4.1. ERMUSR 12-13-2016 �/
Elk River
1/4LMunicipal Utilities UTILITIES COMMISSION MEETING
TO: FROM:
Elk River Municipal Utilities Commission Wage and Benefits Committee:
John Dietz—Chair John Dietz, Troy Adams, Mark Fuchs,
Al Nadeau—Vice Chair Theresa Slominski
Daryl Thompson—Trustee
MEETING DATE: AGENDA ITEM NUMBER:
December 13, 2016 4.1
SUBJECT:
Wage & Benefits Committee Update: Cost of Living Adjustment and Other Considerations
BACKGROUND:
In October 2011,the Utilities Commission formed a Wage & Benefits Committee (W&BC). The Utilities
Commission created the committee to be comprised of one appointed Commissioner, currently John Dietz
—Utilities Chair, and three Utilities managers, Troy Adams—General Manager, Theresa Slominski—
Finance and Office Manager, and Mark Fuchs—Electric Superintendent. The intent for the creation was
to have the committee review and analyze wage and benefits information, receive comments and
questions from employees relating to wage and benefits, function as a forum for discussion, and
ultimately present select wage and benefit information to the Utilities Commission for action.
DISCUSSION:
By employee request during the open form of the October Regular Commission Meeting,the W&BC met
prior to the November Special Commission Meeting. This meeting was open to employees to attend for
the purpose of discussing wage and benefit concerns and requests. This open meeting will be held
annually during the budget preparation prior to the budget adoption in December. This will give
employees an opportunity annual to address the Committee directly. Additional open meetings will be
considered on the circumstances. And employees always have the opportunity to talk with their
supervisor regarding wages and benefits as any concerns would be passed along to the Committee based
on merit.
On December 2,the W&BC met to review the following: employee request for changes to the employer
match for deferred compensation; wage survey data analysis regarding cost of living adjustment(COLA)
and specific job position market adjustments, and salary compression issues for management pay group.
Deferred Compensation
During the open W&BC meeting in November, employees requested an increase in employer matched
contribution for ERMU's 457 Deferred Compensation Plan. The match is currently 2% with a cap at
$2,000 annually. The request was made to increase the cap to $3,000.
This was researched and discussed at the December 2 W&BC meeting. It was determined that the
requested benefit change would not be equitable for all employees. Data indicates that not all employees
utilize this benefit to its full potential.
Discussion indicated that any addition to deferred compensation benefits would result in a reduction in
2017 COLA. The option of employee choice between additional deferred compensation employer match
Page 1 of 2 IiiAVür 8Y
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and larger COLA was discussed. Because of the complexity to administer the implementation of the
suggested employee choice option,this consideration stalled. The W&BC came to consensus that because
this requested benefit would not be equitable for all employees and that it would be a deduction from any
COLA that the Committee does not support this benefit addition at this time. Even without Committee
support,the Commission has the option to consider the addition of this requested benefit 2017 or table it
for future consideration.
COLA and Market Adjustments
The Consumer Price Index(CPI)for Minneapolis-St. Paul area increase 1.5% in the first half of 2016
over the first half of 2015. The CPI report makes specific note that for the same period CPI increase 2.5%
less the food and energy indexes. For the same region and period,the Employment Cost Index(ECI)
notes a 2.8% increase in wages and salaries and a 2.9% in total compensation. This is above national ECI.
This is likely due to regionally low unemployment general shortage of labor. These indexes are consistent
with actual results identified through wage benchmarking.
Specifically,this is true for the lineworker pay group. Wage survey results indicate a 2.75% increase
trend in lineworker pay for 2017. This is higher for the lineworker group than other benchmarked
positions. After much discussion from the Committee, a COLA greater than 2.5% would not be
supported. The Committee discussed between 2% and 2.5% COLA.
