Table 7, WAGES AND SALARIES (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries only, private
industry workers, by bargaining status, region, and area size

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
‘Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Workers, by bargaining status
Union .. 119.8 1222 122.8 0.6 06 os 28 26 25
Blue-collar occupations 118.2 120.4 120.8 5 3 3 27 24 22
Goods-producing industries 1 118.4 120.5 121.3 4 2 7 26 22 24
‘Service-producing industries 2 121.6 126.3 1247 8 rc) 3 3.1 34 25
1219 1229 5 5 8 27 23 26
121.6 1225 $ 5 7 27 23 25
1223 122.7 7 6 3 29 28 24
123.3 125.0 8 & 1.4 29 29 35
121.9 123.1 1.0 4 1.0 34 + 3.0 3.0
Goods-producing industries 1 1213 123.7 1248 8 7 ) 3.4 28 29
Service-producing industries 2 1205 123.4 1249 8 6 15 28 3.0 37
125.1 126.1 1.0 6 8 35 3.0 28
124.2 125.4 1.0 3 1.0 3.4 35 35
122.6 124.4 8 6 18 27 29 37
123.6 1249 9 4 a] 3.0 28 3.0
1225 1243 8 6 15 29 29 36
123.5 124.9 7 4 1 29 28 33
122.7 123.9 8 1 1.0 28 34 33
Workers, by area size
(Metropolitan BFOBS scree 1206 |, 1232 124.8 8 7 13 29 29 35
Other areas ...... 1208 122.4 1232 13 2 7 3.0 29 22

1 Includes mining, construction, and

rage:

‘The regional coverage is as folows:

2 includes transportation, communication, and public utilties; wholesale and retail
finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

Northeast—Connecticut, Maine,
Massachusats New Hampshire, New Jory. New York, Pennsyivania, Rhode Island,

Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West
fowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,

; Midwest-—illinois, Indiana,

‘Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South
Dakota, and Wisconsin; and West—Alaska, Arizona, Caltfomia,

Colorado, Hawaii,

idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming
NOTE: The indexes for these series are not strictly comparable to those for the

aggregate, occupation, and industry series.


Table 1. SEASONALLY ADJUSTED: Employment Cost index for total compensation, wages and salaries, and benefit costs, by

industry and occupational group
Indexes (June
sores 1989-100) Percent changes for 3-months ended
Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | June 1994 | Sep. 1994 | Dec. 1994 | Mar. 1995 | June 1995 | Sep. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
COMPENSATION
Civilian workers 1275 128.4 08 08 07 07 08 06 08 0.7
State and local govemment .......| 129.3 130.0 8 7 6 8 1.0 5 x) 5
Private industry workers 1274 128.0 8 8 6 7 7 6 8 7
i 128.1 129.4 8 2 6 7 7 7 a 1.0
125.9 1261 |. 7 3 s 5 7 6 7 2
125.6 126.0 5 7 a 6 6 5 5 3
127.8 128.0 1 7 6 7 6 6 3 2
123.7 124.6 1 8 0 2 5 7 7 7
128.5 128.7 cc) a 6 6 6 6 a 2
129.3 129.3 3 WW 7 6 7 4 9 0
1272 127.7 38 7 5 4 6 6 1.0 4
127.0 128.0 7 a 6 9 7 7 1.0 8
127.3 127.7 7 13 3 1 8 10 1.0 3
127.0 1277 12 1.0 a 1.4 9 13 7 6
123.4 125.0 rr) 1.0 2 7 2 7 7 15
123.5 124.7 o 7 3 1 13 a 7 1.0
129.8 131.5 6 7 6 6 7 5 7 1.3
126.4 1275 8 8 5 7 8 6 8 9
WAGES AND SALARIES
123.9 125.2 08 08 07 07 07 07 07 1.0
127.1 1278 7 8 8 8 7 7 8 6
123.2 124.6 8 8 6 8 7 7 : ia)
1245, 126.3 8 7 7 7 8 7 4 14
1213 122.2 8 x) 4 8 a 6 4 7
121.4 122.2 5 5 14 5 6 6 5 7
122.8 123.8 x) 8 6 7 8 6 6 8
117.3 118.5 2 7 4 3 5 6 8° 1.0
124.3 125.2 8 8 7 cc) 8 5 6 7
124.2 125.0 8 c) 8 a 8 6 5 6
1245 125.7 9 cc) 4 7 7 6 a 1.0
Service-producing industries? | 123.4 124.9 8 8 6 8 7 a 7 12
‘Transportation and public
utilities .. 123.9 124.4 6 15 8 14 7 8 8 4
Wholesale trade 125.0 126.5 13 8 7 12 1.0 13 8 1.2
Retail trade 1208 123.3 1.0 cc) 3 9 3 7 5 24
Finance, ins
estate 3 118.8 119.7 “4 5 4 7 17 x] 7 8
Services ... 126.1 128.1 7 s 7 7 6 6 6 16
Nonmanutacturing industries ...| 122.7 1242 8 8 5 7 8 7 7 12

