AVERAGE SALARY IN BH FEDERATION - DM 307

( Editorial: --> 2308 ) SARAJEVO, Feb 16 (Hina) - The average salary in December 1997 in the Federation of Bosnia-Herzegovina amounted to DM 307.56, while the average pension amounted to DM 128.19, the Federation Statistics Bureau in Sarajevo said on Monday. The average salary in non-economic activities amounted to DM 376 while the average salary in economy was lower by DM 100. The highest paid pension amounted to DM 510 and the lowest DM 80. Compared to December 1997, retail prices went up by 0.5 per cent in January 1998, but overall living costs in the first month of this year are higher by 5 per cent, compared to the average living costs in 1997. The monthly "consumer's basket" for a four-member family cost DM 472 in January this year, while one month earlier it cost DM 464. Industrial production in the Federation in January was lower by 19.7 per cent compared to December last year. Compared to the same period of 1991, industrial production in January 1998 was 85.6 per cent lower. At the beginning of this year, there were a little more than 340,000 employees, out of whom 260,000 worked in economy. However, the total number of employees in real terms is smaller by almost 88,000 people who have been laid off and do not receive salaries. According to the Federation Employment Bureau, 222,332 persons were waiting for jobs in January, which is 5,500 more than at the end of last year. (hina) jn rm 161935 MET feb 98