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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
William E. Brock, Secretary
Regional Commissioners
for Bureau of Labor Statistics
Janet L. Norwood, Commissioner
Region I—Boston: Anthony J. Ferrara
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May cover:
"Fulton Fish Market",
a 1936 lithograph
by Louis Lozowlck,
Photograph courtesy
National Museum of American Art,
Washington, D.C.
Cover design by Richard L. Mathews
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
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Federai Reserve Bank
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
MAY 1987
VOLUME 110, NUMBER 5
Henry Lowenstern, Editor-in-Chief
Robert W. Fisher, Executive Editor
Craig Howell and others
3
of St. Louis
JUN 0 « 1987
Sharp drop in energy prices holds inflation in check during 1986
Lower prices for crude oil result in Consumer Price Index rise of 1.1 percent,
the smallest advance since the 1960’s; producer prices decreased 2.5 percent
John Lacombe,\loan Borum
10
Major labor contracts in 1986 provided record low wage adjustments
Negotiations again focused on curbing labor costs and saving jobs
through small wage increases, wage decreases, and freezes
Sheldon E. Haber and others
17
On their own: the self-employed and others in private business
The U.S. Survey of Income and Program Participation provides new information on
small enterprises, including earnings of owners and the number of employees
A. S. Herman,
J. E. Henneberger
24
Productivity in the furniture and home furnishing stores industry
Overall output per hour was above average from 1967 to 1985, reflecting
a 4.8-percent increase in output and a 1.8-percent rise in employee hours
REPORTS
Richard M. Devens, Jr.
Margaret Hilton, Ronnie Straw
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
30
32
Industrial structure and jobless rate of experienced workers
Cooperative training in telecommunications
DEPARTMENTS
2
30
39
41
45
49
Labor month in review
Research summaries
Major agreements expiring next month
Developments in industrial relations
Book reviews
Current labor statistics
Labor Month
In Review
EWAN CLAGUE, 1896-1987. Ewan
Clague, the sixth Commissioner of Labor
Statistics, died on April 12. In the 103-year
history of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, he
served longer than any other commissioner
except Carroll D. Wright, the first commis
sioner. From August 1946 to October 1965, he
guided the Bureau through some of the most
tumultuous years in the nation’s economy.
Clague became commissioner just as Con
gress, in a wave of postwar austerity, cut
federal spending severely, including a
40-percent cut in the staff of bls . Faced
with problems of staff loss and staff morale,
eliminated and reduced statistical programs,
and disaffection by trade unions and busi
ness, he set about immediately to repair the
damage.
It is a measurement of his achievement
that when he retired in 1965, the bls budget
had tripled, the staff and its morale had been
restored, relations with trade unions and
with business were on an even keel, and—
perhaps most important—new statistical pro
grams had been introduced and old pro
grams enhanced, all in response to expressed
need for information about the economy.
Data expansion. During Clague’s 41/2 terms
at the bls helm, he presided over the estab
lishment of the basic outline of bls statisti
cal programs:
• primacy o f bls in the measurement of
employment and unemployment;
• end of wartime controversy over the
“ cost of living index” and the explosive ex
pansion of the use of the “ Consumer Price
Index” as an escalator;
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
• expansion and strengthening of the
Wholesale (Producer) Price Index;
• institutionalization of recurring con
sumer expenditure surveys for updating the
Consumer Price Index;
• institutionalization of recurring indus
try, area, and white collar wage surveys;
• development of economy wide and in
dustry productivity measures;
• development and use of the occupation
al outlook program as a guide to future wor
ker training needs;
• inception of regular international
statistical comparisons; and
• preparation of special studies of safe
ty and health statistics, looking to the na
tional program of the 1970’s and 1980’s.
Pioneer. From the vantage of our 1980’s
craving for detailed, useful statistics, we
may fail to appreciate the resistance and in
difference encountered by statistical pioneers
such as Clague as they sought to provide a
statistical system that would meet the needs
of a world power.
He came to this daunting task well pre
pared. Born on a farm in Washington state,
he graduated from the University of
Washington, participated in the ambulance
corps during World War I, and returned to
school after the war, earning a Ph.D in eco
nomics from the University of Wisconsin.
In a varied career, he apprenticed at the bls
in the 1920’s, developing measures of
productivity, conducted research at the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, Yale
University’s Institute of Human Relations,
and the Pennsylvania School of Social
Work. During the 1930’s, he served on the
Committee on Government Statistics and In
formation Services, and later moved to the
Social Security Board where he became the
director of Research and Statistics and later
headed the federal/state unemployment com
pensation program. In 1946, he came to the
BLS.
Paramount consideration. In The First
Hundred Years of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, authors Joseph P. Goldberg and
William T. Moye wrote: “ Maintaining pub
lic confidence was a paramount considera
tion for Clague as he adapted and extended
the Bureau’s programs to meet changing
need. Upon his appointment, he established
formal advisory relations with the trade un
ions; contacts with the unions had been cur
tailed as a result of the wartime controversy
over the cost-of-living index. And shortly
thereafter . . . he formed a business advisory
committee. The committees consisted
primarily of technicians in the fields of eco
nomics, statistics, and labor relations.
Clague later suggested that it was through
their experience with these advisory groups
that General Motors and the Auto Workers
gained sufficient confidence in the Bureau’s
statistics to adopt the cpi for wage escala
tion in 1948.
“ Clague’s success in keeping the Bureau’s
statistics trustworthy was attested by the
findings of the various commissions, com
mittees, and teams of experts which exa
mined the Bureau during his many years in
office and upheld the integrity and impar
tiality of its work.” —R .W .F.
□
Sharp drop in energy prices holds
inflation in check during 1986
Lower prices for petroleum products result
in Consumer Price Index rise of 1.1 percent,
the smallest advance since the 1960’s;
producer prices decreased 2.5 percent
C r aig H o w e l l , R o g er B u r n s ,
and
A n d r e w C lem
Inflation seemed to vanish in 1986. A slight increase in
consumer prices was a contrast to the economy of the
1970’s, when double-digit price increases appeared. Fur
thermore, producer prices actually fell across a broad front
for the first time since the early 1960’s.
The continuing decline in energy prices resulted in the
Consumer Price Index ( cpi ) advancing only 1 . 1 percent dur
ing the 12-month period ended in December. This rise com
pares with increases of about 4 percent in each of the 4
preceding years and was the smallest annual change since a
0.7-percent rise in 1961.
Falling energy prices had an even larger impact on the
Producer Price Index ( ppi). The finished goods price index
turned lower for the first time since 1963, declining 2.5
percent; it had risen less than 2 percent in each of the 3
preceding years. The intermediate goods price index fell 4.4
percent over the year after rising slowly from 1982 through
1984 and edging down slightly in 1985. The 1986 decreases
for both these major stage-of-processing indexes were the
largest annual declines since 1949. The drop of 9.7 percent
in the crude goods price index was considerably more than
the declines recorded in 1984 and 1985 and marked the
largest decrease since 1952.
The sharp declines in energy prices and their broad impact
Craig Howell, Roger Bums, and Andrew Clem are economists in the
Office of Prices and Living Conditions, Bureau of Labor Statistics. They
were assisted by Mary Lynn Schmidt and Doug Robertson, economists in
the same office.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
on the cpi are shown in table 1. The 19.7-percent drop in
energy prices was almost entirely responsible for the decel
eration in the c p i . Excluding energy, the index increased 3.8
percent during 1986, compared with increases of between 4
and 4.5 percent in each of the prior 4 years. The food index
advanced 3.8 percent in 1986, largely reflecting an upturn
in meat and poultry prices. Shelter costs, however, rose
somewhat less in 1986 than in other recent years, increasing
4.6 percent. The index for all items excluding food, shelter,
and energy continued to slow. Within this group, however,
price movements for commodities and services continued to
be different. Charges for these other services remained in
the 5- to 6-percent range, while other goods prices rose only
1.4 percent in 1986.
Energy in the ppi for all three stages of processing— crude
materials, intermediate goods, and finished goods— regis
tered sharper declines than in the c p i . The 1986 declines in
the ppi energy measures were substantially larger than in
1985 and more than offset a moderate acceleration in the
prices for nonenergy goods. (See table 1.)
By the end of 1986, the economic expansion had entered
its fifth year, with few signs of either an impending reces
sion or a resurgence of double-digit inflation. Labor costs
continued to move up at only a modest pace, indicating a
lack of pressure on current prices. The Employment Cost
Index decelerated steadily after peaking at near double-digit
rates in 1980, with total compensation for private industry
workers advancing only 3.6 percent for the year. In addi
tion, growth in output was sluggish in 1986, with capacity
3
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Energy Prices Holds Inflation in Check in 1986
Table 1. Percentage changes for major categories of the
Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index, 1982-861
In d e x
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
3.9
1.3
-5.0
14.1
4.2
3.1
2.4
3.8
- .5
-3.2
4.1
4.4
2.6
4.7
4.0
.2
-1.9
3.4
4.5
3.8
5.2
3.8
1.8
3.4
- .5
4.0
2.7
6.0
1.1
-19.7
-30.5
-3 .3
3.8
3.8
4.6
6.1
5.5
7.3
5.0
5.0
4.9
4.4
3.1
6.0
3.7
2.2
5.4
3.4
1.4
5.6
3.7
-.1
4.2
.2
- .7
.6
-9.2
2.0
1.8
-5.5
1.7
-4.1
2.5
1.3
-.1
1.8
-.3
2.1
-.3
-.8
-2 .5
-39.1
2.7
-4 .4
-28.9
.5
.4
2.6
-.7
3.2
4.7
-4.6
9.6
1.6
-1.6
-1.3
-1.7
-.2
-5.6
-4.9
-6.0
.2
-9 .7
-29.4
-.9
C o n s u m e r P r ic e In d e x
All Items ...........................................
Energy...........................................
Energy commodities .................
Energy services .......................
All Items less energy.....................
F o o d ...........................................
Shelter ......................................
All items less food, shelter, and
energy....................................
Other commodities.............
Other services ...................
P r o d u c e r P r ic e In d e x
Finished goods ................................
Finished energy g o o d s .................
Finished goods less energy...........
Intermediate materials .....................
Intermediate energy g o o d s ...........
Intermediate materials less
energy ......................................
Crude m aterials................................
Crude energy materials.................
Crude materials less e n e rg y ........
1 Calculated on a December-to-December basis.
utilization rates below 80 percent and civilian unemploy
ment 6.7 percent at yearend. These factors offered little in
the way of cost pressure on prices.
Measures taken by policymakers, designed to stimulate
growth by depreciating the dollar and lowering interest
rates, had only a minor impact on prices, but could con
tribute to inflation in the longer term. However, the value of
the dollar did not fall uniformly against currencies of all
other nations. Thus, price advances for some commodities
will continue to be restrained by competition from abroad.
Interest rates generally declined throughout the year, eas
ing the debt burden for many companies; nevertheless, ex
penditures for capital investments decreased, in part because
of the uncertainty associated with changes in business tax
policies. Widespread warnings about excessive personal
debt went largely unheeded as consumer expenditures con
tinued to play a major role in sustaining the overall expan
sion. Real residential investment spending climbed strongly
early in the year, but then slowed.
In this article, we first examine price changes during 1986
for the c p i . We then focus on price changes for all major
components of the pp i .
Consum er prices
Energy
The deceleration in the overall cpi in 1986 was almost
entirely attributable to the sharp drop in energy prices, down
19.7 percent. Prices for commodities and services within
energy, as well as within the overall c p i , continued to di
verge. o p e c ’ s decision in late 1985 to formally abandon
production quotas led to plunging crude oil prices and re
sulted in sharp declines in consumer prices for energy com
4
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
modities. Retail gasoline prices dropped 30.7 percent and
fuel oil prices decreased 33.4 percent in 1986. While these
prices declined more rapidly during the first half of the year,
attempts to stabilize markets and increase prices met with
only limited success. At yearend, gasoline and fuel oil
prices were 38.7 and 40.4 percent, respectively, below their
peak levels in early 1981.
The index for energy services— natural gas and electric
ity— also declined in 1986, but by substantially less than the
index for energy commodities. Charges for natural gas and
electricity declined 5.8 and 1.5 percent, respectively.
Food
Retail food prices rose 3.8 percent in 1986, after increas
ing 2.7 percent in 1985. In 1986, the food at home compo
nent increased 3.6 percent, while prices for food away from
home rose 4.3 percent. Prices for grocery foods advanced
substantially more in the second half of the year, partially
due to the severe drought during the late spring in the South
east. The acceleration in grocery prices during the last 6
months of 1986 was largely concentrated in the meats, poul
try, fish, and eggs index and the fruits and vegetables index.
After registering declines during the first 6 months, these
components increased at double-digit rates during the last
half of the year. For the year as a whole, the meats, poultry,
fish, and eggs group increased 6.4 percent and accounted for
over 55 percent of the increase in the food at home index.
All other major grocery food groups rose 3.0 percent or less
in 1986.
Shelter
The 1986 rise in shelter costs, up 4.6 percent, was the
smallest increase in this component since the rental equiva
lence approach to the measurement of homeowners’ costs
was adopted in 1983. Prior to 1983, the measurement of
shelter costs for homeowners included investment costs as
sociated with purchasing a housing asset; these costs were
inappropriate for the c p i . Historically, shelter costs, princi
pally reflecting the increase in interest rates, were a major
cause of the double-digit inflation during 1979, 1980, and
the first part of 1981. Conversely, when mortgage interest
rates dropped sharply in 1982, the shelter index was a major
factor in the slowdown of the overall c p i . Since the shift to
an owners’ equivalent rent measure for homeowner shelter
costs, the volatility of the shelter component has been damp
ened. While the rise in shelter costs slowed, both the mag
nitude and the speed of adjustment were much less than in
the overall c p i .
Other services
Price increases for other services except shelter and en
ergy did not, on average, contribute to the further slowdown
in prices in 1986 and have remained in the 5- to 6-percent
range over the last 4 years. While considerable variance
exists in the magnitude of the service groups increases in
1986, the service component of all major expenditure
groups rose more than the commodities portion of these
groups. Nevertheless, some individual components in these
service groups slowed substantially or even declined; per
haps most dramatic was the sharp drop in automobile
finance charges as interest rates generally declined and auto
mobile manufacturers made extensive use of below-market
rate financing in order to stimulate car sales. With a 7.3percent drop in 1986, these charges have declined in 3 of the
past 4 years. In addition, substantial price reductions in
interstate long distance toll calls have occurred in each year
since the a t &t divestiture on January 1, 1984. These de
clines, however, have been more than offset by the increases
in local telephone charges. In each of the last 3 years, the
increase in the costs of all telephone services— local, intra
state, and interstate— exceeded the increases in the overall
CPI.
Most services, however, continued to post substantial
price increases in 1986 and some even accelerated. The cost
of medical care services, which increased at double-digit
rates during the 1973-82 period, slowed during 1983-85,
advancing about 6 percent a year. In 1986, these charges
rose 7.9 percent. Other service components that registered
large increases in 1986 included automobile insurance costs,
up 11.8 percent, and charges for tuition and other school
fees, up 7.9 percent.
Other commodities
Even excluding the sharp drop in the energy index and
lower prices for used cars, prices for commodities rose at a
much slower rate than those for nonenergy services. This
divergence in commodity and service prices suggests that
commodity prices in this country may have been affected by
lower priced imports resulting from the high value of the
dollar relative to the currencies of other countries.
When the dollar appreciated from 1981 to March 1985,
foreign suppliers of imports received the same income in
their own currency by selling the same quantity of imports
at lower dollar prices, as each dollar received by them com
manded a greater amount of their own currency. After the
dollar began depreciating, several factors still existed that
helped to delay any inflationary impact. The effects of the
changing value of the dollar on import prices can be delayed
or reduced substantially as a result of changing profit mar
gins of suppliers, the necessity to revise dollar-denominated
contracts, and specific trade restrictions such as import
quotas. Also, changes in the rates of exchange between the
dollar and the currencies of the Nation’s various trading
partners have not been uniform. While the dollar has depre
ciated significantly against the yen and a number of major
European currencies, there has been little change against the
currencies of many less developed countries that are signif
icant trading partners. Further, the relative price level of
imports may be strongly affected by the growth rate of the
domestic economy. Although U.S. economic growth has
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been quite modest, it still exceeds that of many of the coun
try’s principal trading partners. Thus, a large number of
factors may have intervened to minimize the price-reducing
effect of the 1981-85 dollar appreciation, and these same
factors may vitiate or delay any inflationary impact of the
post-March 1985 devaluation.
From June 1982 through March 1985, as the dollar was
appreciating, prices paid by importers for consumer com
modities (other than energy, food, and used cars) edged up
at an annual rate of only 0.7 percent, while prices paid by
consumers for the same set of commodities rose at an annual
rate of 3.0 percent.
In the 21 months following the March 1985 peak value of
the dollar, these import prices accelerated sharply, rising at
an annual rate of 8.1 percent, while the corresponding retail
prices rose at a much slower rate, only 2.6 percent. Prices
charged by importers did not show any obvious impact of
the dollar devaluation until December 1985. At the end of
1986, however, prices paid by consumers had advanced
10.3 percent.
Comprehensive analysis relating import prices to changes
in consumer prices is difficult. There has been, however,
some recent evidence of larger consumer price increases for
import-affected items. In 1986, new car prices rose 5.8
percent, their largest increase since 1981. In addition, prices
for apparel commodities, housefumishings, and housekeep
ing supplies— components which contain commodities with
higher than average import proportions— accelerated in the
second half of 1986. The largest increases in other commod
ity prices in 1986, however, occurred in areas with little
import penetration: medical care commodities and tobacco
products. These components have not accelerated, but
rather continued to advance at rates well above most other
commodities.
Producer prices
Crude goods
Following decreases of 1.6 percent in 1984 and 5.6 per
cent in 1985, the ppi for crude materials for further process
ing fell 9.7 percent during 1986. Price indexes for crude
petroleum and natural gas plummeted after showing much
smaller declines in 1985, but price decreases for nonenergy
materials were not as large as in the previous year.
Energy. The crude energy materials index fell 29.4 per
cent following a drop of 4.9 percent in 1985. In response to
the breakdown in the pricing discipline of the Organization
of Petroleum Exporting Countries ( opec ), Saudi Arabia in
late 1985 reversed its previous policy of restraining its oil
production. Competitive underbidding by certain oil pro
ducing countries accelerated during early 1986 as prices for
crude oil began to plummet. However, crude petroleum
prices rebounded somewhat during the third quarter, follow
ing an August opec announcement of production cutbacks.
5
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Energy Prices Holds Inflation in Check in 1986
The war-related financial burdens of Iran and Iraq and the
debt-servicing needs of certain other oil producing nations
both contributed to the ending of o p e c ’ s pricing discipline
before 1986. In the longer term, a number of factors have
contributed to the fundamental transformation of the global
petroleum market. Expanded production by non-OPEC na
tions has gradually taken a larger share of the world market
in the 1980’s. In the United States, the cumulative effect on
demand of the 1973 and 1979 energy price increases was
reflected by the 17-percent decline in petroleum consump
tion between 1978 and 1985.
Domestic prices for crude petroleum and most refined
products fell by nearly 50 percent in 1986. This decrease
represented an unprecedented disinflationary advantage to
the American economy, helping to maintain the momentum
of growth despite the problem of the trade imbalance.
After falling 7.8 percent in 1985, the natural gas index
plunged a record 21.6 percent. Natural gas producers low
ered their prices during most of the year to remain compet
itive with falling prices for petroleum-derived heating fuels.
This index climbed in the early 1980’s, but fell 31.1 percent
from its March 1983 peak by December 1986. Coal prices
edged down over the year.
Foodstuffs. The index for crude foodstuffs and feedstuffs
moved down 1.7 percent, much less than the 6.4-percent
drop in 1985. Contributing to this slowdown of price de
creases was an advance in fluid milk prices that contrasted
with a substantial decrease the previous year. For several
years, the dairy industry has experienced low milk prices,
resulting from milk overproduction; therefore, the Govern
ment created the Dairy Termination Program, which pays
farmers to sell or slaughter their dairy cows, reducing milk
production and raising prices in 1986.
After dropping in 1985, hog prices advanced strongly in
mid-1986, reflecting restricted supplies after several years
of stock reductions. Price decreases slowed for cattle;
although slaughter rates remained high, low feed prices
enabled some farmers to hold their cows off the market
during the second half of the year. Raw cane sugar prices
moved up after falling in 1985, in response to the lowering
of the Government ceiling on import shipments for that
commodity.
Increased domestic and world supplies of grains and feed
stuffs, along with reduced U.S. Government price supports
for grains, put downward pressure on their prices. Domestic
com prices dropped more than 30 percent because of good
harvests, larger carryover stocks, and limited storage facili
ties that compelled farmers to sell off their holdings to make
room for new harvests. Record carryover stocks for wheat
contributed to a price decline of more than 18 percent.
Prices for hay and soybeans dropped at double-digit rates for
the third consecutive year. Hay demand was down because
of improved pasturing, while soybean stocks were high and
exports were off.
6
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Industrial materials. The index for crude nonfood materi
als other than energy turned up 1.6 percent, after declining
in both of the 2 preceding years. Prices were particularly
active in the latter half of 1986, with the index falling at a
simple seasonally adjusted rate of 6.7 percent during the
third quarter and then rising 1.9 percent in the fourth quar
ter. In large part, this pattern was due to volatile prices for
raw cotton. A new Government program, instituted in
August 1986 to make American cotton competitive on inter
national markets, initially caused domestic prices to drop
almost 60 percent (thereby matching the world price level).
However, by the end of the year, the world price for raw
cotton (adjusted to U.S. quality and specifications) had
jumped over 70 percent, partly reflecting poor weather in
growing regions abroad; in addition, the U.S. price climbed
above the world price level as a result of stronger demand
from domestic cotton mills, tight supplies of quality cotton
due to crop damage, and increased export demand. Despite
this late surge, the December 1986 price for domestic raw
cotton was still below its December 1985 level, although the
price decrease was less than those registered in 1985 or
1984.
Several factors contributed to the upturn in raw material
prices in 1986. Ferrous scrap prices advanced after declin
ing in the preceding 2 years. Following 2 years of decreases,
aluminum base scrap prices rose with the expectation of an
improving market for aluminum during the spring. How
ever, these scrap prices remained unchanged during light
trading in the second half, when the market for primary
aluminum proved to be weak. After falling in 1985, prices
for heavy yellow brass scrap turned up in accord with
strongly advancing prices for primary zinc. Wastepaper
prices soared 52 percent after plummeting in 1985, as paper
mill demand increased sharply and exports moved up.
Prices also advanced for cattle hides and domestic apparel
wool. Price declines slowed for leaf tobacco.
However, prices turned down for logs and timber as
falling fuel prices reduced business costs. Construction sand
and gravel showed smaller price increases, as transportation
costs fell with decreasing fuel prices.
Intermediate goods
Contrasting with the mild pattern of movements experi
enced since the early 1980’s, the ppi for intermediate mate
rials, supplies and components dropped 4.4 percent during
1986. However, virtually all of the impetus behind this
downturn came from the energy sector. The index for inter
mediate goods excluding foods and energy remained nearly
unchanged for the second year in a row. One unusual feature
of 1986 index changes for this category and its main stageof-processing components is the close similarity to corre
sponding changes of a year earlier.
Energy. The index for intermediate energy goods plunged
28.9 percent during the year, following relatively small
declines in recent years. Prices for diesel fuel, residual fuel,
and jet fuel each fell nearly 50 percent. Less uniformity was
shown in 1985, when residual fuel declined 15.6 percent, jet
fuel moved down moderately, and diesel fuel rose nearly 6
percent. Liquefied petroleum gas prices fell 52.4 percent
during 1986, closely paralleling refined product movements
during the year. Reduced fuel generation costs likewise
affected electric power prices. The index for industrial and
commercial electric power recorded a 1.0-percent decline,
the first decrease for this category in over 2 decades. Elec
tric power rates are typically rather stable, because of the
regulatory environment in which utilities operate. These
prices did not fall as much as other energy products for that
reason, and because petroleum is not used for power gener
ation as much as in the 1970’s.
Manufacturing materials. The index for intermediate
goods other than foods and energy edged up 0.1 percent
over the year, after a 0.1-percent decline in 1985. As in the
previous year, declines for manufacturing materials were
offset by small advances for manufacturing components and
products used in the construction sector.
The index for materials for nondurable manufacturing fell
1.8 percent, slightly less than in the year before. The over
whelming influence was the precipitous fall in petroleum
costs, which led to lower prices for industrial chemicals
(down 6.0 percent), plastic resins and materials (down 3.6
percent), and synthetic rubber (down 8.8 percent). The rate
of capacity utilization in the chemicals industry remained at
about 80 percent for most of the year, further depressing
pricing. Another commodity whose price fell because of
energy developments was nitrogenate fertilizer materials,
which registered a 21-percent drop for the year. Most anhy
drous ammonia is derived from natural gas, prices of which
were negatively affected by the oil price collapse.
In sharp contrast, however, prices jumped for many
paper-related goods. Woodpulp prices advanced 16.9 per
cent, recovering virtually all of the losses experienced the
year before. Upturns of a similar but less-pronounced nature
occurred in prices for paper and paperboard (both rose be
tween 4 and 5 percent). Growth in the paper sector was
centered in the business and computer paper markets, where
demand continued to be fairly strong. Woodpulp and paperboard producers benefited from the reduced level of foreign
competition due to the decline in the U.S. dollar. Finally,
leather prices surged 11.4 percent, the most in several years.
This upturn reflected the strong overseas demand (and hence
higher costs) for U.S. cattle hides.
The durable manufacturing materials index moved down
1.2 percent, about the same as in 1985. A good portion of
this decline was related to the January drop in the steel mill
products index. This reflected a broad cut in list prices to
bring them into alignment with actual transaction prices,
which had been falling for some time. Among nonferrous
metals, considerable diversity existed in price movement.
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Copper and silver prices declined, as did certain types of
aluminum. Expectations early in the year of higher prices
for copper and aluminum were not fulfilled because demand
for both stagnated, and labor disputes in the aluminum in
dustry were settled.
The most dramatic activity was found in the markets for
lead, zinc, and platinum. Lead prices began to climb sharply
during the spring months, contrary to expectations. Short
term tight inventories due to various technical factors (such
as refinery shutdowns and strikes) prevailed over the long
term perception of weakness in demand, and prices ended
the year 47.7 percent over the December 1985 level. Zinc
prices followed lead prices closely; the two metals are pro
duced together, and both experienced supply problems
because of labor disagreements. In the precious metals mar
kets, political unrest in South Africa sparked increased in
terest in platinum by speculators. Over 90 percent of the
world’s supply of platinum comes from South Africa and the
Soviet Union. Prices began to surge in mid-1985 and contin
ued to increase until the final quarter of 1986, when profit
taking set in. The platinum index was still nearly 50 percent
higher at the end of 1986 than it was a year earlier.
Construction materials. In spite of the continued down
ward trend of mortgage interest rates during the year, the
housing construction market began to show signs of weak
ness in the second quarter. Beginning the year around the
2-million unit level, the annual rate of new private housing
starts retreated to about 1.7 million units by the end of the
year. In the commercial construction sector, activity re
mained generally subdued because of the continued over
supply of office space in certain cities.
The ppi for construction materials and components edged
up only 0.4 percent, less than in any other year since the
early 1960’s. Substantial declines were noted for products
derived from petroleum: asphalt paving materials fell nearly
12 percent, and asphalt roofing materials dropped almost 9
percent. Plastic plumbing products registered a decline of
6.3 percent, likewise reflecting lower costs of petrochemically derived resins. Prices for gypsum products moved
down 2.5 percent, after a strong year (up 7.8 percent) in
1985. The gypsum industry raised prices during the spring,
but the slack market failed to support the move; prices slid
back for most of the remainder of the year.
The lumber and wood products industries were unusually
influenced by governmental actions during the year. A trade
dispute with Canada had arisen after 2 years of sagging
prices in the midst of strong residential construction activ
ity. Domestic lumber producers filed a countervailing duty
petition against Canadian producers in May, alleging that
unfair subsidies by provincial governments in Canada per
mitted below-cost sales. The International Trade Commis
sion ruled that U.S. producers were being injured by the
subsidies, and in October an interim 15-percent tariff was
imposed on softwood lumber imports from Canada.
7
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Energy Prices Holds Inflation in Check in 1986
Prices for lumber rose during the third quarter, when they
normally decline sharply. Over the year, the ppi for soft
wood lumber advanced 6.5 percent. Prices for millwork and
plywood each moved up less than 2 percent.
The cement industry was another source of trade friction
in 1986. However, the U.S. producers lost their bid for
countervailing duties on imports of eight nations that al
legedly guarantee their own firms a minimum rate of return.
In spite of substantial transportation costs for such a bulky
product (and minimal differences in production technol
ogy), cement imports accounted for 10 percent of the Amer
ican market in dollar terms and 15 percent in tonnage terms.
Under such pressure, prices for Portland cement fell 4.5
percent between December 1985 and December 1986.
Foods. The intermediate foods and feeds index continued
on a downward path over the past year, but the 0.4-percent
decline was less than in 1984 or 1985. Crude vegetable oil
prices fell 25.5 percent, reaching their lowest level since the
late 1960’s. After showing little change over the previous 4
years, flour prices dropped 10.5 percent, reflecting bur
geoning world grain supplies. However, refined sugar
prices (which are kept above prevailing world levels by a
Government support mechanism) rose moderately after de
clining in recent years.
ens in the Southeast. Weather conditions during the growing
season were generally much more favorable in the Midwest,
California, and other major farming regions than in the
Southeast. Exports of American agricultural products were
seriously hampered by excess supplies in many other
countries.
After a rise of less than 1 percent a year earlier, pork
prices climbed 13.4 percent in 1986; a 5-percent drop in
production was largely responsible for this climb. Processed
poultry prices quickly retreated from the high levels attained
in the immediate aftermath of the summer drought and
ended the year 1.8 percent lower than their December 1985
values, as higher prices for chickens offset a sharp drop in
turkey prices. Beef and veal prices fell sharply through the
first half of the year, reflecting increased output and the
continuing decline in feed grain costs, but recovered some
what in the second half for a net decrease of 6.3 percent.
Roasted coffee prices climbed 18.2 percent, mostly be
cause of unusually dry weather in Brazil’s growing areas for
much of the year. The index for fresh and dried vegetables
advanced 2.9 percent, far less than the double-digit climb a
year before. Prices also rose in 1986 for fish, confectionery
end products, dairy products, and refined sugar. In contrast,
the index for shortening and cooking oils fell almost 10
percent, partly because of the continued drop in soybean
quotations.
Finished goods
Among major categories within the finished goods price
index in 1986, the index for energy goods fell 39.1 percent,
dwarfing the declines registered in other recent years. Con
sumer food prices climbed 2.9 percent, continuing the mod
erate increases registered for this index in each year after
1980. As in 1985, the increase in the index for consumer
goods other than foods and energy was just under 3 percent.
Capital equipment prices rose less in 1986 (2.1 percent) than
they had in 1985 (2.7 percent).
Energy. The dramatic decline in the index for finished
energy goods followed decreases of just 0.3 percent in 1985
and 4.1 percent in 1984. This decline occurred largely in
response to the precipitous drop in world crude oil prices
attributable to the breakdown of o p e c ’ s production control
system at the end of 1985. Prices received by refineries for
both gasoline and home heating oil were nearly cut in half
over the year, following much smaller declines in 1984 and
moderate increases in 1985. The natural gas index also fell
far more than it had a year earlier.
Foods. The 1986 rise in the index for finished consumer
foods was well within the range of moderate increases reg
istered for this index each year after 1980; for example, food
prices inched up only 0.5 percent in 1985, following a
3.5-percent climb a year earlier. A drought in the summer
of 1986 had a limited and relatively short-lived impact on
food prices, primarily through heat-related deaths of chick
8
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Other consumer goods. The index for consumer goods
other than foods and energy moved up 2.9 percent, about the
same as a year earlier. However, the composition of the
1986 advance was the reverse of the 1985 pattern. Con
sumer durable price increases accelerated from 2.1 to 3.5
percent, while nondurables slowed to 2.4 percent after a
3.2-percent rise the year before.
Much of the acceleration in the index for consumer
durable goods was due to the 6.6-percent increase in the
index for passenger cars, far larger than in any other year
since 1981. The falling value of the dollar against the yen,
coupled with continued Japanese limitations on car ship
ments into this country, led to higher prices for some
Japanese models and allowed room for domestic manu
facturers to raise their prices as well. While imported autos
still commanded a substantial share (more than one-quarter)
of the total American market, sales of domestic cars
also enjoyed another strong, if erratic, year. Intermittent
discounting, especially evident in cut-rate loans subsidized
by producers, again characterized the marketing of domestic
models during 1986. New car sales were further stimulated
at the end of the year, before tax law changes effective for
1987 would end deductions for State sales taxes on Federal
income tax returns. In contrast with the accelerated price
increases for new passenger cars, however, prices for light
trucks rose less than half as much as in 1985 (3.7 versus 7.9
percent).
Among other consumer durables, prices for gold jewelry
rose following several years of decline, reflecting the paral
lel upturn in gold quotations. By contrast, lower stainless
steel prices were a major influence in the 6.5-percent decline
in the flatware index, which showed almost no change in
1985. Prices for books, floor coverings, toys and games,
sporting goods, glassware, household furniture, and mobile
homes rose moderately, while appliance prices decreased
for the first time since 1965.
Within the category for consumer nondurable goods other
than foods and energy, the effect of substantially higher
prices for some items was eased by modest advances for
others. Prescription drug prices climbed nearly 10 percent,
marking the seventh consecutive year that this index rose
between 8 and 12 percent. Prices for tobacco products and
over-the-counter drugs also increased about as sharply (7.8
and 6.2 percent) as in other recent years. In contrast, the
index for tires and tubes fell for the fourth consecutive year,
reflecting lower costs for synthetic rubber and relatively
sluggish demand in both the original equipment and replace
ment markets. Prices for luggage and soaps decreased after
increasing in 1985. Prices for apparel, newspapers, period
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icals, sanitary paper, alcoholic beverages, cosmetics, and
footwear rose somewhat less than they had a year earlier.
Capital equipment. The index for capital equipment
moved up 2.1 percent in 1986, following advances of 2.7
percent in 1985 and 1.8 percent in 1984. Business spending
on investment goods declined over the year, with capital
expenditures in the energy-production sector especially hard
hit. Capacity expansion projects in many other industries
were postponed pending the outcome of political debates on
elimination of the investment tax credit and similar tax poli
cies. Spending on some projects was accelerated, however,
to take advantage of favorable tax treatments that would be
scaled back or eliminated in 1987. The scarcely abated
influx of imports kept most domestic manufacturing indus
tries at output levels well below any capacity constraints and
thus diverted pressure for new capital construction. Prices
for only a handful of major types of capital equipment rose
more than 3 percent in 1986, while the index for oil field and
gas field machinery dropped 3.5 percent, a symptom of the
depression in the energy-production sector.
A note on communications
The Monthly Labor Review welcomes communications that supplement,
challenge, or expand on research published in its pages. To be considered
for publication, communications should be factual and analytical, not
polemical in tone. Communications should be addressed to the Editor-inChief, Monthly Labor Review, Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Depart
ment of Labor, Washington, d c 20212.
9
Major labor contracts in 1986
provided record low wage adjustments
Negotiations again focused on efforts to curb
labor costs and save jobs by providing
small wage increases, wage decreases, and wage freezes;
many settlements provided lump sums instead of
wage increases or to offset decreases
Jo h n L a c o m b e
and
Jo a n B o r u m
In 1986, major collective bargaining settlements in private
industry provided record low wage and compensation ad
justments, reflecting both employers’ and unions’ efforts to
curb labor costs. Their task was made easier by continued
moderate upward pressures on wages from comparatively
small increases in consumer prices. According to the Bureau
of Labor Statistics’ 19-year-old series on private industry
agreements covering 1,000 workers or more,1 wage adjust
ments— the net effect of decisions to increase, decrease, or
not change wages— under settlements reached during 1986
averaged 1.2 percent in the first contract year and 1.8 per
cent annually over the contract term. (See table 1.) The
settlements covered 2.5 million workers.
This was the fifth consecutive year in which settlements
produced average wage adjustments that were substantially
below those registered prior to 1982. (See chart 1.) Wage
adjustments which were actually put into effect during
1986, stemming from settlements negotiated that year and
those reached in prior years, also averaged a record low—
2.3 percent.
The last time parties to 1986 settlements negotiated (usu
ally in 1983 or 1984), they agreed to contracts that specified
average wage adjustments of 3.5 percent the first year and
3.2 percent annually over the term. Total wage adjustments
— those specified at the time of settlements plus any subse
quent cost-of-living adjustments ( c o l a ’s ) — averaged 4.0
percent a year over the contract term. This was the smallest
on record, and occurred while the Consumer Price Index for
Urban Wage Earners ( cpi w ) was rising 3.5 percent a year
(between December 1982 and December 1985).
The average size of total wage adjustments under expiring
agreements has dropped steadily since 1983 because the size
of specified wage changes declined and because smaller
John Lacombe is an economist and Joan Borum is a social science research
analyst in the Office of Wages and Industrial Relations, Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
10
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
price increases produced lower wage increases triggered by
c o l a ’ s . A s shown in the following tabulation, the contracts
preceding 1986 settlements yielded larger total wage adjust
ments when they included a c o l a clause.
Average wage adjustment
(in percent) per year
in contracts
With COLA
Total adjustment..................................
Specified..........................................
4.2
2.7
c o l a ........................................................
1.6
Without COLA
3.7
3.7
This marks a return to the pre-1983 pattern in which expir
ing contracts with c o la clauses provided smaller specified
wage adjustments than those without, but c o l a ’s more than
made up the differences.
The bargaining climate
Bargaining during 1986 took place in a mixed national
economic climate. The Consumer Price Index for Urban
Wage Earners rose 0.7 percent during the year (the smallest
rise since 1961) and unemployment continued to hover
around 7 percent. Negotiators focused on both old and new
problems, including: depressed markets and competition
from abroad in the steel, aluminum, and copper industries;
competition from nonunion firms in retail trade and con
struction; competition from both union and nonunion carri
ers in the airline industry; and the breakup of long-standing
bargaining relationships in the steel and telephone commu
nications industries. The most common issue was how to
curb labor costs and retain jobs.
A number of contracts addressed this issue by such indi
rect methods as restructuring jobs or changing work rules.
Other more direct approaches included historically low
wage increases, freezes, or cuts; lump-sum payments
(which are not included as wages in this series) instead of
wage increases or to offset wage cuts; lower wage adjust
ments in the first than in subsequent years of multi-year
contracts; and the suspension or elimination of cola
clauses.
Wage increases, decreases, and freezes
Average wage increases under 1986 settlements were the
smallest on record for this series— 2.9 percent the first con
tract year and 2.7 percent a year over the contract life.
First-year increases were received by 1,730,000 workers,
while 526,000 workers had no wage change and 230,000
sustained wage cuts averaging - 9 .2 percent. Subsequently,
wage increases will go to 218,000 workers with no wage
change and 15,000 with a wage decrease in the first contract
year. Thus, over their term, contracts reached during 1986
will provide wage increases to 1,963,000 workers, about
four-fifths of the total covered. Workers with increases were
mostly in construction, railroads, telephone communica
tion, public utilities, food stores, and health services.
The wages of about an eighth of the workers were frozen
and those of about one-tenth were cut over the term of 1986
settlements, marking the fifth consecutive year in which
substantial proportions of workers did not receive wage
increases under settlements. (See table 2.) Workers with
wage freezes were concentrated in construction, non
Table 1.
electrical machinery manufacturing, and food stores. Work
ers sustaining pay cuts were mostly in steel manufacturing;
some of them also took reductions in their previous
agreement.
Lump-sum payments. The size of average adjustments
was dampened because provisions for lump-sum payments
were made in contracts covering two-fifths (988,000) of the
workers under 1986 settlements. Lump-sum payments for
10 percent of these workers are linked to the profits or
earnings of the firm. Lump sums were negotiated instead of
wage increases or to offset pay decreases. These payments
are excluded from this series. Lump-sum payments limit
labor costs because they do not influence benefit levels that
are based on wage rates, they eliminate the compounding
effect of successive wage rate increases, and they do not
raise the wage rate base from which future contracts will be
negotiated.
Settlements with lump sums provided wage adjustments
averaging 1.2 percent in the first contract year and 1.5
percent annually over the contract term. The corresponding
averages for workers under settlements without lump sums
were 1.2 and 1.9 percent. Lump-sum payments were nego
tiated in a variety of industries, including steel, communica
tions, railroads, food stores, aerospace, health services, and
petroleum refining.
Wage adjustments for collective bargaining settlements, covering 1,000 workers or more in private industry, 1986
First y ea r
M e a s u re
A vera g e
a d ju stm e n t
(p e rc en t)
O ve r life o f c o n tra ct
A verage
M easure
W o rkers
annual
W o rkers
(in th o u sa n d s )
a d ju stm e n t
(in th o u sa n d s )
1.2
1.9
2,486
780
1.8
1.7
2,486
780
.9
1.2
1.2
-1 .2
1.3
1,706
988
1,498
632
239
1.8
1.5
1.9
.2
.9
1,706
988
1,498
632
239
-2 .8
-.9
-1.4
2.0
2.1
393
286
346
1,854
541
-.2
.2
.2
2.3
2.1
393
286
346
1,854
541
2.0
2.0
2.t)
2.2
1,313
702
1,152
522
2.4
2.1
2.4
2.5
1,313
702
1,152
522
.9
1,964
1.6
1,964
1.9
2.0
1,332
1,161
1,325
2.2
1.2
2.3
1,332
1,161
1,325
2.9
2.4
1,730
665
2.7
2.0
1,963
690
3.3
2.4
3.3
1,065
703
1,027
3.1
2.1
3.1
1,274
806
1,157
.2
S e ttle m e n ts p ro vid in g
in c re a s e s
All industries............................
With c o l a cla uses...........
Without C O L A
clauses ..........................
With lump su m s...............
Without lump sums ........
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
A vera g e
a d ju stm e n t
(p ercen t)
(p e rc en t)
A ll s e ttle m e n ts
All industries............................
With c o l a clauses ___
Without C O L A
clauses.......................
With lump s u m s ...........
Without lump sum s___
Manufacturing.....................
With c o l a clauses . . . .
Without c o l a
clauses........................
With lump s u m s ...........
Without lump sums . . . .
Nonmanufacturing...............
With c o l a clauses . . . .
Without C O L A
clauses.......................
With lump s u m s ...........
Without lump s u m s___
Construction ...................
All industries excluding
construction.......................
Nonmanufacturing
excluding construction___
Goods-producing.................
Service-producing...............
F irst year
O ve r life o f c o n tra c t
A vera g e
W o rkers
annual
W o rk e rs
(in th o u sa n d s )
a d ju stm e n t
(in th o u s a n d s )
(p e rc en t)
Manufacturing.....................
With c o l a cla uses...........
Without C O L A
clauses ..........................
With lump s u m s...............
Without lump sums ........
3.0
3.0
258
147
2.1
1.6
360
157
3.0
2.4
3.3
111
103
156
2.5
1.3
2.8
202
177
183
Nonmanufacturing...............
With c o l a clauses...........
Without C O L A
clauses ..........................
With lump s u m s...............
Without lump sums ........
Construction ...................
All industries excluding
construction.......................
Nonmanufacturing
excluding construction . . . .
Goods-producing.................
Service-producing...............
2.9
2.2
1,472
518
2.8
2.1
1,604
532
3.3
2.4
3.3
3.5
954
600
872
356
3.2
2.3
3.1
3.2
1,072
629
975
420
2.8
1,374
2.5
1,544
2.8
3.3
2.8
1,116
614
1,116
2.7
2.7
2.7
1,184
781
1,183
-9.2
-3.7
-10.1
-7.6
-9.9
-9.2
-9.3
-7.5
230
33
197
69
161
167
63
9
-4.1
-1 .2
-4.5
-2 .4
-5.0
-3 .9
-4.9
-9.4
215
27
188
72
143
161
54
6
-9 .3
221
-4 .0
209
-9.6
-9 .6
-7.9
54
182
48
-4.3
-4 .2
-3 .9
48
173
42
S ettlem e n ts pro vid in g
decre as e s
All industries............................
With c o l a clauses . . . .
With c o l a clauses . . . .
With lump s u m s ...........
Without lump sum s___
Manufacturing.....................
Nonmanufacturing...............
Construction ...................
All industries excluding
construction.......................
Nonmanufacturing
excluding construction . . . .
Goods producing.................
Service-producing...............
11
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Low Wage Adjustments in 1986 Major Contracts
Chart 1. Average wage adjustments in private industry settlements covering 1,000
workers or more, 1973-86
Percent
Percent
NOTE: All adjustments include increases, decreases, and no change.
12
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percent
Backloaded contracts. Backloading is another cost-limiting
practice that has gained prominence recently. It provides
lower specified wage adjustments in the first year than sub
sequent contract years. Nearly one-half of the workers un
der 1986 settlements were covered by such contracts. Prior
to 1983, however, virtually all workers under multiyear
settlements had their largest increases in the first year.
Wage adjustments in back-loaded contracts averaged
- 0 .2 percent in the first year and 1.5 percent annually over
the term. Of the 1,199,000 workers covered by back-loaded
contracts, 751,000 received smaller increases in the first
year than in following years, 225,000 received no wage
increase in the first contract year, but received an increase
in following years, and 223,000 sustained wage cuts in the
first contract year, but no additional decreases over the life
of their multiyear agreements. Back-loaded contracts oc
curred mainly in construction, railroads, steel, petroleum
refining, electrical and electronic equipment manufacturing,
health services, and food stores.
One-third (805,000) of the workers were covered by
front-loaded settlements in which wage adjustments aver
aged 3.3 percent in the first year and 2.5 percent a year over
the life of the contract. These contracts were in communica
tion, construction, aerospace, and other industries. The re
maining one-fifth of the workers were covered by either
1-year agreements or multiyear contracts which provided
equal wage adjustments each year.
clauses. Cost-of-living adjustment clauses were
dropped or suspended in settlements covering 434,000
workers, or about 36 percent of those settling in 1986 who
had such coverage in their previous agreements. These in
clude 226,000 communication workers and 106,000 steel
workers whose 1986 contracts do not provide any wage
adjustments triggered by future changes in the c p i . cola
clauses were established in settlements covering 20,000
workers.
As a result of these developments and employment de
clines in industries with contracts that retained c o la
clauses, the proportion of workers under major contracts
with c o l a ’ s fell to 40 percent at the end of 1986 from 49
percent in the previous year. This compares with about
three-fifths between 1976 and 1984.
This drop is attributable, in part, to the declining impor
tance of c o l a ’ s as a source of wage increases. Some union
negotiators were willing to trade c o l a ’ s for other contract
improvements because relatively low price increases since
1982 triggered comparatively small wage increases and, in
some cases, none at all.
Contracts with c o l a clauses covered 31 percent of work
ers under 1986 settlements. They specified average wage
adjustments of 1.9 percent in the first year and 1.7 percent
annually over the contract life. (See chart 2.) These averages
exclude any potential adjustments from c o l a ’s because such
adjustments depend on future changes in the Consumer
cola
Chart 2. Average annual wage adjustments over the life of contracts with and without
in private industry settlements covering 1,000 workers or more, 1973-86
cola
Percent
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Percent
13
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Low Wage Adjustments in 1986 Major Contracts
Table 2. Proportion of workers with increases, decreases,
or no wage change under settlements covering 1,000
workers or more in private industry, 1979-86
[In percent]
F irs t y ea r
Y ea r
In cre a se s
D e cre a se s
O ve r th e life o f c o n tra ct
No
ch an g e
In creases
D ecre a se s
No
c h an g e
1979 ..
1980 ..
1981 ..
96
100
92
0
0
5
4
0
3
100
100
94
0
0
5
0
0
1
1982 ..
1983 ..
1984 . .
56
63
77
2
15
5
42
22
18
64
73
84
1
13
4
35
14
12
1985 ..
1986 ..
63
70
3
9
33
21
85
79
3
9
12
13
Price Index that are unknown at the time of settlement.
However, “guaranteed” c o la amounts (those specified
when the agreement is reached) are included in settlement
measures because they are not contingent on subsequent
price increases. Wage adjustments for settlements without
c o l a clauses were 0.9 percent the first year and 1.8 percent
a year over the term.
Compensation adjustments. The Bureau measures com
pensation (wages and employee benefit costs) adjustments
in contracts for at least 5,000 workers. These contracts
cover almost two-thirds of all workers under major settle
ments in 1986. Average compensation adjustments were the
lowest since the series began— 1.1 percent in the first con
tract year and 1.6 percent annually over the life of the
contracts. (See table 3.) During the term of the agreement,
83 percent of the workers will receive increases, 12 percent
decreases, and the remainder, no change in compensation.
Major negotiations
Negotiations in 1986 were characterized by the dissolu
tion of some historic pattern bargaining relationships (for
example, in steel and telephone communication) as well as
by major differences in contract terms among industries.2
Settlements in nonmanufacturing industries accounted for
three-fourths of all workers under 1986 settlements. They
provided wage adjustments of 2.0 percent in the first year
and 2.3 percent annually over the life of the contract. The
largest numbers of workers covered by settlements in
nonmanufacturing were in telephone communications
(531,000), construction (522,000), railroads (216,000), and
retail trade (209,000)— primarily food stores. Settlements
in these industries are detailed below. The remaining
workers under nonmanufacturing settlements were in health
services, electric and gas utilities, and a variety of other
industries.
Telephone communications. Bargaining in telephone
communications occurred in a new environment created by
the January 1984 divestiture of American Telephone and
Telegraph Co., which had provided both local and long
distance services. Under the new configuration, a t &t Infor
mation Systems ( a t t is ) provides national long distance and
allied services and seven independent regional companies
Digitized for14
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provide local service through 22 local operating companies.
The year (1986) witnessed the breakup of what had been
uniform contracts throughout the Bell System.
The first accord was reached between the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ( ib e w ) and a t &t in May.
The Communications Workers of America reached a similar
agreement in June (ratified in August) after a 4-week strike.
Contracts with the regional companies were negotiated in
the third quarter of 1986 after the August 9 expiration of the
prior agreement.
Although there were many similarities in the terms nego
tiated in the industry, contracts are no longer uniform. All
the settlements provided for wage increases, but the size
varied. On average, wage adjustments were 2.0 percent in
both the first contract year and annually over the contract
term.
There were other similarities in terms, such as improving
job security and pension plans, but there were also differ
ences. Some contracts eliminated c o l a clauses, for exam
ple, while others modified the c o l a formula; some contracts
called for lump-sum payments or profit sharing, or both,
while others provided neither.
Construction. Reflecting general economic improvements
in the industry, 1986 settlements in construction provided
average wage adjustments of 2.2 percent in the first contract
year and 2.5 percent a year over their term. They replaced
contracts generally reached 1 to 2 years earlier that provided
wage adjustments averaging 1.9 percent a year over their
term.
Settlements in construction covered one-fifth of the work
ers under 1986 settlements, and provided wage adjustments
that were higher than the overall averages for the year.
Negotiations in the industry are concentrated in the spring
and summer and usually reflect local economic conditions.
Employers are generally represented by local or regional
branches of national employer associations, while workers
are usually organized along craft lines. Contracts for various
crafts in a locality frequently provide similar size changes.
Average wage adjustments negotiated in 1986 varied by
region, as shown in the following tabulation (in percent):
A n n u a l , o v e r lif e
F ir s t y e a r
All construction agreements .............
Northeast ........................................
New E n g lan d ..........................
Middle Atlantic .....................
M id w est...........................................
East North C entral.................
West North C e n tra l...............
o f c o n tr a c t
2.2
2.2
3.6
2.1
3.7
4.2
2.8
2.5
2.5
4.0
2.4
3.5
4.0
2.6
South ...............................................
0.2
South Atlantic .......................
2.5
South C e n tral.......................... —1.7
W e s t.................................................
1.5
Mountain ................................
2.0
Pacific ....................................
1.4
Interregional....................................
0.7
0.2
2.1
- 1 .3
2.2
2.2
2.2
1.2
Wage cuts in the oil-producing South Central States reflect
a depressed economy and declines in new construction,
while settlements in New England took place during im
proved economic conditions.
Adjustments also varied by type of construction. Settle
ments in both general building construction and special
trades provided wage adjustments averaging 2.6 percent in
the first contract year and 2.8 percent annually over their
contract term. Corresponding averages in general construc
tion, other than building, were lower (1.5 and 1.8 percent).
Railroads. Although contracts in the railroad industry ex
pired in June 1984, more than two-thirds of the workers
under these agreements did not reach a settlement until
1986. Negotiations covering more than 200,000 workers
were concluded during the year with the first settlements in
May. Contract talks involved the National Railway Labor
Conference (the management bargaining agent for Class I
railroads and Conrail) and Amtrak, and various unions,
which are organized by craft.
Shifting from the traditional practice of making all wage
changes retroactive to the end of the previous contract, the
1986 contracts typically made the first-year wage increases
retroactive only to December 1985. Wage adjustments for
the industry averaged 2.3 percent in the first year and 2.5
percent a year over the contract term. Although all the
contracts continued their c o la clauses, some limited poten
tial c o la payments to specific groups of workers and also
stipulated that they would be made only to the extent that
they exceeded specified wage increases.
All of the 1986 railroad settlements provided for lump
sum payments. However, the size of the lump sum varied
among contracts and within some contracts by type of work
ers. Some workers received lump-sum payments in lieu of
any specified increases or c o la payments.
Retail food stores. Settlements covering 164,000 workers
in retail food stores were reached in 1986. They provided
average wage adjustments of 1.5 percent in the first contract
year and 1.7 percent annually over the term of the
agreement.
Almost two-thirds of the workers under these contracts
will receive lump-sum payments in lieu of wage increases or
to offset pay cuts. Settlements with lump sums provided
wage adjustments averaging 0.4 percent in both the first
year and annually over the life of the contract. Correspond
ing averages for settlements without lump sums were 3.6
and 4.1 percent.
Manufacturing. Settlements in manufacturing covered
623.000 workers, including 140,000 in primary metals,
98.000 in transportation equipment, and 145,000 about
evenly divided among lumber and wood products, nonelec
trical machinery, and electrical machinery, equipment and
supplies. They called for wage adjustments averaging - 1 .2
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percent the first contract year and 0.2 percent annually over
the contract term.
Primary metals. Settlements in the primary metal indus
tries (steel, aluminum, and copper) dampened overall man
ufacturing averages for the year. They provided wage ad
justments averaging - 5 .2 percent in the first year and -1 .5
percent a year over the term of the agreement.
Bargaining was affected by depressed economic condi
tions in the entire industry and the breakdown of coordinated
bargaining in steel manufacturing. Prior to 1986, the largest
steel companies bargained together on terms that set the
pattern for the industry. Negotiations in 1986, however,
were conducted separately for each company. Although the
exact terms differed by contract, settlements in basic steel
generally provided wage and benefit cuts, some of which
were offset by lump-sum payments.
The most notable bargaining situation in basic steel was
at usx (formerly U.S. Steel) where attempts to negotiate a
new contract, before the expiration of the old one, failed and
a work stoppage ensued, continuing into 1987.
The picture, however, was not bleak throughout the steel
industry. Settlements with some profitable specialty steel
producers increased wages.
Other negotiations in the primary metal industries pro
duced wage cuts for workers in the copper industry and
freezes for those in aluminum production.
Transportation equipment. Contrasting with the wage
cuts negotiated in the primary metal industries, 1986 settle
ments in transportation equipment, covering 98,000 work
ers, provided wage adjustments averaging 2.5 percent in the
first contract year and 1.0 percent a year over the life of the
agreem ents. E ighty-tw o percent o f these w orkers, prim arily
those employed in aerospace manufacturing, will receive
lump-sum payments.
Negotiations in the aerospace industry in 1986 were con
ducted under economic conditions that were better than they
were during the previous round of talks in 1983. In October
Table 3. Average compensation (wage and benefit costs)
adjustments in settlements covering 5,000 workers or
more in private industry, 1986
[In percent]
A n n u al
In d u s try
First-y ea r
a d ju stm e n t
a d ju stm e n ts
o v er life o f
c o n tra cts
All industries ......................................
Contracts with c o l a cla uses...........
Contracts without c o l a clauses . . . .
Manufacturing ....................................
Contracts with c o l a cla uses...........
Contracts without c o l a clauses___
Nonmanufacturing ..............................
Contracts with c o l a cla uses...........
Contracts without c o l a clauses . . . .
Construction ......................................
All industries excluding construction ..
Nonmanufacturing excluding
construction ....................................
Num ber of
w o rk e rs
(th o u s a n d s )1
1.1
2.0
.5
-2.4
2.3
-5.2
2.0
1.9
2.1
2.2
.9
1.6
1.7
1.5
- .7
1.0
-1 .7
2.2
1.9
2.3
2.3
1.4
1,582
592
991
332
123
209
1,251
468
782
238
1,345
2.0
2.1
1,013
1Because of rounding, sums of individual employment items may not equal totals.
15
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Low Wage Adjustments in 1986 Major Contracts
1986, a pattern-setting agreement covering 40,000 workers
was reached between the International Association of Ma
chinists and Boeing Co. Later in the month, similar terms
were negotiated for 20,000 employees of Lockheed Corp.
These settlements continued the practice, introduced in
the 1983 accords, of providing lump-sum payments in lieu
of traditional wage increases. However, the lump sums set
by the 1986 settlements were larger than those in the prior
agreement. Under the 1986 contracts, workers receive an
immediate 40 cents an hour prepaid cola and lump-sum
payments of 12 percent of their prior year’s gross earnings
in the first contract year and 5 percent of their prior year’s
gross earnings in both the second and third contract year.
Under the previous Boeing agreement, workers received
lump-sum payments of 3 percent of their prior year’s gross
earnings in each year of the 3-year contract. The prior Lock
heed agreement provided the same lump-sum payments for
the first 2 years, but had a 3-percent general wage increase
the third year.
Wage adjustments effective in 1986
Wage adjustments put into effect in 1986 were the lowest
in the 19-year history of this series. (See table 4.) They
averaged 2.3 percent for the 6.5 million workers under
major agreements, as shown in the following tabulation:
Percent adjustment
All adjustments .................................................
From new settlements ..................................
Deferred from priorsettlements ...................
COLA................................................................
2.3
0.5
1.7
0.2
The average was depressed for several reasons. Seventyeight percent (5,117,000) of the workers had wage increases
averaging 3.4 percent (the smallest on record), and 4 percent
(250,000) had wage decreases averaging -7 .9 percent, as
the following tabulation shows. Increases and decreases
stemmed from three sources: settlements reached during the
year; deferred changes under agreements negotiated in ear
lier years; and cola provisions. Some workers received pay
changes from more than one source; thus, the number re
ceiving increases and decreases does not equal the total.
Table 4. Effective wage adjustments in collective bargain
ing agreements covering 1,000 workers or more, 1979-86
[Inpercent]
Number of
Percent
workers
(in thousands) change
Workers with wage changes:
T o ta l.........................................................
Increases .......................................... ..
From new settlem ents...................
Deferred from prior settlements ..
COLA.................................................
D ecreases..........................................
From new settlem ents.................
Deferred from prior settlements
COLA.................................................
Workers with no wage changes ............
5,367
5,117
1,685
2,756
1,393
250
228
33
12
1,150
2.8
3.4
3.1
3.9
1.0
- 7 .9
- 9 .4
- 1 .9
- 0 .7
—
The remaining 18 percent of the workers (about
1,150,000) had no wage change. About 930,000 of these
workers were covered by contracts that provided no wage
change during 1986. An additional 220,000 workers, how
ever, received no wage change because their contracts had
expired but had not been renegotiated during the year.
Two million of the 2.6 million workers under contracts
with cola provisions were elig ib le for co la ’s during 1986.
About 1.4 million had coLA-triggered net wage increases
averaging 1.0 percent over the year; of these, however,
963,000 had at least one cola wage decrease during the
year. An additional 12,000 workers had net cola decreases
in 1986. The remaining 619,000 workers did not receive
cola changes either because their contracts had no provi
sions for cola decreases or the change in the cpi was insuf
ficient to trigger a cola pay change. Wage adjustments
stemming from cola reviews in 1986 averaged 51 percent
of the change in the cpi during the cola review period.
Effective wage adjustments under major collective bar
gaining agreements are reflected in the wage and salary
series of the Bureau’s Employment Cost Index ( eci), a broad
measure of changes in labor costs. The eci provides data on
both union and nonunion workers in establishments of all
employment sizes. It shows that wages and salaries rose 3.1
percent in private industry in the year ending December
1986, the smallest increase in the 10-year history of the
series.
During 1986, wages rose 2.0 percent for union workers,
compared with 3.5 percent for nonunion workers. This con
tinues a relationship that began in 1983.
A discussion of this year’s scheduled bargaining,
“Collective bargaining in 1987: local, regional issues to set
tone,” appears in the January 1987 Review.
S o u rce
Y ea r
T o ta l
a d ju s tm e n t
N ew
a g ree m en ts
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
...
...
...
. ..
...
...
. ..
...
9.1
9.9
9.5
6.8
4.0
3.7
3.3
2.3
16
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3.0
3.6
2.5
1.7
.8
.8
.7
.5
--------- F O O T N O T E S --------
D eferred fro m
p rior
C O LA
a g ree m en ts
3.0
3.5
3.8
3.6
2.5
2.0
1.8
1.7
3.1
2.8
3.2
1.4
.6
.9
.7
.2
1 The major collective bargaining agreement series for private industry
covers 6.5 million workers in bargaining units with at least 1,000 workers.
For definition of terms, see Current Labor Statistics, “Wage and Compen
sation Data,” pp. 53-55. Additional tabulations from this series appear in
the March 1987 issue of the Bureau’s C u r r e n t W a g e D e v e lo p m e n ts .
2 For details of these settlements, see George Ruben, “Labormanagement scene in 1986 reflects continuing difficulties,” M o n th ly L a b o r
R e v ie w , January 1987, pp. 37-48.
On their own: the self-employed
and others in private business
The Survey of Income and Program Participation
provides new information not found
in the Current Population Survey about business owners,
including data on incorporated and side businesses,
earnings of owners, and the number of persons they employ
S h e l d o n E. H a b e r , E n r iq u e J. L a m a s ,
and
Ju l e s H. L ic h ten stein
Between 1948 and 1973, the percentage of self-employed
persons in nonagricultural industries fell from 12.0 to 6.7
percent,1 but by 1985, it had risen to 7.5 percent. Given this
recent growth in entrepreneurial activity, it is of some im
portance to obtain as accurate information as possible about
the size and composition of the entrepreneurial class and of
the businesses they operate. The Bureau of the Census’
Survey of Income and Program Participation ( sipp ) provides
an opportunity for obtaining this information. This article
reports on some new findings, derived from this survey,
relating to businesses and business ownership as distinct
from self-employment.
The Current Population Survey ( c p s ), conducted for the
Bureau of Labor Statistics by the Census Bureau, defines the
self-employed as sole proprietors and partners of unincorpo
rated businesses.2 Individuals who identify themselves as
owning a controlling interest in incorporated businesses are
shown in published tabulations as wage and salary workers
because they are employees of the businesses they operate
and are paid a salary for the services they render. Omission
of this group from the self-employed leads to an underestiSheldon E. Haber is a professor of economics at The George Washington
University; Enrique J. Lamas is an economic statistician at the Bureau of
the Census; and Jules H. Lichtenstein is Chief, Applied Policy Branch,
Office of Advocacy, U.S. Small Business Administration. The views pre
sented in this paper are those of the authors. Research was supported by the
Office of Advocacy. U.S. Small Business Administration.
