Transcript Slide 1

THE BARBADOS LABOUR
MARKET INFORMATION
SYSTEM
“Knowledge is power.
Information is liberating.”
Kofi Annan
Seventh secretary-general of the United Nations
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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INTRODUCTION
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Globalization has changed the realities
of developing countries
Provides opportunities for growth and
development
Creates the need to be more
internationally competitive
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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INFORMATION
Stresses the importance of the Barbados
Labour Market Information System (BLMIS)
to better equip all decision makers in the
labour market with RELEVANT, TIMELY,
ACCURATE information.
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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WHAT REALLY IS THE BLMIS?
LMI
PRODUCERS
Data Collection
Analysis
Dissemination
LMI
USERS
The BLMIS is a network where LMI
producers & users interact
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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WHAT REALLY IS THE BLMIS?
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A LMIS is defined as “a set of
institutional arrangements, procedures
and mechanisms that are designed to
co-ordinate the collection, processing,
storage, retrieval and dissemination of
Labour market Information.”
(Mangozho, ILO)
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION
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Introduce the primary LMI producers
Highlight the LMI users
Explain the institutional arrangements
that exist in the BLMIS
Highlight challenges to the development
of the BLMIS
Make recommendations to enhance the
BLMIS.
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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LMI PRODUCTION
Key LMI Producers
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Barbados Statistical Services
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Population & Housing Census
Continuous Labour Force Sample Survey (CLFSS)
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Produces key LMI indicators such as participation &
unemployment rates.
Information is disaggregated by Gender, Age,
Occupation, Industry etc.
Survey of Employees, Earnings and Hours (SEEH)
Survey of Labour Cost & Wages (SLCW)
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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LMI PRODUCTION
Key LMI Producers Cont’d
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Barbados
Corporation
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Investment
Development
Employment
figures
for
Manufacturing,
Information Services & Professional/Technical
Services
Labour Department
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Industrial Relations
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Occupational Safety & Health
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Employment Services
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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LMI PRODUCTION
Key LMI Producers Cont’d
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Immigration Department
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National Insurance Department
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Work Permits
Social Security Information
Barbados National Productivity Council
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Productivity Indicators
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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LMI PRODUCTION
Key LMI Producers Cont’d
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Ministry of Education and Training
Institutions
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Education Statistics
Research Agencies
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University of the West Indies
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SALISES
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Central Bank of Barbados
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Ministry of Labour
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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DISSEMINATION OF LMI
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Primarily available in hard copy
Primarily disseminated at the policy and
enterprise level
Limited availability on the internet
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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LMI USERS
Employees
SelfEmployed/
Employer
Policy
Makers
Researchers
BLMIS
Employee/
Employer
Organization
Training
Institutions
Students
Jobseekers
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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LMI USERS Cont’d
POLICY APPLICATIONS
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The BLMIS supports the Ministry of
Labour effort to achieve its mission:
“To assist the Government and its Social
Partners in promoting opportunities for the
provision of decent and productive work, in
conditions of freedom of association, equity,
security and human dignity and to provide
quality social and economic benefits for
Barbadians.”
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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INSTITUTIONAL
ARRANGEMENTS
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The Ministry of Labour acts as the
coordinating agency that would manage
the flow of information between LMI
producers and users.
Manpower Research and Statistical Unit
(MRSU) is responsible for managing and
developing the BLMIS.
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MORE ABOUT THE MRSU
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Established in 1981 as the research arm
of the Ministry of Labour
Restructured to manage and coordinate the BLMIS in 1999
Was directed to compile LMI from the
various producers and disseminate it
more effectively to the LMI users.
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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BLMIS PRODUCTS
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Hard Copy Publications
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Statistical Bulletins & Digests
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Features key LMI from the various
producers
Provides analysis on developments in the
labour market.
Newsletters
The Barbados Standard Occupational
Classification System (BARSOC)
Public Outreach Activities
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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BLMIS PRODUCTS Cont’d:
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The BLMIS Website
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Found at www.labour.gov.bb
First launched in 1998
Act as an electronic “clearing house” of
labour information and statistics.
Currently being restructured and upgraded.
Expected relaunch in July, 2009
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THE LMIAC
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Was managed by the MRSU
Tripartite in structure
Consisted of LMI producers and users
Provided feedback on the BLMIS
website and made recommendations on
how to enhance the BLMIS
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THE CLMIS PROJECT
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Was a major developmental stage for
the BLMIS
Provided technical assistance and initial
funding for building and enhancing the
capacity for the production and use of
labour market information in various
Caribbean countries.
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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OUTPUTS FROM CLMIS
PROJECT
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Enhancement of the CLFSS
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Updating of the BARSOC
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Enhancement of the national
productivity indicators
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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OUTPUTS FROM CLMIS
PROJECTCont’d
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Enhancement of the Quarterly Survey of
Employment, Earnings and Hours
(SEEH)
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Introduction of the Annual Survey of
Labour Cost and Occupational Wage
Rates
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Development of a Barbados Labour
Market Information Plan
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CHALLENGES TO LMIS
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Inadequate financial and human
resources (Limits funding for technological
developments, inadequate staffing)
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Poor response rate for surveys
conducted
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Respondents do not recognize the
importance of LMI
Survey Fatigue
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CHALLENGES TO LMIS Cont’d
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Users are unaware of all the LMI
available
Inadequate co-operation and
collaboration between producers
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The application of various classification
systems
Varying schedules for the release of LMI
from various producers.
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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RECOMMENDATIONS
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Institutional Strengthening of LMI
producers
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Increased use of available technologies
e.g. The BLMIS Website
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Should involve detailed organizational
analysis
Will feature an online statistical database
Promotion and Training
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RECOMMENDATIONS Cont’d
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To restructure and reactivate the Labour
Market Information Advisory Committee
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Must have a clear mandate
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Will support the implementation of previous
recommendations
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Identify LMI gaps
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Support the development and
implementation of labour market policies
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THE END
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING
MINISTRY OF LABOUR
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