Average Industrial Wage Down, Employment Up

The CSO (Central Statistics Office) has announced the average weekly earnings. €675.53 is the weekly rate of pay or €35,127 per annum. The average working week is 32 hours per week. The CSO also announced that they have estimated a decrease in the numbers unemployed. 12.8% are now on the live register. There are 2.1 million people in the labour force with 1.4 million not in the labour force.

This an annual change of -2.4% in the rate of pay and an annual increase of 3.2% for those in employment.

Employment

Employment is up by 3.2%, with the rate of unemployment down to 12.8% this quarter. The total number of people unemployed stood at 282,900 in the 3rd quarter of 2013.

Average wages

Information and Communications Sector saw the biggest increase in weekly earnings up by 4.1%, while those in the educational sector saw their earnings decrease by 6.6%.

According to the CSO the following sectors have seen an increase in pay in the last four years since 2009:-

Industry up 4.5%, Information and Communications up 12.3%, Finance, insurance and real estate up 4.6%, Retail and car repairs up 1.7% and Transport and storage up 1.7%.

Those that have lost out in the last four years since 2009 include: -

Arts, entertainment, recreation and other services down 1.1%, Professional, scientific and technical down 1.2%, Administration and support services down 1.7%, Construction down 2.3%, Accommodation and food services down 5.5%, Public Administration and defence down 7.5%, Human health and social work down 10.7% and Education down 12.8%.

Average weekly earnings in the public sector

Civil Service €903.04
Defence €831.29
Garda Siochana €1,189.64
Education €965.31
Regional Bodies €800.18
Health €856.37
Semi-state €994.43