Full text of Monthly Labor Review : October 1981, Volume 104, Number 10

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Y LABOR
partment of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics
r 1981

In thii issue:
Thr
em

icles on
3nt and recession


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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
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BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
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%
MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW
OCTOBER 1981
VOLUME 104, NUMBER 10

L IB R A R T I
OCT 88 I S T

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

Philip L. Rones

3

Response to recession: reduce hours or jobs?
Workweek cuts are a reliable leading indicator of recession, a firm’s initial response to
sagging product demand; thereafter, numerous decisions determine timing of layoffs

Michael Urquhart

12

The services industry: is it recession-proof?
Since 1948, the industry has displayed relative cyclical insensitivity and has been
marked by steady growth, accounting for nearly 20 percent of total employment in 1980

John T. Tucker

19

Government employment: an era of slow growth
Since 1975, public payrolls have grown slowly, with government accounting for a smaller
share of nonfarm jobs; in 1950-75, the State and local proportion expanded

N. Root, D. Sebastian

26

BLS develops measure of job risk by occupation
New statistic relates injury incidence and employment by occupation within economic
sectors and industry divisions and should help target workers most likely to incur injuries

Peter Finn

31

The effects of shift work on the lives of employees
Nearly 1 in 6 employees works other than a normal daytime schedule, data are scarce
on how workers are affected; incomes may rise, but family and social life often suffer

REPO RTS

B. L. Johnson, E. W aldm an
M ary Ann Mullen
Tadd Linsenm ayer


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36
42
44

M arital and fam ily patterns of the labor force
Key officer of new police union loses to coalition in close vote
ILO conference focuses on bargaining, w orker safety, not politics
DEPARTM ENTS

2
36
42
44
47
48
51
57

Labor month in review
Research sum m aries
Conventions
Foreign labor developm ents
M ajor agreem ents expiring next month
D evelopm ents in industrial relations
Book reviews
C urrent labor statistics

Labor M onth
In Review

HEALTH INSURANCE. Almost 3 of 4
full-time workers in private industry
are covered by group health plans, ac­
cording to a new study published by the
Labor-Management Services Adminis­
tration of the U.S. Labor Department.
More than three-fourths of male
workers were covered, but only twothirds of the female workers. The study
is based on a supplementary survey con­
ducted by the Census Bureau as part of
its May 1979 Current Population Sur­
vey. Here are some highlights:
By union status. Workers covered by a
collective bargaining agreement had a
significantly higher rate of health in­
surance coverage (91 percent) than
workers not under an agreement (67 per­
cent). Overall, the coverage rate for men
exceeded that for women by 11 percent­
age points, but among bargainingunit members, there was only a 4-percentage point difference.
By industry and job. Health insurance
coverage exceeded 80 percent for work­
ers in mining, manufacturing, transpor­
tation, and communications and public
utilities. The highest rate (92 percent)
was in communications and public utili­
ties and the lowest in agriculture (31 per­
cent).
Coverage was 76 percent for both
white-collar and blue-collar workers.
Service workers and farmworkers had
rates of 45 and 24 percent. In the whitecollar category, professional and tech­
nical workers had the highest cover­
age rate (83 percent) and salesworkers,
the lowest (66 percent). Among bluecollar workers, operatives had the
highest rates (79 percent) and nonfarm
laborers, the lowest (67 percent).
Health plan participation for workers


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represented by a union was at least 84
percent in each industry. In mining,
manufacturing, transportation, and
communications and public utilities,
more than 9 of 10 union-represented
workers were covered. These industries
also had the highest proportion of their
workers represented by unions. How­
ever, health coverage is not explained by
union presence alone. At least 80 percent
of the workers outside the bargaining
unit in mining, manufacturing, and
communications and public utilities had
health insurance coverage.
By earnings. The likelihood of health in­
surance coverage increased with higher
income levels. Rates ranged from 25 per­
cent in the lowest income category to 93
percent in the highest. Twenty-five per­
cent of workers earning up to $4,999 an­
nually were covered; 61 percent of those
in the $5,000 to $9,999 range; 82 percent
of those earning $10,000 to $14,999; 89
percent of those earning $15,000 to
$19,999; 91 percent of those earning
$20,000 to $24,999; and 93 percent of
the $25,000 and over earners.
By size of firm. Small establishments
(fewer than 100 workers) had a health
insurance coverage rate of only 62 per­
cent. For medium size establishments
(100 to 499 workers), the rate was 87 per­
cent; and for large establishments (500
or more workers), 94 percent.
The widest variation in coverage oc­
curred in small establishments. None of
the industries in medium or large
establishments had health coverage rates
of less than 75 percent. In small es­
tablishments, coverage ranged from 51
percent in services to 92 percent in com­
munications and public utilities. None
of the industries with the highest

coverage overall (communications and
public utilities, mining, transportation
and manufacturing) had a rate less than
72 percent in their small establishments.
Part of the reason for this is that each of
these industries has a higher proportion
of bargaining-unit employees among
small establishments relative to the re­
maining industries. But, perhaps more
important, these industries are highwage industries.
By personal characteristics. Threefourths of both married—spouse
present—and widowed or divorced
workers were covered by group health
plans, compared to about two-thirds of
the never-married and married—spouse
absent—workers.
White workers had a higher health
coverage rate than workers of other
races. Much of the 6-percentage
point difference resulted from a relative­
ly larger proportion of nonwhite
workers being low-wage earners and
concentrated in occupations with tradi­
tionally lower coverage rates.
Younger workers and older workers
were least likely to be included in on-thejob group health insurance plans. The
lowest rate of coverage was in the under
age 25 category, where only 62 percent
were covered. All other age categories
had rates between 75 and 78 percent,
except for the age 60 and over category,
where 70 percent were covered.
Copies of the study, “ Group Health
Insurance Coverage of Private FullTime Wage and Salary Workers, 1979”
are available from the Pension and
Welfare Benefit Programs, Labor
Management Services Administration,
U. S.
D e p ar t m en t of Labor ,
Washington, D.C. 20216.
□

»

Response to recession:
reduce hours or jobs?
Workweek cuts are a reliable leading indicator
of recession, because they are the firm ’s initial
response to sagging product demand; thereafter,
numerous business and indmdual decisions
determine the point at which workers will be laid off
P h i l i p L. R o n e s

During a recession, attention is focused on the most ob­
vious victims— those people who have lost their jobs.
Particularly hard hit by the downturns of the last three
decades was the manufacturing sector, which accounted
for 90 percent of all job losses. These employment re­
ductions were concentrated largely in the durable goods
industries and almost exclusively among production
workers.
But layoffs are not the first response by manufactur­
ers to sagging product demand; traditionally, firms have
cut hours of work before reducing employment. This re­
sponse has been so cyclically consistent that average
weekly hours of production workers in manufacturing is
designated as one of the Nation’s 12 major leading eco­
nomic indicators— those which precede business cycle
movements— by the National Bureau of Economic Re­
search.
The focus of this article is the timing and relative im­
portance of workweek and employment cutbacks in
durable goods manufacturing during the last six major
business contractions.1Many of the costs and benefits of
each method of reducing output are compared, and the

Philip L. Rones is an economist with the Division of Employment
and Unemployment Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics. T. Scott
Fain, formerly an economist with the same division, assisted in the
preparation of this article.


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critical roles of such factors as collective bargaining and
unemployment insurance on a firm’s decisions are
outlined. Discussion of determinants of the choice to
cut employment or shorten workweeks constitutes a
very brief overview of the literature, and is intended to
provide a framework for interpretation of patterns ob­
served in aggregated data.2

A methodological foreword
Because the following analysis of the cyclical leads of
one time series over another will depend on the timing
of peaks and troughs, the reader should be acquainted
with the methods used to pinpoint cyclical turns. Basi­
cally, the methodology follows procedures outlined by
Gerhard Bry and Charlott Boschan in their report, Cy­
clical Analysis o f Time Series: Selected Procedures and
Computer Programs.3 Determinations were based on the
author’s own analysis of the seasonally adjusted series,
with consistent application of a few basic guidelines.
The highest pre-recession level was selected unless the
series offered another viable and more indicative peak.
In the case of a plateau, with more than one possible
peak, the latest month was designated. (See chart 1.) If
the series was double peaked, the latter peak before a
sustained downturn was chosen. And when the series
exhibited a 1- or possibly 2-month aberration, the peak
most in line with the overall trend of the series was se3

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Response to Recession

Chart 1. Methods for determining series peak (P) illustrated
Hours or employment

P

1

Digitized for4 FRASER
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2

3

4

5

6
Months

7

8

9

10

11

12

lected. (In other words, uncharacteristic “blips” in the
series were ignored.)

Where the ax falls first
When faced with the prospect of declining orders and
a general slowdown in the economy, why do manufac­
turers choose to cut the workweek before jobs? The pri­
mary consideration is the savings to the firm, both in
the short and the long term.
A major short-run cost advantage of hours reduc­
tions is avoidance of the immediate turnover costs of
layoffs. In addition to processing the paperwork in­
volved, firms often must make severance payments or
pay supplemental unemployment benefits, and may also
face increased contributions to State unemployment in­
surance systems. It should also be noted here that
union contracts often require worksharing in the short
run, before a company resorts to layoffs; 38 percent of
unionized workers in manufacturing were covered by
such provisions in 1970-71, the most recent period for
which data are available.4 (However, unions may curtail
the long-run use of worksharing, a subject which will
be discussed later in this article.)
In conjunction with the short-run savings of hours
reductions, firms must also consider the longer term
costs of layoffs, particularly those related to labor turn­
over. If laid-off workers are unavailable for recall when
demand recovers, the company will incur substantial
cost in recruiting, selecting, and training new employ­
ees. And because these costs appear to be rising,5 em­
ployers try to avoid them by reducing hours as long as
they can.
Of primary importance to the firm’s decisions is the
probability that a worker will be available for recall —
the greater that probability, the less costly layoffs be­
come. This issue has been addressed by several re­
searchers. Even allowing for some methodological
shortcomings pointed out by Thomas Bradshaw and
Janet Scholl, Martin Feldstein’s research still yields a
high recall rate for those on temporary layoff— in the
neighborhood of 65 to 70 percent.6 David Lillien
reaches a similar estimate on the probability of recall.7
However, he stresses that temporary layoffs are not the
major source of cyclical unemployment: he estimates
that roughly 35 percent of the increase in job loser un­
employment during the 1975 recession was due to tem­
porary layoffs; much of the remaining increase repre­
sented long-term unemployment, particularly among
those who later became job changers.
Martin Baily proposes an additional cost to the firm
using layoffs to reduce output— higher wage rates.8 He
asserts that a firm (or an industry) develops a reputa­
tion from past layoffs. A potential employee will view a
high probability of being laid off as a risk of employ­


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ment for which he or she should be compensated. This
is particularly important for the relatively small seg­
ment of the economy which experiences a high level of
either seasonal, or, in the case of durable goods manu­
facturing, cyclical employment cuts. Another cost of
layoffs, which will be discussed in more detail later, is
the possibility that the firm will have to pay higher un­
employment insurance premiums in the future, based on
its experience rating.
The firm, then, must respond cautiously to changes in
demand. Initial cutbacks are generally made in expen­
sive overtime hours, which make up the majority of
workweek declines during cyclical downturns. If, be­
cause of a shortage of specialized labor or scheduling
inflexibilities, elimination of overtime cannot provide all
of the needed reductions, some less expensive, straighttime hours are also cut. The following tabulation indi­
cates that, over the last five recessions, durable goods
firms appeared to “target” overtime more and more
when they needed to slash the workweek:

Recession
period 9
1956-58 . .
1960-61 . .
1969-70 . .
1973-75 . .
1979-80 . .

.
.
.
.
.

Fall in hours
(peak to
trough)
2.9
2.4
1.8
2.3
1.9

Fall in overtime hours
(peak to
trough)
1.7
1.2
1.3
2.0
1.6

Overtime as
percent of
total hours
decline
58.6
50.0
72.2
87.0
84.2

Much of this targeting, however, was possible only
because overtime has been used more extensively during
recent years. Prior to the onset of each of the first two
recessions shown, durable goods overtime averaged
about 3 hours per week. Since 1969, the prerecession
levels have been about 4 hours. Of course, there are
costs involved in hours reductions. In particular, firms
continue to accrue liabilities for fringe benefits in
maintaining workers on the payroll. Also, they may face
union animosity toward hours cuts and may incur plan­
ning costs associated with changes in work schedules.
But the benefits of early hours reduction in terms of
payroll savings and the avoidance of turnover seem,
most often, to outweigh the costs.

The timing of job cuts
Not only are companies hesitant to lay off workers at
a business cycle peak, but employment may level off or
even continue to rise after hours have begun to fall.
What causes this anomaly in hours and employment
policies? New hiring does actually peak before hours,
and layoffs may edge upward, but as workers sense a
tightening job market, quits also fall.10 Thus, the new
turnover rate is not negative— that is, employment does
not fall— until the firm steps up its use of layoffs.

5

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Response to Recession
Are there other reasons why firms are sluggish in lay­
ing off workers? Walter Oi’s explanation entails viewing
labor as a quasi-fixed factor of production, as opposed
to the classical concept of labor as a purely variable fac­
tor." The extent of this “fixity,” as he calls it, depends
on the investment in firm-specific training, which in­
creases the worker’s productivity only for his or her
current employer. Thus, the decision to lay off a worker
would not simply be a function of the worker’s margin­
al product and his wage. Instead, the firm may retain
an employee whose marginal product is below his or
her wage rather than risk high future costs of training
new workers in skills unique to the company. Donald
Parsons demonstrates that both the average quit and
layoff rates are lowest in industries where both workerand firm-financed investment in specific training is
greatest.12
Gerhard Bry, in his study of the workweek, suggests
that the lag in job cuts may be the result of conflicting
policies within the firm. “Changes in weekly hours come
about as the result of fluctuations of current work­
loads” (decided at the foreman level), but “cyclical
changes in employment are the result of policy decisions
based on anticipated workloads” (decided at the man­
agement level). Conflicting policies concerning hours
and employment may, therefore, be determined indepen­
dently.13 Robert J. Gordon also assumes a lag in man­
agement decisionmaking in his report on the “end-ofexpansion” drop in productivity caused by overhiring.
According to Gordon, companies “may gradually rec­
ognize an overstaffing condition but be unable to cor­
rect it rapidly because of both the high costs of more
frequent decisionmaking and the inevitable time it takes
to reduce the work force purely by attrition when lay­
offs are costly.” 14 Apparently firms are slow to cut em­
ployment not only because of the cost, but also because
of a policymaking lag at the management level.
But at some point, the nature of the production pro­
cess or union agreements no longer allow the company
to continue to reduce hours without laying off workers.
Firms must then increase their layoff rate or incur the
continuing costs of underutilized labor or unacceptably
large inventories.
The nature of the company and its products will help
determine how extensive its use of hours reductions can
be.15 For instance, a high capital-to-labor ratio would
imply that the firm’s variable costs are relatively low.
Thus, other things equal, it is less likely that payroll
savings through layoffs would provide sufficient cost re­
ductions. In other cases, the nature of the production
process may dictate layoffs. For example, the continu­
ous operations characteristic of steel production cannot
be economically run at less than full capacity. Thus, as
demand declines, it is more likely that an operation will
be closed down completely and the workers laid off.

6
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Another factor is the cost of maintaining high invento­
ries, which depends in part on the characteristics of the
output. For instance, a producer of a perishable product
would be more likely to shut down operations in the
face of declining demand than would the maker of a
product that could be easily stored.
Beyond the nature of the firm’s product and produc­
tion process, employee preferences help determine the
point at which layoffs begin. Baily, in a theoretical mod­
el of layoff behavior, asserts that a firm will reduce
hours to a minimum level acceptable to workers and
must then begin layoffs.16That level is reached when the
opportunity costs of workers’ time is higher than the
net value of the job at reduced hours. At this point,
Baily proposes, no additional hours reduction will oc­
cur. BLS establishment data show that in durable goods
manufacturing about 25 percent of all of the eventual
hours reductions in each industry had occurred by the
time that employment started to decline.
Of course, Baily was theorizing on a firm’s behavior;
analysis at that level could easily provide different re­
sults than industry aggregates. (Certainly, all firms
within an industry do not reduce hours or employment
simultaneously.) But while hours do continue to decline
in the aggregate, even after employment levels begin to
fall, the employee’s preference between work at reduced
hours and a subsidized period of layoff seems to be a
key to the decision of the employer. As we will see, the
more attractive the layoff alternative (in terms of the
combination of replacement income and leisure time),
the more likely the worker will accept layoff, and, more
importantly, the more likely he or she will be available
for recall.

How long is the hours lead?
As previously indicated, the manufacturing workweek
is such an effective cyclical indicator because its move­
ments consistently lead those in employment. During
the last six business cycles, the downturn in average
weekly hours preceded that in employment for the nine
major durable goods industries more than 80 percent of

Table 1. Lead of hours peak over employment peak
during business downturns, selected industries, 1953-80
Lead (in months)
Industry
80
1953 54 1956-58 i960 61 1969 70 1973 75 1979—
Lumber and wood products
Furniture and fixtures .........
Stone, clay, and glass
products...........................
Primary metals industries . . .
Fabricated metals industries
Machinery, except electrical .
Electric and electronic
equipment........................
Transportation equipment ..
Instruments and related
products...........................

1
0

2
8

0
4

5
3

7
9

0
10

0
4
3
14

2
9
2
13

9
9
1
8

7
0
8
6

3
1
10
13

0
3
3
7

4
9

0
2

8
1

3
11

10
2

10
1

7

12

7

-4

6

12

Chart 2. Frequency distribution of hours leads presented in table 1
Number of occurrences

0

1

2

3

4

5

6
7
8
Hours lead (in months)

the time. (See table 1.) The average length of time be­
tween the downturns in hours and employment (re­
ferred to as “hours lead”) for these 54 observations was
5.4 months. A similar tendency exists at the trough of a
business cycle; in general, manufacturing hours begin to
increase before employment. In the durable goods in­
dustries, the hours lead out of recession occurred in 39
of the 54 possible observations. However, its average
length was less than half the lead at the peak of the cy­
cle.17 (During the 1980 business cycle, the upturns in
hours and employment were coincident in 7 of the 9 du­
rable goods industries.)
The tabulation below shows the length of the lead of
the production workweek peak over the employment
peak for each of the nine industries, averaged over the
last six recessions. The industry data are presented in
descending order of average lead time:
Lead in months
All industries .....................................................
Machinery, except electrical.............................
Instruments and related p rod ucts..........................
Electrical and electronic equipment................
Furniture and fixtures........................................
Fabricated metal products................................
Transportation equipm ent................................
Primary metal industries..........................................
Stone, glass, and clay products .............................
Lumber and wood products ..................................

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5.1
10.2
6.7
5.8
5.7
4.5
4.3
4.3
3.5
2.2

9

10

11

12

13

14

Except for the extremely long-leading machinery in­
dustry and the shortest leading industries (lumber, and
stone, clay, and glass products), the average leads hover
near the 5-month mark. But when each recession is ex­
amined separately by industry, a widely and apparently
random set of relationships appears, ranging from a
14-month lead to a 4-month lag. In fact, the “average”
lead of 5 months occurs only once, 6 months occurs
only twice, and 4 months only three times. (See chart
2 .)
Given the variance of these individual leads, consis­
tent patterns within and between industries become im­
possible to identify. But when average leads across
recessions are considered, the industries do seem to fall
into two groups: Those which produce finished prod­
ucts, such as machinery, furniture, electronics, and in­
struments, have longer leads, on average, then those
which produce intermediate products.
Does any relationship exist between the length of the
hours lead and the relative use of layoff's and hours cut­
backs to reduce production? That is, do industries with
long leads generally make more intensive use of hours
reductions during a cyclical downturn? To examine this
possibility, a ratio was created which compares the em­
ployment drop for a given industry and recession with
the corresponding hours decline. For each industry, the
percentage change in employment from its peak to
7

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Response to Recession
trough is divided by the peak-to-trough percentage
change in hours.
This ratio measures an industry’s preference for the
use of employment or hours cutbacks to reduce output
when demand sags; a high ratio indicates a heavy em­
ployment effect, and a low ratio means that hours re­
ductions play a greater role. The averages of these
ratios for the nine major durable goods industries over
the six recessions, ranked in order of magnitude, are:
All industries ................................................................
Machinery, except electrical................................................
Electrical and electronic equipment..................................
Lumber and wood products .............................................
Transportation equipm ent..................................................
Fabricated metal products..................................................
Instruments and related p rod ucts.....................................
Stone, glass, and clay products ........................................
Primary metal industries.....................................................
Furniture and fixtures..........................................................

2.8
3.4
3.4
3.3
2.8
2.8
2.7
2.5
2.2
1.8

Though not entirely consistent, these rankings resem­
ble the lead rankings. However, when data are
disaggregated for each recession, the expected link be­
tween high ratio and low hours lead does not hold. In
fact, when the individual observations for the employment-to-hours ratios are regressed over the length of the
corresponding lead, no statistically significant relation­
ship emerges. This probably reflects the fact that, while
the employment-to-hours ratios are fairly consistent, the
leads tend to be widely dispersed. A mean lead of 5
months for a particular industry over the six recessions
results from the averaging of extreme observations, such
as 1 month and 9 months. (See chart 2.) Thus, because
the disaggregated leads do not demonstrate a consistent
pattern, the apparent connection between lead length
and the ratio disappears in the disaggregation.
When the ratio is made dependent on the depth of re­
cession in a given industry, a significant positive rela­
tionship appears; the deeper the recession, the higher
the ratio.18 This follows from the observation that em­
ployment cuts become more im portant as a recession
progresses. As producers perceive and experience a real
and deep recession, they resort to layoffs more frequent­
ly and their employment-to-hours ratio rises.
For reasons cited earlier, a plateau in employment is
typical at the beginning of a downturn; this is the peri­
od after firms first detect a weakness in demand for
their product (and, often, begin hours cuts) but before
the situation becomes certain enough, or serious
enough, to start significant layoffs. The length of the
hours lead, then, is largely determined by the point of
this “plateau” where employment actually peaks. This is
shown graphically in chart 3.
It would be unlikely for employment to peak in the
middle of the plateau period and thus result in an “av­

8 FRASER
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erage” lead length. This is because, once the need for
output reduction is noted, significant new hiring proba­
bly would not occur while hours are being cut back.
Thus, given the way businesses make hours and layoff
decisions, and methods used to identify series peaks,
hours leads tend to be long or short, but rarely in be­
tween.
Each recession tends to exhibit certain unique charac­
teristics (for example, in 1973-75, there were protracted
employment stalls and thus relatively long leads), and
no trend is apparent over time. The average leads (in
months) for the nine durable goods manufacturing in­
dustries combined are shown below for each recession:
1953-54 . . . .
1956-58 . . . .
1960-61 . . . .

4.7
5.6
5.2

1969-70 . . . .
1973-75 . . . .
1979-80 . . . .

4.1
6.8
5.1

Some have suggested that recent developments in eco­
nomic forecasting and communications give manufac­
turers advance warning of a recession and the ability to
initiate policy changes before a substantial decline in de­
mand actually occurs. Or the government, through
fiscal and monetary policies, may, to some extent, fore­
stall a downturn. But, if these hypotheses are true, the
expected trend toward shorter leads is not clearly ob­
served in the data.

Two structural determinants
Both unemployment insurance and collective bar­
gaining provisions influence the ability and willingness
of the firm to use, and the worker to accept layoffs. As
mentioned earlier, the timing of layoffs is, in part, a
function of the opportunity costs of working reduced
hours. The experienced worker becomes more likely to
sit out a period of unemployment, and be available for
recall, when the value of the nonwork option increases.
This, of course, is the effect of the increased availabil­
ity and levels of unemployment insurance on decisions.
The (often) nontaxable status of this benefit acts as an
additional incentive to layoffs, because it increases the
real value of benefit payments relative to taxable earned
income. The higher the income supplement, the lower
the probability of job search by the worker, and hence,
the lower the possible future costs of layoffs to employ­
ers in terms of hiring and training new employees.
The firm must also consider costs associated with its
unemployment insurance taxes. Under typical policies, a
firm maintains a funding reserve with the State on
which it can draw when layoffs increase. (Each State
has its own regulations and funding policies.) If unem­
ployment insurance taxes were perfectly experience-rat­
ed, the firm would face a future hike in premiums
whenever layoffs rose above a “normal” level. However,
because States generally have a maximum tax rate,


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9

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Response to Recession
many high-turnover firms are already taxed at the maxi­
mum level, and operate with a zero or negative reserve
balance. For these companies, the marginal cost of fu­
ture premiums associated with increased layoffs is also
zero. Some States have a high minimum tax rate, where­
by some firms would regularly maintain an account sur­
plus. Again, the marginal cost of layoffs to these firms
is zero until the surplus is used up. Thus, the unemploy­
ment insurance program serves both to decrease the
cost of layoffs to workers and to make employment cuts
more attractive to employers.
Union representation of workers may also have a
profound effect on the firm’s choice of hours or employ­
ment reductions. James L. Medoff, who has studied this
influence, finds evidence of a positive correlation be­
tween unionization and layoffs.
Medoff asserts that a union, sensitive to the concerns
of its more senior members, can often negotiate con­
tracts which benefit this relatively small group. Workers
with extensive seniority would tend to prefer layoffs to
across-the-board hours reductions because their own
jobs would be unaffected. Sumner Slichter, James Healy, and Robert Livernash noted as early as 1960 that
“the trend of union preference is more and more toward
the restriction of work-sharing arrangements.” 19 Medoff’s study of union effects on layoff rates supports this
finding. He observes that, while the porportion of man­
ufacturing workers covered by collective bargaining
agreements asking for a reduced workweek prior to lay­
off remained nearly unchanged from 1954 to 1971, the
nature of the agreements did change.20 The principal dif­
ference was an increase in the percentage of contracts
which limited the length of time that reduced work­
weeks could forestall layoffs. Many of the revised con­
tractual clauses provided for “union participation in
procedures involving reductions in hours per employee.”
Collective bargaining may contribute to a higher lay­
off rate for other reasons. The attractive benefits often

negotiated through labor-management agreements tend
to encourage workers to accept layoffs rather than seek
alternative employment. For example, a unionized firm
is more likely to provide its laid-off workers with sup­
plemental unemployment benefits; in 1978, nearly 61
percent of organized workers in durable goods indus­
tries were eligible for such benefits.21 The relatively high
returns to the employee for extended service in union­
ized companies also act as a deterrent to job change, as
does the accrual of (largely) nonportable pension bene­
fits. And, to the extent that unions are able to maintain
high and increasing wage levels, particularly through
multiyear agreements and cost-of-living clauses, the
firm loses the option of wage flexibility as a response to
sagging demand.22 Union agreements are often so re­
strictive that they encourage firms’ use of enhanced ear­
ly retirement benefits as an alternative means of
reducing the work force.
Medoff found that, between 1958 and 1971, the prob­
ability of layoff in a unionized manufacturing firm was
more than twice that in a nonunionized establishment,
and that about 30 percent of this difference could be
explained by the existence of supplemental unemploy­
ment benefits.23
w o r k w e e k o f p r o d u c t i o n w o r k e r s in man­
ufacturing, and more specifically, in durable goods in­
dustries, remains a reliable economic indicator. It has
consistently risen and fallen before employment during
the past 30 years. But the length of time by which
changes in hours lead those in employment remains un­
predictable, and there is no clear and explainable trend
in the hours lead which would indicate that it is shrink­
ing or growing over time. The decisions of individual
firms and workers are obviously important to job and
hour developments, but reliable tools for measuring and
predicting the effects of these individual factors on lead
length have yet to be constructed.
□

T he

FOOTNOTES

' Employment levels are used in this analysis, rather than some
measure of labor turnover, such as layoff rates, because the former are
a superior measure of true job loss. Increases in layoff rates tend to
precede employment declines as the former are often accompanied by
offsetting declines in the quit rate.
2 Data are derived from a BLS survey of business establishments.
Employment and hours series are published monthly in E m p lo y m e n t
a n d E a rn in g s. We have limited our focus to durable goods industries
for a number of reasons. First, with the occasional exception of trans­
portation and public utilities, the service-producing sector of the econ­
omy has not consistently experienced significant cyclical declines in
employment and hours. Second, within the goods-producing sector,
mining is generally non-cyclical and, while there are employment cut­
backs in construction during recessions, the hours series reveals no
dependable, cyclical pattern; therefore, an hours lead cannot be deter­
mined. And third, durable goods was chosen over all manufacturing
because it is responsible for 80 percent of manufacturing job losses.


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While the non-durable sector, in aggregate, exhibits cyclical patterns
in both employment and hours, many of its component industries do
not.
Also, because the hours data exist only for production or nonsupervisory workers, all the employment data used pertain only to
those workers. Production workers account for more than 95 percent
of the jobs lost during a recession, and this more narrow definition of
employment should thus enhance rather than detract from the analy­
sis. Miscellaneous durable goods manufacturing is omitted from the
analysis because it is a collection of largely unrelated products and
production processes.
' Gerhard Bry and Charlott Boschan, C y c lic a l A n a ly s is o f T im e S e ­
ries: S e le c te d P ro c e d u re s a n d C o m p u te r P r o g r a m s (New York, Colum­
bia University Press, 1971), pp. 10-14.
4
L a y o ff, R e c a ll, a n d W o rk s h a r in g P ro ced u res, Bulletin 1425-13
(Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1972). The 1971 data are the latest avail­
able. For a recent discussion of worksharing, see Robert W.

Bednarzik, “Worksharing in the U.S.: its prevalence and duration,"
M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , July 1980, pp. 3-12.
5 Robert M. MacDonald, “The Fringe Barrier Hypothesis and
Overtime Behavior,” I n d u s tr ia l a n d L a b o r R e la tio n s R ev ie w , July 1966,
pp. 565-66.
6 Martin S. Feldstein, “The Importance of Temporary Layoff: An
Empirical Analysis,” B ro o k in g s P a p e r s on E c o n o m ic A c tiv ity , 3, 1975,
pp. 725-77; and Thomas F. Bradshaw and Janet L. Scholl, “The Ex­
tent of Job Search During Layoff,” B ro o k in g s P a p e r s on E c o n o m ic A c ­
tiv ity , 2, 1976, pp. 515-23.
David M. Lillien, “The Cyclical Pattern of Temporary Layoffs in
United States Manufacturing,” T h e R e v ie w o f E c o n o m ic s a n d S ta tistic s,
February 1980, pp. 24-31.
8 Martin Neil Baily, “On the Theory of Layoffs and Unemploy­
ment,” E c o n o m e tric a , July 1977, pp. 1043-63.
9Overtime data were not available for the 1953-54 business cycle.
10 Labor turnover data for manufacturing industries are available in
E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a rn in g s, Bulletin 1312-11 (Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics, 1979), and subsequent monthly issues of E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a r n ­
ings.

" Walter Y. Oi, “Labor as a Quasi-Fixed Factor,”
November 1962, pp. 538-55.

Jou rn al o f

P o litic a l E c o n o m y ,

12 Donald O. Parsons, “Specific Human Capital: An Application to
Quit Rates and Layoff Rates,” J o u r n a l o f P o litic a l E c o n o m y , July-Au­
gust 1972, pp. 1120-43.
13 Gerhard Bry, T h e A v e r a g e W o r k w e e k a s a n E c o n o m ic I n d ic a to r,
Occasional Paper 69 (National Bureau of Economic Research, 1959),
p. 97.
14 Robert J. Gordon, “The End-of-Expansion Phenomenon in Short-


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run Productivity Behavior,” B ro o k in g s P a p e r s o n E c o n o m ic A c tiv ity , 2,
1979, p. 460.
15James L. Medoff, “Layoffs and Alternatives Under Trade Unions
in United States Manufacturing,” S tu d ie s in D e m a n d f o r L a b o r, pre­
pared under Research Grant J9M6 0094 (U.S. Department of Labor,
1977), p. 272. A revised version appeared under the same title in the
June 1979 J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m ic L ite r a tu r e , pp. 380-95.
16 Baily, “Theory of Layoffs,” p. 1051.
17To some extent, the establishment data produce a bias towards
the hours effect of business cycle downturns. If a person is laid off in
the middle of the reference week, for example, he or she will appear in
the data as employed, but at reduced hours. Although this bias could
be important in our understanding of businesses’ response to declining
demand, the nature of available data does not allow us to measure its
magnitude.
18The depth of a recession is measured by the index of aggregate
weekly hours, which is the product of average hours multiplied by to­
tal employment. The index uses a 1967 base. Data are published
monthly in E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a rn in g s. Regression results are available
on request.
19Sumner H. Slichter, James J. Healy, and Robert E. Livernash,
T h e I m p a c t o f C o lle c tiv e B a rg a in in g on M a n a g e m e n t (The Brookings
Institution, 1960), p. 152.
20 See footnote 4.
21 C h a r a c te r istic s o f M a jo r C o lle c tiv e B a r g a in in g A g re e m e n ts , J a n u a r y
l, 1978, Bulletin 2065 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1980), p. 101.
22An interesting discussion of wage rigidity can be found in Robert
E. Hall, “Employment Fluctuations and Wage Rigidity,” B ro o k in g s
P a p e r s o n E c o n o m ic A c tiv ity , 1, 1980, pp. 91-123.
23 Medoff, “Layoffs and Alternatives,” pp. 278-81.

11

The services industry:
is it recession-proof?
Steady growth has led the services division to account
for nearly 20 percent of total employment in 1980\
linked mainly to business and health services;
since 1948, it has been nearly immune to recessions
and has displayed relative cyclical insensitivity
M

ic h a e l

U

rquhart

Throughout this century the bulk of employment
growth has been in the services-producing sector of the
economy, whose share of total nonagricultural employ­
ment has increased from 53 percent in 1920 and 58 per­
cent in 1948 to more than 70 percent in 1980.
The impact of this shift in employment on the
functioning of the economy has been the subject of con­
siderable analysis.1 In particular, studies have shown
that the growth of employment in the services sector
has continued even during economic downturns, and
some have concluded that a services-dominated econo­
my promotes stability over the business cycle.2
This article focuses on the degree of cyclical sensitivi­
ty of the fastest growing component of the servicesproducing sector, the services division. (Other major
components of the sector are: transportation, communi­
cation, and public utilities; wholesale and retail trade;
finance, insurance, and real estate; and government.)3
This industry group, while quite varied in composition,
includes those activities usually thought of as services,
such as repair, health, social and personal services, busi­
ness services, education, and entertainment.4 The 1980
distribution of services employment follows; this diversi­
ty hinders slightly, but does not preclude, the drawing
Michael Urquhart is an economist in the Division of Employment and
Unemployment Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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12
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of general conclusions about the division’s cyclical be­
havior:
P e r c e n t d is tr ib u tio n

1980
Services division ..........................................
H ealth .....................................................
Business services..................................
Membership organizations ................
Social services........................................
E ducational..........................................
Hotels and other lo d g in g ...................
Personal services..................................
Amusement and recreation................
Auto repairs..........................................
Legal .....................................................
Miscellaneous repairs...........................
Motion pictures ..................................
Miscellaneous se rv ic es........................

100.0
29.5
16.9
8.9
6.5
6.3
6.0
5.2
4.1
3.3
2.7
1.7
1.2
5.7

Using data from the Current Employment Statistics
program (payroll survey), this article also examines the
employment growth record of the services division, in­
cluding its cyclical sensitivity and impact on overall
economic stability in the postwar period. Data from the
Current Population Survey (household survey) are used
to examine the demographic composition of employ­
ment in services and the nature of unemployment asso­
ciated with the industry.5
The services employment series from the two surveys

are not precisely comparable, as they do not cover the
same universe. Employment estimates for services from
the household series are consistently about 50 percent
greater than the payroll series. This is primarily because
the former includes employees in public education, the
self-employed, and private household workers. Correct­
ing for these conceptual dissimilarities reduces the dif­
ference to only about 300,000 in 1980, or less than 2
percent.6

Health, business lead job growth
The postwar employment growth record of the ser­
vices division is presented in table 1. According to the
payroll survey, services employment increased from 5.2
to 17.7 million between 1948 and 1980, and its share of
total employment rose from 11.5 to 19.6 percent. This
gain surpassed that of any other major industry group,
including government.
Not all components of the services division exhibited
such extraordinary progress.7 From 1972 to 1980, the
only period for which data exists for all components,
the slowest employment growth occurred in personal
services (2 percent), motion pictures (4 percent), mem­
bership organizations (12 percent), and education (17
percent). The greatest increases in employment were
reached in these types of services: social (108 percent),
legal (78 percent), and business (68 percent).
However, in terms of sheer size, advances in this divi­
sion have been dominated by two industries, health and
business services. They accounted for almost half of ser­
vices employment in 1980 and have contributed about
55 percent of its total increase since 1972.
The most dynamic components of the health services
industry since 1972 have been dentists’ offices (81 per­
cent growth), nursing and personal care facilities (69

Table 1.

percent), and physicians’ offices (68 percent). Hospitals,
which make up nearly half of total employment in this
industry, have risen by a modest 22 percent. Overall,
health services posted an increase of 53 percent in the
8-year period.
Within business services, personnel supply (which in­
cludes employment and temporary help agencies) and
computer and data processing services more than dou­
bled. These two components accounted for 40 percent
of all growth within business services; other elements
showing more moderate increases were advertising (21
percent), mailing, reproduction, and stenographic (49
percent), and services to buildings (51 percent), while
credit reporting and collection decreased 7 percent.
There has also been a substantial gain (55 percent) in
the number of female employees in the services division
since 1972, making up 67 percent of its total increase.
Almost every industry has augmented their proportion
of women, and nowhere did female employment decline.
However, 72 percent of the boost was accounted for by
only three industries: health, business, and social ser­
vices. Health services alone, in which women make up
80 percent of employment, contributed 41 percent of
the expansion. Within business services, about half of
the rise was caused by the rapidly growing personnel
supply and computer and data processing services.
However, the majority of business services employees in
1980 (57 percent) were men.
Overall, male employment in services rose only 32
percent. Men accounted for a majority of the increased
employment in auto repair, miscellaneous repair, and
amusements and recreation services.
Most of the increase in services employment is real
growth, but much is because of a shift in employment
to services, and with particular regard to business ser-

Employees on nonagricultural payrolls by selected industry divisions and years, 1948-80

[Numbérs in thousands]
1948

1958

Number

Percent
distri­
bution

Total nonfarm payroll employment ........................
Goods-producing sector .................................
Services-producing se c to r...............................

44,866
18,774
26,092

Services1 ............................................................
Hotels and lodging p la c e s ...............................
Personal ..........................................................
Business ..........................................................
Auto repair, services, and garages..................
Miscellaneous re p a ir........................................
Motion pictures.................................................
Amusement and recreation .............................
H e a lth ..............................................................
Leg a l.................................................................
Eaucational ......................................................
Social ...............................................................
Membership organizations...............................
Miscellaneous .................................................

5,181
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
249
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)

Industry

Number

100.0
41.8
58.2

51,324
19,513
31,811

11.5

6,765
( 2)
877
656
( 2)
( 2)
199
( 2)
1,365
139
572
( 2)
( 2)
( 2)

.6

11ncludes veterinary, animal, landscape, and horticultural services (SIC-074-5,078); and museums, botanical, and zoological gardens (SIC-841-2), not shown separately.


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1965
Percent
distri­
bution

Number

Percent
distri­
bution

Number

Percent
distri­
bution

100.0
36.1
63.9

73,675
23,668
50,007

100.0
32.1
67.9

90,657
25,855
64,801

100.0
28.5
71.5

14.9

12,276
813
912
1,790
397
199
205
504
3,412
271
958
553
1,403
637

16.7
1.1
1.2
2.4
.5
.3
.3
.7
4.6
.4
1.3
.8
1.9
.9

17,741
1,071
931
3,002
583
305
214
735
5,229
481
1,117
1,149
1,571
1,008

19.6
1.0
1.2
3.3
.6
.3
.2
.8
5.8
.5
1.2
1.3
1.7
1.1

Number

100.0
38.0
62.0

60,765
21,926
38,839

13.2

9,036
( 2)
985
1,139
( 2)
155
185
( 2)
2,080
182
772

1.7
1.3

.4
2.7
.3
1.1

( 2)
( 2)
( 2)

1980

1972
Percent
distri­
bution

1.7
2.1
.3
.3
3.6
.3
1.3

2 Not available,

13

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Is Services Industry Recession-Proof?
vices, is the direct result of a substitution effect. The re­
cent growth of business services is largely caused by a
change in how firms handle business office functions.
Employees are classified by industry based upon the
major activity of the establishment employing them.
Thus, for example, clerical workers who prepare fi­
nancial records in a manufacturing firm are counted as
employed in manufacturing. In contrast, if the establish­
ment contracts with an outside accounting firm to pre­
pare their records, those employees are classified as part
of the services division. To the extent that firms replace
their cleiical workers with agency services, a “shift” in
employment from manufacturing to services occurs. In
this case, there is no basic change in the type of work
being done, but rather a major change in how and
where it is performed, resulting in a different industrial
classification. While the true measure of the “contract­
ing out” of work traditionally done by the establish­
ments cannot be calculated, it does indicate the need for
caution in drawing conclusions about industry employ­
ment trends.8

Professional, technical workers dominant
In general, workers in the services division are more
apt to be employed part time or be self-employed, espe­
cially in comparison to manufacturing. With the excep­
tion of trade, part-time employment in services, at 19.2
percent of the employed total, was substantially higher
than in any other division, and more than a third of all
part-time workers had jobs in services. Self-employ­
ment, at 10 percent of the total in services, compares
with a low of 1.6 percent in manufacturing and 7.3 per­
cent for the total economy. (See table 2.)
Women are more likely to be employed in services
than in any other division. At 60 percent, their propor­
tion is almost twice that in manufacturing (31 percent)
and substantially greater than the average for the total
economy (42 percent). While the proportion of blacks,
at 13 percent, is higher than other divisions shown, it is
only slightly above the overall ratio.
Workers in the services division also tend to be a bit
older than most. The proportion of employees 55 years

Table 2.

and over is greater than in any other division, while
that of youths ages 16 to 24 is smaller than average.
Since 1968, there have been only minor changes in
the preceding characteristics, with the exception of the
rise in female employment (from 57 to 60 percent). The
labor force has grown younger, blacks and women have
increased their shares, part-time employment has been
relatively unchanged, and self-employment has declined
slightly.
The occupational distribution of employment in the
service and manufacturing divisions for 1980 is provid­
ed in the tabulation below:
M anuT o t a l S e r v ic e s f a c t u r i n g

O c c u p a tio n
Total

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

100.0

100.0

100.0

White-collar workers........................
Professional and technical . . .
Managerial and administrative,
except f a r m ..........................
Sales ..........................................
Clerical .....................................

54.3
16.7

66.1
38.5

34.2
11.4

11.7
6.6
19.4

7.7
0.7
19.2

7.8
2.5
12.5

Blue-collar workers..........................
Craft ..........................................
Operatives, except transport .
Transport operatives .............
Nonfarm laborers ..................
Service, except private household .

32.9
13.4
11.1
3.7
4.8
12.7

10.4
5.5
2.7
0.8
1.3
23.5

63.9
19.5
36.5
3.5
4.5
1.7

As mentioned earlier, service workers account for
about 25 percent of the industry’s employees. Profes­
sional and technical workers continue to dominate, ac­
counting for 39 percent of all employees in 1980, with
the industry employing about two-thirds of all profes­
sionals. Clericals, at 19 percent, and managers and ad­
ministrators, at 8 percent, made up most of the
remainder. This distribution is in sharp contrast to
goods-oriented industries, such as manufacturing, where
most employees are either craftworkers or operatives.
While the white-collar occupations (professional, mana­
gerial, clerical, and sales) account for 66 percent of all
employment in services, they represent only 34 percent
in manufacturing. The broad occupational distribution

Employment by selected industry divisions and characteristics, 1980

[In percent]

Division

Total nonagricultural Industries......................................
Manufacturing ............................................................................
Transportation, communication, and public utilities ..................
Trade .........................................................................................
Finance, insurance, and real e s ta te ..........................................
Services (less private household) ............................................

Age (in years)

Total
employed
(in thousands)

16-24

25-54

55
and over

93,960
21,593
6,393
19,727
5,860
26,914

21.8
18.2
14.5
34.3
21.4
18.8

63.9
67.7
72.6
52.4
64.1
66.1

14.3
14.2
12.9
13.3
14.5
15.1

1Part time includes only wage-and-salary workers who are on voluntary part-time schedules.
Percent is of total wage-and-salary' workers, not total given in first column.


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Women

Black

Part tim e1

Self-employed

42.4
31.4
25.2
46.4
58.2
59.8

11.2
11.3
12.6
8.4
9.2
12.9

13.6
3.2
6.0
24.9
10.4
19.2

7.3
1.6
4.3
9.4
7.8
10.0

in services has been fairly stable since 1972, although
there has been a slight increase in the proportion of
white-collar employees.

Table 3. Average annual rates of change in nonfarm
payroll employment during postwar business cycle
expansions and contractions, by selected industry
divisions

Cyclical behavior
Payroll jobs. Table 3, which compares the average annu­
al percentage change in employment during periods of
expansion and contraction, helps to illustrate why ser­
vices might be considered “recession-proof.”9 With one
exception, the recession of 1957-58, employment in this
division has increased even during cyclical downturns.
In contrast, the goods-producing sector has paired sub­
stantial declines in employment with every recession.
The rest of the services-producing sector also declined
when each of the first four recessions occurred, but has
since grown moderately during downturns.
Comparison of average rates of growth over the busi­
ness cycle provides further evidence of this contrasting
behavior. Services employment has advanced by an av­
erage of 2.1 percent during contractions and 4.8 percent
in times of expansion, while employment in the goodsproducing sector declined by 8.3 percent in recessions
and increased by an average of 3.8 percent during re­
covery periods.
However, individual components of the sei vices divi­
sion show considerable variation. For example, during
the 1973-75 recession, three components— personal ser­
vices, auto repair, and motion pictures— posted de­
clines, while health, legal, and social services expanded
at higher than average rates for the division.
An industry that exhibits employment growth during
recessionary periods is not necessarily insensitive to
business cycles. A better estimate of such sensitivity is
the average cyclical change net of the trend in employ­
ment growth. This can be measured by subtracting the
average change during periods of contraction from that
of expansionary periods. For the services division, the
average cyclical change is only 2.7 percent, far below
the 12.4-percent registered for the goods-producing sec­
tor. This indicates that there is some cyclical dimension
in its growth rate, but clearly minimal when contrasted
with the more sensitive goods-producing sector. The
rest of the services-producing sector has a slightly
higher average cyclical change— 3.5 percent.
The behavior of the two largest components of this
division, business and health services, is illustrative of
the differences within the division. Health services dis­
play almost no cyclical sensitivity (1.0 percent), while
business services show a relatively high degree (7.6 per­
cent). While the sensitivity of business services appears
to be more comparable to the goods-producing sector
than to most other services industries, business services
employment did not decrease during any recession.
However, to conclude from the lack of employment de­
clines alone that business services are recession-proof

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Business cycle
expansions(E) and
contractions(C)

November 1948 to
October 1949(C) . . . .
October 1949 to
July 1953(E) .............
July 1953 to May 1954(C)
May 1954 to
August 1957(E) .........
August 1957 to
April 1958(C ).............
April 1958 to
April 1960(E) .............
April 1960 to
February 1961 (C) . . . .
February 1961 to
December 1969(E) . . .
December 1969 to
November 1970(C) . . .
November 1970 to
November 1973(E) . . .
November 1973 to
March 1975(C)...........
March 1975 to
January 1980(E).........
January 1980 to
July 1980(C) .............
Average for:
All expansions ...........
All contractions...........
Cyclical change
net of trend ...........

Goodsproducing
sector

Servicesproducing
sector, except
the services
division

Services industries

Total

Business Health

-9 .6

-1 .3

1.0

( ')

(’ )

6.0
-8.4

3.1
-.4

3.0
1.8

(’)
( 1)

(')
(')

2.4

2.7

4.1

( ’)

(')

-12.0

-2.3

- .3

n

( 1)

3.6

3.2

4.6

10.0

6.6

-6 .0

-.5

2.9

4.2

5.4

2.4

3.9

5.9

12.4

9.6

-6 .0

1.7

2.4

2.4

6.7

5.8

6.4

3.3

4.1

-8.4

1.5

3.6

.7

6.8

4.8

4.3

7.1

12.2

6.6

-10.1

.6

3.2

2.6

6.4

3.8
-8 .6

3.4
-.1

4.8
2.1

10.1
2.5

7.3
6.3

12.4

3.5

2.7

7.6

1.0

3.6

1Data not available.
Business cycle peaks and troughs are those designated by the National Bureau of
Economic Research. Employment changes in the business and health services industries are
based on unadjusted data, all others are seasonally adjusted. For method of calculation, see
footnote 10 of this article.
N ote :

would be misleading. Their rate of employment gain
throughout economic downturns was much less than
during expansionary periods. Should the present trend
of rapid employment growth in this industry substan­
tially change, its sensitivity to recessions could result in
employment declines.
Unemployed service workers. An examination of cyclical
trends in unemployment provides a different picture of
the services division. In sharp contrast to the employ­
ment record, the cyclical pattern of unemployment in
services almost matches the highly sensitive overall un­
employment rate. The apparent paradox of both em­
ployment and unemployment increasing in services
during economic contractions can be partly explained
by examining the reasons for the latter.
Workers become unemployed for one of the following
reasons: (1) from a layoff (caused by slack economic
conditions) or a permanent separation; (2) from recently
joining the labor force or reentering it; or by (3) quit­
ting or leaving a job.
Typical of cyclically sensitive industries is a jump in
unemployment caused by the loss of a job (especially
from layoff) during a downturn. As business declines,
15

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Is Services Industry Recession-Proof?

Table 4. Experienced unemployed private wage-and-salary workers in the total nonagricultural and services industries by
reason for unemployment, sex, and age, selected quarters, 1974^75
Total, all industries

Services industries

1
1974

1
1975

Actual
change

Percent
of actual
change

Total, 16 years and over ............................................................
Job ,'osers ............................................................
On la yo ff..........................................................
Other job losers........................................................
Job leavers ..........................................................................
Reentrants............................................................

3,885
2,268
888
1,380
644
972

6,790
4,685
2,207
2,478
648
1,457

2,905
2,417
1,319
1,098
4
485

100.0
83.2
45.4
37.8
.1
16.7

686
306
80
226
143
237

997
464
131
333
151
381

311
158
51
107
8
144

100.0
50.8
16.4
34.4
2.6
46.3

Men, 20 years and o v e r ...................................................
Job losers ............................................................................
On la yo ff...................................................................
Other job losers........................................................
Job leavers .........................................................................
Reentrants..........................................................................

1,779
1,329
517
812
213
237

3,385
2,815
1,324
1,491
227
342

1,606
1,486
807
679
14
105

100.0
92.5
50.2
42.3
.9
6.5

189
123
25
98
29
37

288
198
56
142
38
52

99
75
31
44
9
15

100.0
75.8
31.3
44.4
9.1
15.2

Women, 20 years and over ........................................................
Job losers ............................................................................
On la yo ff...................................................................
Other job losers..................................................... ..
Job leavers ...................................................................
Reentrants.....................................................................

1,374
630
271
359
273
470

2,385
1,365
683
682
279
741

1,011
735
412
323
6
271

100.0
72.7
40.8
32.0
.6
26.8

378
147
46
101
85
147

542
209
58
151
92
241

164
62
12
50
7
94

100.0
37.8
7.3
30.5
4.3
57.3

Reason, sex, and age

N ote :

I
1974

1
1975

Actual
change

Percent
of actual
change

Data are derived from the Current Population Survey.

companies cut back employment.
For example, this is reflected in the figures for the
1973-75 recession shown in table 4.10 Overall, persons
on layoff made up nearly half of the increase in unem­
ployment between the first quarters of 1974 and 1975,
reentrants for only about a sixth, and job leavers a neg­
ligible amount. The situation was reversed for the ser­
vices division, with reentrants accounting for almost
half the increase, and layoffs for only a sixth. However,
there was contrasting behavior among men and women
20 years old and over. Among unemployed men in ser­
vices, reentrants made up only 15.2 percent of the in­
crease in unemployment; female reentrants accounted
for 57.3 percent. Women traditionally have had less at­
tachment to their jobs and are more likely to move in
and out of the labor force than are men. As a result, the
increase in unemployment in services during recessions
is not because of any slack in the services industry, but
is connected to employees (mostly women) who worked
in it in the past and then reentered the labor force.
Therefore, it would be a mistake to conclude from the
overall unemployment figures alone that the services di­
vision is highly sensitive to cyclical fluctuations.

Contributing to economic stability?
The suggestion by some economists that the growth
of the services-producing sector might lead to a reduc­
tion in the severity of business downturns was referred
to earlier. The argument was that cyclical declines in to­
tal employment would be reduced by the continued
growth in the services-producing sector. An examina­
tion of the data during the postwar period shows that
the stability of employment has improved. The net cy­
clical change in overall employment has declined from
7.3 percent in the 1940’s and 1950’s to 5.3 percent dur­
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ing the 1960’s and 1970’s. This decrease in the cyclical
nature of the economy is supported by the downward
trend in relative recessionary employment cutbacks
from peak to trough. (See table 5.) From a high of 5
percent during the 1948-49 recession, the drop in em-

Table 5. Changes in nonfarm payroll employment from
postwar business cycle peaks to troughs, by selected
industry divisions, seasonally adjusted
[Numbers in thousands]
Nonfarm payroll
employment
Business cycles
Total

Less
services
industries

Goodsproducing
sector

Services
industries
Services
industries

percent of
total less
services

November 1948 to
October 1949:
Actual change . . .
Percent change .

-2,260
-5 .0

-2,314
-5.8

-2,018
-10.7

54
1.0

2.3

July 1953 to May 1954:
Actual change . . .
Percent change .

-1,528
-3 .0

-1,613
-3 .6

-1,539
-7.2

85
1.5

5.3

August 1957 to
April 1958:
Actual change . . .
Percent change .

-2,131
-4 .0

-2,117
-4 .6

-1,676
-8 .0

-1 4
- .2

- .7

April 1960 to
February 1961:
Actual change .. .
Percent change .

-1,188
-2 .2

-1,349
-2 .9

-1,162
-5 .6

161
2.2

11.9

December 1969 to
November 1970:
Actual change . . .
Percent change .

-855
-1 .2

-1,105
-1 .9

-1,651
-6 .8

250
2.2

22.6

November 1973 to
March 1975:
Actual change . . .
Percent change .

-1,438
-1 .9

-2,052
-3 .2

-2,736
-10.9

614
4.7

29.9

January 1980 to
July 1980:
Actual change . . .
Percent change .

-1,164
-1.3

-1,462
-2 .0

-1,552
-5 .8

298
1.7

20.4

ployment has been reduced to 1 to 2 percent for the last
three recessions."
One possible measure of the specific contribution of
the services division to this improved overall economic
performance is provided in table 5. The degree to which
employment growth in services offsets the employment
decline in the rest of the economy soared from 2.3 per­
cent in 1948-49 to almost 30 percent during 1973-75.
An alternative approach is to compare the change in
the percentage decline in employment caused by the ser­
vices division vis-a-vis the total economy. As illustrated
in columns 1 and 2 of the table, the addition of services
reduces the decline by a fairly constant 0.7-percentage
point. It was somewhat higher in the 1973-75 recession.
Although both measures indicate the stabilizing im­
pact of the services division on the severity of economic
downturns, this reduced sensitivity of employment to
business cycles must be partially attributed to other
changes in the economy. Even without services, the
drop in employment would have been reduced by about
4 percentage points, and even the goods-producing sec­
tor showed improvement until the 1973-75 recession.

Recession-proof, but with qualifications
Since 1948, the services division has experienced ex­
traordinary growth and today accounts for almost onefifth of total employment. This increase has been
concentrated in two industries— business and health
services. Employment in this division continues to be
dominated by white-collar occupations, with higher-

than-average proportions of women, blacks, and parttimers.
The growth of services has been relatively immune to
business downturns, with its employment declining in
only 1 of 7 postwar recessions. Furthermore, the cycli­
cal fluctuations in the division’s employment growth
rates are considerably smaller than those of the goodsproducing sector. The combination of steady growth
and relative cyclical insensitivity warrants the conclu­
sion that this division is relatively recession-proof; how­
ever, certain qualifying factors are necessary. The rate of
growth is reduced during downturns, and some compo­
nents of this division are more cyclically sensitive than
others. And unemployment associated with the industry
is higher in times of recession, even though much of this
increase stems from reentrance to the labor force.
However, it is more difficult to assess the impact of
growth of the services division upon the rest of the
economy. While services have contributed to economic
stability by reducing the employment decline during re­
cessions, the overall economy has exhibited this trend
even on its own. Services employment has reduced the
percentage drop in total employment during contrac­
tions by a fairly constant amount over time.
Any projection about the future behavior of this divi­
sion must be made cautiously. Among other things, the
component industries show considerable variability,
both in rates of growth and cyclical sensitivity. Hence,
it is quite possible that the overall behavior of the divi­
sion will change with its composition.
□

FOOTNOTES

' See Victor Fuchs, T h e S e r v ic e E c o n o m y (New York, National Bu­
reau of Economic Research, 1968); George Stigler, T re n d s in
E m p lo y m e n t in th e S e r v ic e I n d u s tr ie s (Princeton, Princeton University
Press, 1956); Edward F. Denison, “Shift to Services and the Rate of
Productivity Change,” S u r v e y o f C u r r e n t B u sin ess, October 1973, pp.
20-35; and Thomas M. Stanback, U n d e r s ta n d in g th e S e r v ic e E c o n o m y
(Johns Hopkins University Press, 1979).
2Arthur Burns, “Progress Towards Economic Stability,” A m e r ic a n
E c o n o m ic R e v ie w , March 1960, pp. 6-7; Fuchs, T h e S e r v ic e E co n o m y ,
ch. 7. Fuchs has argued that the shift in employment between 1929
and 1965 has reduced the cyclical volatility of the economy by 15 per­
cent (p. 181). For the potential negative impact of services on the
growth rate of productivity see John W. Kendrick, “Productivity
Trends and Prospects,” U .S. E c o n o m ic G ro w th f r o m 1 9 7 6 -1 9 8 6 : P ro s­
p e cts, P r o b le m s a n d P a tte r n s (Joint Economic Committee of Congress,
October 1, 1976); Denison, S u r v e y o f C u r r e n t B u sin ess. However, Den­
ison has questioned the analytic utility of the division of the total
economy into two sectors, goods- and services-producing. He failed to
find “any characteristic, except possibly the holding of inventories, to
which a commodity-service classification corresponds at all closely.”
(See p. 22.) Thus, a classification of major industry components by
cyclical sensitivity would not agree with the oods-services breakdown.
For example, transportation, communication, and public utilities all
show considerable volatility. Denison also argues that if you exclude
government there has been no dramatic shift to services.
' The goods-producing sector includes mining, construction, and
manufacturing. When agriculture is included, it is part of the goodsproducing sector.


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4The services division is not to be confused with the service occu­
pation, which refers to employees whose major work activity is pro­
viding services. About two-thirds of all service workers are employed
in the services division, but only about one-forth of all employees in
this division are service workers. Most of the others are professional
and clerical workers.
5The two independent employment series published by BLS— the
household data from the Current Population Survey and the payroll
data from the Current Employment Statistics program (establishment
survey)— are somewhat different in concept and definition. Because it
provides more precise information on the industrial composition of
employment, and because its estimates are more reliable for examining
month-to-month changes, the payroll survey is used to examine secu­
lar and cyclical trends. However, the payroll survey includes practi­
cally no information on the demographic characteristics of the labor
force, and excludes the self-employed and the unemployed. In this
area, the household survey is used. The establishment survey provides
an estimate of the total number of nonagricultural wage-and-salary
jobs. The household survey is more comprehensive and covers all job­
holders. Besides wage-and-salary workers, it includes the selfemployed, unpaid family workers, private household workers, and ag­
ricultural workers. For a detailed comparison of the two series, see
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.
‘ According to the payroll survey, there were 17,736,000 persons
employed in the services division in 1980. In contrast, the household
series shows an employment level of 27,983,000 in services industries.
17

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Is Services Industry Recession-Proof?
This larger estimate from the household survey results from the inclu­
sion of several categories (private household workers, public educa­
tion, and the self-employed) not included in the payroll series.
Subtracting these categories reduces the estimate of services industry
employment in the household survey to 18,037,000.
Data on most two-digit industries do not exist prior to 1972. At
that time, the Standard Industrial Classification system (SIC) was re­
vised. For services, the major impact of the reclassification is the ex­
clusion of approximately 60,000 employees in the forestry, fisheries,
and agricultural services industries. Other changes affected the distri­
bution of employment among the two-digit industries included in the
services division. For example, data processing was shifted from SIC
89 (miscellaneous services) to SIC 73 (business services). Social ser­
vices, SIC 83, was added as a new industry. A major revision was
also introduced in 1961, with minor revisions in 1958, 1963, and
1967. All historical series have been changed to reflect these changes.
However, some series could not be reconstructed before the revisions,
and this explains the unavailability of specific industry data in table 2.
For more information on SIC revisions, see the October 1978 issue of
E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a rn in g s, pp. 8-32.
8A similar point can be made about other service industries. Deni­
son, for one, argues it is a general problem in evaluating any shift to
service employment.

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The table is based on the procedure used by Fuchs. Briefly, the
rate of change for an expansion is measured from a 3-month average
centered on a trough to a 3-month average centered on a peak. The
percentage change is divided by the number of months from peak to
trough and multiplied by 12 to provide an annual average. A similar
procedure is used for contractions. According to Fuchs, the difference
in rate of change between an expansion and contraction provides a
measure of the cyclical change net of the trend in employment. See
Fuchs, T h e S e r v ic e E c o n o m y , p. 162.
10The 1973-75 recession, the most serious in the postwar period,
was chosen to illustrate the differential impact of an economic down­
turn on services as compared with the overall economy. Using quar­
terly averages from the same quarters in each year avoids some of the
problems caused by seasonality. The business cycle peak occurred
during fourth-quarter 1973. This should not affect the comparisons
being made.
" At least part of this improvement reflects roughly similar magni­
tudes of employment declines in the cyclically sensitive goods-producing sector (except for 1973-75), while the size of the employment base
has increased over time.

Work from society’s perspective
Complicating an evaluation of the youth unemployment issue is
that, from society’s perspective, working year-round, full time is not
necessarily the most desirable activity for a young person. For prime
age males, the social ordering of activities is clear; working yearround, full time is the desired role. For young people, particularly for
teenagers, being in school may be preferable, from society’s perspec­
tive, to working. To some, military service also ranks above civilian
employment. For young females, child rearing may be more favorable
than working.
— M i c h a e l L . W ä c h t e r , “The Dimensions
and Complexities of the Youth Unemployment Problem,”
in Bernard E. Anderson and Isabel V. Sawhill, eds.,
Youth Employment and Public Policy (New York, The
American Assembly, Columbia University, 1980), p. 48.

Government employment:
an era of slow growth
Since 1975, public payrolls have grown
slower than private ones, as government
created a smaller share of nonfarm jobs;
in 1950-75, States and localities raised
their percentage of the total work force,
with the Federal portion stabilizing
Jo h n T . T u c k e r

Since 1975, the growth pattern of government employ­
ment has been changing. According to data from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Current Employment Statis­
tics program, government, while showing modest job
growth at all levels, has not kept pace with job growth
in the private sector of the economy. However, in ^SO­
TS, the opposite was true. During that time, govern­
ment accounted for 1 out of every 4 new jobs in the
nonfarm economy, contributing to widespread public
belief that government, especially the Federal govern­
ment, is too large.
Particularly striking is the change in the pattern of
growth of State and local government. Although States
and localities have decreased their share of nonfarm
jobs since 1975, as has the Federal Government, they
increased their portion from 9.1 percent in 1950 to 15.5
percent in 1975. During that period, the Federal share
of nonfarm employment was relatively stable, dropping
from 4.3 percent to 3.6.

Reversal in long-term trends
The long-term trend has been for government em­
ployment to grow faster than that of the private sector
John T. Tucker is a division chief in the Office of Employment Struc­
ture and Trends, Bureau of Labor Statistics. The outlook section was
written by Valerie A. Personick, an economist in the Office of Eco­
nomic Growth and Employment Projections, Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics.


