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Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Costa Rica (RATIFICATION: 2001)

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The Committee notes the observations of the Costa Rican Federation of Chambers and Associations of Private Enterprise (UCCAEP), communicated with the Government’s report.
Article 3 of the Convention. Consultation of the social partners. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that the National Statistical Advisory Council (INEC) is a consultative body for the users of statistics and is composed of representatives of the public sector, employers, unions, and social, economic and academic institutions. The Government reports that, according to the minutes of the INEC meetings held between July 2012 and December 2017, the INEC did not address issues related to this Convention. The Government adds that the INEC is not functioning due to difficulties encountered in its constitution, but it is expected that it will be reconvened. In this regard, the Committee expresses the hope that theNational Statistical Advisory Council (INEC) will be reactivated and that tripartite consultations will be held on the subjects covered by the Convention. It reiterates its requests that the Government provide information on the content and the outcome of such consultations.
Articles 7 and 8.Scope of the basic labour statistics compiled. The Committee notes that statistics pertaining to these articles of the Convention are collected through the National Household Survey (ENAHO), and the Continuous Employment Survey (ECE) with the latest data available for 2022 at ILOSTAT. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government concerning statistics of underemployment, which are generated with the ECE providing quarterly results which are regularly published on the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC)’s website. As for the implementation of the Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (Resolution I), adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) (October 2013), the Government indicates that the required information is published by the INEC. The Committee notes, however, that some elements deviate from the international recommendations. In particular, regarding the measurement of unemployment, Costa Rica’s measurement extends to people who did not actively search for employment. The Government further indicates that many recommendations of the above ICLS Resolution had already been applied since the Household Survey Improvement Program (which ended in 2009), while other recommendations are in the process of being adopted within the framework of the Integrated Household Survey System Project. It adds that the implementation of the designed questionnaire is estimated for 2026, depending on the availability of budgetary resources. In view of the above, the Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to align its definition to the one adopted by the ICLS Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (2013) (Resolution I) and to provide information on any progress made in this regard.It also invites the Government to provide information on the effect given to the implementation of the Resolution concerning statistics on work relationships adopted by the 20th ICLS (2018) and the Resolution concerning statistics of the informal economy adopted by the 21st ICLS (2023).
Article 11. Statistics of labour cost. While noting that the Government has not provided statistical information on labour cost, the Committee requests the Government to indicate if this data is compiled at all and, if so, to submit the relevant statistics with the underlying methodology in its next report.
Article 14. Occupational injuries and diseases. The Committee notes that the Government indicates that the Occupational Health Council (CSO) collects and publishes information on occupational health statistics on its website. Since 2016, the CSO has annually presented the most important data on occupational accident statistics sent by the National Insurance Institute to the General Insurance Superintendency (SUGESE). These reports then complemented with information from other labour market data sources. The Committee notes with interest the information provided by the Government, including the relevant data with detailed methodological information. The Committee notes that, in its observations, the UCCAEP expresses its agreement with the proposed report. The Committee notes, however, that the most recent data on occupational injuries received by the Office through the annual questionnaire of the Department of Statistics are for 2016. The Committee therefore requests the Government to provide this information from 2016 for all years missing and to regularly submit this information to the ILO through the annual questionnaire of the ILO Department of Statistic, especially in view of the inclusion of “safe and healthy working environment” as a fundamental principle and right at work by the ILC under paragraph 2 of the ILO 1998 Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work at its 110th Session in June 2022.