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mate of the number of business owners. Wage and salary
workers who report self-employment as a secondary activity
(that is, own a side business) also are business owners and
they, too, are excluded from the cps count of the selfemployed. In fact, this group is the fastest growing group
among business owners.3
While it is possible to derive information about incorpo
rated business owners and owners of a side business from
the Current Population Survey and the Survey of Income
and Program Participation, the latter offers a number of
advantages over the former in studying business ownership.
For example, a question about ownership of a side business
has only been asked occasionally in the c p s ; in these in
stances information on hours worked at the side business has
not been collected. In the Survey of Income and Program
Participation, all business owners are identified, whether or
not they own incorporated businesses or side businesses,
and each owner is asked the number of hours he or she
•usually works at the business. Additionally, earnings infor
mation from up to two businesses is obtained in each Survey
of Income and Program Participation reference period; in
the c p s , self-employment earnings information is collected
only in the March survey and pertains to the preceding
calendar year. Furthermore, the Survey of Income and Pro
gram Participation contains information about businesses as
well as business owners. In particular, information on the
legal form of business and number of workers employed is
17
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Self-Employed and Others in Private Business
obtained for all businesses except those with expected gross
receipts of less than $1,000 for the following year (casual
businesses).4 It should be emphasized that these differences
between the surveys do not reflect deficiencies in the cps;
they are due to the fact that the two data sets are designed
to measure different things.
Survey samples
The Current Population Survey is a monthly survey of
59,000 households that collects information about employ
ment and unemployment. The Survey of Income and Pro
gram Participation is an ongoing series of national panels
designed to improve reporting of income and participation
in major Federal Government income transfer programs. In
Wave 1 of the 1984 panel, approximately 19,900 house
holds were interviewed.
In the Survey of Income and Program Participation, each
panel is divided into four rotation groups. During a cycle or
wave of interviewing covering 4 months, each household is
interviewed one time; over a 1-year period, a household is
interviewed three times. The reference period for an inter
view is the 4-month period preceding the interview month.
The Survey of Income and Program Participation data
utilized in this study are from Wave 1 of the 1984 panel. The
interviews were conducted from October 1983 to January
1984. Hence, the reference periods are from June 1983 to
September 1983 for the first rotation group through Septem
ber 1983 to December 1983 for the fourth rotation group.
During the reference periods to Wave 1, 24,490 respondents
reported having worked in the nonagricultural sector of the
economy; of this number, 2,948 respondents owned a
business.
It should be noted that since the Survey of Income and
Program Participation is a longitudinal survey, the data re
flect work experience over time rather than activity status at
a point of time as is the case for the Current Population
Survey. For this reason alone, estimates of the number of
persons engaged in business and in paid employment from
the two Census Bureau surveys will differ.5
(cps) larger than the percentage reported as self-employed.
Both Census Bureau surveys yield similar distributions of
employment. As noted, 7.4 and 7.8 percent of the employed
reported self-employment in unincorporated businesses in
the Survey of Income and Program Participation and the
cps, respectively. From the Survey of Income and Program
Participation, an additional 2.6 percent operated incorpo
rated businesses;8 the comparable cps figure is 2.7 percent.
The largest discrepancy between the surveys’ figures is for
the group, paid employee and a business owner (side busi
ness owner). In the Survey of Income and Program Partici
pation, 1.9 percent of the employed owned side businesses;
the comparable figure from the cps was 3.0 percent. The
difference between these figures is, in part, due to how
owners of a side business are defined in both surveys9 and
our inclusion in the Survey of Income and Program Partici
pation of some owners of a side business among casual
business owners.10 The most likely explanation for the dif
ference, however, is that in the Survey of Income and Pro
gram Participation, individuals who owned farms and also
worked as paid employees in nonagricultural industries were
excluded from our count of side business owners because
these individuals operated agricultural businesses. In the
cps, individuals who reported they were wage and salary
workers in nonagricultural industries and also answered
“yes” to whether they owned farms, businesses, or profes
sions, were included in our count of side business owners
because the only information about their industrial attach
ment is for their paid jobs; similar information for their side
businesses is absent.11 The remaining groups, paid em
ployees only12 and unpaid family workers,13 accounted for
87.9 and 0.2 percent (sipp) and 86.1 and 0.4 percent (cps)
of employed persons, respectively.
The percentage of persons working full time at jobs can
be calculated from both surveys and as seen from table 1,
the estimates are of the same order of magnitude for each
category of workers. The Survey of Income and Program
Participation percentages are higher than those from the cps,
Estimates of business ownership
Table 1. Distribution of employed persons in nonagricul
tural industries, s i p p and c p s , 19831
The Survey of Income and Program Participation data
indicate that in the last half of 1983, 12.8 million persons
owned businesses, or 11.9 percent of persons working in
nonagricultural industries. Of these workers, however, only
7.4 percent were self-employed owners of unincorporated
businesses. A similar calculation based on May 1983 cps
data indicates that 13.5 percent of employed persons6 in
nonagricultural industries were business owners compared
to 7.8 percent who were reported as self-employed.7 From
the figures in the first two columns of table 1, it is seen that
business ownership is a much more prevalent activity
among employed persons than is suggested by statistics on
self-employment only. In fact, the percentage of workers
who owned businesses was 60 percent (sipp) to 75 percent
[In percent]
18
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
D is trib u tio n
Full tim e
Full tim e
a t ail jo b s
a t b u sin es s
C a te g o ry
Total .................................................
Self-employed, unincorporated business
ow ner.......................................................
Casual business ow ner............................
Noncasual business o w n e r.....................
Incorporated business owner .....................
Paid employee and a business owner.........
All business owners ................................
Paid employee o n ly ....................................
Unpaid family w o rk e r..................................
1
c p s
CPS
S IP P
CPS
S IPP
S IPP
100.0
100.0
(2)
(2)
(2)
7.8
(2)
(2)
2.7
3.0
13.5
86.1
0.4
7.4
1.2
6.2
2.6
1.9
11.9
87.9
0.2
67.1
(2)
(2)
85.2
76.7
(2)
74.8
(2)
67.6
42.7
72.4
88.8
81.2
(2)
77.9
(2)
66.2
37.0
71.9
88.7
24.5
(2)
73.0
(2)
reference periods June to September 1983 through September to December 1983; the
reference period is May 1983.
s ip p
2 Not applicable or not calculated.
but this is most likely due to the reporting of usual hours
worked in the Survey of Income and Program Participation
and the use of actual hours in deriving the cps figures.
Among business owners, the group with the highest per
centage working full time at businesses was incorporated
business owners; the group with the lowest percentage
was owners of side businesses. Among incorporated busi
ness owners, 88.7 percent worked full time at their busi
nesses, compared to 66.2 percent among unincorporated
business owners. Of some interest, 37.0 percent of casual
business owners— a category not distinguished in the c p s —
reported working full time. One possible explanation for
this relatively high proportion is that casual business owners
who work full time do other things when working, such as
watching children or trying to become more productive
business owners in anticipation that sales will ultimately
improve. Still another explanation is that expected gross
receipts, because they are expected to be small, were
underestimated.
Because full-time casual business owners reported very
low earnings of $1,224, it is clear that, as a group, they were
only marginally engaged at their businesses. (See page 21.)
The same can be said of side business owners. Although a
high proportion of paid employees with side businesses
worked full time, 81.2 percent, only a small proportion,
24.5 percent, worked full time at their side businesses.
Type of business
The Survey of Income and Program Participation data
provide a means of categorizing business owners by the
types of businesses they own. In the survey, one can distin
guish businesses by legal form of ownership status, whether
the business is a casual or a side business, and whether the
owner works full time at the business.
Of particular interest is the distribution of business own
ers and their businesses by legal form of organization. Esti
mates of these distributions are shown in table 2 for men and
women under the plausible assumption that a casual busi
ness is a sole proprietorship. (See footnote 4.) As indicated
in table 2, 23.2 percent of all business owners were incorpo
rated. Incorporated business owners were a smaller percent
age of female business owners, 17.1 percent, than of male
business owners, 25.9 percent. The gender differentials are
more pronounced when businesses rather than business
owners are considered: 10.1 percent of incorporated busi
nesses were owned by women, compared to 22.2 percent
owned by men.14
The Survey of Income and Program Participation data
also indicate that 13.5 million nonagricultural businesses
existed in the last half of 1983— 700,000 more than the 12.8
million business owners. The larger number of businesses
than business owners is due, in part, to the percentage of
business owners, 4.1 percent, who owned at least two nona
gricultural businesses.15 Of the nonagricultural businesses,
9.6 million were sole proprietorships, compared to the
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Table 2. Distribution of business owners and businesses
in nonagricultural industries by legal form of business,
19831
[In percent]
Total
M en
W om en
Business owners
Total .................................................................................
Sole proprietors ............................................................
Partners........................................................................
Incorporated..................................................................
Number (thousands) .............................................
100.0
63.2
13.6
23.2
12,842
100.0
60.0
14.1
25.9
8,769
100.0
69.8
13.1
17.1
4,173
Businesses
Total .................................................................................
Sole proprietorships .....................................................
Partnerships..................................................................
Incorporated..................................................................
Number (thousands) .............................................
100.0
70.8
10.9
18.3
13,531
100.0
65.6
12.2
22.2
9,147
100.0
81.8
8.1
10.1
4,384
Legal form
1
s ip p
reference periods June to September 1983 through September to December 1983.
10.7 million nonfarm proprietorships reported in Federal
income tax returns for 1983.16
Still another perspective of business ownership is ob
tained from table 3. As indicated, 14.5 percent of men and
8.6 percent of women were business owners.17 However,
18.8 percent of female business owners had casual busi
nesses and 14.7 percent owned side businesses. Among
male business owners, only 6.2 percent owned casual busi
nesses and 16.6 percent were engaged in side businesses.
We also see that men worked full time at businesses to a
greater extent than women: the male-female differential in
the proportion of business owners who worked full time was
28.7 percentage points, while the corresponding malefemale differential in the proportion of paid employees only
who worked full time was 17.3 percentage points.
If substantial entrepreneurial activity is defined as work
ing full time at a noncasual business that is not a side
business, we find that 65.3 percent of male business owners
were active entrepreneurs; the analogous figure for female
business owners was 37.0 percent. Thus, of all employed
men and women in nonagricultural industries, 9.5 percent of
the former but only 3.2 percent of the latter were substan
tially engaged in businesses.
Earnings of workers
People become business owners for a number of reasons:
some start their own businesses because they feel con
strained by the formal work rules associated with paid em
ployment; some operate businesses because it is a way of
earning income while staying home; for those who have
special talents, such as artists, self-employment is often the
means of achieving the freedom they need to express their
creativity. Each of these reasons yields psychic income and
leads to the expectation that, all else being the same, busi
ness owners, on average, may earn less than paid em
ployees. Additionally, because business owners face risks
not generally shared by paid employees, it is plausible that
low earnings, including zero earnings, are more common
among the former than the latter. The Survey of Income and
19
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Self-Employed and Others in Private Business
Table 3. Business owners in nonagricultural industries by
business type, 19831
[In percent]
C a te g o ry
Employed workers owning a business ............................
Casual business owners...................................................
Side business owners .....................................................
Business owners working full time at businesses ...........
Full-time business owners of noncasual businesses
that are not side businesses.........................................
1
s ip p
Total
M en
W o m en
11.9
10.3
16.0
63.8
14.5
6.2
16.6
73.0
8.6
18.8
14.7
44.3
56.1
65.3
37.0
reference periods June to September 1983 through September to December 1983.
Program Participation data, like the cps data, confirm that
the reported earnings of business owners are less than that
of paid employees.
Earnings data for business owners in the Survey of In
come and Program Participation differ from analogous data
in the cps in several respects. First, the questions asked
respondents about business income are different. In the Sur
vey of Income and Program Participation, interviewers are
instructed to ask the amount of income an individual takes
out of his or her business18 and income from a business is
dated as to when it is earned. Second, because current rather
than past income is recorded, the recall period is shorter.
Third, this survey is a longitudinal survey and, hence, it
contains information about individuals who are in the proc
ess of moving into and out of a business. Fourth, earnings
information is routinely obtained for incorporated busi
nesses in the survey.
Because the Survey of Income and Program Participation
information is collected for up to two businesses and up to
two paid jobs in a reference period, the earnings data are
aggregated over both businesses and both jobs. Although
some earnings may have been missed, it is believed the
amount is very small, because only a small percentage of
workers change jobs three times during a year. An even
smaller proportion would be expected to have three employ
ers (businesses) in a 4-month period.19 Annualized earnings
by type of business are shown in table 4 for men and
women.20
($13,520). When the definition of a business owner is ex
panded to include incorporated business owners as well as
the self employed, the ratio of business earnings to earnings
from paid employment only for men rises from .67 to .78.
Earnings of women
An anomaly in the Survey of Income and Program Partic
ipation data is seen from the data for female business owners
in table 4. Self-employed women had annualized earnings
of $3,767, which is approximately one-quarter of the
$13,520 earned by self-employed men and one-third of the
$12,079 earned by female paid employees only. The cps
data for 1982 indicated that full-time, full-year selfemployed women earned about one-half as much as selfemployed men and female wage and salary workers.
It is difficult to say what accounts for the low earnings of
self-employed women in the Survey of Income and Program
Participation. On one hand, it may be that they were under
reporting business earnings in the Survey of Income and
Program Participation vis-a-vis the c p s . On the other hand,
their relatively low earnings may reflect our use of annual
ized earnings instead of actual earnings over a full year. Still
another explanation is that the Survey of Income and Pro
gram Participation longitudinal data include a larger fraction
of transient business owners than the cps cross-sectional
data, and women may be more prone to enter and leave
self-employment than men. The higher ratio of female-tomale earnings among incorporated business owners is con
sistent with the last conjecture because incorporated busi
ness owners are a more stable group than unincorporated
business owners. Which of these reasons is the correct one
requires further study.
Evidence of underreporting
Despite the reasonableness of the Survey of Income and
Program Participation earnings figures, at least for men,
Table 4. Median annualized earnings of full-time, fullreference period business owners and paid employees,
19831
[In thousands]
Earnings of men
To benchmark the earnings data from the Survey of In
come and Program Participation, it can be inferred from
table 4 that for men the ratio of earnings from unin
corporated businesses, $13,520, to earnings from paid em
ployment only, $20,039, is .67. The corresponding ratio,
earnings of self-employed men to male wage and salary
workers, based on cps data for 198221 is also .67.22
Men who owned incorporated businesses earned consid
erably more than those who did not own incorporated busi
nesses (excluding side business owners in both categories):
the median earnings of male owners of incorporated busi
nesses ($24,012) were almost 80 percent higher than that of
their counterparts who owned unincorporated businesses
20
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C a te g o ry
Business owners, including owners of a side
business...................................................................................
Owners of a side business...................................................
Business owners, excluding owners of a side
business...................................................................................
Unincorporated business owners3 ......................................
Sole proprietors................................................................
Partners3 ...........................................................................
Incorporated business owners4 ...........................................
Paid employees only ..................................................................
1
s ip p
M en
W om en
$14,787
4,784
$4,894
(2)
15,600
13,520
12,235
20,216
24,012
20,039
4,894
3,767
3,671
(2)
9,302
12,079
reference periods June to September 1983 through September to December 1983.
2 Less than 50 observations.
3 Excludes partners of noncasual businesses who could not be distinguished from incorpo
rated owners of noncasual businesses.
4 Excludes incorporated owners of noncasual businesses who could not be distinguished
from partners of noncasual businesses.
some direct evidence of underreporting of business income
in the survey should be noted. Underreporting is suggested
by the earnings for business owners whose businesses were
neither casual businesses nor side businesses. For example,
the percentage of individuals in this group who reported no
business earnings (that is, took no income from the busi
ness) during the reference period was 20.8 percent. Further
evidence of underreporting is found in the data when busi
ness owners who worked full time are classified by the
number of workers employed in their primary business.23
Among owners of businesses with 3 or more employees,
14.3 percent reported no earnings during the reference pe
riod. Undoubtedly, some of these larger business owners
were operating at a loss. Still, the percentage reporting no
business earnings is sufficiently high to suggest an inconsis
tency in the Survey of Income and Program Participation
between the earnings data and the data on business size. The
alternative explanation that a relatively large proportion of
businesses that appeared to be successful, judging by the
number of workers employed, yielded no income to their
owners over a 4-month period is highly implausible.
Internal evidence of underreporting is also suggested by
the earnings of casual business owners. Individuals in this
group who worked full time during all reference weeks had
annualized median earnings of $1,224.24 Thus, more than
one-half of this group reported earnings at an annual rate
that exceeded the expected gross receipts criterion of $1,000
used to define casual business owners. While the actual
earnings and expected gross receipts estimates are not nec
essarily inconsistent, it would appear that some respondents
underestimated their expected gross receipts. It is not im
plausible that such individuals may also have underreported
their actual business earnings.
It should be mentioned that evidence of underreporting of
self-employment earnings can also be found in the c p s .
From the May 1983 c p s , it is found that among male full
time self-employed workers (in nonagricultural industries as
of May 1983) who worked full time, full year in 1982, 12.5
percent reported business and wage and salary earnings of
less than $5,00025 (that is, $2.40 an hour, assuming a 40hour week). The underreporting, by business owners, in
survey data is a well-known phenomenon. As indicated, the
Survey of Income and Program Participation yields new
direct evidence of such underreporting.
Employment in privately owned businesses
Up to this point, our analysis has focused primarily on
business owners. As indicated, the Survey of Income and
Program Participation also contains information about the
businesses they own, particularly the legal status of the
business and the number of individuals that work for the
business.26 As one would expect, and as can be seen from
table 5, the legal status of a business is related to the number
of persons in its employ. For example, more than 9 out of
10 businesses with only one worker were sole proprietor
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Table 5. Distribution of businesses by legal form of busi
ness and number of employees, 19831
[In percent]
N u m b e r o f e m p lo y e e s 2
C a te g o ry
3 to
6 or
5
m o re
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
51.1
0
51.1
47.7
0
47.7
16.0
0
16.0
70.7
22.3
48.4
6.2
48.9
52.3
84.0
29.3
Total .................................................
58.9
12.3
14.5
14.3
100.0
Sole proprietorships3 ........................
Casual sole proprietorships3 ........
Noncasual sole proprietorships . . .
Partnerships and incorporated
businesses....................................
78.2
100.0
68.1
8.9
0
13.0
9.7
0
14.2
3.2
0
4.7
100.0
100.0
100.0
12.5
20.6
25.8
41.1
100.0
1
2
Total .................................................
100.0
Sole proprietorships3 ........................
Casual sole proprietorships3 ........
Noncasual sole proprietorships . . .
Partnerships and incorporated
businesses....................................
93.8
3.8
90.Q
1
s ip p
T o ta l
reference periods June to September 1983 through September to December 1983.
2 Employees in primary business. Owner or owners and unpaid family workers included in
count of employees.
3 Includes side businesses with expected gross receipts of less than $1,000 in next 12
months. Some of these side businesses may be partnerships or incorporated businesses.
ships. At the other extreme, only about 1 out of 5 businesses
with six workers or more were sole proprietorships. In
“intermediate size” businesses, those with two to five em
ployees, about one-half were sole proprietorships.
Table 5 also reveals that only 12.9 percent of sole propri
etorships employed three workers or more; the comparable
figure for partnerships and incorporated businesses is 66.9
percent. Among all businesses, somewhat more than 4 out
of 10 provided employment for two or more workers.
The data underlying table 5 are of special interest because
they enable one to estimate the number of workers employed
in privately owned businesses. This number provides a more
complete measure of the amount of employment generated
through entrepreneurial activity than the number of selfemployed persons or business owners. Because of the way
the data are grouped in the Survey of Income and Program
Participation public use file, however, our estimate is on the
low side.27
Assuming that businesses with gross receipts of less than
$1,000 in the next 12 months have only one worker and also
assuming that the number of workers employed by a busi
ness is given by the lower bound of each class interval in
table 5, an estimate of 28.5 million workers (including busi
ness owners and unpaid family workers) in privately owned
businesses is obtained. Thus, of the 108.1 million persons
in nonagricultural industries who held a job in Wave I of the
Survey of Income and Program Participation, at a minimum
26.4 percent (28.5 million workers) found employment in
privately held businesses. Omitting Federal, State, and local
government workers, the latter figure rises to 36.6 percent.
If, in addition, paid workers in private nonprofit organiza
tions are excluded from the employment base,28 the propor
tion of workers in for-profit businesses who were employed
21
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Self-Employed and Others in Private Business
in privately owned firms increases still further to a minimum
of 40.1 percent.
Another way of gauging the importance of the privately
owned business sector is by estimating the employment
multiplier effect attributable to individuals who establish
their own businesses. Given our estimates of 28.5 million
workers in privately owned businesses and 12.8 million
business owners, this implies that, on average, for every
100 business owners, at least an additional 123 workers
find employment in privately owned businesses. More
accurate measures of the employment effects of owner-oper
ated businesses must be deferred until as yet unpublished
Survey of Income and Program Participation data become
available.
Summary
The Survey of Income and Program Participation yields
new information about business owners, as distinct from the
self-employed, as well as the businesses they own. Not
included among the self-employed, but nonetheless mem
bers of the entrepreneurial class, are owners of incorporated
businesses and owners of side businesses.
Among the more important findings from the Survey of
Income and Program Participation data is that business own
ers accounted for 11.9 percent of persons working in nonagricultural industries during the last half of 1983; this is 60
1 T. Scott Fain, “Self-employed Americans: their number has in
creased,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , November 1980, pp. 3-8 and Eugene H.
Becker, “Self-employed workers: an update to 1983,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e
v ie w , July 1984, pp. 14-18. For earlier studies of self-employment, see
Robert N. Ray, “A report on self-employed Americans in 1973,” M o n th ly
L a b o r R e v ie w , January 1975, pp. 49-54 and John E. Bregger, “Selfemployment in the United States, 1948-62,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , Jan
uary 1963, pp. 37-43.
2 Prior to 1967, no distinction was made in the CPS between persons
operating unincorporated and incorporated businesses. Individuals in both
groups were classified as self-employed. In 1967, when incorporated busi
ness owners were separately identified, they were classified as wage and
salary workers.
3 Sheldon Haber, A N e w P e r s p e c tiv e o n B u s in e ss O w n e r s h ip (U.S.
Small Business Administration, Office of Advocacy, July 1985). See also
T h e S ta te o f S m a ll B u s in e ss e s: A R e p o r t o f th e P r e s id e n t (U.S. Government
Printing Office, 1986).
4 For convenience, businesses with expected gross receipts of less than
$1,000 in the next year are referred to as casual businesses and their owners
as casual business owners. Conversely, businesses with expected gross
receipts of more than $1,000 are referred to as noncasual businesses.
Because casual businesses are small, it has been assumed that they are sole
proprietorships with only one worker, that is, the owner of the business.
5 For a comparison of estimates of employment and unemployment from
and the cps, see Paul M. Ryscavage and John E. Bregger, “New
Household Survey and the cps: A look at labor force differences,” M o n th ly
L a b o r R e v ie w , September 1985, pp. 3-12.
sipp
6 For ease of exposition, in the remainder of the paper employed persons
and persons with work experience are referred to simply as employed
persons.
Digitized for22
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percent more than the percentage reported as self-employed.
A similar conclusion is reached based on Current Population
Survey data for May 1983. In the cps data, an even larger
proportion of employed workers, 13.5 percent, were found
to own businesses.
We also found that 70.8 percent of businesses were sole
proprietorships, while 18.3 percent were incorporated busi
nesses. More women than men were engaged in casual and
side businesses, and men worked full time at businesses to
a greater extent than did women. Two-thirds of male busi
ness owners were substantially engaged in a business, com
pared to about one-third among female business owners.
Annualized earnings varied from about $3,700 for female
sole proprietors to $24,000 for male owners of incorporated
businesses. But a relatively high proportion of business
owners in the Survey of Income and Program Participation
reported no earnings from their businesses even among
those with businesses with three workers or more, providing
internal evidence of underreporting of business earnings.
It is also possible to estimate the percentage of workers
employed by privately owned businesses. At a minimum,
26.4 percent of all workers (28.5 million workers) were
employed in such firms. When government workers and
paid workers in private nonprofit organizations are ex
cluded, the proportion increases from 26.4 to 40.1
percent.
[[]
7 One explanation for the lower percentages in sipp is the greater diffi
culty of accumulating capital needed to start a business versus finding a job
as a paid employee. This difficulty is seen more readily in longitudinal data
than in cross-sectional data.
8 In sipp, only one owner of a noncasual business is asked the legal form
of organization of (and the number of persons employed in) that business.
Thus, while all owners of businesses in a household are enumerated, only
one partner in a partnership or one owner of an incorporated business can
be identified. While it is possible to determine who are the remaining
partners and owners of an incorporated business, one cannot tell which of
these two categories an individual falls into. Unless otherwise stated, in this
study, partners and owners of incorporated businesses who could not be
identified as such because another person had answered questions about the
business are divided in the same proportion as partners and incorporated
owners who could be identified.
9 In the supplement to the May 1983 cps , wage and salary workers were
asked whether they also operated a “farm, business, or profession.” Per
sons answering “yes” to this question in the cps are classified as having a
side business in this study. For sipp, side business owners are defined in this
study to include (a) casual business owners with earnings from paid em
ployment in all 4 months of the reference period, and (b) noncasual busi
ness owners with earnings from a business and from paid employment in
one or more of the 4 reference period months o r earnings from paid
employment in all 4 months of the reference period if there were no
earnings from a business during the reference period.
10 In table 1 and elsewhere in this study, unless otherwise stated, casual
business owners are classified as owners of a side business if they also meet
the criteria for being classified in the latter category. However, because sipp
provides less detailed earnings information for casual than noncasual busi
nesses, it was not possible to identify all casual businesses that were also
side businesses. Hence, within the definitional framework adopted in this
study, the number of casual business owners is overestimated and the
number of side business owners is underestimated.
11 The difference in definition of a side business also helps explain the
smaller percentage that business owners make up of all workers in sipp
v is - a -v is the c p s .
12 In sip p , paid employees are asked questions of up to two employers for
whom they worked in a reference period. For both sipp and the c ps , the
group “paid employee only” is defined to include individuals who worked
for pay and did not own a business.
13 Unpaid family workers are defined in the same way in sipp as they are
in the c ps . However, if an individual reported he or she was a paid em
ployee in one job and an unpaid family worker in another job during a sipp
reference period, we classified the individual as a paid employee.
14 Some ambiguity in this conclusion should be noted. Because the legal
form of business is elicited for only one owner of a partnership or incorpo
rated business, it is possible that the recorded owner is of a different gender
than the principal owner.
15 Also, while sipp provides an unduplicated count of casual business
owners, it does not yield an unduplicated count of casual businesses. One
can only assume, as we have here, that all casual businesses are sole
proprietorships. This assumption may lead to an overcount of sole propri
etorships in our study.
16 S ta tis tic s o f I n c o m e B u lle tin (Department of the Treasury, Internal
Revenue Service, Summer 1985), p. 98. It is to be recalled that a sipp
reference period is 4 months. The income tax return data cover a calendar
year.
17 Among blacks and Hispanics, 4.5 and 7.4 percent, respectively, were
owners of a business.
18 In the c p s , the respondent is asked to report money income from his
or her business after expenses; hence, negative incomes can be reported
indicating a business loss. In sipp , the amount of income taken out of a
business during a reference period is zero or positive; net profit is ascer
tained from a separate question.
19 In 1978, less than 4 percent of workers had three or more employers
during the year (based on the May 1979 cps ).
20 Because this study is based on the 4-month reference periods of
Wave 1, the earnings data have been annualized. Thus, some individuals
are shown as having no earnings from a business because they had no
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business income during their 4-month reference period, whereas they might
be expected to have positive earnings over a full-year period. To some
extent this problem is mitigated by the use of median earnings to measure
income from different types of businesses. More precise figures will be
forthcoming as additional sipp data become available; in the meantime, the
data from Wave 1 provide new insights into the earnings of business owners
by type of business.
21 See Eugene H. Becker, “Self-employed workers,” p. 18. Becker
reports cps 1982 median earnings of $14,360 and $21,542 for male selfemployed and male wage and salary workers, respectively. The corre
sponding figures for female self-employed and female wage and salary
workers are $6,644 and $13,352.
22 The sipp earnings figures are for individuals who worked full time and
for all weeks of their 4-month reference period. The cps data referred to
above are for individuals who worked full time, full year. The closeness of
the ratios from the two data sources, while reassuring, is coincidental.
23 In this study, the primary business of business owners with two busi
nesses is defined as the one with the higher earnings. The owner or owners
of a business and unpaid family workers are included in the count of
employees.
24 Based on 65 observations. Note, respondents are first asked their
expected gross receipts in the following 12 months and then la te r in the
interview are asked what their earnings were during the reference period.
25 Sheldon Haber,
A N e w P e r s p e c tiv e ,
pp. 23-24.
26 In topical modules to.later sipp waves, additional information is being
collected about unincorporated businesses, for example, information about
assets and liabilities and gross receipts and expenses.
27 In sipp, up to 99 workers are recorded for each business. Only the
group sizes shown in table 5 are provided in the public use files.
28 From 1984 data developed by Hodgkinson and Weitzman, it is found
that 8.8 percent of paid employees in the private nonagricultural sector
work in nonprofit organizations. See Virginia Ann Hodgkinson and Murray
S. Weitzman, D im e n s io n s o f th e I n d e p e n d e n t S e c to r : A S ta tis tic a l P r o file ,
2nd ed. (Washington, Independent Sector, forthcoming). Applying the
aforementioned figure in ratio form to the number of paid employees only
(excluding government workers) derived from sipp yields an estimate of
workers in private nonprofit organizations.
23
Productivity trends in the furniture
and home furnishings stores industry
Overall output per hour was above average
from 1967 to 1985, reflecting a 4.8-percent increase
in output and a 1.8-percent rise in employee hours;
above-average growth is expected for the near future
in this rapidly changing industry
A rthur S. Herman and J. Edwin Henneberger
Productivity, as measured by output per hour of all persons,
grew at an average rate of 3.0 percent in the furniture and
home furnishings stores industry from 1967 to 1985.1 This
gain is significantly above the productivity growth rate for
the nonfarm business sector of the economy, which was 0.9
percent during the same period. The productivity trend rate
in the furniture and home furnishings stores industry reflects
an increase in output of 4.8 percent and a gain in hours of
all persons averaging 1.8 percent.
Productivity growth in this industry compared favorably
with trends in other retail trade industries measured by the
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Apparel stores had a slightly
higher productivity growth rate of 3.6 percent during 196785. However, drug stores had a lower rate of 2.3 percent and
retail food stores which posted an actual decline of 0.8
percent in productivity had a significantly lower rate.
The furniture and home furnishings stores industry com
prises a variety of different retail stores besides furniture
stores. These include stores selling floor coverings,
draperies, curtains, upholstery, miscellaneous home fur
nishings such as glassware, household appliances, radios
and televisions, and music and records. Productivity meas
ures have been developed for the furniture and home fur
nishings stores component of the industry and the appliance,
Arthur S. Herman and J. Edwin Henneberger are economists in the Divi
sion of Industry Productivity and Technology Studies, Bureau of Labor
Statistics. Patricia S. Wilder, an economist in the same division, assisted
in developing the productivity measure.
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radio, tv , and music stores component, as well as for the
overall industry.
Productivity growth was significantly different in the two
components of the industry. Productivity grew at the high
rate of 4.6 percent in the appliance, radio, and tv stores
component from 1967 to 1985 while increasing at less than
half that rate, 1.9 percent, in the furniture and home furnish
ings component. The appliance, radio, and tv stores com
ponent had a significantly higher rate of output growth, 6.6
percent per year, fueled by significant increases in demand
for such fast-selling items as microwave ovens, video
recorders, color television sets, and personal audio equip
ment. On the other hand, output of the furniture and home
furnishings stores component grew at the slower rate of 3.6
percent over the 1967-85 period. This component of the
industry was significantly affected by economic downturns
during the period. The growth rate for hours of all persons
was relatively similar for the two components of this indus
try, increasing at a rate of 2.0 percent in appliance, radio,
and tv stores and at a rate of 1.6 percent in furniture and
home furnishings stores.
Subperiod trends
Productivity growth can be divided into three periods in
the furniture and home furnishings stores industry. From
1967 to 1973, productivity grew at the comparatively high
rate of 4.3 percent in the overall industry as output increased
at the very high rate of 6.7 percent. The productivity ad-
vance slowed to a 1.5-percent rate from 1973 to 1978 as
output gains also slowed to 3.7 percent per year. From 1978
to 1985, productivity growth picked up to a 3.0-percent rate
as output growth increased to 4.5 percent. (See table 1.)
The trends in the overall industry reflected differing pro
ductivity and output growth rates in the component indus
tries in the more current periods. In the furniture and home
furnishings stores component, productivity experienced a
high growth rate of 4.3 percent from 1967 to 1973 as output
expanded significantly. Productivity fell to a rate of 1.0
percent from 1973 to 1978 and continued at a 1.3-percent
rate in the 1978-85 period. In the appliance, radio, and tv
stores component, productivity also grew at a high rate of
4.4 percent from 1967 to 1973 with output increasing at a
6.0-percent rate. From 1973 to 1978, productivity in this
component slowed to a rate of 2.2 percent, despite an output
growth rate of 5.7 percent. However, productivity growth
accelerated in this component to a rate of 5.5 percent from
1978 to 1985, with output up even more. (See table 2.)
Cyclical changes
The two components of this industry were influenced by
different economic factors over the period studied. The fur
niture and home furnishings component was very much
affected by cyclical changes in the economy. Expansions or
contractions in output and associated changes in productiv
ity in this component can be very closely tied to changes in
the growth of new residential construction, because furni
ture and home furnishings are generally purchased when
families move into new homes. In periods when the econ
omy is booming and especially when new residential con
struction expands rapidly, this component of the industry
registers large gains in output and, in turn, significant gains
in productivity. Conversely, when the overall economy de
clines, and especially when new residential construction
drops, output in this industry slows or posts declines and
productivity also tends to fall off.
This relationship can be seen by examining productivity
and output rates during the recessionary and growth periods
of the 1970’s and the 1980’s. In the recession of 1970, new
residential construction posted a decline.2 After recording
large gains in output and productivity in 1968, the furniture
and home furnishing stores component slowed in 1969 and
1970. Productivity in this part of the industry posted de
clines of 2.8 percent in 1969 and 0.3 percent in 1970.
During the growth period, 1971-73, output in this compo
nent expanded significantly. Productivity averaged 7.8 per
cent over this period. However, this industry component
was hit very hard by the recession of 1974-75, when new
residential construction plummeted, posting major declines
in 1974 and 1975. Output of the furniture and home furnish
ings stores component fell in 1974 and 1975. Productivity in
this component had two consecutive declines, —3.3 percent
in 1974 and —3.2 percent in 1975. During the period of
economic growth from 1976 to 1979, this component of the
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industry posted significant output gains and moderate pro
ductivity growth. The recessionary periods of 1980 and
1981-82 had a major impact on this part of the industry.
New residential construction fell sharply in 1980 and contin
ued to fall through 1982. The furniture and home furnish
ings stores component had 3 consecutive years of declining
output. Productivity recorded its largest decline over the
period measured in 1980, falling 6.5 percent and an addi
tional 3.6 percent in 1982. In the growth period following
this recession, output picked up significantly from 1983 to
1985 and productivity posted two good gains.
The appliance, radio, and tv stores component of the
industry was not as much affected by cyclical changes.
While trends in the sales of most appliances tend to move in
a similar direction as furniture and home furnishings, sales
of the other items sold by this component of the industry do
not. Radios, televisions, video recorders, records, and tapes
tended to have different growth patterns than furniture over
the 1967-85 period. There was a boom in demand for these
items, especially toward the latter part of the period. Even
among appliances, the vigorous expansion in the sale of
microwave ovens tended to produce countercyclical forces.
In fact, there was only one year of output decline in this
component over the 1967-85 period.
In the recession year of 1970, for example, the appliance,
radio, and tv stores component posted a strong output gain
of 6.1 percent. In the 1974-75 recession, output grew in
both years, although productivity posted a decline of 2.4
percent in 1974. In the recessionary periods of 1980 and
1981-82, output increased both in 1980 and 1981. In 1982,
however, this component posted its only output decline over
the period measured, - 1 .7 percent. Productivity also de
clined in 1982, falling 2.9 percent. After the poor showing
in 1982, sales accelerated. Output in this component aver
aged 16.0 percent from 1983 to 1985, and productivity
posted three continuous gains.
The sustained growth in output of stores in this compo
nent of the industry during the period measured can be
attributed to the boom in home electronic equipment sales.
Such items as video recorders, video cameras, personal size
stereo radio and tape players (boom boxes and minis),
miniaturized television sets, color tv ’s , compact disc play
ers, and high fidelity audio equipment, as well as records
and tapes which are played on this equipment, experienced
significant growth in demand, resulting in a major expan
sion in sales in this component of the industry.
Changing industry structure
During the period measured, there has been a shift toward
more chain store operations in this industry. Chains have
gotten larger and have increased their share of the market in
almost every type of store covered by this study. In the past,
this industry had been composed of single-unit firms located
in various communities, generally in a downtown traditional
shopping area location. These stores were designed to serve
25
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Productivity in Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores
individual local markets for furniture, home furnishings,
appliances, radios and televisions, records, and musical in
struments. Chain store growth became more important dur
ing the period that encompassed the shift of stores from
downtown areas to shopping malls and strip shopping areas
in the suburbs, which includes the period covered by this
study.
While single-unit stores still account for the majority of
the stores in the industry, the number of multiunit operations
has increased greatly. For example, the number of multiunit
stores has more than doubled between 19673 and 19824.
More importantly, a significant amount of sales has shifted
from single-unit firms to multiunit operations. In 1967, mul
tiunits accounted for 28 percent of the sales. By 1982, the
proportion of sales produced by multiunits had risen to 47
percent, although the number of stores belonging to multi
unit firms accounted for only about 10 percent of the total.
In general, most of the chain store operations in the indus
try are local or regional in nature. There are a few national
chains doing business in this industry, although some of the
regional chains, especially in home electronics, are moving
in the direction of becoming more widespread in operation.
However, local or regional store networks tend to be much
more common. For example, in 1967 there were five multi
unit firms with 101 establishments or more.5 By 1982, this
number had only grown to nine firms with 100 establish
ments or more.6 The bulk of the growth in the industry, both
in number of stores and sales, has been in firms with 25
establishments or less. Such establishments tend to be local
or regional chains.
are retained in the warehouse. Another innovation that can
be used in computerized warehouses is automatic guided
vehicles. These driverless vehicles follow guides in the
warehouse to move items in and out. They can interface
with the high stackers and computerized conveyors. How
ever, such equipment is in limited use in this industry and
is particularly difficult to adapt to furniture warehouses be
cause of the bulky nature and large variety of items to be
stored.7
Technological adaptations
The shift toward more chain store operations in this indus
try over the period measured has gone hand in hand with a
shift to more computerized sales and warehousing tech
niques. This is especially true in the appliance, radio, and tv
stores component of the industry, where numerous regional
chains and a few national chains have recorded significant
growth during the period that consumer electronics sales
were exploding.
As part of their strategy for expansion, the consumer
electronics chains use the latest computerized retailing tech
nology. For example, one regional chain has computer
terminals located on every sales counter. Besides accom
plishing the individual transaction, these computers are
connected directly to the central warehouse and company
headquarters resulting in immediate transmission of sales
data. This point-of-sale type technology allows the firm to
minimize inventory and storage space, maximize selling
space, and keep costs and rent expense low. It results in
almost instantaneous control of inventory because as soon as
each item is sold, the information is transmitted to headquar-
Technological changes
One of the most important innovations being used in this
industry is computerized point-of-sale equipment. This
technology varies in its sophistication but its object is to
computerize the transaction. In some cases, the items to be
sold are coded using a label directly applied to the product,
keeping the price in the computer memory. In other cases,
the description of the items to be purchased and prices are
typed by a sales person or a clerk into a computer terminal.
In all cases, the computer does the arithmetic of the sale,
adds the sales tax, and prints out a sales ticket. In many
cases, the system prompts the sales clerk by asking ques
tions such as whether the clerk tried to sell an extended
warranty. In some cases, the computer terminals are tied
into a companywide computer system that can be used for
such purposes as inventory control, product reordering, and
advertising campaigns.
Another innovation recently introduced is computerized
warehouses. Such warehouses can utilize computercontrolled “conveyorization” in which the computer con
trols the functions of storage, retrieval, and recording of
inventory and location information. Some of these ware
houses are high-rise in nature and use computerized high
stackers which automatically store and retrieve items that
26
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Table 1. Productivity and related indexes for the furniture
and home furnishings stores industry, sic 5 7 ,1 9 6 7 -8 5
[1977=100]
Year
Output per hour
of all persons
Output
Hours of all
persons
All persons
1967 ..................
1968 ..................
1969 ..................
70.2
79.6
76.5
58.8
64.8
66.5
83.8
81.4
86.9
77.6
78.2
83.2
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
..................
..................
...................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
80.1
80.0
89.1
95.3
92.5
91.9
95.3
100.0
100.3
107.6
68.5
71.4
82.7
89.6
89.5
86.7
93.4
100.0
106.2
115.7
85.5
89.2
92.8
94.0
96.8
94.3
98.0
100.0
105.9
107.5
82.9
85.7
90.0
92.9
95.2
92.4
96.6
100.0
105.2
107.7
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
..................
107.4
112.6
109.2
118.4
122.4
125.9
113.1
112.9
108.3
124.4
139.2
152.5
105.3
100.3
99.2
105.1
113.7
121.1
106.7
102.6
102.7
107.1
116.9
125.1
Average annual rates of change
1967-85
1967-73
1973-78
1978-85
.............
.............
.............
.............
3.0
4.3
1.5
3.0
4.8
6.7
3.7
4.5
1.8
2.3
2.1
1.4
2.3
3.1
2.4
2.0
Table 2. Productivity indexes for the furniture and home
furnishings stores industry and two components, 1967-85
[1977=100]
Total furniture and
home furnishings
stores (sic 57)
Furniture and
home furnishings
stores (sic 571)
Appliances, radio, tv ,
and music stores
(sic 572, 573)
1967 .............
1968 .............
1969 .............
70.2
79.6
76.5
71.5
81.8
79.5
68.2
76.3
72.1
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
80.1
80.0
89.1
95.3
92.5
91.9
95.3
100.0
100.3
107.6
79.3
82.8
93.0
96.3
93.1
90.1
94.4
100.0
97.9
104.8
81.2
75.9
83.4
94.1
91.8
94.8
96.5
100.0
104.0
112.4
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
.............
107.4
112.6
109.2
118.4
122.4
125.9
98.0
101.2
97.6
104.1
110.3
108.2
124.0
132.5
128.7
143.3
143.4
157.6
Year
Average annual rates of change
1967-85
1967-73
1973-78
1978-85
....
....
....
....
3.0
4.3
1.5
3.0
1.9
4.3
1.0
1.3
4.6
4.4
2.2
5.5
ters. In this way, slow-moving items can be pushed through
advertising and store managers can be alerted, via the com
puter, about items that should be emphasized with special
sales campaigns.8
In one national chain which uses point-of-sale type tech
nology, sales of a specific item are rung up on computerized
cash registers and the computer automatically signals a re
gional warehouse to send out a new supply of the item to the
store requiring it. This chain also can send computerized
messages on its system to individual stores, alerting store
managers to items that are building up in inventory and need
to be sold.9
The furniture store component of the industry has moved
somewhat more slowly into computerized retailing technol
ogy. The types of products sold and the sales techniques
used do not lend themselves as well as home electronic
items to multistore computerized point-of-sale hookups.
The more traditional furniture stores (chains or independ
ents), comprising the majority of the furniture store compo
nent, act as showrooms where sample furniture is set up in
displays. These establishments usually have knowledgable
sales people and decorators available to counsel customers.
Such employees spend a lot of time dealing with such cus
tomer needs as matching size, type, and style of furniture
and deciding on the correct color, pattern, composition, and
fabric. Once ordered, the customer generally waits for the
furniture to be manufactured. It is then shipped to the store’s
warehouse and delivered to the customer’s home.
Traditional firms tend to have some furniture in stock in
a warehouse, but because of the numerous combinations of
styles and types of upholstery, much furniture is ordered by
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the store, upon sale, directly from furniture manufacturers.
However, there has been a trend in the industry, which
started in the mid-1960’s, toward warehouse type of furni
ture store operations. These stores, which tend to be run by
regional or national chains, stock large volumes of furniture
in the same building in which the furniture is displayed The
stores emphasize low price and rapid turnover. These stores
are very large and generally include a high-rise warehouse
as well as a large display area. They attempt to provide a
number of different types, sizes, and patterns of furniture to
satisfy the majority of tastes. Warehouse furniture stores use
advertising such as direct mail catalogs and newspajper,
radio, and tv ads as important marketing tools, emphasizing
low price. Their objective is to provide furniture of all types
from their stock to the purchaser almost immediately. To
accomplish this goal, the stores use a computer system de
signed to keep careful control of inventory and provide the
correct bin location of the item sold to the warehouse per
sonnel. The warehouse personnel move the item, generally
via manually operated forklift truck, to the loading docks
where it is picked up by the customer. The customer does
not have to wait the usual 6 or 8 weeks required for delivery
from a conventional furniture store. In these stores, even
large bulky items such as upholstered sofas are available.
Warehouse stores encourage the customer to deliver the
furniture themselves, usually in or on top of their automo
bile immediately upon sale, thereby cutting the warehouse
stores’ costs for delivery and inventory. Such firms tend to
use the more advanced computerized point-of-sale equip
ment and warehousing operations installed in the industry.10
A similar type of operation that is growing in sales is the
furniture clearance outlet. This type of store is designed to
sell samples off the display floor and it also encourages
customers to deliver the furniture themselves.11 A different
type of store that has recorded sales gains over the period
measured concentrates on a very specific product line, such
as sleep sofas or mattresses. These stores generally are oper
ated by small or medium chains. They can provide rapid
turnaround from their centralized warehouses because of the
limited number of styles and sizes carried, therefore aiding
productivity growth.12
Another type of furniture sales operation that has become
more important in the recent past is the store emphasizing
knocked-down furniture. These stores, many of which are
combined with home furnishings outlets, tend to show furni
ture such as bookcases and tables which are available in
knocked-down form on shelves right next to the item being
displayed. The customer is encouraged to pick up the flatpacked furniture and purchase it at a central checkout coun
ter, thereby cutting down greatly on the amount of sales help
needed, delivery service required, and warehouse space
needed for inventory. Flat-packed items, many of which are
imported, take up significantly less warehouse space than
completed furniture. Such furniture is much easier to ship,
move, pack, and store than conventional, manufactured fur27
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Productivity in Furniture and Home Furnishings Stores
niture, resulting in significant labor savings for the store. By
reducing the price of the items and displaying samples in
attractive settings, the objective of this type of store is to sell
items that must be assembled by the customer at home. This
type of furniture store appears to be doing well and knockeddown furniture is growing in sales.13
ance mechanics are particularly important in appliance
stores, while radio and TV repairers are a major group in
radio and television stores. Transportation workers, namely
delivery truck drivers, also encompass a significant group in
this industry.14
Employment
The current high growth in industry output is expected to
continue. Products sold in all the types of stores covered in
this industry are expected to continue to increase in the near
future. Sales of furniture and home furnishings items as well
as appliances are expected to be assisted by significant
growth in new residential construction due to low mortgage
interest rates.15 Existing home sales also are up due to the
low interest rates, aiding the output of stores in the industry.
One area of uncertainty is growth in the construction of new
apartment buildings, which may be negatively affected by
the impact of the new tax legislation. Growth in home elec
tronic equipment sales is expected to continue to be strong,
keeping industry output up. Prices of home electronic items
have continued to remain low because of increasing compe
tition from Korean products. Many of the products sold by
stores in this component of the industry are made by
Japanese firms. However, they have not been as affected by
changing exchange rates as other types of imported prod
ucts. The home electronics industry is continuing to intro
duce advanced products and demand is expected to continue
high for them.
Stores in the industry are expected to continue to intro
duce computerized equipment such as point-of-sale termi
nals and systems for sales analysis, inventory control, and
product reordering. More automatic warehousing equip
ment is expected to be adapted.
The combination of high output growth and technologi
cally advanced sales and warehousing equipment should
result in a continuation of the above-average productivity
growth rate in this industry, at least in the near future. Q
Employment in this industry has increased significantly
over the period studied. The total number of persons work
ing (employees, self-employed, and unpaid family workers)
in 1967 was 555,000. By 1985, this total had grown to
896,000, an increase of 341,000 employees. Both compo
nents of the industry shared in the employment gain. The
furniture and home furnishings stores component increased
by 179,000 while the appliance, radio, and tv stores compo
nent almost doubled in employment over the period, grow
ing from 216,000 in 1967 to 378,000 in 1985.
Average hourly earnings of nonsupervisory workers were
$2.42 in 1967 and grew to $7.13 in 1985. These wages
remained below the average hourly earnings for the total
private nonfarm economy, which were $2.68 in 1967 and
$8.57 in 1985.
Average weekly hours of nonsupervisory workers de
creased steadily over the period measured, dropping from
38.5 per week in 1967 to 33.6 in 1985. This decline in
average weekly hours indicates an increase in the employ
ment of part-time workers.
The largest occupational group in this industry consists of
sales and related workers, such as sales persons and
cashiers. These employees accounted for about 30 percent
of total employment over the period measured. Two other
important groups consist of managers and clerical workers,
both accounting for more than 15 percent of employment
over the period studied. Craftworkers such as mechanics
and repairers also are important in this industry, especially
in specific types of stores. For example, household appli
Outlook
■FO O TN O TES-
1 The furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores industry is
classified as sic 57 in the 1972 S ta n d a r d I n d u s tr ia l C la s s ific a tio n M a n u a l
and its 1977 supplement, issued by the U.S. Office of Management and
Budget. The subindustries within the furniture and home furnishings group
include furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores, except appli
ance stores (sic 571), household appliance stores (sic 572), and radio,
television, and music stores (sic 573).
Vol. 29, No. 4 (U.S. De
partment of Commerce, International Trade Administration, July/August
1983), p. 9.
2 C o n s tr u c tio n R e v ie w , H is to r ic a l S ta tis tic s ,
3 1 9 6 7 C e n su s o f B u s in e ss , R e ta il T r a d e , S in g le U n its, a n d M u ltiu n its ,
BC67-RS-4 (Bureau of the Census, January 1971), pp. 4 -4 - 4-5 .
4 1 9 8 2 C e n su s o f R e ta il T r a d e , E s ta b lis h m e n t, a n d F irm S iz e , RC82-I-1
(Bureau of the Census, February 1985), pp. 1-15 - 1-18.
5 ¡967
C e n su s o f B u s in e s s ,
BC67-RS-4, pp. 4 -4 - 4-5.
6 1982
C e n su s o f R e ta il T r a d e ,
RC82-I-1, pp. 1-15 - 1-18.
7 Information obtained from industry representatives.
Digitized for 28
FRASER
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
8 “A Tough Case To Prove, Luskin’s Prospers in a Cutthroat Business.
Secret? Aggressive Selling, Smart Use of Computers and Clever Commis
sion,” F o r b e s , Dec. 30, 1985, pp. 55, 58.
9 “Circuit City’s Secret for Electrifying Sales,” F o rtu n e , Jan. 7, 1985,
p. 72.
10 Information obtained from industry representatives.
1 1 1 9 8 5 U .S . I n d u s tr ia l O u tlo o k (U.S. Department of Commerce, Inter
national Trade Administration, January 1985), p. 54-10.
12 Information obtained from Southwest Home Furnishings Association.
13 “Shopping Swedish-Style comes to the U .S.,” F o rtu n e , Jan. 20,
1986, p. 63.
14 T h e N a tio n a l I n d u s tr y — O c c u p a tio n E m p lo y m e n t M a trix , 1 9 7 0 , 1 9 7 8 ,
a n d p r o je c te d 1 9 9 0 , Bulletin 2086 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, April
1981), pp. 273-76, and bls I n d u s tr y — O c c u p a tio n a l E m p lo y m e n t M a trix ,
1 9 8 4 a n d 1 9 9 5 A lte r n a tiv e s (Bureau of Labor Statistics, November 1985),
pp. 1452-67.
15 1 9 8 6 U .S . I n d u s tr ia l O u tlo o k (U.S. Department of Commerce, Inter
national Trade Administration, January 1986), pp. 53-57.
APPENDIX: Measurement techniques and limitations
Indexes of output per hour of all persons measure changes
in the relationship between the output of an industry and
hours expended on that output. An index of output per hour
is derived by dividing an index of output by an index of
industry hours.
The preferred output index for retail trade industries
would be obtained from data on quantities of the various
goods sold by the industry, each weighted (multiplied) by
the employee hours required to sell one unit of each good in
some specified base period. This concept also embodies the
services associated with moving the goods from the retail
establishment to the consumer. Thus, those goods which
require more retail labor are given more importance in the
index.
Data on the quantities of goods sold usually are not avail
able for trade industries, including retail furniture and home
furnishings stores. Therefore, real output was measured by
removing the effects of changing price levels from the cur
rent dollar value of sales for the line items. Because an
adjustment for changing price levels usually lowers the dol
lar value, such a series is usually referred to as a deflated
value measure. Output measures based on deflated value
have two major characteristics. First, shifts in sales within
product lines can occur among products of different value
which have the same unit labor requirements. Thus, a
change can occur in the output per hour index even if the
labor utilized to sell the merchandise does not change. Sec
ond, the sales level, both in current and constant dollars,
reflects differences in unit values for identical products
sold in different types of establishments. For example, the
unit values associated with a product sold in a self-service
“off-price” store may be lower than the unit value associated
with the same product sold in a store that provides a number
of sales clerks as well as delivery service. The output meas
ure, therefore, reflects changes in the level of service pro
vided to customers, insofar as differences in unit values
reflect the difference in service among the various types of
establishments.
In addition to the deflated value technique, the output
measure for the total of the major group of retail furniture
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
and home furnishings stores was compiled by combining
output from the various component industries using weights
relating to labor importance (all person hours). This proce
dure results in a total industry output index that is closer,
conceptually, to the preferred output measure.
The index of hours for the retail furniture and home fur
nishings stores industry is for all persons (hours for paid
employees, partners and proprietors, and unpaid family
workers). As in all of the output per hour measures pub
lished by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hours and employ
ment are each considered homogeneous and additive.
Adequate data are not available to weight the various types
of labor separately.
The indexes of output per hour relate total output to one
input— labor time. The indexes do not measure the specific
contribution of labor, capital, or any other single factor.
Rather, they reflect the joint effect of many factors such as
changes in technology, capital investment, capacity utiliza
tion, store design and layout, skill and effort of the work
force, managerial ability, and labor-management relations.
No explicit adjustments were made to the measures to
take into account increases or decreases in some services
provided to the consumer. With the growth of warehouse
stores in the 1970’s, there was a trend toward more selfservice operations. This shifted some of the hours in retail
ing from employee to consumer. However, data are not
available to measure the effect of this change. Adjustments
for changes in product quality are made to the extent that
changes in quality have been accounted for in the price
indexes used to deflate the current dollar value of sales.
The basic sources for the output series for this measure
consist of the total sales data and sales by merchandise line
reported by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The defla
tors were developed using Consumer Price Indexes pub
lished by bls.
The basic source for the all-person-hour series consists of
data on employment and hours published by bls, supple
mented by data reported by the Internal Revenue Service
and special tabulations compiled for bls by the Bureau of
the Census.
29
Research
Summaries
Industrial structure has little impact
on jobless rate of experienced workers
R
ic h a r d
M .
D
e v e n s
UT —U}972 = ^ [ ( W ,, 1972AUi) + (U, 1972AW,)
i
, Jr .
Between 1972 and 1985, the proportion of the experienced
labor force1involved in the production of goods fell from 36
to 31 percent. This trend, frequently cited in discussions of
a “post” or “deindustrialized” society,2 has led some ana
lysts to hypothesize that the changing industrial structure
may actually moderate economic recessions.
The notion that growth in the service-producing sector
might moderate recessions is based on the observation that
industries in this sector have been less cyclically sensitive
than those in the goods-producing sector. Geoffrey H.
Moore has observed that the 1981-82 recession “can be
largely laid at the door of the goods-producing industries.
The service industries, in fact, helped to stabilize total em
ployment. This has been their usual role, but since the
services’ share of total employment is now far larger than it
used to be, their stabilizing effect is more powerful, too.”3
This line of reasoning has an appealing logic to it: the more
stable sectors are making up a larger share of the economy ;
therefore, the economy is becoming more stable. However,
Moore was referring specifically to employment trends,
which, because of a long-term tendency toward growth,
may mask some cyclical variations. Thus, between 1972
and 1985, total payrolls grew by 23.9 million, with 95
percent of the growth in the service sector. Had it not been
for the vitality of the service-producing sector in the early
1980’s, total employment may easily have fallen even more
than it did. However, payroll employment usually only
pauses or slows down from long-run growth during reces
sions; therefore, unemployment rates are considered to be a
more sensitive measure of cyclical patterns.
This analysis attempts to determine what, if any, effects
the changing industrial structure of the experienced labor
force has had on its unemployment rates,4 and the impact of
any such changes on the rise in unemployment rates in
recessions. If the cyclical moderation hypothesis is correct,
the trough to peak rises in the experienced worker unem
Richard M. Devens, Jr., is an economist in the Division of Labor Force
Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Digitized for 30
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ployment rate will be smaller after an adjustment is made for
industrial composition.
The overall change in the experienced worker unemploy
ment rate is decomposed according to the formula:
+ (AUiAWj)]
Ux is the experienced worker unemployment rate at time t,
Wit is the labor force proportion of the ith industry, and Uit
is the unemployment rate for that industry. AU, is the
change in the industry unemployment rate from 1972 to the
target year and AWi is the change in labor force proportion
from 1972 to the target year. The formula can be broken into
separate components of change: the three terms on the right
side of the equation isolate the pure trend/cycle effect,
the direct composition effect, and the interaction effect,
respectively.
The trend/cycle effect is the change in the unemployment
rate for experienced workers that would have occurred had
labor force proportions been unchanged and the industry
unemployment rates had changed. As its name reflects, this
measure is affected by both the general trend in industry
unemployment rates as well as the cyclical timing of the
period being analyzed.
The direct composition effect is that part of the overall
Table 1. Unemployment rates of the experienced civilian
labor force, and components of change, 1972-85 annual
averages
[In percent]
C hange from 1972
Year
Unem ploym ent
rate
Total
Trend/
cycle
Industrial
com position
In te r
action
_
1972
1973
1974
1975
.....................
.....................
.....................
.....................
4.848
4.156
4.871
7.640
-0.692
.023
2.792
-0.687
.029
2.856
0.000
.000
-.019
-0.006
-.004
-.044
1976
1977
1978
1979
.....................
.....................
.....................
.....................
6.820
6.132
5.202
5.059
1.792
1.284
.354
.211
2.016
1.311
.376
.234
-.023
-.018
-.020
-.026
-.023
-.009
.000
.000
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
.....................
.....................
.....................
.....................
.....................
.....................
6.350
6.771
8.703
8.609
6.604
6.367
1.502
1.923
3.855
3.761
1.756
1.519
1.564
2.003
4.059
3.961
1.761
1.657
-.023
-.032
-.052
-.049
-.032
-.033
-.042
-.050
-.148
-.152
-.083
-.105
change in the experienced worker unemployment rate that
would have occurred if industry jobless rates had stayed the
same, while labor force proportions changed.
The interaction term measures the joint effects of the two
changes, including any tendencies for an unemployment
rate to rise because of an “in-crowding” of workers that
raises an industry’s jobless rate or any tendency of workers
to transfer between high unemployment and low unemploy
ment sectors, thus either lowering or raising the respective
industry labor force proportions.5
Data used are annual averages from the Current Popula
tion Survey, a monthly survey of about 59,000 households.
Calculations are made at the industry division level, with
manufacturing separated into its durable and nondurable
goods components, for a total of 12 divisions.6 The results
are presented in table 1.
It is quite obvious that during the 1972-85 period, the
unemployment rate was little influenced by the industry
structure change. In fact, the changing industrial structure,
as measured by the direct composition effect, was quite
modest in its impact, ranging from zero in 1973 to -.052
percentage points in 1983. The interaction effect was nega
tive or zero in all cases, while the trend/cycle effect had the
greatest impact on the unemployment rate of the experi
enced labor force.
Unemployment rates for the experienced labor force
appear in table 2 in original, composition-adjusted, and
composition- and interaction-adjusted form (a procedure
that assumes that the entire interaction term represents ad
justments of labor force weight in response to changes in the
industry unemployment rate7). All adjustments are based on
the 1972 industry labor force distribution.
The unadjusted jobless rate rose 3.48 points (83.9 per
cent) in the 1973-75 recession. Industry composition
change had virtually no effect; after adjusting for the direct
composition effect since 1972, the increase was 3.47 points
(83.4 percent). Taking into account the interaction term
yielded an unemployment rate increase of 3.43 percentage
points (82.6 percent) relative to the rate in 1973.
During the 1979-82 recessionary period, the unadjusted
rate rose 3.64 points (72.0 percent). (While technically con
sidered to be two complete cycles, the 1979-82 period is
analyzed here as a single cycle.) Adjusted for changing
composition since 1972, the rise was 3.62 points (71.9
percent). When both the composition and interaction effects
were taken into account, the rise was 3.47 points (68.9
percent). Thus, the long-term trend in industry structure
change had little effect on either the absolute level of the
unemployment rate during these two downturns or on the
magnitude of the unemployment rise. The limited impact of
Chart 1. Unemployment rate of the experienced civilian labor force, 1972-85 annual averages
1972
N ote:
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
Shaded areas are recessionary periods designated by the National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA.
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31
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Research Summaries
Table 2. Unemployment rates of the experienced civilian
labor force adjusted for compositional and interactional
changes, 1972-85 annual averages
[In percent]
A djusted unem p loym en t rates
Year
O riginal
unem p loy
m ent rate
C hanges in industrial
com position
Changes in
com position and
interaction
1972
1973
1974
1975
........................
........................
.......................
.......................
4.848
4.156
4.871
7.640
4.848
4.156
4.871
7.621
4.848
4.150
4.867
7.577
1976
1977
1978
1979
........................
.......................
........................
........................
6.820
6.132
5.202
5.059
6.797
6.114
5.182
5.033
6.774
6.105
5.182
5.033
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
........................
6.350
6.771
8.703
8.609
6.604
6.334
6.327
6.739
8.651
8.560
6.572
6.334
6.285
6.689
8.503
8.408
6.489
6.229
the shift towards service industries is confirmed by chart 1,
on which the original data and data adjusted for both compo
sition and interaction have been plotted after rounding to the
first decimal point.
The effect on the unemployment rate is so small because
of the relative cyclical sensitivity of fast- and slow-growth
industries. Unemployment rates for the relatively slowgrowth manufacturing divisions are quite sensitive to the
cycle. However, although employment levels continue to
rise in the service industries, unemployment rates in these
fast-growth industries are also sensitive to business cycles.
For example, the jobless rate in the rapidly expanding retail
trade industry (a major part of the service sector) also rose
very sharply during recessions. By 1985, the retail trade
industry accounted for almost as much of the experienced
labor force as durable and nondurable manufacturing com
bined, and thus contributed as much weight to the aggregate
unemployment rate.
Thus, it is incorrect to assume that all rapidly growing
sectors are immune to the business cycle. Certainly, thencyclical sensitivity is more apparent in their unemployment
rates than in their employment levels. Therefore, while the
moderation hypothesis is intriguing, the empirical effect has
been negligible during the past 14 years.
