The full text on this page is automatically extracted from the file linked above and may contain errors and inconsistencies.
Historical, technical USDL 01-167
information: (202) 691-5618 FOR RELEASE: 10:00 a.m. EDT
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 Wednesday, June 6, 2001
Internet: http://www.bls.gov/iprhome.htm
PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS: SERVICE-PRODUCING AND MINING
INDUSTRIES, 1990-99
Labor productivity rose in 1999 in most of the U.S. service-producing and mining
industries studied by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Nearly half of the industries that registered productivity growth also posted declines in
unit labor costs.
In 1999, labor productivity--defined as output per hour--increased in over 80
percent of the service-producing and mining industries covered in this release. Eighty-six
percent of the industries recorded output growth, while hours of labor grew in 69 percent
of the industries. The proportion of service-producing and mining industries
experiencing productivity growth from 1990 to 1999 was larger than the proportion with
productivity growth in 1999; over the 1990-99 period, output per hour advanced in 86
percent of the service-producing and mining industries. Output rose in 92 percent of the
industries, while hours of labor grew in 57 percent of the industries.
The attached tables present data for the service-producing and mining industries
for which BLS publishes productivity series. Although the analysis that follows will
focus primarily on industries at the 3-digit level of the Standard Industrial Classification
(SIC) Manual, BLS also publishes productivity series at the more detailed 4-digit level
for many of these industries, as well as for many manufacturing industries. (Productivity
in manufacturing industries for 1999 was reported in USDL 01-141, issued May 15,
2001. See technical note for more information). Included in this news release for the
first time are productivity and related data for personal services and for a number of
newly published 2-digit retail trade industries, as well as measures for the retail trade
sector as a whole. An article discussing the new measures for retail trade industries will
appear in a forthcoming issue of the Monthly Labor Review.
Retail trade
Recent trends
Productivity rose in 1999 in 26 of the 28 published 3-digit industries in retail
trade. (See table 1.) The increases ranged from 1.4 percent in household appliance stores
to 23.0 percent in retail bakeries. The largest industries in retail trade, those with more
than 2,400,000 employees, are eating and drinking places, grocery stores, and department
stores. In 1999, output per hour rose 2.3 percent in eating and drinking places, 3.4
percent in grocery stores, and 8.8 percent in department stores. The two retail trade
industries registering productivity declines were paint, glass, and wallpaper stores (-0.1
percent) and liquor stores (-1.6 percent).
Of the 26 3-digit industries in retail trade that recorded productivity growth, 15
also experienced decreases in unit labor costs in 1999. (See table 2.) The decreases in
unit labor costs ranged from -0.5 percent in shoe stores to -15.2 percent in variety stores.
Despite productivity growth, unit labor costs rose in the two largest industries in retail
trade--1.9 percent in eating and drinking places and 0.4 percent in grocery stores.
Reflecting the rates of growth among the individual retail trade industries,
productivity in the retail trade sector as a whole rose 5.2 percent in 1999, with output
growing 7.1 percent and hours increasing 1.8 percent. No change in unit labor costs was
registered in the retail sector in 1999.
Long-term trends
The number of retail trade industries with long-term productivity growth (1990-
99) was equal to the number with short-term productivity growth. Although the long-
term rates tended to be lower than the 1999 rates, labor productivity advanced at average
annual rates exceeding 5.0 percent in eight 3-digit retail industries. An additional 13
industries registered annual growth rates in output per hour in the 2.0-5.0 percent range.
Over the 1990-99 period, unit labor costs declined in half of the 28 retail trade
industries. The largest declines were in variety stores (-5.7 percent per year), radio,
television, computer, and music stores (-5.6 percent per year), and miscellaneous general
merchandise stores (-3.5 percent per year).
Productivity in the overall retail sector grew at a rate of 2.3 percent per year over
the period, with output increasing by 3.7 percent per year and hours by 1.4 percent per
year. Unit labor costs rose 1.4 percent per year for the retail sector as a whole.
In the early years of this period, 1990-95, output per hour increased in 22 of the
28 published 3-digit retail trade industries. (See table 3.) As the economic expansion
continued, productivity growth rates among the retail trade industries accelerated. In the
1995-99 period, productivity rose in all 28 retail trade industries, with 22 of the industries
exhibiting even higher productivity growth rates in the latter period than in the former.
The number of retail trade industries with declining unit labor costs changed little
as the economic expansion continued. (See table 4.) The number of retail trade industries
with falling unit labor costs rose from 13 in the 1990-95 period to 14 in the 1995-99
period.
Reflecting the pattern seen for individual industries, the retail sector as a whole
exhibited stronger productivity gains in the latter part of the decade--output per hour
grew 1.6 percent per year in the earlier period and 3.1 percent per year in the later period.
Unit labor costs, however, rose in both periods--1.4 percent per year from 1990-95 and
1.3 percent per year from 1995-99.
Finance and services
Recent trends
In 1999, gains in output per hour were posted in six of the nine industries in
finance and services for which BLS published data at the 3-digit level. The largest
industry in terms of employment was hotels and motels, where productivity increased 1.7
percent. In the next largest industry, commercial banks, output per hour rose 2.0 percent.
The only declines in unit labor costs occurred in laundry, cleaning, and garment
services (-0.5 percent) and motion picture theaters (-2.9 percent) in 1999. The largest
industries in finance and services experienced rising unit labor costs. Unit labor costs
advanced 3.8 percent in hotels and motels and 5.6 percent in commercial banks.
