WIESBADEN – According to results of the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), real earnings in the first quarter of 2009 were down 0.4% compared with the same quarter of the previous year. This is the result of the index of real earnings, which has been calculated for the first time; it compares the development of earnings with the price trend. The decrease in real earnings is mainly due to the small increase in earnings (+0.4%). Major reasons were the decline in extra payments, which were down by 7.9% compared with the first quarter of 2008. In the same period, the basic remuneration, that is gross monthly earnings excluding extra payments, rose by 1.5%.
For further information please call: Hannah Alter, tel: (+49-611) 75-4589,