Q
--------- F O O T N O T E S -------1 The experienced labor force excludes those who have no previous work
experience and, therefore, no attachment to a particular industry. This labor
force concept is used because workers without experience cannot be mean
ingfully classified according to industry.
2 See for example, Robert Kuttner, “The Declining Middle,” A tla n tic
M o n th ly , July 1983; Barry Bluestone and Bennett Harrison, T h e D e in d u s
tr ia liz a tio n o f A m e r ic a (New York, Basic Books, 1982); Thomas J.
Di Lorenzo, “The Myth of America’s Declining Manufacturing Sector,”
H e r ita g e F o u n d a tio n B a c k g r o u n d e r No. 321 (Washington, DC, Jan. 13,
1984); and Ronald E. Kutscher and Valerie A. Personick, “Deindus
trialization and the shift to services,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , June 1986,
32
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pp. 3-13.
3 Quoted in Henry F. Meyers, “The Growth in Services May Moderate
Cycles,” T h e W a ll S tr e e t J o u r n a l, Sept. 22, 1986, p. 1.
4 The experienced unemployed are categorized by the industry in which
they last worked. This can lead to data classification problems— for exam
ple, a worker on layoff from a durable goods manufacturing job who works
in a temporary job as a taxi driver would be classified as employed in
transportation and public utilities. Despite these technical concerns, indus
try unemployment rates provide a useful perspective on the structural trends
that are the focus of this report.
5 This section draws heavily on Joseph Antos, Wesley Mellow, and Jack
Triplett, “What is a current equivalent of unemployment rates of the past?”
M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , March 1979, pp. 36-46.
6 Industry classification in the Current Population Survey is somewhat
different than in the Bureau of Labor Statistics establishment payroll survey
in that government employees are categorized by industry public admin
istration, health, education, and so forth— in the CPS, rather than being
aggregated in a single industry.
7 This assumption, which builds the best case possible for the cycle
moderation hypothesis, is at least plausible in light of the consistently
negative values of the interaction term.
Cooperative training in
telecommunications: case studies
M
a r g a r e t
H
il t o n
a n d
R
o n n ie
S
t r a w
In mid-1986, the Communications Workers of America
(c w a )
and American Telephone and Telegraph ( a t & t )
reached agreement on a 3-year contract covering 155,000
workers. The highlight of the new contract was an innova
tive employment security package that gives the company
the flexibility to meet competition while protecting and en
hancing the careers of the workers, a t & t will provide $7
million annually to a new jointly-administered corporation,
the Alliance for Employee Growth and Development, which
will offer career counseling, training, and retraining to both
active and laid-off a t & t employees.1
All regular full- and part-time employees represented by
c w a
will be eligible for the joint training programs. In
addition, laid-off cwA-represented employees may partici
pate if they enroll within 6 months of layoff and take their
severance pay in weekly installments. Laid-off workers will
remain eligibile for 1 year after these severance payments
expire, or until they find a new job, whichever happens first.
This new agreement represents a major milestone in the
history of the U.S. telecommunications industry. Training
and retraining will help American industry compete in world
markets. For the 650,000 workers represented by c w a , the
contract was also a major step forward. Between 1983 and
1986, total employment in telephone communications
dropped by 14 percent,2 as new technology and increased
competition caused layoffs. More than half of c w a ’ s mem
bers are employed by the seven Regional Bell Operating
Margaret Hilton is a research economist and Ronnie Straw is director of
development and research, Communications Workers of America.
Companies spun off from at&t under the 1984 divestiture
agreement. These workers also obtained major improve
ments in training under new contracts negotiated in August
1986, after the at&t agreement was reached.
As cwa and at&t begin to establish the joint training
program, they can learn from past experience with both
training and quality-of-worklife programs.
The quality-of-worklife strategy
Before divestiture, in the stable world of the regulated
monopoly, cwa and at&t saw the benefits of joint
efforts to improve working conditions and increase produc
tivity. A series of company surveys in the late 1970’s
showed that workers were dissatisfied with increasing pro
duction pressures, measurement and monitoring of work,
excessive overtime, and lack of proper training. To address
these problems, reduce job stress, and improve communica
tions, the company and union agreed, as part of their 1980
national contract, to a joint quality-of-worklife process.
Quality-of-worklife had its origins in British coal mines
in the 1940’s. Eric Trist, a behavioral scientist now at the
Wharton School, developed a new paradigm of work orga
nization stressing autonomous work groups, broader jobs,
and worker participation in decisionmaking. The concept
began to appear in U.S. manufacturing industries in the
1960’s, and gained momentum with a growing concern for
worker satisfaction on the job. In the United States, qualityof-worklife generally takes the form of worker-management
teams which meet to discuss and solve workplace problems.
When researchers from the New York Stock Exchange
surveyed 49,000 corporations employing more than half of
all U.S. workers, they found that quality-of-worklife-related
activities had grown rapidly between 1980 and 1982.3 Dur
ing this time, about 14 percent of corporations with 100 or
more employees had quality-of-worklife-type programs.
Although some experts predicted that quality-of-worklife
and other forms of labor-management cooperation would
diminish as the economy recovered from recession in the
mid-1980’s, the opposite has occurred. Increased global
competition and the introduction of new technology have
spurred more companies to implement worker participation
programs. According to Business Week:4
at&t
In the past few years, scores o f companies that traditionally set
the patterns in industrial relations have adopted the concept.
Among them are General Electric, Ford, most GMDivisions, as
well as Xerox, Honeywell, Digital Equipment and other hightech companies. Even the financial services industry is picking
up the concept.
These national trends are reflected in cwa’s quality-ofworklife programs. Since 1980, about 1,000 company and
union facilitators have been trained, and 3,000 joint local
work force teams have met to discuss issues of concern to
the company and union. In a recent study, cwa and at&t
concluded that quality-of-worklife was “worth it,” with real
benefits for all parties.5
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In the present competitive, postdivestiture environment,
worker participation is even more important to both cwa and
the telephone companies. As Michael Maccoby, a consul
tant to cwa and at&t put it:6
In a competitive world, the bureaucratic, industrial system is too
cumbersome and expensive. Workers must be trained to under
stand the goals of the business and given the authority to re
spond to customer needs and to solve local problems. Such
training and authority requires new skills, flexibility, and decen
tralization. When it works, everyone is involved in satisfying
customers and in cutting unnecessary costs. . .
The quality-of-worklife process can help achieve these
goals, making the companies more competitive, which, in
turn, will make cwa jobs more secure.
Training and retraining
In 1983, cwa and at&t recognized that changes in the
industry and technology made ongoing training a necessity.
Their 1983 national contract directed at&t and each Bell
Operating Company to begin offering training and retraining
programs. A union-management Training Advisory Board
was established in each company to advise management on
off-hours training for career development and retraining for
new jobs within the company.
Training programs under the 1983 contract used a variety
of delivery mechanisms. At Northwestern Bell headquar
tered in Omaha, ne , the joint board contracted with 43
community colleges to deliver free career counseling and
courses to workers living throughout the five-State region.
Since the program began in October 1984, 4,600 workers,
or 46 percent of the 10,000 who are eligible, have partici
pated in counseling or training, or both. The dropout rate
from college courses selected by the workers, based on their
career plans, was less than 5 percent.
At c&p in the Washington, dc, area, the training board
has expanded courses offered after work at company loca
tions. Because of their convenience, these classes, which
emphasize basic skills such as math and reading, are very
popular. The company also offers tuition assistance and
home study courses. Rank-and-file participation in off-hours
training was 26 percent in 1984 and 17 percent in 1985.
at&t , Bell South, and Pacific Telesis developed exten
sive correspondence curricula which matched their business
plans. Because of their great accessibility, these courses
proved extremely popular. Most of the companies also of
fered tuition assistance for courses at local colleges.
cwa members have responded enthusiastically to the new
training programs. At most companies, participation rates
were over 10 percent, and at Pacific Telesis, at&t , and New
Jersey Bell, they were over 15 percent. Courses in basic
skills, whether offered via home study or through local
colleges, were especially popular. AT&T’s studies of its work
force indicate that “measured cognitive skills may account
for as much as one-third of the productivity difference be
tween workers.”7
33
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Research Summaries
Joint processes improve training
Some of the most successful training programs have been
those in which union and management used the quality-ofworklife process to develop and implement the program.
When both parties are involved and committed to training,
more workers participate and success rates are higher.
Columbus, oh. One example of successful joint training is
found in the Columbus, oh, operator services district of
at&t Communications. This group of employees has been
actively involved in quality-of-worklife since 1981.
Formerly a part of Ohio Bell, the operator services district
now includes 25 managers and 370 workers, most of whom
are long-distance operators. Following divestiture, qualityof-worklife has continued and grown. In addition to a dis
trict level quality-of-worklife steering committee and sev
eral subcommittees and task forces, operator circles reach
every employee, with meetings every 4 months.
Through quality-of-worklife, union and management
have successfully developed and delivered several types of
training. First, to facilitate the work of the operator circles,
all employees were trained in problem-solving techniques.
The steering committee also assigned a service assistant to
develop and conduct a short stress management course.
About one-third of the workers have taken the course to
date, and surveys show that the course has been extremely
well received.8
The professional development subcommittee of the steer
ing committee has been particularly active in the area of
training. With input from operators in all of the offices, the
subcommittee designed a 2-hour course on professionalism
and customer satisfaction. A feedback survey indicated that
most trainees found the course valuable in promoting pro
fessionalism and pride. They were reminded of the impor
tance of their contribution to the company in the more com
petitive, postdivestiture environment.
The cwa-at&t Training Advisory Board began mailing
texts for home study courses in early 1985. When the pro
fessional development subcommittee learned about the
courses, they set up after-hours study halls on company
premises. Seven union and management subcommittee
members began by working through the “Quick Arithmetic”
course, meeting on their lunch hours to discuss problems.
All seven successfully completed the course. In early 1986,
these seven “coaches” organized a study hall on company
premises for other interested at&t employees. Combining
the coaches with the study hall group, a total of 43 people
enrolled in Quick Arithmetic and received texts, and 81
percent successfully completed the course. Based on this
success, the professional development subcommittee is now
coaching groups enrolled in “Basic Electricity,” “English
Review,” and “Principles of Selective Listening” courses.
In contrast, national completion rates for at&t employees
34
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who attempted the home study course on their own were
much lower.9 Of the 12,328 employees who had enrolled in
February through September 1985, only 3,778, or 31 per
cent had passed their final test by December of that year.10
At c&p Telephone, completion rates for off-hours corre
spondence courses averaged 55 percent, compared with 85
percent completion for those who enrolled in classroom
training. By creating a classroom situation, the Columbus
quality-of-worklife team has overcome the low motivation
that usually leads to high dropout rates. An active unionmanagement partnership has improved the quality of training.
Pacific Northwest Bell. Success with quality-of-worklife
led managers at Pacific Northwest Bell to extend joint deci
sionmaking in late 1984. They established a group of three
internal Organizational Change Consultants. The consul
tants reported to management, cwa, and the International
Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, respectively, but were
all housed within the company and worked as a team.
One of the first problems assigned to the consultants
related to time and materials charging. Because installers
were uncertain about whether and how they could charge for
work on equipment and wiring not owned by Pacific North
west Bell, they were charging customers at a very low rate.
The company, seeing little revenue generated by the labor
hours spent, had stopped marketing the technicians’ serv
ices. A report on the legal and financial aspects of billing
was produced, but this highly detailed information was not
reaching the installers who actually did the work.
To address this problem, the consultants involved a crosssection of interested parties, including a core group of six
managers chosen by the department directors and four
craftspeople chosen by the local unions. Seeing the need for
more expertise, this group brought in managers who were
knowledgeable about rates and tarriffs; a manager and two
cwa members from the business office; and an expert wiring
crafts worker. The task force agreed to two goals— increas
ing revenues and increasing job security.
Two course developers from the company learning center
and two technicians developed the curriculum for a 1-day
pilot class on time and materials charging. Following trials
of the pilot, the subcommittee switched to a longer format
of two 6-hour days. The training was aimed not only at
teaching the installers how and what to charge, but also why
they should keep accurate records— to increase their job
security. The committee had agreed to measure the revenues
generated by time and materials charging so that these rev
enues could be weighted against labor costs in layoff decisions.
In March, April, and May of 1985, the course was deliv
ered to about 400 installers. Three instructors— all techni
cians— brought the training to installation and maintenance
groups throughout Washington and Oregon. The results of
the training have been phenomenal, as shown by the pattern
of revenues generated from work on equipment not owned
by Pacific Northwest. In January 1985, before the course,
revenues totalled $589. In April, when half of the workers
had completed the training, $21,000 was generated from the
outside work. By February 1986, billing for customized
work and charges reached $180,000. Total revenues for
1985 and the first 2 months of 1986 were about $1.4 mil
lion, or nearly twice the task force’s projection of $831,000.
As a result of the course, installers’ services are now
marketed aggressively. For example, if an installation crew
drives by a construction site on their way from another job,
they stop and bid on the work. They also know how much
to charge for working on outside equipment, such as doing
testing for a t &t .
In addition to achieving the company’s goal of enhancing
revenues, the task force’s efforts have led to increased job
security for installation and maintenance technicians. De
mand for their services has grown with increased bidding on
jobs and more installers have been hired, providing c w a
members in other job titles with opportunities for promo
tions or transfers into this work group. Future layoffs are
unlikely because the savings in labor costs must be weighed
against the revenues generated by the installers.
A second training problem was identified through the
annual Work Relationships Survey, conducted as part of the
ongoing quality-of-worklife process. Systems technicians,
who work on computer-telephone hookups and other special
systems, indicated that they were unhappy with the quality
of their training. Training was mostly provided in learning
laboratories where employees independently studied text
books and tapes, and raised questions to managers who were
sometimes available. This training structure did not give the
technicians the skills needed to deal with equipment venders
and competitors in the postdivestiture world, nor did it in
clude training on digital equipment, which was planned to
be completely installed by 1987.
A more detailed survey of the technicians’ knowledge of
math and electronics revealed that they needed more knowl
edge on the fundamentals of electronics. A manager who
was instrumental in the surveys and training called upon the
Joint Occupational Change Consultants. This team set up a
task force of systems technicians, chosen by c w a local pres
idents, line managers, course developers, and representa
tives of Lake Washington Vocational Technical Institute.
This group first met in May 1985.
The consultants split the task force into three committees.
The curriculum committee, which included skilled systems
technicians, brainstormed about topics to cover, evaluated
textbooks, and interviewed candidates for the instructor and
assistant instructor jobs. The human factors committee dealt
with transportation, housing, and contract issues. The fi
nance committee obtained group accommodations from a
motel near the school and tracked total course costs. The
skills of the consultants and the energy of the committee
members met with success. By September 1985, the first
class began the 3-week “Telecommunications I” course.
Although participation (on company time) was voluntary,
95 percent of the system technicians signed up for the
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course. They were so enthusiastic about the training that
their supervisors also wanted to participate. In June 1986, 8
classes of 20 technicians and 5 classes of 22, including 10
first-level supervisors, had finished the course. Of these 270
trainees, there were no dropouts and only one failure. Fol
lowing a summer break, three more classes met. As of
November 1986, about 300 technicians and supervisors had
been trained and no one else had dropped out or failed. The
participants were enthusiastic about the quality of the in
structors, the extensive modem laboratory, and relaxed ca
maraderie among the trainees. Also, they preferred the
classroom setting to their earlier self-paced instruction.
In general, dropout rates from off-hours correspondence
courses at Pacific Northwestern have ranged from 56 to 67
percent between 1982 and 1985. Although completion rates
are probably higher for on-hours training, the problem of
lack of motivation in self-paced courses remains.
Management was pleased that the off-site electronics
course was less expensive than in-house training. Tuition
costs reflected a State subsidy to the vocational technical
school of about 31 cents per dollar. Technicians who have
completed the course were more comfortable dealing with
outside vendors, called on their supervisors less often, and
were more motivated to work.
The success of “Telecommunications I” has led to further
joint training efforts. Management and union representa
tives have begun developing “Telecommunications II,” a
more advanced course, covering digital electronics and mi
croprocessors. The instmctor for Telecommunications I has
surveyed managers, trainees, and technicians to identify
training needs and develop the curriculum for the second
course. Continued joint training in electronics will increase
productivity and employment security as the company in
stalls digital equipment.
F or a t &t a n d c w a , the success of the courses at Pacific
Northwest Bell and a t &t Columbus provides a model of
working together. In both examples, union and management
were active participants in designing and delivering train
ing. The quality-of-worklife process, which facilitated these
successes, can help c w a and a t &t set common goals to use
the new joint training fund effectively and to work together
to deliver beneficial training programs.
Joint training enhances productivity and competitiveness
for employers, while helping individuals reach career goals.
As national and international competition grows, companies
that develop their human capital through such innovative
approaches will survive and prosper.
| |
-------- F O O T N O T E S --------1
The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers obtained similar
training programs for their 41,000 & employees in June 1986. How
ever, the
did not create a separate, jointly-owned corporation to
deliver training and career counseling.
a t
t
ib e w
35
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
2 Bureau of Labor Statistics, E m p lo y m e n t a n d
3 William C. Freund and Eugene Epstein,
E a rn in g s ,
Research Summaries
February 1986.
P e o p le a n d P r o d u c tiv ity : Th e
N e w Y o rk S to c k E x c h a n g e G u id e to F in a n c ia l I n c e n tiv e s a n d th e Q u a lity
o f W o rk L ife
industry groups (wholesale and retail trade; services; and
finance, insurance, and real estate), union membership was
less than 8 percent of employment.
(Homewood, IL, Dow Jones-Irwin, 1984), p. 128.
4 John Hoerr and Michael A. Pollock, “Management Discovers the
Human Side of Automation,” B u s in e ss W eek , Sept. 29, 1986, p. 74.
5 U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor-Management Relations
and Cooperative Programs, Q u a lity o f W o rk L ife : a t & t a n d cwa E x a m in e
P r o c e s s A fte r T h re e Y e a r s 1985, p. iii.
6 I b id ., p. vii.
7 Mary L. Tenopyr, “Cognitive Skills and Job Performance,” H ig h
(Washington, National Academy
Press, 1984).
Occupation. Operators, fabricators, and laborers (includ
ing machine operators, assemblers, transportation workers,
cleaners, and helpers) and precision production, craft, and
repair were the most heavily unionized major occupational
groups, with 30 and 29 percent union membership, respec
tively. Membership rates were less than 15 percent among
the other major occupational groups.
S c h o o ls a n d th e C h a n g in g W o rk p la c e
8 Communications Workers of America Research Staff and AT&T Com
munications Research Staff, T h e E m e rg e n c e o f S e c o n d G e n e r a tio n Q u a lity
o f W o rk L ife M o d e ls in a t & t C o m m u n ic a tio n s: A P i lo t S tu d y , 1986, p. 8.
9 The five most widely used home study courses are Robert A. Carman
and Marilyn J. Carman, Q u ic k A r it h m e tic , 2nd ed. (John Wiley and Sons);
Donald H. Sanders, C o m p u te r s T o d a y (McGraw-Hill); Robert N.
Anthony, E s s e n tia ls o f A c c o u n tin g , 3rd ed. (Addison-Wesley); P r in c ip le s
o f S e le c tiv e L iste n in g (Argyle Publishing); and Patricia M. Fergus, S p e llin g
I m p r o v e m e n t (McGraw-Hill).
10
zation,
a t
&
t
Communications Corporate Learning and Development Organi
table 3.
Demographic characteristics. While a larger proportion
of male workers than female workers belonged to unions (22
and 13 percent, respectively), the pattern of union member
ship proportions by age bracket was similar for both men
and women. The proportion of workers belonging to unions
was smallest for workers age 16 to 24 for both men and
women (9 and 5 percent, respectively). As worker age rose,
so did the percentage belonging to unions, with the highest
unionization rate occurring for both men and women in the
45- to 64-year-old bracket.
T r a in in g !R e tra in in g 1 9 8 5 R e s u lts a n d M e a s u r e m e n ts ,
New data on workers
belonging to unions, 1986
An estimated 17 million wage and salary employees were
union1 members in 1986, unchanged from 1985. In com
parison, union membership declined an average of about
817,000 a year between 1979 and 1983 and 361,000 a year
between 1983 and 1985.
Because of the increase in total wage and salary employ
ment— from 94.5 to 96.9 million— union members as a
proportion of all wage and salary employees fell from 18.0
to 17.5 percent between 1985 and 1986.
Union membership and employment data were obtained
from the Current Population Survey (cps), conducted by the
Bureau of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The
cps compiles data on workers identified by their member
ship in unions or by their representation at work by a union,
whether or not they were members. The data covered only
employed wage and salary workers, not those who were
self-employed, retired, or laid-off.
Industry. Two of the eight major industry groups— Fed
eral, State, and local government and transportation, com
munications, and public utilities— had union membership
proportions approximately double the 17.5 percent national
average. Manufacturing and construction also had higher
proportions than the national average, 24 and 22 percent,
respectively. In mining, the proportion of union members
was the same as the national average. Among the other
Digitized for36
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Earnings. Full-time workers represented by unions had
higher median usual weekly earnings than those without
representation ($439 compared with $325). This relation
ship existed in 6 of the 8 major industry groups (exceptions
were mining and finance, insurance, and real estate) and
among the occupational groups (with the exception of man
agerial and professional specialty workers). Similarly,
among black and white workers of both sexes, those covered
by a collective bargaining agreement had higher weekly
earnings than those that were not represented.
For detailed data, see Larry T. Adams, “Union Member
ship of Wage and Salary Employees in 1986,” Current
Wage Developments, February 1987, pp. 3-8.
--------- F O O T N O T E --------1
“Union” is defined to include traditional labor unions and employee
associations that represent employees in collective bargaining.
Occupational pay structure
in cigarette manufacturing plants
Straight-time earnings of production and related workers in
the cigarette manufacturing industry averaged $14.81 an
hour in July 1986, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics
occupational wage survey.1
Pay levels among occupations selected to represent the
industry’s wage structure, workers’ skills, and manufactur
ing operations ranged from $11.40 an hour for material
handling laborers to $17.90 for maintenance electricians.
Cigarette making-machine operators, the most numerous
group studied separately, averaged $14.96 an hour— $15.01
for filter cigarettes and $13.74 for nonfilter cigarettes. The
only other groups with at least 2,000 employees were
machine adjusters, who averaged $17.73 an hour and pack
ers, who averaged $15.02 an hour. (See table 1.)
Earnings of individual workers reflect the similarity of
rates paid by the establishments in the survey. Commonly,
workers’ pay varied by no more than 50 cents an hour in
each of four surveyed jobs, and by no more than $1 an hour
in five others. For example, nearly two-thirds of the
cigarette making-machine operators earned between $15
and $15.50 an hour, and three-fifths of the carpenters earned
between $17.50 and $18 an hour. Also, differences in earn
ings of individual workers within the same occupation and
establishment seldom exceeded 15 percent.
Such concentrations of earnings largely reflect the princi
pal method of pay in the industry. All of the workers were
paid on a time basis, and nearly two-thirds were under
systems providing a single rate for a specific job. Range of
rate plans covered the other workers.
The $14.81 average for all production workers in July
1986 was 41 percent higher than the $10.47 recorded by a
previous survey in June 1981.2 This increase, accompanied
by a 27-percent decline in employment, averaged 7.1 per
cent annually. In comparison, the wage and salary compo
nent of the Bureau’s Employment Cost Index registered an
average annual increase of 5.0 percent in nondurable goods
manufacturing over roughly the same period.
With lower employment came changes in the occupa
tional composition of the work force. Since the 1981 survey,
for example, the number of inspectors dropped by one-half
and cigarette making-machine operators by one-third; partly
attributable to new, multifunctional equipment. Moreover,
cigarette catchers— 15 percent of the production workers 20
years ago, but just 1 percent in June 1981— were not iden
tified separately for the current study.
All of the production workers were in establishments
providing paid holidays, paid vacations, and at least part of
the cost of various health and insurance plans. Nearly twothirds of the cigarette workers received the industry maxi
mum of 13 holidays annually. Typical vacation provisions
were 2 to 6 weeks with pay, depending on years of service.
All establishments provided employer-paid retirement
pension plans (in addition to Social Security). Retirement
severance plans applied to slightly more than two-fifths of
the work force.
The nine cigarette manufacturing establishments within
the scope of the survey (plants with 50 workers or more)
employed 23,913 production workers in July 1986. Twothirds of the workers were employed in establishments lo
cated in metropolitan areas,3 and nearly four-fifths were in
establishments employing 2,500 workers or more. Slightly
more than one-half of the workers were employed in North
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Table 1. Number of workers and average hourly earnings in
cigarette manufacturing plants, selected occupations,
July 1986
D e p a rtm en t a n d o c cu p a tio n
N u m b e r of
w o rke rs
All production workers .......................
A v e ra g e
ho u rly
e a rn in g s 1
23,813
$14.81
34
350
398
17.49
17.90
17.65
2,607
17.73
2,885
2,773
112
2,869
14.96
15.01
13.74
15.02
200
13.57
458
13.30
213
842
835
46
11.40
13.40
13.40
13.48
100
83
12.57
12.86
M a in te n an c e
Carpenters..........................................
Electricians ........................................
Machinists...........................................
F ab ricatio n
Adjusters, machine..............................
Cigarette making-machine
operators ........................................
Filter cigarettes............................
Nonfilter cigarettes .....................
Cigarette machine packers.................
Insp ectio n
Cigarette making
inspectors........................................
Cigarette packing
inspectors........................................
M aterial m o v em e n t
Laborers, material
handling...........................................
Power-truck operators .......................
Forklift .............................................
Truckdriver..........................................
C u s to d ia l
Guards ...............................................
Guards 1 ...........................................
1
Excludes premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends, holidays, and late shifts.
Incentive payments, such as those resulting from piecework or production bonus systems, and
cost-of-living pay increases (but not bonuses) were included as part of the workers’ regular pay.
Excluded are performance bonuses and lump-sum payments of the type negotiated in the auto
and aerospace industries, as well as profit-sharing payments, attendance bonuses, Christmas
or yearend bonuses, and other nonproduction bonuses.
Note: Overall occupations may include data for workers in subclassifications in addition to
those shown separately.
Carolina; the remainder were in Georgia, Kentucky, and
Virginia.
Filter cigarettes were the primary product manufactured
in establishments employing 96 percent of the production
workers. The remaining workers were in establishments
primarily producing nonfilter cigarettes. Seventy percent of
the workers were in establishments producing only ciga
rettes. However, when a secondary tobacco product was
produced, it was always smoking tobacco.
Cigarette plants reporting a majority of their production
workers under collective bargaining agreements employed
seven-tenths of the industry’s work force. The major union
in the industry is the Bakery, Confectionery, and Tobacco
Workers International Union ( a f l - c i o ) . Under these con
tracts, workers receive quarterly cost-of-living adjustments
( c o l a ) of 1 cent for each 0.3-percentage-point increase in
the b l s Consumer Price Index. Besides c o l a , the contracts
typically include provisions for wage adjustments— either
cents-per-hour or percentage additions to base rates.
A c o m p r e h e n s i v e b u l l e t i n on the study, Industry Wage
Survey: Cigarette Manufacturing, July 1986, b l s Bulletin
2276, may be purchased from the Bureau of Labor Statis-
37
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Research Summaries
tics, Publication Sales Center, P.O. Box 2145. Chicago il
60690, or the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Govern
ment Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
-------- F O O T N O T E S --------1 Earnings data exclude premium pay for overtime and for work on
weekends, holidays, and late shifts. Incentive payments, such as those
resulting from piecework or production bonus systems, and cost-of-living
pay increases (but not bonuses) were included as part of the workers’
regular pay. Excluded are performance bonuses and lump-sum payments of
the type negotiated in the auto and aerospace industries, as well as profitsharing payments, attendance bonuses, Christmas or yearend bonuses, and
other nonproduction bonuses.
2 See I n d u s tr y W a g e S u rv e y : C ig a r e tte M a n u fa c tu rin g ,
letin 2132 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 1982).
June 1 9 8 1 ,
Bul
3 Metropolitan Statistical Areas as defined by the U.S. Office of Man
agement and Budget through June 1983.
Employer-sponsored health insurance
for retirees: the need and the cost
Retirees in the private sector are finding employersponsored health insurance an increasingly important bene
fit, according to a recent report by the U.S. Department of
Labor’s Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration.
Some highlights:
Although medicare is the principal source of health cover
age for the elderly, private health insurance, especially cov
erage provided through employer-sponsored group plans,
provides an important supplement. The significance of pri
vate health benefits is likely to continue to grow as early
retirement becomes even more common, life expectancy
increases, and the older population grows.
Coverage. In 1983, an estimated 4.6 million retirees and
2.3 million dependents were covered by private sector em
ployers’ health insurance programs. Among retirees and
dependents age 65 and over, 4.3 million persons were cov
ered, or 16 percent of this segment of the population.
Group health insurance is a key consideration to those
contemplating early retirement because medicare is not
available before age 65. An estimated 1.6 million retirees
Digitized for 38
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and 1 million dependents under 65 were covered by
employer-sponsored programs.
Employer-sponsored group insurance generally provides
better coverage for health services than other private health
insurance programs. Although cost-sharing does vary
widely between firms, employers pay an average of 58
percent of the premiums under group insurance plans.
No systematic sample data are available on the criteria
used by employers to determine eligibility for retiree health
benefits. However, scattered data indicate that, to be eligi
ble for benefits, employees usually have had to work for a
firm for at least 10 years, and in some cases for as many as
20 years.
Funding. Prefunding of retiree health benefits is rare. Al
most all firms finance these benefits on a pay-as-you-go
basis.
The Deficit Reduction Act of 1984 virtually precludes
prefunding for retiree medical benefits. (A concern of the
Congress was potential tax abuse.) An alternative would be
prefunding as an incidental benefit to a pension plan under
section 401 (h) of the Internal Revenue Code. Retirees’
benefits funded under this section, however, are not af
forded the same level of protection as pension benefits.
The present value of the accrued liability for retiree health
benefits is estimated to have been $98.1 billion in 1983.
This accrued liability represents the present value of benefits
that both active and retired employees had “earned” as of the
end of 1983.
If employers had been prefunding retiree health in
surance, the 1985 annual accrual for new benefit liabilities
would have been an estimated $750 million.
Medicare tax rates are currently inadequate to sustain the
program through the 1990’s, and concerns about the Federal
deficit suggest that medicare benefits are unlikely to in
crease in the near future. The continuing rise in health care
costs over the past decade has resulted in many companies
reducing their health care benefits or increasing costs to
beneficiaries, including retirees.
The report, “Employer-Sponsored Retiree Health In
surance,” was prepared by the Office of Policy and Re
search, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration.
Copies may be obtained by writing to the Department of
Labor, Office of Policy and Research, Pension and Welfare
Benefits Administration, Washington, DC 20210 or by
calling 202-523-9505.
□
Major Agreements
Expiring Next Month
This list of selected collective bargaining agreements expiring in June is based on information collected
by the Bureau’s Office of Wages and Industrial Relations. The list includes agreements covering
1,000 workers or more. Private industry is arranged in order of Standard Industrial Classification.
I n d u str y o r a c tiv ity
N um ber o f
w ork ers
E m p lo y e r a n d lo c a tio n
L a b o r o r g a n iz a tio n !
Associated General Contractors of New Jersey and others (Interstate)..
Associated General Contractors, Building, Heavy and Highway (Utah)
Associated General Contractors and Building Trades Employers’ Asso
ciation (Boston,
)
Allied Building Metal Industries, Inc., 2 agreements (New York, N Y )
Building construction agreement (New York, N Y ) ..........................................................
Building Trades Employers’ Association, Nassau and Suffolk (New
York)
Building Contractors, Associated Brick Masons and others, Nassau
and Suffolk (New York)
Elevator Manufacturers Association of New York (New Y ork)............
General Contractors Association (New York,
)
..........................................................
General Contractors Association (New York, N Y ) ...........................................................
Mechanical Contractors Association (New York, N Y ) ................................................
Great Western Sugar Co. (Interstate).....................................................
Wholesale bread and cake bakeries (Interstate).....................................
Operating Engineers ........................
Operating Engineers ........................
Iron Workers ...................................
4,500
1,500
1,800
Iron Workers ...................................
Carpenters .......................................
Operating Engineers ........................
2,400
20,000
1,700
Laborers...........................................
2,000
Elevator Constructors ......................
Operating Engineers ........................
Laborers...........................................
Plumbers .........................................
Teamsters (Ind.) ..............................
Bakery, Confectionery and Tobacco
Workers
Teamsters (Ind.) ..............................
Textile W orkers................................
Ladies Garment Workers ................
1,900
3,000
2,400
3,300
1,400
8,000
P r iv a te
Construction....................................
m a
n y
Food products ................................
Textiles ..........................................
Apparel .........................................
Paper .............................................
Printing and publishing..................
Chemicals ......................................
Stone, clay, and glass products . . .
Machinery ......................................
Electrical products..........................
Transportation equipment ..............
Water transportation ......................
Utilities .........................................
Retail trade ....................................
Insurance ........................................
Services ..........................................
Amusements ..................................
Hospitals ........................................
Wholesale Bakers Group, drivers (southern California) ........................
Dan River Inc. (Danville,
)
...............................................................
Lingerie and Negligee Manufacturers Association of New York (New
York, N Y )
James River Co. (Berlin, N H ) .................................................................
Metropolitan Lithographers Association, Inc. (New York, N Y ) ............
Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, ) ......................
Owens-Coming Fiberglas Corp. (Newark, O H ) .....................................
v a
t n
Sperry-Rand Corp., Univac Division (St. Paul,
)
............................
Zenith Radio Corp. (Chicago, IL) ..........................................................
Rockwell International Corp. (Interstate)...............................................
Bell Helicopter Co. (Fort Worth, T X ) ...................................................
Tankers agreement (Interstate) ...............................................................
American Maritime Association (Interstate) .........................................
Georgia Power Co. (Georgia).................................................................
Detroit Edison Co. (Michigan)...............................................................
Safeway (Virginia) .................................................................................
Acme Food Stores (Baltimore, M D ) .......................................................
Employers Association of Greater Chicago (Illinois) ............................
John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance Co. (Interstate) ..........................
Textile Rental Services Association (California)...................................
Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (Interstate) ........
Seattle Area Hospital Council (Seattle,
)
.........................................
m n
w
a
Paperworkers ...................................
Graphic Communications ................
Atomic Trades and Labor Council ..
Glass, Pottery, Plastics and Allied
Workers
Electrical Workers ( I B E W ) ................
Independent Radionic Workers (Ind.)
Auto Workers .................................
Auto Workers .................................
Maritime U nion................................
Seafarers .........................................
Electrical Workers ( I B E W ) ................
Utility Workers ...............................
Food and Commercial Workers . . . .
Food and Commercial Workers ___
Machinists .......................................
Food and Commercial Workers . . . .
Laundry and Dry Cleaning Union ..
Directors Guild ................................
Nurses Association (In d .)................
2,800
7,500
3,000
1,200
5,000
4,400
2,250
2,500
1,500
16,000
2,700
4,500
8,000
6,000
3,600
2,500
2,000
2,500
5,000
2,600
2,800
3,500
P u b lic
General government ......................
California: Orange County clerical u n it.................................................
Orange County general u n it.................................................
Education........................................
General government ......................
Sacramento Board of Education, classified employees . . . .
San Diego Board of Education, teachers ............................
San Diego County multidepartments....................................
Health services ..............................
Fire protection................................
State professional engineers.................................................
State psychiatric technicians ...............................................
State Department of Forestry, firefighters...........................
Orange County Employees Associa
tion
Orange County Employees Associa
tion
Service Employees ..........................
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
San Diego County Employees’ Asso
ciation
Professional Engineers (Ind.) ..........
Communications W orkers................
Fire Fighters ...................................
3,200
2,850
3,000
6,000
7,200
4,800
7,700
3,000
See footnote at end of table.
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39
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987
•
Major Agreements Expiring Next Month
Continued—Major Agreements Expiring Next Month
E m p lo y e r a n d lo c a tio n
In d u stry o r a c tiv ity
Law enforcement............................
State correctional peace officers .........................................
State Patrol ...........................................................................
Education........................................
Health services ..............................
General government ......................
Florida: Duval County Board of Education, noninstructional employees
Orange County teachers ...........................................................
State University faculty.............................................................
State professional health care unit ............................................
State human services u n i t.........................................................
State professional u n it...............................................................
State operational services unit ..................................................
Hawaii: State professional and scientific unit ........................................
State blue-collar u n it.................................................................
State white-collar general unit .................................................
Education........................................
General government ......................
Education........................................
General government ......................
Education........................................
General government ......................
State Board of Education, teachers .........................................
Iowa: State blue-collar and technical employees....................................
Maine: State general unit .......................................................................
Maryland: Baltimore County Board of Education, professionals..........
Baltimore County Board of Education, clerical and aides ..
Montgomery County Board of Education, teachers ............
Montogomery County Board of Education, support staff . . .
Massachusetts: Boston clerical ...............................................................
Michigan: Detroit Board of Education, teachers....................................
Minnesota: State multidepartment .........................................................
State general professional unit ............................................
General government ......................
Missouri: St. Louis teachers...................................................................
Nevada: Clark County Board of Education, classified ..........................
Clark County Board of Education, teachers ............................
New Hampshire: State general unit .......................................................
Education........................................
General government ......................
New York: Buffalo Board of Education, teachers ................................
New York City accountants and data processing employees
Education........................................
New York City blue-collar employees ................................
New York City clerical employees......................................
New York City engineers and scientists..............................
New York City institutional services employees ................
Education........................................
New York City Sanitation Department................................
New York City Board of Education, school aides ............
Fire protection ................................
Health services ..............................
New York City
New York City
ministrators
New York City
New York City
New York City
Board of Education, teachers ....................
Fire Department ........................................
health services employees..........................
New
New
New
New
Health and Hospital Corp., custodians . . .
Health and Hospital Corp., nurses............
Health and Hospital Corp., special officers
hospital technicians....................................
York City
York City
York City
York City
Board of Education, paraprofessionals . . .
Board of Education, supervisors and ad-
New York City social services ............................................
Law enforcement............................
General government ......................
New York City special protective officers..........................
New York City Police Department.....................................
New York City Department of Correction, correction
officers
Oregon: State employees general unit ....................................................
Wisconsin: State blue-collar employees.................................................
State technical employees ....................................................
•Affiliated with AFL-CIO except where noted as independent (Ind.).
Digitized for40
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L a b o r o r g a n iz a tio n 1
Correctional Peace Officers Associa
tion
Highway Patrolmen Association
(Ind.)
Various unions..................................
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
Nurses Association (Ind.) ................
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
State, County and Municipal Employees
State Employees Association (Ind.)..
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
Various Associations (Ind.) ............
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
Council of Supporting Services Employees (Ind.)
Service Employees ..........................
Teachers...........................................
State, County and Municipal Employees
Association of Professional Employees (Ind.)
Teachers...........................................
Classified School Employees (Ind.) .
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
State, County and Municipal Em
ployees
Education Association (Ind.) ..........
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
Teamsters (Ind.) ..............................
State, County and Municipal Employees
Teachers...........................................
American Federation of School Administrators
Teachers...........................................
Fire Fighters ....................................
State, County and Municipal Employees
Service Employees ..........................
Nurses Association (Ind.) ................
Teamsters (Ind.) ..............................
State, County and Municipal Employees and Service Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
Teamsters (Ind.) ..............................
Patrolmen’s Association (In d .)........
Correction Officers Benevolent Association (Ind.)
State Employees Association ..........
State, County and Municipal Employees
State, County and Municipal Employees
N u m b er o f
w ork ers
9,800
4,700
3,500
5,000
6,000
3,450
12,000
15,000
14,000
4,950
8,000
10,000
9,100
14,000
10,000
5,800
3,000
5,800
5,500
4,000
11,500
17,300
5,250
3,900
3,250
4,950
9,000
3,400
3,000
5,400
36,400
3,250
11,200
7,200
8,300
10,000
3,600
59,500
10,000
3,100
4,000
6,900
3,100
3,150
12,500
3,100
17,800
4,250
15,500
5,000
4,800
Developments in
Industrial Relations
Supreme Court upholds promotion quotas
The Supreme Court held that judges may order strict
promotion quotas to eliminate “long-term, open, and perva
sive discrimination.” As a result of the ruling, the Alabama
Department of Public Safety will be required to promote one
black State trooper for each white trooper it promotes until
blacks account for 25 percent of each rank.
The case, United States v. Philip Paradise, Jr., arose in
1972 when the naacp charged that the State of Alabama
discriminated against blacks in recruiting, hiring, and pro
moting police officers. Philip Paradise, a private citizen,
and the U.S. Department of Justice later joined in the suit.
The district court ruled against the State and ordered it to
hire one black trooper for each white trooper hired until
blacks made up 25 percent of the force. In later years, the
district court ruled that the State was attempting to thwart
the 1972 order and ordered corrective action. In 1983, the
court issued the promotion order that resulted in the
Supreme Court’s 1987 decision. Justices Marshall, Powell,
and Blackmun joined in an opinion written by Justice Bren
nan which rejected the Department of Justice’s argument
that the promotion plan was invalid because it discriminated
against whites. “The pervasive, systematic, and obstinate
discriminatory conduct” of the State police, Justice Brennan
wrote, “created a profound need” for affirmative action. He
said the promotion plan was intended to be temporary,
called only for promotion of qualified troopers, and applied
only when the State decided that promotions were
necessary.
Joining the assent was Justice Stevens, who wrote a sep
arate opinion stating that the district court’s promotion order
was warranted by the “flagrantly” discriminatory actions of
the State police.
In a dissent, Justice O’Connor, joined by Chief Justice
Rehnquist and Justice Scalia, wrote, “The one-for-one pro
motion quota used in this case far exceeded the percentages
of blacks on the trooper force, and there is no clear evidence
in the record that such an extreme quota was necessary to
eradicate the effects of the department’s delays.” She said
that protection of the rights of white employees “demands
“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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that a racial goal not substantially exceed the percentage of
minority group members in the relevant population or work
force absent compelling justification.” Justice White also
dissented.
Gender-based hiring and promotions approved
The Supreme Court approved the adoption of voluntary
plans for correcting gender-based imbalances in hiring and
promotion of government employees. The ruling in Johnson
v. Transportation Agency, Santa Clara County, California,
affirmed and expanded the Court’s 1979 finding in Weber v.
Steelworkers, in which the Court had ruled that private
employers can voluntarily adopt plans to correct racial im
balances in a work unit even though there has been no legal
finding of discriminatory employment practices. (See
Monthly Labor Review, August 1979, p. 62.)
The Court’s March 25, 1987, ruling in the Johnson case
concluded litigation that began in 1979, when the director of
the transportation agency selected Diane Joyce for a road
dispatcher job, even though Paul Johnson, one of seven
eligible candidates for the skilled craft job, had received a
higher score from an interview panel. Testifying in Federal
District Court after Johnson challenged the action, the direc
tor said that he considered test scores, expertise, and back
ground, as well as the provisions of the agency’s affirmative
action plan before selecting Joyce for the job. The plan was
adopted a year earlier, after the agency studied the distribu
tion of men and women in its operations. One of the findings
was that women had never held any of the 238 skilled craft
jobs in the agency.
The District Court rejected the agency director’s selection
procedure, upholding Johnson’s contention that sex was the
determining factor in the decision, in violation of Title VII
of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and that the affirmative
action plan was invalid because it did not conform to a
criterion in the Weber case that such plans be temporary.
The District Court’s decision was reversed by the Court
of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, leading to the appeal to the
Supreme Court. In a friend-of-the-court brief, the U.S. De
partment of Justice supported Johnson’s argument that the
plan was discriminatory.
Labor and management officials generally agreed that the
Court’s decision, written by Justice Brennan, would lead to
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May 1987
•
Developments in Industrial Relations
an increase in the number of equal employment opportunity
plans voluntarily initiated by government units. Justice
Brennan wrote: “In determining whether an imbalance ex
ists that would justify taking sex or race into account, a
comparison of the percentage of minorities or women in the
employer’s work force with the percentage in the area labor
market or general population is appropriate.” Noting that the
agency stated that its plan was intended to achieve “a statis
tically measurable yearly improvement in hiring, training,
and promotion of minorities and women throughout the
agency in all major job classifications where they are repre
sented,” Justice Brennan stated, “The agency’s plan thus set
aside no specific number of positions for minorities or
women, but authorized the consideration of ethnicity or sex
as a factor when evaluating qualified candidates for jobs in
which members of such groups were poorly represented.”
Justice Brennan concluded that the plan did not commit
the agency to quotas or to hiring or promoting people who
were not qualified, but rather “represents a moderate, flex
ible, case-by-case approach to effecting a gradual improve
ment in the representation of minorities and women in the
agency’s work force. Such a plan is fully consistent with
Title VII, for it embodies the contribution that voluntary
employer action can make in eliminating the vestiges of
discrimination in the workplace.”
Justice Scalia, joined by Chief Justice Rehnquist, dis
sented. Noting that Title VII provides that no employer can
discriminate based on race, color, religion, sex, or national
origin or “limit, segregate, or classify” its workers so as to
deprive “an individual of employment opportunities,” Jus
tice Scalia wrote, “we effectively replace the goal of a
discrimination-free society with the quite incompatible goal
of proportionate representation. . .after today’s decision, the
failure to engage in reverse discrimination is economic folly
and arguably a breach of duty to shareholders or taxpayers,
wherever the cost of anticipated Title VII litigation exceeds
the costs of hiring less capable. . .workers.”
Justice White also dissented.
Justice Brennan said, “Congress acknowledged that soci
ety’s accumulated myths and fears about disability and dis
ease are as handicapping as are the physical limitations that
flow from actual impairments. Few aspects of a handicap
give rise to the same level of public fear and misapprehen
sion as contagiousness.” He also said even if there is a
finding that a person is handicapped and is covered by the
Act, the person must still be “otherwise qualified” for a job
or program. Under this requirement of the Act, an employer
could, for example, refuse to place a teacher “with active,
contagious tuberculosis in a classroom with elementary
school children.” (This means that a decision on Gene
Arline will be made by a district court after a hearing to
determine if she posed a threat to her students.)
The Court specifically left open the question of whether
the Act covers people who are carriers of a disease, such as
a id s , without any symptoms or effects.
Chief Justice William Rehnquist, joined by Justice
Scalia, dissented, saying that the majority was operating “on
its own sense of fairness” rather than on the text of the law.
Employers must honor prehire agreements
The National Labor Relations Board ( nlrb ) held that con
struction employers can no longer unilaterally repudiate pre
hire agreements with unions. Such agreements, which gen
erally specify that a contractor will hire only union members
for a project, were authorized by the Congress in 1959
because firms in the industry generally hire on a project-byproject basis, rather than maintaining more or less perma
nent work forces. From 1971 until the present ruling, the
nlrb had held that such agreements were subject to repudi
ation by employers at any time.
In its new ruling, the nlrb said it has now decided that
continuing to sanction contract repudiation “and the in
evitable disruptions that result is not conducive to labor
relations stability.” Repudiations can now take place only
after a contract expires or when employees covered by a
contract vote to oust the union representing them.
‘Contagiousness’ is a handicap, says High Court
The Supreme Court ruled that workers with contagious
diseases are covered by provisions of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973. The case, involving Gene Arline, a tubercular
third-grade school teacher in Florida, was widely viewed as
setting a precedent for people suffering from aids [acquired
immune deficiency syndrome].
The Department of Justice had argued that contagiousness
is not a handicap under the 1973 Act and that employers
were free to dismiss people having contagious diseases.
This argument was rejected by Justice Brennan in the major
ity opinion. He noted that in 1974, the Congress had specif
ically amended the Act to ensure that it covered both the
physically impaired and those considered by others to be
impaired.
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Compensation increases for aircraft workers
Employees of United Aircraft Corp.’s Sikorsky Aircraft
Division in Stratford and other Connecticut locations were
covered by a 3-year agreement negotiated by the Teamsters
union. Wages were increased by 2.5, 2, and 1.5 percent in
the respective contract years, and the 6,500 workers will
receive a lump-sum payment at the end of each year equal
to 2.5 percent of their earnings in that year.
The contract, which runs to February 12, 1990, also pro
vides for a $500,000 increase, to $750,000, in the lifetime
limit on medical benefits; a $1 increase in the monthly
pension rate for each year of credited service; and vesting
after 5 years’ service, instead of 10.
The plants manufacture helicopters.
Contractors,
ib e w
cooperate to regain work
The National Electrical Contractors Association and the
International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers ( ibew ) ne
gotiated a national agreement aimed at increasing the
amount of electrical transmission construction and associ
ated substation and equipment work performed by compa
nies employing ibew members, ibew President John J. Barry
said the increased cooperation was necessary to recapture
work lost to nonunion contractors in recent years.
The new Outside Utility Construction National Project
Agreement, which supersedes all local agreements for this
type of work, is available to contractors on a project-byproject basis. According to the parties, the accord gives
employers “significant flexibility” in assigning employees,
scheduling work, and staffing. The ibew members are ex
pected to benefit from undisclosed provisions on “subcon
tracting and preservation of work.” Grievances and disputes
on projects will be settled, without work stoppages, by the
electrical construction industry’s joint Council of Industrial
Relations.
ibew officials stressed that the accord will not be available
to so-called “double-breasted” companies that employ both
union and nonunion workers. The agreement was effective
January 1, 1987, and continues until terminated by either
party.
and other employees that had resulted from a two-tier pay
system negotiated in 1983. Originally, the gap was about 50
percent, but it was narrowed under a 1985 settlement that
gave new employees larger pay increases than those in the
upper tier.
Under the 1987 agreement, pay for employees hired after
November 1983 was immediately increased by 11 to 28
percent, varying by job classification, type of aircraft flown,
and years of service, compared with a 2-percent increase for
upper tier employees. In the second and third years, all
6,100 employees will receive 2-percent increases.
The contract, which was retroactive to January 1, 1987,
also provided for an increase in major medical coverage if
the medical component of the Consumer Price Index rises 25
percent above its July 1983 level; and for a cut in the min
imum work day to 3 hours, from 4.5 hours.
‘Work teams’ established at auto parts plant
The National Association of Plumbing-Heating-Cooling
Contractors has introduced a home study course in plumbing
as an alternative to its plumbing apprenticeship program.
The new 4-year course is designed for workers in rural areas
In Buffalo, n y , Trico Products Corp. and Local 2100 of
the Auto Workers negotiated a contract that established a
labor-management committee to oversee a new “work
teams” approach intended to improve production efficiency.
According to a Local 2100 official, implicit in the accord is
a company commitment not to carry out a planned move of
some operations to Texas and Mexico. Trico will, however,
consolidate its three Buffalo plants into one, lay off 800
unskilled employees, and eliminate 300 jobs through attri
tion or retirement. Currently, there are 2,600 employees in
the plants, which produce windshield wipers.
Under the new team production approach, employees will
receive a “pay for knowledge” wage increase of 50 cents an
w here classroom training is not available. The instructional
hour to com pensate them for learning and perform ing a
material is the same as for apprentices and participants are
also required to undergo the same on-the-job training as
apprentices.
Students must complete each of the nine course units
within 45 days and they must score at least 70 in a test on
each unit and in a final examination. They will also be
required to submit drawings that will enable the Association
to evaluate their comprehension.
The course is primarily intended for open-shop compa
nies, given that most labor agreements between contractors
and unions provide for apprenticeship training. The cost of
the new course is $500 a year for trainees employed by
companies which are members of the Association, and $700
for other companies, payable by the trainee or the employer.
Half of the Association’s 6,200 member companies are
union shops.
number of duties. The teams will consist of four or five
employees.
Skilled workers, who will not be formed into teams,
received a $1.75 an hour wage increase over the 3-year
period. Previously, they averaged about $11.50 an hour. In
another change, all terminated employees are now eligible
for severance benefits of 1 week’s pay for each year of
service.
The agreement, negotiated under a reopening provision,
extended the expiration date of the existing 3-year contract
to June 30, 1990, from June 30, 1988.
Home study— alternative to apprentice training
Allied Pilots-American Airlines contract
American Airlines and the Allied Pilots Association
ended a year of negotiations by settling on a 3-year contract
that further narrowed the pay gap between new employees
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Rubber workers accept pay cut
Closing of a Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. plant in Okla
homa City, o k , was averted when a majority of United
Rubber Workers’ local unions covered by the national mas
ter agreement with the company approved compensation
cuts and work rule changes at the plant. Among the changes
for the 1,700 Oklahoma employees is an immediate 60-cent
pay cut and an additional 60-cent cut in September 1987.
In an earlier vote, the plant-saving proposal had failed to
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Developments in Industrial Relations
win approval by the locals but this was later reversed when
one of the locals, in Decatur, il , voted again and approved
the proposal 695 to 183. Firestone had repeatedly warned
that it would close the Oklahoma City plant unless the $8
million package was approved.
Steelworkers organize minimill in Louisiana
United Steelworkers efforts to organize minimills ad
vanced when Bayou Steel of Laplace, l a , agreed to an
initial contract. The minimills, which generally produce a
limited line of products and serve a limited geographic area,
are of concern to the union because their operation and
distribution costs are usually lower than those of the major
broadline producers where the union holds bargaining
rights.
The Steelworkers had lost a December 1984 representa
tion election at Bayou Steel and were in the process of
appealing the election results to the National Labor Rela
tions Board when a new owner, rsr Steel (which owns other
mills where the Steelworkers represent employees), agreed
to recognize the union as bargaining agent at Bayou Steel if
the employees ratified an initial contract.
The 6-year contract was ratified by a vote of 318 to 117.
Provisions included specified wage increases totaling 69
cents an hour over the term, possible automatic cost-ofliving pay adjustments in the last 3 years, adoption of a
pension plan providing for a $12 a month benefit rate for
each year of service, limits on contracting out work, 10 paid
holidays, and a reduced deductible under the health
insurance plan.
Screen Extras Guild settles with producers
The first strike in the 41-year history of the Screen Extras
Guild ended when it settled with the Alliance of Motion
Picture and Television Producers. The week-long stoppage
by the 6,700-member union began about 5 weeks after the
Alliance had imposed a pay cut following employee rejec
tion of an offer. The Alliance said that the cut to $68 for an
8-hour day and $54 for a 6-hour day was necessary to enable
member companies to compete with nonunion producers.
Prior to the cut, extras— who fill out crowd scenes in movies
and television shows— had earned $91 a day.
The accord provided that the 2,100 members who belong
exclusively to the Screen Extras Guild will be paid at the
$91 a day rate. Those who are also members of other
unions— a common practice in the entertainment industry—
will be paid $5 an hour with a guarantee of 6 hours per day.
They will also be able to move up to the $91 “senior” rate
over time. Senior employees will be covered by pension and
health benefits, while juniors will be covered only by health
benefits.
44
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Musicians settle, avert strike
A threatened strike was averted when major recording
companies and the American Federation of Musicians set
tled on a national contract that increased pay for recording
sessions, but reduced employer payments into special funds.
About 5,200 musicians were covered by the 3-year contract.
The three annual pay increases will bring the rate to $220,
from $196, for a 3-hour recording session and to $312 from
$277, for a 4-hour symphonic session. Pay for these musi
cians will increase 4 percent in each year and employer
payments to a health and welfare fund will rise by 50 cents
an hour in each year.
Employer payments into the Music Performance Trust
Fund were reduced to a range of 0.45 to 0.54 percent of
retail record prices, from a range of 0.55 to 0.6 percent.
Also, payments will not be made for the first 25,000 sales
of any recording. The fund was established in 1940 to aid
musicians who lose work performing live music because of
recordings. In 1986, the companies paid about $9 million
into the fund, which paid out about $40 to $50 to musicians
for each admission-free performance.
Employer payments into the Special Payments Fund also
were reduced by 10 percent. This fund provides annual
royalty payments to musicians based on percentages of sug
gested retail prices, after certain deductions.
Shipbuilding accord calls for two-tier wages
In Pascagoula, m s , 6,000 employees of Ingalls Shipbuild
ing Co. were covered by 3-year contracts freezing the top
rate at $11.28 an hour for the various crafts. However, all
employees received an immediate $1,000 lump-sum
“productivity incentive payment,” to be followed by $250 to
$500 payments in the second and third contract years.
Beginning February 1, 1988, new workers will start at $3
an hour below the rates of current workers. Experienced
workers hired by Ingalls will have the full $3 restored,
receiving pay increases of $1.25 an hour after 2,000 hours
worked, 75 cents after 4,000 hours, and $1 after 6,000
hours. All other new employees will have $2.50 of the $3
restored: $1 an hour after 2,000 hours worked, 75 cents after
4,000 hours, and 75 cents after 6,000 hours.
Other provisions included a $5 increase in the $130 a
week sickness and accident benefit in each year; a $50,000
increase in the $250,000 major medical benefit; and in
creased pensions.
Employees of the shipyard are represented by a Metal
Trades Council comprising eight unions and by the Electri
cal Workers ( ibew ), the Machinists, and the Office and
Professional Employees.
Book Reviews
Diagnoses and prescriptions
Is Prevention Better than Cure? By Louise B. Russell.
Washington, The Brookings Institution, 1986. 134 pp.
$26.95, cloth; $9.95, paper.
Recent years have seen increased efforts to slow the
growth in the Nation’s expenditures on health care— growth
that has doubled the share of the gross national product spent
on health care from 5.3 percent in 1960 to 10.7 percent in
1985. One major approach has been to make consumers of
health care more cost-conscious, by having them (rather
than insurance companies, for example) pay a larger share
of the cost of medical care. In this trim, compact volume,
Louise B. Russell focuses on another approach that has
received wide endorsement as a means of slowing the
growth of the Nation’s medical-care bill: prevention.
The bulk of the book consists of a review, evaluation, and
synthesis of the evidence of the cost-effectiveness of several
preventive measures— the smallpox and measles vaccines,
screening and drug therapy for high blood pressure, and
exercise. Russell shows that, for a variety of reasons, the
common impression that prevention of an acute condition is
cheaper than the cure of the condition is not necessarily
correct. First of all, the size of the population at whom
prevention is directed may be very large compared to the
incidence of the illness in the absence of prevention. Such
a situation developed in the United States, for example, with
respect to smallpox vaccination, and, for that reason, this
country officially ended its policy of routinely vaccinating
children against smallpox.
In addition, one must consider how often the preventive
measure must be conducted. Repetition of the procedure is
necessary, for example, in a program of screening for high
blood pressure as a way of reducing incidence of heart
disease and stroke. Russell points out that not only does
one’s blood pressure fluctuate during the day, but—because
of the anxiety involved— one’s pressure is usually higher on
an initial reading than on later readings. As a result, “a third
to a half of the people with high pressures at the first exam
are likely to have pressures in the normal range at the second
or third exam” (p. 66). The author explains that for several
additional reasons— including the side-effects of bloodpressure medicine— claims for the cost-effectiveness of pre
venting heart disease through screening and drug therapy
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should be taken with a grain of salt.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the book is the chap
ter on exercise as a preventive measure. Russell writes that
there has been no systematic evaluation of the costeffectiveness of exercise as a means of improving health,
but she assesses the available evidence on the subject and
proposes a framework for conducting a more definitive anal
ysis. The author shows that the full costs of an exercise
program are far higher than are initially apparent, because
they include the costs of equipment and of a medical exam
before one begins to exercise, the value of the participants’
time, and the injuries that result from exercise. This discus
sion and the implication that exercise may not be costeffective are extremely important because they provide the
sedentary among us with an economic justification for our
inactivity.
Russell concludes that “even after allowing for savings in
treatment, prevention usually adds to medical expenditures,
contrary to the popular view that it reduces them” (p. 110).
She acknowledges, however, that good health has intrinsic
value and is worth paying for.
In a concluding chapter, Russell suggests a standardized
framework for future studies of the cost-effectiveness of
preventive measures as investments in health. She proposes,
for example, that such studies should adopt the perspective
of society as a whole; that is, they should consider all the
costs and effects of a preventive program, regardless of who
experiences them. Russell urges, too, that all such studies
use the same discount rate. The choice of the discount rate
can obviously have a great effect on the results of the stud
ies, because the benefits of a preventive program do not
materialize until long after the costs are incurred. Also,
Russell suggests that the additional medical expenses that
arise because a person lives longer should not be counted in
cost-effectiveness studies, just as the corresponding addi
tional expenditures on food and clothing are not counted.
I believe that this book is a valuable addition to the liter
ature in its field. Read it yourself, though, and get a second
opinion.
— E dw ard S teinberg
Economist
AT&T
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Book Reviews
Health care systems in transition
The Painful Prescription: Rationing Hospital Care. By
Henry J. Aaron and William B. Schwarz. Washington,
The Brookings Institution, 1984. 161 pp. $22.95, cloth;
$8.95, paper.
This is a comparative study of the American and British
health care systems that combines both the skills of an
economist from the Brookings staff, Henry J. Aaron, and of
a physician, William B. Schwarz, of the Tufts Medical
School faculty.
As a result, interested readers— even if they have special
knowledge in one of these fields— are likely to gain some
new understanding in the other. Moreover, because of the
successful blending and interlacing of the two kinds of in
formation and concerns in identifying and analyzing the
problem areas, and the generally nontechnical presenta
tion, readers will find the book stimulating and rewarding
regardless of their professional background or lack of spe
cialized knowledge.
Health care, for some years, has been a timely and urgent
subject and is certain to remain so for years to come because
of the continuing progress of medical science and technol
ogy and the ensuing trend toward their utilization both in
more sophisticated diagnostic and treatment methods, at
ever increasing costs.
Sooner or later, this trend was bound to raise questions as
to whether the successes achieved in (1) early recognition
and correct assessment of patients’ morbid conditions, and
(2) healing them or, at least, alleviating the ill effects and
suffering they cause were sufficient to warrant the ever
greater share of money from all sources, especially public
expenditures allocated to financing medical, hospital, and
related services, both in absolute amounts and in the per
centage of a nation’s total expenditures for all purposes
combined. What are the appropriate criteria for answering
this question? How can one identify and define the limits
beyond which greater expenditures no longer seem to pro
duce beneficial results of like value? This is what the book
is all about, with special emphasis on hospital care, notably
for serious, often life-threatening diseases, in contrast to
emergencies requiring hospitalization for the care of physi
cal conditions that are not normally serious or of extended
duration, or in the case of an accident victim.
After an exposition of the methodological problems of
comparing health care and costs in Britain and the United
States and stating initial hypotheses as to British attempts at
cost containment (ch. 1), there follows a fairly comprehen
sive summary of the structure and working of the British
National Health Service and the supplementary role of the
private sector (ch. 2). More specific descriptions, highlight
ing the differences between British and U.S. uses of new
technological aids, follow in the next three chapters. For
example, life and death syndromes involving kidney dialy
46
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sis and transplantation, and radiotherapy as well as chemo
therapy to treat cancer are discussed in chapter 3; hip re
placement and heart-bypass surgery in chapter 4; and
diagnostic fine tuning through the use of ct scanners and the
extensive diagnostic use of x rays in chapter 5. The last three
chapters focus on rationing techniques and appraisals of
efficiency in both the British and American settings.
What are the findings of this comparative study? Starting
from what the authors deem to be the norm for hospital care
in the United States— and with important exceptions—
namely, the near-maxim “if it will help, do it,” they view
health care in this country “usually close to what would be
provided if costs were no object and benefits to patients
were the sole concern.
Add to this tradition the “deliberate goal of public policy
in recent decades,” namely to insulate the patient from the
cost of care (with private insurance, government programs,
or payments from someone other than the patient) and the
cost increases brought about are bound to suggest that some
limits be placed on the excessive growth of these expendi
tures. Hence, the authors do expect (more) Federal and State
efforts to keep costs down. With this prospect in view,
British experience is likely to prove instructive, for “Britain
has drastically curtailed the real growth of medical expendi
tures for an extended period. As a result, per capita hospital
expenditures are now less than half as large as those in the
United States.”
