Full text of Monthly Labor Review : March 1989, Volume 112, Number 3

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MONTHLY LABO R REViEW
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,

U.S. Department of tabor
Bureau oDLabor Statistics
March 1989
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Jr I

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In this issue:
Compensation in the temporary help industry
Productivity in agricultural chemicals
The shift to contingent workers

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Elizabeth Dole, Secretary

Regional Commissioners
for Bureau of Labor Statistics

Janet L. Norwood, Commissioner

Region I—Boston: Anthony J. Ferrara
Kennedy Federal Building, Suite 1603
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March 1989
Detail from Western Town,
an oil study for a post office mural,
by Jenne Magafan (1915-52),
from the exhibition, "Special Delivery:
Murals for the New Deal Era;”
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Cover design by Melvin B. Moxley


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Regions IX and X—San Francisco: Sam M. Hirabayashi
71 Stevenson Street, P.O. Box 3766
San Francisco, CA 94119
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

RESEARCH LIBRARY

MARCH 1989
VOLUME 112, NUMBER 3

Federal Reserve Bank
of St, Louis

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

A P R 1 8 1989

Harry B. Williams

3 What tem porary w orkers earn: findings from new

b ls

survey

Study of firms supplying temporary help to other businesses reveals sharp variations
in pay rates, as well as in the proportions of ‘temps’ offered vacation pay, other benefits

Richard S. Belous

7 How firm s adjust to the shift tow ard contingent w orkers
The dramatic increase of workers who do not have strong ties to their employers
has caused corporations to make major changes in their human resource systems

Arthur S. Herman

13

P roductivity continued to rise in many industries during 1987
Increases in output per employee hour were not as widespread as in 1986;
among industries showing strong gains were steel, aluminum, and semiconductors

Horst Brand, Kelly Bryant

21

P roductivity trends in agricultural chemicals
Output per hour in the manufacture of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides
increased almost as much as that for all manufacturing between 1972 and 1986

REPORTS
Karen O’Conor, William Wong

29

Measuring the precision of the Employment Cost Index

Maureen Boyle

37

Spending patterns and income of single and married parents


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DEPARTMENTS
2 Labor month in review
29 Technical notes
37 Research summaries
42 Major agreements expiring next month
43 Developments in industrial relations
46 Book reviews
49 Current labor statistics

Labor Month
In Review
THE CHANGING WORK FORCE.
Commissioner of Labor Statistics Janet
L. Norwood reported on “ The U.S.
Economy in Transition” in an address
to the Oklahoma State House of
Representatives, in Oklahoma City,
February 23. Following are excerpts
from her discussion of the changing
work force:

Slower growth. We expect to have
much slower labor force growth in the
future than in the past. In fact, between
now and the year 2000, the labor force
should grow at only about one-half the
rate of the previous decade.
The baby-boom generation born in
the years following World War II has
moved into the more mature age
categories. Today’s teenagers are part
of a generation born of low fertility
rates. This means that the pressure for
a constantly increasing rate of job
creation will be less than it has been
over the last few decades. Young people
16 to 24 years of age will decline in
number. As a result, they will make up
a much smaller proportion of the labor
force of the future than in the past.
Because these young workers always
have higher jobless rates than older
workers, this decline in young entrants
should produce much less upward
pressure on the N ation’s future
unemployment rate. In addition,
competition for entry-level jobs should
moderate; employers may even face
increasing difficulty in finding younger
workers to fill the jobs customarily held
by them in the past. In fact, retail store
owners and restuarant managers, who,
in the past, have relied upon young,
part-time minimum wage workers to fill
many of their needs, are already
beginning to experience recruitment
problems in some areas of the country.
Because there will be fewer young
people to enter the labor force in the
future, the average age of the labor
force will be higher than in the
past. The number of “ prime age”
2


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workers—those in the 25- to 54-year
age group—will make up a larger
proportion of the labor force in the
years ahead. This change in the supply
of prime age workers could bring
increased competition among them for
high-paying jobs. The change in age
mix also could bring with it increased
rates of productivity growth, because
workers in these age groups generally
are more mature, have more job
stability, and have more work
experience than younger workers.
Nevertheless, we must remember that
many of our minority youngsters, who
have had great difficulty in the labor
market, will reach the prime working
age without ever having had a
successful employment experience.
This group clearly will require our
attention.

More minorities and women. The
most striking fact about the labor force
of the future is that it will be more
notably female and minority. The labor
force participation of women will
continue to increase, though perhaps at
a somewhat slower rate than in the last
few decades. The number of women
will rise twice as fast as the number of
men because the proportion of women
who participate in the labor force (by
working or looking for work) will
continue to rise. This is especially true
of women in the middle years—those in
the 25- to 45-year age group.
This continued increase in work
activity by women means that large
numbers of married women, including
those with children, will be working or
looking for work. Women workers will
constitute an essential part of the trained
work force required by a number of the
important industries of this country
which already have a very large
proportion of females employed. The
continuation of this trend means that the
problems faced by women workers in
combining work and the family, which
even now are workplace issues, will

become even more so in the future. With
no one at home full time, the productivity
of the business establishment that has a
large proportion of parents will be affected
by the pressures workers face in finding
adequate child care and in handling other
family related issues. Indeed, as the work
force ages, many of these workers (men
as well as women) will face the need to
provide care at both ends of the age
scale—for their young children and for
their elderly parents.
In addition to the continued involvement
of women in the labor force of the future,
we also expect that the racial and ethnic
composition of the work force will
change. The proportion of whites in the
labor force will decrease; the share of
blacks in the labor force will grow faster
than that of whites because their birth rates
in the past have been higher than those
of whites. We can also anticipate that the
proportions of Asians and Hispanics will
increase because of increased immigration
as well as high birth rates. The Hispanic
labor force growth is projected to be
especially sharp. By the year 2000,
Hispanics are expected to account for 10
percent of the labor force.

Need for education. Although we will
continue to have a need for some unskilled
workers, the occupations that will grow
the fastest will be those requiring
substantial education and special skills. We
expect, for example, that the technical,
service, sales, and professional and
executive occupations will grow faster
than other occupations in the future.
The projected growth in occupational
demand shows the increasing need for
education. The occupations that are
expected to grow the fastest are those in
which a large proportion of workers have
college training. Workers with college
educations are far less likely to be
unemployed at the turn of the century than
those with less education. They are also
likely to earn considerably more
than workers with less than a high school
education.
□

What temporary workers earn:
findings from new BLS survey
Study o f firms supplying temporary help
to other businesses reveals sharp variations
in pay rates, as well as in the proportions
o f temps' offered vacation pay and other benefits
‘

H

arry

B. W

il l ia m s

In recent years, many businesses have experienced a
growing need to fill short-term job assignments, replac­
ing regular employees who are absent because of illness,
vacation, or other reasons. At the same time, many indi­
viduals, including students and recent labor m arket
entrants and reentrants, have sought part-time or inter­
m ittent work that does not involve a long-term com­
mitment to a single employer. These dual needs have
resulted in massive growth for the Nation’s temporary
help supply services firms which match short-term job
requests with the available pool of temporary workers or
“temps.” These workers are supervised by the client firm
but are on the payroll of the temporary help organization.
Until recently, little was known about the pay and ben­
efits offered by these firms. In September 1987, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics began its first study of occupa­
tional pay and employee benefit provisions in the temp­
orary help supply services industry. The survey covered
more than 600,000 workers and revealed wide variations
in pay rates, reflecting the diversity of occupations, skill
levels, and assignments reported.1 Employees studied in­
cluded both temporary workers and the relatively small
number of permanent full-time employees who manage
and administer day-to-day operations of the firms in the
industry.
The temporary work force earned an average of $6.42
an hour in September 1987.2 (See table 1.) Pay for individ­
ual temps ranged from the Federal minimum wage of

Harry B. Williams is a labor economist in the Division of Occupational
Pay and Employee Benefit Levels, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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$3.35 an hour to $20 an hour or more.3
The survey developed earnings data for eight major occu­
pational groups selected to represent the diversified as­
signments and wage levels of temporary workers. Group
averages ranged from $4.65 an hour for operators, fabrica­
tors, and laborers to $16.96 for professional specialty
occupations, which included engineers and registered
nurses. Administrative support occupations, including cler­
ical— the largest group, with 328,828 workers— averaged
$6.46 an hour.
Earnings data were tabulated for almost 100 individual
job classifications selected to represent the wide range of
occupations, pay, and levels of responsibility associated
with temporary workers. Among the classifications for
which data could be published, engineers had the highest
average rate— $24.74 an hour. Computer systems ana­
lysts and scientists averaged $18.17, the second highest
job average published; computer programmers followed
with $15.96.
In the medical field, registered professional nurses aver­
aged $14.99 an hour, but some earned $25 or more.
Licensed practical nurses averaged $10.03 an hour, about
$3 more than clinical laboratory technologists and techni­
cians ($7.11) and $4.50 more than nursing aides, orderlies,
and attendants.
General office clerks, the most numerous of the jobs
studied, averaged $5.11 an hour. This compared with
$5.97 for typists, $6.11 for data entry keyers, $7.79 for
executive secretaries, and $9.46 for word processors— an
occupation currently in heavy demand.
Among the blue-collar jobs, construction laborers aver­
aged $3.72 an hour. Pay levels for assemblers, material
3

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

What Temporary Workers Earn

handlers, and nonconstruction laborers ranged between
$4 and $5.
Earnings also were estimated separately for temporary
workers employed in all large metropolitan areas com­
bined, that is, all areas with at least 1 million inhabitants
(based on the 1980 census). The 384,037 temporary work­
ers in these large areas averaged $6.82 an hour— 6 per­
cent more than the $6.42 average recorded in the nation­
wide survey. This pattern usually held for occupational
pay comparisons as well, with the average differences gen­
erally ranging up to 10 percent in favor of the large areas.
Local wage rates for temps varied widely around the
nationwide average. In the 26 areas studied separately,
the overall average for temporary workers ranged from
$5.20 in Fort Lauderdale-H ollyw ood-Pom pano Beach
to $9.91 in Boston.
The industry’s permanent full-time staff includes office
managers, service coordinators, sales representatives, and
clerical support workers. Office managers averaged $14.21

an hour, compared with $11.50 for business services sales
representatives, $8.58 for accounting clerks, and $7.11 for
receptionists (table 2).
Nearly three-fifths of the permanent full-time staff were
coordinators and sales representatives. Service coordina­
tors, whose primary responsibilities are to interview, hire,
and place temporary workers with client firms, averaged
$9.30 an hour. Coordinators-sales representatives, who reg­
ularly split their duties between the hiring and placing of
temporary workers and the search for prospective clients,
averaged $9.61. As a group, about one-fourth of the coordi­
nators and sales representatives earned at least part of their
pay through incentives, such as bonuses and commissions.
Within individual areas, pay for full-time permanent
staff usually averaged between $9 and $ 11 an hour. The
New York metropolitan area topped the averages with
$13.02, while the Fort Lauderdale area was lowest at
$8.49.

Table 1. Average straight-time hourly earnings and number of temporary workers in temporary help supply establishments,
selected occupational categories, United States and large metropolitan areas, September 1987
L arge
U n ite d S ta tes

L arge

m e tro p o lita n

U n ite d S ta tes

m e tro p o lita n

a re a s '

a re a s '

O c c u p a tio n a l c a te g o rie s

All temporary w orkers.............................

O c c u p a tio n a l c a te g o rie s
N um ber

A v e ra g e

N um ber

A v e ra g e

N um ber

A v e ra g e

N um ber

of

h o u rly

of

h o u rly

of

h o u rly

of

h o u rly

w o rk e rs 2

e a rn in g s 3

w o rk e rs 2

e a rn in g s 3

w o rk e rs 2

e a rn in g s 3

w o rk e rs 2

e a rn in g s 3

628,592

$6.42

384,037

$6.82

S e le c te d c a te g o rie s

Executive, administrative, and
m anagerial.............................................

2,483

12.31

2,239

12.14

Professional specialty.............................
Computer systems analysts and
s c ie n tists............................................
Engineers...............................................
Registered nurses.................................

20,653

16.96

13,670

18.71

512
3,071
13,451

18.17
24.74
14.99

354
2,282
7,935

21.56
26.43
17.18

Technical and related support...............
Clinical laboratory technologists and
technicians.........................................
Computer programmers.......................
D ra fte rs..................................................
Electrical and electronic technicians ..
Licensed practical n u rs e s ...................
Mechanical engineering technicians ..

24,301

11.02

15,500

11.78

546
463
4,571
1,889
9,714
889

7.11
15.96
12.78
10.30
10.03
11.00

96
324
2,962
1,529
4,844
428

8.98
17.62
13.32
10.43
11.42
10.48

Sales and m a rketin g ..............................
Cashiers.................................................
Demonstrators, promoters, and
models, sales.....................................
Telemarketing, sales ...........................

9,744
592

5.39
4.54

5,983
461

5.62
4.65

2,582
2,704

5.51
5.26

1,281
2,041

5.86
5.33

Administrative su pp o rt........................... 328,828
Bookkeepers, accounting, and
auditing cle rks....................................
12,987
Computer equipment o pe ra to rs..........
10,938
Data entry keyers .................................
40,468
General office clerks ...........................
71,723
M essengers...........................................
3,913

6.46

207,768

6.82

6.61
7.83
6.11
5.11
4.74

8.227
7,131
23,383
42,629
3,056

6.84
8.26
6.36
5.33
4.67

'Defined as metropolitan areas with 1 million or more population based on the
1980 census.
E stim ates of the number of workers are intended as a general guide to the size
and composition of the industry's labor force, rather than as precise measures of
employment. The study excluded workers in establishments employing fewer than
50 workers and establishments in Alaska and Hawaii.
3Excludes premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends, holidays, and

Digitized for
4 FRASER
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A ve ra g e

Receptionists ........................................
N ontyping............................................
Typing...................................................
S ecretaries............................................
Executive.............................................
L e g a l....................................................
Stock and inventory c le rk s ..................
Typists and word p roce sso rs..............
Word processors ................................
T yp ists..................................................

25,667
13,164
12,503
45,086
24,399
1,247
3,856
61,810
33,745
25,435

$5.66
5.67
5.65
7.66
7.79
8.06
4.97
7.89
9.46
5.97

16,685
8,749
7,936
26,380
13,675
713
3,180
41,702
24,741
15,028

$5.96
5.94
5.99
8.24
8.32
9.54
4.82
8.67
10.27
6.33

S ervice......................................................
Guards ...................................................
Health aides, except nursing...............
Kitchen workers, food preparation.....
Janitors and cleaners............................
Nursing aides, orderlies, and
attendants...........................................

46,347
2,571
2,955
2,568
6,526

5.13
6.36
4.89
4.35
4.36

25,153
1,503
1,989
1,068
3,313

5.44
6.99
4.85
4.58
4.30

22,964

5.50

13,265

5.77

7,708
502

8.14
9.03

4,753
117

8.06
10.27

1,988
276

6.97
12.43

1,948
136

6.99
11.88

604

9.09

578

9.27

Operators, fabricators, and laborers .... 160,631
Assem blers............................................
30,380
Construction laborers............................
8,555
Freight, stock, and material handlers..
23,341
Helpers, mechanics and repairers......
1,177
Laborers, except construction............
45,589
Material moving equipment operators.
1,249
Motor vehicle operators.......................
3,439

4.65
4.59
3.72
4.57
5.78
4.33
5.72
9.25

90,403
12,527
6,668
12,910
179
26,190
755
1,842

4.63
4.68
3.73
4.55
5.47
4.32
5.91
11.37

Precision, production, craft, and repair
occupations........................................
Construction trade Qourneyman)........
Electrical and electronic equipment
a ssem b lers........................................
M achinists.............................................
Precision inspector, testers and
related workers .................................

late shifts. Incentive payments and cost-of-living increases, where found, were
included as part of the workers' regular pay. Excluded were performance bonuses
and lump-sums, such as profit-sharing payments, Christmas or yearend bonuses
and other nonproduction bonuses.

Note : Broad occupational groups may include data for subclassifications not
shown separately.

Table 2. Average straight-time hourly earnings and number of full-time permanent workers in temporary help supply
establishments, selected occupational categories, United States and large metropolitan areas, September 1987_____
Large
m e tro p o lita n

U n ite d S ta tes

a re a s ’
O c c u p a tio n a l c a te g o rie s
a nd m e th o d o f p ay

A v e ra g e

N um ber

A v e ra g e

N um ber

of

h o u rly

of

h o u rly

w o rk e rs 2

e a rn in g s 3

w o rk e rs 2

e a rn in g s 3

All full-time w o rke rs...........................................................
T im e .................................................................................
Incentive..........................................................................

19,515
15,352
4,163

$10.15
9.77
11.57

11,788
8,768
3,020

$10.71
10.25
12.02

Office m anagers.................................................................
T im e .................................................................................
Incentive..........................................................................

2,667
1,995
672

14.21
13.78
15.49

1,707
1,168
539

14.81
14.37
15.76

Coordinators and sales representatives..........................
T im e .................................................................................
Incentive..........................................................................
Service coordinators......................................................
T im e .............................................................................
Incentive......................................................................
Business services sales representatives.....................
T im e .............................................................................
Incentive......................................................................
Coordinators-sales representatives.............................
T im e .............................................................................
Incentive......................................................................

11,151
8,052
3,099
7,787
6,177
1,610
2,171
1,214
957
1,193
661
532

9.76
9.31
10.92
9.30
9.14
9.90
11.50
10.40
12.90
9.61
8.92
10.47

6,633
4,434
2,199
4,460
3,363
1,097
1,437
702
735
736
369
367

10.18
9.62
11.31
9.64
9.53
9.99
12.09
10.61
13.50
9.69
8.55
10.85

Accounting clerks4..............................................................
Accounting clerks I I ...........................................................
Accounting clerks III ..........................................................

564
266
190

8.58
8.92
8.49

333
196
75

9.12
9.34
8.84

Receptionists4 ....................................................................

499

7.11

286

7.36

’ Defined as metropolitan areas with 1 million or more population based on the
1980 census.
Estim ates of the number of workers are intended as a general guide to the
size and composition of the industry’s labor force, rather than as precise meas­
ures of employment. The study excluded workers in establishments employing
fewer than 50 workers and establishments in Alaska and Hawaii.
3Excludes premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends, holidays, and

Employee benefits
The survey developed information on the incidence of
selected benefit provisions for the industry’s temporary
workers and full-time permanent staff. As in other indus­
tries, workers had to meet a variety of requirements to
become eligible for paid leave, health care, and other ben­
efits. The study determ ined proportions of workers
employed by establishments providing specified benefit
plans, but did not ascertain the proportions who had
achieved the minimum requirements to be eligible to re­
ceive the benefits. Because of their interm ittent work
schedules, temporaries often have more difficulty than
permanent staff in meeting eligibility requirements related
to length of service.
Where available to temps, eligibility for paid holidays
and vacation benefits generally required a specified num­
ber of hours worked (for example, 1,000 or 1,500 hours).
Workers often were allowed up to 1 year to accumulate
these hours. Establishments providing paid holidays, typi­
cally 6 days annually, employed about two-fifths of the
temporary workers; those providing vacation pay em­
ployed nearly three-fourths of these workers. Most temps
could qualify for 1 week of vacation pay if they worked

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late shifts. Incentive payments and cost-of-living increases, where found, were
included as part of the workers' regular pay. Excluded were performance bo­
nuses and lump-sums, such as profit-sharing payments, Christmas, or year-end
bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses.
4Virtually all workers were time-rated.

Note : Broad occupational groups may include data for subclassifications
not shown separately.

1,500 hours within a 1-year period; one-fifth could qualify
for 2 weeks after working 2,000 hours.
Health insurance eligibility requirements for temps al­
most always included a qualifying period, specified in
hours, days, or weeks of work. For example, an individual
may be required to work a specified number of hours to
qualify for health insurance and to work a minimum
number of hours per month thereafter to maintain cover­
age. Such requirements may vary by benefit within a
single establishment.
About one-fourth of the temporary workers were in
establishments paying at least part of the cost of hospital­
ization, surgical, medical, and major medical insurance
plans; most of these workers could qualify for initial cov­
erage by working fewer than 500 hours. One-fifth were in
establishments providing life insurance.
Three-fifths of the temps could earn referral bonuses
for recommending new hires who sign on and work for a
specified period of time. Slightly more than half of the
temps were in establishments providing job training, and
nearly one-fourth were in establishments providing free
transportation or cash allowances for traveling to and
from the job site. Child care and credit union membership
5

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

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•

What Temporary Workers Earn

were rarely available, applying to 2 percent and 5 percent
of the temporary work force.
Employee benefit plans for permanent workers resem­
bled those offered to workers in other industries. Paid
holidays and paid vacations were available to virtually all
of the permanent workers in temporary help supply estab­
lishments. Paid holiday provisions were usually 6 to 8
days, annually. Typical vacation provisions were 2 weeks
of vacation pay after 1 year of service, 3 weeks after 5
years, and 3 or 4 weeks after 15 years or more.
Almost all of the permanent workers were offered em­
ployer-sponsored health benefit plans including hospital­
ization, surgical, medical, and major medical coverage.

Seven-eighths were offered life insurance; the same pro­
portion had short-term disability protection. Seven-tenths
had accidental death and dismemberment insurance and
two-thirds had dental care available. These plans were
usually financed jointly by the employer and employee.
However, retirement plans, covering slightly more than
half of the permanent workers, were usually financed by
the employer.
The survey covered establishments with 50 workers or
more primarily engaged in supplying temporary help, ex­
cept agricultural, on a contract basis to other businesses as
defined in the 1972 Standard Industrial Classification Man­
ual, prepared by the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget.
‘
□

-.FOOTNOTES■
'Estimates of the number of workers are intended as a general guide to
the size and composition of the industry’s labor force, rather than as
precise measures of employment. The study excluded workers in estab­
lishments employing fewer than 50 workers and establishments in
Alaska and Hawaii. The estimate of employment in the industry differs
from other statistical sources, such as, the Bureau’s Current Employ­
ment Survey series, largely because of the survey’s design.
Excludes premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends,
holidays, and late shifts. Incentive payments and cost-of-living increases,

Digitized for
6 FRASER
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where found, were included as part of the workers’ regular pay. Ex­
cluded were performance bonuses and lump-sum payments, such as
profit-sharing payments, Christmas or yearend bonuses, and other non­
production bonuses.
3A comprehensive report on the survey findings, Industry Wage Sur­
vey: Temporary Help Supply, September 1987 (Bulletin 2313), may be
purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC
20402, or from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Publication Sales Center,
P.O. Box 2145, Chicago, il 60690.

How human resource systems adjust
to the shift toward contingent workers
The dramatic increase o f workers
who do not have strong ties to their employers,
such as temporary workers and consultants,
has caused corporations to make major
institutional changes in their human resource systems;
the net result has created benefits as well as costs
R ic h a r d

S.

Belous

The human resource systems at many American corpora­
tions have experienced vast change in recent years
because of increased competitive pressures. A key part of
this change has been the dramatic growth of the “contin­
gent” work force, which consists of workers who do not
have a long-term attachment to their employers (for ex­
ample, temporary, part-time, and subcontracted workers).
Corporations have responded to the competitive pres­
sures by m aking em ployer-em ployee relations more
flexible. In the 1980’s, employers have generally used
three methods to increase human resource flexibility.
These shifts in employer behavior represent m ajor institu­
tional changes:
• They altered compensation systems, tying wages and
benefits more to corporate economic realities and less
to customs and traditions.
• They made the employment relationships more flexible
and dependent upon corporate economic factors (a grow­
ing percentage of workers no longer remain with one
employer).
• They made long-term relationships with employees more
flexible and based on corporate economic conditions by
changing job ladders (career paths and structures), al­
lowing flexible work assignments, more reassignments,
and so forth.

Richard S. Belous is vice president of international programs and a
senior economist for the National Planning Association. This article
does not necessarily represent the opinions of the National Planning
Association.


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Elements of human resource systems
Strategic choices.
A few years ago, discussing strategic
choices and labor costs at the same time would have
sounded pretentious. Strategic choices that influence the
entire direction of a company were made in departments
such as finance and marketing. The personnel department
was not involved in strategic thinking— its staff created
and designed forms, recruited and hired workers, assisted
in skills development, and processed workers’ separations.
The staff also helped plan and form compensation policies
that complied with government regulations. While all of
this was very important to the life of a corporation, it was
often viewed by some as administrative work and even as
bureaucratic.1
But, because of flexibility and the growing numbers of
contingent workers, corporate managers have discovered
that human resources provide a vital and effective strate­
gic lever. In fact, in certain cases, it may be the most
important control mechanism that management has in
the short run, given that management often can treat la­
bor as a variable cost while other costs usually are fixed.2
Common threads.
While the situations experienced by
each corporation are unique, there are several common
concepts in the labor-related choices that all companies
face. The recent shifts to contingent workers in the human
resource landscape become quite clear when one examines
these common concepts. One involves affiliation, or the
degree to which workers will be associated with a specific
employer. One end of the affiliation spectrum is repre7

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

The Shift Toward Contingent Workers

sented by a model of lifetime employment. In this model,
workers spend their entire career with one company. (See
exhibit 1.) The model has often been compared to a m ar­
riage in which both partners make a commitment to each
other and have significant responsibilities in the course of
the ongoing relationship.
The other end of the affiliation spectrum is represented
by the day-laborer model. In this model, neither the
worker nor the employer makes a commitment. While
workers under the lifetime employment model tend to
have a strong identity with their company, the day-la­
borer model workers place their identity in the occu­
pation, rather than the employer.
The lifetime employment model, of course, represents
very strong affiliation with a corporation, and the day-la­
borer model represents weak affiliation. Both models have
benefits and costs for an employer, employees, and society.
The primary benefit from a weak affiliation system is that
employers leave their future options open in the realm of
human resources and labor costs. In many cases, an em­
ployer may value the added flexibility generated by a weak
affiliation system. The primary cost of a weak affiliation
system is that workers may not have a strong common
identification with an employer or a firm’s long-term goals.3
Flexibility can provide workers with an increased sense
of freedom. But often the new freedom can come at the
expense of lower wages, no fringe benefits, and no pros­
pects for job advancement.
A second common concept all companies face in the
area of human resources involves stakeholders— that is,
the legal, moral, political, and economic claims groups
can make on a corporation. All employers function within
a specific legal and cultural framework, but have signifi­
cant discretion in establishing the stake employees have at
work. Many employers are in the process of shifting the
E x h ib it 1.

Core and contingent workers. The two concepts— affili­
ation and stakeholders— fashion the general type of
human resource system used by a company. There are
two very general types of workers: core workers and con­
tingent workers. Core workers are part of the corporate
entity. They have a strong affiliation with an employer
and are treated as if they have a significant stake in a
company; they show long-term attachment with a com­
pany and have a real measure of job stability; and they
have an implicit contract with their employers that, if
they follow certain rules and norms and meet certain stan­
dards, their employers will provide job security and some
measure of advancement.4
In contrast, contingent workers are not part of the cor­
porate entity. They have a weak affiliation with a specific
employer and do not have a significant stake in a com­
pany. Also, they do not show long-term attachment with
a company, and do not have job stability. Employers most
often do not make implicit contracts with contingent
workers. In forming a human resource system, a corpora­
tion can use both core and contingent workers. It appears
that in recent years, many employers have altered their
basic systems to reduce their core work force in favor of
contingent workers.

Some evidence of change
As noted earlier, employers use three basic methods to
increase the flexibility of their human resource systems:
compensation systems based more on economic factors
and less on tradition, more contingent and flexible em­
ployment relationships, and more flexibility in long-term

T h e e m p lo y e r-e m p lo y e e a ffilia tio n s p e c tru m
Lifetime employment model
(strong affiliation)

8

stake workers have in specific establishments. Workers
may not be viewed as part of a corporate entity.

Day-laborer model
(weak affiliation)

W orkers spend their entire career with one company.

W orkers and employers make agreements that cover a
very short period.

Workers and employers make a deep comm itm ent to each
other, and have long-term responsibilities to each other.

W orkers and employers retain a very high degree of flexi­
bility and freedom in the long run because of the lack of
comm itm ent to each other.

Workers link their future to the fate of a company, and they
have a strong identity with the company.

W orkers build up a strong identity with their occupation
(and not their employer) because they do not link their
future to the fate of any specific employer.

Employer has a strong incentive to make significant human
capital investm ents (for example, skills developm ent,
training, and education) in a worker.

Employer does not have a strong incentive to make signifi­
cant human investments in a specific worker. However,
employer may support a system that provides human cap­
ital investments.

Example of lifetim e em ploym ent model: em ployer-em ­
ployee relationships at many Japanese companies.

Example of day-laborer model: employer-employee rela­
tionships in some agricultural markets.


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relationships. Data from many surveys show evidence of
these human resource changes.
For example, a survey of leading American employers,
conducted by The Conference Board, examined the rela­
tive importance of factors used to set corporate wage
objectives.5 The data show major shifts in compensation
practices between the 1970’s and the 1980’s. In 1978, em­
ployers said “industry patterns’’ were the most important
factor in setting wage objectives, while “productivity or
labor cost trends in this company” ranked fourth. (See
exhibit 2.) However, in 1983, the same employers placed
“productivity or labor cost trends in this company” at the
top of the list, and “industry patterns” fell to fourth place.
The Conference Board’s survey data indicate that “corpo­
rations have switched their wage-setting policies from
imitation of other companies’ wage increases toward in­
ternal criteria. Under growing competitive pressures,
companies now base wage changes on labor costs per unit
of output, and on expected profits.”6
Other evidence indicates shifting employer attitudes.
For example, area wage survey data collected by the Bu­
reau of Labor Statistics indicate a growing deviation in
area wage patterns. To illustrate, consider tool-and-die
workers in Detroit. In the 1970’s the wage levels for this
occupation were very similar among firms in the area.
However, in the 1980’s the wage levels have varied signifi­
cantly. In many local labor markets, wage patterns that
were once quite narrow have become very wide.7
Besides compensation flexibility, many American em­
ployers have slashed the size of their core work forces and
increased their use of contingent workers.8 According to
private industry estim ates, between 1979 and 1983,
roughly 700,000 managers and professionals (who had
been employed at a firm for 3 years or more) lost their
jobs; in the 1985-86 period, an additional 600,000 middle
and upper level executives lost their jobs, despite im­
proved business conditions.9
The result of these changes has been a dramatic reduc­
tion in the percentage of the labor force that is employed
by the largest U.S. corporations. For example, in 1970,
the Fortune 500 corporations represented 18.9 percent of
American civilian employment; however, by 1986, they
represented only 12.2 percent.10

• The increased security of remaining core workers and an
increase in job opportunities for contingent workers.
• The ability for the economy to sustain economic growth
and not rekindle high levels of inflation.
• The ability of many workers to be active in the world of
work, family, and other areas, while traditional full­
time employment would block the potential to be active
in all of these areas.
• The increased ability of jobless workers to find a job.
Major costs of increased human resource flexibility are:
• Many contingent workers are economically insecure
because their chance of obtaining various employee
benefits— such as health insurance and pension cover­
age— are less than that for traditional core workers.
• Contingent workers may be paid less than core workers
for working at similar types of jobs.
• The level and rate at which unemployment rises in a
recession could be increased because of the growing use
of flexible human resource systems.
• There may be a tendency to underinvest in human capi­
tal development (that is, training, skills development,
and education) with a system that uses more contingent
workers, because employers may not be willing to make
the same investments in contingent workers that they
would be willing to make in core workers.
• There may be a reduction in the chance that affirmative
action goals will be met.

Estimating contingent workers
Measuring the contingent work force is quite difficult,
but there is evidence that it has experienced significant
increases in recent years. For example, there has been
growth in the variety of contingent workers including
part-timers, temporary workers, subcontractors, consult­
ants, “ life-of-project” workers, and leased employees
(“rented” long term from an agency). While there is no
official government measure of contingent workers, vari­
ous data sources can be used to construct an estimate.
The following tabulation illustrates the growth of sev­
eral components of the contingent work force. Data are
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics— the estimates for
tem porary, self-employed, and part-tim e workers are
from the household survey; the estimate for business ser­
vices workers is from the establishment survey:
Number (millions)

Benefits and costs
The shift towards increased human resource flexibility
and a contingent work force has altered labor market
behavior and has created various benefits and costs.
Among the benefits, in theory, are:
• The potential for employers to lower their labor costs.
• The potential for employers to increase their competi­
tiveness in product markets as a result of reduced labor
costs.

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Temporary workers .............
Part-time workers ................
Self-employed workers.........
Business services workers ....
Civilian labor force.............. ..

1980

1987

Percent
change

.4
16.3
8.5
3.3

.9
19.5
9.6
5.1

125
20
13
55

106.9

119.9

12

Between 1980 and 1987, these components of the con­
tingent work force all increased at a faster rate than did
9

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

The Shift Toward Contingent Workers

the entire labor force. For example, part-time employ­
ment climbed 20 percent, while the total civilian labor
force increased roughly 12 percent. However, in using this
approach to measure the size of the contingent work
force, there are two serious problems: double counting
and undercounting.
The upper boundary.
If all of the various contingent
worker components are added together, an upper bound­
ary can be obtained. If this is done, then there were 35.1
million contingent workers in the United States in 1987.
However, there is a problem with this estimate— it double
counts. For example, suppose a person is a temporary
worker and also works in the business services industry.
Given the definition of the contingent work force, this
person would have been counted twice (as a temporary
worker and as a business services employee).
The lower boundary.
The lower boundary tries to elimi­
nate double counting. However, in doing so, it overadjusts
and excludes some workers who should be counted. Thus,
the lower boundary undercounts. For example, bls house­
hold survey data show that about 40 percent of temporary
workers are part-timers. Thus, instead of counting 900,000
temporary workers as contingents in 1987, a conservative
estimate would count only 40 percent, or 360,000. The re­
maining temporary workers already would be counted in
the part-time worker totals. It is not possible to make the
same type of adjustment for business services workers. A

E x h ib it 2.

Number (millions)

Upper boundary............. .........
Lower boundary............. .........

1980

1987

28.5
24.8

35.1
29.1

- Percent
change
23
17

The upper boundary double counts some workers and
the lower boundary undercounts. Hence, the real size of
the contingent work force would appear to be somewhere
in between the upper and lower boundary estimates.
Suppose that the upper boundary estimate is the correct
size of the contingent work force. If this were the case,
then the following would have been true during the
1980-87 period:
• about 29 percent of the labor force would have been
contingent workers;
• the contingent work force would have grown at a rate
about twice as fast as the civilian labor force; and
• about half of the labor force increase would have been
among contingent workers.

T h e re la tiv e im p o rta n c e o f fa c t o r s u s e d to s e t w a g e o b je c tiv e s in c o r p o r a tio n s in 1978 a n d 1983

Rank
1

very conservative estimate might assume that all business
service workers are already counted in the part-time, tem­
porary, or self-employed worker group. Under this conser­
vative definition, the lower boundary on the contingent
work force was 29.1 million in 1987. The following tabula­
tion gives some rough idea of the upper and lower bound­
aries of the contingent work force in 1987:

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

1978

1983

Industry patterns

Productivity or labor trends in this company

2 .............

Local labor market conditions and wage rates

Expected profits of this company

3

Expected profits of this company

Local labor market conditions and wage rates

4 .............

Productivity or labor cost trends in this com ­
pany

Industry patterns

5

Consumer Price Index increases

Consumer Price Index increases

6 ...........

Influence of this settlem ent on other wage set­
tlements or nonunion wage levels, or both

Internal (company) wage patterns (historical)

7

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

Potential losses from a strike

Influence of this settlem ent on other settlem ents
or nonunion wage levels, or both

8

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

Internal (company) wage patterns (historical)

Internal (company) benefit patterns (historical)

9

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

Internal (company) benefit patterns (historical)

Potential losses from a strike

1 0 ..............

Major union settlem ents in other industries

National labor market conditions and wage rates

11 ..............

National labor market conditions and wage rates

Major union settlem ents in other industries

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

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

Note: The sample comprised 197 major U.S. corporations which, in both 1978 and 1983, ranked factors used in
settling company wage objectives, with 1 being the most
important factor and 11 , the least important.

10FRASER
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Source: Audrey Freedman, The N ew Look in Wage
Policy and Employee Relations (New York, The Conference
Board, 1985).

Now, suppose that the lower boundary is the correct
size of the contingent work force. Then the following
would have been true during the 1980-87 period:
• about 24 percent of the American labor force would
have been contingent workers;
• the contingent work force would have grown at about a
40-percent faster rate than the civilian labor force; and
• about 33 percent of the labor force increase would have
been among contingent workers.
Thus, using this concept of contingent work, we can
make the following assertions:
• the contingent work force is growing at a faster pace
than the entire labor force;
• nearly one-fourth, or more, of the labor force is now in
the contingent work force; and
• a significant number of the jobs created in the 1980’s
have been for contingent workers.

Compensation of contingent workers
W hat do we know about the compensation of contingent
employees? There are extensive data concerning compen­
sation of core workers, but not for contingent workers.11
As indicated earlier, the largest segment of the contin­
gent work force is part-tim e workers. The following
tabulation, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Sta­
tistics, shows median weekly earnings in 1987 for various
occupations for both full-time (35 hours a week) and parttime (20 hours a week) workers:
Full-time
workers

Professional................
Clerical.......................
Service........................
Blue-collar*................

$518
308
234
308

Part-time
workers

$166
114
83
99

Percent
difference

212
170
182
211

♦Unskilled labor, crafts, and operatives

In all of the occupational groups, full-time median
weekly earnings are much higher than part-time median
weekly earnings. Even for clerical workers, the group
with the smallest earnings difference, full-timers still
earned 170 percent more than part-tim ers. However,
given that part-timers work fewer hours per week than do
full-timers, one would expect their earnings to be lower.
If a comparison of compensation levels of full-timers
and part-timers is to be made, then a more useful statistic
would be median hourly earnings. However, government
survey data do not include median hourly earnings by
occupation; nevertheless, some indication of the fulltim e/part-tim e differences can be obtained by making two
assumptions. Assume that full-timers work an average of
35 hours a week, while part-timers work an average of 20
hours a week. The following tabulation, based on Bureau
of Labor Statistics data and using hours of work assump
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Table 1. Percent of full- and part-time workers with
pension plan and health insurance coverage, 1985
P a rt-tim e —
B e n fit

F ull tim e ,
f u ll ye ar

For n o n e c o n o m ic

For e c o n o m ic

re asons

re a son s

H e a lth in s u ra n c e

Covered by:
Own em ployer..........
Other's employer ....
Other nonemployer..

78.6
7.0
6.3

26.2
34.3
21.4

34.8
17.3
17.4

No coverage................

8.1

18.1

30.6

35.8

72.2

73.0

59.7
4.6

17.3
10.5

19.6
7.7

34.4

71.3

69.6

57.9
7.7

15.5
13.2

17.9
12.5

P en sion p la n

Men:
No p la n .....................
Plan exists:
C overed.................
Not covered..........
Women:
No p la n .....................
Plan exists:
Covered.................
Not covered..........

Note: Estimates are based on Current Population Survey data from the
March 1985 supplement. See Sar A. Levitan and Elizabeth Conway, Part-Time
Employment: Living on Half-Rations (Center for Social Policy Studies, George
Washington University, 1988), Working Paper No. 101.

tions, shows estimated 1987 median hourly earnings of
full- and part-time workers:

Professional................
Clerical.......................
Service ........................
Blue collar* ................

Full-time
workers

Part-time
workers

Percent
difference

$14.80
8.80
6.69
8.80

$8.30
5.20
4.15
4.95

78
69
61
78

♦Unskilled labor, crafts, and operatives

The hours of work assumptions contribute to a narrowing of the differences between full-time and part-time
compensation levels. However, the median hourly earn­
ings of full-timers are still much higher than those of
part-timers.
Benefits.
While our knowledge of contingent worker
earnings is limited, our knowledge of contingent worker
benefit levels is even more limited. Sar A. Levitan and
Elizabeth Conway have provided some basic estimates in
this area.12 (See table 1.) Their research shows that em­
ployers of part-time workers often do not pay for such
employee benefits as health insurance coverage. More
than three-quarters of individuals who worked full time,
full year received health insurance coverage from their
employers, compared with roughly one-third or fewer of
part-time workers.
However, many of the part-timers who did not receive
health insurance directly from their employers were cov­
ered in some other plan. Such plans included those of
another employer (for example, a part-time worker may
be covered by a spouse’s plan). Also, many part-timers are
covered under nonemployer plans. Nevertheless, these es11

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

The Shift Toward Contingent Workers

timates indicate that many part-timers have no medical
coverage.
A smaller percentage of part-timers are included in the
pension plans of their employers, compared with full-time
workers. For example, while almost three-fifths of all full­
time, full-year workers are included in their employers’
pension plan— when one exists— well under one-fifth of
part-timers are included in their employers’ pension plan.
Also, a much higher percentage of part-timers than fulltimers work at establishments that do not have a pension
plan.

Social welfare— a related system
In dealing with human resource flexibility, public deci­
sionmakers, business executives, and labor leaders will
soon discover that they are working with two related sys­
tems. One system is the labor market, which represents
the vast number of ways employers demand, and workers
supply, labor services. The other system is the social wel­
fare system, which represents a combination of programs
and policies in both the private and public sectors. Social
security and unemployment insurance are two key public
sector programs of the social welfare system. Pensions,
health benefits, savings plans, and so forth, represent m a­
jor areas of the private sector’s growing role in the social
welfare system.
Prior to the 1980’s, there was a high degree of rigidity
in both the labor market and the social welfare system.
However, in the 1980’s, labor markets became more flexi­
ble. Yet the same degree of change has not been experi­
enced within the social welfare system. Thus, while labor
markets often may be flexible, the social welfare system
often is not. For example, the worker-related problems
most often cited deal with the loss of such benefits as
pensions and health coverage. As a worker shifts from

core to contingent status, the worker may experience a
significant loss in the value of his or her pension. The
worker also may not be eligible for other types of benefits.
While labor markets have become much more flexible
and now incorporate both core and contingent workers,
the social welfare system, in many cases, still incorporates
only the traditional core worker. This could cause diffi­
culties for some workers.
One solution would be to move labor markets away
from flexibility and back towards rigidity. However, this
would create many new labor market regulations under
which employers would have to function. The m ajor
problem with this solution is that it assumes that labor
markets can be both rigid and competitive. Given current
international conditions and other factors, this assump­
tion could be quite wrong.
A second solution would be to increase the flexibility of
the social welfare system. If both the social welfare system
and labor markets were flexible, then a shift from core to
contingent work systems would have a much smaller poten­
tial for hardship. Examples of increased social welfare
system flexibility include prorated employee benefits and
portable pensions. Several major corporate employers have
chosen this solution to potential equity-related issues.
Also in terms of equity issues, a few employers— who
have increased their contingent work forces— have been
concerned that these changes not alter commitments to
equal employment opportunity. These employers have
taken steps to see that affirmative action goals are still ob­
tained under a more flexible human resource environment.
As public decisionmakers become more interested in
these issues, corporate executives and labor leaders will
find that they must relate to the Congress, the courts, and
the media on numerous contingent worker and flexibilityrelated questions.
□

-FOOTNOTES
'Thomas A. Kochan, Harry C. Katz, and Robert B. McKersie, The
Transformation o f American Industrial Relations (New York, Basic
Books, Inc., 1986), pp. 21-46.

7Richard Belous, Wage Restraints in the 1980's: A Turning Point in
U.S. Labor Markets? (Washington, Congressional Research Service,
1984), pp. 31-34.

2Lawrence Schein, Current Issues in Human-Resource Management
(New York, The Conference Board, 1986), pp. 3-1 7 .

8Audrey Freedman, “A Fundamental Change in Wage Bargaining,”
Challenge, July-August 1982, pp. 15-17.

3Richard S. Belous, Flexibility and American Labour Markets: The
Evidence and Implications (Geneva, International Labour Office, 1987),
pp. 5 -2 7 , Working Paper No. 14; and Flexibility in the Labour Market
(Paris, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,
1986) pp. 9 -3 8 and 90-122.

9Susan R. Sanderson and Lawrence Schein, “Sizing Up the DownSizing Era," Across The Board, November 1986, pp. 14-23.

4Sherwin Rosen, “Implicit Contracts,” Journal o f Economic Litera­
ture, September 1985, pp. 1144-75.
5Audrey Freedman, The New Look in Wage Policy and Employee
Relations (New York, The Conference Board, 1985), pp. 1-14.
6Freedman, The New Look, p. iv.

12


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10Estimates based on data from Fortune’s statistical department.
"Data on wages and benefit of temporary and permanent employees
in the temporary help supply industry are provided in Harry B.
Williams, “What temporary workers earn: findings from new BLS sur­
vey,” Monthly Labor Review, March 1989, pp. 3 -6 .
12Sar A. Levitan and Elizabeth Conway, Part-Time Employment: Liv­
ing on Half-Rations (Center for Social Policy Studies, George Wash­
ington University, 1988), pp. 11-13.

Productivity continued to rise
in many industries during 1987
Increases in output per employee hour
were not as widespread as in 1986;
among industries showing strong gains
were steel, aluminum, and semiconductors
A

rthur

S.

H

erm an

Productivity, as measured by output per employee hour,
increased in 1987 in more than two-thirds of the indus­
tries for which current data are available. More than
three-fourths of the same industries recorded gains in 1986.
This article updates all indexes included in the Bureau
of Labor Statistics industry productivity measurement
program .1 It extends the labor productivity measures
through 1987 and includes certain industry multifactor
productivity measures through 1986, as well as selected
government productivity measures through 1987.
Table 1 shows labor productivity trends in the indus­
tries annually covered by the Bureau and includes meas­
ures for the following additional industries: men’s and
boys’ suits and coats; agricultural chemicals; carburetors,
pistons, rings, and valves; and variety stores.2

Changes in industry labor productivity
Manufacturing.
Among major manufacturing indus­
tries, both steel and motor vehicles posted gains in output
per employee hour in 1987. The steel industry registered a
gain of 7.0 percent, well above the industry’s long-term
average. Output was up 9.5 percent in 1987, in contrast to
a large decline in 1986. Demand for steel grew in con­
struction, chemicals, oil and gas production, and heavy
equipment manufacturing, while employee hours grew 2.4
percent in 1987. This was the fifth consecutive year of
productivity growth in the steel industry. Motor vehicle
manufacturing registered a productivity gain of 2.9 per­
cent, slightly below the industry’s long-term average.
Output grew 0.8 percent, reversing the decline in 1986,
while employee hours fell 2.0 percent in 1987. Although
Arthur S. Herman is an economist in the Office of Productivity and
Technology, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

the production of passenger cars fell in 1987, this drop
was more than compensated by output gains in trucks,
buses, truck trailers, motor homes, and replacement parts.
The gain was the seventh consecutive one in the industry.
Among the other manufacturing industries, some had
large output per employee hour increases in 1987. Semi­
conductors posted a high gain of 23.6 percent after reg­
istering only a small increase in the previous year. Output
was up 14.0 percent, aided by increased demand from com­
puter manufacturers and limits placed on imports from
Japan. Employee hours were off 7.8 percent, caused in part
by mergers and consolidations in the industry.
The aluminum industries also had higher productivity
gains in 1987 than in 1986. Aluminum rolling and draw­
ing had an increase of 13.3 percent, based on an output
gain of 12.3 percent and a decline in employee hours of
0.9 percent. Primary aluminum manufacturing registered
a productivity gain of 7.1 percent, as output was up 10.2
percent while employee hours grew 2.9 percent. Both do­
mestic demand for aluminum products and exports ac­
celerated at the same time that new, more efficient plant
and equipment were increasingly being utilized.
Productivity in the oilfield machinery industry rose 12.6
percent in 1987. However, it reflected a drop in output of
10.7 percent, because of continued poor demand for oilfield
equipment as oil prices remained low, accompanied by an
even larger drop of 20.6 percent in employee hours, as the
industry continued to cut back on employment. The tires
and tubes industry, benefiting from cost cutting in previous
years involving elimination of outdated plant and equip­
ment, recorded a large productivity gain of 10.8 percent in
1987, compared with a substantially smaller gain in 1986.
Output was up 10.3 percent in 1987, while employee hours
fell 0.5 percent in this industry.
Other important manufacturing industries with sub13

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Productivity in Selected Industries, 1987

Table 1. Indexes of output per employee hour in selected industries, 1982-87, and percent changes, 1986-87 and 1982-87
[1 9 7 7 = 1 0 0 ]
SIC code1

Industry

Percent change,
1986-87

Average annual
percent change,
1982-87

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

100.9
98.2
106.4
116.2
119.2
120.0
89.3
94.1

139.0
138.6
129.9
130.9
136.1
136.9
98.2
103.9

173.3
171.7
140.3
155.4
151.3
152.3
105.5
105.8

187.9
187.9
164.2
193.1
154.0
154.6
107.5
104.5

200.3
197.8
195.4
228.9
167.3
168.2
108.2
104.9

267.5
262.0
193.1
209.8
179.7
180.6
107.9
102.7

33.5
32.5
-1 .2
-8 .3
7.4
7.4
- .3
-2.1

18.9
18 9
13 3
14 9
80
79
37
1.3

114.0
124.1
94.7

-2 .8
-1 .7
-4.1

4
8
4

(3)

(3)

19872

Mining
1011
1011
1021
1021
111, 121
121
14
142

Iron mining, crude o r e ..............................
Iron mining, usable o re ..............................
Copper mining, crude o re ....................................
Copper mining, recoverable m e ta l.............................
Coal m ining......................................
Bituminous coal and lignite m ining......................
Nonmetallic minerals, except fu e ls ........
Crushed and broken s to n e ..........................

2011, 13
2011
2013
2016, 17
2026
203
2033
204
2041, 45
2041

Red meat p ro d u c ts ..................................
Meat packing p la n ts ...........................................
Sausages and other prepared meats..........................
Poultry dressing and processing.........................
Fluid m ilk.........................................
Preserved fruits and vegetables.........................
Canned fruits and vegetables..........................
Grain mill products........................................
Flour (including flour mixes) and other grains......................
Flour and other grain mill p ro d u c ts ......................

112.3
119.5
96.5
125.6
135.3
107.9
108.6
121.0
112.3
104.1

115.9
123.4
100.0
131.7
142.4
110.4
112.2
125.5
117.7
110.4

117.0
125.6
99.5
130.3
147.7
112.4
115.7
132.8
122.9
114.9

119.5
130.1
98.8
133.2
152.3
111.7
122.1
144.9
126.0
122.9

117.3
126.2
98.7
127.3
157.0
118.3
131.5
146.6
132.1
130.6

2043
2044
2046
2047, 48
205
2061, 62, 63
2061, 62
2063
2082
2086

Cereal breakfast fo o d s ...........................................
Rice m illin g ..................................
Wet corn milling .....................................
Prepared feeds for animals and fow ls..................................
Bakery products...................................................
S u g a r..........................................................
Raw and refined cane s u g a r...........................
Beet sugar...............................................
Malt beverages.............................................
Bottled and canned soft d rin ks.........................

115.0
104.5
138.8
124.9
103.3
90.4
87.6
94.8
122.6
114.1

118.8
103.3
156.9
127.5
106.9
98.6
100.0
94.5
131.3
121.5

129.3
93.2
192.1
132.5
106.8
99.7
94.7
108.8
137.9
131.0

133.8
103.2
198.4
143.8
108.5
105.5
108.7
100.7
130.3
136.7

134.0
112.6
218.1
140.0
114.4
110.1
109.6
111.8
152.3
146.6

2111, 21, 31
2111,31
2121
2211, 21
2251, 52
2281
2311
2421
2431
2434

Total tobacco p ro d u cts........................................
Cigarettes, chewing and smoking tobacco
Cigars....................................................
Cotton and synthetic broad woven fabrics ....
H osiery......................................................
Nonwool yarn m ills.....................................
Men's and boys' suits and c o a ts ......................
Sawmills and planing mills, general................................
M illw ork................................................
Wood kitchen cabinets................................

100.7
99.5
111.4
112.5
114.2
118.2
95.2
115.1
86.1
96.1

105.1
104.1
112.3
121.8
118.0
128.5
90.2
126.8
87.9
94.3

110.3
107.2
141.4
119.9
119.9
129.6
96.9
132.3
88.7
94.2

113.4
111.7
129.3
123.7
118.5
134.5
106.3
139.2
85.7
89.1

2435, 36
2435
2436
251
2511, 17
2512
2514
252
2521
2522

Veneer and plywood................................
Hardwood veneer and p lyw o o d ......................
Softwood veneer and p lyw o o d ...............
Household furniture......................................
Wood household furniture................................
Upholstered household furniture..............................
Metal household furniture ................................
Office furniture...........................................
Wood office fu rn itu re ..................................
Metal office furniture........................................

114.4
101.4
122.1
104.7
98.2
115.9
107.5
107.4
90.3
116.6

121.1
110.1
127.3
110.1
103.8
121.6
108.9
112.0
93.9
122.1

120.0
103.9
129.6
112.2
105.5
122.7
121.4
117.8
96.0
130.5

2611,21, 31, 61 Paper, paperboard, and pulp m ills .....................................
2643
Paper and plastic bag s.................................
2651
Folding paperboard boxes............................
2653
Corrugated and solid fiber boxes..............................
281
Industrial Inorganic ch em ica ls......................
2812
Alkalies and chlorine .....................................
2816
Inorganic pigments.............................................
2819 PT
Industrial inorganic chemicals, n.e.c...................
2823, 24
Synthetic fib e rs .........................................

111.3
95.3
104.2
111.9
86.3
100.8
96.7
80.8
103.6

119.5
102.9
104.5
114.0
94.0
127.7
107.4
85.8
126.2

2834
2841
2844
2851
2869
287
2873
2874
2875
2879

Pharmaceutical preparations .......................................
Soaps and detergents.............................
Cosmetics and other toiletries..................................
Paints and allied p rod u cts.............................
Industrial organic chemicals, n.e.c.....................................
Agricultural chem icals.............................................
Nitrogenous fertilizers.........................................
Phosphatic fe rtilize rs..................................
Fertilizers, mixing o n ly.................................
Pesticides and agricultural chemicals, n.e.c..............

107.0
100.9
84.0
106.5
87.2
94.5
114.7
88.0
79.8
95.7

2911
3011
3079
314
3221

Petroleum refining................................................
Tires and inner tu b e s................................................
Miscellaneous plastics p ro d u c ts ..........................
Footwear...................................................
Glass co n ta in e rs................................................

79.4
128.2
110.1
106.4
105.8

Manufacturing

See footnote at end of table.

