Internet address: http://www.bls.gov/lpc/ USDL 09-0587
Historical, technical TRANSMISSION OF THIS
information: (202) 691-5606 MATERIAL IS EMBARGOED
Current data: (202) 691-5200 UNTIL 8:30 A.M. EDT,
Media contact: (202) 691-5902 THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2009.
PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS
First Quarter 2009, Revised
The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of
Labor today reported revised productivity data--as measured by
output per hour of all persons--for the first quarter of 2009.
The revised seasonally adjusted annual rates of productivity
change in the first quarter were:
1.8 percent in the business sector and
1.6 percent in the nonfarm business sector.
In both sectors, the first-quarter productivity gains were greater
than the preliminary estimates reported on May 7, due solely to
revisions to output growth.
In manufacturing, the revised productivity changes in the
first quarter were:
-2.7 percent in manufacturing,
-10.4 percent in durable goods manufacturing, and
1.9 percent in nondurable goods manufacturing.
Manufacturing productivity in the first quarter of 2009 fell
at a slower rate than was reported on May 7. Output and hours in
manufacturing, which includes about 11 percent of U.S. business-
sector employment, tend to vary more from quarter to quarter than
data for the aggregate business and nonfarm business sectors.
First-quarter measures are summarized in table A and appear in
detail in tables 1 through 5.
The data sources and methods used in the preparation of the
manufacturing series differ from those used in preparing the
business and nonfarm business series, and these measures are not
directly comparable. Output measures for business and nonfarm
business are based on measures of gross domestic product prepared
by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. Department of
Commerce. Quarterly output measures for manufacturing reflect
indexes of industrial production prepared by the Board of
Governors of the Federal Reserve System. See Technical Notes for
further information on data sources.
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Table A. Productivity and costs: Revised first-quarter 2009 measures
(Seasonally adjusted annual rates)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real
Hourly hourly Unit
Produc- compen- compen- labor
Sector tivity Output Hours sation sation costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from preceding quarter
Business 1.8 -7.2 -8.8 4.5 7.0 2.7
Nonfarm business 1.6 -7.6 -9.0 4.6 7.1 3.0
Manufacturing -2.7 -21.7 -19.5 13.4 16.1 16.6
Durable -10.4 -31.0 -23.0 15.8 18.6 29.3
Nondurable 1.9 -11.6 -13.2 10.1 12.8 8.1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from same quarter a year ago
Business 2.0 -3.8 -5.7 4.1 4.3 2.0
Nonfarm business 1.9 -4.0 -5.8 4.1 4.3 2.2
Manufacturing -3.2 -13.9 -11.0 8.4 8.7 12.0
Durable -6.9 -18.8 -12.8 9.5 9.7 17.6
Nondurable -0.8 -8.8 -8.0 6.9 7.1 7.8
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Business
Business sector productivity grew 1.8 percent in the first
quarter of 2009 as output decreased 7.2 percent and hours worked
by all persons--employees, proprietors, and unpaid family workers-
-decreased 8.8 percent (seasonally adjusted annual rates). The
decrease in hours was the largest since a decline of 12.1 percent
in the first quarter of 1975. From the first quarter of 2008 to
the first quarter of 2009, productivity has increased 2.0 percent,
with output and hours falling 3.8 percent and 5.7 percent,
respectively (tables A and 1). This productivity growth rate was
lower than the 2.5 percent average annual rate from 2000 to 2007.
Hourly compensation increased at a 4.5 percent annual rate in
the first quarter of 2009. This measure of compensation includes
wages and salaries, supplements, employer contributions to
employee benefit plans, and taxes. Real hourly compensation,
which takes into account changes in consumer prices, rose 7.0
percent in the first quarter of 2009.
The change in unit labor costs approximates the change in
hourly compensation less the change in productivity. In the first
quarter of 2009 these costs grew at a 2.7 percent annual rate,
higher than the 2.0 percent rate from the first quarter of 2008 to
the first quarter of 2009 and the 1.4 percent average annual rate
from 2000 to 2007. The implicit price deflator for business
output, which reflects changes in both unit labor costs and unit
nonlabor payments, grew 2.2 percent in the first quarter of 2009.
Nonfarm Business
During the first quarter of 2009, productivity rose 1.6
percent in the nonfarm business sector; output fell 7.6 percent
and hours of all persons fell 9.0 percent (seasonally-adjusted
annual rates). The decrease in hours, 9.0 percent, was the
largest since the first quarter of 1975, when hours fell 12.0
percent. Over the last four quarters, productivity in the nonfarm
business sector grew 1.9 percent (tables A and 2). This growth
rate was lower than the 2.5 percent average rate of growth from
2000 to 2007.
Hourly compensation increased at a 4.6 percent annual rate in
the nonfarm business sector in the first quarter of 2009. The
measure increased 4.5 percent in the fourth quarter, as revised.
When hourly compensation is adjusted for the fall in consumer
prices, real hourly compensation grew 7.1 percent in the first
quarter of 2009.