‘See footnotes at end of table.


18

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
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 foliow 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,
so they are not necessarily a weighted average of the component occupation series.

The costs per hour worked of compensation components, based on March 1995 data from the ECl, are
published in a separate news release titled "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation - March 1995." 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 published
annually in mid-June, are calculated with current employment weights, rather than the fixed 1990 Census
weights used in computing the ECI. Therefore, year-to-year changes in the cost levels will usually differ from
those in .

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. Reprints of the articles plus other descriptive pieces and a complete historical listing are
available upon request. ECT 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.


Table 4. COMPENSATION (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost Index for total compensation, private industry
workers, by bargaining status, region, and area size

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Workers, by bargaining status
Union .. 125.1 127.9 | 1285 07 09 0s 26 3.0 27
Biue-collar occupations 124.0 | 1265 | 1267 s 6 2 23 25 2.2
Goods-producing industries ' .. 125.2 | 1275 | 1277 4 6 2 22 22 20
‘Service-producing industries 2 124.8 128.2 129.1 1.0 wt 7 341 37 34
1282 | 1285 4 rc) 2 22 19 17
1279 | 128.0 4 9 1 21 18 15
127.4 | 128.0 8 1.0 5 29 36 32
126.7 | 128.1 2 6 ww 3.0 28 34
125.1 125.8 9 5 6 28 26 23
tz7a | 1281 ry 7 6 3.0 26 23
1262 | 1279 3 s 13 29 29 3.3
1283 | 129.0 1.0 8 5 34 28 23
127.0 | 1279 8 1.0 7 27 28 27
1260 | 1276 3 6 13 28 29 32
1279 | 1290 1.0 4 ) 33 29 27
1260 | 1275 1.0 6 12 31 29 34
1284 | 1292 6 5 6 24 27 27
125.1 126.6 7 1.0 12 27 28 3.3
127.0 | 1284 2 6 om] 3.0 29 31
1266 | 127.1 uw 4 4 29 25 18

Maine,
Massachusetts, Naw Hamper, New deny, Now Yo Pennsytvania, Rhode istand,
‘and Vermont; South—Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida,
Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryiand, Mississippi, North Carolina, Okdahoma, South

Corina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia; Midwest—illinals, Indiana,
towa, Kansas,

‘Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South

Darota, ‘and Wisconsin; and West—Alaska, Anzona, Califomia, Colorado, Hawaii,
Idaho, Montana,

Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.

NOTE: The indexes for these series are not strictly comparable to those for the
‘aggregate, occupation, and industry senes.


