TEXT
Table A.    Composition of change in real earnings of production or
Table 1.   Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on
Table 1.   Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on
Table 2.   Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private
Table 3.    Revised seasonally adjusted average hourly and weekly earnings of
Table 3.    Revised seasonally adjusted average hourly and weekly earnings of

 
Technical information: (202) 606-6555     USDL 96-227
Media contact:               606-5902
 
                                          WIRE EMBARGO UNTIL
                                          10:00 A.M. (EDT) WEDNESDAY,
                                          JUNE 12, 1996
 
 
 
                     REAL EARNINGS IN MAY 1996
 
    Real average weekly earnings declined by 0.1 percent between April
and May after seasonal adjustment, according to preliminary data
released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department
of Labor.  Average hourly earnings increased by 0.3 percent, and
the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers (CPI-W) rose by 0.3 percent.  Average weekly hours were
unchanged in May.
 
    Data on average weekly earnings are collected from the payroll
reports of private nonfarm establishments.  Earnings of both full-time
and part-time workers holding production or nonsupervisory jobs are
included.  Real average weekly earnings are calculated by adjusting
earnings in current dollars for changes in the CPI-W.
 
    Average weekly earnings rose by 3.6 percent between May of 1995
and 1996 as a result of a 3.3 percent increase in average hourly
earnings and a 0.3 percent increase in average weekly hours.  After
adjustment for a 2.9 percent gain in the CPI-W over the same period,
real average weekly earnings rose by 0.7 percent.  Before adjustment
for seasonal change and deflation by the CPI-W, average weekly earnings
were $402.68 in May 1996, compared with $388.51 a year earlier.
 
 
                   _____________________________
 
 
     Real Earnings for June 1996 will be released on Tuesday,
July 16, 1996.
 
 
********************************************************************
*   The estimates of average weekly hours and average hourly and   *
*   weekly earnings from January 1988 forward have been revised    *
*   with the release of May data to reflect new employment bench-  *
*   marks and updated seasonal adjustment factors.                 *
********************************************************************
    Table A.    Composition of change in real earnings of production or
    nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls
    ______________________________________________________________________________
                 |            |            |            |            |
                 |   Average  |   Average  |   Average  |     The    |    Real
                 |   hourly   |   weekly   |   weekly   |  Consumer  |   average
        Year     |  earnings  |    hours   |  earnings  |    Price   |   weekly
         and     |            |            |            |   Index1/  |  earnings
        month    |____________|____________|____________|____________|____________
                 |
                 |    Percent change from preceding month, seasonally adjusted
    _____________|________________________________________________________________
                 |            |            |            |            |
    1995:        |            |            |            |            |
        May      |    -0.2    |    -1.2    |    -1.3    |     0.3    |    -1.6
        June     |      .6    |      .6    |     1.2    |      .2    |     1.0
        July     |      .3    |      .3    |      .6    |      .0    |      .6
        Aug.     |     -.1    |     -.3    |     -.4    |      .2    |     -.6
        Sept.    |      .5    |      .0    |      .5    |      .1    |      .4
        Oct.     |      .3    |      .3    |      .6    |      .3    |      .2
        Nov.     |      .3    |     -.3    |      .1    |      .1    |     (2)
        Dec.     |      .2    |     -.3    |     -.1    |      .2    |     -.3
    1996:        |            |            |            |            |
        Jan.     |      .1    |    -1.5    |    -1.4    |      .4    |    -1.8
        Feb.     |      .3    |     2.1    |     2.3    |      .2    |     2.1
        Mar.     |      .3    |      .0    |      .3    |      .5    |     -.2
        Apr.p    |      .3    |     -.6    |     -.2    |      .4    |     -.6
        Mayp     |      .3    |      .0    |      .3    |      .3    |     -.1
                 |________________________________________________________________
                 |
                 |            Percent change from same month a year ago
                 |________________________________________________________________
                 |            |            |            |            |
    1995:        |            |            |            |            |
        May      |     2.4    |    -1.7    |     0.7    |     3.2    |    -2.5
        June     |     2.8    |     -.6    |     2.2    |     3.1    |     -.8
        July     |     3.1    |     -.3    |     2.8    |     2.8    |     (2)
        Aug.     |     3.0    |     -.6    |     2.4    |     2.5    |     -.1
        Sept.    |     3.0    |     -.6    |     2.4    |     2.5    |     -.1
        Oct.     |     2.9    |     -.9    |     2.0    |     2.7    |     -.6
        Nov.     |     2.9    |     -.6    |     2.3    |     2.4    |     -.1
        Dec.     |     3.0    |     -.9    |     2.1    |     2.5    |     -.4
    1996:        |            |            |            |            |
        Jan.     |     3.2    |    -2.9    |      .2    |     2.6    |    -2.5
        Feb.     |     3.0    |     -.3    |     2.7    |     2.6    |     (2)
        Mar.     |     3.1    |      .0    |     3.1    |     2.8    |      .3
        Apr.p    |     3.2    |     -.3    |     2.9    |     2.9    |     (2)
        Mayp     |     3.3    |      .3    |     3.6    |     2.9    |      .7
    _____________|____________|____________|____________|____________|____________
 
