Wages - 2. quarter of 2008

In Q2 2008, the average gross monthly nominal wage was CZK 23,182 which is by 8.0% more in the year-on-year comparison, the real wage grew by 1.1%. In the business sphere, the average nominal wage rose by 9.3% and the real wage by 2.3%. In the non-business sphere, the average nominal wage increased by 3.0% and the real wage fell by 3.6%.
In Q2 2008, seasonally adjusted average gross monthly nominal wage (hereinafter only the “average wage“) per actual person increased by 1.8%, seasonally adjusted, compared with the previous quarter.

The average wage accounted for CZK 23,182 and was by CZK 1,718 higher (8.0%) compared with the same period of 2007. Consumer prices recorded a big growth as well – for Q2 2008, compared with the same period of the previous year, they increased by 6.8% with the real wage rising by only 1.1%. The average wage increased by CZK 2,017 (9.3 %) to CZK 23,692 in the business sphere, with the real wage rising by 2.3%. In the non-business sphere the wage increase was markedly smaller, the average wage rose by CZK 624 (3.0%) to CZK 21,344, with the real wage falling by 3.6 %.

In Q2 2008, wage differences between industries increased markedly compared with the same period of 2007. The variation coefficient of average wages (by CZ-NACE division) increased by 5.6 percentage points to 42.4%.

The average nominal wage (by CZ-NACE) fell in financial intermediation (by 1.7%). Low relative growth of nominal wages was recorded in education (by 2.6%) and public administration and defence; compulsory social security (by 3.0%). The biggest growth was recorded in real estate, renting and business activities (by 13.1%), mining and quarrying (by 12.1%), construction and transport, storage and communication (both by 11.0%). The highest nominal wage (financial intermediation) was roughly 2.5times higher than the lowest nominal wage (hotels and restaurants).

Even greater difference is apparent in average wages according to institutional sectors. In the long term, the highest average nominal wages are reached in financial institutions (CZK 40,185). The lowest wages (CZK 15,001) were recorded in the household sector (i.e. wages of employees employed by unincorporated natural persons).

In the first six months of 2008 the average gross monthly nominal wage accounted for CZK 22,840, in the year-on-year comparison the increase made CZK 1,901 (9.1%). Consumer prices rose in the given period by 7.1%, the real wage rising by 1.9 %. In the business sphere the average wage rose by CZK 2,247 (10.6 %) to CZK 23,418, the real wage by 3.3 %. In the non-business sphere the average wage increased by CZK 628 (3.1%) to CZK 20,753, with the real wage falling by 3.7%.

Analysis of the development of average wages of employees

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Note:
Contact: D. Holý, phone (+420) 274052694, e-mail: dalibor.holy@csu.gov.cz
Data source: CZSO direct quarterly survey – see the methodological note under the attached table for details
End of data collection: 6 August 2008
End of data processing: 20 August 2008
The data are preliminary; revised data will be available in December 2008.
Related publication: 3106-08 Registered Number of Employees and their Wages in the CR for Q2 2008, to be brought out in September 2008
(see also http://www.czso.cz/eng/edicniplan.nsf/p/3106-07)


The average monthly wage is the share of wages and salaries (including premium pay for overtime, direct remuneration and bonuses, refund of wages, etc) per one employee/month. It does not therefore show what wage does each concrete employee receive. Results of structural statistics providing data on employees´ earnings show that almost two thirds of employees have a lower wage than the national average.
It should be mentioned that an employee receives net salary, while the gross wage is such from which the employer pays appropriate amounts on health and social insurance, policy of employment and advance income tax.