Consensus of the Committee was to recommend for Commission that a market adjustment be awarded to
the lineworker group in addition to the COLA to result in a combined increase of 2.75%. So for example,
with an across the board 2.5% COLA the lineworker group would be awarded an additional 0.25% market
adjustment to bring the total increase to 2.75% for 2017.
Salary Compression
Due to salary compression from past market adjustments for the lineworker pay group it had been
identified last year the lineworker pay group has been compressed with the manager pay group. The
Commission had tasked the W&BC to explore options to resolve the salary compression issue and bring
back a recommendation.
The Committee discussed benefit options for the manager pay group that would help to relieve the salary
compression. The Committee came to consensus and are proposing to the Commission that the manager
pay group receive an additional 40 hours vacation annually which would be separate from the vacation
already earn per the existing policy. If unused by the end of the year it was issued,the balance of this
additional 40 hours vacation would be covered at 100% base rate wage and paid out to the employee.
ACTION REQUESTED:
All of the following action request items shall be consider for approval effective January 1, 2017:
1. Consider 2017 COLA: up to a 2.5% for all four pay groups.
2. Consider 2017 market adjustment: market adjustment in addition to the COLA to bring the
lineworker group to a total increase of 2.75%.
3. Consider management group benefit adjustment: additional 40 hours vacation annually with
option for annual payout at 100% if unused during calendar year.
ATTACHMENTS:
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index, Minneapolis-St. Paul—First Half 2016
• Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Cost Index, Minneapolis-St. Paul—September 2016
• Lineworker Wage Comparison Table
1 Page2of2 [ iiipi
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NEWS RELEASEi:sENT
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS joe
U. S. DEPAR TMEN T OF L A BOR =-= BLS 3.
STATES°4 P
For Release: Friday, July 15, 2016 16-1444-CHI
MIDWEST INFORMATION OFFICE: Chicago, III.
Technical information: (312)353-1880 • BLSInfoChicago@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/regions/midwest
Media contact: (312)353-1138
Consumer Price Index, Minneapolis-St. Paul— First Half 2016
Local prices rose 1.5 percent over the year
The Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area rose 1.5
percent from the first half of 2015 to the first half of 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported
today.Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that the all items less food
and energy index was 2.5 percent higher compared to its first half 2015 level as price increases were noted
for several categories: shelter, medical care, and recreation. Food prices rose 0.8 percent over the year while
the index for energy fell 8.5 percent. (See chart 1.)
Chart 1. Over-the-year percent change in CPI-U, Minneapolis, first half2013—first haIf2016
Percent change
3.0 — -- —
■AJI items
❑AJI Items l ess food and energy
2.0
1 0 ,
0.0a
-1.G
-2.G
First half 2013 Second half 2013 First half 2014 Second half 2014 First half 201 5 Second half 2015 First half 2016
Source:U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Food
Food prices rose 0.8 percent from their first half 2015 levels. Within the food category, the index for food
away from home (restaurant, cafeteria, and vending purchases) increased 3.1 percent over the year while
prices for food at home (groceries)were 1.0 percent lower.
63
Energy
The energy index decreased 8.5 percent from the first half of 2015 to the first half of 2016. Within the energy
category, the indexes for gasoline and utility (piped) gas service declined 15.1 percent and 12.7 percent,
respectively, over the year. The index for electricity rose 5.9 percent compared to its first half 2015 level.
All items less food and energy
The all items less food and energy index increased 2.5 percent over the year.Among the index's components,
higher costs were recorded for shelter(4.0 percent), medical care (3.7 percent), and recreation(2.9 percent).
The second half 2016 Consumer Price Index for Minneapolis-St. Paul is scheduled to be released in
January 2017.
Technical Note
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is a measure of the average change in prices over time in a fixed market
basket of goods and services. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes CPIs for two population groups: (1) a
CPI for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U) which covers approximately 89 percent of the total population and (2)
a CPI for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W)which covers 28 percent of the total
population. The CPI-U includes, in addition to wage earners and clerical workers, groups such as
professional, managerial, and technical workers, the self-employed, short-term workers, the unemployed,
and retirees and others not in the labor force.