Unit labor costs rose 3.0 percent in the first quarter of
2009. The percent change from the same quarter a year ago was 2.2
percent. The implicit price deflator for nonfarm business output
increased 2.8 percent in the first quarter of 2009.
Manufacturing
Productivity decreased at a 2.7 percent annual rate in the
manufacturing sector during the first quarter of 2009, reflecting
a 21.7 percent decrease in output and a 19.5 percent decrease in
hours (tables A and 3). These were the largest-ever declines in
the output and hours series, which begin with data for the second
quarter of 1987. Over the last four quarters, manufacturing
productivity fell 3.2 percent, the largest four-quarter decline in
the series (tables A and 3). This contrasts with the 3.7 percent
average annual increase from 2000 to 2007. In the durable goods
manufacturing subsector, output declined 31.0 percent and hours
fell 23.0 percent, yielding a productivity decline of 10.4
percent. In nondurable goods industries, productivity rose 1.9
percent as the decline in output of 11.6 percent was less than the
13.2 percent decline in hours.
Hourly compensation in manufacturing grew 13.4 percent during
the first quarter of 2009, reflecting a 15.8 percent rise in
durable goods industries and a 10.1 percent rise in the nondurable
goods industries (seasonally-adjusted annual rates). Real hourly
compensation, which takes into account changes in consumer prices,
increased 16.1 percent for all manufacturing workers.
Unit labor costs rose 16.6 percent in manufacturing during
the first quarter of 2009, after increasing 17.1 percent in the
fourth quarter of 2008. Over the last four quarters total
manufacturing unit labor costs increased 12.0 percent, the largest
increase in the series.
Nonfinancial Corporations
Preliminary first-quarter 2009 measures of productivity and
costs for nonfinancial corporations also were announced today
(tables B and 6). Productivity decreased 2.1 percent in the first
quarter as output fell 12.3 percent and hours fell 10.4 percent
(seasonally adjusted annual rates). The decline in output was the
largest in the series, which begins in the second quarter of 1958.
The hours decline was the largest since a 13.9 percent decline in
the first quarter of 1975. From the first quarter of 2008 to the
first quarter of 2009 productivity grew 2.0 percent; it had grown
at a 2.7 percent annual rate from 2000 to 2007. The nonfinancial
corporate sector includes all corporations doing business in the
United States, except those classified as depository institutions,
nondepository institutions, security and commodity brokers,
insurance carriers, regulated investment offices, small business
investment offices, and real estate investment trusts.
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Table B. Nonfinancial corporations: Preliminary first-quarter 2009
productivity and costs measures
(Seasonally adjusted annual rates)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real
Hourly hourly Unit Implicit
Produc- compen- compen- labor Unit price
Period tivity Output Hours sation sation costs profits deflator
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from preceding quarter
2009 I -2.1 -12.3 -10.4 6.3 8.8 8.5 -20.5 6.4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from same quarter a year ago
2009 I 2.0 -4.1 -5.9 5.0 5.2 3.0 -9.7 2.8
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hourly compensation increased 6.3 percent during the first
quarter of 2009; real hourly compensation increased 8.8 percent,
after accounting for the decline in prices. Unit labor costs in
nonfinancial corporations rose 8.5 percent in the first quarter of
2009, and 3.0 percent over the last four quarters.
Revised Measures
Previous and revised measures for the first quarter of 2009
in the business, nonfarm business, and manufacturing sectors are
compared in table C. In the business, nonfarm business, and
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Table C. Previous and revised productivity and related measures
(Quarterly percent changes at seasonally adjusted annual rates)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real
Hourly hourly Unit
Produc- compen- compen- labor
Sector tivity Output Hours sation sation costs
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
First quarter 2009
Business:
Previous 1.1 -7.8 -8.8 4.1 6.6 2.9
Revised 1.8 -7.2 -8.8 4.5 7.0 2.7
Nonfarm business:
Previous 0.8 -8.2 -9.0 4.1 6.6 3.3
Revised 1.6 -7.6 -9.0 4.6 7.1 3.0
Manufacturing:
Previous -3.4 -22.4 -19.7 12.8 15.5 16.7
Revised -2.7 -21.7 -19.5 13.4 16.1 16.6
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fourth quarter 2008
Business:
Previous -0.5 -8.5 -8.0 4.9 14.4 5.4
Revised -0.5 -8.5 -8.0 4.2 13.7 4.8
Nonfarm business:
Previous -0.6 -8.8 -8.3 5.2 14.8 5.7
Revised -0.6 -8.8 -8.3 4.5 14.0 5.1
Manufacturing:
Previous -4.2 -18.0 -14.4 10.1 20.2 15.0
Revised -4.6 -18.3 -14.4 11.8 22.0 17.1
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual average 2008
Business:
Previous 2.7 0.8 -1.9 3.6 -0.2 0.9
Revised 2.7 0.8 -1.9 3.6 -0.2 0.9
Nonfarm business:
Previous 2.8 0.8 -1.9 3.7 -0.1 0.9
Revised 2.8 0.8 -1.9 3.7 -0.2 0.9
Manufacturing:
Previous 0.9 -3.0 -3.9 4.0 0.2 3.1
Revised 0.9 -3.1 -3.9 4.1 0.3 3.2
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
manufacturing sectors productivity was revised up along with
output; hours were also revised up slightly in the manufacturing
sector. Upward revisions to hourly compensation were less than
the revisions to productivity, so unit labor costs increased less
than was reported on May 7 for each of the three sectors.