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(table 1). In 1920, government accounted for 9.5
percent of all nonfarm jobs, and this share doubled to
19.1 percent by 1975 (chart 1). Also, the upward trend
in government’s share of jobs was fairly stable over this
entire period except for the large employment bulges in
the Federal Government during both World War II and
the Korean War.
The three levels. In analyzing this long-term trend, it is
useful to view separately the trend of the three levels of
government: Federal, State, and local. The Federal
Government, for example, has exhibited a long-term de­
cline in its share of jobs, according to chart 1. After a
significant increase during the 1930’s, followed by the
rapid build-up during World War II and subsequent de­
cline, a phenomenon repeated to a lesser extent during
and after the Korean War, the Federal Government has
had a steadily decreasing portion of nonfarm jobs. Its
share of jobs dropped to 3.1 percent during the first
quarter of 1981.
The total State and local government portion of jobs
held relatively steady at about 10 percent during 193055 except for a drop during World War II and the
Korean War. During 1955-75, however, State and local
government employment increased rapidly, far out­
stripping job growth in the private sector. In 1975, its
share peaked at 15.5 percent, but since then has been
dropping slowly but steadily, and by the first quarter of

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Slow Growth in Government Employment
1981 was at 15.1 percent. (The percentage of govern­
ment jobs for 1980 is slightly exaggerated because of
the recession, when employment declined in goods-producing industries but not in services.)
Some of the employment growth at the State and lo­
cal government levels can be attributed to Federal
Government funding of programs through grants to
States and localities, for the administration of programs
such as welfare, health, education, and job training.
During fiscal year 1980, such aid amounted to $86.7
billion, almost 23 percent of State and local government
total revenues.1
States increased their share of the Nation’s govern­
ment jobs from 2.3 percent in 1955 (the earliest year
that the Bureau has separate data for States on one
hand and local government on the other), to a record
4.1 percent during 1975-77 (table 2). Since 1977, State
government’s share had remained relatively stable,
dropping slightly, to 3.9 percent by early 1981. The
number of education jobs grew rapidly during 1955-75,
by more than 1 million. This growth slowed considera­
bly during 1975-80, when only 62,000 additional jobs
were created.
Largest increase. Localities registered the largest em­
ployment growth of any government level, increasing

Table 1. Government employment relative to total
nonfarm employment, 1920-81
[Numbers in thousands]

Year

1920
1925
1930
1935

Number
of
nonfarm
jobs

Total

Federal

Number

Percent
of
nonfarm

State and local

Number

Percent
of
nonfarm

Number

Percent
of
nonfarm

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

27,340
28,766
29,409
27,039

2,603
2,800
3,148
3,481

9.5
9.7
10.7
12.9

(’ )
( 1)
526
753

( ')
(’ )
1.8
2.8

(’)
(’ )
2,622
2,728

( ')
(’ )
8.9
10.1

1940 ...........
19442 .........
1945 ...........
1950 ...........

32,361
41,864
40,374
45,197

4,202
6,043
5,944
6,026

13.0
14.4
14.7
13.3

996
2,928
2,808
1,928

3.1
7.0
7.0
4.3

3,206
3,116
3,137
4,098

9.9
7.4
7.8
9.1

19523 .........
1955 ...........
1960 ...........
1965 ...........

48,793
50,641
54,189
60,765

6,609
6,914
8,353
10,074

13.5
13.7
15.4
16.6

2,420
2,187
2,270
2,378

5.0
4.3
4.2
3.9

4,188
4,727
6,083
7,696

8.6
9.3
11.2
12.7

1970
1971
1972
1973

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

70,880
71,214
73,675
76,790

12,554
12,881
13,334
13,732

17.7
18.1
18.1
17.9

2,731
2,696
2,684
2,663

3.9
3.8
3.6
3.5

9,823
10,185
10,649
11,068

13.9
14.3
14.5
14.4

1974
1975
1976
1977

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

78,265
76,945
79,382
82,471

14,170
14,686
14,871
15,127

18.1
19.1
18.7
18.3

2,724
2,748
2,733
2,727

3.5
3.6
3.4
3.3

11,446
11,937
12,138
12,399

14.6
15.5
15.3
15.0

1978 ...........
1979 ...........
1980 ...........

86,697
89,823
90,564

15,672
15,947
16,249

18.1
17.8
17.9

2,753
2,773
2,866

3.2
3.1
3.2

12,919
13,174
13,383

14.9
14.7
14.8

1981 first
quarter . . .

90,282

16,389

18.0

2,772

3.1

13,617

15.1

’ Data not available.
2 Height of World War II.
3 Height of Korean War.

Digitized for
20 FRASER
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their share of jobs from 7 percent in 1955 to a record
11.4 percent in 1975. This translates into 5.2 million
new jobs, of which 3 million were in education. Since
1975, localities’ share of government employment has
declined, and was at 10.7 percent in early 1981. Job
growth in local education has slowed considerably in
recent years. Only 357,000 jobs were added during 1975
-80 compared to 830,000 during 1970-75 and 900,000
during 1965-70.
The decline in the rate of job growth in local educa­
tion is related to primary and secondary schools having
fewer students than before. Enrollment peaked in 1971,
has declined since then, and is projected to continue de­
clining through the mid-1980’s.2 The decline in enroll­
ment was not strong enough during 1971-75 to offset
other factors that cause educational employment to
grow, such as smaller class sizes, increases in special ed­
ucation programs, and growth in nonteaching staff. By
1975, however, the smaller enrollments began to influ­
ence overall local education employment trends.
Apparently, the growth in Federal grants that trans­
late into jobs has bolstered the number of local govern­
ment jobs during the mid and late 1970’s, when the
number might otherwise have declined, due to demo­
graphic factors and State-enacted tax limitation laws.
For example, the Public Service Employees program3
began with small Federal grants designed to provide
funds to local government, which in turn was to pro­
vide unemployed persons with meaningful work. The
program grew slowly and sporadically from its incep­
tion in 1972 until May 1977, funding between 40,000
and 370,000 additional jobs at the local level. After
May 1977, the program expanded rapidly, peaking at
more than 750,000 jobs by March 1978. Since then,
such jobs have declined, leveling at about 300,000 by
the beginning of 1981; the program is scheduled to be
phased out completely by the end of 1981. The program
required local government agencies to hire employees to
perform needed functions, which could not otherwise be
performed through existing local government revenues.
Therefore, the program’s impact on employment levels
was direct, and unless other funding sources are found,
its demise will likely mean a real loss of jobs in local
government.

State-by-State comparisons
Government employment, as a percent of nonfarm
employment, increased in nearly every State at each
5-year interval between 1950 and 1970. Between 1970
and 1975, the percentage increased in 33 States and in
the District of Columbia. Between 1975 and 1980, 42
States and the District of Columbia reported declining
percentages (table 3).
The percentage range by State varied in 1980, from
12.8 in Connecticut to 45.8 in the District of Columbia,
whose high percentage is because of the many Federal

Table 2. Trends in State and local government
employment relative to total nonfarm employment,
selected years, 1955-80
[Numbers in thousands]
State
Year

Total
number

Local

Percent of Number in
nonfarm
education

Total
number

Percent of Number in
nonfarm
education

1955
1960
1965
1970
1971

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

1,168
1,536
1,996
2,664
2,747

2.3
2.8
3.3
3.8
3.9

308
448
679
1,104
1,149

3,558
4,547
5,700
7,158
7,437

7.0
8.4
9.4
10.1
10.4

1,792
2,369
3,102
4,004
4,188

1972
1973
1974
1975
1976

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

2,859
2,923
3,039
3,179
3,273

3.9
3.8
3.9
4.1
4.1

1,188
1,205
1,267
1,323
1,371

7,790
8,146
8,407
8,758
8,865

10.6
10.6
10.7
11.4
11.2

4,363
4,537
4,692
4,834
4,899

1977
1978
1979
1980

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

3,377
3,474
3,541
3,590

4.1
4.0
3.9
4.0

1,385
1,367
1,378
1,385

9,023
9,446
9,633
9,793

10.9
10.9
10.7
10.8

4,974
5,075
5,107
5,191

agencies headquartered there. Three other States: Alas­
ka, Montana, and New Mexico, also had a noticeable
concentration (more than 25 percent) of government
jobs. If the District of Columbia and these three States
had the same share of Federal Government jobs as the
Nation as a whole, 3.1 percent, none would have gov­
ernment accounting for as much as 25 percent of total
nonfarm jobs. The four States with the lowest percent­
ages of government jobs: Connecticut, Nevada, New

Hampshire, and Rhode Island, have less than 3.1 per­
cent Federal Government jobs. But the absence of an
equal share of Federal jobs would not markedly affect
their ranking among all States, as having the lowest
percentages of government employment.
Other States with high concentrations of Federal jobs
include: Alabama, Hawaii, Maryland, Utah, and Virgin­
ia. All have 5 percent or more of their jobs in the Fed­
eral Government. The concentration of Federal jobs in
Maryland and Virginia is because of the contiguity of
those States to Washington, D.C. Both Maryland and
Virginia have counties adjacent to the Federal city, and
many Federal installations are in those suburbs. In ad­
dition, Virginia has concentrations of Federal civilian
jobs at military installations in Norfolk and Newport
News. The presence of military installations also helps
explain the high percentages of Federal jobs in Ala­
bama, Hawaii, and Utah. States with the smallest share
of Federal jobs, less than 2 percent, are: Connecticut,
Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, and Wisconsin.
State-by-State analysis indicates that in 40 States,
State and local government percentages of nonfarm jobs
range between 13 and 19.9 percent. The District of Co­
lumbia and five States: Connecticut, Nevada, New
Hampshire, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island are at the
low end of the scale, with less than 13 percent of their
jobs in State and local government. Alaska, Montana,

Chart 1. Government jobs as percentages of nonagrlcultural jobs, 1920-80
Percent
20


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21

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Slow Growth in Government Employment
New Mexico, North Dakota, and South Dakota are at
the high end with more than 20 percent of their jobs in
State and local government. In the Dakotas, this is
partly because of the greater proportion of agriculture
than exists in most States, making the number of gov­
ernment jobs, many of which serve private agriculture,
larger with respect to private nonfarm jobs. These rank­
ings cannot be explained by any single factor. The low
percentage of State and local government jobs in D.C.
is because many normally State and local functions are
performed there by Federal agencies. Population growth
rates may partially explain the variations, because 4 of
the 5 States with low percentages are in the Northeast,
which has been losing population, whereas 3 of the 5

States with the highest percentages are in the West,
which has been gaining population rapidly.

Government as a service supplier
The long-term employment trend in the United States
continues to show a growth of service producing jobs
(chart 2). Government employment is considered part
of the service-producing economy, although some gov­
ernment jobs involve activities that would be considered
goods-producing in the private sector. Although this
grouping is largely accurate, some government employ­
ment is in industries that produce goods and that are
normally in the private sector. For example, printing
operations would be classified as goods-producing when

Table 3. Percentage of nonfarm workforce employed in government, by State, selected years, 1950-80, and other trends in
government employment, 1980
[Numbers in thousands]
State and local

Federal
1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1975

1980

Total
nonfarm

Alabama .........................................................................
A laska..............................................................................
Arizona ...........................................................................
Arkansas .........................................................................
California.........................................................................
C olorado.........................................................................
Connecticut .....................................................................
Delaware.........................................................................
District of Columbia .......................................................
Florida..............................................................................

15.8
( 1)
21.4
17.3
16.6
18.7
8.6
8.8
49.6
16.9

18.5
<’ )
19.9
18.0
16.7
19.7
9.1
10.3
50.1
16.3

20.6
39.8
20.4
19.1
17.9
21.3
10.2
12.2
45.6
16.7

20.2
42.1
22.8
18.5
19.1
23.0
11.2
13.6
45.9
18.6

20.7
38.2
21.8
19.2
20.5
23.6
13.2
16.1
44.1
18.5

21.2
29.5
23.3
19.4
21.3
22.5
14.6
17.5
46.8
19.9

22.0
32.5
20.1
19.0
18.0
19.4
12.8
17.5
45.8
17.3

G eorgia...........................................................................
H aw aii..............................................................................
Idaho................................................................................
Illinois ..............................................................................
Indiana..............................................................................
Iowa ................................................................................
Kansas ............................................................................
K entucky.........................................................................
Louisiana.........................................................................
Maine ..............................................................................

15.0
(’ )
18.9
9.9
10.8
16.5
17.2
146
16.0
14.7

15.6
( ')
19.1
10.7
11.4
16.3
17.4
16.1
16.9
15.2

17.7
26.2
21.1
11.8
13.2
17.2
20.4
16.8
18.5
17.4

17.7
26.3
22.3
12.9
14.2
18.5
21.7
17.8
19.1
18.4

19.1
25.1
23.6
14.7
15.5
20.1
22.6
19.0
20.6
20.0

20.2
23.9
22.8
16.2
16.7
19.2
21.1
20.2
19.9
21.0

M aryland.........................................................................
Massachusetts................................................................
Michigan .........................................................................
Minnesota .......................................................................
Mississippi .......................................................................
Missouri............................................................................
Montana .........................................................................
Nebraska.........................................................................
Nevada ...........................................................................
New Hampshire..............................................................

13.6
11.8
10.3
14.4
20.6
12.7
19.2
19.6
20.1
11.6

14.8
12.2
10.2
14.6
20.0
13.0
19.3
20.7
16.1
10.7

15.9
13.0
14.2
15.6
21.7
14.1
23.3
21.0
18.2
12.8

17.3
13.8
14.7
17.6
21.6
15.2
25.6
22.1
18.2
13.6

22.3
14.1
16.8
17.9
22.5
17.0
26.4
21.6
18.2
14.4

New J e rs e y .....................................................................
New M exico.....................................................................
New York .......................................................................
North Carolina ................................................................
North D a ko ta ...................................................................
Ohio ................................................................................
Oklahoma .......................................................................
Oregon ...........................................................................
Pennsylvania ...................................................................
Rhode Island ...................................................................

10.3
22.1
11.7
12.0
22.4
10.7
19.2
14.6
9.3
10.7

11.1
25.4
12.4
13.0
22.7
11.0
21.2
15.7
10.6
12.5

12.0
26.9
13.6
13.7
24.8
12.7
21.6
18.7
11.7
13.7

13.1
28.7
14.7
14.1
27.6
13.6
22.7
19.4
13.0
14.6

South C arolina................................................................
South D akota...................................................................
Tennessee .......................................................................
Texas ..............................................................................
Utah ................................................................................
Vermont .........................................................................
Virginia ............................................................................
Washington .....................................................................
West Virginia ...................................................................
Wisconsin .......................................................................
W yom ing.........................................................................

13.9
23.7
14.6
15.1
23.3
14.1
17.7
19.6
11.3
11.8
19.6

15.5
24.5
14.8
15.6
24.0
14.7
18.8
20.3
12.8
11.8
21.2

16.5
27.3
15.8
17.0
23.7
16.0
18.8
20.5
14.7
13.7
22.1

16.2
30.0
16.7
17.9
26.5
16.7
19.0
21.5
17.1
15.1
26.5

State

’ Data not available.

22

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Number

Percent of
nonfarm

Number

Percent of
nonfarm

1,358
169
1,003
744
9,837
1,251
1,424
258
615
3,570

67
17
38
21
330
52
22
5
228
89

5.0
10.5
3.9
2.8
3.4
4.2
1.6
2.2
37.1
2.5

231
37
162
120
1,436
190
160
39
53
526

17.1
22.2
16.2
16.2
14.6
15.2
11.3
15.2
8.7
14.8

20.1
22.0
20.9
15.6
16.6
18.8
19.9
19.3
19.5
19.9

2,146
404
331
4,892
2,137
1,101
949
1,209
1,571
419

86
30
12
109
42
21
26
43
35
18

4.0
7.4
3.8
2.2
2.0
2.0
2.8
3.6
2.3
4.4

344
59
56
654
312
185
161
190
270
64

16.1
14.6
17.0
13.4
14.6
16.8
17.1
15.7
17.2
15.5

24.7
16.1
18.6
18.4
22.2
18.2
27.3
22.4
17.3
16.4

24.0
15.5
18.2
17.0
23.5
17.2
25.2
20.8
14.3
14.8

1,695
2,647
3,454
1,770
830
1,969
280
630
399
384

135
58
58
32
30
68
14
16
10
7

8.0
2.2
1.7
1.9
3.7
3.5
5.0
2.6
2.7
1.8

272
352
569
268
164
269
56
114
46
49

16.0
13.3
16.5
15.2
19.8
13.7
20.1
18.2
11.7
12.9

14.4
30.5
17.0
14.8
30.1
14.6
23.2
20.6
14.2
15.6

17.4
28.3
19.4
16.6
26.8
15.6
22.9
21.1
16.3
16.2

17.2
26.9
18.2
17.2
24.8
15.7
19.8
19.4
15.3
15.0

3,053
462
7,204
2,385
245
4,398
1,135
1,041
4,753
398

75
29
168
49
9
92
47
30
133
9

2.5
6.5
2.3
2.1
4.0
2.1
4.2
2.9
2.8
2.3

449
94
1,145
361
51
596
177
172
594
50

14.7
20.4
15.9
15.2
20.8
13.6
15.6
16.5
12.5
12.7

17.8
30.3
17.0
18.3
28.0
17.7
23.4
22.7
18.6
17.3
26.2

20.3
26.6
18.0
18.3
25.1
18.8
23.8
22.9
18.8
17.0
23.6

20.0
24.6
18.1
17.0
22.8
18.4
23.9
20.6
20.7
16.5
20.6

1,187
237
1,734
5,861
554
199
2,120
1,606
645
1,944
205

37
10
74
167
37
4
156
68
17
28
7

3.2
4.6
4.3
2.8
6.7
2.3
7.4
4.3
2.6
1.5
3.7

199
47
240
831
88
32
351
261
116
293
34

16.8
20.0
13.9
14.2
16.0
16.1
16.6
16.3
18.0
15.1
16.9

Chart 2. Percentages of nonagricultural jobs producing goods and services, 1920-80
Percent

1920

1930

1940

privately owned. Similarly, the Federal Government op­
erates shipbuilding and repairing facilities, employing
about 58,000 workers, that would be classified as
goods-producing if in the private sector. More than
200,000 government workers are in highway building
and repairing; water, sewer, pipeline, and power line
construction, and building alterations, which, in the pri­
vate sector, would be classified as being in construction,
a goods-producing industry.
Despite the problems of classifying all government
jobs as service-producing when a small portion would
be more correctly classified as goods-producing, it is
useful to compare the trends of government employ­
ment to those of some growth sectors in the services
portion of the economy. Three major private industry
components classified as service-producing have in­
creased their share of the Nation’s nonfarm jobs: whole­
sale and retail trade; services; and finance, insurance,
and real estate. Wholesale and retail trade increased its
share of jobs from 20.8 percent in 1955 to 22.6 percent
by early 1981. Services has risen from 12.3 percent to
20.2 percent. Finance, insurance, and real estate has ris­
en from 4.5 percent to 5.8 percent. Unlike government,
these growing services show no evidence of a slowdown
in their growth rates in recent years; they continue to
gain larger shares of the Nation’s job market (chart 3).
If government is involved in so many service-produc­

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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

1950

1960

1970

1980

ing activities shared with the private sector, why were
the employment growth trends of the two sectors dif­
ferent during 1975-80, after having decades of like
trends? Perhaps private services are more diversified
than government, whose concentrated role in education,
for example, would affect it seriously because of the de­
clining school enrollments in recent years. The private
sector also has a large education component, 1.1 million
jobs, but these represent only 6 percent of services
while education accounts for 48.8 percent of State and
local government jobs.
Private medical services including hospitals; private
physicians and dentists; and other services, such as
medical laboratories, nursing, blood banks, and nursing
convalescent homes, all continue very rapid job growth.
These services fill 5.2 million jobs, representing 29.3
percent of all service jobs. Government provides fewer
medical services, with 1.4 million hospital jobs, 32.6
percent of all government jobs. Finally, one of the
fastest growing industries— business services— is almost
exclusively in the private sector. This industry includes
janitorial, computer and data processing services,
photocopying, temporary office help, equipment rental
and leasing, and other related services. Business services
has tripled since 1960 and provided 3.1 million jobs by
early 1981. It provides services to all levels of govern­
ment as well as to the private sector.
23

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Slow Growth in Government Employment

Outlook for government jobs
Recent employment projections for the 1980’s, issued
by BLS, assume that the number of government jobs, al­
though growing, will represent a smaller share of total
nonfarm employment.4 The public sector portion is
expected to shrink from 17.9 percent in 1980 to be­
tween 15.4 and 16.3 percent by 1990. The projected de­
cline reflects demographic trends and an assumed policy
of cutbacks in the size of government programs.
Three alternative scenarios for public and private em­
ployment growth were prepared by BLS. The low-trend
version is marked by a slowdown in the rate of labor
force expansion and only moderate improvements in
prices and productivity. High-trend version I assumes
accelerated labor force growth, lower unemployment,
and much greater improvements in prices and produc­
tivity. High-trend version I assumes accelerated labor
force growth, lower unemployment, and much greater
improvements in proces and productivity. The third al­
ternative, high-trend version II, is characterized by the
rapid output growth of high-trend I, but assumes the
same labor force as the low-trend version. It also as­
sumes less government employment than do the other
two models.
In the Federal Government, civilian employment is

24


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

expected to change from 2.87 million in 1980 to 3.06
million by 1990 in the low-trend version, to 3.13 million
in high-trend I, and 2.85 million in high-trend II. In all
cases, the annual rate of change is considerably below
that projected for the private nonfarm sector. The per­
centages are:

Federal Government . .
Private..........................

Low
0.6
1.9

High I
0.9
2.7

High II
-

0.1

2.1

Within the Federal workforce, all three models show
gains in the civilian portion of defense, but the gains are
offset by cutbacks elsewhere.
Projected employment in State and local government
shows a mixed pattern. Job levels in education are
expected to remain stable through 1985 and then drop,
while employment in other areas of State and local gov­
ernment is expected to rise consistently throughout the
decade.
The path of educational employment, which is identi­
cal in all three models, mirrors the trend expected in
school enrollment. The children of the baby-boom era
will buoy demand for educational personnel at least
through the middle of the decade, but lower birth rates
will eventually lead to a decline in the number of
school-age children, and consequently in education jobs.5

Employment in public education is expected to fall to
6.41 million by 1990 from the 1980 level of 6.58 mil­
lion.
State and local jobs in noneducation functions are
expected to rise from 6.81 million in 1980 to between
8.05 and 8.16 million by 1990, but the rate of increase
does not equal that of recent decades. The slowdown
reflects assumptions of cutbacks in many government
programs in the coming years. Real grants-in-aid to
State and local governments, especially for highways
and in general revenue sharing, are assumed to decline

during the decade in all models, by 1.9 percent a year
in the low-trend version and 0.9 percent in the two
high-trend versions. In addition, net interest payments
and subsidies to government enterprises (in real terms)
are assumed to show no increase at all throughout the
projection period. Another possible factor is revenue
limitations imposed by events such as Proposition 13 in
California. As a result of all these factors combined,
State and local government is projected to decline to
between 12.7 and 13.4 percent of the nonfarm economy
by 1990, compared to 14.8 percent in 1980.
□

' E c o n o m ic R e p o r t o f th e P r e s id e n t (Washington, Superintendent of
Documents, 1981), pp 318-19.
2 P r o je c tio n s o f E d u c a tio n S ta tis tic s to 1 9 8 6 - 8 7 (National Center for
Education Statistics, 1978), p. 18.
1This was established under Titles II and VI of the Comprehensive
Employment and Training Act of 1978.

4 See Valerie A. Persomele, “The outlook for industry output and
employment through 1990,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , August 1981, pp.
28—41.


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5P r o je c tio n s o f th e P o p u la tio n o f th e U n ite d S ta te s : 1 9 7 7 to 2 0 5 0 ,
Current Population Reports, Series P-25, No. 704 (Washington, Bu­
reau of the Census, 1977).

A note on communications
The Monthly Labor Review welcomes communications that supple­
ment, challenge, or expand on research published in its pages. To be
considered for publication, communications should be factual and an­
alytical, not polemical in tone. Communications should be addressed
to the Editor-in-Chief, Monthly Labor Review, Bureau of Labor Statis­
tics, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C. 20212.

25

BLS develops measure of
job risk by occupation
New statistic relates injury incidence
and employment by occupation within economic
sectors and industry divisions; such data
should help target those workers most prone
to job-related accidents and illnesses
N

orman

R oot

and

D

eborah

S e b a s t ia n

As one might expect, blue-collar workers generally ex­
perience more job-related injuries' than white-collar em­
ployees, in both relative and absolute terms. What is
surprising, however, is the magnitude of this difference
between the two groups. A new injury index by occupa­
tion indicates that laborers had injuries at a level al­
most four times the average while operatives and
craftworkers incurred injuries at about one-and-a-half
times the norm. On the other hand, professional and
technical workers, managers and administrators, salesworkers, and clerical workers were subject to injuries at
a level about one-fourth the average. However, a num­
ber of white- and blue-collar occupations had indexes
different from those of the broad occupational group to
which they belong.
Since the inception of the Supplementary Data Sys­
tem ( s d s ) program in 1976, there has been a demand
for injury incidence rates by occupation, which are
more accurate measures of risk than simple frequencies
because they eliminate the effects of employment size.
The absence of occupational exposure data, differences
in State workers’ compensation coverage and reporting
requirements,2 and the lack of a complete universe of
States in SDS program prevented the development of
Norman Root is a division chief and Deborah Sebastian is an econo­
mist in the Office of Occupational Safety and Health Statistics, Bureau
of Labor Statistics.


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26
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

occupational incidence rates comparable to the industry
incidence rates derived from the Bureau of Labor Sta­
tistics’ Annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and
Illnesses.3
In lieu of an injury incidence rate for occupations,
the Bureau has developed an index that is a relative
measure of occupational risk based on the percent dis­
tributions of employment and injuries. Although it does
not have the precision of an incidence rate, the index
provides a valid measure of hazardousness for an occu­
pation in an industry.

Scope and method of the analysis
The 1978 work injury data for this study were
obtained from 25 States which provided current case in­
formation from their workers’ compensation records for
the Supplementary Data System.4 (A current case
involves an injury or illness which occurred or was re­
ported during the reference year.) The data are not
strictly additive because of variations in State laws re­
garding workers’ compensation coverage and reporting
requirements. The primary difference is that some States
require employers to report all work-related injuries re­
gardless of severity while other States require reports
only of injuries involving some minimum number of
days of disability, ranging from 1 to 8. Despite the re­
sulting differences in the numbers of cases among States
the percentage distributions of injuries and affected oc-

cupations are relatively consistent across the States—
patterns we have observed in 3 consecutive years of
data from nearly 30 States and statistically tested for
this analysis.5 Our observations and tests, and the geo­
graphic and industrial diversity of the States included in
this study, support our thesis that these data are repre­
sentative of the national experience.
The employment counts are from the Bureau’s 1978
National Industry Occupational-Employment Matrix,
which identifies wage-and-salary workers in the private
sector by occupation.6 The wage-and-salary worker
group corresponds most closely to the class of employee
covered under State workers’ compensation laws. Rail­
road and maritime-related occupations are excluded
from the data because they generally are not covered by
State workers’ compensation laws. Similarly, farming
and private household occupations are excluded because
of large coverage gaps in many States.
The percentage distributions of injuries and of em­
ployment by occupation for a given industrial category
are used in computing the ratio index. The formula is:
percentage of injuries accounted for by the occupation
divided by the corresponding percentage of employ­
ment. The universe totals— all injuries and all employ­
ment within the industrial category— are 100 percent
each, and yield an index of 1. An occupational index
greater than 1 indicates that the percentage of injuries is
greater than the percentage of employment in the job,
and a ratio smaller than 1 indicates the opposite. Thus,
the index measures injury experience for a worker group
against the base of 1 for all occupations in the given in­
dustry division or sector.
Because absolute numbers are not used, the discrete
indexes are valid only within each industrial category.
For example, an index of 4.11 for laborers in manufac­
turing does not mean that these workers are more than
twice as likely to have injuries than laborers in con­
struction with an index of 1.78. Construction as a
whole has a higher injury incidence rate than that for
manufacturing, but because the total index for each of
these industry divisions is equal to 1, the indexes of
component occupations do not reflect general differ­
ences in risk between the divisions. In other words, a
job with an index of 1 has an incidence rate equal to
that of the industrial category in which it is located; an
index of 4 would indicate that the occupation is experi­
encing work injuries at a level four times the rate for
the overall category.
To be included in this analysis, the unweighted mean
percentage of injuries for an occupation had to be 0.25
or greater. Additionally, the occupation had to account
for at least 0.1 percent of weighted injuries and 0.1 per­
cent of employment. (State injury data were weighted
by their respective total employments.) Standard devia­
tions on the weighted mean percentages were used to

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eliminate those occupations with overly wide disper­
sions. Because there was not a complete universe of
States, the study was further restricted to those occupa­
tions showing the strongest similarity of injury and em­
ployment distributions among the 25 States for which
data were available.7

Private sector patterns
Application of the ratio index procedure to data for
the private nonfarm sector provides additional evidence
that the number of injuries alone is not indicative of the
relative hazardousness of an occupation. For example,
“all other clerical workers” accounted for 3 percent of
all injuries in 1978, but their injury index 0.17 was onesixth of the private industry base of 1. On the other
hand, shipping and receiving clerks, who recorded 0.80
percent of all injuries, had an index of 1.21— one-fifth
higher than the private sector base. (See table 1.)
As previously indicated, blue-collar workers generally
experienced more job-related injuries than white-collar
employees. Blue-collar workers— craftworkers, opera­
tives, and laborers— made up 40 percent of employ­
ment but accounted for 77 percent of the injuries.
Conversely, white-collar employees— professionals and
technicians, managers, salesworkers, and clerical work­
ers— made up 48 percent of employment but accounted
for only 12 percent of the injuries. (The corresponding
proportions for service workers were 12 and 11 percent,
respectively.) Some blue-collar workers experienced in­
juries up to 18 times more frequently than white-collar
workers, underscoring the more hazardous characteris­
tics of blue-collar jobs.
Members of the major white-collar groups in the pri­
vate sector generally experienced injuries about onefourth as often as all workers. Shipping clerks and stock
clerks within the clerical category were the most nota­
ble exceptions to this rule, with indexes of 1.21 and
1.13, respectively. Among the major blue-collar occupa­
tional groups, nonfarm laborers had the highest index
(3.70), followed by transport equipment operators
(2.09); operatives, except transport (1.79); and craftworkers (1.40).
Indexes for more specific blue-collar occupations
ranged widely— from 0.79 for blue-collar supervisors to
9.95 for warehouse laborers. The following (“all other”
categories are not considered) had indexes of 2 or more:
carpenters, millwrights, roofers and slaters, sheetmetal
workers, structural metal craftworkers, assemblers, meat
cutters and butchers, welders and flame cutters, ma­
chine operatives, truckdrivers, construction laborers,
freight and material handlers, and warehouse laborers.
Blue-collar groups with indexes ranging from 1.5 to less
than 2 included: mechanics and repairers, plumbers and
pipefitters, press operators and plate printers, cutting
and miscellaneous operatives, delivery and route drivers,
27

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • New Measure o f Job Risk

Table 1.

Occupational injury ratio indexes for the private nonagricultural sector, 1978
Occupations1

All occupations ............................................

Weighted
percent
injuries

Percent
employment

Ratio
index2

100.00

100.00

1.00

Professional, technical, and kindred w orkers...........
Registered nurses.................................................
Engineering and science technicians....................
All o th e r................................................................

2.37
.53
.38
1.46

11.04
1.08
1.15
8.81

.21
3.49
.33
.17

Managers and administrators, except f a r m .............
Restaurant, bar managers....................................
Sales managers and department heads, retail . . .
All o th e r.................................................................

2.91
.29
.48
2.14

10.41
.60
.49
9.32

.28
3.48
3.98
.23

Salesworkers............................................................

2.11

7.47

.28

Clerical and kindred w o rkers....................................
Shipping, receiving clerks ...................................
Stock clerks, storekeepers .................................
All o th e r.................................................................

4.59
.80
.72
3.07

19.31
.66
.64
18.01

.24
31.21
31.13
.17

Craft and kindred w orkers........................................
Carpenters and apprentices.................................
Electricians and apprentices.................................
Electric power line and cable Installers and
repa.rers............................................................
Excavating, grading, and road machine operators
(except bulldozer) .............................................
Blue-collar supervisors, n.e.c.................................
Machinists and apprentices .................................
Mechanics and repairers......................................
Automobile body repairers...............................
Automobile mechanics and apprentices...........
Heavy equipment mechanics ...........................
All o th e r ............................................................
Millwrights ............................................................
Painters, construction or maintenance..................
Plumbers, pipefitters, and apprentices..................

20.76
2.70
.92

14.88
1.34
.72

1.40
2.01
1.28

.22

.16

31.38

.34
1.76
.94
6.52
.29
1.70
1.54
2.99
.36
.45
.91

.28
2.23
.67
3.97
.22
1.20
1.30
1.25
.14
.42
.51

31.21
.79
1.40
1.64
1.32
1.42
31.18
2.39
3 2.57
1.07
1.78

Occupations1

Weighted
percent
injuries

Press operators, plate printers, and apprentices ..
Roofers, slaters .....................................................
Sheetmetal workers and apprentices....................
Structural metal craftworkers ...............................
All other ................................................................

.36
.41
.56
.39
3.92

.23
.13
.20
.11
3.77

1.57
33.15
2.80
3 3.55
1.04

Operatives, except transport......................................
Assemblers ............................................................
Cutting operatives, n.e.c...........................................
Garage workers, gas station attendants...............
Meat cutters, butchers, except manufacturing . . . .
Packers, and wrappers, except r e ta il....................
Welders and flame cutters ...................................
Machine operatives, miscellaneous specified . . . .
Miscellaneous operatives ......................................
All other ................................................................

27.35
3.51
.63
.73
.60
1.13
2.11
4.82
2.73
11.09

15.31
1.70
.38
.60
.27
.98
.92
2.12
1.64
6.70

1.79
3 2.06
31.66
31.22
2.22
31.15
2.29
3 2.27
31.66
1.66

Transport equipment operatives ...............................
Delivery and route drivers......................................
Forklift, tow motor operators.................................
Truckdrivers............................................................
All other ................................................................

8.61
1.44
.94
5.75
.48

4.12
.81
.52
2.32
.47

2.09
1.78
1.81
2.48
1.02

Laborers, except farm ...............................................
Construction la borers............................................
Freight, material handlers ......................................
Stock handlers........................................................
Warehouse laborers, n.e.c.......................................
All other ................................................................

20.29
2.59
2.92
1.99
1.99
10.80

5.49
.98
1.11
1.30
.20
1.90

3.70
3 2.64
2.63
31.53
9.95
5.68

Service workers, except private household...............
Cleaning service workers ......................................
Food service w o rkers............................................
Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants...............
Practical n u rs e s.....................................................
Guards and watchmen ..........................................
All other ................................................................

10.98
2.36
5.00
1.79
.35
.40
1.08

11.99
2.63
5.43
1.03
.55
.57
1.78

.92
.90
.92
1.74
.64
.70
.61 dn

Percent
employment

Ratio
index2

1Excludes data for agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; private households; and the public sec­
tor.
2The indexes are derived from the following formula: percent injuries divided by percent em­
ployment. Injury and illness data are the mean percents from 25 States weighted for their
respective employments. Employment data are percents of private wage-and-salary workers
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 1978 National Industry Occupational-Employment Matrix.
An index was considered publishable only if data for the occupation met the following criteria:

- The weighted mean percent of injuries was 0.1 or greater.
- Occupational employment was 0.1 or more of the total.
- The standard deviation of the injury mean was 0.5 or less, except as specified in foot­
note 3.

- Injury and illness data for the occupation were available from five or more States.
mean percentage of injuries was 0.25 or greater.

n.e.c.=not elsewhere classified

forklift operators, and stock handlers.
Indexes for the service industries were generally
somewhat below the all occupation base of 1, with the
exception of that for nursing aides (1.74).8
The indexes for the major occupational groups indi­
cate that pay is not always commensurate with risk, as
is commonly thought. The largest index is for laborers,
a group of workers generally at the lower end of the
wage scale. These jobs usually involve much manual la­
bor subjecting workers to hazards such as handling
heavy objects for which there are no safety standards,
and for which experience alone teaches injury avoid­
ance. For example, strains and sprains account for 25
percent of injuries to all craft workers, but for about 35
percent of the injuries to freight handlers and ware­
house laborers. Furthermore, laborer occupations are
generally entry jobs for inexperienced or untrained
workers. Other studies have found short duration of
employment to be strongly correlated with occupational
injury. About 40 percent of all work-related injuries oc­
cur among workers in their first year on the job.
28

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3 Indicates a standard deviation of unweighted mean percentage of injuries of between 0.25
and 1.75.

High risk jobs by industry division
Injury indexes by occupation were also developed for
each of eight major industry divisions within the private
nonfarm sector: mining; construction; manufacturing;
transportation and public utilities; wholesale trade; re­
tail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and ser­
vices. (See table 2.) The following discussion presents
the salient results of that analysis.
Some occupations had higher-than-average indexes
across three or more of the industry divisions. Notable
blue-collar occupations in this category included: car­
penters, mechanics and repairers, plumbers and
pipefitters, welders and flame cutters, delivery and route
drivers, forklift operators, truckdrivers, material han­
dlers, stock handlers, vehicle cleaners, and warehouse
laborers. Among white-collar workers, stock clerks
tended to have higher-than-average indexes, as did
cleaning service and food service workers among the
service employee group.

Within individual industry divisions, the high-risk oc­
cupations (that is, those with indexes of 1.2 or more,
compared to the division base of 1) were:

Construction— carpenters; glaziers; millwrights; sheetmetal workers; structural metal craftworkers; and con­
struction laborers.

Mining— mechanics and repairers; mine operatives;
welders and flame cutters; and vehicle and equipment
cleaners.

Manufacturing— metal molders; sheetmetal workers; as­
semblers; grinding machine operators; welders and
flame cutters; delivery and route drivers; forklift and

Table 2.

Selected occupational injury ratio indexes1by industry division, 1978
Occupations2

Mining

Construction

Manufacturing

Transportation
and public
utilities

Wholesale
trade

Retail
trade

Finance,
insurance, and
real estate

Services

All occupations ........................................................

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

1.00

Professional, technical and kindred workers ......................

3.10

3.20

.11

4.24

4.20

3.24

4.40

.43

Managers and administrators, except f a r m ........................

3.14

4.18

.16

.15

.20

.58

.62

.43

Salesworkers.......................................................................

3.13

3.35

3.17

4.26

.26

.47

4.35

.55

Clerical and kindred w o rkers...............................................
Shipping, receiving clerks ...............................................
Stock clerks, storekeepers ............................................

.09
-

.09
-

4.22
4.99
4.58

3.28
41.10

.24
.91
4.86

.48
1.69
42.17

.62

.24

-

Craft and kindred workers...................................................
Carpenters and apprentices............................................
Electricians and apprentices............................................
Blue-collar supervisors, n.e.c.............................................
G laziers...........................................................................
Machinists and apprentices ............................................
Mechanics and repairers.................................................
Auto body repairers.....................................................
Household appliance and accessory installers...........
Millwrights .......................................................................
Molders, metal and apprentices......................................
Painters, construction, maintenance and apprentices . . .
Plumbers, pipefitters and apprentices.............................
Sheetmetal workers and apprentices .............................
Structural metal craftworkers..........................................

.92

1.03
1.20
.84
.97
42.00
1.03
-

.87

.83

1.48
41.87

8.78
49.80

.74
.45
-

4.51
.49

1.65
4 2.61
-

.67

4.94
.

4 4.96

2.16
41.94
42.19
42.35

-

4.65
4.54

41.47
-

Operatives, except tran sport...............................................
Asbestos and insulation workers ...................................
Assemblers .....................................................................
Cutting operatives, n.e.c....................................................
Garage workers, gas station attendants ........................
Laundry, dry cleaning operatives, n.e.c.............................
Meat cutters, butchers, except manufacturing ...............
Mine operatives, n.e.c........................................................
Packers, wrappers, except retail ....................................
Grinding machine operatives ..........................................
Welders and flame cutters...............................................

41.42
41.46

Transport equipment operatives..........................................
Delivery and route drivers ...............................................
Forklift, tow motor operatives..........................................
Truckdrivers.....................................................................

41.45
41.18

Laborers, except fa rm ..........................................................
Construction laborers, except carpenters’ h e lp e rs.........
Freight, material handlers ...............................................
Garbage collectors ..........................................................
Gardeners, groundskeepers, except f a r m ......................
Stock handlers................................................................
Vehicle and equipment cleaners......................................
Warehouse laborers, n.e.c.................................................

4 3.12
-

Service workers, except private household........................
Cleaning service workers.................................................
Food service workers .....................................................
Nursing aides, orderlies, attendants ...............................

1.49
-

42.00
4.38

42.79
.57
1.14
1.84
41.83
1.11
41.16
4.73
.97

1.01
1.78
1.43
41.00
-

4.57

•

’ The indexes are derived from the following formula: percent injuries divided by percent
employment. Injury and illness data are the mean percents from 25 States weighted for their
respective employments. Employment data are percents of private wage-and-salary workers
from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 1978 National Industry Occupational-Employment Matrix.
An index was considered publishable only if data for the occupation met the following criteria:
-Injury data were available from five or more States.
-T he unweighted mean percentage of injuries was 0.25 or greater. (Except for major occu­
pational groups.)
-T he weighted mean percentage of Injuries was 0.1 or greater. (Except for major occupa­
tional groups.)
-Occupational employment was 0.1 or more of the total.


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1.51
-

41.80
1.92

-

42.23
4.94
41.62

.

1.31

41.83
.
.

41.40
41.18
.
-

.
.
.

-

1.74
.
.

1.79

1.74
4 4.76
2.10

2.28
41.72
1.71
2.86

2.29
41.37
4 3.77
3.45

47.41
.
.

4.11

3.09
3.58
48.16

4.41
49.50
41.67
.
.

2.87

14.20

4 3.08
.
.

41.47
41.21
9.29

41.80
41.33
415.59

41.12
.

1.11
1.16
1.11

410.35

.98
1.17
-

31.62
.70

.

-

-

.

2.81

1.49
41.34
1.21
1.87

5.38

-

41.45

41.89
41.49

41.81
-

42.04
4 2.56

2.21

4.90
41.88
1.74

-

2.30
41.88
4 2.33
.

.
.
-

.
.
.

4 5.73
_
.
-

1.87
.

1.77

.
1.97
1.98
4 2.16
.

41.57

-

-

-

.96
1.18

•

1.00

-

-

_
3.70
4.03
.
47.68
3.58
6.90

410.38

4.82
41.65
41.18

3.92
43.69

1.65
1.31
2.32
3.18

-T he standard deviation of the injury means was 0.5 or less, except as specified In footnote
4.
2 Excludes data for agriculture, forestry, and fisheries; private households; and the public sec­
tor.
3 Indicates a standard deviation of mean percent injuries greater than 1.75. (Only shown for
major occupational groups.)
4 Indicates a standard deviation of mean of percent injuries between 0.25 and 1.75.
N ote :

Dashes indicate data not available, or data which did not meet publication criteria.

n.e.c.= not elsewhere classified.

29

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • New Measure o f Job Risk
tow motor operators; truckdrivers; freight and material
handlers; and warehouse laborers.
Transportation and public utilities— mechanics and re­
pairers; packers and wrappers; welders and flame cut­
ters; delivery and route drivers; freight and material
handlers; garbage collectors; and warehouse laborers.
Wholesale trade— carpenters; machinists; mechanics and
repairers; plumbers and pipefitters; delivery and route
drivers; forklift operators; and several nonfarm laborer
jobs.
Retail trade— shipping and receiving clerks; stock
clerks; carpenters; automobile and household appliance
mechanics and repairers; gas station attendants; meat
cutters and butchers; delivery and route drivers; forklift
operators; truckdrivers; freight and material handlers;
vehicle cleaners; and warehouse laborers.
Finance, insurance, and real estate— carpenters; bluecollar supervisors; mechanics and repairers; painters;
gardeners and groundskeepers; and cleaning service and
food service workers.
Services—-stock clerks; carpenters; electricians; blue-col­
lar supervisors; mechanics and repairers; painters;

plumbers and pipefitters; laundry and dry-cleaning op­
eratives; delivery and route drivers; truckdrivers; freight
and material handlers; stock handlers; cleaning service
and food service workers; and nursing aides and order­
lies.
A few of these occupations show markedly high in­
dexes— 10 to 14 times the averages for the industry
divisions in which they are found. In addition to the in­
herent danger associated with some jobs, two other fac­
tors can account for these very high indexes. First, if
the injury incidence rate for the industry division is low,
a hazardous occupation will have a much higher index
relative to the industry division base of 1 than it would
when located in a division with a high injury rate. This
would explain why painters appear on the list of highrisk jobs for finance, insurance, and real estate, but not
for construction.
The second factor is associated with the nature of the
data used to derive the rates, and high turnover in some
jobs. A single job characterized by high turnover may
have several workers employed in it throughout the
year. More than one of these employees could experi­
ence work-related injuries, but the average annual em­
ployment for that job would be one worker. Thus,
while the job is counted only once, each injury to any
of its incumbents would be reported separately.9
□

FOOTNOTES

' Hereafter, the term injury will also encompass illnesses. The single
term is used for brevity.
2For a discussion of differences in State coverage and reporting re­
quirements, see Norman Root and David McCaffrey, “Providing
more information on work injuries and illnesses,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e ­
view , April 1978, pp. 16-21.
' A summary of the incidence rate calculation for the Annual Sur­
vey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses is provided in O c c u p a tio n a l
S a f e ty a n d H e a lth S ta tistic s : C o n c ep ts a n d M e th o d s, Report 518 (Bu­
reau of Labor Statistics, 1978).
4The data are from the following States: Alaska, California, Colora­
do, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,
Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey,
New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont,
Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
5The Cramer’s V measure of association of .076 indicates that the
frequencies of injuries are similar in the 25 States for the nine occupa­
tional groups. Thus, the work injury and illness data of the 25 States
were combined for use in the computation of the indexes. For a de­
scription of this test of statistical significance see S ta tis tic a l P a c k a g e
f o r th e S o c ia l S c ie n c e s (S P S S ) M a n u a l (New York, McGraw-Hill, Inc.,
1975), pp. 224-25.

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6A description of this data source is available in N a tio n a l 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 tr ix , 1970, 1978, a n d P r o je c te d 1 9 9 0 , Bul­
letin 2086 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1981). Occupations in the ma­
trix and in the Supplementary Data System (SDS) are coded
according to the 1970 Bureau of Census Alphabetical Index of Indus­
tries and Occupations. Publishable occupational employment data by
State are not available from the matrix.
7Standard deviations were computed on the percent distributions of
each occupation in each State to measure their dispersion from the
mean. Occupations with standard deviations either greater than 1.75
or less than 0.25 times the mean value of the occupation were exclud­
ed from this analysis, except as noted.
8The reader is reminded that the occupations appearing in tables 1
and 2 are not the only ones with high indexes. Excluded from this
analysis are occupations which did not meet size and dispersion crite­
ria for publication.
“ High turnover in specific jobs, of course, means short duration of
employment, which is strongly correlated with occupational injuries.
For a more complete discussion of this relationship, see Norman Root
and Michael Hoefer, “The first work-injury data available from new
BLS study,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , January 1979, pp. 76-80.

The effects of shift work
on the lives of employees
About 1 in 6 employees works other
than regular days schedules, but data
are scarce on how workers are affected;
incomes may rise, but fam ily routine,
social life, and health often suffer
P e t e r F in n

At least 10 million Americans are regularly engaged in
shift work. According to data from the Current Popula­
tion Survey,1 which almost surely underestimates the
prevalence of shift work,2 nearly one worker in six was
employed full time in 1978 during hours that differ
from typical daytime schedules. There were 4.9 million
nonfarm wage and salary workers on the evening shift,
2.1 million on the night shift, and 2.8 million on miscel­
laneous shifts.
The term “shift work” means different things to dif­
ferent people. Shift work is popularly regarded as work
in which employees “shift” schedules on some regular
basis from daytime to evening or nighttime. Many re­
searchers define shift work as employment in which two
or more groups of employees work at different times of
a 17-hour or 24-hour time span, including a so-called
“day” shift. Most discussions consider shift work to be
any employment that regularly occurs between 7 p.m.
and 7 a.m., the definition used in this study.
For a significant proportion of these employees,
working after-dark hours may not only reduce satisfac­
tion with their jobs but may also create troublesome
problems for their health, family life, social activity, and
Peter Finn is a senior research analyst at Abt Associates, Inc., Cam­
bridge,
Mass.

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on-the-job safety. However, shift work provides unique
benefits for many employees as well as proving advanta­
geous in many ways for industry and for society at
large. It is important for government policymakers,
business leaders, and shift workers themselves to be­
come familiar with the major effects that working eve­
nings and nights may have on employees and their
families, in order to consider ways to modify the fea­
tures that are deleterious, while retaining or enhancing
those that are beneficial. This study summarizes what is
currently known about these effects, with principal at­
tention focused on the harmful consequences that call
for amelioration.
Most of the information in this article comes from
original research studies of shift work from both inside
and outside the United States. Secondary sources have
also been examined. Anecdotal evidence from these
sources about the personal experiences of shift workers
and their spouses and children has been used to provide
understanding of what the data mean in human terms.
There is limited evidence regarding many of the ef­
fects of evening and night work on employees. Further­
more, many of the data that have been reported are
contradictory. A major American study of shift work
concluded, “We have here the unhappy picture of a
group of men doing something for their daily bread
31

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Effects o f Shift Work on Employees
which they would prefer not to do if they had the op­
portunity to start over again.” Yet an investigation of
600 English shift workers determined that “for subjec­
tive well-being in both its somatic and psychological as­
pects, shift work can in general probably hardly be
called a problem.” 3 These and similar conflicting re­
search results represent in large measure a failure to
control for numerous variables that may influence em­
ployee attitudes toward evening and night work includ­
ing type of shift and work, job prestige, workplace
amenities, age and marital status of shift workers and
number and age of their children, neighborhood atti­
tudes toward evening and night work, and the preva­
lence of night work in the community.4 Despite this and
other limitations in the research to date, there are a
number of consistent findings regarding the advantages
and drawbacks of shift work.

Benefits
Some jobseekers accept shift work simply because
there are not enough daytime jobs available.5 For these
individuals, evening and night work provides a unique
source of gainful employment. Shift work’s most allur­
ing feature, however, appears to be its wage differential.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these shift
premiums average 10 cents an hour for the evening shift
and 13 cents for the night shift.6
Shift work also enables workers to increase their in­
come by moonlighting on daytime jobs. One study
found that shift workers who did not wish to change
shifts cited as their overriding reason the opportunity to
hold a second job their current schedules provided.
Significantly, 23 percent of night workers and 19 per­
cent of evening workers held second jobs compared
with 11 percent of daytime employees.7
Shift work provides another financial incentive rarely
mentioned in the literature but frequently observed by
the author. Although it has been pointed out that “the
rapid expansion of service employment has . . . created
many opportunities for part-time or intermittent work
for young people whose main activity is pursuing their
education,”8 what has gone unnoticed is that many of
these service jobs are during evening or night, enabling
students to take courses during the day. Many security
guards and nurse’s aides, for example, use evening and
night jobs to work their way through school and, not
coincidentally, to provide a quiet environment in which
they can spend some of their paid hours studying.
Shift work provides a number of nonpecuniary ad­
vantages for some workers. Working evenings or nights
allows employees more free time during the day and, in
the case of rotating shift work, to accumulate several
days off in a row on a regular basis. Some workers en­
joy a variety of rotating shifts, while others appreciate
being able to remove themselves from unwanted family
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situations or responsibilities. The comaraderie and sense
of loyalty that is a feature of certain evening or night­
time occupations can be a satisfying substitute for or
addition to normal social and family life.9
Many shift workers have less tension and a more re­
laxed pace on the night shift than during the day be­
cause of less supervision or fewer interruptions from
clerical or management personnel. Finally, shift work
accommodates “night owls,” who function poorly in the
morning and best during evening or night.10

Drawbacks
The attractions of shift work are considerable for
many individuals. But the benefits must be weighed by
shift workers and policymakers alike against the draw­
backs that affect the health, interpersonal relationships,
leisure time activities, and perhaps the safety of a large
proportion of shift workers. The central feature of shift
work that creates dissatisfaction for many evening and
night workers is that it puts them “out of rhythm ” with
their minds and bodies, families and social lives, and
routines of the rest of the community.
Health. There is a well-documented circadian (24-hour)
rhythm that governs many of the major biological func­
tions of the human body. Disturbance of these cycles is
responsible for several of the most upsetting physical
and emotional problems evening and night workers ex­
perience. Diurnal rhythms control pulse, blood pres­
sure, the cardio-pulmonary system, blood composition,
endocrine secretions, appetite, elimination, and the
wake-sleep cycle.11 Shift work, of necessity, interrupts
these processes and requires that they occur at times for
which the body is not genetically programmed or envi­
ronmentally conditioned for them.
There is disagreement over the extent to which the
body, over time, can adapt to changes in these rhythms.
Although several studies have found rhythmic adjust­
ments to a new work schedule may occur within four
days to two weeks,12 several considerations suggest that
such ready adaptation may not be commonplace. A
significant minority of shift workers, for unknown rea­
sons, never significantly adjust, biologically, to the al­
terations imposed on their normal body cycles. In
addition, most evening and night employees in the
United States are on rotating shifts. The continuous al­
teration of day and evening; or day, evening, and night
work, seriously diminishes or entirely precludes adjust­
ment of bodily rhythms. Furthermore, any adaptation
that may be achieved even among fixed shift workers is
repeatedly undermined by days off, holidays, vacations,
and sick leave, when employees revert to normal living
schedules.13 Not surprisingly then, problems related to
sleep, appetite, and digestion are the most common and
persistent complaints for many shift workers.

Particularly widespread among shift workers is insuf­
ficient or poor quality sleep resulting from trouble fall­
ing asleep, waking during sleep, and waking up early.
Although many of these difficulties are from disruptions
in the body’s normal diurnal sleep rhythms, sleep dur­
ing daytime is also often disturbed by excessive and un­
avoidable light and heat, and by noises from children,
housework, telephone calls, and street traffic. “ Have
you ever gone home in the morning after a night’s
work,” one shift worker asked rhetorically, “when the
sun is shining and a bed awaits you with the blinds
tightly drawn to keep out the light— are you going to
sleep?” 14 Sleep can also be unsettled by over-fatigue,
restlessness, and tension. As she began preparing dinner
at midnight for her husband who was coming home
from the evening shift at a local factory, a woman ob­
served, “It always takes a couple of hours to calm him
down, We never get to bed before 4.” 15
Lack of adequate sleep and poor quality sleep have
been implicated in a number of adverse health and safe­
ty consequences, including physical disorders, nervous
problems, and deficits in mental and psychomotor per­
formance which can lead to on-the-job accidents. Fa­
tigue is the most commonly encountered and upsetting
reaction shift workers experience from sleep deprivation.
This is particularly true of night and rotating shift
workers. The latter are often required to work emergen­
cy overtime without notice, an added burden on an al­
ready tiring schedule. Fatigue can have a number of
harmful consequences besides those for health, includ­
ing impaired ability to participate in family and social
life during the hours when a shift worker is not at
work.16
Loss of appetite and irregular eating habits are a
common occurrence among shift workers that may lead
to weight loss as well as nutritional deficiency. “One
week you have dinner at 4 p.m.; the next week you have
it at 11:30 p.m. You don’t feel like anything at 11
o’clock at night,” a rotating shift worker commented.17
Shift workers also experience more digestive problems.
Forty-three percent of 150 shift workers in one study
reported taking some form of medication for digestive
problems.18 There is conflicting evidence regarding
whether shift workers have higher rates of stomach dis­
orders, including ulcers, colitis, and gastritis, than do
day workers.19
There is also little agreement regarding the pervasive­
ness or severity of shift work’s impact on employees’
emotional well-being. However, some shift workers re­
port feeling guilty at not being able to spend time with
their families due to conflicting schedules or fatigue
when they are at home.20 Shift workers may also feel
disparaged because of the social stigma toward shift
work that appears to be prevalent in many countries.
One study found that nonsupervisory night workers in a

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state mental hospital and an electronics plant attributed
less prestige to their own jobs than did day workers do­
ing the same job. The daytime workers in another plant
regarded the company’s night workers as “odd.”21
Family. Shift workers experience more family-related
problems than do daytime employees because of the
lack of synchrony between their hours on the job and
their families’ daily routines. The most serious family
disturbance is that many people who work evenings and
nights are less able to spend time with their children,
especially small children who go to bed early, than are
employees who work during the day.22
The time shift workers have to spend with their
spouses can also be severely curtailed by hours of work,
because a shift worker’s wife or husband who works
during the day or not at all is often awake at precisely
those times when the shift worker must sleep. Spouses
who wish to spend time with a mate who works during
the evening or night usually have to alter their patterns
of sleep, mealtime, and recreation to accommodate the
shift worker’s atypical schedule.
The time that shift workers spend with their families
may prove less satisfying than it could be because the
worker’s fatigue from poor sleep or lack of sleep can
prevent normal social activity. An interstate rig opera­
tor commented that the wife of a long-distance trucker
“can’t even count on her husband to attend a gradua­
tion, a communion, any kind of social function. He’s
usually so darn tired that he’d much rather be home
sleeping than getting ready to go out Sunday night.”
Families may have difficulty just keeping track of the
schedule of a shift worker in the family and knowing
when the worker will be available for meals, social ac­
tivities, or special events. Many wives of shift workers
have also reported being frightened staying home alone
at night without a man available to afford a feeling of
protection. Sexual activity is still another aspect of fam­
ily life that is sometimes disrupted by shift work.23
Curiously, there is little difference among evening,
night, and day workers regarding frequency of visits
with relatives outside the immediate family.
Social life. Evening and night work does not appear to
interfere significantly with how often shift workers visit
friends, but it does deprive at least some shift workers
of extensive friendships. “Sometimes at 11 o’clock at
night I feel sorry for myself,” a junior foreman on a ro­
tating shift related. “If you work shift work, you don’t
have any friends. They don’t know whether you are
sleeping or working . . . . You have an invite out and
find you are working on the evening shift and you can’t
go.” The wife of an air trafflic controller reported that
her husband’s shifts, which change weekly, made it dif­
ficult for her to plan anything in advance. “We have to
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M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Effects o f Shift Work on Employees
have friends who are in the same boat as we are.” Also,
shift workers participate in fewer voluntary organiza­
tions than daytime workers. The same junior foreman
complained, “The school PTA meets and stuff like that
goes on in the evenings and I . . . can’t go.”24
Safety. Although disagreement and lack of evidence pre­
dominate regarding the effects of evening and night
work on employee safety, there are sound physiological
grounds for presuming an increased rate of accidents at
night based on laboratory studies of efficiency and er­
rors related to circadian rhythms. Laboratory studies of
speed, reaction time, and accuracy show demonstrable
deficiency after the evening hours begin. Biologists say
it is no coincidence that the human errors which led to
the nuclear energy accident at Three Mile Island oc­
curred at 4 a.m. by workers who had been changing
shifts every week.25 Some studies also report that work­
ers on night shifts make more mistakes than day shift
employees and that this is particularly true for rotating
shift workers. By contrast, one investigation of occupa­
tional safety concluded that “there are no more acci­
dents at night than there are during the day,” and

' See Janice Neipert Hedges and Edward S. Sekscenski, “Workers
on late shifts in a changing economy,” M o n th ly L a b o r R ev ie w , Sep­
tember 1979, pp. 14-22.
2The Current Population Survey provides information only on the
starting and ending times for full-time workers in its sample popula­
tion. As a result, the survey omits dual jobholders who work an eve­
ning or night shift on a second job, shift workers who are employed
fewer than 35 hours a week, and most importantly, employees who
are on the day segment of a rotating shift during the reference week
of the survey. Given these limitations, the figure of 10 million shift
workers in the country underestimates their actual prevalence to an
unknown but probably considerable extent. See “Workers on late
shifts . . . ” pp. 14-22, and Donald L. Tasto and Michael J. Colligan,
S h if t W o rk P r a c tic e s in th e U n ite d S ta te s (Washington, The National
Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, 1977). Another estimate
places the percentage of shift workers at over one-fourth the entire na­
tional work force. See Phyllis Lehmann, “The National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health: Expanding the Frontiers of Knowl­
edge,” in Judson MacLaury, ed., P r o te c tin g P e o p le a t W o rk (Washing­
ton, U.S. Department of Labor, 1980).
1See Floyd C. Mann and L. Richard Hoffman, A u to m a tio n a n d th e
(New York, Henry Holt and Co., 1960) and J. M. Dirken,
“Industrial Shift Work: Decrease in Well-Being and Specific Effects,”
E rg o n o m ic s, March 1966, pp. 115-24.
W o rk e r

4The influence of community attitudes and work schedules in the
occupational and off-the-job satisfaction of shift workers has been
convincingly documented in Randall B. Dunham, C o m m u n ity S tr u c ­
tu r e a n d th e E x p e r ie n c e s o f S h ift W orkers, prepared for the U.S. De­
partment of Labor, Employment and Training Administration,
(Springfield, Va., National Technical Information Service, 1979).
5See John D. Owen, W o rk in g H o u rs: A n E c o n o m ic A n a ly s is (Lexing­
ton, Mass., D.C. Heath and Co., 1979), p. 65, William Grossin, L e
T r a v a il e t le T e m p s (Paris, Editions Anthropos, 1969), and Alan P.
Henry, “Our New Pioneers,” T h e B o sto n G lobe, June 15, 1979.
6 See Charles M. O’Connor, “Late-shift employment in the manu­
facturing industries,” M o n th ly L a b o r R ev ie w , November 1970, pp. 3742, and S h ift W o rk P r a c tic e s . . . p. C-2. Shift premiums, however,

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another study found that only the rate of serious acci­
dents is higher at night. A study of three factories with
rotating shift workers showed no statistically significant
differences in the accident rates between day and night
workers, but the authors pointed to possible con­
founding of the data because night workers are usually
less inclined to seek medical aid for minor injuries.26
O n l y a p a r t i a l p i c t u r e of the effects of shift work
on employees can be drawn with the information cur­
rently available. Clearly, additional research is needed.
Furthermore, any decisions about how to enhance the
positive features and eliminate the harmful aspects of
shift work must reflect the significant advantages eve­
ning and night work provides to industry and to society
at large. Nonetheless, the evidence that shift work ap­
pears to impair the health, domestic life, and social ac­
tivities of millions of workers and their families
indicates that more effort needs to be devoted now by
government, industry, organized labor, the local com­
munity, and shift workers themselves toward ameliorat­
ing these widespread, harmful consequences of evening
and nightime employment.
□

have tended to rise less than the general wage rates over the last sev­
eral years. See “Workers on late shifts . . . ,” p. 17. Furthermore, it
may be that only those shift workers with little experience or educa­
tion earn more than daytime workers of similar qualifications while
among those with higher levels of experience and education, daytime
employees may receive the higher wage. See W o rk in g H o u r s . . . p. 87.
For evidence documenting the appeal of wage differentials, see W o rk ­
in g H o u r s . . . p. 64, Mann and Hoffman, A u to m a tio n a n d th e W o rk er,
pp. 136-37, James H. Downie, S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p lic a tio n s
o f S h if t W o rk (London, Industrial Welfare Society, Robert Hyde
House, 1963), Marc Maurice, S h if t W o rk (Washington, International
Labor Office, 1975), p. 68, and Paul E. Mott, Floyd C. Mann, Quin
McLoughlin, and Donald P. Werwick, S h if t W o rk : T h e S o cia l, P sy ch o ­
lo g ic a l a n d P h y s ic a l C o n seq u en ce s (Ann Arbor, University of Michigan
Press, 1965).
7
Shift Work: T h e . . . C o n seq u en ces, pp. 24, 318. The moonlighting
opportunities shift work provides are discussed in Maurice, S h if t
W o rk , p. 68, S h if t W o rk : T h e C o n seq u en ces, pp. 304—05, 310, and J.
Carpentier and P. Cazamian, N ig h t W o rk (Washington, International
Labor Office, 1977).
*Eli Ginzberg, G o o d Jobs, B a d Jobs, N o J o b s (Cambridge, Mass.,
Harvard University Press, 1979), p. 17.
' On free time, see Maurice, S h if t W ork, pp. 66-67, A. A. I.
Wedderburn, “Social Factors in Satisfaction with Swiftly Rotating
Shifts,” O c c u p a tio n a l P sy ch o lo g y , 1967, pp. 85-107. On consecutive
days off, see, for example, “Social Factors . . . ,” in N ig h t W o rk , p.
309, and S h if t W o rk : T h e . . . C o n seq u en ces, pp. 309, 312. On the
stimulation of rotating shifts, see “Social Factors in Satisfaction . . . ”
On removal from the family, see Jadwiga Wojtczak-Jaroszowa, P h ysio ­
lo g ic a l a n d P s y c h o lo g ic a l A sp e c ts o f N ig h t a n d S h if t W o rk (Washing­
ton, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1977), p. 43. On camaraderie,
see S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p lic a tio n s . . . , pp. 8, 10, Joan
Aldous, “Occupational Characteristics and Males Role Performance
in the Family,” J o u r n a l o f M a r r ia g e a n d th e F a m ily , November 1969,
pp. 707-12, Rosabeth Moss Kanter, S o c ia l S c ie n c e F ro n tie rs (New
York, Russell Sage Foundation, 1977), p. 33, and Seymour Martin
Lipset, James Coleman, and Martin Trow, U n ion D e m o c r a c y (New
York, The Free Press, 1956), pp. 136-39.

