FC040/1616
Wages and earnings
4.10
Manufacturing wage rates declined in real
in real terms in
the year. The
1982, especially towards the latter part of
favourable influences on real wage rates of the steadily
decelerating rate of increase in consumer prices and of the
more stable growth rate of the labour force in 1982 were
largely offset by the depressing effects of the world
recession on the domestic export sector. Between March and
(7) December 1982, average wage rates
in the manufacturing
sector increased by 5% in money terms,
in money terms, but declined by 2% in
(8) real terms. Similarly, statistics on payroll engaged in manufacturing showed an increase of
of 9%
9% in money
per person
terms, but a decline of 1% in real terms, in the twelve months
ending December 1982.
4.11
In the twelve months ending December 1982, payroll per person engaged in the tertiary services sectors as a whole
rose by 13% in money terms, or 3% in real terms. For example,
/payroll
...
(7)
(8)
Starting from March 1982, a new quarterly wage survey has replaced the former half-yearly wage survey. Several improvements have been introduced, including the collection of statistics on wage rates at more frequent intervals, the use of a larger sample to achieve a wider industry coverage and higher accuracy in the estimates for each industry covered, and the inclusion of non-manual workers so as to provide a more systematic breakdown of statistics on wage rates by occupation. Hence, the new series is not strictly comparable to the old one.
Total payroll is the amount of direct cash payments that employees receive from their employers. It includes wages and salaries, overtime pay, shift allowance, attendance and efficiency bonuses, cost-of-living allowance, food and transportation allowance, year-end and seasonal bonuses, and pay in lieu of
and pay in lieu of leave, etc. Employers' contribution in respect of their employees paid to social security and pension schemes and the benefits received by employees under these schemes are excluded. Profits earned by proprietors and business partners, pensions and payments to outworkers are also excluded. While wages provide a measure of the price of labour, payroll per person engaged is a measure of per capita earnings.
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