Real Earnings

Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until	     USDL-10-0012
8:30 a.m. (EST), Friday, January 15, 2010

Technical Information:	(202) 691-6555     *  cesinfo@bls.gov    *  www.bls.gov/ces
Media Contact:	(202) 691-5902             *  PressOffice@bls.gov


REAL EARNINGS - DECEMBER 2009

Real average hourly earnings did not change from November to December, seasonally adjusted, the 
Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.  A 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings for 
production and nonsupervisory workers was offset by a 0.2 percent increase in the Consumer Price 
Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). 

Real average weekly earnings was unchanged over the month, seasonally adjusted. This stems from no 
change in real average hourly earnings and in average weekly hours.  Since reaching a recent high point 
in December 2008, real average weekly earnings have fallen by 1.6 percent.

Real average hourly earnings fell 1.3 percent, seasonally adjusted, from December 2008 to December 
2009.  A 0.3 percent decline in average weekly hours combined with the decrease in real average hourly 
earnings resulted in a 1.6 percent decrease in real average weekly earnings during this period.
	
Real Earnings for January 2010 is scheduled to be released on Friday, February 19, 2010 at 
8:30 a.m. (EST).

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* Upcoming Changes to The Real Earnings News Release				       *
*										       *
* Effective with the release of January 2010 data on February 19, 2010, the U.S.       *
* Bureau of Labor Statistics will introduce changes to the Real Earnings news release  *
* text and tables in order to incorporate new all employee hours and earning data. New *
* real earnings for all employees will be calculated using the 1982-1984 based 	       *
* Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).  Real Earnings for production  *
* and nonsupervisory employees will be revised to use the 1982-1984 based Consumer     *
* Prices Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).  Previously, Real  *
* Earnings were calculated using an unpublished CPI-W with a base of 1982.	       *
*										       *
* News release tables for Real Earnings will be redesigned to incorporate the new      *
* series and to be consistent with formatting of the new Employment Situation news     *
* release tables.  Additional information is available at 			       *
* www.bls.gov/ces/upcoming_realer_changes.htm. 					       *
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Last Modified Date: January 15, 2010