Belarus

Organization responsible for the statistics

Ministry of Statistics and Analysis of the Republic of Belarus.

Objectives and users

To obtain the information on strikes in terms of damage to the economy of the Republic.

Major users: Government and Trade unions.

Coverage

Strikes and lockouts: The statistics cover:

Minimum threshold: one day; this limit was raised in 1997.

Economic activities: All economic activities and sectors.

Workers: All workers.

Geographic areas: Whole country.

Types of data collected

a) number of strikes and lockouts: number of strikes;

b) number of establishments involved;

c) number of workers involved;

d) duration;

e) amount of time not worked ("time lost");

f) other: value of goods or services not produced due to strikes.

Concepts and definitions

(Source: Law of the Republic of Belarus On Collective Labour Disputes (Conflicts) Settlement).

Strike: A total or partial voluntary work cessation of one or more groups of workers with a view to enforcing demands which have been rejected by the employer.

Methods of measurement

Strikes and lockouts: The basic unit of measurement used to record a strike is the labour dispute and the establishment. The resumption of a strike that is interrupted but later resumed is counted as a new strike.

Establishments: not available.

Workers involved: Workers directly involved and workers indirectly involved. The number of workers involved is counted as the average of the number of daily absences during the period of the strike. Part- time workers are counted as individuals on the same basis as full-time workers. Temporary or casual workers, seasonal workers and workers laid off during the strike are covered in the statistics.

Duration: The duration is measured in terms of workdays.

Time not worked ("time lost"): Total time not worked, measured in terms of workdays, is the product of the number of workers involved and the duration of the strike. The shorter working hours of part-time workers are taken into account by counting the number of hours not worked and converting them to full days on the basis of the normal hours of work of a full-time worker. Overtime is not taken into account.

Classifications

a) cause of dispute: none;

b) outcome of dispute: none;

c) method of settlement: none;

d) economic activity;

e) occupational group: none;

f) number of establishments involved: none

g) number of workers involved: none

h) duration: none;

i) time not worked: none;

j) other: regions.

Reference period and periodicity

The statistics are compiled each month for periods of a month. The amount not worked is included in the statistics for each of the periods in which time was not worked.

Analytical measures

None.

Historical background of the series

The statistics were first compiled in 1989. Since then, there have been no changes in methodology.

Documentation

Series available: information not available.

Bibliographic references: The data are published in:

State Committee on Statistics and Analysis, Minsk: National Economy of the Republic of Belarus (annual).

Methodological information is not published.

Data published by the ILO: The following data are furnished regularly to the ILO for publication in the Yearbook of Labour Statistics, relating to strikes according to economic activity: number of strikes, number of workers involved and number of days not worked.

Confidentiality: There are no restrictions on the publication or release of the data.

International standards

Not available.

Methods of data collection

There is a legal obligation to report the occurrence of a strike. The enterprise in which the strike occurs is required to report the strike to the Ministry of Statistics and Analysis using a standard form. Information is reported on workers involved.