WIESBADEN – As reported by the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), agreed monthly earnings of employees in Germany rose 2.8% on an annual average in 2009 compared with 2008. As some collective agreements included an increase in weekly working hours, the rise in agreed hourly earnings was slightly smaller (+2.7%). For comparison, consumer prices were up 0.4% in the same period. However, not all persons employed under collective agreements benefited fully from the agreed pay increases because of short-time work, the reduction of extra payments, and the temporary suspension of agreed pay rises through opening clauses.
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