14

Table 7. Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries for private industry workers by bargaining status,

region, and area
(Not seasonally adjusted data)
indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
an , 3 months ended— 12 months ended—
Bargaining status, region, and area Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 | 2000 | 2000 | Dec. | Sep. | Dec. | Dec. | Sep. | Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Bargaining status
Union .... 136.5 | 140.0 | 141.2 0.6 1 0.9 26 3.2 3.4
Blue-collar occupations 134.5 | 138.2 | 139.2 7 12 7 3.0 34 3.5
\
Goods-producing industries 136.1 140.2 | 141.3 a 1.3 8 33 3.9 3.8
Service-producing industries’ 137.2 | 140.1 141.5 3 9 1.0 18 24 34
Manufacturing .. 137.5 | 141.4 | 142.6 1.3 1.2 8 3.4 41 37
Blue-collar occupations 136.8 | 140.4 | 141.7 1.3 1.2 9 3.3 3.9 3.6
Nonmanufacturing .. 135.9 | 139.2 | 140.4 2 1.0 9 21 27 3.3
Nonunion .. 143.3 | 148.1 149.0 9 1.0 6 3.6 43 40
Blue-collar occupations 139.7 | 144.1 144.9 7 8 6 3.6 3.9 3.7
Goods-producing industries? 141.1 145.8 | 146.8 8 8 7 3.4 4at 4.0
Service-producing industries? 143.9 | 148.7 | 149.6 a) 1.0 6 3.7 43 40
Manufacturing .. 142.9 | 147.2 | 148.0 8 8 5 3.4 3.9 3.6
Blue-collar occupations 141.6 | 145.4 | 146.6 8 8 8&8 3.2 3.5 3.5
Nonmanufacturing .. 143.0 148.0 | 148.9 8 1.0 6 3.6 44 4d
Region?
140.9 145.3 146.0 7 141 5 3.3 3.9 3.6
141.5 | 145.3 | 146.3 9 5 7 3.5 3.6 3.4
143.6 | 148.6 | 149.6 8 1.0 7 41 44 42
142.6 | 148.2 | 149.2 mS) 1.3 7 3.0 49 46
Area
142.5 147.1 148.0 2 1.0 6 3.5 42 3.9
140.2 | 144.7 | 146.0 3 7 9 34 35 41

1 includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

2 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities;
wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service
indystries.

‘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: Ilinois, Indiana, lowa, Kansas, Michigan,
Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and
Wisconsin; and West: Alaska, Arizona, 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 series.


5

Table 1. Employment Cost Index for total compensation’, wages and salaries, and benefit costs by industry and

occupational group

(Seasonally adjusted data)
Indexes (June
4989=100) Percent changes for 3-months ended—
Industry and occupational group
Sep. | Dec. | Mar. | Jun. | Sep. | Dec. | Mar. | Jun. | Sep. | Dec.
2000 | 2000 | 1999 | 1999 | 1999 | 1999 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000
TOTAL COMPENSATION
Civilian workers 149.2 | 150.4 05 11 08 1.0 1.4 1.0 0.9 08
State and local government 147.4 | 148.6 6 O 8 11 8 8 6 8
Private industry .... 149.7 | 150.8 4 1 9 1.0 15 11 1.0 7
Goods producing? 148.0 | 148.8 8 & 9 141 1.6 12 1.0 5
Construction? 144.8 | 147.0 9 a 7 1.0 1.4 1.3 1.3 15
Manufacturing .. 148.7 | 149.2 7 7 a) Ww 16 1.0 9 3
Durables .. 149.4 | 150.0 6 7 9 14 1.9 12 7 4
147.6 | 147.9 7 7 2 1.0 1.2 9 11 2
Service producing? .. 150.5 | 151.8 3 1.3 9 1.0 14 Ww 1.0 a
Transportation and public utilities 147.3 | 148.4 a 1.0 5 5 1.0 1.4 1.0 7
Wholesale trade? 152.1 | 154.5 A 1.2 1.2 1.6 1.0 Wd 3 1.6
Retail trade 145.8 | 147.0 8 14 5 Ww 16 8 8 8
Finance, in 155.2 | 155.7 7 3.0 1.2 5 25 7 1.4 3
Services 152.8 | 154.0 6 8 9 1.0 1.3 1.3 1.0 8
Nonmanufacturing ... 149.8 | 151.2 A Ww 8 1.0 15 Ww a 9
Occupational group
White collar 152.5 | 153.6 3 1.3 a) 1.0 1.6 1.3 9 7
Blue collar 145.4 | 146.5 7 8 9 9 15 a) 1.0 8
Service .. 146.2 | 147.8 1.0 8 3 V1 8 V4 8 Ww
WAGES AND SALARIES
Civilian workers... 146.7 | 147.8 5 1.2 9 9 Ww 1.0 8 7
State and local g 146.7 | 147.9 7 9 a 1.0 9 8 8 8&8
Private industry ..... 146.7 | 147.8 4 1.2 9 9 12 1.0 9 7
Industry
Goods producing?.5 144.3 | 145.2 8 7 9 9 Ww 1.2 9 6
Construction? 139.1 | 141.0 Wd 5 8 9 18 V1 9 14
Manufacturing 145.7 | 146.5 8 8 a 9 1.0 1.0 9 5
DurablesS 146.1 | 147.3 7 9 9 1.0 8 1.2 1.0 38
Nondurables 145.1 | 145.5. 7 a7 8 c) V1 1.0 8 3
Service producing? .. 147.8 | 148.9 3 14 9 9 12 1.0 a) 7
Transportation and public utilities .. 141.2 | 142.3 A 13 3 4 4 13 7 8
Wholesale trade? 149.5 | 151.3 “A 11 1.3 15 9 13 0 1.2
Retail trade 144.5 | 145.5 1.0 12 4 2 17 7 8 7
Finance, inst 151.7 | 151.7 19 3.8 15 5 24 5 15 0
Services 150.6 | 151.7 9 8 8 1.0 1.0 1.3 9 7
Nonmanufacturing .... 146.8 | 148.0 3 1.4 8 9 12 1.2 8 8

‘See footnotes at end of table.


