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RESEARCH l ib r a r y
Federai Reserve B an k
of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
MARCH 1988
VOLUME 111, NUMBER 3
APR 1 4 1988
Susan E. Shank
Henry Lowenstern, Editor-in-Chief
Robert W. Fisher, Executive Editor
3 Women and the labor market: the link grows stronger
Today, 7 of 10 women aged 25 to 54 are members of the labor force,
as are the majority of mothers—even mothers of very young children
Diana Runner
9 Changes in unemployment insurance legislation during 1987
Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin made extensive modifications to their laws;
among the States in general, tax rates were increased and eligibility restricted
LABOR PRODUCTIVITY IN FOUR INDUSTRIES
Brian L. Friedman 17 Productivity trends in department stores, 1967-86
The domination of large chains and accompanying increased use
of computers helped the industry achieve above-average productivity
John G. Olsen, Richard B. Carnes 22 Productivity shows a decline in automotive repair shops
Output per hour of persons employed in these shops fell at an annual rate
of 1.2 percent during 1972-86, reflecting a larger rise in hours than in output
J. W. Ferris, V. L. Klarquist 27 Productivity lukewarm in nonelectric heating equipment
Annual increase in output per hour, aided by new technology in metalworking
but moderated by stagnant demand, averaged only 1.6 percent during 1972-85
Horst Brand, Ziaul Z. Ahmed 33 Productivity in industrial inorganic chemicals
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Output per hour remained unchanged during 1972-85, as neither output
of the industry nor employee hours showed significant change
REPORTS
John M. Rogers 41 Expenditures of urban and rural consumers, 1972-73 to 1985
DEPARTMENTS
2
41
47
48
51
53
Labor month in review
Research summaries
Major agreements expiring next month
Developments in industrial relations
Book reviews
Current labor statistics
Labor Month
In Review
REBASING. The Bureau of Labor
Statistics’ price indexes shifted to new
reference bases. The shifts are in
accordance with a longstanding
government policy of periodically
updating index bases because it is more
relevant to compare changes with a
more recent base period than with a
more remote one.
Producer Price Indexes (P P l).
Beginning with publication of the
January 1988 data, many important
Producer Price Indexes have been
changed to a new reference base year:
1982 = 100. Previously, the standard
index base was 1967 = 100.
Prior to rebasing, the December 1987
value of the Finished Goods Index on
the 1967 = 100 base was 296.8. Thus,
prices received by producers of finished
goods in December 1987 were nearly
three times higher than they were 20
years earlier. The value of this same
index in 1967, converted to a
1982 = 100 base, is 35.6. In December
1987, this index was 105.7, also
showing that prices received by
producers have risen nearly three times
since 1967. The conversion of the base
year makes the num bers less
cumbersome without altering the
relationship between indexes for
various periods. In January 1988, the
index for finished goods was 106.2,
indicating that these prices in January
were only about 6 percent higher than
they were in 1982.
The shift in the base period affects all
indexes for stage-of-processing
groupings, commodity groups, individual
items, and durability-of-product
groupings previously expressed on a base
of 1967 = 100 or another base through
December 1981. Indexes with a base
later than December 1981, as well as
2
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indexes for the net output of industries
and their products, are not affected.
Tables of rebased historical data from
January 1967 through December 1987
for most stage-of-processing groupings
and some im portant commodity
groupings appeared in the January 1988
issue of the monthly periodical,
Producer Price Indexes. Tables of
historical data for particular ppi series
rebased to 1982 = 100 are available
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Consumer Price Indexes (CPI). As in
the case of the p p i , Consumer Price
Indexes for January 1988 (published in
February 1988) shifted to a new
reference base year. All indexes
currently expressed on a base of
1967 = 100, or any other base through
December 1981, were rebased to
1982-84 = 100. Only indexes with a
base later than December 1981 have
continued their current bases.
This base change was reviewed by
the Office of Federal Statistical Policy
and Standards, Office of Management
and Budget, and is in keeping with the
government’s longstanding policy on
updating index bases.
Selection of the 1982-84 period was
made to coincide with the updated
expenditure weights, which are based
upon data tabulated from the Consumer
Expenditure Survey for 1982, 1983,
and 1984. The last previous rebasing of
CPI data occurred in February 1971,
when the current 1967 base was
substituted for the former 1957-59 base.
Historical data for each CPI series on
the new base are available from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. For the
convenience of users, the Bureau will
continue to publish all-items indexes for
the U.S. city average, and for the
individual local areas for which CPI’s
are published, on their former official
reference base (1967 = 100 in most
cases) as well as on the new base.
C onversion factors and an
accompanying Fact Sheet on rebasing
are available from the Bureau. Dividing
by one of these factors will rebase the
related index series from its current
1982-84 base to its previous reference
base. (Users should note that because
of rounding effects, there may be
occasional minor differences between
the final rebased index and the result
obtained using the conversion factor.)
International
Price
Indexes.
Beginning with the release of the data
for the first quarter of 1988, the
weighting structure of import and
export price indexes will be updated to
reflect U.S. international trading
patterns as of 1985. In addition, the
official reference base will be changed
from June 1977 = 100 to 1985 = 100.
Additional information. More detailed
information on the rebasing of the price
indexes is available in Press Release
u s d l 88-65 (PPI), u s d l 88-92 ( cpi ),
and the upcoming release on U.S.
Import and Export Price Indexes
scheduled for April 28, 1988. The
monthly periodicals, Producer Price
Indexes and the CPI Detailed Report
also contain discussions of the rebasing
and display the rebased indexes.
For $60, payable in advance, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics will provide
an electronic data tape containing the
complete PPI database for users
requiring a large number of rebased
historical tables. Order from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics, Division of Planning
and Financial Management, Room
1077, 441 G Street, NW., Washington,
DC 20212.
□
Women and the labor market:
the link grows stronger
Today, 7 of 10 women age 25 to 54
are members of the labor force,
as are the majority of mothers
even mothers of very young children
—
S u sa n E. S h a n k
Women’s attachment to the labor market has increased dra
matically since the end of World War II—especially for
those between age 25 and 54. More than 7 of 10 women in
this age group are now in the labor force, up from about 3
of 10 four decades earlier. The rise in women’s attachment
to market work is clearly both a product and a cause of many
profound social and economic changes that have occurred in
the United States over the last 40 years.
One result of this surge has been a narrowing of the gap
between male and female participation rates. Also, women
today display a pattern of labor force participation by age
group that is very different from that evident 15 years ago.
Until the mid-1970’s, female participation rates by age
formed an “M” shape, dipping between the early twenties
and the main child-bearing years of 25 to 34. That pattern
has now shifted to an inverted “U” and thus is very similar
to that for men. (See chart 1.)
Another result is that labor market activity has become the
norm for most women today. This is true for women in each
10-year group in the 25 to 54 age bracket, for whites, for
blacks, and for all marital status groups. Moreover, the
majority of mothers are in the labor force today— even
mothers of infants and toddlers. As recently as 1975, a
Bureau of Labor Statistics study found sharp differences in
participation rates of women by marital status and presence
and age of children.1 Such differences have been reduced
very substantially over the ensuing decade.
Finally, women today work more hours per week and
more weeks per year than they did 10 or 20 years ago. The
Women in the United States have been entering the labor
market in increasing numbers over the past century, but,
until the advent of the Second World War, the changes were
small and gradual. However, between 1940 and 1944, the
number of women in the labor force jumped by 5 million—
or more than one-third.2 Over the same period, about 10
million men entered the Armed Forces and, as their number
in the civilian work force plummeted, women moved in and
took their places. This pattern was reversed in the following
two years. As the gi’s returned home, the number of men in
the civilian labor force rebounded, while millions of women
withdrew from the work force. However, fewer women left
at the end of World War II than had entered during the war
years, and many of those who exited in the 1944-46 period
returned a few years later.
Susan E. Shank is an economist in the Division of Labor Force Statistics,
Bureau o f Labor Statistics.
Age. Women in the 45 to 54 age group led the influx into
the labor force in the postwar period. Participation rates for
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majority of 25- to 54-year-old women who worked in 1986
did so full time, year round.
This article focuses on women 25 to 54, the age group
where job market links are especially strong. Most people in
these “prime working ages” have completed school and not
yet started to withdraw (permanently) from the labor force.
Women in these ages increased their labor market participa
tion throughout the post-World War II period, and the rate
of increase accelerated in the mid-1960’s. Labor force par
ticipation rates of women are projected to continue rising to
the year 2000, although at a slower pace than during the past
two decades.
Historical trends
3
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Women’s Link to Labor Market Grows Stronger
this older cohort soared from just over 30 percent in 1946 to
50 percent in 1960. (See chart 2.) In contrast, rates rose
more moderately for the 35- to 44-year-olds and hardly
increased at all for 25- to 34-year-olds. These were the
postwar baby-boom years, and most married women re
mained outside the labor force because of their child and
family responsibilities. The different timing of labor force
increases by age mirrored public attitudes about women
working outside the home. Attitudes shifted first for older
women, who generally did not have young children at
home.
Chart 1. Civilian labor force
participation rates by sex
and age, selected years
Percent
In the early 1960’s, however, women of childbearing age
began to enter the labor market in large numbers. The rate
of increase picked up in the mid-1960’s and accelerated
even more during the 1970’s. (See chart 2.) A very sharp
decline in the birth rate in the 1960’s was a major contribut
ing factor. At the same time, total employment was rising
strongly, with much of the growth occurring in services and
the public sector (especially education), where large num
bers of women are employed. Increasing levels of education
and rapidly changing views about the home and work roles
of women were also factors in the tremendous jump in
women’s labor market activity during the 1960’s and
1970’s.3
The flood of 25- to 34-year-olds into the labor market
during the last 20 years changed the long-standing pattern of
female participation rates by age. The historical “M” shape
was replaced by an inverted “ U,” as the dip in female partic
ipation that had been evident between the 20 to 24 and 25
to 34 age groups almost disappeared. Also, after the mid1970’s, women 45 to 54 no longer had the highest rates
among the three groups within the prime working-age
bracket. In 1987, the rate for the 45 to 54 age group
averaged 67 percent, compared to 74 percent for 35- to
44-year-olds, and 72 percent for 25- to 34-year-olds.
The unprecedented changes discussed above can be seen
clearly in the participation rates of women in the same birth
cohort as they move from their early to late twenties. As the
following tabulation shows, almost half of the women who
were 20 to 24 in 1960 were in the labor force, but the
proportion dropped substantially when these women entered
the peak childbearing ages of 25 to 29:
Age 20-24—
Age 25-29—
Year bom:
1936-40 .....................
in 1960
46.1
in 1965
38.9
1946-50 .....................
in 1970
57.7
in 1975
57.3
1956-60 .....................
in 1980
68.9
in 1985
71.4
The first of the baby-boom generation, bom only 10 years
later, displayed markedly different patterns. Their participa
tion rates were much higher than those of women bom 10
years earlier, and participation rates did not drop between
their early and late twenties. Women bom in the latter part'
of the 1950’s showed further remarkable changes. Not only
were their participation rates higher again, but the rates
actually rose as these women moved from their early to late
twenties— a reversal of the pattern just 20 years earlier.
19
24
4
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
34
44
54
64
plus
Race!ethnic group. Throughout most of the postwar pe
riod, black women had much higher activity rates than did
white women.4 However, the gap has narrowed greatly,
especially since the mid-1960’s, when the rates for white
Chart 2. Civilian labor force participation rates for women, by age
1946-87
Percent
Percent
women skyrocketed. As shown in the following tabulation,
by 1987, participation rates for both white and black women
in the 25 to 54 age group were similar:5
1954
1967
1977
1987
..................... ...................
........................................
........................................
..................... ...................
White
Nonwhite
37.0
45.7
57.7
71.8
53.4
59.3
63.7
72.1
Black
_
—
64.4
73.6
Hispanic women, however, were much less likely than
either white or black women to be in the labor force. Their
lower participation rate (61 percent in 1987) is related to a
number of factors, including a high birth rate, generally low
educational attainment, and cultural factors that emphasize
women’s home and family roles.6
Marital status. Most married women did not work outside
the home in the postwar years. In 1957, for example, only
about 33 percent of married women 25 to 54 were in the
labor force, compared with approximately 80 percent of
single women and 65 percent of widowed, divorced, and
separated women combined. These differences shrank dra
matically in the following three decades. Between 1957 and
1987, married women entered the labor market in record
numbers and their participation rate more than doubled— to
68 percent, while the rate for single women remained
around 80 percent, and that for widowed, divorced, or sep
arated women rose to 79 percent.
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At the same time that differences in labor force activity
rates narrowed across marital status groups, the number of
single and divorced women rose substantially. The follow
ing tabulation shows that the proportion of divorced women
in the prime working-age population increased fourfold, and
the proportion of single women also jumped:
Never married ..................................
Married, spouse present .................
Married, spouse a b s e n t...................
Widowed ..........................................
Divorced ..........................................
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
1957
1987
7.5
80.5
4.3
4.6
3.0
12.9
68.2
4.9
2.2
11.8
In 1987, divorced and never-married women together ac
counted for 1 of 4 prime working-age women— up from
about 1 of 10 in 1957. The marked expansion in these
groups, which have high labor force activity rates, was
matched by contraction in the married and widowed groups,
where rates are somewhat lower.
Work attachment
The phenomenal rise in female labor force activity has
been accompanied by major changes in the nature and extent
of women’s connection to market work. Not only are most
women currently in the labor market, but the vast majority
are full-time, career-oriented workers. This applies across
virtually all age, race, and marital status groups. It applies
5
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Women’s Link to Labor Market Grows Stronger
whether or not women have children at home and even for
those with very young children.
Only in the last few years have women decided to remain
in the labor force for a large part of their adult years and to
work even when they have young children at home. As
recently as 20 years ago, it was more typical for women to
work for a few years after they finished school and then
leave the labor force when their first child was bom. In
many cases, these women did not return to market work at
all or did so only after an absence of several years.
Marital status and children. Labor market activity is now
the norm for women, and high participation rates are evident
in nearly all demographic groups. For example, in March
1987, rates ranged from 85 percent among divorced women
to 66 percent for widows. (See table 1.) Women 35 to 44
generally had the highest activity rates of the three 10-year
groups of the prime working ages. However, this was not
the case among the single women group, where 25- to 34year-olds registered the highest participation rate. More
over, the rate was nearly 90 percent for women in this
younger age group who did not have children.
The presence of children, especially very young children,
tends to moderate the labor force participation of women,
but this effect is much less marked today than it was 20 years
ago. In 1987, 79 percent of women with no children under
age 18 were in the labor force, compared to 67 percent for
women with children. Activity rates for mothers fell steadily
in line with the age of their youngest child— from about 75
percent for mothers of high school age children (none
younger) to 55 percent for mothers with children under the
age of 3. The fact that more than half of all mothers with
toddlers were in the labor market in 1987 indicates the
magnitude of social and economic change in recent years.
As recently as 1967, less than one-fourth of mothers with
children under age 3 were in the labor force.
Table 1. Civilian labor force participation rates of women,
by age, marital status, and presence and age of children,
March 1987
Age
Age
Age
Age
2 5 -5 4
2 5 -3 4
3 5 -4 4
4 5 -5 4
81.5
68.1
70.9
65.7
84.7
82.9
67.5
68.2
52.7
83.3
81.8
71.7
76.0
68.7
87.3
68.5
64.0
67.6
66.5
82.7
No own children under age 18 .....................
79.0
89.0
82.1
68.1
Own children under age 18 .........................
Age of youngest child:
14 to 17 ............................................
6 to 13 ..............................................
3 to 5 ................................................
Under age 3 .......................................
66.7
63.1
71.7
63.8
74.8
72.0
62.4
55.2
82.4
72.9
63.1
55.2
78.7
73.8
61.1
55.9
67.8
58.7
52.7
(D
C h a r a c t e r is t ic
M a r it a l s t a t u s
Never married ...........................................
Married, husband present............................
Married, husband absent ............................
Widowed ..................................................
Divorced ..................................................
P resen ce and age
o f o w n c h ild r e n
1Participation rate not shown where population is less than 75,000.
6
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Hours per week. The number of hours worked per week
or per year is a measure of the intensity of a person’s con
nection to the labor market. Despite a common impression
to the contrary, most employed women work full time, that
is, 35 hours or more per week. In 1986, for example, 78
percent of all employed women ages 25 to 54 worked full
time; an additional 5 percent worked fewer than 35 hours but
wanted full-time jobs; and only 17 percent worked part time
voluntarily. The proportion of women who work full time
has been essentially stable for the past two decades. How
ever, among those working part time, the proportion doing
so voluntarily has declined, while the fraction wanting full
time jobs has increased.
Even though most women work full time, they tend to
work fewer hours per week than do men. In 1986, prime
working-age women employed in nonagricultural industries
averaged about 37 hours per week, compared with 44 hours
for men in the same age group. (See table 2.) Employed
women are heavily concentrated in the retail trade and serv
ice industries in which part-time work is common. Approx
imately 6 of 10 prime working-age women were in these two
industries in 1987, in contrast to only 3 of 10 prime
working-age men.
As might be expected, differences in hours by gender are
greatest at the extremes— the less than 30 hours or the more
than 48 hours per week categories. (See table 2.) However,
over the past two decades there has been some convergence
in the work schedules of men and women, largely because
the proportion of women working 49 hours or more rose
substantially, and the proportion of men working fewer than
30 hours increased. As a result, the differences in the aver
age workweek by gender shrank from 9 hours in 1968 to
about 7 hours in 1987.
Weeks per year. In addition to hours per week, labor force
attachment can also be viewed in terms of weeks worked per
year. During 1986, 68 percent of women 25 to 54 who
worked did so for a full year, and an additional 10 percent
worked 40 to 49 weeks.7 At the other extreme, only about
15 percent of these women worked for less than half the
year. (See table 3.) Women’s year-round employment rose
substantially between 1966 and 1986, especially in the 25 to
34 age group. Over these two decades, the fraction of these
younger women who worked full year jumped from 45 to 65
percent, while the proportion who worked only 1 to 13
weeks dropped from 18 to l \ percent.
Combining weeks worked per year with usual hours per
week offers additional insights into the degree of workers’
job attachment. Persons who work full time 50 to 52 weeks
per year clearly have a strong work commitment. In 1986,
57 percent of all employed women 25 to 54 were in this
year-round, full-time category; the comparable proportion
for men was 78 percent. As was true of hours per week,
work patterns over the calendar year have been converging
for men and women of prime working age. Two decades
earlier, 46 percent of the employed women and about 84
percent of employed men were year-round, full-time
workers.
Younger women have followed the lead of their older
counterparts in moving toward year-round, full-time em
ployment, as they did in entering the labor force. By 1986,
fully 55 percent of employed women 25 to 34 were yearround, full-time workers, up from 39 percent in 1966. The
proportion of women in this age group working full year
but part time also rose considerably. This latter pattern—
full-year work on a part-time basis— was the second most
common schedule (after year round, full time) for women in
the prime working-age group in 1986.
Table 3. Women with work experience in 1966 and 1986
by age, full-time or part-time job, and weeks worked
[Percent distribution]
A ge 2 5 -5 4
A ge 2 5 -3 4
A ge 3 5 -4 4
A g e 4 5 -5 4
W o r k e x p e r ie n c e
1986
1966
1986
1966
1986
1966
1986
1966
Worked at full-time job:
50-52 weeks .........
40-49 weeks .........
27-39 weeks .........
14-26 weeks .........
1-13 weeks .........
57.1
6.5
4.2
4.2
2.8
45.5
8.3
6.5
6.5
6.1
55.1
7.2
4.6
5.1
3.3
38.6
8.8
7.6
9.2
9.6
57.8
6.0
4.2
3.8
2.5
45.2
8.2
6.2
6.3
5.4
59.8
6.0
3.3
3.4
2.2
51.7
7.8
5.8
4.4
3.8
Worked at part-time job:
50-52 weeks .........
40-49 weeks .........
27-39 weeks .........
14-26 weeks .........
1-13 weeks .........
11.4
3.3
2.8
4.0
3.8
9.8
2.9
3.1
4.5
6.9
10.3
3.3
2.7
4.2
4.2
6.8
2.5
2.7
5.7
8.4
12.0
3.1
2.9
4.1
3.7
10.9
3.0
3.4
4.1
7.3
12.7
3.3
2.6
3.5
3.1
11.2
3.0
3.0
3.8
5.2
Future outlook
Will women continue to enter the labor force in greater
numbers? How high will their participation rates go? How
large will the proportion of women who work year round,
full time become? While there are no definite answers to
these and some other questions about women’s labor market
behavior in the future, bls recently introduced projections to
the year 2000 which describe some probable scenarios.8 The
projections presume a continued increase in female labor
force participation, but at a much slower rate than during the
preceding two decades.
Slower increases. Between 1986 and 2000, the labor
force participation rate for women in the prime working-age
group is projected to increase 10 percentage points, from
about 71 percent to 81 percent (assuming the “middle
growth” scenario). While very large by most standards, this
would by only half the size of the increase that took place
in the previous 14 years, when the rate jumped from 51
percent to 71 percent.
The primary reason for the projected slower rate of in
crease is that the huge gains of the past have brought female
participation rates to relatively high levels. There is simply
much less room to grow from a 70-percent participation rate
than there was from a 40- or 50-percent rate. A second
reason is that the projections assume that participation rates
for prime working-age women will not exceed those for
Table 2. Hours at work for 25- to 54-year-old women and
men in nonagriculturai industries, annual averages, 1968
and 1986
[Percent distribution]
W om en
M en
H o u rs o f w o rk
1986
Average hours..................................
Total hours .......................................
Under 30 hours..................................
30-34 hours..............................
35-39 hours.....................................
40 hours....................................
41-48 hours..................................
49 hours and over ....................................
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1968
1986
men. This constraining assumption is built into the projec
tion methodology. A third reason for the projected slowing
is that most of the population growth will take place in the
oldest 10-year group in this study (45- to 54-year-olds),
where participation is lower. During the 1990’s, this group
will account for virtually all of the population growth in the
prime working-age group— as the first of the baby-boom
generation moves into their mid-forties and early fifties.
While some slowing in the pace of women’s labor force
increases is almost inevitable in future years, the precise
timing and extent of such slowing are matters of judgment.
In this connection, it should be noted that bls projections of
women’s labor force participation have come closer to the
mark in recent years. Between 1959 and 1976, bls produced
six projections of the future size of the labor force, and all
six underestimated actual growth in the female labor force.9
The phenomenal increases in participation rates for prime
working-age women that started in the mid-1960’s surprised
almost all analysts. However, bls projections introduced in
1978 and the early 1980’s assumed that such growth will
continue, although not necessarily at the same rapid pace.10
Gender differences shrink. While participation rates for
women are expected to continue rising through the end of
the century, those for men are projected to edge further
down. As a result, the longstanding gap between male and
female rates will shrink even more. The following tabula
tion shows that the difference in the prime working-age
group, which was about 60 percentage points in 1950 (and
23 points in 1986), will narrow to 12 points by the year
2000. For 25- to 34-year-olds, the gender difference is ex
pected to shrink to only 10 points.
1968
36.8
35.7
43.9
44.7
100.0
19.5
9.4
9.7
42.1
8.9
10.4
100.0
21.5
9.6
11.0
42.0
9.3
6.5
100.0
5.7
4.8
4.0
44.4
13.2
27.7
100.0
4.4
4.7
3.9
43.4
17.3
26.3
Actual, 1950
25 to 54
24-34
35-44
45-54
years ........
y e a r s ........
y e a r s ........
y e a r s ........
........
........
........
........
Projected,
2000
Women
Men
Women
Men
36.8
34.0
39.1
37.9
96.5
96.0
97.8
95.8
80.8
82.3
84.2
75.4
92.6
93.6
93.9
90.1
7
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Women’s Link to Labor Market Grows Stronger
groups— the right side of their inverted “U” shifts to the left
and thus becomes more like that for women.
Moreover, as the gap between male and female rates
continues to narrow, the outline traced by these rates over
the life cycle is expected to become increasingly unisex. In
the year 2000, activity rates of women are projected to rise
steadily from the teen years to a peak in the 35 to 44 age group,
then to decline in the 45 to 54 age group before dropping off
sharply for those 55 and over. Chart 1 notes the similarity
between this pattern and that for men in the year 2000.
The shift in the outline of women’s participation rates
from the “M” shape to an inverted “U ,” which started in the
1970’s, will be even more prominent by 2000. In fact,
women’s participation rates (in terms of both level and pat
tern by age) are projected to be more similar to those for men
than to women’s rates in 1960 or 1970. Moreover, as male
rates decline over time—especially in the older age
b e t w e e n l a b o r m a r k e t b e h a v io r of men and
women shrank dramatically in the four decades following
World War II. This was due largely to a tremendous in
crease in labor market activity by women. Over the past 40
years, the proportion of 25- to 54-year-old women in the
labor force jumped from one-third to more than 70 percent.
Furthermore, among employed women, 3 of 4 worked full
time in 1986, and well over half of them worked year round
and full time, b l s projections to the year 2 0 0 0 call for
continued increases in market activity of women, and as a
result, further convergence in male and female labor force
patterns over the life cycle.
1 See Deborah Pisetzner Klein, “Women in the labor force: the middle
years,” Monthly Labor Review , November 1975, pp. 10-16.
The 1977 and 1987 data show that there is little difference between the
participation rates of black women and nonwhite women age 25 to 54.
2 These are Current Population Survey ( cps ) data for persons 14 years
and over. When the lower age boundary for labor force statistics was raised
to 16 years, historical data were revised, but only back to 1948. The CPS
is a monthly household survey, conducted for the b ls by the Census
Bureau.
6 Rosemary Santana Cooney and Vilma Ortiz, “Nativity, National
Origin, and Hispanic Female Participation in the Labor Force,” Social
Science Quarterly , September 1983, pp. 510-23.
3 For an excellent interpretation of changing work-leisure patterns for
women, men, and teenagers in the 1950-75 period, see Robert W. Bednarzik and Deborah P. Klein, “Labor force trends: a synthesis and analy
sis,” Monthly Labor Review , October 1977, pp. 3-1 5 . When reprinted as
Special Labor Force Report 208, this article included an annotated bibliog
raphy of selected literature on trends in labor force participation.
Also, see Lois B. Shaw, “Determinants of the Increasing Work Attach
ment of Married W omen,” Work and Occupations, May 1983.
4 Historically, the higher rates for nonwhite women reflected many fac
tors, such as greater economic need, lower marriage and higher fertility
rates, and a larger proportion of extended families, which meant additional
relatives to assist with child care.
5 Labor force data for blacks only are not available prior to 1972; rates
for non whites (persons o f black and other races) are shown for earlier years.
8
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D if f e r e n c e s
7 These data are from the March 1987 work experience supplement to the
Current Population Survey. This supplement (conducted in March of each
year) obtains labor force information for each week of the previous calen
dar year.
8 Howard N Fullerton, Jr., “Labor force projections: 1986 to 2000,”
Monthly Labor Review , September 1987, pp. 19-29.
9 Paul M. Ryscavage, “ b ls labor force projections: a review of methods
and results,” Monthly Labor Review , April 1979, pp. 15-22.
10 See Paul O. Flaim and Howard N Fullerton, Jr., “Labor force projec
tions to 1990: three possible paths,” Monthly Labor Review , December
1978, pp. 25-35; Howard N Fullerton, Jr., “The 1995 labor force: a first
look,” Monthly Labor Review , December 1980, pp. 11-21; and Howard N
Fullerton, Jr. and John Tschetter, “The 1995 labor force: a second look,”
Monthly Labor Review , November 1983, pp. 1-8.
Changes in unemployment insurance
legislation during 1987
Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin
made extensive modifications to their laws;
among the States generally,
changes involved raising tax rates, restricting eligibility,
and increasing qualifying requirements
D ia n a R u n n e r
During 1987, State legislatures took very little action on
unemployment insurance matters except in Illinois, Minne
sota, and Wisconsin where extensive changes were made.
Weekly benefit amounts were increased in seven States, and
eight States amended their qualifying wage requirements.
Financing provisions were amended in several States and
most raised the maximum tax rates or made provision for
extra assessments, or both, to strengthen their trust funds. In
Arkansas
Benefits. An individual will not be liable
for repayment of benefits if he or she re
ceived a backpay award that was reduced
by the amount of benefits received for the
same period, if the director of the State
agency is furnished a signed copy of the
award. In this instance, the employer will
be liable to pay the unemployment in
surance fund the reduced amount of back
pay and have his account credited with the
amount paid. The term “week” was rede
fined in the law as a 7-consecutive-day pe
riod beginning on Sunday at 12:01 a.m.
and ending at midnight the following Satur
day. The percentage used in determining
the minimum weekly benefit amount was
lowered from 15 percent to 12 percent of
the State average weekly wage.
Louisiana, Texas, and West Virginia, the laws were
amended to provide for the issuance of bonds for the financ
ing and repayment of Federal advances to the State funds.
Wyoming provided for State interfund borrowing for the
payment of benefits or repayment of Federal advances.
Following is a summary of significant changes in State
unemployment insurance laws during 1987.
Disqualification. Payment of benefits
during short-term layoffs is now prohibited
under certain conditions. An individual
will not be considered “unavailable for
work” during a week if he or she has to
withdraw from the labor market for less
than 4 days in that week due to a com
pelling personal emergency. If an individ
ual is suspended from work for misconduct
connected with the work, he or she will be
disqualified for the duration of the suspen
sion or for 8 weeks, whichever is less. If an
individual, while on layoff, voluntarily re
moves his or her name from a recall list
maintained by the base-period employer,
that individual will be disqualified unless
he or she is employed elsewhere full time
or has a compelling reason for removing
the name.
California
Diana Runner is an unemployment insurance
program specialist in the Office of Legislation
and Actuarial Services, Employment and Train
ing Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Coverage. A new enactment excludes
from coverage services performed by a full
time student in the employ of an organized
camp, if certain conditions are met.
Financing. An employer’s unemploy
ment insurance account will not be charged
with benefits paid to an individual who was
discharged, or who quit, as a result of an
irresistible compulsion to use or consume
intoxicants.
Benefits. The retraining benefits program
established in 1981 was extended to Janu
ary 1, 1993.
Disqualification. A disqualification of 52
weeks for misrepresentation to obtain bene
fits will no longer apply to an individual
convicted of the violation.
Colorado
Coverage. The exclusion from coverage
of aliens performing agricultural labor was
extended to January 1, 1993. The definition
of political subdivision (local governmental
entity) was amended to include an Indian
tribe organized according to the Federal In
dian Reorganization Act of 1934.
9
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Benefits.
For purposes of the extended
benefits program, the weekly benefit
amount and the total benefit amount will be
reduced by the amount of any reduction
mandated by the Balanced Budget and
Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985
(hereafter
termed
Gramm-RudmanHollings). Claimants in an internship pro
gram (as defined in the “Disqualification”
section below) will receive stipends along
with their benefits. In addition, internship
stipends will not be considered wages for
the purpose of calculating weekly benefit
amounts.
Disqualification.
Lump-sum retirement
payments received by an individual will no
longer be deductible from unemployment
compensation if certain conditions are met.
The law was changed so that training with
the approval of the Colorado Department of
Employment and Labor now includes par
ticipation in internship programs estab
lished by employment offices under
contract with the State of Colorado in coop
eration with service delivery areas estab
lished under the Job Training Partnership
Act of 1983.
Connecticut
Financing.
Taxable wages reported to
the State agency on or before September 30
will be used in determining the employer’s
tax rate for a year.
Administration.
An appeal now may be
deemed timely if the filing party can show
good cause for filing after the 21-day pe
riod otherwise mandated by the law. The
State employment security board was given
the responsibility for establishing a defini
tion for good cause in relation to timeliness
in the filing of motions or appeals.
Delaware
Financing.
Regardless of the contribu
tion rate established for the industry in
which he or she operates, no new employer
may have a contribution rate of less than
1.0 percent. Deleted was the requirement
that no new employer could have a reduced
rate if he or she had no employment for five
or more consecutive calendar quarters.
Therefore, an employer may have a re
duced rate based on actual experience even
if there has been a break in employment.
Until December 31, 1987, all employers
are charged a 1.5-percent supplemental
assessment, regardless of their basic rate.
Beginning in calendar year 1988, an em
ployer’s tax rate will be increased when
ever the trust fund balance is more than $90
million. The supplemental assessment rate
will be based on the employer’s earned
basic assessment. For example, if the basic
10
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Unemployment Insurance Legislation in 1987
assessment ranges from 0.1 percent to 3.9
percent of taxable wages, the supplemental
assessment will be 1.1 percent. If the basic
assessment is 8.0 percent, the supplemental
assessment will be 1.5 percent. If the trust
fund balance is less than $90 million, each
employer’s basic rate will be increased by
a supplemental assessment of from 1.5 per
cent to 2.5 percent, depending on the basic
rate.
Benefits.
The maximum and minimum
weekly benefit amounts ($205 and $20, re
spectively) were frozen for the period July
1 through December 31, 1987. The require
ment for computing the maximum weekly
benefit amount as 66§ percent of the
statewide average weekly wage was
deleted. Beginning January 1, 1988, an in
dividual’s weekly benefit amount will be
computed as ^ of the wages in the two
highest quarters of the base period if the
trust fund balance is equal to or greater than
$90 million, or as ^ of the wages in the two
highest quarters of the base period if the
trust fund balance is less than $90 million.
However, in both instances, the minimum
weekly benefit amount may not be less than
$20, nor the maximum weekly benefit
amount more than $205.
Disqualification.
All dismissal payments
will be considered wages, and therefore de
ductible from the weekly benefit amount.
Florida
Coverage.
The exclusion from coverage
of aliens performing agricultural labor was
extended to December 31, 1992. Begin
ning January 1, 1988, coverage of agricul
tural labor will pertain to all employers
with at least 5 (currently 10) employees in
each of 20 weeks, or with at least $10,000
(currently $20,000) in payrolls in any cal
endar quarter.
Benefits.
The maximum weekly benefit
amount was increased from $175 to $200.
Georgia
Financing.
For the period April 1, 1987,
through March 31, 1992, there will be an
administrative assessment equal to 0.06
percent of taxable wages for all employers
except: (1) nonprofit organizations and
governmental entities that are authorized to
either pay contributions or elect to make
payments in lieu of contributions; or
(2) employers assigned either the minimum
rate of 0.06 percent or the maximum rate of
8.64 percent. New employers also will be
subject to the assessment. For the same pe
riod, new employers will pay 2.64 percent
and experience-rated employers will pay
rates ranging from 0.04 percent to 5.4 per
cent, reflecting a reduction of the otherwise
mandated tax rates by the 0.06-percent ad
ministrative assessment.
Benefits.
The maximum weekly benefit
amount was increased from $145 to $155,
and the minimum amount from $27 to $37.
Effective July 2, 1988, the maximum
weekly benefit will increase to $165. How
ever, the $115 maximum will still apply if
the program trust fund level is less than
$175 million.
Disqualification.
The discharge for mis
conduct disqualification was changed from
a variable 4 to 11 weeks to a duration dis
qualification or until the individual earns
eight times the weekly benefit amount. An
individual will be disqualified for gross
misconduct until he or she earns insured
wages equal to at least 12 times the weekly
benefit amount if the discharge was for (1)
intentional conduct on the job that results in
injury to the employer, fellow employees,
customers, patients, bystanders, or the
eventual consumer of products; or (2) in
tentional conduct that results in the em
ployee being discharged for theft valued at
$100 or less. Also, an individual may be
disqualified for gross misconduct until he
or she earns 16 times the weekly benefit
amount when the discharge was for inten
tional conduct resulting in property loss or
damages of at least $2,000; theft of prop
erty, goods, or money valued at over $100;
sabotage; or embezzlement. An individual
will not be disqualified for misconduct if
(1) the individual made a good faith effort
to perform the duties for which hired, but
was simply unable to do so; (2) the individ
ual did not intentionally fail or consciously
neglect to perform the duties; (3) the dis
charge occurred because of absenteeism
caused by illness of the claimant or a family
member, unless the claimant failed, with
out justification, to notify the employer;
(4) the discharge occurred as the result of
the violation of an employer rule of which
the claimant was not informed; or (5) ex
cept for activity requiring disqualification
because of a labor dispute, the employee
was exercising a protected right to protest
against wages, hours, working conditions,
or job safety under the National Labor Re
lations Act or other laws.
Hawaii
Financing.
For calendar year 1988,
wages, for tax purposes, will not include
remuneration paid which exceeds (1) 100
percent of the State average annual wage, if
the ratio of the current reserve fund to the
adequate reserve fund is equal to or less
than 0.8; or (2) 75 percent, if the ratio is
greater than 0.8 but less than 1.2; or (3) 50
percent, if the ratio is equal to or more than
1.2. A special unemployment insurance ad
ministration fund was created which will
consist of all fines, interests, and penalties
collected.
ing on June 30 of the year immediately
preceding the year for which a rate is being
determined, divided by the net revenues for
the 3-year period ending on September 30
of the same year, adjusted to the nearest
multiple of 1 percent. The adjusted State
experience factor will be 111 percent for
Idaho
1988; not less than 75 percent or more than
Financing. For calendar years 1987 and
135 percent for 1989 through 1992, during
1988, positive-balance employers will pay
which period it may not be lowered by
contributions ranging from 1.7 percent to
more than 5 percent (absolute) from the
3.5 percent of taxable wages, and negativeState experience factor for the preceding
balance employers will pay from 4.0 per
year; and 123 percent beginning in calendar
cent to 5.6 percent. New employers will
year 1993.
pay 3.7 percent.
Beginning July 1, 1989, an employer’s
experience rate will depend, in part, on
Benefits. The base-period qualifying
benefit charges rather than on benefit
wages were changed from \ \ to 1^ times the
wages. Beginning in 1991, the benefit ratio
wages earned in the high quarter of the base
of each eligible employer will be a percent
period. The minimum high-quarter wage
age computed using a benefit conversion
requirement of $1,144.01 still applies. The
factor that takes into account previously
ratio of base-period wages to high-quarter
paid benefit wages and benefit charges. An
wages for determining duration of benefits
employer’s maximum contribution rate for
was changed from 1.25 for a minimum of
1988 through 1992 will be the greater of
10 weeks to 3.25 for a maximum of 26
6.4 percent or the product of 6.4 percent
weeks.
and the adjusted State experience factor for
the year. An employer’s maximum contri
Illinois
bution rate for 1993 and subsequent years
Coverage. A new enactment excludes
will be 6.7 percent. The minimum rate will
from coverage services performed by an
continue to be the greater of 0.2 percent or
individual as a direct seller, if certain con
the product obtained by multiplying 0.2
ditions are met.
percent by the adjusted State experience
factor. No employer with total wages in
Financing. The taxable wage base for
any quarter (during 1988 and thereafter) of
calendar years 1988 through 1992 will be
less than $50,000 shall pay contributions
$9,000 and, beginning January 1, 1993,
which exceed 5 percent in 1988 and 5.4
$8,500. Provisions of law requiring a new
percent in 1989 and thereafter.
employer to pay contributions equal to the
Beginning in 1989 and ending December
greatest of 2.7 percent, 2.7 percent multi
31, 1992, a surcharge of 0.2 percent will be
plied by the current State adjusted experi
added to each employer’s tax rate when the
ence factor, or the average contribution rate
trust fund on May 15 is less than $80 mil
for the employer’s major industry classifi
lion. This surcharge is increased by 0.2
cation, which were to expire at the end of
percent for each subsequent year in which
1987, were permanently extended. Special
the trust fund balance is below $80 million.
contribution conditions will apply in calen
For calendar years 1988 through 1992, a
dar years 1989 and 1990 to new employers
fund-building rate equal to 0.4 percent will
who have had experience with the risk of
be added to each employer’s basic rate. The
unemployment for at least 13 consecutive
fund-building rate will increase to 0.6 per
months ending June 30 of the preceding
cent in 1993 and subsequent years. The
year. For benefit years beginning on and
provision for an emergency contribution
after July 1, 1989, benefits will be charged
rate when the State’s account in the Federal
to the last employer for whom the individ
unemployment trust fund was less than
ual worked in covered employment and
$100 million was repealed.
earned wages on each of 30 days. (Cur
rently, benefits are charged proportionately
Benefits. For the period January 3, 1988,
to the base-period employers.)
to January 1, 1993, a weekly benefit
The tax system will be converted from a
amount will be computed as 49 percent of
benefit-wage ratio (proportion of employer
the claimant’s average weekly wage, up to
payroll paid to workers receiving unem
49 percent of the State average weekly
ployment benefits) system to a benefit ratio
wage. For the same period, the formula for
(ratio of benefits paid to total employer
dependents’ allowances shall be 8 percent
payroll) system over calendar years 1988— of the claimant’s prior average weekly
92. In calendar year 1988, the State experi
wage (not to exceed 57 percent of the State
ence factor will be the sum of all regular
average weekly wage) for a nonworking
benefits paid plus the benefit reserve for
spouse, or 15 percent of the claimant’s
fund building during the 3-year period end
prior average weekly wage (not to exceed
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
64 percent of the State average weekly
wage) for other dependents. Beginning
January 1, 1993, a weekly benefit amount
will be computed as 48 percent of the
claimant’s average weekly wage up to 48
percent of the State average weekly wage;
dependents’ allowances will be 7 percent of
the claimant’s prior average weekly wage
(not to exceed 55 percent of the State aver
age weekly wage) for a nonworking
spouse, or 14.4 percent (not to exceed 62.4
percent of the State average weekly wage)
for dependents.
For calendar years 1988, 1989, and
1990, the statewide average weekly wage
will be $359, $381, and $406, respectively.
Beginning with calendar year 1993, the av
erage weekly wage will be $350. For calen
dar years 1991 and 1992, the average
weekly wage will be the previous calendar
year’s average weekly wage plus (or
minus) an amount equal to the percentage
change in the average weekly wage be
tween the two immediately preceding bene
fit periods, multiplied by the previous cal
endar year’s statewide average weekly
wage. For benefit periods between January
1, 1991, and December 31, 1992, the
statewide average weekly wage will be the
average weekly wage in effect for the pre
vious benefit period if two of the following
three factors occur: (1) the average contri
bution rate of employers for the calendar
year 2 years prior to the base period as a
ratio of total contributions to total wages
was 0.2 percent greater than the national
average of this ratio; or (2) the trust fund
balance was less than $250 million on
March 31 of the prior year; or (3) the num
ber of first payments of initial claims on
June 30 of the prior year had increased
more than 25 percent over the average dur
ing a 5-year period ending on the same June
30. Also, if all the conditions above occur,
the statewide average weekly wage shall
decrease 10 percent. The base period may
be extended after receipt of temporary total
disability benefits under any workers’ com
pensation or occupational disease act.
Disqualification. A labor dispute dis
qualification will exclude individuals af
fected by a lockout if (1) an employer re
fuses to meet under reasonable conditions
with the union representative to discuss the
lockout; or (2) there is a final adjudication
under the National Labor Relations Act
that, during the lockout, the employer re
fused to bargain in good faith with the
union representative over the lockout is
sues; or (3) the lockout violated the existing
union agreement. Also, an individual’s
total or partial unemployment resulting
from any reduction in operations, reduction
in force, or layoff of employees by an em
ployer in anticipation of collective bargain-
11
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
ing negotiations will not be considered as
being due to a stoppage of work which ex
ists because of a labor dispute until the ac
tual commencement of a strike or lockout.
A definition of misconduct was added to
cover the deliberate and willful violation of
an employer’s reasonable rule or policy
governing the individual’s behavior in the
performance of work, provided the viola
tion has harmed the employer or employee
or has been repeated despite a warning or
other explicit instruction from the em
ployer. Also, if an individual disqualified
for misconduct is reinstated by the em
ployer, the requalifying requirement will
be deemed satisfied.
Administration. A $2 million program
was established to pay lawyers to represent
small businesses and claimants at unem
ployment insurance hearings. The program
will be funded from the existing Special
Administrative Account.
Indiana
Administration. The State Employment
Security Division was replaced with the
Department of Employment and Training
Services, which shall be administered by an
executive director. The Indiana Unemploy
ment Insurance Board was established to
replace the employment security board,
which was responsible for the unemploy
ment insurance program. The employment
security advisory council has been abol
ished and its duties have been transferred to
the Indiana State Job Training Coordinat
ing Council.
Benefits. The definition of dependent
was amended to include a person who is
less than 23 years old (formerly 18) and is
enrolled in and regularly attending a sec
ondary school or who is a full-time student
at an accredited college or university.
Iowa
Financing. Beginning in 1988, the tax
able wage base will be 66§ percent of the
statewide average weekly wage multiplied
by 52, and rounded to the next higher mul
tiple of $100. The provision increasing the
wage base by $1,600 for 1986 and subse
quent calendar years was repealed. The
provision allowing noncharging to former
employer(s) of benefits to be paid to an
individual who failed without good cause to
return to his or her customary selfemployment was repealed. Employers (ex
cluding governmental entities and non
profit organizations) will be required to pay
an administrative contribution surcharge
equal to 0.1 percent of Federal taxable
wages. The surcharge will be deposited in
the newly created Administrative Contribu
12
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Unemployment Insurance Legislation in 1987
tion Surcharge Fund. Money in the fund
will be used only for personnel and nonper
sonnel costs of rural and satellite job serv
ice offices in population centers of less than
20,000. This provision will be repealed
July 1, 1990, and thus will not affect con
tribution rates for calendar year 1991.
The following provisions will apply for
calendar year 1988 only. Eight new rate
tables have been established based on the
relationship of the reserve fund ratio to the
highest benefit-cost ratio. The least favor
able schedule of rates ranges from 0.0 per
cent to 9.0 percent (in 1989, it reverts to
0.5 percent to 7.0 percent), and the most
favorable schedule ranges from 0.0 percent
to 5.4 percent (in 1989, it reverts to 0.0
percent to 4.0 percent). Negative-balance
employers are not required to pay the addi
tional 1.0-percent surcharge, which is cu
mulative from year to year and which is
required for other years. The following
were suspended: (1) the provision allowing
an employer to avoid payment of contribu
tions for a year if the employer’s percent
age of excess (total employer contributions
divided by total benefits charged) is 7.5
percent or greater; and (2) provisions al
lowing such an employer to qualify for a
reduced rate in the year after that in which
he or she paid no contributions because of
a percentage of excess of 7.5 percent or
more. Also suspended were provisions al
lowing an employer to make voluntary con
tributions in an amount sufficient to lower
his or her rate to that for the next lower
percentage-of-excess rank. A new con
tributing employer who is not in the con
struction industry will pay contributions at
a rate specified at the 12th benefit-ratio
rank (0.3 percent to 3.1 percent), but not
less than 1.0 percent.
Beginning in 1989, a new nonconstruc
tion contributing employer will pay at the
9th percentage-of-excess rank (0.2 percent
to 2.3 percent), but not less than 1.8 per
cent. A new contributing employer in the
construction industry will pay contributions
at a rate specified in the 21st benefit-ratio
rank (5.4 percent to 9.0 percent) for 1988.
Beginning in 1989, a new construction con
tributing employer will pay at a rate in the
21st benefit-ratio rank (4.0 percent to 7.0
percent), depending on the rate schedule in
effect.
Benefits. The provision for a 1-week
waiting period before benefits are paid was
repealed.
Kansas
Coverage. Services performed for less
than 14 days in a calendar year by an extra
for a motion picture or television produc
tion will be excluded from coverage.
Disqualification. The between-terms de
nial of benefits was amended to apply to
services performed as driver of a schoolbus
or other motor vehicle while employed by
a private contractor to transport pupils, stu
dents, and school personnel to or from
school-related functions or activities for an
educational institution. However, an indi
vidual will not be disqualified if the serv
ices as a bus driver are performed for a
nonschool-related function or activity.
Also added was a between-terms disqualifi
cation based on services for an educational
institution in any capacity while in the em
ploy of a governmental entity or nonprofit
organization.
Louisiana
Coverage. A new enactment excludes
from coverage services performed by an
individual as a direct seller, if certain con
ditions are met.
Financing. A new enactment provided
for the issuance of State bonds for financ
ing and payment of Federal advances to the
State fund, the restructuring and funding of
unemployment benefits, and the financing
of the State’s account in the Federal Unem
ployment Trust Fund. A special assessment
on taxable employers was added to service
the bonds. For the period July 1 to Decem
ber 31, 1987, the special assessment will be
1.4 percent of the first $7,500 in taxable
wages paid to each employee. The taxable
wage base was increased from $7,000 to
$8,500. The provision for the noncharging
of benefits paid to an individual who per
forms services for a temporary help service
on an on-call basis and who earns less than
$350 was repealed.
The period needed for an employer to
qualify for experience rating was reduced
from 3 to 2 years. The contribution rate for
new employers will be the average rate for
employers in the same 2-digit industrial
classification, but not less than 1.0 percent.
A solvency tax, not to exceed 30 percent of
the employer’s contributions for the quar
ter, will be assessed if the State fund ad
ministrator projects that the balance of the
fund is expected to fall below $100 million.
Benefits. The weekly benefit amount will
be decreased by 7 percent beginning Janu
ary 4, 1988. This means that the maximum
weekly benefit amount will be reduced
from $205 to $191. The minimum weekly
benefit amount will remain $10.
Disqualification. An individual who is
discharged for the use of illegal drugs will
be disqualified for the duration of unem
ployment and until he or she is reemployed
and earns wages of 10 times the weekly
benefit amount.
Maine
Coverage. A new enactment excludes
from coverage services performed by a full
time student in the employ of an organized
camp, if certain conditions are met.
Benefits. Employment with a variety
store or trading post which operates for a
period of less than 26 weeks per year will
be considered seasonal employment.
Maryland
Benefits. The weekly dependency allow
ance was increased from $4 to $6 per de
pendent, up to four dependents.
Financing. An employer’s account will
not be charged for benefits paid to an indi
vidual who left work voluntarily with good
cause to enter approved training.
Administration. The State Department of
Economic and Employment Development
was established to administer the unem
ployment insurance program under the di
rection of the Secretary of Economic and
Employment Development.
Minnesota
Financing. The special taxable wage
base of $8,000 for employers paying the
minimum rate of 0.1 percent was repealed.
The least favorable schedule, which applies
when the fund level is less than $200 mil
lion, calls for a minimum employer contri
bution rate of 0.8 percent for 1988, 0.7
percent for 1989, and 0.6 percent for 1990.
The most favorable schedule calls for a
fund level of $300 million with a minimum
employer contribution rate of 0.1 percent.
The maximum rate in both schedules will
be 8.0 percent in 1988, 8.5 percent in
1989, and 9.0 percent in 1990 and
thereafter.
All contributing employers will pay a
solvency assessment based on State unem
ployment insurance trust fund balances.
Benefits may be noncharged to the em
ployer if an individual refused an offer of
reemployment while in approved training.
Benefits. The base period will be the first
four of the last five completed calendar
quarters. However, if an individual has in
sufficient wage credits to establish a valid
claim, the alternate base period will be the
last four completed calendar quarters. The
base period may be extended up to four
quarters depending on the length of time an
individual receives workers’ compensation
for temporary disability or receives com
pensation due to an illness from another
source. An individual’s benefit year will be
53 weeks, beginning with the week a valid
claim is filed.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
To qualify for benefits, an individual
must have (1) wage credits in two or more
quarters of the base period; (2) minimum
total base-period wage credits equal to
wages earned in the high quarter of the base
period multiplied by 1.25; (3) high-quarter
wage credits of $1,000; and (4) effective
July 1, 1989, base-period wage credits in
15 or more weeks. Previously, the qualify
ing requirement was at least 15 weeks of
employment with wages equal to 30 per
cent of the State average weekly wage.
To qualify for benefits in a second bene
fit year, an individual must have earned 10
times the weekly benefit amount. An indi
vidual’s weekly benefit amount will be
computed as ^ of high-quarter wages. The
maximum weekly benefit amount will be
computed as a percentage of the State aver
age weekly wage, ranging from 60 percent
to 66§ percent, depending on the balance in
the State fund. An individual’s duration of
benefits will be determined as | of total
base-period wages, up to 26 weeks. The
earnings disregarded in computing the
weekly benefit amount for partial unem
ployment have been changed from $25 to
the greater of $25 or 25 percent of the earn
ings from work other than service in the
National Guard.
To qualify for benefits on the basis of
seasonal employment, an individual must
have wage credits in 15 or more weeks
equal to or in excess of 30 times the weekly
benefit amount from nonseasonal work, in
addition to any seasonal wage credits. An
additional benefits program was added to
the State law, whereby claimants may re
ceive up to 6 weeks of additional benefits if
they meet certain eligibility conditions.
Disqualification. The disqualification for
voluntary leaving, discharge for miscon
duct, and refusal of suitable work has been
changed to the duration of unemployment
and until the individual has 4 weeks of
work and wages equal to eight (previously
four) times the weekly benefit amount. An
individual will not be disqualified for vol
untary leaving or discharge for misconduct
if separated from employment due to a col
lective bargaining agreement under which
the individual has vested discretionary au
thority in another to act on his or her behalf.
Holiday pay in excess of $25 will be dis
qualifying income. If an individual is
awarded backpay which has been reduced
by benefits paid, the amount withheld must
be paid by the employer into the State un
employment fund.
Penalties. The penalty for an individ
ual’s fraudulent misrepresentation to obtain
or increase benefits was changed from a
misdemeanor to theft. A gross misde
meanor penalty for an individual’s fraudu
lent misrepresentation to prevent or reduce
benefit payments will not apply if the
underpayment of benefits, contributions, or
other payment(s) involved exceeds $250,
in which case the person will be guilty of a
felony.
Missouri
Benefits. A temporary worksharing pro
gram, under which individuals working
shortened schedules to avert layoffs may
collect benefits, was established, to expire
January 1, 1991.
Montana
Coverage. An individual will be consid
ered an independent contractor if he or she
is free from direction and control and is
engaged in an independently established
trade, occupation, profession, or business.
Benefits. To qualify for benefits, an indi
vidual’s total base-period wages must be
equal to or greater than 7 percent of the
State average annual wage, in addition to
being $1,000 or more. The requirement
that the individual have 20 weeks of work
at $50 a week still applies.
Disqualification. The disqualification for
failure to apply for or to accept suitable
work was changed to a duration disqualifi
cation or until the individual earns wages
equal to six times the weekly benefit
amount. The change also calls for an equal
reduction of benefits.
Administration. The period during which
an individual may appeal a referee deci
sion, or apply for reconsideration of or ap
peal from an initial claim determination
was changed to 10 days after mailing of the
notification to the individual’s last known
address.
Penalty. If an individual fraudulently re
ceives benefits, he or she must pay 18percent interest on the amount fraudulently
obtained.
Nebraska
Benefits. The minimum and maximum
weekly benefit amounts were increased to
$20 and $134, respectively. The qualifying
wages were doubled to $1,200 in the base
period, of which $400 must have been
earned in each of two quarters. To qualify
for benefits in a second benefit year, an
individual must earn at least four times the
weekly benefit amount.
Nevada
Disqualification. The special disqualifi
cation for an individual who voluntarily
13
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
leaves work to enter self-employment has
been repealed.
New Hampshire
Benefits. The minimum and maximum
weekly benefit amounts were increased to
$39 and $156, respectively. Annual earn
ings required to qualify for the minimum
and maximum weekly benefit amounts
were increased to $2,800 and $23,500, re
spectively.
Disqualification. The requalifying re
quirement for purging a disqualification for
voluntary leaving, discharge for miscon
duct, leaving self-employment, or failing
to apply for or accept suitable work was
amended to require the individual to earn at
least 120 percent of the weekly benefit
amount in any 5 weeks. The pension offset
requirement was amended to provide that
no offset will apply if the base-period or
chargeable employer does not contribute to
the fund from which the retirement pay
ments are made. Also, no offset will apply
if an individual contributed 50 percent or
more to the retirement pay.
Administration. The “sunset” provision
reauthorizing the Department of Employ
ment Security was extended to July 1,
1993. The period during which a programrelated decision may be appealed to the
State supreme court was increased to 30
days.
New Jersey
Benefits. To qualify for benefits in a sec
ond benefit year, an individual must earn at
least six times the weekly benefit amount
and have 4 weeks of employment since the
beginning of the preceding benefit year.
New Mexico
Financing. A nonprofit organization
electing to reimburse the State fund for
benefits paid must execute and file a bond
within 30 days of the election.
Disqualification. An individual will be
considered available for work and actively
seeking work if he or she is temporarily laid
off for no more than 4 weeks or if he or she
has an offer in writing for full-time work
that will begin within 4 weeks. Individuals,
other than those in approved training, who
are attending classes during the hours of
8 a.m. to 6 p.m. are disqualified from ben
efits. An individual’s extended benefit
amount and total benefit amount will be
reduced by the percentage of the GrammRudman-Hollings reduction in the Federal
share of extended benefits.
14
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Unemployment Insurance Legislation in 1987
Administration. The name of the secondstage appeals body was changed from the
Board of Review to the Secretary of Em
ployment Security.
New York
Disqualification. A disqualification for
voluntary leaving for marital obligations
will only apply if the separation was due to
the claimant’s marriage. Previously, the
disqualification also applied to individuals
who follow a spouse to a new locality.
Benefits. New York has established a 3year demonstration project (expires in
1990) which allows claimants in approved
training to receive additional benefits.
North Carolina
Coverage. The exclusion from coverage
of aliens performing agricultural labor was
extended to January 1, 1993.
serve is equal to or greater than the required
amount, then, as of July 1 of the next year,
the maximum weekly benefit amount will
be computed as 62 percent of the State av
erage weekly wage. If, on October 1, 1989,
or any succeeding October 1, the trust fund
reserve is equal to or greater than the re
quired amount and the State’s average con
tribution rate is below the nationwide aver
age for the preceding calendar year, the
maximum weekly benefit amount will be
computed as 65 percent of the average
weekly wage. The ratio of base-period
wages to high-quarter wages used for deter
mining the duration of benefits was
changed to 1.5 to 3.2 or more. The ex
tended benefit weekly benefit amount and
total benefit amount will be decreased to
reflect any Gramm-Rudman-Hollings re
duction. The minimum weekly benefit
amount is $43, and the provision for the
annual automatic computation of the mini
mum weekly benefit amount is deleted.
Financing. A special tax will be imposed
on employers if the State reserve fund is
less than 1 percent of total taxable wages.
The tax will be used for repayment of loans
from the Federal trust fund and to pay inter
est on Federal advances, and will be de
posited in the State’s Employment Security
Commission Reserve Fund. The newemployer contribution rate was decreased
to 2.25 percent. Repealed was the addi
tional increase of up to 40 percent of the
employer’s rate when the fund ratio was
less than 5.5 percent.
Disqualification. An individual will not
be disqualified for voluntary leaving if he
or she left the most recent employment
upon a physician’s advice because of an
injury or illness caused or aggravated by
the employment. If an individual leaves
employment in anticipation of a discharge
or layoff, the individual will be considered
to have left employment voluntarily with
out good cause attributable to the
employer.
Benefits. The maximum weekly benefit
amount will be computed as 63 percent of
the average weekly insured wage and, be
ginning August 1, 1988, as 66f percent of
the average weekly insured wage. Deleted
was the requirement that the benefit be cal
culated as 60 percent of the average weekly
wage when the fund ratio falls below 5.5
percent.
Financing. The $8,000 taxable wage
base was made permanent. The range of
rates for the least favorable schedule will be
0.1 percent to 5.4 percent. In addition to
the computed rate based on the employer’s
experience, his or her contribution rate will
be increased by 0.2 percent if the State fund
falls below minimum safe levels. The spe
cial 0.5-percent tax on employers used to
repay outstanding interest-bearing ad
vances from the Federal Government was
deleted.
North Dakota
Financing. The standard rate of contribu
tions will be the maximum rate in effect for
a year. New employers will pay 3.25 per
cent, except that new employers in an in
dustry with a negative reserve balance will
pay the maximum rate.
Benefits. The weekly benefit amount will
be computed at ^ of total wages in the two
highest quarters of the base period and onehalf of the total wages during the third
highest quarter. The maximum weekly
benefit amount will be computed as 60 per
cent (currently 67 percent) of the State av
erage weekly wage.
However, if, on October 1, 1989, or any
succeeding October 1, the trust fund re
Ohio
Benefits. Ohio extended until October 1,
1988, the qualifying requirement of 20
weeks of work at 37 times the State mini
mum hourly wage. An individual will not
be paid benefits for a waiting week.
Disqualification. Until October 1, 1988,
a duration disqualification may be purged
by 6 weeks of work and earnings of six
times the amount required to establish a
credit week. Beginning October 1, 1988, a
duration disqualification may be purged by
6 weeks of work and earnings at an average
weekly wage of not less than 37 times the
State minimum hourly wage.
Oklahoma
Financing. The limitation on a rate in
crease for employers with rates of 3.4 per
cent or more will be 2 percent in any year.
For employers with rates below 3.4 per
cent, the rate may not be increased to more
than 5.4 percent in any year.
Disqualification. The length of the dis
qualification for refusal of suitable work
was changed from the week of occurrence
to a period of reemployment with earnings
equal to 10 times the weekly benefit
amount. However, an individual who re
fuses an offer of work due to illness, death
of a family member, or other circumstances
beyond his or her control will be disquali
fied only for the week of occurrence.
Oregon
Coverage. The exclusion from coverage
of aliens performing agricultural labor was
extended to January 1, 1993. The “age 22”
limitation for the exclusion from coverage
of services performed by students in a
work-study program was deleted; there
fore, such services are excluded, regardless
of the individual’s age. A new enactment
excludes from coverage services performed
by a full-time student in the employ of an
organized camp, if certain conditions are
met.
Benefits. The temporary State additional
benefits program which was due to expire
on June 27, 1987, has been extended until
July 1, 1989. The pension offset provision
was amended to provide that no offset will
apply if an individual receives Social Secu
rity pension benefits to which he or she has
contributed.
Rhode Island
Financing. The fund balance require
ments for the most favorable schedule have
been reduced to 11.5 percent (previously
14 percent) of payrolls, and for the least
favorable schedule to less than 5.0 percent
(previously 6.5 percent) of payrolls.
Benefits. The computation of the weekly
benefit amount was changed to 60 percent
of the claimant’s average weekly wage, up
to 67 percent of the State average weekly
wage. The weekly dependents’ allowance
was increased to $10 per dependent or 5
percent of the individual’s benefit rate for
each dependent, up to five dependents.
South Dakota
Financing. Benefits paid to an individual
taking approved training will not be
charged to the liable employer’s account.
The contribution rate for the most favorable
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
schedule will range from 0.05 percent to
8.25 percent. New employers will pay a
contribution rate of 2.75 percent for the
first year and 1.95 percent for subsequent
years until they qualify for experience
rating.
Administration. The period for appealing
an appeal tribunal decision was increased to
14 days after the mailing of the determina
tion to the concerned party.
Benefits. The maximum weekly benefit
amount will increase from $129 to $140. If
the amount of extended benefits reim
bursed by the Federal Government is re
duced or increased, the State’s share of the
weekly extended benefit amount will be re
duced or increased on an equal basis.
Financing. Beginning January 1, 1988,
the taxable wage base will be computed as
75 percent of the insured average wage for
the fiscal year. The standard rate of contri
butions will be the average overall contri
bution rate and, for new employers, it will
be the maximum overall contribution rate.
An employer’s account will not be charged
for benefits paid to a worker who was dis
charged for nonperformance due to medical
reasons.
Disqualification. An individual will be
considered to have good cause for leaving
if employment presents a hazard to his or
her health and if it has been medically ad
vised and certified by a practitioner that
continued employment presents a health
hazard.
Tennessee
Coverage. The exclusion from coverage
of aliens performing agricultural labor was
extended to January 1, 1993. Also ex
cluded from coverage are services per
formed by real estate agents, direct sellers,
full-time students in the employ of orga
nized camps, and individuals on fishing
boats, if certain conditions are met.
