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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

American Worker Productivity Rises

From Staff And Wire Reports

The productivity of American workers grew by 2.2 percent in 1994 but was slowing at year’s end.

“We’ll probably see further slowing (as the economy slackens) as we move through 1995,” said Mark Zandi, an economist with Regional Financial Associates in West Chester, Pa.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that 1994 non-farm productivity growth followed a 1.5 percent gain in 1993. Productivity last declined on an annual basis in 1989, when it fell 0.9 percent as the economy was nearing recession.

Productivity - output per number of hours worked - is a key measure of the nation’s living standards and competitiveness.