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. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dac. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Civilian workers... 124.8 127.4 128.5 0.8 0.6 - 09 29 29 3.0
Excluding sales 125.2 127.8 128.8 8 7 8 3.0 29 29
Workers, by ‘occupational group
125.5 128.2 129.6 a 6 14 3.0 3.1 33
126.3 128.9 130.2 1.0 7 1.0 3.2 3.0 3.1
127.0 129.8 131.0 & 7 a 27 29 3.4
125.2 127.7 129.2 13 8 12 3.8 33 3.2
126.5 129.2 130.3 1.0 2 a 3.2 3.2 3.0
123.6 125.9 126.4 7 6 4 27 26 23
125.0 1275 128.2 6 6 5 28 26 26
125.3 127.4 128.0 7 7 5 28 24 22
126.2 128.4 128.9 a 3 4 3.0 26 24
124.6 127.3 128.6 8 6 1.0 3.0 3.0 32
127.2 129.7 131.0 6 6 1.0 27 26 3.0
129.4 132.1 132.7 7 8 5 26 28 26
128.8 131.5 132.3 3 8 6 23 24 27
126.9 130.4 130.6 4 5 2 3.0 32 29
125.4 128.5 129.4 1.0 a 7 32 35 32
Nonmanutacturing ... vue] 126.4 127.0 128.3 8 6 1.0 29 29 3.4
‘State and focal govamment Workers .........| 126.4 129.4 129.9 6 5 4 3.4 3.0 28
126.2 129.3 1296 6 5 2 29 3.0 27
126.0 129.0 129.1 4 5 a 29 28 25
126.9 130.3 131.1 1.3 2 6 3.3 40 33
126.3 129.2 130.0 6 6 6 29 29 29
125.4 128.1 129.2 6 7 9 25 27 3.0
127.6 131.1 131.9 8 8 6 37 36 3.4
126.7 129.8 130.0 s 5 2 29 29 26
126.4 129.3 130.3 6 3 8 29 29 3.1
128.4 131.5 132.4 5 4 7 34 3.0 34
128.4 131.7 132.5 5 5 & 3.8 34 32
126.5 129.6 129.7 4 5 a 29 29 25
126.8 129.9 130.0 4 4 a 29 29 25
127.1 130.3 130.2 5 4 1 | 27 3.0 24
126.0 129.0 1295 4 8 4 37 28 28
Public administration 125.4 128.5 129.4 1.0 a 7 3.2 35 3.2
1 includes mining, construction, and manutacturing. trage; finance, insurance, and real estate; service industries; and public administration,

2 includes Wansporation, ‘communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retall Formerty called hospitals and other services.


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. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | June 1994 | Sep. 1994 | Dac. 1994 | Mar. 1995 | June 1995 | Sep. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
BENEFIT COSTS
Civilian workers... 136.3 136.2 0.9 1.0 os 03 07 0.6 1.0 0.1
State and local goverment... 134.3 135.1 9 6 4 6 4 4 & 6
Private industry workers .. 136.8 136.5 c) 44 5 A 6 & 1.0 +2
White-collar occupatior 198.1 138.2 1.0 11 8 7 7 7 1.0 a
Blue-collar occupations... 135.6 134.6 8 1.0 2 2 3 4 ww 7
‘Service occupations... 136.6 136.8 2 1.0 4 A 5 2 6 A
Goods-producing industries 1...] 138.1 136.7 1 cc) 4 o 2 4 1.3 “1.0
Manutacturing .. | 137.4 136.2 1 1.0 s 0 2 4 13 9
‘Service-producing industries 2 136.1 136.3 7 1.3 & a 8 7 1.0 a
Nonmanutacturing industries ....| 136.7 136.7 8 1.2 x) Ss 7 7 1.0 0

3 inctudes mining, construction, and manutacturing.
‘ransportation, communication, and public utilities: wholesale and retail

2 inctudes

finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.
No identifiabie seasonality was found for this series.


