The Labour Cost Index (LCI) working days adjusted decreased by 1.5% in the 1st quarter of 2018, compared with the same period in 2017. In the previous quarter, it was recorded a year-on-year increase of 3.8%.
The two main labour cost components - wage costs and other costs (both per hour actually worked) - decreased by 1.5% and 1.4%, respectively, compared do the same period of the previous year.
The LCI year-on-year rate of change was also explained by the decrease of 1.0% in the average cost per employee and the increase of 0.3% in the number of hours actually worked per employee.