Labour Day

More than 130 years of struggle for decent working conditions

Although this is the 133rd year in a row that the world celebrates the Labour Day, topics relating to the labour market, workers' rights and their mutual (in)equality are equally relevant today. Circumstances have, of course, changed, the fluctuation of labour force is faster than ever, but an individual’s desire for decent working conditions and a fair hourly rate paid for that work is a universal postulate regardless of the time live in.

The celebration of the Labour Day is an opportunity to check the statistics in the area of labour market.

Continuous increase in the number of persons in employment

Observing the number of persons in employment according to administrative sources over the last six years, that is, since 2016, when the data started being collected from the JOPPD form[1], their number has been increasing continuously. In 2021, there were 1.36 million persons in employment in legal entities in the Republic of Croatia, which was 2.0% more than in the previous year. In the observed six-year period, the largest growth in the number of persons in employment occurred in 2018, when there was an increase of as much as 3.2% compared to 2017. On the other hand, the unemployment rate, which represents the share of the unemployed in the total active population, is decreasing year after year, and compared to 2016, when it amounted to 14.4%, decreased to 8.0% in 2021.

The largest number of women employed in Wholesale and retail trade

Looking at the number of persons in employment by sex, the situation did not significantly change in the observed period. The number of employed women is always somewhat smaller and their share in the total number of persons in employment, since 2016, has ranged around 47%, with no major oscillations.
Last year, the largest number of women was employed in Wholesale and retail trade, slightly more than 115 thousand, while the largest growth in the number of employed women compared to 2020, of 9.2%, was recorded in Other service activities. On the other hand, the largest number of men in 2021 was employed in Manufacturing, almost 149 thousand, which was slightly more than a fifth of the total number of employed men, while their number compared to 2020 increased the most in the Information and communication activity, by 6.9%.

The highest growth in the number of persons in employment in the County of Zadar

As opposed to 2020 (situation as on 31 March), in which the County of Zadar was one of the five counties that had a decrease in the number of persons in employment, a year later, it was the one that had the largest increase, of 5.4%, followed by as many as 18 counties, while only two counties recorded a decline ‒ the County of Dubrovnik-Neretva (2.2%) and the County of Požega-Slavonia (2.5%).

The highest average net earnings in the Air transport activity

The average monthly paid off net earnings of persons in employment who worked for all 12 months of 2020 amounted to 6 590 kuna and observing by sex, men with average net earnings of 6 914 kuna were paid an average of 700 kuna more than women in that year. The highest average monthly net earnings in that year were paid off in the Air transport activity and amounted to 12 287 kuna, which was also the activity in which men, if we look at the average net earnings by sex, earned the most. On the other hand, the highest average monthly net earnings of women amounted to 10 414 kuna and were paid off in the activity Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations.    


[1] Report on income, income tax and surtax as well as contributions for mandatory insurances (JOPPD form)

News