Spain

Organization responsible for the statistics

The statistics are collected by the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social (MTSS) on the basis of data supplied by the competent labour authorities, and are compiled and published by the MTSS.

Objectives and users

Not available.

Coverage

Strikes and lockouts

The statistics cover: Sit-ins and working to rule are not included.

Minimum threshold Duration of at least one hour.

Economic activities

Up to 1988, civil servants working in public administrations did not have the right to strike and were not therefore included in the statistics. Members of the armed forces or military establishments are forbidden by law to strike.

Workers

Workers directly involved only. In addition to regular paid employees, including part-time workers, the statistics cover temporary, casual and seasonal workers. Unpaid family workers, workers laid off and workers absent on sick or annual leave or absent for any other reason are not included.

Students and consumers are excluded.

Geographic areas

Whole country.

Other

Up to 1985, data for the Basque country were included in the statistics for all industries together, but not in the individual major industry divisions. From 1986 onwards, no data for the Basque country have been included in the statistics. Data for Cataluna were excluded from 1983 to 1985; they have been included since 1986.

Types of data collected

Concepts and definitions

Strike

A temporary work stoppage decided on by workers or their representatives without the agreement of the employers. This term is also used for a work stoppage where the responsible party is not necessarily identified or separately distinguished (the most significant case being that of general strike).

Lockout

A temporary work stoppage decided on by one or more employers, as a result of a dispute with workers.

These terms are included in the Real Decreto Ley de Relaciones Laborales, although the definitions given in this Decree are not exactly the same as those given above.

Methods of measurement

Strikes and lockouts

The basic unit of measurement used to record a strike or lockout is the case of dispute. The resumption of a strike or lockout that was interrupted but later recommenced, still due to the same case of dispute, is counted as a new strike or lockout if a new notice of strike or lockout has been issued.

Work stoppages arising from the same case of dispute, occurring simultaneously in establishments of the same or different enterprises, are counted as one strike or lockout (with an indication of the number of workplaces involved). Those resulting from the same case of dispute but occurring at different times in establishments of the same or different enterprises are counted separately, according to the number of strike or lockout notices issued.

Economic units involved

The economic unit is the workplace (establishment, local workplace), defined as the productive unit (workshop, factory, warehouse, mine, office, etc.), located in a geographically isolated area with auxiliary units dependent upon it in the vicinity, and in which one or several persons work for the same enterprise.

Workers involved

The number of workers involved is the maximum number of workers that took part during the course of the stoppage, even if some workers participated for only part of the duration. Part-time workers are counted as individuals on the same basis as full-time workers.

Duration

The duration is measured in workdays from the date the strike or lockout began in the first economic unit involved to the date it terminated in the last one.

Time not worked

Total time not worked, measured in workdays, is the sum of total time not worked on each day of the stoppage. The shorter working hours of part-time workers are not taken into account, nor is overtime.

Classifications

Cause of dispute

Outcome of dispute

Method of settlement

Branch of economic activity

The data collected are classified by branch of economic activity using a national classification at a 2-digit level, based on NACE. Sectoral strikes (huelgas de sector) are classified according to the branch of economic activity with the highest employment. The scope of a general strike goes beyond that of a sectoral strike. General strikes are not classified under the individual industries involved, but are attributed to one particular branch.

Number of economic units involved

Number of workers involved

Duration

(in workdays)

Time not worked

(in workdays)

Other

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

Average number of:

Historical background of the series

Not available.

Documentation

Series available

Not available.

Bibliographic references

Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social: Boletín de Estadísticas Laborales (monthly);

Idem: Estadística de Huelgas y Cierres Patronales (annual);

Idem: Anuario de Estadísticas Laborales (annual).

Data published by the ILO

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

A new series began in 1986, with a revised methodology. The former series was interrupted at the end of 1985.

Confidentiality

Not available.

International standards

Not available.

Methods of data collection

The party responsible for initiating the action (workers, association, etc.) is required by law to announce the occurrence of a strike or lockout to the competent labour authority: the Ministerio de Trabajo y Seguridad Social or the autonomous community. Subsequently, the competent labour authority uses a questionnaire to collect information about the strike or lockout. The information to be provided concerns the objectives of the strike or lockout, the steps taken to settle dispute, the date it began, and the composition of the strike committee.