In the personal services industry (SIC 72), productivity increased at a rate of 1.6
percent, in 1999, while output grew 4.2 percent and hours increased 2.5 percent. Unit
labor costs in personal services increased by 2.5 percent.
Long-term trends
All but one of the nine industries in the finance and services sector registered
long-term labor productivity growth. From 1990 to 1999, output per hour rose at an
average annual rate of 1.8 percent in hotels and motels and 2.6 percent in commercial
banks.
Unit labor costs rose in eight of the nine industries in finance and services over
the period 1990-99. Only barber shops posted a long-term decline in unit labor costs.
Unit labor costs decreased 0.9 percent per year in this industry.
Productivity in the personal services industry grew over the period at a rate of 1.2
percent per year, and unit labor costs rose at a rate of 2.5 percent per year.
Over the period 1990-95, productivity increased in eight of the nine published 3-
digit industries in the finance and services sector. Productivity grew in seven of the
industries in the period 1995-99, with four of the industries exhibiting higher productivity
growth rates in the latter period.
Unit labor costs increased in both periods in most of the finance and services
industries. Unit labor costs fell in two industries in 1990-95, and in one industry in
1995-99.
Productivity in the overall personal services industry increased at a higher rate in
the later period, growing 1.7 percent per year, compared with a growth rate of 0.8 percent
per year in the earlier period. Unit labor costs increased at a slightly higher rate in the
later period, 2.6 percent per year, up from 2.4 percent per year in the period 1990-95.
Transportation, communications, and utilities
Recent trends
Among the transportation industries, output per hour advanced 0.5 percent in the
U. S. postal service, 1.3 percent in trucking, and 5.2 percent in railroads. The only
measured transportation industry to register a productivity decline in 1999 was airlines
(-2.2 percent). Productivity gains were recorded in two of the three communications
industries, rising 11.1 percent in telephone communications and 1.1 percent in radio and
television broadcasting. In contrast, productivity fell 2.4 percent in cable and other pay
TV services. In the utilities sector, output per hour increased 1.6 percent in electric
utilities and 0.5 percent in gas utilities.
In 1999, unit labor costs fell 2.9 percent in railroad transportation. All other
industries in the transportation, communications, and utilities sectors recorded rising unit
labor costs.
Long-term trends
Over the 1990-99 period, all but two of the industries in the transportation,
communications, and utilities sectors posted gains in labor productivity. The largest
gains were in telephone communications (5.9 percent per year); railroad transportation
(4.9 percent per year); electric utilities (4.4 percent per year); and gas utilities (3.6
percent per year).
Unit labor costs rose over the long term in most of the industries in the
transportation, communications, and utilities sectors: the railroad transportation and
telephone communications industries were the exceptions.
All but one of the industries in the transportation, communications, and utilities
sectors exhibited productivity growth between 1990 and 1995. In comparison, six of the
nine industries registered productivity increases in the period 1995-99. Of these six
industries, half had higher rates of productivity growth in the latter period.
Unit labor costs fell in four of the industries in this sector between 1990 and 1995.
The three industries with the largest unit labor costs declines--railroad transportation,
telephone communications, and gas utilities--also registered the highest productivity
growth rates from 1990 to 1995. In the latter period, unit labor costs again dropped in
railroad transportation and telephone communications and also dropped slightly in
electric utilities. The productivity growth rates in these industries were the highest in this
sector between 1995 and 1999.
Mining
Recent trends
Productivity increased in 1999 in three of the five 3-digit mining industries
reported here. Declines in output per hour were recorded in crushed and broken stone
(-4.8 percent) and copper ores (-10.8 percent).
Unit labor costs fell 0.2 percent in gold and silver ores and 2.0 percent in
bituminous coal and lignite mining in 1999. Increases in unit labor costs occurred in
crude petroleum and natural gas (2.7 percent), crushed and broken stone (8.4 percent),
and copper ores (21.0 percent).
Long-term trends
Over the 1990-99 period, all of the published 3-digit mining industries posted
productivity gains. The largest increases were in gold and silver ores, 5.6 percent per
year, and bituminous coal and lignite mining, 5.5 percent per year.
The two mining industries with the fastest growth in productivity were the only
ones to reduce unit labor costs. From 1990 to 1999, unit labor costs fell 0.7 percent in
gold and silver ores and 2.7 percent in bituminous coal and lignite mining.
From 1990 to 1995, productivity grew in all these 3-digit mining industries. From
1995 to 1999, however, productivity grew in just three of the mining industries, with only
one industry, gold and silver ores, exhibiting a higher rate of growth in the later period.
Unit labor costs fell in one mining industry from 1990 to 1995 and in two
industries between 1995 and 1999. The industries with decreasing unit labor costs were
among those with the largest increases in productivity in both periods.
Technical Note
Revisions
The data in this news release reflect revisions to series as published in table 42 of
the Monthly Labor Review and in the news release Productivity and Costs: Service-
Producing and Mining Industries, 1987-98 (May 26, 2000). Indexes of productivity by
industry have been revised for the years 1978 to 1998 for most of the retail trade and
services industries included in this news release. These revisions are due to the
incorporation of the research series CPI (CPI-U-RS) and of revised annual sales data
from the Census Bureau, which were benchmarked to preliminary Census of Retail Trade
data. The revised series can be obtained in several ways: by visiting the Industry
Productivity web site (http://www.bls.gov/iprhome.htm); by calling the Division of
Industry Productivity Studies (202-691-5618); or by sending a request by e-mail
(dipsweb@bls.gov).