The CPI is based on prices of food, clothing, shelter, and fuels, transportation fares, charges for doctors' and
dentists' services, drugs, and the other goods and services that people buy for day-to-day living. Each month,
prices are collected in 87 urban areas across the country from about 6,000 housing units and approximately
24,000 retail establishments--department stores, supermarkets, hospitals, filling stations, and other types of
stores and service establishments.All taxes directly associated with the purchase and use of items are
included in the index.
The index measures price changes from a designated reference date (1982-84) that equals 100.0.An increase
of 16.5 percent, for example, is shown as 116.5. This change can also be expressed in dollars as follows: the
price of a base period "market basket" of goods and services in the CPI has risen from $10 in 1982-84 to
$11.65. For further details see the CPI home page on the Internet at www.bls.gov/cpi and the BLS Handbook
of Methods, Chapter 17, The Consumer Price Index, available on the Internet at
www.bls.gov/opub/hom/pdf/homch17.pdf.
In calculating the index, price changes for the various items in each location are averaged together with
weights that represent their importance in the spending of the appropriate population group. Local data are
then combined to obtain a U.S. city average. Because the sample size of a local area is smaller, the local area
index is subject to substantially more sampling and other measurement error than the national index. In
addition, local indexes are not adjusted for seasonal influences.As a result, local area indexes show greater
volatility than the national index, although their long-term trends are quite similar. Note:Area indexes do
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64
not measure differences in the level of prices between cities; they only measure the average change in
prices for each area since the base period.
The Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minn.-Wis. metropolitan area covered in this release is comprised of Anoka,
Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Washington, and Wright Counties and
Pierce and St. Croix Counties in Wisconsin.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone:
(202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
65
TableConsumer 1. Co sumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes for semiannual averages and percent
changes for selected periods Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted)
Semiannual average indexes Percent change to
1st half 2016 from-
Item and Group 1st half 2nd half 1st half 1st half 2nd half
2015 2015 2016 2015 2015
Expenditure category
All items 229.374 231.760 232.777 1.5 0.4
All items(1967=100) 720.816 728.311 731.506 - -
Food and beverages 269.800 272.282 271.883 0.8 -0.1
Food 258.628 261.487 260.785 0.8 -0.3
Food at home 250.130 252.407 247.678 -1.0 -1.9
Food away from home 271.699 275.526 280.251 3.1 1.7
Alcoholic beverages 371.538 368.029 372.357 0.2 1.2
Housing 207.453 209.754 213.268 2.8 1.7
Shelter 238.532 242.483 248.079 4.0 2.3
Rent of primary residence(1) 241.790 245.933 250.312 3.5 1.8
Owners'equiv.rent of residences(1)(2) 248.032 252.307 258.224 4.1 2.3
Owners'equiv.rent of primary residence(1)(2) 248.032 252.307 258.224 4.1 2.3
Fuels and utilities 199.068 198.092 200.078 0.5 1.0
Household energy 181.137 177.839 178.871 -1.3 0.6
Energy services(1) 184.380 181.648 182.471 -1.0 0.5
Electricity(1) 237.679 243.625 251.636 5.9 3.3
Utility(piped)gas service(1) 139.447 128.061 121.781 -12.7 -4.9
Household furnishings and operations 122.957 121.526 119.599 -2.7 -1.6
Apparel 133.291 137.800 127.054 -4.7 -7.8
Transportation 196.981 198.554 191.730 -2.7 -3.4
Private transportation 179.202 181.630 175.422 -2.1 -3.4
Motor fuel 193.152 194.019 163.836 -15.2 -15.6