10

Table 4. Employment Cost Index for total compensation’ for private industry workers, by bargaining status,

region, and area
(Not seasonally adjusted data)

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
A 7 3 months ended— 12 months ended—
Bargaining status, region, and area Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 Dec. Sep. Dec. Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Bargaining status
Union ... 144.2 | 146.1 146.9 07 1.2 0.5 27 42 40
Blue-collar occupations 138.9 | 144.3 | 145.0 8 13 5 27 47 44
Goods-producing industries? 140.8 | 1468 | 147.3 Ww 1.4 3 3.2 55 46
Service-producing industries’ 141.4 | 145.2 | 146.4 3 9 8 24 3.0 3.5
Manufacturing .... 141.0 147.1 147.4 14 12 2 3.0 5.8 45
Blue-collar occupations 140.4 146.5 147.0 1.4 12 3 29 58 47
Nonmanufacturing 140.8 | 145.0 | 146.2 4 1 8 25 3.3 3.8
Nonunion .... 145.2 | 150.6 | 151.6 1.0 1.0 7 3.6 47 44
Blue-collar occupations 141.4 | 146.1 147.2 8 8 8 3.7 41 44
Goods-producing industries? 143.4 148.4 | 149.3 go 8 6 3.5 47 43
Service-producing industries 145.7 | 151.2 | 152.3 zc) ww 7 3.6 47 45
Manufacturing .... 144.4 149.2 149.9 1.0 7 5 3.5 43 3.8
Blue-collar occupations 142.9 146.7 148.0 2 6 a 3.3 3.6 3.6
Nonmanufacturing 145.1 150.7 151.8 a] 11 7 3.6 48 46
Region4

Northeast .. 144.3 | 149.3 | 150.3 8 1.2 7 3.4 43 4.2
143.0 147.6 | 148.6 8 6 7 3.5 41 3.9
146.3 152.2 153.3 a 1.0 7 3.5 5.0 48
144.7 150.8 151.8 1.0 1.3 7 3.4 5.2 49
144.7 | 150.1 151.0 1.0 1.0 6 3.5 47 44
143.6 | 148.8 | 150.3 3 7 1.0 3.0 40 47

1 Includes wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits.

2 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

3 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities;
wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service
indystries.

4 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, Hawai,
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.


7

Table 2. Employment Cost Index for total compensation’ for civilian and State and local government workers by

industry and occupational group

(Not seasonally adjusted data)
Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
3 months ended— 12 months ended—
Industry and occupational group Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 Dec. Sep. Dec. Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Civilian workers .. 144.6 | 149.5 150.6 0.9 1.0 07 34 43 4d
Excluding sales occupations 144.5 | 149.4 | 150.5 Bo) 1.2 7 3.6 43 42
Industry
Goods producing? 142.5 148.0 | 148.8 9 1.0 5 3.3 48 44
Manufacturing .. 143.6 | 148.7 | 149.3 Ww 8 4 34 46 4.0
Service producing? .. 145.3 | 150.1 151.1 9 1 7 35 42 40
Services 146.5 | 151.2 | 152.4 1.0 1.3 8 3.4 42 40
Health 144.3 | 149.0 | 150.7 V1 1.0 Wt 37 44 44
Hospitals .. 145.0 | 149.5 | 151.3 1.1 1.2 12 3.4 43 43
Educational services . 145.8 | 149.7 | 150.6 8 2.0 6 3.4 35 3.3
Public administration4 144.4 | 146.9 | 148.3 14 5 1.0 3.2 3.2 27
Nonmanufacturing ... 144.7 149.6 | 150.7 9 Ww 7 3.4 43 41
Occupational group
White collar 146.3 151.5 152.5 9 V1 7 3.5 45 42
Excluding sales 146.4 | 151.5 | 152.6 9 11 7 3.7 44 42
Professional specialty and technical 145.3 150.0 181.3 1.0 V4 a) 3.0 42 41
Executive, administrative, and managerial 148.6 | 153.7 | 154.6 BS) 1.2 6 48 43 40
Administrative support, including clerical 146.1 151.8 152.8 1.0 VW 7 3.4 49 46
Blue collar .. 140.6 | 145.6 | 146.5 8 1.0 6 3.3 44 42
Service .... 144.8 148.5 150.0 1.2 1.0 1.0 3.4 3.8 3.6
State and local government .... 144.6 147.8 148.9 1.0 13 7 3.4 3.3 3.0
Industry
Services 144.5 | 148.0 | 148.9 a 17 6 3.4 3.4 3.0
Excluding schoolsS 143.8 | 147.6 | 148.8 8 1.2 8 3.6 35 35
Health services 145.8 | 150.0 | 151.6 Ww 1.4 Ww 3.6 4.0 4.0
Hospitals ... 146.3 | 150.7 | 152.0 1.0 15 a 3.6 41 3.9
Educational service: 144.4 | 147.9 | 148.7 9 19 5 3.4 3.4 3.0
Schools 144.7 | 148.2 | 149.0 8 1.9 5 3.4 3.3 3.0
Elementary and secondary 144.1 | 147.3 | 148.1 8 18 5 3.4 34 28
Colleges and universities 146.5 | 150.5 | 151.7 12 2.0 8 3.5 3.9 35
Public administration¢ ... 144.4 | 146.9 | 148.3 14 5 1.0 3.2 3.2 27
Occupational group
144.0 | 147.3 | 148.3 1.0 14 7 3.4 3.3 3.0
143.2 | 146.6 | 147.4 8 15 5 3.4 3.2 29
Executive, administrative, and managerial 146.1 149.2 | 150.7 Wt 14 1.0 3.2 3.3 3.1
Administrative support, including clerical 145.0 | 148.3 | 149.4 14 12 7 3.4 37 3.0
142.5 | 145.9 | 147.2 VA 12 a 3.4 35 33
148.6 | 151.5 | 152.9 13 1.2 9 3.6 3.3 29

1 includes wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits.
Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

3 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale
and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; service industries; and
public administration.

Includes executive, legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory
activities of State and local governments, SICs 91 through 96.