14


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164.2

(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)

4.6

(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)

129.0

-1 .2

(3)

(3)

118.4

(3)
(3)
(3)

5.2

(3)
(3)
(3)

127.4
118.5
142.6
154.8
157.3

15.7
8.1
27.5
1.6
7.3

117.2
115.5
133.1
132.9
121.0
141.1
107.5
155.1
90.1
87.0

119.2
121.2
111.1
133.7
121.1
142.8
114.8
151.6

1.7
4.9
-1 6.5
.6
.1
1.2
6.8
-2 .3

(3)
(3)

(3)
(3)

125.1
118.4
128.8
112.5
104.4
124.6
124.2
116.7
96.2
128.2

126.6
122.8
128.8
118.5
111.9
127.1
128.8
122.6
93.4
131.9

(3)
(3)
(3)

(3)
(3)
(3)

121.0
105.6
102.4
118.9
104.5
146.1
128.0
95.0
125.3

123.1
107.1
99.6
122.5
101.4
148.3
132.7
91.5
135.8

133.5
112.3
101.4
126.7
105.4
197.5
138.8
90.6
146.2

114.3
97.7
86.2
113.8
105.3
106.2
128.1
108.1
91.9
97.2

116.4
101.8
85.2
121.5
113.9
119.8
152.6
121.8
99.1
110.0

118.1
103.3
87.3
125.6
112.5
115.6
149.7
113.5
102.6
103.1

121.8
104.5
94.3
125.2
119.5
108.0
133.5
104.7
95.7
103.1

81.8
136.1
107.2
103.9
108.5

92.5
146.8
110.5
105.7
128.0

102.6
146.7
113.0
107.3
127.0

113.8
151.4
114.1
109.5
138.9

115.9
(3)

(3)
(3)
4.1

(3)
(3)
141.8

-2 .2
(3)
(3)

(3)

6.2

(3)

(3)
-3 .3
1.7

155.7
124.0

(3)
(3)
128.5

(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
118.8
167.8
(3)
104.5
143.0

44 3
29
“ 12 1
43 5
42 2
62
5.6
73
45
6.5
3.5
3.9
12
34
1.0
3.7
45
60
47
- 42.5
42 4
44 7
41 2
2 1
42 7
42 1
45.1

2.3

(3)
(3)

98.1
128.9

(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)

u
38
42 0
44 8
45 4
44 0
4.8

(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
6.5
1.8

(3)
(3)
2.6

(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
(3)
4.4
10.8

(3)
-4 .6
3.0

49
43.0
46
43 8
-1 2
31
44 9
416 1
49 8
43 0
7.6
27
41 3

4? 8
37
4? 2
43 7
44 0
44 0
44 8
42.1
93
49
41 2
.2
6.6

Table 1. Continued— Indexes of output per employee hour in selected industries, 1982-87, and percent changes,1986-87 and 1982-87
[1977 = 100]

In d u s try

SIC c o d e 1

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1 9 8 6 -8 7

A v e ra g e a n n u a l
p e rc e n t c h a n g e ,
1 9 8 2 -8 7

8.2
3.0
2.8
3.6
42.3

4.9
2.7
1.5
4.0
0
6.9
0
0
7.0
-2 .4
-6 .0
-2 .3
4.9
- .4
7.1

4.0
43.4
42.4
9.6
2.3
1.7
3.3
12.6
14.1
6.5

127.2
125.0
126.0
89.8
105.0
117.7
104.1
108.7
121.8
95.9

139.8
141.6
134.3
(3)

9.9
13.3
6.6
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

4.3
6.3
2.3
4- .5
41.4
44.8
42.3
42.1
42.5
41.5

104.5
90.4
102.7
101.5
98.6
115.7
104.1
101.4
80.1
96.7
96.4

104.5
91.0
108.5
103.0
95.5
132.1
107.1
103.7
70.1
98.5
105.1

0

0
0
0

4.7
4.7
47.6
42.3
41.3
44.7
3.3
43.7
-5 .6
3.7
4.1

93.7
95.4
106.1
104.4
94.4
109.7
105.5
110.3
97.6
107.4
107.9

96.6
92.6
106.8
104.4
92.1
111.9
103.7
114.0
99.3
110.6
110.5

97.1
95.4
108.7
105,5
95.6
115.0
101.5
111.1
99.4
110.7
112.3

104.6
0
0
(3)
101.2
0

a

0
94.6
109.3
115.9

0
0
-4 .8
-1 .3
3.2

4.0
42.5
43.2
43.2
377
43.1
4.6
45.3
- .7
1.5
2.5

117.6
120.8
127.1
112.2
103.7
124.8
96.3
196.1
211.5
109.6
121.8

123.6
131.9
127.5
117.5
109.8
131.9
102.2
236.9
229.2
115.7
133.7

127.2
135.6
136.8
118.2
110.0
126.9
107.0
249.8
206.1
121.2
130.4

134.1
158.4
133.5
123.1
113.1
131.1
113.8
278.1
210.5
121.7
122.2

139.2
168.1
131.6
133.0
117.3
146.9
116.5
300.5
260.1
125.2
0

3.8
6.1
-1 .4
8.0
3.7
12.1
2.4
8.1
23.6
2.9
0

4.9
8.5
2.4
4.2
3.9
4.8
5.2
12.5
3.6
4.8
41.2

135.5
115.6
114.5
98.9
140.5

115.1
99.2
96.3
131.3
106.8
98.8
103.5
148.0
151.9
125.4

121.1
110.4
120.5
89.3
93.2
103.0
99.7
104.7
122.3
89.3

128.1
116.2
123.0
90.1
102.0
107.9
102.8
110.4
127.9
95.1

122.0
115.9
125.6
90.6
101.6
117.7
106.3
104.7
120.1
90.0

101.3
89.5
82.0
94.9
92.6
106.9
88.9
91.0
98.4
88.0
89.2

103.6
87.2
86.8
95.1
92.0
111.8
88.2
91.3
91.8
83.0
81.1

105.1
98.0
99.8
105.2
104.6
111.3
102.6
98.5
87.5
93.6
93.3

Metal forming machine to o ls ....................................................
Machine tool accesso ries........................................................
Pumps and compressors ................. ....................... .................
Pumps and pumping equipment...............................................
Ball and roller bearings............................................ .................
Air and gas com pressors............ .......... .................................
Refrigeration and heating equipment......................................
Carburetors, pistons, rings, and v a lv e s .................................
Transformers.................................................... ....... ....... .........
Switchgear and switchboard apparatus..................................
Motors and generators..............................................................

85.0
89.1
95.9
93.1
83.3
102.0
100.1
92.0
99.6
101.3
102.4

87.6
83.0
100.2
97.7
86.3
105.2
100.9
99.6
99.1
106.1
104.3

3631, 32, 33, 39 Major household appliances....................................................
Household cooking equipm ent................................................
3631
Household refrigerators and fre e ze rs.....................................
3632
Household
laundry equipm ent.................................................
3633
Household appliances, n.e.c....................................... .............
3639
Electric lam ps.............................................................................
3641
3645, 46, 47, 48 Lighting fixtures..........................................................................
Radio and television receiving s e ts .........................................
3651
Semiconductors and related devices......................................
3674
Motor vehicles and equipment.................................................
371
Instruments to measure electricity...........................................
3825

108.6
112.6
116.1
105.4
94.7
108.4
91.0
163.9
197.9
96.9
119.2

125.3
111.3
110.4
93.4
144.0

Clay refractories.........................................................................
Concrete p ro d u cts.....................................................................
Ready- mixed co n cre te ............................................................
S te e l............................................................................................
Gray iron foundries.....................................................................
Steel foundries.......................................................................... .
Steel foundries n.e.c...................................................................
Primary copper, lead, and zinc.................................................
Primary copper............................................................................
Primary alum inum ......................................................................

108.4
105.4
101.1
85.7
126.2
121.6
97.6
93.7
116.8
98.3
89.9
90.2
141.2
138.3
111.5

3351
3353, 54, 55
3411
3423
3433
3441
3442
3465, 66, 69
3465
3469

Copper rolling and drawing.......................................................
Aluminum rolling and drawing...................................................
Metal ca n s ..................................................................................
Hand and edge to o ls .................................................................
Heating equipment, except electric.........................................
Fabricated structural m e ta l............................. .......................
Metal doors, sash, and tr im ......................................................
Metal stam pings.........................................................................
Automotive stampings...............................................................
Metal stampings, n.e.c...............................................................

106.0
99.2
118.5
92.8
102.3
99.5
96.0
98.1
106.7
89.3

3494
3498
3519
352
3523
3524
3531
3532
3533
3541, 42
3541

Valves and pipe fittin g s .............................................................
Fabricated pipe and fittin g s ......................................................
Internal combustion engines, n.e.c...........................................
Farm and garden m achinery....................................................
Farm machinery and equipment...............................................
Lawn and garden equipment....................................................
Construction machinery and equipm ent.................................
Mining machinery and equipm ent............................................
Oilfield machinery and e qu ipm e n t...........................................
Machine to o ls .............................................................................
Metal cutting machine to o ls ............................................. •>......

3542
3545
3561,63
3561
3562
3563
3585
3592
3612
3613
3621

Hydraulic cem ent........................................................................
Structural clay products................................. ...........................
Clay construction products.......................................................
Brick and structural clay tile ................................................
Ceramic wall and floor tile ........................................................

P e rc e n t ch an ge ,

142.2
118.7
116.2
102.9
(3)
131.4
(3)
(3)
151.7
104.8
94.3
101.9
221.1
228.2
143.5

128.3
112.8
112.6
100.4
131.1
114.1
100.5
97.4
139.5
104.2
95.6
101.0
181.5
189.8
125.4

94.0
102.6
103.3
88.6
128.1
100.0
91.0
90.6
90.9
93.7
89.0
88.4
128.0
128.5
103.0

3241
325
3251,53, 59
3251
3253
3255
3271,72
3273
331
3321
3325
3325, 25
3331,32, 33
3331
3334

19872

122.9
105.9
100.1
141.8
107.4
100.3
104.3
210.8
229.2
134.0

8
(3>
0
0
0

0
0
0
99.3
0
78.9
101.9
100.2

a

a

0
0
-7 .3 r
0
12.6
3.5
-4 .7
7.7
0
0
(3)
5.9

O the r

401
401
4111,13,414 PT
4213 PT
4213 PT
4511,4521 PT
4612, 13
4811
491, 492, 493
491,493 PT
492, 493 PT

Railroad transportation, revenue tra ffic ..................................
Railroad transportation, car m iles............................. ..............
Class I bus carriers............................................ ........................
Intercity trucking.........................................................................
Intercity trucking, general fre ig h t.............................................
Air transportation6......................................................................
Petroleum pipelines...................................................................
Telephone communications......................................................
Gas and electric utilities.............................................................
Electric utilities............................................................................
Gas utilities.................................................................................

115.8
110.1
98.8
108.0
107.8
114.9
89.2
129.1
89.3
89.5
89.0

141.9
128.9
95.4
130.7
136.0
126.8
94.3
145.1
88.1
90.9
81.1

152.6
137.7
90.9
135.1
137.6
131.7
104.5
143.0
91.4
94.4
83.6

162.1
138.9
87.4
130.2
131.7
136.5
104.9
149.8
90.5
93.5
82.1

178.6
148.2
86.8
134.5
140.9
138.2
107.0
161.3
89.1
96.2
73.0

208.3
166.8
0
(3)
0
146.4
106.6
166.1
92.7
101.0
74.8

16.6
12.6
0
0
0
5.9
- .4
3.0
4.0
5.0
2.5

11.1
7.4
- 43.4
44.4
45.1
4.4
3.7
4.7
.6
2.2
-3 .4

5251
5311
5331

Hardware stores6........................................................................
Department s to re s ....................................................... .............
Variety stores6 ............................................................... ....... •••

109.2
112.4
112.5

111.4
119.5
119.7

121.1
126.6
123.7

124.6
129.2
114.3

137.4
135.3
101.2

149.5
137.2
0

8.8
1.4
0

6.6
4.1
- 42.5

See footnotes at end of table.


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15

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Productivity in Selected Industries, 1987

Table 1. Continued — Indexes of output per employee hour in selected industries, 1982-87, and percent changes,1986-87 and 1982-87
[1977=100]

SIC c o d e 1

In d u s try

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987 2

P e rc e n t ch an ge ,
1 9 8 6 -8 7

A v e ra g e a n n u a l
p e rc e n t ch an g e ,
1 9 8 2 -8 7

54
5411
546
5511
5541
56
5611
5621
5651
5661
57
571
572, 3
572
573
58

Retail food stores6 ....................................................................
Grocery stores6 .....................................................................
Retail bakeries6 ..........................................................................
Franchised new car dealers......................................................
Gasoline service stations6 .........................................................
Apparel and accessory stores6 ................................................
Men's and boys' clothing stores6 ............................................
Women's re ad y-to -w e ar stores6 ............................................
Family clothing stores6 ..............................................................
Shoe stores6 ......................................................................
Furniture, home furnishings & equip, stores6 .........................
Furniture and home furnishings stores6..................................
Appliance, radio, television & music stores 6 .........................
Flousehold appliance stores6 ...................................................
Radio, television, and music stores6........................................
Eating and drinking places6 ......................................................

95.5
97.9
90.6
100.4
111.8
126.4
116.6
142.0
140.7
110.2
109.2
97.6
128.7
102.0
142.4
96.9

95.5
98.6
93.0
109.4
122.5
132.9
120.6
151.3
149.2
107.6
118.4
104.1
143.4
111.8
159.5
95.3

96.1
100.1
87.2
110.4
129.1
141.0
127.4
158.3
145.8
110.1
129.4
113.1
155.1
139.2
165.9
91.1

96.6
98.4
81.6
109.7
134.3
146.5
135.0
162.8
138.5
117.4
133.5
108.7
180.0
154.6
190.2
87.9

94.6
96.3
85.5
110.7
143.9
153.7
139.5
176.4
136.0
125.8
144.6
115.5
199.5
178.8
206.5
89.7

92.8
94.3
86.3
105.3
145.7
146.4
135.0
171.9
130.9
124.0
145.2
116.0
199.8
185.2
204.3
90.4

-1 .9
-2.1
.9
-4 .9
1.3
-4 .7
-3 .2
-2 .6
-3 .8
-1 .4
.4
.4
.2
3.6
-1.1
.8

-0 .5
-0 .8
-1 .6
.8
5.4
3.5
3.6
4.2
-2 .0
3.3
6.0
3.3
10.0
13.7
8.1
-1 .6

5912
5921
602
7011
721
7231,7241
7231
753

Drug and proprietary stores6 ....................................................
Liquor stores6 .............................................................................
Commercial banking..................................................................
Hotels, motels, and tourist courts6 ...........................................
Laundry and cleaning services6 ...............................................
Beauty and barber shops6 ........................................................
Beauty shops6 ............................................................................
Automotive repair shops ..........................................................

107.9
108.1
93.2
88.8
90.6
108.3
113.1
87.4

111.4
101.6
101.3
95.4
90.4
114.0
120.1
86.1

106.2
98.7
104.3
102.1
92.3
103.9
112.3
88.3

106.5
107.1
109.7
97.5
87.3
98.6
104.1
96.1

105.6
98.0
111.7
92.8
85.0
97.3
98.8
93.2

105.9
91.6
(3)
88.0
84.0
99.2
100.4
98.4

.3
-6 .5
(3)
-5 .2
-1 .2
2.0
1.6
5.6

- .7
-2 .4
44.5
- .5
-1 .8
-2 .7
-3 .5
2.6

6

1 As defined in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual, 1972, published by
the Office of Management and Budget.
2 Preliminary.
3 Not available.
4 Percent change, 1982-86.
5 Output per employee.
6 Output per hour of all persons.

stantial gains in productivity in 1987 included radio and
television sets (8.1 percent); bottled and canned soft
drinks (7.3 percent); men’s and boys’ suits and coats (6.8
percent); metal cans (6.6 percent), synthetic fibers (6.5
percent); and paper, paperboard, and pulp mills (6.2 per­
cent). All of these industries had output gains in 1987.
However, a number of manufacturing industries regis­
tered large declines in productivity in 1987. These in­
dustries included cigars (-16.5 percent); construction
machinery (-7 .3 percent); steel foundries (-6 .0 percent);
transformers (-4 .8 percent); metal cutting machine tools
(-4 .7 percent); and footwear (-4 .6 percent).
Mining.
Productivity changes were mixed among the
mining industries. Iron mining (usable ore) had a very high
productivity gain of 32.5 percent in 1987. Output grew 21.0
percent, in response to strong demand from the steel indus­
try, while employee hours continued to decline (-8 .7
percent). In contrast, copper mining (recoverable metal),
posted a productivity decline of 8.3 percent. Although out­
put increased strongly (11.0 percent) as demand for copper
expanded sharply, employee hours were up even more (21.1
percent), as many workers were engaged in renovating re­
opened mines prior to the actual production of ore.
Coal mining productivity was up 7.4 percent. Output
grew 3.0 percent, partially because of increased demand
16FRASER
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Note : Although the. output per employee hour measures relate output to the
hours of all employees engaged in each industry, they do not measure the specific
contribution of labor, capital, or any other single factor of production. Rather, they
reflect the joint effects of many influences, Including new technology, capital in­
vestment, the level of output, capacity utilization, energy use, and managerial
skills, as well as the skills and efforts of the work force. Some of the measures use
a labor input series that is based on hours paid, and some use a labor input series
that is based on plant hours,
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified.

from utilities, while employee hours fell 4.1 percent due to
changes in work rules and a continued decline in small
mines. Nonmetallic mineral mining recorded a small drop
in productivity of 0.3 percent. Although output was up
slightly (1.8 percent), based on demand from the con­
struction industry, employee hours were up somewhat
more (2.0 percent).
Transportation and utilities. Almost all of the transporta­
tion and utility industries had productivity gains in 1987.
Productivity grew 16.6 percent in railroad transportation
(revenue traffic), well above the gain in 1986. Output was
up 8.2 percent, as shipments of coal, grain, lumber, and
wood increased, and passenger transportation grew. Air
transportation had a gain of 5.9 percent in 1987. Output
was up 10.4 percent, as both passenger and freight traffic
increased, while employees were up 4.2 percent.
Productivity in electric utilities grew 5.0 percent as out­
put was up 3.3 percent and employee hours fell 1.5
percent. Gas utilities had a gain of 2.5 percent, with out­
put up 1.4 percent and hours down 1.0 percent. Extreme
weather conditions, both heat and cold, resulted in output
growth for both of these utility industries, while techno­
logical changes helped to lower labor requirements.
Productivity in telephone communications grew 3.0

percent with output up 5.6 percent and hours up 2.5
percent. Continued productivity growth was aided by ex­
panding the installation of electronic switches and fiber
optic cables. Productivity declined slightly in petroleum
pipelines (-0 .4 percent); output and employee hours were
off slightly (-0 .8 percent and-0.5 percent, respectively).
Trade and services.
Most of the productivity gains in
trade and services were small in 1987, and many indus­
tries recorded declines. The hardware store industry was
an exception with a gain of 8.8 percent. Output grew 11.6
percent as expenditures for maintenance and repair of
residential properties were up, while hours increased 2.6
percent. Another exception was automotive repair shops,
which grew 5.6 percent based on a gain in output of 4.3
percent and a drop in hours of 1.1 percent. Productivity of
beauty and barber shops increased 2.0 percent; depart­
ment store productivity rose 1.4 percent; and gasoline
stations posted a 1.3-percent gain. Productivity in eating
and drinking places increased 0.8 percent, output grew
4.9 percent, and hours were up 4.2 percent. Furniture and
home furnishings stores had a 0.4-percent gain in produc­
tivity. Demand for furniture and appliances remained
high in 1987 because of the continued growth in the hous­
ing market. Productivity in drug stores grew 0.3 percent,
output increased 2.8 percent, because of expanding pre­
scription sales, while hours were up 2.5 percent.
Among the trade and service industries with declines,
retail food stores posted a drop of 1.9 percent in produc­
tivity. The slight increase in output of 0.3 percent was
outweighed by the 2.2-percent increase in hours. Apparel
and accessory stores had a productivity decline of 4.7
percent. Output declined slightly (-0.1 percent), while
hours were up (4.9 percent) as the number of stores con­
tinued to grow. All of the components of this industry
(men’s, women’s, and family clothing and shoe stores)
also registered declines in productivity. Productivity of
franchised new car dealers fell 4.9 percent, output was
down 2.5 percent because of declining sales of new and
used cars, while hours were up 2.4 percent. Productivity
fell 5.2 percent in hotels and motels as the industry con­
tinued to feel the effects of overbuilding. Output was up
only 0.2 percent while hours grew 5.7 percent 1987. Liq­
uor store productivity declined 6.5 percent, as output fell
3.0 percent and hours increased 3.9 percent. Productivity
declined in the laundry and cleaning services industry by
1.2 percent, as a result of an increase in hours (3.0 per­
cent) that exceeded the output increase of 1.7 percent.

Trends, 1982-87
Gains.
Almost all of the industries measured registered
growth in productivity over the 1982-87 period. Iron
mining (usable ore) posted the highest rate of gain at an
average annual rate of 18.9 percent per year. Demand was
up from the steel industry and output grew at a 4.4-percent rate, while employee hours averaged a decline of

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12.2-percent from 1982 to 1987. During this period, pro­
duction of iron ore became more concentrated in the large
scale, highly efficient taconite mining operations in the
Lake Superior district. C opper m ining (recoverable
metal) had a large productivity gain of 14.9 percent from
1982-87. Copper mine output grew at a rate of 2.4 per­
cent while employee hours declined at an average of 10.9
percent per year. Intense international competition in re­
cent years led to domestic copper mine modernization,
adaptation of advanced mining methods, and the shut­
down of old mines and facilities.
Other industries recording significant gains from 1982 to
1987 included primary copper, lead, and zinc (12.6 per­
cent); radio and t v sets manufacturing (12.5 percent);
railroad transportation (revenue traffic) (11.1 percent); and
appliance, radio, t v , and music stores (10 .0 percent).
It is noteworthy that the steel industry recorded a pro­
ductivity gain of 9.6 percent during 1982—87. The gain is
significantly above the 1.6-percent long-term rate for this
industry during the 1947—82 period. Demand for steel
recovered from the low level of the 1982 recession while
the industry continued the widespread elimination of less
efficient plant and equipment. The m otor vehicle industry
registered a productivity gain of 4.8 percent over the
1982-87 period. This is above the long-term rate of 3.0
percent for the previous period, 1957-82. Output of mo­
tor vehicles grew at the high rate of 10.0 percent from
1982 to 1987, while employee hours were up an average of
4.9 percent. During this period, the industry was involved
in modernizing existing plant and equipment, opening
new, highly advanced plants and closing older, less effi­
cient production facilities.
Declines.
Among the relatively few industries that reg­
istered average annual productivity declines over the 1982—
87 period, the oilfield machinery and equipment industry
posted the steepest, declining at a rate of -5 .6 percent.
Output recorded significant declines in every year, averag­
ing -21.6 percent. Employee hours also fell off sharply,
dropping at a rate of —16.9 percent. Demand for oilfield
equipment decreased sharply over this period as drilling
activity declined because of an oversupply of oil and a
falloff in its price. Other industries with declining produc­
tivity rates from 1982—87 included gas utilities (-3 .4
percent), beauty and barber shops (-2.7 percent); liquor
stores (-2 .4 percent); family clothing stores (-2 .0 percent);
and laundry and cleaning services (-1.8 percent).

Industry multifactor productivity
Measures of multifactor productivity for the tires and
inner tubes and footwear industries are presented for the
first time. They are included with the updated measures
for the steel and motor vehicles industries. This is an
ongoing program and measures for additional industries
will be published as they are completed.3
In multifactor productivity measures, output is related

17

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Productivity in Selected Industries, 1987

to the combined inputs of labor, capital, and intermediate
purchases. Multifactor productivity is equal to output per
hour adjusted to remove the effects of changes in capital
per hour and intermediate purchases per hour (materials,
fuels, electricity, and services). These effects are measured
as the change in the nonlabor to labor input ratio, weighted
by the nonlabor input’s share in total output. The capital
effect, for example, is the change in the capital-labor ratio
weighted by capital’s share in output. Multifactor produc­
tivity measures still show the effect of many influences such
as economies of scale, capacity utilization, skill and effort
of the work force, and technological change. Multifactor
measures are available through 1986. Data for multifactor
productivity and related indexes for 1982-86 are presented
in table 2.

labor (-8 .5 percent); capital (-5.1 percent); and interme­
diate purchases (-5 .2 percent).
The multifactor productivity drop in the motor vehicles
industry can be attributed to a decline in output of 2.9
percent which was accompanied by an increase of 2.3
percent in combined inputs. Although labor hours fell
(-3 .4 percent), both capital and intermediate purchases
increased (by 2.9 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively).
The multifactor productivity decrease in the footwear
industry is based on a drop in output (-11.0 percent)
which was not quite matched by the reduction in com­
bined inputs (-10.8 percent). The decline in labor hours
(-12.7 percent) and in intermediate purchases (-11.7 per­
cent) exceeded the drop in output, but capital fell some­
what less (-4 .7 percent).

Current developments.
In 1986, multifactor productiv­
ity grew in the tires and inner tubes industry (2.8 percent)
and steel industry (2.2 percent), but declines were re­
corded in motor vehicles (-5 .0 percent) and footwear
(-0 .2 percent). All four industries experienced declining
output in 1986, but in steel and tires and inner tubes,
combined inputs fell faster than output.
In the tires and inner tubes industry, output fell 3.7
percent while combined inputs dropped 6.2 percent re­
sulting in the multifactor productivity gain. Labor hours
and intermediate purchases fell significantly (-6.1 and
-8 .3 percent, respectively), while capital declined a slight
0.4 percent. In the steel industry, the fall in output of 4.3
percent was exceeded by the reduction in combined inputs
of 6.3 percent leading to the multifactor productivity in­
crease in 1986. Substantial declines were recorded for

Trends, 1982- 86. Over the 1982-86 period, substantial
average annual gains in multifactor productivity were re­
corded in the steel industry (5.9 percent) and in the motor
vehicles and tires and inner tubes industries (both 2.8
percent). However, the footwear industry posted a 2.7percent rate of decline in multifactor productivity. The
gain in multifactor productivity in steel manufacturing
can be attributed to the closing of older plants and the
increasing shift to continuous casting of steel. In motor
vehicles, sharp output gains in 1983 and 1984 (29.3 and
22.3 percent, respectively) were accompanied by strong
gains in multifactor productivity (6.4 and 4.6 percent,
respectively). In tires and inner tubes, the multifactor pro­
ductivity gain from 1982-86 was based on continuing
elimination of older, less efficient plants. Strong output
increases in 1983 and 1984 led to substantial gains in

T?ftie-RR Mu,tifactor and related productivity indexes1for selected industries, 1982-86, and percent changes, 1985-86 and
[1977 = 100]
SIC co de

3011

314

331

371

In d u s try and m e a sure

1982

1984

1985

1986 2

P e rc e n t ch a n g e
1 9 8 5 -8 6

A v e ra g e a n n u a l
p e rc e n t ch a n g e
1 9 8 2 -8 6

Tires and tubes:
Multifactor p roductivity.................................
Output per h o u r....................................
Output per unit of capital.....................
Output per unit of intermediate purchases ....

118.9
128.8
93.0
121.9

126.9
136.0
107.2
126.6

132.6
147.7
128.2
124.2

130.9
147.3
120.5
124.0

134.5
151.2
116.5
130.2

28
26
-3 3
5.0

? ft
40
5.8
1.1

Footwear:
Multifactor
Output per
Output per
Output per

productivity.............................
h o u r.................................
unit of capital.....................
unit of intermediate purchases .....

100.3
106.0
88.1
101.6

99.2
104.1
85.2
101.8

97.6
105.0
77.9
101.6

91.4
105.4
69.4
93.5

91.2
107.4
64.7
94.3

- 2
19
-6 8
.9

79
-2 .3

Steel:
Multifactor
Output per
Output per
Output per

productivity.................................
h o u r....................................
unit of capital.................................
unit of intermediate purch a se s......

96.4
98.1
72.5
96.8

115.0
119.5
82.6
114.0

119.4
131.3
95.4
113.6

121.9
138.6
95.8
114.4

124.6
145.1
96 7
115.7

22
47
9
1.1

3.7

90.9
96.2
57.2
95.6

96.7
109.4
80.7
94.1

101.1
115.3
104.1
93.9

105.2
121.3
110.9
96.9

99.9
121.8
104.8
90.6

-5 0
4
55
-6 .5

? ft
59
1R ^
- .8

Motor vehicles and equipment:
Multifactor p roductivity....................................
Output per h o u r....................................
Output per unit of capital................................
Output per unit of intermediate purchases ...

1 The output measures underlying the productivity indexes relate to the total net
production of the industry. They do not relate to the specific output of any single

18

1983


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

factor of production
2 Preliminary.

27

59
98

Table 3. Productivity1indexes for government, 1982-87, and percent changes, 1986-87 and 1982-87
[1977 = 100]
F u n c tio n a l g ro u p

SIC Code

1982

1983

1984

1985

F ederal

1987

P e rc e n t ch an ge ,
1 9 8 6 -8 7

A v e ra g e a n n u a l
p e rc e n t c h a n g e ,
1 9 8 2 -8 7

108.6

110.2

110.2

110.9

112.7

113.0

0.2

0.8

Audit of operations.......................................................................
Buildings and grounds..................................................................
Communications............................................................................
Education and training..................................................................
Electric power production and distribution.................................
Equipment m aintenance..............................................................
Finance and accounting...............................................................
General support se rv ic e s ............................................................
Information se rv ic e s .....................................................................
Legal and ju d icia l..........................................................................
Library se rvice s.............................................................................
Loans and g ra n ts..........................................................................
Medical services............................................................................
Military base services...................................................................
Natural resources and environmental m anagement................
Personal investigations.................................................................
Personnel m anagement...............................................................

93.3
127.0
183.2
111.8
62.8
110.5
150.8
162.0
106.7
108.9
107.2
104.7
101.9
109.3
111.9
104.5
106.7

95.3
127.9
196.1
109.2
77.9
110.5
166.9
158.2
114.1
111.7
110.1
117.3
104.0
107.9
112.7
99.4
94.3

97.9
130.4
213.8
108.1
67.2
115.5
163.6
148.6
118.8
110.1
118.6
112.2
103.4
99.4
115.6
102.2
101.9

100.6
128.8
226.1
108.6
58.5
117.1
163.2
136.1
125.2
113.1
120.9
122.4
103.6
100.4
119.3
105.6
100.1

93.7
122.5
236.2
109.2
54.5
119.5
168.8
142.7
126.6
113.5
130.8
122.7
105.5
108.0
120.4
98.6
100.7

84.5
121.8
247.4
107.8
44.2
119.2
174.1
144.1
130.4
113.7
128.7
112.8
106.1
110.2
125.7
106.9
98.4

-9 .8
- .5
4.8
-1 .3
-1 8 .8
- .2
3.1
1.0
3.0
.2
1.7
-8.1
.6
2.0
4.4
8.4
-2 .3

-1 .5
-1 .0
6.2
- .5
-8.1
1.8
2.2
-2 .8
4.0
.8
4.2
1.7
.7
.1
2.3
.4
- .7

Postal se rv ic e ................................................................................
Printing and duplication.................................................................
Procurement...................................................................................
Records m anagement..................................................................
Regulation — compliance and enforcem ent..............................
Rgulation — rulemaking and licensing........................................
Social services and benefits........................................................
Specialized manufacturing...........................................................
Supply and inventory c o n tro l.......................................................
Traffic management......................................................................
Transportation................................................................................

107.0
105.8
125.3
120.2
118.6
131.4
102.4
133.4
106.1
117.0
114.3

107.4
113.1
124.7
122.0
126.6
139.3
109.7
138.0
104.3
115.8
114.6

108.8
120.3
127.2
125.2
126.9
146.1
110.1
143.8
100.2
112.7
113.2

109.1
122.1
122.5
121.4
130.2
153.9
118.4
146.9
96.7
120.8
114.4

110.9
125.0
119.5
128.5
140.6
150.9
114.6
149.1
99.1
111.8
116.4

110.9
126.8
121.4
125.3
136.6
154.8
120.3
141.2
104.2
130.8
115.0

(3)
1.5
1.6
-2 .5
-2 .8
2.6
5.0
-2 .0
5.2
17.0
-1 .2

.8
3.6
- .9
1.0
3.0
3.2
2.9
2.1
- .8
1.5
.2

96.7

94.8

93.4

93.8

95.8

(2)

(2)

106.3
117.5

108.0
119.2

109.0
102.0

103.1
105.1

100.0
110.1

98.7
107.1

-1 .3
-2 .7

Total Federal sa m ple .......................................................................

4311

1986

S ta te and lo c a l

Electric p ow e r....................................................................................
4911
5182 pt and
Alcoholic beverages.........................................................................
5921 pt
Unemployment insurance.................................................................
9441
1 Output per employee year.
2 Not available.

multifactor productivity in those years.
The footwear industry’s declining rate of multifactor
productivity is based on a sharp fall in output (by a total
of 36 percent) over the 1982-86 period because of a
strong rise in shoe imports. This steep decline in output
(an acceleration of an earlier trend), combined with slow
rates of introduction and diffusion of technological inno­
vations, has made it difficult to attain productivity gains.

Government productivity
Measures of output per employee year for the Federal
Government and selected State and local government ser­
vices are updated to 1987. Data are presented for fiscal
years 1982-87 for most series and are shown in table 3.4
Federal.
Output per employee year increased 0.2 per­
cent in fiscal 1987 in the productivity index covering the
measured sample of Federal Government organizations.
This gain reflected a 1.4-percent increase in output and a
1.2-percent increase in employee years.
The measure covers 61 Federal agencies and is based on
data representing 372 organizational units in fiscal 1987.
The organizations included 2.1 million executive branch

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-,3 4
-1 .9
-1 .9

3 Less than 0.05 percent.
4 Percent change, 1982-86.

civilian employees representing 69 percent of the total
Federal civilian labor force.
The Federal organizations are divided into 28 func­
tional categories based on similarity of tasks performed
(for example, auditing, medical, personnel, and transpor­
tation) to better identify and understand the forces which
affect Federal productivity. The change in output per em­
ployee year for the 28 functions in 1987 ranged from an
increase of 17.0 percent for traffic management, to a de­
cline of 18.8 percent for electric power production and
distribution. Productivity increased in 15 functions, de­
creased in 12, and remained unchanged in one.
The traffic management function, which includes those
organizations responsible for arranging for the movement
of people and goods, posted the largest gain among the
functions with a 17.0-percent increase in productivity in
1987. Output increased by 12.0 percent in 1987 while
employee years decreased by 4.2 percent. Two of the three
organizational units experienced increasing output in
1987, whereas all three showed declines in employee years.
In contrast, the electric power production and distribu­
tion function had the steepest productivity falloff (-18.8
19

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Productivity in Selected Industries, 1987

percent) caused by a 15.5-percent decrease in output and
a 4.0-percent increase in employee years. Output declined
in four of the six organizations while employee years in­
creased in two, remained unchanged in two, and de­
creased in two. Four of the six organizations experienced
productivity declines in 1987.
The postal service, the largest of the 28 functions in
terms of employees, includes only a single organization,
the U.S. Postal Service. Its productivity remained un­
changed in 1987. By comparison, productivity rose 1.6
percent in fiscal 1986. During 1987, output increased 3.5
percent while labor increased 3.4 percent.
Trends, 1982- 87. Over the 1982-87 period, output per
employee year in the Federal sample rose at an average
annual rate of 0.8 percent. The year-to-year changes in
productivity ranged from no change in 1984 to a 1.6percent gain in 1986. The overall increase in Federal pro­
ductivity reflects an average rise of 2.3 percent in output
and a 1.5-percent increase in labor input. Output in­
creased annually at rates ranging from 1.4 percent in 1987
to 2.6 percent in 1985. Annual rates of change in em­
ployee years ranged from an increase of 0.7 percent in
1986 to 2.2 percent in 1984.
From 1982 to 1987, productivity trends for the 28 func­
tions ranged from 6.2-percent annual growth for com­
munications to a 8.1-percent annual decline for electric
power production and distribution.
Communications had the highest average annual in­
crease in productivity (6.2 percent) of any of the 28
functions. In 1983 and 1984, productivity increased 7.0
and 9.0 percent, respectively. The high productivity gain
during the period is primarily attributed to technological
changes in equipment that receives and transmits mes­
sages instantaneously all over the world. The six organ­
izations accounting for this function in 1987 are in the
Department of Defense, the General Services Administra­
tion, and the Department of State.
The function with the second largest average annual in­
crease in productivity over the last 5 years is library services
(4.2 percent), which includes the Library of Congress and
four agency libraries. Output was up 2.6 percent, while
employee years fell 1.6 percent over the 1982-87 period.
Productivity in library services was aided by computeriza­
tion of operations and the introduction of new facilities.
Between 1982 and 1987, the electric power production
and distribution function registered the largest decrease in
productivity of the 28 functions (-8.1 percent). During
this period, productivity decreased in every year but one,
which is a reflection of sharply decreasing output (-14.5
percent). Employment has been cut back over the past 5
years, but the decrease in output has exceeded the cut in
input by a wide margin.

State and local government services
Electric power.
20

Output per employee year in State and


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local government electric power increased 2.1 percent in
1986, the last year for which data are available, as output
and employment increased 5.3 and 3.1 percent, respec­
tively. In 1985, output, employment, and productivity
also increased. However, over the 1982-86 period, pro­
ductivity declined at an average annual rate of 0.3 percent
as employment increased at a more rapid rate than output.
State sales o f alcoholic beverages.
Output per employee
year in State sales of alcoholic beverages dropped 1.3 per­
cent in 1987 as output, and input fell 3.1 and 1.9 percent,
respectively. In 1986, productivity, output, and input also
declined. The drop in output in 1986 and 1987 was a
continuation of a trend that started in 1980 which reflects
decreasing demand for spirits and a shift in several States
from government to private sector operations.
Unemployment insurance.
State unemployment insur­
ance productivity decreased 2.7 percent in fiscal 1987 as
output dropped 6.3 percent and inputs were cut 3.7 per­
cent. Over the 1982-87 period, productivity, output, and
labor decreased. The decrease in output is a reflection of
decreasing unemployment in the Nation and the resulting
drop in unemployment insurance claims and payments.
While State staffing has been cut, it has not declined as
rapidly as output has dropped. The result is an average
annual decrease in productivity of 1.9 percent between
1982 and 1987.
□

--------- FOOTNO TES--------'A full report, Productivity Measures for Selected Industries and Govern­
ment Services, bls Bulletin 2322, is available from the Superintendent of
Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
2For a detailed report on productivity in these industries, see the
following Monthly Labor Review articles: Mark Scott Sieling and Daniel
Curtin, “Patterns of productivity change in men’s and boys’ suits and
coats,” November 1988, pp. 25-31; Horst Brand and Kelly Bryant,
“Productivity in agricultural chemicals,” March 1989, pp. 21-28; James
D. York, “Variety stores experience shifting trend in productivity,”
October 1988, pp. 30-33; and a forthcoming article on productivity in
the carburetors, pistons, and valves industry.
T or additional information about multifactor productivity in the steel
and motor vehicles industries and a description of the methodology used
to develop the industry productivity measures, see Mark K. Sherwood,
“Performance of multifactor productivity in the steel and motor vehicles
industries,” Monthly Labor Review, August 1987, pp. 22-30; and forth­
coming articles on multifactor productivity in the tires and inner tubes
industry and the footwear industry.
T o r additional information about productivity in government, see
Donald M. Fisk, “Productivity trends in the Federal Government,”
Monthly Labor Review, October 1985, pp. 3-9 ; Jerome A. Mark, “Pub­
lic sector productivity measurement: the b l s experience,” in The
Measurement and Implications o f Productivity Growth: Proceedings o f a
Workshop, Nov. 22-33, 1984 (Canberra, Australia Department of Em­
ployment and Industrial Relations, Bureau of Labor Market Research,
1986), Monograph Series No. 14; and Donald M. Fisk, Measuring Pro­
ductivity in State and Local Government, Bulletin 2166 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1983).

Productivity trends
in agricultural chemicals
Output per hour in the manufacture
o f synthetic fertilizers and pesticides
increased almost as much as that
for all manufacturing; the gain
is tied partially to technological innovation
H

orst

Brand

and

K

elly

Bryant

Output per hour of labor in the manufacture of synthetic
fertilizers and pesticides rose at an average annual rate of
2.2 percent between 1972 and 1986.1 This rise reflected an
increase of 1.3 percent a year in output and a decline of 0.9
percent a year in employee hours. The improvement in pro­
ductivity compares with an average annual increase of 2.5
percent for manufacturing as a whole. As the following
tabulation shows, productivity rates for the four individual
agrochemical industries varied widely from the average for
the group, with establishments producing nitrogenous fer­
tilizer recording output-per-hour advances of close to 4
percent a year and establishments specializing in the mixing
of fertilizers registering no strong trend at all. The pesticide
industry stood in between, with a rate nearly equal to that
for all manufacturing.
Average annual rate (percent),

1972-86
Industry
Agricultural chemicals.
Nitrogenous fertilizer
Phosphatic fertilizer .
Fertilizer mixing......
Pesticides.................

Productivity Output
2.2
3.9
2.0
.4
2.3

1.3
1.8
.6
-1.8
3.6

Employee
hours
-0.9
-2.0
-1.4
-2.2
1.3

Horst Brand and Kelly Bryant are economists in the Division of
Industry Productivity and Technology Studies, Bureau of Labor
Statistics.


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The long-term productivity trend slowed somewhat over
the second half of the study period, from 3.9 percent annu­
ally for the industry group as a whole during 1972-79 to
2.5 percent a year during 1979-86. (See table 1.) Nitroge­
nous and phosphatic fertilizers did not partake in the
slowdown, which was dominated by a deceleration in pro­
ductivity in the pesticide industry. In contrast to the first
half of the period, when growth in output was accompanied
by (somewhat lower) gains in employee hours in all agricul­
tural chemicals industries, both output and employee hours
declined during the second half. With the latter declining
more steeply than the former, productivity improved.
Year-to-year movements fluctuated widely, with produc­
tivity rising as much as 13 percent in 1984 and dropping as
much as 15 percent in 1973. These movements were tied to
swings in demand and, in turn, output, and were accompa­
nied by somewhat smaller swings in hours.
Sources of improvements in productivity in the nitroge­
nous and phosphatic fertilizer industries include tech­
nological advances, economies of scale, and during the
1980’s, the elimination of smaller, less efficient plants.2
Strength in the productivity of pesticide manufacturing
was linked to surging demand during the seventies and
declining employment in the eighties. But on balance,
levels of employment in the eighties ran above those in the
seventies, owing to increases in the industry’s marketing
and research and development ( r & d ) personnel that were
21

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Productivity in Agricultural Chemicals

necessitated in part by more stringent environmental and
registration regulations.3
Tables 2 through 6 present a year-by-year breakdown
of output per employee hour, output, and employee hours
for the agrochemical industry group as a whole and for
each of its four component industries from 1972 to 1986.

Production and role of agricultural chemicals
Nitrogenous fertilizer represents one of three primary
plant food nutrients, the other two being phosphates and
potash (a product of the mining industry not included in
the productivity and related measures discussed here).4
Nitrogenous fertilizer materials are produced by the syn­
thesis of natural gas to form anhydrous (waterless) am­
monia, an important nitrogenous fertilizer itself. In 1985,
about one-half of all the anhydrous ammonia produced in
the United States was absorbed by nitrogenous fertilizer
materials. One-third of this was directly applied to the soil
by users, while the remaining two-thirds entered into the
production of ammonium nitrate and urea.5 Production
of urea, which has the highest nitrogen content of any
solid nitrogenous fertilizer material, has steadily gained in
importance, attaining par with nitrate production in 1978
in terms of tonnage. In general, nitrogen solutions have
expanded their share of total nitrogenous materials since
the early eighties from 28-33 percent to 36 percent, but
the high capital outlay required to apply them to the soil
tends to retard their further expansion.6
Phosphatic fertilizer is derived by the action of sulfuric
acid on pulverized phosphate rock, resulting in super­
phosphate. It is the oldest synthetic fertilizer in use, but
by the mid-1970’s it was virtually displaced by diammo­
nium phosphate. Diammonium phosphate, which consists
of phosphoric acid treated with ammonia, is a m ultinu­
trient fertilizer material. While the production of con­
ventional superphosphate declined by half between 1974
and 1984, that of diammonium phosphate nearly tripled.
A high proportion of active nutrients, high water solubil­
ity, ease in application, and a favorable price have given
this material a decided advantage over the other.7
Table 1. Productivity in agricultural chemicals, 1972-79
versus 1979-86
A v e ra g e a n n u a l ra te s , p e rc e n t
O u tp u t p er
In d u s try

h ou r
1972-

O u tp u t

1979- 1972-

79

86

79

Agricultural chemicals.......................

3.9

Nitrogenous fe rtiliz e r.....................
Phosphatic fertilizer.......................
Fertilizer m ixing..............................

3.5
3.0
4.0

2.5
3.7
3.7
.6

5.8
7.1
3.5
3.4

Pesticides, including agricultural
chemicals n.e.c.1..........................

4.5

1.4

9.0

E m p lo ye e
h ou rs

1979- 1972- 197986

-2 .4
-3 .3
-1 .6
-6.1
-.4

79

1.9
3.5
.5
- .6
4.3

86

-4 .7
-6 .7
-5.1
-6 .
-1 .8

'Pesticides account for close to nine-tenths of this industry component,
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified.

22


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In combination with pesticides (especially herbicides),
synthetic fertilizer has contributed decisively to rising
yields per acre. Representing about 9 percent of the value
of final demand for food grains, feed grains, cotton, and
such oil-bearing legumes as soybeans, fertilizer and pesti­
cides have helped raise yields per acre as much as 24
percent from 1972 to 1985, as the following tabulation
shows:8
Yields per acre
1972

1985

Percent
increase

32.7
97.0
50.7
27.8
2.2

37.5
118.0
63.0
34.1
2.5

14.7
21.6
24.3
22.7
13.6

---------------------------

Crop

Wheat (bu.)....................
Corn (bu.).....................
Cotton (pds.).................
Soybeans (bu.) ..............
Hay (tons).....................

Output trends
Output of agricultural chemicals rose at an average
annual rate of 1.3 percent between 1972 and 1986. The
trend showed a sharp break beginning in 1979. Until then,
output of the industry group climbed 5.8 percent a year;
thereafter, it dropped 2.4 percent annually. The following
tabulation gives the breakdown by industry:
Average annual output rates,
in percent
Industry

1972-86 1972-79 1979 - ,

Agricultural chemicals.......
Nitrogenous fertilizer......
Phosphatic fertilizer.......
Fertilizer mixing............. ...
Pesticides ........................

1.3
1.8
.6
-1.8
3.6

5.8
7.1
3.5
3.4
9.0

-2.4
-3.3
-1.6
-6.1
-0.4

The rise in the output of agricultural chemicals during
the seventies, as well as its subsequent decline, was closely
related to parallel trends in the production of grains, cot­
ton, soybeans, and other crops. Production of these crops
rose at an average annual rate of 3.2 percent during that
decade, and then declined by 0.5 percent a year into the
mid-eighties. Per-acre use of nitrogenous fertilizer mate­
rials grew for feed grains (mainly corn) and food grains
(chiefly wheat) over the entire study period, but tended to
shrink for phosphates.9 However, the pattern of per-acre
application of fertilizer did not much influence total fertil­
izer use. Rather, it was the contraction in acreage planted
with the m ajor crops that underlay the 1979-85 decline
in output, as shown in the following tabulation, adapted
from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s publication,
Agricultural Statistics, 1986:
Percent change in acreage planted
Crop

Wheat.................................
Corn....................................
Cotton.................................
Soybeans.............................

1972-79

30
21
0
52

1979-85

6
-24
-12

The reduction in acreage planted, which resulted from
changes in official farm programs compelled by declining
exports and accumulating stocks, also led to cutbacks in
the application of pesticides in agriculture (which ac­
counts for roughly three-quarters of their total use).10
Between 1972 and 1979, total output of pesticides rose
strongly, even as insecticide applications to the major
crops were reduced. New, wide-spectrum herbicides,
mostly of the preemergent variety, were introduced and
quickly became important. Postemergent herbicides then
gained favor in the early eighties. These are applied when
the weed species has been determined by the farmer. They
were considered more effective than the preemergent her­
bicides in specific applications. However, preemergent
herbicides have made a comeback in recent years. The
expanding use of herbicides was spurred on in agriculture
by the rapid growth in conservation tillage as a moistureand soil-conserving production practice (such use reduces
the need for cultivation) and, to an extent, by the rising
cost of fuel during the seventies.11

Employment and occupational pattern
Em ployment in agricultural chemicals, num bering
57,000 in 1986, declined at an average annual rate of
nearly 1 percent— or by a total of 15 percent— between
1972 and 1986. Hours declined at nearly the same rate,
rising 11 percent over the first 7 years of the period, but
plummeting 24 percent over the last 7. Thus, the trend in
hours exhibited the same break noted for the trends in
productivity and output, although it was more pro­
nounced. Following is the industry breakdown:
Average annual percent change,
employee hours
Industry
Agricultural chemicals......
Nitrogenous fertilizer__
Phosphatic fertilizer ......
Fertilizer mixing ...........
Pesticides........................

1972-79

1.9
3.5
.5
-.6
4.3

1979-86

-4.7
-6.7
-5.1
-6.6
-1.8

The decline in the number of production workers '
more than twice as high (16 percent) as that for nonpro­
duction workers (7 percent) during the study period. (No
significant change in employment was experienced by all
manufacturing.) The proportion of nonproduction work­
ers, 37 percent of the group’s total employment in 1972,
increased slightly to 39 percent; in manufacturing as a
whole, the ratio rose from 27 to 33 percent. Hourly wages
ran 17 percent above the manufacturing average in 1986,
as against 1 percent in 1972. The rise in the ratio was
evidently not occasioned by significant changes in skill
mix.12 Rather, the more senior and experienced workers
retained their jobs in the face of reductions in the work
force, and that made for an upward wage drift.13

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Table 2. Output per employee hour and related indexes in
the agricultural chemicals industry group, 1972-861
[1977=100]
E m p lo y e e h o u rs

O u tp u t p e r e m p lo y e e h o u r
Y ea r

A ll

P ro d u ctio n

e m p lo y e e s

w o rk e rs

N o n p ro ­

O u tp ut

d u c tio n
w o rk e rs

A ll

P ro d u c tio n

e m p lo y e e s

w o rk e rs

N o n p ro ­
d u c tio n
w o rk e rs

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976

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

75.3
86.7
95.9
86.7
92.4

76.5
87.4
95.4
87.8
94.4

72.9
85.2
97.1
84.6
88.3

67.0
76.3
89.2
84.3
90.2

89.0
88.0
93.0
97.2
97.6

87.6
87.3
93.5
96.0
95.6

91.9
89.6
91.9
99.7
102.1

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

100.0
101.4
102.0
97.2
97.7

100.0
108.1
101.4
97.7
98.1

100.0
97.9
103.2
95.9
96.8

100.0
100.0
102.0
103.4
104.1

100.0
98.6
100.0
106.4
106.5

100.0
97.0
100.6
105.8
106.1

100.0
102.1
98.8
107.8
107.5

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986

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

94.5
106.2
119.8
115.6
108.8

99.9
111.8
124.3
121.2
115.2

84.4
95.8
111.3
105.0
97.2

88.5
88.9
100.3
94.9
82.7

93.7
83.7
83.7
82.1
76.0

88.6
79.5
80.7
78.3
71.8

104.8
92.8
90.1
90.4
85.1

1 972-86
198 1 -8 6

2.2
3.7

2.6
4.3

-1 .3
-6 .4

-0 .2
-4 .6

A v e ra g e a n n u a l p e rc e n t c h an ge

1.5
2.4

1.3
-2 .3

-0 .9
-5 .8

11ncludes producers of nitrogenous fertilizer, manufacturers of phosphatic
fertilizer, establishments engaged in fertilizer mixing, and manufacturers of agricultural chemicals not elsewhere classified (mostly pesticides).

Overtime worked in the agrochemical industry by far
exceeded the manufacturing average in most years of the
study period. In 12 of the 15 years examined, overtime ran
ahead by one-third again as much or more, in 6 by one-half
again as much. Like many other chemicals, agricultural
chemicals are manufactured by means of continuous proc­
esses, operated around the clock and worked by employees
on either overtime or additional shifts. According to indus­
try sources, consistently high overtime in the industry is
linked to a large extent to the highly seasonal pattern of
industry output, combined with the difficulty in hiring and
training additional workers on a seasonal basis. Industry
sources also state that fertilizer manufacturers prefer to
hold on to experienced workers to oversee and maintain
instruments and equipment that are highly sensitive to
small changes in variables such as temperature and pres­
sure, and to provide the ceaseless attention that is required
to forestall breakdowns and costly downtime. Stability of
employment in the industry is indicated by labor turnover
rates. Accessions per 100 workers employed ran well below
the manufacturing average in 7 of the 10 years for which
data are available (1972-81), and separations in 8 of the 10.
The occupational composition of the industry differs
from the manufacturing average in important respects.
The industry employed a considerably higher proportion
of physical and chemical scientists and technicians in
1986 (11 percent) than did manufacturing as a whole (4
percent). Blue-collar supervisors played a relatively larger
role in the industry group (9 percent of employment) than
in manufacturing (4 percent), as did mechanics, installers,
and preparers (10 percent versus 4 percent). Occupations
23

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Productivity in Agricultural Chemicals

involving plant and systems operations also represented a
much higher share of industry employment (8 percent
versus 1 percent). Occupations requiring fewer skills and
less training, such as machine setters and tenders, trans­
portation and materials moving personnel, and helpers
and laborers, made up a somewhat lower proportion of
industry employment (31 percent) than in manufacturing
(34 percent).14

Capacity changes and capital spending
Productive capacity in the fertilizer industries ex­
panded by 35 percent between 1973 and 1981, but then
contracted by 8 percent over the next 5 years.15 These
movements were linked with significant changes in em­
ployment, namely, a parallel rise and drop, and also
affected output per hour. The following tabulation indi­
cates the magnitudes involved:
Percent change

Capacity..................... .......
Employment .............. .......
Productivity................ .......

1973-81

1981-86

35
18
10

-8
-24
9

In addition to, and notwithstanding, cutbacks in pro­
ductive capacity, there occurred a decline in capacity
utilization, from an average of 85 percent during the sev­
enties to 78 percent during the early eighties for nitrog­
enous fertilizer, and from 80 percent to 74 percent for
phosphatic fertilizer.16
The larger, more efficient fertilizer-producing plants
survived the capacity cutbacks of the early eighties,
thereby contributing to a strong improvement in produc­
tivity (as well as the large reduction in employment).
Thus, the number of ammonium-producing plants with
Table 3. Output per employee hour and related indexes in
the nitrogenous fertilizer industry, 1972-86
[1977=100]
O u tp u t p e r e m p lo y e e h o u r
Year

A ll

P ro d u c tio n

e m p lo y e e s

w o rk e rs

N o n p ro ­

E m p lo ye e h ou rs
O u tp u t

d u c tio n
w o rk e rs

A ll

P ro d u c tio n

e m p lo y e e s

w o rk e rs

N o n p ro ­
d u c tio n
w o rk e rs

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976

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

82.6
92.6
99.5
94.8
95.5

83.2
88.7
95.0
93.7
94.6

81.4
102.7
111.5
97.4
97.6

64.2
71.6
82.2
83.3
92.4

77.7
77.3
82.6
87.9
96.8

77.2
80.7
86.5
88.9
97.7

78.9
69.7
73.7
85.5
94.7

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

100.0
109.5
110.4
124.2
121.4

100.0
115.4
113.7
125.1
123.3

100.0
98.3
103.7
122.5
117.3

100.0
107.3
99.7
111.2
109.6

100.0
98.0
90.3
89.5
90.3

100.0
93.0
87.7
88.9
88.9

100.0
109.2
96.1
90.8
93.4

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986

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

114.7
128.1
152.6
149.7
133.5

122.9
141.9
164.2
160.2
141.7

99.6
104.9
131.6
130.5
118.1

97.0
88.7
103.8
103.0
72.0

84.6
70.0
68.0
68.8
54.7

78.9
63.2
63.2
64.3
51.5

97.4
85.5
78.9
78.9
61.8

-2 .8
-9.1

-0 .3
-7 .6

A v e ra g e a n n u a l p e rc e n t ch a n g e

1 972-86
1 981-86

3.9
4.2

4.7
4.8

Digitized for 24
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2.1
3.1

1.8
-4 .8

-2 .0
-8 .6

less than 1,000 tons per-day capacity dropped from 55 in
1982 to 30 in 1986, while the number of larger plants rose
from 30 to 31.17 The larger plants operate with substan­
tially lower unit labor requirements than the smaller ones.
For example, sulfuric acid produced in plants with one
million tons of capacity or more required, on average,
three-tenths of one employee hour per ton in each of oper­
ating and maintenance labor in 1986, half as much as that
required by smaller plants. Similarly, ammonia-producing
plants with a daily capacity of more than 1,000 tons re­
ported employee-hour requirements of 8 minutes per ton
for operating labor and just under 5 minutes for mainte­
nance labor. By contrast, plants with 600-1,000 tons of
daily capacity required 10 minutes and 7 minutes per ton
of output. The pattern for the production of other fertil­
izer materials is similar.18
Fixed assets per worker in agricultural chemicals have
been running about five times higher than the manufac­
turing average. The ratio rose over the study period as
employment was slashed, owing largely to capacity cut­
backs. Thus, of the 90 ammonia plants reported to be
operating in 1980, 54 were left in early 1987, idling an
estimated 5.5 million tons in productive capacity. Of 25
plants manufacturing phosphates in 1980, 13 closed, but
16 new ones were added, so that in this industry no net
loss in productive capacity occurred.19 In pesticide manu­
facturing, small increases in productive capacity have
taken place over the past decade, but the utilization rate
has shrunk, and employment losses in the industry since
1981 are partially attributable to this factor.20
Capital spending by establishments manufacturing ag­
ricultural chemicals declined at an average annual rate of
4.1 percent between 1972 and 1985, after adjusting for
price changes.21 The trend obscures great year-to-year
volatility in such spending, however. Thus, in 1974, the
industry’s capital spending nearly doubled from the previ­
ous year’s level, while in 1983, it dropped by close to half.
Up to 1979, the annual rate rose nearly 13 percent, on
average. Thereafter, it plunged by about same rate. The
following tabulation is illustrative:
Average annual percent change,
capital spending
Agricultural
chemicals
1972-85....................
1972-79....................
1979-85....................