10On night shift pace, see N ig h t W ork, p. 52, U n ion D e m o c r a c y , p.
139, S h if t W ork, p. 63, and Gwynneth De La Mare and J. Walker,
“Factors Influencing the Choice of Shift Rotation,” O c c u p a tio n a l P s y ­
c h o lo gy, January 1968, pp. 1-21. On “night owls,” see N ig h t W ork, p.
35, S h if t W ork, p. 62, and Torbjorn Akerstedt, “Shift Work and
Health— Interdisciplinary Aspects,” in U.S. Department of Health,
Education, and Welfare, S h ift W ork, a n d H e a lth : A S y m p o s iu m
(Washington, D.C., U.S. Government Printing Office, 1976), pp. 179—
197.
" N ig h t W ork, p. 14, S h ift W o rk : T h e . .
Maurice S h if t W ork, p. 48, P s y sio lo g ic a l a n d
pp. 3-12.

pp. 9-10,
.. .,

p. 312,
. . . , p. 7, and W.P.
Colquhoun, “Circadian Phythms, Mental Efficiency, and Shift Work,”
E rg o n o m ic s, September 1970, pp. 558-60.
'S h ift

W ork,

P s y sio lo g ic a l

and

p. 25,

. C on sequ en ces,

P s y c h o lo g ic a l A sp e c ts

S h ift

W ork: T h e . . . C on sequ en ces,

P s y c h o lo g ic a l

A s p e c ts

“Circadian Rhythms . . . , pp. 558-60, S h ift W ork, p. 45, S h if t
pp. 280, 312, N ig h t W ork, p. 17, J. H.
Van Loon, “Diurnal Body Temperature Curves in Shift Workers,” E r ­
g o n o m ics, June 1963, pp. 267-73, and S. Wyatt and R. Marriott,
“Night Work and Shift Changes,” B ritish J o u r n a l o f I n d u s tr ia l M e d i­
cine, July 1953, pp. 164-72.
W o rk : . . . T h e C on sequ en ces,

14S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p lic a tio n s . . . p. 18. On the preva­
lence and nature of sleep disturbances, see S h ift W ork, p. 44,
A u to m a tio n a n d th e W orker, pp. 107, 114-15, S h if t W ork: T h e . . .
C o n seq u en ces, pp. 10, 290, 300, N ig h t W ork, pp. 22-24, Harry
Levinson, Charlton R. Price, Kenneth J. Munden, Harold J. Mandl,
and Charles M. Solley, M en , M a n a g e m e n t, a n d M e n ta l H e a lth (Cam­
bridge, Mass., Harvard University Press, 1962), and Donald L. Tasto,
Michael J. Colligan, Eric W. Skjei, and Susan J. Polly, H e a lth C o n se­
q u e n c e s o f S h ift W o rk (Cincinnati, Ohio, National Institute of Occupa­
tional Safety and Health, 1977).
See Barbara Garson, A l l th e L iv e lo n g D a y : T h e M e a n in g a n d
D e m e a n in g o f R o u tin e W o rk (New York, Penguin Books, 1977), pp.
92-93.
16On the effects of inadequate sleep on health see N ig h t W ork, p.
18, S h ift W ork, p. 46, P h y s io lo g ic a l a n d P s y c h o lo g ic a l A sp e c ts . . . , p.
41. On fatigue, see S h ift W ork: T h e . . . C on sequ en ces, p. 300, P h y s io ­
lo g ic a l a n d P s y c h o lo g ic a l A sp e c ts . . . , p. 41, N ig h t W ork, p. 24, S h ift
W ork, p. 67, and Wyatt and Marriott, “Night Work and Shift Chang­
es.” On the imposition of sudden, mandatory overtime, see S o m e S o ­
c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p lic a tio n s . . . , p. 6, A l l th e L iv e lo n g D a y . . . ,
pp. 92-93, “Social Factors in Satisfaction . . . ” For fatigue’s effects
on safety, see S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p lic a tio n s . . . , p. 17. For
the effects of fatigue on family life, see footnote 23. Curiously, after­
noon shift workers have been known to complain that they may get
too much sleep, since they can usually retire before midnight and
need not get up again until the following afternoon, See, for example,
S h if t W ork: T h e . . . C o n sequ en ces, p. 305. In one study of two eve­
ning worker groups, 32 out of 49 workers in one sample and 44 out
of 54 workers in the other sample got nine or more hours of continu­
ous sleep a night. See J. Walker, “Frequent Alternation of Shifts on
Continuous Work,” O c c u p a tio n a l P sych o lo g y, October 1966, pp. 215—
25.
17 S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p lic a tio n s . . . , p. 11.
See “Night Work and Shift Changes.” See also, A u to m a tio n a n d
th e W orker, pp. 107, n. 4, 114-15, S h ift W ork: T h e . . . C on seq u en ces,
pp. 236, 300. H e a lth C o n seq u en ce s o f S h ift W ork, p. 8.


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"See, for example, S h if t W o rk : T h e . . . C o n seq u en ces, p. 301, S h if t
p. 44, A u to m a tio n a n d th e W o rk er, p. 120, “Night Work and
Shift Changes,” H e a lth C o n seq u en ce s o f S h if t W ork, p. 9, and “Shift
Work and Health— Interdisciplinary Aspects,” p. 181.
20 S h if t W o rk : T h e . . . C o n seq u en ces, p. 290, M en , M a n a g e m e n t, a n d
M e n ta l H e a lth , p. 108, and A1 Nash, “Job Satisfaction: A Critique,”
in B. J. Widick, ed., A u to W o rk a n d I ts D is c o n te n ts (Baltimore, Md.,
The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1977), p. 79.
1See Ronald H. Bohr and Arnold B. Swertloff, “Work Shift, Occu­
pational Status, and the Perception of Job Prestige,” J o u r n a l o f A p ­
p lie d P sy ch o lo g y , June 1969, pp. 227-29 and “Factors Influencing the
Choice . . . ” For a discussion of the stigma against shift work, see
Henry, “Our New Pioneers” and J. D. McDonald, “The Social and
Psychological Aspects of Night Shift Work,” unpublished Ph.D. the­
sis, University of Birmingham (England), 1958, cited in David Brown,
“Shift Work: A Survey of the Sociological Implications of Studies of
Male Shiftworkers,” J o u r n a l o f O c c u p a tio n a l P sych o lo g y, December
1975, pp. 231-40.
W o rk ,

22 See Joseph L. Kearns, S tr e ss in I n d u s tr y (London, Priory Press
Ltd., 1973), p. 63. See also M en , M a n a g e m e n t, a n d M e n ta l H e a lth , p.
108, “Job Satisfaction: A Critique,” p. 79, H e a lth C o n seq u en ce s o f
S h if t W ork, pp. 12-15, S h if t W o rk , p. 52, U n ion D e m o c r a c y , p. 137,
A u to m a tio n a n d th e W o rk er, p. 121, S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p li­
c a tio n s . . . , p. 15, and Chaya S. Piotrkowski, W o rk a n d th e F a m ily
S y s te m (New York, the Free Press, 1979), p. 69.
21The truck driver is quoted in Studs Terkel, W o rk in g (New York,
Avon Books, 1975), p. 285. On the effects of shift worker fatigue on
family life, see S h if t W o rk : T h e . . . C o n seq u en ces, p. 288. Wives’ fear
of being alone at home is discussed in S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m ­
p lic a tio n s . . . , p. 13, “Factors Influencing the Choice . . . , ” “Shift
Work and the Shorter Workweek,” in Clyde E. Dankert, Floyd C.
Mann, and Herbert R. Northrup, eds., H o u r s o f W o rk (New York,
Harper and Row, 1965), p. 119 and A S u r v e y o f th e S o c io lo g ic a l I m p li­
ca tio n s, pp. 231-40. Shift work’s effects on sexual activity are de­
scribed in S h if t W o rk : T h e . . . C o n seq u en ces, pp. 19, 95, 111-12.
24The quotations are from M en , M a n a g e m e n t, a n d M e n ta l H e a lth ,
p. 107, and “A Traffic Controller’s Life and Death Job,” T h e B o sto n
G lobe, April 12, 1981. See also S h if t W o rk : T h e . . . C o n seq u en ces, pp.
181 and 299, S h if t W ork, p. 55, A u to m a tio n a n d th e W o rk er, p. 124,
S o m e S o c ia l a n d I n d u s tr ia l I m p lic a tio n s . . . , p. 7, U n io n D e m o c r a c y ,
p. 137, and Martin Reiser, “Stress, Distress, and Adaptation in Police
Work,” in William H. Kroes and Joseph J. Hurrell, Jr., eds., J o b
S tr e ss a n d th e P o lice O fficer: I d e n tif y in g S tr e ss R e d u c tio n T ech n iq u es,

proceedings of a symposium, Cincinnati, Ohio, May 8-9, 1975, U.S.
Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (Washington, U.S.
Government Printing Office, 1975), pp. 19-20.
5On laboratory studies of efficiency and errors, see “Circadian
Rhythm . . . ,” pp. 558-60, W. P. Colquhoun, “Accidents, Injuries
and Shift Work,” in S h if t W o rk a n d H e a lth , U.S. Department of
Health, Education, and Welfare (Washington, D.C., U.S. Government
Printing Office, 1976), pp. 160-97, and P h y s io lo g ic a l a n d P s y c h o lo g ic a l
A sp e c ts . . . , p. 27. The biologists’ comments on the Three Mile Is­
land accident are cited in Dianne Hales, “Temperature Pills,” F a m ily
H e a lth , September 1980, p. 9. Studies of on-the-job mistakes are re­
ported in H e a lth C o n seq u en ce s o f S h if t W ork, pp. 10, 75.
6 Evidence that fails to confirm a relationship between shift work
and job safety may be found in “Accidents, Injuries and Shift Work,”
N ig h t W ork, p. 25, and “Night Work and Shift Changes.”

35

Research
Summaries

a

Marital and family patterns
of the labor force

B e v e r l y L. Jo h n s o n

and

E l iz a b e t h W a l d m

an

Married persons continue to dominate the work force,
but their share has been declining steadily. From March
1970 to March 1980, the proportion fell from 69 to 61
percent, while the share who had never married or were
divorced rose from 24 to 33 percent. (See table 1.)
This gradual change in the marital composition of the
labor force reflects several of the decade’s major demo­
graphic and social developments. For example, half of
the more than 20-million increase in the labor force
during the decade was among persons 25 to 34 years
old, who now account for more than 1 of every 4 work­
ers. Many of these workers, born during the post-World
War II “baby boom,” tended either to postpone mar­
riage or not to marry. Those who did marry were more
than twice as likely to become divorced than were
workers of a similar age 10 years ago. As a result, only
65 percent of workers 25 to 34 in March 1980, were
m arried— down from 79 percent a decade earlier. (See
table 2.)
This information is based on data obtained each
March as part of a monthly sample survey of U.S.
households.1 Other selected findings include the decline
in the rate of labor force participation among husbands,
the record-high levels of participation among wives, es­
pecially those with young children, and the consequent
increase in the number of multiearner families.
Husbands. Continuing a long-term trend, the proportion
of all husbands in the labor force declined from 87 per­
cent in 1970 to 81 percent in 1980.2This decrease, how­
ever, did not occur among husbands under age 55 —
more than 90 percent of whom were working or looking
for work throughout the decade. For husbands aged 55
to 64, the participation rate dropped from 86 to 75 per­
cent. This decline coincided with the increased availabil­
ity of early retirement benefits and a broadening of the
Beverly L. Johnson is a social science research analyst, and Elizabeth
Waldman is a senior economist in the Office of Current Employment
Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics.


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eligibility regulations covering work-related disability
payments.3 The participation rate for men 65 years and
older also dropped— from about 30 to 22 percent. A
good deal of this reduction was attributable to general
improvements in retirement income, including private
pensions, social security, and asset income. In addition,
both age groups suffered some degree of market-related
age discrimination.4
Wives. The number of married women (husband pres­
ent) in the labor force rose by nearly 6 million over the
1970’s — the largest increase for wives in any decade in
U.S. history. By March 1980, 24.4 million wives— half
of all wives 16 years and over— were working or
looking for work. Through age 54, well over half of the
wives were in the labor force, with the proportion mov­
ing past the 60-percent mark for those aged 20 to 24
and 35 to 44. Labor force participation rates for women
55 to 64 and 65 and over were essentially unchanged
over the decade, averaging 36 and 7 1/2 percent, re­
spectively. Thus the decade’s changes in social security
and private pension benefits could have had only a min­
imal effect on the participation rates of older wives. The
main reason for the limited effect is that the older wom­
en were considerably more likely than older men to
have had interruptions in their work lives and to have
worked part time or part year— conditions that reduce
pension coverage. Even when covered under social secuTable 1. Changes in civilian labor force, by sex and
marital status, March 1970, 1979, and 1980

Marital status and sex

Both sexes, total:
Number (in thousands).
Percent ......................

March
1970

March
1979

March
1980

Change from March
1970 to 1980
Number
(thousands)

Percent

82,058
100.0

101,579
100.0

103,339
100.0

21,281

Men, total ...........
Never married ...............
Married, wife present. . . .
Married, wife absent . . . .
Widowed ........................
Divorced ........................

61.7
11.4
46.8
1.3
0.8
1.4

57.7
14.7
38.2
1.6
0.6
2.7

57.5
14.6
37.7
1.6
0.5
3.0

8,767
5,778
597
601
-120
1,912

41.2
27.2
2.8
2.8
-0.6
9.0

Women, total . . . .
Never married ................
Married, husband present
Married, husband absent .
Widowed ........................
Divorced ........................

38.3
8.5
22.6
1.8
3.1
2.3

42.3
10.8
23.5
1.8
2.3
3.9

42.5
10.6
23.7
1.8
2.3
4.2

12,514
3,925
5,922
443
-196
2,421

58.8
18.4
27.8
2.1
-0.9
11.4

N ote :

100.0

Data for March 1980 are revised and may differ from those published previously.

Table 2. Labor force participation of men and women 2534 years old, by marital status, March 1970 and March 1980

Table 4. Number of earners in families during 1969 and
1979, by type of family in March 1970 and March 1980

[Numbers in thousands]

[Numbers in thousands]

Marital status
and sex

March 1970

1980

1970

Labor force
Labor force
Labor force
participa­
participa­
Number Percent
Percent
tion rate
tion rate

Total age
25-34 . . .

17,394

100.0

70.0

27,923

100.0

80.1

Men, total .............

11,605

66.7

95.2

16,106

57.7

95.0

Never married . . . .
Married, wife
p re se n t.............
Married, wife
absent...............
Widowed................
Divorced................

1,546

8.9

86.4

3,729

13.4

88.7

9,565

55.0

98.3

10,770

38.6

97.4

226
11
257

1.3

536
19
1,052

1.9

( ')
1.5

66.9
( 2)
82.1

(’ )
3.8

94.2
<2)
94.3

5,789

33.3

45.7

11,817

42.3

66.0

Women, to ta l.........
Never married . . . .
Married, husband
p re se n t.............
Married, husband
absent................
Widowed................
D ivorced...............

873

5.0

80.8

2,320

8.3

84.2

4,104

23.6

39.7

7,296

26.1

59.3

327
28
458

1.9
0.2
2.6

53.6

644
90
1,467

2.3
0.3
5.3

66.0
66.4
84.0

( 2)
79.7

rity, the great majority of older retired wives receive
their husbands higher benefits rather than their own.5
About 13.4 million or 54 percent of all wives with
children under 18 were in the labor force in March
1980. Although the mothers of school age children re­
main much more likely to be in the work force (62 per­
cent) than those with children under 6 (45 percent), the
proportion of mothers with preschoolers has risen a
dramatic 15 percentage points since 1970. (See table 3.)
Another notable change was the reversal in the
longstanding relationship between the participation
rates of the mothers and those of wives without chil­
dren under 18 in the home.
Prior to the late 1960’s and early 1970’s, the wives
without children under 18 had a considerably higher
participation rate than the mothers. In 1960, for exam­
ple, their rate was 35 percent compared with only 28

Table 3. Labor force participation rates of married
women, 16 years and over, by presence and age of
children, March 1960, 1970, 1975, and 1980________
March
Wives
1960

1970

1975

1980

30.5

40.8

44.4

50.2

.........

34.7

42.2

43.9

46.1

With children under 18 years:
Total ......................................
Youngest 6 to 17 ye a rs.........
Youngest under 6 years . . . .

27.6
39.0
18.6

39.7
49.2
30.3

44.9
52.3
36.6

54.2
61.8
45.0

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

No children under 18 years

N ote :

Number

Percent

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

51,237

100.0

58,774

100.0

Husband-wife families, to ta l....................
No earners......................................
1 earner ..........................................
Husband only ........................
Wife o n ly .................................
Other relative o n ly ..................
2 earners or m o re ...........................
Husband and wife ..................
Husband and other, not wife ..
Husband non-earner .............

44,436
3,022
16,268
15,133
797
339
25,145
20,327
4,517
302

100.0
6.8
36.6
34.1
1.8
.8
56.6
45.7
10.2
.7

48,199
5,420
13,598
11,667
1,463
468
29,180
25,148
3,448
585

100.0
11.2
28.2
24.2
3.0
1.0
60.5
52.2
7.2
1.2

Other families, total ...............................

6,812

Maintained by women,1 total .........
No earners .............................
1 earner .................................
2 earners or more ..................

5,573
1,194
2,468
1,911

100.0
21.4
44.2
34.3

8,834
2,041
4,290
2,503

100.0
23.1
48.6
28.3

Maintained by men,1 total .............
No earners .............................
1 earner .................................
2 earners or more ..................

1,239
121
520
598

100.0
9.7
41.9
48.2

1,742
219
778
745

100.0
12.6
44.7
42.8

Labor force as percent of population.


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Total

10,576

N ote : Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals. Data for
March 1980 are revised and may differ from those published previously.

Data for 1980 are revised and may differ from those published previously.

Wives, total

Percent

11ncludes divorced, separated, widowed, or never-married persons.

1Less than 0.05 percent.
2 Rate not shown where base is less than 75,000.
N ote :

Number

Labor force
Number

March 1980

Characteristic

percent for the mothers. Although the participation rate
for both groups kept rising, the pace was much faster
for the mothers. By the mid-1970’s, the mothers’ rate
was only 1 percentage point lower than that for the
other group; by 1980, the relationship had reversed and
mothers were much more likely to be the labor force
participants.

Multiearner families
Annual increases in the number and proportions of
working wives were almost entirely responsible for the
rising number of multiearner families. By March 1980,
29.2 million married-couple families reported that at
least two family members were earners during the previ­
ous year. Since 1970, this number has increased by
about 4 million. (See table 4.) Multiearner families now
account for 61 percent of all married couples, and most
of the time, both the husband and wife are earners.
About two-thirds of the wives in multiearner families
worked 40 weeks or more during the year, mostly full
time. Median earnings for all wives were about $6,300
in 1979, or $10,200 if they worked year round, full
time. For families in which both the husband and wife
were earners, median income in 1979 was $25,300, com­
pared with $18,900 where the husband was the only
earner.
□
--------- F O O T N O T E S ---------1This report is the latest from an annual series based primarily on
information from supplementary questions in the March 1980 Current
Population Survey. The most recent report on this subject, containing
37

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Research Summaries
data for March 1979, was published in the M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w ,
April 1980, pp. 48-52, and reprinted as Special Labor Force Report
237.
The data in this report relate to the noninstitutional population 16
years and over, including those male members of the Armed Forces
living off post or with their families on post (855,000 in March 1980).
Sampling variability may be relatively large in cases where numbers
are small, and small differences between estimates or percentages
should be interpreted with caution. See tables 1-3, pp. A -6 and A-7,
Special Labor Force Report 237.
For 1970 to 1979 data, see H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r S ta tistic s , Bulletin
2070 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1980), pp. 108-12.
See Philip L. Rones, Older men — the choice between work and
retirement, M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , November 1978, pp. 3-10; and
William V. Deutermann, Jr., Another look at working-age men who
are not in the labor force, M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , June 1977, pp. 914.
4
Ibid. Also see Philip L. Rones, The retirement decision: a question
of opportunity? M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , November 1980, pp. 14-17.
' See S o c ia l S e c u r ity a n d th e C h a n g in g R o le s o f M e n a n d W o m en ,
U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare), February 1979
pp. 1-7 and p. 11.

Investment for productivity growth
subject of new congressional study
Productivity growth— the increase in goods and ser­
vices produced per hour of work— slowed to a crawl in
the United States during the 1970’s. At the direction of
the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives,
the U.S. Congressional Budget Office undertook a study
of the causes of, and possible remedies for, this critical
economic problem. Salient conclusions from the study
were published in a formal report earlier this year.1
One focus of the project was the stock of physical
capital (land, plant, and equipment) per worker as a de­
terminant of labor productivity. The following discus­
sion, which was excerpted from the complete report,
compares trends in capital formation and productivity
over the last three decades, and examines the factors
which encourage business fixed investment.

Capital formation
The relationship between capital investment, or capi­
tal formation, and gains in productivity has been the
subject of considerable study. This research has pro­
duced substantially different estimates of the contribu­
tion made by capital to productivity growth.2 Using a
combination of gross and net measures of the capital
stock, Edward F. Denison has estimated that increases
in the amount of capital per worker contributed about
0.34 percentage point to the annual growth in national
income per worker in the nonresidential business sector
during the 1948-78 period. In contrast, J. R.
Norsworthy, Michael J. Harper, and Kent Kunze have
calculated that increases in the net capital stock per
manhour accounted for roughly 0.67 percentage point
Digitized for38
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of the average annual growth in output per manhour in
the private business sector, during the same period. Still
others such as Peter K. Clark have arrived at different
estimates, based on somewhat different measures of cap­
ital, labor, and output.3
Despite the conceptual and methodological differ­
ences among these studies of the contribution made by
capital to productivity growth, it is clear that they all
attribute a significant role to capital accumulation. It is
also apparent that the estimated contribution of capital
has declined substantially in recent years, although
there is some disagreement about when the decline be­
gan.
Variations over time in the contribution of capital to
labor productivity growth primarily reflect changes in
the growth rate of the capital-labor ratio. Differences in
the way capital and labor are measured lead to different
estimates of when the growth in this ratio began to de­
cline. Most estimates agree that, while capital and labor
in the nonfarm, nonresidential business sector both
grew more slowly during the 1973-78 period, the slow­
down in the rate of capital formation was more pro­
nounced, and hence growth of the capital-labor ratio
was retarded. Whether or not slower growth in the cap­
ital-labor ratio began earlier (in the 1965-1973 period)
depends on how labor is measured. During that earlier
period, the growth of both capital and labor accelerat­
ed, but the number of hours worked grew substantially
slower than the number of full-time and part-time em­
ployees. As a result, the growth of the capital-hours ra­
tio accelerated, while the growth of the capitalemployment ratio slowed. Those who measure labor in
terms of hours worked (such as Norsworthy, Harper,
and Kunze) thus conclude that the contribution of capi­
tal to labor productivity did not begin to decline until
the 1973-78 period.4 In contrast, those such as Denison,
who measure labor in terms of the number of employ­
ees, report that the contribution of capital began to de­
cline earlier. From a policymaking viewpoint, however,
the issue of when capital formation began to contribute
less to productivity is not as important as the observa­
tion that its contribution has diminished.

Determinants of investment
Increases in the capital stock are made through in­
vestment. The average of annual growth rates of all
major components of real gross fixed investment de­
clined between 1966-73 and 1974-79. The largest de­
cline was in residential investment, a category especially
sensitive to business cycles. Of particular importance to
the productivity issue, however, is nonresidential invest­
ment. Its average rate fell from 4.2 percent in 1966—
1973 to 2.4 percent in 1974-79. Within the nonresi­
dential category, the average of annual growth rates for
equipment investment fell by 2.6 percentage points,

while that of structures declined by 0.5 percentage
point.
The fraction of gross national product ( g n p ) devoted
to investment declined to 13.8 percent during the 197479 period, but the ratio of equipment investment to
GNP rose to 6.8 percent— the highest ratio observed for
the periods discussed here. Equipment investment
accounted for 49 percent of gross investment during
this period, compared to a 23 percent share for
nonresidential structures and a 28 percent share for resi­
dential investment. Between 1949-65 and 1974-79, the
ratio of equipment investment to total fixed investment
increased by 11 percentage points, while the comparable
ratios for nonresidential structures and residential in­
vestment declined by 4.2 percentage points and 6.8 per­
centage points, respectively.
What are the major influences determining business
fixed investment? The determinants of investment have
been the subject of many studies. They are thought to
include both nonfinancial factors, such as changes in the
demand for goods and services and the rate of capacity
utilization, and financial considerations, such as the rate
of return on capital investments and the cost and avail­
ability of funds.
Although there is general agreement about the impor­
tance of the nonfinancial factors, there is considerable
debate among economists about the magnitude of the
financial influences. The issue is an empirical one that
has not yet been resolved. The weight of the evidence,
however, indicates that financial considerations do have
a significant effect on business investment. Therefore,
policy measures that reduce the cost of capital would
likely be effective in stimulating productivity growth.
General agreement about the importance of non­
financial factors for business investment decisions sug­
gests that, during periods of economic slack, policies to
promote capital accumulation might best be concentrat­
ed on returning the economy to high levels of produc­
tion. In general, investment subsidies are not considered
to be the most effective stabilization tools. Increased
Federal purchases and personal tax cuts generally have
larger and quicker impacts on output and employment.
As the economy approaches high levels of unemploy­
ment, however, such policies tend to contribute more to
inflation and less to real growth in demand. As a result,
the positive impact on investment dissipates, and may
even become negative.
Policies to raise the capital intensity of production at
high-employment levels of output (or at constant levels
of resource utilization) must include measures that re­
duce the cost of capital. In the absence of sufficient for­
eign sources of financing, however, the success of such
policies requires either a decrease in the proportion of
private saving devoted to residential investment or an
increase in the national rate of savings.5 Without such

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changes in the rate or composition of saving, interest
rates are likely to rise and offset the effect of investment
incentives on the overall level of business investment.6
The composition of investment, however, is likely to
change in favor of the specific types of investment being
subsidized.

Tax incentives
A variety of investment tax incentives can be used to
stimulate capital formation. These include: reducing
corporate tax rates, raising the existing investment tax
credit, and increasing depreciation deductions either by
indexing them to the rate of inflation or by shortening
depreciation periods. While all these tax changes tend
to stimulate investment by reducing the cost of capital,
their impact on different forms of investment can vary.
This is an important consideration, because policies to
stimulate capital formation will not achieve the maxi­
mum effect on productivity if they divert some capital
resources away from their most productive uses, by arti­
ficially raising the profitability of some investments rela­
tive to other, more productive ones. In some cases,
there may be good reasons for favoring some forms of
investment over others, but the biases of particular in­
vestment subsidies should be intentional rather than in­
advertent.
The corporate income tax has a nonneutral influence
on investment decisions. It is biased against corpora­
tions relative to unincorporated businesses, and favors
debt financing over equity financing. The main reasons
for these results are that corporate income is subject to
“double taxation” (once at the corporate level and
again at the stockholder level when paid out in divi­
dends), and that interest costs are deductible whereas
dividend payments are not.
A flat-rate investment tax credit of the type now
available for most equipment purchases lowers the effec­
tive tax rate proportionately more for short-lived than
for long-lived investment.7 Thus, it encourages invest­
ment in industries such as construction and m otor vehi­
cle manufacturing, which are heavy users of short-lived
equipment, relative to industries such as primary met­
als, communications, and utilities. Also, the current in­
vestment tax credit favors investment in equipment
rather than in structures, since the latter does not quali­
fyThe distorting effects of the investment tax credit are
offset somewhat by the lack of an inflation adjustment
for depreciation deductions. The use of historical cost
depreciation discourages investment in general, but has
a relatively greater impact on short-lived investments. A
simplified explanation for this is that the average annual
effect of inflation on depreciation costs (a factor affect­
ing the rate of return) is greater for assets with relative­
ly short useful lives.8
□
39

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Research Summaries
--------- F O O T N O T E S ---------1See T h e P r o d u c tiv ity P r o b le m : A lte r n a tiv e s f o r A c tio n (U.S. Con­
gressional Budget Office, 1981).
2The contribution of capital formation to productivity growth gen­
erally is calculated as the percentage change in the capital-labor ratio
weighted by the share of output or income attributable to capital.
Quantitative estimates of the contribution can differ because of alter­
native approaches to the measurement of capital, labor, and output.
' Edward F. Denison, A c c o u n tin g f o r S lo w e r E c o n o m ic G ro w th
(Brookings Institution, 1979); J. R. Norsworthy, Michael J. Harper,
and Kent Kunze, “The Slowdown in Productivity Growth: Analysis
of Some Contributing Factors,” in B ro o k in g s P a p e r s on E c o n o m ic A c ­
tiv ity (1979:2), pp. 387-421; and Peter K. Clark, “Capital Formation
and the Recent Productivity Slowdown,” T h e J o u r n a l o f F in an ce, vol.
33, no. 3 (June 1978), pp. 965-75.
4Although hours worked is the measure employed by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics to calculate labor productivity, its use can result in
movements of the capital-labor ratio that may not be related to labor
productivity. As noted by Clark, a decline in the average workweek
during the 1965-73 period caused hours to grow sufficiently less than
employment so that the growth of capital per hour worked actually
increased, even though the growth in the capital-employment ratio
declined. Yet, a decrease in average weekly hours represents a less
intensive use of available capital rather than a move to a more capi­
tal-intensive production process. See Peter K. Clark, “Issues in the
Analysis of Capital Formation and Productivity Growth,” in
B ro o k in g s P a p e r s on E c o n o m ic A c tiv ity (1979:2), pp. 423-31.
5 National saving includes personal saving, business saving (retained
earnings and capital consumption allowances), and government
surpluses. The rate of saving in this discussion is the ratio of national
saving to high-employment GNP.
6 Policies that stimulate foreign investment in the United States can,
however, raise the investment-output ratio without a corresponding
rise in the national saving rate at full employment, provided such in­
vestment is financed abroad.
7An intuitive explanation is that the average yearly value of a cred­
it equal to x dollars is greater for short-lived investments than for
long-lived investments. The nonneutral character of the current invest­
ment tax credit and other investment subsidies is discussed more fully
in Jane G. Gravelle, D e p re c ia tio n P o lic y O ption s, Congressional Re­
search Service, Report No. 80-182E (October 10, 1980). See also Jane
G. Gravelle, T h e C a p ita l C o st R e c o v e r y S y s te m a n d th e C o rp o r a te I n ­
c o m e T a x , Congressional Research Service, Report No. 79-230E (N o­
vember 26, 1979).
8Consider two different $100 investments with useful lives of 1 year
and 2 years, respectively. Assuming straight-line depreciation and an
annual inflation rate of 10 percent, the average annual impact of infla­
tion on depreciation costs would be $10 for the 1-year asset and $7.75
for the 2-year asset.

Cost of living indexes
for Americans living abroad
The U.S. Department of State has prepared new indexes
of living costs abroad for 21 major foreign cities. The
changes in the indexes range from declines of 20 percent
for Brussels and 8 to 13 percent for six other European
cities— Vienna, Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, Madrid, and
The Hague— to increases of 5 to 8 percent for Mexico
City, Buenos Aires, and Tel Aviv, and 17 percent for
Manila. The changes in the indexes for the other 10 cit­
ies were no more than 3 percent, however. The periods
between price survey dates were 4 months for Johannes­

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burg, 1-1/2 to 2 years for New Delhi, Manila, and Sin­
gapore, and 8 to 14 months for the other cities.
The indexes of living costs abroad are used to com­
pute post allowances for Americans assigned to foreign
posts where living costs, based on an American pattern
of living, are higher than in Washington, D.C. The in­
dexes compare the cost in dollars of representative
goods and services, excluding housing and education,
purchased at foreign posts and in Washington, D.C.
Changes in the indexes reflect both relative changes in
the prices of goods and services between survey dates
and changes in foreign currency exchange rates. Table 1
presents indexes of living costs abroad for 30 cities.
The declines in the local indexes for the seven Euro­
pean cities reflect the improvement in the U.S. dollar
exchange rate versus the European currencies, because
(except for Frankfurt) local prices paid by Americans
actually rose more than prices in Washington, D.C.
Prices increased 15 percent more in Madrid, 9 to 12
percent more in Paris, Rome, and The Hague, 6 percent
more in Brussels, and 3 percent more in Vienna. In
Frankfurt, prices paid by Americans rose at the same
rate as in Washington, D.C. However, the dollar gained
about 15 percent versus the Austrian and German

Table 1. Indexes of living costs abroad, excluding
housing and education, July 1981
[Washington, D.C. = 100]

Country and city

Survey
date

Monetary
unit

Rate of
exchange
per
U.S. dollar

Local
Index

2232
0.8626
15.0
0.3774
37.0

164
123
141
138
126

Argentina: Buenos A ire s ...........
Australia: Canberra ..................
Austria: Vienna...........................
Bahrain: Manama......................
Belgium: Brussels......................

Feb. 1981
Jan. 1981
Feb. 1981
Nov. 1980
Apr. 1981

Peso
Dollar
Shilling
Dinar
Franc

Brazil: Sao P a u lo ......................
Canada: O ttaw a........................
China: Beijing.............................
France: P a ris .............................
Germany: Frankfurt ..................

Oct. 1980
Nov. 1980
July 1980
Mar. 1981
Feb. 1981

Cruzeiro
Dollar
Yuan
Franc
Mark

58.3
1.18
1.46
4.80
2.00

96
103
96
153
138

Hong Kong: Hong Kong ...........
India: New D e lhi........................
Israel: Tel A v iv ...........................
Italy: Rome ...............................
Japan: T okyo.............................

Apr. 1981
Mar. 1981
Nov. 1980
Jan. 1981
Jan. 1981

Dollar
Rupee
Shekel
Lira
Yen

5.40
8.25
6.60
1032
205

115
93
133
113
155

Korea: Seoul .............................
Mexico: Mexico, D.F....................
Netherlands: The Hague...........
Nigeria: Lagos ..........................
Philippines: Manila ....................

June 1980
Feb. 1981
Feb. 1981
Mar. 1981
Dee. 1980

Won
Peso
Guilder
Naira
Peso

587
23.5
2.50
0.5774
7.66

135
104
132
169
104

Saudi Arabia: Al Khobar
(Dhahran) .............................
Singapore: Singapore...............
South Africa: Johannesburg .. .
Spain: Madrid ...........................
Sweden: Stockholm ..................

May 1980
Nov. 1980
Oct. 1980
Feb. 1981
June 1980

Riyal
Dollar
Rand
Peseta
Krona

3.33
2.10
0.7407
86.3
4.18

139
116
114
109
168

Switzerland: Geneva..................
United Arab Emirates: Abu Dhabi
United Kingdom: London...........
U.S.S.R.: Moscow ....................
Venezuela: C aracas..................

May 1980
Aug. 1980
Apr. 1980
Nov. 1980
Oct. 1980

Franc
Dirham
Pound
Ruble
Bolivar

1.58
3.66
0.4169
0.6622
4.28

176
135
154
134
137

S ource :

U.S. Department of State, Allowances Staff.

marks, 20 percent against the French franc, 25 percent
versus the Italian lira and the Dutch guilder, and 30
percent against the Belgian franc and the Spanish pese­
ta. Therefore, living costs in U.S. dollars declined from
8 to 13 percent, in descending order, in Vienna, Paris,
Rome, Frankfurt, Madrid, and The Hague, and costs in
dollars fell 20 percent for Americans in Brussels.
On the other hand, living costs in dollars rose 5 to 8
percent in Mexico City, Buenos Aires, and Tel Aviv,
and 17 percent (over 2 years) in Manila. In all cases,
the appreciation of the dollar offset, in part, the effect of
higher local price increases. For Americans in Mexico
City, the exchange rate offset about one-third of a
9-percent higher trend in local prices. In Buenos Aires,
local prices rose about 30 percent more than those in
Washington, D.C., and in Manila, about 20 percent.
However, the exchange rate cost of the Argentine peso
was down almost 20 percent, while the Philippine peso
declined only 4 percent. For Americans in Tel Aviv, a
50-percent depreciation of the shekel versus the dollar
offset almost all of the local price increases, which were
115 percent higher than those in Washington, D.C.
For the other 10 cities, the changes in living costs in
dollars were small. Except for Tokyo and Hong Kong,
this reflects moderate changes in both relative prices
and exchange rates. For Tokyo, the local index was al­
most unchanged, but local prices paid by Americans
rose considerably less than those in Washington, D.C.,


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while the foreign exchange cost of the Japanese yen in­
creased 10 percent. (The exchange rate has since de­
clined.) In Hong Kong, conversely, the higher local
price increases were almost exactly offset by 8-percent
lower exchange rate costs. For the other eight cities,
both relative prices in local currency and the exchange
rates were little changed. The new local indexes were
down 1 to 3 percent for Tokyo, Moscow, Hong Kong,
Lagos, Canberra, and Manama; unchanged for New
Delhi; and up 1 to 3 percent for Singapore, Johannes­
burg, and Ottawa.
It >is advisable to check the prevailing exchange rates
whenever using the indexes of living costs abroad be­
cause the rates are subject to sudden shifts, and differ­
ent rates would substantially affect living costs in
dollars.
The indexes for 164 foreign cities are published in
quarterly reports entitled U.S. Department o f State In ­
dexes o f Living Costs Abroad and Quarters Allowances.
Data for all cities are published in April, and subse­
quent revisions are published in July, October, and Jan­
uary. The methods of compiling and using the indexes
are explained in U.S. Department o f State Indexes o f
Living Costs Abroad and Quarters Allowances: A Techni­
cal Description, Report 568 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1980). The reports are available from the Office of Pub­
lications, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, D.C.
20212.
□

41

Key officer of new police union
loses to coalition in close vote
Mary A nn M ullen
At the third annual convention of the fledgling Interna­
tional Union of Police Associations (lUPA, AFL-cio),
delegates wrestled with problems of leadership and
structure, as they voted for new officers, set legislative
goals, and authorized an examination of their bylaws.
Seventy-nine delegates representing 40 of the i u p a ’s 200
local affiliates attended the July 17-22 convention in
Chicago.
The IUPA was united in its goals— the growth of the
union, the attainment of improved working conditions
through collective bargaining, and the passage of policeoriented legislation through a strong political action
committee— however, there was some disagreement
within the union over the means for achieving these ob­
jectives.
Officer elections. This difference of opinion was evident
in the contested election for first vice president, one of
the three principal leadership positions of the union.
David Baker of the Memphis Police Association
defeated incumbent Jack Hawkonson of the Illinois
State Council of Police, by a 8,108-to-7,907 vote.
The election of Baker, which was the result of a coali­
tion of delegates from the Southern States and Califor­
nia, leaves the leadership divided, with President
Edward Kiernan representing the status quo and Baker
representing a more aggressive style of management. It
is not clear how much influence Baker will have on the
IUPA. Heretofore, the first vice president has been in a
powerful position, because many of his duties are deter­
mined by the international president.1
Executive vice presidents also were elected for each of
the i u p a ’s 20 regions. These officers serve with the pres­
ident, secretary-treasurer, and first vice president on the

Mary Ann Mullen is an economist in the Labor Management Services
Administration, U.S. Department of Labor.

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International Executive Board, which conducts the
union’s business between conventions and supervises the
investment and disbursement of union funds. Other
elections involved area vice presidents, who are respon­
sible for advising locals of policies and procedures and
for organizing new locals. Elections for the president,
secretary-treasurer, and first vice president are stag­
gered, with each officeholder serving a 3-year term.
President Kiernan will face reelection in 1983, and sec­
retary-treasurer Robert Gordon, at the 1982 conven­
tion.
Legislative goals. Foremost among the union’s legislative
goals has been preventing the mandatory coverage of
public employees under the social security program.
The IUPA believes that the inclusion of public employees
would do little to salvage the financially distressed pro­
gram. The union maintains that civil servants presently
covered by sound retirement plans would suffer because
no concept yet presented for integration into the social
security program assures public employees that current
benefits will not be lowered.
Kiernan, in his report to the convention, stated that
he had received President Reagan’s commitment to op­
pose mandated social security for State and local em­
ployees. This position was confirmed by Robert F.
Bonitati, President Reagan’s special assistant, in his
comments to the convention delegates.
The creation of a “Police Officers’ Bill of Rights” re­
mains a high priority legislative goal for the IUPA. The
union seeks a uniform law which would establish due
process guarantees for State and local law enforcement
personnel. The bill would ensure police officers that
they would not be prohibited from engaging in political
activity when off duty; it would institute requirements
that police officers be notified when there is any investi­
gation of alleged impropriety on their part; and it
would require adequate representation of law enforce­
ment personnel whenever a police review board is
established to examine citizens’ complaints.
The IUPA has also lobbied in Congress for legislation
which would extend the benefits of the Public Safety
Officer Benefit Act to include Federal-level law enforce­
ment personnel and firefighters. Currently, the act pro-

vides a $50,000 lump-sum benefit to the survivors of
State and local police officers and firefighters killed in
the line of duty.
Constitutional amendments. Much of the floor discus­
sion at the convention centered on the need for changes
in the union’s constitution and bylaws. Prior to the con­
vention, some 20 amendments were submitted to the
By-Law Committee, covering such varied areas as an
officers’ retirement and widows’ pension plan, age re­
strictions on candidates for the offices of president and
secretary-treasurer, the establishment of a Department
of Organizing, and modifications in the authority and
duties of union officers.
As the delegates considered these amendments, it be­
came clear that a more complete overhaul of the bylaws
would be necessary. The current bylaws, adopted at the
founding convention in 1979, were appropriated with
little modification from the constitutions of other A F L CIO unions. The union now needs a constitution tailored
more precisely to its own structure and administration.
Therefore, the majority of the amendments which had
been submitted to the By-Law Committee were with­
drawn. The delegates directed the committee to review
the bylaws (including the withdrawn proposals) and is­
sue a report at the next convention. On the recommen­
dation of the committee, the proposed amendments
which were not withdrawn were defeated.
The delegates, however, approved an amendment pro­
hibiting the i u p a from recruiting private sector security
guards. Because this proposal was made by the dele­
gates on the convention floor, approval by two-thirds of
those present was required for its adoption. The admit­
tance of private security guards has been a controversial
issue since the union’s inception, with one faction seek­
ing to organize such workers and the other advocating
a “pure” union limited to public sector law enforcement
personnel. The easy passage of this amendment fol­


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lowed a recent National Labor Relations Board deci­
sion which found inappropriate a bargaining unit which
included both guard and other employees. (See Burns
Electronic Security Services, Inc. 256 NLRB No. 139,
June 23, 1981.)
Other issues. Organizing continues to be one of the pri­
mary concerns of the i u p a . Kiernan noted that since its
birth in San Francisco 3 years ago, the union has con­
tinued to grow, with nearly 200 affiliated locals, repre­
senting 30,000 members. In fact, each month since the
founding convention the IUPA has chartered at least one
new local. While these affiliates are primarily small lo­
cals, organizations of police officers in a number of larg­
er cities such as San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, and
Toledo have also joined the IPUA. The union now repre­
sents members in more than 30 States, the Virgin Is­
lands, and Canada.
The delegates endorsed a resolution to provide
support for the activities of the Law Enforcement Politi­
cal Action Committee of the IUPA. Established in 1979
with responsibility for the political education of the
member associations, this body had received little fi­
nancial support from i u p a locals to date. Delegates
were encouraged to promote a dues-checkoff program at
the local level, with each local president functioning as
a liaison to his area vice president on this program.
During the next year, the committee will conduct re­
gional seminars to educate union members in the politi­
cal process and to increase the awareness of politicians
and police officers concerning its political action pro­
gram.
□
--------- F O O T N O T E ---------1The International Union of Police Associations’ Constitution and
By-laws, adopted July 17, 1979, states in Article VI, Section 3: “The
First Vice President shall perform such duties as may be assigned to
him by the International President.”

43

Foreign Labor
Developments

ILO conference focuses on bargaining,
worker safety, rather than politics

T a d d L in s e n m a y e r

It came as a surprise to many observers, and a relief to
most participants. After years of concentrating on polit­
ical issues, the 1981 Conference of the International La­
bor Organization focused on technical issues, such as
industrial relations and working conditions. If this ten­
dency continues, the ILO could emerge as one of the
stronger and more broadly supported specialized agen­
cies of the United Nations. Representatives from 145
countries attended the 67th Session of the ILO confer­
ence, which met in Geneva, Switzerland, during June 324. Alioune Diagne of Senegal was elected conference
president.
For all its focus on technical issues, the 1981 confer­
ence was not without drama. Lech Walesa, head of
Poland’s Solidarity trade union— and the first truly in­
dependent worker delegate ever from a Communist
country— received an enthusiastic welcome when he
thanked the ILO for its help during the difficult period
of Solidarity’s development. Similarly, there was an air
of tension when the conference formally censured the
Soviet Union for prohibiting free trade unions, after
years of avoiding this explosive issue.
The United States did not escape criticism. The U.S.
Government cast two of seven abstentions on an other­
wise unanimous vote approving a new ILO declaration
condemning South Africa’s apartheid policy. Both the
U.S. worker and employer delegates voted in favor of
the declaration. Although the U.S. Government argued
that the declaration’s call for direct assistance to libera­
tion movements prevented full support for the declara­
tion, a number of delegates openly criticized U.S.
policies toward South Africa.

A Convention is an international treaty that carries a
legal obligation for states which ratify or sign it. A Rec­
ommendation is a document which suggests measures
that can be taken to implement labor policies.
This year, the adopted standards increasingly used
“flexibility devices,” which define different methods of
implementation so that countries with widely differing
situations can ratify the standards. The employers’
groups and a number of governments, including the
United States, were largely responsible for promoting
the use of these devices.

Technical issues

Collective bargaining. Previous ILO standards have
established the principles of collective bargaining. The
purpose of the Convention and Recommendation
adopted by the 1981 conference is to promote collective
bargaining in all branches of economic activity. The
Convention outlines specific subjects which might be
covered in collective bargaining— working conditions,
terms of employment, and relations between employers
and workers. In addition, it states that freedom of col­
lective bargaining should not be hampered, and that na­
tional authorities should consult with all concerned
parties before taking any action on the specific issues.
The delegates debated a number of controversial pro­
visions surrounding the collective bargaining Conven­
tion. Several governments argued for modifications that
would allow flexibility in determining the scope of the
Convention. Under this proposal, certain sectors, such
as agriculture or public service employees, could be ex­
cluded at the option of the ratifying states. However, all
such amendments were defeated, leaving the universal
coverage language intact.
Delegates were more successful with changes aimed
at preventing intervention by national authorities in the
collective bargaining process. The employers, with the
support of the U.S. Government, wanted to define “pro­
mote” as “to encourage and facilitate.” After much dis­
cussion, the employers withdrew this amendment with
the understanding that the standards implied “no obli­
gation for the state to intervene or compel negotia-

The 1981 conference considered five technical items.
Three resulted in the adoption of new Conventions and
Recommendations; the remaining two will be discussed
at the 1982 conference.

Tadd Linsenmayer is Assistant Director for International Organiza­
tions, Bureau of International Labor Affairs, U.S. Department of
Labor.

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tions.” In the Recommendation on this issue, one provi­
sion was altered so that governments “may provide,”
rather than “should provide,” services such as training
in collective bargaining.
The U.S. Government and employer delegates did
not support the Convention, but did support the Rec­
ommendation. The U.S. worker delegate supported both
instruments.
Workers with fam ily responsibilities. Child care, flexible
working schedules, part-time jobs, vocational guidance,
and placement services for parents entering or re-enter­
ing the workforce were addressed in a new Convention
and Recommendation. The two standards are meant to
ensure equal treatment and opportunity for all workers
with dependents.
One part of the Recommendation on these issues
presented problems to certain governments. The provi­
sion in question specified that workers on extended pa­
rental leave be financially compensated and protected
by social security. This was resolved by an amendment
which allows member states to provide, when necessary,
social security benefits, tax relief, or other measures
consistent with national policy.
The U.S. Government and worker delegates support­
ed both the Convention and Recommendation, while
the employer delegate abstained on both.
Safety, health, and working environment. Standards on
occupational safety and health and the working envi­
ronment were adopted with virtually unanimous votes.
The Convention provides for the development of na­
tional policies on the working environment and empha­
sizes the importance of a comprehensive accident
prevention system and the need for cooperation between
management and workers. The Recommendation speci­
fies areas for preventive action— ventilation, noise and
vibration, barometric pressure, clothing, sanitation, and
mental stress due to conditions of work. In addition, it
details the obligations of employers and workers in
maintaining a safe and healthy workplace.
The adopted standards advocate workers’ safety com­
mittees to consult with management on work content or
organization of work, training programs on safety and
health, and protection from dismissal or other discrimi­
natory measures for workers involved in safety and
health issues. On the national level, the standards en­
courage governments to identify hazards, issue regula­
tions or codes of practice on safety and health, and
advise workers and employers on how to reduce safety
and health hazards. The conference adopted both stan­
dards with virtually unanimous votes.
Proposed standards. The conference discussed possible
new standards regarding terminations of employment

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by employers. These proposed standards will be consid­
ered by the 1982 conference. This year, employers and
workers were opposed on almost all points raised. The
governments were divided because of differences in their
legal systems and approaches to the question of termi­
nation of employment. Neither the U.S. Government
nor employer delegates supported the proposed conclu­
sions because of the emphasis on government interven­
tion in private disputes and the adversarial nature of the
proposed provisons. However, the U.S. worker delegate
supported the proposed standards.
The conference started work on possible standards
concerning social security rights of workers and family
members who are employed outside their home
countries. The conference agreed that even if a Conven­
tion is adopted by the 1982 conference, a third discus­
sion would be necessary in 1983 to develop a Recom­
mendation concerning model provisions for use in
bilateral or multilateral social security treaties. The U.S.
delegation supported the conclusions of this committee.

Supervising ILO standards
One of the more volatile issues was the use of the
“special list” and “special paragraph” systems to high­
light violations of ILO standards. The conclusions of the
Conference demonstrate a renewed determination to cite
countries for violations, regardless of political or eco­
nomic pressures.
The most dramatic case involved the Soviet Union
which, for the first time, was cited in a special para­
graph for violating ILO standards on freedom of associa­
tion. On two previous occasions, in 1974 and 1977, the
Soviet Union had been cited by a conference committee
for violating ILO standards, but the full conference did
not adopt the committee’s report.
This year, the conference also cited in “special para­
graphs” six other countries with continuing problems in
upholding ILO standards. According to the ILO report,
Argentina, Bolivia, and the Central African Republic
have not yet ensured full freedom of association. The
conference requested the Argentine government to guar­
antee full respect for freedom of association and collec­
tive bargaining standards and asked for further in­
formation on all cases of imprisoned trade union leaders.
Bolivia claims to be in the process of preparing new
legislation that will conform with freedom of associa­
tion standards. The conference urged Bolivia to expedite
the legislation, as little progress had been made in re­
cent years. On two occasions in the past year, the ILO
assisted the Central African Republic in developing leg­
islative texts that would address and correct its obser­
vance of freedom of association standards; to date,
these texts have not been adopted. The conference
expressed “hope that there would be real progress by
next year.”
45

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Foreign Labor Developments
On forced labor standards, the conference found that
Tanzania and the Central African Republic have serious
compliance problems. Tanzania’s current law allows for
compulsory cultivation as well as involuntary labor for
public and development purposes in agriculture and in­
dustry. In the Central African Republic, compulsory la­
bor may be imposed on persons convicted for political
reasons, as well as persons who cannot show proof of a
“normal” occupation or student status.
Chile was set apart in a “special paragraph” for its
problems in observing standards concerning discrimina­
tion in employment. The conference was particularly
concerned about Chile’s policy of “debureaucratiza­
tion,” which may have been used to dismiss persons for
their political opinions.
Guatemala was not only cited in a special paragraph
for problems in meeting standards on labor clauses and
plantations, but also was censured for “continued fail­
ure to implement” ILO freedom of association standards.
Guatemalan authorities explained they were aware of
the discrepancies and were drafting a new labor code to
correct the situation. However, the conference said that
this explanation had been given for too many years, and
that despite numerous requests, the Guatemalan gov­
ernment was not cooperating with ILO supervisory bod­
ies and had not made any progress in guaranteeing the
right to freedom of association in law and practice.
The conference addressed the problems of child la­
bor, particularly in developing countries where extreme
economic need makes the. problem serious and a solu­
tion difficult. The conference will conduct more indepth
discussions on this subject in 1983 for the purpose of
examining existing ILO standards and deciding whether
they need updating.

Resolutions
In past years, the ILO conference often has been used
as a forum for discussing political resolutions that, ac­
cording to many delegations, were outside the compe­
tence of the organization. Generally, this problem was
avoided this year. The only politically controversial res­
olution dealt with disarmament.
A resolution given top priority was aimed at over­
coming the shortage of competent managers, par­
ticularly those in developing countries. The resolution
encourages the ILO and member states to provide train­
ing for managers and entrepreneurs in such matters as
labor relations, collective bargaining, and relations with
free and independent trade unions.
The conference also adopted a resolution on the ILO’s
role in the new International Development Strategy. It
emphasizes the need for tripartite consultation in devel­
opment policies, as well as on the importance of ratifi­
cation and observance of key ILO standards.

46


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A third resolution on the social and economic
consequences of disarmament threatened to take the ILO
into political discussions similar to those already under­
way in other U.N . agencies. After protracted negotia­
tions, however, the conference adopted a proposal
requesting the ILO to perform certain functions which
are rightfully within its competence and to cooperate
with other U.N . agencies in their work on disarmament.
Another resolution requests the ILO to research the
future needs of vocational training systems and to es­
tablish regional training institutes. In addition, the reso­
lution asks member states to develop, in consultation
with workers’ and employers’ organizations, compre­
hensive national training policies and programs.
The resolutions adopted this year keep the ILO fo­
cused on issues which are most important to member
states. However, this has not always been the case and
the ILO is continuing its efforts to ensure that extrane­
ous political resolutions are not introduced in or consid­
ered by future sessions. For 8 years, a Working Party
on Structure has been considering proposals, one of
which would make it more difficult to introduce politi­
cally inspired resolutions which are extraneous to the
ILO’s work. A tentative agreement, reached in February
1981, suggests that a 13-member conference review
committee decide whether a political resolution should
be circulated at a conference. The 1981 conference did
not discuss this suggestion, but did consider questions
concerning the composition of the governing body. The
conference concluded that the Working Party on Struc­
ture should meet again to finalize its proposals for con­
sideration in 1982.

A step in right direction
While the 1981 ILO conference concentrated on
technical issues, there nevertheless was an undercurrent
of political issues throughout the session. The Middle
East situation, which had preoccupied past ILO confer­
ences, was kept under control and limited to speeches
at nearly empty plenary sessions. The declaration on
apartheid, which could have posed major problems for
the United States, was resolved in such manner that the
U.S. Government was able to abstain from voting. The
conference’s censure of the Soviet Union for violating
trade union rights standards was not seriously chal­
lenged by the Soviet Government.
This does not guarantee, however, that future sessions
will be spared the political storms of the past. To be sure,
there is a general desire among most member countries
to depoliticize the ILO. Many delegates believe that sub­
stantial progress has been made. Few ILO observers
would conclude that the 1981 conference was anything
more than another step in the right direction, albeit an
important and in many ways impressive step.
□

M ajor Agreements
Expiring Next M onth
This list of collective bargaining agreements expiring in November is based on contracts on file
in the Bureau’s Office of Wages and Industrial Relations. The list includes agreements covering
1,000 workers or more.

Employer and location

Industry

Allied Chemical Corp., Automotive Products Division (Knoxville, Tenn.) .

A p p a r e l........................................

Number of
workers

U n io n 1

Clothing and Textile W orkers

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

Continental Airlines (Interstate)2 .........................................................................
General Dynamics Corp., Fort W orth Division (Forth W orth, Tex.)

1,000
? 000

....

Transportation equipment . . . .

Machinists

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

4,750

General Telephone Company of Ohio .................................................................

C o m m u n ic atio n s........................

Electrical Workers (IBEW) ...................

1,200

Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and 2 others (C alifo rn ia)...................................

H o s p ita ls ......................................

Service Employees ...................................

7,800

M artin M arietta Aerospace Co. (Florida and M aryland)

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

7,750

Midtec Paper Corp., (Kimberly, W is .) .................................................................

1 000

New York City Private Sanitation Contract (New York, N .Y .)3 ................

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

Teamsters (Ind.)

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

1,650

Norfolk Shipbuilding and Drydock Corp. (Norfolk, Va.) ..............................

Transportation equipment . . . .

B oilerm akers..............................................

3,050

N orthw est Airlines, G round Service (Interstate)2 ..............................................

A ir tra n s p o rta tio n .....................

Machinists

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

3,500

Phonograph Record Labor Agreement (Interstate)3 ........................................

A m u sem en ts................................

M u sic ia n s ...................................................

15,000

Reliance Electric Co., Dodge M anufacturing Division (Mishawaka, Ind.) .

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

Steelworkers ..............................................

1,000

Volkswagen of America, Inc. (W estmoreland County, P a . ) ...........................

Transportation equipment . . . .

A uto W orkers (I n d .) ................................

3,500

Western Airlines, Flight A ttendants (Interstate)2 ..............................................

Air tra n s p o rta tio n ......................

Airline Pilots Association ( I n d .) ...........

2,300

1Affiliated with A F L -C IO except where noted as independent (Ind.).
2Information is from newspaper reports.


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Industry area (group of companies signing same contract).

Developments in
Industrial Relations

Striking air controllers fired by President Reagan
The Nation’s air transportation system was disrupted
when members of the Professional Air Traffic Control­
lers Organization ( p a t c o ) walked off their jobs and
then were dismissed by President Reagan for violating
laws prohibiting walkouts by Federal employees. The
situation was further confused by Government legal ac­
tions against strike leaders and the union’s strike fund
and a move to decertify PATCO as a bargaining agent.
Controllers in other nations conducted sympathy job
actions, contending that the U.S. air control system was
not safe because of the reduction in the number of
available controllers. Meanwhile, the Government was
beginning to hire and train new controllers to replace
the 12,000 strikers, a process that was expected to take
about 2 years. The walkout led to pay cuts and layoffs
at the airlines, already hard hit by high fuel costs and
competition from new carriers.
There had been some hope that a walkout would be
averted when PATCO and the Federal Aviation Adminis­
tration agreed on a 42 month, $40-million wage and
benefit package. However, the controllers rejected the
package by a 13,495 to 616 vote, reportedly because
they wanted a 32-hour workweek, a larger earnings in­
crease, and improvements in pensions.
The rejected accord would have raised average earn­
ings by about 6.6 percent, or $2,300 a year. This would
have been in addition to the 4.8-percent annual increase
that PATCO members and other Federal white-collar em­
ployees were scheduled to receive in October under pro­
visions of the Federal Pay Comparability Act of 1970.
Part of the 6.6-percent earnings increase would have re­
sulted from a new provision giving the controllers time
and one-half pay for the 37th, 38th, 39th, and 40th
hours worked in a week. The balance would have come
from increasing the premium pay to 15 percent, from 10
percent, for hours worked from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., and

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

48


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from ending the $1,927.40 statutory limit on bi-weekly
earnings. Finally, the accord called for the establish­
ment of 14 weeks of severence pay for certain employ­
ees terminated for medical reasons.
When the walkout started, President Reagan said the
union’s current demands totaled $681 million, which
would impose an unacceptable tax burden on citizens.
Citing the “no-strike” oath that Federal employees
take, the President warned that strikers who did not re­
port to work within 48 hours “have forfeited their jobs
and will be terminated.”
Despite this threat, only 800 controllers returned to
work by the deadline and the f a a then began distribut­
ing dismissal notices. The Government sought back-towork orders in various Federal district courts. Several
fines were imposed on the union, including one by a
judge in Brooklyn, N.Y., for violating a 1970 court or­
der enforcing a consent decree with the airlines in which
PATCO agreed not to strike again after a 1970 work
stoppage.
Meanwhile, the Federal Labor Relations Authority
was considering stripping PATCO of its right to repre­
sent the controllers. The authority was established by
the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 to act as an im­
partial tribunal to resolve labor disputes involving Fed­
eral workers. Decisions of the authority can be appealed
to Federal appellate courts.
In response to charges by PATCO and other organiza­
tions regarding the safety of flight operations, the Fed­
eral Aviation Administration started a study of condi­
tions that was expected to take about 4 months.
Another study was begun by the National Transporta­
tion Safety Board, an independent agency. Flight opera­
tions stabilized at about 75 percent of the prestrike level
of landings and takeoffs.
There was no public statement by the International
Federation of Air Traffic Controllers Associations on
what actions it might take in support of p a t c o . After a
2-day meeting in the Netherlands, the federation strong­
ly backed a resumption of negotiations between the Ad­
ministration and PATCO, but said announcements of
“details of any contemplated or agreed action at this
time” would not be conducive to a settlement.

Free agent issue settled, baseball strike ends
The first mid-season strike in the history of big league
baseball ended after 50 days, when the Major League
Baseball Players Association and the team owners’
Player Representation Committee settled a dispute over
how teams are compensated for “free agents” who
move to another team. (The free agent option is avail­
able to all players with at least 6 years of major league
service. It was adopted in 1976 after an arbitrator
struck down the “reserve clause” that bound a player to
one team for his entire career.)
The settlement provides that if a team loses a free
agent who performs in the top 20 percent at his playing
position (based on statistics), the team can select a play­
er from a pool consisting of players from other clubs. If
the departing player is in the top 20 to 30 percent cate­
gory, the team losing the player receives a draft choice
from the signing team for the annual draft of amateur
players; if the player is below the top 30 percent, the
team will not be compensated. Teams signing free
agents can exclude 24 of their players from the pool
and teams that do not sign free agents can exclude 26
players. A team losing a player from the pool will re­
ceive $150,000 from a central fund established by the 26
major league teams.
The team owners agreed to give the 650 players ser­
vice credit for the strike period in calculating pensions
and other benefits. In return, the players agreed to ex­
tend the existing basic contract for 1 year, to December
31, 1984.

Fred Kroll, head of Railway Clerks, dies
Fred J. Kroll, age 45, president of the Railway and
Airline Clerks, died on July 30. Kroll was regarded as
one of the Nation’s outstanding labor leaders, and was
the youngest person ever elected to the a f l -C IO ’s Exec­
utive Council. He joined the council in 1978, 2 years af­
ter he was selected to lead his union following the
retirement of C. L. Dennis. Kroll, who was elected
chairman of the Railway Labor Executives Association
earlier this year, started his career as head of a local
union in Philadelphia, moved up through various lead­
ership positions, and became a vice president of the
union in 1975. Richard I. Kilroy, a vice president of the
Railway and Airline Clerks since 1973, was selected to
complete kroll’s term, which ends on August 31, 1982.
AFL-CIO council attacks Administration’s policies
The a f l -C IO ’s Executive Council, meeting in Chicago
for its summer session, assailed President Reagan’s eco­
nomic programs. Referring to the Administration’s bud­
get, views on job safety and social security benefits, and
tax policies, AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland said or­

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ganized labor cannot “watch from the sidelines” as the
policies are “consolidated on the backs of workers.” In
other business, the Auto Workers union, which had re­
joined the federation on July 1, gained membership on
the council when union president Douglas A. Fraser
was elected a federation vice president.

Citicorp announces 1981 pay raises
Employee resentment over Citicorp’s decision not to
grant a yearend bonus for 1980 operations was eased
when the New York City bank holding company an­
nounced tjiat it will raise salaries 9 percent in 1981 re­
gardless of the profit level for 1981. The 50,000
employees had been receiving year-end bonuses of 10 to
15 percent of annual salaries, based on the increase in
corporate profit per share of stocks. In 1980, Citicorp’s
profit dropped 6 percent from 1979, which led to the
decision not to grant a bonus.

Change in premium pay at Goodyear
The Rubber Workers accepted a Goodyear Tire &
Rubber Co. proposal to end premium pay for some
weekend work at a plant in Topeka, Kansas. As a re­
sult, Goodyear announced that it will proceed with a
$160 million addition to the plant, which now produces
bias ply truck tires but will be converted to radial truck
tires. Goodyear said that the contract change was nec­
essary to permit continuous, economical operation of
the plant.
Under the revised provision, premium pay will be
time and one-half on Saturday and double time on Sun­
day for employees whose workweek starts on Monday,
and time and one-half on Sunday for those whose work­
week starts on Tuesday. Previously, all Saturday work
was paid at time and one-half rates and Sunday work
was paid at double time rates.
The change in premium pay indirectly improved the
possibility that the company would not shut down its
44-year-old Jackson, Mich., plant, which also manufac­
tures bias ply truck tires. Goodyear had earlier indicat­
ed that it no longer needed two plants producing this
type of tire and that the Jackson plant was the logical
choice for closing because of its higher operating costs,
compared with the Topeka plant.

Union concessions save newspaper
A scheduled shutdown of The Philadelphia Bulletin
was averted when eight unions agreed to wage cuts,
benefit reductions, and job terminations designed to re­
duce the newspaper’s labor costs by $4.9 million a year.
The parent Charter Co. said the cuts were necessary to
end 5 years of deficits. The company said it would spend
$30 million over the next 4 years to aid the Bulletin.
49

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Developments in Industrial Relations
The concessions varied by union but were effective
immediately, as specified in new 5-year contracts that
superseded existing contracts. All of the new contracts
provide for a 3-percent wage increase at the beginning
of the second contract year and a 7- percent increase at
the beginning of the third year. The contracts may be
reopened for bargaining on wages, pension, and insur­
ance benefits which would apply during the final 2 years
of the contracts. The 900 workers represented by the
unions are to receive 25 percent of the pretax amount of
any profits earned by the newspaper.
The Bulletin had already announced pay reductions
and layoffs among its nonunion employees that were
expected to cut costs by $1.4 million a year. News, ad­
vertising and circulation employees are not represented
by unions.
The newspaper said that its financial difficulties
stemmed from the same problems that have led to the
closing of other afternoon papers—competition from
television newscasts and the problem of distributing pa­
pers during rush-hour traffic. In early August, The
Washington Star, an afternoon newspaper, closed after
128 years of operation in the Nation’s Capital. In late
August, the morning New York Daily News ended its
1-year-old “Tonight” edition.

