WORKERS’ living standards are still falling despite a slowdown in inflation, official figures showed yesterday.

The consumer prices index rose by 1.5 per cent in the year to May, compared with 1.8 per cent in the previous month. But earnings only rose by 0.7 per cent.

The traditional inflationary measure the retail prices index — which the government has sidelined — rose by 2.4 per cent, compared with 2.5 per cent in April.