Real Average Weekly Earnings Fall from February to March

According to the unit of the US Department of Labor, a0.3% increase in average hourly earnings was more than offset by a 0.6% increase in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners andClerical Workers (CPI-W). The resulting loss in average weekly earnings was 0.3%.

For the month, the average weekly hours were unchanged.

On the year from March 2004 to March 2005, the average weekly earnings rose by 2.6%, seasonally adjusted. After deflation by the CPI-W, average weeklyearnings over this timespan fell by 0.5%.

Before adjusting for seasonal change andinflation, the average weekly earnings were $534.33 in March 2005, up from $520.59 ayear earlier.

Data for these statistics are collected from payroll reports of private nonfarm establishments, with earning of both part- and full-time workers in production or nonsupervisory jobs included.