English Translation

184 Development and status of real wages in the Protectorate E E Böhmen_und_Mähren_from March 1939_until_June_1940. Basis of calculation: On the one hand, the cost of living is based on collective hourly wages (nominal wages), which are calculated monthly by multiplying the average consumption of a worker's family (quantity scheme) with the retail prices. The average consumption of a worker's family is determined by in-depth surveys of economic accounts for workers' families, which are repeated from time to time in order to take account of changed lifestyles. It is not the officially fixed prices but the actual prices to be paid; the prices paid in the retail trade cannot naturally be included. nbenfua hourly wages: collective wages have been increased from March l939 to June l940 for all groups of workers included in the study. In the case of carpentry with one year of practice after the end of the apprenticeship period, wages have even been increased to about double. Cost of living: The cost of living has also increased from March 1939 to June 1940, i.e. by about 25%. For individual groups of needs, increases vary; for the group of requirements, clothing, laundry, shoes, for example, almost 40%. Real wages: As a basis for real wages, the number of working hours required to cover an average monthly subsistence is calculated. The larger the number is necessary to satisfy an average daily subsistence, the smaller is the real wage and vice versa. These figures, thus obtained, form the basis for the calculation of the index numbers. The study covers the metal industry, the construction industry, woodworking industry, textile industry, book=and Steimprints.