Canada

Organization responsible for the statistics

The statistics are collected, compiled and published by Labour Canada.

Objectives and users

Not available.

Coverage

Strikes and lockouts

The statistics cover:

Data are registered and collected separately for lockouts.

Protest action without stoppage of work, such as working to rule, go-slows and overtime bans, is not included in the statistics.

Minimum threshold: Up to 1987, data were published for stoppages lasting at least half a day with at least ten person days not worked.

A new series with a higher threshold was initiated in 1986, covering stoppages lasting at least half a day and involving at least 500 workers. Data continue to be collected, compiled and published for both statistical series.

economic activities

No particular branches of economic activity or sectors are excluded.

Workers

Workers directly involved, as well as those respecting the picket line. The statistics cover regular paid employees, including part-time workers, seasonal workers, workers absent on sick or annual leave or absent for any other reason. Workers laid off are not included, nor are temporary or casual workers, unpaid family workers, or workers laid off.

No particular occupational groups are excluded from the statistics.

Geographic areas

Whole country.

Types of data collected

Concepts and definitions

Strike

A stoppage of work by a group of workers to press for the settlement of a demand or a grievance. Strikes occur most frequently as a result of disputes between workers and their employer(s). However, they may arise over issues of representation or other matters not involving a direct dispute between the workers and their immediate employer. Political strikes are included where the objective is to influence government policies affecting pay, working conditions or other labour-related matters.

Lockout

A suspension of work initiated by an employer or a group of employers as a result of failure to reach agreement in the course of a dispute over terms of employment.

Work stoppage

A strike initiated by a group of employees or an interruption of work initiated by an employer as a result of a dispute over terms of employment. For a work stoppage to be considered as a strike or a lockout, there must first exist an employer-employee relationship. Illegal or unofficial stoppages and study sessions, etc. are included, but go-slows are not. Work stoppages aimed at protesting against a government policy are included, provided that the policy relates directly to wages or conditions of employment.

Study sessions

Camouflaged strikes of limited duration.

These are standard definitions proposed for the statistics of work stoppages.

Methods of measurement

Strikes and lockouts

The basic unit of measurement used to record a strike or lockout is the negotiating unit; several negotiating units may be involved in the same dispute. An action interrupted but later resumed, still due to the same case of dispute, is treated as a continuation of the original action if the interruption does not exceed a month; beyond that period it is counted as a new case.

Stoppages of work arising from the same case of dispute, occurring simultaneously in different establishments of the same enterprise or in establishments of different enterprises, are counted as one. Those resulting from the same case of dispute but occurring at different times in different establishments of the same enterprise are also counted as one if the period between the stoppages does not last longer than 30 days. Those arising from the same case of dispute, occurring at different times in establishments of different enterprises are counted separately.

Workers involved

The number of workers involved refers to the largest number of workers involved on any one day of the strike. The number of part-time workers is converted to full-time equivalents, when the information is available.

Duration

Duration is measured in workdays from the date the strike began in the first economic unit involved to the date it terminated in the last one.

Time not worked

Total time or person-days not worked is measured in workdays by ascertaining the total amount of time not worked on each day of the stoppage, and summing these totals. The shorter working hours of part-time workers are taken into account, but overtime is not.

Classifications

Cause of dispute

Sixty-five categories are used, covering conditions of work or other labour-related issues.

Outcome of dispute

Branch of economic activity

Data are classified by branch of economic activity using the 1970 Standard Industrial Classification of Statistics Canada. There is no official procedure for classifying data on general strikes, which are very rare.

Reference period and periodicity

The statistics are compiled and published for periods of a month and a year. They refer to strikes and lockouts beginning during the particular reference period plus those continuing from the previous period.

Analytical measures

The percentage of total estimated time not worked is calculated by dividing the total number of days not worked as a result of work stoppages, by total worktime (time available to be worked) in the economy, excluding public holidays. This measure is used to compare the impact of work stoppages on the economy at different moments.

Historical background of the series

Not available.

Documentation

Series available

Not available.

Bibliographic references

Labour Canada: Collective bargaining review (monthly);

Idem: Press Release (annual, February-March).

Statistics Canada: Canadian Economic Observer (monthly).

Data published by the ILO

The number of strikes and lockouts, the number of workers involved and the number of days not worked, by economic activity.

Confidentiality

Not available.

International standards

Not available.

Methods of data collection

There is no legal obligation to report the occurrence of a strike or lockout. Information is obtained from: