Convention concerning Statistics of Wages and Hours of Work, 1938 (No. 63) - Nicaragua (Ratification: 1981)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2022, published 111st ILC session (2023)

Articles 1 and 5 of the Convention. Compilation, publication and communication of statistics relating to wages and hours of work. The Committee notes that, according to the information provided by the Government, there have been no changes during the reporting period affecting the application of Part I of the Convention. In addition, the Committee notes that, from the information available to the ILO Department of Statistics (ILOSTAT), the main sources of statistics on wages and hours of work are the Monthly Survey on Employment and Wages in Formal Sector Establishments (Encuesta Mensual de Empleo y Salario en Establecimientos del Sector Formal) and the Continuous Household Survey (Encuesta Continua de Hogares), both of which are carried out by the National Institute of Development Information (Instituto Nacional de Información de Desarrollo – INIDE). Statistics and methodological information derived from these surveys are available on the INIDE website. The Committee further notes that statistics on working time and earnings of employees are submitted to ILOSTAT via its annual questionnaire on labour statistics, albeit not with steady regularity. The latest statistics on working time received by these means refer to 2014, while those on earnings refer to 2013. The Committee notes that statistics of average earnings and hours actually worked are compiled through the abovementioned surveys; however, only highly summarized statistical information on wages by economic activity is available on the INIDE Website. Statistics on average earnings disaggregated by sex and economic activity (including separately for mining, manufacturing and construction) are submitted to ILOSTAT via its annual questionnaire, for dissemination on its website. However, the latest such statistics refer to 2014. The Committee notes that statistics on hours actually worked by employees by economic activity (including separately for mining, manufacturing and construction) are not widely disseminated online, and the latest such statistics received by ILOSTAT refer to 2012. Similarly, statistics on average wages disaggregated by sex and economic activity (including separately for the agricultural sector) are submitted to ILOSTAT, but the latest such statistics refer to 2012, as is the case for the latest statistics provided to ILOSTAT on hours actually worked by employees in the agriculture sector. In addition, only highly summarized statistical information on these points is provided through the INIDE website. The Committee requests the Government to make efforts to ensure the updated and then regular provision of current statistics disaggregated by economic activity and sex on both average earnings and hours of work, as well as on working time and earnings of employees, to ILOSTAT through its annual questionnaire on labour statistics.

The Committee recalls that the ILO Governing Body, at its 334th Session, (October–November 2018), on the recommendation of the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group, confirmed the classification of the Convention concerning Statistics of Wages and Hours of Work, 1938 (No. 63) as an outdated instrument. The Governing Body therefore placed an item on the agenda of the 113th Session of the International Labour Conference (2024) for the consideration of its abrogation or withdrawal; however, the Committee notes that the postponement of the 2020 Conference due to the COVID-19 pandemic may impact on the session numbers or dates of the Conferences at which these Conventions will be considered for abrogation or withdrawal. The Governing Body requested the Office to undertake follow-up action to actively encourage the ratification of up-to-date instruments concerning labour statistics. The Committee therefore encourages the Government to follow-up the Governing Body’s decision at its 334th Session (October–November 2018) approving the recommendations of the Standards Review Mechanism Tripartite Working Group, and to consider ratifying the Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160), as the most up-to-date instrument in this subject area.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2015, published 105th ILC session (2016)

Articles 1 and 5 of the Convention. Compilation, publication and communication of statistics relating to wages and hours of work. The Committee notes that, from the information available to the ILO Department of Statistics, the main sources of statistics on wages and hours of work are the Monthly Survey on Employment and Wages in Formal Sector Establishments (Encuesta Mensual de Empleo y Salario a Establecimientos del Sector Formal) and the Continuous Household Survey (Encuesta Continua de Hogares). The latest statistics on working time received by the ILO Department of Statistics, via its annual questionnaire on labour statistics, refer to 2010, while statistics on earnings have been received for 2009, 2010 and 2013. In that regard, the Committee notes that statistics on average earnings disaggregated by sex and economic activity (compiled separately for mining, manufacturing and construction) for 2014 were provided by the Government in its report. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide on a regular basis updated and disaggregated statistics on average earnings and hours of work.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Articles 1 and 5 of the Convention. Compilation, publication and communication of statistics relating to wages and hours of work. The Committee takes note of the Government’s report which was received at the ILO on 31 August 2010. In its previous comments, the Committee had noted that all of the statistics required by the Convention had been compiled, published and transmitted to the ILO, including the statistics on hours worked, required under Article 5. The Committee notes that the latest report by the Government does not contain any new information concerning statistics on hours of work and/or wages. Furthermore, while the required information was regularly provided to the ILO in the past, no updates regarding statistics of average hours actually worked have been supplied since 2006 (the latest available data refer to 2002). Given the above, the Committee requests the Government to supply to the ILO updated statistics on both hours of work and wages as soon as these data become available.

In this regard, the Committee draws the Government’s attention to Resolution I adopted by the 18th International Conference of Labour Statisticians concerning the measurement of working time. This document defines new concepts and measures in this area of statistics and can be accessed at the following link: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---stat/documents/normativeinstrument/wcms_112455.pdf.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2005, published 95th ILC session (2006)

Referring to its previous comments, the Committee notes that all of the statistics required by the Convention have been compiled, published and transmitted to the ILO, including the statistics on hours worked, required under Article 5 of the Convention. Given the nature of the statistics that it transmits to the ILO on a regular basis, the Committee ventures to propose that the Government consider the possibility of ratifying Convention No. 160.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

1. Further to its previous direct request, the Committee notes that all the required information has been made available to the ILO, including replies to the questions raised previously.

2. The Committee notes that the information provided does not cover the compilation of statistics of average hours of work (actually worked or paid for) in accordance with Article 5 of the Convention. The Committee requests the Government to indicate any progress made in this regard.

3. The Committee also asks the Government to state the name of the national publication(s) in which the data appear, as this information has not been available.

4. The Committee further notes that, in its report, the Government points out the difficulty of conducting such an enterprise survey. Information depends on the goodwill of employers who may feel overburdened by this task or find it difficult to answer. The Government considers that a statistical law which would make survey response compulsory and protect confidentiality would certainly improve statistical data collection. The Committee requests the Government to indicate any measures taken to overcome such difficulties.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1993, published 80th ILC session (1993)

1. The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's report concerning the new monthly wages statistics system. It requests the Government to supply further information on this system, referring in particular to the following points:

(a) the organization responsible for the survey;

(b) the publication in which the results appear;

(c) the coverage of the survey (in particular, the types and sizes of establishments covered, workers covered, activities covered);

(d) whether it is a census of establishments or conducted on a sample basis; and, if the latter, the sample frame and sample size;

(e) the definition of earnings used.

2. The Committee also asks the Government to indicate the measures that have been taken or that it contemplates taking in order to compile statistics of average hours of work (as required in Part II of the Convention), and statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work (as required in Part III).

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1988, published 75th ILC session (1988)

The Committee notes the information contained in the Government's report concerning the methods employed for the compilation of statistics on wages (Parts II and IV of the Convention) and for the compilation of statistics on average hours of work, time rates of wages and normal hours of work (Parts II, III and IV of the Convention). The Committee would be grateful if the Government would indicate the measures that have been taken or that it contemplates taking in order to:

1. Compile information on allowances in kind, where these form a substantial part of the total remuneration of the wage earners employed; compile separate figures for males and females, adults and juveniles; and compile index numbers for average earnings (Part II).

2. Compile statistics on average hours of work (Parts II and IV of the Convention) and statistics on time rates of wages and normal hours of work (Part III).