Construction: Fewer hours but better pay

Employment in construction activities in the first quarter declined by five per cent over the same period last year, according to a sample survey among construction enterprises by the National Statistics Office.

The NSO said that when adjusted for working-day effects, hours worked decreased by 1.4 per cent, whereas wages and salaries increased by 1.9 per cent.

The decrease in hours worked in specialised construction activities was partially offset by more hours in civil engineering and construction of buildings.

Compared to the fourth quarter of last year, seasonally adjusted data on employment and gross wages and salaries declined by 1.5 and 0.5 per cent, respectively, while hours worked edged up by 0.2 per cent.

Seasonally adjusted data for which new permits were granted increased by 1.9 per cent over the previous quarter.

Whereas permits for two or more dwelling residential buildings rose by11 per cent, these dropped by 16.5 per cent for one-dwelling residential buildings.