[Economic Indicators December, 1998]
[Page Number 15]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX--PRIVATE INDUSTRY

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                                                    Index (June 1989 = 100)                                 Percent change from
                                             -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                           3 months earlier                    12 months earlier
                   Period                       Total                            -----------------------------------------------------------------------
                                              compensa-  Wages and  Benefits \1\    Total                               Total
                                                 tion     salaries                compensa-  Wages and  Benefits \1\  compensa-  Wages and  Benefits \1\
                                                                                     tion     salaries                   tion     salaries
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                                                                                        Not seasonally adjusted
 
                                             -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1988:Dec....................................       97.6       98.0         96.7   .........  .........  ............        4.8        4.1          6.9
1989:Dec....................................      102.3      102.0        102.6   .........  .........  ............        4.8        4.1          6.1
1990:Dec....................................      107.0      106.1        109.4   .........  .........  ............        4.6        4.0          6.6
1991:Dec....................................      111.7      110.0        116.2   .........  .........  ............        4.4        3.7          6.2
1992:Dec....................................      115.6      112.9        122.2   .........  .........  ............        3.5        2.6          5.2
1993:Dec....................................      119.8      116.4        128.3   .........  .........  ............        3.6        3.1          5.0
1994:Dec....................................      123.5      119.7        133.0   .........  .........  ............        3.1        2.8          3.7
1995:Dec ...................................      126.7      123.1        135.9   .........  .........  ............        2.6        2.8          2.2
1996:Dec....................................      130.6      127.3        138.6   .........  .........  ............        3.1        3.4          2.0
1997:Dec....................................      135.1      132.3        141.8   .........  .........  ............        3.4        3.9          2.3
                                             -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                        Seasonally adjusted
                                                    Not seasonally adjusted
 
                                             -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1994:Sept...................................      122.8      119.0        132.8         0.8        0.8          1.0         3.3        2.9          4.0
      Dec...................................      123.5      119.8        133.5          .6         .7           .5         3.1        2.8          3.7
 
1995:Mar....................................      124.4      120.6        133.9          .7         .7           .3         2.9        2.9          2.9
      June..................................      125.3      121.5        134.6          .7         .7           .5         2.8        2.9          2.6
      Sept..................................      126.1      122.4        135.3          .6         .7           .5         2.6        2.8          2.1
      Dec...................................      126.9      123.2        136.0          .6         .7           .5         2.6        2.8          2.2
 
1996:Mar....................................      127.7      124.4        136.1          .6        1.0           .1         2.7        3.2          1.6
      June..................................      128.8      125.6        137.0          .9        1.0           .7         2.9        3.4          1.7
      Sept..................................      129.7      126.5        137.8          .7         .7           .6         2.9        3.3          1.8
      Dec...................................      130.6      127.4        138.6          .7         .7           .6         3.1        3.4          2.0
 
1997:Mar....................................      131.4      128.5        138.8          .6         .9           .1         3.0        3.4          2.0
      June..................................      132.6      129.7        139.7          .9         .9           .6         2.9        3.3          2.0
      Sept..................................      133.7      131.0        140.4          .8        1.0           .5         3.2        3.6          2.0
      Dec...................................      135.1      132.5        141.7         1.0        1.1           .9         3.4        3.9          2.3
 
1998:Mar....................................      136.0      133.6        142.1          .7         .8           .3         3.5        4.0          2.3
      June..................................      137.2      134.9        143.2          .9        1.0           .8         3.5        4.0          2.6
      Sept..................................      138.7      136.6        144.2         1.1        1.3           .7         3.8        4.3          2.6
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    \1\ Employer costs for employee 
benefits.

    Note.--The employment cost index 
is a measure of the change in the 
cost of labor, free from the 
influence of employment shifts among 
occupations and industries.
    Data exclude farm and household 
workers.

    Source: Department of Labor, 
    Bureau of Labor Statistics.