Average wage appears higher as low-income workers lose jobs

The Czech Statistical Office has reported that the average wage in the Czech Republic grew by 2.8% in the second quarter of 2009 to nearly 23,000 crowns per month (1,287 USD). According to analysts however, the main reason for the nominal growth is increased unemployment among low-income workers, the result being that the amount of money available to households in the second quarter was, at best, stagnant.