Table C also presents preliminary and revised results for the
fourth quarter and annual average of 2008. In the business and
nonfarm business sectors, revised employee compensation data from
the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the Department of
Commerce resulted in downward revisions to hourly compensation,
real hourly compensation, and unit labor costs. In the
manufacturing sector, fourth quarter productivity was revised down
due to a downward revision to output. Unit labor costs were
revised up due both to the downward revision to productivity and
an upward revision to hourly compensation. Annual measures for
all sectors were mostly unaffected by the fourth-quarter
revisions.
Revised Measures Nonfinancial Corporations
Fourth quarter and annual average 2008 measures were revised
for the nonfinancial corporate sector. As revised, productivity
decreased at a 4.3 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of
2008, reflecting a 0.4 percentage point downward revision to
output and unchanged employee hours. A downward revision to
hourly compensation was larger than the downward revision to
productivity; as a result, unit labor costs rose slightly less
than reported on May 7. Annual measures were virtually the same
as the preliminary estimates.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table D. Nonfinancial corporations: Previous and revised productivity and
costs measures
(Quarterly percent changes at seasonally adjusted annual rates)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Real
Hourly hourly Unit Implicit
Produc- compen- compen- labor Unit price
tivity Output Hours sation sation costs profits deflator
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fourth quarter 2008
Previous -3.9 -10.5 -6.9 5.4 15.0 9.6 -28.8 5.0
Revised -4.3 -10.9 -6.9 4.7 14.2 9.4 -28.5 5.0
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Annual average 2008
Previous 2.8 1.3 -1.5 3.9 0.1 1.1 -10.4 0.0
Revised 2.8 1.3 -1.5 3.9 0.0 1.1 -10.4 0.0
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Next release date
The next release of Productivity and Costs is scheduled for
8:30 AM EDT, Tuesday, August 11, 2009. Preliminary second-quarter
measures for business, nonfarm business, and manufacturing will be
released at that time. The August 11 release also will
incorporate the three-year revision of the National Income and
Product Accounts.
Upcoming change to the Productivity and Costs news release
Beginning with the Productivity and Costs news release
scheduled for publication on Wednesday, September 2, 2009, the
Bureau of Labor Statistics will introduce changes to the format of
the text section, including text tables. All data series will
continue to be provided. For further information, see the note
under "Latest Announcements" on http://www.bls.gov/newsroom/.
TECHNICAL NOTES
Labor Hours: Hours data for the labor productivity and cost measures
include hours for all persons working in the sector—wage and salary
workers, the self-employed and unpaid family workers. The primary source
of hours and employment data is the BLS Current Employment Statistics
(CES) program, which provides monthly survey data on the number of jobs
held by wage and salary workers in nonfarm establishments. The CES also
provides average weekly paid hours of production and nonsupervisory
workers in these establishments. Weekly paid hours are adjusted to hours
at work using data from the National Compensation Survey (NCS). The BLS
Hours at Work survey, conducted for this purpose, was used for earlier
years. The Office of Productivity and Technology estimates average weekly
hours at work for nonproduction and supervisory workers using information
from the Current Population Survey (CPS), the CES, and the NCS.
Data from the CPS are used for farm labor, nonfarm proprietors, and
nonfarm unpaid family workers. Estimates of labor input for government
enterprises are derived from the CPS, the CES, and the National Income and
Product Accounts (NIPA) prepared by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA)
of the Department of Commerce.
The CES measures jobs, counting a person who is employed by two or
more establishments at each place of employment. In contrast, the CPS
features measures of employment that count each person only once and
classify each person according to his or her primary job; hours worked at
all jobs by that person accrue to his or her primary job. However, the
CPS also collects more detailed information on employment and hours worked
at primary jobs and all other jobs, separately. The BLS productivity
measures use the more detailed information on employment and hours to
assign all hours worked to the correct industrial sector and avoid
duplicating hours data from the CES.
Output: Business sector output is a chain-type, current-weighted index
constructed after excluding from gross domestic product (GDP) the
following outputs: general government, nonprofit institutions, and private
households (including owner-occupied housing). Corresponding exclusions
also are made in labor inputs. Business output accounted for about 78
percent of the value of GDP in 2000. Nonfarm business, which excludes
farming, accounted for about 77 percent of GDP in 2000.
