14

Table 7. WAGES AND SALARIES (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED):
industry workers, by bargaining status and area size

Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries only, private

indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Workers, by bargaining status
Union 122.8 125.4 126.0 0.5 05 05 25 26 2.6
Blue-collar occupations 120.9 123.4 123.6 5 5 2 23 26 22
Goods-producing industries 1 121.3 123.6 124.1 6 3 4 24 25 23
Service-producing industries. 2. 124.8 127.6 128.2 5 6 5 26 27 27
Manufacturing 1229 | 1252 | 1256 z 6 3 26 26 22
Blue-collar occupations .. 122.4 125.0 125.4 7 6 3 24 28 25
Nonmanufacturing .. 1228 | 1255 | 126.1 ‘4 5 S 25 26 27
Nonunion 124.8 127.7 129.1 1.2 6 11 3.3 3.6 34
Blue-collar occupations 1236 | 1263 | 1275 12 9 1.0 3.4 34 32
Goods-producing industries 1 1249 | 1280 | 1289 2 8 2 3.0 34 32
Service-producing industries 2 .. 124.6 127.5 129.1 1.3 7 1.3 34 37 36
Manufacturing .. 126.3 129.6 130.3 a & 5 29 35 3.2
Blue-collar occupations .. 125.4 128.8 129.8 1.0 8 8 35 37 3.5
Nonmanufacturing  .. 124.2 127.0 128.5 1.37 7 12 35 3.6 35
Workers, by region 3
Northeast 124.9 | 1277 | 1288 a) 6 rc) 30 33 34
South 124.4 127.0 128.5 14 8 1.2 34 38 35
Midwest 125.1 127.7 129.0 1.2 6 1.0 35 3.3 34
West 123.3 126.5 127.7 5 6 a 28 34 3.6
Workers, by area size
Metropolitan areas .. 1246 | 1274 | 1287 14 8 1.0 33 “34 33
Other areas .. 1234 | 1265 | 1277 8 12 zy 24 33 35

1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing,
2 includes transportation, communication, and public utiities; wholesale and retail
trade: finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

The regional coverage is as follows: Northeast—Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
and Vermont; South—Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South

Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia; Midwest—Illinois, Indiana,
lowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South
Dakota, and Wisconsin; and West—Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

NOTE; |The indexas for theso series ere not sticty comparable to those forthe
aggregate, occupation, and industry serie


5

Table 1. SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: Employment Cost Index for total compensation, wages and salaries, and benefit costs, by
industry and occupational group

Indexes (June Percent chan;
\ges for 3-months ended
Series 1989=100)
Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | June 1995 | Sep. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | June 1996 | Sep. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
COMPENSATION
Givilian workers ... 131.0 131.8 07 0.6 0.6 06 0.9 0.6 08 06
State and local government 132.5 133.2 8 6 7 6 6 & 8 3
Private industry workers 130.6 131.4 6 6 7 6 x) a z 6
White-collar occupations... 131.9 133.0 7 8 z a 8 8 7 8
Biue-collar occupations 129.2 129.6 6 6 6 6 7 4 x] 3
Service occupations 128.4 129.5 6 5 3 5 7 6 3 a)
Goods-producing industries 1 131.4 131.4 6 6 8 4 9 7 6 2
Construction. 126.7 127.4 6 7 7 6 5 4 a 6
Manufacturing 132.2 132.4 6 6 8 5 9 8 7 2
Durables .. 132.8 132.9 6 5 8 3 12 6 7 a
Nondurables 131.4 131.5 6 6 1.0 7 5 1.2 7 3
Service-producing industries2 | 130.4 131.5 7 6 6 8 8 7 8 8
‘Transportation and public
utilities. 130.6 131.0 8 1.0 7 & 7 6 1.0 3
Wholesale trade 131.0 133.2 re) 1.3 8 6 x) 7 8 1.7
Retail trade 1276 128.7 4 7 4 15 A 14 13 9
Finance, insu
126.0 128.6 1.3 7 3 11 14 3 “6 24
133.6 134.5 6 5 5 8 8 7 8 B
Nonmanutacturing industries ...| 130.1 131.0 7Z 7 6 7 8 7 a 7
WAGES AND SALARIES
Civilian workers ... 128.0 129.1 07 07 06 1.0 08 07 0.8 0.9
State and local government . 130.6 131.4 8 6 8 6 8 & 8 6
Private industry workers 127.4 128.5 7 7 7 1.0 x) 7 8 a
White-collar occupations 128.9 130.2 7 7 7 11 rc) 8 8 1.0
Blue-collar occupations 3 125.4 126.0 9 & 5 o 1.0 5 6 7
Service occupations .... 125.5 126.6 6 6 4 7 7 a 1.0 a
Goods-producing industries 1.3 126.8 127.5 8 6 7 8 1.0 8 6 &
Construction 120.9 122.3 4 8 a ) 8 5 7 1.2
Manufacturing 128.4 129.1 8 5 6 a) a 9 5 5
Durables 3 128.4 129.0 8 6 & 6 1 2 5 5
Nondurables 128.7 129.2 7 6 1.0 9 5 141 8 4
Service-producing industries 2 127.7 129.0 7 8 7 44 38 7 ze) 1.0
Transportation and public
utilities . 127.0 128.1 7 8 6 6 5 7 8 9
Wholesale trade .. 129.5 131.8 9 14 141 ) a 7 7 1.8
Retail trade . 125.8 127.4 4 7 2 at a1 1.0 1.3 13
Finance, insurance, and real
estate 3 122.2 124.5 17 9 3 12 1.8 2 0 1.9
Services 130.6 131.6 6 6 6 1.0 1 7 7 8
Nonmanufacturing industries ...] 127.0 128.2 7 8 7 1.0 9 6 1.0 9

‘See footnotes at end of table.