The core of the book lies in the authors’ observations and
interpretations of their field studies of the British National
Health Service ( nh s ) and the ways in which its institutions
and procedures, its medical and ancillary personnel and, not
least, its patients, have managed to realize and to accept
such cost containment. These passages are, for the most
part, insightful and sometimes fascinating— most of all in
raising various aspects of the hard-to-achieve compatibility
of clinical freedom with budget constraints, or in assessing
the role that traditional national mindsets play in providing
different answers to this dilemma.
The authors leave it to the readers to judge whether their
own conclusions and interpretations seem plausible in light
of the evidence. In this reviewer’s opinion, most of them do,
especially the concluding generalizations that “the choices
we face [in the United States] are clear and painful,” and
that “rationing will inevitably be a painful prescription.” On
the other hand, which of the authors’ findings “persuaded”
them “that the United States is not interested in creating a
national health service on the British model”— unless, sur
prisingly, state planning is viewed by many Americans in
the way the authors claim it was in Great Britain at the time
of the n h s ’s conception, namely that
. .the war was
widely regarded as a triumph for state planning. . .”
— G eorge F. R ohrlich
Professor emeritus of
Economics and Social Policy
Temple University
Publications received
Economic and social statistics
Abowd, John M., Collective Bargaining and the Division of the
Value of the Enterprise. Cambridge, MA, National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc., 1987, 57 pp. (nber Working Paper
Series, 2137.) $2, paper.
Cohn, Elchanan and B. F. Kiker, “Socioeconomic Background,
Schooling, Experience and Monetary Rewards in the United
States,” Economica, November 1986, pp. 497-503.
Grubel, Herbert G. and Lawrence A. Boland, “On the Efficient
Use of Mathematics in Economics: Some Theory, Facts and
Results of an Opinion Survey,” Kyklos, Vol. 39, 1986, Fact 3,
pp. 419-42.
Economic Council of Canada, Minding the Public’s Business.
Ottawa, Economic Council of Canada, 1986, 180 pp. $10.95,
Canada; $13.15, other countries. Available from Canadian Gov
ernment Publishing Center, Supply and Services Canada,
Ottawa.
Levinson, Marc, “Trying to Survive in a Changing World,” Busi
ness Month, March 1987, pp. 46-48.
International economics
Bosworth, Barry P. and Alice M. Rivlin, eds., The Swedish Econ
omy. Washington, The Brookings Institution, 1987, 338 pp.
$32.95, cloth; $12.95, paper.
“Country Problems and Strategies: United States; Japan; Bel
gium,” The OECD Observer, January 1987, pp. 28-32.
Hamermesh, Daniel S ., Why Do Fixed-Effects Models Perform so
Poorly? The Case of Academic Salaries. Cambridge, MA, Na
tional Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1987, 12 pp. (nber
Working Paper Series, 2135.) $2, paper.
“International Debt and Economic Instability,” by Rudiger Dorn
busch; “Commentary on ‘International Debt and Economic Sta
bility,”’ by Rimmer de Vries, Economic Review, Federal Re
serve Bank of Kansas City, January 1987, pp. 15-40.
Nolan, Brian, “Unemployment and the Size Distribution of In
come,” Economica, November 1986, pp. 421—45.
Manrique, Gabriel G., “Foreign Export Orientation and Regional
Growth in the U .S.,” Growth and Change, Winter 1987, pp.
Quandt, Richard E. and Harvey S. Rosen, Unemployment, Dis
equilibrium and the Short Run Phillips Curve: An Econometric
Approach. Reprinted from the Journal of Applied Econometrics,
Vol. 1, 1986, pp. 235-53. Cambridge, ma , National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc., 1986 (nber Reprint 805.) $2, paper.
1- 12.
Walsh, Kenneth and Adrian King, Handbook of International
Manpower Market Comparisons. New York, New York Univer
sity Press, 1986, 318 pp.
Economic growth and development
Labor and economic history
Economic Report of the President Transmitted to the Congress
January 1987, Together with the Annual Report of the Council
of Economic Advisers. Washington, 1987, 368 pp.
Fischer, Stanley, ed., n b e r Macroeconomics Annual 1986. Cam
Dubofsky, Melvyn and Warren Van Tine, eds., Labor Leaders in
America. Urbana, University of Illinois Press, 1987, 396 pp.
$34.95, cloth; $14.95, paper, University of Illinois Press,
Champaign, IL 61820.
bridge, MA, The MIT Press, 1986, 409 pp.
Pearce, David W ., ed., The m i t Dictionary of Modern Economics.
3d ed. Cambridge, MA, The MIT Press, 1986, 462 pp. $35.
Industrial relations
Colosi, Marco L., “The nlrb and the Health-Care Industry,” Com
pensation and Benefits Review, November-December 1986,
pp. 25-32.
Gershenfeld, Walter J., ed., Arbitration 1986: Current and Ex
panding Roles. (Proceedings of the 39th Annual Meeting of the
National Academy of Arbitrators, Philadelphia, PA, June 2-6,
1986.) Washington, The Bureau of National Affairs, Inc., 1987,
235 pp. $33, plus State sales tax and $2.50 shipping charger.
Available from bna Book Distribution Center, 300 Raritan Cen
ter Parkway, C.N. 94, Edison, NJ 08818.
Kumar, Pradeep, with Mary Lou Coates and David Arrowsmith,
The Current Industrial Relations Scene in Canada, 1986.
Kingston, Ontario, Queen’s University, Industrial Relations
Center, 1986, 558 pp. $100.
Taylor, Benjamin J. and Fred Witney, Labor Relations Law. 5th
ed. Englewood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987, 862 pp.
Industry and government organization
Alden, Vernon R., “Who Says You Can’t Crack Japanese Mar
kets?” Harvard Business Review, January-February 1987,
pp. 52-56.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Gutman, Herbert G. and Donald H. Bell, eds., The New England
Working Class and the New Labor History. Champaign, Univer
sity of Illinois Press, 1987, 296 pp. $37.50, cloth; $12.95,
paper.
Kaplan, William, Everything That Floats: Pat Sullivan, Hal
Banks, and the Seaman’s Unions of Canada. Buffalo, NY, Uni
versity of Toronto Press, 1987, 241 pp. $30, cloth; $14.95,
paper.
Myers, R. David, Samuel Gompers: A Selected List of References
about the Man and His Times. Washington, Library of Con
gress, 1986, 55 pp. $2, Superintendent of Documents, Wash
ington 20402.
Labor force
Forbes, Daniel, “A Consensus on Helping Idled Workers,” Busi
ness Month, March 1987, pp. 54-56.
Haulman, Clyde A., Frederick A. Raffa, and Brian Rungeling,
“Assessing the Labor Market Intermediary Role of the Job Serv
ice,” Growth and Change, Winter 1987, pp. 66-71.
“Job Creation in a Changing Economy,” The OECD Observer,
January 1987, pp. 8-11.
Rosen, Howard, ed., Job Generation: U.S. and European Per
spectives. (Conference Proceedings of the National Council on
Employment Policy, Apr. 17, 1986) Salt Lake City, UT, Olym
pus Publishing Co., 1986, 138 pp. $9.95, paper.
Rothman, Robert A., Working: Sociological Perspectives. Engle-
47
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Book Reviews
wood Cliffs, NJ, Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1987, 376 pp., bibliogra
phy.
“Thirty-one Million Reasons to Fight Unemployment,” The OECD
Observer, January 1987, pp. 12-15.
Walsh, J. Michael and Stephen C. Yohay, Drug and Alcohol
Abuse in the Workplace: A Guide to the Issues. Washington,
National Foundation for the Study of Equal Employment Policy,
1987, 149 pp., bibliography.
Wages and compensation
Beggs, Steven D., “The ‘Lead-Lag’ Problem: Adjustments
Needed for Salary Comparisons,” Compensation and Benefits
Review, November-December 1986, pp. 44-54.
Ehrenberg, Ronald G. and George T. Milkovich, Compensation
and Firm Performance. Cambridge, MA, National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc., 1987, 62 pp. (nber Working Paper
Series, 2145.) $2, paper.
Monetary and fiscal policy
Hathaway, James W ., “How Do Merit Bonuses Fare?” Compensa
tion and Benefits Review, September-October 1986, pp. 50-55.
Anthony, Robert N., “We Don’t Have the Accounting Concepts
We Need,” Harvard Business Review, January-February 1987,
pp. 75-83.
Henderson, Richard I, “Contract Concessions: Is the Past Pro
logue?” Compensation and Benefits Review, SeptemberOctober 1986, pp. 17-30.
Bryan, Lowell L., “The Credit Bomb in Our Financial System,”
Harvard Business Review, January-February 1987, pp. 45-51.
Kanter, Rosabeth Moss, “The Attack on Pay,” Harvard Business
Review, May-June 1987, pp. 60-67.
Drabenstott, Mark, Mark Henry, and Lynn Gibson, “The Rural
Economic Policy Choice,” Economic Review, Federal Reserve
Bank of Kansas City, January 1987, pp. 41-58.
Schechter, Jack H., “The Tax Reform Act of 1986: Its Impact on
Compensation Benefits,” Compensation and Benefits Review,
November-December 1986, pp. 11-24.
Economic Council of Canada, Competition and Solvency: A
Frameworkfor Financial Regulation, Ottawa, Economic Coun
cil of Canada, 1986, 46 pp. $4.95, Canada; $5.95, other coun
tries. Available from Canadian Government Publishing Center,
Supply and Services Canada, Ottawa.
Higgins, Bryon and Thomas J. Merfeld, “Debt, Financial Stabil
ity, and Public Policy,” Economic Review, Federal Reserve
Bank of Kansas City, January 1987, pp. 3-13.
Kelly, William A., Jr., James M. Ferris, James A. Miles, “The
Expenditure Tax and Savings Incentives: Design Matters,”
Growth and Change, Winter 1987, pp. 32-43.
48
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Welfare programs and social insurance
Ferrara, Peter, Social Security Rates of Return for Today’s Young
Workers. Washington, National Chamber Foundation, 1986,
41 pp. $10, paper.
Pozzebon, Silvana and Olivia S, Mitchell, Married Women’s Re
tirement Behavior, Cambridge, MA, National Bureau of Eco
nomic Research, Inc., 1986, 23 pp. (nber Working Paper
Series, 2104.) $2, paper.
Verbon, Harrie A. A., “Altruism, Political Power and Public Pen
sions,” Kyklos, Vol. 39, 1986, Fasc. 3, pp. 343-58.
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, andproductivity .....................................................................................
3. Alternative measures of wage and compensation changes ............................................................................................................................
60
61
61
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 seasonallyadjusted.............................................................................................
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, data seasonally adjusted .......................................................................................................................
Average hourly earnings by industry ................................................................................................................................................................
Average weekly earnings by industry............................................... ................................................................................................................
Hourly Earnings Index by industry....................................................................................................................................................................
Indexes of diffusion: proportion of industries in which employment increased, seasonally adjusted ...................................................
Annual data: Employment status of the noninstitutional population
....................................................................................................
Annual data: Employment levels by industry .................................................................................................................................................
Annual data: Average hours and earnings levels by industry.......................................................................................................................
62
63
64
65
66
66
66
67
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
73
73
74
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 industry grou p .....................................................................................
Employment Cost Index, private nonfarm workers, by bargaining status, region, and area s i z e ............................................................
Specified compensation and wage adjustments from contract settlements, and effective wage adjustments,
situations covering 1,000 workers or more .....................................................................................................................................................
Average specified compensation and wage adjustments, bargaining situations covering1,000 workers or m ore..................................
Average effective wage adjustments, bargaining situations covering1,000 workers or more ..................................................................
Specified compensation and wage adjustments, State and local government bargaining
situations covering 1,000 workers or more .....................................................................................................................................................
Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more .........................................................................................................................................
75
76
77
78
78
79
79
79
Price data
30.
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
Consumer Price Index: U.S. City average, by expenditure category and commodity and service groups ...........................................
Consumer Price Index: U.S. City average and local data, all items ............................................................................................................
Annual data: Consumer Price Index, all items and major groups ...............................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes by stage of processing ...............................................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product ...........................................................................................................................................
Annual data: Producer Price Indexes by stage of 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 ..................................................................................................................
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80
83
84
85
86
86
87
88
89
89
89
90
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics
Contents— Continued
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............................................................................................
90
91
91
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 ....................................................................................................
92
93
94
Injury and illness data
48. Annual data: Occupational injury and illness incidence rates........................................................................................................................
Schedule of release dates for
S erie s
bls
95
statistical series
R elea se
P eriod
R e lea se
Period
R elease
Period
MLR ta b le
da te
c o vered
d a te
c o ve red
d a te
c o vered
num ber
May 4
1st quarter
June 2
1st quarter
Productivity and costs:
2; 42-44
2; 42-44
Employment situation ..............................
May 8
April
June 5
May
July 2
June
1; 4-21
Producer Price Index................................
May 15
April
June 12
May
July 10
June
2; 33-35
Consumer Price Index..............................
May 22
April
June 23
May
July 22
June
2; 30-32
Real earnings..........................................
May 22
April
June 23
May
July 22
June
14-17
Major collective bargaining
July 28
U.S. Import and Export
Price Indexes......................................
50
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3; 25-28
July 28
2nd quarter
1-3; 22-24
July 30
2nd quarter
36-41
NOTES ON CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS
This section of the R e v ie w presents the principal statistical series collected
and calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics: series on labor force,
employment, unemployment, collective bargaining settlements, consumer,
producer, and international prices, productivity, international comparisons,
and injury and illness statistics. In the notes that follow, the data in each
group of tables are briefly described, key definitions are given, notes on the
data are set forth, and sources of additional information are cited.
Adjustments for price changes. Some data— such as the Hourly
Earnings Index in table 17— are adjusted to eliminate the effect of changes
in price. These adjustments are made by dividing current dollar values by
the Consumer Price Index or the appropriate component of the index, then
multiplying by 100. For example, given a current hourly wage rate of $3
and a current price index number of 150, where 1967 = 100, the hourly rate
expressed in 1967 dollars is $2 ($3/150 x 100 = $2). The $2 (or any other
resulting values) are described as “real,” “constant,” or “1967” dollars.
General notes
Additional information
The following notes apply to several tables in this section:
Seasonal adjustment. Certain monthly and quarterly data are adjusted
to eliminate the effect on the data of such factors as climatic conditions,
industry production schedules, opening and closing of schools, holiday
buying periods, and vacation practices, which might prevent short-term
evaluation of the statistical series. Tables containing data that have been
adjusted are identified as “seasonally adjusted.” (All other data are not
seasonally adjusted.) Seasonal effects are estimated on the basis of past
experience. When new seasonal factors are computed each year, revisions
may affect seasonally adjusted data for several preceding years. (Season
ally adjusted data appear in tables 1-3, 4-10, 13, 14, 17, and 18.) Begin
ning in January 1980, the bls introduced two major modifications in the
seasonal adjustment methodology for labor force data. First, the data are
seasonally adjusted with a procedure called x - n arima, which was devel
oped at Statistics Canada as an extension of the standard x -n method
previously used by bls. A detailed description of the procedure appears in
T h e X - l l a r im a S e a s o n a l A d ju s tm e n t M e th o d by Estela Bee Dagum (Statis
tics Canada, Catalogue No. 12-564E, February 1980). The second change
is that seasonal factors are calculated for use during the first 6 months of
the year, rather than for the entire year, and then are calculated at midyear
for the July-December period. However, revisions of historical data con
tinue to be made only at the end of each calendar year.
Seasonally adjusted labor force data in tables 1 and 4-10 were revised
in the February 1987 issue of the R e v ie w , to reflect experience through
1986.
Annual revisions of the seasonally adjusted payroll data shown in tables
13, 14, and 18 were made in the July 1986 R e v ie w using the x -ii arima
seasonal adjustment methodology. New seasonal factors for productivity
data in table 42 are usually introduced in the September issue. Seasonally
adjusted indexes and percent changes from month to month and from
quarter to quarter are published for numerous Consumer and Producer Price
Index series. However, seasonally adjusted indexes are not published for
the U.S. average All Items cpi. Only seasonally adjusted percent changes
are available for this series.
Data that supplement the tables in this section are published by the
Bureau in a variety of sources. News releases provide the latest statistical
information published by the Bureau; the major recurring releases are
published according to the schedule preceding these general notes. More
information about labor force, employment, and unemployment data and
the household and establishment surveys underlying the data are available
in E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a r n in g s , a monthly publication of the Bureau. More
data from the household survey are published in the two-volume data
book— L a b o r F o r c e S ta tis tic s D e r iv e d F ro m th e C u r r e n t P o p u la tio n S u r
v e y , Bulletin 2096. More data from the establishment survey appear in two
data books— E m p lo y m e n t, H o u r s , a n d E a rn in g s , U n ite d S ta te s , and E m
p lo y m e n t, H o u r s , a n d E a rn in g s , S ta te s a n d A r e a s , and the annual supple
ments to these data books. More detailed information on employee com
pensation and collective bargaining settlements is published in the monthly
periodical, C u r r e n t W a g e D e v e lo p m e n ts . More detailed data on consumer
and producer prices are published in the monthly periodicals, T h e c p i
D e ta ile d R e p o r t, and P r o d u c e r P r ic e s a n d P r ic e I n d e x e s . Detailed data on
all of the series in this section are provided in the H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r
S ta tis tic s , which is published biennally by the Bureau, bls bulletins are
issued covering productivity, injury and illness, and other data in this
section. Finally, the M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w carries analytical articles on
annual and longer term developments in labor force, employment, and
unemployment; employee compensation and collective bargaining; prices;
productivity; international comparisons; and injury and illness data.
Symbols
p = preliminary. To increase the timeliness of some series, prelim
inary figures are issued based on representative but incom
plete returns.
r = revised. Generally, this revision reflects the availability 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 bls statistical series. Consequently, although many of the included
series are available monthly, all measures in these comparative tables are
presented quarterly and annually.
Labor market indicators include employment measures from two ma
jor surveys and information on rates of change in compensation provided
by the Employment Cost Index (eci) program. The labor force participation
rate, the employment-to-population ratio, and unemployment rates for
major demographic groups based on the Current Population (“household ”)
Survey are presented, while measures of employment and average weekly
hours by major industry sector are given using nonagricultural payroll data.
The Employment Cost Index (compensation), by major sector and by
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bargaining status, is chosen from a variety o f bls compensation and wage
measures because it provides a comprehensive measure of employer costs
for hiring labor, not just outlays for wages, and it is not affected by
employment shifts among occupations and industries.
Data on changes in compensation, prices, and productivity are pre
sented in table 2. Measures of rates of change of compensation and wages
from the Employment Cost Index program are provided for all civilian
nonfarm workers (excluding Federal and household workers) and for all
private nonfarm workers. Measures of changes in: consumer prices for all
urban consumers; producer prices by stage of processing; and the overall
export and import price indexes are given. Measures of productivity (output
per hour of all persons) are provided for major sectors.
51
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics
Alternative measures of wage and compensation rates of change,
which reflect the overall trend in labor costs, are summarized in table 3.
Differences in concepts and scope, related to the specific purposes of the
series, contribute to the variation in changes among the individual mea
sures.
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 bls H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s , Volumes I and II,
Bulletins 2134-1 and 2134-2 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982 and 1984,
respectively), as well as the additional bulletins, articles, and other publi
cations noted in the separate sections of the R e v ie w 's “Current Labor
Statistics Notes.” Historical data for many series are provided in the H a n d
b o o k o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s , Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).
Users may also wish to consult M a jo r P r o g r a m s , B u r e a u o f L a b o r S ta tis
tic s , Report 718 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).
EMPLOYMENT DATA
(Tables 1; 4-21)
Household survey data
the various data series appear in the Explanatory Notes of E m p lo y m e n t a n d
E a rn in g s .
Description of the series
employment data in this section are obtained from the Current Population
Survey, a program of personal interviews conducted monthly by the Bureau
of the Census for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The sample consists of
about 59,500 households selected to represent the U.S. population 16 years
of age and older. Households are interviewed on a rotating basis, so that
three-fourths of the sample is the same for any 2 consecutive months.
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 unem
ployment rate represents the number unemployed as a percent of the labor
force, including the resident Armed Forces. The civilian unemployment
rate represents the number unemployed as a percent of the civilian labor
force.
The labor force consists of all employed or unemployed civilians plus
members 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 house
work, 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-population ratio is total employment (including the resident
Armed Forces) as a percent of the noninstitutional population.
Notes on the data
From time to time, and especially after a decennial census, adjustments
are made in the Current Population Survey figures to correct for estimating
errors during the preceding years. These adjustments affect the comparabil
ity of historical data. A description of these adjustments and their effect on
52
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Data in tables 4-10 are seasonally adjusted, based on the seasonal
experience through December 1986.
Additional sources of information
For detailed explanations of the data, see bls H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s ,
Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 1, and for
additional data, H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S ta t is tic s , Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1985). A detailed description of the Current Population
Survey as well as additional data are available in the monthly Bureau of
Labor Statistics periodical, E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a r n in g s . Historical data
from 1948 to 1981 are available in L a b o r F o r c e S ta tis tic s D e r iv e d f r o m th e
C u r r e n t P o p u la tio n S u r v e y : A D a ta b o o k , Vols. I and II, Bulletin 2096
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982).
A comprehensive discussion of the differences between household and
establishment data on employment appears in Gloria P. Green, “Comparing
employment estimates from household and payroll surveys,” M o n th ly
L a b o r R e v ie w , December 1969, pp. 9-20.
Establishment survey data
Description of the series
Employment, hours, and earnings data in this section are compiled from
payroll records reported monthly on a voluntary basis to the Bureau of
Labor Statistics and its cooperating State agencies by more than 250,000
establishments representing all industries except agriculture. In most indus
tries, the sampling probabilities are based on the size of the establishment;
most large establishments are therefore in the sample. (An establishment is
not necessarily a firm; it may be a branch plant, for example, or ware
house.) Self-employed persons and others not on a regular civilian payroll
are outside the scope of the survey because they are excluded from estab
lishment records. This largely accounts for the difference in employment
figures between the household and establishment surveys.
Definitions
An establishment is an economic unit which produces goods or services
(such as a factory or store) at a single location and is engaged in one type
of economic activity.
Employed persons are all persons who received pay (including holiday
and sick pay) for any part of the payroll period including the 12th 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.
Production workers in manufacturing include working supervisors and
all nonsupervisory workers closely associated with production operations.
Those workers mentioned in tables 12-17 include production workers in
manufacturing and mining; construction workers in construction; and non
supervisory workers in the following industries: transportation and public
utilities; wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and
services. These groups account for about four-fifths of the total employ
ment on private nonagricutural payrolls.
Earnings are the payments production or nonsupervisory workers re
ceive during the survey period, including premium pay for overtime or
late-shift work but excluding irregular bonuses and other special payments.
Real earnings are earnings adjusted to reflect the effects of changes in
consumer prices. The deflator for this series is derived from the Consumer
Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (cpi- w). The
Hourly Earnings Index is calculated from average hourly earnings data
adjusted to exclude the effects of two types of changes that are unrelated
to underlying wage-rate developments: fluctuations in overtime premiums
in manufacturing (the only sector for which overtime data are available)
and the effects of changes and seasonal factors in the proportion of workers
in high-wage and low-wage industries.
Hours represent the average weekly hours of production or nonsupervi
sory workers for which pay was received and are different from standard
or scheduled hours. Overtime hours represent the portion of gross average
weekly hours which were in excess of regular hours and for which overtime
premiums were paid.
The Diffusion Index, introduced in the May 1983 Review, represents
the percent of 185 nonagricultural industries in which employment was
rising over the indicated period. One-half of the industries with unchanged
employment are counted as rising. In line with Bureau practice, data for
the 1-, 3-, and 6-month spans are seasonally adjusted, while those for the
12-month span are unadjusted. The diffusion index is useful for measur
ing the dispersion of economic gains or losses and is also an economic
indicator.
Notes on the data
Establishment data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are peri
odically adjusted to comprehensive counts of employment (called
“benchmarks”). The latest complete adjustment was made with the release
of May 1986 data, published in the July 1986 issue of the Review. Conse
quently, data published in the Review prior to that issue are not necessarily
comparable to current data. Unadjusted data have been revised back to
April 1984; seasonally adjusted data have been revised back to January
1981. These revisions were published in the Supplement to Employment
and Earnings (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1986). Unadjusted data from
April 1985 forward, and seasonally adjusted data from January 1982 for
ward are subject to revision in future benchmarks.
In the establishment survey, estimates for the 2 most recent months are
based on incomplete returns and are published as preliminary in the tables
(13 to 16 in the Review). When all returns have been received, the esti
mates are revised and published as final in the third month of their appear
ance. Thus, August data are published as preliminary in October and
November and as final in December. For the same reason, quarterly estab
lishment data (table 1) are preliminary for the first 2 months of publication
and final in the third month. Thus, second-quarter data are published as
preliminary in August and September and as final in October.
Additional sources of information
Detailed data from the establishment survey are published monthly in the
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 bls Handbook ofMethods, Bulletin 2134-1
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 2. For additional data, see
Handbook of Labor Statistics, Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1985).
A comprehensive discussion of the differences between household and
establishment data on employment appears in Gloria P. Green, “Comparing
employment estimates from household and payroll surveys,” Monthly
Labor Review, December 1969, pp. 9-20.
bls
Unemployment data by State
Description of the series
Data presented in this section are obtained from two major sources— the
Current Population Survey (cps) and the Local Area Unemployment Statis
tics (laus) program, which is conducted in cooperation with State employ
ment security agencies.
Monthly estimates of the labor force, employment, and unemployment
for States and sub-State areas are a key indicator of local economic condi
tions and form the basis for determining the eligibility of an area for
benefits under Federal economic assistance programs such as the Job Train
ing Partnership Act and the Public Works and Economic Development Act.
Insofar as possible, the concepts and definitions underlying these data are
those used in the national estimates obtained from the cps .
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
cps , because the size of the sample is large enough to meet bls standards
of reliability. Data for the remaining 39 States and the District 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 cps 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 addi
tional data on sub-States are provided in the monthly Bureau of Labor
Statistics periodical, Employment and Earnings, and the annual report,
Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment (Bureau of Labor
Statistics). See also bis Handbook ofMethods, Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 4.
COMPENSATION AND WAGE DATA
(Tables 1-3; 22-29)
are gathered by the Bureau from business
establishments, State and local governments, labor unions, collective bar
gaining agreements on file with the Bureau, and secondary sources.
Compensation and
wage data
Employment Cost Index
Description of the series
The Employment Cost Index (eci) is a quarterly measure of the rate of
change in compensation per hour worked and includes wages, salaries, and
employer costs of employee benefits. It uses a fixed market basket of
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labor— similar in concept to the Consumer Price Index’s fixed market
basket of goods and services— to measure change over time in employer
costs of employing labor. The index is not seasonally adjusted.
Statistical series on total compensation costs and on wages and salaries
are available for private nonfarm workers excluding proprietors, the selfemployed, and household workers. Both series are also available for State
and local government workers and for the civilian nonfarm economy,
which consists of private industry and State and local government workers
combined. Federal workers are excluded.
The Employment Cost Index probability sample consists of about 2,200
private nonfarm establishments providing about 12,000 occupational ob
servations and 700 State and local government establishments providing
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MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics
3,500 occupational observations selected to represent total employment in
each sector. On average, each reporting unit provides wage and compensa
tion information on five well-specified occupations. Data are collected each
quarter for the pay period including the 12th day of March, June, Septem
ber, and December.
Beginning with June 1986 data, fixed employment weights from the
1980 Census 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 com
pensation, not employment shifts among industries or occupations with
different levels of wages and compensation. For the bargaining status,
region, and metropolitan/nonmetropolitan area series, however, employ
ment data by industry and occupation are not available from the census.
Instead, the 1980 employment weights are reallocated within these series
each quarter based on the current sample. Therefore, these indexes are not
strictly comparable to those for the aggregate, industry, and occupation
series.
Definitions
Total compensation costs include wages, salaries, and the employer’s
costs for employee benefits.
Wages and salaries consist of earnings before payroll deductions, in
cluding production bonuses, incentive earnings, commissions, and cost-ofliving adjustments.
Benefits include the cost to employers for paid leave, supplemental pay
(including nonproduction bonuses), insurance, retirement and savings
plans, and legally required benefits (such as Social Security, workers’
compensation, and unemployment insurance).
Excluded from wages and salaries and employee benefits are such items
as payment-in-kind, free room and board, and tips.
Notes on the data
The Employment Cost Index data series began in the fourth quarter of
1975, with the quarterly percent change in wages and salaries in the private
nonfarm sector. Data on employer costs for employee benefits were in
cluded in 1980 to produce, when combined with the wages and salaries
series, a measure of the percent change in employer costs for employee
total compensation. State and local government units were added to the eci
coverage in 1981, providing a measure of total compensation change in the
c iv ilia n nonfarm economy (excluding Federal employees). Historical in
dexes (June 1981 = 100) of the quarterly rates of change are presented in the
May issue of the bls monthly periodical, C u r r e n t W a g e D e v e lo p m e n ts .
(wage and benefit costs) and wages alone, quarterly for private industry and
semiannually for State and local government. Compensation measures
cover all collective bargaining situations involving 5,000 workers or more
and wage measures cover all situations involving 1,000 workers or more.
These data, covering private nonagricultural industries and State and local
governments, are calculated using information obtained from bargaining
agreements on file with the Bureau, parties to the agreements, and second
ary sources, such as newspaper accounts. The data are not seasonally
adjusted.
Settlement data are measured in terms of future specified adjustments:
those that will occur within 12 months after contract ratification— firstyear— and all adjustments that will occur over the life of the contract
expressed as an average annual rate. Adjustments are worker weighted.
Both first-year and over-the-life measures exclude wage changes that may
occur under cost-of-living clauses that are triggered by future movements
in the Consumer Price Index.
Effective wage adjustments measure all adjustments occurring in the
reference period, regardless of the settlement date. Included are changes
from settlements reached during the period, changes deferred from con
tracts negotiated in earlier periods, and changes under cost-of-living adjust
ment clauses. Each wage change is worker weighted. The changes are
prorated over all workers under agreements during the reference period
yielding the average adjustment.
Definitions
Wage rate changes are calculated by dividing newly negotiated wages
by the average hourly earnings, excluding overtime, at the time the agree
ment is reached. Compensation changes are calculated by dividing the
change in the value of the newly negotiated wage and benefit package by
existing average hourly compensation, which includes the cost of previ
ously negotiated benefits, legally required social insurance programs, and
average hourly earnings.
Compensation changes are calculated by placing a value on the benefit
portion of the settlements at the time they are reached. The cost estimates
are based on the assumption that conditions existing at the time of settle
ment (for example, methods of financing pensions or composition of labor
force) will remain constant. The data, therefore, are measures of negotiated
changes and not of total changes in employer cost.
Contract duration runs from the effective date of the agreement to the
expiration date or first wage reopening date, if applicable. Average annual
percent changes over the contract term take account of the compounding of
successive changes.
Additional sources of information
Notes on the data
For a more detailed discussion of the Employment Cost Index, see the
Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982),
chapter 11, and the follow ing M o n t h l y L a b o r R e v i e w articles:
“Employment Cost Index: a measure of change in the ‘price of labor’,” July
1975; “How benefits will be incorporated into the Employment Cost In
dex,” January 1978; “Estimation procedures for the Employment Cost
Index,” May 1982; and “Introducing new weights for the Employment Cost
Index,” June 1985.
Data on the eci are also available in bls quarterly press releases issued
in the month following the reference months of March, June, September,
and December; and from the H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s , Bulletin 2217
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985).
Care should be exercised in comparing the size and nature of the settle
ments in State and local government with those in the private sector because
of differences in bargaining practices and settlement characteristics. A
principal difference is the incidence of cost-of-living adjustment (cola)
clauses which cover only about 2 percent of workers under a few local
government settlements, but cover 50 percent of workers under private
sector settlements. Agreements without cola’s tend to provide larger speci
fied wage increases than those with cola’s . Another difference is that State
and local government bargaining frequently excludes pension benefits
which are often prescribed by law. In the private sector, in contrast,
pensions are typically a bargaining issue.
H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s ,
Collective bargaining settlements
Description of the series
Additional sources of information
For a more detailed discussion on the series, see the b ls H a n d b o o k o f
Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 10.
Comprehensive data are published in press releases issued quarterly (in
January, April, July, and October) for private industry, and semi-
M e th o d s ,
Collective bargaining settlements data provide statistical measures of
negotiated adjustments (increases, decreases, and freezes) in compensation
Digitized 54
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annually (in February and August) for State and local government. Histor
ical data and additional detailed tabulations for the prior calendar year
appear in the April issue of the bls monthly periodical, C u r r e n t W a g e
monthly periodical, C u r r e n t W a g e D e v e lo p m e n ts . Historical data appear in
the BLS H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s .
D e v e lo p m e n ts .
O ther com pensation data
W ork stoppages
Description of the series
Data on work stoppages measure the number and duration of major
strikes or lockouts (involving 1,000 workers or more) occurring during the
month (or year), the number of workers involved, and the amount of time
lost because of stoppage.
Data are largely from newspaper accounts and cover only establishments
directly involved in a stoppage. They do not measure the indirect or second
ary effect of stoppages on other establishments whose employees are idle
owing to material shortages or lack of service.
Definitions
Number of stoppages: The number of strikes and lockouts involving
1,000
workers or more and lasting a full shift or longer.
Workers involved: The number of workers directly involved in the
Other bls data on pay and benefits, not included in the Current Labor
Statistics section of the M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , appear in and consist of the
following:
I n d u s tr y W a g e S u r v e y s 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 M o n th ly
L a b o r R e v ie w .
A r e a W a g e S u r v e y s annually provide data for selected office, clerical,
professional, technical, maintenance, toolroom, powerplant, material
movement, and custodial occupations common to a wide variety of indus
tries in the areas (labor markets) surveyed. Reports are issued throughout
the year as the surveys are completed. Summaries of the data and special
analyses also appear in the R e v ie w .
T h e N a tio n a l S u r v e y o f P r o fe s s io n a l, A d m in is tr a tiv e , T e c h n ica l, a n d
provides detailed information annually on salary levels and
distributions for the types of jobs mentioned in the survey’s title in private
employment. Although the definitions of the jobs surveyed reflect the
duties and responsibilities in private industry, they are designed to match
specific pay grades of Federal white-collar employees under the General
Schedule pay system. Accordingly, this survey provides the legally re
quired information for comparing the pay of salaried employees in the
Federal civil service with pay in private industry. (See Federal Pay Com
parability Act of 1970, 5 u.s.c. 5305.) Data are published in a bls news
release issued in the summer and in a bulletin each fall; summaries and
analytical articles also appear in the R e v ie w .
E m p lo y e e B e n e fits S u r v e y provides nationwide information on the inci
dence and characteristics of employee benefit plans in medium and large
establishments in the United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. Data are
published in an annual bls news release and bulletin, as well as in special
articles appearing in the R e v ie w .
C le r ic a l P a y
stoppage.
Number of days idle: The aggregate number of workdays lost by
workers involved in the stoppages.
Days of idleness as a percent of estimated working time: Aggregate
workdays lost as a percent of the aggregate number of standard workdays
in the period multiplied by total employment in the period.
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 bls press release issued in
the first quarter of the following year. Monthly data appear in the b l s
PR IC E DA TA
(Tables 2; 30-41)
Price data are gathered by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from retail and
primary markets in the United States. Price indexes are given in relation to
a base period (1967 = 100, unless otherwise noted).
C onsum er Price Indexes
Description of the series
The Consumer Price Index (cpi) is a measure of the average change in
the prices paid by urban consumers for a fixed market basket of goods and
services. The cpi is calculated monthly for two population groups, one
consisting only 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 (cpi- w) is
a continuation of the historic index that was introduced well over a halfcentury ago for use in wage negotiations. As new uses were developed for
the cpi in recent years, the need for a broader and more representative index
became apparent. The all urban consumer index (cpi- u ), introduced in
1978, is representative of the 1982-84 buying habits of about 80 percent
of the noninstitutional population of the United States at that time, com
pared with 32 percent represented in the cpi- w . In addition to wage earners
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and clerical workers, the cpi- u covers professional, managerial, and tech
nical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed,
retirees, and others not in the labor force.
The cpi is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, drugs, trans
portation fares, doctors’ and dentists’ fees, and other goods and services
that people buy for day-to-day living. The quantity and quality 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 cpi- u . A rental equivalence method replaced the
55
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics
asset-price approach to homeownership costs for that series. In January
1985, the same change was made in the cpi- w . The central purpose of the
change was to separate shelter costs from the investment component of
homeownership so that the index would reflect only the cost of shelter
services provided by owner-occupied homes. An updated cpi-u and cpi w
were introduced with release of the January 1987 data.
Additional sources of information
For a discussion of the general method for computing the
see b l s
Bulletin
2134-2 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1984). The recent change in the mea
surement of homeownership costs is discussed in Robert Gillingham and
Walter Lane, “Changing the treatment of shelter costs for homeowners in
the CPI,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , June 1982, pp. 9-14. An overview of the
recently introduced revised cpi, reflecting 1982-84 expenditure patterns, is
contained in T h e C o n s u m e r P r ic e In d e x : 1 9 8 7 R e v is io n , Report 736 (Bu
reau of Labor Statistics, 1987).
Additional detailed cpi data and regular analyses of consumer price
changes are provided in the c p i D e ta ile d R e p o r t, a monthly publication of
the Bureau. Historical data for the overall cpi and for selected groupings
may be found in the H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S t a t i s t i c s , Bulletin 2217 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 1985).
cpi,
H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s , V o lu m e II, T h e C o n s u m e r P r ic e I n d e x ,
Producer Price Indexes
Description of the series
Producer Price Indexes (ppi) measure average changes in prices re
ceived in primary markets of the United States by producers of commodi
ties in all stages of processing. The sample used for calculating these
indexes currently contains about 3,200 commodities and about 60,000
quotations per month selected to represent the movement of prices of all
commodities produced in the manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, fishing,
mining, gas and electricity, and public utilities sectors. The stage of proc
essing structure 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 ob
tained directly from producing companies on a voluntary and confidential
basis. Prices generally are reported for the Tuesday of the week containing
the 13th day of the month.
Since January 1976, 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 1972. The
detailed data are aggregated to obtain indexes for stage-of-processing
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 R e v ie w is no longer present
ing 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 P r o d u c e r P r ic e I n d e x e s .
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
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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 employ
ment 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 In
dexes, see B L S H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s , Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1982), chapter 7.
Additional detailed data and analyses of price changes are provided
monthly in P r o d u c e r P r ic e I n d e x e s . Selected historical data may be found
in the H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s , Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1985).
International Price Indexes
Description of the series
The bls International Price Program produces quarterly export and
import price indexes for nonmilitary goods traded between the United
States and the rest of the world. The export price index provides a measure
of price change for all products sold by U.S. residents to foreign buyers.
(“Residents” is defined as in the national income accounts: it includes
corporations, businesses, and individuals but does not require the organiza
tions to be U.S. owned nor the individuals to have U.S. citizenship.) The
import price index provides a measure of price change for goods purchased
from other countries by U.S. residents. With publication of an all-import
index in February 1983 and an all-export index in February 1984, all U.S.
merchandise imports and exports now are represented in these indexes. The
reference period for the indexes is 1977 = 100, unless otherwise indicated.
The product universe for both the import and export indexes includes raw
materials, agricultural products, semifinished manufactures, and finished
manufactures, including both capital and consumer goods. Price data for
these items are collected quarterly by mail questionnaire. In nearly all
cases, the data are collected directly from the exporter or importer, al
though in a few cases, prices are obtained from other sources.
To the extent possible, the data gathered refer to prices at the U.S. border
for exports and at either the foreign border or the U.S. border for imports.
For nearly all products, the prices refer to transactions completed during the
first 2 weeks of the third month of each calendar quarter— March, June,
September, and December. Survey respondents are asked to indicate all
discounts, allowances, and rebates applicable to the reported prices, so that
the price used in the calculation of the indexes is the actual price for which
the product was bought or sold.
In addition to general indexes 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 ( sitc). The calcula
tion of indexes by sitc category facilitates the comparison of U.S. price
trends and sector production with similar data for other countries. Detailed
indexes are also computed and published on a Standard Industrial Classifi
cation (sic-based) basis, as well as by end-use class.
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 sitc 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 1980.
Because a price index depends on the same items being priced from
period to period, it is necessary to recognize when a product’s specifica
tions or terms of transaction have been modified. For this reason, the
Bureau’s quarterly questionnaire requests detailed descriptions of the phys
ical 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 impor
tation, which also includes the other costs associated with bringing the
product to the U.S. border. It does not, however, include duty charges.
Additional sources of information
For a discussion of the general method of computing International Price
Indexes, see b l s H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s , Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor
Statistics, 1982), chapter 8.
Additional detailed data and analyses of international price develop
ments are presented in the Bureau’s quarterly publication U .S . I m p o r t a n d
E x p o r t P r ic e I n d e x e s and in occasional M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w articles
prepared by bls analysts. Selected historical data may be found in the
H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S ta t is tic s , Bulletin 2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1985).
PRODUCTIVITY DATA
(Tables 2; 42-47)
U. S. productivity and related data
Description of the series
The productivity measures relate real physical output to real input. As
such, they encompass a family of measures which include single factor
input 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 produc
tivity (output per unit of labor and capital inputs combined). The Bureau
indexes show the change in output relative to changes in the various inputs.
The measures cover the business, nonfarm business, manufacturing, and
nonfinancial corporate sectors.
Corresponding indexes of hourly compensation, unit labor costs, unit
nonlabor payments, and prices are also provided.
Unit profits include corporate profits and the value of inventory adjust
ments per unit of output.
Hours of all persons are the total hours paid of payroll workers, selfemployed persons, and unpaid family workers.
Capital services is the flow of services from the capital stock used in
production. It is developed from measures of the net stock of physical
assets— equipment, structures, land, and inventories— weighted by rental
prices for each type of asset.
Labor and capital inputs combined are derived by combining changes
in labor and capital inputs with weights which represent each component’s
share of total output. The indexes for capital services and combined units
of labor and capital are based on changing weights which are averages of
the shares in the current and preceding year (the Tomquist index-number
formula).
Notes on the data
Definitions
Output per hour of all persons (labor productivity) is the value of
goods and services in constant prices produced per hour of labor input.
Output per unit of capital services (capital productivity) is the value of
goods and services in constant dollars produced per unit of capital services
input.
Multifactor productivity is the ratio output per unit of labor and capital
inputs combined. Changes in this measure reflect changes in a number of
factors which affect the production process such as changes in technology,
shifts in the composition of the labor force, changes in capacity utilization,
research and development, skill and efforts of the work force, manage
ment, and so forth. Changes in the output per hour measures reflect the
impact of these factors as well as the substitution of capital for labor.
Compensation per hour is the wages and salaries of employees plus
employers’ contributions for social insurance and private benefit plans, and
the wages, salaries, and supplementary payments for the self-employed
(except for nonfinancial corporations in which there are no selfemployed)— the sum divided by hours paid for. Real compensation per
hour is compensation per hour deflated by the change in the Consumer
Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Unit labor costs are the labor compensation costs expended in the
production of a unit of output and are derived by dividing compensation by
output. Unit nonlabor payments include profits, depreciation, interest,
and indirect taxes per unit of output. They are computed by subtracting
compensation of all persons from current dollar value of output and divid
ing by output. Unit nonlabor costs contain all the components of unit
nonlabor payments e x c e p t unit profits.
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Output measures for the business sector and the nonfarm businesss sector
exclude the constant dollar value of owner-occupied housing, rest of world,
households and institutions, and general government output from the con
stant dollar value of gross national product. The measures are derived from
data supplied by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of
Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Board. Quarterly manufacturing out
put indexes are adjusted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to annual esti
mates of output (gross product originating) from the Bureau of Economic
Analysis. Compensation and hours data are developed from data of the
Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
The productivity and associated cost measures in tables 42-44 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 influ
ences, including changes in technology; capital investment; level of output;
utilization of capacity, energy, and materials; the organization of produc
tion; 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 bls H a n d b o o k o f M e th
o d s , Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 13. His
torical data for selected industries are provided in the Bureau’s H a n d b o o k
o f L a b o r S t a t i s t i c s , 1985, Bulletin 2217.
57
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics
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 six European countries. The
unemployment statistics (and, to a lesser extent, employment statistics)
published by other industrial countries are not, in most cases, comparable
to U.S. unemployment statistics. Therefore, the Bureau adjusts the figures
for selected countries, where necessary, for all known major definitional
differences. Although precise comparability may not be achieved, these
adjusted figures provide a better basis for international comparisons than
the figures regularly published by each country.
Definitions
For the principal U.S. definitions of the labor force, employment, and
unemployment, see the Notes section on EMPLOYMENT DATA: House
hold Survey Data.
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. 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; 16 and over in Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, the Nether
lands, and prior to 1973, the United Kingdom; and 14 and over in Italy. The
institutional population is included in the denominator of the labor force
participation rates and employment-population ratios for Japan and Ger
many; it is excluded for the United States and the other countries.
In the U.S. labor force survey, persons on layoff who are awaiting recall
to their job are classified as unemployed. European and Japanese layoff
practices are quite different in nature from those in the United States;
therefore, strict application of the U.S. definition has not been made on this
point. For further information, see M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , 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.
Additional sources of information
For further information, see I n te r n a tio n a l C o m p a r is o n s o f U n e m p lo y
Bulletin 1979 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1978), Appendix B and
unpublished Supplements to Appendix B available on request. The statis
tics are also analyzed periodically in the M o n th ly L a b o r R e v i e w . Additional
historical data, generally beginning with 1959, are published in the H a n d
b o o k o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s and are available in unpublished statistical supple
ments to Bulletin 1979.
m e n t,
Manufacturing productivity and labor costs
Description of the series
Table 47 presents comparative measures of manufacturing labor produc
tivity, hourly compensation costs, and unit labor costs for the United
Digitized for58
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States, Canada, Japan, and nine European countries. These measures are
limited to trend comparisons— that is, intercountry series of changes over
time— rather than level comparisons because reliable international com
parisons of the levels of manufacturing output are unavailable.
Definitions
Output is constant value output (value added), generally taken from the
national accounts of each country. While the national accounting methods
for measuring real output differ considerably among the 12 countries, the
use of different procedures does not, in itself, connote lack of comparabil
ity— rather, it reflects differences among countries in the availability and
reliability of underlying data series.
Hours refer to all employed persons including the self-employed in the
United States and Canada; to all wage and salary employees in the other
countries. The U.S. hours measure is hours paid; the hours measures for the
other countries are hours worked.
Compensation (labor cost) includes all payments in cash or kind made
directly to employees plus employer expenditures for legally required in
surance programs and contractual and private benefit plans. In addition, for
some countries, compensation is adjusted for other significant taxes on
payrolls or employment (or reduced to reflect subsidies), even if they are
not for the direct benefit 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 in
cluded in the U.S. and Canadian compensation figures by assuming that
their hourly compensation is equal to the average for wage and salary
employees.
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 manufacturing and mining less
energy-related products and the figures for the Netherlands exclude
petroleum refining from 1969 to 1976. For all countries, manufacturing
includes the activities of government enterprises.
The figures for one or more recent years are generally based on current
indicators of manufacturing output, employment, hours, and hourly com
pensation and are considered preliminary until the national accounts and
other statistics used for the long-term measures become available.
Additional sources of information
For additional information, see the b l s H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s , Bulletin
2134-1 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 16 and periodic M o n th ly
L a b o r R e v ie w articles. Historical data are provided in the Bureau’s H a n d
b o o k o f L a b o r S ta t is tic s , Bulletin 2217, 1985. The statistics are issued
twice per year— in a news release (generally in May) and in a M o n th ly
L a b o r R e v ie w article (generally in December).
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 government agencies.
Because the survey is a Federal-State cooperative program and the data
must meet the needs of participating State agencies, an independent sam
ple is selected for each State. The sample is selected to represent all pri
vate industries in the States and territories. The sample size for the
survey is dependent upon (1) the characteristics for which estimates are
needed; (2) the industries for which estimates are desired; (3) the charac
teristics 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 re
quires the smallest sample size.
The survey is based on stratified random sampling with a Neyman
allocation and a ratio estimator. The characteristics used to stratify the
establishments are the Standard Industrial Classification (sic) code and size
of employment.
Definitions
Recordable occupational injuries and illnesses 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).
Occupational injury is any injury such as a cut, fracture, sprain, ampu
tation, and so forth, which results from a work accident or from exposure
involving a single incident in the work environment.
Occupational illness is an abnormal condition or disorder, other than
one resulting from an occupational injury, caused by exposure to environ
mental factors associated with employment. It includes acute and chronic
illnesses or disease which may be caused by inhalation, absorption, inges
tion, or direct contact.
Lost workday cases are cases which involve days away from work, or
days of restricted work activity, or both.
Lost workday cases involving restricted work activity are those cases
which result in restricted work activity only.
Lost workdays away from work are the number of workdays (consec
utive or not) on which the employee would have worked but could not
because of occupational injury or illness.
Lost workdays—restricted work activity are the number of workdays
(consecutive or not) on which, because of injury or illness: (1) the em
ployee was assigned to another job on a temporary basis; or (2) the em
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ployee worked at a permanent job less than full time; or (3) the employee
worked at a permanently assigned job but could not perform all duties
normally connected with it.
The number of days away from work or days of restricted work
activity does not include the day of injury or onset of illness or any days
on which the employee would not have worked even though able to work.
Incidence rates represent the number of injuries and/or illnesses or lost
workdays per 100 full-time workers.
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 those where
the employee would have worked but could not and those in which work
activity was restricted. Estimates of the number of cases and the number of
days lost are made for both categories.
Most of the estimates are in the form of incidence rates, defined as the
number of injuries and illnesses, or lost workdays, per 100 full-time em
ployees. For this purpose, 200,000 employee hours represent 100 em
ployee years (2,000 hours per employee). Only a few of the available
measures are included in the H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S t a t i s t i c s . Full detail is
presented in the annual bulletin, O c c u p a tio n a l I n ju r ie s a n d I lln e s s e s in th e
U n ite d S ta te s , b y I n d u s tr y .
Comparable data for individual States are available from the bls Office
of Occupational Safety and Health Statistics.
Mining and railroad data are furnished to bls by the Mine Safety and
Health Administration and the Federal Railroad Administration, respec
tively. Data from these organizations are included in bls and State publica
tions. Federal employee experience is compiled and published by the Occu
pational Safety and Health Administration. Data on State and local
government employees are collected by about half of the States and territo
ries; these data are not compiled nationally.
Additional sources of information
The Supplementary Data System provides detailed information describ
ing various factors associated with work-related injuries and illnesses.
These data are obtained from information reported by e m p lo y e r s to State
workers’ compensation agencies. The Work Injury Report program exam
ines selected types of accidents through an employee survey which focuses
on the circumstances surrounding the injury. These data are not included
in the H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S ta tis tic s but are available from the bls Office
of Occupational Safety and Health Statistics.
The definitions of occupational injuries and illnesses and lost workdays
are from R e c o r d k e e p in g R e q u ir e m e n ts u n d e r th e O c c u p a tio n a l S a fe ty a n d
H e a lth A c t o f 1 9 7 0 . For additional data, see O c c u p a tio n a l I n ju r ie s a n d
I lln e s s e s in th e U n ite d S ta te s , b y I n d u s tr y , annual Bureau of Labor
Statistics bulletin; bls H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s , Bulletin 2134-1 (Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 1982), chapter 17; H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S t a t i s t i c s , Bulletin
2217 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1985), pp. 411-14; annual reports in the
M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , and annual U.S. Department of Labor press
releases.
59
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
1.
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Comparative Indicators
Labor market indicators
1986
1985
Selected indicators
1986
1985
I
III
II
I
IV
IV
III
II
E m p lo y m e n t d a ta
Employment status of the civilian noninstitutionalized population
(household survey)'
Labor force participation r a te ..............................................................
Employment-population r a tio ...............................................................
Unemployment r a t e ..............................................................................
M e n .......................................................................................................
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 o v e r .......................................
64.8
60.1
7.2
7.0
14.1
5.3
7.4
13.0
5.9
2.0
65.3
60.7
7.0
6.9
13.7
5.4
7.1
12.8
5.5
1.9
64.8
60.1
7.3
7.1
14.2
5.4
7.5
13.1
6.0
2.1
64.7
60.0
7.2
7.0
14.0
5.3
7.5
12.9
6.0
2.0
64.7
60.1
7.2
7.0
14.0
5.3
7.4
12.9
5.9
2.0
64.9
60.3
7.1
6.9
14.2
5.2
7.3
13.1
5.6
1.9
65.1
60.5
7.1
6.9
13.5
5.3
7.3
13.1
5.7
1.9
65.2
60.6
7.1
7.0
14.2
5.3
7.2
13.1
5.7
1.9
65.3
60.8
6.9
6.9
13.7
5.4
6.9
12.6
5.4
1.9
65.4
60.9
6.9
6.9
13.4
5.4
6.8
12.5
5.3
1.8
97,614
81,199
24,930
19,314
72,684
100,167
83,432
24,938
19,186
75,229
96,581
80,341
24,970
19,439
71,611
97,295
80,958
24,947
19,323
72,347
97,897
81,414
24,866
19,241
73,031
98,668
82,069
24,937
19,261
73,731
99,403
82,731
25,028
19,284
74,375
99,848
83,144
24,952
19,194
74,896
100,316
83,650
24,872
19,116
75,444
101,072
84,176
24,892
19,153
76,180
34.9
40.5
3.3
34.8
40.7
3.4
35.0
40.4
3.3
34.9
40.4
3.2
34.9
40.6
3.3
34.9
40.8
3.5
34.9
40.7
3.4
34.8
40.7
3.4
34.7
40.7
3.5
34.7
40.8
3.5
Percent change in the ECI, compensation:
All workers (excluding farm, household, and Federal w o rk e rs )......
Private industry workers .....................................................................
Goods-producing2 ............................................................................
Service-producing2 ..........................................................................
State and local government w o rk e rs ...............................................
4.3
3.9
3.4
4.4
5.7
3.6
3.2
3.1
3.2
5.2
1.3
1.2
1.5
1.0
1.2
.7
.8
.7
1.0
.2
1.6
1.3
.6
1.8
3.4
.6
.6
.6
.5
.7
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.0
.7
.8
.9
.6
.6
1.1
.7
.6
.8
2.8
.6
.6
.5
.6
.8
Workers by bargaining status (private industry):
U n io n ......................................................................................................
Nonunion ..............................................................................................
2.6
4.6
2.1
3.6
.7
1.6
.6
1.0
.8
1.4
.5
.6
1.0
1.2
.2
.9
.5
.8
.3
.7
Employment, nonagricultural (payroll data), in thousands:'
Total ...........................................................................................................
Private sector ........................................................................................
Goods-producing...................................................................................
M anufacturing.....................................................................................
Service-producing .................................................................................
Average hours:
Private sector ........................................................................................
Manufacturing ..................................................................................
E m p lo y m e n t C o s t In d e x
1 Quarterly data seasonally adjusted.
2 Goods-producing industries include mining, construction, and manufacturing. Service-
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producing industries include all other private sector industries.
2.
Annual and quarterly percent changes In compensation, prices, and productivity
1986
1985
Selected measures
1986
1985
I
IV
III
II
I
IV
III
II
C o m p e n s a t io n d a ta 1, 2
Employment Cost Index-compensation (wages, salaries,
benefits):
4.3
3.9
3.6
3.2
1.3
1.2
0.7
.8
1.6
1.3
0.6
.6
1.1
1.1
0.7
.8
1.1
.7
0.6
.6
4.4
4.1
3.5
3.1
1.2
1.2
.9
1.1
1.7
1.3
.6
.6
1.0
1.0
.8
.9
1.1
.7
.6
.5
3.8
1.1
1.0
1.1
.7
.9
.6
.7
.3
Employment Cost Index-wages and salaries
P r ic e d a t a 1
Consumer Price Index (All urban consumers): All ite m s ......
Producer Price Index:
1.8
1.5
2.7
-.3
-5.6
-2 .5
-3 .8
2.1
-4 .4
-9.7
.5
.4
.6
-.9
-1.5
-3.1
-4.1
.2
-2.9
-7.6
2.5
2.5
2.5
.4
4.3
-1.4
-1.4
-1.4
-.5
-4.5
.7
.7
.4
.2
-2.1
.0
-.3
1.3.
-.4
-3.1
- .4
.9
.6
2.0
-.4
-.2
-.7
-.7
-.7
-.2
-.5
P r o d u c t iv it y d a t a 3
Output per hour of all persons:
1.0
.5
1.2
_
.9
.3
.8
.7
.7
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.
3.
_____ I--------------
-2.8
-2.2
-
-.4
-.3
.2
.5
.5
-.3
3.3
4.3
-.5
-3.2
-3.5
-2.8
3.4
2.2
4.9
2.7
1.8
2.2
dexes. The data are seasonally adjusted.
4 Output per hour pf all employees.
- Data not available.
Alternative measures of wage and compensation changes
Four quarters ended-
Quarterly average
III
I
IV
III
II
1986
1985
1986
1985
Components
IV
IV
III
I
IV
III
II
Average hourly compensation:1
4.4
3.2
3.8
3.7
2.5
3.1
2.8
2.3
2.9
2.3
2.1
2.7
4.4
4.0
4.4
3.9
3.9
3.6
3.4
3.1
3.0
2.8
2.6
2.6
1.6
1.3
.8
1.4
3.4
.6
.6
.5
.6
.7
1.1
1.1
1.0
1.2
1.0
.7
.8
.2
.9
.6
1.1
.7
.5
.8
2.8
.6
.6
.3
.7
.8
4.9
4.7
3.2
5.4
6.0
4.3
3.9
2.6
4.6
5.7
4.1
3.8
2.9
4.2
5.5
4.0
3.8
2.5
4.2
5.8
3.6
3.2
2.3
3.5
5.2
3.6
3.2
2.1
3.6
5.2
1.7
1.3
.9
1.5
3.5
1.2
.2
.5
.4
.6
.6
.5
.6
.5
.1
.2
.1
1.0
1.0
.7
1.1
1.0
.6
(4)
.4
.2
.8
.9
.4
.9
.4
.7
.2
.6
1.1
.7
.6
.7
3.2
.5
.1
.5
(4)
.6
.5
.2
.7
.7
.5
.2
.2
.1
5.0
4.8
3.6
5.4
5.6
3.5
.9
1.8
.8
4.4
4.1
3.1
4.6
5.6
3.3
.7
1.8
.7
4.2
3.9
3.2
4.3
5.5
3.1
.6
1.7
.8
4.1
3.7
2.5
4.1
5.7
2.9
.5
1.8
.7
3.5
3.1
2.3
3.4
5.4
2.3
.5
1.6
.2
3.5
3.1
2.0
3.5
5.4
2.3
.5
1.7
.2
2.0
3.1
2.1
1.9
.8
1.5
1.3
2.0
.8
1.5
2.0
2.1
2.4
2.5
2.3
2.7
2.0
2.5
1.6
2.2
1.2
1.7
1.2
1.8
2.0
3.0
2.0
1.4
.6
1.2
.7
1.6
.7
1.2
2.7
2.4
3.1
2.7
2.6
2.7
2.3
2.5
1.4
2.0
.9
1.4
1.1
1.6
Employment Cost Index-compensation:
Employment Cost Index-wages and salaries:
(4)
Negotiated wage adjustments from settlements:3
Negotiated wage and benefit adjustments from settlements:5
1 Seasonally adjusted.
2 Excludes Federal and household workers.
3 Limited to major collective bargaining units of 1,000 workers or more. The
most recent data are preliminary.
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4 Data round to zero.
5 Limited to major collective bargaining units of 5,000 workers or more. The
most recent data are preliminary.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
4.
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
Employment status of the total population, by sex, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
Annual average
1987
1986
Employment status
Mar.
182,293
119,540
65.6
111,303
181,678
118,880
65.4
110,500
181,843
118,987
65.4
110,664
181,998
119,274
65.5
110,852
182,183
119,685
65.7
111,293
182,354
119,789
65.7
111,559
182,525
119,821
65.6
111,764
182,713
119,988
65.7
111,703
182,935
120,163
65.7
111,941
183,114
120,426
65.8
112,183
183,297
120,336
65.7
112,387
183,575
120,782
65.8
112,759
183,738
121,089
65.9
113,122
183,915
120,958
65.8
113,104
60.5
1,706
107,150
3,179
103,971
8,312
7.1
62,744
61.1
1,706
109,597
3,163
106,434
8,237
6.9
62,752
60.8
1,693
108,807
3,252
105,555
8,380
7.0
62,798
60.9
1,695
108,969
3,199
105,770
8,323
7.0
62,856
60.9
1,687
109,165
3,151
106,014
8,422
7.1
62,724
61.1
1,680
109,613
3,164
106,449
8,392
7.0
62,498
61.2
1,672
109,887
3,124
106,763
8,230
6.9
62,565
61.2
1,697
110,067
3,057
107,010
8,057
6.7
62,704
61.1
1,716
109,987
3,142
106,845
8,285
6.9
62,725
61.2
1,749
110,192
3,162
107,030
8,222
6.8
62,772
61.3
1,751
110,432
3,215
107,217
8,243
6.8
62,688
61.3
1,750
110,637
3,161
107,476
7,949
6.6
62,961
61.4
1,748
111,011
3,145
107,866
8,023
6.6
62,793
61.6
1,740
111,382
3,236
108,146
7,967
6.6
62,649
61.5
1,736
111,368
3,284
108,084
7,854
6.5
62,957
86,025
65,967
76.7
61,447
87,349
66,973
76.7
62,443
87,035
66,793
76.7
62,221
87,120
66,770
76.6
62,253
87,195
66,854
76.7
62,201
87,288
66,937
76.7
62,318
87,373
66,968
76.6
62,402
87,460
66,911
76.5
62,483
87,556
67,128
76.7
62,528
87,682
67,130
76.6
62,565
87,773
67,407
76.8
62,833
87,868
67,425
76.7
62,986
88,020
67,672
76.9
63,187
88,099
67,764
76.9
63,335
88,186
67,644
76.7
63,282
71.4
1,556
59,891
4,521
6.9
71.5
1,551
60,892
4,530
6.8
71.5
1,540
60,681
4,572
6.8
71.5
1,541
60,712
4,517
6.8
71.3
1,533
60,668
4,653
7.0
71.4
1,525
60,793
4,619
6.9
71.4
1,518
60,884
4,566
6.8
71.4
1,541
60,942
4,428
6.6
71.4
1,560
60,968
4,600
6.9
71.4
1,590
60,975
4,565
6.8
71.6
1,592
61,241
4,574
6.8
71.7
1,593
61,393
4,439
6.6
71.8
1,591
61,596
4,484
6.6
71.9
1,584
61,751
4,429
6.5
71.8
1,575
61,707
4,362
6.4
93,886
51,200
54.5
47,409
94,944
52,568
55.4
48,861
94,643
52,087
55.0
48,279
94,723
52,217
55.1
48,411
94,803
52,420
55.3
48,651
94,895
52,748
55.6
48,975
94,981
52,821
55.6
49,157
95,065
52,910
55.7
49,281
95,156
52,860
55.6
49,175
95,253
53,033
55.7
49,376
95,341
53,019
55.6
49,350
95,429
52,911
55.4
49,401
95,556
53,110
55.6
49,572
95,639
53,325
55.8
49,787
95,729
53,314
55.7
49,822
50.5
150
47,259
3,791
v. 7.4
51.5
155
48,706
3,707
7.1
51.0
153
48,126
3,808
7.3
51.1
154
48,257
3,806
7.3
51.3
154
48,497
3,769
7.2
51.6
155
48,820
3,773
7.2
51.8
154
49,003
3,664
6.9
51.8
156
49,125
3,629
6.9
51.7
156
49,019
3,685
7.0
51.8
159
49,217
3,657
6.9
51.8
159
49,191
3,669
6.9
51.8
157
49,244
3,510
6.6
51.9
157
49,415
3,538
6.7
52.1
156
49,631
3,538
6.6
52.0
161
49,661
3,492
6.6
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
179,912
117,167
65.1
108,856
May
Nov.