Annual indexes for manufacturing and its durable and nondurable goods
components are constructed by deflating current-dollar industry value of
production data from the U.S. Bureau of the Census with deflators from the
BLS. These deflators are based on data from the BLS producer price
program and other sources. The industry shipments are aggregated using
annual weights, and intrasector transactions are removed. Quarterly
manufacturing output measures are based on the index of industrial
production prepared monthly by the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System, adjusted to be consistent with annual indexes of
manufacturing sector output prepared by BLS. Durables include the
following 3-digit NAICS industries: wood product manufacturing;
nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing; primary metal manufacturing;
fabricated metal product manufacturing; machinery manufacturing; computer
and electronic product manufacturing; electrical equipment and appliance
manufacturing; transportation equipment manufacturing; furniture and
related product manufacturing; and miscellaneous manufacturing.
Nondurables include: food manufacturing; beverage and tobacco product
manufacturing; textile mills; textile product mills; apparel
manufacturing; leather and allied product manufacturing; paper
manufacturing; printing and related support activities; petroleum and coal
products manufacturing; chemical manufacturing; and plastics and rubber
products manufacturing.
Nonfinancial corporate output is a chain-type, current-weighted index
calculated on the basis of the costs incurred and the incomes earned from
production. The output measure excludes the following outputs from GDP:
general government; nonprofit institutions; private households;
unincorporated business; and those corporations classified as offices of
bank holding companies, offices of other holding companies, or offices in
the finance and insurance sector. Nonfinancial corporations accounted for
about 54 percent of the value of GDP in 2000.
Productivity: These productivity measures describe the relationship
between real output and the labor time involved in its production. They
show the changes from period to period in the amount of goods and services
produced per hour. Although these measures relate output to hours at work
of all persons engaged in a sector, they do not measure the specific
contribution of labor, capital, or any other factor of production. Rather,
they reflect the joint effects of many influences, including changes in
technology; capital investment; level of output; utilization of capacity,
energy, and materials; the organization of production; managerial skill;
and the characteristics and effort of the work force.
Labor Compensation: Estimates of labor compensation by major sector,
required for measures of hourly compensation and unit labor costs, are
based primarily on employee compensation data from the NIPA, prepared by
the BEA. The compensation of employees in general government, nonprofit
institutions and private households are subtracted from compensation of
domestic employees to derive employee compensation for the business
sector. The labor compensation of proprietors cannot be explicitly
identified and must be estimated. This is done by assuming that
proprietors have the same hourly compensation as employees in the same
sector. The quarterly labor productivity and cost measures do not contain
estimates of compensation for unpaid family workers.
Unit Labor Costs: The measures of unit labor costs in this release
describe the relationship between compensation per hour and productivity,
or real output per hour, and can be used as an indicator of inflationary
pressure on producers. Increases in hourly compensation increase unit
labor costs; labor productivity increases offset compensation increases
and lower unit labor costs.
