TEXT
Table A.  Composition of change in real earnings (production or
Table 1.  Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private
_________________________________________________________________________
Table 2. Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls1/, seasonally adjusted
Table 3.  Revised seasonally adjusted average hourly and weekly earnings of


 
Technical information: (202) 606-6555     USDL 95-208
Media contact:               606-5902
                                          WIRE EMBARGO UNTIL
                                          10:00 A.M. (EDT) TUESDAY,
                                          JUNE 13, 1995
 
 
                     REAL EARNINGS IN MAY 1995
 
    Real average weekly earnings fell 1.2 percent from April to May
after seasonal adjustment, according to preliminary data released today
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.  This
drop stemmed from a 0.9 percent decline in average weekly hours coupled
with a 0.2 percent decrease in average hourly earnings.  A 0.2 percent
increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers (CPI-W) also contributed to the decline.
    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 1.2 percent between May
of 1994 and 1995 as a result of a 2.7 percent increase in average
hourly earnings which was partially offset by a 1.4 percent decline
in average weekly hours.  After adjustment for a 3.2 percent gain in
the CPI-W over the same period, real average weekly earnings fell
by 2.0 percent.  Before adjustment for seasonal change and
deflation by the CPI-W, average weekly earnings were $390.68
in May 1995, compared with $385.93 a year earlier.
                   _____________________________
     Real Earnings for June 1995 will be released on Friday,
July 14, 1995.
 **********************************************************
 *   The estimates of average weekly hours and average    *
 *   hourly and weekly earnings from January 1990 forward *
 *   have been revised with the release of May data to    *
 *   reflect new employment benchmarks and updated        *
 *   seasonal adjustment factors.                         *
 **********************************************************
Table A.  Composition of change in real earnings (production or
nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls)
________________________________________________________________
             |         |         |         |   The   |  Real
      Year   |Average  | Average |Average  |Consumer |average
      and    | hourly  |  weekly | weekly  |  Price  | weekly
     month   |earnings |  hours  |earnings |Index 1/ |earnings
                                                  _
             |         |         |         |         |
________________________________________________________________
    Percent change from preceding month, seasonally adjusted
________________________________________________________________
1994:        |         |         |         |         |
   May       |   0.3   |   0.0   |   0.3   |   0.1   |   0.1
   June      |    .1   |    .0   |    .1   |    .3   |   -.2
   July      |    .4   |    .0   |    .4   |    .4   |   (2)
   Aug.      |    .1   |   -.3   |   -.2   |    .3   |   -.5
   Sept.     |    .4   |    .3   |    .7   |    .2   |    .5
   Oct.      |    .6   |    .6   |   1.2   |    .1   |   1.1
   Nov.      |   -.1   |   -.9   |  -1.0   |    .2   |  -1.1
   Dec.      |    .3   |    .3   |    .6   |    .2   |    .4
1995:        |         |         |         |         |
   Jan.      |    .2   |    .3   |    .5   |    .3   |    .1
   Feb.      |    .3   |   -.6   |   -.3   |    .3   |   -.6
   Mar.      |    .2   |    .0   |    .2   |    .3   |   -.2
   Apr. p    |    .5   |    .0   |    .5   |    .3   |    .2
   May p     |   -.2   |   -.9   |  -1.0   |    .2   |  -1.2
             |         |         |         |         |
________________________________________________________________
           Percent change from same month a year ago
________________________________________________________________
1994:        |         |         |         |         |
   May       |   2.5   |   0.3   |   2.8   |   2.1   |   0.7
   June      |   2.5   |    .6   |   3.1   |   2.4   |    .6
   July      |   2.7   |    .6   |   3.3   |   2.6   |    .6
   Aug.      |   2.5   |   -.3   |   2.2   |   2.9   |   -.6
   Sept.     |   2.8   |    .9   |   3.7   |   3.0   |    .7
   Oct.      |   3.1   |   1.2   |   4.3   |   2.6   |   1.7
   Nov.      |   2.8   |    .3   |   3.1   |   2.7   |    .4
   Dec.      |   2.8   |    .3   |   3.1   |   2.7   |    .4
1995:        |         |         |         |         |
   Jan.      |   2.7   |    .0   |   2.7   |   2.9   |   -.2
   Feb.      |   2.7   |    .6   |   3.3   |   3.0   |    .3
   Mar.      |   2.9   |   -.3   |   2.6   |   3.0   |   -.4
   Apr. p    |   3.1   |   -.6   |   2.5   |   3.2   |   -.7
   May p     |   2.7   |  -1.4   |   1.2   |   3.2   |  -2.0
             |         |         |         |         |
________________________________________________________________
  1/ The deflator for the           for Urban Wage Earners and
  _
constant dollar series present-     Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
ed in this release is derived         2/ Less than 0.05 percent.
                                      _
from the Consumer Price Index         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            |                                        |
                              _________________________________________
                             | May   | Apr.  | May   |Percent change  |
                             | 1994  | 1995p | 1995p |May 1994 -      |
                             |       |       |       |May 1995        |
_______________________________________________________________________
                             |       |       |       |                |
Total private: 2/            |       |       |       |                |
               _
  Current dollars............|$11.09 |$11.41 |$11.39 |       2.7      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  7.42 |  7.40 |  7.38 |       -.5      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Mining:                     |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............| 14.83 | 15.29 | 15.24 |       2.8      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  9.92 |  9.92 |  9.87 |       -.5      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Construction:               |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............| 14.62 | 14.88 | 14.98 |       2.5      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  9.78 |  9.66 |  9.70 |       -.8      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Manufacturing:              |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............| 12.01 | 12.29 | 12.27 |       2.2      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  8.03 |  7.98 |  7.95 |      -1.0      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Transportation and          |       |       |       |                |
    public utilities:        |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............| 13.74 | 14.13 | 14.01 |       2.0      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  9.19 |  9.17 |  9.07 |      -1.3      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Wholesale trade:            |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............| 12.03 | 12.45 | 12.32 |       2.4      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  8.05 |  8.08 |  7.98 |       -.9      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Retail trade:               |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............|  7.47 |  7.65 |  7.68 |       2.8      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  5.00 |  4.96 |  4.97 |       -.6      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Finance, insurance,         |       |       |       |                |
    and real estate:         |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............| 11.84 | 12.32 | 12.25 |       3.5      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  7.92 |  7.99 |  7.93 |        .1      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
 Services:                   |       |       |       |                |
  Current dollars............| 11.01 | 11.40 | 11.36 |       3.2      |
  Constant (1982) dollars....|  7.36 |  7.40 |  7.36 |        .0      |
                             |       |       |       |                |
                             |       |       |       |                |
_______________________________________________________________________
 