Industry output indexes are prepared from basic data published by various public
and private agencies, using the greatest level of detail available. Data from the Bureau of
the Census, U.S. Department of Commerce, are used extensively in developing output
statistics for manufacturing, trade, and service-producing industries. Data from the 1999
Service Annual Survey (which includes transportation, communications, and personal
and business services) were published primarily on the basis of the new North American
Industry Classification System (NAICS); earlier surveys were published according to the
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. Implementation of NAICS by federal
agencies will be in phases. In order to update the productivity series for this news
release, BLS converted the NAICS-based data to a SIC basis. BLS will continue to
publish the productivity series on a SIC basis until all the data underlying the productivity
series have been converted to a NAICS basis.
All of the measures for 1999 in this news release are preliminary and subject to
revision.
Productivity measurement
The productivity measures in this release describe the relationship between output
and the labor time involved in its production. They show the changes from period to
period in the amount of goods and services produced per hour. Although these measures
relate output to hours of employees or all persons engaged in an industry, they do not
measure the specific contribution of labor, capital, or any other factor of production.
Rather, they reflect the joint effects of many influences, including changes in technology;
capital investment; level of output; utilization of capacity, energy, and materials; the
organization of production; managerial skill; and the characteristics and effort of the
workforce.
Year-to-year movements in productivity measures for some industries might be
somewhat erratic, particularly in the smaller industries. The annual changes in an
industry's productivity are based on sample data, which are likely to differ from data
generated by a census of establishments in the industry. As a result, long-term trends
tend to be more reliable indicators of the performance of an industry than are the year-to-
year changes.
Unit labor cost measurement
The unit labor cost series in this release describe the cost of labor input required
to produce one unit of output. Unit labor costs are calculated as the ratio of current dollar
labor compensation to constant dollar output. The indexes of unit labor costs for each
industry are computed by dividing an index of current dollar compensation by an index of
constant dollar output.
Compensation is a measure of the cost to the employer of securing the services of
labor. It is defined as payroll plus supplemental payments. Payroll includes salaries,
wages, commissions, dismissal pay, bonuses, vacation and sick leave pay, and
compensation in kind. Supplemental payments are divided into legally required
expenditures and payments for voluntary programs. The legally required expenditures
include employers' contributions to Social Security, unemployment insurance taxes, and
workers' compensation. Payments for voluntary programs include all programs not
specifically required by legislation, such as the employer portion of private health
insurance and pension plans.
The indexes of industry output used in measuring labor productivity and unit
labor costs are, wherever possible, calculated with a Tornqvist formula. This formula
aggregates the growth rates of the various industry products between two periods using
the products' shares in industry value of production, averaged over the two periods, as
weights.
Published productivity and unit labor cost data for 2-, 3-, and 4-digit SIC
industries in the goods-producing and service-producing sectors are available on the
Internet at http://www.bls.gov/iprhome.htm. Productivity series for additional industries
have been withheld from publication because they do not meet BLS publication
standards. Unpublished data can be requested by phoning 202-691-5618 or by sending
e-mail to dipsweb@bls.gov.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals
upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5200; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-
877-8339.
Table 1. Annual percent change in output per hour and related series: service-producing and mining industries, 1990-99 and 1998-99
Annual percent change, 1990-99 Annual percent change, 1998-99
1999 --------------------------------- ------------------------------------
SIC Code Industry Employment(1) Output Employee Output Employee
(thousands) per hour(2) Output hours(3) per hour(2) Output hours(3)
Mining
102 Copper ores 14 0.3 -0.1 -0.4 -10.8 -14.0 -3.5
104 Gold and silver ores 14 5.6 1.2 -4.2 6.6 -7.5 -13.2
12 Coal mining 85 5.5 -0.4 -5.6 2.4 -4.6 -6.9
122 Bituminous coal and lignite mining 80 5.5 -0.4 -5.6 2.2 -4.5 -6.6
13 Oil and gas extraction 293 2.7 -0.9 -3.5 12.8 -3.1 -14.1
131 Crude petroleum and natural gas 133 3.5 -0.9 -4.2 3.9 -3.1 -6.7
14 Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels 112 0.8 1.1 0.3 0.6 1.7 1.1