Benefits. The maximum weekly benefit
amount was increased from $130 to $145.
Disqualification. A disqualification for
participation in a labor dispute will be for
the duration of the dispute. However, lock
outs are excluded from the labor dispute
disqualification.
Texas
Coverage. A new enactment excludes
from coverage services performed by a full
time student in the employ of an organized
camp, if certain conditions are met.
Financing. The taxable wage base was
increased to $8,000 for 1988 and will
increase to $9,000 in 1989. The Texas
Employment Commission is authorized
to issue bonds and to levy a surtax on
employers of no more than 0.2 percent to
fund interest payments due for any
indebtedness.
Benefits. The maximum weekly benefit
amount will be frozen at $210 until October
1, 1989. To qualify for benefits, an individ
ual must earn 37 times the weekly benefit
amount and have wage credits in two quar
ters of the base period. To qualify for ben
efits in a second benefit year, an individual
must have earned wages of six times the
weekly benefit amount.
Utah
Benefits. Beginning January 3, 1988, the
base-period wages needed to qualify for
benefits will be 8 percent of the insured
average wage for the preceding fiscal year,
rounded to the next higher multiple of
$100. The maximum weekly benefit
amount will be 60 percent of the insured
average weekly wage during the preceding
fiscal year.
Penalties. No benefits will be paid until
an earlier overpayment resulting from mis
representation is repaid. In cases of fraud,
the claimant will be required to repay bene
fits and, as a civil penalty, an amount equal
to the benefits received fraudulently.
Vermont
Coverage. A new enactment excludes
from coverage services performed by a full
time student in the employ of an organized
camp, if certain conditions are met. Ver
mont provides for automatic coverage of
aliens performing agricultural labor if the
Federal Unemployment Tax Act is
amended to provide for such coverage.
Financing. New employers will pay con
tributions at the lower of the average indus
try tax rate or the percent represented by
rate class 11 (2.6 percent to 4.8 percent,
depending on the rate schedule in effect),
but not less than 1.0 percent.
Virginia
Coverage. The exclusion from coverage
of aliens performing agricultural labor was
extended to January 1, 1993. Also ex
cluded from coverage are services per
formed by a full-time student in the employ
of an organized camp and by an individual
on a fishing boat, if certain conditions are
met.
Financing. The minimum contribution
rate for the most favorable schedule was
15
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
reduced to 0.0 percent, and for the least
favorable schedule, to 0.53 percent.
Disqualification. The pension offset pro
vision was amended to provide that the off
set will apply to pension payments made
under a plan maintained or contributed to
by a base-period or chargeable employer.
Washington
Financing. The contribution rates under
the most favorable schedule will range
from 0.48 percent to 5.4 percent, and for
the least favorable schedule, from 2.48 per
cent to 5.4 percent.
Benefits. The base period may be defined
as the last four quarters if the first four out
of the last five quarters are not used.
Administration. The period during which
one may appeal a benefit determination to
the appeal tribunal and to the State commis
sioner was increased from 10 to 30 days.
West Virginia
Coverage. Any services performed by a
student enrolled at a nonprofit or public
school in a work-study program will be ex
cluded from coverage. Also, the exclusion
from coverage of aliens performing agri
cultural labor was extended to January 1,
1988.
Financing. If the State commissioner de
termines that regular employer contribu
tions will be insufficient to finance the pay
ment of benefits during the quarter, both
employers and employees will pay an as
sessment not to exceed 0.15 percent of the
employee’s gross wages. Bonds or notes
may be issued in amounts sufficient to pro
vide money to repay Federal advances to
the State fund.
Benefits. The definition of wages was
amended to include tips totaling $20 or
more each month, which are required to be
reported to the employer.
Disqualification. If a discharged em
ployee is reinstated and receives backpay,
the individual will be required to repay ben
efits received during the time for which
backpay is received. Also, if an individual
receives unemployment benefits and an
award of backpay for the same period, the
employer must withhold backpay in an
amount equal to the unemployment bene
fits, and repay the amount to the unemploy
ment trust fund.
16
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Unemployment Insurance Legislation in 1987
Wisconsin
Coverage. The requirement for auto
matic coverage of work not previously cov
ered by the State of Wisconsin if subject to
the Federal Unemployment Tax Act was
deleted.
Financing. For 1988, the State depart
ment may assess a tax to pay all interest due
on Federal advances to the State fund for
calendar years 1988 and 1989. The rates for
the least and most favorable schedules will
range from 0.27 percent to 8.90 percent.
Also, solvency contributions by employers
will range from 0.0 to 0.9 percent, depend
ing on the State’s basic rate and total pay
rolls. Beginning April 2, 1989, benefits
will be charged proportionately to baseperiod employers.
Benefits. The following will be effective
January 1, 1988: The minimum and maxi
mum weekly benefit amounts will increase
to $38 and $200, respectively. The qualify
ing requirement will be 17 weeks of em
ployment in the base period. For benefit
purposes, each employer will be required
to file a quarterly wage report on each
employee.
The following will be effective April 2,
1989: To be eligible for benefits, an indi
vidual must have base-period wages of 40
times the weekly benefit amount, including
combined wages outside the high quarter of
at least 13 times the weekly benefit
amount. The base period will be the first
four of the last five completed calendar
quarters preceding the benefit year. The
benefit year may be extended to 53 weeks
for an individual who files consecutive
claims. Services performed by an individ
ual for a seasonal employer engaged in can
ning will be excluded if the individual earns
less than 40 times the weekly benefit
amount, unless the individual earned wages
of $200 in other covered employment in the
four most recent calendar quarters preced
ing the seasonal employment. An individ
ual’s weekly benefit amount will be com
puted as 4 percent of base-period wages in
the high quarter. The maximum number of
weeks an individual may receive benefits is
the lesser of 26 weeks or until the individ
ual has received an amount equal to 40
percent of his or her base-period wages.
Disqualification. Ineligibility due to in
ability to work or unavailability for work
no longer depends strictly on physical in
ability or substantial unavailability. An in
dividual will not be disqualified for volun
tary leaving if he or she accepted work
which should have been refused because of
labor standards provisions and terminated
the work within 10 weeks.
The following will become effective
April 2, 1989: The duration disqualifica
tions for voluntary leaving, discharge for
misconduct, and refusal of suitable work
will apply until 7 weeks have elapsed since
the end of the week of occurrence and the
individual has earned wages equal to at
least 14 times the weekly benefit amount.
The disqualification for a disciplinary sus
pension will apply until 5 weeks have
elapsed since the end of the week of sus
pension or until the suspension is termi
nated. A monetary requirement will be
added to the good-cause exception for vol
untary leaving when accepting other work,
to require an individual to earn wages equal
to eight times the weekly benefit amount.
An individual in a licensed occupation will
be ineligible for benefits if suspended or
terminated because the license was sus
pended, revoked, or not renewed. The in
eligibility will apply until the license is
reinstated or renewed. Also, the individual
will not be eligible for benefits based on
employment with other employers until 5
weeks have elapsed since the week of sus
pension or termination or until the license is
reinstated or renewed. In addition, all
wages earned with the employer that dis
charged or suspended the employee are ex
cluded when determining future benefits to
which the employee is entitled while the
suspension, revocation, or nonrenewal of
the license is in effect.
Wyoming
Financing. For the period July 1, 1987,
through January 1, 1989, State interfund
borrowing of up to $20 million for the pay
ment of benefits or to repay Federal ad
vances is authorized when the trust fund is
certified inadequate. An employer’s ac
count will not be charged with benefits paid
as a result of a major disaster if the benefit
recipient would otherwise have been eligi
ble for disaster benefits.
Benefits. The benefit year was redefined
as the 52-consecutive-calendar-week pe
riod beginning with the first week of filing
a valid claim, or the 53-consecutive-week
period beginning the first week if filing a
valid claim results in the overlapping of a
quarter in the base period of a previously
filed claim. Previously, the benefit year
was the 1-year period beginning the first
day of filing a valid claim.
Productivity trends
in department stores, 1967-86
The domination of large chains and
accompanying increased use of computers,
led to above-average productivity
in the department store industry
B r ia n
L.
F r ie d m a n
As measured by output per employee hour, productivity in
the department store industry increased at a 2.8-percent
average annual rate between 1967 and 1986.1 In compari
son, the rate was 1.0 percent for the nonfarm business sector
of the economy during the same period. The gain in depart
ment store productivity over the 19-year period reflects av
erage annual increases of 3.6 percent in output and 0.8
percent in employee hours. (See table 1.)
The industry’s productivity growth has been influenced
by broad trends in general retailing. These trends include
greater firm concentration and the resulting growth in the
number of chain stores2 which invested heavily in expan
sion; movement to better locations in shopping centers; and
the use of computers in store operations. Improvements in
store layout and design were also used to increase consumer
service by helping salespersons serve customers more
efficiently.3
The productivity trend can be divided into three periods:
1967-73, 1973-80, and 1980-86. During the first period,
productivity rose at a 1.8-percent average annual rate. The
rate increased to 2.9 percent in the middle period, and to 4.5
percent during the 1980-86 period.
Types of department stores
There are three basic types of department stores. National
chains are very large firms, sometimes operating more than
Brian L. Friedman is an economist in the Division of Industry Productivity
and Technology Studies, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1,000 stores. These chains enjoy substantial economies of
scale. Management is fairly centralized, and computer tech
nology is well diffused. Checkout registers are available in
each department. These stores use computer technology to
reduce unit labor requirements. In 1982, the most recent
year for which data are available, national chains accounted
for 29 percent of industry sales.
Discount department stores also are highly concentrated
and consist of very large chains. They use their enormous
buying power to offer goods at lower prices than other
department stores. These stores use centralized checkout.
Here, too, labor requirements are reduced through the ex
tensive use of advanced technology.4 Discount department
stores accounted for 39 percent of industry sales in 1982.
The conventional store is the third type of department
store. Some of these stores are single-unit independents
(although their number has dwindled during the period of
this study), others are organized into relatively small corpo
rately owned regional chains. Many regional chains are
owned by a national holding company. The holding com
pany allows for regional chain management, yet retains
control of capital for expansion and technology. The con
ventional stores typically offer more service than the other
types of department stores. Nevertheless, even this segment
of the industry (especially chains owned by holding compa
nies) has followed industry trends toward part-time labor
and more electronic data processing in their need to reduce
costs and compete with the discounters. Conventional stores
accounted for about 22 percent of industry sales in 1982.
17
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Department Stores
Trends in three distinct periods
1967-73. The 1967-73 period represents the end of a
trend in the department store industry which began in the
1950’s. With large segments of the population moving to
suburban locations, department stores grew strongly in
terms of number of stores and sales, as they followed popu
lation growth. In response to competition from apparel
stores, variety stores, and other retail establishments offer
ing general merchandise, the industry also expanded in an
attempt to obtain as many prime retail locations as possible.
The 1967-73 period saw the greatest increase in the num
ber of department stores during the entire 1967-86 period.
The number of outlets grew by nearly 2,000 between 1967
and 1972. Industry output posted its largest gains, averaging
5.6 percent per year. The strong growth in the number of
stores was accompanied by an employment gain of 4.2
percent per year and an hours gain of 3.7 percent, with a
modest 1.8-percent average annual growth in productivity.
Output during this period increased every year, with large
gains in 1971 (9.2 percent) and 1972 (8 percent). Productiv
ity increased by 6.1 percent in 1971, and declined by —1.3
percent in 1969.
1973-80. Another distinct phase began in 1973. Spurred
by the oil crisis beginning in late 1973, inflation began to
accelerate; in 1974 and 1975, the U.S. economy experi
enced a recession. Higher interest rates, soaring energy
costs, and slowed consumer spending braked the expansion
of the previous period. Department store companies began
to change strategies and modify or cancel expansion plans.5
During the 1973-80 period, the growth in the number of
stores slowed markedly. Much of the growth that did occur
was in the discount sector of the industry, which increased
sales mainly by competing with lower prices. Sales during
this period were hampered by shrinking disposable income
available for general merchandise.6 The proportion of cur
rent consumption expenditures used for food, shelter, utili
ties, transportation, and health care increased during this
period.7 Sales of the more discretionary items sold in depart
ment stores slowed. Output which had grown at the annual
rate of 5.6 percent between 1967 and 1973, slowed to a
3-percent annual rate. The industry now instituted policies
aimed at fighting costs, especially labor costs.8 Employment
grew only 1.3 percent a year, and hours, hardly at all (0.1
percent). Overall productivity growth of 2.9 percent per
year during the 1973-80 period was marked by declines
only in 1974 and 1980. Productivity advanced strongly
in 1975 (5.4 percent), 1976 (5.2 percent), and 1977 (5.7
percent).
1980-86. During the 1980-86 period, the productivity
rate rose to 4.5 percent per year, as output increased 4.8
percent and hours, 0.4 percent. The slowdown in store addi
tions continued. More resources were expended on store
18
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remodeling and redecorating which, studies showed, in
creased shopper traffic and sales.9 Strong growth in retail
spending10 during the period spurred industry output, which
posted gains of 5.1 percent in 1981, 6.4 percent in 1983,
and 9.6 percent in 1984. Output increases were boosted by
the use of information gathered with point-of-sale technol
ogy to eliminate slow moving items and bolster products
that sold well.11 Output was also aided by income tax reduc
tions, declining inflation, and the growing acceptance of
third-party credit cards.12 There was only one small output
decline (—0.2 percent) in 1982. An industry very focused on
costs and productivity13— as reflected in the trade press—
saw either very small gains or declines in hours every year,
except 1984 when the gain was 3.2 percent. Productivity did
not decline in any year during this period, and advanced
strongly in 1981, 1983, and 1984.
Industry structure highly concentrated
The department store industry is the most highly concen
trated U.S. retail industry. It was already mostly organized
into chains by 1967; however, an increasing proportion of
stores became part of chains over the study period. The
chains continued to grow by adding new stores or by pur
chasing existing chains and single stores. In 1967, 84 per
cent of all department stores were part of chains, with 74
percent belonging to chains having 11 stores or more, and
58 percent belonging to chains having 50 stores or more. By
1982, 96 percent of stores were part of chains, of which 92
percent were in chains consisting of 10 stores or more, and
82 percent were part of chains of 50 stores or more.
Table 1. Output per employee hour and related indexes in
the department store industry, 1967-86
[1977=100]
O u tp u t p er
Year
e m p lo y e e
hour
O u tp u t p er
e m p lo y e e
O u tp u t
E m p lo y e e
h o u rs
E m p lo y e e s
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
....................
....................
....................
....................
...................
77.9
79.3
78.3
78.2
83.0
84.6
85.1
83.1
82.3
87.3
64.6
69.1
71.1
71.9
78.5
82.9
87.1
90.8
91.9
94.6
76.4
81.2
85.6
87.4
89.9
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
....................
....................
...................
...................
...................
84.0
87.1
85.3
89.9
94.6
88.8
91.6
88.9
92.6
96.2
84.8
90.7
87.5
87.9
93.3
100.9
104.1
102.6
97.8
98.6
95.5
99.0
98.4
94.9
97.0
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
....................
....................
....................
...................
...................
100.0
101.9
102.5
101.0
106.0
100.0
99.8
100.8
98.4
103.4
100.0
105.6
106.0
103.1
108.4
100.0
103.6
103.4
102.1
102.3
100.0
105.8
105.2
104.8
104.8
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
...................
...................
...................
...................
...................
107.4
114.9
122.1
125.0
130.3
105.0
112.3
117.5
118.7
121.9
108.2
115.1
126.2
129.5
135.1
100.7
100.2
103.4
103.6
103.7
103.0
102.5
107.4
109.1
110.8
A v e r a g e a n n u a l ra te s o f c h a n g e (p e r c e n t)
1967-86
1967-73
1973-80
1980-86
..............
..............
..............
..............
2.8
1.8
2.9
4.5
2.0
1.3
1.7
3.8
3.6
5.6
3.0
4.8
.8
3.7
.1
.4
1.6
4.2
1.3
1.0
By their great size, the large chains can take advantage of
economies of scale in distribution systems, buying prac
tices, and the utilization of advertising and computer tech
nology.14 In 1967, stores that were not part of a chain had
sales of only $23,600 per paid employee, while chains con
sisting of 4 stores or more had sales of $28,000 per paid
employee, and chains of 11 stores or more had sales of
$28,800 per paid employee. In 1982, stores not part of a
chain had sales of $55,800 per paid employee, while chain
stores had sales of $65,700 and chains of 10 stores or more
had sales of $66,100.
The strong expansion policies of firms in the 1960’s and
1970’s led to periods of overexpansion, followed by “shake
outs” when large numbers of marginal stores went out of
business.15 This was especially true in the discount sector of
the industry. The lower levels of capacity utilization which
accompanied overexpansion caused downward pressures on
short-term productivity. At the same time, the elimination
of marginal stores boosted productivity.
Store location. Accessibility and exposure to shopper traf
fic is a prime determinant of how well a store’s capacity and
labor force are utilized. The rapid expansion in the number
of malls and shopping centers in suburban locations between
1967 and 1986 probably had a positive influence on produc
tivity growth. Between 1972 and 1984 alone, the number of
shopping centers increased 93 percent.16 Shopping centers,
more than any other type of location offer greater sales
exposure for a retailer.17 Although there are no data pin
pointing the type of department store by location, industry
experts believe that mostly major conventional chains and
national chains are the anchor stores for malls and larger
shopping centers. Discount department stores often anchor
smaller shopping centers.18
Technology
The major technological change within the department
store industry has been the widespread and increasing use of
computers. Electronic data processing is used in conjunction
with point-of-sale technology. Through coding of merchan
dise, marketing information is gathered as a byproduct of
merchandise sales. Data obtained at the point-of-sale is used
for inventory control, sales audits, automatic computer
generated stock purchasing, personnel planning, sales fore
casts, interstore transfers, accounts receivable, and credit
verification.19 Computer technology provides accurate, use
ful, and readily available information for use in both the
operational and merchandising aspects of the industry. Ac
cording to surveys, retailers who use point-of-sale technol
ogy report that it allows their stores to operate with reduced
inventory while preventing out-of-stock situations. Product
mix can be better targeted to customer needs with better
marketing information. It also saves employee hours in
marking down merchandise prices because of overstocked
or slow-moving inventory.20
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Large electronic data processing systems are used primar
ily by large national, discount, and regional chains. Elec
tronic data processing is an important aid to the vast opera
tions of major chains, especially in conjunction with their
regional distribution centers and central warehousing.
Single-unit independent stores and smaller chains are often
unable to afford such equipment, and cannot make costeffective use of it.21 In the warehouse, computer driven
electronic data processing has resulted in “significant reduc
tions in staff requirements.”22 Higher levels of sales per
person in chains are probably linked, to some extent, to
electronic data processing.
Automated accounts receivable is another technological
innovation that is used in the industry. The riskiest delin
quent accounts are flagged and computer-typed collection
notices are sent automatically. The system reduces em
ployee hours in the accounts collection department.23 Other
technological advances include marking systems and secu
rity surveillance systems that aid in the prevention of
shoplifting.
Employment
The number of employees in the department store indus
try has increased 45 percent, from 1.4 million in 1967 to 2.0
million in 1986, an average annual increase of 1.6 percent.
Employee hours rose at the slower rate of 0.8 percent, as
average weekly hours declined. Average weekly hours of
nonsupervisory workers declined from 32.6 in 1967 to 28.2
in 1986, a result of an increase in part-time workers (often
of school age) who work during weekends and evenings.
While the number of nonsupervisory workers has grown
at an average annual rate of 1.8 percent from 1967 to 1986,
the number of supervisory workers has declined 0.6 percent
per year. (This trend accelerated after 1973, with the annual
decline averaging 2.2 percent.) The decline in the supervi
sory work force is related, in part, to the large number of
mergers and acquisitions among existing chains in which
some managerial staff became redundant. The decline also
results from the replacement of skilled supervisory sales
staff with lower skilled workers.
Retaining experienced personnel remains a problem for
all retail stores. Some studies show that retail employee
turnover is as high as 60 percent per year.24 The high
turnover rate among nonsupervisory workers hinders gains
in industry output per hour because new employees must
undergo training and are not as productive during their
breaking-in period.
A factor contributing to high employee turnover is the
industry’s low hourly earnings. Even though average hourly
earnings of nonsupervisory employees were 9 percent above
the total retailing average in 1986, earnings still were 48
percent below average hourly earnings of production work
ers in manufacturing industries. In addition, the trend to
ward more centralized management has clustered most man
agerial jobs at centralized corporate headquarters, so there
19
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Department Stores
are fewer career opportunities within the stores themselves.
The occupational mix is dominated by low-paying cashier,
sales, and stock jobs (62 percent in 1986). For many em
ployees, working in department stores is their first job, or it
supplements income from other full-time employment.25
The trend to reduce the work force is not universal in the
industry. Some firms are using outside and in-house training
to increase transaction size. There are also firms returning to
commission sales.26
A look ahead
Department store productivity increases in the near future
will probably continue to reflect use of computer technology
and electronic data processing. Automatic scanning devices
in conjunction with point-of-sale technology are beginning
to be used in the industry and are expected to become more
widespread among larger chains.27 The information ob
tained from electronic data processing is expected to be used
further to refine product mix, and contribute to a trend
toward new smaller stores. Such smaller stores have exhib
ited productivity improvement in terms of sales per square
foot and, most likely, sales per employee hour.28
The strong demand that spurred productivity growth in
the last few years is not expected to be sustained. This is
especially true in the all important apparel departments as,
demographically, the number of teenagers, who drive fash
ion trends, is declining.29 Demand for department stores
may also be limited by increased competition from apparel
specialty stores, “off-price” apparel stores, wholesale ware
house stores, and home shopping catalog stores.
Choice new locations of department stores, which spurred
productivity gains in the past, are becoming scarce because
of market saturation and the slowdown in the building of
new shopping centers.30 Department store chains are, there
fore, becoming more conservative in terms of expansion and
instead are using their resources to consolidate regional mar
kets and upgrade and remodel to increase shopper traffic in
existing stores.31
Recent trends toward more service in some segments of
the industry are expected to continue. These services appeal
to the more affluent consumers whose income have been
boosted by increases in the number of working women and
the number of two-worker households.32 This trend could
exert downward pressure on measured productivity.
Q
-FOOTNOTES
1 All average annual rates of change are based on the linear least squares
trends o f the logarithms o f the index numbers. The department store indus
try is designated as Standard Industrial Classification 5311. It includes
retail stores carrying a general line of apparel, home furnishings, and
housewares. These and other merchandise lines are normally arranged in
separate sections or departments with accounting on a departmentalized
basis. The departments and functions are integrated under a single manage
ment. The stores usually provide their own charge accounts, deliver mer
chandise, and maintain open stocks.
2 A chain consists o f four or more retail stores in a firm. Larger chains
consist o f 11 or more stores. In the department store industry, virtually all
chains are corporately owned.
3 U.S. Industrial Outlook (U .S. Department of Commerce, 1980),
p. 457.
4 Barry Bluestone, Patricia Hanna, Sarah Kuhn, and Laura Moore, The
Retail Revolution (Boston, m a , Auburn House Publishing C o., 1981), p. 4.
5 Bluestone and others, Retail Revolution, p. 67.
6 “Retailing,” Standard and Poor’s Industry Survey, sec. 2, July 4,
1985, p. R115.
7 Based on family expenditure data from the
Survey.
bls
Consumer Expenditure
8 U.S. Industrial Outlook (U .S. Department of Commerce, 1975),
p. 168.
9 U.S. Industrial Outlook (U .S. Department of Commerce, 1980),
p. 459.
10 Total retail sales grew at an annual rate of 2.7 percent from 1980 to
1986, compared with 1 percent from 1973 to 1980. Real sales actually
declined in 1981 and 1982, but grew strongly in the 1983-86 period.
11 U.S. Industrial Outlook (U .S. Department of Commerce, 1984),
pp. 4 8 -4 9 .
12 “Third Party,” Stores, September 1981, pp. 4 1 -4 4 .
13 A number o f articles on cost and productivity appear in Stores, a
magazine published by the National Retail Merchants Association. The
20
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Association also published a series of articles in Productivity in General
Merchandise Retailing in 1980 stressing the importance of productivity
increases.
14 Bluestone and others, Retail Revolution, p. 64.
15 Bluestone and others, Retail Revolution, p. 29.
16 “Retailing,” p. R116.
17 U.S. Industrial Outlook (U .S. Department of Commerce, 1972),
p. 358.
18 Based on discussion with industry experts.
19 “Making it Work— Retail Technology,” Stores, November 1980,
p. 35; and “Retail O ffice,” Stores, July 1980, pp. 4 9 -5 4 .
20 Randy L. Allan,
C o., 1982).
pos
Trends in the 80’s (New York, Touche Ross and
21 Bluestone and others, Retail Revolution, p. 84.
22 Bluestone and others, Retail Revolution, p. 113.
23 “Managing Receivables,” Stores, April 1982, p. 72.
24 “People Business,” Stores, March 1981, p. 42.
25 Bluestone and others, Retail Revolution, p. 84.
26 “People Business;” and “Push for Productivity,” Stores, January
1981.
27 Discussion with industry experts.
28 “An Introduction to Productivity in Retailing,” in Robert E. Dewer,
Productivity in General Merchandise Retailing (New York, National Retail
Merchants Association, 1980), p. 9.
29 “Retailing,” pp. R 115-R 116.
30 “Retailing,” p. R121.
31 U.S. Industrial Outlook (U.S. Department of Commerce, 1987),
p. 5 6 -6 .
32 “Retailing,” p. R115.
APPENDIX:
Measurement techniques and limitations
Indexes of output per employee hour measure changes in
the relationship between the output of an industry and hours
expended on that output. An index of output per hour is
derived by dividing an index of output by an index of indus
try hours.
The preferred output index for retail trade industries
would be obtained from data on quantities of the various
goods sold by the industry, each weighted (multiplied) by
the employee hours required to sell one unit of each good in
some specified base period. This concept also embodies the
services associated with moving the goods from the retail
establishment to the consumer. Thus, those goods which
require more retail labor are given more importance in the
index.
Data on the quantities of goods sold usually are not avail
able for trade industries, including department stores.
Therefore, real output was measured by removing the ef
fects of changing price levels from the current-dollar value
of sales for the line items. Because an adjustment for chang
ing price levels usually lowers the dollar value, such a series
is usually referred to as a deflated value measure. Output
measures based on deflated value have two major character
istics. First, shifts in sales within product lines can occur
among products of different value which have the same unit
labor requirements. Thus, a change can occur in the output
per hour index even if the labor utilized to sell the merchan
dise does not change. Second, the sales level, both in cur
rent and constant dollars, reflects differences in unit values
for identical products sold in different types of establish
ments. For example, the unit values associated with a
product sold in a discount department store may be lower
than the unit value associated with the same product sold in
a conventional department store that provides a number of
sales clerks as well as delivery service. The output measure,
therefore, reflects changes in the level of service provided
to customers, insofar as differences in unit values reflect
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the difference in service among the various types of
establishment.
In addition to the deflated value technique, the output
measure for department stores was compiled by combining
output from the various store departments using weights
relating to labor importance (employee hours). This proce
dure results in an industry output index that is closer, con
ceptually, to the preferred output measure.
The index of hours for the department store industry is for
all employees. As in all of the output per hour measures
published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hours and em
ployment are each considered homogeneous and additive.
Adequate data are not available to weight the various types
of labor separately.
The indexes of output per hour relate total output to one
input— labor time. The indexes do not measure the specific
contribution of labor, capital, or any other single factor.
Rather, they reflect the joint effect of many factors such as
changes in technology, capital investment, capacity utiliza
tion, store design and layout, skill and effort of the work
force, managerial ability, and labor-management relations.
No explicit adjustments were made to the measures to
take into account increases or decreases in some services
provided to the consumer. With the growth of discount
department stores, there has been a trend toward more selfservice operations. This shifted some of the hours in retail
ing from employee to consumer. However, data are not
available to measure the effect of this change. Adjustments
for changes in product quality are made to the extent that
changes in quality have been accounted for in the price
indexes used to deflate the current-dollar value of sales.
The basic sources for the output series for this measure
consist of the total sales data and sales by merchandise line
reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The defla
tors were developed using Consumer Price Indexes pub
lished by b l s . The basic source for the all employee series
consists of data on employment and hours published by b l s .
21
Productivity shows a decline
in automotive repair shops
Output per hour of persons employed
in these shops fell at an annual rate
of 1.2 percent between 1972 and 1986,
reflecting a larger increase
in employee hours than in output
J o h n G. O l s e n a n d R ic h a r d B. C a r n e s
Output per hour of all persons1 in the automotive repair shop
industry2 decreased at an average annual rate of 1.2 percent
between 1972 and 1986. During this period, productivity in
the private nonfarm business sector rose at an annual rate of
0.8 percent. The overall productivity decline reflects a 3.0percent average annual increase in output and a correspond
ing larger growth in all person hours of 4.3 percent. (See
table 1.)
Despite increased efficiency in some specialty repair
shops, overall productivity for the automotive repair shop
industry has declined since 1972. Factors contributing to
this decline include a large influx of new establishments and
workers in the industry, a shortage of adequately trained
mechanics, the introduction of more complex cars and
trucks, as well as the effect of several recessions in the U.S.
economy during the 1972-86 period.
The output per hour rates for automotive repair shops
varied substantially from year to year. Since 1972, annual
increases in productivity have occurred in 6 years, ranging
from 0.5 to 8.7 percent. Declines in productivity occurred
in 8 years, the largest in 1982 when output per hour dropped
6.3 percent.
The auto repair shop industry is affected by cyclical
changes in the economy. During periods of economic con
traction, output in the automotive repair shop industry slows
John G. Olsen and Richard B. Carnes are economists in the Division of
Industry Productivity and Technology Studies, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
22
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
or falls, and productivity tends to decline. During an eco
nomic downturn, industry output may grow because of
maintenance and repair expenditures on older motor vehi
cles, but be offset by declines in disposable income and new
motor vehicle sales. This would slow the rate of growth in
industry output or lead to a decline in output. Cyclical influ
ences on the automotive repair shop industry can be seen by
examining subperiod trends.
From 1972 to 1974, productivity in the automotive repair
shop industry increased at an annual rate of 2.1 percent, as
output rose 5.8 percent and all employee hours grew 3.7
percent. Reflecting a general downturn in the economy,
productivity declined 5.6 percent in 1975, as output dropped
0.2 percent. Between 1975 and 1979, output per hour fell
slightly, 0.6 percent per year, as hours (5.3 percent) grew
faster than output (4.6 percent). The recession of 1980 and
1981-82 had a more adverse effect on the industry than the
previous recession. From 1979 to 1982, productivity experi
enced its largest decline, dropping 4.2 percent per year, as
output fell at an annual rate of 3.1 percent. Automotive
repair shops shared in the economic recovery that began in
1983. Productivity grew 2.5 percent per year between 1982
and 1986, as output rebounded at a 9.0-percent annual rate
and hours increased 6.3 percent per year.
Industry structure
The automotive repair shop industry consists of establish
ments primarily engaged in the repair of automotive tops,
bodies, and interiors; repairing and retreading automotive
tires; automotive painting and refinishing; general automo
tive repair; and specialized automotive repair, not elsewhere
classified, such as fuel service (carburetor repair), brake
relining, front-end and wheel alignment, exhaust system
(muffler) repair, radiator repair, and glass replacement and
repair. Automotive repair shops compete in a broad service
and parts market. The automotive service market is hetero
geneous in its structure, ranging from new car and truck
dealers and self-service fleets to gasoline service stations
and independent repair shops. In addition, a large number of
motor vehicle owners perform some or all of their own
repairs. Automotive repair departments maintained by es
tablishments engaged in the sale of new automobiles are
classified in retail trade, as are gasoline service stations
(where sales of merchandise, including fuel, exceed repair
receipts).
The automotive repair shop industry is characterized by a
large number of small firms. In 1972, there were an esti
mated 127,203 establishments operating in the industry. By
1982, the industry had grown to 179,093 establishments.
Almost half of these establishments had payroll in 1982.
The number of paid employees in establishments with pay
rolls averaged 3.6 in 1972, 3.9 in 1977, and 4.1 in 1982.
Many of these establishments are owned or operated by
partners or sole proprietors. In 1982, partners and propri
etors made up almost 80 percent of the ownership of all
establishments and accounted for more than 60 percent of all
persons in the industry.
In 1986, the industry generated $32.0 billion in receipts
with a work force of about 780,000. Small establishments
accounted for the majority of industry receipts. More than
75 percent of all automotive repair shops with payrolls had
sales of less than $250,000 in 1982.
Output and demand
In spite of several economic downturns, overall output of
the automotive repair shop industry increased 3.0 percent
per year between 1972 and 1986. In comparison, over the
same period, output for the private nonfarm business sector
increased an average of 2.5 percent per year.
Industry output growth reflects, in part, increases in the
number of motor vehicles in operation. Passenger cars in
operation increased at an average annual rate of 2.0 percent
between 1972 and 1986. The number of trucks in operation
also increased over this period, growing 5.8 percent per
year.3 An increase in the average age of cars and trucks also
has contributed to the growth in ouput. The median age of
passenger cars has grown steadily from 5.1 years in 1972 to
6.9 years in 1985. The median age of trucks grew from 6.0
years in 1972 to 7.6 years in 1985.4
The industry’s output growth generally paralleled the
trend for the overall economy. Between 1972 and 1979, the
industry’s output rose at an average annual rate of 3.9 per
cent. Output increased in 6 of the 7 years over this period,
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Table 1. Indexes of output per hour of all persons and
related data, automotive repair shops, 1972-86
[1977=100]
O u tp u t p er
Year
h o u r o f a ll
p e rs o n s
O u tp u t p er
p e rs o n
O u tp u t
H o u r s o f a ll
A ll
p e rs o n s
p e rs o n s
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
103.5
104.0
107.9
101.9
104.3
104.7
107.5
111.0
103.0
105.4
83.1
88.6
93.1
92.9
98.0
80.3
85.2
86.3
91.2
94.0
79.4
82.4
83.9
90.2
93.0
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
100.0
100.9
100.4
96.0
93.6
100.0
100.5
101.2
96.1
92.2
100.0
106.0
111.9
106.8
103.0
100.0
105.1
111.4
111.2
110.0
100.0
105.5
110.6
111.1
111.7
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
87.7
86.2
88.5
96.2
94.1
86.6
85.8
87.6
95.1
93.3
102.0
108.4
119.5
138.6
139.1
116.3
125.8
135.1
144.1
147.8
117.8
126.4
136.4
145.7
149.1
1972-86 ............
1981-86 ............
-1.2
0.9
Average annual rates of change (in percent)
-1.5
1.0
3.0
7.5
4.3
6.5
4.6
6.4
falling only in 1975 with the downturn in the economy. In
1979-82, output declined an average of 3.1 percent per
year. Recessionary conditions in 1980 and 1981-82 con
tributed to the weak demand experienced during this period.
Reflecting the general economic recovery since 1982, out
put experienced a sharp turnaround, rising at a 9.0-percent
annual rate from 1982 to 1986.
Auto repair shops have boosted their share of the automo
tive service and parts market during the last 10 years, in
creasing from 25 percent in 1976 to nearly 28 percent in
1985.5 New car dealers, who have enjoyed the largest share
of the service and parts market, and gasoline service stations
declined during this period. The percentage of sales of the
automotive service and parts market (including tire sales)
during 1985 was as follows: franchised new car dealers, 33
percent; automotive repair shops, 28 percent; gasoline serv
ice stations, 8 percent; tire, battery, and accessory dealers,
22 percent; mass merchandisers, 7 percent; and all others, 3
percent.
Between 1972 and 1986, the number of full service gaso
line stations fell from 226,459 to 120,150, a 47-percent
decline.6 Self-service stations have taken their place. Large
corporations, chain organizations, and franchise operations
are claiming some of the business that the full-service sta
tions are giving up. Specialized auto repair shops have taken
a large part of the muffler and brake repair businesses. In
addition, “quick lube” shops are increasing their share of the
oil change market.
The distribution of industry receipts by type of automo
tive repair shop showed little change between 1972 and
1982. In 1982, about 44 percent of all industry receipts were
generated by general automotive repair shops, more than 26
percent by top and body repair shops, and almost 30 percent
by other automotive repair shops. The distribution of estab
lishments by type of operation, however, experienced a
23
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Automotive Repair Shops
slight change over this period. General automotive repair
shops accounted for 61 percent of all establishments in the
industry in 1982, compared with 56 percent in 1972. How
ever, this group’s share of total industry receipts declined
slightly over this period, falling from 45 percent in 1972 to
44 percent in 1982. This trend reflects the continuing entry
of small establishments into general automotive repair. Al
though top and body repair shops and all other automotive
repair shops’ share of total industry establishments dropped
between 1972 and 1982, their proportion of total industry
receipts increased slightly over this period. These trends
reflect the growth of franchised operations among special
ized auto repair shops.
Employment
Total employment in the automotive repair shop industry
grew steadily from 415,700 in 1972 to 780,300 in 1986, at
an average annual rate of 4.6 percent. In comparison, the
private nonfarm business sector experienced a 2.1-percent
rise in employment over the same period. The hours of all
persons in the industry increased at a slightly lower annual
rate of 4.3 percent because of a small drop in average
weekly hours. The hours of nonsupervisory workers, for
example, declined slightly from 39.9 in 1972 to 38.6 per
week in 1986. Hourly earnings of nonsupervisory workers
in automotive repair shops averaged $8.17 in 1986, com
pared with $8.76 for the total private economy and $8.16 for
the total service sector.
While the number of self-employed workers remains very
high, establishments with paid employees have increased
since 1972. Employees accounted for almost 60 percent of
all persons in the industry in 1982, compared with 59 per
cent in 1977 and 56 percent in 1972. Self employed workers
dropped slightly, from more than 40 percent of all persons
in 1972 to less than 38 percent in 1982. There was little
change in the number of unpaid family workers; they ac
counted for about 3 percent of all persons in 1972, 1977,
and 1982.
The decline in the number of full service gasoline stations
has contributed to the large growth of employment in the
industry between 1972 and 1986. Since the early 1970’s,
full service stations have declined in number, as oil compa
nies have consolidated small stations into larger self-service
facilities. As a result, the number of automotive repair shops
has increased to absorb the former service station operators
and repair services.
The industry’s work force is dominated by persons in
mechanic, installer, and repairer occupations, who made up
almost 51 percent of total employment in 1984 (the latest
year for which data are available).7 Within this occupational
group, automotive and motorcycle mechanics represented
the largest category, accounting for 27 percent of employ
ment in the industry. Automotive body and related repair
ers, the next largest category, accounted for more than 16
percent of the industry work force. Bus and truck mechanics
24
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and diesel engine specialists made up another 3 percent of
employment.
Factors affecting productivity
One factor affecting productivity growth in the automo
tive repair shop industry is the small size of many of the
shops. Small firms have limited resources in capital, person
nel, and materials. Although there are little data on capital
investment for this industry, it is clear that the small average
size of establishments in the industry makes it difficult for
the average firm to invest in new capital equipment, such as
computerized diagnostic equipment. Automotive repair
shops also have limited access to manufacturers training
programs and data services.
The addition of more than 50,000 establishments and
200,000 workers to the industry between 1972 and 1982 has
also influenced the movement of productivity over the pe
riod studied. The apparent ease of entry and exit from the
industry has led to increases in the number of establishments
and workers in the industry, even during periods of general
economic recession. The large growth in employment, to
gether with high separation rates for some occupations, has
affected the overall experience level of workers in the indus
try. Garage- and service station-related occupations, which
include some workers in the automotive repair shop indus
try, had high separation rates, as measured by the percent of
workers leaving these jobs in 1981 and 1983.8 This influx of
new firms and less experienced workers has contributed to
the small, average size of industry establishments and the
decline in output per hour during this period.
Another factor affecting productivity between 1972 and
1986 has been the introduction of more complex engineer
ing in the design of cars and trucks. Automotive technology
has changed significantly since the early 1970’s. During the
1970’s, advances in automotive engineering were concen
trated in the areas of safety, emissions, and fuel economy.
Although these changes included some improvements in
serviceability, such as longer intervals between oil changes
and ignition system tuneups, they have increased the com
plexity of many repair jobs. The downsizing of cars to
reduce fuel consumption, along with the addition of numer
ous electronic components, has turned some routine mainte
nance jobs into major operations.
In the 1980’s, the general trend has been toward the
introduction of more subsystems of increasing sophistica
tion and complexity. The increasing use of computer mi
croprocessors in newer vehicles to control engine perform
ance, transmission, and the suspension systems has also
changed the complexity of repair work. According to a
recent industry study, 83 percent of the mechanics surveyed
indicated that newer cars are more difficult to repair than 10
years ago because their complexity makes it more difficult
to pinpoint problems.9 The skill and equipment mix gener
ally found in small automotive repair shops often are ill
suited for such sophisticated diagnosis and repair work.
According to some automotive service industry analysts,
a shortage of adequately trained mechanics also has affected
industry productivity. Technological innovations have
occurred so rapidly, particularly in automotive elec
tronics, that it is difficult or impossible for many small
repair shops to keep up with these changes. Small and
medium sized repair shops often cannot afford to let me
chanics take time off to learn the latest technology. As a
result, worker skills are not keeping pace with new automo
tive technology.
Outlook for productivity
Long term prospects for demand in the overall automotive
service industry should be good, as the automobile contin
ues to play a key role in transportation. Future output growth
will reflect further increases in the number of vehicles in
operation and a modest rise in vehicle miles traveled. It is
unclear, however, what share of the market will belong to
the automotive repair shop industry. A smaller market share
will reduce any opportunity for future productivity gain,
especially for smaller operations unable to purchase needed
capital equipment.
New automobiles are expected to continue to incorporate
even more complex technology. Auto manufacturers, for
example, plan to use onboard computers to chemically ana
lyze oil, fuel, and radiator coolant, detect wear and tear in
mechanical parts, and electronically readjust the engine to
compensate. With the growth of computerized and fuel in
jected motor vehicles, new cars will require more sophisti
cated electronic diagnostic service.
Because of the shortage of mechanics with advanced
training and the need to keep up with rapid technological
innovations, some industry analysts foresee a decline in the
percentage of service work performed by auto repair shops
and a growth in business for new car dealers and large chain
stores. Some new computerized diagnostic equipment de
veloped by auto manufacturers, for example, will only be
available to authorized dealers. Another trend affecting in
dustry output has been the lengthening of service contracts
by new car dealers on new cars and trucks. These extended
warranties may lower demand for some specialized auto
repair shops, such as engine rebuilders. To improve produc
tivity and to remain competitive, automotive repair shops
need to invest in new equipment, and provide advanced
training.
The occupational composition of the work force for the
automotive repair shop industry is not expected to change
significantly during the next decade. Based on projections
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the proportion of mechan
ics, installers, and repairers is expected to increase from
almost 51 percent of industry employment in 1984 to about
52 percent of industry employment in 1995. Within this
occupational group, automotive and motorcycle mechanics
are expected to grow from about 27 percent of industry
employment in 1984 to nearly 29 percent in 1995. The share
of employment among automotive body and related repair
ers is expected to fall slightly during this period. Adminis
trative support occupations, including clerical, are projected
to decline from 10 percent of industry employment in 1984,
to about 9 percent of industry employment in 1995. This
trend reflects, in part, a greater use of computers in the
industry in the future. The availability of more affordable
and more powerful personal computers has made the tech
nology feasible for small shopowners. Among other func
tions, computers will be used to perform recordkeeping and
administrative functions formerly done manually.
1 All average rates o f change are based on the linear least squares trends
o f the logarithms o f the index numbers.
ciation, 1986), p. 10.
2 The automotive repair shop industry is classified as sic 753 in the 1972
Standard Industrial Classification Manual and its 1977 supplement issued
by the U .S. Office o f Management and Budget.
1987, p. 123.
3 Based on statistics published in Ward’s Automotive Yearbook (Detroit,
Ward’s Communications, Inc., 1987).
m i,
4 Motor Vehicle Facts and Figures, 1986 (Detroit,
Manufacturers Association, 1986).
5n a d a
Data for 1986 (McLean,
va,
m i,
Motor Vehicle
National Auomobile Dealers Asso
6 Based on statistics published in National Petroleum News Factbook,
7 Bureau of Labor Statistics, data for 1984-95, National Industry Occu
pational Matrix.
8 Occupational Projections and Training D ata , Bulletin 2206 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 1984), p. 10; and Occupational Projections and Train
ing Data, Bulletin 2251 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1986), p. 18.
9 “Mechanics Struggle to Keep Up With Engineering Advances,” The
Washington Post, June 14, 1987, p. D7.
APPENDIX: Measurement techniques and limitations
Indexes of output per hour of all persons measure the
change in the relation between the output of an industry and
the hours expended on that output. An index of output per
hour is derived by dividing an index of output by an index
of hours.
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The preferred output index for personal service industries
would be obtained from data on the quantities of services
provided by the industry. The quantity of each type of ser
vice provided would be weighted (multiplied) by the time
required to provide one unit of each type of service in some
25
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Automotive Repair Shops
specified base period. Thus, services that require more labor
time would be given more importance in the output index
than services that require less.
Such data, however, are not available for the automotive
repair shop industry. Real output was estimated by remov
ing the effects of changing prices from the current-dollar
value of industry receipts. Because an adjustment for price
changes usually lowers the dollar value, such a series is
referred to as a deflated value measure.
The index of hours for automotive repair shops is for all
persons— that is, the index represents hours for paid em
ployees, partners and proprietors, and unpaid family work
ers. As in all of the output-per-hour measures published by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hours and employment are
considered homogeneous and additive. Adequate informa
tion for weighting the various types of labor separately are
not available.
The indexes of output per hour do not measure the
specific contribution of labor, capital, or any other single
factor. Rather, they reflect many interrelated influences
such as changes in technology, capital investment, design
and layout of workplaces, skill and effort of the work force,
and managerial ability.
The output measure is derived from data on annual re
ceipts published by the Bureau of the Census. The allpersons-hour measures are derived from data on employ
ment and hours originated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics
and supplemented by data reported by the Internal Revenue
Service, and from special tabulations compiled for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Bureau of the Census.
Exploding a myth
The first specialized works on occupational disease based on the methods
of modem science and medicine appeared in the 1500s, written by
Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim, called
Paracelsus, and Georg Bauer, known as Agricola. Paracelsus, the Basel
town physician, wrote a treatise on miners’ diseases, published 27 years
after his death, in which he described cases of job-related tuberculosis and
the effects of “choke damp,” excessive amounts of carbon dioxide. He was
one of the first to recognize clearly that certain maladies were associated
with certain occupations. He should have. His own life was shortened by
the heavy metal poisoning he sustained while investigating mines and metal
refineries.
Agricola was a town doctor in the heart of the mining center of Central
Europe. He knew of mining communities in the Carpathian Mountains
where women expected to be widowed half-a-dozen times during their
lifetimes. Immersed in the everyday problem of staying alive in the mines,
he advised workers to wear protective clothing and devised a practical
ventilation system that many mines adopted. His contribution is best appre
ciated by remembering that at the time, death from mine gases was still
generally attributed to “a blast of breath from a subterranean demon.”
—U.S. D ep a r t m e n t o f L a b o r
Protecting People at Work: A
Reader in Occupational Safety and Health
(Washington, Superintendent of Documents,
1980), pp. 18-19.
26
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Productivity gains lukewarm for makers
of nonelectric heating equipment
Increase in output per hour, aided by
new technology in metalworking
but moderated by stagnant demand, averaged only
1.6 percent a year over the 1972-85 period
J o h n W. F e r ris a n d V ir g in ia L. K l a r q u is t
Productivity, or output per employee hour, in the nonelec
tric heating equipment industry rose at an average annual
rate of 1.6 percent from 1972 to 1985.1 For all manufactur
ing, the rate of increase was 2.2 percent. The growth in
productivity reflected a negligible decline in output of 0.1
percent per year and a decline in employee hours of 1.7
percent. (See table 1.) Contributing to the rise in productiv
ity for the industry were advances in metalworking, im
proved plant layout, and increases in capital expenditures
per employee.
The productivity trend for the 13-year period examined
here was marked by much volatility, rising in 7 years and
falling in 6. In general, productivity movements have been
influenced by changes in output. For the 1972-76 period,
productivity declined at a rate of 0.8 percent, as output
dropped 7.2 percent annually. During the 1976-80 period,
productivity increased dramatically, rising 2.9 percent a
year, as output rebounded to a 10.8-percent annual rate of
growth. Since 1980, productivity has varied with underlying
movements in output while registering a slight increase of
0.1 percent per year. The following tabulation shows aver
age annual rates, in percent, for periods between 1972 and
1985.
John W. Ferris and Virginia L. Klarquist are economists in the Division of
Industry Productivity and Technology Studies, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Output per
employee hour
1972-85 ...................................................
1.6
1972-76 ...............................................
- .8
1976-80 ...............................................
2.9
1980-85 ............................................................. 1
Output
-0 .1
- 7 .2
10.8
- 4 .3
Industry description
The nonelectric heating equipment industry comprises
establishments primarily engaged in the manufacture of
heating equipment, including gas, oil, and stoker coal-fired
equipment for the automatic use of gaseous, liquid, and
solid fuels. Included in the products of this industry are
domestic heating stoves, boilers, floor and wall furnaces,
solar energy collectors, and oil burners. Production is capi
tal intensive and basically involves the cutting and forming
of metal, as well as the welding, brazing, and soldering of
components.
The nonelectric heating equipment industry is made up of
more than 900 establishments generally characterized as
small to medium in size. In recent years, the small to
medium establishments have grown in number and relative
importance.
In 1982, companies with fewer than 50 employees ac
counted for 86 percent of all establishments, 29 percent of
employment, and 25 percent of sales. In 1972, by compari27
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Nonelectric Heating Equipment
son, these small companies had accounted for only 70 per
cent of establishments, 11 percent of employment, and 12
percent of shipments.
For establishments with more than 249 employees, de
clines were dramatic. From 1972 to 1982, the share of these
large establishments dropped from 7 percent to 2 percent of
all establishments, while employment fell from 51 to 23
percent and sales declined 49 to 30 percent. Although
nonelectric heating establishments could be found in every
region of the United States, the leading States in employ
ment were Pennsylvania, California, New York, and Illi
nois. These States accounted for approximately 35 percent
of the industry’s employment.
Output and demand
The growth in output over the entire 1972-85 period has
been negligible in the nonelectric heating equipment indus
try, although output movements have varied significantly
from time to time. Industry production has been primarily
influenced by residential construction.2
From 1972 to 1976, output of the nonelectric heating
equipment industry declined at an average annual rate of 7.2
percent. The decrease in demand in this industry was largely
a result of a slump in the homebuilding industry as a down
turn in housing starts led to a subsequent reduction in the
demand for new heating units. Housing starts fell from 2.4
million units in 1972 to 1.5 million units in 1976. The
deepest slump occurred in the multifamily homebuilding
industry. Rising costs of land, labor, materials, and money,
together with high equity requirements and the prospects of
low returns in rents discouraged builders from adequately
attempting to meet the demand for rental housing.3
The late 1970’s were years of expansion for the nonelec
tric heating equipment industry. From 1976 to 1980, output
grew 10.8 percent annually as the industry responded to the
heating needs of newly built homes. Although failing to
reach the peak level of 1972, housing starts increased in the
late 1970’s and leveled off at 2.0 million units.
Since 1980, production in the nonelectric heating equip
ment industry has fluctuated with decreases in output in
1981, 1983, and 1985, and increases in output in 1982 and
1984. The underlying causes of the volatility in demand for
heating units has been the slowdown in the homebuilding
industry in the 1978-82 period, the heating needs created by
a 12-percent rise in the value of new construction of nonresidential buildings in 1979 (in constant dollars), and a sharp
60-percent advance in housing starts in 1983. However,
with more than three-fourths of the recent addition to the
Nation’s housing stock occurring in the warm climates of
the South and West, the demand for heating equipment has
been weak.4
demand for heating equipment.5 Although demand varied
widely for the products of the nonelectric heating
equipment industry during the 13 years covered by this
study, the middle 1970’s were years of growth for the indus
try. Rising sales of gas-fired products, the introduction of
new products, and increased spending on new plant and
equipment occurred at the same time that productivity was
improving.
The Arab oil embargo led to a sharp rise in the price of
oil in the early 1970’s. Manufacturers of floor and wall
furnaces felt the change in the relative prices of oil and gas
when the number of gas-fired floor and wall furnaces
shipped in 1976 rose 21.8 percent over 1975, while ship
ments of oil-fired floor and wall furnaces dropped 22 per
cent. Although there were some conversions from oil to
other fuels, it was not until 1978 and the wide availability
of natural gas after a decade of curtailment that the mass
conversions began.6 The market for domestic heating stoves
boomed in 1979 with the shipments of gas stoves, 55.4
percent higher than the number of units delivered a year
earlier. From 1977 to 1982, gas-fired cast iron boiler ship
ments grew by 73.8 percent, while boilers fired by other
fuels fell 30.3 percent. Depressed by high oil prices and few
housing starts in the Northeast, shipments of residential oil
burners tumbled 39.7 percent between 1978 and 1982.
By the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, inflationary activity
in oil prices was joined by rapidly rising gas and electric
prices, causing consumers to look at alternative fuels such
as wood, kerosene, and solar power, as ways to conserve
energy. In 1972, 1.3 million domestic heating stoves (repre
senting 8 percent of industry receipts) were shipped, of
which 68 percent burned gas. By comparison, in 1985,
manufacturers shipped 1 million stoves (representing 15
Table 1. Productivity and related indexes for the non
electric heating equipment industry, 1972-85
[1977=100]
O u tp u t p e r e m p lo y e e -h o u r
Year
A ll
e m p lo y e e s
P ro d u c
N o n p ro
tio n
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
w o rk e rs
E m p lo y e e - h o u r s
O u tp u t
A ll
e m p lo y e s s
P ro d u c
N o n p ro
t io n
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
w o rk e rs
1972
1973
1974
1975
...........
...........
...........
...........
85.5
85.0
78.9
80.4
86.3
85.0
81.2
85.4
83.7
85.1
73.3
69.2
103.5
109.1
94.5
86.6
121.0
128.3
119.8
107.7
120.0
128.3
116.4
101.4
123.7
128.2
129.0
125.2
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
...........
...........
...........
...........
...........
84.5
100.0
101.6
95.8
99.7
88.3
100.0
101.6
96.8
102.6
75.4
100.0
101.5
93.2
92.4
80.0
100.0
113.2
115.9
124.2
94.7
100.0
111.4
121.0
124.6
90.6
100.0
111.4
119.7
121.1
106.1
100.0
111.5
124.4
134.4
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
...........
...........
...........
...........
...........
94.6
102.3
93.2
102.0
97.7
103.7
114.0
100.6
110.3
102.9
76.2
79.9
77.4
84.6
85.7
96.5
100.7
93.4
95.6
92.9
102.0
98.4
100.2
93.7
95.1
93.1
88.3
92.8
86.7
90.3
126.7
126.0
120.6
113.0
108.4
1.6
-.8
2.9
.1
2.2
.5
2.7
.2
-2.2
-7.7
7.9
-4.6
-.4
-3.3
7.2
-4.1
A v e ra g e a n n u a l ra te s o f c h a n g e
Product mix and relative fuel prices
In addition to residential construction, changes in relative
fuel costs and replacement demand have also influenced the
28
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1972-85
1972-76
1976-80
1980-85
....
....
....
....
.3
-4.1
3.4
-.3
-.1
-7.2
10.8
-4.3
-1.7
-6.4
7.7
-4.4
percent of industry receipts), of which 62 percent burned
wood, while only 17 percent used gas.
Although used in Florida as early as the 1920’s, solar
energy caught the interest of consumers in the middle
1970’s. In 1974, the first year for which data are available,
manufacturers shipped 1.3 million square feet of solar pan
eling. Increasing at an impressive average annual rate of
43.4 percent for 7 years, sales peaked at 20.1 million square
feet of paneling in 1981. From 1981 to 1984, solar paneling
shipments declined 6.9 percent per year.
Costly repairs of heating equipment and high utility bills
opened up a whole new market for the nonelectric heating
equipment industry in the early 1980’s. Consumers devel
oped a willingness to pay more for higher efficiency, begin
ning with heating units using less energy in new homes, and
subsequently, using more efficient units to replace ineffi
cient ones in good working order. In recent years, an esti
mated 80 percent of residential oil burners shipped have
been retention head or other energy efficient units installed
to replace burners using excessive amounts of energy. Much
of the boiler market is also for replacement units.7
Employment and hours
Employment in the nonelectric heating equipment indus
try numbered 24,000 in 1985, having fallen at a rate of 1.6
percent per year, from the 1972 level of 30,900. Employee
hours declined at a slightly faster 1.7-percent average an
nual rate. The decrease in industry employment was larger
for production workers than for nonproduction workers.
Between 1972 and 1985, production worker jobs declined
25.9 percent, while nonproduction worker jobs fell 13.5
percent.
Over the period studied, trends in employee hours dis
played patterns of expansion and contraction similar to those
noted for output. From 1972 to 1976, employee hours fell
at an average annual rate of 6.4 percent. They rose sharply
from 1976 to 1980, but between 1980 and 1985, employee
hours again declined at an annual rate of 4.4 percent.
Production workers accounted for 68 percent of the
nonelectric heating equipment industry work force in 1985,
compared with 71 percent in 1972. Although data on the
employment of women, and the skill composition of the
work force are not available for the industry, data are avail
able for the plumbing and heating equipment industry to
which the nonelectric heating equipment industry belongs.
(The nonelectric heating equipment industry represents
about one-half of the work force of the plumbing and heat
ing equipment industry.)8 In the plumbing and heating
equipment industry, women composed 25 percent of the
industry employment in 1985, compared with 18 percent of
industry employment in 1972. The proportion of female
employees found in the plumbing and heating equipment
industry is similar to that in the total durable goods industry.
Skill composition of the work force of the plumbing and
heating equipment industry differs from that for manufactur
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ing as a whole. In 1984, operatives and assemblers ac
counted for 42 percent of industry employment, compared
with 35 percent for all manufactuimg. Managerial, techni
cal, and professional personnel composed 18 percent of the
industry work force, versus 21 percent of all manufacturing
employment. Craft and related workers made up 13 percent
of industry employment, compared with 15 percent for all
manufacturing. However, administrative, sales, and support
staff accounted for 17 percent of both industry and all man
ufacturing employment.
Average hourly earnings in the nonelectric heating equip
ment industry rose from $3.61 in 1972 to $8.52 in 1985.
Hourly wages were somewhat higher in durable goods man
ufacturing, registering $4.07 in 1972 and $10.10 in 1985.
Investment in plant and equipment
Measured in constant dollars,9 the nonelectric heating
equipment industry’s capital expenditures declined slightly
at an average annual rate of 0.2 percent from 1972 to 1985.
In contrast, real capital spending of all manufacturing indus
tries rose 2.4 percent annually between 1972 and 1985.
The largest decline occurred from 1972 to 1976 when
investments in plant and equipment by firms in this industry
fell at an average annual rate of 17.9 percent. During the
same years, all manufacturing industries increased their cap
ital expenditures 4.8 percent per year. From 1976 to 1980,
however, capital spending rebounded in the industry, grow
ing 15.4 percent annually. After 1980, capital spending
slowed throughout the manufacturing segment of the econ
omy and fell 0.3 percent per year in the nonelectric heating
equipment industry.
While real capital expenditures declined slightly in the
nonelectric heating equipment industry, there was an in
crease in real capital spending per employee. Real capital
expenditures per employee in the industry rose 1.4 percent
per year from 1972 to 1985. For all manufacturing establish
ments, the comparable figure was 2.4 percent. From 1972
to 1976, capital spending per employee by the nonelectric
heating equipment industry fell at an average annual rate of
12.5 percent. From 1976 to 1980, industry capital expendi
tures per employee grew at an average annual rate of 6.7
percent, faster than the 3.2-percent growth rate registered by
all manufacturing industries. This was also the period of
greatest productivity growth experienced by the industry.
Capital spending per employee continued to rise in the
1980’s.
Technology
Productivity has been aided by improvements in metal
working equipment which have taken place in the sheet
metal operations of the nonelectric heating equipment indus
try.10 The broadest improvement has occurred in metal fab
rication. The straightening, cutting, and bending of rolled
steel previously performed by manual labor is increasingly
being done by machinery. The basic metalworking equip29
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Nonelectric Heating Equipment
ment is the production press which makes use of poweroperated clamps to close one or more dies at a proper speed
and pressure. The dies with which a press is equipped shear
or bend the sheet metal forming the desired shape. The
metal is generally worked cold. The die may be single
purpose, as when a workpiece is simply cut or shaped, or it
may be progressive. Progressive dies, consisting of multiple
work stations, subject the workpiece to several sequential
strokes or punches. In such operations, the steel is usually
fed automatically from coils through the multiple work sta
tions as a continuous ribbon of material up to the last station
of the die, where the part is sheared off. The installation of
labor-saving progressive dies is just beginning to take place
in the more advanced and larger shops in the industry.
Manual feeding of steel remains prevalent in the smaller
shops.11
However, the nonelectric heating equipment industry is
characterized by a large number of small establishments,
utilizing a sizable inventory of older dies.12 These older dies
must be bolted into the press and transported by crane or
forklift. While the small shops in the industry may not have
had the resources to install progressive dies in the produc
tion process, they have been able to raise labor productivity
by taking advantage of more modest improvements in
metalworking.
Some shops have raised productivity by improving the
punching of sheet metal. Previously, templates were con
ventionally affixed to the punch press. Presently, computer
taped instructions are fed to the press, speeding production
and ensuring greater quality control in the finished shape.
Another improvement has been the adoption of a multiple
spindle drill by some shops. This high capacity drill is able
to bore multiple holes through several planes of sheet metal
in one operation. Productivity in many shops has been in
creased by replacing stick welding with automatic wire-feed
welding. In addition to improvements in metalworking tech
nology, reorganization of floor space has boosted productiv
ity in some of the establishments of the nonelectric heating
equipment industry.
Age of equipment
Despite the technological advances described here, the
nonelectric heating equipment industry retains a large in
vestment in older machinery that has been rebuilt many
times. According to the most recent American Machinist
inventory of metalworking equipment, taken in 1983, 28
percent of the metalcutting and 16 percent of the metalform
ing tools used in the plumbing and heating equipment indus
try were less than 10 years old.13 In 1973, the proportion of
tools under 10 years of age was 24 percent for metalcutting
tools and 23 percent for metalforming tools.14 The industry
has reduced the age of its metalworking equipment, increas
ing the proportion of newer metalcutting tools between 1973
and 1983. Although the proportion of newer metalforming
equipment has declined, two observations should be noted.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
First of all, industry metalcutting tools outnumbered metal
forming tools by more than 2 to 1 in 1973, and continued to
do so in 1983. Secondly, metalforming tools tend to have a
longer life than metalcutting tools. Thus, they need to be
replaced less often.
