Release Is Embargoed Until 8:30 Am Est, — 1998-01-27

EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX - DECEMBER 1997 The Employment Cost Index (ECI) for December 1997 was 135.2 (June 1989=100), an increase of 3.3 percent from December 1996, the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. The ECI measures changes in compensation costs, which include wages, salaries, and employer costs for employee benefits. On a seasonally adjusted basis, compensation costs for civilian workers (private industry plus state and local governments) rose 1.0 percent during the September-December 1997 period; for each of the two previous quarters, the increase was 0.8 percent. Wages and salaries increased 1.1 percent during the September-December 1997 period. The increase was 0.9 percent in the June-September 1997 period. Benefit costs increased 0.9 percent in the September-December period; in the June-September quarter, the increase was 0.4 percent.