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. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 |.Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Wholesale trade ..... 123.2 126.8 1275 1.4 06 06 45 44 35
Excluding sales occupations 124.4 127.3 127.6 20 3 2 43 43 26
Retail trade ... 120.9 122.8 124.7 7 2 15 29 22 34
General merchandise stores .. 120.1 121.7 122.5 7 6 7 42 2.0 2.0
120.8 122.5 123.7 7 8 1.0 1.0 24 24
Finance, insurance, and real estate 1202 123.5 124.7 1 a 1.0 24 3.9 37
Excluding sales occupations 123.7 126.1 127.7 1.6 6 13 33 35 3.2
Banking, savings and loan, and
credit agencies 1235 125.4 1274 25 5 14 40 44 29
123.5 126.0 1279 1.0 rc) 15 3.0 3.0 3.6
127.6 130.3 132.3 x) 5 15 26 3.0 37
127.5 129.7 131.6 7 6 15, 25 24 32
124.5 126.5 128.8 12 6 18° 26 28 35
129.7 132.3 132.9 8 8 5 24 28 25
128.9 131.4 132.3 2 8 7 Ww 22 26
- - - 1 1 5 34 3.5 28
128.8 134.0 134.6 3 6 4 35 44 45
129.3 135.7 136.3 4 8 4 29 5.4 5.4
123.7 1262 1276 cc) 6 1 28 29 3.2
124.7 127.3 1292 1.0 6 15 3.0 31 3.6
126.4 129.0 130.8 1.0 8 14 29 34 35
121.5 123.8 1242 8 2 3 28 27 22
123.0 124.8 1255 s 5 6 23 2.0 2.0
1 This series has the same industry and occupational coverage as the Hourly 3 Includes transportation, communication, and public utlties; wholesale and retail
Earpings index, which was discontinued in January 1989. ‘rade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.

{includes mining, construction, and manutacturing. ~ Data not available.


United States EG
-Department Y
of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

Technical, historical contact: USDL: 96-160
Wayne Shelly 202/606-6199
TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL IN
Media contact: THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED UNTIL
Kathryn Hoyle 202/606-5902 8:30 A.M. (EDT), TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1996

EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX -- MARCH 1996

The Employment Cost Index (ECI) increased 0.9 percent before seasonal adjustment in the 3 months
ended in March 1996, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The March
1996 ECT level of 128.5 (June 1989=100) was 3.0 percent higher than in March 1995. The ECI measures
changes in compensation costs, including wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits.

Quarterly changes, seasonally adjusted

On a seasonally adjusted basis, EC] compensation costs rose 0.7 percent in the December 1995-March
1996 period, compared with 0.8 percent in the September-December 1995 period. (See table A below.) ECI
wages and salaries rose 1.0 percent in the December 1995-March 1996 period, up from 0.7 percent in the
September-December 1995 period. Benefit costs decreased 0.1 percent for the quarter compared with an
increase of 1.0 percent for the September-December 1995 quarter.

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

Unadjusted
Compensation Seasonally adjusted 3-months ended 12-months
component June Sept. Dec | Mar. June Sept Dec. | Mar. ended
1994 1994 1994 | 1995 1995 1995 1995 | 1996 | Mar. 1996
Compensation costs... | 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.7 3.0
Wages and salaries... | 0.8 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.7 07 0.7 1.0 3.2
Benefit costs... | 0.9 1.0 0.5 0.3 0.7 0.6 1.0 0.1 2.2

This release includes annual revisions in seasonally adjusted Employment Cost Indexes for compensation
costs, wages and salaries, and benefit costs. Seasonally adjusted indexes for 1991-95 were revised to
reflect updated seasonal factors and are available upon request. The seasonal factors for 1996 will be
published in the June 1996 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 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar, 1996
Mar, 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dac. 1995 | Mar. 1996

Private industry workers 120.6 1234 124.6 0.8 0.6 12 29 28 3.3
121.0 123.4 124.8 8 7 1 3.0 28 3.4
121.7 126.4 1262 7 6 14 29 3.0 3.7

