Real Earnings In February 2007

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REAL EARNINGS IN FEBRUARY 2007

Real average weekly earnings fell by 0.3 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. A 0.3 percent
decline in average weekly hours and a 0.4 percent increase in the Consumer Price
Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) were partially offset
by a 0.4 percent rise 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 3.8 percent, seasonally adjusted, from
February 2006 to February 2007. After deflation by the CPI-W, average weekly
earnings increased by 1.5 percent. Before adjustment for seasonal change and
inflation, average weekly earnings were $574.81 in February 2007, compared with
$553.76 a year earlier.
_____________________________



Real Earnings for March 2007 will be released on Tuesday, April 17,
2007.


Table A. Composition of change in real earnings of production or
nonsupervisory workers(1) on private nonfarm payrolls
________________________________________________________________________
| | | | |
| Average | Average | Average | The | Real
| hourly | weekly | weekly | Consumer | average
Year | earnings | hours | earnings | Price | weekly
and | | | | Index(2) | earnings
month |___________|___________|___________|___________|___________
|
| Percent change from preceding month, seasonally adjusted
____________|___________________________________________________________
| | | | |
2006: | | | | |
Feb. | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.3
Mar. | .4 | .0 | .4 | .3 | .1
Apr. | .5 | .3 | .8 | .6 | .1
May | .2 | -.3 | -.1 | .6 | -.7
June | .4 | .3 | .7 | .2 | .5
July | .4 | .0 | .4 | .5 | -.1
Aug. | .3 | -.3 | (3) | .3 | -.3
Sept. | .2 | .0 | .2 | -.7 | 1.0
Oct. | .4 | .3 | .7 | -.7 | 1.3
Nov. | .3 | -.3 | (3) | .1 | (3)
Dec. | .5 | .3 | .8 | .5 | .3
2007: | | | | |
Jan.(p) | .2 | -.3 | -.1 | .1 | -.3
Feb.(p) | .4 | -.3 | .1 | .4 | -.3
____________|___________|___________|___________|___________|___________

1 See footnote 2, table 1.
2 The deflator for the constant-dollar series presented in this
release is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers (CPI-W).
3 Less than 0.05 percent.
p = preliminary.


Table B. Percent change in earnings from the same month a year ago for
production or nonsupervisory workers(1) on private nonfarm payrolls,
seasonally adjusted
_________________________________________________________________________
| |
| Average hourly | Average weekly
| earnings | earnings
Year |_____________________________|_____________________________
and | | | |
month | Current | Constant | Current | Constant
| dollars | (1982) | dollars | (1982)
| | dollars(2) | | dollars(2)
_____________|______________|______________|______________|______________
| | | |
2006: | | | |
Feb. | 3.5 | -0.1 | 3.8 | 0.1
Mar. | 3.6 | -.1 | 3.9 | .3
Apr. | 3.8 | .1 | 4.1 | .4
May | 3.7 | -.5 | 4.0 | -.2
June | 4.0 | -.5 | 4.7 | .2
July | 3.9 | -.5 | 4.5 | .2
Aug. | 4.1 | .1 | 4.4 | .4
Sept. | 4.1 | 2.4 | 4.1 | 2.3
Oct. | 3.9 | 3.1 | 4.2 | 3.3
Nov. | 4.2 | 2.5 | 4.2 | 2.4
Dec. | 4.3 | 1.8 | 4.6 | 2.1
2007: | | | |
Jan.(p) | 4.1 | 2.2 | 4.1 | 2.2
Feb.(p) | 4.1 | 1.8 | 3.8 | 1.5
_____________|______________|______________|______________|______________

1 See footnote 2, table 1.
2 The deflator for the constant-dollar series presented in this
release is the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical
Workers (CPI-W).
p = preliminary._________|___________|_____________