site.btaTotal Hourly Labour Cost 8% Up in 4th Quarter of 2016

Total Hourly Labour Cost 8% Up in 4th Quarter of 2016

Sofia, March 20 (BTA) - Preliminary data of the National Statistical Institute (NSI) for the fourth quarter of 2016 indicate that the total hourly labour cost rose by 8 per cent compared to the fourth quarter of 2015. The total hourly labour cost grew by 8.1 per cent in industry, by 9.4 per cent in services and by 2.2 per cent in construction.

The breakdown by economic activities showed that the highest annual growths in total labour costs were recorded in 'Arts, entertainment and recreation' - 25.5 per cent, 'Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles' - 14.3 per cent and 'Information and communication' - 10.7 per cent. The lowest increase in total labour costs was observed in 'Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities' - by 1.7 per cent, 'Construction' - by 2.2 per cent and 'Education' - 3 per cent.

In the structure of the total labour costs, the wages and salaries costs per hour worked grew by 8.2 per cent in comparison with a year earlier, while the other (non -wage) costs rose by 7.0 per cent. Among the economic activities in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared to the fourth quarter of 2015 the growth rate of wages and salaries component ranged from 2.2 per cent in 'Water supply, sewerage, waste management and remediation activities' and 'Construction' to 25. 9 in 'Arts, entertainment and recreation'.