Inflation in August 2008 in Europe and USA

Unions are more powerful in the 15-nation euro zone than in the U.S., and many laws and practices there are more worker-friendly. That's part of the reason why many European workers are keeping up with inflation better than their U.S. counterparts

Wages and salaries in the euro zone were 3.4% higher in the first quarter than in the year-earlier period, matching the first-quarter annual inflation rate.

In the U.S., where unions are weaker and wages aren't often indexed to inflation, workers fell behind. Consumer prices were 4.1% higher in the first quarter than in the year-earlier period, but workers' wages and benefits increased 3.3% over the same period.

What's good for Europe's workers, however, could prove costly to its economy. As European wages rise, employers come under pressure to increase prices to cover labor costs. The added danger in countries where wages are formally indexed to inflation is an inflationary spiral that's hard to tamp down. Sharp wage increases could prompt European companies to lay off workers or move more jobs to countries where labor is cheaper.