-4.1
12.8
-12.6

All
manufacturing
2.3
5.0
-1.0

The gross book value of fixed assets per worker in the
industry ran close to four times that for all manufacturing
in 1972 and rose to five times that average in 1982. The
reason for the disparity was partly because employment in
the industry dropped 10 percent, as against 1 percent in
manufacturing generally, and partly because the indus-

try’s fixed assets grew at a somewhat faster rate than
those of all manufacturing establishments until 1981.
The agricultural chemicals industry is dominated by
large firms, and the growth in real capital expenditures
and fixed assets from 1972 to 1981 was accompanied by
an increase in the concentration of these firms. The 20
largest firms m anufacturing nitrogenous fertilizer ac­
counted for 87 percent of the value of shipments in 1982,
compared with 84 percent in 1972, and the 20 largest
firms producing phosphate fertilizer accounted for 92 per­
cent, as against 83 percent in the earlier year. For pesticides,
the pertinent figures were 85 percent in 1982 and 76 percent
10 years earlier. The higher concentration reflects some
consolidation brought on by the extended economic down­
turn of the early eighties.22

Technological advances
Im portant technological breakthroughs in the produc­
tion of fertilizer occurred chiefly prior to the review
period. Among them was the introduction of centrifugal
compressors in the manufacture of nitrogenous fertilizer.
The centrifugal compressor gradually displaced the recip­
rocal compressor, except in smaller plants where the scale
of operations made it uneconomical. Compressors are
needed in the amalgamation of hydrogen and nitrogen for
producing ammonia. The centrifugal compressor per­
m its— indeed requires— lower pressures (hence, less
energy per unit of output), less floor space, and less exten­
sive piping, thus reducing maintenance labor. At the time
of its inception, this new ammonia-producing technology
gave rise to a program of vast nitrogenous fertilizer plant
expansion. Whereas up to the early sixties, the 400-tons-aday plant had been the rule, plants began to be built three
and more times as large. The technology reduced (1) the
Table 4. Output per employee hour and related indexes in
the phosphate fertilizer industry, 1972-86
[1977=100]
Output per employee hour
Year

Nonpro­
All
Production
duction
employees workers
workers

Employee hours
Output

Nonpro­
All
Production
duction
employees workers
workers

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976

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

73.0
88.6
98.0
81.8
93.2

70.9
85.2
92.8
79.4
92.0

79.6
99.5
115.9
89.2
96.7

75.5
81.7
102.6
90.4
95.4

103.4
92.2
104.7
110.5
102.4

106.5
95.9
110.6
113.8
103.7

94.9
82.1
88.5
101.3
98.7

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

100.0
97.2
94.4
92.9
84.4

100.0
96.7
93.5
91.3
84.3

100.0
98.9
97.4
97.7
84.9

100.0
98.9
99.9
105.2
94.7

100.0
101.7
105.8
113.2
112.2

100.0
102.3
106.9
115.2
112.4

100.0
100.0
102.6
107.7
111.5

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986

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

88.0
108.1
121.8
113.5
104.7

91.9
108.3
124.9
119.8
114.2

78.6
107.2
114.0
99.3
84.9

84.7
94.9
108.2
99.3
79.5

96.3
87.8
88.8
87.5
75.9

92.2
87.6
86.6
82.9
69.6

107.7
88.5
94.9
100.0
93.6

2.0
5.8

2.8
7.3

-2 .2
-7 .5

0.5
-2 .9

Average annual percent change
197 2 -8 6
198 1 -8 6


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0.0
2.2

0.6
- .8

-1 .4
-6 .2

Table 5. Output per employee hour and related indexes in
the fertilizer mixing industry, 1972-861
[1977=100]
Output per employee hour
Year

Nonpro­
All
Production
duction
employees workers
workers

Employee hours
Output

Nonpro­
All
Production
duction
employees workers
workers

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976

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

79.7
84.2
95.6
96.2
104.3

82.3
85.9
97.8
100.1
106.5

74.9
81.0
91.3
89.0
100.0

73.0
82.1
84.3
84.5
87.2

91.6
97.5
88.2
87.8
83.6

88.7
95.6
86.2
84.4
81.9

97.4
101.3
92.3
94.9
87.2

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

100.0
102.6
107.0
90.6
83.3

100.0
104.8
100.6
92.2
84.5

100.0
98.6
122.8
87.4
80.9

100.0
89.7
94.4
99.7
87.1

100.0
87.4
88.2
110.1
104.6

100.0
85.6
93.8
108.1
103.1

100.0
91.0
76.9
114.1
107.7

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986

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

79.8
91.9
99.1
102.6
95.7

84.1
96.1
100.6
105.7
98.9

72.4
84.7
96.3
96.6
89.6

64.1
68.4
67.9
68.1
64.3

80.3
74.4
68.5
66.4
67.2

76.2
71.2
67.5
64.4
65.0

88.5
80.8
70.5
70.5
71.8

-2 .2
-7 .9

-2.1
-7 .8

Average annual percent change
1 972-86
198 1 -8 6

0.4
4.4

0.5
4.4

0.3
4.4

-1 .8
-3 .8

-2 .2
-7 .9

in clu d e s establishments which mix, but do not manufacture, fertilizer.

heat requirements associated with the removal of carbon
dioxide from the natural gas from which ammonia is ulti­
mately derived in the United States, (2) the power needed
in compression per ton of output, and (3) the labor per ton
of output, as economies of scale afforded by the larger
plants increased.23
Two m ajor technological breakthroughs in the sixties
provided the basis for shaping today’s phosphate indus­
try. These developments also led to changes in the overall
industry system of production, distribution, and even use
at the farm level. The first breakthrough was the process
for producing granular diammonium phosphate from wet
process acid. This technology made it possible to concen­
trate U.S. phosphate production in Florida and to take
advantage of the economics of mining, large-scale chemi­
cal plants, and water transportation of high-analysis
fertilizers to serve domestic and growing export markets.
The other technological innovation led to the production
of ammonium polyphosphate solutions from wet process
acids. This technology paved the way for subsequent
growth and development of the fluid fertilizer industry.
The diffusion of these developments was gradual, car­
rying well into the review period, and in fact, the methods
devised remain the technology of choice today. It was a
m ajor factor underlying the productivity improvements
during the period.24
The rising importance of ammoniated or diammonium
phosphates led to changes in the production processes of
fertilizer that occurred chiefly during the early seventies.
The shift to ammoniated phosphates encouraged the inno­
vation of the so-called pipe cross reactor in 1975 and its
subsequent diffusion throughout the industry. This device
raised the efficiency of amalgamating ammonium and phos25

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Productivity in Agricultural Chemicals

phate and displaced the tank reactor, which was more
energy intensive. The pipe cross reactor does not require
either pumping or pipelines for moving its contents, which
it spills directly into a granulator for granulation and cool­
ing. The worker who operates the granulator can at the
same time operate the pipe reactor, which use of the tank
reactor did not permit. Hence, direct labor per unit of out­
put was reduced, as was the labor needed to maintain pipes
and pumps.
In addition to heightening the accuracy of a given prod­
uct mix, advances in instrumentation are likely to have
eased maintenance tasks and lowered unit labor require­
ments. Solid-state instruments have gradually replaced
tubing— for example, in measuring mass flow— so that the
weight and volume of a material entering a process could
be determined in combination, rather than separately. Such
measuring devices have come to be linked to feedback sys­
tems which ensure an accurate mix at all times. Process
operators are enabled to perform more than one task, espe­
cially in the blending of fertilizer materials.26

Research and development
Products manufactured by the agricultural chemicals
industry are regarded as technology intensive by the N a­
tional Science Board, which defines research intensity as
r & d expenditures in excess of 2.6 percent of value
added.27 In terms of dollars spent, r & d in agricultural
chemicals is conducted predominantly by the pesticides
industry, for which pertinent expenditures have ac­
counted for between 13 and 20 percent of value added.
The bulk of pesticides research has gone into the develop­
ment of new products and the refinement of existing
Table 6. Output per employee hour and related indexes in
the agricultural chemicals n.e.c. industry, 1972-861
[1977=100]
O u tp u t p e r e m p lo y e e h ou r
Y ear

A ll

P ro d u c tio n

e m p lo y e e s

w o rk e rs

N o n p ro ­

E m p lo ye e h ou rs
O u tp u t

d u c tio n
w o rk e rs

A ll

P ro d u c tio n

e m p lo ye e s

w o rk e rs

N o n p ro ­
d u c tio n
w o rk e rs

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976

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

69.5
83.0
90.9
79.8
81.7

76.9
92.6
99.3
86.5
89.5

59.4
70.4
79.2
70.3
70.8

56.7
70.4
85.4
79.2
86.0

81.6
84.8
94.0
99.3
105.3

73.7
76.0
86.0
91.6
96.1

95.1
100.0
107.8
112.6
121.4

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

100.0
98.6
99.7
88.6
105.7

100.0
99.3
100.8
90.7
104.8

100.0
97.2
97.8
85.1
107.2

100.0
103.8
112.1
98.3
122.9

100.0
105.3
112.4
111.0
116.3

100.0
104.5
111.2
108.4
117.3

100.0
106.8
114.6
115.5
114.6

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986

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

95.7
97.2
110.0
103.1
103.1

101.1
104.1
112.0
106.5
105.1

87.7
87.2
106.8
97.7
99.9

105.6
96.5
115.1
105.3
105.7

110.3
99.3
104.6
102.1
102.5

104.5
92.7
102.8
98.9
100.6

120.4
110.7
107.8
107.8
105.8

1.9
-2 .3

0.5
-2.1

A v e ra g e a n n u a l p e rc e n t ch a n g e

197 2 -8 6
198 1 -8 6

2.3
.6

1.7
.7

3.1
.5

3.6
-1 .7

1.3
-2 .3

1Pesticides represent nearly nine-tenths of this industry component. Pesti­
cides denote herbicides, insecticides, and fungicides.

Digitized for 26
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products. Only between 10 and 14 percent of total r & d
expenditures have been devoted to process research,
which would be the most likely research to affect unit
labor requirements directly.28 Specific information on
such effects is not available. Not unlike pharmaceuticals,
pesticides are manufactured mostly by multistep batch
processes, which typically do not yield significant scale
economies. Although these processes have in many cases
been automated, the demand for individual products, of
which more than 170 have been listed for the 1970’s, is
relatively small. Some authors believe that “productivity
improvements cannot be large in the industry.”29
Research and development in fertilizers has been con­
ducted mostly by the National Fertilizer Development
Center of the Tennessee Valley Authority.30 In the fertil­
izer industry, product innovation is more closely linked
with process innovation than in pesticides, and it also
tends to reduce unit labor requirements more demonstra­
bly. For example, the t v a center developed diammonium
phosphate, the production of which involved a process
that doubled output from a plant of a given size in com­
parison with output of an earlier, industry-innovated
ammonium phosphate fertilizer.31 Research and develop­
ment efforts in agricultural chemicals are not focused
primarily on labor savings. Rather, they are aimed mainly
at reducing fertilizer costs to farmers, which entails a
search for ways to reduce energy inputs, storage, han­
dling, and transportation costs, and ease in application.32
Nonetheless, all new technologies have reduced unit labor
requirements in fertilizer production.33

Outlook
Minor gains in output per hour appear likely for the
agricultural chemicals industries over the next few years.
To some extent, these gains will arise from further reduc­
tions of less efficient plants, especially in fertilizer manu­
facturing. A tally of announcements by fertilizer-producing
companies indicates minor cutbacks in capacity for the pro­
duction of ammonia and ammonium phosphate.34 Other
industry sources believe that a slow growth in consumption
is resuming, albeit not at the peak levels of 1981.35 Some
authorities believe that as the year 2000 approaches, up to
200 world-scale plants featuring updated production tech­
nologies will have to be built.36 Again, the design of these
technologies is likely to emphasize energy and material sav­
ings, but lower maintenance costs and lowered risks of
downtime would normally also be an objective. If the aims
are achieved, unit labor requirements would be reduced as
well.
Bureau of Labor Statistics medium-level projections of
the agrochemical industry’s employment needs over the
next 12 years indicate a 23-percent decline in employment
from 1986 levels. Even the high projection shows a 14percent decline. However, some industry analysts doubt
that employment will fall as much as projected.
□

-FOOTNOTES
'Agricultural chemicals are classified as No. 287 in the Standard
Industrial Classification Manual published by the Office of Management
and Budget. The group of producers consists of establishments manufac­
turing nitrogenous fertilizer (sic 2873), those producing phosphatic
fertilizer (sic 2874), those engaged in fertilizer mixing (sic 2875), and
those manufacturing pesticides and agricultural chemicals not elsewhere
classified (n.e.c.; sic 2879). Productivity and related measures have been
computed by BLS for all four of the group’s industry components, as well
as for the three-digit group itself.
Average annual rates of change presented here are based on linear
least squares of the logarithms of the index numbers. All the measures
will be updated annually and will appear in the annual b l s bulletin,
Productivity Measures for Selected Industries.
2Labor costs in agricultural chemicals, as in other basic chemical
processing industries, account for only a small proportion of total costs.
In ammonia production, for example, costs of energy and materials
averaged 83 percent per ton in 1982, as against 4 percent for mainte­
nance and operating labor. The comparable figures for phosphates were
91 percent and 3 percent per ton. Hence, technological improvements in
the fertilizer industries have centered on material and energy savings
rather than on labor savings. (The Fertilizer Institute, Ammonia Produc­
tion Cost Survey, year ended December 31, 1986, and The Fertilizer
Institute, Phosphate Fertilizer Production Cost Survey, year ended De­
cember 31, 1986; compiled by National Fertilizer Development Center,
Economics and Marketing Staff, Muscle Shoals, a l . The surveys include
earlier years.)
industry sources.
4There are also many secondary soil nutrients, such as calcium, mag­
nesium, and sulfur, as well as micronutrients. See The Fertilizer
Handbook (Washington, DC, The Fertilizer Institute, 1982) for a discus­
sion of subjects related to fertilizer production and use.
5The Fertilizer Handbook, p. 59; see also J. Darwin Bridges, Fertilizer
Trends, Muscle Shoals, a l , National Fertilizer Development Center,
t v a , Bulletin Y-195, October 1986, pp. 12, 13.
industry sources.
1The Fertilizer Handbook, p. 62.
8U.S. Department of Commerce, The Detailed Input-Output Structure
o f the U.S. Economy, Vol. 1 (Washington, DC, U.S. Government Print­
ing Office, 1977), and Agricultural Statistics, 1986, various tables. “It is
estimated that fertilizer use substitutes for more than 150 million acres
of land plus labor, fuel and equipment requirements.” [The Impact o f
t v a ’s National Fertilizer Program (Muscle Shoals, a l : National Fertil­
izer Development Center, 1983), p. 5.]
9U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service, Agri­
cultural Resources: Inputs, Situation and Outlook Report, January 1987,
Table 7.
10Agricultural Statistics, 1986.
"Howard J. Sanders, “Herbicides,” Chemical and Engineering News,
August 3, 1981, p. 20ff. Also, industry sources, as well as information
from the National Fertilizer Development Center.
"information from the Chemical Workers Union’s research office.
1industry sources. The National Survey o f Professional, Administra­
tive, Technical, and Clerical Pay, March 1985 ( b l s Bulletin 2208) states
that changes in average salaries reflect a variety of factors: “For exam­
ple, an expansion in force may increase the proportion of employees at
the minimum salary of a rate range for a work level, which would tend to
lower the average for a job; a reduction or a low turnover in the work
force may have the opposite effect.” (p. 40).
14b l s m a tr ic e s o n e m p lo y m e n t b y in d u s tr y a n d o c c u p a tio n .


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1~North American Fertilizer Capacity Data, July

1987 (Muscle Shoals,
National Fertilizer Development Center, Economics and Marketing
Staff).
al,

16U.S. Bureau of the Census, Survey o f Plant Capacity, Current Indus­
trial Reports, various years.

17The Fertilizer Institute Ammonia Production Cost Survey, year ended
December 31, 1986.
nIbid.
]9Ibid.

20Inputs: Outlook and Situation, October 1983, and Agricultural Re­
sources, January 1987 (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic
Research Service).
"Capital spending data are taken from Table B-3, Economic Report of
the President, January 1987, and were deflated by the implicit price
deflators for fixed nonresidential investment.
"industry information.
23G. Russell James, “Large Ammonia Synthesis Plants: Their Effect
on Production Costs,” in The Impact o f New Technology, Fertilizer
Production and Marketing Conference, t v a , Knoxville, t n , October
4 -6 , 1967, p. 27. See also pertinent chapters in A.V. Slack, Fertilizer
Development and Trends, 1968 (Park Ridge, n j , Noyes Development
Corp., 1968).
24The Impact o f t v a ’s National Fertilizer Program, p. 7.
"National Fertilizer Development Center, Transferring Technology
from t v a ’s National Fertilizer Development Center, Muscle Shoals, a l ,
1982, p. 21.
"information from the National Fertilizer Development Center.
21Science Indicators, 1985 report, p. 197.
"National Agricultural Chemicals Association, Industry Profde Sur­
vey, published annually, various years.
29Basil Achilladelis and others, “A Study of Innovation in the Pesti­
cide Industry: Analysis of the Innovation Record of an Industrial
Sector.” Research Policy, no. 16, 1987, p. 176.
30“Technology from the [t v a research center] is estimated to be in­
volved in 3 of every 4 tons of fertilizer produced in the United States.”
Transferring Technology from t v a ’s National Fertilizer Development
Center, p. 5.

31The Impact o f t v a ’s National Fertilizer Program, p.

10.

32An example of a result of this effort is the rise in the proportion of
nutrient per ton of fertilizer delivered to the user. In the late 1940’s, each
ton of fertilizer moved 400 pounds of nutrient; in 1985, it moved 900
pounds. “As a least common denominator, the concept of higher analy­
sis fertilizers is the major source of benefits of fertilizer r & d .” T.H.
Foster, n f d c : A National Investment Paying Global Dividends, Muscle
Shoals, a l , t v a Office of Agricultural and Chemical Development, June
1985, p. 3.
33The Impact o f New Technology, p. 7; information from the National
Fertilizer Development Center.
34North American Fertilizer Capacity Data.
35Ibid.
" “Future Fertilizer Plants: What Will They Be Like?” Chemical En­
gineering, April 1, 1985, p. 21 ff. That as many as 200 world-scale plants
will be needed by the year 2000 has been questioned by industry sources.

27

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

APPENDIX:

•

Productivity in Agricultural Chemicals

Measurement techniques and limitations

The indexes of productivity measure changes in the
relation between the output of an industry and the em­
ployee hours expended on that output. An index of
productivity (for example, output per employee hour) is
derived by dividing an index of output by an index of
industry employee hours.
In the absence of adequate physical volume data for
three of the four industries making up the agricultural
chemicals group, 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 current-dollar values by means of appro­
priate price indexes at various levels of subaggregation for
a variety of products in each group. For the industry
classified as agricultural chemicals not elsewhere classi­
fied (including mostly pesticides), the output measure for
1972-81 has been derived from physical quantity data


28
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furnished by the National Agricultural Chemicals Associ­
ation. From 1982 forward, the measure is based on
deflated value data. All output segments were combined
to a total output index, by employee-hour weights.
Complete output data are available only for years when
a Census of Manufactures is taken (such as 1972, 1977,
and 1982). For the intercensal years, the data are based on
samples. Therefore, these data are benchmarked to Cen­
sus-year data.
The productivity indexes relate total output to one in­
p u t— labor. The indexes do not measure the specific
contribution of labor, capital, or any other single factor.
Rather, they reflect the joint effects of such factors as
changes in technology, capital investment, capacity utili­
zation, plant design and layout, skill and efforts of the
work forces, and managerial ability.

A note on communications
The Monthly Labor Review welcomes communications that supple­
ment, challenge, or expand on research published in its pages. To be
considered for publication, com m unications should be factual and
analytical, not polemical in tone. Communications should be addressed
to the E ditor-in-C hief, M on th ly L abor R eview , B ureau of L abor
Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC 20212.

Technical notes
Measuring the precision
of the Employment Cost Index
K

aren

O ’C o n o r

and

W

il l ia m

Wong

The Employment Cost Index ( e c i ) is a quarterly measure of
the rate of change in employer costs for employee compen­
sation per hour worked. Since 1986, measures of the
reliability (standard errors) of the e c i have been calculated
to assist users in evaluating the precision of estimates and to
improve the efficiency of the sample design. Beginning with
the 1988 annual bulletin on the e c i , standard errors will be
published yearly for measures of the annual change in the
e c i and its subseries.
This report presents examples of the standard error
tabulations that will be published. The tables provide esti­
mates of the percent changes and corresponding standard
errors for 12-month periods ending September 1987, De­
cember 1987, March 1988, and June 1988.
For the June 1988 tabulations, more than nine-tenths of
the standard errors are less than 0.7 percent. Only nine of
the measures are over 1 percent. These are in the series for
sales occupations, wholesale trade, and finance, insur­
ance, and real estate. The data for sales occupations
reflect the volatility of commission earnings, which ac­
count for a large percentage of the standard error for
those industries in which salesworkers on commission are
concentrated.
e c i.
The Employment Cost Index
measures the rate of change in employers’ cost for employee
compensation, free from the influence of employment shifts
among occupations and industries. The cost of compensa­
tion has two components: wages and salaries, and employee
benefits.
Wages and salaries are defined as the straight-time
hourly wage rate or, for workers not paid on an hourly

An overview o f the

Karen O’Conor and William Wong are mathematical statisticians in the
Statistical Methods Group in the Office of Compensation and Working
Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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basis, straight-time earnings or salaries divided by the cor­
responding number of scheduled hours. Straight-time
wages and salaries (or earnings) are the total before payroll
deductions, and include production bonuses, incentive
earnings, commission payments, and cost-of-living adjust­
ments. Excluded from wages and salaries, but included in
benefit costs, are premium pay for overtime and for work on
weekends, holidays, and late shifts.
Benefits covered by the e c i are: paid leave (vacations,
holidays, sick leave, and other leave); supplemental pay
(premium pay for overtime, shift differentials, nonproduc­
tion bonuses, and lump-sum payments provided in lieu of
wage increases); insurance benefits (life, health, and sick­
ness and accident coverage); retirement and savings benefits
(employer contributions to pension and other retirement
plans and savings and thrift plans); legally required benefits
(employer contributions for Social Security, railroad retire­
ment and supplemental retirement, railroad unemployment
insurance, Federal and State unemployment insurance,
workers’ compensation, and other legally required benefits
such as State temporary disability programs); and other
benefits (severance pay and contributions to supplemental
unemployment plans).
The e c i provides data for the civilian economy, exclud­
ing farms, households, and the Federal Government.
Within the civilian economy, separate index series are
provided for private industry and for State and local gov­
ernments. Each quarter, the Bureau collects straight-time
average hourly wage and salary rates and benefit cost data
(cents-per-hour-worked) from a probability sample of
about 18,000 occupations within approximately 3,600 es­
tablishments in private industry and about 3,300 occu­
pations within approximately 700 establishments in State
and local governments. The data are collected initially
through personal interview and are updated every quarter
by mail questionnaire or by telephone interview of an
establishment representative.
Because the e c i compensa­
tion change measures are estimates for a probability
sample, they are likely to differ from results that would be
obtained from a complete census of the employees within

Reliability o f the estimates.

29

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Technical Notes

Table 1. Twelve-month percent changes in the Employment Cost Index and associated standard errors, by occupation and
industry group, September 1987 to June 1988
[Not seasonally adjusted]
S e p te m b e r 1987
S erie s

M a rch 1988

D e c e m b e r 1987

J u n e 1988

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

ch a n g e

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

c h an ge

e rro r

C o m p e n sa tio n

Civilian workers ..................................................................

3.4

0.2

3.6

0.2

4.1

0.2

4.6

0.2

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar occupations........................................
Blue-collar o ccupations.........................................
Service occupations...............................................

3.8
2.7
3.3

.2
.2
.4

3.9
3.2
3.1

.3
.2
.4

4.1
4.3
3.6

.2
.2
.3

4.6
4.7
4.2

.3
.2
.3

Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing1...................................................
Manufacturing......................................................
Service-producing2..................................................
S ervices...............................................................
Health services................................................
H o sp ita ls......................................................
Public administration...........................................

2.6
2.6
3.8
4.8
4.3
4.6
4.1

.2
.2
.2
.3
.6
.4
.4

3.1
3.1
3.8
4.9
4.4
4.8
4.6

.2
.2
.2
.3
.4
.3
.4

4.3
4.7
4.0
5.2
4.3
5.1
4.3

.2
.2
.3
.4
.4
.3
.4

4.7
5.0
4.5
5.5
5.1
5.7
4.5

.2
.3
.3
.3
.5
.4
.6

Nonmanufacturing .................................................

3.7

.2

3.8

.2

3.9

.2

4.4

.3

Private industry w o rke rs................................................

3.3

.2

3.3

.2

3.9

.2

4.5

.2

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar occupations........................................
Blue-collar o ccupations.........................................
Service occupations...............................................

3.7
2.7
2.7

.3
.2
.6

3.7
3.1
2.4

.3
.2
.5

3.7
4.4
2.9

.3
.2
.4

4.4
4.7
3.6

.4
.2
.3

Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing1...................................................
Service-producing2 .................................................

2.6
3.8

.2
.3

3.1
3.7

.2
.4

4.4
3.6

.2
.3

4.8
4.3

.2
.4

State and local government w orkers...........................

4.2

.3

4.4

.3

4.9

.3

5.0

.3

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar occupations........................................
Blue-collar occupations.........................................

4.3
3.5

.4
.4

4.6
3.4

.4
.4

5.2
3.6

.4
.5

5.2
3.3

.3
.6

Workers, by industry division:
Services...................................................................
Excluding schools3 .............................................
Health services................................................
Schools.................................................................
Elementary and secondary............................
Public administration...............................................

4.3
4.1
4.4
4.4
4.8
4.1

.4
.6
.5
.6
.6
.4

4.4
3.7
4.7
4.8
5.0
4.6

.4
.4
.5
.5
.6
.4

5.4
5.5
5.0
5.3
5.6
4.3

.4
.6
.5
.5
.6
.4

5.4
5.0
4.8
5.5
5.8
4.5

.4
.4
.6
.5
.6
.6

3.4

.2

3.5

.2

3.5

.2

3.9

.2

4.0
2.6
3.3

.3
.2
.4

3.9
3.0
2.9

.3
.3
.4

3.6
3.3
2.8

.3
.2
.3

4.2
3.5
3.4

.3
.2
.3

Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing1...................................................
Manufacturing......................................................
Service-producing2 .................................................
S ervices...............................................................
Health services................................................
H o sp ita ls......................................................
Public administration...........................................

2.8
2.8
3.8
4.9
4.7
4.9
3.7

.2
.2
.3
.3
.4
.2
.4

3.1
3.4
3.7
5.0
4.6
5.0
4.1

.2
.2
.3
.3
.3
.2
.4

3.4
3.6
3.5
4.8
4.0
4.8
3.6

.2
.2
.2
.4
.4
.3
.4

3.8
3.8
4.0
4.9
4.9
5.6
3.8

.2
.3
.3
.3
.6
.5
.5

W a g e s a nd s a la rie s

Civilian workers ..................................................................
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar occupations........................................
Blue-collar occupations.........................................
Service occupations...............................................

Nonmanufacturing ..................................................

3.7

.2

3.6

.3

3.3

.3

3.9

.3

Private industry w o rke rs ................................................

3.3

.2

3.3

.3

3.3

.2

3.7

.3

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar occupations........................................
Blue-collar o ccupations.........................................
Service occupations...............................................

3.8
2.6
2.9

.3
.2
.6

3.7
3.0
2.4

.4
.3
.6

3.3
3.4
2.4

.3
.3
.5

4.0
3.6
3.0

.4
.2
.3

Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing1...................................................
Service-producing2 .................................................

2.8
3.7

.2
.3

3.2
3.5

.2
.4

3.5
3.1

.2
.3

3.8
3.7

.2
.4

State and local government w orkers...........................

4.1

.3

4.2

.3

4.4

.3

4.4

.3

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar occupations........................................
Blue-collar o ccupations.........................................

4.2
3.3

.4
.4

4.6
3.3

.4
.4

4.6
3.5

.4
.3

4.6
3.1

.4
.5

4.3
4.0
3.8
4.3
4.3
3.7

.4
.8
.6
.5
.6
.4

4.3
3.6
4.4
4.6
4.8
4.1

.5
.5
.6
.5
.6
.4

4.7
4.3
4.3
4.9
5.1
3.6

.4
.4
.5
.5
.6
.4

4.8
3.8
4.3
5.1
5.3
3.8

.4
.4
.5
.5
.6
.5

Workers, by industry division:
Excluding schools3 .............................................
Schools.................................................................
Elementary and secondary............................
Public administration...............................................

in clu d e s mining, construction, and manufacturing.
in clu d e s transportation; public utilities; trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; services; and, where applicable, public administration in State and local governments.
includes, for example, library, social, and health services, formerly called hospitals and other services.


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the scope of the survey (the survey population). The dif­
ference between an estimate calculated from a specific
sample and an average for all samples that could be drawn
from the survey population using the same methodology
for the same statistic is the sampling error.
When probability techniques are used to select a sample,
as in the e c i , statistical measures of precision called “esti­
mated standard errors” can be calculated. In turn, the
estimates’ standard errors can be used to construct “confi­
dence intervals,” which provide an indication of the
reliability of the estimates. The lower bound of a confidence
interval is constructed by subtracting a multiple of the stan­
dard error from the published estimate. The upper bound of
a confidence interval is constructed by adding the same
multiple of the standard error to the published estimate.
Confidence intervals have the following properties:
Suppose that samples are repeatedly drawn from the same
population. The data from each sample are used to com­
pute a percentage change (the survey estimate) and its
estimated standard error. The confidence intervals from
one standard error below each sample’s estimate to one
standard error above would include the value being esti­
mated for approximately 68 percent of the samples. That

is, we could say with 68-percent confidence that the
“true” value of a measurement, which could be obtained
only from a complete census of the population, falls
within ± one standard error of the sample estimate. Confi­
dence rises to 95 percent if the intervals surrounding
sample estimate are widened to ± two standard errors.
In table 1, the 12-month percentage change for total
compensation for all civilian workers was 4.6 percent for
the period ending June 1988. The estimated standard er­
ror for this change was 0.2 percent. Thus the 95-percent
confidence interval for the true population change is 4.2
[= 4.6 - (2 x 0.2)] percent to 5.0 [= 4.6 + (2 x 0.2)]
percent. Intervals for the other table entries can be calcu­
lated in a similar manner.
Total error, the difference between the survey estimate
and the true value, is composed of two parts: sampling error
and nonsampling error. Nonsampling errors can be traced
to sources such as: inability to obtain information about all
establishments in the sample; incomplete definitions of sur­
vey data elements; differences in the interpretation of
questions among survey interviewers and survey respon­
dents; inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide
correct information; mistakes in recording or coding the

Table 2. Twelve-month percent changes in the Employment Cost Index and associated standard errors, private industry
workers by occupation group, September 1987 to June 1988
[Not seasonally adjusted]
S e p te m b e r 1987
S erie s

D e c e m b e r 1987

M a rch 1988

J u n e 1988

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

c h an ge

e rro r

ch an ge

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

c h an ge

e rro r

C o m p e n sa tio n

Private industry w orke rs....................................................
Excluding sa le s .......................................................

3.3
3.4

0.2
.2

3.3
3.6

0.2
.2

3.9
4.2

0.2
.2

4.5
4.5

0.2
.2

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar occup a tion s...........................................
Excluding s a le s ...................................................
Professional specialty and technical.....................
Executive, administrative, and m anagerial..........
Sales.........................................................................
Administrative support, including c le rica l............

3.7
4.2
3.9
4.8
1.5
3.9

.3
.2
.4
.4
1.0
.2

3.7
4.2
4.1
4.4
1.2
4.1

.3
.3
.4
.5
1.2
.3

3.7
4.2
4.4
3.5
1.5
4.9

.3
.3
.5
.5
.9
.3

4.4
4.6
5.0
3.9
3.4
4.9

.4
.3
.5
.6
1.5
.3

2.7
2.8

.2
.3

3.1
3.1

.2
.4

4.4
4.1

.2
.4

4.7
4.3

.2
.3

2.7
2.6

.3
.5

3.4
2.9

.4
.5

5.0
4.0

.4
.4

5.2
4.7

.4
.6

Blue-collar occupations.............................................
Precision production, craft, and re p a ir................
Machine operators, assemblers,
and inspectors.......................................................
Transportation and material m oving.....................
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers..................................................................

2.2

.4

2.8

.4

4.6

.4

4.9

.4

Service occupations.......................................................

2.7

.6

2.4

.5

2.9

.4

3.6

.3

Private industry w orke rs....................................................
Excluding sa le s .......................................................

3.3
3.5

.2
.2

3.3
3.7

.3
.2

3.3
3.6

.2
.2

3.7
3.9

.3
.2

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar o ccup a tion s...........................................
Excluding s a le s ...................................................
Professional specialty and technical.....................
Executive, administrative, and m anagerial..........
Sales.........................................................................
Administrative support, including c le rica l............

3.8
4.4
4.3
4.7
1.4
4.1

.3
.3
.5
.4
1.3
.3

3.7
4.3
4.5
4.3
1.0
4.1

.4
.3
.4
.6
1.5
.3

3.3
3.9
4.0
3.2
.6
4.4

.3
.3
.5
.6
1.0
.3

4.0
4.2
4.8
3.6
2.9
4.2

.4
.3
.5
.7
1.7
.2

2.6
2.8

.2
.4

3.0
2.9

.3
.4

3.4
3.3

.3
.5

3.6
3.6

.2
.3

2.7
2.1

.4
.5

3.4
2.3

.5
.5

3.5
2.7

.4
.5

3.6
3.2

.4
.6

W a g e s a nd s a la rie s

Blue-collar occupations.............................................
Precision production, craft, and re p a ir.................
Machine operators, assemblers,
and inspectors.......................................................
Transportation and material m oving....................
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers..................................................................
Service occupations.......................................................


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2.3

.4

3.0

.5

3.9

.5

4.0

.3

2.9

.6

2.4

.6

2.4

.5

3.0

.3

31

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Technical Notes

data; and other errors of collection, response, processing,
coverage, and estimation (for missing data). Unlike the cal­
culation of sampling errors, the estimation of nonsampling
errors requires either the reinterview of some of the survey
respondents or the availability of independent corroborative
data. Thus, nonsampling errors are difficult and costly to
measure and are rarely calculated.
Through the use of a quality management program,

computer checks of the data for omissions, inconsisten­
cies, and questionable values, and professional review of
both individual and summarized data, efforts are made to
reduce the nonsampling errors in collecting, recording,
coding, and processing the data. However, nonsampling
errors are introduced into the survey estimates depending
on the extent to which quality management programs are
imperfect, and characteristics of sample units that do not

Table 3. Twelve-month percent changes in the Employment Cost Index and associated standard errors, private industry
workers by industry group, September 1987 to June 1988
[Not seasonally adjusted]
J u n e 1988

M a rch 1988

D e c e m b e r 1987

S e p te m b e r 1987
S erie s

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

ch a n g e

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

ch a n g e

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

C o m p e n s a tio n

Workers, by industry division:
Goods-produclng1...........................................................
Excluding sales o ccupations.............................

2.6
2.6

0.2
.2

3.1
3.1

0.2
.2

4.4
4.2

0.2
.2

4.8
4.8

0.2
.2

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

3.1

.5

3.7

.5

4.0

.4

4.1

.5

Manufacturing..............................................................
D ura b le s..................................................................
Nondurables.............................................................

2.6
2.3
3.3

.2
.3
.4

3.1
2.7
3.8

.2
.2
.3

4.7
4.7
4.5

.2
.2
.5

5.0
5.0
4.9

.3
.3
.5

Service-producing2..........................................................
Excluding sales occupations.............................

3.8
4.2

.3
.3

3.7
4.0

.4
.3

3.6
4.1

.3
.3

4.3
4.4

.4
.3

Transportation and public u tilities.............................
Transportation........................................................
Public utilities...........................................................

2.7
2.2
3.4

.4
.6
.3

3.0
2.7
3.3

.3
.5
.4

3.2
3.2
3.1

.4
.6
.3

3.1
3.4
2.6

.3
.5
.3

Wholesale and retail tra d e ........................................
Excluding sales occupations.............................
Wholesale tra d e ......................................................
Excluding sales o ccupations.............................
Retail tra d e ..............................................................

3.3
3.8
4.3
3.9
2.8

.5
.5
.8
.6
.5

3.0
3.3
4.0
3.7
2.5

.5
.4
1.0
.5
.5

3.6
3.7
3.6
3.8
3.5

.4
.4
.7
.5
.4

4.0
3.9
4.0
4.3
4.0

.3
.4
.8
.6
.3

Finance, insurance, and real e s ta te .........................
Excluding sales o ccupations.............................
Insurance.................................................................

2.7
4.5
—

1.2
.7
—

2.0
4.1
—

1.5
1.2
—

.6
3.3
—

1.5
1.3
—

3.1
3.8
6.0

2.5
1.6
1.0

Services........................................................................
Health se rvice s.......................................................
H ospitals..............................................................

5.2
4.3
4.7

.5
.7
.5

5.2
4.3
4.9

.5
.4
.3

5.2
4.2
5.1

.5
.5
.4

5.5
5.3
5.9

.4
.5
.6

N onmanufacturing..........................................................

3.6

.3

3.5

.3

3.6

.3

4.2

.3

W a g e s a nd s a la rie s

Workers, by industry division:
Goods-producing'...........................................................
Excluding sales occupations.............................

2.8
2.7

.2
.2

3.2
3.2

.2
.2

3.5
3.3

.2
.2

3.8
3.8

.2
.2

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

2.7

.6

3.2

.5

3.5

.4

4.0

.5

Manufacturing..............................................................
D ura b le s..................................................................
Nondurables.............................................................

2.8
2.6
3.3

.2
.3
.4

3.4
3.1
3.7

.2
.3
.4

3.6
3.4
3.9

.2
.2
.6

3.8
3.4
4.4

.3
.2
.6

Service-producing2..........................................................
Excluding sales o ccupations.............................

3.7
4.2

.3
.3

3.5
4.0

.4
.3

3.1
3.7

.3
.3

3.7
3.9

.4
.3

Transportation and public u tilities.............................
Transportation........................................................
Public utilities...........................................................

2.1
1.6
2.8

.3
.6
.3

2.1
1.7
2.6

.3
.5
.3

2.5
2.3
2.7

.3
.7
.2

2.5
2.1
2.7

.3
.5
.2

Wholesale and retail tra d e ........................................
Excluding sales occupations.............................
Wholesale tra d e ......................................................
Excluding sales occupations.............................
Retail tra d e ..............................................................

3.2
3.8
4.6
3.8
2.7

.4
.5
.9
.7
.5

3.0
3.4
4.1
3.7
2.6

.5
.4
1.2
.5
.4

3.1
3.3
3.1
3.3
3.2

.4
.4
.7
.5
.4

3.6
3.6
3.3
3.7
3.6

.4
.4
.9
.6
.4

Finance, insurance, and real e s ta te .........................
Excluding sales o ccupations.............................
Insurance.................................................................

2.2
4.3
—

1.4
.8
—

1.2
3.8
—

1.8
1.5
—

- .4
2.7
—

1.7
1.5
—

2.6
3.3
6.0

2.8
1.8
1.1

Services........................................................................
Health se rvice s.......................................................
H ospitals..............................................................

5.6
5.0
5.3

.5
.5
.3

5.4
4.6
5.1

.5
.3
.1

4.8
3.9
4.9

.6
.5
.3

4.9
5.2
5.8

*'< ;.'5
.7
.7

N onmanufacturing..........................................................

3.5

.3

3.4

.4

3.1

.3

3.8

.4

'Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.
inclu d e s transportation; public utilities; trade; finance, insurance, and real estate;

32

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services; and, where applicable, public administration In State and local governments.
Note : Dash indicates data not available.

Table 4. Twelve-month percent changes in the Employment Cost Index for benefits and associated standard errors, private
industry workers by occupation and industry group, September 1987 to June 1988
[Not seasonally adjusted]
J u n e 1988

M a rch 1988

D e ce m b e r 1987

S e p te m b e r 1987
S erie s

B e n e fit

S ta n d a rd

B e n e fit

S ta n d a rd

B e n e fit

S ta n d a rd

B e n e fit

S ta n d a rd

c h an ge

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

c h an ge

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

Private industry w orke rs....................................................

3.1

0.3

3.5

0.3

5.8

0.3

6.4

0.2

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar o ccup a tion s...........................................
Blue-collar occupations.............................................
Service occupations...................................................

3.5
2.8
2.4

.4
.3
.8

3.6
3.4
2.4

.4
.3
.8

5.1
6.8
4.4

.4
.4
.8

5.7
7.3
5.6

.4
.3
.7

Goods-producing1.......................................................
Service-producing2......................................................

2.4
3.8

.3
.4

2.9
4.0

.3
.4

6.4
5.3

.4
.4

7.0
5.8

.4
.4

Manufacturing..............................................................
Nonm anufacturing......................................................

2.0
3.9

.3
.4

2.6
4.0

.3
.4

7.0
5.1

.4
.4

7.6
5.6

.4
.3

Workers, by industry division:

’ Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.
in c lu d e s transportation; public utilities; trade; finance, insurance, and real

respond to the survey are different from those that do
respond. As is the case in most surveys, the impact of
these limitations on the e c i estimates is unknown.

Estimation o f standard errors.
As indicated earlier, a
standard error is a measure of the variation among the
estimates that could be calculated from different samples
with the same sample design. Because the e c i estimator,
like most index estimators, is a complex product of ratios,
its standard error is estimated by a replication method.
Replication methods involve taking a subset of the sam­
ple selected under the original sam ple design, and
estimating the statistic of interest using data only from the
subset. This subset estimate is called a replicate. Other
replicates are then computed by using different, possibly
overlapping subsets of the whole sample. In the e c i pro­
gram, 64 replicates are generally computed for each
published estimate.
The standard error of an estimate is calculated by sum­
ming the squared differences between the replicate esti­
mates and the estimate for the entire sample. In the e c i
program, this procedure is performed for the 12-month
percent change in compensation costs for a group of
workers. The formula used for calculating the standard
error for the 12-month percent change is:
64
ST ERR (Ps>t) =

(P,.M- P.,.)2

y2

64
i= 1
where Ps t is the published 12-month percent change for a
group of workers from time 5 to time t, calculated using
the whole sample; and PsXi is the 12-month percent
change for the same group of workers from time 5 to time
t, calculated using the ith replicate.
Use o f variances in sample allocation.
The variance
“ (that is, the square of the standard error) is used to allo­


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estate; services; and, where applicable, public adm inistration in State and
local governments.

cate the e c i sample of establishments among industries.
Originally, the sample design allocated the number of es­
tablishments to be surveyed in proportion to the number
of employees in each industry (2-digit Standard Industrial
Classification, or sic, basis), using the 1970 census as a
source of estimated employment. For example, 70 estab­
lishm ents were selected for study in the Food and
Kindred Products Industry (sic 20) and 7 establishments
in Metal Mining (sic 10), because the employment in
metal mining was approximately 10 percent of the em­
ployment in food and kindred products.
Beginning in 1981, a systematic sample replacement
scheme was introduced into the e c i program. This re­
sulted in the resam pling of about one-fourth of the
private-sector establishments each year. The industries
that had retained smaller proportions of their original
sample and that had the largest apparent volatility in their
estimates were resampled first. The size of the total sam­
ple was enlarged in subsequent years in line with e c i
budget increases, reflecting the Bureau’s desire to publish
additional series and a concern for better data quality.
With an establishment replacement schedule in place
and an expanding sample to allocate, the Bureau had a
growing need for reliable estimates of the standard error.
Because the variance of an estimate decreases as the sam­
ple size for that estimate increases, the e c i sample could
be allocated among industries in proportion to the vari­
ance of the industry estimate. Segments of the survey
population such as finance, insurance, and real estate
have variances that are approximately 20 times larger
than those for the rest of the population and should have
larger sample sizes. Because the e c i program makes esti­
mates for many different industries and occupations, the
sample size for wholesale trade and for finance, insurance,
and real estate could not, in practice, be increased propor­
tionally to the variance of estimates for those industries.
However, even if the sample size could be increased, the

33

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Technical Notes

variance for wholesale trade and for finance, insurance,
and real estate would remain large because of the large
fluctuations in commission earnings for salesworkers in
the survey population.
By March of 1986, the entire private-sector sample had
been replaced, so that estimates of the variance could be
calculated. The sample was split into 60 contiguous
pieces, or strata, and each piece was divided into two
samples, so that a replication method could be used. Pre­
liminary estimates indicated that the reliability of the e c i
estimates could be improved by as much as 20 percent, for
a given e c i sample size, if the allocation were appropri­
ately done using variances.
In 1986, the sample was allocated among industries
using a model based on variances. In 1987, the sample was
reallocated based on a revised model using current vari­
ance estimates. The allocations from the two models
differed significantly. More research and data are needed
to stabilize the model and its allocations.
The year-to-year fluctuation in the model results may
be caused by two factors. First, the 1986 model was based
on only two quarters of data in the manufacturing indus­
tries, three quarters in the mining industries, and two
quarters in the retail industries. Second, the model needed
to be adjusted to reflect the change in the survey popula­
tion from 1970 to 1980 census totals. The source of the
e c i estimates of total occupational employment by indus­
try was changed from the 1970 census to the 1980 census,
starting with the quarter ended June 1987. While work is
continuing on the variance model, the model is being used
to identify industries that are proportionately undersam­
pled and to increase their sample size.
Improvements to the model also are expected because
the e c i ’s variances are being reduced by increasing sam­
ple sizes and by sampling occupations in proportion to
their representation within establishments. Beginning
April 1987, the selection of occupations was made pro­
portional to the representation of the occupation (number
of employees in the occupation) in the selected establish­
ments. This change is expected to reduce the range of the
weights assigned to data from sample establishments and
help stabilize the variances. Also, the effect of the shift
from the 1970 to the 1980 census will diminish over time.
However, it will take 5 years for the full effect of these
changes to be seen in the estimates of annual compensa­
tion change. This is because the e c i sample is replaced
industry by industry over a 4-year cycle, and the new
sample must be in place for 1 year to permit calculation of
estimates of annual change using only new sample data.
In general, standard errors are determined by the size of
the estimate, the size of the sample, the sample design, and

34


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the variability of the estimate across subsets of the total
survey sample. For the e c i , the standard errors of the esti­
mated standard errors are comparatively low. They range
from 6 percent to 14 percent of the standard errors. Thus,
the estimates of standard errors are reasonably precise.
As one would expect, standard errors for aggregates,
such as the overall civilian estimate, are generally smaller
than those for individual industries or occupations be­
cause the samples underlying the aggregates are larger.
For example, the June 1988 12-month percent change in
compensation costs for blue-collar workers in private in­
dustry has an estimated standard error of 0.2 percent,
compared with a range of from 0.3 percent to 0.6 percent
for the four occupational groups within the blue-collar
category. (See table 2.) Similarly, the standard errors for
government-sector estimates are larger than those for the
private sector because the sample size for the government
sector is smaller.
Table 2 also shows that estimated standard errors associ­
ated with wage and salary changes for white-collar workers
are larger than those for blue-collar workers, primarily be­
cause of the large standard errors for salesworkers. With
salesworkers excluded, the estimated standard error is vir­
tually the same for blue- and white-collar workers.
Table 3 shows that standard errors for service-produc­
ing industries are larger than those for goods-producing
industries, again because of the greater representation of
salesworkers in service-producing industries, which in­
clude finance, insurance, and real estate. Table 2 shows
the estimated standard errors for groups of occupations.
As among industries, the highest estimated standard er­
rors of the published occupational series are found in sales
and in finance, insurance, and real estate. The estimated
standard errors associated with these series from Septem­
ber 1987 through June 1988 were between 0.7 and 2.8
percent. The series for finance, insurance, and real estate
excluding sales occupations is more reliable than the same
series with salesworkers.
This relatively small component of the work force
makes a disproportionate contribution to the standard
error of the e c i estimate for private industry. Saleswork­
ers accounted for 37 percent of the variance in the Dec­
ember 1987 12-month percent change and 53 percent of
the variance in the June 1988 12-month percent change
for private industry, even though they represented only 10
percent of the compensation costs in the private sector for
either period. The following tabulation presents the percent
of total compensation in the private sector by selected sub­
groups of workers in both periods, and the associated
percent of variance of annual change for each period:

Percent of—
Total
compensation
(December
and June)
Total private industry ...
Private industry, except
salesworkers ....................... ....
Salesworkers in
finance, insurance,
and real estate....................
Other salesworkers..............

Variance
of annual
change
December June

100

100

100

90

63

47

2
8

24
13

48
5

The original sample allocations for the finance, insur­
ance, and real estate portion of the e c i were proportional
to the census employment of that industry. Once the vari­
ance of the industry estim ates, particularly in sales
occupations, was obtained, efforts were made to control
it. The largest components of the variance are due to the
sales occupations in the establishments of security and
commodity brokers, dealers, exchanges, and services (that
is, stockbrokers). In 1987, the sample for the industry was
increased from 36 to 130 establishments, and an addi­
tional 140 establishments were selected for the collection
of data for sales workers only.

Table 5. Twelve-month percent changes in the Employment Cost Index and associated standard errors, private industry
workers by bargaining status, region, and area size, September 1987 to June 1988
[Not seasonally adjusted]
J u n e 1988

M a rc h 1988

D e c e m b e r 1987

S e p te m b e r 1987
S erie s

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

1 2 -m o n th

S ta n d a rd

ch a n g e

e rro r

c h an ge

e rro r

ch an ge

e rro r

ch a n g e

e rro r

C o m p e n sa tio n

Workers, by bargaining status:
U nio n ................................................................................
Goods-producing1.......................................................
Service-producing2......................................................

2.0
1.7
2.3

0.2
.3
.3

2.8
3.0
2.5

0.2
.3
.3

3.9
4.8
2.7

0.3
.4
.4

4.3
5.1
3.1

0.2
.3
.4

Manufacturing..............................................................
N onm anufacturing......................................................

1.6
2.4

.3
.3

2.8
2.7

.3
.3

5.5
2.7

.4
.3

5.8
3.0

.4
.3

N onunion.........................................................................
Goods-producing1.......................................................
Service-producing2......................................................

3.7
3.1
4.1

.2
.3
.4

3.6
3.2
3.9

.3
.3
.4

4.0
4.1
3.8

.3
.2
.4

4.5
4.6
4.5

.3
.3
.5

Manufacturing..............................................................
N onm anufacturing......................................................

3.2
4.0

.3
.3

3.2
3.8

.3
.4

4.2
3.8

.3
.4

4.5
4.6

.3
.5

4.5
2.7
3.1
2.8

.5
.3
.3
.5

5.0
3.0
2.8
2.6

.5
.3
.3
.5

4.6
3.8
4.1
3.1

.4
.4
.4
.5

5.3
4.6
4.1
3.9

.5
.4
.4
.3

3.3
3.2

.2
.4

3.4
3.2

.2
.5

4.0
3.6

.2
.4

4.5
4.1

.2
1.0

Workers, by region:
N ortheast.........................................................................
S o u th ................................................................................
Midwest (formerly North C en tra l).................................
W e s t.................................................................................
Workers, by area size:
Metropolitan areas..........................................................
Other a re a s ....................................................................

W a g es and s a la rie s

Workers, by bargaining status:
U nio n ................................................................................
Goods-producing1.......................................................
Service-producing2......................................................

1.7
1.6
1.8

.2
.4
.4

2.6
3.0
2.1

.2
.4
.4

2.6
3.0
2.1

.2
.2
.4

2.9
3.1
2.4

.2
.2
.4

Manufacturing..............................................................
Nonm anufacturing......................................................

1.6
1.8

.3
.3

3.0
2.2

.4
.3

3.2
2.0

.2
.3

3.3
2.5

.3
.3

N onunion.........................................................................
Goods-producing1.......................................................
Service-producing2......................................................

3.8
3.2
4.1

.3
.2
.4

3.6
3.4
3.8

.3
.2
.5

3.5
3.7
3.3

.3
.3
.4

4.0
4.2
4.0

.3
.3
.5

Manufacturing..............................................................
N onm anufacturing......................................................

3.5
3.9

.3
.4

3.4
3.7

.3
.4

3.8
3.3

.3
.3

4.0
4.0

.3
.5

4.5
2.6
3.4
2.9

.5
.3
.3
.6

5.0
2.8
2.9
2.6

.6
.3
.4
.7

4.1
3.0
3.1
2.8

.4
.4
.5
.6

4.6
3.8
2.8
3.7

.5
.5
.5
.4

3.3
3.3

.2
.5

3.4
3.3

.2
.6

3.2
3.4

.2
.5

3.7
4.1

.3
1.2

Workers, by region:
N ortheast.........................................................................
S o u th ................................................................................
Midwest (formerly North C en tra l).................................
W e s t.................................................................................
Workers, by area size:
Metropolitan areas..........................................................
Other a re a s .....................................................................

1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.
2 Includes transportation; public utilities; trade; finance, insurance, and real


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

estate; services; and, where applicable, public adm inistration in State and
local governments.

35

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Technical Notes

The most recent e c i sample has been in place for too
short a time to judge its effect on the standard error. The
estimate of annual relative change is a product of four
quarterly relative estimates, the first of which was calcu­
lated from the old sample and the last from the new
sample. (The relative is the ratio of current-quarter em­
ployment cost divided by the prior-quarter cost). An
estimate of change based on two estimates from different
samples will usually have a higher standard error than
one based on two estimates from the same sample. This
problem will continue to affect the e c i estimates until the
current sample has been active for a full year. It is possible
that the combination of the new sample and the fluctua­
tions in the stockbrokers’ commissions have overwhelmed
any reduction in the standard error that could have been
expected from the increase in sample size.
The e c i methodology cannot control for the distribution
of changes in wages and benefits among establishments.
This distribution has a large impact on the standard errors.
Changes in economic conditions can create large variations
in the change in wages and benefits offered in an industry.
Planned increases in sample size may not result in smaller


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standard errors if economic developments cause more vari­
ability in the wage and benefit change. Conversely, standard
errors may fall in the absence of any increase in sample size
if wage and benefit changes become more homogeneous.
As industry samples are replaced in the e c i , new sam­
ple size allocations will be developed based on the most
recent variance data available and a determination of ad­
ditional industry or occupational series to be published.
Recent budget increases allowed the Bureau to enlarge
the sample size for the service sector beginning in 1986.
Concern about the large variances for the finance indus­
tries has led to sample increases for those industries since
1987.