122.8 125.4 127.41 3 2 14 32 3.0 35

123.7 126.4 128.2 6 ze) 14 27 28 3.6

1219 124.5 126.5 1.2 ) 16 35 3.3 3.8

116.9 120.2 122.3 2 +2 17 18 3.0 46

122.9 125.3 126.5 1 8 1.0 3.3 3.0 29

119.0 121.3 1222 8 4 7 29 28 27

118.8 124.4 121.9 8 a 7 29 27 26

. 119.6 1223 123.3 2 7 8 29 29 3.4

‘Transportation and material moving .. 117.0 118.6 119.7 12 a cc) 34 26 23

Handlers, equipment cleaners,

helpers, and laborers ... 120.1 122.8 123.7 1.0 1 7 3.0 33 3.0
119.4 121.4 1222 5 5 7 27 22 23

119.9 122.4 123.8 7 5 1 28 28 3.3

120.4 1228 123.8 7 6 8 3.0 27 28

119.9 122.3 123.4 7 6 cc) 3.0 27 29

1230 | 125.1 126.0 8 6 7 33 25 24

121.8 124.1 1252 8 7 9 3.5 27 28

118.8 121.4 122.4 6 6 8 28 28 3.0

1206 123.5 126.4 8 6 7 36 32 32

1148 172 1182 1 3 cc) 23 22 3.0

1243 | 1252 x) 6 7 3.3 29 27

1259 1268 1.0 5 7 37 26 23

124.7 1258 8 6 x) 37 27 28

123.1 1242 8 7 rc) 3.0 3.0 3.2

124.3 1253 7 5 8 40 34 31

126.2 125.0 x) $s 6 35 28 25

124.4 125.7 8 a 1.0 3.0 3.0 3.4

1233 | 1249 8 6 13 29 3.0 35

124.3 1258 ) 7 12 3.0 3.0 3.3

124.1 126.1 7 7 16 28 34 4.0

125.8 w7|. 9 2 15 3.0 3.0 - 37

121.1 121.8 14 a) 6 32 3.0 22

121.3 122.0 5 s 6 26 22 23

123.7 12465 1.3 7 6 44 34 27

121.6 122.7 13 5 x) 42 35 3.1

126.1 1266 13 7 4 40 34 22

126.2 1262 1.8 7 0 5.0 34 15

Electric, gas, and sanitary services 125.9 1270 8 6 re) 29 29 29
‘Wholesale and retail trade ....... 119.4 122.1 123.9 8 4 15 34 3.4 38
Excluding sales occupations 120.2 1232 124.4 12 1 1.0 3.2 37 as

‘See footnotes at end of table.


"

Table 5. WAGES AND SALARIES (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUST! ED): Employment 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. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
1213 123.9 125.2 07 06 1.0 3.0 29 32
121.7 124.2 125.4 8 6 1.0 3.4 29 3.0
Workers, by occupational group
White-collar occupations 122.4 125.1 126.6 2 6 1.2 3.0 3.0 3.4
Excluding sales 123.2 125.9 1273 8 7 WwW 34 3.0 3.3
Professional specialty and technical 124.2 127.0 128.3 & 7 1.0 29 28 3.3
Executive, administrative, and
1222 124.9 126.7 12 x) 14 35 34 37
122.8 125.3 126.4 1.0 8 a 3.3 3.0 29
119.2 121.5 122.5 8 3 8 29 28 28
121.2 123.4 124.2 7 5 6 3.4 25 25
120.8 122.8 123.8 8 6 8 3.0 27 27
121.9 124.3 125.2 2 6 7 3.3 29 27
121.7 124.4 125.8 8 6 I 3.0 3.1 34
1246.4 126.9 128.4 7 6 12 29 28 32
126.1 128.4 129.3 6 7 7 27 24 25
1255 127.8 1285 5 8 5 25 23 24
125.0 128.5 128.7 6 5 2 33 3.4 38.0
121.9 124.2 125.0 WwW 8 6 3.4 3.0. 25
1214 123.8 125.41 7 6 14 29 3.0 33
State and local govemment workers ........| 124.3 127.3 1278 7 6 4 3.2 32 28
‘occupations 124.4 127.5 1279 6 6 3 32 32 28
Professional specialty and 124.8 128.0 128.2 5 5 2 34 34 27
Executive, administrative, and
managerial ....... eeereecenee 124.1 1272 127.9 14 1.0 6 36 39 3.4
Administrative support, including
clerical 122.5 125.1 125.9 7 6 & 3.0 28 28
Blue-collar occupations ... 123.1 125.7 126.6 5 7 7 28 26 28
Service occupations .... 124.6 1273 128.1 1 6 & 44 32 28
Workers, by industry division
SOMVICES soosnencene 124.9 128.2 128.5 & s 2 34 32 29
125.0 1273 128.2 8 3 7 34 27 26
126.0 128.5 129.2 6 5 5 34 26 25
125.8 128.3 129.0 & 5 5 38 26 25
124.8 128.3 128.4 5 3 a 3.2 33 29
125.0 128.4 128.6 & 5 2 3.3 33 29
125.5 129.2 129.1 5 4 A 31 3.4
123.2 126.0 126.8 6 8 6 3.9 29 29
121.9 124.2 125.0 1 8 & 34 3.0 25
7 Includes mining, construction, and manutacturing. trade: finance, insurance, and real estate; service industries; and public administration.