_________________________________________________________________________
                             |
                             |                  Average
                             |              weekly earnings
         Industry            |
                             ____________________________________________
                             | May    | Apr.   | May    |Percent change
                             | 1994   | 1995p  | 1995p  |May 1994 -
                             |        |        |        |May 1995
_________________________________________________________________________
                             |        |        |        |
Total private: 2/            |        |        |        |
               _
  Current dollars............|$385.93 |$391.36 |$390.68 |       1.2
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 258.15 | 253.96 | 253.03 |      -2.0
                             |        |        |        |
 Mining:                     |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 659.94 | 675.82 | 675.13 |       2.3
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 441.43 | 438.56 | 437.26 |       -.9
                             |        |        |        |
 Construction:               |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 580.41 | 560.98 | 576.73 |       -.6
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 388.23 | 364.04 | 373.53 |      -3.8
                             |        |        |        |
 Manufacturing:              |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 504.42 | 496.52 | 509.21 |        .9
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 337.40 | 322.21 | 329.80 |      -2.3
                             |        |        |        |
 Transportation and          |        |        |        |
    public utilities:        |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 549.60 | 558.14 | 553.40 |        .7
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 367.63 | 362.19 | 358.42 |      -2.5
                             |        |        |        |
 Wholesale trade:            |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 464.36 | 476.84 | 469.39 |       1.1
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 310.61 | 309.44 | 304.01 |      -2.1
                             |        |        |        |
 Retail trade:               |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 215.88 | 221.09 | 220.42 |       2.1
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 144.40 | 143.47 | 142.76 |      -1.1
                             |        |        |        |
 Finance, insurance,         |        |        |        |
    and real estate:         |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 427.42 | 447.22 | 432.43 |       1.2
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 285.90 | 290.21 | 280.07 |      -2.0
                             |        |        |        |
 Services:                   |        |        |        |
  Current dollars............| 358.93 | 370.50 | 365.79 |       1.9
  Constant (1982) dollars....| 240.09 | 240.43 | 236.91 |      -1.3
                            |        |        |        |
                            |        |        |        |
________________________________________________________________________
     1/ The deflator for the constant dollar series presented     and public utilities, trade, finance, insurance,
     _
in this release is derivedfrom the Consumer Price Index for      and real estate, and services.  Included in this
Urban Wage Earners and Cleical Workers (CPI-W).                  group are approximately four-fifths of all jobs
     2/ Data relate to theearnings of production and related     on private industry payrolls.
     _
workers in mining and manuacturing; construction workers in
construction; and nonsuperisory workers in transportation             p = preliminary.
Table 2. Earnings of production or nonsupervisory workers on private nonfarm payrolls1/, seasonally adjusted
                                                                                     _
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                            |                                                               |
                            |                             1994                              |                 1995
         Earnings           |                                                               |
                             _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
                            |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
                            | May   | June  | July  | Aug.  | Sept. | Oct.  | Nov.  | Dec.  | Jan.  | Feb.  | Mar.  |Apr. p | May p
                            |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
                            |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
Average hourly earnings:    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
  Current dollars...........| $11.08| $11.09| $11.13| $11.14| $11.18| $11.25| $11.24| $11.27| $11.29| $11.32| $11.34| $11.40| $11.38
  Constant (1982) dollars2/.|   7.41|   7.39|   7.39|   7.37|   7.38|   7.42|   7.40|   7.40|   7.39|   7.39|   7.38|   7.40|   7.37
                         _
                            |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
Average weekly earnings:    |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
  Current dollars...........| 384.48| 384.82| 386.21| 385.44| 387.95| 392.63| 388.90| 391.07| 392.89| 391.67| 392.36| 394.44| 390.33
  Constant (1982) dollars2/.| 257.18| 256.55| 256.45| 255.09| 256.24| 258.99| 256.02| 256.94| 257.30| 255.83| 255.44| 255.96| 252.80
                         _
                            |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
                            |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |       |
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
     1/ See footnote 2, table 1.                                     Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).
     _
     2/ The deflator for the constant dollar series presented             p = preliminary.
     _
in this release is derived from the Consumer Price Index for
 
