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_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
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PRODUCTIVITY AND COSTS BY INDUSTRY: WHOLESALE TRADE, RETAIL TRADE, AND FOOD SERVICES AND DRINKING PLACES INDUSTRIES, 2009 [31 August 2010]

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/prin1.nr0.htm

or

http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/prin1.pdf

[full-text, 10 pages]

 

Labor productivity - defined as output per hour - fell in wholesale trade, but rose in retail trade and in

food services and drinking places, in 2009, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Productivity

changes were as follows:

 

                            -3.3 percent in wholesale trade,

                             1.5 percent in retail trade, and

                             1.0 percent in food services and drinking places.

 

In comparison, labor productivity fell in each of the three sectors overall in 2008. However, both output

and hours declined more rapidly in each of the sectors in 2009 than they did in 2008. 

 

Unit labor costs, which reflect the total labor costs required to produce a unit of output, declined in

retail trade but rose in wholesale trade and food services and drinking places. By comparison, unit labor

costs increased in each of the sectors in 2008.

 

Productivity rose in 2009 in nearly 60 percent of the 50 detailed industries studied. (See table 1.) This

was higher than the 36 percent of detailed industries that recorded productivity increases the previous

year. In 2009, productivity growth in most industries resulted from declines in hours that more than

offset changes in output. Output grew in only 10 of the detailed industries in 2009, while hours declined

in 47. In comparison, output grew in 14 industries and hours declined in 30 in 2008. In 2009, only a

single industry - farm product raw materials wholesalers - registered productivity growth as a result of

increases in both output and hours. Unit labor costs declined in 46 percent of the detailed industries in

2009, compared to 32 percent in 2008.

 

AND MUCH MORE...including CHARTS & TABLES....

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This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

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Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
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