Hours worked fell in June, says Stats NZ

The number of hours worked fell and earnings growth slowed in the June quarter, Statistics New Zealand (SNZ) figures show.

Seasonally adjusted total paid hours fell 3.4 per cent in the year to June, and 1.2 per cent in the June quarter, according to the quarterly employment survey (QES) published today.

In the June year, employment as measured by the number of full-time equivalent (FTEs) employees fell 3.2 per cent and filled jobs were down 2.1 per cent.

The manufacturing industry was the main contributor to the annual fall in employment and hours.

In the June quarter FTEs were down 0.7 per cent from the previous quarter, while filled jobs rose 0.8 per cent.

The rise in filled jobs was mainly due to a seasonal rise in employees in the education industry, partly offset by falls in manufacturing, retail, and accommodation, cafes and restaurants.

Seasonally adjusted gross earnings rose 1 per cent for the year to June, and fell 0.5 per cent in the June quarter.

Despite a fall in paid hours, total gross earnings increased over the year, leading to a 4.5 per cent increase in the average total hourly earnings in the year to June 2009, SNZ said.

The labour cost index (LCI), also released today, showed that salary and wage rates, including overtime, were 2.8 per cent higher in the June quarter than a year earlier, following a 3.3 per cent increase in the year to the March quarter.

The latest annual increase was the lowest since a 2.7 per cent rise in the year to the June 2005 quarter.

In the June 2009 quarter, salary and wage rates, including overtime, rose 0.3 per cent, the lowest since an identical increase in the June 1999 quarter.

Salary and wage rates, including overtime, for the private sector increased 2.7 per cent in the year to June 2009, and 0.3 per cent in the June quarter.

Public sector salary and wage rates, including overtime, rose 3.6 per cent in the year to June, and 0.4 per cent in the June quarter.

- NZPA