Real Earnings
Transmission of material in this release is embargoed until USDL-12-0062
8:30 a.m. (EST), Thursday, January 19, 2012
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REAL EARNINGS DECEMBER 2011
All employees
Real average hourly earnings for all employees rose 0.2 percent from November to December, seasonally
adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This change stems from a 0.2 percent
increase in average hourly earnings, while the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U)
remained unchanged.
Real average weekly earnings rose 0.5 percent over the month, as a result of the increase in real average
hourly earnings and a 0.3 percent rise in the average workweek. Since reaching a peak in October 2010,
real average weekly earnings have fallen 1.1 percent.
Real average hourly earnings fell 0.9 percent, seasonally adjusted, from December 2010 to December
2011. A 0.6 percent increase in the average workweek, combined with the decline in real average hourly
earnings, resulted in a 0.3 percent decrease in real average weekly earnings during the same period.
Production and nonsupervisory employees
Real average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees remained the same from
November to December, seasonally adjusted. This result stemmed from both average hourly earnings and
the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) remaining unchanged.
Real average weekly earnings rose 0.3 percent over the month, as a result of a 0.3 percent increase in the
average workweek and unchanged real average hourly earnings. Since reaching a peak in October 2010,
real average weekly earnings for production and nonsupervisory workers have fallen 1.6 percent.
Real average hourly earnings fell 1.6 percent, seasonally adjusted, from December 2010 to December
2011. The decrease in real average hourly earnings combined with a 0.6 percent increase in average
weekly hours resulted in a 1.0 percent decline in real average weekly earnings during this period.
Real Earnings for January 2012 is scheduled to be released on Friday, February 17, 2012 at 8:30
a.m. (EST).
Last Modified Date: January 19, 2012
