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MONDAY, JULY 16, 1990

THE NOMINAL AND REAL WAGE INDEXES FOR THE PERIOD MARCH 1989 ΤΟ MARCH 1990 FOR SELECTED MAJOR ECONOMIC SECTORS ARE GIVEN IN TABLE 1 AND TABLE 2 RESPECTIVELY. DETAILED BRRAKDOWNS OF THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEX FOR THE MANUFACTURING SECTOR ARE GIVEN IN TABLE 3.

THE WAGE INDEXES ARE DERIVED FROM THE SURVEY OF WAGES, SALARIES AND EMPLOYER BENEFITS CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS

DEPARTMENT.

(EXCLUDING

THE SURVEY COVERS BOTH MANUAL AND NON-MANUAL WORKERS EMPLOYEES AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL LEVELS) IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES IN FIVE MAJOR ECONOMIC SECTORS.

THE FREQUENCY OF THE SURVEY HAS BEEN CHANGED FROM QUARTERLY ΤΟ HALF-YEARLY BASIS STARTING FROM SEPTEMBER 1989. FOLLOWING THE MARCH 1990 SURVEY, THE NEXT HALF-YEARLY SURVEY WILL BE CONDUCTED IN SEPTEMBER 1990. THE BASE PERIOD OF THE WAGE INDEX, ES. MARCH 1982.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT DREW ATTENTION TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WAGE INDEXES AND THE INDEXES OF PAYROLL. PER PERSON ENGAGED WHICH. ARE PUBLISHED AT QUARTERLY INTERVALS.

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 EARNING.

HOURS

WAGE RATES REPRESENT THE AMOUNT OF REMUNERATION FOR NORMAL OF WORK, AND ARE DEFINED TO INCLUDE BASIC WAGES AND SALARIES, COST-OF-LIVING ALLOWANCE, MEAL BENEFITS, COMMISSION AND TIPS, GOOD ATTENDANCE BONUS AND NIGHT SHIFT ALLOWANCE, YEAR-END BONUS AND OTHER GUARANTEED AND REGULAR BONUSES AND ALLOWANCES.

THAT

TOTAL PAYROLL IS THE AMOUNT OF DIRECT CASH PAYMENT EMPLOYEES RECEIVE FROM EMPLOYERS, AND THEREFORE ALSO INCLUDES OVERTIME PAY AND OTHER NON-GUARANTEED AND IRREGULAR BONUSES AND ALLOWANCE.

HENCE, STATISTICS ON PAYROLL PER PERSON ENGAGED TEND ΤΟ BE SENSITIVE ΤΟ 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 A REPORT ON HALF-YEARLY SURVEY OF WAGES, SALARIES AND EMPLOYER BENEFITS STATISTICS VOLUME MARCH 1990 WHICH WILL BE ON SALE SHORTLY AT THE GOVERNMENT

CENTRE, GROUND FLOOR, GPO BUILDING, CONNAUGHT PLACE.

PUBLICATIONS CENTRAL.

THE

VOLUME I I 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 THE MIDDLE OF NEXT MONTH.

TO

THE WAGES STATISTICS

ENQUIRIES ABOUT THE WAGE INDEXES CAN BE DIRECTED AND LABOUR COSTS STATISTICS SECTION OF THE CENSUS AND DEPARTMENT ON TEL. 823 4744 OR 823 4747.

/TABLE 1