5 Average standard errors (SE) for the series exceed 0.3 percent for
3-month changes and 0.6 percent for 12-month changes for the five years
ending December 1996. To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of the
series, SEs for estimates in this news release (excluding seasonally adjusted
series) will be available on the internet site (http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm).

All series will continue to be published until further notice.


6

Table 1. Employment Cost Index for total compensation’, wages and salaries, and benefit costs by industry and

occupational group — Continued

(Seasonally adjusted data)
Indexes (June
1989=100) Percent changes for 3-months ended—
Industry and occupational group
Sep. | Dec. | Mar. | Jun. | Sep. | Dec. | Mar. | Jun. | Sep. | Dec.
2000 | 2000 | 1999 | 1999 | 1999 | 1999 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000 | 2000
WAGES AND SALARIES-Continued
Occupational group
White collar 149.6 | 150.6 0.4 1.2 0.9 1.0 1.3 11 0.9 07
Blue collarS 141.9 | 142.8 8 1.0 9 7 1.0 1.0 1.0 6
Service ..... 143.5 | 144.9 1.0 8 1 1.2 1.0 Wt 7 1.0
BENEFIT COSTS:

Civilian workers .. 155.5 | 156.8 3 1.0 8 1.2 2.0 141 1.0 8
State and local govemment 148.9 | 150.1 5 6 4 1.2 1.0 5 a 8
Private industry ... 157.0 | 158.4 3 1.0 1.0 11 23 12 WwW 9

Industry
Goods producing? 155.7 | 156.3 7 & 8 14 27 1.2 1.0 A
Manufacturing 155.0 | 154.8 & 6 1.0 14 3.0 1.0 38 “1
Service producing¢ ... 157.8 | 159.6 al 13 9} 11} 20] 14] 12] 44
Nonmanufacturing 158.0 | 159.7 3 1.2 9 9 2.2 1.4 1.2 Vw
Occupational group
White collar 160.4 | 161.5 3 1.0 141 1.0 25 1.4 1.2 7
Blue collar 153.0 | 154.0 7 7 8 1.0 29 8 1.0 7
Service .. 154.3 | 156.6 8 a 5 1.2 4 1.3 1 15

1 includes wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits.
2 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.
Average standard errors (SE) for the unadjusted series upon which
this series is based exceeded 0.3 percent for 3-month changes and 0.6
percent for 12-month changes for the five years ending December 1996.
To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of the series, SEs for
estimates in this news release (excluding seasonally adjusted series) will

be available on the intemet site (http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm). All
series will continue to be published until further notice.
Includes transportation, communication, and public _ utilities;
wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service
industries.

No identifiable seasonality was found for this series.


9

Table 3. Employment Cost Index for total compensation’ for private industry workers, by industry and occupational
group — Continued

(Not seasonally adjusted data)
Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
3 months ended— 12 months ended—
Industry and occupational group Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 Dec. Sep. Dec. Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Industry-Continued
Nonmanufacturing industries 144.5 | 150.0 | 151.1 08 14 07 3.4 46 46
White collar .. 146.9 | 152.6 | 153.7 9 41 7 3.5 48 46
Excluding 148.1 153.8 | 155.1 9 1.2 8 3.8 48 47
Blue collar 138.7 | 143.9 | 144.8 5 11 6 3.5 43 44
Service .. 142.3 | 146.3 | 147.8 Ww 8 1.0 3.3 4.0 3.9
Occupational group
White collar .... 146.9 | 152.6 | 153.6 9 1.0 7 35 48 46
Excluding sales 147.3 | 152.9 | 154.1 a 1 8B 3.8 47 46
Professional specialty and technical .. 146.7 | 152.2 | 153.7 1.0 1.0 1.0 29 48 48
Executive, administrative, and managerial ...]} 149.1 154.4 | 155.3 9 14 6 5.1 45 42
Sales 145.3 | 151.2 | 151.4 8 6 A 1.9 4.9 42
clerical .... 146.2 | 152.3 | 153.4 8&8 Ww 7 34 5.0 49
Blue collar 140.5 | 145.5 | 146.4 8 1.0 6 33 44 42
Precision pi 1» q epai 140.6 | 145.8 | 146.7 7 1.2 6 3.3 44 43
Machine operators, assemblers, and
inspectors .. 141.4 146.0 146.8 V4 7 5 3.4 44 3.8
Transportation and material moving .. 135.2 139.9 144.1 6 9 a 3.4 44 44
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers ... | 144.4 149.4 | 150.4 8 9 7 3.7 43 AQ
Service .. 142.6 146.6 | 148.1 WA 8 1.0 3.3 40 3.9
Production and nonsupervisory
occupations’ ... 143.1 148.4 149.5 8 1.0 7 29 46 45
1 includes wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits. 4 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale
Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.
Average standard errors (SE) for the series exceed 0.3 percent for This series has the same industry and occupational coverage as the

3-month changes and 0.6 percent for 12-month changes for the five years Hourly Earnings index, which was discontinued in January 1989.
ending December 1996. To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of the

series, SEs for estimates in this news release (excluding seasonally adjusted

series) will be available on the Internet site (http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm). NOTE: Dashes indicate data not available.

‘All series will continue to be published until further notice.


United States
Department Y
of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics Washington, D.C. 20212

Technical Contact: USDL: 01-31
(202) 691-6199 ocltinfo@bls.gov

Media Contact: TRANSMISSION OF MATERIAL
(202) 691-5902 hoyle_k@bls.gov IN THIS RELEASE IS EMBARGOED

Internet address: UNTIL 8:30 A.M. (EST),
http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2001

EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX—DECEMBER 2000

The Employment Cost Index (not seasonally adjusted) for December 2000 was 150.6 (June 1989=100),
an increase of 4.1 percent from December 1999, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported today. The Employment Cost Index (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, the 3-month increase in compensation costs for civilian workers
(nonfarm private industry plus State and local government) was 0.8 percent during the September-December
2000 period, following a gain of 0.9 percent in June-September 2000. Wages and salaries increased 0.7
percent during the September-December period, following a 0.8 percent increase in the previous 3-month
period. Benefit costs rose 0.8 percent during the December quarter, following a 1.0 percent increase in the
September quarter.

