2
203.0
118.4
117.8
115.4

211.3
119.0
195.4
118.1
120.1
209.9
120.1
120.1
115.5

189.5
106.6
174.6
106.6
107.8
187.9
106.9
108.4
106.0

203.0
114.3
187.2
114.1
115.3
199.1
115.4
115.3
112.0

204.3
115.2
188.7
114.9
116.0
201.5
116.1
115.7
112.6

205.9
116.0
189.8
116.0
117.0
2020
116.3
117.8
114.6

206.7
116.3
190.3
116.5
117.6
202.6
117.4
118.4
114.3

208.9
117.9
193.0
117.7
118.4
205.7
118.4
118.1
115.4

212.0
119.5
195.6
119.3
120.5
212.3
120.2
120.7
115.6

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) ......................

216,2
222.5
248.2
246.4
1682
297.1
130.0
198.5
221.1
180.2
154.4
114.1

226.5
230.7
237.1
223.1
217.9
267.7
121.9
224.7
197.3
195.7
2509
132.5

2268
231 0
249.6
229,9
212.6
267.1
135.4
213.6
203.9
194.1
219.7
122.9

233.8
243.3
2660
232.9
225.3
311.5
141.4
222.0
221.5
193.1
222.0
128.1

238.1
249.4
278.2
250.2
221.0
313.5
151.3
222.4
2257
200.0
185.8
132.1

237.8
247.5
286.9
275.2
202.3
316.2
157.5
210.7
211.4
235.7
187.0
113.8

231.8
234.7
271.6
244.7
210.3
312.3
147.1
200.3
199.3
219.6
178.5
109.5

214.6
219.9
248.4
245.8
1680
285.4
133.0
194.3
216.4
174.2
152.5
112.0

224.6
228.5
234.2
219.8
213.7
259.9
121.8
223.4
197.1
196.9
250.4
131.0

224.9
228.7
245.7
224.2
209 1
259.7
134.7
213.4
203.5
195.1
217.9
123.0

231.5
240.4
261.1
233.7
221.7
293.0
140.7
221.8
224.3
186.0
223.0
128.7

236.6
248.1
278.2
248.4
218.5
306.1
154.2
221.0
227.9
195.9
189.4
130.2

237.0
247.9
288.9
275.9
202.5
298.6
163.5
211.0
212.1
2403
185.6
113.3

229.6
232.9
271.2
243.1
208.4
291.8
152.3
198.4
193.4
222.9
179.2
108.0

Processed fruits and vegetables ....................................
Processed fruits (12/77 - 100)..................................
Frozen fruit and fruit juices (12/77 = 100) ................
Fruit juices and other than frozen (12/77 = 100).........
Canned and dried fruits (12/77 - 100)......................
Processed vegetables (12/77 - 100) .........................
Frozen vegetables (12/77 - 100) ...........................

211.2
106.7
107.1
106.5
106.6
105.3
105.0

223.9
117.0
114.8
115.2
120.9
108.0
106.9

224.2
116.8
112.6
115.6
121.8
108.5
107.2

225.4
117.6
114.3
115.6
122.5
108.9
107.1

227.8
118.5
114.3
117,0
123.8
110.4
109.6

229.2
119.7
115.5
117.9
125.0
110.7
109.7

230.6
120.6
116.3
119.3
125.5
111.2
109.8

210.5
107.2
1071
107.3
107.1
104.4
104.9

222.1
116.8
114.5
115.3
120.2
107.1
106.8

222.5
116.8
113.3
115.7
120.8
107.4
107.2

223.5
117.0
114.4
115.1
121.2
108.1
107.7

225.8
118.1
113.6
117.4
122.7
109.3
109.7

226.9
119.0
114.4
118.2
123.8
109.5
109.9

227.9
119.8
114.9
119.7
123.9
109.9
109.4

86

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1 9 67 = 100 unless otherwise specified]

All Urban Consumers
General summary

1978

Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

1079

1978

1979

Sept

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Sept

Apr.

May

June

Fruits and vegetables—Continued
Cut com and canned beans except lima (12/77=100) .. .
Other canned and dried vegetables: (12/77=100)...........
Other foods at home................................................................
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 co 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) ..

107.6
104.4
253.9
261.8
109.8
110.5
106.5
215.4
231.9
107.0
111.1
339.8
221.4
108.9
377.7
349.6
107.9
192.6
103.6
108.1
103.7
108.3
106.8
107.8
107.7

112.7
106.3
264.0
274.2
116.0
114.8
110.6
222.5
236.7
110.9
115.4
347.7
234.8
114.5
343.6
330.8
113.3
204.7
110.2
115.9
112.6
114.2
112.2
112.8
114.1

112.2
107.4
266.0
276.3
117.1
115.3
111.7
225.3
238.8
112.4
117.0
349.3
237.4
115.1
341.2
329.8
113.5
206.6
111.4
118.3
113.1
114.0
113.1
114.5
114.6

113.2
107.7
267.1
277.4
117.4
115.4
112.6
226.3
239.1
112.8
117.8
350.4
237.9
115.3
347.3
330.2
113.4
207.8
112.6
119.2
113.3
114.4
113.6
115.1
115.6

114.3
108.8
269.5
279.4
118.5
115.4
113.8
227.4
240.2
113.7
118.3
354.6
238.3
115.6
376.5
335.6
113.1
209.1
113.2
121.4
114.0
115.0
114.3
115.3
115.8

113.9
109.7
272.8
281.0
119.4
115.6
114.6
228.9
240.3
114.0
119.7
361.8
239.2
116.2
411.7
349.5
114.2
210.5
113.2
120.7
115.7
115.9
115.2
116.3
116.8

114.7
110.1
276.0
282.0
119.7
115.9
115.3
231.5
245.5
114.6
120.6
367.7
242.7
117.9
425.9
3599
114.0
212.6
113.1
123.1
118.4
117.4
115.9
116.8
116.7

106.9
102.9
253.5
261.9
110.0
110.9
1057
216.6
232.6
107.4
111.9
338.7
220.0
107.0
376.1
348.6
107.5
192.6
103.7
108.0
103.8
107.7
107.3
107.7
107.3

111.4
105.0
263.7
273.6
115.8
115.1
109.4
223.0
235.9
111.2
115.9
347.8
234.1
112.2
344.3
329.4
112.7
204.5
110.3
115.0
113.0
113.4
113.0
112.7
113.6

111.0
105.7
265.3
275.6
116.9
115.4
110.4
225.1
236.9
112.1
117.4
348.4
235.6
112.9
340.3
328.6
112.3
206.5
111.6
117.3
113.6
113.6
113.9
114.2
114.2

Food away from home...................................................................
Lunch (12/77=100) ................................................................
Dinner (12/77=100) ................................................................
Other meals and snacks (12/77=100)......................................

223.2
108.6
108.1
108.0

238.4
116.4
115.3
115.0

241.1
117.7
116.8
115.9

242.7
118.5
117.7
116.6

244.9
119.6
118.9
117.3

246.5
120.3
119.8
117.8

247.6
120.7
120.3
118.6

223.2
108.5
108.0
108.4

240.4
117.6
115.9
116.2

July

Aug.

Sept

112.0
106.3
266.2
276.6
117.0
115.3
111.9
226.6
238.4
112.5
118.2
348.5
234.7
112.5
347.3
328.9
112.3
207.9
112.6
118.6
113.7
114.0
114.9
114.8
115.3

112.4
112.0
107.5
108.1
268.7
271.8
278.3
279.9
118.1 c 119.0
115.4
115.5
112.6
113.6
227.6
228.9
239.7
239.8
113.6
114.0
118.5
119.6
353.6
360.0
236.5
236.9
1130
114.2
375.1
406.1
336.2
349.4
112.2
113.0
208.8
210.4
113.1
113.3
119.5
118.7
114.8
116.4
114.2
115.4
115.2
116.2
115.2
116.3
115.3
116.7

112.6
108.7
274.7
281.2
119.3
116.4
114.0
230.7
242.8
114.5
120.4
365.0
240.1
115.7
418.2
358.9
112.7
212.4
113.3
121.1
119.0
116.3
117.5
116.3
116.7

242.0
118.5
116.8
116.6

244.4
119.6
118.2
117.4

246.5
120.4
119.7
118.2

248.3
121.3
1205
119.1

249.3
121.7
120.9
119.9

FOOD AND BEVERAGES-Continued
Food—Continued
Food at home—Continued

Alcoholic beverage« ...................................................................

162.0

170.2

171.5

172.1

172.7

173.3

174.2

162.6

170.6

171.9

172.4

173.3

173.6

174.9

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).............................

105.3
156.8
122.9
179.8
102.5
107.4

110.6
167.7
125.4
190.7
105.0
112,8

111.5
169.2
126.5
192.7
104.7
113.7

111.9
170.0
126.8
193.2
105.2
113.9

112.2
170.3
127.4
194.1
105.2
114.5

112.7
170.6
128.4
196.0
105.4
114.6

113.3
172.3
129.0
195.2
105.5
115.1

106.1
157 5
124.0
183.0
102.1
106.2

111.6
168.0
126.8
194.1
104.6
110.2

112.4
169.2
127.8
195.9
105.0
111.2

112.7
169.8
128.2
196.2
104.9
111.7

113.3
170.5
129.2
197.8
105.0
112.3

113.4
170.3
129.9
199.4
105.1
112.8

114.3
171.8
130.4
202.7
105.3
113.4

HOUSING.......................................................

207.5

219.8

222.4

225.5

228.4

231.5

234.6

207.0

219.7

222.3

225.5

228.4

231.5

234.5

Shelter................................................................

216.2

230.7

233.5

236.7

240.1

243.9

247.4

216.0

231.2

234.1

237.2

240.7

244.5

248.2

Rent, residential........................................................

166.4

172.0

173.8

174.7

175.9

177.5

179.0

166.3

171.9

173.7

174.7

175.8

177.3

178.9

Other rental costs .....................................................
Lodging while out of town..........................................................
Tenants’ insurance (12/77-100) ....... ........................................

212.0
218.5
102.4

228.3
2397
107.1

230.3
242.1
107.2

232.3
244.3
108.0

236.0
248.8
110.9

238.2
251.2
112.0

239.3
251.8
113.7

211.9
218.0
102.4

228.0
238.7
107.1

229.6
240.5
107.5

231.8
243.1
108.2

235.2
246.7
111.5

237.6
249.5
112.6

238.6
249.9
114.1

Homeownership.......................................................
Home purchase ...................................................
Financing, taxes, and insurance .................................................
Property insurance ............................................
Property taxes ..............................................................
Contracted mortgage interest cost........................................
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) .........

234.2
201.2
268.9
287.5
195.2
309.2
151.0
237.5
256.9
192.2

251.7
215.4
292.1
303.2
181.1
350.8
160.2
250.6
271.5
201.8

254.9
217.6
297.2
307.1
181.2
358.4
162.0
252.4
273.2
203.8

258.8
220.9
302.2
310.6
181.3
366.0
163.0
255.5
277.4
204.4

263.0
224.0
306.6
312.6
161.8
375.6
164.9
257.9
280.0
206.1

267.6
226.9
316.4
314.6
183.1
387.2
167.7
259.7
281.8
208.1

271.9
229.8
323.0
316.7
184.7
396.7
169.7
262.5
284.4
211.5

234.1
201.1
269.4
287.1
195.6
309.1
151.0
235.4
254.5
192.4

252.7
215.4
294.0
303.2
182.6
351.1
160.3
251.7
273.8
202.6

255.9
217.6
299.2
306.9
182.7
358.9
162.2
253.4
275.5
204.0

259.9
220.8
304.2
310.1
182.8
366.2
163.1
256.7
280.2
204.9

264.2
224.0
310.6
312.1
183.3
375.8
164.9
2591
282.8
206.5

268.9
227.0
318.7
314.2
184.6
387.4
167.8
260.8
284.2
209.0

273.3
230.0
325.6
318.5
186.1
397.1
169.7
263.4
287.2
210.8

104.7
106.5

110.5
110.4

110.7
112.6

111.8
112.9

112.5
113.7

114.3
113.7

117.0
115.2

104.9
106.8

111.3
111.3

110.8
113.3

112.1
113.9

112.8
114.4

115.0
114.8

116.1
115.7

102.4
102.9

106.8
109.5

106.4
110.2

108.6
109.3

110.1
110.3

110.8
111.1

111.9
112.9

103.5
101.5

106.0
107.8

109.5
106.6

109.3
107.6

110.2
109.5

111.5
110.3

112.6
111.2

Fuel and other mattes..................................................................

218.8

227.5

232.2

239.0

243.5

247.2

251.2

218.9

227.8

232.5

2394

244.1

247.7

251.7

Fuels .........................................................................................
Fuel oil, coal, and bottled gas.....................................................
Fuel o il.............................................................................
Other fuels (6/78 = 100) ...................................................
Gas (piped) and electricity........................................................
Electricity.........................................................................
Utility (piped) gas ..............................................................

251.5
295.7
295.1
98.1
237.9
209.4
266.3

266.8
349.8
358.5
99.5
245.3
210.4
286.3

274.6
364.3
375.3
100.1
251.6
214.3
296.8

286.2
391.2
405.9
102.6
259.9
223.7
301,8

293.8
412.9
429.5
106.2
264.5
227.4
307.7

299.7
438.6
458.2
109.3
266.5
229.2
309.7

306.6
461.6
482.5
114.4
270.1
230.6
317.5

251.3
2958
295.1
98.4
237.7
209.6
265.5

266.7
350.3
359.1
99.4
245.1
210.7
284.8

274.6
364.8
375.7
100.2
251.4
214.7
295.4

286.1
391.6
406.1
102.6
259.8
224.3
300.1

293.9
413.5
430.0
106.5
264.6
228.0
306.5

299.8
439.0
458.5
109.4
266.5
299.7
308.5

306.6
462.5
483.3
114.6
269.9
231.1
315.6


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

87

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
23.

Continued— Consumer Price index— U.S. city average

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

A l Urban Consumers
General summary

1979

1978

1179

1978
Sept

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Sept

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

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 .......... . . .
.......

159.2
133.3
101.9
99.1
100.4
235.5

158.8
132.1
100.4
98.3
100.7
240.2

159.0
132.2
100.6
98.3
100.7
241.4

159.2
132.0
100.0
98.4
101.2
243.1

159.4
132.1
100.1
98.4
101.3
244.0

159.8
132.5
100.5
98.5
101.5
244.6

159.8
132.4
100.4
98.4
101.4
245.3

159.3
133.4
102.0
99.2
100.2
235.7

158.9
132.1
100.5
98.3
100.6
240.7

159.1
132.2
100.6
98.3
100.6
241.5

159.2
132.0
100.1
98.5
101.1
243.3

159.4
132.2
100.2
98.5
101.2
244.0

159.8
132.5
100.6
98.5
101.4
244.6

159.8
132.4
100.5
98.4
101.3
245.5

Household furnishings and operations ................................................

180.5

188.6

189.2

190.1

190.4

191.2

192.2

179.0

187.3

188.1

188.8

189.0

189.8

190.6

156.4
166.2
102.6
104.7
168.9
105.4
104.2
102.4
107.1
131.7
102.6
101.9
104.2
148.8
147.9
104.4
104.6

162.4
173.1
106.2
109.7
176.5
112.7
106.8
103.1
113.8
135.3
104.2
103.0
106.3
154.5
151.4
108.7
109.4

162.6
173.1
106.1
109.7
176.9
112.8
106.2
103.7
114.7
135.6
104.0
102.8
106.1
155.4
152.4
109.8
109.7

163.1
174.9
106.8
111.4
177.5
112.9
107.8
103.5
114.7
135.6
104.0
102.7
106.3
155.4
151.9
110.8
109.5

162.9
173.6
104.3
112.4
176.8
113.2
106.2
104.5
113.3
135.4
103.9
102.6
106.1
155.1
152.9
110.7
108.7

163.2
172.8
103.6
112.0
177.1
114.0
106.3
104.9
112.7
135.8
104.3
102.8
106.8
155.5
154.6
110.7
106.6

164.1
175.3
106.7
112.0
178.3
114.8
107.1
105.1
113.9
136.2
104.7
102.9
107.5
155.8
154.1
110.9
109.1

155.1
165.7
102.0
104.0
166.9
104.0
103.3
101.1
106.2
131.1
101.6
100.7
103.3
148.7
151.1
104.1
103.6

161.9
174.1
106.3
111.1
175.8
111.2
107.0
104.8
112.7
135.2
103.9
102.3
106.2
154.7
155.2
108.5
108.4

162.4
173.1
105.8
110.3
176.4
110.8
108.4
105.4
112.9
135.8
103.8
102.2
106.3
156.0
156.9
109.9
108.8

162.8
174.0
105.1
112.3
177.6
111.7
110.1
105.4
113.3
135.3
103.3
102.0
105.5
155.6
156.0
110.5
108.3

162.5
171.6
103.1
111.4
177.2
112.1
106.7
106.2
112.5
135.0
103.3
101.6
105.8
154.9
157.3
110.1
107.1

163.0
173.0
103.7
112.7
177.3
112.7
108.2
106.1
112.5
135.5
104.0
101.9
106.7
155.1
157.9
110.2
107.1

163.5
174.9
106.3
1122
178.5
113.0
106.6
106.7
114.2
135.7
104.4
101.9
107.4
155.2
156.5
111.2
1072

106.1

110.1

110.0

109.8

109.0

106.5

108.6

104.3

109.5

109.6

106.9

107.6

107.7

107.7

102.9
104.5

108.6
109.3

109.3
109.3

109.2
109.5

108.5
110.3

106.8
110.7

109.7
110.9

102.8
103.3

107.2
106.5

106.0
109.0

107.6
109.6

106.5
110.4

106.4
110.6

106.8
110.3

103.5
102.8

109.0
105.6

108.5
105.2

108.5
105.9

109.1
107.5

109.5
107.1

111.1
106.0

97.9
103.6

103.9
106.6

104.6
105.9

1042
106.3

104.6
107.2

105.9
106.7

105.8
107.0

107.6
102.3

112.8
107.2

113.0
107.9

113.2
107.9

114.4
107.6

115.1
108.5

114.7
107.6

106.1
103.0

110.8
109.4

111.7
110.1

112.9
110.6

114.1
111.0

113.9
1115

114.5
109.5

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)......................................

206.9
200.1
105.6
108.2
102.9
106.5
103.4

219.7
210.9
109.1
115.9
107.4
111.2
110.0

220.5
209.6
110.1
116.3
107.3
111.6
111.7

221.5
210.2
110.7
116.7
108.2
111.8
112.3

222.3
210.9
111.3
116.5
108.9
112.3
113.0

223.4
212.5
112.0
116.2
109.5
112.9
113.8

224.1
215.1
112.3
116.4
109.9
113.3
112.7

208.0
199.0
105.0
109.0
103.3
105.1
100.8

218.1
209.6
106.9
116.2
106.4
109.9
106.8

219.4
206.2
110.0
117.1
106.7
110.4
110.0

219.9
206.8
110.8
117.2
107.0
110.1
110.3

220.7
210.5
111.3
116.9
107.5
110.5
110.4

221.6
210.9
111.9
116.3
108.5
111.3
111.3

222.6
214.5
112.4
117.1
106.3
111.6
109.9

Housekeeping services.....................................................................
Postage ..................................................................................
Moving, storage, freight, household laundry, and
drydeaning services (12/77 = 100) ..........................................
Appliance and furniture repair (12/77 = 100) .................................

231.6
257.3

244.5
257.3

246.2
257.3

248.0
257.3

249.7
257.3

251.6
257.3

253.4
257.3

231.4
257.2

243.1
257.2

244.9
257.2

247.0
2572

248.6
2572

250.4
257.2

252.1
257.2

106.6
103.6

112.6
106.0

113.8
108.5

115.1
109.1

116.3
109.5

117.3
110.7

118.1
111.7

107.0
103.3

112.6
107.1

114.1
107.6

115.5
106.8

116.5
109.4

117.7
110.3

118.6
111.1

APPAREL AND UPKEEP........................................................................

161.9

165.4

166.1

165.7

164.3

166.3

169.8

161.9

165.4

165.7

165.3

164.5

166.2

169.3

160.7

163.9

HOUSING-Continued.
Fuel and other unities—Continued

Housefumishings .............................................................................
Textile housefumishings..............................................................
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 arid tables (12/77 = 100)...........................
Other furniture (12/77 = 100)...............................................
Appliances including TV and sound equipment.................................
Television and sound equipment (12/77 = 100) ........................
Sound equipment (12/77 = 100) ....................................
Household appliances..........................................................
Refrigerators and home freezer........................................
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 condHioners (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) .

Apparel commodties............................................................................

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, sportcoats, and jackets (12/77 - 100) .......
Women’s and 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)..........................................

88

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

157.9

160.2

160.8

160.2

158.6

160.6

164.2

158.1

160.4

160.6

160.0

159.1

156.5
158.7
100.8
100.4
99.9
102.2
101.1
100.2
99.7
96.7
101.7
101.3
152.3
101.4
172.0
159.7
100.6
102.5
97.3
101.1
101.7
100.8

157.9
159.6
100.8
99.0
94.4
105.4
103.8
99.8
102.5
99.1
106.5
103.6
152.5
101.7
167.2
165.9
100.0
104.6
92.3
100.0
101.5
95.6

158.4
160.1
101.1
98.5
94.8
107.4
103.9
100.0
102.8
99.3
107.1
103.8
153.2
102.4
164.3
170.4
99.7
105.4
93.5
99.1
98.1
96.3

157.4
160.4
101.1
98.5
94.5
108.1
103.5
99.9
103.5
100.0
108.3
104.4
150.8
100.8
162.4
163.5
96.4
105.6
91.7
96.0
95.8
95.7

155.6
159.2
100.0
96.8
94.4
106.4
100.9
99.0
104.2
101.7
106.0
104.8
147.8
96.4
162.1
157.2
95.0
105.6
87.3
96.1
96.7
93.9

157.7
159.6
100.6
97.1
95.5
109.3
103.2
98.1
103.3
101.1
107.9
103.1
151.3
100.7
170.4
162.8
96.3
106.2
89.8
100.5
100.8
96.3

161.5
162.7
102.7
100.0
96.5
110.6
107.2
99.0
104.8
102.7
109.4
104.5
155.9
103.9
174.1
171.1
99.8
106.2
96.7
102.4
102.8
100.3

156.8
159.3
101.4
99.7
101.8
102.2
102.3
101.4
99.4
96.0
101.2
101.3
152.1
101.5
173.1
160.6
99.9
102.8
96.0
99.9
98.4
101.0

158.0
160.1
101.4
96.7
96.1
104.7
105.0
101.9
101.5
97.9
105.5
102.8
152.1
102.1
175.3
160.8
96.9
105.5
95.6
97.4
98.7
92.8

158.1
160.8
101.8
97.2
97.9
106.1
105.0
102.1
101.9
96.1
106.1
103.2
152.0
102.2
173.0
162.0
98.7
106.1
95.6
96.3
95.8
922

1572
160.9
101.6
96.8
97.8
106.2
104.5
101.7
103.1
99.4
107.8
104.1
149.9
100.6
166.9
156.6
96.5
106.5
92.4
95.9
93.4
93.8

156.0
160.6
101.3
95.8
97.6
106.6
104.1
101.5
103.5
101.3
107.1
103.9
147.5
98.7
166.8
152.8
96.7
106.1
87.9
95.5
94.6
92.5

157.9
161.1
101.9
962
99.2
107.0
104.9
101.9
102.7
100.3
107.0
102.9
150.5
100.4
173.1
152.8
97.7
107.0
91.0
98.8
95.9
99.7

1612
163.2
103.2
98.3
99.1
106.6
107.1
102.5
103.9
102.0
106.8
103.5
154.4
103.0
175.7
158.5
100.4
107.4
96.1
101.1
98.5
102.1

101.0

105.5

105.8

105.7

104.6

104.1

105.7

100.5

103.3

104.3

103.4

102.0

101.8

IO3.5

23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
A1 Urban Consumers
General summary

1978

Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

1979

Sept

Apr.

May

Apparel commodities less footwear—Continued
Infants’ and toddlers'................................................................
Other apparel commodities .......................................................
Sewing materials and notions (12/77 = 100) .........................
Jewelry and luggage (12/77 = 100) ....................................

220.4
159.6
98.0
105.4

220.7
166.8
101.9
110.4

221.2 220.9
166.9
167.3
101.2 101.0
110.7

111.3

Footwear......................................................................................
Men’s (12/77 = 100) ..............................................................
Boys’ and girls’ (12/77 - 100) .................................................
Womens’ (12/77 = 100)..........................................................