142 Crushed and broken stone 45 0.3 1.8 1.5 -4.8 -1.0 4.0
Transportation
4011 Railroad transportation 203 4.9 2.7 -2.1 5.2 3.7 -1.4
4213 Trucking, except local 901 1.9 3.9 1.9 1.3 4.0 2.6
43 United States Postal Service(4) 873 0.7 1.8 1.2 0.5 1.6 1.1
4512,13, Air transportation 711 1.7 4.2 2.4 -2.2 1.9 4.2
22(PTS)
Communications and Utilities
481 Telephone communications 1070 5.9 7.9 2.0 11.1 15.0 3.5
483 Radio and television broadcasting 248 -0.3 0.6 1.0 1.1 1.6 0.5
484 Cable and other pay television services 201 -1.4 4.8 6.3 -2.4 10.4 13.0
491,3(PT) Electric utilities 480 4.4 1.8 -2.5 1.6 -0.9 -2.5
492,3(PT) Gas utilities 169 3.6 1.5 -2.0 0.5 1.1 0.7
Retail Trade
Retail trade 24092 2.3 3.7 1.4 5.2 7.1 1.8
52 Building materials, hardware, garden supply, 1030 4.2 6.4 2.2 5.7 12.2 6.2
and mobile homes
521 Lumber and other building materials dealers 625 3.5 7.2 3.6 6.1 14.9 8.3
523 Paint, glass, and wallpaper stores 71 4.8 3.8 -1.0 -0.1 7.0 7.1
525 Hardware stores 173 2.9 2.3 -0.6 8.4 8.7 0.3
526 Retail nurseries, lawn and garden supply stores 109 6.7 6.8 0.1 13.1 12.7 -0.4
53 General merchandise stores 2778 4.9 6.4 1.4 8.8 9.1 0.2
531 Department stores 2431 4.8 6.8 1.9 8.8 8.6 -0.2
533 Variety stores 141 8.4 5.7 -2.5 18.9 21.9 2.5
539 Miscellaneous general merchandise stores 207 5.7 4.8 -0.9 5.1 8.8 3.5
54 Food stores 3617 -0.3 0.3 0.6 3.9 2.2 -1.6
541 Grocery stores 3154 -0.1 0.3 0.5 3.4 2.2 -1.1
542 Meat and fish (seafood) markets 58 0.0 -0.4 -0.4 3.8 5.5 1.6
546 Retail bakeries 212 -0.9 1.0 2.0 23.0 8.4 -11.8
55 Automotive dealers and gasoline service stations 2449 2.0 2.8 0.7 5.2 5.7 0.5
551 New and used car dealers 1079 0.5 2.1 1.6 3.0 5.3 2.3
553 Auto and home supply stores 424 1.3 2.8 1.6 2.6 5.2 2.5
554 Gasoline service stations 681 3.5 2.4 -1.1 5.0 1.5 -3.4
56 Apparel and accessory stores 1233 5.3 4.7 -0.6 6.5 8.4 1.8
561 Men's and boys' wear stores 85 3.3 0.7 -2.5 6.5 5.1 -1.2
562 Women's clothing stores 293 6.7 2.0 -4.4 8.2 8.8 0.6
565 Family clothing stores 433 4.2 8.0 3.6 2.3 10.3 7.9
566 Shoe stores 215 3.8 2.3 -1.5 4.2 2.8 -1.3
57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores 1197 6.7 9.1 2.2 11.8 14.9 2.8
571 Furniture and homefurnishings stores 626 2.8 4.1 1.3 5.4 7.6 2.1
572 Household appliance stores 81 6.5 4.1 -2.3 1.4 9.0 7.5
573 Radio, television, computer, and music stores 491 11.2 16.3 4.6 20.8 24.3 2.9
58 Eating and drinking places(5) 8174 0.0 2.2 2.2 2.3 4.5 2.1
59 Miscellaneous merchandise stores 3613 3.3 4.9 1.5 0.5 5.4 4.8
591 Drug and proprietary stores 672 2.2 3.2 1.0 3.3 7.2 3.7
592 Liquor stores 144 0.9 0.2 -0.7 -1.6 6.0 7.8
593 Used merchandise stores 208 6.5 11.3 4.5 11.2 26.2 13.5
594 Miscellaneous shopping goods stores 1203 3.4 5.0 1.5 4.6 8.2 3.4
596 Nonstore retailers 593 8.0 10.7 2.5 6.8 16.4 9.0
598 Fuel dealers 100 3.5 1.9 -1.6 8.8 10.2 1.3
599 Retail stores, n.e.c. 693 3.9 5.6 1.7 2.3 5.0 2.6
Finance and Services
602 Commercial banks 1476 2.6 1.9 -0.7 2.0 2.3 0.3
701 Hotels and motels 1809 1.8 3.1 1.2 1.7 3.6 1.9
72 Personal services 1815 1.2 2.1 0.9 1.6 4.2 2.5
721 Laundry, cleaning, and garment services 525 2.0 2.0 0.1 4.9 4.3 -0.5
722 Photographic studios, portrait 90 0.8 3.4 2.7 -13.6 1.1 17.0
723 Beauty shops 731 1.7 2.6 0.9 2.5 2.5 0.0
724 Barber shops 57 3.6 0.8 -2.7 -12.4 7.1 22.3
726 Funeral services and crematories 107 1.0 0.9 -0.1 -4.3 -1.8 2.7
753 Automotive repair shops 900 1.9 3.1 1.2 2.2 2.2 0.0
783 Motion picture theaters 138 -0.7 1.5 2.3 4.1 5.6 1.4
(1) Employment figures are based primarily on data from the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) program and the Current Population
Survey (CPS). Other sources are: the Association of American Railroads, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Postal Service.
(2) Output per employee hour is measured in mining, transportation, communications, and SICs 531, 551, 602, and 783. Output per hour
of all persons is used for all other trade and services industries. All persons include self-employed and unpaid family workers as well as
employees. In SIC 4213 and 4512,13,22(pts), output per employee hour is based on output per employee with the assumption of constant average
weekly hours.
(3) Employee hours are measured in mining, transportation, communications, and SICs 531, 551, 602, and 783. Hours of all
persons are used for all other trade and services industries. All persons includes self-employed and unpaid family workers as well as employees.
In SIC 4213 and 4512,13,22(pts), employee hours are based on employees with the assumption of constant average weekly hours.
(4) The United States Postal Service, SIC 43, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 431, and the four-digit SIC Industry Number, SIC 4311. Employee hours in SIC 43 are based on the number of
full-time equivalent (FTE) employee years, as reported in the U.S. Postal Service budget. FTE employee years are computed by dividing total
hours of full-time, part-time, and intermittent workers by the number of hours in a standard work year. The output and hours for SIC 43 reflect
the Federal fiscal year.
(5) Eating and drinking places, SIC 58, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 581.
