Japan March total earnings fall, overtime pay up

TOKYO, May 1 (Reuters) Japanese salaried workers' total cash earnings, which include overtime pay, monthly wages and bonuses, fell 0.2 percent in March from a year earlier to 282,888 yen ( TOKYO, May 1 (Reuters) Japanese salaried workers' total cash earnings, which include overtime pay, monthly wages and bonuses, fell 0.2 percent in March from a year earlier to 282,888 yen ($2,488), government data showed on Monday.

Average overtime pay, a barometer of income conditions, rose 1.9 percent in March from a year earlier to 19,786 yen ($174), the 44th straight month of rises.

In terms of hours worked, overtime in March was up 2.8 percent from a year earlier at 10.9 hours, the data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed.

The number of full-time employees at Japanese firms rose 0.6 percent, while the number of part-time workers rose 0.3 percent year-on-year.

The data underscores the view that firms are using booming profits to reward workers now that they have paid off the bulk of their debts. In recent years they had been cutting wages and replacing full-time staff with part-timers as part of restructuring efforts.

The following table shows preliminary data on monthly income, working hours and number of workers, with year-on-year percentage changes (some previous figures are revised): MARCH FEB Payments (yen) yr/yr change (pct) -------------------------------------------------------- Total cash earnings 282,888 yen -0.2 +0.4 Monthly wage 272,175 yen -0.2 +0.1 -Regular pay 252,389 yen -0.3 -0.1 -Overtime pay 19,786 yen +1.9 +2.0 Special payments 10,713 yen -4.1 +26.2 -------------------------------------------------------- Working hours Overall 152.3 hours +0.6 +1.9 -Regular 141.4 hours +0.4 +1.8 -Overtime 10.9 hours +2.8 +1.9 ------------------------------------------------------- Number of workers (million) Overall 42.851 mln +0.6 +0.5 -general employees 31.981 mln +0.6 +0.4 -part-time employees 10.870 mln +0.3 +0.9 The ministry defines workers as 1) those who are employed for more than one month at a firm that employs more than five people, or 2) those who are employed on a daily basis or have less than a one-month contract but had worked more than 18 days during the two months before the survey was conducted at a firm that employs more than five people.

REUTERS MP HS1604 ,488), government data showed on Monday.

Average overtime pay, a barometer of income conditions, rose 1.9 percent in March from a year earlier to 19,786 yen (4), the 44th straight month of rises.

In terms of hours worked, overtime in March was up 2.8 percent from a year earlier at 10.9 hours, the data from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare showed.

The number of full-time employees at Japanese firms rose 0.6 percent, while the number of part-time workers rose 0.3 percent year-on-year.

The data underscores the view that firms are using booming profits to reward workers now that they have paid off the bulk of their debts. In recent years they had been cutting wages and replacing full-time staff with part-timers as part of restructuring efforts.

The following table shows preliminary data on monthly income, working hours and number of workers, with year-on-year percentage changes (some previous figures are revised): MARCH FEB Payments (yen) yr/yr change (pct) -------------------------------------------------------- Total cash earnings 282,888 yen -0.2 +0.4 Monthly wage 272,175 yen -0.2 +0.1 -Regular pay 252,389 yen -0.3 -0.1 -Overtime pay 19,786 yen +1.9 +2.0 Special payments 10,713 yen -4.1 +26.2 -------------------------------------------------------- Working hours Overall 152.3 hours +0.6 +1.9 -Regular 141.4 hours +0.4 +1.8 -Overtime 10.9 hours +2.8 +1.9 ------------------------------------------------------- Number of workers (million) Overall 42.851 mln +0.6 +0.5 -general employees 31.981 mln +0.6 +0.4 -part-time employees 10.870 mln +0.3 +0.9 The ministry defines workers as 1) those who are employed for more than one month at a firm that employs more than five people, or 2) those who are employed on a daily basis or have less than a one-month contract but had worked more than 18 days during the two months before the survey was conducted at a firm that employs more than five people.

REUTERS MP HS1604