IWS Documented News DAILY POSTINGS

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

MONTHLY LABOR REVIEW

April 2011, vol. 134, no. 4

http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2011/04/home.htm

or

http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2011/04/mlr201104.pdf

[full-text, 148 pages]

Articles

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

Private Pensions:  Some Key Features Lead to an Uneven Distribution of Benefits.  GAO-11-333, March 30. [online 29 April 2011]

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-333

or

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11333.pdf

[full-text, 68 pages]

and

Highlights -

http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d11333high.pdf

What GAO Found:

Net new plan formation in recent years has been very small, with the total number of single employer private pension plans increasing about 1 percent from about 697,000 in 2003 to 705,000 in 2007. Although employers created almost 180,000 plans over this period, this formation was largely offset by plan terminations or mergers. About 92 percent of newly formed plans were defined contribution (DC) plans, with the rest being defined benefit (DB) plans. New plans were generally small, with about 96 percent having fewer than 100 participants. Regarding the small percentage of new DB plans, professional groups such as doctors, lawyers, and dentists sponsored about 43 percent of new small DB plans, and more than 55 percent of new DB plan sponsors also sponsored DC plans. The low net growth of private retirement plans is a concern in part because workers without employer-sponsored plans do not benefit as fully from tax incentives as workers that have employer-sponsored plans. Furthermore, the benefits of new DB plans disproportionately benefit workers at a few types of professional firms.

Most individuals who contributed at or above the 2007 statutory limits for DC contributions tended to have earnings that were at the 90th percentile ($126,000) or above for all DC participants, according to our analysis of the 2007 SCF. Similarly, consistent with findings from our past work, high-income workers have benefited the most from increases in the limits between 2001 and 2007. Finally, we found that men were about three times as likely as women to make so-called catch-up contributions when DC participants age 50 and older were allowed to contribute an extra $5,000 to their plans.

We found that several modifications to the Saver’s Credit—a tax credit for low-income workers who make contributions to a DC plan—could provide a sizeable increase in retirement income for some low wage workers, although this group is small. For example, under our most generous scenario, Saver’s Credit recipients who fell in the lowest earnings quartile experienced a 14 percent increase in annual retirement income from DC savings, on average.

The long-term effects of the financial crisis on retirement income are uncertain and will likely vary widely. For those still employed and participating in a plan, the effects are unclear. Data are limited, and while financial markets have recovered much of their losses from 2008, it is not fully known yet how participants will adjust their contributions and asset allocations in response to market volatility in the future. In contrast, although data are again limited, the unemployed, especially the long-term unemployed, may be at risk of experiencing significant declines in retirement income as contributions cease and the probability of drawing down retirement accounts for other needs likely increases. The potential troubling consequences of the financial crisis may be obscuring long standing concerns over the ability of the employer-provided pension system in helping moderate and low-income workers, including those with access to a plan, save enough for retirement.

CONTENTS

Letter 1

Background 4

Total Number of Tax-Qualified Plans Remains Relatively Unchanged as Plan Terminations Largely Offset New, Mostly Small Plan Formation 10

DC Participants with High-Incomes and Other Assets Benefited the Most from Increases in Contribution Limits 17

Modifications to the Saver’s Credit Could Improve Retirement Income for Some Low-Income Workers 26

The Long-Term Effects of the Recent Financial Crisis on Retirement Income Security Remain Uncertain and Will Vary Widely Among Individuals 34

Concluding Observations 41

Agency Comments 42

Appendix I Methodology 44

Appendix II GAO Contact and Staff Acknowledgments 61

Related GAO Products 62

Tables

Table 1: Select Statutory Limits for Defined Contribution Plans, 2001, 2007, and 2011 5

Table 2: Saver’s Credit Rates and AGI limits in 2010 by Tax Filing Status 8

Table 3: Estimated Mean Value of Household Assets by Contribution Levels 21

Table 4: Median Account Balances for DC Participants by Whether Their 2007 Contributions were below, and at or above the Statutory Limits We Analyzed 25

Table 5: Projected Mean DC Annuity Payments for Saver’s Credit Recipients under Different Scenarios, by Earnings Quartiles 31

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

European Trade Union Institute (ETUI)

ETUI Policy Brief - European Social Policy

Issue 2/2011

Nano governance: how should the EU implement nanomaterial traceability?   