     1/ The deflator for the constant-dollar series presented in this release is
    the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
      2  Less than 0.05 percent.
      p = preliminary.
 
Table 1.   Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on
       private nonfarm payrolls in current and constant dollars1/ by
       industry
       ____________________________________________________________________
                                 |
                                 |         Average hourly earnings
                                 |_________________________________________
                                 |        |        |        |
                Industry         |        |        |        |    Percent
                                 |   May  |   Apr. |   May  |    change
                                 |   1995 |   1996p|   1996p|  May 1995 -
                                 |        |        |        |  May 1996
       __________________________|________|________|________|______________
                                 |        |        |        |
       Total private:2/          |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| $11.36 | $11.75 | $11.74 |      3.3
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   7.36 |   7.41 |   7.39 |       .4
                                 |        |        |        |
       Goods-producing:          |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  12.97 |  13.36 |  13.38 |      3.2
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   8.40 |   8.43 |   8.42 |       .2
                                 |        |        |        |
       Mining:                   |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  15.19 |  15.58 |  15.51 |      2.1
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   9.84 |   9.83 |   9.76 |      -.8
                                 |        |        |        |
       Construction:             |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  15.00 |  15.19 |  15.28 |      1.9
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   9.72 |   9.58 |   9.62 |     -1.0
                                 |        |        |        |
       Manufacturing:            |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  12.30 |  12.73 |  12.71 |      3.3
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   7.97 |   8.03 |   8.00 |       .4
                                 |        |        |        |
       Service-producing:        |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  10.80 |  11.22 |  11.18 |      3.5
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   6.99 |   7.08 |   7.04 |       .7
                                 |        |        |        |
       Transportation and public |        |        |        |
            utilities:           |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  14.07 |  14.50 |  14.42 |      2.5
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   9.11 |   9.15 |   9.07 |      -.4
                                 |        |        |        |
       Wholesale trade:          |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  12.34 |  12.76 |  12.74 |      3.2
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   7.99 |   8.05 |   8.02 |       .4
                                 |        |        |        |
       Retail trade:             |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|   7.64 |   7.92 |   7.93 |      3.8
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   4.95 |   5.00 |   4.99 |       .8
                                 |        |        |        |
       Finance, insurance,       |        |        |        |
            and real estate:     |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  12.24 |  12.77 |  12.79 |      4.5
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   7.93 |   8.06 |   8.05 |      1.5
                                 |        |        |        |
       Services:                 |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|  11.31 |  11.72 |  11.69 |      3.4
        Constant (1982) dollars..|   7.33 |   7.39 |   7.36 |       .4
       __________________________|________|________|________|______________
 
       See footnotes at end of table.
 
 
 
