Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1994, published 81st ILC session (1994)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Czechia (Ratification: 1993)

The Committee notes that the Czech Republic has decided to continue to be bound by the obligations accepted in respect of Convention No. 160 which was ratified in 1988 by the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic.

The Committee has examined the information supplied in 1991 and 1992 by the Government of the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic (hereinafter "the Federal Government") in its first and subsequent reports. It requests the Government of the Czech Republic ("the Government") to indicate any modification to the legislation or to the system of labour statistics concerning the application of the Convention. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide, in particular, information on the following points.

Article 2 of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to provide information, for each of the Articles of Part II of the Convention, on the progress made in following the latest international standards and guidelines and on the reasons for any departures from them. With regard in particular to the new classification of occupations and classification of economic activities (which were planned to be introduced as from January 1992, according to the Federal Government), the Committee asks the Government: (i) to indicate whether these classifications are actually already in use and, if so, to provide their copies and further information on their application; (ii) to confirm that the classification of occupations is based on ISCO-88 (and not ISCO-68); and (iii) to specify whether the classification of economic activities is based on ISIC-68 (Rev.2) or ISIC (Rev.3).

Article 3. The Committee has noted the Federal Government's reference to existing laws and regulations concerning consultation and cooperation with the employers' and workers' organizations. Please provide more precise information on the manner in which state statistical services consult these organizations.

Article 7. The Committee requests the Government to indicate whether the labour force survey programme (which was envisaged by the Federal Government) has already been launched and, if so, to communicate to the ILO the published statistics (in accordance with Article 5) and methodological descriptions (in accordance with Article 6) on this survey with regard to statistics of the economically active population (and its employment and unemployment component).

Article 9, paragraph 1. The Committee notes from the Federal Government's report that the existing statistics of average earnings are limited to state sector enterprises and national economy cooperatives with 100 employees or more, and that the data on average hours actually worked are also limited to wage-earners in the manufacturing industry, construction, agriculture and forestry, transport and communications. Please supply information on the restructuring of the system of wage statistics, particularly on the proposed coverage (including small-scale enterprises and the private sector), and indicate whether it will permit the compilation of data of hours actually worked or paid for in respect of all important categories of employees and all important branches of economic activity. The Committee would appreciate complementary information on any changes in coverage, and in periodicity of the statistics of average earnings and hours actually worked. It would be grateful to receive also a copy of the Statistical Office's Instructions on statistical reporting, covering both state and private enterprises (mentioned in the Government's report).

Article 9, paragraph 2. The Committee has noted the Federal Government's indication that statistics of time rates and normal hours of work have not been compiled since they were fixed by law. Please indicate whether it is proposed to take measures to compile statistics of wage rates and normal hours of work.

Article 10. The Committee notes that statistics of wage structure and distribution are compiled for wage-earners and salaried employees in state industrial enterprises only, excluding data on other branches of economic activity (the "non-production sphere") and on enterprises with less than 100 employees. Please provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to collect, compile and publish such statistics, covering all employees in important branches of economic activity.

Article 11. The Committee notes with interest that, although this Article was excluded from the acceptance of obligations of the Convention, statistics of "wage costs and other personnel costs" are compiled and published and that, according to the information available in the Office, it is now envisaged to introduce statistics of labour cost along the lines of the Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT) labour cost survey. It requests the Government to continue reporting on this matter in accordance with Article 16, paragraph 4.

Article 14. The Committee requests the Government to communicate to the International Labour Office the published statistics covered by this Article (in accordance with Article 5), as well as a detailed description of the sources, concepts, definitions and methodology used in collecting and compiling these statistics (in accordance with Article 6(b)). It hopes that clarification will be given on the following points in particular: (i) concerning data collection: to whom does the organizational unit report? Which organization is responsible for data collection and its compilation? What, if any, is the role of the Czech Occupational Safety Office in this process? (ii) concerning the coverage of statistics: what limitations in coverage might there be (size of enterprise, insurance, sector, etc.), and which organizations or enterprises, if any, might not be covered by these statistics?