Worker Productivity Rises in Spring

Washington, DC, Sept. 5, 2012 --  U.S. worker productivity this spring was higher than anticipated, according to the Labor Department.

Productivity increased at an annual rate of 2.2% in the April-June quarter after declining at a 0.5% pace in the first quarter of the year.

That's up from an initial estimate of a 1.6% gain.

Labor costs rose at an annual rate of 1.5%, slightly lower than the 1.7% initially estimated.