A Note on Average Hourly Earnings in Aircraft and Guided Missiles and Space Vehicles Manufacturing - Sic 3721 - Sic 3761 - Statistical Data Included

Employment and Earnings, June, 1999

For many years, the Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings series for production workers in aircraft manufacturing (SIC 3721) and guided missiles and space vehicles manufacturing (SIC 3761) have been used to escalate labor costs in contracts between aerospace companies and their customers. Although the Bureau's series-by definition take account of traditional wage rate changes, they do not capture "lump-sum payments to workers in lieu of general wage increases" which were negotiated in aerospace manufacturers' collective bargaining agreements beginning in late 1983.

Because of special circumstances in the aerospace industry, BLS has calculated average hourly earnings series for SIC 3721 and SIC 3761 which include lump-sum payments. These series, beginning in October 1983, the effective date of the first aerospace bargaining agreement using lump-sum payments, were published in the June 1988 issue of Employment and Earnings. Current and year earlier data are presented in table B-15a along with the average hourly earnings series produced as part of the Current Employment Statistics program. An explanation of the methodology used to derive these series appears in the Explanatory Notes of this publication.

B-15a. Average hourly earnings in aircraft (SIC 3721) and guided missiles and space vehicles (SIC 3761) manufacturing

Series                                 Aircraft (SIC 3721)
                                Mar.     Apr.     Mar.     Apr.
                                1998     1998     1999     1999(P)

Average hourly earnings,
 excluding lump-sum payments   $21.03   $20.62   $21.42   $21.35
Average hourly earnings,
 including lump-sum payments    21.07    20.67    21.47    21.40

Series                                Guided missiles and space
                                         vehicles (SIC 3761)
                                 Mar.     Apr.     Mar.     Apr.
                                 1998     1998     1999    1999(P)

Average hourly earnings,
 excluding lump-sum payments    $21.33   $20.81   $22.01   $21.72
Average hourly earnings,
 including lump-sum payments     21.57    21.03    22.10    21.82

(P) = preliminary.

ESTABLISHMENT DATA EARNINGS NOT SEASONALLY ADJUSTED

B-16. Average hourly earnings, excluding overtime[1], of production workers on manufacturing payrolls

  Industry                                     Avg.      Apr.
                                               1998      1998

Manufacturing                                  $12.79    $12.83

 Durable goods                                  13.24     13.28
  Lumber and wood products                      10.53     10.45
  Furniture and fixtures                        10.43     10.43
  Stone, clay, and glass products               12.68     12.75
  Primary metal industries                      14.46     14.70
  Fabricated metal products                     12.36     12.31
  Industrial machinery and equipment            13.66     13.63
  Electronic and other electrical equipment     12.52     12.57
  Transportation equipment                      16.48     16.69
  Instruments and related products              13.27     13.31
  Miscellaneous manufacturing                   10.50     10.43

 Nondurable goods                               12.12     12.15
  Food and kindred products                     11.11     11.16
  Tobacco products                              17.94     18.38
  Textile mill products                          9.85      9.90
  Apparel and other textile products             8.30      8.29
  Paper and allied products                     14.58     14.60
  Printing and publishing                       12.91     12.85
  Chemicals and allied products                 16.16     16.22
  Petroleum and coal products                   19.46     19.60
  Rubber and misc. plastics products            11.27     11.28
  Leather and leather products                   9.06      9.06

  Industry                                     Mar.      Apr.
                                               1999     1999(p)

Manufacturing                                  $13.04    $13.10

 Durable goods                                  13.47     13.53
  Lumber and wood products                      10.75     10.80
  Furniture and fixtures                        10.62     10.67
  Stone, clay, and glass products               12.85     12.84
  Primary metal industries                      14.51     14.59
  Fabricated metal products                     12.65     12.68
  Industrial machinery and equipment            14.02     14.06
  Electronic and other electrical equipment     12.72     12.77
  Transportation equipment                      16.65     16.80
  Instruments and related products              13.46     13.56
  Miscellaneous manufacturing                   10.77     10.84

 Nondurable goods                               12.39     12.44
  Food and kindred products                     11.26     11.39
  Tobacco products                              18.68     19.48
  Textile mill products                         10.11     10.14
  Apparel and other textile products             8.52      8.57
  Paper and allied products                     14.85     14.88
  Printing and publishing                       13.21     13.21
  Chemicals and allied products                 16.25     16.36
  Petroleum and coal products                   20.05     19.97
  Rubber and misc. plastics products            11.60     11.59
  Leather and leather products                   9.31      9.35

  Industry                                      May
                                              1999(P)

Manufacturing                                   $13.14

 Durable goods                                   13.57
  Lumber and wood products                       (2)
  Furniture and fixtures                         (2)
  Stone, clay, and glass products                (2)
  Primary metal industries                       (2)
  Fabricated metal products                      (2)
  Industrial machinery and equipment             (2)
  Electronic and other electrical equipment      (2)
  Transportation equipment                       (2)
  Instruments and related products               (2)
  Miscellaneous manufacturing                    (2)

 Nondurable goods                               $12.47
  Food and kindred products                      (2)
  Tobacco products                               (2)
  Textile mill products                          (2)
  Apparel and other textile products             (2)
  Paper and allied products                      (2)
  Printing and publishing                        (2)
  Chemicals and allied products                  (2)
  Petroleum and coal products                    (2)
  Rubber and misc. plastics products             (2)
  Leather and leather products                   (2)