Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Colombia (Ratification: 1990)

The Committee has noted the Government's first report. It notes that the report contains a general description of the National Statistics Department (DANE) but little information on the actual application of the provisions of the Convention. Its examination therefore is based largely on the information otherwise available in the International Labour Office. The Committee requests the Government to provide in its next report more detailed and concrete information with particular reference to the following points:

1. The Committee notes the Government's reference to the Decrees creating the DANE and modifying its administrative structure. It asks the Government to provide information on other laws and regulations, if any, giving effect to each of the provisions of the Convention.

2. Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to indicate, for each of the Articles of Part II of the Convention (except for Article 9), whether the latest international standards and guidelines have been followed and the reasons for any departures from them. As regards Article 7 in particular, it asks the Government to provide further information on: (i) the use of the "Clasificación Nacional de Ocupaciones" (CNO-1970), indicating whether it can be linked to both ISCO-68 and ISCO-88; and (ii) the application of the concepts and definitions of economically active population, employment, unemployment and underemployment elaborated by the 13th International Conference of Labour Statistics (1982).

3. Article 3. The Committee requests the Government to indicate, for each of the Articles of Part II (except for Article 9), the manner in which the representative organizations of employers and workers are consulted when the concepts, definitions and methodology used are designed or revised.

4. Article 7. The Committee requests the Government to communicate to the International Labour Office, (i) the published statistics (in particular, employment and unemployment data derived from the National Household Survey (Encuesta Nacional de Hogares)), as soon as practicable (in accordance with Article 5), and (ii) a detailed methodological description of the establishment survey of the labour force (in accordance with Article 6).

5. Article 8. The Committee understands that the 1985 population census did not collect data by industry and by occupation from persons living in private households (such information was only collected from persons living in indigenous villages). It asks the Government to specify whether the 1993 census mentioned in the report collected information on the distribution of the economically active population (by industry, by occupation, by status in employment and by sex) in such a way as to be representative of the country as a whole.

6. Article 10. The Committee notes from the information available in the ILO that the statistics of wage structure and distribution are limited to the distribution of aggregate earnings by occupational group, industry and size of establishments in manufacturing. It points out that this Article of the Convention requires the compilation of statistics of wage structure (i.e. statistics on the composition and components of earnings) and of wage distribution (i.e. on the distribution of employees according to levels of earnings) in important branches of economic activity and that such statistics should be regularly published (in accordance with Article 1). The Committee requests the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged in order to extend the collection, compilation and publication of statistics of wage structure and distribution.

7. Article 11. The Committee understands that, while no statistics of labour costs are compiled at present, statistics of compensation of employees, which is a close approximation to labour cost, are compiled covering manufacturing, although no corresponding data on hours of work is available. It requests the Government to indicate any measures taken or envisaged (i) to improve the methodology of the existing statistics of compensation of employees and (ii) to extend the collection, compilation and publication of such statistics to other important branches of economic activity. The Committee would also be grateful if the Government would communicate to the ILO, as soon as practicable, the published statistics on average (instead of total) compensation of employees (in accordance with Article 5).

8. Article 14. Although the report contains no information on statistics covered by this Article, the Committee understands, from information available in the Office, that data on occupational injuries are collected and compiled. It therefore requests the Government to supply detailed information concerning statistics of occupational injuries and occupational diseases in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of the Convention. As to the methodological description required by Article 6, please also include accident notification procedures, coverage and scope and data collection processes. The Committee also asks the Government to comment on the apparent lack of data: (i) by branch of economic activity; and (ii) relating to work time lost as a result of work accidents, outlining any proposed improvements.

9. Article 15. Although the report contains no information on statistics covered by this Article, the Committee understands, from information available in the Office, that a statistical series of strikes and lockouts exists. It therefore requests the Government to supply detailed information concerning statistics of strikes and lockouts in accordance with Articles 5 and 6. The Committee also asks the Government to clarify, as to the data collected as "horas habiles no laboradas" which were provided to the Office as time not worked, whether this refers to consecutive hours not worked, i.e. duration, or to total hours not worked by all workers involved.

10. Article 16, paragraph 4. As regards Article 9, in respect of which obligations were not accepted at the time of ratification, the Committee requests the Government to describe law and practice on current statistics (either monthly or annual) of average earnings and hours of work, and to indicate whether it is proposed to compile and publish such statistics in the future on the basis of the existing monthly and annual surveys in manufacturing.