Gasoline(all types) 193.562 194.835 164.347 -15.1 -15.6
Gasoline,unleaded regular(3) 194.863 195.629 164.382 -15.6 -16.0
Gasoline,unleaded midgrade(3)(4) 197.470 199.182 171.425 -13.2 -13.9
Gasoline,unleaded premium(3) 232.817 237.912 204.187 -12.3 -14.2
Medical care 492.003 495.139 510.252 3.7 3.1
Recreation(5) 121.481 122.565 124.993 2.9 2.0
Education and communication(5) 136.597 138.004 138.192 1.2 0.1
Other goods and services 359.731 363.260 367.175 2.1 1.1
Commodity and service group
All Items 229.374 231.760 232.777 1.5 0.4
Commodities 184.388 185.166 180.860 -1.9 -2.3
Commodities less food&beverages 145.657 145.813 140.436 -3.6 -3.7
Nondurables less food&beverages 187.283 188.881 176.940 -5.5 -6.3
Durables 107.992 106.987 106.328 -1.5 -0.6
Services 268.972 272.786 278.725 3.6 2.2
Special aggregate indexes
All items less medical care 217.557 219.912 220.301 1.3 0.2
All items less shelter 226.501 228.203 227.236 0.3 -0.4
Commodities less food 153.762 153.839 148.547 -3.4 -3.4
Nondurables 226.432 228.443 221.450 -2.2 -3.1
Nondurables less food 199.726 201.109 189.720 -5.0 -5.7
Services less rent of shelter(2) 318.114 321.785 328.220 3.2 2.0
Services less medical care services 249.919 253.713 258.423 3.4 1.9
Energy 189.981 188.764 173.911 -8.5 -7.9
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Table 1. Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U): Indexes for semiannual averages and percent
changes for selected periods Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI (1982-84=100 unless otherwise noted) -Continued
Semiannual average indexes Percent change to
1st half 2016 from-
Item and Group 1st half 2nd half 1st half 1st half 2nd half
2015 2015 2016 2015 2015
All items less energy 236.798 239.567 242.159 2.3 1.1
All items less food and energy 233.674 236.431 239.508 2.5 1.3
(')This index series was calculated using a Laspeyres estimatorAll other item stratum index series were calculated using a geometric means
estimator.
(2)Index is on a December 1982=100 base.
(3)Special index based on a substantially smaller sample.
)4)Indexes on a December 1993=100 base.
(5)Indexes on a December 1997=100 base.
-Data not available.
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NEWS RELEASET°Fl
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u.
BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS
U. S. DEPARTMENT O F L A BO R TA ,
4
S TESD
For Release: Thursday, November 10, 2016 16-2081-CHI
MIDWEST INFORMATION OFFICE: Chicago, Ill.
Technical information: (312)353-1880 • BLSInfoChicago@bls.gov • www.bls.gov/regions/midwest
Media contact: (312)353-1138
Changing Compensation Costs in the Minneapolis Metropolitan Area — September
2016
Total compensation costs for private industry workers increased 2.9 percent in the Minneapolis-St. Paul-St.
Cloud, Minn.-Wis. metropolitan area for the year ended in September 2016, the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics reported today.Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that a year
earlier, Minneapolis experienced a gain of 2.4 percent in total compensation costs. Locally, wages and
salaries, the largest component of total compensation costs, rose 2.8 percent over the 12-month period ended
September 2016. Nationwide, total compensation costs and wages and salaries rose 2.3 percent and 2.4
percent respectively, over the same period. (See chart 1 and table 1.)
Chart 1.Twelve-month percent changes in the Employment Cost Index, private industry workers.
United States and the Minneapolis area,notseasonally adjusted, September 2014—September 2016
Percent change Percent change
6.0 _ _ 6.0
United States total compensation United States wages and salaries
Minneapolis total compensation Minneapolis wages and salaries
5.0
4,0
3.0 - 3.0 — o �.
2.0 °. _ .�.� .,. 2.0
. .. '._._........