Presentation of the data: The quarterly data in this release are
presented in three ways; as index number series where 1992=100, as percent
changes from the corresponding quarter of the previous year, and as
percent changes from the previous quarter presented at a compound annual
rate. Annual data are presented both as index number series and percent
changes from the previous year.
The index numbers and rates of change reported in the productivity
and costs news release are rounded to one decimal place. All percent
changes in this release and on the BLS web site are calculated using index
numbers to three decimal places. These index numbers are available at the
BLS web site, http://www.bls.gov/data/home.htm, or by contacting the BLS
Division of Major Sector Productivity. (Telephone 202-691-5606 or email
DPRWEB@BLS.GOV)
Information in this release will be made available to sensory-
impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-691-5606; Federal
Relay Service number: 1-800-877-8339.
Table 1. Business sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Year Output per Hours Compensa- compensa- Unit Unit non- Implicit
and hour of of all tion per tion per labor labor pay- price
quarter all persons Output persons hour (1) hour (2) costs ments (3) deflator (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 1992=100
2007 I 135.7 164.5 121.3 174.3 122.1 128.5 134.3 130.7
II 137.5 166.8 121.3 175.4 121.6 127.5 137.5 131.2
III 140.0 169.0 120.8 177.4 122.3 126.7 139.8 131.6
IV 139.6 168.8 120.9 178.9 121.6 128.2 139.0 132.2
ANNUAL 138.2 167.3 121.1 176.5 121.9 127.7 137.7 131.4
2008 I 140.4 169.1 120.4 180.5 121.3 128.6 140.2 132.9
II 142.0 170.2 119.9 181.3 120.6 127.7 142.4 133.2
III 142.8 169.4 118.6 183.9 120.4 128.8 144.3 134.6
IV 142.6 165.7 116.2 r185.8 r124.4 r130.3 r141.8 134.6
ANNUAL r141.9 168.6 r118.8 r182.8 r121.6 r128.8 r142.1 133.8
2009 I r143.2 r162.6 r113.5 r187.8 r126.5 r131.2 r142.3 r135.3
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2007 I -0.7 -0.7 0.0 4.0 0.2 4.7 3.0 4.0
II 5.7 5.6 0.0 2.4 -1.7 -3.1 9.9 1.7
III 7.3 5.5 -1.7 4.6 2.2 -2.5 7.0 1.1
IV -1.1 -0.6 0.5 3.7 -2.0 4.8 -2.3 2.0
ANNUAL 1.6 2.0 0.5 4.2 1.3 2.6 2.1 2.4
2008 I 2.2 0.7 -1.5 3.5 -1.1 1.2 3.2 2.0
II 4.7 2.6 -1.9 1.9 -2.4 -2.6 6.4 0.9
III 2.3 -1.8 -4.0 5.7 -0.4 3.3 5.6 4.2
IV -0.5 -8.5 -8.0 r4.2 r13.7 r4.8 r-6.9 0.0
ANNUAL 2.7 0.8 -1.9 3.6 -0.2 0.9 3.2 1.8
2009 I r1.8 r-7.2 -8.8 r4.5 r7.0 r2.7 1.6 r2.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2007 I -0.2 1.0 1.2 3.9 1.5 4.1 0.6 2.7
II 0.7 1.7 1.0 4.3 1.6 3.6 0.9 2.5
III 2.9 3.0 0.1 4.9 2.6 1.9 2.6 2.2
IV 2.7 2.4 -0.3 3.7 -0.3 0.9 4.3 2.2
ANNUAL 1.6 2.0 0.5 4.2 1.3 2.6 2.1 2.4
2008 I 3.5 2.8 -0.7 3.5 -0.7 0.0 4.4 1.7
II 3.2 2.0 -1.2 3.4 -0.8 0.2 3.5 1.5
III 2.0 0.2 -1.7 3.7 -1.5 1.6 3.2 2.3
IV 2.1 -1.8 -3.9 r3.8 r2.3 r1.6 r2.0 1.8
ANNUAL 2.7 0.8 -1.9 3.6 -0.2 0.9 3.2 1.8
2009 I r2.0 r-3.8 -5.7 4.1 4.3 r2.0 r1.5 r1.8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. June 4, 2009
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 2. Nonfarm business sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, and prices,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Year Output per Hours Compensa- compensa- Unit Unit non- Implicit
and hour of of all tion per tion per labor labor pay- price
quarter all persons Output persons hour (1) hour (2) costs ments (3) deflator (4)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 1992=100
2007 I 134.7 164.7 122.2 173.4 121.5 128.7 135.1 131.1
II 136.3 167.0 122.5 174.0 120.6 127.6 138.3 131.5
III 138.7 169.2 122.0 175.8 121.2 126.8 140.5 131.8
IV 138.5 168.9 122.0 177.8 120.8 128.4 139.7 132.5
ANNUAL 137.0 167.5 122.2 175.2 121.0 127.9 138.4 131.7
2008 I 139.4 169.3 121.5 179.4 120.6 128.7 141.0 133.2
II 141.0 170.5 120.9 180.2 119.8 127.8 143.3 133.5
III 141.7 169.7 119.7 182.7 119.7 128.9 145.6 135.0
