Wire Embargo Until — 1994-12-14

Real average weekly earnings fell 1.3 percent from October to November 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 0.9 percent decline in average weekly hours coupled with a 0.2 percent decrease in average hourly earnings. A 0.3 percent increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) also contributed to the decline. 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 2.9 percent between November of 1993 and 1994 as a result of a 2.6 percent increase in average hourly earnings and a 0.3 percent increase in average weekly hours.