165.7
104.2
102.7
104.2

174.2

175.0

108.9
108.0

109.3
108.3

176.7
114.0
110.3
106.4

Apparel services .........................................................................
Laundry and drycleaning other than coin operated (12/77 = 100)...........
Other apparel services (12/77 = 100) .............................................

188.3
107.9
106.3

201.8

203.1
118.4

111.2

TRANSPORTATION .....................................................................

188.7

202.9

1978

1079

July

All»

Sept

Sept

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

219.0
167.9
101.3
111.7

221.2

223.4
172.6
102.3
115.6

217.8
162.1
97.7
108.1

222.0

169.8
102.3
113.0

167.8
99.0

112.8

223.6
167.3
96.4
113.5

223.9
167.8
95.7
114.3

221.9
168.4
95.6
114.9

224.2
170.2
96.8
116.1

226.0
174.9
100.4
118.9

176.6
113.4

177.5
114.5

180.1
115.0

164.7
105.0

174.2

111.1 112.2

175.2

176.0
113.2

176.6
114.5

176.9
115.2
111.4
106.5

179.4
116.3

204.8
119.7
111.4

111.0 112.0 111.6 102.2 109.3 109.8 110.0 111.2
111.6
106.3
108.1
112.0 102.3 107.3 107.7 107.9 \106.9
109.6
205.7
207.7
210.2 187.1 201.1 202.6 203.6 204.9 206.7 206.7
120.6 122.1 123.6 107.9 117.5 118.4 119.2 120.3 121.8 123.2
111.2 111.9 113.0 104.7 110.1 110.9 111.1 111.2 111.5 112.3

207.7

212.6

216.6

219.6

221.4

189.2

203.7

208.6

213.7

217.8

220.7

222.4

June

APPAREL AND UPKEEP-Continued
Apparel commodities—Continued

110.8 111.8

117.6
110.4

Private........................................................................................

188.3

203.2

208.1

213.3

217.4

220.4

222.0

188.8

203.7

208.8

214.1

218.3

221.2

222.7

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’ license (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Vehicle inspection (12/77 = 100) ...................................
Other vehicle related fees (12/77 = 100) ........................

153.5
195.9
201.5
224.4
107.1

164.3

166.3
208.9
265.0
242.0
116.0

166.7
209.2
280.0
244.0
117.4

166.6
207.0
292.0
245.7
118.6

166.1
202.9
301.0
247.1
119.4

153.1
195.9
201.4
224.8
107.4

163.9

234.7
238.2
113.3

165.8
205.4
247.7
240.1
114.1

165.3
205.4
248.5
240.5
115.2

165.9
208.9
266.2
242.3
116.0

166.6
209.2
281.0
244.2
117.6

166.3
207.0
293.3
246.0
118.6

165.9
202.9
302.3
247.5
1195

107.4
106.5
106.2
185.3
160.8
103.6
104.0
143.2
104.9
193.7
217.0
103.2
103.0
143.7
104.0
109.3
104.9

113.8
113.5
112.3
194.8
170.2
109.4

114.9
114.3
113.1
196.4
171.0
109.9

115.8
115.0
113.9
197.3
171.8
110.3

117.4
116.3
116.0
200.5
175.1
113.4
154.7
116.7
209.1
232.3
117.2
107.5
144.0
104.5
114.6
115.5

233.5
117.7
107.8
144.0
104.5
114.6
116.1

116.7
114.6
114.3
197.7
172.6
109.3
111.9
153.7
113.4
206.3
227.2
115.6
107.2
143.9
104.3
115.5
116.6

117.5
115.3
115.2
199*1
174.4
109.9
113.2
155.7
114.3
207.6
229.0
116.4
107.3
143.9
104.3
115.5
116.9

119.0
116.8
117.0
202.3
178.7
114.5
115.7
158.1
118.6

110.9

151.9
114.1
206.0
227.3
116.3
106.8
144.0
104.5
114.6
113.6

106.3
106.1
106.3
185.7
163.3
103.6
105.8
146.2
105.8
193.5
217.2

118.2
116.0
116.3

151.4
113.0
205.1
226.5
115.5
106.5
144.0
104.5
112.7
113.0

118.1
116.9
116.7
201.7
177.7
114.4
114.9
156.4
119.1

115.8
113.8
113.3
196.9
172.1
106.6

151.2
111.7
203.3
224.7
114.1
105.6
144.0
104.5

116.7
115.9
114.8
198.5
173.3
110.5
112.3
153.7
114.8
207.1
229.1
116.8
106.9
144.0
104.5
114.6
114.0

Pubic.........................................................................................

188.2

192.6

193.3

194.0

197.1

200.8

Airline fare....................................................................................
Intercity bus fare ...........................................................................
Intracity mass transit .....................................................................
Taxi fare ......................................................................................
Intercity train fare...........................................................................

189.6
242.6
182.9
205.3

192.5
249.2
187.8
215.0
205.0

193.7
250.1
187.9
216.2
205.2

194.3
253.9
188.4
217.2
205.3

198.5
258.8
189.8

205.2
263.2
190.5
224.7

216.1

235.1

236.3

237.7

151.6

152.4

153.3

MEDICAL CARE...........................................................................

201.8
222.6

Medical care commodities............................................................

145.1

Prescription drugs .........................................................................
Anti-infective drugs (12/77 = 100)..............................................
Tranquillizers and sedatives (12/77 = 100)...................................
Circulatories and diuretics (12/77 = 100)....................................
Hormones, diabetic drugs, biologicals, and
prescription and supplies (12/77 = 100) ..................................
Pain and symptom control drugs (12/77 = 100) ...........................
Supplements, cough and cold preparations, and
respiratory agents (12/77 = 100)............................................

132.9
104.6
105.4
104.0

200.0

110.1 110.6 111.2

112.0

114.8
113.0

112.6
195.5
171.4
107.3
111.3
153.1

111.6

201.0
176.1
112.0
114.1
156.1
116.8
209.6
232.3
116.4
108.1
143.9
104.3
115.5
119.3

102.9
143.5
103.8

203.8
224.7
113.5
106.4
143.9
104.3

105.3

114.8

153.8
112.4
205.4
226.4
114.8
106.8
143.9
104.3
113.5
115.8

205.2

188.5

193.6

194.2

194.8

197.6

200.6

204.1

214.1
268.0
190.5
228.5

189.1
242.7
182.6
206.1

193.2
249.2
188.0

198.4
258.5
189.7
226.5
217.1

205.2
263.0
1905
230.3

205.2

193.8
253.2
188.4
223.3
205.2

220.8

2145
268.0
1905
233.9
221.3

239.9

220.6 221.0 201.1
241.8
243.7
222.8

192.1
246.5
187.9
220.7
205.0
235.2

236.3

238.2

240.5

242.6

244.7

154.1

155.0

152.5

153.3

154.5

155.3

1565

156.7

141.5
111.7
113.7
108.5

142.4
112.9
114.2
109.2

143.0
113.0
114.4
109.1

143.7
1135
114.8
109.7

144.4
114.1
115.0

220.6

210.1

155.8

102.6

112.6

110.6 112.8

145.5

107.5
117.3

117.5

117.9

111.2 111.8 112.1

118.9
113.1

120.3
113.7

120.9
114.8

110.7
105.5

117.3

112.0

117.5
112.9

118.0
113.4

119.3
114.7

120.4
1155

104.6

108.5

109.2

109.4

109.5

110.3

110.9

105.1

109.6

110.1

110.9

111.0

111.7

1125

Nonprescription drugs and medfcal supplies (12/77 = 100) ..................
Eyeqlasses (12/77 = 100) .......................................................
Internal and respiratory over-the-counter drugs .............................
Nonprescription medical equipment and supplies (12/77 = 100).......

104.8
103.3
161.1
104.1

106.8
106.2
168.1
107.6

109.4
106.7
169.3
108.1

110.2 110.8 \
108.2
171.3
109.7

111.4
106.7
172.2
110.4

112.0

107.4
170.3
109.1

109.2
173.0

105.0
103.2
161.2
104.9

109.6
106.5
169.4
108.7

110.3
107.0
170.6
109.3

1115
107.7
172.0
110.3

111.9
108.5
1735
110.7

112.5
108.9
174.3
111.3

109.3
174.7
1115

Modcal care aacvtcaa

239.1

253.1

254.4

255.9

258.5

260.6

262.8

239.2

252.9

254.0

256.1

258.8

2615

263.8

Professional services .....................................................................
Physicians’ services..................................................................
Dental services.......................................................................
Other professional services (12/77 = 100)...................................

211.7
226.7

200.6

224.3
240.7
212.4

225.7
241.8
214.3

110.2 110.6

227.6
224.7
215.2
111.5

228.9
246.6
216.0
111.9

230.3
248.4
217.2
112.4

212.5
227.1

202.2

225.3
241.4
214.6
109.4

229.3
246.8
217.1

104.8

224.2
240.0
213.7
109.1

227.3
243.6
216.5

105.0

222.9
239.1
211.4
109.4

110.0 111.0

231.1
248.7
219.0
111.5

233.1
251.5
220.7
111.7

Other medfcal care services............................................................
Hospital and other medfcal services (12/77 = 100)........................
Hospital room...................................................................
Other hospital and medteai care services ...............................

272.2
108.1
338.3
107.9

289.6
115.2
362.4
114.5

290.9
115.6
363.9
114.7

292.5
116.2
366.0
115.2

295.8
117.3
369.7
116.4

299.0
118.6
374.2
117.4

302.0
119.6
376.4
118.8

271.6
107.9
337.6
107.6

287.8
114.3
360.2
113.4

289.0
114.7
361.3
113.7

2915
115.3
362.9
114.3

294.9
116.6
367.5
115.6

298.1
117.8
371.7
116.7

301.3
118.9
374.1
118.0


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

110.2
112.6

141.3

141.9

113.7
108.3

114.0
106.6

142.8
112.5
114.6
109.3

143.5
113.1
114.9
109.3

133.6
105.6
105.4
104.5

221.8

210.6

233.5
117.0
108.4
143.9
104.3
115.5
120.3

140.6
110.7
113.3
107.9

109.9
105.6

140.0

112.2

200.0
235.4
238.7
114.4

112.0 112.0

110.8

140.8

111.0
113.1
108.5

110.0
120.8
116.0

112.8

89

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1967 =100 unless otherwise specified]

All Urban Consumers
General summary

1978
Sept.

Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

1979
Apr.

May

1979

1978

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Sept

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

ENTERTAINMENT.........................................................................

178.3

186.5

187.8

188.2

189.1

190.2

191.1

177.4

185.5

187.1

167.5

188.6

188.9

190.2

Entertainment commodities..........................................................

178.9

187.4

188.1

188 7

189.7

191.0

192.0

177.7

185.7

186.8

187.4

188.2

188 4

189.9

Reading materials (12/77 = 100)..........................................................
Newspapers ..................................................................................
Magazines, periodicals, and books (12/77 = 100)............................

104.4
202.2
1061

109.5
211.5
111.7

109.4
212.2
111.2

109.5
211.6
111.6

110.0
212.6
112.0

111.1
214.0
113.7

111.9
214.5
115.0

104.1
201.8
106.2

109.2
211.1
111.6

109.1
211.7
111.0

109.1
211.1
111.6

109.5
212.2
111.7

110.7
213.7
113.5

111.4
214.2
114.8

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) ........................

102.6
102.1
103.0
153.7
101.9

108.6
110.1
105.3
158.0
105.7

109.2
110.6
105.9
158.7
106.8

109.3
110.3
106.1
160.1
106.9

110.0
110.8
106.7
162.2
107.8

110.4
111.3
105.9
163.8
108.6

111.3
112.3
106.1
165.6
109.3

100.3
99.4
100.3
152.2
100.7

105.4
105.7
102.9
157.2
104.1

106.4
107.0
102.9
158.1
104.7

106.6
107.0
103.3
160.0
105.4

107.0
106.9
104.7
161.8
106.5

105.4
103.9
104.7
162.9
107.2

107.5
106.7
104.7
164.7
108.5

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 expense (12/77 = 100)........................................

103.4
103.6
103.7
102.9

107.6
108.6
106.5
106.8

108.2
108.9
107.3
107.5

108.9
109.2
107.6
109.2

109.4
109.3
108.4
110.3

110.2
110.0
108 2
111.8

110.4
110.4
108.9
111.6

103.6
102.7
104.3
105.0

107.7
108.4
106.2
107.5

108.6
109.0
107.1
108.6

109.0
1090
107.3
110.0

109.6
109.1
107.7
111.6

110.2
109.8
107.6
112.6

110.4
109.6
108.8
112.9

Entertainment services ...............................................................

177.9

185.4

187.6

187.9

188.6

189.4

190.2

177.7

186.1

188 5

188.8

190.1

190.7

191.8

Fees for participant sports (12/77 = 100)..............................................
Admissions (12/77 = 100)....................................................................
Other entertainment services (12/77 = 100)..........................................

105.0
107.1
104.9

109.5
112.8
107.6

111.6
113.2
108.1

111.6
113.3
109.0

111.9
114.3
109.1

112.3
114.7
109.7

113.0
115.2
109.4

105.3
107.4
102.6

1094
112.8
108.4

111.6
113.9
108.8

111.5
113.2
111.0

112.1
115.3
110.5

112.3
115.9
110,9

113.4
116.3
110.9

OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES

187.8

193.2

193.9

194.5

195.2

197.0

201.7

187.1

193.1

193.8

194.3

195.1

197.2

200.6

Tobacco products .......................................................................

180.8

186.1

186.3

186.4

186.8

189.9

190.9

180.8

186.1

186.3

186.5

1869

190.1

190.9

Cigarettes............................................................................................
Other tobacco products and smoking accessories (12/77 - 100)............

183.5
105.3

188.6
109.5

188.6
110.3

188.8
110.3

189.2
110.8

192.6
111.1

193.6
112.2

183.6
104.9

188.8
108.8

188.9
109.4

189.0
109.8

189.4
110.3

193.1
110.0

193.7
111.0

Personal care ............................................................................

184.9

192.7

193.9

195.0

196.4

197.5

199.0

184.2

192.3

193.7

194.6

196.0

197.6

198.4

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)

179.5
104.4
105.8

185.8
106.4
110.6

187.3
107.1
111.5

187.9
108.8
112.6

188.6
109.4
113.2

189.7
111.1
113.6

191.4
111.6
114.3

178.2
102.0
105 0

186.2
105.3
109.7

187.7
107.0
110.7

187.8
108.9
110.2

188.1
108.5
111.0

190.2
110.5
112.1

191.0
110.6
112.5

104.0
102.8

107.6
107.5

109.5
107.1

108.6
106 9

109.5
106.2

108.9
107.6

110.4
108.6

103.3
104.4

108.5
109.7

108.7
110.4

107.8
109,8

109.0
108.8

110.0
109.7

110.6
110.3

Personal care services..........................................................................
Beauty parlor services for women............................................
Haircuts and other barber shop services for men (12/77 = 100) . . . .

190.3
191.9
106.1

199.4
201.1
111.1

200.4
202.4
111.4

202.0
203.7
112.6

203.9
205.2
114.1

205.0
206.1
115.1

206.4
207.7
115.5

190.2
192.2
105.5

198.5
200.8
110.0

199.8
202.0
110.7

201.4
203.6
111.7

204.0
205.9
113.6

205.0
206.7
114.2

205.8
207.4
1147

Personal and educational expenses .............................................

205.7

208.4

208.8

209.1

209.3

2108

223.3

205.9

208.8

209.3

209.6

209.8

211.2

223.5

School books and supplies....................................................................
Personal and educational services..........................................................
Tuition and other school fe e s ..........................................................
College tuition (12/77 = 100) ..................................................
Elementary and high school tuition (12/77 = 100) ....................
Personal expenses (12/77 = 100)..................................................

187.3
210.4
108.2
108.3
107.4
106.7

191.6
212.8
108.7
108.9
107.5
111.0

191.6
213.2
108.7
108.9
107.5
112.3

191.6
213.6
108.8
109.1
107.5
112.6

191.6
213.8
108.9
109.2
107.5
113.0

192.6
215.4
109.4
109.7
108.3
114.8

201.5
228.6
117.7
116.9
120.9
115.1

1891
210.3
108.1
108.3
107.3
106.8

194.2
212.8
108.6
108.9
107.4
111.1

194.2
213.4
108.6
108.9
107.4
112.3

194.2
213.7
108.7
109.1
107.4
112.6

194.2
214.0
108.8
109.2
107.4
1130

195.2
215.5
109.4
109.7
108.4
114.4

205.0
228.4
117.9
116.8
120.7
114.4

200.0
241.9
202.0
251.2

232.5
260.5
205.8
265.4

245.1
264.5
208.8
267.1

261.9
268.2
212.7
270.2

276.6
272.8
215.3
272.5

2882
278.7
217.0
274.4

297.1
283.5
219.3
276.6

199.9
241.2
202.2
249.6

233.0
260.5
206.2
266.0

2458
264.4
209.3
267.8

263.1
267.9
213.2
271.4

277.5
272.5
215.9
273.7

289.5
278.3
217.4
275.3

298.3
283.1
219.5
277.8

Special Indexes:
Gasoline, motor oil, coolant and other products ......................................
Insurance and finance ..........................................................................
Utilities and public transportation............................................................
Housekeeping and home maintenance services ......................................

90

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

24. 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]
Size class A
(1.25 mIMon or more)
Category and group

Size dess B
(385,000-1.250 mMon)

1979
Apr.

June

Size desse
(75,000 - 385,000)

1979
Aug.

Apr.

June

Size dess D
(75,000 or less)

1979
Aug.

Apr.

June

1979
Aug.

Apr.

June

Aug.

112.9
117.1
113.0
105.5
112.9
112.4
107.8
107.4

115.5
119.3
114.9
106.2
118.5
114.0
112.4
108.5

116.9
120.4
116.1
103.4
122.5
114.8
113.6
109.2

113.1

116.0
114.4
114.8

117.7
116.5
115.7

Northeast
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All items ..................................................................................................
Food and beverages .............................................................................
Housing .............................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep .............................................................................
Transportation......................................................................................
Medical care........................................................................................
Entertainment ......................................................................................
Other goods and services .....................................................................

104.6
110.4
110.9
109.1
106.6

COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
Commodities.............................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages .....................................................
Services ..................................................................................................

109.0

110.8
115.7
110.1

112.2
110.0

113.2
117.3
112.9
103.8
115.6

112.0

115.0
117.9
114.8
104.9
119.6
113.6

113.1
116.3
113.5
105.4
113.6

112.2

109.2
107.1

110.6
106.3

107.9
109.0

114.7
113.2

116.6
115.8
113.0

113.9
112.7
111.9

111.2

115.3
118.5
114.5
106.2
119.6
112.5
108.3

114.8
119.3
116.4

117.2

120.2

110.0

117.3
118.9
116.7
106.1
123.4
115.3
110.9
111.4

108.1
109.9

106.4
111.4

121.7
122.5
104.3
123.6
114.8
110.4
113.0

116.7
115.9
112.9

119.0
119.0
114.6

114.8

114.9

117.6
116.1
116.5

120.4
119.1

120.8
118.7
102.6 102.8
113.9
119.1
112.2 112.8

112.6

120.8

111.1
112.5

North Central
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All items ..................................................................................................
Food and beverages .............................................................................
Housing .............................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep .............................................................................
Transportation......................................................................................
Medical care.......................................................................................
Entertainment ......................................................................................
Other goods and services .....................................................................
COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
Commodities.............................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverage.......................................................
Services ..................................................................................................

118.2
121.0
120.0 120.2
121.8 125.8
101.7
102.8
118.8
122.8
111.6 112.9 115.0
108.6
110.8 111.9

115.7
118.5
119.1
102.3
113.8

115.1
116.6
117.3
105.1
114.0
113.4
107.4

118.0
117.6

1212

107.3

106.0

109.0

112.0

104.0
118.8
114.5
108.2
114.4

115.7
114.4
115.6

118.2
117.3
118.4

120.7
120.9
121.5

113.9
112.7
117.0

117.0
116.7
119.7

120.5
118.6
124.1
104.6
122.9
117.2
109.2
114.9

114.2
113.1
110.5
106.0

117.3
104.0
120.5
114.1
110.9
108.5

119.4
119.7
122.4

113.6
111.5
114.5

117.1
115.8
116.3

114.0
118.5
114.5

102.8

116.8

120.2

119.0
120.4
120.3
105.3
123.7
116.4
110.5

110.0

114.1
119.8
114.0
103.8
113.6
113.9
109.6
109.6

119.1
118.5
118.8

119.9

116.6
121.4
115.9
103.7

119.5

122.0

110.5

120.5
104.0
123.2
117.5
111.3
112.7

113.6
110.9
114.8

116.2
114.0
117.2

118.9
117.6
120.4

113.0
118.9
112.3
101.7
112.9
114.9

122.4
118.5
115.9
114.3
118.6
118.0
118.5

120.1
115.7
110.8

South
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All items ..................................................................................................
Food and beverages ............................................................................
Housing .............................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep .............................................................................
Transportation......................................................................................
Medical care.......................................................................................
Entertainment ......................................................................................
Other goods and services .....................................................................
COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
Commodities.............................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages .....................................................
Services ..................................................................................................

113.7
118.6
113.6
107.3
113.4

116.9

118.7

118.0
106.0
118.7

119.9
107.5

111.0 111.6
107.7
110.2

107.4
109.8
113.9
111.9
112.9

113.3
106.1
111.5

114.4
118.3
114.9
107.5
114.2
112.5
110.7
109.2

117.5
119.5
118.8
107.2
119.8
114.0
111.5
109.9

118.9
118.0
118.4

114.2
112.5
114.7

117.1
116.1
118.1

120.6 121.1

117.3
115.8
116.5

122.6

120.1

110.8

114.9
119.2
116.6
104.0
113.1
113.6
109.6
109.3

119.3
118.9

112.1

120.3
122.4
107.3
123.5
115.7
111.9

121.2

114.3

115.9

117.5
120.5
119.7
103.3
118.2
114.1

111.1

121.8
115.5
111.8 111.8

109.6

111.4

110.5

115.6
119.7
115.1
103.8
118.2
115.9
112.4
111.7

116.9
115.3
118.5

119.3
118.3

113.0
110.5
112.9

115.9
114.3
115.1

112.7
117.7

115.1
119.2

121.6

105.7
113.8
114.4
113.5

117.8
109.5
123.1
119.0
115.7
114.4

119.1
118.0
118.5

121.6
122.7
104.5

120.8

118.5

120.0
119.3
102.8

West
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All items ..................................................................................................
Food and beverages .............................................................................
Housing .............................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep .............................................................................
Transportation......................................................................................
Medial care........................................................................................
Entertainment ......................................................................................
Other goods and services .....................................................................

113.3
118.8
112.3
104.6
115.4
113.0
107.0
110.4

COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
CommodWes.............................................................................................
CommodWes less food and beverage.......................................................
Services ..................................................................................................

114.3
112.4
111.9


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

116.0
119.8
115.3
106.0
120.5
114.7
108.2

115.2
119.6
115.5
107.2
115.1

121.0

110.2

118.7
119.4
119.0
104.8
125.3
116.8
109.3
112.4

112.4
109.7

117.1
116.0
114.5

118.7
118.3
118.8

115.8
1142
114.4

112.2

118.7

114.6
1132
110.9

120.9
121.4
122.4
106.8
124.8
116.6
114.4
112.5

119.3
118.3
117.9

120.8
120.6
121.0

121.6
119.5
106.3

114.1
117.3
114.9
102.5
115.8

106.8
109.2

116.9
119.6
117.4
103.4
121.4
113.8
109.9
109.4

110.7

110.1

109.4
119.2
116.9
114.5
113.0

114.5
113.3
113.6

117.4
116.5
116.3

119.4
119.1
119.6

112.9
110.9
112.3

116.1
114.8
113.6

112.0

119.5

120.1
120.5
103.9
125.0
116.5

112.6

111.0 112.6

118.8

91

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
25.

Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average, and selected areas

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]

AI Urban Consumers
Area1

Sept
U.S. city average2 .........................................................

Anchorage, Alaska (10/67 - 100) ...................................
Atlanta, Ga....................................................................
Baltimore, Md.................................................................
Boston, Mass.................................................................
Buffalo, N.Y...................................................................

199.3

214.1

203.5

208.7

215.9
208.3
207.7

212.0

213.9

211.0

210.5
207.3

210.6


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

215.4
204.4
235.5
219.5
212.9

207.4

221.0

222.3
212.5
213.8
214.5

223.4

Apr.

