Average pay rises jumped to 3.5 per cent, compared to three per cent in the first quarter of the year, as higher inflation feeds through to wage settlements, a new report shows.

But the pay picture remained mixed, with wage freezes being imposed in parts of the manufacturing sector, while rises of up to seven per cent were being agreed by construction firms.

Pay analysts Incomes Data Services said increases in private firms were slightly ahead of those in the public sector.

Monday April 28 2003