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Statistical measures of earnings relate to remuneration paid to employees. Earnings statistics provide information about the means of living, the adequacy of available employment, and labour costs incurred by employers.
Earnings levels are usually measured through estimates of average weekly earnings. These can be compared between various demographic groups, occupations or industries. The ABS has introduced the Wage Cost Index as a more accurate measure of movements in wage and salary costs. This is explained in more detail in the section Changes in the price of labour.
The quarterly Survey of Average Weekly Earnings measures earnings during a one week reference period in the middle month of a quarter. Irregular earnings not related to the reference period are excluded.
Weekly total earnings include ordinary time and overtime pay. Weekly ordinary time earnings relate only to that part of total earnings attributable to award, standard or agreed hours of work.
Table 6.36 shows average weekly earnings for male and female employees from May 1996 to May 2001. Average weekly total earnings increased more in the latest year for male employees than for female employees (4.2% compared to 3.9%). The level of earnings for females is also still much lower than for males, with average weekly total earnings at $789.40 for males compared to $524.70 for females.
6.36 AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS(a)
|
| | 1996
$ | 1997
$ | 1998
$ | 1999
$ | 2000
$ | 2001
$ |
|
MALES |
|
| Full-time adult employees - |  | | | | | |
| - Average weekly ordinary time earnings | 715.80 | 740.70 | 773.20 | 798.40 | 832.80 | 873.30 |
| - Average weekly total earnings | 774.20 | 795.80 | 829.90 | 853.40 | 884.90 | 923.40 |
| All male employees - | | | | | | |
| - Average weekly total earnings | 671.50 | 687.10 | 714.50 | 733.00 | 757.70 | 789.40 |
|
FEMALES |
|
| Full-time adult employees - | | | | | | |
| - Average weekly ordinary time earnings | 594.10 | 620.30 | 646.90 | 669.60 | 697.90 | 737.10 |
| - Average weekly total earnings | 607.90 | 634.80 | 660.60 | 683.50 | 714.50 | 750.60 |
| All female employees | | | | | | |
| - Average weekly total earnings | 441.10 | 457.40 | 468.30 | 483.00 | 504.80 | 524.70 |
|
PERSONS |
|
| Full-time adult employees - | | | | | | |
| - Average weekly ordinary time earnings | 672.60 | 696.60 | 726.90 | 750.80 | 782.60 | 824.10 |
| - Average weekly total earnings | 715.20 | 736.80 | 767.80 | 790.60 | 821.50 | 861.00 |
| All employees - | | | | | | |
| - Average weekly total earnings | 564.40 | 577.80 | 596.20 | 611.10 | 634.70 | 662.60 |
|
(a) At May.
Source: Average Weekly Earnings, Australia (6302.0). |
Average weekly earnings data are also available from the biennial Employee Earnings and Hours (EEH) survey. This survey produces complementary information, by providing statistics on the composition of average weekly earnings which enable comparison of earnings for various categories of employees, by occupation groups and industries.
Table 6.37 presents average weekly earnings in May 2000 by industry, with ordinary-time and overtime earnings separated. The largest amounts of overtime earnings were recorded for full-time adult employees in Mining ($117.50), Construction ($111.80) and Communication services ($108.30), while Education had the lowest overtime earnings ($2.40).
6.37 AVERAGE WEEKLY EARNINGS(a), Industry(b) by Composition of Earnings - May 2000
|
| Industry | Ordinary-time earnings
$ | Overtime earnings
$ | Total earnings
$ |
|
| Mining | 1,214.10 | 117.50 | 1,331.60 |
| Manufacturing | 668.70 | 93.50 | 762.20 |
| Electricity, gas and water supply | 920.30 | 69.50 | 989.80 |
| Construction | 738.00 | 111.80 | 849.80 |
| Wholesale trade | 672.70 | 38.40 | 711.00 |
| Retail trade | 586.40 | 25.70 | 612.10 |
| Accommodation, cafes and restaurants | 575.30 | 13.40 | 588.70 |
| Transport and storage | 746.40 | 81.30 | 827.70 |
| Communication services | 857.40 | 108.30 | 965.70 |
| Finance and insurance | 782.50 | 17.70 | 800.20 |
| Property and business services | 767.10 | *25.10 | 792.10 |
| Government administration and defence | 761.90 | 28.70 | 790.50 |
| Education | 875.70 | 2.40 | 878.00 |
| Health and community services | 739.50 | 25.70 | 765.20 |
| Cultural and recreational services | 720.30 | 19.80 | 740.10 |
| Personal and other services | 791.50 | 35.30 | 826.90 |
| All industries | 736.90 | 46.60 | 783.50 |
|
(a) For full-time, non-managerial adult employees.
(b) Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC). |
Source: Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia (6306.0). |
Table 6.38 shows average weekly total earnings for different occupation groups and categories of employees in May 2000. Average weekly total earnings vary considerably across occupations, with persons in lower skilled jobs tending to receive lower wages. In May 2000, full-time Managers and administrators received estimated average weekly total earnings of $1,307.90. In contrast, full-time Elementary clerical, sales and service workers earned on average $592.90 per week.
Men have higher average earnings than women within the same occupation group. Average weekly total earnings for full-time employees are closest for Managers and administrators (women's average earnings are 85% of men's) and furthest apart for Tradespersons and related workers (women's earnings 70% of men's).