IV 141.5 165.8 117.1 r184.7 r123.7 r130.5 r143.4 135.2
ANNUAL r140.9 168.8 r119.8 r181.7 r120.8 r129.0 r143.3 134.2
2009 I r142.1 r162.6 r114.4 r186.8 r125.8 r131.5 r144.2 r136.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2007 I -0.6 -0.9 -0.2 4.2 0.3 4.8 1.2 3.4
II 4.8 5.8 0.9 1.3 -2.8 -3.3 9.7 1.5
III 7.0 5.5 -1.5 4.4 2.0 -2.5 6.4 0.9
IV -0.5 -0.7 -0.2 4.4 -1.2 5.0 -2.3 2.1
ANNUAL 1.4 2.0 0.5 4.1 1.3 2.7 1.2 2.1
2008 I 2.6 0.9 -1.7 3.7 -0.8 1.1 3.8 2.1
II 4.7 2.8 -1.7 1.7 -2.7 -2.8 6.9 0.9
III 2.2 -1.9 -3.9 5.7 -0.4 3.5 6.4 4.7
IV -0.6 -8.8 -8.3 r4.5 r14.0 r5.1 r-5.9 0.6
ANNUAL 2.8 0.8 -1.9 3.7 r-0.2 0.9 3.5 1.9
2009 I r1.6 r-7.6 -9.0 r4.6 r7.1 r3.0 r2.4 r2.8
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2007 I -0.1 0.9 1.0 4.1 1.7 4.2 -0.3 2.5
II 0.5 1.6 1.1 4.2 1.5 3.6 -0.2 2.1
III 2.6 2.9 0.3 4.7 2.3 2.0 1.5 1.8
IV 2.6 2.4 -0.3 3.6 -0.4 0.9 3.6 2.0
ANNUAL 1.4 2.0 0.5 4.1 1.3 2.7 1.2 2.1
2008 I 3.5 2.8 -0.6 3.5 -0.7 0.0 4.3 1.6
II 3.4 2.1 -1.3 3.6 -0.7 0.1 3.6 1.5
III 2.2 0.3 -1.9 3.9 -1.3 1.6 3.6 2.4
IV 2.2 -1.8 -4.0 r3.9 r2.3 r1.7 r2.7 2.1
ANNUAL 2.8 0.8 -1.9 3.7 r-0.2 0.9 3.5 1.9
2009 I r1.9 r-4.0 -5.8 r4.1 r4.3 r2.2 r2.3 2.2
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. June 4, 2009
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 3. Manufacturing sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Year Output per Hours Compensa- compensa- Unit
and hour of of all tion per tion per labor
quarter all persons Output persons hour (1) hour (2) costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 1992=100
2007 I 176.9 148.0 83.7 176.6 123.7 99.8
II 178.2 149.3 83.8 176.3 122.3 99.0
III 180.1 150.3 83.4 177.0 122.0 98.2
IV 181.6 150.4 82.8 179.6 122.1 98.9
ANNUAL 179.2 149.5 83.4 177.4 122.5 99.0
2008 I 182.8 149.9 82.0 181.1 121.7 99.1
II 181.6 148.0 81.5 182.7 121.5 100.6
III 180.3 144.4 80.1 185.1 121.2 102.7
IV r178.2 r137.3 77.0 r190.3 r127.4 r106.8
ANNUAL r180.7 r144.9 80.2 r184.7 r122.8 r102.2
2009 I r177.0 r129.1 r73.0 r196.4 r132.3 r111.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2007 I 3.7 1.8 -1.9 5.0 1.1 1.2
II 3.0 3.4 0.4 -0.5 -4.5 -3.4
III 4.4 2.7 -1.6 1.4 -1.0 -2.9
IV 3.3 0.3 -2.9 6.1 0.3 2.7
ANNUAL 3.2 1.3 -1.8 3.6 0.7 0.4
2008 I 2.6 -1.2 -3.7 3.4 -1.1 0.8
II -2.5 -5.2 -2.7 3.5 -0.9 6.2
III -2.9 -9.3 -6.5 5.4 -0.7 8.6
IV r-4.6 r-18.3 -14.4 r11.8 r22.0 r17.1
ANNUAL 0.9 r-3.1 -3.9 r4.1 r0.3 r3.2
2009 I r-2.7 r-21.7 r-19.5 r13.4 r16.1 r16.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2007 I 2.5 0.4 -2.0 3.5 1.0 0.9
II 3.3 1.3 -2.0 4.1 1.4 0.8
III 3.3 1.6 -1.6 3.8 1.5 0.5
IV 3.6 2.0 -1.5 2.9 -1.0 -0.6
ANNUAL 3.2 1.3 -1.8 3.6 0.7 0.4
2008 I 3.3 1.3 -2.0 2.6 -1.6 -0.7
II 1.9 -0.9 -2.7 3.6 -0.7 1.6
III 0.1 -3.9 -4.0 4.6 -0.6 4.5
IV r-1.9 r-8.7 -7.0 r6.0 r4.4 r8.0
ANNUAL 0.9 r-3.1 -3.9 r4.1 r0.3 r3.2
2009 I r-3.2 r-13.9 r-11.0 r8.4 r8.7 r12.0
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. June 4, 2009
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 4. Durable manufacturing sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Year Output per Hours Compensa- compensa- Unit
and hour of of all tion per tion per labor
quarter all persons Output persons hour (1) hour (2) costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 1992=100
2007 I 204.1 180.4 88.4 172.7 121.0 84.6
II 206.9 183.0 88.5 172.5 119.6 83.4
III 209.7 185.0 88.2 173.0 119.3 82.5
IV 212.9 185.7 87.2 175.7 119.4 82.5
ANNUAL 208.4 183.5 88.1 173.5 119.8 83.2
2008 I 213.6 185.3 86.8 176.5 118.7 82.7
II 211.1 181.8 86.1 178.7 118.9 84.7
III 212.2 178.1 83.9 181.7 119.1 85.6
IV r204.3 r165.1 80.8 r186.3 r124.8 r91.2
ANNUAL r210.4 r177.6 84.4 r180.7 r120.2 r85.9
2009 I r198.8 r150.4 r75.7 r193.3 r130.2 r97.2
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2007 I 4.2 1.2 -2.9 6.2 2.3 1.9
II 5.6 6.0 0.4 -0.5 -4.5 -5.8
III 5.6 4.4 -1.1 1.3 -1.0 -4.1
IV 6.3 1.4 -4.5 6.3 0.5 0.0