2 includes transportation, communication, and public utlties; wholesale and retall

Formerty called hospitals and other services.


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. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
126.9 128.2 08 06 10 29 28 3.0
127.4 128.5 3 7 3 3.0 28 28
127.9 129.5 1.0 7 1.3 34 3.1 34
128.9 130.5 1.0 a 12 3.2 3.0 3.3
130.4 132.2 7 e:) 14 25 28 35
127.2 128.8 13 8 13 38 32 34
123.1 125.1 5 1 16 2.6 29 41
129.2 130.4 an! 3 38 3.3 33 3.1
Blue-collar occupations ...... 123.5 125.7 126.2 7 5 4 27 25 22
Precision production, craft, and repair 123.4 125.7 126.2 7 2 4 27 26 23
Machine operators, assemblers,
and inspectors .... 124.2 126.2 126.8 & 9 5 24 23 24
‘Transportation and material moving 121.8 123.5 123.7 1.0 5 2 28 24 1.6
Handlers, equipment cleaners,
helpers, and laborers ........ 124.1 127.0 127.7 1.0 a & 32 3.3 29
123.4 125.3 126.1 4 5 6 23 2.0 22
124.1 126.5 127.7 & 6 3 28 28 29
125.3 127.4 128.0 8 7 5 29 25 22
124.9 127.1 127.7 7 8 5 29 25 22
127.2 129.0 129.6 1.0 7 5 34 25 19
126.2 128.3 129.0 1.0 3 5 35 26 22
124.1 126.4 127.0 6 7 5 25 24 23
127.3 129.6 130.5, 8 6 7 3.1 26 25
121.4 123.4 124.4 2 2 38 21 22 27
126.2 128.4 128.9 3 3 4 3.0 2.6 24
127.4 129.5 130.0 Ww 6 4 38 28 2.0
126.1 128.4 129.0 1.0 8 5 4.0 28 23
125.3 127.5 128.2 & 1.0 5 25 24 23
128.0 1302 1312 8 5 & 34 25 25
127.0 129.1 129.5 1.0 7 3 33 26 2.0
124.7 127.0 127.9 7 1.0 7 25 2.6 26
123.9 126.5 128.1 3 & 13 29 3.0 3.4
125.0 127.5 128.9 1.0 7 Ww 3.0 3.0 34
124.6 127.4 129.3 1.0 7 15 3.0 32 38
126.4 129.1 130.9 1.0 3 14 3.0 32 36
122.1 124.2 124.5 12 2 2 34 29 2.0
123.0 124.9 125.6 4 & § 23 2.0 24
124.0 127.0 128.0 1.6 8 8 4.0 4.0 3.2
122.3 125.7 127.1 17 8 ww 44 45 39
126.1 128.5 128.0 14 8 4 3.6 33 23
126.3 128.3 128.0 19 7 +2 44 35 13
125.9 128.7 130.3 a) 8 12 26 34 35
121.7 124.2 125.7 3 3 12 35 3.0 3.3
122.4 125.2 126.0 12 3s & 32 3.6 29