1.0 —__ 1.0 -- — —
0.0 0.0
Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep Dec Mar Jun Sep
"14 15 '16 '14 15 16
Source:U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics_
Minneapolis is 1 of 15 metropolitan areas in the United States, and 1 of 3 areas in the Midwest region of the
country, for which locality compensation cost data are now available.Among these 15 largest areas, over-
the-year percentage changes in the cost of total compensation ranged from 3.3 percent in Los Angeles-Long
Beach-Riverside, Calif.to 1.3 percent in Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, Texas in September 2016; for wages
68
and salaries, annual increases ranged from 3.8 percent in Los Angeles to 1.7 percent in Houston. (See chart
2.)
Chart 2.Twelve-month percent change in the Employment Cost Index, private industry workers. United States and
localities, not seasonally adjusted, September 2016
Percent change
4.0
3 3 ■Total compensation 3 r
of"Jages and salaries
35 - 33
3 2 3.0
3.0 2 `-' 2? 22
2.7 2 2 6
L F _
2.5 .2.3 2d 25 24 23 Lo 3 23 23 Ii
— 22 —
L
21 2
2.0 1 �� 18 1_S
1 ,
. ,
1.5 3
1-0
0.5 g
United Atlanta Boston Chicago Dallas Detroit Houston Los Miami Minne- New Phila. Phoenix San Seattle Wash-
States Angeles apolis York delphia Jose ington
Source:U.S.Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Minneapolis' annual increase in total compensation costs in September 2016, at 2.9 percent, compared to
gains of 2.5 and 2.4 percent, respectively, in Detroit-Warren-Flint Mich. and Chicago-Naperville-Michigan
City, Ill.-Ind.-Wis., the two other metropolitan areas in the Midwest. Minneapolis' 2.8-percent gain in wages
and salaries over this 12-month period compared to advances of 2.6 percent in both Detroit and Chicago.
(See table 2.)
Locality compensation costs are part of the national Employment Cost Index (ECI), which measures
quarterly changes in compensation costs, which include wages, salaries and employer costs for employee
benefits. In addition to the 15 locality estimates provided in this release, ECI data for the nation, 4
geographical regions, and 9 geographical divisions are available. (Geographical definitions for the
metropolitan areas mentioned in this release are included in the Technical Note.)
In addition to the geographic data, a comprehensive national report is available that provides data by
industry, occupational group, and union status, as well as for both private and state and local government
employees. The release is available on the Internet at www.bls.gov/ncs/ect/home.htm. Current and historical
information from other Bureau programs may be accessed via our regional homepage at
www.b1s.gov/regions/midwest.
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69
The Employment Cost Index for December 2016 is scheduled to be released on Tuesday, January 31,
2017.
Technical Note
The Employment Cost Index (ECI) measures the change in the cost of labor, free from the influence of
employment shifts among occupations and industries. The compensation series includes changes in wages
and salaries and employer costs for employee benefits.
Wages and salaries are defined as straight-time average hourly earnings or, for workers not paid on an hourly
basis, straight-time earnings divided by the corresponding hours. Straight-time wage and salary rates are total
earnings before payroll deductions, excluding premium pay for overtime, work on weekends and holidays,
and shift differentials. Production bonuses, incentive earnings, commission payments, and cost-of-living
adjustments are included in straight-time earnings, whereas nonproduction bonuses (such as Christmas or
year-end bonuses) are excluded.Also excluded are such items as payments-in-kind, free room and board, and
tips.
Based on available resources and the existing ECI sample, it was determined that estimates would be
published for 15 metropolitan areas. Since the ECI sample sizes by area are directly related to area
employment, the areas with the largest private industry employment as of the year 2000 were selected. For
each of these areas, 12-month percent changes and associated standard errors were computed for the periods
since December 2006.
The metropolitan area definitions of the 15 published localities are listed below.
• Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, Ga.-Ala. Combined Statistical Area (CSA) includes Barrow,
Bartow, Butts, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth,
Fulton, Gwinnett, Hall, Haralson, Heard, Henry, Jasper, Lamar, Meriwether, Newton, Paulding, Pickens,
Pike, Polk,Rockdale, Spalding, Troup, Upson, and Walton Counties in Georgia; and Chambers County in
Alabama.