S t a n d a r d e r r o r s for the published e c i annual percent
changes will appear in the b l s annual bulletin on the
survey, enabling data users to assess the reliability of the
estimates by constructing confidence intervals. Improved
sampling methods, increased e c i sample sizes, and the use
of variances in sample allocation are expected to reduce
the magnitude of the standard errors, assuming relatively
stable economic conditions.
I I

Erratum
Because of an editorial oversight, reference to the State of Maine was
omitted from the article, “State workers’ compensation: enactments in
1988,” by LaVerne C. Tinsley, Monthly Labor Review, January 1989. The
name “Maine” should appear in the second column on p. 68, just before
the paragraph beginning “New coverage enacted for prisoners . . . . ”

Research Summaries
Spending patterns and income
of single and married parents
M

aureen

Boyle

The number of American families headed by single parents
has increased dramatically in the last three decades, grow­
ing from 9 percent of all households with children in 1960
to almost 24 percent in 1986.1 This increase in single-par­
ent families reflects the rise in separations and divorces,
and an increase in families that are headed by unmarried
mothers. The result is that 15 million of 63 million chil­
dren, almost 1 of 4 live in single-parent households: 42
percent of these 15 million children have parents who are
divorced, 27 percent of the children have parents who
never married, 25 percent have parents who are separated,
and 7 percent have a widowed parent.2 The Census Bureau
has estimated that more than 50 percent of all children will
spend at least some time in single-parent households. Al­
most 89 percent of the children in single-parent households
live with their mothers, and about 11 percent with their
fathers.3 Single-parent households headed by women are of
special interest because they are more likely to be poor than
are other households with children. Nearly half of all
households in poverty are headed by women.4
The growth in the number of single-parent households
and their economic situation is emerging as an important
issue of public policy. Although the policy implications of
single parenthood are not the topic of this summary, in­
formation about the economic situation of these families,
as provided in this report, can be useful in evaluating the
issue. A number of articles have examined the income and
characteristics of single parents: these articles have mainly
focused on households headed by women because they are
the majority.5 However, research comparing the expendi­
ture patterns of single-parent households and marriedparent households is scarce. The purpose of this report is to
compare, in some detail, the expenditure patterns of these
households. As an added dimension, comparisons are also
made for single parents living in poverty and single parents
not in poverty.
Maureen Boyle is an economist in the Division of Consumer Expendi­
ture Surveys, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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Background on data
The data used for this study are taken from the Interview
portion of the Consumer Expenditure Survey for the years
1984 through 1986.6 Expenditures and characteristics are
compared for all single parents and married parents and
then for single parents in poverty and single parents not in
poverty. Only consumer units which are complete income
reporters are used in this sample; this step was followed so as
not to distort the relationship between income and expendi­
tures.7 The Interview Survey selects participants on a
rotating panel basis and targets approximately 5,000 con­
sumer units each quarter. Respondents are interviewed for
five consecutive quarters. One-fifth of the sample is new to
the survey every quarter. The unit of study, the consumer
unit, is similar to a family or household.8 Single-parent fami­
lies include those consumer units with a male or female
reference person, no spouse present, and at least one child
under age 18 who is living in the unit. Married parents
include those consumer units in which both husband and
wife are present and at least one child is under the age of 18.
The reference person is the first member mentioned by the
respondent to the survey when asked to “Start with the
name of the person or one of the persons who owns or rents
the home.” Hence, either the husband or wife can be the
reference person. The demographics cited refer to the refer­
ence person.
Each consumer unit, in the sample of single-parent un­
its, is defined as above or below the poverty threshold.
The poverty threshold is based on family composition as
defined by the Bureau of the Census in the Current Popu­
lation Reports.9 For convenience, the following terms will
generally be used throughout the text: “single-parents”
for single parent units, “married parents” for married
parent units, “poor single parents” for single-parent units
living below the poverty threshold and “other single par­
ents” for single-parent units living above the poverty
threshold. Approximately 23 percent of all consumer un­
its with children are single-parent units. Results indicate
that married parents have more than twice as much in­
come as have single parents and own more than twice as
many vehicles (See table 1.). Married parents are more
likely to be homeowners. The reference person of a single­
parent unit is more likely to be black, and to have fewer
years of formal schooling than the reference person for a
married parent consumer unit. Single parents have a
larger share of their children in the oldest age group and a

37

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Research Summaries

smaller share in the youngest age group when compared
with married parents.
The consumption patterns of single parents may reflect
the sources of income as well as their income levels be­
cause regularity of income is likely to be im portant when
planning expenditures. The following tabulation presents
the percentages of consumer units reporting income from
these sources in the 1986 Consumer Expenditure Survey.
Single parents and married parents differ significantly ac­
cording to their sources of income:
Sources o f income:
percent reporting—

Single
parents

Married
parents

Money income before taxes...........
Wages and salaries...........................
Self employment income .................
Social Security, Railroad
Retirement, and other pensions ...
Dividends and other
property income...........................
Income from other sources..............
Public assistance...........................
Alimony and child support..........
Food stamps .................................

100
71
5

100
94
15

8

4

17
66
29
28
36

36
24
2
4
4

Only 71 percent of single parents report income from
wages and salaries, compared with 94 percent of married
parents. In contrast, 66 percent of single parents report
income from other sources, such as public assistance, food
stamps, alimony, and child support, compared to 24 percent
of married parents. Income from these sources may not be
received with regularity, especially income for child support
and alimony payments, which for single parents make up
more than a third of income from other sources. In 1983,
the aggregate amount of child support payments due was
$10.1 billion, but actual payments received amounted to
only about $7.1 billion.10 Of women entitled to receive child
support payments, 31 percent of black women and 23 per­
cent of white women received no payments.11 In addition, 8
percent of single parents report income from Social Secu­
rity, compared with 4 percent of married parents. With
Social Security including survivor benefits, this higher per­
centage for single parents is not surprising because 9
percent of all single parents are widowed.

Expenditures
Table 2 includes the average annual per household and
per capita expenditures of single parent and married par­
ent consumer units. Significant differences between the
two groups in the per household and per capita expendi­
tures are noted in columns three and six.12 Expenditure
categories like shelter and fuels, utilities, and public ser­
vices are best viewed in terms of per household expendi­
tures, because these goods are assumed to be consumed
jointly by household members. Other goods and services,
such as public transportation, are purchased and consumed
on an individual basis, and thus are more clearly viewed
Digitized for
38FRASER
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using per capita expenditures. Single parents spend less
than married parents for all categories of transportation
when per household expenditures are compared statisti­
cally. However, when per capita differences are examined,
single parents do not spend differently than married par­
ents on public transportation. When airline fares are
subtracted from total public transportation, single parents
spend more than married parents for the “other” category
of public transportation on a per capita basis.
Making comparisons on a per capita basis may control
for differences in family size, but it does not account for
differences in family composition. While babysitting and
day care expenditures will depend on the number of chil­
dren a family has, one might be tempted to make the
comparison on a per capita basis. However, because single
parents and married parents have, on average, approxi­
mately the same number of children (table 1), and married
parents have twice as many adults in their unit as single
parents by definition, the results will be distorted. When
per household expenditures for babysitting and day care
are examined, there is no significant difference between the
two groups. On a per capita basis, single parents appear to
spend more on babysitting and day care. While one could
argue that there are some married-parent households in
which the wife stays at home during the day so that day
care expenditures would be minimal or nonexistent, there
also are single parents who must stay at home because the
cost of entering the labor force may be higher than the
earnings that they would receive. However, in families in
which both parents work outside the home, two incomes
contribute to day care, whereas the single parent theoreti­
cally only has one. Thus, the per household comparison
shows a clearer picture of expenditures on day care and
babysitting; there is no statistically significant difference in
expenditures for the two groups in spite of the substantial
difference in income.
Table 1. Characteristics of single parents and married
parents, 1984-86
S in g le

M a rrie d

p a re n ts

p a re n ts

7.4
$14,671
$13,633
2.9
36

31.7
$33,153
$30,305
4.1
37

Average number in consumer unit:
Earners......................................
Children under 1 8 ......................
Vehicles.................................

1
1.7
1.1

2
1.9
2.6

Percent reporting:
Homeownership.........................
Black reference person...............

36
27

75
7

Education of reference person (percent):
Elementary (1 - 8 ) ..............................
High school ( 9 - 1 2 ) ................................
C ollege........................................

7
55
37

5
45
49

Percentage with children of ages:
Less than 6 .....................................
6 -1 1 ................................................
1 2 - 1 7 ............................................

35
43
55

49
44
46

C h a ra c te ris tic s

Number of consumer units (m illions)............
Income before ta x e s .................
Income after taxes.............................
Size of consumer u n it............................
Age of reference p e rs o n ...................

Table 2. Selected per household and per capita average expenditures of single-parent and married parent consumer units,
Interview Survey, 1984-86
P er c a p ita e x p e n d itu re s

P er h o u s e h o ld e x p e n d itu re s
Ite m

S ig n ific a n t

M a rrie d
p a re n ts

*

$5,979

$7,352

*

*
*

1,023
775
247

1,134
821
312

*

2,185
1,269
510
683
77
545
179
142
191

2,267
1,277
896
258
123
519
158
106
313

—
—

*
*
*
*
*
*

1,039
423
217
206
249
68
298

1,597
756
443
314
358
6
418

*

*
*

380
35
43
122
53
15
210
274
54
34
87

398
73
33
109
45
26
286
400
61
42
94

72
106
136
423

71
70
196
812

M a rrie d
p a re n ts

Average annual expenditures...................

$15,867

$28,708

F o o d ........................................................
Food at h o m e .....................................
Food away from h o m e ......................

2,846
2,200
647

4,521
3,295
1,226

H ousing...................................................
Shelter.................................................
Owned d w e llin g s............................
Rented dw ellings............................
Other lodging..................................
Utilities, fuels, and public services ...
Household operations.......................
Babysitting and day ca re ...............
Housefurnishings and equipment ....

5,699
3,264
1,306
1,756
203
1,492
440
344
503

8,794
4,937
3,491
963
483
2,047
597
394
1,213

*
*
*
*
*
*

Transportation........................................
Vehicle purchases..............................
Cars and trucks, n e w .....................
Cars and trucks, used ...................
Gasoline and motor o il......................
Public transportation..........................
Other vehicle expenses.....................

2,758
1,145
553
591
659
175
779

6,194
2,894
1,662
1,232
1,412
253
1,636

Apparel....................................................
Men age 16 and o v e r.........................
Boys ages 2 to 1 5 ..............................
Women age 16 and over...................
Girls ages 2 to 15 ..............................
Children under age 2 .........................
Health c a re .............................................
Entertainment.........................................
Personal c a re .........................................
R eading...................................................
Education................................................

1,023
97
120
315
153
39
556
712
147
90
245

1,569
286
140
425
187
96
1,126
1,565
241
162
384

Tobacco and smoking su p p lie s ...........
Miscellaneous1 ......................................
Contributions...........................................
Personal insurance and pensions........

192
277
370
1,083

278
269
767
3,139

’ Miscellaneous Includes safety deposit box rental, checking account fees, and
other bank services; legal fees; accounting fees; funerals; cemetery lots; union

Per household expenditures.
Many of the differences in
expenditures between single parents and married parents
can be explained by their characteristics. As mentioned ear­
lier, married parents on average have more than twice as
many vehicles as single parents and a higher rate of homeownership. These differences are clearly reflected in the
expenditures of single parents and married parents. Single
parents spend less than married parents for all categories of
transportation: vehicle purchases, gasoline and motor oil,
public transportation, and other vehicle expenses. In accord­
ance with their lower rate of homeownership, single parents
spend less than married parents on owned dwellings and
more on rented dwellings. Single parents also spend less
than married parents on expenditures for fuels, utilities, and
public services. This is most likely due to the fact that these
expenditures are often included in rental payments.
Per capita expenditures.
Single parents spend more per
capita than married parents on apparel for boys, girls, and
women and less on apparel for men and children under
age 2. It stands to reason that they would spend less on
men’s apparel, and more on women’s apparel because 87

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

S ig n ific a n t

S in g le
p a re n ts

S in g le
p a re n ts

d iffe re n c e
a t a = .0 1 .

—

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
—
*

d iffe re n c e
at a = .0 1 .

—
—

—
—

dues; occupational expenses; and finance charges other than for mortgage and
vehicles.

percent of all single-parent consumer units in this sample
are headed by women. Expenditures for infants’ apparel
are less for single parents because they have a lower pro­
portion of children in the younger age group. This
difference may also be explained by the fact that gifts,
which are more likely to be purchased by married couples
are included in these expenditures.13
Although single parents spend less than married par­
ents on total health care, they spend more on the services
of practitioners other than physicians. Single parents
spend less on all types of health insurance except Medi­
care, physicians’ services, eye care, prescription drugs, lab
tests, and x rays, excluding dental and eye care. The lim­
ited incomes of single parents may make them eligible for
Medicaid or other public health services and, therefore,
they have more restricted choice in their use of health care
which can affect their spending.
Single parents spend more on miscellaneous expendi­
tures, which include legal fees, than married parents.
Possibly, single parents spend more on legal fees because
they have fees for divorce and separation and for collection
of alimony and child support. In this sample, 48 percent of
39

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Research Summaries

single parents are divorced and 18 percent are separated.
The percentage of the sample reporting expenditures for
legal fees is 7 percent for single parents versus only 3 per­
cent for married parents.
One would expect single parents to spend less on discre­
tionary items because their incomes are lower on average.
Single parents spend less on food away from home than do
married parents: 76 percent of single parents report such
expenditures compared with 92 percent for married par­
ents. Single parents also spend less than married parents on
entertainment, personal care, reading, personal insurance,
and pensions. The expenditures for education, tobacco and
smoking supplies, and cash contributions are not signifi­
cantly different between single parents and married parents.

Single parents in poverty
In the sample used for this study, approximately 50
percent of all single parents have incomes below the pov­
erty th resh o ld .14 This result is consistent with th at
reported in the Current Population Reports for the same
period. Forty-four percent of poor single parents did not
graduate from high school, compared with only 13 per­

cent of other single parents. Conversely, only 4 percent of
poor single parents are college graduates, compared with
22 percent of other single parents. Thirty-one percent of
poor single parents live in the South and 14 percent live in
the West. The share of families in these regions is more
when examining other single parents; 36 percent live in
the South and 22 percent, in the West. For the Northeast
and Midwest, the numbers reverse. Twenty-two percent
of poor single parents live in the Northeast and 33 percent
live in the Midwest, compared to 18 percent of other
single parents living in the Northeast and 24 percent in
the Midwest. Ninety-four percent of poor single parents
are women, compared with 82 percent of other single
parents. Thirty-five percent of poor single parents are
black, compared with 20 percent of other single parents.
When comparing per household expenditures, poor sin­
gle-parent consumer units spend less than other single
parents for owned dwellings. (See table 3.) Poor single
parents also spend less on fuels, utilities, and public ser­
vices, and household operations, furnishings, and equip­
ment than other single parents. However, there is no
significant difference between the two groups for expendi-

Table 3. Selected per household and per capita average expenditures for single-parent consumer units in poverty and other
single-parent consumer units, Interview Survey, 1984-86
P er h o u s e h o ld e x p e n d itu re s
Ite m

S in g le

S ig n ific a n t

p a re n ts

s in g le

in p o v e rty

p a re n ts

S in g le

A ll o th e r

S ig n ific a n t

d iffe re n c e

p a re n ts

s in g le

d iffe re n c e

a t a = .0 1 .

in p o v e rty

p a re n ts

a t a = .0 1 .

.

$3,197

$8,329

*

*
*
*

763
679
84

1,242
857
385

.
*
*

*
*
*
*
*
*

1,304
750
152
586
12
391
70

2,929
1,708
812
764
132
676
272

.
*
*
*
*
*
*

520
691
4,002
1,674
872
802
893
246
1,190

.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

53
93
434
166
54
111
133
31
104

217
273
1,550
641
355
286
348
99
462

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*

621
39
94
129
115
51

1,362
146
142
472
185
28

.
*
*
*
*
*

205
12
29
46
36
18

528
54
55
186
68
12

*
*
*
*
*
*

Health c a re .............................................
Entertainment.........................................
Personal c a re .........................................
R eading...................................................
Education................................................

221
339
78
38
113

839
1,026
206
133
357

.
*
*
*
*

79
117
25
13
44

321
407
79
53
124

*
*
*
*
♦

Tobacco and smoking su p p lie s ...........
Miscellaneous1 .......................................
Contributions...........................................
Personal insurance and pensions........

183
143
40
191

199
389
649
1,838

*
*

65
55
15
64

77
149
239
727

*
*
*
*

Average annual expenditures...................
F o o d .......................................................
Food at h o m e .....................................
Food away from h o m e ......................

$9,423
2,362
2,121
241

$21,311
3,256
2,266
990

H ousing...................................................
Shelter.................................................
Owned dwellings ...........................
Rented dw ellings............................
Other lodging..................................
Utilities, fuels, and public services ...
Household operations.......................

3,771
2,135
441
1,662
31
1,172
183

7,329
4,218
2,036
1,835
348
1,762
657

Babysitting and day c a re ...............
Housefurnishings and e quipm ent....
Transportation........................................
Vehicle purchases..............................
Cars and trucks, n e w .....................
Cars and trucks, u s e d ...................
Gasoline and motor o i l ......................
Public transportation..........................
Other vehicle expenses.....................

136
282
1,284
519
176
343
381
92
292

Apparel....................................................
Men age 16 and o v e r.........................
Boys ages 2 to 1 5 ..............................
Women age 16 and over...................
Girls ages 2 to 15 ..............................
Children under age 2 .........................

^Miscellaneous includes safety deposit box rental, checking account fees and
other bank services; legal fees; accounting fees; funerals; cemetery lots; union

40

P er c a p ita e x p e n d itu re s

A ll o th e r


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dues; occupational expenses; and finance charges other than for mortgaqe and
vehicles.

tures on rented dwellings. At first glance, one would
expect poor single parents to spend more for rented dwell­
ings as a percentage of their total expenditures because 82
percent are renters, compared to only 48 percent of other
single parents. But poor single parents may be more likely
to live in subsidized or low rent housing than other single
parents, which would lower their out-of-pocket expense
for rented dwellings.
In all categories of transportation, poor single parents
spend less than other single parents. Transportation is a
necessity to most, but its frequency and form can vary
greatly, depending on an individual’s need and ability to pay.
On a per capita basis, poor single parents spend less
than other single parents on all categories of expenditures
listed in table 3. While poverty is common among single
parents, single parents also are becoming more prevalent
among those in poverty. More than one-third of the pov­
erty population consists of single m others and their
children.15 Children are more and more likely to live in
poverty. Currently, one-fourth of all American children
live in poverty, and it is estimated that more than 30
percent of children born in 1980 can expect to be on
welfare before they reach age 18.16
r e s u l t s o f t h i s s t u d y indicate that there are a
large number of significant differences between the expen­
diture p atterns of single-parent and m arried-parent
consumer units as well as between those of poor single
parents and other single parents. The expenditures of sin­
gle parents provide a vantage point on their economic well
being, although some differences may be related to differ­
ences in socioeconomic characteristics. While the com­
parisons provided a preliminary look at single parents’
expenditures, additional research is needed to determine
the relationship between parents’ marital status and ex­
penditures. This could be done by controlling for the
other differences in household composition and other de­
mographic characteristics that may affect expenditures.) |

The

------------ FOOTNOTES ------------

A c k n o w l e d g m e n t : The author thanks Gregory M. Brown for
statistical assistance and input into the development of this report.
1Marital

Status and Living Arrangements: March 1986, Current Popu­
lation Reports, Series P-20, No 418 (Bureau of the Census, 1986).
2Ibid.
3Marital Status and Living Arrangements: March 1986.
4Poverty in the United States: 1986, Current Population Reports, Series
P-60, No. 160, (Bureau of the Census, 1988).
5For examples see: Mary Jo Bane and Robert Weiss, “Alone Together:
The World of Single Parent Families, American Demographics, May
1980, pp. 11-16; Suzanne M. Bianchi and Judith Seltzer, “Life Without
Father,” American Demographics, December 1986, pp. 43-47; Irwin
Garfinkel and Sara McLanahan, Single Mothers and their Children: A
New American Dilemma (Washington, The Urban Institute, 1986); and


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George Masnick and Mary Jo Bane, The Nation's Families: 1960-1990
(Cambridge, m a , Joint Center for Urban Studies of MIT and Harvard
University, 1980).
6The Consumer Expenditure Survey is described in detail in BLS
Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988),
ch. 18.
7The distinction between complete and incomplete income reporters is
based in general on whether the respondent provided values for major
sources of income, such as wages and salaries, self-employment income,
and Social Security income. Even complete income reporters may not
have provided a full accounting of income from all sources. In the
current survey, across-the-board zero income reporting was designated
as invalid, and the consumer unit was categorized as an incomplete
reporter.
8The consumer unit is identified by any one of three living arrange­
ments: 1) all members of a household who are related by blood,
marriage, adoption, or other legal arrangements; 2) a person living alone
or sharing a household with others, but who is financially independent;
or 3) two or more persons living together who pool their income to make
joint expenditure decisions. Financial independence is determined by
three major expense categories: housing, food, and other living expenses.
To be considered financially independent, at least two of the three major
expense categories have to be provided by the respondent. The terms
“household,” “family,” and “consumer unit” are used interchangeably
throughout the text.
9Poverty in the United States: 1986 (Bureau of the Census, 1988.)
10Cynthia M. Taeber and Victor Valdisera, Women in the American
Economy, Current Population Reports, Series P-23, No. 146 (Bureau of
the Census, 1986).
uIbid.

12T o test for significant differences in sociodemographic characteris­
tics and expenditures between single parents and married parents and
between poor single parents and other single parents, a data base was
created using 1984—86 Consumer Expenditures Survey data. The data
used in this sample were collected in 1984-86. The actual expenditure
period covered is October 1983 to October 1986. A consumer unit may
appear from one to four times in the data base, due to the repeated
interviewing of each unit. However, each occurrence of a consumer unit
has been treated as if it were a separate unit. Treating each interview as
an independent observation assumes that the covariance among inter­
views of the same units is small when averaged over the entire sample.
The sample size is inversely related to the covariance of expenditures
among interviews. In addition, the weights used for any unit can change
from interview to interview because each quarter is a separate and com­
plete sample. These are the assumptions used in all Consumer
Expenditure Survey publications. For more information, see Consumer
Expenditure Survey: Interview Survey, 1984, Bulletin 2267 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1986). The data base for this time period contained a
sample of 17,796: 3,367 single-parent observations, 14,429 married-par­
ent observations, 1,607 poor single-parent observations, and 1,760 other
single-parent observations. Weighted ordinary least squares regressions
was used to test whether differences between the groups were statisti­
cally significant at the a = .01 level.
13Based on unpublished results, Thesia Garner, Division of Price and
Index Number Research, Consumer Expenditure Surveys, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1988.
14The poverty threshold used is the one established by the Bureau of
the Census, see Poverty in the United States (Bureau of the Census,
1988). For a three-person household with two children under age 18, the
poverty threshold in 1986 is $8,829 and for a four-person household with
two children under 18, the poverty threshold is $11,113. The t-tests used
in this section are one-tailed with a = .0 1 .
15Barbara R. Bergmann, The Economic Emergence o f Women (New
York, Basic Books, Inc., 1986), p. 228.
16“We Can’t Avoid Family Policy Much Longer,” Challenge, September-October 1985, p. 10.

41

Major Agreements
Expiring Next Month

This list of selected collective bargaining agreements expiring in April is based on information collected
by the Bureau’s Office of Compensation and Working Conditions. The list includes agreements covering
1,000 workers or more. Private industry is arranged in order of Standard Industrial Classification.

In d u stry or activity

E m p loyer and lo ca tio n

Labor o rg a n iza tio n 1

N um b er o f
w orkers

P rivate

Central Illinois Builders Association (Central Illinois)...................
Associated General Contractors, Builders Division (Minneapolis-St.
Paul, mn )
Associated General Contractors (St. Louis, mo) ....................................
Home Builders Association (St. Louis, mo ) ...............................
Associated General Contractors (St. Louis, mo ) .........................
Associated General Contractors (heavy and highway— Minnesota)...
Ohio Contractors Association (Ohio)......................................
Associated General Contractors (Illinois, excluding Chicago)..........
Ohio Contractors Association (Ohio and three counties in Kentucky).
Independent contractors (Minnesota)......................................

Carpenters and Joiners...............
Carpenters and Joiners...............

3,000
4,000

Laborers................................
Carpenters and Joiners...............
Carpenters and Joiners...............
Laborers................................
Operating Engineers..................
Teamsters ..............................
Laborers................................
Operating Engineers..................

4,000
3,000
3,000
4,500
10,000
3,500
12,000
6,000

Printing and publishing...........

Graphic Arts Association of the Delaware Valley (Philadelphia, pa) ..

Graphic Arts...........................

1,300

Chemicals..........................

North American Rayon Corp. (Tennessee)................................

United Textile Workers..............

1,200

Plastic products....................

Owens-Illinois, Inc. (Interstate).............................................

Glass, Pottery, Plastics and Allied
Workers

1,200

Primary metals ....................

Northern California foundries (Northern California)....................

Molders and Allied Workers........

1,000

Transportation equipment.......

United Technologies Corp., Hamilton Standard Division (Windsor,

Auto Workers .........................

5,500

Central Maine Power Co. (Maine)..........................................
Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (New Jersey).......................
Public Service Electric and Gas Co. (New Jersey).......................
Philadelphia Gas Works (Philadelphia, pa) ................................
Riverside Markets Division of Penn Traffic Co. (Pennsylvania) .......

Electrical Workers (ibew) ...........
Electrical Workers (ibew) ...........
Utility Co-Workers Association.....
Service Employees....................
Food and Commercial Workers.....

1,000
4,650
1,300
2,000
1,000

Twin City Area Metro Transit Commission (Minneapolis-St. Paul,

Amalgamated Transit Union........

2,100

Amalgamated Transit Union........

5,600

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

ct)

Utilities.............................

Retail trade.........................
P u blic

Transportation.....................

mn )

Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (Washington, dc
area)
'Affiliated with afl -cio except where noted as independent (Ind.).

Digitized for42
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Developments in
Industrial Relations
Employment cuts sought in rail transportation
The railroads’ long-standing drive to improve their
com petitive position by reducing em ploym ent was
boosted when csx Transportation and the United Trans­
portation Union agreed to cut one of the two brakeman
jobs from train crews on about one-third of csx’s system.
After the cut, crews will consist of an engineer, a conduc­
tor, and a brakeman. The crew reduction at the Nation’s
largest railroad initially applied only to the Louisville &
Nashville, Clinchfield, and Chattanooga lines, but similar
terms were subsequently negotiated for the Pere M ar­
quette and Hocking Valley lines. Negotiations on the
issue were continuing with the United Transportation
Union for the rest of the carrier’s 20,000 mile system, csx
currently has 38,000 employees, down from 72,000 in
1980 when it operated on 27,000 miles of track, csx’s goal
is to reduce employment to 30,000 and route mileage to
15,000 over the next 2 years.
The crew-reduction plan was a departure from plans of
the past because it called for cuts effective immediately,
rather than only when employees left through normal
attrition. The plan offers several options to those who
volunteer to leave:
• a $50,000 separation allowance;
• a transfer to another location where c sx needs workers
and $20,000 relocation allowance; or
• a furlough and a $25,000 payment, with the right to be
recalled to active service on a seniority basis.
If the number of volunteers falls short of the reduction
goals, csx is permitted to remove workers on a seniority
basis and pay them $40,000 to resign or $10,000 to accept
a furlough.
Although the carrier was centering its employment re­
duction effort on train crews, it also was pressing for some
cuts in its repair and maintenance work force. Even before
the United Transportation Union settlements, some of the

“Developments in Industrial Relations” is prepared by George Ruben of
the Division of Developments in Labor-Management Relations, Bureau
of Labor Statistics, and is largely based on information from secondary
sources.


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various unions representing these employees had accepted
similar “pay-for-job-loss” arrangements while others had
not and were contesting csx plans to unilaterally proceed
with employment cuts.
Although cutting jobs is the major issue in the current
industrywide bargaining, the carriers— including c s x
— and the unions also are bargaining on wages, benefits,
and working conditions. Contracts in the industry became
amendable on June 30, 1988, under provisions of the Rail­
way Labor Act, but bargaining has been continuing
without any major threats of work stoppages.

Initial contract for air traffic controllers
The Nation’s air traffic controllers negotiated their first
labor contract with the Federal Aviation Administration
( f a a ) since 11,400 controllers were fired by President
Ronald Reagan in 1981 for striking in violation of Federal
law. At that time, controllers were represented by the
Professional Air Traffic Controllers Organization, which
ceased operation in 1982 after undergoing bankruptcy
and losing its right to represent the controllers. In the
following years, a small number of the strikers won rein­
statement under an appeal procedure, but the Congress
failed in its efforts to require the President to reinstate a
substantial number of the strikers.
The successor union, the National Air Traffic Control­
lers Association, won the right to represent the current
force of 13,000 controllers in June 1987. A year later, R.
Steve Bell was elected president of the union, which has
7,000 members. The union’s constitution prohibits strikes
and Bell has vowed to work with the f a a to resolve
continuing problems stemming from the efforts to rebuild
the force of controllers and modernize the entire control
system.
The initial 3-year contract, which was subject to ratifica­
tion by members of the union, includes provisions that
would restore immunity to controllers reporting operating
errors or deficiencies in the system (immunity had been
dropped in 1980); assures union participation in accident
investigations involving controller actions; guarantees a rest
break after 2 hours of duty; guarantees employees 2 weeks
of vacation during the prime vacation season; establishes
joint committees on safety, technology, and other matters;

43

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Developments in Industrial Relations

and calls for development of improved methods to reduce
job stress.
The accord does not deal with salaries, which are set by
the President and the Congress. The annual pay of con­
trollers ranges from $19,000 to $55,000.

Footwear accords
Bargaining jointly, the Clothing and Textile Workers
and the Food and Commercial Workers negotiated con­
tracts with Brown Shoe Co. and Florsheim Shoe Co. for a
total of 9,500 employees.
The 3-year Florsheim settlement provides for a $300
lump-sum payment to all workers on the payroll on
M arch 1, 1989. Hourly employees will receive wage in­
creases of 15 cents in M arch 1990 and 10 cents in
November 1990 and March 1991. On the same dates,
piece workers will receive 23-, 15-, and 15-cent increases
in the base rate used in calculating their earnings. Prior to
the settlement, the employees reportedly earned a com­
bined average of $6.50 an hour.
Benefit changes include three 2 5-cent increases in the
pension rate, bringing it to $7.50 a month for each year of
credited service; three $5,000 increases in lifetime major
medical coverage, bringing it to $90,000; and a $50 reduc­
tion in the annual outpatient medical deductible.
The Brown accord covered 5,800 employees in Mis­
souri and Tennessee. It provides for three wage increases
totaling 45 cents an hour that will bring the average
hourly pay rate to $5.95.
The 2-year contract also provides for two 25-cent in­
creases in the $6.75 a month pension for each year of
credited service and for improvements in health care bene­
fits, including adoption of a $3,000 limit on an employee’s
annual out-of-pocket expenses and elimination of a $50
deductible on outpatient surgery.

Arbitrator sets wage award for textile workers
Following their earlier settlement on pensions and
other matters (see Monthly Labor Review, October 1988,
p. 46), the Bibb Co. and the Clothing and Textile Workers
began unsuccessful wage negotiations that led them to
resort to binding arbitration. A rbitrator K enneth S.
Brown ruled that the 2,500 union members employed in
the company’s Roanoke Rapids, n c , plants should receive
a 4-percent wage increase, the amount the union had been
seeking. Bibb had offered a 3.75-percent increase. The
award also provides for employees to be paid at time and
one-half rates for working Memorial Day. The union had
sought double time and one-half, while Bibb had pressed
for continuation of straight-time rates.
The pay changes resulted from a provision of the exist­
ing 3-year contract (which expires on March 31, 1991)
permitting negotiations when nonunion textile companies
raise wages.
44


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Paperworkers settlements
Members of United Paperworkers Local 900 in Rumford,
agreed to a 6-year contract with Boise-Cascade Corp.
that terminates premium pay for non-overtime weekend
work, effective in 1994. The settlement apparently was influ­
enced by the unsuccessful 16-month strike against Inter­
national Paper Co. plants in Jay, m e , and other locations
where similar changes were the focus of the dispute. A
union member in Jay contended the Boise-Cascade em­
ployees were prompted to settle early and accept costreducing contract changes because only about 25 of the
1,200 strikers at Jay’s International Paper mill had been
recalled since the strike ended in October 1988. (See
Monthly Labor Review, January 1989, p. 32, for a descrip­
tion of the strikes and the contract settlement that ended a
lockout at International Paper’s Mobile, a l , mills.)
The Boise-Cascade agreement, scheduled to take effect
when the current agreement expires June 30, 1989, also
provides for:
me,

• elimination of a 1-day paid shutdown on Christmas
Day, effective in 1990;
• employee assumption of some health insurance costs;
• changes in work rules and seniority provisions benefi­
cial to the company;
• a $3,000 lump-sum payment to each employee in the
first year;
• 2-percent wage increases in the second and third years,
followed by 2-percent increases in each of the final 3
years; these amounts could be raised depending on the
“industry standard” at the time; and
• improvements in dental, life, and sickness and accident
benefits.
The 6-year contract indicated a movement toward
longer term contracts in the industry, contrasting the 2or 3-year contracts that prevailed in the past. At the time
of the Boise-Cascade settlement, International Paper re­
portedly was seeking a 6-year contract at its Ticonderoga,
n y , mill. The locked-out employees at International Pa­
per’s Mobile, a l , mill also accepted a 6-year contract,
enabling them to return to work.
Elsewhere, members of United Paperworkers locals 1148
and 1140 settled with International Paper’s Texarkana, a r ,
mill. An official at Local 1149 said the 3-year contract was
accepted “reluctantly— by a narrow margin.”
The new contract, running to November 30, 1991, pro­
vides for:
• immediate lump-sum payments ranging from $500 to
$1,100, varying by job classification;
• an immediate 25-cent-an-hour wage increase to 440
production employees to compensate for the termina­
tion of weekend premium pay under the 1985 accord
(about 130 mechanics and machine operators did not
receive the increase);

• 2-percent general wage increases in the second and
third years; and
• a new savings plan, permitting employees to invest up
to 4 percent of their earnings, with the company m atch­
ing half of the amount.
Prior to the settlement, International Paper had an­
nounced it would invest $100 million in the plant to
increase output of bleached paperboard.

Philadelphia grocery store workers get 1-year contract
In Philadelphia, 2,400 grocery store employees were
covered by a settlement between 35 Super Fresh Stores
and Local 1357 of the United Food and Commercial
Workers. Unlike past agreements, which were usually of
3-year duration, the new agreement is for only 1 year
because of uncertain conditions resulting from changes in
management of the chain and expected changes in the
jurisdiction of local unions in Pennsylvania and nearby
States.
The single wage increase is 50 cents an hour for assis­
tant store managers, grocery and produce managers, and
head cashiers, bringing their rates to $15.30, $13.30, and
$12.80, respectively; 40 cents for clerks and cashiers with
3 years or more of service, and 30 cents for those with
fewer than 3 years; and 30 cents for customer service
clerks.
Employees continue to receive bonus payments from an
allocation equal to 1 percent of their store’s gross sales.
The payments reportedly have averaged about 81 cents
per hour worked.
The contract also obligates Super Fresh to pay an addi­
tional $5 a week per worker into the pension fund and up
to $12.50 a week per employee to maintain health and
welfare benefits.
In a change beneficial to the company, new employees
will be paid time and one-quarter for Sunday work, al­
though employees already on the payroll will continue to
receive time and one-half.


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Housing-aid fund negotiated for Boston hotel workers
More than 3,000 employees of 13 Boston hotels were
covered by settlements that established a fund to aid em­
ployees in purchasing homes or renting apartments. An
official of Local 26 of the Hotel Employees and Restau­
rant Employees said that housing was the top issue in the
negotiations because 98 percent of the members’ families
did not earn the $60,000 a year needed to buy a median
priced home, and 78 percent did not earn the $32,000 a
year needed to pay the monthly rent on a median priced
apartment.
The fund, accumulated through an employer payment
of 5 cents for each hour worked by the employees, will be
administered by a joint committee that will disburse the
money in the form of loans and grants. The local plans to
seek to expand the available money for loans by also
drawing from the pension fund covering the employees.
The parties agreed not to begin the housing-aid plan until
legislated changes in Federal labor law assure the legality
of the joint housing fund. If this does not occur within 18
months, the accrued money will be shifted into the exist­
ing health and welfare fund and used for other benefits.
According to the a f l -c i o , this was the first time that
collective bargainers established a joint trust fund for pro­
viding employee housing. The Federation did indicate
that some union contracts with mining companies had
provisions for providing housing for employees, but not
through a trust fund.
Other terms of the new 3-year labor contracts included
wage increases totaling about 16 percent (according to the
union, 60 percent of the employees had been receiving
$7.35 an hour, the lowest rate in the previous contract);
establishment of an education fund to finance English
language instruction, a literacy program, and college
scholarships; increased employer financing of pensions;
provision for voter registration of employees to be con­
ducted in the hotels; and a reduction to 15, from 16, in the
number of rooms an employee must clean during a work

shift.

EH

45

Book Reviews
A new look at trade policy
Strategic Trade Policy and the New International Econom­
ics. Edited by Paul R. Krugman. Cambridge, m a ,
The m i t Press, 1986. 313 pp. $12.50, paper.
“Strategic” is one of those wonderful words that always
seems to have a positive connotation and can be used in a
variety of ways, depending on one’s preferences or objec­
tives. There are at least three senses of “strategic” in this
collection of papers that were presented at a 1984 confer­
ence sponsored by the E xport-Im port Bank. First, of
most interest to economists, is the theory of government
policies affecting the strategic decisions of oligopolists in
international markets. Second, of most interest to stu­
dents of public policy, are the strategic considerations
involved in the game of trade negotiation. And third, of
most interest to special interests, is the designation of
certain industrial activities as “strategic” in the sense of
being so important they should be pursued for their own
sake.
The three papers that set forth the arguments for and
against an active commercial policy—export subsidies in
particular— in an imperfectly competitive world do a
good job of distilling this relatively new strand of theory
to an accessible form. At the risk of taking the distillation
process too far, I took the basic analysis to be: In an
international economy in which few firms are competing
for market share given the projected output of their rivals,
a production subsidy will induce the domestic industry to
raise output. As the foreign competition adjusts to the
new output structure by reducing production, the domes­
tic industry captures increased market share and shifts the
resulting profits to the domestic economy in an amount
that will more than offset the subsidy.
The argument is intriguing, but as the critique offered
by Gene M. Grossman concludes, even given in theory,
“ ...a firm basis for an ideal targeting policy. ...[H]ow
close could economists and policymakers come to identify­
ing this ideal?” Although Barbara J. Spencer’s essay
encourages the research necessary to find out, there can be
no illusions about the ease of the task. If anything, the
seven characteristics of good policy targets she outlines


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each hold the seeds for significant dispute. For example,
her third factor, “ [t]he domestic industry involved in ex­
porting should be more concentrated or equally as con­
centrated as the rival foreign industry,” not only leads to
measurement disputes about the meaning of concentration
but also raises the issue of the income distribution effects
of subsidizing the most concentrated industries. For exam­
ple, as Spencer points out, one implication of this policy
criterion is that “ . . . high worker rents due to unioniza­
tion might be used as an indication that the industry could
be a candidate for targeting by the government.”
The second meaning of strategy—the efforts of govern­
ment to influence the behavior of other governments—is
reviewed by J. David Richardson. His paper very clearly
summarizes the implications of the theory of “prisoners’
dilemrna” games for trade negotiators. The dilemma: m u­
tually cooperative moves will benefit both parties most.
However, the structure of the game makes noncoopera­
tive initiatives seem best, which costs both players on the
first play. However, Richardson goes beyond that simple
framework to report on the results of repeated plays and
the strategy that works best in that more realistic struc­
ture. He finds, with the help of a quote from Robert
Axelrod, a game theory researcher, “ . . . the best kind
of strategy over repeated play is ‘nice, forgiving, clear and
provocable.’ ” Active protection or promotion of one’s
international trade finds a justification in the provocable
nature of an effective foreign economic policy.
The third meaning of strategy, the selection of industries
worthy of government support on the basis of their pre­
sumed importance to the Nation, is indulged in a paper by
Michael Borrus, Laura D ’Andrea Tyson, and John Zysman
that outlines the development of the Japanese semiconduc­
tor industry. They characterize the success of that industry
as “ . . . a planned result of a concerted policy effort.” In
an essay examining Japanese industrial policy in some de­
tail, however, Kozo Yamamura warns that such policies
may be “ . . . more effective than many economists would
admit but substantially less so than maintained by the
Americans urging adoption of industrial policy a la Japa­
nese. I am also persuaded that the effectiveness of Japanese

industrial policy was achieved at the cost of economic effi­
ciency and political ‘fairness’ . . . ”
The technical material in Strategic Trade Policy and the
New International Economics is enlightening, yet pre­
sented without the daunting formal apparatus of the more
rigorous literature from which it drew. The volume as a
whole is well balanced by the editor, both in the selection
of contributors and in the introductory essay. I recom­
mend it to anyone who is interested in the essentials of
this new approach to trade policy.
--------R i c h a r d M . D

evens,

Jr .

Office of Current Employment Analysis
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Publications received
Economic and social statistics
Blau, David M., Jere R. Behrman, Barbara L. Wolfe, “Schooling
and Earnings Distributions with Endogenous Labour Force
Participation, Marital Status and Family Size,” Economica,
August 1988, pp. 297-316.
Crispell, Diane, “Three’s a Crowd,” American Demographics,
January 1989, pp. 34-38.
Dellaportas, George, “On the Misuses—and Proper Uses—of
Statistics: A Critique of [A. J.] Jaffe and [Herbert] Spirer’s
‘Misuses of Statistics,’ ” American Journal of Economics,
October 1988, pp. 459-60.
Eisner, Robert, “Extended Accounts for National Income and
Product,” Journal of Economic Literature, December 1988,
pp. 1611-84.
Gastwirth, Joseph L., Statistical Reasoning in Law and Public
Policy. San Diego, c a , Academic Press, Inc., 1988, 955 pp.
$84.50.
Lee, Kevin, “Inflation and Labour Market Adjustment: The UK
Experience,” Economica, August 1988, pp. 409-16.
Lichtenberg, Frank R., Government Subsidies to Private Military
Investment: d o d ’s i r & d Policy. Cambridge, M A , National
Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1988, 15 pp. (Working
Paper Series, 2745.) $2, paper.
Peacock, Walter Gillis, Greg A. Hoover, Charles D. Killian,
“Divergence and Convergence in International Develop­
ment: A Decomposition Analysis of Inequality in the
World System,” American Sociological Review, December
1988, pp. 838-52.
Raymondo, James C., “How to Estimate Population,” American
Demographics, January 1989, pp. 46-49.
Robinson, John P., “Who’s Doing the Housework?” American
Demographics, December 1988, beginning on p. 24.
Schwartz, Joe, “Back to the Source,” American Demographics,
January 1989, pp. 22-26.
Stigler, George J., “Palgrave’s Dictionary of Economics,” Jour­
nal o f Economic Literature, December 1988, pp. 1729-36.

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Tracy, Joseph, Comparisons Between Public and Private Sector
Union Wage Differentials: Does the Legal Environment
Matter? Cambridge MA, National Bureau of Economic Re­
search, Inc., 1988, 33 pp. (Working Paper Series, 2755.) $2,
paper.

Education
Buglass, Karen, “Private Schools Meet the Public,” American
Demographics, December 1988, beginning on p. 34.
“Education: The Search for a New Consensus, by George S.
Papadopoulos; “Education, Economy and Political Will,”
by Gregory K. Wurzburg; “School and Beyond,” by Dorotea Furth; “Policies for Quality in Schooling,” by David
Istance; and “Education in Turkey,” by John Lowe, The
o e c d Observer, October-November 1988, pp. 4-21.

Health and safety
Frisvold, George, Richard Mines, Jeffrey M. Perloff, “The Ef­
fects of Job-Site Sanitation and Living Conditions on the
Health and Welfare of Agricultural Workers,” American
Journal of Agricultural Economics, November 1988, pp.
875-85.

Industrial relations
Abraham, Katharine G. and Henry S. Farber, “Returns to Se­
niority in Union and Nonunion Jobs: A New Look at the
Evidence,” Industrial and Labor Relations Review, October
1988, pp. 3-19.
Beenstock, Michael and Chris Whitbread, “Explaining Changes
in the Union Mark-Up for Male Manual Workers in Great
Britain, 1953-1983,” British Journal of Industrial Rela­
tions, November 1988, pp. 327-38.
Brooks, Adrian, “Rethinking Occupational Health and Safety
Legislation,” The Journal of Industrial Relations, Septem­
ber 1988, pp. 347-62.
Brown, William and Peter Nolan, “Wages and Labour Produc­
tivity: The Contribution of Industrial Relations Research to
the Understanding of Pay Determination,” British Journal
o f Industrial Relations, November 1988, pp. 339-61.
Edwards, P. K. and George Sayers Bain, “Why Are Trade
Unions Becoming More Popular? Unions and Public Opin­
ion in Britain,"British Journal o f Industrial Relations,
November 1988, pp. 311-26.
Gerhart, Paul F., Saving Plants and Jobs: Union-Management
Negotiations in the Context of Threatened Plant Closing,
Kalamazoo, m i , W. E. Upjohn Institute for Employment
Research, 1987, 109 pp.
Kassalow, Everett M., “Concession Bargaining: Towards New
Roles for American Unions and Managers,” International
Labour Review, Vol. 127, No. 5, 1988, pp. 573-92.
Maranto, Cheryl L., “Corporate Characteristics and Union Or­
ganizing,” Industrial Relations, Fall 1988, pp. 352-70.
Martin, Philip L., Suzanne Vaupel, Daniel L. Egan, Unfulfilled
Promise: Collective Bargaining in California Agriculture.
Boulder, co, Westview Press, 1988, 217 pp. $21.50, paper.
Meyer, David and William Cooke, “Economic and Political
Factors in Formal Grievance Resolution,” Industrial Rela­
tions, Fall 1988, pp. 318-35.
Waddington, Jeremy, “Trade Union Mergers: A Study of Trade
Union Structural Dynamics,” British Journal o f Industrial
Relations, November 1988, pp. 409-30.
47

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Book Reviews

International economics
Kaempfer, William H., Stephen V. Marks, Thomas D. Willett,
“Why Do Large Countries Prefer Quantitative Trade Re­
strictions?” Kyklos, Vol. 41, 1988, Fasc. 4, pp. 625-46.
Kang, T. W Is Korea the Next Japan? Understanding the Struc­
ture, Strategy, and Tactics of America’s Next Competitor.
New York, The Free Press, 1988, 196 pp. $19.95.
Kelley, Allen C., “Economic Consequences of Population
Change in the Third World,” Journal of Economic Litera­
ture, December 1988, pp. 1685-1728.
Northrup, Herbert R„ Duncan C. Campbell, Betty J. Slowinski,
“Multinational Union-Management Consultation in Eu­
rope: Resurgence in the 1980’s?” International Labour
Review, Vol. 127, No. 5, 1988, pp. 525-43.
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development,
o e c d Employment Outlook, September 1988. Paris, 225 pp.
Available in the United States from the Washington branch
of O E C D .
Vernon, Raymond and Debora Spar, Beyond Globalism: Re­
making American Foreign Economic Policy. New York, The
Free Press, 1988, 246 pp. $22.95.

Labor and economic history
Zurier, Rebecca, Art for the Masses: A Radical Magazine and Its
Graphics, 1911-1917. Philadelphia, Temple University
Press, 1988, 216 pp. $29.95

Labor force
Ambry, Margaret, “At Home in the Office,” American Demo­
graphics, December 1988, beginning on p. 30.
Carter, Susan B., “The Changing Importance of Lifetime Jobs,
1892-1978,” Industrial Relations, Fall 1988, pp. 287-300.
Cyert, Richard M. and David C. Mowery, eds., The Impact of
Technological Change on Employment and Economic
Growth. Cambridge, m a , Ballinger Publishing Co., 1988,
576 pp. $39.95.
Howland, Marie and George E. Peterson, “Labor Market Con­
ditions and the Reemployment of Displaced Workers,”
Industrial and Labor Relations Review, October 1988 pp
109-22.
Hutchens, Robert M., “Do Job Opportunities Decline With
Age?” Industrial and Labor Relations Review, October
1988, pp. 89-99.
Katz, Lawrence F. and Bruce D. Meyer, The Impact of the
Potential Duration of Unemployment Benefits on the Dura­
tion of Unemployment. Cambridge, m a , National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc., 1988, 45 pp. $2, paper.

48


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Loveman, Gary W. and Chris Tilly, “Good Jobs or Bad Jobs?
Evaluating the American Job Creation Experience,” Inter­
national Labour Review, Vol. 127, No. 5, 1988, pp
593-611.
Martin, Philip L., Harvest of Confusion: Migrant Workers in
U.S. Agriculture. Boulder co, Westview Press, 1988, 238
pp. $26.50, paper..
Probert, Belinda and Judy Wajcman, “Technological Change
and the Future of Work,” The Journal o f Industrial Rela­
tions, September 1988, pp. 432-48.

Management and organization theory
Drucker, Peter F., “Management and the World’s Work,” Har­
vard Business Review, September-October 1988, pp. 65-76.
Kravetz, Dennis, The Human Resources Revolution: Implement­
ing Progressive Management Practices for Bottom-Line
Success. San Francisco, c a , Jossey-Bass Publishers, 1988,
208 pp. $21.95.

Monetary and fiscal policy
Cox, Raymond A. K. and R. Gene Stout, “An Interregional
Analysis of the Impact of the Tax Reform Act of 1986 on
Investment Returns,” Akron Business and Economic Re­
view, Winter 1988, pp. 38-48.
Garner, C. Allan, “Policy Options to Improve the U.S. Standard
of Living,” Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of
Kansas City, November 1988, pp. 3-17.
Kahn, George A., “Nominal g n p : An Anchor for Monetary
Policy,” Economic Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Kan­
sas City, November 1988, pp. 18-35.
Soenen, Luc A. and Elizabeth S. Hennigar, “An Analysis of
Exchange Rates and Stock Prices—The U.S. Experience
Between 1980 and 1986,” Akron Business and Economic
Review, Winter 1988, pp. 7-16.

Welfare programs and social insurance
Euzeby, Alain, “Social Security and Part-Time Employment,”
International Labour Review, Vol. 127, No. 5, 1988 pp
545-57.
Mitchell, Olivia S. and Rebecca A. Luzadis, “Changes in Pen­
sion Incentives Through Time,” Industrial and Labor
Relations Review, October 1988, pp. 100-08.
Sawhill, Isabel V., “Poverty in the U.S.: Why Is It So Persis­
tent?” Journal of Economic Literature, September 1988, pp
1073-1119.
Schram, Sanford F., J. Patrick Turbett, Paul H. Wilken, “Child
Poverty and Welfare Benefits: A Reassessment with State
Data of the Claim that American Welfare Breeds Depen­
dence,” American Journal of Economics and Sociology, Oct­
ober 1988, pp. 409-22.
rn

Current
Labor Statistics

Schedule of release dates for major

bls

statistical series..........................................................................

Notes on Current Labor Statistics...................................................................................................................

50
51

Comparative indicators
1. Labor market indicators.....................................................................................................................................................................................
2. Annual and quarterly percent changes in compensation, prices, and productivity................................................................................
3. Alternative measures of wage and compensation changes............................................................................................................................

61
62
63

Labor force data
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 adjusted........................................................................................................
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 adjusted ........................................................................................
Duration of 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, dataseasonally adjusted.......................................................................................................................
Average hourly earnings by industry, dataseasonally adjusted ..................................................................................................................
Average hourly earnings by industry.......................................................................................................................................................
Average weekly earnings by industry...............................................................................................................................................................
Diffusion indexes of employment change, data 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......................................................................................................................

64
65
66
67
68
69
69
70
70
71
72
73
73
74
75
75
76
76

Labor compensation and collective bargaining data
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 industrygroup ...................................................................................
Employment Cost Index, private nonfarm workers, by bargaining status,region, and area size...........................................................
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 situations covering 1,000workers or m ore.............................
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 m o r e ........................................................................................................................................

77
78
79
80
81
82
82
82

Price data
30. Consumer Price Index: U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity and service groups ...........................................
31. Consumer Price Index: U.S. city average and local data, all item s............................................................................................................


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83
86

49

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics

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 stageof processing.......................................................................................................................
U.S. export price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification................................................................................................
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 category..............................................................................................................................................
U.S. export price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification.................................................................................................................
U.S. import price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification.................................................................................................................

87
88
89
89
90
91
92
92
92
93

Productivity data
42. Indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, and unit costs, data seasonally adjusted......................................................................
43. Annual indexes of multifactor productivity....................................................................................................................................................
44. Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices ........................................................................................

93
94
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
96
97

Injury and illness data
48. Annual data: Occupational injury and illness incidence r a tes....................................................................................................................

98

Schedule of release dates for BLS statistical series

Serj,

R e le a s e
d a te

P e rio d
c o v e re d

R e le a s e
d a te

P e rio d
c o v e re d

R e le a s e
d a te

P e rio d
c o v e re d

M L R ta b le
num ber

P r o d u c tiv it y a n d c o s ts :
N o n fin a n c ia l c o r p o r a t i o n s .........................

M a rc h

7

4 th q u a r t e r

2' 4 2 -4 4

N o n fa r m b u s in e s s a n d
m a n u f a c t u r i n g .............................................

?■ 4 2

E m p lo y m e n t s itu a tio n .......................................

M a rc h 10

F e b ru a ry

A p ril

7

M a rc h

M ay

5

A p ril

44

1; 4 - 2 1

P r o d u c e r P ric e I n d e x .........................................

M a rc h 17

F e b ru a ry

A p r il 14

M a rc h

M a y 12

A p ril

2; 3 3 - 3 5

C o n s u m e r P ric e I n d e x .....................................

M a rc h 21

F e b ru a ry

A p r il 18

M a rc h

M a y 18

A p ril

2; 3 0 - 3 2

R e a l e a r n i n g s .........................................................

M a rc h 21

F e b ru a ry

A p r il 18

M a rc h

M a y 18

A p ril

1 4 -1 7

M a jo r c o lle c tiv e
b a r g a in in g s e t t l e m e n t s ...............................

A p r il 2 5

E m p lo y m e n t C o s t I n d e x ...................................

A p r il 2 5

1st q u a rte r

1- 3 ' 2 2 -2 4

A p r il 2 7

1st q u a rte r

3 6 -4 1

3- 2 5

28

U .S . Im p o r t a n d E x p o rt
P ric e I n d e x e s .....................................................

50


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NOTES ON CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS
This section of the Review presents the principal statistical series
collected and calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: series on
labor force, employment, unemployment, collective bargaining settle­
ments, consumer, producer, and international prices, productivity,
international comparisons, and injury and illness statistics. In the notes
that follow, the data in each group of tables are briefly described, key
definitions are given, notes on the data are set forth, and sources of
additional information are cited.

changes in price. These adjustments are made by dividing current
dollar values by the Consumer Price Index or the appropriate
component of the index, then multiplying by 100. For example, given a
current hourly wage rate of $3 and a current price index number of 150,
where 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.

Additional Information

General notes
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. (Seasonally adjusted data appear in tables
1 -3 , 4 -1 0 , 13, 14, 15, 17, and 18.) Beginning in January 1980, the b l s
introduced two major modifications in the seasonal adjustment meth­
odology for labor force data. First, the data are seasonally adjusted with
a procedure called x-11 a r i m a , which was developed at Statistics
Canada as an extension of the standard x - 1 1 method previously used by
b l s . A detailed description of the procedure appears in The x-11 a r i m a
Seasonal Adjustment Method by Estela Bee Dagum (Statistics 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
continue 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 1989 issue of the Review, to reflect experience
through 1988.
Annual revisions of the seasonally adjusted payroll data shown in
tables 13 and 17 were made in the July 1988 Review using the x-11
a r i m a 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.
Adjustments for price changes. Some data—such as the “real”
earnings shown in table 15— are adjusted to eliminate the effect of

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 unem­
ployment 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 data books—Revised Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force
Statistics, Bulletin 2306, and Labor Force Statistics Derived From the
Current Population Survey, Bulletin 2307. More data from the establish­
ment survey appear in two data books—Employment, Hours, and
Earnings, United States, and Employment, Hours, and Earnings, States
and Areas, and the supplements to these data books. More detailed
information on employee compensation and collective bargaining
settlements is published in the monthly periodical, Current fVage
Developments. More detailed data on consumer and producer prices are
published in the monthly periodicals, The C P I Detailed Report, and
Producer Price Indexes. Detailed data on all of the series in this section
are provided in the Handbook o f Labor Statistics, which is published
biennally by the Bureau, b l s 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; em­
ployee compensation and collective bargaining; prices; productivity;
international comparisons; and injury and illness data.

Symbols
p = preliminary. To increase the timeliness of some series,
preliminary figures are issued based on representative
but incomplete returns.
r = revised. Generally, this revision reflects the availability
of later data but may also reflect other adjustments,
n.e.c. = not elsewhere classified,
n.e.s. = not elsewhere specified.

COMPARATIVE INDICATORS
(Tables 1-3)
Comparative indicators tables provide an overview and comparison
of major b l s 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
major surveys and information on rates of change in compensation
provided by the Employment Cost Index ( e c i ) program. The labor
force participation rate, the employment-to-population ratio, and

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unemployment rates for major demographic groups based on the
Current Population (“household”) Survey are presented, while meas­
ures 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 bargaining status, is
chosen from a variety of b l s 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.

51

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics

Data on changes in compensation, prices, and productivity are
presented 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.

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
measures.

Notes on the data
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 b l s Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin
2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988), as well as the additional
bulletins, articles, and other publications noted in the separate sections
of the Review’s “Current Labor Statistics Notes.” Users may also wish
to consult Major Programs, Bureau o f Labor Statistics, Report 718
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).

EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT DATA
(Tables 1; 4-21)

Household survey data

population ratio is total employment (including the resident Armed
Forces) as a percent of the noninstitutional population.

Description of the series

Notes on the data

e m p l o y m e n t d a t a in this section are obtained from the Current
Population Survey, a program of personal interviews conducted
monthly by the Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The sample consists of about 55,800 households selected to represent
the U.S. population 16 years of age and older. Households are
interviewed on a rotating basis, so that three-fourths of the sample is the
same for any 2 consecutive months.

From time to time, and especially after a decennial census, adjust­
ments are made in the Current Population Survey figures to correct for
estimating errors during the preceding years. These adjustments affect
the comparability of historical data. A description of these adjustments
and their effect on the various data series appear in the Explanatory
Notes of Employment and Earnings.
Data in tables 4 -1 0 are seasonally adjusted, based on the seasonal
experience through December 1988.

