Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2023, published 112nd ILC session (2024)

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Colombia (Ratification: 1990)

Previous comment

The Committee notes the observations formulated by the International Organisation of Employers (IOE) received on 31 August 2022, referring to matters addressed in this comment. It also notes the observations of the National Association of Employers of Colombia (ANDI), received with the Government’s report, stressing the significant progress made in complying with the Convention. ANDI indicates that the National Administrative Department of Statistics (DANE) aims to ensure the production, availability and quality of strategic statistical information, and to direct, plan, execute, coordinate, regulate and evaluate the production and dissemination of basic official information. Through methodologies standardized by international organizations, it monitors the different national statistics and, additionally, provides in-depth analysis of employment statistics and indicators. ANDI concludes that it is therefore a very important source of information for decision-making on public policy, particularly for the discussions and analyses carried out in a tripartite manner within the framework of the Commission for the Coordination of Labour and Wage Policies.

Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention. Statistics of employment, unemployment, and underemployment. Statistics of the structure and distribution of the economically active population. The Committee welcomes the detailed information provided by the Government regarding the Major Integrated Household Survey (GEIH) (Labour Force Survey). The Committee also welcomes the changes made to comply with the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) Resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization adopted in 2013. The Committee notes however that IOE indicates that, according to the GEIH, the number of employed persons at the national level in June 2022 was 22 million persons, of which more than 12.7 million were classified as informal by DANE, representing an informality rate of 58 per cent. The Committee encourages the Government to provide information on the effect given to the Resolution concerning statistics on work relationships adopted by the 20th ICLS in 2018 and the Resolution concerning statistics on the informal economy adopted by the 21st ICLS in 2023.

Article 9(2). Compilation of statistics on time rates of wages and normal hours of work. Communication of statistics. With reference to the Committee’s previous comments, the Government indicates that the disaggregated data are not published as regards income generation per hour worked, by branch of economic activity and occupation. The Government indicates that it is, nonetheless, possible to derive these statistics using microdata of the GEIH. In this context, the Committee encourages the Government to consider the acceptance of Article 9 of the Convention and to provide information of any developments in this regard.

Article 10. Statistics of wage structure and distribution. The Committee notes with interest the information submitted by the Government regarding the methodology used for the compilation of statistics of wage structure and distribution. The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide data under this Article of the Convention.

Article 11. Statistics of labour cost.The Committee requests the Government to continue to provide updated statistics on labour cost and to keep it updated on any changes.

Article 14. Occupational injuries and diseases. The Committee notes with interest the detailed statistical and methodological information on occupational accidents and diseases is provided as an annex to the Report. The Committee, however, notes that the most recent data on occupational injuries received by the Office through the annual questionnaire of the Department of Statistics are of 2017. Therefore, the Committee encourages the Government to submit the data from 2017 for all years missing and to provide this information regularly through the annual questionnaire of the Department of Statistics 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.

Article 15. Statistics of industrial disputes. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government and in particular that the “Dirección de Inspección Vigilancia Control” reports quarterly the information contained in the bulletins, which corresponds to data collected and consolidated by the “Dirección de Inspección, Vigilancia, Control y Gestión Territorial” supplied quarterly by the “Direcciones Territoriales y Oficinas Especiales”, available on the website of the Ministry of Labour. The Committee, however, notes that the report does not provide statistical or methodological information on industrial disputes. Moreover, the chapter on strikes and lockouts of the ILO Department of Statistics’ annual questionnaire is not regularly completed and returned to the ILO. The Committee once again requests the Government to provide relevant statistics on labour disputes and the corresponding methodology used.