Auto industry continues to cut costs
A. O. Smith Corp.’s Milwaukee plant won a contract
to produce automobile frames for General Motors
Corp. after seven unions agreed to forgo the next four
quarterly cost-of-living pay adjustments. The company
had asked for the freeze to hold down increases in its
labor cost by 80 cents to $1 an hour over the 1-year pe­
riod, and thus, improve its chances of winning the pro­
duction contract. The The unions represent 4,300
workers.
As part of its cost containment effort, A. O. Smith
also eliminated the 1981 bonus and reduced the merit
pay budget for salaried employees, who are not repre­
sented by a union.
Elsewhere in the automobile industry, the Hayes Al­
bion Co. closed its West Unity, Ohio, plant after mem­
bers of Allied Industrial Workers, Local 441 rejected a
company request for a wage cut. The vote was 203 to

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22. Under the proposed 3-year contract, the $8.85 an
hour average pay would have been reduced by about
$2, but the workers would have received a 45-cent in­
crease in the second and third years. The plant manu­
factured tailpipes and mufflers.

Meatpackers accept pay cut
In Baltimore, 700 employees of the SchluderbergKurdle Co. Inc. meatpacking plant agreed to a wage
and benefit concession to avert a planned shutdown.
The company said the $1.99-an-hour immediate reduc­
tion and elimination of 69 cents in scheduled future in­
creases was necessary because of continued operating
losses at the 123 year old plant, which produces meat
products under the trade name Esskay. The plant lost
$1.6 million in the first half of 1981, compared with a
$495,000 loss for all of 1980. The employees are repre­
sented by the Food and Commercial Workers and the
Teamsters unions.

Southern textile workers get pay raise
Several major textile companies in the South an­
nounced July or August wage increases for their em­
ployees. The size of the increase was not disclosed, but
Burlington Industries, Inc. said that the increase for its
43,000 hourly employees varied somewhat from plant to
plant but was generally uniform within each plant. The
July 20 increase covered about 100 Burlington opera­
tions in 11 States. Other companies that announced in­
creases were Cone Mills, Inc., and Dan River, Inc. The
last round of wage increases in the industry was in July
1980. (See Monthly Labor Review, September 1980,
p. 60.)
The Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers
Union, which represents about 15 percent of the textile
workers in the South, settled under a contract reopen­
ing provision with J. P. Stevens & Co. on a 9 percent
wage increase for employees at plants in Roanoke Rap­
ids and High Point, N.C., Allendale, S.C., and M ont­
gomery, Ala. The union also negotiated a 9 percent
increase for employees it represents at Cone Mills
plants in Greensboro, Haw River, Reidsville, and Salis­
bury, N.C.
q

Book Reviews
Labor’s survival in an unlikely milieu
Organizing Dixie: Alabama Workers in the Industrial
Era. By Philip Taft; revised and edited by Gary M
Fink. Westport, Conn., Greenwood Press, 1981.
238 pp. $35.
A renewed union drive to organize southern workers
during the past 20 years has only recently obtained a
foothold in the representation and negotiation of agree­
ments in textiles, clothing, furniture, auto assembly, and
shipbuilding. But union organization still has far to go
in the South, and the climate remains unfriendly, as evi­
denced by the prevalence of “right to work” statutes in
southern States. The industrial development of the
southern and sunbelt States, some of which represents
shifts from northern production centers, is crucial to the
trade union movement.
Philip Taft’s posthumous study, “Organizing Dixie,”
is significant in making clear that there is in Alabama a
tradition of union organization, collective bargaining,
and political activity that has its roots in the post-Civil
War industrial development in the South. This was
established in the face of endogenous factors which
have been viewed as obstacles to unionism. These have
included small establishments, a largely native work
force drawn from rural areas, persistent discrimination
against blacks, and a broad climate of employers and
political opposition to union organization.
Taft undertook the study of Alabama labor while he
was a consultant at the University of Alabama’s Center
for Labor Education and Research in 1972. The draft of
the study, completed shortly before his death in 1976,
has been revised and edited by Gary M Fink, Professor
of History at Georgia State University. One can agree
with Fink that the result is a Taft book, the last in an
impressive output of labor economics and history which
bear the hallmark of the Wisconsin school and the John
R. Commons tradition. This found an emphasis in the
American labor movement on American experimentalism in adjusting to new conditions, with an antipathy
to doctrinaire positions.
This viewpoint is reflected in Taft’s treatment of the
more than a century of Alabama labor history. He has
contributed an im portant insight into the development
and influence of union coordination and confederation
at State levels. His contribution is enhanced by

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detailing the qualities of this southern labor leadership
in meeting the impact of northern industrial interests on
the regional economy, and in seeking to overcome the
divisive effects of black-white prejudices, at least in the
workplace and the union. The basic outlines of ebb and
flow of union strength in Alabama generally followed
the broader national patterns influenced by economic
conditions; the intensity of employer opposition; and
the role of government, notably during the First World
War, and the New Deal period and thereafter. But
while prejudices and differences among immigrant
groups in the northern labor force were assuaged in
time, racial prejudice persisted in the South along with
opposition to union organization.
Alabama was attractive for northern capital invest­
ment within a decade after the Civil War. Its iron ore,
coal resources, and railroads readily made for combin­
ing the development of natural resources with new steel
facilities. By the end of the century, the major national
steel companies had absorbed many of these operations.
While local union organizations had developed early
among craft workers and railroad workers, the ground­
work for much of the Alabama labor movement devel­
oped out of the organization of the coal miners. The
mines were intensively developed after the Civil War
with a labor force consisting of native-born black and
white miners from the rural areas. Convict laborers,
leased to private employers, were a part of the labor
force, sufficient to influence the outcome of a strike,
since they had no choice but to continue working.
Effective organization among Alabama miners devel­
oped in the eighties and in 1898 the independent Ala­
bama miners union affiliated with the United Mine
Workers of America. The study demonstrates the union
leadership’s recognition that unity among black and
white miners was essential to mutual progress, and the
United Mine Workers made no distinctions on equal
rights in the union. For over a decade, the terms of the
contract negotiated with the Tennessee Coal and Iron
Railroad Co. became the standard for most of the Ala­
bama coal industry. In 1908, however, the union con­
ducted a strike which failed in the face of a combination
of newspaper stories appealing to racial prejudice
through allegations of social equality resulting from the
union’s policies, and the governor’s action, claiming
sanitation needs, in ordering the tearing down of the
tents to which the miners’ families had moved following
51

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Book Reviews
eviction from company-owned housing.
The United Mine Workers played a major role in the
formation of the Alabama State Federation of Labor in
1900 and in its continuing activities over the years. This
influence was apparent in the election of blacks to 2 of
the 5 elected offices. The Federation was weak in mem­
bership and funds, but it was vocal on political matters.
The 1912 convention of the Federation was notable for
its reform platform expressing working-class interests.
This called for elimination of the convict lease system;
protection of women and child labor; mine safety re­
forms; and the initiative, referendum, and recall, among
the reforms.
During the First World War, there were gains in or­
ganization, limited recognition, and improved wage and
working conditions in major Alabama industries. With
the postwar open shop drive of the America Plan in the
twenties to eliminate wartime gains, there were unsuc­
cessful defensive strikes in Alabama as elsewhere. The
1920-21 strike in Alabama coal mining was marked by
violence and charges that the United Mine Workers
were fighting for black social equality.
Coal and the u m w a again provided the impetus for
renewed activity and organization with the New Deal.
For a time, company resistance to union organization
kept Alabama coal mines in constant turmoil. But the
u m w a made gains, achieving total organization in coal
mines by the early forties, and became the largest Ala­
bama union. Its officials were prominent in organizing
the Alabama steelworkers. In 1935, the Alabama State
Federation of Labor endorsed industrial unionism and
elected the district UMW president to the Federation
presidency. With the split between the AFL and CIO in
1937, the president resigned, urging cooperation and
warning against recriminations which would endanger
the labor movement.
Black workers had joined in substantial numbers in
coal, iron ore, and steel manufacturing unions before
the split. The Alabama State Federation and the newly
established Alabama State Industrial Council, respec­
tively AFL and CIO affiliates, were actively engaged in
extending organization among both black and white
workers. In 1942, the Alabama CIO called for elimina­
tion of discrimination in employment, but remained cir­
cumspect in maintaining separate social arrangements.
The Alabama AFL called for efforts at more rapid
unionization of black workers at the end of the Second
World War. In 1946, the Federation was one of the few
organizations to oppose a constitutional amendment
designed to reduce the political rights of black voters in
Alabama, and in 1947 the State Federation approved of
a Federal civil rights law.
The State labor organizations readily accommodated
to the merger of the AFL and CIO in 1955. With it, their
political role in Alabama was enhanced. Functioning in
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what was often an unfriendly environment, which in­
cluded the opposition of many union members, as well
as of the public, the Alabama Labor Council officials
may be viewed as political realists. They have focused
on protecting the interests of the State’s workers, partic­
ularly against denial of the rights of workers and unions
in labor disputes. In supporting candidates for State
and local offices, emphasis for endorsement has been
placed on the candidates’ willingness to consider the la­
bor point of view and to oppose legislation hostile to
the labor movement. On race relations, as Fink sums it
up, the Alabama labor movement may have been want­
ing in resisting school integration, but it was the labor
leaders who “ Led Alabama workers, however reluctant­
ly, into a new era of racial accommodation beneficial to
workers of both races” .
— J o s e p h P. G o l d b e r g
Special Assistant to the Commissioner
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Women, the family, and the women’s movement
A t Odds: Women and the Family in America from the
Revolution to the Present. By Carl N. Degler. New
York, Oxford University Press, 1980. 527 pp.
$19.95.
In every branch of written history, the family has
been the vehicle through which men and women have
entered upon life. So begins Carl N. Degler, Pulitzer
prize-winning historian who never loses sight of this
context as he discusses the role of women in the United
States.
His balanced presentation indicates that, prior to the
American Revolution, families in America were much
like those anywhere else in the world.
By the 19th century, however, American families dif­
fered from those of earlier times in that (1) marriages
were based upon affection and mutual respect between
partners (2) the wife’s primary role was the caring for
children and maintenance of the home (3) the attention,
energy, and resources of the parents were increasingly
centered upon the rearing of their offspring, and (4) the
family, on the average, was significantly smaller than
the families of earlier times which were unable to save
and accumulate wealth for investment and economic
growth.
The wife was perceived as the moral superior to the
husband, though his legal and social inferior. The ideo­
logical justification of the division of labor— the wife
spending her time in the house while the husband
worked outside the home— is called by Degler, “the
doctrine of the two spheres.”

In the years before the Civil War, the antislavery
cause conspicuously attracted women, especially married
women, and did the most to move them into public ac­
tivities. After the Civil War, a number of organizations
came into being to press for improved moral stand­
ards within and outside the family. Women cam­
paigned against liquor and prostitution, in favor of
raising the age of consent for girls, and generally advo­
cated a single standard of sexual behavior for men and
women.
Social purists defended women’s rights to employ­
ment, one argument being that it would help make m ar­
riage a relationship of affection between companions
and advance the autonomy of women within it.
Around the end of the 18th century, there was
marked improvement in the education of young women.
In 1837, the total exclusion of women from colleges was
broken when Oberlin College, in Ohio, permitted wom­
en to enroll with men at its opening. The most obvious
and im portant connection between the new educational
opportunity for women and organizations of women
was the settlement movement. The idea was to have
young, socially conscious middle-class men and women
live in the poor, working class, and immigrant districts
of the great cities in order to bring understanding, prac­
tical help, entertainment, and some intellectual experi­
ence to the inhabitants.
The new occupation of social work not only appealed
to women, but was also quickly accepted as a proper
occupation for women.
Some women’s organizations were equally direct re­
sponses to the radical social transformation engendered
by industrial expansion. In 1866, the Young Women’s
Christian Association was formed in Boston to help
young women find work. The National Consumer’s
League and the Women’s Trade Union League were the
most im portant women’s organizations that clearly re­
sponded to the stresses of industrialization. By the end
of the 19th century, half of the im portant women’s or­
ganizations had been established— most of them in the
1890’s. In 1910, Congress awarded a national charter to
the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and national
membership had reached 800,000.
By the turn of the 20th century, single women were
clearly more than the peripheral or ignored persons
they had been earlier in American history, Degler indi­
cates. Although some women may have felt excluded or
deeply unhappy because they could not marry, for oth­
ers, remaining single was a conscious choice and one
that promised a richness of experience that marriage did
not offer. By 1972, about one-fifth of the women be­
tween 35 and 44 years of age who had some graduate
education or an income of $20,000 or more, had not
married. This figure is to be compared with the barely 5
percent of women in that age bracket without college

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education who were still single.
Men originally could not accept women’s suffrage, for
they could not help recognizing that it might alter their
place in politics and in the family, says the author.
Also, a sizable minority of women were far from silent
in their opposition to the movement. These women or­
ganized against their own political emancipation be­
cause they perceived it to be a threat to the family.
How was it that suffrage was finally accepted in
1928? First, the campaign, mounted by the suffragists
was powerful and well organized, and second, the fear
that suffrage threatened the family declined. Though the
suffrage cause in the 19th century had become increas­
ingly central to the feminist cause, suffrage, once
achieved, had almost no observable effect upon the po­
sition of women. The right to vote did not— and could
n o t— affect women’s role within the family one way or
the other.
Within 3 years after the ratification of the women’s
suffrage amendment, Alice Paul, a radical feminist, pro­
posed an equal rights amendment to the Constitution.
It would have required the law to recognize and treat
women as individuals, not as members of a sex. If it
had been ratified, it would have nullified all the special
protective legislation on behalf of women that had been
enacted in the preceeding 20 years or more, according
to Degler. As a result, women leaders of the day, such
as Jane Addams, the head of the Chicago settlement
house Hull House, rejected the amendment.
Prior to World War II, women between the ages of
20 and 24 tended to work, then marry and leave the la­
bor force. But World War II transformed the labor
market by increasing occupational opportunities for
women. By 1960, the proportion of women between 45
and 54 in the labor force was greater than the percent­
age of women between 20 and 24.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was the most significant
single force behind the new feminist movement for,
from the time of its passage on, women’s equality of op­
portunity was endorsed by the Federal Government.
The increasing participation of married women in the
work force and the general concern for equality which
the Civil Rights Revolution sparked, helped to bring
pressures for legislation.
Because women in the work force had become older,
the safety laws that had been passed to protect women
who had yet to bear children were no longer so impor­
tant as to endanger the Equal Rights Amendment point
of view. However, the organized women’s movement
was once again unable to pass the Equal Rights
Amendment. Part of the reason undoubtedly was that
the amendment seemed to threaten some women as well
as men, says Carl Degler. The truth is, despite the as­
sertions from both sides, ratification of the amendment
would not change much, so complete had been the legal
53

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Book Reviews
and constitutional transformation brought about by the
feminist revival, the author maintains. But, Degler ar­
gues, passage of the ERA would imbue in the Constitu­
tion the legal basis for feminist gains of the preceding
decade and thus make their repeal difficult in the future.
It would also hasten the removal of the few remaining
legal obstacles to full equal opportunity between the
sexes.
The National Organization for Women sought to at­
tract ethnic and radical minority women into its ranks,
but largely without success, the author points out. Fem­
inism has always been a middle-class cause and for
many women, equal employment was not a real issue,
especially if it seemed to compete with or threaten fami­
ly relations.
How can young women be offered, at the outset of
their lives, the same personal horizons that are routinely
vouchsafed to young men? One authority contends that
if women are to have equal opportunity, the work pat­
terns of the economy must be altered to fit their funda­
mental relationship to children and family. Another
alternative to women as sole child-rearers, and the op­
tion most commonly advocated, is some form of institu­
tional arrangement that would permit women with
children to pursue work.
The recognition and the realization of women’s indi­
viduality in work will be difficult for an even more pro­
found reason, Degler says. The central values of the
modern family stand in opposition to those which un­
derlie women’s emancipation. The family has insisted
upon subordination of individual interests to those of
the group.
“The ideal goal, it would seem, would be one in
which the values of family and the realization of wom­
en’s individuality could be reconciled,” Degler says.
“Will it be possible for women and men to work out
some arrangements— call it family or something else—
in which these two goals can be realized? Or must the
historic drive for women’s individuality stop short of
full realization in the name of children, husband, and
family?” He concludes that, “ . . . presumably a resolu­
tion will come in something less than another two cen­
turies.”
Degler indicates in his acknowlegments that he and
his wife, also a teacher, have debated women’s issues for
over 30 years. This, plus his considerable talent, may be
a factor that has helped to produce an admirable welltempered discussion of abortion, equal pay for equal
work, and the women’s movement— all of which could
be subject to woeful distortions.

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Publications received
Economic and social statistics
Abel, Andrew B., “A Dynamic Model of Investment and Ca­
pacity Utilization.” T h e Q u a r t e r l y J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m i c s ,
August 1981, pp. 379-403.
Bianchi, Suzanne M., H o u s e h o l d C o m p o s i t i o n a n d R a c i a l I n ­
e q u a l i t y . New Brunswick, N.J., Rutgers, The State Uni­
versity of New Jersey, 1981, 199 pp., bibliography. $16,
Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, N.J.
Levhari, David and Robert S. Pindyck, “The Pricing of Dura­
ble Exhaustible Resources,” T h e Q u a r t e r l y J o u r n a l o f
E c o n o m i c s , August 1981, pp. 365-77.
Meyer, Robert H. and David A. Wise, D i s c o n t i n u o u s D i s t r i b u ­

tio n s a n d M is s in g P e r s o n s : T h e M i n i m u m W a g e a n d U n ­
e m p l o y e d Y o u t h . Cambridge, Mass., National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc., 1981, 62 pp. ( nber Working
Paper Series, 711.) $1.50.

Economic growth and development
Dasgupta, Partha and Joseph Stiglitz, U n c e r t a i n t y , I n d u s t r i a l
S t r u c t u r e a n d t h e S p e e d o f R & D . Cambridge, Mass., Na­
tional Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1981. (Re­
printed from T h e B e l l J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m i c s , Spring 1980,
pp. 1-28). (nber Reprint 156.) $1.50.
Hershman, Arlene, “The 1982 Economy: How
Growth?” D u n ' s R e v i e w , August 1981, pp. 32-36.

Much

Levi, Maurice, E c o n o m i c s D e c i p h e r e d : A L a y m a n ' s S u r v i v a l
G u i d e . New York, Basic Books, Inc., Publishers, 1981,
306 pp. $13.95.

Education
“Education as Transformation: Identity, Change, and Devel­
opment— A Special Issue,” H a r v a r d E d u c a t i o n a l R e v i e w ,
February 1981, pp. 1-184.
Venti, Steven and David A. Wise, T e s t S c o r e s a n d S e l f - S e l e c ­

tio n o f H ig h e r E d u c a t io n : C o lle g e A t t e n d a n c e V e rs u s C o l­
le g e C o m p l e t i o n . Cambridge, Mass., National Bureau of
Economic Research, Inc., 1981, 65 pp. (nber Working
Paper Series, 709.) $1.50.

Industrial relations
Balfour, Alan and Alexander B. Holmes, “The Effectiveness
of No Strike Laws for Public School Teachers,” J o u r n a l
o f C o l l e c t i v e N e g o t i a t i o n s i n t h e P u b l i c S e c t o r , Vol. 10,
No. 2, 1981, pp. 133—44.
Cascio, Wayne F. and H. John Bernardin, “Implications of
Performance Appraisal Litigation for Personnel Deci­
sions,” P e r s o n n e l P s y c h o l o g y , Summer 1981, pp. 211-26.
Coffinberger, Richard L., “A Primer on Unionization Mo­
tives,” J o u r n a l o f C o l l e c t i v e N e g o t i a t i o n s i n t h e P u b l i c
S e c t o r , Vol. 10, No. 2, 1981, pp. 123-32.
Cooke, Lawrence H., “Waste Not, Wait N ot— A Consider­
ation of Federal State Jurisdiction,” F o r d h a m L a w R e v i e w ,
May 1981, pp. 895-903.
Dorr, John Van N. Ill, “Labor Arbitrator Training: The In­
ternship,” T h e A r b i t r a t i o n J o u r n a l , June 1981, pp. 4-10.

— M

ary

Ellen A

yres

Office of Publications
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Gilmore, Carol B., “The Impact of Faculty Collective Bar­
gaining on the Management of Public Higher Education­
al Institutions,” J o u r n a l o f C o l l e c t i v e N e g o t i a t i o n s i n t h e

P u b l i c S e c t o r , Vol. 10, No. 2, 1981, pp. 145-52.
Holley, William H., Hubert S. Feild, James C. Crowley, “Ne­
gotiating Quality of Worklife, Productivity and Tradition­
al Issues: Union Members’ Preferred Roles of Their
Union,” P e r s o n n e l P s y c h o l o g y , Summer 1981, pp. 309-28.
Honadle, Beth Walter, “A Model of the Public Sector Wage
Determination Process— With Special Reference to Insti­
tutional Factors,” J o u r n a l o f C o l l e c t i v e N e g o t i a t i o n s i n t h e
P u b l i c S e c t o r , Vol. 10, No. 2, 1981, pp. 105-22.
Karro, David G., “The Importance of Being Earnest: Pleading
and Maintaining a Title VII Class Action for the Purpose
of Resolving the Claims of Class Members,” F o r d h a m
L a w R e v i e w , May 1981, pp. 904-55.
Krislov, Joseph and John Mead, “Arbitrating Union Con­
flicts: An Analysis of the A F L -C IO Internal Disputes
Plan.” A r b i t r a t i o n J o u r n a l , June 1981, pp. 21-29.
Noam, Eli M., “The Valuation of Legal Rights,” T h e Q u a r t e r ­
l y J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m i c s , August 1981, pp. 465-76.
Princeton University, O u t s t a n d i n g B o o k s i n I n d u s t r i a l R e l a ­
t i o n s a n d L a b o r E c o n o m i c s , 1 9 8 0 . Princeton, N.J.,
Princeton University, Industrial Relations Section, March
1981, 4 pp. (Selected References, 206.) 50 cents.
Zack, Arnold M., “Who Is Responsible for the Development
of Arbitrators— The Parties or the Arbitrators?” T h e A r ­
b i t r a t i o n J o u r n a l , June 1981, pp. 11-14.
Zirkel, Perry A. and J. Gary Lutz, “Characteristics and Func­
tions of Mediators: A Pilot Study,” T h e A r b i t r a t i o n
J o u r n a l , June 1981, pp. 15-20.

Industry and government organization
Bemis, Judson and John A. Cairns, “In Minnesota, Business
is Part of the Solution,” H a r v a r d B u s i n e s s R e v i e w , JulyAugust 1981, pp. 85-93.
Congressional Quarterly, Inc., F e d e r a l R e g u l a t o r y D i r e c t o r y ,
1 9 8 1 - 8 2 . 2d. ed. Washington, Congressional Quarterly,
Inc., 1981, 875 pp. $27.50.
Drayton, William, “Getting Smarter About Regulation,” H a r ­
v a r d B u s i n e s s R e v i e w , July-August 1981, beginning on p.
38.
Economic Council of Canada, R e f o r m i n g R e g u l a t i o n . Ottawa,
Ontario, Economic Council of Canada, 1981, 167 pp.
$9.95, Canada; $11.95, other countries. Available from
Canadian Government Publishing Center, Supply and
Services Canada, Ottawa.
Fernandez, John P., R a c i s m

a n d S e x is m in C o r p o r a te L if e :
C h a n g i n g V a l u e s i n A m e r i c a n B u s i n e s s . Lexington, Mass.,

D.C. Heath and Co., Lexington Books, 1981, 359 pp.,
bibliography. $28.95.
Herman, Edward S., C o r p o r a t e C o n t r o l , C o r p o r a t e P o w e r . New
York, The Twentieth Century Fund, Inc., 1981, 432 pp.
$18.95, Cambridge University Press, New York.
Lave, Lester B., T h e S t r a t e g y o f S o c i a l R e g u l a t i o n : D e c i s i o n
F r a m e w o r k s f o r P o l i c y . Washington, The Brookings Insti­
tution, 1981, 166 pp., bibliography. $19.95, cloth; $7.95,
paper.

Buiter, William H., “Monetary, Financial, and Fiscal Policies
Under Rational Expectations,” I n t e r n a t i o n a l M o n e t a r y
F u n d S t a f f P a p e r s , December 1980, pp. 785-813.
“Export Diversification and the New Protectionism: The Ex­
periences of Latin America— Special Issue,” T h e Q u a r t e r ­
l y R e v i e w o f E c o n o m i c s a n d B u s in e s s , Summer 1981, pp. 9
-301.
Heller, Peter S., “Impact of Inflation on Fiscal Policy in De­
veloping Countries,” I n t e r n a t i o n a l M o n e t a r y F u n d S t a f f
P a p e r s , December 1981, pp. 712—48.
Pardee, Scott E., “Treasury and Federal Reserve Foreign Ex­
change Operations: Interim Report,” F e d e r a l R e s e r v e B u l ­
l e t i n , June 1981, pp. 486-87.
The American Assembly, Columbia University, T h e C h i n a

F a c t o r : F i n a l R e p o r t o f th e 5 9 t h A m e r ic a n A s s e m b ly , H e l d
a t A r d e n H o u s e , H a r r i m a n , N . Y . , M a r . 1 9 - 2 2 , 1 9 8 1 . New
York, Columbia University, The American Assembly,
1981, 15 pp.
von Furstenberg, George M., “Domestic Determinants of
New U.S. Foreign Investment,” I n t e r n a t i o n a l M o n e t a r y
F u n d S t a f f P a p e r s , December 1981, pp. 637-78.
“Where Growth Still Works,” T h e E c o n o m i s t s , July 18, 1981,
beginning on p. 51.

Labor force
Alternative Work Options for Older Workers: Part I, “Em­
ployees’ Interests,” by Carolyn E. Usher; Part II, “The
Managers’ View,” by Stephen R. McConnell, A g i n g a n d
W o r k , Spring 1981, pp. 74-87.
Nodera, Yasuyuki, “Japanese Employment Policies for Older
Workers,” A g i n g a n d W o r k , Spring 1981, pp. 101-08.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, P h i l a d e l p h i a E m p l o y m e n t
T r e n d s , 1 9 8 0 . Philadelphia, Pa., 1981, 28 pp. (Regional
Report 52.)

Management and organization theory
Baird, John E„ Jr., “Supervisory and Managerial Training
Through Communication by Objectives,” P e r s o n n e l A d ­
m i n i s t r a t o r , July 1981, pp. 28-32.
Bekiroglu, Haluk and Turan Gonen, “Labor Turnover: Roots,
Costs and Some Potential Solutions,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s ­
t r a t o r , July 1981, beginning on p. 67.
Biles, George E., “A Program Guide for Preventing Sexual
Harassment in the Workplace,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r ,
June 1981, pp. 49-56.
Burck, Charles G., “Working Smarter: What’s In It for
Unions,” F o r t u n e , Aug. 24, 1981, pp. 88-92.
Buss, Martin D. J., “Penny-Wise Approach to Data Process­
ing,” H a r v a r d B u s in e s s R e v i e w , July-August 1981, pp.
111-17.
Ebenstein, Michael and Leonard I. Krauss, “Strategic Plan­
ning for Information Resource Management,” M a n a g e ­
m e n t R e v i e w , June 1981, pp. 21-26.

International economics

Ezell, Hazel F., Charles A. Odewahn, J. Daniel Sherman,
“The Effects of Having Been Supervised by a Woman on
Perceptions of Female Managerial Competence,” P e r s o n ­
n e l P s y c h o l o g y , Summer 1981, pp. 291-99.

Bond, Marian E., “Exchange Rates, Inflation, and Vicious
Circles,” I n t e r n a t i o n a l M o n e t a r y F u n d S t a f f P a p e r s , De­
cember 1981, pp. 679-711.

Flynn, W. Randolph and Judith U. Litzsinger, “Careers With­
out Conflict,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , July 1981, pp. 8185.


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55

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Book Reviews
Goode, Leon F. and David H. Meier, “Productivity Measure­
ment for Thinkers,” T h e B u r e a u c r a t , Spring 1981, pp. 36
-42.
Greenlaw, Paul S. and John P. Kohl, “Sexual Harassment:
Homosexuality, Bisexuality, and Blackmail,” P e r s o n n e l
A d m i n i s t r a t o r , June 1981, pp. 59-62.
Haldane, Bernard, C a r e e r S a t i s f a c t i o n a n d S u c c e s s : H o w t o
K n o w a n d M a n a g e Y o u r S t r e n g h t s . (Rev. ed.) New York,
amacom , A division of American Management Associa­
tions, 1981, 210 pp. $12.95.
Hatvany, Nina and Vladimir Pucik, “Japanese Management
Practices and Productivity,” O r g a n i z a t i o n a l D y n a m i c s ,
Spring 1981, pp. 4-21.
Hayes, Robert H., “Why Japanese Factories Work,” H a r v a r d
B u s i n e s s R e v i e w , July-August 1981, pp. 56-66.

“Personnel and Energy,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , June 1981,
beginning on p. 20.
Porras, Jerry I. and Brad Anderson, “Improving Managerial
Effectiveness Through Modeling Based Training,” O r g a ­
n i z a t i o n a l D y n a m i c s , Spring 1981, pp. 60-77.
Rosenbaum, Bernard L., H o w t o M o t i v a t e T o d a y 's W o r k e r s :
M o t i v a t i o n a l M o d e l s f o r M a n a g e r s a n d S u p e r v i s o r s . New
York, McGraw-Hill Book Co., 1982, 201 pp. $15.95.
Tavernier, Gerard, “Awakening a Sleeping Giant . . . Ford’s
Employee Involvement Program,” M a n a g e m e n t R e v i e w ,
June 1981, pp. 15-20.
Tracey, William R., H u m a n R e s o u r c e D e v e l o p m e n t S t a n d a r d s :

A S e lf E v a lu a tio n M a n u a l f o r h r d M a n a g e r s a n d S p e c ia l­
is ts . New York, amacom , A division of American Man­
agement Associations, 1981, 598 pp. $39.95.

Holbrook, James E., “Here’s How to Sell Your Ideas for Au­
dio-Visual Training Programs to Top Management,” P e r ­
s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , July 1981, pp. 34—39.

Truskie, Stanley D., “Guidelines for Conducting in-House
Management Development,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r ,
July 1981, pp. 25-27.

Jennings, Eugene E., “How to Develop Your Management
Talent Internally,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , July 1981,
pp. 20-23.

White, Michael C., Michael D. Crino, Gerry L. DeSanctis, “A
Critical Review of Female Performance, Performance
Training and Organizational Initiatives Designed to Aid
Women in the Work-Role Environment,” P e r s o n n e l P s y ­
c h o l o g y , Summer 1981, pp. 227-48.

Juran, J. M., “Product Quality— A Prescription for the West:
Part I, Training and Improvement Programs,” M a n a g e ­
m e n t R e v i e w , June 1981, pp. 9-14.
Kammert, James L., I n t e r n a t i o n a l C o m m e r c i a l B a n k i n g M a n ­
a g e m e n t . New York, amacom , A division of American
Management Associations, 1981, 403 pp. $24.95.
Lynch, Thomas D. and Gerald T. Gabris, “Obstacles to Ef­
fective Management,” T h e B u r e a u c r a t , Spring 1981, pp.
8-14.
McCrone, William P. and Richard L. Arthur, “The Deaf Ap­
plicant: Considerations for Personnel Managers,” P e r s o n ­
n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , June 1981, pp. 65-69.
Martin, Wallace, “What Management Can Expect From an
Employee Attitude Survey,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , July
1981, beginning on p. 75.

Zedeck, Sheldon, “Behaviorally Based Performance Apprais­
als,” A g i n g a n d W o r k , Spring 1981, pp. 89-100.
Zierden, William E., “Managing Workplace Innovations: A
Framework and a New Approach,” M a n a g e m e n t R e v i e w ,
June 1981, pp. 57-61.

Monetary and fiscal policy
Cole, Roger T„ “Financial Performance of Small Banks, 1977
-8 0 ,” F e d e r a l R e s e r v e B u l l e t i n , June 1981, pp. 480-85.
Cook, Timothy, “Determinants of the Spread Between Trea­
sury Bill and Private Sector Money Market Rates,” J o u r ­
n a l o f E c o n o m i c s a n d B u s in e s s , Summer 1981, pp. 17787.
Cornyn, Anthony G. and Thomas L. Zearley, “Financial De­
velopments of Bank Holding Companies in 1980,” F e d e r ­
a l R e s e r v e B u l l e t i n , June 1981, pp. 473-79.

Medoff, James L. and Katharine G. Abraham, E x p e r i e n c e ,
P e r f o r m a n c e , a n d E a r n i n g s . Cambridge, Mass., National
Bureau of Economic Research, Inc., 1981. Reprinted
from T h e Q u a r t e r l y J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m i c s , December
1980, pp. 703-36. ( nber Reprint, 159.) $1.50.

Kolb, Robert W„ “Predicting Dividend Changes,” J o u r n a l o f
E c o n o m i c s a n d B u s in e s s , Summer 1981, pp. 218-30.

Monat, Jonathan S., “A Perspective on the Evaluation of
Training and Development Programs,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n ­
i s t r a t o r , July 1981, pp. 47-52.

Kopecky, Kenneth J., “Required Reserve Ratios and Mone­
tary Control,” J o u r n a l o f E c o n o m i c s a n d B u s in e s s , Sum­
mer 1981, pp. 212-17.

Montgomery, Robert L„ L i s t e n i n g M a d e E a s y : H o w t o I m ­

Stuart, Alexander, “Are the Oil Stocks Oversold?” F o r t u n e ,
Aug. 24, 1981, pp. 50-56.

p r o v e L is te n in g o n th e J o b , a t H o m e a n d in th e
C o m m u n i t y . New York, amacom , A division of Ameri­
can Management Associations, 1981, 134 pp. $10.95.
Moravec, Milan, “Performance Appraisal: A Human Re­
source Management System with Productivity Payoffs,”
M a n a g e m e n t R e v i e w , June 1981, pp. 51-54.
Myers, Donald W., “The Impact of a Selected Provision in
the Federal Guidelines on Job Analysis and Training,”
P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , July 1981, pp. 41-45.
Newstrom, John W., “The Dynamics of Effective Team
Teaching,” P e r s o n n e l A d m i n i s t r a t o r , July 1981, beginning
on p. 55.
Nugent, Patrick S., “Management and Modes of Thought,”
O r g a n i z a t i o n a l D y n a m i c s , Spring 1981, pp. 44—59.
Digitized for
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Productivity and technological change
Buehler, Vernon M. and Y. Krishna Shetty, eds., P r o d u c t i v i t y
I m p r o v e m e n t s : C a s e S t u d i e s o f P r o v e n P r a c t i c e . New
York, amacom , A division of American Management
Associations, 1981, 273 pp. $19.95.
Lichtenberg, Frank R„ T r a i n i n g , T e n u r e , a n d P r o d u c t i v i t y .
Cambridge, Mass., National Bureau of Economic Re­
search, Inc., 1981, 40 pp. (nber Working Paper Series,
671.) $1.50.
Peitchinis, Stephen G. with Elizabeth MacDonald, T h e A t t i ­
t u d e o f T r a d e U n i o n s T o w a r d s T e c h n o l o g i c a l C h a n g e s . Ot­
tawa, Ontario, Canada, Federal Department of Industry,
Trade and Commerce, Technology Branch, 1980, 73 pp. □

Current
Labor Statistics
Notes on Current Labor Statistics

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

Schedule of release dates for major BLS statistical series

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

Employment data from household survey. Definitions and notes
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

.............................................................
Employment status of noninstitutional population, selected years, 1950-80 ...............................................................
Employment status by sex, age, and race, seasonally adjusted .......................................................................................
Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted .......................................................................................................
Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted ....................................................................................
Unemployment rates, by sex and age, seasonally a d ju ste d ...............................................................................................
Unemployed persons, by reason for unemployment, seasonally adjusted .....................................................................
Duration of unemployment, seasonally adjusted ...............................................................................................................

Employment, hours, and earnings data from establishment surveys. Definitions and notes
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

Employment by industry, 1951-80
Employment by State ..............................................................................................................................................................
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing g r o u p ...............................................................................
Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted .......................................
Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, 1977 to date .......................................................................................................
Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, by major industry group ..................................................................................
Hours and earnings, by industry division, 1950-80
Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing g r o u p ............................................................................
Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted .....................................
Hourly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group .......................................................................
Hourly Earnings Index, by industry division, seasonally adjusted ...............................................................................
Weekly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group .......................................................................
Gross and spendable weekly earnings, in current and 1967 dollars, 1961 to date .....................................................

58
58
59
59
60
61
62
63
63
63
64
65
65
66
67
68
68
69
70
71
72
72
73
74

Unemployment insurance data. Definitions

75
75

Price data. Definitions and notes

.........................................................................................................................................
Consumer Price Index, 1967-80
Consumer Price Index, U.S. city average, general summary and selected items ..........................................................
Consumer Price Index, cross classification of region and population size class ..........................................................
Consumer Price Index, selected areas ....................................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing ..................................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings ............................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, for special commodity groupings ....................................................................
Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product ...............................................................................................................
Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries
.........................................................................

76
77
77
83
84
85
86
88
88
88

Productivity data. Definitions and notes ....................................................................................

91
91
92
92
93

.................................................................................................................
21. Unemployment insurance and employment service operations .......................................................................................

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

31.
32.
33.
34.

Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs,and prices, selectedyears, 1950-80
Annual changes in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices,1970-80 ............................................
Quarterly indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, seasonally adjusted ...................
Percent change from preceding quarter and year in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices . .

Labor-management data. Definitions

...............................................................................................................................
35. Wage and benefit settlements in major collective bargaining units, 1976 to date ........................................................
36. Effective wage rate adjustments going into effect in major collective bargaining units, 1976 to d a t e .....................
37. Work stoppages, 1947 to date ...............................................................................................................................................


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94
94
95
95

57

NOTES ON CURRENT LABOR STATISTICS

This section of the R e v ie w presents the principal statistical se­
ries collected and calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
A brief introduction to each group of tables provides defi­
nitions, notes on the data, sources, and other material usually
found in footnotes.
Readers who need additional information are invited to
consult the BLS regional offices listed on the inside front cov­
er of this issue of the R e v ie w . Some general notes applicable to
several series are given below.
Seasonal adjustment. Certain monthly and quarterly data are adjusted
to eliminate the effect of such factors as climatic conditions, industry
production schedules, opening and closing of schools, holiday buying
periods, and vacation practices, which might otherwise mask short­
term movements of the statistical series. Tables containing these data
are identified as “seasonally adjusted.” Seasonal effects are estimated
on the basis of past experience. When new seasonal factors are com­
puted each year, revisions may affect seasonally adjusted data for sev­
eral preceding years.
Seasonally adjusted labor force data in tables 2-7 were revised in
the February 1981 issue of the R e v ie w to reflect the preceding year’s
experience. Beginning in January 1980, the BLS introduced two major
modifications in the seasonal adjustment methodology for labor force
data. First, the data are being seasonally adjusted with a new proce­
dure called X -ll/A R IM A , which was developed at Statistics Canada
as an extension of the standard X -ll method. A detailed description
of the procedure appears in T h e X - l l A R I M 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 (Statistics Canada Catalogue No.
12-564E, February 1980). The second change is that seasonal factors
are now being calculated for use during the first 6 months of the year,
rather than for the entire year, and then are calculated at mid-year for
the July-December period. Revisions of historical data continue to be
made only at the end of each calendar year.
Annual revision of the seasonally adjusted payroll data in tables
11, 13, 16, and 18 begins with the August 1980 issue using the
X -ll ARIMA seasonal adjustment methodology. New seasonal fac­
tors for productivity data in tables 33 and 34 are usually intro­
duced in the September issue. Seasonally adjusted indexes and percent
changes from month to month and from quarter to quarter are

published for numerous Consumer and Producer Price Index series.
However, seasonally adjusted indexes are not published for the U.S.
average All Items CPI. Only seasonally adjusted percent changes are
available for this series.
Adjustments for price changes. Some data are adjusted to eliminate
the effect of changes in price. These adjustments are made by dividing
current dollar values by the Consumer Price Index or the appropriate
component of the index, then multiplying by 100. For example, given
a current hourly wage rate of $3 and a current price index number of
150, where 1967 = 100, the hourly rate expressed in 1967 dollars is
$2 ($3/150 X 100 = $2). The resulting values are described as
“real,” “constant,” or “ 1967” dollars.
Availability of information. Data that supplement the tables in this
section are published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in a variety of
sources. Press releases provide the latest statistical information
published by the Bureau; the major recurring releases are published
according to the schedule given below. The B L S H a n d b o o k o f L a b o r
S ta tistic s, Bulletin 2070, provides more detailed data and greater his­
torical coverage for most of the statistical series presented in the
M o n th ly L a b o r R eview . More information from the household and es­
tablishment surveys is provided in E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a rn in g s, a
monthly publication of the Bureau, and in two comprehensive data
books issued annually— E m p lo y m e n t 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 a n d E a rn in g s, S ta te s a n d A reas. More detailed informa­
tion on wages and other aspects of collective bargaining appears in
the monthly periodical, C u r re n t W a g e D e ve lo p m e n ts. More detailed
price information is published each month in the periodicals, the C P I
D e ta ile d R e p o r t and P r o d u c e r P rices a n d P ric e In d ex es.

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

Schedule of release dates for major BLS statistical series
Series

Employment situation..................................................................
Producer Price Index ..................................................................
Consumer Price Index ................................................................
Real earnings ............................................................................
Productivity and costs:
Nonfarm business and manufacturing ......................................
Nonfinancial corporations ........................................................
Labor turnover in manufacturing ..................................................
Work stoppages..........................................................................
Major collective bargaining settlements ........................................


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58
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Release
date

Period
covered

Release
date

Period
covered

October 2
October 9
October 23
October 23

September
September
September
September

November 6
November 6
November 24
November 24

October
October
October
October

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

November 25
November 30
November 30

3d quarter
October
October

31-34
31-34
12-13
37
35-36

October 28

3d quarter

October 29
October 29
October 30

September
September
1st 9 months

MLR table
number

EMPLOYMENT DATA FROM THE HOUSEHOLD SURVEY

E mployment 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 60,000
households beginning in May 1981, 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 are (1) those who worked for pay any time
during the week which includes the 12th day of the month or who
worked unpaid for 15 hours or more in a family-operated enterprise
and (2) those who were temporarily absent from their regular jobs
because of illness, vacation, industrial dispute, or similar reasons. A
person working at more than one job is counted only in the job at
which he or she worked the greatest number of hours.
Unemployed persons are those who did not work during the survey
week, but were available for work except for temporary illness and
had looked for jobs within the preceding 4 weeks. Persons who did
not look for work because they were on layoff or waiting to start new
jobs within the next 30 days are also counted among the unemployed.
The unemployment rate represents the number unemployed as a
percent of the civilian labor force.
The civilian labor force consists of all employed or unemployed
persons in the civilian noninstitutional population; the total labor
force includes military personnel. Persons not in the labor force are

1.

those not classified as employed or unemployed; this group includes
persons retired, those engaged in their own housework, those not
working while attending school, those unable to work because of
long-term illness, those discouraged from seeking work because of
personal or job market factors, and those who are voluntarily idle.
The noninstitutional population comprises all persons 16 years of age
and older who are not inmates of penal or mental institutions,
sanitariums, or homes for the aged, infirm, or needy.
Full-time workers are those employed at least 35 hours a week;
part-time workers are those who work fewer hours. Workers on parttime schedules for economic reasons (such as slack work, terminating
or starting a job during the week, material shortages, or inability to
find full-time work) are among those counted as being on full-time
status, under the assumption that they would be working full time if
conditions permitted. The survey classifies unemployed persons in
full-time or part-time status by their reported preferences for full-time
or part-time work.

Notes on the data
From time to time, and especially after a decennial census,
adjustments are made in the Current Population Survey figures to
correct for estimating errors during the preceding years. These
adjustments affect the comparability of historical data presented in
table 1. A description of these adjustments and their effect on 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.

Data in tables 2-7 are seasonally adjusted, based on the seasonal
experience through December 1980.

Employment status of the noninstitutional population, 16 years and over, selected years, 1950-80

[Numbers inthousands]
Civilian labor force

Total labor force

Year

Total non­
institutional
population

Unemployed

Employed
Number

Percent of
population

Total
Total

Agriculture

Nonagricultural
industries

Number

Percent of
labor
force

Not in
labor force

1965 ............................................................

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

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

59.9
60.4
60.2
59.6
59.7

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

58,918
62,170
65,778
69,305
71,088

7,160
6,450
5,458
4,523
4,361

51,758
55,722
60,318
64,782
66,726

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

5.3
4.4
5.5
5.2
4.5

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

1970 ............................................................

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

78,893
80,793
82,272
84,240
85,903

60.1
60.6
60.7
61.1
61.3

75,770
77,347
78,737
80,734
82,715

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

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

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

2,875
2,975
2,817
2,832
4,088

3.8
3.8
3.6
3.5
4.9

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

1975 ............................................................

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

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

61.0
61.0
61.4
61.8
61.8

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

79,120
81,702
84,409
83,935
84,783

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

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

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

5.9
5.6
4.9
5.6
8.5

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

1980 ............................................................

156,048
158,559
161,058
163,620
166,246

96,917
99,534
102,537
104,996
106,821

62.1
62.8
63.7
64.2
64.3

94,773
97,401
100,420
102,908
104,719

87,485
90,546
94,373
96,945
97,270

3,297
3,244
3,342
3,297
3,310

84,188
87,302
91,031
93,648
93,960

7,288
6,855
6,047
5,963
7,448

7.7
7.0
6.0
5.8
7.1

59,130
59,025
58,521
58,623
59,425

1950

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


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59

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Household Data
2.

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

[Numbers inthousands]
1981

1980

Annual average
Employment status

1979

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

163,620
104,996
161,532
102,908
96,945
3,297
93,648
5,963
5.8
58,623

166,246
106,821
164,143
104,719
97,270
3,310
93,960
7,448
7.1
59,425

166,578
107,059
164,464
104,945
97,003
3,210
93,793
7,942
7.6
59,519

166,789
107,101
164,667
104,980
97,180
3,399
93,781
7,800
7.4
59,687

167,005
107,288
164,884
105,167
97,206
3,319
93,887
7,961
7.6
59,717

167,201
107,404
165,082
105,285
97,339
3,340
93,999
7,946
7.5
59,797

167,396
107,191
165,272
105,067
97,282
3,394
93,888
7,785
7.4
60,205

167,585
107,668
165,460
105,543
97,696
3,403
94,294
7,847
7.4
59,917

167,747
107,802
165,627
105,681
97,927
3,281
94,646
7,754
7.3
59,946

167,902
108,305
165,774
106,177
98,412
3,276
95,136
7,764
7.3
59,598

168,071
108,851
165,941
106,722
98,976
3,463
95,513
7,746
7.3
59,219

168,272
109,533
166,145
107,406
99,235
3,353
95,882
8,171
7.6
58,739

168,480
108,307
166,349
106,176
98,392
3,265
95,127
7,784
7.3
60,173

168,685
108,603
166,546
106,464
98,962
3,258
95,704
7,502
7.0
60,082

168,855
108,762
166,695
106,602
98,944
3,370
95,574
7,657
7.2
60,093

68,293
54,486
52,264
2,350
49,913
2,223
4.1
13,807

69,607
55,234
51,972
2,355
49,617
3,261
5.9
14,373

69,756
55,403
51,791
2,301
49,490
3,612
6.5
14,353

69,864
55,475
51,823
2,389
49,434
3,652
6.6
14,389

69,987
55,495
51,963
2,351
49,612
3,532
6.4
14,492

70,095
55,539
52,007
2,372
49,635
3,532
6.4
14,556

70,198
55,470
52,045
2,331
49,714
3,425
6.2
14,728

70,320
55,443
52,091
2,378
49,713
3,352
6.0
14,877

70,413
55,445
52,134
2,289
49,844
3,312
6.0
14,968

70,481
55,816
52,511
2,296
50,215
3,305
5.9
14,665

70,574
56,013
52,750
2,409
50,342
3,262
5.8
14,561

70,687
56,395
52,849
2,349
50,500
3,546
6.3
14,292

70,788
55,876
52,451
2,320
50,131
3,425
6.1
14,912

70,894
55,957
52,811
2,329
50,482
3,147
5.6
14,937

70,978
56,045
52,724
2,402
50,323
3,321
5.9
14,933

76,860
38,910
36,698
591
36,107
2,213
5.7
37,949

78,295
40,243
37,696
575
37,120
2,547
6.3
38,052

78,473
40,523
37,890
555
37,335
2,633
6.5
37,950

78,598
40,317
37,804
592
37,212
2,513
6.2
38,281

78,723
40,486
37,754
576
37,178
2,732
6.7
38,237

78,842
40,629
37,909
574
37,335
2,720
6.7
38,213

78,959
40,570
37,820
665
37,155
2,750
6.8
38,389

79,071
40,942
38,191
621
37,570
2,750
6.7
38,129

79,175
41,090
38,410
615
37,794
2,680
6.5
38,085

79,271
41,293
38,567
606
37,961
2,725
6.6
37,978

79,377
41,481
38,760
603
38,157
2,721
6.6
37,896

79,498
41,852
39,014
583
38,431
2,838
6.8
37,646

79,617
41,743
39,011
562
38,449
2,731
6.5
37,874

79,739
41,879
39,082
575
38,507
2,797
6.7
37,860

79,848
41,857
39,155
601
38,554
2,701
6.5
37,991

16,379
9,512
7,984
356
7,628
1,528
16.1
6,867

16,242
9,242
7,603
380
7,223
1,640
17.7
7,000

16,235
9,019
7,322
354
6,968
1,697
18.8
7,216

16,205
9,188
7,553
418
7,135
1,635
17.8
7,017

16,174
9,186
7,489
392
7,097
1,697
18.5
6,988

16,145
9,117
7,423
394
7,029
1,694
18.6
7,028

16,114
9,027
7,417
398
7,019
1,610
17.8
7,087

16,069
9,158
7,414
404
7,010
1,744
19.0
6,911

16,039
9,146
7,384
376
7,008
1,762
19.3
6,893

16,022
9,068
7,334
374
6,960
1,734
19.1
6,954

15,991
9,228
7,465
451
7,014
1,763
19.1
6,763

15,961
9,159
7,372
421
6,951
1,787
19.5
6,802

15,944
8,558
6,930
383
6,547
1,628
19.0
7,386

15,913
8,628
7,069
354
6,715
1,559
18.1
7,285

15,869
8,700
7,065
368
6,697
1,635
18.8
7,169

141,614
90,602
86,025
4,577
5.1
51,011

143,657
92,171
86,380
5,790
6.3
51,486

143,900
92,288
86,067
6,221
6.7
51,612

144,051
92,317
86,307
6,010
6.5
51,734

144,211
92,516
86,371
6,145
6.6
51,695

144,359 144,500
92,562 92,383
86,409 86,377
6,006
6,153
6.5
6.6
51,797 52,117

144,651
92,832
86,620
6,213
6.7
51,819

144,774
93,035
86,940
6,095
6.6
51,739

144,882
93,313
87,291
6,022
6.5
51,569

145,006
93,860
87,791
6,069
6.5
51,146

145,160
94,506
88,083
6,422
6.8
50,654

145,316
93,464
87,500
5,964
6.4
51,852

19,918
12,306
10,920
1,386
11.3
7,612

20,486
12,548
10,890
1,658
13.2
7,938

20,564
12,630
10,902
1,728
13.7
7,934

20,617
12,677
10,894
1,783
14.1
7,940

20,673
12,686
10,884
1,802
14.2
7,987

20,809
12,684
11,051
1,634
12.9
8,125

20,853
12,598
10,942
1,655
13.1
8,255

20,892
12,765
11,020
1,745
13.7
8,127

20,936
12,899
11,193
1,706
13.2
8,037

20,985
12,895
11,138
1,757
13.6
8,090

21,033
12,741
10,928
1,813
14.2
8,292

TOTAL
Total noninstitutional population1 ..........................
Total labor force ......................................
Civilian noninstitutional population’ ......................
Civilian labor force ................................
Employed ......................................
Agriculture ..............................
Nonagricultural industries ........
Unemployed ..................................
Unemployment rate ........................
Not in labor force ..................................
Men, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population’ ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Agriculture ....................................
Nonagricultural industries ................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ........................................
Women, 20 years and over
Civilian noninstitutional population’ ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Agriculture ....................................
Nonagricultural industries ................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not In labor force ........................................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Agriculture ....................................
Nonagricultural industries ................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ........................................
White
Civilian noninstitutional population1 ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ........................................

145,464 145,575
93,767 93,789
87,979 88,046
5,787
5,787
6.2
6.1
51,697 51,786

Black and other
Civilian noninstitutional population’ ......................
Civilian labor force ......................................
Employed ............................................
Unemployed ........................................
Unemployment rate ..............................
Not in labor force ........................................

’ As in table 1, population figures are not seasonally adjusted.


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60
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

20,723
12,706
10,922
1,784
14.0
8,017

20,771
12,668
10,895
1,773
14.0
8,103

21,081
12,658
10,939
1,719
13.6
8,423

21,120
12,793
10,877
1,916
15.0
8,327

3.

Selected employment indicators, seasonally adjusted

[Numbers inthousands]
Annual average

1980

1981

Selected categories
1979

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

96,945
56,499
40,446
39,090
22,724

97,270
55,988
41,283
38,302
23,097

97,003
55,589
41,414
37,987
23,126

97,180
55,754
41,426
38,027
23,027

97,206
55,881
41,325
38,142
22,993

97,339
55,897
41,442
38,167
23,065

97,282
55,920
41,362
38,231
23,063

97,696
56,012
41,684
38,182
23,352

97,927
56,045
41,882
38,113
23,356

98,412
56,383
42,029
38,365
23,513

98,976
56,688
42,288
38,510
23,529

99,235
56,718
42,517
38,498
23,831

98,392
56,026
42,366
38,216
23,763

98,962
56,494
42,467
38,283
23,820

98,944
56,368
42,577
38,315
23,683

49,342
15,050

50,809
15,613

51,307
15,751

51,074
15,540

51,101
15,780

51,148
15,863

51,065
15,810

51,594
15,965

51,698
15,813

51,746
15,827

51,801
15,754

51,967
15,688

51,959
16,057

51,857
15,966

52,123
16,299

10,516
6,163
17,613
32,066
12,880
10,909
3,612
4,665
12,834
2,703

10,919
6,172
18,105
30,800
12,529
10,346
3,468
4,456
12,958
2,704

11,109
6,140
18,307
30,232
12,346
10,147
3,478
4,261
12,928
2,620

11,007
6,316
18,211
30,436
12,490
10,202
3,434
4,310
12,943
2,757

10,979
6,277
18,065
30,521
12,485
10,210
3,443
4,383
12,891
2,735

11,016
6,155
18,114
30,550
12,424
10,247
3,429
4,450
12,888
2,729

11,009
6,175
18,071
30,373
12,337
10,194
3,402
4,440
12,982
2,804

11,363
6,265
18,001
30,338
12,306
10,331
3,322
4,380
12,946
2,737

11,488
6,271
18,125
30,446
12,386
10,390
3,361
4,309
13,070
2,662

11,565
6,220
18,135
30,594
12,605
10,189
3,363
4,437
13,279
2,679

11,444
6,145
18,457
31,156
12,624
10,524
3,411
4,596
13,255
2,834

11,260
6,461
18,557
31,373
12,743
10,609
3,390
4,632
13,213
2,707

11,174
6,440
18,288
30,922
12,482
10,550
3,425
4,466
12,930
2,648

11,418
6,220
18,254
31,038
12,575
10,567
3,481
4,415
13,284
2,689

11,217
6,369
18,238
31,113
12,508
10,501
3,499
4,605
13,002
2,732

1,413
1,580
304

1,384
1,628
297

1,282
1,640
280

1,417
1,688
309

1,363
1,640
325

1,417
1,612
324

1,411
1,655
305

1,465
1,615
284

1,336
1,610
325

1,338
1,615
312

1,524
1,648
290

1,464
1,644
231

1,377
1,657
258

1,457
1,568
235

1,472
1,629
250

86,540
15,369
71,171
1,240
69,931
6,652
455

86,706
15,624
71,081
1,166
69,915
6,850
404

86,490
15,531
70,959
1,196
69,763
6,881
403

86,395
15,575
70,820
1,125
69,695
6,977
416

86,587
15,597
70,990
1,144
69,846
7,005
417

86,643
15,651
70,992
1,148
69,844
6,943
405

86,513
15,653
70,860
1,110
69,750
6,973
396

87,125
15,738
71,387
1,197
70,190
6,839
422

87,236
15,589
71,647
1,176
70,471
6,923
371

87,870
15,685
72,185
1,235
70,949
6,896
354

88,195
15,628
72,567
1,241
71,327
7,021
306

88,877
15,512
73,365
1,164
72,201
6,761
338

87,734
15,460
72,274
1,146
71,128
7,005
369

88,291
15,349
72,942
1,211
71,731
6,886
389

88,189
15,140
73,048
1,236
71,812
6,942
378

88,133
72,647
3,281
1,325
1,956
12,205

88,325
72,022
3,965
1,669
2,296
12,338

88,195
71,526
4,143
1,709
2,434
12,526

88,246
71,929
4,183
1,701
2,482
12,134

88,488
72,071
4,220
1,685
2,535
12,197

88,694
72,265
4,176
1,620
2,556
12,253

88,468
72,131
4,218
1,647
2,571
12,119

89,499
72,807
4,474
1,698
2,776
12,218

89,441
72,945
4,145
1,622
2,523
12,351

89,583
72,875
4,227
1,638
2,589
12,481

89,202
72,761
4,044
1,517
2,527
12,397

89,870
73,375
4,143
1,630
2,513
12,352

89,625
73,115
3,798
1,367
2,431
12,713

90,837
74,232
4,225
1,632
2,593
12,380

89,823
72,932
4,187
1,654
2,533
12,704

CHARACTERISTIC
Total employed, 16 years and over ......................
Men ............................................................
Women........................................................
Married men, spouse present ........................
Married women, spouse present ....................
OCCUPATION
White-collar workers............................................
Professional and technical ............................
Managers and administrators, except
farm ........................................................
Salesworkers................................................
Clerical workers............................................
Blue-collar workers..............................................
Craft and kindred workers ............................
Operatives, except transport..........................
Transport equipment operatives ....................
Nonfarm laborers..........................................
Service workers..................................................
Farmworkers ......................................................
MAJOR INDUSTRY AND CLASS
OF WORKER
Agriculture:
Wage-and-salary workers..............................
Self-employed workers..................................
Unpaid family workers ..................................
Nonagricultural industries:
Wage-and-salary workers..............................
Government ..........................................
Private industries....................................
Private households ..........................
Other industries ..............................
Self-employed workers..................................
Unpaid family workers ..................................
PERSONS AT WORK1
Nonagricultural industries ....................................
Full-time schedules ......................................
Part time for economic reasons......................
Usually work full time..............................
Usually work part tim e............................
Part time for noneconomic reasons................

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


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61

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Household Data
4.

Selected unemployment indicators, seasonally adjusted

[Unemployment rates]
1981

1980

Annual average
Selected categories

1979

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

Total, 16 years and over......................................
Men, 20 years and over................................
Women, 20 years and over ..........................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years ..........................

5.8
4.1
5.7
16.1

7.1
5.9
6.3
17.7

7.6
6.5
6.5
18.8

7.4
6.6
6.2
17.8

7.6
6.4
6.7
18.5

7.5
6.4
6.7
18.6

7.4
6.2
6.8
17.8

7.4
6.0
6.7
19.0

7.3
6.0
6.5
19.3

7.3
5.9
6.6
19.1

7.3
5.8
6.6
19.1

7.6
6.3
6.8
19.5

7.3
6.1
6.5
19.0

7.0
5.6
6.7
18.1

7.2
5.9
6.5
18.8

White, total ..................................................
Men, 20 years and over ........................
Women, 20 years and over ....................
3oth sexes, 16 to 19 years ....................

5.1
3.6
5.0
13.9

6.3
5.2
5.6
14.8

6.7
5.8
5.8
16.6

6.5
5.8
5.5
15.1

6.6
5.7
5.8
16.0

6.6
5.7
5.8
16.4

6.5
5.5
5.9
15.4

6.7
5.5
6.0
16.8

6.6
5.4
5.7
17.4

6.5
5.4
5.6
16.9

6.5
5.2
5.7
17.2

6.8
5.6
6.0
18.0

6.4
5.3
5.7
16.5

6.2
4.9
5.8
16.1

6.1
5.1
5.4
15.6

Black and other, total....................................
Men, 20 years and over ........................
Women, 20 years and over ....................
Both sexes, 16 to 19 years ....................

11.3
8.4
10.1
33.5

13.2
11.4
11.1
35.8

13.7
12.5
10.9
37.6

14.1
13.2
10.6
37.8

14.2
12.1
12.3
37.4

14.0
12.0
12.2
36.6

14.0
11.6
12.3
37.5

12.9
10.5
11.0
36.5

13.1
10.8
11.9
35.4

13.7
10.8
12.6
37.3

13.2
10.6
11.8
36.1

13.6
11.8
12.0
33.6

14.2
12.5
12.0
38.6

13.6
11.6
12.0
36.4

15.0
12.4
12.8
45.7

Married men, spouse present........................
Married women, spouse present....................
Women who head families............................
Full-time workers..........................................
Part-time workers ........................................
Unemployed 15 weeks and over....................
Labor force time lost' ..................................

2.7
5.1
8.3
5.3
8.7
1.2
6.3

4.2
5.8
9.1
6.8
8.7
1.7
7.9

4.8
6.0
9.0
7.3
8.7
2.0
8.3

4.7
5.7
9.0
7.3
8.7
2.2
8.2

4.6
6.0
10.2
7.3
9.1
2.2
8.4

4.4
5.9
9.9
7.4
8.6
2.2
8.3

4.3
5.8
10.4
7.3
8.2
2.3
8.2

4.2
6.2
10.5
7.1
9.2
2.2
8.2

4.1
5.8
9.6
7.1
9.1
2.1
8.1

4.1
6.0
9.4
7.1
9.0
2.1
8.1

3.8
5.9
9.8
6.9
9.0
2.0
8.2

4.1
5.9
10.3
7.3
9.7
2.0
8.6

4.2
5.6
10.6
7.0
9.2
2.2
8.0

3.9
5.6
11.5
6.7
9.3
2.0
7.9

3.9
5.3
9.8
6.7
9.7
2.1
7.9

3.3
2.4

3.7
2.5

3.7
2.4

3.8
2.5

3.9
2.6

3.9
2.5

4.0
2.6

3.9
2.8

3.7
2.6

3.9
2.7

4.0
3.2

4.1
2.9

3.8
2.8

4.1
2.8

3.9
2.4

1.9
3.9
4.6
6.9
4.5
8.4
5.4
10.8
7.1
3.8

2.4
4.4
5.3
10.0
6.6
12.2
8.8
14.6
7.9
4.4

2.5
4.2
5.4
11.1
7.6
13.3
9.8
16.1
8.5
5.5

2.4
4.3
5.4
10.8
7.4
13.0
10.4
15.2
8.1
4.3

2.5
4.6
5.6
10.8
7.1
13.2
10.6
15.3
8.3
4.4

2.4
4.8
5.6
10.7
7.1
13.0
10.6
15.0
8.3
4.0

2.5
4.7
5.8
10.5
7.1
12.9
8.8
14.8
7.8
4.0

2.4
4.4
5.7
10.2
6.8
12.1
9.1
15.0
8.0
5.0

2.4
4.0
5.3
10.1
7.2
11.9
8.3
14.9
8.7
4.7

2.6
3.8
5.9
9.8
7.1
11.3
9.3
14.1
8.1
5.1

2.4
4.0
5.6
9.6
6.8
11.5
8.1
13.8
8.5
3.7

2.7
4.6
5.6
10.0
7.7
11.9
8.2
13.1
9.4
5.4

2.8
4.1
5.3
9.8
7.2
11.0
8.4
14.8
9.0
6.0

2.7
5.1
5.7
9.4
6.7
11.1
6.9
14.2
8.0
4.5

2.8
4.7
5.6
9.3
6.9
11.6
7.9
12.9
8.9
5.6

5.7
10.2
5.5
5.0
6.4
3.7
6.5
4.9
3.7

7.4
14.2
8.5
8.9
7.9
4.9
7.4
5.3
4.1
10.8

8.0
17.3
9.3
10.1
8.0
5.6
7.7
5.5
4.0
13.2

7.8
15.9
9.2
10.0
7.9
5.3
7.7
5.4
4.1
10.7

7.8
14.6
9.2
9.5
8.9
5.3
7.8
5.6
4.4
11.1

7.8
14.8
8.9
9.0
8.6
4.9
8.2
5.5
4.2
10.1

7.7
13.8
8.8
9.0
8.5
4.9
8.3
5.5
4.1
10.6

7.5
13.3
8.4
8.3
8.5
5.8
7.6
5.8
4.4
11.5

7.5
13.2
8.4
8.5
8.2
5.5
7.6
6.0
4.3
12.1

7.3
14.7
8.0
7.9
8.3
6.4
7.3
5.6
4.6
11.9

7.2
14.4
7.4
7.3
7.6
5.7
7.3
5.9
4.9
9.1

7.8
16.3
7.9
7.3
8.9
5.9
8.4
5.9
4.8
11.1

7.4
16.6
7.6
7.4
7.8
4.7
7.5
5.8
4.5
13.1

7.2
15.0
7.3
7.3
7.3
4.0
7.9
5.6
4.5
10.3

7.2
16.7
7.0
6.4
7.9
4.8
7.8
5.6
4.4
12.6

CHARACTERISTIC

OCCUPATION
White-collar workers ..........................................
Professional and technical ............................
Managers and administrators, except
farm ........................................................
Salesworkers ..............................................
Clerical workers ..........................................
Blue-collar workers ............................................
Craft and kindred workers ............................
Operatives, except transport ........................
Transport equipment operatives ....................
Nonfarm laborers ........................................
Service workers..................................................
Farmworkers......................................................
INDUSTRY
Nonagricultural private wage-and-salary workers2
Construction ................................................
Manufacturing..............................................
Durable goods ......................................
Nondurable goods..................................
Transportation and public utilities ..................
Wholesale and retail trade............................
Finance and service industries ......................
Government workers ..........................................
Agricultural wage-and-salary workers ..................

