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ECONOMIC INDICATORS Sources and Methods STATISTICS DIRECTORATE MAIN ECONOMIC INDICATORS Sources and Methods LABOUR AND WAGE STATISTICS APRIL 1997 ORGANISATION FOR ECONOMIC CO-OPERATION AND DEVELOPMENT Table of contents Page 1. Introduction.................................................................................................................................................. 5 2. Explanatory notes......................................................................................................................................... 9 Canada .....................................................................................................................................................10 Mexico......................................................................................................................................................23 United States.............................................................................................................................................31 Japan ........................................................................................................................................................43 Australia...................................................................................................................................................52 New Zealand.............................................................................................................................................63 Austria......................................................................................................................................................75 Belgium....................................................................................................................................................85 Czech Republic.........................................................................................................................................90 Denmark...................................................................................................................................................97 Finland ...................................................................................................................................................103 France.....................................................................................................................................................113 Germany.................................................................................................................................................124 Greece ....................................................................................................................................................134 Iceland....................................................................................................................................................139 Ireland ....................................................................................................................................................145 Italy ........................................................................................................................................................155 Luxembourg............................................................................................................................................162 Netherlands ............................................................................................................................................167 Norway ...................................................................................................................................................174 Portugal ..................................................................................................................................................182 Spain ......................................................................................................................................................190 Sweden ...................................................................................................................................................200 Switzerland.............................................................................................................................................208 Turkey ....................................................................................................................................................213 United Kingdom .....................................................................................................................................221 MAIN ECONOMIC INDICATORS SOURCES AND METHODS OECD © 3 April 1997 1. Introduction This publication contains detailed descriptions of MEI has expanded in response to the many changes the methodologies used by Member countries in the which have taken place in the labour market itself and compilation of key labour market indicators published in the statistics needed to measure newly emerging in Parts One and Two of OECD's Main Economic trends. Although a discussion on these issues is not Indicators (MEI) publication. The topics covered are usual in a publication dealing with the sources and employment, unemployment, wages and other labour methods of statistical indicators, its inclusion is felt indicators such as job vacancies, labour disputes, warranted as an effort 'to set the scene' for what has hours of work and unit labour cost. happened and for what might happen in the area of labour market statistics. To assist the reader in interpreting the data, the OECD has produced this Sources and Methods publi- cation, using a standard list of metadata items to fa- Labour Market Developments cilitate comparison of the different characteristics of The evolution of the labour market in the past two the national statistics regarding their coverage, defini- decades has been significant not only in terms of its tion, use of standards, data collection methods, data wide-ranging nature, but also in terms of the pace compilation and quality aspects. with which it has proceeded. Some statistical series, Methodological descriptions are presented for the for example the numbers of persons with temporary indicators of each country according to the principal work contracts, have been, or are being, produced in source of the statistics. These are: (i) establishment response to this new environment. However, meth- surveys, which are frequently the source for informa- odological and budgetary difficulties have prevented tion on employment, earnings and hours of work; all statistical gaps from being filled. Furthermore, (ii) household labour force surveys, which provide changes in the market are continuing and these will information on employment, unemployment and undoubtedly result in additional requirements for sta- hours of work; and (iii) administrative or other tistical measures. Outlined below are some of the sources, which are mainly used to compile unem- major factors at work within the area, influencing ployment, job vacancy and labour dispute statistics. present and future information needs. Given the trend Occasionally an indicator is derived from a combina- towards increased international co-ordination of pol- tion of these sources where, for example, an estab- icy initiatives, greater emphasis on internationally lishment survey and administrative data each provide comparable definitions and treatments should emerge. information on the subject covered. Additionally one The rise in unemployment and the associated ur- source may be used for projections of benchmark data gency for job creation programmes have highlighted obtained from other sources. the need for a wider range of statistics on unemploy- For each principal source, indicators are presented ment. A deeper insight is needed into the composi- according to the same categories and sub categories tion of unemployment (by age group, by gender, by used in Part Two of MEI. An asterisk flags those skill/education levels, etc.) and its duration (short- indicators which are included only in Part One of term versus long-term). There is also the need to MEI. The publication is up-to-date for the indicators accommodate within the statistics: (i) the concept of included in the April 1997 issue of MEI. 'underemployment' where persons in paid or self em- ployment are available for and seeking additional A sources and methods guide in this area was work, (ii) the concept of 'labour market withdrawal' published nearly twenty years ago1 and covered a where persons are discouraged from seeking work narrower range of subjects, albeit concentrating on the and who would, under present definitions, not be main indicators of employment, hours and wages. considered as unemployed; (iii) the concept of 'hid- Over the years, the range of indicators published in den unemployment' where persons are effectively unemployed but are, for example, enrolled in gov- 1 Sources and Methods: Employment, Hours and Wages (Paris, ernment employment or training schemes, or where OECD, 1978). the label ‘disabled’ has a different meaning in differ- ent countries. MAIN ECONOMIC INDICATORS 5 SOURCES AND METHODS OECD © April 1997 At the same time as the interest in the characteris- in the OECD region differ with respect to the use of tics of unemployment has increased, there have been such identifiers. The Nordic countries, for example, demands by analysts for a better measurement of the use official identifying numbers and Central Persons structure of the labour force. These demands relate to Registers,
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