Norway

Organization responsible for the statistics

The statistics are based on information collected by the Confederation of Norwegian Business and Industry, the Norwegian Federation of Trade Unions and other trade unions, and are compiled and published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (Statistisk Sentralbyrå).

Objectives and users

Not available.

Coverage

Strikes and lockouts

The statistics cover: Working to rule, go-slows, overtime bans and sit-ins are not included.

Minimum threshold Duration of at least one day.

Economic activities

No particular branches of economic activity or sectors are excluded.

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.

No particular occupational groups are excluded.

Geographic areas

Whole country.

Types of data collected

Concepts and definitions

Strike

A temporary work stoppage wilfully effected by a group or groups of workers.

Lockout

A temporary work stoppage wilfully effected by one or more employers.

These are working definitions for statistical purposes, based on the Industrial Relations Act and labour law.

Methods of measurement

Strikes and lockouts

The basic unit of measurement used to record a strike or lockout is the case of dispute. The continuation of a strike or lockout that is interrupted but later resumes, still due to the same case of dispute, is considered to be the same strike or lockout if the period of interruption does not exceed two months. Beyond that delay, it is counted as a new strike or lockout.

Work stoppages arising from the same case of dispute, occurring simultaneously in different establishments of the same or different enterprises, are counted as one strike or lockout. Those resulting from the same case of dispute, but occurring at different times in different establishments of the same or different enterprises, are counted as one strike or lockout if the period between stoppages does not exceed two months. Beyond that delay, they are counted separately.

Workers involved

The number of workers involved is the average of the number of daily absences during the period of the strike or lockout. 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 work stoppage began in the first economic unit involved up to the date it terminated in the last one.

Time not worked

Total time not worked, in workdays, is the product of the number of workers involved (those directly involved only) and the duration. The shorter working hours of part-time workers are not taken into account, as part-time workers are counted as individuals, nor is overtime.

Classifications

Branch of economic activity

The statistics are classified by branch of economic activity using ISIC. In the case of general strikes, the number of workers involved and the amount of time not worked are apportioned to the various branches of economic activity involved in cooperation with workers' and employers' organizations.

Duration

(in workdays)

Time not worked

(in workdays)

Reference period and periodicity

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

Analytical measures

None.

Historical background of the series

Not available.

Documentation

Series available

Not available.

Bibliographic references

Arbeitsdirektoratet: Arbeidsmarkedsstatistikk (annual).

Statistisk Sentralbyrå: Statistical Yearbook of Norway.

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.