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

Labour Statistics Convention, 1985 (No. 160) - Austria (Ratification: 1987)

The Committee notes the observations of the Austrian Chamber of Labour (AK) communicated with the Government’s report.

Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention. Statistics of the economically active population, employment and unemployment. Statistics of the structure and distribution of the economically active population. The Government provides in its report information on the amendments to the Directive of the Federal Minister for Employment, Social Affairs and Consumer Protection concerning labour and household statistics, 2010. The Committee notes the links to websites provided by the Government to obtain data on the labour situation, employed workers, the unemployed and those seeking work. It also notes that information relating to the 2011 population census has been supplied to the ILO Department of Statistics. In its observations, the AK provides information on the increasing number of one-person undertakings and “new” self-employed persons, operating with or without a specific trading licence. The AK is of the view that there are many indications that these new self-employed persons are pseudo forms of self-employment or precarious businesses which are far from the original concept of independent operations. In view of the observations of AK, the Committee requests the Government to continue to provide information on the application of these provisions. Please also include information on any plans for conducting the next round of the population census and on any developments towards the implementation of the resolution concerning statistics of work, employment and labour underutilization (resolution I), adopted by the 19th International Conference of Labour Statisticians (October 2013).

Article 9. Statistics of average earnings and hours of work. Statistics of time rates of wages and normal hours of work. The Government indicates that statistics of hourly wages and working hours are collected on the basis of enterprises’ data in Austrian Statistics and Eurostat. The Committee notes that the average monthly earnings of employees, derived from the General Income Report and classified by branch of economic activity and sex, have been communicated to the ILO Department of Statistics. The most recent data in this regard refers to 2011. In reply to previous comments, the Government indicates that statistics of minimum time rates of wages and negotiated standard working hours are compiled on the basis of collective agreements (Article 9(2)). The Committee requests the Government to communicate updated statistics of earnings as soon as they become available (Article 9(1)).

Article 14. Statistics of occupational injuries and occupational diseases. The Committee notes that statistics on occupational injuries are regularly submitted to the ILO Department of Statistics. The statistics are obtained from insurance records provided by the Austrian Workers’ Compensation Board (AUVA). The Committee invites the Government to provide information on any new developments in the field of statistics of occupational diseases.

Article 15. Statistics of industrial disputes. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government on the data source for industrial dispute statistics, namely the records of the Austrian Trade Union Federation, which is responsible for consolidating the statistics received from individual trade unions regarding strikes in which they have been involved. The Committee further notes that statistics on strikes from this source are regularly submitted to the ILO Department of Statistics. The Committee invites the Government to continue to provide statistics of industrial disputes.