Preamble

The General Conference of the Internat(i)onal Labour Organ(i)sat(i)on,

Hav(i)ng been convened at Geneva by the Govern(i)ng Body of the Internat(i)onal Labour Off(i)ce, and hav(i)ng met (i)n (i)ts Seventy-f(i)rst Sess(i)on on 7 June 1985, and

Recogn(i)s(i)ng the need for rel(i)able labour stat(i)st(i)cs both (i)n developed and (i)n develop(i)ng countr(i)es, part(i)cularly for the purposes of plann(i)ng and mon(i)tor(i)ng soc(i)al and econom(i)c progress, as well as for (i)ndustr(i)al relat(i)ons,

Hav(i)ng dec(i)ded upon the adopt(i)on of certa(i)n proposals w(i)th regard to the rev(i)s(i)on of the Convent(i)on concern(i)ng Stat(i)st(i)cs of Wages and Hours of Work, 1938 (No. 63), wh(i)ch (i)s the f(i)fth (i)tem on the agenda of the sess(i)on, and

Hav(i)ng determ(i)ned that these proposals shall take the form of a Recommendat(i)on supplement(i)ng the Labour Stat(i)st(i)cs Convent(i)on, 1985,

adopts th(i)s twenty-f(i)fth day of June of the year one thousand n(i)ne hundred and e(i)ghty-f(i)ve, the follow(i)ng Recommendat(i)on, wh(i)ch may be c(i)ted as the Labour Stat(i)st(i)cs Recommendat(i)on, 1985:

1. Bas(i)c Labour Stat(i)st(i)cs

Stat(i)st(i)cs of the Econom(i)cally Act(i)ve Populat(i)on, Employment, Unemployment and Underemployment

1.

(1) Current stat(i)st(i)cs of the econom(i)cally act(i)ve populat(i)on, employment, where relevant unemployment, and where poss(i)ble v(i)s(i)ble underemployment should be comp(i)led at least once a year.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should be class(i)f(i)ed accord(i)ng to sex and, where poss(i)ble, age group and branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty.

2.

(1) W(i)th a v(i)ew to meet(i)ng long-term needs for deta(i)led analys(i)s and for benchmark purposes, stat(i)st(i)cs of the structure and d(i)str(i)but(i)on of the econom(i)cally act(i)ve populat(i)on should be comp(i)led at least once every ten years.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should be class(i)f(i)ed at least accord(i)ng to sex, age group, occupat(i)onal group or level of qual(i)f(i)cat(i)ons, branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty, geograph(i)cal area and status (i)n employment (such as employer, own-account worker, employee, unpa(i)d fam(i)ly worker, member of producers' co-operat(i)ve).

Stat(i)st(i)cs of Wages and Hours of Work

3.(1) Current stat(i)st(i)cs of average earn(i)ngs and hours of work (hours actually worked or hours pa(i)d for) should be comp(i)led at least once a year.

(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should be class(i)f(i)ed at least accord(i)ng to branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty and sex, where relevant accord(i)ng to s(i)ze of establ(i)shment and geograph(i)cal area and, where poss(i)ble, age group and occupat(i)onal group or level of qual(i)f(i)cat(i)ons.

4. (1) Where appropr(i)ate, current stat(i)st(i)cs of t(i)me rates of wages and normal hours of work should be comp(i)led at least once a year.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should be class(i)f(i)ed at least accord(i)ng to branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty and, where relevant, accord(i)ng to sex, age group, occupat(i)on or occupat(i)onal group or level of qual(i)f(i)cat(i)ons, s(i)ze of establ(i)shment and geograph(i)cal area. 

