Ohio’s Declining Wages

WTVG – Toledo

CLEVELAND (AP) – A Cleveland think tank says the average Ohio worker has seen declining wages for four years.

In a report released today, Policy Matters Ohio says productivity, education and weekly working hours have increased during that time.

The report’s author say gains in worker productivity normally are mirrored by gains in compensation. Amy Hanauer says profits are being routed to executives and to corporate growth rather than to workers.

She also faults sluggish growth in the service sector for failing to absorb hits taken in manufacturing firms. In many states, job losses in manufacturing were tempered by gains in other economic areas.

Hanauer says in the report that last year’s median hourly wage was 13 dollars and 37 cents, lower than its been since 1998.