THE BARBADOS LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM

MINISTRY OF LABOUR 1

THE BARBADOS LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION

SYSTEM

“Knowledge is power. Information is

liberating.”Kofi Annan

Seventh secretary-general of the United Nations

INTRODUCTION Globalization has changed the

realities of developing countries Provides opportunities for growth

and development Creates the need to be more

internationally competitive



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.

WHAT REALLY IS THE BLMIS?


LMI PRODUCER

S

LMIUSERS

The BLMIS is a network where LMI producers & users interact

WHAT REALLY IS THE BLMIS?


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)

STRUCTURE OF PRESENTATION

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 6


LMI PRODUCTIONKey LMI Producers

Barbados Statistical Services Population & Housing Census Continuous Labour Force Sample Survey

(CLFSS) 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)

LMI PRODUCTIONKey LMI Producers Cont’d Barbados Investment Development

Corporation Employment figures for Manufacturing,

Information Services & Professional/Technical Services

Labour Department Industrial Relations Occupational Safety & Health Employment Services


LMI PRODUCTIONKey LMI Producers Cont’d Immigration Department

Work Permits

National Insurance Department Social Security Information

Barbados National Productivity Council Productivity Indicators


LMI PRODUCTIONKey LMI Producers Cont’d Ministry of Education and Training

Institutions Education Statistics

Research Agencies University of the West Indies

SALISES

Central Bank of Barbados Ministry of Labour


DISSEMINATION OF LMI

Primarily available in hard copy

Primarily disseminated at the policy and enterprise level

Limited availability on the internet


LMI USERS

12MINISTRY OF LABOUR

LMI USERS Cont’dPOLICY APPLICATIONS

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.”


INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS 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.


MORE ABOUT THE MRSU Established in 1981 as the research

arm of the Ministry of Labour Restructured to manage and co-

ordinate the BLMIS in 1999 Was directed to compile LMI from the

various producers and disseminate it more effectively to the LMI users.


BLMIS PRODUCTS


Hard Copy Publications Statistical Bulletins & Digests

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

BLMIS PRODUCTS Cont’d: The BLMIS Website

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


THE LMIAC 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


THE CLMIS PROJECT 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.


OUTPUTS FROM CLMIS PROJECT

Enhancement of the CLFSS

Updating of the BARSOC

Enhancement of the national productivity indicators


OUTPUTS FROM CLMIS PROJECTCont’d

Enhancement of the Quarterly Survey of Employment, Earnings and Hours (SEEH)

Introduction of the Annual Survey of Labour Cost and Occupational Wage Rates

Development of a Barbados Labour Market Information Plan


CHALLENGES TO LMIS Inadequate financial and human

resources (Limits funding for technological developments, inadequate staffing)

Poor response rate for surveys conducted Respondents do not recognize the

importance of LMI Survey Fatigue


CHALLENGES TO LMIS Cont’d

Users are unaware of all the LMI available

Inadequate co-operation and collaboration between producers The application of various classification

systems Varying schedules for the release of LMI

from various producers.


RECOMMENDATIONS Institutional Strengthening of LMI

producers Should involve detailed organizational

analysis

Increased use of available technologies e.g. The BLMIS Website Will feature an online statistical database

Promotion and Training


RECOMMENDATIONS Cont’d To restructure and reactivate the Labour

Market Information Advisory Committee

Must have a clear mandate

Will support the implementation of previous recommendations

Identify LMI gaps

Support the development and implementation of labour market policies


THE END

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING


THE BARBADOS LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM

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THE BARBADOS LABOUR MARKET INFORMATION SYSTEM