5.(1) W(i)th a v(i)ew to meet(i)ng long-term needs for deta(i)led analys(i)s and for benchmark purposes, stat(i)st(i)cs of wage structure and d(i)str(i)but(i)on should be comp(i)led at regular (i)ntervals, (i)f poss(i)ble once every f(i)ve years.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should prov(i)de - 

• (a) data on earn(i)ngs and hours of work (hours actually worked or hours pa(i)d for) class(i)f(i)ed at least accord(i)ng to sex, age group, occupat(i)on or occupat(i)onal group or level of qual(i)f(i)cat(i)ons, branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty, s(i)ze of establ(i)shment and geograph(i)cal area;
• (b) deta(i)led data on the compos(i)t(i)on of earn(i)ngs (such as bas(i)c pay, prem(i)um pay for overt(i)me, remunerat(i)on for t(i)me not worked and bonuses and gratu(i)t(i)es) and of hours of work (hours actually worked or hours pa(i)d for); and
• (c) data on the d(i)str(i)but(i)on of employees accord(i)ng to levels of earn(i)ngs and hours of work (hours actually worked or hours pa(i)d for), class(i)f(i)ed accord(i)ng to (i)mportant character(i)st(i)cs of employees, such as sex and age group.

6.(1) W(i)th a v(i)ew to meet(i)ng long-term needs, stat(i)st(i)cs of labour cost should be comp(i)led at least once every f(i)ve years.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should prov(i)de data on the level and compos(i)t(i)on of labour cost, class(i)f(i)ed accord(i)ng to branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty.

Consumer Pr(i)ce Ind(i)ces

7.(1) A general consumer pr(i)ce (i)ndex should be computed and publ(i)shed for s(i)gn(i)f(i)cant populat(i)on groups or for the total populat(i)on, cover(i)ng all groups of consumpt(i)on (i)tems.
(2) Consumer pr(i)ce (i)nd(i)ces should be publ(i)shed separately for (i)mportant groups of consumpt(i)on (i)tems, such as food, dr(i)nk and tobacco; cloth(i)ng and footwear; hous(i)ng; fuel and l(i)ght(i)ng; and other s(i)gn(i)f(i)cant categor(i)es.

8. The consumer pr(i)ce (i)nd(i)ces should be computed and publ(i)shed, (i)f poss(i)ble once a month, but at least once every three months.

9. The we(i)ghts used to compute the consumer pr(i)ce (i)nd(i)ces should be rev(i)ewed at least once every ten years, and adjusted when s(i)gn(i)f(i)cant changes (i)n the consumpt(i)on patterns are revealed.

10. The pr(i)ces used to compute the consumer pr(i)ce (i)nd(i)ces should be representat(i)ve of the respect(i)ve purchas(i)ng hab(i)ts (for example, regard(i)ng outlets and the nature and qual(i)ty of art(i)cles) of the populat(i)on groups concerned.

Stat(i)st(i)cs of Household Expend(i)ture and Household Income

11. (1) Stat(i)st(i)cs of household expend(i)ture or, where appropr(i)ate, fam(i)ly expend(i)ture and, where poss(i)ble, household (i)ncome or, where appropr(i)ate, fam(i)ly (i)ncome, should be comp(i)led at least once every ten years.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should prov(i)de, (i)nter al(i)a, (i)n respect of households or fam(i)l(i)es as the case may be - 

• (a) deta(i)led data on expend(i)ture;
• (b) where poss(i)ble, deta(i)led data on (i)ncome accord(i)ng to level and source of (i)ncome;
• (c) deta(i)led data on the(i)r compos(i)t(i)on, accord(i)ng to sex, age group and other s(i)gn(i)f(i)cant character(i)st(i)cs of the(i)r members; and
• (d) data on expend(i)ture and, where poss(i)ble, (i)ncome, class(i)f(i)ed accord(i)ng to the(i)r s(i)ze and type, expend(i)ture class and, where poss(i)ble, (i)ncome class. Stat(i)st(i)cs of Occupat(i)onal Injur(i)es and Occupat(i)onal D(i)seases

12. (1) Stat(i)st(i)cs of occupat(i)onal (i)njur(i)es should be comp(i)led at least once a year.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should be class(i)f(i)ed at least accord(i)ng to branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty and, as far as poss(i)ble, accord(i)ng to s(i)gn(i)f(i)cant character(i)st(i)cs of employees (such as sex, age group and occupat(i)on or occupat(i)onal group or level of qual(i)f(i)cat(i)ons) and of establ(i)shments.

13. (1) As far as poss(i)ble, stat(i)st(i)cs of occupat(i)onal d(i)seases should be comp(i)led at least once a year.
(2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should be class(i)f(i)ed at least accord(i)ng to branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty and, as far as poss(i)ble, accord(i)ng to s(i)gn(i)f(i)cant character(i)st(i)cs of employees (such as sex, age group and occupat(i)on or occupat(i)onal group or level of qual(i)f(i)cat(i)ons) and of establ(i)shments.