Table A. 3-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index, seasonally adjusted
Mar. June Sep. Dec. = Mar. June Sep. Dec

Compensation Component 1999 1999 1999 1999 2000 2000 2000 2000
Civilian workers
Compensation costs 0.5 11 0.8 1.0 14 1.0 0.9 0.8
Wages and salaries 0.5 1.2 0.9 09 1.1 1.0 0.8 0.7
Benefit costs 0.3 1.0 0.8 1.2 2.0 11 1.0 0.8
Private industry
Compensation costs 0.4 11 0.9 1.0 1.5 11 1.0 0.7
Wages and salaries 0.4 12. 09 0.9 12 1.0 0.9 0.7
Benefit costs 0.3 1.0 1.0 Ll 2.3 1.2 11 0.9
State and local government
Compensation costs 0.6 0.9 0.8 1.1 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.8°
Wages and salaries 0.7 0.9 0.9 10. 09 0.8 0.8 0.8
Benefit costs 0.5 0.6 0.4 12 1.0 0.5 0.1 0.8

The 3-month increase in compensation costs for private industry workers was 0.7 percent during the
September-December 2000 period. The gain in wages and salaries was 0.7 percent in the quarter ended in
December; in the September quarter, it was 0.9 percent. Benefit costs showed a 3-month rise of 0.9 percent
during the December quarter, compared with a 1.1 percent gain during the September quarter. (See tables A
and 1.)


12

Table 6. Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries for private industry workers by industry and occupational

group

(Not seasonally adjusted data)

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
i. 3 months ended 12 months ended—

Industry and occupational group Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 Dec. Sep. Dec. Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Private industry workers 142.2 | 146.8 | 147.7 0.9 1.0 0.6 3.5 44 3.9
Excluding sales occupations 142.0 | 146.5 | 147.6 9 1.0 8 3.7 4.0 3.9

Industry
Goods producing! 139.7 | 144.3 | 145.2 9 c) 6 33 42 39
Excluding sales 138.9 | 143.4 | 144.6 8 9 8 33 41 44
White collar .. 143.0 | 147.9 | 1487 a) z 5 35 | 44 4.0
Excluding sales 141.3 | 146.0 | 147.2 9 8 8 3.6 42 4.2
Blue collar .... 137.6 | 142.0 | 143.1 7 Ww 8 3.2 40 40
Construction’ 133.6 | 139.4 | 140.7 5 1.0 9 3.3 48 5.3
Manufacturing .. 141.5 | 145.7 | 146.5 9 9 5 3.4 3.9 3.5
White collar .. 144.0 | 148.7 | 149.2 B) 7 3 3.6 42 3.6
Excluding sales 142.0 | 146.6 | 147.5 a 7 6 3.6 41 3.9
Blue collar 139.7 | 143.4 | 144.6 9 1.0 8 3.3 3.6 3.5
Durables .. 144.8 | 146.1 147.3 1.0 1.0 8 3.6 41 3.9
Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721. 143.6 | 150.0 | 151.6 6 9 44 3.8 54 5.6
White collar 139.1 146.0 | 146.2 6 6 aA 3.4 56 5.1
Blue collar 149.9 | 155.1 | 159.3 7 2.0 27 47 42 63
Nondurables ... 140.9 | 145.0 | 145.4 a) 8 3 3.0 38 3.2
Service producing? .. 143.3 | 147.9 | 148.9 8 1.0 7 3.5 41 3.9
Excluding sales 143.8 | 148.3 | 149.4 8 1.0 a7 3.8 4.0 3.9
White collar .. 145.0 | 150.0 | 150.9 8 1.0 6 3.5 43 at
Excluding sales 146.4 | 151.2 | 152.3 a) 14 7 44 42 40
Blue collar 137.8 | 141.6 | 142.2 6 a) 4 37 3.4 3.2
Service .. 139.6 | 1435 | 144.8 1.2 7 a) 3.3 4.0 3.7
Transportation and public utilities 137.9 | 141.3 | 1423 3 9 7 21 28 3.2
Transportation? 134.9 | 137.4 | 138.6 4 9 9 15 22 27
Public utilities .. 141.8 | 146.4 | 147.1 2 1.0 5 29 3.5 37
Communications 142.2 | 146.7 | 147.4 2 12 5 3.0 34 3.7
Electric, gas, and sanitary services 141.3 | 145.9 | 146.6 3 8 5 28 3.5 3.8
Wholesale and retail trade 146.4 | 147.4 9 6 7 3.6 4t 3.8
Excluding sales 148.2 | 149.0 14 1.0 5 3.7 45 4.0
Wholesale trade? 149.6 | 151.6 15 Aj 1.3 37 37 3.5
Excluding sales 151.3 | 153.2 Wa 14 1.3 40 45 46
Retail trade ..... 144.8 | 145.2 5 9 3 3.6 42 40
General merchandise stores‘ 136.7 | 139.7 | 142.2 38 9 1.8 28 3.0 4.0
Food stores? 134.9 | 140.2 | 141.6 7 5 1.0 3.4 47 5.0
Finance, insurance, and real estate? 145.2 | 151.7 | 151.7 5 15 0 3.9 5.0 45
Excluding sales .. 148.0 | 153.3 | 154.1 3 12 5 6.0 3.9 41
Banking, savings and loan, and other

credit agencies? 159.6 | 165.0 | 165.7 3 1.0 A 10.5 3.6 3.8
Insurance? .. 141.5 | 150.7 | 150.8 a 28 a 22 75 66
Excluding sales 141.6 | 145.7 | 146.5 5 11 5 27 34 35
Services ... 146.0 | 150.6 | 151.8 1.0 1.0 8 37 42 4.0
Business services? 149.8 | 155.3 | 156.0 a) 8 5 40 46 44
Health services 142.2 | 146.6 | 148.1 14 9 1.0 3.5 43 41
Hospitals 140.9 | 144.9 | 146.8 11 11 13 3.2 40 42
Nursing homes. - - - 1 17 12 44 57 5.8
Educational services . 148.2 | 153.4 | 154.3 5 25 6 3.3 4.0 41
Colleges and univer 147.9 | 152.5 | 152.9 5 21 3 3.0 3.6 3.4

See footnotes at end of table.


