International Unit Labour Cost Position Slightly Improved in 2002

In an international hierarchy of labour costs, Austria ranks at 10th place. Labour is most expensive in Norway (36 percent more than in Austria), followed by Switzerland (25 percent), Denmark and Germany (some 20 percent). For Austria's manufacturing, an hour of blue-collar labour cost 20.93 € in 2002, or about 3 percent more than the EU average. Labour costs per hour were made up of 10.93 € in wages and 10 € in non-wage labour costs. Supplementary wage costs thus made up 91.5 percent, higher by 1 percentage point against 2001 due to a rise in severance pay through increased staff cuts and higher bonus payments. This rate is higher only in Italy (94.7 percent).