East China's metropolis of Shanghai announced plans Monday to raise minimum wages for full- and part-time employees, as well as increasing subsidies paid to families living below the poverty line.

The minimum monthly salary for full-time workers, based on a 40-hour work week, will climb to 750 yuan (US$94) from the current 690 yuan when the changes go into effect on September 1.

Part-time workers will see their minimum wage climb 0.5 yuan to 6.5 yuan an hour.

This is the 14th time the city has raised minimum wages since they were introduced in 1993.

The minimum wages don't include social insurance fees that companies must pay to cover their employees' medical insurance, unemployment insurance and pension payments. Those fees are based on average incomes in the city, so higher minimum wages could push them up.

The monthly allowance for families living under the poverty line will rise from 300 yuan to 320 yuan starting this month.

(Shanghai Daily August 8, 2006)