i

Table 5. Employment Cost Index for wages and salaries for civilian and State and local government workers, by

industry and occupational group
(Not seasonally adjusted data)

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
i 3 months ended— 12 months ended—
Industry and occupational group Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 | 2000 | 2000 | Dec. | Sep. | Dec. | Dec. | Sep. | Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Civilian workers .. 142.5 | 147.0 | 147.9 08 Ww 0.6 3.5 40 38
Excluding sales occupations 142.3 | 146.7 147.7 9 1.2 7 3.6 4.0 3.8
Industry
Goods producing! 139.7 | 144.3 | 145.3 8 2 7 3.3 44 40
Manufacturing 141.5 145.7 | 146.5 a) 9 5 3.4 3.9 3.5
‘Service producing’ 143.5 148.0 148.9 8 1.2 6 35 4.0 3.8
Services ..... 145.5 | 149.9 | 151.0 1.0 14 7 3.6 4.0 3.8
Health services 1425 | 146.7 | 148.3 1 1.0 14 3.6 41 at
Hospitals 141.6 | 145.6 | 147.3 An! 13 1.2 3.3 3.9 4.0
Educational services 144.7 | 148.9 149.6 7 23 5 3.4 3.6 3.4
Public administration3 141.5 144.6 146.1 14 1.2 1.0 41 3.7 3.3
Nonmanufacturing ... 142.6 147.2 | 148.1 8 1.2 6 3.5 4.0 3.9
Occupational group
White collar .... 144.6 | 149.2 150.2 a 11 7 3.5 44 3.9
Excluding sales 144.8 | 149.3 150.4 9 12 7 3.8 4.0 3.9
Professional specialty and technical 144.0 148.3 149.6 1.0 1.3 2 3.3 4.0 3.9
Executive, administrative, and managerial 147.2 151.6 152.4 a Ww 5 4.9 3.9 3.5
Administrative support, including clerical 143.5 148.5 149.6 8 V1 7 3.5 44 43
Blue collar 137.9 142.0 142.9 7 1.0 6 3.5 3.6 3.6
Service 141.7 145.7 147.1 VW 1.2 1.0 3.4 40 3.8
State and local government ... 143.5 147.2 148.3 9 1.7 7 3.6 3.5 3.3
Industry
Services 144.0 147.9 148.7 8 24 5 3.4 35 3.3
Excluding schools* 143.2 | 146.7 147.9 8 13 38 3.6 3.2 3.3
Health services 144.2 147.7 149.3 1.0 14 1 3.6 3.4 3.5
Hospitais .. 144.1 147.7 149.2 a 1.4 1.0 3.6 3.4 3.5
Educational services 144.0 148.0 | 148.7 8 22 5 3.4 3.6 3.3
Schools .. 144.2 148.1 148.9 8 22 5 3.4 3.5 33
Elementary and secondary 144.1 147.9 | 148.5 7 23 4 3.4 3.4 31
Colleges and universities .. 144.4 | 148.3 | 149.5 1.3 1.9 8 3.4 40 35
Public administration? .. 141.5 | 144.6 | 146.1 14 1.2 1.0 at 37 3.3
Occupational group
White collar .... 143.4 | 147.1 148.0 a 18 6 3.5 35 3.2
Professional specialty and technical 143.6 | 147.4 148.2 8&8 1.9 5 3.5 3.4 32
Executive, administrative, and managerial 144.3 | 147.3 | 148.8 1 15 1.0 3.6 3.2 34
Administrative support, including clerical 141.7 | 145.0 | 146.2 1.5 14 8 3.8 3.9 3.2
Blue collar 140.7 143.9 | 145.1 9 1.3 8 3.5 3.2 31
Service 145.7 | 149.6 | 151.2 Ww 2.0 11 4a 3.8 3.8

1 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.

Includes executive, legislative, judicial, administrative, and regulatory
activities of State and local governments, SICs 91 through 96.

4 average standard errors (SE) for the series exceed 0.3 percent for
3-month changes and 0.6 percent for 12-month changes for the five years
ending December 1996. To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of the
series, SEs for estimates in this news release (excluding seasonally adjusted
series) will be available on the Intemet site (http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.him).

‘All series will continue to be published until further notice.


8

Table 3. Employment Cost Index for total compensation’ for private industry workers, by industry and occupational
group

(Not seasonally adjusted data)

Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
" 3 months ended- 12 months ended—
Industry and occupational group Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 | 2000 | 2000 | Dec. | Sep. | Dec. | Dec. | Sep. | Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Private industry workers ... 144.6 | 149.9 | 150.9 09 09 07 3.4 46 44
Excluding sales occupations 144.5 | 149.8 | 150.9 9 Ww 7 3.7 46 44
Industry
Goods producing? 142.5 | 147.9 | 148.8 1.0 9 6 3.4 48 44
Excluding sales 144.8 | 147.2 | 148.2 9 9 7 3.3 48 45
White collar 145.5 | 151.3 | 151.9 1 8 4 37 5.1 44
Excluding sales .. 143.9 | 149.6 | 150.5 1.0 8 6 37 5.0 46
Blue collar ... 140.7 | 145.8 | 146.8 a 1.0 7 3.2 46 43
Coristruction3 138.7 | 145.1 146.7 6 1.3 Ww 3.3 5.2 5.8
Manufacturing 143.6 | 148.7 | 149.3 11 8 4 3.4 46 4.0
White collar 145.8 | 151.4 | 151.5 1.0 8 A 3.8 49 3.9
€xcluding 143.8 | 149.3 | 149.7 9g 7 3 3.7 48 41
Blue collai 142.1 146.7 | 147.8 Ww 8 7 3.2 44 40
Durables 144.0 | 149.4 | 150.1 12 7 5 3.4 5.0 42
Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) .. 146.9 | 156.0 | 155.3 22 1 74 45 8.6 5.7
White collar 141.7 151.8 151.2 1.4 7 “4 34 86 6.7
Blue collar .. 154.4 161.4 160.4 3.6 18 “6 6.9 8.3 3.9
Nondurables .. 142.8 | 147.5 | 147.7 9 1.0 a 3.3 42 3.4
Service producing* 145.3 | 150.6 | 151.7 8 1.0 7 3.4 45 44
Excluding sales .. 145.9 151.1 152.2 a 4 7 3.8 45 4.3
White collar .... 147.0 | 152.6 | 153.7 8 Ww 7 3.4 47 46
Excluding sales .. 148.3 153.9 155.1 a 1.2 8 3.9 47 46
Blue collar 139.8 144.5 145.3 5 1.0 6 37 3.9 3.9
Service .... 142.4 146.3 147.9 VA 8 Vt 3.3 3.9 3.9
Transportation and public utilities 142.3 | 147.4 | 148.3 A 1.2 6 22 3.9 42
‘Transportation .. 139.5 | 142.8 | 143.9 6 7 8 1.6 3.0 3.2
Public utilities 146.1 153.5 | 154.1 3 17 A 3.0 5.4 5.5
Communications 146.0 | 153.9 | 154.7 oA 2.0 5 3.0 5.3 6.0
Electric, gas, and sanitary services 146.1 152.9 153.4 7 1.3 3 28 54 5.0
Wholesale and retail trade 143.5 | 148.3 | 149.4 9 7 7 3.8 43 44
Excluding sales 144.3 | 149.6 | 150.6 qd 1.0 7 4.0 48 44
Wholesale trade 148.5 | 152.1 154.4 1.5 2 15 40 4.0 4.0
Excluding sales 147.4 | 152.7 | 154.9 11 Ww 14 44 47 5.1
Retail trade .... 140.7 | 146.2 | 146.6 5 1.0 3 3.8 44 42
General merchandise stores3 138.3 | 142.2 | 144.4 8 9 15 3.2 3.6 44
Food stores? .... 138.1 | 143.4 | 144.5 8 6 8 44 47 46
Finance, insurance, and real estate’ .. 148.3 | 155.2 | 155.7 5 14 3 at 51 5.0
Excluding sales 151.6 | 157.4 | 158.4 4 1.2 6 58 42 45
Banking, savings ar

credit agencies? .. 159.8 | 165.8 | 166.5 3 1.0 4 89 41 4.2
insurances 145.8 | 154.8 | 155.2 9 23 3 29 7A 6.4
Excluding sales 147.0 | 152.2 | 153.1 5 11 6 3.2 4at 4d
147.6 | 152.9 | 154.1 1.0 1 8 3.4 AT 44
151.9 | 157.5 | 158.4 8 8 6 41 45 43
Health services 144.2 | 149.0 | 150.6 Ww 1.0 1 37 45 44
Hospitals .... 144.6 | 149.2 | 151.1 41 12 1.3 3.4 43 45
Nursing homes - - - 1 17 1.5 42 5.7 6.1
Educational services 153.0 | 158.8 | 159.9 5 25 7 3.6 43 45
Colleges and universities 153.3 | 158.6 | 159.2 5 2.0 4 3.2 3.9 3.8

See footnotes at end of table.


4

Employment Cost Index

Chart A. Changes in wages and Chart B. Changes in compensation,

salaries and benefit costs, seasonally adjusted and not seasonally

private industry adjusted, private industry

Wages & salaries Benefits Seasonally adjusted Not seasonally adjusted

12-month percent change 3-month percent change

14 35

12 3

10 25

8 2

6 15

4 "s : 1

2 Sent 05

Fee Dll lille!
80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00

Chart C. Changes in compensation, Chart D. Changes in compensation,

goods-producing and service- white-collar and blue-collar

producing sectors, private industry occupations, private industry
Goods-producing Service-producing White-collar Blue-collar

12-month percent change 12-month percent change

127 br

107

FFPPL PEL FOP Pet FO FPL FP FP PT PPP PP PPT

PFO FP FPR PT OR PPT PO PO 0

80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 98 00



15

Table 8. Employment Cost Index for benefits for civilian, State and local government, and private industry
workers by industry, occupational group, and bargaining status

(Not seasonally adjusted data)
Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
industry, occupational group, and 3 months ended— 12 months ended
bargaining status Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 Dec. Sep. Dec. Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
Civilian workers .. 149.5 | 155.8 | 156.9 Wd 1.0 07 3.3 5.3 4.9
State and local government 146.7 | 149.0 | 150.2 1.2 3 8 28 2.8 24
Private industry .... 150.2 | 157.5 | 158.6 11 1.2 7 3.4 6.0 5.6
Industry
Goods producing! 148.2 | 155.7 | 156.2 13 1.0 3 3.4 64 54
Service producing? 150.7 | 157.9 | 159.4 a) 1.2 9 3.4 5.7 5.8
Manufacturing ... 147.8 | 154.9 | 154.8 1.4 6 3.4 63 47
Aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) . 153.9 | 168.7 | 163.1 5.7 1.3 5.9 15.9 6.0
White collar3 147.6 | 165.4 | 162.8 3.3 11 26 15.7 10.3
Blue collar 163.0 | 173.3 | 162.7 9.0 1.6 11.2 15.9 72
Nonmanufacturing 150.7 | 158.1 159.7 9 1.3 3.4 58 6.0
Occupational group
White collar 152.5 | 160.4 | 161.5 1.0 1.2 7 35 6.2 59
Blue collar .. 146.2 | 153.1 154.1 1.0 1.0 7 3.2 5.7 5.4
Service .. 149.9 | 154.4 | 156.4 1.0 V1 1.3 3.5 40 43
Bargaining status
Union . 149.7 157.4 157.5 9 1.2 a 28 61 5.2
Nonunion 150.0 157.3 158.6 1.0 1.2 8 3.5 5.9 5.7

1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing.

Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities;
wholesale and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service
indystries.

Average standard errors (SE) for the series exceed 0.3 percent for
3-month changes and 0.6 percent for 12-month changes for the five years

ending December 1996. To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of the
series, SEs for estimates in this news release (excluding seasonally
adjusted series) will be available on the Intemet site
(httpy//stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm). All series will continue to be published
until further notice.


17

the newly estimated factors. The new seasonal factors for 2001, and revised seasonally adjusted indexes for
the past five years, will be available Tuesday, April 24, 2001 on the Internet site
(http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm) or upon request. The factors are also published in the summer issue of

Compensation and Working Conditions.

