2005 Revised International Comparisons of Manufacturing Productivity and Unit Labor Cost Trends — 2007-02-22

Manufacturing labor productivity increased in all 16 economies covered by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2005. The Republic of Korea and Taiwan had the largest productivity increases (+8.5 and +7.1 percent, respectively). The U.S. increase of 3.3 percent placed it eighth among the 16 economies compared. Data for Spain are included in this news release for the first time. The U.S. increase of 3.3 percent was less than its average annual growth rate since 1979. Nevertheless, since 1995, of the 16 economies studied only the Republic of Korea and Sweden have had greater productivity growth than the United States. The data presented here differ from those appearing in the BLS Productivity and Costs news releases. (See technical notes.) Average annual growth rates for selected measures are shown in tables A and B. PRINTED COPY CONTAINS CHART AT THIS POINT: Chart 1.