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The Committee notes the Government’s report, the observations of the Costa Rican Federation of Chambers and Associations of Private Enterprise (UCCAEP) and of the Confederation of Workers Rerum Novarum (CTRN), received on 7 August and 3 September 2014. The Committee also notes the Government’s reply to the observations of the CTRN, received on 18 May 2015.
The Committee notes with interest the detailed information provided by the Government in reply to its direct request concerning the compilation of statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work (Article 9(2) of the Convention) and statistics of wage structure and distribution (Article 10). With regard to the compilation of statistics of labour cost (Article 11), the Committee notes that the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC) regularly completes the chapter on labour cost in the annual statistical questionnaire of the ILO Department of Statistics. With regard to statistics of household expenditure (Article 13), the Committee notes the information provided by the Government and the UCCEAP indicating that the findings of the latest National Survey of Household Income and Expenditure (ENIGH 2013) have been published. The Government also includes relevant statistics on strikes (Article 15). The Committee requests the Government to continue collaborating with the ILO by providing the labour statistics required by the Convention.
Article 3. Consultation of the social partners. The CTRN indicates that when the National Survey of Household Income and Expenditure 2004–05 was conducted, the representative organizations of employers and workers were not consulted. In its reply, the Government indicates that the 2004 and 2005 surveys were part of the Programme of Multipurpose Household Surveys (EHPM), and acknowledges that it has not been able to find the documentation on the consultations held with the social partners. The Government adds that, in the framework of the process of the methodological adjustment of the programme of the National Household Survey (ENAHO), the first survey of which was conducted in 2010, a communication and information strategy was followed which included workshops with representatives of employers’ chambers and workers’ organizations to inform them of the thematic scope of the ENAHO and the approach adopted to labour information needs. The INEC also took steps for the establishment and operation of the National Statistical Advisory Council, composed of representatives of the public sector, employers and unions. The Committee notes that the INEC’s advisory body was formally established in 2011. The Committee requests the Government to provide information on the activities of the National Statistical Advisory Council and the consultations held in practice on the subjects covered by the Convention.
Articles 7 and 8. Scope of the basic labour statistics compiled. The CTRN indicates that statistics of underemployment (both visible and invisible), which were previously available in INEC publications, are no longer disseminated. In its reply the Government explains that the term “visible underemployment” has been replaced by “underemployment resulting from insufficient hours”. This indicator is one of the basic indicators of the Continuous Employment Survey (ECE) available on the website of the INEC, disaggregated by geographical area and gender. With regard to invisible underemployment, the Government indicates that, in the form that it was calculated previously, this indicator did not demonstrate an underuse of the capacities of persons offering their labour, but expressed the inadequate earnings received by persons working the full day, because they did not receive the minimum wage. The Government explains that, with a view to achieving coherence between the measurement and the indicator, an indicator is calculated and disseminated that takes into account remuneration in relation to the hours worked, for which reason employed persons are classified on the basis of the earnings that they receive in comparison with the minimum wage. This indicator is also contained in the basic tables of the ECE, disaggregated by geographical area and gender, and can be consulted on the website of the INEC. The Committee notes that the ENAHO also compiles statistics on visible underemployment, which are communicated to the ILO through the annual questionnaire of the Department of Statistics. The Committee requests that the Government continue to provide statistics relating to underemployment. The Committee also invites the Government to provide information on the effect given to the Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (Resolution I), adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (October 2013).
Article 14. Occupational injuries and diseases. The Committee notes that the most recent data on occupational injuries received by the Office through the annual questionnaire of the Department of Statistics are for 2008. The Government indicates that the reports of the National Insurance Institute (INS) only cover cases of occupational injuries and diseases which have been submitted to it, without statistics being provided on the cases reported to the Costa Rica Social Security Fund (CCSS) or dealt with by the various private health services. The Committee notes that the statistics provided on the fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries reported each year from 2009 to 2014 are of limited coverage. The Committee recalls that Article 14 requires statistics of occupational injuries to be compiled in such a way as to be representative of the country as a whole. The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary measures to compile statistics of occupational injuries and occupational diseases. The Committee hopes that the Government will be in a position to provide the Office with updated information on the concepts and procedures used for the compilation of these statistics.

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The Committee takes note of the Government’s report received in September 2009, in reply to its previous comments as well as the documentation attached.

Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention in connection with Articles 5 and 6. According to the Government, the representative employers’ and workers’ organizations were to be consulted in the first quarter of 2010 to validate the final proposals for labour market research while the statistics on the economically active population, employment and unemployment, continue to be provided to the ILO for publication in the Yearbook of Labour Statistics and for dissemination in the ILO website. Moreover, according to the information available at the ILO, the next population census will be conducted in 2011. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would continue to supply data as soon as practicable.

