Incidental wage increases up in 2003

Wage increase on top of the collectively negotiated wages (cao) amounted to 1.1 percent in 2003. This incidental wage increase is as high as in 2000and 2001. In 2002 the incidental wage increase was only 0.1 percent.

Incidental annual wage development, 1996-2003

Wages earned increased faster than collectively negotiated wages

The annual wages earned in 2003 increased by an average of 3.7 percent. The cao wage increase in that year reached 2.8 percent. The difference between the two wage increases was therefore 0.9 percent.

The developments in annual wages earned have to do with the change in the composition of employees as a group. The share of part-time employees went up in 2003. Because part-time employees have lower average annual wages than fulltime employees, the average annual wages earned decreases. When these effects are corrected for, the resulting incidental wage increase in 2003 was 1.1 percent.

Incidental wage developments lower for fulltime employees

The average incidental wage development for all employees in 2003 was higher than the average for 1996-2002, which was 0.8 percent. This is different for fulltime employees, who represent 54 percent of all employees. For this group of employees the incidental wage development in 2003 was a little below the average of that period.

Incidental development of annual wages by type of contract

Lower increases for fulltime employees who have been employed long term

Within the group of fulltime employees there are those who have worked for the same company for more than 18 months. This time limit is set so as to be sure that the full holiday allowance is included in the annual wages. Full-time employees who have worked for the same company for more than 18 months make up 44 percent of all employees. In 2003 their incidental wage development was only 0.2 percent. So this group of employees saw a very limited increase in wages beyond those negotiated collectively.

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