Grey-collar employees can earn 4,828 yuan (US$582) in average monthly salaries, with monthly spending of 4,487 yuan on average, up 383 and 607 yuan from those of the white-collar employees respectively, according to a survey, the Shanghai Morning Post reported today.

The survey was conducted of 250 white-collar and 250 gray-collar employees from various industries. White-collar interviewees are mainly doing management and technological work, and gray-collar respondents are mainly integrate-circuit designers, jewelry designers, interior work designers and web makers.

According to the survey, 66 percent of white-collar respondents earn monthly income between 1,000 and 3,000 yuan; most gray-collar employees earn monthly salaries between 1,500 and 10,000 yuan, with 42 percent of them getting 2,500 and 4,500 yuan a month.

Most gray-collar employees are young, aged 31 on average.

"Many gray-collars in our company earn more than mid-level managers, and we care more about the achievements and capabilities of our employees," said a supervisor of a local designing firm.

"Gray collar" professionals, who were expected to combine the book knowledge of white-collar professionals with the nimble fingers of blue-collar workers, are needed by the traditional manufacturing industry as well as the rising service sector.

(eastday.com May 10, 2004)