Feb.
1986
Apr.
Oct.
Jan.
1985
TO TA L
Noninstitutional population
2 .......
Labor force2 .....................................
Participation rate 3 .................
Total employed 2 ..........................
Employment-population
ratio 4 ......................................
Resident Armed Forces ' .......
Civilian employed .....................
Agriculture ...............................
Nonagricultural in dustries.....
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment rate 5 ............
Not in labor force ...........................
M en, 16 yea rs and o v e r
Noninstitutional population ', 2 .......
Labor force2 .....................................
Participation rate 3 .................
Total employed 2 ..........................
Employment-population
ratio 4 ......................................
Resident Armed Forces 1 .......
Civilian em p lo ye d .....................
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment rate 5 ............
W o m en , 16 yea rs and ove r
Noninstitutional population ', 2 .......
Labor force2 .....................................
Participation rate 3 ..................
Total employed2 ...........................
Employment-population
ratio 4 ......................................
Resident Armed Forces 1 .......
Civilian employed .....................
Unem ployed..................................
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.
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4 Total employed as a percent of the noninstitutional population.
5 Unemployment as a percent of the labor force (including
Forces).
the resident Armed
5. Employment status of the civilian population, by sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, monthly data seasonally
adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
1987
1986
Annual average
Employment status
1985
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
TO TAL
Civilian noninstitutional
p o p u la tio n '.......................................
Civilian labor fo rc e ..........................
Participation rate ...................
E m ployed......................................
Employment-population
ratio2 .......................................
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment ra te ...............
Not in labor force ...........................
178,206
115,461
64.8
107,150
180,587
117,834
65.3
109,597
179,985
117,187
65.1
108,807
180,148
117,292
65.1
108,969
180,311
117,587
65.2
109,165
180,503
118,005
65.4
109,613
180,682
118,117
65.4
109,887
180,828
118,124
65.3
110,067
180,997
118,272
65.3
109,987
181,186
118,414
65.4
110,192
181,363
118,675
65.4
110,432
181,547
118,586
65.3
110,637
181,827
119,034
65.5
111,011
181,998
119,349
65.6
111,382
182,179
119,222
65.4
111,368
60.1
8,312
7.2
62,744
60.7
8,237
7.0
62,752
60.5
8,380
7.2
62,798
60.5
8,323
7.1
62,856
60.5
8,422
7.2
62,724
60.7
8,392
7.1
62,498
60.8
8,230
7.0
62,565
60.9
8,057
6.8
62,704
60.8
8,285
7.0
62,725
60.8
8,222
6.9
62,772
60.9
8,243
6.9
62,688
60.9
7,949
6.7
62,961
61.1
8,023
6.7
62,793
61.2
7,967
6.7
62,649
61.1
7,854
6.6
62,957
77,195
60,277
78.1
56,562
78,523
61,320
78.1
57,569
78,236
61,177
78.2
57,388
78,309
61,080
78.0
57,392
78,387
61,158
78.0
57,338
78,484
61,330
78.1
57,522
78,586
61,355
78.1
57,544
78,634
61,219
77.9
57,585
78,722
61,412
78.0
57,607
78,802
61,409
77.9
57,595
78,874
61,703
78.2
57,883
78,973
61,826
78.3
58,101
79,132
61,948
78.3
58,227
79,216
61,973
78.2
58,325
79,303
61,983
78.2
58,410
73.3
2,278
54,284
3,715
6.2
73.3
2,292
55,277
3,751
6.1
73.4
2,389
54,999
3,789
6.2
73.3
2,319
55,073
3,688
6.0
73.1
2,279
55,059
3,820
6.2
73.3
2,309
55,213
3,808
6.2
73.2
2,275
55,269
3,811
6.2
73.2
2,185
55,400
3,634
5.9
73.2
2,286
55,321
3,805
6.2
73.1
2,297
55,298
3,814
6.2
73.4
2,303
55,580
3,820
6.2
73.6
2,289
55,812
3,725
6.0
73.6
2,254
55,974
3,720
6.0
73.6
2,300
56,024
3,648
5.9
73.7
2,411
55,999
3,573
5.8
86,506
47,283
54.7
44,154
87,567
48,589
55.5
45,556
87,263
48,065
55.1
44,934
87,355
48,181
55.2
45,094
87,444
48,433
55.4
45,335
87,547
48,739
55.7
45,657
87,629
48,879
55.8
45,869
87,689
48,950
55.8
45,956
87,779
48,920
55.7
45,905
87,856
49,014
55.8
46,020
87,933
49,043
55.8
46,067
88,016
48,923
55.6
46,058
88,150
49,161
55.8
46,261
88,237
49,348
55.9
46,475
88,321
49,355
55.9
46,498
51.0
596
43,558
3,129
6.6
52.0
614
44,943
3,032
6.2
51.5
589
44,345
3,131
6.5
51.6
585
44,509
3,087
6.4
51.8
604
44,731
3,098
6.4
52.2
583
45,074
3,082
6.3
52.3
607
45,262
3,010
6.2
52.4
622
45,334
2,994
6.1
52.3
614
45,291
3,015
6.2
52.4
612
45,408
2,994
6.1
52.4
675
45,392
2,976
6.1
52.3
621
45,437
2,865
5.9
52.5
628
45,633
2,900
5.9
52.7
641
45,835
2,873
5.8
52.6
589
45,909
2,857
5.8
14,506
7,901
54.5
6,434
14,496
7,926
54.7
6,472
14,485
7,945
54.9
6,485
14,484
8,031
55.4
6,483
14,480
7,996
55.2
6,492
14,472
7,936
54.8
6,434
14,467
7,883
54.5
6,474
14,505
7,955
54.8
6,526
14,496
7,940
54.8
6,475
14,527
7,991
55.0
6,577
14,557
7,929
54.5
6,482
14,558
7,837
53.8
6,478
14,545
7,926
54.5
6,524
14,546
8,028
55.2
6,582
14,555
7,884
54.2
6,460
44.4
305
6,129
1,468
18.6
44.6
258
6,215
1,454
18.3
44.8
274
6,211
1,460
18.4
44.8
295
6,188
1,548
19.3
44.8
268
6,224
1,504
18.8
44.5
272
6,162
1,502
18.9
44.8
242
6,232
1,409
17.9
45.0
250
6,276
1,429
18.0
44.7
242
6,233
1,465
18.5
45.3
253
6,324
1,414
17.7
44.5
237
6,245
1,447
18.2
44.5
251
6,227
1,359
17.3
44.9
264
6,260
1,402
17.7
45.2
295
6,287
1,446
18.0
44.4
284
6,176
1,424
18.1
153,679
99,926
65.0
93,736
155,432
101,801
65.5
95,660
155,005
101,208
65.3
94,955
155,122
101,237
65.3
95,095
155,236
101,531
65.4
95,283
155,376
101,946
65.6
95,720
155,502
102,015
65.6
95,861
155,604
102,122
65.6
96,177
155,723
102,158
65.6
96,000
155,856
102,297
65.6
96,147
155,979
102,455
65.7
96,281
156,111
102,503
65.7
96,533
156,313
102,746
65.7
96,717
156,431
102,893
65.8
96,995
156,561
102,797
65.7
96,998
61.0
6,191
6.2
61.5
6,140
6.0
61.3
6,253
6.2
61.3
6,142
6.1
61.4
6,248
6.2
61.6
6,226
6.1
61.6
6,154
6.0
61.8
5,945
5.8
61.6
6,158
6.0
61.7
6,150
6.0
61.7
6,174
6.0
61.8
5,970
5.8
61.9
6,029
5.9
62.0
5,898
5.7
62.0
5,799
5.6
19,664
12,364
62.9
10,501
19,989
12,654
63.3
10,814
19,889
12,634
63.5
10,770
19,916
12,687
63.7
10,809
19,943
12,721
63.8
10,839
19,974
12,712
63.6
10,818
20,002
12,611
63.0
10,822
20,028
12,553
62.7
10,716
20,056
12,652
63.1
10,799
20,089
12,720
63.3
10,895
20,120
12,719
63.2
10,910
20,152
12,707
63.1
10,968
20,187
12,831
63.6
10,997
20,218
12,957
64.1
11,101
20,249
12,844
63.4
11,053
53.4
1,864
15.1
54.1
1,840
14.5
54.2
1,864
14.8
54.3
1,878
14.8
54.3
1,882
14.8
54.2
1,894
14.9
54.1
1,789
14.2
53.5
1,837
14.6
53.8
1,853
14.6
54.2
1,825
14.3
54.2
1,809
14.2
54.4
1,739
13.7
54.5
1,833
14.3
54.9
1,855
14.3
54.6
1,791
13.9
M en, 20 y e a rs and o v e r
Civilian noninstitutional
p o p u la tio n '.......................................
Civilian labor fo rc e ..........................
Participation rate ...................
Employed ......................................
Employment-population
ratio2 .......................................
A g riculture..................................
Nonagricultural industries........
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment ra te ...............
W o m en , 20 y e a rs ond o v e r
Civilian noninstitutional
pop u la tio n '.......................................
Civilian labor fo rc e ..........................
Participation rate ...................
E m ployed......................................
Employment-population
ratio2 .......................................
A g riculture..................................
Nonagricultural industries........
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment r a te ...............
B o th sexes, 16 to 19 yea rs
Civilian noninstitutional
p o p u la tio n '.......................................
Civilian labor fo rc e ..........................
Participation rate ...................
Employed ......................................
Employment-population
ratio2 .......................................
A g riculture..................................
Nonagricultural industries........
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment r a te ...............
W hite
Civilian noninstitutional
p o p u la tio n '.......................................
Civilian labor fo rc e ..........................
Participation rate ...................
Employed ......................................
Employment-population
ratio2 .......................................
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment ra te ...............
Black
Civilian noninstitutional
p o p u la tio n '.......................................
Civilian labor fo rc e ..........................
Participation rate ...................
Employed ......................................
Employment-population
ratio2 .......................................
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment r a te ...............
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
63
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
5. Continued— Employment status of the civilian population, by sex, age, race and Hispanic origin, monthly data seasonally
adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
1987
1986
Annual average
Employment status
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
11,915
7,698
64.6
6,888
12,344
8,076
65.4
7,219
12,219
7,926
64.9
7,095
12,255
7,969
65.0
7,129
12,290
8,006
.65.1
7,136
57.8
811
10.5
58.5
857
10.6
58.1
831
10.5
58.2
840
10.5
58.1
870
10.9
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
12,432
8,179
65.8
7,286
12,469
8,200
65.8
7,345
12,505
8,226
65.8
7,437
12,540
8,320
66.3
7,446
12,653
8,431
66.6
7,538
12,692
8,457
66.6
7,644
12,732
8,392
65.9
7,639
58.6
893
10.9
58.9
855
10.4
59.5
789
9.6
59.4
874
10.5
59.6
893
10.6
60.2
813
9.6
60.0
753
9.0
Sept.
July
Aug.
12,326
8,085
65.6
7,224
12,362
8,121
65.7
7,269
12,397
8,130
65.6
7,248
58.6
861
10.6
58.8
852
10.5
58.5
882
10.8
June
1985
H ispanic origin
Civilian noninstitutional
population1 .......................................
Civilian labor fo rc e ..........................
Participation rate ....................
E m ployed......................................
Employment-population
ratio2 .......................................
Unem ployed..................................
Unemployment ra te ...............
' The population figures are not seasonally adjusted.
2 Civilian employment as a percent of the civilian noninstitutional population.
NOTE: Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals
6.
because data for the “ other races” groups are not presented and Hispanics are included
in both the white and black population groups.
Selected employment indicators, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(In thousands)
1987
1986
Annual average
Selected categories
1985
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
C H A R A C T E R IS T IC
Civilian employed, 16 years and
o v e r.................................................
M e n ..............................................
W o m e n ........................................
Married men, spouse present ..
Married women, spouse
p re s e n t.......................................
Women who maintain families .
107,150
59,891
47,259
39,248
109,597
60,892
48,706
39,658
108,807
60,681
48,126
39,396
108,969
60,712
48,257
39,504
109,165
60,668
48,497
39,582
109,613
60,793
48,820
39,613
109,887
60,884
49,003
39,634
110,067
60,942
49,125
39,735
109,987
60,968
49,019
39,691
110,192
60,975
49,217
39,780
110,432
61,241
49,191
39,952
110,637
61,393
49,244
40,093
111,011
61,596
49,415
40,102
111,382
61,751
49,631
39,913
111,368
61,707
49,661
40,100
26,336
5,597
27,144
5,837
26,761
5,754
26,889
5,799
27,016
5,734
27,354
5,719
27,474
5,812
27,388
5,832
27,249
5,926
27,323
6,016
27,333
6,041
27,400
6,005
27,525
5,985
27,817
5,906
27,965
5,933
1,535
1,458
185
1,547
1,447
169
1,655
1,450
169
1,539
1,467
173
1,489
1,472
177
1,508
1,492
163
1,504
1,434
171
1,509
1,387
174
1,521
1,460
159
1,562
1,451
164
1,582
1,425
198
1,621
1,400
152
1,650
1,370
136
1,647
1,454
126
1,739
1,418
150
95,871
16,031
79,841
1,249
78,592
7,811
289
98,299
16,342
81,957
1,235
80,722
7,881
255
97,661
16,160
81,501
1,227
80,274
7,713
243
97,858
16,231
81,627
1,309
80,318
7,634
251
98,047
16,333
81,714
1,261
80,453
7,793
235
98,314
16,377
81,937
1,267
80,670
7,832
236
98,312
16,582
81,730
1,241
80,489
8,019
258
98,586
16,446
82,140
1,247
80,893
7,956
271
98,692
16,333
82,359
1,229
81,130
7,939
275
98,846
16,264
82,582
1,216
81,366
7,993
265
98,869
16,457
82,412
1,183
81,229
8,179
252
99,164
16,443
82,721
1,189
81,532
8,056
239
99,550
16,412
83,138
1,269
81,869
8,192
246
99,748
16,532
83,216
1,204
82,012
8,187
255
99,834
16,568
83,265
1,227
82,038
8,050
273
5,590
2,430
2,819
13,489
5,588
2,456
2,800
13,935
5,548
2,352
2,908
13,778
5,853
2,534
2,922
13,900
5,825
2,605
2,843
13,853
5,538
2,437
2,813
14,142
5,442
2,473
2,661
13,967
5,471
2,417
2,741
13,981
5,544
2,472
2,772
13,922
5,740
2,481
2,826
14,178
5,563
2,510
2,714
14,021
5,596
2,444
2,867
13,877
5,505
2,473
2,695
14,170
5,780
2,535
2,828
14,061
5,456
2,440
2,698
14,167
5,334
2,273
2,730
13,038
5,345
2,305
2,719
13,502
5,295
2,160
2,819
13,351
5,567
2,382
2,806
13,528
5,569
2,485
2,749
13,412
5,322
2,307
2,727
13,613
5,222
2,317
2,609
13,578
5,269
2,283
2,678
13,606
5,303
2,314
2,710
13,520
5,450
2,314
2,739
13,736
5,319
2,366
2,626
13,567
5,342
2,286
2,765
13,455
5,201
2,281
2,599
13,750
5,459
2,340
2,742
13,597
5,164
2,218
2,595
13,682
M AJO R IN D U S TR Y A N D CLASS
OF W ORKER
Agriculture:
Wage and salary w o rk e rs ........
Self-employed w o rk e rs .............
Unpaid family w o rk e rs ..............
Nonagricultural industries:
Wage and salary w o rk e rs ........
Government .............................
Private in dustries.....................
Private households..............
O th e r ......................................
Self-employed w o rk e rs .............
Unpaid family w o rk e rs ..............
PE RS O N S A T W O R K
P A R T T IM E '
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 t im e ......................
1 Excludes persons “ with a job but not at work" durmg the survey perioc for such reasons as vacation, illness, or industrial disputes.
Digitized for64
FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
7.
Selected unemployment indicators, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Unemployment rates)
1987
1986
Annual average
Selected categories
1985
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Total, all civilian w o rke rs.............................................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 y e a rs ...................................
Men, 20 years and o v e r ........................................
Women, 20 years and o v e r...................................
7.2
18.6
6.2
6.6
7.0
18.3
6.1
6.2
7.2
18.4
6.2
6.5
7.1
19.3
6.0
6.4
7.2
18.8
6.2
6.4
7.1
18.9
6.2
6.3
7.0
17.9
6.2
6.2
6.8
18.0
5.9
6.1
7.0
18.5
6.2
6.2
6.9
17.7
6.2
6.1
6.9
18.2
6.2
6.1
6.7
17.3
6.0
5.9
6.7
17.7
6.0
5.9
6.7
18.0
5.9
5.8
6.6
18.1
5.8
5.8
White, t o t a l...............................................................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 y e a rs ................................
Men, 16 to 19 years ......................................
Women, 16 to 19 y e a rs .................................
Men, 20 years and over .....................................
Women, 20 years and o v e r................................
6.2
15.7
16.5
14.8
5.4
5.7
6.0
15.6
16.3
14.9
5.3
5.4
6.2
15.0
15.9
14.1
5.4
5.7
6.1
16.3
17.1
15.4
5.2
5.5
6.2
15.9
17.0
14.7
5.4
5.5
6.1
15.9
17.1
14.6
5.4
5.4
6.0
15.2
15.6
14.7
5.4
5.3
5.8
15.4
16.6
14.2
5.1
5.2
6.0
15.9
16.6
15.1
5.4
5.3
6.0
15.4
15.7
15.2
5.4
5.2
6.0
16.0
16.3
15.7
5.4
5.2
5.8
15.1
15.5
14.6
5.3
5.0
5.9
15.0
16.1
13.8
5.3
5.1
5.7
15.2
16.0
14.3
5.2
4.9
5.6
15.5
17.1
13.9
5.1
4.8
Black, total ...............................................................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 y e a rs ................................
Men, 16 to 19 years ......................................
Women, 16 to 19 y e a rs .................................
Men, 20 years and over .....................................
Women, 20 years and o v e r................................
15.1
40.2
41.0
39.2
13.2
13.1
14.5
39.3
39.3
39.2
12.9
12.4
14.8
42.4
42.6
42.2
12.8
12.3
14.8
41.9
41.2
42.7
12.8
12.5
14.8
40.5
40.5
40.5
12.9
12.7
14.9
39.5
39.7
39.4
13.3
12.7
14.2
38.0
40.5
35.0
12.9
12.1
14.6
40.3
38.8
41.9
13.2
12.5
14.6
38.4
38.6
38.3
13.4
12.4
14.3
35.8
37.8
33.8
13.1
12.4
14.2
36.0
35.0
37.0
12.9
12.5
13.7
36.5
36.1
36.9
11.8
12.3
14.3
39.5
36.5
43.2
12.2
12.8
14.3
38.9
38.3
39.5
12.0
12.9
13.9
37.6
36.5
38.8
11.5
13.0
Hispanic origin, to ta l...............................................
10.5
10.6
10.5
10.5
10.9
10.6
10.5
10.8
10.9
10.4
9.6
10.5
10.6
9.6
9.0
Married men, spouse p re se n t...............................
Married women, spouse p re s e n t..........................
Women who maintain fa m ilie s ..............................
Full-time workers ....................................................
Part-time workers ...................................................
Unemployed 15 weeks and o v e r..........................
Labor force time lost1 ............................................
4.3
5.6
10.4
6.8
9.3
2.0
8.1
4.4
5.2
9.8
6.6
9.1
1.9
7.9
4.5
5.5
10.1
6.8
9.1
1.9
8.1
4.2
5.3
9.5
6.7
9.4
1.8
8.1
4.4
5.3
10.1
6.9
9.1
1.9
8.2
4.5
5.2
10.0
6.7
9.1
1.9
8.1
4.4
5.2
9.5
6.6
9.2
1.9
7.8
4.2
5.1
10.1
6.4
9.3
1.9
7.7
4.3
5.1
9.8
6.6
9.3
2.0
7.9
4.6
5.0
8.9
6.6
9.2
1.8
7.8
4.5
5.0
9.7
6.6
9.1
1.9
7.7
4.3
4.8
9.8
6.3
8.8
1.8
7.6
4.2
4.8
9.8
6.4
9.0
1.8
7.6
4.2
4.8
9.5
6.3
8.7
1.8
7.6
4.1
4.5
9.7
6.2
9.2
1.7
7.4
7.2
9.5
13.1
7.7
7.6
7.8
5.1
7.6
5.6
3.9
13.2
7.0
13.5
13.1
7.1
6.9
7.4
5.1
7.6
5.5
3.6
12.5
7.1
10.5
13.0
7.2
6.9
7.6
5.8
7.7
5.6
3.9
12.1
7.1
12.4
12.3
6.9
6.9
6.9
5.5
7.9
5.8
3.6
13.4
7.2
13.6
13.0
7.4
7.3
7.5
5.3
7.9
5.5
3.6
15.3
7.1
17.3
12.4
7.2
7.0
7.5
5.4
7.7
5.5
3.6
13.2
7.1
16.6
13.0
6.9
6.7
7.2
5.5
7.8
5.7
3.3
11.4
6.9
16.6
12.4
6.9
6.8
6.9
4.8
7.5
5.6
3.3
13.3
7.0
13.9
12.9
7.0
6.5
7.7
4.7
7.6
5.6
3.5
12.9
7.0
14.5
13.8
7.3
7.2
7.3
5.2
7.4
5.4
3.7
11.9
7.0
14.5
15.1
7.1
6.6
7.9
4.4
7.2
5.4
3.6
10.1
6.8
14.1
13.7
6.9
6.4
7.7
4.6
7.2
5.1
3.3
11.5
6.7
14.0
12.2
6.8
6.8
6.8
4.8
7.5
5.2
3.6
11.6
6.6
12.4
11.6
6.8
6.8
6.9
4.0
7.2
5.4
3.7
11.2
6.5
9.3
12.5
6.9
6.7
7.3
4.6
7.3
4.9
3.4
10.7
C H A R A C T E R IS T IC
IN D U S TR Y
Nonagricultural private wage and salary workers ....
M ining........................................................................
C o nstruction.............................................................
Manufacturing .........................................................
Durable g o o d s ......................................................
Nondurable g o o d s ...............................................
Transportation and public utilities ........................
Wholesale and retail tra d e ....................................
Finance and service in dustries.............................
Government w o rk e rs ...................................................
Agricultural wage and salary workers .......................
1 Aggregate hours lost by the unemployed and persons on part time for economic reasons as a percent of potentially available labor force hours.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
65
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
8. Unemployment rates by sex and age, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Civilian workers)
Annua!
average
Sex and age
1985
1987
1986
Mar.
1986
Apr.
June
May
July
Nov.
Oct.
Sept.
Aug.
Jan.
Dec.
Mar.
Feb.
Total, 16 years and over ........................................................................
16 to 24 y e a rs .......................................................................................
16 to 19 y e a rs ....................................................................................
16 to 17 years .................................................................................
18 to 19 years .................................................................................
20 to 24 years ....................................................................................
25 years and o v e r.................................................................................
25 to 54 years .................................................................................
55 years and o v e r ...........................................................................
7.2
13.6
18.6
21.0
17.0
11.1
5.6
5.8
4.1
7.0
13.3
18.3
20.2
17.0
10.7
5.4
5.7
3.9
7.2
13.3
18.4
19.8
17.2
10.7
5.6
5.9
4.2
7.1
13.7
19.3
20.8
18.4
10.8
5.4
5.7
3.9
7.2
13.8
18.8
20.8
17.4
11.2
5.5
5.9
3.7
7.1
13.5
18.9
20.7
17.5
10.7
5.5
5.9
3.8
7.0
13.2
17.9
19.8
16.2
10.8
5.4
5.7
3.8
6.8
12.9
18.0
19.8
16.8
10.3
5.4
5.7
3.7
7.0
13.6
18.5
20.0
17.2
11.1
5.4
5.6
4.0
6.9
13.0
17.7
19.3
16.5
10.5
5.5
5.7
4.1
6.9
12.9
18.2
20.6
16.7
10.2
5.5
5.8
3.8
6.7
12.9
17.3
18.8
16.3
10.7
5.2
5.5
3.5
6.7
13.1
17.7
20.1
16.2
107
5.2
5.6
3.2
6.7
13.1
18.0
20.3
16.6
10.5
5.1
5.5
3.0
6.6
12.9
18.1
20.0
16.5
10.2
5.1
5.4
3.4
Men, 16 years and o v e r ....................................................................
16 to 24 years .................................................................................
16 to 19 y e a rs ...............................................................................
16 to 17 y e a rs ............................................................................
18 to 19 y e a rs ............................................................................
20 to 24 y e a rs ...............................................................................
25 years and o v e r ...........................................................................
25 to 54 y e a rs ............................................................................
55 years and o v e r......................................................................
7.0
14.1
19.5
21.9
17.9
11.4
5.3
5.6
4.1
6.9
13.7
19.0
20.8
17.7
11.0
5.4
5.6
4.1
7.0
13.7
19.2
20.5
18.3
11.0
5.4
5.7
4.1
6.9
14.2
20.0
21.1
19.2
11.3
5.2
5.5
4.0
7.1
14.5
20.0
21.3
19.1
11.7
5.4
5.7
3.9
7.1
13.9
19.9
20.0
19.4
10.9
5.4
5.7
4.1
7.0
13.6
18.4
20.3
16.7
11.1
5.4
5.7
4.0
6.8
13.3
19.1
20.9
18.0
10.3
5.3
5.6
4.1
7.0
14.3
19.1
21.0
17.5
11.9
5.4
5.5
4.2
7.0
13.2
18.2
19.8
17.0
10.7
5.5
5.7
4.4
6.9
13.4
18.3
21.3
16.2
10.9
5.5
5.7
4.1
6.7
13.4
17.8
19.1
17.0
11.3
5.2
5.5
4.0
6.8
13.4
18.5
21.4
16.9
10.7
5.4
5.7
3.5
6.7
13.6
18.6
21.2
17.0
11.1
5.1
5.4
3.3
6.6
13.2
19.3
20.2
18.6
10.1
5.1
5.4
3.6
Women, 16 years and o v e r .............................................................
16 to 24 y e a rs ................................................................................
16 to 19 years .............................................................................
16 to 17 years ..........................................................................
18 to 19 years ..........................................................................
20 to 24 years .............................................................................
25 years and o v e r..........................................................................
25 to 54 years ..........................................................................
55 years and o v e r ....................................................................
7.4
13.0
17.6
20.0
16.0
10.7
5.9
6.2
4.1
7.1
12.8
17.6
19.6
16.3
10.3
5.5
5.9
3.6
7.3
12.8
17.5
19.0
16.2
10.3
5.8
6.1
4.3
7.3
13.1
18.5
20.4
17.6
10.2
5.7
6.0
3.8
7.2
13.1
17.5
20.3
15.5
10.8
5.6
6.0
3.5
7.2
13.0
17.9
21.4
15.6
10.4
5.6
6.0
3.3
7.0
12.7
17.3
19.2
15.6
10.4
5.4
5.8
3.6
6.9
12.4
16.7
18.7
15.4
10.2
5.4
5.8
3.3
7.0
12.8
17.7
18.8
16.9
10.2
5.5
5.8
3.6
6.9
12.7
17.2
18.6
16.0
10.3
5.4
5.7
3.6
6.9
12.4
18.2
19.8
17.2
9.4
5.5
5.8
3.4
6.7
12.4
16.8
18.4
15.7
10.0
5.2
5.5
2.9
6.7
12.7
16.8
18.7
15.3
10.6
5.1
5.5
2.7
6.7
12.4
17.4
19.2
16.1
9.8
5.1
5.6
2.6
6.6
12.5
16.7
19.7
14.2
10.3
5.0
5.4
3.2
9. Unemployed persons by reason for unemployment, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
1987
1986
Annual average
. Reason for unemployment
1985
Job losers ......................................................................
On la y o ff......................................................................
Other job lo s e rs .........................................................
Job leavers ....................................................................
Reentrants .....................................................................
New e n tra n ts .................................................................
1986
Mar.
June
July
Sept.
Aug.
Oct.
Nov.
Jan.
Dec.
Mar.
Feb.
Apr.
May
4,139
1,157
2,982
877
2,256
1,039
4,033
1,090
2,943
1,015
2,160
1,029
4,210
1,144
3,066
989
2,196
1,006
4,035
1,057
2,978
1,071
2,188
1,048
4,214
1,118
3,096
979
2,200
1,046
4,272
1,074
3,198
1,009
2,107
1,050
4,063
1,078
2,985
1,025
2,205
989
3,824
1,017
2,807
990
2,199
1,014
4,044
1,029
3,015
1,041
2,145
1,038
3,984
1,072
2,912
1,027
2,190
972
3,947
1,073
2,874
1,056
2,119
1,076
3,890
1,078
2,812
1,036
2,019
1,015
3,971
1,118
2,854
891
2,054
1,084
3,839
998
2,842
1,046
2,042
1,040
3,822
1,011
2,811
1,000
2.111
956
49.8
13.9
35.9
10.6
27.1
12.5
48.9
13.2
35.7
12.3
26.2
12.5
50.1
13.6
36.5
11.8
26.1
12.0
48.4
12.7
35.7
12.8
26.2
12.6
49.9
13.2
36.7
11.6
26.1
12.4
50.6
12.7
37.9
12.0
25.0
12.4
49.1
13.0
36.0
12.4
26.6
11.9
47.6
12.7
35.0
12.3
27.4
12.6
48.9
12.4
36.5
12.6
25.9
12.6
48.7
13.1
35.6
12.6
26.8
11.9
48.1
13.1
35.1
12.9
25.8
13.1
48.9
13.5
35.3
13.0
25.4
12.8
49.6
14.0
35.7
11.1
25.7
13.6
48.2
12.5
35.7
13.1
25.6
13.1
48.4
12.8
35.6
12.7
26.8
12.1
3.6
.8
2.0
.9
3.4
.9
1.8
.9
3.6
.8
1.9
.9
3.4
.9
1.9
.9
3.6
.8
1.9
.9
3.6
.9
1.8
.9
3.4
.9
1.9
.8
3.2
.8
1.9
.9
3.4
.9
1.8
.9
3.4
.9
1.8
.8
3.3
.9
1.8
.9
3.3
.9
1.7
.9
3.3
.7
1.7
.9
3.2
.9
1.7
.9
3.2
.8
1.8
.8
P E R C E N T O F U N E M P LO Y E D
Job lo s e rs ....................................................................
On la y o ff...................................................................
Other job lo s e rs ......................................................
Job le avers..................................................................
Reentrants...................................................................
New entrants ..............................................................
P E R C E N T OF
C IV IL IA N LA BO R FO RCE
Job lo s e rs ......................................................................
Job leavers ....................................................................
Reentrants .....................................................................
New e n tra n ts .................................................................
10. Duration of unemployment, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(Numbers in thousands)
Annual average
1986
1987
Weeks of unemployment
1985
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Less than 5 weeks ...............................................
5 to 14 w e e k s ........................................................
15 weeks and o v e r ...............................................
15 to 26 weeks ..................................................
27 weeks and o v e r ............................................
3,498
2,509
2,305
1,025
1,280
3,448
2,557
2,232
1,045
1,187
3,536
2,625
2,243
1,078
1,165
3,565
2,650
2,130
982
1,148
3,610
2,671
2,232
1,065
1,167
3,415
2,650
2,299
1,038
1,261
3,399
2,521
2,250
1,058
1,192
3,436
2,407
2,272
1,068
1,204
3,415
2,524
2,373
1,110
1,263
3,418
2,563
2,168
950
1,218
3,382
2,613
2,217
1,045
1,172
3,355
2,389
2,171
1,023
1,148
3,416
2,530
2,200
1,022
1,178
3,361
2,477
2,131
1,008
1,123
3,383
2,447
2,050
945
1,105
Mean duration in w e e k s .......................................
Median duration in w e e k s ....................................
15.6
6.8
15.0
6.9
14.6
6.8
14.7
6.6
14.8
6.8
15.2
7.2
15.1
7.1
15.6
7.1
15.5
7.1
15.2
7.0
14.8
7.0
15.0
7.1
15.0
7.0
14.6
6.6
14.9
6.6
66 FRASER
Digitized for
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
11. Unemployment rates of civilian workers by State, data not seasonally adjusted
Feb.
1986
Feb.
1987
California......................................................
9.2
11.5
6.5
9.6
7.7
9.9
12.0
7.8
92
6.7
Colorado ......................................................
Connecticut .................................................
Delaware......................................................
District of Columbia.....................................
Florida ..........................................................
7.2
4.3
6.2
7.1
5.4
9.6
4.0
3.5
7.9
5.2
Georgia ........................................................
Hawaii...........................................................
Idaho ............................................................
Illinois...........................................................
Indiana .........................................................
5.9
5.7
10.6
10.1
7.9
5.8
4.2
10.8
8.3
7.5
Iowa.............................................................
9.1
6.6
12.6
13.4
6.3
6.0
11.4
14.3
5.9
State
Alabama.......................................................
Alaska ..........................................................
Arizona.........................................................
Feb.
1986
Feb.
1987
9.5
7.0
8.3
38
9.7
5.9
6.6
27
6.4
9.2
7.3
5.7
79
4.8
9.8
5.6
5.6
6.3
9.1
8.1
97
8.2
5.3
9.1
8.5
75
6.4
4.7
South Carolina............................................
7.6
5.5
88
8.8
U tah .......................
63
6.3
4.7
81
9.2
7.6
State
New Jersey.................................................
New York....................................................
Ohio ............................................................
Kentucky......................................................
Maine............................................................
6.6
Pennsylvania...............................................
Vermont......................................................
Maryland ...........................................................
Massachusetts.............................................
Michigan.......................................................
Minnesota....................................................
Mississippi....................................................
5.1
4.3
9.3
7.6
11.2
7.1
5.4
3.9
8.9
6.4
Wisconsin...................................................
12.2
6.7
NOTE: Some data in this table may differ from data
published elsewhere because of the continual updating of the
5.1
6.0
8.6
13.1
8.9
5.1
9.4
12.6
8.0
10 3
11.0
5.5
database,
12. Employment of workers on nonagricultural payrolls by State, data not seasonally adjusted
(In thousands)
State
Feb. 1986
Jan. 1987
Alabama................
Alaska ...................
Arizona..................
Arkansas ...............
California...............
1,444.6
214.5
1,323.7
794.3
11,041.7
1,466.1
204.3
1,363.7
810.2
11,381.8
Colorado...............
Connecticut ...........
Delaware................
District of Columbia
Florida....................
1,399.8
1,558.3
288.5
630.8
4,542.1
1,391.7
1,615.6
306.3
637.7
4,721.8
Georgia ..................
Hawaii....................
Idaho .....................
Illinois ....................
Indiana ..................
2,603.7
432.8
325.2
4,679.8
2,162.6
2,719.4
443.1
329.3
4,767.5
2,232.4
Iowa.......................
Kansas ...................
Kentucky................
Louisiana................
Maine.....................
1,048.2
965.5
1,239.3
1,546.4
455.0
1,073.7
972.2
1,279.9
1,486.5
472.3
Maryland................
Massachusetts......
Michigan.................
Minnesota..............
Mississippi..............
Missouri..................
Montana.................
1,879.6
2,916.6
3,580.0
1,832.5
842.5
2,077.0
268.1
1,966.0
2,968.3
3,628.1
1,876.9
846.3
2,107.1
270.5
Feb. 1987P
p = preliminary
NOTE: Some data in this table may differ from data published elsewhere
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
State
1,467.9 N e bra ska.........................................................
206.3 Nevada ............................................................
1,375.5 New H am pshire..............................................
817.5
11,417.5 New J e rs e y .....................................................
New Mexico ....................................................
1,391.7 New Y o rk .........................................................
1,616.1 North Carolina ................................................
305.4 North Dakota ..................................................
640.3
4,754.8 Ohio ..................................................................
O klaho m a........................................................
2,723.7 O re g o n .............................................................
447.1 Pennsylvania...................................................
330.8 Rhode Island...................................................
4,775.2
2,241.0 South C a rolina................................................
South D a k o ta .......................................
1,085.4 Tennessee .......................................................
978.5 Texas ................................................................
1,278.8 Utah ..................................................................
1,482.0
476.3 V e rm o n t............ ...............................................
V irg in ia ..............................................................
1,959.3 Washington .....................................................
2,983.6 West V irg inia...................................................
3,643.2 W iscon sin.........................................................
1,881.3
849.3 W yom ing...........................................................
2,109.4 Puerto Rico .....................................................
270.2 Virgin Islands ...................................................
Feb. 1986
Jan. 1987
Feb. 1987p
637.7
450.0
472.4
647.0
476.6
493.4
648.6
479.2
492.5
3,383.1
521.1
7,727.3
2,681.7
243.6
3,478.3
523.9
7,872.5
2,756.9
243.5
3,470.9
527.6
7,903.7
2,762.8
243.9
4,348.7
1,142.4
1,025.3
4,672.1
429.4
4,466.2
1,124.4
1,051.8
4,749.7
438.1
4,470.1
1,122.5
1,061.0
4,756.0
437.6
1,308.1
242.7
1,868.9
6,641.7
624.0
1,344.7
246.3
1,960.2
6,469.7
630.1
1,352.2
246.7
1,963.4
6,485.4
631.8
228.7
2,470.2
1,718.0
580.5
1,956.6
240.3
2,573.6
1,765.0
586.3
1,991.8
241.2
2,567.0
1,770.0
585.2
1,999.1
196.7
702.9
38.0
186.3
720.8
37.8
185.4
723.6
38.4
because of the continual updating of the database.
67
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
13. Employment of workers on nonagricultural payrolls by industry, monthly data seasonally adjusted
(In thousands)
1987
1986
Annual average
Industry
1985
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.'1
Mar.p
T O T A L ...............................................
P R IV A TE SE C TO R ..........................
97,614
81,199
100,167
83,432
99,484
82,785
99,783
83,072
99,918
83,198
99,843
83,161
100,105
83,508
100,283
83,655
100,560
83,786
100,826
83,956
101,068
84,178
101,322
84,394
101,626
84,708
101,862
84,958
102,026
85,060
G O O D S -P R O D U C IN G ........................
M ining ....................................................
24,930
930
585
24,938
792
464
24,945
852
518
25,038
821
488
24,965
790
461
24,854
772
446
24,869
768
442
24,888
753
431
24,858
743
422
24,865
746
423
24,891
742
420
24,920
738
414
25,008
731
412
25,040
732
414
24,972
735
418
4,687
1,251
4,960
1,307
4,838
1,298
4,972
1,315
4,974
1,314
4,947
1,299
4,980
1,299
5,012
1,306
5,010
1,301
5,001
1,302
4,993
1,307
4,996
1,298
5,109
1,333
5,094
1,322
5,047
1,302
19,314
13,130
19,186
13,023
19,255
13,061
19,245
13,060
19,201
13,025
19,135
12,979
19,121
12,961
19,123
12,971
19,105
12,960
19,118
12,974
19,156
13,020
19,186
13,053
19,168
13,031
19,214
13,078
19,190
13,063
11,516
7,660
11,345
7,495
11,418
7,545
11,415
7,547
11,378
7,519
11,307
7,462
11,294
7,441
11,302
7,458
11,271
7,438
11,266
7,435
11,282
7,452
11,289
7,466
11,265
7,440
11,300
7,480
11,280
7,469
700
493
591
813
727
497
595
768
715
493
594
787
719
494
600
785
719
496
599
780
721
496
597
761
724
498
593
758
729
499
592
751
734
500
594
749
737
500
590
749
743
500
591
751
749
500
594
752
754
503
595
741
755
503
598
753
752
504
594
755
305
1,468
283
1,439
293
1,450
291
1,451
288
1,447
286
1,440
285
1,428
272
1,429
270
1,433
272
1,429
271
1,427
270
1,431
264
1,430
274
1,430
276
1,427
Machinery, except electrica l.........
Electrical and electronic
equipm ent.......................................
Transportation equipm ent.............
Motor vehicles and equipment ....
Instruments and related products
Miscellaneous manufacturing
in dustries........................................
2,182
2,082
2,118
2,111
2,100
2,089
2,079
2,072
2,044
2,039
2,036
2,030
2,029
2,043
2,042
2,207
1,971
876
723
2,169
1,984
843
717
2,177
1,989
858
726
2,177
1,986
854
723
2,175
1,972
839
721
2,143
1,974
839
717
2,169
1,969
824
713
2,168
1,985
839
713
2,162
1,979
834
713
2,167
1,979
824
713
2,166
1,993
837
710
2,164
1,990
832
709
2,156
1,979
826
709
2,154
1,986
836
707
2,147
1,978
823
708
369
367
369
369
369
369
363
364
363
363
365
370
369
371
373
N o ndurable g o o d s ...........................
7,798
5,470
7,841
5,528
7,837
5,516
7,830
5,513
7,823
5,506
7,828
5,517
7,827
5,520
7,821
5,513
7,834
5,522
7,852
5,539
7,874
5,568
7,897
5,587
7,903
5,591
7,914
5,598
7,910
5,594
Food and kindred p roducts..........
Tobacco m anufactures.................
Textile mill p ro d u cts.......................
Apparel and other textile
products..........................................
Paper and allied products ............
1,608
65
704
1,641
61
709
1,632
63
707
1,633
63
703
1,640
62
705
1,648
62
707
1,645
62
710
1,642
59
711
1,644
60
709
1,644
59
711
1,654
61
717
1,657
60
719
1,654
59
722
1,657
60
727
1,656
59
727
1,125
683
1,115
690
1,117
688
1,119
689
1,113
689
1,106
690
1,108
687
1,108
685
1,110
691
1,113
694
1,112
694
1,124
697
1,123
694
1,116
695
1,116
694
Printing and publishing..................
Chemicals and allied products.....
Petroleum and coal products.......
Rubber and misc. plastics
products..........................................
Leather and leather products ......
1,435
1,046
178
1,479
1,027
164
1,469
1,031
166
1,472
1,028
166
1,474
1,024
166
1,477
1,026
164
1,483
1,025
163
1,481
1,026
163
1,485
1,025
162
1,491
1,023
161
1,493
1,023
160
1,493
1,020
159
1,500
1,021
159
1,506
1,021
159
1,506
1,019
158
790
166
801
155
804
160
800
157
796
154
797
151
792
152
794
152
797
151
805
151
809
151
815
153
819
152
820
153
821
154
S E R V IC E -P R O D U C IN G ....................
T ra n s p o rta tio n and public
u tilitie s ..................................................
72,684
75,229
74,539
74,745
74,953
74,989
75,236
75,395
75,702
75,961
76,177
76,402
76,618
76,822
77,054
5,242
3,006
5,286
3,068
5,280
3,053
5,266
3,040
5,265
3,037
5,167
3,035
5,288
3,057
5,255
3,063
5,316
3,088
5,316
3,094
5,351
3,117
5,359
3,125
5,382
3,140
5,389
3,143
5,411
3,162
2,236
2,218
2,227
2,226
2,228
2,132
2,231
2,192
2,228
2,222
2,234
2,234
2,242
2,246
2,249
5,864
3,495
2,369
5,876
3,497
2,379
5,880
3,498
2,382
Oil and gas extraction .................
C o n stru ctio n .......................................
General building contractors.......
M a n u fa c tu r in g ....................................
Production workers ......................
D u rable g o o d s ..................................
Production workers .......................
Lumber and wood p ro d u c ts .........
Furniture and fix tu re s ....................
Stone, clay, and glass products ...
Primary metal industries ...............
Blast furnaces and basic steel
products..........................................
Fabricated metal products............
Production w o rke rs........................
Transportation.................................
Communication and public
u tilitie s.............................................
W holesale t r a d e ................................
Durable g o o d s .................................
Nondurable g o o d s ..........................
R e tail t r a d e ..........................................
General merchandise s to re s ........
Food s to re s .....................................
Automotive dealers and service
sta tio n s ...........................................
Eating and drinking p la c e s ...........
Finance, insurance, and real
e s ta te ....................................................
F in a n c e ............................................
Insurance.........................................
Real e s ta te ......................................
S e r v ic e s .................................................
Business se rvice s...........................
Health services ...............................
G o v e rn m e n t ........................................
F e d e ra l.............................................
State ................................................
L o c a l.................................................
5,740
3,409
2,331
5,853
3,482
2,371
5,841
3,480
2,361
5,864
3,485
2,379
5,872
3,488
2,384
5,829
3,454
2,375
5,849
3,483
2,366
5,863
3,485
2,378
5,859
3,485
2,374
5,864
3,489
2,375
5,859
3,489
2,370
5,859
3,491
2,368
17,360
2,320
2,779
17,978
2,350
2,932
17,828
2,333
2,901
17,851
2,342
2,910
17,911
2,344
2,917
17,944
2,350
2,932
17,992
2,354
2,938
18,030
2,359
2,951
18,065
2,362
2,952
18,143
2,379
2,963
18,197
2,367
2,968
18,206
2,341
2,979
18,289
2,333
2,990
18,376
2,366
3,008
18,411
2,380
3,006
1,892
5,715
1,954
5,921
1,939
5,868
1,940
5,859
1,944
5,889
1,945
5,918
1,950
5,931
1,962
5,923
1,970
5,948
1,973
5,982
1,977
6,006
1,984
6,035
1,988
6,080
1,993
6,092
1,987
6,108
5,953
2,979
1,830
1,144
6,305
3,159
1,934
1,211
6,184
3,095
1,900
1,189
6,228
3,120
1,910
1,198
6,261
3,137
1,918
1,206
6,295
3,159
1,927
1,209
6,334
3,176
1,945
1,213
6,364
3,192
1,952
1,220
6,388
3,202
1,962
1,224
6,409
3,212
1,971
1,226
6,429
3,220
1,979
1,230
6,472
3,236
1,990
1,246
6,495
3,239
2,002
1,254
6,518
3,248
2,009
1,261
6,554
3,255
2,018
1,281
21,974
4,452
6,310
23,072
4,809
6,586
22,707
4,698
6,497
22,825
4,750
6,511
22,924
4,755
6,543
23,072
4,792
6,571
23,176
4,835
6,601
23,255
4,848
6,634
23,300
4,883
6,649
23,359
4,908
6,677
23,451
4,926
6,695
23,578
4,966
6,726
23,670
4,990
6,757
23,759
5,042
6,784
23,832
5,074
6,802
16,415
2,875
3,848
9,692
16,735
2,899
3,937
9,899
16,699
2,923
3,927
9,849
16,711
2,914
3,938
9,859
16,720
2,899
3,936
9,885
16,682
2,875
3,927
9,880
16,597
2,866
3,921
9,810
16,628
2,875
3,919
9,834
16,774
2,901
3,932
9,941
16,870
2,896
3,959
10,015
16,890
2,899
3,965
10,026
16,928
2,907
3,983
10,038
16,918
2,914
3,983
10,021
16,904
2,915
3,984
10,005
16,966
2,924
4,003
10,039
= preliminary
NOTE: See notes on the data for a description of the most recent benchmark revision.
p
68
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
14. Average weekly hours of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricuitural payrolls by industry,
monthly data seasonally adjusted
Industry
Annual
average
1985
1986
1986
P R IV A T E SE C TO R ..............................................
3 4 .9
3 4 .8
C O N S T R U C T IO N ..............................................................
3 7 .7
3 7 .5
M A N U F A C T U R IN G ....................................................
4 0 .5
4 0 .7
Mar.
3 4 .9
4 0 .7
Apr.
3 4 .8
4 0 .7
May
June
3 4 .8
-
3 4 .7
-
4 0 .7
4 0 .6
July
3 4 .7
4 0 .6
1987
Aug.
3 4 .8
4 0 .8
Sept.
3 4 .7
4 0 .8
Oct.
3 4 .7
4 0 .7
Nov.
3 4 .8
Dec.
3 4 .6
Jan.
3 4 .8
-
-
-
4 0 .8
4 0 .8
4 1 .0
Feb.p
3 5 .0
4 1 .2
Mar.p
3 4 .8
4 0 .9
Overtime h o u rs ...................................................
3 .3
3 .4
3 .4
3 .4
3 .4
3 .3
3 .4
3 .5
3 .5
3 .5
3 .5
3 .5
3 .6
3 .6
3 .7
D u ra ble g o o d s .........................................................
4 1 .2
4 1 .3
4 1 .4
4 1 .3
4 1 .2
4 1 .2
41.1
4 1 .4
4 1 .4
4 1 .3
4 1 .4
4 1 .3
4 1 .6
4 1 .9
4 1 .6
Overtime h o u rs ...................................................
Lumber and wood p ro d u c ts...................................
Furniture and fix tu re s ..............................................
Stone, clay, and glass p ro d u c ts ............................
Primary metal industries .........................................
Blast furnaces and basic steel p ro d u c ts..........
Fabricated metal products .....................................
Machinery except electrical ...................................
Electrical and electronic equipm ent......................
Transportation equipm ent.......................................
Motor vehicles and equipm ent............................
Instruments and related products .........................
Miscellaneous m anufacturing.................................
N o n d u rab le g o o d s ..................................................
Overtime h o u rs ...................................................
Food and kindred p roducts....................................
Tobacco m anufactures...........................................
Textile mill p ro d u c ts................................................
Apparel and other textile products........................
Paper and allied products ......................................
3 .5
3 .5
3 .6
3 .6
3 .4
3 .5
3 .5
3 .5
3 .6
3 .6
3 .6
3 .6
3 .7
3 .7
3 .8
3 9 .9
4 0 .3
4 0 .2
4 0 .3
4 0 .3
3 9 .9
40.1
4 0 .2
40.1
4 0 .3
4 0 .7
4 0 .4
4 0 .7
4 1.1
4 0 .8
3 9 .4
3 9 .6
3 9 .4
39.1
3 9 .4
3 9 .4
3 9 .4
3 9 .9
4 0 .0
3 9 .8
3 9 .6
3 9 .6
4 0 .2
4 0.1
3 9 .8
4 1 .9
4 2 .3
4 1 .9
4 2 .4
4 2 .3
4 2 .2
4 2 .2
4 2 .5
4 2 .5
4 2 .3
4 1 .9
42.1
4 2 .9
4 3.1
4 2 .5
4 1 .5
4 1 .9
4 1 .9
4 1 .3
4 1 .7
4 1 .6
4 1 .3
4 1 .9
4 2 .0
4 2 .3
4 2 .4
4 2 .5
4 2 .7
4 2 .8
4 2 .7
4 2 .3
41.1
4 1 .6
4 1 .7
4 0 .5
4 1 .5
41.1
4 1 .2
4 1 .5
4 1 .6
4 2 .3
4 2 .5
4 2 .7
4 2 .8
4 2 .4
4 1 .3
4 1 .3
4 1 .4
4 1 .2
41.1
4 1.1
41.1
4 1 .2
4 1 .5
4 1 .2
4 1 .4
41.1
4 1 .5
4 1 .8
4 1 .5
4 1 .5
4 1 .6
4 1 .6
4 1 .8
4 1 .8
4 1 .7
4 1 .4
4 1 .7
4 1 .7
4 1 .6
4 1 .7
4 1 .5
4 2 .0
4 2.1
4 1 .9
4 1 .0
4 1.1
4 1 .0
4 1 .0
41.1
4 1 .2
4 1 .2
4 0 .9
4 1 .0
4 1 .0
4 1 .0
4 1 .4
4 0 .6
4 1 .0
4 0 .8
4 2 .6
4 2 .4
4 2 .7
4 2.1
4 1 .9
4 2 .2
4 2.1
4 2 .6
4 2 .6
42.1
4 2 .3
42.1
4 2 .3
4 2 .8
4 2 .7
4 3 .5
4 2 .7
4 3 .3
4 1 .9
4 1 .8
4 2 .4
4 2 .4
4 2 .8
4 2 .7
42.1
4 2 .6
4 2 .6
4 3 .2
4 3 .5
4 3 .2
4 1 .0
41.1
4 1 .3
4 1 .3
4 0 .9
4 1 .0
4 0 .8
4 1 .0
4 0 .7
41.1
4 1 .2
4 1 .3
4 1 .2
4 1 .4
4 1 .3
3 9 .4
3 9 .6
-
-
3 9 .6
3 9 .9
3 9 .9
3 9 .9
3 9 .8
3 9 .8
3 9 .8
4 0 .0
3 9 .9
3 9 .9
-
-
-
40.1
40.1
40.1
4 0 .4
4 0.1
3.1
3 .3
3 .2
3 .3
3 .4
3 .2
3 .4
3 .4
3 .3
3 .4
3 .5
3 .5
3 .5
3 .5
3 .5
4 0 .0
4 0 .0
3 9 .9
4 0 .2
4 0 .2
4 0 .0
4 0 .0
4 0 .3
3 9 .7
3 9 .8
4 0 .0
3 9 .8
4 0 .0
4 0.1
4 0 .0
3 7 .2
3 7 .6
-
-
-
-
_
-
-
_
_
_
_
_
_
3 9 .7
4 1 .2
4 0 .7
4 1 .3
41.1
4 0 .8
4 0 .9
4 1 .4
.4 1 .6
4 1 .5
4 1 .5
4 1 .9
4 1 .7
4 2 .3
4 2 .0
3 6 .4
3 6 .7
3 6 .5
3 6 .9
3 6 .5
3 6 .5
3 6 .6
3 6 .5
3 6 .7
3 6 .7
3 6 .9
3 7 .0
3 6 .9
3 7 .6
3 7 .0
43.1
4 3 .3
4 3 .5
4 3 .0
4 3 .2
43.1
4 3 .2
4 3 .5
4 3 .0
4 3 .0
4 3 .2
4 3 .4
4 3 .6
4 3 .6
4 3 .3
3 7 .8
3 8 .0
3 8 .0
3 8 .0
3 8 .0
3 7 .8
3 7 .9
3 8 .0
3 8 .0
3 8 .0
38.1
38.1
3 8 .0
3 8 .3
3 7 .9
Printing and publishing............................................
Chemicals and allied products...............................
Petroleum and coal products.................................
Leather and leather p ro d u c ts ................................
4 2 .0
4 1 .9
4 1 .9
4 2 .0
4 1 .9
4 1 .9
42.1
4 2 .0
4 2 .2
4 2 .5
4 2 .2
4 2 .3
4 2.1
4 1 .9
4 3 .0
4 3 .7
4 3 .8
4 3 .6
4 3 .4
4 4 .0
4 3 .5
4 4 .3
4 3 .4
4 3 .7
4 3 .8
4 3 .6
4 5 .0
4 4 .2
4 4 .0
3 7 .2
3 6 .9
-
-
-
-
-
-
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D PU B LIC U T IL IT IE S .....
3 9 .5
3 9 .2
3 9 .6
3 9 .2
3 9 .2
39.1
3 9 .2
39.1
W H O LE S A LE T R A D E ....................................................
3 8 .4
3 8 .4
3 8 .5
3 8 .5
3 8 .4
3 8 .3
3 8 .3
3 8 .4
3 8 .2
3 8 .4
3 8 .3
3 8 .2
3 8 .3
3 8 .4
3 8 .3
R E T A IL T R A D E ................................................................
2 9 .4
2 9 .2
2 9 .3
2 9 .2
2 9 .2
29.1
2 9 .2
2 9 .2
2 9 .2
29.1
2 9 .3
2 8 .9
2 9 .0
2 9 .4
2 9 .2
S E R V IC E S ..........................................................................
3 2 .5
3 2 .5
3 2 .5
3 2 .5
3 2 .5
3 2 .4
3 2 .4
3 2 .4
3 2 .3
3 2 .4
3 2 .5
3 2 .4
3 2 .4
3 2 .5
3 2 .3
- Data not available.
p = preliminary
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
4 1 .9
3 8 .9
39.1
3 9 .3
-
-
-
3 9 .0
39.1
3 9 .3
3 9 .3
NOTE: See “Notes on the data” for a description of the most recent
benchmark adjustment.
69
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Employment Data
15. Average hourly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by
industry
A n n u al
1987
1986
a v e ra g e
Industry
P R IV A T E S E C T O R ..........................................................
S e a s o n a lly a d ju s te d ......................................................
M a r."
1985
1986
M a r.
Apr.
M ay
June
July
A ug.
S ep t.
O ct.
N ov.
D e c.
Jan .
Feb.P
$ 8 .5 7
$ 8 .7 5
$ 8 .7 3
$ 8 .7 2
$ 8 .7 2
$ 8 .7 1
$ 8 .6 9
$ 8 .7 0
$ 8.8 1
$ 8 .8 1
$ 8 .8 5
$ 8 .8 3
$ 8 .8 8
$ 8 .8 9
8 .7 3
8 .7 2
8 .7 3
8 .7 4
8 .7 3
8 .7 7
8 .7 6
8 .8 0
8 .8 4
8 .8 2
8 .8 4
8 .8 6
8 .8 9
-
-
$ 8 .9 0
M IN IN G .................................................................................
1 1 .9 8
1 2 .4 5
1 2 .3 5
1 2 .4 3
1 2 .4 4
1 2 .5 0
1 2 .4 6
1 2.51
1 2 .5 2
1 2.51
1 2 .5 7
1 2 .6 0
1 2 .6 7
1 2 .5 2
12.5 1
C O N S T R U C T IO N ..............................................................
1 2.31
1 2 .4 2
1 2 .2 2
1 2 .2 9
1 2 .3 3
12.31
12.31
1 2 .3 9
1 2 .5 4
1 2 .6 2
1 2 .5 9
1 2 .7 0
1 2 .5 3
1 2 .4 5
1 2 .5 7
M A N U F A C T U R IN G ..........................................................
9 .5 3
9 .7 3
9 .7 2
9 .7 0
9.71
9 .7 0
9 .7 4
9 .6 8
9 .7 3
9 .7 2
9 .7 7
9 .8 4
9 .8 3
9 .8 4
9 .8 5
D u ra ble g o o d s .................................................................
1 0 .4 0
1 0 .3 8
1 0 .3 9
1 0 .3 9
1 0 .1 0
1 0 .2 9
1 0 .3 0
1 0 .2 8
1 0 .2 8
1 0 .2 6
1 0 .2 7
1 0 .2 2
1 0 .3 0
1 0 .2 8
1 0 .3 3
L u m b e r a n d w o o d p r o d u c ts ..........................................
8 .2 2
8 .3 7
8 .3 3
8 .3 2
8 .3 7
8 .4 3
8 .3 6
8 .4 0
8 .4 2
8 .3 7
8 .3 9
8 .3 6
8 .2 9
8 .3 2
8 .2 8
F u rn itu re a n d f ix t u r e s ........................................................
7 .1 7
7 .4 4
7 .3 5
7 .3 6
7 .3 9
7 .4 6
7 .4 4
7 .4 6
7 .5 2
7 .5 0
7 .5 2
7 .6 0
7 .5 7
7 .5 6
7 .5 7
1 0 .0 4
1 0 .0 4
1 0 .0 6
1 0 .1 0
1 0 .1 7
S to n e , c la y , a n d g la s s p r o d u c ts .................................
9 .8 4
1 0 .1 3
1 0 .1 7
1 0 .1 8
1 0 .1 6
P rim a ry m e ta l In d u s tr ie s .................................................
1 1 .6 8
1 1 .9 3
1 1 .9 9
1 2 .0 0
1 2 .0 2
1 1 .9 4
1 2 .0 6
1 1 .8 5
1 1 .9 2
1 1 .8 4
1 1 .8 7
1 1.91
1 1 .8 6
1 1 .8 9
1 1.9 1
B la s t fu rn a c e s a n d basic s te e l p r o d u c ts ............
1 3 .3 4
1 3 .8 2
1 3 .8 0
1 3 .8 2
1 3 .8 6
1 3 .8 8
1 4 .0 8
1 3 .8 3
1 3 .9 3
1 3 .7 8
1 3 .7 8
1 3 .8 3
1 3 .6 7
1 3 .7 0
1 3 .6 9
F a b ric a te d m e ta l p r o d u c t s ............................................
9 .7 0
9 .8 7
9 .8 8
9 .8 4
9 .8 5
9 .8 8
9 .8 4
9 .8 2
9 .8 7
9 .8 6
9 .9 3
1 0 .0 0
9 .9 8
9 .9 8
9 .9 9
M a c h in e ry , e x c e p t e le c trica l .........................................
1 0 .2 9
1 0 .5 6
1 0 .5 8
1 0 .5 5
1 0 .5 5
1 0 .5 5
1 0 .5 7
1 0 .5 7
1 0 .5 8
1 0 .5 6
1 0 .5 9
1 0 .6 5
1 0.61
1 0 .6 5
1 0 .6 9
1 0 .0 5
9 .9 3
1 0 .0 0
1 0 .0 7
1 0.11
E le c tric a l a n d e le c tro n ic e q u ip m e n t..........................
9 .4 7
9 .6 7
9 .6 2
9 .6 2
9 .6 4
9.61
9 .6 8
9 .6 7
9 .7 3
9 .7 2
9 .7 5
9 .8 5
9 .8 6
9 .8 5
9 .8 6
T ra n s p o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t...............................................
1 2 .7 2
1 2 .8 6
1 2 .9 0
1 2 .8 3
1 2 .7 9
1 2 .7 8
1 2 .7 8
1 2 .7 5
1 2 .8 7
1 2 .8 7
1 2 .9 2
1 3 .0 0
1 2 .9 8
1 2 .9 5
1 2 .9 5
M o to r v e h ic le s a n d e q u ip m e n t.................................
1 3 .6 6
1 3 .3 6
1 3 .5 0
1 3 .4 9
1 3 .5 2
1 3 .6 3
1 3.6 1
1 3 .4 2
1 3 .5 2
1 3 .5 4
1 3 .4 7
1 3.41
1 3 .4 0
1 3 .6 7
1 3 .6 0
In s tru m e n ts a n d r e la te d p r o d u c t s ..............................
9 .1 6
9 .4 6
9.41
9.41
9 .4 0
9.41
9 .4 7
9 .4 5
9.51
9 .5 4
9.61
9 .6 2
9 .6 2
9 .6 5
9 .6 0
M is c e lla n e o u s m a n u fa c tu rin g ........................................
7 .3 0
7 .5 6
7.51
7 .5 0
7 .5 4
7 .5 4
7 .5 9
7 .5 2
7 .5 9
7 .6 0
7 .6 5
7.71
7 .7 0
7 .6 9
7 .6 7
N o n d u rab le g o o d s .........................................................
8.71
8 .9 3
8 .8 8
8 .8 8
8 .9 0
8.91
8 .9 9
8 .9 3
8 .9 6
8 .9 5
9 .0 0
9 .0 6
9 .0 6
9 .0 6
9 .0 9
F o o d a n d kin d re d p r o d u c ts ...........................................
T o b a c c o m a n u f a c t u r e s ....................................................
8 .5 7
1 1 .9 4
8 .7 4
1 2 .7 7
8 .7 4
1 2 .7 6
8 .7 5
1 2 .8 4
8 .7 8
1 3 .3 8
8 .7 4
1 3 .6 8
6 .8 7
8 .7 5
1 3 .4 8
6 .9 0
8 .6 5
1 3 .4 4
8 .6 5
12.21
8 .6 8
1 2 .1 0
8 .7 9
1 2 .6 2
8 .8 8
1 2 .8 6
8 .8 9
1 2 .8 9
7 .1 3
8.91
1 3 .3 5
7 .1 3
8 .9 4
1 3 .7 6
6 .9 5
6 .8 6
5 .8 0
5.81
5 .7 8
5 .7 9
5 .7 6
7 .0 5
5 .8 7
5 .8 2
5 .8 3
5 .8 6
5 .8 9
5 .8 9
5 .9 0
P a p e r a n d a llie d p r o d u c t s ..............................................