Included in the metalworking equipment under 10 years
of age are increased numbers of numerically controlled ma
chine tools. The efficiency of the plumbing and heating
equipment industry’s metalworking equipment has been
augmented by the rise in the number of numerically con
trolled machine tools. In 1983, numerically controlled ma
chine tools accounted for 7 percent of the metalcutting tools
and 9 percent of the metalforming tools that were under 10
years old. In 1973, the corresponding figures were 2 percent
and 2.5 percent. The percentage increase in numerically
controlled tools understates the increase in the output capa
bilities of these machine tools. The American Machinist
cites the “vastly increased productivity of n c [numerically
controlled] machines as compared with their manually con
trolled equivalents.15
The higher end of the age distribution of metalworking
equipment shows almost no change in the proportion of
older metalworking equipment in the industry. The share of
metalcutting machine tools 20 years or older rose from 41
percent in 1973 to 42 percent in 1983. The proportion of
metalforming equipment 20 years or older remained un
changed at 43 percent between 1973 and 1983. Further
more, the older tools cannot be readily judged inefficient,
because the American Machinist inventory does not take
into account the retrofitting of older machines with up-todate components and control devices.16
The number of machine tools in all metalworking indus
tries declined from more than 15 per 1,000 persons in the
U.S. population in 1973 to less than 10 per 1,000 persons
in 1983. The American Machinist states that “this represents
in part the greater productivity of machine tools, in part the
simplification of design of many products, so that less ma
chining is required.”17 This statement also applies to the
industry studied here. Between 1973 and 1983, the number
of machine tools in the industry fell by more than a third,
and capacity utilization rates in the nonelectric heating
equipment industry delined. During this same period, the
output of the nonelectric heating equipment industry re
mained virtually unchanged, indicating a substantial rise in
the output capability of its metalworking equipment.
Outlook
Equipment. Moderate improvement in productivity is in
dicated for the nonelectric heating equipment industry.18
Diffusion of the more efficient metalworking machinery and
metal fabrication techniques throughout the industry is far
from complete. Furthermore, competition with foreign man
ufacturers may force domestic producers of heating equip
ment to look for ways to improve productivity. In 1972, less
than 1 percent of the new supply (domestic production plus
imports) of nonelectric heating equipment in the United
States was imported. By 1981, the latest year for which data
are available, imports had risen to more than 7 percent of the
new supply of nonelectric heating equipment. During the
same years, the percent of domestic production exported
changed little, hovering around 6 percent.19
Numerically controlled machine tools are expected to be
come more widely used in the nonelectric heating equip
ment industry, either as replacements of obsolete equipment
or through retrofitting of older equipment. Numerical con
trol enhances managerial control by predetermining and
coding every stage of machining onto a control tape. Man
agers can plan more accurately such operations as machine
loading and shop scheduling. Numerically controlled tools
can produce parts with greater precision and uniformity,
saving machine time and minimizing scrap losses.
Further into the future of the industry may be the installa
tion of computer numerical control machine tools. Software
advances make it possible for a computer to convey numer
ical data directly to a machine control unit, eliminating the
problem of constant redoing of the control tape of numeri
cally controlled tools.
Going beyond computer numerical control tools are
computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacture
systems. These systems use computer-controlled methods to
unite several technologies. Computers are used in develop
ing designs of products, guiding workpieces among ma
chines on computer controlled material handling systems,
and directing numerically controlled machine tools.20
1 The nonelectric heating equipment industry is designated by the Office
o f Management and Budget as sic 3433 in the Standard Industrial Classi
fication Manual, 1972. This industry comprises establishments primarily
engaged in the manufacturing of heating equipment including gas, oil, and
stoker coal fired equipment for the automatic utilization of gaseous, liquid,
and solid fuels. Products include cast iron heating boilers, cast iron radia
tors, cast iron convectors, domestic heating stoves, steel heating boilers,
floor furnaces, wall furnaces, and solar energy collectors. Also found
among the primary products of the industry are duct furnaces, unit heaters,
infrared heaters, mechanical stokers, oil burners, gas burners, heat transfer
coils, range boilers, expansion tanks, hot water storage tanks supplied by
separate heaters, unit ventilators, and nonelectric prefabricated metal fire
places. Excluded from this industry are establishments primarily engaged
in the manufacturing of electric heating equipment, warm air furnaces,
cooking stoves, industrial process furnaces, industrial process ovens, in
dustrial, power and marine boilers.
Average annual rates shown in the text and tables are based on the linear
least squares trend o f the logarithms of the index numbers. The indexes for
productivity and related variables are updated annually, and published in
Productivity Measures for Selected Industries and Government Services,
Bulletin 2296 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 1987).
2 “Statistical Panorama,” published each April by the The Air Condition
ing, Heating, and Refrigeration N ew s.
3 “The Homebuilders Clutch at H ope,” Business Week, February 2,
1976, pp. 14-15.
4 U .S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Construction
Reports, Series C20 and C30.
5 “Statistical Panorama”.
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The major reason for the lack of diffusion of the newer
technologies throughout the nonelectric heating equipment
industry is expected to be the low level of demand for many
of the industry’s products. The overall weakness and volatil
ity of demand for the industry’s products may make the risk
of investment too great, particularly for the many small
shops.
Employment. The skill composition of the work force of
the plumbing and heating equipment industry is not ex
pected to change much over the next-decade. Based on
Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, the proportion of
craft and related workers and the proportion of operatives
and assemblers are expected to remain unchanged. Manage
rial, technical, and professional personnel are projected to
grow from 18 percent of industry employment in 1984 to 19
percent of industry employment in 1995. The proportion of
the industry work force employed as administrative, sales,
and support staff is expected to fall from 17 percent in 1984
to 16 percent in 1995.
Average labor costs in the industry have fallen from 33 to
27 percent of total costs during the period of this study, and
this trend is expected to continue. Projections indicate that
the plumbing and heating equipment industry will have an
increased reliance on managers and engineers in designing
and monitoring more efficient production processes.21 One
industry source predicts that the machine operator of
today will become a manager of several machines in the
future.
6 Ibid., and industry sources.
I Ibid., and industry sources.
8 Figures cited in this section are based on data developed by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics.
9 Capital expenditures were deflated by the implicit price deflator for
producers’ durable equipment, as published in The Economic Report to the
President, transmitted to the Congress, January 1987, p. 248, table B3.
10 Industry sources. See also Horst Brand and Clyde Huffstutler,
“Productivity in making air conditioners, refrigeration equipment, and
furnaces,” Monthly Labor Review, December 1984, pp. 11-17.
II Industry sources. See also Horst Brand and Clyde Huffstutler, “Trends
in labor productivity in metal stamping industries,” Monthly Labor Review,
May 1986, pp. 13-20.
12 Industry sources.
13 “The 13th American Machinist Inventory of Metalworking Equipment
1983,” American Machinist, November 1983, pp. 113-144.
14 “The 11th American Machinist Inventory of Metalworking Equipment
1973,” American Machinist, October 29, 1973, pp. 143-166 and
“Corrections to the 11th Inventory Summary,” American Machinist,
November 26, 1973, p. 58.
15 “The 11th . . . Inventory of Metalworking Equipment,” p. 162.
16 Brand and Huffstutler, “Productivity in making air conditioners, re
frigeration equipment, and furances,” p. 14.
17 “The 13th . . . Inventory of Metalworking Equipment,” p. 123.
31
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Nonelectric Heating Equipment
18 The Office o f Economic Growth and Employment Projections of the
Bureau o f Labor Statistics has projected a 2.6 percent annual growth rate
for productivity in the plumbing and heating equipment industry for 1985—
2000.
20 Industry sources. See also A. Elarvey Belitsky, “Technology and
Labor in Metalworking Machinery,” Technology and Labor in Four Indus
tries, bls Bulletin 2104 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982) and “Adopting
Factory Automation,” American Machinist, December 1985, pp. 8 8 -9 0 .
19 Figures cited in this section are based on data developed by the Bureau
o f Labor Statistics.
21 Figures cited in this section are based on data developed by the Bureau
of Labor Statistics.
APPENDIX: Measurement techniques and limitations
Indexes of output per employee hour measure changes in
the relation between the output of an industry and the em
ployee hours expended on that output. An index of output
per employee hour is derived by dividing an index of output
by an index of industry employee hours.
The preferred output index for manufacturing industries
would be obtained from data on quantities of the various
goods produced by the industry, each weighted (multiplied)
by the employee hours required to produce one unit of each
good in some specified base period. Thus, those goods
which require more labor for production are given more
importance in the index. Often, however, as an alternative,
unit value weights are used when unit labor requirement
weights are not available.
Because neither unit labor nor unit value weights are
available for all of the industry’s products, an alternative
technique was used to derive the output index for this indus
try. Therefore, real output for the industry was estimated by
a “deflated” value technique. Changes in price levels were
removed from current-dollar values of production by means
of appropriate price indexes at various levels of subaggrega
tion for a variety of products in the group. To combine
segments of the output index into a total output measure,
employee hour weights relating to the individual segments
32
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
were used, resulting in an output index that is conceptually
close to the preferred output measure.
The annual output index series derived from the earlier
discussed deflated value technique was then adjusted (by
linear interpolation) to the index levels of the “benchmark”
output series. This benchmark series (also utilizing the de
flated value technique) incorporates more comprehensive
but less frequently collected economic census data.
The indexes of output per employee hour relate total
output to one input— labor. The indexes do not measure the
specific contribution of labor, capital, or any other single
factor. Rather, they reflect the joint effects of factors such
as changes in technology, capital investment, capacity uti
lization, plant design and layout, skill and efforts of the the
work force, managerial ability, and labor-management
relations.
The average annual rates of change presented in the text
are based on the linear least squares trend of the logarithms
of the index numbers. Extensions of the indexes will appear
annually in the b l s bulletin, Productivity Measures fo r Se
lected Industries and Government Services. A technical note
describing the methods used to develop the indexes is avail
able from the Office of Productivity and Technology, Divi
sion of Industry Productivity and Technology Studies.
Productivity in industrial
inorganic chemicals
Output per hour improvements were retarded
by slack demand; economies of scale could not
be fully exploited, but cutbacks of less
efficient plants, together with technical
advances, bolstered productivity levels
H o r st B r a n d a n d Z ia u l Z. A h m ed
As measured by output per hour, productivity in the inor
ganic chemicals industry remained virtually unchanged be
tween 1972 and 1986.1 By comparison, output per hour in
manufacturing, as a whole, rose at an average annual rate of
2.7 percent over the period. Neither output of the industry
nor employee hours changed significantly over the 1972-86
timespan—the long-term trends were essentially flat.
The absence of any long-term improvement in productiv
ity did not characterize all of the industry’s components. In
the manufacture of alkalis (mostly caustic soda) and chlo
rine, productivity rose 3.2 percent a year, reflecting a de
cline in output and an even greater decline in employee
hours. In the manufacture of inorganic pigments, productiv
ity improved at an 0.9-percent annual rate; here, too, the
long-term gain resulted from receding output and hours. In
the largest group of inorganic chemicals— including most
basic or commodity and large numbers of miscellaneous
chemicals— productivity declined slightly, by 0.2 percent a
year. Here, output rose, as did employee hours, if at a
somewhat higher rate than output.
The inorganic chemicals industry converts certain nonfuel
minerals and gaseous fluids found in the atmosphere into
specifically formulated mixtures, generally used as interme
diates in the production of final goods. One characteristic,
particularly of large plants, is continuous processing, and
relatively “very little direct labor (is) used” in the industry.3
Value added per production worker has been roughly twice
Inorganic chem icals..........
Alkalies and chlorine . .
Inorganic pigments . . . .
Other basic and
miscellaneous inorganic chem icals........
0.3
3.2
.9
1.2
.4
-1.7
0.9
7.8
4.4
-.2
2.0
-1.8
All manufacturing .............
2.7
1.9
3.5
Horst Brand and Ziaul Z. Ahmed are economists in the Division of Produc
tivity and Technology Studies, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
N o t e : In this and the following tabulations, inorganic chemicals exclude
government-owned plants and include industrial gases, not shown sepa
rately. “Other” inorganic chemicals is a category “not elsewhere classi
fied” by the Bureau of the Census.
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that for all manufacturing, and the ratio of fixed assets to
employment has been 3 to 4 times as high, bespeaking the
capital intensity of the industry.4
The longer term trend in the industry’s productivity ex
hibited two phases. Between 1972 and 1979, productivity
grew at an average annual rate of 1.2 percent, with output
rising at a rate 2\ times that of employee hours. Capacity
utilization rose, hitting a high of 84 percent in 1979. How
ever, from 1979 to 1986, productivity, although marked by
sharp year-to-year swings, slowed to 0.9 percent a year with
both output and employee hours falling slightly. Capacity
utilization receded to as low as 62 percent.5
The following tabulation indicates the productivity trend
and its phases for the industry as a whole and for its compo
nents (see also tables 1 to 4):
Average annual rates (percent)
1972-86 1972-79 1979-86
33
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Industrial Inorganic Chemicals
As the tabulation suggests, the productivity performance
of the industry was dominated by the “other basic and mis
cellaneous inorganic chemicals” group, which accounted for
two-thirds of total industry employment. During the 1972—
79 period, the comparatively weak showing of the alkalies
and chlorine and of the industrial pigments industries con
trasted with the improvement in that larger group; the re
verse occurred during the subsequent timespan.
Year-to-year swings in output per hour in the industry
ranged widely, between a drop of 17 percent (in 1972) and
a spurt of nearly 13 percent in 1984. Year-to-year losses in
productivity were related to output declines accompanied by
lesser declines, or even increases, in hours. This pattern was
especially marked by the “other basic and miscellaneous
inorganic chemicals” group, whose volatility exceeded the
overall industry average. Here, year-to-year movements
ranged from a drop of 21 percent (in 1980) to a gain of 12
percent (in 1984).
In 1986, the industry’s productivity ran 12 percent above
1972, but had not regained the peak of 112.2 attained in
1979. The “other” group’s productivity still ran 12 percent
below its 1979 high. By contrast, output per hour in inor
ganic pigments had climbed 16 percent above its previous
high in 1974; in alkalies and chlorine, the 1986 productivity
level had soared 56 percent above the earlier (1980) peak.
Demand and output
Inorganic chemicals “embrace all substances, except hy
drocarbons and their derivatives” (that is, petroleum, coal,
and natural gas.) Petroleum and natural gas are the funda
mental feedstocks of organic chemicals and of such products
as plastics. Inorganic chemicals often enter as intermedi
ates in the production of organic chemicals.6 The inorganic
chemicals industry generally obtains its raw materials from
minerals other than fuels, and from fluids (including the
atmosphere and its gases). Together with many organic
chemicals, inorganic chemicals are used throughout manu
facturing as intermediates, the total value of their intermedi
ate use being exceeded only by petroleum and natural gas,
and petroleum refining.7 The end uses of the more important
inorganic chemicals are listed in exhibit 1.
Between 1972 and 1986, there was little change in output
of inorganic chemicals, but its long-term trend, like that of
productivity, displayed two distinct patterns. Between 1972
and 1979, output rose at an average annual rate of 2 percent;
thereafter it declined by 0.3 percent a year, reflecting the
cyclical downswing of the early 1980’s. Toward the mid1980’s, output recovered but did not reach the high levels of
the late 1970’s. The “other basic and miscellaneous inor
ganic chemicals” group grew strongly between 1972 and
1979 (6.4 percent annually), but their output trend reversed
subsequently, with the 1979-86 span witnessing a 1.8percent annual drop. The findings are summarized in the
following tabulation:
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Average annual rates (percent)
1972-86 1972-79 1979-86
Inorganic chem icals...........
Alkalies and chlorine ..
Inorganic pigments . . . .
Other basic and
miscellaneous inor
ganic chem icals........
- 0.1
-2.7
- 2 .0
2.0
-6.0
-4.2
-0.3
7.9
1.0
1.4
6.4
-1.8
The break in the industry’s output trend in 1979 parallels
a break in the output measures for some major selected
industries which are users of inorganic chemicals, and for
which the bls calculates the measures.8 For example, output
of steel, a large-scale user of such industrial gases as oxy
gen, and which had been stable during the earlier (1972-79)
period, declined by 6 percent annually over the later one
(1979-85). Soap and detergent production, an important
outlet for phosphates, having risen at close to 2.0 percent
per year earlier, receded by 1.6 percent later. (Phosphates in
detergents were banned in some States during the survey
period, which together with a shift to liquid detergents also
reduced phosphate consumption.)9 Glass containers, pri
mary aluminum, and organic chemicals, all heavy users of
certain bulk inorganics, showed the same pattern of expand
ing, then contracting output rates over the survey period.
Following a similar break in the output rate for agricultural
crops— from an average annual rate of 3.5 percent for
1972-79 to 0.0 percent for 1979-85— production of the
intermediates providing feedstocks for fertilizers dropped
from 4.9 percent a year to - 0 .8 percent.
Table 1. Productivity and related indexes for industrial in
organic chemicals, 1972-86
[1977=100]
O u p u t p e r e m p lo y e e h o u r
E m p lo y e e h o u r s
P ro d u c
Year
A ll
t io n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
e rs
N o n p ro
P ro d u c
O u tp u t
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
A ll
tio n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
e rs
N o n p ro
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
1972
1973
1974
1975
...
...
...
...
97.3
102.1
104.1
86.5
94.7
97.3
101.2
88.3
103.5
113.8
110.7
82.8
90.6
96.5
105.1
87.0
93.1
94.5
101.0
100.6
95.7
99.2
103.9
98.5
87.5
84.8
94.9
105.1
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
...
...
...
...
...
94.4
100.0
102.6
112.2
94.3
96.9
100.0
102.9
112.3
98.0
89.7
100.0
101.9
112.1
87.4
95.0
100.0
105.6
108.5
95.9
100.6
100.0
102.9
96.7
101.7
98.0
100.0
102.6
96.8
97.9
105.9
100.0
103.6
96.8
109.7
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
...
...
...
...
...
...
91.4
86.3
94.2
106.0
102.6
109.1
96.0
91.8
101.0
113.5
111.0
117.2
82.8
76.6
82.4
93.1
88.2
95.4
93.7
82.7
87.8
98.4
97.5
100.3
102.5
95.8
93.2
92.8
95.0
91.9
97.6
90.1
86.9
86.7
87.8
85.6
113.1
107.9
106.5
105.7
110.5
105.1
1972-86
1980-86
0.3
4.4
1.1
4.9
-1.2
-2.1
1.4
-0.9
A v e r a g e a n n u a l ra te s o f c h a n g e (p e r c e n t)
-1.4
3.6
-0.1
2.7
-0.3
-1.6
Table 2. Productivity and related indexes for alkalies and
chlorine, 1972-86
[1977=100]
O u p u t p e r e m p lo y e e h o u r
E m p lo y e e h o u r s
P ro d u c
Year
A ll
tio n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
e rs
P ro d u c
N o n p ro
O u tp u t
d u c t io n
A ll
t io n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
w o rk e rs
e rs
N o n p ro
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
1972
1973
1974
1975
...
...
...
...
102.1
102.0
113.3
90.0
96.7
95.4
107.4
87.8
117.6
121.5
129.8
95.4
114.2
116.3
133.6
109.2
111.8
114.0
117.9
121.4
118.1
121.9
124.4
124.4
97.1
95.7
102.9
114.5
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
.. .
...
...
...
...
98.0
100.0
106.6
107.3
115.4
100.2
100.0
105.7
109.3
119.9
93.2
100.0
108.5
104.8
105.8
112.1
100.0
99.1
68.3
67.5
114.4
100.0
93.0
63.3
58.5
111.9
100.0
93.8
62.5
56.3
120.3
100.0
91.3
65.2
63.8
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
...
...
...
...
...
...
95.3
100.8
127.1
146.3
147.4
179.9
97.9
104.2
129.6
142.7
146.1
182.2
89.9
93.7
121.6
155.2
150.2
174.7
61.2
63.8
79.3
94.5
102.3
101.3
64.2
63.3
62.4
64.6
69.4
56.3
62.5
61.2
61.2
66.2
70.0
55.6
68.1
68.1
65.2
60.9
68.1
58.0
3.2
13.6
3.7
12.8
-6.2
-0.3
-4.7
-2.5
A v e r a g e a n n u a l ra te s o f c h a n g e (p e r c e n t)
1972-86
1980-86
2.1
15.3
-2.7
12.5
-5.7
-1.0
Employment
Workers employed in the inorganic chemicals industry
(excluding Federal Government plants) numbered about
73,000 in 1986, 3 percent below the 1972 level, and 11
percent lower than in 1980, the last peak employment year.
Employment tended to decline at an average annual rate of
0.3 percent over the study period, but all of the decline
occurred over the 1979-86 span (at a 1.2-percent annual
rate). Employee-hours evidenced rate-of-change patterns
closely akin to employment.
The proportion of production workers in the industry fell
from 68 percent of total employment in 1972 to 62 percent
in 1982.10 In 1986, the number of production workers ran 13
percent below the 1972 count, and 17 percent below its 1980
peak. By contrast, nonproduction worker employment,
which had expanded by 20 percent between 1972 and 1986,
barely retreated only 7 percent from its earlier peak. The
high proportion of nonproduction workers in the industry
has resulted from higher-than-average proportions of jobs in
managerial and management-related positions, and in engi
neering and technician occupations. According to b l s data,
these three categories accounted for 24 percent of the indus
try’s total employment in 1984, compared to 15 percent for
manufacturing as a whole.
Blue-collar occupations in the industry appear to be more
highly skilled than in manufacturing generally. In 1984, 30
percent of the employees in inorganic chemicals worked as
blue-collar supervisors, construction trades workers, me
chanics, installers and repairers, precision production work
ers, and in plant and systems occupations. The comparable
proportion for manufacturing was 20 percent. Twenty per
cent of all employees worked in less skilled occupations—
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chemical equipment controllers, operators and tenders,
welders, and helpers and laborers; the corresponding figure
for manufacturing was 43 percent.11
Average hourly earnings in the industry rose faster than
the manufacturing average— running 20 percent above the
average in 1972, and 34 percent in 1985. During the survey
period, female employees’ share of employment doubled, to
18 percent; in manufacturing, their employment share rose
from 29 to 32 percent. Accession and separation rates per
100 workers, available only through 1981, indicate a fair
degree of stability in the stability of the industry’s work
force. The rates were only about two-fifths as high as for
total manufacturing, and point to the industry’s ability to
retain experienced workers. (Quits per 100 workers ran to
only one-third of the manufacturing average.) Overtime
schedules in the industry ranged within considerably nar
rower bounds than in all manufacturing, probably reflect
ing in part the continuous-process nature of production
schedules.12
Capital investment
The fixed capital assets of the inorganic chemicals indus
try are high in relation to employment. As noted earlier, in
1982, the value of assets per employee ran four times higher
than the comparable figure for manufacturing generally.13
In the “other and miscellaneous inorganic chemicals” group,
the ratio was three times higher. However, the ratio for the
industry as a whole as well as for its component industries
had declined from 1972, when it had run 4 to 5 times the
manufacturing average. The decline possibly reflected the
considerably greater reduction in new capital expenditures
by the industry than by manufacturers generally after 1977.
Table 3. Productivity and related indexes for industrial
pigments, 1972-86
[1977=100]
O u p u t p e r e m p lo y e e h o u r
E m p lo y e e h o u r s
P ro d u c
Year
A ll
t io n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
e rs
N o n p ro
P ro d u c
O u tp u t
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
A ll
tio n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
e rs
N o n p ro
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
1972
1973
1974
1975
...
...
.. .
...
113.2
114.6
115.4
104.2
108.7
106.0
110.3
105.5
124.8
140.4
129.2
101.6
121.3
130.6
154.7
108.7
107.2
114.0
134.0
104.3
111.6
123.2
140.2
103.0
97.2
93.0
119.7
107.0
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
...
...
...
.. .
.. .
100.9
100.0
104.8
105.0
102.2
102.2
100.0
104.1
104.4
108.6
98.0
100.0
106.6
106.5
89.9
109.1
100.0
106.6
100.5
101.3
108.1
100.0
101.7
95.7
99.1
106.7
100.0
102.4
96.3
93.3
111.3
100.0
100.0
94.4
112.7
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
...
...
.. .
...
...
...
105.1
96.7
104.0
125.7
132.7
133.5
113.0
108.0
113.8
134.8
144.3
147.1
90.4
77.7
86.9
108.7
111.9
110.3
101.9
87.6
93.0
97.9
105.6
110.3
97.0
90.6
89.4
77.9
79.6
82.6
90.2
81.1
81.7
72.6
73.2
75.0
112.7
112.7
107.0
90.1
94.4
100.0
-3.9
-3.8
-0.3
-3.6
A v e r a g e a n n u a l ra te s o f c h a n g e (p e rc e n t)
1972-86
1980-86
0.9
6.9
2.1
7.0
-1.7
6.8
-2.0
2.9
-2.8
-3.7
35
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Industrial Inorganic Chemicals
The comparison, derived from constant-dollar data, reads as
follows14:
Average annual rates (percent)
Inorganic chemicals Manufacturing
1972-85 ..........
1972-77 . . ..
1977-85 .. ..
0.2
16.0
- 5 .4
2.6
5.1
0.0
Levels of real capital outlays— which in this industry are
overwhelmingly for equipment, rather than for structures—
peaked in 1977, then fell precipitously; in 1983, they stood
47 percent below their 1977 high. They recovered there
after, but in 1985, capital outlays still were less than in 8 of
the 13 years reviewed here. As the tabulation shows, the
amplitudes of the swings in outlays by far exceeded those
for all manufacturing.
The large increase in the industry’s real capital expendi
tures during much of the 1970’s was to an extent fueled by
relatively high capacity utilization rates; their subsequent
retreat was occasioned in large part by contracting utiliza
tion. Between 1975 and 1980, the ratio of actual to
“preferred” or full capacity utilization averaged 77 percent;
between 1981 and 1985, it averaged 65 percent.15 (The
pattern was similar but much less accentuated for manufac
turing as a whole.) However, the earlier increases in the
industry’s real capital outlays have been said also to have
arisen from erroneous assumptions about longer term
demand growth, leading to overexpansion in productive ca
pacity. According to a Brookings Institution study, “Be
cause of the several year-long planning and construction
periods for new chemical plants, large scale state-of-the-art
plants, designed to achieve economies of scale and maintain
or increase market share, continued to be brought on line
even when company officials recognized that demand had
fallen. These plants were then operated below capacity and
thus very inefficiently, production worker requirements in
such plants being almost independent of output levels.”16
Research and development
The National Science Foundation has categorized the in
organic chemicals industry as technology-intensive on the
basis of the high ratio of its r &d to value added.17 That ratio
fluctuated between 2.6 and 3.5 percent annually over the
survey period.18 (The all-manufacturing average ranged
from 1.9 to 2.6 percent.)
It is difficult to evaluate the focus of the industry’s r &d
effort, largely because existing survey data encompass the
entire chemical industry, except pharmaceuticals.19 The
data are nonetheless suggestive. According to the survey,
the annual number of productivity-enhancing process inno
vations of “major importance” or representing “significant
improvement” doubled between the two periods, 1974-79
and 1980-82. Energy-related process innovations rose 34
percent between the two periods. Environment-related proc
36
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ess innovations, whose number was lower than those for the
two other innovation categories combined, increased by 14
percent. It is noteworthy that when compared with 1967—
73, for which the survey also features data, figures for the
1974-79 span represent declines while the 1980-82 period
witnessed a recovery in the average annual data (even
though the levels remained well below 1967-73).
The innovations were linked to new chemical products,
whose annual number rose substantially between 1974-79
and 1980-82; and they were embodied in new equipment
and instrumentation. The annual number of pertinent inno
vations nearly doubled for the former, and tripled for the
latter.20 That these improvements occurred in the face of
lagging demand for industrial chemicals may be partially
ascribed to such factors as the large component of scientists
and engineers employed in industrial chemicals, whose ef
forts focus on problem-solving, including problems gener
ated by the imbalances brought about by the new product
and process innovations.21 The intensity of R&D may also
be gauged by the annual rate of chemistry articles published
in scientific and technical periodicals, which rose 21 percent
between the two periods, 1973-80 and 1981-82;22 the rise
in the so-called citation ratios for these articles;23 and by the
high proportion of articles published in the chemical engi
neering field (the United States accounted for 50 percent of
the world’s total, although U.S. employment in the chemi
cal industry represents but one-third of the total of major
chemicals-producing countries outside the Soviet bloc).24
However, the number of patents granted by the United
States to resident inventors in the area of inorganic and
organic chemistry dropped 19 percent between 1975 and
1981 (yet the number of patents in this area granted to
foreign inventors dropped by nearly one-half).25
Table 4. Productivity and related indexes for industrial in
organic chemicals, not elsewhere classified, 1972-86
[1977=100]
O u p u t p e r e m p lo y e e h o u r
E m p lo y e e h o u r s
P ro d u c
Year
A ll
tio n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
e rs
P ro d u c
N o n p ro
O u tp u t
d u c t io n
A ll
t io n
e m p lo y e e s
w o rk
w o rk e rs
e rs
N o n p ro
d u c t io n
w o rk e rs
1972
1973
1974
1975
...
...
...
...
92.9
90.5
102.1
84.0
89.2
96.1
100.2
86.7
101.9
104.0
106.1
78.9
74.9
80.7
88.8
77.6
80.6
81.9
87.0
94.4
84.0
84.0
88.6
89.5
73.5
77.6
83.7
98.4
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
...
...
...
...
. .'.
93.9
100.0
101.4
114.6
90.3
97.0
100.0
101.9
114.7
93.8
87.8
100.0
100.4
114.5
83.7
88.7
100.0
106.8
120.3
101.1
94.5
100.0
105.3
105.0
112.0
91.4
100.0
104.8
104.9
107.8
101.0
100.0
106.4
105.1
120.8
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
...
...
...
...
...
...
89.3
80.8
86.9
97.5
95.3
101.4
93.8
85.7
93.0
105.5
104.0
107.1
81.2
72.1
76.4
84.3
81.3
91.6
99.1
83.6
87.2
98.3
96.3
100.1
111.0
103.5
100.4
100.8
101.0
98.7
105.7
97.5
93.8
93.2
92.6
93.5
122.0
116.0
114.1
116.6
118.5
109.3
A v e r a g e a n n u a l ra te s o f c h a n g e (p e r c e n t)
1972-86
1980-86
-0.2
3.6
.6
4.0
-1.7
3.1
1.4
1.7
1.5
-1.9
0.8
-2.2
3.1
-1.3
Exhibit 1.
Selected inorganic chemicals and their chief end uses
C h e m ic a l
End use
Aluminum oxide................................
Abrasives
Refractories
Ceramics
Electrical insulators
Fluxes
Spark plugs
Aluminum sulfate..............................
Pulp and papermaking
Treatment of water
Ammonia, anhydrous.........................
Fertilizers
Refrigerant
Fuel cells and rocket fuel
Synethetic fibers
Explosives
Chemical intermediate
Calcium chloride ..............................
C h e m ic a l
Dust control
Highway deicing
Industrial processing
Concrete treatment
Calcium phosphate ...........................
Animal feed supplements
Food supplements
Dough conditioner
Fertilizers
Dyeing of textiles
Caustic soda ....................................
Acid neutralizer
Pulp and paper making
Petroleum refining
Soaps and detergents
Chlorine...........................................
Chemical intermediate
Water purification
Food processing
Hydrochloric acid..............................
Activation of petroleum wells
Boiler scale removal
Pickling and metal cleaning
Acidizing
Ore reduction
End use
Lime ..............................................
Pollution control
Stack gas scrubbers
Sewage treatment
Acid neutralizer
Water treatment
Phosphates .....................................
(in sodium compound)
Insecticidal chemicals
Scouring soaps and powders
water softeners
Phosphoric acid................................
Fertilizers
Soap and detergents
Rust-proofing
Phosphorus .....................................
Detergents
Beverages
Food additives
Potash............................................
Fertilizers
Silicates...........................................
Impregnation of wood and
porous metals
Oil reclamation
Synethetic detergents
Textile processing
Water treatment
Soda ash .........................................
Glassmaking
Pulp and papermaking
Water and sewage
Sulfuric acid.....................................
Fertilizers
Petroleum refining
Pigments
Iron and steel pickling
Titanium oxide..................................
Surface coatings
Plastics
Paper coatings and fillings
.
Sources: The C o n d e n s e d C h e m ica l D ic tio n a ry , 10th ed. (New York, Van Nostrand-Reinhold Co., 1981); C h e m ic a l O rig in s a n d M a rk e ts , 5th ed. Stanford Research Institute, 1977; and Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
Technological advances
Technological advancement in the inorganic chemicals
industry has to an extent been identified with increases in the
scale of operations. Scale enlargement reduces capital costs
as well as labor and utility costs per unit of output. Quintup
ling of sulfuric acid production, for example, by simply
increasing the size of pressure vessels, pipes, storage tanks,
and so forth, can reduce operating costs by 33 percent.26
Although effluent problems intensified during the 1970’s,
and costs of losing business from breakdowns or other inter
ruptions are said to have become less tolerable,27 there is
evidence, in addition to the capital spending boosts already
noted for the 1970’s, that the scale of operations of chemical
plants increased then. Between 1972 and 1982, the number
of plants with 1,000 employees or more in the “other basic
and miscellaneous inorganic chemicals” group rose 27 per
cent, and the proportion of employment in the group that
these plants accounted for rose from 41 to 48 percent. (The
number of small establishments nearly doubled in 1982,
accounting for 80 percent of all establishments in the indus
try . But their share of employment, 14 percent that year, had
barely changed from 13 percent a decade earlier.) Further
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more, the average number of employees per large plant rose
by 19 percent, to 2,821 in 1982, indicating that existing
large plants added to their employment as they expanded
their scale of production.28
The industry also modernized existing facilities by
retrofitting with updated, largely computerized equipment
and instrumentation.29 Computers, programmable controls,
computerized sensors for temperature, pressure, flow rate,
liquid levels, materials analyzers, and other process vari
ables have been increasingly diffused. Pneumatic controls
have been more and more replaced by electronic signals and
their apparatus (except in the processing of flammable mate
rials). Reasons for installing computers in chemical process
ing are succinctly stated in the following passage:
Sensitive reactions, novel equipment arrangements,
or usually complex control schemes represent systems
so complex that it is essentially impossible for the
human mind to conceive or calculate the process be
havior during startup or after disturbance away from
steady state. The ease with which the computer can be
programed by the engineer, its speed and accuracy in
solving differential equations, and the insight it pro37
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Industrial Inorganic Chemicals
vides as to the nature of process behavior are three
main reasons for the success of the analog computer in
the processing industries.30
In the mid-1970’s, chemical process firms began to use
minicomputers and placed less emphasis on mainframe
computers.31 Prices of computers continued to decline. Mi
croprocessors for “small” control problems and for batch
sequencing spread through processing installations. Perti
nent software and laboratory management systems became
more widely available. Computers in laboratories— a work
ing part of all the larger processing facilities— not only
aided in making experiments but also suggested them (for
example, in modeling molecular constellations). Also, socalled audit trails have been greatly facilitated by comput
ers, making it possible to trace efficiently, and to record,
when, how, and by whom test samples were drawn, thus
helping to satisfy government and company regulations.32
Computers have also become indispensable in chemical
engineering. They enable the prediction of the properties of
chemicals with new molecular structures. They are vital in
designing process equipment. They permit the simulation of
process control. And they help in managing resources.33
Large amounts of engineering time are thus economized.
Some complex problems which reportedly required up to
500 hours for their solution can now be tackled in less than
half an hour.34
Gradual improvements in older technologies relating to
established engineering practices have of course also contin
ued. One such practice is “de-bottlenecking.” The retrofit
ting of existing plants with updated equipment and instru
ments, noted already, often creates imbalances or
bottlenecks in chemical processing. Hence, the importance
of “de-bottlenecking” appears to have increased over the
review period.35 One technique of coping with bottlenecks
has been to install better pumps and valves. That usually
spells improved flow, less corrosion, thus also reducing
maintenance labor. Among higher speed pumps innovated
during the 1970’s have been drum pumps that would empty
55-gallon drums within 2 minutes.36
Relatively few important innovations or technological
changes occurred during the survey period that were specific
to the products manufactured by the industry, while at the
same time significantly reducing labor requirements per unit
of output. Here, two developments may be cited in the
chlor-alkali segment of the industry, which, probably con
tributed to this segment’s productivity improvement be
tween 1972 and 1985. (See table 2). One was the replace
ment of older plants operating at an electrical capacity of
20,000 to 50,000 amperes, with plants capable of 100,000
amperes. (Chlorine is produced by electrolysis, usually of
sodium chloride brine.) The increase in electrolytical capac
ity barely changed in unit labor requirements.37 The other
development was a switch in production technology from
(electrolytical) mercury cells— entailing the risk of escaping
38
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mercury polluting streams—to one based on diaphragms
and, subsequently, membranes. The switch saved between
20 and 35 percent in electrical (electrolytical) energy.38
A shift from synthetically produced soda ash to natural
soda ash mined in open pits (mostly in Wyoming and Cali
fornia) and treated by the so-called Trona process was has
tened during the 1970’s. This stepped-up activity solved the
problem of disposing of the calcium chloride generated by
the Solvay process of manufacturing soda ash, and the brine
that process generates which would be discharged into— and
pollute— streams. Labor requirements per unit of output are
lower with Trona mining than with the Solvay process
(transport costs may partially offset the savings).39
Outlook
It is likely that, beyond cyclical swings, there will be
improvement in the productivity of the inorganic chemicals
industry over the long term. Such long-term gains may well
be associated with continued small overall increases in out
put being accompanied by still smaller increases— or
losses— in employment. Among technological or organiza
tional factors likely to spur productivity are more centralized
technical controls of plant complexes, facilitated by com
paratively low-cost computer networks. Also probable is the
more closely and efficiently scheduled use of processing
equipment, and the growing versatility in the processing of
cognate chemical products of which such equipment would
be capable.40
Following steep cuts in the productive capacity of such
basic chemicals as sulfuric acid— estimated by some ob
servers to one-third of 1981 levels,41 and as much as 25
percent of that of phosphoric acid42— older equipment has
evidently been rapidly phased out in recent years, and it
seems probable that such phasing-out will continue for some
time. This alone would gradually improve capacity utiliza
tion rates, and therefore labor productivity, as more up-todate processing equipment and instrumentation supplant ob
solescent facilities.
The question of whether pollution abatement technology
can be increasingly adapted to enhance the efficiency of
chemical processing, technologies— or whether it will con
tinue to be embodied in the pollution abatement efforts and
services of the industry (many of which, however, are con
ducted outside the industry proper although it bears the
costs)— cannot be assayed here. Only a relatively small
portion of the industry’s pollution abatement costs appear to
have been recaptured by merging processing and abatement
technologies. It remains, however, that “Every major chem
ical company has a formidable array of environmental
engineers committed to (a) retrofitting existing facilities to
meet pollution abatement requirements; and (b) designing
new facilities that incorporate the most cost-effective pollu
tion control equipment, usually in anticipation of future
requirements.”43
According to b l s projections, employment in the inor
ganic chemicals industry will rise 6 percent between 1984
and 1995 if it follows a “moderate” (rather than a “low” or
“high”) path. Among the industry’s major occupational
groups, those of engineers, chemists, and engineering and
science technicians are anticipated to expand more rapidly
than other groups. Although these three groups together
accounted for but 14 percent of the industry’s total employ
ment in 1984, their share of employment growth will be 37
percent. Likewise, the growth and share of managerial and
management related occupations will be roughly twice their
1984 employment proportion of 12 percent. Much slower
increases are expected for blue-collar jobs. These jobs ac
counted for almost one-half of total industry employment in
1984, but will make up little more than two-fifths of em
ployment growth by 1995. Large job losses are projected to
occur in administrative support occupations, particularly
among clerical personnel.44
-FOOTNOTES1 Industrial inorganic chemicals are classified as No. 281 in the Standard
Industrial Classification Manual of the Office of Management and Budget,
sic 281 is composed of four 4-digit industries— sic 2812, Alkalies and
Chlorine, consisting of establishments manufacturing these two chemicals
and such other related chemicals as soda ash and caustic soda; sic 2813,
Industrial Gases, with establishments manufacturing such gases as
acetylene, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and others; sic 2816, Inorganic Pig
ments, with establishments manufacturing pigments destined mostly for
industrial paints, such as used for automobiles and household appliances;
and sic 2819, Industrial Inorganic Chemicals, not elsewhere classified,
with establishments manufacturing a wide variety of bulk or commodity
chemicals, such as acids, phosphates, potassiums, sulfurs, sodiums (salts),
metallic compounds, and catalysts.
sic 2819 includes government-owned establishments; the output and
employment o f this part of the industry are excluded from the productivity
and related measures offered here. The productivity and related measures
for sic 2813, Industrial Gases, are not published separately but are included
in the measured for sic 281.
Average annual rates of change presented in this article are based on
linear least squares of the logarithms of the index numbers. The indexes
will be updated annually and will appear in the annual b ls Bulletin, Pro
Organic c h e m ic a ls................................
Petroleum refin in g ................................
3 Martin Neil Baily and Alok K. Chakrabarti. “Innovation and Produc
tivity in U .S. Industry,” Brookings Papers on Economic Activity , 2:1985,
p. 624.
4 Bureau o f the Census data. The data for government-owned establish
ments are excluded here.
5 Baily and Chakrabarti write that excess capacity in the industry “brings
about a substantial drop in productivity performance,” p. 615.
6 The Condensed Chemical Dictionary (New York, Van NostrandReinhold Co. 1981).
7 U .S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis, The
Detailed Input-Output Structure of the U.S. Economy , 1977, Vol. I (Wash
ington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1984).
Average annual rates of change
(percent)
Steel ....................................................
Paints and allied p rod u cts..............
Paper, paperboard, and p u lp .........
Soap and detergents .......................
Miscellaneous p la stic s....................
Glass containers................................
Primary nonferrous metals ...........
Primary alum inum ...........................
Aluminum rolling and drawing . .
Agricultural chemicals ..................
Prepared f e e d s ..................................
Motor v e h ic le s..................................
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..
..
..
..
- 2 .1
- 2 .2
10 Refers to production workers in the industry’s privately owned estab
lishment as do all other employment as well as output and productivity data
in this article.
1
’The high skill composition of labor in the industry is emphasized in the
following:
“The conduct of chemical plants requires, as a rule, skilled labor, with a
limited requirement for ordinary backbreaking work. Most o f the help
needed is for workers who can repair, maintain, and control the various
pieces of equipment and instruments necessary to carry out chemical con
versions and physical operations. ...(The) chemical industry, by virtue of
a wider use of instruments and a greater complexity of equipment, requires
more and more skilled labor,” Chemical Process Industries, p. 20.
12
Following are overtime hours in industrial inorganic chemicals and
manufacturing, 1972-85.
Industrial
inorganic chemicals
Year
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
.................................. 94
..................................106
.................................. I l l
.................................. 86
..................................100
..................................
..................................
..................................
..................................
..................................
..................................
Manufacturing
95
103
89
70
84
100
103
86
91
86
83
94
94
95
76
76
59
81
92
89
13 Data and discussion exlude government-owned establishments.
8 Output o f selected industries using inorganic chemicals on a large scale
are shown below:
1972-85
-3 .3
.7
1.8
1.2
5.7
- 1 .1
- 4 .2
- .3
.9
3.5
2.6
1.4
5.8
- 3 .2
9 Chemical and Engineering News, Jan. 26, 1987.
ductivity Measures for Selected Industries.
2 R. Norris Shreve and Jospeh A. Brink, Jr., Chemical Process Indus
tries (New York, McGraw-Hill Book C o., 1977), ch. 1.
1.8
.0
1972-79
0.0
1.9
1.7
1.8
6.6
1.1
- 2 .7
2.5
2.6
4.9
2.4
4.4
1979-85
- 6 .1
.4
1.8
- 1 .1
6.2
- 3 .2
- 6 .2
- 4 .7
.1
- .8
2.5
5.2
14 Deflator from table B-3, Economic Report of the President, January
1987 (implicit price deflator, total nonresidential gross private domestic
investment).
15 U .S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census,
Survey of
Plant Capacity, 1985 and earlier years.
16 Baily and Chakrabarti, p. 624.
17 National Science Board, Science Indicators - The 1985 Report (Wash
ington, U .S. Gopvemment Printing Office, 1985), p. 197.
18 National Science Foundation, Research and Development in Industry,
1984 (Washington, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1985), p. 34.
19 However, “other” chemical industries, including sic 284,5 and 2 8 7 -9
are much less research-intensive than industrial chemicals. See footnote 18.
20 Baily and Chakrabarti, p. 616.
21 See Richard C. Levin, “Technical Change and Optimal Scale: Some
Evidence and Implications,” Southern Economic Journal, October 1977,
39
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Productivity in Industrial Inorganic Chemicals
p. 208. The author also writes: “The technology itself generates concrete
identifiable problems upon which engineers and applied scientists focus
their innovative efforts” (p. 219). Also: “Efforts to reduce machine ‘down
time’ focus upon design considerations to hasten servicing when necessary,
and to lengthen the intervals between servicing.
33 Chemical Engineering N ews, Oct. 1, 1983, p. 31.
34 Chemical Engineering N ews , Aug. 12, 1985, p. 7ff.
35 Industry information and Chemical Engineering News, May 14,
1987.
22 Science Indicators, p. 193.
36 Chemical Engineering, Apr. 1, 1985, p. 14.
23 Science Indicators, p. 195.
37 Industry information.
24 Eurostat, Employment and Unemployment: Yearbook of Labor Statis
tics, 1982. (Tokyo, Japan, Ministry of Labor, 1985).
38 Chemical and Engineering News, Mar. 20, 1978, p. 20ff.; February
8, 1982, p. 105; Oct. 29, 1984.
39 Industry information; Chemical and Engineering News, Sept. 8,
1986, p. 17; p. 211.
25 Science Indicators, p. 25.
26 Levin, p. 213.
40 Chemical and Engineering News, Dec. 7, 1981, p. 19.
27 Chemical and Engineering News, Mar. 6, 1978, p. 24.
28 The data do not indicate enlargement of scale of government-owned
establishments in the industry.
29 Chemical and Engineering News, Dec. 7, 1981. p. 15ff.
30 Quoted in Chemical Process Industries, p. 12.
31 Chemical Engineering News, Sept.
16, 1974, p. 52ff.
32 Chemical Engineering News, Aug.
19, 1985, p. 21ff.
41 Industry information.
42 Chemical and Engineering News, Oct. 11, 1982, p. 16.
43 U .S. Environmental Protection Agency, Voluntary Environmental Ac
tivities of Large Chemical Companies to Assess and Control Industrial
Chemicals, Sept. 1976, p. 7.
44 See Occupational Outlook Handbook,
reau of Labor Statistics, 1987), p. 269ff.
1986-87, Bulletin 2250 (Bu
APPENDIX: Measurement techniques and limitations
Indexes of output per employee hour measure changes in
the relation between the output of an industry and the em
ployee hours expended on that output. An index of output
per employee hour is derived by dividing an index of output
by an index of industry employee hours.
Real output was calculated in terms of the deflated value
of shipments (adjusted for inventory change) for each
product group. Changes in prices were removed from the
current-dollar values by means of appropriate price indexes
at various levels of subaggregation for a variety of products
in each group. In order to combine the output segments to
a total output index, employee hour weights relating to the
individual segments were applied.
40
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Complete output data are available only in years for
which a Census of Manufactures is taken (such as 1972,
1977, 1982). For the intercensal years, the data are based on
samples, and are not quite so complete. Therefore, these
data are benchmarked to census year data.
The indexes of output per employee hour relate total
output to one input— labor. The indexes do not measure the
specific contribution of labor, capital, or any other single
factor. Rather, they reflect the joint effects of factors such
as changes in technology, capital investment, capacity uti
lization, plant design and layout, skill and efforts of the
work force, managerial ability, and other factors.
Research
Summaries
Expenditures of urban and rural
consumers, 1972-73 to 1985
J ohn M . R ogers
Social and economic comparisons of urban and rural popu
lations have long been of interest to public policymakers.
The migration of families between urban and rural areas, the
financial problems of the American farmer, and the inci
dence of poverty by type of area are but a few of the urban
versus rural topics that have received much attention.1 This
report focuses on another socioeconomic aspect of the urban
and rural populations, namely, how the expenditure patterns
of the two populations compare.2 Expenditures, income,
and family characteristics are compared for 1985, and
changes in expenditure levels and expenditure shares be
tween 1972-73 and 1985 are discussed using data from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure (c e )
Survey.
Method o f the expenditure survey. Both urban and rural
consumer units were sampled when the current, ongoing c e
Survey began in 1980.3 However, because of Federal bud
get reductions, the rural portion of the sample was dropped
in 1981-83. In January 1984, the Bureau reintroduced the
rural portion of the population in the survey sample. Now
that data for both the urban and rural populations are again
available, it is possible to compare the expenditures, in
come, and family characteristics of the two population
groups. It also affords the opportunity of comparing recent
urban versus rural data with earlier data.
The c e Survey consists of two separate components, each
with its own questionnaire and sample: 1) a quarterly Inter
view survey in which expenditures and income of consumer
units are obtained in five interviews conducted every 3
months and, 2) a Diary or recordkeeping survey completed
by consumer units for two consecutive 1-week periods. The
Interview survey is designed to obtain data on the types of
expenditures which respondents can recall for a period of 3
months or longer. In general, these include relatively large
expenditures, such as automobile purchases, and those that
occur on a regular basis, such as rent or utility payments.
Including “global estimates” of spending for food, about 95
John M. Rogers is an economist in the Office of Prices and Living Condi
tions, Bureau o f Labor Statistics.
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percent of expenditures are covered in the Interview survey.
The Diary survey obtains data on small, frequently pur
chased items which normally are difficult for respondents to
recall, such as detailed food expenses. Data cited in this
report are from the Interview survey. Differences in expend
itures and expenditure shares discussed here are based on
population estimates rather than sample estimates.
Urban versus rural, 1985. Income and demographic data
collected in the expenditure survey show differences be
tween the urban and rural populations that help explain some
of the differences in expenditures of the two groups. Table 1
shows estimates for 1985, the most recent period for which
data are available from the current survey, and for 1972-73,
the reference period of the last expenditure survey prior to
the start of the current, continuing survey. Percent changes
in expenditures between the two periods are presented, and
a column showing changes in the bls Consumer Price Index
for All Urban Consumers (cp i -u ) also is included so that
changes in expenditures and prices can be compared. Com
parisons for 1985 are discussed below while changes from
1972-73 to 1985 are examined in the following sections.
Rural consumer units accounted for about 16 percent of
the total in 1985. However, the portion of the consumer
units classified as rural varied substantially by region of the
country. Almost 22 percent of the units in the South were
rural, compared with only 9 percent of the units in the West.
About 19 percent of units in the Midwest region and 12
percent in the Northeast were in rural areas. The data also
show that urban consumer units averaged higher incomes in
1985 than did their rural counterparts. Urban consumer units
had slightly fewer members and were headed by persons
about 2 years younger than heads of rural units. The num
bers of earners, children under age 18, and persons over 65
were about the same for the two groups. Rural consumer
units owned more vehicles per unit and were more likely to
own their own homes. Total expenditures accounted for a
larger proportion of total income of rural units than of urban
units.
Expenditure levels of the two population groups showed
substantial differences across expenditure components. As
might be expected from their higher average incomes, urban
consumer units had higher levels of total expenditures—
they spent about $3,600 more on average than did rural units
in 1985. Higher food, housing, and apparel expenditures
accounted for much of the difference. However, despite
41
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Research Summaries
lower average incomes, rural consumer units spent more for
transportation, health care, tobacco, and life and other per
sonal insurance than did urban units.
Results show that, in 1985, urban consumer units spent
more for housing than did their rural counterparts, and the
amount spent accounted for a larger share of total expendi
tures than that of rural units. Expenditure shares, the percent
of total expenditures spent on each component, are shown in
table 2. Urban consumer units spent an average of $7,005,
or 31 percent of their total expenditures, on housing com
pared to an average of $5,064, or 26 percent of the total,
spent by rural units. A higher percentage of rural consumer
units were homeowners and rural homeowners were more
likely to have paid off their mortgages— 38 percent having
done so versus 21 percent of urban units. Despite lower total
housing expenditures, rural units spent almost as much on
fuels and utilities as urban units, $1,579 compared to
$1,661. These costs accounted for a larger share of rural
consumers’ housing costs than of urban consumers’— 31
percent versus 24 percent. The higher share spent by rural
consumer units may be partially explained by the fact that
renter families frequently do not pay directly for fuels and
utilities— payments are included in the rent— and a higher
proportion of urban families are renter families.
Rural consumers spent a larger share of their total unit
expenditures on transportation, 25 percent versus 20 percent
spent by urban consumers, due largely to higher expendi
tures for vehicles and gasoline. This is as expected, because
rural consumers own more vehicles than do urban con
sumers— 2.4 per consumer unit compared to 1.8 owned by
urban consumers. Also, rural consumers probably drive
longer distances than do urban consumers.
Rural consumers also spent more per unit on health care
than did urban consumers— $1,168 versus $1,011. This ac
counted for about 6 percent of rural consumers’ total unit
expenditures versus 4 percent of urban consumers’ total.
Higher health care expenditures by rural consumers can be
attributed to their being older, on average, than urban con
sumers. Also, data from the survey show that rural con
sumer units more frequently paid the full cost of their health
insurance policies while employers more frequently paid the
costs of policies for urban consumers.
Table 1. Trends in selected characteristics and average annual expenditures of urban and rural consumer units and in the
- , 1972-73 to 1985
c p i u
Urban
Item
Rural
CPI-U
percent
change2
1972-73
1985
Percent
change
58,948
76,524
29.8
12,272
15,040
22.6
—
$12,349
2.8
47.1
$26,241
2.5
46.4
112.5
$10,039
3.1
50.3
$19,708
2.8
48.5
96.3
—
56
44
59
41
—
73
27
76
24
Average annual expenditures................................................................................................
Food .............................................................................................................................
Alcoholic beverages .........................................................................................................
Housing .........................................................................................................................
Shelter .......................................................................................................................
Owned dwellings .......................................................................................................
Rented dwellings....................................................................................... ................
Other lodging.............................................................................................................
Fuels and utilities .........................................................................................................
Household operations ....................................................................................................
Housefurnishings and equipment.....................................................................................
$ 9,420
1,675
89
2,638
1,507
746
651
117
581
138
411
$22,810
3,473
297
7,005
4,083
2,352
1,308
423
1,661
366
895
142.1
107.3
233.7
165.5
170.9
215.3
100.9
261.5
185.9
165.2
117.8
$ 7,760
1,513
49
1,902
890
555
251
86
586
85
341
$19,197
2,996
215
5,064
2,602
1,830
540
232
1,579
242
641
147.4
98.0
338.8
166.2
192.4
229.7
115.1
169.8
169.5
184.7
88.0
133.8
89.5
—
—
_
117.2
211.9
218.7
143.8
74.5
Apparel and services .......................................................................................................
Transportation ................................................................................................................
Vehicles .....................................................................................................................
Gasoline and motor oil....................................................................................................
Other vehicle expenses..................................................................................................
Public transportation .....................................................................................................
732
1,762
709
404
540
110
1,224
4,508
1,969
1,010
1,227
302
67.2
155.8
177.7
150.0
127.2
174.5
529
1,706
746
446
482
31
839
4,794
2,418
1,157
1,127
92
58.6
181.0
224.1
159.4
133.8
196.8
65.3
163.3
167.3
224.7
132.0
179.5
Health care.....................................................................................................................
Entertainment..................................................................................................................
Personal care..................................................................................................................
Reading.........................................................................................................................
Education.......................................................................................................................
Tobacco .........................................................................................................................
Miscellaneous..................................................................................................................
Cash contributions ...........................................................................................................
Personal insurance and pensions .......................................................................................
Life and other personal insurance ....................................................................................
Retirement, pensions, and Social Security.........................................................................
432
389
106
50
126
131
100
372
818
367
451
1,011
1,122
209
145
323
210
360
857
2,067
270
1,797
134.0
188.4
97.2
190.0
156.3
60.3
260.0
130.4
152.7
-26.4
298.4
448
299
80
40
76
118
74
293
633
283
350
1,168
895
142
120
208
241
217
542
1,755
320
1,435
160.7
199.3
77.5
200.0
173.7
104.2
193.2
85.0
177.3
13.1
310.0
198.4
96.4
125.6
_
183.4
143.0
—
_
Number of consumer units (thousands)....................................................................................
Consumer unit characteristics:
Income before taxes1 .......................................................................................................
Persons in consumer unit ..................................................................................................
Age of reference person ....................................................................................................
Housing tenure (percent):
Homeowner ................................................................................................................
Renter.........................................................................................................................
11ncome values are derived from “complete income reporters” only. The distinction between
complete and incomplete income reporters is based in general on whether the respondent
provided values of major sources of income, such as wages and salaries, self-employment
income, and Social Security income.
42
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
—
—
—
1972-73
1985
Percent
change
—
—
—
—
—
—
-
-
_
_
_
—
2cpi's f0r some components are not conceptually comparable to the ce data and are not shown,
For some components, there may not be a direct correspondence between the ce and cpi, and for
those components the change for the most comparable component, or a weighted average change
of more than one component, is shown.
Table 2.
Expenditure shares of urban and rural consumer units, Interview Survey, 1972-73,1980, and 19851
[In percent]
U rb a n
R u ra l
S i g n if ic a n c e
Ite m
1 9 7 2 -7 3
1980
1985
1 9 7 2 -7 3
1980
1985
Total expenditures:
Average (in dollars)................................................................................................
Percent of total .....................................................................................................
$9,420
100.0
$16,723
100.0
$22,810
100.0
$ 7,760
100.0
$13,663
100.0
$19,197
100.0
Food .....................................................................................................................
Food at home .......................................................................................................
Food away ...........................................................................................................
Alcoholic beverages ..................................................................................................
Housing ..................................................................................................................
Shelter ................................................................................................................
Owned dwellings ................................................................................................
Rented dwellings................................................................................................
Other lodging.....................................................................................................
Fuels and utilities ..................................................................................................
Household operations............................................................................................
Housefurnishings and equipment..............................................................................
17.8
(3)
(3)
.9
28.0
16.0
7.9
6.9
1.2
6.2
1.5
4.4
19.0
14.3
4.7
1.7
29.3
16.3
9.5
5.3
1.5
7.1
1.6
4.3
15.2
10.3
5.0
1.3
30.7
17.9
10.3
5.7
1.9
7.3
1.6
3.9
19.5
(3)
(3)
.6
24.5
11.5
7.2
3.2
1.1
7.6
1.1
4.4
20.4
16.6
3.8
1.4
25.2
11.8
8.4
2.1
1.2
8.4
1.2
3.2
15.6
11.5
4.2
1.1
26.4
13.6
9.5
2.8
1.2
8.2
1.3
3.3
Apparel and services ................................................................................................
Transportation .........................................................................................................
Vehicles ..............................................................................................................
Gasoline and motor oil............................................................................................
Other vehicle expenses...........................................................................................
Public transportation ..............................................................................................
7.8
18.7
7.5
4.3
5.7
1.2
5.4
20.4
7.0
7.1
5.1
1.3
5.4
19.8
8.6
4.4
5.4
1.3
6.8
22.0
9.6
5.7
6.2
.4
4.5
24.7
9.4
9.4
5.7
.5
4.4
25.0
12.6
6.0
5.9
.5
Health care..............................................................................................................
Entertainment...........................................................................................................
Personal care...........................................................................................................
Reading..................................................................................................................
Education................................................................................................................
Tobacco ..................................................................................................................
Miscellaneous...........................................................................................................
Cash contributions ....................................................................................................
Personal insurance and pensions ................................................................................
Life and other personal insurance ............................................................................
Retirement, pensions, and Social Security..................................................................
4.6
4.1
1.1
.5
1.3
1.4
1.1
3.9
8.7
3.9
4.8
4.4
4.3
.9
.7
1.2
1.0
1.5
2.9
7.2
1.5
5.7
4.4
4.9
.9
.6
1.4
.9
1.6
3.8
9.1
1.2
7.9
5.8
3.9
1.0
.5
1.0
1.5
1.0
3.8
8.2
3.6
4.5
5.2
4.1
.8
.6
.7
1.3
1.5
2.5
7.0
1.8
5.2
6.1
4.7
.7
.6
1.1
1.3
1.1
2.8
9.1
1.7
7.5
1 Expenditure shares are the percent of total expenditures spent on each component.
2 A chi-square test of the significance of the difference between proportions was used to test
whether the difference between urban and rural shares in 1985 was significant at the 5-psrcent
Changes from 1972-73 to 1985. There was little change
between 1972-73 and 1985 in the proportion of the total
population that was rural. The average size of the consumer
unit and the average age of the consumer unit head de
creased slightly for both urban and rural consumers over the
period.
Increased expenditures for housing and transportation
were primarily responsible for the overall increase in spend
ing between 1972-73 and 1985 for both urban and rural
consumer units. (See table 1.) Expenditures for some other
components increased at a faster rate, but housing and trans
portation accounted for much of the increase because they
were a larger share of consumers’ total spending and they
rose faster than the average. Among the housing subcompo
nents, expenditures on owned dwellings rose faster than
average total expenditures for both urban and rural con
sumer units, while expenditures on rented dwellings rose at
a slower rate than the total. Among the transportation sub
components, expenditures on vehicles increased at a faster
rate than total expenditures and somewhat more for rural
than for urban units. Gasoline and motor oil expenditures
increased at a slightly faster rate than total expenditures for
both urban and rural consumers. Gasoline price increases
that contributed to sharp increases in expenditures in the
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
te s t2
—
__
*
—
*
*
*
*
*
★
★
*
*
*
*
*
_
—
*
*
*
*
—
*
-
level. Those components for which the difference was significant are marked by an asterisk.
3 Data not available,
1970’s were offset by subsequent price decreases and by
conservation measures. Prices for motor fuel, motor oil,
coolant, and other products rose 241 percent between 1973
and 1981 as measured by the c p i , then dropped about 9
percent between 1981 and 1985; the net change from 1973
to 1985 was 211 percent. Also, average fuel consumption
per automobile dropped by 24 percent from 1973 to 1984
while the average mileage per gallon for automobiles im
proved 28 percent over that period.4
Expenditures on some components, such as vehicles
mentioned previously, rose at different rates for urban
consumers than they did for rural consumers. Expenditures
for alcoholic beverages rose at a faster rate for rural
consumer units than for urban units between 1972-73 and
1985. However, this component is historically un
derreported so that changes may reflect better reporting
rather than actual increases alone. Expenditures for other
lodging (which include expenses for vacation homes and
lodging while out of town) rose faster for urban than for
rural units, as did expenditures for miscellaneous goods and
services (which include bank fees, legal and accounting
fees, funerals, cemetery lots, union dues, occupational ex
penses, and finance charges other than for mortgages and
vehicles).
43
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Research Summaries
Changes in expenditure shares. Changes in the shares of
total expenditures spent on different components are used to
show how consumers’ expenditure patterns change over
time. Increases or decreases in shares show changes in the
way consumer units allocate their expenditures on individ
ual components relative to the change in total expenditures.
Changes in shares can take place gradually over a period of
years as consumers alter their expenditures in response to
changes in tastes, preferences, or lifestyle, or in response to
sudden economic changes. For example, the share of the
food dollar spent on food at home has been declining over
time and can be attributed in part to the increase in the
number of two-earner households. Families have had to
adjust their schedules to meet job requirements, which has
resulted in multiple-earner families taking more meals out
side the home. An example of a more sudden change was
the sharp increase in expenditures on gasoline in the 1970’s
as a result of the 1973-74 oil embargo that depleted supplies
and forced up prices.
Data in table 2 show how expenditure shares for urban
and rural consumer units changed between 1972-73 and
1985. Shares are also shown for 1980 because, for some
components such as food and gasoline, the shares over the
entire period from 1972-73 to 1985 were not steadily in
creasing or decreasing. Food expenditure shares for urban
and rural consumer units each increased about 1 percentage
point between 1972-73 and 1980. Subsquently, food ex
penditure increases slowed relative to increases in expendi
tures for other goods and services, and this is reflected in the
drop in food expenditure shares between 1980 and 1985:
Food expenditure shares
(percent o f total expenditures)
Urban
Rural
Housing expenditure shares increased steadily from
1972—73 to 1985 for both urban and rural consumer units;
the share that urban units spent on housing rose about 3
percentage points, from 28 percent in 1972-73 to 31 percent
in 1985, while rural units’ share rose about 2 percentage
points, from 25 percent to 27 percent over the period. The
percentage of units that were homeowners rose about 3
percentage points for both urban and rural consumers.
