Index of wage, salary earnings raise by 1.8% in Q2

The nominal earnings of wage and salary earners rose by 1.8 per cent in April to June 2018 when compared with the respective period in 2017, according to preliminary data of Statistics Finland.

Real earnings rose by 0.8 per cent compared to the second quarter of the previous year, because the rise in earnings level was faster than that in consumer prices.

The nominal earnings of wage and salary earners rose from April to June 2017 to the corresponding period in 2018 by 1.9 per cent in the private sector, by 1.6 per cent in the central government sector and by 1.3 per cent in the local government sector.

The index for regular earnings describes the permanent change in earnings better than the index of wage and salary earnings because it does not take into account performance-based bonuses and non-recurring items included in collective agreements.

Regular earnings rose by 1.8 per cent in April to June 2018 when compared with the respective period in 2017. The growth amounted to 1.9 per cent in the private sector, to 1.6 per cent in the central government sector, and to 1.3 per cent in the local government sector.