Definitions
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
unemployment rate represents the number unemployed as a percent of
the labor force, including the resident Armed Forces. The civilian
employment 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 of 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 housework, those not working while attending school,
those unable to work because of long-term illness, those discouraged
from seeking work because of personal or job-market factors, and those
who are voluntarily idle. The noninstitutional population comprises all
persons 16 years of age and older who are not inmates of penal or
mental institutions, sanitariums, or homes for the aged, infirm, or
needy, and members of the Armed Forces stationed in the United
States. The labor force participation rate is the proportion of the
noninstitutional population that is in the labor force. The employment-

52


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Additional sources of information
For detailed explanations of the data, see b l s Handbook o f Methods,
Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988). Historical unadjusted
data from 1948 to 1987 are available in Labor Force Statistics Derived
from the Current Population Survey, Bulletin 2307 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1988). Historical seasonally adjusted data appear in Labor
Force Statistics Derived from the Current Population Survey: A Data­
book, Vol. II, Bulletin 2096 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), and
Revised Seasonally Adjusted Labor Force Statistics, 1978-87, Bulletin
2306 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988).
A comprehensive discussion of the differences between household
and establishment data on employment appears in Gloria P. Green,
“Comparing employment estimates from household and payroll sur­
veys,” Monthly Labor Review, December 1969, pp. 9 -2 0 .

Establishment survey data
Description of the series
e n t , h o u r s , a n d e a r n i n g s d a t a in this section are
compiled from payroll records reported monthly on a voluntary basis to
the Bureau of Labor Statistics and its cooperating State agencies by
more than 300,000 establishments representing all industries except
agriculture. In most industries, the sampling probabilities are based on
the size of the establishment; most large establishments are therefore in
the sample. (An establishment is not necessarily a firm; it may be a
branch plant, for example, or warehouse.) Self-employed persons and
others not on a regular civilian payroll are outside the scope of the
survey because they are excluded from establishment records. This

Em plo ym

largely accounts for the difference in employment figures between the
household and establishment surveys.

Definitions
An e s t a b lis h m e n t 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.
E m p lo y e d p e r s o n s are all persons who received pay (including
holiday and sick pay) for any part of the payroll period including the
12th of 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.
P r o d u c t io n w o r k e r s in manufacturing include working supervisors
and nonsupervisory workers closely associated with production opera­
tions. Those workers mentioned in tables 12-17 include production
workers in manufacturing and mining; construction workers in con­
struction; and nonsupervisory 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 employment on private nonagricultural payrolls.
E a r n in g s are the payments production or nonsupervisory workers
receive during the survey period, including premium pay for overtime
or late-shift work but excluding irregular bonuses and other special
payments. R e a l e a r n in g s 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

( c p i - w ).

represent the average weekly hours of production or nonsu­
pervisory workers for which pay was received, and are different from
standard or scheduled hours. O v e r tim e h o u r s represent the portion of
average weekly hours which was in excess of regular hours and for
which overtime premiums were paid.
T h e D iff u s io n I n d e x represents the percent of industries in which
employment was rising over the indicated period, plus one-half of the
industries with unchanged employment; 50 percent indicates an equal
balance between industries with increasing and decreasing employment.
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.
Data are centered within the span. The March 1989 Review introduced
an expanded index on private nonagricultural employment based on
349 industries, and a new manufacturing index based on 143 industries.
These indexes are useful for measuring the dispersion of economic gains
or losses and are also economic indicators.
H ours

Notes on the data
Establishment data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are
periodically adjusted to comprehensive counts of employment (called
“benchmarks”). The latest complete adjustment was made with the
release of May 1988 data, published in the July 1988 issue of the
Review. Consequently, data published in the Review prior to that issue
are not necessarily comparable to current data. Unadjusted data have
been revised back to April 1986; seasonally adjusted data have been
revised back to January 1983. These revisions were published in the
Supplement to Employment and Earnings (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1988). Unadjusted data from April 1987 forward, and seasonally
adjusted data from January 1984 forward 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


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estimates are revised and published as final in the third month of their
appearance. Thus, August data are published as preliminary in October
and November and as final in December. For the same reason,
quarterly establishment data (table 1) are preliminary for the first 2
months of publication and final in the third month. Thus, secondquarter data are published as preliminary in August and September and
as final in October.

Additional sources of information
Detailed national data from the establishment survey are published
monthly in the BLS periodical, Employment and Earnings. Earlier
comparable 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 discussion of the methodology of the survey, see b l s
Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988).
A comprehensive discussion of the differences between household
and establishment data on employment appears in Gloria P. Green,
“Comparing employment estimates from household and payroll sur­
veys,” Monthly Labor Review, December 1969, pp. 9 -2 0 .

Unemployment data by State
Description of the series
Data presented in this section are obtained from two major sources
the Current Population Survey ( c p s ) and the Local Area Unemploy­
ment Statistics ( l a u s ) program, which is conducted in cooperation
with State employment security agencies.
Monthly estimates of the labor force, employment, and unemploy­
ment for States and sub-State areas are a key indicator of local
economic conditions and form the basis for determining the eligibility
of an area for benefits under Federal economic assistance programs
such as the Job Training 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 c p s .

Notes on the data
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 c p s , because the size of the sample is large enough to
meet BLS standards of reliability. Data for the remaining 3 9 States and
the District of 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 c p s levels.

Additional sources of information
Information on the concepts, definitions, and technical procedures
used to develop labor force data for States and sub-State areas as well as
additional data on sub-States are provided in the monthly Bureau of
Labor Statistics periodical, Employment and Earnings, and the annual
report, Geographic Profile o f Employment and Unemployment (Bureau
of Labor Statistics). See also b l s Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin 2 2 8 5
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1 9 8 8 ).

53

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics

COMPENSATION AND WAGE DATA
(Tables 1-3; 22-29)
C o m p e n s a t i o n a n d w a g e d a t a are gathered by the Bureau from
business establishments, State and local governments, labor unions,
collective bargaining agreements on file with the Bureau, and secondary
sources.

Employment Cost Index
Description of the series
The E m p lo y m e n t C o s t I n d e x ( e c i ) is a quarterly measure of the rate
of change in compensation per hour worked and includes wages,
salaries, and employer costs of employee benefits. It uses a fixed market
basket of 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, on wages and salaries,
and on benefit costs are available for private nonfarm workers
excluding proprietors, the self-employed, and household workers. The
total compensation costs and wages and salaries 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 of about
3,400 private nonfarm establishments providing about 18,000 occupa­
tional observations and 700 State and local government establishments
providing 3,500 occupational observations selected to represent total
employment in each sector. On average, each reporting unit provides
wage and compensation information on five well-specified occupations.
Data are collected each quarter for the pay period including the 12th
day of March, June, September, and December.
Beginning with June 1986 data, fixed employment weights from the
1980 Census of 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 compensation, not employment shifts among
industries or occupations with different levels of wages and compensa­
tion. For the bargaining status, region, and m etrop olitan /
nonmetropolitan area series, however, employment 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.

Definitions
T o ta l c o m p e n s a tio n costs include wages, salaries, and the employer’s
costs for employee benefits.
W a g e s an d s a la r ie s consist of earnings before payroll deductions,
including production bonuses, incentive earnings, commissions, and
cost-of-living adjustments.
B e n e f it s 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.

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Notes on the data
The Employment Cost Index for changes in wages and salaries in the
private nonfarm economy was published beginning in 1975. Changes in
total compensation cost— wages and salaries and benefits combined—
were published beginning in 1980. The series for changes in wages and
salaries and for total compensation in the State and local government
sector and in the civilian nonfarm economy (excluding Federal
employees) were published beginning in 1981. Historical indexes (June
1981 = 100) of the quarterly rates of change are presented in the March
issue of the b l s periodical, Current Wage Developments.

Additional sources of information
For a more detailed discussion of the Employment Cost Index, see
the Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1988), and the following Monthly Labor Review articles: “Employment
Cost Index: a measure of change in the ‘price of labor’,” July 1975;
“How benefits will be incorporated into the Employment Cost Index,”
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 b l s quarterly press releases
issued in the month following the reference months of March, June,
September, and December; and from the Handbook o f Labor Statistics,
Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).

Collective bargaining settlements
Description of the series
C o lle c t iv e b a r g a in in g s e t t le m e n t s data provide statistical measures of
negotiated adjustments (increases, decreases, and freezes) in compensa­
tion (wage and benefit costs) and wages alone, quarterly for private
industry and semiannually for State and local government. Compensa­
tion 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 indus­
tries and State and local governments, are calculated using information
obtained from bargaining agreements on file with the Bureau, parties to
the agreements, and secondary sources, such as newspaper accounts.
The data are not seasonally adjusted.
Settlement data are measured in terms of future specified adjust­
ments: those that will occur within 12 months of the contract effective
date— first-year— 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.
E f f e c t iv e w a g e a d j u s t m e n ts 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
contracts negotiated in earlier periods, and changes under cost-of-living
adjustment clauses. Each wage change is worker weighted. The changes
are prorated over all workers under agreements during the reference
period yielding the average adjustment.

Definitions
W a g e r a te c h a n g e s are calculated by dividing newly negotiated wages
by the average straight-time hourly wage rate plus shift premium at the
time the agreement 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 previously negotiated benefits, legally required
social insurance programs, and average hourly earnings.
C o m p e n sa tio n c h a n g e s 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
settlement (for example, methods of financing pensions or composition of
labor force) will remain constant. The data, therefore, are measures of
negotiated changes and not of total changes of employer cost.
C o n tr a c t d u r a tio n 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.

Notes on the data
Comparisons of major collective bargaining settlements for State and
local government with those for private industry should note differences
in occupational mix, bargaining practices, and settlement characteris­
tics. Professional and white-collar employees, for example, make up a
much larger proportion of the workers covered by government than by
private industry settlements. Lump-sum payments and cost-of-living
adjustment ( c o l a ) clauses, on the other hand, are rare in government
but common in private industry settlements. Also, State and local
government bargaining frequently excludes items such as pension
benefits and holidays, that are prescribed by law, while these items are
typical bargaining issues in private industry.

Additional sources of information
For a more detailed discussion on the series, see the b l s Handbook o f
Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988). Comprehen­
sive data are published in press releases issued quarterly (in January,
April, July, and October) for private industry, and semiannually (in
February and August) for State and local government. Historical data
and additional detailed tabulations for the prior calendar year appear in
the April issue of the b l s periodical, Current Wage Developments.

Work stoppages
Description of the series
Data on w o r k s to p p a g e s 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 of stoppage.
Data are largely from newspaper accounts and cover only establish­
ments directly involved in a stoppage. They do not measure the indirect
or secondary effect of stoppages on other establishments whose
employees are idle owing to material shortages or lack of service.

Definitions
The number of strikes and lockouts involving
workers or more and lasting a full shift or longer.

N u m b e r o f s to p p a g e s :

1,000

W o r k e r s in v o lv e d :

The number of workers directly involved in the

stoppage.
N u m b e r o f d a y s id le: The aggregate number of workdays lost by
workers involved in the stoppages.
D a y s o f id le n e s s a s a p e r c e n t o f e s t im a te d w o r k in g tim e : Aggregate
workdays lost as a percent of the aggregate number of standard
workdays in the period multiplied by total employment in the period.

Notes on the data
This series is not comparable with the one terminated in 1981 that
covered strikes involving six workers or more.

Additional sources of information
Data for each calendar year are reported in a b l s press release issued
in the first quarter of the following year. Monthly and historical data
appear in the b l s periodical, Current Wage Developments. Historical
data appear in the Handbook o f Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 1985).

Other compensation data
Other b l s data on pay and benefits, not included in the Current
Labor Statistics section of the Monthly Labor Review, appear in and
consist of 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 of
industries 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 o f 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
required information for comparing the pay of salaried employees in the
Federal civil service with pay in private industry. (See Federal Pay
Comparability 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
incidence 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 b l s news release and bulletin, as well
as in special articles appearing in the Review.

PRICE DATA
(Tables 2; 30-41)
d a t a are gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from retail and
primary markets in the United States. Price indexes are given in relation to a

P rice


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base period (1982 = 100 for many Producer Price Indexes or 1982- 84 = 100
for many Consumer Price Indexes, unless otherwise noted).

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Consumer Price Indexes
Description of the series
The C o n s u m e r P r ic e I n d e x ( c p i ) is a measure of the average change
in the prices paid by urban consumers for a fixed market basket of
goods and services. The c p i is calculated monthly for two population
groups, one consisting only of urban households whose primary source
of income is derived from the employment of wage earners and clerical
workers, and the other consisting of all urban households. The wage
earner index ( c p i - w ) is a continuation of the historic index that was
introduced well over a half-century ago for use in wage negotiations. As
new uses were developed for the c p i in recent years, the need for a
broader and more representative index became apparent. The all urban
consumer index ( c p i - u ), introduced in 1978, is representative of the
1982-84 buying habits of about 80 percent of the noninstitutional
population of the United States at that time, compared with 32 percent
represented in the C P i-w . In addition to wage earners and clerical
workers, the c p i -u covers professional, managerial, and technical
workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed,
retirees, and others not in the labor force..
The CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, drugs,
transportation fares, doctors’ and dentists’ fees, and other goods and
services that people buy for day-to-day living. The quantity and quality
of 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.

Notes on the data
In January 1983, the Bureau changed the way in which homeownership costs are measured for the c p i -u . A rental equivalence method
replaced the asset-price approach to homeownership costs for that
series. In January 1985, the same change was made in the c p i -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 of shelter services provided by owner-occupied
homes. An updated c p i - u and c p i -w were introduced with release of the
January 1987 data.

Additional sources of information
For a discussion of the general method for computing the c p i , see b l s
Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988).
The recent change in the measurement of homeownership costs is
discussed in Robert Gillingham and Walter Lane, “Changing the
treatment of shelter costs for homeowners in the c p i , ” Monthly Labor
Review, July 1982, pp. 9 -1 4 . An overview of the recently introduced
revised c p i , reflecting 1982-84 expenditure patterns, is contained in
The Consumer Price Index: 1987 Revision, Report 736 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1987).
Additional detailed c p i data and regular analyses of consumer price
changes are provided in the c p i Detailed Report, a monthly publication
of the Bureau. Historical data for the overall c p i and for selected
groupings may be found in the Handbook o f Labor Statistics, Bulletin
2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).

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Producer Price Indexes
Description of the series
P r o d u c e r P r ic e I n d e x e s ( p p i ) measure average changes in prices
received by domestic producers of commodities in all stages of
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 processing
structure of Producer Price Indexes organizes products by class of
buyer and degree of fabrication (that is, finished goods, intermediate
goods, and crude materials). The traditional commodity structure of PPI
organizes products by similarity of 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 obtained directly from producing companies on a
voluntary and confidential basis. Prices generally are reported for the
Tuesday of the week containing the 13th day of 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-ofprocessing groupings, commodity groupings, durability-of-product
groupings, and a number of special composite groups. All Producer
Price Index data are subject to revision 4 months after original
publication.

Notes on the data
Beginning with the January 1986 issue, the Review is no longer
presenting tables of 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 of 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
coverage of the net output of 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 of the Census definitions. These and other changes
have been phased in gradually since 1978. The result is a system of
indexes that is easier to use in conjunction with data on wages,
productivity, and employment and other series that are organized in
terms of the Standard Industrial Classification and the Census product
class designations.

Additional sources of information
For a discussion of the methodology for computing Producer Price
Indexes, see b l s Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1988).
Additional detailed data and analyses of price changes are provided
monthly in Producer Price Indexes. Selected historical data may be
found in the Handbook o f Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1985).

International Price Indexes
Description of the series
The b l s I n te r n a tio n a l P r ic e P r o g r a m 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 organizations 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 1985 = 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, although 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 of 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 ( s i t c ). The
calculation of indexes by s i t c 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 Classification (sic-based) basis, as well as by enduse class.

Notes on the data
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 s i t c level. The
values assigned to each weight category are based on trade value figures
compiled by the Bureau of the Census. The trade weights currently used
to compute both indexes relate to 1985.
Because a price index depends on the same items being priced from
period to period, it is necessary to recognize when a product’s
specifications or terms of transaction have been modified. For this
reason, the Bureau’s quarterly questionnaire requests detailed descrip­
tions of the physical and functional characteristics of the products being
priced, as well as information on the number of units bought or sold,
discounts, credit terms, packaging, class of buyer or seller, and so forth.
When there are changes in either the specifications or terms of
transaction of a product, the dollar value of 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 of
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 of importation, which also includes the other
costs associated with bringing the product to the U.S. border. It does
not, however, include duty charges. For a given product, only one price
basis series is used in the construction of an index.
Beginning in 1988, the Bureau has also been publishing a series of
indexes which represent the price of U.S. exports and imports in foreign
currency terms.

Additional sources of information
For a discussion of the general method of computing International
Price Indexes, see b l s Handbook o f Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1988).
Additional detailed data and analyses of 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 b l s analysts. Selected historical data may be found
in the Handbook o f Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1985). For further information on the foreign currency
indexes, see “ b l s publishes average exchange rate and foreign currency
price indexes,” Monthly Labor Review, December 1987, pp. 47-49.

PRODUCTIVITY DATA
(Tables 2; 42-44)

U.S. productivity and related data

Corresponding indexes of hourly compensation, unit labor costs, unit
nonlabor payments, and prices are also provided.

Description of the series

Definitions

The productivity measures relate real physical output to real input.
As such, they encompass a family of measures which include single
factor productivity measures, such as output per unit of labor input
(output per hour) or output per unit of capital input, as well as
measures of multifactor productivity (output per unit of combined labor
and capital inputs). 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.

O u t p u t p er h o u r o f a ll p e r so n s (labor productivity) is the value of
goods and services in constant prices produced per hour of labor input.
O u t p u t p er u n it o f c a p ita l s e r v ic e s (capital productivity) is the value of
goods and services in constant dollars produced per unit of capital
services input.
M u lt if a c t o r p r o d u c t iv ity is output per unit of combined labor and
capital inputs. 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


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capacity utilization, research and development, skill and efforts of the
work force, management, and so forth. Changes in the output per hour
measures reflect the impact of these factors as well as the substitution of
capital for labor.
C o m p e n s a tio n p er h o u r 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 selfemployed (except for nonfinancial corporations in which there are no
self-employed)—the sum divided by hours paid for. R e a l c o m p e n s a tio n
p er h o u r is compensation per hour deflated by the Consumer Price
Index for All Urban Consumers.
U n it la b o r c o s t s are the labor compensation costs expended in the
production of a unit of output and are derived by dividing compensa­
tion by output. U n it n o n la b o r p a y m e n ts include profits, depreciation,
interest, and indirect taxes per unit of output. They are computed by
subtracting compensation of all persons from current dollar value of
output and dividing by output. U n it n o n la b o r c o s t s contain all the
components of unit nonlabor payments except unit profits.
U n it p r o fits include corporate profits with inventory valuation and
capital consumption adjustments per unit of output.
H o u r s o f a ll p e r so n s are the total hours paid of payroll workers, selfemployed persons, and unpaid family workers.
C a p ita l s e r v ic e s is the flow of services from the capital stock used in
production. It is developed from measures of the net stock of physical
assets—equipment, structures, land, and inventories— weighted by
rental prices for each type of asset.
L a b o r an d c a p ita l in p u ts combined are derived by combining changes
in labor and capital inputs with weights which represent each compo­
nent’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
Tornquist index-number formula).

Notes on the data
Constant-dollar output for the b u s in e s s s e c t o r is equal to constantdollar gross national product but excludes the rental value of
owner-occupied dwellings, the rest-of-world sector, the output of
nonprofit institutions, the output of paid employees of private house­
holds, general government, and the statistical discrepancy. Output of
the n o n fa r m b u s in e s s s e c t o r is equal to business sector output less
farming. 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 output indexes are adjusted
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to annual measures of manufacturing
output (gross product originating) from the Bureau of Economic
Analysis. Compensation and hours data are developed from data of 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 of 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 influences, including changes in
technology; capital investment; level of output; utilization of capacity,
energy, and materials; the organization of production; managerial skill;
and the characteristics and efforts of the work force.

Additional sources of information
Descriptions of methodology underlying the measurement of output
per hour and multifactor productivity are found in the b l s Handbook o f
Methods, Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988). Historical
data for selected industries are provided in the Handbook o f Labor
Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).

INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS
(Tables 45-47)

Labor force and unemployment
Description of the series
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 several 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 compara­
bility may not be achieved, these adjusted figures provide a better basis
for international comparisons than the figures regularly published by
each country.

Definitions
For the principal U.S. definitions of the la b o r fo r c e , e m p lo y m e n t, and
see the Notes section on E M P L O Y M E N T D A T A :
Household Survey Data.
u n e m p lo y m e n t,

Notes on the data
The adjusted statistics have been adapted to the age at which
compulsory schooling ends in each country, rather than to the U.S.

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standard of 16 years of 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; 15 and over in Canada, Australia,
Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, 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 Germany; 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. 8-11.
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.
There are breaks in the date series for Germany (1983), Italy (1986),
the Netherlands (1983), and Sweden (1987). For both Germany and the
Netherlands, the breaks reflect the replacement of labor force survey
results tabulated by the national statistical offices with those tabulated
by the European Community Statistical Office ( e u r o s t a t ). The Dutch
figures for 1983 onward also reflect the replacement of man-year

employment data with data from the Dutch Survey of Employed
Persons. The impact of the changes was to lower the adjusted
unemployment rate by 0.3 percentage point for Germany and by about
2 percentage points for the Netherlands.
For Italy, the break in series reflects more accurate enumeration of
time of last job search. This resulted in a significant increase in the
number of people reported as seeking work in the past 30 days. The
impact was to increase the Italian unemployment rates approximating
U.S. concepts by about 1 percentage point.
Sweden introduced a new questionnaire. Questions regarding current
availability were added and the period of active workseeking was
reduced from 60 days to 4 weeks. These changes resulted in lowering
Sweden’s unemployment rate by 0.5 percentage point.

Additional sources of information
For further information, see International Comparisons o f Unemploy­
ment, Bulletin 1979 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1978), Appendix B,
and unpublished Supplements to Appendix B, available on request. The
statistics are also analyzed periodically in the Monthly Labor Review.
The latest article appears in the April 1988 Review. Additional
historical data, generally beginning with 1959, are published in the
Handbook o f Labor Statistics and are available in unpublished statistical
supplements to Bulletin 1979.

Manufacturing productivity and labor costs
Description of the series
Table 47 presents comparative measures of manufacturing labor
productivity, hourly compensation costs, and unit labor costs for the
United 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 comparisons of the levels of manufacturing output are
unavailable.

Definitions
O u tp u t 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 comparability—rather, it reflects differences among countries in
the availability and reliability of underlying data series.
H o u r s 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.
C o m p e n s a tio n (la b o r c o s t ) includes all payments in cash or kind
made directly to employees plus employer expenditures for legally
required insurance 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 of workers, because
such taxes are regarded as labor costs. However, compensation does not
include all items of 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 included in the U.S. and Canadian
compensation figures by assuming that their hourly compensation is
equal to the average for wage and salary employees.

Notes on the data
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 manufactur­
ing 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 compensation and are considered preliminary until the national
accounts and other statistics used for the long-term measures become
available.

Additional sources of information
For additional information, see the b l s Handbook o f Methods,
Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988), and periodic Monthly
Labor Review articles. Historical data are provided in the Handbook o f
Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985). The
statistics are issued twice per year—in a news release (generally in May)
and in a Monthly Labor Review article.

OCCUPATIONAL INJURY AND ILLNESS DATA
(Table 48)
Description of the series
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 govern­
ment agencies.
Because the survey is a Federal-State cooperative program and the
data must meet the needs of participating State agencies, an indepen­
dent sample is selected for each State. The sample is selected to


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represent all private 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 characteristics of 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 requires 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 of employment.

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Definitions
R e c o r d a b le o c c u p a tio n a l in ju r ie s a n d illn e s s e s are: (1 ) occupational
deaths, regardless of 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 of work or motion, transfer to another job,
or medical treatment (other than first aid).
O c c u p a tio n a l in ju r y is any injury such as a cut, fracture, sprain,
amputation, and so forth, which results from a work accident or from
exposure involving a single incident in the work environment.
O c c u p a tio n a l illn e s s is an abnormal condition or disorder, other than
one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by exposure to
environmental factors associated with employment. It includes acute
and chronic illnesses or disease which may be caused by inhalation,
absorption, ingestion, or direct contact.
L o s t w o r k d a y c a s e s are cases which involve days away from work, or
days of restricted work activity, or both.
L o s t w o r k d a y c a s e s in v o lv in g r e s tr ic te d w o r k a c t iv it y are those cases
which result in restricted work activity only.
L o s t w o r k d a y s a w a y fr o m w o r k are the number of workdays
(consecutive or not) on which the employee would have worked but
could not because of occupational injury or illness.
L o s t w o r k d a y s — r e s tr ic te d w o r k a c t iv it y are the number of workdays
(consecutive or not) on which, because of injury or illness: (1) the
employee was assigned to another job on a temporary basis; or (2) the
employee 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.
T h e n u m b er o f d a y s a w a y fr o m w o r k o r d a y s o f r e s tr ic te d w o r k

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.
I n c id e n c e r a te s represent the number of injuries and/or illnesses or
lost workdays per 100 full-time workers.
a c t iv it y

Notes on the data
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

Digitized for 60
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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
employees. For this purpose, 200,000 employee hours represent 100
employee years (2,000 hours per employee). Only a few of the available
measures are included in the Handbook o f 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 Safety, Health, and Working Conditions.
Mining and railroad data are furnished to b l s by the Mine Safety and
Health Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration,
respectively. Data from these organizations are included in b l s and
State publications. Federal employee experience is compiled and
published by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Data
on State and local government employees are collected by about half of
the States and territories; these data are not compiled nationally.

Additional sources of information
The Supplementary Data System provides detailed information
describing 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 examines selected types of accidents through an
employee survey which focuses on the circumstances surrounding the
injury. These data are not included in the Handbook o f Labor Statistics
but are available from the b l s Office of Safety, Health, and Working
Conditions.
The definitions of occupational injuries and illnesses and lost
workdays are from Recordkeeping Requirements under the Occupa­
tional Safety and Health Act o f 1970. For additional data, see
Occupational Injuries and Illnesses in the United States, by Industry,
annual Bureau of Labor Statistics bulletin; b l s Handbook o f Methods,
Bulletin 2285 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1988); Handbook o f 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.

1. Labor market indicators
1988

1987
Selected Indicators

1988

1987

IV

III

II

I

IV

III

II

I
Employment data

Employment status of the civilian noninstitutionalized population
(household survey)1
Labor force participation ra te ..........................................................
Employment-population ratio...........................................................
Unemployment rate .........................................................................

65.6
61.5
6.2
6.2
12.6
4.8
6.2
11.7
4.8
1.7

65.9
62.3
5.5
5.5
11.4
4.2
5.6
10.6
4.3
1.3

65.4
61.1
6.6
6.6
13.3
5.1
6.6
12.5
5.0
1.8

65.6
61.5
6.3
6.4
13.1
4.9
6.2
11.7
4.7
1.7

65.6
61.7
6.0
6.0
12.2
4.6
6.0
11.4
4.7
1.6

65.7
61.9
5.9
5.8
11.9
4.4
6.0
11.2
4.6
1.5

65.8
62.1
5.7
5.6
11.8
4.3
5.8
11.0
4.5
1.4

65.8
62.2
5.5
5.4
11.2
4.2
5.6
10.7
4.3
1.3

65.9
62.3
5.5
5.4
11.4
4.1
5.6
10.5
4.4
1.3

66.1
62.5
5.3
5.4
11.3
4.1
5.3
10.3
4.2
1.2

Goods-producing..............................................................................
Manufacturing ................................................................................
Service-producing ............................................................................

102,310
85,295
24,784
19,065
77,525

106,039
88,652
25,565
19,538
80,475

101,024
84,130
24,523
18,895
76,500

101,841
84,869
24,644
18,965
77,196

102,669
85,643
24,847
19,112
77,782

103,683
86,518
25,116
19,290
78,567

104,670
87,406
25,260
19,388
79,410

105,609
88,263
25,498
19,498
80,111

106,478
89,063
25,648
19,567
80,830

107,344
89,810
25,828
19,700
81,516

Average hours:
Private sector ...................................................................................
Manufacturing .............................................................................
Overtime................................................................................... .

34.8
41.0
3.7

34.8
41.1
3.9

34.8
41.0
3.6

34.7
40.9
3.7

34.7
40.9
3.8

34.8
41.1
3.9

34.7
41.0
3.8

34.8
41.1
3.9

34.7
41.1
3.9

34.8
41.1
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
3.3
3.1
3.7
4.4

5.0
4.9
4.4
5.1
5.6

.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

1.4
1.5
1.8
1.3
1.3

1.1
1.2
1.1
1.4
.3

1.3
1.0
.6
1.2
2.7

1.0
1.0
.8
1.2

Workers by bargaining status (private industry):
Union................................................................................................
Nonunion .........................................................................................

2.8
3.6

3.9
5.1

.5
1.1

.5
.7

.6
1.1

1.1
.6

1.6
1.5

1.0
1.3

.7
1.1

.5
1.2

16 to 24 years ............................................................................
25 years and o v e r......................................................................
Women ...........................................................................................
16 to 24 years ............................................................................
25 years and o v e r......................................................................
Unemployment rate, 15 weeks and ov er.....................................
Employment, nonagricultural (payroll data), in thousands:1

Employment Cost Index

1 Quarterly data seasonally adjusted.
2 Goods-produclng industries Include mining, construction, and manufacturing. Servlce-


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producing industries Include all other private sector industries.

61

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
2.

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Comparative Indicators

Annual and quarterly percent changes in compensation, prices, and productivity
1988

1987
Selected measures

1987

1988
I

Compensation data

II

III

IV

II

I

III

IV

2

Employment Cost Index-compensation (wages, salaries,
benefits):
Civilian nonfarm .....................................................................
Private nonfarm .....................................................................
Employment Cost Index-wages and salaries
Civilian nonfarm .....................................................................
Private nonfarm ....................................................................

3.6
3.3

5.0
4.9

0.9
1.0

0.7
.7

1.2
1.0

0.8
.7

1.4
1.5

1.1
1.2

1.3
1.0

1.0
1.0

3.5
3.3

4.3
4.1

1.0
1.0

.5
.7

1.3
1.0

.7
.6

1.0
1.0

.9
1.1

1.3
1.0

1.0
1.0

Price data1

Consumer Price Index (All urban consumers): All item s......

4.4

4.4

1.4

1.2

1.3

.3

1.0

1.3

1.5

.6

Producer Price Index:
Finished goods.......................................................................
Finished consumer g o o d s....................................................
Capital equipment .................................................................
Intermediate materials, supplies, components ....................
Crude materials......................................................................

2.2
2.6
1.3
5.4
8.9

4.0
4.0
3.5
5.7
2.8

.8
.9
.1
1.3
4.2

1.2
1.6
.3
1.9
5.3

.2
.3
-.2
1.2
.6

.1
-.2
1.1
.9
-1.4

.5
.4
.7
1.1
-.3

1.3
1.4
.6
2.6
4.0

.8
1.0
.4
1.2
-1.2

1.3
1.1
1.7
.7
.3

Productivity data3

Output per hour of all persons:
Business s ec to r.....................................................................
Nonfarm business sector .....................................................
Nonfinancial corporations 4 ..................................................

.8
.8
1.5

1.0
1.4
-

1 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.

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

.3
0
-1.0

2.7
3.2
3.1

3.9
3.7
4.7

.6
.9
-.1

3.5
3.4
4.3

-3.4
-2.4
-1.6

1.7
2.0
-.8

-2.0
0

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.

3.

Alternative measures of wage and compensation changes
Four quarters ended-

Quarterly average

III
Average hourly compensation:'
All persons, business sector...................................................................
All employees, nonfarm business se c to r...............................................
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:4
First-year adjustment...............................................................................
Annual rate over life of contract.............................................................

II

I

III

IV

III

IV

I

II

III

IV

4.6
4.5

6.2
6.4

3.7
3.5

4.8
4.2

6.2
5.7

4.7
5.6

3.9
3.7

4.2
4.1

4.5
4.4

4.8
4.6

5.2
5.0

4.8
4.8

1.2
1.0
.6
1.1
2.3

.8
.7
1.1
.6
.9

1.4
1.5
1.6
1.5
1.3

1.1
1.2
1.0
1.3
.3

1.3
1.0
.7
1.1
2.7

1.0
1.0
.5
1.2
1.1

3.4
3.3
2.0
3.7
4.2

3.6
3.3
2.8
3.6
4.4

4.1
3.9
3.9
4.0
4.9

4.6
4.5
4.3
4.5
5.0

4.7
4.5
4.5
4.5
5.4

5.0
4.9
3.9
5.1
5.6

1.3
1.0
.6
1.1
2.3
.9
.2
.6
.1

.7
.6
1.1
.5
.9
.8
.3
.3
.2

1.0
1.0
.4
1.0
.9
.4
.1
.3
.1

.9
1.1
.8
1.2
.3
.9
.3
.5
.1

1.3
1.0
.7
1.0
2.6
.8
.2
.4
.2

1.0
1.0
.4
1.1
1.0
.5
.1
.2
.2

3.4
3.3
1.7
3.8
4.1
2.6
.4
1.7
.4

3.5
3.3
2.6
3.6
4.2
3.1
.7
1.8
.5

3.5
3.3
2.6
3.5
4.4
3.2
.8
1.8
.5

3.9
3.7
2.9
4.0
4.4
3.0
1.0
1.6
.5

3.9
3.7
2.9
3.9
4.7
2.9
1.0
1.4
.5

4.3
4.1
2.2
4.5
4.8
2.6
.7
1.3
.6

2.1
2.0

2.4
1.8

2.1
2.3

2.6
2.2

2.7
2.8

2.7
2.3

2.0
2.2

2.2
2.1

2.4
2.2

2.4
2.0

2.5
2.2

2.6
2.4

2.5
2.1

3.4
2.4

1.8
1.8

3.1
2.4

3.4
3.2

3.8
2.2

2.7
2.6

3.0
2.6

3.1
2.5

3.0
2.3

3.1
2.5

3.1
2.5

Seasonally adjusted.
Excludes Federal and household workers.
Limited to major collective bargaining units of 1,000 workers or more. The


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

IV

1988

1987

1988

1987

Components

most recent data are preliminary.
4 Limited to major collective bargaining units of 5,000 workers or more. The
most recent data are preliminary.

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
4.

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Employment Data

Employment status of the total population, by sex, monthly data seasonally adjusted

(Numbers in thousands)
1989

1988

Annual average
Employment status
Jan.

1987

1988

184,490
121,602
65.9
114,177

186,322
123,378
66.2
116,677

61.9
1,737
112,440
3,208
109,232
7,425
6.1
62,888

62.4
62.6
1,749
1,709
114,968 114,055
3,169
3,256
111,800 110,799
6,980
6,701
5.4
5.7
62,944
62,787

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

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

185,571
122,784
66.2
115,804

185,705
122,901
66.2
116,009

185,847
122,672
66.0
115,865

185,964
123,060
66.2
116,392

186,088
122,917
66.1
116,117

186,247
123,209
66.2
116,686

186,402
123,331
66.2
116,707

62.6
62.4
62.7
62.6
62.5
62.3
1,673
1,714
1,685
1,732
1,736
1,736
114,273 114,129 114,660 114,403 115,001 115,034
3,060
3,110
3,121
3,187
3,200
3,181
111,073 110,948 111,473 111,293 111,880 111,974
6,624
6,523
6,668
6,800
6,807
6,892
5.4
5.3
5.4
5.5
5.6
5.5
63,038
63,071
63,171
62,804 63,175 62,904

186,522
123,692
66.3
116,895

186,666
123,688
66.3
117,074

186,801
123,778
66.3
117,260

62.7
62.8
62.7
1,704
1,687
1,692
115,203 115,370 115,573
3,176
3,238
3,142
112,061 112,194 112,335
6,797
6,614
6,518
5.5
5.3
5.3
62,830
62,978
63,023

186,949 187,098 187,340
124,215 124,259 125,124
66.4
66.4
66.8
117,652 117,705 118,407
62.9
1,705
115,947
3,238
112,709
6,563
5.3
62,734

62.9
1,696
116,009
3,193
112,816
6,554
5.3
62,839

63.2
1,696
116,711
3,300
113,411
6,716
5.4
62,216

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

88,476
67,784
76.6
63,684

89,404
68,474
76.6
64,820

89,033
68,219
76.6
64,420

89,099
68,289
76.6
64,587

89,168
68,194
76.5
64,417

89,225
68,462
76.7
64,866

89,287
68,409
76.6
64,672

89,367
68,436
76.6
64,894

89,445
68,461
76.5
64,941

89,504
68,685
76.7
64,931

89,577
68,604
76.6
65,015

89,637
68,569
76.5
64,976

89,716
68,686
76.6
65,074

89,792
68,638
76.4
65,055

89,914
69,032
76.8
65,322

72.0
1,577
62,107
4,101
6.1

72.5
1,547
63,273
3,655
5.3

72.4
1,588
62,832
3,799
5.6

72.5
1,577
63,010
3,702
5.4

72.2
1,573
62,844
3,777
5.5

72.7
1,569
63,297
3,596
5.3

72.4
1,553
63,119
3,737
5.5

72.6
1,523
63,371
3,542
5.2

72.6
1,512
63,429
3,520
5.1

72.5
1,529
63,402
3,754
5.5

72.6
1,540
63,475
3,589
5.2

72.5
1,526
63,450
3,593
5.2

72.5
1,542
63,532
3,612
5.3

72.5
1,534
63,521
3,583
5.2

72.6
1,532
63,790
3,710
5.4

96,013
53,818
56.1
50,494

96,918
54,904
56.6
51,858

96,538
54,565
56.5
51,384

96,606
54,612
56.5
51,422

96,679
54,478
56.3
51,448

96,739
54,598
56.4
51,526

96,801
54,508
56.3
51,445

96,880
54,773
56.5
51,792

96,957
54,870
56.6
51,766

97,018
55,007
56.7
51,964

97,089
55,084
56.7
52,059

97,164
55,209
56.8
52,284

97,234
55,529
57.1
52,578

97,306
55,621
57.2
52,650

97,427
56,091
57.6
53,085

52.6
160
50,334
3,324
6.2

53.5
162
51,696
3,046
5.5

53.2
161
51,223
3,181
5.8

53.2
159
51,263
3,190
5.8

53.2
163
51,285
3,030
5.6

53.3
163
51,363
3,072
5.6

53.1
161
51,284
3,063
5.6

53.5
162
51,630
2,981
5.4

53.4
161
51,605
3,104
5.7

53.6
163
51,801
3,043
5.5

53.6
164
51,895
3,025
5.5

53.8
161
52,123
2,925
5.3

54.1
163
52,415
2,951
5.3

54.1
162
52,488
2,971
5.3

54.5
164
52,921
3,006
5.4

Women, 16 years and over

Noninstitutional population \ 2 .......
Labor force2 ...................................
Participation rate 3 ................
Total employed2 .........................
Employment-population
ratio 4 ....................................
Resident Armed Forces ' .......
Civilian employed ....................
Unemployed................................
Unemployment rate 5 ............

1 The population and Armed Forces figures are not adjusted for seasonal variation.
2 Includes members of the Armed Forces stationed in the United States.
3 Labor force as a percent of the noninstitutional population.

4 Total employed as a percent of the noninstltutional population.
5 Unemployment as a percent of the labor force (including
Forces).

64


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

I

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
Employment status

July

May

Apr.

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

TOTAL

Civilian noninstitutional
population1 ...........................
Civilian labor force..............
Participation rate .........
Employed ..........................
Employment-population
ratio2 ...........................
Unemployed......................
Unemployment ra te .....
Not in labor force ...............

185,244
122,510

185,402
122,563

66.0

66.1

66.1

115,573

115,947

116,009

185,644
123,428
66.5
116,711

62.4
6,518
5.3
63,023

62.6
6,563
5.4
62,734

62.6
6,554
5.3
62,839

62.9
6,716
5.4
62,216

80,751
62,884
77.9
59,979

80,851
62,915
77.8
60,004

80,924
62,995
77.8
59,999

81,001
63,002
77.8
60,049

81,162
63,358
78.1
60,420

74.2
2,273
57,566
3,077
4.9

74.3
2,249
57,730
2,905
4.6

74.2
2,315
57,689
2,911
4.6

74.1
2,313
57,686
2,996
4.8

74.1
2,292
57,757
2,953
4.7

74.4
2,277
58,143
2,938
4.6

89,588
50,807
56.7
48,242

89,670
50,959
56.8
48,492

89,735
50,991
56.8
48,535

89,807
51,201
57.0
48,788

89,887
51,558
57.4
49,113

89,954
51,587
57.3
49,165

90,072
51,998
57.7
49,543

53.9
626
47,579
2,485
4.9

53.8
549
47,693
2,565
5.0

54.1
609
47,883
2,467
4.8

54.1
638
47,897
2,456
4.8

54.3
640
48,148
2,413
4.7

54.6
640
48,473
2,445
4.7

54.7
646
48,519
2,422
4.7

55.0
715
48,827
2,455
4.7

14,590
7,950
54.5
6,707

14,534
8,165
56.2
7,016

14,533
55.9
6,895

14,491
8,125
56.1
6,872

14,477
8,109
56.0
6,856

14,456
7,975
55.2
6,781

14,433
7,957
55.1
6,835

14,447
7,974
55.2
6,795

14,410
8,071
56.0
6,748

45.9
275
6,432
1,256
15.8

46.0
268
6,439
1,243
15.6

48.3
264
6,752
1,149
14.1

47.4
259
6,636
1,227
15.1

47.4
260
6,612
1,253
15.4

47.4
289
6,567
1,253
15.5

46.9
283
6,498
1,194
15.0

47.4
285
6,550
14.1

47.0
255
6,540
1,179
14.8

46.8
307
6,441
1,323
16.4

157,943
104,517

158,034
104,433

158,166
104,716

158,279
104,651

158,340 158,422
105,013 105,036
66.3
66.3
99,907 100,058

158,524
105,051
66.3
100,199

158,603
105,395
66.5
100,543

158,705
105,411
66.4
100,567

158,865
106,106

63.1
5,106
4.9

63.2
4,978
4.7

63.2
4,852
4.6

63.4
4,852
4.6

63.4
4,844
4.6

63.7
4,923
4.6

20,715
13,283
64.1
11,761

20,736
13,236
63.8
11,733

20,762
13,201
63.6
11,758

20,786
13,290
63.9
11,807

20,811
13,330
64.1
11,831

20,842
13,405
64.3
11,856

20,877
13,477
64.6
11,860

56.8
1,522
11.5

56.6
1,503
11.4

56.6
1,443
10.9

56.8
1,483

56.8
1,499

56.9
1,549

56.8
1,617

11.2

11.2

11.6

12.0

184,962
121,984

184,232
121,328
65.9
114,660

184,374
121,203
65.7
114,403

184,562
121,524
65.8
115,001

184,729
121,658
65.9
115,034

184,830

66.0

115,203

115,370

62.2
5.5
62,904

62.0
6,800
5.6
63,171

62.3
6,523
5.4
63,038

62.3
6,624
5.4
63,071

62.3
6,797
5.6
62,830

62.4
6,614
5.4
62,978

80,260
62,532
77.9
59,468

80,326
62,774
78.1
59,833

80,402
62,721
78.0
59,656

80,526
62,669
77.8
59,780

80,608
62,729
77.8
59,897

80,669
62,916
78.0
59,839

74.3
2,279
57,282
3,053
4.9

74.1
2,258
57,210
3,064
4.9

74.5
2,259
57,574
2,941
4.7

74.2
2,238
57,418
3,065
4.9

74.2
2,231
57,549
2,889
4.6

74.3
2,252
57,645
2,832
4.5

89,110
50,462
56.6
47,894

89,178
50,530
56.7
47,934

89,261
50,510
56.6
48.06Q

89,307
50,591
56.6
48,120

89,382
50,532
56.5
48,040

89,502
50,690
56.6
48,205

54.0
625
47,757
2,487
4.9

53.7
639
47,255
2,568
5.1

53.8
638
47,296
2,596
5.1

53.8
641
47,419
2,450
4.9

53.9
653
47,467
2,471
4.9

53.7
604
47,436
2,492
4.9

14,606
7,988
54.7
6,640

14,527
8,031
55.3
6,805

14,592
8,152
55.9
6,846

14,588
55.0
6,778

14,591
7,894
54.1
6,601

14,598
7,963
54.5
6,707

45.5
258
6,382
1,347
16.9

46.8
273
6,532
1,226
15.3

46.9
315
6,531
1,306
16.0

46.5
283
6,495
1,243
15.5

45.2
282
6,319
1,293
16.4

156,958
103,290
65.8
97,789

158,194
104,756

157,676
104,188

157,773
104,404

157,868
104,172

66.2

66.1

66.2

66.0

66.2

66.1

66.2

66.1

99,812

99,011

99,350

99,252

99,663

99,508

99,902

99,761

62.3
5,501
5.3

63.1
4,944
4.7

62.8
5,177
5.0

63.0
5,054
4.8

62.9
4,920
4.7

63.1
4,854
4.6

63.0
4,925
4.7

63.2
4,814
4.6

63.0
4,890
4.7

20,352
12,993
63.8
11,309

20,692
13,205
63.8
11,658

20,539
13,174
64.1
11,570

20,569
13,138
63.9
11,504

20,596
13,100
63.6
11,461

20,622
13,101
63.5
11,534

20,650
13,102
63.4
11,514

20,683
13,066
63.2
11,543

55.6
1,684
13.0

56.3
1,547
11.7

56.3
1,604

55.9
1,634
12.4

55.6
1,639
12.5

55.9
1,567

55.8
1,588

12.0

12.1

55.8
1,523
11.7

182,753
119,865
65.6
112,440

184,613
121,669
65.9
114,968

183,822
121,035
65.8
114,055

183,969
121,165
65.9
114,273

184,111
120,936
65.7
114,129

61.5
7,425
62,888

62.3
6,701
5.5
62,944

62.0
6,980
5.8
62,787

62.1
6,892
5.7
62,804

62.0
6,807
5.6
63,175

79,565
62,095
78.0
58,726

80,553
62,768
77.9
59,781

80,120
62,421
77.9
59,315

80,203
62,614
78.1
59,561

73.8
2,329
56,397
3,369
5.4

74.2
2,271
57,510
2,987
4.8

74.0
2,302
57,013
3,106
5.0

88,583
49,783
56.2
47,074

89,532
50,870
56.8
48,383

53.1
622
46,453
2,709
5.4

6.2

6,668

122,000
66.0

185,114
122,091

Men, 20 years and over

Civilian noninstitutional
population1.............................
Civilian labor force................
Participation rate ...........
Employed ............................
Employment-population
ratio2 .............................
Agriculture........................
Nonagricultural industries .
Unemployed........................
Unemployment ra te ......
Women, 20 years ond over

Civilian noninstitutional
population1.............................
Civilian labor force................
Participation rate ...........
Employed ............................
Employment-population
ratio2 .............................
Agriculture........................
Nonagricultural industries
Unemployed........................
Unemployment ra te ......
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years

Civilian noninstitutional
population1 ............................
Civilian labor force...............
Participation rate ..........
Employed ...........................
Employment-population
ratio2 ............................
Agriculture .......................
Nonagricultural industries
Unemployed.......................
Unemployment ra te ......

8,021

8,122

1,122

White

Civilian noninstitutional
population1 ...........................
Civilian labor force..............
Participation rate .........
Employed ..........................
Employment-population
ratio2 ...........................
Unemployed......................
Unemployment ra te .....

66.8

101,183

Black

Civilian noninstitutional
population1............................
Civilian labor force...............
Participation rate ..........
Employed ...........................
Employment-population
ratio2 ............................
Unemployed.......................
Unemployment ra te ......

12.2

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

65

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

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)
Annual average

1988

Employment status

1989

1987

1988

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

12,867
8,541
66.4
7,790

13,325
8,982
67.4
8,250

13,115
8,862
67.6
8,199

13,153
8,987
68.3
8,241

13,192
8,818
66.8
8,088

13,230
8,823
66.7
8,030

13,268
8,910
67.2
8,128

13,306
9,009
67.7
8,222

13,344
8,997
67.4
8,265

13,381
8,963
67.0
8,214

13,419
9,061
67.5
8,378

13,458
9,075
67.4
8,368

13,495
9,148
67.8
8,419

13,533
9,133
67.5
8,441

13 564
9 205
67 9
8,434

60.5
751
8.8

61.9
732
8.2

62.5
663
7.5

62.7
746
8.3

61.3
730
8.3

60.7
793
9.0

61.3
782
8.8

61.8
787
8.7

61.9
732
8.1

61.4
749
8.4

62.4
683
7.5

62.2
707
7.8

62.4
729
8.0

62.4
692
7.6

62 2
771
8.4

Hispanic origin
Civilian noninstitutional
population’ .....................................
Civilian labor force......................
Participation rate ..................
Employed .........................
Employment-population
ratio2 ..................................
Unemployed........................
Unemployment ra te ..............

2 ^ he P°Pulat on figures are not seasonally adjusted.
Uvilian 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)
Annual average

1988

Selected categories
1987

1989

1988

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

114,968
63,273
51,696
40,472

114,055
62,832
51,223
40,438

114,273
63,010
51,263
40,488

114,129
62,844
51,285
40,486

114,660
63,297
51,363
40,494

114,403
63,119
51,284
40,317

115,001
63,3^1
51,630
40,493

115,034
63,429
51,605
40,518

115,203
63,402
51,801
40,511

115,370
63,475
51,895
40,513

115,573
63,450
52,123
40,504

115,947
63,532
52,415
40,407

116,009
63,521
52,488
40,483

116,711
63,790
52,921
40,925

28,756
6,211

28,435
6,153

28,620
6,151

28,713
6,158

28,772
6,091

28,632
6,000

28,678
6,130

28,669
6,170

28,809
6,280

28,836
6,253

28,890
6,344

28,995
6,375

29,053
6,399

29,589
6,416

1,632
1,423
153

1,621
1,398
150

1,629
1,427
143

1,640
1,410
123

1,610
1,416
146

1,632
1,390
152

1,574
1,365
155

1,583
1,375
161

1,572
1,362
149

1,607
1,411
158

1,612
1,421
137

1,661
1,405
177

1,672
1,450
125

1,698
1,349
149

1,684
1,387
189

100,771
16,800
83,970
1,208
82,762
8,201
260

103,021
17,114
85,907
1,153
84,754
8,519
260

102,413
17,080
85,333
1,146
84,187
8,246
241

102,498
16,961
85,537
1,167
84,370
8,338
232

102,339
16,952
85,387
1,167
84,220
8,395
250

102,562
17,012
85,550
1,114
84,436
8,567
272

102,145
16,946
85,199
1,152
84,047
8,816
301

102,953
17,049
85,904
1,146
84,758
8,536
297

103,189
17,031
86,158
1,132
85,026
8,531
251

103,207
17,111
86,096
1,128
84,968
8,508
241

103,501
17,145
86,356
1,119
85,237
8,570
230

103,733
17,240
86,493
1,152
85,341
8,479
232

103,770
17,387
86,383
1,209
85,174
8,619
300

103,904
17,423
86,481
1,210
85,271
8,602
266

104,510
17,393
87,117
1,196
85,921
8,718
298

5,401
2,385
2,672
14,395

5,206
2,350
2,487
14,963

5,355
2,351
2,630
14,580

5,369
2,408
2,591
14,619

5,331
2,448
2,548
14,654

5,212
2,264
2,519
14,949

4,878
2,267
2,353
14,813

5,302
2,346
2,586
14,612

5,341
2,471
2,538
15,026

5,192
2,315
2,473
14,999

5,097
2,266
2,389
15,270

4,963
2,220
2,399
15,161

5,061
2,279
2,375
15,446

5,321
2,549
2,410
15,363

5,097
2,302
2,352
15,401

5,122
2,201
2,587
13,928

4,965
2,199
2,408
14,509

5,113
2,212
2,554
14,115

5,101
2,258
2,477
14,172

5,087
2,265
2,482
14,203

4,953
2,131
2,426
14,441

4,676
2,136
2,276
14,376

5,073
2,183
2,504
14,180

5,102
2,334
2,493
14,606

4,972
2,171
2,408
14,564

4,862
2,102
2,317
14,819

4,727
2,095
2,319
14,679

4,819
2,116
2,288
14,986

5,033
2,377
2,307
14,928

4,837
2,144
2,283
14,970

CHARACTERISTIC

Civilian employed, 16 years and
over.............................................. 112,440
M en......................................
62,107
Women ......................................
50,334
Married men, spouse present .. 40,265
Married women, spouse
p resen t.....................................
28,107
Women who maintain families .
6,060
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 w orkers..............
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 .....................

Excludes persons with a job but not at work” during the survey period for such reasons as vacation, illness, or industrial disputes.

66 FRASER
Digitized for
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

7.

Selected unemployment indicators, monthly data seasonally adjusted

(Unemployment rates)
1989

1988

Annual average
Selected categories

Jan.

1987

1988

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

6.2
16.9
5.4
5.4

5.5
15.3
4.8
4.9

5.8
16.0
5.0
5.1

5.7
15.5
4.9
5.1

5.6
16.4
4.9
4.9

5.5
15.8
4.7
4.9

5.6
15.6
4.9
4.9

5.4
14.1
4.6
4.9

5.4
15.1
4.5
5.0

5.6
15.4
4.9
4.8

5.4
15.5
4.6
4.8

5.3
15.0
4.6
4.7

5.4
14.1
4.8
4.7

5.3
14.8
4.7
4.7

5.4
16.4
4.6
4.7

5.3
14.4
15.5
13.4
4.8
4.6

4.7
13.1
13.9
12.3
4.1
4.1

5.0
13.9
14.5
13.3
4.4
4.2

4.8
12.5
12.5
12.6
4.2
4.4

4.7
14.1
15.5
12.6
4.2
3.9

4.6
13.9
14.4
13.3
4.0
4.0

4.7
13.2
14.0
12.3
4.2
4.1

4.6
12.3
13.2
11.4
4.0
4.1

4.7
12.9
14.3
11.4
3.9
4.3

4.9
13.7
13.9
13.5
4.3
4.1

4.7
13.4
14.5
12.3
4.1
4.1

4.6
12.9
14.4
11.3
4.1
4.0

4.6
11.9
12.6
11.3
4.2
4.0

4.6
12.6
13.4
11.8
4.1
3.9

4.6
14.1
16.4
11.7
4.0
3.9

13.0
34.7
34.4
34.9
11.1
11.6

11.7
32.4
32.7
32.0
10.1
10.4

12.2
34.2
34.6
33.7
10.2
11.0

12.4
36.8
39.9
33.8
10.9
10.5

12.5
35.8
37.8
33.9
11.0
10.8

12.0
30.8
27.9
33.9
10.4
10.9

12.1
33.9
33.2
34.8
10.4
10.6

11.7
30.6
31.5
29.6
9.9
10.6

11.5
31.7
31.2
32.4
9.6
10.3

11.4
32.1
32.1
32.0
9.7
10.0

10.9
31.9
31.9
31.9
9.1
9.7

11.2
30.9
32.8
28.6
9.6
9.8

11.2
31.1
32.1
29.9
9.8
9.8

11.6
29.6
29.8
29.3
10.0
10.5

12.0
34.5
36.7
32.0
10.4
10.4

8.8

8.2

7.5

8.3

8.3

9.0

8.8

8.7

8.1

8.4

7.5

7.8

8.0

7.6

8.4

3.9
4.3
9.2
5.8
8.4
1.7
7.1

3.3
3.9
8.1
5.2
7.6
1.3
6.3

3.5
4.1
8.8
5.4
8.3
1.4
6.6

3.4
4.0
8.3
5.3
7.9
1.4
6.6

3.4
4.0
7.5
5.3
7.8
1.4
6.5

3.1
3.8
8.5
5.1
7.5
1.3
6.2

3.3
3.9
8.4
5.2
7.7
1.3
6.4

3.2
3.9
7.9
5.0
7.7
1.3
6.3

3.1
4.0
8.5
5.0
8.0
1.3
6.4

3.4
4.0
7.5
5.3
7.4
1.3
6.4

3.1
3.8
8.1
5.1
7.4
1.3
6.3

3.1
3.7
7.9
5.0
7.4
1.3
6.1

3.3
3.8
7.7
5.0
7.1
1.2
6.2

3.1
3.7
8.2
5.1
7.0
1.2
6.3

3.1
3.6
8.0
5.0
7.9
1.2
6.2

5.4
5.6
8.6
7.0
9.6
10.7
5.4
5.5
5.2
5.0
5.8
6.3
3.8
3.8
Transportation and public utilities .....................
6.2
6.4
4.4
4.4
2.7
2.9
10.8
11.0
—
J---------1 Aggregate hours lost by the unemployed and persons on part time for economic reasons as a percent of potentially available labor force hours.

