The salary as a key aspect of the contemporary labor market

Basing upon the data of the Federal State Statistics Service, the paper analyzes the state of the salary institution in 2013-2014. The author notes the dual nature of wages (economic and moral categories), discusses the basic problems related to the issue: irregularity and unpredictability of the salary indexation, groundless differentiation leading to social tensions, non-transparency of the bonus system. The negative impact of low wages on the economic development of the country is also considered.