Table 2. Annual percent change in total compensation, output, and unit labor costs: service-producing and mining industries, 1990-99 and
1998-99
Annual percent change, 1990-99 Annual percent change, 1998-99
1999 ---------------------------------- ----------------------------------
SIC Code Industry Employment(1) Total Unit labor Total Unit labor
(thousands) compensation Output costs compensation Output costs
Mining
102 Copper ores 14 3.7 -0.1 3.7 4.1 -14.0 21.0
104 Gold and silver ores 14 0.4 1.2 -0.7 -7.7 -7.5 -0.2
12 Coal mining 85 -3.2 -0.4 -2.8 -6.6 -4.6 -2.1
122 Bituminous coal and lignite mining 80 -3.2 -0.4 -2.7 -6.4 -4.5 -2.0
13 Oil and gas extraction 293 1.9 -0.9 2.8 -6.0 -3.1 -3.0
131 Crude petroleum and natural gas 133 1.1 -0.9 2.0 -0.5 -3.1 2.7
14 Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels 112 3.7 1.1 2.5 3.8 1.7 2.0
142 Crushed and broken stone 45 4.7 1.8 2.9 7.3 -1.0 8.4
Transportation
4011 Railroad transportation 203 0.8 2.7 -1.9 0.7 3.7 -2.9
4213 Trucking, except local 901 5.1 3.9 1.2 6.0 4.0 1.9
43 United States Postal Service(2) 873 4.0 1.8 2.2 3.8 1.6 2.2
4512,13, Air transportation 711 4.8 4.2 0.6 7.0 1.9 5.0
22(PTS)
Communications and Utilities
481 Telephone communications 1070 7.1 7.9 -0.8 16.6 15.0 1.4
483 Radio and television broadcasting 248 5.1 0.6 4.4 4.5 1.6 2.9
484 Cable and other pay television services 201 12.4 4.8 7.3 22.0 10.4 10.5
491,3(PT) Electric utilities 480 1.9 1.8 0.1 1.8 -0.9 2.8
492,3(PT) Gas utilities 169 2.5 1.5 1.0 5.3 1.1 4.1
Retail Trade
Retail trade 24092 5.1 3.7 1.4 7.1 7.1 0.0
52 Building materials, hardware, garden supply, 1030 6.1 6.4 -0.3 9.8 12.2 -2.2
and mobile homes
521 Lumber and other building materials dealers 625 7.3 7.2 0.1 12.1 14.9 -2.4
523 Paint, glass, and wallpaper stores 71 2.6 3.8 -1.2 7.8 7.0 0.8
525 Hardware stores 173 3.0 2.3 0.8 5.5 8.7 -2.9
526 Retail nurseries, lawn and garden supply stores 109 3.8 6.8 -2.8 3.6 12.7 -8.0
53 General merchandise stores 2778 4.5 6.4 -1.8 5.6 9.1 -3.2
531 Department stores 2431 5.1 6.8 -1.6 6.3 8.6 -2.1
533 Variety stores 141 -0.3 5.7 -5.7 3.3 21.9 -15.2
539 Miscellaneous general merchandise stores 207 1.1 4.8 -3.5 -2.3 8.8 -10.2
54 Food stores 3617 3.6 0.3 3.3 2.2 2.2 -0.1
541 Grocery stores 3154 3.4 0.3 3.1 2.6 2.2 0.4
542 Meat and fish (seafood) markets 58 1.6 -0.4 1.9 5.7 5.5 0.2
546 Retail bakeries 212 5.7 1.0 4.7 -6.1 8.4 -13.4
55 Automotive dealers and gasoline service stations 2449 5.4 2.8 2.5 7.4 5.7 1.6
551 New and used car dealers 1079 6.3 2.1 4.1 9.4 5.3 3.9
553 Auto and home supply stores 424 4.7 2.8 1.8 6.9 5.2 1.6
554 Gasoline service stations 681 2.4 2.4 0.1 0.7 1.5 -0.7
56 Apparel and accessory stores 1233 3.4 4.7 -1.3 5.3 8.4 -2.9
561 Men's and boys' wear stores 85 0.5 0.7 -0.2 2.3 5.1 -2.7
562 Women's clothing stores 293 -0.3 2.0 -2.3 5.0 8.8 -3.5
565 Family clothing stores 433 7.7 8.0 -0.3 12.9 10.3 2.3
566 Shoe stores 215 2.5 2.3 0.3 2.3 2.8 -0.5
57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores 1197 6.6 9.1 -2.3 10.4 14.9 -3.9
571 Furniture and homefurnishings stores 626 5.2 4.1 1.0 7.0 7.6 -0.6
572 Household appliance stores 81 0.5 4.1 -3.4 15.9 9.0 6.3
573 Radio, television, computer, and music stores 491 9.7 16.3 -5.6 13.5 24.3 -8.7
58 Eating and drinking places(3) 8174 5.8 2.2 3.6 6.5 4.5 1.9
59 Miscellaneous merchandise stores 3613 5.7 4.9 0.7 11.5 5.4 5.8
591 Drug and proprietary stores 672 5.3 3.2 2.0 9.6 7.2 2.3
592 Liquor stores 144 3.2 0.2 3.0 13.9 6.0 7.4
593 Used merchandise stores 208 7.9 11.3 -3.1 14.5 26.2 -9.3
594 Miscellaneous shopping goods stores 1203 5.2 5.0 0.3 8.7 8.2 0.5
596 Nonstore retailers 593 8.5 10.7 -2.0 23.1 16.4 5.8
598 Fuel dealers 100 1.6 1.9 -0.2 4.0 10.2 -5.6
599 Retail stores, n.e.c. 693 5.1 5.6 -0.4 7.4 5.0 2.2
Finance and Services
602 Commercial banks 1476 5.7 1.9 3.8 8.0 2.3 5.6
701 Hotels and motels 1809 5.7 3.1 2.5 7.5 3.6 3.8
72 Personal services 1815 4.7 2.1 2.5 6.8 4.2 2.5
721 Laundry, cleaning, and garment services 525 3.5 2.0 1.5 3.8 4.3 -0.5
722 Photographic studios, portrait 90 4.3 3.4 0.9 4.3 1.1 3.2
723 Beauty shops 731 5.2 2.6 2.5 5.9 2.5 3.3
724 Barber shops 57 -0.1 0.8 -0.9 35.6 7.1 26.5
726 Funeral services and crematories 107 4.1 0.9 3.2 5.1 -1.8 7.0
753 Automotive repair shops 900 4.8 3.1 1.6 4.6 2.2 2.4
783 Motion picture theaters 138 4.7 1.5 3.1 2.6 5.6 -2.9
(1) Employment figures are based primarily on data from the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) program and the Current Population
Survey (CPS). Other sources are: the Association of American Railroads, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Postal Service.