Table 1.   Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on
       private nonfarm payrolls in current and constant dollars1/ by
       industry - Continued
       ____________________________________________________________________
                                 |
                                 |         Average weekly earnings
                                 |_________________________________________
                                 |        |        |        |
                Industry         |        |        |        |    Percent
                                 |   May  |   Apr. |   May  |    change
                                 |   1995 |   1996p|   1996p|  May 1995 -
                                 |        |        |        |  May 1996
       __________________________|________|________|________|______________
                                 |        |        |        |
       Total private:2/          |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........|$388.51 |$401.85 |$402.68 |      3.6
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 251.63 | 253.53 | 253.42 |       .7
                                 |        |        |        |
       Goods-producing:          |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 529.18 | 543.75 | 548.58 |      3.7
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 342.73 | 343.06 | 345.24 |       .7
                                 |        |        |        |
       Mining:                   |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 671.40 | 699.54 | 705.71 |      5.1
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 434.84 | 441.35 | 444.12 |      2.1
                                 |        |        |        |
       Construction:             |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 577.50 | 586.33 | 592.86 |      2.7
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 374.03 | 369.92 | 373.10 |      -.2
                                 |        |        |        |
       Manufacturing:            |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 509.22 | 524.48 | 528.74 |      3.8
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 329.81 | 330.90 | 332.75 |       .9
                                 |        |        |        |
       Service-producing:        |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 349.92 | 363.53 | 364.47 |      4.2
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 226.63 | 229.36 | 229.37 |      1.2
                                 |        |        |        |
       Transportation and public |        |        |        |
            utilities:           |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 551.54 | 569.85 | 568.15 |      3.0
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 357.22 | 359.53 | 357.55 |       .1
                                 |        |        |        |
       Wholesale trade:          |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 470.15 | 486.16 | 486.67 |      3.5
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 304.50 | 306.73 | 306.27 |       .6
                                 |        |        |        |
       Retail trade:             |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 219.27 | 224.93 | 227.59 |      3.8
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 142.01 | 141.91 | 143.23 |       .9
                                 |        |        |        |
       Finance, insurance,       |        |        |        |
            and real estate:     |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 433.30 | 454.61 | 455.32 |      5.1
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 280.63 | 286.82 | 286.54 |      2.1
                                 |        |        |        |
       Services:                 |        |        |        |
        Current dollars..........| 363.05 | 377.38 | 377.59 |      4.0
        Constant (1982) dollars..| 235.14 | 238.09 | 237.63 |      1.1
       __________________________|________|________|________|______________
 
        1/ The deflator for the constant-dollar series presented in this
       release is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and
       Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
        2/ Data relate to production and related workers in mining and
       manufacturing; construction workers in construction; and
       nonsupervisory workers in transportation and public utilities,
       trade, finance, insurance, and real estate, and services. Included
       in this group are approximately four-fifths of all jobs on private
       industry payrolls.
         p = preliminary.
 
Table 2.   Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private
  nonfarm payrolls1/, seasonally adjusted
  _____________________________________________________________________________
               |                               |
               |                               |
               |         Average hourly        |         Average weekly
               |            earnings           |            earnings
               |                               |
      Year     |_______________________________|_______________________________
       and     |               |               |               |
      month    |               |               |               |
               |    Current    |    Constant   |    Current    |    Constant
               |    dollars    |     (1982)    |    dollars    |     (1982)
               |               |   dollars2/   |               |   dollars2/
               |               |               |               |
  _____________|_______________|_______________|_______________|_______________
               |               |               |               |
  1995:        |               |               |               |
      May      |     $11.36    |      $7.36    |    $388.51    |    $251.63
      June     |      11.43    |       7.39    |     393.19    |     254.16
      July     |      11.47    |       7.41    |     395.72    |     255.80
      Aug.     |      11.46    |       7.39    |     394.22    |     254.34
      Sept.    |      11.52    |       7.42    |     396.29    |     255.34
      Oct.     |      11.55    |       7.42    |     398.48    |     255.93
      Nov.     |      11.59    |       7.44    |     398.70    |     255.91
      Dec.     |      11.61    |       7.44    |     398.22    |     255.11
  1996:        |               |               |               |
      Jan.     |      11.62    |       7.41    |     392.76    |     250.48
      Feb.     |      11.65    |       7.42    |     401.93    |     255.84
      Mar.     |      11.68    |       7.40    |     402.96    |     255.36
      Apr.p    |      11.72    |       7.40    |     402.00    |     253.79
      Mayp     |      11.75    |       7.39    |     403.03    |     253.64
  _____________|_______________|_______________|_______________|_______________
 
   1/ See footnote 2, table 1.
   2/ The deflator for the constant-dollar series presented in this release is
  the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
    p = preliminary.
 
