Average industrial wage up 1.3% in first quarter

Manufacturers Association: The average industrial wage will 
rise 3% in real terms in 2006.
by Shira Horesh 
Globes
July 11, 2006

The average industrial wage was 1.3% higher in real terms in 
the first quarter of 2006 compared with the corresponding quarter 
of 2005, to NIS 10,380 per month, 37% above the average national 
salary. The average industrial wage rose 1% in the fourth quarter of 
2005 and by 3% per quarter over the three preceding quarters, 
compared with the corresponding quarters of the year before, 
said Manufacturers Association statistics and economic analysis 
division director Nira Shamir. Shamir said the average industrial wage 
is expected to rise 3% in 2006, after rising 2.6% in 2005 and 
2.2% in 2004. The average industrial wage was NIS 9,915 per month 
in 2005. 

The rise in the average industrial wage in the first quarter was related 
to several other factors, including rapid industrial growth (industrial 
output rose 6% in the first quarter, compared with the corresponding 
quarter of last year), a 4% increase in the high-tech workforce and 
a 4% increase in worker productivity. 

The average wage in the paper and paper products industry rose the 
fastest in first quarter, at 6%. On the other hand, the average wage 
in high-tech fell 0.9% to NIS 16,405, after falling 0.6% in the fourth 
quarter of 2005. The drop in the average high-tech wage encompassed 
all sectors (electronic communications equipment, and medical and 
scientific monitoring equipment and avionics), except for electronics 
components, which rose 5%. 

Among industrial sectors, the highest average wage was NIS 19,880 
a month was in electronic communications equipment, and the lowest 
was NIS 5,573, 55% above the minimum wage.