199.1

211.8

213.2

192.8

224.9
218.1

203.3
195.5

218.6

221.3
229.0

193.0
203.6

219.5

214.7

99? 9
207.2
240.6
224.6
217.5

214.0
211.7
216.1

227.0
215.4

217.7
219.1

217.5
220.4

214.3

207.9

223.7

198.2

220.7

196.9

117.4
226.0

107.0

200.2

218.1
215.4

197.7
195.4

219.5

198.2

232.2

240.4

204.3
194.7
205.4

222.6

199.7

222.9

2Average of 85 cities.

Aug.

Sept

216.9

221.5

223.7

206.4
214.5

206.1

213.2

221.2

200.0
227.7
211.0

206.8

214.1

212.4

209.1
212.3

222.6

215.5
203.6
234.5
218.4
214.5

230.8

243.6

219.8

222.6

223.5

216.8

207.2
239.0
223.1
219.6

223.0
118.7
228.7

116.9
225.0
223.4

212.2

214.1
213.4

211.4

214.5
215.0

216.9

221.9
210.3
226.1

220.6

223.0

210.3
209.6

228.5
215.3

218.1

220.0

227.9
217.4
233.1
213.7

210.9
217.8

218.2

239.3

113.8
219.5
216.0
206.1

224.9
217.9
215.3

216.8
226.5

218.0
233.2

213.3

210.9
219.0

221.4
213.7
209.7

209.6
223.1

209.3

202.8

July
219.4

216.0
208.7

216.1
211.4
240.8

June

202.5

207.2

222.2

218.3

May

208.3

221.4
222.9

212.5
212.4
216.0

1979

Sept

214.6
217.4
224.8

227.4
216.9
236.1

228.3
208.8

Sept

216.9

115.7
222.7

211.1

’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 Area is used for New York and Chicago.

92

221.1

236.5

220.7

203.2
196.1
206.5

201.0
200.8

213.5

112.5
217.1

106.6
198.4

218.9

214.2

231.1
213.2
200.7
228.1
211.5
207.8

Aug.

219.9
217.5

211.0

197.8

212.6

221.5

207.0

198.9
195.0

216.6

July

209.3

210.1

215.1

197.3

June

215.3
209.5
206.6

197.7

San Francisco-Oakland, Calif............................................
Seattle-Everett, Wash......................................................
Washington, D.C.-Md.-Va.................................................

May

206.7

Detroit, Mich..................................................................
Honolulu, Hawaii ..........................................................
Houston, Tex.................................................................
Kansas City, Mo.-Kansas ...............................................
Los Angeles-Long Beach, Anaheim, Calif.............................

Philadelphia, Pa.-N.J........................................................
Pittsburgh, Pa.................................................................
Portland, Oreg.-Wash......................................................
St. Louis, Mo.-tll..............................................................
San Diego, Calif.............................................................

211.5

193.2

Chicago, lll.-Northwestem Ind............................................
Cincinnati, Ohio-Ky.-Ind....................................................
Cleveland, Ohio............................................................
Dallas-Ft. Worth, Tex.......................................................
Denver-Boulder, Colo......................................................

Miami, Ra. (11/77 — 100) .............................................
Milwaukee, Wis..............................................................
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Mlnn.-Wis.........................................
New York, N.Y.-Northeastern N.J.......................................
Northeast, Pa. (Scranton)...............................................

Apr.

203.5
195.8

193.8
203.7

Urben Wage Earners «id Clerical Workers (revised)
1978

1979

1978

220.3
232.6
222.5
237.7

218.6
215.9
221.9

217.8
217.1

221.0
224.4

26.

Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing

[1967 = 100]
Annual

1979

1978

Commodity grouping

Aug.

Sept

Oct

1978

OcL

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

194.6

199.6

200.3

202.5

205.4

207.7

209.1

211.4

212.7

213.7

215.8

217.3

220.4

223.7

210.2 211.6

215.2
224.6
224.9
222.5
226.9
180.9

217.2
223.2
231.6
220.5
233.0
181.2

221.3
227.8
213.9
226.8
238.9
182.0

224.1
226.7
215.4
225.4
243.0
187.4

216.9

217.1

217.7

222.5

FINISHED GOODS
Finished goods..............................................................
Finished consumer goods..........................................
Finished consumer foods ......................................
Crude ............................................................
Processed .......................................................
Other nondurable goods........................................
Durable goods.....................................................

192.6
206.7
215.5
204.1
195.4
165.8

212.9
209.9
199.7
170.9

197.5

220.8
209.0
201.1

Capital Equipment...................................................

199.1

204.4

212.0

197.9
211.7

203.7

209.8
176.8

227.8
241.8
224.6
213.1
178.4

226.6
226.7
224.4
217.1
179.5

212.7
223.6
227.1
221.3
221.7
180.4

211.7

214.0

215.1

215.8

236.7
216.9
205.4
175.2

206.3
225.1
257.2
220.5
207.2
176.2

207.9
226.3
244.6

170.7

200.5
215.8
232.1
212.5
202.7
173.0

206.1

207.0

209.3

210.8

220.2

222.8

INTERMEDIATE MATERIALS
Intermediate materials, supplies, and components................

215.5

220.8 222.0

223.0

225.7

228.5

231.5

. 235.8

238.2

240.3

244.2

247.1

250.7

254.6

Materials and components for manufacturing................
Materials for food manufacturing.............................
Materials for nondurable manufacturing....................
Materials for durable manufacturing.........................
Components for manufacturing ...............................

208.3
202.3
195.8
237.2
189.1

213.9

210.1

215.0
207.9

215.6
210.7

221.6

246.4
196.2

230.9
222.5
216.7
267.2
204.5

232.1
222.3
218.1
268.9
205.3

235.5
226.4

245.9
195.4

224.5
219.6
208.7
r 260.0
200.3

229.0

200.3
244.5
193.3

218.6
214.4
203.2
252.0
197.2

237.4
225.1
224.5
274.8
208.8

240.5
228.6
227.3
278.7
210.9

243.9
225.3
231.2
284.5
212.5

201.0 201.2

217.3
205.3
256.8
199.0

222.2
213.7
266.0
203.1

222.1
272.9
207.0

Materials and components for construction ..................

224.4

230.2

232.1

232.5

236.1

239.0

241.3

244.5

245.2

245.6

247.4

249.0

251.6

254.4

Processed fuels and lubricants...................................
Manufacturing industries........................................
Nonmanufacturing industries..................................

296.4
270.4
320.0

297.6
269.9
323.1

297.6
268.0
325.2

300.4
268.7
330.3

302.0
268.3
334.0

304.8
269.0
339.1

312.9
275.4
348.9

323.9
280.7
365.9

336.8
287.4
385.5

349.5
293.8
404.9

364.2
303.5
424.8

384.1
310.4
458.6

399.4
317.2
483.0

410.5
322.5
500.4

Containers ............................................................

212.5

221.7

222.6

223.9

224.3

229.3

231.8

234.5

234.9

235.2

237.2

237.1

240.8

Supplies................................................................
Manufacturing industries........................................
Nonmanufacturing industries...................................
Manufactured animal feeds .................................
Other supplies .................................................

196.9
183.6
204.0

221.2
202.2

204.0
190.4

206.1
192.0
213.6
216.9
209.7

207.4
193.1
215.0
215.9

209.6
194.3
217.7

211.1

212.8
199.4
219.9
219.5
216.8

213.7
201.5
220.3
214.6
218.3

216.1
202.7
223.2
226.2
219.2

219.3
203.9
227.5
241.6

219.1
208.3
224.9

213.6

197.4
218.4
219.3
215.0

200.2
201.9

189.0
209.2
204.3
207.3

209.1
208.6

211.2

211.6

221.6

221.0

221.1
222.5

220.8
209.1
227.0
224.3
224.3

224.4

211.8
231.1
229.2
228.1

CRUDE MATERIALS
Crude materials for further processing...............................

240.1

249.2

248.4

252.5

260.2

270.4

276.6

279.9

282.3

283.0

287.3

281.7

287.9

289.2

Foodstuffs and feedstuffs..........................................

215.3

224.0

220.9

224.8

233.0

243.7

247.4

251.5

251.9

248.2

254.1

243.6

248.7

247.1

Nonfood materials...................................................

286.7

296.7

300.2

304.6

311.5

320.7

331.6

333.3

339.6

348.7

350.0

353.5

362.1

368.9

Nonfood materials except fuel.................................
Manufacturing industries ....................................
Construction.....................................................

235.4
240.8
185.7

243.5
249.4
189.5

246.6
252.7
191.8

249.6
255.9
192.1

255.6
261.8
198.8

264.7
271.9
200.4

275.5
283.8
201.9

276.5
284.8
203.6

276.6
284.7
204.5

286.6
295.9
205.4

285.1
294.0
207.0

286.1
294.9
208.5

293.3
302.8
209.9

298.6
308.5

212.2

Cade fu e l..........................................................
Manufacturing industries ....................................
Nonmanufacturing industries ...............................

463.7
481.9
459.6

480.1
499.1
475.5

485.0
505.6
479.0

495.1
518.0
487.2

504.3
529.6
494.9

513.9
541.6
502.7

525.2
555.4
512.1

529.2
560.0
515.8

556.8
593.8
538.8

563.1
601.3
544.3

573.9
614.4
553.4

586.0
628.9
563.5

599.4
646.0
574.2

611.4
6605
584.4

188.9

193.7

194.8

196.4

198.8

200.2

201.7

204.2

206.3

208.5

211.0

213.4

215.9

183.7

188.3

189.1

191.0

193.3

194.9

196.7

199.3

202.1

205.2

208.4

212.1

215.9

220.6
220.6

SPECIAL GROUPINGS
Finished goods excluding foods........................................
Finished consumer goods excluding
Foods ................................................................
Intermediate materials, supplies, and
Components, excluding intermediate
materials for food manufacturing
and manufactured animal feeds .................................

216.4

221.7

222.0

223.7

226.5

229.1

232.3

236.7

238.8

241.3

245.0

248.6

252.1

256.4

Intermediate foods and feeds ..........................................

201.0

207.6

207.7

212.2

214.3

218.2

218.9

220.7

219.3

223.0

230.9

223.2

226.6

226.0

Crude materials for further processing
excluding crude foodstuffs and
feedstuffs, plant and animal fibers,
oilseeds, and leaf tobacco ........................................

316.6

326.8

331.0

335.9

344.2

356.4

370.6

372.4

379.2

389.5

392.6

396.8

407.6

416.5

NOTE: Data for June 1979 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and correc­
tions by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

93

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
27.

Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings1

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Annual
Code

01
01-1
01-2
01-3
01-4
01-5

01-6
01-8
01-7

01-9

02
02-1
02-2

1978

Commodity group and subgroup

1979

1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

209.3

220.8

All commodities ..................................................................
All commodities (1957-59 - 100) ........................................

222.1

214.9
232.7

215.7
228.9

217.5
230.8

234.2

224.1
237.7

226.7
240.5

230.0
243.7

232.0
245.7

233.5
247.7

236.6
251.0

238.1
252.3

241.7
256.1

245.2
260.2

Farm products and processed foods and feeds......................
Industrial commodities........................................................

206.6
209.4

213.2
214.7

212.3
216.0

216.2
217.2

221.1
220.0

227.2
222.5

229.0
225.4

244.0
229.0

230.8
231.6

229.0
234.0

232.0
237.2

227.3
240.3

231.7
243.8

230.6
248.5

212.5
216.5
182.5

219.4
214.2
182.0
235.1
184.9
210.3
231.8
156.3
221.4
276.5

218.2
207.0
189.0
222.4
192.4
211.5
235.8
177.9
227.7
285.9

222.7

230.4
233.7
184.4
247.3
206.0
213.6
241.8
178.5
240.1
269.7

240.9
263.0
189.3
266.5
217.8
205.1
244.6
176.7
246.1
253.6

242.8
235.7
192.0
275.8
217.6
197.8
243.7
199.9
249.5
254.6

223.3
234.7
198.3
284.0
209.4
197.8
242.4
185.5
248.3
255.1

245.4
228.2
210.3
280.7
216.3
207.6
242.0
163.8
240.7
264.1

242.8
226.4
218.7
264.0
182.9
219.5
243.8
170.7
258.4
281.0

246.8
226.6
247.4
256.0
183.8
207.6
247.6
167.6
260.1
311.9

238.5
241.6
229.1
240.2
171.9
207.9
250.0
166.8
251.9
310.8

241.0
208.2
224.4
256.4
173.5
211.3
258.5
175.4
240.6
315.9

239.5
217.8
229.0
251.7
162.0
212.9
258.5
155.9
235.1
317.6

209.0
193.3
228.2
197.0

208.2
196.2
220.9
199.6
216.3

215.2
197.2
240.3
203.5
218.5
204.8
200.9
229.7
206.7
211.3

218.9
199.1
248.5
203.2
219.5
208.4

220.5

222.0 220.6

237.5
208.0
217.2

238.6
217.5
215.7

222.3
203.0
253.0
207.1
220.5
208.7
201.5
246.2
219.3
215.6

220.2 211.1
210.8 220.5

223.0
210.5
237.7
209.0
223.1
215.7
213.7
253.5
212.7
235.2

220.3
215.1
225.5
215.2
224.4
218.3
215.9
251.9
217.6
216.5

225.7
217.7
239.8
218.3
225.0
217.3
217.9
253.5
218.8
219.5

224.8
219.2
234.4
218.2
223.3
218.6
219.2
246.2

164.2
113.5
105.3
123.2
104.1
157.6
186.0

165.2
113.6
107.0
123.1
105.4
158.3
187.4

166.4
115.1
106.8
124.5
105.9
159.8
188.0

167.2
117.4
107.8
124.7
107.0
159.8
188.0

168.4
118.5
108.6
125.4
107.6
160.2
189.3

169.2
119.8
109.5
128.1
107.9
160.1
189.9

170.4
120.9
110.3
128.9
108.9
161.1
190.5

171.3
123.9
111.7
128.7
109.0
161.6
193.9

171.9
125.6

268.0
611.0
414.6

262.2
566.5
385.2
222.3

258.0
511.9
365.9
225.6

250.7
465.3
330.0
226.2

212.3

FARM PRODUCTS AND PROCESSED FOODS
AND FEEDS
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 ..........................................................

220.1
199.8
193.4
219.7
158.6
215.8
274.9

202.6

221.6

184.7
230.1
198.5

212.8
241.2
189.0
234.0
271.0

211.8

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 ............................................
Manufactured animal feeds .................................................

03
03-1
03-2
03-3
03-4
03-81
03-82

Textile products and apparel ...................................................
Synthetic fibers (12/75 = 100).............................................
Processed yams and threads (12/75 - 100) .........................
Gray fabrics (12/75 = 100).................................................
Finished fabrics (12/75 = 100) ............................................
Apparel............................................................................
Textile housefumishings......................................................

159.8
109.6
102.4
118.6
103.8
152.4
178.6

162.3
109.4
104.0
126.5
104.5
154.1
181.0

163.2

163.6

105.3
126.7
104.8
155.3
180.5

104.7
125.9
106.0
155.5
183.4

164.1
113.0
105.3
125.6
103.5
157.4
181.8

04
04-1
04-2
04-3
04-4

Hides, skins, leather, and related products .................................
Hides and skins..................................................................
Leather............................................................................
Footwear .........................................................................
Other leather and related products........................................

200.0
360.5
238.6
183.0
177.0

213.0
427.9
269.4
190.7
180.4

215.8
417.0
278.7
192.2
185.1

216.2
401.3
279.6
194.3
185.3

223.4
452.8
292.8
196.4
190.7

232.2
497.8
309.2
203.0
192.2

253.3
639.6
371.9
209.9
195.9

258.9
642.2
393.6
200.4

269.6
666.9
429.4
216.3
209.1

212.1 211.0 210.2

253.6
478.8
343.6
226.9
209.8

05
05-1
05-2
05-3
05-4
05-61
05-7

Fuels and related products and power ......................................
Coal................................................................................
Coke ..............................................................................
Gas fuels1 .........................................................................
Electric power...................................................................
Crude petroleum2 ..............................................................
Petroleum products, refined3 ...............................................

322.5
430.0
411.8
428.7
250.6
300.1
321.0

328.5
443.9
418.8
429.2
252.7
307.5
329.4

329.7
442.2
418.8
433.9
250.3
310.5
331.9

334.3
443.7
418.8
444.6
250.7
312.4
338.2

338.1
443.6
421.2
449.9
251.0
316.4
343.9

342.5
444.0
423.7
.458.1
251.1
322.3
350.0

350.9
445.3
428.5
471.0
257.3
324.2
360.3

361.5
447.1
430.1
477.4
260.6
326.2
378.6

377.6
450.8
430.6
507.2
265.9
335.7
400.0

393.7
452.0
430.6
522.3
269.9
356.4
423.6

411.7
452.8
430.6
549.9
275.0
370.5
449.2

432.5
454.5
430.6
569.0
279.0
385.7
482.8

454.4
452.8
430.6
599.7
280.5
422.1
513.6

468.8
454.9
431.2
619.1
283.6
436.7
534.4

06
06-1
06-21
06-22
06-3
06-4
06-5
06-6
06-7

Chemicals and allied products.................................................
Industrial chemicals4 ..........................................................
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......................................

198.8
225.6
192.3
212.7
148.1
315.8
198.4
199.8
181.8

201.6
228.1
192.6
219.2
150.3
340.0
203.4
199.4
184.0

202.3
227.4
196.5
219.5
162.1
361.2
202.3
199.3
184.3

202.3
229.1
198.7
220.7
153.2
332.9
201.9

205.0
234.0
198.9
222.5
155.4
336.1
201.7
204.2
184.3

207.3
237.4
202.3
224.3
156.2
367.9
203.1
206.3
184.7

209.9
239.7
202.3
227.0
156.6
398.5
206.3
210.9
186.5

215.1
248.2
203.3
231.6
157.5
448.7
209.8

218.0
255.6
201.3
236.1
157.7
418.3

210.0

186.9

228.5
188.9

219.2
259.3
201.3
239.5
159.0
374.1
209.2
230.1
190.5

224.3
269.8
205.3
244.3
159.2
381.6
210.4
241.7
191.9

227.3
275.6
205.3
245.1
159.6
376.4
213.5
246.2
193.9

230.3
278.9
206.0
251.2
161.1
379.9
217.9
252.2
195.8

233.5
284.2
206.7
253.5
162.9
366.9
223.7
259.2
196.5

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) .............................................

174.8
185.3
187.2
179.2
189.6

178.1
190.4
193.9
184.5
194.0
101.5

179.4
192.5
197.3
187.7
199.2

179.7
192.8
197.3
188.8
193.7

183.2
197.6

190.8

193.1

201.2 202.6 204.8
211.6 214.2 222.0
196.1
197.3 198.9
201.3 202.6 203.5
108.0 109.5 111.0

195.5
208.9
225.4
205.4
205.0
111.5

197.9
212.4
232.2

194.1
198.1
103.5

185.9
199.4
204.8
195.0
200.3
105.7

188.8

210.1

101.8 102.0

180.8
194.7
197.9
191.5
195.1
102.3

200.3
216.7
231.2
214.6
211.7

112.8

202.4
219.7
235.2
217.9
214.2
113.6

08
08-1
08-2
08-3
08-4

Lumber and wood products.....................................................
Lumber............................................................................
Millwork ...........................................................................
Plywood .............................................. ............................
Other wood products..........................................................

276.0
322.4
235.4
235.6

284.2
334.5
239.8
240.3

290.0
342.0
241.4
250.0
221.5

288.6
339.1
241.6
249.0

290.2
336.6
244.5
257.4
223.2

293.9
339.9
251.5
257.1
226.2

300.5
350.5
257.8
254.7
232.2

304.9
355.4
266.0
252.4
235.5

300.2
355.2
252.3
249.9
237.6

304.4
365.2
249.2
253.9
237.4

309.7
373.8
250.9
258.1
238.0

306.8
370.2
255.6
254.4
237.7

02-3
02-4
02-5

02-6
02-7
02-8

190.3
217.1
188.4

196.8
229.2

202.8
202.6 210.1
218.4
197.8
205.4 202.6 204.5
200.0 201.1 201.4 201.0'
232.9
200.3

225.3
199.0
197.4

201.1

227.6
203.8
205.3

227.6
204.1
211.9

200.1

250.6
204.9
219.6
208.4

201.1 201.2

204.9
250.4
207.9
221.4
207.6
205.3
241.8

206.3
241.4
208.4
221.5

211.1
208.5
243.6

220.6

224.3

INDUSTRIAL COMMODITIES

See footnotes at end of table.

94

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

211.8 220.6

110.6 110.6

201.1
182.3

222.1

201.1

212.0

220.6

302.8
354.8
261.6
249.3
238.4

221.1

299.8
354.8
258.9
238.6
238.5

206.1
112.3

112.2

129.8
108.7
162.1
194.6

27.

Continued — Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings1

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Code

Commodity groups and subgroups

Annual
average
1978

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

1979

1978

INDUSTRIAL COMMODITIES - Continued
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
Woodpulp................................................................................
Wastepaper ............................................................................
Paper ......................................................................................
Paperboard ............................................................................
Converted paper and paperboard products................................
Building paper and board..........................................................

195.6
195.6
266.5
191.2
206.1
179.6
185.6
187.4

2024
202.6
282.0
188 4
213.0
186.1
193.1
189.5

203.9
204.2
281.6
191.5
214.0
186.9
195.3
188.7

205.2
205.7
281.6
192.2
214.6
187.4
197.4
186.6

207.0
207.7
291.3
192.9
217.9
188.5
198.3
184.1

208.8
209.5
291.4
194.1
221.2
190.2
199.8
183.6

212.3
213.2
294.3
203.2
223.3
192.9
204.1
182.6

215 0
216.0
303.8
206.5
226.3
197.9
205.8
183.4

216.2
217.2
3069
206.2
227.2
199.2
207.0
183.3

216.6
217.8
3083
207.2
227.5
199.8
207.6
180.8

218.1
219.3
321.2
207.9
228.4
201.5
208.3
179.7

221.9
223.2
322.5
206.6
229.6
205.0
213.7
180.9

222.8
224.1
322.5
206.7
230.6
209.5
213.9
184.4

227.2
228.6
339.4
206.7
239.0
211.2
216.5
185.5

10
10-1
10-13
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10-6
10-7
10-8

Metals and metal products ..........................................................
Iron and steel..........................................................................
Steel mill products ..................................................................
Nonferrous metals ..................................................................
Metal containers......................................................................
Hardware................................................................................
Plumbing fixtures and brass fittings............................................
Heating equipment ..................................................................
Fabricated structural metal products..........................................
Miscellaneous metal products ..................................................

227.1
253.6
254.5
207.8
243.4
200.4
199.1
174.4
226.4
212.0

234.1
2599
262.1
217.1
254.6
205.9
202.3
176.9
231.5
218.1

235.5
261.7
262.0
218.2
254.5
2084
202.2
177.2
232.4
219.9

236.6
2632
262.1
219.0
254.4
210.7
203.6
179.1
233.5
220.8

241.9
272.4
271.5
223.5
256.8
211.7
204.3
180.1
238.4
222.0

247.3
274.9
271.8
239.2
256.8
213.3
207.8
180 9
240.5
223.4

251.7
279.9
272.5
246.6
264.5
214.2
209.7
183.4
241.3
225.2

256.0
280.2
275.0
259.6
270.1
215.8
212.0
183.8
243.8
227.0

256.2
279.5
276.7
258.2
268.5
216.9
213.8
185.7
247.0
2285

258.2
283.2
277.3
259.7
267.3
217.1
217.0
185.2
248.2
230.1

260.6
286.2
284.2
261.5
267.5
219.1
219.2
186.1
2506
232.6

261.6
285.9
284.6
262.3
267.7
220.3
222.2
187.9
252.3
236.3

263.6
285.3
284.8
269.3
267.0
221.4
222.9
191.3
253.2
237.4

269.4
289.0
288.4
282.8
276.7
223.8
223.4
191.9
255.6
239.1

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..........................................................

1961
213.1
232.9
217.0
216.6
223.0
164.9
194.7

200.5
218.6
240.4
2238
221.5
230.2
167.5
198.4

2027
220.6
242.3
226.3
223.8
232.8
169.6
2002

205.1
203.8
221.9
222.8
243.8
245.5
230.4
228.2
2263
225.1
236.2
233.9
170.5 . 171.2
200.6
202.7

206.5
223.9
247.9
232.0
227.7
237.0
172.8
203.4

207.9
224.8
248.7
233.0
230.4
239.1
173.8
204.0

209.8
226.4
251.7
235.3
232.6
243.4
175.0
205.4

211.4
228.3
253.7
237.6
234.0
245.1
176,5
207.1

212.4
229.4
254.0
239.1
235.1
246.1
177.6
207.4

214.2
230.0
256.5
241.1
236.5
249.5
179.3
209.4

215.7
232.4
258.0
243.2
237.8
250.8
181.0
2098

217.6
236.6
258.5
246.1
239.6
251.5
182.7
211.8

219.6
238.8
262.9
249.1
242.1
253.9
184.1
212.9

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................................................