5.81
1 1 .1 4
6 .9 9
5 .7 9
7 .0 4
5 .7 3
1 0 .8 2
1 1 .0 3
1 1 .0 5
1 1 .1 2
1 1 .1 5
11.31
1 1 .1 7
1 1 .2 0
1 1 .2 0
1 1 .1 7
1 1 .2 4
1 1 .1 7
1 1 .1 8
1 1 .1 5
1 0 .0 8
10.1 1
1 0 .1 4
1 0 .1 4
1 0 .1 6
1 0 .1 7
6 .8 7
6 .8 8
7 .0 7
7 .1 3
7 .1 6
6 .7 1
A p p a re l a n d o th e r te x tile p r o d u c ts ............................
T e x tile mill p r o d u c t s ..........................................................
9 .9 6
1 0 .0 0
1 0 .1 0
C h e m ic a ls a n d a llie d p ro d u c ts .....................................
1 1 .5 6
1 1 .9 7
1 1 .7 8
1 1 .8 2
1 1 .8 9
1 1 .9 4
1 2 .0 4
1 1 .9 9
1 2 .0 3
1 2 .0 8
1 2 .1 5
1 2 .2 0
1 2 .1 7
1 2 .2 0
1 2 .2 6
P e tro le u m a n d c o a l p r o d u c ts ........................................
1 4 .0 6
1 4 .1 9
1 4 .2 2
1 4 .1 6
1 4 .0 2
1 4 .1 4
1 4 .1 6
1 4 .0 7
1 4 .2 0
1 4 .1 8
1 4 .2 6
1 4 .3 6
1 4 .4 0
1 4 .3 5
1 4 .5 6
R u b b e r a n d m is c e lla n e o u s p lastics p r o d u c ts ......
8 .5 4
8 .7 6
8 .7 2
8 .6 8
8 .7 5
8 .7 5
8 .8 2
8.81
8 .7 6
8 .7 6
8.81
8 .8 6
8 .8 7
8 .8 4
8 .8 5
L e a th e r a n d le a th e r p r o d u c t s ......................................
5 .8 2
5 .9 0
5 .8 6
5 .8 9
5 .8 8
5 .8 8
5 .8 9
5 .9 0
5 .9 3
5 .9 2
5 .9 8
5 .9 8
6 .0 3
5 .9 7
6 .0 4
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D PU B LIC U T IL IT IE S .....
1 1 .4 0
1 1 .6 3
1 1 .6 2
1 1 .5 5
1 1 .5 4
1 1 .5 7
1 1.61
1 1.61
1 1 .7 0
1 1 .6 8
1 1 .7 5
11.7 1
1 1 .7 3
1 1 .7 9
1 1 .7 8
W H O LE S A LE T R A D E ....................................................
9 .1 6
9 .3 5
9 .3 3
9 .2 9
9 .2 9
9 .3 2
9 .3 0
9 .3 2
9 .3 7
9 .3 5
9 .4 6
9 .4 7
9 .4 9
9 .5 5
9 .5 1
R E T A IL T R A D E ................................................................
5 .9 4
6 .0 2
6 .0 3
6.01
6 .0 0
5 .9 9
5 .9 7
5 :9 7
6 .0 5
6 .0 4
6 .0 7
6 .0 5
6 .0 7
6 .0 6
6 .0 5
FIN A N C E , IN S U R A N C E , A N D R E A L E S T A T E .....
7 .9 4
8 .3 4
8 .3 0
8 .2 9
8.31
8 .3 7
8 .3 0
8 .3 3
8 .3 7
8 .3 8
8 .5 4
8 .4 6
8 .5 8
8.71
8 .6 8
S E R V IC E S ..........................................................................
7 .8 9
8 .1 6
8 .1 8
8 .1 2
8 .1 0
8 .1 0
8 .0 4
8 .0 5
8 .1 9
8 .2 2
8.31
8 .3 1
8 .3 6
8 .4 0
8 .4 0
Printing a n d p u b lis h in g .....................................................
-
D a ta n o t a v a ila b le .
p
=
p re lim in a ry
70 FRASER
Digitized for
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
9.71
9 .9 7
9 .9 0
9 .8 7
9.91
9 .8 8
NO TE:
S ee
" N o te s
b e n c h m a rk revision.
on
th e
d a ta "
fo r a
d escrip tio n
o f th e
m ost
re c e n t
16. Average weekly earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by industry
A n n u a l a v e ra g e
1986
1987
In d u s try
1985
1986
M a r.
Apr.
M ay
June
July
A ug.
S e p t.
O ct.
N ov.
D e c.
J an .
F e b ."
M a r."
P R IV A T E SE C TO R
C u rre n t d o lla r s ................................................................... $ 2 9 9 .0 9 $ 3 0 4 .5 0 $ 3 0 2 .9 3 $ 3 0 1 .7 1 $ 3 0 2 .5 8 $ 3 0 3 .9 8 $ 3 0 4 .1 5 $ 3 0 5 .3 7 $ 3 0 6 .5 9 $ 3 0 5 .7 1 $ 3 0 7 .1 0 $ 3 0 8 .1 7 $ 3 0 5 .4 7 $ 3 0 6 .7 1 $ 3 0 7 .9 4
S e a s o n a lly a d ju s t e d ....................................................
3 0 4 .6 8
3 0 3 .4 6
3 0 3 .8 0
3 0 3 .2 8
3 0 2 .9 3
3 0 5 .2 0
3 0 3 .9 7
3 0 5 .3 6
3 0 7 .6 3
3 0 5 .1 7
3 0 7 .6 3
3 1 0 .1 0
3 0 9 .3 7
C o n s ta n t (1 9 7 7 ) d o l l a r s ...............................................
1 7 0 .4 2
1 7 0 .8 8
1 7 1 .0 5
1 7 0 .9 4
1 7 0 .8 5
1 7 0 .9 7
1 7 0 .7 8
1 7 1 .3 6
1 7 1 .2 8
1 7 0 .6 9
1 7 1 .2 8
1 7 1 .7 8
1 6 9 .1 4
1 6 9 .1 7
-
M IN IN G .................................................................................
5 1 9 .9 3
5 2 6 .6 4
5 2 2 .4 1
5 2 2 .0 6
5 1 9 .9 9
5 2 5 .0 0
5 1 8 .3 4
5 2 9 .1 7
5 2 9 .6 0
5 2 7 .9 2
5 2 2 .9 1
5 3 6 .7 6
5 4 2 .2 8
5 2 7 .0 9
5 2 2 .9 2
C O N S T R U C T IO N ..............................................................
4 6 4 .0 9
4 6 5 .7 5
4 4 4 .8 1
4 6 2 .1 0
4 6 7 .3 1
4 6 5 .3 2
4 7 1 .4 7
4 7 5 .7 8
4 8 2 .7 9
4 7 9 .5 6
4 5 9 .5 4
4 6 8 .6 3
4 6 7 .3 7
4 5 9 .4 1
4 7 1 .3 8
4 0 2 .8 7
M A N U F A C T U R IN G
C u rre n t d o l l a r s ....................................................................
3 8 5 .9 7
3 9 6 .0 1
3 9 5 .6 0
3 9 2 .8 5
3 9 4 .2 3
3 9 5 .7 6
3 9 1 .5 5
3 9 3 .9 8
3 9 8 .9 3
3 9 6 .5 8
4 0 0 .5 7
4 0 9 .3 4
4 0 1 .0 6
4 0 1 .4 7
C o n s ta n t (1 9 7 7 ) d o lla r s .................................................
2 1 9 .9 3
2 2 2 .2 3
2 2 3 .3 8
2 2 2 .5 8
2 2 2 .6 0
2 2 2 .3 4
2 2 0 .1 0
2 2 1 .0 9
2 2 2 .8 7
2 2 1 .4 3
2 2 3 .4 1
2 2 8 .1 7
2 2 2 .0 7
2 2 1 .4 4
D u ra b le g o o d s .................................................................
4 1 6 .1 2
4 2 4 .9 8
4 2 6 .4 2
4 2 3 .5 4
4 2 3 .5 4
4 2 4 .7 6
4 1 7 .9 9
4 2 0 .0 4
4 2 8 .4 8
4 2 4 .5 6
4 2 9 .7 3
4 3 8 .8 8
4 3 0 .7 7
4 3 0 .1 5
4 3 2 .2 2
L u m b e r a n d w o o d p r o d u c t s ..........................................
3 2 7 .9 8
3 3 7 .3 1
3 3 3 .2 0
3 3 4 .4 6
3 3 8 .9 9
F u rn itu re a n d f ix t u r e s ........................................................
2 8 2 .5 0
2 9 4 .6 2
2 8 8 .1 2
2 8 6 .3 0
2 8 8 .2 1
2 9 4 .6 7
2 8 7 .9 3
2 9 8 .4 0
3 0 3 .8 1
3 0 3 .0 0
3 0 0 .8 0
3 1 0 .8 4
2 9 9 .7 7
2 9 7 .1 1
2 9 9 .7 7
S to n e , c la y , a n d g la s s p r o d u c ts ..................................
4 1 2 .3 0
4 2 5 .1 2
4 9 9 .8 7
4 1 2 .1 0
4 2 5 .0 0
4 2 8 .7 1
4 2 9 .7 1
4 2 7 .5 5
4 3 2 .0 0
4 3 5 .7 4
4 3 1 .2 7
4 2 4 .4 5
4 2 7 .1 4
4 2 4 .5 1
4 2 4 .6 9
4 2 8 .1 6
P rim a ry m e ta l In d u s t r ie s .................................................
5 0 4 .7 8
4 9 9 .2 0
3 4 2 .2 6
3 3 4 .4 0
3 4 1 .0 4
3 4 2 .6 9
3 3 8 .9 9
3 3 8 .1 2
3 3 8 .5 8
3 3 1 .6 0
3 3 6 .1 3
3 3 6 .1 7
B la st fu rn a c e s a n d b a s ic s te e l p r o d u c ts ............
4 8 4 .7 2
5 4 8 .2 7
5 7 4 .9 1
5 7 6 .8 4
5 6 9 .3 8
5 7 6 .5 8
5 7 7 .4 1
5 8 2 .9 1
5 6 9 .8 0
5 7 9 .4 9
5 7 1 .8 7
5 8 0 .1 4
5 9 0 .5 4
5 7 8 .2 4
5 8 2 .2 5
5 8 0 .4 6
F a b ric a te d m e ta l p r o d u c t s .............................................
4 0 0 .6 1
4 0 7 .6 3
4 0 9 .0 3
4 0 3 .4 4
4 0 4 .8 4
4 0 6 .0 4
3 9 8 .5 2
4 0 2 .6 2
4 1 0 .5 9
4 0 7 .2 2
4 1 2 .1 0
4 2 1 .0 0
4 1 3 .1 7
4 1 2 .1 7
4 1 4 .5 9
4 3 9 .9 4
4 3 1 .2 6
4 4 5 .6 2
5 0 1 .2 3
4 9 9 .0 9
4 9 5 .6 7
4 9 1 .7 8
5 0 1 .8 3
4 9 6 .1 0
5 0 3 .2 9
5 1 2 .1 3
5 0 5 .2 4
5 0 8 .8 9
5 0 9 .7 5
M a c h in e ry , e x c e p t e le c tric a l .........................................
4 2 7 .0 4
4 3 9 .3 0
4 4 2 .2 4
4 3 7 .8 3
4 3 7 .8 3
4 3 6 .5 4
4 4 1 .1 9
4 3 8 .2 4
4 4 3 .7 2
4 5 4 .7 6
4 4 7 .3 0
4 5 0 .0 5
E le c tric a l a n d e le c tro n ic e q u ip m e n t ..........................
T ra n s p o rta tio n e q u ip m e n t ...............................................
3 8 4 .4 8
3 9 6 .4 7
3 9 5 .3 8
3 9 2 .5 0
3 9 3 .3 1
3 9 4 .0 1
3 9 1 .0 7
3 9 5 .5 0
4 0 1 .8 5
3 9 7 .5 5
4 0 3 .6 5
4 1 4 .6 9
4 0 5 .2 5
4 0 3 .8 5
4 0 3 .2 7
5 4 1 .8 7
5 4 5 .2 6
5 5 2 .1 2
5 4 2 .7 1
5 3 7 .1 8
5 4 0 .5 9
5 3 0 .3 7
5 3 1 .6 8
5 4 4 .4 0
5 4 0 .5 4
5 4 9 .1 0
5 6 4 .2 0
5 5 1 .6 5
5 5 0 .3 8
5 5 4 .2 6
M o to r v e h ic le s a n d e q u ip m e n t.................................
5 8 3 .7 7
5 7 7 .3 0
5 9 2 .8 4
5 7 4 .1 0
5 6 7 .0 9
5 7 2 .6 1
5 6 0 .1 2
5 5 5 .7 8
5 7 3 .7 5
5 6 7 .9 3
5 7 5 .9 5
5 9 9 .7 2
5 9 0 .5 4
5 8 4 .8 0
5 8 9 .3 1
4 0 6 .9 3
3 9 6 .3 4
3 9 7 .5 8
3 9 7 .4 4
In s tru m e n ts a n d re la te d p r o d u c t s ..............................
3 7 5 .5 6
3 8 8 .8 1
3 8 9 .5 7
3 8 5 .8 1
3 8 2 .5 8
3 8 5 .8 1
3 8 2 .5 9
3 8 4 .6 2
3 8 8 .9 6
3 9 0 .1 9
3 9 8 .8 2
M is c e lla n e o u s m a n u fa c tu r in g ........................................
2 8 7 .8 2
2 9 9 .3 8
2 9 9 .6 5
2 9 7 .7 5
2 9 7 .0 8
2 9 8 .5 8
2 9 4 .4 9
2 9 4 .7 8
3 0 0 .5 6
3 0 2 .4 8
3 0 7 .5 3
3 1 0 .7 1
3 0 4 .1 5
3 0 1 .4 5
3 0 2 .9 7
N o n d u rab le g o o d s .........................................................
3 4 4 .9 2
3 5 6 .3 1
3 5 2 .5 4
3 5 1 .6 5
3 5 4 .2 2
3 5 5 .5 1
3 5 6 .0 0
3 5 8 .0 9
3 6 0 .1 9
3 5 8 .0 0
3 6 2 .7 0
3 6 8 .7 4
3 6 2 .4 0
3 6 1 .4 9
3 6 3 .6 0
3 4 9 .4 6
3 4 7 .2 0
3 5 3 .3 6
3 5 8 .7 5
3 5 3 .8 2
3 5 0 .1 6
F o o d a n d k in d re d p r o d u c t s ...........................................
3 4 2 .8 0
3 4 9 .6 0
3 4 4 .3 6
3 4 6 .5 0
3 5 2 .0 8
3 5 0 .4 7
3 5 0 .0 0
3 5 2 .0 6
T o b a c c o m a n u f a c t u r e s ....................................................
4 4 4 .1 7
4 8 0 .1 5
4 7 8 .5 0
4 6 9 .9 4
5 0 4 .4 3
5 2 3 .9 4
4 8 3 .9 3
4 8 6 .5 3
4 7 0 .0 9
4 7 3 .1 1
4 8 4 .6 1
4 8 4 .8 2
4 8 2 .0 9
4 8 7 .2 8
5 3 9 .3 9
T e x tile m ill p r o d u c t s ..........................................................
2 6 6 .3 9
2 8 6 .3 4
2 7 8 .5 2
2 7 8 .9 2
2 8 2 .0 8
2 8 3 .0 4
2 7 8 .0 7
2 9 0 .7 8
2 9 5 .4 0
2 9 3 .5 7
2 9 6 .2 3
3 0 2 .3 1
2 9 6 .6 1
2 9 8 .0 3
3 0 0 .0 0
3 5 3 .1 3
A p p a re l a n d o th e r te x tile p r o d u c ts ............................
2 0 8 .5 7
2 1 3 .2 3
2 1 1 .7 0
2 1 1 .4 8
2 1 0 .9 7
2 1 3 .6 5
2 0 9 .0 9
2 1 1 .9 1
2 1 5 .4 3
2 1 4 .7 6
2 1 6 .8 8
2 1 9 .1 6
2 1 6 .7 5
2 1 8 .5 2
2 1 8 .3 0
P a p e r a n d a llie d p r o d u c t s ..............................................
4 6 6 .3 4
4 8 2 .3 6
4 7 7 .6 0
4 7 4 .0 5
4 7 9 .2 7
4 8 0 .5 7
4 8 6 .3 3
4 8 3 .6 6
4 8 4 .9 6
4 8 2 .7 2
4 8 4 .7 8
4 9 6 .8 1
4 8 5 .9 0
4 8 1 .8 6
4 8 0 .5 7
3 8 6 .4 6
P rinting a n d p u b lis h in g .....................................................
3 6 7 .0 4
3 7 8 .8 6
3 7 7 .1 9
3 7 4 .0 7
3 7 4 .6 0
3 7 0 .5 0
3 7 4 .5 0
3 8 1 .0 0
3 8 6 .8 3
3 8 4 .0 5
3 8 8 .2 2
3 9 3 .4 3
3 8 2 .2 8
3 8 5 .0 6
C h e m ic a ls a n d a llie d p r o d u c ts .....................................
4 8 4 .3 6
5 0 2 .7 4
4 9 4 .7 6
4 9 5 .2 6
4 9 9 .3 8
5 0 2 .6 7
5 0 2 .0 7
5 0 1 .1 8
5 0 5 .2 6
5 0 6 .1 5
5 1 7 .5 9
5 2 0 .9 4
5 1 4 .7 9
5 1 2 .4 0
5 1 4 .9 2
P e tro le u m a n d c o a l p r o d u c t s ....................................
6 0 4 .5 8
6 2 0 .1 0
6 2 1 .4 1
6 1 5 .9 6
6 0 5 .6 6
6 2 2 .1 6
6 1 8 .7 9
6 2 3 .3 0
6 2 6 .2 2
6 2 1 .0 8
6 2 6 .0 1
6 2 7 .5 3
6 4 3 .6 8
6 2 5 .6 6
6 3 9 .1 8
R u b b e r a n d m is c e lla n e o u s
p las tic s p r o d u c t s ..............................................................
3 5 0 .9 9
3 6 1 .7 9
3 6 0 .1 4
3 5 6 .7 5
3 6 0 .5 0
3 6 1 .3 8
3 5 7 .2 1
3 6 2 .9 7
3 6 4 .4 2
3 6 2 .6 6
3 6 7 .3 8
3 7 4 .7 8
3 6 8 .9 9
3 6 6 .8 6
3 6 8 .1 6
L e a th e r a n d le a th e r p r o d u c t s ......................................
2 1 6 .5 0
2 1 7 .7 1
2 1 2 .7 2
2 1 3 .8 1
2 1 5 .8 0
2 2 1 .6 8
2 1 7 .9 3
2 1 6 .5 3
2 1 8 .2 2
2 1 7 .8 6
2 2 2 .4 6
2 2 7 .8 4
2 2 4 .9 2
2 2 2 .0 8
2 2 6 .5 0
T R A N S P O R T A T IO N A N D PU B LIC
U T IL IT IE S ..........................................................................
4 5 0 .3 0
4 5 5 .9 0
4 5 7 .8 3
4 5 0 .4 5
4 5 0 .0 6
4 5 5 .8 6
4 5 7 .4 3
4 5 7 .4 3
4 5 7 .4 7
4 5 6 .6 9
4 6 1 .7 8
4 5 9 .0 3
4 5 3 .9 5
4 5 9 .8 1
4 6 0 .6 0
W H O LE S A LE T R A D E .....................................................
3 5 1 .7 4
3 5 9 .0 4
3 5 7 .3 4
3 5 5 .8 1
3 5 6 .7 4
3 5 8 .8 2
3 5 8 .0 5
3 5 8 .8 2
3 5 8 .8 7
3 5 9 .0 4
3 6 3 .2 6
3 6 3 .6 5
3 6 1 .5 7
3 6 2 .9 0
3 6 2 .3 3
R E T A IL T R A D E ................................................................
1 7 4 .6 4
1 7 5 .7 8
1 7 4 .2 7
1 7 3 .6 9
1 7 4 .6 0
1 76 .71
1 7 8 .5 0
1 7 8 .5 0
1 7 6 .6 6
1 7 5 .1 6
1 7 6 .6 4
1 7 8 .4 8
1 7 2 .3 9
1 7 3 .9 2
1 7 4 .2 4
F IN A N C E , IN S U R A N C E , A N D R E A L
ES TA T E ..............................................................................
2 8 9 .0 2
3 0 4 .4 1
3 0 4 .6 1
3 0 1 .7 6
3 0 1 .6 5
3 0 6 .3 4
3 0 2 .9 5
3 0 4 .8 8
3 0 4 .6 7
3 0 6 .7 1
3 1 3 .4 2
3 0 9 .6 4
3 1 3 .1 7
3 1 7 .9 2
3 1 5 .9 5
S E R V IC E S ..........................................................................
2 5 6 .4 3
2 6 5 .2 0
2 6 5 .0 3
2 6 3 .0 9
2 6 2 .4 4
2 6 4 .0 6
2 6 3 .7 1
2 6 4 .0 4
2 6 4 .5 4
2 6 6 .3 3
2 6 9 .2 4
2 6 9 .2 4
2 6 9 .1 9
2 7 1 .3 2
2 7 0 .4 8
"
D a ta n o t a v a ila b le .
= p re lim in a ry
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
NO TE:
revision.
S e e " N o te s o n th e d a ta " fo r a d escrip tio n o f th e m o s t re c e n t b e n c h m a rk
71
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics: Employment Data
17. The Hourly Earnings Index for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls by
industry
Seasonally adjusted
Not seasonally adjusted
Industry
P R IV A T E S E C T O R (in c u r r e n t d o l l a r » ) .................................
M in in g '.................................................................................
C onstruction........................................................................
M anufacturing.....................................................................
Transportation and public u tilitie s ...................................
Wholesale tr a d e '................................................................
Retail trade .........................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real e s ta te '..............................
S e rvices...............................................................................
P R IV A T E S E C T O R (In c o n s t a n t d o lla r » ) ..............................
Mar.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Mar.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
1986
1987
1987p
1987p
1986
1986
1986
1987
1987p
1 6 8 .5
1 7 1 .3
1 7 1 .8
1 6 8 .5
_
1 7 0 .8
_
1 7 0 .6
_
1 7 0 .7
_
1 7 1 .4
1 7 1 .8
180.1
1 8 2 .0
1 8 0 .5
1 8 1 .0
_
_
1 4 8 .3
1 5 2 .0
1 5 1 .0
1 5 2 .6
1 4 9 .2
1 5 4 .0
1 5 3 .9
1 5 1 .7
1 5 1 .0
1 5 3 .5
1 7 1 .9
174.1
1 7 4 .2
1 7 4 .3
1 7 1 .8
1 7 3 .2
1 7 3 .5
1 7 3 .4
1 7 3 .9
174 .1
1 6 9 .8
172.1
1 7 3 .2
1 7 2 .8
1 7 1 .2
1 7 1 .5
1 7 2 .5
1 7 3 .0
1 7 4 .9
1 7 5 .8
1 7 5 .3
1 7 0 .2
-
1 7 1 .2
1 7 1 .9
-
“
“
“
“
1 5 7 .7
1 5 8 .8
1 59.1
1 5 7 .4
1 5 9 .3
1 5 9 .3
1 5 8 .4
1 5 8 .6
1 5 8 .8
1 8 7 .0
-
-
-
-
“
1 7 8 .9
1 7 4 .0
1 7 6 .6
1 7 5 .8
1 7 6 .9
1 78 .1
9 5 .0
9 5 .3
9 5 .0
9 4 .4
9 4 .4
1 7 9 .2
1 8 4 .7
159.1
1 8 7 .4
1 7 4 .0
1 7 8 .0
1 7 8 .8
9 5 .2
9 4 .8
9 4 .7
1 This series is not seasonally adjusted because the seasonal component is small
relative to the trend-cycle, irregular components, or both, and consequently cannot
be separated with sufficient precision.
- Data not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1 7 1 .8
Mar.
1 9 8 7»
-
1 7 8 .9
-
p = preliminary.
NOTE: See “ Notes on the data" for a description of the most recent benchmark
revision.
18.
Indexes of diffusion: industries in which employment increased, data seasonally adjusted
(In p e rc e n t)
Jan .
T im e s p an a n d y e a r
Apr.
M a r.
Feb.
O v e r 1-m o n th sp an:
D ec.
N ov.
O ct.
S ep t.
Aug.
July
June
M ay
................................................................................
5 2 .4
4 7 .8
5 3 .8
4 9 .2
5 1 .6
4 7 .0
5 6 .2
5 6 .8
5 0 .8
6 1 .9
5 7 .6
5 9 .5
1 9 8 6 ..............................................................................................
5 9 .7
5 3 .5
4 5.1
54.1
4 9 .2
4 6 .2
5 4 .6
5 4 .3
5 4 .9
55.1
6 2 .7
6 2 .4
1 9 8 7 ..............................................................................................
5 1 .6
6 3 .0
4 9 .7
“
1985
"
O v e r 3 -m o n th span:
......................................................................
51.1
4 9 .7
4 6 .2
4 6 .2
45.1
5 1 .4
4 9 .7
51.1
55.1
5 5 .9
6 1 .4
6 0 .5
1 9 8 6 ..............................................................................................
58.1
5 4 .3
51.1
4 9 .7
4 8 .4
4 4 .9
4 7 .3
54.1
5 4 .9
6 2 .4
65.1
6 3 .0
1 9 8 7 ..............................................................................................
6 2 .7
5 7 .3
1985
'
O v e r 6 -m o n th span:
...................................................................................
4 9 .2
4 7 .8
4 3 .0
4 5 .9
4 4 .3
4 4 .3
4 8 .9
5 0 .8
54.1
5 7 .0
5 7 .0
5 5 .9
1 9 8 6 ..............................................................................................
5 3 .8
5 3 .8
4 7 .6
4 5 .9
4 5 .9
4 8 .6
4 9 .7
5 5 .4
61.1
6 0 .5
6 3 .5
6 0 .8
4 8 .9
4 8 .6
1985
“
1 9 8 7 ..............................................................................................
O v e r 1 2 -m o n th span:
1 9 8 5 ..............................................................................................
4 6 .2
4 5 .7
4 6 .8
4 3 .8
4 4 .9
4 7 .3
4 7 .6
4 8 .9
4 7 .3
4 9 .5
1 9 8 6 ..............................................................................................
5 0 .3
51.1
5 2 .2
5 2 .4
5 2 .7
5 4 .6
5 3 .5
55.1
5 5 .9
“
~
1 9 8 7 ..............................................................................................
"
D a ta n o t a v a ila b le .
NO TE:
s p an s .
F ig u re s a re th e p e rc e n t o f industries w ith e m p lo y m e n t rising. (H a lf o f
th e u n c h a n g e d c o m p o n e n ts a re c o u n te d a s rising.) D a ta a re c e n te re d w ithin th e
19.
D a ta fo r th e 2 m o s t re c e n t m o n th s s h o w n in e a c h sp an a re prelim inary.
S e e th e “ D e fin itio n s " in this sec tio n . S e e " N o te s o n th e d a ta
fo r a d escrip tio n of
th e m o s t re c e n t b e n c h m a rk revision.
Annual data: Employment status of the noninstitutional population
(N u m b e rs in th o u sa n d s )
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1 6 3 ,5 4 1
1 6 6 ,4 6 0
1 6 9 ,3 4 9
1 7 1 ,7 7 5
1 7 3 ,9 3 9
1 7 5 ,8 9 1
1 7 8 ,0 8 0
1 7 9 ,9 1 2
1 8 2 ,2 9 3
T o ta l (n u m b e r )...................................................................
1 0 3 ,8 8 2
1 0 6 ,5 5 9
1 0 8 ,5 4 4
1 1 0 ,3 1 5
1 1 1 ,8 7 2
1 1 3 ,2 2 6
1 1 5 ,2 4 1
1 1 7 ,1 6 7
1 1 9 ,5 4 0
P e rc e n t o f p o p u la tio n ....................................................
6 3 .5
6 4 .0
64.1
6 4 .2
6 4 .3
6 4 .4
6 4 .7
6 5.1
6 5 .6
T o ta l (n u m b e r ) ...........................................................
9 7 ,6 7 9
1 0 0 ,4 2 1
1 0 0 ,9 0 7
1 0 2 ,0 4 2
1 0 1 ,1 9 4
1 0 2 ,5 1 0
1 0 6 ,7 0 2
1 0 8 ,8 5 6
1 1 1 ,3 0 3
P e rc e n t o f p o p u la tio n ............................................
5 9 .7
6 0 .3
5 9 .6
5 9 .4
5 8 .2
5 8 .3
5 9 .9
6 0 .5
61.1
R e s id e n t A rm e d F o r c e s .....................................
1,6 3 1
1 ,5 9 7
1 ,6 0 4
1 ,6 4 5
1 ,6 6 8
1 ,6 7 6
1 ,6 9 7
1 ,7 0 6
1 ,7 0 6
T o t a l .........................................................................
A g r ic u ltu r e ..........................................................
9 6 ,0 4 8
3 ,3 8 7
9 8 ,8 2 4
9 9 ,3 0 3
1 0 0 ,3 9 7
9 9 ,5 2 6
1 0 0 ,8 3 4
1 0 5 ,0 0 5
1 0 7 ,1 5 0
1 0 9 ,5 9 7
N on a g ricu ltu ral in d u s trie s ...........................
9 2 ,6 6 1
3 ,3 4 7
9 5 ,4 7 7
3 ,3 6 4
9 5 ,9 3 8
3 ,3 6 8
9 7 ,0 3 0
3 ,4 0 1
9 6 ,1 2 5
3 ,3 8 3
9 7 ,4 5 0
3 ,3 2 1
1 0 1 ,6 8 5
3 ,1 7 9
1 0 3 ,9 7 1
3 ,1 6 3
1 0 6 ,4 3 4
T o ta l (n u m b e r )..........................................................
6 ,2 0 2
6 ,1 3 7
7 ,6 3 7
8 ,2 7 3
1 0 ,6 7 8
1 0 ,7 1 7
8 ,5 3 9
8 ,3 1 2
8 ,2 3 7
P e rc e n t o f lab o r f o r c e ..........................................
6 .0
5 .8
7 .0
7 .5
9 .5
9 .5
7 .4
7.1
6 .9
5 9 ,9 0 0
6 0 ,8 0 6
6 1 ,4 6 0
6 2 ,0 6 7
6 2 ,6 6 5
6 2 ,8 3 9
6 2 ,7 4 4
6 2 ,7 5 2
E m p lo y m e n t s tatu s
N o n in s titu tio n al p o p u la tio n ................................................
1978
L a b o r force:
E m p lo ye d :
C ivilian
U n e m p lo ye d :
N o t in lab o r fo rc e (n u m b e r) ..........................................
20.
5 9 ,6 5 9
Annual data: Employment levels by industry
(N u m b e rs in th o u sa n d s )
Industry
1978
1979
1980
1981
1983
1984
1985
1986
8 9 ,5 6 6
9 0 ,2 0 0
9 4 ,4 9 6
9 7 ,6 1 4
1 0 0 ,1 6 7
T o ta l e m p lo y m e n t..........................................................................................
8 6 ,6 9 7
8 9 ,8 2 3
9 0 ,4 0 6
P riv a te s e c t o r ................................................................................................
G o o d s -p ro d u c in g .....................................................................................
7 1 ,0 2 6
7 3 ,8 7 6
7 4 ,1 6 6
7 5 ,1 2 6
7 3 ,7 2 9
7 4 ,3 3 0
7 8 ,4 7 2
8 1 ,1 9 9
8 3 ,4 3 2
2 5 ,5 8 5
2 6 ,4 6 1
2 5 ,6 5 8
2 5 ,4 9 7
2 3 ,8 1 3
2 3 ,3 3 4
2 4 ,7 2 7
2 4 ,9 3 0
2 4 ,9 3 8
M in in g .....................................................................................................
958
1 ,0 2 7
1 ,1 3 9
1 ,1 2 8
952
966
930
792
C o n s tru c tio n ........................................................................................
4 ,2 2 9
4 ,4 6 3
4 ,3 4 6
4 ,1 8 8
3 ,9 0 5
3 ,9 4 8
4 ,3 8 3
4 ,6 8 7
4 ,9 6 0
M a n u fa c tu r in g .....................................................................................
2 0 ,5 0 5
2 1 ,0 4 0
2 0 ,2 8 5
2 0 ,1 7 0
1 8,7 81
1 8 ,4 3 4
1 9 ,3 7 8
1 9 ,3 1 4
1 9 ,1 8 6
S e rv ic e -p ro d u c in g ....................................................................................
6 1 ,1 1 3
6 3 ,3 6 3
6 4 ,7 4 8
6 5 ,6 5 9
6 5 ,7 5 3
6 6 ,8 6 6
6 9 ,7 6 9
7 2 ,6 8 4
7 5 ,2 2 9
T ra n s p o rta tio n a n d public u tilitie s ..............................................
4 ,9 2 3
4 ,9 6 9
5 ,1 3 6
5 ,1 4 6
5 ,1 6 5
5 ,0 8 2
4 ,9 5 4
5 ,1 5 9
5 ,2 4 2
5 ,2 8 6
5 ,2 0 4
5 ,2 7 5
5 ,3 5 8
5 ,2 7 8
5 ,2 6 8
5 ,5 5 5
5 ,7 4 0
5 ,8 5 3
1 4 ,9 8 9
1 5 ,0 3 5
1 5 ,1 8 9
1 5 ,1 7 9
1 7 ,3 6 0
1 7 ,9 7 8
4 ,9 7 5
5 ,1 6 0
5 ,2 9 8
5 ,3 4 1
1 5 ,6 1 3
5 ,4 6 8
1 6 ,5 4 5
F in a n c e , insu ra n c e, a n d re al e s t a t e .........................................
1 4 ,5 7 3
4 ,7 2 4
5 ,9 5 3
6 ,3 0 5
S e r v ic e s ...................................................................................................
1 6 ,2 5 2
1 7 ,1 1 2
1 7 ,8 9 0
1 8 ,6 1 9
1 9 ,0 3 6
1 9 ,6 9 4
5 ,6 8 9
2 0 ,7 9 7
2 1 ,9 7 4
2 3 ,0 7 2
G o v e r n m e n t.........................................................................................
1 5 ,6 7 2
1 5 ,9 4 7
1 6,2 41
1 6 ,0 3 1
1 5 ,8 3 7
1 5 ,8 6 9
1 6 ,0 2 4
1 6 ,4 1 5
1 6 ,7 3 5
F e d e r a l.............................................................................................
S t a t e .................................................................................................
2 ,7 5 3
2 ,7 7 3
2 ,8 6 6
2 ,7 7 2
2 ,7 3 9
2 ,7 7 4
2 ,8 0 7
2 ,8 7 5
2 ,8 9 9
3 ,4 7 4
3 ,5 4 1
3 ,6 1 0
3 ,6 4 0
3 ,6 4 0
3 ,7 3 4
3 ,8 4 8
3 ,9 3 7
L o c a l ......... .......................................................................................
9 ,4 4 6
9 ,6 3 3
9 ,7 6 5
9 ,6 1 9
9 ,4 5 8
3 ,6 6 2
9 ,4 3 4
9 ,4 8 2
9 ,6 9 2
9 ,8 9 9
W h o le s a le t r a d e .................................................................................
R e ta il tra d e ...........................................................................................
NO TE:
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
851
9 1 ,1 5 6
1982
S e e " N o te s o n th e d a ta " fo r a d e sc rip tio n o f th e m o s t
re c e n t b e n c h m a rk revision.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics: Employment Data
21. Annual data: Average houra and earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on nonagricultural
payrolls, by industry
Industry
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
P riv a te s e c to r
A v e ra g e w e e k ly h o u r s ..............................................................................
3 5 .8
3 5 .7
3 5 .3
3 5 .2
3 4 .8
3 5 .0
3 5 .2
3 4 .9
3 4 .8
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) .................................................
5 .6 9
6 .1 6
6 .6 6
7 .2 5
7 .6 8
8 .0 2
8 .3 2
8 .5 7
8 .7 5
A v e ra g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in do llars) ...............................................
2 0 3 .7 0
2 1 9 .9 1
2 3 5 .1 0
2 5 5 .2 0
2 6 7 .2 6
2 8 0 .7 0
2 9 2 .8 6
2 9 9 .0 9
3 0 4 .5 0
M ining
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours .......................................................................
4 3 .4
4 3 .0
4 3 .3
4 3 .7
4 2 .7
4 2 .5
4 3 .3
4 3 .4
A v e r a g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) ..........................................
7 .6 7
8 .4 9
9 .1 7
1 0 .0 4
1 0 .7 7
1 1 .2 8
1 1 .6 3
1 1 .9 8
1 2 .4 5
A v e r a g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ).........................................
3 3 2 .8 8
3 6 5 .0 7
3 9 7 .0 6
4 3 8 .7 5
4 5 9 .8 8
4 7 9 .4 0
5 0 3 .5 8
5 1 9 .9 3
5 2 6 .6 4
4 2 .3
C o n stru ctio n
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours .......................................................................
3 6 .8
3 7 .0
3 7 .0
3 6 .9
3 6 .7
3 7.1
3 7 .8
3 7 .7
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o l l a r s ) ..........................................
8 .6 6
9 .2 7
9 .9 4
1 0 .8 2
1 1 .6 3
1 1 .9 4
1 2 .1 3
1 2.31
3 7 .5
1 2 .4 2
A v e ra g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ).........................................
3 1 8 .6 9
3 4 2 .9 9
3 6 7 .7 8
3 9 9 .2 6
4 2 6 .8 2
4 4 2 .9 7
4 5 8 .5 1
4 6 4 .0 9
4 6 5 .7 5
4 0 .7
M a nufacturin g
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours ......................................................................
4 0 .4
4 0 .2
3 9 .7
3 9 .8
3 8 .9
4 0.1
4 0 .7
4 0 .5
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) ..........................................
6 .1 7
6 .7 0
7 .2 7
7 .9 9
8 .4 9
8 .8 3
9 .1 9
9 .5 3
9 .7 3
A v e ra g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ).........................................
2 4 9 .2 7
2 6 9 .3 4
2 8 8 .6 2
3 1 8 .0 0
3 3 0 .2 6
3 5 4 .0 8
3 7 4 .0 3
3 8 5 .9 7
3 9 6 .0 1
T ra n s p o rta tio n and public utilities
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours ......................................................................
4 0 .0
3 9 .9
3 9 .6
3 9 .4
3 9 .0
3 9 .0
3 9 .4
3 9 .5
3 9 .2
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) ..........................................
7 .5 7
8 .1 6
8 .8 7
9 .7 0
1 0 .3 2
1 0 .7 9
1 1 .1 2
1 1 .4 0
1 1 .6 3
A v e ra g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) .........................................
3 0 2 .8 0
3 2 5 .5 8
3 5 1 .2 5
3 8 2 .1 8
4 0 2 .4 8
4 2 0 .8 1
4 3 8 .1 3
4 5 0 .3 0
4 5 5 .9 0
3 8 .5
W h o lesale tra d e
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours .......................................................................
3 8 .8
3 8 .8
3 8 .5
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) ..........................................
5 .8 8
6 .3 9
6 .9 6
7 .5 6
8 .0 9
8 .5 5
8 .8 9
9 .1 6
9 .3 5
A v e ra g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ).........................................
2 2 8 .1 4
2 4 7 .9 3
2 6 7 .9 6
2 9 1 .0 6
3 0 9 .8 5
3 2 9 .1 8
3 4 2 .2 7
3 5 1 .7 4
3 5 9 .0 4
2 9 .8
3 8 .3
3 8 .5
3 8 .5
3 8 .4
3 8 .4
R e tail tra d e
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours ......................................................................
3 1 .0
3 0 .6
3 0 .2
30.1
2 9 .9
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) ..........................................
4 .2 0
4 .5 3
4 .8 8
5 .2 5
5 .4 8
2 9 .8
5 .7 4
5 .8 5
2 9 .4
5 .9 4
6 .0 2
A v e r a g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ).........................................
1 3 0 .2 0
1 3 8 .6 2
1 4 7 .3 8
1 5 8 .0 3
1 6 3 .8 5
1 7 1 .0 5
1 7 4 .3 3
1 7 4 .6 4
1 7 5 .7 8
2 9 .2
Finance, insorance , a nd real e s ta te
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours ......................................................................
3 6 .4
3 6 .2
3 6 .2
3 6 .3
3 6 .2
3 6 .2
3 6 .5
3 6 .4
3 6 .5
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) ..........................................
4 .8 9
5 .2 7
5 .7 9
6.3 1
6 .7 8
7 .2 9
7 .6 3
7 .9 4
8 .3 4
A v e ra g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) .........................................
1 7 8 .0 0
1 9 0 .7 7
2 0 9 .6 0
2 2 9 .0 5
2 4 5 .4 4
2 6 3 .9 0
2 7 8 .5 0
2 8 9 .0 2
3 0 4 .4 1
S e rv ices
A v e ra g e w e e k ly hours .......................................................................
A v e ra g e hourly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ) ........................................
A v e ra g e w e e k ly e arn in g s (in d o lla r s ).........................................
74
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
3 2 .8
3 2 .7
3 2 .6
3 2 .6
3 2 .6
3 2 .7
3 2 .6
i 4 .9 9
5 .3 6
5 .8 5
6.4 1
6 .9 2
7 .8 9
8 .1 6
1 7 5 .2 7
1 9 0 .7 1
2 0 8 .9 7
2 2 5 .5 9
7.31
2 3 9 .0 4
7 .5 9
1 6 3 .6 7
2 4 7 .4 3
2 5 6 .4 3
2 6 5 .2 0
3 2 .5
3 2 .5
22. Employment Cost Index, compensation,1 by occupation and industry group
(June 1981 = 100)
P e rc e n t c h a n g e
1986
1985
1984
S e rie s
D e c.
M a r.
June
S ep t.
D e c.
M a r.
June
S e p t.
D e c.
3
12
m o n th s
m o n th s
ended
ended
D ec.
1 2 3 .9
1 2 5 .5
1 2 6 .4
1 2 8 .4
1 2 9 .2
1 3 0 .6
1 3 1 .5
1 3 3 .0
1 3 3 .8
0 .6
3 .6
1 3 6 .0
1 3 6 .9
.7
4 .0
W o rk e rs , by o c c u p a tio n a l group:
1 2 5 .5
1 2 7 .3
1 2 8 .3
1 3 0 .7
1 3 1 .6
1 33.1
1 3 4 .2
1 2 0 .9
1 2 2 .2
1 2 4 .9
1 2 6 .2
1 2 6 .8
1 2 7 .8
1 2 8 .4
.5
2 .8
1 2 7 .8
123.1
1 2 8 .0
1 2 4 .4
1 2 6 .8
1 3 0 .9
1 3 1 .8
133.1
1 3 3 .7
1 3 5 .4
1 3 6 .6
.9
3 .6
1 2 8 .8
1 2 9 .5
.5
3 .2
W o rk e rs , by in dustry division:
1 2 1 .4
1 2 3 .2
1 2 3 .9
1 2 4 .9
1 2 5 .5
1 2 6 .9
128 .1
1 2 2 .0
1 2 3 .9
1 2 4 .6
1 2 5 .5
1 2 6 .0
1 2 7 .7
1 2 8 .7
1 2 9 .3
130,1
.6
3 .3
1 2 5 .5
1 2 6 .9
1 2 7 .9
1 3 0 .7
1 3 1 .5
1 3 2 .9
1 3 3 .7
1 3 5 .6
1 3 6 .5
.7
3 .8
1 3 0 .9
1 3 1 .9
1 3 2 .6
1 3 6 .4
-
1 37.1
-
1 3 8 .8
-
1 3 9 .4
-
1 4 2 .4
-
1 4 3 .6
.8
4 .7
-
1.1
4 .7
-
-
-
-
-
-
1.1
_
_
_
-
1 2 8 .6
130.1
1 3 0 .3
1 3 4 .2
1 3 4 .8
1 3 6 .8
1 3 8 .0
1 4 0 .6
1 4 1 .6
.7
“
5 .0
1 2 4 .8
1 2 6 .2
1 2 7 .2
1 2 9 .7
1 3 0 .6
1 3 1 .9
1 3 2 .8
1 3 4 .6
1 3 5 .4
.6
3 .7
1 2 2 .7
1 2 4 .2
1 2 5 .2
1 2 6 .8
1 2 7 .5
1 2 8 .9
1 2 9 .9
1 3 0 .8
1 3 1 .6
.6
3 .2
1 2 8 .8
-
1 2 9 .8
-
1 3 1 .3
-
1 3 2 .5
-
1 3 3 .5
-
1 3 4 .3
.6
3 .5
-
.7
3 .6
-
-
-
“
”
"
.8
4.1
W o rk e rs , by o c c u p a tio n a l group:
1 2 3 .9
E x e c u tiv e , a d m in is tra tive , a n d m a n a g e ria l o c cu p a tio n s
1 2 5 .8
_
127.1
_
-
-
-
1 2 0 .6
1 2 1 .9
1 2 2 .8
-.1
_
A d m in is tra tiv e su p p o rt o c c u p a tio n s , including
P rec isio n p ro duction, craft, a n d re p air o c c u p a tio n ...........
-
1 2 4 .0
-
_
_
1 2 5 .7
-
1 2 6 .3
~
-
-
-
1 2 4 .4
_
_
1 2 7 .2
_
1 2 7 .8
“
-
-
-
-
H a n d le rs , e q u ip m e n t c le a n e rs , he lp ers , a n d lab o re rs ....
.7
3 .6
.5
2 .7
.5
2 .9
.6
2 .7
.3
2 .7
.6
2.1
.9
3.1
1 2 5 .7
1 2 6 .3
1 2 6 .5
1 2 8 .8
1 2 9 .5
1 3 0 .9
131 .1
1 3 2 .3
1 3 3 .5
1 2 1 .2
_
1 2 2 .0
_
_
1 2 3 .9
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
1 2 3 .0
1 2 3 .8
1 2 4 .6
-
1 2 5 .3
-
1 2 6 .7
-
1 2 7 .8
-
1 2 8 .6
1 2 9 .2
.5
-
-
.2
2 .8
1 2 9 .3
-
130.1
.6
3 .3
-
.5
2 .8
-
-
.7
4 .0
123 .1
130.1
W o rk e rs , b y in dustry division:
_
-
1 2 8 .7
3.1
1 2 5 .5
-
1 2 6 .0
-
1 2 7 .7
-
-
-
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
_
1 2 8 .7
-
1 2 9 .4
-
1 3 0 .8
-
1 3 1 .6
1 3 2 .7
1 3 3 .5
.6
3 .2
-
.1
2 .2
-
-
-
-
-
-.4
2 .2
_
-
-
-
-
-
.7
2 .0
-
-
-
-
-
-
.5
2 .6
-
1 2 4 .4
1 3 1 .7
1 2 3 .9
-
_
1 2 5 .2
_
»
-
_
_
_
1 2 4 .6
_
-
1 2 6 .4
_
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
.3
“
2 .2
-
-
1.0
-
.8
1.0
3.1
4 .3
-
-
-
-
-
1.3
4 .9
-
-
-
-
-
«
1 .2
-
1 2 5 .6
1 2 7 .6
1 2 8 .4
1 2 9 .7
1 3 0 .6
1 3 1 .7
1 3 2 .4
1 3 2 .0
1 3 6 .5
1 3 7 .5
1 3 8 .9
1 3 9 .7
1 4 3 .6
1 3 8 .6
1 3 2 .7
1 4 0 .0
1 4 0 .5
1 4 5 .0
1 3 4 .7
1 3 6 .3
1 3 8 .5
_
_
W o rk e rs , by o c cu p a tio n a l group:
1 31.1
1 3 2 .5
1 3 2 .9
1 3 7 .6
1 2 5 .9
128.1
1 2 8 .5
1 3 1 .9
W o rk e rs , b y in dustry division:
.5
3.1
1 4 4 .7
.8
5 .2
1 4 6 .0
5 .3
1 3 9 .5
.7
.7
1 4 6 .6
.8
5 .4
141 .1
1 .2
4.4
5.1
1 3 1 .3
1 3 2 .8
1 3 3 .2
1 3 7 .9
1 39.1
1 4 0 .4
1 4 0 .8
1 4 5 .5
1 2 9 .2
131.1
1 3 1 .5
134 .1
1 3 5 .2
1 3 6 .8
1 3 7 .9
-
-
-
-
1 3 9 .4
-
4.1
1 3 3 .4
1 3 3 .7
1 39.1
1 4 0 .3
1 4 1 .5
1 4 1 .7
1 4 7 .6
1 4 8 .4
.7
1 3 2 .0
.5
.6
5 .8
1 5 0 .3
1 4 1 .6
.7
5 .0
1 3 3 .5
1 2 8 .6
_
1 3 4 .4
1 3 4 .6
1 4 0 .9
1 4 2 .0
1 4 3 .0
1 4 3 .2
1 4 9 .4
1 30.1
1 3 0 .3
1 3 4 .2
1 3 4 .8
1 3 6 .8
1 3 8 .0
1 4 0 .6
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
986
3 Consist of legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory
4 Includes, for example, library, social, and health services.
- Data not available.
5 .8
activities.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics: Compensation and Industrial Relations Data
23. Employment Cost Index, wages and salaries, by occupation and industry group
(June 1981 = 100)
Percent change
1986
1985
1984
Series
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
12
months
ended
3
months
ended
Dec. 1986
C ivilian w o rk e rs 1 ..................................................................................
121.7
123.1
124.2
126.3
127.0
128.3
129.3
130.7
131.5
0.6
3.5
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar workers .................................................................
Blue-collar w o rkers....................................................................
Service occupations..................................................................
123.5
118.2
124.3
125.2
119.3
124.8
126.4
120.5
125.3
128.8
122.0
128.0
129.8
122.3
128.6
131.2
123.4
129.8
132.4
124.1
130.0
134.1
125.0
131.7
135.0
125.6
132.8
.7
.5
.8
4.0
2.7
3.3
118.8
119.5
123.4
128.9
-
121.5
122.3
125.8
130.5
127.2
125.0
122.5
123.2
128.6
134.2
131.4
127.6
123.1
123.8
129.4
134.8
132.0
128.4
124.4
125.3
130.7
136.4
133.8
129.6
125.6
126.5
131.5
137.0
134.6
130.4
126.3
127.2
133.4
139.9
137.5
132.2
127.0
127.9
134.2
141.1
138.1
133.0
.6
.6
.6
.9
1.2
1.2
.4
.6
3.2
3.3
3.7
4.7
4.8
125.7
122.6
120.3
121.0
124.7
129.7
127.0
123.9
120.6
122.0
123.3
124.9
125.6
126.8
127.9
128.8
129.5
.5
3.1
122.3
127.3
124.0
127.7
125.5
128.7
127.3
131.2
128.3
131.5
129.6
132.7
131.1
134.0
132.0
135.4
132.7
136.4
.5
.7
3.4
3.7
122.2
111.6
123.8
116.3
126.5
117.4
127.7
119.3
128.4
122.5
130.5
122.4
132.1
124.3
132.4
125.2
133.5
124.9
.8
-.2
4.0
2.0
Workers, by industry division
G oods-producing.........................................................................
Manufacturing ............................................................................
Service-producing.......................................................................
Services ...................................................................................
Health se rvices......................................................................
H ospitals.................................................................................
Public administration 2 ...........................................................
N onm anufacturing.....................................................................
P rivate industry w o r k e r s ............................................................
Workers, by occupational group:
White-collar w o rk e rs ............................................................
Professional specialty and technical occup ations......
Executive, administrative, and managerial
o ccup ations......................................................................
Sales occupations.............................................................
Administrative support occupations, including
c le ric a l...............................................................................
Blue-collar w o rke rs ..............................................................
Precision production, craft, and repair
occup ations.....................................................................
Machine operators, assemblers, and in spectors........
Transportation and material moving occupations.......
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
la b o re rs.............................................................................
Service occup ations...........................................................
Workers, by industry division:
G oods-producing...................................................................
Construction .........................................................................
M anufacturing.......................................................................
D u rab les.............................................................................
Nondurables.......................................................................
Service-producing..................................................................
Transportation and public u tilitie s ..................................
Transportation..................................................................
Public utilities....................................................................
Wholesale and retail tra d e ..............................................
Wholesale trade ............................................................
Retail tra d e ......................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real e s ta te ..............................
S e rvices..............................................................................
Health s e rv ic e s ................................................................
H o spitals..........................................................................
-
-
4.6
3.6
122.9
124.7
125.6
127.1
127.9
129.6
130.8
131.7
132.7
.8
3.8
118.0
119.1
120.3
121.7
122.0
123.1
123.7
124.5
125.1
.5
2.5
119.4
117.9
114.0
120.8
118.9
114.5
122.0
120.1
115.7
123.7
121.1
117.7
123.8
121.6
117.8
125.3
122.6
118.0
125.7
123.6
118.9
126.7
124.1
119.8
127.4
124.9
120.1
.6
.6
.3
2.9
2.7
2.0
115.9
123.7
116.7
123.8
118.5
124.4
118.6
126.3
119.8
126.6
120.0
128.0
120.3
128.0
120.9
128.9
121.4
130.1
.4
.9
1.3
2.8
118.7
114.4
119.5
119.1
120.2
122.1
120.7
-
120.2
115.5
121.0
120.6
121.6
123.4
121.7
-
121.4
116.6
122.3
122.0
122.6
124.8
122.8
121.1
126.8
118.9
121.7
131.0
-
122.3
117.3
123.2
122.7
124.0
127.0
124.8
122.7
127.7
120.8
124.1
133.9
-
122.9
117.9
123.8
123.4
124.6
127.8
125.2
123.7
128.3
121.9
126.5
134.1
-
124.2
118.3
125.3
124.8
126.1
129.0
126.3
124.5
129.7
122.5
126.6
136.2
-
125.4
119.8
126.5
125.8
127.9
129.9
126.6
125.8
131.2
123.7
128.0
136.9
-
126.1
120.5
127.2
126.4
128.5
130.9
127.3
126.5
131.8
124.4
129.0
138.2
-
126.8
120.8
127.9
127.2
129.3
131.6
127.5
“
126.9
133.1
124.5
130.0
139.5
“
.6
.2
.6
.6
.6
.5
.2
-.3
.7
.3
1.0
.1
.8
.9
1.5
1.5
3.2
2.5
3.3
3.1
3.8
3.0
1.8
1.3
2.5
2.6
3.7
2.1
2.8
4.0
5.1
-
118.1
122.9
116.2
115.8
129.5
-
118.8
123.7
116.9
122.0
129.9
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
~
“
Nonmanufacturing................................................................
121.2
122.6
123.9
125.9
126.6
127.7
128.7
129.7
130.4
.5
3.0
S ta te and local g o v e rn m e n t w o r k e r s ................................
127.1
128.4
128.7
133.2
134.2
135.5
136.0
140.4
141.4
.7
5.4
128.0
122.5
129.3
124.2
129.6
124.5
134.3
127.9
135.3
128.4
136.6
130.4
137.0
131.9
141.8
134.5
142.8
135.1
.7
.4
5.5
5.2
128.1
125.9
129.4
127.7
129.7
128.0
130.2
131.1
127.2
134.5
130.2
135.8
137.5
131.4
135.6
130.9
137.0
138.5
132.0
136.8
132.4
“
138.0
139.4
133.8
137.1
133.3
138.2
139.4
134.6
142.1
135.8
144.1
145.7
137.5
143.3
137.3
145.1
146.4
138.1
.8
1.1
.5
.7
.5
.4
5.7
4.9
4.1
5.9
5.7
4.6
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar w o rk e rs ............................................................
Blue-collar w o rk e rs ..............................................................
Workers, by industry division
Services ................................................................................
Hospitals and other services 3 .......................................
Health services ................................................................
S ch ools...............................................................................
Elementary and s econ dary..........................................
Public administration 2 .......................................................
-
128.7
130.2
125.7
-
129.9
130.8
127.0
1 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.
76
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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)
Percent change
Series
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
3
months
ended
12
months
ended
Dec. 1986
C O M P E N S A TIO N
W o rk e rs , by barga ining s ta tu s 1
Union .................................................................................
Goods-producing .................................................
Service-producing................................................................
Manufacturing ..................................................
Nonmanufacturing ..............................................................
123.9
122.9
125.6
123.2
124.5
124.8
123.6
126.7
124.2
125.3
125.5
123.9
128.0
124.2
126.6
126.5
124.6
129.5
125.0
127.8
127.1
125.2
130.2
125.5
128.6
128.4
126.4
131.6
127.0
129.7
128.7
126.7
131.9
126.9
130.4
129.4
127.3
132.8
127.5
131.2
129.8
127.5
133.4
127.9
131.5
0.3
.2
.5
.3
.2
2.1
1.8
2.5
1.9
2.3
N o nunion.......................................................................
Goods-producing .......................................................................
Service-producing......................................................................
Manufacturing ............................................................................
N onm anufacturing.....................................................................
121.9
119.6
123.3
120.8
122.4
123.8
122.4
124.7
123.6
123.9
125.0
123.5
125.8
124.8
125.1
126.8
124.4
128.3
125.7
127.3
127.5
125.1
129.0
126.3
128.1
129.0
126.7
130.4
128.1
129.5
130.2
128.2
131.4
129.7
130.4
131.2
129.1
132.5
130.4
131.6
132.1
130.0
133.4
131.4
132.5
.7
.7
.7
.8
.7
3.6
3.9
3.4
4.0
3.4
123.8
122.2
120.8
124.9
125.1
124.2
122.0
126.8
126.4
125.2
122.7
127.9
128.8
126.5
124.2
129.1
129.9
127.2
124.6
129.8
131.6
128.7
125.9
130.8
133.3
129.6
126.2
131.6
134.2
130.7
127.3
132.1
135.2
131.4
128.1
132.8
.7
.5
.6
.5
4.1
3.3
2.8
2.3
123.2
119.8
124.7
121.4
125.7
122.5
127.3
123.9
128.1
123.9
129.5
125.5
130.5
126.4
131.4
127.2
132.2
127.9
.6
.6
3.2
3.2
Union .......................................................................
G oods-producing.......................................................................
Service-producing......................................................................
Manufacturing ............................................................................
Nonmanufacturing .....................................................................
120.9
119.3
123.5
119.5
122.1
121.7
120.0
124.2
120.4
122.8
123.0
121.3
125.7
121.7
124.1
124.1
122.2
127.1
122.8
125.3
124.7
122.7
127.8
123.3
125.9
125.6
123.4
129.0
124.2
126.9
126.1
124.1
129.3
124.6
127.4
126.9
124.5
130.5
125.0
128.5
127.2
124.8
130.9
125.5
128.7
.2
.2
.3
.4
.2
2.0
1.7
2.4
1.8
2.2
N o nunion.............................................................
G oods-producing.......................................................................
Service-producing......................................................................
Manufacturing ............................................................................
Nonm anufacturing.....................................................................
120.4
118.1
121.6
119.5
120.7
122.1
120.2
123.1
121.5
122.3
123.4
121.4
124.4
122.8
123.6
125.2
122.3
126.9
123.7
125.9
125.9
123.0
127.7
124.4
126.6
127.3
124.5
128.9
126.1
127.8
128.5
126.1
129.9
127.7
128.9
129.4
127.0
130.8
128.5
129.8
130.3
127.8
131.7
129.5
130.6
.7
.6
.7
.8
.6
3.5
3.9
3.1
4.1
3.2
121.9
120.2
118.7
122.5
123.0
122.3
119.6
124.0
124.6
123.4
121.1
125.1
126.8
124.8
122.5
126.6
128.1
125.4
122.9
127.1
129.2
126.8
124.2
128.1
131.3
127.8
124.4
128.9
132.3
128.8
125.3
129.3
133.1
129.4
126.2
130.1
.6
.5
.7
.6
3.9
3.2
2.7
2.4
121.0
118.3
122.4
119.6
123.8
120.6
125.5
121.9 J
126.3
122.0
127.4
123.6
128.5
124.5
129.4
125.0
130.2
125.6
.6
.5
3.1
3.0
W o rk e rs , b y reg io n 1
N ortheast......................................................................
South ........................................................
Midwest (formerly North C e ntral)..............................................
W e s t.......................................................................................
W o rk e rs , b y a re a size 1
Metropolitan a re a s ......................................................................
Other a re a s .............................................................
W A G E S A N D S A LA R IE S
W o rk e rs , by barga ining s tatus 1
W o rkers, by reg io n 1
N ortheast.................................................
South .................................................
Midwest (formerly North C e ntral).........................................
W e s t............................................................
W o rk e rs , by a re a s iz e 1
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
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Labor R eview Technical
Employment Cost Index,” May 1982.
M onthly
Note,
“ Estimation
procedures
for
the
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
25.
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Compensation and Industrial Relations Data
Specified compensation and wage adjustments from contract settlements, and effective wage adjustments, private
Quarterly average
Annual average
1986
1985
Measure
1984
1985
3.6
2.8
2.6
2.7
2.4
2.4
2.3
2.7
3.7
.8
3.3
.7
2.0
.9
1.8
.7
S p e c ifie d adjustm ents:
Total compensation 1 adjustm ents,2 settlements
covering 5,000 workers or more:
First year of c o n tra c t.............................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t..........................
Wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000
workers or more:
First year of c o n tra c t..........................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t.......................
E ffe c tiv e adjustm ents:
Total effective wage adjustm ent3 ......................
From settlements reached in period ...............
Deferred from settlements reached In earlier
perio ds.................................................................
From cost-of-living-adjustments c la u s e s ........
compensation or wages.
3 Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts.
4 Between - 0.05 and 0.05 percent.
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
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 ending1986
1985
Measure
IV
III
II
I
IV
III
II
I
Specified total compensation adjustments, settlements covering 5,000
workers or more, all industries:
First year of c o n tra c t...................................................................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t................................................................
3.4
2.6
3.4
2.7
3.1
2.7
2.6
2.7
2.3
2.5
1.4
2.0
0.9
1.4
1.1
1.6
2.4
2.5
2.4
2.3
1.3
2.8
2.4
2.3
2.4
2.4
1.5
2.8
2.4
1.9
2.7
2.5
1.8
3.0
2.3
1.6
2.7
2.7
2.5
2.8
2.0
1.6
2.2
2.5
2.5
2.5
1.6
1.8
1.5
2.2
2.5
2.1
1.2
2.2
.8
1.7
2.0
1.6
1.2
1.9
.9
1.8
1.7
1.8
2.1
2.0
2.5
1.4
.9
3.2
2.0
1.9
2.2
1.5
1.0
3.0
1.5
1.5
1.5
1.6
1.4
2.4
.8
.8
.9
1.8
2.1
1.6
.8
.8
.9
1.8
2.1
1.5
.1
.7
-.4
1.4
2.0
.9
-.1
1.1
-2.0
.3
1.1
-.1
-1.2
1.3
-2.8
.2
.9
-.2
2.6
5.1
2.4
2.8
4.0
2.7
2.7
4.3
2.5
2.9
3.8
2.8
3.2
4.0
3.0
3.3
3.9
3.2
3.3
3.6
3.3
3.3
3.6
3.3
2.8
3.5
2.7
3.0
3.6
2.8
2.6
3.4
2.4
2.8
3.3
2.6
2.1
2.7
1.9
2.3
2.5
2.2
2.0
2.1
2.0
2.3
2.1
2.4
.9
4.6
.8
1.4
1.7
1.4
1.1
9.2
1.0
1.7
4.6
1.7
1.6
2.3
1.1
2.4
2.5
1.2
2.6
2.3
1.4
2.4
2.6
1.6
2.6
2.2
1.4
2.3
2.5
Specified wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000 workers or
more:
All industries
First year of c o n tra c t................................................................................