• Boston-Worcester-Manchester, Mass.-N.H. CSA includes Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth,
Suffolk, and Worcester Counties in Massachusetts; and Belknap, Hillsborough,Merrimack,Rockingham,
and Strafford Counties in New Hampshire.
• Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City,Ill.-Ind.-Wis.CSA includes Cook,DeKalb,DuPage,Grundy,Kane,
Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois; Jasper, Lake, LaPorte, Newton, and
Porter Counties in Indiana; and Kenosha County in Wisconsin.
• Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas CSA includes Collin, Cooke, Dallas, Delta, Denton, Ellis, Henderson, Hood,
Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, Palo Pinto, Parker, Rockwall, Somervell, Tarrant, and Wise Counties in Texas.
• Detroit-Warren-Flint,Mich.CSA includes Genesee,Lapeer,Livingston,Macomb,Monroe,Oakland,St.
Clair,Washtenaw, and Wayne Counties in Michigan.
• Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, Texas CSA includes Austin, Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston,
Harris, Liberty, Matagorda, Montgomery, San Jacinto, Walker, and Waller Counties in Texas.
• Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif. CSA includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San
Bernardino, and Ventura Counties in California.
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• Lauderdale-Pompanoincludes
Miami-Fort Beach, Fla. Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
p
Broward, Miami-Dade, and Palm Beach Counties in Florida.
• Minneapolis-St. Paul-St. Cloud, Minn.-Wis. CSA includes Anoka, Benton, Carver, Chisago, Dakota,
Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, McLeod, Ramsey, Rice, Scott, Sherburne, Stearns, Washington, and Wright
Counties in Minnesota; and Pierce and St. Croix Counties in Wisconsin.
• New York-Newark-Bridgeport, N.Y:N.J.-Conn.-Pa. CSA includes Bronx, Dutchess, Kings, Nassau,
New York, Orange, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk, Ulster, and Westchester Counties in
New York; Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic,
Somerset, Sussex, and Union Counties in New Jersey; Fairfield, Litchfield, and New Haven Counties in
Connecticut; and Pike County in Pennsylvania.
• Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. CSA includes Bucks, Chester, Delaware,
Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties in Pennsylvania; Burlington, Camden, Cumberland, Gloucester,
and Salem Counties in New Jersey; New Castle County in Delaware; and Cecil County in Maryland.
• Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale,Ariz. MSA includes Maricopa and Pinal Counties in Arizona.
• San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, Calif. CSA includes Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San
Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Sonoma, and Solano Counties in California.
• Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia, Wash. CSA includes Island, King, Kitsap, Mason, Pierce, Snohomish, and
Thurston Counties in Washington.
• Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. CSA includes the District of
Columbia; Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore; Calvert, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford,
Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, and St. Mary's Counties in Maryland;Alexandria,
Fairfax, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Manassas, Manassas Park, and Winchester Cities and Arlington,
Clarke, Fairfax, Fauquier, Frederick, Loudoun, Prince William, Spotsylvania, Stafford, and Warren
Counties in Virginia; and Hampshire and Jefferson Counties in West Virginia.
Definitions of the four geographic regions of the country are noted below.
• Northeast: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island, and Vermont.
• South: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana,
Maryland, Mississippi,North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West
Virginia.
• Midwest: Illinois,Indiana,Iowa,Kansas,Michigan,Minnesota,Missouri,Nebraska,North Dakota,Ohio,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
• West: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon,
Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone:
(202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.
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71
Table 1. Employment Cost Index for total compensation and for wages and salaries, private industry workers,
United States, Midwest region, and the Minneapolis area, not seasonally adjusted
Total compensation Wages and salaries
12-month percent changes for period ended- 12-month percent changes for period ended-
Area March June Sep. Dec. March June Sep. Dec.