10

Table 4. COMPENSATION (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): ‘Employment Cost Index for total compensation, private industry

workers, by barg; g status and area size
Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series ‘3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Workers, by bargaining status
Union .... 128.5 130.8 131.0 06 05 0.2 27 24 1.9
Blue-collar occupations 126.8 128.9 128.9 4 5 0 23. 24 17
Goods-producing industries 1 127.9 129.8 130.0 3 5 2 22 18 1.6
Service-producing industries 2 129.0 131.7 131.9 2 5 2 34 3.0 22
Manufacturing ... 128.8 190.6 130.8 5 6 2 2.0 2.0 1.6
Biue-coliar occupations . 128.3 130.1 130.5 4 5 3 17 1.8 17
‘Nonmanufacturing 128.0 130.4 130.6 7 4 2 3.2 26 2.0
Nonunion .. 127.7 130.4 131.8 a 5 Ww 27 3.1 3.2
Blue-collar occupations 126.3 128.9 129.9 1.0 a) 8 27 3.0 29.
Goods-producing industries 1 128.3 131.3 132.0 9 z 5 25 3.2 29
‘Service-producing industries 2 127.3 129.9 131.5 1.0 5 12 28 34 33
Manutacturing .. 129.3 132.5, 133.1 8 6 5 25 3.3 29
Blue-collar occupations 128.1 131.4 132.2 9 8 6 29 3.5 3.2
Nonmanufacturing .... 127.0 129.6 131.1 1.0 5 1.2 28 34 32
Workers, by region 3
Northeast .. 128.9 131.1 132.2 e) A 8B 26 26 26
South 127.0 129.7 130.8 Ww 7 8 27 3.3 3.0
Midwest 129.5 132.1 133.3 9 & a 29 3.0 29
West .. 125.9 128.9 130.3 7 5 Ww 27 34 35
Workers, by area size ,
Metropolitan areas 128.0 130.6 131.7 2 5 8 28 3.0 29
Other areas ... 127.2 130.2 131.4 6 1.2 9 19 29 33
1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia; Midwest—ilinois, Indiana,
Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retail _lowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South
trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries. Dakota, and Wisconsin; and West—Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawai,

The regional coverage is as follows: Northeast—Connecticut, Maine, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsyivania, Rhode Island, .
and Vermont; South—Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, NOTE: The indexes for these series are not strictly comparable to those for the
‘Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South aggregate, occupation, and industry series.


7

Table 2. COMPENSATION (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost Index for total compensation, civilian and state and
local government workers, by industry and occupational group

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Civilian workers 128.3 130.9 132.0 0.9 0.5 08 28 29 29
Excluding sales 128.6 131.2 192.4 re) 5 7 27 29 27
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar occupations 129.4 131.9 133.1 x) 5 2 29 3.0 31
Excluding sales... 129.7 132.4 133.5 9 4 38 27 3.0 2.9
Professional specialty and technical ...| 130.6 133.1 133.7 a) 4 5 28 29 24
Executive, administrative, and
managerial .. 128.5 131.5 133.2 2 3 1.3 26 32 37
Administrative support, including
clerical 130.1 132.6 133.6 9 5 8 28 28 27
Blue-collar occupations 126.7 129.1 129.8 7 6 5 25 26 24
Service occupations 128.0 131.0 1320 5 1.0 8 24 28 34
Workers, by industry division
Goods-producing 1 128.3 130.9 131.5, 7 6 5 24 27 2.5
i 129.3 132.1 132.6 8 6 4 25 3.0 26
128.2 130.9 132.1 9 5 9 29 3.0 3.0
130.4 133.2 1344 8 5 7 25 29 28
132.5 134.4 135.2 4 2 6 24 1.8 20
132.3 133.8 134.2 a A 3 27 1.8 1.4
130.5 133.9 134.0 2 5 a 28 28 27
Public administration 129.2 131.8 133.0 7 8 a 3.0 27 29
Nonmanufacturing .. 127.9 130.5 131.7 x) 5 a 28 29 3.0
State and local government workers 129.9 132.7 133.2 5 6 4 28 26 25
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar occupations 129.6 132.5 132.9 4 5 3 27 26 25
Professional specialty and technical ...] 129.1 132.3 132.5 2 5 2 25 27 26
Executive, administrative, and
managerial . 130.7 132.9 1344 6 7 9 3.0 23 26
Administrative support, including
clerical 130.0 133.0 133.3 7 9 2 29 3.0 25
Blue-collar occupations .. 129.0 131.2 132.1 8 7 7 29 25 24
Service occupations 131.9 134.5 135.6 7 7 8 34 27 28
Workers, by industry division
Services 130.0 133.1 133.2 3 5 A 26 27 25
Excluding schools 3 130.3 132.0 132.5 7 a 4 3.4 20 17
Health services .. 132.5 1341 134.5 7 A 3 32 1.9 15
Hospitals 132.6 134.3 134.8 7 a 4 33 2.0 1.7
Educational services 129.7 133.0 133.1 2 5 A 25 28 26
‘Schools . 130.0 133.4 133.4 2 6 0 25 28 26
Elementary and secondary .. 130.2 133.4 133.1 a 4 0 24 23 22
Colleges and universit 129.4 134.0 134.3 8 11 2 27 44 3.8
Public administration 129.2 131.8 133.0 7 8 ze) 3.0 27 2.9

Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

2 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retail

trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; service industries; and public administration,

3 Formerly called hospitals and other services.


6

Table 1. SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: Employment Cost index for total compensation, wages and salaries, and benefit costs, by
industry and occupational group — Continued

Indexes (June

Percent changes for 3-months ended

Series 1989=100)
Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | June 1995 | Sep. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | June 1996 | Sep. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
BENEFIT COSTS

Civilian workers. ... 138.3 138.5 0.6 o5 “05 0.1 0.6 06 07 0.1
State and local government .......] 136.8 137.5 1.0 5 5 7 4 7 5
Private industry workers 138.7 138.7 5 5 5 0 7 5 7 0
‘White-collar occupations 140.1 140.5, 7 4 5 1 7 8B 5 3
Blue-collar occupations. 137.2 197.0 3 5 6 0 7 2 7 “1
Service occupations 137.2 138.4 4 2 a oA 3 1 6 9
Goods-producing industries * 140.2 139.4 2 4 1.0 +2 8 A a 6
Manufacturing .. 140.2 139.4 a 5 1 at 9 6 8 “6
Service-producing industries? | 137.8 138.3 8 4 4 1 6 7 6 4
Nonmanufacturing industries ....} 138.3 138.8 7 5 3 1 ce 5 7 4

1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. ‘rage; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

2 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retait

‘No identifiable seasonality was found for this series.


9

Table 3. COMPENSATION (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost Index for total compensation, private industry

workers, by industry and occupational group — Continued

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
‘Transportation and public utili 127.9 130.4 131.3 1.0 09 07 34 3.0 27
Transportation 126.9 129.2 130.6 14 B: 14 3.8 3.3 2.9
Public utilities 128.9 131.7 132.0 3 1.0 2 22 25 24
Communicati 128.0 131.1 130.2 2 15 7 13 22 V7
Electric, gas, and sanitary

services .. 130.1 132.4 134.2 4 3 14 33 29 3.2
Wholesale and retail trade 125.5 128.6 130.1 1.0 a 1.2 34 35 37
Excluding sales occupations 125.9 129.0 130.4 7 8 14 29 32 3.6
‘Wholesale trade .... 127.5 130.9 132.9 4 8 15 35 3.1 4.2
Excluding sales occupations 127.4 130.9 132.6. 2 7 1.3 24 3.0 41
Retail trade .... 124.5 127.4 128.5 15 1.0 a: ] 3.0 38 3.2
General merchandise stores 122.4 126.3 126.4 6 14 a 1.9 38 3.3
Food stores .. 123.6 128.4 128.2 1.0 141 2 23 49 37
Finance, insurance, and real estate 124.5 126.0 128.6 an! 6 a4 36 24 3.3
Excluding sales occupations 127.5 129.2 131.5 1.4 “4 18 34 28 3.1

Banking, savings and loan, and other -
credit agencies 126.9 128.0 130.6 2.0 38 2.0 28 29 2.9
Insurance 127.6 129.6 131.9 14 2 1.8 33 29 3.4
Excluding sales occupations 132.1 133.5, 136.0 15 1.9 3.5 25 3.0
Services 130.7 133.4 134.6 1.0 5 ao 25 34 3.0
Business services .. 128.9 131.8 133.3 a4 1.2 qa 35 44 3.4
Health services .. 132.6 134.5 135.5 3 2 7 22 17 2.2
Hospitals .. 132.2 133.7 | 1340 7 2 2 26 18 14
Nursing homes = ~ - 5 9 7 27 26 28
Educational services 134.4 138.0 138.5 5 4 4 43 3.2 3.41
Colleges and universities 135.9 | 130.1 130.5 5 4 3 5A 29 26
‘Nonmanufacturing industries. 127.2 129.8 131.1 1.0 5 1.0 28 34 34
White-collar occupations 1285 | 131.1 132.7 12 5 12 3.0 32 33
Excluding sales 130.0 | 1325 134.0 44 3 ut 28 3.0 34
Biue-collar occupations .. 124.6 126.7 127.5 7 6 & 26 24 23
Service occupations 125.3 | 1286 129.4 5 1.3 6 19 34 33

1 This series has the same industry and occupational coverage as the Hourly

Earpings Index, which was discontinued in January 1

1989.

Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

3 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retail
trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.
~ ‘Data not available.


of Labor
Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

Newsz: ©

Technical contact: USDL: 97-143
Wayne Shelly 202/606-6199
TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL
Media contact: IN THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED
Kathryn Hoyle 202/606-5902 UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EDT), TUESDAY,
APRIL 29, 1997
Internet: http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm

EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX -MARCH 1997

The Employment Cost Index (ECI) for March 1997 was 132.0 (June 1989=100), an increase of 2.9
percent from March 1996, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The ECI
measures changes in compensation costs, which include-wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee
benefits.