Stat(i)st(i)cs of Industr(i)al D(i)sputes

14. (1) Stat(i)st(i)cs of (i)ndustr(i)al d(i)sputes should be comp(i)led at least once a year.

• (2) These stat(i)st(i)cs should be class(i)f(i)ed at least accord(i)ng to branch of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty.

Stat(i)st(i)cs of Product(i)v(i)ty

15. Stat(i)st(i)cs of product(i)v(i)ty should be progress(i)vely developed and comp(i)led cover(i)ng (i)mportant branches of econom(i)c act(i)v(i)ty.

II. Stat(i)st(i)cal Infrastructure

16. For the purposes of collect(i)ng and comp(i)l(i)ng the labour stat(i)st(i)cs (i)n pursuance of Part I of th(i)s Recommendat(i)on, Members should progress(i)vely develop the appropr(i)ate nat(i)onal stat(i)st(i)cal (i)nfrastructure. The major elements of such an (i)nfrastructure should (i)nclude - 

• (a) a comprehens(i)ve and up-to-date reg(i)ster of establ(i)shments or enterpr(i)ses for the purposes of surveys or censuses; such a reg(i)ster should be suff(i)c(i)ently deta(i)led to perm(i)t the select(i)on of samples of establ(i)shments or enterpr(i)ses;
• (b) a co-ord(i)nated system for the (i)mplementat(i)on of surveys or censuses of establ(i)shments or enterpr(i)ses;
• (c) a capab(i)l(i)ty for the (i)mplementat(i)on of a cont(i)nuous and co-ord(i)nated ser(i)es of nat(i)onal surveys of households or (i)nd(i)v(i)duals; and
• (d) access for stat(i)st(i)cal purposes, w(i)th appropr(i)ate safeguards for the(i)r conf(i)dent(i)al use, to adm(i)n(i)strat(i)ve records (such as those of employment serv(i)ces, soc(i)al secur(i)ty bod(i)es, labour (i)nspect(i)on serv(i)ces).

17. Members should establ(i)sh appropr(i)ate nat(i)onal standard class(i)f(i)cat(i)ons, and should encourage and co-ord(i)nate the observance as far as poss(i)ble of these class(i)f(i)cat(i)ons by all bod(i)es concerned.

18. Members should take the necessary steps to harmon(i)se the stat(i)st(i)cs comp(i)led (i)n pursuance of th(i)s Recommendat(i)on from d(i)fferent sources and by d(i)fferent bod(i)es.

19. (1) In des(i)gn(i)ng or rev(i)s(i)ng the concepts, def(i)n(i)t(i)ons and methodology used (i)n the collect(i)on, comp(i)lat(i)on and publ(i)cat(i)on of the stat(i)st(i)cs prov(i)ded for (i)n th(i)s Recommendat(i)on, Members should take (i)nto cons(i)derat(i)on the (i)nternat(i)onal recommendat(i)ons on labour stat(i)st(i)cs establ(i)shed under the ausp(i)ces of the Internat(i)onal Labour Organ(i)sat(i)on, and relevant recommendat(i)ons of other competent (i)nternat(i)onal organ(i)sat(i)ons.
(2) Members should rev(i)ew and, (i)f appropr(i)ate, rev(i)se or update the concepts, def(i)n(i)t(i)ons and class(i)f(i)cat(i)ons used (i)n comp(i)l(i)ng labour stat(i)st(i)cs (i)n pursuance of th(i)s Recommendat(i)on when the relevant (i)nternat(i)onal standards and gu(i)de-l(i)nes are rev(i)sed, or when new ones are establ(i)shed.

20. In des(i)gn(i)ng or rev(i)s(i)ng the concepts, def(i)n(i)t(i)ons and methodology used (i)n the collect(i)on, comp(i)lat(i)on and publ(i)cat(i)on of the stat(i)st(i)cs prov(i)ded for (i)n the Labour Stat(i)st(i)cs Convent(i)on, 1985, and (i)n th(i)s Recommendat(i)on, Members m(i)ght seek ass(i)stance from the Internat(i)onal Labour Off(i)ce.