BUCHAREST (Romania), March 6 (SeeNews) – Romania's hourly labour costs rose by 13.09% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2018 and were 0.6% higher over the third quarter, the statistical board, INS, announced on Wednesday.
On an annual comparison basis, the hourly labour costs increased in all sectors of economic activity in the fourth quarter of 2018.
The highest increases of the hourly labour cost in the fourth quarter compared to the same period in 2017 were observed in healthcare and social assistance - by 31.76%, due to salary hikes in this sector, in information and communications - by 17% and in construction - by 16.67%.
The lowest increases were registered in mining - by 6.03%, in financial services - by 6.49% and in administrative services - by 7.36%.
As against the previous quarter, the highest increases in hourly labour costs in the fourth quarter of 2018 were observed in transportation and storage activities - by 9.12, real estate - by 8.36 and in construction - by 8.19%.
The most significant decrease of the hourly labour cost was in education - by 28.13%, due to an increase in the actually working time - a characteristic phenomenon for the current quarter, determined by the starting of the new school year.