BLS Wage and Earnings Reports

The need for the collection of labor statistics was recognized by Congress in 1884 when it established the Bureau of Labor in the Department of the Interior. In 1913 the Bureau was transferred to the newly created Department of Labor under the title Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The Commissioner is nominated by the President of the United States. He has advisory committees from labor and management to provide him with practical advice in the preparation and publication of statistics that will be most useful.

The Bureau's work is divided into eight main divisions and currently goes far beyond the collection of labor statistics. There are five regional offices which collect information within their geographical area.

Productivity statistics are the responsibility of the Productivity and Technological Development Section of the Manpower and Productivity Division.

Productivity studies began with the creation of the Bureau when unemployment raised questions about the replacement of men by machines. In 1898 a study was made on the labor input required according to the manufacturing process adapted. In 1925 labor organizations urged the Bureau to determine the progress of technical developments for they felt labor was not getting its fair share.

With the depression, interest was focussed on unemployment and the American Federation of Labor was responsible for a continuing study of productivity and labor costs under the Works Progress Administration.

At the end of World War II productivity in relation to wages became an important factor in the negotiation of labor contracts, but the measurement of productivity was subject to considerable disagreement. The Bureau of the Budget and the Bureau of Labor Statistics called a conference of experts to help bring the methods of calculating productivity up to date. The Congress voted additional funds for a new approach to the problem.

Beginning in 1946 the Bureau began studies of productivity based on data provided voluntarily by a group of sample firms as well as on calculations from other statistical sources. The results of both series were published and widely-circulated and a short summary published in the Monthly Labor Review. The studies include a great deal of background information on the industry and are written for all potential users.