Collective Bargaining Series - Private Sector (BP) bp.txt Section Listing 1. Survey Definition 2. FTP files listed in the survey directory. 3. Time series, series file, data file, & mapping file definitions and relationships 4. Series file format and field definitions 5. Data file format and field definitions 6. Mapping file formats and field definitions 7. Data Element Dictionary ================================================================================ Section 1 ================================================================================ The following is a definition of: COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SERIES - PRIVATE SECTOR (BP) Survey Description: This series summarizes wage-rate changes in major collective bargaining agreements (covering 1,000 workers or more) for production and related workers in manufacturing and nonsupervisory workers in nonmanufacturing. Compensation (wages and benefits) changes are measured for agreements covering 5,000 workers or more. Summary Data Available: Wage-Rate Changes: "Settlements" data measure specified net increases, decreases, and zero change in wage rates resulting from settlements negotiated in the reference period. Changes occurring within 12 months of the contract effective date ("first-year") and all changes that occur over the contract term expressed as an annual rate ("over the life") are presented. Data on "wage-rate changes under all major agreements" include increases, decreases and zero change in wage rates during the reference period for all workers in the series, regardless of the contract settlement date. Included are changes stemming from settlements reached in the calendar year, from agreements reached in a prior year with changes deferred to the reference period, and from COLA clauses. Lump-sum payments are excluded from "settlements" data and from "wage-rate changes under all major agreements". Compensation Changes: These data reflect changes (net increases, decreases, and zero change) in employee compensation (wages and benefits) resulting from settlements covering 5,000 workers or more which were negotiated in the reference period. The "compensation rate" change measures net increases, decreases, and zero change in compensation rates per work hour resulting from contract settlements. Lump-sum payments are excluded. Changes occurring within 12 months of the contract effective date ("first year") and all changes that occur over the contract term expressed as an annual rate ("over the life") are presented. The "compensation cost" change measures net increases, decreases, and zero change in the costs for employee compensation per work hour, including specified lump-sum payments, and reflects the timing of compensation rate changes. Changes that occur over the contract term are expressed as an annual rate ("over the life"). Frequency of Observations: Data are presented by quarter, calendar year and for 4-quarter periods that may extend into each of 2 calendar years. Data Characteristics: All percent changes are stored with one decimal place. All employment measures are in millions. Updating Schedule: Updates are available about 4 weeks after the end of each calendar quarter. References: BLS Handbook of Methods, Chapter 7, "Negotiated Wage and Benefit Changes", Bulletin 2285 (1988). ================================================================================== Section 2 ================================================================================== The following Collective Bargaining Series (Private Sector) files are on the BLS internet in the sub-directory pub/time.series/bp: bp.alteration - Alteration codes mapping file bp.contacts - Contacts for bp survey bp.data.1.AllData - All Data bp.duration - Duration codes mapping file bp.industry - Industry codes mapping file bp.measure - Measure codes mapping file bp.period - Period codes mapping file bp.periodicity - Periodicity codes mapping file bp.selection - Selection codes mapping file bp.series - All series and their beginning and end dates bp.txt - General information bp.unit - Unit codes mapping file ================================================================================= Section 3 ================================================================================= The definition of a time series, its relationship to and the interrelationship among series, data and mapping files is detailed below: A time series refers to a set of data observed over an extended period of time over consistent time intervals (i.e. monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, annually). BLS time series data are typically produced at monthly intervals and represent data ranging from a specific consumer item in a specific geographical area whose price is gathered monthly to a category of worker in a specific industry whose employment rate is being recorded monthly, etc. The FTP files are organized such that data users are provided with the following set of files to use in their efforts to interpret data files: a) a series file (only one series file per survey) b) mapping files c) data files The series file contains a set of codes which, together, compose a series identification code that serves to uniquely identify a single time series. Additionally, the series file also contains the following series-level information: a) the period and year corresponding to the first data observation b) the period and year corresponding to the most recent data observation. The mapping files are definition files that contain explanatory text descriptions that correspond to each of the various codes contained within each series identification code. The data file contains one line of data for each observation period pertaining to a specific time series. Each line contains a reference to the following: a) a series identification code b) year in which data is observed c) period for which data is observed (M13, Q05, and S03 indicate annual averages) d) value e) footnote code (if available) ================================================================================= Section 