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ON

MONDAY, JANUARY 14, 1985

HE POINTED OUT THAT WHILE WAGE RATES PROVIDE A MEASURE OF THE UNIT PRICE OF LABOUR, PAYROLL PER PERSON ENGAGED IS A MEASURE OF PER CAPITA EARNINGS.

WAGE RATES REPRESENT THE AMOUNT OF REMUNERATION FOR NORMAL HOURS OF WORK, AND ARE DEFINED TO INCLUDE BASIC WAGES AND SALARIES, COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCE, MEAL BENEFITS, COMMISSIONS AND TIPS, GOOD ATTENDANCE BONUS AND NIGHT SHIFT ALLOWANCE.

IN ADDITION, YEAR-END BONUS AND OTHER GUARANTEED AND REGULAR BONUSES AND ALLOWANCES THAT ARE PAID LESS FREQUENTLY THAN MONTHLY, ARE CONVERTED TO AN EQUIVALENT MONTHLY RATE WHEN COMPILING THE WAGE RATE INDEXES.

TOTAL PAYROLL, ON THE OTHER HAND, IS THE AMOUNT OF DIRECT CASH PAYMENTS THAT EMPLOYEES RECEIVE FROM EMPLOYERS. APART FROM THE ABOVE MENTIONED CASH RECEIPTS, IT ALSO INCLUDES OVERTIME PAY AND OTHER NON-GUARANTEED AND IRREGULAR BONUSES AND ALLOWANCES.

HENCE, STATISTICS ON PAYROLL PER PERSON ENGAGED TEND TO BE SENSITIVE TO CHANGES IN THE NUMBER OF HOURS ACTUALLY WORKED, THE TIMING OF THE PAYMENT OF BONUSES AND BACK-PAY, AND THE COMPOSITION OF THE LABOUR FORCE.

AS A RESULT, MOVEMENTS IN WAGE RATES DO NOT NECESSARILY CONFORM WITH THOSE IN PAYROLL PER PERSON ENGAGED.

THE SURVEY FINDINGS ARE PUBLISHED IN THE REPORT OF WAGES.

SEPTEMBER 1984 SALARIES AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS STATISTICS VOL. I, WHICH WILL BE ON SALE SHORTLY AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE.

THE VOL. II ISSUE OF THE REPORT CONTAINING DETAILED OCCUPATIONAL STATISTICS, SUCH AS WAGE RATES, NUMBER OF NORMAL HOURS OF WORK AND NUMBER OF STANDARD WORKING DAYS IS EXPECTED TO BE AVAILABLE AT THE GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS CENTRE IN EARLY FEBRUARY 1985.

FOR ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE WAGE INDEXES, PLEASE CONTACT THE WAGES AND LABOUR COSTS STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT AT TELEPHONE NOS. 5-455774 OR 5-416062.

TABLE 1: NOMINAL WAGE INDEXES BY SELECTED MAJOR ECONOMIC SECTORS

INDEXES (MARCH 1982 100)

SELECTED MAJOR ECONOMICS

SECTORS

SEPT 1983

DEC 1983

MAR 1984

JUN

SEPT

1984

1984

MANUFACTURING

110.5 111.6 116.7

118.9

120.3

WHOLESALE/RETAIL,

IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES

AND RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS

108.1

109.7

113.6 113.8

115.6

TRANSPORT

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