5.4
8.8
10.0
5.3
5.0
5.7
3.5
6.0
4.5
2.6
10.2

5.5
8.9
10.6
5.1
4.9
5.3
4.0
6.2
4.6
2.5
9.3

5.4
7.7
10.4
5.2
5.0
5.5
3.8
6.3
4.1
2.7
8.8

5.6
6.1
10.4
5.3
5.0
5.7
3.8
6.3
4.7
2.7
9.5

CHARACTERISTIC

INDUSTRY

Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers ....


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

6.2
10.0
11.6
6.0
5.8
6.3
4.5
6.9
4.9
3.5
10.5

5.5
7.9
10.6
5.3
5.0
5.7
3.9
6.2
4.5
2.8
10.6

5.8
7.5
11.9
5.5
5.3
5.8
3.7
6.2
4.9
3.0
11.4

5.7
7.8
10.9
5.6
5.7
5.4
3.8
6.3
4.6
2.9
10.5

5.6
8.2
10.6
5.2
5.1
5.4
4.1
6.7
4.3
2.9
11.0

5.4
8.1
10.6
5.3
4.8
5.9
3.8
5.9
4.3
3.0
11.0

5.6
9.4
10.5
5.3
4.9
5.9
4.2
6.3
4.6
2.9
12.4

5.4
6.8
10.3
4.9
4.5
5.5
4.1
6.0
4.6
2.9
10.0

5.4
5.4
10.4
5.2
4.9
5.6
3.6
6.2
4.5
3.0
11.0

J-------

—

67

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Employment Data

8. Unemployment rates by sex and age, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Civilian workers)

Sex and age

Annual
average
1987

1988

1989

1988
Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Total, 16 years and over ...................................................................
16 to 24 y ears..................................................................................
16 to 19 years ...............................................................................
16 to 17 years ............................................................................
18 to 19 years ............................................................................
20 to 24 years ...............................................................................
25 years and over............................................................................
25 to 54 years ............................................................................
55 years and o v e r......................................................................

6.2
12.2
16.9
19.1
15.2
9.7
4.8
5.0
3.3

5.5
11.0
15.3
17.4
13.8
8.7
4.3
4.5
3.1

5.8
11.6
16.0
18.5
14.5
9.1
4.5
4.6
3.4

5.7
11.1
15.5
17.7
14.1
8.7
4.4
4.7
3.2

5.6
11.6
16.4
17.7
15.3
9.0
4.2
4.5
2.9

5.5
11.2
15.8
17.7
14.1
8.7
4.2
4.4
3.0

5.6
11.2
15.6
16.7
14.8
8.8
4.3
4.5
3.3

5.4
10.5
14.1
15.9
13.3
8.5
4.2
4.4
3.0

5.4
10.9
15.1
17.5
13.1
8.5
4.2
4.4
3.1

5.6
11.0
15.4
18.5
13.7
8.4
4.4
4.5
3.2

5.4
10.9
15.5
19.6
12.8
8.4
4.2
4.4
2.9

5.3
10.9
15.0
17.2
13.3
8.6
4.1
4.3
2.8

5.4
10.6
14.1
15.8
12.9
8.7
4.2
4.4
2.8

5.3
10.9
14.8
16.6
13.3
8.7
4.1
4.3
3.0

5.4
11.9
16.4
18.3
15.4
9.3
4.1
4.2
3.1

Men, 16 years and o v e r................................................................
16 to 24 years ............................................................................
16 to 19 y ears..........................................................................
16 to 17 y ears.......................................................................
18 to 19 y ears.......................................................................
20 to 24 y ears..........................................................................
25 years and o v e r......................................................................
25 to 54 y ears.......................................................................
55 years and over..................................................................

6.2
12.6
17.8
20.2
16.0
9.9
4.8
5.0
3.5

5.5
11.4
16.0
18.2
14.6
8.9
4.2
4.4
3.3

5.7
12.2
16.5
19.2
15.1
9.8
4.3
4.5
3.8

5.5
11.4
15.8
17.6
14.9
9.0
4.3
4.5
3.4

5.7
11.9
17.4
18.6
16.6
9.0
4.3
4.5
3.4

5.4
11.2
15.9
17.6
14.7
8.7
4.1
4.3
3.2

5.6
11.5
16.3
17.4
15.3
8.9
4.3
4.4
3.5

5.3
11.0
15.4
17.5
14.3
8.5
4.1
4.2
3.2

5.3
11.3
16.3
18.1
14.4
8.5
4.0
4.2
3.2

5.6
11.4
16.0
17.7
14.5
8.9
4.4
4.5
3.4

5.4
11.3
16.4
20.8
13.5
8.5
4.1
4.3
2.9

5.4
11.8
16.5
18.5
15.0
9.2
4.0
4.2
3.0

5.4
10.9
14.8
17.3
13.0
8.8
4.2
4.4
3.2

5.3
11.1
15.4
17.3
13.5
8.7
4.1
4.3
3.3

5.5
12.8
18.6
20.6
17.9
9.6
4.0
4.2
3.0

Women, 16 years and ov er.........................................................
16 to 24 y e ars...........................................................................
16 to 19 years ........................................................................
16 to 17 years .....................................................................
18 to 19 years .....................................................................
20 to 24 years ........................................................................
25 years and over.....................................................................
25 to 54 years .....................................................................
55 years and o v e r................................................................

6.2
11.7
15.9
18.0
14.3
9.4
4.8
5.1
3.0

5.6
10.6
14.4
16.6
12.9
8.5
4.3
4.6
2.8

5.8
11.0
15.6
17.7
13.9
8.4
4.6
4.9
2.9

5.9
10.9
15.1
17.7
13.3
8.5
4.6
4.9
3.0

5.6
11.2
15.2
16.7
14.0
9.0
4.1
4.5
2.4

5.6
11.1
15.6
17.7
13.5
8.6
4.3
4.6
2.8

5.6
10.9
15.0
16.0
14.2
8.6
4.4
4.6
3.1

5.5
10.0
12.6
14.1
12.1
8.6
4.3
4.6
2.8

5.7
10.5
13.8
16.8
11.6
8.6
4.4
4.7
2.9

5.5
10.4
14.8
19.2
12.8
8.0
4.3
4.6
2.8

5.5
10.5
14.5
18.2
12.0
8.2
4.3
4.5
2.9

5.3
9.9
13.3
15.8
11.6
7.9
4.2
4.5
2.4

5.3
10.3
13.3
14.1
12.8
8.6
4.2
4.4
2.4

5.4
10.7
14.2
15.8
13.1
8.7
4.1
4.4
2.6

5.4
10.9
14.0
15.9
12.7
9.1
4.1
4.3
3.1

68FRASER
Digitized for
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

9. Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)

1987
Job losers .............................................
On layoff.............................................
Other job losers..................................
Job leavers ...........................................
Reentrants ............................................
New entrants ........................................

1989

1988

Annual average
Reason for unemployment
Jan.

1988

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Nov.

Oct.

Sept.

Aug.

Jan.

Dec.

3,566
943
2,623
965
1,974
920

3,092
851
2,241
983
1,809
816

3,181
872
2,309
1,046
1,907
870

3,182
877
2,305
969
1,916
855

3,131
882
2,249
1,059
1,792
871

2,968
844
2,124
985
1,804
886

3,201
806
2,395
942
1,804
811

3,070
861
2,209
953
1,747
800

3,085
853
2,232
923
1,883
799

3,112
880
2,232
986
1,843
800

3,079
833
2,246
985
1,767
761

2,951
844
2,107
984
1,747
747

3,031
814
2,217
963
1,766
799

3,066
819
2,247
998
1,725
799

3,121
827
2,294
985
1,835
780

48.0
12.7
35.3
13.0
26.6
12.4

46.1
12.7
33.4
14.7
27.0
12.2

45.4
12.5
33.0
14.9
27.2
12.4

46.0
12.7
33.3
14.0
27.7
12.4

45.7
12.9
32.8
15.5
26.1
12.7

44.7
12.7
32.0
14.8
27.2
13.3

47.4
11.9
35.4
13.9
26.7
12.0

46.7
13.1
33.6
14.5
26.6
12.2

46.1
12.8
33.4
13.8
28.1
11.9

46.2
13.1
33.1
14.6
27.3
11.9

46.7
12.6
34.1
14.9
26.8
11.5

45.9
13.1
32.8
15.3
27.2
11.6

46.2
12.4
33.8
14.7
26.9
12.2

46.5
12.4
34.1
15.1
26.2
12.1

46.4
12.3
34.1
14.7
27.3
11.6

3.0
.8
1.6
.8

2.5
.8
1.5
.7

2.6
.9
1.6
.7

2.6
.8
1.6
.7

2.6
.9
1.5
.7

2.4
.8
1.5
.7

2.6
.8
1.5
.7

2.5
.8
1.4
.7

2.5
.8
1.5
.7

2.6
.8
1.5
.7

2.5
.8
1.4
.6

2.4
.8
1.4
.6

2.5
.8
1.4
.7

2.5
.8
1.4
.7

2.5
.8
1.5
.6

PERCENT OF UNEMPLOYED

Job losers...........................................
On layoff..........................................
Other job lo sers...............................
Job leavers.........................................
Reentrants..........................................
New entrants .....................................
PERCENT OF
CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE

Job losers .........................................
Job leavers ........................................
Reentrants ........................................
New entrants .....................................

10. Duration of unemployment, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in tr.ousands)
1989

1988

Annual average
Weeks of unemployment
1987

1988

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Less than 5 weeks ............................................
5 to 14 weeks ....................................................
15 weeks and o v e r............................................
15 to 26 weeks ...............................................
27 weeks and o v e r.........................................

3,246
2,196
1,983
943
1,040

3,084
2,007
1,610
801
809

3,118
2,214
1,728
838
890

3,097
2,093
1,732
842
890

3,057
2,060
1,693
851
842

Mean duration in w eeks.....................................
Median duration in w eeks..................................

14.5
6.5

13.5
5.9

14.2
6.3

14.1
6.3

13.8
6.4


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

3,093
1,969
1,582
756
826

3,072
2,068
1,614
789
825

3,093
1,910
1,543
749
794

2,985
2,041
1,619
826
793

3,158
1,956
1,636
831
805

3,116
1,896
1,568
775
793

3,059
1,835
1,554
788
766

3,117
1,935
1,502
787
715

3,029
2,039
1,495
758
737

3,181
2,081
1,512
757
755

13.5
5.8

13.8
5.9

13.2
5.9

13.5
6.2

13.5
5.9

13.5
5.7

13.4
5.7

12.6
5.6

12.8
5.8

12.7
5.7

Apr.

69

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Employment Data

11. Unemployment rates of civilian workers by State, data not seasonally adjusted
State
Alabama..............................
Alaska ...................................
Arizona...................................
Arkansas................................
California..............................
Colorado ................................
Connecticut ....................................
Delaware...................................
District of Columbia.......................
Florida ...................................

Dec.
1987

Dec.
1988

7.1
10.0
5.8
8.0
4.9

7.2
9.0
6.5
7.0
4.3

7.4
3.1
2.6
5.9
5.0

6.1
3.4
3.4
4.5
5.4

Dec.
1988

Nebraska .................................
Nevada .....................................
New Hampshire...................

4.9
6.3
2.1

4.0
4.8
3.0

New Jersey .............................

3.6

4.0

Ohio .....................................

Georgia ..................................
Hawaii....................................
Idaho ......................................
Illinois .........................
Indiana ......................................

4.8
3.8
8.0
6.9
6.0

5.0
3.2
5.4
6.2
6.2

Iow a..................................
Kansas .........................................................
Kentucky ......................................................
Louisiana......................................................
Maine............................................................

4.8
5.0
8.2
9.5
3.7

4.2
4.8
8.3
10.0
3.5

Maryland .................................
Massachusetts.............................................
Michigan..................................
Minnesota .......................
Mississippi.....................................
Missouri.....................................

4.2
2.6
8.3
5.9
8.7
6.3

4.6
3.0
71
4.7
8.9
5.9

NOTE: Some data in this table may differ from data
published elsewhere because of the continual updating of the

12.

Dec.
1987

State

5.0

5.6

6.1

5.4

3.5

3.5

South Carolina.....................................

5.1

4.1

Tennessee ..........................
Texas .....................................
Utah ....................................

6.2
6.8
5.9

5.8
62
47

Vermont...........................

3.7

3.1

Washington ..................................

7.9

6.0

Wisconsin...................................

6.0

41

7.6

7.5

database,

Employment of workers on nonagricultural payrolls by State, data not seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)
State

Dec. 1987

Nov. 1988

Alabama................
Alaska ...................
Arizona..................
Arkansas...............
California...............

1,527.9
203.1
1,423.1
851.2
11,973.2

1,563.6
207.3
1,440.6
872.4
12,327.2

Colorado ...............
Connecticut ..........
Delaware...............
District of Columbia
Florida...................

1,415.6
1,674.5
330.9
664.2
5,037.3

1,413.5
1,696.3
338.1
679.0
5,215.7

Georgia ....... .........
Hawaii....................
Idaho .....................
Illinois....................
Indiana..................

2,807.8
470.6
340.0
4,963.8
2,360.1

2,822.3
474.5
354.6
5,117.0
2,450.9

Iow a.......................
Kansas ..................
Kentucky...............
Louisiana...............
Maine.....................

1,133.4
1,020.7
1,352.0
1,504.3
517.9

1,166.8
1,040.4
1,386.4
1,516.0
533.8

Maryland............... .
Massachusetts......
Michigan.................
Minnesota..............
Mississippi..............
Missouri..................
Montana.................

2,050.8
3,101.9
3,776.3
1,997.9
884.7
2,215.1
275.3

2,079.3
3,165.8
3,853.9
2,066.5
907.3
2,248.2
283.1

Dec. 1988p
1,548.2
204.8
1,435.3
872.5
12,391.6

70

Dec. 1987

Nov. 1988

Dec. 1988p

670.2
514.4
529.0

681.7
547.3
547.1

679.8
544.6
549.5

New J e rse y ................................................
New Mexico..........................................
1,417.8 New York.................................................
1,707.0 North Carolina .............................................
339.4 North Dakota ...............................................
683.0
5,236.7 Ohio ..............................................................
Oklahoma..................................................
2,833.6 O regon....................................................
479.5 Pennsylvania................................................
353.1 Rhode Island................................................
5,082.1
2,446.9 South Carolina..................................
South Dakota...................................
1,163.9 Tennessee .................................
1,035.2 Texas ..........................................................
1,381.6 Utah ..................................................
1,516.8
532.6 Vermont............................................
Virginia..................................................
2,090.3 Washington ............................
3,180.5 West Virginia.........................................
3,827.3 Wisconsin ....................................................
2,059.0
897.1 Wyoming.......................................................
2,244.5 Puerto R ico..................................................
277.3 Virgin Islands ...............................................

3,653.2
536.4
8,219.5
2,930.5
254.4

3,727.6
553.7
8,354.1
3,018.0
259.9

3,729.3
549.6
8.373.9
3.012.2
258.8

4,676.9
1,108.3
1,116.5
5,016.5
458.3

4,847.2
1,107.8
1,177.1
5,120.0
463.4

4.790.5
1.112.3
1.171.5
5.118.1
461.4

1,422.1
256.3
2,056.7
6,580.8
652.9

1,470.4
261.6
2,089.4
6,680.7
676.8

1.465.4
260.1
2,079.3
6,693.7
678.1

252.3
2,744.7
1,880.4
607.3
2,121.4

258.1
2,857.4
1,974.2
624.5
2,192.3

259.7
2,871.0
1.971.2
612.3
2.184.9

177.2
789.1
40.2

179.5
810.5
39.9

177.2
813.6
40.4

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
N ebraska......................................................
Nevada .........................................................
New Hampshire............................................

because of the continual updating of the database.

13.

Employment of workers on nonagricultural payrolls by industry, monthly data seasonally adjusted

(In thousands)

1987

1988p

1989

1988

Annual average
Industry
Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.p

Jan.p

106,057
88,678

106,271
88,941

106,425
89,066

106,737
89,205

106,973
89,481

107,419
89,855

107,640
90,094

108,048
90,520

TOTAL ...................................... 102,310
PRIVATE SECTOR ..................... 85,295

106,039
88,652

104,262
87,044

104,729
87,475

105,020
87,700

105,281
87,973

105,489
88,139

24,784
721
405

25,565
733
417

25,180
728
414

25,271
731
415

25,330
733
419

25,435
737
421

25,466
739
425

25,592
740
425

25,663
740
424

25,639
739
423

25,648
734
419

25,743
729
413

25,849
722
406

25,892
719
402

26,040
719
402

4,998
1,326

5,294
1,396

5,083
1,365

5,150
1,377

5,192
1,383

5,238
1,400

5,237
1,394

5,308
1,412

5,330
1,400

5,340
1,401

5,365
1,404

5,366
1,393

5,413
1,406

5,436
1,414

5,538
1,446

19,065
12,995

19,538
13,338

19,369
13,225

19,390
13,249

19,405
13,251

19,460
13,280

19,490
13,302

19,544
13,341

19,593
13,382

19,560
13,352

19,549
13,332

19,648
13,412

19,714
13,465

19,737
13,474

19,783
13,524

11,218
7,453

11,516
7,677

11,393
7,582

11,404
7,599

11,411
7,598

11,459
7,632

11,477
7,649

11,515
7,676

11,566
7,720

11,547
7,705

11,537
7,689

11,595
7,733

11,637
7,765

11,650
7,776

11,672
7,798

740
518
582
749

758
538
587
782

754
536
583
768

756
535
584
770

755
534
585
772

758
535
587
773

757
537
585
776

757
537
587
781

756
541
589
789

753
537
586
785

753
538
585
787

760
540
588
794

767
541
590
796

772
540
593
794

774
540
593
794

269
1,407

281
1,455

279
1,435

280
1,438

281
1,439

281
1,444

281
1,448

281
1,457

282
1,464

281
1,458

280
1,460

282
1,469

282
1,474

279
1,477

280
1,483

2,023

2,138

2,085

2,091

2,099

2,111

2,121

2,134

2,151

2,156

2,159

2,173

2,185

2,188

2,195

2,084
2,048
865
696

2,121
2,042
850
713

2,112
2,036
839
704

2,112
2,031
837
705

2,115
2,025
835
705

2,117
2,045
848
706

2,115
2,048
851
709

2,120
2,047
850
713

2,122
2,052
857
715

2,126
2,044
855
718

2,124
2,032
849
716

2,126
2,045
859
719

2,130
2,050
860
721

2,126
2,050
857
725

2,123
2,060
867
726

370

383

380

382

382

383

381

382

387

384

383

381

383

385

384

7,847
5,543

8,022
5,661

7,976
5,643

7,986
5,650

7,994
5,653

8,001
5,648

8,013
5,653

8,029
5,665

8,027
5,662

8,013
5,647

8,012
5,643

8,053
5,679

8,077
5,700

8,087
5,698

8,111
5,726

1,624
54
725

1,645
53
726

1,647
55
732

1,649
54
732

1,647
54
729

1,648
54
727

1,643
52
728

1,645
53
727

1,631
52
726

1,630
52
719

1,632
51
722

1,654
52
722

1,661
53
723

1,654
52
724

1,666
51
726

1,100
679

1,097
689

1,105
685

1,104
686

1,106
687

1,100
687

1,100
689

1,097
691

1,096
692

1,089
691

1,087
688

1,086
691

1,093
691

1,095
692

1,097
694

Printing and publishing................
Chemicals and allied products....
Petroleum and coal products......
Rubber and misc. plastics
products.......................................
Leather and leather products .....

1,507
1,026
165

1,565
1,063
167

1,538
1,047
166

1,544
1,049
165

1,548
1,052
164

1,554
1,056
165

1,559
1,060
166

1,565
1,065
167

1,567
1,067
167

1,572
1,070
167

1,575
1,069
168

1,581
1,071
169

1,583
1,073
169

1,592
1,076
168

1,597
1,080
167

823
144

873
146

854
147

856
147

860
147

864
146

870
146

873
146

882
147

878
145

874
146

882
145

887
144

889
145

887
146

SERVICE-PRODUCING ................
Transportation and public
utilities........................................

77,525

80,475

79,082

79,458

79,690

79,846

80,023

80,465

80,608

80,786

81,089

81,230

81,570

81,748

82,008

5,556
3,308

5,582
3,332

5,598
3,345

5,605
3,351

5,618
3,366

5,631
3,380

5,658
3,407

5,667
3,419

5,713
3,458

GOODS-PRODUCING ...................
Mining ...........................................

Oil and gas extraction ................
Construction ................................

General building contractors......
Manufacturing..............................

Production workers .....................
Durable goods............................

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...........
Machinery, except electrical........
Electrical and electronic
equipment....................................
Transportation equipment............
Motor vehicles and equipment ...
Instruments and related products
Miscellaneous manufacturing
industries .....................................
Nondurable goods.....................

Production workers......................
Food and kindred products.........
Tobacco manufactures ...............
Apparel and other textile
Paper and allied products ...........

Transportation..............................
Communication and public
utilities.........................................
Wholesale trade .........................

Durable goods..............................
Nondurable g o o d s.......................
Retail trad e ..................................

General merchandise sto re s.......
Food stores ..................................
Automotive dealers and service
stations ........................................
Eating and drinking p laces..........

5,385
3,166

5,584
3,336

5,499
3,261

5,513
3,272

5,530
3,285

5,543
3,298

2,218

2,248

2,238

2,241

2,245

2,245

2,248

2,250

2,253

2,254

2,252

2,251

2,251

2,248

2,255

5,872
3,449
2,423

6,156
3,666
2,490

6,010
3,555
2,455

6,035
3,573
2,462

6,061
3,591
2,470

6,089
3,610
2,479

6,115
3,635
2,480

6,148
3,660
2,488

6,174
3,681
2,493

6,192
3,696
2,496

6,219
3,714
2,505

6,246
3,736
2,510

6,275
3,758
2,517

6,300
3,778
2,522

6,333
3,795
2,538

18,509
2,432
2,957

19,206
2,539
3,089

18,927
2,526
3,014

19,045
2,561
3,029

19,050
2,543
3,044

19,093
2,546
3,049

19,130
2,541
3,053

19,205
2,549
3,080

19,261
2,545
3,097

19,279
2,539
3,106

19,291
2,533
3,110

19,327
2,520
3,143

19,401
2,533
3,157

19,427
2,539
3,177

19,560
2,555
3,208

2,004
6,127

2,079
6,360

2,038
6,260

2,047
6,291

2,055
6,319

2,064
6,326

2,070
6,336

2,076
6,352

2,088
6,369

2,095
6,377

2,095
6,384

2,103
6,415

2,106
6,440

2,106
6,449

2,108
6,466

6,549
3,275
2,022
1,252

6,679
3,305
2,074
1,299

6,633
3,308
2,052
1,273

6,636
3,305
2,053
1,278

6,651
3,306
2,060
1,285

6,650
3,302
2,065
1,283

6,656
3,299
2,067
1,290

6,679
3,304
2,074
1,301

6,684
3,300
2,077
1,307

6,689
3,298
2,081
1,310

6,692
3,300
2,083
1,309

6,708
3,308
2,089
1,311

6,725
3,314
2,092
1,319

6,743
3,326
2,099
1,318

6,735
3,318
2,098
1,319

24,196
5,172
6,828

25,464
5,478
7,228

24,795
5,321
7,019

24,975
5,385
7,056

25,078
5,405
7,088

25,163
5,420
7,126

25,216
5,443
7,153

25,472
5,480
7,203

25,561
5,500
7,238

25,662
5,512
7,271

25,737
5,538
7,323

25,826
5,553
7,365

25,947
5,563
7,414

26,065
5,607
7,466

26,139
5,595
7,500

17,015
2,943
3,963
10,109

17,387
2,972
4,051
10,364

17,218
2,973
4,006
10,239

17,254
2,972
4,014
10,268

17,320
2,970
4,031
10,319

17,308
2,963
4,041
10,304

17,350
2,957
4,050
10,343

17,379
2,951
4,049
10,379

17,330
2,951
4,059
10,320

17,359
2,956
4,070
10,333

17,532
2,989
4,086
10,457

17,492
2,989
4,070
10,433

17,564
2,989
4,074
10,501

17,546
2,999
4,071
10,476

17,528
3,003
4,056
10,469

Finance, insurance, and real

Finance ........................................
Insurance ......................................
Real e s ta te ...................................
Services.......................................

Federal.........................................
Local.............................................

= preliminary
NOTE: See notes on the data for a description of the most recent benchmark revision.

p


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

71

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Employment Data

14. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by industry
monthly data seasonally adjusted
Industry

An nual
ave rage
1987

1988

1988p Jan.

Feb.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.p Jan.p

PRIVATE SECTOR ...............

34.8

34.8

34.7

34.8

34.6

34.9

34.7

34.7

34.9

34.6

34.7

34.9

34.8

34.7

34.9

MANUFACTURING.........................

41.0
3.7

41.1
3.9

41.1
3.9

41.0
3.7

40.9
3.7

41.2
3.9

41.0
3.9

41.1
3.9

41.1
3.9

41.0
3.9

41.2
3.9

41.2
4.0

41.2
3.9

40.9
3.9

41 0
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 ........................

41.5
3.8
40.6
40.0
42.3
43.1
43.4
41.5

41.8
4.1
40.3
39.4
42.3
43.5
44.0
41.8

41.6
4.0
40.2
39.6
42.0
43.4
44.0
41.8

41.5
3.8
40.3
39.5
42.3
43.1
43.8
41.6

41.5
3.8
40.1
39.3
42.3
43.3
43.7
41.6

42.0
4.2
40.6
39.5
42.5
43.5
43.8
42.0

41.8
4.2
40.1
39.5
42.3
43.6
43.9
41.9

41.8
4.1
40.2
39.4
42.4
43.6
44.3
42.0

41.8
4.0
40.5
39.7
42.1
43.4
44.0
41.7

41.6
4.1
40.0
39.0
42.1
43.5
44.0
41.8

41.9
4.0
39.9
39.6
42.3
44.0
44.6
42.0

41.9
4.2
40.7
39.4
42.5
43.8
44.3
41.9

41.9
4.2
40.3
39.4
42.6
43.7
44.0
42.2

41.6
41
40.3
39 2
42.4
43.3
43 6
41.7

41 7
41
40 4
40 1
42 9
43 3
43 8
41.9

Machinery except electrical .................................
Electrical and electronic equipment..............
Transportation equipment.................................
Motor vehicles and equipment................
Instruments and related products .............
Miscellaneous manufacturing.....................

42.2
40.9
42.0
42.2
41.4
39.4

42.6
41.0
42.7
43.5
41.5
39.2

42.7
41.1
42.0
42.1
41.8
39.1

42.6
40.9
42.0
42.3
41.3
39.3

42.5
40.9
42.1
42.3
41.4
39.2

42.8
41.2
43.0
44.1
41.8
39.4

42.6
41.0
43.0
44.0
41.4
39.2

42.5
41.1
43.0
44.2
41.3
39.3

43.0
41.0
42.6
42.5
41.8
39.2

42.4
40.8
42.7
43.6
41.5
39.2

42.7
41.0
43.3
44.5
41.6
39.2

42.6
41.0
43.3
44.2
41.9
39.1

42.5
41.0
43.3
44.6
41.6
39.2

42.3
40.8
42.7
43 4
41.0
38.9

42 4
40 6
42 7
43 4
41 3
39.6

Overtime hours..............................
Food and kindred products.....................
Textile mill products...................
Apparel and other textile products......................
Paper and allied products .........................

40.2
3.6
40.2
41.8
37.0
43.4

40.2
3.7
40.4
41.1
36.9
43.2

40.3
3.8
40.6
41.5
36.8
43.4

40.2
3.6
40.3
41.6
37.0
43.3

40.1
3.6
40.1
41.2
37.0
43.2

40.3
3.6
40.1
41.6
37.4
43.3

40.0
3.6
40.1
40.8
36.8
43.3

40.1
3.6
40.3
40.7
36.9
43.2

40.2
3.7
40.5
41.1
36.9
43.2

40.1
3.6
40.4
41.1
36.8
43.2

40.2
3.7
40.3
41.1
37.1
43.3

40.2
3.8
40.6
41.0
36.8
43.2

40.2
3.6
40.6
41.0
37.0
43.1

40.0
36
40.4
40.7
36 6
42.9

40 1
36
40 5
40 7
37 0
42.4

Printing and publishing.............................
Chemicals and allied products................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products.....
Leather and leather products ..............

38.0
42.3
41.6
38.2

38.0
42.3
41.6
37.5

38.1
42.5
41.7
38.0

38.1
42.4
41.6
37.8

38.1
42.5
41.7
37.9

38.2
42.1
42.0
37.3

37.7
42.0
41.7
37.3

38.0
42.4
41.6
36.9

38.0
42.3
41.6
37.0

38.0
42.1
41.5
37.6

38.1
42.1
41.6
37.5

38.0
42.5
41.5
37.9

37.8
42.4
41.7
37.3

37.7
42 4
41 3
37.6

38 0
42 5
41 6
38.2

Overtime hours..............................
Durable goods....................

Nondurable goods.........................

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES

39.2

39.3

39.5

39.1

38.8

39.5

39.4

39.3

39.5

39.3

39.4

39.4

39.2

39.4

39.5

WHOLESALE TRADE..................

37.5

37.4

38.1

38.2

38.1

38.3

38.0

37.9

38.2

37.8

38.1

38.1

38.0

38.0

38.3

RETAIL TRADE ........................

29.2

29.1

29.0

29.1

29.0

29.2

29.0

29.1

29.3

29.0

28.9

29.2

29.0

29.1

29.3

SERVICES ................................

32.5

32.6

32.6

32.7

32.4

32.7

32.5

32.5

32.7

32.4

32.6

32.8

32.6

32.6

32.7

p — preliminai7
NOTE: See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most recent

72

Mar.

1989


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

benchmark adjustment.

15. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by industry,
seasonally adjusted
1988

Annual average
Industry
1987

1988p

Mar.

Feb.

Jan.

Apr.

May

July

June

1988

1989

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.P

Jan.P

$9.43

$9.42

$9.44

$9.50
13.15
10.33
9.87
12.49
10.20
6.43
9.45
9.16

PRIVATE SECTOR (in current dollars)1

$8.98

$9.29

$9.14

$9.13

$9.16

$9.23

$9.27

$9.27

$9.32

$9.32

$9.37

Construction ...........................................
Manufacturing ..........................................
Excluding overtime................................
Transportation and public utilities ..........
Wholesale trad e.......................................
Retail tra d e ...............................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate ......
Services..............?■.... *............. ...............

12.69
9.91
9.48
12.03
9.59
6.11
8.73
8.48

12.97
10.17
9.71
12.32
9.92
6.30
9.09
8.90

12.91
10.02
9.57
12.14
9.75
6.20
8.92
8.72

12.82
10.03
9.59
12.19
9.72
6.20
8.91
8.72

12.90
10.05
9.61
12.21
9.76
6.22
8.90
8.75

12.93
10.11
9.65
12.29
9.88
6.25
8.99
8.81

12.91
10.15
9.69
12.35
9.88
6.28
9.08
8.88

12.93
10.18
9.72
12.33
9.86
6.29
9.00
8.86

13.03
10.17
9.71
12.37
9.97
6.33
9.10
8.92

12.99
10.20
9.74
12.39
9.93
6.32
9.09
8.93

13.04
10.26
9.78
12.37
10.01
6.34
9.18
8.99

13.03
10.28
9.81
12.43
10.13
6.37
9.36
9.06

13.01
10.29
9.83
12.37
10.04
6.42
9.26
9.04

13.09
10.31
9.85
12.35
10.08
6.41
9.37
9.09

4.86

4.84

4.85

4.84

4.84

4.85

4.85

4.84

4.84

4.82

4.83

4.84

4.83

4.82

PRIVATE SECTOR (In constant (1977)
dollars)'

1 Includes mining, not shown separately
- Data not available.
p = preliminary
NOTE: See “Notes on the data" for a description of the most
recent benchmark revision.

16. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by
industry
Industry

Annual
average
1987

PRIVATE SECTOR ................................................ $8.98

1989

1988

Dec.p Jan.p

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

$9.29

$9.18

$9.17

$9.18

$9.23

$9.26

$9.23

$9.25

$9.24

$9.40

$9.45

$9.46

$9.46

1988p Jan.

$9.55

MINING..................................................................

12.52

12.69

12.77

12.71

12.59

12.60

12.54

12.55

12.66

12.62

12.75

12.72

12.83

12.96

13.07

CONSTRUCTION ..................................................

12.69

12.97

12.99

12.82

12.87

12.88

12.87

12.85

12.91

12.95

13.13

13.13

13.04

13.16

13.23

MANUFACTURING................................................

9.91

10.17

10.07

10.05

10.07

10.12

10.14

10.16

10.16

10.12

10.25

10.24

10.30

10.37

10.38

10.43
8.40
7.67
10.25
11.94
13.78
10.00

10.70
8.60
7.92
10.48
12.15
13.98
10.24

10.60
8.51
7.80
10.35
12.06
13.82
10.12

10.58
8.53
7.74
10.33
12.03
13.89
10.13

10.59
8.45
7.76
10.36
12.07
13.89
10.14

10.65
8.50
7.81
10.41
12.11
13.94
10.22

10.67
8.54
7.87
10.45
12.13
13.96
10.23

10.69
8.60
7.91
10.48
12.15
13.96
10.26

10.67
8.65
7.97
10.54
12.22
14.09
10.18

10.64
8.58
8.00
10.46
12.11
13.96
10.20

10.78
8.67
8.07
10.55
12.25
14.08
10.32

10.78
8.76
8.04
10.58
12.20
14.04
10.32

10.85
8.68
8.00
10.61
12.23
14.01
10.35

10.91
8.76
8.04
10,57
12.27
14.08
10.42

10.90
8.75
8.05
10.61
12.24
14.02
10.42

Machinery, except electrical ................................ 10.70
Electrical and electronic equipment.................... 9.88
Transportation equipment..................................... 12.95
Motor vehicles and equipment.......................... 13.55
Instruments and related products ....................... 9.71
Miscellaneous manufacturing............................... 7.75

10.97
10.13
13.36
14.07
9.95
7.98

10.85
10.02
13.22
13.94
9.93
7.97

10.82
10.02
13.17
13.85
9.92
7.90

10.84
10.04
13.20
13.93
9.88
7.91

10.88
10.09
13.28
14.09
9.89
7.92

10.90
10.12
13.31
14.10
9.87
7.94

10.93
10.15
13.35
14.16
9.88
7.93

10.94
10.13
13.23
13.86
9.93
7.94

10.93
10.15
13.26
13.90
9.91
7.93

11.05
10.19
13.49
14.17
9.97
7.99

11.07
10.16
13.49
14.16
10.05
8.07

11.17
10.24
13.60
14.25
10.05
8.09

11.20
10.29
13.70
14.40
10.11
8.17

11.17
10.31
13.63
14.30
10.18
8.18

9.18
Food and kindred products.................................. 8.94
Tobacco manufactures ........................................ 14.03
Textile mill products............................................. 7.17
Apparel and other textile products...................... 5.93
Paper and allied products .................................... 11.43

9.42
9.11
14.59
7.37
6.10
11.64

9.32
9.06
13.79
7.34
6.02
11.54

9.31
9.06
14.01
7.30
6.02
11.50

9.33
9.07
14.42
7.31
6.03
11.52

9.37
9.14
14.98
7.35
6.04
11.60

9.38
9.15
15.24
7.31
6.05
11.64

9.39
9.12
15.78
7.33
6.08
11.65

9.45
9.13
15.66
7.31
6.02
11.71

9.40
9.04
14.84
7.37
6.07
11.63

9.50
9.12
13.98
7.43
6.19
11.70

9.48
9.04
13.92
7.45
6.20
11.67

9.53
9.16
14.43
7.47
6.23
11.72

9.61
9.26
14.57
7.52
6.27
11.78

9.64
9.29
14.43
7.58
6.31
11.78

Printing and publishing......................................... 10.28
Chemicals and allied products............................. 12.37
Petroleum and coal products............................... 14.59
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products..... 8.91
Leather and leather products .............................. 6.08

10.53
12.68
15.05
9.11
6.28

10.38
12.55
14.89
9.00
6.16

10.40
12.55
14.96
9.00
6.19

10.45
12.53
14.98
9.00
6.23

10.40
12.57
15.00
9.04
6.29

10.43
12.59
14.93
9.04
6.27

10.43
12.60
15.04
9.07
6.27

10.49
12.70
14.99
9.11
6.20

10.55
12.63
14.91
9.14
6.23

10.70
12.76
15.08
9.18
6.31

10.68
12.79
15.22
9.20
6.34

10.68
12.87
15.25
9.22
6.42

10.72
12.95
15.29
9.28
6.43

10.75
12.92
15.30
9.37
6.50

12.03

12.32

12.16

12.23

12.19

12.27

12.28

12.27

12.33

12.35

12.41

12.43

12.46

12.42

12.50

9.88

10.01

10.08

10.05

10.12

10.23

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

Nondurable goods ...............................................

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
WHOLESALE TRADE...........................................

9.59

9.92

9.78

9.78

9.78

9.88

9.87

9.85

9.93

RETAIL TRADE ....................................................

6.11

6.30

6.24

6.23

6.24

6.26

6.28

6.26

6.28

6.26

6.37

6.38

6.43

6.41

6.47

9.02

8.97

9.03

9.09

8.98

9.03

9.04

9.14

9.29

9.27

9.32

9.50

8.81

8.80

8.82

8.84

8.78

8.79

8.79

8.98

9.07

9.10

9.15

9.26

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE

8.73

9.09

8.96

SERVICES ........................ ....................................

8.48

8.90

8.81

= preliminary
NOTE: See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most recent benchmark
revision.
p


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

73

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Employment Data

17. Average weekly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by Industry
Annual average

1988

Industry
1987
PRIVATE SECTOR
Current dollars........................................
Seasonally adjusted.............................
Constant (1977) dollars .........................

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

1989
July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.p

Jan.p

$312.50 $323.29 $315.79 $316.37 $315.79 $320.28 $320.40 $322.13 $324.68 $323.40 $327.12 $329.81 $328.26 $330.15 $329.48
317.16 317.72 316.94 322.13 321.67 321.67 325.27 322.47 325.14 329.11 327.82 327.57 331.55
169.28 168.29 167.97 168.01 167.08 168.57 167.92 168.13 168.75 167.30 168.10 168.96 167.99 168.70

MINING.........................................................

530.85

536.79

537.62

531.28

527.52

539.28

529.19

533.38

535.52

530.04

538.05

543.14

537.58

554.69

559.40

CONSTRUCTION........................................

479.68

491.56

466.34

462.80

481.34

488.15

491.63

497.30

497.04

499.87

504.19

512.07

491.61

489.55

484.22

MANUFACTURING
Current dollars.........................................
Constant (1977) dollars...........................

406.31
220.10

417.99
217.59

412.87
219.61

409.04
217.23

411.86
217.92

414.92
218.38

414.73
217.36

418.59
218.47

413.51
214.92

412.90
213.61

423.33
217.54

422.91
216.66

427.45
218.76

432.43
220.97

424.54

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

432.85
341.04
306.80
433.58
514.61
598.05
415.00

447.26
346.58
312.05
443.30
528.53
615.12
428.03

440.96
336.15
303.42
423.32
524.61
606.70
423.02

436.95
339.49
301.09
426.63
519.70
609.77
418.37

440.54
337.16
302.64
435.12
523.84
606.99
421.82

444.11
345.10
305.37
442.43
526.79
613.36
426.17

444.94
345.87
307.72
447.26
527.66
612:84
426.59

448.98
351.74
311.65
448.54
530.96
621.22
431.95

439.60
348.60
310.03
446.90
525.46
619.96
417.38

439.43
345.77
314.40
444.55
521.94
608.66
423.30

452.76
348.53
323.61
451.54
539.00
629.38
433.44

452.76
358.28
322.40
454.94
531.92
616.36
433.44

457.87
347.20
318.40
451.99
536.90
616.44
439.88

463.68
353.90
325.62
446.05
539.88
620.93
444.93

454.53
347.38
316.37
443.50
531.22
614.08
436.60

Machinery, except electrical .............. .....
Electrical and electronic equipment.........
Transportation equipment..........................
Motor vehicles and equipment...............
Instruments and related products ............
Miscellaneous manufacturing....................

451.54
404.09
543.90
571.81
401.99
305.35

467.32
415.33
570.47
612.05
412.93
312.82

464.38
413.83
560.53
592.45
415.07
310.03

459.85
406.81
553.14
587.24
408.70
307.31

462.87
410.64
561.00
598.99
411.01
310.07

463.49
411.67
569.71
621.37
410.44
309.67

462.16
411.88
572.33
624.63
406.64
309.66

465.62
417.17
574.05
625.87
409.03
311.65

462.76
409.25
551.69
576.58
408.12
305.69

459.06
412.09
554.27
587.97
408.29
309.27

471.84
417.79
580.07
624.90
414.75
314.01

470.48
416.56
581.42
623.04
419.09
319.57

478.08
423.94
592.96
635.55
422.10
321.17

486.08
431.15
601.43
646.56
424.62
324.35

474.73
420.65
586.09
626.34
420.43
322.29

Nondurable goods .....................................
Food and kindred products.......................
Tobacco manufactures..............................
Textile mill products...................................
Apparel and other textile products............
Paper and allied products .........................

369.04
359.39
547.17
299.71
219.41
496.06

378.68
368.04
580.68
302.91
225.09
502.85

374.66
366.93
540.57
303.14
220.33
501.99

370.54 373.20
358.78 359.17
540.79 566.71
301.49 299.71
220.93 223.11
494.50 494.21

373.86
361.03
576.73
301.35
222.27
498.80

374.26
366.92
601.98
297.52
222.64
501.68

377.48
367.54
628.04
300.53
226.18
502.12

377.06 377.88
368.85 368.83
613.87 595.08
295.32 304.38
220.33 223.98
502.36 498.93

384.75
373.01
575.98
307.60
229.03
511.29

382.04
368.83
574.90
306.94
229.40
505.31

385.97
374.64
581.53
309.26
232.38
508.65

390.17
379.66
579.89
310.58
232.62
515.96

385.60
375.32
549.78
306.99
231.58
500.65

Printing and publishing...............................
Chemicals and allied products..................
Petroleum and coal products....................
Rubber and miscellaneous
plastics products......................................
Leather and leather products ...................

390.64
523.25
641.96

400.14
536.36
668.22

392.36
533.38
658.14

393.12
530.87
647.77

399.19
532.53
654.63

395.20
529.20
666.00

391.13
528.78
658.41

392.17
534.24
678.30

396.52
533.40
679.05

403.01
527.93
664.99

411.95
539.75
674.08

406.91
541.02
680.33

406.91
548.26
674.05

411.65
556.85
675.82

405.28
549.10
676.26

370.66
232.26

378.98
235.50

376.20
231.62

372.60
227.79

375.30
233.00

377.87
232.73

376.06
235.75

378.22
237.63

373.51
231.26

377.48
234.87

381.89
236.63

382.72
240.29

386.32
240.11

390.69
245.63

390.73
245.70

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC
UTILITIES....................................................

471.58

484.18

474.24

475.75

470.53

480.98

481.38

484.67

490.73

490.30

490.20

490.99

489.68

490.59

488.75

WHOLESALE TRADE..................................

365.38

377.95

370.66

370.66

370.66

377.42

375.06

375.29

380.32

375.44

381.38

385.06

381.90

386.58

389.76

RETAIL TRADE ............................................

178.41

183.33

176.59

177.56

178.46

180.91

181.49

184.04

188.40

186.55

184.73

185.66

185.18

189.10

185.04

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL
ESTATE ........................................................

316.90

326.33

324.35

328.33

321.13

326.89

325.42

321.48

326.89

322.73

327.21

334.44

330.94

333.66

344.85

SERVICES .....................................................

275.60

290.14

285.44

287.21

284.24

287.53

286.42

287.11

290.07

288.31

291.85

296.59

295.75

297.38

300.95

- Data not available.
p = preliminary

74

1988p


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.

18.

Diffusion indexes of employment change, seasonally adjusted

(In percent)
Jan.

May

Apr.

Mar.

Feb.

June

July

|

Aug.

J Sept.

I

I Dec.

I Nov.

Oct.

Private nonagricultural payrolls, 3¿19 industri«5S

and year
Over 1-month span:
1987 .......................................................................
1988 .......................................................................
1989 .......................................................................

57.4
60.3
62.5

Over 3-month span:
1987 ........................................................................
1988 ........................................................................
1989 .......................................................................

64.6
63.0

61.3
58.9

61.6
66.6

68.6
62.3

60.6
56.2

62.3
54.0

67.6
62.5

63.9
68.9

65.0
61.2

67.3
68.3

68.9
67.2

69.3
69.1

69.8
69.8

71.5
68.8

72.5
61.9

72.1
62.6

73.4
68.3

74.5
71.6

68.2
73.4

66.3
71.5

66.3
70.8

70.1
74.2

72.5
72.2

75.2
69.1

76.9
68.8

77.4
74.5

78.5
70.9

74.2
72.8

74.4

75.6
-

70.3
78.1
”

71.1
74.2

74.1
73.9

76.6
75.6

77.2
75.9

77.4
77.2

77.8
“

79.1
“

78.7
“

77.8

80.5

58.3
64.6
“

59.9
64.0

61.3
70.6

62.2
68.8

Over 6-month span:
1987 ........................................................................
1988 ........................................................................
1989 ........................................................................

69.2
72.2

Over 12-month span:
1987 ........................................................................
1988 .......................................................................
1989 .......................................................................

68.1
77.2

”

Manufacturing payrolls, 143 industries
Over 1-month span:
1987 ........................................................................
1988 .......................................................................
1989 .......................................................................

46.8
58.2
59.9

52.5
55.7
”

53.9
55.7
“

56.4
60.6

58.9
57.4

55.7
61.3

67.7
60.3

56.0
44.0

64.2
46.8

64.2
61.7

64.2
68.1

61.0
56.0

Over 3-month span:
1987 .......................................................................
1988 .......................................................................
1989 .......................................................................

50.7
66.0
-

50.7
61.0

58.5
62.8

63.8
64.5

63.5
66.7

68.4
68.8

69.5
61.3

73.8
52.1

70.2
53.5

74.1
65.6

74.5
70.2

67.0
69.1

58.5
68.4
“

57.1
67.0

57.1
66.0

66.7
70.9

69.1
66.0

74.5
63.8

75.5
62.1

76.6
68.8

79.4
65.6

74.1
65.6

72.7
“

72.3
”

59.6
74.1

63.5
72.3

64.5
68.8

68.8
70.6

73.0
72.0

73.8
70.9

75.2
70.6

75.2

75.9
“

75.9
“

75.2

79.1

Over 6-month span:
1988 .......................................................................
1989 .......................................................................
Over 12-month span:
1987 ......................................................................
1988 ......................................................................
1989 ......................................................................

'

"

I

Data not available.
NOTE: Figures are the percent of industries with employment increasing plus
one-half of the industries with unchanged employment, where 50 percent
indicates an equal balance between industries with increasing and decreasing

19.

employment. Data for the 2 most recent months shown in each span are
preliminary. See the “Definitions” In this section. See “Notes on the data fora
description of the most recent benchmark revision,

Annual data: Employment status of the noninstitutional population

(Numbers in thousands)
Employment status

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

178,080

179,912

182,293

184,490

186,322

Noninstitutional population......................................

169,349

171,775

173,939

175,891

Total (number)....................................................
Percent of population........................................

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

123,378
66.2

Employed:
Total (number) ..............................................
Percent of population ...................................
Resident Armed Forces.............................

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

116,677
62.6
1,709

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

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

114,968
3,169
111,800

Unemployed:
Total (number).............................................
Percent of labor fo rce.................................

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

6,701
5.4

Not in labor force (number) .................................

60,806

61,460

62,067

62,665

62,839

62,744

62,752

62,888

62,944


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M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
20.

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Employment Data

Annual data: Employment levels by industry

(Numbers in thousands)
Industry
Total employment......
Private sector............................
Goods-producing ............................
Mining.............................
Construction .........................
Manufacturing....................................
Service-producing..........................
Transportation and public utilities ....................................
Wholesale trade ............................
Retail trade .....................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate ...........
Services.................................
Government.............................
Federal......................................
State .......................................
Local ..........................................
NOTE:

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

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

99,525
82,832
24,558
777
4,816
18,965

102,310
85,295
24,784
721
4,998
19,065

106,039
88,652
25,565
733
5,294
19,538

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

74,967
5,255
5,753
17,930
6,283
23,053

77,525
5,385
5,872
18,509
6,549
24,196

80,475
5,584
6,156
19,206
6,679
25,464

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

16,693
2,899
3,893
9,901

17,015
2,943
3,963
10,109

17,387
2,972
4,051
10,364

See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most

1988p

recent benchmark revision.

21. Annual data: Average hours and earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on nonagricultural
payrolls, by industry
Industry

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988P

35.3
6.66
235.10

35.2
7.25
255.20

34.8
7.68
267.26

35.0
8.02
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

34.8
9.29
323.29

43.3
9.17
397.06

43.7
10.04
438.75

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
12.46
525.81

42.4
12.52
530.85

42.3
12.69
536.79

37.0
9.94
367.78

36.9
10.82
399.26

36.7
37.1
11.63 . 11.94
426.82 442.97

37.8
12.13
458.51

37.7
12.32
464.46

37.4
12.48
466.75

37.8
12.69
479.68

37.9
12.97
491.56

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

41.1
10.17
417.99

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
11.12
438.13

39.5
11.40
450.30

39.2
11.70
458.64

39.2
12.03
471.58

39.3
12.32
484.18

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

38.3
9.35
358.11

38.1
9.59
365.38

38.1
9.92
377.95

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

29.2
6.11
178.41

29.1
6.30
183.33

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
8.36
304.30

36.3
8.73
316.90

35.9
9.09
326.33

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
8.18
265.85

32.5
8.48
275.60

32.6
8.90
290.14

Private sector

Average weekly hours.............................................
Average hourly earnings (in dollars)............................
Average weekly earnings (in dollars) .......................
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)...............................
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)..............................
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)...........................
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).............

76


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

22.

Employment Cost Index, compensation,' by occupation and Industry group

(June 1981 =100)

Series
Dec.

Mar.

June

Percent change

1988

1987

1986

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

Dec.

3
months
ended

12
months
ended

Dec. 1988
Civilian workers 2 ...................................................................

1.0

5.0

149.7
138.2
148.5

1.2
.7
.9

5.3
4.3
5.5

138.2
139.0
147.6
157.7
154.0
146.1

139.3
140.1
149.2
159.7
154.4
147.7

.8
.8
1.1
1.3
1.3
1.3
.3
1.1

4.3
4.5
5.3
6.0
5.7
5.9
4.3
5.1

139.8

141.2

142.6

1.0

4.9

141.2
-

143.0
-

144.6
-

146.3
"

1.2
.6
1.3
2.4

5.0
4.9
4.1
6.8

131.8
136.7

134.1
138.6

135.6
140.1

136.5
142.2

137.6
143.9

.7
.8
.7
1.1
.3
.7
1.2

131.9
132.7
137.7
-

133.2
134.1
138.4
-

135.6
136.8
140.2
-

137.1
138.1
142.1
"

137.9
139.0
143.8
“

139.0
140.1
145.5
-

.8
.8
.8
.7
1.1
1.2
.0
-.3
.4
.8
.5
1.0
3.5
1.1
1.4
1.5

4.2
4.5
4.5
4.4
5.1
2.8
3.5
2.1
5.2
4.2
5.7
6.5
5.7
6.0
6.1

135.1

136.4

137.1

138.9

140.8

142.4

143.9

1.1

5.0

145.9

146.3

149.7

151.1

153.1

153.6

157.8

159.6

1.1

5.6

146.0
139.5

147.2
140.8

147.5
141.3

151.2
143.3

152.7
144.3

154.8
145.9

155.2
145.9

159.6
148.4

161.8
149.1

1.4
.5

6.0
3.3

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

155.2
150.3
156.8
158.9
150.3

155.6
150.4
157.3
159.4
151.2

160.5
153.2
163.1
165.4
154.0

163.0
155.2
165.7
168.3
154.4

1.6
1.3
.8
1.6
1.8
.3

6.5
6.1
4.6
6.6
6.7
4.3

133.8

135.0

135.9

137.5

138.6

140.6

142.1

144.0

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

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

144.2
134.7
142.9

145.7
136.2
144.3

147.9
137.2
147.2

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

135.8
136.8
143.6
152.8
150.3
142.3

137.3
138.1
145.1
153.8
151.2
143.9

Private industry workers ......................................................

131.6

132.9

133.8

135.1

136.0

138.1

134.3
-

136.1
-

137.0
-

138.5
-

139.3
-

127.8
133.5

128.4
134.7

129.5
135.2

130.6
135.9

129.2
130.1
133.5
-

129.9
130.7
135.3
-

130.8
131.5
136.3
-

Nonmanufacturing ..............................................................

132.4

134.1

State and local government workers ................................

144.7

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 tra d e ................................................
Wholesale trade ................................................................
Retail trade .......................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real e sta te ..................................
Service ................................................................................
Health services..................................................................
Hospitals ..........................................................................

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

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.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

-

145.5

5.0
4.4

3.8
5.2
4.7
4.5
5.3
4.4

Consist of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities.
Includes, for example, library, social, and health services.
Data not available.

77

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
23.

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, by occupation and industry group

(June 1981 =100)
1987

1986

1988

Percent change

Series
Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

Dec.

3
months
ended

12
months
ended

Dec. 1988
Civilian workers 1...................................................................

131.5

132.8

133.5

135.2

136.1

137.4

138.7

140.5

141.9

1.0

4.3

Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar workers .............................................................
Blue-collar workers................................................................
Service occupations..............................................................

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

141.5
130.4
138.0

143.0
131.6
139.3

145.2
132.5
141.8

146.8
133.4
142.9

1.1
.7
.8

4.7
3.1
4.6

Workers, by industry division
Goods-producing....................................................................
Manufacturing .......................................................................
Service-producing ..................................................................
Services ..............................................................................
Health services..................................................................
Hospitals............................................................................
Public administration 2 .......................................................
Nonmanufacturing .................................................................

127.0
127.9
134.2
141.1
138.1
133.0

127.8
128.7
135.8
142.7
140.5
134.5

128.5
129.5
136.5
143.4
141.0
135.2

129.8
130.8
138.5
146.8
142.6
137.1

131.0
132.2
139.2
148.2
143.8
137.8

132.2
133.3
140.5
149.5
145.5
139.0

133.4
134.4
141.9
150.4
146.4
140.5

134.1
135.1
144.2
154.0
148.9
142.7

135.1
136.2
145.8
155.7
149.4
144.1

.7
.8
1.1
1.1
1.3
1.3
.3
1.0

3.1
3.0
4.7
5.1
5.5
5.7
3.9
4.6

Private industry workers.................................................

129.5

130.8

131.7

133.0

133.8

135.1

136.6

137.9

139.3

1.0

4.1

132.7
136.4

134.6
138.4

135.4
139.1

137.0
141.2

137.6
142.6

139.0
144.0

140.8
145.8

142.4
148.1

144.0
148.9

1.1
.5

4.7
4.4

133.5
124.9

135.6
126.7

136.4
127.1

138.6
127.0

139.2
126.1

139.9
127.5

141.3
130.8

142.5
131.5

144.4
134.4

1.3
2.2

3.7
6.6

132.7

134.3

135.5

137.1

138.1

140.2

141.2

143.2

144.1

.6

4.3

125.1

125.6

126.6

127.7

128.9

129.9

131.1

131.9

132.9

.8

3.1

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

132.1
129.9
123.7

133.4
131.2
125.4

134.0
131.9
126.7

134.9
133.3
126.9

.7
1.1
.2

2.9
3.2
3.3

121.4
130.1

121.9
131.4

122.6
131.9

123.7
132.6

125.0
133.2

126.7
134.5

127.5
135.8

128.4
137.6

129.3
139.1

.7
1.1

3.4
4.4

126.8
120.8
127.9
127.2
129.3
131.6
127.5
126.9
133.1
124.5
130.0
139.5

127.5
121.7
128.7
127.7
130.5
133.4
128.1
127.9
134.8
125.2
133.5
141.8
-

128.3
122.7
129.5
128.7
131.0
134.3
129.3
129.9
137.2
127.1
131.5
142.8
-

129.6
123.8
130.8
129.7
132.8
135.7
130.0
130.6
137.8
127.8
131.8
145.9
-

130.8
124.7
132.2
131.1
134.1
136.2
130.2
130.7
138.5
127.7
131.6
147.1
-

132.0
125.9
133.3
132.1
135.6
137.5
131.3
131.9
139.0
129.2
132.9
148.6
-

133.2
127.6
134.4
133.1
136.7
139.3
132.5
134.6
141.7
131.7
134.9
149.8
-

133.9
128.6
135.1
133.7
137.6
141.0
133.5
136.0
143.2
133.2
134.9
152.9
-

134.9
129.4
136.2
134.6
139.1
142.6
133.4
136.9
143.6
134.3
139.9
154.4
-

.7
.6
.8
.7
1.1
1.1
-.1
-.4
.4
.7
.3
.8
3.7
1.0
1.3
1.4

3.1
3.8
3.0
2.7
3.7
4.7
2.5
2.5
2.6
4.7
3.7
5.2
6.3
5.0
5.7
5.9

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 w orkers..........................................................
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 trad e...........................................
Wholesale trade .........................................................
Retail trade..................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real e s ta te ............................
Services.........................................................................
Health services ............................................................
Hospitals.....................................................................