Author:

Aída María Ponce Del Castillo, researcher ETUI

http://www.etui.org/research/Media/Files/EEEPB/European-Social-Policy/2-2011-EN

Abstract:

This Policy Brief addresses the need for a governance response from the European bodies to

establish a registry of nanomaterial-containing articles. Better comprehensive data is urgently

needed to improve knowledge of what is on the market, who is exposed and what should be

regulated. Member States welcome such inventories and have developed their own initiatives

while at the same time exhorting the European Commission to step in on the process. Achieving

harmonisation of the national initiatives is crucial, for proper regulation is needed to ensure proper protection of human and

environmental health, as well as an adequate level of risk management.

Issue 3/2011

What role can the unions play in Europe's industrial policy? REACH shows the way

Author: Tony Musu, senior researcher ETUI

In English at
http://www.etui.org/research/Media/Files/EEEPB/European-Social-Policy/3-2011-EN

or in French at

http://www.etui.org/research/Media/Files/EEEPB/European-Social-Policy/3-2011-FR

Abstract:

The REACH1 Regulation which lays down the rules for marketing and using chemicals in Europe

is undoubtedly one of the most far-reaching legislative reforms of the last twenty years. It

enhances European competitiveness while giving improved protection to human health and

the environment. The unions had a big hand in framing the legislation and remain influential

in making it work. Along with the European social dialogue, close involvement by workers’ representatives in developing and

enforcing European laws designed to change our production models is another key means for developing social progress. It also

paves the way for what could be the future of industrial relations in Europe, with the unions taking a prominent role in the

regulation of key sectors of our economy.

1 REACH stands for Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals.

Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/

LexUriServ.do?uri=CELEX:32006R1907:EN:NOT

Editors: Philippe Pochet and Kurt Vandaele
Published by ETUI, 2011  

Other RECENT POLICY BRIEFS at

http://www.etui.org/research/Publications/Regular-publications/ETUI-Policy-Briefs#Social

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

Personal Income and Outlays, March 2011 [29 April 2011]

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/2011/pi0311.htm

or

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/2011/pdf/pi0311.pdf

[full-text, 12 pages]

or

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/2011/xls/pi0311.xls

[spreadsheet]

and

Highlights

http://www.bea.gov/newsreleases/national/pi/2011/pdf/pi0311_fax.pdf

Personal income increased $67.0 billion, or 0.5 percent, and disposable personal income (DPI)

increased $64.4 billion, or 0.6 percent, in March, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Personal consumption expenditures (PCE) increased $60.7 billion, or 0.6 percent.  In February,

personal income increased $53.1 billion, or 0.4 percent, DPI increased $49.6 billion, or 0.4 percent,

and PCE increased $94.4 billion, or 0.9 percent, based on revised estimates.

Real disposable income increased 0.1 percent in March, compared with an increase of less than 0.1

percent in February.  Real PCE increased 0.2 percent, compared with an increase of 0.5 percent.

[tables]

Wages and salaries

Private wage and salary disbursements increased $18.0 billion in March, compared with an increase

of $23.9 billion in February.  Goods-producing industries' payrolls increased $6.2 billion, compared

with an increase of $1.0 billion; manufacturing payrolls increased $5.1 billion, in contrast

to a decrease of $0.5 billion.  Services-producing industries' payrolls increased $11.8 billion,

compared with an increase of $22.9 billion.  Government wage and salary disbursements increased

$1.2 billion, in contrast to a decrease of $0.4 billion.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

EMPLOYMENT COST INDEX - MARCH 2011 [29 April 2011]

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

or

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

[full-text, 21 pages]

and

Supplemental Files Table of Contents

http://www.bls.gov/web/eci.supp.toc.htm

Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.6 percent, seasonally adjusted, for the

3-month period ending March 2011, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Wages

and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.4 percent, and

benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 1.1 percent.

Civilian Workers

     Compensation costs for civilian workers increased 2.0 percent for the 12-month period ending

March 2011. A year earlier--in March 2010--the increase was 1.7 percent. Wages and salaries

increased 1.6 percent for the current 12-month period; in March 2010 the increase was 1.5 percent.