The ECI sample is rotated over approximately five years; this makes it more representative and reduces
respondent burden. The sample is replaced on a cross-area, cross-industry basis and is being integrated with
the Bureau’s National Compensation Survey (NCS). Integrated samples result in an increase in the number of
private industry establishments and occupations in the survey. The NCS-ECI private sample will be
completely integrated in 2001.

Because the ECI is a sample survey, it is subject to sampling errors. Sampling errors are differences that
occur between the results computed from a sample of observations and those computed from all observations
in the population. The estimates derived from different samples selected using the same sample design may
differ from each other. A measure of the variation among these differing estimates is the standard error. It can
be used to measure the precision with which an estimate from a particular sample approximates the expected
result of all possible samples. The chances are about 68 out of 100 that an estimate from the survey differs
from a complete population figure by less than the standard error. The chances are about 90 out of 100 that
this difference would be less than 1.6 times the standard error. The statements of comparisons appearing in
this publication are significant at a 1.6 standard error level or better, unless otherwise indicated. This means
that for differences cited, the estimated difference is greater than 1.6 times the standard error of the difference.

Because standard errors vary from quarter to quarter, the ECI uses a five-year moving average of
standard errors to evaluate published series. Currently, in the higher level aggregate series, the standard errors
for 3-month changes are generally 0.1 percent or less; for 12-month changes, standard errors are generally 0.25
percent or less. Currently, in the lower level series, standard errors are generally 0.3 percent or less for 3-
month changes and 0.6 percent or less for 12-month changes. Series found to have a higher average standard
error for the five years ending December 1996 are footnoted in the tables. The five-year moving average of
standard errors for all estimates (excluding seasonally adjusted series) will be available on the Internet site

(http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm) shortly after publication of the news release.

When comparing data by bargaining status, it is important to note that differences may be due to factors
other than bargaining status, such as occupational and industry mix. For example, union occupations tend to
be concentrated in blue-collar occupations within manufacturing industries. Thus, differences between blue-
collar and white-collar pay or differences in manufacturing versus nonmanufacturing industries could explain
such differences.

More detailed information on the ECI is available in several sources. These include an annual bulletin--
Employment Cost Indexes, 1975-99, (Bulletin 2532), a chapter, “National Compensation Measures,” in the
BLS Handbook of Methods (Bulletin 2490), and several articles published in the Monthly Labor Review and
Compensation and Working Conditions. 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
and other descriptive pieces are available upon request by calling (202) 691-6199 or sending e-mail to
(ocltinfo@bls.gov). Current and historical data are available at the web site:

(http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm).

The costs per hour worked of compensation components, based on March data from the ECI, are
published in a separate news release titled "Employer Costs for Employee Compensation - March 2000," and
in a bulletin, Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, 1986-99, (Bulletin 2526). The cost levels 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 usually differ from those in the ECI.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice
phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service Number: 1-800-877-8339.


State and local government

In State and local government, the December 2000 over-the-year increase in wages and salaries was 3.3
percent, compared with a 3.6 percent increase recorded for December 1999. The 12-month gain in benefit
costs for December 2000 was 2.4 percent; in December 1999, the gain was 2.8 percent. (See tables 5 and 8.)

NOTES:

The new seasonal factors for 2001, along with revised seasonally adjusted indexes for the past five
years, will be available Tuesday, April 24, 2001. The ECI for March 2001 is scheduled to be released
Thursday, April 26, 2001, at 8:30 a.m. (EDT).

ECI data are available on the ECI home page (http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm). To access data using
Anonymous FTP, use the Internet address (ftp://ftp.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).

The ECI news release is available through an e-mail subscription service. See the subscription link on

(http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm) or (http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm).

News releases and other information are available from the BLS fax-on-demand service. To request a
document fax, call (202) 691-6325. 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 State and local government workers increased 0.8 percent during the September-
December 2000 period; in the September period, the increase was 0.6 percent. Wages and salaries rose 0.8
percent in the quarter ended in December, the same increase as the previous two quarters. Benefit costs rose
0.8 percent in the December quarter, compared with 0.1 percent in the September quarter.

Over-the-year changes, not seasonally adjusted

Compensation costs for civilian workers (not seasonally adjusted) increased 4.1 percent for the 12
months ended in December 2000. This compares with smaller over-the-year increases of 3.4 percent in both
December 1999 and December 1998. Compensation costs in private industry rose 4.4 percent in the year
ended December 2000, compared with increases of 3.4 percent in December 1999 and 3.5 percent in
December 1998. In State and local government, compensation costs increased 3.0 percent for the year ended
December 2000; over-the-year increases were 3.4 percent in December 1999 and 3.0 percent in December
1998. (See tables B, 2, and 3.)

Nonfarm private industry

In private industry, wages and salaries rose 3.9 percent for the year ended December 2000, after
increasing 3.5 percent in the year ended December 1999. (See tables B and 6.) Benefit costs for private
industry workers increased 5.6 percent for the year ended in December 2000, a significant increase from 3.4
percent in December 1999. (See chart A and tables B and 8.)

In private industry, over-the-year compensation cost increases were 4.6 percent for white-collar
occupations, 4.2 percent for blue-collar occupations, and 3.9 percent for service occupations. Among the
occupational groups, increases in compensation costs ranged from 3.8 percent for machine operators,
assemblers, and inspectors to 4.9 percent for administrative support, including clerical occupations. (See table
3.)

Table B. 12-month percent changes in Employment Cost Index, not seasonally adjusted
Dec. Dec. Dec. Dec Dec. Dec.

Compensation Component 1995 1996-1997 1998 1999 _ 2000
Civilian workers
Compensation costs 2.7 2.9 3.3 3.4 3.4 41
Wages and salaries 2.9 3.3 3.8 3.7 3.5 3.8
Benefit costs 2.3 2.0 2.1 2.6 3.3 49
Private industry
Compensation costs 2.6 3.1 3.4 3.5 3.4 44
Wages and salaries 2.8 3.4 3.9 3.9 3.5 3.9
Benefit costs 2.2 2.0 2.3 24 3.4 5.6
State and local government
Compensation costs 2.9 2.6 2.3 3.0 3.4 3.0
Wages and salaries 3.2 28 2.7 3.1 3.6 3.3
Benefit costs 2.6 2.2 1.3 3.0 2.8 2.4

For the year ended December 2000, the compensation cost increase was 4.4 percent for both goods-
producing and service-producing industries, compared with 3.4 percent increases for both industries for the
year ended December 1999. Among service-producing industry divisions, December 1999-to-December 2000
increases ranged from 3.2 percent in transportation to 6.4 percent in insurance. (See table 3.)

