Average gross annual pay for full-time workers in Fife is £25,928, which puts the region 17th out of 32 council areas in Scotland.

That's £2,368 below the overall figure for north of the border and £5,395 under the United Kingdom average.
The top earning area in Scotland was Aberdeen at £35,959, while the lowest is Inverclyde at £21,698.

The figures are based on a survey conducted last April by the GMB trade union.

Its Scottish secretary pointed out that this was before the credit crunch and its aftermath.

Harry Donaldson said the question now was whether earnings levels would hold up in the face of the economic recession.

He added: "This analysis shows the areas of Scotland that did go some way to replace the skilled manufacturing jobs that were lost in the recessions in the 1980s and 90s and those areas still do so.

"In Fife, pay is below 85 percent of the UK average.

"Since these figures were produced, the credit crunch - which originated from excesses in the financial sector - has now given rise to full-blown recession and the misery that entails.

"We will see if earnings in Scotland hold up in 2009."

Mr Donaldson went on: "As well as taking measures to restart their economies, governments in the UK and elsewhere need to take steps to deal once and for all with the elements in the financial sector that visited this recession upon us."

Want to comment? E-mail efmeditor@fifetoday.co.uk