Construction workers’ daily wages up nearly 10 pct in third quarter

The increase in demand for workers engaged in interior finishing works of new casino projects in Cotai had led the average daily wage of the city’s construction workers to jump 9.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter to MOP771 (US$96.4) between July and September this year, according to the latest data released yesterday by the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC). During the third quarter of the year, the average daily wage of local construction workers reached MOP980, up 3.7 per cent quarter-on-quarter. In addition, non-resident construction workers were paid 8.5 per cent more than the previous quarter, receiving on average MOP661 per day. In terms of occupation, the average daily wage of carpenters reached MOP931 during the third quarter, representing an increase of 5.8 per cent from the second quarter of the year. Meanwhile, concrete formwork carpenters and electricians & electrical workers received some MOP897 and MOP 818 per day on average for the period, up 4.3 per cent and 3.9 per cent quarter-on-quarter, respectively. By contrast, the average daily wage of plumbers fell 8.4 per cent quarter-on-quarter during the three months to MOP711. In general, the average daily wage of skilled and semi-skilled workers both increased 9.8 per cent year-on-year to MOP776 for the three months, while unskilled workers were paid 1.7 per cent less, of which their average daily wage amounted to only some MOP398. More expensive materials According to DSEC, the wage index of construction workers during the third quarter of the year rose 3.8 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 101.9 after discounting the effect of inflation, while that of local construction workers reached 126.4, increasing 1.2 per cent from the previous period. On the other hand, the city saw the price index of construction materials for residential buildings increase 0.5 per cent quarter-on-quarter to 132.2 during the three months. The average price of concrete jumped 3 per cent quarter-on-quarter to MOP784 per cubic metre for the quarter of the year. However, that of spiral & round reinforcing steel decreased 0.8 per cent quarter-on-quarter to MOP4,533 per tonne.