ANNUAL 4.0 1.8 -2.1 4.2 1.3 0.2
2008 I 1.2 -0.9 -2.0 2.0 -2.4 0.8
II -4.6 -7.3 -2.9 5.1 0.6 10.1
III 2.2 -7.9 -9.9 6.9 0.7 4.5
IV r-14.1 r-26.2 -14.1 r10.5 r20.5 r28.6
ANNUAL r0.9 r-3.3 -4.2 r4.2 0.3 r3.2
2009 I r-10.4 -31.0 r-23.0 r15.8 r18.6 r29.3
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2007 I 2.6 0.3 -2.3 4.2 1.7 1.5
II 4.1 1.4 -2.6 4.8 2.1 0.7
III 4.0 2.3 -1.6 4.6 2.3 0.6
IV 5.4 3.2 -2.1 3.3 -0.7 -2.0
ANNUAL 4.0 1.8 -2.1 4.2 1.3 0.2
2008 I 4.6 2.7 -1.8 2.2 -1.9 -2.3
II 2.0 -0.7 -2.6 3.6 -0.6 1.6
III 1.2 -3.7 -4.9 5.0 -0.2 3.8
IV -4.0 r-11.1 -7.3 r6.1 r4.5 r10.5
ANNUAL r0.9 r-3.3 -4.2 r4.2 0.3 r3.2
2009 I r-6.9 r-18.8 r-12.8 r9.5 r9.7 r17.6
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. June 4, 2009
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 5. Nondurable manufacturing sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, and unit labor costs,
seasonally adjusted
Real
Year Output per Hours Compensa- compensa- Unit
and hour of of all tion per tion per labor
quarter all persons Output persons hour (1) hour (2) costs
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 1992=100
2007 I 151.3 115.9 76.6 181.6 127.2 120.0
II 151.4 116.0 76.7 181.3 125.7 119.8
III 152.6 116.3 76.2 182.0 125.5 119.2
IV 152.3 116.0 76.2 184.7 125.6 121.3
ANNUAL 151.9 116.1 76.4 182.4 126.0 120.1
2008 I 154.3 115.6 74.9 187.3 125.9 121.4
II 154.2 114.8 74.4 187.6 124.7 121.6
III 150.1 111.6 74.4 189.1 123.9 126.0
IV r152.4 r108.8 71.4 r195.5 r130.9 r128.3
ANNUAL r152.8 r112.7 73.8 r189.8 r126.3 r124.3
2009 I r153.1 r105.5 r68.9 r200.3 r134.9 r130.9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2007 I 2.4 2.4 0.0 2.8 -1.0 0.4
II 0.3 0.7 0.4 -0.5 -4.5 -0.7
III 3.4 0.8 -2.5 1.4 -0.9 -1.9
IV -0.9 -0.9 0.0 6.1 0.3 7.0
ANNUAL 2.0 0.9 -1.1 2.4 -0.4 0.4
2008 I 5.4 -1.4 -6.5 5.8 1.2 0.4
II -0.4 -2.8 -2.5 0.5 -3.8 0.9
III -10.2 -10.6 -0.5 3.4 -2.6 15.1
IV r6.1 r-9.8 -15.0 r14.3 r24.7 r7.6
ANNUAL 0.6 -2.9 -3.4 r4.1 r0.2 r3.5
2009 I r1.9 r-11.6 r-13.2 r10.1 r12.8 r8.1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2007 I 2.3 0.7 -1.6 2.1 -0.3 -0.1
II 2.1 1.2 -0.9 2.8 0.1 0.7
III 2.5 0.9 -1.6 2.3 0.0 -0.2
IV 1.3 0.8 -0.5 2.4 -1.5 1.1
ANNUAL 2.0 0.9 -1.1 2.4 -0.4 0.4
2008 I 2.0 -0.2 -2.2 3.2 -1.0 1.1
II 1.9 -1.1 -2.9 3.4 -0.8 1.5
III -1.7 -4.0 -2.4 3.9 -1.2 5.7
IV r0.0 r-6.2 -6.3 r5.9 r4.3 r5.8
ANNUAL 0.6 -2.9 -3.4 r4.1 r0.2 r3.5
2009 I r-0.8 r-8.8 -8.0 r6.9 r7.1 r7.8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. June 4, 2009
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
Table 6. Nonfinancial corporate sector: Productivity, hourly compensation, unit labor costs, unit profits,
and prices, seasonally adjusted
Output Hourly Real Unit Total Unit Implicit
Year per all- compen- hourly Unit non- unit pro- price
and employee Employee sation compen- labor labor costs fits deflator
quarter hour Output hours (1) sation(2) costs costs(6) (7) (8) (4)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indexes 1992=100
2007 I 145.4 177.2 121.9 170.0 119.1 116.9 117.6 117.1 172.4 122.1
II 146.7 179.1 122.0 171.1 118.6 116.6 117.9 116.9 173.1 122.0
III 147.8 180.2 121.9 172.8 119.1 116.9 118.2 117.2 167.4 121.7
IV 148.3 181.2 122.2 174.9 118.9 117.9 119.3 118.3 156.4 121.7
ANNUAL 147.1 179.4 122.0 172.2 118.9 117.1 118.3 117.4 167.3 121.9
2008 I 148.1 180.6 121.9 176.1 118.4 118.9 119.4 119.0 150.8 121.8
II 151.2 183.2 121.2 177.4 118.0 117.3 119.8 118.0 147.8 120.6
III 153.6 184.2 120.0 180.0 117.9 117.3 121.3 118.3 156.7 121.8
IV r151.9 r179.0 117.9 r182.1 r121.9 r119.9 r124.9 r121.2 r144.1 123.3
ANNUAL r151.2 r181.8 r120.2 r178.9 r119.0 r118.3 r121.3 r119.1 r149.9 121.9
2009 I 151.1 173.2 114.7 184.9 124.5 122.4 128.9 124.1 136.1 125.2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from previous quarter at annual rate(5)
2007 I -0.6 -0.2 0.4 5.3 1.4 5.9 3.8 5.4 -4.5 4.0