United States
2012 2.1 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.7
2013 1.9 1.9 1.9 2.0 1.7 1.9 1.8 2.1
2014 1.7 2.0 2.3 2.3 1.7 1.9 2.3 2.2
2015 2.8 1.9 1.9 1.9 2.8 2.2 2.1 2.1
2016 1.8 2.4 2.3 2.0 2.6 2.4
Midwest
2012 2.2 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.8 1.9 1.8 1.9
2013 1.5 1.5 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.5 1.7 1.8
2014 1.7 2.1 2.2 2.1 1.6 2.0 2.0 1.7
2015 2.4 1.6 1.7 1.8 2.0 1.9 2.1 2.3
2016 1.8 2.6 2.6 2.3 2.7 2.8
Minneapolis-St.Paul-St.Cloud
2012 1.8 2.0 1.4 0.8 1.3 1.7 1.1 0.4
2013 1.4 1.6 1.5 2.0 1.2 1.4 1.1 1.6
2014 1.6 1.8 2.3 2.3 1.4 2.0 2.5 2.6
2015 2.3 2.9 2.4 4.1 2.3 3.2 2.4 4.9
2016 1.9 1.3 2.9 1.7 1.0 2.8
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Table 2. Employment Cost Index for total compensation and for wages and salaries, private industry workers,
United States, geographical regions, and localities, not seasonally adjusted
Total compensation Wages and salaries
12-month percent changes for period 12-month percent changes for period
ended- ended-
Area Sep.2015 Jun.2016 Sep.2016 Sep.2015 Jun.2016 Sep.2016
United States 1.9 2.4 2.3 2.1 2.6 2.4
Northeast 2.0 2.7 2.5 2.1 3.2 2.8
Boston-Worcester-Manchester 3.0 2.2 1.9 3.6 2.9 2.5
New York-Newark-Bridgeport 1.6 1.5 2.3 1.7 2.1 3.2
Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland 2.1 1.9 2.3 2.2 2.0 2.3
South 1.6 1.6 1.5 1.9 1.9 1.7
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville 2.0 2.4 2.2 2.2 3.2 2.7
Dallas-Fort Worth 2.0 1.7 1.9 3.3 1.8 2.3
Houston-Baytown-Huntsville 2.5 1.5 1.3 2.5 2.1 1.7
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach 2.7 2.5 1.9 2.6 2.9 2.1
Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia 2.3 2.0 1.8 1.8 2.5 2.1
Midwest 1.7 2.6 2.6 2.1 2.7 2.8
Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City 1.1 1.9 2.4 1.8 2.0 2.6
Detroit-Warren-Flint 1.9 3.4 2.5 2.4 3.6 2.6
Minneapolis-St.Paul-St.Cloud 2.4 1.3 2.9 2.4 1.0 2.8
West 2.2 2.7 2.6 2.4 2.9 2.8
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside 2.2 3.7 3.3 2.6 4.0 3.8
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale 2.5 2.5 2.8 2.7 2.4 2.6
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland 1.5 2.1 2.6 1.8 2.3 3.0
Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia 2.2 2.2 2.4 2.9 2.9 3.6
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Journeyman Lineworker Wages
2016 2017
Utility urly Hourly
Increase Wage Increase Wage
ERMU 3.75% $ 42.17 2.75% $ 43.33
Muni#1 4.71% $ 41.11 2.00% $ 41.93
Muni#2 3.00% $ 40.06 3.00% $ 41.26
Muni.#3
#3 2.50% $ 41.26 2.50% $ 42.29
#4 3.00% $ 40.58 3.00% $ 41.80
Coop#1 2.75% $ 43.78 2.75% $ 44.99
Coop#2 3.00% $ 44.43 3.00% $ 45.76
Coop#3 2.75% $ 44.16 2.75% $ 45.38
Muni-4 Ave $ 40.75 2.62% $ 41.82
Metro-7 Ave $ 42.20 2.72% $ 43.34
IOU #1 2.50% $ 43.30 2.75% $ 44.49
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