Average salary down 0.7% in March to NIS 7,201 
The average salary of Israel Electric Corp. and 
Mekorot employees rose by 4.7% to NIS 14,958. 

by Zeev Klein  
Globes
June 7, 2005
 
The average gross salary fell 0.7% in real terms in March 2005 
to NIS 7,201, the Central Bureau of Statistics reported today. 
The average gross salary was down 1.3%, or NIS 89, compared 
with March 2004. The number of wage-earners in Israel was 
2.44 million during the first quarter, an increase of only 0.4%. 
27% of wage-earners, 657,000 people, earned an average 
salary of NIS 1,929 a month, 42% below the minimum wage 
of NIS 3,335, and 74% less than the national average salary. 
58,400 employees in the catering and accommodation services 
earned an average salary of NIS 1,596 a month. 51,300 employees 
in the restaurants catering and accommodation subsector earned 
an average salary of NIS 1,560 a month. 

The highest average salary during the first quarter was, as usual, 
in the electricity and water sectors. Israel Electric Corporation (IEC) 
and Mekorot National Water Company employees had an average 
salary of NIS 14,958 in March, 2.1 times the national average salary, 
after a 4.7% pay hike in real terms. IEC and Mekorot employees had 
an average salary of NIS 16,006 a month during the first quarter, 
2.2 times the national average salary. 

The average salary in industry was NIS 10,012, 39% above the 
national average salary, after a 2.1% rise in real terms. 

The lowest average salary during the first quarter was in the catering 
and accommodation sector - NIS 3,456 for all full-time and part-time 
employees, 52% less than the average national salary, after a rise 
of 0.4% in real terms. The average salary in agriculture was NIS 4,664,
35% less than the average national salary. 

The average salary for employees of community centers and in 
community services was NIS 4,762, 34% less than the average 
national salary. The average salary in education was also fairly low, 
at NIS 5,419, 25% less than the average national salary, after a 
4.3% fall in real terms.