Contracts with COLA c la u s e s ...............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t.............................................................
Contracts with COLA c la u s e s ...............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Manufacturing
First year of c o n tra c t................................................................................
Contracts with COLA c la u s e s ...............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t.............................................................
Contracts with COLA c la u s e s ...............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Nonmanufacturing
First year of c o n tra c t................................................................................
Contracts with COLA c la u s e s ..............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t.............................................................
Contracts with COLA cla u s e s ...............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Construction
First year of c o n tra c t................................................................................
Contracts with COLA cla u s e s ...............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t.............................................................
Contracts with COLA c la u s e s ...............................................................
Contracts without COLA clauses .........................................................
Data do not meet publication standards.
78
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
1.0
f)
1.5
0
2.2
2.1
1.7
(1)
(')
(’ )
(1)
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
0
D
0
2.5
27. Average effective wage adjustments, private industry collective bargaining situations covering 1,000
workers or more during 4-quarter periods (in percent)
Average for four quarters ending1986
1985
Effective wage adjustment
II
III
IV
3.1
.6
1.7
.8
2.9
.5
1.8
.7
2.3
.5
1.6
.2
2.3
.5
1.7
.2
4.0
2.9
3.5
2.5
3.8
2.5
3.4
2.0
3.1
1.7
3.8
1.0
2.8
1.6
3.9
1.0
II
III
IV
I
3.5
.9
1.9
.7
3.5
.9
1.8
.8
3.3
.7
1.8
.7
4.2
2.9
3.9
2.3
4.3
2.8
3.7
2.8
4.1
3.4
3.7
2.2
F o r all w o rk e rs :1
T o ta l................................................................................................................
From settlements reached in period .....................................................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier p e rio d ..........................
From cost-of-living-adjustments c la u s e s ...............................................
F o r w o rk e rs receiving changes:
T o ta l................................................................................................................
From settlements reached In period .....................................................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier p e rio d ..........................
From cost-of-living-adjustments c la u s e s ...............................................
1 Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts.
28. Specified compensation and wage adjustments from contract settlements, and effective wage adjustments, State and
local government collective bargaining situations covering 1,000 workers or more (in percent)
Annual average
Measure
1984
1985
1986
52
5.4
42
5.1
62
6.0
Wage adjustments, settlements covering 1,000 workers or more:
First year of c o n tra c t..................................................................................................................................................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t...............................................................................................................................................
4.8
5.1
46
5.4
57
5.7
Effective adjustments:
Total effective wage adjustment 3 ...............................................................................................................................................
From settlements reached in p erio d.........................................................................................................................................
Deferred from settlements reached in earlier p e rio d s ..........................................................................................................
From cost-of-living-adjustment c la u s e s ..... ..............................................................................................................................
5.0
1.9
3.1
<4)
5.7
4.1
1.6
(4)
5.5
2.4
3.0
(4)
Specified adjustments:
Total compensation 1 adjustm ents,2 settlements covering 5,000 workers or more:
First year of c o n tra c t.................................................................................................................................................
Annual rate over life of c o n tra c t...............................................................................................................................
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
29.
compensation or wages.
3 Because of rounding, total may not equal sum of parts.
4 Less than 0.05 percent.
Work stoppages involving 1,000 workers or more
Annual totals
1986
1987P
Measure
1985
Number of stoppages:
Beginning in p e rio d .......................
In effect during p e rio d .................
Workers involved:
Beginning in period (in
thousands)....................................
In effect during period (in
thousands)....................................
Days idle:
Number (in thousands)................
Percent of estimated working
tim e1 ..............................................
54
61
1986
69
72
Mar.
Apr.
2
8
May
4
8
June
6
10
Aug.
11
15
13
22
Sept.
10
22
8
17
Nov.
Oct.
5
17
Jan.
Dec.
2
9
1
6
Feb.
2
7
Mar.
5
7
1
3
323.9
533.1
11.2
7.2
29.7
198.0
46.7
113.3
39.4
44.3
8.7
3.0
7.3
37.6
9.0
584.1
899.5
39.7
18.3
41.9
206.8
83.1
153.0
87.4
109.9
67.8
49.4
46.9
41.6
13.0
7,079.0 11,861.0
367.5
287.1
296.9
3,677.0
859.1
1,371.6
1,225.6
1,423.7
940.4
933.2
828.6
194.1
92.0
.02
.01
.01
.18
.04
.07
.06
.06
.05
.04
.04
.01
.01
.03
.05
1 Agricultural and government employees are included in the total employed and total
working time: private household, forestry, and fishery employees are excluded. An explanation of the measurement of idleness as a percentage of the total time worked is found
in '"Total economy’ measure of strike idleness,” M onthly Labor Review , October 1968,
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
July
pp. 54-56.
p = preliminary
79
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
30. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity or
service group; and CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, all items
(1967=100, unless otherwise indicated)
Series
Annual
average
1987
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
328.4
381.9
326.0
379.1
325.3
378.3
326.3
379.5
327.9
381.4
328.0
381.4
328.6
382.1
330.2
384.1
330.5
384.4
330.8
384.7
331.1
385.1
333.1
387.4
334.4
388.9
335.9
390.7
302.0
309.8
296.8
317.0
263.4
258.0
325.7
361.1
398.8
294.4
451.7
294.2
346.6
229.5
311.8
319.7
305.3
325.8
275.1
258.4
328.7
373.6
411.1
287.8
478.2
301.9
360.1
239.7
307.8
315.4
301.2
322.7
267.7
256.8
319.2
375.7
408.4
290.2
488.0
299.3
355.5
238.8
308.5
316.1
301.5
322.5
264.2
256.8
329.5
376.1
411.4
288.5
487.4
300.2
357.0
239.5
309.4
317.0
302.1
323.8
263.4
257.1
336.5
374.6
411.2
287.2
481.9
301.4
358.8
239.4
309.5
317.1
301.6
326.1
265.1
257.2
327.8
374.1
411.5
287.0
480.0
301.7
360.2
240.1
312.2
320.1
305.5
326.3
274.9
258.4
330.3
373.7
412.4
287.3
478.3
301.8
360.8
240.4
314.6
322.7
308.9
328.2
283.0
258.3
332.1
374.0
413.1
287.8
476.9
303.2
361.8
240.1
315.1
323.2
309.0
328.5
284.7
258.5
329.1
373.7
413.7
285.6
475.7
303.8
363.3
240.4
315.6
323.7
309.5
328.4
284.9
260.0
328.6
374.4
413.4
284.6
477.5
304.7
364.0
240.6
316.4
324.6
309.9
328.5
286.3
261.2
327.8
373.9
412.4
285.4
476.9
303.9
365.8
240.5
317.0
325.2
310.2
329.5
287.3
262.2
328.5
372.2
411.8
286.0
470.2
305.2
367.1
240.8
320.5
328.9
315.2
331.5
289.2
263.3
344.3
378.7
415.8
293.2
482.6
308.4
368.6
242.5
321.6
330.1
316.6
332.7
286.4
264.7
355.2
380.0
415.8
290.3
481.9
312.1
369.6
243.2
321.6
330.0
315.8
333.2
286.5
263.7
352.5
378.6
417.2
294.6
475.4
311.3
370.9
243.6
Housing ...................................................................................................
Shelter ..................................................................................................
Renters’ costs (1 2 /8 2 = 1 0 0 )........................................................
Rent, reside ntial............................................................................
Other renters’ costs .....................................................................
Homeowners’ costs (12/82 = 1 0 0 )...............................................
Owners’ equivalent rent (1 2 /8 2 —100) .....................................
Household insurance (1 2 /8 2 —1 0 0 )..........................................
Maintenance end re p a irs................................................................
Maintenance and repair services ..............................................
Maintenance and repair com m odities.......................................
Fuel and other u tilitie s ....................................................................„.
Fuels .................................................................................................
Fuel oil, coal, and bottled g a s ...................................................
Gas (piped) and electricity .........................................................
Other utilities and public s e rv ic e s................................................
Household furnishings and ope ratio ns...........................................
H ousefurnishings.............................................................................
Housekeeping supp lie s...................................................................
Housekeeping services...................................................................
349.9
382.0
115.4
264.6
398.4
113.1
113.2
112.4
368.9
421.1
269.6
393.6
488.1
619.5
452.7
240.7
247.2
200.1
313.6
338.9
360.2
402.9
121.9
280.0
416.2
119.4
119.4
119.2
373.8
430.9
269.7
384.7
463.1
501.5
446.7
253.1
250.4
201.1
319.5
346.6
357.0
397.0
119.6
275.0
405.5
117.9
117.9
118.0
367.5
422.4
266.1
385.5
467.6
549.9
442.3
249.0
249.8
201.0
317.9
345.1
358.0
400.1
120.9
277.9
410.8
118.7
118.7
118.3
367.6
424.6
264.5
381.8
459.6
518.3
439.2
251.3
249.6
200.4
318.5
345.4
358.5
400.9
121.1
278.4
411.3
118.9
118.9
118.8
367.1
425.5
262.9
382.5
460.6
496.8
444.6
251.5
249.9
200.8
318.3
345.8
361.2
401.6
121.6
279.4
415.2
119.0
119.0
118.9
366.6
427.4
260.7
393.8
477.0
486.6
466.0
255.2
250.2
200.8
319.6
346.1
361.5
403.5
122.5
281.2
420.1
119.4
119.4
119.9
369.2
430.1
262.7
389.4
469.2
459.4
462.3
255.6
250.5
201,2
319.5
346.6
362.4
405.2
122.9
281.7
425.7
119.9
119.9
119.9
376.4
434.2
271.3
389.5
469.0
447.3
464.5
255.9
250.5
200.9
319.8
347.4
363.7
407.6
123.6
283.2
429.1
120.7
120.7
120.2
376.2
437.0
268.7
388.3
467 2
453.5
461.1
255.6
251.5
202.2
320.1
347.8
363.0
409.5
124.0
284.6
427.3
121.3
121.3
120.6
379.0
437.5
273.0
379.1
450.3
451.9
441.4
257.1
251.6
202.2
319.8
348.5
361.7
410.2
124.3
285.6
425.5
121.5
121.5
121.1
377.1
433.7
272.9
371.1
437.8
452.0
426.7
255.4
251.2
201.4
320.4
348.5
362.1
410.4
124.2
286.0
418.2
121.6
121.6
121.6
380.0
433.1
278.3
371.0
438.1
460.6
425.3
254.9
252.4
202.5
322.9
349.3
363.9
412.3
125.3
287.1
428.3
122.0
122.0
121.8
382.1
437.7
277.7
373.7
443.7
487.9
428.8
254.9
253.1
203.0
324.6
349.8
365.1
414.0
125.8
288.0
430.8
122.5
122.5
122.0
381.9
436.1
278.8
374.8
445.1
503.2
428.9
255.6
253.5
203.2
325.3
350.6
366.4
415.9
126.4
288.3
438.7
123.0
123.0
122.2
383.4
439.4
278.5
374.9
444.6
500.6
428.7
256.2
254.3
203.8
327.7
351.0
Apparel and u p k e e p .............................................................................
Apparel com m o dities.........................................................................
Men's and boys’ app are l................................................................
Women’s and girls’ apparel ...........................................................
Infants’ and toddlers’ a p p a re l.......................................................
Footw ear...........................................................................................
Other apparel com m odities............................................................
Apparel services.................................................................................
206.0
191.6
197.9
169.5
299.7
212.1
215.5
320.9
207.8
192.0
200.0
168.0
312.7
211.2
217.9
334.6
206.3
190.8
198.3
167.6
313.1
210.1
214.6
331.5
207.3
191.7
199.7
168.0
316.6
211.4
215.3
332.9
206.4
190.7
200.2
164.9
318.5
211.5
215.4
333.6
204.5
188.4
198.1
161.3
319.7
210.0
215.8
334.3
203.2
187.0
195.8
159.8
307.5
209.1
218.1
334.6
207.0
191.2
197.8
167.2
310.6
209.6
221.6
334.7
212.1
196.6
203.2
175.7
309.7
212.0
221.1
336.7
213.2
197.6
204.3
176.4
312.0
215.1
219.8
338.3
213.1
197.4
205.3
175.0
307.0
215.1
221.1
339.0
210.9
194.9
202.3
171.7
312.7
214.0
220.0
339.5
207.1
190.9
199.2
166.6
301.8
209.9
223.2
342.5
208.4
192.1
199.9
167.8
304.5
211.0
226.0
343.2
215.2
199.1
203.5
177.0
319.6
216.5
227.4
344.7
Transportation .......................................................................................
Private transportation.........................................................................
New ve h icle s....................................................................................
New c a rs ........................................................................................
Used c a r s .........................................................................................
Motor fuel .........................................................................................
G a soline.........................................................................................
Maintenance and re p a ir..................................................................
Other private transportation..........................................................
Other private transportation com m o dities................................
Other private transportation services........................................
Public transportation..........................................................................
319.9
314.2
214.9
215.2
379.7
373.8
373.3
351.4
287.6
202.6
312.8
402.8
307.5
299.5
224.1
224.4
363.2
292.1
291.4
363.1
303.9
201.6
333.9
426.4
309.6
302.1
220.1
220.3
367.2
308.5
307.7
359.3
301.5
203.6
330.3
421.2
303.3
295.3
221.0
221.2
364.8
279.5
278.6
360.6
301.6
202.2
330.9
422.2
305.7
297.8
222.8
223.0
363.6
289.3
288.7
361.3
301.3
202.4
330.4
423.7
308.6
300.8
224.0
224.2
362.5
299.4
299.1
362.1
303.0
201.5
332.8
425.4
304.7
296.5
224.5
224.7
360.3
280.2
279.8
363.4
304.5
201.6
334.6
428.0
301.3
292.8
224.5
224.7
358.0
265.9
265.3
364.3
304.5
201.8
334.6
428.0
302.2
293.7
224.2
224.5
359.5
271.1
270.6
365.0
302.3
200.3
332.3
428.5
302.6
294.1
226.7
227.1
360.6
263.2
262.6
365.7
307.6
198.9
339.3
428.7
304.3
295.8
230.2
230.7
361.0
260.9
260.2
368.4
311.6
200.0
344.1
431.7
304.8
295.9
231.7
232.2
356.6
261.9
261.2
370.7
312.0
200.4
344.5
437.5
308.5
299.8
232.3
233.0
354.6
275.8
275.1
371.3
314.9
202.2
347.7
438.9
310.0
301.3
229.9
230.2
356.9
288.1
287.5
373.0
314.0
201.8
346.7
439.8
310.6
301.9
229.2
229.4
363.0
290.0
289.4
373.0
314.4
202.3
347.0
441.4
Medical c a r e ..........................................................................................
Medical care com m o dities................................................................
Medical care services........................................................................
Professional se rvice s......................................................................
Hospital and related s e rv ic e s ........................................................
403.1
256.7
435.1
367.3
224.0
433.5
273.6
468.6
390.9
237.4
425.8
269.4
460.1
385.0
233.8
428.0
271.3
462.3
386.9
234.2
429.7
272.3
464.2
388.3
234.4
432.0
273.3
466.8
390.3
235.0
434.8
275.4
469.8
391.7
237.4
437.5
276.0
473.0
393.3
239.5
439.7
276.7
475.7
396.1
240.1
442.3
277.5
478.8
398.0
242.3
444.6
278.2
481.5
399.8
243.8
446.8
280.8
483.4
401.0
245.0
449.6
282.4
486.5
403.7
246.7
452.4
283.9
489.6
406.8
248.1
455.0
286.3
492.1
409.6
249.0
E n tertainm ent........................................................................................
Entertainment com m o dities..............................................................
Entertainment se rvice s......................................................................
265.0
260.6
271.8
274.1
265.9
286.3
271.9
265.0
282.2
272.3
264.8
283.5
272.9
265.3
284.2
273.9
266.1
285.5
274.4
265.8
287.0
274.7
266.1
287.3
275.3
265.9
289.2
276.5
266.7
290.8
277.4
267.6
291.8
277.4
267.4
292.2
278.3
268.1
293.3
278.7
268.1
294.1
279.8
269.9
294.5
Other goods and services ...................................................................
Tobacco p ro d u c ts ..............................................................................
Personal c a re ......................................................................................
Toilet goods and personal care appliances................................
Personal care s e rv ic e s ...................................................................
Personal and educational expenses...............................................
School books and supp lie s............................................................
Personal and educational s e rv ic e s..............................................
326.6
328.5
281.9
278.5
286.0
397.1
350.8
407.7
346.4
351.0
291.3
287.9
295.4
428.8
380.3
440.1
341.1
345.6
290.3
287.3
294.0
417.9
374.3
428.3
341.8
346.5
290.5
287.7
294.1
418.9
374.4
429.5
342.1
346.5
290.9
287.9
294.7
419.5
374.5
430.2
342.6
347.1
291.0
287.0
295.7
420.4
375.7
431.0
344.9
354.3
291.1
287.1
295.8
421.2
375.9
431.9
346.4
356.2
292.3
289.1
296.2
422.9
376.9
433.7
353.3
356.8
292.0
288.2
296.5
445.2
389.4
457.8
354.6
357.2
293.1
289.9
297.1
447.6
392.3
460.2
354.9
357.3
293.4
289.6
297.9
448.2
392.5
460.8
355.2
357.6
293.6
289.6
298.2
448.8
392.6
461.6
358.1
364.9
295.7
291.3
300.8
450.6
400.7
462.8
359.7
368.3
296.4
292.1
301.3
452.0
403.4
464.2
360.3
369.6
296.4
292.0
301.5
452.8
403.9
465.0
1985
1986
All ite m s .....................................................................................................
All items (1 9 5 7 -5 9 -1 0 0 )........................................................................
322.2
374.7
Food and be ve ra g e s............................................................................
F o o d ......................................................................................................
Food at h o m e ..................................................................................
Cereals and bakery pro d u c ts .....................................................
Meats, poultry, fish, and e g g s ....................................................
Dairy p ro d u cts...............................................................................
Fruits and vegetables...................................................................
Other foods at h o m e ....................................................................
Sugar and s w e e ts ......................................................................
Fats and o ils ...............................................................................
Nonalcoholic beverages............................................................
Other prepared fo o d s ................................................................
Food away from home ...................................................................
Alcoholic beverages...........................................................................
CO N S U M E R PR IC E IN D E X FO R A L L U R BA N CO NS UM ER S:
See footnotes at end of table.
80
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
30. Continued— Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity or
service group; and CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, alt items
(1967=100, unless otherwise indicated)
Series
Annual
average
1987
1986
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
328.4
283.9
311.8
264.7
265.2
192.0
307.3
270.2
326.0
283.7
307.8
266.7
268.9
190.8
313.6
269.7
325.3
281.2
308.5
262.5
262.0
191.7
302.6
269.2
326.3
282.1
309.4
263.4
263.3
190.7
305.2
269.6
327.9
282.8
309.5
264.3
264.7
188.4
308.4
269.9
328.0
281.9
312.2
261.4
259.8
187.0
301.7
269.6
328.6
281.9
314.6
260.1
258.1
191.2
296.9
269.0
330.2
283.5
315.1
262.3
261.5
196.6
299.5
269.3
330.5
283.6
315.6
262.1
260.4
197.6
297.2
270.5
330.8
284.0
316.4
262.4
260.0
197.4
296.7
271.8
331.1
284.2
317.0
262.4
260.0
194.9
298.0
271.7
333.1
286.3
320.5
263.7
261.8
190.9
304.8
272.4
334.4
287.7
321.6
265.2
265.4
192.1
310.3
271.2
335.9
289.5
321.6
267.9
269.7
199.1
311.9
271.7
381.5
113.9
111.2
337.0
435.1
314.1
400.5
120.2
112.8
356.3
468.6
331.8
394.9
118.5
111.6
352.4
460.1
326.6
396.8
119.4
111.6
353.2
462.3
327.6
397.9
119.7
1123
353.4
464.2
328.2
401.0
119.9
115.2
355.3
466.8
329.2
402.3
120.5
114.9
357.1
469.8
330.1
403.7
120.9
115.3
357.3
473.0
330.8
405.5
121.7
114.9
356.2
475.7
337.9
406.1
122.2
112.9
360.5
478.8
339.5
406.1
122.4
111.0
364.4
481.5
340.3
406.6
122.5
110.8
366.2
483.4
340.8
408.6
123.1
111.3
368.5
486.5
342.2
409.9
123.6
111.5
368.5
489.6
343.1
411.2
124.1
111.5
369.0
492.1
343.7
Special indexes:
All items less food .............................................................................
All items less s h e lte r.........................................................................
All items less homeowners’ costs (12/82 —1 0 0 )..........................
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 ( 1 2 /8 2 = 1 0 0 )..................................
Services less medical c a r e ...............................................................
Energy..................................................................................................
All items less energy .........................................................................
All items less food and energy .......................................................
Commodities less food and e n e rg y ................................................
Energy commodities ..........................................................................
Services less ene rgy..........................................................................
323.3
303.9
109.7
317.7
272.5
277.2
319.2
293.2
113.5
373.3
426.5
314.8
314.4
259.7
409.9
375.9
328.6
306.7
111.2
322.6
263.4
262.2
297.1
289.6
118.7
390.6
370.3
327.0
327.1
263.2
322.4
397.1
326.6
305.2
110.5
320.5
265.2
265.6
302.7
289.5
117.1
385.4
381.3
323.3
323.6
262.0
343.0
391.5
325.7
303.6
110.1
319.7
261.2
259.2
292.9
286.3
117.4
387.2
361.8
324.4
324.8
262.1
313.3
393.8
326.7
304.7
110.4
320.6
262.1
260.5
295.2
287.4
117.8
388.3
367.6
325.0
325.3
262.2
319.3
394.5
328.6
306.5
111.1
322.2
263.0
261.8
298.1
288.2
119.2
391.3
380.6
325.5
325.9
262.0
327.1
395.9
328.0
306.1
111.0
322.1
260.2
257.3
292.2
287.1
119.5
392.5
366.5
326.9
326.9
262.0
306.6
397.7
328.1
306.4
111.2
322.6
259.0
255.6
287.9
287.4
119.8
393.6
358.6
328.3
327.9
262.9
292.4
399.0
330.0
307.9
111.7
324.2
261.1
258.9
290.2
289.4
120.2
395.4
360.6
330.0
329.9
264.5
297.7
401.4
330.2
307.8
111.7
324.4
260.9
257.8
288.1
289.0
120.1
395.7
348.6
331.4
331.6
265.5
290.6
403.7
330.4
308.0
111.8
324.5
261.2
257.4
287.7
289.2
120.0
395.4
341.7
332.3
332.5
266.1
288.5
405.0
330.6
308.3
111.9
324.8
261.2
257.5
288.9
289.5
120.2
395.8
342.4
332.6
332.8
265.8
290.5
405.7
332.2
310.3
112.7
326.7
262.5
259.2
294.9
292.1
120.8
397.6
352.2
334.0
333.6
265.5
306.1
407.5
333.6
311.5
113.1
328.0
264.0
262.6
299.6
294.6
121.1
398.8
359.2
334.9
334.5
265.7
319.2
408.9
335.4
312.9
113.6
329.4
266.5
266.4
301.0
296.8
121.3
400.0
360.0
336.5
336.4
268.4
320.9
410.4
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:
1 9 6 7 -$ 1 .0 0 ........................................................................................
1957-59= $1.80 ..................................................................................
31.0
26.7
30.5
2(\.2
30.7
26.4
30.7
26.4
30.6
26.4
30.5
26.2
30.5
26.2
30.4
26.2
30.3
26.0
30.3
26.0
30.2
26.0
30.2
26.0
30.0
25.8
29.9
25.7
29.8
25.6
All items .................................................................................................
All items (1 9 5 7 -5 9 -1 0 0 )........................................................................
318.5
370.4
323.4
376.1
321.4
373.7
320.4
372.6
321.4
373.7
323.0
375.6
322.9
375.5
323.4
376.1
324.9
377.8
325.0
378.0
325.4
378.4
325.7
378.8
327.7
381.1
329.0
382.6
330.5
384.4
Food and beverages ............................................................................
F o o d ......................................................................................................
Food at home ..................................................................................
Cereals and bakery pro d u c ts ......................................................
Meats, poultry, fish, and e g g s .....................................................
Dairy p ro d u cts...............................................................................
Fruits and vegetables...................................................................
Other foods at h o m e ....................................................................
Sugar and sw e e ts ......................................................................
Fats and o ils ...............................................................................
Nonalcoholic beverages............................................................
Other prepared fo o d s ................................................................
Food away from home ...................................................................
Alcoholic beverages...........................................................................
301.8
309.3
295.3
315.4
262.7
256.9
320.3
361.5
398.3
293.9
453.2
295.7
349.7
232.6
311.6
319.2
303.7
324.2
274.4
257.1
323.8
373.5
410.5
287.2
478.1
303.2
363.4
242.5
307.6
315.0
299.7
321.1
267.2
255.5
314.6
375.6
407.8
289.7
487.4
300.7
358.6
241.4
308.3
315.6
299.9
320.9
263.5
255.5
325.0
376.0
410.9
287.8
487.0
301.6
360.2
242.3
309.0
316.4
300.4
322.1
262.6
255.8
331.6
374.3
410.6
286.6
481.2
302.7
362.0
242.2
309.3
316.6
300.0
324.5
264.2
255.9
323.5
373.9
410.9
286.4
479.5
303.0
363.5
242.9
312.0
319.5
303.9
324.6
274.0
257.0
325.6
373.4
411.9
286.6
477.6
303.1
364.2
243.4
314.5
322.3
307.3
326.7
282.2
256.9
327.2
373.9
412.6
287.1
476.9
304.5
365.2
243.0
315.0
322.8
307.5
326.8
284.0
257.1
324.2
373.5
413.0
285.1
475.5
305.2
366.6
243.4
315.4
323.3
307.9
326.8
284.4
258.6
322.9
374.4
412.8
284.1
477.7
305.9
367.3
243.5
316.2
324.2
308.4
327.0
285.8
259.9
322.2
373.9
411.9
284.5
477.1
305.3
369.2
243.4
316.8
324.8
308.7
328.0
286.6
260.9
323.4
372.2
411.2
285.5
470.3
306.6
370.5
243.9
320.3
328.4
313.4
330.0
288.5
262.0
338.2
378.9
414.9
292.6
483.7
309.7
372.2
245.4
321.3
329.5
314.6
331.2
285.8
263.6
348.2
380.0
414.8
289.9
482.5
313.3
373.2
246.2
321.2
329.4
313.8
331.6
285.6
262.4
346.0
378.8
416.5
293.9
476.9
312.6
374.3
246.5
H o u s in g ...................................................................................................
S h e lte r..................................................................................................
Renters' costs (12/84 = 10 0 ).......................................................
Rent, residential............................................................................
Other renters’ costs .....................................................................
Homeowners’ costs (12/84 = 1 0 0 )...............................................
Owners’ equivalent rent (12/84 = 1 0 0 ).....................................
Household insurance (12/84 = 1 0 0 )..........................................
Maintenance and repairs................................................................
Maintenance and repair services ..............................................
Maintenance and repair com m odities.......................................
Fuel and other u tilitie s .......................................................................
Fuels ..................................................................................................
Fuel oil, coal, and bottled g a s ...................................................
Gas (piped) and e le c tric ity .........................................................
Other utilities and public s e rv ic e s ................................................
Household furnishings and ope ratio ns...........................................
H ousefurnishings.............................................................................
Housekeeping supp lie s...................................................................
Housekeeping services...................................................................
343.3
370.4
103.6
263.7
397.9
103.1
103.0
103.2
364.1
415.0
261.1
394.7
487.5
622.0
451.6
241.6
243.4
197.6
310.7
340.2
353.2
390.7
109.5
279.1
416.0
108.8
108.8
109.4
369.4
425.3
262.5
385.4
462.7
504.5
445.6
253.8
246.5
198.4
317.1
348.2
350.1
385.0
107.4
274.1
405.4
107.4
107.3
108.2
364.7
416.6
261.1
386.3
467.1
552.8
441.2
249.9
246.0
198.5
315.5
346.6
351.1
388.1
108.6
277.0
411.6
108.1
108.1
108.5
364.6
419.2
259.4
382.6
459.1
521.5
438.0
252.1
246.0
198.1
316.3
347.1
351.6
388.8
108.8
277.5
411.3
108.3
108.3
109.0
363.8
420.0
258.0
383.0
459.7
499.9
443.0
252.2
246.1
198.4
315.7
347.4
354.3
389.4
109.3
278.5
415.5
108.4
108.4
109.1
363.2
422.6
255.7
394.9
477.3
489.9
465.7
255.8
246.2
198.2
316.8
347.8
354.5
391.5
110.0
280.3
420.4
108.8
108.8
110.1
366.7
425.2
259.0
390.3
469.1
462.9
461.4
256.3
246.5
198.4
317.1
348.4
355.4
392.9
110.3
280.8
426.1
109.3
109.2
110.1
371.5
428.6
263.5
390.6
469.3
450.7
464.1
256.6
246.6
198.3
317.3
349.1
356.6
395.2
110.9
282.2
428.9
110.0
110.0
110.4
370.6
430.7
261.1
389.1
467.1
456.6
460.3
256.2
247.5
199.4
317.9
349.5
355.6
397.1
111.4
283.6
426.7
110.5
110.5
110.8
373.1
431.1
264.3
379.3
449.2
454.8
439.6
257.8
247.5
199.3
317.8
350.1
354.3
397.8
111.7
284.6
424.8
110.7
110.7
111.3
372.4
428.2
265.0
371.3
437.1
455.0
425.3
255.8
247.2
198.5
318.4
350.1
354.8
398.1
111.6
285.1
417.3
110.8
110.8
111.7
374.6
428.1
268.0
371.1
437.3
463.5
423.8
255.3
248.5
199.7
320.6
350.8
356.3
399.6
112.3
286.1
424.9
111.1
111.1
111.9
377.3
434.5
267.6
373.9
442.7
489.3
427.4
255.6
248.9
200.0
322.0
351.2
357.5
401.2
112.7
287.0
427.6
111.6
111.5
112.1
376.9
432.5
268.4
374.9
443.7
503.9
427.3
256.5
249.4
200.2
323.1
352.0
358.8
403.2
113.3
287.3
439.0
112.1
112.1
112.4
378.5
436.8
267.9
375.1
443.2
501.4
427.0
257.1
250.1
200.7
325.2
352.3
Apparel and u p k e e p .............................................................................
205.0
206.5
205.2
206.1
205.1
203.0
201.8
205.9
211.0
211.9
211.5
209.6
205.8
206.9
213.7
1985
1986
All ite m s .....................................................................................................
C om m odities..........................................................................................
Food and beverages..........................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages..........................................
Nondurables less food and beverages .......................................
Apparel com m odities....................................................................
Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel ....................
D urables............................................................................................
322.2
286.7
302.0
274.6
282.1
191.6
333.3
270.7
S e rvices...................................................................................................
Rent of shelter (1 2 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) ..........................................................
Household services less rent of’ shelter ( 1 2 /8 2 - 1 0 0 ) ..............
Transportation se rvice s.....................................................................
Medical care se rvice s........................................................................
Other services ....................................................................................
C O N S U M E R PR IC E IN D E X FO R U R BA N W AG E EA R N ER S
A N D C L E R IC A L W O R KE RS:
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
81
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
30. Continued— Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: U.S. city average, by expenditure category and commodity or
service group; and CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, all items
(1967=100, unless otherwise indicated)
1987
1986
Annijal
averiige
Series
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
196.2
202.3
178.1
326.2
212.0
209.0
334.2
197.1
203.6
178.1
329.2
215.3
207.9
335.6
196.6
204.6
176.2
323.8
215.6
208.9
336.2
194.5
202.1
173.1
329.3
214.9
207.8
336.6
190.5
198.6
168.2
319.1
211.1
210.1
339.7
191.5
198.9
169.2
322.2
212.4
212.1
340.5
198.3
201.9
178.6
337.3
217.7
214.1
341.8
300.9
294.4
223.6
223.9
358.0
266.7
266.1
365.7
302.2
204.0
330.9
418.4
301.8
295.3
223.3
223.7
359.5
271.9
271.4
366.6
299.7
202.7
328.1
418.8
302.2
295.7
225.7
226.3
360.6
264.0
263.4
367.2
305.2
201.1
335.4
418.9
304.0
297.5
229.4
230.0
361.0
262.0
261.3
369.7
309.5
202.3
340.7
421.1
304.2
297.5
230.7
231.4
356.6
263.2
262.5
372.3
309.9
202.8
341.0
425.8
308.2
301.6
231.2
232.0
354.7
277.7
277.1
373.4
312.6
204.3
344.0
426.7
309.9
303.4
228.9
229.3
357.0
289.5
288.9
375.1
311.5
204.0
342.6
427.2
310.8
304.2
228.2
228.5
363.1
291.3
290.7
374.9
311.7
204.3
342.9
428.7
432.4
274.6
466.9
392.3
234.2
435.0
275.2
470.1
394.0
236.3
437.1
275.8
472.6
396.6
236.8
439.7
276.6
475.6
398.4
239.1
441.7
277.0
478.2
400.2
240.4
443.9
279.8
480.1
401.5
241.6
446.7
281.4
483.2
404.2
243.2
449.7
282.9
486.5
407.4
244.6
452.3
285.1
489.2
410.2
245.4
268.4
259.8
284.8
269.0
259.6
286.5
269.2
259.8
286.7
270.0
259.8
288.9
271.1
260.6
290.7
272.1
261.7
291.6
272.3
261.7
292.0
272.9
262.2
292.7
273.4
262.3
293.9
274.4
263.7
294.2
338.0
346.0
288.6
288.6
289.0
422.0
379.1
432.8
338.4
346.7
288.6
287.6
290.0
422.9
380.2
433.6
341.2
354.0
288.8
287.8
290.2
423.8
380.5
434.6
342.6
355.9
289.9
289.7
290.5
425.1
381.4
436.0
347.5
356.5
289.5
288.7
290.8
446.1
393.9
458.7
348.8
356.8
290.8
290.5
291.6
448.7
396.7
461.3
349.2
356.9
291.2
290.5
292.4
449.4
396.9
462.1
349.5
357.2
291.3
290.3
292.7
450.0
397.1
462.8
352.8
364.7
293.2
292.0
294.9
452.0
406.5
464.3
354.6
368.0
294.1
293.2
295.4
453.7
409.3
465.9
355.1
369.2
293.9
292.7
295.5
454.3
409.6
466.6
320.4
280.4
308.3
261.9
262.0
191.2
301.6
263.3
321.4
281.3
309.0
262.9
263.6
190.1
304.5
263.5
323.0
282.0
309.3
263.8
265.2
187.7
308.0
263.6
322.9
281.1
312.0
260.7
260.1
186.3
301.0
263.2
323.4
281.1
314.5
259.4
258.1
190.8
295.9
262.6
324.9
282.6
315.0
261.5
261.5
196.2
298.4
263.0
325.0
282.6
315.4
261.1
260.2
197.1
296.0
264.0
325.4
283.1
316.2
261.5
259.7
196.6
295.6
265.3
325.7
283.3
316.8
261.5
259.9
194.5
296.9
265.0
327.7
285.5
320.3
262.9
262.3
190.5
304.4
265.4
329.0
287.0
321.3
264.6
266.0
191.5
310.2
264.5
330.5
288.6
321.2
267.2
270.0
198.3
311.5
265.3
390.5
107.4
102.8
347.0
457.3
322.1
392.2
108.3
102.7
347.5
459.5
322.9
393.2
108.5
103.4
347.3
461.3
323.6
396.4
108.7
106.4
348.9
464.0
324.6
397.7
109.2
106.0
350.6
466.9
325.6
399.0
109.6
106.4
350.7
470.1
326.0
400.4
110.3
106.0
349.2
472.6
332.2
401.0
110.8
103.8
353.8
475.6
333.8
401.0
111.0
102.0
357.9
478.2
334.7
401.5
111.1
101.8
359.5
480.1
335.1
403.3
111.5
102.3
361.7
483.2
336.4
404.5
111.9
102.5
361.3
486.5
337.5
405.E
112.5
102.5
361.«
489.2
338.C
323.0
305.1
102.8
318.0
262.9
262.7
296.9
289.8
107.1
385.9
367.5
321.2
320.2
259.8
322.9
391.2
321.5
303.8
102.3
316.2
264.9
266.4
302.6
289.8
105.7
381.0
379.0
317.8
317.2
258.7
343.3
386.5
320.2
302.1
101.8
315.2
260.7
259.4
292.2
286.3
105.9
382.7
358.4
318.8
318.3
258.8
312.E
388.8
321.2
303.0
102.1
316.1
261.6
260.9
294.9
287.5
106.2
383.6
364.6
319.2
318.6
258.8
319.8
389.4
323.2
304.8
102.7
317.7
262.6
262.4
298.C
288.4
107.8
386.8
378.1
319.'
319.1
258.Í
328.1
390.Í
322.3
304.3
102.6
317.4
259.6
257.7
291.8
287.2
107.8
387.9
363.1
321.1
320.1
258.5
307.2
392.8
322.2
304.6
102.7
317.8
258.3
255.8
287.3
287.5
108.1
389.0
354.8
322.4
321.0
259.3
292.9
393.7
323.9
305.9
103.2
319.3
260.3
259.1
289.6
289.5
108.3
390.3
356.9
323.9
322.7
260.9
298.2
395.7
324.0
305.7
103.2
319.3
260.0
257.8
287.4
289.0
108.2
390.6
344.8
325.3
324.4
261.7
290.9
398.2
324.2
305.9
103.2
319.6
260.3
257.4
287.0
289.2
108.1
390.4
338.5
326.3
325.4
262.4
289.1
399.6
324.4
306.3
103.4
319.8
260.4
257.6
288.2
289.6
108.3
390.7
339.2
326.5
325.6
262.1
291.1
400.2
326.0
308.4
104.0
321.8
261.8
259.9
294.8
292.5
108.8
392.5
349.6
327.6
326.C
261.'
307.2
401 .£
327.4
309.6
104.5
323.0
263.5
263.3
299.7
294.9
109.0
393.5
356.9
328.7
327.1
262.0
319.9
403.2
329.:
311.(
104.S
324.!
265.<
266.«
300.
296.
109.
394.
357.
330.
329.
264.
321.
404.
30.Í
26.«
31.1
26.6
31.2
26.6
31.1
26.8
31.(
26.«
31.
26.8
30.E
26.8
30.8
26.8
30.8
26.8
30.7
26.r
30.'
26.¿
30.!
26.«
30.4
26.1
30.
26
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
191.5
199.7
169.4
329.4
211.8
206.1
332.0
190.4
198.0
169.0
329.6
210.7
203.5
329.0
191.2
199.3
169.3
331.3
212.1
204.1
330.2
190.1
200.0
165.9
334.3
212.0
203.8
330.9
187.7
198.0
162.0
335.6
210.6
204.5
331.9
186.3
195.4
160.8
323.7
209.6
206.5
332.2
190.8
197.1
169.3
328.6
209.9
209.5
332.3
321.6
317.4
214.2
214.5
379.7
375.4
375.0
352.6
287.7
204.7
312.3
391.7
307.6
301.5
223.3
223.6
363.2
293.1
292.5
364.7
302.2
203.9
330.9
416.3
310.3
304.5
219.4
219.5
367.2
309.6
308.8
360.9
300.6
206.0
328.3
412.0
303.5
297.4
220.2
220.4
364.8
280.1
279.1
362.2
300.4
204.6
328.5
413.0
305.9
299.9
222.0
222.3
363.6
290.3
289.6
362.8
299.8
204.9
327.7
413.8
308.7
302.8
223.2
223.4
362.5
300.6
300.3
363.6
301.2
203.9
329.6
415.1
304.6
298.3
223.7
223.9
360.3
280.9
280.5
365.0
302.4
203.8
331.2
418.0
Medical c a r e ..................................
Medical care commodities .......
Medical care services...............
Professional se rvice s.............
Hospital and related services
401.2
256.3
432.7
367.7
221.2
431.0
272.8
465.7
391.4
234.2
423.5
268.8
457.3
385.6
230.6
425.7
270.7
459.5
387.4
231.0
427.3
271.7
461.3
388.8
231.2
429.6
272.5
464.0
390.8
232.1
Entertainm ent..........................
Entertainment commodities
Entertainment se rvice s.......
260.1
254.2
271.6
268.7
259.5
286.0
266.5
258.3
282.1
266.9
258.4
283.0
267.3
258.7
283.6
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 s e rv ic e s ..............
322.7
328.1
279.6
279.0
280.5
399.3
355.7
410.1
341.7
350.7
289.0
288.6
289.8
430.7
384.8
442.0
337.0
345.2
288.0
288.1
288.4
420.1
379.0
430.5
337.6
346.0
288.2
288.4
288.4
421.2
379.1
431.8
318.5
286.5
301.8
274.9
283.8
191.3
334.2
265.2
323.4
283.1
311.6
264.2
265.6
191.5
306.7
264.0
321.4
283.1
307.6
266.3
269.6
190.4
313.2
263.7
377.3
103.2
102.6
332.2
432.7
310.1
395.7
109.0
103.9
350.1
465.7
326.9
319.4
303.4
101.8
314.3
272.8
279.0
320.3
293.9
102.6
369.0
426.3
309.9
308.7
256.8
410.8
371.1
31.4
27.C
1985
1986
191.3
198.2
171.3
311.7
212.5
203.1
318.5
Transportation .......................................................
Private transportation.........................................
New ve hicles....................................................
New c a rs ........................................................
Used cars .........................................................
Motor fuel ........................................................
G a soline........................................................
Maintenance and re p a ir.................................
Other private transportation..........................
Other private transportation commodities
Other private transportation services.......
Public transportation.........................................
Apparel com m o dities.................
Men's and boys’ a p p a re l........
Women's and girls’ apparel ....
Infants’ and toddlers’ apparel
F ootw ear....................................
Other apparel com m odities....
Apparel services.........................
All ite m s ...................................................................
Com m odities........................................................
Food and beverages........................................
Commodities less food and beverages........
Nondurables less food and beverages .....
Apparel com m odities..................................
Nondurables less food, beverages, and apparel
D urables..........................................................
............
S e rvices........................................
Rent of shelter (12/84=100 )
0 0 ) ...............
Transportation services
Medical care services ...
Other services ..............
Special indexes:
All items less food ...................................................
All items less s h e lte r...............................................
All items less homeowners’ costs (1 2 /8 4 = 1 0 0 ).
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 (1 2 /8 4 = 1 0 0 )........
Services less medical c a r e ....................................
E nergy........................................................................
All items less energy ..............................................
All items less food and energy .............................
Commodities less food and e n e rg y .....................
Energy commodities ...............................................
Services less energy...............................................
Purchasing power of the consumer dollar:
1 9 6 7 = $ 1 .0 0 .................................................
1957-59 = $ 1 .0 0 ...........................................
82
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Sept.
31.
Consumer Price Index: U.S. city average and available local area data: ail items
(1967=100, unless otherwise indicated)
Urban Wage Earners
All Urban Consumers
Area1
U.S. city a verage.....................
Pricing
sche
dule2
Other
index
base
M
-
M
12/77
1987
1986
1987
1986
Mar.
Apr.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Mar.
Apr.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
326.0
325.3
330.8
331.1
333.1
334.4
335.9
321.4
320.4
325.4
325.7
327.7
329.0
330.5
177.2
178.4
179.0
179.9
R e gio n an d a re a s ize3
Northeast u rb a n ........................
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 u rb a n ...............................
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 5 0 ,0 0 0 )...........................
West u rb a n ................................
Size A - More than
1,250,000 ................................
Size B - 330,000 to
1,250,000 ................................
Size C - 50,000 to
330,000 ...................................
Size classes:
A ...............................................
B ...............................................
C ..............................................
D ..............................................
173.7
M
12/77
171.0
M
12/77
174.7
M
M
12/77
12/77
M
12/77
M
12/77
M
M
12/77
12/77
M
12/77
187.4
178.5
188.8
179.5
.
177.8
_
181.0
182.1
182.5
183.2
_
177.2
177.8
176.0
177.0
166.9
170.3
171.6
172.3
173.0
171.7
_
175.1
176.2
176.2
177.7
-
190.5
173.0
191.4
174.3
191.7
174.4
193.1
175.3
187.4
170.0
_
-
172.1
_
175.3
176.3
176.6
177.3
167.7
_
171.5
172.7
172.6
173.1
165.1
_
168.4
170.3
169.9
171.5
172.7
176.5
173.7
177.5
174.1
178.3
175.1
179.0
177.0
177.8
178.7
179.6
168.5
_
171.9
173.9
173.6
175.3
-
170.0
175.1
-
171.6
177.9
172.5
178.7
172.9
179.5
174.0
180.2
-
171.4
174.1
.
175.5
_
177.9
178.6
179.4
180.4
_
174.9
_
177.0
_
179.9
180.8
181.7
182.3
173.2
_
175.6
176.5
177.4
178.1
173.6
_
176.4
177.5
178.5
178.8
_
174.3
_
176.7
177.9
179.0
179.3
-
176.6
179.6
177.4
180.6
177.3
182.0
177.8
182.7
-
174.0
174.5
-
177.0
177.0
177.9
177.9
177.9
179.3
178.4
180.1
182.6
183.6
185.3
186.1
174.9
_
177.5
178.4
180.2
181.0
181.4
_
177.1
_
179.0
180.0
180.8
181.5
172.1
12/77
12/77
M
12/77
12/77
12/77
12/77
12/77
175.5
_
_
M
M
M
M
M
M
_
187.1
178.3
12/77
12/77
180.7
186.3
177.1
M
12/77
177.5
179.1
-
.
M
176.8
179.3
183.0
173.9
.
M
176.1
178.3
-
12/77
M
174.7
174.3
_
171.1
_
.
12/77
M
.
-
.
173.2
176.8
.
176.1
179.6
_
177.2
_
_
176.7
_
178.9
179.9
180.6
-
170.5
-
172.9
173.8
174.8
175.2
-
168.9
-
171.1
171.9
172.7
173.3
-
100.6
179.6
177.7
176.1
101.1
180.1
178.2
176.4
101.6
181.0
179.1
176.9
-
320.4
172.7
173.4
173.6
325.4
-
-
175.6
173.4
172.7
100.0
178.7
176.5
175.4
321.4
_
-
325.7
175.5
176.2
175.9
327.7
176.5
177.5
176.7
329.0
177.0
178.0
177.1
330.5
177.8
178.9
177.6
323.9
323.7
331.3
331.0
334.3
334.2
335.5
309.7
309.1
316.1
315.8
319.1
319.0
320.1
_
-
-
S e le c te d local areas
Chicago, ILNorthwestern I N ......................
Los Angeles-Long
Beach, Anaheim, C A ............
New York, NYNortheastern N J ......................
Philadelphia, P A -N J.................
San FranciscoOakland, C A .............................
M
328.2
326.8
333.8
332.9
335.1
338.8
341.4
321.6
320.2
326.3
325.3
327.4
331.2
333.4
-
322.4
319.1
321.4
317.8
327.5
324.1
329.1
325.2
331.6
327.7
333.2
329.0
334.7
329.4
314.5
321.4
313.2
319.7
318.6
325.4
320.1
326.6
322.3
329.1
324.0
329.9
325.7
330.4
M
-
-
339.3
-
343.6
345.8
348.8
349.6
-
333.2
-
337.0
339.0
342.2
343.4
Baltimore, MD ...........................
Boston, MA ...............................
Cleveland, O H ...........................
Miami, F L ...................................
St. Louis, M O -IL ........................
Washington, D C -M D -V A.........
1
1
1
1
1
1
_
329.5
322.3
-
324.4
-
175.1
315.0
330.5
-
-
174.5
319.2
329.1
331.1
330.9
330.1
177.6
321.9
337.7
-
346.9
330.4
325.9
329.6
176.1
319.0
335.9
-
-
-
335.9
336.8
356.8
178.4
328.8
338.0
-
_
334.1
333.2
352.9
177.2
326.7
335.7
_
_
331.1
324.9
_
333.2
334.7
333.3
178.6
324.3
340.1
Dallas-Ft. Worth, T X ................
Detroit, M l..................................
Houston, T X ..............................
Pittsburgh, PA ...........................
2
2
2
2
_
_
_
347.8
327.6
334.9
335.2
-
-
-
-
309.3
-
-
341.1
316.5
333.0
314.2
M
M
M
.
11/77
_
_
320.0
-
-
“
~
-
341.4
318.8
330.0
328.1
333.4
329.3
352.7
175.8
323.8
334.0
_
325.3
“
_
-
351.8
-
342.8
324.7
331.0
333.0
1 Area is the Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (CMSA), exclu
sive of farms and military. Area definitions are those established by the Of
fice of Management and Budget in 1983, except for Boston-Lawrence-Salem, MA-NH Area (excludes Monroe County); and Milwaukee, Wl Area (in
cludes only the Milwaukee MSA). Definitions do not include revisions made
since 1983.
2 Foods, fuels, and several other items priced every month in all areas;
most other goods and services priced as indicated:.
M - Every month.
1 - January, March, May, July, September, and November.
2 - February, April, June, August, October, and December.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
“
-
-
'
-
334.1
308.1
327.7
307.8
-
314.7
-
-
328.9
V
-
335.0
314.0
328.5
311.8
“
-
"
3 Regions are defined as the four Census regions.
- Data not available.
NOTE: Local area CPI indexes are byproducts of the national CPI pro
gram. Because each local index is a small subset of the national index, it
has a smaller sample size and is, therefore, subject to substantially more
sampling and other measurement error than the national index. As a result,
local area indexes show greater volatility than the national index, although
their long-term trends are quite similar. Therefore, the Bureau of Labor Sta
tistics strongly urges users to consider adopting the national average CPI
for use in escalator clauses.
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
32. Annual data: Consumer Price Index all items and major groups
Series
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
195.4
7.7
217.4
11.3
246.8
13.5
272.4
10.4
289.1
6.1
298.4
3.2
311.1
4.3
322.2
3.6
328.4
1.9
206.3
9.7
228.5
10.8
248.0
8.5
267.3
7.8
278.2
4.1
284.4
2.2
295.1
3.8
302.0
2.3
311.8
3.2
202.8
8.7
227.6
12.2
263.3
15.7
293.5
11.5
314.7
7.2
323.1
2.7
336.5
4.1
349.9
4.0
360.2
2.9
159.6
3.5
166.6
4.4
178.4
7.1
186.9
4.8
191.8
2.6
196.5
2.5
200.2
1.9
206.0
2.9
207.8
.9
185.5
4.7
212.0
14.3
249.7
17.8
280.0
12.1
291.5
4.1
298.4
2.4
311.7
4.5
319.9
2.6
307.5
-3.9
219.4
8.4
239.7
9.3
265.9
10.9
294.5
10.8
328.7
11.6
357.3
8.7
379.5
6.2
403.1
6.2
433.5
7.5
176.6
5.3
188.5
6.7
205.3
8.9
221.4
7.8
235.8
6.5
246.0
4.3
255.1
3.7
265.0
3.9
274.1
3.4
183.3
6.4
196.7
7.3
214.5
9.0
235.7
9.9
259.9
10.3
288.3
10.9
307.7
6.7
326.6
6.1
346.4
6.1
195.3
7.6
217.7
11.5
247.0
13.5
272.3
10.2
288.6
6.0
297.4
3.0
307.6
3.4
318.5
3.5
323.4
1.5
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers:
All items:
Percent c h a n g e ....................................................................
Food and beverages:
Percent c h a n g e ....................................................................
Housing:
Percent chan ge....................................................................
Apparel and upkeep:
Percent ch a n g e ....................................................................
Transportation:
Percent ch a n g e ....................................................................
Medical care:
In d e x ......................................................................................
Percent change .............................................................. ......
Entertainment:
Percent c han ge....................................................................
Other goods and services:
Percent c h a n g e ....................................................................
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and
Clerical Workers:
All items:
Percent c h a n g e ....................................................................
84
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
33. Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing
(1967 = 100)
1987
1986
Annual average
G ro uping
1985
1986
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
290.7
285.1
283.1
289.9
284.2
282.9
291.7
286.2
280.0
292.3
287.1
279.6
292.3
287.2
280.4
281.2
302.2
253.5
310.4
279.9
300.5
252.9
310.1
284.5
307.7
252.9
311.2
286.0
311.6
250.4
310.5
285.7
311.7
249.6
310.3
Finished consumer goods ...........................
Finished consumer fo o d s ..........................
Finished consumer goods excluding
foods ...........................................................
Nondurable goods less food ................
Durable goods .........................................
Capital equipm ent.........................................
293.7
291.8
271.2
289.6
284.9
278.0
287.2
281.9
271.9
288.9
284.1
274.8
289.3
284.5
275.1
287.6
282.3
280.4
288.1
283.0
284.0
287.3
282.5
282.9
290.7
285.2
283.6
297.3
339.3
241.5
300.5
283.4
311.1
246.9
306.5
282.2
309.8
245.7
305.6
284.0
313.0
245.5
305.7
284.4
313.5
245.9
306.1
278.3
302.6
246.2
306.4
277.5
301.6
245.8
306.2
277.4
304.5
241.7
303.9
281.0
301.9
253.5
309.9
In te rm e d ia te m aterials, supplies, and
c o m p o n e n ts .........................................................
318.7
307.6
307.1
306.7
306.8
304.8
304.5
306.1
304.8
304.8
305.0
307.1
308.9
309.4
296.4
253.2
278.0
314.9
294.9
296.2
253.0
277.9
313.8
295.2
297.7
251.0
280.9
316.2
295.6
298.3
250.6
282.1
316.5
296.1
299.4
250.0
283.4
317.9
297.1
Finished go o d s ...................................................
Materials and components for
manufacturing ..............................................
Materials for food m anufacturing............
Materials for nondurable manufacturing .
Materials for durable m anufacturing.......
Components for m anufacturing...............
Materials and components for
construction..................................................
Processed fuels and lu bricants..................
C ontainers......................................................
Supplies...........................................................
C ru d e m aterials fo r fu rth e r proce ssin g ...
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs ..........................
Nonfood materials1 ......................................
299.5
258.8
285.9
320.2
291.5
296.1
250.9
279.2
313.8
294.4
295.5
244.8
279.3
313.7
294.1
295.4
248.7
278.2
313.2
294.1
295.1
247.9
277.8
312.9
294.1
295.6
251.7
277.7
313.0
294.6
296.0
255.5
277.1
313.6
294.9
296.2
254.3
277.0
314.9
295.0
296.4
253.9
277.5
315.3
294.9
315.2
548.9
311.2
284.2
317.5
430.3
315.1
287.3
318.3
428.5
312.8
287.2
318.3
424.2
313.6
287.1
317.8
426.7
314.0
287.3
317.9
401.1
314.6
287.2
317.6
395.0
316.2
287.1
317.6
409.1
317.4
288.0
317.3
394.9
318.1
287.5
317.5
392.8
319.0
288.0
317.0
396.2
319.7
288.3
317.2
408.2
321.4
289.0
318.2
420.2
323.3
289.8
319.0
416.4
324.5
290.0
306.1
235.0
459.2
280.0
230.6
386.8
273.7
220.3
389.4
279.4
229.9
386.9
276.9
227.1
384.8
277.7
234.4
370.8
276.3
238.1
358.3
275.4
233.5
365.6
277.2
235.0
367.9
279.2
236.8
370.3
274.8
232.8
365.1
284.0
227.1
392.9
288.8
229.2
401.7
287.7
229.1
399.2
299.0
720.9
269.2
261.3
268.7
291.1
518.5
275.6
267.8
274.9
289.9
517.2
273.1
264.9
273.9
291.2
534.1
274.0
266.1
274.0
291.6
536.4
274.3
266.3
274.3
287.4
461.6
276.4
268.9
275.0
286.8
456.2
277.2
270.0
274.8
286.1
471.7
275.5
268.5
272.9
290.4
452.1
280.0
272.6
278.9
290.7
453.7
280.0
272.4
279.1
289.7
446.8
279.5
271.9
278.5
293.2
478.4
279.6
271.6
279.7
294.0
497.9
279.0
271.0
279.0
293.8
493.8
279.2
271.5
279.1
252.1
258.4
257.3
257.5
257.7
258.7
258.4
256.7
262.6
262.6
262.0
263.2
262.6
262.7
254.2
254.8
254.9
254.2
256.2
256.8
257.6
S p ecial group ing s
Finished goods, excluding fo o d s ..................
Finished energy goods ...................................
Finished goods less energy ...........................
Finished consumer goods less e n e rg y ........
Finished goods less food and energy .........
Finished consumer goods less food and
e n e rg y...............................................................
Consumer nondurable goods less food and
e n e rg y...............................................................
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
e n e rg y ...............................................................
Crude energy m aterials...................................
Crude materials less energy ..........................
Crude nonfood materials less e n e rg y..........
246.2
252.9
252.0
252.3
252.5
253.9
253.8
325.0
232.8
528.3
304.0
313.3
230.2
414.5
303.5
313.0
227.0
413:3
303.1
312.4
229.3
409.1
303.0
312.5
229.0
411.1
302.9
310.4
230.3
386.6
303.3
309.9
232.1
380.7
303.5
311.5
233.2
393.8
304.0
310.4
230.3
380.3
303.9
310.3
231.0
378.3
304.1
310.5
231.7
381.3
304.0
312.9
229.7
392.8
305.2
314.8
229.8
404.2
306.0
315.4
227.9
400.6
306.8
305.2
304.4
304.3
304.0
303.8
304.1
304.2
304.6
304.8
304.9
304.8
306.2
307.0
308.1
748.1
233.2
249.7
575.8
228.9
245.6
577.0
221.9
249.1
570.6
229.2
249.3
563.9
227.3
250.1
528.8
232.8
250.0
520.4
232.4
235.9
533.9
229.7
239.1
534.4
231.6
242.3
537.0
233.3
244.4
519.5
230.9
246.9
571.6
227.9
251.0
586.2
230.3
254.6
581.2
230.3
254.6
1 Crude nonfood materials except fuel.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
85
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
34. Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product
(1967 = 100)
Annual average
1986
1987
G rouping
1985
1986
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
Dec.
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Total durable g o o d s ........................................
Total nondurable g o o d s ..................................
297.3
317.2
300.0
298.7
299.7
296.0
299.6
297.9
299.7
297.7
300.0
294.5
299.9
294.2
298.8
295.6
302.2
294.4
302.4
294.8
302.1
294.0
303.0
298.2
303.5
301.0
303.9
300.8
Total m anufactures..........................................
D u ra b le ...........................................................
N o ndurable....................................................
304.3
298.1
310.5
297.6
300.9
294.0
296.1
300.5
291.2
296.7
300.4
292.6
296.9
300.5
293.0
295.2
300.9
289.1
295.5
300.8
289.7
296.0
299.6
292.1
297.0
303.1
290.4
297.1
303.3
290.5
297.2
302.9
290.9
299.3
303.7
294.4
300.7
304.1
296.9
300.9
304.6
296.8
Total raw or slightly processed goods ........
D u ra b le ...........................................................
N o ndurable....................................................
327.9
252.2
332.4
305.3
252.0
308.3
303.0
253.1
305.8
306.2
252.1
309.3
304.2
251.2
307.2
303.2
249.6
306.2
300.4
252.0
303.0
299.0
252.8
301.6
299.2
252.0
301.8
300.6
254.4
303.1
296.3
254.7
298.4
302.0
260.3
304.1
305.6
264.2
307.7
305.2
262.2
307.4
35. Annual data: Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing
(1967 = 100)
Index
Finished goods:
T o ta l...................................................................
Consumer g o o d s ................................
Capital equipment ...............................................
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
181.7
180.7
184.6
195.9
194.9
199.2
217.7
217.9
216.5
247.0
248.9
239.8
269.8
271.3
264.3
280.7
281.0
279.4
285.2
284.6
287.2
291.1
290.3
294.0
293.7
291.8
300.5
Interm ediate m aterials, supplies, and
com ponents:
Total ........................................................
Materials and components for
m anufacturing.....................................................
Materials and components for construction ....
Processed fuels and lu b ric a n ts .........................
Containers .....................................................
S u p p lie s .................................................................
201.5
215.6
243.2
280.3
306.0
310.4
312.3
320.0
318.7
195.4
203.4
282.5
188.3
188.7
208.7
224.7
295.3
202.8
198.5
234.4
247.4
364.8
226.8
218.2
265.7
268.3
503.0
254.5
244.5
286.1
287.6
595.4
276.1
263.8
289.8
293.7
591.7
285.6
272.1
293.4
301.8
564.8
286.6
277.1
301.8
310.3
566.2
302.3
283.4
299.5
315.2
548.9
311.2
284.2
Crude m aterials fo r fu rth e r processing:
T o ta l...........................................................................
Foodstuffs and feedstuffs ..................................
Nonfood materials except fuel ..........................
Fuel ........................................................................
209.2
192.1
245.0
372.1
234.4
216.2
272.3
426.8
274.3
247.9
330.0
507.6
304.6
259.2
401.0
615.0
329.0
257.4
482.3
751.2
319.5
247.8
473.9
886.1
323.6
252.2
477.4
931.5
330.8
259.5
484.5
931.3
306.1
235.0
459.2
909.6
86
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
36.
U.S. export price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification
(June 1977=100, unless otherwise indicated)
C a te g o ry
1974
SITO
1984
June
1985
1986
Sept.
Dec.
101.5
99.3
98.1
97.5
97.5
96.5
96.7
97.0
96.7
95.1
96.2
0
01
03
04
05
08
09
109.6
108.7
98.7
107.4
126.9
98.8
110.6
103.5
105.6
98.0
101.2
125.6
83.5
109.5
96.5
104.4
98.7
92.9
114.7
82.4
108.4
95.8
103.9
101.0
92.4
119.5
72.8
110.6
94.0
104.7
103.6
90.3
120.2
68.6
109.2
90.2
106.1
102.6
82.6
126.9
75.7
108.1
93.6
112.2
101.8
87.1
118.9
83.4
107.7
90.5
111.5
102.2
82.1
115.3
88.5
106.0
89.5
114.7
106.2
79.1
125.8
85.5
104.7
77.2
122.0
111.2
59.0
131.4
90.2
106.6
81.2
122.6
116.9
64.8
131.9
87.4
108.2
1
11
12
101.9
102.9
101.8
102.8
103.3
102.7
101.3
103.7
101.1
99.9
104.0
99.5
100.1
105.3
99.6
99.7
101.8
99.5
98.6
100.9
98.4
95.6
101.9
95.1
96.5
103.0
95.9
96.3
102.2
95.8
101.6
102.9
101.4
Raw hides and skins ( 6 / 8 0 - 1 0 0 ) ..................................................................
Oilseeds and oleaginous fruit (9 /7 7 = 1 0 0 ) ...................................................
Crude rubber (including synthetic and reclaimed) ( 9 /8 3 - 1 0 0 ) ................
W o o d .......................................................................................................
Pulp and waste paper (6 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ................................................................
Textile fib e rs ..........................................................................................
Crude fertilizers and m in e ra ls ..........................................................................
Metalliferous ores and metal scrap ................................................................
