Labour Costs Rise

Labour Cost Index (All Labour Costs): June 2005 quarter (final)

Labour Costs Rise

Labour costs rose 2.7 percent from the June 2004 quarter to the June 2005 quarter, Statistics New Zealand said today. This increase follows a 1.8 percent increase in the year to the June 2004 quarter.

The salary and wage rates (including overtime) component of the Labour Cost Index rose 2.7 percent, while the non-wage labour costs component rose 3.0 percent.

The rise in non-wage labour costs was partly driven by a 2.9 percent increase in annual leave and statutory holiday costs. These costs increased 2.8 percent for the private sector, and 3.2 percent for the public sector.

The index for other non-wage labour costs (medical insurance, motor vehicles available for private use, and employer-related low interest loans) fell 2.8 percent in the year to the June 2005 quarter. The cost of providing motor vehicles for private use and medical insurance both fell, while the cost of providing employer-related low interest loans rose.

Employer superannuation costs rose 7.3 percent between the June 2004 and June 2005 quarters. Within this, superannuation costs for the public sector rose 15.2 percent, mainly as a result of the introduction of the State Sector Retirement Savings Scheme (SSRSS) and greater membership by teachers of retirement savings' schemes.

In the June 2005 quarter, workplace accident insurance costs rose 7.2 percent, reflecting increases in both pay rates and ACC levy rates.

This release contains final data and includes revisions to some of the series for non-wage and all labour costs. Wage indexes are not affected.

Brian Pink
Government Statistician

ENDS

There is a companion Hot Off The Press information release published – Labour Cost Index (All Labour Costs): June
2005 quarter (final).

© Scoop Media