Quarterly changes. seasonally adjusted

On a seasonally adjusted basis, compensation costs for civilian workers (private industry plus state and
local government) increased 0.6 percent during the December 1996-March 1997 period. Three-month increases
in compensation costs have ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 percent for the last four years. Wages and salaries increased
0.9 percent during the December 1996-March 1997 period. The increase for the September-December 1996
period was 0.8 percent. Benefit costs increased 0.1 percent in the December 1996-March 1997 period; the same
as the quarterly increase a year earlier in the December 1995-March 1996 period. In September-December
1996, these costs increased 0.7 percent.

Table’ A. Percent changes in Employment Cost Index for civilian workers

Seasonally adjusted Unadjusted
3-months ended 12-months
Compensation June Sep. Dec. Mar.| June Sep. Dec. Mar. ended
Component .1995 1995 1995 1996} 1996 1996 1996 1997 Mar. 1997
Compensation costs 0.7 06 06 06;09 06 O08 06 2.9
Wages and salaries 0.7 #07 06 %10/08 07 O8 09 3.3
Benefit costs 06 #O5S O05 O11} 06 06 O07 O1 2.0

This release includes annual revisions in seasonally adjusted Employment Cost Indexes for
compensation costs, wages and salaries, and benefit costs. Seasonally adjusted indexes for 1992-1996 were
revised to reflect updated seasonal factors and are available upon request by calling (202) 606-6199 or sending
e-mail to ocltinfo@bls.gov. The seasonal factors for 1997 will be published in the Summer 1997 issue of the
BLS periodical, Compensation and Working Conditions.



12

Table 6. WAGES AND SALARIES (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost index for wages and salaries only, private
industry workers, by industry and occupational group

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 7 ‘3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Private industry workers... 124.4 127.3 128.6 14 06 1.0 32 34 34
Excluding sales . 124.7 127.5 128.6 1 6 9 34 33 3.4
White-collar occupations 125.8 128.7 130.2 1.2 5 12 34 35 35
Excluding sale: 126.7 129.4 130.8 1.2 3 11 3.2 34 3.2
Professional specialty and technical 127.8 129.9 131.0 1.3 2 8 33 3.0 25
Executive, administrative, and
managerial 125.9 129.3 131.0 1.2 3 13 3.3 3.9 44
Sales . 122.0 125.9 127.8 13 1.6 15 44 46 48
Administrative support, including
clerical .. 126.5 129.2 130.6 1.0 5 1A 29 34 32
Blue-collar occupations .... 122.5 125.1 126.0 a 6 7 29 3.0 29
Precision praduction, craft, and repair 122.4 125.4 125.8 8 7 6 3.0 3.0 28
Machine operators, assemblers, .
and inspectors . 123.4 126.4 127.2 2 8 6 32 34 at
Transportation and mat 120.0 121.4 1223 12 A 1.0 26 24 19
Handlers, equipment cleaners,
helpers, and laborers .. 124.2 1274 128.4 13 1.0 1.0 34 37 34
Service occupations .. 122.2 125.7 126.6 7 13 7 23 35 3.6
Production and nonsupervisory
‘occupations ! ... 123.7 126.5 1277 1A 7 a 32 3.3 32
Goods-producing industries 2 123.9 1268 127.5 8 6 6 29 32 29
Excluding sales occupations 123.5 126.3 127.0 a cc 6 3.0 32 28
White-collar occupations 126.2 129.1 130.0 7 4 7 26 3.0 3.0
Excluding sales .. 125.3 128.1 128.9 a F 6 29 34 29
Blue-collar occupations .. 122.4 125.3 126.0 8 6 6 3.0 32 29
Construction .. 118.3 120.8 122.0 8 3 1.0 3.0 29 34
Manutacturing 125.4 128.4 129.1 9 $ 5 29 33 3.0
White-collar occupations... 127.1 130.1 130.6 8 4 4 26 32 28
Excluding sales 126.0 128.9 1293 1.0 P 3 29 33 26
Blue-collar occupations 124.2 127.3 128.0 a 8 5 32 34 3.1
Durables 125.1 128.4 129.0 6 5 5 26 33 34
Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) . 129.0 130.9 132.0 7 2 8 26 22 23
White-collar occupations 124.4 126.5 1278 7 3 1.0 26 27 3.0
Blue-collar occupations . 136.1 137.1 137.7 7 a 4 26 15 1.2
Nondurables .. 125.8 128.5 129.3 1 7 6 32 33 28
Service-producing industries 3 124.7 127.5 129.0 1.2 6 1.2 33 35 34
Excluding sales occupations 125.6 128.3 129.7 14 5 1 34 3.3 33
White-collar occupations 125.6 128.5 130.1 13 5 1.2 35 3.6 3.6
Excluding sales 127.2 129.9 131.5 13 3 1.2 32 34 34
Biue-collar occupations 122.7 1248 126.0 11 8 1.0 29 28 27
Service occupations 122.0 125.6 126.5 6 1.3 7 23 35 37

See footnotes at end of table.