Article 9(2). Referring to its previous request, the Committee notes with interest (though the report contains no relevant information), that this provision is now applied according to information available at the ILO showing that statistics of average wage rates and normal hours of work are compiled and have been transmitted to the ILO for publication in the October Inquiry (the latest data refer to 2008). The Committee asks the Government to keep the ILO informed of any developments of the “new” survey as indicated in the Government’s report and encourages it to continue to send to the ILO the statistics as soon as available. It draws to its attention the new international standards concerning the measurement of working time (see Resolution I adopted by the 18th International Conference of Labour Statisticians, accessible via http://ilo.org/global/What_we_do/
Statistics/standards/resolutions/lang--en/docName--WCMS_112455/index.htm, whose larger number of concepts and measures would seem to be better aligned to national practice).

Article 10. In reply to the Committee’s previous comment, the Government indicates that, as for Article 9, measures have been taken to investigate the distribution of wages and of hours of work, according to the guidelines contained in the Labour Statistics Recommendation, 1985 (No. 170), Paragraph 5(2)(b). The Committee understands that statistics on the distribution of wages have not yet been compiled. The Committee asks the Government to keep the ILO informed of any further developments relating to the distribution of wages and hours of work, according to the relevant guidelines contained in Recommendation No. 170.

Article 11. The Committee notes with regret that the Government does not plan to compile statistics of labour cost in the short run and normally derived from an establishment/employers’ survey or estimated on the basis of earnings surveys and administrative records. The Committee asks the Government to take steps to compile and publish statistics on the level and structure of labour cost, in accordance with the Resolution on Statistics of Labour Cost adopted by the 11th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (1966) and Paragraph 6 of Recommendation No. 170 and to keep the ILO informed of any development in this regard. The Committee asks the Government to ensure that these statistics cover important branches of economic activity and if possible, that they are consistent with data on employment and hours of work from the same source and of the same scope.

Article 13. The Committee notes that the Government has conducted Household Income and Expenditure Surveys in 1949, 1961, 1974, 1988 and 2004–05. The latest Survey (Encuesta nacional de ingresos y gastos 2004–05) was conducted in the period April 2004 to April 2005 on a sample of 5,520 dwellings distributed throughout the whole county. It also notes that additional information about living standard of the population, income distribution and poverty incidence is collected through the multipurpose household survey (Encuesta de hogares de propositos multiples) that is being conducted in July of each year. Referring to its previous request, the Committee also notes the information requested under Articles 2, 5 and 6. Noting, however, that the Government’s report does not provide the information requested on whether the representative organizations of employers and workers have been consulted for the 2004‑05 survey in designing or revising the concepts, definitions and methodology used in the collection, compilation and publication of the statistics required under Article 13, the Committee asks it to provide full information in this regard. It also points out that Household Income and Expenditure Surveys should be conducted with frequency not exceeding 5 years and asks the Government to keep the ILO informed about the plans to conduct the next round of Household Income and Expenditure Survey.

Article 14. It appears from the general information provided in the Government’s report, the statistics attached, and those regularly transmitted to the ILO for publication in the ILO Yearbook of Labour Statistics, that the provisions of this Article remain only partially applied. In 2007, the coverage of the statistics was limited to about 53 per cent of workers employed. Available information is insufficient to determine whether these data are representative of the country as a whole. Relevant information is needed regarding:

(a)   the international standards that may have been taken into account when the statistical system was established or revised (Article 2);

(b)   whether any employers’ or workers’ organizations were consulted (Article 3);

(c)   whether a methodological description has been established and published (Article 6); and

(d)   the methods used to compile statistics of occupational diseases, if any.

Consequently, the Committee asks the Government to provide information on:

–      the standards and guidelines established under the auspices of the ILO that were followed when the concepts, definitions and methodology used for the statistics on occupational injuries were designed or revised (Article 2);

–      the manner in which workers’ and employers’ organizations are consulted (Article 3);

–      to transmit to the ILO the publications entitled “Estadísticas del seguro de riesgos del trabajo”, INTE 31-09-01-2002: Registro, clasificación y estadistica de lesiones del trabajo and/or the titles and reference numbers of the principal publications containing the statistics and the detailed descriptions of the sources, concepts, definitions and methodology used in collecting and compiling the statistics on occupational injuries (Articles 5 and 6);

–      the measures that are planned, if any, to extend the coverage of the statistics of occupational injuries so that they are representative of the country as a whole;

–      the compilation and publication of statistics on occupational diseases, if any.