160.4
173.5
201.5
141.6
153.0
90.2
203.1

162.9
177.9
204.5
142.0
154.5
91.3
208.0

163.5
178.8
2049
142.0
155.6
91.5
2087

164.6
179.3
207.3
142.3
155.7
92.3
212.3

166.6
181.0
214.4
143.4
157.0
92.2
216.0

167.9
181.3
221.2
143.6
158.3
92.3
216.6

1683
181.8
221.2
144,0
158.8
92.3
217.9

168.7
182.7
221.7
144.4
158.7
92.3
218.6

169 6
184.8
221.9
146.0
159.3
92.4
219.5

170.2
185.3
221.8
146.5
160.0
92.8
220.6

170.1
185.8
222.7
148.9
161.0
87.7
222.8

170.7
1862
222.7
149.9
161.9
87.7
224.8

171.7
188.0
222.7
150.3
162.7
87.8
227.4

174.1
189.3
223.3
151.8
163.2
87.8
244.1

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 ............................................................................
Asphalt roofing........................................................................
Gypsum products ....................................................................
Glass containers......................................................................
Other nonmetallic minerals ......................................................

222.8
172.8
217.7
214.0
197.2
216.5
292.0
229.1
244.4
275.6

229.1
173.6
221.1
222.2
202.4
225.4
305.2
2368
250.7
283.2

230.0
174.0
223.4
222.9
204.4
226.1
305.2
2421
250.7
283.6

231.1
178.7
223.5
224.2
206.5
226.1
305.2
242.7
250.7
283.6

2383
181.1
235.9
2356
209.7
227.5
3068
2476
250.7
288.8

240.5
183.1
238.2
236.4
210.7
227.8
317.8
250.6
250.7
293.7

240.8
183.1
239.8
237.8
212.8
228.3
303.1
251.0
2507
294.5

243.4
183.1
242.0
240.5
214.8
228.4
316.4
252.2
250.7
300.0

245.6
183.1
242.5
241.6
215.7
2285
317.9
2488
265.2
303.0

246.9
184.0
243.3
243.7
216.5
232.6
323.0
251.3
265.2
302.0

249.2
184.0
243.9
245.2
220.3
241.6
328.2
251.8
265.5
310.1

249.6
184.1
244.7
246.4
2224
242.4
322.2
252.3
265.5
309.9

252.2
184.5
245.6
248.6
223.8
243.1
332.7
254.9
265.5
318.8

255.6
184.7
246.9
249.4
221.1
245.0
334.0
255.3
265.5
341.2

14
14-1
14-4

Transportation eauipment (12/68 = 100)......................................
Motor vehicles and equipment ..................................................
Railroad equipment..................................................................

173.5
176.0
252.8

179.2
181.8
260.3

180.1
182.5
261.5

180.5
182.8
261.8

182.7
185.0
2664

183.5
185.9
268.0

183.8
1861
268.9

186.8
189.4
271.7

187.2
189.8
271.6

187.5
190.1
274.7

188.0
190.4
280.5

187.2
189.2
280.9

186.2
188.1
281.6

193.6
196.3
286.3

15
15-1
15-2
15-3
15-4
15-51
15-9

Miscellaneous products ..............................................................
Toys, sporting goods, small arms, ammunition............................
Tobacco products....................................................................
Notions ..................................................................................
Photographic equipment and supplies........................................
Mobile Homes (12/74 = 100)
Other miscellaneous products ..................................................

184.3
163.2
198.5
182.0
145.7
126.4
210.6

1908
165.1
203.9
183.4
148.7
129.5
225.1

189 2
165.3
204.0
183 4
148.7
130.3
2187

193.6
164.8
204.0
183.4
148.7
130.8
234.8

197.7
170.4
213.5
188.2
150.1
131.7
2378

199.8
171.0
213.6
188.2
150.2
132.5
244.0

200.6
171.5
214.0
190.2
150.2
133.8
245.5

201.4
173.2
214.4
190.2
150.1
135.2
246.1

203.3
174.3
214.4
190.6
150.6
137.2
250.6

205.2
174.7
214.4
190.6
151.6
137.9
-255.8

206.1
176.9
214.6
192 2
152.1
136.5
257.6

208.2
177.9
221.1
192.1
152.0
137.7
260.1

212.3
179.9
221.7
192.1
154.1
139.5
270.5

216.8
181.2
221.9
195.8
157.3
142.5
280.9

1Prices for natural gas are lagged 1 month.
2 Includes only domestic production.
’ Most prices for refined petroleum products are lagged 1 month.
4 Some prices for industrial chemicals are lagged 1 month.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

5 Not available.
NOTE: Data for June 1979 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.

95

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
28.

Producer Price Indexes, for special commodity groupings

(1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Annual

1979

1978

Commodity grouping
1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Juna

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

AH commodities—less farm products...........................
Mfoods ...................................................................
Processed foods........................................................
Industrial commodities less fuels......................................
Selected textile mill products (Dec. 1975 = 100)................
Hosiery.......................................................................
Underwear and nightwear...............................................
Chemicals and allied products, including synthetic rubber
and manmade fibers and yams ....................................
Pharmaceutical preparations............................................
Lumber and wood products, excluding millwork and
other wood products...................................................
Special metals and metal products ...................................
Fabricated metal products .............................................
Copper and copper products ..........................................
Machinery and motive products........................................

208.4
206.4
206.7
197.2
108.8
106.3
158.9

213.8
212.5
213.6
202.4
109.7
105.2
160.2

214.8
211.7
211.9
203.6

219.3
219.9
219.8
207.3
109.1

222.0
225.0
223.5
209.6

224.7
225.9
225.6
211.9

164.6

112.5
167.7

235.0
225.0
226.1
218.7
113.9
114.1
168.5

241.0
228.2
230.6

110.5
167.1

232.0
223.8
224.7
217.0
113.5
112.7
168.3

237.3
224.5
224.5

109.9
166.3

228.0
227.7
227.8
214.7
112.3
112.5
167.3

230.1
226.4
227.5
216.0

109.1
160.3

216.3
215.5
215.7
204.6
110.9
108.7
162.5

115.0
113.0
170.8

115.7
112.7
170.8

244.9
226.8
228.9
225.4
116.0
113.0
171.2

190.5
140.6

192.7
142.8

193.1
144.7

193.6
145.8

196.3
148.1

198.0
149.0

200.0

204.1
150.0

207.6
150.1

209.5
151.7

214.4
151.7

217.4
152.0

220.5
153.6

223.7
155.6

298.3
209.6
216.2
155.6
190.4

308.1
216.1

313.9
217.1
223.5
161.6
196.8

314.1
217.9
224.5
164.1
197.7

314.8

317.0
225.6
228.6
188.2

323.7
228.2
230.6
197.9
201.7

326.4
232.7
232.9

321.7
233.7
235.7
193.0
206.0

325.5
235.2
237.8
191.9
207.2

333.7
235.4
240.1
196.6
207.7

341.0
236.1
241.0
200.5
208.3

337.4
242.9
243.7
211.5

204.1

325.1
232.4
234.6
199.0
205.3

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 parts ................
Farm and garden tractors less parts .................................
Agricultural machinery excluding tractors less parts .............
Industrial valves............................................................
Industrial fittings............................................................
Abrasive grinding wheels ...............................................
Construction materials ...................................................

214.3
216.3
228.8
179.1
228.7
212.7
216.1
216.7
232.3
232.7
208.1
228.3

219.8

221.7
224.2
239.9
186.2
236.9

223.0
225.2
242.5
186.3
238.3

231.8
232.1
254.3
195.7
247.7
228.1
230.5
233.6
255.0
259.3

232.6
233.8
256.8
195.8
248.2
229.5
231.8
235.7
255.8
260.4

234.6
234.2
259.8

223.3
225.2
239.1
244.5

249.9
230.0
233.3
235.3
255.0
260.8

236.3

230.0
230.8
251.2
192.7
245.4
226.7
228.5
233.0
252.4
255.5
220.3
250.0

250.3

250.3

252.4

235.9
237.1
261.5
204.4
252.5
232.5
237.0
237.4
257.0
260.8
224.6
254.1

237.8
242.6
265.3
206.6
254.8
237.5
243.4
242.2
259.1
262.8
224.6
256.6

240.2
244.7
269.5
208.7
259.4
239.5
246.3
243.7
260.3
271.7
235.3
258.2

110.0

222.1
161.2
195.5

222.6

237.7
182.6
236.6
217.2
223.1
222.5
237.5
236.6
217.2
234.2

220.1

110.1

220.0

110.8 111.6

149.4

227.0
168.8
199.6

200.8

224.6
225.9
240.7
244.5

224.9
227.6
245.2
188.9
240.8
223.5
225.6
229.5
245.4
249.9

226.1
228.5
247.4
190.9
242.5
224.4
225.8
230.9
247.8
249.9

237.0

241.4

244.1

227.7
229.6
248.9
192.6
243.1
225.5
226.7
232.1
249.5
252.0
220.3
246.9

221.2

220.2 220.2 220.2 220.2

212.1

112.8

201.0

221.6 222.8 222.8

220.1

221.6

212.8

NOTE: Data for June 1979 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and correc­
tions by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.

29.

Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product

[1967 = 100]
Annual

1979

1978

Commodity grouping
1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

Total durable goods.......................................................
Total nondurable goods .................................................

204.9
211.9

210.7
217.3

212.1

213.0
219.9

216.3
223.4

218.9
227.3

221.0

217.6

223.9
234.1

224.7
236.9

225.8
238.8

227.2
243.5

228.0
245.5

229.7
250.8

234.0
253.5

Total manufactures .......................................................
Durable ................................................................
Nondurable............................................................

204.2
204.7
203.0

209.7
210.5
208.0

210.6 212.0
211.8 212.7
210.5

217.5
218.0
216.1

219.7
219.8
219.0

223.1
222.7

208.5

215.0
215.8
213.4

222.8

225.0
223.8
225.6

226.5
,224.6
227.8

229.4
226.2
232.2

231.5
227.2
235.5

234.9
229.0
240.9

238.6
233.3
243.7

Total raw or slightly processed goods ...............................
Durable ................................................................
Nondurable............................................................

234.6
209.6
235.6

240.7
214.3
241.8

241.1
219.7
241.9

244.3
225.0
244.9

250.2
235.4
250.4

258.5
253.9
258.0

263.3
273.6
261.6

266.1
272.5
264.7

268.2
262.9
267.6

269.7
272.8
268.5

274.4
265.3
274.1

271.8
259.8
271.8

276.6
255.7
277.2

278.6
259.0
279.1

230.4

NOTE: Data for June 1979 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and correc­
tions by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.

30.

Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC Industries

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Annual

1972
SIC
code

1979

1978

1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Au»

Sept

Oct

121.9
126.6
430.2
358.2
194.6

125.2
126.7
444.3
369.8
199.0

127.3
125.4
442.6
373.9
199.6
123.2

127.3
136.2
441.0
380.6

127.3
168.7
444.4
397.2
210.4
125.4

127.3
178.3
445.7
403.8
210.9
125.4

131.9

123.2

127.3
153.3
444.0
388.2
208.0
125.4

447.5
407.6
214.1
125.4

131.9
237.5
451.3
4272
216.0
125.4

136.0
277.0
452.5
444.1
217.0
125.5

136.0
270.8
453.4
459.0
219.2
125.5

138.8
245.8
455.1
475.8
219.9
125.5

138.1
252.1
453.2
506.8
220.9
125.5

140.2
275.0
455.4
522.0
223.5
126.7

218.6
225.9
187.0
225.3

226.8
228.7
192.1
227.0

243.6
223.8
194.6
211.9

250.8
230.4
204.6

256.6
235.6
206.1
216.1

265.0
224.4
199.7
224.7

2592
227.7
203.5
225.3

249.1
217.1
177.8
225.3

243.8
214.6
178.4
227.5

229.3
203.3
169.6
237.9

247.2

239.1
213.0
163.1
240.1

MINING

1011
1092
1211
1311
1442

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 day (6/76 = 100).................................

111.8 111.8

200.2

202.1

MANUFACTURING

2011
2013
2016

2021

Meat packing plants...................................................
Sausages and other prepared meats.............................
Poultry dressing plants...............................................
Creamery butter........................................................

See footnotes at end of table.

96

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

216.7
215.2
' 192.5
205.2

230.2
230.2
182.7
216.8

211.1

211.6

171.2
240.6

30.

Continued— Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC Industries

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
1972
SIC
code

2022
2024
2033
2034
2041
2044
2048
2061
2063
2067
2074
2075
2077
2083
2085
2091
2092
2095
2098

2111
2121
2131
2211
2221

Industry description

Annual
average
1978

1979

1978
Oct

Nov.

182.9
160.0
201.3
178.3
159.0
166.0

MANUFACTURING - Continued
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 ........................................................

169.6
154.8
193.2
131.3
147.0
207.6
107.3
190.7
188.5
218.0

181.2
158.3
198.9
153.9
153.3
164.5
107.7
207.5
190.4

Cottonseed oil m ills.................................................
Soybean oil mills.....................................................
Animal and marine fats and o ils .................................
M alt.....................................................................
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 ............................................................

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

184.4
162.1

184.2
166.2
203.3
179.6
155.8
163.6
115.6
191.6
197.0
241.6

179.4
166.7
204.4
181.2
160.5
166.6
118.4
198.2
197.0
242.5

182.5
166.7
205.2
180.9
157.5
171.0
118.3
195.7
198.6
242.5

186.8
167.3
206.2
181.7
158.1
206.8
117.5
197.5
199.3
242.6

185.2
171.0
207.2
182.1
166.7
206.8
115.2
195.6
199.7
242.2

185.6
171.5
207.5
181.0
174.6
206.8
118.9
207.0
199.7
242.2

186.3
171.5
209.7
180.6
189.1
206.8
128.5
209.0
201.9
242.9

195.4
175.0
210.5
180.7
176.9
218.7
119.7
216.8
199.2
242.9

200.8

216.7

196.8
177.5
213.0
158.2
184.6
227.3
123.9
224.3

242.9

242.9

202.8

192.5
237.7
363.8
190.8
113.6
140.9
382.4
231.7
186.6
221.4

210.4
251.1
335.3
201.4
113.6
142.1
397.6
244.2
188.6
221.4

224.5
262.9
352.0
201.4
113.6
146.4
404.6
271.0
192.7
221.4

214.1
250.0
321.4
201.4
116.2
146.1
392.4
276.6
195.7
228.9

217.9
248.4
333.8
201.4
117.1
150.8
390.1
279.2
199.5
229.1

214.9
244.8
333.7
214.9
117.1
151.1
400.9
280.0
210.4
229.2

145.3
245.9
194.3
114.1
97.6
173.3
95.8
120.9
107.0
117.1

147.3
246.4
196.0
116.3
99.6
172.9
95.9
122.5
107.4
( 1)

147.6
246.4
196.8
116.3
98.1
174.0
96.3
123.2
107.9
(’ )

147.6
255.8
198.6
116.3
97.5
174.0
96.0
124.0
108.3
(’ )

147.4
260.4
200.7
116.9
98.0
174.3
96.4
126.1
109.2
( ')

128.1
175.7
107.5
120.4
105.4
204.5
193.5
188.7
103.4
162.5

127.4
177.4
108.5
120.5
105.4
204.1
194.2
188.7
103.4
162.5

128.5
177.2
109.8
125.7
113.5
206.4
195.9
190.0
103.4
162.7

129.0
179.4
111.3
128.1
115.1
206.4
195.8
190.0
110.9
162.7

129.5
181.2

209.0
100.5
105.9
143.3
117.5

208.7

210.5
102.7
107.5
145.3
117.8
102.4
245.4
108.4
114.3
259.0

210.7

108.3
145.3
117.8
103.7
245.4
111.4
114.3
265.6

213.1
103.0
108.7
146.7
117.8
105.7
245.4
111.4
114.3
262.2

202.8

222.6

193.0
194.3
222.7

179.6
156.8
168.6
114.7
196.2
194.4
241.5

183.1
225.6
287.9
181.5
106.7
136.4
303.8
262.3
176.9
204.6

194.5
231.5
309.7
180.7
107.7
137.0
323.3
246.1
182.1
210.7

192.3
224.0
323.1
180.7
107.8
137.2
331.6
241.8
184.7
210.7

196.4
237.7
305.1
190.8
108.9
137.4
339.0
235.7
184.7
210.7

198.7
233.1
305.0
190.8
108.9
137.3
338.1
229.4
184.7

204.5
241.2
344.5
190.8
109.4
137.9
361.9
222.5
184.7

221.1 221.2

184.7
221.3

198.5
244.7
393.1
190.8
109.4
139.2
375.8
220.5
184.7
221.4

141.4

142.0
224.7
186.1
116.1
95.7
165.1
98.8
114.2
104.1
115.8

141.7
225.1
187.9
115.5
94.8
166.9
99.2
115.9
105.4
115.8

142.8
235.3
188.8
114.5
95.1
169.3
91.2
116.5
104.6
115.8

143.0
236.4
190.1
112.7
94.3
169.9
91.7
117.4
105.0
115.8

145.0
240.9
190.4
112.4
94.4
172.6
93.9
118.2
105.2
116.0

145.4
245.9
191.8
113.3
97.3
172.8
93.2
119.0
105.9
116.0

145.4
245.9
192.7
113.6
97.3
173.1
94.1

101.4
114.7

142.0
224.0
184.4
116.1
90.0
164.9
99.2
111.3
103.5
115.8
125.5
170.8
99.5
119.1
98.4
202.3
181.8
181.1
103.4
156.6

125.5
170.6
103.3
119.1
98.4
202.5
185.3
181.2
103.4
157.4

125.8
170.5
101.7
119.2
98.4
200.5
187.7
182.6
103.4
157.4

125.8
170.9
103.1
120.3
98.5
199.3
191.2
184.5
103.4
157.7

126.0
171.4
102.7
120.3
98.6
199.6
191.4
184.6
103.4
157.8

126.5
172.3
106.0
120.3
98.6
199.9
191.6
188.7
103.4
157.8

127.0
173.1
104.4
120.4
101.7
203.9
191.8
188.7
103.4
162.3

127.7
174.5
106.3
120.4

204.2
192.4
188.7
103.4
162.3

190.1

195.4

195.7

198.5

200.0
99.2
106.6
142.3
116.0
105.5
232.2
105.9
107.1
249.5

206.5
99.1
106.6
142.6
116.1
106.7
241.5
105.9
107.1
252.5

206.5
100.3
105.9
143.3
116.2
106.7
243.9
105.9
107.1
251.6

243.9
106.9
114.3
250.9

106.4
144.2
117.5
102.4
245.4
108.4
114.3
251.3

110.8

242.0
362.6
190.8
109.4
138.5
359.4

221.6

176.1
211.9
170.0
183.4
223.5

121.2
200.2 202.6

2251
2254
2257
2261
2262
2271

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)..............
Woven carpets and rugs (12/75 - 100)......................

2272
2281
2282
2284
2298
2311
2321
2322
2323
2327

Tufted carpets and rugs ..........................................
Yam 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.............................

125.3
167.4
99.2
114.6
99.3
194.3
180.8
180.6
102.3
152.7

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) ..................

195.2
100.7
132.1
111.7
( 1)
214.4
99.6
106.3
228.9

133.5
112.4
104.0
217.4
97.7
107.1
238.3

133.7
112.4
105.7
226.2
98.5
107.1
244.1

138.7
112.5
105.4
226.4
99.6
107.1
240.1

141.2
113.5
105.4
227.3
105.9
107.1
239.5

199.8
99.1
104.9
142.3
116.0
105.4
232.2
105.9
107.1
241.9

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 - 100)....................
Upholstered household furniture (12/71 =100) ...........
Mattresses and bedsprings ......................................
Wood office furniture...............................................
Pulp mills (12/73 - 100) ........................................

150.1
136.2
149.4
126.5
159.7
152.4
143.1
156.3
194.4
178.5

152.7
139.7
158.7
129.6
152.3
156.6
145.6
157.7
199.6
184.3

158.8
142.3
158.9
130.3
150.0
158.4
145.7
157.5
200.4
183.7

157.6
142.3
159.8
130.8
146.9
158.5
145.8
160.0
200.5
183.7

164.2
142.3
160.6
131.8
143.0
160.3
146.9
162.3
207.2
187.1

162.2
148.1
161.8
132.5
141.9
160.3
146.9
162.9
213.1
187.3

160.1
148.3
163.8
133.8
142.7
160.9
147.6
162.9
213.1
189.9

157.3
150.1
166.8
135.3
143.8
162.7
147.4
163.1
214.2
192.5

151.1
150.1
166.7
137.3
141.6
164.6
149.2
163.2
214.3
195.2

140.7
150.0
167.0
138.0
137.4
164.0
149.4
164.1
214.2
196.6

148.4
150.0
166.9
136.5
1343
164.5
150.1
164.3
216.8
206.2

1533
149.9
166.8
137.7
134.7
164.6
150.3
165.7
216.8
207.4

156.2
150.8
167.9
139.6
138.5
167.1
151.6
165.7
216.8
207.5

153.3
158.2
167.9
142.5
139.6
168.1
151.8
168.8
217.6
2153

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).........................

115.7
106.4
251.4
170.8
123.0
198.8
103.8
180.5
107.6
96.6

120.6 121.2 121.5 123.7
110.8 111.1 112.0
110.3

124.7^
112.9
267.6
179.4
130.4
203.2
106.9
191.4

126.0
114.4
269.2
179.5
130.8

129.5
118.5
271.9
189.1
134.0
206.3
118.6
206.6
117.4
101.4

130.3
119.7
273.8
189.6
135.8
209.3
123.5
213.4
118.9

131.2
121.4
283.6
189.6
135.8
211.7
126.0
222.5

96.6

129.3
118.1
271.7
189.1
132.2
204.9
117.7
200.9
115.9
101.9

131.6
123.6
283.6
191.0
135.8

109.2
192.7
111.5
98.0

128.5
117.1
270.8
184.1
130.9
203.7
113.8
196.5
113.1
101.5

102.6

103.5

123.8
106.1

135.2
125.4
286.4
195.8
136.6
213.6
132.5
224.4
124.7
107.9

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) .........................

166.0
181.9
217.3
119.6
117.1
128.2
154.0

173.3
187.5
227.1
129.3
124.8
139.3
166.2

179.1
192.8
226.9
132.8
125.9
132.8
167.1

185.2
197.3
227.9
138.8
128.5
138.6
168.0

185.1
197.8
239.0
146.6
130.1
139.3
169.2

1843
197.8
239.3
155.1
1313
141.6
170.6

188.8
198.2
240.0
1653
134.0
143.6
176.1

195.5
205.6
240.5
176.5
134.9
141.1
179.9

201.5
210.7
250.1
188.4
138.3
146.7
183.9

211.9
216.4
250.6
196.3
145.5
146.1
186.5


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

222.0
181.1
109.0
91.5
164.1
98.5

111.0

102.2 102.2 102.3 102.6
101.1 101.1 101.1 105.0

255.9
174.2
126.0

262.9
175.5
126.2

103.8
182.8
106.7
97.1

103.7
185.8
108.4
95.5

169.8
182.7
226.2

170.1
184.0
225.9
123.3
120.4
134.0
161.0

200.8 202.2

122.6
120.4
134.0
158.4

267.3
177.1
127.4
203.0
104.5
187.8
108.3
95.3

267.4
178.8
130.0
202.4
106.0
189.4
110.7
95.4

168.7
185.2
226.3
125.4

167.8
185.2
226.6
127.3
123.5
134.7
164.0

120.2
134.0
161.8

111.0

201.8

120.8

106.3
116.7

102.8

102.1

102.6

120.1

102.8

212.2
129.0
222.8

111.0

128.3
114.9
206.6
194.5
190.0
110.9
162.9

97

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
30.