Table 5. WAGES AND SALARIES (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED)

1]

mployment Cost Index for wages and salaries only, civilian
and state and local government workers, by industry and occupational group

indexes (June 1989=100)

Percent changes for

Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Civilian workers 125.1 128.0 129.2 1.0 06 0.9 34 33 33
Excluding sale: 125.3 128.1 129.2 9 5 9 3.0 34 31
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar occupations .. 126.3 129.3, 130.6 1.0 5 1.0 32 3.4 34
Excluding sales 127.0 129.9 131.0 1.0 4 8 3.4 3.3 3.1
Professional specialty and technical 128.0 130.7 131.4 ) 4 5 34 3.0 27
Executive, administrative, and
managerial 126.2 129.4 131.0 1.2 3 1.2 33 38 38
Administrative suppor
clerical .. 126.4 129.1 130.4 1.0 5 1.0 29 3.4 32
Biue-collar occupations 122.8 125.4 126.2 a) 7 6 3.0 3.0 28
Service occupations .. 124.2 1276 128.6 6 1 8 25 34 3.5
Workers, by industry division
Goods-producing 1 123.9 126.8 1276 8 6 6 28 32 3.0
Manufacturing 125.4 128.4 129.1 a 5 s 29 33 3.0
Service-producing 125.6 128.5 129.8 1.0 6 1.0 32 34 3.3
Services .. 128.0 131.1 132.0 a 6 7 29 33 3.1
Health services 129.3, 131.4 132.4 7 5 8 25 23 24
Hospitals 128.6 130.5 131.0 6 4 4 25 24 1.9
Educational services .. 128.8 122.3 132.5 2 5 2 3.0 3.0 29
Public administration 124.9 1277 128.9 6 a 2 25 29 3.2
Nonmanufacturing .. 125.0 127.8 129.1 1 6 1.0 32 33 33
‘State and local government workers ... 127.8 130.9 131.4 4 6 4 28 28 28
Workers, by occupational group :
White-collar occupations 127.9 131.1 131.4 4 6 2 28 29 27
Professional specialty and technical... 128.3 131.7 131.9 2 5 2 28 29 28
Executive, administrative, and
managerial 127.7 130.2 131.3 6 7 8 29 26 28
Administrative support, including .
clerical 125.8 129.0 129.2 6 1.0 2 27 34 27
Blue-collar occup: 126.6 128.8 129.6 7 7 6 28. 25 24
‘Service occupations 128.1 131.0 132.4 6 7 11 28 29 34
Workers, by industry division
Services 128.6 131.9 132.4 3 5 2 3.0 29 27
Excluding schools 3 128.2 130.5 131.2 6 3 5 26 24 23
Health services .. 129.3, 131.4 132.1 5 2 5 26 22 22
Hospitals... 129.1 131.3 131.9 6 3 5 26 23 22
Educational services 128.5 132.0 132.1 2 5 a 3.0 29 28
‘Schools 128.7 132.2 132.2 2 6 0 3.0 3.0 27
Elementary and secondary 129.3 132.4 132.4 a 3 oO. 3.0 25 24
Colleges and universities 126.8 131.2 131.5 7 14 2 29 42 37
Public administration 124.9 127.7 128.9 6 x) a 25 29 3.2

1 includes mining, construction, and manufacturing,

ing.
2 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retail

finance, insurance, and real estate; service industries; and public administration.

Je:
mg Formerty called hospitals and other services.


8

Table 3. COMPENSATION (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost Index for total compensation, private industry
workers, by industry and occupational group

Indexes (June 1989=100)

Percent changes for

Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997

Private industry workers... 127.9 130.6 131.7 0.9 06 08 27 34 3.0
Excluding sales .. 128.3 130.8 131.9 re 5 8 26 29 28
White-collar occupations 129.0 131.7 133.4 14 8 14 3.0 32 32
Excluding sales .. 129.9 1325 133.7 1.0 4 9 29 3.0 29
Professional specialty and technical 131.6 133.7 134.6 13 3 7 34 29 23
128.0 131.3 133.0 9 3 13 25 35 3.9
124.8 128.1 130.1 1.3 1 16 38 40 42

Administrative support, including
clerical .. 130.1 132.5 133.7 9 4 9 28 27 28
Blue-collar occupations. 126.6 129.0 129.6 8 z 5 25 27 24
Precision production, craft, and repair 126.5 129.1 129.6 6 7 4 25 27 25

Machine operators, assemblers,
and inspectors. 427.4 129.5 130.0 2 8 4 23 26 23
‘Transportation and material moving 123.9 125.2 126.1 7 2 7 17 18 18

Handlers, equipment cleaners,
helpers, and laborers . 128.5 131.3 132.8 13 1.0 44 35 35 33
Service occupations 125.8 128.9 129.8 5 12 a 1.9 3.0 32
Production and nonsupervisory

