Appendix: defining wages.

Non-Exhaustive Measures of Wages

Source:         Survey of Employment, Payroll and
                Hours (SEPH)

Variables:      Average hourly earnings for employees paid
                by the hour and salaried employees

Availability:   1983-2007

Description:    Excludes overtime and dollar amounts that
                are taxable allowances and benefits, certain
                types of non-wage compensation as well as employer
                contributions to employment insurance,
                Canada/Quebec pension plans, provincial medical
                plans, workers compensation and other welfare
                plans. Some annual special payments are excluded.
                Does not include employers primarily
                involved in agriculture, fishing and trapping,
                private household services, religious
                organizations and the military personnel of the
                defence services. Does not include supplementary
                labour income.

Source:         Survey of Labour and Income Dynamics
                (SLID) (1993-present) and Survey of
                Consumer Finances (SCF) (1980-1997)

Variables:      Earnings per hour worked

Availability:   1980-2005

Description:    Earnings from both paid employment
                (wages, salaries and commissions) and
                self-employment.

Source:         Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Variables:      Average hourly wages rate, full-
                and part-time employees, all
                occupations, both sexes, 15 years
                of age and over

Availability:   1997-2007

Description:    Usual wages or salaries of employees at
                their main job. Includes tips,
                commissions, and bonuses. Does not
                include supplementary labour income.

Source:         Major wage settlements

Variables:      Effective wage increase in base rates

Availability:   1978-2007

Description:    Data on major wage settlements obtained
                from collective agreements settled
                in Canada and covering 500 or more
                employees. Covers only unionized
                workers.

Exhaustive Measures of Wages

Source:         National Income and Expenditure Accounts

Variables:      Wages, salaries and supplementary labour income

Availability:   1961-2007

Description:    All earnings from employment of Canadian
                residents, including payments in kind,
                not including income of the self-employed.

Source:         Productivity Measures and Related Variable

Variables:      Labour compensation

Availability:   1961-2006

Description:    Most comprehensive measure of labour
                compensation; it includes imputed
                labour income of the self-employed.