9'1
1Aggregate hours lost by the unemployed and persons on part time for economic reasons as a
percent of potentially available labor force hours.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

2 Includes mining, not shown separately,

5.

Unemployment rates, by sex and age, seasonally adjusted
1381

1980

Annual average
Sex and age

Dec.

Jan.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Total, 16 years and over......................................
16 to 19 years..............................................
16 to 17 years........................................
18 to 19 years........................................
20 to 24 years..............................................
25 years and over ........................................
25 to 54 years........................................
55 years and o ve r..................................

5.8
16.1
18.1
14.6
9.0
3.9
4.1
3.0

7.1
17.7
20.0
16.1
11.5
5.0
5.4
3.3

7.6
18.8
22.1
16.5
12.0
5.4
5.9
3.4

7.4
17.8
20.1
16.0
12.0
5.4
5.9
3.4

7.6
18.5
20.9
16.7
12.3
5.4
5.9
3.4

7.5
18.6
21.4
16.5
12.1
5.4
5.9
3.3

7.4
17.8
19.9
16.4
11.7
5.3
5.8
3.5

7.4
19.0
21.0
17.5
11.9
5.3
5.7
3.5

7.3
19.3
21.4
17.9
11.8
5.1
5.5
3.6

7.3
19.1
21.3
17.7
11.7
5.2
5.5
3.7

7.3
19.1
22.0
17.2
12.1
5.0
5.4
3.3

7.6
19.5
21.6
18.2
12.9
5.3
5.6
3.3

7.3
19.0
22.6
17.3
12.1
5.2
5.6
3.4

7.0
18.1
19.3
17.7
11.3
5.1
5.4
3.5

7.2
18.8
20.5
17.4
11.8
5.1
5.4
3.5

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

5.1
15.8
17.9
14.2
8.6
3.3
3.4
2.9

6.9
18.2
20.4
16.7
12.5
4.7
5.1
3.3

7.6
19.9
23.7
17.1
13.6
5.3
5.7
3.6

7.6
18.9
21.2
16.9
13.5
5.4
6.0
3.5

7.4
19.8
21.8
18.1
13.8
5.1
5.6
3.3

7.4
19.8
22.3
17.8
13.2
5.1
5.6
3.3

7.2
19.0
20.5
17.8
12.5
4.9
5.4
3.3

7.2
20.3
23.0
18.5
12.8
4.9
5.2
3.4

7.1
20.1
22.1
18.7
12.7
4.8
5.2
3.4

7.0
19.5
21.1
18.6
13.0
4.7
5.1
3.2

6.9
19.3
22.7
17.0
13.2
4.6
4.9
3.1

7.4
20.2
22.7
18.3
14.2
4.8
5.1
3.4

7.1
19.8
24.4
18.1
12.8
5.0
5.3
3.5

6.6
18.4
19.8
17.8
11.3
4.7
4.9
3.4

7.0
19.7
21.5
18.1
12.7
4.8
5.0
3.4

Women, 16 years and over............................
16 to 19 years........................................
16 to 17 years ................................
18 to 19 years ................................
20 to 24 years........................................
25 years and o ve r..................................
25 to 54 years ................................
55 years and over............................

6.8
16.4
18.3
15.0
9.6
4.8
5.2
3.2

7.4
17.2
19.5
15.6
10.3
5.5
5.9
3.2

7.6
17.6
20.2
15.9
10.2
5.7
6.2
3.1

7.2
16.6
18.8
15.1
10.2
5.4
5.9
3.3

7.7
17.0
19.8
15.1
10.6
5.9
6.4
3.4

7.7
17.2
20.3
15.1
10.8
5.8
6.2
3.4

7.7
16.5
19.3
14.8
10.8
5.9
6.3
3.9

7.7
17.5
18.7
16.4
10.8
5.8
6.3
3.6

7.6
18.4
20.5
17.0
10.8
5.6
5.9
3.9

7.7
18.7
21.6
16.5
10.1
5.9
6.2
4.5

7.7
18.9
21.1
17.4
10.9
5.6
6.0
3.7

7.9
18.7
20.4
18.2
11.4
5.9
6.4
3.3

7.6
18.2
20.6
16.4
11.2
5.6
6.0
3.3

7.7
17.7
18.7
17.5
11.3
5.7
6.1
3.7

7.5
17.8
19.5
16.8
10.8
5.5
5.9
3.6

6.

Nov.

Feb.

1979

Unemployed persons, by reason for unemployment, seasonally adjusted

[Numbers In thousands]
1981

1980

Reason for unemployment
Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

4,319
1,699
2,620
890
1,883
870

4,387
1,744
2,643
855
1,844
862

4,240
1,692
2,548
870
2,013
880

4,229
1,453
2,776
897
1,896
890

4,226
1,470
2,756
813
1,869
868

3,847
1,258
2,590
907
2,039
1,000

3,896
1,267
2,629
884
1,970
928

3,846
1,299
2,547
863
2,040
986

3,819
1,280
2,539
854
2,017
987

4,084
1,368
2,715
1,009
2,126
938

4,219
1,367
2,852
863
1,955
956

3,691
1,178
2,513
898
2,022
873

3,929
1,205
2,724
838
1,939
944

100.0
54.2
21.3
32.9
11.2
23.6
10.9

100.0
55.2
21.9
33.3
10.8
23.2
10.8

100.0
53.0
21.1
31.8
10.9
25.2
11.0

100.0
53.5
18.4
35.1
11.3
24.0
11.2

100.0
54.3
18.9
35.4
10.5
24.0
11.2

100.0
49.4
16.1
33.2
11.6
26.2
12.8

100.0
50.7
16.5
34.2
11.5
25.7
12.1

100.0
49.7
16.8
32.9
11.2
26.4
12.7

100.0
49.7
16.7
33.1
11.1
26.3
12.9

100.0
50.1
16.8
33.3
12.4
26.1
11.5

100.0
52.8
17.1
35.7
10.8
24.5
12.0

100.0
49.3
15.7
33.6
12.0
27.0
11.7

100.0
51.4
15.7
35.6
11.0
25.4
12.3

4.1
.8
1.8
.8

4.2
.8
1.8
.8

4.0
.8
1.9
.8

4.0
.9
1.8
.8

4.0
.8
1.8
.8

3.6
.9
1.9
.9

3.7
.8
1.9
.9

3.6
.8
1.9
.9

3.6
.8
1.9
.9

3.8
.9
2.0
.9

4.0
.8
1.8
.9

3.5
.8
1.9
.8

3.7
.8
1.8
.9

NUMBER OF UNEMPLOYED
Lost last jo b .........................................................................................
On layoff.......................................................................................
Other job losers............................................................................
Left last job .........................................................................................
Reentered labor force..........................................................................
Seeking first job ..................................................................................
PERCENT DISTRIBUTION
Total unemployed................................................................................
Job losers ..........................................................................................
On ayoff.......................................................................................
Other job losers............................................................................
Job leavers ........................................................................................
Reentrants..........................................................................................
New entrants .......................................................................................
UNEMPLOYED AS A PERCENT OF
THE CIVILIAN LABOR FORCE
Job losers ..........................................................................................
Job leavers ........................................................................................
Reentrants..........................................................................................
New entrants .......................................................................................

7.

Duration of unemployment, seasonally adjusted

[Numbers in thousands]
Weeks of unemployment

Less than 5 weeks ..............................................
5 to 14 weeks ....................................................
15 weeks and over..............................................
15 to 26 weeks ............................................
27 weeks and over........................................
Average (mean) duration, in weeks ......................


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

1981

1980

Annual average
1979

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Aug.

2,869
1,892
1,202
684
518
10.9

3,208
2,411
1,829
1,028
802
11.9

3,255
2,533
2,150
1,239
911
12.5

3,042
2,586
2,295
1,366
929
13.0

3,186
2,500
2,292
1,256
1,036
13.3

3,108
2,524
2,329
1,213
1,116
13.6

3,115
2,217
2,378
1,231
1,147
13.5

3,259
2,264
2,358
1,079
1,279
14.4

3,203
2,324
2,250
992
1,257
14.4

3,209
2,356
2,192
1,013
1,179
14.0

3,074
2,462
2,105
1,001
1,104
13.7

3,369
2,581
2,168
1,022
1,146
13.2

3,172
2,360
2,315
1,205
1,110
14.2

3,187
2,196
2,100
1,068
1,032
13.9

3,161
2,345
2,194
1,059
1,135
14.5

63

EMPLOYMENT, HOURS, AND EARNINGS DATA FROM ESTABLISHMENT SURVEYS

E mployment, hours, and earnings data in this section are
compiled from payroll records reported monthly on a volun­
tary basis to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and its cooperat­
ing State agencies by 166,000 establishments representing all
industries except agriculture. In most industries, the sampling
probabilities are based on the size of the establishment; most
large establishments are therefore in the sample. (An estab­
lishment is not necessarily a firm; it may be a branch plant,
for example, or warehouse.) Self-employed persons and others
not on a regular civilian payroll are outside the scope of the
survey because they are excluded from establishment records.
This largely accounts for the difference in employment figures
between the household and establishment surveys.
Labor turnover data in this section are compiled from per­
sonnel records reported monthly on a voluntary basis to the
Bureau of Labor Statistics and its cooperating State agencies.
A sample of 40,000 establishments represents all industries in
the manufacturing and mining sectors of the economy.

Bureau of Labor Statistics computes spendable earnings from gross
weekly earnings for only two illustrative cases: (1) a worker with no
dependents and (2) a married worker with three dependents.
Hours represent the average weekly hours of production or
nonsupervisory workers for which pay was received and are different
from standard or scheduled hours. Overtime hours represent the por­
tion of gross average weekly hours which were in excess of regular
hours and for which overtime premiums were paid.
Labor turnover is the movement of all wage and salary workers
from one employment status to another. Accession rates indicate the
average number of persons added to a payroll in a given period per
100 employees; separation rates indicate the average number dropped
from a payroll per 100 employees. Although month-to-month changes
in employment can be calculated from the labor turnover data, the re­
sults are not comparable with employment data from the employment
and payroll survey. The labor turnover survey measures changes dur­
ing the calendar month while the employment and payroll survey
measures changes from midmonth to midmonth.

Notes on the data
Definitions
Employed persons are all persons who received pay (including holi­
day and sick pay) for any part of the payroll period including the
12th of the month. Persons holding more than one job (about 5 per­
cent of all persons in the labor force) are counted in each establish­
ment which reports them.
Production workers in manufacturing include blue-collar worker
supervisors and all nonsupervisory workers closely associated with
production operations. Those workers mentioned in tables 14-20 in­
clude production workers in manufacturing and mining; construction
workers in construction; and nonsupervisory workers in transporta­
tion and public utilities, in wholesale and retail trade, in finance, in­
surance, and real estate, and in services industries. These groups
account for about four-fifths of the total employment on private
nonagricultural payrolls.
Earnings are the payments production or nonsupervisory workers
receive during the survey period, including premium pay for overtime
or late-shift work but excluding irregular bonuses and other special
payments. Real earnings are earnings adjusted to eliminate the effects
of price change. The Hourly Earnings Index is calculated from aver­
age hourly earnings data adjusted to exclude the effects of two types
of changes that are unrelated to underlying wage-rate developments:
fluctuations in overtime premiums in manufacturing (the only sector
for which overtime data are available) and the effects of changes and
seasonal factors in the proportion of workers in high-wage and lowwage industries. Spendable earnings are earnings from which estimat­
ed social security and Federal income taxes have been deducted. The


64
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Establishment data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics are
periodically adjusted to comprehensive counts of employment (called
“benchmarks”). The latest complete adjustment was made with the re­
lease of June 1981 data, published in the August 1981 issue of the R e ­
view. Consequently, data published in the R e v ie w prior to that issue
are not necessarily comparable to current data. Complete comparable
historical unadjusted and seasonally adjusted data are published in a
Supplement to Employment and Earnings (unadjusted data from April
1977 through March 1981 and seasonally adjusted data from January
1974 through March 1981) and in E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a rn in g s, U n ite d
S ta tes, 1 9 0 9 -7 8 , BLS Bulletin 1312-11 (for prior periods).
Data on recalls were shown for the first time in tables 12 and 13 in
the January 1978 issue of the R ev ie w . For a detailed discussion of the
recalls series, along with historical data, see “New Series on Recalls
from the Labor Turnover Survey,” E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a rn in g s, Decem­
ber 1977, pp. 10-19.
A comprehensive discussion of the differences between household
and establishment data on employment appears in Gloria P. Green,
“Comparing employment estimates from household and payroll sur­
veys,” M o n th ly L a b o r R ev ie w , December 1969, pp. 9-20. See also B L S
H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s f o r S u r v e y s a n d S tu d ie s, Bulletin 1910 (Bureau
of Labor Statistics, 1976).
The formulas used to construct the spendable average weekly earn­
ings series reflect the latest provisions of the Federal income tax and
social security tax laws. For the spendable average weekly earnings
formulas for the years 1979-81, see E m p lo y m e n t a n d E a rn in g s,
March 1981, pp. 10-11. Real earnings data are adjusted using the
Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers
(CPI-W).

8.

Employment by industry, 1951-80

[NonagricuItural payroll data, in thousands]

Wholesale
trade

Retail
trade

Finance,
insur­
ance,
and real
estate

Services

Total

Mining

Construc­
tion

Manufac­
turing

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

47,819
48,793
50,202
48,990
50,641

929
898
866
791
792

2,637
2,668
2,659
2,646
2,839

16,393
16,632
17,549
16,314
16,082

4,226
4,248
4,290
4,084
4,141

9,742
10,004
10,247
10,235
10,535

2,727
2,812
2,854
2,867
2,926

7,015
7,192
7,393
7,368
7,610

1,956
2,035
2,111
2,200
2,298

1956 ..........................................................
1957 ..........................................................
1958 ..........................................................
1959' ........................................................
1960 ..........................................................

52,369
52,853
51,324
53,268
54,189

822
828
751
732
712

3,039
2,962
2,817
3,004
2,920

17,243
17,174
15,945
16,675
16,796

4,244
4,241
3,976
4,011
4,004

10,858
10,886
10,750
11,127
11,391

3,018
3,028
2,980
3,082
3,143

7,840
7,858
7,770
8,045
8,248

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

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

53,999
55,549
56,653
58,283
60,765

672
650
635
634
632

2,859
2,948
3,010
3,097
3,232

16,326
16,853
16,995
17,274
18,062

3,903
3,906
3,903
3,951
4.036

11,337
11,566
11,778
12,160
12,716

3,133
3,198
3,248
3,337
3,466

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

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

63,901
65,803
67,897
70,384
70,880

627
613
606
619
623

3,317
3,248
3,350
3,575
3,588

19,214
19,447
19,781
20,167
19,367

4,158
4,268
4,318
4,442
4,515

13,245
13,606
14,099
14,705
15,040

1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

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

71,214
73,675
76,790
78,265
76,945

609
628
642
697
752

3,704
3,889
4,097
4,020
3,525

18,623
19,151
20,154
20,077
18,323

4,476
4,541
4,656
4,725
4,542

1976
1977
1978
1979
1980

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

79,382
82,471
86,697
89,823
90,564

779
813
851
958
1,020

3,576
3,851
4,229
4,463
4,399

18,997
19,682
20,505
21,040
20,300

4,582
4,713
4,923
5,136
5,143

Year

1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

Government

Whole­
sale
and
retail
trade

Trans­
portation
and
public
utilities

Total

Federal

State
and local

5,547
5,699
5,835
5,969
6,240

6,389
6,609
6,645
6,751
6,914

2,302
2,420
2,305
2,188
2,187

4,087
4,188
4,340
4,563
4,727

2,389
2,438
2,481
2,549
2,629

6,497
6,708
6,765
7,087
7,378

7,278
7,616
7,839
8,083
8,353

2,209
2,217
2,191
2,233
2,270

5,069
5,399
5,648
5,850
6,083

8,204
8,368
8,530
8,823
9,250

2,688
2,754
2,830
2,911
2,977

7,620
7,982
8,277
8,660
9,036

8,594
8,890
9,225
9,596
10,074

2,279
2,340
2,358
2,348
2,378

6,315
6,550
6,868
7,248
7,696

3,597
3,689
3,779
3,907
3,993

9,648
9,917
10,320
10.798
11,047

3,058
3,185
3,337
3,512
3,645

9,498
10,045
10,567
11,169
11,548

10,784
11,391
11,839
12,195
12,554

2,564
2,719
2,737
2,758
2,731

8,220
8,672
9,102
9,437
9,823

15,352
15,943
16,607
16,987
17,060

4,001
4,113
4,277
4,433
4,415

11,351
11,836
12,329
12,554
12,645

3,772
3,908
4,046
4,148
4,165

11,797
12,276
12,857
13,441
13,892

12,881
13,334
13,732
14,170
14,686

2,696
2,684
2,663
2,724
2,748

10,185
10,649
11,068
11,446
11,937

17,755
18,516
19,542
20,192
20,386

4,546
4,708
4,969
5,204
5,281

13,209
13,808
14,573
14,989
15,104

4,271
4,467
4,724
4,975
5,168

14,551
15,303
16,252
17,112
17,901

14,871
15,127
15,672
15,947
16,249

2,733
2,727
2,753
2,773
2,866

12,138
12,399
12,919
13,147
13,383

'Data include Alaska and Hawaii beginning in 1959.

9.

Employment by State

[Nonagricultural payroll data, in thousands]
July 1980

June 1981

July 1981 P

State

July 1989

June 1981

July 1981 p

Alabama ..............
Alaska ..................
Arizona ................
Arkansas ..............
California..............

1,342.5
181.1
973.7
734.7
9,726.3

1,346.2
184.7
1,003.5
749.9
9,992.9

1,344.5
190.6
995.9
745.3
9,882.4

Montana..................................................................
Nebraska ................................................................
Nevada ..................................................................
New Hampshire ......................................................
New Jersey ............................................................

280.2
625.0
401.9
386.9
3,085.8

291.4
638.3
417.4
390.0
3,140.7

284.2
629.3
418.3
389.5
3,133.1

Colorado ..............
Connecticut ..........
Delaware..............
District of Columbia.
Florida..................

1,253.4
1,415.6
259.5
632.5
3,497.7

1,270.1
1,450.6
262 0
616.0
3,747.1

1,273.4
1,427.9
263.9
629.5
3,689.1

New Mexico............................................................
New York................................................................
North Carolina ........................................................
North Dakota ..........................................................
Ohio ......................................................................

462.2
7,223.0
2,328.3
246.5
4,340.0

467.4
7,307.3
2,414.6
250.1
4,422.9

466.3
7,264.4
2,357.2
248.3
4,364.9

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

2,129.0
410.4
328.7
4,893.6
2,101.2

2,161.9
405.3
329.9
4,879.4
2,135.5

2,151.2
407.6
326.7
4,864.4
2,108.5

Oklahoma ..............................................................
Oregon ..................................................................
Pennsylvania ..........................................................
Rhode Island ..........................................................
South Carolina ........................................................

1,132.0
1,027.3
4,724.3
391.0
1,165.8

1,185.1
1,031.7
4,743.2
401.9
1,199.4

1,176.2
1,010.7
4,686.2
391.0
1,184.6

Iowa ....................
Kansas ................
Kentucky ..............
Louisiana..............
Maine ..................

1,061.3
935.9
1,198.9
1,572.2
418.3

1,081.1
962.0
1,191.8
1,632.7
428.8

1,063.6
943.4
1,187.4
1,638.4
428.0

Soutn Dakota..........................................................
Tennessee ..............................................................
Texas ....................................................................
Utah ......................................................................
Vermont..................................................................

236.7
1,704.7
5,872.2
543.4
196.3

240.0
1,727.0
6,134.1
554.1
203.6

235.0
1,705.3
6,150.3
548.8
201.4

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

1,703.9
2,626.9
3,348.7
1,767.5
817.4
1,957.7

1,718.6
2,702.4
3,498.3
1,771.6
820.0
1,980.5

1,690.1
2,332.1
3,458.5
1,753.7
817.1
1,964.0

Virginia....................................................................
Washington ............................................................
West Virginia ..........................................................
Wisconsin................................................................
Wyoming ................................................................

2,113.4
1,600.6
651.3
1,930.0
209.3

2,164.3
1,616.3
625.7
1,964.3
213.4

2,145.0
1,582.0
641.3
1,952.7
213.3

Virgin Islands ..........................................................

36.4

36.9

37.4

State


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

65

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
10.

Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group

[Nonagricultural payroll data, in thousands]
Annual average

1980

1981

Industry division and group
1979

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

Junep

July P

Aug.

TOTAL ..........................................................

89,823

90,564

89,969

90,638

91,244

91,599

91,750

89,988

90,138

90,720

91,337

91,848

92,481

91,685

91,767

MINING ..............................................................

958

1,020

1,024

1,030

1,034

1,051

1,060

1,066

1,071

1,084

941

957

1,132

1,154

1,167

CONSTRUCTION

4,463

4,399

4,637

4,613

4,619

4,533

4,343

3,995

3,901

4,048

4,246

4,356

4,477

4,551

4,568

MANUFACTURING ..............................................
Production workers..................................

21,040
15,068

20,300
14,223

19,997
13,907

20,212
14,131

20,235
14,141

20,293
14,190

20,238
14,126

20,075
13,975

20,065
13,971

20,160
14,049

20,253
14,127

20,342
14,195

20,531
14,325

20,351
14,126

20,513
14,285

Durable goods ................................................
Production workers..................................

12,760
9,110

12,181
8,438

11,796
8,048

11,990
8,244

12,061
8,304

12,156
8,391

12,147
8,374

12,072
8,305

12,042
8,279

12,120
8,345

12,197
8,412

12,235
8,438

12,334
8,500

12,208
8,361

12,214
8,366

Lumber and wood products ............................
Furniture and fixtures......................................
Stone, clay, and glass products ......................
Primary metal industries..................................
Fabricated metal products ..............................
Machinery, except electrical............................
Electric and electronic equipment....................
Transportation equipment................................
Instruments and related products ....................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..........................

766.9
497.8
708.7
1,253.9
1,717.7
2,484.8
2,116.9
2,077.2
691.2
444.8

690.3
468.8
665.6
1,144.1
1,609.0
2,497.0
2,103.2
1,875.3
708.5
419.3

686.5
449.8
661.4
1,069.9
1,549.9
2,426.4
2,057.5
1,772.5
707.0
415.2

693.6
461.6
665.5
1,092.0
1,576.4
2,453.4
2,079.6
1,842.4
705.6
419.8

691.4
687.9
465.0
468.6
665.2
663.5
1,103.7 1,123.3
1,586.6 1,597.6
2,461.2 ' 2,479.6
2,094.8 2,109.6
1,869.0 1,894.6
706.3
711.2
419.2
417.9

685.9
470.5
652.3
1,136.3
1,596.4
2,496.8
2,118.0
1,871.4
713.8
405.9

674.6
469.6
635.0
1,136.7
1,580.2
2,496.9
2,114.0
1,854.9
712.4
398.0

674.5
471.7
630.6
1,137.7
1,578.1
2,498.4
2,112.3
1,824.8
710.1
403.3

678.3
472.1
639.5
1,141.3
1,585.4
2,504.3
2,119.5
1,860.4
712.1
406.7

686.9
478.0
652.6
1,149.9
1,593.7
2,506.1
2,129.7
1,874.3
714.4
411.3

703.4
479.0
659.7
1,147.5
1,596.1
2,508.6
2,134.7
1,877.4
715.2
413.4

711.0
480.5
671.0
1,155.5
1,606.8
2,531.3
2,152.7
1,882.7
723.2
419.5

709.6
472.9
665.6
1,137.0
1,584.7
2,522.2
2,139.6
1,844.3
721.3
411.1

708.2
481.9
670.0
1,130.0
1,587.6
2,522.1
2,142.0
1,823.7
726.7
421.7

Nondurable goods ..........................................
Production workers..................................

8,280
5,958

8,118
5,786

8,201
5,859

8,222
5,887

8,174
5,837

8,137
5,799

8,091
5,752

8,003
5,670

8,023
5,692

8,040
5,704

8,056
5,715

8,107
5,757

8,197
5,825

8,143
5,765

8,299
5,919

Food and kindred products..............................
Tobacco manufactures ..................................
Textile mill products........................................
Apparel and other textile products ..................
Paper and allied products ..............................
Printing and publishing....................................
Chemicals and allied products ........................
Petroleum and coal products ..........................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products . . ,
Leather and leather products ..........................

1,732.5
70.0
885.1
1,304.3
706.8
1,235.1
1,109.3
209.8
781.6
245.7

1,710.8
69.2
852.7
1,265.8
694.0
1,258.3
1,107.4
196.6
730.7
232.6

1,828.7
71.2
842.5
1,267.6
689.0
1,251.0
1,102.8
211.8
702.2
234.4

1,823.5
74.9
843.3
1,274.3
688.6
1,255.1
1,100.9
210.2
718.0
232.7

1,765.2
75.9
845.4
1,270.5
690.6
1,259.1
1,099.5
209.7
725.7
232.1

1,719.3
75.3
847.8
1,262.3
691.4
1,268.2
1,100.1
209.5
730.6
232.5

1,688.5
74.4
846.1
1,241.1
691.5
1,278.3
1,101.2
206.8
733.2
229.4

1,645.2
72.0
841.0
1,222.8
687.7
1,269.0
1,100.1
206.5
731.8
226.9

1,639.2
70.6
841.1
1,238.7
687.7
1,273.6
1,102.9
205.7
734.2
229.5

1,632.5
68.3
840.9
1,250.2
688.6
1,278.2
1,106.8
207.0
737.2
230.4

1,631.0
66.2
841.6
1,255.2
690.9
1,280.4
1,106.2
209.5
743.5
231.7

1,648.1
65.2
844.3
1,265.9
693.1
1,281.8
1,110.3
212.9
749.2
235.9

1,673.4
66.4
851.0
1,283.0
701.0
1,286.2
1,121.1
2154
759.0
239.1

1,719.1
66.3
837.2
1,230.8
695.5
1,287.2
1,115.5
216.0
747.4
228.0

1,770.6
75.1
847.1
1,281.4
700.8
1,287.7
1,116.0
215.9
755.8
248.1

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES . . . .

5,136

5,143

5,134

5,159

5,166

5,147

5,150

5,063

5,076

5,095

5,120

5,148

5,195

5,171

5,184

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE......................

20,192

20,386

20,373

20,495

20,533

20,761

21,138

20,366

20,196

20,290

20,513

20,672

20,795

20,733

20,812

WHOLESALE TRADE ..........................................

5,204

5,281

5,287

5,293

5,315

5,312

5,315

5,276

5,273

5,293

5,317

5,335

5,381

5,375

5,381

14,989

15,104

15,086

15,202

15,218

15,449

15,823

15,090

14,923

14,997

15,196

15,337

15,414

15,358

15,431

4,975

5,168

5,238

5,201

5,211

5,223

5,237

5,235

5,245

5,263

5,295

5,326

5,384

5,410

5,409

RETAIL TRADE....................................................
FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE

. .

SERVICES ..........................................................

17,112

17,901

18,136

18,087

18,115

18,118

18,149

17,972

18,126

18,287

18,512

18,633

18,764

15,858

18,856

GOVERNMENT ....................................................
Federal..........................................................
State and local ..............................................

15,947
2,773
13,174

16,249
2,866
13,383

15,430
2,862
12,568

15,841
2,754
13,087

16,331
2,774
13,557

16,473
2,776
13,697

16,435
2,782
13,653

16,216
2,773
13,443

16,458
2,774
13,684

16,493
2,769
13,724

16,457
2,773
13,684

16,414
2,782
13,632

16,203
2,825
13,378

15,457
2,833
12,624

15,258
2,797
12,461


66
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

11.

Employment by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted

[Nonagricultural payroll data, in thousands]
1980

1981

Industry division and group

TOTAL ........................................................................................

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July p

Aug.p

90,219

90,461

90,668

90,844

90,949

91,091

91,258

91,347

91,458

91,564

91,615

91,966

92,027

MINING ..........................................................................................

1,008

1,023

1,032

1,052

1,069

1,083

1,091

1,098

950

957

1,110

1,131

1,149

CONSTRUCTION ................................................................................

4,324

4,362

4,379

4,389

4,387

4,390

4,389

4,416

4,418

4,334

4,284

4,269

4,265

MANUFACTURING..............................................................................
Production workers ................................................................

19,990
13,930

20,060
13,992

20,110
14,024

20,188
14,081

20,175
14,059

20,174
14,053

20,177
14,053

20,191
14,074

20,332
14,187

20,414
14,247

20,424
14,245

20,547
14,342

20,515
14,327

Durable goods................................................................................
Production workers ................................................................

11,907
8,176

11,968
8,229

12,013
8,259

12,090
8,320

12,077
8,301

12,084
8,306

12,074
8,297

12,099
8,325

12,207
8,412

12,254
8,442

12,278
8,455

12,339
8,502

12,330
8,505

Lumber and wood products............................................................
Furniture and fixtures ....................................................................
Stone, clay, and glass products......................................................
Primary metal industries ................................................................
Fabricated metal products..............................................................
Machinery, except electrical ..........................................................
Electric and electronic equipment....................................................
Transportation equipment ..............................................................
Instruments and related products....................................................
Miscellaneous manufacturing..........................................................

671
456
651
1,077
1,567
2,454
2,074
1,839
707
411

680
462
656
1,092
1,575
2,463
2,078
1,843
709
410

679
462
655
1,108
1,578
2,481
2,087
1,848
709
406

683
463
658
1,126
1,582
2,489
2,096
1,874
712
407

687
464
655
1,137
1,581
2,490
2,103
1,839
712
409

689
464
654
1,137
1,579
2,487
2,110
1,840
713
411

691
466
654
1,140
1,577
2,481
2,110
1,833
711
411

692
467
651
1,141
1,581
2,480
2,117
1,849
712
409

702
478
656
1,145
1,595
2,491
2,134
1,878
714
414

710
484
658
1,142
1,604
2,511
2,143
1,872
716
414

699
486
658
1,144
1,604
2,521
2,148
1,886
717
415

703
489
657
1,142
1,614
2,537
2,163
1,887
722
425

693
489
661
1,138
1,607
2,553
2,161
1,884
727
417

Nondurable goods..........................................................................
Production workers ................................................................

8,083
5,754

8,092
5,763

8,097
5,765

8,098
5,761

8,098
5,758

8,090
5,747

8,103
5,756

8,092
5,749

8,125
5,775

8,160
5,805

8,146
5,790

8,208
5,840

8,185
5,822

Food and kindred products ............................................................
Tobacco manufactures ..................................................................
Textile mill products ......................................................................
Apparel and other textile products..................................................
Paper and allied products ..............................................................
Printing and publishing....................................................................
Chemicals and allied products........................................................
Petroleum and coal products..........................................................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products....................................
Leather and leather products..........................................................

1,720
68
844
1,263
687
1,256
1,097
208
708
232

1,712
68
843
1,261
689
1,261
1,101
208
717
232

1,711
69
845
1,256
691
1,262
1,102
208
722
231

1,705
71
844
1,253
692
1,265
1,103
209
725
231

1,701
71
842
1,250
692
1,269
1,105
209
729
230

1,696
71
841
1,244
691
1,269
1,106
211
730
231

1,705
72
839
1,243
691
1,272
1,109
210
731
231

1,691
72
838
1,243
689
1,276
1,108
210
734
231

1,697
72
842
1,250
691
1,280
1,107
211
744
231

1,703
71
843
1,258
694
1,283
1,109
213
753
233

1,673
71
846
1,264
695
1,284
1,111
212
757
232

1,695
71
857
1,278
696
1,291
1,109
212
760
239

1,666
72
849
1,276
699
1,293
1,110
212
763
245

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES ......................................

5,126

5,124

5,129

5,114

5,118

5,124

5,135

5,139

5,161

5,148

5,149

5,161

5,179

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE ....................................................

20,413

20,450

20,461

20,464

20,470

20,529

20,600

20,635

20,636

20,714

20,717

20,794

20,863

WHOLESALE TRADE..........................................................................

5,274

5,290

5,296

5,296

5,300

5,305

5,313

5,316

5,333

5,346

5,349

5,359

5,370

RETAIL TRADE .................................................................................

15,139

15,160

15,165

15,168

15,170

15,224

15,287

15,319

15,303

15,368

15,368

15,435

15,493

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE ......................................

5,188

5,206

5,221

5,235

5,254

5,268

5,283

5,293

5,316

5,326

5,331

5,346

5,355

SERVICES..........................................................................................

17,981

18,043

18,087

18,160

18,240

18,300

18,343

18,371

18,475

18,540

18,560

18,653

18,688

GOVERNMENT .................................................................................
Federal ........................................................................................
State and local..............................................................................

16,189
2,808
13,381

16,193
2,784
13,409

16,249
2,795
13,454

16,242
2,796
13,446

16,236
2,800
13,436

16,223
2,799
13,424

16,240
2,795
13,445

16,204
2,781
13,423

16,170
2,767
13,403

16,131
2,779
13,352

16,040
2,781
13,259

16,065
2,777
13,288

16,013
2,742
13,271


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

67

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
12.

Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, 1977 to date

[Per 100 employees]
Year

Annual
average

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

3.7
3.8
4,0
3.8
3.4

3.7
3.2
3.4
3.3
3.0

4.0
3.8
3.8
3.5
3.4

3.8
4.0
3.9
3.1
3.3

4.6
4.7
4.7
3.4
3.5

June

July

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

4.3
4,4
4.3
3.8
p3.6

5.3
5.4
5.0
4.5

4.6
4.9
4.5
4.3

3.9
4.3
4.1
3.6

3.1
3.3
3.0
2.7

2.4
2.4
2.2
2.2

3.0
3.3
3.1
2.1
P2.3

4.0
4.2
3.7
2.5

3.5
3.9
3.4
2.6

3.0
3.5
3.1
2.2

2.2
2.6
2.2
1.6

1.6
1.7
1.5
1.2

.9
.8
.9
1.5
p1.0

1.0
.9
.9
1.7

.8
.7
.8
1.4

.6
.6
.7
1.1

.6
.5
.6
.9

.6
.5
.5
.8

4.3
4.1
4.3
4.2
p3.6

5.1
5.3
5.7
4.8

4.9
4.9
4.7
4.1

3.8
4.1
4.2
3.8

3.4
3.5
3.8
3.0

3.4
3.4
3.5
3.1

1.9
2.1
2.0
1.4
p1.5

3.1
3.5
3.3
2.2

2.8
3.1
2.7
1.9

1.9
2.3
2.1
1.4

1.5
1.7
1.6
1.1

1.2
1.3
1.1
.9

1.5
1.1
1.4
2.0
»1.3

1.0
.8
1.3
1.7

1.1
.8
1.1
1.4

1.1
.9
1.2
1.5

1.1
1.0
1.5
1.3

1.5
1.4
1.7
1.6

Total accessions
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

4.0
4.1
4.0
3.5

4.9
4.9
4.8
3.9
4.0
New hires

2.8
3.1
2.9
2.1

2.2
2.5
2.8
2.4
1.8

2.1
2.2
2.5
2.2
1.8

2.6
2.7
2.8
2.3
2.0

2.7
2.9
2.9
2.0
2.0

3.5
3.6
3.6
2.1
2.3

3.7
3.9
3.8
2.4
2.8
Recalls

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

.9
.7
.7
1.1

1.2
1.0
.9
1.1
1.3

1.3
.7
.7
.9
1.0

1.1
.8
.7
.9
1.1

.9
.8
.7
.8
1.1

.8
.8
.8
1.0
1.0

.8
.7
.7
1.2
.9
Total separations

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

3.8
3.9
4.0
4.0

3.4
3.1
3.2
3.5
3.1

3.9
3.6
3.8
4.1
3.6

3.4
3.5
3.6
3.7
3.2

3.4
3.6
3.7
4.7
3.1

3.5
3.7
3.8
4.8
3.1

3.5
3.8
3.9
4.4
3.2
Quits

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

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

1.4
1.5
1.8
1.6
1.2

1.8
2.1
2.0
1.5

1.3
1.4
1.6
1.5
1.1

1.6
1.8
1.9
1.6
1.2

1.7
2.0
2.0
1.5
1.3

1.9
2.1
2.1
1.5
1.3

1.9
2.2
2.1
1.4
1.4
Layoffs

1977
1978
1979
1980
1981

13.

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

1.1
.9
1.1
1.7

1.7
1.2
1.1
1.6
1.6

1.4
.9
.8
1.2
1.2

1.0
.9
.8
1.3
1.2

.9
.8
.9
2.3
1.0

.8
.7
.7
2.5
1.0

.8
.7
.9
2.2
1.1

Labor turnover rates in manufacturing, by major industry group

[Per 100 employees]
Accession rates
Major industry group

Total

Separation rates

New hires

Recalls

Total

Quits

Layoffs

July
1980

June
1981

July
1981 p

July
1980

June
1981

July
1981 p

July
1980

June
1981

July
1981 p

July
1980

June
1981

July
1981 p

July
1980

June
1981

July
1981 p

July
1980

June
1981

July
1981 p

MANUFACTURING
Seasonally adjusted..............

3.8
3.5

4,0
3.4

3.6
3.3

2.1
2.0

2.8
2.2

2.3
2.2

1.5
1.3

0.9
1.0

1.0
.9

4.2
3.8

3.2
3.4

3.6
3.2

1.4
1.4

1.4
1.4

1.5
1.5

2.0
1.6

1.1
1.3

1.3
1.0

Durable goods
Lumber and wood products..........
Furniture and fixtures ..................
Stone, clay, and glass products . . .
Primary metal industries ..............
Fabricated metal products............
Machinery, except electrical..........
Electric and electronic equipment ..
Transportation equipment ............
Instruments and related products ..
Miscellaneous manufacturing........

3.2
5.9
3.8
4.0
3.5
4.0
2.2
2.5
3.0
2.3
5.1

3.6
5.2
4.0
4.2
2.8
4.0
3.1
3.4
3.1
3.8
4.9

2.9
4.7
4.6
3.5
2.6
3.4
2.3
2.7

1.6
3.2
2.2
2.0
.7
1.9
1.3
1.4
1.4
1.8
2.8

2.4
3.7
3.1
2.8
1.5
2.7
2.3
2.4
1.6
3.2
3.5

1.9
3.2
3.4
2.2
1.0
2.1
1.6
1.8

1.3
2.5
1.5
1.8
2.6
1.9
.6
.8
1.2
.4
2.1

.8
1.3
.6
1.1
1.1
1.0
.6
.6
.9
.3
1.2

.8
1.3
1.0
1.1
1.3
1.1
.5
.5

4.0
5.3
5.6
4.0
5.3
4.4
3.1
3.3
4.1
2.4
5.6

3.0
4.8
3.9
3.2
2.5
3.4
2.4
2.7
2.9
2.1
4.3

3.2
4.7
4.5
3.9
3.2
3.6
2.6
2.8

1.1
2.2
1.8
1.2
.6
1.3
.9
1.0
.8
1.1
1.8

1.1
2.3
1.8
1.2
.6
1.3
.9
1.1
1.0
1.1
1.7

1.2
2.5
2.3
1.4
.6
1.3
1.0
1.1

2.1
2.1
2.8
1.9
3.8
2.3
1.6
1.5
2.6
.8
2.7

1.0
1.5
1.2
1.1
1.2
1.3
.8
.7
1.1
.4
1.6

1.2
1.4
1.3
1.6
1.6
1.5
,9
.9

Nondurable goods
Food and kindred products ..........
Tobacco manufacturers................
Textile mill products ....................
Apparel and other products..........
Paper and allied products ............
Printing and publishing..................
Chemicals and allied products . . . .
Petroleum and coal products........
Rubber and miscellaneous
plastics products......................
Leather and leather products........

4.7
8.4
4.9
4.0
5.8
2.9
2.9
1.5
2.5

4.6
7.3
3.9
3.5
5.4
3.5
3.6
2.5
3.0

4.5
7.9

3.3
4.6
1.6
2.9
3.8
2.4
2.9
2.1
2.5

1.1
2.5
1.5
.4
1.4
.7
.5
.3
,4

3.6
5.3
2.6
3.3
5.0
2.1
2.9
1.7
1.7

4.3
6.3
2.6
2.9
1.8
2.4

1.8
2.4
.5
2.1
2.7
.9
1.6
.6
.7

1.7
2.2
.4
1.9
2.6
8
1.7
.7
.6

1.9
2.2

.6
1.6
.7
.4
.3
.3

4.6
6.0
2.2
5.1
6.6
3.2
3.0
1.9
1.9

4.2
5.6

3.0
3.9
1.6
2.5
1.2
1.8

1.6
3.0
2.0
1.3
2.2
1.4
.5
.3
.4

1.3
3.1

3.9
5.7
2.5
3.0
1.7
2.1

2.9
5.3
1.1
2.5
3.4
1.4
2.3
1.1
2.0

2.4
3.0
1.0
1.7
.7
.6

2.0
2.7
.9
2,0
2.9
1.5
.8
.8
.5

1.1
2.3
1.3
.5
1.6
.7
.7
.4
.5

1.0
2.3
.9
,6
.6
.9

4.6
7.7

4.6
6.4

3.9
7.2

2.1
44

3.3
5.1

2.8
4.7

2.2
3.0

1.0
1.1

.8
2.2

5.4
8.8

3.5
5.7

4.0
7.3

1.6
3.3

1.7
3.0

1.8
3.3

2.7
4.6

.9
1.7

1.1
3.1


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

2.2
4,5

1.7
3.1
3.0
4.6

.3
1.3

2.2
4.8

1.1
1.9

.5
2.1
1.5
2.6

14.

Hours and earnings, by industry division, 1950-80

[Gross averages, productionor nonsupervisory workers on nonagricultural payrolls]
Year

Average
weekly
earnings

Average
weekly
hours

Average
hourly
earnings

Average
weekly
earnings

Average
weekly
hours

Average
hourly
earnings

Average
weekly
earnings

Average
hourly
earnings

Average
weekly
earnings

Average
weekly
hours

Average
hourly
earnings

Manufacturing

Construction

Mining

Total private

Average
weekly
hours

—
$53.13

39.8

$1.335

$67.16

37.9

$1.772

$69.68

37.4

$1.863

$58.32

40.5

$1.440

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

57.86
60.65
63.76
64.52
67.72

39.9
39.9
39.6
39.1
39.6

1.45
1.52
1.61
1.65
1.71

74.11
77.59
83.03
82.60
89.54

38.4
38.6
38.8
38.6
40.7

1.93
2.01
2.14
2.14
2.20

76.96
82.86
86.41
88.91
90.90

38.1
38.9
37.9
37.2
37.1

2.02
2.13
2.28
2.39
2.45

63.34
66.75
70.47
70.49
75.30

40.6
40.7
40.5
39.6
40.7

1.56
1.64
1.74
1.78
1.85

1956 ..................
1957 ..................
1958 ..................
1959' ................
1960 ..................

70.74
73.33
75.08
78.78
80.67

39.3
38.8
38.5
39.0
38.6

1.80
1.89
1.95
2.02
2.09

95.06
98.25
96.08
103.68
105.04

40.8
40.1
38.9
40.5
40.4

2.33
2.45
2.47
2.56
2.60

96.38
100.27
103.78
108.41
112.67

37.5
37.0
36.8
37.0
36.7

2.57
2.71
2.82
2.93
3.07

78.78
81.19
82.32
88.26
89.72

40.4
39.8
39.2
40.3
39.7

1.95
2.04
2.10
2.19
2.26

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

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

82.60
85.91
88.46
91.33
95.45

38.6
38.7
38.8
38.7
38.8

2.14
2.22
2.28
2.36
2.46

106.92
110.70
114.40
117.74
123.52

40.5
41.0
41.6
41.9
42.3

2.64
2.70
2.75
2.81
2.92

118.08
122.47
127.19
132.06
138.38

36.9
37.0
37.3
37.2
37.4

3.20
3.31
3.41
3.55
3.70

92.34
96.56
99.23
102.97
107.53

39.8
40.4
40.5
40.7
41.2

2.32
2.39
2.45
2.53
2.61

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

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

98.82
101.84
107.73
114.61
119.83

38.6
38.0
37.8
37.7
37.1

2.56
2.68
2.85
3.04
3.23

130.24
135.89
142.71
154.80
164.40

42.7
42.6
42.6
43.0
42.7

3.05
3.19
3.35
3.60
3.85

146.26
154.95
164.49
181.54
195.45

37.6
37.7
37.3
37.9
37.3

3.89
4.11
4.41
4.79
5.24

112.19
114.49
122.51
129.51
133.33

41.4
40.6
40.7
40.6
39.8

2.71
2.82
3.01
3.19
3.35

1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

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

127.31
136.90
145.39
154.76
163.53

36.9
37.0
36.9
36.5
36.1

3.45
3.70
3.94
4.24
4.53

172.14
189.14
201.40
219.14
249.31

42.4
42.6
42.4
41.9
41.9

4.06
4.44
4.75
5.23
5.95

211.67
221.19
235.89
249.25
266.08

37.2
36.5
36.8
36.6
36.4

5.69
6.06
6.41
6.81
7.31

142.44
154.71
166.46
176.80
190.79

39.9
40.5
40.7
40.0
39.5

3.57
3.82
4.09
4.42
4.83

1976
1977
1978
1979
1980

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

175.45
189.00
203.70
219.91
235.10

36.1
36.0
35.8
35.7
35.3

4.86
5.25
5.69
6.16
6.66

273.90
301.20
332.88
365.07
396.14

42.4
43.4
43.4
43.0
43.2

6.46
6.94
7.67
8.49
9.17

283.73
295.65
318.69
342.99
367.04

36.8
36.5
36.8
37.0
37.0

7.71
8.10
8.66
9.27
9.92

209.32
228.90
249.27
269.34
288.62

40.1
40.3
40.4
40.2
39.7

5.22
5.68
6.17
6.70
7.27

1950 ..................
1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

Transportation and public
utilities

$44.55

1964 ..................
1965 ..................

Finance, insurance, and
real estate

Wholesale and retail trade

40.5

Services

$1.100

$50.52

37.7

$1.340

37.7
37.8
37.7
37.6
37.6

1.45
1.51
1.58
1.65
1.70

47.79
49 20
51 35
53 33
55 16

40.5
40 0
39.5
39.5
39.4

1.18
1.23
1.30
1.35
1.40

54.67
57.08
59.57
62.04
63.92

57 48
59.60
61 76
64 41
66 01

39.1
38.7
38.6
38 8
38 6

1.47
1.54
1.60
1.66
1.71

65.68
67.53
70.12
72.74
75.14

36.9
36.7
37.1
37.3
37.2

1.78
1.84
1.89
1.95
2.02

38.3
38.2
38.1
37.9
37.7

1.76
1.83
1.89
1.97'
2.04

77.12
80.94
84.38
85.79
88.91

36.9
37.3
37.5
37.3
37.2

2.09
2.17
2.25
2.30
2.39

$70.03
73.60

36.1
35.9

$1.94
2.05

$118.78
125.14

41.1
41.3

$2.89
3.03

67 41
69 91
7201
74.66
76.91

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

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

128.13
130.82
138.85
147.74
155.93

41.2
40.5
40.6
40.7
40.5

3.11
3.23
3.42
3.63
3.85

79.39
82.35
87.00
91.39
96.02

37.1
366
36.1
35.7
35.3

2.14
2.25
2.41
2.56
2.72

92.13
95.72
101.75
108.70
112.67

37.3
37.1
37.0
37.1
36.7

2.47
2.58
2.75
2.93
3.07

77.04
80.38
83.97
90.57
96.66

35.5
35.1
34.7
34.7
34.4

2.17
2.29
2.42
2.61
2.81

1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

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

168.82
187.86
203.31
217.48
233.44

40.1
40.4
40.5
40.2
39.7

4.21
4.65
5.02
5.41
5.88

101.09
106.45
111.76
119.02
126.45

35.1
34.9
34.6
34.2
33.9

2.88
3.05
3.23
3.48
3.73

117.85
122.98
129.20
137.61
148.19

36.6
36.6
36.6
36.5
36.5

3.22
3.36
3.53
3.77
4.06

103.06
110.85
117.29
126.00
134.67

33.9
33.9
33.8
33.6
33.5

3.04
3.27
3.47
3.75
4.02

1976
1977
1978
1979
1980

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

256.71
278.90
302.80
325.58
351.25

39.8
39.9
40.0
39.9
39.6

6.45
6.99
7.57
8.16
8.87

133.79
142.52
153.64
164.96
176.46

33.7
33.3
32.9
32.6
32.2

3.97
4.28
4.67
5.06
5.48

155.43
165.26
178.00
190.77
209.24

36.4
36.4
36.4
36.2
36.2

4.27
4,54
4.89
5.27
5.78

143.52
153.45
163.67
175.27
190.71

33.3
33.0
32.8
32.7
32.6

4.31
4.65
4.99
5.36
5.85

1Data include Alaska and Hawaii beginning in 1959.


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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

69

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
15.

Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group

[Gross averages, productionor nonsupervisoryworkers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
Annual average

1980

1981

Industry division and group

TOTAL PRIVATE..........................................

1979

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July p

Aug.p

35.7

35.3

35.5

35.3

35.3

35.3

35.6

35.1

35.0

35.2

35.2

35.2

35.4

35.5

35.6

MINING..............................................................

43.0

43.2

43.2

43.5

43.6

43.6

44.1

43.6

42.8

42.3

43.6

43.8

42.1

43.1

43.4

CONSTRUCTION................................................

37.0

37.0

37.3

38.0

37.9

36.8

37.2

36.4

35.0

37.2

36.9

36.9

37.2

37.7

37.4

MANUFACTURING ............................................
Overtime hours......................................

40.2
3.3

39.7
2.8

39.4
2.7

39.8
3.0

39.8
2.9

40.2
3.1

40.8
3.3

39.9
2.9

39.5
2.8

39.9
2.8

39.7
2.6

40.1
2.9

40.2
3.0

39.6
2.8

39.9
3.0

Durable goods ..............................................
Overtime hours......................................

40.8
3.5

40.1
2.8

39.7
2.6

40.2
2.9

40.3
2.9

40.7
3.1

41.5
3.4

40.4
2.9

39.9
2.8

40.5
2.9

40.3
2.7

40.6
3.0

40.6
3.0

40.0
2.8

40.2
3.0

Lumber and wood products ..........................
Furniture and fixtures ....................................
Stone, clay, and glass products......................
Primary metal industries................................
Fabricated metal products ............................

39.4
38.7
41.5
41.4
40.7

38.6
38.1
40.8
40.1
40.4

39.2
37.6
40.7
39.0
40.0

39.3
38.3
41.1
39.9
40.5

39.2
38.5
41.3
39.9
40.5

39.2
38.4
41.4
40.8
40.9

39.7
39.6
41.6
41.6
41.6

38.8
38.1
40.3
41.1
40.4

38.5
38.3
39.6
40.7
40.0

39.0
38.8
40.6
41.1
40.6

39.1
38.2
40.9
41.2
40.2

39.6
38.5
41.1
40.9
40.7

39.5
38.9
41.2
40.9
40.8

38.6
37.8
40.9
40.3
39.9

39.0
38.2
41.1
40.3
40.3

Machinery except electrical............................
Electric and electronic equipment ..................
Transportation equipment..............................
Instruments and related products ..................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ........................

41.8
40.3
41.1
40.8
38.8

41.0
39.8
40.6
40.5
38.7

40.3
39.2
40.0
39.9
38.5

41.0
39.7
40.7
40.1
39.1

40.7
39.8
41.1
40.3
38.9

41.3
40.4
41.7
40.9
39.1

42.2
41.0
43.1
41.2
39.5

41.2
40.1
40.9
40.6
38.6

40.8
39.6
40.1
40.5
38.4

41.2
40.2
41.1
40.6
38.9

40.8
39.8
41.0
39.9
38.6

41.2
40.1
41.6
40.3
38.9

41.1
40.2
41.3
40.4
39.0

40.5
39.8
40.8
40.0
38.5

40.6
40.0
41.2
40.2
38.8

Nondurable goods
Overtime hours......................................

39.3
3.1

39.0
2.8

39.0
2.9

39.1
3.1

39.1
2.9

39.4
3.0

39.9
3.1

39.2
2.9

38.9
2.8

39.1
2.7

38.9
2.6

39.4
2.9

39.5
2.9

39.1
2.8

39.4
3.1

Food and kindred products............................
Tobacco manufactures..................................
Textile mill products......................................
Apparel and other textile products..................
Paper and allied products..............................

39.9
38.0
40.4
35.3
42.6

39.7
38.1
40.1
35.4
42.3

40.4
36.9
39.2
35.4
41.8

40.3
38.2
39.8
35.2
42.3

39.7
40.0
39.9
35.5
42.2

40.1
40.1
40.3
35.4
42.8

40.3
38.1
40.9
35.9
43.7

40.0
38.6
39.9
35.2
42.7

39.3
38.5
39.9
35.3
42.2

39.2
37.2
40.1
35.8
42.4

39.3
37.2
39.4
35.2
42.3

39.8
38.6
40.3
36.0
42.5

39.8
38.5
40.4
36.4
42.7

39.6
38.1
39.6
36.0
42.5

39.7
39.8
40.0
36.5
42.2

Printing and publishing ..................................
Chemicals and allied products........................
Petroleum and coal products ........................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ..
Leather and leather products ........................

37.5
41.9
43.8
40.5
36.5

37.1
41.5
41.8
40.1
36.7

37.2
40.9
42.2
40.0
36.6

37.2
41.3
43.4
40.3
36.3

37.2
41.5
43.7
40.7
36.6

37.2
42.0
43.6
41.1
36.3

38.1
42.1
43.3
41.6
36.9

37.1
41.6
42.6
41.0
36.5

36.9
41.5
42.5
40.2
36.7

37.1
41.6
42.6
40.7
36.8

37.0
41.6
43.9
40.4
36.3

37.3
41.6
43.6
40.9
37.4

37.2
41.6
43.5
40.9
38.1

37.2
41.4
43.7
40.0
36.5

37.5
41.1
42.9
40.8
38.5

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES . . . .

39.9

39.6

39.7

39.7

39.8

39.7

40.0

39.4

39.5

39.4

39.3

39.3

39.8

39.8

39.8

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE ....................

32.6

32.2

32.7

32.2

32.1

32.1

32.5

31.7

31.7

31.9

32.1

32.0

32.3

32.7

32.7

38.5

38.3

38.5

38.5

38.5

38.6

38.7

38.6

29.9

30.4

30.8

30.9

WHOLESALE TRADE..........................................

38.8

38.5

38.4

38.5

38.7

38.5

38.9

RETAIL TRADE..................................................

30.6

30.2

30.9

30.2

30.0

30.0

30.5

29.5

29.6

29.8

30.0

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL
ESTATE ..........................................................

36.2

36.2

36.3

36.1

36.3

36.3

36.3

36.4

36.4

36.4

36.3

36.1

36.1

36.3

36.4

SERVICES..........................................................

32.7

32.6

33.1

32.6

32.6

32.6

32.6

32.5

32.6

32.6

32.6

32.5

32.7

33.0

33.0

r = revised.


70
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

16.

Weekly hours, by industry division and major manufacturing group, seasonally adjusted

[Gross averages, productionor nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
1980
Industry division and group

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

1981
Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July p

Aug.p

TOTAL PRIVATE................................................

35.2

35.3

35.3

35.3

35.3

35.3

35.2

35.3

35.4

35.3

35.2

35.2

35.3

MANUFACTURING
Overtime hours............................................

39.5
2.7

39.6
2.7

39.7
2.8

39.8
3.0

39.9
3.0

40.1
3.0

39.8
2.8

39.9
2.8

40.2
2.9

40.3
3.2

40.1
3.0

40.0
3.0

40.1
3.1

Durable goods ....................................................
Overtime hours............................................

40.0
2.7

40.1
2.7

40.1
2.8

40.4
3.0

40.4
3.1

40.6
3.0

40.1
2.8

40.4
2.8

40.8
3.0

40.8
3.2

40.5
3.0

40.5
3.0

40.6
3.1

Lumber and wood products ................................
Furniture and fixtures ..........................................
Stone, clay, and glass products ..........................
Primary metal industries......................................
Fabricated metal products ..................................

38.8
37.6
40.5
39.4
40.2

38.7
38.1
40.8
39.7
40.4

38.6
38.0
40.8
40.1
40.4

39.1
38.0
40.9
40.8
40.5

39.3
38.4
41.0
41.2
40.4

39.8
38.5
41.3
41.1
40.5

39.1
38.6
40.6
40.7
40.2

39.1
38.6
40.7
41.0
40.4

39.6
38.8
41.2
41.2
40.9

39.8
39.0
41.0
41.0
40.9

39.0
38.9
40.8
40.8
40.7

38.7
38.5
41.0
40.5
40.5

38.6
38.2
40.9
40.7
40.5

Machinery, except electrical ................................
Electric and electronic equipment ........................
Transportation equipment....................................
Instruments and related products ........................
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..............................

40,8
39.6
40.8
40.3
38.6

40.9
39.6
40.7
40.2
38.8

40.8
39.8
40.7
40.3
38.6

41.0
39.9
41.2
40.4
38.6

40.9
40.0
41.0
40.4
38.9

41.1
40.1
41.3
40.6
38.8

40.8
39.6
40.5
40.5
38.6

40.9
40.0
40.9
40.5
38.7

41.3
40.2
42.0
40.1
38.9

41.4
40.4
41.8
40.4
39.2

41.1
40.2
41.4
40.4
39.1

41.2
40.6
41.3
40.7
39.2

41.1
40.4
42.0
40.6
38.9

Nondurable goods
Overtime hours............................................

38.9
2.8

38.9
2.8

39.0
2.8

39.1
2.9

39.2
2.9

39.5
3.0

39.2
29

39.2
2.8

39.3
2.9

39.6
3.1

39.4
3.0

39.3
2.9

39.3
3.0

Food and kindred products..................................
Tobacco manufactures........................................
Textile mill products............................................
Apparel and other textile products........................
Paper and allied products....................................

39.8
36.9
39.5
35.2
42.0

39.7
38.2
39.8
35.2
42.2

39.6
40.0
39.8
35.4
42.2

39.8
40.1
39.9
35.2
42.4

39.7
38.1
40.1
35.5
42.8

40.3
38.6
40.0
36.1
42.6

39.9
38.5
40.0
35.6
42.4

39.7
37.2
39.9
35.7
42.4

40.1
37.2
39.8
35.5
42.6

40.0

39.8
(’ )
40.2
36.1
42.7

39.4

( ')
40.5
36.0
42.8

( 1)
40.3
35.9
42.8

39.2
(’ )
40.3
36.3
42.4

Printing and publishing ........................................
Chemicals and allied products..............................
Petroleum and coal products ..............................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products ........
Leather and leather products ..............................

37.0
41.2
42.1
40.2
36.6

36.9
41.4
42.4
40.2
36.4

37.1
41.5
42.8
40.5
36.7

36.8
41.6
42.9
40.8
36.3

37.4
41.6
43.2
40.8
36.6

37.5
41.6
43.8
40.9
36.8

37.3
41.6
43.8
40.3
37.0

37.1
41.5
43.5
40.5
37.1

37.3
41.5
44.1
40.7
36.6

37.6
41.7
43.8
41.3
37.1

37.4
41.7
43.4
41.0
37.1

37.3
41.7
43.1
40.5
36.4

37.3
41.4
42.7
41.0
38.5

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE ..........................

32.1

32.1

32.1

32.2

32.1

32.2

32.2

32.2

32.3

32.1

32.1

32.1

32.1

1

WHOLESALE TRADE ..............................................

38.3

38.5

38.5

38.5

38.6

38.8

38.6

38.6

38.6

38.5

38.5

38.6

38.5

RETAIL TRADE........................................................

30.1

30.1

30.1

30.2

30.0

30.1

30.2

30.2

30.3

30.1

30.1

30.0

30.1

SERVICES................................................................

32.6

32.6

32.6

32.7

32.7

32.7

32.8

32.8

32.8

32.7

32.5

32.5

32.5

N ote : The industry divisions of mining; construction; transportation and public utilities; and finance,
insurance, and real estate are no longer published seasonally adjusted. This is because the


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

seasonal component is small relative to the trend-cycle, or irregular components, or both and
consequently cannot be precisely separated.

71

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data
17.

Hourly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group

[Gross averages, productionor nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
1981

1980

Annual average
Industry division and group

1979

1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July?

Aug.p

TOTAL PRIVATE..........................................

$6.16

$6.06

$6.67

$6.79

$6.85

$6.92

$6.94

$7.03

$7.06

$7.10

$7.13

$7.17

$7.20

$7.24

$7.30

MINING..............................................................

8.49

9.17

9.16

9.31

9.36

9.49

9.57

9.77

9.86

9.85

9.70

9.68

9.94

10.07

10.17

CONSTRUCTION................................................

9.27

9.92

10.04

10.18

10.24

10.24

10.33

10.42

10.41

10.44

10.43

10.53

10.60

10.73

10.83

MANUFACTURING ............................................

6.70

7.27

7.30

7.42

7.49

7.60

7.70

7.73

7.75

7.80

7.88

7.92

7.97

8.02

8.03

8.23
6.74
5.70
7.83
10.36
7.38

8.23
6.79
5.71
7.87
10.36
7.89

8.26
6.81
5.74
7.89
10.56
7.91

8.32
6.79
5.76
7.94
10.52
8.01

8.40
6.83
5.78
8.11
10.76
8.05

8.45
6.92
5.83
8.20
10.68
8.17

8.52
7.10
5.89
8.31
10.76
8.23

8.55
7.14
5.92
8.38
10.77
8.20

8.58

Curable goods............................................
Lumber and wood products ....................
Furniture and fixtures..............................
Stone, clay, and glass products ..............
Primary metal industries..........................
Fabricated metal products ......................

7.13
6.07
5.06
6.85
8.98
6.85

7.75
6.53
5.49
7.50
9.77
7.45

7.77
6.72
5.55
7.63
9.85
7.49

7.92
6.76
5.59
7.69
9.96
7.63

8.01
6.73
5.60
7.74
10.10
7.69

8.11
6.76
5.63
7.81
10.29
7.77

Machinery, except electrical.....................
Electric and electronic equipment............
Transportation equipment........................
Instruments and related products ............
Miscellaneous manufacturing ..................

7.32
6.32
8.53
6.17
5.03

8.00
6.95
9.32
6.80
5.47

8.02
7.01
9.33
6.86
5.48

8.21
7.12
9.54
6.91
5.53

8.30
7.18
9.75
6.94
5.56

8.38
7.27
9.87
7.01
5.62

8.50
7.38
10.09
7.13
5.73

8.53
7.41
9.96
7.19
5.82

8.56
7.43
9.93
7.20
5.83

8.62
7.47
10.08
7.23
5.85

8.67
7.51
10.14
7.25
5.91

8.75
7.55
10.25
7.31
5.93

8.81
7.60
10.36
7.34
5.93

8.85
7.71
10.35
7.45
5.97

Nondurable goods......................................
Food and kindred products......................
Tobacco manufactures............................
Textile mill products................................
Apparel and other textile products ..........
Paper and allied products........................

6.01
6.27
6.67
4.66
4.23
7.13

6.56
6.86
7.73
5.08
4.57
7.84

6.65
6.90
7.82
5.20
4.60
7.99

6.71
6.94
7.53
5.25
4.69
8.06

6.74
6.95
7.69
5.27
4.73
8.09

6.82
7.09
7.86
5.31
4.75
8.18

6.89
7.13
8.10
5.34
4.81
8.27

6.97
7.21
8.50
5.35
4.89
8.27

6.98
7.24
8.56
5.35
4.87
8.28

7.01
7.29
8.61
5.36
4.94
8.30

7.08
7.37
8.90
5.36
4.96
8.37

7.11
7.43
9.03
5.40
4.98
8.42

7.14
7.43
9.33
5.42
5.00
8.55

7.23
7.46
9.45
5.51
4.95
8.73

Printing and publishing............................
Chemicals and allied products ................
Petroleum and coal products ..................
Rubber and miscellaneous plastics products
Leather and leather products ..................