(2) The United States Postal Service, SIC 43, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 431, and the four-digit SIC Industry Number, SIC 4311.
(3) Eating and drinking places, SIC 58, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 581.
Table 3. Annual percent change in output per hour and related series: service-producing and mining industries, 1990-95 and 1995-99
Annual percent change, 1990-95 Annual percent change, 1995-99
1999 -------------------------------- ------------------------------------
SIC Code Industry Employment(1) Output Employee Output Employee
(thousands) per hour(2) Output hours(3) per hour(2) Output hours(3)
Mining
102 Copper ores 14 2.7 2.9 0.2 -2.6 -3.6 -1.0
104 Gold and silver ores 14 3.3 1.0 -2.3 8.5 1.5 -6.5
12 Coal mining 85 5.6 -0.9 -6.2 5.5 0.2 -5.0
122 Bituminous coal and lignite mining 80 5.6 -1.0 -6.2 5.4 0.2 -4.9
13 Oil and gas extraction 293 3.4 -0.7 -4.0 1.8 -1.1 -2.8
131 Crude petroleum and natural gas 133 4.3 -0.7 -4.8 2.6 -1.1 -3.6
14 Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels 112 0.6 0.1 -0.5 1.1 2.4 1.3
142 Crushed and broken stone 45 0.6 0.8 0.2 -0.1 3.0 3.1
Transportation
4011 Railroad transportation 203 5.7 3.3 -2.3 3.9 1.9 -2.0
4213 Trucking, except local 901 2.5 4.3 1.8 1.2 3.4 2.1
43 United States Postal Service(4) 873 0.5 1.4 1.0 0.9 2.3 1.4
4512,13, Air transportation 711 3.2 3.9 0.7 -0.1 4.5 4.6
22(PTS)
Communications and Utilities
481 Telephone communications 1070 5.5 5.5 -0.1 6.3 11.1 4.5
483 Radio and television broadcasting 248 0.9 1.1 0.2 -1.8 0.0 1.9
484 Cable and other pay television services 201 -1.8 3.0 4.9 -0.9 7.0 8.0
491,3(PT) Electric utilities 480 4.2 2.3 -1.8 4.8 1.3 -3.3
492,3(PT) Gas utilities 169 5.3 2.9 -2.3 1.4 -0.2 -1.6
Retail Trade
Retail trade 24092 1.6 2.8 1.2 3.1 4.9 1.7
52 Building materials, hardware, garden supply, 1030 3.3 5.0 1.6 5.3 8.3 2.8
and mobile homes
521 Lumber and other building materials dealers 625 2.5 5.4 2.9 4.8 9.5 4.5
523 Paint, glass, and wallpaper stores 71 4.2 2.3 -1.8 5.7 5.7 0.0
525 Hardware stores 173 0.0 1.0 1.0 6.6 3.9 -2.6
526 Retail nurseries, lawn and garden supply stores 109 6.7 5.3 -1.3 6.5 8.7 2.1
53 General merchandise stores 2778 4.1 6.2 2.0 5.9 6.6 0.7
531 Department stores 2431 3.7 6.5 2.8 6.2 7.1 0.9
533 Variety stores 141 6.5 2.5 -3.7 10.9 9.9 -0.9
539 Miscellaneous general merchandise stores 207 7.1 5.4 -1.6 3.9 4.0 0.1
54 Food stores 3617 -0.8 -0.2 0.6 0.3 0.9 0.7
541 Grocery stores 3154 -0.6 -0.2 0.4 0.4 0.9 0.5
542 Meat and fish (seafood) markets 58 -0.9 -2.5 -1.6 1.3 2.4 1.1
546 Retail bakeries 212 -1.9 0.1 2.0 0.2 2.1 1.9
55 Automotive dealers and gasoline service stations 2449 1.8 2.0 0.1 2.3 3.7 1.4
551 New and used car dealers 1079 0.3 1.6 1.3 0.9 2.8 1.9
553 Auto and home supply stores 424 1.0 1.8 0.7 1.6 4.2 2.6
554 Gasoline service stations 681 4.3 2.3 -1.9 2.5 2.4 -0.1
56 Apparel and accessory stores 1233 5.4 3.5 -1.8 5.2 6.2 0.9
561 Men's and boys' wear stores 85 1.0 -2.3 -3.2 6.2 4.5 -1.7
562 Women's clothing stores 293 5.6 0.7 -4.6 8.0 3.7 -4.0
565 Family clothing stores 433 5.6 7.5 1.8 2.5 8.6 6.0
566 Shoe stores 215 5.2 1.3 -3.7 2.1 3.5 1.4
57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores 1197 6.0 7.7 1.6 7.6 10.7 2.9
571 Furniture and homefurnishings stores 626 2.3 2.8 0.4 3.4 5.9 2.4
572 Household appliance stores 81 5.8 3.0 -2.6 7.4 5.4 -1.9
573 Radio, television, computer, and music stores 491 10.5 15.6 4.6 12.1 17.1 4.5
58 Eating and drinking places(5) 8174 -0.5 1.5 2.0 0.6 2.9 2.4
59 Miscellaneous merchandise stores 3613 1.7 2.8 1.0 5.3 7.5 2.1
591 Drug and proprietary stores 672 0.9 0.8 -0.1 4.0 6.4 2.3
592 Liquor stores 144 -0.2 -2.6 -2.3 2.3 3.7 1.4