Article 15. In view of the total absence of statistics of strikes and lockouts as reported in the Government’s reply to its previous request, the Committee requests the Government to keep the ILO informed of any developments concerning the extent to which effect may be given to Article 15 in future, in order to supply statistics and relevant methodological information to the ILO for international dissemination, in view of its obligations under the relevant Articles 2, 3, 5 and 6.

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The Committee takes note of the Government’s first report. It notes with interest from the available information that Articles 7, 8, 9, paragraph 1, and 12 appear to be applied. It notes, however, that Articles 10, 14 and 15 are applied in part and that no measures appear to have been taken to give effect to Articles 9, paragraph 2; 11 and 13. It draws the Government’s attention to the following points.

Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention. Data from the labour survey. According to Article 3, in order to take account of their needs and to ensure their cooperation, the representative organizations of employers and workers must be consulted in the design or revision of the concepts, definitions and methodology used in the collection, compilation and publication of the statistics required under the Convention. The Government is requested to indicate the measures taken to give effect to this provision in the context of the survey on the economically active population.

Article 9. While noting that the basic requirements laid down in paragraph 1 of this Article are met as regards the statistics compiled on average monthly earnings and normal weekly hours of work (instead of hours actually worked or hours paid for) from the annual household survey, the Committee observes that statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work have not been compiled, as paragraph 2 of this Article requires. It accordingly requests the Government to provide information on the measures taken or envisaged to compile: (i) statistics of average hours of work (hours actually worked or hours paid for) classified according to sex and, if appropriate, to other important characteristics, following the guidelines given in Paragraph 3(1) and (2) of Recommendation No. 170, which supplements the Convention; and (ii) statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work, following the guidelines in Paragraph 4(1) of the same Recommendation.

Article 10. The Committee points out that this Article requires statistics to be compiled on the structure and distribution of wages, i.e. detailed data on the composition of earnings (such as basic pay, premium pay for overtime, remuneration for time not worked and bonuses and gratuities), and on the structure of hours actually worked or hours paid for, particularly in respect of normal working hours and overtime - following the guidelines in Paragraph 5(2)(b) of Recommendation No. 170. The Government is therefore requested to keep the Office informed of any measures taken or envisaged to ensure that such statistics will be compiled.

Article 11. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on any measures taken or envisaged to ensure that statistics of labour structure and cost are compiled and published in accordance with the resolution concerning statistics of labour cost adopted by the Eleventh International Conference of Labour Statisticians (1996) and Paragraph 6 of Recommendation No. 170. The Committee points out in this connection that these statistics should cover important branches of economic activity and, where possible, should be consistent with data on employment and hours of work, be drawn from the same source and have the same coverage.

Article 12. The Government is asked to specify the international standards and guidelines taken into consideration in applying this provision.

Article 13. The Committee notes that a new survey on household income and expenditure is under way for the period 2004-05, and hopes that the Government will take into account the latest international standards on the subject, adopted by the Seventeenth International Conference of Labour Statisticians (Article 2). It also hopes that the Government will not fail to consult the representative organizations of employers and workers (Article 3) and that relevant information on the survey will be sent in accordance with Articles 5 and 6 of the Convention.

Article 14. The Committee would be grateful if the Government would provide information on the standards and guidelines established under the auspices of the ILO that were followed in designing or revising the concepts, definitions and methodology used for the statistics on occupational injuries (Article 2). Please indicate the manner in which the representative organizations of employers and workers are consulted (Article 3), and provide the ILO with a copy of the publication Estadisticas seguro de riesgos del trabajo and/or the title and reference number of the main publication containing the statistics and detailed descriptions of the sources, concepts, definitions and methodology used in collecting and compiling statistics of occupational injuries (Articles 5 and 6), together with any available information on the measures envisaged to extend the coverage of statistics on occupational injuries so that they are representative of the country as a whole, and information on the compilation and publication of any statistics of occupational diseases.

Article 15. The Committee asks the Government to provide information on the standards and guidelines established under the auspices of the ILO that were followed in designing or revising the concepts, definitions and methodology used for the statistics on strikes and lockouts (Article 2).

Lastly, the Government is asked to indicate the manner in which employers’ and workers’ organizations are consulted (Article 3) and to indicate the title and reference number of the principal publication containing the statistics and detailed descriptions of the sources, concepts and methodology used for the collection and compilation of statistics on strikes and lockouts (Articles 5 and 6).

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