: Chart A. Changes in wages and salaries and _ Chart B. Changes in benefits, seasonally

_ benefit co: ivate i _ | adjusted and not seasonally adjusted, private
industry .
Seasonally adjusted Not seasonally adjusted —

Wages & salaries Benefits |

/12-month percent change

14 3-month percent change

12

thetabinstasaieaad Pree fous
88 90 92 94

88 90 92 94 96

yo ie erent esavers i
OD 82 84 «86

96 .

Chart D. Changes in benefits,
by industry sector, private industry

Goods-producing Service-producing

12-month percent change

bebe

80 82 $4 8 88 9 92 4 9 = 80 82 & 86 BB 9 92 94 96 |

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Office of Compensation Levels and Trends April 1996 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 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996

133.8 136.2 136.8 1.0 07 0.4 2.8 28 22
131.1 134.4 135.0 5 & 4 25 3.0 3.0
145 136.6 137.2 aw 7 4 29 27 2.0
135.2 137.5 138.7 1.4 7 9 36 32 26
133.3 135.2 134.8 & 8 +3 21 2.0 Ww
135.0 136.5 137.0 2 6 4 1.6 1.3

135.9 137.5 137.2 8 1.0 +2 24 20 1.0
133.2 135.6 136.7 13 & 8 3.3 34 26
135.4 137.0 136.7 8 Ww 2 26 2.0 1.0
133.9 136.2 137.1 12 6 7 34 29 24
1346.8 138.5, 138.9 8 14 3 22 3.6 3.0
134.2 135.9 136.6 Ww 5 5 32 24 18

2 manufacturing. NOTE: The indexes for these series are not strictly comparable to those for the
Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale and retall aggregate, occupation, and industry series.
trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.


17
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 Jong-
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
Tequired 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.

Each quarter, straight-time average hourly wage and salary rates and benefit cost data (cents-per-hour-
worked) are collected from a probability sample of nearly 21,000 occupations within about 4,100 sample
establishments in private industry and nearly 6,000 occupations within about 900 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 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 that 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.


BLS Data Now Available on the World Wide Web

ECI data, as well as other data produced by BLS, are now available on the World Wide Web. To access ECI
data use the address: http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm. To access the BLS Home Page use:
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.



Over the year changes, unadjusted

Compensation costs for civilian workers (not seasonally adjusted) increased 3.0 percent for the year
ended in March 1996, about the same as the 2.9 percent increase for the year ended in March 1995.
Compensation costs for private industry workers rose 3.0 percent, while state and local government rose 2.8
percent.

For private industry workers, wages and salaries increased 3.3 percent, the largest increase in 4 years.
Benefit costs increased 2.0 percent, the lowest 12-month increase since the series began in 1980. This
moderation in benefit cost increases reflects a slowdown in nonproduction bonuses, health benefits,
unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation.

For the year ended in March 1996, compensation costs in service-producing industries increased 3.4
percent compared with 2.2 percent for goods-producing industries. This pattern held for both wages and salaries
and benefits. Wages and salaries increased 3.5 percent in service-producing industries, compared with 2.8
percent in good-producing industries; benefits increased 2.6 and 1.0 percent, respectively.

Compensation costs for white-collar workers increased 3.4 percent compared with 2.2 percent for blue-
collar workers and service occupations. This continued a trend of larger increases for white-collar workers,
which has occurred over most of the last 15 years. (See table B.)