6.94
7.60
9.36
5.97
4.22

7.53
8.30
1009
6.56
4.58

7.62
8.40
10.21
6.65
4.60

7.73
8.47
10.33
6.72
4.62

7.74
8.53
10.38
6.79
4.65

7.79
8.60
10.52
6.88
4.69

7.88
8.69
10.38
6.97
4.74

7.92
8.74
11.06
7.06
4.86

7.96
8.80
11.33
7.04
4.88

8.02
8.84
11.23
7.07
4.90

8.04
8.94
11.40
7.15
4.93

8.10
8.99
11.28
7.22
4.95

8.13
9.07
11.29
7.23
4.98

8.21
9.14
11.43
7.28
4.96

7.13
6.00
8.43
10.89
8.23
8.85
7.83
10.83
7.49
5.98
7.24
7.51
8.80
5.66
5.01
8.70

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES . . . .

8.16

8.87

8.94

9.02

9.19

9.27

9.30

9.33

9.45

9.42

9.54

9.59

9.63

9.73

8.22
9.22
11.34
7.34
5.00

WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE ....................

5.06

5.48

5.49

5.56

5.59

5.64

5.62

5.80

5.84

5.85

5.87

5.89

5.89

5.91

9.95

WHOLESALE TRADE..........................................

6.39

6.96

6.99

7.07

7.09

7.19

7.23

7.32

7.38

7.42

7.47

7.51

7.51

7.57

5.92

RETAIL TRADE..................................................

4.53

4.88

4.89

4.95

4.98

5.02

4.99

5.18

5.20

5.20

5.22

5.23

5.23

5.24

7.63

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL
ESTATE ..........................................................

5.27

5.78

5.83

5.87

5.91

6.02

6.00

6.10

6.21

6.19

6.20

6.24

6.24

6.28

SERVICES..........................................................

18.

5.24

5.36

5.85

5.81

5.93

6.00

6.09

6.12

6.21

6.27

6.29

6.30

6.33

6.33

6.36
6.40

6.33

Hourly Earnings Index for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls, by industry division

[Seasonally adjusted data: 1977=100]
1981

1980

TOTAL PRIVATE (in current dollars)
Mining' ........................................
Construction ................................
Manufacturing ..............................
Transportation and public utilities . . .
Wholesale and retail trade ............
Finance, insurance, and real estate .
Services ......................................
TOTAL PRIVATE (in constant dollars)

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July p

Aug.p

128.7

129.4

130.6

132.1

132.6

133.8

135.0

135.8

136.7

137.7

138.4

139.0

140.6

1.1

9.2

135.0
122.9
131.3
128.1
129.3
128.7
126.6

136.7
123.1
132.3
128.1
129.9
129.1
127.3

137.5
124.4
133.5
130.9
130.8
129.9
128.5

139.2
125.2
134.6
132.6
132.3
132.4
130.5

139.8
126.2
135.4
132.8
132.4
131.9
131.1

142.1
127.6
136.5
133.7
133.7
133.2
132.0

143.2
128.0
137.5
135.4
135.0
135.0
133.2

144.0
128.6
138.5
136.1
135.3
136.0
134.0

145.7
129.0
139.9
137.3
136.4
135.4
134.8

145.6
129.4
140.7
138.9
137.4
136.8
136.0

147.2
130.4
141.6
139.8
137.8
137.1
136.6

148.5
131.7
142.5
140.1
138.3
137.6
136.9

149.4
132.0
143.6
142.5
139.5
140.1
139.4

.6
.3
.8
1.8
.9
1.8
1.9

10.7
7.5
9.4
11.3
7.9
8.9
10.1

93.9

93.9

93.2

93.3

92.7

92.8

92.7

92.8

93.0

93.1

92.0

92.2

1The unadjusted data are shown because the seasonal component is small relative to the
trend-cycle, irregular components, or both and consequently cannot be separated with sufficient
precision.


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

Aug. 1980
to
Aug. 1981

July 1981
to
Aug. 1981

Industry

19.

Weekly earnings, by industry division and major manufacturing group

[Gross averages, production or nonsupervisory workers on private noriagricultural payrolls]
1981

1980

Annual average
Industry division and group
1979

TOTAL PRIVATE................................

$219.91

1980

$235.10

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

JulyP

Aug.p

$236.79

$239.69

$241.81

$244.28

$247.06

$246.75

$247.10

$249.92

$250,98

$252.38

$254.88

$257.02

$259.8

425.97

422.01

416.66

422,92

423.98

418.47

434.02

441.38

364.35

388.37

384.87

388.56

394.32

404.52

405.04

MINING............................................................

365.07

396.14

395.71

404.99

408.10

413.76

422.04

CONSTRUCTION

342.99

367.04

374.49

386.64

388.10

376.83

384.28

379.29

269.34

288.62

287.62

295.32

298.10

305.52

314.16

308.43

306.13

311.22

312.84

317.59

320.39

317.59

320.40

Durable goods..............................................
Lumber and wood products........................
Furniture and fixtures ................................
Stone, clay, and glass products..................
Primary metal Industries ............................
Fabricated metal products..........................

290.90
239.16
195.82
284.28
371.77
278.80

310.78
252.06
209.17
306.00
391.78
300.98

308.47
263.42
208.68
310.54
384.15
299.60

318.38
265.67
214.10
316.06
397.40
309.02

322.80
263.82
215.60
319.66
402.99
311.45

330.08
264.99
216.19
323.33
419.83
317.79

341.55
267.58
225.72
325.73
430.98
327.81

332.49
263.45
217.55
317.16
425.80
318.76

329 57
262.19
219.84
312.44
429.79
316.40

336.96
264.81
223.49
322.36
432.37
325.21

338.52
267.05
220.80
331.70
443.31
323.61

343.07
274.03
224.46
337.02
436.81
332.52

345.91
280.45
229.12
342.37
440.08
335.78

342.00
275.60
223.78
342.74
434.03
327.18

344.92
278.07
229.20
346.47
438.87
331.67

Machinery except electrical........................
Electric and electronic equipment................
Transportation equipment ..........................
Instruments and related products................
Miscellaneous manufacturing......................

305.98
254.70
350.58
251.74
195.16

328.00
276.61
378.39
275.40
211.69

323.21
274.79
373.20
273.71
210.98

336.61
282.66
388.28
277.09
216.22

337.81
285.76
400.73
279.68
216.28

346.09
293.71
411.58
286.71
219.74

358.70
302.58
434.88
293.76
226.34

351.44
297.14
407.36
291.91
224.65

349.25
294.23
398.19
291.60
223.87

355.14
300.29
414.29
293.54
227.57

353.74
298.90
415.74
289.28
228.13

360.50
302.76
426.40
294.59
230.68

362.09
305.52
427.87
296.54
231.27

358.43
306.86
422.28
298.00
229.85

359.31
313.20
427.66
301.10
232.02

Nondurable goods
Food and kindred products ........................
Tobacco manufactures ..............................
Textile mill products ..................................
Apparel and other textile products..............
Paper and allied products ..........................

236.19
250.17
253.46
188.26
149.32
303.74

255.84
272.34
294.51
203.71
161.78
331.63

259.35
278.76
288.56
203.84
162.84
333.98

26236
279.68
287.65
208.95
165.09
340.94

263.53
275.92
307.60
210.27
167.92
341.40

268.71
284.31
315.19
213.99
168.15
350.10

274.91
287.34
308.61
218.41
172.68
361.40

273.22
288.40
328.10
213.47
172.13
353.13

271.52
284.53
329.56
213.47
171.91
349.42

274.09
285.77
320.29
214.94
176.85
351.92

275.41
289.64
331.08
211.18
174.59
354.05

280.13
295.71
348.56
217.62
179.28
357.85

28203
295.71
359.21
218.97
182.00
365.09

28269
295.42
360.05
218.20
178.20
371.03

285.26
298.15
350.24
226.40
182.87
367.14

Printing and publishing................................
Chemicals and allied products....................
Petroleum and coal products......................
Rubber and miscellaneous
plastics products....................................
Leather and leather products......................

260.25
318.44
409.97

279.36
344.45
421.76

283.46
343.56
430.86

287.56
349.81
448.32

287 93
354.00
453.61

289.79
361.20
458.67

300.23
365.85
449.45

293.83
363.58
471.16

293.72
365.20
481.53

297.54
367.74
478.40

297.48
371.90
500.46

302.13
373.98
491.81

302.44
377.31
491.12

305.41
378.40
499.49

308.25
378.94
486.49

241.79
154.03

263.06
168.09

266.00
168.36

270.82
167.71

276.35
170.19

282.77
170.25

289.95
174.91

289.46
177.39

283.01
179.10

287.75
180.32

288.86
178.96

295.30
185.13

295.71
189.74

291.20
181.04

299.47
192.50

325.58

351.25

354.92

358.09

365.76

368.02

372.00

367.60

373.28

371.15

374.92

376.89

383.27

387.25

396.01

MANUFACTURING

TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC UTILITIES
WHOLESALE AND RETAIL TRADE

164.96

176.46

179.52

179.03

179.44

181.04

182.65

183.86

185.13

186.62

188.43

188.48

190.25

193.26

193.58

WHOLESALE TRADE

247.93

267.96

268.42

272.20

274.38

276.82

281.25

281.82

282.65

285.67

287.60

289.14

289.89

292.96

294.52

RETAIL TRADE................................................

138.62

147.38

151.10

149.49

149.40

150.60

152.20

152.81

153.92

154.96

156.60

156.38

158.99

161.39

161.92

FINANCE, INSURANCE, AND REAL ESTATE

190.77

209.24

211.63

211.91

214.53

218.53

217.80

222.04

226.04

225.32

225.06

225.26

225.26

227.96

231.50

SERVICES

175.27

190.71

192.31

192.32

195.60

198.53

199.51

201.83

204.40

205.05

205.38

206.73

206.99

208.89

211.20


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

73

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Establishment Data

20.

Gross and spendable weekly earnings, in current and 1977 dollars, 1961 to date

[Averages for production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonagricultural payrolls]
Private nonagricultural workers

Year and month

Gross average
weekly earnings

Manufacturing workers

Spendable average weekly earnings
Worker with no
dependents

Married worker with
3 dependents

Gross average
weekly earnings

Spendable average weekly earnings
Worker with no
dependents

Married worker with
3 dependents

Current
dollars

1977
dollars

Current
dollars

1977
dollars

Current
dollars

1977
dollars

Current
dollars

1977
dollars

Current
dollars

1977
dollars

Current
dollars

1977
dollars

1961
1962
1963
1964
1965

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

$82.60
85.91
88.46
91.33
95,45

$167.21
172.16
175.17
178,38
183.21

$67.08
69.56
71.05
75.04
79.32

$135.79
139.40
140.69
146.56
152.25

$74.48
76.99
78.56
82.57
86.63

$150.77
154.29
155.56
161.27
166.28

$92.34
96.56
99.23
102.97
107.53

$186.92
193.51
196.50
201.11
206.39

$74.60
77.86
79.51
84.40
89.08

$151.01
156.03
157.45
164.84
170.98

$82.18
85.53
87.25
92.18
96,78

$166.36
171.40
172.77
180.04
185.76

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970

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

98.82
101.84
107.73
114.61
119.83

184.37
184.83
187.68
189.44
186.94

81.29
83.38
86.71
90.96
96.21

151.66
151.32
151.06
150.35
150.09

88.66
90.86
95.28
99.99
104.90

165.41
164.90
165.99
165.27
163.65

112.19
114.49
122.51
129.51
133.33

209.31
207.79
312,43
214.07
208.00

91.45
92.97
97.70
101.90
106.32

170.62
168.73
170.21
168.43
165.87

99.33
100.93
106.75
111.44
115.58

185.32
183.18
185.98
184.20
180.31

1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

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

127.31
136.90
145.39
154.76
163.53

190.58
198.41
198.35
190.12
184.16

103.80
112.19
117.51
124.37
132.49

155.39
162.59
160.31
152.79
149.20

112.43
121.68
127.38
134.61
145.65

168.31
176.35
173.78
165.37
164.02

142.44
154.71
166.46
176.80
190.79

213.23
224.22
227.09
217.20
214.85

114.97
125.34
132.57
140.19
151.61

172.11
181.65
180.86
172.22
170.73

124.24
135.57
143.50
151.56
166.29

185.99
196.48
195.77
186.19
187 26

1976
1977
1978
1979
1980

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

175,45
189,00
203.70
219.91
235.10

186.85
189.00
189.31
183.41
172.74

143.30
155.19
165.39
178.00
188.82

152.61
155.19
153.71
148.46
138.74

155.87
169.93
180.71
194.82
206.06

166.00
169.93
167.95
162.49
151.65

209.32
228.90
249.27
269.34
288.62

222.92
228.90
231.66
224.64
212.06

167,83
183.80
197.40
212.70
225.79

178.73
183.80
183.46
177.40
165.90

181.32
200,06
214.87
232.38
247.01

193.10
200.06
199.69
193.81
181.49

1980: August ............................
September ......................
October ..........................
November........................
December........................

236.79
239.69
241.81
244.28
247.06

172.21
172.69
172.72
172.88
173.38

190.01
192.03
193.51
195.24
197.18

138.19
138.35
138.22
138.17
138.37

207.68
209.88
211.49
213.37
215.47

151.04
151.21
151.06
151.00
151.21

287.62
295.32
298.10
305.52
314.16

209.18
212.77
212.93
216.22
220.46

225.11
230.33
23222
237.26
242.86

163.72
165,94
165.87
167.91
170.43

246.25
252.09
254.20
259.83
266.14

179.09
181.62
181.57
183.89
186.76

1981: January ..........................
February..........................
March..............................
A pril................................
May ................................
June................................
July p ..............................
Augustp ..........................

246.75
247.10
24^.92
250.98
252.38
254.88
257.02
259.88

171.83
170.18
171.06
170.73
170.18
170.49
169.87
( 1)

195.68
195.92
197.88
198.61
199.59
201.32
202.80
204.79

136.27
134.93
135.44
135.11
134.59
134.66
134.04
(’ )

213.96
214.22
216.34
217.14
218.20
220.08
221.69
223.85

149.00
147.53
148.08
147.71
147.13
147.21
146.52
(’ )

308.43
306.13
311.22
312.84
317.59
320.39
317.59
320.40

214.78
210.83
213.02
212.82
214.15
214.31
209.91
( 1)

237.60
236.08
239.37
240.39
243.40
245.18
243.40
245.18

165.46
162.59
163.84
163.53
164.13
164.00
160.87
(’ )

260.36
258.70
262.38
263.55
266.99
269.01
266.99
269.02

181.31
178.17
179.59
179.29
180.03
179.94
176.46
<1)

1Not available.
The earnings expressed in 1977 dollars have been adjusted for changes in price level
as measured by the Bureau’s Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers.
These series are described in "The Spendable Earnings Series: A Technical Note on its Calnote :


74
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

culation,” Employment and Earnings and Monthly Report on the Labor Force, February 1969,
pp. 6-13. See also "Spendable Earnings Formulas, 1979-81,” Employment and Earnings, March
1981, pp. 10-11.

UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE DATA

U nemployment insurance data are compiled monthly by
the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. De­
partment of Labor from records of State and Federal unem­
ployment insurance claims filed and benefits paid. Railroad
unemployment insurance data are prepared by the U.S. Rail­
road Retirement Board.

ployed. Persons not covered by unemployment insurance (about onethird of the labor force) and those who have exhausted or not yet
earned benefit rights are excluded from the scope of the survey. Ini­
tial claims are notices filed by persons in unemployment insurance
programs to indicate they are out of work and wish to begin receiv­
ing compensation. A claimant who continued to be unemployed a
full week is then counted in the insured unemployment figure. The
rate of insured unemployment expresses the number of insured unem­
ployed as a percent of the average insured employment in a
12-month period.

Definitions
Data for all programs represent an unduplicated count of insured
unemployment under State programs, Unemployment Compensation
for Ex-Servicemen, and Unemployment Compensation for Federal
Employees, and the Railroad Insurance Act.

An application for benefits is filed by a railroad worker at the be­
ginning of his first period of unemployment in a benefit year; no ap­
plication is required for subsequent periods in the same year. Num­
ber of payments are payments made in 14-day registration periods.
The average amount of benefit payment is an average for all com­
pensable periods, not adjusted for recovery of overpayments or set­
tlement of underpayments. However, total benefits paid have been
adjusted.

Under both State and Federal unemployment insurance programs
for civilian employees, insured workers must report the completion of
at least 1 week of unemployment before they are defined as unem­

21.

Unemployment insurance and employment service operations

[All items except average benefits amounts are inthousands]
1980
July
All programs:
Insured unemployment ......................
State unemployment insurance
program:1
Initial claims2 ....................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Rate of insured unemployment ..........
Weeks of unemployment
compensated ................................
Average weekly benefit amount
for total unemployment ..................
Total benefits paid ............................
Unemployment compensation for exservicemen: 3
Initial claims1 ....................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Weeks of unemployment
compensated ................................
Total benefits paid ............................
Unemployment compensation for
Federal civilian employees:4
Initial claims ......................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Weeks of unemployment
compensated ................................
Total benefits paid ............................
Railroad unemployment insurance:
Applications......................................
Insured unemployment (average
weekly volume)..............................
Number of payments ........................
Average amount of benefit
payment........................................
Total benefits paid ............................
Employment service:5
New applications and renewals ..........
Nonfarm placements..........................

Aug.

Sept.

1981
Oct.

Nov.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

4,140

3,911

3,961

3,661

3,726

4,085

4,621

2,737

1,829

1,702

1,808

1,673

2,544

2,653

1,806

3,692
4.3

3,408
3.9

3,087
3.6

2,903
3.3

2,983
3.4

3,321
3.8

3,844
4.4

3,669
4.2

14,398

12,786

11,689

11,443

9,524

12,603

14,228

12,882

13,504

$98.75
$99.68
$99.86
$92.32
$1,397,508 $1,249,782 $1,144,885 $1,125,416

27

23

25

4,264

$101.96
$101.43
$102.34
$101.89
$1,055,065 $1,242,957 $1,416,513 $1,313,507

23

17

21

19

17

3,948

May

June

3,453

3,111

1,684

1,647

'1,417

1,744

3,382
3.9

2,988
3.4

2,691
3.1

'2,596
3.0

'11,871

9,790

9,928

'2,949

July

3,012

2,743
3.1

$105.63
$105.96
$105.49
$99.02
$1,393,612 51,226,815 $1,006,341 $1,012,764

18

16

15

19

58

55

56

56

54

55

57

54

51

46

43

42

331
$33,342

244
$24,560

245
$24,804

255
$25,880

216
$21,024

261
$27,015

257
$26,646

221
$22,517

234
$24,668

214
$23,048

183
$19,965

192
$21,145

17

15

19

21

14

18

22

13

12

12

11

13

26

25

29

32

35

37

41

40

36

31

27

25

124
$11,296

93
$8,707

105
$9,699

130
$11,917

118
$11,365

150
$14,184

160
$15,432

148
$14,573

156
$15,561

135
$13,701

107
$11,023

105
$10,705

44

25

44

13

10

9

7

11

13

5

5

6

6

26

41

44
66

39
86

40
89

38
84

38
70

39
83

53
118

50
104

44
115

41
94

35
79

30
86

28
32

$207.08
$13,320

$211.87
$17,336

$211.99
$18,809

$208.49
$17,789

$209.00
$14,269

$212.27
$18,046

$209.38
$20,303

$214.56
$22,049

$214.93
$23,233

$201.12
$19,239

$199.43
$15,428

$201.06
$16,206

$199.63
$11,541

14,249
3,105

15,431
3,445

r 16,831
'3,896

’ Initial claims and State insured unemployment include data under the program for Puerto Rican
sugarcane workers.
2 Includes interstate claims for the Virgin Islands. Excludes transition claims under State programs.
3 Excludes data on claims and payments made jointly with other programs.


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

Dec.

4,476
871

8,659
1,574

4 Includes the Virgin islands. Excludes data on claims and payments made jointly with State programs.
5 Cumulative total for fiscal year (October 1-September 30). Data computed quarterly.
N ote : Data for

Puerto Rico included. Dashes indicate data not available.

r = revised.

75

PRICE DATA

P rice 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).

Definitions
The Consumer Price Index is a monthly statistical measure of the
average change in prices in a fixed market basket of goods and ser­
vices. Effective with the January 1978 index, the Bureau of Labor Sta­
tistics began publishing CPI’s for two groups of the population. One
index, a new CPI for All Urban Consumers, covers 80 percent of the
total noninstitutional population; and the other index, a revised CPI
for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, covers about half the
new index population. The All Urban Consumers index includes, in
addition to wage earners and clerical workers, professional, manageri­
al, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the
unemployed, retirees, and others not in the labor force.
The CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuel, drugs,
transportation fares, doctor’s and dentist’s fees, and other goods and
services that people buy for day-to-day living. The quantity and quali­
ty of these items is kept essentially unchanged between major revi­
sions so that only price changes will be measured. Prices are collected
from over 18,000 tenants, 24,000 retail establishments, and 18,000
housing units for property taxes in 85 urban areas across the country.
All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are
included in the index. Because the CPI’s are based on the expendi­
tures of two population groups in 1972-73, they may not accurately
reflect the experience of individual families and single persons with
different buying habits.
Though the CPI is often called the “Cost-of-Living Index,” it meas­
ures only price change, which is just one of several important factors
affecting living costs. Area indexes do not measure differences in the
level of prices among cities. They only measure the average change in
prices for each area since the base period.
Producer Price Indexes measure average changes in prices received
in primary markets of the United States by producers of commodities
in all stages of processing. The sample used for calculating these in­
dexes contains about 2,800 commodities and about 10,000 quotations
per month selected to represent the movement of prices of all com­
modities produced in the manufacturing, agriculture, forestry, fishing,
mining, gas and electricity, and public utilities sectors. The universe
includes all commodities produced or imported for sale in commercial
transactions in primary markets in the United States.
Producer Price Indexes can be organized by stage of processing or
by commodity. The stage of processing structure organizes products
by degree of fabrication (that is, finished goods, intermediate or
semifinished goods, and crude materials). The commodity structure
organizes products by similarity of end-use or material composition.
To the extent possible, prices used in calculating Producer Price In­
dexes apply to the first significant commercial transaction in the Unit­
ed States, from the production or central marketing point. Price data
are generally collected monthly, primarily by mail questionnaire.

Digitized for76
FRASER
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Most prices are obtained directly from producing companies on a vol­
untary and confidential basis. Prices generally are reported for the
Tuesday of the week containing the 13th day of the month.
In calculating Producer Price Indexes, price changes for the vari­
ous commodities are averaged together with implicit quantity weights
representing their importance in the total net selling value of all com­
modities as of 1972. The detailed data are aggregated to obtain in­
dexes for stage of processing groupings, commodity groupings, dura­
bility of product groupings, and a number of special composite
groupings.
Price indexes for the output of selected SIC industries measure av­
erage price changes in commodities produced by particular industries,
as defined in the S t a n d a r d I n d u s tr ia l C la ssifica tio n M a n u a l 1 9 7 2
(Washington, U.S. Office of Management and Budget, 1972). These
indexes are derived from several price series, combined to match the
economic activity of the specified industry and weighted by the value
of shipments in the industry. They use data from comprehensive in­
dustrial censuses conducted by the U.S. Bureau of the Census and the
U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Notes on the data
Beginning with the May 1978 issue of the R ev ie w , regional CPI’s
cross classified by population size, were introduced. These indexes will
enable users in local areas for which an index is not published to get a
better approximation of the CPI for their area by using the appropri­
ate population size class measure for their region. The cross-classified
indexes will be published bimonthly. (See table 24.)
For further details about the new and the revised indexes and a
comparison of various aspects of these indexes with the old unrevised
CPI, see F a cts A b o u t th e R e v is e d C o n s u m e r P ric e I n d e x , a pamphlet in
the Consumer Price Index Revision 1978 series. See also T h e
C o n s u m e r P r ic e I n d e x : C o n c e p ts a n d C o n te n t O v e r th e Years, Report
517, revised edition (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 1978).
For interarea comparisons of living costs at three hypothetical stand­
ards of living, see the family budget data published in the H a n d b o o k
o f L a b o r S ta tistic s , 1 9 7 7 , Bulletin 1966 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1977), tables 122-133. Additional data and analysis on price changes
are provided in the C P I D e ta ile d R e p o r t and P r o d u c e r P ric e s a n d P rice
I n d e x e s , both monthly publications of the Bureau.
As of January 1976, the Wholesale Price Index (as it was then
called) incorporated a revised weighting structure reflecting 1972 val­
ues of shipments. From January 1967 through December 1975, 1963
values of shipments were used as weights.
For a discussion of the general method of computing consumer,
producer, and industry price indexes, see B L S H a n d b o o k o f M e th o d s
f o r S u r v e y s a n d S tu d ie s, Bulletin 1910 (Bureau of Labor Statistics,
1976), chapters 13-15. See also John F. Early, “Improving the meas­
urement of producer price change,” M o n th ly L a b o r R e v ie w , April
1978, pp. 7-15. For industry prices, see also Bennett R. Moss, “In­
dustry and Sector Price Indexes,” M o n th ly L a b o r R ev ie w , August
1965, pp. 974-82.

22.

Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, annual averages and changes, 1967-80

[1967 = 100]
Food and
beverages

All Items
Year
Index

Percent
change

Index

Apparel and
upkeep

Housing

Percent
change

Index

Percent
change

Index

Transportation

Percent
change

Index

Percent
change

Percent
change

Index

Other goods
and services

Entertainment

Medical care

Index

Percent
change

Index

Percent
change

1967
1968
1969
1970

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

100.0
104.2
109.8
116.3

4.2
5.4
5.9

100.0
103.6
108.8
114.7

3.6
5.0
5.4

100.0
104.0
110.4
118.2

4.0
6.2
7.1

100.0
105.4
111.5
116.1

5.4
5.8
4.1

100.0
103.2
107.2
112.7

3.2
3.9
5.1

100.0
106.1
113.4
120.6

6.1
6.9
6.3

100.0
105.7
111.0
116.7

5.7
5.0
5.1

100.0
105.2
110.4
116.8

5.2
4.9
5.8

1971
1972
1973
1974
1975

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

121.3
125.3
133.1
147.7
161.2

4.3
3.3
6.2
11.0
9.1

118.3
123.2
139.5
158.7
172.1

3.1
4.1
13.2
13.8
8.4

123.4
128.1
133.7
148.8
164.5

4.4
3.8
4.4
11.3
10.6

119.8
122.3
126.8
136.2
142.3

3.2
2.1
3.7
7.4
4.5

118.6
119.9
123.8
137.7
150.6

5.2
1.1
3.3
11.2
9.4

128.4
132.5
137.7
150.5
168.6

6.5
3.2
3.9
9.3
12.0

122.9
126.5
130.0
139.8
152.2

5.3
2.9
2.8
7.5
8.9

122.4
127.5
132.5
142.0
153.9

4.8
4.2
3.9
7.2
8.4

1976
1977
1978
1979
1980

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

170.5
181.5
195.3
217.7
247.0

5.8
6.5
7.6
11.5
13.5

177.4
188.0
206.2
228.7
248.7

3.1
6.0
9.7
10.9
8.7

174.6
186.5
202.6
227.5
263.2

6.1
6.8
8.6
12.3
15.7

147.6
154.2
159.5
166.4
177.4

3.7
4.5
3.4
4.3
6.6

165.5
177.2
185.8
212.8
250.5

9.9
7.1
4.9
14.5
17.7

184.7
202.4
219.4
240.1
267.2

9.5
9.6
8.4
9.4
11.3

159.8
167.7
176.2
187.6
203.7

5.0
4.9
5.1
6.5
8.5

162.7
172.2
183.2
196.3
213.6

5.7
5.8
6.4
7.2
8.8

23. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers and revised CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers,
U.S. city average— general summary and groups, subgroups, and selected items
[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

All Urban Consumers
General summary

1981

1980

1981

1980

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

274.4

248.0

263.5

265.2

266.8

269.1

271.4

274.6

266.5
292.2
185.8
279.9
291.5
220.8
233.4

268.9
297.0
184.7
282.6
295.6
221.1
234.4

249.1
265.1
175.4
251.9
267.8
204.4
212.9

264.3
280.7
181.8
272.1
284.4
215.0
225.6

265.5
282.2
184.3
274.4
287.0
216.1
226.8

266.1
284.3
186.0
276.3
289.1
217.0
227.9

265.9
288.1
186.2
278.9
290.8
217.7
230.4

267.0
291.9
185.8
281.0
292.9
218.3
231.4

269.4
297.0
185.5
283.9
295.4
218.7
232.4

251.9
241.7
263.8
223.9

253.2
243.1
263.5
226.6

255.0
244.7
262.9
229.6

234.4
224.2
243.5
208.0

248.8
237.9
261.4
218.6

250.2
239.4
265.7
217.8

251.2
240.5
266.5
219.3

252.4
242.3
266.6
222.4

253.8
243.8
266.3
225.2

255.7
245.5
266.0
228.4

295.4
204.2
353.3
264.4
309.8
234.4

299.6
205.9
360.4
266.6
311.7
235.3

303.5
206.8
366.7
269.6
314.4
236.3

308.8
207.8
374.8
275.0
319.2
237.6

273.1
191.8
325.9
243.9
289.3
218.6

290.8
201.6
348.5
259.7
307.4
232.1

293.1
202.7
351.8
261.3
310.2
233.0

295.9
203.9
356.2
263.1
312.2
233.8

300.0
205.5
363.5
265.5
313.6
234.5

303.9
206.4
370.1
268.2
315.8
235.6

309.6
207.4
379.4
273.8
318.5
236.8

262.3
252.3
237.0
257.5
297.3
265.2
309.5
288.9
255.4
270.9
409.3
253.8
248.1
212.2
460.0
289.9

264.2
253.6
238.0
258.1
297.7
265.9
312.8
291.8
255.3
267.7
409.8
255.6
250.1
213.5
458.4
292.7

267.0
255.2
239.6
258.2
298.0
265.8
317.4
296.2
254.7
270.9
411.3
257.9
253.0
215.7
455.4
296.5

269.5
256.9
241.1
258.0
298.0
266.2
321.9
300.1
255.9
271.6
414.0
260.2
255.6
217.5
453.1
299.8

272.7
259.3
242.6
257.5
297.8
267.1
328.1
305.4
259.5
275.3
415.7
263.5
259.0
219.4
451.3
304.9

245.3
237.4
222.4
238.7
272.2
247.2
288.6
269.4
238.4
271.2
373.9
237.6
232.1
200.6
406.1
269.8

260.8
251.4
236.0
255.9
294.7
263.8
307.9
287.0
253.9
275.1
405.4
251.8
245.8
210.5
450.1
288.4

262.6
252.9
237.4
259.9
299.5
266.6
310.4
289.2
254.9
273.9
413.7
252.9
246.9
210.7
460.9
290.6

264.4
254.2
238.6
260.7
299.9
267.3
313.5
292.0
255.0
270.7
414.0
254.7
248.9
212.2
459.3
293.2

267.2
255.8
240.3
260.9
300.1
267.2
318.2
296.4
254.2
273.8
414.9
257.0
251.9
214.6
456.0
297.0

269.7
257.5
241.8
260.7
300.0
267.6
322.6
300.4
255.3
274.3
417.3
259.3
254.5
216.6
453.7
300.2

273.1
260.0
243.5
260.4
299.8
268.7
329.3
306.3
259.0
277,9
418.9
262.7
258.1
218.7
451.9
305.7

$0,377

$0,375

$0,372

$0,369

$0,364 $0,403

$0,380

$0,377

$0,375

$0,372

$0,368

$0,364

July

Peb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

All items......................................................................................

247.8

263.2

265.1

266.8

269.0

271.3

Food and beverages ....................................................................
Housing........................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep......................................................................
Transportation ..............................................................................
Medical care ................................................................................
Entertainment ..............................................................................
Other goods and services..............................................................

248.3
265.1
176.2
251.0
266.6
206.6
213.5

263.7
280.9
182.0
270.9
282.6
216.7
227.4

265.0
282.6
185.1
273.5
284.7
218.2
228.7

265.7
284.8
186.4
275.3
287.0
219.2
229.9

265.4
288.5
186.4
277.8
289.0
220.3
232.2

Commodities................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ....................................
Nondurables less food and beverages..................................
Durables............................................................................

234.1
224.0
241.4
209.6

248.3
237.4
258.6
220.3

249.8
239.0
263.1
219.8

250.8
240.0
263.8
221.1

Services ......................................................................................
Rent, residential..................................................................
Household services less rent ..............................................
Transportation services........................................................
Medical care services..........................................................
Other services....................................................................

272.4
192.1
323.3
243.8
288.0
218.1

290.1
201.9
345.4
260.5
305.2
232.3

292.5
203.0
348.8
262.5
307.5
233.2

All items less food ........................................................................
All Items less mortgage interest costs ............................................
Commodities less food..................................................................
Nondurables less food ..................................................................
Nondurables less food and apparel................................................
Nondurables ................................................................................
Services less rent ........................................................................
Services less medical ca re ............................................................
Domestically produced farm foods ................................................
Selected beef cuts........................................................................
Energy ........................................................................................
All items less energy ....................................................................
All items less food and energy ............................................
Commodities less food and energy....................................
Energy commodities ........................................................
Services less energy........................................................

245.1
236.8
222.2
236.6
270.3
245.9
287.6
268.9
238.5
269.2
370.4
238.3
233.1
202.0
404.8
269.1

260.4
250.6
235.4
253.2
292.4
262.3
306.9
286.5
254.0
273.0
401.1
252.5
246.8
211.7
449.0
287.6

Purchasing power of the consumer dollar, 1967 - $1 ....................

$0,404

$0,380

July

July

Special indexes:


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

77

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
All Urban Consumers
General summary

1980
July

Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

1981
Feb.

Mar.

1980

1981

Apr.

May

June

July

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

268.9

249.1

264.3

265.5

266.1

265.9

267.0

269.4

FOOD AND BEVERAGES ....................................................................

248.3

263.7

265.0

265.7

265.4

266.5

Food....................................................................................................

254.8

270.8

272.2

272.9

272.5

273.6

276.2

255.5

271.4

272.6

273.2

272.9

274.0

276.6

Food at home........................................................................................
Cereals and bakery products ..........................................................
Cereals and cereal products (12/77 = 100) ..............................
Flour and prepared flour mixes (12/77 = 100)....................
Cereal (12/77 = 100)........................................................
Rice, pasta, and cornmeal (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Bakery products (12/77 = 100)................................................
White bread ......................................................................
Other breads (12/77 = 100)..............................................
Fresh biscuits, rolls, and muffins (12/77 = 100) ..................
Fresh cakes and cupcakes (12/77 = 100)..........................
Cookies (12/77 - 100)......................................................
Crackers and bread and cracker products (12/77 = 100) . . .
Fresh sweetrolls, coffeecake, and donuts (12/77 = 100) . . .
Frozen and refrigerated bakery products
and fresh pies, tarts, and turnovers (12/77 = 100) ..........

251.5
247.8
135.0
132.9
135.5
136.2
129.8
218.4
129.4
129.2
127.9
127.1
125.5
129.5

267.3
265.3
144.5
137.5
146.5
147.9
139.0
231.4
137.3
138.9
139.5
139.0
128.6
140.4

268.6
266.7
145.2
138.5
146.9
148.9
139.7
232.9
137.9
140.1
140.0
139.7
129.1
141.1

268.7
268.3
145.4
137.1
147.8
149.5
140.8
233.2
139.5
140.4
142.1
141.2
130.9
141.7

267.7
270.0
146.8
138.8
149.8
149.8
141.5
235.1
139.3
141.5
142.3
141.8
128.2
142.8

268.7
271.5
148.3
139.0
152.4
150.9
142.1
236.0
140.2
141.7
142.3
143.3
130.7
142.9

271.6
272.4
149.0
139.5
153.4
151.2
142.5
236.4
140.6
142.4
142.7
143.0
131.6
143.9

251.1
248.0
135.5
132.8
135.5
137.9
129.8
217.5
132.3
128.1
127.3
128.3
125.7
130.0

267.0
265.0
145.5
137.9
148.0
149.3
138.5
230.9
140.1
136.9
138.1
139.8
128.6
140.0

268.1
266.5
146.5
139.4
148.5
150.5
139.2
231.2
140.3
138.4
139.5
140.6
129.6
140.7

268.2
268.0
146.9
139.2
148.9
151.4
140.1
232.1
141.2
138.7
140.8
141.8
131.1
141.7

267.2
269.4
148.4
140.3
151.3
152.0
140.6
233.2
141.7
139.6
141.2
142.1
128.9
142.5

268.2
270.7
150.0
141.4
154.0
152.7
141.0
233.1
142.5
139.7
141.2
143.3
131.5
142.3

271.1
271.5
150.6
141.9
154.8
153.2
141.4
233.9
142.9
141.7
141.4
142.6
131.2
142.8

131.5

141.4

141.9

144.0

147.0

146.1

147.2

129.6

136.3

137.6

139.0

140.1

140.3

140.9

Meats, poultry, fish, and eggs ..........................................................
Meats, poultry, and fish ............................................................
Beef arc vea ................................................................
Ground beef other than canned....................................
Chuck roast................................................................
Round roast................................................................
Round steak ..............................................................
Sirloin steak................................................................
Other beef and veal (12/77 = 100) ............................
P ork.............................................................................
Bacon ........................................................................
Chops ........................................................................
Ham other than canned (12/77 = 100)........................
Sausage ....................................................................
Canned ham ..............................................................
Other pork (12/77 = 100) ..........................................
Other meats.................. ...............................................
Frankfurters................................................................
Bologna, liverwurst, and salami (12/77 = 100) ............
Other lunchmeats (12/77 = 100) ................................
Lamb and organ meats (12/77 = 100) ........................
Poultry..............................................................................
Fresh whole chicken....................................................
Fresh and frozen chicken parts (12/77 = 100) ............
Other poultry (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Fish and seafood ..........................................................
Canned fish and seafood (12/77 = 100)......................
Fresh and frozen fish and seafood (12/77 - 100) ........
Eggs ......................................................................................

236.7
243.4
243.3
267.9
266.6
277.7
243.2
253.2
270.2
155.9
200.3
186.3
193.1
92.1
249.2
208.6
115.1
239.1
229.1
135.1
120.6
137.2
187.9
193.6
120.9
117.0
330.1
129.2
123.7
154.2

252.5
257.9
256.4
272.3
272.8
288.1
248.0
259.0
262.0
157.7
223.6
221.7
210.3
100.0
282.3
238.0
125.4
260.8
259.4
149.4
129.8
144.1
203.7
207.0
131.9
128.5
355.0
138.0
133.5
188.2

250.5
256.2
254.4
270.3
269.7
284.1
243.9
256.1
259.8
157.8
221.6
218.5
209.3
98.7
281.0
236.6
124.2
258.5
257.8
147.0
128.1
144.7
201.6
203.1
131.6
127.6
358.8
138.9
135.3
180.5

247.7
253.0
251.0
267.4
264.8
281.4
242.8
252.9
261.5
156.1
217.4
209.0
209.2
95.2
277.4
230.1
123.4
255.4
253.5
143.5
127.9
143.1
196.8
198.0
127.5
125.9
359.7
138.8
135.9
184.3

247.0
253.2
252.3
270.3
264.1
280.3
246.8
256.0
271.4
159.2
217.3
212.7
203.7
97.2
277.7
230.5
122.7
253.9
247.6
143.0
126.9
145.3
194.7
190.3
127.5
128.3
353.2
139.2
131.8
170.5

248.7
255.0
254.2
271.1
264.6
281.0
246.2
255.1
274.6
159.9
221.2
216.5
209.8
980
278.9
229.8
126.7
255.9
250.7
143.9
127.6
146.5
196.8
193.8
128.3
128.9
352.1
139.3
131.0
172.1

254.1
260.7
259.6
274.5
264.5
283.5
245.6
258.9
284.3
163.5
231.5
228.1
221.8
102.0
289.7
233.0
133.6
258.4
251.8
145.9
129.1
147.6
204.8
206.9
133.0
130.0
356.9
140.6
133.1
174.2

236.1
242.8
242.8
269.6
268.7
285.3
246.2
253.6
274.2
155.2
200.7
189.1
193.3
90.5
252.0
207.6
114.9
236.5
231.5
131.4
118.8
138.2
186.0
189.1
120.8
116.6
326.4
127.3
122.5
153.5

251.6
257.0
256.0
273.8
275.7
298.6
247.5
254.7
263.5
156.9
223.2
225.7
207.6
98.2
282.0
240.6
125.0
259.1
261.0
146.0
128.6
146.5
201.3
201.7
131.9
127.8
349.5
135.9
131.4
187.0

249.9
255.7
254.2
272.6
272.9
295.6
248.8
253.3
264.5
156.7
221.3
221.6
206.9
96.3
282.7
237.9
124.3
256.0
257.2
144.7
126.4
146.0
200.6
200.9
130.1
128.9
351.5
136.2
132.5
180.5

247.1
252.2
250.7
269.5
269.0
291.8
247.5
251.3
262.7
154.9
216.7
210.0
206.3
92.6
280.1
230.8
123.8
253.4
252.8
142.6
126.4
143.8
194.6
194.1
125.8
126.3
353.7
136.6
133.6
185.5

246.3
252.4
251.7
272.5
267.8
c 290.9
249.4
253.7
275.3
158.5
216.3
215.2
201.5
93.8
278.5
231.4
122.4
250.6
247.0
140.6
124.8
145.9
192.5
187.0
126.6
127.5
349.9
137.8
130.5
171.5

248.4
254.5
253.9
273.0
267.9
288.9
249.5
253.6
278.7
159.2
221.3
220.5
209.8
95.1
278.7
230.1
127.7
253.1
249.8
141.9
126.0
147.1
194.4
190.3
127.0
128.2
349.8
137.9
130.4
173.0

254.1
260.5
259.7
276.5
267.9
295.5
249.8
257.0
285.6
162.4
232.6
230.5
222.4
100.4
293.4
234.4
134.5
255.6
251.9
144.6
126.5
148.9
203.1
202.9
133.3
129.3
353.5
139.0
131.9
175.0

Dairy products..........................................................................
Fresh milk and cream (12/77 = 100) ................................
Fresh whole m ilk............................................................
Other fresh milk and cream (12/77 = 100)......................
Processed dairy products (12/77 = 100)............................
Butter............................................................................
Cheese (12/77 = 100) ..................................................
Ice cream and related products (12/77 = 100)................
Other dairy products (12/77 = 100)................................

228.6
127.7
209.4
126.9
131.4
226.9
130.0
134.6
127.5

242.1
134.0
219.3
134.2
140.8
242.2
139.2
145.9
134.5

242.6
134.3
219.9
134.4
141.1
243.0
139.8
145.3
135.1

243.5
134.6
220.4
134.5
142.0
244.3
140.6
146.7
135.7

243.8
134.9
220.8
134.7
141.9
245.2
140.5
146.2
136.1

243.8
134.8
220.7
134.6
142.0
245.1
140.5
146.4
136.3

244.2
134.9
220.7
134.9
142.5
245.8
140.7
147.6
136.6

229.2
128.0
209.8
127.5
131.9
229.7
130.1
135.5
127.7

242.5
134.1
219.3
134.4
141.6
246.0
139.6
146.8
135.0

242.7
134.1
219.4
134.5
141.8
246.4
140.0
146.1
136.1

243.8
134.7
220.2
135.2
142.6
247.7
140.5
147.8
136.1

243.9
134.7
220.4
134.8
142.6
247.6
140.6
147.8
136.4

243.9
134.5
220.0
135.1
142.9
248.7
140.9
147.8
136.8

243.9
134.4
219.9
134.5
143.1
247.7
141.3
148.0
137.2

Fruits and vegetables ..............................................................
Fresh fruits and vegetables ................................................
Fresh fruits....................................................................
App e s ........................................................................
Bananas ....................................................................
Oranges ....................................................................
Other fresh fruits (12/77 = 100)..................................
Fresh vegetables............................................................
Potatoes ....................................................................
Lettuce ......................................................................
Tomatoes ..................................................................
Other fresh vegetables (12/77 = 100) ........................

253.9
265.8
282.7
316.6
232.6
273.9
147.5
250.1
310.5
205.9
209.2
137.1

267.3
278.1
256.8
217.1
256.9
284.9
135.9
298.0
350.2
220.4
312.8
163.5

278.2
293.9
265.2
227.9
264.1
287.4
141.1
320.8
363.9
225.2
367.8
177.0

281.9
296.4
271.6
231.1
266.8
287.5
147.1
319.6
378.1
226.9
375.3
170.0

276.8
284.4
276.6
235.4
266.3
274.1
154.9
291.7
384.4
252.5
200.2
158.6

278.1
285.2
278.9
239.9
260.5
287.1
154.4
291.1
414.3
238.7
205.2
151.8

284.4
294.0
292.1
251.9
240.6
327.8
160.4
295.9
414.9
261.3
194.0
154.5

253.0
265.2
282.3
318.7
228.7
261.5
148.7
249.8
309.4
200.6
210.8
138.0

266.5
277.6
254.4
218.2
249.4
269.4
137.9
298.7
347.1
225.6
308.6
164.8

275.0
289.4
259.0
225.7
258.8
268.4
139.9
316.9
359.6
219.3
354.0
177.1

280.0
294.5
268.6
232.1
262.2
274.3
147.6
318.0
369.8
231.5
370.7
170.0

274.3
281.8
271.5
232.7
264.2
261.1
153.3
291.1
378.1
255.6
193.8
160.1

275.3
281.0
272.1
241.0
259.0
274.0
149.9
289.0
402.7
237.1
200.8
153.6

281.7
290.2
285.5
253.1
233.8
307.0
158.9
294.4
404.2
259.2
195.5
155.8

Processed fruits and vegetables ........................................
Processed fruits (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Frozen fruit and fruit juices (12/77 = 100)....................
Fruit juices and other than frozen (12/77 = 100)..........
Canned and dried fruits (12/77 = 100) ........................
Processed vegetables (12/77 = 100)..............................
Frozen vegetables (12/77 - 100)................................

243.0
126.6
118.5
130.6
129.0
117.6
118.4

257.8
133.5
127.1
137.2
134.9
125.5
124.4

263.3
137.6
135.3
141.2
135.7
127.0
126.9

268.5
141.0
142.8
144.5
135.6
128.9
128.3

270.9
142.1
144.2
145.3
136.7
130.2
129.8

272.8
142.0
143.4
145.5
137.1
132.1
130.8

276.4
143.1
144.0
146.8
138.4
134.6
133.2

241.5
126.8
117.8
130.9
129.5
116.6
118.2

256.4
133.8
127.1
137.1
135.8
124.4
124.0

261.3
137.5
134.6
140.7
136.3
125.8
126.4

266.1
140.1
140.2
143.2
136.6
128.1
129.1

288.4
141.6
142.0
145.1
137.4
128.9
129.6

271.4
142.1
142.3
145.8
137.9
131.2
131.9

274.6
142.8
142.9
146.1
139.1
133.6
134.1

Meats

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


78
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

All Urban Consumers
General summary

1981

1980

1981

1980
July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Fruits and vegetables — Continued
Cut corn and canned beans except lima (12/77=100) . . .
Other canned and dried vegetables (12/77=100)............
Other foods at hom e......................................................................
Sugar and sweets....................................................................
Candy and chewing gum (12/77-100) ..............................
Sugar and artificial sweeteners (12/77-100)......................
Other sweets (12/77 -100) ..............................................
Fats and oils (12/77-100) ......................................................
Margarine ........................................................................
Nondairy substitutes and peanut butter (12/77-100) ..........
Other fats, oils, and salad dressings (12/77-100) ..............
Nonalcoholic beverages ..........................................................
Cola drinks, excluding diet c o la ..........................................
Carbonated drinks, including diet cola (12/77-100)............
Roasted coffee ................................................................
Freeze dried and instant coffee..........................................
Other noncarbonated drinks (12/77-100)..........................
Other prepared foods ..............................................................
Canned and packaged soup (12/77-100)..........................
Frozen prepared foods (12/77-100)..................................
Snacks (12/77-100)........................................................
Seasonings, olives, pickles, and relish (12/77=100)............
Other condiments (12/77 -100) ........................................
Miscellaneous prepared foods (12/77-100) ......................
Other canned and packaged prepared foods (12/77=100) ..

118.1
117.0
304.3
353.1
131.6
194.2
127.2
239.3
247.0
123.6
124.6
397.4
268.4
129.2
435.3
381.0
122.1
232.3
123.3
132.4
128.3
128.0
130.2
12&.3
126.0

128.2
124.7
323.0
385.4
141.1
217.7
137.7
267.3
256.8
171.8
131.0
411.9
295.3
140.1
364.9
345.3
130.8
246.9
128.7
140.0
142.3
137.2
135.8
135.8
132.4

128.4
126.4
324.1
383.2
142.8
209.7
139.3
268.9
255.7
179.3
129.9
412.2
295.9
140.5
359.4
340.8
132.4
249.4
128.4
142.3
143.9
139.1
138.1
135.9
134.1

130.2
128.7
324.7
375.8
144.1
195.5
139.8
270.1
256.1
182.4
129.8
414.4
298.0
141.8
356.7
339.5
133.5
251.2
129.3
142.3
145.6
139.9
139.2
136.7
135.1

131.5
129.8
323.7
367.1
145.1
178.4
141.4
270.7
256.1
182.7
130.4
412.3
295.7
140.6
354.4
339.1
134.0
252.9
131.5
141.6
145.9
140.0
141.1
138.6
136.6

134.6
131.4
323.6
361.3
145.2
168.2
142.6
269.6
256.1
181.8
129.6
412.8
297.0
140.8
353.1
335.2
134.5
254.4
132.6
142.2
147.2
141.1
140.8
139.3
137.7

136.0
134.6
323.3
360.0
145.9
164.6
142.9
269.0
255.9
181.0
129.4
410.3
294.7
139.6
351.4
334.3
134.2
256.3
133.2
143.7
147.5
142.0
142.3
140.7
139.0

117.0
115.6
303.7
354.7
132.0
194.5
126.5
240.6
248.6
124.0
125.0
396.2
265.6
127.4
432.3
379.2
121.1
232.1
123.5
131.3
128.5
127.3
131.6
128.9
125.4

126.5
123.5
323.6
387.7
142.0
217.9
137.3
268.9
258.3
172.7
131.4
413.6
293.4
137.8
360.3
347.0
130.9
247.1
129.3
137.8
143.5
136.3
137.3
136.0
132.4

126.3
125.3
325.2
384.6
143.6
209.6
138.2
270.5
257.7
180.0
130.3
415.4
295.4
138.7
355.0
343.9
132.7
250.0
129.2
139.6
145.5
137.9
140.0
136.2
134.4

129.0
127.1
325.4
377.8
145.1
196.0
138.7
270.4
256.1
182.3
129.7
415.8
294.9
139.8
352.5
340.9
133.5
252.4
129.8
139.8
148.1
138.7
141.7
137.7
135.9

130.1
128.0
324.8
368.1
145.8
179.2
139.7
270.9
256.7
181.6
130.4
414.6
293.7
139.4
350.5
340.2
133.9
254.7
132.1
139.6
149.1
139.3
143.6
139.6
137.2

133.6
129.7
324.5
363.0
146.5
169.3
140.8
269.5
256.0
180.5
129.6
414.6
294.1
139.3
348.5
337.1
134.4
255.8
133.5
140.8
149.1
140.3
143.2
139.9
138.5

134.8
132.8
324.2
362.8
147.3
166.6
141.8
269.0
256.6
179.4
129.4
411.3
290.8
138.3
346.6
334.9
134.0
257.9
134.5
142.3
150.0
141.4
144.4
141.0
139.8

Food away from home..........................................................................
Lunch (12/77-100) ......................................................................
Dinner (12/77-100) ......................................................................
Other meals and snacks (12/77-100)............................................

267.8
130.0
130.1
129.3

284.7
138.6
138.2
137.0

286.1
139.2
138.8
137.9

288.2
140.7
139.4
138.8

289.3
141.0
139.9
139.9

290.6
141.5
140.7
140.3

292.4
142.6
141.3
141.6

271.2
131.1
132.0
131.6

287.3
139.8
139.4
138.5

288.6
140.3
140.1
139.3

290.7
141.4
141.1
140.1

291.9
141.8
141.7
141.1

293.5
142.8
142.6
141.3

295.2
143.6
143.0
142.7

Alcoholic beverages ..........................................................................

187.2

195.9

197.1

197.8

199.1

199.8

200.5

189.2

197.6

198.7

199.4

201.2

202.1

202.8

Alcoholic beverages at home (12/77-100)............................................
Beer and a le ..................................................................................
Whiskey ........................................................................................
Wine..............................................................................................
Other alcoholic beverages (12/77-100)..........................................
Alcoholic beverages away from home (12/77-100)................................

122.1
189.2
135.2
212.6
109.6
122.5

127.4
197.6
140.0
224.0
113.9
129.7

128.1
198.2
141.6
224.3
115.0
131.1

128.5
199.7
141.3
224.7
114.9
131.6

129.3
201.4
142.5
223.9
115.5
132.6

129.7
202.0
143.0
224.6
116.1
133.1

130.1
201.8
143.7
227.5
166.3
134.1

123.6
189.7
136.6
217.4
109.6
122.9

128.8
197.2
142.0
231.6
113.3
129.4

129.6
198.5
142.3
233.6
114.0
129.9

130.0
199.8
142.3
233.2
114.1
130.6

131.1
201.8
143.2
234.3
114.6
132.0

131.5
202.4
144.0
233.4
115.7
133.4

131.9
202.4
144.7
236.9
155.9
134.0

HOUSING............................................................................................

265.1

280.9

282.6

284.8

288.5

292.2

297.0

265.1

280.7

282.2

284.3

288.1

291.9

297.0

Shelter...............................................................................................

282.9

300.5

301.6

303.8

308.4

312.6

318.5

284.3

301.7

302.6

304.6

309.4

313.7

320.2

206.4

207.4

FOOD AND BEVERAGES - Continued
Food

Continued

Food at home— Continued

Rent, residential....................................................................................

192.1

201.9

203.0

204.2

205.9

206.8

207.8

191.8

201.6

202.7

203.9

205.5

Other rental costs ................................................................................
Lodging while out of town................................................................
Tenants’ insurance (12/77-100) ....................................................

265.7
283.8
123.1

278.5
297.4
129.3

283.6
304.8
130.1

285.9
307.5
131.2

286.4
307.2
131.9

289.5
311.8
133.1

293.6
318.3
133.3

265.5
282.3
123.3

278.3
296.0
129.9

283.5
303.2
130.8

285.8
306.0
131.6

286.1
305.5
132.3

289.7
310.6
133.4

293.3
316.3
133.7

Homeownership....................................................................................
Home purchase..............................................................................
Financing, taxes, and insurance ......................................................
Property insurance ..................................................................
Property taxes ........................................................................
Contracted mortgage interest c o s t............................................
Mortgage interest rates......................................................
Maintenance and repairs ................................................................
Maintenance and repair services ..............................................
Maintenance and repair commodities ........................................
Paint and wallpaper, supplies, tools, and
equipment (12/77-100) ................................................
Lumber, awnings, glass, and masonry (12/77-100)............
Plumbing, electrical, heating, and cooling
supplies (12/77-100)....................................................
Miscellaneous supplies and equipment (12/77-100) ..........

315.4
253.9
399.6
255.5
188.3
512.2
199.0
287.6
312.1
230.3

335.8
263.0
437.1
373.1
198.5
565.0
211.9
302.8
328.7
242.4

336.8
261.1
441.1
375.6
199.0
570.9
216.0
306.1
332.6
243.9

339.3
260.7
447.1
378.5
199.9
579.8
219.5
309.3
337.0
244.4

345.0
263.0
458.3
383.7
199.8
596.9
224.0
312.9
341.2
246.3

350.4
266.6
467.2
386.6
200.3
610.4
226.4
315.5
344.4
247.6

358.0
271.4
480.0
387.1
201.4
630.1
299.4
319.3
349.0
249.3

317.9
254.3
405.0
357.2
190.0
514.6
199.6
285.1
309.0
231.3

338.2
262.7
442.6
376.6
200.6
566.5
212.3
299.9
327.7
238.6

338.8
260.2
446.4
379.9
201.0
572.0
216.7
302.7
331.3
239.9

341.1
259.7
452.6
382.5
201.7
580.9
220.3
304.5
334.1
239.7

347.1
262.2
464.3
387.1
201.7
598.6
224.9
307.3
337.6
241.1

352.7
266.2
473.8
388.1
202.2
612.9
227.2
308.2
338.7
241.5

361.2
271.2
486.9
388.3
203.2
632.6
230.3
316.2
350.5
242.4

133.4
119.1

141.6
124.0

143.7
123.3

143.4
124.3

143.9
125.1

145.3
124.7

146.7
125.0

132.2
199.3

136.9
122.3

138.5
122.4

136.8
123.1

137.7
123.7

138.4
122.7

138.2
123.0

121.1
120.1

127.3
125.2

127.6
125.9

127.9
126.4

130.7
127.6

131.2
128.5

132.7
129.2

125.9
122.5

127.0
127.8

127.8
128.8

127.9
129.9

128.1
130.8

128.5
131.7

130.1
132,5

Fuel and other utilities........................................................................

285.5

304.5

308.4

310.5

314.9

320.2

325.1

286.1

305.6

309.4

311.4

315.7

321.2

326.4

360.8
560.4
585.1
140.4
314.3
267.4
371.8

387.4
675.6
712.0
157.5
322.9
271.3
389.0

393.7
693.4
730.9
161.5
326.7
273.9
395.2

396.5
690.6
727.0
162.5
330.6
277.3
399.4

403.3
685.8
720.6
163.6
339.6
281.9
416.5

411.7
682.0
715.7
164.3
350.2
296.7
416.9

417.2
677.9
711.0
164.0
357.6
306.2
418.6

360.3
561.9
585.6
142.1
313.5
267.6
368.6

387.3
678.5
714.2
159.4
322.1
271.1
386.8

393.4
696.3
733.2
162.9
325.9
273.5
392.8

396.2
693.7
729.4
164.2
329.6
276.8
397.2

402.5
688.6
723.1
164.7
338.1
281.2
413.0

411.2
685.1
718.4
165.5
349.0
296.6
413.2

417.0
681.1
713.8
165.4
356.7
306.2
415.8

Fuel oil, coal, and bottled gas..........................................................
Other fuels (6/78 — 100) ........................................................
Gas (piped) and electricity ..............................................................
Electricity................................................................................
Utility (piped) gas ....................................................................


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

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

All Urban Consumers
General summary

1980

1980

1981

1981

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Other utilities and public services ............................................................
Telephone services ..........................................................................
Local charges (12/77 = 100) ....................................................
Interstate toll calls (12/77 - 100) ..............................................
Intrastate toll calls (12/77 = 100) ..............................................
Water and sewerage maintenance ....................................................

165.9
136.3
105.4
101.6
99.5
261.3

173.6
142.4
113.5
101.8
101.2
274.7

174.0
142.5
113.6
101.8
101.2
277.1

175.1
143.4
114.8
101.8
101.4
278.4

176.2
144.0
115.5
101.8
101.7
282.3

177.1
143.5
114.9
101.8
101.5
291.2

180.8
147.2
116.7
109.1
101.5
294.0

165.9
136.1
105.2
101.6
99.3
262.4

173.9
142.5
113.6
101.9
101.0
276.3

174.4
142.6
113.7
101.9
101.0
279.0

175.4
143.4
114.9
101.9
101.2
280.3

176.6
144.1
115.7
101.9
101.5
284.7

177.3
143.6
115.1
101.9
101.3
292.5

181.3
147.5
116.9
109.6
101.3
295.8

Household furnishings and operations ................................................

206.2

214.9

2(6.9

219.2

220.1

221.1

222.4

203.5

211.7

213.7

215.9

216.8

217.8

219.1

Housefurnishings ....................................................................................
Textile housefurnishings....................................................................
Household linens (12/77 - 100) ................................................
Curtains, drapes, slipcovers, and sewing materials (12/77 = 100) .
Furniture and bedding ......................................................................
Bedroom furniture (12/77 = 100) ..............................................
Sofas (12/77 = 100) ................................................................
Living room chairs and tables (12/77 - 100) ..............................
Other furniture (12/77 = 100)....................................................
Appliances including TV and sound equipment....................................
Television and sound equipment (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Television ..........................................................................
Sound equipment (12/77 - 100) ........................................
Household appliances................................................................
Refrigerators and home freezers..........................................
Laundry equipment (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Other household appliances (12/77 = 100)..........................
Stoves, dishwashers, vacuums, and sewing
machines (12/77 = 100) ..............................................
Office machines, small electric appliances,
and air conditioners (12/77 - 100)................................
Other household equipment (12/77 - 100)........................................
Floor and window coverings, infants’, laundry,
cleaning, and outdoor equipment (12/77 = 100) ......................
Clocks, lamps, and decor items (12/77 = 100) ..........................
Tableware, serving pieces, and nonelectric
kitchenware (12/77 = 100) ....................................................
Lawn equipment, power tools, and other hardware (12/77 = 100) .

174.7
188.2
114.6
120.2
192.8
125.4
112.2
110.7
126.6
140.5
105.8
104.4
108.2
163.7
163.6
119.6
112.6

180.8
195.1
118.6
124.8
199.3
131.3
114.5
115.9
129.1
143.9
107.9
105.7
111.0
168.2
168.4
123.7
115.4

182.6
199.8
123.1
126.1
201.6
133.2
115.8
116.5
130.8
144.2
108.0
105.6
111.2
168.9
168.5
124.5
115.9

183.9
200.5
123.0
127.1
203.7
134.5
116.5
116.6
133.4
145.3
108.6
106.0
112.1
170.4
170.6
126.1
116.6

184.2
198.3
122.3
125.0
204.2
133.4
117.0
117.5
134.7
145.5
108.3
105.4
112.1
171.3
170.9
126.2
117.6

185.2
202.5
125.1
127.4
204.6
134.6
116.2
116.9
135.4
146.3
108.2
105.3
111.9
173.2
172.4
128.0
118.9

186.0
202.9
123.3
129.8
206.0
135.0
1176
117.9
136.2
147.1
108.8
105.6
112.7
174.2
174.2
128.1
119.6

172.9
188.7
114.8
121.0
139.7
122.6
111.7
111.3
123.0
140.1
105.0
102.7
108.0
163.8
166.4
118.7
112.1

178.5
196 9
121.4
124.4
195.6
127.7
113.2
115.2
126.6
142.9
106.6
104.2
109.6
167.8
172.3
122.8
113.7

180.2
201.4
124.1
127.2
198.0
129.4
114.1
116.7
128.3
143.4
106.4
104.3
109.3
169.0
172.7
124.3
114.5

181.6
202.9
125.0
128.2
200.0
130.7
114.9
117.6
130.1
144.2
107.1
104.7
110.2
169.9
174.7
125.7
114.4

182.1
202.3
124.7
127.7
200.6
129.2
115.8
119.1
131.2
144.4
106.9
104.4
c110.1
170.6
175.8
125.3
115.2

182.8
204.4
125.7
129.5
200.1
129.2
116.0
118.2
130.5
145.6
107.3
104.3
110.9
172.6
177.1
127.1
116.6

184.1
206.2
126.0
131.5
202.3
130.7
116.2
119.5
132.9
146.3
107.7
104.5
111.4
173.6
178.1
128.3
117.1

111.6

115.1

115.1

115.8

117.2

118.4

119.2

112.8

114.2

115.2

113.9

115.1

116.5

117.1

113.8
121.3

115.7
127.9

116.9
129.1

117.4
130.0

118.0
130.7

119.4
131.0

120.1
131.2

111.3
119.7

113.1
125.6

113.7
126.9

115.0
127.9

115.3
129.0

116.7
129.3

117.1
129.8

120.8
119.0

128.7
124.1

130.7
125.7

131.4
125.6

132.2
124.4

132.1
124.6

132.4
125.0

114.7
116.6

120.8
121.7

123.2
121.7

124.4
120.9

125.1
120.9

125.3
121.9

127.1
122.9

126.4
115.9

134.8
119.9

135.6
120.8

137.1
121.5

138.8
122.5

139.5
122.6

139.5
122.7

124.0
118.7

131.0
123.8

132.1
125.1

134.1
125.9

136.0
127.0

136.0
127.1

136.4
126.7

Housekeeping supplies............................................................................
Soaps and detergents ......................................................................
Other laundry and cleaning products (12/77 - 100) ..........................
Cleansing and toilet tissue, paper towels and napkins (12/77 = 100) ..
Stationery, stationery supplies, and gift wrap (12/77 = 100) ..............
Miscellaneous household products (12/77 = 100)..............................
Lawn and garden supplies (12/77 = 100)..........................................

