In the article it says that one of the reasons for the increase is due to upwards inflationary pressures and says 2.2% inflation.

The fact that we’ve had such tepid wage increases for the past decade that a measly .6% growth is the best in a decade can be viewed as pathetic in a vacuum or as the “biggest pay increase in nearly a decade”. Both are true, but overall I’d still say it’s good news in an area which has been extremely bleak.