Hammered

More of the same . . .

By Jeff Thredgold, CSP
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Table of Contents

Real Wage Gains

Better news was also seen in regard to the rise in hourly earnings. Workers’ average hourly earnings rose an estimated five cents (up 0.3%) to $18.36. The 3.7% rise in hourly earnings during the past 12 months compares favorably to plunging consumer inflation.

As recently as last summer, the rise in the Consumer Price Index for the latest 12-month period was approaching 6%. The violent plunge in oil and other commodity prices has now seen the CPI rise 1.1% during the latest 12-month period, leading to sizable, real hourly wage gains. In fact, the widely expected fall in December consumer inflation to be reported on January 16 could see consumer inflation during 2008 near zero . . . nada . . . zilch.


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Hammered continues...
The "Underemployed" 
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More Losses in 2009 

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