247.3
237.2
122.3
130.2
117.6
125.4
127.6

262.8
256.2
129.3
138.4
121.4
135.9
134.0

264.2
255.3
129.7
137.9
122.3
137.3
136.6

266.9
259.4
131.0
138.4
123.1
138.1
139.1

269.0
262.S
132.8
137.8
125.1
138.4
140.6

269.8
266.0
133.4
137.6
125.8
139.5
138.4

271.5
266.5
134.8
138.8
126.6
140.5
138.8

245.2
234.4
122.3
132.7
117.9
123.5
120.7

260.1
254.3
129.6
139.2
122.4
132.2
126.1

261.2
253.8
130.3
138.1
123.7
133.2
128.5

263.4
256.7
130.4
138.5
124.8
134.5
131.1

265.5
260.2
131.5
137.9
126.8
135.0
132.4

266.9
263.6
132.3
138.2
127.2
136.1
131.3

267.9
263.1
133.6
139.0
127.9
136.6
131.7

Housekeeping services............................................................................
Postage ..........................................................................................
Moving, storage, freight, household laundry, and
drycleaning services (12/77 - 100) ..............................................
Appliance and furniture repair (12/77 = 100) ....................................

270.4
257.3

281.6
257.3

284.8
274.3

289.9
308.0

291.6
308.0

292.9
308.0

295.3
308.0

268.1
257.3

279.4
257.3

283.3
274.2

288.6
308.1

289.9
308.1

291.7
308.1

293.4
308.1

131.0
118.7

138.2
123.6

139.0
124.5

140.7
125.2

141.6
125.9

141.9
126.3

143.1
127.8

129.7
117.8

137.8
122.4

139.0
123.8

140.2
124.3

140.7
124.6

141.8
125.4

142.8
126.4

APPAREL AND UPKEEP

176.2

182.0

185.1

186.4

186.4

185.8

184.7

175.4

181.8

184.3

186.0

186.2

185.8

185.5

HOUSING

Continued

Fuel and other utilities

Continued

Apparel commodities
Apparel commodities less footwear....................................................
Men’s and boys’ ..............................................................................
Men’s (12/77 = 100) ................................................................
Suits, sport coats, and jackets (12/77 = 100) ......................
Coats and jackets (12/77 = 100)........................................
Furnishings and special clothing (12/77 = 100) ....................
Shirts (12/77 = 100) ..........................................................
Dungarees, jeans, and trousers (12/77 = 100) ....................
Boys’ (12/77 = 100) ................................................................
Coats, jackets, sweaters, and shirts (12/77 = 100) ..............
Furnishings (12/77 - 100) ..................................................
Suits, trousers, sport coats, and jackets (12/77 = 100) ........
Women's and girls' ..........................................................................
Women’s (12/77 = 100)............................................................
Coats and jackets ..............................................................
Dresses ..............................................................................
Separates and sportswear (12/77 = 100)............................
Underwear, nightwear, and hosiery (12/77 = 100)................
Suits (12/77 - 100)............................................................
Girls’ (12/77 = 100)..................................................................
Coats, jackets, dresses, and suits (12/77 = 100)..................
Separates and sportswear (12/77 - 100)............................
Underwear, nightwear, hosiery, and
accessories (12/77 - 100)..............................................


80
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

168.5

173.2

176.3

177.6

177.2

176.4

175.1

168.0

173.3

175.8

177.5

177.6

177.0

176.6

165.0
165.9
103.9
97.1
960
118.4
110.7
99.2
110.0
104.4
114.7
112.6
150.6
99.8
158.8
153.9
96.8
113.2
85.5
102.0
98,9
99.7

169.6
171.6
107.8
100.5
95.6
125.3
114.8
102.7
112.6
104.3
119.1
116.6
153.4
101.9
160.7
156.9
97.1
116.4
90.0
102.8
94.4
104.2

172.7
175.0
110.2
103.2
97.9
127.2
118.0
104.7
113.7
106.5
121.2
116.5
157.5
104.4
157.9
166.4
99.3
117.8
93.0
106.4
101.2
106.2

174.0
175.6
110.5
104.1
98.1
127.5
117.0
105.4
114.5
107.2
121.5
117.4
158.8
105.0
157.6
167.8
100.2
119.3
91.6
108.6
106.4
106.8

173.3
176.8
111.2
104.7
97.9
129.2
118.3
105.5
115.1
108.8
121.4
117.5
157.2
103.9
152.8
164.8
99.0
119.7
90.7
107.9
104.1
106.9

172.5
176.6
111.0
104.3
98.1
129.7
117.9
105.0
115.4
108.7
123.9
117.3
155.4
102.7
149.5
163.7
98,0
119.8
86.3
106.4
100.4
105.9

171.2
175.6
110.3
102.5
96.7
129.6
115.5
106.5
115.1
107.0
124.5
117.7
153.5
101.2
153.9
162.2
95.1
120.0
78.6
106.5
100.0
106.1

164.4
167.2
104.7
93.2
97.1
115.7
111.2
104.8
110.0
107.4
113.3
110.9
149.9
99.6
157.5
146.2
97.1
112.8
90.1
100.0
95.6
98.2

169.6
172.2
108.2
96.1
96.0
120.2
116.8
108.7
111.9
107.0
116.1
114.2
155.4
103.5
159.1
150.5
99.7
116.0
103.6
102.7
93.5
105.8

172.3
174.9
110.1
98.5
98.9
121.5
119.2
110.0
112.9
109.5
117.4
113.9
158.9
105.5
156.9
154.3
101.6
117.7
109.5
106.4
98.4
109.1

173.9
176.1
110.9
98.3
99.6
122.7
119.5
111.5
113.9
110.9
118.2
114.8
160.7
106.7
156.8
159.8
102.6
119.1
108.0
107.8
101.3
109.5

173.8
177.3
111.8
99.3
100.5
123.9
120.3
112.2
114.2
111,8
117.4
114.8
160.0
106.2
155.8
159.7
101.5
119.5
106.9
107.1
98.8
109.6

173.0
177.2
111.6
98.4
101.2
124.1
120.4
111.8
114.3
109.8
119.5
115.9
158.1
104.9
148.9
156.6
101.0
120.0
103.6
106.2
98.1
108.1

172.8
176.9
111.6
97,4
100.8
124.8
118.8
113.2
113.6
107.6
120.6
115.6
157.9
104.5
159.0
154.1
99.1
120.1
100.6
106.9
98.9
108.9

111.4

113.9

115.6

115.5

116.1

117.2

117.6

110.4

112.5

114.6

115.4

115.9

116.2

116.3

23.

Continued — Consumer Price Index — U.S. city average

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

All Urban Consumers
General summary

1980

1980

1981

1981

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

Apparel commodities less footwear—Continued
Infants’ and toddlers'......................................................................
Other apparel commodities ............................................................
Sewing materials and notions (12/77 - 100) ............................
Jewelry and luggage (12/77 = 100) ........................................

243.0
205.5
109.3
142.8

254.3
212.3
112.2
147.9

255.3
212.2
113.3
147.3

259.2
214.1
114.8
148.4

256.9
212.1
114.3
146.8

2600
212.2
114.5
146.8

2598
212.4
115.3
146.6

249.2
200.8
108.8
139.4

264.0
204.4
112.2
141.3

266.4
204.5
113.3
140.9

269.3
205.6
114.3
141.4

269.9
204.1
113.4
140.5

273.0
204.8
113.2
141.2

272.9
204.8
113.6
141.0

Footwear...............................................................................................
Men’s (12/77 = 100) ....................................................................
Boys’ and girls’ (12/77 = 100) ......................................................
Women’s (12/77 - 100)................................................................

189.5
121.1
123.5
113.8

194.9
125.0
125.3
117.9

197.4
125.2
127.6
120.0

199.3
126.8
128.2
121.3

201.0
127.8
129.3
122.4

200.4
127.7
129.1
121.6

199.0
128.0
130.1
118.7

189.3
123.2
123.1
111.3

194.9
125.7
126.2
115.9

195.9
125.4
127.3
117.0

198.4
128.0
126.7
119.3

200.0
128.7
127.7
120.5

200.6
129.5
128.6
120.2

199.2
129.5
128.7
117.8

Apparel services ................................................................................
Laundry and drycleaning other than coin operated (12/77 = 100)............
Other apparel services (12/77 - 100) ..................................................

234.4
137.7
126.3

249.9
147.6
133.3

252.4
149.6
133.7

254.3
150.9
134.5

256.4
152.2
135.6

257.8
153.2
136.0

258.9
153.8
136.7

232.6
137.5
124.7

248.7
147.3
132.9

251.5
149.3
133.9

252.7
150.4
134.0

254.2
151.5
134.5

255.7
152.5
135.0

256.3
153.1
135.1

TRANSPORTATION ............................................................................

251.0

270.9

273.5

275.3

277.8

279.9

282.6

251.9

272.1

274.4

276.3

278.9

281.0

283.9

Private................................................................................................

250.5

269.4

271.7

273.4

276.0

277.9

279.6

251.5

271.0

273.2

275.1

277.7

279.7

281.6

New cars .............................................................................................
Used cars .............................................................................................
Gasoline ...............................................................................................
Automobile maintenance and repair........................................................
Body work (12/77 = 100)..............................................................
Automobile drive train, brake, and miscellaneous
mechanical repair (12/77 = 100) ................................................
Maintenance and servicing (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Power plant repair (12/77 = 100) ..................................................
Other private transportation ..................................................................
Other private transportation commodities ........................................
Motor oil, coolant, and other products (12/77 = 100) ................
Automobile parts and equipment (12/77 = 100)........................
Tires ................................................................................
Other parts and equipment (12/77 = 100) ........................
Other private transportation services................................................
Automobile insurance ..............................................................
Automobile finance charges (12/77 = 100) ..............................
Automobile rental, registration, and other fees (12/77 = 100) . . .
State registration ..............................................................
Drivers’ licenses (12/77 = 100) ........................................
Vehicle inspection (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Other vehicle related fees (12/77 = 100) ..........................

179.2
203.4
376.7
269.0
131.8

184.8
234.3
410.8
285.4
139.2

182.9
235.4
420.7
287.7
140.3

186.1
239.1
419.3
289.0
140.8

190.9
245.2
416.5
290.8
141.5

192.2
252.9
414.4
291.9
142.3

192.5
260.3
412.9
293.5
144.1

180.0
203.4
377.8
269.7
131.3

185.0
234.4
412.5
285.4
139.2

182.7
235.4
422.3
288.2
140.2

1862
239.1
420.8
289.7
140.7

191.2
245.2
417.7
291.3
141.3

192.5
252.9
415.6
292.6
142.2

192.9
260.3
414.0
293.4
143.3

128.1
172.3
126.4
224.5
197.7
136.3
126.6
174.9
126.6
233.8
249.1
149.7
113.3
146.4
104.9
122.6
126.8

136.8
133.7
135.5
234.2
205.8
141.6
131.8
183.5
129.3
244.0
253.7
165.1
116.7
146.9
105.4
125.8
134.7

137.7
134.8
137.0
234.7
206.2
141.6
132.1
184.1
129.2
244.6
254.4
164.3
118.2
146.9
105.4
126.1
138.4

138.0
135.5
137.8
236.3
208.1
143.5
133.2
185.8
130.1
246.2
255.7
166.5
118.2
146.9
105.5
126.0
138.4

138.7
136.5
138.6
238.9
208.6
143.1
133.6
186.4
130.4
249.4
256.8
172.9
117.7
147.5
105.5
125.8
136.3

138.9
137.1
139.2
241.0
208.5
144.5
133.4
186.1
130.2
252.0
257.4
178.5
117.8
148.0
105.8
125.7
136.3

139.9
137.4
139.9
242.9
208.8
144.8
133.6
185.6
131.7
254.3
259.8
180.9
118.0
147.9
105.9
128.6
136.6

129.9
127.2
126.6
226.7
200.1
135.5
128.4
178.9
125.7
236.0
248.7
149.1
114.7
146.5
104.6
123.3
134.6

138.3
133.5
134.7
236.9
207.5
139.0
133.4
186.6
129.3
247.0
253.2
163.9
119.3
147.0
105.1
126.6
147.2

140.2
134.7
135.9
237.3
208.0
139.8
133.7
186.9
129.5
247.4
253.9
163.4
119.9
147.0
105.1
126.7
148.9

140.5
135.7
136.7
239.2
210.4
140.5
135.4
189.6
130.8
249.2
255.2
166.3
119.3
147.0
105.2
126.6
147.1

141.2
136.4
137.7
241.9
211.7
141.4
136.1
191.1
130.7
252.4
256.3
172.5
118.1
147.7
105.2
126.5
1428

141.7
136.9
138.3
243.9
211.1
142.7
135.5
189.9
130.7
255.0
256.9
177.2
118.2
148.1
105.6
126.5
142.6

141.4
137.3
139.1
246.0
210.8
143.4
135.2
188.4
132.2
257.7
259.6
179.9
118.4
147.9
105 6
129.3
143.1

APPAREL AND UPKEEP
Apparel commodities

Continued
Continued

Public..................................................................................................

250.5

288.1

293.9

297.2

297.7

303.9

323.1

245.8

280.6

285.1

287.7

288.2

293.6

317.7

Airline ‘are.............................................................................................
Intercity bus fare ..................................................................................
Intracity mass transit .............................................................................
Taxi fare ...............................................................................................
Intercity train fare ..................................................................................

276.9
294.2
222.6
263.3
255.3

334.1
312.8
248.4
271.4
276.5

343.7
323.2
250.8
273.8
276.7

348.6
329.1
251.7
279.9
277.2

348.8
333.4
251.9
280.4
296.7

360.7
337.6
253.5
281.7
304.1

367.3
343.5
290.7
287.1
304.6

275.5
293.9
221.8
269.2
255.4

332.7
312.2
247.8
277.7
276.9

342.3
323.9
249.1
280.5
277.1

346.6
329.2
249.8
287.4
277.5

346.7
333.0
249.9
287.9
298.5

359.3
336.8
251.5
289.2
304.6

365.6
343.6
291.0
295.7
304.9

MEDICAL CARE ..................................................................................

266.6

282.6

284.7

287.0

289.0

291.5

295.6

267.8

284.4

287.0

289.1

290.8

292.9

295.4

Medical care commodities..................................................................

169.1

179.2

180.7

182.4

184.7

186.3

187.7

169.7

179.6

181.2

183.4

185.9

187.3

189.2

Prescription drugs ................................................................................
Anti-infective drugs (12/77 = 100)..................................................
Tranquilizers and sedatives (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Circulatories and diuretics (12/77 - 100)........................................
Hormones, diabetic drugs, biologicals, and
prescription and supplies (12/77 = 100) ......................................
Pain and symptom control drugs (12/77 = 100) ..............................
Supplements, cough and cold preparations, and
respiratory agents (12/77 - 100)................................................

155.6
121.2
125.5
115.4

165.0
129.2
131.9
121.9

166.5
130.5
132.8
122.2

168.5
130.2
134.4
123.9

170.4
130.3
136.0
124.9

172.3
132.2
137.3
125.5

173.7
133.9
138.4
126.5

156.6
122.3
124.7
117.6

165.3
129.5
130.7
122.9

166.8
131.0
131.5
123.7

169.2
132.4
133.3
125.3

171.6
132.7
135.2
126.1

173.5
134.3
136.5
126.8

175.0
135.8
137.6
127.9

135.5
124.5

147.4
130.9

148.2
132.7

151.2
134.5

154.6
136.5

157.2
137.7

158.1
139.1

134.8
126.1

146.5
133.3

147.8
134.1

150.9
135.8

154.5
138.2

158.1
138.9

158.2
141.8

119.3

124.5

126.3

128.6

130.2

131.1

131.8

120.9

125.2

126.5

128.8

131.2

132.0

132.5

Nonprescription drugs and medical supplies (12/77 - 100) ....................
Eyeglasses (12/77 - 100) ........................ ................................
Internal and respiratory over-the-counter drugs ................................
Nonprescription medical equipment and supplies (12/77 = 100)........

121.7
118.7
189.1
119.1

128.9
123.1
202.7
124.5

129.9
124.6
204.2
125.0

130.9
125.1
205.9
126.2

132.6
125.3
209.1
128.6

133.5
125.3
211.5
128.6

134.5
125.8
213.1
129.9

122.0
117.8
190.1
119.0

129.4
122.3
203.0
126.5

130.5
122.6
205.5
127.1

131.9
123.4
208.0
128.2

133.6
124.1
211.0
130.5

134.4
124.7
212.6
130.7

135.8
125.0
215.4
132.2

Medical care services ........................................................................

288.0

305.2

307.5

309.8

311.7

314.4

319.2

289.3

307.4

310.2

312.2

313.6

315.8

318.5

280.4
300.7
266.5
136.8

256.1
275.4
243.0
123.6

271.6
293.9
257.0
128.5

274.2
296.3
259.8
129.9

276.2
297.9
262.2
131.3

278.0
300.3
263.3
132.1

279.4
302.4
264.0
132.6

280.8
304.7
264.6
132.7

366.1
151.7
478.0
150.4

3298
132.6
414.9
132.3

351.3
145.2
455.9
144.4

354.4
146.7
459.2
146.3

356.2
147.3
461.4
146.8

357.1
147.3
461.3
146.8

360.3
148 6
467.1
147.6

364.6
150.3
472.2
149.4

Professional services ............................................................................
Physicians’ services........................................................................
Dental services...............................................................................
Other professional services (12/77 = 100)......................................

253.5
270.9
241.1
125.0

267.2
287.7
252.8
130.0

269.6
290.3
254.9
131.5

271.7
292.2
257.1
132.6

273.8
295.5
257.7
133.7

275.8
297.5
260.2
134.2

Other medical care services..................................................................
Hospital and other medical services (12/77 = 100)..........................
Hospital room...........................................................................
Other hospital and medical care services (12/77 = 100)............

329.7
133.4
418.2
132.8

351.1
146.1
458.2
145.5

353.4
147.1
460.9
146.7

355.9
148.1
465.0
147.3

357.6
148.3
465.1
147.6

361.1
149.6
470.4
148.7


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

81

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
23.

Continued— Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

All Urban Consumers
General summary

ENTERTAINMENT................................................................................

1981

1980

1981

1980
July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

206.6

216.7

218.2

219.2

220.3

220.8

221.1

204.4

215.0

216.1

217.0

217.7

218.3

218.7

220.4

220.8

221.1

Entertainment commodities................................................................

209.3

219.7

222.1

223.6

225.0

225.4

225.5

204.8

216.2

218.0

219.4

Reading materials (12/77 - 100)..........................................................
Newspapers ...................................................................................
Magazines, periodicals, and books (12/77 - 100)............................

123.0
240.0
124.1

130.9
253.8
132.9

133.2
256.6
136.2

134.1
262.5
134.8

135.6
264.1
137.1

136.2
264.9
137.9

136.0
265.0
137.3

122.5
239.3
123.7

130.7
254.0
132.9

133.0
256.7
136.3

134.1
262.5
134.8

135.6
264.0
137.3

136.1
264.8
138.2

135.9
265.0
137.4

Sporting goods and equipment (12/77 - 100)........................................
Sport vehicles (12/77 - 100) ........................................................
Indoor and warm weather sport equipment (12/77 = 100)................
Bicycles ........................................................................................
Other sporting goods and equipment (12/77 - 100) ........................

119.5
120.7
112.4
181.6
115.0

124.7
126.5
115.9
187.2
120.6

126.1
128.5
116.2
188.4
121.2

127.5
130.4
116.7
188.3
122.6

127.2
129.5
117.4
190.4
122.4

126.8
128.7
116.9
191.0
122.7

127.0
129.0
117.7
191.0
122.7

114.2
112.5
110.6
181.4
116.1

119.3
118.1
115.3
188.3
119.2

120.3
119.5
115.2
189.4
119.3

120.9
120.0
115.4
189.7
121.1

120.8
119.3
116.4
191.6
121.5

120.4
118.4
116.9
192.0
122.2

120.6
118.5
117.0
192.1
122.9

Toys, hobbies, and other entertainment (12/77 - 100)............................
Toys, hobbies, and music equipment (12/77 = 100) ........................
Photographic supplies and equipment (12/77 - 100)........................
Pet supplies and expense (12/77 - 100) ........................................

121.0
119.0
122.8
123.2

126.3
124.7
122.6
132.0

127.2
125.6
124.0
132.3

127.8
126.2
125.4
132.4

128.8
127.6
125.8
133.3

129.3
127.9
126.2
134.2

129.3
127.9
125.7
134.5

119.1
115.9
122.4
122.9

125.8
123.0
124.4
131.9

126.3
123.1
125.5
132.8

127.2
124.0
126.7
133.2

127.7
125.0
126.1
133.6

128.1
125.3
126.5
134.3

128.5
125.3
127.0
135.1

Entertainment services ......................................................................

203.1

213.0

213.0

213.4

214.0

214.7

215.2

204.8

213.9

213.8

213.9

214.2

215.1

215.8

Fees for participant sports (12/77 - 100)..............................................
Admissions (12/77 - 100)....................................................................
Other entertainment services (12/77 - 100)..........................................

122.1
121.3
117.4

129.4
125.3
122.0

129.8
125.3
121.0

130.7
124.5
121.1

130.7
125.1
121.7

131.3
124.9
122.2

131.6
125.9
121.7

121.9
123.2
118.8

129.0
126.2
123.0

129.6
125.9
121.7

130.2
124.7
122.4

130.5
125.0
122.5

131.4
124.8
123.4

131.6
125.7
123.2

OTHER GOODS AND SERVICES..........................................................

213.5

227.4

228.7

229.9

232.2

233.4

234.4

212.9

225.6

226.8

227.9

230.4

231.4

232.4

Tobacco products ..............................................................................

203.8

212.3

212.5

213.3

218.2

219.1

219.3

204.0

211.9

212.4

213.2

217.8

218.4

218.4

Cigarettes.............................................................................................
Other tobacco products and smoking accessories (12/77 = 100)............

206.4
120.7

214.8
126.5

214.8
128.0

215.5
129.6

220.8
130.4

221.4
132.3

221.6
132.5

206.8
120.3

214.5
126.4

214.9
128.1

215.5
130.0

220.3
131.3

0220.8
132.7

220.7
133.4

Personal care ....................................................................................

214.4

224.6

226.9

228.7

230.5

232.1

233.4

213.1

223.2

225.1

226.4

228.4

229.7

231.2

Toilet goods and personal care appliances..............................................
Products for the hair, hairpieces, and wigs (12/77 - 100) ................
Dental and shaving products (12/77 - 100) ....................................
Cosmetics, bath and nail preparations, manicure
and eye makeup implements (12/77 = 100) ................................
Other toilet goods and small personal care appliances (12/77 = 100)

207.9
121.4
124.0

219.5
128.3
132.9

222.4
131.4
135.3

223.9
131.9
136.6

226.6
132.4
138.6

228.6
132.8
139.4

228.7
133.9
139.0

206.6
120.5
122.0

218.5
126.7
131.2

220.9
128.4
133.3

222.5
128.8
135.1

225.5
130.1
136.1

227.2
130.4
136.6

228.4
131.7
137.1

119.1
119.4

123.2
127.5

123.9
128.3

125.3
128.4

127.8
129.8

129.0
132.0

127.7
133.0

117.9
120.4

122.8
129.0

123.4
130.7

124.4
131.3

126.2
134.0

128.0
135.4

128.3
135.9

Personal care services..........................................................................
Beauty parlor services for women....................................................
Haircuts and other barber shop services for men (12/77 = 100) . . . .

220.9
222.1
123.9

230.0
231.7
128.5

231.7
233.6
129.2

233.7
236.0
129.9

234.7
236.4
131.1

236.0
237.7
131.9

238.4
240.5
132.7

219.8
221.0
123.0

228.1
229.4
127.6

229.4
230.8
128.4

230.5
231.7
129.1

231.5
232.0
130.5

232.5
232.7
131.3

234.4
235.1
131.8

Personal and educational expenses ..................................................

229.9

254.4

255.2

256.2

256.8

257.8

259.2

230.3

255.0

256.0

257.1

257.7

258.5

260.1

Schoolbooks and supplies .....................................................................
Personal and educational services..........................................................
Tuition and other school fees ..........................................................
College tuition (12/77 - 100) ..................................................
Elementary and high school tuition (12/77 = 100) ....................
Personal expenses (12/77 - 100)..................................................

207.2
235.5
118.7
118.0
120.9
129.5

229.8
260.4
132.7
132.1
134.4
137.1

230.5
261.2
132.8
132.3
134.4
138.7

230.8
262.4
132.8
132.3
134.4
141.8

230.8
263.0
132.8
132.3
134.4
143.6

230.9
264.2
132.9
132.4
134.4
146.3

231.3
265.8
133.5
133.0
135.3
147.9

210.9
235.4
118.8
118.0
120.7
127.4

233.6
260.6
132.9
132.1
134.3
136.3

234.4
261.6
133.0
132.3
134.4
138.1

234.6
262.9
133.0
132.3
134.4
141.1

234.7
263.6
133.0
132.3
134.4
142.8

234.7
264.6
133.1
132.4
134.4
144.8

235.2
266.4
133.7
132.9
135.4
146.6

371.5
342.3
249.1
300.1

404.8
370.7
262.3
314.6

414.5
373.6
265.2
318.3

413.2
378.1
267.9
323.1

410.4
386.6
272.4
326.2

408.4
393.4
278.5
328.6

407.1
402.7
286.5
332.3

372.5
342.6
248.4
297.5

406.3
370.4
261.0
313.4

415.9
373.0
263.6
317.2

414.5
377.6
266.1
321.1

411.5
386.1
270.6
323.8

409.5
393.1
276.7
325.1

408.0
402.4
285.6
322.8

Special indexes:
Gasoline, motor oil, coolant, and other products......................................
Insurance and finance ..........................................................................
Utilities and public transportation............................................................
Housekeeping and home maintenance services ......................................
1Not available.

Digitized for 82
FRASER
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

c=corrected.

24. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: Cross classification of region and population size class by expenditure
category and commodity and service group
[December 1977 = 100]
Size class A
(1.25 million or more)

Size class B
(385,000^1.250 million)

Size class C
(75,00(^385,000)

Category and group
1981
Feb.

Apr.

1981
June

Feb.

Apr.

Size class D
(75,000 or less)

1981
June

Feb.

1981

Apr.

June

Feb.

Apr.

June

Northeast
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All items .................................................................................
Food and beverages .....................................................................................
Housing .......................................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep ....................................................................................
Transportation...............................................................................................
Medical care.................................................................................................
Entertainment ...............................................................................................
Other goods and services ............................................................................

135.7
135.2
138.0
114.9
147.3
130.5
124.6
123.7

137.3
136.8
139.1
116.9
149.7
132.9
126.3
124.5

139.1
137.5
142.1
116.2
151.5
134.8
127.9
125.9

143.2
137.6
149.0
114.0
155.0
131.2
127.5
128.5

144.4
138.3
149.1
118.2
157.3
132.9
130.2
130.4

146.8
139.2
153.2
118.9
159.1
134.0
129.6
132.1

146.6
139.8
156.3
119.5
153.0
132.1
124.2
131.1

149.8
141.4
161.5
121.7
154.9
133.8
125.8
132.6

152.5
141.1
166.0
123.1
158.4
137.8
125.9
134.1

141.6
134.8
147.5
119.1
151.0
134.4
126.7
126.5

143.4
135.2
149.7
123.3
153.0
135.9
128.5
127.1

146.3
136.1
154.0
122.9
156.6
137.2
130.2
128.8

COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
Commodities.......................................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services .....................................................................................

137.0
138.2
134.0

137.9
138.7
136.4

139.0
139.9
139.4

144.3
147.6
141.5

145.0
148.3
143.4

146.5
150.0
147.2

144.6
146.8
149.8

147.1
149.7
154.1

148.1
151.4
159.7

141.7
145.0
141.4

143.3
147.1
143.6

145.0
149.3
148.3

North Central region
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All items ..................................................................
Food and beverages ....................................................................................
Housing ..................................................................
Apparel and upkeep .....................................................................................
Transportation...............................................................................................
Medical care.................................................................................................
Entertainment...................................................................................
Other goods and services ............................................................................

144.0
137.1
152.7
109.4
151.8
134.6
127.5
126.3

145.9
137.5
155.0
112.3
153.9
137.1
130.2
127.9

150.0
138.1
162.9
110.8
156.4
139.1
130.6
130.1

142.8
136.4
147.7
116.9
152.3
136.2
124.2
132.7

143.5
136.6
147.4
119.8
154.3
138.1
125.3
134.0

146.6
137.5
152.6
118.9
157.3
139.9
124.4
136.0

139.7
137.0
141.5
114.5
153.1
136.7
126.8
126.4

140.2
137.8
140.5
116.4
155.1
138.6
129.2
127.9

142.3
139.6
143.5
115.3
157.0
140.4
129.8
129.3

139.6
139.6
140.5
114.1
150.3
140.1
124.8
131.1

141.1
140.5
142.1
115.6
152.6
142.1
125.7
131.7

143.1
140.7
144.0
118.6
155.9
144.0
126.9
134.3

COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
Commodities...................................................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services .................................................................................................

140.3
141.8
149.4

141.7
143.7
152.1

144,4
147.4
158.3

139.5
140.9
148.1

140.1
141.5
149.0

142.5
144.6
153.2

138.2
138.7
142.2

138.6
139.0
142.7

139.9
140.0
146.2

136.0
134.5
145.3

136.9
135.4
147.8

138.0
136.8
151.1

South
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All Items ..........................................................................................
Food and beverages .....................................................................................
Housing ...........................................................................
Apparel and upkeep ................................................................
Transportation...............................................................................................
Medical care.................................................................................................
Entertainment...............................................................................
Other goods and services ..................................

142.1
138.8
146.1
119.3
152.9
130.4
123.5
129.4

144.1
139.0
148.7
121.1
155.7
132.5
123.2
131.3

146.2
138.2
152.3
121.1
158.1
135.0
124.9
133.1

144.9
138.6
151.5
117.1
153.4
135.1
129.0
131.0

146.7
139.8
153.0
121.3
155.9
136.5
130.0
132.0

148.7
139.4
156.4
119.9
158.3
138.8
130.7
134.1

142.1
138.4
146.6
113.0
152.2
136.8
129.0
128.6

143.7
139.0
148.3
115.5
153.8
140.0
130.5
129.7

145.9
138.7
151.9
115.3
156.6
142.1
132.1
131.5

138.8
140.2
138.4
105.6
151.4
144.0
131.0
130.5

141.8
142.3
142.4
109.4
154.3
146.4
131.2
131.6

144.8
141.9
147.5
109.5
157.7
148.1
133.5
134.1

COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
Commodities ........................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services ...........................................................................................................

140.1
140.7
144.8

141.5
142.6
147.6

142.1
143.8
152.1

140.8
141.7
151.2

142.3
143.4
153.3

143.2
144.8
157.0

139.1
139.5
146.6

140.1
140.6
149.2

141.3
142.4
153.1

138.4
137.6
139.3

140.7
140.0
143.6

142.1
142.2
149.0

West
EXPENDITURE CATEGORY
All items ....................................................................
Food and beverages .....................................................................................
Housing .............................................................................................
Apparel and upkeep ...................................................................................
Transportation..........................................................................
Medical care.............................................................................................
Entertainment .....................................................................................
Other goods and services ..........................................................

142.6
136.8
147.2
116.4
150.8
137.5
127.0
129.1

145.7
138.2
151.2
119.9
154.2
139.5
127.0
131.8

147.5
138.3
153.2
120.7
157.4
141.0
127.7
134.8

144.0
139.4
148.7
122.3
151.9
136.0
126.6
131.4

146.7
141.4
151.8
125.2
154.9
137.5
128.9
133.3

149.1
142.6
155.1
123.1
157.5
141.2
128.9
134.7

141.2
134.8
145.2
112.1
152.6
137.5
126.6
126.8

142.1
136.2
144.8
114.9
155.6
139.0
128.9
128.6

143.9
137.5
146.7
113.4
158.7
141.5
130.8
130.2

141.0
140.8
138.3
129.8
154.1
139.6
140.5
131.5

143.6
141.3
142.0
133.7
156.0
140.8
142.1
133.0

146.9
143.2
146.1
133.5
159.3
146.2
143.7
137.8

COMMODITY AND SERVICE GROUP
Commodities........................................................................
Commodities less food and beverages ..........................................................
Services ...........................................................................................................

137.3
137.6
149.6

139.5
140.1
154.0

140.5
141.4
156.8

140.0
140.3
149.4

142.2
142.6
152.9

143.4
143.8
156.8

137.1
138.0
146.9

139.1
140.2
146.4

140.2
141.3
149.2

139.7
139.3
142.9

141.6
141.6
146.5

144.7
145.3
150.1


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

83

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Consumer Prices
25.

Consumer Price Index— U.S. city average, and selected areas

[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (revised)

All Urban Consumers
Area'

1981

1980

1981

1980

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

July

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.

May

June

July

U.S. city average2 ..............................................................

247.8

263.2

265.1

266.8

269.0

271.3

274.4

248.0

263.5

265.2

266.8

269.1

271.4

274.6

Anchorage, Alaska (10/67=100) ........................................
Atlanta, Ga...........................................................................
Baltimore, Md.......................................................................
Boston, Mass.......................................................................
Buffalo, N.Y.........................................................................

228.4

246.1

224.8

252.4
240.9

246.8
256.7

Detroit, Mich........................................................................
Honolulu, Hawaii ................................................................
Houston, Tex.......................................................................
Kansas City, Mo.-Kansas ....................................................
Los Angeles-Long Beach, Anaheim, Calif...............................

253.7

Miami, Fla. (11/77=100) ....................................................
Milwaukee, Wis....................................................................
Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wls.............................................
New York, N.Y.-Northeastern N.J..........................................
Northeast, Pa. (Scranton)....................................................

133.6
251.6

San Francisco-Oakland, Calif................................................
Seattle-Everett, Wash...........................................................
Washington, D.C.-Md.-Va......................................................

259.6

254.6
259.7
266.1

244.1

270.2
243.3
281.5
261.9
261.6

268.2

263.3

255.9
265.5

253.9
257.6
258.3

267.3

280.5
252.8
292.9
270.5
267.9

143.2
278.5
266.5
255.4

261.0
265.7

256.7
259.9
261.9

276.1
258.6

265.4
271.3

278.5
268.0
297.5

271.1
262.3

'The areas listed include not only the central city but the entire portion of the Standard Metropolitan
Statistical Area, as defined for the 1970 Census of Population, except that the Standard Consolidated


84
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

275.2

249.7
272.7
273.3

247.0
259.1

258.8

258.9
267.7

294.2

265.8

283.1

252.1

272.2

251.5

146.1
285.6

134.7
255.9

262.5
266.0

238.4
243.2

267.8

245.3

280.8
269.4
305.4

252.2
245.9
265.7

282.3
267.1

251.6
248.7

266.5

262.4
252.7

258.1
266.4

263.9
273.3

253.7
260.6
259.5

268.0
250.2
283.1
264.3
269.1

267.3
2548

261.5
267.3

271.7
276.3

271.3

270.7

299.9
275.9
253.8
289.4
269.1
271.7

144.8
283.5
255.9
263.3
262.9

270.9

278.9

276.3
143.7
291.2

276.6
257.9

265.6
273.0

276.1
268.4
292.5

267.0
259.4
288.0

267.9
264.2

267.9
283.8
284.0

293.4

141.7
274.6

261.6

Area is used for New York and Chicago.
2 Average of 85 cities.

263.0

256.1

272.1
276.9

263.6

273.7
266.5

268.6
263.6

285.8
265.5
243.5
277.7
260.1
265.0

241.7
272.8

252.7

273.9
272.9

274.0
274.7
264.7

268.8
269.3
261.8

250.8
240.9

285.3
286.0

270.3

260.5
255.1
247.2

272.4
250.0
286.4
265.4
265.5

268.1
259.3
293.1

252.7
245.0
269.9

269.1

288.2

140.0
269.9
260.6
252.7

264.5
271.7

272.0
279.6
281.4

261.6

238.9
239.8

263.7

272.5
266.3
257.2

240.1

236.2
266.4

269.2
269.3
263.6

270.3
262.3

273.5
274.4

248.7

244.6
265.9

251.4

Chicago, lll.-Northwestern Ind................................................
Cincinnati, Ohio-Ky.-Ind.........................................................
Cleveland, Ohio..................................................................
Dallas-Ft. Worth, Tex............................................................
Denver-Boulder, Colo...........................................................

Philadelphia, Pa -N.J.............................................................
Pittsburgh, Pa.......................................................................
Portland, Oreg.-Wash...........................................................
St. Louis, Mo.-lll...................................................................
San Diego, Calif...................................................................

241.1
263.0

262.3
269.0
268.5
279.2
269.2
300.5

274.3
271.5
267.7

277.8
271.4

26.

Producer Price Indexes, by stage of processing

[1967 = 100]
A nnual
C o m m o d ity g ro u p in g

1981

1980

a v e ra g e
Aug.

SepL

O ct

247.0

251.4

251.4

255.4

256.2

257.2

248.9
239.5
237.2
237.8
283.9
206.2
191.2
239.8

254.1
246.5
247.0
244.4
290.0
208.1
193.9
241.9

254.1
247.4
259.8
244.3
290.9
206.2
194.6
241.8

257.0
248.0
237.8
246.9
291.7
214.0
195.6
249.2

257.9
248.9
250.5
246.7
293.9
213.1
196.9
250.2

258.9
249.3
254.8
246.7
296.2
213.5
197.6
250.9

280.3

284.3

285.3

287.7

289.1

291.9

1980

Nov.

D ec.

Jan.

M ay

Ju n e

266.0

r 268.5

268.9

269.9

271.3

271.2

268.2
252.6
279.7
248.1
316.0
214.0
204.8
258.1

r 270.6
r 251.9
r 279.3
' 247.4
r 320.4
r 216.6
r 207.3
r 260.8

270.6
252.0
262.3
249.1
319.6
217.7
207.1
262.6

271.5
253.1
255.8
250.8
321.0
217.9
208.0
264.0

272.8
256.9
262.4
254.4
321.2
217.9
208.9
265.7

272.6
255.5
256.5
253.4
321.8
218.1
209.9
265.9

298.3

302.0

'305.8

306.6

307.1

308.6

309.9

281.6
267.5
279.4
306.9
254.2

'284.1
'263.1
' 284.3
'310.6
'255.4

285.0
260.3
286.6
311.1
256.0

285.8
263.9
287.5
310.5
257.0

288.0
262.6
288.8
314.4
259.5

289.6
261.7
290.7
316.1
261.5

M ar.

260.9

263.3

262.5
251.0
257.9
248.4
302.7
214.9
201.9
254.6

265.0
251.3
265.6
247.9
308.4
215.1
203.5
256.7

296.1

July

A ug.

A p r .1

Feb .

F IN IS H E D G O O D S

Finished goods....................................................................
Finished consumer goods..............................................
Finished consumer foods ..........................................
Crude ..................................................................
Processed ............................................................
Nondurable goods less foods ....................................
Durable goods..........................................................
Consumer nondurable goods less food and energy . . . .
Capital equipment........................................................
IN T E R M E D IA T E M A T E R IA L S

Intermediate materials, supplies, and components..................
Materials and components for manufacturing..................
Materials for food manufacturing................................
Materials for nondurable manufacturing ......................
Materials for durable manufacturing............................
Components for manufacturing ..................................

265.7
264.4
259.5
301.0
231.8

268.9
277.9
263.4
299.2
235.6

269.5
275.8
263.2
300.5
237.0

273.3
295.1
265.0
304.7
238.4

273.9
299.0
266.7
303.8
238.3

275.7
279.6
268.5
304.3
246.3

279.6
280.7
274.0
306.9
250.3

280.3
273.2
276.5
305.4
253.0

Materials and components for construction ....................

268.3

271.4

271.7

272.4

274.0

276.6

279.2

280.3

282.7

'288.0

288.3

289.3

290.2

290.6

Processed fuels and lubricants......................................
Manufacturing industries............................................
Nonmanufacturing industries......................................

503.0
425.7
570.9

517.4
436.0
588.4

519.5
440.8
588.9

516.2
440.6
583.7

521.3
445.2
589.3

539.4
457.9
611.4

551.9
469.5
624.7

569.8
482.8
646.7

598.3
503.9
681.6

'608.5
'509.0
'696.2

608.7
510.9
695.0

605.7
505.7
694.0

604.3
503.7
693.1

606.7
507.4
694.3

Containers ..................................................................

254.5

257.4

257.9

260.1

259.5

260.6

264.6

268.2

270.9

'274.3

276.0

277.2

278.2

280.3

244.5
231.9
251.1
229.0
253.6

247.7
235.4
254.1
234.7
255.8

250.3
236.1
257.6
246.8
256.9

252.3
237.5
259.9
250.3
258.8

255.2
238.7
263.8
259.2
261.3

255.0
239.5
263.0
251.5
262.4

257.8
242.5
265.7
252.0
265.6

257.8
244.8
264.6
237.5
268.3

258.9
246.8
265.2
231.7
270.6

'262.4
'250.6
'268.7
' 239.2
' 272.9

263.8
251.7
270.1
243.2
273.6

264.6
253.4
270.5
235.7
276.1

266.2
255.3
272.1
232.8
278.9

266.1
256.0
271.5
228.9
279.2

Crude materials for further processing..................................

304.6

317.0

319.3

322.8

324.6

323.5

328.0

336.5

334.2

'336.3

333.2

334.3

336.2

333.2

Foodstuffs and feedstuffs..............................................

259.2

276.8

276.6

279.1

277.3

271.6

270.7

267.1

262.1

'263.5

260.6

264.2

267.0

261.8

Nonfood materials........................................................

401.0

401.9

409.8

415.4

424.9

433.8

450.1

484.9

488.4

'492.1

488.6

484.2

484.2

485.9

Nonfood materials except fuel....................................
Manufacturing industries ........................................
Construction..........................................................

346.1
357.4
237.6

344.8
355.4
243.7

351.4
362.6
244.8

355.6
367.1
245.3

363.9
376.1
246.5

373.3
386.5
247.4

391.0
405.1
254.8

427.9
445.5
257.2

430.9
448.6
259.2

'432.5
'450.2
'261.5

428.6
445.7
263.4

418.3
434.4
263.5

413.5
429.0
264.7

414.2
429.7
265.2

Crude fu e l................................................................
Manufacturing industries ........................................
Nonmanufacturing industries ..................................

615.0
690.5
567.0

626.3
705.4
575.5

639.1
722.0
585.4

650.9
738.1
593.8

664.9
755.8
605.2

670.2
762.9
608.9

677.4
771.9
614.9

697.7
798.1
630.6

703.6
805.8
635.0

'716.6
'821.9
'645.8

715.3
819.7
645.2

739.9
851.4
664.4

762.2
877.2
684.1

768.6
885.4
689.3

Finished goods excluding foods............................................
Finished consumer goods excluding foods......................
Finished consumer goods less energy............................

247.8
250.8
218.0

251.4
255.0
221.9

251.1
254.6
221.9

256.2
258.7
225.0

257.0
259.5
225.5

258.2
260.9
226.0

262.4
265.1
233.8

265.5
268.5
229.6

268.7
272.5
230.2

'272.1
'276.1
'231.8

272.6
276.1
232.1

273.6
277.0
232.9

274.1
277.1
234.5

274.5
277.5
234.5

Intermediate materials less foods and feeds..........................
Intermediate materials less energy ................................

282.3
265.3

285.8
268.3

286.6
269.2

288.2
272.2

289.3
273.3

293.5
274.9

298.0
278.3

301.0
279.1

305.4
280.5

'309.5
'283.7

310.5
284.6

311.0
285.4

312.8
287.2

314.3
288.4

Intermediate foods and feeds ..............................................

252.6

263.7

265.9

280.3

285.7'

270.0

270.9

261.3

255.6

' 254.9

254.1

254.3

252.5

250.7

Crude materials less agricultural products ............................
Crude materials less energy..........................................

446.4
256.1

447.1
268.5

454.1
269.9

463.2
272.4

473.8
271.7

482.8
267.5

504.0
266.0

547.6
262.6

551.8
259.6

'556.0
'261.1

552.8
257.9

547.4
259.6

546.9
261.8

549.9
258.1

Supplies......................................................................
Manufacturing industries............................................
Nonmanufacturing industries......................................
Feeds ..................................................................
Other supplies ......................................................
C R U D E M A T E R IA L S

S P E C IA L G R O U P IN G S

1Data for April 1981 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by
respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
2 Not available.
r=revised.


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

N ote : Figures in this table may differ from those previously reported because stage-of-processing
indexes from January 1976 through December 1980 have been revised to reflect 1972 input-output
relationships.

85

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
27.

Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings

[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
Annual
average
1980

Aug.

Sept

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr.1

May

June

July

Aug.

All commodities ........................................................................
All commodities (1957-59 = 100)..............................................

268.8
285.2

273.8
290.5

274.6
291.4

277.8
294.7

279.1
296.1

280.8
297.9

264.8
302.2

287.6
305.1

290.3
308.0

r 293.4
'311.3

293.7
311.6

294.5
312.5

296.0
314.1

296.2
314.3

Farm products and processed foods and feeds........................
Industrial commodities..............................................................

244.7
274.8

255.1
278.2

256.5
278.8

259.4
282.0

260.5
283.4

257.0
286.6

257.9

255.1
295.7

253.5
299.6

253.8
'303.5

252.6
304.1

254.1
304.7

256.6
306.0

253.9
307.0

01
01-1
01-2
01-3
01-4
01-5
01-6
01-7
01-8
01-9

FARM PRODUCTS AND PROCESSED FOODS
AND FEEDS
Farm products ............................................................................
Fresh and dried fruits and vegetables ........................................
Grains......................................................................................
Livestock ...............................................................................
Live poultry..............................................................................
Plant and animal fibers..............................................................
Fluid milk ................................................................................
Eggs........................................................................................
Hay, hayseeds, and oilseeds ....................................................
Other farm products ................................................................

249.4
238.6
239.0
252.7
202.1
271.1
271.2
171.0
247.1
299.0

263.8
254.0
256.5
275.7
224.5
280.8
271.6
176.9
261.5
282.7

267.0
266.2
260.6
266.8
241.0
295.2
275.5
188.4
280.7
292.0

263.6
240.9
269.2
263.0
222.9
278.5
280.9
175.2
284.4
285.8

264.9
246.6
270.9
254.8
221.0
287.2
284.7
194.0
298.3
296.6

265.3
245.1
265.2
251.4
218.9
294.1
290.5
217.5
310.2
296.0

264.5
258.7
277.7
244.3
213.1
284.1
288.4
185.7
311.8
296.1

262.4
271.5
267.5
244.6
220.8
268.4
289.5
184.8
295.0
295.1

260.7
292.8
261.8
239.3
213.5
270.1
289.5
180.4
289.5
295.9

'263.3
'286.1
264.7
246.6
195.4
274.2
287.2
196.2
296.3
295.9

259.5
273.9
257.7
251.8
207.2
258.3
283.6
165.0
299.0
259.7

260.3
258.6
257.1
263.0
210.0
259.6
285.0
174.6
285.3
242.7

263.1
265.0
257.4
266.5
215.3
251.3
284.3
185.1
288.3
250,2

257.8
257.3
242.7
262.0
210.3
232.5
285.0
180.7
284.3
263.9

02
02-1
02-2
02-3
02-4
02-5
02-6
02-7
02-8
02-9

Processed foods and feeds..........................................................
Cereal and bakery products......................................................
Meats, poultry, and fish ............................................................
Dairy products...................... ................................................
Processed fruits and vegetables................................................
Sugar and confectionery ..........................................................
Beverages and beverage materials............................................
Fats and o ils ............................................................................
Miscellaneous processed foods ................................................
Manufactured animal feeds ......................................................

241.2
236.0
243.1
230.6
228.7
322.5
233.0
226.8
227.2
226.8

249.4
235.8
259.9
232.6
230.7
347.1
237.1
240.2
224.0
232.4

249.8
238.3
257.8
233.7
231.3
341.4
236.1
238.3
226.6
243.4

256.1
241.5
256.0
238.0
233.8
404.7
239.5
231.0
230.6
246.9

257.2
245.3
250.9
240.2
234.7
409.0
240.6
238.0
235.0
254.5

251.5
248.7
248.1
242.3
236.6
339.8
240.5
234.1
240.5
247.1

253.3
251.5
248.1
244.7
238.4
344.6
243.0
230.2
244.2
248.9

250.2
252.1
243.6
245.0
243.7
323.7
244.8
228.2
248.0
235.9

248.5
252.2
242.0
245.1
255.2
302.0
245.4
229.8
249.2
231.1

'247.6
'253.9
'239.1
'245.4
'258.0
'284.5
'246.0
'232.4
249.9
'237.7

248.0
255.1
244.8
245.0
260.1
265.3
245.0
228.6
251.1
241.2

249.7
256.0
248.3
245.6
263.3
277.6
245.5
227.5
251.5
234.5

252.1
257.2
257.1
245.5
266.5
269.8
246.3
235.1
252.2
232.2

250.7
256.6
254.2
245.6
267.6
269.1
246.3
228.4
252.0
228.8

200.5
158.6
139.0
147.4
125.2
186.2
231.6

201.4
162.0
139.3
148.2
125.9
186.5
231.6

Code

Commodity group and subgroup

1980

1981

INDUSTRIAL COMMODITIES
03
03-1
03-2
03-3
03-4
03-81
03-82

Textile products and apparel ........................................................
Synthetic fibers (12/75 = 100)..................................................
Processed yarns and threads (12/75 = 100) ............................
Gray fabrics (12/75 = 100)......................................................
Finished fabrics (12/75 = 100) ................................................
Apparel....................................................................................
Textile housefurnishings............................................................

183.5
134.7
122.5
138.1
115.7
172.4
206.9

185.6
137.5
123.2
137.5
116.8
175.1
211.0

186.6
139.5
124.3
141.0
117.0
175.0
212.9

188.1
140.2
125.1
143.5
118.3
176.2
213.8

189.6
140.7
125.8
145.0
119.1
176.8
213.8

190.4
140.8
128.2
144.0
120.1
177.5
214.3

193.1
146.5
129.8
143.6
122.2
179.9
219.8

193.9
147.1
130.3
144.0
122.9
180.7
221.3

195.2
148.9
134.6
144.7
123.2
181.4
221.3

'197.6
'151.5
'135.0
'146.6
'124.9
'184.3
'222.1

198.0
156.7
137.1
146.1
124.7
182.4
231.1

199.5
158.2
138.9
146.6
124.8
185.0
228.1

04
04-1
04-2
04-3
04-4

Hides, skins, leather, and related products ....................................
Hides and skins........................................................................
Leather....................................................................................
Footwear ................................................................................
Other leather and related products............................................

248.9
370.9
310.6
233.1
218.3

251.3
398.4
314.2
233.7
218.7

247.8
356.1
298.1
235.5
218.8

251.2
381.5
301.9
236.6
221.8

255.4
409.1
317.3
237.5
222.6

256.9
392.8
332.4
236.9
225.3

258.2
377.5
332.6
238.4
230.1

257.7
367.4
310.0
240.7
236.9

261.2
(2)
322.5
240.4
238.4

'263.5
( 2)
337.8
241.1
'238.5

265.9
(2)
337.0
241.1
249.3

262.8

262.1

( 2>
321.0
241.0
249.4

( 2)
317.4
241.9
247.8

261.7
( 2)
312.2
242.3
247.8

05
05-1
05-2
05-3
05-4
05-61
05-7

Fuels and related products and power ..........................................
Coal........................................................................................
Coke ......................................................................................
Gas fuels3 ..............................................................................
Electric power..........................................................................
Crude petroleum4 ....................................................................
Petroleum products, refined5 ....................................................

574.0
467.3
430.6
760.7
321.6
556.4
674.7

590.6
468.7
430.6
772.6
333.6
566.8
697.6

593.5
471.3
430.6
786.2
338.3
571.3
696.4

592.9
470.7
430.6
802.2
337.4
579.6
690.4

600.2
475.4
430.6
825.5
333.8
600.6
697.6

615.7
475.3
430.1
844.3
337.6
632.8
717.0

634.6
477.8
430.1
857.1
341.4
704.4
736.9

667.5
480.8
430.1
881.6
346.2
842.7
769.6

6965
481.1
430.1
889.9
351.2
842.8
825.5

'707.2
'486.1
'430.1
'907.8
'355.5
'842.5
'840.9

706.0
487.7
468.5
906.0
360.7
840.0
835.4

704.9
491.8
470.3
931.6
366.9
816.0
827.7

703.4
505.7
470.3
946.6
374.9
799.0
818.4

704.1
507.3
470.3
952.4
383.6
797.0
813.4

06
06-1
06-21
06-22
06-3
06-4
06-5
06-6
06-7

Chemicals and allied products......................................................
Industrial chemicals6 ................................................................
Prepared paint..........................................................................
Paint materials ........................................................................
Drugs and pharmaceuticals ......................................................
Fats and oils, inedible ..............................................................
Agricultural chemicals and chemical products ............................
Plastic resins and materials ......................................................
Other chemicals and allied products..........................................

260.3
324.0
235.3
273.9
174.5
298.0
257.1
279.2
224.5

264.4
330.0
238.8
278.4
176.1
307.6
260.0
281.5
229.0

263.4
327.5
239.3
278.9
176.8
304.5
260.6
276.5
229.1

264.8
330.0
239.3
279.6
178.4
302.0
260.6
276.1
230.9

266.7
332.7
241.4
279.8
181.1
308.2
261.1
276.2
232.4

268.1
334.6
241.4
281.0
182.6
317.1
263.3
274.1
234.1

274.3
344.5
242.9
284.0
184.7
310.7
267.6
214.7
244.4

277.6
352.1
246.6
287.0
187.3
289.7
271.6
276.1
245.1

280.4
354.5
246.6
290.5
189.3
295.7
275.8
279.4
248.3

'286.0
'362.4
'248.1
'295.4
'191.0
312.7
'277.8
'285.1
'255.3

288.2
366.6
250.4
300.1
192.3
312.1
278.6
287.9
255.8

290.3
369.4
250.4
300.8
193.2
303.1
288.9
289.7
256.0

291.4
370.4
251.0
304.4
195.4
290.9
288.9
295.9
254.8

293.2
371.9
251.0
308.4
195.6
305.6
293.8
295.6
256.7

07
07-1
07-11
07-12
07-13
07-2

Rubber and plastic products ........................................................
Rubber and rubber products......................................................
Crude rubber ..........................................................................
Tires and tubes........................................................................
Miscellaneous rubber products..................................................
Plastic products (6/78 = 100) ..................................................

217.4
237.5
264.3
236.9
226.6
121.1

220.5
240.2
264.3
238.0
232.0
123.2

222.0
242.6
267.3
242.1
232.1
123.7

222.8
244.6
271.7
245.2
232.0
123.6

223.4
245.0
271.0
245.2
233.3
124.0

223.3
244.9
268.5
245.2
234.0
123.9

224.8
246.2
279.1
240.9
238.6
125.0

226.4
248.5
281.9
243.5
240.4
125.5

228.4
252.1
281.2
248.6
243.5
126.0

'230.8
'253.0
'279.8
'250.7
'243.8
'128.2

232.0
255.3
282.9
250.8
248.6
128.3

233.7
257.8
284.6
250.8
254.2
128.8

233.5
258.0
283.8
251.0
254.7
128.5

234.4
258.4
282.0
251.0
256.4
129.3

08
08-1
08-2
08-3
08-4

Lumber and wood products..........................................................
Lumber....................................................................................
Millwork ..................................................................................
Plywood ..................................................................................
Other wood products................................................................

288.9
325.8
260.4
246.5
239.1

296.1
333.7
260.3
266.0
236.2

292.2
328.0
264.5
252.6
236.8

289.0
320.6
264.5
252.9
236.7

293.4
324.9
270.0
256.6
236.6

299.4
333.0
273.3
263.5
236.2

296.5
331.3
273.6
251.1
238.5

294.7
326.9
273.8
251.2
238.1

294.4
326.2
275.7
248.8
236.9

'299.4
'333.6
276.5
'256.0
'238.3

297.8
334.9
274.8
248.4
238.1

297.9
335.0
272.9
250.9
239.7

295.5
330.1
273.6
248.1
240.5

294.3
329.2
272.4
245.9
239.9

See footnotes at end of table.


86
https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

27.

Continued— Producer Price Indexes, by commodity groupings

[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
A n n u al
Code

C o m m o d ity g ro u p a n d su b g ro u p

IN D U S T R IA L C O M M O D IT IE S

1980

1981

a v e ra g e
1980

A ug.

Sept

O ct

Nov.

D ec.

Jan.

F eb .

M ar.

A p r .1

M ay

June

July

A ug.

C o n tin u e d

09
09-1
09-11
09-12
09-13
09-14
09-15
09-2

Pulp, paper, and allied products....................................................
Pulp, paper, and products, excluding building paper and board . . .
Woodpulp................................................................................
Wastepaper ............................................................................
Paper ......................................................................................
Paperboard..............................................................................
Converted paper and paperboard products................................
Building paper and board..........................................................

249.2
250.6
380.3
208.7
256.8
234.6
238.5
206.2

252.4
253.8
388.3
193.8
258.6
238.4
242.3
210.3

252.8
254.1
388.2
192.5
258.7
239.5
242.7
210.2

254.3
255.6
389.6
193.5
262.1
239.9
243.7
212.7

255.0
256.2
390.2
192.3
264.1
241.7
243.5
216.5

256.7
257.9
390.2
191.5
269.4
239.6
244.7
219.7

264.4
260.9
390.2
191.5
271.7
250.2
246.9
219.7

267.2
264.5
390.2
186.1
272.9
252.8
252.1
225.7

'269.0
266.8
390.2
185.1
273.8
255.1
255.3
227.9

'271.4
'268.6
'394.1
184.2
'275.2
'255.7
'257.3
'232.5

271.6
270.4
396.6
182.7
276.1
262.3
258.6
236.9

272.7
271.9
396.6
182.9
278.8
262.7
260.1
236.8

273.8
272.5
396.6
182.1
280.0
261.4
260.8
234.6

275.7
274.3
396.6
182.1
283.8
261.2
262.5
233.8

10
10-1
10-13
10-2
10-3
10-4
10-5
10-6
10-7
10-8

Metals and metal products ..........................................................
Iron and steel ..........................................................................
Steel mill products....................................................................
Nonferrous metals....................................................................
Metal containers ......................................................................
Hardware ................................................................................
Plumbing fixtures and brass fittings............................................
Heating equipment....................................................................
Fabricated structural metal products..........................................
Miscellaneous metal products....................................................

286.4
305.2
302.7
305.0
298.6
240.5
246.7
206.5
270.5
250.0

285.1
302.6
301.0
298.4
303.2
243.3
250.4
208.0
273.0
253.2

287.3
304.5
301.0
302.2
303.2
245.9
250.6
208.8
274.1
255.0

291.9
310.5
307.5
309.4
304.4
246.6
250.6
210.6
276.9
256.3

291.1
312.7
309.4
302.1
303.3
249.6
252.3
212.0
278.0
256.9

290.6
316.4
313.7
293.4
303.3
251.7
254.9
214.0
279.3
257.6

294.0
323.0
322.6
292.1
311.4
254.5
256.7
216.6
283.1
260.5

294.0
323.2
322.9
287.4
313.8
258.0
259.2
217.6
285.4
263.1

296.4
328.2
328.7
286.5
314.1
258.6
259.5
219.5
289.4
264.7

' 298.8
'331.0
331.8
' 288.4
314.1
'258.5
'265.3
'219.8
'293.1
' 267.2

299.2
330.6
332.0
287.8
314.1
257.3
265.6
221.7
294.3
270.6

298.5
329.9
332.1
284.9
314.1
257.6
268.2
222.9
295.4
270.4

302.5
338.7
344.9
283.3
315.7
261.7
270.3
225.7
298.3
275.0

304.3
339.7
344.9
287.7
319.4
263.2
271.0
227.2
300.0
273.8

11
11-1
11-2
11-3
11-4
11-6
11-7
11-9

Machinery and equipment ............................................................
Agricultural machinery and equipment........................................
Construction machinery and equipment......................................
Metalworking machinery and equipment ....................................
General purpose machinery and equipment................................
Special industry machinery and equipment ................................
Electrical machinery and equipment ..........................................
Miscellaneous machinery..........................................................

239.8
259.2
289.4
274.4
264.6
275.8
201.7
229.9

242.6
259.9
293.4
278.8
267.0
277.1
205.0
232.1

244.7
263.9
295.7
280.2
270.0
283.0
206.0
233.6

246.8
265.4
299.1
282.5
272.5
286.0
207.0
236.5

248.3
271.6
300.1
283.9
274.3
287.7
207.5
238.5

249.8
272.9
301.4
285.7
275.6
290.9
208.9
239.6

253.3
276.4
305.9
289.7
278.6
295.6
211.9
243.3

255.3
278.4
310.0
291.6
280.2
299.2
213.7
245.2

257.5
279.8
312.8
294.9
282.3
301.0
216.0
247.0

' 259.6
' 282.5
'317.0
'298.7
'284.4
'303.2
'217.4
'248.5

260.6
284.4
318.3
299.5
285.3
307.4
218.0
248.4

261.9
285.9
320.0
300.9
286.6
309.1
219.0
249.8

264.5
287.3
324.0
303.0
290.0
311.0
221.0
253.2

266.0
289.3
324.9
303.6
291.7
310.5
222.8
255.3

12
12-1
12-2
12-3
12-4
12-5
12-6

Furniture and household durables ................................................
Household furniture..................................................................
Commercial furniture...... ..........................................................
Floor coverings........................................................................
Household appliances ..............................................................
Home electronic equipment ......................................................
Other household durable goods ................................................

187.7
204.8
236.0
163.0
174.2
91.4
278.6

188.9
208.0
237.3
163.8
176.3
91.3
275.9

189.5
208.5
237.8
163.9
177.2
91.6
276.2

190.9
209.8
241.4
164.4
177.5
91.5
281.8

191.5
210.9
242.2
165.5
178.5
91.2
281.2

193.1
212.1
242.4
170.7
179.5
91.0
285.7

194.0
212.9
246.7
172.3
182.2
91.0
278.9

195.2
213.8
251.6
171.9
183.5
91.3
280.8-

195.8
214.5
253.4
174.1
184.2
91.4
278.1

196.4
'216.5
'254.5
'175.3
'185.1
'90.9
'275.3

197.5
217.6
256.9
179.9
184.2
91.0
277.6

197.1
218.9
258.1
181.1
184.8
86.9
275.8

198.9
220.4
259.1
182.8
187.5
87.1
279.1

199.5
221.4
259.2
182.3
187.7
87.5
282.0

13
13-11
13-2
13-3
13-4
13-5
13-6
13-7
13-8
13-9

Nonmetallic mineral products........................................................
Flat glass ................................................................................
Concrete ingredients ................................................................
Concrete products....................................................................
Structural clay products excluding refractories............................
Refractories ............................................................................
Asphalt roofing ........................................................................
Gypsum products ....................................................................
Glass containers ......................................................................
Other nonmetallic minerals........................................................

283.0
196.5
274.0
273.9
231.5
264.6
396.8
256.3
292.7
394.6

286.0
199.5
278.6
276.0
229.7
270.6
411.2
251.8
294.3
397.1

286.8
199.7
278.9
277.3
230.1
270.6
407.9
251.3
294.6
400.7

288.6
200.7
279.0
277.5
233.3
273.2
408.5
249.5
306.2
402.7

288.7
203.1
279.1
277.7
233.5
273.2
397.1
253.3
306.2
403.3

291.2
203.0
279.7
277.6
233.6
273.2
394.6
252.7
311.4
418.9

296.6
203.9
290.0
286.1
239.5
282.6
394.8
259.6
311.4
418.7

297.9
204.3
291.4
286.6
239.8
293.5
389.5
257.3
311.4
424.7

300.9
204.8
292.6
286.9
244.6
296.1
390.5
257.6
311.4
441.7

'310.8
'210.2
'297.4
'289.9
'246.0
'296.4
'415.9
256.8
'326.7
'479.1

311.7
208.1
297.2
290.7
249.6
304.2
412.4
261.1
334.5
477.6

312.8
208.1
297.1
293.2
249.5
307.3
422.5
260.7
334.5
476.8

313.9
216.2
298.1
293.0
250.3
308.0
420.3
259.7
334.7
476.3

314.0
218.8
298.4
293.0
250.4
308.0
419.2
255.3
334.8
475.2

14
14-1
14-4

Transportation equipment (12/68 - 100)......................................
Motor vehicles and equipment ..................................................
Railroad equipment ..................................................................

207.0
208.8
313.1

208.8
211.7
318.0

204.4
205.6
320.0

217.4
218.2
323.3

217.8
218.6
323.6

224.3
226.2
323.9

227.4
228.9
332.5

229.1
230.9
332.5

228.1
229.5
333.9

'231.9
'233.9
'335.7

233.2
235.3
337.1

234.1
236.4
337.4

235.3
237.5
344.3

235.8
238.1
345.0

15
15-1
15-2
153
15-4
15-5
15-9

Miscellaneous products................................................................
Toys, sporting goods, small arms, ammunition............................
Tobacco products ....................................................................
Notions....................................................................................
Photographic equipment and supplies........................................
Mobile homes (12/74 = 100)....................................................
Other miscellaneous products ..................................................