‘occupations 127.5 130.0 131.4 1.0 8 8 27 29 28
Goods-producing industries 2 128.2 130.9 131.4 a a 23 28 25
Excluding sales occupation: 128.0 130.5 1314 8 5 25 28 24
White-collar occupations .. 130.0 132.9 1335 8 5 22 3.0 27
Excluding sales 129.4 132.1 1326 2 4 25 3.0 25
Blue-collar occupations. 127.4 129.6 130.2 8 5 24 26 24
Construction .. 124.3 126.4 127.2 7 s& 26 24 23
Manutacturing .. 129.3 132.1 1326 8 4 25 3.0 26
White-collar occupations 130.5 133.6 133.9 8 2 24 32 26
Excluding sale: 129.5 132.5 1328 rc) 2 27 33 25
Blue-collar occupations .. 128.4 131.1 131.7 7 5 25+ 28 26
Durables .. 129.7 132.6 133.0 5 3 24 28 25
Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) 136.9 137.4 137.3 23 1 48 27 3
White-collar occupations... 132.4 133.7 133.5 26 4 45 36 8
Blue-collar occupations 143.3 142.3 142.3 2.0 0 5.6 13 -7
Nondurables ... 128.3 131.0 131.7 1.0 5 29 31 27
Service-producing industries 3 127.6 130.2 131.6 14 44 3.0 32 34
Excluding sales occupations 128.4 130.9 1322 9 1.0 27 29 3.0
White-collar occupations .. 128.5 131.4 132.7 1 12 at 34 3.3
Excluding sales 130.0 1326 134.0 1.0 1 28 3.0 34
Blue-collar occupations 125.2 1273 128.2 1.0 7 25 27 24
Service occupations .. 125.3 128.6 129.5 4 7 19 3.0 34

See footnotes at end of table.


Chart A. Changes in wages and salaries and ‘Chart B. Changes in benefits, seasonally
benefit costs, private industry adjusted and not seasonally adjusted, private

Wages & salaries Benefits industry

Seasonally adjusted Not seasonally adjusted

12-month percent change ss en
3-month percent change
6-

0

81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97 81 83 85 87 89 91 93 95 97

Chart C. Changes in benefits Chart D. Changes in benefits,
by industry sector, private industry by bargaining status, private industry
Goods-producing Service-producing

Union Nonunion’

12-month percent change 12-month percent change

4 14,
12 YD.
10 10
8 8
6 6
4 4
2 2
“8183. 85 87. 89 91.93.95. 97 ov "st 83. 85 87 89 91 93. 95 97

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Compensation Levels and Trends April 1997 ocltinfo@bls.gov 202.606.6199


15

Table 8. BENEFITS (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost Index for benefits only, civilian, state and local and private
industry workers, by industry and occupational group

indexes (June 1989100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997

Civilian workers 136.2 | 1382 | 1389 05 04 0s 1.8 2.0 2.0
State and local government workers 134.7 | 1368 | 137.4 6 5 4 27 22 20
Private industry workers. 136.6 138.6 139.4 5 4 6 1.6 2.0 2.0
White-collar occupations: 137.7 139.7 140.8 7 A 8 18 22 2.3
Blue-collar occupations 135.2 137.0 137.2 A & a 14 17 1.5
Service occupations 135.7 | 1374 | 1383 “2 rc) 7 5 1.0 19
Goods-producing industries 1 .. 137.7 139.7 139.9 4 & a 13 19 1.6
Service-producing industries 2 135.5 | 1374 138.5 6 a 8 17 20 22
Manufacturing ... 137.5, 139.8 139.9 6 7 A 16 23 17
Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) 1542 | 151.6 | 1481 55 21 20 94 38 36
White-collar occupations 1520 | 1509 | 1468 67 -8 27 85 59 “3.4
Blue-collar occupations 1567 | 1522 | 1509 39 “3.9 -9 107 9 -37
‘Nonmanufacturing 136.0 137.9 138.9 5 3 7 1.6 19 24
Union workers 139.1 140.7 140.2 8 & 4 3.2 2.0 8
Nonunion workers .. 1358 | 1378 | 1389 5 3 8 12 2.0 23

1 includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. NOTE: The indexes for these series are not strictly comparable to those for the

2 includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retail aggregate, occupation, and industry series,
‘rade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.


17

sample. The indexes for these series, consequently, are not strictly comparable to those for the aggregate,
industry, and occupation series. A fuller explanation of the calculation of index numbers appears in an.article,
“Estimation procedures for the Employment Cost Index," in the May 1982 issue of the Monthly Labor Review.

Beginning with the March 1990 ECI release, indexes were rebased to June 1989=100. A description of
the rebasing is included in the article "Employment Cost Index Rebased to September 1989," in the April 1990

issue of the Monthly Labor Review.

Beginning with the December 1990 ECI release, seasonally adjusted data are available for selected ECI
series. Seasonal adjustment removes the effects of events that follow a more or less regular pattern each year.
These adjustments make nonseasonal patterns easier to spot. ECI series are seasonally adjusted using either
direct or composite seasonally adjusted estimates. Industry and occupational series, such as construction and
service occupations, are adjusted directly. More aggregate series, such as civilian or private industry workers,
use composite estimates. The composite estimates could be obtained by aggregating either the industry or the
occupational components, and the results may differ depending on which method is used. The aggregate
seasonally adjusted ECI series are estimated by aggregating the component seasonally adjusted industry series, i
so they are not necessarily a weighted average of the component occupation series.

The costs per hour worked of compensation components, based on March 1996 data from the EC, are
published in a separate news release titled "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation - March 1996." A
description of the cost levels is provided in the article "Analyzing employers’ costs for ‘wages, salaries, and
benefits" in the October 1987 issue of the Monthly Labor Review. The cost levels, which are usually published
annually in the summer, are calculated with current employment weights, rather than the fixed 1990 weights
used in computing the ECI. Therefore, year-to-year changes in the cost levels will usually differ from those in
the ECI.

