For employees the crisis is far from over

It speaks often of the effects of the crisis on unemployment, less its impact on the level of wages. The subject is subject to a report published yesterday by the International Labour Office (ILO) Organization. Compared to previous years, world growth in real average wages decreased by half in 2008 and 2009. 2.8 Before the crisis, rising was "considerably" slowed down, not up to 1.6 in 2009, says the ILO. And again! The figures are much lower if you exclude China (see chart). Advanced economies derive the average downward (0.5 in 2008), while the explosion of the salaries of some emerging countries is in the opposite direction. Result: the gap between the wages of the first and the latter is tightening. "The crisis has given rise to a sort of catch-up because developing countries are less affected by the crisis," says the lead author of the study, Patrick Belser. In 2008, China thus recorded an increase of 11.7 of wages (urban and enterprises of State institutions).

However, developments are not uniform. All advanced economies were also affected as the Japan or the Iceland. With a drop in wages in 2008 and 2009 (-2), the first pressed in the fears of deflation. The Iceland, very hard hit by the crisis, saw their real wages fall in 2009 (-8). In contrast, China sees its wage average fly to 13 in 2009. What makes say to the ILO that Asia "the crisis is noticeable barely". The pay rally know China does however not apply to any Asia - the Thailand, the Malaysia or the Philippines, hit hardest by the crisis, have seen their salary levels back.

Over the past decade, the tightening of the gap between advanced and emerging countries is more visible again. Since 2000, average wages have increased by 25 at the global level. They doubled in Asia, tripled in some countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, but is increased to a low of 5 in developed countries.

In the advanced economies, the trend may continue, even if recovery. "We expect a recovery in the level of GDP and the profits, but she accompany probably stagnant wages, says Patrick Belser.". For employees, the crisis is far from over.

This "wage moderation" concerned about the ILO, which sees it as a handicap for the request; which will weigh on the pace of the recovery. Another effect of the global reconstruction of the wage landscape: China salary increases could "perhaps create spaces for other countries" and feed of relocations of activities to Cambodia, the Interior of China, or Africa, where wages are lower, forward Patrick Belser.

If the difference in wages between advanced and emerging countries narrows, another increases, that of wage inequality. The gap between the 10 of the lowest paid workers and 10 best paid was widening, said the ILO. Which also highlights the increase in the number of working poor. "If the low level of wages in a country can help to stimulate exports and also to encourage investment to some extent ..., the low wages depress household consumption", warns the ILO.