258.8
198.6
245.7
217.2
202.9
150.2
363.4

260.1
201.3
248.2
223.8
200.9
151.4
364.6

265.1
202.3
248.2
223.9
200.9
151.7
381.9

266.0
202.7
249.4
224.0
200.8
153.2
383.4

263.6
202.8
254.4
224.1
206.7
152.7
367.0

265.3
205.7
254.8
225.0
206.6
153.0
370.5

264.3
208.4
254.8
227.2
207.4
153.0
363.3

264.9
210.5
256.1
247.3
209.6
153.1
358.1

264.0
211.1
256.3
247.3
211.2
155.0
351.3

'266.0
'211.3
'268.7
248.4
'212.4
( 2)
'349.0

266.1
212.3
268.4
248.4
212.9
155.3
348.4

266.1
212.1
268.4
268.0
212.9
155.5
346.0

262.8
213.8
268.5
267.5
211.7
155.8
332.3

262.6
214.0
268.6
267.7
207.4
157.7
333.9

' Data tor April 1981 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by
respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.
2 Not available.
3 Prices for natural gas are lagged 1 month.


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

* Includes only domestic production.
5 Most prices for refined petroleum products are lagged 1 month.
6 Some prices for industrial chemicals are lagged 1 month.
r=revised.

87

M ONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
28.

Producer Price Indexes, for special commodity groupings

[ 1 9 6 7 = 1 0 0 unless otherwise specified]
A n n u al

1980

1981

C o m m o d it y g r o u p in g

A ll c o m m o d it ie s — le s s f a r m p r o d u c t s

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

A ll f o o d s
P ro c e s s e d fo o d s

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

1980

A ug.

Sept

O ct

Nov.

D ec.

Jan.

Feb .

M ar.

A p r .1

M ay

June

Ju ly

A ug.

269.6
244.7
246.6
243.5
124.3
123.2
185.4

273.8
254.1
255.7
245.6
126.0
125.9
189.3

274.3
254.3
254.9
246.0
126.6
126.4
189.5

278.1
258.8
261.7
249.6
127.5
126.2
189.7

279.4
259.7
261.9
250.3
128.1
126.7
190.3

281.2
254.3
255.5
252.3
129.3
126.4
190.6

285.4
255.8
257.0
255.4
131.8
129.5
199.2

288.8
253.7
253.9
257.2
132.5
130.3
200.9

291.9
253.4
252.3
258.6
132.2
130.5
202.0

'295.0
'251.4
'250.3
'261.8
'134.5
' 134.2
202.1

295.6
250.3
250.6
262.6
136.3
134.5
202.3

296.4
252.2
253.4
263.4
136.0
135.6
203.5

297.7
255.5
256.3
264.8
136.9
135.7
205.0

298.5
253.7
254.9
266.0
137.2
135.3
205.0

Industrial commodities less fu e ls ......................................
Selected textile mill products (Dec. 1975 = 100 )...........
Hosiery ..........................................................
Underwear and nightwear ...............................................
Chemicals and allied products, including synthetic rubber
and manmade fibers and y a rn s ....................................
Pharmaceutical preparations ....................................
Lumber and wood products, excluding millwork and
other wood products.....................................................
Special metals and metal products.................................
Fabricated metal products...............................................
Copper and copper products ..........................................
Machinery and motive products ........................

250.7
167.1

254.7
168.4

254.0
168.8

255.4
170.8

257.0
173.7

258.2
174.6

264.8
177.1

268.3
179.7

271.0
182.1

'276.1
184.0

278.7
185.7

281.0
186.5

282.1
188.7

283.9
189.1

304.0
258.5
258.2
222.0
230.4

315.5
259.0
261.2
220.4
232.9

307.4
257.8
262.6
214.1
232.1

302.3
265.7
264.3
216.5
239.2

306.5
265.7
265.2
215.7
240.2

314.2
268.6
266.3
210.8
244.1

309.2
271.8
269.9
207.4
247.4

306.0
272.7
272.5
205.0
249.4

304.8
273.5
274.7
204.8
250.2

'312.3
'276.8
'277.0
'207.7
'253.1

310.6
277.7
278.7
207.1
254.2

311.5
277.7
279.2
204.3
2^5.4

307.2
280.5
282.7
203.0
257.4

305.9
281.8
283.4
206.3
258.4

Machinery and equipment, except electrical....................
Agricultural machinery, including tractors........................
Metalworking machinery .................................................
Numerically controlled machine tools (Dec. 1971 = 100)
Total tractors ........................................................
Agricultural machinery and equipment less p a r ts ...........
Farm and garden tractors less p a rts ...............................
Agricultural machinery excluding tractors less parts . . . .
Industrial valves ..........................................................
Industrial fittings .....................................................
Abrasive grinding w h e e ls........................................
Construction materials.....................................................

263.0
267.3
299.4
225.6
287.3
261.2
268.8
266.5
287.8
291.8
(2)
266.4

264.6
268.1
304.5
229.3
291.1
262.2
270.3
266.6
291.3
296.1
261.5
269.6

270.2
272.9
306.5
230.0
295.8
266.5
277.3
269.7
292.4
296.1
261.3
269.3

273.0
274.8
309.6
231.7
298.3
268.3
278.0
272.5
294.6
298.6
263.4
269.9

275.1
280.9
311.2
232.1
299.9
273.7
282.4
279.9
296.0
298.6
273.0
271.9

276.7
281.4
314.1
230.6
301.2
274.3
282.4
280.9
297.8
298.6
273.8
274.1

277.3
285.0
318.9
234.6
305.8
278.0
284.4
285.7
300.7
298.6
( 2)
276.7

279.7
287.3
320.5
235.0
311.1
280.2
287.2
287.7
305.5
296.0
(2)
277.2

281.9
288.3
323.5
235.7
311.8
281.5
287.6
289.1
310.1
298.9
( 2)
279.0

'284.3
'289.6
'325.9
'235.7
'316.8
'283.2
'289.3
'290.2
'314.0
302.7
<2)
'283.9

285.5
292.2
327.1
237.7
321.5
285.5
296.8
288.8
311.0
303.0
(2)
284.1

287.0
293.6
328.4
241.7
322.0
286.9
297.2
290.9
312.0
303.0
( 2)
284.8

289.9
294.3
329.9
242.1
325.4
287.6
297.2
292.3
314.1
303.0
(2)
285.4

291.3
296.9
330.8
242.1
327.3
290.0
300.6
294.1
316.4
303.0
( 2)
285.6

June

J u ly

Aug

1Data for April 1981 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections
by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.

29.

2 Not available,
r=revised.

Producer Price Indexes, by durability of product

[1 9 6 7 = 1 0 0 ]
A n n u al

1980

1981

C o m m o d it y g r o u p in g
1980

A ug.

Sept

O ct

N ov.

D ec.

Jan.

F eb.

M ar.

A p r .1

M ay

Total durable goods ..........................................
Total nondurable g o o d s.................................

251.5
282.4

253.1
290.3

253.7
291.2

258.4
293.0

258.6
295.2

261.0
296.3

262.7
302.6

263.8
306.8

264.9
310.9

'267.8
'314.2

268.4
314.1

268.9
315.1

270.7
316.3

271.8
315.9

Total m anufactures..........................................................
Durablo ...............................................
Nondurable.....................................................

261.5
250.8
273.0

265.7
252.7
279.5

265.8
253.1
279.5

269.6
257.8
282.1

270.5
257.9
284.0

272.0
260.4
284.3

277.3
262.3
293.5

279.3
263.4
296.4

282.3
264.4
301.7

'285.3
'267.2
'304.9

286.0
268.0
305.4

286.7
268.7
306.2

288.0
270.6
306.8

288.4
271.6
306.6

Total raw or slightly processed goods....................
Durable ...............................................
Nondurable......................................

305.7
278.2
306.7

315.7
265.8
318.4

319.9
274.9
322.2

319.6
282.7
321.3

322.9
285.6
324.6

326.2
284.0
328.2

322.9
275.9
325.3

330.3
275.5
333.3

331.2
281.7
333.8

'334.6
'286.0
'337.1

332.7
281.0
335.4

333.9
272.7
337.3

336.6
271.9
340.3

335.6
276.6
338.9

' Data for April 1981 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections
by respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.

30.

r=revised,

Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries

[ 1 9 6 7 = 1 0 0 unless otherwise specified]
1972
S IC

A n n u al

1980

1981

In d u s try d e s c rip tio n

code

1980

A ug.

Sept

O ct

N ov.

D ec.

152.9
331.2
466.7
643.8
252.7
136.0

155.8
329.1
467.9
656.7
255.8
136.6

155.8
335.4
470.3
667.6
258.5
136.6

155.8
338.7
469.7
681.8
261.8
137.2

155.8
343.7
474.2
704.6
263.2
132.1

155.8
325.0
473.9
731.7
264.3
133.7

244.0
220.1
191.9
258.5

265.3
233.0
212.1
268.5

257.1
240.0
226.0
265.8

258.0
247.0
211.3
273.2

251.4
249.5
205.9
273.3

249.0
247.4
201.8
274.8

Jan .

Feb .

M ar.

A p r .1

M ay

June

Ju ly

A ug.

155.8
297.9
476.1
786.5
270.1
137.1

168.1
324.5
478.1
897.9
272.3
137.1

168.1
335.4
478.5
901.7
275.2
137.1

168.1
354.1
'483.5
'908.6
'278.0
137.1

168.1
347.9
484.9
904.6
277.7
137.1

168.1
352.0
488.7
901.0
277.8
137.1

168.1
358.3
502.5
898.9
278.5
137.1

168.1
365.4
503.8
901.4
278.3
137.1

244.7
235.3
201.9
273.6

237.2
232.9
208.3
273.5

236.1
230.4
203.9
273.6

'237.8
'227.5
186.7
273.4

243.0
230.4
196.2
273.4

245.5
237.6
198.3
273.6

252.6
245.5
203.6
273.8

250.7
252.7
201.2
273.7

M IN IN G

1011
1092
1211
1311
1442
1455

Iron ores (12/75 = 100)................................
Mercury ores (12/75 = 100) ..................................
Bituminous coal and lignite ..............................................
Crude petroleum and natural gas ......................
Construction sand and gravel ........................................
Kaolin and ball clay (6/76 = 100)........................

2011
2013
2016
2021

Meatpacking plants ..................................................
Sausages and other prepared meats....................
Poultry dressing plants..............................................
Creamery butter..........................................

M A N U F A C T U R IN G

See footnotes at end of table.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
88
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

30.

Continued — Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries

[1967 = 100 unless otherwise specified]
1972
SIC
code

Industry description

Annual
average
1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr. '

May

June

July

Aug.

1980

1981

2022
2024
2033
2034
2041
2044
2048
2061
2063
2067

MANUFACTURING Continued
Cheese natural and processed (12/72 = 100) ..............
Ice cream and frozen desserts (12/72 = 100) ..............
Canned fruits and vegetables........................................
Dehydrated food products (12/73 = 100)......................
Flour mills (12/71 =100) ............................................
Rice milling..................................................................
Prepared foods, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100)............................
Raw cane sugar ..........................................................
Beet sugar ..................................................................
Chewing gum ..............................................................

204.4
193.3
221.4
160.2
189.1
243.4
124.2
414.1
358.0
290.7

206.8
195.5
223.4
159.6
193.1
219.9
126.6
484.0
365.5
282.4

208.0
196.1
224.3
159.9
196.1
225.9
129.6
458.9
384.5
302.4

213.7
199.5
227.6
162.6
201.5
237.2
129.2
588.2
460.1
322.4

214.9
199.8
231.1
168.6
205 1
265.8
133.3
563.8
512.2
322.9

216.1
207.5
232.0
170.4
199.5
287.2
133.9
402.9
423.3
322.9

215.9
210.1
233.3
174.1
203.8
289.6
132.6
418.0
414.5
323.0

215.6
210.6
237.4
171.3
198,4
289.6
129.3
367.1
398.1
323.0

215.7
210.6
241.5
172.9
195.1
298.0
126.6
318.8
370.7
323.1

r 216.2
211.4
'244.0
' 174.2
201.5
300.9
'128.5
275.7
'350.5
323.1

218.0
212.4
246.9
175.3
199.4
300.3
130.2
224.8
351.3
303.1

218.0
212.4
250.0
175,1
199.3
300.3
127.8
263.3
358.1
303.1

217.1
212.7
252.4
180.5
196.5
297.4
125.9
272.2
299.3
303.2

2160
212.7
253.8
178.7
191.0
284.3
124.9
254.6
299.3
303.2

2074
2075
2077
2083
2085
2091
2092
2095
2098
2111

Cottonseed oil m ills......................................................
Soybean oil m ills..........................................................
Animal and marine fats and oils ....................................
M a lt.....................................................................
Distilled liquor, except brandy (12/75 = 100) ................
Canned and cured seafoods (12/73 = 100) ..................
Fresh or frozen packaged fish ......................................
Roasted coffee (12/72 = 100)......................................
Macaroni and spaghetti ................................................
Cigarettes....................................................................

192.9
244.3
290.2
249.9
123.0
174.0
366.9
269.3
233.8
254.6

215.1
256.9
2974
244.1
127.7
177.5
365.2
274.7
230.5
257.4

232.9
275.2
307.0
244.1
127.7
178.6
355.0
263.9
239.3
257.4

218.7
279.2
311.0
267.4
127.9
180.0
353.8
257.0
243.6
257.8

231.8
290.5
317.2
267.4
128.5
183.1
353.3
252.5
243.6
263.5

228.0
270.5
311.8
267.4
129.2
183.4
353.9
248.5
243.6
263.6

221.2
272.0
310.8
286.1
129 2
187.3
374.9
238.2
243.6
263.6

193.7
252.5
287.2
286.1
133.9
187.1
366.7
238 3
243.6
264.1

204.4
253.2
284.2
286 1
133.9
187.6
385.2
238.3
243.6
264.2

'218.4
'259.1
301.7
286.1
133,9
'187.7
'393.5
238.5
243.6
278.3

216.6
258.1
304.3
286.1
134.3
187.4
379.7
238.6
246.6
278.3

212.3
248.2
291.3
286.1
134.6
187.5
377.0
238.6
246.6
278.3

212.0
253.6
288.8
286.1
134.6
187.4
369.2
236.6
259.5
278.3

206.0
245.6
294.1
286.1
135.5
188.5
348.6
236.0
259.5
278.3

2121
2131
2211
2221
2251
2254
2257
2261
2262

Cigars ........................................................................
Chewing and smoking tobacco......................................
Weaving mills, cotton (12/72 = 100) ............................
Weaving mills, synthetic (12/77 = 100) ........................
Women's hosiery, except socks (12/75 = 100)..............
Knit underwear mills ....................................................
Circular knit fabric mills (6/76 = 100)............................
Finishing plants, cotton (6/76 = 100) ............................
Finishing plants, synthetics, silk (6/76 = 100) ................

158.6
279.8
215.8
124.8
106.3
190.1
104.6
135.1
113.6

159.9
279.7
219.0
124.9
108.8
192.9
105.7
137.3
114.1

159.9
279.7
221.9
127.7
108.8
194.1
105.8
136.9
115.3

163.7
295.0
223.4
130.7
108.7
194.2
106.7
139.1
117.3

164.0
2950
224.2
133.0
109.0
194.7
107.1
139.3
117.9

165.1
298.8
225.0
132.5
108.6
195.0
107.5
140.2
120.5

165.1
298.7
227.9
131.9
109.1
205.6
109.3
142.4
121.7

165.3
320.7
230.9
132.3
109.2
208.7
109.6
144.5
123.1

167.0
320.7
232.3
133.3
108.9
209.7
109.1
144.6
124.3

'168.5
'320.8
'235.3
'134.9
'114.1
'209.8
'110.8
'146.9
’ 125.2

165.6
320.4
236.3
135.3
114.3
209.9
109.0
147.0
126.4

165.6
320.8
234.6
136.4
115.7
209.9
108.9
146.3
126.2

1668
320.8
234.9
137.0
115.6
210.5
109.6
146.2
127.0

166.8
321.1
236.9
137.5
115.0
210.7
110.5
146.1
127.7

2272
2281
2282
2284
2298
2311
2321
2322
2323
2327

Tufted carpets and rugs................................................
Yarn mills, except wool (12/71 =100) ..........................
Throwing and winding mills (6/76 = 100) ......................
Thread mills (6/76 = 100)............................................
Cordage and twine (12/77 = 100)................................
Men’s and boys' suits and coats....................................
Men’s and boys' shirts and nightwear ............................
Men's and boys' underwear..........................................
Men's and boys’ neckwear (12/75 = 100) ....................
Men’s and boys’ separate trousers................................

138.1
203.5
115.5
139.1
123.6
212.6
204.4
208.0
112.6
175.3

138.3
204.3
115.8
143.1
125.0
214.9
206.7
211.2
112.4
175.3

138.3
206.2
117.2
143.1
125.0
214.9
207.7
212.8
112.4
175.3

138.8
207.9
118.2
143.8
127.1
216.2
208.0
212.8
112.4
180.2

140.0
209.9
118.4
143.9
129.2
216.3
208.6
212.8
112.4
180.2

145.7
215.1
120.1
143.9
129.3
216.1
209.5
212.9
115.4
180.3

148.1
216.9
123.2
144.1
129.3
218.2
206.3
224.9
115.4
185.3

147.8
218.1
123.2
144.3
129.3
219.7
207.3
229.1
115.4
185.3

150.2
220.7
131.3
148.4
130.9
220.1
207.1
231.0
115.4
185.3

'151.5
'220.9
'131.5
150.8
132.7
'220.3
'207.6
'231.0
115.4
'186.0

156.0
224.1
134.9
150.9
134.3
220.4
204.9
230.9
115.4
185.8

157.0
225.9
138.1
151.1
134.3
221.5
205.5
230.6
115.4
186.1

159.2
225.1
139.0
151.1
134.3
223.1
208.6
230.7
113.9
186.3

158.7
225.3
139.5
151.1
134.3
224.1
208.7
230.7
113.9
186.4

2328
2331
2335
2341
2342
2361
2381
2394
2396
2421

Men’s and boys’ work clothing ....................................
Women’s and misses' blouses and waists (6/78 = 100) .
Women’s and misses' dresses (12/77 = 100)................
Women's and children’s underwear (12/72 = 100) ........
Brassieres and allied garments (12/75 = 100) ..............
Children's dresses and blouses (12/77 = 100)..............
Fabric dress and work gloves........................................
Canvas and related products (12/77 = 100)..................
Automotive and apparel trimmings (12/77 = 100)..........
Sawmills and planing mills (12/71 = 1 0 0 )......................

240.5
110.3
114.7
154.4
126.5
109.9
268.6
123.8
122.4
227.7

244.1
112.6
115.4
156.9
129.0
112.7
271.1
123.4
122.3
234.2

243.9
112.6
115.4
155.4
129.0
112.2
271.1
123.9
122.3
229.0

244.3
114.0
116.3
156.0
129.0
112.7
271.1
125.1
122.3
223.2

244.3
114.0
116.3
157.1
129.1
115.1
272.1
125.1
131.0
226.8

244.4
115.4
116.3
158.1
129.1
117.4
272.1
126.1
131.0
233.5

242.2
116.3
116.5
165.5
131.7
118.1
284.9
126.8
131.0
232.3

242.2
116.3
116.9
167.5
132.8
118.9
289.1
126.8
131.0
229.6

242.3
116.4
118.5
168.8
134.9
119.2
289.1
127.8
131.0
228.6

'247.0
' 118.3
'118.4
'169.0
'135.0
'120.7
289.1
'129.3
131.0
'233.3

247.4
115.2
118.7
169.8
134.5
119.4
292.1
130.6
131.0
233.6

248.2
117.1
121.4
171.1
136.6
119.4
292.1
130.6
131.0
233.9

250.7
119.7
121.4
171.2
139.2
120.5
289.2
130.6
131.0
231.6

251.3
119.8
121.5
171.2
139.2
120.5
289.2
133.7
131.0
231.0

2436
2439
2448
2451
2492
2511
2512
2515
2521
2611

Softwood veneer and plywood (12/75 = 100)................
Structural wood members, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100) ............
Wood pallets and skids (12/75 = 100)..........................
Mobile homes (12/74 = 100)........................................
Particleboard (12/75 = 100) ........................................
Wood household furniture (12/71 =100) ......................
Upholstered household furniture (12/71 = 1 0 0 )..............
Mattresses and bedsprings............................................
Wood office furniture ....................................................
Pulp mills (12/73 = 100)..............................................

144.6
155.6
160.1
150.3
161.5
183.8
163.6
179.1
235.2
240.0

160.7
152.2
156.0
151.4
169.4
186.4
166.2
186.4
235.5
244.5

149.6
155.5
154.9
151.8
163.7
187.7
166.2
186.4
235.5
244.4

149.1
156.2
154.6
153.2
159.8
188.1
167.7
.186.5
239.7
246.1

152.3
157.0
154.7
152.7
163.6
189.1
168.6
186.5
239.7
246.8

158.2
157.1
154.1
153.1
165.9
190.0
170.5
186.5
240.9
246.8

149.8
157.1
153.8
153.1
163.9
210.1
169.9
186.3
244.1
246.9

149.3
157.0
152.8
153.2
170.3
192.1
170.1
188.3
250.4
246.9

147.2
157.1
152.7
155.0
172.3
193.3
170.1
189.5
253.5
246.9

'152.6
158.3
'153.1
'155.8
'180.9
'195.4
'171,8
'190.5
'254.5
'251.2

145.8
158.2
153.1
155.4
183.2
196.2
173.4
194.5
255.5
253.5

147.5
158.2
153.0
155.6
181.0
197.1
175.2
194.6
255.6
253.5

144.0
157.5
153.0
155.9
178.3
198.3
176.4
195.4
255.7
253.5

139.9
157.1
152.8
157.7
172.3
199.1
176.4
198.7
255.7
253.5

2621
2631
2647
2654
2655
2812
2821
2822
2824
2873

Paper mills, except building (12/74 = 100)....................
Paperboard mills (12/74 = 100) ..................................
Sanitary paper products................................................
Sanitary food containers ..............................................
Fiber cans, drums, and similar products (12/75 = 100) ..
Alkalies and chlorine (12/73 = 100)..............................
Plastics materials and resins (6/76 = 1 0 0 ) ....................
Synthetic rubber ..........................................................
Organic fiber, noncellulosic............................................
Nitrogenous fertilizers (12/75 = 100) ............................

145.5
139.0
322.0
216.0
150.6
247.5
143.0
255.8
132.5
124.4

146.7
141.1
331.1
220.3
155.2
257.3
144.4
260.5
134.9
123.7

146.7
141.7
331.1
222.3
155.2
257.2
141.5
260.1
137.1
127.2

148.2
142.3
332.6
222.3
155.5
257.9
141.5
260.9
138.0
130.3

149.2
143.2
334.7
222.3
155.5
265.1
141.5
260.4
138.7
130.0

150.7
142.4
338.2
225.3
155.0
262.3
140,9
262.5
138.9
131.8

152.0
148.2
338.3
232.0
157.7
277.9
142.4
275.9
144.0
135.0

152.6
149.2
342.5
235.2
160.6
299.2
143.5
280.7
144,7
138.1

153.3
150.8
343.0
237.9
160.7
295.6
144.8
283.9
147.4
141.7

'153.9
'151.0
'343.2
'239.2
'160.8
'294.4
148.1
'288.1
'149.9
147.1

154.8
154.1
345.4
240.4
160.9
300.7
149.7
291.9
156.9
148.5

156.2
154.3
345.4
243.5
160.9
309.6
150.6
295.1
157.7
147.2

157.6
152.7
345.3
245.5
163.2
302.6
155.0
296.1
158.2
147.2

158.3
152.6
345.3
254.2
163.2
309.1
154.6
296.1
160.5
144.5

2874
2875
2892
2911
2951
2952
3011

Phosphatic fertilizers ....................................................
Fertilizers, mixing only ..................................................
Explosives ..................................................................
Petroleum refining (6/76 = 100) ..................................
Paving mixtures and blocks (12/75 = 100)....................
Asphalt felts and coatings (12/75 = 100)......................
Tires and inner tubes (12/73 = 100) ............................

237.3
246.9
269.7
248.6
171.4
173.4
203.1

240.6
249.3
273.4
256.9
175.1
179.8
204.1

240.8
250.2
273.3
256.4
176.0
178.3
207.4

239.3
250.6
273.5
254.6
176.2
178.6
209.9

239.6
252.9
272.9
256.3
176.2
173.5
209.9

245.4
252.2
282.8
261.4
181.5
172.5
210.1

247.9
255.8
288.8
268.3
183.1
172.4
207.0

248.2
2668
295.4
279.5
185.4
170.0
209.3

253.5
270.0
303.9
299.0
189.1
169.7
213.8

'251.6
'271.1
324.8
'306.0
'198.1
'180.4
'215.5

248.6
273.7
314.5
304.3
198,8
178.7
215.8

250.9
273.0
311.4
302.6
198.4
183.1
215.9

249.9
274.2
315.7
299.3
197,4
182.2
216.1

261.0
273.1
316.7
297.5
196.2
181.7
216.2


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

89

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Producer Prices
30.

Continued — Producer Price Indexes for the output of selected SIC industries

[1967=100 unless otherwise specified]
1972
SIC
code

Industry description

3021
3031
3079
3111
3142
3143
3144
3171
3211
3221

Annual
average
1980

Aug.

Sept.

Oct.

Nov.

Dec.

Jan.

Feb.

Mar.

Apr. '

May

June

July

Aug.

Rubber and plastic footwear (12/71 =100) ....................................
Reclaimed rubber (12/73 =100)......................................................
Miscellaneous plastic products (6/78 = 100)....................................
Leather tanning and finishing (12/77 = 100) ....................................
House slippers (12/75 = 100) ........................................................
Men’s footwear, except athletic (12/75 = 100) ................................
Women’s footwear, except athletic ..................................................
Women’s handbags and purses (12/75 - 100) ................................
Flat glass (12/71 = 100) ................................................................
Glass containers ............................................................................

177.9
184.7
121.7
146.6
149.1
159.8
213.5
137.9
161.3
292.6

181.9
185.9
123.9
147.9
151.1
159.5
214.3
140.0
162.6
294.2

182.0
185.9
124.4
140.0
151.1
161.5
215.2
140.9
162.8
294.2

182.0
184.0
124.2
(2)
153.5
161.6
217.1
140.9
163.8
306.1

182.4
184.1
124.6
149.3
158.2
162.4
217.1
140.9
166.4
306.1

182.3
186.7
124.5
156.6
154.9
162.4
217.1
140.9
166.3
311.4

182.8
190.4
125.4
157.0
( 2)
164.8
217.8
149.5
167.1
311.4

183.4
190.4
125.4
145.5

' 183.6
'187.7
'128.7
158.6

( 2)
168.5
219.0
158.4
171.8
334.4

184.7
190.8
129.0
150.6
( 2>
169.7
218.9
158.4
177.1
334.6

185.3
198.1
129.7
147,8

(2)
'168.7
218.7
149.7
'174.5
'326.6

184.0
195.5
128.8
158.3
(2)
168.4
219.3
158.4
171.7
334.4

184.1
185.6
129.3
150.7

(2)
166.5
220.2
149.5
167.5
311.4

183.6
187.6
126.3
151.4
(2)
167.6
218.7
149.7
168.1
311.4

3241
3251
3253
3255
3259
3261
3262
3263
3269
3271

Cement, hydraulic ..........................................................................
Brick and structural clay tile ............................................................
Ceramic wall and floor tile (12/75 = 100) ........................................
Clay refractories ............................................................................
Structural clay products, n.e.c...........................................................
Vitreous plumbing fixtures................................................................
Vitreous china food utensils..............................................................
Fine earthenware food utensils ........................................................
Pottery products, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100) ............................................
Concrete block and brick ................................................................

310.8
277.3
122.5
273.6
202.7
234.8
317.3
295.5
152.6
257.3

313.1
277.6
117.6
279.5
205.0
240.4
318.3
294.6
152.7
259.5

312.3
278.5
117.6
279.7
204.8
241.1
318.7
296.4
153.3
260.5

311.8
282.6
120.1
280.2
204.9
241.5
327.4
297.9
155.4
259.4

310.5
282.9
120.1
280.7
205.0
242.6
327.4
297.9
155.5
259.4

310.5
282.9
120.1
280.7
205.1
245.0
327.4
297.9
155.5
259.4

324.3
286.6
127.1
291.5
209.5
244.7
327.4
298.6
155.5
264.1

324.3
286.1
127.1
305.2
212.8
248.9
327.4
298.6
155.5
265.0

r 324.4
295.3
127.1
308.1
213.0
249.4
328.0
307.9
158.5
263.2

'332.4
'296.0
'129.6
'308.6
'212.7
252.0
328.2
'308.2
'158.6
'267.4

329.2
298.3
129.6
312.7
224.3
252.5
336.6
309.1
160.5
271.1

329.0
298.3
129.6
313.9
224.3
255.8
336.6
309.1
160.5
271.2

329.5
299.8
129.6
314.0
224.3
258.7
336.6
309.1
160.6
271.3

329.5
299.9
129.6
314.0
224.4
259.5
336.6
309.1
160.6
274.0

3273
3274
3275
3291
3297
3312
3313
3316
3317
3321

Ready-mixed concrete ....................................................................
Lime (12/75 - 100)........................................................................
Gypsum products............................................................................
Abrasive products (12/71 = 100)....................................................
Nonclay refractories (12/74 = 100) ................................................
Blast furnaces and steel mills ..........................................................
Electrometallurgical products (12/75 = 100) ....................................
Cold finishing of steel shapes ..........................................................
Steel pipes and tubes......................................................................
Gray iron foundries (12/68 = 100) ..................................................

279.9
157.7
256.7
212.6
161.1
310.5
117.7
284.0
290.9
282.5

282.6
160.2
252.3
215.7
164.9
308.5
117.1
282.3
292.6
283.2

283.6
158.8
252.2
217.1
164.8
308.6
117.2
282.3
292.6
283.3

282.7
160.8
250.0
218.8
167 8
314.8
117.3
288.1
294.2
289.7

282.8
160.8
253.6
220.2
167.5
316.6
117.3
288.8
302.4
290.1

282.9
161.8
253.1
220.6
167.6
320.7
117.3
293.3
308.4
290.7

294.8
165.7
2599
222.8
172.4
328.7
119.9
302.8
315.5
295.2

295.4
171.7
257.6
221.7
177.5
328.9
120.0
303.1
316.3
296.1

296.0
172.6
257.9
223.1
178.9
334.0
120.0
306.1
326.1
295.6

'298.5
172.4
257.1
'232.7
178.9
'336.7
120.8
' 308.2
333.1
'297.0

299.5
172.4
261.4
233.0
185.9
337.6
120.6
308.3
334.2
298.3

301.9
173.1
2609
233.8
189.0
337.6
120.7
308.5
336.3
298.6

300.5
173.4
261.8
234.9
189.7
349.6
121.2
325.1
348.2
299.4

299.9
174.2
258.9
234.9
189.8
349.5
121.5
325.7
350.7
299.4

3333
3334
3351
3353
3354
3355
3411
3425
3431
3465

Primary zinc....................................................................................
Primary aluminum ..........................................................................
Copper rolling and drawing..............................................................
Aluminum sheet plate and foil (12/75 = 100) ..................................
Aluminum extruded products (12/75 = 100) ....................................
Aluminum rolling, drawing, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100)................................
Metal cans ....................................................................................
Hand saws and saw blades (12/72 = 100)......................................
Metal sanitary ware ........................................................................
Automotive stampings (12/75 = 100) ..............................................

270.5
297.9
227.5
158.2
167.7
146.2
291.6
182.1
248.3
136.9

255.9
312.2
226.2
157.6
168.4
147.6
295.9
185.4
251.4
139.8

264.0
313.0
220.2
157.6
168.2
147.5
296.1
185.8
251.4
140.1

269.9
325.6
222.0
161.5
173.2
150.7
297.9
186.8
251.5
140.2

282.0
328.5
222.9
163.3
176.3
151.2
297.2
187.2
252.2
140.9

288.7
328.0
222.8
165.1
176.4
151.1
297.3
190.5
253.8
141.2

300.3
331.7
218.7
169.3
176.8
155.3
302.1
195.4
256.0
143.0

300.0
332.3
215.3
170.7
177.1
157.1
303.0
196.3
256.4
143.9

299.7
332.2
211.8
172.1
177.3
157.2
304.7
198.0
258.5
144.2

'311.9
'332.8
'213.1
'173.8
180.6
'157.3
304.7
'198.1
'262.8
'145.0

321.6
336.0
211.9
174.4
180.7
157.5
304.7
199.8
263.7
145.3

331.0
334.4
212.1
176.2
180.8
157.4
304.7
199.8
263.9
145.6

331.3
336.2
209.5
178.2
181.1
157.6
305.6
302.8
266.9
146.6

349.5
336.5
210.9
178.2
181.3
157.6
306.9
203.8
267.1
146.8

3482
3493
3494
3498
3519
3531
3532
3533
3534
3542

Small arms ammunition (12/75 = 100) ............................................
Steel springs, except wire................................................................
Valves and pipe fittings (12/71 - 100) ............................................
Fabricated pipe and fittings..............................................................
Internal combustion engines, n.e.c......................................................
Construction machinery (12/76 - 100) ............................................
Mining machinery (12/72 = 100) ....................................................
Oilfield machinery and equipment ....................................................
Elevators and moving stairways ......................................................
Machine tools, metal forming types (12/71 = 1 0 0 )............................

145.6
230.3
230.0
315.5
275.4
141.1
258.5
338.1
239.3
279.5

147.3
230.8
232.7
317.2
278.6
142.7
262.0
345.7
243.8
285.3

145.3
231.9
233.3
319.9
283.2
143.8
264.1
347.3
246.4
285.6

145.8
233.0
235.8
325.0
285.2
146.0
266.0
352.9
248.3
286.8

146.3
233.3
236.9
329.9
289.1
146.6
268.0
358.4
248.8
287.4

160.9
234.3
238.3
329.9
289.9
147.5
270.0
360.9
249.5
292.0

157.9
238.4
240.2
335.7
298.2
150.0
272.5
367.0
250.3
297.5

157.8
239.2
242.1
335.7
299.4
151.4
273.5
374.2
250.3
298.0

157.2
239.5
244.8
338.5
302.6
152.6
276.2
378.2
250.3
301.9

'157.8
'241.2
'247.6
358.8
'306.0
'154.4
'279.5
'382.2
'251.2
'303.0

163.2
241.6
246.5
359.9
304.2
155.0
279.6
382.8
251.2
304.4

163.2
241.8
247.0
361.6
305.7
156.6
280.5
398.4
251.2
305.6

163.2
244.2
248.5
365.9
311.5
159.0
282.3
393.3
251.3
307.3

165.3
244.3
249.5
371.3
313.6
159.5
283.5
403.1
252.9
307.7

3546
3552
3553
3576
3592
3612
3623
3631
3632
3633

Power driven hand tools (12/76 = 100) ..........................................
Textile machinery (12/69 = 100) ....................................................
Woodworking machinery (12/72 = 100) ..........................................
Scales and balances, excluding laboratory........................................
Carburetors, pistons, rings, valves (6/76 = 100) ..............................
Transformers..................................................................................
Welding apparatus, electric (12/72 = 100) ......................................
Household cooking equipment (12/75 = 100) ..................................
Household refrigerators, freezers (6/76 = 100) ................................
Household laundry equipment (12/73 = 100) ..................................

132.2
216.6
212.5
215.0
156.6
184.9
209.9
133.1
121.4
162.0

134.5
222.1
216.0
226.2
159.3
190.6
212.1
134.4
122.2
163.6

135.3
222.3
216.0
226.2
160.1
190.7
211.7
134.7
123.3
165.5

136.6
223.8
217.0
226.3
164.9
193.9
214.4
134.8
124.1
166.1

136.7
224.5
217.7
226.9
165.2
193.0
214.9
135.8
125.1
166.6

137.9
226.0
221.5
217.9
167.6
193.3
215.8
137.5
125.1
167.4

142.6
235.7
222.5
220.5
168.9
194.9
218.9
140.1
127.5
169.8

144.9
235.0
223.1
221.1
170.9
197.1
220.9
141.0
127.5
170.2

145.2
240.0
224.7
224.2
171.5
204.3
222.1
141.1
127.6
170.9

146.4
'240.4
'225.5
'230.2
'172.0
'206.0
'224.3
'140.5
'129.4
'173.5

147.0
241.1
225.7
230.2
171.9
207.9
225.4
140.5
128.1
173.8

147.1
242.4
226.6
230.2
176.3
209.6
226.8
140.9
129.4
173.8

148.1
245.0
233.6
226.5
180.6
212.6
227.4
140.4
134.0
174.1

148.5
245.3
224.2
226.8
181.1
215.3
228.8
141.1
134.1
174.1

3635
3636
3641
3644
3646
3648
3671
3674
3675
3676

Household vacuum cleaners............................................................
Sewing machines (12/75 = 100) ....................................................
Electric lamps ................................................................................
Noncurrent-carrying wiring devices (12/72 = 100)............................
Commercial lighting fixtures (12/75 = 100) ......................................
Lighting equipment, n.e.c. (12/75 = 100)..........................................
Electron tubes receiving type ..........................................................
Semiconductors and related devices ................................................
Electronic capacitors (12/75 = 100) ................................................
Electronic resistors (12/75 = 100) ..................................................

154.4
129.1
260.3
219.7
139.3
139.9
251.8
90.7
162.7
134.2

158.5
130.0
268.1
220.7
140.4
140.9
255.6
91.8
172.6
136.3

158.6
130.0
269.2
220.9
142.3
143.2
255.7
92.0
174.0
136.9

158.8
130.3
268.7
221.8
142.8
143.3
264.6
91.8
170.1
137.7

158.8
130.3
270.2
223.7
143.1
144.7
264.8
91.2
170.2
137.8

159.1
130.3
266.2
229.2
144.7
145.0
272.7
91.6
170.3
137.8

159.1
130.3
265.8
233.1
145.1
146.3
284.3
91.1
170.3
139.0

156.3
130.3
271.2
236.3
148.0
146.8
284.4
90.8
171.1
139.9

158.5
131.9
272.6
240.6
151.4
152.7
285.0
91.3
173.2
139.9

'158.4
'131.8
275.5
'242.6
'156.1
153.2
'285.0
'91.2
'168.7
'140.0

151.9
153.1
275.2
245.2
156.7
153.3
285.2
91.2
171.0
140.9

152.0
153.1
275.1
252.9
156.7
153.7
299.2
90.1
168.3
141.2

152.0
153.1
275.3
254.7
154.9
153.8
327.3
90.0
168.6
141.9

152.2
153.1
280.1
256.2
155.8
161.3
327.5
89.6
168.0
142.2

3678
3692
3711
3942
3944
3955
3995
3996

Electronic connectors (12/75 = 100) ..............................................
Primary batteries, dry and wet ........................................................
Motor vehicles and car bodies (12/75 = 100) ..................................
Dolls (12/75 = 100) ......................................................................
Games, toys, and children’s vehicles................................................
Carbon paper and inked ribbons (12/75 = 100)................................
Burial caskets (6/76 = 100)............................................................
Hard surface floor coverings (12/75 - 100) ....................................

148.1
176.5
136.7
127.4
205.2
132.8
131.2
143.7

149.1
176.7
137.9
128.4
206.0
135.0
132.2
146.6

149.6
176.8
131.4
128.4
206.6
135.0
132.9
146.6

149.7
176.9
144.5
128.3
207.0
135.0
132.9
146.6

149.7
177.0
144.6
128.3
207.0
135.0
132.9
146.6

149.7
176.9
144.0
128.3
207.1
135.0
135.0
146.6

152.2
179.0
145.3
130.7
213.9
133.0
135.0
148.6

153.5
183.3
145.7
132.3
220.2
136.4
135.0
148.6

154.5
184.2
144.2
132.4
221.2
136.4
138.0
148.7

'154.4
'182.6
'148.4
'132.4
'221.2
136.9
138.1
151.5

152.9
182.5
148.9
130.6
219.8
136.9
138.3
151.5

153.7
181.0
149.9
130.6
219.9
140.4
138.3
151.5

154.5
181.6
150.5
130.6
219.9
140.4
138.3
153.3

155.1
182.7
149.7
130.6
219.9
140.6
140.6
153.6

1980

1Data for April 1981 have been revised to reflect the availability of late reports and corrections by
respondents. All data are subject to revision 4 months after original publication.


https://fraser.stlouisfed.org
Federal Reserve
Bank of St. Louis
90

1981

2Not available,
r=revised.

(2)
170.4
219.2
158.4
180.2
334.7

PRODUCTIVITY DATA

P roductivity data are compiled by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics from establishment data and from estimates of com­
pensation and output supplied by the U.S. Department of
Commerce and the Federal Reserve Board.

ued. Hours of all persons is now used to describe the labor input of
payroll workers, self-employed persons, and unpaid family workers.

Definitions

Output per all-employee hour is now used to describe labor productiv­
ity in nonfinancial corporations where there are no self-employed.

Output is the constant dollar gross domestic product produced in a
given period. Indexes of output per hour of labor input, or labor pro­
ductivity, measure the value of goods and services produced per hour
of labor. Compensation per hour includes wages and salaries of em­
ployees plus employers’ contributions for social insurance and private
benefit plans. The data also include an estimate of wages, salaries, and
supplementary payments for the self-employed, except for nonfinancial corporations, in which there are no self-employed. Real com­
pensation per hour is compensation per hour adjusted by the
Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers.
Unit labor cost measures the labor compensation cost required to
produce one unit of output and is derived by dividing compensation
by output. Unit nonlabor payments include profits, depreciation, in­
terest, and indirect taxes per unit of output. They are computed by
subtracting compensation of all persons from the current dollar gross
domestic product and dividing by output. In these tables, Unit
nonlabor costs contain all the components of unit nonlabor payments
except unit profits. Unit profits include corporate profits and invento­
ry valuation adjustments per unit of output.
The implicit price deflator is derived by dividing the current dollar
estimate of gross product by the constant dollar estimate, making the
deflator, in effect, a price index for gross product of the sector reported.

31.

The use of the term “man-hours” to identify the labor component
of productivity and costs, in tables 31 through 34, has been discontin­

Notes on the data
In the private business sector and the nonfarm business sector, the
basis for the output measure employed in the computation of output
per hour is Gross Domestic Product rather than Gross National
Product. Computation of hours includes estimates of nonfarm and
farm proprietor hours.
Output data are supplied by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S.
Department of Commerce, and the Federal Reserve Board. Quarterly
manufacturing output indexes are adjusted by the Bureau of Labor
Statistics to annual estimates of output (gross product originating)
from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Compensation and hours data
are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Bureau of Labor
Statistics.
Beginning with the September 1976 issue of the R eview , tables 3134 were revised to reflect changeover to the new series— private busi­
ness sector and nonfarm business sector— which differ from the
previously published total private economy and nonfarm sector in
that output imputed for owner-occupied dwellings and the household
and institutions sectors, as well as the statistical discrepancy, are
omitted. For a detailed explanation, see J. R. Norsworthy and L. J.
Fulco, “New sector definitions for productivity series,” M o n th ly L a b o r
R ev ie w , October 1976, pages 40-42.

Annual indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, selected years, 1950-B0

[1977 = 100]
Item
Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ........................
Compensation per hour ..................................
Real compensation per hour............................
Unit labor co s t........................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..........................
Implicit price deflator ................................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ........................
Compensation per hour ..................................
Real compensation per hour............................
Unit labor c o st................................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..................................
Implicit price deflator ..................................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees ....................
Compensation per hour ..................................
Real compensation per hour............................
Unit labor c o s t............................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..................................
Implicit price deflator ......................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons ........................
Compensation per hour ..................................
Real compensation per hour............................
Unit labor c o st....................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..................................
Implicit price deflator ......................................

1950

1955

1960

1965

1970

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

50.3
20.0
50.4
39.8
43.5
41.0

58.2
26.3
59.6
45.2
47.8
46.1

65.1
33.9
69.4
52.1
50.8
51.7

78.2
41.7
80.0
53.3
57.8
54.8

86.1
58.2
90.8
67.6
63.4
66.2

94.8
71.3
97.3
75.2
75.6
75.3

92.7
78.0
95.9
84.2
78.9
82.4

94.8
85.5
96.3
90.2
90.7
90.4

97.9
92.9
988
94.8
94.4
94.7

1000
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

99.8
108.4
100.7
108.6
105.1
107.4

99.5
119.3
996
119.9
110.9
116.9

99.3
131.4
96.6
132.3
118.4
127.6

56.2
21.8
55.0
38.8
42.8
40.2

62.7
28.3
63.9
45.1
47.9
46.0

68.2
35.6
73.0
52.3
50.5
51.7

80.4
42.8
82.2
53.2
58.2
54.9

86.7
58.6
91.5
67.6
64.0
66.4

95.3
71.7
97.7
75.2
71.9
74.1

93.1
78.4
96.4
84.3
76.1
81.6

95.0
86.0
96.8
90.5
88.9
89.9

98.1
93.0
99.0
94.8
940
94.5

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

99.8
108.5
100.7
108.7
103.6
107.0

99,1
119.0
99.3
120.0
108.5
116.2

98.8
130.8
96.2
132.4
117.5
127.4

(’ )
( ')
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
( ')

(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )
(’ )

66.3
36.3
74.2
54.7
54.6
54.7

79.9
43.0
82.6
53.8
60.8
56.2

85.4
58.3
91.0
68.3
63.1
66.5

94.5
70.8
96.5
74.9
70.7
73.4

91.3
77.6
95.4
85.1
75.7
81.8

94.4
85.5
96.3
90.6
90.9
90.7

974
92.5
98.5
95.0
950
95.0

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.4
108.2
100.5
107.8
103.8
106.4

100.4
118.7
991
118.2
108.3
114.8

101.0
130.7
96.2
129.4
117.3
125.2

49.5
21.5
54.1
43.4
55.1
46.8

56.5
28.8
65.2
51.0
59.4
53.4

60.1
36.7
75.1
61.1
62.0
61.3

74.6
42.9
82.3
57.4
70.3
61.2

79.2
57.6
89.9
72.7
66.0
70.7

93.1
69.1
94.2
74.2
71.6
73.4

90.9
76.4
93.9
84.1
70.4
80.1

93.5
85.5
96.3
91.4
88.5
90.6

97.7
92.4
98,3
94.6
95.1
94.7

100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0

100.9
108.2
100.5
107.3
104.7
106.5

102.0
118.8
r99.2
116.5
105.7
113.4

101.7
131.6
96.8
129.4
108.6
123.4

1Not available.


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

91

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW October 1981 • Current Labor Statistics: Productivity
32.

Annual changes in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, 1970-80
Annual rate
of change

Year
Item

Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per h o u r......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees........................
Compensation per hou r......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator..........................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................

1950-80

1960-80

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

0.9
7.4
1.4
6.4
0.7
4.5

3.6
6.6
2.2
2.9
7.6
4.4

3.5
6.5
3.1
2.9
4.5
3.4

2.7
8.0
1.7
5.2
5.9
5.4

-2.3
9.4
-1.4
11.9
4.4
9.4

2.3
9.6
0.4
7.2
15.0
9.7

3.3
8.6
2.7
5.1
4.1
4.7

2.1
7.7
1.2
5.5
5.9
5.6

-0.2
8.4
0.7
8.6
5.1
7.4

-0.3
10.1
-1.1
10.4
5.5
8.8

-0.2
10.1
-3.0
10.3
6.7
9.2

2.5
6.0
2.4
3.5
3.2
3.4

2.2
7.1
1.9
4.8
4.4
4.7

0.3
7.0
1.0
6.6
1.1
4.8

3.3
6.6
2.2
3.1
7.4
4.5

3.7
6.7
3.3
2.8
3.2
3.0

2.5
7.6
1.3
4.9
1.3
3.7

-2.4
9.4
-1.4
12.1
5.9
10.1

2.1
9.6
0.4
7.4
16.7
10.3

3.2
8.1
2.2
4.7
5.7
5.1

2.0
7.6
1.0
5.5
6.4
5.8

-0.2
8.5
0.7
8.7
3.6
7.0

-0.7
9.7
-1.4
10.4
4.8
8.6

-0.3
9.9
-3.2
10.3
8.3
9.7

2.1
5.7
2.1
3.5
3.1
3.4

1.9
6.8
1.6
4.8
4.2
4.6

0.4
6.8
0.8
6.3
0.5
4.4

4.8
6.5
2.1
1.6
7.4
3.5

3.0
5.8
2.5
2.8
2.7
2.8

2.6
7.7
1.4
4.9
1.5
3.8

-3.4
9.7
-1.1
13.6
7.1
11.4

3.4
10.1
0.9
6.5
20.1
10.9

3.2
8.2
2.3
4.9
4.6
4.8

2.7
8.1
1.5
5.3
5.2
5.2

0.4
8.2
0.5
7.8
3.8
6.4

-0.0
9.7
-1.4
9.7
4.4
7.9

0.6
10.1
-3.0
9.5
8.3
9.1

(’ )
(’ )
(M
(’ )
( ')
( ')

2.1
6.7
1.5
4.6
3.8
4.3

-0.2
6.8
0.8
7.0
-2.5
4.3

6.1
6.1
1.8
0.0
11.2
3.1

5.0
5.4
2.0
0.3
0.8
0.5

5.4
7.2
0.9
1.7
-3.3
0.3

-2.4
10.6
-0.3
13.3
-1.8
9.0

2.9
11.9
2.5
8.8
25.9
13.1

4.4
8.0
2.1
3.4
7.4
4.6

2.4
8.3
1.7
5.7
5.2
5.6

0.9
8.2
0.5
7.3
4.7
6.5

1.1
9.8
-1.3
8.6
0.9
6.4

0.3
10.7
-2.5
11.1
2.8
8.8

2.7
6.7
1.5
3.8
4.5
4.2

2.6
5.6
2.0
2.9
2.9
3.0

' Not available.

33.

Quarterly indexes of productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices, seasonally adjusted

[1977 = 100]

Item

Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per ho u r......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
Unit nonlabor payments......................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees........................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Total unit costs ..................................................
Unit labor cost ............................................
Unit nonlabor costs......................................
Unit profits ........................................................
Implicit price deflator ..........................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons ............................
Compensation per hour ......................................
Real compensation per hour................................
Unit labor cost....................................................
1Not available.


92
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

Annual
average

Quarterly indexes
1981

1980

1979

1978

1979

1980

IV

I

II

III

IV

1

II

III

IV

I

II

99.5
119.3
99.6
119.9
110.9
116.9

99.3
131.4
96.6
132.3
118.4
127.6

99.9
111.9
100.3
112.1
109.1
111.1

99.7
115.0
100.6
115.4
109.6
113.4

99.7
118.1
100.3
118.5
110.4
115.8

99.4
120.7
99.2
121.4
111.5
118.1

99.1
123.2
98.0
124.3
112.2
120.2

99.5
126.4
96.7
127.0
115.2
123.0

99.1
130.1
96.5
131.3
116.0
126.1

99.4
133.1
96.9
133.9
119.7
129.1

98.1
135.9
96.0
137.0
122.7
132.2

100.3
139.7
96.1
139.4
127.6
135.4

r 101.0
143.2
96.8
'141.8
'129.2
'137.6

99.1
119.0
99.3
120.0
108.5
116.2

98.8
130.8
96.2
132.4
117.5
127.4

99.8
111.9
100.3
112.2
107.0
110.5

99.5
114.9
100.4
115.4
107.1
112.6

99.1
117.7
100.0
118.7
107.7
115.1

98.9
120.2
98.8
121.5
109.2
117.4

98.8
123.0
97.8
124.4
110.1
119.7

98.9
126.0
96.4
127.4
113.9
122.9

98.2
129.4
96.0
131.8
115.1
126.3

99.0
132.3
96.3
133.6
119.2
128.8

99.0
135.4
95.6
136.8
122.0
131.9

100.0
139.1
95.7
139.1
127.8
135.3

' 100.2
142.4
96.3
'142.1
'128.6
'137.6

100.4
118.7
99.1
116.8
118.2
112.7
99.0
114.8

101.0
130.7
96.2
129.7
129.4
130.2
90.2
125.2

100.5
111.5
99.9
109.6
111.0
106.0
108.9
109.6

100.6
114.5
100.1
112.2
113.8
107.8
105.6
111.5

100.7
117.6
99.9
115.3
116.8
111.2
100.7
113.7

100.5
120.1
98.7
118.2
119.5
114.6
97.5
115.9

99.9
122.7
97.5
121.3
122.8
117.2
92.2
118.1

100.2
125.7
96.2
124.2
125.4
120.9
95.5
121.0

100.1
129.3
95.9
129.2
129.1
129.3
83.4
124.1

101.8
132.5
96.5
131.1
130.2
133.8
89.1
126.4

101.8
135.5
95.7
134.1
133.1
136.9
92.4
129.5

103.3
139.2
95.7
136.0
134.7
139.5
106.8
132.7

p 103.6
p 142.3
»96.2
» 139.2
p 137.4
p 144.4
p 101.2
p 135.0

102.0
118.8
99.2
116.5

101.7
131.6
96.8
129.4

102.0
111.5
100.0
109.3

101.5
114.5
100.2
112.9

102.3
118.6
100.7
115.9

102.0
119.8
98.5
117.5

102.1
122.3
97.2
119.8

102.0
125.4
95.9
122.9

100.8
130.0
96.4
129.0

100.5
133.9
97.5
133.3

103.4
137.3
97.0
132.8

104.2
140.9
96.9
135.3

105.3
144.5
97.7
'137.3

r = revised.

34. Percent change from preceding quarter and year in productivity, hourly compensation, unit costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted at annual rate
[1977=100]
Quarterly percent change at annual rate
Item

Private business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ....................
Compensation per hour ..............................
Real compensation per hour........................
Unit labor costs ..........................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..............................
Implicit price deflator ..................................
Nonfarm business sector:
Output per hour of all persons ....................
Compensation per hour ..............................
Real compensation per hour........................
Unit labor costs ..........................................
Unit nonlabor payments ..............................
Implicit price deflator ..................................
Nonfinancial corporations:
Output per hour of all employees ................
Compensation per hour ..............................
Real compensation per hour........................
Total unit costs ..........................................
Unit labor costs ......................................
Unit nonlabor costs..................................
Unit profits..................................................
Implicit price deflator ..................................
Manufacturing:
Output per hour of all persons ....................
Compensation per hour ..............................
Real compensation per hour........................
Unit labor costs ..........................................
1Not available.


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

Percent change from same quarter a year ago

IV 1979
to
I 1980

I 1980
to
II 1980

II 1980
to
III 1980

III 1980
to
IV 1980

IV 1980
to
I 1981

1.6
10.7
-5.0
9.0
11.2
9.7

-1.8
12.3
-0.7
14.4
2.6
10.5

1.3
r9.5
1.6
8.1
13.7
9.8

-1.1
8.6
-3.8
9.8
10.2
9.9

4.6
11.8
0.4
6.9
17.2
10.0

0.3
10.2
-5.4
9.9
14.6
11.3

-2.9
11.3
-1.6
14.6
4.2
11.3

3.6
9.0
1.2
5.3
15.0
8.2

-0.2
9.8
-2.7
10.1
9.9
10.0

1.5
10.2
-5.4
9.8
8.6
13.5
15.3
10.3

-0.5
12.0
-1.0
17.0
12.6
30.6
-41.9
10.5

6.7
10.2
2.2
6.2
3.2
14.7
30.3
7.9

-0.5
10.4
-5.3
10.9

-4.7
15.5
2.1
21.2

-1.2
12.7
4.5
-14.0

I 1981
to
II 1981

11979
to
11980

I11979
to
II 1980

III 1979
to
III 1980

IV 1979
to
IV 1980

I 1980
to
I 1981

II 1980
to
II 1981

'2.8
'10.4
'3.1
'7.3
'5.0
'6.6

-0.1
9.9
-3.8
10.0
5.1
8.4

-0.6
10.1
-3.8
10.8
5.1
9.0

0.0
10.3
-2.3
10.3
7.4
9.4

-0.0
10.3
-2.0
10.3
9.3
10.0

0.7
10.5
' -0.7
9.7
10.8
10.1

'1.9
10.1
0.3
'8.0
'11.4
'9.1

4.3
11.6
-0.2
7.0
20.3
11.0

' -0.7
'9.6
2.4
'8.8
'- 2 .7
'6.9

-0.7
9.7
-4.0
10.4
6.4
9.1

-1.0
9.9
-4.0
11.0
6.9
9.7

0.1
10.1
-2.5
9.9
9.1
9.6

-0.1
10.1
-2.2
9.9
10.8
10.2

1.1
10.4
-0.8
9.2
12.2
10.1

'2.1
10.0
0.2
'7.8
'11.8
'9.0

-0.0
9.4
-3.1
9.4
9.4
9.5
15.7
9.9

6.3
11.4
-0.0
5.6
4.8
7.9
77.9
10.4

p0.9
p9.2
p2.1
p 10.0
p8.3
p 14.9
»-19.4
p7.1

-0.3
9.8
-3.9
10.6
10.1
12.2
-9.5
8.5

-0.5
9.9
-3.9
12.0
10.5
16.3
-17.2
9.1

1.3
10.3
-2.2
11.0
8.9
16.8
-8.6
9.1

1.9
10.4
-1.9
10.5
8.4
16.8
0.3
9.6

3.1
10.8
-0.5
'9.5
7.4
15.4
11.8
9.7

p3.4
»10.1
p0.3
»7.8
»6.4
»11.7
p21.3
»8.8

12.1
10.5
-2.2
-1.5

3.2
11.1
-0.3
7.7

'4.3
'10.6
'3.4
'6.0

-0.5
9.4
-4.2
8.9

-1.5
9.6
-4.3
11.3

-1.5
11.7
-1.0
13.4

1.2
12.2
-0.3
10.9

2.2
12.4
1.0
10.0

4.5
11.2
1.3
6.4

r = revised.

93

LABOR-MANAGEMENT DATA

Major collective bargaining data are obtained from
contracts on file at the Bureau of Labor Statistics, direct
contact with the parties, and from secondary sources. Addi­
tional detail is published in Current Wage Developments, a
monthly periodical of the Bureau. Data on work stoppages
are based on confidential responses to questionnaires mailed
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to parties involved in work
stoppages. Stoppages initially come to the attention of the
Bureau from reports of Federal and State mediation agencies,
newspapers, and union and industry publications.

Definitions
Data on wage changes apply to private nonfarm industry agree­
ments covering 1,000 workers or more. Data on wage and benefit
changes c o m b in e d apply only to those agreements covering 5,000
workers or more. First-year wage settlements refer to pay changes go­
ing into effect within the first 12 months after the effective date of

35.

the agreement. Changes over the life of the agreement refer to total
agreed upon settlements (exclusive of potential cost-of-living escalator
adjustments) expressed at an average annual rate. Wage-rate changes
are expressed as a percent of straight-time hourly earnings, while wage
and benefit changes are expressed as a percent of total compensation.
Effective wage-rate adjustments going into effect in major
bargaining units measure changes actually placed into effect during the
reference period, whether the result of a newly negotiated increase, a
deferred increase negotiated in an earlier year, or as a result of a costof-living escalator adjustment. Average adjustments are affected by
workers receiving no adjustment, as well as by those receiving in­
creases or decreases.
Work stoppages include all known strikes or lockouts involving six
workers or more and lasting a full shift or longer. Data cover all
workers idle one shift or more in establishments directly involved in a
stoppage. They do not measure the indirect or secondary effect on
other establishments whose employees are idle owing to material or
service shortages.

Wage and benefit settlements in major collective bargaining units, 1976 to date

[In percent]
Annual average

Quarterly average

Sector and measure

1980

1979
1976

1977

1978

1979

1981 p

1980
II

III

IV

I

II

III

IV

I

II

Wage and benefit settlements, all industries:
First-year settlements ..................................
Annual rate over life of contract ....................

8.5
6.6

9.6
6.2

8.3
6.3

9.0
6.6

10.4
7.1

10.5
7.8

9.0
6.1

8.5
6.0

8.8
6.7

10.2
7.4

11.4
7.2

8.5
6.1

10.4
7.3

'12.0
'11.0

Wage rate settlements, all industries:
First-year settlements ..................................
Annual rate over life of contract....................

8.4
6.4

7.8
5.8

7.6
6.4

7.4
6.0

9.5
7.1

8.9
7.2

6.8
5.1

6.3
5.3

8.2
6.5

9.1
7.3

10.5
7.4

8.3
6.5

9.0
7.7

12.2
9.8

Manufacturing:
First-year settlements..............................
Annual rate over life of contract ..............

8.9
6.0

8.4
5.5

8.3
6.6

6.9
5.4

7.4
5.4

9.7
8.1

6.3
4.7

5.6
4.2

7.2
5.7

6.7
5.1

8.4
5.6

7.8
5.8

9.0
6.7

7.4
6.2

Nonmanufacturing (excluding construction):
First-year settlements..............................
Annual rate over life of contract ..............

8.6
7.2

8.0
5.9

8.0
6.5

7.6
6.2

9.5
6.6

8.5
5.8

9.4
6.5

7.8
7.4

9.4
7.6

10.3
8.5

9.5
5.9

8.2
6.8

8.3
7.6

12.3
9.4

Construction:
First-year settlements..............................
Annual rate over life of contract ..............

6.1
6.2

6.3
6.3

6.5
6.2

8.8
8.3

13.6
11.5

8.7
8.3

9.7
8.5

7.5
7.6

10.8
9.1

12.2
10.4

15.4
13.0

14.3
12.0

13.4
11.6

13.1
10.9


94
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Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis

36.

Effective wage adjustments going into effect in major collective bargaining units, 1976 to date

[In percent]
Average quarterly changes

Average annual changes

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

Total effective wage rate adjustment, all industries ..............
Change resulting from —
Current settlement................................................
Prior settlement....................................................
Escalator provision ..............................................

8.1

8.0

8.2

9.1

3.2
3.2
1.6

3.0
3.2
1.7

2.0
3.7
2.4

Manufacturing ............................................................
Nonmanufacturing ......................................................

8.5
7.7

8.4
7.6

8.6
7.9

1981

1980

1979

Sector and measure
II

III

IV

I

II

III

IV

I

II

9.9

2.6

3.3

1.6

1.6

3.3

3.5

1.3

1.2

2.8

3.0
3.0
3.1

3.6
3.5
2.8

1.1
1.0
.5

1.0
1.0
1.2

.5
.4
.7

.4
.5
.7

1.0
1.4
.8

1.7
1.2
.7

.5
.3
.6

.1
.6
.6

.9
1.4
.5

9.6
8.8

10.2
9.7

2.3
2.8

3.2
3.4

2.4
1.0

2.0
1.3

3.4
3.2

2.9
4.0

1.7
1.1

1.4
1.0

2.1
3.4

Note: Because of rounding and compounding, the sums of individual items may not equal totals.

37.

Work stoppages, 1947 to date
Number of stoppages
Month and year

Beginning In
month or year

1947
1948
1949
1950

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

1951
1952
1953
1954
1955

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

1956
1957
1958
1959
1960

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

1961
1962
1963
1964

1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979

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

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

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

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

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

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

1980': J u ly ............................................................................
August........................................................................
September..................................................................
October......................................................................
November ..................................................................
December .................................................................
1981 p: January ......................................................................
February ....................................................................
March ........................................................................
April............................................................................
M ay............................................................................
June ..........................................................................
J u ly ............................................................................

In effect
during month

Days idle

Workers involved
Beginning in
month or year
(thousands)

In effect
during month
(thousands)

Number
(thousands)

Percent of
estimated
working time

3,693
3,419
3,606
4,843

2,170
1,960
3,030
2,410

34,600
34,100
50,500
38,800

.30
.28
.44
.33

4,737
5,117
5,091
3,408
4,320

2,220
3,540
2,400
1,530
2,650

22,900
59,100
28,300
22,600
28,200

.18
.48
.22
.18
.22

3,825
3,673
3,694
3,708
3,333

1,900
1,390
2,060
1,880
1,320

33,100
16,500
23,900
69,000
19,100

.24
.12
.18
.50
.14

3,367
3*614
3,362
3,655
3,963

1,450
1,230
941
1,640
1,550

16,300
18,600
16,100
22,900
23,300

.11
.13
.11
.15
.15

4,405
4,595
5,045
5,700
5,716

1,960
2,870
2,649
2,481
3,305

25,400
42,100
49,018
42,869
66,414

.15
.25
.28
.24
.37

5,138
5,010
5,353
6,074
5,031

3,280
1,714
2,251
2,778
1,746

47,589
27,066
27,948
47,991
31,237

.26
.15
.14
.24
.16

5,648
5,506
4,230
4,827

2,420
2,040
1,623
1,727

37,859
35,822
36,922
34,754

.19
.17
.17
.15

4,028
3,315
3,576
2,530
1,440
1,228
614
647
1,419
5,117
5,857
3,891
2,015

.20
.17
.18
.12
.09
.06
.03
.04
.07
.25
.31
.19
.10

400
360
436
349
205
90
253
347
314
371
473
421
391

776
775
813
722
532
380
297
517
545
560
688
682
659

230
88
153
90
53
19
50
90
271
101
152
186
127

337
231
289
224
126
77
68
136
336
273
383
499
190

r = revised


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