Continued— Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC Industries

[1 967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]

1972
SIC
code

Annual

1978

Industry description

1979

1978

Oct

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct

158.7
154.3

164.1
155.4
101.4
134.7
127.1
132.2
172.5
114.3
143.5
250.6

164.1
155.4

164.1
156.4

168.7
161.3

140.1
127.1
133.9
173.7
114.3
147.5
250.6

135.9
129.6
135.2
176.3
123.0
149.0
250.7

169.0
162.1
105.4
173.8
136.3
145.6
189.2
123.0
150.8
250.7

169.0
164.5
107.5
182.9
136.3
147.6
190.3
123.0
150.8
250.7

169.5
167.6
109.0
201.3
138.5
152.8
192.2
131.7
150.8
265.2

169.6
169.1
110.7
195.8
142.0
155.4
195.4
131.8
151.8
265.2

171.2
167.3

139.8
127.2
133.9
173.7
114.3
143.5
250.9

169.0
161.3
103.4
143.7
134.7
141.0
178.4
123.0
150.8
250.7

181.8
143.2
155.4
198.2
131.8
151.8
265.4

173.2
167.3
112.4
172.9
136.2
158.2
201.5
131.8
151.9
265.4

173.4
170.5
112.9
155.2
136.2
159.0

131.8
152.3
265.4

173.4
171.7
113.9
1619
136.9
159.3
202.3
131.8
152.6
265.4

283.1
256.7
113.0
234 4
186.8

283.7
259.7
113.0
236.9
1878
206.4
290.6
236.4
129.0
232.7

282.8
260.9

282.8
236.3

282.8
265.9

282.8
260.4

247.9
188.2
209.2
297.5
238.6
130.9
232.7

248.1
192.5
212.4
297.5
238.6
130.9
235.7

248.5
192.5

290.6
237.1
129.2
230.8

283.2
258.3
113.0
234.6
186.8
204.6
290.6
237.1
129.2
232.6

297.5
238.6
130.9
237.8

251.7
193.2
214.5
297.9
245.8
133.2
240.0

3021
3031
3079
3111
3142
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).................................
House slippers (12/75 = 100)...................................................
Men's footwear, except athletic (12/75 = 100).............................
Women's footwear, except athletic..............................................
Women's handbags and purses (12/75 = 100) ...........................
Rat glass (12/71 = 100) .........................................................
Glass containers.....................................................................

3241
3251
3253
3255
3259
3261
3262
3263
3269
3271

Cement, hydraulic...................................................................
Brick and structural clay tile .......................................................
Ceramic wail and floor tile (12/75 = 100) ...................................
Clay refractories.....................................................................
Structural clay products, n.e.c.....................................................
Vitreous plumbing fixtures ........................................................
Vitreous china food utensils.......................................................
Rne earthenware food utensils...................................................
Pottery products, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100)........................................
Concrete block and brick..........................................................

251.2
230.8
107.7
221.4
176.3
189.7
268.8
228.1

256.0
240.7
111.5
231.7
179.4
192.6
284.1
237.1
127.9

278.8
250.9

211.8

256.0
243.9
111.5
231.7
179.6
194.3
284.4
242.4
129.6
211.9

275.4
2489

122.2
202.0

256.2
239.3
108.4
230.9
179.4
192.9
284.1
236.9
127.9
208.2

233.4
184.1
195.1
284.4
242.4
129.6
223.0

233.2
184.4
198.6
290.6
237.0
129.2
223.1

280.3
252.8
113.0
234.1
186.7
198.9
2906
237.1
129.2
227.0

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).............................................

217.6
129.5
229.5
172.3
133.6
262.3
94.8
241.0
255.2
233.5

225.8
131.3
237.2
176.8
138.6
270.3
96.3
247.4
261.6
238.0

225.9
131.6
242.5
178.9
139.0
270.5
96.3
247.4
258.6
240.0

227.7
133.1
243.1
178.9
139.0
270.7
98.4
247.4
258.7
240.0

240.0
136.2
248.1
181.1
139.8
279.9
103.5
258.1
265.0
244.9

241.1
136.6
251.1
182.2
140.3
280.3
104.0
258.3
265.1
244.7

241.7
137.5
251.5
182.4
140.4
281.1
104.0
258.4
265.8
249.4

244.5
139.9
252.7
184.0
140.5
283.5
106.8
259.1
265.0
253.9

245.2
139.8
249.4
185.1
140.5
285.3
111.7
259.8
264.5
253.3

247.5
140.1
251.9
185.8
143.9
285.8
112.3
261.3
264.5
254.5

249.6
141.9
252.3
187.7
148.1
292.6
116.5
270.6
268.9
251,4

250.5
142.9
252.8
188.6
149.1
292.9
116.5
271.0
270.2
252.6

252.2
144.3
255.4
190.3
149.7
293.2
116.0
271.0
271.4
253.6

253.0
144.7
255 9
193.9
150.1
296.3
116.2
271.9
272.8
265.6

3333
3334
3351
3353
3354
3355
3411
3425
3431
3465

Primary zinc...........................................................................
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) ...........................
Meta! cans............................................................................
Hand saws and saw blades (12/72 = 100) .................................
Metal sanitary ware..................................................................
Automotive stampings (12/75 = 100) ........................................

223.2
217.4
170.2
137.6
134.3
119.7
238.5
147.9
209.1
118.8

240.2

243.2
220.3
177.2
142.4
137.3
121.9
248.3
153.8
213.0
123.0

243.2
220.3
179.0
143.2
138.6

243.2
220.3
184.2
145.8
141.1
125.2
252.7
157.7
214.7
123.6

260.6
226.1
199.9
146.4
141.6
126.5
253.9
157.8
217.4
125.0

260.9
232.4

274.2
235.8

148.0
146.1
129.6
264.4
159.6
126.2

127.0

275.2
238.5
211.7
148.8
147.6
131.6
262.2
162.5
224.1
127.1

281.1
241.6

146.5
142.5
127.5
260.9
157.9
219.2
125.7

274.5
237.4
215.6
148.7
147.5
131.5
263.8
161.9

265.1
244.2
213.4
149.7
151.8
132.2
263.1
165.7
228.9
131.2

264.2
248.2
216.8
150.0
152.2
133.5
261.5
1662
229.2
131.9

265.2
256.0
223.3
150.8
153.5
136.8
270.2
166.9
230.1
132.7

3482
3493
3494
3498
3519
3531
3532
3533
3534
3542

Small amis 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) ........................

119.5
204.6
185.5
265.5

129.3

128.3
218.1
201.4
284.9
237.1
123.0
228.0
283.5
213.8
237.9

130.4
218.7
203.6
288.2
239.0
123.9
228.4
288.4
213.6
238.8

131.4
220.5
204.2
290.7
239.2
124.0
226.4
290.0
214.2
240.6

138.3
221.5
204.0
294.8
241.4
125.3
231.2
292.1
215.1
244.5

138.3

205.0
294.8
244.6
126.0
231.4
293.2
214.6
245.0

1383
222.7
206.4
294.9
249.5
126.3
232.7
296.7
216.5
247.9

137.5
223.5
209.5
297.0
252.8
128.4
233.1
300.5
216.8
249.6

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)...............................

120.2

117.7
191.6
181.0
191.3
137.6
168.5
187.3
120.3

118.7
192.6
184.5
193.7
138.7
168.5
191.9
120.9

118.9
195.0
186.3
194.8
138.9
167.8
193.1

112.7
146.9

146.9

117.8
191.7
183.2
192.8
138.6
168.0
191.5
120.7
111.9
147.0

119.9
196.8
188.1
195.3
139.2
167.8
183.8
123.3
114.0
151.1

120.3
198.2
188.4
195.4
140.3
168.6
194.9
124.2
114.7
151.8

121.9
199.2
193.0
192.9
141.5
171.4
1962
124.3
114.8
152.1

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)..............................................

140.4

141.2

141.5

141.6

141.9

144.3

128.4
127.7
226.6
83.9
129.1
128.6

129.5
128.3
227.2
84.4
133.6
130.2

130.3
129.3
227.2
84.7
134.0
127.8

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).................................

118.9
162.0
115.9
103.2
172.3
105.1
113.0
116.3

134.1
172.8
123.6
112.9
184.0
118.2
123.8
128.3

137.6
172.8
122.3
112.9
184.7
118.7
124.6
128.3

138.4
173.1
129.6
112.9
185.7
121.5
124.8
131.0

1 Not available.

98

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

119.1
122.5
127.1
164.1
111.4
142.7
244.3

220.2
175.6
141.6
135.8
121.7
249.1
149.4
213.0

122.2

101.8 102.0 102.1

121.2
210.6

120.4
209.4
189.3
274.3
226.5
117.5
215.1
272.0
209.5
223.9

192.8
276.4
288.5
118.5
217.5
274.6

179.9
168.1
179.7
128.2
158.3
178.1
114.8
109.6
141.0

122.8

248.3
155.5
214.1
123.0

111.6 111.6

211.0 220.1

129.3
210.9
196.1
276.6
232.7

197.6
276.7
233.8

125.9
216.7
199.0
276.8
234.0

225.5

124.2
210.7
193.4
276.4
228.4
119.2
218.1
275.6
211.5
228.8

222.5
279.5
211.7
231.6

223.4
281.4
214.1
233.3

224.2
281.8
213.4
234.1

113.4
184.1
172.2
184.0
131.4
160.1
181.6
116.0
110.7
142.6

114.1
184.7
173,9
185.3
133.7
164.1
182.6
117.9
110.7
144.4

114.4
186.4
174.1
188.4
134.3
163.1
184.0
118.3
110.7
144.4

115.4
189.0
177.9
188.8
135.0
163.2
184.8
119.1
111.4
145.4

116.3
189.6
177.3
191.1
135.7
165.4
186.0
119.2
112.5
146.3

116.9
190.4
179.2
191.1
136.9
167.0
186.6

135.5

137.4

214.7
185.8
112.7
114.6
200.9
85.3
111.5
118.3

222.3
193.4
115.7
117.6

137.5
115.4
226.1
193.9
117.2
118.3
210.5
842

137.6
115.4
226.1
195.4
117.2
118.3

138.1
119.8
226.6
196.1
117.6

138.1
119.8
226.8
197.1
119.6
121.9
210.9
84.2
114.4

140.4
119.8
227.1
198.0

220.1
114.0
209.5
246.2
204.2
213.6

111.1

111.2 112.8

210.8

212.6

201.6

120.0 121.1 121.6

220.8 222.2

111.8

112.6
147.2

121.1 121.1 121.1
229.8 229.8 229.7
200.4 202.6 203.0

111.6

120.2 120.2 120.2 120.1

211.2
149.5
149.9
131.5
262.3
1626
226.3
128.0

121.8
113.3
149.9

141.6
121.3
240.6
204.9
128.3
127.6
226.5
83.8

121.2 124.3 126.8 127.4
121.2
122.3 123.5 124.0 124.6
210.1
210.6 210.8
211.0 211.2 211.3 226.4
84.1
84.4
84.1
84.4
84.7
84.7
84.7
112.2 112.6 112.2 112.7
115.9 119.8 120.1 122.1 122.1
121.4 122.6 122.7
122.7 122.8 123.1
123.2 123.2 123.2 127.9
121.6 123.7 123.6 123.7 125.4 125.6 125.8 126.6 126.9 130.7
162.2 162.1
162.1
162.4 162.7 164.8 167.9 172.1
172.7 172.8
119.8 119.9 120.2 122.0 122.3 122.3 124.5 124.6 124.8 124.9
104.5
173.8
105.9
115.0
119.0

104.5
174.0
106.1
115.8
117.0

104.5
174.0
106.2
117.8
117.0

107.8
177.3
109.3
117.8
120.7

109.0
178.8
114.3
120.9
120.7

108.6
179.2
115.5
120.9
120.7

109.3
179.6
119.6

120.2

120.7

121.7
123.7

121.0

109.3
182.3

109.3
183.1
116.7
121.7
124.5

201.6

118.0
182.8
117.1
123.2
128.3

222.1

212.8

121.6 121.6 122.0
244.4 242.7 244.8
206.9 211.4 212.8

NOTE: Data for June 1979 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.

P R O D U C T IV IT Y D A TA

P r o d u c t i v i t y d a t a 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.

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.

31.

The use of the term “man-hours” to identify the labor component
of productivity and costs, in tables 31 through 34, 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, tables 3 1 34 were revised to reflect changeover to the new series— private busi­
ness 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 a bor
Review, October 1976, pages 40-42.

Indexes of productivity and related data, selected years, 1950-78

[1967 = 100]
Item

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 ..................................

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

61.0
42.4
58.9
69.6
73.2
70.8

70.3
55.8
696
79.4
80.5
79.8

78.7
71.9
81.1
91.3
85.5
89.3

95.0
88.7
93.8
93.3
95.9
94.2

104.2
123.1
105.8
118.2
105.8
113.9

107.7
131.4
108.3
122.0
113.0
118.9

111.4
139.7
111.5
125.4
119.0
123.2

113.6
151.2
113.6
133.1
124.9
130.3

110.1
164.9
111.7
149 8
130 4
143.1

112.4
181.3
112.5
161.3
150.4
157.5

116.4
197.2
115.6
169.4
158.0
165.5

'118.6
'213.0
'117.3
'179.6
' 165.6
174.8

'119.2
'231.2
'118.3
'194.0
'174.3
187.2

66.9
45.4
63.0
67.9
71.5
69.1

74.3
58.7
73.2
79.1
801
79.4

80.9
74.2
83.7
91.7
845
89.2

95.9
89.4
94.6
93.2
95.8
94.1

103.0
121.7
104.6
118.1
106.0
114.0

106.2
129.9
107.1
122.3
113.1
119.2

110.1
138.4
110.4
125.7
117.5
122.9

112.0
149.2
112.1
133.2
117.8
127.9

108.5
162.8
110.2
150.0
124.7
141.4

- 110.5
178.9
111.0
161.8
146.0
156.4

114.4
193.8
113.7
169.4
156.0
164.8

'116.2
'209.3
'115.3
180.1
' 163.9
174.5

'116.8
'227.3
'116.3
'194.5
'169.9
186.1

(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )

(’ )
(’ )
( ’)
(’ )
(’ )
<’ )

80.2
75.7
85.4
94.3
90.8
93.1

96.8
90.0
95.3
93.0
100.1
95.5

103.5
121.5
' 104,4
117.4
103.5
112.5

107.0
129.0
106.4
120.6
111.1
117.2

110.5
136.7
109.1
123.7
'114.8
120.5

112.8
147.5
110.8
130.7
116.8
125.8

108.5
161.4
109.3
148.8
124.8
140.2

111.9
177.4
110.1
158.6
148.1
154.9

115.5
192.2
112.7
166.4
156.8
163.0

'116.8
'207.6
'114.4
177.7
164.4
173.0

'117.9
'224.8
'115.0
190.6
170.6
183.5

65.0
45.1
62.5
694
82.4
73.3

74.1
60.5
75.4
81.6
88.6
83.8

78.9
77.1
87.0
97.7
92.4
961

98.3
91.0
96.3
926
103.3
959

104.5
121.8
104.7
116.5
96.2
110.3

110.1
129.5
106.7
117.6
105.0
113.7

115.7
136.6
109.0
118.1
107.4
114.8

118.8
1464
110.0
123.2
106.4
118.0

112.6
161.1
109.1
143.1
105.6
131.6

118.2
180.2
111.8
152.4
128.4
145.1

123.4
195.1
114.5
158.2
139.6
152.5

'127.2
'212.0
' 116.8
166.6
147.4
160.7

' 128.0
'229.5
'117.5
179.4
'152.4
171.1

’ Not available.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

99

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Productivity
32.

Annual percent change in productivity and related data, 1968-78

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 ......................................
Nonfinandal 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 ......................................

Annual rate
of change

Year

Item

1950-78

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

3.3
7.6
3.3
4.1
3.5
3.9

0.2
6.8
1.4
6.6
1.0
4.7

0.7
7.1
1.1
6.4
1.2
4.7

3.3
6.7
2.4
3.3
6.8
4.4

3.5
6.3
2.9
2.8
5.2
3.6

1.9
8.2
1.9
6.2
5.0
5.8

-3.0
9.1
-1.7
12.5
4.4
9.8

2.1
9.9
.7
7.7
15.3
10.1

3.5
8.8
2.8
5.0
5.1
5.0

'1.9
r8.0
'1.5
6.0
4.8
5.6

'0.5
'8.5
'0.8
'8.0
'5.3
7.1

2.6
5.8
2.6
3.2
2.8
3.1

'2.2
6.8
2.1
4.5
4.0
4.3

3.2
7.3
3.0
4.0
3.9
4.0

-.3
6.3
.9
6.7
.4
4.5

.1
6.7
.7
6.5
1.6
4.9

3.1
6.7
2.3
3.5
6.7
4.5

3.7
6.5
3.1
2.8
3.8
3.1

1.7
7.8
1.5
6.0
.3
4.1

-3.1
9.1
-1.7
12.7
5.9
10.5

1.9
9.9
.7
7.9
17.1
10.6

3.5
8.3
2.4
4.7
6.9
5.4

'1.6
'8.0
'1.4
6.3
5.0
5.9

'0.5
'8.6
'0.9
'8.0
'3.7
6.6

2.2
5.5
2.3
3.2
2.8
3.1

2.0
6.5
1.9
4.5
3.9
4.3

3.3
6.8
2.5
3.4
3.0
3.3

.3
6.7
1.2
6.3
0
4.1

-.1
6.7
.7
6.8
.5
4.6

3.4
6.2
'1.9
2.7
7.3
4.2

3.3
5.9
2.5
2.5
3.3
2.8

2.1
7.9
1.6
5.7
1.8
4.4

-3.8
9.4
-1.4
13.8
6.8
11.5

3.1
10.0
.7
6.6
18.7
10.5

3.2
8.3
2.4
4.9
5.8
5.2

'1.1
'8.0
'1.5
6.8
4.9
6.1

'1.0
'8.3
'0.6
7.3
3.8
6.1

( 1)
<1)
( 1)
(’ )

2.0
6.3
1.7
4.2
3.4
3.9

3.6
7.0
2.7
3.3
3.9
3.5

1.1
6.4
1.0
5.2
-4.4
2.3

-.3
6.9
.9
7.2
-3.2
4.2

5.3
6.3
r2.0
.9
9.2
3.1

5.1
5.5
2.1
.4
2.3
1.0

2.7
7.2
.9
4.3
-1.0
2.8

-5.2
10.1
-.8
16.1
-.7
11.5

4.9
11.8
2.4
6.6
21.6
10.2

4.4
8.3
2.4
3.8
8.8
5.1

'3.1
'8.6
'2.0
5.3
5.5
5.4

'6
'8.3
'6
7.7
3.4
6.5

2.6
5.4
2.2
2.7
1.8
2.5

2.6
6.3
'1.6
3.6
2.3
3.3

n
n

1960- 78

1Not available.

33.

Indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, seasonally adjusted

[1967 = 100]

Item

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 ......................................
Nonfinandal corporations:
Output per hour of all employees ......................
Compensation per hour...................................
Real compensation per hour.............................
Total unit costs ..............................................
Unit labor cost ........................................
Unit nonlabor costs...................................
Unit profits ...................................................
Implicit price deflator ......................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour for all persons.........................
Compensation per hour...................................
Real compensation per hour.............................
Unit labor cost...............................................

100

https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Quarterly Indexes

Annual
average

1979

1978

1977

1977

1978

1

II

III

IV

1

II

III

IV

1

II

III

'118.6
'213.0
'117.3
'179.6
'165.6
174.8

'119.2
'231.2
'118.3
'194.0
'174.3
187.2

118.5
207.7
117.2
175.2
161.4
170.5

'117.9
'210.8
'116.7
'178.8
'164.7
173.9

'119.4
'215.3
'117.6
'180.2
'167.9
176.0

'118.8
'218.5
'117.9
'183.8
r 168.6
178.6

'118.4
'224.2
'118.7
'189.4
'164.8
180.9

'119.0
4228.5
'118.1
'192.1
173.9
185.8

'119.7
'233.6
'118.2
'195.2
'177.0
188.9

'119.8
'238.4
'118.6
'199.0
'181.3
192.9

'118.9
'244.8
'118.0
'205.9
'180.8
'197.2

'118.2
'250.3
'116.9
'211.7
'183.7
202.0

"118.3
"255.4
"115.7
"216.0
"187.5
"206.2

'116.2
'209.3
'115.3
180.1
'163.9
174.5

'116.8
'227.3
'116.3
'194.5
'169.9
186.1

116.4
204.1
115.2
175.4
159.1
169.8

'115.8
'207.3
'114.7
179.0
163.2
173.6

'116.7
'211.2
'115.4
'180.9
'167.1
176.2

'116.3
'214.8
'115.9
' 184.7
'166.0
178.3

'116.0
'220.6
'116.8
'190.2
161.1
180.2

'116.5
'224.6
'116.1
'192.7
'169.2
184.7

'117.3
'229.4
'116.1
'195.6
'173.0
187.8

'117.6
'234.3
'116.0
'199.3
'176.1
191.4

'116.6
'240.2
115.8
206.0
174.3
195.1

'115.4
'244.8
114.3
212.1
177.6
200.3

"115.5
" 249.6
"113.1
"216.2
p 183.0
"204.8

'116.8
'207.6
'114.4
181.8
177.7
194.3
122.7
173.0

'117.9
'224.8
'115.0
193.3
190.6
201.8
127.2
183.5

116.8
202.5
114.3
177.7
173.4
191.0
114.1
168.3

'116.5
'205.7
'113.8
180.5
176.6
192.4
123.3
172.0

'117.4
'209.5
'114.5
182.4
178.4
194.8
130.9
174.7

'116.7
'212.8
. '114.8
186.3
182.3
198.7
122.2
176.8

'116.7
'218.5
'115.7
190.8
187.3
201.5
107.1
178.3

'117.8
'222.3
'114.9
191.6
188.7
200.8
129.2
182.3

'118.4
'226.9
'114.8
194.0
191.5
201.6
132.7
184.9

'118.8
'231.3
'114.5
196.8
194.8
203.1
138.7
188.2

'118.1
'237.4
'114.5
202.3
201.0
206.5
130.3
191.6

'117.3
'242.1
'113.1
'208.0
'206.4
'213.2
'129.2
196.3

NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA
NA

'127.2
'212.0
'116.8
166.6

'128.0
'229.5
'117.5
179.4

125.4
206.4
116.5
164.6

'127.3
'209.7
'116.1
164.7

'128.4
'214.1
' 117.0
166.7

'127.8
'217.5
'117.4
170.2

'125.7
'223.2
'118.1
177.5

'127.2
'226.6
'117.1
178.1

'129.2
'231.4
'117.0
179.1

'129.8
'236.5
'117.1
182.2

'129.0
'242.4
'116.9
187.9

'130.0
'248.2
'115.9
'190.9

"131.0
"253.0
"114.6
"193.1

34. Percent change from preceding quarter and year in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted at annual rate.
[1967 = 100]
Percent change from same quarter a year ago

'1.9
'7.5
'-2 .5
'5.4
'21.5
'10.2

'2.7
'8.8
'.0
6.0
'9.4
7.0

'.8

'-3 .2
'10.4
'- .6
'14.0
' -4.0
8.1

'4.1
'7.2
' -2.7
1.8
2.9
-1.3
111.3
9.3
'4.8

6.3
-3.5
1.4

'2.0
'8.4
' - A

5.1
6.2
1.7
11.4
5.7
'6.3
'8.7
'- . 1

2.2

'- .4
8.0
'7.3
7.8

'8.4
'1.2
'7.4
'5.6
6.8

'0.2
'8.5
0.4
'8.3
'5.4
7.4

'0.8
'9.1
M
8.3
r7.5
8.0

'0.4
'9.2
'- .6
'8.7
'9.7
9.0

'.6
'8.4
'1.2
'7.7
'3.7
6.4

'5
'8.7
'.6
8.1
'3.5
6.6

'1.1
'9.1
M
'7.9
’ 6.1
7.3

-.5
'8.9
'- .8
8.3

'1.2
'8.1
0.9
6.2
6.8
4.3
4.7
6.0

'0.8
'8.3
'.2
6.4
7.4
3.5
1.4
5.8

'1.8
'8.7
'- .3
5.6
6.8
2.2
13.6
6.4

'1.3
'8.7

'- 1

'6
'8.1
'0
7.4

'1.6
'8.7
'- 3
7.1

-2.2
9.3
-3.8
'11.8
6.5
'10.1

0.1
8.5
-3.9
8.3
8.6
8.4

-4.1
'7.9
' -5.0
'12.5
'7.8
11.0

.2
8.2
4.2
7.9
12.6
9.3

'

mm

M
14.6
-1.0
9.3
'

'1.1
'8.1
' —1.0
5.9
6.9
2.9
19.5
7.3

' -2.1
'11.0
'.0
11.7
13.4
6.8
—22.1
7.6

'-2.8
8.0
'-4 .9
11.8
11.2
'13.5
'-3 .4
' 10.2

2.0
9.3
'0
7.1

'-2 .4
'10.3
'- .6
13.0

'2.9
'9.8
'-3 .4
'6.7

( ’ )

(’ )
(’ )
<’ )
f )
( ’ )
( ’ )
f >

3.2
8.0
-4.3
4.6

'8.0
'.9

8.1

8.3

' —1.0
6.1
7.3
2.5
21.7
7.5
'2.6
'8.6
'

—1.1

5.9

II 1978
to
I11979

I

'0.3
'8.5
'- .7
8.1
9.9
8.7

1 1978
to
11979

I11977
to
I11978

b>

'2.4
'9.2
'.3
6.6
7.4
6.9

IV 1977
to
IV 1978

II 1979
to
1111979"

O
CD

'2.0
'7.9
-2.1
5.8
24.0
11.2

III 1977
to
III 1978

11979
to
I11979

C\J
CD

IV 1978
to
11979

o
CO
I


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

III 1978
to
IV 1978

CO
CO

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 ..............
Nonfinandal corporations:
Output per hour of all employees
Compensation per hour ...........
Real compensation per hour
Total unit costs ......................
Unit labor costs ..................
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........................

