real wages
noun[plural]
ukus(alsoreal income[CorU])ECONOMICS
thevalueofmoneyearnedbyworkersin aneconomyat aparticulartime, after taking intoaccounttheeffectofinflationon what can beboughtwith thatmoney:
Adecreaseinrealwagesanddisposableincomesmeansthat mortgage-payers are reallysufferingfromrecentinterestraterises.
Realwageshavefallenbehindinflation, and theincomegapbetweenrichandpoorcontinuestowiden.