Chapter 6: Strikes and lockouts
This section presents methodological descriptions of the national statistics of strikes and lockouts published by the ILO in the Yearbook of Labour Statistics. The format of each description is as follows:
Organization responsible for the statistics
The name of the national authority (or authorities) responsible for collecting the data and for compiling and publishing the statistics.Objectives and users
The main objectives of compiling the statistics and their principal users, as stated by the countries.Coverage
Strikes and lockouts: The types of strikes and lockouts covered by the statistics, such as constitutional or official, unofficial, political or protest, sympathetic and general or widespread strikes and lockouts, and any other forms of action due to labour disputes included in the statistics, e.g. sit-ins, working to rule, go-slows and overtime bans.
Minimum threshold: Where applicable, the minimum criteria used for including a strike or lockout in the statistics, generally in terms of duration, number of workers involved or amount of time not worked, or a combination of these.
Economic activities: The economic activities and sectors covered by the statistics, and any groups of activities or sectors excluded.
Workers: The types of workers covered; in addition to workers directly involved, they may include workers indirectly involved or those experiencing the secondary effects of strikes or lockouts.
Workers directly involved in a strike are generally those who participated directly by stopping work. Those directly involved in a lockout are those employees of the establishments involved who were directly concerned by the labour dispute and who were prevented from working by the lockout. Workers indirectly involved in a strike are those employees of the establishment involved, or self-employed workers in the group involved, who did not participate directly by stopping work but who were prevented from working because of the strike. Those indirectly involved in a lockout are those employees of the establishments involved who were not directly concerned by the labour dispute but who wre prevented from working by the lockout.
Categories of workers included in addition to regular, full-time paid employees, such as temporary, casual and seasonal workers, part-time workers, unpaid family workers and self-employed workers. The treatment of workers laid off or absent from the workplace at the time of the strike or lockout, or because they were on leave or absent for another reason. Any specific groups of workers or occupations not included.
Geographic areas: The geographic coverage of the statistics, i.e. the whole country or territory, and any areas excluded.
Other: Any other aspects limiting the coverage of the statistics, for example the types or sizes of establishments covered.
Types of data collected
The types of data collected by the national authority, under the following subheadings:a) number of strikes and lockouts;
b) number of establishments involved;
c) number of workers involved;
d) duration;
e) amount of time not worked ("time lost");
f) other.
Concepts and definitions
The national terms used in connection with statistics of strikes and lockouts, how they are defined and the sources of the definitions.Methods of measurement
Strikes and lockouts: The criteria applied in order to identify a single strike or lockout, and hence the number of workers involved, the duration, the amount of time not worked and other elements. The treatment of work stoppages due to the same labour dispute, occurring at the same time or at different times, in different establishments of the same enterprise or of different enterprises, as well as the treatment of strikes and lockouts that are interrupted but later resumed, still due to the same labour dispute, i.e. whether the resumption of the action is considered to be a continuation of the same strike or lockout or a new one.
Establishments: The method used to measure the number of establishments involved in a strike or lockout, and the definition of an establishment.
Workers involved: The method used to estimate the number of workers involved in a strike or lockout, and whether separate data are collected concerning workers involved directly and those involved indirectly. The treatment of part-time workers, where they are included, e.g. whether they are counted as individuals on the same basis as full-time workers.
Duration: The method used to measure the duration of a strike or lockout, including the treatment of any interruptions of the work stoppage, and details of the units of measure used, e.g. workdays, calendar days or workhours.
Time not worked ("time lost"): The method used to estimate the amount of time not worked as a result of a strike or lockout and the units of measure used, such as workdays, calendar days or workhours. Where relevant, the treatment of the shorter working hours of part-time workers and of overtime.
Classifications
The types and details of classifications used in the national statistics:a) cause of dispute;
b) outcome of dispute;
c) method of settlement;
d) economic activity;
e) occupational group;
f) number of establishments involved;
g) number of workers involved;
h) duration;
i) time not worked ("time lost");
j) other.
Reference period and periodicity
The reference period or periods for which the national statistics are compiled and published, such as a month, a quarter and a year. Whether the statistics refer to: (a) strikes and lockouts beginning during the reference period only, (b) strikes and lockouts beginning during the reference period plus those continuing from the previous period, or (c) strikes and lockouts terminating during the reference period.The periodicity with which the statistics are compiled and published.
Analytical measures
The types of analytical measures calculated using the data on strikes and lockouts, such as averages, distributions or rates.Historical background of the series
The origin of the series, including the starting date and the initial objectives of compiling the data. The date and nature of any major changes that have occurred (for example, in the coverage of the statistics, the concepts or classifications used).Documentation
Series available: a list of the major series appearing in the national publications.
Bibliographic references: the names of the national publications in which the statistics appear, as well as those in which methodological information is provided. Whether all the data are published and whether extracts can be made available either in printed form or on diskette, etc.
Data published by the ILO: the types of data furnished regularly to the ILO for publication in the Yearbook of Labour Statistics.
Confidentiality: any restrictions on the publication or release of the data, usually in the form of confidentiality rules or regulations.