I11978
to
III 1978

11978
to
I11978

O

Quarterly percent change at annual rate
Item

'9.5
r -1 .0

'10.2
'5.6
8.7
' —1.0

'9.0
' —1.5
10.1
5.0
8.5

III 1978
to
III 1979"

-1.2
9.4
-2.1
10.7
5.9
9.1
-1.6
8.8
2.6
10.6
-5.8
9.0

'.5
'8.9
' —1.6
'8.6
'9.4
'6.2
'0
7.7

(’ )
(’ )
(’ )

' 2.2

1.4
9.4
-2.1
7.8

'9.5
'1.0
'7.2

( ’ )
<’ )
( ’ )
n

( 1)

101

L A B O R -M A N A G E M E N T D A T A

M a jo r c o llective b a r g a in in g d a t a are obtained from
contracts on file at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, direct
contact with the parties, and from secondary sources. Addi­
tional detail is published in Current Wage Developments, a
monthly periodical of the Bureau. Data on work stoppages
are based on confidential responses to questionnaires mailed
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to parties involved in work
stoppages. Stoppages initially come to the attention of the
Bureau from reports of Federal and State mediation agencies,
newspapers, and union and industry publications.

Definitions
Data on wage changes apply to private nonfarm industry agree­
ments covering 1,000 workers or more. Data on wage and benefit
changes combined apply only to those agreements covering 5,000
workers or more. First-year wage settlements refer to pay changes go­
ing into effect within the first 12 months after the effective date of


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

the agreement. Changes over the life of the agreement refer to total
agreed upon settlements (exclusive of potential cost-of-living escalator
adjustments) expressed at an average annual rate. Wage-rate changes
are expressed as a percent of straight-time hourly earnings, while wage
and benefit changes are expressed as a percent of total compensation.
Effective wage-rate adjustments going into effect in major
bargaining units measure changes actually placed into effect during the
reference period, whether the result of a newly negotiated increase, a
deferred increase negotiated in an earlier year, or as a result of a costof-living escalator adjustment. Average adjustments are affected by
workers receiving no adjustment, as well as by those receiving in­
creases or decreases.
Work stoppages include all known strikes or lockouts involving six
workers or more and lasting a full shift or longer. Data 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.

35.

Wage and benefit settlements in major collective bargaining units, 1973 to date

[In percent]
Quarterly average

Annual average

1979

1978

Sector and measure
1973

1974

1975

1978

1977

1976

II

III

IV

1

II

III

Wage and benefit settlements, all industries:
First-year settlements..........................................
Annual rate over life of contract.............................

7.1
6.1

10.7
7.8

11.4
8.1

8.5
6.6

9.6
6.2

8.3
6.3

6.8
6.0

7.2
5.9

6.1
5.2

2.5
5.2

10.6
7.7

9.0
6.0

Wage rate settlements, all Industries:
First-year settlements..........................................
Annual rate over life of contract.............................

5.8
5.1

9.8
7.3

10.2
7.8

8.4
6.4

7.8
5.8

7.6
6.4

6.9
6.2

7.5
6.4

7.4
5.9

4.8
6.6

9.0
7.0

6.6
4.8

Manufacturing:
First-year settlements ....................................
Annual rate over life of contract ........................

5.9
4.9

8.7
6.1

9.8
8.0

8.9
6.0

8.4
5.5

8.3
6.6

7.1
5.8

8.4
7.2

9.5
7.4

8.7
8.6

9.9
8.1

6.2
4.6

Nonmanufacturing (excluding construction):
First-year settlements ....................................
Annual rate over life of contract........................

6.0
5.4

10.2
7.2

11.9
8.0

8.6
7.2

8.0
5.9

8.0
6.5

7.7
6.9

7.4
5.9

6.4
5.1

2.3
5.6

8.5
5.7

9.1
5.8

Construction:
First-year settlements ....................................
Annual rate over life of contract ........................

5.0
5.1

11.0
9.6

8.0
7.5

6.1
6.2

6.3
6.3

6.5
6.2

6.4
6.0

7.0
7.2

8.4
7.1

11.0
7.7

9.1
8.2

10.4
9.1

36.

Effective wage adjustments going into effect in major collective bargaining units, 1973 to date

[In p e rc e n t]

Average quarterly changes

Average annual changes
Sector and measure

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1978

1977
IV

1

II

III

IV

1

II

III

Total effective wage rate adjustment, all industries.............
Change resulting from —
Current settlement ..........................................
Prior settlement ..............................................
Escalator provision ..........................................

7.0

9.4

8.7

8.1

8.0

8.2

1.1

1.3

2.6

2.7

1.4

r 1.4

'2.4

2.9

3.0
2.7
1.3

4.8
2.6
1.9

2.8
3.7
2.2

3.2
3.2
1.6

3.0
3.2
1.7

2.0
3.7
2.4

.5
.3
.3

.5
.6
.3

.6
1.4
.6

.5
1.2
1.0

.4
.5
.5

.2
.6
'.6

'1.0
'.9
.5

.9
1.0
1.0

Manufacturing.......................................................
Nonmanufacturing.................................................

7.3
6.7

10.3
8.6

8.5
8.9

8.5
7.7

8.4
7.6

8.6
7.9

1.4
.8

1.4
1.3

2.2
2.9

2.9
2.5

1.9
1.1

1.4
'1.4

'2.2
2.6

2.6
3.2

NOTE: Because of rounding and compounding, the sums of individual items may not equal totals.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

103

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Current Labor Statistics: Labor-Management
37.

Work stoppages, 1947 to date
Number of stoppages
Month and year

Beginning in
month or year

In effect
during month

Workers involved
Beginning in
month or year
(thousands)

Days idle

In effect
during month
(thousands)

Number
(thousands)

Percent of
estimated
working time

1947
1948
1949
1950

................
................
................
................

3,693
3,419
3,606
4,843

2,170
1,960
3,030
2,410

34,600
34,100
50,500
38,800

.30
.28
.44
.33

1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

..................
..................
..................
..................
..................

4,737
5,117
5,091
3,468
4,320

2,220
3,540
2,400
1,530
2,650

22,900
59,100
28,300
22,600
28,200

.18
.48
.22
.18
.22

1956
1957
1958
1959
1960

..................
..................
..................
..................
..................

3,825
3,673
3,694
3,708
3,333

1,900
1,390
2,060
1,880
1,320

33,100
16,500
23,900
69,000
19,100

.24
.12
.18
.50
.14

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

..................
..................
..................
..................
..................

3,367
3,614
3,362
3,655
3,963

1,450
1,230
941
1,640
1,550

16,300
18,600
16,100
22,900
23,300

.11
.13
.11
.15
.15

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

..................
..................
..................
..................
..................

4,405
4,595
5,045
5,700
5,716

1,960
2,870
2,649
2,481
3,305

25,400
42,100
49,018
42,869
66,414

.15
.25
.28
.24
.37

1971
....
1972 ..................
1973 ..................
1974 ..................
1975 ..................

5,138
5,010
5,353
6,074
5,031

3,280
1,714
2,251
2,778
1,746

47,589
27,066
27,948
47,991
31,237

.26
.15
.14
.24
.16

1976 ..................
1977 ..................

5,648
5,506

2,420
2,040

37,859
35,822

.19
.17

1978:

1979:

September

453

854

448

551

4,446

.25

October ..
November
December

389
290
157

740
591
408

106
63
49

205
135
139

2,277
1,776
1,440

.12
.10
.08

January ..
February .
March ...

301
326
447

405
528
664

101
105
169

177
251
280

1,810
,1,465
1,501

.09
.09
.08

April.......
May.......
June . . . .

553
598
543

822
919
873

411
157
162

520
370
277

5,193
3,768
3,335

.28
.18
.17

July.......
August . . .
September

554
493
513

900
899
842

202
135
174

324
286
282

3,128
3,423
2,693

.16
.16
.15

104

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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Index of Volume 102
January 1979 through December 1979

105

INDEX OF VOLUME 102
JANUARY 1979 THROUGH DECEMBER 1979

ABSENTEEISM
Absent workers and lost work hours, May 1978. 1979 Aug. 49-53.
AFDC
Unemployment among recipients of food stamps and AFDC. 1979
March 47-52.
ARBITRATION (See Collective bargaining.)
AUSTRALIA
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
BARGAINING (See Collective bargaining.)
BENEFITS (See Supplemental benefits.)
BUDGETS
Do area wages reflect area living costs? 1979 Nov. 24-29.
Family expenditure data to be available on a continuing basis. 1979
Apr. 53-54.
CANADA
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
CIVIL SERVANTS (See Public employees.)
COLLECTIVE BARGAINING
Binding arbitration can put public employers in a bind. 1979 Jan.
73-75.
Comparing arbitration and litigation in employment discrimination
cases. 1979 May 35-36.
Cost-of-living adjustment: keeping up with inflation? 1979 June 1417.
Does ‘final offer’ allow the bargaining that conventional arbitration
chills? 1979 May 38-39.
Does Wisconsin’s final-offer arbitration offer only ‘intertemporal
compromise?’ 1979 May 39-40.
Heavy bargaining again in 1980. 1979 Dec. 20-28.
Industrial relations in 1978: some bargaining highlights. 1979 Jan.
58-64.
Labor and the Supreme Court: significant decisions of 1977-78.
1979 Jan. 20-25.
Political and legal issues of binding arbitration in government, The.
1979 Sept. 35-41.
Prevalence of incentives in major bargaining agreements. 1979 July
32-34.
Providing assistance to displaced workers. 1979 May 17-22.
Scheduled wage increases and escalator provisions in 1979. 1979
Jan. 20-25.
Unionization of court employees has raised legal, practical ques­
tions. 1979 Aug. 20-24.
Wage increases of 1978 absorbed by inflation. 1979 June 10-13.
CONFERENCES AND CONVENTIONS
» Industrial Relations Research Association. Papers from 31st annual
meeting, August 1978. 1979 Jan. 65-75; Feb. 33-40; Apr. 42-48;
May 35-40; June 29-34.
106

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International Labor Organization, 65th conference, June 1979. 1979
Oct. 65-67.
United Food and Commercial Workers International Union
(UFCW). Formation of. 1979 Sept. 56-57.
CONSTRUCTION
Changing character of unionism in traditionally organized sectors,
The. 1979 Feb. 36-38.
Homeownership costs. 1979 Sept. 2.
Labor and material requirements for federally aided highways. 1979
Dec. 29-34.
Labor and material requirements for new school construction. 1979
Apr. 38-41.
Labor requirements for college housing construction. 1979 May 2834.
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX (See also Prices.)
Consumer prices rise at a 13-percent rate for the third consecutive
quarter. 1979 Dec. 35-41.
Energy buoys double-digit inflation, food price surge ebbs in
second quarter. 1979 Sept. 49-55.
Homeownership costs. 1979 Sept. 2.
Price changes in 1978--an analysis. 1979 March 3-12.
COST OF LIVING
Cost-of-living adjustment: keeping up with inflation? 1979 June 1417.
Do area wages reflect area living costs? 1979 Nov. 24-29.
Family expenditure data to be available on a continuing basis. 1979
Apr. 53-54.
First-quarter food and fuel prices propel inflation rate to 5-year
high. 1979 June 3-9.
Homeownership costs. 1979 Sept. 2.
Producer Price Index revision: overview and pilot survey. 1979
Dec. 11-19.
DECISIONS, COURT (See also Labor and the Supreme Court: sig­
nificant decisions of 1977-78. 1979 Jan. 51-57.)
Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967
Oscar Mayer & Co. v. Evans. 1979 Sept. 59.
Vance v. Bradley. 1979 May 53.
Bankruptcy Act
Gordon Transports, Inc. v. Highway and City Freight Drivers
Local 600. 1979 Apr. 62.
Civil Rights Act of 1866
Los Angeles v. Davis. 1979 June 43.
Civil Rights Act of 1871
Chapman v. Texas Dept, of Human Resources. 1979 Nov. 55-56.
Novotny v. Great American Savings and Loan Assn. 1979 Nov. 56.

Civil Rights Act of 1964

National Labor Relations Act

Furnco Construction Co. v. Waters. 1979 Mar. 61-62.
Keene State College v. Sweeney. 1979 Mar. 61-62.
Los Angeles v. Davis. 1979 June 43.
McDonnell Douglas v. Green. 1979 Mar. 61-62.
Novotny v. Great American Savings and Loan Assn. 1979 Nov. 56.
Oscar Mayer & Co. v. Evans. 1979 Sept. 59.
Transit Authority v. Beazer. 1979 May 53-54.
United Steelworkers of America v. Weber. 1979 Aug. 56-57.

Detroit Edison Co. v. NLRB. 1979 June 44.
Ford Motor Co. v. NLRB. 1979 Sept. 58.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers v. Foust. 1979
Sept. 59.
New York Telephone Co. v. New York State Dept, of Labor. 1979
May 52.
NLRB v. Baptist Hospital. 1979 Nov. 54.
NLRB v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago. 1979 May 52-53.
Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. San Diego County District Council of
Carpenters. 1979 Dec. 51-52.

Constitutional issues
Ambach v. Norwick. 1979 July 40-41.
Babbitt v. United Farm Workers National Union. 1979 Nov. 54-55.
Bivens v. Six Unknown Named Agents of the Federal Bureau of
Narcotics. 1979 June 58.
Board of Education, City of New York v. Nyquist. 1979 Apr. 62.
Califano v. Boles. 1979 Oct. 70.
Califano v. Westcott. 1979 Oct. 70.
Davis v. Passman. 1979 Aug. 58.
Dodson Insurance Group v. Maloney. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Foley v. Connelie. 1979 July 40-41.
Givhan v. Western Line Consolidated Sch. Dist. 1979 Apr. 61-62.
Graham v. Richardson. 1979 July 40-41.
Hampton v. Mow Sung Wong. 1979 July 41.
Hanover Township Federation of Teachers, Local 1954 v. Hanover
Community School Corp. 1979 July 41.
Harrah Independent Sch. Dist. v. Martin. 1979 May 54.
Hisquierdo v. Hisquierdo. 1979 Apr. 60.
Industrial Commission of Wisconsin v. McCartin. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Los Angeles v. Davis. 1979 June 43.
Magnolia Petroleum Co. v. Hunt. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Novonty v. Great American Savings and Loan Assn. 1979 Nov. 56.
NLRB v. Catholic Bishop of Chicago. 1979 May 52-53; June 45.
Personnel Administrator of Massachusetts v. Feeney. 1979 Aug.
57-58.
Pettus v. American Airlines. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Sears, Roebuck Co. v. San Diego County District Council of Car­
penters. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Slagle v. Parker. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Smith v. Arkansas State Highway Employees, Local 1315. 1979
July 41.
Transit Authority v. Beazer. 1979 May 53.
Vance v. Bradley. 1979 May 53.
Vergara v. Chairman, Merit Systems Protection Board. 1979 July
41.
Council on Wage and Price Stability Act
AFL-CIO v. Kahn. 1979 Aug. 57.
Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974
Teamsters v. Daniel. 1979 Mar. 62-63.
Executive Order 11935
Vergara v. Chairman, Merit Systems Protection Board. 1979 July
41.
Executive Order 12092
AFL-CIO v. Kahn. 1979 Aug. 57.
Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949

Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970
Marshall v. Daniel Construction Co. 1979 Mar. 61; Dec. 51-52.
Marshall v. Whirlpool Corp. 1979 June 44-45; Dec. 51-52.
'

Railway Labor Act

International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers v. Foust. 1979
Sept. 59.
Railroad Retirement Act of 1974
Hisquierdo v. Hisquierdo. 1979 Apr. 60.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Southeastern Community College v. Davis. 1979 Oct. 70.
Transit Authority v. Baezer. 1979 May 53-54.
Securities Exchange Act of 1934
Teamsters v. Daniel. 1979 Mar. 62-63.
Social Security Act
Califano v. Boles. 1979 Oct. 70.
Califano v. Westcott. 1979 Oct. 69.
Chapman v. Texas Dept, of Human Resources. 1979 Nov. 55-56.
New York Telephone Co. v. New York State Dept, of Labor. 1979
May 52.
State laws
Ambach v. Norwick. 1979 July 40-41.
Babbitt v. United Farm Workers National Union. 1979 Nov. 54-55.
Boggs v. Blue Diamond Coal Co. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Chapman v. Texas Dept, of Human Resources. 1979 Nov. 55-56.
Dodson Insurance Group v. Maloney. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Dougherty Cty. Bd. of Education v. White. 1979 Apr. 61.
Foley v. Connelie. 1979 July 40-41.
Graham v. Richardson. 1979 July 40-41.
Harrah Independent Sch. Dist. v. Martin. 1979 May 54.
Hisquierdo v. Hisquierdo. 1979 Apr. 60.
Industrial Commission of Wisconsin v. McCartin. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Magnolia Petroleum Co. v. Hunt. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
New York Telephone Co. v. New York State Dept, of Labor. 1979
May 52.
Oscar Mayer & Co. v. Evans. 1979 Sept. 59.
Personnel Administrator of Massachusetts v. Feeney. 1979 Aug.
57-58.
Pettus v. American Airlines. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Sears, Roebuck & Co. v. San Diego County District Council of
Carpenters. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
Slagle v. Parker. 1979 Dec. 51-52.

AFL-CIO v. Kahn. 1979 Aug. 57.
Foreign Service Retirement Act of 1946

Voting Rights Act of 1965
Dougherty Cty. Bd. of Education v. White. 1979 Apr. 61.

Vance v. Bradley. 1979 May 53.
Landrum-Griffin Act
Gabauer v. Woodcock. 1979 Dec. 51-52.
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers v. Foust. 1979
Sept. 59.
Longshoremen’s and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act
Pettus v. American Airlines. 1979 Dec. 51-52.


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Other court decisions
Board of Education, City of New York v. Nyquist. 1979 Apr. 62.
DECISIONS, NLRB
Abilities and Goodwill, Inc. and Abilities and Goodwill Association
of Professional Employees. 1979 July 41-42.
General Knit of California, Inc. and United Steel Workers of
America. 1979 Apr. 60-61.

107

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Index of Volume 102
DISCOURAGED WORKERS
Two-fifths of discouraged sought work during prior 6-month
period. 1979 March 58-60.
DISCRIMINATION (See Equal Employment Opportunity.)
EARNINGS AND WAGES
General
Changes in marital and family characteristics of workers, 1970-78.
1979 Apr. 49-52.
Computer and data processing services, March 1978. 1979 July 34.
Do area wages reflect area living costs? 1979 Nov. 24-29.
Effect of unemployment on family income in 1977, The. 1979 Dec.
42-44.
Employment Cost Index up 7.7 percent in 1978. 1978 July 28-31.
Fair Labor Standards Act: changes of four decades. 1979 July 1016.
Federal pay comparability: facts to temper the debate. 1979 June
18-28.
Fringes of a fringe group: part-timers in academe. 1979 Nov. 46-49.
Heavy bargaining again in 1980. 1979 Dec. 20-28.
Labor requirements for college housing construction. 1979 May 2834.
Long hours and premium pay, May 1978. 1979 May 41-45.
Linking unemployment insurance to mobility and family income.
1979 Apr. 42-44.
Median earnings in 1977 reported for year-round full-time workers.
1979 June 35-39.
Minimum wage today: how well does it work? 1979 July 17-21.
More wives in the labor force have husbands with ‘above average’
incomes. 1979 June 40-42.
Prevalence of incentives in major bargaining agreements. 1979 July
32-34.
Real after-tax annual earnings from the Current Population Survey.
1979 Aug. 42-45.
Scheduled wage increases and escalator provisions in 1979. 1979
Jan. 20-25.
Two divergent measures of purchasing power. 1979 Aug. 25-30.
Wage increases of 1978 absorbed by inflation. 1979 June 10-13.
Weekly and hourly earnings of U.S. workers, 1967-78. 1979 Aug.
31-41.
White-collar pay rise for 1979 nearly matches 1978 increase. 1979
Nov. 49-50.
Working wives’ contribution to family income in 1977. 1979 Oct.
62-64.
Specified industries and occupations
Cleaning services, July 1977. 1979 Feb. 64-65.
Communications workers, October 1977. 1979 Nov. 52-53.
Department stores, May 1977. 1979 Apr. 56-57.
Dress manufacturing, August 1977. 1979 Apr. 54-56.
Grain milling industries, September 1977. 1979 Apr. 57.
Metal mining industries, 1977. 1979 May 45.
Nonelectrical machinery manufacturing, January 1978. 1978 Nov.
51-52.
Oil and gas extraction industries, September 1977. 1979 May 45-46.
Papermaking industries, 1977. 1979 May 46-47.
Semiconductor industry, September 1977. 1979 Feb. 64.
ECONOMIC POLICIES AND PROGRAMS
Influence of energy on industry output and employment, The. 1979
Dec. 3-10.
Structural unemployment without quotation marks. 1979 June 2934.
The 1980 census: countdown for a complete count. 1979 Sept. 3-13.
Unemployment rr.te as an economic indicator, The. 1979 March 2435.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Back to school at 35 and over, October 1978. 1979 Aug. 53-55.
Educational attainment of workers-some trends from 1975 to 1978.
1979 Feb. 54-59.
Has BLS underestimated business Ph. D. demand? 1979 Sept. 4246.

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It is ‘back to school’ for new youth programs. 1979 Apr. 48.
Minorities, high-school dropouts benefit least from CETA pro­
grams. 1979 Mar. 60.
Structural unemployment without quotation marks. 1979 June 2934.
EMPLOYMENT
Black labor force during the 1975-78 recovery, The. 1979 May 3-7.
Difference a year makes in the Nation’s youth work force, The.
1979 Oct. 34-38.
Educational attainment of workers-some trends from 1975 to 1978.
1979 Feb. 54-59.
Employment and commuting patterns: a residential analysis. 1979
July 3-9.
Employment and unemployment during 1978: an analysis. 1979
Feb. 3-12.
Employment and unemployment in the first half of 1979. 1979 Aug.
3- 7.
Evaluation of BLS projections of 1975 production and employ­
ment, An. 1979 Aug. 8-19.
Has BLS underestimated business Ph. D. demand? 1979 Sept. 4246.
How likely are individuals to enter the labor force? 1979 Sept. 2834.
Industry output and employment: BLS projections to 1990. 1979
Apr. 3-14.
Influence of energy on industry output and employment, The. 1979
Dec. 3-10.
Labor and material requirements for new school construction. 1979
Apr. 38-41.
Labor-management relations and the coal industry. 1979 May 2327.
Labor market experience of black youth, 1954-78, The. 1979 Oct.
19-27.
Long hours and premium pay, May 1978. 1979 May 41-45.
Multiple jobholding holds steady in 1978. 1979 Feb. 59-61.
‘Quick’ special purpose surveys passed test during coal strike. 1979
Feb. 62-64.
System for individual equity in equal employment opportunity, A.
1979 Apr. 46-47.
Two-fifths of discouraged sought work during prior 6-month
period. 1979 Mar. 58-60.
Vietnam veterans in the labor market of the 1970’s. 1979 Nov. 311.

Work experience of the population in 1977. 1979 Mar. 53-57.
Young and marginal: an overview of youth employment. 1979 Oct.
4 - 18.
ENERGY
Energy buoys double-digit inflation, food price surge ebbs in
second quarter. 1979 Sept. 49-55.
Influence of energy on industry output and employment, The. 1979
Dec. 3-10.
Industry output and employment: BLS projections to 1990. 1979
Apr. 3-14.
Labor-management relations and the coal industry. 1979 May 2327.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Comparing arbitration and litigation in employment discrimination
cases. 1979 May 35-36.
Labor and the Supreme Court: significant decisions of 1977-78.
1979 Jan. 51-57.
System for individual equity in equal employment opportunity, A.
1979 Apr. 46-47.
ESCALATOR CLAUSES
Cost-of-living adjustment: keeping up with inflation? 1979 June 1417.
Heavy bargaining again in 1980. 1979 Dec. 20-28.
Industrial relations in 1978: some bargaining highlights. 1979 Jan.
58-64.
Scheduled wage increases and escalator provisions in 1979. 1979
Jan. 20-25.