Benefit costs accelerated to 3.0 percent, up from a 2.2-percent increase for the 12-month period

ending March 2010.

AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES....

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

Transparency International

Promoting Revenue Transparency: 2011 Report on Oil and Gas Companies

http://www.transparency.org/publications/publications/other/prt_2011

or

http://www.transparency.org/content/download/59374/951162/TI_PRT_2011_report_FINAL_EN.pdf

[full-text, 65 pages]

The Promoting Revenue Transparency: 2011 Report on Oil and Gas Companies, published by Transparency International in partnership with Revenue Watch, rates 44 companies on their levels of transparency. Representing 60 per cent of global oil and gas production, the companies are evaluated in three areas: reporting on anti-corruption programmes, organisational disclosure and country-level disclosure of financial and technical data.

CONTENTS

MAJOR RESULTS 2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

1. Why transparency in the oil and gas sector matters 5

2. Methodology 6

3. Major findings 7

4. Key policy recommendations 8

RESULTS OF THE ANALYSIS 12

1. General results 12

2. Reporting on anti-corruption programmes (section 1) 14

3. Organisational disclosure (section 2) 22

4. Country-level disclosure (section 3) 30

5. National oil company specific (section 4) 43

6. Cross-section analysis 48

8. 2011 vs. 2008 results 51

CONCLUSION 52

ANNEXES 53

Annex 1 - History of the project 53

Annex 2 – Methodology and questionnaire guide 55

Annex 3 – Building a ‘perfect score company’ 65

Annex 4 – Country-level disclosure on domestic operations 70

Annex 5 - Data tables with sources 73

Annex 6 – Data sharing with companies - an example of a data set 110

Annex 7 – Oil and gas industry background relevant to the PRT report 113

LIST OF TABLES AND DIAGRAMS 118

BIBLIOGRAPHY 119

END NOTES

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

WOMEN IN NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS  (as of 31 March 2011)

http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/world.htm

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

Latin American and Caribbean Macro Watch Data Tool

http://www.iadb.org/Research/LatinMacroWatch/CountryTable.cfm?lang=en

The database collects information from public sources (mostly web based) in IDB's 26 borrowing member countries and adds to it a set of useful indicators that allows for better monitoring of macroeconomic conditions.

The database spans the period 1990-2010, and contains information at annual, quarterly, monthly and sometimes daily frequencies, based on data availability. The complete dataset includes 1,146,581 registers, contained in 9,312 series that can be readily accessed over the internet.

Data is organized at the global, sub-regional, and country level, the latter typically divided into six categories: i) economic activity and employment, ii) prices and wages, iii) fiscal accounts and public debt, iv) external accounts, v) money and banking, and vi) financial markets. Each month, the series corresponding to a different sub-region is updated (Central America, the Caribbean, South America and Mexico) so that on average series are updated quarterly.

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)

Characteristics of Suspected Human Trafficking Incidents, 2008-2010 [28 April 2011]

http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=2372

or

http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/cshti0810.pdf

[full-text, 12 pages]

Describes the characteristics of human trafficking investigations, suspects, and victims in cases opened by federally funded task forces between January 2008 and June 2010. This report provides information about investigations, persons involved in suspected and confirmed incidents of human trafficking, and case outcomes. Data are from the Human Trafficking Reporting System (HTRS), which was created in response to a congressional mandate in the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2005 for biennial reporting on the scope and characteristics of human trafficking. HTRS is currently the only system that captures information on human trafficking investigations conducted by state and local law enforcement agencies in the United States. The report also describes HTRS data collection procedures and data quality issues.

Highlights include the following:

-Federally funded task forces opened 2,515 suspected incidents of human trafficking for investigation between January 2008 and June 2010.

-About 8 in 10 of the suspected incidents of human trafficking were classified as sex trafficking, and about 1 in 10 incidents were classified as labor trafficking.

-The confirmed human trafficking incidents open for at least a year led to 144 known arrests.