4 ================================================================================= File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define bp.series. Note that the Field Numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. series_id 13 BPU0114101001 2. measure_code 2 01 3. unit_code 1 1 4. periodicity_code 1 1 5. alteration_code 1 1 6. industry_code 2 01 7. contract_duration 1 0 8. contract_selection 2 01 9. seasonal 1 U 10. begin_year 4 1983 11. begin_period 3 Q01 12. end_year 4 1995 13. end_period 3 Q04 The series_id (BPU0114101001) can be broken out into: Code Value(Example) survey abbreviation = BP seasonal (code) = U measure_code = 01 unit_code = 1 periodicity_code = 4 alteration_code = 1 industry_code = 01 contract_duration = 0 contract_selection = 01 ================================================================================== Section 5 ================================================================================== File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define each data file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Data files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. File Name: bp.data.1.AllData The above-named data file has the following format: Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. series_id 13 BPU0114101001 2. year 4 1995 3. period 3 Q01 4. value 12 2.3 5. cont_break 1 N 6. status 1 F 7. footnote_exists 1 N The series_id (BPU0114101001) can be broken out into: Code Value(Example) survey abbreviation = BP seasonal (code) = U measure_code = 01 unit_code = 1 periodicity_code = 4 alteration_code = 1 industry_code = 01 contract_duration = 0 contract_selection = 01 ================================================================================ Section 6 ================================================================================ File Structure and Format: The following represents the file format used to define each mapping file. Note that the field numbers are for reference only; they do not exist in the database. Mapping files are in ASCII text format. Data elements are separated by tabs; the first record of each file contains the column headers for the data elements stored in each field. Each record ends with a new line character. File Name: bp.alteration Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. alteration_code 1 1 2. alteration_text 50 Text File Name: bp.duration Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. contract_duration 1 0 2. contract_duration_text 50 Text File Name: bp.industry Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. industry_code 2 01 2. industry_name 40 Text File Name: bp.measure Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. measure_code 2 01 2. measure_text 90 Text File Name: bp.period Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. period 3 Q01 2. period_abbr 5 QTR1 3. period_name 20 Text File Name: bp.periodicity Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. periodicity_code 1 1 2. periodicity_text 40 Text File Name: bp.selection Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. contract_selection 2 01 2. contract_selection_text 80 Text File Name: bp.unit Field #/Data Element Length Value(Example) 1. unit_code 1 1 2. unit_text 20 Text ========================================================================================= Section 7 ========================================================================================= COLLECTIVE BARGAINING SERIES - PRIVATE SECTOR (BP) DATABASE ELEMENTS Data Element Length Value(Example) Description alteration_code 1 1 Code identifying the type of change measured by the observation. alteration_text 50 Text Description of type of change Ex: Increases only measured by the observation. begin_period 3 A01 Identifies first data observation Ex: A01=Annual data within the first year for which (Q=Quarterly, A=Annual) data is available for a given time series. begin_year 4 1975 Identifies first year for which data is available for a given time series. cont_break 1 Y=Continuity break Identifies point at which N=No break data within a series are no longer comparable. contract_ 1 0 Code identifying the length duration of the contract. contract_ 50 Text Description of the length duration_text Ex: All contracts of contract. contract_ 2 01 Code identifying the contracts selection negotiated in the period. contract_ 80 Text Description of contracts selection_text Ex: All contracts negotiated in the period. in period. end_period 3 Q04 Identifies last data observation Ex: Q04=Fourth quarter within the last year for which (Q=Quarterly, A=Annual) data is available for a given time series. end_year 4 1980 Identifies last year for which data is available for a given time series. footnote_exists 1 N=No footnote Identifies whether a footnote Y=Footnote exists for the data series. (To see footnote, refer to publication.) industry_code 2 01 Code identifying the industry. industry_name 40 Text Name of the industry. Ex: All industries measure_code 2 01 The measure identifier. measure_text 90 Text Name of element being Ex: Settlements, 1st measured by the observation. Year Compensation. period_abbr 5 QTR1 Abbreviation of period name. period 3 Q01 Identifies period for which Ex: Q01=First Quarter data is observed. (Q=Quarterly, A=Annual) period_name 20 Text Full name of period to which Ex: 1st Quarter the data observation refers. periodicity_ 1 1 Code identifying the frequency code of the observation. periodicity_ 40 Text Frequency of the observation. text Ex: Four quarters ending seasonal 1 S=Seasonally Code identifying whether the Adjusted data are seasonally adjusted. U=Unadjusted series_id 13 BPU0114101001 Code identifying the specific series. status 1 F=Final data Code identifying whether data P=Premliminary data are preliminary or final. unit_code 1 1 Code identifying the unit of measurement. unit_text 20 Text Name of unit of measurement Ex: Mean (in percent) for observation. value 12 Data value Observation for the series. year 4 1990 Identifies year of observation.