More detailed information on the ECI is available in several sources. These include an annual bulletin,
Employment Cost Indexes and Levels, 1975-95, (Bulletin 2466); a chapter in the BLS Handbook of Methods
(Bulletin 2414), "The Employment Cost Index;" and several articles published in the Monthly Labor Review.
The annual bulletin is available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office,
Washington, D.C. 20402, or Bureau of Labor Statistics, Publications Sales Center, P.O. Box 2145, Chicago,
Illinois 60690, 312-353-1880. Reprints of the articles plus other descriptive pieces and a complete historical
listing are available upon request. ECI historical data are also available on data diskettes.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice
phone: 202-606-7828, Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD) phone: 202-606-5897, TDD Message
Referral Phone Number: 1-800-326-2577.


ECI data for December 1995 and March 1996 were corrected from the originally published estimates.
These corrections were introduced with the release of June 1996 ECI data.

Data for aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) that formerly appeared in table 9 now appear in the tables
that cover the individual compensation components. Thus, compensation estimates appear in table 3, wages and
salaries appear in table 6, and benefits appear in table 8. In each of the tables, aircraft manufacturing is listed as
a subcategory of manufacturing. :

The ECI for June 1997 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, July 29, 1997, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT).

BLS Data Available on the World Wide Web and Fax On Demand

ECT data, as well as other data produced by BLS, are now available on the World Wide Web. The ECI
home page address is: http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm. The BLS home page address is: http://stats.bls.gov.
There is no charge from BLS for using this service; however, there may be a charge from your Internet service
provider. To access data using GOPHER or Anonymous FTP, use the Internet address: stats.bls.gov.

For technical assistance in using the BLS Internet site, send e-mail to: labstat.helpdesk @bls.gov. For
ECI data requests, send e-mail to: ocltinfo@bls.gov.

News releases and other information are available from the BLS fax-on-demand service. To request a
document fax, call 202-606-6325. To request a catalog of available documents, select option 2 at the initial
voice prompt. To request data found in this news release, enter the following codes:

Text 4110
Tables 1-4 4115
Tables 5-7 4120
Table 8 4125

Explanatory notes 4190



2

Compensation costs for private industry workers increased 0.6 percent during the December 1996-March
1997 period. Over the past two years, compensation increases have ranged from 0.6 to 0.9 percent in private
industry. Wages and salaries increased 0.9 percent in March; in December, the increase was 0.8 percent.
Benefit costs were unchanged in March. (See table 1.)

Compensation costs for state and local government workers increased 0.5 percent in the December 1996-
March 1997 period compared with a 0.8 percent increase in the previous quarter. Wages and salaries, which
have increased at a three-month rate of 0.6 to 0.9 percent for the last four years, rose 0.6 percent. Benefit costs
increased 0.5 percent; in December, there was a 0.7 percent increase in benefit costs.

Over-the-year changes, not seasonally adjusted

Compensation costs for civilian workers (not seasonally adjusted) increased 2.9 percent for the year that
ended in March 1997; such costs rose 2.8 percent during the 12-month period ended in March 1996. (See table
2.) In private industry, compensation costs increased 3.0 percent for the year that ended in March 1997. (See
table 3.) In state and local government, these costs increased 2.5 percent over the year. (See table 2.)

In private industry, wages and salaries increased 3.4 percent for the 12-month period that ended in
March 1997. For the year that ended in March 1996, the increase was 3.2 percent. (See table 6.) Benefit costs
for private industry workers increased 2.0 percent in the year ended in March 1997, compared with an increase
of 1.6 percent the previous year. Benefit cost increases have remained low because of decreases in state
unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation, as well as the continued moderation in health insurance
costs. (See table 8 and chart A.) ,

Over the year ended in March 1997, compensation cost increases in private industry were 3.2 percent for
white-collar workers, 2.4 percent for blue-collar workers, and 3.2 percent for service occupations. Among
occupational groups, increases ranged from 1.8 percent for transportation and material moving occupations to
4.2 percent. for sales occupations.

For the year ended in March 1997, compensation cost gains in private industry were 2.5 percent for
goods-producing and 3.1 percent for service-producing industries. Among the specific industries, increases
ranged from 0.3 percent for aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) to 4.2 percent for wholesale trade.

Over-the-year compensation cost increases in private industry were 3.2 percent for nonunion workers
and 1.9 percent for union workers. In goods-producing industries, the difference was statistically significant,
with union compensation increasing 1.6 percent and nonunion increasing 2.9 percent. In the service-producing
industries, the difference was not statistically significant. (See table 4.)