-

-

Nonmanufacturing............................................................

130.4

131.9

132.8

134.2

134.8

136.0

137.8

139.4

140.8

1.0

4.5

State and local government workers ..............................

141.4

142.5

142.8

146.1

147.4

148.7

149.1

153.0

154.5

1.0

4.8

142.8
135.1

143.9
136.3

144.1
136.9

147.7
139.0

149.3
139.6

150.5
141.1

150.8
141.1

154.9
143.5

156.8
144.1

1.2
.4

5.0
3.2

143.3
137.3
145.1
146.4
138.1

143.9
138.6
145.5
146.5
140.5

144.2
139.4
145.6
146.6
141.0

148.2
141.2
150.3
152.0
142.6

149.5
142.2
151.8
153.4
143.8

150.7
144.5
152.6
154.0
145.5

151.1
144.7
153.0
154.3
146.4

155.6
147.4
158.0
159.7
148.9

157.6
148.7
160.3
162.1
149.4

1.3
.9
1.0
1.5
1.5
.3

5.4
4.6
4.8
5.6
5.7
3.9

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

' Consists of private industry workers (excluding farm and household workers)
and State and local government (excluding Federal Government) workers.
2 Consists of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory activities.

Digitized for
78FRASER
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

3 Includes, for example, library, social and health services,
- Data not available.

24.

Employment Cost Index, private nonfarm workers, by bargaining status, region, and area size

(June 1981=100)

Series
Dec.

Mar.

Sept.

June

Percent change

1988

1987

1986

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

Dec.

3
months
ended

12
months
ended

Dec. 1988
COMPENSATION
Workers, by bargaining status1

Goods-producing ...................................................................
Service-producing..................................................................
Manufacturing .......................................................................
Nonmanufacturing.................................................................

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

135.6
134.1
138.0
135.0
136.2

136.9
135.3
139.4
136.2
137.5

137.9
136.2
140.5
137.0
138.6

138.6
137.2
140.9
138.2
138.9

0.5
.7
.3
.9
.2

3.9
4.5
3.1
5.1
2.8

Goods-producing...................................................................
Service-producing..................................................................
Manufacturing .................................................................... —
Nonmanufacturing............................................ ....................

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

138.9
136.2
140.5
137.8
139.4

140.7
137.8
142.5
139.2
141.5

142.2
138.7
144.4
140.1
143.2

143.9
139.9
146.3
141.3
145.0

1.2
.9
1.3
.9
1.3

5.1
4.3
5.6
4.2
5.5

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

143.7
137.1
134.4
138.3

145.9
139.3
135.5
139.5

147.8
140.4
136.7
140.6

150.4
141.3
138.0
141.5

1.8
.6
1.0
.6

6.0
4.4
4.8
3.8

132.2
127.9

133.5
129.0

134.4
130.2

135.8
131.3

136.7
132.0

138.9
133.6

140.5
135.5

142.0
136.2

143.6
136.8

1.1
.4

5.0
3.6

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

131.0
128.7
134.4
129.6
132.1

132.0
129.7
135.4
130.4
133.3

132.9
130.4
136.7
131.0
134.5

133.4
131.2
136.8
132.1
134.6

.4
.6
.1
.8
.1

2.2
2.1
2.4
2.2
2.4

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

136.4
133.6
138.0
135.5
136.8

138.1
135.0
140.0
136.7
138.8

139.5
135.7
141.8
137.4
140.4

141.1
136.8
143.6
138.6
142.2

1.1
.8
1.3
.9
1.3

4.5
3.6
5.0
3.5
5.0

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

139.7
133.0
129.9
133.5

140.9
134.0
131.3
134.9

142.9
136.1
132.1
136.0

144.6
137.1
133.3
137.4

147.3
137.8
134.5
138.1

1.9
.5
.9
.5

5.4
3.6
3.5
3.4

130.2
125.6

131.6
126.6

132.4
127.8

133.7
129.1

134.6
129.8

135.8
130.9

137.3
133.0

138.7
133.5

140.2
133.7

1.1
.1

4.2
3.0

Workers, by region 1

Midwest (formerly North Central)...........................................
W est..........................................................................................
Workers, by area size 1

Metropolitan a re a s ............................................. .....................
Other a re a s ..............................................................................
WAGES AND SALARIES
Workers, by bargaining status 1

Union
Goods-producing...................................................................
Manufacturing .................................................................. •••••
Nonmanufacturing.................................................................
Goods-producing.............................................................."•••
Manufacturing .......................................................................
Nonmanufacturing.................................................................
Workers, by region 1

Midwest (formerly North Central)...........................................
W est..........................................................................................
Workers, by area size1

Metropolitan a re a s ........................ ..........................................
Other a re a s ........................................................................ .....

1 The indexes are calculated differently from those for the occupation and
industry groups. For a detailed description of the index calculation, see the


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

L a b o r R e v ie w Technical Note, “Estimation procedures for the
Employment Cost Index,” May 1982.

M o n th ly

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

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)
Quarterly average

Annual average
Measure

1988

1987
1986

1987
I

II

III

IV

I

IF

IIP

IVP

Specified adjustments:

Total compensation 1 adjustments, 2 settlements
covering 5,000 workers or more:
First year of contract ............................................
Annual rate over life of contract..........................

1.1
1.6

3.0
2.6

1.1
2.1

4.1
3.9

2.5
2.1

3.4
2.4

1.8
1.8

3.1
2.4

3.4
3.2

3.8
2.2

Wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000
workers or more:
First year of contract ............................................
Annual rate over life of contract..........................

1.2
1.8

2.2
2.1

.8
1.6

2.6
2.9

2.1
2.0

2.4
1.8

2.1
2.3

2.6
2.2

2.7
2.8

2.7
2.3

2.3
.5

3.1
.7

.4
(4)

1.0
.2

.9
.2

.8
.3

.4
.1

.9
.3

.8
.2

.5
.1

1.7
.2

1.8
.5

.3
.1

.7
.2

.6
.1

.3
.2

.3
.1

.5
.1

.4
.2

.2
.2

Effective adjustments:

Total effective wage adjustment3 ..........................
From settlements reached in period ...................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier
periods...................................................................
From cost-of-living-adjustments clau ses.............

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

Digitized for
80FRASER
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

compensation or wages.
3 Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts.
4 Between -0.05 and 0.05 percent.
p = preliminary
t

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 ending-Measure

1987
I

II

1988
III

IV

I

IIP

HIP

IVP

Specified total compensation adjustments, settlements covering 5,000
workers or more, all industries:
First year of contract..............................................................................
Annual rate over life of contract............................................................

1.2
1.7

1.8
2.1

2.7
2.6

3.0
2.6

3.1
2.5

3.0
2.3

3.1
2.5

3.1
2.5

1.2
2.0
.8
1.8
1.8
1.8

1.5
1.8
1.3
2.0
1.7
2.1

2.0
2.1
2.0
2.2
1.7
2.5

2.2
2.3
2.1
2.1
1.5
2.5

2.4
2.2
2.5
2.2
1.4
2.7

2.4
2.4
2.4
2.0
1.5
2.5

2.5
2.4
2.6
2.2
1.5
2.8

2.6
2.4
2.7
2.4
1.8
2.8

-1.5
1.3
-3.5
(2)
.8
-.6

-.8
1.3
-2.7
.3
.8
-.2

1.1
2.1
-.1
1.0
1.0
1.2

2.1
2.4
1.3
1.3
1.0
2.1

2.4
2.4
2.4
1.5
1.0
2.7

2.5
2.5
2.5
1.6
1.3
2.5

2.5
2.4
3.0
1.9
1.4
3.1

2.2
2.1
2.5
2.1
1.8
2.6

2.2
2.2
2.1
2.4
2.2
2.5

2.3
2.1
2.3
2.6
2.2
2.7

2.4
2.1
2.6
2.8
2.4
2.9

2.3
1.9
2.4
2.7
2.7
2.7

2.3
1.6
2.5
2.7
2.4
2.7

2.3
2.2
2.4
2.4
1.9
2.6

2.4
2.4
2.5
2.4
1.8
2.7

2.8
2.9
2.7
2.5
1.7
2.8

2.4
1.6
2.4
2.5
1.4
2.6

2.7
3.7
2.7
2.9
3.8
2.9

2.9

2.6
.0
2.6
2.7
.0
2.7

2.1
.0
2.1
2.4
.0
2.4

2.2
.0
2.2
2.6
.0
2.6

Specified wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000 workers or
more:
All industries
First year of contract ...........................................................................
Contracts with COLA clau ses...........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .....................................................
Annual rate over life of contract.........................................................
Contracts with COLA clau ses...........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .....................................................
Manufacturing
First year of contract...........................................................................
Contracts with COLA c lau ses...........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .....................................................
Annual rate over life of contract .........................................................
Contracts with COLA clau ses...........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .....................................................
Nonmanufacturing
First year of contract...........................................................................
Contracts with COLA clau ses...........................................................
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 clau ses...........................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .....................................................
1 Data do not meet publication standards.
2 Between -0.05 and 0.05 percent.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

p

3.0
(’)
(1)

2.9
(1)
(’)

3.2
(1)
(’)

= preliminary.

3.1
(’)
(’)

(1)
(')
(’)
(')
.0

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

.

Current Labor Statistics: Compensation & Industrial Relations

collec,lve bar9ainln9 sl,ua,ions coverln9^
Average for four quarters endingEffective wage adjustment

1987

1988

II

III

IV

I

llp

lllp

IVp

2.2
.3
1.6
.3

2.6
.4
1.7
.4

3.1
.7
1.8
.5

3.2
.8
1.8
.5

3.0
1.0
1.6
.5

2.9
1.0
1.4
.5

2.6
.7
1.3
.6

2.8
.9
3.5
1.8

3.2
1.8
3.3
2.3

3.6
2.9
3.3
2.6

3.8
2.9
3.3
2.7

3.7
2.9
3.3
2.3

3.5
2.9
3.0
2.5

3.3
3.1
3.0
2.7

For all workers:1

Total.............................................................
From settlements reached in period ........................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier period
From cost-of-living-adjustments c lau ses..................
For workers receiving changes:

Total.......................................................................
From settlements reached in period ..............................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier period
From cost-of-living-adjustments c lau ses............................
Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts.

p = preliminary.

V * adjustments, State and
Annual average

Measure
1986

1987

1988p

6.2
6.0

4.9
4.8

5.4
5.3

5.7
5.7

4.9
5.1

5.1
5.3

5.5
2.4
3.0
(4)

4.9
2.7
2.2
(4)

4.7
2.3
2.4
<4)

Specified adjustments:
Total compensation 1 adjustments, 2 settlements covering 5,000 workers or more:
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...................
Effective adjustments:
Total effective wage adjustment3 .................................
From settlements reached in period............................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier periods
From cost-of-living-adjustment c lau ses.......................
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 chanqes in
compensation or wages.

Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts.
Less than 0.05 percent.
= preliminary.

29. Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more
Annual totals

1988

Measure
1987

1988

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Number of stoppages:
Beginning in period.....................
In effect during period................

46
51

Workers involved:
Beginning in period (in
thousands)..................................
In effect during period (in
thousands)..................................

174.4

118.0

17.5

17.9

.0

14.5

377.7

121.4

21.1

39.0

23.9

31.4

r4,481.0

4,381.1

236.6

505.0

331.7

344.5

.02

.02

.01

.02

.02

.02

Days idle:
Number (in thousands)...............
Percent of estimated working
time1 ...........................................

40
43

5
8

3
11

0
7

1 Agricultural and government employees are included in the total employed and total
working time: private household, forestry, and fishery employees are excluded. An expla­
nation of the measurement of idleness as a percentage of the total time worked is found
in “Total economy’ measure of strike idleness,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , October 1968,
2 Less than .005 percent.

82

June


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

5
11

July
7
15

1989p
Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

4
14

7
18

2
14

3
9

1
5

0
1

3
4

13.6

21.0

11.7

4.0

8.6

2.3

.0

7.4

34.8

47.4

46.9

34.0

25.9

10.6

2.5

9.9

490.5

725.9

713.1

510.0

293.2

77.9

52.5

152.7

.02

.03

.03

.02

.01

(2)

(2)

.01

pp. 54-56.
- Data not available.
p = preliminary
r= revised

-

-

-

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)

Series

1989

1988

Annual
average
1987

1988

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

113.6
340.4

118.3
354.3

116.0
347.4

116.5
349.0

117.1
350.8

117.5
352.0

118.0
353.5

118.5
354.9

119.0
356.6

119.8
358.9

120.2
360.1

120.3
360.5

120.5
360.9

121.1
362.7

Feb.

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR ALL URBAN CONSUMERS:

All item s...............................................................................................
All items (1967-100) ........................................................................

_

Food and beverages .......................................................................
Food................................................................................................
Food at h o m e .............................................................................
Cereals and bakery products..................................................
Meats, poultry, fish, and e g g s.................................................
Dairy products..........................................................................
Fruits and vegetables...............................................................
Other foods at hom e................................................................
Sugar and sw eets..................................................................
Fats and oils..........................................................................
Nonalcoholic beverages........................................................
Other prepared foods............................................................
Food away from home ...............................................................
Alcoholic beverages......................................................................

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

118.2
118.2
116.6
122.1
114.3
108.4
128.1
113.1
114.0
113.1
107.5
118.0
121.8
118.6

115.8
115.7
113.9
118.7
110.6
107.3
124.7
111.8
112.2
109.5
107.7
116.1
119.7
116.8

116.0
115.9
113.9
118.9
111.2
107.2
123.0
112.0
112.6
110.3
107.7
116.3
120.2
117.4

116.7
116.6
114.6
119.8
111.5
107.1
126.0
112.1
112.3
110.3
107.8
116.6
120.7
118.0

117.1
117.0
115.1
120.3
112.1
107.4
127.1
112.3
112.5
111.2
107.5
117.0
121.0
118.2

117.6
117.6
115.8
120.8
114.6
107.2
126.1
112.4
113.3
111.5
107.1
117.1
121.5
118.7

118.8
118.8
117.3
122.1
116.5
107.6
129.0
113.1
114.0
112.6
107.2
118.3
122.1
119.2

119.4
119.4
118.1
124.0
117.3
108.2
129.9
113.6
114.8
114.9
107.0
118.7
122.5
119.3

120.1
120.2
119.0
124.7
117.4
108.9
133.2
114.0
115.6
115.9
107.4
119.1
123.0
119.6

120.3
120.3
119.0
125.6
116.8
109.9
131.7
114.8
116.0
117.1
108.1
119.9
123.4
119.8

120.2
120.2
118.7
125.9
116.4
110.6
129.5
114.9
115.9
117.1
108.2
120.1
123.7
119.9

120.6
120.7
119.1
126.6
116.1
111.4
131.0
115.3
116.7
118.5
107.8
120.7
124.1
119.9

122.0
122.2
121.2
127.9
118.5
112.6
134.8
116.6
117.2
119.6
109.6
121.9
124.7
120.3

Housing .............................................................................................
S h elter............................................................................................
Renters’ costs (12/82—100)....................................................
Rent, residential.......................................................................
Other renters' costs .................................................................
Homeowners’ costs (12/82= 100)............................................
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...............................................................

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

118.5
127.1
133.6
127.8
134.8
131.1
131.1
129.0
114.7
117.9
110.4
104.4
98.0
78.1
104.6
122.9
109.4
105.1
114.7
114.3

116.6
125.0
131.3
126.3
130.4
129.0
129.0
127.1
114.3
117.9
109.5
102.8
96.0
80.9
101.9
121.8
107.7
103.7
113.2
111.6

117.0
125.6
132.9
126.4
136.6
129.2
129.2
127.8
113.3
116.4
109.2
102.7
95.8
80.5
101.7
121.7
108.3
104.7
112.9
111.7

117.3
125.8
132.9
126.6
136.0
129.4
129.5
128.2
115.3
119.4
109.7
102.8
95.7
80.2
101.6
122.3
109.1
104.9
113.8
114.7

117.7
126.2
133.1
126.9
135.7
129.9
130.0
128.2
114.3
117.8
109.8
103.5
96.5
80.0
102.6
122.6
109.3
104.9
114.1
114.8

118.6
126.6
133.7
127.3
137.0
130.4
130.4
128.9
114.7
118.1
110.1
105.9
100.8
79.1
107.8
122.3
109.6
105.3
114.7
114.8

119.1
127.4
134.7
127.8
139.2
131.0
131.1
129.7
114.5
117.9
110.1
106.0
100.8
76.9
108.1
122.4
109.8
105.5
115.2
115.0

119.5
128.2
135.6
128.4
141.3
131.8
131.9
130.1
115.0
118.1
110.8
106.1
100.9
76.3
108.3
122.6
109.7
105.3
114.8
115.1

119.9
128.4
134.7
129.1
135.5
132.6
132.7
130.2
115.3
118.1
111.7
106.4
101.0
75.9
108.5
123.3
110.1
105.7
115.5
115.5

119.9
128.8
134.8
129.4
134.8
133.1
133.1
130.4
115.0
117.6
111.6
105.4
98.6
74.6
105.8
124.5
110.3
105.9
115.6
115.5

119.9
129.1
134.2
129.8
131.1
133.8
133.9
130.2
115.4
118.2
111.7
104.3
96.8
75.0
103.7
124.4
110.6
106.1
116.5
115.7

120.2
129.3
134.1
130.1
130.0
134.0
134.1
130.6
115.8
118.4
112.4
105.0
97.4
76.8
104.1
125.5
110.6
105.9
117.0
115.9

120.7
129.8
135.2
130.5
132.7
134.4
134.5
130.9
116.1
118.7
112.8
106.0
98.7
80.5
105.1
125.9
110.9
106.0
117.5
116.6

-

Apparel and upkeep ........................................................................
Apparel commodities.....................................................................
Men’s and boys’ apparel............................................................
Women's and girls’ apparel .......................................................
Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel....................................................
Footwear......................................................................................
Other apparel commodities........................................................
Apparel services............................................................................

110.6
108.9
109.1
110.4
112.1
105.1
108.0
119.6

115.4
113.7
113.4
114.9
116.4
109.9
116.0
123.7

110.2
108.3
109.1
107.8
111.4
105.8
113.1
122.0

114.3
112.7
111.6
115.3
114.0
107.3
113.6
122.2

117.0
115.5
112.9
119.6
117.1
109.4
114.6
122.6

116.3
114.8
113.6
117.3
117.7
109.7
114.9
122.8

114.6
112.9
112.5
114.1
116.5
109.2
114.6
123.1

112.7
110.8
111.9
109.8
116.2
108.2
116.5
123.4

112.6
110.7
111.6
109.9
118.2
107.4
116.2
124.0

117.8
116.2
115.2
118.1
119.0
112.2
117.4
124.4

120.7
119.3
117.6
121.9
118.1
115.9
119.4
125.5

119.9
118.4
118.2
120.2
117.2
114.5
119.5
126.3

118.0
116.3
117.3
116.5
117.3
113.5
119.1
126.7

115.3
113.3
115.1
111.6
115.6
112.2
119.2
127.3

_
-

Transportation ..................................................................................
Private transportation....................................................................
New vehicles...............................................................................
New c a rs ...................................................................................
Used cars ....................................................................................
Motor fuel ....................................................................................
Gasoline....................................................................................
Maintenance and repair..............................................................
Other private transportation.......................................................
Other private transportation commodities..............................
Other private transportation services......................................
Public transportation.....................................................................

105.4
104.2
114.4
114.6
113.1
80.2
80.1
114.8
120.8
96.9
125.6
121.1

108.7
107.6
116.5
116.9
118.0
80.9
80.8
119.7
127.9
98.9
133.9
123.3

106.8
105.7
116.0
116.2
116.0
78.3
78.1
117.7
125.0
98.1
130.6
120.8

106.5
105.4
115.7
116.0
116.1
77.5
77.3
118.5
124.9
98.3
130.3
121.4

107.2
106.0
115.6
115.9
116.6
79.4
79.2
118.8
125.0
98.2
130.5
122.4

108.1
107.0
115.9
116.3
117.0
81.4
81.3
119.3
126.3
98.9
132.0
122.4

108.5
107.4
116.1
116.5
117.6
81.4
81.3
119.7
127.2
98.8
133.1
123.2

108.9
107.8
116.1
116.5
117.9
82.3
82.3
120.0
127.5
98.2
133.7
123.7

109.6
108.6
115.9
116.3
119.2
84.1
84.2
120.3
128.7
99.2
134.8
123.7

109.7
108.6
116.2
116.8
119.4
83.1
83.1
120.9
129.3
99.7
135.5
124.0

110.0
109.0
117.2
117.7
119.9
81.6
81.6
121.1
131.0
99.3
137.7
124.2

110.7
109.6
118.4
118.7
119.7
81.5
81.4
121.5
132.1
99.4
139.1
125.3

110.8
109.6
119.0
119.1
120.2
80.3
80.3
121.5
132.5
100.3
139.3
126.5

111.1
109.8
119.4
119.5
120.5
79.6
79.4
122.4
133.5
101.0
140.4
127.5

_
-

Medical c a r e .....................................................................................
Medical care commodities ............................................................
Medical care services....................................................................
Professional services..................................................................
Hospital and related services ....................................................

130.1
131.0
130.0
128.8
131.6

138.6
139.9
138.3
137.5
143.9

135.5
136.1
135.3
134.5
139.0

136.3
137.0
136.1
135.4
140.0

136.9
138.1
136.6
136.0
140.7

137.5
139.0
137.2
136.4
141.8

138.2
139.4
137.9
137.5
142.1

139.3
140.5
139.0
138.4
144.3

139.9
141.1
139.6
138.7
145.9

140.4
142.0
140.1
139.2
146.9

141.2
143.2
140.8
139.8
148.5

141.8
143.3
141.5
140.4
149.7

142.3
144.2
141.9
140.8
150.8

143.8
145.0
143.5
142.2
152.9

Entertainment...................................................................................
Entertainment commodities ..........................................................
Entertainment services..................................................................

115.3
110.5
122.0

120.3
115.0
127.7

118.3
112.9
125.7

119.0
113.4
126.5

119.6
114.2
127.0

119.7
114.5
126.9

120.1
114.8
127.3

120.5
115.3
127.7

120.7
115.4
128.1

121.3
116.0
128.6

121.8
116.3
129.4

122.2
117.2
129.3

122.8
117.5
130.0

123.8
118.1
131.6

Other goods and services ...............................................................
Tobacco products .........................................................................
Personal c a re .................................................................................
Toilet goods and personal care appliances..............................
Personal care services ...............................................................
Personal and educational expenses............................................
School books and supplies........................................................
Personal and educational services...........................................

128.5
133.6
115.1
113.9
116.2
138.5
138.1
138.7

137.0
145.8
119.4
118.1
120.7
147.9
148.1
148.0

134.2
142.2
117.8
116.4
119.1
144.7
146.3
144.8

134.6
142.8
118.1
116.8
119.2
145.0
146.2
145.1

134.8
142.9
118.5
117.4
119.5
145.2
146.3
145.3

135.1
143.2
118.7
117.2
120.1
145.5
146.4
145.6

135.5
143.6
119.0
117.5
120.4
146.0
146.5
146.2

136.5
147.5
119.2
117.8
120.6
146.3
146.5
146.5

137.5
148.6
119.0
117.2
121.0
147.8
146.9
148.1

140.0
148.9
120.3
118.7
121.9
151.8
151.1
152.1

140.6
149.3
121.0
119.8
122.0
152.4
152.0
152.7

141.0
149.7
121.8
120.7
122.7
152.7
152.1
152.9

141.3
149.9
122.4
121.6
123.1
153.0
152.2
153.2

143.4
157.0
122.8
121.7
123.8
154.0
153.3
154.2

-

-

_
-

_
-

-

_
-

-

_
-

“

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

<^xO

'TC 7P

W~P>UP

p,
83

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

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)
Annual
averaae

Series

Apparel commodities.................
Men’s and boys’ apparel .
Women's and girls’ apparel ...
Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel.....
Footwear..........................
Other apparel commodities...........
Apparel services..................
Transportation ...................
Private transportation..........
New vehicles...................................................................
New c a rs ..............................................................
Used c a r s .....................................................................
Motor fuel ..................
Gasoline.......................
Maintenance and repair......
Other private transportation......
Other private transportation commodities
Other private transportation services ..
Public transportation.................

.

1988

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

108. 8

113. 4

108. 3

112. 4

114. 9
2
118. 3

114.

M3 D 112.
1P1
121.

114. 3
113. 0
116. 7
119. 7
109. 3
114.
122.

112. S
112.
113. 5
118.
109.
113.
122.

110. 6
111. 5
109. 5
118. 5
108. 7
115. 2
122.

110. 5
111. 0
109. 5
120. 1
108. 3
114.
123.

115. 3
114. 4
117. 3
121. 5
112.
116.
123.

118.
116.
121.
120.
116.
117.
124.-

118.
117.
119.
120.
115.
118.
125./

116.
116.
116.
120.
114.
117.
125.

113.
114. Z
111. 3
118. 5
112. 3
117.
126.

108.,
107.;
115.8 115.8
116.8 116.2
116.S 117.£
81.4
81.C 81.C
119.4 119.8
124.C 125.2
98.€
98.8
129.7 130.8
121.8 122.3

108.
107.
115.8
116.,
117.8
82.:
82.;
120.1
125.4
97.8
131 .C
123.C

109.
109./
108.8 108.8
115., 115.8
116.8 116./
119.8 119.;
84.;
83.1
84.;
83.;
120.6 121 .C
126.6 127.£
98.6
99.:
132.6 133.2
123.C 123.1

109.8
109.C
116.E
117.6
119.6
81.6
81.6
121.:
128.9
98.8
135.5
123.5

110.;
109.6
118.1
118.6
119.6
81.6
81.6
121.5
130.C
99.C
136.8
124.3

110./
109.6
118.6
118.E
120.1
80./
80./
121.5
130./
99.S
137.1
125.4

110.
109.119.,
119.
120.
79.6
79.5
122./
131./
100.5
138.2
126.1

137.8
138.0
137.7
136.6
141.2

138.5
138.3
138.5
13/./
141.5

139.8
139.4
139.6
138.5
143.8

140.3
140.0
140.3
138.9
145.4

140.8
141.0
140.8
139.3
146.3

141.7
142.1
141.6
139.9
147.8

142.2
142.2
142.2
140.6
148.9

142.8
143.1
142.7
141.0
150.0

144.2
143.9
144.2
142.4
151.9

116.2
116.6
117.S

115.1
119.C
96.7
123.4

125.8
98.8
131.7

114.8
110.6
121.8

Other goods and services ..........
Tobacco products..............
Personal c a re ................
Toilet goods and personal care appliances
Personal care services .............
Personal and educational expenses......
School books and supplies.........
Personal and educational services.......

127.8

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:
1982-84=51.00......
1967=51.00.............
- Data not available.

Digitized 84
for FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

115.
116.
116.6

115.: - 115.:
115.- C 115.116.1 116.8
79.2

Entertainment .....................
Entertainment commodities ............
Entertainment services........

Special indexes:
All items less food .......
All items less sh elter....
All items less homeowners’ costs (12/84=100)
All items less medical c a re .....
Commodities less fo o d.......
Nondurables less food ..
Nondurables less food and apparel
Nondurables............
Services less rent of shelter (12/84 = 100)
Services less medical c a r e ....
Energy.......................
All items less energy .........
All items less food and energy
Commodities less food and energy
Energy commodities ...............
Services less energy.........

113.

107.Î

114.(
114.:
113.

130.2
130.2
130.3
129.0
131.1

Services..............
Rent of shelter (12/84 = 100)
Household services less rent of shelter (12/84=100)
Transportation services.........
Medical care services.......
Other services ................

1989

1987

Medical c a r e ...............
Medical care commodities.......
Medical care services.......
Professional services...........
Hospital and related services ....

All item s.......................
Commodities..................
Food and beverages ..........
Commodities less food and beverages
Nondurables less food and beverages
Apparel commodities...........
Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel
Durables...................

1988

113.9
116.1
138.2
137.9
138.4

98.C
128.8

98.1
128.3

139.0

135.8

139.0
137.7

135.8
134.7

136.5
136.1
136.6
135.5
139.3

137.1
137.2
137.1
136.1
140.1

119.7

117.6

118.2

118.9

119.0

127.2

125.2

126.0

126.5

126.3

119.4
114.9
126.8

119.8
115.4
127.2

120.1
115.5
127.6

120.6
116.0
128.1

121.2
116.5
128.9

121.7
117.3
129.0

122.2
117.6
129.7

123.1
118.1
131.3

134.5
143.4
118.5
117.1
119.9
145.2
145.4
145.4

135.0
143.8
118.8
117.4
120.2
145.8
145.6
146.0

136.3
147.9
119.1
117.8
120.4
146.0
145.6
146.3

137.2
148.9
119.0
117.4
120.7
147.4
146.0
147.8

139.3
149.2
120.3
118.8
121.9
151.1
150.0
151.5

139.9
149.5
120.9
119.9
122.0
151.7
150.8
152.0

140.3
149.9
121.7
120.6
122.7
152.0
150.9
152.3

140.6
150.2
122.3
121.5
123.0
152.3
151.1
152.7

143.0
156.9
122.7
121.7
123.6
153.3
152.0
153.7

116.2
110.5
116.8
106.7
104.8
114.3
102.6
108.4

116.7
110.7
117.4
106.5
104.3
112.6
102.8
108.7

117.2
111.1
118.5
106.6
104.3
110.6
103.7
108.8

117.7
111.6
119.1
107.0
104.9
110.5
104.7
108.8

118.5
112.5
119.8
108.1
106.6
115.8
104.7
109.1

118.9
113.0
120.0
108.7
107.2
118.9
104.1
109.7

119.0
113.1
119.9
108.9
107.1
118.1
104.3
110.4

119.2
113.0
120.3
108.6
106.3
116.0
104.1
110.7

119.7
113.5
121.7
108.4
105.9
113.0
104.9
111.0

123.6
118.5
104.9
125.8
137.7
130.0

124.5
119.0
107.2
126.6
138.5
130.5

125.1
119.6
107.4
127.1
139.6
130.8

125.7
120.3
107.6
127.8
140.3
131.6

126.3
120.7
108.0
128.4
140.8
133.6

126.7
121.1
107.2
129.9
141.6
134.2

126.9
121.4
106.2
130.9
142.2
134.5

127.2
121.5
106.8
131.2
142.7
135.0

127.9
121.9
107.5
132.2
144.2
136.1

116.0 116.5
114.4 115.0
109.7 110.2
114.6 115.0 115.6
106.6 107.0 106.9
104.9 105.4 105.0
102.5 103.4 103.6
110.5 111.0 111.1
113.9 114.4 115.7
121.7 122.2 123.1
86.7
88.1
90.3
119.9 120.2 120.5
120.8 121.1 121.4
114.3 114.4 114.3
79.7
81.5
81.4
125.6 126.0 126.5

116.8
115.4
110.7
116.0
107.0
105.1
104.5
111.6
116.1
123.6
90.7
121.0
121.7
114.2
82.1
127.1

117.3
115.9
111.1
116.6
107.3
105.6
105.3
112.3
116.6
124.3
91.8
121.5
122.2
114.3
83.8
127.8

118.1
116.8
111.9
117.3
108.4
107.2
105.3
113.4
117.3
124.9
91.3
122.4
123.1
115.8
82.7
128.4

118.6
117.2
112.2
117.7
109.0
107.8
104.9
113.8
117.6
125.2
89.3
123.1
124.0
116.9
81.2
129.1

118.8
117.3
112.3
117.8
109.2
107.6
105.1
113.7
117.6
125.3
88.4
123.4
124.3
117.1
81.2
129.5

118.8
117.4
112.4
117.9
108.9
106.9
104.9
113.5
118.1
125.6
88.1
123.6
124.4
117.0
80.3
129.8

119.2
118.0
113.0
118.5
108.8
106.5
105.6
114.0
119.0
126.3
88.3
124.2
124.8
116.9
79.9
130.5

85.3
28.6

84.9
28.5

84.4
28.3

84.1
28.2

84.0
28.2

83.9
28.2

83.5
28.0

118.0

116.2

116.5

117.0

147.4
147.7

144.5
115.7

103.6
100.8
108.8
99.2

114.0
104.0

106.8
104.6

104.5
101.4

1Uj .o

102.9
108.9

100.5

112.4
100.4

105.9

103.9

106.3
104.3
114.9
101.6
108.1
123.1

130.3

103.8

135.8
129.8
115.5
113.9

106.4
111.5

110.4

108.1

101.4
100.0
107.2
110.8
118.2
88.0
116.0
116.8
110.8
80.3
121.2

105.3
103.7
111.5
115.6
123.3
88.6
121.0
121.9
114.7
80.9
127.0

lOd 9
102.2 103.4
101.4 101.4
108.7 109.4
113.2 113.4
121.1 121.4
86.3
85.8
118.7 119.3
119.6 120.3
112.4 113.5
78.7
77.9
124.8 125.2

89.0
29.9

85.5
28.7

87.2
29.3

86.8
29.2

86.4
29.0

86.1
28.9

85.7
28.8

------- *“

Feb.

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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)
1988

Annual
Series

__________ h__
1987 19$8
I

1989

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

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

113.6
107.7
113.5
104.0
101.1
108.9
99.5
108.2

118.3
111.5
118.2
107.3
105.2
113.7
103.2
110.4

116.0
109.1
115.8
105.0
101.9
108.3
101.0
109.4

116.5
109.8
116.0
105.9
103.4
112.7
101.0
109.5

117.1
110.7
116.7
106.9
105.0
115.5
102.0
109.7

117.5
111.1
117.1
107.2
105.4
114.8
103.0
109.9

118.0
111.1
117.6
107.1
104.9
112.9
103.2
110.2

118.5
111.5
118.8
107.0
104.7
110.8
104.0
110.3

119.0
111.9
119.4
107.3
105.2
110.7
104.8
110.3

119.8
113.0
120.1
108.5
107.1
116.2
104.9
110.6

120.2
113.5
120.3
109.2
107.8
119.3
104.5
111.1

120.3
113.5
120.2
109.4
107.7
118.4
104.6
111.8

120.5
113.5
120.6
109.0
106.9
116.3
104.5
112.2

121.1
113.9
122.0
108.9
106.4
113.3
105.3
112.5

Services.............................................................................................
Rent of shelter (1 2 /8 2 -1 0 0 ).......................................................
Household services less rent of shelter (12/82—100).............
Transportation services.................................................................
Medical care services....................................................................
Other services ...............................................................................

120.2
125.9
113.1
121.9
130.0
125.7

125.7
132.0
115.3
128.0
138.3
132.6

123.4
129.8
113.1
125.2
135.3
130.2

123.8
130.4
113.u
125.4
136.1
130.7

124.1
130.6
113.7
125.8
136.6
131.0

124.6
131.0
114.3
126.7
137.2
131.1

125.5
131.5
116.6
127.6
137.9
131.6

126.1
132.3
116.9
128.1
139.0
131.9

126.7
133.1
117.0
128.8
139.6
132.8

127.3
133.4
117.4
129.3
140.1
134.9

127.6
133.8
116.6
130.6
140.8
135.5

127.8
134.1
115.6
131.6
141.5
135.7

128.1
134.3
116.2
132.1
141.9
136.2

128.9
134.8
117.0
133.0
143.5
137.3

Special indexes:
All items less food .........................................................................
All items less sh elter.....................................................................
All items less homeowners’ costs (12/82=100)........................
All items less medical c a re ...........................................................
Commodities less fo o d ..................................................................
Nondurables less food ..................................................................
Nondurables less food and apparel ............................................
Nondurables...................................................................................
Services less rent of shelter (12/82= 100)................................
Services less medical c a r e ...........................................................
Energy.............................................................................................
All items less energy .....................................................................
All items less food and energy ....................................................
Commodities less food and energy.............................................
Energy commodities ......................................................................
Services less energy......................................................................

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

118.3
115.9
119.5
117.0
107.7
105.8
104.0
111.8
128.3
124.3
89.3
122.3
123.4
115.8
80.8
127.9

116.0
113.5
117.1
114.8
105.4
102.7
101.9
109.0
125.8
122.1
87.0
120.0
121.1
113.3
78.8
125.7

116.6
114.0
117.7
115.3
106.3
104.1
101.9
109.8
126.0
122.4
86.5
120.6
121.9
114.6
78.0
126.1

117.2
114.7
118.4
115.9
107.3
105.6
102.9
111.0
126.5
122.8
87.3
121.2
122.4
115.5
79.7
126.5

117.6
115.2
118.8
116.3
107.6
106.0
103.8
111.4
127.1
123.2
88.7
121.5
122.7
115.5
81.4
126.9

118.1
115.7
119.3
116.8
107.4
105.5
104.0
111.4
128.4
124.1
91.0
121.8
123.0
115.4
81.4
127.4

118.4
116.1
119.8
117.2
107.4
105.4
104.8
111.9
128.9
124.7
91.4
122.3
123.3
115.2
81.9
128.0

118.9
116.5
120.3
117.8
107.7
105.9
105.5
112.4
129.4
125.3
92.3
122.8
123.8
115.2
83.4
128.8

119.7
117.5
121.1
118.6
108.9
107.7
105.6
113.7
130.3
125.9
91.9
123.8
124.7
116.9
82.5
129.3

120.2
117.9
121.5
118.9
109.5
108.3
105.2
114.2
130.5
126.2
89.9
124.4
125.5
118.0
81.0
129.9

120.3
118.0
121.5
119.0
109.7
108.2
105.4
114.1
130.6
126.3
88.9
124.7
125.8
118.2
80.9
130.3

120.4
118.1
121.6
119.1
109.4
107.5
105.3
113.9
131.1
126.6
88.7
124.8
126.0
118.0
80.1
130.6

120.8
118.7
122.3
119.7
109.2
107.1
106.0
114.3
132.1
127.3
89.0
125.5
126.4
117.9
79.9
131.4

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:
1982-84 —$1.00.............................................................................
19 6 7 -$ 1 .0 0 ...................................................................................

88.0
29.4

84.6
28.2

86.2
28.8

85.8
28.7

85.4
28.5

85.1
28.4

84.7
28.3

84.4
28.2

84.0
28.0

83.5
27.9

83.2
27.8

83.1
27.7

83.0
27.7

82.6
27.6

-

CONSUMER PRICE INDEX FOR URBAN WAGE EARNERS
AND CLERICAL WORKERS:
All items ............................................................................................
All items (1967 = 100) ........................................................................

112.5
335.0

117.0
348.4

114.7
341.6

115.1
343.0

115.7
344.7

116.2
346.1

116.7
347.6

117.2
349.1

117.7
350.7

118.5
353.0

118.9
354.2

119.0
354.6

119.2
355.0

119.7
356.7

-

Food and beverages ........................................................................
Food................................................................................................
Food at home .............................................................................
Cereals and bakery products..................................................
Meats, poultry, fish, and e g g s.................................................
Dairy products..........................................................................
Fruits and vegetables...............................................................
Other foods at hom e................................................................
Sugar and sw e e ts..................................................................
Fats and oils..........................................................................
Nonalcoholic beverages........................................................
Other prepared foods............................................................
Food away from home ...............................................................
Alcoholic beverages.......................................................................

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

117.9
117.9
116.2
122.2
114.1
108.1
127.6
113.0
113.9
113.0
107.7
117.8
121.6
118.3

115.5
115.4
113.5
118.8
110.5
107.0
124.0
111.7
112.1
109.5
107.9
115.8
119.6
116.6

115.7
115.6
113.5
118.9
111.1
106.9
122.2
111.9
112.4
110.3
108.0
116.0
120.0
117.3

116.3
116.2
114.2
119.9
111.4
106.9
125.2
112.0
112.2
110.2
107.9
116.4
120.6
117.9

116.8
116.7
114.7
120.4
112.0
107.2
126.4
112.2
112.4
111.0
107.7
116.8
120.9
118.0

117.4
117.3
115.5
120.8
114.5
107.0
125.5
112.3
113.1
111.4
107.3
116.9
121.4
118.4

118.5
118.5
116.9
122.1
116.3
107.3
128.4
113.0
113.9
112.5
107.4
118.1
122.0
118.9

119.1
119.2
117.8
124.1
117.1
107.9
129.6
113.5
114.8
114.8
107.2
118.5
122.3
118.9

119.8
119.9
118.7
124.8
117.3
108.6
132.8
113.9
115.6
115.8
107.6
118.8
122.8
119.2

120.0
120.1
118.7
125.7
116.6
109.7
131.4
114.7
115.9
117.0
108.3
119.7
123.2
119.5

119.9
119.9
118.4
126.0
116.1
110.4
129.1
114.8
115.7
117.0
108.4
119.9
123.5
119.5

120.3
120.4
118.8
126.7
115.8
111.2
130.8
115.1
116.7
118.3
107.8
120.5
124.0
119.5

121.7
121.9
120.8
128.0
118.3
112.4
134.3
116.5
117.3
119.5
109.8
121.7
124.6
119.8

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

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

116.8
124.3
119.2
127.5
135.2
119.5
119.5
118.2
114.0
117.7
108.3
104.1
97.7
77.9
104.4
122.9
108.9
104.5
115.1
115.0

115.0
122.4
117.3
126.1
130.0
117.6
117.6
116.7
113.6
117.6
107.5
102.5
95.6
80.6
101.6
121.8
107.2
103.1
113.6
111.8

115.4
122.9
118.4
126.2
136.9
117.8
117.8
117.2
112.8
116.6
107.1
102.3
95.4
80.2
101.4
121.7
107.8
104.1
113.4
111.9

115.6
123.0
118.4
126.3
136.1
118.0
118.0
117.3
114.7
119.8
107.5
102.5
95.4
79.9
101.4
122.3
108.7
104.2
114.3
115.6

116.0
123.4
118.6
126.6
136.2
118.4
118.5
117.3
113.7
117.6
107.9
103.0
96.1
79.7
102.2
122.5
108.8
104.2
114.5
115.7

116.9
123.9
119.3
126.9
138.8
118.8
118.8
118.0
113.9
117.9
107.9
105.5
100.5
78.9
107.5
122.2
109.1
104.6
115.1
115.7

117.4
124.5
120.0
127.5
140.8
119.4
119.5
118.6
113.8
117.6
108.0
105.6
100.5
76.7
107.8
122.4
109.4
104.9
115.5
115.9

117.8
125.3
120.7
128.0
143.0
120.2
120.2
119.0
114.2
118.0
108.3
105.8
100.6
76.2
108.0
122.5
109.1
104.5
115.1
116.0

118.2
125.6
120.2
128.7
136.1
120.9
120.9
119.1
114.4
117.7
109.1
106.1
100.8
75.9
108.2
123.3
109.6
105.1
115.8
116.3

118.2
126.0
120.4
129.0
135.1
121.3
121.4
119.3
114.1
117.0
109.2
105.1
98.3
74.6
105.5
124.7
109.9
105.4
116.1
116.3

118.3
126.4
120.1
129.4
131.4
122.0
122.1
119.2
114.6
117.6
109.7
104.1
96.6
75.0
103.5
124.6
110.2
105.6
116.9
116.4

118.5
126.5
120.0
129.7
129.2
122.2
122.2
119.6
115.2
117.8
110.6
104.8
97.2
76.7
103.9
125.6
110.2
105.4
117.4
116.5

119.0
126.9
120.7
130.1
131.8
122.5
122.5
119.9
115.6
118.3
110.9
105.7
98.4
80.3
104.8
126.2
110.4
105.5
117.9
116.9

_
-

Apparel and upkeep ........................................................................

110.4

114.9

110.0

113.9

116.3

115.7

114.1

112.4

112.2

117.2

120.1

119.5

117.6

114.8

-

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

COKTT.

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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
31.

March 1989

•

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)
All Urban Consumers
Area1

Pricing
schedule2
Feb.

U.S. city average...................
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 12/86 ................................
B ............................................
C ...........................................
D ...........................................

Urban Wage Earners

1988

1989

1988

Mar.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

M 116.0

116.5

120.2

120.3

120.5

121.1

M 119.2

119.6

124.1

124.4

124.5

125.4

M 119.9

120.4

124.9

125.1

125.3

126.1

M 117.0

117.5

122.5

122.9

122.2

123.1

116.0

116.4

121.2

M 117.2
M 113.7

117.2
114.3

121.7
118.1

122.7
118.1

123.3
118.2

124.4
118.7

119.8
111.8

119.8
112.3

124.2
116.1

M 114.7

115.1

119.1

119.1

119.2

119.8

112.1

112.5

116.4

M 113.5

114.2

118.2

118.0

118.2

118.3

111.1

111.8

115.7

M 113.4

114.6

117.7

118.4

118.2

118.8

112,3

113.4

116.5

M 110.5
M 114.4

111.1
114.8

114.2
118.2

114.1
118.3

114.0
118.5

114.5
118.9

110.2
113.8

110.6
114.2

M 115.2

115.5

118.9

118.9

119.2

119.7

114.4

-

-

-

1989

Feb.

Mar.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

114.7

115.1

118.9

119.0

119.2

119.7

118.1

118.4

122.9

123.2

123.3

124.1

118.0

118.5

122.9

123.1

123.2

124.0

121.6

121.0

121.9

125.1
116.2

125.7
116.3

126.8
116.8

116.5

116.6

117.1

115.7

115.8

116.0

117.3

117.1

117.7

113.9
117.7

113.9
117.8

113.8
118.0

114.3
118.3

114.7

118.1

118.0

118.4

118.8

Feb.
-

-

-

M 115.1

115.8

119.5

119.6

119.7

119.9

113.0

113.6

117.5

117.7

117.8

117.9

M 113.4

114.0

117.1

117.4

117.6

117.8

113.8

114.3

117.7

117.9

118.1

118.4

M 112.7
M 116.9

112.7
117.5

116.0
120.7

116.3
120.7

116.3
120.9

116.9
121.7

113.4
115.6

113.4
116.2

116.8
119.4

117.0
119.4

117.0
119.6

117.7
120.3

M 118.2

118.9

122.2

122.3

122.5

123.3

115.6

116.2

119.6

119.6

119.7

120.5

M . 115.6

115.9

115.7

116.0

M 115.9

116.2

119.4

119.0

119.0

119.8

-

115.3

115.6

118.7

118.4

118.4

119.3

-

M
M
M
M

105.3
115.2
114.6
113.1

105.7
115.8
115.1
113.5

109.2
119.7
118.5
116.8

109.2
119.7
118.9
117.0

109.4
119.8
119.1
116.8

110.0
120.1
119.6
117.5

-

105.2
113.8
114.9
113.4

105.6
114.3
115.4
113.7

109.1
118.3
118.9
117.1

109.1
118.4
119.3
117.3

109.3
118.5
119.4
117.1

109.9
118.8
120.0
117.8

-

-

119.3

-

119.4

Selected local areas

Chicago, ILNorthwestern IN ....................
Los Angeles-Long
Beach, Anaheim, C A ............
New York, NYNortheastern N J ....................
Philadelphia, PA-NJ................
San FranciscoOakland, CA...........................

M 116.6

116.9

121.6

121.0

121.3

121.5

112.9

113.2

117.8

117.4

117.7

117.9

M 119.7

120.6

124.0

124.1

124.2

124.6

116.6

117.5

121.0

120.9

121.1

121.4

M 121.1
M 119.3

121.5
119.6

126.2
124.6

125.9
125.3

126.0
125.6

127.0
125.7

-

119.3
119.0

119.7
119.5

124.3
124.4

124.1
125.0

124.1
125.2

125.1
125.5

M 117.9

122.2

122.6

124.0

-

117.0

117.9

121.3

121.1

121.5

122.8

121.2
127.4
118.0
118.3
118.3
123.2

_

121.3
129.0
118.9
120.0
118.4
124.3

_

_

-

-

_

_

-

“

Baltimore, M D.........................
Boston, MA .............................
Cleveland, O H .........................
Miami, F L .................................
St. Louis, MO-IL......................
Washington, DC-MD-VA .........

1
1
1
1
1
1

-

Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX...............
Detroit, M l................................
Houston, TX ............................
Pittsburgh, PA .........................

2
2
2
2

' 114.0
113.7
108.0
113.3

119.1

122.3

117.7
122.1
115.1
115.1
114.2
119.2

_

_

-

117.9
118.6
111.1
116.3

_
-

1 Area is the Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), ex­
clusive of farms and military. Area definitions are those established by
the Office of Management and Budget in 1983, except for BostonLawrence-Salem, MA-NH Area (excludes Monroe County); and Milwau­
kee, Wl Area (Includes only the Milwaukee MSA). Definitions do not in­
clude 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.

Digitized for86
FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

117.2
118.3
111.3
116.7

113.8
110.9
108.1
108.9

117.3
121.8
110.2
114.3
113.8
118.5

_
-

_
117.7
115.6
111.4
111.7

120.8
127.4
113.0
117.2
117.8
122.6

_
_
-

_
_
117.0
115.7
111.4
112.2

120.9
128.9
113.8
118.8
118.0
123.7

-

_
_
_
-

_

_

_

_

_

_

-

-

3 Regions are defined as the four Census regions.
- Data not available.
NOTE: Local area CPI indexes are byproducts of the national CPI
program. Because each local index is a small subset of the national in­
dex, it has a smaller sample size and is, therefore, subject to substan­
tially more sampling and other measurement error than the national in­
dex. As a result, local area indexes show greater volatility than the na­
tional index, although their long-term trends are quite similar. Therefore,
the Bureau of Labor Statistics 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 ch an g e................................................................
Food and beverages:
Index.................................................................................
Percent change................................................................
Housing:
Index.................................................................................
Percent change................................................................
Apparel and upkeep:
Index.................................................................................
Percent change................................................................
Transportation:
Index.................................................................................
Percent change................................................................
Medical care:
Index.................................................................................
Percent change................................................................
Entertainment:
Index.................................................................................
Percent ch an g e................................................................
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

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

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

118.3
4.1

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

118.2
4.1

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

118.5
3.8

90.9
7.1

95.3
4.8

97.8
2.6

100.2
2.5

102.1
1.9

105.0
2.8

105.9
.9

110.6
4.4

115.4
4.3

83.1
17.9

93.2
12.2

97.0
4.1

99.3
2.4

103.7
4.4

106.4
2.6

102.3
-3.9

105.4
3.0

108.7
3.1

74.9
11.0

82.9
10.7

92.5
11.6

100.6
8.8

106.8
6.2

113.5
6.3

122.0
7.5

130.1
6.6

138.6
6.5

83.6
9.0

90.1
7.8

96.0
6.5

100.1
4.3

103.8
3.7

107.9
3.9

111.6
3.4

115.3
3.3

120.3
4.3

75.2
9.1

82.6
9.8

91.1
10.3

101.1
11.0

107.9
6.7

114.5
6.1

121.4
6.0

128.5
5.8

137.0
6.6

82.9
13.4

91.4
10.3

96.9
6.0

99.8
3.0

103.3
3.5

106.9
3.5

108.6
1.6

112.5
3.6

117.0
4.0

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
33.

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics: Price Data

Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing

(1982 = 100)
1989

1988

Annual average
Grouping

1987

1988

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.
_

Finished consumer goods .........................
Finished consumer foods........................
Finished consumer goods excluding
foods .......................................................
Nondurable goods less food ...............
Durable goods .......................................
Capital equipment.......................................

105.4
103.6
109.5

108.0
106.2
112.6

106.3
104.4
110.1

107.0
105.1
110.3

107.5
105.7
111.2

107.7
105.9
112.3

108.6
107.0
113.6

108.7
107.1
113.6

108.6
107.0
115.1

109.3
107.5
114.6

109.7
107.9
114.9

110.0
108.2
115.1

111.0
109.3
116.5

-

100.7
94.9
111.5
111.7

103.1
97.3
113.7
114.3

101.5
95.6
112.6
113.2

102.6
97.0
112.8
113.6

103.0
97.4
113.1
113.8

102.8
97.1
113.2
113.9

103.8
98.3
113.6
114.2

103.9
98.4
113.8
114.5

103.0
97.6
112.8
114.3

104.0
97.7
115.8
115.8

104.5
98.4
115.8
116.0

104.8
98.8
116.0
116.3

105.8
99.9
116.6
117.0

-

Intermediate materials, supplies, and
components...............................................

101.5

107.1

104.7

105.6

106.3

107.4

108.2

108.4

108.7

108.6

109.0

109.5

110.5

-

105.3
100.8
102.2
106.2
108.8

113.2
105.9
112.9
118.8
112.3

110.5
101.6
109.6
114.7
111.1

111.6
102.6
110.9
116.8
111.5

112.3
104.0
111.7
117.7
111.9

112.9
106.9
112.2
118.5
112.1

114.0
109.9
113.8
119.3
112.4

114.3
108.9
114.5
119.7
112.8

114.9
109.5
115.2
120.3
113.2

115.5
108.2
116.2
121.7
113.5

116.2
107.4
116.8
123.5
113.8

116.8
108.3
117.5
124.4
114.1

117.8
109.9
118.9
125.3
114.9

-

Finished goods ..........................................

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

-

-

-

109.8
73.3
114.5
107.7

116.1
71.3
120.1
113.7

114.4
69.6
117.4
111.1

115.0
70.5
118.4
111.7

115.4
71.5
119.5
112.3

115.8
73.9
120.0
113.8

116.5
73.6
120.5
115.2

116.7
73.5
121.3
115.1

117.1
72.6
122.3
115.6

117.7
69.7
122.5
116.1

118.2
69.5
122.7
116.2

118.8
70.3
122.7
116.1

119.3
71.5
123.0
117.1

*-

93.7
96.2
87.9

95.9
106.0
85.5

94.1
99.8
86.4

95.6
101.1
88.0

97.2
104.7
88.2

97.9
108.6
87.0

97.3
110.1
85.1

96.9
110.4
84.4

96.7
112.0
83.0

95.8
111.4
82.0

94.0
107.7
81.4

97.0
109.5
85.1

101.0
112.4
89.5

-

104.0
61.8
112.3
112.5
113.3

106.5
59.8
115.8
116.3
117.0

105.1
58.2
114.1
114.4
115.7

105.9
60.9
114.3
114.6
115.9

106.2
61.6
114.8
115.2
116.2

106.1
60.3
115.3
115.8
116.4

106.9
61.3
116.2
116.9
117.1

107.1
61.1
116.4
117.0
117.4

106.4
58.8
116.7
117.5
117.2

107.6
58.7
117.6
118.2
118.7

108.0
59.8
117.8
118.4
118.9

108.3
59.3
118.2
118.9
119.4

109.1
60.9
119.1
119.9
120.0

-

114.2

118.5

117.1

117.3

117.6

117.9

118.8

119.1

118.9

120.3

120.5

121.2

121.8

-

116.3

122.0

120.4

120.6

120.9

121.3

122.7

123.0

123.3

123.7

124.0

125.0

125.8

-

101.7
99.2
73.0
107.3

107.0
109.5
71.0
114.6

104.8
102.0
69.3
112.1

105.7
103.4
70.2
113.0

106.4
104.8
71.2
113.6

107.2
111.8
73.5
114.4

107.8
116.6
73.3
115.5

108.1
114.5
73.1
115.7

108.3
115.5
72.3
116.3

108.3
114.7
69.4
116.9

108.8
113.3
69.2
117.4

109.3
112.8
70.0
117.8

110.2
115.2
71.2
118.7

-

107.8

115.2

112.9

113.8

114.4

114.9

115.7

116.1

116.7

117.4

118.0

118.6

119.4

-

75.0
100.9
115.7

67.8
112.5
132.7

68.7
108.1
133.4

70.6
109.0
133.1

71.4
111.1
131.3

70.0
114.0
131.2

67.3
115.5
132.9

66.1
116.0
133.9

64.7
117.1
133.4

63.5
116.6
133.3

62.6
114.1
134.0

66.7
115.6
134.9

71.2
118.5
137.7

-

-

Special groupings

Finished goods, excluding fo o d s.................
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...........................................................
Intermediate materials less foods and
fe e d s .............................................................
Intermediate foods and fe e d s......................
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..........
Data not available.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

-

“

34.

Producer Price indexes, by durability of product

(1982=100)
Annual average

1988

1989

Grouping
1987

1988

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Total durable goods ......................................
Total nondurable goods................................

