BERLIN, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- A large majority of 87 percent of employees working under collective labor agreements (CLA) in Germany are receiving a Christmas bonus worth 2,583 euros (2,938 U.S. dollars) in 2018, according data published by the German Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) on Monday.

This year's average gross Christmas bonus grew by 2.3 percent compared to the previous year. In Germany it is standard practice to schedule the bonus for the end of November.

Employees in the sector of "extraction of crude oil and natural gas" are leading the ranking of CLA employees, earning a Christmas bonus worth 5,679 euros which is 4.3 percent above the average monthly income in Germany.

Differences between West and East Germany also apply to the latest data for Christmas bonuses. On average, employees in western Germany receive 3.8 percent more.