Most workers’ pay packets did not go up by as much as expected in the first three months of this year, the national statistics office CBS said on Thursday.

Based on union pay deals signed in 2008, wages had been forecast to go up by some 3.5%. But in fact, people are only earning 1.7% more on average.
The difference is probably because people are doing less overtime and bonuses and profit sharing pay-outs have been reduced, the CBS said.