Vinnumarkaður - 01.10.1994, Side 127

Synopsis of methods and eoncepts
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10.4 Trade union membership
10.4.1 Origin of data, coverage and reliability
This year the Statistical Bureau of Iceland began to collect
data on trade union membership from the unions in prepa-
ration for a regular publication of labour force statistics. The
reference time is December 31 each year. Federations and
unaffiliated unions, as registered at the State Conciliation
and Mediation Service, are asked to report to the SBI.
In the case of partially missing information, the total
number in each category is estimated in consultation with
union officials. Data on the number of affiliated members
are collected but not reported.
10.4.2 Concepts
Active member. A person who pays union dues and enjoys
full rights within the union, including the right to vote and
stand for office.
FuII member. A non-paying or a paying member of a
union who enjoys full rights within the union, including the
right to vote and stand for office.
10.5 International comparison
10.5.1 Origin of data, coverage and reliability
Various sources were utilized for Table 8.1, even if the
principal source is the 1994 OECD report, Labour Force
Statistics 1972-1992.
Users should be on guard when comparing labour force
participation rates and unemployment rates across coun-
tries, as methods and defmitions of concepts may vary
greatly. The OECD fígures can be relied on to be more or less
consistent, whereas they are not necessarily directly compa-
rable to data from other sources. Each national time-series
should, however, be consistent.