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
               |         |         |         |         |         |
___________________________________________________________________________
               |         |         |         |         |         |
1990...........|  $7.55  |  $7.57  |  $7.56  |  $7.57  |  $7.58  |  $7.57
1991...........|   7.41  |   7.43  |   7.44  |   7.45  |   7.45  |   7.47
1992...........|   7.42  |   7.44  |   7.43  |   7.42  |   7.42  |   7.42
1993...........|   7.39  |   7.38  |   7.40  |   7.37  |   7.38  |   7.39
1994...........|   7.41  |   7.41  |   7.40  |   7.40  |   7.41  |   7.39
1995...........|   7.39  |   7.39  |   7.38  |   7.40p |    -    |    -
               |         |         |         |         |         |
                ___________________________________________________________
               |         |         |         |         |         |
               |  July   |  Aug.   |  Sept.  |  Oct.   |  Nov.   |  Dec.
               |         |         |         |         |         |
                ___________________________________________________________
               |         |         |         |         |         |
1990...........|   7.56  |   7.50  |   7.48  |   7.43  |   7.43  |   7.43
1991...........|   7.46  |   7.47  |   7.47  |   7.46  |   7.43  |   7.44
1992...........|   7.41  |   7.43  |   7.40  |   7.40  |   7.41  |   7.39
1993...........|   7.39  |   7.40  |   7.40  |   7.39  |   7.39  |   7.40
1994...........|   7.39  |   7.37  |   7.38  |   7.42  |   7.40  |   7.40
               |         |         |         |         |         |
                ___________________________________________________________
               |
               |                  Average weekly earnings
               |
                ___________________________________________________________
               |         |         |         |         |         |
               |  Jan.   |  Feb.   |  Mar.   |  Apr.   |   May   |  June
               |         |         |         |         |         |
                ___________________________________________________________
               |         |         |         |         |         |
1990...........| $260.41 | $261.00 | $260.85 | $262.00 | $261.38 | $261.79
1991...........|  253.51 |  254.01 |  254.57 |  254.08 |  254.83 |  257.75
1992...........|  253.77 |  256.61 |  256.44 |  254.65 |  255.34 |  254.60
1993...........|  254.08 |  254.60 |  252.97 |  253.59 |  255.48 |  254.81
1994...........|  257.21 |  254.94 |  256.87 |  256.83 |  257.18 |  256.55
1995...........|  257.30 |  255.83 |  255.44 |  255.96p|    -    |    -
               |         |         |         |         |         |
                ___________________________________________________________
               |         |         |         |         |         |
               |  July   |  Aug.   |  Sept.  |  Oct.   |  Nov.   |  Dec.
               |         |         |         |         |         |
                ___________________________________________________________
               |         |         |         |         |         |
1990...........|  261.65 |  258.06 |  258.67 |  254.24 |  254.92 |  256.42
1991...........|  255.14 |  256.08 |  256.83 |  255.71 |  254.86 |  256.10
1992...........|  254.12 |  256.28 |  253.85 |  254.42 |  256.32 |  253.33
1993...........|  254.87 |  256.02 |  254.43 |  255.07 |  255.70 |  255.14
1994...........|  256.45 |  255.09 |  256.24 |  258.99 |  256.02 |  256.94
               |         |         |         |         |         |
___________________________________________________________________________
   1/  Data relate to the earnings of 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.
   -  Data not available.
   NOTE:  These data have been revised to reflect the March 1994 employment
benchmark and updated seasonal adjustment factors.