STATISTICS: Figures show drop in daily wage of construction workers

2014-5-7

From：Macau Daily Times

The Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) has released details regarding the wages of construction workers and prices of construction materials for the first quarter (1Q) of 2014. Figures show that the average daily wage of construction workers was MOP631, a minor 0.8 percent decrease from last quarter. The average daily wage of local construction workers also dropped 1.7 percent to MOP790.
The wage gap between the skilled and unskilled workers has narrowed. Semi-skilled and unskilled workers were earning, on average, MOP640 per day, 0.3 percent lower than the previous quarter. On the other hand, unskilled workers’ daily wage was up 5.3 percent to MOP377.
Among the different specialties, plant operators were paid the most and were receiving an average daily wage of MOP861, which has increased 11.7 percent quarter-to-quarter. They were followed by electricians and electrical workers, whose average daily wage was MOP612, and concreters and drain layers, who earnt MOP575. These have seen respective quarterly decreases of 12.2 percent and 9.4 percent due to the increase in semi-skilled workers and the decline in demand respectively.
The wage index of construction workers has increased slightly by 0.4 percent in real terms, after discounting the effect of inflation. The indices of plant operators and structural iron erectors also rose 9.7 percent and 6.9 percent respectively, while the electricians and electrical workers’ wage index dropped 13.8 percent. The wage index of local construction workers, however, saw a 0.5-percent decrease quarter-to-quarter.
In addition, the average prices of concrete, and spiral and round reinforcing steel bars, have gone up by 4.9 percent and 1.0 percent respectively, reaching MOP615 per cubic meter and MOP5,124 per tonne in Q1 of 2014. The price index of construction materials for residential buildings also increased 2.6 percent in Q1 this year.

Copyright@Macau Daily Times