71.   But intense competition has made it hard for companies to raise prices, forcing them to absorb higher wage rates by improving productivity or biting into their profits.

72.   But the state requires contractors to pay the most common wage rate on state and local government projects.

73.   Compensation looked to be a trickier issue, with employees at the two companies subject to different wage rates and benefit packages.

74.   David J. Fine, chief market analyst at Chase Asset Management, suggested that the strike could ultimately affect wage rates.

75.   Despite those concerns, Massachusetts is about to leap ahead of several other states to lead the nation with its wage rate.

76.   During the last decade, the Labor Department has usually announced the higher wage rates in February.

77.   Even if the economy continues on track, profits could run into trouble if, for example, higher wage rates are not offset by increased productivity.

78.   Gore also supports labor on preserving federal legislation that requires contractors to pay prevailing wage rates to workers on government-funded projects.

79.   Given the size of the productivity gains, wage rates might have been expected to climb.

80.   GM said it must shift the work to countries with lower wage rates in order to compete with other parts makers.