Wire Embargo Until — 1994-03-16

Real average weekly earnings fell 1.5 percent from January to February after seasonal adjustment, according to preliminary data released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. This drop stemmed from a 1.4 percent decline in average weekly hours coupled with a 0.2 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). These movements were partially offset by a 0.2 percent increase in average hourly earnings. Data on average weekly earnings are collected from the payroll reports of private nonfarm establishments. Earnings of both full-time and part-time workers holding production or nonsupervisory jobs are included. Real average weekly earnings are calculated by adjusting earnings in current dollars for changes in the CPI-W. Average weekly earnings rose by 2.3 percent between February of 1993 and 1994 as a result of a 2.6 percent increase in average hourly earnings and a 0.3 percent decline in average weekly hours.