Gulf workers struggling to keep pace with inflation

The cost of living in the Gulf is outstripping salary increases, leading to an increasingly disgruntled workforce and a more volatile job market. Salaries in the region went up by 15% on average in 2006, but the cost of living shot up by 24% - and living expenses went up the most in the UAE.
That was the verdict of a comprehensive online study of Gulf-based professionals by the Middle East’s ‘#1 jobsite’ Bayt.com and leading market research firm YouGovSiraj. The survey interviewed a cross-section of employees in the six GCC countries across more than 20 industry categories, from automotive to pharmaceuticals. Employers in Qatar and Kuwait awarded the highest pay rises in 2006, an average of 17%. The UAE was second on the list with 15%, but the Emirates recorded the biggest cost-of-living jump in the Gulf, 28%.
Looking at the regional picture, workers in the private sector fared better than their government peers, earning an average pay hike of around 17% compared to approximately 13% for public sector employees.Continue to the full story from Source.