Average Employee Earnings Fell from September to October

This decrease stems from a 0.2% increase in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), which offset a 0.2% increase in average hourly earnings, according to a BLS news release. Real average weekly earnings rose 0.3% over the month, as a 0.3% increase in the average work week combined with the decline in real average hourly earnings.  

Real average hourly earnings rose 0.5%, seasonally adjusted, from October 2009 to October 2010.  A 1.8% increase in average weekly hours, combined with the increase in real average hourly earnings, resulted in a 2.3% increase in real average weekly earnings during this period.  

For production and nonsupervisory employees, real average hourly earnings rose 0.1% from September to October, seasonally adjusted, the announcement said. This result stemmed from a 0.3% increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W) and a 0.4% increase in average hourly earnings.   

For this group, real average weekly earnings rose 0.4% over the month, as a result of a 0.3% increase in the average work week combined with the increase in real average hourly earnings. Real average hourly earnings rose 0.7%, seasonally adjusted, from October 2009 to October 2010. The increase in real average hourly earnings combined with a 1.8% increase in the average work week, resulted in a 2.4% increase in real average weekly earnings during this period.