Wage increases of 1978 absorbed by inflation. 1979 June 10-13.

ITALY

FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT

Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.

Fair Labor Standards Act: changes of four decades. 1979 July 1016.
FARMING (See Agriculture.)
FEDERAL EMPLOYEES (See Public employees.)
FEDERAL PAY COMPARABILITY ACT OF 1970
Federal pay comparability: facts to temper the debate. 1979 June
18-28.
FRANCE
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
GERMANY
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
GOVERNMENT WORKERS (See Public employees.)
GREAT BRITAIN (See United Kingdom.)
HEALTH AND SAFETY
First work-injury data available from new BLS study, The. 1979
Jan. 76-80.
Occupational skin disease continues to plague industry. 1979 Feb.
17-22.
HOURS OF WORK
Absent workers and lost work hours, May 1978. 1979 Aug. 49-53.
American workers evaluate the quality of their jobs. 1979 Jan. 312.

Labor requirements for college housing construction. 1979 May 2834.
Long hours and premium pay, May 1978. 1979 May 41-45.
Weekly and hourly earnings of U.S. workers, 1967-78. 1979 Aug.
31-41.
Workers on late shifts in a changing economy. 1979 Sept. 14-22.
HOUSING (See Construction.)
INCOME (See Earnings and wages.)
INDEXES
Cost-of-living indexes for Americans living abroad. 1979 Jan. 81;
Apr. 59; July 39; Oct. 67-68.
Employment Cost Index up 7.7 percent in 1978. 1978 July 28-31.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS (See Labor-management relations.)
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS RESEARCH ASSOCIATION
Papers from 31st annual meeting, August 1978. 1979 Jan. 65-75;
Feb. 33-40; Apr. 42-48; May 35-40; June 29-34.
INFLATION
Cost-of-living adjustment: keeping up with inflation? 1979 June 1417.
New inflation-fighting program. 1979 Jan. 59.
Pension improvements since 1974 reflect inflation, new U.S. law.
1979 Apr. 32-37.
Price changes in 1978-an analysis. 1979 March 3-12.
Wage increases of 1978 absorbed by inflation. 1979 June 10-13.
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS

h

Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
Will West European unions embrace the union shop? 1979 July 3539.
INTERNATIONAL LABOR ORGANIZATION

►

Highlights of the 1979 ILO Conference. 1979 Oct. 65-67.
INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE CHILD 1979
A special section on young workers and families. 1979 Oct. 3-56.


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JAPAN
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
JOB SATISFACTION
American workers evaluate the quality of their jobs. 1979 Jan. 312.

JOB SECURITY
Job tenure declines as work force changes. 1979 Dec. 48-50.
Providing assistance to displaced workers. 1979 May 17-22.
JOBSEEKING METHODS
Age and the job-hunting methods of the unemployed. 1979 Jan. 6869.
Job search of recipients of unemployment insurance. 1979 Feb. 4954.
LABOR COSTS (See Unit labor cost.)
LABOR FORCE
Black labor force during the 1975-78 recovery, The. 1979 May 3-7.
BLS labor force projections: a review of methods and results. 1979
Apr. 15-22.
Changes in marital and family characteristics of workers, 1970-78.
1979 Apr. 49-52.
Changing character of unionism in traditionally organized sectors,
The. 1979 Feb. 36-38.
Difference a year makes in the Nation’s youth work force, The.
1979 Oct. 34-38.
Educational attainment of workers-some trends from 1975 to 1978.
1979 Feb. 54-59.
Effect of demographic changes on the Nation’s unemployment rate,
The. 1979 Mar. 13-23.
Employment and commuting patterns: a residential analysis. 1979
July 3-9.
Employment and unemployment during 1978: an analysis. 1979
Feb. 3-12.
Employment and unemployment in the first half of 1979. 1979 Aug.
3-7.
How American workers view labor unions. 1979 Apr. 23-31.
How likely are individuals to enter the labor force? 1979 Sept. 2834.
Industry output and employment: BLS projections to 1990. 1979
Apr. 3-14.
Jobless insurance inequities deepen as more women enter the labor
force. 1979 Apr. 44-45.
Job tenure declines as work force changes. 1979 Dec. 48-50.
Labor force participation differs significantly for the rural woman.
1979 Jan. 71-73.
Labor force patterns of single women. 1979 Aug. 46-49.
Labor force status of older workers, The. 1979 Nov. 12-18.
Multiple jobholding holds steady in 1978. 1979 Feb. 59-61.
Occupational mobility during 1977. 1979 Dec. 44-48.
Sources of bias in labor force data. 1979 Jan. 67-68.
Two-fifths of discouraged sought work during prior 6-month
period. 1979 Mar. 58-60.
Unemployment among recipients of food stamps and AFDC. 1979
Mar. 47-52.
Unemployment rate as an economic indicator, The. 1979 Mar. 2435.
Using National Longitudinal Surveys to track young workers. 1979
Oct. 28-33.
Vietnam veterans in the labor market of the 1970’s. 1979 Nov. 311.

Weekly and hourly earnings of U.S. workers, 1967-78. 1979 Aug.
31-41.
What is a current equivalent to unemployment rates of the past?
1979 Mar. 36-46.
Work experience of the population in 1977. 1979 Mar. 53-57.

109

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Index of Volume 102
LABOR LAW

Labor requirements for college housing construction. 1979 May 2834.

Has a labor protection law accelerated mass transit costs? 1979
Apr. 58.
Management’s hard line: ‘class war’ or labor’s chance to reform?
1979 Feb. 34-36.
State labor legislation enacted in 1978. 1979 Jan. 26-42.
Workers’ compensation laws--key State amendments of 1978. 1979
Jan. 43-50.

Unemployment rate as an economic indicator, The. 1979 Mar. 2435.
What is a current equivalent to unemployment rates of the past?
1979 Mar. 36-46.

MINIMUM WAGE

LABOR-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS

MINORITY WORKERS

Decertification elections increase but remain no major burden to
unions. 1979 Nov. 30-32.
Fair Labor Standards Act: changes of four decades. 1979 July 1016.
How American workers view labor unions. 1979 Apr. 23-31.
Industrial relations in 1978: some bargaining highlights. 1979 Jan.
58-64.
Industrial relations in Spain: a status report. 1979 May 48-51.
Labor and the Supreme Court: significant decisions of 1977-78.
1979 Jan. 51-57.
Labor-management relations and the coal industry. 1979 May 2327.
Management’s hard line: ‘class war’ or labor’s chance to reform?
1979 Feb. 34-36.
Political and legal issues of binding arbitration in government, The.
1979 Sept. 35-41.
Scheduled wage increases and escalator provisions in 1979. 1979
Jan. 20-25.
Successful public-sector labor relations: managers’ attitudes may
matter most. 1979 May 36-38.
Unionization of court employees has raised legal, practical ques­
tions. 1979 Aug. 20-24.
Union-shop deauthorization poll: a new look after 20 years, The.
1979 Nov. 36-40.
What factors influence the outcome of decertification elections?
1979 Nov. 32-36.

Black labor force during the 1975-78 recovery, The. 1979 May 3-7.
Educational attainment of workers-some trends from 1975 to 1978.
1979 Feb. 54-59.
Employment and unemployment during 1978: an analysis. 1979
Feb. 3-12.
Employment and unemployment in the first half of 1979. 1979 Aug.
3- 7.
Historical profile of demographic, economic changes among U.S.
blacks. 1979 Nov. 53.
Job tenure declines as work force changes. 1979 Dec. 48-50.
Labor force participation differs significantly for the rural woman.
1979 Jan. 71-73.
Labor force status of older workers, The. 1979 Nov. 12-18.
Labor market experience of black youth, 1954-78, The. 1979 Oct.
19-27.
Minorities, high-school dropouts benefit least from CETA pro­
grams. 1979 Mar. 60.
The 1980 census: countdown for a complete count. 1979 Sept. 3-13.
Vietnam veterans in the labor market of the 1970’s. 1979 Nov. 3Work experience of the population in 1977. 1979 Mar. 53-57.
Working mothers in the 1970’s: a look at the statistics. 1979 Oct.
39-49.
Young and marginal: an overview of youth employment. 1979 Oct.
4 - 18.

LABOR MARKET

MOBILITY

Effect of demographic changes on the Nation’s unemployment rate,
The. 1979 Mar. 13-23.
Labor market experience of black youth, 1954-78, The. 1979 Oct.
19-27.
Minimum wage today: how well does it work? 1979 July 17-21.
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
Unemployment among family men: a 10-year longitudinal study.
1979 Nov. 19-23.
Vietnam veterans in the labor market of the 1970’s. 1979 Nov. 3-

Employment and commuting patterns: a residential analysis. 1979
July 3-9.
Occupational mobility during 1977. 1979 Dec. 44-48.

11.

Work and socioeconomic life cycles: an agenda for longitudinal re­
search. 1978 Feb. 23-27.
LABOR ORGANIZATIONS
Can unions meet the needs of a ‘new’ work force. 1979 Feb. 33-34.
Changing character of unionism in traditionally organized sectors,
The. 1979 Feb. 36-38.
Decertification elections increase but remain no major burden to
unions. 1979 Nov. 30-32.
Unionization of court employees has raised legal, practical ques­
tions. 1979 Aug. 20-24.
Union-shop deauthorization poll: a new look after 20 years, The.
1979 Nov. 36-40.
What factors influence the outcome of decertification elections?
1979 Nov. 32-36.
Will West European unions embrace the union shop? 1979 July 3539.
LABOR REQUIREMENTS
How American workers view labor unions. 1979 Apr. 23-31.
Labor and material requirements for federally aided highways. 1979
Dec. 29-34.
Labor and material requirements for new school construction. 1979
Apr. 38-41.

110FRASER
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11.

NLRB ELECTIONS
Levitan Commission: Report highlights. 1979 Feb. 2.
The rise in NLRB election delays: measuring business’ new resis­
tance. 1979 Feb. 38-40.
NATIONAL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD (See Decisions,
NLRB.)
OCCUPATIONS
Occupational mobility during 1977. 1979 Dec. 44-48.
Occupational skin disease continues to plague industry. 1979 Feb.
17-22.
OLDER WORKERS
Job tenure declines as work force changes. 1979 Dec. 48-50.
Labor force status of older workers, The. 1979 Nov. 12-18.
Occupational mobility during 1977. 1979 Dec. 44-48.
PART-TIME WORK
Fringes of a fringe group: part-timers in academe. 1979 Nov. 46-49.
Work experience of the population in 1977. 1979 Mar. 53-57.
PENSIONS (See also Retirement; Suplemental benefits.)
Pension improvements since 1974 reflect inflation, new U.S. law.
1979 Apr. 32-37.
Private pensions fall far short of preretirement income levels. 1979
Feb. 28-32.
POPULATION
The 1980 census: countdown for a complete count. 1979 Sept. 3-13.

PRICES

SOCIOECONOMIC GOALS

Consumer prices rise at a 13-percent rate for the third consecutive
quarter. 1979 Dec. 35-41.
Energy buoys double-digit inflation, food price surge ebbs in
second quarter. 1979 Sept. 49-55.
First-quarter food and fuel prices propel inflation rate to 5-year
high. 1979 June 3-9.
Measuring prices. 1979 July 2.
Price changes in 1978-an analysis. 1979 Mar. 3-12.
Producer Price Index revision: overview and pilot survey. 1979
Dec. 11-19.

Child-care arrangements of working parents. 1979 Oct. 50-56.
Minimum wage today: how well does it work? 1979 July 17-21.
Providing assistance to displaced workers. 1979 May 17-22.

PRODUCER PRICE INDEXES
Consumer prices rise at a 13-percent rate for the third consecutive
quarter. 1979 Dec. 35-41.
Producer Price Index revision: overview and pilot survey. 1979
Dec. 11-19.
PRODUCTIVITY
Evaluation of BLS projections of 1975 production and employ­
ment, An. 1979 Aug. 8-19.
First-quarter productivity drop follows marginal growth in 1978.
1979 Oct. 57-61.
Improving the concepts and techniques of productivity measure­
ment. 1979 Sept. 23-27.
Productivity increased in all major sectors in the third quarter.
1979 Feb. 41-45.
Substantial productivity gains in the fluid milk industry. 1979 July
22-27.
Technology in telecommunications: its effect on labor and skills.
1979 Jan. 13-19.
PROJECTIONS
BLS labor force projections: a review of methods and results. 1979
Apr. 15-22.
Evaluation of BLS projections of 1975 production and employ­
ment, An. 1979 Aug. 8-19.
Has BLS underestimated business Ph. D. demand? 1979 Sept. 4246.
Industry output and employment: BLS projections to 1990. 1979
Apr. 3-14.
PUBLIC EMPLOYEES
Binding arbitration can put public employers in a bind. 1979 Jan.
73-75.
Federal pay comparability: facts to temper the debate. 1979 June
18-28.
Political and legal issues of binding arbitration in government, The.
1979 Sept. 35-41.
Successful public-sector labor relations: managers’ attitudes may
matter most. 1979 May 36-38.
Unionization of court employees has raised legal, practical ques­
tions. 1979 Aug. 20-24.
RETIREMENT
Labor force status of older workers, The. 1979 Nov. 12-18.
Pension improvements since 1974 reflect inflation, new U.S. law.
1979 Apr. 32-37.
Private pensions fall far short of preretirement income levels. 1979
Feb. 28-32.
SAFETY (See Health and safety.)
SALARIES (See Earnings and wages.)
SENIORITY
Age and the job-hunting methods of the unemployed. 1979 Jan. 6869.
SOCIAL WELFARE
Developing a definition for ‘economic hardship.’ 1979 Jan. 65-66.
The 1980 census: countdown for a complete count. 1979 Sept. 3-13.
Work and socioeconomic life cycles: an agenda for longitudinal re­
search. 1978 Feb. 23-27.


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SPAIN
Industrial relations in Spain: a status report. 1979 May 48-51.
SPECIAL LABOR FORCE REPORTS
Absent workers and lost work hours, May 1978. 1979 Aug. 49-53.
Back to school at 35 and over, October 1978. 1979 Aug. 53-55.
Changes in marital and family characteristics of workers, 1970-78.
1979 Apr. 49-52.
Educational attainment of workers-some trends from 1975 to 1978.
1979 Feb. 54-59.
Effect of unemployment on family income in 1977, The. 1979 Dec.
42-44.
Job search of recipients of unemployment insurance. 1979 Feb. 4954.
Labor force patterns of single women. 1979 Aug. 46-49.
Long hours and premium pay, May 1978. 1979 May 41-45.
Median earnings in 1977 reported for year-round full-time workers.
1979 June 35-39.
Multiple jobholding holds steady in 1978. 1979 Feb. 59-61.
Occupational mobility during 1977. 1979 Dec. 44-48.
Workers on late shifts in a changing economy. 1979 Sept. 14-22.
STATE GOVERNMENT
State labor legislation enacted in 1978. 1979 Jan. 26-42.
State unemployment insurance: changes during 1978. 1979 Feb. 13lb.
Workers’ compensation laws-key State amendments of 1978. 1979
Jan. 43-50.
STATISTICAL PROGRAMS AND METHODS
Another measure of flow and duration as jobless rate components:
reply. 1979 Sept. 48.
Another measure of flow and duration as unemployment rate com­
ponents. 1979 Sept. 46-48.
Data for allocation. 1979 Aug. 2.
Exploiting the micro-data foundation of the current population
survey. 1979 Feb. 46-48.
Fringes of a fringe group: part-timers in academe. 1979 Nov. 46-49.
Improving the concepts and techniques of productivity measure­
ment. 1979 Sept. 23-27.
Producer Price Index revision: overview and pilot survey. 1979
Dec. 11-19.
The 1980 census: countdown for a complete count. 1979 Sept. 3-13.
Two divergent measures of purchasing power. 1979 Aug. 25-30.
STRIKES
‘Quick’ special purpose surveys passed test during coal strike. 1979
Feb. 62-64.
SUBEMPLOYMENT (See Employment; Unemployment.)
SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS
Fringes of a fringe group: part-timers in academe. 1979 Nov. 46-49.
Jobless insurance inequities deepen as more women enter the labor
force. 1979 Apr. 44-45.
Linking unemployment insurance to mobility and family income.
1979 Apr. 42-44.
Some in families of those receiving jobless aid are forced to seek
work. 1979 Apr. 45-46.
Workers’ compensation laws-key State amendments of 1978. 1979
Jan. 43-50.
SURVEYS
Effect of demographic changes on the Nation’s unemployment rate,
The. 1979 Mar. 13-23.
Family expenditure data to be available on a continuing basis. 1979
Apr. 53-54.
First BLS survey of pay levels in computer and data processing
services. 1979 July 34.
Ill

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979« Index of Volume 102
SWEDEN

UNION MEMBERSHIP AND ELECTIONS

Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.

Decertification elections increase but remain no major burden to
unions. 1979 Nov. 30-32.
Union-shop deauthorization poll: a new look after 20 years. 1979
Nov. 36-40.
What factors influence the outcome of decertification elections?
1979 Nov. 32-36.

/

TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE
Labor and material requirements for federally aided highways. 1979
Dec. 29-34.
Technology in telecommunications: its effect on labor and skills.
1979 Jan. 13-19.
TRADE UNIONS (See Labor organizations.)
TRAINING (See Education and training.)
UNDEREMPLOYMENT (See Employment; Unemployment.)
UNEMPLOYMENT (See also Employment; Labor force.)
Age and the job-hunting methods of the unemployed. 1979 Jan. 6869.
Another measure of flow and duration as jobless rate components:
reply. 1979 Sept. 48.
Another measure of flow and duration as unemployment rate com­
ponents. 1979 Sept. 46-48.
Black labor force during the 1975-78 recovery, The. 1979 May 3-7.
Educational attainment of workers-some trends from 1975 to 1978.
1979 Feb. 54-59.
Effect of demographic changes on the Nation’s unemployment rate,
The. 1979 Mar. 13-23.
Effect of unemployment on family income in 1977, The. 1979 Dec.
42-44.
Employment and unemployment during 1978: an analysis. 1979
Feb. 3-12.
Employment and unemployment in the first half of 1979. 1979 Aug.
3- 7.
How likely are individuals to enter the labor force? 1979 Sept. 2834.
Job search of recipients of unemployment insurance. 1979 Feb. 4954.
Minimum wage today: how well does it work? 1979 July 17-21.
‘Quick’ special purpose surveys passed test during coal strike. 1979
Feb. 62-64.
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
Some in families of those receiving jobless aid are forced to seek
work. 1979 Apr. 45-46.
Structural unemployment without quotation marks. 1979 June 2934.
Teenage conundrum. 1979 Apr. 2.
Today’s teenage unemployed-tomorrow’s working poor? 1979 Jan.
69-71.
Two-fifths of discouraged sought work during prior 6-month
period. 1979 Mar. 58-60.
Unemployment among family men: a 10-year longitudinal study.
1979 Nov. 19-23.
Unemployment among recipients of food stamps and' AFDC. 1979
Mar. 47-52.
What is a current equivalent to unemployment rates of the past?
1979 Mar. 36-46.
Work experience of the population in 1977. 1979 Mar. 53-57.
Young and marginal: an overview of youth employment. 1979 Oct.
4 - 18.
UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE
Jobless insurance inequities deepen as more women enter the labor
force. 1979 Apr. 44-45.
Job search of recipients of unemployment insurance. 1979 Feb. 4954.
Linking unemployment insurance to mobility and family income.
1979 Apr. 42-44.
Some in families of those receiving jobless aid are forced to seek
work. 1979 Apr. 45-46.
State unemployment insurance: changes during 1978. 1979 Feb. 13lb.
What is a current equivalent to unemployment rates of the past?
1979 Mar. 36-46.

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UNIONS (See Labor organizations.)
UNIT LABOR COST
First-quarter productivity drop follows marginal growth in 1978.
1979 Oct. 57-61.
Improving the concepts and techniques of productivity measure­
ment. 1979 Sept. 23-27.
Productivity increased in all major sectors in the third quarter.
1979 Feb. 41-45.
UNITED FOOD AND COMMERCIAL WORKERS INTERNA­
TIONAL (UFCW)
Merger of Retail Clerks, Meat Cutters creates union exceeding 1.2
million.
UNITED KINGDOM
Recent labor market trends in nine industrial nations. 1979 May 816.
WAGE CALENDAR
Scheduled wage increases and escalator provisions in 1979. 1979
Jan. 20-25.
WAGE INCENTIVE
Prevalence of incentives in major bargaining agreements. 1979 July
32-34.
WAGES (See Earnings and wages.)
WHITE-COLLAR WORKERS
Federal pay comparability: facts to temper the debate. 1979 June
18-28.
White-collar pay rise for 1979 nearly matches 1978 increase. 1979
Nov. 49-50.
WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX (See Producer Price Indexes;
Prices.)
WOMEN
Changes in marital and family characteristics of workers, 1970-78.
1979 Apr. 49-52.
Child-care arrangements of working parents. 1979 Oct. 50-56.
Jobless insurance inequities deepen as more women enter the labor
force. 1979 Apr. 44-45.
Labor force participation differs significantly for the rural woman.
1979 Jan. 71-73.
Labor force patterns of single women. 1979 Aug. 46-49.
Median earnings in 1977 reported for year-round full-time workers.
1979 June 35-39.
More wives in the labor force have husbands with ‘above average’
incomes. 1979 June 40-42.
Real after-tax annual earnings from the Current Population Survey.
1979 Aug. 42-45.
Working mothers in the 1970’s: a look at the statistics. 1979 Oct.
39-49.
Working wives’ contribution to family income in 1977. 1979 Oct.
62-64.
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
Fringes of a fringe group: part-timers in academe. 1979 Nov. 46-49.
Workers’ compensation laws-key State amendments of 1978. 1979
Jan. 43-50.
WORKING LIFE
American workers evaluate the quality of their jobs. 1979 Jan. 312.

Job tenure declines as work force changes. 1979 Dec. 48-50.

Labor force status of older workers, The. 1979 Nov. 12-18.
Unemployment among family men: a 10-year longitudinal study.
1979 Nov. 19-23.
Work and socioeconomic life cycles: an agenda for longitudinal re­
search. 1979 Feb. 23-27.
WORK INJURIES AND ILLNESSES
First work-injury data available from new BLS study, The. 1979
Jan. 76-80.
Occupational skin disease continues to plague industry. 1979 Feb.
17-22.
WORK MOTIVATION
American workers evaluate the quality of their jobs. 1979 Jan. 312.

Can unions meet the needs of a ‘new’ work force. 1979 Feb. 33-34.
YOUTH
A special section on young workers and families. 1979 Oct. 3-56.
International Year of the Child 1979.
Young and marginal: an overview of youth employment.
The labor market experience of black youth, 1954-78.
Using National Longitudinal Surveys to track young workers.
The difference a year makes in the Nation’s youth work force.
Working mothers in the 1970’s: a look at the statistics.
Child-care arrangements of working parents.
It is ‘back to school’ for new youth programs. 1979 Apr. 48.
Teenage conundrum. 1979 Apr. 2.
Today’s teenage unemployed-tomorrow's working poor? 1979 Jan.
69-71.
DEPARTMENTS
Anatomy of Price Change. September and December issues.
Book Reviews. Each issue. (See Book Reviews by author of book.)
Communications. September and November issues.
Conference Papers. January, February, April, May, June issues. >
Conventions. September issue.
Current Labor Statistics. Each issue.
Developments in Industrial Relations. Each issue except January.
Foreign Labor Developments. January, April, May, July, October
issues.
Labor Month in Review. Each issue except June.
Major Agreements Expiring Next Month. Each issue.
Productivity Reports. February and October issues.
Research Summaries. Each issue except August, September, Octo­
ber.
Significant Decisions in Labor Cases. Each issue except January
and February.
Special Labor Force Reports-Summaries. February, March, April,
June, August, October issues.
Technical Note. February and November issues.
BOOK REVIEWS (listed by author of book)
Adams, Arvil V. and Garth L. Mangum. The Lingering Crisis o f
Youth Unemployment. 1979 May 60.
Bergsten, C. Fred, Thomas Horst, Theodore H. Moran. American
Multinationals and American Interest. 1979 Dec. 59-60.
Bird, Caroline. The Two-Paycheck Marriage: How Women at Work
Are Changing Life in America. 1979 Oct. 75-76.
Brooks, Thomas R. Communications Workers of America: The Story
of a Union. 1979 Jan. 83-84.
Collins, Lynn D. and Thomas Sowell, eds. American Ethnic Groups.
1979 Nov. 64-65.
Dam, Kenneth W. and George P. Shultz. Economic Policy Beyond
the Headlines. 1979 Apr. 68.
Edwards, Richard. Contested Terrain: The Transformation o f the
Workplace in the Twentieth Century. 1979 Nov. 62-63.
Eskenazi, Samuel I. with Gordon L. Weil. The Welfare Debate o f
1978. 1979 Aug. 64-65.
Farley, Jennie. Affirmative Action and the Woman Worker: Guide­
lines for Personnel Management. 1979 Oct. 76-77.
Foner, Philip S. The Great Labor Uprising of 1877. 1979 June 51-52.