Table B. 12-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index for private industry workers

Compensation Wages and salaries
Industry sector White- Blue- = Service | White- Blue- Service
collar collar = workers | collar collar ~— workers
All industries 3.4 2.2 2.2 3.7 2.7 2.3
Goods-producing 1.9 2.3 2.5 2.4 3.0 3.2
industries
Service-producing | 3.8 2.0 2.1 4.0 2.2 2.3
industries

Compensation cost gains over the year ended in March 1996 were higher for nonunion workers (3.1
percent) compared with union workers (2.7 percent). This pattern held for the goods-producing industries (2.3
percent for nonunion and 2.0 percent for union), but not for service-producing industries (3.3 percent for
nonunion and 3.4 percent for union).

ECI data for June 1996 is scheduled to be released Tuesday, July 30, 1996, at 8:30 A.M. (EDT).


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. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Wholesale trade 120.9 125.1 126.1 08 1.0 08 4.0 43 43
Excluding sales occupations 122.2 125.6 126.2 WW 15° 5 37 45 33
Retail trade 118.7 120.6 122.9 8 a 19 3.0 24 3.5
‘Genera! merchandise 117.9 120.0 121.0 3 8 8 3.4 21 2.6
Food stores ....... 117.8 119.0 120.5 4 3 13 7 14 23
Finance, insurance, and real estate 115.0 118.8 119.7 7 7 8B Ww 4.0 41
Excluding sales occupations .. 119.3 121.7 123.3 1.6 5 13 33 37 34
Banking, savings and loan, and other
‘credit agencies 119.2 121.2 122.9 26 7 1.4 39 43 34
119.8 122.2 123.8 1.0 a 13 33 3.0 33
123.8 126.3 128.0 9 5 1.3 27 29 34
123.9 126.1 128.2 7 6 17 26 25 35
122.1 124.3 126.6 14 & 19 28 3.2 37
126.2 128.4 129.3 6 7 7 25 24 25
125.4 127.7 128.4 5 8 5 24 23 24
- = = Ww 1.0 7 33 34 31
125.6 129.3 130.0 4 5 5 36 34 35
125.5 130.1 130.6 5 3 4 29 42 44
120.0 122.6 124.2 8 & 1.3 27 29 35
121.1 123.9 125.9 7 6 1.6 27 34 4.0
122.9 125.5 127.4 a a 15 29 3.0 37
117.5 119.5 120.4 a a 8 29 27 25
119.2 121.2 121.9 5 5 6 25 22 23
1 This series has the samo industry and occupational coverage as the Hourly 3 Includes transportation, communication, and public ullities; wholesale and retail
industries.

Eamings index, which was discontinued in January 1989. ‘trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service |
Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. ~ Data not available,


16

Table 9. AEROSPACE (NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED): Employment Cost index tor workers in aerospace manufacturing, by

industry and occupation
Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for
Series 3 months ended 12 months ended
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996
Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996 | Mar. 1995 | Dec. 1995 | Mar. 1996

COMPENSATION
130.6 133.9 136.8 WwW 18 22 35 3.6 47
126.7 128.9 132.3 14 9 26 3.3 29 44
135.7 140.9 143.1 11 3.4 1.6 37 5.0 5.5

WAGES AND SALARIES

Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) sesso 125.7 128.0 128.9 07 0.5 07 27 26 25
White-coliar occupations 121.0 123.1 124.0 7 3 7 25 24 25
Blue-collar occupations . 132.7 135.1 136.2 8 7 8 3.1 26 2.6

BENEFIT COSTS
Aircraft manutacturing (SIC 3721) .. 141.0 146.6 154.0 1.9 43 5.0 49 5.9 92
‘White-collar occupations 140.1 142.5 152.0 2.0 1.9 67 49 38 85
Blue-collar occupations .. sens] 144.6 151.9 156.2 17 8.0 28 49 91 10.3

NOTE: SIC refers to the 1987 Standard Industrial Classification System code as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.