Earnings in manufacturing, 1 October 2007

Basic salaries, which is defined as monthly earnings excluding bonuses and variable additional allowances, increased by 5.7 per cent, to NOK 30 200 per month.

Machine operators and craft workers

Machine operators, assemblers and drivers represent one third of the labour force in manufacturing. They operate and oversee machines that melt metals, mix pulp, create plastic and grind grain, among other things. This group also includes van and tank lorry drivers. The group had an average increase in earnings of 5.8 per cent or NOK 1 500 in 2007. The second largest group of employees in manufacturing is craft workers, including plumbers, paint sprayers, welders, mechanics, and engineering designers. The increase in monthly earnings for this group was 6 per cent to NOK 28 400.

Employees with higher education

Employees with higher education had a higher pay rise than the other groups in manufacturing. Furthermore, the number of employees with higher education is steadily increasing. The monthly earnings of professionals, including civil engineers, system developers and employees with MBAs, increased from NOK 41 600 to NOK 44 100, or 6 per cent. Technicians and associate professionals had an increase in monthly earnings of NOK 2 500 to NOK 37 900.

High activity in construction of machinery

The average increase in monthly earnings was relatively high both within manufacturing of machinery and equipment and production of ships and oil platforms. These industries also experienced an increase in employment. Monthly earnings in machinery and equipment amounted to NOK 33 300, compared with NOK 34 200 in ships and oil platforms.

Enterprises involved in construction of machinery and equipment experienced an increase in the relative share of employed technicians and associate professionals and had an increase in average monthly earnings of 8.3 per cent. In comparison, the average monthly earnings of operators and craft workers were NOK 26 700 and NOK 28 500 respectively.

Manufacturers of ships, oil platforms and modules also saw an increase in the number of employees with higher education. However, the increase in wages was highest for craft workers, who had an increase in average monthly earnings of 7.9 per cent. In comparison, technicians and associate professionals had an increase in wages of 3.3 per cent.

Estimated annual earnings

At 1 October 2007, the average annual earnings of full-time employees in manufacturing was NOK 373 900, an increase of 4.8 per cent from 2006.

Average annual earnings are estimated using information from wage statistics for two years and the quarterly wage index. The figures are estimated for full-time employees and do not include payment for overtime work. Estimated annual earnings figures for 2007 are preliminary until the wage statistics for 2008 are published.

Tables:

• Table 1 Full-time employees in manufacturing. Average total monthly earnings and basic salary, by division. 2006-2007. NOK and annual percentage change
• Table 2 Full-time employees in manufacturing. Average monthly earnings, by sex and occupational group per 1 October 2007. NOK
• Table 3 Full-time employees in manufacturing. Estimated average annual earnings, by division. 2004-2007. NOK and percentage change