XN000022-1993-07-23 — Page 15

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WAGE INDICES FOR MARCH

FRIDAY, JULY 23, 1993

THE OVERALL NOMINAL WAGE INDEX FOR MARCH THIS YEAR WAS 11.2 PER CENT HIGHER THAN IN MARCH LAST YEAR, ACCORDING TO STATISTICS RELEASED TODAY (FRIDAY) BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

AFTER DISCOUNTING FOR INFLATION, THE OVERALL REAL WAGE INDEX FOR MARCH 1993 SHOWED AN INCREASE OF 3.2 PER CENT OVER MARCH 1992.

1993 WITH SEPTEMBER 1992, THE OVERALL, WAGES SHOWED AN INCREASE OF 5. 6 PER CENT IN NOMINAL TERMS. DISCOUNTING FOR INFLATION, THERE WAS AN INCREASE OF 2.6 PER REAL TERMS.

COMPARING MARCH

AFTER

CENT IN

ANALYSED BY INDIVIDUAL SECTORS, THE NOMINAL WAGE INDEX IN TRANSPORT SERVICES SHOWED THE FASTEST YEAR-ON-YEAR RATE OF INCREASE (12.6%), FOLLOWED BY BUSINESS SERVICES (12.1%), MANUFACTURING (11.3%), PERSONAL SERVICES (8.9%), AND WHOLESALE, RETAIL, IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS (8.2%).

COMPARED WITH SEPTEMBER 1992, AND BEARING IN MIND THIS COMPARISON COULD BE AFFECTED BY SEASONAL FACTORS, THE LARGEST INCREASE WAS RECORDED IN THE BUSINESS SERVICES (10.2%). FOLLOWED BY MANUFACTURING (5.1%), WHOLESALE, RETAIL, IMPORT/EXPORT TRADES, RESTAURANTS AND HOTELS (5.1%), PERSONAL SERVICES (4.7%), AND TRANSPORT SERVICES (3.6%).

THE WAGE INDICES ARE DERIVED FROM THE RESULTS OF THE HALF- YEARLY SURVEY OF WAGES, SALARIES AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS CONDUCTED BY THE CENSUS AND STATISTICS DEPARTMENT.

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

A NEW SURVEY DESIGN WAS ADOPTED IN THE MARCH 1993 SURVEY WITH CHANGES MADE TO ITS INDUSTRY AND OCCUPATION COVERAGE. THE BASE PERIOD OF THE WAGE INDICES, PREVIOUSLY TAKEN AS MARCH 1982, HAS BEEN CHANGED TO SEPTEMBER 1992.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT DREW ATTENTION TO THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WAGE INDICES AND THE INDICES OF PAYROLL PER PERSON ENGAGED WHICH ARE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY.

HE POINTED OUT THAT IN ADDITION TO WAGES WHICH INCLUDE ALL THE REGULAR PAYMENTS, PAYROLL ALSO INCLUDES OVERTIME PAY AND OTHER NON- GUARANTEED AND IRREGULAR BONUSES AND ALLOWANCE.

TEND ΤΟ BE WORKED THE OF

+

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

/THE SURVEY