Semiconductor firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (TWSE) posted the highest average wage for non-managerial employees last year at NT$1.22 million (US$38,719), putting the sector at the top of the nation’s industries, Financial Supervisory Commission (FSC) data showed yesterday.
Computer and peripheral equipment industry and plastics industry firms reported average wages of their non-managerial employees at NT$1.2 million and NT$1.17 million respectively.
The power and utility industry ranked fourth with an average wage of NT$1.17 million, one spot ahead of the electronics industry — which excludes companies of electronic components, communications, photoelectronic and information service, but includes Hon Hai Precision Industry Co (鴻海精密) — with NT$1.16 million, the data showed.
The bottom five industries were tourism, glass and ceramics, rubber, textile and fiber, and biotech, which have average wages of NT$532,000, NT$587,000, NT$632,000, NT$637,000 and N$674,000 respectively, the data showed.
Non-managerial employees of TWSE-listed companies received an average wage of NT$1.01 million per year, higher than their peers at companies listed on the Taipei Exchange (TPEX) with NT$729,000, Securities and Futures Bureau Deputy Director Sam Chang (張振山) said.
Listed companies had been required to reveal their average wages for non-managerial employees by June, as the commission expects the information to show if companies pay their employees reasonably, with special attention paid to those with average wages of below NT$500,000 and those of higher-than-average earnings per share (EPS) but lower-than-average wages, Chang said.
A total of 159 listed companies reported average wages of below NT$500,000 for last year, including 66 TWSE-listed firms and 93 listed on the TPEX, Chang said.
Those companies attributed their comparatively low wages to cumulative losses, a larger number of foreign contract workers, declining profits and low margins, he said.
A total of 266 companies outperformed their rivals in terms of EPS, but paid their employees lower average wages, including 142 listed on the TWSE and 124 on the TPEX, Chang said.
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