GENEVA - REAL wages fell in the United States and some other wealthy nations in the second quarter of the year, raising questions about whether workers are sharing in any economic recovery, the UN labour agency said on Tuesday.

The International Labour Organisation said inflation-adjusted wage growth fell sharply around the world last year to 1.4 per cent, from 4.3 per cent in 2007. It said wages are falling in a number of countries so far this year.

'The picture on wages is likely to get worse in 2009, despite the beginning of a possible economic recovery,' the 15-page report said.

The ILO analysed data from 35 countries including Brazil, Britain, Japan, South Africa and Ukraine. It did not specify where wages have fallen the most or the least, and China and India, which provide large amounts of the world's workers, were excluded from the report because they did not provide data.

Monthly wages have fallen almost 2 per cent in the United States since January, said Mr Patrick Belser, an ILO economist. Ms Manuela Tomei, ILO's employment chief, said wage declines were depriving national economies of much needed demand and were contributing to sapping consumer confidence.

'The continued deterioration of real wages worldwide raises serious questions about the true extent of an economic recovery, especially if government rescue packages are phased out too early,' Ms Tomei said. -- AP