Wage index, Q1 2011, preliminary figures

Basic salaries for full-time employees in construction increased on average by 0.6 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2010 to the first quarter of 2011. Full-time employees in wholesale and retail received a 1.2 per cent increase in basic salaries, whilst there was no change in basic salaries for full-time employees in oil and gas extraction for the last quarter.

Basic salaries is the main component in average monthly earnings, and is the basis for wage negotiations. Average monthly earnings, in addition to basic salaries, also include irregular payments and bonuses.

Increase in bonuses

Our figures show an increase in bonuses within several industries compared to the same quarter last year. The quarterly wage index for average monthly earnings in manufacturing shows an increase of 4.4 per cent for the first quarter of 2011. For the first quarter of 2010 there was a 1.5 per cent increase.

Full-time employees in oil and gas extraction received on average an 11.4 per cent increase in average monthly earnings, whilst there was a 4.1 per cent rise in average monthly earnings for full-time employees in wholesale and retail.

For more tables on wage statistics, see StatBank .

Tables:

• Table 1 Index on average monthly earnings for full-time employees, by section. Average of year 2005=100.
• Table 2 Changes in average monthly earnings from the corresponding quarter the year before by section. Per cent
• Table 3 Index on average basic salaries for full-time employees, by section. Average of year 2005=100.
• Table 4 Changes in average basic salaries from the corresponding quarter the year before by section. Per cent
• Table 5 Average monthly earnings and basic salaries for full-time employees, by section.