Catherwood LibraryILR School

The Bureau of Labor Statistics has reported that Chicago-area wages rose 4.6 percent last year, however these increases were not spread equally among all sectors. Wage increases were largest for white- and blue-collar employees, while the wages of service-sector employees remained stagnant. Service-sector workers often lack bargaining power because they are not as highly skilled as white-collar workers and they are less likely to be unionized than blue-collar workers. An economist with the bureau explained that the reason for the higher wage growth in Chicago compared to the national average was the boost in financial services industries.