II 3.8 4.2 0.4 2.6 -1.5 -1.1 0.9 -0.6 1.7 -0.3
III 3.0 2.7 -0.4 4.0 1.6 0.9 1.2 1.0 -12.6 -0.8
IV 1.2 2.1 0.9 5.0 -0.8 3.7 3.7 3.7 -23.8 0.0
ANNUAL 0.7 1.4 0.7 4.1 1.2 3.4 3.2 3.3 -8.8 1.7
2008 I -0.4 -1.4 -0.9 2.7 -1.7 3.2 0.3 2.4 -13.6 0.5
II 8.5 6.0 -2.3 3.1 -1.3 -5.0 1.2 -3.4 -7.7 -3.8
III 6.4 2.3 -3.9 6.1 -0.1 -0.3 5.4 1.2 26.5 3.8
IV r-4.3 r-10.9 -6.9 r4.7 r14.2 r9.4 r12.2 r10.1 r-28.5 5.0
ANNUAL 2.8 1.3 -1.5 3.9 r0.0 1.1 2.6 1.5 -10.4 0.0
2009 I -2.1 -12.3 -10.4 6.3 8.8 8.5 13.7 10.0 -20.5 6.4
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent change from corresponding quarter of previous year
2007 I -0.4 0.7 1.1 3.5 1.1 4.0 4.1 4.0 -5.6 2.7
II 0.7 1.6 0.9 4.1 1.4 3.4 2.9 3.2 -5.6 2.0
III 0.8 1.2 0.4 4.6 2.3 3.8 3.2 3.7 -13.5 1.2
IV 1.9 2.2 0.3 4.2 0.2 2.3 2.4 2.3 -10.3 0.7
ANNUAL 0.7 1.4 0.7 4.1 1.2 3.4 3.2 3.3 -8.8 1.7
2008 I 1.9 1.9 0.0 3.6 -0.6 1.6 1.5 1.6 -12.5 -0.2
II 3.0 2.3 -0.7 3.7 -0.6 0.6 1.6 0.9 -14.6 -1.1
III 3.9 2.2 -1.6 4.2 -1.0 0.3 2.6 1.0 -6.4 0.1
IV r2.4 r-1.2 -3.5 r4.1 r2.6 1.7 r4.7 2.5 r-7.8 1.3
ANNUAL 2.8 1.3 -1.5 3.9 r0.0 1.1 2.6 1.5 -10.4 0.0
2009 I 2.0 -4.1 -5.9 5.0 5.2 3.0 8.0 4.3 -9.7 2.8
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
See footnotes following Table 6. June 4, 2009
r=revised Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
SOURCES: Output data are from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the
Census Bureau of the U.S. Department of Commerce; the Bureau of Labor
Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor; and the Federal Reserve Board.
Compensation and hours data are from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and
the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
RELIABILITY: Productivity and cost measures are regularly revised as more
complete information becomes available. The measures are first published
within 40 days of the close of the reference period; revisions appear 30
days later, and second revisions after an additional 60 days. In the
business sector, the third publication (second revision) of a quarterly
index of output per hour of all persons has differed from the initial
value by between -1.5 and +1.3 index points approximately 95 percent of
the time. This interval is based on the performance of this measure
between the fourth quarter of 1995 and the fourth quarter of 2008.
Footnotes, Tables 1-6
(1) Wages and salaries of employees plus employers' contributions for
social insurance and private benefit plans. Except for nonfinancial
corporations, where there are no self-employed, data also include an
estimate of wages, salaries, and supplemental payments for the self-
employed.
(2) The change for recent quarters is based on the Consumer Price Index
for all urban consumers (CPI-U). The trend from 1978-2008 is based on
the Consumer Price Index research series (CPI-U-RS).
(3) Unit nonlabor payments include profits, consumption of fixed capital,
taxes on production and imports less subsidies, net interest and
miscellaneous payments, business current transfer payments, rental
income of persons, and the current surplus of government enterprises.
(4) Current dollar output divided by the output index.
(5) Quarterly changes: Percent change compounded at annual rate is
calculated using index numbers to three decimal places. Indexes
published in the news release are rounded to one decimal place for
convenience. Annual changes: Percent change is calculated using
annual average indexes to three decimal places.
(6) Unit nonlabor costs include consumption of fixed capital, taxes on
production and imports less subsidies, net interest and miscellaneous
payments, and business current transfer payments.
(7) Total unit costs are the sum of unit labor and nonlabor costs.
(8) Unit profits include corporate profits before tax with inventory
valuation and capital consumption adjustments.
United States Department of Labor
