XN000022-1991-01-25 — Page 8

FRIDAY, JANUARY 25, 1991

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WAGE INDEXES FOR SEPTEMBER 1990

THE OVERALL NOMINAL WAGE INDEX FOR SEPTEMBER 1990, AT 210.3, INCREASED BY 12.6 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER 1989 AND BY 5.6 PER CENT WHEN COMPARED WITH MARCH 1990, ACCORDING то STATISTICS PUBLISHED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

THE OVERALL REAL WAGE INDEX, AT 115.3 IN SEPTEMBER 1990, WAS 2.6 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THAT IN SEPTEMBER 1989 AND 0.1 PER CENT HIGHER THAN THAT IN MARCH 1990.

WHILE THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEX MEASURES CHANGES IN WAGE RATES IN MONEY TERMS, THE REAL WAGE INDEX, WHICH IS OBTAINED BY DEFLATING THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEX BY THE CONSUMER PRICE INDEX

(A), MEASURES CHANGES IN THE PURCHASING POWER OF THE WAGES RECEIVED.

IN SEPTEMBER 1990, THE YEAR-ON-YEAR RATE OF INCREASE OF THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEX RANGED FROM 11.0 PER CENT FOR THE WHOLESALE/RETAIL, IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR, TO 16.5 PER CENT FOR THE BUSINESS SERVICES SECTOR.

WHEN COMPARING SEPTEMBER 1990 WITH MARCH 1990, THE RANGE OF INCREASE WAS 3.4 PER CENT IN THE WHOLESALE/RETAIL, IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS SECTOR AND 10.3 PER CENT IN THE TRANSPORT SERVICES SECTOR.

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

THE WAGE INDEXES ARE DERIVED FROM RESULTS OF THE HALF-YEARLY SURVEY OF WAGES, SALARIES AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONDUCTED BY THE

AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

CENSUS

THE SURVEY COVERS BOTH MANUAL AND NON-MANUAL WORKERS (EXCLUDING EMPLOYEES AT THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND PROFESSIONAL LEVELS) IN SELECTED INDUSTRIES IN FIVE MAJOR ECONOMIC SECTORS. THE BASE PERIOD OF THE WAGE INDEX IS 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.

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, COMMISSION AND TIPS, GOOD ATTENDANCE BONUS AND NIGHT SHIFT ALLOWANCE, YEAR-END BONUS AND OTHER GUARANTEED AND REGULAR BONUSES AND ALLOWANCES,

/TOTAL PAYROLL