Friday, June 10, 2022

Real (inflation adjusted) Earnings Are Collapsing

We only highlighted the figures for working stiffs. Including supervisory employees, the numbers are even worse.

From the Bureau of Labor Statistics, June 10:

REAL EARNINGS – MAY 2022

All employees
Real average hourly earnings for all employees decreased 0.6 percent from April to May, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This result stems from an increase of 0.3 percent in average hourly earnings combined with an increase of 1.0 percent in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U).

Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.7 percent over the month due to the change in real average hourly earnings combined with no change in the average workweek.

Real average hourly earnings decreased 3.0 percent, seasonally adjusted, from May 2021 to May 2022. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a decrease of 0.9 percent in the average workweek resulted in a 3.9-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.

Production and nonsupervisory employees
Real average hourly earnings for production and nonsupervisory employees decreased 0.5 percent from April to May, seasonally adjusted. This result stems from a 0.6-percent increase in average hourly earnings combined with an increase of 1.1 percent in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

Real average weekly earnings decreased 0.5 percent over the month due to the change in real average hourly earnings being combined with no change in average weekly hours.

From May 2021 to May 2022, real average hourly earnings decreased 2.5 percent, seasonally adjusted. The change in real average hourly earnings combined with a decrease of 0.6 percent in the average workweek resulted in a 3.0-percent decrease in real average weekly earnings over this period.

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