2
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
118.3
154.7
104.3
106.0
129.4
122.1
125.6
147.7
98.5
105.2
153.7
79.9
104.1
123.8
120.8
109.4
163.0
93.2
101.4
133.6
74.8
104.0
125.4
114.2
106.7
163.2
92.4
97.5
121.0
71.0
106.4
128.7
100.5
102.4
165.6
89.2
96.8
126.2
71.2
106.3
125.7
96.1
105.8
167.9
82.0
93.3
129.0
64.2
107.1
124.5
93.8
103.6
169.4
80.1
92.5
139.9
63.9
106.0
128.1
92.7
97.7
165.5
78.7
95.8
138.9
66.9
106.0
128.7
98.8
101.6
168.0
83.4
95.6
148.9
65.8
106.1
128.7
109.7
98.6
166.1
80.5
92.3
138.0
64.5
105.3
129.7
119.8
74.7
164.3
84.6
94.8
148.3
62.9
104.4
135.5
121.2
92.2
162.8
80.7
M ine ra l f u e l s .....................................................................................................................
3
99.7
99.7
99.7
100.1
99.2
97.6
96.6
91.9
86.7
85.7
84.7
A nim al and v e g e ta b le s oils, fa ta , an d w a x e s ..................................................
4
42
164.5
176.4
145.7
159.0
147.9
156.7
142.0
152.9
144.5
164.8'
114.5
128.8
101.4
108.7
90.8
95.4
84.4
95.3
76.5
80.8
86.8
87.0
5
51
56
99.7
101.0
96.9
98.3
97.4
97.4
97.7
94.7
94.8
97.0
93.8
92.5
96.8
96.5
87.9
97.1
97.1
89.8
96.6
95.4
90.0
96.5
93.5
88.6
95.4
89.3
84.0
93.1
88.0
77.4
92.2
89.4
68.7
101.3
81.2
147.5
154.7
96.1
92.9
104.5
102.0
80.8
148.9
160.0
96.8
90.4
105.1
100.4
79.0
148.5
159.5
96.5
82.5
105.0
99.4
82.5
150.2
155.0
95.5
79.7
105.4
99.2
79.2
149.0
151.6
95.3
79.6
105.2
99.2
75.9
148.3
149.6
95.9
79.8
105.4
99.1
78.5
148.7
148.2
98.2
78.2
104.4
100.3
77.8
151.0
152.2
98.4
80.2
105.3
101.2
82.5
150.0
158.7
99.4
79.1
105.5
102.2
84.2
150.4
165.3
100.2
79.4
105.6
102.7
88.0
151.3
167.9
100.1
78.8
105.7
67
68
69
7
71
72
73
74
75
76
139.4
156.9
152.8
151.2
149.0
101.5
132.3
112.6
131.2
187.7
140.1
160.6
153.7
151.7
149.3
99.8
134.4
113.8
131.0
189.6
141.5
167.5
153.4
151.9
150.2
101.4
134.3
114.6
131.8
191.7
142.3
165.3
155.0
153.4
152.4
100.9
133.3
114.9
133.1
195.5
142.9
167.4
155.7
155.1
152.0
100.0
133.3
116.1
133.9
196.6
143.1
167.1
156.0
156.3
152.4
99.9
134.1
115.3
133.8
199.3
143.3
167.5
156.2
158.4
152.2
99.4
134.5
113.8
135.0
200.7
144.0
169.1
155.5
159.0
152.3
99.9
136.5
115.1
135.5
203.3
144.2
169.2
154.7
158.9
153.3
99.2
137.0
114.2
136.4
206.8
144.6
169.5
155.0
160.4
154.4
98.9
137.8
114.4
136.5
207.4
145.5
171.4
155.7
161.8
155.3
98.1
139.7
114.9
137.9
209.7
77
78
79
100.4
102.1
172.0
100.7
103.9
175.8
99.3
103.4
171.7
99.5
104.7
175.5
100.4
104.7
178.3
100.3
105.0
178.7
100.3
105.3
178.8
103.4
104.1
182.1
183.8
183.8
104.3
110.0
164.8
8
131.3
132.7
130.3
128.0
129.1
127.5
128.5
131.6
132.9
132.7
132.0
84
97.9
95.2
94.1
92.4
93.1
93.1
92.4
95.6
95.6
97.6
97.7
971
93.5
81.7
79.5
69.1
75.4
77.4
77.5
81.8 |
82.2
97.5
94.5
A L L C O M M O D IT IE S (9 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ....................................................................
Fo o d (3/83 = 1 0 0 )............................................................................................
Meat ( 3 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ...............................................................................................
Fish ( 3 /8 3 - 1 0 0 ) ................................................................................................
Grain and grain preparations (3 /8 0 = 1 0 0 ) ...................................................
Vegetables and fruit (3 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ...................................................................
Feedstuffs for animals (3/83 = 10 0 ).............................................................
Misc. food products ( 3 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ....................................................................
B e v e ra g e s a nd to b a c c o (6/83 = 1 0 0 ).............................................................
Beverages ( 9 /8 3 - 1 0 0 ) ........................................................................
Tobacco and tobacco products (6 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ...............................................
C ru d e m a te ria ls ( 6 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ............................................................................
Fixed vegetable oils and fats ( 6 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ...................................................
C h e m ic a ls ( 3 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ......................................... .............................................
Organic chemicals (12/83 = 100) ....................................................................
Fertilizers, manufactured ( 3 /8 3 - 1 0 0 ) ............................................................
In te rm e d ia te m a n u fa c tu re d p ro d u c ts (9/81 = 1 0 0 ) ....................................
Leather and furskins (9 /7 9 = 1 0 0 ) ...................................................................
Rubber manufactures .......................................................................
Paper and paperboard products (6/78 = 1 0 0 )..............................................
Iron and steel (3 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) .........................................................................
Nonferrous metals (9/81 =10 0) .....................................................................
Metal manufactures, n.e.s. (3 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) .....................................................
M a c h in e ry a nd tra n s p o rt e q u ip m en t, exc lu d in g m ilitary
an d c o m m ercial a irc ra ft (1 2 /7 8 = 1 0 0 ) ...................................................
Power generating machinery and equipment (1 2 /7 8 = 1 0 0 ) ......................
Machinery specialized for particular industries (9/78 = 100) .....................
Metalworking machinery (6 /7 8 = 1 0 0 ) ...........................................
General industrial machines and parts n.e.s. 9 /7 8 = 1 0 0 ) ...................
Office machines and automatic data processing e q u ip m e n t.....................
Telecommunications, sound recording and reproducing e qu ipm ent........
Electrical machinery and equipm ent...............................................................
Road vehicles and parts (3/80 = 1 0 0 )......................................................
Other transport equipment, excl. military and commercial a v ia tio n ........
O th e r m a n u fa c tu re d a r t ic l e s ....................................................................................
Apparel (9 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ................................................................
Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments and apparatus.........
Photographic apparatus and supplies, optical goods, watches and
clocks (1 2 /7 7 = 1 0 0 )...........................................................
Miscellaneous manufactured articles, n.e.s..............................................
G old , n o n -m o n e ta ry ( 6 / 8 3 = 1 0 0 ) ................................................................
-
.
6
61
62
64
-
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
102.6
June
Sept.
_
Dec.
Data not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
87
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
37.
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Price Data
U.S. import price indexes by Standard International Trade Classification
(June 1977=100, unless otherwise indicated)
C a te g o ry
1974
SITC
Dec.
1986
1985
1984
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
Mar.
June
Sept.
Dec.
95.7
93.5
93.0
92.9
94.2
88.5
83.2
83.9
86.0
0
01
02
03
98.1
132.3
98.4
133.9
98.5
130.4
98.3
132.9
96.8
118.2
97.9
129.4
94.9
120.6
99.1
129.7
102.8
131.2
100.5
132.7
113.4
122.7
106.7
139.3
104.7
118.5
107.1
144.8
109.1
126.9
109.4
149.6
105.3
134.4
111.5
157.1
Bakery goods, pasta products, grain and grain preparations
(9/77 100) .......................................................................................................
Fruits and vege ta b le s.......................................................................................
Sugar, sugar preparations, and honey (3 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) ....................................
Coffee, tea, c o c o a ..............................................................................................
04
05
06
07
132.8
117.2
118.5
58.4
131.8
127.1
118.4
57.0
132.3
129.4
122.6
56.0
136.3
120.2
123.1
54.4
141.9
131.3
111.9
64.6
146.9
119.4
124.6
85.9
149.2
119.4
121.6
69.2
154.0
127.1
123.9
71.8
155.3
125.5
124.3
61.0
B e v e ra g e s and to b a c c o .............................................................................................
1
11
156.5
152.8
156.2
154.2
157.1
154.3
158.0
156.0
162.1
159.1
163.2
161.8
165.5
163.9
165.8
165.5
168.0
168.2
2
23
24
25
27
28
29
98.9
83.8
104.0
93.2
98.6
95.6
106.4
94.0
77.6
100.7
84.0
100.3
90.4
104.3
93.6
76.4
106.9
80.4
101.7
87.6
104.9
91.5
68.9
101.6
76.8
102.7
89.5
102.5
91.2
73.2
99.4
75.8
102.1
90.1
102.5
94.2
78.8
104.3
74.9
101.5
94.5
103.6
95.3
75.5
106.3
79.9
100.0
95.6
104.4
98.1
76.9
109.4
86.0
100.4
98.2
104.8
98.5
78.5
107.2
92.8
100.2
95.4
104.7
3
33
85.2
85.2
82.9
83.8
80.9
81.6
79.8
80.3
79.1
80.1
55.3
54.7
37.5
36.1
33.6
32.1
38.4
37.9
4
42
114.9
115.3
89.9
89.5
76.7
75.9
57.6
56.2
50.6
48.9
41.4
39.3
39.3
37.4
35.5
33.5
51.6
50.0
5
54
56
59
97.1
94.6
92.9
97.5
95.7
91.6
94.2
96.1
94.9
95.1
82.0
95.6
94.5
95.3
80.8
96.9
94.2
96.7
78.5
97.8
94.6
102.9
79.2
99.9
93.3
104.9
79.7
100.3
93.4
110.0
77.4
101.0
93.2
110.1
79.7
102.8
6
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
136.8
140.4
140.5
126.1
157.5
132.9
159.4
123.7
87.3
119.3
133.1
135.3
139.5
121.3
157.6
130.4
154.2
121.0
81.9
117.4
132.4
133.3
138.6
121.2
157.2
127.5
151.7
120.1
82.3
117.8
133.6
137.0
137.3
123.4
157.8
126.5
157.6
119.1
83.7
119.5
133.4
141.3
138.1
124.0
156.5
128.1
162.2
118.3
80.4
121.6
134.0
141.6
136.5
130.8
157.1
131.2
164.2
117.3
79.4
124.4
135.6
143.0
137.7
134.3
157.1
132.9
169.6
118.1
78.9
127.8
138.8
147.4
138.1
137.4
157.5
135.1
178.2
119.0
83.5
129.1
139.4
143.3
138.1
142.7
164.8
135.3
180.2
118.5
81.6
129.1
7
72
73
74
102.9
98.0
89.9
91.3
101.6
96.2
86.3
89.2
102.6
97.0
90.5
91.1
103.5
101.4
94.2
94.3
107.2
104.9
98.1
98.0
111.5
112.1
105.0
103.8
115.3
115.4
107.7
109.0
118.1
120.1
110.7
112.8
120.2
121.0
115.7
113.9
75
92.2
89.6
89.4
90.3
93.7
96.9
101.3
102.5
102.4
76
77
78
91.3
86.4
111.3
90.0
82.1
111.5
88.8
83.9
112.1
88.3
81.4
112.7
88.6
83.1
117.8
89.4
84.5
123.4
91.6
87.5
127.1
93.7
89.5
129.8
93.9
91.7
133.2
8
81
82
84
85
100.0
111.6
142.5
138.5
142.5
97.0
113.9
137.4
136.7
137.4
98.0
114.1
136.7
133.9
136.7
99.6
117.8
142.1
134.5
142.1
100.8
115.0
142.7
134.5
142.7
103.3
120.1
147.0
133.4
147.0
104.8
123.5
142.2
135.3
142.2
109.5
125.5
145.8
137.8
145.8
109.6
125.5
146.9
139.1
146.9
87
92.9
89.2
92.3
98.8
102.4
106.4
112.5
118.3
118.0
Mise, manufactured articles, n.e.s. (6 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) .........................................
88
89
91.3
96.3
88.9
91.2
89.5
95.2
91.1
96.4
94.5
97.9
99.3
102.1
103.2
103.4
106.9
112.3
107.6
111.0
G old , n o n -m o n e ta ry ( 6 / 8 2 = 1 0 0 ) ..........................................................................
971
103.6
90.1
98.3
101.1
101.0
106.7
107.3
126.9
123.3
A L L C O M M O D IT IE S (9/82 = 1 0 0 ).....................................................................
Fo o d ( 9 /7 7 - 1 0 0 ) .................................................................................................
Dairy products and eggs (6/81 =100) ..........................................................
Beverages ...........................................................................................................
C ru d e m a t e r ia ls ..............................................................................................................
Crude rubber (inc. synthetic & reclaimed) ( 3 /8 4 = 1 0 0 ) ..............................
Wood (9 /8 1 = 1 0 0 ) .............................................................................................
Pulp and waste paper (12/81 = 1 0 0 )..............................................................
Crude fertilizers and crude minerals (1 2/83= 100 ) .....................................
Metalliferous ores and metal scrap (3 /8 4 = 1 0 0 ) .........................................
Crude vegetable and animal materials, n.e.s.................................................
Fuels an d re la te d p ro d u cts ( 6 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) .......................................................
Petroleum and petroleum products (6 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) ..........................................
F ats and oils (9 /8 3 = 1 0 0 ) .................................................................................
Vegetable oils (9/83 = 1 0 0 )..............................................................................
C h em ica ls (9 /8 2 = 1 0 0 ) .......................................................................................
Medicinal and pharmaceutical products (3/84 = 100) .................................
Manufactured fertilizers (3 /8 4 = 1 0 0 ) .................................... .........................
Chemical materials and products, n.e.s. (9 /8 4 = 1 0 0 ).................................
In te rm e d ia te m an u fa c tu re d p ro d u c ts (1 2/77= 100 ) .................................
Leather and fu rs k in s .........................................................................................
Rubber manufactures, n.e.s...............................................................................
Cork and wood manufactures .........................................................................
Paper and paperboard products .....................................................................
Nonmetallic mineral manufactures, n.e.s........................................................
Iron and steel ( 9 /7 8 = 1 0 0 ) ..............................................................................
Nonferrous metals (1 2/81= 100 ) ....................................................................
Metal manufactures, n.e.s..................................................................................
M achinery and tra n s p o rt e q u ip m en t (6 /8 1 = 1 0 0 ) ........................................
Machinery specialized for particular industries ( 9 /7 8 = 1 0 0 ) ......................
Metalworking machinery (3 /8 0 = 1 0 0 ) ............................................................
General industrial machinery and parts, n.e.s. (6 /8 1 = 1 0 0 ) ......................
Office machines and automatic data processing equipment
(3 /8 0 = 1 0 0 ) .................................................................. ....................................
Telecommunications, sound recording and reproducing apparatus
( 3 /8 0 = 1 0 0 ) ......................................................................................................
Electrical machinery and equipment (12/81 = 1 0 0 ) .....................................
Road vehicles and parts (6/81 = 1 0 0 ) ............................................................
M lsc. m an u fa c tu re d artic le s ( 3 /8 0 = 1 0 0 ) ......................................................
Plumbing, heating, and lighting fixtures (6 /8 0 = 1 0 0 ) ..................................
Furniture and parts (6 /8 0 = 1 0 0 ) .....................................................................
Clothing (9 /7 7 = 1 0 0 ) .........................................................................................
Footw ear.............................................................................................................
Professional, scientific, and controlling instruments and
apparatus (1 2 /7 9 = 1 0 0 )........... ,....................................................................
Photographic apparatus and supplies, optical goods, watches, and
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
38.
U.S. export price indexes by end-use category
(September 1983 = 100 unless otherwise indicated)
C a te g o ry
Percentage
of 1980
trade
value
16.294
30.696
21.327
9.368
30.186
7.483
7.467
3.965
3.501
39.
1986
1985
1984
83.0
99.1
101.4
93.3
105.6
105.7
100.8
99.3
102.3
80.9
97.2
99.5
91.6
106.6
108.0
101.1
99.2
103.0
81.5
97.6
99.6
92.6
106.2
106.7
100.9
99.1
102.7
76.2
96.5
98.7
91.1
106.6
108.1
101.9
100.4
103.3
77.5
95.9
97.9
91.0
106.6
109.2
101.4
99.5
103.3
74.7
94.9
96.1
91.9
107.5
110.4
104.5
101.8
107.2
75.5
96.0
97.5
92.5
107.4
109.5
103.7
101.8
105.5
Dec.
Sept.
June
Mar.
Dec.
Sept.
June
Mar.
Dec.
66.0
93.3
93.7
92.5
107.7
110.8
104.5
102.1
106.9
68.4
94.8
95.4
93.2
108.3
111.8
105.7
102.7
108.5
U.S. import price indexes by end-use category
(December 1982=100)
C a te g o ry
Percentage
of 1980
trade
value
7.477
31.108
19.205
9.391
9.814
13.164
11.750
14.250
5.507
8.743
40.
1984
1986
1985
Mar.
Dec.
101.8
85.7
101.1
100.7
101.6
97.8
105.2
101.1
98.5
104.6
Sept.
June
100.4
82.1
95.8
93.9
97.8
96.3
105.9
99.4
97.0
102.5
102.1
84.4
96.3
95.0
97.7
94.8
105.4
99.5
97.0
103.0
Sept.
June
Mar.
Dec.
99.0
80.9
95.4
93.5
97.4
97.6
106.4
101.0
98.9
103.9
106.0
80.5
93.9
91.8
96.2
100.0
111.4
102.4
100.7
104.7
115.8
55.4
94.5
91.1
98.1
102.8
115.6
104.5
103.4
106.0
Dec.
Mar.
June
Dec.
108.2
36.8
94.0
89.7
98.7
106.7
119.0
106.5
106.5
106.6
112.3
32.6
95.3
89.5
101.4
109.4
121.0
110.1
111.2
108.6
Sept.
Dec.
109.2
38.3
94.9
89.7
100.3
110.7
123.9
110.6
111.6
109.2
U.S. export price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification 1
1984
1986
1985
In d u s try g roup
Dec.
Manufacturing:
Food and kindred products (6/83 —100) .............................
Lumber and wood products, except furniture
( 6 /8 3 - 1 0 0 ) ............................................................................
Furniture and fixtures (9 /8 3 -1 0 0 ) .......................................
Paper and allied products (3/81 — 1 0 0 )................................
Chemicals and allied products ( 1 2 /8 4 - 1 0 0 ) ......................
Petroleum and coal products (1 2 /8 3 —100) ........................
Primary metal products (3 /8 2 —100) ....................................
Machinery, except electrical ( 9 /7 8 - 1 0 0 ) ............................
Electrical machinery (1 2 /8 0 -1 0 0 ) .......................................
Transportation equipment (1 2 /7 8 = 1 0 0 )..............................
Scientific instruments; optical goods; clocks
( 6 /7 7 - 1 0 0 ) ............................................................................
Mar.
June
Sept.
103.3
99.5
99.5
96.7
98.1
97.0
95.0
95.2
97.6
97.9
104.9
103.6
100.7
100.4
90.4
139.9
111.1
158.8
99.9
105.2
97.1
100.3
101.3
87.9
140.4
111.3
160.4
99.5
106.5
94.7
99.6
102.7
87.5
140.5
112.4
161.8
98.3
107.1
93.2
99.7
102.0
88.1
140.6
111.9
162.6
101.2
108.4
92.1
99.2
99.1
87.9
140.5
111.2
164.1
101.5
109.2
95.7
98.9
93.5
89.8
140.6
112.6
165.1
101.2
109.7
101.5
98.3
83.1
89.8
140.3
112.3
167.1
102.1
110.1
106.1
96.2
83.1
90.7
140.5
112.6
167.4
105.7
110.4
108.7
95.9
82.2
89.9
140.7
113.6
169.4
153.0
154.9
156.6
156.2
156.7
159.7
161.2
161.5
162.3
1 SIC - based classification.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
89
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Productivity Data
41. U.S. import price indexes by Standard Industrial Classification 1
1986
1985
1984
In d u s try group
June
Mar.
Dec.
Manufacturing:
Dec.
Sept.
June
122.6
104.7
138.2
118.8
102.8
135.6
115.0
101.0
133.0
114.2
100.4
133.9
115.1
101.8
134.4
117.7
104.7
133.4
115.6
106.4
135.1
118.0
107.1
137.8
122.4
108.0
139.3
120.0
95.6
145.5
98.2
116.3
93.9
141.5
95.3
120.6
96.1
139.8
93.9
117.5
97.7
138.7
93.3
115.8
98.2
137.4
95.8
122.1
101.2
137.6
98.6
124.8
103.5
139.4
102.1
127.9
105.4
142.2
103.8
127.9
105.6
150.3
102.4
98.0
144.2
87.8
100.0
94.1
98.6
112.9
96.9
139.1
84.1
99.0
91.8
95.1
113.1
96.7
138.9
84.1
99.1
93.4
95.8
114.2
96.6
142.3
84.3
101.0
96.6
94.5
114.8
97.5
144.0
82.6
102.6
100.0
95.8
119.6
100.9
145.8
82.0
104.9
105.5
97.0
123.9
100.6
144.6
82.4
108.5
109.0
100.2
128.0
101.9
147.7
84.9
110.3
112.5
102.6
130.4
102.1
148.7
84.0
111.1
114.2
104.0
133.2
93.2
90.7
91.7
94.6
98.8
103.9
109.1
113.7
113.7
96.4
95.1
95.1
96.6
98.7
99.9
101.7
106.9
108.1
Lumbar and wood products, except furniture
Rubber and miscellaneous plastic products
(1?/$0 100)
...............................................................
Mar.
Dec.
Sept.
Scientific instruments; optical goods; clocks
Miscellaneous manufactured commodities
1 SIC - based classification.
42.
Indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, and unit costs, quarterly data seasonally adjusted
(1977 = 100)
Quarterly Indexes
III
IV
107.4
180.4
100.2
168.0
161.9
165.8
107.3
181.7
100.4
169.3
163.4
167.2
106.8
182.6
100.2
171.0
159.7
167.0
105.6
178.3
98.8
168.8
163.9
167.1
105.7
179.3
99.7
169.6
163.7
167.5
105.7
180.4
99.6
170.7
165.9
169.0
105.3
181.6
99.6
172.5
162.2
168.9
107.0
174.5
97.0
167.2
163.0
179.8
131.2
162.8
162.9
106.9
175.4
97.1
168.3
164.0
181.1
131.7
163.8
164.0
106.8
176.1
97.8
168.6
164.8
179.9
132.3
163.2
164.3
106.9
176.8
97.7
169.8
165.4
182.6
135.8
166.2
165.7
107.2
177.8
97.6
169.6
165.8
180.9
136.8
165.5
165.7
122.9
179.3
99.7
145.8
123.7
180.2
99.8
145.7
124.7
181.4
100.8
145.5
125.8
182.5
100.8
145.1
125.8
183.5
100.7
145.9
I
III
IV
106.4
174.5
98.6
164.0
160.0
162.6
107.3
176.4
99.0
164.4
161.4
163.4
106.4
178.0
99.0
167.3
159.6
164.6
107.3
179.1
99.2
167.0
162.2
165.3
104.4
172.1
98.3
164.8
158.9
162.7
104.9
174.0
98.3
165.9
160.8
164.1
105.4
175.4
98.5
166.3
163.0
165.2
104.5
177.0
98.4
169.3
160.3
166.2
105.8
168.3
96.9
163.8
159.1
177.5
130.5
161.0
159.8
106.0
169.9
97.0
164.9
160.3
178.5
129.3
161.3
160.6
106.5
171.6
96.9
165.8
161.1
179.8
130.2
162.5
161.6
107.8
173.1
97.2
165.0
160.5
178.3
141.7
165.5
162.2
118.2
171.5
98.7
145.1
119.3
173.8
99.2
145.7
121.7
175.6
99.2
144.3
123.0
178.1
100.0
144.8
III
IV
105.6
167.1
97.9
158.3
156.7
157.7
105.5
169.0
98.1
160.2
157.0
159.0
105.5
170.6
98.2
161.7
157.7
160.3
105.7
172.3
98.4
163.1
158.3
161.4
104.6
166.9
97.8
159.5
156.4
158.4
104.4
168.7
97.9
161.5
157.2
160.0
104.3
170.4
98.1
163.3
157.9
161.4
105.9
164.8
96.5
160.1
155.7
173.1
138.5
161.0
157.5
105.5
166.6
96.7
162.6
157.9
176.4
130.3
160.3
158.7
115.7
166.8
97.7
144.2
117.8
169.1
98.1
143.5
II
1986
1985
1984
Item
I
II
II
Business:
Output per hour of all p e rs o n s ................................
Compensation per h o u r ............................................
Real compensation per h o u r ..................................
Unit labor c o s ts ..........................................................
Unit nonlabor p a y m e n ts...........................................
Implicit price d e fla to r................................................
N o n fa rm business:
Output per hour of all p e rs o n s................................
Compensation per h o u r............................................
Real compensation per h o u r ...................................
Unit labor costs ..........................................................
Unit nonlabor pay m e n ts...........................................
Implicit price deflator .................................................
N o nflnan cial co rpo rations:
Output per hour of all em plo yees...........................
Compensation per h o u r............................................
Real compensation per h o u r ...................................
Total unit c o s ts ....................................... ...................
Unit labor costs .......................................................
Unit nonlabor c o s ts ................................................
Unit p ro fits .......................*...........................................
Unit nonlabor pay m e n ts...........................................
Implicit price d e fla to r.................................................
M anufacturing:
Output per hour of all p e rs o n s ................................
Compensation per h o u r............................................
Real compensation per h o u r ...................................
Unit labor c o s ts ..........................................................
Digitized for
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
43.
Annual Indexes of multifactor productivity and related measures, selected years
(1977 = 100)
Item
1960
1970
1973
1975
1977
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
P riv a te business
Productivity:
Output per hour of all persons................
Output per unit of capital services..........
Multifactor productivity.............................
Output.........................................................
Inputs:
Hours of all persons.................................
Capital services............. ..........................
Combined* units of labor and capital input
Capital per hour of all persons ....................
67.3
102.4
78.2
55.3
88.4
102.0
92.9
80.2
95.9
105.3
99.1
93.0
95.7
93.8
95.0
89.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.5
99.8
99.7
107.9
99.2
94.2
97.4
106.6
100.6
92.4
97.7
108.9
100.3
86.6
95.2
105.4
103.0
88.3
97.6
109.9
105.4
92.4
100.6
118.9
106.5
91.5
101.0
122.8
82.2
54.0
70.7
65.7
90.8
78.7
86.3
86.7
96.9
88.3
93.8
91.1
93.2
95.1
93.9
102.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
108.4
108.0
108.2
99.7
107.5
113.1
109.4
105.3
108.2
117.8
111.5
108.8
105.2
121.7
110.7
115.7
106.7
124.4
112.6
116.7
112.8
128.7
118.1
114.1
115.3
134.1
121.6
116.3
70.7
103.7
80.9
54.4
89.2
102.8
93.7
79.9
96.4
106.0
99.6
92.9
96.0
93.8
95.3
88.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
99.2
99.0
99.1
107.9
98.7
93.4
96.9
106.6
99.6
91.1
96.7
108.4
99.1
85.1
94.1
104.8
102.4
87.3
97.0
110.0
104.3
90.9
99.6
118.9
104.8
89.7
99.4
122.5
77.0
52.5
67.3
68.2
89.6
77.7
85.3
86.8
96.3
87.6
93.3
91.0
92.6
94.8
93.4
102.3
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
108.8
109.0
108.9
100.1
108.0
114.1
110.0
105.6
108.8
119.0
112.2
109.4
105.7
123.2
111.4
116.5
107.4
126.1
113.5
117.4
114.0
130.8
119.4
114.7
116.9
136.6
123.3
116.8
62.2
102.5
71.9
52.5
80.8
98.6
85.2
78.6
93.4
111.4
97.9
96.3
92.9
90.1
92.0
84.9
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
101.4
99.7
101.0
108.1
101.4
91.2
98.7
103.2
103.6
89.2
99.8
104.8
105.9
81.8
99.2
98.4
112.0
86.9
105.1
104.7
116.6
94.4
110.7
116.0
121.7
96.0
114.7
120.4
84.4
51.2
73.0
60.7
97.3
79.7
92.2
82.0
103.1
86.4
98.4
83.8
91.4
94.2
92.2
103.1
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
106.5
106.4
107.0
101.7
101.7
113.1
104.5
111.2
101.1
117.5
105.0
116.2
92.9
120.3
99.2
129.4
93.5
120.6
99.7
129.0
99.5
122.9
104.8
123.6
98.9
125.4
105.0
126.7
P riv a te n o n fa rm business
Productivity:
Output per hour of ail p e rs o n s ..................
Output per unit of capital se rv ic e s...........
Multifactor productivity................................
O u tp u t...............................................................
Inputs:
Hours of all persons....................................
Capital s e rv ic e s ...........................................
Combined units of labor and capital input
Capital per hour of all persons......................
M a nufacturin g
Productivity:
Output per hour of all p e rs o n s ....................
Output per unit of capital se rvice s.............
Multifactor productivity..............................
O u tp u t.................................................................
Inputs:
Hours of all persons......................................
Capital services .............................................
Combined units of labor and capital inputs
Capital per hour of all persons.......................
44.
Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, selected years
(1977=100)
Item
1960
1970
67.6
33.6
68.9
49.7
46.4
48.5
88.4
57.8
90.2
65.4
59.4
63.2
71.0
35.3
72.3
49.7
46.3
48.5
89.3
58.2
90.8
60.0
63.4
73 4
36.9
75.5
49.4
50.2
47.0
59.8
51.5
50.7
91.1
59.2
92.4
64.8
65.0
64.2
52.3
60.1
63.3
62.2
36.5
74.8
58.7
60.0
59.1
80.8
57.4
89.5
71.0
64.1
69.0
1973
1975
1977
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
99.6
119.1
99.4
119.5
112.5
117.0
99.3
131.5
96.7
132.5
118.7
127.6
100.7
143.7
95.7
142.7
134.6
139.8
100.3
154.9
97.3
154.5
136.6
148.1
103.0
161.5
98.2
156.8
146.3
153.0
105.3
168.1
98.1
159.7
156.3
158.5
106.4
175.3
98.8
164.8
159.7
163.0
107.1
180.9
100.0
168.8
161.8
166.3
99.3
118.9
99.2
119.7
110.5
116.5
98.8
131.3
96.6
132.9
118.5
127.8
99.8
143.6
95.7
144.0
133.5
140.3
99.2
154.8
97.2
156.0
136.5
149.2
102.4
161.5
98.2
157.7
148.1
154.3
104.3
167.9
98.0
161.0
156.1
159.3
104.8
174.6
98.4
166.7
160.6
164.6
105.5
179.8
99.4
170.4
163.9
168.1
118.7
99.1
118.2
119.0
115.8
94.5
108.4
115.4
99.1
131.1
96.4
133.4
132.3
136.7
85.2
118.6
127.6
99.6
143.3
95.5
147.7
143.8
159.1
98.1
137.8
141.7
100.4
154.3
96.9
159.5
153.8
176.4
78.5
142.1
149.8
103.5
159.9
97.3
159.5
154.5
174.3
110.9
152.1
153.7
105.6
165.9
96.8
161.5
157.0
174.6
133.4
160.1
158.1
106.8
172.3
97.0
165.8
161.2
179.1
133.1
163.0
161.8
106.9
176.5
97.5
169.1
165.0
181.2
134.1
164.7
164.9
101.4
118.6
99.1
117.0
98.9
111.7
101.4
132.4
97.4
130.6
97.6
121.0
103.6
145.2
96.7
140.1
111.8
131.8
105.9
157.5
98.9
148.7
114.0
138.6
112.0
162.4
98.8
145.0
128.5
140.2
116.6
168.2
98.1
144.2
136.9
142.1
121.7
176.7
99.5
145.1
134.4
142.0
125.0
181.9
100.5
145.5
-
Business:
Output per hour of all p e rs o n s...............
Compensation per h o u r..................
Real compensation per h o u r ............
Unit labor c o s ts ................
Unit nonlabor paym e n ts ................
Implicit price deflator ...................
95.9
C
7
Ö
./
96.7
99.9
89.0
100.0
72.5
N o n fa rm business:
Output per hour of all p e rs o n s................
Compensation per h o u r...................
Real compensation per h o u r .............
Unit labor c o s ts .......................
Unit nonlabor p a ym e n ts ........................
Implicit price d e fla to r..................
96.4
71.2
97.1
89.2
100.0
100.0
N o r financial c o rpo ra tions:
Output per hour of all em plo yees.............
Compensation per h o u r..................
Real compensation per h o u r ..........................
Total unit c o s ts .........................
Unit labor costs .........................
Unit nonlabor c o s ts .........................
Unit p ro fits ...............................
Unit nonlabor paym e n ts ...............................
Implicit price d e fla to r.......................
97.5
71.6
97.6
96.7
96.7
70.7
68.9
71.9
M anufacturin g:
Output per hour of all p e rs o n s ..........................
Compensation per h o u r..............................
Real compensation per h o u r .............................
Unit labor c o s ts .................................
Unit nonlabor paym e n ts ..............................
Implicit price d e fla to r.............................
-
Data not available.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
93.4
68.8
93.8
70.7
72.8
92.9
95.9
91.7
100.0
"
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
Digitized for 92
FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
International Comparisons Data
45. Unemployment rates, approximating U.S. concepts, in nine countries, quarterly data
seasonally adjusted
Annual average
1985
1986
Country
1985
1986
II
III
IV
I
II
III
IV
T o ta l labor fo rc e basis
United S ta te s ........................................
Canada ..................................................
Australia ................................................
Japan .....................................................
7.1
10.4
8.2
2.6
6.9
9.5
8.0
2.8
7.1
10.5
8.4
2.5
7.1
10.2
8.1
2.6
7.0
10.1
7.8
2.9
7.0
9.7
7.8
2.6
7.0
9.5
7.7
2.8
6.8
9.6
8.3
2.9
6.8
9.4
8.3
2.9
France ...................................................
G erm any................................................
Italy \ 2 ..................................................
Sweden .................................................
¿Jnited Kingdom ....................................
10.1
7.7
5.9
2.8
11.3
10.3
7.4
6.1
2.6
11.5
10.1
7.8
5.7
2.9
11.2
10.2
7.7
5.8
2.7
11.3
10.0
7.7
6.1
2.7
11.2
10.1
7.6
6.0
2.7
11.4
10.2
7.5
6.0
2.6
11.6
10.4
7.3
5.9
2.6
11.6
10.4
7.2
6.5
2.6
11.3
United S ta te s ........................................
Canada ..................................................
Australia ................................................
Japan ......................................................
7.2
10.5
8.3
2.6
7.0
9.6
8.1
2.8
7.2
10.6
8.5
2.6
7.2
10.2
8.2
2.7
7.1
10.1
7.9
2.9
7.1
9.7
7.8
2.7
7.1
9.6
7.8
2.8
6.9
9.7
8.3
2.9
6.9
9.4
8.4
2.9
F ra n c e ...................................................
G erm any................................................
Italy’ , 2 ....................................................
Sweden .................................................
United K ingdom ....................................
10.4
7.9
6.0
2.8
11.3
10.5
7.5
6.2
2.7
11.5
10.4
7.9
5.8
2.9
11.3
10.4
7.9
6.0
2.8
11.3
10.3
7.8
6.2
2.7
11.3
10.3
7.8
6.1
2.8
11.5
10.5
7.6
6.1
2.6
11.7
10.6
7.5
6.0
2.6
11.6
10.6
7.3
6.6
2.6
11.3
Civilian lab o r fo rc e basis
1 Quarterly rates are for the first month of the quarter.
2 Major changes in the Italian labor force survey, Intro
duced In 1977, resulted in a large increase In persons enu
merated as unemployed. However, many persons reported
that they had not actively sought work in the past 30 days,
and they have been provisionally excluded for comparability
with U.S. concepts. Inclusion of such persons would about
double the Italian unemployment rate shown.
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.
46. Annual data: Employment status of the civilian working-age population, approximating U.S. concepts,
10 countries
(Numbers in thousands)
Employment status and country
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
99,009
10,500
6,358
53,820
22,300
25,870
20,510
4,950
4,168
26,050
102,251
10,895
6,443
54,610
22,470
26,000
20,570
5,010
4,203
26,260
104,962
11,231
6,519
55,210
22,670
26,250
20,850
5,100
4,262
26,350
106,940
11,573
6,693
55,740
22,790
26,520
21,120
5,310
4,312
26,520
108,670
11,904
6,810
56,320
22,930
26,650
21,320
5,520
4,326
26,590
110,204
11,958
6,910
56,980
23,150
26,710
21,410
5,600
4,350
26,740
111,550
12,183
6,997
58,110
23,130
26,740
21,590
5,730
4,369
26,780
113,544
12,399
7,133
58,480
23,290
26,880
21,670
5,720
4,385
27,120
115,461
12,639
7,272
58,820
23,310
27,100
21,800
5,830
4,418
27,300
117,834
12,870
7,562
59,420
23,520
27,300
21,970
62.3
61.6
62.7
62.5
57.6
53.4
48.2
49.0
65.9
62.7
63.2
62.7
62.0
62.8
57.5
53.3
47.8
48.8
66.1
62.8
63.7
63.4
61.7
62.7
57.5
53.3
48.0
49.0
66.6
62.6
63.8
64.1
62.2
62.6
57.2
53.2
48.2
50.2
67.0
62.5
63.9
64.8
62.0
62.6
57.1
52.9
48.3
51.4
66.8
62.2
64.0
64.1
61.8
62.7
57.1
52.7
47.7
51.5
66.8
62.3
64.0
64.4
61.5
63.1
56.6
52.5
47.5
52.1
66.7
62.1
64.4
64.8
61.5
62.7
56.6
52.6
47.3
51.4
66.6
62.4
64.8
65.2
61.8
62.3
56.3
53.2
47.2
52.1
67.1
62.6
65.3
65.7
63.0
62.1
56.3
53.5
47.5
92,017
9,651
6,000
52,720
21,180
24,970
19,670
4,700
4,093
24,400
96,048
9,987
6,038
53,370
21,260
25,130
19,720
4,750
4,109
24,610
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
21,320
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
4,218
23,800
99,526
10,644
6,415
55,620
21,230
25,130
20,250
4,970
4,213
23,710
100,834
10,734
6,300
56,550
21,170
24,750
20,320
4,900
4,218
23,600
105,005
11,000
6,490
56,870
20,980
24,790
20,390
4,920
4,249
23,960
107,150
11,311
6,670
57,260
20,890
24,970
20,490
5,080
4,293
24,210
109,597
11,634
6,952
57,750
21,050
25,240
20,610
57.9
56.6
59.2
61.2
54.7
51.6
46.3
46.5
64.8
58.7
59.3
57.5
58.1
61.3
54.4
51.5
45.9
46.3
64.6
58.8
59.9
58.7
57.9
61.4
54.0
51.7
45.9
46.4
65.3
59.2
59.2
59.3
58.4
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
45.7
64.7
55.3
57.9
56.7
55.4
61.4
51.8
48.6
44.7
44.6
64.4
54.7
59.5
57.4
56.0
61.0
51.0
48.5
44.5
44.2
64.6
55.2
60.1
58.4
56.6
60.6
50.5
49.0
44.4
45.4
65.2
55.5
60.7
59.4
57.9
60.4
50.4
49.5
44.6
6,991
849
358
1,100
1,120
900
840
250
75
1,660
6,202
908
405
1,240
1,210
870
850
260
94
1,650
6,137
836
408
1,170
1,370
780
920
270
88
1,420
7,637
865
409
1,140
1,470
770
920
330
86
1,850
8,273
898
394
1,260
1,730
1,090
1,040
510
108
2,790
10,678
1,314
495
1,360
1,920
1,580
1,160
630
137
3,040
10,717
1,448
697
1,560
1,960
1,990
1,270
830
151
3,180
8,539
1,399
642
1,610
2,310
2,090
1,280
800
136
3,170
8,312
1,328
602
1,560
2,420
2,130
1,310
750
125
3,090
7.1
8.1
5.6
2.0
5.0
3.5
4.1
5.1
1.8
6.4
6.1
8.3
6.3
2.3
5.4
3.4
4.1
5.2
2.2
6.3
5.8
7.4
6.3
2.1
6.0
3.0
4.4
5.3
2.1
5.4
7.1
7.5
6.1
2.0
6.4
2.9
4.4
6.2
2.0
7.0
7.6
7.5
5.8
2.2
7.5
4.1
4.9
9.2
2.5
10.5
9.7
11.0
7.2
2.4
8.3
5.9
5.4
11.3
3.1
11.8
9.6
11.9
10.0
2.7
8.5
7.4
5.9
14.5
3.5
11.9
7.5
11.3
9.0
2.8
9.9
7.8
5.9
14.0
3.1
11.7
7.2
10.5
8.3
2.6
10.4
7.9
6.0
12.9
2.8
11.3
L a b o r fo rc e
United S ta te s .......................................
Canada ...........................................
A u stralia...................................
Japan ..........................................
France ...........................................
G erm any.......................................
Italy ...............................................
N etherlands.................................
S w e d e n ...................................
United K ingdo m ...................................
4,437
27,310
P a rticip a tio n r a te 1
United S ta te s .....................................
Canada ...........................................
A u stralia...............................................
Japan ...................................
F ra n ce ..............................................
G erm any...............................................
Ita ly .....................................................
N etherlands.....................................
S w e d e n ..................................................
United K ingdo m ..................................
67.3
62.6
E m ployed
United S ta te s ..........................................
Canada ......................................................
A u stralia........................................................
Japan ..............................................
France ...............................................
G erm any.............................................
Ita ly ....................................................
N etherlands.................................
S w eden..........................................................
United K ingdo m ...............................................
4,319
24,160
E m p lo ym en t-p o p u latio n ra tio 2
United S ta te s .....................................
Canada .........................................................
A u stralia....................................................
Japan .................................................
France ...........................................
G erm any...............................................
Ita ly ................................................
N etherlands...................................
S w e d e n .............................................
United K ingdom .......................................
65.5
55.4
U n em p lo yed
United S ta te s .........................................
Canada ...............................................
A u stralia.....................................
Japan .........................................................
France .......................................
G erm any..........................................
Ita ly .................................................
N etherlands.............................................
S w e d e n ...........................................
United K ingdo m ..........................................
8,237
1,236
610
1,670
2,470
2,060
1,360
118
3,150
U n e m p lo y m e n t rate
United S ta te s ...................................................
Canada ....................................................
A u stralia.....................................................
Japan .........................................................
France ....................................................
G erm any................................................
Ita ly .................................................................
N etherlands.......................................................
S w e d e n .................................................
United K ingdo m ................................................
Labor force as a percent of the civilian working-age population.
Employment as a percent of the civilian working-age population.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
Data not available.
7.0
9.6
8.1
2.8
10.5
7.5
6.2
27
11.5
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
47.
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
International Comparisons Data
Annual indexes of manufacturing productivity and related measures, 12 countries
(1977 = 100)
__________________________________________________
Item and country
1960
1970
1973
1974
1975
1976
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
O utp ut p e r hour
United K ingdo m ..........................................................
62.2
50.3
23.2
32.8
37.2
36.4
40.3
36.5
32.4
54.6
42.3
55.4
80.8
76.8
64.8
59.9
65.5
69.6
71.2
72.7
64.3
81.7
80.7
79.9
93.4
91.3
83.1
78.2
83.2
82.2
84.0
90.9
81.5
94.6
94.8
95.7
90.6
93.4
86.5
82.6
86.0
85.2
87.4
95.3
88.1
97.7
98.8
97.2
92.9
91.0
87.7
85.9
94.6
88.5
90.1
91.1
86.2
96.8
100.2
95.3
97.1
96.2
94.3
95.1
98.2
95.0
96.5
98.9
95.8
99.7
101.7
99.6
101.5
101.4
108.0
106.3
101.5
105.7
103.1
103.0
106.4
101.8
102.8
101.5
101.4
104.2
114.8
112.3
106.5
110.3
108.2
110.5
112.3
107.1
110.9
102.6
101.4
101.9
122.7
119.7
112.3
112.0
108.6
116.9
113.9
106.7
112.7
102.1
103.6
104.0
127.2
128.1
114.2
116.4
111.0
121.0
116.9
107.0
113.2
107.5
105.9
101.0
135.0
135.7
114.6
123.5
112.6
123.4
119.4
109.8
116.5
113.2
112.0
107.6
142.3
144.7
117.0
128.8
119.1
126.6
127.5
116.3
125.5
121.5
116.6
111.5
152.2
149.8
118.2
133.8
123.5
133.5
141.2
119.3
131.0
126.9
121.7
115.1
159.9
156.7
119.1
138.3
130.4
137.6
145.6
120.5
134.5
131.3
52.5
41.5
19.2
41.6
49.2
35.4
50.0
37.4
44.8
55.1
52.6
71.2
78.6
75.1
69.9
78.0
82.0
73.3
86.6
78.0
84.4
86.9
92.5
95.0
96.3
94.6
91.9
95.7
95.9
88.6
96.1
90.5
95.8
99.5
100.3
104.8
91.7
98.0
91.7
99.5
97.4
91.8
95.4
96.3
100.0
104.0
105.7
103.5
84.9
92.3
86.2
92.0
95.0
90.0
91.0
86.9
92.7
101.0
106.1
96.3
93.1
98.1
94.8
99.4
99.6
96.1
98.0
97.9
99.0
101.4
106.1
98.2
106.0
104.9
106.7
101.6
99.7
103.4
101.8
101.8
102.8
98.2
97.3
100.6
108.1
110.9
113.9
104.4
105.4
106.1
106.6
108.6
106.1
100.3
103.6
100.5
103.2
107.7
124.1
107.3
110.1
106.6
106.6
115.4
106.6
98.8
104.0
91.7
104.8
108.8
129.8
106.0
106.6
105.9
104.9
114.3
106.7
97.7
100.6
86.2
98.4
96.4
137.3
110.5
108.3
106.0
102.4
111.6
105.0
97.4
100.1
86.4
104.7
101.7
148.2
112.1
111.9
107.4
103.6
109.2
107.0
96.4
105.2
88.9
116.0
110.1
165.2
114.1
118.4
108.4
106.4
113.2
112.9
98.8
111.5
92.4
120.4
115.2
175.8
115.1
124.7
108.6
111.7
115.3
115.3
101.2
113.8
95.3
84.4
82.6
82.7
127.1
132.4
97.2
123.8
102.3
138.4
101.0
124.4
128.5
97.3
97.7
107.9
130.2
125.1
105.3
121.7
107.4
131.2
106.4
114.6
118.9
103.1
103.6
110.7
122.3
115.2
107.8
114.4
99.6
117.6
105.1
105.7
109.5
101.2
105.0
106.1
120.4
113.2
107.8
109.2
101.0
113.5
106.5
107.0
106.5
91.4
101.4
98.2
107.1
100.4
101.7
101.0
95.4
107.6
104.3
105.9
101.1
95.9
102.0
100.6
104.6
101.4
101.2
101.6
99.0
103.3
101.7
104.3
98.6
104.4
103.4
98.8
95.5
98.3
97.8
98.7
98.8
96.6
96.5
94.6
99.2
106.5
106.4
99.3
93.0
99.0
96.2
98.5
98.2
94.4
93.6
93.4
98.0
101.7
105.7
101.2
89.6
98.1
95.2
98.1
98.7
93.6
92.6
92.3
89.9
101.1
104.6
102.0
82.8
93.4
91.0
94.6
94.5
91.2
91.3
88.9
80.3
92.9
95.4
101.7
81.4
94.5
85.8
91.0
90.4
88.0
88.6
85.9
76.3
93.5
94.6
104.2
77.5
95.7
83.4
87.0
86.2
83.9
82.9
83.9
73.2
99.5
98.7
108.5
76.2
100.2
81.0
86.2
84.8
79.9
82.8
85.1
72.8
98.9
100.1
110.0
73.5
104.7
78.6
ü5.7
83.8
79.2
84.0
84.6
72.6
36.5
27.1
8.9
13.8
12.6
15.1
18.8
8.3
12.5
15.8
14.7
15.2
57.3
46.5
33.9
34.9
36.3
36.6
48.0
26.1
39.0
37.9
38.5
31.5
68.8
59.2
55.1
53.5
56.1
52.3
67.5
43.7
60.5
54.5
54.2
48.3
76.2
68.5
72.3
65.2
67.9
62.0
76.9
54.5
71.9
63.6
63.8
57.8
85.1
78.2
84.2
79.0
81.0
76.7
84.5
70.2
82.2
77.2
77.3
77.4
92.1
89.9
90.7
89.5
90.4
88.9
91.3
84.2
91.9
88.8
91.5
89.4
108.2
106.7
106.6
107.8
110.2
113.5
107.8
114.5
108.4
110.0
111.4
116.4
118.6
118.3
113.4
117.5
123.1
129.3
116.1
134.7
117.0
116.0
120.1
138.8
132.4
130.6
120.7
130.4
135.9
148.2
125.6
160.2
123.6
128.0
133.6
168.6
145.2
151.5
129.8
144.5
149.6
171.5
134.5
197.1
129.1
142.8
148.1
193.0
157.5
167.1
136.6
150.7
162.9
202.3
141.0
237.3
137.5
156.0
158.9
212.6
162.4
179.3
140.7
159.8
174.3
227.0
148.4
276.4
144.0
173.5
173.3
227.9
168.2
182.1
144.8
173.1
184.0
246.9
155.5
299.7
151.0
188.3
189.7
244.2
176.7
191.4
148.3
181.4
194.2
261.4
164.9
330.4
159.0
202.7
208.9
262.0
58.7
53.9
38.4
42.0
33.8
41.6
46.6
22.8
38.5
29.0
34.8
27.4
70.9
60.6
52.3
58.2
55.4
52.6
67.4
36.0
60.7
46.4
47.7
39.4
73.7
64.8
66.4
68.4
67.4
63.6
80.3
48.1
74.3
57.6
57.2
50.4
84.1
73.3
83.6
78.9
79.0
72.8
88.0
57.2
81.6
65.2
64.6
59.5
91.7
86.0
96.0
91.9
85.6
86.7
93.8
77.1
95.4
79.7
77.1
81.2
94.9
93.5
96.2
94.2
92.1
93.6
94.6
85.1
96.0
89.1
90.0
89.8
106.6
105.3
98.7
101.4
108.6
107.4
104.5
111.2
101.8
108.1
108.4
114.7
117.0
113.5
98.8
104.7
115.7
117.3
107.3
121.9
104.1
108.2
108.3
135.3
130.6
128.1
98.4
109.0
121.0
132.3
115.7
137.0
108.5
120.0
118.6
165.1
140.1
145.7
102.0
112.8
131.1
147.4
121.2
162.9
110.4
133.4
130.9
179.6
148.7
165.4
101.2
111.1
142.2
163.8
125.2
192.4
115.2
142.1
136.3
187.7
145.0
166.7
98.9
110.5
149.0
176.2
124.6
218.3
113.0
149.2
138.1
187.6
144.2
163.2
95.1
115.6
155.6
184.5
125.9
224.5
106.9
157.8
144.8
192.4
145.1
166.3
92.7
115.8
163.1
189.1
126.5
240.1
109.2
168.3
155.3
199.6
58.7
59.0
28.5
30.2
29.5
41.7
25.9
32.5
25.1
21.7
30.1
44.1
70.9
61.7
39.1
42.0
44.4
46.8
42.9
50.6
41.2
34.5
41.1
54.1
73.7
68.8
65.6
63.1
67.2
70.4
70.4
73.1
65.6
53.4
58.7
70.8
84.1
79.7
76.8
72.7
77.9
74.5
79.1
77.6
74.6
62.8
65.1
79.7
91.7
89.8
86.7
89.7
89.6
99.5
88.7
104.3
92.8
81.4
83.2
103.3
94.9
100.7
86.9
87.5
91.5
96.3
87.3
90.5
89.1
86.9
92.3
92.8
106.6
98.1
126.8
115.6
118.4
117.3
121.0
115.6
115.7
109.7
107.2
126.1
117.0
103.0
121.3
127.9
132.0
135.5
135.9
129.5
127.4
113.8
112.9
164.6
130.6
116.4
116.8
133.7
129.0
154.1
147.9
141.4
134.2
129.3
125.3
220.1
140.1
129.1
123.8
109.2
110.3
133.2
124.9
126.3
108.9
123.6
115.4
208.4
148.7
142.3
108.8
86.9
102.3
122.4
119.7
125.4
105.8
117.1
96.9
188.1
145.0
143.7
111.5
77.4
97.7
113.7
113.3
126.8
97.1
108.7
80.4
163.0
144.2
133.9
107.2
71.7
90.2
103.8
102.7
112.8
81.8
102.9
78.2
147.4
145.1
129.4
104.2
69.9
92.4
103.5
99.8
111.1
80.7
104.2
80.6
148.4
O utp ut
United K ingdo m ..........................................................
T o ta l hours
United K ingdo m ..........................................................
C o m p e n s a tio n p e r hour
United K ingdo m ..........................................................
Unit lab o r costs: National currency basis
U n it lab o r costs: U S. dollar basis
United K ingdo m .........................................................
-
Data not available.
Digitized for
94FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
48.
Occupational injury and illness incidence rates by industry, United States
Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers2
Industry and type of case1
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
P R IV A T E S E C TO R 3
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
9.3
3.8
61.6
9.4
4.1
63.5
9.5
4.3
67.7
8.7
4.0
65.2
8.3
3.8
61.7
7.7
3.5
58.7
7.6
3.4
58.5
8.0
3.7
63.4
7.9
3.6
64.9
11.5
5.1
81.1
11.6
5.4
80.7
11.7
5.7
83.7
11.9
5.8
82.7
12.3
5.9
82.8
11.8
5.9
86.0
11.9
6.1
90.8
12.0
6.1
90.7
11.4
5.7
91.3
10.9
6.0
128.8
11.5
6.4
143.2
11.4
6.8
150.5
11.2
6.5
163.6
11.6
6.2
146.4
10.5
5.4
137.3
8.4
4.5
125.1
9.7
5.3
160.2
8.4
4.8
145.3
15.5
5.9
111.5
16.0
6.4
109.4
16.2
6.8
120.4
15.7
6.5
117.0
15.1
6.3
113.1
14.6
6.0
115.7
14.8
6.3
118.2
15.5
6.9
128.1
15.2
6.8
128.9
15.0
5.7
100.2
15.9
6.3
105.3
16.3
6.8
111.2
15.5
6.5
113.0
15.1
6.1
107.1
14.1
5.9
112.0
14.4
6.2
113.0
15.4
6.9
121.3
15.2
6.8
120.4
16.0
5.7
116.7
16.6
6.2
110.9
16.6
6.7
123.1
16.3
6.3.
117.6
14.9
6.0
106.0
15.1
5.8
113.1
15.4
6.2
122.4
14.9
6.4
131.7
14.5
6.3
127.3
15.6
6.1
115.5
15.8
6.6
111.0
16.0
6.9
124.3
15.5
6.7
118.9
15.2
6.6
119.3
14.7
6.2
118.6
14.8
6.4
119.0
15.8
7.1
130.1
15.4
7.0
133.3
13.1
5.1
82.3
13.2
5.6
84.9
13.3
5.9
90.2
12.2
5.4
86.7
11.5
5.1
82.0
10.2
4.4
75.0
10.0
4.3
73.5
10.6
4.7
77.9
10.4
4.6
80.2
22.3
10.4
178.0
22.6
11.1
178.8
20.7
10.8
175.9
18.6
9.5
171.8
17.6
9.0
158.4
16.9
8.3
153.3
18.3
9.2
163.5
19.6
9.9
172.0
18.5
9.3
171.4
17.2
6.0
92.0
17.5
6.9
95.9
17.6
7.1
99.6
16.0
6.6
97.6
15.1
6.2
91.9
13.9
5.5
85.6
14.1
5.7
83.0
15.3
6.4
101.5
15.0
6.3
100.4
16.9
6.9
120.4
16.8
7.8
126.3
16.8
8.0
133.7
15.0
7.1
128.1
14.1
6.9
122.2
13.0
6.1
112.2
13.1
6.0
112.0
13.6
6.6
120.8
13.9
6.7
127.8
16.2
6.8
119.4
17.0
7.5
123.6
17.3
8.1
134.7
15.2
7.1
128.3
14.4
6.7
121.3
12.4
5.4
101.6
12.4
5.4
103.4
13.3
6.1
115.3
12.6
5.7
113.8
19.1
7.2
109.0
19.3
8.0
112.4
19.9
8.7
124.2
18.5
8.0
118.4
17.5
7.5
109.9
15.3
6.4
102.5
15.1
6.1
96.5
16.1
6.7
104.9
16.3
6.9
110.1
14.0
4.7
69.9
14.4
5.4
75.1
14.7
5.9
83.6
13.7
5.5
81.3
12.9
5.1
74.9
10.7
4.2
66.0
9.8
3.6
58.1
10.7
4.1
65.8
10.8
4.2
69.3
8.6
3.0
46.7
8.7
3.3
50.3
8.6
3.4
51.9
8.0
3.3
51.8
7.4
3.1
48.4
6.5
2.7
42.2
6.3
2.6
41.4
6.8
2.8
45.0
6.4
2.7
45.7
11.8
5.0
79.3
11.5
5.1
78.0
11.6
5.5
85.9
10.6
4.9
82.4
9.8
4.6
78.1
9.2
4.0
72.2
8.4
3.6
64.5
9.3
4.2
68.8
9.0
3.9
71.6
7.0
2.4
37.4
6.9
2.6
37.0
7.2
2.8
40.0
6.8
2.7
41.8
6.5
2.7
39.2
5.6
2.3
37.0
5.2
2.1
35.6
5.4
2.2
37.5
5.2
2.2
37.9
11.5
4.0
58.7
11.8
4.5
66.4
11.7
4.7
67.7
10.9
4.4
67.9
10.7
4.4
68.3
9.9
4.1
69.9
9.9
4.0
66.3
10.5
4.3
70.2
9.7
4.2
73.2
A g riculture, fo re s try , and fish ing3
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Mining
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w orkdays.....................................................................................................
C o n stru ctio n
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
General building contractors:
Total c a s e s ........................................................................................... ..............
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Heavy construction contractors:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Special trade contractors:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkdays.....................................................................................................
M a nufacturin g
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkdays.................................................................................. ..................
D u ra ble go o d s
Lumber and wood products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkdays.....................................................................................................
F u r n itu r e a n d
fix t u r e s :
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkdays.....................................................................................................
Stone, clay, and glass products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Primary metal industries:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Fabricated metal products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkdays.....................................................................................................
Machinery, except electrical:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkdays.....................................................................................................
Electric and electronic equipment:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Transportation equipment:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Instruments and related products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
See footnotes at end of table.
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
May 1987 •
Current Labor Statistics:
Illness and Injury Data
48. Continued— Occupational injury and illness incidence rates by industry, United States
Incidence rates per 100 full-time workers2
Industry and type of case1
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
N o n d u rab le go o d s
Food and kindred products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Tobacco manufacturing:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Textile mill products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Apparel and other textile products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Paper and allied products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Printing and publishing:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Chemicals and allied products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Petroleum and coal products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkdays.....................................................................................................
Leather and leather products:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
19.5
8.5
130.1
19.4
8.9
132.2
19.9
9.5
141.8
18.7
9.0
136.8
17.8
8.6
130.7
16.7
8.0
129.3
16.5
7.9
131.2
16.7
8.1
131.6
16.7
8.1
138.0
9.1
3.8
66.7
8.7
4.0
58.6
9.3
4.2
64.8
8.1
3.8
45.8
8.2
3.9
56.8
7.2
3.2
44.6
6.5
3.0
42.8
7.7
3.2
51.7
7.3
3.0
51.7
10.2
2.9
57.4
10.2
3.4
61.5
9.7
3.4
61.3
9.1
3.3
62.8
8.8
3.2
59.2
7.6
2.8
53.8
7.4
2.8
51.4
8.0
3.0
54.0
7.5
3.0
57.4
6.7
2.0
31.7
6.5
2.2
32.4
6.5
2.2
34.1
6.4
2.2
34.9
6.3
2.2
35.0
6.0
2.1
36.4
6.4
2.4
40.6
6.7
2.5
40.9
6.7
2.6
44.1
13.6
5.0
101.6
13.5
5.7
103.3
13.5
6.0
108.4
12.7
5.8
112.3
11.6
5.4
103.6
10.6
4.9
99.1
10.0
4.5
90.3
10.4
4.7
93.8
10.2
4.7
94.6
6.8
2.7
41.7
7.0
2.9
43.8
7.1
3.1
45.1
6.9
3.1
46.5
6.7
3.0
47.4
6.6
2.8
45.7
6.6
2.9
44.6
6.5
2.9
46.0
6.3
2.9
49.2
8.0
3.1
51.4
7.8
3.3
50.9
7.7
3.5
54.9
6.8
3.1
50.3
6.6
3.0
48.1
5.7
2.5
39.4
5.5
2.5
42.3
5.3
2.4
40.8
5.1
2.3
38.8
8.1
3.3
59.2
7.9
3.4
58.3
7.7
3.6
62.0
7.2
3.5
59.1
6.7
2.9
51.2
5.3
2.5
46.4
5.5
2.4
46.8
5.1
2.4
53.5
5.1
2.4
49.9
16.8
7.6
118.1
17.1
8.1
125.5
17.1
8.2
127.1
15.5
7.4
118.6
14.6
7.2
117.4
12.7
6.0
100.9
13.0
6.2
101.4
13.6
6.4
104.3
13.4
6.3
107.4
11.5
4.4
68.9
11.7
4.7
72.5
11.5
4.9
76.2
11.7
5.0
82.7
11.5
5.1
82.6
9.9
4.5
86.5
10.0
4.4
87.3
10.5
4.7
94.4
10.3
4.6
88.3
9.7
5.3
95.9
10.1
5.7
102.3
10.0
5.9
107.0
9.4
5.5
104.5
9.0
5.3
100.6
8.5
4.9
96.7
8.2
4.7
94.9
8.8
5.2
105.1
8.6
5.0
107.1
7.7
2.9
44.0
7.9
3.2
44.9
8.0
3.4
49.0
7.4
3.2
48.7
7.3
3.1
45.3
7.2
3.1
45.5
7.2
3.1
47.8
7.4
3.3
50.5
7.4
3.2
50.7
8.5
3.6
52.5
8.9
3.9
57.5
8.8
4.1
59.1
8.2
3.9
58.2
7.7
3.6
54.7
7.1
3.4
52.1
7.0
3.2
50.6
7.2
3.5
55.5
7.2
3.5
59.8
7.4
2.7
40.5
7.5
2.8
39.7
7.7
3.1
44.7
7.1
2.9
44.5
7.1
2.9
41.1
7.2
2.9
42.6
7.3
3.0
46.7
7.5
3.2
48.4
7.5
3.1
47.0
2.0
.8
10.4
2.1
.8
12.5
2.1
.9
13.3
2.0
.8
12.2
1.9
.8
11.6
2.0
.9
13.2
2.0
.9
12.8
1.9
.9
13.6
2.0
.9
15.4
5.5
2.2
35.4
5.5
2.4
36.2
5.5
2.5
38.1
5.2
2.3
35.8
5.0
2.3
35.9
4.9
2.3
35.8
5.1
2.4
37.0
5.2
2.5
41.1
5.4
2.6
45.4
T ra n s p o rta tio n an d public utilities
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ..........................................................................................
Lost workdays ...................................................................................................
W h o le s a le and retail tra d e
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Wholesale trade:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday cases ..........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Retail trade:
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real e s ta te
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
S e rv ices
Total c a s e s ..........................................................................................................
Lost workday c a s e s ...........................................................................................
Lost w o rkda ys.....................................................................................................
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.
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.
96
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