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF)

Snapshots: HEALTH CARE COSTS

Health Care Spending in the United States and Selected OECD Countries [28 April 2011]

April 2011

http://www.kff.org/insurance/snapshot/OECD042111.cfm

Abstract:

Health spending is rising faster than incomes in most developed countries, which raises questions about how countries will pay for their future health care needs. The issue is particularly acute in the United States, which not only spends much more per capita on health care, but also has had one of the highest spending growth rates. Both public and private health expenditures are growing at rates which outpace comparable countries. Despite this higher level of spending, the United States does not achieve better outcomes on many important health measures. This paper uses information from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)[1] to compare the level and growth rate of health care spending in the United States to those of other OECD countries.

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
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
________________________________________________________________________

Census

STATE GOVERNMENT RETIREMENT SYSTEMS [2009] [27 April 2011]

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/news_conferences/st_gov_retirement_tables.html

Press Release 27 April 2011

Census Bureau Reports State Retirement Systems Assets Fall $641 Billion in 2009 [27 April 2011]

http://www.census.gov/newsroom/releases/archives/governments/cb11-75.html

Latest Report Shows Two Consecutive Years of Loss in Investment Earnings

     The nation's state retirement systems totaled $2.0 trillion in holdings and assets in 2009, a loss of $641.3 billion (24.0 percent) from $2.7 trillion in 2008, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. This follows a $152.2 billion loss the previous year. (See Table 1) [PDF].

     These large decreases are mostly attributed to a $484.9 billion decrease in earnings on investments between 2008 and 2009, following a loss of $439.8 billion the previous year. Retirement systems have substantial investments in financial markets and consequently earnings are dependent on changes in market performance.

     These new data come from the 2009 Annual Survey of Public-Employee Retirement Systems, which reports the annual financial activity for the nation's 222 state administered public employee retirement systems, including cash and security investments holdings, securities, receipts and payments. Data are shown for the nation and individual states. For the first time, this data set will also include actuarial liability data, which projects the total obligation required to cover costs for providing pensions to former and present employees.

Receipts

     In 2009, investment earnings lost $524.0 billion, reflecting a total receipts decrease of $484.9 billion, the second year of losses following a decrease of $439.8 billion in 2008. (See Table 2) [PDF]

     Total contributions were $64.8 billion in 2009, with employee contributions increasing 5.4 percent to $33.3 billion.

Cash and Security Investment Holdings

     Among the cash and security holdings for public pensions, government securities fell 17.0 percent in 2009 to $163.9 billion from $197.6 billion in 2008. This follows a decline of 12.9 percent in the previous year. Government securities comprised 8.1 percent of the total cash and security holdings of all state employee retirement systems. Other investments (e.g., real property and miscellaneous investments) decreased 10.5 percent in 2009 to $328.4 billion.

     Nongovernmental securities (e.g., corporate bonds and stocks, mortgages, funds held in trust, foreign and international securities, and other securities) were $1.5 trillion in 2009, a 28.8 percent decrease from 2008. Nongovernmental securities comprised 71.6 percent of total cash and security holdings. Corporate stocks made up the greatest amount of nongovernmental securities at 45.4 percent, totaling $658.8 billion in 2009, a 30.7 percent decline from the previous year.

     Total federal securities, total corporate bonds and other nongovernmental securities also saw decreases. Gains were reported in mortgages ($14.1 billion) and funds held in trust ($62.8 billion) in 2009.

Payments

     Covered payroll — payments made to active employees on which contributions to a pension plan is based — increased by 5.1 percent to $563.5 billion in 2009 from $535.9 billion in 2008. Pension obligations also saw an increase of 4.1 percent. (See Table 6.) [PDF]

     Total payments in 2009 were $161.7 billion, a 2.7 percent increase from 2008. This increase was because of a 5.9 percent increase in benefits totaling $151.9 billion. (See Table 3.) [PDF]

     “Census Bureau data is critical in providing a single, consolidated source of information regarding the entire public pension community,” said Keith Brainard, research director for the National Association of State Retirement Administrators. “Combined with other data the Census Bureau provides on state and local government finance, the result is a mosaic of facts and figures that fosters analysis and insight into this community.”

     Data are shown for individual retirement systems and for aggregate national and state levels. The structure of retirement systems varies widely among states. In some jurisdictions, state and local government employees are vested in a small number of statewide systems.

     Additional data from the Annual Survey of Public-Employee Retirement Systems for fiscal year 2009 is scheduled for release in Summer 2011.

-X-

________________________________________________________________________

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.

****************************************
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) 262-6041               
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
****************************************