Table 3.    Revised seasonally adjusted average hourly and weekly earnings of
production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls1/ in constant
(1982) dollars
________________________________________________________________________________
                    |
                    |                  Average hourly earnings
                    |___________________________________________________________
        Year        |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |   Jan.  |   Feb.  |   Mar.  |   Apr.  |   May   |   June
____________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
1988................|  $7.71  |  $7.70  |  $7.71  |  $7.70  |  $7.71  |  $7.69
1989................|   7.67  |   7.68  |   7.64  |   7.63  |   7.59  |   7.59
1990................|   7.56  |   7.57  |   7.55  |   7.56  |   7.56  |   7.56
1991................|   7.41  |   7.44  |   7.45  |   7.45  |   7.45  |   7.47
1992................|   7.42  |   7.44  |   7.43  |   7.42  |   7.41  |   7.42
1993................|   7.40  |   7.39  |   7.40  |   7.38  |   7.39  |   7.37
1994................|   7.42  |   7.41  |   7.40  |   7.42  |   7.42  |   7.41
1995................|   7.40  |   7.39  |   7.37  |   7.39  |   7.36  |   7.39
1996................|   7.41  |   7.42  |   7.40  |  p7.40  |  p7.40  |
                    |___________________________________________________________
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |   July  |   Aug.  |  Sept.  |   Oct.  |   Nov.  |   Dec.
                    |_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
1988................|   7.68  |   7.65  |   7.66  |   7.67  |   7.66  |   7.66
1989................|   7.62  |   7.62  |   7.64  |   7.63  |   7.62  |   7.61
1990................|   7.56  |   7.50  |   7.48  |   7.43  |   7.43  |   7.45
1991................|   7.45  |   7.47  |   7.47  |   7.46  |   7.44  |   7.45
1992................|   7.42  |   7.44  |   7.41  |   7.39  |   7.39  |   7.39
1993................|   7.39  |   7.39  |   7.40  |   7.38  |   7.39  |   7.38
1994................|   7.39  |   7.35  |   7.38  |   7.41  |   7.39  |   7.38
1995................|   7.41  |   7.39  |   7.42  |   7.42  |   7.44  |   7.44
                    |___________________________________________________________
 
Table 3.    Revised seasonally adjusted average hourly and weekly earnings of
production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls1/ in constant
(1982) dollars--Continued
________________________________________________________________________________
                    |
                    |                  Average weekly earnings
                    |___________________________________________________________
        Year        |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |   Jan.  |   Feb.  |   Mar.  |   Apr.  |   May   |   June
____________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
1988................| $267.58 | $267.89 | $266.62 | $267.15 | $267.41 | $266.88
1989................|  266.98 |  264.94 |  264.49 |  264.80 |  261.76 |  261.95
1990................|  260.68 |  261.00 |  261.08 |  261.48 |  260.85 |  261.53
1991................|  253.44 |  254.44 |  254.07 |  254.02 |  254.83 |  257.75
1992................|  253.71 |  256.79 |  256.19 |  255.39 |  254.85 |  254.42
1993................|  253.76 |  254.27 |  252.97 |  254.50 |  255.72 |  254.33
1994................|  257.45 |  254.87 |  256.64 |  256.72 |  257.64 |  256.33
1995................|  256.78 |  255.03 |  254.42 |  255.68 |  251.63 |  254.16
1996................|  250.48 |  255.84 |  255.36 | p253.79 | p253.80 |
                    |___________________________________________________________
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
                    |   July  |   Aug.  |  Sept.  |   Oct.  |   Nov.  |   Dec.
                    |_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________
                    |         |         |         |         |         |
1988................|  266.41 |  264.84 |  264.89 |  266.75 |  265.14 |  265.82
1989................|  263.78 |  262.75 |  262.72 |  264.09 |  262.78 |  261.80
1990................|  260.90 |  258.06 |  257.92 |  253.99 |  254.92 |  256.92
1991................|  254.90 |  255.58 |  256.83 |  254.97 |  255.11 |  256.35
1992................|  254.61 |  256.52 |  254.08 |  254.18 |  255.84 |  253.58
1993................|  255.10 |  256.35 |  255.17 |  254.60 |  255.02 |  255.48
1994................|  255.65 |  254.46 |  255.50 |  257.78 |  255.63 |  256.15
1995................|  255.80 |  254.34 |  255.34 |  255.93 |  255.91 |  255.11
____________________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________|_________
 
 1/ Data relate to production and related workers in mining and manufacturing;
construction workers in construction; and nonsupervisory workers in
transportation and public utilities; wholesale and retail trade; finance,
insurance, and real estate; and services.
   NOTE: These data have been revised to reflect the March 1995 employment
benchmark and updated seasonal adjustment factors.
p = preliminary.