EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX-SEPTEMBER 2006

Adjust font size:

Manufacturing News, Source : The Manufacturer US
Published : 31 Oct 2006 14:23

Total compensation costs for civilian workers increased 1.0 percent from June
to September 2006, seasonally adjusted, virtually unchanged from the 0.9 percent gain
from March to June, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor

reported today. Benefit costs between June and September rose 1.1 percent, compared

with the gain of 0.8 percent from the previous quarter. Wages and salaries increased

0.9 percent during the quarter, unchanged from the gain of the previous quarter.

The Employment Cost Index (ECI), a component of the National Compensation Survey, measures

quarterly changes in compensation costs, which include wages, salaries, and employer

costs for employee benefits for civilian workers (nonfarm private industry and state and

local government).

Increases in benefit costs accounted for one-third of the rise in compensation costs

for civilian workers from June to September 2006. Among private industry workers, benefit

costs attributed about one-fourth of the compensation gains during the quarter.

Among state and local government workers, benefit costs comprised approximately two-fifths

of the compensation cost gains during the June to September quarter. Health insurance

costs and defined benefit contributions represented over one-quarter of the gain in

compensation costs for state and local government workers from June to September 2006.

Quarterly changes, seasonally adjusted

Compensation costs for the private sector rose 0.9 percent from June to September, after

advancing 0.8 percent in the prior quarter. For state and local government workers,

compensation costs increased 1.4 percent from June to September, after increasing

1.1 percent for the quarter ended in June. (See tables A and 1.)

Wages and salaries of civilian workers increased 0.9 percent during the September

quarter, unchanged from the gain of the June quarter. Wages and salaries for private

industry workers rose 0.8 percent for the September quarter, compared with an increase of

0.9 percent in the prior quarter. Wages and salaries in state and local government

advanced 1.4 percent during the June to September period, higher than the 0.9 percent

gain in the prior quarter. (See tables A and 2.)

Benefit costs advanced 1.1 percent for civilian workers in the September

quarter, compared with a 0.8 percent gain in the June quarter. Private sector benefit

costs rose 1.0 percent for the September quarter, following a 0.7 percent gain in the

previous quarter. Benefit costs for state and local government workers increased 1.5

percent in the September quarter, unchanged from the gain in June. (See tables A and 3.)

Comments on this story

no comments yet...

click here to add a comment

You must be registered & logged in to add comments
Please register

The Manufacturer Magazine : Promoting best practice in Manufacturing