593 Used merchandise stores 208 3.2 7.7 4.4 10.8 16.0 4.7
594 Miscellaneous shopping goods stores 1203 2.8 3.8 1.0 4.2 6.4 2.1
596 Nonstore retailers 593 6.5 9.2 2.5 9.9 12.7 2.5
598 Fuel dealers 100 5.7 3.7 -1.9 0.8 -0.3 -1.1
599 Retail stores, n.e.c. 693 2.1 3.8 1.6 6.1 7.9 1.7
Finance and Services
602 Commercial banks 1476 3.2 1.9 -1.3 1.7 1.9 0.2
701 Hotels and motels 1809 2.8 3.1 0.3 0.7 3.1 2.4
72 Personal services 1815 0.8 1.4 0.7 1.7 3.0 1.3
721 Laundry, cleaning, and garment services 525 0.8 0.8 0.0 3.4 3.5 0.1
722 Photographic studios, portrait 90 3.4 5.5 2.0 -2.5 0.9 3.4
723 Beauty shops 731 1.4 2.6 1.2 2.0 2.5 0.5
724 Barber shops 57 2.8 -0.7 -3.4 4.5 2.7 -1.7
726 Funeral services and crematories 107 1.9 1.4 -0.5 -0.1 0.2 0.3
753 Automotive repair shops 900 2.4 3.0 0.6 1.2 3.3 2.1
783 Motion picture theaters 138 -2.3 -1.4 1.0 1.3 5.3 3.9
(1) Employment figures are based primarily on data from the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) program and the Current Population
Survey (CPS). Other sources are: the Association of American Railroads, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Postal Service.
(2) Output per employee hour is measured in mining, transportation, communications, and SICs 531, 551, 602, and 783. Output per hour
of all persons is used for all other trade and services industries. All persons include self-employed and unpaid family workers as well as
employees. In SIC 4213 and 4512,13,22(pts), output per employee hour is based on output per employee with the assumption of constant average
weekly hours.
(3) Employee hours are measured in mining, transportation, communications, and SICs 531, 551, 602, and 783. Hours of all
persons are used for all other trade and services industries. All persons includes self-employed and unpaid family workers as well as employees.
In SIC 4213 and 4512,13,22(pts), employee hours are based on employees with the assumption of constant average weekly hours.
(4) The United States Postal Service, SIC 43, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 431, and the four-digit SIC Industry Number, SIC 4311. Employee hours in SIC 43 are based on the number of
full-time equivalent (FTE) employee years, as reported in the U.S. Postal Service budget. FTE employee years are computed by dividing total
hours of full-time, part-time, and intermittent workers by the number of hours in a standard work year. The output and hours for SIC 43 reflect
the Federal fiscal year.
(5) Eating and drinking places, SIC 58, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 581.
Table 4. Annual percent change in total compensation, output, and unit labor costs: service-producing and mining industries, 1990-95 and
1995-99
Annual percent change, 1990-95 Annual percent change, 1995-99
1999 ---------------------------------- -----------------------------------
SIC Code Industry Employment(1) Total Unit labor Total Unit labor
(thousands) compensation Output costs compensation Output costs
Mining
102 Copper ores 14 5.9 2.9 2.9 1.0 -3.6 4.7
104 Gold and silver ores 14 1.4 1.0 0.5 -0.8 1.5 -2.2
12 Coal mining 85 -3.8 -0.9 -2.9 -2.4 0.2 -2.6
122 Bituminous coal and lignite mining 80 -3.9 -1.0 -2.9 -2.3 0.2 -2.5
13 Oil and gas extraction 293 0.5 -0.7 1.2 3.7 -1.1 4.8
131 Crude petroleum and natural gas 133 -0.2 -0.7 0.6 2.6 -1.1 3.7
14 Nonmetallic minerals, except fuels 112 2.5 0.1 2.3 5.2 2.4 2.8
142 Crushed and broken stone 45 3.0 0.8 2.2 6.9 3.0 3.8
Transportation
4011 Railroad transportation 203 0.2 3.3 -3.0 1.5 1.9 -0.4
4213 Trucking, except local 901 4.6 4.3 0.3 5.7 3.4 2.3
43 United States Postal Service(2) 873 4.8 1.4 3.3 3.1 2.3 0.8
4512,13, Air transportation 711 3.8 3.9 -0.1 6.1 4.5 1.5
22(PTS)
Communications and Utilities
