September 1999 Employment Cost Index

Historical release narrative reproduced from the official public-domain source. Statistical tables, standard technical appendices, administrative material and attendance rosters are omitted; formatting is adapted for reading. Figures retain the release's historical context and may have been revised. Consult the linked source for the complete document.

The Employment Cost Index (not seasonally adjusted) for September 1999 was 143.3 (June 1989=100), an increase of 3.1 percent from September 1998, 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 June-September 1999 period, following a gain of 1.1 percent in March-June. The increase in wages and salaries was 0.9 percent during the June-September 1999 period, following a 1.2 percent increase in the previous 3-month period. Benefit costs rose 0.8 percent during the September 1999 quarter and 0.9 percent in the June 1999 quarter.

The 3-month increase in compensation costs for private industry workers was 0.8 percent during the June-September 1999 period. The gain in wages and salaries also was 0.8 percent in September; in June, it was 1.2 percent. Benefit costs showed a 3-month rise of 0.9 percent during the September quarter and 1.0 percent during the June period. (See tables A and 1.)

Compensation costs for State and local government workers increased 0.8 percent during the September 1999 period, the same as in the previous quarter. Wages and salaries rose 0.9 percent in September; in June, the increase was 1.0 percent. Benefit costs increased 0.3 percent in the September quarter, down from 0.6 percent in the previous quarter. The small increase in State and local government benefit costs was due, in part, to smaller increases in employer costs for retirement plans.

Over-the-year changes, not seasonally adjusted

Compensation costs for civilian workers (not seasonally adjusted) increased 3.1 percent for the year ended in September 1999. This compares with over-the-year increases of 3.7 percent in September 1998 and 3.0 percent in September 1997. Compensation costs in private industry rose 3.1 percent in September 1999, following increases of 3.8 percent in September 1998 and 3.2 percent in September 1997. Compensation costs in State and local government increased 2.9 percent for the year ended September 1999. Over-the-year increases were 3.0 percent in September 1998, and 2.4 percent in September 1997. (See tables B, 2, and 3.)

Nonfarm private industry

In private industry, wages and salaries rose 3.2 percent for the year ended September 1999, after increasing 4.3 percent in the year ended September 1998. (See tables B and 6.) Benefit costs for private industry workers increased 2.8 percent for the year ended in September 1999, compared with 2.6 percent in September 1998. (See chart A and tables B and 8.)

In private industry, over-the-year compensation cost increases were 3.2 percent for white-collar occupations, 3.1 percent for blue-collar occupations, and 2.7 percent for service occupations. Among the occupational groups, increases in compensation costs ranged from 2.5 percent for professional specialty and technical to 4.1 percent for executive, administrative, and managerial occupations. (See table 3.)

For the year ended September 1999, the private industry compensation cost increase was 3.2 percent for service-producing industries and 2.9 percent for goods-producing industries. For the year ended in September 1998, compensation costs rose 4.3 percent in service-producing industries and 2.6 percent in goods-producing industries. Among industry divisions, over-the-year increases ranged from 2.4 percent in transportation and public utilities to 4.7 percent in finance, insurance, and real estate. (See table 3.)

The compensation cost change for nonunion workers in private industry was 3.2 percent, while the change for union workers was 2.5 percent. In service-producing industries, union compensation increased 2.2 percent, and nonunion compensation increased 3.4 percent. In goods-producing industries, the increase for union workers was 2.7 percent, and the increase for nonunion workers was 3.0 percent. Compensation in blue- collar occupations increased 2.4 percent for union workers and 3.5 percent for nonunion workers. (See table 4.)

State and local government

In State and local government, the September 1999 over-the-year increase in wages and salaries was 3.3 percent, as compared with a 3.0 percent increase in September 1998. Benefit costs for September 1999 increased 2.0 percent. In September 1998, the increase was 2.8 percent. (See tables 5 and 8.)

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).

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