Outcomes of the 19th ICLS on Work Statistics: What counts as a Job?

Grant Belchamber

Sylvain Schetagne

A few months back, we raised issues regarding the revision by the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS) - organised by the ILO - on what counts as a job and the re-consideration and reset of guidelines to measure work and the labour force[1]. This debate came about because of the need to better provide policy makers with accurate information on the state of work and the labour markets. This debate was further fueled by the stagnant key labour market indicators. 

Thirty years ago, the main objective of employment statistics was to measure labour inputs in production, to calculate GDP and measure economic growth. The lens for measuring employment and unemployment was constructed to meet the needs of producing the National Accounts. Today, policy makers want to know about labour market trends, the effectiveness of labour market programs, labour underutilization, the participation of different sub-groups of the population and the engagement with the market economy.

What counts as a Job?

Grant Belchamber

Sylvain Schetagne

When key labour market indicators barely move while millions suffer from the deepest economic crisis in decades, it is time to revise them.

Poor indicators make for poor public policy. The global crisis highlights the compelling need to set clear and relevant international standards to collect labour statistics and measure labour market trends.

This job falls to the International Conference of Labour Statisticians (ICLS), which is convened by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) every five years in Geneva. In October this year the 19th ICLS will re-consider and re-set the guidelines for measurement of Work and the Labour Force.

Different times, different needs
Today’s standards date from the 13th ICLS in 1982[1]. Thirty years ago the main objective of statistics on employment was to measure labour inputs in production, to calculate GDP and measure economic growth, and the lens for measuring employment and unemployment was constructed to meet the needs of producing the National Accounts.

The State as the Employer of last Resort

Cédric Durand

Dany Lang

The great recession the rich economies entered in 2007 has turned into social devastation in Europe. In France, there is every reason to despair the new rulers holding the reins since June 2012; indeed, the abandonment of workers’ collectives to their fate after half-hearted threats of nationalisation is only the tip of the iceberg. Policies implemented by François Hollande’s government include budgetary austerity on a scale unprecedented since World War II (60 billion euros’ worth of cuts planned over five years), the institutionalising of the European “golden rule” which limits structural deficits to 0.5% of GDP, a “competitiveness” plan which offers firms €20bn in tax credits (€7bn of which are to be funded by a VAT increase) without any counterpart, and the transposition into law of an agreement reached between employers’ organisations and minority trade unions aimed at increasing dramatically external number flexibility on the “labour market”. This profoundly neoliberal orientation is based on choices that need to be analysed.