1998 Revised International Comparisons of Manufacturing Productivity and Unit Labor Cost Trends — 2000-04-28

In the United States, labor productivity in manufacturing increased in 1998 by 4.7 percent, according to revised data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor. The U.S. achieved the highest productivity growth rate among the 11 countries being compared. The countries with the next largest increases were the former West Germany and France. Only one country, Japan, experienced a productivity decline. (See chart 1.) These estimates represent revisions to the data contained in a news release (USDL: 99-235) issued August 27, 1999, and are based on data available as of December 1999. The U.S. manufacturing output series used for international comparisons differs from the manufacturing series that BLS publishes quarterly on U.S. productivity and costs. Labor productivity for this release is computed as value added output per hour worked. (See technical notes.) PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT Chart 1.