Archives for August 2023

Use of the OFM Population Numbers: Why Size Matters

By Jim Cline and Kate Kremer

In the past two newsletter issues, we reported on and discussed the annual OFM population numbers. As indicated, all the details of those numbers are posted on the Cline and Associates Premium Website. While the Cline and Associates Database tracks a wide range of demographic factors, Population remains the most important factor for the selection of negotiation “comparables.”

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Highlights from OFM Population Number Report

By Jim Cline and Kate Kremer

In our last newsletter, we announced the release of the 2023 OFM Population Report. In this article, we discuss some of the highlights from the OFM data.

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Impact of June CPI Numbers on Contract Negotiations

By Jim Cline and Kate Kremer

In the last newsletter, we reported on the Bureau of Labor Statistics release of the June CPI numbers. As was noted, over the past 4 months the CPI has slid dramatically, although the Seattle numbers remain high by historic standards and substantially outpace the national CPI indices. The June CPI-W numbers are reflected in this graph:

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