REAL WAGES (% CHANGE)
Prel. 1988-92 1991-92
Country 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 Average Average
Argentina [a] 17.3 27.4 -9.3 -3.9 -8.3 -1.0 -8.8 -5.1 -5.1 -.6 -4.1 -2.9
Barbados .0 5.4 3.8 3.4 1.9 -.7 -1.2 -- -- -- -- na
Bolivia 2.8 -1.6 -20.1 -23.1 5.4 19.6 2.4 6.4 6.9 7.0 8.5 7.0
Brazil [b] -9.8 -8.3 3.5 -.3 -23.4 -1.6 30.6 -42.7 14.9 5.3 1.3 10.1
Chile -11.0 .3 -4.5 2.0 -.2 6.5 1.9 1.8 4.9 4.5 3.9 4.7
Colombia [c] 5.7 6.2 -2.0 3.9 -.4 -.5 1.9 .4 6.6 1.9 2.1 4.3
Costa Rica 10.5 7.3 9.1 5.9 -.9 -1.4 4.1 2.4 -2.4 -2.2 .1 -2.3
Dominican Republic -6.5 1.5 -2.0 7.0 -2.3 4.0 -11.0 -4.6 6.0 15.0 1.9 10.5
Ecuador [b] -9.6 .8 -2.6 3.0 -7.4 -15.9 -19.5 -10.2 -15.2 10.1 -10.1 -2.6
El Salvador [d] -10.3 -.9 -11.4 -14.5 -12.1 -10.8 -3.8 -8.5 -7.5 -4.2 -7.0 -5.9
Guatemala -7.3 -9.0 -13.7 -18.3 6.7 5.2 6.5 -18.5 -4.9 16.4 .9 5.8
Haiti [b] -7.8 -7.4 -7.7 -7.8 5.2 -2.7 -9.9 -17.1 -15.6 -16.7 -12.4 -16.2
Honduras [b] -8.5 -4.7 -3.1 -4.2 -2.4 -4.3 -8.9 18.0 -2.1 4.4 1.4 1.2
Mexico [e] -22.8 -7.1 -2.7 -5.9 -1.9 -1.3 9.0 2.9 4.0 4.3 3.8 4.2
Nicaragua 7.8 -14.9 -- -- -32.9 -42.6 35.6 64.9 -4.5 11.4 13.0 3.5
Panama 3.8 2.6 5.0 -.3 5.2 .3 .0 .9 .3 1.3 .6 .8
Paraguay -5.2 -8.8 .7 1.6 4.5 13.2 -1.2 -1.3 2.9 -3.3 2.1 -.2
Peru -- -- -- 26.6 6.1 -23.6 -46.7 -14.4 11.6 -.9 -14.8 5.4
Suriname 6.3 5.5 -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- na
Trinidad & Tobago [b] 1.2 -2.6 -2.3 -3.5 -11.6 -6.8 -12.8 -9.2 -.7 -1.4 -6.2 -1.1
Uruguay -20.7 -9.1 14.1 6.7 4.7 1.5 -.4 -7.3 3.8 2.2 -.0 3.0
Venezuela [f] -4.5 -14.6 -6.5 -3.6 -15.6 -8.5 -20.5 -3.4 -4.4 3.4 -6.7 -.5
Source: Inter-American Development Bank: "Economic and Social Progress in Latin America, 1993."
[a] In manufacturing.
[b] Minimum wages.
[c] Excluding the coffee husking process. 1992 value is as of October 1992.
[d] Only for formal private-sector employment
[e] Wages, salaries, and benefits in manufacturing.
[f] Non-agricultural employees and workers. Data are for second half of each year.