LibGuides: ILRGL 2050: Labor Relations: Economic Data

Classification Codes

Economic data are generally categorized using standard codes. The sources below provide information about these codes.

North American Industry Classification System
The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS, pronounced Nakes) was developed as the standard for use by Federal statistical agencies in classifying business establishments for the collection, analysis, and publication of statistical data related to the business economy of the U.S. NAICS was developed under the auspices of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and adopted in 1997 to replace the old Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) system. I
O*Net
O*NET, the Occupational Information Network, is a comprehensive database of worker attributes and job characteristics. As the replacement for the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), O*NET will be the nation's primary source of occupational information.
Occupational Classification System Manual
Created by BLS field economists, this classification manual is currently being used by the National Compensation Survey, a Bureau of Labor Statistics program. It is a modification of the Census's Classified Index of Industries and Occupations.
Standard Industrial Classification Manual
ILR Reference HA 40 I6 U63
Springfield, Va.: Office of Management and Budget. NTIS, 1987.
Provides standardized reference numbers used by the Census Bureau and the federal government to classify and report on businesses by type of 1987 activity.
Standard Occupational Classification
ILR Reference HB 2595 U54 2000
The SOC covers all jobs in the national economy, including occupations in the public, private, and military sectors. It is used by the Occupational Employment Statistics program of the Bureau of Labor Statistics It replaces the Bureau of the Census' 1990 occupational classification system and was used for the 2000 Census. In addition, the SOC serves as the framework for information being gathered through the Department of Labor'

Labor Market

An important factor to consider in collective bargaining is the number of workers in an area that are trained and looking for work. These sources will help employers and union members determine their strengths.

Employment Projections (BLS)
Use the National Employment Matrix to project employment needs by industry and occupation.
Labor Statistics (NYS DOL)
Regularly updated labor market information for New York State.
Municipal Reference Guide: New York
ILR Reference HA 541 M96
New York, Shrewsbury, NJ: National Resource Directories, Inc., 1992- .
Profiles New York communities indicating location, community officials and finances, demographics, housing, libraries, and schools.
Occupational Outlook Handbook
The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook is revised every two years and includes information on job descriptions, training, education, earnings, job prospects, working conditions.
Overview of Wage Data by Area and Occupation (BLS)
Locate occupational wage data by state, region, and metropolitan area.
Publisher Market Guide
ILR Reference HF 5905 E38
New York, NY: The Editor & Publisher Company.
Demographic and economic composition of every state, province, county and daily newspaper market city in the U. S..
State Profile: NY/NJ - Woods and Poole
ILR Reference HC107.N5 S79
The State Profile Series: New York & New Jersey contains some of the Woods & Poole Economics, Inc. regional data and projections for the states of New York and New Jersey, and all Combined Statistical Areas (CSAs), Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSAs), Micropolitan Statistical Areas (MICROs), Metropolitan Divisions (MDIVs), and counties in those states.

Wages & Benefits

The bottom line is usually wages and benefits. Use these resources to benchmark your demands/offers with peers.

Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)
EBRI promotes the understanding and furtherance of employee benefits national policy. It is a neutral organization that does objective research on employee benefit programs and public policy with regard to employee benefits. Additional electronic content is available at the ILR Library. Please ask for assistance at the ILR Reference Desk.
ERI's Platform Library
Restricted access to loaded software from ILR Library Reference workstation; ask at ILR Reference Desk for assistance.
Has salary and cost of living information.
Overview of BLS Statistics on Pay and Benefits (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)
Recommended site for finding authoritative and current information on U.S. pay and benefits. The BLS has various surveys that report on employee compensation. They are described on this site.
Union Membership and Earnings Data Book: Compilations from the Current Population Survey - BNA
Hirsch,Barry T. and David A. Macpherson (editors)
ILR Reference HD6508 .H66 U59
Every year the Current Population Survey (a joint U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Census survey) provides broad statistics in its Union Members survey. This publication contains more detailed statistics derived from that survey. Its companion volume, Additional Earnings and Union Membership Data, ILR Reference HD6508 .H66 U59, has information from other BLS sources on occupational wages.
Salary.com
Salary.com is an online compensation information for individuals, business managers and human resource professionals. Salary information is available through compensation surveys and the Salary Wizard, Salary.com's compensation tool. In addition to compensation data, editorial content on compensation advice, negotiation tactics and news specific to the compensation marketplace are also provided.
Unionstats.com
The Union Membership and Coverage Database is an Internet data resource providing private and public sector labor union membership, coverage, and density estimates compiled from the Current Population Survey (CPS), a monthly household survey, using BLS methods. These statistics are provided by the BLS in its annual Union Membership survey, but due with less detail. Be sure to read the background information on Unionstats.com with its commentary on the accuracy of the sample.

Cost of Living

The "cost of living" is an amount of money needed to buy goods and services to maintain a particular standard of living. Variables, such as region, income level, and time period, affect the cost of living.

Consumer Price Index
Monthly report on consumer price indexes and rates of change for selected items and groups of goods and services, and contains detailed tabulations for food items.
ACCRA Cost of Living Index
ILR Library HD 6983 A585
Indianapolis, Ind.: American Chamber of Commerce, Researchers Association , 1978 - .
Published quarterly. Provides cost of living data for 248 U.S. cities.
Geographic Reference Report
ILR Reference HD 6983 G34
Newport Beach, CA: BTA Economic Research Institute, 1992- .
This report is a hardcopy composite summary of all Assessor Series® databases. ERI's Geographic Reference Report illustrates wage and salary differentials between 298 North American cities; reports cost-of-living differentials (for renters) summary data, demographic data, and competitive median wage & salary levels for eighty-eight benchmark positions.
Moving
Compare the cost of living in hundreds of U.S. and International cities. Provides state tax tables. Crime indexes for 500 cities. Interstate moving costs. Insurance premium estimates. Mortgage recommendations. Compute loan amount for which you may qualify. Plan your move with a custom timeline. Other interesting information, including a Salary Calculator, for planning a move.
Living Wage Calculator
Developed by researchers at MIT, the Living Wage Calculator estimates the the cost of living in your community or region and lists typical expenses, the living wage and typical wages for the selected location.