Polish gross wages pick up growth to 6.6% y/y in Q1

Polish gross wages pick up growth to 6.6% y/y in Q1
The rise marks a recovery after the worst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
By Wojciech Kosc in Warsaw May 13, 2021

Polish gross wages grew 6.6% y/y to PLN5,681.56 (€1,247.45) in the first quarter, the statistical office GUS said on May 12.

The reading shows an acceleration in wage growth after gross monthly pay picked up 5% y/y in the fourth quarter. That marks a recovery after the worst of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which depressed demand for labour and undermined growth in remuneration.

In q/q terms, wages’ expansion eased to 4.1% after growing 5.6% q/q in October-December.

Polish gross wages came in at PLN5,167.47 on average in 2020 overall, an expansion of 5%. That is clearly below the 7.2% expansion recorded in 2019.

The outlook for the job market and for further wage growth is improving. Poland’s economy is reopening after the tragic spring wave of new coronavirus infections when the number of new cases reached over 35,000 in early April.

Poland has also suffered one of the highest death rates in Europe and one of the highest ratios of excess deaths, as calculated against years before the pandemic.

The government is gradually reopening the economy in May, with indoor dining, education for all children, or fitness clubs to return by the end of the month, although still under a strict safety regime.

Poland’s GDP fell only 2.7% in 2020 in the wake of the pandemic, the country’s statistical office GUS said in late January.

An economic recovery of around 3%-4% is expected in 2021, driven by household consumption, on the back of wages resuming faster growth again and unemployment returning to normal.

Data

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