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Galbraith, John Kenneth. The Nature o f Mass Poverty. 1979 Sept.
64-65.
Garms, Walter I., James W. Guthrie, Lawrence C. Pierce. School
Finance: The Economics and Politics o f Public Education. 1979
Dec. 60-61.
Garraty, John A. Unemployment in History: Economic Thought and
Public Policy. 1979 July 47-48.
Guthrie, James W., Lawrence C. Pierce, Walter I. Garms. School
Finance: The Economics and Politics o f Public Education. 1979
Dec. 60-61.
Hagburg, Eugene C. and Marvin J. Levine. Labor Relations: An In­
tegrated Perspective. 1979 Apr. 69.
Harkess, Shirley and Ann H. Stromberg, eds. Women Working: The­
ories and Facts in Perspective. 1979 Nov. 63-64.
Hazlitt, Henry. The Inflation Crisis and How to Resolve It. 1979 Dec.
60-61.
Horst, Thomas, Theodore H. Moran, C. Fred Bergsten. American
Multinationals and American Interest. 1979 Dec. 59-60.
Levine, Marvin J. and Eugene C. Hagburg. Labor Relations: An In­
tegrated Perspective. 1979 Apr. 69.
Mangum, Garth L. and Arvil V. Adams. The Lingering Crisis o f
Youth Unemployment. 1979 May 60.
Mitchell, Daniel J. B. and Arnold R. Weber. The Pay Board's Prog­
ress: Wage Controls in Phase II. 1979 Jan. 84-85.
Moran, Theodore H., C. Fred Bergsten, Thomas Horst. American
Multinationals and American Interest. 1979 Dec. 59-60.
Palmer, John L., ed. Creating Jobs: Public Employment Programs
and Wage Subsidies. 1979 June 50-51.
Perlman, Robert and Roland L. Warren. Families in the Energy
Crisis: Impacts and Implications for Theory and Policy. 1979 Feb.
69.
Pierce, Lawrence C., Walter I. Garms, James W. Guthrie. School
Finance: The Economics and Politics o f Public Education. 1979
Dec. 60-61.
Popkin, Joel, ed. Analysis o f Inflation: 1965-1974. 1979 May 60-61.
Schmidman, John. Unions in Postindustrial Society. 1979 Aug. 63-64.
Seidel, Stephen R. Housing Costs and Government Regulations: Con­
fronting the Regulatory Maze. 1979 Mar. 69.
Shultz, George P. and Kenneth W. Dam. Economic Policy Beyond
the Headlines. 1979 Apr. 68.
Sosnick, Stephen H. Hired Hands: Seasonal Farm Workers in the
United States. 1979 July 48-49.
Sowell, Thomas and Lynn D. Collins, eds. American Ethnic Groups.
1979 Nov. 64-65.
Stromberg, Ann H. and Shirley Harkess, eds. Women Working: The­
ories and Facts in Perspective. 1979 Nov. 63-64.
Swart, J. Carroll. A Flexible Approach to Working Hours. 1979 Jan.
83.
Warren, Roland L. and Robert Perlman. Families in the Energy
Crisis: Impacts and Implications for Theory and Policy. 1979 Feb.
69.
Weber, Arnold R. and Daniel J. B. Mitchell. The Pay Board's Prog­
ress: Wage Controls in Phase II. 1979 Jan. 84-85.
Weil, Gordon L. with Samuel I. Eskenazi. The Welfare Debate of
1978 1979 Aug. 64-65.
World Bank. World Development Report, 1978. 1979 Sept. 65-66.
AUTHORS
Alexander, Robert J. Book review. 1979 Jan. 83-84.
Anderson, John C., Gloria Busman, Charles A. O’Reilly III. What
factors influence the outcome of decertification elections? 1979
Nov. 31-36.
Andrews, Mary A. and Winston Tillery. Heavy bargaining again in
1980. 1979 Dec. 20-28.
Antos, Joseph, Wesley Mellow, Jack E. Triplett. What is a current
equivalent to unemployment rates of the past? 1979 Mar. 36-46.
Aram, John D. and Paul F. Salipante, Jr. A system for individual
equity in equal employment opportunity. 1979 Apr. 46-47.

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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979* Index of Volume 102
Bane, Mary Jo and others. Child-care arrangements of working
parents. 1979 Oct. 50-56.
Barclay, Lizabeth A., Lawrence L. Biasatti, James E. Martin. Suc­
cessful public-sector labor relations: managers’ attitudes may
matter most. 1979 May 36-38.
Barnes, William F. Book review. 1979 June 50-51.
Becker, Brian E. and Stephen M. Hills. Today’s teenage unem­
ployed-tomorrow’s working poor? 1979 Jan. 69-71.
Bednarzik, Robert W. Book review. 1979 June 51-52.
Belous, Richard S. and Sar A. Levitan. The minimum wage today:
how well does it work? 1979 July 17-21.
Biasatti, Lawrence L., James E. Martin, Lizabeth A. Barclay. Suc­
cessful public-sector labor relations: managers’ attitudes may
matter most. 1979 May 36-38.
Bingham, Barbara J. Labor requirements for college-housing con­
struction. 1979 May 28-34.
Bomstein, Leon. Industrial relations in 1978: some bargaining high­
lights. 1979 Jan. 58-64.
Borum, Joan D. Wage increases of 1978 absorbed by inflation. 1979
June 10-13.
Brown, Scott Campbell. Educational attainment of workers-some
trends from 1975 to 1978. 1979 Feb. 54-59.
— and Carl Rosenfeld. The labor force status of older workers.
1979 Nov. 12-18.
Buckley, John E. Do area wages reflect area living costs? 1979
Sept. 24-29.
Burgess, Paul L. and Jerry L. Kingston. Some in families of those
receiving jobless aid are forced to seek work. 1979 Apr. 45-46.
Busman, Gloria, Charles A. O’Reilly III, John C. Anderson. What
factors influence the outcome of decertification elections? 1979
Nov. 32-36.
Cain, Glen G. The unemployment rate as an economic indicator.
1979 Mar. 24-35.
Chauhan, D. S. The political and legal issues of binding arbitration
in government. 1979 Sept. 35-41.
Christy, Paul T. and Karen J. Horowitz. An evaluation of BLS
projections of 1975 production and employment. 1979 Aug. 8-19.
Clague, Ewan. Book review. 1979 Dec.60-61.
Clem, Andrew, Eddie Lamb, Craig Howell. Energy buoys double­
digit inflation, food price surge ebbs in second quarter. 1979 Sept.
49-55.
Corcoran, Mary and Martha S. Hill. Unemployment among family
men: a 10-year longitudinal study. 1979 Nov. 19-23.

Fleming, R. W. Binding arbitration can put public employers in a
bind. 1979 Jan. 73-75.
Frumkin, Robert and Donald Schmitt. Pension improvements since
1974 reflect inflation, new U.S. law. 1979 Apr. 32-37.
Fluco, Lawrence J. First-quarter productivity drop follows margin­
al growth in 1978. 1979 Oct. 57-61.
----- . Productvity increased in all major sectors in the third quarter.
1979 Feb. 41-45.
Gilroy, Curtis. Sources of bias in labor force data. 1979 Jan. 67-68.
Ginsburg, Helen. Book review. 1979 July 47-48.
Glazer, Daniel. Exploiting the micro-data foundation of the Current
Population Survey. 1979 Feb. 46-48.
Goldberg, Joseph P. Book review. 1979 Aug. 63-64.
Grossman, Allyson Sherman. Labor force patterns of single
women. 1979 Aug. 46-53.
Hamel, Harvey R. Two-fifths of discouraged sought work during
prior 6-month period. 1979 Mar. 58-60.
Hayghe, Howard. The effect of unemployment on family income in
1977. 1979 Dec. 42-44.
----- . Working wives’ contribution to family income in 1977. 1979
Oct. 62-64.
Heaton, Cris and Philip Martin. Labor force participation differs
significantly for the rural woman. 1979 Jan. 71-73.
Hedges, Janice Neipert. Book review. 1979 Jan. 83.
— and Earl F. Mellor. Weekly and hourly earnings of U.S. work­
ers, 1967-78. 1979 Aug. 31-41.
— and Edward S. Sekscenski. Workers on late shifts in a changing
economy. 1979 Sept. 14-22.
Henle, Peter. Book review. 1979 Apr. 68.
Herriot, Roger A. The 1980 census: countdown for a complete
count. 1979 Sept. 3-13.
Hill, Martha S. and Mary Corcoran. Unemployment among family
men: a 10-year longitudinal study. 1979 Nov. 19-23.
Hills, Stephen M. and Brian E. Becker. Today’s teenage unem­
ployed-tomorrow’s working poor? 1979 Jan. 69-71.
Hoefer, Michael and Norman Root. The first work-injury data
available from new BLS study. 1979 Jan. 76-80.
Horowitz, Karen J. and Paul T. Christy. An evaluation of BLS
projections of 1975 production and employment. 1979 Aug. 8-19.
Howell, Craig and others. Consumer price rise again tops 13 per­
cent in third quarter. 1979 Dec. 35-41.
----- and others. Price changes in 1978-an analysis. 1979 Mar. 312.

Darmstadter, Joel. Book review. 1979 Feb. 69.
Davis, C. Howard and others. ‘Quick’ special purpose surveys
passed test during coal strike. 1979 Feb. 62-64.
Devens, Richard M. Book review. 1979 Aug. 64-65; Dec. 59-60.
— . Unemployment among recipients of food stamps and AFDC.
1979 Mar. 47-52.
Douglass, Gordon K. Book review. 1979 Dec. 60-61.
Douty, H. M. Book review. 1979 Apr. 69.
Ducat, Janet L. Book review. 1979 Nov. 63-64.
Dworkin, James B. and Marian M. Extejt. The union-shop deauth­
orization poll: a new look after 20 years. 1979 Nov. 36-40.
— and Peter Feuille. Does Wisconsin’s final offer arbitration offer
only ‘intertemporal compromise?’ 1979 May 39-40.
Dymmel, Michael D. Technology in telecommunications: its effect
on labor and skills. 1979 Jan. 13-19.
Early, John F. Book review. 1979 Jan. 84-85.
----- . The Producer Price Index revision: overview and pilot
survey. 1979 Dec. 11-19.
Elder, Peyton K. and Heidi D. Miller. The Fair Labor Standards
Act: changes of four decades. 1979 July 10-16.
Extejt, Marian M. and James B. Dworkin. The union-shop deauth­
orization poll: a new look after 20 years. 1979 Nov. 36-40.
Feuille, Peter and James B. Dworkin. Does Wisconsin’s final-offer ar­
bitration offer only ‘intertemporal compromise?’ 1979 May 39-40.
Fineshriber, Phyllis H. Jobless insurance inequities deepens as more
women enter the labor force. 1979 Apr. 44-45.
Flaim, Paul O. The effect of demographic changes on the Nation’s
unemployment rate. 1979 Mar. 13—
23.

114


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— , Andrew Clem, Eddie Lamb. Energy buoys double-digit infla­
tion, food price surge ebbs in second quarter. 1979 Sept. 49-55.
-—, William Thomas, Eddie Lamb. First-quarter food and fuel
prices propel inflation rate to 5-year high. 1979 June 3-9.
Jacobs, Eva. Family expenditure data to be available on a continu­
ing basis. 1979 Apr. 53-54.
Job, Barbara Cottman. How likely are individuals to enter the labor
force? 1979 Sept. 28-34.
— . The black labor force during the 1975-78 recovery. 1979 May
3-7.
Johnson, Beverly L. Changes in marital and family characteristics
of workers, 1970-78. 1979 Apr. 49-52.
Juris, Hervey A. and Myron Roomkin. The changing of unionism
in traditionally organized sectors. 1979 Feb. 36-38.
Kassalow, Everett M. Labor-management relations and the coal in­
dustry. 1979 May 23-27.
— . Will West European unions embrace the union shop? 1979 July
35-39.
Killingsworth, Charles C. Structural unemployment without quota­
tion marks. 1979 June 29-34.
Kingston, Jerry L. and Paul L. Burgess. Some in families of those
receiving jobless aid are forced to seek work. 1979 Apr. 45-46.
Kipps, John. Cost-of-living indexes for Americans living abroad.
1979 Jan. 81; Apr. 59; July 39; Oct. 67-68.
Kochan, Thomas, A. How American workers view labor unions.
1979 Apr. 23-31.
Kohler, Daniel. Employment Cost Index up 7.7 percent in 1978.
1979 July 28-31.

v

Krislov, Joseph. Decertification elections increase but remain no
major burden to unions. 1979 Nov. 30-32.
Kutscher, Ronald E. The influence of energy on industry output
and employment. 1979 Dec. 3-10.

Prosten, Richard. The rise in NLRB election delays: measuring
business’ new resistance. 1979 Feb. 38-40.
Pursell, Donald E. and William D. Torrence. Age and the jobhunting methods of the unemployed. 1979 Jan. 68-69.

Lamb, Eddie, Craig Howell, Andrew Clem. Energy buoys double­
digit inflation, food price surge ebbs in second quarter. 1979 Sept.
49-55.
— , Craig Howell, William Thomas. First-quarter food and fuel
prices propel inflation rate to 5-year high. 1979 June 3-9.
LaVan, Helen and Margaret Oppenheimer. Comparing arbitration
and litigation in employment discrimination cases. 1979 May 3536.
LeGrande, Linda. Merger of Retail Clerks, Meat Cutters creates
union exceeding 1.2 million. 1979 Sept. 56-57.
Leon, Carol. Employment and unemployment in the first half of
1979. 1979 Aug. 3-7.
-— and Philip L. Rones. Employment and unemployment during
1978: an analysis. 1979 Feb. 3-12.
Levin, Beth A. Scheduled wage increases and escalator provisions
in 1979. 1979 Jan. 20-25.
Levitan, Sar A. and Richard Belous. The minimum wage today:
how well does it work? 1979 July 17-21.

Quackenbush, James H. Highlights of the 1979 ILO Conference.
1979 Oct. 65-67.
Quinn, Robert P. and Graham L. Staines. American workers evalu­
ate the quality of their jobs. 1979 Jan. 3-12.

McGee, William S. and Joseph H. Wex. Unionization of court em­
ployees has raised legal, practical issues. 1979 Aug. 20-24.
Martin, Benjamin. Industrial relations in Spain: a status report. 1979
May 48-52.
Martin, James E., Lizabeth A. Barclay, Lawrence L. Biasatti. Suc­
cessful public-sector labor relations: managers’ attitudes may
matter most. 1979 May 36-38.
Martin, Philip and Cris Heaton. Labor force participation differs
significantly for the rural woman. 1979 Jan. 71-73.
Mayer, Henry C. Book review. 1979 Nov. 64-65.
Mellor, Earl F. and Janice Neipert Hedges. Weekly and hourly
earnings of U.S. workers, 1967-78. 1979 Aug. 31-41.
Mellow, Wesley, Jack E. Triplett, Joseph Antos. What is a current
equivalent to unemployment rates of the past? 1979 Mar. 36-46.
Millen, Bruce H. Providing assistance to displaced workers. 1979
May 17-22.
Miller, Heidi D. and Peyton K. Elder. The Fair Labor Standards
Act: changes of four decades. 1979 July 10-16.
Minor, Gerri. Workers’ compensation laws-key State amendments
of 1978. 1979 Jan. 43-50.
Mounts, Gregory J. Labor and the Supreme Court: significant deci­
sions of 1977-78. 1979 Jan. 51-57.
Moy, Joyanna. Recent labor market trends in nine industrial na­
tions. 1979 May 8-16.

Raskin, A. H. Management’s hard line: ‘class war’ or labor’s chance
to reform? 1979 Feb. 34-36.
Rees, Albert. Improving the concepts and techniques of productiv­
ity measurement. 1979 Sept. 23-27.
Riche, Martha Farnsworth. Book review. 1979 Oct. 75-76.
Rieg, Mary Kay. Pay factors displayed in dress manufacturing.
1979 Apr. 54-56.
Rones, Philip L. and Carol Leon. Employment and unemployment
during 1978: an analysis. 1979 Feb. 3-12.
Roomkin, Myron and Hervey A. Juris. The changing character of
unionism in traditionally organized sectors. 1979 Feb. 36-38.
Root, Norman and Michael Hoefer. The first work-injury data
available from new BLS study. 1979 Jan. 76-80.
Rosenfeld, Carl. Multiple jobholding holds steady in 1978. 1979
Feb. 59-61.
----- . Occupational mobility during 1977. 1979 Dec. 44-48.
— and Scott Campbell Brown. The labor force status of older
workers. 1979 Nov. 12-18.
Runner, Diana. State unemployment insurance: changes during
1978. 1979 Feb. 13-16.
Ruttan, Vernon W. Book review 48-49.
Ryscavage, Paul M. BLS labor force projections: a review of meth­
ods and results. 1979 Apr. 15-22.
— . More wives in the labor force have husbands with ‘above-aver­
age’ incomes. 1979 June 40-42.
— . Two divergent measures of purchasing power. 1979 Aug. 2530.

Olsen, John G. Labor and material requirements for new school
construction. 1979 Apr. 38-41.
Olson, Craig A. Does ‘final offer’ allow the bargaining that conven­
tional arbitration chills? 1979 May 38-39.
Oppenheimer, Margaret and Helen LaVan. Comparing arbitration
and litigation in employment discrimination cases. 1979 May 3536.
O’Reilly, Charles A. Ill, John C. Anderson, Gloria Busman. What
factors influence the outcome of decertification elections? 1979
Nov. 32-36.

Salipante, Paul F., Jr., and John B. Aram. A system for individual
equity in equal employment opportunity. 1979 Apr. 46-47.
Schmitt, Donald and Robert Frumkin. Pension improvements since
1974 reflect inflation, new U.S. law. 1979 Apr. 32-37.
Schulz, James H. and others. Private pensions fall far short of re­
tirement income levels. 1979 Feb. 28-32.
Sekscenski, Edward S. Job tenure declines as work force changes.
1979 Dec. 48-50.
----- . and Janice Neipert Hedges. Workers on late shifts in a chang­
ing economy. 1979 Sept. 14-22.
Sieling, Mark S. Interpreting pay structures through matrix applica­
tion. 1979 Nov. 41-45.
Sproat, Kezia. Using National Longitudinal Surveys to track young
workers. 1979 Oct. 28-33.
Staines, Graham L. and Robert P. Quinn. American workers evalu­
ate the quality of their jobs. 1979 Jan. 3-12.
Stamas, George D. Long hours and premium pay, May 1978. 1979
May 41-45.
----- . Real after-tax annual earnings from the Current Population
Survey. 1979 Aug. 42-45.
Stelluto, George L. Federal pay comparability: facts to temper the
debate. 1979 June 18-28.
Stinson, John F., Jr. Vietnam veterans in the labor market of the
1970’s. 1979 Nov. 3-11.
Struyk, Raymond J. Book review. 1979 Mar. 69.
Sveikauskas, Catherine Defina. Book review. 1979 Sept. 65-66.

Persigehl, Elmer S. and James D. York. Substantial productivity
gains in the fluid milk industry. 1979 July 22-27.
Personick, Valerie A. Industry output and employment: BLS pro­
jections to 1990. 1979 Apr. 3-14.
Pestillo, Peter J. Can unions meet the needs of a ‘new’ work force?
1979 Feb. 33-34.
Peterson, James L. Work and life cycles: agenda for longitudinal
research. 1979 Feb. 23-27.
Prier, Robert J. Labor and material requirements for federally
aided highways. 1979 Dec. 29-34.

Taggart, Robert. Book review. 1979 May 60.
Taylor, Daniel E. Absent workers and lost work hours, May 1978.
1979 Aug. 51-53.
Thomas, William, Eddie Lamb, Craig Howell. First-quarter food
and fuel prices propel inflation rate to 5-year high. 1979 June 39.
Thurston, Lawrence. Another measure of flow and duration as un­
employment rate components. 1979 Sept. 46-48.
Tillery, Winston and Mary A. Andrews. Heavy bargaining again in
1980.

Nash, Charles E. Book review. 1979 Sept. 64-65.
Nelson, Richard R. State labor legislation enacted in 1978. 1979
Jan. 26-42.
Newman, Morris J. The labor market experience of black youth,
1954-78. 1979 Oct. 19-27.


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115

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW December 1979 • Index of Volume 102
Torrence William D. and Donald E. Pursell. Age and the job-hunt­
ing methods of the unemployed. 1979 Jan. 68-69.
Triplett, Jack E., Joseph Antos, Wesley Mellow. What is a current
equivalent to unemployment rates of the past? 1979 Mar. 36-46.
Tuckman, Howard P. and William D. Vogler. The fringes of a
fringe group: part-timers in academe. 1979 Nov. 46-49.
Van Auken, Kenneth G., Jr. Book review. 1979 Nov. 62-63.
Volger, William D. and Howard P. Tuckman. The fringes of a
fringe group: part-timers in academe. 1979 Nov. 46-49.
Vroman, Wayne. Linking unemployment insurance to mobility and
family income. 1979 Apr. 42-44.
Waldman, Elizabeth and others. Working mothers in the 1970’s: a
look at the statistics. 1979 Oct. 39-49.
Wang, Chao Ling. Occupational skin disease continues to plague
industry. 1979 Feb. 17-22.
Warren, Ronald S., Jr. Another measure of flow and duration as
jobless rate components: reply. 1979 Sept. 48.
Westcott, Diane N. Book review. 1979 Oct. 76-77.
— . Developing a definition for ‘economic hardship.’ 1979 Jan. 6566.

— . Employment and commuting patterns: a residential analysis.
1979 July 3-£

Westfield, Fred M. Book review. 1979 May 60-61.
Wex, Joseph H. and William S. McGee. Unionization of court em­
ployees has raised legal, practical issues. 1979 Aug. 20-24.
White, Rudolph A. Has BLS underestimated business Ph. D.
demand? 1979 Sept. 42-46.
Wurzburg, Gregory K. It is ‘back to school’ for new youth pro­
grams. 1979 Apr. 48.
York, James D. and Elmer S. Persigehl. Substantial productivity
gains in the fluid milk industry. 1979 July 22-27.
Young, Anne McDougall. Back to school at 35 and over, October
1978. 1979 Aug. 53-55.
-—. Job search of recipients, of unemployment insurance 1979 Feb.
49-54.
----- . Median earnings in 1977 reported for year-round, full-time
workers. 1979 June 35-39.
— . The difference a year makes in the Nation’s youth work force.
1979 Oct. 34-38.
— . Work experience of the population in 1977. 1979 Mar. 53-57.
Zoltek, Robin. White-collar pay rise for 1979 nearly matches 1978
increase. 1979 Nov. 49-50.

☆ U .S . G O VERNM EN T PRINTING OFFICE: 1979 0 —

116

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T
-Analysis of
Work
Stoppages
,U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Fill and mail this coupon to
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you or Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government
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This bulletin provides a detailed statisti­
cal presentation of work stoppages in
1977, including historical comparisons.
Stoppages are tabulated by industry, oc­
cupation, location, type of settlement,
and impasse procedures as well as four
major charactertics: (1) size, (2) dura­
tion, (3) contract status, and (4) major
issue.

.J

Terms of settlement are provided for
stoppages involving 10,000 workers or
more. Stoppages in government are
further distinguished by level of govern­
ment and function. The statistical series
includes all stoppages in the United
States that involve six workers or more
and continue for the equivalent of a full
day or shift or longer.

Please send.
copies of Analysis of Work Stoppages, 1977, Bulletin 2032,
Stock No. 029-001-02392-8 at $3.50 a copy (25 percent discount applies on
orders of 100 or more sent to one address).
□ Remittance is enclosed.
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□ Charge to GPO deposit account no.

U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Washington, D.C. 20212

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