Transportation expenditure shares rose over the period
1972-73 to 1985, but more for rural than for urban con
sumer units. Shares rose from 22 to 25 percent for rural units
compared to an increase from 19 to 20 percent for their
urban counterparts. The sharp increase in gasoline prices
contributed to a rise in gasoline expenditure shares from
1972-73 to 1980. However, the subsequent decline in
prices, coupled with conservation measures, resulted in
gasoline shares dropping to about the same level as in 1972—
73 by 1985. Increases in expenditures on vehicles were
responsible for the larger increases in the overall transporta
tion component for rural consumers than for urban con
sumers. Vehicle shares dropped slightly from 1972-73 to
1980 for both urban and rural consumer units. However,
they then rose sharply from 1980 to 1985 and more rapidly
for rural than for urban units. Other transportation compo
nents accounted for about the same share of total expendi
tures in 1985 as in 1972-73.
Expenditure shares for retirement, pensions, and Social
Security also increased from 1972-73 to 1985. Shares rose
about 3 percentage points for both urban and rural consumer
units, with much of the increase occurring between 1980
and 1985. Over that period, the annual maximum taxable
earnings for Social Security rose from $25,900 to $39,600
and the employee contribution rate rose from 6.13 percent
to 7.05 percent.5
1972-73 1980 1985 1972-73 1980 1985
Food, total.............
Food at home . .
Food away.........
17.8
*
*
19.0
14.3
4.7
15.2
10.3
5.0
19.5
*
*
20.4 15.6
16.6 11.5
3.8 4.2
*Data not available.
Food expenditure shares dropped for both urban and rural
consumer units, but more for rural units than urban. In
1972-73, food accounted for a larger share of rural con
sumers’ total unit expenditures than of urban consumers’—
20 percent versus 18 percent— but, by 1985, this difference
had almost disappeared. The decline in food expenditure
shares from 1980 to 1985 was accounted for entirely by the
drop in the food at home component, as expenditure shares
for food away from home actually increased slightly over
the period. As a result, food away from home accounted for
an increasing portion of overall food expenditures. The drop
in expenditure shares for food at home corresponds to the
slower price rise of food at home items relative to the price
increases of all goods and services. From 1980 to 1985,
food at home prices as measured by the cp i -u rose only
18 percent compared to a 31-percent increase in the AllItems CPI-U.
44
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
T his r epo rt sh o w s that there are differences in the way that
urban and rural consumers allocate their expenditure bud
gets. Also, the differences in expenditure shares between
the two groups are not static, but rather fluctuate in response
to socioeconomic changes. As more data become available,
analysts will have the opportunity to compare and follow
changes in expenditure patterns of the two groups. The data
provided by the Consumer Expenditure Survey can be of
help in developing economic programs specific to each of
the two different population groups.
--------- FOOTNOTES--------1 See Kathleen K. Scholl, “Income and Poverty Rates: Farm and Non
farm Residence ,” Family Economics Review, no. 1, 1983, pp. 16-19; and
Kathleen K. Scholl, “Economic Outlook for Farm Families: 1986,” in U.S.
Department of Agriculture, Outlook '86: Proceedings, Agricultural Out
look Conference, Dec. 4, 1985, pp. 279-88.
2 Urban, as defined in this survey, includes the rural population within
metropolitan areas.
3 A consumer unit comprises: 1) all members of a particular household
related by blood, marriage, adoption, or other legal arrangements; 2) a
person living alone or sharing a household with others or living as a roomer
in a private home or lodging house or in permanent living quarters in a hotel
or motel but who is financially independent; or 3) two or more persons
living together who pool their income to make joint expenditure decisions.
For the purposes o f this report, consumers and consumer units may be used
interchangeably.
4 Data on fuel consumption are from Statistical Abstract of the United
States, 1987 (Bureau of the Census, 1987), p. 590, table 1032, “Domestic
Motor Fuel Consumption, By Type of Vehicle: 1970 to 1984.”
Table 1. Average hourly earnings1 in glass container and
other pressed or blown glassware manufacturing, selected
occupations, June 1986 and May 1980
J u n e 1986
D e p a rtm e n t a n d
o c c u p a t io n
A Bureau of Labor Statistics study of the pressed or blown
glass and glassware industry in June 1986 found that wages
in glass container manufacturing averaged $9.89 an hour— a
29-percent increase over the $7.66 average reported in May
1980.1 Average straight-time earnings of workers in other
types of glassware plants (for example, those making table
ware) rose 48 percent— from $6.40 an hour to $9.47.2 Be
cause of smaller pay gains over the 6-year period, glass
container workers saw their pay advantage over workers in
the other glassware plants narrow from 20 percent in 1980
to 4 percent in 1986.3
Between 1980 and 1986, glass containers have met with
strong competition from metal cans and plastic bottles, con
tributing to 6 straight years of declining shipments of glass
containers.4 The industry has reacted, in part, through
smaller wage settlements, closing marginal plants, and
downsizing staff at the remaining locations. The Bureau’s
1986 survey estimates that there were 91 glass container
plants employing about 39,000 production workers— an av
erage plant size of 425 workers; the 1980 survey reported
104 plants with 54,500 production workers— an average
plant size of about 525 workers.5 The sharp employment
declines have more than offset lowered container output,
substantially raising the industry’s productivity (output per
hour) to an average annual rate of 4.8 percent between 1980
and 1985 (the latest year available).6
The narrowing pay gap affected a large majority of the
production occupations covered in the 1980 and 1986 sur
veys. Table 1 presents average hourly earnings of surveyed
jobs common to both industries. It shows that by 1986, little
or no pay advantage was reported in glass container firms
for batch mixers, mold polishers, final inspectors, selectors,
pipefitters, assemblers, janitors, and material handling la
borers. In fact, furnace operators had an 8-percent disadvan
tage relative to the same occupation in other glassware fac
tories, whereas they had an 11-percent advantage in 1980.
In contrast, forming-machine upkeepers and watchmen, re
spectively, the highest and lowest paying jobs studied for
glass container workers, maintained a substantial pay ad
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
con
t a in e r s
5 Data are from Statistical Abstract of the United States, 1987 , p. 348,
table 586, “Social Security ( o a s d h i ) — Contribution Rates: 1970 to 1990.”
Glass container wage gains trail
those in other glassware plants
G la s s
All production
workers2 .........
$ 9.89
Batch house
and furnaces:
Batch mixers . . . .
Batch-and-furnace
operators .......
Cullet handlers ...
Furnace operators
9.21
10.12
9.16
9.70
12.35
O th e r
M ay 1980
Con
Con
t a in e r s
t a in e r s
as
g la s s
p e rc e n t
w a re
o f o th e r
in d u s t r y
g la s s
con
ta in e r s
O th e r
as
g la s s
p e rc e n t
w a re
o f o th e r
in d u s t r y
g la s s
w a re
w a re
a v e ra g e
a v e ra g e
104
$ 7.66
9.11
101
7.25
6.34
114
8.68
8.60
10.53
117
107
92
7.46
7.09
7.54
6.19
6.05
6.79
121
117
111
10.79
114
10.02
8.04
125
13.43
9.90
9.85
9.86
136
100
10.85
7.19
7.85
5.83
138
123
Annealing:
Lehr tenders.......
9.79
8.71
112
7.33
6.24
117
Decorating:
Decorating-machine
operators .......
9.64
8.43
114
7.25
5.83
124
Mold shop:
Mold makers,
metal ............
12.64
12.08
105
9.93
8.95
111
Selecting and
inspecting:
Inspectors, final ..
Selectors ...........
9.19
8.75
9.08
8.80
101
99
7.10
6.74
6.15
5.78
115
117
Maintenance:
Electricians.........
Machinists .........
Mechanics .........
Pipefitters...........
12.50
12.69
12.40
11.90
11.72
12.09
11.55
11.79
107
105
107
101
9.93
10.06
9.90
9.52
8.18
8.62
8.12
8.17
121
117
122
117
8.94
8.74
8.90
8.63
100
101
6.87
6.58
5.86
5.90
117
112
9.14
9.49
8.50
9.07
9.03
6.25
101
105
136
6.99
7.22
6.76
5.62
6.23
5.25
124
116
129
Machine forming:
Forming-machine
operators .......
Forming-machine
upkeepers.......
Mold polishers ...
Miscellaneous:
Assemblers, carton
Janitors ............
Laborers, material
handling .........
Power truckers ...
Watchmen .........
$ 9.47
G la s s
$ 6.40
120
1Earnings data exclude premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends, holidays, and
late shifts. Incentive payments, such as those resulting from piecework or production bonus
systems, and cost-of-living pay increases (but not bonuses) were included as part of the work
ers’ regular pay. Excluded are performance bonuses and lump-sum payments, as well as
profit-sharing payments, attendance bonuses, Christmas or yearend bonuses, and other non
production bonuses.
2 Includes data for workers in occupations in addition to those shown separately.
vantage (36 percent) over the 6-year period.
In addition to similar pay levels, the glassware industries
also shared a broad mix of skill requirements which pro
vided for substantial differences in pay between the highest
and lowest paid occupational groups studied. For example,
the top earners in glass container firms (forming-machine
upkeepers at $13.43 an hour) averaged 58 percent more than
the lowest paid (watchmen at $8.50 an hour). In other glass
ware plants, the corresponding differential was even
45
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Research Summaries
greater— a 93-percent spread between hourly pay levels for
maintenance machinists ($12.09) and watchmen ($6.25).
About nine-tenths of the workers in the two industries
were paid time rates, usually under formal systems provid
ing single rates for specified occupations. Forming-machine
operators and upkeepers, two exceptions, were commonly
paid on an incentive basis; in glass containers, they typically
averaged 15 to 20 percent more in hourly earnings than their
time-rated counterparts.
Nearly all establishments in the survey operated under
labor-management contracts covering all or a majority of
their production workers. The American Flint Glass Work
ers Union of North America ( a f l -c io ) usually represented
workers in the mold-making departments in both industries
and other production workers in the pressed or blown glass
ware (except containers) industry. The Glass, Pottery, Plas
tics, and Allied Workers International Union typically had
contracts covering production workers outside the mold
making departments of glass container plants. Bargaining is
generally conducted on a company-by-company basis.
Virtually all establishments in the 1986 survey provided
paid holidays, usually 12 per year, and paid vacations, typ
ically 1 to 6 weeks per year depending on years of service.
Other widespread provisions for paid time off included sick
ness and accident insurance or sick leave, or both; funeral
leave; and jury-duty leave. Retirement pension plans and
various insurance plans— including life, accidental death
and dismemberment, hospitalization, surgical, basic and
major medical, and dental coverage— also were available to
a large majority of the workers. Employers typically paid
the entire cost of these benefits.
For each of the two industries, separate reports for regions
of industry concentration are available from the Bureau of
Labor Statistics or any of its regional offices. A comprehen
46
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
sive report, Industry Wage Survey: Pressed or Blown Glass
and Glassware, June 1986, Bulletin 2286, may be pur
chased from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Publication
Sales Center, p.o. Box 2145, Chicago, il 60690, or the
Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office, Washington, DC 20402. The bulletin provides addi
tional information on occupational pay, by region and by
size of establishment, and on the incidence of employee
benefits, nationwide and by region.
---------- FOOTNOTES---------1 For an account of the 1980 study, see “Container plant workers win
largest gains in glassware manufacturing,” Monthly Labor Review , De
cember 1981, pp. 5 4-55.
Earnings data exclude premium pay for overtime and for work on week
ends, holidays, and late shifts. Incentive payments, such as those resulting
from piecework or production bonus systems, and cost-of-living pay in
creases (but not bonuses) were included as part of the workers’ regular pay.
Excluded are performance bonuses and lump-sum payments of the type
negotiated in the auto and aerospace industries, as well as profit-sharing
payments, attendance bonuses, Christmas or yearend bonuses, and other
nonproduction bonuses.
2 The wage and salary component of the Bureau’s Employment Cost
Index for durable goods manufacturing rose 40 percent between the second
quarter of 1980 and June 1986.
3 The gap narrowed in part because container employees gave up a
31-cent-per-hour scheduled increase in 1985 when their employers were
experiencing financial problems. Still, even if one counts the 31 cents
which was later restored by several companies in August 1986, the gap was
less than half that reported in 1980.
4 For a discussion of the rigid containers industries, see 1987 U.S.
Industrial Outlook (International Trade Administration, 1987), ch. 6 -1
through 6 -6 .
5 A minimum size for survey establishments was 100 workers in both the
1980 and 1986 studies.
6 See Productivity Measures for Selected Industries, 1958-85 , Bulletin
2277 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1987), p. 139.
Major Agreements
Expiring Next Month
T h is list o f se lected co llectiv e b a rg a in in g ag reem en ts ex p irin g in A p ril is b ased on in form ation
co llected by the B u r e a u ’s O ffice o f C o m p en sa tio n an d W ork in g C on d itio n s. T h e list in clu d es
a g reem en ts c o v erin g 1 ,0 0 0 w o rk ers o r m o re. P riv a te in d u stry is arran ged in o rd er o f S tan d ard
In d u stria l C la ssific a tio n .
I n d u str y o r a c tiv ity
E m p lo y e r a n d lo c a tio n
N u m b er o f
w ork ers
L a b o r o r g a n iz a tio n 1
P r iv a te
C o n s tr u c t io n ..............................................
F o o d p ro d u c ts
C h e m ic a ls
.........................................
.................................................
R u b b e r .........................................................
B u ild e rs A sso c ia tio n o f M is so u ri (K a n sa s C ity , MO) ....................................
L a b o r e r s ........................................................
4 ,0 0 0
S o u th e rn Illin o is B u ild e rs A sso c ia tio n (Illin o is) ..............................................
L a b o r e r s ........................................................
1 ,9 0 0
W e st V irg in ia C o n tra c to rs B a rg a in in g A sso c ia tio n
(W e st V irg in ia )
S te e lw o rk e rs
..............................................
2 ,0 0 0
A g rip a c , In c. ( O r e g o n ) .................................................................................................
T e a m s t e r s ......................................................
3 ,5 0 0
R o c k w e ll In te rn a tio n a l C o r p ., H a n fo rd O p e ra tio n s
(R ic h la n d , w a )
H an fo rd M eta l T ra d e s C o u n c i l ..........
2 ,0 0 0
F ire sto n e T ire an d R u b b e r C o . (In te rsta te )
R u b b e r W o rk e rs
......................................
8 ,5 0 0
1 ,200
........................................................
F ire s to n e T ire an d R u b b e r C o . (O k la h o m a C ity ,
ok)
....................................
R u b b e r W o rk e rs
......................................
B . F . G o o d ric h C o . (In te rsta te ) ................................................................................
R u b b e r W o rk e rs
......................................
G o o d y e a r T ire an d R u b b e r C o . ( I n t e r s t a t e ) ........................................................
R u b b e r W o rk e rs ......................................
U n iro y a l, In c. ( I n t e r s t a t e ) ............................................................................................
R u b b e r W o rk e rs
......................................
4 ,2 0 0
.................................
U n ite d A irlin e s (In te rsta te ) ..........................................................................................
A ir L in e P ilo ts A s s o c i a ti o n ..................
4 ,9 0 0
C o m m u n ic a tio n .......................................
G e n e ra l T e le p h o n e C o . o f In d ia n a ( I n d i a n a ) ......................................................
C o m m u n ic a tio n s W o r k e r s .....................
1 ,3 0 0
U tilitie s
C in c in n a ti G a s a n d E le c tric C o . ( O h i o ) ................................................................
E le c tric a l W o rk e rs ( ib e w ) .....................
1 ,9 0 0
N o rth e rn M in n e s o ta a n d N o rth e rn W isc o n sin fo o d m e rc h a n ts
(M in n e s o ta a n d W isc o n sin )
F o o d an d C o m m e rc ia l W o rk e rs
....
1 ,3 0 0
...........................................................
F o o d a n d C o m m e rc ia l W o rk e rs
....
4 ,0 0 0
........................................................................
F o o d a n d C o m m e rc ia l W o rk e rs
....
1 ,000
.................................
3 0 ,0 0 0
A ir tra n sp o rta tio n
......................................................
R e ta il tra d e
..............................................
G ia n t E a g le F o o d S to re s (P ittsb u rg h , p a )
M a g ru d e rs F o o d S to re s (In te rsta te )
R e a l e s ta te .................................................
1 Affiliated with
AFL-Cio
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
R e a lty A d v is o ry B o a rd o n L a b o r R e la tio n s, a p a rtm e n t a g re e m e n t
(N ew Y o rk , n y )
S erv ic e E m p lo y e e s
7 ,2 0 0
1 6 ,0 0 0
except where noted as independent (Ind.).
47
Developments in
Industrial Relations
New contract for gas and electric workers
the new approach, the unions will hold joint meetings to
formulate their bargaining goals, which presumably will
result in more-or-less identical contract terms for the
155,000 employees represented by the Communications
Workers, and the 41,000 represented by the Electrical
Workers.
The move toward common bargaining would contrast
with that in 1986 when the Electrical Workers settled peace
fully with a t &t , but the Communications Workers’ settle
ment was preceded by a work stoppage. Contract terms
were, however, similar for both units.
About 13,000 operations and maintenance employees of
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. in Northern California were
covered by a 3-year agreement negotiated by Local 1245 of
the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. Bar
gaining was continuing for 4,000 clerical employees repre
sented by the same union. Another union, the Engineers and
Scientists of California (an affiliate of the Marine Engi
neers), settled for 1,700 engineers, designers, and drafting
employees.
The Electrical Workers’ contract provided for 2.75percent pay increases in January of 1988 and 1989, and for
reopening wage bargaining in 1990.
In moves to control labor costs, the parties agreed to a
12.5-percent cut in starting pay rates for new employees,
who will, however, continue to progress to the same top
rates as other employees; to suspend certain work rules
when the company is attempting to develop more efficient
operating methods; and to study ways to broaden job duties
to enable work crews to perform both gas and electric work.
The accord for the engineers, designers, and drafting
employees provided for two 2.75-percent specified pay in
creases. Other terms included a reopening on wages and
pensions in the third year; termination of an automatic costof-living pay adjustment provision (the Electrical Workers
did not have such a provision); revision of the Blue Cross
plan to include a substance abuse program and a requirement
that employees use designated preferred organizations to be
eligible for full payment of charges (employees using other
service providers will be covered at 90 percent of the cost of
usual, customary, and necessary care); and formation of
committees to study cross-training of gas and electric per
sonnel and ways to increase employee job satisfaction and
productivity.
At American Airlines, members of the Association of
Professional Flight Attendants were covered by a 5-year
contract that begins to merge the two-tiered pay scale.
Under the system, “B” scale employees hired in 1983 or
later were paid at about half the rate of “A” scale employees
hired earlier. Reportedly, about half of the 12,000 flight
attendants were on the B scale, earning an average of
$12,000 a year, compared with $25,000 to $27,000 to those
on the A scale.
Under the settlement, the pay scale for first-year em
ployees was raised 15.7 percent, and B scale employees will
move to the A scale in their eighth year of service. This shift
will result in pay increases up to 45.8 percent for some
employees over the contract term. Pay rates were not
changed for A scale employees, but they will receive $600
lump-sum payments in each contract year.
The settlement, which averted a planned 2-day work stop
page by the attendants, also provided for increased normal
pensions and for a new early retirement option for attendants
age 45 to 55 with 20 years’ service; and for changes in pay
rules for nonflight duty hours.
Unions to coordinate 1989 bargaining with
Graphics contract calls for rehiring strikers
a t
&t
The first move toward the 1989 round of bargaining in
telephone communications occurred when the Communica
tions Workers and the International Brotherhood of Electri
cal Workers agreed to coordinate their national bargaining
with American Telephone and Telegraph Co. ( a t &t ). Under
“Developments in Industrial Relations” is prepared by George Ruben of the
Division o f Developments in Labor-Management Relations, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, and is largely based on information from secondary
sources.
48
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Two-tier pay to merge for flight attendants
One of the longest union-management disputes in U.S.
history ended with a settlement between Areata Graphics—
formerly the Kingsport Press— and the Aluminum, Brick
and Glass Workers. The dispute began in 1963, when the
Kingsport Press and five printing unions reached a bargain
ing impasse, leading to a work stoppage, the hiring of re
placement workers, and the ouster of the unions as bargain
ing representatives in a 1967 election. (See Monthly Labor
Review, October 1987, p. 49.) Key issues in the dispute
were wages, vacations, equipment staffing, seniority, and
subcontracting work to other companies.
Under the settlement, Areata agreed to rehire 80 percent
of the terminated employees as permanent workers or as
extras to be utilized during peak production periods.
Other terms of the 3-year contract included—
• Lump-sum payments of $600 in the first year and $500
in the second year, and 2.5-percent pay increases in the
second and third years.
• Company-financed health, life, and dental insurance.
• Sickness and accident benefits up to $190 a week for up
to 26 weeks.
• A defined benefit pension plan, with participants re
ceiving past service credits.
• Ten paid holidays.
• A reduction in the paid-vacation requirement to 1,400
hours worked in a year.
• A 10-cent-an-hour increase in the shift differentials.
Pineapple workers get compensation increase
In Hawaii, a settlement between pineapple producers and
Local 142 of the Longshoremen’s and Warehousemen’s
union provided for three annual 1.5-percent pay increases
and quarterly lump-sum payments. Each lump-sum payment
will equal 1.5 percent of employee earnings, including over
time and premium pay, during the preceding 3 months. Prior
to the settlement, pay rates ranged from $7.42 to $10.91 an
hour.
Benefit terms for the 4,000 employees included a $300
increase in the annual cap on dental benefits for a family and
a $1 increase in the basic pension rate, to $9.50 a month for
each year of credited service to 35 years. As before, each
year of service beyond 35 years is rewarded at 50 percent of
the basic monthly pension rate.
The companies involved in the settlement were Dole C o.,
Del Monte Corp., and Maui Land and Pineapple Co.
Columbus gives police officers wage increase
In Columbus, o h , 1,250 police officers were covered by
a 3-year contract that called for wage increases, and for
changes in other provisions intended to control labor costs.
The wage increases are 4.5 percent at the beginning of the
second and third contract years. Under the prior contract,
pay ranged from $16,848 for new officers to $27,788 after
2\ years’ service. After the third-year increase in the new
contract, pay will range from $19,408 for new officers to
$32,014 after
years’ service.
In addition to the lengthening of the pay progression
schedule, the union agreed that officers who report for a
court case will now receive only 1 hour’s pay if the case is
dismissed or continued. As before, they will receive 3
hours’ pay if the case is tried.
In addition to an expected $600,000 annual cost savings
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
from the new court appearance rules, city officials expect
$300,000 annual savings from new health care costcontainment rules, such as higher deductibles and a secondopinion requirement before elective surgery. The settlement
also called for increased longevity pay and uniform al
lowances. The city agreed to hire 105 officers a year, a net
gain of 70 jobs because about 35 jobs must be filled each
year due to attrition.
New Orleans teachers, related workers, settle
In Louisiana, the Orleans Parish School Board and the
United Teachers of New Orleans negotiated a 3-year con
tract for 6,000 teachers, social workers, counselors, and
clerical workers that provided no significant changes in
wages or benefits. Union officials said they reluctantly ac
cepted the terms because tax revenue was not available to
finance increases in compensation, but they would work to
get citizen approval of a property tax increase in New Or
leans to finance future improvements. In September 1986,
voters had rejected a property tax increase, influenced, to
some extent, by the State’s projected $300 million budget
deficit which stemmed, in part, from cutbacks in petroleum
output.
In mid-1986, the University of New Orleans reported that
the average teacher salary in New Orleans was between
$15,000 and $17,000 a year.
Concessions allow steel plant to modernize
Armco Inc. began a $100 million modernization of its
steel slab casting plant in Ashland, k y , after the Steelwork
ers agreed to a cut in compensation totaling $22.5 million
over 3 years. The cuts, approved by the members of local
union 1865 in July, were approved by the Steelworkers’
national leaders in November, after Armco agreed to repay
the cuts plus 7 percent interest in four installments. The first
installment will be made when shipments of steel resulting
from the improved process total one million tons.
The temporary aid from the 3,200 employees is com
posed of a 69-cent-an-hour cut in wages, which had aver
aged $11.05; elimination of two paid holidays; and a cut to
double-time pay, from double-time and one-half, for work
ing holidays.
Local union president John Blankenship said the financial
aid to Armco was considered an investment in the future of
the plant, rather than a concession. He said the plant had lost
money during 34 of the last 36 months and that the hourly
paid work force would have been cut to 800 employees if the
union had not agreed to aid in the modernization.
Stock workers improve early retirement benefits
Adoption of improvements in early retirement benefits
ended a bargaining dispute between Local 153 of the Office
and Professional Employees and the New York Stock Ex
change and the Securities Industry Automation Corp.,
49
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Developments in Industrial Relations
which is partly owned by the Exchange and operates its
computer system. The settlement came a few days after the
union had ended a 3-day work stoppage and resumed nego
tiations. The stoppage was the first at the exchange in 40
years.
Under the new pension provisions, employees retiring at
age 55 will receive 86 percent of the normal benefit rate,
compared with 75 percent under the agreement that expired
on October 31. A union official said that the change was
vital to employees because the stock exchange’s trading
floor is a “madhouse, and we have people who have been
working there 25 to 30 years. They’re burned out, but until
now they couldn’t affort to retire.”
The 3-year accord, covering 1,400 employees, also pro
vides for 5-percent salary increases in each year.
New York issues guidelines for
v d t
operators
Employee concerns over possible adverse physical effects
from operating video display terminals ( vdt ) were ad
dressed in a new policy negotiated by the State of New York
and the Civil Service Employees Association, a unit of the
State, County and Municipal Employees. The new policy,
which guides State agencies in improving working condi
tions, calls for—
• work-station furniture and layout to meet the require
ments of individual employees;
• reduced noise and greater control of temperature and
humidity;
• special lighting and use of hoods, screens, and proper
window shades to reduce glare and eyestrain;
• breaks and job shifts for vdt operators; and
Master contract at Blue Cross-Blue Shield
• training for em p lo y ees and supervisors on ergonom ic
design and safe use o f v d t ’s .
A 3-month work stoppage involving Blue Cross-Blue
Shield operations in various Michigan locations ended when
four United Auto Workers local unions agreed to a 3-year
master contract. In previous years, the locals had negotiated
separate but essentially identical contracts for the 4,000
clerical employees.
The settlement provided for an immediate $1,500 lump
sum payment and a 3-percent pay increase in the second
year and a 4-percent increase in the final year. All workers
meeting job performance requirements will also receive 3percent merit pay increases in each year.
The accord also put all workers under a single seniority
system; allowed workers to file grievances over classifica
tion of their jobs; increased health benefit options; expanded
the counseling program to cover more than substance abuse;
and expanded employee training in new technology.
The company, which continued to operate during the
stoppage by assigning 2,000 supervisors and technicians to
lengthened work schedules, also agreed to rehire workers it
had fired during the stoppage.
The new policy declares that “there is presently no con
clusive scientific data to support” the union’s demand for
protective equipment and devices. The policy also does not
require the State to finance eye examinations and glasses for
vdt operators.
Elsewhere, the World Health Organization reported that
visual discomfort is common among vdt operators, but
there is no evidence of permanent vision impairment. To
reduce the discomfort from vdt use, the report recommends
that employers give extra attention to the design of equip
ment, workplace, work environment, and work practices.
According to the report, musculoskeletal discomfort is
common among vdt operators, but further research is nec
essary to determine if this is an indicator or precursor of
injury.
The report, prepared by Ulf Ove Bergqvist and Bergt
Knave of the Swedish National Board of Occupational
Health and Safety, is based on the 1985 findings of a Work
ing Group on v d t ’s sponsored by the World Health Organi
zation.
50
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Book Reviews
Two approaches to labor theory
Economics o f Labor in Industrial Society. Edited by Clark
Kerr and Paul D. Staudohar. San Francisco, c a ,
Jossey-Bass, Inc., Publishers, 1986. 420 pp. $29.95.
Industrial Relations in a New Age: Economic, Social, and
Managerial Perspectives. Edited by Clark Kerr and
Paul D. Staudohar. San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass,
Inc., Publishers, 1986. 417 pp. $29.95.
Where conflicting interpretations of facts must be exam
ined, two types of reading collections are in use. First are
collections of chapters authored by individual experts who
summarize the views of others. Second are those which
allow the proponents of contrasting views to speak for them
selves by presenting material from original sources. Com
mentaries and analysis are often provided in both types.
The quality of each type can vary, of course, depending
on the objectivity of the editors and the breadth of their
experience and scholarship. The volumes reviewed here
demonstrate that the second type is preferable. Professors
Clark Kerr and Paul D. Staudohar have extracted the essen
tial meaning of complex concepts in a fashion permitting
challenge and encouraging further study.
In these two volumes, readers may enjoy the product of
two generations of expertise in labor economics and indus
trial relations. Both editors are undoubtedly acquainted with
the entire scope of writings in, for example, the economic
role of unions. But it is this splendid collaboration which
guarantees that the reader will benefit from interpretations
as varied as those of Henry Simons or Richard B. Freeman
and James L. Medoff.
Two other features of these volumes enhance their value
as texts for classroom use: each chapter closes with ques
tions for discussion and additional relevant readings for
students wishing to explore the subject further.
The economics text begins with segments devoted to eco
nomic history and the evolution from serfdom to the factory
system. There is a discussion of the Wisconsin school’s
view of American exceptionalism as well as some of the
revisionist interpretations of American labor history.
The authors discuss a series of economic issues which
should be read by those interested in modem labormanagement relations: the nature and role of the labor force
and of management; productivity problems; the labor mar
ket; income, wages, and stagflation; the welfare state; and
industrial policy.
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Two final chapters serve as a more direct introduction to
industrial relations: one on the economic role of unions and
the other on alternative research perspectives. It is here that
Kerr urges labor economists to concentrate their research on
observation and understanding, rather than on that which
can be quantified:
Much of the econometric work . . . has deteriorated into a
study of trivia: into more and more analyses of smaller bits
and pieces of data . . . little concern is paid to expanding the
pools of information and little concern is expressed for the
comparative intellectual value of the results. This can lead, if
carried too far and too long, to creeping sterility.
The companion volume, Industrial Relations in a New
A g e, has a similar format and is just as successful in its
coverage of this more modem field. It should be pointed out
that this volume is not restricted to the nuts and bolts of
collective bargaining. Rather, it focuses on the different
perspectives of industrial relations and extends to the histor
ical, philosophical, political, and sociological elements
which go into the practice of industrial relations.
The collection begins by leading us from the basic matter
dealt with in the first volume, to the newer area of industrial
relations, with a historical overview of the meaning of work,
beginning with Marx and Engels and carefully tracing the
contributions of the sociologists. This is followed by an
analysis of changes taking place in the work force.
Before embarking on the discussion of collective bargain
ing, the editors present the insights of a variety of experts on
job satisfaction and dissatisfaction; quality of worklife; the
various forms of workers’ participation in management; and
the public policies which establish the rules of the game.
The three chapters on collective bargaining, industrial
conflict, and labor political action are among the best in
these volumes. However, placing them between two sepa
rate chapters on comparative industrial relations systems
may confuse the reader, especially because Great Britain,
Japan, and West Germany are each covered in both compar
ative treatments.
The final two chapters present the entire range of opinion
on the forces determining industrial societies in general as
well as the essential nature of our own industrial relations
system. The latter contains Kerr’s analysis of the various
forms of “convergence” which can be envisaged for future
industrial societies. Each will determine its own industrial
relations system, says Kerr, introducing the reader to his
thoughtful closing contribution to this excellent com
pendium. Then, after describing the contrasting ideological
51
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Book Reviews
goals of East and West, he points to forces for convergence
and diversity in these goals. He concludes:
Fuss, Melvyn A., H eteroskedasticity-C onsistent Estimation o f the
. . . that the forces for convergence generally tend to become
stronger and . . . those for continuing diversity become
weaker.
. . . But there is no prospective solution to the conflict of
irreconcilable sets of goals, each with its strong adherents.
This, in my opinion, is the greatest barrier to full conver
gence. . . . Additionally, full convergence is greatly im
peded by the ability of elites to perpetuate themselves and to
continue in power.
Inc., 1987, 10 pp. (Working Paper Series, 2401.) $2, paper.
A fitting close to a set of volumes designed to give readers
the whole gamut of views on complex matters and to mo
tivate them to thoughtful analysis before reaching firm
conclusions.
—Morris Weisz
International Labor Specialist
Bethesda, md
V ariance-Covariance M atrix fo r the Alm ost Ideal D em and Sys
tem. Cambridge, m a , National Bureau of Economic Research,
Gibson, Campbell, “The Population in Large Urban Concentra
tions in the United States, 1790-1980: A Delineation Using
Highly Urbanized Counties,” D e m ograph y , November 1987,
pp. 601-14.
Haub, Carl, U nderstanding Population P rojections. Washington,
Population Reference Bureau, Inc., 1987, 44 pp. (Population
Bulletin, Vol. 42, No. 4.)
International Labour Office, Statistical Sources and M ethods: Vol.
2, Em ploym ent, W ages and Hours o f Work (E stablishm ent Sur
veys). Geneva, International Labour Office, 1987, 241 pp.
Available in the United States from the Washington branch of
ILO.
O ’Hare, William P., “How to Evaluate Population Estimates,”
Am erican D em o g ra p h ics , January 1988, pp. 50-52.
Raymondo, James C., “ Who’s On First? More than Half of the
Fastest Growing Counties in the Country Are In Texas, Florida,
and Georgia,” Am erican D em o g ra p h ics , November 1987, be
ginning on p. 38.
Agriculture and natural resources
Rosen, Sherwin, Transactions C osts and Internal L abor M arkets.
Cambridge, m a , National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.,
1987, 26 pp. (Working Paper Series, 2407.) $2, paper.
Drabenstott, Mark and Alan Barkema, “U.S. Agriculture on the
Mend,” Econom ic R e view , Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas
City, December 1987, pp. 28-41.
Ross, Christine, Sheldon Danziger, Eugene Smolensky, “The
Level and Trend of Poverty in the United States, 1939-1979,”
D e m o g ra p h y , November 1987, pp. 587-600.
Farmers and Agricultural Policies: The Cost of OverSupply,” The O E C D O b server, August-September 1987, pp. 4 9.
Schmidt, Peter and Ann Dryden Witte, Predicting Crim inal R e
cidivism Using “Split Population” Survival Time M odels. Cam
bridge, m a , National Bureau o f Economic Research, Inc., 1987,
27 pp. (Working Paper Series, 2445.) $2, paper.
Publications received
“OECD
Economic and social statistics
ment and the M odern Union: A ssessing the Link Between P re
m arital C ohabitation and Subsequent M arital Stability. Cam
Schroeder, Esther C., “Testing Local Level Labor Force and Un
employment Projections,” D e m o g ra p h y , November 1987, pp.
649-61.
bridge, MA, National Bureau of Economic Research Inc., 1987.
(Working Paper Series, 2416.) $2, paper.
Schwartz, Joe, “Hispanics in the Eighties,” Am erican D em ograph
i c s , January 1988, pp. 42-45.
Blackburn, McKinley L. and David E. Bloom, “Regional
Roulette,” Am erican D em o g ra p h ics , January 1988, pp. 32-36.
The Japan Institute of Labour, Japanese Working Life Profile:
Statistical A spects. Tokyo, Japan, 1987, 80 pp.
Bennett, Neil G., Ann Klimas Blanc, David E. Bloom, Com m it
Blank, Rebecca M., D isaggregating the Effect o f the Business
C ycle on the D istribution o f Income. Cambridge, MA, National
Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1987, 29 pp. (Working
Paper Series, 2397.) $2, paper.
Cockbum, Iain and Zvi Griliches, Industry Effects and A ppropri
ability M easures in the Stock M arket’s Valuation o f R& D and
P atents. Cambridge, m a , National Bureau of Economic Re
Economic growth and development
Cacy, J. A. and Richard Roberts, “The U.S. Economy in 1987 and
1988, ” Econom ic R e view , Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas
City, December 1987, pp. 3-15.
search, Inc., 1987, 30 pp. (Working Paper Series, 2465.) $2,
paper.
Can Econom ic P olicy M anage the Econom y? Tenth A nniversary
C onvocation o f the Frank M. Engle Lecture in Econom ic Secu
rity held M ay 6, 1 9 8 7 , Bryn Mawr, pa The American College,
Cotton, Jeremiah, “Discrimination and Favoritism in the U.S.
Labor Market: The Cost to a Wage Earner of Being Female and
Black and the Benefit of Being Male and White,” Am erican
Journal o f E conom ics and S o c io lo g y , January 1988, pp. 15-28.
Gaude, J. and others, “Rural Development and Labour-Intensive
Schemes: Impact Studies of Some Pilot Programs,” Interna
tional L abour R e v ie w , July-August 1987, pp. 423-46.
Dickens, William T. and Kevin Lang, A G oodness o f F it Test o f
D ual L abor M arket Theory. Cambridge, MA, National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc., 1987, 9 pp. (Working Paper Series,
2350.) $2, paper.
Edmondson, Brad, “Inside the Empty Nest,” Am erican D em o
gra p h ics, November 1987, pp. 24-29.
52
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1987, 57 pp.
Ofer, Gur, “Soviet Economic Growth: 1928-1985,” Journal o f
E conom ic L itera tu re , December 1987, pp. 1767-1833.
Smith, Tim R., Mark Drabenstott, Lynn Gibson, “The Role of
Universities In Economic Development,” Econom ic R eview ,
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, November 1987, pp.
3-21.
Q
©,
Current
Labor Statistics
S c h e d u le o f r e le a s e d a te s fo r m a jo r
N o te s o n C u r r e n t L a b o r S ta tis tic s
bls
s ta tis tic a l s e r ie s
......................................................................................................54
................................................................................................................................................................ 55
C o m p a r a tiv e in d ic a to r s
1. Labor market indicators................................................................................................................................................................................................. 64
2. Annual and quarterly percent changes in compensation, prices, andproductivity .......................................................................................... 65
3. Alternative measures o f wage and compensation changes ......................................................................................................................................65
L a b o r fo r c e d a ta
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
Employment status of the total population, data seasonally ad ju sted .................................................................................................................
Employment status of the civilian population, data seasonally adjusted ..........................................................................................................
Selected employment indicators, data seasonally adjusted ...................................................................................................................................
Selected unemployment indicators, data seasonally adjusted ...............................................................................................................................
Unemployment rates by sex and age, data seasonally adjusted ..........................................................................................................................
Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment, data seasonally a d ju sted ...................................................................................................
Duration o f unemployment, data seasonally adjusted ............................................................................................................................................
Unemployment rates of civilian workers, by State .................................................................................................................................................
Employment of workers by State ...............................................................................................................................................................................
Employment of workers by industry, data seasonally adjusted.......................................
Average weekly hours by industry, data seasonally adjusted ..............................................................................................................................
Average hourly ¿amings by industry .........................................................................................................................................................................
Average weekly earnings by industry.........................................................................................................................................................................
Hourly Earnings Index by industry.............................................................................................................................................................................
Indexes of diffusion: proportion of industries in which employment increased, seasonally adjusted ......................................................
Annual data: Employment status of the noninstitutional population
........................................................................................................
Annual data: Employment levels by industry ..........................................................................................................................................................
Annual data: Average hours and earnings levels by industry..............................................................................................................................
66
67
68
69
70
70
70
71
71
72
73
74
75
75
76
76
76
77
L a b o r c o m p e n s a tio n a n d c o lle c tiv e b a r g a in in g d a ta
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
Employment Cost Index, compensation, by occupation and industry group ..................................................................................................
Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, by occupation and industry g r o u p ..................................................................
Employment Cost Index, private nonfarm workers, by bargaining status, region, and area s i z e ..............................................................
Specified compensation and wage adjustments from contract settlements, and effective wage adjustments,
situations covering 1,000 workers or more ..............................................................................................................................................................
Average specified compensation and wage adjustments, bargaining situationscovering 1,000 workers or m o r e ...................................
Average effective wage adjustments, bargaining situations covering 1,000 workers or more ......................................................................
Specified compensation and wage adjustments, State and local government bargaining
situations covering 1,000 workers or more ..............................................................................................................................................................
Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more ................................................................................................................................................
78
79
80
81
81
82
82
82
P r ic e d a ta
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
Consumer Price Index: U .S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service g ro u p s................................................
Consumer Price Index: U .S. city average and local data, all ite m s....................................................................................................................
Annual data: Consumer Price Index, all items and major groups .....................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes by stage of processing .......................................................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product ...................................................................................................................................................
Annual data: Producer Price Indexes by stage of p ro cessin g ...............................................................................................................................
U .S. export price indexes by Standard International Trade C lassification........................................................................................................
U .S. import price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification........................................................................................................
U .S. export price indexes by end-use category ........................................................................................................................................................
U .S. import price indexes by end-use c a teg o ry ........................................................................................................................................................
U .S. export price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification ..........................................................................................................................
U.S. import price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification ........................................................................................................................
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83
86
87
gg
g9
g9
90
91
92
92
92
93
53
MONTHLY LABOR
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics
Contents— Continued
Productivity data
42. Indexes o f productivity, hourly compensation, and unit costs, data seasonally adjusted ......................
93
43. Annual indexes of multifactor productivity .................................................................................................
94
44. Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and p r ic e s............................................................................................... 95
International comparisons
45. Unemployment rates in nine countries, data seasonally adjusted ........................................................................................................................
46. Annual data: Employment status of civilian working-age population, ten countries .................................................................................
47. Annual indexes of productivity and related measures, twelve countries .............................
95
95
97
Injury and illness data
48. Annual data: Occupational injury and illness incidence r a te s..............................................................................................................................
Schedule of release dates for
b l s
98
statistical series
R e le a s e
P e r io d
R e le a s e
P e r io d
R e le a s e
P e r io d
MLR t a b le
d a te
c o v e re d
d a te
c o v e re d
d a te
c o v e re d
num ber
May 2
1st quarter
Nonfinancial corporations..................
March 3
4th quarter
Employment situation .........................
March 4
February
April 1
May 6
April
Producer Price Index..........................
March 11
February
April 15
March
May 13
April
2:33-35
Consumer Price Index.........................
March 23
February
April 20
March
May 20
April
2; 30-32
Real earnings...................................
March 23
February
May 20
April
14-17
S e r ie s
Productivity and costs:
Nonfarm business and manufacturing ..
2; 42-44
2: 42-44
March
1; 4-21
April 20
March
Major collective bargaining
settlements ....................................
April 26
1st quarter
3; 25-28
Employment Cost Index .....................
April 26
1st quarter
1-3; 22-24
U.S. Import and Export
Price Indexes..................................
April 28
1st quarter
36-41
54
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NOTES ON CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS
This section o f the Review presents the principal statistical series collected
and calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: series on labor force,
employment, unemployment, collective bargaining settlements, consumer,
producer, and international prices, productivity, international comparisons,
and injury and illness statistics. In the notes that follow, the data in each
group o f tables are briefly described, key definitions are given, notes on the
data are set forth, and sources of additional information are cited.
Adjustments for price changes. Some data— such as the Hourly
Earnings Index in table 17— are adjusted to eliminate the effect o f 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 o f $3
and a current price index number of 150, where 1977 = 100, the hourly rate
expressed in 1977 dollars is $2 ($3/150 x 100 = $2). The $2 (or any other
resulting values) are described as “real,” “constant,” or “1977” dollars.
General notes
Additional information
The following notes apply to several tables in this section:
Seasonal adjustment.
Certain monthly and quarterly data are adjusted
to eliminate the effect on the data of such factors as climatic conditions,
industry production schedules, opening and closing of schools, holiday
buying periods, and vacation practices, which might prevent short-term
evaluation of the statistical series. Tables containing data that have been
adjusted are identified as “seasonally adjusted.” (All other data are not
seasonally adjusted.) Seasonal effects are estimated on the basis of past
experience. When new seasonal factors are computed each year, revisions
may affect seasonally adjusted data for several preceding years. (Season
ally adjusted data appear in tables 1 -3 , 4 -1 0 , 13, 14, 17, and 18.) Begin
ning in January 1980, the bls introduced two major modifications in the
seasonal adjustment methodology for labor force data. First, the data are
seasonally adjusted with a procedure called x -n arima, which was devel
oped at Statistics Canada as an extension of the standard x-n method
previously used by bls . A detailed description of the procedure appears in
The x -n a r im a Seasonal Adjustment Method by Estela Bee Dagum (Statis
tics Canada, Catalogue No. 12-564E, February 1980). The second change
is that seasonal factors are calculated for use during the first 6 months of
the year, rather than for the entire year, and then are calculated at midyear
for the July-December period. However, revisions of historical data con
tinue to be made only at the end of each calendar year.
Seasonally adjusted labor force data in tables 1 and 4 -1 0 were revised
in the February 1988 issue of the Review, to reflect experience through
1987.
Annual revisions of the seasonally adjusted payroll data shown in tables
13, 14, and 18 were made in the July 1987 Review using the x - n arima
seasonal adjustment methodology. New seasonal factors for productivity
data in table 42 are usually introduced in the September issue. Seasonally
adjusted indexes and percent changes from month to month and from
quarter to quarter 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.
Data that supplement the tables in this section are published by the
Bureau in a variety of sources. News releases provide the latest statistical
information published by the Bureau; the major recurring releases are
published according to the schedule preceding these general notes. More
information about labor force, employment, and unemployment data and
the household and establishment surveys underlying the data are available
in Employment and Earnings, a monthly publication of the Bureau. More
data from the household survey are published in the two-volume data
book— Labor Force Statistics Derived From the Current Population Sur
vey, Bulletin 2096. More data from the establishment survey appear in two
data books— Employment, Hours, and Earnings, United States, and Em
ployment, Hours, and Earnings, States and Areas, and the annual supple
ments to these data books. More detailed information on employee com
pensation and collective bargaining settlements is published in the monthly
periodical, Current Wage Developments. More detailed data on consumer
and producer prices are published in the monthly periodicals, The c p i
Detailed Report, and Producer Prices and Price Indexes. Detailed data on
all of the series in this section are provided in the Handbook of Labor
Statistics, which is published biennally by the Bureau, b ls bulletins are
issued covering productivity, injury and illness, and other data in this
section. Finally, the Monthly Labor Review carries analytical articles on
annual and longer term developments in labor force, employment, and
unemployment; employee compensation and collective bargaining; prices;
productivity; international comparisons; and injury and illness data.
Symbols
p = preliminary. To increase the timeliness of some series, prelim
inary figures are issued based on representative but incom
plete returns.
r = revised. Generally, this revision reflects the availability o f later
data but may also reflect other adjustments,
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified,
n.e.s. = not elsewhere specified.
COMPARATIVE INDICATORS
(Tables 1-3)
Comparative indicators tables provide an overview and comparison of
major bls statistical series. Consequently, although many of the included
series are available monthly, all measures in these comparative tables are
presented quarterly and annually.
Labor market indicators include employment measures from two ma
jor surveys and information on rates of change in compensation provided
by the Employment Cost Index (eci) program. The labor force participation
rate, the employment-to-population ratio, and unemployment rates for
major demographic groups based on the Current Population (“household ”)
Survey are presented, while measures of employment and average weekly
hours by major industry sector are given using nonagricultural payroll data.
The Employment Cost Index (compensation), by major sector and by
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bargaining status, is chosen from a variety of bls compensation and wage
measures because it provides a comprehensive measure of employer costs
for hiring labor, not just outlays for wages, and it is not affected by
employment shifts among occupations and industries.
Data on changes in compensation, prices, and productivity are pre
sented in table 2. Measures of rates of change of compensation and wages
from the Employment Cost Index program are provided for all civilian
nonfarm workers (excluding Federal and household workers) and for all
private nonfarm workers. Measures of changes in: consumer prices for all
urban consumers; producer prices by stage of processing; and the overall
export and import price indexes are given. Measures of productivity (output
per hour of all persons) are provided for major sectors.
55
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics
Alternative measures of wage and compensation rates of change,
which reflect the overall trend in labor costs, are summarized in table 3.
Differences in concepts and scope, related to the specific purposes of the
series, contribute to the variation in changes among the individual mea
sures.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
Definitions of each series and notes on the data are contained in later
sections of these notes describing each set of data. For detailed descriptions
of each data series, see bls Handbook of Methods, Volumes I and II,
Bulletins 2134-1 and 2 1 34-2 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982 and 1984,
respectively), as well as the additional bulletins, articles, and other publi
cations noted in the separate sections of the Review's “Current Labor
Statistics Notes.” Historical data for many series are provided in the Hand
book o f Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).
Users may also wish to consult Major Programs, Bureau of Labor Statis
tics, Report 718 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).
EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT DATA
( T a b le s 1; 4 - 2 1 )
Household survey data
the various data series appear in the Explanatory Notes of Employment and
Earnings.
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
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 59,500 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 o f the sample is the same for any 2 consecutive months.
Data in tables 4 -1 0 are seasonally adjusted, based on the seasonal
experience through December 1987.
employment data
D e f in it io n s
Employed persons include (1) all civilians 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. Members of the Armed
Forces stationed in the United States are also included in the employed
total. A person working at more than one job is counted only in the job at
which he or she worked the greatest number of hours.
Unemployed persons are those who did not work during the survey
week, but were available for work except for temporary illness and had
looked for jobs within the preceding 4 weeks. Persons who did not look for
work because they were on layoff or waiting to start new jobs within the
next 30 days are also counted among the unemployed. The overall unem
ployment rate represents the number unemployed as a percent of the labor
force, including the resident Armed Forces. The civilian unemployment
rate represents the number unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor
force.
The labor force consists of all employed or unemployed civilians plus
members o f the Armed Forces stationed in the United States. Persons not
in the labor force are those not classified as employed or unemployed; this
group includes persons who are retired, those engaged in their own house
work, those not working while attending school, those unable to work
because o f long-term illness, those discouraged from seeking work because
o f 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, and members of the Armed Forces
stationed in the United States. The labor force participation rate is the
proportion o f the noninstitutional population that is in the labor force. The
employment-population ratio is total employment (including the resident
Armed Forces) as a percent of the noninstitutional population.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
From time to time, and especially after £ decennial census, adjustments
are made in the Current Population Survey figures to correct for estimating
errors during the preceding years. These adjustments affect the comparabil
ity o f historical data. A description of these adjustments and their effect on
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A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
For detailed explanations of the data, see bls Handbook of Methods ,
Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 1, and for
additional data, Handbook of Labor Statistics , Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1985). A detailed description of the Current Population
Survey as well as additional data are available in the monthly Bureau of
Labor Statistics periodical, Employment and Earnings. Historical data
from 1948 to 1981 are available in Labor Force Statistics Derived from the
Current Population Survey: A Databook, Vols. I and II, Bulletin 2096
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982).
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 surveys,” Monthly
Labor Review, December 1969, pp. 9 -2 0 .
E s t a b lis h m e n t s u r v e y d a t a
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
Employment, hours, and earnings data in this section are compiled from
payroll records reported monthly on a voluntary basis to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics and its cooperating State agencies by more than 290,000
establishments representing all industries except agriculture. In most indus
tries, the sampling probabilities are based on the size of the establishment;
most large establishments are therefore in the sample. (An establishment is
not necessarily a firm; it may be a branch plant, for example, or ware
house.) Self-employed persons and others not on a regular civilian payroll
are outside the scope of the survey because they are excluded from estab
lishment records. This largely accounts for the difference in employment
figures between the household and establishment surveys.
D e f in it io n s
An establishment is an economic unit which produces goods or services
(such as a factory or store) at a single location and is engaged in one type
of economic activity.
Employed persons are all persons who received pay (including holiday
and sick pay) for any part of the payroll period including the 12th o f the
month. Persons holding more than one job (about 5 percent of all persons
in the labor force) are counted in each establishment which reports them.
Production workers in manufacturing include working supervisors and
all nonsupervisory workers closely associated with production operations.
Those workers mentioned in tables 12-17 include production workers in
manufacturing and mining; construction workers in construction; and non
supervisory workers in the following industries: transportation and public
utilities; wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and
services. These groups account for about four-fifths of the total employ
ment on private nonagricutural payrolls.
Earnings are the payments production or nonsupervisory workers re
ceive 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 reflect the effects of changes in
consumer prices. The deflator for this series is derived from the Consumer
Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (cpi- w). The
Hourly Earnings Index is calculated from average 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 o f changes and seasonal factors in the proportion of workers
in high-wage and low-wage industries.
Hours represent the average weekly hours of production or nonsupervi
sory workers for which pay was received and are different from standard
or scheduled hours. Overtime hours represent the portion of average
weekly hours which was in excess of regular hours and for which overtime
premiums were paid.
The Diffusion Index, introduced in the May 1983 Review , represents
the percent o f 185 nonagricultural industries in which employment was
rising over the indicated period. One-half of the industries with unchanged
employment are counted as rising. In line with Bureau practice, data for
the 1-, 3-, and 6-month spans are seasonally adjusted, while those for the
12-month span are unadjusted. The diffusion index is useful for measur
ing the dispersion of economic gains or losses and is also an economic
indicator.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
Establishment data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are peri
odically adjusted to com prehensive counts o f em ploym ent (called
“benchmarks”). The latest complete adjustment was made with the release
o f May 1987 data, published in the July 1987 issue of the Review. Conse
quently, data published in the Review prior to that issue are not necessarily
comparable to current data. Unadjusted data have been revised back to
April 1985; seasonally adjusted data have been revised back to January
1982. These revisions were published in the Supplement to Employment
and Earnings (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1987). Unadjusted data from
April 1986 forward, and seasonally adjusted data from January 1983 for
ward are subject to revision in future benchmarks.
In the establishment survey, estimates for the 2 most recent months are
based on incomplete returns and are published as preliminary in the tables
(13 to 18 in the Review). When all returns have been received, the esti
mates are revised and published as final in the third month of their appear
ance. Thus, August data are published as preliminary in October and
November and as final in December. For the same reason, quarterly estab
lishment data (table 1) are preliminary for the first 2 months of publication
and final in the third month. Thus, second-quarter data are published as
preliminary in August and September and as final in October.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
Detailed national data from the establishment survey are published
monthly in the bls periodical, Employment and Earnings. Earlier compara
ble unadjusted and seasonally adjusted data are published in Employment,
Hours, and Earnings, United States, 1909-84, Bulletin 1312-12 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 1985) and its annual supplement. For a detailed discus
sion of the methodology of the survey, see bls Handbook of Methods,
Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 2. For addi
tional data, see Handbook of Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1985).
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 surveys,” Monthly
Labor Review, December 1969, pp. 9 -2 0 .
Unemployment data by State
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
Data presented in this section are obtained from two major sources— the
Current Population Survey (CPS) and the Local Area Unemployment Statis
tics ( laus) program, which is conducted in cooperation with State employ
ment security agencies.
Monthly estimates of the labor force, employment, and unemployment
for States and sub-State areas are a key indicator of local economic condi
tions and form the basis for determining the eligibility of an area for
benefits under Federal economic assistance programs such as the Job Train
ing Partnership Act and the Public Works and Economic Development Act.
Insofar as possible, the concepts and definitions underlying these data are
those used in the national estimates obtained from the cps.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
Data refer to State of residence. Monthly data for 11 States— California,
Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, New Jersey, North
Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas— are obtained directly from the
CPS, because the size of the sample is large enough to meet bls standards
of reliability. Data for the remaining 39 States and the District o f Columbia
are derived using standardized procedures established by bls . Once a year,
estimates for the 11 States are revised to new population controls. For the
remaining States and the District of Columbia, data are benchmarked to
annual average cps levels.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
Information on the concepts, definitions, and technical procedures used
to develop labor force data for States and sub-State areas as well as addi
tional data on sub-States are provided in the monthly Bureau o f Labor
Statistics periodical, Employment and Earnings, and the annual report,
Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment (Bureau of Labor
Statistics). See also bls Handbook of Methods, Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 4.
COMPENSATION AND WAGE DATA
( T a b le s 1 - 3 ; 2 2 - 2 9 )
Compensation and wage data are gathered by the Bureau from business
establishments, State and local governments, labor unions, collective bar
gaining agreements on file with the Bureau, and secondary sources.
Employment Cost Index
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
The Employment Cost Index (eci) is a quarterly measure of the rate of
change in compensation per hour worked and includes wages, salaries, and
employer costs o f employee benefits. It uses a fixed market basket of
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labor— similar in concept to the Consumer Price Index’s fixed market
basket of goods and services— to measure change over time in employer
costs of employing labor. The index is not seasonally adjusted.
Statistical series on total compensation costs and on wages and salaries
are available for private nonfarm workers excluding proprietors, the selfemployed, and household workers. Both series are also available for State
and local government workers and for the civilian nonfarm economy,
which consists of private industry and State and local government workers
combined. Federal workers are excluded.
The Employment Cost Index probability sample consists o f about 2,200
private nonfarm establishments providing about 12,000 occupational ob
servations and 700 State and local government establishments providing
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics
3,500 occupational observations selected to represent total employment in
each sector. On average, each reporting unit provides wage and compensa
tion information on five well-specified occupations. Data are collected each
quarter for the pay period including the 12th day of March, June, Septem
ber, and December.
Beginning with June 1986 data, fixed employment weights from the
1980 Census o f Population are used each quarter to calculate the indexes
for civilian, private, and State and local governments. (Prior to June 1986,
the employment weights are from the 1970 Census of Population.) These
fixed weights, also used to derive all of the industry and occupation series
indexes, ensure that changes in these indexes reflect only changes in com
pensation, not employment shifts among industries or occupations with
different levels o f wages and compensation. For the bargaining status,
region, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan area series, however, employ
ment data by industry and occupation are not available from the census.
Instead, the 1980 employment weights are reallocated within these series
each quarter based on the current sample. Therefore, these indexes are not
strictly comparable to those for the aggregate, industry, and occupation
series.
D e f in it io n s
Total compensation costs include wages, salaries, and the employer’s
costs for employee benefits.
Wages and salaries consist of earnings before payroll deductions, in
cluding production bonuses, incentive earnings, commissions, and cost-ofliving adjustments.
Benefits include the cost to employers for paid leave, supplemental pay
(including nonproduction bonuses), insurance, retirement and savings
plans, and legally required benefits (such as Social Security, workers’
compensation, and unemployment insurance).
Excluded from wages and salaries and employee benefits are such items
as payment-in-kind, free room and board, and tips.
N o t e s o n t h e d a ta
The Employment Cost Index data series began in the fourth quarter of
1975, with the quarterly percent change in wages and salaries in the private
nonfarm sector. Data on employer costs for employee benefits were in
cluded in 1980 to produce, when combined with the wages and salaries
series, a measure o f the percent change in employer costs for employee
total compensation. State and local government units were added to the eci
coverage in 1981, providing a measure of total compensation change in the
civilian nonfarm economy (excluding Federal employees). Historical in
dexes (June 1981 = 100) o f the quarterly rates of change are presented in the
May issue of the BLS monthly periodical, Current Wage Developments.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
For a more detailed discussion of the Employment Cost Index, see the
Handbook of Methods, Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau o f Labor Statistics, 1982),
chapter 11, and the fo llo w in g M onthly L abor R eview articles:
“Employment Cost Index: a measure of change in the ‘price o f labor’,” July
1975; “How benefits will be incorporated into the Employment Cost In
dex,” January 1978; “Estimation procedures for the Employment Cost
Index,” May 1982; and “Introducing new weights for the Employment Cost
Index,” June 1985.
Data on the eci are also available in bls quarterly press releases issued
in the month following the reference months of March, June, September,
and December; and from the Handbook of Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217
(Bureau o f Labor Statistics, 1985).
Collective bargaining settlements
(wage and benefit costs) and wages alone, quarterly for private industry and
semiannually for State and local government. Compensation measures
cover all collective bargaining situations involving 5,000 workers or more
and wage measures cover all situations involving 1,000 workers or more.
These data, covering private nonagricultural industries and State and local
governments, are calculated using information obtained from bargaining
agreements on file with the Bureau, parties to the agreements, and second
ary sources, such as newspaper accounts. The data are not seasonally
adjusted.
Settlement data are measured in terms of future specified adjustments:
those that will occur within 12 months after contract ratification— firstyear— and all adjustments that will occur over the life of the contract
expressed as an average annual rate. Adjustments are worker weighted.
Both first-year and over-the-life measures exclude wage changes that may
occur under cost-of-living clauses that are triggered by future movements
in the Consumer Price Index.
Effective wage adjustments measure all adjustments occurring in the
reference period, regardless of the settlement date. Included are changes
from settlements reached during the period, changes deferred from con
tracts negotiated in earlier periods, and changes under cost-of-living adjust
ment clauses. Each wage change is worker weighted. The changes are
prorated over all workers under agreements during the reference period
yielding the average adjustment.
D e f in it io n s
Wage rate changes are calculated by dividing newly negotiated wages
by the average hourly earnings, excluding overtime, at the time the agree
ment is reached. Compensation changes are calculated by dividing the
change in the value of the newly negotiated wage and benefit package by
existing average hourly compensation, which includes the cost of previ
ously negotiated benefits, legally required social insurance programs, and
average hourly earnings.
Compensation changes are calculated by placing a value on the benefit
portion of the settlements at the time they are reached. The cost estimates
are based on the assumption that conditions existing at the time of settle
ment (for example, methods of financing pensions or composition o f labor
force) will remain constant. The data, therefore, are measures of negotiated
changes and not of total changes in employer cost.
Contract duration runs from the effective date of the agreement to the
expiration date or first wage reopening date, if applicable. Average annual
percent changes over the contract term take account of the compounding of
successive changes.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
Care should be exercised in comparing the size and nature of the settle
ments in State and local government with those in the private sector because
of differences in bargaining practices and settlement characteristics. A
principal difference is the incidence of cost-of-living adjustment (cola)
clauses which cover only about 2 percent of workers under a few local
government settlements, but cover 50 percent of workers under private
sector settlements. Agreements without cola’s tend to provide larger speci
fied wage increases than those with cola’s . Another difference is that State
and local government bargaining frequently excludes pension benefits
which are often prescribed by law. In the private sector, in contrast,
pensions are typically a bargaining issue.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
For a more detailed discussion on the series, see the bls Handbook of
Methods, Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 10.
Collective bargaining settlements data provide statistical measures of
negotiated adjustments (increases, decreases, and freezes) in compensation
Comprehensive data are published in press releases issued quarterly (in
January, April, July, and October) for private industry, and semi-
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annually (in February and August) for State and local government. Histor
ical data and additional detailed tabulations for the prior calendar year
appear in the April issue of the bls monthly periodical, Current Wage
monthly periodical, Current Wage Developments. Historical data appear in
the bls Handbook of Labor Statistics.
Developments.
Other compensation data
Work stoppages
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
Data on work stoppages measure the number and duration of major
strikes or lockouts (involving 1,000 workers or more) occurring during the
month (or year), the number of workers involved, and the amount of time
lost because o f stoppage.
Data are largely from newspaper accounts and cover only establishments
directly involved in a stoppage. They do not measure the indirect or second
ary effect o f stoppages on other establishments whose employees are idle
owing to material shortages or lack of service.
D e f in it io n s
Number of stoppages: The number of strikes and lockouts involving
1,000 workers or more and lasting a full shift or longer.
Workers involved: The number of workers directly involved in the
stoppage.
Number of days idle: The aggregate number of workdays lost by
workers involved in the stoppages.
