Trinidad and Tobago

Organization responsible for the statistics

The statistics are collected and compiled by the Ministry of Labour, and published by the Central Statistical Office.

Objectives and users

Not available.

Coverage

Strikes and lockouts

The statistics cover: Since January 1989, sit-ins or sit-down strikes may be included in the statistics as illegal work stoppages.

Political or protest strikes are not included, nor are go-slows, working to rule, sick-outs or overtime bans.

Minimum threshold None.

Economic activities

No particular branches of economic activity or sectors are excluded.

Workers

Workers directly involved only. As well as regular paid employees, including part-time workers, the statistics cover temporary, casual and seasonal workers and unpaid family workers. Workers laid off and those 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 cessation of work, a refusal to work, to continue to work or to take up work by workers acting in concert or in accordance with a common understanding or other concerted activity on the part of workers in contemplation or in furtherance of a trade dispute except that the expression does not include action commonly known as a sit-down strike, go-slow or sick-out.

Lockout

The closing of a place of employment, or the suspension of work by an employer, or the refusal by an employer to employ or to continue to employ any number of workers employed by him, done with a view to induce or compel workers employed by him to agree to terms and conditions affecting employment, but does not include the closing of a place of employment for the protection of property or person therein.

These definitions come from the Industrial Relations Act, Chap.88:01, (July 1972, amended).

Methods of measurement

Strikes and lockouts

The basic unit of measurement used to record a strike or lockout is the economic unit (the establishment). The resumption of a strike or lockout that is interrupted but later begins again, still due to the same case of dispute, 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 enterprise, are counted as one strike or lockout. Those due to the same case of dispute, occurring at different times in different establishments of the same enterprise are counted as new strikes or lockouts each time they occur. Work stoppages arising from the same case of dispute, and occurring either simultaneously or at different times in establishments of different enterprises are counted as separate strikes or lockouts.

Economic units involved

The economic unit is the establishment, defined as the unit in a single location and under the control of one management which can be clearly recognized as being engaged in a clearly identifiable form of economic activity.

Workers involved

The number of workers involved is the number of posts that are temporarily unoccupied on each separate day of the strike or lockout as a result of the said action. 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 to the date it terminated in the economic unit involved.

Time not worked

Total time not worked is measured in workdays, by ascertaining the total amount of time not worked on each day of the strike or lockout and summing these totals. The shorter working hours of part-time workers are not taken into account, nor is overtime.

Classifications

Branch of economic activity

The statistics are classified by branch of economic activity using the International Standard Industrial Classification of all Economic Activities.

Time not worked

Reference period and periodicity

The statistics are compiled for periods of a month, a quarter and a year, and are 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

for each industry as a proportion of the total for all industries.

Historical background of the series

Not available.

Documentation

Series available

Not available.

Bibliographic references

Central Statistical Office: Annual Statistical Digest.

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. However, when an employer or a recognized majority union intends to take action, as a result of a trade dispute over an interest issue, the law requires that notice of such intended action be given to the other party and to the Ministry of Labour. An interest dispute is defined as a dispute over the creation and alteration of the terms of employment.

Information on strikes and lockouts is obtained through direct enquiry following the event.