6.38 AVERAGE WEEKLY TOTAL EARNINGS, Occupation(a) by Category of Employee - May 2000
|
| | Full-time employees
| | |
| | Managerial
| Non-managerial
| Total
| | |
| Occupation | Adult
$ | Adult
$ | Junior
$ | Total
$ | Adult
$ | Total
$ | Part-time
employees
$ | All
employees
$ |
|
MALES |
|
| Managers and administrators | 1,363.20 | 1,132.70 | . . | 1,132.70 | 1,355.80 | 1,355.80 | *338.00 | 1,315.30 |
| Professionals | 1,286.30 | 1,039.60 | 457.00 | 1,038.80 | 1,086.00 | 1,085.30 | 439.90 | 1,000.30 |
| Associate professionals | 859.40 | 944.60 | 368.50 | 939.00 | 909.80 | 906.70 | 350.00 | 869.00 |
| Tradespersons and related workers | 679.40 | 810.00 | 378.80 | 759.90 | 798.20 | 753.40 | 321.90 | 723.90 |
| Advanced clerical and service workers | 712.60 | 806.40 | 407.00 | 803.40 | 799.20 | 796.50 | 403.90 | 739.10 |
| Intermediate clerical, sales and service workers | 849.60 | 751.30 | 311.50 | 734.20 | 754.20 | 737.40 | 282.60 | 623.40 |
| Intermediate production and transport workers | 621.10 | 796.30 | 393.40 | 790.70 | 789.90 | 784.60 | 301.30 | 711.90 |
| Elementary clerical, sales and service workers | 580.90 | 684.50 | 381.60 | 666.10 | 682.00 | 664.20 | 229.00 | 431.10 |
| Labourers and related workers | 644.30 | 696.60 | 366.20 | 681.80 | 695.30 | 680.90 | 238.50 | 531.20 |
| All occupations | 1,132.90 | 835.90 | 370.70 | 814.80 | 902.70 | 883.80 | 289.00 | 780.20 |
|
FEMALES |
|
| Managers and administrators | 1,153.00 | 1,012.50 | . . | 1,012.5 | 1,145.80 | 1,145.80 | 569.80 | 1,078.00 |
| Professionals | 1,056.10 | 896.70 | 326.80 | 896.50 | 908.00 | 907.90 | 458.60 | 725.50 |
| Associate professionals | 706.90 | 747.90 | 372.00 | 743.30 | 734.50 | 731.50 | 365.90 | 640.00 |
| Tradespersons and related workers | *592.80 | 584.50 | 276.70 | 523.10 | 584.80 | 525.00 | 283.90 | 431.50 |
| Advanced clerical and service workers | 519.60 | 696.60 | 387.50 | 693.70 | 669.30 | 667.00 | 344.90 | 566.20 |
| Intermediate clerical, sales and service workers | 699.00 | 624.40 | 330.20 | 610.30 | 626.00 | 612.20 | 298.30 | 458.70 |
| Intermediate production and transport workers | 374.20 | 585.70 | 315.70 | 574.40 | 582.80 | 571.70 | 246.90 | 413.60 |
| Elementary clerical, sales and service workers | 452.40 | 563.50 | 315.40 | 534.40 | 560.90 | 532.70 | 223.10 | 303.80 |
| Labourers and related workers | n.p. | 566.20 | 361.70 | 561.00 | 564.40 | 559.30 | 224.90 | 329.80 |
| All occupations | 889.60 | 706.20 | 320.20 | 691.30 | 731.50 | 717.70 | 305.60 | 520.60 |
|
PERSONS |
|
| Managers and administrators | 1,315.90 | 1,094.30 | . . | 1,094.30 | 1,307.90 | 1,307.90 | 451.10 | 1,257.50 |
| Professionals | 1,227.90 | 967.30 | 435.90 | 966.90 | 1,002.00 | 1,001.60 | 454.80 | 844.60 |
| Associate professionals | 809.30 | 863.90 | 370.20 | 858.60 | 843.30 | 840.10 | 361.80 | 770.00 |
| Tradespersons and related workers | 676.90 | 792.70 | 364.90 | 740.00 | 782.70 | 735.20 | 305.60 | 689.80 |
| Advanced clerical and service workers | 535.80 | 715.00 | 390.20 | 712.10 | 689.60 | 687.30 | 348.80 | 588.60 |
| Intermediate clerical, sales and service workers | 764.10 | 671.10 | 324.20 | 655.60 | 673.40 | 658.20 | 295.60 | 505.40 |
| Intermediate production and transport workers | 610.30 | 772.80 | 371.50 | 765.90 | 767.20 | 760.70 | 279.30 | 660.30 |
| Elementary clerical, sales and service workers | 513.40 | 620.80 | 335.60 | 594.70 | 618.20 | 592.90 | 224.60 | 344.80 |
| Labourers and related workers | 618.90 | 666.00 | 365.50 | 653.90 | 665.10 | 653.20 | 230.90 | 454.00 |
| All occupations | 1,066.60 | 783.50 | 352.30 | 765.10 | 837.80 | 821.00 | 301.00 | 652.80 |
|
| (a) Classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO), Second Edition. |
Source: Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia (6306.0). |
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