481 Telephone communications 1070 4.2 5.5 -1.2 10.8 11.1 -0.3
483 Radio and television broadcasting 248 3.8 1.1 2.6 6.8 0.0 6.7
484 Cable and other pay television services 201 10.7 3.0 7.5 14.7 7.0 7.1
491,3(PT) Electric utilities 480 2.6 2.3 0.3 1.2 1.3 -0.1
492,3(PT) Gas utilities 169 2.2 2.9 -0.7 2.8 -0.2 3.1
Retail Trade
Retail trade 24092 4.3 2.8 1.4 6.2 4.9 1.3
52 Building materials, hardware, garden supply, 1030 4.9 5.0 -0.1 7.7 8.3 -0.5
and mobile homes
521 Lumber and other building materials dealers 625 5.8 5.4 0.4 9.2 9.5 -0.3
523 Paint, glass, and wallpaper stores 71 1.3 2.3 -1.0 4.3 5.7 -1.3
525 Hardware stores 173 3.5 1.0 2.5 2.5 3.9 -1.4
526 Retail nurseries, lawn and garden supply stores 109 1.8 5.3 -3.3 6.4 8.7 -2.2
53 General merchandise stores 2778 4.2 6.2 -1.9 4.9 6.6 -1.6
531 Department stores 2431 4.8 6.5 -1.6 5.4 7.1 -1.6
533 Variety stores 141 -1.2 2.5 -3.6 0.8 9.9 -8.3
539 Miscellaneous general merchandise stores 207 1.2 5.4 -4.0 1.0 4.0 -2.9
54 Food stores 3617 3.3 -0.2 3.6 3.9 0.9 3.0
541 Grocery stores 3154 3.1 -0.2 3.3 3.8 0.9 2.9
542 Meat and fish (seafood) markets 58 0.5 -2.5 3.2 2.9 2.4 0.4
546 Retail bakeries 212 5.6 0.1 5.5 5.9 2.1 3.6
55 Automotive dealers and gasoline service stations 2449 4.8 2.0 2.7 6.1 3.7 2.2
551 New and used car dealers 1079 6.0 1.6 4.4 6.6 2.8 3.7
553 Auto and home supply stores 424 3.7 1.8 1.9 6.0 4.2 1.7
554 Gasoline service stations 681 1.7 2.3 -0.6 3.3 2.4 0.9
56 Apparel and accessory stores 1233 1.8 3.5 -1.7 5.4 6.2 -0.8
561 Men's and boys' wear stores 85 -1.3 -2.3 1.0 2.8 4.5 -1.6
562 Women's clothing stores 293 -1.5 0.7 -2.2 1.2 3.7 -2.4
565 Family clothing stores 433 5.6 7.5 -1.8 10.3 8.6 1.5
566 Shoe stores 215 1.1 1.3 -0.2 4.4 3.5 0.8
57 Furniture, home furnishings, and equipment stores 1197 4.5 7.7 -3.0 9.2 10.7 -1.4
571 Furniture and homefurnishings stores 626 3.5 2.8 0.7 7.4 5.9 1.5
572 Household appliance stores 81 -1.3 3.0 -4.2 2.8 5.4 -2.4
573 Radio, television, computer, and music stores 491 7.5 15.6 -7.0 12.6 17.1 -3.9
58 Eating and drinking places(3) 8174 5.0 1.5 3.4 6.9 2.9 3.8
59 Miscellaneous merchandise stores 3613 4.4 2.8 1.5 7.3 7.5 -0.2
591 Drug and proprietary stores 672 4.1 0.8 3.2 6.8 6.4 0.4
592 Liquor stores 144 1.4 -2.6 4.0 5.5 3.7 1.7
593 Used merchandise stores 208 7.7 7.7 0.0 8.2 16.0 -6.8
594 Miscellaneous shopping goods stores 1203 4.0 3.8 0.2 6.8 6.4 0.3
596 Nonstore retailers 593 6.8 9.2 -2.1 10.6 12.7 -1.9
598 Fuel dealers 100 0.5 3.7 -3.0 3.0 -0.3 3.3
599 Retail stores, n.e.c. 693 4.1 3.8 0.3 6.5 7.9 -1.3
Finance and Services
602 Commercial banks 1476 4.2 1.9 2.3 7.7 1.9 5.8
701 Hotels and motels 1809 4.3 3.1 1.1 7.4 3.1 4.2
72 Personal services 1815 3.9 1.4 2.4 5.6 3.0 2.6
721 Laundry, cleaning, and garment services 525 2.9 0.8 2.1 4.3 3.5 0.7
722 Photographic studios, portrait 90 4.8 5.5 -0.7 3.8 0.9 2.9
723 Beauty shops 731 5.1 2.6 2.4 5.4 2.5 2.8
724 Barber shops 57 -1.6 -0.7 -0.9 1.9 2.7 -0.9
726 Funeral services and crematories 107 4.3 1.4 2.9 3.8 0.2 3.6
753 Automotive repair shops 900 3.5 3.0 0.5 6.4 3.3 3.0
783 Motion picture theaters 138 2.2 -1.4 3.7 7.8 5.3 2.4
(1) Employment figures are based primarily on data from the BLS Current Employment Statistics (CES) program and the Current Population
Survey (CPS). Other sources are: the Association of American Railroads, the Department of Transportation, and the U.S. Postal Service.
(2) The United States Postal Service, SIC 43, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 431, and the four-digit SIC Industry Number, SIC 4311.
(3) Eating and drinking places, SIC 58, is also designated in the Standard Industrial Classification Manual and is identical to the
three-digit SIC Group Number, SIC 581.