Days of idleness as a percent of estimated working time: Aggregate
workdays lost as a percent of the aggregate number of standard workdays
in the period multiplied by total employment in the period.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
This series is not comparable with the one terminated in 1981 that
covered strikes involving six workers or more.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
Data for each calendar year are reported in a bls press release issued in
the first quarter o f the following year. Monthly data appear in the bls
Other bls data on pay and benefits, not included in the Current Labor
Statistics section of the Monthly Labor Review, appear in and consist o f the
following:
Industry Wage Surveys provide data for specific occupations selected to
represent an industry’s wage structure and the types of activities performed
by its workers. The Bureau collects information on weekly work schedules,
shift operations and pay differentials, paid holiday and vacation practices,
and information on incidence of health, insurance, and retirement plans.
Reports are issued throughout the year as the surveys are completed.
Summaries of the data and special analyses also appear in the Monthly
Labor Review.
Area Wage Surveys annually provide data for selected office, clerical,
professional, technical, maintenance, toolroom, powerplant, material
movement, and custodial occupations common to a wide variety o f indus
tries in the areas (labor markets) surveyed. Reports are issued throughout
the year as the surveys are completed. Summaries of the data and special
analyses also appear in the Review.
The National Survey of Professional, Administrative, Technical, and
Clerical Pay provides detailed information annually on salary levels and
distributions for the types of jobs mentioned in the survey’s title in private
employment. Although the definitions of the jobs surveyed reflect the
duties and responsibilities in private industry, they are designed to match
specific pay grades of Federal white-collar employees under the General
Schedule pay system. Accordingly, this survey provides the legally re
quired information for comparing the pay of salaried employees in the
Federal civil service with pay in private industry. (See Federal Pay Com
parability Act of 1970, 5 u.s.c. 5305.) Data are published in a bls news
release issued in the summer and in a bulletin each fall; summaries and
analytical articles also appear in the Review.
Employee Benefits Survey provides nationwide information on the inci
dence and characteristics of employee benefit plans in medium and large
establishments in the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Data are
published in an annual bls news release and bulletin, as well as in special
articles appearing in the Review.
PRICE DATA
( T a b le s 2 ; 3 0 - 4 1 )
Price data 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 (1982 = 100 or 1982-84 = 100 unless otherwise noted).
Consumer Price Indexes
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
The Consumer Price Index (cpi) is a measure of the average change in
the prices paid by urban consumers for a fixed market basket of goods and
services. The cpi is calculated monthly for two population groups, one
consisting only o f urban households whose primary source of income is
derived from the employment o f wage earners and clerical workers, and the
other consisting o f all urban households. The wage earner index ( cpi- w) is
a continuation o f the historic index that was introduced well over a halfcentury ago for use in wage negotiations. As new uses were developed for
the CPI in recent years, the need for a broader and more representative index
became apparent. The all urban consumer index ( cpi- u), introduced in
1978, is representative of the 1982-84 buying habits of about 80 percent
o f the noninstitutional population of the United States at that time, com
pared with 32 percent represented in the cpi- w . In addition to wage earners
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and clerical workers, the cpi- u covers professional, managerial, and tech
nical 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, trans
portation fares, doctors’ and dentists’ fees, and other goods and services
that people buy for day-to-day living. The quantity and quality o f these
items are kept essentially unchanged between major revisions so that only
price changes will be measured. All taxes directly associated with the
purchase and use of items are included in the index.
Data collected from more than 21,000 retail establishments and 60,000
housing units in 91 urban areas across the country are used to develop the
“U .S. city average.” Separate estimates for 27 major urban centers are
presented in table 31. The areas listed are as indicated in footnote 1 to the
table. The area indexes measure only the average change in prices for each
area since the base period, and do not indicate differences in the level of
prices among cities.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
In January 1983, the Bureau changed the way in which homeownership
costs are measured for the cpi- u . A rental equivalence method replaced the
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics
asset-price approach to homeownership costs for that series. In January
1985, the same change was made in the cpi- w . The central purpose of the
change was to separate shelter costs from the investment component of
homeownership so that the index would reflect only the cost o f shelter
services provided by owner-occupied homes. An updated cpi-u and cpi-w
were introduced with release of the January 1987 data.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
For a discussion o f the general method for computing the
cpi,
see
bls
Handbook of Methods, Volume II, The Consumer Price Index, Bulletin
2 1 3 4 -2 (Bureau o f Labor Statistics, 1984). The recent change in the mea
surement o f homeownership costs is discussed in Robert Gillingham and
Walter Lane, “Changing the treatment of shelter costs for homeowners in
the CPI,” Monthly Labor Review, July 1982, pp. 9 -1 4 . An overview of the
recently introduced revised cpi, reflecting 1982-84 expenditure patterns, is
contained in The Consumer Price Index: 1987 Revision , Report 736 (Bu
reau o f Labor Statistics, 1987).
Additional detailed cpi data and regular analyses of consumer price
changes are provided in the cpi Detailed Report, a monthly publication of
the Bureau. Historical data for the overall cpi and for selected groupings
may be found in the Handbook of Labor Statistics , Bulletin 2217 (Bureau
o f Labor Statistics, 1985).
Producer Price Indexes
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
Producer Price Indexes (ppi) measure average changes in prices re
ceived in primary markets of the United States by producers of commodi
ties in all stages o f processing. The sample used for calculating these
indexes currently contains about 3,100 commodities and about 75,000
quotations per month selected to represent the movement of prices of all
commodities produced in the manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, fishing,
mining, gas and electricity, and public utilities sectors. The stage of proc
essing structure o f Producer Price Indexes organizes products by class of
buyer and degree o f fabrication (that is, finished goods, intermediate
goods, and crude materials). The traditional commodity structure of PPI
organizes products by similarity o f end use or material composition.
To the extent possible, prices used in calculating Producer Price Indexes
apply to the first significant commercial transaction in the United States
from the production or central marketing point. Price data are generally
collected monthly, primarily by mail questionnaire. Most prices are ob
tained directly from producing companies on a voluntary and confidential
basis. Prices generally are reported for the Tuesday of the week containing
the 13th day o f the month.
Since January 1987, price changes for the various commodities have
been averaged together with implicit quantity weights representing their
importance in the total net selling value of all commodities as of 1982. The
detailed data are aggregated to obtain indexes for stage-of-processing
groupings, commodity groupings, durability-of-product groupings, and a
number o f special composite groups. All Producer Price Index data are
subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
N o t e s o n t h e d a ta
Beginning with the January 1986 issue, the Review is no longer present
ing tables o f Producer Price Indexes for commodity groupings, special
composite groups, or sic industries. However, these data will continue to
be presented in the Bureau’s monthly publication Producer Price Indexes.
The Bureau has completed the first major stage of its comprehensive
overhaul o f the theory, methods, and procedures used to construct the
Producer Price Indexes. Changes include the replacement of judgment
sampling with probability sampling techniques; expansion to systematic
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coverage o f the net output o f virtually all industries in the mining and
manufacturing sectors; a shift from a commodity to an industry orientation;
the exclusion of imports from, and the inclusion of exports in, the survey
universe; and the respecification of commodities priced to conform to
Bureau o f the Census definitions. These and other changes have been
phased in gradually since 1978. The resu ltis a system of indexes that is
easier to use in conjunction with data on wages, productivity, and employ
ment and other series that are organized in terms of the Standard Industrial
Classification and the Census product class designations.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
For a discussion of the methodology for computing Producer Price In
dexes, see bls Handbook of Methods , Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1982), chapter 7.
Additional detailed data and analyses o f price changes are provided
monthly in Producer Price Indexes. Selected historical data may be found
in the Handbook of Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1985).
International Price Indexes
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
The bls International Price Program produces quarterly export and
import price indexes for nonmilitary goods traded between the United
States and the rest of the world. The export price index provides a measure
of price change for all products sold by U.S. residents to foreign buyers.
(“Residents” is defined as in the national income accounts: it includes
corporations, businesses, and individuals but does not require the organiza
tions to be U .S. owned nor the individuals to have U .S. citizenship.) The
import price index provides a measure of price change for goods purchased
from other countries by U .S. residents. With publication of an all-import
index in February 1983 and an all-export index in February 1984, all U .S.
merchandise imports and exports now are represented in these indexes. The
reference period for the indexes is 1977 = 100, unless otherwise indicated.
The product universe for both the import and export indexes includes raw
materials, agricultural products, semifinished manufactures, and finished
manufactures, including both capital and consumer goods. Price data for
these items are collected quarterly by mail questionnaire. In nearly all
cases, the data are collected directly from the exporter or importer, al
though in a few cases, prices are obtained from other sources.
To the extent possible, the data gathered refer to prices at the U .S. border
for exports and at either the foreign border or the U .S. border for imports.
For nearly all products, the prices refer to transactions completed during the
first 2 weeks of the third month of each calendar quarter— March, June,
September, and December. Survey respondents are asked to indicate all
discounts, allowances, and rebates applicable to the reported prices, so that
the price used in the calculation of the indexes is the actual price for which
the product was bought or sold.
In addition to general indexes o f prices for U .S. exports and imports,
indexes are also published for detailed product categories of exports and
imports. These categories are defined by the 4- and 5-digit level of detail
of the Standard Industrial Trade Classification System (su e). The calcula
tion of indexes by SITC category facilitates the comparison of U .S. price
trends and sector production with similar data for other countries. Detailed
indexes are also computed and published on a Standard Industrial Classifi
cation (sic-based) basis, as well as by end-use class.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
The export and import price indexes are weighted indexes of the
Laspeyres type. Price relatives are assigned equal importance within each
weight category and are then aggregated to the sitc level. The values
assigned to each weight category are based on trade value figures compiled
by the Bureau o f the Census. The trade weights currently used to compute
both indexes relate to 1980.
Because a price index depends on the same items being priced from
period to period, it is necessary to recognize when a product’s specifica
tions or terms o f transaction have been modified. For this reason, the
Bureau’s quarterly questionnaire requests detailed descriptions of the phys
ical and functional characteristics o f the products being priced, as well as
information on the number o f units bought or sold, discounts, credit terms,
packaging, class o f buyer or seller, and so forth. When there are changes
in either the specifications or terms of transaction o f a product, the dollar
value o f each change is deleted from the total price change to obtain the
“pure” change. Once this value is determined, a linking procedure is
employed which allows for the continued repricing of the item.
For the export price indexes, the preferred pricing basis is f.a.s. (free
alongside ship) U .S. port of exportation. When firms report export prices
f.o.b. (free on board), production point information is collected which
enables the Bureau to calculate a shipment cost to the port o f exportation.
An attempt is made to collect two prices for imports. The first is the import
price f.o.b. at the foreign port of exportation, which is consistent with the
basis for valuation of imports in the national accounts. The second is the
import price c.i.f. (cost, insurance, and freight) at the U .S. port o f impor
tation, which also includes the other costs associated with bringing the
product to the U .S. border. It does not, however, include duty charges.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
For a discussion of the general method of computing International Price
Indexes, see bls Handbook of Methods , Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau o f Labor
Statistics, 1982), chapter 8 .
Additional detailed data and analyses o f international price develop
ments are presented in the Bureau’s quarterly publication U.S. Import and
Export Price Indexes and in occasional Monthly Labor Review articles
prepared by bls analysts. Selected historical data may be found in the
Handbook of Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1985).
PRODUCTIVITY DATA
(Tables 2; 42-47)
U. S. productivity and related data
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
The productivity measures relate real physical output to real input. As
such, they encompass a family o f measures which include single factor
input measures, such as output per unit of labor input (output per hour) or
output per unit o f capital input, as well as measures of multifactor produc
tivity (output per unit of labor and capital inputs combined). The Bureau
indexes show the change in output relative to changes in the various inputs.
The measures cover the business, nonfarm business, manufacturing, and
nonfinancial corporate sectors.
Corresponding indexes of hourly compensation, unit labor costs, unit
nonlabor payments, and prices are also provided.
Unit profits include corporate profits and the value of inventory adjust
ments per unit of output.
Hours of all persons are the total hours paid of payroll workers, selfemployed persons, and unpaid family workers.
Capital services is the flow of services from the capital stock used in
production. It is developed from measures of the net stock o f physical
assets— equipment, structures, land, and inventories— weighted by rental
prices for each type of asset.
Labor and capital inputs combined are derived by combining changes
in labor and capital inputs with weights which represent each component’s
share of total output. The indexes for capital services and combined units
of labor and capital are based on changing weights which are averages of
the shares in the current and preceding year (the Tomquist index-number
formula).
N o te s o n th e d a ta
D e f in it io n s
Output per hour of all persons (labor productivity) is the value of
goods and services in constant prices produced per hour of labor input.
Output per unit of capital services (capital productivity) is the value of
goods and services in constant dollars produced per unit of capital services
input.
Multifactor productivity is the ratio output per unit of labor and capital
inputs combined. Changes in this measure reflect changes in a number of
factors which affect the production process such as changes in technology,
shifts in the composition of the labor force, changes in capacity utilization,
research and development, skill and efforts of the work force, manage
ment, and so forth. Changes in the output per hour measures reflect the
impact o f these factors as well as the substitution of capital for labor.
Compensation per hour is the wages and salaries of employees plus
employers’ contributions for social insurance and private benefit plans, and
the wages, salaries, and supplementary payments for the self-employed
(except for nonfinancial corporations in which there are no selfemployed)— the sum divided by hours paid for. Real compensation per
hour is compensation per hour deflated by the change in the Consumer
Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Unit labor costs are the labor compensation costs expended in the
production o f a unit o f output and are derived by dividing compensation by
output. Unit nonlabor payments include profits, depreciation, interest,
and indirect taxes per unit of output. They are computed by subtracting
compensation o f all persons from current dollar value o f output and divid
ing by output. Unit nonlabor costs contain all the components of unit
nonlabor payments except unit profits.
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Output measures for the business sector and the nonfarm businesss sector
exclude the constant dollar value of owner-occupied housing, rest o f world,
households and institutions, and general government output from the con
stant dollar value of gross national product. The measures are derived from
data supplied by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U .S. Department of
Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Board. Quarterly manufacturing out
put indexes are adjusted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to annual esti
mates of output (gross product originating) from the Bureau of Economic
Analysis. Compensation and hours data are developed from data o f the
Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The productivity and associated cost measures in tables 4 2 -4 4 describe
the relationship between output in real terms and the labor time and capital
services involved in its production. They show the changes from period to
period in the amount of goods and services produced per unit o f input.
Although these measures relate output to hours and capital services, they
do not measure the contributions of labor, capital, or any other specific
factor of production. Rather, they reflect the joint effect of many influ
ences, including changes in technology; capital investment; level o f output;
utilization of capacity, energy, and materials; the organization of produc
tion; managerial skill; and the characteristics and efforts of the work force.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
Descriptions of methodology underlying the measurement of output per
hour and multifactor productivity are found in the bls Handbook of Meth
ods, Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 13. His
torical data for selected industries are provided in the Bureau’s Handbook
of Labor Statistics, 1985, Bulletin 2217.
61
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS
(Tables 45-47)
L a b o r f o r c e a n d u n e m p lo y m e n t
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
Tables 45 and 46 present comparative measures of the labor force,
employment, and unemployment— approximating U .S. concepts— for the
United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, and six European countries. The
unemployment statistics (and, to a lesser extent, employment statistics)
published by other industrial countries are not, in most cases, comparable
to U .S. unemployment statistics. Therefore, the Bureau adjusts the figures
for selected countries, where necessary, for all known major definitional
differences. Although precise comparability may not be achieved, these
adjusted figures provide a better basis for international comparisons than
the figures regularly published by each country.
D e f in it io n s
For the principal U .S. definitions of the labor force, employment, and
unemployment, see the Notes section on EMPLOYMENT DATA: House
hold Survey Data.
N o t e s o n t h e d a ta
The adjusted statistics have been adapted to the age at which compulsory
schooling ends in each country, rather than to the U .S. standard of 16 years
o f age and over. Therefore, the adjusted statistics relate to the population
age 16 and over in France, Sweden, and from 1973 onward, the United
Kingdom; 16 and over in Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, the Nether
lands, and prior to 1973, the United Kingdom; and 14 and over in Italy. The
institutional population is included in the denominator of the labor force
participation rates and employment-population ratios for Japan and Ger
many; it is excluded for the United States and the other countries.
In the U .S. labor force survey, persons on layoff who are awaiting recall
to their job are classified as unemployed. European and Japanese layoff
practices are quite different in nature from those in the United States;
therefore, strict application of the U .S. definition has not been made on this
point. For further information, see Monthly Labor Review, December
1981, pp. 8 -1 1 .
The figures for one or more recent years for France, Germany, Italy, the
Netherlands, and the United Kingdom are calculated using adjustment
factors based on labor force surveys for earlier years and are considered
preliminary. The recent-year measures for these countries are, therefore,
subject to revision whenever data from more current labor force surveys
become available.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
For further information, see International Comparisons of Unemploy
ment, Bulletin 1979 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1978), Appendix B and
unpublished Supplements to Appendix B available on request. The statis
tics are also analyzed periodically in the Monthly Labor Review . Additional
historical data, generally beginning with 1959, are published in the Hand
book of Labor Statistics and are available in unpublished statistical supple
ments to Bulletin 1979.
M a n u f a c t u r in g p r o d u c t iv it y a n d l a b o r c o s t s
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
Table 47 presents comparative measures of manufacturing labor produc
tivity, hourly compensation costs, and unit labor costs for the United
62
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States, Canada, Japan, and nine European countries. These measures are
limited to trend comparisons— that is, intercountry series of changes over
time— rather than level comparisons because reliable international com
parisons of the levels of manufacturing output are unavailable.
D e f in it io n s
Output is constant value output (value added), generally taken from the
national accounts of each country. While the national accounting methods
for measuring real output differ considerably among the 12 countries, the
use of different procedures does not, in itself, connote lack of comparabil
ity— rather, it reflects differences among countries in the availability and
reliability of underlying data series.
Hours refer to all employed persons including the self-employed in the
United States and Canada; to all wage and salary employees in the other
countries. The U .S. hours measure is hours paid; the hours measures for the
other countries are hours worked.
Compensation (labor cost) includes all payments in cash or kind made
directly to employees plus employer expenditures for legally required in
surance programs and contractual and private benefit plans. In addition, for
some countries, compensation is adjusted for other significant taxes on
payrolls or employment (or reduced to reflect subsidies), even if they are
not for the direct benefit o f workers, because such taxes are regarded as
labor costs. However, compensation does not include all items o f labor
cost. The costs of recruitment, employee training, and plant facilities and
services— such as cafeterias and medical clinics— are not covered because
data are not available for most countries. Self-employed workers are in
cluded in the U .S. and Canadian compensation figures by assuming that
their hourly compensation is equal to the average for wage and salary
employees.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
For most of the countries, the measures refer to total manufacturing as
defined by the International Standard Industrial Classification. However,
the measures for France (beginning 1959), Italy (beginning 1970), and the
United Kingdom (beginning 1971), refer to manufacturing and mining less
energy-related products and the figures for the Netherlands exclude
petroleum refining from 1969 to 1976. For all countries, manufacturing
includes the activities of government enterprises.
The figures for one or more recent years are generally based on current
indicators of manufacturing output, employment, hours, and hourly com
pensation and are considered preliminary until the national accounts and
other statistics used for the long-term measures become available.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
For additional information, see the b l s Handbook of Methods, Bulletin
2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 16 and periodic Monthly
Labor Review articles. Historical data are provided in the Bureau’s Hand
book of Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217, 1985. The statistics are issued
twice per year— in a news release (generally in May) and in a Monthly
Labor Review article (generally in December).
OCCUPATIONAL INJURY AND ILLNESS DATA
( T a b le 4 8 )
D e s c r ip t io n o f t h e s e r ie s
The Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses is designed to
collect data on injuries and illnesses based on records which employers in
the following industries maintain under the Occupational Safety and Health
Act of 1970: agriculture, forestry, and fishing; oil and gas extraction;
construction; manufacturing; transportation and public utilities; wholesale
and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and services. Excluded
from the survey are self-employed individuals, farmers with fewer than 11
employees, employers regulated by other Federal safety and health laws,
and Federal, State, and local government agencies.
Because the survey is a Federal-State cooperative program and the data
must meet the needs of participating State agencies, an independent sam
ple is selected for each State. The sample is selected to represent all pri
vate industries in the States and territories. The sample size for the
survey is dependent upon ( 1) the characteristics for which estimates are
needed; (2) the industries for which estimates are desired; (3) the charac
teristics o f the population being sampled; (4) the target reliability of the
estimates; and (5) the survey design employed.
While there are many characteristics upon which the sample design could
be based, the total recorded case incidence rate is used because it is one of
the most important characteristics and the least variable; therefore, it re
quires the smallest sample size.
The survey is based on stratified random sampling with a Neyman
allocation and a ratio estimator. The characteristics used to stratify the
establishments are the Standard Industrial Classification (sic) code and size
o f employment.
D e f in it io n s
Recordable occupational injuries and illnesses are: (1) occupational
deaths, regardless o f the time between injury and death, or the length of the
illness; or (2) nonfatal occupational illnesses; or (3) nonfatal occupational
injuries which involve one or more of the following: loss of consciousness,
restriction o f work or motion, transfer to another job, or medical treatment
(other than first aid).
Occupational injury is any injury such as a cut, fracture, sprain, ampu
tation, and so forth, which results from a work accident or from exposure
involving a single incident in the work environment.
Occupational illness is an abnormal condition or disorder, other than
one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by exposure to environ
mental factors associated with employment. It includes acute and chronic
illnesses or disease which may be caused by inhalation, absorption, inges
tion, or direct contact.
Lost workday cases are cases which involve days away from work, or
days of restricted work activity, or both.
Lost workday cases involving restricted work activity are those cases
which result in restricted work activity only.
Lost workdays away from work are the number of workdays (consec
utive or not) on which the employee would have worked but could not
because of occupational injury or illness.
Lost workdays— restricted work activity are the number of workdays
(consecutive or not) on which, because of injury or illness: ( 1) the em
ployee was assigned to another job on a temporary basis; or (2) the em
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ployee worked at a permanent job less than full time; or (3) the employee
worked at a permanently assigned job but could not perform all duties
normally connected with it.
The number of days away from work or days of restricted work
activity does not include the day of injury or onset of illness or any days
on which the employee would not have worked even though able to work.
Incidence rates represent the number of injuries and/or illnesses or lost
workdays per 100 full-time workers.
N o te s o n th e d a ta
Estimates are made for industries and employment-size classes and for
severity classification: fatalities, lost workday cases, and nonfatal cases
without lost workdays. Lost workday cases are separated into those where
the employee would have worked but could not and those in which work
activity was restricted. Estimates of the number of cases and the number of
days lost are made for both categories.
Most of the estimates are in the form of incidence rates, defined as the
number of injuries and illnesses, or lost workdays, per 100 full-time em
ployees. For this purpose, 200,000 employee hours represent 100 em
ployee years (2,000 hours per employee). Only a few of the available
measures are included in the Handbook of Labor Statistics. Full detail is
presented in the annual bulletin, Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in the
United States, by Industry.
Comparable data for individual States are available from the bls Office
of Occupational Safety and Health Statistics.
Mining and railroad data are furnished to bls by the Mine Safety and
Health Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration, respec
tively. Data from these organizations are included in bls and State publica
tions. Federal employee experience is compiled and published by the Occu
pational Safety and Health Administration. Data on State and local
government employees are collected by about half of the States and territo
ries; these data are not compiled nationally.
A d d it io n a l s o u r c e s o f in f o r m a t io n
The Supplementary Data System provides detailed information describ
ing various factors associated with work-related injuries and illnesses.
These data are obtained from information reported by employers to State
workers’ compensation agencies. The Work Injury Report program exam
ines selected types of accidents through an employee survey which focuses
on the circumstances surrounding the injury. These data are not included
in the Handbook of Labor Statistics but are available from the bls Office
of Occupational Safety and Health Statistics.
The definitions of occupational injuries and illnesses and lost workdays
are from Recordkeeping Requirements under the Occupational Safety and
Health Act of 1970. For additional data, see Occupational Injuries and
Illnesses in the United States, by Industry, annual Bureau o f Labor
Statistics bulletin; bls Handbook of Methods, Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 17; Handbook of Labor Statistics, Bulletin
2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985), pp. 411-14; annual reports in the
Monthly Labor Review, and annual U .S. Department of Labor press
releases.
63
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
1.
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Comparative Indicators
Labor market indicators
1987
1986
Selected indicators
1987
1986
I
III
II
IV
I
II
IV
III
Employment data
Employment status of the civilian noninstitutionalized population
(household survey)1
Labor force participation rate........................................................
Employment-population ratio.........................................................
Unemployment rate .......................................................................
M en .............................................................................................
16 to 24 years ..........................................................................
25 years and over....................................................................
Women ........................................................................................
16 to 24 years ..........................................................................
25 years and over....................................................................
Unemployment rate, 15 weeks and over....................................
65.3
60.7
7.0
6.9
13.7
5.4
7.1
12.8
5.5
1.9
65.6
61.5
6.2
6.2
12.6
4.8
6.2
11.7
4.8
1.7
65.0
60.5
7.0
6.8
13.4
5.3
7.2
13.1
5.6
1.9
65.2
60.6
7.2
7.0
14.1
5.4
7.3
13.1
5.7
1.9
65.4
60.8
7.0
7.0
13.9
5.4
7.0
12.7
5.4
1.9
65.4
60.9
6.8
6.9
13.4
5.4
6.8
12.5
5.3
1.9
65.5
61.1
6.6
6.6
13.3
5.1
6.6
12.5
5.0
1.8
65.5
61.4
6.3
6.3
12.9
4.9
6.2
11.8
4.7
1.7
65.6
61.7
6.0
5.9
12.2
4.6
6.1
11.4
4.7
1.6
65.7
61.9
5.9
5.8
11.9
4.4
6.0
11.1
4.7
1.5
Total .................................................................................................
Private sector ................................................................................
Goods-producing............................................................................
Manufacturing ..............................................................................
Service-producing ..........................................................................
99,610
82,900
24,681
18,994
74,930
102,110
85,047
24,884
19,112
77,226
98,901
82,299
24,767
19,086
74,134
99,321
82,670
24,702
19,003
74,619
99,804
83,119
24,629
18,939
75,175
100,397
83,498
24,624
18,953
75,773
101,133
84,183
24,733
18,979
76,399
101,708
84,675
24,757
19,015
76,951
102,278
85,240
24,884
19,134
77,394
103,288
86,063
25,164
19,320
78,124
Average hours:
Private sector ................................................................................
Manufacturing ...........................................................................
Overtime..................................................................................
34.8
40.7
3.4
34.8
41.0
3.7
34.9
40.7
3.4
34.8
40.7
3.4
34.7
40.7
3.5
34.7
40.8
3.5
34.8
41.0
3.6
34.8
40.9
3.7
34.8
40.9
3.7
34.8
41.2
3.9
Percent change in the ECI, compensation:
All workers (excluding farm, household, and Federal workers) ......
Private industry workers ...............................................................
Goods-producing2 .....................................................................
Service-producing2 ...................................................................
State and local government workers...........................................
3.6
3.2
3.1
3.2
5.2
3.6
3.3
3.1
3.7
4.4
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.0
.7
.8
.9
.6
.6
1.1
.7
.6
.8
2.8
.6
.6
.5
.6
.8
.9
1.0
.5
1.3
.8
.7
.7
.7
.7
.3
1.2
1.0
.8
1.0
2.3
.8
.7
1.0
.5
.9
Workers by bargaining status (private industry):
Union.............................................................................................
Nonunion ......................................................................................
2.1
3.6
2.8
3.6
1.0
1.2
.2
.9
.5
.8
.3
.7
.5
1.1
.5
.7
.6
1.1
1.1
.6
Employment, nonagricultural (payroll data), in thousands:’
Employment Cost Index
1 Quarterly data seasonally adjusted.
2 Goods-producing industries include mining, construction, and manufacturing. Service-
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producing industries include all other private sector industries.
2.
Annual and quarterly percent changes in compensation, prices, and productivity
1986
Selected measures
1986
1987
1987
I
III
II
IV
I
II
III
IV
Compensation data 1, 2
Employment Cost Index-compensation (wages, salaries,
benefits):
Civilian nonfarm ....................................................................
Private nonfarm ...................................................................
Employment Cost Index-wages and salaries
Civilian nonfarm ....................................................................
Private nonfarm ...................................................................
3.6
3.2
3.6
3.3
1.1
1.1
0.7
.8
1.1
.7
0.6
.6
0.9
1.0
0.7
.7
1.2
1.0
0.8
.7
3.5
3.1
3.5
3.3
1.0
1.0
.8
.9
1.1
.7
.6
.5
1.0
1.0
.5
.7
1.3
1.0
.7
.6
.6
.3
1.4
1.2
1.3
Price data’
Consumer Price Index (All urban consumers): All items......
1.1
Producer Price Index:
Finished goods.....................................................................
Finished consumer goods...................................................
Capital equipment ...............................................................
Intermediate materials, supplies, components ....................
Crude materials....................................................................
-2.3
-3.5
2.1
-4.4
-8.9
-.5
4.4
2.1
2.5
1.3
5.5
8.8
.6
-3.1
-4.0
.2
-3.0
-7.6
.5
.4
.6
-.9
-1.5
-.7
-.7
-.8
-.2
-.6
1.1
.8
2.1
-.3
.6
.8
.9
.1
1.3
4.2
1.2
1.6
.3
1.9
5.3
.3
.2
.3
-.2
1.2
.6
.0
-.3
1.1
1.0
-1.5
Productivity data3
Output per hour of all persons:
Business sector...................................................................
Nonfarm business sector....................................................
Nonfinancial corporations 4 .................................................
1.9
1.6
1.6
.9
.8
”
' Annual changes are December-to-December change. Quarterly changes
are calculated using the last month of each quarter. Compensation and price
data are not seasonally adjusted and the price data are not compounded.
2 Excludes Federal and private household workers.
3 Annual rates of change are computed by comparing annual averages.
3.
2.8
2.3
2.6
2.3
1.9
1.8
1.3
1.1
.7
1.5
1.5
1.5
.4
.3
.2
.2
-.1
0
1.6
1.5
.8
1.4
1.4
-
Quarterly percent changes reflect annual rates of change in quarterly in
dexes. The data are seasonally adjusted.
4 Output per hour of all employees.
- Data not available.
Alternative measures of wage and compensation changes
Quarterly average
III
Average hourly compensation:'
All persons, business sector..................................................................
All employees, nonfarm business sector..............................................
Employment Cost Index-compensation:
Civilian nonfarm 2 ...................................................................................
Private nonfarm ...................................................................................
Union.................................................................................................
Nonunion...........................................................................................
State and local governments..............................................................
Employment Cost Index-wages and salaries:
Civilian nonfarm2 ....................................................................................
Private nonfarm ...................................................................................
Union .................................................................................................
Nonunion...........................................................................................
State and local governments...............................................................
Total effective wage adjustments3 ...............................................................
From current settlements.......................................................................
From prior settlements..........................................................................
From cost-of-living provision..................................................................
Negotiated wage adjustments from settlements:3
First-year adjustments ...........................................................................
Annual rate over life of contract...........................................................
Negotiated wage and benefit adjustments from settlements:5
First-year adjustment.............................................................................
Annual rate over life of contract...........................................................
IV
I
II
1986
III
IV
III
1987
IV
I
II
III
IV
3.7
3.6
3.3
3.4
2.8
2.7
2.8
2.7
3.0
2.9
2.9
2.8
3.0
2.8
3.6
4.0
1.4
1.1
3.3
3.0
3.8
3.6
3.1
3.4
1.1
.7
.5
.8
2.8
.6
.6
.3
.7
.8
.9
1.0
.5
1.1
.8
.7
.7
.5
.7
.3
1.2
1.0
.6
1.1
2.3
.8
.7
1.1
.6
.9
3.6
3.2
2.3
3.5
5.2
3.6
3.2
2.1
3.6
5.2
3.4
3.1
1.6
3.6
5.0
3.3
3.0
1.9
3.4
4.7
3.4
3.3
2.0
3.7
4.2
3.6
3.3
2.8
3.6
4.4
1.1
.7
.6
.7
3.2
.5
.1
.5
(4)
.6
.5
.2
.7
.7
.5
.2
.2
.1
1.0
1.0
.4
1.2
.8
.4
.3
.1
.5
.7
.5
.8
.2
1.0
.2
.7
.2
1.3
1.0
.6
1.1
2.3
.9
.2
.6
.1
.7
.6
1.1
.5
.9
.8
.3
.3
.2
3.5
3.1
2.3
3.4
5.4
2.3
.5
1.6
.2
3.5
3.1
2.0
3.5
5.4
2.3
.5
1.7
.2
3.5
3.2
1.7
3.5
5.2
2.0
.4
1.5
.1
3.2
3.0
1.7
3.3
5.0
2.2
.3
1.6
.3
3.4
3.3
1.7
3.8
4.1
2.6
.5
1.7
.4
3.5
3.3
2.6
3.6
4.2
3.1
.7
1.8
.5
.8
1.5
2.0
2.1
1.2
1.8
2.6
2.9
2.1
2.0
2.4
1.8
1.2
1.7
1.2
1.8
1.2
1.8
1.5
2.0
2.1
2.2
2.2
2.1
.7
1.2
2.7
2.4
1.7
2.4
4.1
3.9
2.5
2.1
3.4
2.4
.9
1.4
1.1
1.6
1.2
1.7
1.9
2.1
2.8
2.6
3.1
2.6
1 Seasonally adjusted.
2 Excludes Federal and household workers.
3 Limited to major collective bargaining units of 1,000 workers or more. The
most recent data are preliminary.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1987
1986
Components
Four quarters ended-
n
4 Data round to zero.
5 Limited to major collective bargaining units of 5,000 workers or more. The
most recent data are preliminary.
65
1
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
4.
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
Employment status of the total population, by sex, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
Annual average
1987
1988
Employment status
1986
1987
182,293
119,540
65.6
111,303
184,490
121,602
65.9
114,177
61.1
1,706
109,597
3,163
106,434
8,237
6.9
62,752
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
183,575
120,726
65.8
112,762
183,738
120,970
65.8
113,084
183,915
120,982
65.8
113,191
184,079
121,098
65.8
113,541
184,259
121,633
66.0
114,060
184,421
121,326
65.8
114,018
184,605
121,610
65.9
114,359
184,738
122,042
66.1
114,786
184,904
121,706
65.8
114,615
185,052
122,128
66.0
114,951
185,225
122,349
66.1
115,259
185,370
122,472
66.1
115,494
185,571
122,924
66.2
115,878
61.9
1,737
112,440
3,208
109,232
7,425
6.1
62,888
61.4
1,748
111,014
3,174
107,840
7,964
6.6
62,849
61.5
1,740
111,344
3,225
108,119
7,886
6.5
62,768
61.5
1,736
111,455
3,237
108,218
7,791
6.4
62,933
61.7
1,735
111,806
3,250
108,556
7,557
6.2
62,981
61.9
1,726
112,334
3,269
109,065
7,573
6.2
62,626
61.8
1,718
112,300
3,192
109,108
7,308
6.0
63,095
61.9
1,720
112,639
3,212
109,427
7,251
6.0
62,995
62.1
1,736
113,050
3,143
109,907
7,256
5.9
62,696
62.0
1,743
112,872
3,184
109,688
7,091
5.8
63,198
62.1
1,741
113,210
3,249
109,961
7,177
5.9
62,924
62.2
1,755
113,504
3,172
110,332
7,090
5.8
62,876
62.3
1,750
113,744
3,215
110,529
6,978
5.7
62,898
62.4
1,749
114,129
3,293
110,836
7,046
5.7
62,647
87,349
66,973
76.7
62,443
88,476
67,784
76.6
63,684
88,020
67,602
76.8
63,153
88,099
67,655
76.8
63,281
88,186
67,590
76.6
63,263
88,271
67,604
76.6
63,390
88,361
67,802
76.7
63,543
88,442
67,623
76.5
63,543
88,534
67,671
76.4
63,711
88,598
67,937
76.7
63,916
88,683
67,776
76.4
63,949
88,756
67,947
76.6
64,048
88,849
68,019
76.6
64,174
88,924
68,030
76.5
64,245
89,033
68,243
76.6
64,396
71.5
1,551
60,892
4,530
6.8
72.0
1,577
62,107
4,101
6.1
71.7
1,591
61,562
4,449
6.6
71.8
1,584
61,697
4,374
6.5
71.7
1,575
61,688
4,327
6.4
71.8
1,575
61,815
4,214
6.2
71.9
1,566
61,977
4,259
6.3
71.8
1,559
61,984
4,080
6.0
72.0
1,561
62,150
3,960
5.9
72.1
1,575
62,341
4,021
5.9
72.1
1,581
62,368
3,827
5.6
72.2
1,580
62,468
3,899
5.7
72.2
1,593
62,581
3,845
5.7
72.2
1,589
62,656
3,785
5.6
72.3
1,588
62,808
3,847
5.6
94,944
52,568
55.4
48,861
96,013
53,818
56.1
50,494
95,556
53,124
55.6
49,609
95,639
53,315
55.7
49,803
95,729
53,392
55.8
49,928
95,808
53,494
55.8
50,151
95,898
53,831
56.1
50,517
95,979
53,703
56.0
50,475
96,071
53,939
56.1
50,648
96,140
54,105
56.3
50,870
96,221
53,930
56.0
50,666
96,295
54,181
56.3
50,903
96,376
54,330
56.4
51,085
96,446
54,442
56.4
51,249
96,538
54,681
56.6
51,482
51.5
155
48,706
3,707
7.1
52.6
160
50,334
3,324
6.2
51.9
157
49,452
3,515
6.6
52.1
156
49,647
3,512
6.6
52.2
161
49,767
3,464
6.5
52.3
160
49,991
3,343
6.2
52.7
160
50,357
3,314
6.2
52.6
159
50,316
3,228
6.0
52.7
159
50,489
3,291
6.1
52.9
161
50,709
3,235
6.0
52.7
162
50,504
3,264
6.1
52.9
161
50,742
3,278
6.1
53.0
162
50,923
3,245
6.0
53.1
161
51,088
3,193
5.9
53.3
161
51,321
3,200
5.9
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
TOTAL
Noninstitutional population \ 2 .......
Labor force2 ..................................
Participation rate 3 ................
Total employed 2 .......................
Employment-population
ratio 4 ...................................
Resident Armed Forces 1 ......
Civilian employed ....................
Agriculture ............................
Nonagricultural industries.....
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate 5 ...........
Not in labor force ........................
Men, 16 years and over
Noninstitutional population \ 2 .......
Labor force2 ..................................
Participation rate 3 ................
Total employed 2 ........................
Employment-population
ratio 4 ...................................
Resident Armed Forces 1 .......
Civilian employed ....................
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate 5 ...........
Women, 16 years and over
Noninstitutional population 2 .......
Labor force2 ..................................
Participation rate 3 ................
Total employed2 ........................
Employment-population
ratio 4 ...................................
Resident Armed Forces 1 .......
Civilian employed ....................
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate 5 ...........
The population and Armed Forces figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation.
Includes members of the Armed Forces stationed in the United States.
Labor force as a percent of the noninstitutional population.
66
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4 Total employed as a percent of the noninstitutional population.
5 Unemployment as a percent of the labor force (including
Forces).
the resident Armed
5. Employment status of the civilian population, by sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, monthly data seasonally
adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
Annual average
1987
1988
Employment status
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
180,587
117,834
65.3
109,597
182,753
119,865
65.6
112,440
181,827
118,978
65.4
111,014
181,998
119,230
65.5
111,344
182,179
119,246
65.5
111,455
182,344
119,363
65.5
111,806
182,533
119,907
65.7
112,334
182,703
119,608
65.5
112,300
182,885
119,890
65.6
112,639
183,002
120,306
65.7
113,050
183,161
119,963
65.5
112,872
183,311
120,387
65.7
113,210
183,470
120,594
65.7
113,504
183,620
120,722
65.7
113,744
183,822
121,175
65.9
114,129
60.7
8,237
7.0
62,752
61.5
7,425
6.2
62,888
61.1
7,964
6.7
62,849
61.2
7,886
6.6
62,768
61.2
7,791
6.5
62,933
61.3
7,557
6.3
62,981
61.5
7,573
6.3
62,626
61.5
7,308
6.1
63,095
61.6
7,251
6.0
62,995
61.8
7,256
6.0
62,696
61.6
7,091
5.9
63,198
61.8
7,177
6.0
62,924
61.9
7,090
5.9
62,876
61.9
6,978
5.8
62,898
62.1
7,046
5.8
62,647
78,523
61,320
78.1
57,569
79,565
62,095
78.0
58,726
79,132
61,911
78.2
58,220
79,216
61,930
78.2
58,324
79,303
61,933
58,380
79,387
61,970
78.1
58,516
79,474
62,129
78.2
58,673
79,536
62,054
78.0
58,632
79,625
62,106
78.0
58,783
79,668
62,083
77.9
58,825
79,740
62,085
77.9
58,967
79,807
62,211
78.0
59,037
79,885
62,299
78.0
59,164
80,002
62,248
77.8
59,185
80,120
62,440
77.9
59,287
73.3
2,292
55,277
3,751
6.1
73.8
2,329
56,397
3,369
5.4
73.6
2,287
55,933
3,691
6.0
73.6
2,317
56,007
3,606
5.8
73.6
2,361
56,019
3,553
5.7
73.7
2,378
56,138
3,454
5.6
73.8
2,383
56,290
3,456
5.6
73.7
2,316
56,316
3,422
5.5
73.8
2,333
56,450
3,323
5.4
73.8
2,289
56,536
3,258
5.2
73.9
2,345
56,622
3,118
5.0
74.0
2,343
56,694
3,174
5.1
74.1
2,297
56,867
3,135
5.0
74.0
2,298
56,887
3,063
4.9
74.0
2,323
56,964
3,154
5.1
87,567
48,589
55.5
45,556
88,583
49,783
56.2
47,074
88,150
49,167
55.8
46,290
88,237
49,343
55.9
46,485
88,321
49,414
55.9
46,582
88,395
49,494
56.0
46,761
88,464
49,728
56.2
47,028
88,546
49,722
56.2
47,088
88,632
49,886
56.3
47,206
88,685
49,969
56.3
47,308
88,785
49,922
56.2
47,251
88,843
50,095
56.4
47,480
88,923
50,254
56.5
47,634
89,010
50,361
56.6
47,750
89,110
50,558
56.7
47,977
52.0
614
44,943
3,032
6.2
53.1
622
46,453
2,709
5.4
52.5
625
45,665
2,877
5.9
52.7
634
45,851
2,858
5.8
52.7
602
45,980
2,832
5.7
52.9
603
46,158
2,733
5.5
53.2
629
46,399
2,700
5.4
53.2
619
46,469
2,634
5.3
53.3
620
46,586
2,680
5.4
53.3
609
46,699
2,661
5.3
53.2
600
46,651
2,671
5.4
53.4
636
46,844
2,615
5.2
53.6
636
46,998
2,620
5.2
53.6
643
47,107
2,611
5.2
53.8
646
47,331
2,581
5.1
14,496
7,926
54.7
6,472
14,606
7,988
54.7
6,640
14,545
7,900
54.3
6,504
14,546
7,957
54.7
6,535
14,555
7,899
54.3
6,493
14,562
7,899
54.2
6,529
14,595
8,050
55.2
6,633
14,621
7,832
53.6
6,580
14,628
7,898
54.0
6,650
14,649
8,254
56.3
6,917
14,637
7,956
54.4
6,654
14,661
8,081
55.1
6,693
14,663
8,041
54.8
6,706
14,609
8,113
55.5
6,809
14,592
8,177
56.0
6,865
44.6
258
6,215
1,454
18.3
45.5
258
6,382
1,347
16.9
44.7
262
6,242
1,396
17.7
44.9
274
6,261
1,422
17.9
44.6
274
6,219
1,406
17.8
44.8
269
6,260
1,370
17.3
45.4
257
6,376
1,417
17.6
45.0
257
6,323
1,252
16.0
45.5
259
6,391
1,248
15.8
47.2
245
6,672
1,337
16.2
45.5
239
6,415
1,302
16.4
45.7
270
6,423
1,388
17.2
45.7
239
6,467
1,335
16.6
46.6
274
6,535
1,304
16.1
47.0
323
6,542
1,312
16.0
155,432
101,801
65.5
95,660
156,958
103,290
65.8
97,789
156,313
102,669
65.7
96,749
156,431
102,825
65.7
97,001
156,561
102,836
65.7
97,074
156,676
102,972
65.7
97,338
156,811
103,416
65.9
97,829
156,930
103,150
65.7
97,698
157,058
103,248
65.7
97,917
157,134
103,516
65.9
98,181
157,242
103,357
65.7
98,069
157,342
103,669
65.9
98,317
157,449
103,731
65.9
98,492
157,552
103,907
66.0
98,779
157,676
104,252
66.1
99,044
61.5
6,140
6.0
62.3
5,501
5.3
61.9
5,920
5.8
62.0
5,824
5.7
62.0
5,762
5.6
62.1
5,634
5.5
62.4
5,587
5.4
62.3
5,452
5.3
62.3
5,331
5.2
62.5
5,335
5.2
62.4
5,288
5.1
62.5
5,352
5.2
62.6
5,239
5.1
62.7
5,128
4.9
62.8
5,208
5.0
19,989
12,654
63.3
10,814
20,352
12,993
63.8
11,309
20,187
12,807
63.4
10,995
20,218
12,894
63.8
11,086
20,249
12,853
63.5
11,072
20,279
12,778
63.0
11,114
20,312
12,889
63.5
11,129
20,341
12,892
63.4
11,238
20,373
13,039
64.0
11,381
20,396
13,150
64.5
11,513
20,426
13,028
63.8
11,421
20,453
13,152
64.3
11,556
20,482
13,193
64.4
11,589
20,508
13,215
64.4
11,605
20,539
13,222
64.4
11,608
54.1
1,840
14.5
55.6
1,684
13.0
54.5
1,812
14.1
54.8
1,808
14.0
54.7
1,781
13.9
54.8
1,664
13.0
54.8
1,760
13.7
55.2
1,654
12.8
55.9
1,658
12.7
56.4
1,637
12.4
55.9
1,607
12.3
56.5
1,596
12.1
56.6
1,604
12.2
56.6
1,610
12.2
56.5
1,614
12.2
TOTAL
Civilian noninstitutional
population1...................................
Civilian labor force.......................
Participation rate .................
Employed ..................................
Employment-population
ratio2 ...................................
Unemployed..............................
Unemployment rate.............
Not in labor force .......................
Men, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional
population1....................................
Civilian labor force.......................
Participation rate ..................
Employed ...................................
Employment-population
ratio2 ....................................
Agriculture ...............................
Nonagricultural industries.......
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate..............
78.1
Women, 20 years ond over
Civilian noninstitutional
population1....................................
Civilian labor force........................
Participation rate ..................
Employed ...................................
Employment-population
ratio2 ....................................
Agriculture ...............................
Nonagricultural industries.......
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate..............
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years
Civilian noninstitutional
population1....................................
Civilian labor force.......................
Participation rate ..................
Employed ...................................
Employment-population
ratio2 ....................................
Agriculture ...............................
Nonagricultural industries.......
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate..............
White
Civilian noninstitutional
population1....................................
Civilian labor force.......................
Participation rate ..................
Employed ............................
Employment-population
ratio2 ....................................
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate..............
Black
Civilian noninstitutional
population1....................................
Civilian labor force.......................
Participation rate ..................
Employed ...................................
Employment-population
ratio2 ....................................
Unemployed.....................
Unemployment rate..............
See footnotes at end of table.
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67
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
5. Continued— Employment status of the civilian population, by sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, monthly data seasonally
adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
1987
Annual average
1988
Employment status
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
12,344
8,076
65.4
7,219
12,867
8,541
66.4
7,790
12,653
8,387
66.3
7,533
12,692
8,423
66.4
7,614
12,732
8,395
65.9
7,632
12,770
8,468
66.3
7,686
12,809
8,549
66.7
7,797
12,848
8,468
65.9
7,738
12,887
8,447
65.5
7,762
12,925
8,549
66.1
7,856
12,965
8,581
66.2
7,877
13,003
8,654
66.6
7,935
13,043
8,763
67.2
7,978
13,082
8,772
67.1
8,058
13,115
8,879
67.7
8,238
58.5
857
10.6
60.5
751
8.8
59.5
854
10.2
60.0
809
9.6
59.9
763
9.1
60.2
782
9.2
60.9
752
8.8
60.2
730
8.6
60.2
685
8.1
60.8
693
8.1
60.8
704
8.2
61.0
719
8.3
61.2
785
9.0
61.6
714
8.1
62.8
642
7.2
Hispanic origin
Civilian noninstitutional
population1 ....................................
Civilian labor force.......................
Participation rate ..................
Employed ...................................
Employment-population
ratio2 ....................................
Unemployed...............................
Unemployment rate..............
1 The population figures are not seasonally adjusted.
2 Civilian employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals
6.
because data for the “other races” groups are not presented and Hispanics are included
in both the white and black population groups.
Selected employment indicators, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(In thousands)
1987
Annual average
1988
Selected categories
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
CHARACTERISTIC
Civilian employed, 16 years and
over............................................. 109,597
60,892
M en ..........................................
48,706
Women ....................................
39,658
Married men, spouse present ..
Married women, spouse
27,144
present....................................
5,837
Women who maintain families .
112,440
62,107
50,334
40,265
111,014
61,562
49,452
40,047
111,344
61,697
49,647
39,958
111,455
61,688
49,767
40,054
111,806
61,815
49,991
40,021
112,334
61,977
50,357
40,075
112,300
61,984
50,316
40,120
112,639
62,150
50,489
40,262
113,050
62,341
50,709
40,308
112,872
62,368
50,504
40,404
113,210
62,468
50,742
40,556
113,504
62,581
50,923
40,645
113,744
62,656
51,088
40,711
114,129
62,808
51,321
40,404
28,107
6,060
27,713
5,958
27,837
5,925
27,966
5,946
28,130
5,971
28,314
5,963
28,282
6,011
28,283
6,033
28,189
6,107
28,069
6,151
28,099
6,178
28,175
6,237
28,249
6,227
28,441
6,168
1,547
1,447
169
1,632
1,423
153
1,635
1,392
143
1,640
1,440
132
1,689
1,416
152
1,599
1,488
170
1,672
1,429
165
1,622
1,403
162
1,625
1,424
153
1,591
1,393
155
1,624
1,415
139
1,705
1,430
140
1,595
1,407
155
1,599
1,450
156
1,666
1,454
138
98,299
16,342
81,957
1,235
80,722
7,881
255
100,771
16,800
83,970
1,208
82,762
8,201
260
99,557
16,492
83,065
1,245
81,820
8,136
245
99,772
16,553
83,219
1,213
82,006
8,166
254
99,863
16,594
83,269
1,227
82,042
8,082
270
100,106
16,518
83,588
1,234
82,354
8,139
268
100,634
16,708
83,926
1,240
82,686
8,157
276
100,510
16,920
83,590
1,163
82,427
8,293
274
100,825
16,876
83,949
1,212
82,737
8,216
266
101,241
16,794
84,447
1,175
83,272
8,214
248
101,282
16,928
84,354
1,100
83,254
8,204
297
101,522
17,033
84,489
1,222
83,267
8,274
242
101,943
17,118
84,825
1,286
83,539
8,222
235
101,997
17,064
84,933
1,200
83,733
8,280
248
102,507
17,197
85,310
1,147
84,163
8,150
237
5,588
2,456
2,800
13,935
5,401
2,385
2,672
14,395
5,508
2,467
2,721
14,147
5,766
2,501
2,773
14,110
5,459
2,438
2,707
14,201
5,394
2,345
2,725
13,940
5,333
2,292
2,677
14,498
5,254
2,345
2,623
14,836
5,428
2,429
2,683
14,437
5,283
2,468
2,526
14,573
5,261
2,213
2,683
14,415
5,353
2,377
2,655
14,488
5,534
2,408
2,696
14,523
5,262
2,284
2,638
14,711
5,367
2,396
2,640
14,571
5,345
2,305
2,719
13,502
5,122
2,201
2,587
13,928
5,211
2,279
2,631
13,706
5,458
2,315
2,682
13,635
5,180
2,234
2,612
13,717
5,104
2,163
2,648
13,544
5,058
2,126
2,603
13,995
4,979
2,176
2,530
14,334
5,154
2,261
2,599
13,953
5,016
2,265
2,463
14,099
4,986
2,034
2,603
13,987
5,067
2,196
2,557
14,011
5,241
2,209
2,597
14,064
5,004
2,111
2,552
14,222
5,145
2,260
2,566
14,096
MAJOR INDUSTRY AND CLASS
OF WORKER
Agriculture:
Wage and salary workers.......
Self-employed workers............
Unpaid family workers.............
Nonagricultural industries:
Wage and salary workers .......
Government ..........................
Private industries...................
Private households.............
Other...................................
Self-employed workers............
Unpaid family workers.............
PERSONS AT WORK
PART TIME'
All industries:
Part time for economic reasons
Slack work ...............................
Could only find part-time work
Voluntary part time .....................
Nonagricultural industries:
Part time for economic reasons
Slack work ...............................
Could only find part-time work
Voluntary part time .....................
1 Excludes persons “with a job but not at work” during the survey period for such reasons as vacation, illness, or industrial disputes.
68
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7.
Selected unemployment indicators, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Unemployment rates)
1988
1987
Annual average
Selected categories
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Total, all civilian workers.........................................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years................................
Men, 20 years and over....................................
Women, 20 years and over................................
7.0
18.3
6.1
6.2
6.2
16.9
5.4
5.4
6.7
17.7
6.0
5.9
6.6
17.9
5.8
5.8
6.5
17.8
5.7
5.7
6.3
17.3
5.6
5.5
6.3
17.6
5.6
5.4
6.1
16.0
5.5
5.3
6.0
15.8
5.4
5.4
6.0
16.2
5.2
5.3
5.9
16.4
5.0
5.4
6.0
17.2
5.1
5.2
5.9
16.6
5.0
5.2
5.8
16.1
4.9
5.2
5.8
16.0
5.1
5.1
White, total .........................................................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years.............................
Men, 16 to 19 years ...................................
Women, 16 to 19 years..............................
Men, 20 years and over ..................................
Women, 20 years and over.............................
6.0
15.6
16.3
14.9
5.3
5.4
5.3
14.4
15.5
13.4
4.8
4.6
5.8
15.1
16.1
14.0
5.2
5.0
5.7
15.1
16.0
14.1
5.1
4.8
5.6
15.3
16.8
13.7
5.0
4.7
5.5
14.8
16.3
13.3
4.9
4.6
5.4
15.2
17.0
13.3
4.8
4.5
5.3
13.9
14.8
13.0
4.9
4.4
5.2
13.3
13.5
13.1
4.7
4.5
5.2
14.1
15.2
12.9
4.6
4.4
5.1
14.3
15.1
13.4
4.4
4.5
5.2
14.5
15.1
13.8
4.6
4.3
5.1
14.1
14.8
13.3
4.4
4.4
4.9
13.6
14.9
12.3
4.3
4.4
5.0
14.0
14.4
13.6
4.4
4.2
Black, total ........................................... ..............
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years.............................
Men, 16 to 19 years ...................................
Women, 16 to 19 years..............................
Men, 20 years and over ..................................
Women, 20 years and over.............................
14.5
39.3
39.3
39.2
12.9
12.4
13.0
34.7
34.4
34.9
11.1
11.6
14.1
39.2
36.5
42.3
12.1
12.6
14.0
38.0
37.9
38.0
11.9
12.6
13.9
37.0
36.1
38.0
11.6
12.7
13.0
37.1
37.8
36.3
11.0
11.6
13.7
37.5
38.3
36.6
12.3
11.6
12.8
33.4
31.4
35.4
11.4
11.3
12.7
32.7
32.4
33.1
11.2
11.4
12.4
30.6
33.7
27.1
10.7
11.3
12.3
30.8
31.5
30.0
10.1
11.7
12.1
33.8
32.5
35.2
9.8
11.0
12.2
33.9
32.2
35.8
10.2
10.8
12.2
33.4
33.5
33.4
10.1
10.9
12.2
35.0
35.1
34.9
10.1
11.1
Hispanic origin, total...........................................
10.6
8.8
10.2
9.6
9.1
9.2
8.8
8.6
8.1
8.1
8.2
8.3
9.0
8.1
7.2
Married men, spouse present............................
Married women, spouse present.......................
Women who maintain families...........................
Full-time workers ................................................
Part-time workers ...............................................
Unemployed 15 weeks and over.......................
Labor force time lost1 ........................................
4.4
5.2
9.8
6.6
9.1
1.9
7.9
3.9
4.3
9.2
5.8
8.4
1.7
7.1
4.2
4.7
9.8
6.3
8.9
1.8
7.6
4.1
4.8
9.6
6.2
8.8
1.8
7.5
4.1
4.5
9.7
6.1
9.1
1.7
7.4
4.1
4.4
9.4
5.9
8.6
1.7
7.3
4.0
4.2
9.5
5.9
8.7
1.7
7.2
4.0
4.0
9.5
5.9
7.3
1.7
7.1
3.8
4.2
9.3
5.7
8.1
1.6
6.9
3.7
4.3
9.0
5.6
8.2
1.6
6.9
3.7
4.2
8.8
5.5
8.4
1.6
6.8
3.7
4.2
8.9
5.6
8.3
1.5
6.8
3.5
4.2
8.5
5.5
8.2
1.5
6.8
3.4
4.3
8.4
5.4
8.0
1.5
6.6
3.6
4.2
8.9
5.4
8.3
1.4
6.6
7.0
13.5
13.1
7.1
6.9
7.4
5.1
7.6
5.5
3.6
12.5
6.2
10.0
11.6
6.0
5.8
6.3
4.5
6.9
4.9
3.5
10.5
6.7
14.1
12.5
6.8
6.8
6.7
4.7
7.4
5.2
3.5
11.4
6.6
13.0
11.7
6.8
6.7
6.9
4.1
7.2
5.2
3.6
11.0
6.5
9.5
12.4
6.7
6.6
7.0
4.5
7.3
4.9
3.5
10.8
6.3
11.2
12.0
6.3
6.2
6.4
4.7
7.1
4.8
3.5
9.5
6.3
13.0
12.1
6.3
6.2
6.5
4.4
7.0
4.9
3.4
9.4
6.1
9.5
11.7
5.7
5.4
6.1
4.8
7.1
4.9
3.4
9.3
6.1
7.9
10.8
6.0
6.0
5.9
4.4
6.8
5.1
3.4
10.9
6.0
8.6
11.3
5.6
5.5
5.8
4.4
7.0
4.7
3.7
10.6
5.9
7.4
11.9
5.6
5.4
5.9
4.1
6.4
4.8
3.4
8.6
5.9
8.3
11.2
5.7
5.2
6.5
4.4
6.5
4.7
3.3
10.6
5.8
7.0
10.6
5.3
4.8
5.9
4.5
6.8
4.8
3.4
11.1
5.7
8.0
10.6
5.1
4.8
5.6
4.6
6.2
4.8
3.2
10.9
5.8
7.7
12.2
5.6
5.5
5.8
3.6
6.1
4.9
3.0
11.5
CHARACTERISTIC
INDUSTRY
Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers ....
Mining..................................................................
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 .....................
1 Aggregate hours lost by the unemployed and persons on part time for economic reasons as a percent of potentially available labor force hours.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
69
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
8.
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
Unemployment rates by sex and age, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Civilian workers)
Annual
average
Sex and age
1986
1988
1987
1987
Jan.
Mar.
Feb.
Apr.
June
May
July
Sept.
Aug.
Oct.
Nov.
Jan.
Dec.
Total, 16 years and over.................................................................
16 to 24 years...............................................................................
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
13.3
18.3
20.2
17.0
10.7
5.4
5.7
3.9
6.2
12.2
16.9
19.1
15.2
9.7
4.8
5.0
3.3
6.7
13.0
17.7
19.9
16.2
10.7
5.2
5.5
3.3
6.6
13.0
17.9
19.8
16.4
10.4
5.1
5.5
3.1
6.5
12.8
17.8
19.9
16.2
10.2
5.0
5.3
3.4
6.3
12.6
17.3
18.9
15.9
10.1
4.8
5.1
3.4
6.3
12.5
17.6
21.0
15.2
9.8
4.8
5.1
3.6
6.1
12.1
16.0
18.8
14.5
10.0
4.7
4.9
3.2
6.0
11.8
15.8
17.5
13.9
9.7
4.7
5.0
3.1
6.0
11.8
16.2
18.3
14.7
9.4
4.7
4.9
3.2
5.9
11.8
16.4
18.3
15.2
9.4
4.6
4.8
3.3
6.0
11.8
17.2
20.4
14.7
8.8
4.6
4.8
3.1
5.9
11.6
16.6
19.2
14.8
8.9
4.5
4.7
3.4
5.8
11.2
16.1
17.8
14.7
8.5
4.5
4.8
3.2
5.8
11.6
16.0
18.7
14.5
9.1
4.5
4.7
3.5
Men, 16 years and over..............................................................
16 to 24 years ..........................................................................
16 to 19 years........................................................................
16 to 17 years.....................................................................
18 to 19 years.....................................................................
20 to 24 years........................................................................
25 years and over....................................................................
25 to 54 years.....................................................................
55 years and over................................................................
6.9
13.7
19.0
20.8
17.7
11.0
5.4
5.6
4.1
6.2
12.6
17.8
20.2
16.0
9.9
4.8
5.0
3.5
6.7
13.4
18.5
21.1
17.1
10.8
5.2
5.6
3.7
6.6
13.5
18.5
20.5
17.1
10.9
5.1
5.4
3.4
6.6
13.2
19.0
20.3
17.9
10.2
5.1
5.3
3.6
6.4
13.1
18.7
21.0
17.1
10.3
4.9
5.1
3.7
6.4
13.2
19.6
22.7
17.2
9.9
4.9
5.1
3.9
6.2
12.4
16.4
19.1
15.4
10.4
4.8
5.0
3.4
6.0
11.9
15.9
17.1
13.7
9.9
4.7
4.9
3.4
6.1
12.5
17.8
20.5
15.9
9.6
4.7
4.9
3.4
5.8
12.1
17.3
19.7
15.9
9.3
4.5
4.7
3.2
5.9
12.1
17.4
20.9
14.8
9.2
4.5
4.8
3.1
5.8
12.0
17.2
20.4
14.8
9.2
4.4
4.6
3.5
5.7
11.7
17.2
19.3
15.3
8.7
4.4
4.6
3.2
5.8
12.2
16.4
19.4
14.9
9.9
4.4
4.5
4.0
Women, 16 years and over.......................................................
16 to 24 years.........................................................................
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..............................................................
7.1
12.8
17.6
19.6
16.3
10.3
5.5
5.9
3.6
6.2
11.7
15.9
18.0
14.3
9.4
4.8
5.1
3.0
6.6
12.7
16.8
18.6
15.3
10.5
5.1
5.5
2.8
6.6
12.4
17.1
19.0
15.7
9.9
5.1
5.5
2.7
6.5
12.4
16.6
19.6
14.3
10.1
5.0
5.3
3.0
6.3
12.0
15.9
16.6
14.7
10.0
4.8
5.1
2.9
6.2
11.8
15.6
19.1
13.1
9.7
4.7
5.0
3.0
6.0
11.7
15.5
18.4
13.6
9.6
4.5
4.9
2.8
6.1
11.7
15.7
18.0
14.1
9.5
4.7
5.0
2.6
6.0
11.0
14.4
16.0
13.4
9.0
4.7
5.0
2.9
6.1
11.5
15.4
16.9
14.4
9.4
4.7
4.9
3.5
6.1
11.5
16.9
19.9
14.6
8.5
4.7
4.9
3.1
6.0
11.2
16.0
17.9
14.7
8.6
4.7
4.9
3.2
5.9
10.7
14.8
16.2
14.1
8.4
4.7
4.9
3.3
5.9
10.9
15.6
17.9
14.1
8.2
4.6
4.9
2.8
9.
Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
1986
Job losers ............................................
On layoff............................................
Other job losers.................................
Job leavers ..........................................
Reentrants ...........................................
New entrants .......................................
1987
1988
1987
Annual average
Reason for unemployment
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
July
June
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Jan.
Dec.
4,033
1,090
2,943
1,015
2,160
1,029
3,566
943
2,623
965
1,974
920
3,971
1,087
2,884
909
2,059
1,048
3,835
1,001
2,834
1,033
2,038
1,007
3,791
1,003
2,788
996
2,078
952
3,705
963
2,742
955
1,965
918
3,612
924
2,688
931
1,995
999
3,554
919
2,635
959
1,980
854
3,529
916
2,613
989
1,930
844
3,389
874
2,515
992
1,969
855
3,313
820
2,493
981
1,908
882
3,388
944
2,444
960
1,845
914
3,307
878
2,429
926
1,974
855.
3,200
856
2,344
946
1,945
909
3,209
48.9
13.2
35.7
12.3
26.2
12.5
48.0
12.7
35.3
13.0
26.6
12.4
49.7
13.6
36.1
11.4
25.8
13.1
48.5
12.7
35.8
13.1
25.8
12.7
48.5
12.8
35.7
12.7
26.6
12.2
49.1
12.8
36.4
12.7
26.1
12.2
47.9
12.3
35.7
12.4
26.5
13.3
48.4
12.5
35.9
13.1
26.9
11.6
48.4
12.6
35.8
13.6
26.5
11.6
47.0
12.1
34.9
13.8
27.3
11.9
46.8
11.6
35.2
13.8
26.9
12.5
47.7
13.3
34.4
13.5
26.0
12.9
46.8
12.4
34.4
13.1
28.0
12.1
45.7
12.2
33.5
13.5
27.8
13.0
45.2
12.5
32.7
15.3
27.0
12.5
3.3
.8
1.7
.9
3.2
.9
1.7
.8
3.2
.8
1.7
.8
3.1
.8
1.6
.8
3.0
.8
1.7
.8
3.0
.8
1.7
.7
2.9
.8
1.6
.7
2.8
.8
1.6
.7
2.8
.8
1.6
.7
2.8
.8
1.5
.8
2.7
.8
1.6
.7
2.7
2.6
.8
.9
1.6
.7
888
2,320
1,082
1,917
885
PERCENT OF UNEMPLOYED
Job losers.........................................
On layoff........................................
Other job losers.............................
Job leavers.......................................
Reentrants........................................
New entrants ....................................
PERCENT OF
CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE
Job losers ...........................................
Job leavers .........................................
Reentrants ..........................................
New entrants ......................................
10.
1.6
.8
Duration of unemployment, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
70
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1988
1987
Annual average
Weeks of unemployment
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
3,448
2,557
2,232
1,045
1,187
3,246
2,196
1,983
943
1,040
3,365
2,489
2,187
1,023
1,164
3,343
2,444
2,129
1,004
1,125
3,352
2,411
2,055
944
1,111
3,195
2,256
2,060
984
1,076
3,308
2,165
2,067
974
1,093
3,138
2,151
2,029
973
1,056
3,186
2,144
1,920
945
975
3,203
2,142
1,896
834
1,062
3,220
1,949
1,904
917
987
3,223
2,093
1,801
844
957
3,218
2,029
1,834
899
935
3,229
1,968
1,791
892
899
3,089
2,263
1,733
839
894
15.0
6.9
14.5
6.5
15.0
7.0
14.8
6.7
14.9
6.7
14.8
6.9
14.8
6.6
14.7
6.6
14.2
6.6
14.3
6.4
14.2
' 5.8
14.1
6.2
14.0
6.1
14.2
6.0
14.4
6.4
11.
Unemployment rates of civilian workers by State, data not seasonally adjusted
State
Dec.
1986
Dec.
1987
A la b a m a .............................................................
Alaska ................................................................
A riz o n a ...............................................................
A rka n s a s ............................................................
C a lifornia............................................................
9.6
11.2
6.7
9.1
6.3
7.1
9.7
5.5
7.9
4.9
Colorado ............................................................
Connecticut .......................................................
D elaw are............................................................
District of C o lum bia .........................................
Florida ................................................................
7.7
3.4
3.7
7.3
4.6
6.8
3.1
2.9
6.0
5.0
Georgia ..............................................................
H a w aii.................................................................
Idaho ..................................................................
Illinois .................................................................
Indiana ...............................................................
5.7
4.2
8.6
7.0
6.4
5.4
3.7
7.9
6.9
5.9
State
Dec.
1986
r
New Jersey ......................................................
Ohio ..................................................................
n
60
2.5
67
2.2
3.9
93
3.6
81
6.6
5.8
7.9
79
6.1
3.7
3.5
South C a ro lin a ................................................
South D a k o ta ..................................................
5.9
5.0
4.8
4.7
Texas ................................................................
Utah ..................................................................
8.7
6.0
6.8
5.8
4.5
3.5
7.7
Io w a ..............................................................
Kansas ...............................................................
K e n tu c k y ............................................................
Louisiana............................................................
M a in e ..................................................................
6.4
5.4
8.5
13.4
4.3
5.7
5.1
7.3
10.9
3.5
Maryland ............................................................
Massachusetts .................................................
M ichigan......................................................
M in n e s o ta ..........................................................
M ississippi..........................................................
M issouri..............................................................
4.2
3.1
7.6
4.2
2.6
8.3
8.3
11 6
5.5
6.1
9.7
6.3
7.1
6.2
9.7
7.7
V e rm o n t........................................................
11.7
6.1
NOTE: Some data in this table may differ from data
published elsewhere because of the continual updating of the
12.
Dec.
1987
Washington ......................................................
database,
Employment of workers on nonagricultural payrolls by State, data not seasonally adjusted
(In thousands)
State
Arkansas......................................................
Colorado .......................................................
Connecticut ..................................................
Dec. 1986
1,474.0
211.4
1,378.7
824.0
11,526.0
Nov. 1987
1,503.3
206.4
1,397.1
853.7
11,887.9
District of Columbia......................................
Florida ..........................................................
1,405.2
1,644.6
313.2
647.0
4,739.3
1,405.8
1,673.8
322.2
652.3
4,902.9
Idaho ............................................................
Illinois ...........................................................
Indiana .........................................................
2,746.5
448.1
339.1
4,843.9
2,277.5
2,779.5
459.4
343.2
4,934.2
2,363.9
Iowa..............................................................
Kansas .........................................................
Kentucky......................................................
Louisiana......................................................
Maine............................................................
1,092.0
990.5
1,309.8
1,509.4
486.7
1,130.5
1,019.1
1,328.7
1,510.9
509.8
Maryland ......................................................
1,998.6
3,045.7
3,699.4
1,919.6
859.8
2,145.5
275.6
2,006.0
3,096.9
3,754.6
1,996.2
879.1
2,190.5
276.2
Minnesota.....................................................
Mississippi.....................................................
Missouri........................................................
Montana.......................................................
Dec. 1987»
New Mexico ................................................
1,415.5 New York.....................................................
1,684.5
323.9
656.0
4,952.9
Oklahoma....................................................
2,784.2
461.9
341.6
4,932.9
2,358.0 South Carolina............................................
South Dakota..............................................
1,125.4 Tennessee ..................................................
1,017.6 Texas ..........................................................
1,333.1
1,512.0
512.2
Virginia........................................................
2,011.9
3,109.1
3,750.6
1,989.8
879.7 Wyoming.....................................................
2,184.8
274.2
p = preliminary
NOTE: Some data in this table may differ from data published elsewhere
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
State
1,507.3
203.4
1,402.9
854.1
11,939.7
Dec. 1986
Nov. 1987
Dec. 1987p
663.2
481 4
499.6
679 7
511 2
517 2
677 8
512 6
521.9
3,549 7
535.3
8,074.3
2,796.8
249 7
3,633 3
539.7
8,254.2
2,890 6
255.5
3 637 0
542.1
8,272.9
4,569.4
T 142.8
1 072 8
4 876 5
452 2
4,675 8
11132.8
1 121 9
5 028 2
456.4
4 678 4
1,133.1
1 118 3
5 031 2
454.6
1,357.9
252.3
1,982.5
6,538.8
644 0
1,409.5
257.7
2,049.4
6,580.5
650 1
1,412.9
256.5
2,048.6
6,587.7
651.4
241 5
2,626.5
1,791 6
599 6
2,042.8
242 4
2,682.1
1 875 3
609 2
2,103.7
2,693.0
1 874 3
607 7
2,099.1
191.2
734 4
37 9
190.2
750 0
38 7
188.7
757 3
39.0
254.5
because of the continual updating of the database.
71
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
13. Employment of workers on nonagricultural payrolls by industry, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(In thousands)
1987
Annual average
1988
Industry
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.p
Jan.p
TOTAL ..........................................
PRIVATE SECTOR ........................
99,610
82,900
102,110
85,047
100,919
83,983
101,150
84,215
101,329
84,352
101,598
84,560
101,708
84,677
101,818
84,787
102,126
85,106
102,275
85,229
102,434
85,386
102,983
85,795
103,285
86,072
103,596
86,322
103,703
86,496
GOODS-PRODUCING .....................
Mining ...............................................
24,681
783
457
24,884
742
425
24,708
718
405
24,743
719
406
24,749
722
408
24,759
729
416
24,752
735
420
24,761
738
425
24,850
744
430
24,886
751
434
24,917
759
439
25,064
764
443
25,169
759
439
25,258
759
437
25,219
745
426
4,904
1,293
5,031
1,279
5,034
1,311
5,038
1,309
5,032
1,291
5,019
1,272
4,999
1,267
5,008
1,266
5,002
1,261
5,006
1,262
4,989
1,260
5,053
1,279
5,074
1,280
5,122
1,292
5,072
1,299
18,994
12,895
19,112
13,021
18,956
12,884
18,986
12,916
18,995
12,925
19,011
12,939
19,018
12,946
19,015
12,958
19,104
13,020
19,129
13,038
19,169
13,072
19,247
13,129
19,336
13,197
19,377
13,237
19,402
13,249
11,244
7,432
11,236
7,457
11,157
7,370
11,179
7,398
11,176
7,399
11,175
7,406
11,175
7,409
11,176
7,421
11,195
7,425
11,248
7,475
11,268
7,494
11,319
7,530
11,367
7,568
11,401
7,596
11,413
7,594
711
497
586
753
739
514
585
751
731
500
586
726
733
501
588
733
734
502
586
739
736
504
586
743
738
509
584
742
735
510
582
746
740
518
582
750
736
518
582
754
740
520
581
764
741
524
583
768
750
526
588
771
754
529
590
772
755
533
584
766
275
1,431
275
1,428
254
1,422
261
1,419
266
1,419
272
1,423
272
1,420
275
1,424
277
1,424
278
1,425
283
1,429
286
1,438
287
1,446
285
1,451
283
1,454
Machinery, except electrical........
Electrical and electronic
equipment....................................
Transportation equipment............
Motor vehicles and equipment ....
Instruments and related products
Miscellaneous manufacturing
industries .....................................
2,060
2,039
2,007
2,018
2,015
2,022
2,025
2,028
2,033
2,044
2,053
2,064
2,074
2,085
2,098
2,123
2,015
865
707
2,101
2,015
841
696
2,111
2,014
851
697
2,106
2,022
859
695
2,099
2,022
854
694
2,092
2,011
847
694
2,087
2,011
843
693
2,080
2,010
842
693
2,088
1,995
814
695
2,095
2,028
848
695
2,096
2,018
837
695
2,111
2,019
838
697
2,118
2,016
835
701
2,128
2,016
831
700
2,136
2,008
823
700
362
369
363
364
366
364
366
368
370
371
372
374
377
376
379
Nondurable g o o d s .........................
7,750
5,463
7,875
5,564
7,799
5,514
7,807
5,518
7,819
5,526
7,836
5,533
7,843
5,537
7,839
5,537
7,909
5,595
7,881
5,563
7,901
5,578
7,928
5,599
7,969
5,629
7,976
5,641
7,989
5,655
Food and kindred products.........
Tobacco manufactures ................
Textile mill products.....................
Apparel and other textile
products......................................
Paper and allied products ...........
1,617
59
705
1,636
57
730
1,628
58
718
1,630
58
722
1,635
57
725
1,642
56
724
1,633
57
727
1,634
57
729
1,644
57
736
1,632
56
732
1,631
55
735
1,635
55
736
1,645
56
738
1,644
56
738
1,659
55
735
1,106
674
1,113
678
1,106
678
1,101
679
1,103
678
1,104
677
1,107
677
1,108
676
1,130
678
1,110
677
1,117
681
1,123
678
1,128
680
1,121
681
1,114
682
Printing and publishing.................
Chemicals and allied products.....
Petroleum and coal products......
Rubber and misc. plastics
products......................................
Leather and leather products .....
1,457
1,023
169
1,501
1,027
165
1,479
1,018
164
1,483
1,018
164
1,485
1,017
164
1,493
1,018
164
1,497
1,022
164
1,498
1,014
164
1,504
1,026
164
1,508
1,031
164
1,509
1,031
166
1,514
1,035
167
1,522
1,041
167
1,525
1,047
167
1,531
1,049
165
790
151
818
151
803
147
805
147
807
148
809
149
809
150
810
149
815
155
819
152
824
152
833
152
840
152
845
152
846
153
SERVICE-PRODUCING ...................
Transportation and public
u tilities.............................................
74,930
77,226
76,211
76,407
76,580
76,839
76,956
77,057
77,276
77,389
77,517
77,919
78,116
78,338
78,484
5,244
3,041
5,377
3,149
5,304
3,089
5,315
3,097
5,333
3,112
5,348
3,124
5,344
3,120
5,350
3,128
5,363
3,133
5,377
3,147
5,416
3,183
5,436
3,198
5,459
3,218
5,468
3,227
5,476
3,228
2,203
2,228
2,215
2,218
2,221
2,224
2,224
2,222
2,230
2,230
2,233
2,238
2,241
2,241
2,248
5,735
3,383
2,351
5,797
3,419
2,379
5,741
3,386
2,355
5,757
3,391
2,366
5,766
3,397
2,369
5,772
3,397
2,375
5,775
3,401
2,374
5,781
3,405
2,376
5,797
3,418
2,379
5,807
3,422
2,385
5,815
3,431
2,384
5,831
3,444
2,387
5,851
3,456
2,395
5,873
3,475
2,398
5,892
3,487
2,405
17,845
2,363
2,873
18,262
2,404
2,959
18,080
2,358
2,929
18,140
2,373
2,940
18,136
2,380
2,944
18,197
2,385
2,953
18,205
2,390
2,956
18,226
2,387
2,960
18,274
2,407
2,959
18,256
2,411
2,962
18,314
2,415
2,958
18,408
2,459
2,969
18,443
2,454
2,982
18,433
2,427
2,994
18,587
2,457
3,019
1,943
5,879
1,987
5,994
1,978
5,946
1,979
5,956
1,979
5,964
1,978
5,962
1,978
5,976
1,983
5,982
1,985
5,985
1,985
5,992
1,988
6,018
2,000
6,032
2,003
6,047
2,011
6,063
2,027
6,082
6,297
3,152
1,945
1,200
6,589
3,278
2,044
1,267
6,480
3,235
2,012
1,233
6,501
3,243
2,016
1,242
6,526
3,256
2,022
1,248
6,558
3,272
2,032
1,254
6,576
3,276
2,037
1,263
6,586
3,280
2,037
1,269
6,608
3,291
2,043
1,274
6,624
3,293
2,050
1,281
6,629
3,292
2,054
1,283
6,650
3,296
2,068
1,286
6,657
3,301
2,069
1,287
6,667
3,303
2,082
1,282
6,671
3,308
2,083
1,280
23,099
4,781
6,551
24,138
5,097
6,880
23,670
4,950
6,721
23,759
4,984
6,748
23,842
5,020
6,773
23,926
5,044
6,800
24,025
5,083
6,822
24,083
5,086
6,853
24,214
5,105
6,887
24,279
5,133
6,923
24,295
5,152
6,943
24,406
5,194
6,987
24,493
5,195
7,023
24,623
5,222
7,065
24,651
5,220
7,102
16,711
17,063
2,899
2,943
3,888
3,952
9,923 , 10,168
16,936
2,912
3,929
10,095
16,935
2,916
3,927
10,092
16,977
2,922
3,930
10,125
17,038
2,933
3,943
10,162
17,031
2,935
3,947
10,149
17,031
2,935
3,932
10,164
17,020
2,936
3,952
10,132
17,046
2,940
3,964
10,142
17,048
2,962
3,957
10,129
17,188
2,965
3,973
10,250
17,213
2,977
3,978
10,258
17,274
2,979
3,994
10,301
17,207
2,981
3,971
10,255
Oil and gas extraction ................
Construction ...................................
General building contractors......
M anufacturing.................................
Production workers ....................
Durable g o o d s ...............................
Production workers.....................
Lumber and wood products ........
Furniture and fixtures...................
Stone, clay, and glass products ...
Primary metal industries ..............
Blast furnaces and basic steel
products......................................
Fabricated metal products...........
Production workers......................
Transportation..............................
Communication and public
utilities.........................................
Wholesale t r a d e .............................
Durable goods..............................
Nondurable goods.......................
Retail tra d e ......................................
General merchandise stores.......
Food stores..................................
Automotive dealers and service
stations.......................................
Eating and drinking places..........
Finance, insurance, and real
estate ...............................................
Finance ........................................
Insurance .....................................
Real estate...................................
Services............................................
Business services........................
Health services............................
Government ....................................
Federal.........................................
State.............................................
Local.............................................
p = preliminary
NOTE: See notes on the data for a description of the most recent benchmark revision.
72
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
14. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by industry,
monthly data seasonally adjusted
Industry
Annual
average
1986
1987
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
1988
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.p Jan.p
PRIVATE SECTOR ..............................................
34.8
34.8
34.7
34.9
34.8
34.7
34.9
34.8
34.8
34.9
34.6
34.9
34.9
34.7
34.7
MANUFACTURING....................................................
40.7
3.4
41.0
3.7
40.9
3.6
41.1
3.6
40.9
3.6
40.6
3.5
41.0
3.8
41.0
3.7
41.0
3.8
41.0
3.8
40.6
3.6
41.3
4.0
41.2
3.9
41.0
3.9
41.1
3.9
Overtime hours...............................................
Lumber and wood products................................
Furniture and fixtures..........................................
Stone, clay, and glass products.........................
Primary metal industries .....................................
Blast furnaces and basic steel products.........
Fabricated metal products ..................................
41.3
3.5
40.3
39.8
42.2
41.9
41.7
41.3
41.5
3.8
40.6
39.9
42.3
43.1
43.6
41.5
41.6
3.7
40.8
40.2
42.5
42.6
42.7
41.6
41.7
3.7
41.3
40.2
42.8
42.6
42.3
41.6
41.5
3.7
40.9
40.0
42.5
42.6
42.3
41.5
41.2
3.6
40.6
39.1
41.9
42.3
42.4
41.2
41.6
3.9
41.0
39.9
42.3
43.1
43.3
41.6
41.5
3.8
40.6
40.0
42.0
43.1
43.5
41.5
41.6
3.8
40.6
40.0
42.2
43.4
44.1
41.4
41.6
4.0
40.4
40.1
42.1
43.5
44.0
41.5
41.0
3.7
39.4
39.3
41.9
43.4
45.2
40.8
41.9
4.1
40.4
40.0
42.6
43.7
44.3
42.0
41.9
4.0
40.8
40.0
42.5
43.7
44.0
42.1
41.6
4.0
40.5
39.7
42.6
43.5
44.1
41.8
41.6
4.0
39.7
39.4
42.2
43.5
44.2
41.8
Machinery except electrical ................................
Electrical and electronic equipment.....................
Transportation equipment....................................
Motor vehicles and equipment.........................
Instruments and related products ......................
41.6
41.0
42.3
42.6
41.0
42.2
40.9
42.1
42.3
41.4
42.0
41.0
42.3
42.9
41.2
42.2
41.1
42.5
43.0
41.3
42.0
40.9
42.3
42.9
41.3
41.8
40.6
41.9
42.1
41.0
42.2
40.8
42.2
42.5
41.5
42.2
41.1
41.9
42.0
41.5
42.4
41.1
41.7
41.9
41.6
42.2
41.0
41.9
41.9
41.7
41.6
40.4
41.3
41.3
41.1
42.6
41.1
42.5
43.0
42.1
42.7
41.0
42.4
43.1
41.7
42.5
40.8
41.6
41.4
41.5
42.8
41.2
42.0
41.9
41.6
Nondurable g o o d s ..................................................
Overtime hours...............................................
Food and kindred products.................................
Textile mill products............................................
Apparel and other textile products.....................
Paper and allied products ...................................
39.9
3.3
40.0
41.1
36.7
43.2
40.2
3.6
40.2
41.9
37.1
43.4
40.1
3.5
40.0
41.6
37.0
43.4
40.3
3.5
40.1
42.0
37.4
43.3
40.1
3.5
40.0
42.1
37.0
43.0
39.7
3.3
39.8 I
41.4
36.1
43.0
40.2
3.7
40.1
42.0
37.2
43.5
40.2
3.6
40.1
42.1
37.1
43.3
40.3
3.7
39.9
42.4
37.3
43.5
40.3
3.7
40.3
42.1
37.4
43.4
40.1
3.6
40.2
41.3
36.3
43.8
40.5
3.8
40.5
41.9
37.4
43.7
40.4
3.8
40.6
41.8
37.1
43.5
40.3
3.7
40.6
41.7
37.2
43.2
40.3
3.8
40.5
41.3
37.1
43.6
Printing and publishing........................................
Chemicals and allied products............................
Petroleum and coal products..............................
38.0
41.9
43.8
38.0
42.3
43.9
37.9
42.2
44.6
38.1
42.2
44.0
37.9
42.0
44.1
37.7
42.2
43.9
37.9
42.1
44.3
38.1
42.0
43.3
38.1
42.2
44.4
37.9
42.4
43.3
38.2
42.8
43.2
38.0
42.7
43.5
38.0
42.7
43.6
37.9
42.8
44.5
37.9
42.7
44.5
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC U T ILITIE S ....
39.2
39.1
39.0
39.2
39.0
39.0
39.2
38.8
39.2
39.3
39.1
39.3
39.1
39.0
39.3
Overtime hours...............................................
Durable g o o d s ..........................................................
WHOLESALE T R A D E ...............................................
37.7
37.5
38.3
38.3
38.1
38.2
38.3
38.2
38.1
38.3
38.0
38.4
38.3
38.1
38.3
RETAIL TRADE ..........................................................
29.2
29.3
29.0
29.3
29.3
29.5
29.4
29.2
29.3
29.6
29.6
29.3
29.2
28.8
28.9
SERVICES ...................................................................
32.5
32.5
32.4
32.6
32.5
32.4
32.5
32.5
32.5
32.5
32.5
32.5
32.6
32.5
32.7
p = preliminary
NOTE: See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most recent
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
benchmark adjustment.
73
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
15. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by
industry
Industry
Annual
average
1987
1988
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Seasonally adjusted .........................................
$8.76
-
$8.98
-
$8.90
8.86
$8.92
8.88
$8.92
8.91
$8.91
8.91
$8.93
8.95
$8.92
8.94
$8.91
8.96
$8.94
9.02
$9.06
9.02
$9.09
9.08
$9.14
9.12
$9.12
9.10
$9.18
9.14
M IN IN G .........................................................................
12.44
12.45
12.66
12.56
12.51
12.43
12.42
12.44
12.31
12.32
12.43
12.34
12.47
12.49
12.61
CO NSTRU CTIO N........................................................ 12.47
12.66
12.58
12.51
12.59
12.55
12.60
12.61
12.57
12.67
12.77
12.79
12.80
12.78
12.90
9.73
9.91
9.84
9.84
9.85
9.87
9.87
9.87
9.87
9.86
10.00
9.95
10.01
10.08
10.09
10.29
Lumber and wood products................................
8.33
Furniture and fixtures..........................................
7.46
Stone, clay, and glass products......................... 10.05
Primary metal industries ..................................... 11.86
Blast furnaces and basic steel products......... 13.73
Fabricated metal products .................................. 9.89
10.45
8.40
7.67
10.27
11.98
13.84
10.03
10.38
8.27
7.61
10.17
11.76
13.55
9.98
10.39
8.31
7.58
10.15
11.78
13.59
9.99
10.39
8.28
7.58
10.13
11.82
13.66
9.99
10.39
8.34
7.58
10.23
11.96
13.84
9.98
10.40
8.37
7.64
10.26
11.96
13.80
9.97
10.42
8.44
7.66
10.29
11.97
13.83
10.00
10.40
8.46
7.67
10.33
11.97
13.70
9.95
10.42
8.49
7.74
10.31
11.98
13.81
9.97
10.53
8.48
7.75
10.40
12.24
14.17
10.04
10.51
8.44
7.73
10.31
12.05
13.97
10.11
10.57
8.49
7.73
10.34
12.08
13.97
10.15
10.63
8.45
7.79
10.34
12.16
14.07
10.23
10.63
8.55
7.79
10.34
12.14
13.98
10.18
Machinery, except electrical ............................... 10.59
Electrical and electronic equipment.................... 9.65
Transportation equipment.................................... 12.81
Motor vehicles and equipment......................... 13.45
9.47
Instruments and related products ......................
7.54
Miscellaneous manufacturing..............................
10.77
9.90
12.96
13.57
9.75
7.73
10.64
9.84
12.93
13.58
9.64
7.69
10.68
9.84
12.88
13.49
9.67
7.68
10.72
9.84
12.86
13.49
9.67
7.66
10.70
9.82
12.80
13.40
9.67
7.67
10.70
9.83
12.85
13.42
9.69
7.72
10.76
9.84
12.88
13.47
9.70
7.74
10.74
9.89
12.83
13.36
9.74
7.72
10.76
9.90
12.90
13.43
9.78
7.70
10.81
9.98
13.07
13.69
9.80
7.76
10.86
9.95
13.09
13.73
9.81
7.77
10.89
10.00
13.18
13.82
9.87
7.81
10.97
10.07
13.26
13.92
9.89
7.87
10.95
10.05
13.22
13.96
9.99
7.95
8.94
Food and kindred products................................. 8.74
Tobacco manufactures....................................... 12.85
Textile mill products............................................
6.93
Apparel and other textile products.....................
5.84
Paper and allied products ................................... 11.18
9.16
8.92
13.82
7.18
5.95
11.42
9.09
8.90
12.97
7.10
5.94
11.26
9.08
8.91
13.44
7.11
5.93
11.26
9.09
8.93
13.80
7.12
5.93
11.27
9.14
8.95
14.28
7.12
5.94
11.37
9.13
8.96
14.53
7.13
5.89
11.40
9.11
8.91
15.57
7.15
5.91
11.41
9.16
8.88
14.85
7.14
5.89
11.48
9.12
8.80
14.20
7.16
5.90
11.41
9.28
8.92
12.89
7.23
6.01
11.67
9.18
8.86
12.77
7.24
5.99
11.48
9.24
8.96
13.44
7.31
6.00
11.50
9.31
9.05
13.68
7.32
6.02
11.56
9.33
9.10
14.12
7.37
6.04
11.53
Printing and publishing........................................
9.99
Chemicals and allied products............................ 11.98
Petroleum and coal products.............................. 14.18
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products..... 8.73
5.92
Leather and leather products .............................
10.28
12.37
14.57
8.89
6.06
10.14
12.18
14.57
8.83
6.04
10.16
12.21
14.51
8.79
6.01
10.17
12.24
14.50
8.80
6.06
10.14
12.30
14.50
8.82
6.12
10.19
12.31
14.52
8.84
6.05
10.19
12.27
14.43
8.87
6.04
10.25
12.37
14.48
8.93
5.98
10.31
12.34
14.52
8.90
6.01
10.48
12.56
14.71
8.98
6.09
10.42
12.52
14.66
8.91
6.09
10.39
12.56
14.75
8.93
6.11
10.44
12.61
14.70
9.01
6.10
10.38
12.62
14.75
9.00
6.12
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC U T ILITIE S ....
11.70
12.00
11.89
11.93
11.90
11.94
11.95
11.91
12.00
12.04
12.09
12.09
12.17
12.12
12.10
WHOLESALE T R A D E ...............................................
9.35
9.60
9.49
9.55
9.53
9.53
9.57
9.57
9.57
9.62
9.67
9.67
9.74
9.74
9.81
PRIVATE S E C T O R ....................................................
M ANUFACTURING....................................................
Durable goods ...........................................................
Nondurable goods ....................................................
Dec.p Jan.p
RETAIL TRADE ..........................................................
6.03
6.11
6.09
6.09
6.08
6.09
6.09
6.08
6.07
6.06
6.20
6.16
6.19
6.17
6.23
FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ES TA T E ....
8.35
8.76
8.60
8.75
8.72
8.71
8.72
8.68
8.69
8.81
8.79
8.81
8.94
8.85
8.93
SERVICES ...................................................................
8.16
8.47
8.37
8.43
8.41
8.40
8.38
8.35
8.33
8.40
8.55
8.61
8.71
8.72
8.80
- Data not available.
p = preliminary
74
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
NOTE: See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most recent
benchmark revision.
16.
Average weekly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by industry
Annual average
1987
1988
Industry
1986
1987
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.p
Jan.p
PRIVATE SECTOR
Current dollars.................................................. $304.85 $312.50 $306.16 $307.74 $308.63 $308.29 $310.76 $312.20 $312.74 $315.58 $314.38 $317.24 $318.07 $318.29 $315.79
Seasonally adjusted.......................................
307.44 309.91 310.07 309.18 312.36 311.11 311.81 314.80 312.09 316.89 318.29 315.77 317.16
Constant (1977) dollars ...................................
171.07 169.28 169.52 169.74 169.48 168.28 169.17 169.21 169.14 169.76 168.30 169.38 169.64 169.85
M IN IN G .........................................................................
524.97
526.64
538.05
527.52
522.92
519.57
526.61
527.46
518.25
522.37
523.30
526.92
527.48
537.07
532.14
CO NSTRUCTIO N........................................................
466.38
477.28
467.98
460.37
470.87
469.37
485.10
480.44
485.20
489.06
464.83
496.25
474.88
480.53
464.40
Current dollars...................................................
Constant (1977) dollars.....................................
396.01
222.23
406.31
220.10
401.47
222.30
401.47
221.44
402.87
221.24
398.75
217.78
403.68
219.75
405.66
219.87
400.72
216.72
403.27
216.93
408.00
218.42
410.94
219.40
414.41
221.02
421.34
224.83
413.69
-
Durable goods ...........................................................
Lumber and wood products................................
Furniture and fixtures..........................................
Stone, clay, and glass products.........................
Primary metal industries .....................................
Blast furnaces and basic steel products.........
Fabricated metal products ..................................
424.98
335.70
296.91
424.11
496.93
572.54
408.46
433.68
341.04
306.03
434.42
516.34
603.42
416.25
430.77
331.63
302.88
421.04
500.98
575.88
414.17
431.19
337.39
299.41
423.26
503.01
577.58
413.59
432.22
337.00
301.68
425.46
505.90
581.92
414.59
427.03
338.60
294.10
430.68
508.30
593.74
408.18
431.60
345.68
301.78
439.13
514.28
598.92
412.76
434.51
348.57
306.40
437.33
517.10
605.75
417.00
426.40
341.78
300.66
439.03
514.71
602.80
405.96
430.35
345.54
311.92
439.21
515.14
600.74
411.76
432.78
338.35
308.45
442.00
531.22
639.07
410.64
439.32
342.66
313.84
443.33
522.97
610.49
424.62
443.94
343.00
312.29
438.42
529.10
613.28
429.35
451.78
342.23
318.61
437.38
536.26
624.71
437.84
441.15
334.31
303.81
424.97
528.09
615.12
424.51
Machinery, except electrical ...............................
Electrical and electronic equipment....................
Transportation equipment....................................
Motor vehicles and equipment.........................
Instruments and related products ......................
Miscellaneous manufacturing..............................
440.54
395.65
541.86
572.97
388.27
298.58
454.49
404.91
545.62
574.01
403.65
303.79
446.88
404.42
549.53
585.30
397.17
303.76
449.63
402.46
546.11
577.37
399.37
301.06
452.38
402.46
547.84
582.77
401.31
301.04
445.12
395.75
536.32
566.82
394.54
297.60
449.40
399.10
542.27
571.69
399.23
302.62
455.15
404.42
539.67
567.09
402.55
304.18
447.86
399.56
526.03
549.10
398.37
299.54
449.77
403.92
530.19
547.94
403.91
303.38
449.70
404.19
538.48
562.66
402.78
302.64
460.46
408.95
553.71
586.27
410.06
310.80
467.18
414.00
561.47
594.26
414.54
309.28
478.29
421.93
568.85
597.17
421.31
313.23
468.66
415.07
557.88
589.11
415.58
309.26
Nondurable goods ...................................................
356.71
349.60
480.59
284.82
214.33
482.98
368.23
358.58
532.07
300.84
220.75
495.63
362.69
354.22
481.19
293.94
218.59
488.68
362.29
351.05
486.53
295.78
220.00
484.18
363.60
352.74
525.78
299.04
219.41
483.48
361.03
351.74
536.93
291.21
212.65
486.64
366.11
359.30
571.03
298.75
219.11
493.62
367.13
357.29
624.36
303.16
221.03
494.05
366.40
354.31
527.18
297.02
217.93
495.94
368.45
358.16
512.62
302.87
220.66
492.91
374.91
363.94
501.42
301.49
218.16
514.65
371.79
360.60
526.12
305.53
224.63
501.68
375.14
365.57
551.04
308.48
224.40
502.55
381.71
371.96
555.41
309.64
226.35
509.80
375.07
366.73
539.38
302.91
222.88
502.71
379.62
501.96
621.08
390.64
523.25
639.62
381.26
514.00
645.45
384.05
514.04
629.73
386.46
515.30
636.55
381.26
519.06
635.10
384.16
518.25
637.43
384.16
516.57
624:82
387.45
518.30
645.81
392.81
519.51
631.62
403.48
537.57
644.30
397.00
530.85
642.11
397.94
537.57
646.05
404.03
546.01
654.15
390.29
538.87
651.95
360.55
218.45
369.82
230.89
367.33
225.29
364.79
223.57
365.20
227.25
360.74
224.60
366.86
233.53
370.77
237.37
366.13
230.83
368.46
233.79
371.77
229.59
373.33
235.68
375.95
234.01
382.02
234.85
378.00
235.01
TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC
U T IL IT IE S ...................................................................
458.64
469.20
457.77
465.27
462.91
463.27
466.05
465.68
472.80
476.78
473.93
475.14
477.06
475.10
469.48
WHOLESALE T R A D E ...............................................
359.04
366.72
361.57
361.95
361.19
363.09
366.53
367.49
366.53
369.41
368.43
371.33
373.04
373.04
373.76
RETAIL TRADE ..........................................................
176.08
179.02
172.35
174.78
175.71
177.83
178.44
179.97
182.10
183.62
183.52
179.87
179.51
180.78
176.31
MANUFACTURING
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 .............................
FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL
ESTATE ......................................................................
303.94
317.99
312.18
318.50
316.54
316.17
316.54
315.95
314.58
320.68
316.44
318.92
324.52
319.49
324.16
SERVICES ...................................................................
265.20
275.28
269.51
273.13
272.48
271.32
271.51
272.21
273.22
276.36
277.02
279.83
283.08
283.40
286.00
- Data not available.
p = preliminary
NOTE: See "Notes on the data” for a description of the most recent benchmark
revision.
17. The Hourly Earnings Index for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by
industry
Not seasonally adjusted
Industry
Jan.
1987
Nov.
1987
PRIVATE SECTOR (In current d o lla rs )............................
171.7
Mining1 ..........................................................................
Construction.................................................................
Manufacturing ...............................................................
Transportation and public utilities................................
Wholesale trade1 ..........................................................
Retail trade ..................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate’ ...........................
Services........................................................................
PRIVATE SECTOR [In constant (1977) dollars] ...........
Jan.
1988p
176.0
176.0
176.7
182.6
152.8
174.0
174.0
175.0
159.0
184.7
178.4
184.1
156.1
176.5
178.4
179.6
162.3
192.1
185.8
183.5
155.5
177.3
177.9
179.6
161.8
190.7
185.9
183.0
156.5
177.9
176.9
180.7
162.6
192.1
187.4
95.0
93.8
93.9
-
1 This series is not seasonally adjusted because the seasonal component is small
relative to the trend-cycle, irregular components, or both, and consequently cannot
be separated with sufficient precision.
- Data not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Seasonally adjusted
Dec.
1987p
Jan.
1987
Sept.
1987
Oct.
1987
Nov.
1987
Dec.
1987p
Jan.
1988p
171.2
174.6
174.9
175.8
175.4
176.3
152.8
173.4
173.6
154.0
176.7
176.6
154.7
176.3
176.9
156.6
176.6
177.1
154.5
177.0
176.7
156.7
177.3
176.5
-
-
-
-
_
_
158.9
162.7
162.2
162.3
161.9
_
-
-
_
162.6
-
177.5
182.3
183.9
185.2
184.8
186.4
94.7
93.8
93.7
93.8
93.6
-
_
p = preliminary,
NOTE: See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most recent benchmark
revision.
75
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
18.
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics: Employment Data
Indexes of diffusion: industries in which employment increased, data seasonally adjusted
(In percent)
Time span and year
Over
1986
1987
1988
Jan.
1-month span:
.......................
.......................
.......................
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
53.2
53.5
59.2
48.1
56.8
48.1
58.6
53.5
58.4
52.4
58.6
46.8
55.7
52.4
68.6
56.2
54.6
55.1
65.4
53.2
65.4
59.7
71.9
59.7
62.2
Over 3-month span:
1986 ......................
1987 .......................
1988 .......................
49.7
58.6
44.9
59.5
45.7
61.1
48.4
61.6
47.6
61.4
45.4
67.3
48.4
66.2
55.1
75.1
55.9
69.7
58.1
77.8
58.6
74.6
60.3
68.4
Over
1986
1987
1988
6-month span:
......................
.......................
.......................
47.6
61.9
47.6
62.7
43.0
58.9
43.2
67.3
45.4
67.6
48.4
71.1
47.3
76.2
53.0
78.6
59.2
79.5
58.9
73.2
57.8
58.9
Over
1986
1987
1988
12-month span:
........................
.........................
.........................
43.2
62.2
44.1
63.5
46.2
67.3
45.7
68.9
47.8
73.8
49.5
71.9
49.5
76.5
51.6
54.9
52.2
55.1
56.5
- Data not available.
NOTE: Figures are the percent of industries with employment rising. (Half of
the unchanged components are counted as rising.) Data are centered within the
19.
spans. Data for the 2 most recent months shown in each span are preliminary.
See the "Definitions" in this section. See “Notes on the data” for a description of
the most recent benchmark revision.
Annual data: Employment status of the noninstitutional population
(Numbers in thousands)
Employment status
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
Noninstitutional population....................................
166,460
169,349
171,775
173,939
175,891
178,080
179,912
182,293
184,490
Labor force:
Total (number)...................................................
Percent of population.......................................
106,559
64.0
108,544
64.1
110,315
64.2
111,872
64.3
113,226
64.4
115,241
64.7
117,167
65.1
119,540
65.6
121,602
65.9
100,421
60.3
1,597
100,907
59.6
1,604
102,042
59.4
1,645
101,194
58.2
1,668
102,510
58.3
1,676
106,702
59.9
1,697
108,856
60.5
1,706
111,303
61.1
1,706
114,177
61.9
1,737
98,824
3,347
95,477
99,303
3,364
95,938
100,397
3,368
97,030
99,526
3,401
96,125
100,834
3,383
97,450
105,005
3,321
101,685
107,150
3,179
103,971
109,597
3,163
106,434
112,440
3,208
109,232
Unemployed:
Total (number)............................................
Percent of labor force................................
6,137
5.8
7,637
7.0
8,273
7.5
10,678
9.5
10,717
9.5
8,539
7.4
8,312
7.1
8,237
6.9
7,425
6.1
Not in labor force (number) ................................
59,900
60,806
61,460
62,067
62,665
62,839
62,744
62,752
62,888
Employed:
Total (number) .............................................
Percent of population ..................................
Resident Armed Forces............................
Civilian
Total .......................................................
Agriculture............................................
Nonagricultural industries.....................
20.
Annual data: Employment levels by industry
(Numbers in thousands)
P
Industry
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
Total employment....................................................................
Private sector.........................................................................
Goods-producing .................................................................
Mining.............................................................................
Construction ...................................................................
Manufacturing.................................................................
89,823
73,876
26,461
958
4,463
21,040
90,406
74,166
25,658
1,027
4,346
20,285
91,156
75,126
25,497
1,139
4,188
20,170
89,566
73,729
23,813
1,128
3,905
18,781
90,200
74,330
23,334
952
3,948
18,434
94,496
78,472
24,727
966
4,383
19,378
97,519
81,125
24,859
927
4,673
19,260
99,610
82,900
24,681
783
4,904
18,994
102,110
85,047
24,884
742
5,031
19,112
Service-producing................................................................
Transportation and public utilities...................................
Wholesale trade ..............................................................
Retail trade .....................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate ...............................
Services...........................................................................
63,363
5,136
5,204
14,989
4,975
17,112
64,748
5,146
5,275
15,035
5,160
17,890
65,659
5,165
5,358
15,189
5,298
18,619
65,753
5,082
5,278
15,179
5,341
19,036
66,866
4,954
5,268
15,613
5,468
19,694
69,769
5,159
5,555
16,545
5,689
20,797
72,660
5,238
5,717
17,356
5,955
22,000
74,930
5,244
5,735
17,845
6,297
23,099
77,226
5,377
5,797
18,262
6,589
24,138
Government...................................................................
Federal......................................................................
State ..........................................................................
Local .........................................................................
15,947
2,773
3,541
9,633
16,241
2,866
3,610
9,765
16,031
2,772
3,640
9,619
15,837
2,739
3,640
9,458
15,869
2,774
3,662
9,434
16,024
2,807
3,734
9,482
16,394
2,875
3,832
9,687
16,711
2,899
3,888
9,923
17,063
2,943
3,952
10,168
NOTE:
76
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most
recent benchmark revision.
21. Annual data: Average hours and earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on nonagricultural
payrolls, by industry
Industry
1979
1980
35.7
6.16
219.91
1981
1982
235.10
35.2
7.25
255.20
34.8
7.68
267.26
43.0
8.49
365.07
43.3
9.17
397.06
43.7
10.04
438.75
37.0
9.27
342.99
37.0
9.94
367.78
40.2
6.70
269.34
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987 P
280.70
35.2
8.32
292.86
34.9
8.57
299.09
34.8
8.76
304.85
34.8
8.98
312.50
42.7
10.77
459.88
42.5
11.28
479.40
43.3
11.63
503.58
43.4
11.98
519.93
42.2
12.44
524.97
42.3
12.45
526.64
36.9
10.82
399.26
36.7
11.63
426.82
37.1
11.94
442.97
37.8
12.13
458.51
37.7
12.32
464.46
37.4
12.47
466.38
477.28
39.7
7.27
288.62
39.8
7.99
318.00
38.9
8.49
330.26
40.1
8.83
354.08
40.7
9.19
374.03
40.5
9.54
386.37
40.7
9.73
396.01
41.0
9.91
406.31
39.9
8.16
325.58
39.6
8.87
351.25
39.4
9.70
382.18
39.0
10.32
402.48
39.0
10.79
420.81
39.4
1 1 .1 2
39.2
11.70
458.64
1 2 .0 0
438.13
39.5
11.40
450.30
469.20
38.8
6.39
247.93
38.5
6.96
267.96
38.5
7.56
291.06
38.3
8.09
309.85
38.5
8.55
329.18
38.5
8.89
342.27
38.4
9.16
351.74
38.4
9.35
359.04
38.2
9.60
366.72
30.6
4.53
138.62
30.2
4.88
147.38
30.1
5.25
158.03
29.9
5.48
163.85
29.8
5.74
171.05
29.8
5.85
174.33
29.4
5.94
174.64
29.2
6.03
176.08
179.02
36.2
5.27
190.77
36.2
5.79
209.60
36.3
6.31
229.05
36.2
6.78
245.44
36.2
7.29
263.90
36.5
7.63
278.50
36.4
7.94
289.02
36.4
8.35
303.94
36.3
8.76
317.99
32.7
5.36
175.27
32.6
5.85
190.71
32.6
6.41
208.97
32.6
6.92
225.59
32.7
7.31
239.04
32.6
7.59
247.43
32.5
7.90
256.75
32.5
8.16
265.20
32.5
8.47
275.28
Private sector
Average weekly hours..........................................................
Average hourly earnings (In dollars).....................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars) ...................................
35.3
6 .6 6
35.0
8 .0 2
Mining
Average weekly hours .....................................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars) ................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
Construction
Average weekly hours .....................................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars) ................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
37.7
1 2 .6 6
Manufacturing
Average weekly hours .....................................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars) ................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
Transportation and public utilities
Average weekly hours ...................................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
39.1
Wholesale trade
Average weekly hours .....................................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars) ................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
Retail trade
Average weekly hours .....................................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars) ................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
29.3
6.11
Finance, insurance, and real estate
Average weekly hours .....................................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars) ................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
Services
Average weekly hours .......................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars) ................................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars)...............................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
22.
March 1988 •
Compensation and Industrial Relations Data
Employment Cost Index, compensation,1 by occupation and industry group
(June 1981=100)
1985
1986
1987
Percent change
Series
Dec.
Mar.
June
129.2
130.6
131.5
131.6
124.9
131.8
133.1
126.2
133.1
125.5
126.0
131.5
137.1
134.8
130.6
Sept.
3
months
ended
12
months
ended
Dec.
Mar.
June
133.0
133.8
135.0
135.9
137.5
138.6
0 .8
3.6
134.2
126.8
133.7
136.0
127.8
135.4
136.9
128.4
136.6
138.5
129.1
138.0
139.3
130.1
138.5
141.2
131.3
139.9
142.2
132.5
140.8
.7
.9
.6
3.9
3.2
3.1
126.9
127.7
132.9
138.8
136.8
131.9
128.1
128.7
133.7
139.4
138.0
132.8
128.8
129.3
135.6
142.4
140.6
134.6
129.5
130.1
136.5
143.6
141.6
135.4
130.2
130.7
138.1
145.2
144.1
136.9
131.1
131.5
138.9
145.8
144.7
137.8
132.2
132.7
140.8
149.2
146.4
139.6
133.5
134.1
141.7
150.6
148.1
140.5
127.5
128.9
129.9
130.8
131.6
132.9
133.8
135.1
129.8
-
131.3
-
132.5
-
133.5
-
134.3
-
136.1
-
137.0
-
124.4
129.5
125.7
130.9
126.3
131.1
127.2
132.3
127.8
133.5
128.4
134.7
125.3
126.0
-
126.7
127.7
-
127.8
128.7
-
-
-
-
129.4
-
130.8
-
131.6
-
128.6
129.3
132.7
-
129.2
130.1
133.5
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
_
_
Sept.
Dec.
Dec. 1987
Civilian workers 2 ...................................................................
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar workers ...........................................................
Blue-collar workers..............................................................
Service occupations............................................................
Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing..................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Service-producing ................................................................
Services..............................................................................
Health services................................................................
Hospitals..........................................................................
Public administration 3 .......................................................
Nonmanufacturing.................................................................
Private industry workers....................................................
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar workers.........................................................
Professional specialty and technical occupations.........
Executive, administrative, and managerial occupations
Sales occupations...........................................................
Administrative support occupations, including
clerical ............................................................................
Blue-collar workers...........................................................
Precision production, craft, and repair occupation........
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors...........
Transportation and material moving occupations..........
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and laborers ....
Service occupations.........................................................
Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing................................................................
Construction.....................................................................
Manufacturing...................................................................
Durables ..........................................................................
Nondurables....... .............................................................
Service-producing ..............................................................
Transportation and public utilities....................................
Transportation..................................................................
Public utilities..................................................................
Wholesale and retail trade...............................................
Wholesale trade..............................................................
Retail trade .....................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate.................................
Service..............................................................................
Health services................................................................
Hospitals ........................................................................
.6
3.1
3.1
3.8
4.9
4.4
4.8
4.6
3.8
136.0
.7
3.3
138.5
-
139.3
-
.6
.9
.5
-.3
3.7
4.1
4.4
129.5
135.2
130.6
135.9
131.8
136.7
129.9
130.7
130.8
131.5
131.9
132.7
133.2
134.1
-
-
-
-
135.3
-
136.3
-
-
137.7
_
138.4
_
-
-
-
-
-
-
_
1.2
1.0
1.1
.6
.9
1.2
1.2
1.2
.9
.9
.8
1.3
.6
1 .2
4.1
3.1
3.1
3.4
2.9
1.1
2 .8
.6
2.4
1.0
.1
3.1
3.7
3.1
2.7
3.8
3.7
3.0
2.7
3.3
3.0
4.0
2.5
.1
2 .0
1.0
.7
1.1
1.0
1.2
.5
.4
.2
.6
.2
.7
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.3
5.2
4.3
4.9
Nonmanufacturing ............................................................
128.4
129.7
130.6
131.7
132.4
134.1
135.1
136.4
137.1
.5
3.5
State and local government workers ...............................
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar workers.........................................................
Blue-collar workers...........................................................
Workers, by industry division:
Services ............................................................................
Hospitals and other services4 .......................................
Health services.............................................................
Schools ..........................................................................
Elementary and secondary.........................................
Public administration3 .......................................................
137.5
138.9
139.7
143.6
144.7
145.9
146.3
149.7
151.1
.9
4.4
138.6
132.7
140.0
134.7
140.5
136.3
145.0
138.5
146.0
139.5
147.2
140.8
147.5
141.3
151.2
143.3
152.7
144.3
1.0
4.6
3.4
139.1
135.2
140.3
142.0
134.8
140.4
136.8
141.5
143.0
136.8
140.8
137.9
141.7
143.2
138.0
145.5
139.4
147.6
149.4
140.6
146.6
141.1
148.4
150.3
141.6
147.3
142.5
148.9
150.5
144.1
147.6
143.3
149.1
150.7
144.7
151.8
145.1
154.1
156.5
146.4
153.1
146.3
155.5
157.8
148.1
1 Cost (cents per hour worked) measured in the Employment Cost Index
consists of wages, salaries, and employer cost of employee benefits.
2 Consist of private industry workers (excluding farm and household workers)
and State and local government (excluding Federal Government) workers.
78
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
.7
.9
.8
1.1
.9
.8
1.2
3 Consist of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory
4 Includes, for example, library, social, and health services.
- Data not available.
4.4
3.7
4.7
4.8
5.0
4.6
activities.
23.
Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, by occupation and industry group
(June 1981=100)
1985
1986
1987
Percent change
Series
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
3
months
ended
12
months
ended
Dec. 1987
Civilian workers 1 ...................................................................
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar workers ..........................................................
Blue-collar workers.............................................................
Service occupations............................................................
Workers, by industry division
Goods-producing..................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Service-producing ..........................................................
Services............................................................................
Health services..........................................................
Hospitals....................................................................
Public administration 2 .....................................................
Nonmanufacturing ..........................................................
Private industry workers..................................................
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar workers......................................................
Professional specialty and technical occupations......
Executive, administrative, and managerial
occupations ................................................................
Sales occupations.......................................................
Administrative support occupations, including
clerical................................................................
Blue-collar workers........................................................
Precision production, craft, and repair
occupations..............................................................
Machine operators, assemblers, and inspectors.......
Transportation and material moving occupations.......
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers..................................................................
Service occupations ......................................................
Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing.............................................................
Construction ...............................................................
Manufacturing...............................................................
Durables....................................................................
Nondurables.................................................................
Service-producing.......................................................
Transportation and public utilities...............................
Transportation............................................................
Public utilities..........................................................
Wholesale and retail trade..........................................
Wholesale trade .......................................................
Retail trade............................................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate...........................
Services......................................................
Health services..........................................................
Hospitals....................................................................
Nonmanufacturing..........................................................
State and local government workers.............................
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar workers..........................................
Blue-collar workers..................................................
Workers, by industry division
Services ......................................................
Hospitals and other services 3 ....................................
Health services ..........................................................
Schools...................................................................
Elementary and secondary...................................
Public administration 2 ..................................................
127.0
128.3
129.3
130.7
131.5
132.8
133.5
135.2
136.1
0.7
3.5
129.8
122.3
128.6
131.2
123.4
129.8
132.4
124.1
130.0
134.1
125.0
131.7
135.0
125.6
132.8
136.6
126.2
134.2
137.3
127.1
134.7
139.4
128.3
136.0
140.2
129.4
136.6
.6
3.9
3.0
2.9
123.1
123.8
129.4
134.8
124.4
125.3
130.7
136.4
125.6
126.5
131.5
137.0
126.3
127.2
133.4
139.9
127.0
127.9
134.2
141.1
_
128.5
129.5
136.5
143.4
_
_
141.0
135.2
129.8
130.8
138.5
146.8
131.0
132.2
139.2
148.2
_
142.6
137.1
143.8
137.8
.5
3.1
3.4
3.7
5.0
4.6
5.0
4.1
3.6
132.0
128.4
133.8
129.6
134.6
130.4
137.5
132.2
138.1
133.0
127.8
128.7
135.8
142.7
_
140.5
134.5
125.6
126.8
127.9
128.8
129.5
130.8
131.7
133.0
133.8
.6
3.3
128.3
131.5
129.6
132.7
131.1
134.0
132.0
135.4
132.7
136.4
134.6
138.4
135.4
139.1
137.0
141.2
137.6
142.6
.4
1.0
3.7
4.5
128.4
122.5
130.5
122.4
132.1
124.3
132.4
125.2
133.5
124.9
135.6
126.7
136.4
127.1
138.6
127.0
139.2
126.1
.4
-.7
4.3
127.9
129.6
130.8
131.7
132.7
134.3
135.5
137.1
138.1
.7
4.1
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
-
_
_
_
.9
1.1
.5
1.0
1.1
1.2
.8
1 .0
1 2 2 .0
123.1
123.7
124.5
125.1
125.6
126.6
127.7
128.9
.9
3.0
123.8
125.3
125.7
123.6
118.9
126.7
124.1
119.8
127.4
124.9
120.1
127.9
125.5
120.5
128.8
126.7
121.5
130.2
127.5
122.3
131.1
129.2
122.9
.7
1.3
.5
2.9
3.4
2.3
121.4
130.1
121.9
131.4
1 2 2 .6
123.7
132.6
125.0
133.2
1.1
131.9
3.0
2.4
126.8
127.5
121.7
128.7
127.7
130.5
133.4
128.1
128.3
122.7
129.5
128.7
131.0
134.3
129.3
129.6
123.8
130.8
129.7
132.8
135.7
130.0
130.8
124.7
132.2
131.1
134.1
136.2
130.2
.9
.7
1 2 1 .6
1 2 2 .6
117.8
118.0
119.8
126.6
1 2 0 .0
128.0
120.3
128.0
120.9
128.9
122.9
117.9
123.8
123.4
124.6
127.8
125.2
124.2
118.3
125.3
124.8
126.1
129.0
126.3
125.4
119.8
126.5
125.8
127.9
129.9
126.6
126.1
120.5
127.2
126.4
128.5
130.9
127.3
1 2 0 .8
127.9
127.2
129.3
131.6
127.5
-
-
-
_
_
_
-
-
-
-
_
_
123.7
128.3
121.9
126.5
134.1
124.5
129.7
122.5
126.6
136.2
125.8
131.2
123.7
128.0
136.9
126.5
131.8
124.4
129.0
138.2
126.9
133.1
124.5
130.0
139.5
127.9
,34.8
125.2
133.5
141.8
_
129.9
137.2
127.1
131.5
142.8
_
130.6
137.8
127.8
131.8
145.9
-
-
-
-
_
_
_
_
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
126.6
127.7
128.7
129.7
_
130.7
138.5
127.7
131.6
147.1
.5
-.1
1.7
2 .6
-.2
1 .2
.8
134.2
134.8
.4
3.4
.9
4.2
141.4
142.5
142.8
146.1
147.4
142.8
135.1
143.9
136.3
144.1
136.9
147.7
139.0
149.3
139.6
135.6
130.9
136.8
132.4
137.1
133.3
142.1
135.8
143.3
137.3
143.9
138.6
144.2
139.4
148.2
141.2
149.5
142.2
144.1
145.7
137.5
3.0
4.1
132.8
140.4
138.2
139.4
134.6
.1
131.9
141.8
134.5
138.0
139.4
133.8
2 .6
130.4
136.0
137.0
138.5
132.0
2.1
.6
1.1
137.0
131.9
_
.4
.2
-.2
1.2
135.5
-
1.1
1.0
3.2
3.2
3.4
3.1
3.7
3.5
-
136.6
130.4
-
1.1
_
134.2
-
.5
5.4
4.6
5.1
135.3
128.4
1 Consists of private industry workers (excluding farm and household workers)
and State and local government (excluding Federal Government) workers.
Consists of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities.
2
.9
.4
_
145.1
146.4
138.1
_
145.5
146.5
140.5
_
145.6
146.6
141.0
1.1
.4
.9
.7
1.0
150.3
152.0
142.6
151.8
153.4
143.8
3 Includes, for example, library, social and health services,
- Data not available.
1.0
.9
.8
4.6
3.3
4.3
3.6
4.4
4.6
4.8
4.1
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988
•
Current Labor Statistics: Compensation and Industrial Relations Data
24. Employment Cost Index, private nonfarm workers, by bargaining status, region, and area size
(June 1981 = 100)
1985
1987
1986
Percent change
3
months
ended
Series
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
12
months
ended
Dec. 1987
COMPENSATION
Workers, by bargaining status1
Union .....................................................................................
Goods-producing.................................................................
Service-producing................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Nonmanufacturing...............................................................
127.1
125.2
130.2
125.5
128.6
128.4
126.4
131.6
127.0
129.7
128.7
126.7
131.9
126.9
130.4
129.4
127.3
132.8
127.5
131.2
129.8
127.5
133.4
127.9
131.5
130.5
128.0
134.4
128.0
132.6
131.2
128.7
135.2
128.7
133.5
132.0
129.5
135.9
129.5
134.3
133.4
131.3
136.7
131.5
135.1
Nonunion................................................................................
Goods-producing .................................................................
Service-producing................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Nonmanufacturing...............................................................
127.5
125.1
129.0
126.3
128.1
129.0
126.7
130.4
128.1
129.5
130.2
128.2
131.4
129.7
130.4
131.2
129.1
132.5
130.4
131.6
132.1
130.0
133.4
131.4
132.5
133.6
130.8
135.3
132.2
134.3
134.6
131.8
136.4
133.2
135.3
136.1
133.1
137.9
134.6
136.8
136.9
134.1
138.6
135.6
137.5
129.9
127.2
124.6
129.8
131.6
128.7
125.9
130.8
133.3
129.6
126.2
131.6
134.2
130.7
127.3
132.1
135.2
131.4
128.1
132.8
137.4
132.1
129.1
134.1
138.6
133.2
130.2
134.2
140.3
134.2
131.2
135.8
141.9
135.4
131.7
136.3
128.1
123.9
129.5
125.5
130.5
126.4
131.4
127.2
132.2
127.9
133.5
129.0
134.4
130.2
135.8
131.3
136.7
132.0
Union .....................................................................................
Goods-producing.................................................................
Service-producing................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Nonmanufacturing ...............................................................
124.7
122.7
127.8
123.3
125.9
125.6
123.4
129.0
124.2
126.9
126.1
124.1
129.3
124.6
127.4
126.9
124.5
130.5
125.0
128.5
127.2
124.8
130.9
125.5
128.7
127.7
125.0
131.7
125.6
129.5
128.3
125.8
132.2
126.2
130.1
129.1
126.5
132.9
127.0
130.8
130.5
128.5
133.6
129.3
131.5
Nonunion................................................................................
Goods-producing.................................................................
Service-producing................................................................
Manufacturing .....................................................................
Nonmanufacturing ...............................................................
125.9
123.0
127.7
124.4
126.6
127.3
124.5
128.9
126.1
127.8
128.5
126.1
129.9
127.7
128.9
129.4
127.0
130.8
128.5
129.8
130.3
127.8
131.7
129.5
130.6
131.8
128.8
133.6
130.6
132.4
132.8
129.6
134.6
131.5
133.4
134.3
131.1
136.2
133.0
134.9
135.0
132.1
136.7
133.9
135.4
128.1
125.4
122.9
127.1
129.2
126.8
124.2
128.1
131.3
127.8
124.4
128.9
132.3
128.8
125.3
129.3
133.1
129.4
126.2
130.1
135.4
130.1
127.4
131.2
136.6
131.1
128.5
131.1
138.3
132.1
129.6
133.1
126.3
127.4
123.6
128.5
124.5
129.4
125.0
130.2
125.6
131.6
126.6
132.4
127.8
133.7
129.1
1.1
2 .8
1.4
3.0
2.5
.6
1.5
2 .8
.6
2.7
.6
3.6
3.2
3.9
3.2
3.8
.8
.5
.7
.5
Workers, by region 1
Northeast................................................................................
South .....................................................................................
Midwest (formerly North Central)..........................................
West.......................................................................................
1.1
.9
.4
.4
5.0
3.0
2 .8
2 .6
Workers, by area size 1
Metropolitan areas.................................................................
Other areas............................................................................
.7
.5
3.4
3.2
WAGES AND SALARIES
Workers, by bargaining status 1
1.1
2 .6
1 .6
3.0
.5
2.1
1 .8
3.0
.5
2 .2
.5
.4
.7
.4
3.6
3.4
3.8
3.4
3.7
139.7
133.0
129.9
133.5
1 .0
5.0
134.6
129.8
.8
Workers, by region 1
Northeast................................................................................
South .....................................................................................
Midwest (formerly North Central)..........................................
West.......................................................................................
.7
2 .8
.2
2.9
.3
2 .6
.7
.5
3.4
3.3
Workers, by area size1
Metropolitan areas.................................................................
Other areas............................................................................
1 2 2 .0
1 The indexes are calculated differently from those for the occupation and
industry groups. For a detailed description of the index calculation, see the
80
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor R eview Technical
Employment Cost Index,” May 1982.
M onthly
Note,
“Estimation
procedures for the
25. Specified compensation and wage adjustments from contract settlements, and effective wage adjustments, private
industry collective bargaining situations covering 1,000 workers or more (in percent)
Annual average
Quarterly average
Measure
1986
1985
1987
1986
I
II
III
IV
I
2.7
2.4
1.7
2.4
IP
IVp
IIP
Specified adjustments:
Total compensation 1 adjustments,
covering 5,000 workers or more:
2
settlements
First year of contract ...........................................
Annual rate over life of contract.........................
Wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000
workers or more:
First year of contract ...........................................
Annual rate over life of contract .........................
2 .6
1.1
0 .6
0.7
0.7
2.7
1.6
1.2
1.6
1.2
2.3
2.7
1.2
.8
1.3
.8
2 .0
1.2
1.8
1.5
2 .0
1.5
2.1
1.8
3.3
.7
2.3
.5
.4
1.0
.9
.8
.2
.2
.3
1.8
1.7
.4
.7
.2
.2
4.1
3.9
2.5
2.1
3.4
2.4
2 .6
2.1
2.4
2.9
2 .0
1 .8
Effective adjustments:
Total effective wage adjustment 3 .........................
From settlements reached in period ...................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier
periods.................................................................
From cost-of-living-adjustments clauses.............