13

Table 6. WAGES AND SALARIES (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries only, private

industry workers, by industry and occupational group — Continued

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997 | Mar. 1996 | Dec. 1996 | Mar. 1997
‘Transportation and public utilities 124.6 127.0 128.2 0.7 0.9 0.9 28 27 29
Transportation 122.9 124,7 126.5 14 7 14 33 25 29
Public utilities 126.5 129.8 130.1 3 1 2 24: 29 28
Communications 126.1 130.3 129.8 A 16 4 14 32 29
Electric, gas, and sanitary

services .. 127.0 129.0 130.4 x) 4 11 29 25 27
Wholesale and retail trade 123.9 127.0 128.5 13 1.0 1.2 38 3.8 37
Excluding sales occupations 124.4 1277 1293 1.0 9 1.3 35 37 3.9
Wholesale trade 126.1 129.6 131.4 5 a 14 43 33 42
Excluding sales occupations 126.3 1298 131.8 5 7 15 34 3.3 44
Retail trade ... 122.8 125.8 1274 1.8 14 1.0 35 43 35
General merchandise stores 121.0 124.7 125.0 7 17 2 26 38 33
Food stores .. 120.5 124.7 124.8 1.2 13 4 23 47 3.6
Finance, insurance, and real estate 119.8 122.2 124.5 1.2 0 19 42 32 3.9
Excluding sales occupations 123.4 125.3 127.2 17 -6 15 34 3.3 34

Banking, savings and loan, and other
credit agencies 122.7 123.8 125.9 22 24 17 29 34 26
Insurance 123.6 126.0 127.9 i 5 15 32 3.4 35
Excluding sales occupations 128.0 129.7 131.6 13 3 15 34 27 28
Services 127.6 130.5 131.8 13 6 1.0 3.0 36 3.3
Business services .. 126.9 130.1 131.4 24 12 1.0 3.9 AZ 35
Health services . 129.3 131.4 132.5 7 5 8 25 23 25
Hospitals ... 128.5 130.3 130.7 6 5 3 25 2.0 17
Nursing homes - - - 8 1.0 1 34 28 3.4
Educational services 130.1 133.8 134.5 5 4 5 36 34 34
Colleges and universities 130.6 133.8 134.6 4 3 6 44 28 34
Nonmanufacturing industries 123.9 1268 128.2 14 7 1 33 35 35
White-collar occupations 125.4 128.3 129.9 13 5 1.2 36 3.6 36
._ Excluding sales 126.9 129.6 131.2 1.2" 3 1.2 33 33 34
Biue-collar occupations .. 120.9 123.1 124.1 rc) 6 29 28 26
Service occupations 122.0 125.5 126.4 7 13 7 23 35 36

1 This series has the same industry and occupational coverage as the Hourly
Earnings Index, which was discontinued in January 1989.

2

Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

3 includes transportation, communication, and public ulilties; wholesale and retail

trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

Data not available.


16
EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Employment Cost Index (ECI) is a measure of the change in the cost of labor, free from the
influence of employment shifts among occupations and industries. The compensation series includes changes in
wages and salaries and employer costs for employee benefits. The wage and salary series and the benefit cost
series provide the change for the two components of compensation.

Wages and salaries are defined as the hourly straight-time wage rate or, for workers not paid on an
hourly basis, straight-time earnings divided-by the corresponding hours. Straight-time wage and salary rates are
total earnings before payroll deductions, excluding premium pay for overtime and for work on weekends and
holidays, shift differentials, and nonproduction bonuses such as lump-sum payments provided in lieu of wage
increases. Production bonuses, incentive earnings, commission payments, and cost-of-living adjustments are
included in straight-time wage and salary rates.

Benefits covered by the ECI are: Paid leave (vacations, holidays, sick leave, and other leave);
supplemental pay (premium pay for overtime, shift differentials, and nonproduction bonuses such as lump-sum
payments provided in lieu of wage increases); insurance benefits (life, health, sickness and accident, and long-
term disability); retirement and savings benefits (defined benefit and defined contribution); legally required
benefits (social security, Federal and State unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation, and other legally
required benefits such as State temporary disability); and other benefits (severance pay and supplemental
unemployment plans).

The ECI provides data for the civilian economy, which includes the total private economy and the public
sector--excluding farms, households, and the Federal government. The private industry series and the State and
local government series provide data for the two sectors separately.

Data for this quarter were collected from a probability sample of approximately 17,800 occupations
within about 4,200 sample establishments in private industry and approximately 4,500 occupations within about
850 sample establishments in State and local governments. Data are collected for the pay period including the
12th day of the survey months of March, June, September, and December.

The sample establishments are classified in industry categories based on the 1987 Standard Industrial
Classification (SIC), as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

Within an establishment, specific job categories are selected to represent broader occupational
definitions. From June 1986 through December 1994, the jobs were classified according to definitions used in
the 1980 Census. Prior to June 1986, they were classified according to the 1970 Census. Differences between
the two classification systems are slight, as indicated in the article "Introducing new weights for the
Employment Cost Index," in.the June 1985 issue of the Monthly Labor Review. Beginning with March 1995,
the jobs’are classified according to the 1990 Census, which differs little from the 1980 Census.

Fixed employment weights are used each quarter to calculate the most aggregate indexes--civilian,
private, and State and local governments. These fixed weights are also used to derive all of the industry and
occupation series indexes. Beginning in March 1995, 1990 employment counts primarily from the Bureau's
Occupational Employment Statistics survey were used. A description of the reweighting is included in an article
"Introducing 1990 Weights for the Employment Cost Index," that was published in the June 1995 issue of
Compensation and Working Conditions, and which is available upon request. From June 1986 through

" December 1994, employment counts from the’1980 Census were used as weights. Prior to June 1986,
employment counts from the 1970 Census were used.

For the series based on bargaining status, region, or area size, employment data are not available from
the Census. The employment weights are reallocated within these series each quarter based on the current ECI