Compensation costs for nonunion workers rose 4.4 percent over the year, compared with 4.0 percent for
union workers. In service-producing industries, nonunion compensation increased 4.5 percent, compared with
a 3.5 percent increase for union workers. In contrast, in goods-producing industries, the increase for union
workers was 4.6 percent, compared with a 4.3 percent gain for nonunion workers. Compensation in blue-
collar occupations rose 4.4 percent for union workers and 4.1 percent for nonunion workers. (See table 4.)


13

Table 6. Employment Cost index for wages and salaries for private industry workers by industry and occupational
group — Continued

(Not seasonally adjusted data)
Indexes (June 1989=100) Percent changes for—
i 3 months ended— 12 months ended—
Industry and occupational group Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 Dec. Sep. Dec. Dec. Sep. Dec.
1999 2000 2000 1999 2000 2000
industry-Continued
Nonmanufacturing industries 142.1 146.9 147.9 08 1.0 07 3.4 42 41
it 144.7 | 149.6 | 150.6 8 9 7 3.5 43 41
145.9 150.7 151.9 2 14 8 40 42 4f
135.8 | 140.3 | 140.9 5 1.0 4 3.6 38 3.8
139.5 | 143.4 | 144.7 1.2 a7 2 3.3 40 3.7
Occupational group
White collar .... 144.8 | 149.7 150.6 9g 9 6 3.5 43 4.0
Excluding sales 145.2 | 149.9 | 151.1 9 Q 8 3.9 42 41
Professional specialty and technical 148.6 | 150.2 Wt a) 1 3.1 42 42
Executive, administrative, and managerial ...| 147.6 | 152.3 | 153.0 8 Ww 5 51 40 37
32 143.3 | 149.0 | 148.7 8 7 72 1.4 49 3.8
143.8 | 149.1 150.1 8 Wd 7 35 45 44
Blue collar ... 137.7 | 141.9 | 142.8 7 1.0 6 3.4 3.7 3.7
Precision production, craft, and repair .. 137.5 142.0 142.8 6 1.0 6 3.4 3.9 3.9
Machine operators, assemblers, and
inspectors .. 139.5 142.9 143.7 9 a) 6 3.4 3.3 3.0
Transportation and material moving .. 132.7 | 136.5 137.6 6 1.0 8 3.8 35 3.7
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers 140.4 | 145.0 146.2 7 1.0 8 3.4 4.0 41
Service . 139.6 | 143.5 | 144.9 1.2 7 1.0 3.2 4.0 3.8
Production and nonsupervisory
occupations4 140.4 145.0 146.0 8 9 7 2.9 41 4.0
1 Includes mining, construction, and manufacturing. 3 Includes transportation, communication, and public utilities; wholesale
2 Average standard errors (SE) for the series exceed 0.3 percent for and retail trade; finance, insurance, and real estate; and service industries.
3-month changes and 0.6 percent for 12-month changes for the five years 4 This series has the same industry and occupational coverage as the

ending December 1996. To assist users in ascertaining the reliability of the Hourly Earnings Index, which was discontinued in January 1989.
series, SEs for estimates in this news release (excluding seasonally adjusted

series) will be available on the Internet site (http://stats.bls.gov/ecthome.htm).

All series will continue to be published unti further notice. NOTE: Dashes indicate data not available.


16

EXPLANATORY NOTES

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 work in addition to the regular work schedule (such as overtime,
weekends, and holidays), shift differentials, and nonproduction bonuses (such as lump-sum payments provided
in lieu of wage increases and referral bonuses); insurance benefits--life, health, short-term disability, and long-
term disability; retirement and savings benefits--defined benefit and defined contribution plans; legally
required benefits--social security, Federal and State unemployment insurance, and workers’ compensation; and
other benefits--severance pay and supplemental unemployment plans.

The ECI provides data for the civilian economy, which includes the total private nonfarm economy
excluding households and the public sector excluding 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 31,900 occupational
observations within about 7,500 sample establishments in private industry and approximately 3,900
occupations within about 800 sample establishments in State and local governments. Data are collected for
the pay period including the 12" day of the survey months of March, June, September, and December.

The sampled establishments are classified by industry categories based on the 1987 Standard Industrial
Classification (SIC), as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget. Details on the sample design
are included in the bulletin, Employment Cost Indexes, 1975-99, (Bulletin 2532). Within an establishment,
specific job categories are selected and classified into about 500 occupational classifications according to the
1990 Census of Population. Individual occupations are combined into broader occupational groups. Fixed
employment weights are used each quarter to calculate the most aggregate series — civilian, private, and State
and local government. These fixed weights are also used to derive all of the industry and occupation series
indexes. Since March 1995, 1990 employment counts, primarily from the Bureau’s Occupational Employment
Statistics survey, have been used. For more information on these topics, see the articles, “Introducing New
Weights for the Employment Cost Index,” in the June 1985 issue of the Monthly Labor Review and
“Introducing 1990 Weights for the Employment Cost Index” in the June 1995 issue of Compensation and

Working Conditions.

For the series based on bargaining status, region, and area size, employment data are not available. 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 ECT release, indexes were rebased to June 1989=100. A description of the rebasing is
included in the article "Employment Cost Index Rebased to June 1989," in the April 1990 issue of the Monthly
Labor Review.

Beginning with the December 1990 ECT 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 identify. For more information on the methodology
used to seasonally adjust ECI series, see the bulletin, Employment Cost Indexes, 1975-99, (Bulletin 2532).
The seasonal adjustment factors are recalculated once a year. The March release contains data reflecting the
newly updated seasonal adjustment factors. The historical data for the last five years are then revised based on