109.9
97.5

114.7
101.1

113.3
98.8

113.8
99.8

114.1
100.8

114.4
101.8

114.8
102.6

115.1
102.6

115.2
102.7

116.2
102.2

116.7
102.1

117.1
102.9

117.9
104.6

Total manufactures........................................
Durable........................................................
Nondurable .................................................

104.4
109.6
99.2

109.1
114.0
104.1

107.1
112.6
101.7

107.9
113.2
102.7

108.6
113.5
103.7

109.0
113.7
104.3

109.8
114.1
105.4

110.0
114.4
105.6

110.1
114.5
105.6

110.5
115.5
105.5

111.0
116.0
106.0

111.3
116.3
106.3

112.3
117.0
107.6

_

Total raw or slightly processed goods ........
Durable........................................................
Nondurable .................................................

94.2
122.6
92.9

95.9
147.4
93.5

93.8
146.2
91.4

94.9
146.1
92.5

95.6
143.1
93.3

97.5
144.2
95.3

97.8
149.3
95.3

97.2
150.6
94.7

97.5
149.5
95.0

96.4
149.9
93.9

94.7
151.8
92.1

96.9
153.8
94.2

99.8
158.4
97.0

_

Sept.

- Data not available.

35.

Annual data: Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing

(1982 = 100)
Index
Finished goods:
Total .......................................................................
Consumer g o o d s..............................................
Capital equipment ............................................
Intermediate materials, supplies, and
components:
T o tal.......................................................................
Materials and components for
manufacturing..................................................
Materials and components for construction ....
Processed fuels and lubricants .......................
Containers.........................................................
Supplies.............................................................

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

77.6
77.5
77.5

88.0
88.6
85.8

96.1
96.6
94.6

100.0
100.0
100.0

101.6
101.3
102.8

103.7
103.3
105.2

104.7
103.8
107.5

103.2
101.4
109.7

105.4
103.6
111.7

78.4

90.3

98.6

100.0

100.6

103.1

102.7

99.1

101.5

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
96.7
96.9

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

101.2
102.8
95.4
100.4
101.8

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

105.3
109.8
73.3
114.5
107.7

85.9
100.0
69.6
57.3

95.3
104.6
84.6
69.4

103.0
103.9
101.8
84.8

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

101.3
101.8
100.7
105.1

103.5
104.7
102.2
105.1

95.8
94.8
96.9
102.7

87.7
93.2
81.6
92.2

93.7
96.2
87.9
84.1

Crude materials for further processing:
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs ................................
Nonfood materials except fuel ........................
Fuel ....................................................................


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Feb.

-

-

-

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
36.

March 1989

.

Current Labor Statistics: Price Data

U.S. export price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification

(1985=100, unless otherwise Indicated)

Category

1986

1974
SITO

June

1987

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

Sept.

99.9

102.2

102.8

104.9

106.5

109.5

111.7

111.5

87.3
68.3
115.3
117.0
100.1

89.9
121.2
125.8
71.0
112.4
123.8
100.6

86.7
118.8
131.1
67.8
101.1
123.1
100.3

94.6
116.8
138.5
77.4
100.5
145.2
100.3

95.2
122.8
140.9
79.8
97.5
134.6
102.3

103.4
131.0
145.0
87.2
104.3
158.1
102.8

118.7
137.0
175.9
108.5
109.9
161.0
105.2

114.2
130.0
174.0
102.0
110.2
156.9
104.9

9/ .0

102.6

105.0
105.0

105.5
105.5

107.0
107.0

109.6
109.8

110.6
110.7

112.0
112.1

111.7
111.8

102.9
129.0

105.7
131.9
90.4
99.9
111.2
144.2
97.8
94.4
98.8

114.5
149.6
101.6
101.0
116.2
149.9
112.4
94.0
107.0

118.7
147.7
95.1
102.8
141.7
153.0
116.5
91.6
117.4

125.2
157.1
109.6
105.3
146.0
160.4
111.6
91.6
125.9

130.0
171.4
115.6
104.5
150.2
171.2
107.5
92.8
131.8

139.9
166.8
143.0
106.1
149.6
179.5
109.9
94.2
146.0

140.8
156.7
154.7
109.1
150.0
181.7
100.8
94.8
145.0

136.0
137.4
135.7
111.0
148.5
182.9
103.6
94.8
150.3

92.6

82.8
88.2

84.6
91.0

82.5
89.8
100.0

79.3
90.6
90.8

82.1
92.0
97.2

79.5
92.9
89.2

79.3
93.4
88.1

81.1
67.3

“
86.7
71.9

“
86.7
71.2

88.7
75.4

101.3
85.7

101.6
93.7

104.3
99.1

95.7
87.1

ALL COMMODITIES (9/83 = 100)
Food ...........................
Meat and meat preparations ..
Fish and crustaceans ..........
Grain and grain preparations.............
Vegetables and fruit.................
Animal feeds, excluding unmilled cereals
Miscellaneous food products

04
114.8

Crude materials .............
Raw hides and skins...............
O ilseeds...................
Crude rubber.............
Pulp and waste paper...........................................................
Textile fibers................
Crude minerals.............
Metal ores and metal scrap
Fuels and related products ....
Coal and coke ...................
Crude petroleum and petroleum products

119.7

09

Beverages and tobacco (6/83 = 100)
Tobacco and tobacco products ....

97.4

95.2

22
24
25
26

101.2
116.4

107.9
129.4
90.9

28

uJ.D

33

Fats and o ils ............
Animal oils and fats ...............
Fixed vegetable oils and fats .
Chemicals and related products
Organic chemicals...................
Dyeing, tanning, and coloring materials ....
Medicinal and pharmaceutical products (12/85 = 100)........................
Essential oils, polish and cleaning preparations.........................................
Fertilizers, manufactured ....
Artificial resins, plastics and cellulose ....
Chemical materials and products, n.e s
Intermediate manufactured products
Leather and furskins...............
Rubber manufactures ...........
Paper and paperboard products ...
Textiles.....................
Non-metalllc mineral manufactures (9/85=100)
Iron and ste e l..............
Nonferrous m etals.........
Metal manufactures, n.e.s......
Machinery and transport equipment, excluding military
and commercial aircraft
Power generating machinery and equipment
Machinery specialized for particular industries
Metalworking machinery.........
General industrial machines and parts n e s
Office machines and automatic data processing equipment
Telecommunications, sound recording and reproducing equipment
Electrical machinery and equipment
Road vehicles and parts ........
Other transport equipment, excluding military and commercial
aviation ..

Miscellaneous manufactured articles
Furniture and p arts.......
Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments and
apparatus...........................
Photographic apparatus and supplies, optical goods, watches and
clocks.....................
Miscellaneous manufactured articles, n.e.s
- Data not available.

90


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

5

1988

June

Dec.

Mar.

June

-

-

Sept.

—

Dec.

-

99.5

95.7
91.6
101.1
101.2
104.5
85.1
98.2

95.2
92.4
101.4
100.8
104.2
77.4
99.5

99.6
101.9
103.6
101.0
105.5
85.6
104.8

106.7
118.4
104.2
101.4
105.7
91.6
111.9
97.7

107.7
116.1
105.5
102.2
107.3
100.9
116.4
97.1

112.9
123.5
108.5
105.4
108.4
106.5
124.8
98.2

117.9
135.1
109.1
109.3
111.2
110.6
129.4
100.3

121.6
144.6
110.1
106.3
113.6
109.8
137.5
101.7

124.9
153.3
111.5
105.9
120.2
116.4
138.2
104.1

125.4
150.8
113.0
107.3
122.4
119.9
132.3
105.1

64

102.5
103.8
100.1
104.7

103.8
104.2
100.5
109.1

104.2
107.8
100.9
110.8

66

102.4

106.4
123.6
102.0
114.7
103.3
106.8
102.9
106.6
101.5

107.9
126.9
102.5
117.0
103.7
108.7
102.9
113.0
101.3

110.3
128.7
103.9
120.1
104.1
110.4
100.7
123.0
102.3

111.2
118.0
104.1
122.4
105.2
111.3
102.9
124.4
103.4

114.4
125.7
105.2
126.2
106.5
113.4
106.1
134.0
104.5

117.7
125.1
108.8
129.0
107.9
114.1
110.8
143.5
107.6

119.6
128.6
109.4
130.2
108.6
115.6
111.4
149.1
109.9

120.8
125.0
109.7
131.2
112.7
117.0
112.1
150.4
110.9

101.7
104.6
100.0
105.8
104.2
96.0
101.9
101.7
103.1

101.8
103.7
100.1
106.7
104.5
96.1
101.4
102.1
103.5

102.1
104.8
100.5
107.8
104.6
95.7
101.4
102.5
103.8

102.4
105.2
100.9
108.2
105.4
95.5
101.9
101.8
104.6

103.2
107.0
102.1
109.3
106.7
95.8
102.8
103.1
104.5

104.0
108.4
103.6
110.8
108.1
95.7
104.6
103.4
104.9

104.5
108.5
104.7
111.0
109.3
96.8
104.1
103.2
105.4

105.5
109.3
106.0
114.5
110.4
96.3
105.1
103.6
107.1

104.5

105.5

105.8

106.6

107.4

109.6

109.7

111.8

104.6

105.2
“

105.4
“

105.6
-

106.9

-

108.1
-

108.9
-

110.5
-

104.4

105.5

106.3

107.1

110.0

111.1

112.5

114.0

102.7

102.5

99.0

97.9

97.6

100.1

99.4

99.9

-

-

-

-

-

53
54
55
56
57
58

99.4
101.4
105.2

6

105.3

71
72

102.4
100.3

74
75
76
77

101.6
99.0
98.9

102.5
99.7

103.3
98.2
101.3

103.5
8
87

89

103.4
103.1

-

103.0

-

103.5

-

-

-

-

_

37.

U.S. import price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification

(1985=100, unless otherwise indicated)
Category

1974
SITC

1986

1987

1988

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

Dec.

102.3
110.9

106.5
113.7

110.0
116.5

110.9
117.5

112.5
120.8

113.8
123.7

116.8
126.7

115.3
126.1

117.1
129.1

0
10
02
03

109.1
109.2
113.8
119.1

105.2
105.0
119.3
121.8

108.3
108.0
122.3
126.0

109.1
114.4
121.7
130.4

112.5
113.4
125.1
131.0

114.1
111.5
125.6
132.5

114.0
107.0
125.0
129.3

112.7
111.2
122.2
125.9

113.9
108.7
125.8
126.6

04
05
06
07

118.8
104.3
106.5
104.9

122.3
101.9
107.4
89.9

126.2
110.1
109.6
87.0

124.8
110.0
109.0
85.1

130.7
116.2
107.0
90.6

135.8
115.4
109.6
94.3

139.8
120.3
110.0
93.3

136.9
123.7
112.1
87.4

142.8
126.4
110.7
90.1

1
11

106.8
109.5

107.8
112.1

112.8
114.2

112.2
114.8

113.5
116.2

116.0
118.7

116.2
120.0

115.3
118.9

116.0
119.8

2
23
24
25
26
27
28
29

109.1
98.4
104.8
116.9
102.9
98.6
118.3
111.9

115.1
98.4
113.5
127.0
110.9
98.2
122.8
113.0

116.2
103.7
110.2
132.0
118.4
99.6
124.5
109.0

120.3
110.7
117.4
133.4
128.1
99.2
128.7
107.6

122.1
120.1
108.8
141.0
135.2
99.9
137.9
118.3

129.2
121.7
112.4
151.0
137.8
100.4
151.2
135.8

137.8
151.1
111.4
160.5
145.5
101.0
167.6
148.2

135.4
133.3
109.7
169.6
141.9
97.2
172.2
122.0

142.9
121.5
107.4
174.7
145.6
100.2
205.3
138.1

3
33

55.9
55.0

67.4
67.4

74.1
74.4

74.3
75.2

67.2
67.8

60.6
60.4

63.4
63.6

57.7
57.7

53.2
52.7

4
42

83.4
-

82.9
-

87.9
-

96.4
100.0

102.1
105.7

106.4
111.1

111.2
116.1

114.0
119.2

112.6
117.6

5
51
52
54
55
56
58
59

99.0
87.5
94.6
113.6
106.9
89.9
110.3
112.7

102.6
96.1
90.5
120.1
117.6
92.9
110.0
115.1

104.8
99.8
89.8
123.4
117.8
94.6
114.7
117.7

105.6
98.2
89.8
124.3
119.2
109.3
114.4
120.6

110.1
103.0
90.1
126.3
123.0
133.6
117.6
124.8

114.2
105.8
92.0
135.3
125.7
133.7
121.6
138.7

116.4
107.3
92.3
140.3
126.2
136.3
124.3
148.5

119.2
111.3
93.0
145.4
127.5
136.5
127.6
153.4

122.0
115.2
95.2
146.5
130.5
139.3
129.4
156.5

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 s te e l........................................... .................................................
Nonferrous m etals.................................................................................. .
Metal manufactures .................................................... .............................

6
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69

106.7
107.2
101.8
117.4
104.9
107.9
117.9
100.9
101.5
108.3

108.6
110.9
104.3
118.0
104.8
110.4
120.5
102.7
102.5
112.1

112.5
116.6
104.6
124.3
104.9
111.8
126.7
106.6
112.4
112.7

116.3
117.8
103.2
128.3
110.3
114.6
130.4
109.4
120.9
114.6

119.8
124.4
104.6
128.2
112.3
118.6
133.4
114.0
125.8
117.8

124.4
131.8
106.0
133.8
117.2
120.0
137.4
120.0
132.7
121.1

132.2
137.0
107.7
138.2
118.3
120.6
142.5
127.2
159.7
126.9

132.3
136.6
109.1
136.1
119.5
119.1
139.7
129.9
158.9
127.5

135.5
134.9
111.1
134.1
119.9
120.1
144.2
130.2
171.0
130.9

Machinery and transport equipment .....................................................

7

Machinery (including SITC 71-77)..........................................................
Machinery specialized for particular industries........................................
Metalworking machinery ...........................................................................
General industrial machinery and parts, n.e.s..........................................
Office machines and automatic data processing equipment.................
Telecommunications, sound recording and reproducing apparatus......
Electrical machinery and equipment................................................. ......
Road vehicles and p arts...........................................................................

72
73
74
75
76
77
78

114.4
123.0
120.9
120.9
108.9
108.9
109.8
116.1

117.5
130.4
126.4
127.9
110.0
110.5
112.4
118.6

119.9
136.1
128.1
130.8
114.0
110.3
115.8
120.5

119.9
134.3
130.2
130.1
114.8
110.2
115.1
120.6

123.1
142.1
135.5
137.0
118.3
112.1
118.2
122.6

125.4
146.8
139.9
140.4
118.1
112.8
122.2
125.5

127.3
149.8
142.4
143.7
119.5
113.8
124.2
127.6

126.7
143.7
139.7
139.6
118.7
113.9
125.9
127.1

129.9
149.5
144.2
144.1
119.1
115.8
129.2
130.8

8
81
82
83
84
85

110.3
110.8
112.3
87.5
102.6
112.3

114.5
111.6
114.8
96.1
106.4
114.8

117.8
117.0
119.8
99.8
109.2
119.8

118.5
116.2
119.0
98.2
111.9
119.0

121.8
121.0
124.3
103.0
112.3
124.3

124.2
123.4
125.4
105.8
115.6
125.4

125.7
126.9
129.6
107.3
114.9
129.6

124.2
124.5
128.0
111.3
116.7
128.0

126.4
125.5
129.2
115.2
117.2
129.2

87

122.5

131.3

135.9

132.7

138.7

140.0

142.5

135.8

141.8

88
89

119.0
”

123.7
”

126.0
”

122.1
”

127.3
“

129.2
“

129.3
~

125.4

130.5

ALL COMMODITIES (9 /8 2 -1 0 0 ).................................................................

All commodities, excluding fu els.................................................................
Food and live animals...............................................................................

Meat and meat preparations....................................................................
Dairy products and eggs ..........................................................................
Fish and crustaceans................................................................................
Bakery goods, pasta products, grain, and grain
preparations ............................................................................................
Fruits and vegetables................................................................................
Sugar, sugar preparations, and honey.....................................................
Coffee, tea, co co a .....................................................................................
Beverages and tobacco ............................................................................

Beverages..................................................................................................
Crude materials..........................................................................................

Crude rubber (including synthetic and reclaimed)...................................
Cork and wood ..........................................................................................
Pulp and waste p a p er...............................................................................
Textile fibers..............................................................................................
Crude fertilizers and crude minerals........................................................
Metalliferous ores and metal scrap ..........................................................
Crude animal and vegetable materials, n.e.s...........................................
Fuels and related products.....................................................................

Crude petroleum and petroleum products................................................
Fats and oils................................................................................................

Fixed vegetable oils and fats (9 /8 7 -1 0 0 ).............................................
Chemicals and related products..............................................................

Organic chemicals.....................................................................................
Inorganic chemicals...................................................................................
Medicinal and pharmaceutical products..................................................
Essential oils and perfumes.....................................................................
Manufactured fertilizers............................................................................ .
Artificial resins and plastics and cellulose..............................................
Chemical materials and products, n.e.s.................... ...............................
Intermediate manufactured products.....................................................

Miscellaneous manufactured articles......................................................

Plumbing, heating, and lighting fixtures...................................................
Furniture and p a rts....................................................................................
Travel goods, handbages, and similar goods (6/85-100) ...................
Clothing ......................................................................................................
Footwear....................................................................................................
Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments and
apparatus...................................................................................................
Photographic apparatus and supplies, optical goods, watches, and
clocks.........................................................................................................
Miscellaneous manufactured articles, n.e.s..............................................
Data not available.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
38.

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics: Price Data

U.S. export price indexes by end-use category

(1985 = 100 unless otherwise indicated)

Category

Per­
centage
of 1980
trade
value

Foods, feeds, and beverages .........................................................
Industrial supplies and materials.....................................................
Capital goods....................................................................................
Automotive.........................................................................
Consumer goo d s..............................................................................
Consumer nondurables, manufactured, except rugs...................
Consumer durables, manufactured..............................................
Agricultural (9/88= 100)................................................................
All exports, excluding agricultural (9/88= 100)...........................

1986

1987

Dec.

16.294
30.696
21.327
9.368
30.186
7.483
7.467
3.965
3.501

Mar.

June

1988
Sept.

90.2
96.3
101.1
103.5
105.2
104.3
104.9

87.4
100.8
101.4
103.4
105.9
105.4
105.5

91.5
106.1
101.6
103.6
106.3
104.3
106.6

-

-

-

“

“

Dec.

Mar.

June

Sept.

88.0
109.1
101.8
104.0
106.9
104.6
107.3
_

96.6
111.8
102.1
104.5
108.0
106.3
107.9

98.5
114.2
103.4
104.3
110.1
107.4
110.4

110.1
118.3
104.3
104.8
110.6
108.7
110.4

-

-

-

-

_

Dec.

124 5
118.7
104.9
105.3
111 3
109 3
110.7
108 8

11R R
105 7
106 8
109 7
11? 6

- Data not available.

39.

U.S. import price indexes by end-use category

(1982 = 100)

Category

Percentage
of 1980
trade
value

All imports, excluding petroleum (6/88—100)..................................
Foods, feeds, and beverages .........................................................
Industrial supplies and materials.....................................................
Petroleum and petroleum products, excluding natural g a s ........
Industrial supplies and materials, excluding petroleum...............
Capital goods, except automotive ..................................................
Automotive vehicles, parts and engines........................................
Consumer goods except automotive..............................................
Nondurables, manufactured..........................................................
Durables manufactured .................................................................

7.477
31.108
19.205
9.391
9.814
13.164
11.750
14.250
5.507
8.743

1986

1987
Mar.

Dec.

June

1988
Sept.

Mar.

Dec.

June

Sept.

102.7
113.7
97.8
63.5

Dec.

102.1
112.7
95.2
57.5

-

-

-

-

-

105.2
88.4
67.2
118.7
116.5
114.2

107.8
93.5
74.1
122.2
118.4
116.9

109.0
95.3
74.7
121.9
118.4
118.2

112.1
93.7
67.6
126.6
120.6
121.4

113.7
92.7
60.3
-

-

-

-

128.6
123.7
124.2

131.0
125.8
126.3

129.0
126.0
125.0

132.2
129.1
127.5

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

“

“

“

“

”

“

-

Sept.

Dec.

- Data not available.

40.

U.S. export price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification '

(1985 = 100)
1986

1987

1988

Industry group
Dec.
Manufacturing:
Food and kindred products.................................................
Lumber and wood products, except furniture....................
Furniture and fixtures...........................................................
Paper and allied products ...................................................
Chemicals and allied products............................................
Petroleum and coal products..............................................
Primary metal products........................................................
Machinery, except electrical ...............................................
Electrical machinery.............................................................
Transportation equipment....................................................
Scientific instruments; optical goods; clocks.....................
' SIC - based classification.


92
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

100.2
108.8
104.1
104.9
95.8
67.6
106.9
100.1
100.8
106.0
105.3

104.5
113.9
94.9
52.8

-

108.4
81.6
54.7
114.2
114.6
110.5

Mar.
102.0
112.8
108.0
109.3
100.5
73.5
110.6
99.6
101.9
106.2
105.8

June
107.4
116.2
108.6
112.3
107.6
80.5
117.2
99.4
102.1
106.7
106.8

Sept.
107.1
138.9
108.7
115.5
108.7
81.4
122.3
99.4
102.5
106.9
106.6

Dec.
116.3
142.5
111.2
119.3
113.8
78.8
126.6
99.7
102.2
107.8
107.1

Mar.
120.8
146.1
112.5
124.6
118.4
73.0
126.9
100.6
102.9
108.1
109.2

June
125.1
145.4
112.9
129.8
122.3
77.8
133.8
101.3
103.7
109.1
110.8

128.9
146.1
112.9
133.1
125.4
73.7
133.5
102.2
103.5
109.4
112.0

123.5
143.9
115.6
135.9
125.7
75.1
134.2
102.7
103.8
111.1
113.4

41.

U.S. import price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification ’

(1985 = 100)

_____

103.8
114.1
107.0
114.8
116.1
105.1
105.7
120.2
110.6
109.3
121.6
102.7
116.7
123.4
109.4
119.9
128.8
115.1

103.0
110.6
103.0
109.0
111.6
103.3
102.6
100.0
107.9
106.4
115.8
101.3
111.7
118.9
107.0
117.3
122.4
112.2

Lumber and wood products, except furniture...........................

June

Mar.

Dec.
Manufacturing:

1988

1987

1986
Industry group

110.6
124.3
113.4
115.4
118.9
113.6
112.2
127.4
115.7
118.4
133.9
120.0
123.2
133.9
112.5
124.6
134.0
123.8

108.4
119.4
112.3
120.3
118.3
110.9
107.2
138.4
112.3
113.3
129.6
115.2
119.8
127.8
110.2
122.5
128.8
121.4

106.3
116.1
109.4
115.0
117.0
105.9
106.2
136.4
113.6
113.3
130.0
110.4
117.5
127.4
110.7
122.1
132.5
118.1

115.0
127.0
117.0
118.6
124.8
123.8
123.5
110.8
117.7
123.7
140.5
136.2
133.0
135.0
116.7
129.3
132.2
130.6

114.4
128.9
115.8
120.3
124.0
121.3
121.3
119.2
119.0
124.6
141.5
137.0
133.3
138.2
116.1
129.5
137.0
133.1

114.0
127.4
116.6
119.5
122.2
119.1
116.8
114.5
117.2
120.8
138.2
122.6
127.3
135.9
114.7
127.3
135.8
127.7

Dec.

Sept.

June

Mar.

Dec.

Sept.

1 SIC - based classification.

42.

Indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, and unit costs, quarterly data seasonally adjusted

(1977=100)
Quarterly Indexes

III

IV

110.6
189.0
101.1
170.8
168.7
170.1

111.7
191.1
101.3
171.1
171.5
171.2

111.8
194.0
101.9
173.5
168.9
171.9

112.8
195.8
101.9
173.5
170.0
172.3

107.8
186.4
100.9
172.9
167.2
170.9

108.6
187.9
100.5
173.0
169.8
171.9

109.6
190.0
100.7
173.3
173.0
173.2

109.9
192.9
101.4
175.6
170.9
174.0

110.3
182.2
100.0
168.8
165.1
179.6
129.7
162.1
164.1

110.1
182.9
99.0
169.9
166.2
180.8
128.5
162.5
164.9

110.9
184.3
98.6
170.3
166.1
182.6
129.8
164.1
165.4

112.2
186.1
98.7
170.2
165.9
183.0
136.4
166.6
166.1

128.8
185.3
101.7
143.8

130.0
185.9
100.7
143.1

131.7
186.3
99.7
141.4

132.8
187.2
99.3
141.0

I

III

IV

110.4
182.0
101.1
164.9
165.2
165.0

110.0
184.0
101.6
167.3
166.6
167.0

109.8
186.2
102.1
169.6
163.7
167.5

109.9
187.3
101.4
170.5
165.6
168.7

108.4
181.2
100.7
167.1
166.6
167.0

108.0
183.1
101.2
169.5
168.1
169.0

107.8
185.4
101.7
172.1
164.9
169.5

109.3
178.5
99.2
166.7
163.3
176.9
132.7
161.4
162.6

109.6
180.2
99.5
168.4
164.3
180.3
133.6
164.0
164.2

127.2
182.0
101.1
143.2

128.0
183.6
101.4
143.4

II

1988

1987

1986

Item

II

I

II

III

IV

111.8
198.1
102.0
177.1
170.4
174.7

112.3
201.1
102.4
179.0
172.7
176.8

111.8
203.4
102.4
182.0
173.5
179.0

110.8
194.6
101.3
175.7
171.6
174.2

110.1
196.6
101.3
178.6
171.8
176.2

110.7
199.4
101.5
180.2
173.9
178.0

110.7
202.2
101.8
182.6
176.8
180.6

112.2
188.5
99.0
172.0
168.1
183.6
128.3
164.2
166.7

113.3
189.9
98.9
171.5
167.5
183.4
132.5
165.6
166.9

112.9
191.9
98.8
173.8
170.0
185.1
132.6
166.7
168.8

112.7
194.5
99.0
176.4
172.6
187.8
129.6
167.4
170.8

-

133.2
188.2
98.9
141.3

134.3
190.7
99.3
142.1

135.5
192.1
99.0
141.8

137.2
194.4
99.0
141.6

137.9
197.0
99.2
142.9

Business:

Output per hour of all perso n s..............................
Compensation per hour..........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Unit labor c o s ts ......................................................
Unit nonlabor paym ents........................................
Implicit price deflator .............................................
Nonfarm business:

Output per hour of all persons..............................
Compensation per hour.........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Unit labor costs ......................................................
Unit nonlabor payments ........................................
Implicit price deflator .............................................
Nonfinancial corporations:

Output per hour of all employees.........................
Compensation per hour.........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Total unit c o s ts .......................................................
Unit labor costs ...................................................
Unit nonlabor c o s ts .............................................
Unit profits...............................................................
Unit nonlabor paym ents........................................
Implicit price deflator .............................................

-

Manufacturing:

Output per hour of all persons..............................
Compensation per hour.........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Unit labor c o s ts ......................................................
Data not available.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

115.4
127.1
117.5
116.8
128.0
125.2
130.5
109.0
121.4
123.8
144.2
140.8
136.5
138.2
119.2
132.8
137.7
133.7

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics: Productivity Data

43. Annual indexes of multifactor productivity and related measures, selected years
(1977 = 100)
Item

1960

1970

1973

1977

1979

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

Private business

Productivity:
Output per hour of all persons ...........................
Output per unit of capital services.....................
Multifactor productivity........................................
O utput....................................................................
Inputs:
Hours of all persons............................................
Capital services ...................................................
Combined units of labor and capital input.........
Capital per hour of all persons ;.............................

67.3
103.7
78.5
55.3

88.4
102.7
93.1
80.2

95.9
105.6
99.2
93.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

99.5
99.7
99.6
107.9

100.6
92.3
97.6
108.9

100.3
86.6
95.2
105.4

103.0
88.3
97.6
109.9

105.6
92.7
100.9
119.2

107.9
92.9
102.4
124.3

110.3
93 0
103.9
128.7

1112
93 7
104.7
133.4

82.2
53.3
70.5
64.9

90.8
78.1
86.1
86.1

96.9
88.0
93.7
90.8

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

108.4
108.2
108.3
99.8

108.2
117.9
111.5
108.9

105.2
121.8
110.7
115.8

106.7
124.4
112.6
116.6

112.9
128.6
118.1
113.9

115.2
133.8
121.4
116.1

116.7
138 5
123.9
118.7

120.0
14? 4
127 4
118.6

70.7
104.9
81.2
54.4

89.2
103.5
93.8
79.9

96.4
106.3
99.7
92.9

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

99.2
98.9
99.1
107.9

99.6
91.0
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

106.2
91.0
100.7
124.0

108.3
90 8
102.0
128.3

109 1
102 7
133.2

77.0
51.9
67.1
67.4

89.6
77.2
85.2
86.2

96.3
87.3
93.2
90.7

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

108.8
109.1
108.9
100.3

108.8
119.1
112.2
109.4

105.7
123.3
111.4
116.6

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
141.3
125.8
119.3

122.0
145 5
129 6
119.2

62.2
103.0
72.0
52.5

80.8
99.1
85.3
78.6

93.4
112.0
98.0
96.3

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

101.4
99.5
100.9
108.1

103.6
89.0
99.7
104.8

105.9
81.6
99.2
98.4

112.0
86.7
105.0
104.7

118.1
95.5
112.1
117.5

123.6
97.3
116.4
122.0

127.7
98 4
119.5
124.7

131 9
102 0
123.6
130.1

84.4
51.0
72.9
60.4

97.3
79.3
92.1
81.5

103.1
86.0
98.3
83.4

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

106.5
108.6
107.1
101.9

101.1
117.8
105.1
116.5

92.9
120.5
99.2
129.8

93.5
120.8
99.7
129.3

99.5
123.0
104.8
123.7

98.7
125.4
104.8
127.1

97.7
126.8
104.4
129.8

98 6
127 6
105 3
129.4

Private nonfarm business

Productivity:
Output per hour of all p erso n s...........................
Output per unit of capital services.....................
Multifactor productivity........................................
O utput.....................................................................
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 p erso n s...........................
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


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

44. Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, selected years
(1977 = 100)
Item
Business:

Output per hour of all persons..............................
Compensation per hour.........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Unit labor costs ......................................................
Unit nonlabor payments ........................................
Implicit price deflator .............................................

1977

1979

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

95.9
70.9
96.8
73.9
72.5
73.4

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

99.6
119.1
99.4
119.5
112.5
117.0

100.7
143.7
95.8
142.7
134.6
139.8

100.3
154.9
97.3
154.5
136.6
148.1

103.0
161.4
98.2
156.7
146.4
153.0

105.5
167.9
97.9
159.1
156.5
158.2

107.7
175.5
98.8
162.9
160.9
162.2

110.1
183.1
101.2
166.3
165.0
165.8

111.0
190.4
101.5
171.5
168.7
170.5

112.1
199.5
102.2
177.9
171.7
175.7

89.3
58.2
90.9
65.2
60.0
63.4

96.4
71.2
97.2
73.9
69.3
72.3

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

99.3
118.9
99.2
119.7
110.5
116.5

99.8
143.6
95.8
144.0
133.5
140.3

99.2
154.8
97.2
156.0
136.5
149.2

102.5
161.5
98.3
157.6
148.3
154.3

104.6
167.8
97.9
160.4
156.3
159.0

106.1
174.9
98.5
164.9
161.9
163.8

108.2
182.3
100.8
168.6
166.4
167.8

109.0
189.4
101.0
173.8
170.2
172.5

110.5
198.2
101.5
179.3
173.6
177.3

73.4
36.9
75.5
49.4
50.2
47.0
59.8
51.5
50.7

91.1
59.2
92.5
64.8
65.0
64.2
52.3
60.1
63.3

97.5
71.6
97.7
72.7
73.4
70.7
65.6
68.9
71.9

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

99.8
118.7
99.1
118.2
119.0
115.8
94.5
108.4
115.4

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

107.7
172.5
97.1
164.1
160.2
175.8
133.0
160.8
160.4

109.7
179.5
99.2
167.3
163.6
178.4
132.4
162.3
163.2

1T1.3
185.5
98.9
170.6
166.6
182.5
130.8
164.4
165.8

112.7
193.2
99.0
175.3
171.5
186.9
129.8
166.9
169.9

62.2
36.5
74.8
58.7
60.0
59.1

80.8
57.4
89.6
71.0
64.1
69.0

93.4
68.8
93.9
73.7
70.7
72.8

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

101.4
118.6
99.0
117.0
98.9
111.7

103.6
145.2
96.8
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

123.6
176.4
99.3
142.7
130.4
139.1

127.7
183.0
101.2
143.3
136.3
141.3

132.0
186.9
99.7
141.7
139.2
141.0

136.2
193.6
99.2
142.1
-

1960

1970

1973

67.6
33.6
68.9
49.7
46.4
48.5

88.4
57.8
90.3
65.4
59.4
63.2

71.0
35.3
72.3
49.7
46.3
48.5

Nonfarm business:

Output per hour of all perso n s..............................
Compensation per hour.........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Unit nonlabor paym ents........................................
Implicit price deflator .............................................
Nonfinancial corporations:

Output per hour of all employees.........................
Compensation per hour.........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Unit nonlabor c o s ts .............................................
Unit profits...............................................................
Unit nonlabor payments ........................................
Implicit price deflator .............................................
Manufacturing:

Output per hour of all p ersons..............................
Compensation per hour.........................................
Real compensation per h o u r.................................
Unit labor costs ......................................................
Unit nonlabor payments ........................................
Implicit price deflator .............................................
- Data not available.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

45. Unemployment rates, approximating U.S. concepts, in nine countries, quarterly data
seasonally adjusted
________________________

1987

1988

1988

1987

Annual average
Country

IV

III

II

I

IV

III

II

Total labor force basis

United S ta te s......................................
Canada ...............................................
Australia .............................................
Japan ..................................................

6.1
8.8
8.1
2.9

5.4
7.7
7.2
2.5

6.2
9.0
8.1
3.0

5.9
8.6
8.0
2.8

5.8
8.1
7.9
2.7

5.6
7.8
7.5
2.7

5.4
7.6
7.5
2.5

5.4
7.8
6.9
2.6

5.3
7.7
6.8
2.4

Germany.............................................
Italy 2 ...............................................
Sweden3 .............................................
United Kingdom..................................

10.6
6.8
7.7
1.9
10.2

10.3
7.0
7.8
1.6
8.3

10.7
7.0
7.7
1.9
10.5

10.6
7.0
7.8
1.9
10.0

10.3
7.0
7.9
1.7
9.4

10.3
7.0
7.8
1.7
9.0

10.3
7.0
7.8
1.6
8.6

10.4
7.0
7.8
1.6
8.0

10.2
6.8
7.8
1.4
7.5

United S ta te s......................................
Canada ...............................................
Australia .............................................
Japan ..................................................

6.2
8.9
8.1
2.9

5.5
7.8
7.2
2.5

6.3
9.0
8.2
3.0

6.0
8.6
8.0
2.8

5.9
8.1
8.0
2.7

5.7
7.8
7.6
2.7

5.5
7.7
7.6
2.5

5.5
7.8
7.0
2.6

5.3
7.7
6.8
2.4

Germany.............................................
Italy1, 2 ................................................
Sweden3 .............................................
United Kingdom..................................

10.8
6.9
7.9
1.9
10.3

10.5
7.1
7.9
1.6
8.3

10.9
7.1
7.8
1.9
10.6

10.8
7.2
8.0
1.9
10.0

10.6
7.1
8.1
1.7
9.5

10.6
7.1
7.9
1.7
9.0

10.5
7.2
7.9
1.6
8.6

10.6
7.1
8.0
1.6
8.0

10.4
7.0
7.9
1.4
7.6

Civilian labor force basis

1 Quarterly rates are for the first month of the quarter.
2 Many Italians reported as unemployed did not actively
seek work in the past 30 days, and they have been ex­
cluded for comparability with U.S. concepts. Inclusion of
such persons would about double the Italian unemployment
rate in 1985 and earlier years and increase it to 11-12 per­
cent for 1986 onward.

3 Break in series beginning in 1987. The 1986 rate based
on the new series was 2.2 percent.
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.

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

International Comparisons 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

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

104,962
11,231
6,519
55,210
22,660
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

108,670
11,904
6,810
56,320
22,950
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
23,140
26,650
21,590
5,600
4,369
26,790

113,544
12,399
7,133
58,480
23,300
26,770
21,670
5,620
4,385
27,180

115,461
12,639
7,272
58,820
23,360
26,970
21,800
5,710
4,418
27,370

117,834
12,870
7,562
59,410
23,450
27,110
22,280
5,760
4,443
27,540

119,865
13,121
7,736
60,050
23,520
27,290
22,340
5,810
4,480
27,760

121,669
13,275
7,949
60,860

63.7
63.4
61.6
62.7
57.5
53.3
48.0
49.0
66.6
62.6

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
56.3
52.6
47.2
50.7
66.9
62.7

65.3
65.7
63.0
62.1
56.1
52.8
48.2
50.5
67.1
62.7

65.6
66.2
63.0
61.9
55.8
53.1
48.2
50.3
67.4
63.0

65.9
66.7
63.4
61.9

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
24,800
20,390
4,930
4,249
24,000

107,150
11,311
6,670
57,260
20,920
24,960
20,490
5,110
4,293
24,310

109,597
11,634
6,952
57,740
20,960
25,220
20,610
5,200
4,326
24,450

112,440
11,955
7,107
58,320
20,970
25,400
20,590
5,270
4,396
24,910

114,968
12,244
7,373
59,310

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
45.3
65.0
55.7

60.7
59.4
57.9
60.4
50.2
49.2
44.6
45.6
65.4
55.7

61.5
60.3
57.9
60.1
49.7
49.4
44.4
45.6
66.2
56.6

62.3
61.6
58.8
60.4

6,137
836
408
1,170
1,360
780
920
270
1,420

7,637
865
409
1,140
1,470
770
920
330
86
1,850

8,273
898
394
1,260
1,750
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
1,970
1,900
1,270
710
151
3,190

8,539
1,399
642
1,610
2,320
1,970
1,280
690
136
3,180

8,312
1,328
602
1,560
2,440
2,010
1,310
600
125
3,060

8,237
1,236
610
1,670
2,490
1,890
1,680
560
117
3,090

7,425
1,167
629
1,730
2,550
1,890
1,760
540
84
2,850

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
7.6
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

7.5
11.3
9.0
2.8
10.0
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
10.6
7.0
7.5
9.7
2.6
11.2

6.2
8.9
8.1
2.9
10.8
6.9
7.9
9.3
1.9
10.3

Labor force

United S ta te s................................:........................
Canada ...................................................................
Australia...................................................................
Japan ......................................................................
France .....................................................................
Germany..................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
Sw eden...................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................

_
_

27,440
_
4,530

Participation rate1

United S ta te s ..........................................................
Canada ...................................................................
Australia..................................................................
Japan ......................................................................
France.....................................................................
Germany.................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
Sw eden...................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................

_
67.7

Employed

United S ta te s ..........................................................
Canada ...................................................................
Australia...................................................................
Japan ......................................................................
France.....................................................................
Germany..................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
Sw eden...................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................

25,490

_

_
4,458

Employment-population ratio2

United S ta te s ..........................................................
Canada ...................................................................
Australia..................................................................
Japan ......................................................................
France.....................................................................
Germany..................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
Sw eden...................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................

_
_

_
_
66.7
-

Unemployed

United States ..........................................................
Canada ...................................................................
Australia...................................................................
Japan ......................................................................
France.....................................................................
Germany..................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
Sw eden...................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................

88

6,701
1,031
575
1,550

_

1,950
_
_

72

Unemployment rate

United S ta te s ..........................................................
Canada ...................................................................
Australia...................................................................
Japan ......................................................................
France.....................................................................
Germany.................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
Sw eden...................................................................
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.

Digitized for96
FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

-

11.9

- Data not available.

5.5
7.8
7.2
2.5
10.5
7.1
7.9
1.6
8.3

47.

Annual indexes of manufacturing productivity and related measures, 12 countries

(1977=100)
Item and country

1960

1970

Output per hour

Japan .......................................................................
Belgium....................................................................
Germany..................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
Norway....................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................

Italy..........................................................................
Netherlands.............................................................
United Kingdom......................................................
Total hours

Japan ......................................................................
Belgium...................................................................

Italy..........................................................................
Norway....................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................

1976

1977

1978

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

62.2
50.7
23.2
33.0
37.2
37.4
40.3
35.4
32.4
54.3
42.3
55.9

80.8
75.6
64.8
60.4
65.6
71.4
71.2
72.7
64.3
81.3
80.7
80.4

93.4
90.3
83.1
78.8
83.3
83.8
84.0
90.9
81.5
94.4
94.8
95.5

97.1
94.8
94.3
95.3
98.2
94.4
96.4
98.9
95.8
100.4
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

101.5
101.1
108.0
106.1
101.5
104.6
103.1
103.0
106.4
101.2
102.8
101.5

101.4
98.2
122.7
119.2
112.3
110.6
108.6
116.9
113.9
107.4
112.7
101.9

103.6
102.9
127.2
127.6
114.2
113.9
111.0
124.8
116.9
108.0
113.2
107.0

105.9
98.3
135.0
135.2
114.6
122.0
112.6
129.6
119.4
109.2
116.5
113.5

112.0
105.4
142.3
148.2
120.2
125.1
119.2
138.6
127.5
117.2
125.5
123.2

118.1
114.4
152.5
154.3
119.6
127.6
123.7
147.8
140.5
124.1
131.0
130.0

123.6
117.3
161.1
159.0
117.6
131.0
128.4
151.7
145.5
126.8
136.1
134.7

127.7
117.7
163.8
165.3
113.5
134.9
128.4
152.9
144.8
125.9
136.0
138.3

132.0
120.5
170.5
170.3
114.9
139.2
130.3
157.8
145.5
134.9
141.8
147.8

52.5
41.3
19.2
41.9
49.2
36.5
50.0
36.4
44.8
54.8
52.6
71.2

78.6
73.5
69.9
78.6
82.0
75.5
86.6
78.0
84.4
86.5
92.5
95.0

96.3
93.5
91.9
96.4
95.9
90.5
96.1
90.5
95.8
99.2
100.3
104.8

93.1
96.5
94.8
99.7
99.6
95.6
98.0
97.9
99.0
102.1
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

106.0
104.6
106.7
101.4
99.7
102.3
101.8
101.8
102.8
97.7
97.3
100.6

103.2
103.6
124.1
106.8
110.1
104.6
106.6
115.4
106.6
99.5
104.0
91.7

104.8
107.4
129.8
105.7
106.6
102.9
104.9
115.1
106.7
98.6
100.6
86.2

98.4
93.6
137.3
110.1
108.3
104.0
102.4
113.4
105.0
96.8
100.1
86.4

104.7
99.6
148.2
114.8
115.6
103.8
103.6
114.3
107.0
97.2
105.2
88.9

117.5
112.5
165.4
117.5
121.0
102.6
106.4
119.0
113.3
102.7
111.5
92.6

122.0
118.8
177.0
119.9
123.0
101.5
110.0
121.8
116.7
106.5
115.3
95.2

124.7
121.9
178.0
122.0
123.9
102.1
110.8
125.8
118.1
106.9
114.7
95.4

130.1
128.5
184.1
123.1
120.5
103.3
111.6
131.2
118.7
108.3
119.2
100.6

84.4
81.4
82.7
127.1
132.4
97.6
123.8
102.8
138.4
101.0
124.4
127.3

97.3
97.2
107.9
130.2
125.1
105.7
121.7
107.4
131.2
106.4
114.6
118.1

103.1
103.6
110.7
122.3
115.2
107.9
114.4
99.6
117.6
105.1
105.7
109.8

95.9
101.8
100.6
104.6
101.4
101.3
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

104.4
103.4
98.8
95.5
98.3
97.8
98.7
98.8
96.6
96.5
94.6
99.1

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
83.0
86.9
82.5
83.9
82.9
83.9
72.2

99.5
98.3
108.5
76.1
101.2
80.4
86.1
80.5
80.6
82.8
85.1
71.2

98.7
101.2
109.8
75.4
104.6
77.5
85.7
80.3
80.2
84.0
84.7
70.7

97.7
103.6
108.7
73.8
109.2
75.7
86.3
82.3
81.5
84.9
84.3
69.0

98.6
106.6
108.0
72.3
104.9
74.2
85.7
83.2
81.6
80.3
84.0
68.0

36.5
27.5
8.9
13.8
12.6
15.0
18.8
8.4
12.5
15.8
14.7
15.2

57.4
47.9
33.9
34.9
36.3
36.3
48.0
26.1
39.0
37.9
38.5
31.4

68.8
60.0
55.1
53.5
56.1
51.9
67.5
43.7
60.5
54.5
54.2
47.9

92.1
90.3
90.7
89.5
90.4
87.8
91.2
84.2
91.9
88.8
91.5
88.4

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

108.2
107.6
106.6
107.8
110.2
113.0
107.8
114.5
108.4
110.0
111.4
116.7

132.4
131.3
120.7
130.3
135.9
148.5
125.6
160.2
123.6
128.0
133.6
168.6

145.2
151.1
129.8
144.5
149.7
172.0
134.5
198.4
129.1
142.8
148.1
193.4

157.5
167.0
136.6
150.7
162.9
204.0
141.0
238.3
137.5
156.0
158.9
211.7

162.4
177.2
140.7
159.8
174.2
225.1
148.3
282.9
144.0
173.5
173.3
226.6

168.0
185.6
144.9
173.1
184.1
245.0
155.5
316.5
150.0
188.3
189.7
242.3

176.4
194.4
151.4
183.6
196.2
265.4
164.6
348.0
157.4
204.3
212.4
258.8

183.0
203.5
158.8
190.8
202.7
277.2
171.7
359.4
162.2
224.2
228.7
277.9

186.9
214.0
161.1
194.5
226.3
285.7
178.6
380.5
166.5
262.6
244.8
297.6

58 7
54.2
38.4
41.7
33.8
40.2
46.6
23.7
38.5
29.2
34.8
27.2

71.0
63.4
52.3
57.8
55.4
50.8
67.4
36.0
60.7
46.6
47.7
39.1

73.7
66.5
66.4
67.9
67.4
62.0
80.3
48.1
74.3
57.8
57.2
50.2

94.9
95.3
96.2
93.9
92.1
93.0
94.6
85.1
96.0
88.5
90.0
89.2

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

106.6
106.5
98.7
101.6
108.6
108.0
104.5
111.2
101.8
108.7
108.4
115.0

130.6
133.7
98.4
109.3
121.0
134.3
115.7
137.0
108.5
119.1
118.6
165.5

140.1
146.7
102.0
113.2
131.1
151.0
121.2
158.9
110.4
132.2
130.9
180.7

148.7
170.0
101.2
111.5
142.2
167.2
125.2
184.0
115.2
142.9
136.3
186.5

145.0
168.1
98.9
107.8
144.9
179.9
124.4
204.1
113.0
148.0
138.1
184.0

142.2
162.3
95.0
112.2
153.9
192.0
125.8
214.1
106.8
151.8
144.8
186.4

142.7
165.7
94.0
115.5
166.8
202.7
128.3
229.4
108.1
161.1
156.1
192.1

143.3
172.8
97.0
115.5
178.7
205.4
133.7
235.1
112.0
178.1
168.2
200.9

141.7
177.5
94.5
114.2
197.0
205.2
137.1
241.2
114.4
194.7
172.6
201.3

58.7
59.4
28.5
30.0
29.5
40.3
25.9
33.7
25.1
21.8
30.1
43.7

71.0
64.5
39.1
41.7
44.4
45.2
42.9
50.6
41.2
34.7
41.1
53.7

73.7
70.6
65.6
62.7
67.2
68.6
70.4
73.1
65.6
53.5
58.7
70.5

94.9
102.7
86.9
87.2
91.5
95.8
87.3
90.5
89.1
86.4
92.3
92.2

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

106.6
99.3
126.8
115.8
118.4
117.9
121.0
115.6
115.7
110.4
107.2
126.4

130.6
121.5
116.8
134.2
129.0
156.4
147.9
141.4
134.1
128.4
125.3
220.6

140.1
130.0
123.8
109.6
110.3
136.4
124.9
123.2
108.9
122.5
115.4
209.6

148.7
146.3
108.8
87.2
102.3
124.9
119.7
119.9
105.8
117.8
96.9
186.9

145.0
144.9
111.5
75.6
95.1
116.1
113.1
118.6
97.1
107.9
80.4
159.8

142.2
133.2
107.2
69.6
89.3
108.1
102.6
107.6
81.6
99.0
78.2
142.8

142.7
128.9
105.6
69.7
94.5
111.0
101.2
106.1
80.0
99.8
81.1
142.9

143.3
132.1
154.2
92.6
132.5
145.8
143.0
139.2
112.2
128.1
105.4
169.0

141.7
142.3
175.0
109.6
172.7
167.8
177.0
164.2
138.6
153.7
121.5
189.2

Output

Japan ......................................................................
Belgium....................................................................

1973

Compensation per hour

Japan ......................................................................
Belgium....................................................................
Germany..................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Norway....................................................................
United Kingdom......................................................
Unit labor costs: National currency basis

Japan ......................................................................
Belgium...................................................................

Italy..........................................................................

United Kingdom......................................................
Unit labor costs: U.S. dollar basis

Japan ......................................................................
Belgium...................................................................
Germany..................................................................
Italy..........................................................................
Norway....................................................................
United Kingdom.................... .................................


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

97

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

March 1989

•

Current Labor Statistics:

Injury and Illness Data

Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers2
Industry and type of case1
1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

PRIVATE SECTOR3

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................

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

8.3
3.8
69.9

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

11.2
5.7
94.1

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

8.5
4.9
144.0

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

14.7
6.8
135.8

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

14.2
6.5
134.0

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

14.5
6.4
139.1

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

15.0
7.1
135.7

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

11.9
5.3
95.5

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

18.9
9.6
176.5

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

15.4
6.7
103.6

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

14.9
7.1
135.8

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

17.0
7.4
145.8

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

17.0
7.2
121.9

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

11.3
4.4
72.7

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

7.2
3.1
55.9

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

13.5
5.7
105.7

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

5.8
2.4
43.9

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

10.7
4.6
81.5

Agriculture, forestry, and fishing3

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Mining

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Construction

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
General building contractors:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Heavy construction contractors:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Special trade contractors:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Manufacturing

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Durable goods

Lumber and wood products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Furniture and fixtures:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Stone, clay, and glass products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Primary metal industries:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Fabricated metal products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Machinery, except electrical:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Electric and electronic equipment:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Transportation equipment:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Instruments and related products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
See footnotes at end of table.

98


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

48. Continued— Occupational injury and illness incidence rates by industry, United States
Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers2
industry ana type ot case1
1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

Nondurable goods

Food and kindred products:
Total c a s e s ............................. 1.....................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Tobacco manufacturing:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Textile mill products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Apparel and other textile products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Paper and allied products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Printing and publishing:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Chemicals and allied products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Petroleum and coal products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays.......................................................... ......... ..........................
Leather and leather products:
Total c a s e s ....................................................................... ...... .....................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays...............................................................................................

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

17.7
8.6
153.7

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

8.6
2.5
46.4

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

9.0
3.6
65.9

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

7.4
3.1
59.5

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

12.8
5.8
122.3

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

6.7
3.1
55.1

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

7.0
3.1
58.8

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

7.3
3.1
65.9

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

15.9
7.6
130.8

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

12.4
5.8
114.5

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

8.4
4.9
108.1

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

7.7
3.4
56.1

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

7.4
3.7
64.0

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

7.8
3.3
52.9

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

2.0
.9
14.3

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

5.5
2.7
45.8

Transportation and public utilities

Total c a s e s ................................................................. .................................
Lost workday c a s e s .............................. ......................................................
Lost workdays ....................................................................... .....................
Wholesale and retail trade

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday cases .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Wholesale trade:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ............................................................................... .....
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Retail trade:
Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real estate

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
Lost workdays..............................................................................................
Services

Total c a s e s ...................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s .....................................................................................
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 than 11 employees since 1976.

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National Survey of Professional, Administrative, Technical, and Cler­
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Hosiery, August 1987. Bulletin 2321, 59 pp.

Periodicals
CPI Detailed Report. This monthly publication provides a
comprehensive report on price movements for the month, plus statistical
tables, charts, and technical notes.
Current Wage Developments. Each issue of this monthly
periodical includes selected wage and benefit changes, work stoppages,
and statistics on compensation changes. $3 ($15 per year).


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Employment and Earnings. This monthly report covers employment
and unemployment developments, plus statistical tables on national,
State, and area employment, hours, and earnings. $8.50 ($25 per year).
Occupational Outlook Quarterly. Each issue helps guidance
counselors, people planning careers, and others keep informed of
changing career opportunities. $2 ($5 per year).
Producer Price Indexes. This monthly report includes a comprehen­
sive report on price movements for the month, plus regular tables and
technical notes. $10 ($29 per year).

Other Publications
(Single copies available upon request while supplies last.)

Area Wage Summaries
Albany—Schenectady—Troy, NY, September 1988. 5 pp.
Albuquerque, NM, September 1988, 7 pp.
Duluth, MN— WI, June 1988. 4 pp.
Green Bay, WI, August 1988. 7 pp.
Madison, WI, September 1988. 4 pp.
McAllen—Edinburg—Mission and Brownsville-Harlingen,
October 1988, 4 pp.
Northern New York, June 1988. 7 pp.
Northwest Texas, September 1988. 4 pp.
Oxnard—Ventura, CA, August 1988. 4 pp.
Providence, RI, June 1988. 4 pp.
Pueblo, CO, September 1988. 7 pp.

TX,

BLS Reports
Employment in Perspective: Minority Workers, First Quarter
1988. Report 753, 3 pp. Discusses the rapid job growth across all
broad occupational categories in the 1980’s for minority workers.
Employment in Perspective: Minority Workers, Second Quarter
1988. Report 755, 3 pp. Presents a comparison of the annual earn­
ings of black and Hispanic workers with those of white workers.
Employment in Perspective: Minority Workers, Third Quarter
1988. Report 759, 3 pp. This report focuses on differences in the work
experiences of black, Hispanic, and white workers during 1987.
Employment in Perspective: Women in the Labor Force, First
Quarter 1988. Report 752. 3 pp. Presents a summary of a special
Bureau survey on employer child-care practices.
Employment in Perspective: Women in the Labor Force, Second
Quarter 1988. Report 756, 3 pp. Presents data on the employment
of women in nontraditional jobs, 1983-88.
Employment in Perspective: Women in the Labor Force, Third
Quarter 1988. Report 758, 3 pp. Shows data on the employment of
older women, 1957 and 1987.

To Order:
Sales Publications. Order bulletins by title, bulletin number, and GPO
stock number from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government
Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402, or from the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, Publications Sales Center, P.O. Box 2145, Chicago, IL 60690.
Subscriptions, including microfiche subscriptions, are available only from
the Superintendent of Documents. All checks—including those that go
to the Chicago Regional Office—should be made payable to the Super­
intendent of Documents.
Other Publications: Request from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.
Department of Labor, Room 2831 A, 441 G Street, NW, Washington,
DC 20212, or from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Chicago Regional
Office, P.O. Box 2145, Chicago, IL 60690.

Labor Force
Statistics Derived
From the Current
Population
Survey, 1948-87

Labor Force S tatistics
Derived From the Current
Population Survey, 1948-87

U S. Department of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bulletin 2307
A comprehensive databook on the labor force
characteristics of American workers

Coverage

.ittT f f tt

• Over 15,000 series presented either from
date of inception or date for which data are
available on a historically comparable basis

Data available
• Monthly data (unadjusted for seasonality) and
annual average data on the nonmstitutional
population, resident Armed Forces, labor
force, employment, and unemployment
• Selected annual average data presented for
the first time in historical format, i.e., 1980
census-based occupational data, redefined
measures of full-and part-time workers, and
median hourly and weekly earnings
• Specical labor force data derived from annual
supplements to the monthly CPS— work
experience, annual earnings, educational
attainment, working mothers with .young
children, school enrollment

Uses
•
•
•
•

Economic indicators
Marketing research and analysis
Economic forecasting and planning
Affirmative action programs

Publications are available
from the
Superintendent
of Documents.
U S. Government
Printing Office.
Washington, DC 20402,
or the Bureau of
Labor Statistics,
Publications Sales Center
P.O. Box 2145
Chicago, IL 60690


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Order Form
Please send
copies of Labor Force Statistics Derived From the Current Population Sur­
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U.S. Department of Labor
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ISSN 0098-1818

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