.6
(4)
.7
.5
.5
.2
.1
.2
.5
.2
.3
.7
.6
.3
.1
.1
.2
.1
.2
.6
(4)
1 Compensation includes wages, salaries, and employers’ cost of employee
benefits when contract is negotiated.
2 Adjustments are the net result of increases, decreases, and no changes in
compensation or wages.
(4)
(4)
Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts,
Between -0.05 and 0.05 percent.
p = preliminary,
3
4
26. Average specified compensation and wage adjustments, major collective bargaining settlements in private
industry situations covering 1,000 workers or more during 4-quarter periods (in percent)
Average for four quarters endingMeasure
1986
I
II
1987
III
IV
I
IIP
IVP
IIP
Specified total compensation adjustments, settlements covering 5,000
workers or more, all industries:
First year of contract.........................................................
Annual rate over life of contract.............................................
2.3
2.5
1.4
2 .0
0.9
1.4
1.1
1.2
1.9
2 .8
3.1
1.6
1.7
2.1
2 .6
2 .6
2 .2
Specified wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000 workers or
more:
All industries
First year of contract ............................................
Contracts with COLA clauses.........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses ...................................................
Annual rate over life of contract .................................................
Contracts with COLA clauses.........................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .....................................
Manufacturing
First year of contract ..............................................................
Contracts with COLA clauses.....................................
Contracts without COLA clauses ...................................................
Annual rate over life of contract ................................................
Contracts with COLA clauses.......................................
Contracts without COLA clauses ...................................................
Nonmanufacturing
First year of contract .................................................................
Contracts with COLA clauses........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses ...................................................
Annual rate over life of contract ...................................................
Contracts with COLA clauses.........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses ...................................................
Construction
First year of contract ........................................................................
Contracts with COLA clauses..........................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .............................................
Annual rate over life of contract......................................................
Contracts with COLA clauses.......................................
Contracts without COLA clauses ...........................................
1
2
Data do not meet publication standards.
Between -0.05 and 0.05 percent.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.6
1.2
1.2
1.2
1.5
2.1
1.6
1.8
2 .2
1.8
2.1
1.5
.8
1.9
.9
2 .0
2 .2
.9
1.4
2.1
2 .2
2.5
2.5
2.5
2 .2
1.7
1.8
1.8
2 .0
2 .2
2.1
2.5
2 .0
1.7
1.8
1.7
1.7
1.5
2.1
1.6
1.8
1.8
2 .2
2 .6
2 .6
.8
.1
- 1.0
2.1
1.1
-1.5
1.3
-3.5
1.1
1.3
-2.7
.3
2.1
-.1
1.8
.7
-.4
1.4
- 1.2
1.3
- 2 .8
-.8
.8
2.4
1.3
1.3
2.1
2 .0
.9
- 2 .0
.3
.2
.9
(2)
2.3
1.0
2 .0
1.1
.8
.8
1.0
1.0
1.5
.9
-.1
-.2
-.6
-.2
1.2
2.1
2 .8
2 .6
2.1
2 .0
2 .2
2.3
2.5
3.5
2.7
3.0
3.6
3.4
2.4
2.1
2 .2
2.1
2.1
3.3
2.7
1.9
2.3
2.5
2.4
1.9
2.5
2.7
2.7
2 .8
2 .6
1.6
2.3
2 .2
2.4
2.5
2 .8
(1)
(')
1.1
(1)
(’)
p
2 .0
2 .2
2.4
2.7
2.3
2.4
2 .6
2 .8
2.1
2 .2
2 .2
2 .2
2.4
2 .6
2 .8
2.4
3.0
2.3
1.4
2.4
2 .2
2.4
2.7
3.7
2.7
2.9
3.8
2.9
1.4
2.3
2.5
1.6
1.2
1.6
1.6
2.4
2.5
1.4
2 .6
2 .6
2.5
2 .6
2 .6
2 .8
3.0
(’)
O
2.9
(1)
(')
3.2
(’)
0
3.1
(1)
(’)
= preliminary.
81
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988
•
Current Labor Statistics: Compensation and Industrial Relations Data
27. Average effective wage adjustments, private industry collective bargaining situations covering 1,000
workers or more during 4-quarter periods (in percent)
Average for four quarters ending1987
1986
Effective wage adjustment
II
III
IV
I
IF
IIIP
|Vp
2.9
.5
1.8
.7
2.3
.5
1.6
.2
2.3
.5
1.7
.2
2.0
.4
1.5
.1
2.2
.3
1.6
.3
2.6
.5
1.7
.4
3.1
.7
1.8
.5
3.8
2.5
3.4
2.0
3.1
1.7
3.8
1.0
2.8
1.6
3.9
1.0
2.5
1.2
3.7
.6
2.8
1.0
3.5
1.8
3.2
1.9
3.3
2.3
3.6
2.9
3.3
2.6
For all workers:1
Total......................................................................................................
From settlements reached in period .................................................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier period .......................
From cost-of-living-adjustments clauses...........................................
For workers receiving changes:
Total......................................................................................................
From settlements reached in period .................................................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier period .......................
From cost-of-living-adjustments clauses...........................................
’ Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts.
p = preliminary.
28. Specified compensation and wage adjustments from contract settlements, and effective wage adjustments, State and
local government collective bargaining situations covering 1,000 workers or more (in percent)
Annual average
Measure
1985
1986
1987
4.2
5.1
6.2
6.0
4.9
4.8
4.6
5.4
5.7
5.7
4.9
5.1
5.7
4.1
1.6
(4)
5.5
2.4
3.0
(4)
4.9
2.6
2.2
(4)
Specified adjustments:
Total compensation 1 adjustments, 2 settlements covering 5,000 workers or more:
Wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000 workers or more:
Effective adjustments:
' Compensation includes wages, salaries, and employers’ cost of employee
benefits when contract is negotiated.
2 Adjustments are the net result of increases, decreases, and no changes in
compensation or wages.
3 Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts,
4 Less than 0.05 percent.
29. Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more
1987
Annual totals
1988P
Measure
1986
Number of stoppages:
Beginning in period....................
In effect during period................
Workers involved:
Beginning in period (in
thousands).................................
In effect during period (in
thousands).................................
Days idle:
Number (in thousands)...............
Percent of estimated working
time1 ..........................................
69
72
1987
46
51
Jan.
Mar.
Feb.
2
7
5
7
Apr.
3
5
2
5
82
June
3
7
8
12
July
Sept.
Aug.
6
14
Nov.
Oct.
3
11
7
15
1
12
Jan.
Dec.
6
11
0
5
2
5
533.0
174.4
7.3
37.6
12.2
2.7
7.0
16.1
8.4
18.4
45.9
1.3
11.8
.0
6.2
899.5
377.7
47.6
41.6
16.2
8.9
13.9
25.8
14.1
36.0
71.9
53.7
22.2
8.9
9.8
1,186.1
4,480.8
828.6
194.1
104.4
151.3
201.2
278.0
471.0
361.4
1,155.1
353.3
222.9
159.4
87.0
.05
.02
.04
.01
.01
.01
.01
.01
.02
.02
.05
.02
.01
.01
.4
' Agricultural and government employees are included in the total employed and total
working time: private household, forestry, and fishery employees are excluded. An explanation of the measurement of idleness as a percentage of the total time worked is found
in “'Total economy’ measure of strike idleness,” M onthly Labor Review, October 1968,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
May
pp. 54-56.
p
= preliminary
30. Consumer Price Indexes for All Urban Consumers and for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: U.S. city average, by
expenditure category and commodity or service group
(1982-84=100, unless otherwise indicated)
Annual
1987
1988
Series
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
113,6
340.4
111.2
333.1
111.6
334.4
112.1
335.9
112.7
337.7
113.1
338.7
113.5
340.1
113.8
340.8
114.^
342.7
115.C
344.4
115.C
345.C
115.4
345.6
115.4
345.7
115.7
346.7
109.1
109.C
107.3
110.9
104.5
103.3
109.4
109.4
109.0
106.5
110.4
109.2
112.5
111.1
113.5
113.5
111.9
114.8
110.5
105.9
119.1
110.5
111.0
108.1
107.5
113.8
117.0
114.1
112.1
112.1
110.7
112.9
109.9
105.3
114.6
110.9
110.3
108.5
111.4
111.5
115.2
112.4
112.5
112.5
111.2
113.3
108.8
105.9
118.3
111.3
110.3
107.4
111.3
112.9
115.5
112.8
112.5
112.5
110.9
113.4
108.9
105.4
117.4
110.8
110.7
109.0
109.8
112.6
115.9
112.9
112.8
112.8
111.3
114.3
108.6
105.3
120.1
110.6
110.7
108.0
108.5
113.3
116.1
113.3
113.3
113.3
112.0
114.6
109.6
105.7
121.8
110.5
110.8
108.5
108.0
113.4
116.4
113.6
113.8
113.8
112.6
114.7
110.4
105.5
124.1
110.2
111.2
107.8
106.8
113.7
116.8
114.0
113.7
113.7
112.1
115.2
111.4
105.3
119:6
110.0
111.1
108.4
105.9
114.1
117.2
114.4
113.8
113.8
112.1
115.C
111.9
105.7
117.4
110.4
111.3
108.3
105.9
114.8
117.5
114.7
114.2
114.1
112.4
115.4
112.7
106.4
117.4
110.3
111.6
107.8
105.8
114.6
118.0
114.9
114.C
114.C
112.4
115.6
112.C
106.9
117.8
110.6
111.6
107.4
106.7
114.7
118.3
115.2
114.3
114.2
112.1
116.2
111.2
106.9
117.4
110.2
111.4
108.0
105.0
115.1
118.6
115.4
114.8
114.7
112.8
116.8
110.3
106.7
123.4
110.0
111.0
107.7
104.8
115.0
118.9
115.4
115.7
115.7
114.1
118.1
111.0
107.4
126.4
111.3
112.2
108.5
106.9
115.9
119.3
115.8
Housing ....................................
Shelter ............................................
Renters'costs (12/82=100)..................................................
Rent, residential.......................................
Other renters' costs .............................
Homeowners' costs (12/8 2=1 0 0 )...................
Owners' equivalent rent (12/82 = 100) .....................
Household insurance (12/82 = 100)...................
Maintenance and repairs.............................
Maintenance and repair services ..........................
Maintenance and repair commodities.........................
Fuel and other utilities....................................
Fuels .................................................
Fuel oil, coal, and bottled g a s ...............................................
Gas (piped) and electricity ....................................................
Other utilities and public services ............................................
Household furnishings and operations.......................................
Housefurnishings .......................................
Housekeeping supplies....................................
Housekeeping services....................................
110.9
115.8
121.9
118.3
118.6
119.4
119.4
119.2
107.9
111,2
103.7
104.1
99.2
77.6
105.7
117.9
105.2
102.2
108.2
108,5
114.2
121.3
128.1
123.1
127.4
124.8
124.8
124.0
111.8
114.8
107.8
103.0
97.3
77.9
103.8
120.1
107.1
103.6
111.5
110.6
112.0
118.5
125.3
121.3
122.1
122.0
122.0
121.8
110.3
112.9
106.8
101.1
95.0
75.5
101.5
118.7
106.3
103.2
109.9
109.5
112.4
119.0
125.8
121.7
122.8
122.5
122.5
122.0
110.2
112.5
107.2
101.4
95.3
77.9
101.5
119.1
106.5
103.3
110.1
109.8
112.8
119.6
126.4
121.8
125.0
123.0
123.0
122.2
110.7
113.4
107.1
101.5
95.2
77.5
101.5
119.3
106.8
103.6
110.9
109.9
113.2
120.2
127.1
122.0
127.1
123.6
123.6
122.4
110.3
112.8
107.2
101.3
94.7
77.5
100.8
119.7
107.2
104.0
111.1
110.3
113.6
120.5
127.3
122.3
127.1
124.0
124.1
123.0
110.2
112.3
107.5
102.2
96.1
77.1
102.5
119.8
107.1
103.5
111.7
110.6
114.3
120.8
127.9
122.3
129.1
124.2
124.2
123.6
111.1
113.7
107.8
104.9
100.8
77.2
108.1
119.4
107.1
103.5
111.9
110.5
114.7
121.3
129.3
123.0
132.8
124.4
124.4
124.5
113.2
116.8
108.4
105.0
100.4
77.1
107.6
120.5
107.2
103.6
111.7
110.8
115.4
122.2
130.1
123.8
133.3
125.4
125.4
125.1
112.9
116.5
108.2
105.9
101.4
77.8
108.7
121.1
107.3
103.8
111.5
110.9
115.6
122.5
129.8
124.4
130.5
126.0
126.0
125.5
112.7
116.3
107.8
105.5
101.0
77.6
108.2
120.8
107.5
103.9
111.8
111.0
115.5
123.2
129.4
124.8
127.7
127.1
127.2
125.8
112.8
116.4
108.1
103.2
96.9
78.5
103.3
121.2
107.4
103.6
112.3
111.2
115.5
123.4
129.2
124.8
126.7
127.4
127.5
125.9
113.5
116.9
108.9
102.4
95.5
80.3
101.4
121.3
107.4
103.6
112.4
111.2
115.6
123.7
129.1
125.6
124.1
128.0
128.0
126.2
113.3
116.6
109.1
102.0
95.1
80.5
100.9
120.9
107.3
103.3
112.5
111.4
116.2
124.6
130.8
126.0
129.4
128.5
128.6
126.9
113.7
117.4
108.7
102.4
95.6
80 8
101.5
121.3
107.5
103.5
113.1
111.5
Apparel and upkeep...............................
Apparel commodities ..............................
Men s and boys' apparel..........................................................
Women s and girls' apparel .....................................................
Infants and toddlers' apparel..................................................
Other apparel commodities......................................................
Apparel services..............................
105.9
104.2
106.2
104.0
111.8
101.9
101.7
115.1
110.6
108.9
109.1
110.4
112.1
105.1
108.0
119.6
105.6
103.7
105.7
103.1
107.9
101.3
104.2
117.9
106.2
104.3
106.1
103.9
108.9
101.8
105.5
118.1
109.7
108.1
108.0
109.6
114.3
104.5
106.1
118.6
111.5
110.0
109.2
112.8
114.1
105.8
105.9
118.6
111.1
109.5
109.9
111.2
113.1
106.5
105.8
119.3
109.3
107.6
109.0
107.6
110.1
105.6
107.6
119.5
107.3
105.3
107.8
104.2
107.7
103.4
108.2
120.0
109.4
107.6
108.3
108.4
109.0
104.2
109.3
119.8
113.3
111.8
110.6
115.3
112.1
105.7
110.3
119.9
115.4
114.0
112.0
118.3
116.2
107.3
110.7
120.8
115.4
114.0
112.5
117.7
116.7
108.0
110.7
121.1
112.7
111.0
110.7
112.6
114.5
107.2
111.3
121.4
110.4
108.6
109.0
108.2
113.6
106.1
112.9
121.6
Transportation .....................................
Private transportation.............................
New vehicles....................................
New cars......................................
Used cars .............................................
Motor fuel ......................................
Gasoline..........................................
Maintenance and repair............................................................
Other private transportation .....................................................
Other private transportation commodities....................
Other private transportation services.........................
Public transportation ..................................
102.3
101.2
110.6
110.6
108.8
77.1
77.0
110.3
115.1
96.3
118.8
117.0
105.4
104.2
114.4
114.6
113.1
80.2
80.1
114.8
120.8
96.9
125.6
121.1
102.6
101.3
114.7
114.8
106.2
72.8
72.7
112.8
119.3
96.6
123.7
120.4
103.1
101.8'
113.5
113.5
106.9
76.0
75.9
113.3
118.9
96.4
123.4
120.6
103.3
102.0
113.1
113.1
108.7
76.6
76.4
113.3
119.1
96.7
123.5
121.1
104.2
103.0
113.5
113.6
111.3
78.5
78.4
114.3
119.4
96.0
124.0
120.9
104.7
103.5
113.8
114.0
113.4
79.1
79.0
114.3
119.7
96.7
124.2
120.6
105.4
104.3
114.1
114.3
114.7
80.8
80.7
114.4
120.3
96.7
125.0
120.2
106.0
104.9
114.4
114.7
115.4
82.2
82.1
114.5
120.8
96.3
125.7
120.2
106.5
105.4
114.0
114.4
115.5
84.3
84.3
115.1
120.7
96.8
125.5
121.5
106.6
105.4
113.8
114.1
116.0
84.0
84.0
115.7
121.1
97.6
125.8
122.1
107.1
106.0
115.0
115.2
116.2
83.2
83.1
116.1
122.8
98.0
127.8
121.2
107.8
106.8
116.3
116.6
116.5
83.2
83.1
116.5
123.8
97.6
129.2
122.0
107.6
106.5
116.4
116.6
116.3
82.0
81.8
116.9
123.8
97.5
129.2
122.1
107.1
106.0
116.1
116.2
116.0
79.7
79.5
117.2
124.7
98 2
130.1
121.8
Medical care.......................................
Medical care commodities.........................
Medical care services..............................
Professional services.............................
Hospital and related services ......................
122.0
122.8
121.9
120.8
123.1
130.1
131.0
130.0
128.8
131.6
126.6
126.7
126.6
124.8
127.9
127.4
127.4
127.4
125.8
1 2 8 .6
128.1
128.5
128.0
126.6
129.1
128.7
129.0
128.7
127.5
129.7
129.2
129.9
129.0
127.9
130.1
129.9
130.8
129.6
128.8
130.6
130.7
131.6
130.4
129.5
132.0
131.2
132.2
131.0
130.0
133.0
131.7
132.7
131.5
130.7
133.3
132.3
133.5
132.0
131.2
134.2
132.8
134.2
132.5
131.5
135.4
133.1
134.9
132.7
131.8
135.9
134.4
135.4
134.1
133.2
137.6
Entertainment ........................................
Entertainment commodities ......................
Entertainment services........................
111.6
107.9
116.8
115.3
110.5
122.0
113.3
108.8
119.6
113.5
108.8
120.0
113.9
109.6
120.1
114.5
109.9
121.0
114.8
110.3
121.2
114.9
110.3
121.4
115.4
110.7
122.0
115.6
110.6
122.5
116.1
110.7
123.5
116.9
111.2
124.5
117.3
112.2
124.3
117.4
112.6
124.3
118.1
112.9
125.4
Other goods and services .................................
Tobacco products........................................
Personal care........................................
Toilet goods and personal care appliances.............................
Personal care services ..............................
Personal and educational expenses...........................................
School books and supplies.........................
Personal and educational services..........................................
121.4
124.7
111.9
111.3
112.5
128.6
128.1
128.7
128.5
133.6
115.1
113.9
116.2
138.5
138.1
138.7
125.5
129.6
113.6
112.6
114.5
135.2
135.0
135.4
126.1
130.8
113.9
112.9
114.7
135.6
135.9
135.8
126.3
131.3
113.9
112.9
114.8
135.8
136.0
136.0
126.6
131.6
114.2
113.2
115.1
136.1
136.2
136.3
126.9
131.8
114.9
113.7
116.0
136.3
136.4
136.5
127.2
132.4
114.9
113.7
116.1
136.7
136.5
136.8
128.0
135.0
115.3
114.3
116.2
136.9
136.5
137.2
128.5
135.3
115.6
114.3
116.8
137.7
136.7
137.9
131.1
135.9
116.0
114.7
117.2
142.1
141.3
142.3
131.6
136.3
116.2
114.9
117.4
142.8
142.3
143.1
131.8
136.5
116.3
115.0
117.5
143.1
142.3
143.4
132.1
137.0
116.5
115.0
117.9
143.4
142.4
143.6
133.4
140.8
117.3
116.1
118.4
143.9
144.6
144.0
1986
1987
All Items.......................................
All items (1967 =100) ......................................................................
109.6
328.4
Food and beverages ...................................
Food................................................................
Food at home.....................................................
Cereals and bakery products................................................
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs...............................................
Dairy products..................................................
Fruits and vegetables...................................
Other foods at home.....................................
Sugar and sweets.......................................
Fats and oils.......................................
Nonalcoholic beverages.....................................................
Other prepared foods.........................................................
Food away from home ......................
Alcoholic beverages...................................
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS:
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
83
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
30. Continued—Consumer Price Indexes for All Urban Consumers and for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: U.S. city
average, by expenditure category and commodity or service group
(1982-84 = 100, unless otherwise indicated)
Series
Annual
average
1987
1988
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
113.6
107.7
113.5
104.0
101.1
108.9
99.5
108.2
111.2
105.3
112.1
101.0
96.5
103.7
95.1
107.4
111.6
105.8
112.5
101.6
97.9
104.3
96.8
107.0
112.1
106.4
112.5
102.6
99.4
108.1
97.3
107.2
112.7
107.2
112.8
103.6
100.7
110.0
98.3
107.7
113.1
107.5
113.3
103.7
100.9
109.5
98.7
107.9
113.5
107.7
113.8
103.8
100.7
107.6
99.6
108.2
113.8
107.6
113.7
103.8
100.6
105.3
100.5
108.4
114.4
108.2
113.8
104.6
102.0
107.6
101.5
108.3
115.4
120.2
112.8
116.3
121.9
119.4
120.2
125.9
113.1
121.9
130.0
125.7
117.7
123.1
111.3
120.3
126.6
123.1
118.1
123.6
111.5
120.3
127.4
123.4
118.5
124.1
111.5
120.4
128.0
123.7
118.9
124.8
111.4
120.9
128.7
124.1
119.3
125.1
112.3
120.9
129.0
124.4
120.1
125.4
114.8
121.3
129.6
124.7
120.5
126.0
115.1
121.7
130.4
125.1
Special indexes:
All items less food ......................................................................
All items less shelter ..................................................................
All items less homeowners’ costs (1 2 /8 2 -1 0 0 ).......................
All items less medical care.........................................................
Commodities less food................................................................
Nondurables less food ................................................................
Nondurables less food and apparel ...........................................
Nondurables................................................................................
Services less rent of shelter (12/82 = 100) ...............................
Services less medical care.........................................................
Energy..........................................................................................
All items less energy ..................................................................
All items less food and energy ..................................................
Commodities less food and energy............................................
Energy commodities ...................................................................
Services less energy...................................................................
109.8
108.0
111.2
108.8
101.7
98.5
96.9
103.5
118.7
114.6
88.2
112.6
113.5
108.6
77.2
116.5
113.6
111.6
115.1
112.6
104.3
101.8
100.3
107.5
123.1
119.1
88.6
117.2
118.2
111.8
80.2
122.0
111.0
109.3
112.7
110.2
101.4
97.4
96.2
104.4
120.8
116.7
83.9
115.0
115.8
109.5
73.3
119.5
111.4
109.7
113.1
110.6
102.0
98.6
97.7
105.3
121.1
117.0
85.6
115.3
116.1
109.6
76.4
119.9
112.0
110.2
113.6
111.1
102.9
100.1
98.2
106.1
121.3
117.4
85.8
115.8
116.8
110.7
76.9
120.3
112.7
110.8
114.2
111.7
103.9
101.3
99.1
106.9
121.6
117.8
86.4
116.4
117.4
111.5
78.5
120.9
113.0
111.1
114.6
112.1
104.0
101.4
99.5
107.2
122.1
118.2
87.4
116.7
117.6
111.7
79.1
121.2
113.5
111.7
115.1
112.5
104.1
101.4
100.3
107.4
123.2
119.0
90.7
116.9
117.7
111.4
80.6
121.4
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:
1982-84 = $1.00 ..........................................................................
1967 = $1.00 ................................................................................
91.3
30.5
88.0
29.4
89.9
30.0
89.5
29.9
89.1
29.8
88.6
29.6
88.4
29.5
All items .........................................................................................
All items (1967 = 100) .....................................................................
108.6
323.4
112.5
335.0
110.0
327.7
110.5
329.0
111.0
330.5
111.6
332.3
Food and beverages .....................................................................
Food.............................................................................................
Food at home ...........................................................................
Cereals and bakery products.................................................
Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs................................................
Dairy products........................................................................
Fruits and vegetables.............................................................
Other foods at home..............................................................
Sugar and sweets................................................................
Fats and oils........................................................................
Nonalcoholic beverages......................................................
Other prepared foods..........................................................
Food away from home .............................................................
Alcoholic beverages....................................................................
108.9
108.8
107.1
110.9
104.4
103.2
109.4
109.1
109.0
106.4
110.0
109.0
112.5
111.1
113.3
113.3
111.7
114.8
110.4
105.7
118.8
110.4
110.9
107.9
107.5
113.6
116.9
113.9
111.9
111.9
110.5
112.9
109.8
105.1
114.3
110.7
110.1
108.3
111.3
111.3
115.2
112.4
112.3
112.3
110.9
113.3
108.7
105.8
117.7
111.0
110.1
107.3
111.0
112.6
115.5
112.8
112.3
112.3
110.7
113.4
108.7
105.3
116.9
110.7
110.5
108.8
109.7
112.4
115.8
112.9
Housing ..........................................................................................
Shelter .........................................................................................
Renters’ costs (12/84 = 100)..................................................
Rent, residential.....................................................................
Other renters’ costs ...............................................................
Homeowners’ costs (12/84 —100)...........................................
Owners' equivalent rent (12/84 = 100) ..................................
Household insurance (12/84 = 100)......................................
Maintenance and repairs..........................................................
Maintenance and repair services ..........................................
Maintenance and repair commodities....................................
Fuel and other utilities.................................................................
Fuels .........................................................................................
Fuel oil, coal, and bottled g a s ...............................................
Gas (piped) and electricity ....................................................
Other utilities and public services ............................................
Household furnishings and operations.......................................
Housefurnishings......................................................................
Housekeeping supplies.............................................................
Housekeeping services.............................................................
109.7
113.5
109.5
118.2
119.1
108.8
108.8
109.4
107.7
110.5
103.1
103.9
99.2
77.8
105.7
117.7
105.0
101.9
108.5
109.1
112.8
118.8
114.6
122.9
128.2
113.8
113.7
114.1
111.3
114.7
106.0
102.7
97.1
77.6
103.6
120.1
106.7
103.1
111.8
110.9
110.7
116.1
112.3
121.2
121.6
111.1
111.1
111.9
110.0
112.9
105.1
100.8
94.9
75.5
101.4
118.6
106.0
102.7
110.2
110.1
111.0
116.6
112.7
121.5
122.4
111.6
111.5
112.1
109.9
112.4
105.4
101.1
95.1
77.7
101.3
119.0
106.2
102.8
110.6
110.3
Apparel and upkeep ......................................................................
105.8
110.4
105.4
106.0
1986
1987
All items ...........................................................................................
Commodities..................................................................................
Food and beverages ...................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages......................................
Nondurables less food and beverages ....................................
Apparel commodities.............................................................
Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ..................
Durables....................................................................................
109.6
104.4
109.1
101.4
97.8
104.2
95.9
106.6
Services..........................................................................................
Rent of shelter (12/82 = 100).....................................................
Household services less rent of shelter (12/82 = 100).............
Transportation services...............................................................
Medical care services.................................................................
Other services .............................................................................
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
115.0
108.9
114.2
105.5
103.5
111.8
101.6
108.3
115.3
109.3
114.3
106.1
104.2
114.0
101.5
108.8
115.4
109.5
114.3
106.5
104.3
114.0
101.8
109.6
115.4
109.3
114.8
105.7
103.1
111.0
101.5
109.5
115.7
109.2
115.7
105.1
102.1
108.6
101.2
109.4
121.2
126.9
115.8
122.0
131.0
125.6
121.7
127.2
115.5
122.5
131.5
127.9
121.9
128.0
113.5
123.4
132.0
128.7
122.0
128.1
112.6
124.5
132.5
128.8
122.2
128.5
112.3
124.6
132.7
129.0
122.9
129.4
112.7
125.1
134.1
129.6
113.8
111.8
115.3
112.7
104.1
101.3
101.1
107.3
123.7
119.4
91.1
117.1
118.0
111.2
81.8
122.0
114.5
112.3
115.9
113.3
104.9
102.6
102.0
108.1
124.2
120.1
92.7
117.6
118.6
111.8
83.8
122.7
115.1
113.0
116.5
113.9
105.7
104.0
102.2
109.0
124.9
120.6
92.3
118.3
119.4
112.9
83.5
123.2
115.5
113.2
116.6
114.2
106.3
104.6
102.1
109.4
124.6
120.8
89.8
118.9
120.1
113.7
82.9
123.9
115.7
113.3
116.8
114.4
106.7
104.8
102.4
109.5
124.6
120.8
89.0
119.2
120.5
114.1
83.1
124.2
115.5
113.2
116.6
114.3
106.0
103.7
102.1
109.1
124.6
121.0
88.3
119.2
120.4
113.5
82.0
124.4
115.7
113.3
116.9
114.6
105.5
102.8
101.9
109.1
125.3
121.7
87.4
119.7
120.8
113.2
80.0
125.2
88.0
29.4
87.8
29.3
87.3
29.2
86.9
29.0
86.7
29.0
86.5
28.9
86.6
28.9
86.4
28.8
111.9
333.4
112.4
334.9
112.7
335.6
113.3
337.4
113.8
339.1
114.1
340.0
114.3
340.4
114.2
340.2
114.5
341.0
112.6
112.5
111.0
114.3
108.5
105.1
119.5
110.4
110.5
107.9
108.4
113.1
116.0
113.2
113.1
113.1
111.7
114.5
109.5
105.6
121.1
110.4
110.7
108.3
108.1
113.2
116.2
113.5
113.6
113.6
112.3
114.8
110.4
105.3
123.9
110.1
111.1
107.6
106.8
113.5
116.7
113.9
113.5
113.5
111.9
115.2
111.3
105.1
119.6
109.9
111.0
108.2
105.9
113.9
117.0
114.2
113.6
113.6
111.9
115.3
111.8
105.5
117.3
110.3
111.3
108.1
106.0
114.6
117.4
114.4
114.0
114.0
112.2
115.4
112.7
106.2
117.1
110.2
111.5
107.6
106.0
114.4
117.9
114.6
114.1
114.1
112.2
115.7
112.0
106.7
117.5
110.5
111.6
107.3
106.9
114.5
118.2
114.9
114.1
114.0
111.9
116.2
111.2
106.7
117.4
110.1
111.2
107.9
105.2
114.9
118.5
115.2
114.5
114.5
412.5
116.9
110.1
106.4
123.0
109.8
110.9
107.6
104.9
114.8
118.8
115.1
115.4
115.4
113.7
118.1
110.8
107.1
125.7
111.3
112.1
108.4
107.2
115.7
119.1
115.6
111.4
117.1
113.3
121.7
125.6
112.1
112.1
112.4
110.3
113.5
105.2
101.2
95.0
77.3
101.3
119.3
106.5
103.1
111.3
110.4
111.8
117.7
113.8
121.9
128.3
112.7
112.7
112.5
110.2
113.2
105.2
101.0
94.4
77.3
100.6
119.6
106.9
103.4
111.5
110.7
112.2
118.1
114.0
122.1
128.6
113.1
113.1
113.1
110.2
112.5
106.0
101.8
95.8
76.8
102.2
119.7
106.7
103.0
112.0
110.9
112.9
118.2
114.2
122.2
129.7
113.2
113.2
113.8
111.0
113.9
106.3
104.6
100.7
77.0
108.0
119.4
106.7
102.9
112.1
110.9
113.2
118.8
115.3
122.8
133.6
113.4
113.4
114.6
112.6
116.9
106.3
104.7
100.2
76.9
107.4
120.4
106.8
103.1
112.1
111.1
114.0
119.6
116.0
123.6
134.2
114.3
114.3
115.1
112.4
116.6
106.2
105.6
101.3
77.5
108.6
121.0
106.9
103.3
111.9
111.2
114.1
120.0
116.2
124.2
132.2
114.8
114.8
115.5
112.1
116.4
105.8
105.2
100.8
77.3
108.1
•120.7
107.1
103.4
112.2
111.3
114.0
120.7
116.0
124.5
129.3
115.9
115.9
115.8
112.2
116.0
106.3
102.8
96.5
78.2
103.0
121.1
107.0
103.1
112.7
111.4
113.9
120.9
115.9
124.6
128.1
116.2
116.2
115.9
112.7
116.5
106.9
102.0
95.1
80.1
101.1
121.2
107.0
103.1
112.8
111.4
114.1
121.2
115.9
125.3
124.5
116.6
116.6
116.1
112.5
115.9
107.1
101.7
94.8
80.2
100.7
120.9
106.9
102.9
112.9
111.6
114.6
121.9
116.9
125.7
129.2
117.1
117.1
116.7
113.0
117.1
106.9
102.0
95.2
80.4
101.2
121.2
107.1
103.0
113.5
111.7
109.5
111.4
110.9
109.1
107.1
109.1
112.9
115.2
115.2
112.6
110.3
CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR URBAN WAGE EARNERS
AND CLERICAL WORKERS:
See footnotes at end of table.
84
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
30. Continued—Consumer Price Indexes for All Urban Consumers and for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers: U.S. city
average, by expenditure category and commodity or service group
(1982-84=100, unless otherwise indicated)
Series
1988
1987
Annual
average
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
111.5
109.8
115.2
113.9
106.0
109.8
119.4
113.9
111.5
118.2
118.6
107.9
110.4
120.3
113.9
112.0
117.6
118.7
108.6
110.5
120.7
111.1
110.4
112.6
116.4
108.0
110.6
120.9
108.6
108.6
108.2
115.2
106.8
112.2
121.1
106.3
105.5
113.5
114.0
115.5
84.5
84.4
115.4
118.7
96.7
123.1
120.8
106.4
105.5
113.3
113.8
115.9
84.1
84.1
116.0
119.1
97.3
123.4
121.4
106.9
106.1
114.5
114.9
116.1
83.3
83.2
116.3
121.0
97.7
125.8
120.7
107.6
106.7
115.9
116.2
116.4
83.3
83.2
116.7
122.0
97.2
127.1
121.2
107.3
106.4
116.1
116.3
116.2
82.0
81.9
117.0
122.0
97.4
127.1
121.3
106.8
105.9
115.8
115.9
115.9
79.7
79.5
117.4
122.9
98.1
128.0
121.2
130.8
130.9
130.8
129.6
131.4
131.4
131.3
131.4
130.2
132.4
132.0
131.9
132.0
130.9
132.8
132.6
132.6
132.6
131.4
133.7
133.0
133.4
133.0
131.7
134.9
133.4
134.1
133.2
132.0
135.4
134.6
134.7
134.6
133.4
136.9
114.5
110.5
121.2
115.0
110.9
121.8
115.1
110.8
122.2
115.6
110.9
123.2
116.3
111.3
124.3
116.7
112.2
124.1
116.9
112.6
124.0
117.4
112.8
124.9
126.2
131.8
114.7
113.6
115.9
136.1
136.3
136.3
126.6
132.5
114.8
113.6
116.0
136.4
136.4
136.7
127.5
135.1
115.1
114.1
116.2
136.7
136.4
137.0
128.0
135.4
115.4
114.3
116.7
137.4
136.6
137.7
130.3
136.0
115.8
114.6
117.1
141.8
140.7
142.1
130.8
136.5
116.1
115.0
117.3
142.4
141.8
142.7
131.0
136.7
116.2
115.0
117.4
142.8
141.8
143.1
131.3
137.2
116.4
115.1
117.8
143.0
141.9
143.3
132.7
141.0
117.1
116.0
118.3
143.4
143.9
143.6
111.6
106.7
112.6
103.0
100.2
109.9
97.9
106.0
111.9
107.0
113.1
103.3
100.4
109.4
98.4
106.4
112.4
107.3
113.6
103.4
100.4
107.4
99.3
106.6
112.7
107.3
113.5
103.5
100.4
105.3
100.3
106.9
113.3
107.9
113.6
104.3
101.8
107.4
101.4
106.8
113.8
108.5
114.0
105.1
103.1
111.5
101.5
106.9
114.1
108.9
114.1
105.7
103.8
113.9
101.3
107.4
114.3
109.1
114.1
106.0
104.0
113.9
101.6
108.0
114.2
108.9
114.5
105.4
102.8
111.1
101.2
108.0
114.5
108.8
115.4
104.7
101.7
108.6
100.8
107.9
117.7
112.5
102.5
119.2
128.1
122.7
118.1
113.0
102.4
119.7
128.9
123.2
118.5
113.4
103.2
119.8
129.3
123.5
119.3
113.5
105.7
120.2
130.0
123.7
119.7
114.0
105.9
120.6
130.8
124.1
120.4
114.9
106.6
120.7
131.4
124.6
120.9
115.2
106.3
121.2
132.0
126.9
121.1
115.9
104.2
122.5
132.6
127.7
121.2
116.1
103.4
123.5
133.0
127.8
121.3
116.4
103.1
123.6
133.2
127.9
122.0
117.1
103.5
124.1
134.6
128.5
110.0
109.0
104.5
109.5
101.4
98.2
97.4
105.1
109.0
116.2
84.9
114.1
114.7
108.5
76.5
119.1
110.6
109.5
104.9
110.0
102.3
99.6
97.8
105.8
109.2
116.5
85.1
114.7
115.3
109.6
76.9
119.6
111.3
110.1
105.5
110.6
103.3
100.8
98.7
106.6
109.5
116.9
85.8
115.3
116.0
110.5
78.6
120.1
111.6
110.5
105.9
111.0
103.6
101.0
99.2
106.9
109.9
117.4
86.8
115.6
116.3
110.7
79.2
120.4
112.1
111.1
106.4
111.5
103.7
101.0
100.0
107.2
111.1
118.1
90.1
115.7
116.3
110.5
80.7
120.6
112.4
111.2
106.6
111.7
103.8
101.1
101.0
107.2
111.5
118.5
90.5
115.9
116.6
110.3
82.0
121.1
113.1
111.8
107.1
112.3
104.6
102.4
101.9
107.9
112.0
119.2
92.2
116.4
117.2
110.8
84.1
121.8
113.7
112.4
107.7
112.9
105.4
103.6
102.0
108.8
112.5
119.7
91.8
117.1
117.9
111.8
83.8
122.4
114.0
112.6
107.8
113.1
105.9
104.2
101.9
109.2
112.2
119.9
89.3
117.7
118.7
112.7
83.0
123.1
114.3
112.7
108.0
113.3
106.3
104.4
102.2
109.2
112.2
119.9
88.6
118.0
119.1
113.1
83.2
123.4
114.1
112.5
107.8
113.2
105.6
103.3
101.8
108.8
112.2
120.1
87.8
118.0
119.0
112.6
82.1
123.7
114.2
112.7
108.0
113.4
105.0
102.4
101.5
108.8
112.8
120.7
86.8
118.5
119.3
112.3
80.0
124.3
90.5
30.4
90.1
30.3
89.6
30.1
89.3
30.0
88.9
29.9
88.7
29.8
88.2
29.6
87.8
29.5
87.6
29.4
87.4
29.4
87.5
29.4
87.3
29.3
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
108.8
108.5
110.3
114.0
105.5
107.4
119.2
103.6
105.3
103.0
110.0
101.8
103.6
117.7
104.2
105.4
103.7
111.0
102.4
104.6
118.0
107.9
107.0
109.4
116.2
105.0
105.6
118.4
109.9
108.3
113.0
115.9
106.1
105.5
118.4
109.4
109.0
111.4
115.3
106.7
105.1
118.9
107.4
108.2
107.7
111.7
105.8
107.0
119.1
105.3
106.9
104.4
109.7
103.9
107.3
119.5
107.4
107.7
108.2
110.6
104.7
108.2
119.3
101.7
100.9
110.4
110.4
108.8
77.1
76.9
110.6
113.8
96.3
117.1
116.8
105.1
104.1
114.0
114.3
113.1
80.3
80.2
115.1
119.0
96.7
123.4
120.4
101.9
100.9
114.3
114.6
106.2
73.0
72.9
113.2
117.7
96.5
121.8
119.7
102.5
101.5
113.2
113.2
106.9
76.1
-76.0
113.7
117.3
96.4
121.3
119.8
102.8
101.8
112.9
112.8
108.7
76.6
76.5
113.7
117.4
96.5
121.4
120.2
103.8
102.8
113.2
113.3
111.3
78.5
78.5
114.6
117.5
95.7
121.8
120.3
104.4
103.4
113.5
113.7
113.4
79.2
79.1
114.6
117.8
96.4
122.0
120.3
105.1
104.3
113.7
114.0
114.7
80.9
80.8
114.7
118.5
96.6
122.8
119.7
105.8
104.9
113.9
114.4
115.4
82.3
82.2
114.9
118.9
96.3
123.4
119.7
Medical care ..................................................................................
Medical care commodities ..........................................................
Medical care services..................................................................
Professional services................................................................
Hospital and related services ..................................................
122.0
122.2
122.0
120.9
122.6
130.2
130.2
130.3
129.0
131.1
126.5
126.0
126.5
124.8
127.3
127.3
126.8
127.4
125.8
128.1
128.1
127.7
128.1
126.7
128.5
128.8
128.2
128.9
127.6
129.1
129.3
129.1
129.3
128.1
129.5
130.0
130.1
130.0
128.9
130.0
Entertainment .................................................................................
Entertainment commodities ........................................................
Entertainment services................................................................
111.0
107.8
116.5
114.8
110.6
121.8
112.8
108.9
119.2
113.0
109.0
119.7
113.4
109.6
119.8
114.0
110.0
120.8
114.4
110.5
121.1
Other goods and services .............................................................
Tobacco products .......................................................................
Personal care...............................................................................
Toilet goods and personal care appliances.............................
Personal care services .............................................................
Personal and educational expenses...........................................
School books and supplies......................................................
Personal and educational services..........................................
120.9
124.8
111.9
111.2
112.6
128.5
127.8
128.6
127.8
133.7
115.0
113.9
116.1
138.2
137.9
138.4
124.8
129.8
113.5
112.5
114.5
134.8
135.0
135.1
125.4
131.0
113.9
113.0
114.8
135.3
135.9
135.5
125.6
131.4
113.8
112.8
114.8
135.5
136.0
135.7
125.9
131.7
114.1
113.1
115.0
135.9
136.2
136.1
All items............................................................................................
Commodities..................................................................................
Food and beverages...................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages......................................
Nondurables less food and beverages ....................................
Apparel commodities..............................................................
Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ..................
Durables....................................................................................
108.6
103.9
108.9
100.8
97.3
104.2
95.3
104.9
112.5
107.3
113.3
103.6
100.8
108.8
99.2
106.6
110.0
104.8
111.9
100.3
96.0
103.6
94.6
105.4
110.5
105.3
112.3
101.0
97.4
104.2
96.4
105.1
111.0
105.9
112.3
102.0
98.9
107.9
96.8
105.4
Services..........................................................................................
Rent of shelter (12/84 —100).....................................................
Household services less rent of shelter (12/84 = 100)..............
Transportation services...............................................................
Medical care services.................................................................
Other services .............................................................................
114.7
109.0
103.9
115.4
122.0
118.7
119.4
114.0
104.0
120.8
130.3
124.7
116.9
111.5
102.3
119.2
126.5
122.1
117.3
111.9
102.5
119.1
127.4
122.5
Special indexes:
All items less food ......................................................................
All items less shelter ..................................................................
All items less homeowners’ costs (12/84 —100).......................
All Items less medical care.........................................................
Commodities less food................................................................
Nondurables less food ...............................................................
Nondurables less food and apparel ...........................................
Nondurables................................................................................
Services less rent of shelter (12/84 = 100)................................
Services less medical care.........................................................
Energy..........................................................................................
All items less energy ..................................................................
All items less food and energy ..................................................
Commodities less food and energy............................................
Energy commodities ...................................................................
Services less energy...................................................................
108.5
107.4
102.8
107.8
101.2
98.0
96.4
103.3
107.1
113.9
87.4
111.5
112.3
107.6
77.2
115.8
112.2
111.0
106.4
111.5
103.9
101.4
100.0
107.2
110.8
118.2
88.0
116.0
116.8
110.8
80.3
121.2
109.5
108.6
104.0
109.1
100.7
96.9
95.8
104.2
108.8
115.9
83.2
113.8
114.4
108.4
73.4
118.7
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:
1982 84-$1.00 .................................................:.......................
1967-$1.00 ................................................................................
92.0
30.9
89.0
29.9
90.9
30.5
1986
1987
Apparel commodities..................................................................
Men's and boys apparel..........................................................
Women's and girls’ apparel .....................................................
Infants’ and toddlers' apparel..................................................
Footwear...................................................................................
Other apparel commodities......................................................
Apparel services..........................................................................
104.2
105.9
103.8
113.5
102.1
101.6
115.0
Transportation ................................................................................
Private transportation...................................................................
New vehicles.............................................................................
New cars................................................................................
Used cars.................................................................................
Motor fuel .................................................................................
Gasoline.................................................................................
Maintenance and repair............................................................
Other private transportation.....................................................
Other private transportation commodities.............................
Other private transportation services....................................
Public transportation...................................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Sept.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
31.
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
Consumer Price Index: U.S. city average and available local area data: all items
(1982-84 = 100, unless otherwise indicated)
Urban Wage Earners
All Urban Consumers
Area'
Pricing Other
sche Index
dule2
base
1987
Jan.
U.S. city average..................
M
Feb.
Sept.
1988
1987
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
115.4
115.7
Jan.
110.0
Feb.
1988
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
113.8
114.1
114.3
114.2
114.5
Sept.
111.2
111.6
115.0
115.3
115.4
M
113.3
113.6
117.5
118.1
118.3
118.3
118.9
112.3
112.7
116.6
117.1
117.4
117.4
117.9
M
113.9
114.4
118.8
119.2
119.3
119.4
120.0
112.3
112.7
117.1
117.6
117.7
117.8
118.1
M
111.5
111.3
113.9
115.4
116.1
115.6
116.2
110.4
110.4
112.9
114.3
115.0
114.5
115.1
M
M
-
112.7
109.6
112.9
109.7
115.8
113.6
115.9
113.5
116.0
113.5
116.2
113.3
117.1
113.4
115.1
107.8
115.3
107.8
118.5
111.7
118.6
111.6
118.6
111.7
118.8
111.4
119.6
111.5
M
.
110.3
110.5
114.6
114.2
114.4
113.9
114.1
107.9
108.0
112.1
111.7
111.8
111.4
111.6
109.6
109.6
112.9
113.0
113.0
113.0
113.3
107.2
107.2
110.4
110.7
110.7
110.7
110.9
113.6
113.4
108.3
108.1
112.3
112.8
112.8
112.6
112.4
-
110.5
Region and area size3
Northeast urban.....................
Size A - More than
1,200,000 .............................
Size B - 500,000 to
1,200,000 .............................
Size C - 50,000 to
500,000 ................................
North Central urban ...............
Size A - More than
1,200,000 .............................
Size B - 360,000 to
1,200,000 .............................
Size C - 50,000 to
360,000 ................................
Size D - Nonmetro
politan (less
than 50,0000 .......................
South urban............................
Size A - More than
1,200,000 .............................
Size B - 450,000 to
1,200,000 .............................
Size C - 50,000 to
450,000 ................................
Size D - Nonmetro
politan (less
than 50,000) ........................
West urban.............................
Size A - More than
1,250,000 .............................
Size B - 330,000 to
1,250,000 .............................
Size C - 50,000 to
330,000 ................................
Size classes:
A ...........................................
B ...........................................
C ..........................................
D ..........................................
M
M
M
M
-
M
109.2
109.0
113.5
113.9
113.9
107.6
110.2
107.9
110.7
110.2
113.5
110.5
113.8
110.5
114.1
110.9
114.0
110.6
114.1
107.2
109.6
107.5
110.1
110.1
113.0
110.4
113.4
110.5
113.6
110.7
113.5
110.4
113.6
110.6
111.2
114.4
114.8
115.2
114.9
114.9
109.7
110.3
113.7
114.1
114.4
114.2
114.1
M
_
110.8
111.3
114.1
114.4
114.5
114.5
114.8
108.9
109.5
112.4
112.6
112.7
112.7
112.9
M
.
109.7
110.3
112.5
112.8
113.1
112.8
113.3
109.9
110.6
113.0
113.3
113.5
113.3
113.6
M
M
-
109.3
111.7
109.2
112.6
111.5
115.5
112.2
115.9
112.6
116.0
112.6
116.2
112.8
116.7
109.9
110.6
109.9
111.5
112.4
114.3
113.0
114.8
113.4
114.8
113.3
115.0
113.5
115.5
M
.
112.6
113.6
116.7
117.1
117.0
117.2
117.9
110.2
111.3
114.2
114.6
114.5
114.8
115.3
110.5
111.0
114.2
115.0
114.8
115.0
115.8
110.8
111.2
114.4
115.2
115.0
115.2
116.0
M
-
112.1
112.7
114.7
115.1
115.9
116.0
116.0
111.4
112.0
114.1
114.5
115.3
115.4
115.3
M
M
M
M
12/86
-
100.6
110.6
110.5
109.2
101.1
110.9
110.9
109.4
104.4
113.8
113.8
111.8
104.6
114.4
114.1
112.3
104.8
114.6
114.3
112.6
104.7
114.5
114.2
112.7
105.0
115.0
114.5
112.9
100.6
109.3
110.8
109.3
100.1
109.6
111.1
109.6
104.5
112.5
114.1
112.2
104.7
113.1
114.4
112.6
104.8
113.3
114.7
113.0
104.7
113.2
114.6
113.1
105.0
113.6
114.8
113.2
M
111.9
111.9
117.1
115.1
115.7
115.7
115.3
108.7
108.6
113.6
111.7
112.2
112.2
111.9
M
113.4
114.7
118.0
118.6
118.2
118.5
118.9
110.8
112.1
115.2
115.8
115.4
115.7
115.9
-
114.7
113.4
115.3
113.9
119.8
118.7
120.2
119.1
120.5
118.6
120.6
118.9
121.3
119.3
113.2
113.3
113.8
113.6
118.5
118.5
118.8
119.0
119.1
118.6
119.1
119.0
119.6
119.3
-
112.5
113.4
116.6
117.1
117.3
117.4
118.4
111.3
112.4
115.4
116.0
116.2
116.4
117.5
M
Selected local areas
Chicago, ILNorthwestern IN ....................
Los Angeles-Long
Beach, Anaheim, C A ...........
New York, NYNortheastern N J ....................
Philadelphia, PA-NJ................
San FranciscoOakland, C A ..........................
M
M
M
_
_
Baltimore, MD ........................
Boston, MA ............................
Cleveland, O H ........................
Miami, F L ................................
St. Louis, MO-IL.....................
Washington, DC-MD-VA ........
1
1
1
1
1
1
-
111.7
114.6
110.1
109.9
110.0
113.7
-
Dallas-Ft. Worth, T X ...............
Detroit, M l...............................
Houston, TX ...........................
Pittsburgh, PA ........................
2
2
2
2
-
“
_
-
-
115.7
119.5
114.7
112.5
114.3
117.8
110.9
110.2
104.4
109.8
_
“
114.9
114.1
108.0
112.8
-
1 Area is the Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), exclu
sive of farms and military. Area definitions are those established by the Of
fice of Management and Budget In 1983, except for Boston-Lawrence-Salem, MA-NH Area (excludes Monroe County); and Milwaukee, Wl Area (in
cludes only the Milwaukee MSA). Definitions do not Include revisions made
since 1983.
2 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month In all areas;
most other goods and services priced as indicated:.
M - Every month.
1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November.
2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December.
86
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
115.7
119.9
114.5
113.8
113.1
118.5
_
-
_
113.9
112.6
107.3
113.0
116.8
120.1
113.9
114.5
113.4
118.3
111.1
114.5
105.6
109.3
109.4
112.7
-
_
-
-
_
110.6
107.5
104.3
105.7
115.5
119.5
109.9
111.8
114.1
117.1
_
"
_
114.7
111.3
108.1
108.3
115.3
119.9
109.9
113.1
112.7
117.9
_
-
_
-
116.2
120.2
109.3
113.8
113.0
117.6
113.8
109.8
107.4
108.6
-
-
_
3 Regions are defined as the four Census regions.
- Data not available.
NOTE: Local area CPI indexes are byproducts of the national CPI pro
gram. Because each local index is a small subset of the national index, it
has a smaller sample size and Is, therefore, subject to substantially more
sampling and other measurement error than the national index. As a result,
local area indexes show greater volatility than the national Index, although
their long-term trends are quite similar. Therefore, the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national average CPI
for use in escalator clauses.
32.
Annual data: Consumer Price Index, U.S. city average, all items and major groups
(1982-84=100)
Series
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers:
All items:
Index......................................
Percent change................................
Food and beverages:
Index................................................
Percent change.........................................
Housing:
Index...................................................
Percent change...................................
Apparel and upkeep:
Index.......................................
Percent change......................................
T ransportation:
Index...............................................
Percent change..........................................
Medical care:
Index.................................................
Percent change...................................
Entertainment:
Index.........................................
Percent change.............................................
Other goods and services:
Index.......................................
Percent change............................................
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and
Clerical Workers:
All items:
Index..................................
Percent change.......................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
72.6
11.3
82.4
13.5
90.9
10.3
96.5
6.2
99.6
3.2
103.9
4.3
107.6
3.6
109.6
1.9
113.6
3.6
79.9
10.7
86.7
8.5
93.5
7.8
97.3
4.1
99.5
2.3
103.2
3.7
105.6
2.3
109.1
3.3
113.5
4.0
70.1
12.3
81.1
15.7
90.4
11.5
96.9
7.2
99.5
2.7
103.6
4.1
107.7
4.0
110.9
3.0
114.2
3.0
84.9
4.3
90.9
7.1
95.3
4.8
97.8
100.2
102.1
105.0
2.5
1.9
2.8
105.9
.9
110.6
70.5
14.3
83.1
17.9
93.2
97.0
4.1
99.3
2.4
103.7
4.4
106.4
102.3
-3.9
105.4
3.0
67.5
9.2
74.9
11.0
82.9
10.7
92.5
106.8
6.2
113.5
6.3
122.0
130.1
7.5
6.6
76.7
6.7
83.6
9.0
90.1
7.8
96.0
6.5
100.6
8.8
100.1
4.3
103.8
3.7
107.9
3.9
111.6
115.3
3.3
68.9
7.2
75.2
9.1
82.6
9.8
91.1
10.3
101.1
11.0
107.9
6.7
114.5
121.4
128.5
5.8
73.1
11.4
82.9
13.4
91.4
10.3
96.9
99.8
3.0
103.3
3.5
106.9
3.5
108.6
112.5
3.6
12.2
2.6
11.6
6.0
2.6
6.1
3.4
6.0
1.6
4.4
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
33.
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing
(1982=100)
1988
1987
Annual average
Grouping
Finished goods ..............................................
Finished consumer goods ........................
Finished consumer foods.......................
Finished consumer goods excluding
foods .....................................................
Nondurable goods less food ...............
Durable goods .....................................
Capital equipment.....................................
Intermediate materials, supplies, and
com ponents...................................................
Materials and components for
manufacturing ..........................................
Materials for food manufacturing...........
Materials for nondurable manufacturing .
Materials for durable manufacturing......
Components for manufacturing..............
Materials and components for
construction..............................................
Processed fuels and lubricants.................
Containers.................................................
Supplies.....................................................
Crude materials for further processing ...
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs .......................
Crude nonfood materials.........................
1986
1987
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
103.2
101.4
107.3
105.4
103.6
109.5
104.1
104.3
102.3
108.1
105.1
103.2
109.2
105.4
103.7
105.5
103.9
106.0
104.4
110.9
105.9
104.3
109.5
105.7
104.2
110.5
106.3
104.5
109.6
106.2
104.5
109.9
105.7
103.9
108.8
106.2
104.3
98.5
93.3
108.9
109.7
100.7
94.8
111.5
111.7
99.1
93.1
100.3
94.3
111.4
100.3
94.4
101.2
101.8
102.0
101.8
95.7
111.3
95.8
113.6
112.6
95.8
112.9
112.5
101.4
95.6
110.6
111.2
99.5
93.6
110.5
112.4
101.3
95.3
112.5
112.7
99.1
101.5
99.5
99.6
102.2
105.3
103.1
98.7
99.5
108.1
103.4
98.2
99.8
102.5
108.4
108.2
70.7
113.3
106.4
98.4
98.1
100.8
107.5
102.3
106.2
108.8
108.1
72.7
110.3
105.6
109.8
73.4
114.5
107.7
101.2
Intermediate materials less foods and
feeds ...........................................................
Intermediate foods and feeds.....................
Intermediate energy goods .........................
Intermediate goods less energy..................
Intermediate materials less foods and
energy.........................................................
Crude energy materials................................
Crude materials less energy .......................
Crude nonfood materials less energy.........
88
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
108.3
102.0
110.6
110.6
100.6
94.8
111.2
110.6
111.4
111.6
96.6
110.9
111.7
101.1
96.1
110.0
111.2
100.9
101.5
102.1
102.5
102.7
103.1
103.5
103.7
104.2
105.1
102.3
102.5
104.9
108.5
105.5
102.7
105.8
101.5
102.9
107.1
108.8
106.3
107.2
101.7
104.7
107.6
100.3
105.2
110.9
109.6
108.2
99.8
105.4
112.9
109.8
109.3
100.9
103.3
108.4
104.6
102.7
101.3
104.5
108.5
107.0
114.4
110.3
108.5
70.3
113.8
106.4
108.7
71.2
114.0
106.7
108.9
72.5
114.0
107.3
109.3
74.5
114.2
107.6
109.8
76.0
114.2
107.8
110.2
112.5
73.3
116.1
113.5
71.2
116.7
94.8
95.1
99.7
86.4
103.7
61.6
112.4
111.1
111.6
111.2
111.6
100.2
104.0
100.1
102.6
102.8
112.2
102.0
103.4
108.1
109.0
110.0
110.7
75.9
115.4
108.2
111.3
74.7
115.9
108.7
111.8
77.3
114.4
107.8
88.0
96.0
98.4
90.3
96.5
97.1
91.8
95.7
96.6
90.8
95.2
95.9
90.5
94.6
95.2
90.0
94.3
95.8
89.1
93.4
96.9
87.1
104.3
63.4
112.7
113.1
113.3
104.7
64.9
112.3
104.2
63.4
112.4
113.4
113.1
105.2
62.5
113.2
113.4
114.6
105.0
62.4
113.2
113.4
114.4
104.7
60.9
112.9
113.1
114.5
104.7
59.0
113.8
114.2
115.0
106.2
108.7
109.3
74.9
116.3
109.4
110.1
110.6
87.7
93.2
81.6
93.6
96.2
87.9
89.9
92.8
84.1
90.3
92.7
84.8
92.4
96.9
85.5
101.9
63.0
109.7
109.7
104.0
61.8
112.3
112.5
113.3
102.8
59.5
111.3
111.3
112.4
103.0
60.2
111.3
111.3
112.5
103.7
61.7
112.9
113.0
103.9
62.5
112.3
112.7
112.9
114.2
113.0
113.2
113.7
113.7
113.7
114.2
114.3
114.1
115.7
115.5
115.6
116.3
113.1
116.3
114.9
115.3
115.5
115.6
115.7
116.5
116.9
117.3
117.3
117.5
118.3
119.2
99.3
96.2
72.6
104.5
101.7
99.2
73.1
107.3
99.7
96.1
70.5
105.4
99.9
95.1
70.1
105.6
100.4
96.9
71.0
106.1
100.9
100.4
72.2
106.7
101.6
102.2
100.7
75.7
107.4
102.7
99.6
77.0
107.7
102.8
101.0
75.6
108.3
103.3
100.5
74.4
108.9
103.7
100.7
74.1
107.1
103.8
101.9
73.0
110.0
104.2
103.1
70.9
110.9
104.9
107.8
105.9
106.2
106.6
107.0
107.5
107.9
108.2
108.7
109.6
110.1
110.7
111.7
73.6
95.9
106.8
74.1
99.4
108.1
74.5
103.5
110.5
75.6
77.8
102.4
115.7
78.9
102.3
118.7
76.7
103.0
122.9
75.5
103.3
126.0
74.6
103.0
126.7
73.5
103.5
127.0
70.7
104.8
128.6
Special groupings
Finished goods, excluding foods.................
Finished energy goods ................................
Finished goods less energy........................
Finished consumer goods less energy.......
Finished goods less food and energy ........
Finished consumer goods less food and
energy.........................................................
Consumer nondurable goods less food and
energy.........................................................
102.2
Sept.
110.6
111.1
71.8
95.4
103.1
75.0
100.8
115.6
72.9
95.9
106.2
112.0
112.1
101.6
112.6
102.8
113.5
112.6
112.8
101.1
74.6
109.4
34.
Producer Price indexes, by durability of product
(1982 = 100)
Annual average
1987
1988
Grouping
1986
1987
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
Total durable goods.....................................
Total nondurable goods...............................
107.5
94.8
109.9
97.5
108.5
95.4
108.7
95.5
109.1
96.5
109.2
97.6
Total manufactures......................................
Durable......................................................
Nondurable ................................................
101.7
107.5
96.0
104.4
109.6
99.2
102.7
108.5
97.1
102.8
103.5
109.0
98.1
Total raw or slightly processed goods .......
Durable......................................................
Nondurable ................................................
92.3
107.8
91.5
94.2
122.4
92.9
111.6
91.7
92.4
111.7
91.4
93.1
35.
90.7
108.7
96.9
112.1
92.2
June
July
Aug.
109.3
98.2
109.7
98.8
110.0
110.2
99.0
104.0
109.1
98.9
104.3
109.1
99.5
104.8
109.4
94.8
114.6
93.8
95.4
118.6
94.2
100.1
96.2
121.8
95.0
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
111.7
98.6
112.0
112.6
98.8
111.4
98.5
98.3
98.5
105.1
109.7
100.5
105.1
109.7
100.4
105.8
110.9
100.7
106.0
100.9
105.9
111.5
100.5
112.0
101.0
96.2
125.7
94.7
95.9
130.9
94.3
94.8
136.3
92.9
94.7
137.8
92.7
94.5
137.8
92.4
94.1
139.5
92.0
111.1
106.5
Annual data: Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing
(1982 = 100)
Index
1978
1979
Finished goods:
Total ....................................................................
Consumer goods.............................................
Capital equipment ...........................................
69.8
69.4
71.3
77.6
77.5
77.5
1980
88.0
88.6
85.8
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
96.1
96.6
94.6
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.3
101.6
102.8
103.7
103.3
105.2
104.7
103.8
107.5
103.2
101.4
109.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.6
101.2
102.8
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.3
Intermediate materials, supplies, and
components:
Total ....................................................................
Materials and components for
manufacturing.................................................
Materials and components for construction ....
Processed fuels and lubricants ......................
Containers.......................................................
Supplies...........................................................
69.5
78.4
90.3
98.6
72.0
76.5
49.9
71.0
72.9
80.9
84.2
61.6
79.4
80.2
91.7
91.3
85.0
89.1
89.9
98.7
97.9
100.6
85.9
95.3
104.6
84.6
69.4
101.8
96.7
96.9
95.4
100.4
101.8
103.1
102.7
99.1
104.1
105.6
95.7
105.9
104.1
103.3
107.3
92.8
109.0
104.4
102.2
108.1
72.7
110.3
105.6
103.5
104.7
95.8
94.8
96.9
102.7
87.7
93.2
81.6
92.2
Crude materials for further processing:
Total ....................................................................
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs ...............................
Nonfood materials except fuel .......................
Fuel ..................................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
73.4
87.3
57.5
48.2
100.0
69.6
57.3
103.0
103.9
84.8
101.8
100.7
105.1
102.2
105.1
89
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
36. U.S. export price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification
(June 1977 = 100, unless otherwise indicated)
Category
1974
SITC
ALL COMMODITIES (9/83 = 100)...............................................................
1985
June
Sept.
1986
Dec.
Mar.
