Wage increase suggested at 12 pct in Beijing

A 12 percent raise in staff wages is suggested for companies operating normally, the Beijing Bureau of Human Resources and Social Security said in a guideline on enterprise salaries Saturday.

For enterprises that have recorded a drop in profits but are still not posting losses, the wage increase can be 5 percent, the bureau said.

The guideline is a means for the government to redistribute social wealth, but is not obligatory.