October 10, 2006 2:58 PM

More work, same old pay
Posted by Douglas Eisenhartat 2:58 PM

Maybe it's not news to all those laboring in the trenches day after day. You're working harder and earning more for your employers, but you're not seeing anything more in terms of your own compensation. In economics-speak, productivity is up, wages stagnant.

Now it's official, according to a new report from Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies:

The study, by Northeastern's Center for Labor Market Studies, found the state's median annual earnings, adjusted for inflation, have risen just $546 -- 1.2 percent -- since 1989. Meanwhile, productivity, or the amount produced by a worker in the same amount of time, soared nearly 50 percent in that period.

In other words, the typical employee is working harder, faster, and smarter, but getting few of the benefits, said Andrew Sum, the center's director and study's lead author. Historically, higher productivity has led to higher earnings after inflation. But globalization and other economic forces are breaking the link between productivity and wages, redistributing gains to consumers, corporations, and the richest workers.

Hmmmm. Sounds like a recipe for unhappy workers to me. We can't really blame you for thinking about moving on if you're not properly rewarded for your efforts. Someone's got to feed the family.

If you're looking for a new situation, start here.