1987
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
97.5
96.5
96.7
97.0
96.7
95.1
96.2
97.2
99.9
100.2
102.8
0
01
03
04
05
08
09
94.0
104.7
103.6
90.3
120.2
68.6
109.2
90.2
106.1
102.6
82.6
126.9
75.7
108.1
93.6
112.2
101.8
87.1
118.9
83.4
107.7
90.5
111.5
102.2
82.1
115.3
88.5
106.0
89.5
114.7
106.2
79.1
125.8
85.5
104.7
77.2
122.0
111.2
59.0
131.4
90.2
106.6
81.2
122.6
116.9
64.8
131.9
87.4
108.2
79.8
123.4
118.5
62.9
130.8
85.7
108.6
83.4
129.0
122.9
66.5
130.8
93.7
110.0
79.6
127.9
126.3
62.1
124.4
92.4
109.4
88.5
117.8
135.4
72.3
125.4
111.5
109.3
1
11
12
100.1
105.3
99.6
99.7
101.8
99.5
98.6
100.9
98.4
95.6
101.9
95.1
96.5
103.0
95.9
96.3
102.2
95.8
101.6
102.9
101.4
101.7
104.7
101.4
104.0
104.8
104.0
104.4
104.4
104.5
105.7
105.6
105.7
Raw hides and skins (6/80 = 100) ............................................................
Oilseeds and oleaginous fruit (9 /7 7 = 10 0 )...............................................
Crude rubber (including synthetic and reclaimed) (9/83 = 100)...............
Wood..........................................................................................................
Pulp and waste paper (6/83 = 100) ..........................................................
Textile fibers...............................................................................................
Crude fertilizers and minerals...................................................................
Metalliferous ores and metal scrap ..........................................................
2
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
96.8
126.2
71.2
106.3
125.7
96.1
105.8
167.9
82.0
93.3
129.0
64.2
107.1
124.5
93.8
103.6
169.4
80.1
92.5
139.9
63.9
106.0
128.1
92.7
97.7
165.5
78.7
95.8
138.9
66.9
106.0
128.7
98.8
101.6
168.0
83.4
95.6
148.9
65.8
106.1
128.7
109.7
98.6
166.1
80.5
92.3
138.0
64.5
105.3
129.7
119.8
74.7
164.3
84.6
94.8
148.3
62.9
104.4
135.5
121.2
92.2
162.8
80.7
97.1
168.8
60.4
106.2
139.0
133.0
99.7
155.6
82.2
106.3
191.2
68.6
107.5
146.2
138.7
115.0
155.1
90.7
109.1
189.1
64.3
109.0
174.0
142.6
119.2
149.8
99.7
114.4
200.3
73.6
112.9
179.9
146.6
114.4
149.8
103.8
Mineral fu e ls .........................................................................................................
3
99.2
97.6
96.6
91.9
86.7
85.7
84.7
85.6
84.4
85.6
84.7
Animal and vegetables oils, fats, and w a x e s .............................................
4
42
144.5
164.8
114.5
128.8
101.4
108.7
90.8
95.4
84.4
95.3
76.5
80.8
86.8
87.0
88.9
89.1
94.5
94.7
94.1
94.3
98.4
100.4
5
51
56
96.8
96.5
87.9
97.1
97.1
89.8
96.6
95.4
90.0
96.5
93.5
88.6
95.4
89.3
84.0
93.1
88.0
77.4
92.2
89.4
68.7
96.6
99.5
75.4
103.1
114.3
80.4
104.1
111.1
88.0
108.6
115.8
93.9
6
61
62
64
67
68
69
99.2
79.2
149.0
151.6
95.3
79.6
105.2
99.2
75.9
148.3
149.6
95.9
79.8
105.4
99.1
78.5
148.7
148.2
98.2
78.2
104.4
100.3
77.8
151.0
152.2
98.4
80.2
105.3
101.2
82.5
150.0
158.7
99.4
79.1
105.5
102.2
84.2
150.4
165.3
100.2
79.4
105.6
102.7
88.0
151.3
167.9
100.1
78.8
105.7
104.4
96.3
152.1
174.4
101.5
80.3
105.7
106.8
101.1
153.9
177.7
101.5
90.1
105.6
108.5
99.7
155.2
182.3
102.4
94.6
106.2
109.6
97.2
155.6
184.6
104.5
95.3
106.7
7
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
142.9
167.4
155.7
155.1
152.0
100.0
133.3
116.1
133.9
196.6
143.1
167.1
156.0
,156.3
152.4
99.9
134.1
115.3
133.8
199.3
143.3
167.5
156.2
158.4
152.2
99.4
134.5
113.8
135.0
200.7
144.0
169.1
155.5
159.0
152.3
99.9
136.5
115.1
135.5
203.3
144.2
169.2
154.7
158.9
153.3
99.2
137.0
114.2
136.4
206.8
144.6
169.5
155.0
160.4
154.4
98.9
137.8
114.4
136.5
207.4
145.5
171.4
155.7
161.8
155.3
98.1
139.7
114.9
137.9
209.7
146.2
173.0
154.7
165.0
157.7
96.1
141.3
117.0
138.0
211.4
146.7
171.7
155.9
165.8
157.8
96.0
140.8
117.4
138.5
214.7
147.2
173.4
156.5
167.8
157.9
95.5
141.2
117.6
138.9
215.7
148.0
174.3
157.1
168.3
159.3
95.4
142.1
119.1
139.1
218.7
Food (3 /8 3 -1 0 0 )........................................................................................
Meat (3 /8 3 -1 0 0 )......................................................................................
Fish (3/83-100) .......................................................................................
Grain and grain preparations (3/80=100) ...............................................
Vegetables and fruit (3/83=100) .............................................................
Feedstuffs for animals (3/83=100)..........................................................
Misc. food products (3/83 = 100)..............................................................
Beverages and tobacco (6/83 = 100).......................................................
Beverages (9/83 = 100).............................................................................
Tobacco and tobacco products (6 /8 3 = 1 0 0 )...........................................
Crude materials (6 /8 3 -1 0 0 ).....................................................................
Fixed vegetable oils and fats (6/83 —100) ...............................................
Chemicals (3/83 = 1 00)...............................................................................
Organic chemicals (12/83 = 100) ..............................................................
Fertilizers, manufactured (3/83 —100)......................................................
Intermediate manufactured products (9/81—100).................................
Leather and furskins (9 /7 9 = 10 0 ).............................................................
Rubber manufactures ................................................................................
Paper and paperboard products (6 /7 8 = 1 0 0 )..........................................
Iron and steel (3/82 = 100) .......................................................................
Nonferrous metals (9/81 =100) ................................................................
Metal manufactures, n.e.s. (3/82 = 100) ...................................................
Machinery and transport equipment, excluding military
and commercial aircraft (12/78=100) ....................................................
Power generating machinery and equipment (12/78 = 100) ....................
Machinery specialized for particular industries (9/78=100) ....................
Metalworking machinery (6/78=100) ......................................................
General industrial machines and parts n.e.s. 9 /7 8 = 1 0 0 ).......................
Office machines and automatic data processing equipment ...................
Telecommunications, sound recording and reproducing equipment.......
Electrical machinery and equipment.........................................................
Road vehicles and parts (3 /8 0 = 1 0 0 )................................................
Other transport equipment, excl. military and commercial aviation .......
Other manufactured articles .................................................................
8
84
87
100.4
104.7
178.3
100.3
105.0
178.7
100.3
105.3
178.8
102.6
_
103.4
_
104.1
Apparel (9/83 = 100).................................................................
Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments and apparatus........
Photographic apparatus and supplies, optical goods, watches and
clocks (12/77=100)...........................................................................
_
107.3
_
107.7
_
108.4
183.8
183.8
104.3
110.0
184.8
105.3
182.1
186.4
188.5
190.2
191.9
88
129.1
127.5
128.5
131.6
132.9
132.7
132.0
133.4
133.1
129.5
128.2
Miscellaneous manufactured articles, n.e.s...............................................
89
93.1
93.1
92.4
95.6
95.6
97.6
97.7
98.1
102.1
103.0
103.8
971
75.4
77.4
77.5
81.8
82.2
97.5
94.5
98.2
108.4
110.0
117.1
Gold, non-monetary ( 6 / 8 3 - 1 0 0 ) ........................................................
- Data not available.
90
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
_
37.
U.S. import price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification
(June 1977 = 100, unless otherwise indicated)
Category
1974
SITC
Meat ...........................................................................................................
Dairy products and eggs (6/81 = 100) ....................................................
Fish.............................................................................................................
Bakery goods, pasta products, grain and grain preparations
(9/77=100) ..............................................................................................
Fruits and vegetables ...............................................................................
Sugar, sugar preparations, and honey (3 /8 2 -1 0 0 ).................................
Coffee, tea, cocoa.....................................................................................
Beverages and tobacco ...................................................................................
Beverages .................................................................................................
Crude materials ...................................................................................................
Crude rubber (inc. synthetic & reclaimed) (3/84 = 100)...........................
Wood (9/81=100) ....................................................................................
Pulp and waste paper (1 2 /8 1 -1 0 0 )........................................................
Crude fertilizers and crude minerals (12/83 = 100) ..................................
Metalliferous ores and metal scrap (3/84 = 100).....................................
Crude vegetable and animal materials, n.e.s.............................................
Fuels and related products (6/82 = 100)..................................................
Petroleum and petroleum products (6/82=100) ......................................
Fats and oils (9/83 = 100) ..........................................................................
Vegetable oils (9/83 = 100).......................................................................
Chemicals (9/82 = 100) ...............................................................................
Medicinal and pharmaceutical products (3/84 = 100) ..............................
Manufactured fertilizers (3/84 = 100)........................................................
Chemical materials and products, n.e.s. (9/84 = 100)..............................
Intermediate manufactured products (12/77=100) ..............................
Leather and furskins .................................................................................
Rubber manufactures, n.e.s.......................................................................
Cork and wood manufactures ..................................................................
Paper and paperboard products ...............................................................
Textiles.......................................................................................................
Nonmetallic mineral manufactures, n.e.s...................................................
Iron and steel (9/78 = 100) .......................................................................
Nonferrous metals (12/81 = 100) ..............................................................
Metal manufactures, n.e.s..........................................................................
Machinery and transport equipment ( 6 /8 1 - 1 0 0 ) ....................................
Machinery specialized for particular industries (9/78 = 100) ....................
Metalworking machinery (3/80-100) ......................................................
General industrial machinery and parts, n.e.s. (6/81 = 100) ...................
Office machines and automatic data processing equipment
(3 /8 0 -1 0 0 ).............................................................................................
Telecommunications, sound recording and reproducing apparatus
(3/80 = 100).............................................................................................
Electrical machinery and equipment (12/81 = 100) ..................................
Road vehicles and parts (6/81 = 1 0 0 )......................................................
Mise, manufactured articles (3/80 = 100).................................................
Dec.
1986
Mar.
1987
June
Sept.
June
Sept.
94.2
88.5
83.2
83.9
86.0
91.6
95.3
96.8
98.7
0
01
02
03
102.8
131.2
100.5
132.7
113.4
122.7
106.7
139.3
104.7
118.5
107.1
144.8
109.1
126.9
109.4
149.6
105.3
134.4
111.5
157.1
100.2
132.1
116.8
161.6
102.0
135.9
119.6
167.4
102.8
142.9
118.9
174.4
105.5
142.0
122.3
175.2
04
05
06
07
141.9
131.3
111.9
64.6
146.9
119.4
124.6
85.9
149.2
119.4
121.6
69.2
154.0
127.1
123.9
71.8
155.3
125.5
124.3
61.0
161.0
120.5
126.0
50.9
165.2
125.4
128.6
49.3
161.2
124.5
128.0
48.3
168.3
131.2
125.3
51.5
1
11
162.1
159.1
163.2
161.8
165.5
163.9
165.8
165.5
168.0
168.2
170.8
171.5
174.1
174.6
174.4
175.6
175.9
177.8
2
23
24
25
27
28
29
91.2
73.2
99.4
75.8
102.1
90.1
102.5
94.2
78.8
104.3
74.9
101.5
94.5
103.6
95.3
75.5
106.3
79.9
100.0
95.6
104.4
98.1
76.9
109.4
86.0
100.4
98.2
104.8
98.5
78.5
107.2
92.8
100.2
95.4
104.7
103.1
79.1
115.0
100.5
99.5
98.0
113.4
105.6
84.5
112.0
104.6
98.5
100.0
120.3
108.6
89.4
119.2
105.9
97.3
102.9
113.6
112.7
97.8
111.2
111.9
98.7
113.3
118.5
3
33
79.1
80.1
55.3
54.7
37.5
36.1
33.6
32.1
38.4
37.9
49.7
49.9
54.8
55.2
56.4
57.3
55.2
56.2
4
42
50.6
48.9
41.4
39.3
39.3
37.4
35.5
33.5
51.6
50.0
50.8
49.2
54.5
52.6
61.3
59.4
64.5
62.5
5
54
56
59
94.2
96.7
78.5
97.8
94.6
102.9
79.2
99.9
93.3
104.9
79.7
100.3
93.4
110.0
77.4
101.0
93.2
110.1
79.7
102.8
95.9
116.2
81.8
104.3
98.7
120.3
83.6
105.0
99.5
118.8
98.8
108.2
104.4
123.3
124.2
110.1
6
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
133.4
141.3
138.1
124.0
156.5
128.1
162.2
118.3
80.4
121.6
134.0
141.6
136.5
130.8
157.1
131.2
164.2
117.3
79.4
124.4
135.6
143.0
137.7
134.3
157.1
132.9
169.6
118.1
78.9
127.8
138.8
147.4
138.1
137.4
157.5
135.1
178.2
119.0
83.5
129.1
139.4
143.3
138.1
142.7
164.8
135.3
180.2
118.5
81.6
129.1
142.2
149.5
140.8
144.3
165.2
138.8
183.1
122.3
82.4
133.4
147.4
156.6
140.5
151.6
165.0
140.4
190.3
127.1
90.9
134.5
152.8
159.6
138.0
156.3
174.6
142.8
195.1
132.1
97.5
136.0
157.9
167.5
139.8
157.6
177.7
147.6
199.3
138.9
101.9
139.4
7
72
73
74
107.2
104.9
98.1
98.0
111.5
112.1
105.0
103.8
115.3
115.4
107.7
109.0
118.1
120.1
110.7
112.8
120.2
121.0
115.7
113.9
123.9
127.5
122.4
120.5
126.1
130.0
126.1
123.3
126.4
130.0
129.8
122.4
129.4
136.9
135.0
128.7
75
93.7
96.9
101.3
102.5
102.4
103.2
106.4
106.8
109.1
76
77
78
88.6
83.1
117.8
89.4
84.5
123.4
91.6
87.5
127.1
93.7
89.5
129.8
93.9
91.7
133.2
94.6
93.6
137.0
95.5
94.8
139.2
95.9
94.2
139.6
97.3
96.5
141.7
8
81
82
84
85
100.8
115.0
142.7
134.5
142.7
103.3
120.1
147.0
133.4
147.0
104.8
123.5
142.2
135.3
142.2
109.5
125.5
145.8
137.8
145.8
109.6
125.5
146.9
139.1
146.9
114.3
125.5
148.9
145.5
148.9
118.1
130.6
153.3
150.9
153.3
119.8
131.1
156.1
153.8
156.1
123.8
137.5
161.2
154.5
161.2
ALL COMMODITIES (9 /8 2 -1 0 0 )...............................................................
Food (9/77 = 100)........................................................................................
1985
Dec.
Mar.
Dec.
Plumbing, heating, and lighting fixtures (6/80-100) ...............................
Furniture and parts (6/80* =100) ...............................................................
Clothing (9/77=100) ................................................................................
Footwear....................................................................................................
Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments and
apparatus (12/79=100)...........................................................................
Photographic apparatus and supplies, optical goods, watches, and
clocks (3/80 = 100)..................................................................................
Mise, manufactured articles, n.e.s. (6/82 —100)......................................
87
102.4
106.4
112.5
118.3
118.0
125.6
129.5
127.0
132.4
88
89
94.5
97.9
99.3
102.1
103.2
103.4
106.9
112.3
107.6
111.0
111.8
116.9
114.4
121.8
113.2
124.6
116.9
132.2
Gold, non-monetary ( 6 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) ....................................................................
971
101.0
106.7
107.3
126.9
123.3
128.0
141.5
143.5
152.8
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
38.
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
U.S. export price indexes by end-use category
(September 1983 = 100 unless otherwise indicated)
Category
39.
77.5
95.9
97.9
91.0
106.6
109.2
101.4
99.5
103.3
Sept.
June
Mar.
Dec.
16.294
30.696
21.327
9.368
30.186
7.483
7.467
3.965
3.501
Foods, feeds, and beverages .......................................................
Raw materials................................................................................
Raw materials, nondurable .........................................................
Raw materials, durable...............................................................
Capital goods (12/82 —100)..........................................................
Automotive vehicles, parts and engines (12/82 —100) ................
Consumer goods............................................................................
Durables ......................................................................................
Nondurables................................................................................
1987
1986
1985
Percentage
of 1980
trade
value
68.4
94.8
95.4
93.2
108.3
111.8
105.7
102.7
108.5
66.0
93.3
93.7
92.5
107.7
110.8
104.5
102.1
106.9
74.7
94.9
96.1
91.9
107.5
110.4
104.5
101.8
107.2
75.5
96.0
97.5
92.5
107.4
109.5
103.7
101.8
105.5
Mar.
Dec.
Sept.
June
68.0
105.9
106.1
105.3
109.8
112.5
107.5
104.3
110.5
71.3
103.1
104.7
99.2
109.4
112.1
107.1
103.6
110.5
67.1
98.2
99.4
95.1
108.9
111.9
106.9
103.9
109.8
Dec.
75.6
108.1
108.4
107.3
110.7
112.6
108.1
105.3
110.9
U.S. import price indexes by end-use category
(December 1982 = 100)
Category
Per
centage
of 1980
trade
value
Foods, feeds, and beverages .......................................................
Petroleum and petroleum products, excl. natural g a s ..................
Raw materials, excluding petroleum .............................................
Raw materials, nondurable .........................................................
Raw materials, durable...............................................................
Capital goods.................................................................................
Automotive vehicles, parts and engines.......................................
Consumer goods............................................................................
Durable ........................................................................................
Nondurable..................................................................................
40.
1985
1986
Dec.
7.477
31.108
19.205
9.391
9.814
13.164
11.750
14.250
5.507
8.743
Mar.
106.0
80.5
93.9
91.8
96.2
100.0
111.4
102.4
100.7
104.7
June
115.8
55.4
94.5
91.1
98.1
102.8
115.6
104.5
103.4
106.0
1987
Sept.
108.2
36.8
94.0
89.7
98.7
106.7
119.0
106.5
106.5
106.6
Dec.
112.3
32.6
95.3
89.5
101.4
109.4
121.0
110.1
111.2
108.6
Mar.
109.2
38.3
94.9
89.7
100.3
110.7
123.9
110.6
111.6
109.2
June
104.7
50.5
96.9
91.8
102.3
115.3
126.2
114.3
114.8
113.7
Sept.
106.6
55.8
100.5
94.5
106.8
117.9
128.0
117.5
117.5
117.6
Dec.
107.5
57.9
103.5
95.4
112.0
118.2
127.9
119.1
119.0
119.3
U.S. export price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification 1
1985
1986
1987
Industry group
Dec.
Manufacturing:
Food and kindred products (6/83 = 100) ..........................
Lumber and wood products, except furniture
(6/83 = 100) .....................................................................
Furniture and fixtures (9/83 = 100) ....................................
Paper and allied products (3/81 = 100).............................
Chemicals and allied products (12/84 = 100)....................
Petroleum and coal products (12/83 = 100)......................
Primary metal products (3/82 = 100) .................................
Machinery, except electrical (9/78 = 100).........................
Electrical machinery (12/80 = 100) ....................................
Transportation equipment (12/78 = 100) ...........................
Scientific instruments; optical goods; clocks
(6/77 = 100).....................................................................
1 SIC - based classification.
92
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
98.1
97.0
95.0
95.2
97.6
99.0
104.1
103.6
113.4
101.2
108.4
92.1
99.2
99.1
87.9
140.5
111.2
164.1
101.5
109.2
95.7
98.9
93.5
89.8
140.6
112.6
165.1
101.2
109.7
101.5
98.3
83.1
89.8
140.3
112.3
167.1
102.1
110.1
106.1
96.2
83.1
90.7
140.5
112.6
167.4
105.7
110.4
108.7
95.9
82.2
89.9
140.7
113.6
169.4
109.8
113.4
113.7
100.1
83.5
91.7
141.0
115.2
170.0
113.0
114.0
116.7
106.3
86.8
97.4
141.2
115.3
171.2
133.1
114.1
120.3
107.6
87.1
100.1
141.4
115.8
172.3
137.2
116.9
123.2
112.6
85.8
101.0
142.0
116.8
173.9
156.7
159.7
161.2
161.5
162.3
163.3
164.6
164.7
165.4
109.9
56.8
106.7
97.9
116.1
122.3
129.7
122.1
122.2
121.9
41.
U.S. import price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification '
1985
1986
1987
Industry group
Dec.
Manufacturing:
Food and kindred products (6/77 —100) .................................
Textile mill products (9/82 —100).............................................
Apparel and related products (6/77 —100)..............................
Lumber and wood products, except furniture
(6/77 = 100) ............................................................................
Furniture and fixtures (6 /8 0 =10 0 )...........................................
Paper and allied products (6 /7 7 = 1 0 0 )....................................
Chemicals and allied products (9/82 —100) ............................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastic products
(1 2 /8 0 -1 0 0 )..........................................................................
Leather and leather products ..................................................
Primary metal products (6/81=100) .......................................
Fabricated metal products (12/84 = 100).................................
Machinery, except electrical (3/80=100) ................................
Electrical machinery (9/84 —100).............................................
Transportation equipment (6/81=100) ...................................
Scientific instruments; optical goods; clocks
(12/79 = 100) ..........................................................................
Miscellaneous manufactured commodities
(9/82 = 100) ............................................................................
Mar.
June
Sept.
Mar.
Dec.
June
Sept.
Dec.
115.1
101.8
134.4
117.7
104.7
133.4
115.6
106.4
135.1
118.0
107.1
137.8
122.4
108.0
139.3
122.7
111.7
146.0
125.9
113.6
150.9
128.5
116.2
153.9
129.8
120.8
154.5
115.8
98.2
137.4
95.8
122.1
101.2
137.6
98.6
124.8
103.5
139.4
102.1
127.9
105.4
142.2
103.8
127.9
105.6
150.3
102.4
134.5
109.6
154.0
104.7
135.0
110.2
155.7
105.7
141.3
111.5
162.9
106.1
136.3
113.1
167.6
110.8
97.5
144.0
82.6
102.6
100.0
95.8
119.6
100.9
145.8
82.0
104.9
105.5
97.0
123.9
100.6
144.6
82.4
108.5
109.0
100.2
128.0
101.9
147.7
84.9
110.3
112.5
102.6
130.4
102.1
148.7
84.0
111.1
114.2
104.0
133.2
104.4
151.8
85.4
115.5
119.1
105.7
136.5
105.8
156.2
91.3
116.2
122.2
106.9
138.4
104.9
159.8
96.0
118.1
122.6
106.6
138.7
108.8
164.0
100.3
119.9
128.1
108.7
141.2
98.8
103.9
109.1
113.7
113.7
119.1
122.1
120.4
124.6
98.7
99.9
101.7
106.9
108.1
110.3
113.8
116.4
118.8
1 SIC - based classification.
42.
Indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, and unit costs, quarterly data seasonally adjusted
(1977 = 100)
Quarterly Indexes
Item
1985
II
1986
III
IV
I
II
1987
III
IV
I
II
III
IV
110.1
187.3
100.3
170.2
168.6
169.6
111.3
189.1
100.3
169.8
172.2
170.7
111.1
190.5
100.2
171.4
171.2
171.3
107.6
184.9
100.2
171.8
167.4
170.3
108.0
186.3
99.7
172.5
169.2
171.4
109.1
187.9
99.6
172.2
173.0
172.5
109.0
189.5
99.6
173.8
171.9
173.1
110.5
181.0
99.3
168.7
163.8
183.2
127.7
163.7
163.8
109.7
180.8
98.0
169.7
164.8
184.1
132.2
165.9
165.2
109.9
182.0
97.4
170.9
165.6
186.6
132.9
167.8
166.3
110.8
183.3
97.2
171.0
165.5
187.3
142.1
171.4
167.5
-
129.8
184.3
101.2
142.0
130.8
183.9
99.6
140.5
132.9
184.8
98.9
139.0
134.1
185.4
98.3
138.2
Business:
Output per hour of all persons.............................
Compensation per hour...................................
Real compensation per hour...........................
Unit labor costs .........................................
Unit nonlabor payments .......................................
Implicit price deflator ....................................
107.2
174.6
98.6
162.8
160.4
162.0
108.2
177.0
99.4
163.6
161.8
163.0
107.9
179.3
99.7
166.1
160.2
164.0
109.5
180.7
100.1
165.0
163.1
164.3
109.7
182.2
101.3
166.2
163.9
165.4
109.6
183.6
101.4
167.5
165.7
166.9
109.6
185.2
101.6
169.0
162.4
166.7
109.7
185.8
100.7
169.4
166.0
168.2
Nonfarm business:
Output per hour of all persons.............................
Compensation per hour.....................................
Real compensation per hour ................................
Unit labor costs ...................................
Unit nonlabor payments .......................................
Implicit price deflator .........................................
105.7
174.1
98.3
164.7
161.5
163.6
106.4
176.2
98.9
165.7
163.4
164.9
105.9
178.3
99.2
168.3
160.8
165.7
107.7
180.0
99.7
167.2
164.7
166.4
107.7
181.3
100.8
168.4
165.2
167.3
107.5
182.6
100.9
169.8
167.0
168.8
107.5
184.4
101.2
171.5
163.9
168.8
Nonfinancial 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..........................................
Unit nonlabor payments .................................
Implicit price deflator ..................................
107.7
171.8
97.0
164.3
159.5
178.7
132.2
162.5
160.5
109.2
173.8
97.6
163.7
159.1
177.5
142.5
165.2
161.2
108.9
175.7
97.7
166.0
161.4
179.4
128.7
161.6
161.5
109.8
177.2
98.2
166.3
161.5
180.7
129.7
162.8
161.9
109.7
178.4
99.1
167.2
162.6
180.6
129.5
162.7
162.7
109.9
179.5
99.2
168.5
163.2
184.2
130.6
165.4
164.0
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons.............................
Compensation per hour......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor costs ..............................
124.1
176.1
99.5
142.0
125.3
178.0
99.9
142.1
126.1
180.2
100.2
142.9
127.6
181.0
100.3
141.9
128.4
182.1
101.2
141.8
129.3
183.1
101.2
141.7
_
134.1
186.3
97.9
138.9
- Data not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
93
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Productivity Data
43. Annual indexes of multifactor productivity and related measures, selected years
(1977 = 100)
Item
1960
1970
1973
1976
1978
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
Private business
Productivity:
Output per hour of all persons..........................
Output per unit of capital services....................
Multifactor productivity.......................................
Output...................................................................
Inputs:
Hours of all persons...........................................
Capital services ..................................................
Combined units of labor and capital input........
Capital per hour of all persons.............................
67.3
102.1
78.1
55.3
88.4
101.9
92.9
80.2
95.9
105.3
99.1
93.0
98.4
97.2
98.0
94.5
100.8
102.0
101.2
105.8
99.2
94.2
97.4
106.6
100.6
92.4
97.7
108.9
100.3
86.7
95.3
105.4
103.1
88.4
97.7
109.9
105.7
92.8
101.0
119.2
107.6
92.8
102.2
124.0
109.7
92.8
103.4
128.1
82.2
54.2
70.8
65.9
90.8
78.7
86.3
86.7
96.9
88.3
93.8
91.1
96.1
97.2
96.5
101.2
105.0
103.8
104.5
98.8
107.5
113.1
109.4
105.3
108.2
117.8
111.5
108.8
105.2
121.7
110.7
115.7
106.7
124.4
112.6
116.6
112.8
128.5
118.1
113.9
115.2
133.6
121.3
116.0
116.8
138.0
123.8
118.2
70.7
103.6
80.9
54.4
89.2
102.8
93.7
79.9
96.4
106.0
99.6
92.9
98.5
97.3
98.1
94.4
100.8
101.9
101.2
106.0
98.7
93.4
96.9
106.6
99.6
91.1
96.7
108.4
99.1
85.1
94.1
104.8
102.5
87.3
97.0
110.1
104.7
91.3
99.9
119.3
105.9
90.8
100.5
123.7
107.6
90.5
101.4
127.6
77.0
52.5
67.3
68.2
89.6
77.8
85.3
86.8
96.3
87.6
93.3
91.0
95.8
97.0
96.2
101.3
105.1
104.0
104.7
98.9
108.0
114.1
110.0
105.6
108.8
119.0
112.2
109.4
105.7
123.2
111.4
116.5
107.4
126.1
113.5
117.4
114.0
130.6
119.4
114.6
116.8
136.3
123.1
116.7
118.5
141.0
125.8
119.0
62.2
102.5
71.9
52.5
80.8
98.6
85.2
78.6
93.4
111.4
97.9
96.3
97.1
96.2
96.8
93.1
101.5
102.1
101.7
106.0
101.4
91.2
98.7
103.2
103.6
89.2
99.8
104.8
105.9
81.8
99.2
98.4
112.0
86.9
105.1
104.7
118.1
95.7
112.2
117.5
124.2
97.8
117.0
122.5
128.8
99.3
120.6
125.9
84.4
51.2
73.0
60.7
97.3
79.7
92.2
82.0
103.1
86.4
98.4
83.8
95.9
96.7
96.1
100.9
104.4
103.7
104.2
99.4
101.7
113.1
104.5
111.2
101.1
117.5
105.0
116.2
92.9
120.3
99.2
129.4
93.5
120.6
99.7
129.0
99.5
122.8
104.7
123.5
98.7
125.3
104.8
127.0
97.8
126.8
104.4
129.7
Private nonfarm business
Productivity:
Output per hour of all persons ..........................
Output per unit of capital services....................
Multifactor productivity.......................................
Output...................................................................
Inputs:
Hours of all persons...........................................
Capital services .................................................
Combined units of labor and capital input........
Capital per hour of all persons.............................
Manufacturing
Productivity:
Output per hour of all persons ..........................
Output per unit of capital services....................
Multifactor productivity.......................................
Output...................................................................
Inputs:
Hours of all persons...........................................
Capital services ..................................................
Combined units of labor and capital inputs......
Capital per hour of all persons.............................
94
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
44. Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, selected years
(1977 = 100)
Item
1960
1970
1973
1976
1978
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
67.6
33.6
68.9
49.7
46.4
48.5
88.4
57.8
90.2
65.4
59.4
63.2
95.9
70.9
96.7
73.9
72.5
73.4
98.3
92.8
98.7
94.3
93.3
94.0
100.8
108.5
100.8
107.6
106.7
107.3
99.3
131.5
96.7
132.5
118.7
127.6
100.7
143.7
95.7
142.7
134.6
139.8
100.3
154.9
97.3
154.5
136.6
148.1
103.0
161.5
98.2
156.7
146.4
153.0
105.6
168.0
98.0
159.1
156.5
158.2
107.5
175.9
99.1
163.6
160.3
162.4
109.5
182.8
101.0
166.9
163.8
165.8
110.5
188.2
100.3
170.2
169.5
170.0
71.0
35.3
72.3
49.7
46.3
48.5
89.3
58.2
90.8
65.2
60.0
63.4
96.4
71.2
97.1
73.9
69.3
72.3
98.5
92.8
98.8
94.3
93.0
93.8
100.8
108.6
100.9
107.7
105.6
107.0
98.8
131.3
96.6
132.9
118.5
127.8
99.8
143.6
95.7
144.0
133.5
140.3
99.2
154.8
97.2
156.0
136.5
149.2
102.5
161.5
98.2
157.6
148.3
154.3
104.6
167.8
97.9
160.4
156.4
159.0
105.8
175.2
98.7
165.6
161.3
164.1
107.5
182.0
100.6
169.3
165.2
167.8
108.4
187.1
99.8
172.6
170.4
171.8
73.4
36.9
75.5
49.4
50.2
47.0
59.8
51.5
50.7
91.1
59.2
92.4
64.8
65.0
64.2
52.3
60.1
63.3
97.5
71.6
97.6
72.7
73.4
70.7
65.6
68.9
71.9
98.4
92.9
98.9
94.8
94.3
96.2
89.4
93.8
94.2
100.6
108.4
100.7
107.3
107.8
105.7
102.0
104.4
106.6
99.1
131.1
96.4
133.4
132.3
136.7
85.2
118.6
127.6
99.6
143.3
95.5
147.7
143.8
159.1
98.1
137.8
141.7
100.4
154.3
96.9
159.5
153.8
176.4
78.5
142.1
149.8
103.5
159.9
97.3
159.5
154.5
174.3
110.9
152.1
153.7
106.0
165.8
96.7
160.8
156.5
173.6
136.5
160.6
157.9
108.2
172.8
97.4
164.4
159.7
178.3
133.9
162.7
160.7
109.9
178.9
98.9
167.7
162.8
182.2
129.3
163.7
163.1
62.2
36.5
74.8
58.7
60.0
59.1
80.8
57.4
89.5
71.0
64.1
69.0
93.4
68.8
93.8
73.7
70.7
72.8
97.1
92.1
98.1
94.9
93.5
94.5
101.5
108.2
100.5
106.6
101.9
105.2
101.4
132.4
97.4
130.6
97.8
121.0
103.6
145.2
96.7
140.1
111.8
131.8
105.9
157.5
98.9
148.7
114.0
138.6
112.0
162.4
98.8
145.0
128.5
140.2
118.1
168.0
98.0
142.2
138.6
141.2
124.2
176.9
99.6
142.4
134.7
140.2
128.8
182.7
100.9
141.8
137.9
140.7
Business:
Output per hour of all persons.............................
Compensation per hour........................................
Real compensation per hour ................................
Unit labor costs ....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments .......................................
Implicit price deflator ............................................
Nonfarm business:
Output per hour of all persons.............................
Compensation per hour........................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor costs ....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments .......................................
Implicit price deflator ............................................
Nonfinancial 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.............................................................
Unit nonlabor payments .......................................
Implicit price deflator ............................................
-
-
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons.............................
Compensation per hour........................................
Real compensation per hour ................................
Unit labor costs ....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments .......................................
Implicit price deflator ............................................
- Data not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
45. Unemployment rates, approximating U.S. concepts, in nine countries, quarterly data
seasonally adjusted
Annual average
1986
1987
Country
1986
1987
II
III
IV
I
II
III
IV
Total labor force basis
United S ta te s ...............................
C a n a d a ...........................................
Australia ................................
Japan .............................................
France ...................................................
G erm any................................................
Italy ', ..................................................
Sweden .................................................
United Kingdom ....................................
2
6.9
9.5
8.0
2.8
10.4
7.1
6.2
2.6
11.1
6.1
-
_
-
-
7.1
9.5
7.7
2.8
6.9
9.6
8.2
2.9
6.8
9.4
8.3
2.9
6.5
9.6
8.3
3.0
6.2
9.0
8.1
3.1
8.8
8.0
2.8
-
10.4
7.2
6.2
2.6
11.2
10.6
7.0
5.9
2.6
11.1
10.6
6.9
6.5
2.6
10.9
11.0
7.0
6.6
2.0
10.6
11.0
7.1
6.6
1.9
10.2
10.9
7.1
6.6
1.8
9.7
-
7.2
9.6
7.8
2.8
7.0
9.7
8.3
2.9
6.8
9.4
2.9
6.6
9.6
8.3
3.0
6.3
9.1
8.2
3.1
6.0
8.8
8.0
2.8
-
10.7
7.3
10.8
7.2
6.0
2.6
11.2
10.8
7.0
6.6
2.6
10.9
11.2
7.1
6.7
2.0
10.7
11.3
7.2
6.7
1.9
10.3
11.2
7.3
6.8
1.9
9.8
-
5.9
5.8
Civilian labor force basis
United S ta te s ...............................
Canada ............................................
Australia .........................................
Japan ....................................
7.0
9.6
8.1
2.8
France ....................................
G erm any...................................
Italy1, 2 .................................
Sweden .................................
United Kingdom ..............................
10.7
7.2
6.3
2.7
11.1
6.2
-
-
”
1 Quarterly rates are for the first month of the quarter.
2 Major changes in the Italian labor force survey, intro
duced in 1977, resulted in a large increase in persons enu
merated as unemployed. However, many persons reported
that they had not actively sought work in the past 30 days,
and they have been provisionally excluded for comparability
with U.S. concepts. Inclusion of such persons would about
6.3
2.6
11.2
8.4
5.9
double the Italian unemployment rate shown.
- Data not available.
NOTE: Quarterly figures for France, Germany, and the
United Kingdom are calculated by applying annual adjust
ment factors to current published data and therefore should
be viewed as less precise indicators of unemployment under
U.S. concepts than the annual figures.
133.0
185.1
98.7
139.1
-
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
March 1988 •
Current Labor Statistics:
International Comparison Data
46. Annual data: Employment status of the civilian working-age population, approximating U.S.
concepts, 10 countries
(Numbers in thousands)
Employment status and country
1986
1982
1983
1984
1985
108,670
11,904
6,810
56,320
22,930
26,650
21,320
5,520
4,327
26,590
110,204
11,958
6,910
56,980
23,160
26,700
21,410
5,570
4,350
26,740
111,550
12,183
6,997
58,110
23,130
26,650
21,590
5,600
4,369
26,790
113,544
12,399
7,133
58,480
23,290
26,760
21,670
5,620
4,385
27,180
115,461
12,639
7,272
58,820
23,340
26,980
21,800
5,710
4,418
27,370
117,834
12,870
7,562
59,410
23,480
27,180
21,990
5,760
4,437
27,460
63.8
64.1
62.1
62.6
57.2
53.2
48.2
50.2
66.9
62.5
63.9
64.8
61.9
62.6
57.1
52.9
48.3
51.4
66.8
62.2
64.0
64.1
61.7
62.7
57.1
52.6
47.7
51.2
66.8
62.3
64.0
64.4
61.4
63.1
56.6
52.3
47.5
50.9
66.7
62.1
64.4
64.8
61.5
62.7
56.6
52.4
47.3
50.5
66.6
62.6
64.8
65.2
61.8
62.3
56.2
52.6
47.2
50.7
66.9
62.7
65.3
65.7
63.0
62.1
56.2
53.0
47.5
50.8
67.2
62.5
98,824
10,395
6,111
54,040
21,300
25,470
19,930
4,830
4,174
24,940
99,303
10,708
6,284
54,600
21,330
25,750
20,200
4,980
4,226
24,670
100,397
11,006
6,416
55,060
21,200
25,560
20,280
5,010
4,219
23,800
99,526
10,644
6,415
55,620
21,240
25,140
20,250
4,980
4,213
23,710
100,834
10,734
6,300
56,550
21,170
24,750
20,320
4,890
4,218
23,600
105,005
11,000
6,490
56,870
20,980
24,790
20,390
4,930
4,249
24,000
107,150
11,311
6,670
57,260
20,900
24,950
20,490
5,110
4,293
24,300
109,597
11,634
6,952
57,740
20,970
25,210
20,610
5,200
4,319
24,400
59.3
57.5
58.0
61.3
54.4
51.5
45.9
46.3
64.6
58.8
59.9
58.7
57.8
61.4
54.0
51.7
45.9
46.4
65.3
59.2
59.2
59.3
58.3
61.3
53.5
51.7
46.1
47.0
65.6
58.1
59.0
59.9
58.4
61.2
52.8
50.8
45.9
46.6
65.1
55.7
57.8
57.0
57.3
61.2
52.3
49.6
45.2
45.8
64.7
55.3
57.9
56.7
55.3
61.4
51.8
48.6
44.7
44.5
64.4
54.7
59.5
57.4
56.0
61.0
51.0
48.5
44.5
44.3
64.5
55.3
60.1
58.4
56.6
60.6
50.4
48.7
44.4
45.4
65.0
55.7
60.7
59.4
57.9
60.4
50.2
49.1
44.6
45.9
65.4
55.6
6,202
908
405
1,240
1,210
870
850
260
94
1,650
6,137
836
408
1,170
1,370
780
920
270
88
1,420
7,637
865
409
1,140
1,470
770
920
330
86
1,850
8,273
898
394
1,260
1,730
1,090
1,040
510
108
2,790
10,678
1,314
495
1,360
1,920
1,560
1,160
590
137
3,030
10,717
1,448
697
1,560
1,960
1,900
1,270
710
151
3,190
8,539
1,399
642
1,610
2,310
1,970
1,280
690
136
3,180
8,312
1,328
602
1,560
2,440
2,030
1,310
600
125
3,070
8,237
1,236
610
1,670
2,510
1,970
1,380
560
118
3,060
6.1
8.3
6.3
2.3
5.4
3.3
4.1
5.2
2.2
6.3
5.8
7.4
6.3
2.1
6.0
3.0
4.4
5.3
2.1
5.4
7.1
7.5
6.1
2.0
6.4
2.9
4.4
6.2
2.0
7.0
7.6
7.5
5.8
2.2
7.5
4.1
4.9
9.2
2.5
10.5
9.7
11.0
7.2
2.4
8.3
5.8
5.4
10.6
3.1
11.3
9.6
11.9
10.0
2.7
8.5
7.1
5.9
12.7
3.5
11.9
7.5
11.3
9.0
2.8
9.9
7.4
5.9
12.3
3.1
11.7
7.2
10.5
8.3
2.6
10.4
7.5
6.0
10.5
2.8
11.2
7.0
9.6
8.1
2.8
10.7
7.2
6.3
9.7
2.7
11.1
1978
1979
1980
102,251
10,895
6,443
54,610
22,460
26,000
20,570
5,010
4,203
26,260
104,962
11,231
6,519
55,210
22,670
26,250
20,850
5,100
4,262
26,350
106,940
11,573
6,693
55,740
22,800
26,520
21,120
5,310
4,312
26,520
63.2
62.7
61.9
62.8
57.5
53.3
47.8
48.8
66.1
62.8
63.7
63.4
61.6
62.7
57.5
53.3
48.0
49.0
66.6
62.6
96,048
9,987
6,038
53,370
21,250
25,130
19,720
4,750
4,109
24,610
1981
Labor force
United States........................................................
Canada .................................................................
Australia................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
France ...................................................................
Germany ...............................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Sweden.................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Participation rate1
United States........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Australia.................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
France ...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Sweden.................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Employed
United States........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Australia.................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
France ...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Sweden..................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Employment-population ratio2
United States........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Australia.................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
France...................................................................
Germany ................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Sweden..................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Unemployed
United States ........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Australia.................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
France...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Sweden.................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Unemployment rate
United States ........................................................
Canada .................................................................
Australia.................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
France...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Sweden..................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
1 Labor force as a percent of the civilian working-age population.
2 Employment as a percent of the civilian working-age population.
96
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
47.
Annual indexes of manufacturing productivity and related measures, 12 countries
(1977 = 100)
Item and country
1960
1970
1973
1975
1976
1977
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
62.2
50.7
23.2
33.0
37.2
36.4
40.3
35.4
32.4
54.6
42.3
55.9
80.8
75.6
64.8
60.4
65.6
69.6
71.2
72.7
64.3
81.7
80.7
80.4
93.4
90.3
83.1
78.8
83.3
82.3
84.0
90.9
81.5
94.6
94.8
95.5
92.9
88.6
87.7
86.5
94.6
88.5
90.1
91.1
86.2
96.8
100.2
94.9
97.1
94.8
94.3
95.3
98.2
95.1
96.5
98.9
95.8
99.7
101.7
99.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.4
102.0
114.8
111.9
106.5
109.7
108.2
110.5
112.3
107.1
110.9
102.5
101.4
98.2
122.7
119.2
112.3
110.6
108.6
116.9
113.9
106.7
112.7
101.8
103.6
102.9
127.2
127.6
114.2
114.0
111.0
124.8
116.9
107.0
113.2
107.0
105.9
98.3
135.0
135.2
114.6
122.0
112.6
129.6
119.4
109.8
116.5
113.5
112.0
105.4
142.3
148.2
120.2
125.2
119.2
135.7
127.5
117.2
125.5
123.2
118.1
116.8
152.5
154.4
118.6
129.0
123.6
144.4
140.5
123.9
131.0
129.8
124.2
119.7
163.7
159.0
118.3
133.0
128.7
146.6
145.1
125.2
136.1
134.7
128.8
119.4
168.2
163.1
119.9
135.6
130.6
148.3
144.7
124.4
136.4
139.5
52.5
41.3
19.2
41.9
49.2
35.4
50.0
36.4
44.8
55.1
52.6
71.2
78.6
73.5
69.9
78.6
82.0
73.3
86.6
78.0
84.4
86.9
92.5
95.0
96.3
93.5
91.9
96.4
95.9
88.6
96.1
90.5
95.8
99.5
100.3
104.8
84.9
89.9
86.2
92.7
95.0
90.0
91.0
86.9
92.7
101.0
106.1
96.3
93.1
96.5
94.8
99.7
99.6
96.1
98.0
97.9
99.0
101.4
106.1
98.2
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
108.1
108.5
113.9
104.1
105.4
105.3
106.6
108.6
106.1
100.3
103.6
100.5
103.2
103.6
124.1
106.8
110.1
104.6
106.6
115.4
106.6
98.8
104.0
91.7
104.8
107.4
129.8
105.7
106.6
102.9
104.9
115.1
106.7
97.7
100.6
86.2
98.4
93.6
137.3
110.1
108.3
104.0
102.4
113.4
105.0
97.4
100.1
86.4
104.7
99.6
148.2
114.8
115.6
103.8
103.6
111.5
107.0
97.2
105.2
88.9
117.5
114.9
165.4
117.5
119.7
104.0
106.4
116.2
113.3
102.6
111.5
92.5
122.5
121.2
179.3
119.9
123.4
103.3
110.1
118.0
116.0
105.2
115.3
95.2
125.9
123.9
182.1
122.0
126.7
103.0
112.8
121.9
117.3
107.0
115.2
96.2
84.4
81.4
82.7
127.1
132.4
97.2
123.8
102.8
138.4
101.0
124.4
127.3
97.3
97.2
107.9
130.2
125.1
105.3
121.7
107.4
131.2
106.4
114.6
118.1
103.1
103.6
110.7
122.3
115.2
107.7
114.4
99.6
117.6
105.1
105.7
109.8
91.4
101.5
98.2
107.1
100.4
101.7
101.0
95.4
107:6
104.3
105.9
101.5
95.9
101.8
100.6
104.6
101.4
101.2
101.6
99.0
103.3
101.7
104.3
99.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
106.5
106.3
99.3
93.0
99.0
95.9
98.5
98.2
94.4
93.6
93.4
98.0
101.7
105.5
101.2
89.6
98.0
94.6
98.1
98.7
93.6
92.6
92.3
90.1
101.1
104.3
102.0
82.8
93.4
90.3
94.6
92.2
91.2
91.3
88.9
80.6
92.9
95.2
101.7
81.4
94.5
85.2
91.0
87.5
88.0
88.6
85.9
76.2
93.5
94.5
104.2
77.5
96.2
82.9
86.9
82.2
83.9
82.9
83.9
72.2
99.5
98.3
108.5
76.1
100.9
80.6
86.1
80.5
80.6
82.8
85.1
71.2
98.7
101.2
109.6
75.4
104.3
77.7
85.6
80.5
79.9
84.0
84.7
70.7
97.8
103.8
108.3
74.8
105.7
75.9
86.4
82.2
81.1
86.0
84.5
69.0
36.5
27.5
8.9
13.8
12.6
15.1
18.8
8.4
12.5
15.8
14.7
15.1
57.4
47.9
33.9
34.9
36.3
36.5
48.0
26.1
39.0
37.9
38.5
31.3
68.8
60.0
55.1
53.5
56.1
52.1
67.5
43.7
60.5
54.5
54.2
47.5
85.1
78.9
84.2
79.0
81.0
76.5
84.5
70.2
82.2
77.2
77.3
76.0
92.1
90.3
90.7
89.5
90.4
88.7
91.3
84.2
91.9
88.8
91.5
88.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
118.6
118.6
113.4
117.5
123.1
128.4
116.1
134.7
117.0
116.0
120.1
137.4
132.4
131.3
120.7
130.4
135.9
148.5
125.6
160.2
123.6
128.0
133.6
167.4
145.2
151.1
129.8
144.5
149.7
172.0
134.5
198.4
129.1
142.8
148.1
193.9
157.5
167.0
136.6
150.7
162.9
203.9
141.0
238.3
137.5
156.0
158.9
209.3
162.4
177.2
140.7
159.7
174.2
225.2
148.3
282.8
144.0
173.5
173.3
224.4
168.0
185.5
144.9
173.0
184.4
247.3
155.5
314.5
150.0
188.3
189.7
238.8
176.9
194.7
152.0
184.9
196.1
267.3
164.9
347.3
157.7
204.8
212.4
254.6
182.7
202.3
157.3
191.8
207.7
279.2
172.5
362.1
161.5
224.6
228.1
273.5
58.7
54.2
38.4
41.7
33.8
41.5
46.6
23.7
38.5
29.0
34.8
27.1
71.0
63.4
52.3
57.8
55.4
52.5
67.4
36.0
60.7
46.4
47.7
38.9
73.7
66.5
66.4
67.9
67.4
63.4
80.3
48.1
74.3
57.6
57.2
49.8
91.7
89.1
96.0
91.2
85.6
86.5
93.8
77.1
95.4
79.7
77.1
80.2
94.9
95.3
96.2
93.9
92.1
93.3
94.6
85.1
96.0
89.1
90.0
89.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
117.0
116.2
98.8
105.0
115.7
117.0
107.3
121.9
104.1
108.2
108.3
134.1
130.6
133.7
98.4
109.4
121.0
134.3
115.7
137.0
108.5
120.0
118.6
164.5
140.1
146.7
102.0
113.2
131.1
151.0
121.2
158.9
110.4
133.4
130.9
181.2
148.7
170.0
101.2
111.4
142.2
167.2
125.2
184.0
115.2
142.1
136.3
184.4
145.0
168.1
98.9
107.8
144.9
179.9
124.4
208.4
113.0
148.0
138.1
182.2
142.2
158.8
95.0
112.1
155.4
191.6
125.8
217.8
106.8
152.0
144.8
183.9
142.4
162.6
92.9
116.3
165.7
200.9
128.1
236.9
108.7
163.5
156.1
189.0
141.8
169.4
93.5
117.6
173.2
205.9
132.1
244.1
111.6
180.5
167.3
196.1
58.7
59.4
28.5
30.0
29.5
41.6
25.9
33.7
25.1
21.7
30.1
43.6
71.0
64.5
39.1
41.7
44.4
46.7
42.9
50.6
41.2
34.5
41.1
53.5
73.7
70.6
65.6
62.7
67.2
70.2
70.4
73.1
65.6
53.4
58.7
70.0
91.7
93.1
86.7
89.1
89.6
99.3
88.7
104.3
92.8
81.4
83.2
102.0
94.9
102.7
86.9
87.2
91.5
96.1
87.3
90.5
89.1
86.9
92.3
92.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
117.0
105.4
121.3
128.3
132.0
135.2
135.9
129.5
127.4
113.8
112.9
163.1
130.6
121.5
116.8
134.3
129.0
156.4
147.9
141.4
134.1
129.3
125.3
219.2
140.1
130.0
123.8
109.6
110.3
136.4
124.9
123.2
108.9
123.6
115.4
210.2
148.7
146.3
108.8
87.2
102.3
124.9
119.7
119.9
105.8
117.1
96.9
184.8
145.0
144.9
111.5
75.5
95.1
116.1
113.1
121.1
97.1
107.9
80.4
158.3
142.2
130.3
107.2
69.5
90.1
107.8
102.6
109.5
81.6
99.1
78.2
140.9
142.4
126.5
104.3
70.2
93.9
110.0
101.1
109.6
80.4
101.3
81.1
140.5
141.8
129.5
148.7
94.3
128.4
146.2
141.3
144.5
111.9
129.8
104.9
164.9
Output per hour
United States........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
Belgium..................................................................
Denmark................................................................
France ...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Norway...................................................................
Sweden..................................................................
United Kingdom ....................................................
Output
United States ........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
Belgium..................................................................
Denmark ................................................................
France...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Norway...................................................................
Sweden..................................................................
United Kingdom.....................................................
Total hours
United States........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
Belgium..................................................................
Denmark................................................................
France ...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Norway..................................................................
Sweden..................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Compensation per hour
United States........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
Belgium..................................................................
Denmark ................................................................
France...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Norway...................................................................
Sweden.................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Unit labor costs: National currency basis
United States ........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
Belgium..................................................................
Denmark ................................................................
France...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Norway...................................................................
Sweden.................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
Unit labor costs: U S. dollar basis
United States ........................................................
Canada ..................................................................
Japan ....................................................................
Belgium..................................................................
Denmark ................................................................
France ...................................................................
Germany................................................................
Italy........................................................................
Netherlands...........................................................
Norway...................................................................
Sweden.................................................................
United Kingdom....................................................
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
48.
March 1988
•
Current Labor Statistics:
Illness and Injury Data
Occupational injury and illness incidence rates by industry, United States
Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers2
Industry and type of case1
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
PRIVATE SECTOR3
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays...........................................................................................
9.4
4.1
63.5
9.5
4.3
67.7
8.7
4.0
65.2
8.3
3.8
61.7
7.7
3.5
58.7
7.6
3.4
58.5
8.0
3.7
63.4
7.9
3.6
64.9
7.9
3.6
65.8
11.6
5.4
80.7
11.7
5.7
83.7
11.9
5.8
82.7
12.3
5.9
82.8
11.8
5.9
86.0
11.9
6.1
90.8
12.0
6.1
90.7
11.4
5.7
91.3
11.2
5.6
93.6
11.5
6.4
143.2
11.4
6.8
150.5
11.2
6.5
163.6
11.6
6.2
146.4
10.5
5.4
137.3
8.4
4.5
125.1
9.7
5.3
160.2
8.4
4.8
145.3
7.4
4.1
125.9
16.0
6.4
109.4
16.2
6.8
120.4
15.7
6.5
117.0
15.1
6.3
113.1
14.6
6.0
115.7
14.8
6.3
118.2
15.5
6.9
128.1
15.2
6.8
128.9
15.2
6.9
134.5
15.9
6.3
105.3
16.3
6.8
111.2
15.5
6.5
113.0
15.1
6.1
107.1
14.1
5.9
112.0
14.4
6.2
113.0
15.4
6.9
121.3
15.2
6.8
120.4
14.9
6.6
122.7
16.6
6.2
110.9
16.6
6.7
123.1
16.3
6.3
117.6
14.9
6.0
106.0
15.1
5.8
113.1
15.4
6.2
122.4
14.9
6.4
131.7
14.5
6.3
127.3
14.7
6.3
132.9
15.8
6.6
111.0
16.0
6.9
124.3
15.5
6.7
118.9
15.2
6.6
119.3
14.7
6.2
118.6
14.8
6.4
119.0
15.8
7.1
130.1
15.4
7.0
133.3
15.6
7.2
140.4
13.2
5.6
84.9
13.3
5.9
90.2
12.2
5.4
86.7
11.5
5.1
82.0
10.2
4.4
75.0
10.0
4.3
73.5
10.6
4.7
77.9
10.4
4.6
80.2
10.6
4.7
85.2
22.6
11.1
178.8
20.7
10.8
175.9
18.6
9.5
171.8
17.6
9.0
158.4
16.9
8.3
153.3
18.3
9.2
163.5
19.6
9.9
172.0
18.5
9.3
171.4
18.9
9.7
177.2
17.5
6.9
95.9
17.6
7.1
99.6
16.0
6.6
97.6
15.1
6.2
91.9
13.9
5.5
85.6
14.1
5.7
83.0
15.3
6.4
101.5
15.0
6.3
100.4
15.2
6.3
103.0
16.8
7.8
126.3
16.8
8.0
133.7
15.0
7.1
128.1
14.1
6.9
122.2
13.0
6.1
112.2
13.1
6.0
112.0
13.6
6.6
120.8
13.9
6.7
127.8
13.6
6.5
126.0
17.0
7.5
123.6
17.3
8.1
134.7
15.2
7.1
128.3
14.4
6.7
121.3
12.4
5.4
101.6
12.4
5.4
103.4
13.3
6.1
115.3
12.6
5.7
113.8
13.6
6.1
125.5
19.3
8.0
112.4
19.9
8.7
124.2
18.5
8.0
118.4
17.5
7.5
109.9
15.3
6.4
102.5
15.1
6.1
96.5
16.1
6.7
104.9
16.3
6.9
110.1
16.0
6.8
115.5
14.4
5.4
75.1
14.7
5.9
83.6
13.7
5.5
81.3
12.9
5.1
74.9
10.7
4.2
66.0
9.8
3.6
58.1
10.7
4.1
65.8
10.8
4.2
69.3
10.7
4.2
72.0
8.7
3.3
50.3
8.6
3.4
51.9
8.0
3.3
51.8
7.4
3.1
48.4
6.5
2.7
42.2
6.3
2.6
41.4
6.8
2.8
45.0
6.4
2.7
45.7
6.4
2.7
49.8
11.5
5.1
78.0
11.6
5.5
85.9
10.6
4.9
82.4
9.8
4.6
78.1
9.2
4.0
72.2
8.4
3.6
64.5
9.3
4.2
68.8
9.0
3.9
71.6
9.6
4.1
79.1
6.9
2.6
37.0
7.2
2.8
40.0
6.8
2.7
41.8
6.5
2.7
39.2
5.6
2.3
37.0
5.2
2.1
35.6
5.4
2.2
37.5
5.2
2.2
37.9
5.3
2.3
42.2
11.8
4.5
66.4
11.7
4.7
67.7
10.9
4.4
67.9
10.7
4.4
68.3
9.9
4.1
69.9
9.9
4.0
66.3
10.5
4.3
70.2
9.7
4.2
73.2
10.2
4.3
70.9
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing3
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Mining
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Construction
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
General building contractors:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Heavy construction contractors:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Special trade contractors:
Total cases.................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Manufacturing
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Durable goods
Lumber and wood products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Furniture and fixtures:
Total cases.................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Stone, clay, and glass products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Primary metal Industries:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Fabricated metal products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Machinery, except electrical:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Electric and electronic equipment:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Transportation equipment:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Instruments and related products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
See footnotes at end of table.
98
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48. Continued— Occupational injury and illness incidence rates by industry, United States
Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers2
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
Nondurable goods
Food and kindred products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Tobacco manufacturing:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Textile mill products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Apparel and other textile products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Paper and allied products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Printing and publishing:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Chemicals and allied products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Petroleum and coal products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Leather and leather products:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
19.4
8.9
132.2
19.9
9.5
141.8
18.7
9.0
136.8
17.8
8.6
130.7
16.7
8.0
129.3
16.5
7.9
131.2
16.7
8.1
131.6
16.7
8.1
138.0
16.5
8.0
137.8
8.7
4.0
58.6
9.3
4.2
64.8
8.1
3.8
45.8
8.2
3.9
56.8
7.2
3.2
44.6
6.5
3.0
42.8
7.7
3.2
51.7
7.3
3.0
51.7
6.7
2.5
45.6
10.2
3.4
61.5
9.7
3.4
61.3
9.1
3.3
62.8
8.8
3.2
59.2
7.6
2.8
53.8
7.4
2.8
51.4
8.0
3.0
54.0
7.5
3.0
57.4
7.8
3.1
59.3
6.5
2.2
32.4
6.5
2.2
34.1
6.4
2.2
34.9
6.3
2.2
35.0
6.0
2.1
36.4
6.4
2.4
40.6
6.7
2.5
40.9
6.7
2.6
44.1
6.7
2.7
49.4
13.5
5.7
103.3
13.5
6.0
108.4
12.7
5.8
112.3
11.6
5.4
103.6
10.6
4.9
99.1
10.0
4.5
90.3
10.4
4.7
93.8
10.2
4.7
94.6
10.5
4.7
99.5
7.0
2.9
43.8
7.1
3.1
45.1
6.9
3.1
46.5
6.7
3.0
47.4
6.6
2.8
45.7
6.6
2.9
44.6
6.5
2.9
46.0
6.3
2.9
49.2
6.5
2.9
50.8
7.8
3.3
50.9
7.7
3.5
54.9
6.8
3.1
50.3
6.6
3.0
48.1
5.7
2.5
39.4
5.5
2.5
42.3
5.3
2.4
40.8
5.1
2.3
38.8
6.3
2.7
49.4
7.9
3.4
58.3
7.7
3.6
62.0
7.2
3.5
59.1
6.7
2.9
51.2
5.3
2.5
46.4
5.5
2.4
46.8
5.1
2.4
53.5
5.1
2.4
49.9
7.1
3.2
67.5
17.1
8.1
125.5
17.1
8.2
127.1
15.5
7.4
118.6
14.6
7.2
117.4
12.7
6.0
100.9
13.0
6.2
101.4
13.6
6.4
104.3
13.4
6.3
107.4
14.0
6.6
118.2
11.7
4.7
72.5
11.5
4.9
76.2
11.7
5.0
82.7
11.5
5.1
82.6
9.9
4.5
86.5
10.0
4.4
87.3
10.5
4.7
94.4
10.3
4.6
88.3
10.5
4.8
83.4
10.1
5.7
102.3
10.0
5.9
107.0
9.4
5.5
104.5
9.0
5.3
100.6
8.5
4.9
96.7
8.2
4.7
94.9
8.8
5.2
105.1
8.6
5.0
107.1
8.2
4.8
102.1
7.9
3.2
44.9
8.0
3.4
49.0
7.4
3.2
48.7
7.3
3.1
45.3
7.2
3.1
45.5
7.2
3.1
47.8
7.4
3.3
50.5
7.4
3.2
50.7
7.7
3.3
54.0
8.9
3.9
57.5
8.8
4.1
59.1
8.2
3.9
58.2
7.7
3.6
54.7
7.1
3.4
52.1
7.0
3.2
50.6
7.2
3.5
55.5
7.2
3.5
59.8
7.2
3.6
62.5
7.5
2.8
39.7
7.7
3.1
44.7
7.1
2.9
44.5
7.1
2.9
41.1
7.2
2.9
42.6
7.3
3.0
46.7
7.5
3.2
48.4
7.5
3.1
47.0
7.8
3.2
50.5
2.1
.8
12.5
2.1
.9
13.3
2.0
.8
12.2
1.9
.8
11.6
2.0
.9
13.2
2.0
.9
12.8
1.9
.9
13.6
2.0
.9
15.4
2.0
.9
17.1
5.5
2.4
36.2
5.5
2.5
38.1
5.2
2.3
35.8
5.0
2.3
35.9
4.9
2.3
35.8
5.1
2.4
37.0
5.2
2.5
41.1
5.4
2.6
45.4
5.3
2.5
43.0
Transportation and public utilities
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays ..........................................................................................
Wholesale and retail trade
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Wholesale trade:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Retail trade:
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
Services
Total cases................................................................................................
Lost workday cases..................................................................................
Lost workdays............................................................................................
1 Total cases include fatalities.
2 The incidence rates represent the number of injuries and illnesses or lost
workdays per 100 full-time workers and were calculated as:
(N/EH) X 200,000, where:
N = number of injuries and illnesses or lost workdays.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
EH = total hours worked by all employees during calendar year.
200,000 = base for 100 full-time equivalent workers (working 40 hours per
week, 50 weeks per year.)
3 Excludes farms with fewer thari 11 employees since 1976.
Employment
and Wages
Annual Averages
1986
U.S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bulletin 2297
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